Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/906955
maltatoday SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2017 41 Travel NOT a recipe for a mid-morning snack! The Sandwich tern is a bird and a rather elegant one too. Terns are the lighter-built cousins of the gulls. Like gulls they have long pointed wings and they're mostly white and grey in plumage. And like gulls too they are largely associated with the sea. Nine species of tern have been recorded in Malta, some very rare, the rest not exactly common either. The least scarce is the Sandwich tern (M. Ċirlewwa tax-Xitwa). These birds spend their summer mostly around northern European shores, where they nest in dense colonies on undisturbed beaches and islands. But come autumn they fly south to spend winter in milder Mediterranean or African latitudes. Which is why at this time of year birdwatchers braving the wind-swept shores sometimes spot a handful of these beauties fishing offshore, or huddling with the gulls on breakwaters or in places like Salina. Incidentally, terns have a special significance for BirdLife: they're the bird stylised in our logo! Text Victor Falzon Photo Jason Aloisio 585. SANDWICH TERN Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 488: http://www.foemalta.org/plasticfreepledge Plastic Free Pledge BEST SPOT FOR SHOPPING The Brick Lane market has a very differ- ent culture to other markets in London. The street is buzzing every Thursday and Sunday, aligned with all sorts of vendors from artisan food stalls, vinyl record stalls, vintage clothes (there's an underground vintage warehouse!), an- tique furniture and indie designer wear. If you're going in summer, there are various food and arty festivals beside the Sunday Up market in the Old Truman Brewery. On Saturdays, a little East End street be- tween Regent's Canal and London fields is transformed into the Broadway market which is full of fine book shops, hipster cafes, and stalls with fresh produce, au- thentic street food, art and clothing. BEST AREAS TO WIND DOWN AND ENJOY NATURE My favourite parks around London are Regents Park, Holland Park and Victoria Park. You can have a picnic on a nice day or sometimes stumble across an open air cinema. Hyde Park is also impres- sive for its size and I'd suggest hiring a red 'Boris' bike for two pounds for the whole day and enjoy cycling through it. If you're up by Camden and Regent's Park, make your way to Primrose Hill and enjoy views of London from grassy high grounds. You'll see that the canals which f low through London are full of inhabited barges and canal boats which you can rent out for a change of scenery and even spend the weekend. You can also stroll around Hampstead Heath Woods but be sure to stop at Karma Bread bakery on the way to get your fix of doughnuts and sandwiches for the road. BEST ADVENTURE ACTIVITY Grab some friends and plan a day at one of Go Ape's locations in Greater London. You might need to take a short train ride outside the city centre to the countryside where you can go on forest Segway rides, zip lines and high ropes course through the treetops to literally 'hang' out with your friends. BEST PLACE TO STAY The Ace Hotel in Shoreditch is an innovative hub which marries art, design, culture and tech. They took the lobby areas and transformed them into collaborative working spaces. You can party at the rooftop bar and terrace whilst enjoying the panoramic views of the city (and the giant purple telescope!). The bras- serie, Hoi Polloi, within the hotel is stunning and often has live classical music playing while you're dining or having a coffee. The modernist Hoxton Hotel is both in Holborn and in Shoreditch and is also beautifully designed. There's a Chicken Shop and their own coffee joint called Holborn Grind which serve Es- presso Martinis. If you'd like a grander experience of London, the Corinthia Hotel in Whitehall Place has one of the best locations and by far the most luxurious spa I have ever seen, spread over four f loors and com- plete with sleeping pods.