Sao Paulo

Things to do
Old city centre
Municipal Food Market (“Mercadao”): http://www.mercadomunicipal.com.br/home.html. (in the section “localizacao" there is a good map showing subway stations or metros). Great for fruit, spices, cheeses, butchers, cured meats (the “mortadela" sandwich is a classic). Worth visiting also for the architecture, and definitely for the buzz. The market opens daily (including holidays) from 6am to 6 pm or 4pm (sundays and holidays).
and here's the museum that is not too far from it http://www.pinacoteca.org.br/ (info in English). It is a rough (not as in dangerous, but just impoverished) but historical part of town, i find it worth visiting. For food in this area, try Bistro da Sara for a fantastic, creative buffet lunch in a very charming venue (Rua da Graca 32 Bom Retiro) for a proper lunch, or for quick bites, Falafel Malka (inside a gallery on 345 Rua Jose Paulino) or amazing burekas at Casa Bulgara (Rua Silva Pinto, 356).
Also in this area is Estacao Julio Prestes, a former train station and now a concert hall -http://www.salasaopaulo.art.br/eventos/infoGeral.aspx
and if you're into shopping sao paulo is famous for its malls (Iguatemi and Cidade Jardim probably the nicest), and the area around rua Oscar Freire is also very nice.

A night club I used to like was lov.e http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303631-d675972-Reviews-Lov_e_Club-Sao_Paulo_State_of_Sao_Paulo.html. another cool, more relaxed (earlier hours) place is Grazie a Dio, great for live music. http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/central-and-south-america/brazil/sao-paulo/30077/grazie-a-dio/nightlife-detail.html

Sao Paulo has a million amazing great places for street food (you'll be fine in the Mercado area) and quite a few ridiculously expensive and excellent restaurants. My favourite pick (not too expensive, especially if you get the lunch menu on a week day) is Brasil a Gosto. http://www.brasilagosto.com.br/site/

Great tips also on this link:http://riotimesonline.com/news/rio-travel/48-hours-in-sao-paulo/

Other restaurant picks

KAA - good food, gorgeous setting
Brasil A Gosto
Arturito - well executed, a bit overpriced
Chou - creative Brazilian tapas, another of my favouritesCafe' Octavio



Ene - Spanish tapas, the real thing.

Can't wait to try:
Alma Maria - Rua Oscar Freire, 439. 30640047. also tapas, chef Tony Botella form Barcelona. Montaditos are the main stars, wines by the glass from R$15. 



Japanese
Aya. My new passion. Each piece of sushi is artfully crafted, perfectly executed. 
Mori Sushi. Rua da Consolacao 3610. www.morisushi.com.br 38982977. Really differentiated "all you can eat" proposition. Sophisticated combinations, very nice hot starters. Includes Hagen Dasz ice cream for desert. Bill was R$70 per person - but we only drank tea. Pretty reasonable for the quality and quantity.

Sao Paulo - Centro

Centro velho

Bom Retiro and 25 de Marco (the latter more for accessories)

This is very interesting place for cheap shopping. Many of the stores will only sell wholesale - which for some mean that you have to be a registered merchant, and for some that you have to buy a minimum number of pieces. It does take energy and a good eye to find good stuff  - but it is definitely there, and at very good prices. 

Some stores where it is worth spending sieving time:

Virada Bijoux. 25 de marco, 965.

Places to eat

Bom Retiro.

Casa Bulgara. Rua Silva Pinto, 365. (011) 3222 9849.The specialties are the Burekas, savoury (meet and aubergine a personal favourite) and sweet, and the bureka-style pao de queijo. 

Falafel Malka. Rua Jose Paulin, 345, Loja 21-A. (011) 3222 2157. Arab food - and arguably the best falafel in town. 

Barcelona - tapas & other food

Espai Sucre - AMAZING restaurant  using sweet ingredients in all dishes, unbelievable what the likes of chocolate, caramel and fruit can do to a savory dish.

Grupo Tragaluz - check website for restaurants and descriptions, ALL restaurants of the group are great. Personal favourites are Agua, by the beach, the one at Mercado Santa Catarina and el Japones (the latter two very informal).


Tickets and 41o - the new ventures of the Adria brothers. Reservations required (www.ticketsbar.rs). Avinguda Paralle, 164.

Bodega La Tieta - famous for its artichokes, served with soft corn bread. Cheeses served with homemade pepper jelly. Over 300 choices of wines, from 14 euros a bottle. Carrer de Blai, 1

Tapas 24 

Lolita Taperia

Quimet y Quimet. Pintxos, to eat standing by the bar. Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25. Poble Sec.

Escriba. Good for sweets - especially caramels and cheesecakes. Open for breakfast. Rambla de les Flors, 83.

Taller de Tapas - very nice taperia and cerveceria on Rambla de Catalunya in the center of Barcelona, parallel to Passeig de Gracia. It's very central but is far enough away from Las Ramblas/Barceloneta that it's not too touristy.

Meatpacking Bistro - great coffee shop (they also have a full menu if you haven't had lunch) on Travessera de Gracia (parallel to Avenida Diagonal). It's also in the center of the City, but a little bit northwest of Taller de Tapas. The theme is more Soho/Chelsea (NYC) than Spanish, but still a very nice atmosphere.

For pizza (!): Fabian Martin, Laietana 71. 9330140748

Kruger Park

Kruger park

Lodges

http://www.ulusaba.virgin.com/

http://www.londolozi.com/

http://www.shishangeni.com/

http://www.imbali.com/

http://www.hoyohoyo.com/

The latter 3 offer accomodations with rates ranging from R2100 to 3900 per person sharing per night. Rate includes: accommodation, 3 meals and 2 safari activities daily.

For assistance with bookings, we have used Corporate Africa and were assisted by Shelley.

Not too far from where the airport is, a visit to Nelspruit (especially an area called Drakensberg) was also recommended - but we did not make it last time.

Cagliari

Hotels

Hotel Mariposas Via Mar Nero 1, 09049 Villasimius (CA). A bit further from the town centre, but closer to the beach (all walking distance, however, provided you are not too lazy!). Nice, simple rooms, friendly family service - and the higllight: very nice swimming pool and garden. We did A LOT of research to find a non-resort hotel in the area and are convinced we could not have done any better!

Mexico City

Recommended Restaurants

Biko. In the chi-chi Polanco district. Mexican fusion - made outstanding by Basque chefs Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oiteza.

Pujol. Modern Mexican, Chef Enrique Olvera.

Dulce Patria. Chef Martha Ortiz.

Rome

Must sees There’s a long checklist for Rome that really has to be ticked: The Vatican Colosseum Foro Romano Fontana di Trevi Pantheon Castel Sant’Angelo Piazza de Spagna Piazza del Poppolo Piazza Navona Campo de Fiori (worth a stretch to the ghetto, not so full of tourists and very interesting) and around 400 churches if you’re into that - you may want to focus on the ones with interesting art inside like Santa Maria sopra Minerva, or the ones that appeared on Angels and Demons : ). and whatever else the travel guides tell you to do! Off the beaten track - and kind of far actually - are two of my favourite places in Rome: MAXXI,a new contemporary art museum the Auditorium (check programme on website; acoustics there are great and the place is worth visiting anyway) MAXXI and Auditorium are walking distance form each other. Can't say they are must-sees if you are there for a short time and want to cover the basics though. As an alternative to the classics but still quite central you can visit MACRO (the municipal contemporary art museum - not as ambitious as MAXXI but quite nice too). I guess at this point my preference for contemporary is quite obvious, so to continue on that track, Palazzo delle Sposizioni always has very nice exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, and an awesome cafe/ restaurant on the top floor (also very central, near Republica and Cavour stations) Accommodation Capo d'Africa, near the Coliseum. Highly recommended: very charming and prices are usually quite reasonable/ good value. Hotel de Russie, Via del Babuino 9, Tridente, metro Flaminio. This is more of an indulgent stay (or just fine if you're on corporate budget!). Rooms are a very nice mix of modern design and classic luxury, and the highlight is the internal patio (which is worth visiting anyway for a drink or light lunch) Angela Restaurants - Gusto , Piazza Augusto Imperatore 9. A hybrid between restaurant and cook bookshop, very nice venue (more on the modern/trendy side) - Osteria dea Frezza - one of my favourites, very casual, serves the equivalent of Italian tapas and pintchos. Managed by the same group as Gusto. - Antica Birreria Peroni -on the touristic route, a classic for a heavy, informal lunch with beer. Quite a fun place, actually. - Near the coliseum there is a very nice healthy food called Cafe Cafe, great juices and salads. - Gina. Via San Sebastianello, 7/A. 06 6780251. Great spot for lunch, light ambiance with high shared tables, great salads. - Vizi Capitali. Vicolo della Renella, 94 (Trastevere). 065818840. Closed on Sunday evenings. Charming cantina, their strength is the super fresh seafood and fish. Pizza Ivo a Trastevere. Via San Francesco a Ripa, 158. Panificio Arnese. Via del Politeama 27, Trastevere. Baffetto. Via del Governo Vecchio 114, Pantheon.