Monday, February 1, 2016

Travel Link-Up: I Love ... Breakfast Abroad


Everything's more exciting when you're travelling abroad. The different sights, smells, sounds - my brain goes into overload trying to process it all. But there's one thing that gets me really excited about waking up in the morning in a new country: breakfast. It's not that difficult, considering I already get excited about breakfast in the U.S. and U.K.!

In honor of National Breakfast Week last week (yup, that's a thing, apparently), here are five of my favorite breakfasts abroad:

Brioche con Gelato, Sicily


Because ice cream for breakfast. Pistachio and dark chocolate ice cream melting into a soft, slightly warm brioche bun, to be exact. The lovely, cold stickiness dripped over my fingers and left me looking like a 3-year-old discovering a chocolate bar for the first time, but oh my goodness - it's was a revelation.

Bun Rieu (Crab Soup Noodles), Hanoi, Vietnam


We walked past the unnamed, unmarked stall twice. Three times, in fact. At 7 a.m., there was a lone woman sitting on a small, plastic pink stool, stirring a fragrant broth in a large pot. We approached timidly and she gestured towards a seat in the tiny room lined with a few other plastic stools. "What happens now?" I whispered to John. "I don't know," he whispered back. Two minutes later, office workers trickled in, briefcases in hand and ties tucked out of the way. Two minutes after that, police officers sauntered up, pulling out plastic stools and settling themselves in. Two minutes after that, the most wonderful bowl of deliciousness appeared before me. We copied what others did beside us, adding all the unidentifiable sauces and a handful of shredded lettuce on top. Two bowls cost us £1.20. Maybe less, I can't remember.

Egg Hoppers, Sri Lanka


A year before Hoppers opened in London serving this traditional Sri Lankan fare and instantly achieving sell-out status, John and I were introduced to hoppers for the first time in Thalpe, Sri Lanka. The description confused us (pancakes? But with an egg?), but we were eager to try this traditional dish, served with chilli and coconut sambal, milk curry, and fish curry (my mouth is watering just recalling this breakfast!). It was nothing like we had expected, but the heat from the chilli and the delightfully wafer-thin hopper tickled our tastebuds, as the waves lapped against the beach outside our suite. This, we decided, was heaven.

Pastries, France


These are worth waking up at early for. Fresh out of the oven and accompanied by a strong cafe au lait, pastries just taste better in France.

Kaya Toast and Kopi, Singapore


I grew up eating thick, buttered slices of kaya toast whenever I visited my grandma in Hong Kong, so revisiting this childhood favorite was a highlight of my trip to Singapore. In Singapore, it's served with kopi (coffee) and two soft-boiled eggs for dipping.

What's the best breakfast you've had when travelling abroad? I'd love to know!

This post was part of this month's Travel Link-Up series, hosted by Emma, Angie, Jessi and Kaelene - head over to their blogs to read more posts about travel-related loves!
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48 comments

  1. Ah my boyfriend and I were staying yesterday that Breakfast was our favourite meal of the day. Every single one you've posted looks absolutely delicious!
    Sophie
    x
    A Story of a Girl

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    1. Hi Sophie! Yes, it totally is! It's always exciting to try something new in terms of "local" cuisine. :) Thanks for reading!

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  2. Excuse me while I book a seat on the first flight available to Sicily..!

    Oh my!! All of these amazing looking breakfasts have my stomach rumbling right now. What a gorgeous feast! Do you think they deliver? ; )

    Gemma
    www.fadedwindmills.com

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    1. Haha, seriously - that gelato in brioche changed my life. It's all about the environment too ... I remember being sweltering hot when I took that photo of the fruit in Sri Lanka and it was such a refreshing, cooling treat to have for breakfast!

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  3. The Hoppers in Sri Lanka look amazing!! I love breakfasts abroad, for me the absolute best thing is getting that freshest tropical fruit that you just do get in the UK.
    Lots of love,
    Angie
    SilverSpoon London

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    1. Exactly, Angie! I miss the fruit in SE Asia ... I remember the fresh mangoes we had in our villa in Thailand and being so happy at cutting them open and devouring them on the spot!

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  4. Gelato *and* brioche?! For breakfast? Oh thank god we're planning on going to Sicily.

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    1. YES. And you MUST try it. Like, every day. :D I couldn't actually finish mine haha!

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  5. A gelato brioche?! Surely that's the breakfast of gods! Whoever invented that deserves a medal. Considering I just had leftover chocolate pudding for breakfast, that would be right up my alley. However as I'm coeliac, I often struggle with breakfast when travelling - it's usually so wheaty. So I do appreciate a good, varied and fresh fruit plate.

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    1. Haha! I'm pretty jealous of your leftover chocolate pudding though; I had porridge! It must be tricky for you to find decent breakfast options abroad! I'm only mildly lactose intolerant so I don't run into *too* many issues, though frseh fruit - particularly in Asia - is always a winner. :)

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  6. Yes to pastries and kaya toast! Both amazingly rich and delicious , not something I would have on a daily basis (I'm one of those bad people who doesn't actually eat breakfast that often) but perfect on holidays!

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    1. Haha, YES! I love kaya so much, I think I could marry it. :D :D :D

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  7. this is such a great post! showing "breakfast" in loads of different countries, its actually really interesting! lovely photos too

    Hannah at WRITTEN BY HANNAH

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  8. Oh you hit the spot with this post! Such an interesting way to portray the countries. Love love love breakfast! Anytime of the day! Sadly, Tokyo is not big on breakfasts but I make it up for it by eating all the wonderful desserts they have, haha! However, if I were to name the best breakfast I have ever had it would be The Pavement Coffeehouse in Boston with their ah-mazing Spanish latte and bagel sandwich! Breakfast at Aromas Coffee House in San Juan with their authentic artisan Puerto Rican cafe latte and freshly baked mallorca is definitely my second favorite! xoxo, Nano at #TravelWithNanoB

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    1. Glad you agree, Nano! I love and miss American breakfasts - the one you described at The Pavement Coffeehouse in Boston sounds right up my alley! Thanks so much for reading and commenting! xo

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  9. Well now you have me all hungry :) I have found breakfast to be very hit or miss when I travel internationally, but when it's good it's GOOD. Love your meal discoveries!

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    1. Haha! I'm hungry now too! I've liked most breakfasts I've tried, but I can imagine some that I might not like very much! Thanks so much for reading and for commenting! xo

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  10. All of these breakfasts look amazing!! Especially the crab soup noodles!

    http://thecourtneydiaries.com

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    1. The crab soup noodles were definitely one of my favorite breakfast experiences abroad, Courtney! They were so, so good. And SO cheap!

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  11. I am an outlier in the fact that breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day but I do enjoy breakfast on vacation because the day still has so much possibility and the excitement of over what you might see makes it taste all the better I think.

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    1. True, Bailie! It might be the excitement and the environment that makes me love it so much! I just like how different it is to what we normally have :) I still think "Gosh,do you remember that fruit we had for breakfast in Thailand?" or "OMG, the egg hoppers in Sri Lanka - to die for!"

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  12. Such a delicious post! I too am a huge fan of breakfast and I always find it really interesting to hear about what others eat for breakfast - whether it be sweet or savoury. I just love the pastries in Paris, they are such an amazing thing to wake up to! :)

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    1. Thank you, Marcella! I'm so glad to hear that you're a breakfast fan too. I find it one of the most fascinating insights to discovering different countries!

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  13. This post is making me so hungry, all those foods look so good, especially for breakfast!!
    Blue Jazzmin

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  14. Oh, so much YUM! I also love Vietnam breakfasts - bun rieu is a delicious way to start the day. My ultimate breakfast involves some combination of eggs and avocado so I'm pretty spoilt in New Zealand and London, but I also love fresh tropical fruit!

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    1. They're the best - what's better than starting your day with a hearty bowl of soup noodles?! NZ has the best breakfasts. I've never been, but I've seen plenty of pictures! Haha :)

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  15. Going out for breakfast/brunch is one of my favorite things to do when traveling, such a delicious start to the day:)

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    1. Yay - a fellow breakfast/brunch lover! Thanks so much for reading, Kaelene - this was a great topic!

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  16. Gelato for breakfast? Count me in!

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    1. We should make it a "thing" in London. Watch this space ...

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  17. I agree, breakfasts abroad are the BEST breakfasts! That brioche-ice-cream combo looks delicious. :)

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    1. It was really delicious Charlotte - especially in the heat!

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  18. Ooh, I love this. They all look so different and interesting too! Having had pastries in Paris for breakfast before, I definitely know where you're coming from. And I always take it as a good sign if the locals seem to frequent wherever you've chosen to eat!
    Now, I'm just off to Sainsburys to buy all the food...
    Sophie :-)

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    1. HAHA - yes, I should have put a disclaimer at the beginning! Every time I come back to this post to reply to a comment I have to scroll through that damn gelato brioche and it makes my mouth water!

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  19. Cannot believe I missed the gelato brioche in Sicily :O heartbreaking. Loved noodles for brekkie in Vietnam and want to try those Sri Lankan eggs so badly now! Lots of love, Andrea xxx

    Andrea's Passions

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    1. Argh! You would have loved it, Andrea - next time! Have you been to Hoppers yet? Once the fuss has died down (I hate waiting in line!) I'd love to go! xx

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  20. I'm so with you - there's something so special about breakfasts when you're abroad, definitely one of the highlights of the day for me. Makes a good change from Weetabix! I love that you're tasting the very different foods in each country that you're travelling. Food is such a fantastic way to get to know a country and its culture. Not sure if I could stomach gelato in a brioche bun though...but my kids would LOVE it.

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    1. What an awesome name for a blog, Clare! Love it. I bet your kids have very sophisticated palates, given all the fantastic travel you get up to! And you're so right - breakfast is a fantastic way to get to know a country and its culture. Thank you so much for stopping by to read and comment! I really appreciate it :)

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  21. I hate smoking but for me one of the best breakfasts is outside in a cafe in france with croissants and orange juice and coffee, with the waft of someones gauloise cigarette drifting across! So continental!

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  23. It all looks so good! Except for maybe the crab soup noodles..not sure I would be able to stomach that too early in the morning!

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  24. When I get a good breakfast buffet I love to do two courses, first regualar breakfast with sausages and bacon and toast and what not, then dessert breakfast, with tons of fruit and crepes and everything drowning in chocolate sauce XD

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  25. Some weird but extremely wonderful looking breakfasts here!

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  26. Yes, breakfast all the way! I can't get through a day without a good breakfast. Sri Lankan egg hoppers are just the best aren't they?!

    Polly xx
    Follow Your Sunshine

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