Thanks to DiyWithJoyce, I have got back into thebaking and have been experimenting with new food. I don’t know if you know, but ever since I was a kid, I have always had a liking to baking and making cakes. And while I am not travelling, I usually like to keep myself occupied with other things like making banana bread.
I remember as a child making lots of fruit cakes, don’t ask me why because I hated a fruit cake and still do now, but I was good at it. I also made a right old Victorian Sponge, M&M cookies and little old muffins – these were my specialities. It’s a shame I didn’t really stick to it because who knows where I would be with it now. As I got older, I guess I lost interest and stopped baking as much. I can’t exactly remember why I stopped, but I didn’t pursue it thoroughly, and I think I just lost the confidence.
I have recently moved into a new place and decided that I would like to get back into baking cakes again! Lucky me, my auntie was nice enough to gift me with a weigh scale, and so I decided to make banana bread. If you are already a baker yourself you will know that there are a million in one way to make banana bread, so I thought it would be good to share how My Breaking Views made this amazing banana loaf!
ingredients:
banana x2 (soft)
150g butter softened, plus a lil extra for the tin
150g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten well
150g self-raising flour
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 tsp baking powder
You may need time to prepare your ingredients, so I would suggest giving yourself around 15- 20mins. Don’t rush it you want this to come out really good! Pre-heat oven your oven 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
It will roughly take around 40 –45 mins to bake at around 180C.
Mush your bananas I do this with a fork, but I know there are more exclusive tools which can be used.
Soften butter & peanut butter. I only eat crunchy PeanutButter, but I am sure you can use any PeanutButter. I usually add this to a bowl and put it in the microwave for like 15 seconds, I wouldn’t suggest this, but it does make it easy to mix!
Add sugar to butter with Peanut Butter (Remember the peanut butter is optional).
Make this mix nice and fluffy.
Add the flour and eggs
Butter your tin
Add mixture into your tin
Place in the oven
Let it Cook
& Enjoy
And mix! Hopefully, your mixture looks something like this:
And it’s as easy at that!
Hope you find the recipe easy and if you find time to make it, share a picture in the comments section below.
Self-care is so important to me. In the last year, I have been tapping into counselling and group therapy. Honestly. It took me a long time to realise that talking to a professional would help me deal with a number of my problems.
In the past, seeking help has been a huge taboo within my family. We know that it has been a huge taboo within the black community, but I like to think in this new generation we are seeking help when we truly need it.
So how do we you practise self-care? Well, I will tell you that it is not an easy process. I’m even today still learning today.
I am taking baby steps, but I hope these steps can help both of us practise self-care.
How to Practise Self Care
Be gentle with yourself
As a Virgo, I believe this is quite hard. We are born to be self critics lol. I am sure a number of other star signs can relate.
I don’t get too into star signs, but what I will say is this… I have noticed that it is easier to hard on yourself than be kind to yourself.
This is one thing I have learnt through my therapy, which is if you were someone else and they told you your own story to you. How would you react?
Would you cuddle that person? Would you tell the person to do something nice for themselves? I hope you would be kind to yourself and show them self compassion.
So do it for the most important person in the world. That one person is Yourself.
You a0re enough
I spent a long time believing that if anyone got so close to me and really saw me for who I really am then they would run. Looking back now, I can see I spent way too much time people-pleasing, doing things for people that couldn’t or wouldn’t ever do the same thing for me if I asked them too. Always apologising for things that really wasn’t my fault. Apologising, just for peace and simply because you were outnumbered and you wanted to remain liked by the people around you. You wanted to be enough. I’m sure many of you can relate. I had to learn that being myself was enough and if he/she didn’t like it then … GOOD RIDDENS!!
Boundaries
I wish this was something that was taught at school because I only recognised healthy boundaries when I started both counselling and therapy. Boundaries are so important because without them you allow people to walk all over you. I recognised the importance of healthy boundaries and it literally changed my life for the good. It’s sad for me to admit, but I didn’t know anything about boundaries and have to admit that I am still learning about my boundaries now.
Listen to your body
One thing I’ve learnt in my therapy is if you are tired it is ok to rest. If you are sad it’s ok to just sit down and watch a movie or go on holiday. I’m not saying every-time I go on holiday is because I am sad, but it sure does help with my mental health. People recognise other peoples problems before their own, which is so sad. Listen to your body. Do you feel run down? Do you feel like doing nothing today? Then do nothing you are supposed to react to how your body feels.
Treat Yourself
Oh my gosh, this one is so important for anyone who has been constantly working and going through stress. I believe you should always have something to look forward too. Are you on a diet? Treat yourself to a cheat meal. Have you just come out of a breakup? Treat yourself. Heck have you been working really hard? Treat Yourself! I think we get bogged down in saving and living within our means. Sometimes treat yourself.
I hope you enjoyed my tips on how to practise self-care. I am of course still learning so if you have any tips, please share them in the comments below!
Heyyy MyBreakingViewers, and welcome to my third edition of A Day with MBV Series. Today I will be talking about my recent trip to Copenhagen! I was pleased with this trip because as you know I’m one ½ of @BTravelCreators; and was able to collaborate with @Traveleatslay.
Let’s get into it then!
This trip was hella jokes, where does one even begin (I am literally beaming as I write this!) We had someone blasting music throughout the day. This really added to the mood and the weather in Copenhagen was good considering it was the end of February.
I can’t remember how much I spent on the day. However, I have shared on other trips a good breakdown of costs (just this one I haven’t – I am truly sorry).
We started the day with some grub! What? A girl has got to eat! This was in my opinion, an easy journey to the restaurant called Sunday Munday. This was a restaurant for waffles eaters and get this EVERYTHING is vegan. This was great for me as I decided to go vegan for the month and it was my last day.
Nyhavn Harbour – coloured houses
Every time I think of Copenhagen, I always imagined seeing the pretty colourful houses. So when we landed, I was like I want pictures near the colourful houses and that we did! What I loved about the colourful buildings was the richness in colour. It really showed me that there is colour in the world. Which resonates with MyBreakingViews statement
Building Colour Into Your Travels
Interesting fact: Nyhavn is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants.
Whilst eating at the restaurant Sunday Munday. A staff member suggested we should head over to the Manon Les Suites and so we did. The hotel in one word was breathtaking and I will be certainly going back and staying at this hotel! When I am rich of course!
Travel Tip: It is always good to listen to the locals. They should know their country a lot better than a tourist.
It took us a while to find this place and it seems the lifts/elevators in Copenhagen are slightly old fashioned. When we finally got up there you could see a good view of the country.
Interesting Fact: Christiansborg Palace is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark.
Cost – £0.00
Dinner at Skipperkroen
We got a bus back to Nyhavn (colourful houses) to see if we could find somewhere to eat. We wanted to unwind while we waited for our plane. Note: There are quite a lot of restaurants in this area.
Now, remember when I said I was practising being a vegan for the month! This was a struggle when we got to this restaurant because they didn’t even know what it meant. I ended up having potatoes, some bread and veg – they added some fish. This clearly showed me that they didn’t know what veganism meant. I didn’t eat it ask anyone!
Cost – (more than £30 for veg potatoes and some bland fish)
I hope you enjoyed my third series A Day with MBV in Copenhagen. I will be sharing my A Day with MBV in Ireland ….. subscribed so you can stay tuned!
I am always asked what countries are safe to travel as a black solo female. If we are real with each other, being a black female in this world can be extremely hard sometimes. So, it always makes sense when I’m asked what countries are safe to travel solo for the first time! I recently spoke on Travelling Perceptions & Safety: Why I don’t Allow the Experiences Stop me From Seeing The World?
As I said in that post and will say again … the media often likes to label black females, particularly in certain countries, that I won’t point out. We are often labelled as prostitutes, or even worst ghettoized for the colour of our skin. The melanin can be hard for them to handle sometimes.
When I travel by myself I never feel like I’m on my own. I have never really understood why, but I believe it’s because I always end up meeting someone on my solo travels. That’s not to say that I don’t emphasise with people that travel solo for the first time. I can imagine if you haven’t travelled solo before, it can be quite daunting. There are several countries or even places you can visit solo as a black female.
My cousin suggested that I write a post on places black females feel safe to travel too. So as I do. I have tapped into 10 black female travel bloggers, who share places they themselves felt safe travelling too! If you are a black female seeking to travel solo for the first time, I’m sure this post is for you.
The melanin can be hard for them to handle sometimes.
10 Places You Should Travel Solo For the First Time As a Black Female Traveller
Dubai is safe because the crime rate is low. You won’t find much petty crime here because it’s not a walkable city. Unwanted attention does exist but it’s more common in Deira and Bur Dubai. I’ve been to Dubai twice solo and not had any issues! ???
As the second-largest city in Portugal, Porto offers a friendly and vibrant atmosphere. From wine tours in the Douro Valley, hiking at a nearby national park, hopping on a boat, or simply eating one’s way through the city their countless activities to meet people or get lost on your own in Porto. The public transportation is easy to navigate and English widely is spoken, so even if you find yourself unintentionally lost you likely won’t need Google to translate.
Central Paris is rather compact and so it is easy to navigate by foot which makes it relatively safe for a solo woman traveller. Plus, there are lots of museums, galleries and other sights that are easy to visit or cinemas as well. There are also neighbouring cafés and restaurants in most locations meaning that it would not involve a long journey if venturing out in the evenings. You would just have to be as vigilant as you would be in London when travelling alone.
I felt super safe in Shanghai and Beijing. Whether I was riding in the back of a tuk-tuk at 4 am or jumping on the metro, the Chinese metropolises were very secure. It is a surveillance state so you do trade off privacy for that sense of security.
I believe that Prague is safe due to it being a popular destination for tourists so it’s rare for you to feel secluded during a solo trip. Also from my trip, the attraction staff are very accommodating for solo travellers in terms of taking pictures of you and giving you in-depth talks about the city in general.
Also, the fact that there are a ton of attractions to go throughout the city and the transport links are reliable and easy to use.
I recently took my very first solo trip and as nervous as I was I couldn’t have made a better choice of destination – Cartagena. The people are extremely warm and welcoming and although they don’t speak much English, the love is felt! The streets are ALWAYS full of people, so you never really feel “alone”; and Uber/taxi makes it very easy to get around the city.
Cartagena is also very budget-friendly, so paying full price for things you’d normally split with a friend isn’t a big deal. Not to mention, Cartagena is pretty popular among solo travellers so the likelihood of you connecting with other solo travellers is extremely high. Just an FYI – you will fall head over heels in love with the place!!!
I travelled to Phuket, Thailand for the ultimate solo birthday trip and purposely chose to stay in Patong for the first half of my trip as this beach resort town is famously known for its bustling nightlife, variety of activities, markets and plenty of restaurants. Although I was by myself, I never really felt alone because I met a lot of friendly faces from around the world and the Thai locals made me feel welcomed into their country. I felt really safe venturing out at night, often strolling through the night markets and had my first solo nightlife experience in Phuket which was surprisingly amazing!
I thought Colombia was safe because there was constantly police around everywhere (granted its Colombia they could be corrupt cops). The people seemed so relaxed about their belongings and that that to me was a sign that the city didn’t have problems with petty crime.
I found Tanzanians really friendly, no one catcalled me either in Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar which is very rare. I didn’t book any tours and the resort I stayed in the capital helped me to arrange them, in Zanzibar they even walked me to the beach for my prison island tour.
Someone even offered to go with me to the South Island (as they were also going there) so I can get on the right public transport but I couldn’t stay that long. People were open to conversation if they spoke English, from the restaurants to the taxi drivers. The only issues I had was trying to convince people I don’t speak Swahili.
I went to Japan solo but meeting people was a breeze with Couchsurfing & I felt so safe. This country is one of the most safest countries in the world because it is indeed safe. Transportation is accessible & easy. People are very cordial in Japan and you don’t feel people staring at you because you are a foreigner and black. It’s a win-win all around in my book.
Oh and one more! It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t suggest one of my own countries right?
I think ya’ll get tired of me speaking about Singapore. It was the first country I travelled too as a student and to some degree as a solo traveller. As a student, I ended up living there with no trouble for 7 months! Honestly, Singapore has been the most welcoming country for me as a black female! I went back again this year after six years and couldn’t believe how welcoming it was. I wasn’t bothered when I walked around the city by myself.
P.S Get yourself some durian and tell me what you think? hahaha
I wrote this post nearly two years ago but after posting it I realised that I didn’t actually answer the question. I had a friend ask me lots of questions and was quite embarrassed by the lack of information I gave. I take pride in giving honest opinions and sharing real travel tips so decided to give it a quick update! Read below and find out how I went to Morocco for less than £250!
I would be lying if I said that I usually spend a fortune on these holidays. Of course some holidays you have to close your eyes and just pay up – which is why I usually go away for my birthday. But just like you, I like a good old bargain. So if I can go on holiday for free, I will. However, whilst we still have to pay for our holidays I want to tell you how to go to Morocco for less than £250 (because it is possible).
1. Fly Out During Non-peak Periods to Morocco
So, I went to Morocco in November and it worked out at only £59 pounds for my return flights… bargain right? I booked my flights with easyJet via Skyscanner. It’s still relatively warm in November; around 20 degrees. Hey if that’s not warm for you that’s your business! I’m English and get excited when I feel a little sun on my skin.
It’s also a time when it’s less busy with tourists – which for me is always a plus.
Yes, take shorter breaks – less than 5 days are always good (for me); and if you can fly out on a Friday evening, you only need to take one working day off. Smart eh? However, I know some people are not set up like that. The reason I say do short breaks is so you can squeeze as many holidays into one year and it saves you money!
I went to Morocco for 3 nights (Wed 23 Nov – Fri 25 Nov) and so only took three days annual leave. To be honest I wasn’t going for a full packed activities holiday! I wanted a chilled cheap holiday like Morocco, that I know I can visit again and again.
3. Book Your Hotel In Advance
I am sorry I didn’t tell you where I stayed! I stayed at the Opera Plaza Hotel Marrakech and booked via Booking.com. I paid on arrival and it was only £138 for the 3 nights (for two people)! This included a very generous buffet breakfast! When you split that between two people that is £69!
The Hotel is 4* and is located in front of Marrakech Train Station and the city’s Royal Theatre, this stylish hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool, 3 restaurants, a nightclub and free Wi-Fi in all areas. Amenities include an informal restaurant and 2 stylish bars. There’s also an outdoor pool with a terrace and sun loungers.
If you would like a 15% discount then click for it now!
4. Give yourself a budget
Yes, again another one that I need to practise. Sadly I don’t have budgets because I think when you’re on holiday you should enjoy yourself as much as possible, but again if you have a budget you shouldn’t overspend and if you are smarter than me you will budget! This holiday I don’t feel like there was a need to budget. I hardly spent any money which is good!
Take all the clothes you need for your holiday so all you don’t need to spend money on buying clothes, just on food and transport. I said before that the hotel I stayed in had breakfast, which I stuffed myself with so wasn’t really hungry until late afternoon. This saved me a lot of money.
It may seem like I didn’t do an awful lot, but honestly, the 3-day break was honestly needed for me! I mainly had girl chat and took the time out for myself! If you need a quick warmish break this is the one for you! I, of course, would like to go back again one day, and see more of Morocco.
Have you ever gone on holidays for a quick getaway on the cheap? Let me know in the comments below!
The social digital world will tell you how unsafe the world is. The media will show you the poor areas of Africa, screening epidemics of Ebola and all types of diseases. They will even go as far as showing documentaries of drug cartels in South America – many that can be found on Netflix. But should you allow the digital world stop you from seeing the world.
They will go so far till you have become so scared of the place. You no longer want to go or have an interest in travelling.
Another thing they do is show black people in a bad light – this is the worst. Why would you wanna go somewhere that doesn’t welcome black people?
The digital world has grown so much more in the last few years. And more people are travelling around the world. However, there are many people in the world that are terrified of seeing the world. Some of these people have a personal choice of not seeing the world. They allow the world to dedicate how they live or how one should live their life, which is a scary feeling.
Let me give you an example.
I have been to some (not all) places which are considered to be ‘dangerous’ and for a black young woman! In saying that, I’ve also been to real safe countries. Take Singapore for example, it is considered one of the safest countries in the world. Safer than England.
I remember the first time I told people that I was moving to Singapore. Many were, of course, happy for me. There was also the other side which surprised me! Several peoples reactions where – oh my gosh but there are no black people there! This saddened me because I was about to take an adventure of a lifetime, but some just didn’t get it.
Looking back now, I am so glad I didn’t let this get to me. Let people negative reaction get to me. If I did, I wouldn’t have seen all of South East Asia and met worldwide lifetime friends! In all honesty, it’s about finding the time to do your own research of a country and deciding whether it’s safe for you to go!
As I have grown older I have learnt, to taste and see the world for what it really is. After the ordeal, I received while in Greece, Athens. I never imagined writing something like this. It saddens me that people can take time out of their lives and lie on someone and authorities with no evidence can take on such fabrication.
On that day. I faced a harsh reality that I am black and I am female. How I perceive myself is not the same as how people perceive me. Being black can get you into some real shit. You may never understand why people choose to be the way they are. In this circumstance, I can put it down to one thing. People hate themselves and have serious insecurities. And if you let them win you won’t see the world freely.
As I have grown older I have learnt, to taste and see the world for what it really is
Should this stop you from seeing the world?
My immediate answer after what I experienced would be to say yes. However, my next question would be to ask why shouldn’t we travel because people discriminate in the world? There are racists, sexist all types of people and things everywhere! There are people who will try and do anything to ruin an experience. Or your views of the world – only if you let them. The fact of the matter is SHIT HAPPENS. This is the truth; anything can happen to you anywhere you are it’s how you decide to deal with it as an individual.
Travelling the world can be hard when the social world can be constantly placing fear in you. Not to mention family and friends. As a child my mother was always the worst, constantly planting fear in me. Oh no don’t go near the water, don’t go to that country, there are no black people there. Why you would go there? I had to decide as an adult that I wanted to see the world for what it really was.
Living Abroad
While living abroad I was lucky enough to take up a job that would require me to live in China. Again, friends and family showed their disapproval particularly my mother. She stressed the importance of me coming back to London once I had finished my exams. Sadly, I did come back which I am still quite resentful for. I believe there is so much for us in this world. People shouldn’t stop us from chasing our dreams because of a few comments.
Me and four of my friends standing in Hong Kong
Other places such as doing NYSC in Nigeria (a camp in Nigeria to serve your country) I have been hindered from because family or friends have once again got in the way of my decision making. I remember my father going as far as saying if I moved to Nigeria, he wouldn’t speak to me! Since he left Nigeria, he has not ever been able to say one good word about it! Of course, I listened and didn’t go but it’s another thing I wish I did.
And this is my problem. There are so many perceptions of the world that makes one believe that you can’t go anywhere. This perception can hinder someone in not travelling and it drives me mad! People tell you their negative views of a country because they are so fixated on what the news or the social world tells them. I believe the digital world can be such an exaggerater and anyone that takes everything word for word might live a sheltered life.
Don’t get me wrong there are some countries that I wouldn’t dream of travelling too. Many that I wouldn’t name. But it doesn’t mean that my experiences and what I see on the news should stop me. So why should it stop you? I would never tell anyone not to visit Athens because everyone’s experience is different.
No matter the destination, being informed and using your initiative is the best way to stay safe. I am not saying you will go somewhere, and you will always be safe. A life I’m afraid doesn’t always work like that.
A caption of the castle in Ireland
Tell me what you think do you think the digital/ news world plays a role in where you will and won’t travel? Have you been anywhere that society considers dangerous? let me know in the comments below.
