Often when I meet patients for the first time, they are upset, stressed and angry that they feel they can no longer do activities they enjoy. Reflecting upon this upsetting part of my job, I decided to share one of my favourite ways to cheer myself up. The topic of anxiety and other mental health issues has been very popular recently on my Instagram page, I know everyone has their own ways of coping with stressful situations, so I thought I’d share mine. As you have seen in previous posts, there is often a mention of cake, here are my five favourite coffee shops in Europe to visit.
Penshaw Tea Rooms – Herrington, England
Hooray for aero cheesecake! Quite often, the simple things in life are the best. Surrounded by the greenery of Herrington Country Park and Penshaw monument. It is an oasis of calm close to the city centre. Sitting outside on a sunny day is the best. Being surrounded by fresh air and nature fills me with positivity and happiness.
Cafe Terreza – Playa Blanca, Lanzarote
I simply love this place, coffee and cake for €4. Only downside is once the cake is gone, the cake is gone … until a new one is made the next day. I found this out the hard way, I was genuinely heartbroken. But the view from Cafe Terreza makes up for this as does the calming presence of the Atlantic Ocean.
Slaščičarna Kala, Kransjka Gora, Slovenia.
Cheap, homemade cake and blueberry schnapps with an uninterrupted view of the mountains, is there any better was to spend an afternoon?
Slaščičarna Kala holds a special place in my heart because the slices of cake are bigger than me and the prices are very cheap, it is a hidden gem in my hometown. Best time to visit is May/ June because all of the wild flowers are out and it is so beautiful. Especially if you decide to have cake for breakfast, you can watch the low clouds hanging around the forest, making the mountains look like they float.
Hergetova Cihelna, Prague, Czech Republic.
A stones throw away from the Charles Bridge, yet it is hidden from the crowds. The homemade ginger and lemon tea is amazing, which makes up for the really tiny coffees they serve. In fact, I would call it life changing. I love it when someone gives me a slice of cake the size of me. On my travels I have noticed, Coffee shops in Eastern Europe give you bigger slices, but tiny coffees.
Best part is, you can watch people come to the front of the courtyard and get a shock when they see the naughty sculpture in the centre (Piss Sculpture by David Černý). And the smell of homemade gingerbread floats around the tables, fresh from the shop next door.
Grounds, Stockbridge, Edinburgh.
This tiny, family run coffee shop does cute patterns on the top of Lattes. I love watching the world go by as I sit in the window, with a white chocolate and cranberry slice. I love people watching and for me Stockbridge provides the best place to do so.
I love visiting coffee shops, it helps cheer me up if I am having a particularly rubbish day. Some people do exercise or watch movies for their me time. But, for me, there is nothing in the world than an amazing coffee, a gigantic slice of cake and a great view of the world.
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We live in a world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. – Jawaharial Nehru
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