A trip to Spain!

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Once again I have to start a blog post with an apology for not posting anything in a while – who though that university would require doing work? (And going out a lot, but this doesn’t sound as good an excuse for not blogging.)

My second term has been even better than the first, particularly due to the fact that I got to spend a week in the sunny southern Spain last month. I was in the seaside resort of Nerja for my first year field trip with the rest of my year, and had a fantastic time.

Balacon de Europa, Nerja

Balacon de Europa, Nerja

Nerja is different to other towns on the Costa Del Sol. With its white-washed houses, a well-cared for old town and a beautiful beach, it has a real sense of being ‘Spanish’ unlike towns such as Marbella and Benidorm further down the coast. It has a wonderful terrace, named the Balcon de Europa which extends from the town’s main square, and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea towards Africa. I’d recommend getting an ice cream from one of the bars near the Balcon de Europa. The area is perfect to sit and enjoy one of the many choices of flavours from the deliciously decadent chocolate ice creams to a more exotic coconut flavour. Spanish cuisine is one of my personal favourites, so exploring the many different bars and restaurants in Nerja was great for me.

Another highlight of Nerja is of course the world famous caves. I spent an hour there looking at the incredibly grand caverns with ancient stalactites and stalagmites. I could have spent so much longer in there, despite the fact that I am normally quite claustrophobic, as the natural formations are spectacular. If you get the opportunity to spend longer in the caves, there are meant to be some excellent examples of pre-historic cave art.

Eggs, Chorizo and patatas, Nerja

Eggs, Chorizo and patatas, Nerja

Although the nightlife in Nerja can’t be compared to other towns along the coast, a small strip of bars and clubs known as Tutti Frutti Plaza offers late night drinking and music for a very reasonable price. I’m sure the bars are filled with people in the height of the tourist season, but they were particularly quiet during the time of year that we visited, though with 130 students from our course, this didn’t stop us from having a great time.

Personally, I enjoyed the trip so much as I really got to know the other people on my course who I will be studying with over the next couple of years. I’m very much looking forward to taking other field trips in the years to come, especially as Malawi and New York are being mentioned for next year!

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5 Interesting Travel Destinations for 2013

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Burma

This South-East Asian country has been unwelcoming to western travellers in the past, but with political reform, the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and even a state visit from President Obama have led to a developing tourist industry in Burma. Burma has a rich culture that hasn’t been explored as extensively as neighbouring countries. Inquisitive travellers will be thrilled to discover Bagan, a pilgrimage site of Bhuddist Shrines and breath-taking pagodas which cover an extensive area.

Htilominlo Pahto, a 46m high pagoda in Burma's ancient city of Bagan. © Bruno Cossa/SOPA/Corbis

Htilominlo Pahto, a 46m high pagoda in Burma’s ancient city of Bagan.
© Bruno Cossa/SOPA/Corbis

Malawi

2013 is set to be a big year for tourism in Malawi. The landlocked African country has recently opened a stunning resort on the Likoma Island situated within Lake Malawi, Africa’s second largest inland sea. Kaya Mawa offers a wide range of rooms and beach houses, and a wealth of activities such as fishing and kayaking on the crystal clear waters of the lake. It wouldn’t be worth visiting Malawi without a safari trip, so making time to visit Liwonde National Park for its hippo and elephant populations is a must.

California

The USA’s sunniest state may be famous for its glamour, awards ceremonies and luxury but there’s much more to California than you see in a reality show. The state boasts some of the most spectacular vistas on the American continent, and a driving trip on Route 1 otherwise known as Pacific Highway is the best way to see as much as possible. The most stunning views are said to be at Big Sur, where the Santa Lucia mountains descend into the ocean and are dotted with redwood tree groves. Of course, after a spending some time in stunning natural beauty, travellers can ease themselves back to the urban world by visiting Los Angeles.

Pacific Highway may be considered one of the most stunning roads in the world. © Robert Glusic/Corbis

Pacific Highway may be considered one of the most stunning roads in the world.
© Robert Glusic/Corbis

Croatia

Holidaying in the Med isn’t completely reserved for beach bums who are intent on getting a tan, Croatia’s coastline offers the chance to explore the historic and cultural city of Dubrovnik. Known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, this beautiful Venetian-built city has been restored since many parts were destroyed in the 1991 siege. The city is surrounded by  pristine coastline, offering something which other Mediterranean coastlines can no longer offer.

A view of the historic port city of Dubrovnik from one of its pristine beaches. © Peter Barritt/Purestock/Super

A view of the historic port city of Dubrovnik from one of its pristine beaches.
© Peter Barritt/Purestock/Super

South Korea

This one is definitely for the more active travellers. Though it isn’t well known outside the country, South Korea has developed into a great destination for outdoor recreation, offering travellers the potential for golfing, hiking and fishing trips. The recreation industry is set to explode in South Korea this year as it hosts three major sporting events: Special Olympics Winter Games, the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and the World Rowing Championships.

 

Follow me on twitter for more updates, and please feel free to comment, feedback always helps!

2012 – What a year it’s been!

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What a great image from the 2012 London Olympic Games!

What a great image from the 2012 London Olympic Games!

I can’t quite believe that it’s New Year’s Eve already, the year has seemed to fly by faster than any other year! I’ve had many ups, and a few downs but I’m definitely happy to be moving forward to 2013.

Thinking back to January, I can’t believe how much has changed since then. Back in January I was still at my Sixth form getting ready to spend the last few months on my A Levels, and I remember thinking that they were the hardest things I have ever done! After getting through them and starting university they seem a lifetime away. It was sad to say goodbye to lots of friends at my sixth form as my last year there ended, but it has been great to catch up with so many people over Christmas.

I had a great summer with friends and family. I enjoyed visiting Italy with my dad in May, going to Barcelona with my close friends in August as well as enjoying the Olympics and Paralympics in London with my family.

Starting university has made me more independent, given me the chance to have so much fun, as well as being tough at times. I love being at Royal Holloway, spending more time in London and having a good time there.

Although the year ended for me on a sad note – we sadly lost my grandfather, Nonno Carmine after a long battle with illness – I am so grateful for the time we did get to spend with him and I hope this will give me the strength to make 2013 a positive year for me and my family.

Overall I can say that 2012 has been a year of many new beginnings for me, I’m grateful for everything it has bought me and I hope 2013 is a great year too.

Have a very happy New Year everyone, stay safe and have a lot of fun!

Warhol.

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I’ve always liked Andy Warhol’s art but I’ve been learning more about him lately by reading his some of his writings, including his autobiography. Its a really interesting view into the the mind of the great artist, with lots of philosophical thoughts and advice which certainly shows his peculiar sense of the world. I wanted to share some of his quotes with you and I found these great pictures, I hope you like them.

Also, I must add that Warhol had great taste in sunglasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food and the Trouble with Social Media

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As many of you well know, I have a little bit of an addiction with social media. I can hear you nodding in agreement, probably as you try to ignore my latest inane tweet, attention grabbing Facebook post or “vintage” style photograph from Instagram. I should spend less time on these sites but they interest me very much.

I love being able to keep in touch with my closest friends on Facebook now that we have all been separate by university; I love the banter and debate that Twitter provokes and more recently I have enjoyed sharing pictures with everyone on Instagram. But it’s also nice to take a look back and see what kind of things one has posted. I did this, and I have identified that I have a deep fascination with one topic. Food.

I tweet about it, I post about it, and I even take photos of it and share them. It looks like it’s all I think about, and I’m wondering if it is something that should concern me, as I sit here writing whilst devouring some chocolate buttons.

I’m not usually a fan of “instablogging” but here are some of the highlights of my social media and food relationship from the past few months. I might even post some of the recipes in the future, so please let me know what interests you.  You can do this by tweeting me, commenting on here, on my Facebook page, on an Instagram post…

This is an in-progress shot of a pasta sauce I was making, made to the recipe that my Nonna uses (and her tomato passata bottles)

 

Here’s a very nice Pad Thai I made only the other night. I love Thai food in particular, and this is one of my favourite Thai dishes, plus it simple to cook. 

 

Insomnia and hunger do not mix. I made this Rocket & Parmesan salad with a balsamic dressing at about 1:30am when I couldnt sleep. On another note, I should probably stop watching Nigella Lawson

 

A Parma Ham and mozzarella ciabatta sandwich that I ate at my dad’s eatery Carlo’s Kitchen on Union Street. Very nice. Especially after a day of lectures and a train journey.

 

I made this vegetable soup myself! It’s so healthy, delicious and cheap which is perfect for being a student.

 

Finally, here’s me eating a pavlova that my mum made. Its my favourite dessert, and she made it on the day of the Olympic Closing Ceremony, hence the Union jack (and gin & tonic).

 

Starting Uni and Other Excuses for Not Blogging in a While

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This is the main building at my uni, and yes I admit I have pretended in my head that I’m at Hogwarts

Well it’s been well over a month since my last blog post and whilst I’ve never posted terribly frequently I don’t think I’ve ever left it this long between posts. The last few weeks have flown by and have been so busy that I haven’t even had time to think about sitting at a computer and typing.

That’s going to have to change very soon, as I started university two weeks ago and I have no doubt that deadlines for essays will soon be set! I’m studying Geography at Royal Holloway so if anyone has studied it before or you have any general tips for studying at uni they will be greatly appreciated.

I’ve had the most amazing time at fresher’s week, I’ve enjoyed it so much, and I’m pleased to be living in halls with a group of friendly, interesting and fun loving people. It’s my first time living away from home, which is a bit strange after living with only my mum, dad and my brother for my whole life but we are all getting along famously (at the moment! Haha!) and so far no food’s gone missing from the fridge and more importantly neither has the vodka!

The best moment for me so far has been the night of my 20th birthday (no, I can’t believe I’m 20 either). My flatmates, who I had only known for a few days, ordered in some pizza’s and decorated the kitchen which was fantastic and made me really feel at home in our flat. That’s in stark contrast to our weekly early morning fire alarms, but its swings and roundabouts I suppose.

I’ve also discovered the wonders of Skype, which is where I can be found when I’m not at a lecture, or a party, or reading as many geographical papers as possible. It’s allowed me to keep in contact with my family and friends at other universities and at home, which makes settling in here in Egham so much easier.

So that’s briefly what I’ve been up to in the last few weeks since I blogged, and my excuses for not posting in such a long time.  Hopefully I’ll get some more posts done soon, I hope everyone who read’s this is well too!

Prince Harry Naked Pictures: There IS an issue with this…

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Prince Harry, pictured here not partying in Las Vegas

…but it’s not what you might already be thinking.

If you haven’t heard about Prince Harry’s party in Vegas by now, where on Earth have you been for two days? Articles about his partying in Vegas, pictures of him naked and partying in Vegas and articles about the pictures of him partying in Vegas have been available to anyone who can buy a newspaper or operate Google.

Today, after much debate the Sun has decided to print the pictures which were first released by the trashy gossip site TMZ.com. My personal view is that Harry has done nothing wrong. He hasn’t cheated on anyone, hurt anyone or done something illegal. In fact, the pictures seem to have been a good PR event for him and the Royal Family, which many have seen as outdated and conservative.

What I find troubling was that the pictures were able to be taken at all. Harry travelled to Vegas reportedly with six taxpayer-funded security guards, who were there protect Harry not only from physical harm but press intrusion.

To me, the fact that a woman was able to have a camera in Harry’s private room and sell the pictures shows that security around the royal was not strong enough. This is particularly dangerous considering the Harry’s high profile in America, a country suffering a recent wave in gun crime, as seen with the Arizona massacre last month. Surely if an individual was able to have a camera in the room, it wouldn’t have been much harder for them to sneak a gun in there, especially in the US, where gun control laws seem to be non-existent. Moreover, several of the Prince’s family members have suffered assassination attempts which could suggest there is a real threat.

To be fair, it would probably be unlikely that anyone at the party would have been able to conceal a weapon, but I do think it’s bad that Harry’s security team allowed this to happen. Other than this, Harry can do what he likes in his private life, but maybe the people being paid to protect him from media intrusion and other threats should something from this whole story.

What’s your opinion about the Prince’s partying? Leave a comment below or on this blog’s facebook page!

Barcelona – The Best of Spain

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Barcelona is one of Spain’s most beautiful and most cosmopolitan cities. Designed by Antoni Gaudi, bathed in Mediterranean sun and right on the coast, the city makes for a fantastic place to visit. Last week I went back to stay in Barcelona with two friends after visiting the city last year with my family, though this time I stayed for slightly longer.

We stayed in the fantastic Casa Gracia, a hostel located on the Passeig de Gracia, which is in central Barcelona and is scattered with designer shops such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Valentino and D&G. The wonderfully unique hostel provided so much more than we expected – we had a private three-bed room with an ensuite, which was immaculately clean and spacious. The hostel owner’s organised great evening’s out in Barcelona, offering free entry to the coolest bars and clubs in the city. The best feature though was the sangria and paella nights. For just €8 you could enjoy a hearty meal of paella, salad and tapas as well as jugs of sangria! Also, the staff could not have been more helpful with advising us on the best bars to go to, supermarkets to buy food as well as getting around Barcelona.

We made the most of our Hostel’s central location by buying a T-10 metro ticket. This allowed us ten stops on Barcelona’s easy to use metro system, making it easy to explore the city. On our first day, we covered La Ramblas, the equivalent of Oxford Street and the amazing La Boqueria market. The historic market is fully functional with fantastic displays of fresh fruit, the region’s finest Iberico hams and chorizos as well as an interesting, yet odorous, fish section. I’d fully recommend a visit, is a beautiful place!

Fish at La Boqueria

We all enjoyed wandering around the streets of the Barri Gotic, the older quarter of Barcelona. At its centre is the magnificent Barcelona Cathedral (not to be confused with the even more spectacular Sagrada Familia) a tourist hotspot. The backstreets here are filled with independent clothes shops, vintage and second hand stores and well as excellent Tapas bars.  We really enjoyed Bilbao Berria, a fantastic bar which offers a buffet style selection of tapas treats, including traditional Serrano hams, quail’s eggs with chorizo, padron pepper amongst modern foods such as the mini-burger’s. What’s more, the prices offer excellent value for the great quality food you get.

A small selection of tapas available at Bilbao Berria

In contrast for with our typical tourist days of exploring the sights of Barcelona, we spent one day on Mount Tibidabo, which has a great theme park! We got the bus directly there from Placa de Catalunya, the central hub of Barcelona which was only a short walk from Casa Gracia. When we arrived at Tibidabo we discovered that not only could we get to spend the day enjoying a series of white-knuckle rides, we had also found the most spectacular panoramic view of Barcelona! The view could be enjoyed with your feet safely on the ground, as well as being hoisted into the air on a rickety contraption where you stood in a basket.

Our last full day in Barcelona was spent on Barceloneta Beach, a short metro ride from our hostel and central Barcelona. The golden-sanded beach was packed with local people and tourists, and we may have arrived too late in the day judging by our difficulty in finding an umbrella to sit under! However, we managed to keep cool by enjoying lunch and an iced drink at one of the beaches many café’s and lounges.

Our short stay in Barcelona was packed with seeing sights, the most awe-inspiring being the uncompleted Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s masterpiece of a church. The beautiful architecture on every street of Barcelona is no match to the Sagrada Familia, and I don’t think I’m capable of describing it in a way that will do it justice. I’ll say this much, you must see it once in your lifetime!

We could have spent more time in Barcelona, we didn’t get to see Parc Guell, another Gaudi designed attraction or the Olympic Village, built for the 1992 Games which regenerated the city. I’d recommend a 5 night stay in Barcelona to see the best of this beautiful city.

Churros are to die for! You dip these sweet pastries into warm melted chocolate

More Information:

We would have been lost in Barcelona without the Dorling Kindersley and Lonely Planet Guides to Barcelona, as well as the extremely helpful Tourist Information kiosks on Placa de Catalunya, and the concierge at Casa Gracia.

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