Another Month in Madrid Gone

Hey guys! So here we are in November! Know what that means?! Halloween is over the hill and now it's time to get ready for Christmas! It's weird that another month is gone already! Time is going so quick here! But we've gotta look forward and be excited for what November can hold (Some studying

required for me but oh well!)
October has been a weird and wonderful month here in Madrid. I think I've been sick for most of the month, toothaches, flu but that didn't stop me partying studying, and most importantly, discovering the city of Madrid and all its glory, obviously! So now we're more familiar with Madrid, which means that the chances of us getting lost when we go out in the city is less likely and less frequent. So let's start with some of the things that Madrid had to offer in October;
I guess you can't really talk about October and not mention the all-Ireland Senior football final between the hopeful Mayo and Dublin. Considering it was

a national sporting event for the Irish nation and the hopes were high for Mayo to win, a trip to the Irish pub was necessary to watch the game! We went to the James Joyce Bar (C/ de Alcala near Banco de España station http://www.jamesjoycemadrid.com/index.asp), which I've mentioned in previous blog posts. It's one of my favorite haunts in Madrid for a nice drink and some good food. Now when I say that the place was full, I mean it was wedged from wall to wall. Even the poor waiting staff had a difficult time getting through the crowd. It was fun to see the place wall to wall Blue and Green with supporters with the odd person from another Irish county in between (Shoutout to the guys from Donegal and Tipperary!). All out to see who would win, with it being a national sporting event and all. Guinness in hand, the match started. Let me tell you. I've never felt such an intense atmosphere in such an enclosed space. Being from Galway, I just sipped my beer and enjoyed the match both on screen and the amusing intensity out of the supporters!
After the match, a trip to a tapas bar seemed like the best option in order to some of comfort the blow felt by the Mayo fans by Mayo's unfortunate loss. One place came to mind for such an occasion. El Tigre is probably my favourite

tapas bar in Madrid and it's a place I would highly recommend to anyone if they're visiting Madrid with friends or a small group. As soon as you walk in to El Tigre, a member of the waiting staff greets you, takes your order and brings you to a table. Along with your drinks, multiple plates of tapas are given as well. I'm talking marinated chicken, patatas bravas, croquetas and ham dishes! And the price at the end? €5 per person! For all the tapas and the drinks, it's well worth it. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Tigre-de-Hortaleza/260790540642267)

One of my favorite things to do in Madrid with friends, is to go to some nightclubs and have a good time. Being an Erasmus student, we are part of an ESN Group which holds events every week. So, sometimes we end up going to these events, For example, we went to a Animal themed party (I got my face

painted like a "dog") and at the start of October, we went to a neon party, which was an amazing night out. A lot of friends were at Nomad Nightclub (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nomad-Madrid/1543729569251356?fref=ts), the home of Erasmus parties so it was a great night. Messy, with the

neon paint, but great fun. Nomad nightclub has great music and great drink offers for students, especially those on Erasmus. As well as Nomad, another nightclub that always has a good night is Moondance Nightclub! This place is a must-go place for people looking to party here in Madrid. The line to get in isn't too long but once you're inside, the place has three bars, a great dancefloor, good drinks and amazing music. I've had one too many good nights in both Nomad and Moondance and I would recommend anyone who is gonna go party in Madrid to check them out. (https://www.facebook.com/Moondance-Madrid-511225095607096/?fref=ts)

In the middle of October was a pretty fun time. Assignments from University started pouring in slowly, I got a package sent from Ireland from my family (a late birthday present) full of sweets, treats and Irish teabags... The essentials really. But also the arrival of my roommates parents, which was nice. So it was time to put my tourism knowledge of Madrid to good use and show them around some great parts of Madrid, some of which I mentioned in previous Madrid blogs. We left our zone and headed towards Sol, the main center of Madrid. All roads seem to lead to Sol. We made our way through the mass crowd in Madrid. Coming from the small town of Tuam, it's always amazing to see the hundreds of people around Sol on a given afternoon. We walked down towards Opera, taking in the sights of street performers and music happening on the street. We came the the Teatro Real, where there was a farmers-style market. We browsed briefly before heading into the grounds of the Palacio Real. The Palacio Real is actually a superbly beautiful building. During the day, you get natural light showing how beautiful it is but even at night, the place is just amazing! We walked around the grounds for a little while, gazing at the Palace. One of the cool places adjoining the Palace is the Almudena Cathedral. For anyone who has a proclivity for art, history, architecture or religion. This place will blow your mind entirely. I'm always

gobsmacked when I'm in the place. It has so much culture and art. We walked around taking in the religious sculptures and artifacts. It was pretty interesting! From Almudena Cathedral, we walked to Plaza de España, one of my favorite plazas in Madrid. It is one which links with Gran Vía, the way to the Temple de Debod, a gift from the Egyptians, and hosts the statue of Don Quixote. I love this place too both in the day and in the night. The sculptures and water features create a picturesque vibe to the plaza, along with the trees surrounding the area. From the Plaza de España, we went towards Callao to get food in my favorite Italian restaurant in Madrid. Di Bocca is an amazing eatery for lunch or dinner. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Di-Bocca/183032268377684?fref=ts) With dishes that will surely fill you, their food is really good. I got the Spaghetti Carbonara and the rest got lasagna and pizza. The silence from the table was a good sign of a good meal, I reckon! The food hit the spot and it was enough to fuel our energy for another hour. From there we continued down through Gran Vía and down through the Paseo de Prado and back up towards the Sevilla metro to head back home! It was quite a foot-aching adventure! That evening was a quite one and also one where Meghan Trainor was tracing around Madrid, weird, right?

The rest of October was a bit up and down. Some of which was surrounded by sickness and studying and the rest was having a nice time around Madrid with friends, eating one-too-many Burger Kings and sometimes getting caught in the rain! But one of the nice places I discovered towards the end of October was the Cuatro Caminos area of Madrid. I traveled from my area to Alonso Cano and

from there I walked towards the Rios Rosas area to try and find a costume shop so I could get some stuff for Halloween. The Barullo Company is a great costume shop just beside the Rios Rosas Metro station (Which was closed for repairs which was why I went to Alonso Cano). I bought my goodies for Halloween, including fake glasses and fake blood.(https://www.facebook.com/barullocompany/?fref=ts) And after shopping I decided to walk in the opposite direction, because no matter where you walk in Madrid, you'll stumble upon a metro station! I walked up the boulevard towards Cuatro Caminos and it was a very nice neighbourhood. Not too busy in the evening that I was there but it was nice! You come to the main roundabout beside the metro stops, Cuatro Caminos is the start of Line 2 and is on Line 1 and 6. On the roundabout is a 24 Hour Carrefour, in the area there is a Mercado de Maravillas and it is definitely a place I wanna discover more, as I am sure there is more there.
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That's some of the things I've been up to in Madrid in the last month. Stay tuned for more and I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on things here in Madrid with tips and recommendations!
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Be sure to like, comment, share and enjoy guys! Any blog hints or anything is welcomed! 

Italy: Where I Want To Go- Part 2

Following on from my Part 1 post on where I want to travel in Italy, this Part 2 will look at other places I want to travel to in the boot-shaped country. 

As I have stated in my previous post, I have been to Italy once before. Whilst being in Italy in June 2014, I flew into Rome but however I did not stay there. From Rome, I traveled to the Adriatic side of the country to the region of Marche, in the paper-making town of Fabriano. From Fabriano, I traveled to the coastal town of Senigallia and the religious town of Assisi in the Umbria region, bang smack in the middle of Italy. Being in Italy for 2 weeks, I did not travel much within the country, regrettably. I do hope to return to Italy and I wish to travel around and see different places and immerse myself in the culture, art, cuisine and scenery of Italy. Having friends in Italy gives me an added desire to visit the country and the possible insight into places that wouldn't be especially popular. 

In my first post, the three places I wrote about were: Rome, Venice and Genoa. Popular, well known places and destinations I am sure to enjoy. In this post, featured destinations will be: Florence, Naples and the region of Puglia. These are more places I'm anxious to visit also.

Florence:

The City of Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany. Historically, Florence appeals to me as it is said to be the birthplace of the Renaissance and also the home of the Medici family so I am sure these facts enrich the art

culture and history in Florence. Called "The cradle of the Renaissance", Florence boasts many pieces of architectual beauty and heritage sites. There is so much to see and learn about in Florence, I'm incredibly anxious to visit. It is kind of a must-visit place in Italy. Places in Florence I wish to see are:

• Uffizi Gallery: Commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici, a member of the Medici family to display grand works of art. Because of the vast size of the collection that has been gathered from the renaissance era, The gallery boasts so many masterpieces and amazing stamps of history including: Leonardo di Vinci's "The Annunciation", Michaelangelo "Tonto Doni" and Caravaggio's "Bacchus". The most represented and an artist whose work I want to see is Botticelli and his "Primavera" piece of art. 
• Ponte Vecchio: A medieval-stone closed bridge over the River Arno. The
  
  bridge has stalls and stores, which back in medieval times was a common thing. Dating back to 996 in documents, this structure is a big part of Roman history and trade culture. A commemorative statue of Benvenuto Cellini was built in 1900. Benvenuto Cellini was a master sculptor and goldsmith of the area, to this day, the bust of Bevenuto still remains. I think seeing this historic part of medieval Italian trade culture would be incredible.
• Piazza del Duomo: I've heard people talk about the heart of Florence, how amazing it is and anyone who has traveled to Florence that I have spoken to have said the the Piazza del Duomo is worth seeing as you would be in the heart. It is one of the most visited places in Europe and the world. From this piazza, you can access many amazing historic buildings including: Florence Cathedral, Baptistery of St. John, Giotto's Bell Tower and other well known buildings.

Florence is one of the top places on my bucket list for traveling in Italy. It's one of the prominent destinations in Italy and I'm dying to visit!

Naples:

After Milan and Rome, Naples is the third largest city in Italy and the capital of the Campania region in the south east of the country. Like Florence, Naples,

during the Renaissance and also the Enlightenment eras, played an important part in history. In the immediate vicinity of Naples contains a plethora of historic and culturally significant landmarks. The cuisine of Naples is world-renowned. Naples is recorded as the home of pizza and being a coastal city, I'm sure the seafood is quite tasty too! And you know me, food is an emotional experience! Besides the food, I am looking forward to seeing a few sights in Naples:

• Via Caracciolo: A walk along the Mediterranean coast, there is nothing better. According to what I've heard and read, walking along the Via Caracciolo, you are immersed in the cool sea breeze and refreshing Mediterranean sunshine. There is all sorts of street food and vendors in the area also, so dining whilst looking out at the coast sounds very appealing! I really want to take a look down around the Via Caracciolo as it seems very picturesque. And food reasons.
• Catacombe di San Gennaro: These catacombs have been carved out of volcanic debris and rock that form the Naples hills. Rooms and rooms of burial tombs in a labyrinth formation carved out through generations.
• Pompeii and Heculaneum: With Vesuvius on the Gulf of Naples, in ancient
  
  times, these two settlements were ruined by the lava, ash and smoke that came from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Being in the area and not going to see Pompeii and Vesuvius, it's something definitely to see and is on my bucket list.
• Italian Architecture: Like most places that I want to travel in Italy, the infrastructure, design and building of Naples, I feel, will stand out and capture my attention, ten fold. The regular buildings and how they contrast to places like the Castel Nuovo or the Palazzo Capodimonte. The most prominent forms of architecture in Naples is Renaissance and Baroque. I look forward to see all the designs of Naples.
• Food: The birthplace of pizza... That is all.
• Speaking about Napoli, a friend of mine, Giovanni. He said that when he visited the city "the thing that most interested me was the legend about St. Gennero". 18 times a year, for over the past 600 years, the blood miracle or the liquidation of of his blood happens and is one of the only blood miracles to still happen today. Great crowds gather in the Cathedral of Naples to pay homage and be immersed in the holiness of the miracle. Most notably happening on the Saints' Feast Day (September 19). According to Giovanni "If the blood doesn't liquefy, the legend says that a catastrophe is imminent to occur. This is very interesting because all the people, during the ceremony, start screaming and yelling"

Puglia:

Before I continue with my section on Puglia, I want to send my thoughts to the people affected by the train crash that happened in Puglia recently. A tragic thing to happen and affects the Puglia region. 

The heel of the boot. Puglia is a region of Italy in the south of Italy. The Adriatic Sea in the East, the Ionian Sea in the South East and the Gulf of Taranto in the South. Lets be honest, with this many sea's surrounding it, Puglia is said to have some of the best coastal beaches and sights near the sea. Sun holidays are always welcome, right?  Puglia has risen to one of the places I wish to visit in Italy. I've seen pictures of the landscapes and beaches and I've heard some great things about the region from locals and tourist to the region. I'm dying to get there. Some of the places in Puglia I wish to visit are:

• Bari: The capital of Puglia and is on the Adriatic Sea. In the South of Italy, it is the second largest city after Naples. The city of Bari and the surrounding areas contain a weight of history. So many sights and it's a coastal city too. Some of the sights contained in the beautiful Bari are:
• Bari Cathedral
• Swabian Castle
• Pinacoteca Provinciale

Bari, when looking at pictures and research, it becomes so much more appealing the more I see and learn more about it, I just wanna book a flight and go! 

The cuisine of Bari is quite something also to be interested in. A region famous for the likes of olive oil and tomatoes, food like panzerotti and even food like Ragú is famous in the Barese region of Italy. And now I'm hungry...

• Taranto: Reading into Taranto, I was very interested in what it had to offer
  
  and what it's about. Apparently, Taranto is known as the "Spartan City" as it is the only colony formed by the Spartans. Funnily enough, the name for Tarantula spiders comes from Taranto. I might hesitate a bit on going there but I'm quite sure there ain't any in Puglia. The architecture in Taranto is quite unique. Given that it is known as the "Spartan City" I am hoping there will be a bit of Greek influence in the design of buildings. Also situated in Taranto is the Aragon Castle, commissioned by King Ferdinand, which I find interested and would like to seek that. Taranto is also a port city, and is the name of the Gulf. I am excited to visit there, see the beaches and see the unique history.

So far, these are the places in Puglia I wish to visit on my travels, but I'm sure that in time I will have influence and inclination to travel to other parts of the region.

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*Pic Credit: Spalla67. florenceinfermo, paradoxplace, dayofarcheology, weatherforecast365*

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That concludes the second part of my Italian dream destinations that I hope to one day visit. I will be sure to make edits to the information on here, as I plan to get more insight into these three destinations. 

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Palio di San Giovanni Battista

Hey Guys! Hope you guys are all having a good day! Ireland are playing France today in the Euros, so c'mon guys, cheer on the boys in green!
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In Fabriano, a town in Italy where I visited in 2014, June is quite a popular time in the cultural and tourist calendar for the area. The Palio di San Giovanni

Battista is a very much community event in Fabriano. 
What is the Palio di San Giovanni Battista?
The Palio di San Giovanni Battista, named in honor of John the Baptist, is a historically backed re-enactment of an event brought back to the present day after centuries of strife. The Palio takes place from start-mid June and will continue to the sacred day of John the Baptist, in whose honor the doors of each participating district face each other in the varying competitions like popular historical games, decorative floral displays (infiorate), competitive archery, flag displays and the culminating the grand competition which involves racing, forgery and other spectacles. 
The four districts of Fabriano compete against each other to become the Palio winner. These four districts are:

• Porta del Borgo (Yellow)
• Porta Cervara (Red)
• Porta del Piano (Blue)
• Porta Pisana (Green)

In 2014, I stayed with my friend in Fabriano who brought me to witness the different events of the Palio di San Giovanni Battista, starting with the opening ceremony. A procession of people in medieval attire from the different districts strolled up through the main street of Fabriano into the Piazza. Initially, I had

no idea what was going on. It was like taking a step backwards in time. The outfits were amazing to see, the people played their part and the community were out in their numbers taking pictures and wearing the color of their district.

The year I visited, it was also the year of the World Cup so there wasn't a shortage of people around Fabriano at the time. I got to witness the different events of the Palio. These different displays, I've never seen before. There was a sports day-like event that involved the four teams competing in sack racing to one side and then stilt walking back, there was a medieval type rounders, cart racing just to name a few. The flag displays and drummers made the events really amazing and created an atmosphere for the event. The infiorate gave a different and artistic feel to the event with amazing works of art being made with plants of different colours. Each district had their own tavern in the town which made up the night life of the Palio.

The year I was there, the finale put me on edge as I rooted for Porta Pisana, the district I was staying in. Watching them through the different events, but that

year, the winning team was Porta del Piano.

Last year (2015), I did not keep up too much with the activities of the Palio di San Giovanni Battista, but this year I kept up to date with the event and followed Porta Pisana. To everyone's amazement and delight, Porta Pisana won the Palio di San Giovanni for the first time in 21 years, an amazing victory that left me delighted for the district.

*Pic Credit: Palio di San Giovanni FB Page*

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I recommend those travelling in Italy during June to travel to Fabriano and witness the event. Not only are the sub-events interesting and good fun to watch but the parties surrounding the Palio are always lit! Congratulazioni Porta Pisana!

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More on Italy coming soon!

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Italy: Where I Want To Go- Part 1

Italy is probably the most beautiful countries in the world, lets be honest. It is a country enriched with history, unique culture, spectacular scenery, delicious food... The list could go on. This country gives so much to the world, the most important to me would be the food, of course. 
I have visited Italy before. I was there for a while and stayed on the Adriatic

side of the country in the region of Marche, in the town of Fabriano. From Fabriano, I traveled only to Senigallia, on the Adriatic Coast and Assisi, in the region of Umbria. I flew into and out of Rome of course, but not seeing enough of Italy left me with a hunger to see more! There is so much of the beautiful country left to see and discover that I'm itching to go back.
Having friends in Italy makes the whole idea of visiting Italy a lot more attractive as I have people to show me the best places, to bring me to the best eateries and to ensure I have a good experience and that I won't be disappointed, maybe bring me to places and to show me things I would have missed if I was on my own. For example when I was in Marche, I went to see the Grotte di Frasassi (http://www.frasassi.com/) in Genga (Between Ancona and Assisi). If my friend hadn't suggested to go there, I wouldn't have gotten to see the amazing karst cave endowed with stalagmites and stalactites.
There are a lot of places I wish to visit in Italy, some for the fact I have friends there and wish to discover more, and others because of the popularity and the "need" to go there. Some places I wish to visit are:

Rome/Roma: 

The Capital of the boot-shaped country. I have only flown into Rome Ciampino Airport to then travel 3 more hours to Marche but unfortunately, I spent no

time in Rome. Let's be real, it's a must go place throughout the world. The atmosphere as you travel around the capital is something that resonates across the world but Rome just has this magical vibe to it. Kind of similar to something you'd imagine in Paris. It's something different to places like London or Dublin. Some must see things I wish to see in Italy are:

• The Colosseum: A place of ancient historical significance and recognition worldwide. The Colosseum is a landmark to Italy and a staple of Ancient Roman history. Everyone should be familiar with the gladiator fights that would have taken place in the arena. Now it is a major tourist attraction to Italy.
• The Trevi Fountain: This fountain appears in most movies shot in Rome
  and is an icon to the Trevi district of Rome. It's got a romantic sense to it
  
  that is really attractive and the whole concept to make a wish and throw money in, as a giant wishing well is a really nice idea. (Right hand over left shoulder, so they say). I for sure want to see this fountain at nighttime.
• Piazza Navona: A famed plaza in Italy. The plaza features the Fountain of the Four Rivers and in the middle stands an Egyptian Obelisk. From articles about Rome, it seems like a really unique place to visit.
• The Basilicas: A great way to see unique architecture of different places is to look at the churches and cathedrals that were build as they give a look at the type of architecture that has been passed down. Rome has plenty of basilicas which are enriched with heritage and history, as well as beautiful architecture. Some of the basilicas I wish to see are:
• Santa Maria in Trastevere
• Abbazia di San Paolo Fuori La Mura
• Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterno

Venice

You know, I feel like there is more to Venice than riding a river on a gondola. For sure I wanna do that but it's not all I'd like to do while I'm there. Many

popular movies have been filmed in Venice, so to see some places where famous movies have been shot fits nicely into the Literary/Culture Tourism category. Movies like; James Bond. Lara Croft. The Tourist and Indiana Jones have been filmed in Venice. There are some places in Venice I'd love to see:

• The Grand Canal: I mean, you can't not go to Venice and take a boat ride. It's something that needs to be instagrammed. How can you go to Venice and NOT take a boat ride!
• Opera at La Fenice: Masquerade and Opera are both things famed to come from Venice. Going to the Opera at La Fenice, known as "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre"
• Saint Mark's Square: The Main Square in Venice. Near the Square is Saint Mark's Basilica which is renowned for its incredible architecture.

Genoa

The capital of the region of Liguria and the sixth largest city in Italy. This city if famed for being the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of San Salvador, Cuba and other islands in the Caribbean. Genoa, with remarkable enriching art, culture and cuisine, became the culture capital of Europe in 2004. The good thing about Genoa is that it is a seaport and also on the Mediterranean! Who doesn't love a Mediterranean city! Some of the places I'm hoping to visit in Genoa:

• The Royal Palace: When I heard that Genoa had a Royal Palace, like the Palacio Real in Madrid, I have to go and visit! I think the architecture of Royal Palaces are quite fantastic.
• Boccadasse: An old marine village in Genoa that looks really rustic, which
  
  is something that shows the authenticity of a place. It is enclosed in a narrow bay, which I'm sure makes for amazing scenery.
• Palazzi dei Rolli: A street of big buildings! Like, that sounds kinda cool and architecturally amazing!
• Christopher Columbus: Taking a look around Genoa, I feel, would give a great feel for the history. And especially that of Christopher Columbus, seeing any famous sites marked for the navigator or any landmarks. It would be quite unique.

These are just the first three places on my list of places in Italy to visit! Stay tuned for more and if you want anymore on these places, leave a comment!

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Eurovision Song Contest 2016

The Eurovision 2016 was held in Stockholm, Sweden at the Ericsson Globe Arena. From watching the 1st Semi-Final (May 10), the 2nd Semi-Final (May 12) and the Grand Final (May 14), the show seemed to be a roaring success. With an arena that

holds 12,000 packed to capacity on each night and the show garnering a magnificent 200 Million viewers worldwide, the show had a lot riding on it. On the first two semi-finals, the idea was to whittle the 18 acts of each semi-final down to 10 so that they would proceed to the final. In the end, 26 acts made it to the final, with the big 5 and Sweden already in the final without qualifying in a semi-final, but that's not my business. The show was hosted by Swede favorite comedian Perta Mede and last years winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in Austria, Måns Zermerlöw. Night after night, the two made the show extremely entertaining with comedic skits, musical intervals and witty back and forths between each other.

This was the 6th time that Sweden had hosted the Eurovision Song Contest (still not beating Ireland's record though!). This year, Australia became a fixture of the show and had to participate themselves in a semi final to qualify for final and didn't get the

guest pass. This year also marked the first time China and the United States of America were able to watch the Eurovision on their screens. With a lot of problems being earmarked across Europe (Brexit, Crimea and the migrant crisis) but this was just what Europe needed. Under the slogan of "Come Together", it became a new lease of life for Europe and the EBU. The Eurovision should be seen as the proper platform on integration between countries and that it's possible to get along. 

In this years Eurovision, there were some notable absences that have been poignant in previous years, for example: Turkey, Portugal, Slovakia and Romania. But although there were some absences in this years show, there were also some

returning acts. Czech Republic, Croatia and Ukraine being big participants to return. The show had 42 participating countries. This meant a lot of songs, a lot of performances and a lot of effort. Russia brought their own set to the Eurovision, many performers had visual effects. Not only was there a lot of effort and music but there was a lot of inter-country comradeship as before, during and after the contest, performers and fans showed their support for each other. Countries who had been eliminated in the semi final, their fans stayed for the final to participate in the celebrations of crowning the winner of this years contest. And watching it from home, it was very heartwarming to see the friendships being made and the whole idea of "come together" being made a reality.

The list of finalists are as follows:

• Belgium
• Czech Republic 
• The Netherlands
• Azerbaijan
• Hungary
• Italy 
• Israel
• Bulgaria
• Sweden
• Germany
• France
• Poland
• Australia
• Cyprus
• Serbia
• Lithuania
• Croatia
• Russia 
• Spain
• Latvia
• Ukraine
• Malta
• Georgia
• Austria
• UK
• Armenia

The final show was 3 and a half hours long. Each country performed and then the interval act came out. None other than Justin Timberlake himself. Playing on a stage

in front of 200 Million people internationallu. Petra and Måns then took the time to sing a song about the "Formula" to Eurovision success. Then the new voting system was introduced which saw the national jury and the televoting be taken into consideration. I voted 13 times. Hardcore fan right here. 2 out of the 5 I voted for came in the top 5, Russia and Bulgaria. Once the jury's votes had been read out, Australia was in the lead. The came the televotes. The suspense was killing me as Petra and Måns Zermerlöw read out the scores. It came down to the last 4 votes and everyone was on the edge of their seat. Finally, the country who won with a whopping

534 Points was Ukraine. Represented by Jamala, Ukraine won by televotes with their song "1944" a song about Crimean Tatar troubles.

Next years Eurovision will be held in Ukraine and it's safe to say that Ukraine will have a tough time trying to match the success of Eurovision Song Contest 2016, Stockholm, Sweden.

Congratulations to Jamala and Ukraine!

*Pic Credit: foxbet.gr, expressen.se, cromosomax.com, nanonews.com*

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Did you watch the Eurovision? What was your favourite song and what did you think of the outcome?

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Travelling to Italy: Assisi

Going to nice regional places in Italy like Senigallia and around Fabriano was a really nice thing to do on a trip as it gave a sense of non-tourist dense Italy like Rome or Milan. Many people to this day wonder why I picked Marche of all places to visit, but I don't regret it as it was an experience that I won't forget as it was different and very homely because I was staying with a family. Being in rural Italy was a real cool experience because I got to see the culture of the

town and area, 
One of the places I got to experience was the quaint but religiously significant town of Assisi. Assisi is an hour drive from Fabriano, in the Marche Region and 2 hours away from Florence and Rome. Assisi is in the provence of Perugia in the Umbria region of Italy, bang smack in the middle of Italy.
The story behind Assisi is that it is the birthplace of St. Francis (San Francesco), the man behind the the Franciscan order, St. Ciara (San Chiara) who is woman behind the Poor Sisters order and Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. All these religiously iconic saints were said to have been born, lived and done their duty to god in Assisi. In total, there are 7 saints who are said to have been from Assisi.

One morning, deciding what to do in Italy was a surprisingly difficult thing to figure out. Many options were thrown out on the table. Eventually it was decided to go to Assisi. I never heard of the place before but I was trusting that it would be a cool place to visit and a cool place to see the sites, in the heart of Italy. My friend, his father and I got in the car pretty early in the morning and headed off to make Assisi in good time and have enough time to come back home. The day that was in it was very warm and sunny, perfect really for traveling. 
The drive to Assisi was really nice. There wasn't a cloud to be seen and the landscape was amazing. The hills that had houses on them really intrigued me, it was like they were suspended in gravity from falling off the hill. If it were me, I'd be having a panic attack every time I got home. The road was in between valleys for a majority of the way so it made the drive very relaxing and didn't heat up the car too much, so no passing out from heat exhaustion (Yay!).
Driving into the area, you could tell which was Assisi. The Basilica di San Francesco was easily recognizable. From a distance, it was a magnificent looking building and couldn't wait to take a look around it. Driving in, it was actually quite busy. Buses of tourists disembarking and walking around in a group. Typical tourists with their hats, glasses and fanny packs. So it was difficult to find a parking space. But eventually going to the underground carpark. We went down so many levels I was wondering when we'd meet Satan. Thankfully we didn't and found a parking spot and I was getting kind of energetic to see this new place.
Coming out of the carpark was like a slap in the face with heat. I kind of lost my breath going from cold carpark to summer sun. But looking around at the tourists and the views of Perugia was absolutely amazing. Hoping for a better view, my friend said that Assisi, you walk up the way so I would get a better view eventually. Walking up the streets was actually the coolest thing. Seeing the old style Italian houses and how tall they were. They actually curved, they

were so tall. It was so unique and it felt Italian to me! Walking up these small streets, it was our mission to first go to the Basilica di San Francesco, the main guy of Assisi.
Mesmerized by the whole place, I didn't notice the walk up to the Basilica. Watching the different people on the streets and the cool souvenirs. We came up the entrance of the basilica which was an amazing building, Truly it was spectacular. The whole design of the place and the architecture was so cool. Going in, it was amazing. The ancient feel to the building and the whole history. The different artists that worked on the building and how uniquely designed it was, was one of a kind. It was so different to Irish artistry and from anything I've seen. Walking around, you can feel the depth of history and how much the building has seen and how significant it was.
Our next stop was to the Basilica di Santa Chiara. The woman behind the Poor

Sisters was woman steeped in history and her tomb lay in the basilica. The church dates back to 1260 and apparently her remains lay in the earth under the alter of the church. The place was very ominous. I think it was mainly due to the fact that her remains were there. It kind chilled me out. The place itself was really really cool a place that's over 700 years old and preserved so well, it was really amazing to see how cool it was and even the way to see her the area where her remains lay was a cool sight to see.
And then came the key point of my day. Food. The only constant in my life that keeps me content. Being in Italy, breakfast, lunch and dinner was on another level. So of course I had to go and have lasagne. At this point, it was the only Italian food I hadn't tried in Italy. We walked around a little plaza, deciding where to eat. We came across this nice place: Hosteria terra Chiama. It was a

lovely quaint place and not too many tourists were there, thankfully. The menu, all of its items were just as nice as the others. But lasagne was the only Italian dish I hadn't tried in Italy, so I had to order that.
Being in a place of Religious importance, the food was a godsend! Like, a miracle to my taste buds. I can't even describe the emotions I was feeling I was eating. It was a lot to comprehend. All I know is that it was amazing.
The food was gone in minutes, it was just so good. And it was so well priced too! Like, 6 or 7€ for a nice slice of lasagne with a drink. It was heavenly! After

lunch, it was time to wash it down with a nice coffee under the sun. We came to this nice place in a plaza called "Bar Minerva Assisi" which was really amazing because it was outside the Temple of Minerva (Roman Goddess of Craft and Wisdom). We sat and drank a coffee in the unwinding day. Just ahead of us was a guy making chalk painting on the ground. The painting was of the Virgin Mary and it was spectacular. Walking around this courtyard were a lot of Franciscan monks, which were so cool to see. 
As the day came to an end, I made sure to get some souvenirs for my grandparents. Being in a place so religious, it'd be a sin if I didn't get them something! So picking up a couple of bits and pieces, it was time to set off. On the way down to the car, I looked out at a high point and the view was one of a kind. Looking across the heart of Italy. I've never seen anything to compare to it yet. It was really something amazing. And that was our day in Assisi, getting back in the car and heading back as the sun was starting to come down. It was a perfect day and probably the kickstart into loving tourism I got!
*Pic Credit: ciaoumbria.it, italia.it, marcovoleri.it, geoplan.it, homemadeitalianrecipes.com, assisiitaly.ca*
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Leave a comment if you've ever been to Assisi or a place that left you speechless!
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Sun Holidays-Europe's Upcoming Destinations

Considering how sunny it is (In Ireland. I'm confused too), it seems appropriate to address those big ol' sun holidays.
Going about your business on a day to day basis gets repetitive and people look forwards to time off and time away from all those adult responsibilities (Scary, I know). And nothing sounds nicer when you're stressed out than booking a

trip away to the coast of some tropic or Mediterranean country and relaxing with a cocktail in your hand.
In the last decade or two, sun holidays have increased in popularity. If you went to south east Spain for a trip away during the summer, you'd be lucky to find a spot on the beach to even place your towel, let alone rent a sun lounger. So when it comes to the summer seasons and you get time off, you don't want the added stress of walking along a beach in hopes of finding a place to sit down. Not saying there is anything wrong with highly crowded beaches, kids tend to make friends and there is generally a good atmosphere from the people.
When it comes to the idea of going on a sun holiday, however, the idea is generally to go for what's cheap and go for what's easy. A place that has sun, booze and a waterpark. The essentials! In the last 5-10 years, people are stepping away from the typical locations of sun holidays and finding alternative places that not only give a unique place for a nice, relaxing sun vacation but also a great experience. These destinations would not have been incredibly popular for the general tourist in the past but are now on an increase to becoming nice places to visit for sun holidays and of course, reaping the benefits of increased tourism.

Here are 3 of the upcoming destinations from my personal opinion and feedback I've gotten from tourists as to where are growing places for sun holidays, where to stay and how to get there:

• Croatia: In the last couple of years, I have heard from many people that
  
  they went or are going to Croatia for sun holidays, "lads" holidays or even just weekends away. Croatia offers good value and is one of the least spoiled countries in Euripe, if not the world. But where to go in Croatia?
• Dubrovnik. This is the capital of Croatia and is a coastal city. Dubrovnik is accessible by many airlines including Ryanair, Easyjet, Iberia, Croatia Airlines, Aer Lingus and British Airways
• It has many beaches and places to relax including:
• Buza Beach
• Copacabana
• Banje Beach
• Just off the coast of Dubrovnik is the Elaphit Islands which contain Lopud and Kolocep, two islands with sandy beaches.
• Where to stay in Dubrovnik?
• Hotel Kompas- Hotel which overlooks the Lapad Bay
• Tirena Hotel- http://www.valamar.com/en/hotels-dubrovnik/tirena-hotel
• Valamar Club Dubrovnik- Free Airport Transfer
• Hostel Villa Angelina (Old Town)
• Split: Croatia's second largest city. It lies on the coast of the
  
  Adriatic Sea. The city acts as a link to the Apennine Region and Adriatic Islands. Split's Airport is served by airlines such as: Eurowings, Easyjet, British Airways, Scandinavian Airlines and Thomas Cook Airlines.
• Being on the coast, Split has many beaches.
• Kasuni Beach
• Kastelet Beach
• Ovcice Beach
• Where to stay in Split?
• Divota Apartment Hotel- http://divota.hr/
• Cornaro Hotel- http://cornarohotel.com/
• Split Guesthouse and Hostel- http://www.splitguesthouse.hostel.com/
• Sicily: The Island off the Italian Coast and situated in the Mediterranean sea. It is the largest island in the Mediterranean. It has 2 main airports. Catania International and Palermo International. These airports are
  
  served by: Ryanair, Easyjet, Volotea, Germanwings etc. Where to go for a sun holiday in Italy?
• Palermo: A city in the north-east of Italy and the Capital of the Island. Palermo is in a region famed for its art, history, culture and gastronomy. Palermo is served by Palermo International and has many beautiful beaches, for examples:
• Mondello Beach
• Aspra Beach- With Beautiful Boats in the town.
• Cefalu Beach.
• Where to Stay in Palermo?
• Hotel Porta Felice- http://hotelportafelice.it/en/#slide-2
• Hotel Bel 3
• Mondello Home Hostel
• Catania: Situated between Messina and Syracuse, this city rests
  
  near Mount Etna and has very unique landscape as a result. It has a beautiful location on the Ionian Sea. It is served by Catania Airport. Being on the east coast of the Island, it has many cool beaches:
• Playa
• Scogliera- Famed for it's seafood gastronomy
• Ognina
• Where to stay in Catania?
• UNA Palace Hotel- http://www.unahotels.it/en/una_hotel_palace/catania_hotels.htm
• Hotel Biscari- http://hotelbiscaricatania.com/
• City-in Hostel B&B- http://www.cityinhostel.it/en/
• South of France: The South of France is somewhat seen as a destination for those who are endowed with money and seen as an exclusive place, or at least it used to be. In recent years, it is a recently increasing destination
  
  to travel to. Here are some places in the South of France to travel to:
• Marseille: The second largest city in France after Paris. Marseille is situated in the Provence-Alpes-Cotes d'Azur region. It is a popular city along the South of France for visitors and is served by the Marseille Provence Airport which hosts airlines such as: British Airways, Lufthansa, Pegasus, Twin jet, Easyjet and Ryanair. It also has some beautiful beaches:
• Plage du Prado
• Plage des Catalans
• Calanques at Cassis (In the nearby town of Cassis)
• Where to stay in Marseille?
• Residence de Vieux Port- http://www.hotel-residence-marseille.com/en/
• Hotel Bellevue- http://hotelbellevuemarseille.com/en/
• Vertigo Centre Hostel- http://hotelvertigo.fr/
• Toulon: Toulon is situated in the same region as Marseille but however, does not have it's own big airport. It's airport does
  
  regional flights to Bordeaux, Paris and Brest. As well as domestic, there are international flights to Amsterdam, Southampton and Tunis with airlines like; Air France, Jetairfly and Flybe. Toulon is a port city with it's famed function being a military base for the French Navy. Toulon has some nice beaches also:
• Mourillon
• Plage de Pipady
• Plage de la Mitre
• Where to stay in Toulon?
• Les Voiles Hotel- http://www.hotel-voiles.com/en/
• Grand Hotel Dauphine- http://www.grandhoteldauphine.com/
• Hotel Bonaparte

These are some of the destinations that are on the rise as new places to go as sun holiday locations and are not to be overlooked when you want some downtime. On one hand, sure, it's nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. But on the other hand, different countries offer different experiences with so much culture, history, art, heritage and cuisine to offer. Set yourself outside the box!

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Leave a comment if you have suggestions or places you've been on sun holidays!

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Travelling to Italy: Part 3- Senigallia

Senigallia is a port city in the same province of Italy that Fabriano is in. Senigallia is situated along the Adriatic Sea. 
One of the days that I stayed in my friends house in Italy, his father had to go on a work trip to Senigallia, which I had never heard of but was excited to see what kind of a place it was and what it had to offer. It was said to be a nice place from the Italian people I had met and spoken to in Fabriano so it was definitely worth a visit.
It was the evening to go and I packed my little suitcase and we left quite early for Senigallia. My friends father is the head teacher of a few schools, like an

external examiner, for a few schools in the region. It was a nice evening, sun was setting and the breeze was just nice. We packed up and made sure we had food for the night and for the whole weekend. It was a priority to have food. The three of us took off and headed further east to the port city.
The drive took a good hour but it wasn't as long as driving from Rome to Fabriano. It was nice and kinda relaxing to drive in the dark with the cool Italian breeze. The music on the radio was quite Top 40, but it was fun to see what music was on their charts. A lot of Imagine Dragons and Anastasia but it was good music! 
We arrived in Senigallia at about 8pm and it had gotten quite dark and once we got in, it was time to unpack and get dinner started (I was so ready). We chilled around and connected to the wifi so we could be anti-social until food was cooked. It was nice, the three of us just sitting around and having what is now one of my favorite Italian food, Pasta Pesto. It was so nice. The nice cool beer we had went down really well with the homemade pasta, which was heaven after the travelling. That evening, there wasn't much energy left to do much else. so hitting the hay seemed like the best option! I got into bed and tried not to get distracted by social media but that didn't work but eventually sleep came to me. It was in the middle of the night however that I woke up and started to burn up super quick. Which was strange because I had the balcony door open. I got up and checked the heating systems. They were all off. It was really humid at this stage. So I went out to the balcony to see that on the Adriatic Sea, there was lightning hitting the water. I stood and stared at this amazing spectacle until my eyes started to dry out from the dry heat of the lightning. So sleep from there on out was near impossible.

The next morning, my friend and I were stumped for ideas as to how to spend the afternoon while his father. Seeing as it was approaching brunchtime, we headed down the promenade to get to dinner at this small beachfront restaurant. The weather was really nice. It wasn't too hot and the breeze wasn't strong. It was the perfect temperature! We came to this little restaurant. I didn't see any names on it or anything. It had a yellow exterior and looked kind of rustic. (Sorry I don't have the name!). We went and sat down. It was a morning that had me feeling like I wanted to try new things. So looking through the menu, one thing came to my attention. Tortellini. My Italian friends had often spoken about this amazing Tortellini that I could only try in Italy. We placed our orders, the waiting staff looking at me like I was an alien (I'm sure it was my pale complexion). We sat out overlooking the beautiful Adriatic Sea. I'm telling you, nothing is more therapeutic than sitting listening to waves and having some good food. The waitress came back with my tortellini. It was a euphoric moment. Eyebrows raised. Eyes rolling. It was a beautiful moment! The tortellini got a quick death. To the point where I had to waddle out of the restaurant like a penguin. So the only solution was to walk it off.
We walked down along the promenade towards the Rotunda. All along the

beach were different places to eat, people playing beach soccer, volleyball and other games which looked super fun. Let me tell you, Italian people are a beautiful people. Watching people under the sun, they're just a beautiful nation! We kept going until we got to the Rotunda at the end of the promenade. I'm still not sure what the Rotunda was for and neither did my friend, but it was a really pretty building and architecturally cool. With still time to kill, and even though it was mid-afternoon, we went for a drink in the nearest bar. A nice cocktail bar that whipped up a citrus vodka granita which was absolute deliciousness. We spend a little more time at the bar just chatting until we decided to get up and head into the town.
We took the bus into town. We walked from the bus stop across the street and how you got to the town was around the grounds of the Roca Roveresca fortress which is a really cool, really large gothic castle. It was really unique how to get to the town, you had to cross the bridge around the castle. Coming into the city square. The whole place hustled and bustled with people in the darkening evening. Families lounging around having drinks and enjoying the company. So we went and had a look around the little streets and it felt so nice, the atmosphere was perfect. 
It was coming up to 8pm in the evening and my stomach was beginning to tell me it needed feeding. We walked along the streets until we came to this yummy looking pizzeria called Pako's Pizzeria on the Piazza Roma. I ordered the

Rocket Margherita Pizza that was your basic margherita with rocket spread on top which made for a delicious, flavor filled pizza that went down an absolute treat.
We went to walk off the pizza. And came to a nice gelato place called Il Gelato di Rosita. A place that had every type of ice-cream you could want. This proved to be the best dessert to top of the last night in Senigallia before we headed back to Fabriano the day after.
The trip to Senigallia was different and was nice to see a different part of Marche. The food was awesome, the weather was so cool and the whole atmosphere of Senigallia just needs to be experienced.
Pic Cred: cocinadecloe, thetraveltester, 
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This was my story of Senigallia. If you'd like any more info on Senigallia, contact me (Info in bio)
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