Tag: Europe

  • Visit Portugal – A Country Rife With Life

    Visit Portugal – A Country Rife With Life

    Portugal - Lisbon 1

    I’m sitting here sipping on a cocktail, I’m not sure if it’s the soothing ambience and interesting choice for décor surrounding me or the simply divine Apple and Eve cocktail I was recommended to try that has me feeling so disappointed, no, I’m not disappointed in ‘Cinco Lounge’ in the slightest, in fact it’s the exact opposite, there’s a sense of elation that accompanies the experience you have in this ‘Lisbon’ based bar not far from ‘Bairro Alto’, it’s lively with friendly people, the staff are simply put, amazing and I couldn’t possibly feel more relaxed and satisfied at a bar if I tried, my disappointment stems from the thought of leaving this all behind tomorrow on my return home.

    I’ve been reflecting on my past two weeks here, well I say two weeks, but I’ve been so preoccupied that time as flown by too fast. I’ve been out to a variety of different bars and nightclubs almost every night now and if not indulging myself in the splendour of delicious foods I had only heard about but never tried, I was fulfilling my inner childhood desire to want to explore every nook and cranny that this country has to offer by day.

    If there was one way to describe this country, I’d say that it was ‘rife with life’, everything here emanates the aura of life itself, from itsPortugal Lisbon 2 rich culture and beautiful arts to its unrivalled enthusiastic passion for sports and the nostril gripping scents of cooking food. Speaking of sports, this is a country with 10million plus passionate and patriotic people and nothing quite demonstrates that as sitting in a bar during a national football match for an example.

    But that isn’t the only thing this country has to offer, I had the opportunity to visit ‘Coimbra’, which happens to have the oldest university in this country, dating back to the 16th century, a bit of knowledge there for me, it was also the home of many historic and beautiful monuments I could only gasp at. I also visited ‘Almoural Castle’ which happens to sit in the middle of a river, talking about it doesn’t do it any justice, it’s one of those unfathomable and definitely picture-worthy sights you have to see for yourself, there was also the ‘fortress villages’, oh and of course I couldn’t possibly forget ‘Tavira’, an island I took a boat out to see and camped there for a night.

    As for activities, there was more than enough to keep me busy and basking in the glory of being part of the culture, within a few days of being here I had already rented a bike and ridden it through several towns and along the beautiful coastlines, kayaked and river rafted.

    And here I am now, with only one regret, the fact I didn’t book a longer holiday here with Directline-holidays, where am I? In the beautiful lands of Portugal, do I recommend it? Without a doubt. Grab your camera (You WILL want it, believe me) and take a trip out here, by the time you get here however, I’ll be back home jealous of you.

    Portugal Lisbon 3

    I talk about Portugal being rife with life, but it isn’t just the buzz from the city or all the people rushing around, it is also the wildlife. There are so many animals in Portugal that you should be looking out for while visiting. The cockroach in our bedroom certainly didn’t make that list though, an annoyance that has plagued my trips to both Portugal and Spain.

    Portugal has always had a strong footballing history, however it has now become a ‘present’, with the recent Euro 2016 championship, then being followed by the 2019 inaugural Nations League, a tournament I didn’t fully understand but half cheered as England performed surprisingly well. The legend and hero of the country won’t be going on for too much longer (in case you’ve been living under a rock, I’m talking about Cristiano Ronaldo) therefore people are flocking to international games to see him before the curtain closes. If a sporting tournament is on the horizon, expect the city centre to be buzzing with tangible excitement.

  • Greece – Full of those ‘Did you know’ Experiences

    Greece – Full of those ‘Did you know’ Experiences

     

    ‘Historical Value’

    What makes Greece such a fantastic location to visit is that it isn’t just all beauty and fun, here is a country thriving on the rich seams of culture and history, its historical value is amongst the most substantial in the world, sitting right there besides the likes of Egypt, China and Italy for three prime examples. There is so much to learn and all you need is that overwhelming desire to find out more, if knowledge and new experiences is what you love, Greece has that sweet juicy apple for your hungry curiosity.

    In fact, Greece is considered to have the world’s first democracy, dating all the way back to the 5th century. The voting system wasn’t however quite as fair as it is nowadays, with women not allowed to vote. You also had to prove you were originally from the area, with foreigners who had moved there unable to vote. As I’m sure you can imagine, slaves were not given the right to vote.

    ‘Traditions’

    If you know a thing or two about Greece, you’ll know about or at least of the great Gods that were once prevalent in religion and worship here many years ago, that doesn’t mean that with the coming of the modern age all was forgotten and put aside, one thing you’ll notice about Greece is that despite its modern thriving and busy daily lifestyles, there is still the presence of a belief, culture and way of life that were once abound. History is present in everything that is done here, from old age traditions to new age fads. Greek traditions are amongst the most prevalent in the world, carried over to every country and never forgotten, so it is easy to see why it still so present here.

    ‘Interesting Locations’

    There is something in Greece for everyone, from traditional dishes passed down from generation to generation for the foodies out there, excursions and activities for the thrill seeker, history and ancient sites for the historians and archaeologists amongst us and nightlife and day fun to rival the best for the party heads. Crete, Corfu and Rhodes are just three of the many interesting locations you can visit for either of your interests.

    ‘Olympics’

    If you loved the 2012 London Olympics, I’d recommend taking a trip down to ‘Olympia’ to find out where it all originated, dating all the way back to the 8th century, you will definitely want to discover what significance the Olmpics held at the time and why it was heralded at such high esteem, even to this day. Greece always enters the Olympic arena of choice first and Olympia is a good insight into why. Filled with ancient undisturbed architecture and explanations as to what took place there many years ago, it is an enlightening experience that will leave you amazed at how well preserved these structures are and the very fact that you now stand and walk where competitors and Olympians once were.

    ‘Seeing is believing’

    And we haven’t even mentioned the incredibly beautiful beaches, various activities, stunning landscapes for hiking, abseiling or kayaking, plentiful festivals, tranquil pretty countryside locations, clear waters, traditional drinks and the intricate detail of buildings and structures so old they make your grandparents look young yet, if seeing is believing, then in order to find out just how mesmerising Greece is, you’ll have to check it out yourself. I think the Blue Caves are arguably one of the most unbelievable sights you could see on a holiday to Greece. They made it onto my list of things to do in Zante, alongside smugglers cove and the rich list of culinary options.

    Wedding Traditions

    I’m sure you would know this by now, especially if you’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but Greek weddings have a really interesting tradition which will leave you a bit shell shocked if you weren’t expecting it. As the music blasts out and relatives are all smiling and clapping, you will suddenly see people lift up plates and smash them onto the floor! If you do attend a wedding over here, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t happen, as it is a tradition of times gone-by, but some still choose to do this, even if more for fun rather than the traditional reasoning.

    So are there any other traditions or classical elements you feel should have made the list? I’d love to hear them all! Get in contact and I’ll make sure to add them to the list. Hey, I might have to take a quick trip over to Greece to see them all up close and personally!