Friday 28 November 2008

Milano, Italia, 2008

I'm not quite sure why I didnt post this entry earlier as Milan really is one of those European super cities way up there with the London/Paris/Madrid big boys (in my opinion anyway!)

The Fabulous Duomo Cathedral rises up from the centre of Milan... On the roof, you can really appreciate the work that went into the masonry...


The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is not your average 'shopping' centre....


...The Italians know how to do grand architecture...


In the station ready to leave for Verona. Again... it's BIG, BEAUTIFUL and unmistakably ITALIAN!


Verona took my breath away. I had one of the most amazing days of my life at the time when I was here. Everything was beautiful. Those cliché sketchy drawings of places like this on Tesco Pasta Packaging could even be considered an insult when you've seen the real thing.


Verona. Home of Romeo & Juliet. This was the passage through to the courtyard where Juliet's balcony lies. Every inch of the walls are covered in love notes from people all over the world.

Thursday 25 September 2008

Czech Out

The Czech capital of Prague is one of those little gems that is popular for a reason and lives up to its reputation. 
Prague's metro is like the veins of a darlek! I really like how when you scratch the surface you can still see evidence of the city's interesting not so distant past in the days of the Czechoslovak regime...



 The TOPMAN Store in the Palladium Shopping centre is a really nice, clean, fresh store. I've been back here since to work in the store for a few days and really enjoyed it....


 I really like this shot I took outside Prague castle... I think it came off well being as though I took it on my phone :)


Sunday 14 September 2008

Lisboa

Lisbon, Capital of Portugal, is tied with Berlin as my ultimate favorite city in the world... It has the most amazing laid back atmosphere with a nod towards modern European style whilst still holding its heritage close...

I find it sad that they are having so much trouble in Portugal with their economy now... I urge you all to visit, they will be grateful and welcoming, but not just because you are visiting now - it seemed to me that it is just their nature!

This was the view from my HOSTEL... hand on heart the best hostel I've ever stayed in. This place was fabulous!


 The yellow colour of the funicular, in my opinion, shows Lisbon's warm side (if that makes sense!!)


Alfama, the old town of the city is full of character...


 This gallery was fantastic. I was actually looking for somewhere else when I stumbled across it - I wasn't dissapointed! - Museu Berardo


 In Alfama again, where you can hear the sound of Fado singers coming from the bars nestled amongst the streets. This gives you an example of what I'm talking about... Hot, long evenings where the sun takes hours to set, and this is what you can hear... Literally amazing....



Old and new.... a clapped-out Citroen in front of the spectacular Oriente station, one of my favorite parts of the city, built for the 1998 Expo...

Thursday 4 September 2008

Latvia 2008


Another short trip to another stunning city - Riga was laid back, quiet, moved at a slow pace but still had bags of character and history... I visited in September and the weather was still warm enough to manage without being wrapped up like a fragile parcel. These are a few things of what I saw...

These old air ship hangars are now used as a huge indoor market. There's a seperate hangar for meat, fish, dairy & bakery and vegetables - I love how Eastern European cities make use of old buildings like this - Inside the sun was shining through the large windows at either end as I bought my lunch.

The old soviet TV tower in Riga... I was drawn in by this building - you can see it on the horizon from anywhere in the city. As I approached the gates I was feeling doubtful that it was possible to go inside, but after trying (badly) to speak Latvian over the intercom, I was let in and given a tour by a girl who is studying English at Riga University. I think the highlight of her day was getting to see another human as the place seemed deserted! She seemed particularly proud in telling me that it is the highest TV tower in the European Union (not in Europe however, that is apparently in the Ukraine, but she was happy enough to settle for the EU record!)
 Another view of the tower, and the rest of the city, from the skyline bar in the Reval Hotel Latvija...

 A picture tells a thousand words... The 19.10 to Moscow - you have no idea how much I wanted to be onboard this train as it chugged out of the station...

I took this photo from a bridge over the river Daugava on the morning that I left. The city was still waking up, the sun was shining but the cool air still informed you that you were in the Baltic. The sky was really hazy - it was a happy moment! I love the reflection of the buildings on the calm water...

Sunday 13 July 2008

Eivissa: the pretty side...

Arguably the party capital of the entire world... Ibiza has a split personality and it's stunning old town is just as exciting as it's superclubs...