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2.11.17

Travelling in England: Bath


historical places to see in England

Hello folks!

As you may already know, I have a special passion for history and archeology. I followed an ancient history module at university, brilliantly ministered by the archeologist Pedro Paulo Funari, whilst I was studying Political Science. I've also lived in Egypt for two months, where I explored the most fascinating ancient tombs, temples and, of course, the pyramids. Meaning, I could not visit England without seeing one of the finest historical sites in the country - the Roman Baths

The city of Bath itself is one of those must-see-places for England lovers, it has beautiful sights to visit, as the Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Paul, sophisticated shop lanes and the lovely Pulteney Bridge, from where you can see the crossing of the river Avon. However, the most important attraction is definitely the Roman Baths. Believe me, they are breathtakingly beautiful.

According to archeological researchers, before the Roman invasion, the site was already treated as a shrine by the Celtics, thanks to its natural hot springs. Later, the bath complex as we know it was developed by the Romans starting around 70 AD. It took over 300 years to reach its final size. The site is not just composed of the terrace, seen from outside, but of several buildings which are now underground, as the ruins of Minerva's temple, saunas, changing rooms and plunge swimming pools. The Baths still flow with spring water, more precisely 1.170.000 liters per day,  reaching comfy 46°C .

Walking through the Roman Bath was definitely one of the best experiences I've ever had. I will never forget the colour of the water flowing inside the chambers, the soft steam on my skin, the texture of the huge stones and the autumn breeze blowing across the terrace. It feels like the Romans somehow are still there, guiding and inviting us to their exotic universe. One of the reasons why my experience was so positive, is due to the smart design of the tour created by the museum responsibles, which are not offering just a visit, but a unique learning experience. It's a brilliant example of how a historical sites should be: accessible and interactive for everybody.

After visiting the Roman Baths we've continued our path exploring the 18th-century neoclassical buildings of the centre. It's interesting to observe that such different architectonic styles can work very well together to build a astonishing scenario, like a flute and a percussion in an orchestra. Moreover, the contemporary and funky spice is also very present, one of my favorites were the flowers growing inside the traditional red British telephone boxes in several places of the city. That said, we can definitely categorize Bath as a very eccentric town.

Although Bath is a relatively crowded city, we found a very cool independent coffee place called Cafe au lait. For me, it's very important to celebrate and encourage local businesses. I sat on their comfy bay window and we ordered hot chocolate with carrot cake. There was no better way to chill before leaving! I'm already missing Bath and I wish I could stay longer...








Travelling in England: Bath

honeymoon in England

Travelling in England: Bath

Travelling in England: Bath

Travelling in England: Bath

Travelling in England: Bath

Travelling in England: Bath


19.10.17

A day in Brighton

Hello Folks!

As you may already know, I'm currently living in England and, as this adventure will last only a few months, I’ve had and decided to make the most of it. Meaning, I'm enjoying every single weekend to explore and visit new British cities! 

Brighton is one of those places I've been crazy to go since I live in Europe, so for me, visiting this city was a dream come true. To my surprise, the place is more beautiful than I could expect, from the higgledy-piggledy bohemian lanes to the lovely pier, I fell in love with the city. Christian and I decided to hop on the train and it took us about 2 hours and a half to arrive in Brighton from Southampton. Usually, this trip takes one hour and fifty minutes, however, part of the rails were blocked that day and everybody was transferred to a bus. In the end, everything was fine and the rail company managed to drive us to Brighton Central Station. Thus, if the rail gets blocked whilst you're traveling in the UK, don't worry, they will find a way to solve the problem!

As the weather has been so glorious during the beginning of this autumn we could enjoy the sunlight and the sweet breeze when walking through the lanes and the seaside. Our first stop was the North Lane area, the bohemian spirit of its inhabitants and shops is absolutely delightful, we loved every corner of this place. For us the highlight of North Lanes was to find a marked called Infinity Foods, there we found a huge selection of organic and vegetarian products, from food to cosmetics, cleaning, and baby products. It was also in this market that I bought a delicious vegan pizza for only £2,50. Oh, it would be great to have Infinity Foods in Belgium!

The second spot of our itinerary was to visit the BA i360, a futuristic glass viewing pod designed by Marks Barfield Architects, creators of the London Eye. However, as we had a limited amount of time, we decided to skip going up with the elevator and we've just admired the construction from outside. From there we walked on the seaside to the pier, enjoying the sea and the sun. We even stopped halfway through for a seafood salad from one of the adorable food kiosks around the area.

I totally fell in love with the Brighton Palace Pier since one of my YouTubers visited the place (Oh, yes, Brighton is the perfect backdrop to all our favourite YouTubers). It's fantastic to sit and relax on their striped chairs to feel the breeze. For everybody looking for a little adventure: The pier hosts one of the oldest amusement parks in England. Despite my appetite for adrenaline, the park was not the highlight of my day. Even though, I do recommend a visit to the Pier Palace, which was built in 1899 and still contains a bit the spa resort spirit of the old Brighton.

Our fourth tourist spot was the Royal Pavillion, which was built as a seaside retreat for the king Geroge IV in 1787. This is one of the most exotic palaces in the UK, mixing British, Indian and Chinese architectural styles. After visiting the Pavillion we went to explore an area called The Lanes, an interesting place full of historical twisting alleyways, in which we found several fancy and independent boutiques. Outstanding here was the store Choccywoccydoodah, firstly because I'm a chocoholic and secondly because of their absolute fantastic and scary Halloween decoration!

It was a lovely experience to stay wandered around Brighton, we had no previous planning and we've just decided to explore the city by ourselves. I'm still impressed by the fact we could manage to see so many attractions in such a short period of time. In the past, I didn't like to visit places without a proper planning, I was researching everything, from the history of the city to the names of the main streets. However, since last year, I'm regularly on spontaneous trips and enjoy it. It can be so relaxing to have a little time out from my daily routine!

Extra tips |  If you're a liberal person searching for a place to visit in England, I’d highly recommend Brighton. It's the ideal place to find like-minded young people. If I could choose, it would definitively be my first goal to go to in the UK. It's also obvious, so far, that Brighton was my favourite city for a weekend break!

A day in Brighton - UK

A day in Brighton - UK

A day in Brighton - UK

A day in Brighton - UK

Vegan shop in Brighton


A day in Brighton - UK

28.9.17

Travelling in Brazil: Itamambuca Beach

 Hello folks!

Today I'm going to share with you some of the most beautiful and safe places to visit on the São Paulo state coastline: Itamambuca. The village is located on the north of Ubatuba Beach and its usually visited by surfers and tourist in search of silence, nature and peace. 


Itamambuca Beach
The inhabitants of Itamambuca are keen to keep the fantastic Mata Atlantica as protected as possible. In order to achieve this goal they developed their own sustainable waste management and greenhouses to growth and replant the original trees. Furthermore, they also keep a lovely public library and eco-track with information about the vegetation and their beautiful species of rare births. 

From a luxury resort to an eco bread-and-breakfast, I'm sure you will find a suitable option matching your style. No matter which option you choose, you will have access to all the eco-sports facilities provided by the local surf school.

I don't like crowded places and I also tend to avoid high temperatures. If you are like me: I strongly advise you to visit Itamambuca during the Brazilian winter. I went in August and even though I could enjoy pleasant temperatures.


Itamambuca BeachExtra bits of advice: 

- Visit the Projeto Tamar in Ubatuba, it's a fantastic NGO which protects sea turtles from extinction. 

- Rent a car in São Paulo Capital to go to Itamambuca or go by bus to Ubatuba and then take a taxi to  Itamambuca. However, if you speak Portuguese, you can easily manage to take a local bus to from Ubatuba to Itamambuca (I did it and it was ok!). 

- Do not walk or cycle on the motorway to visit the neighbour villages. If you want to visit other places call up a taxi or take a bus. 





12.6.17

Cycling in Belgium

On the 5th of  February from 1930 Albert Einstein sent a letter to his son, in one of the paragraphs he wrote: Beim Menschen ist es wie beim Velo. Nur wenn er faehrt, kann er bequem die Balance halten. It translates to more or less: (...) it is the same with people as it is with riding a bike. Only when moving can one comfortably maintain balance.

My fiancé's hobby is cycling and I love photography, thus: nothing better for us than to go on cycling trips to explore Belgium while taking pictures. It's amazing to discover new cities and landscapes. It's especially nice to do this trips around our city, Leuven, as the tourism department give us all the support, from special maps to traffic signs related to the chosen rote. 

The last trip we did requires a bit of physical preparation and is recommended for experienced people, as the terrain is hilly during certain points of the route. However, we saw many tourists cycling on electrical bikes, what is convenient for seniors. The name of this route is "Hageland Hills" (36 KM). You can download a brochure with all the details about it on the website of Leuven. 

It was great to pass by peaceful fields, apple trees plantation and, last but not least, to visit the Kasteel Van Horst, which was originally built in the 13th century. Around the castle you can also find a bar (where you can also buy homemade bread ) and tables for a picnic, making this place ideal for your lunch break! So, what are you waiting for to keep your balance? Let's do it!


Cycling in Belgium


Cycling in Belgium


Cycling in Belgium

28.5.17

Travelling in Belgium: Knokke

Hello Folks!

One of the hot spots of the Belgium summer is Knokke, a small city located in West Flanders. It's a great place to spend a comfy day, walking on the sand with the family and enjoying the sun. 

This city has an interesting history connected with art, being a vacation city for several painters during the 19th century, as the impressionist James Ensor and the post-impressionist Theo van Rysselberghe. Nowadays we can find beautiful art galleries around the coastline of  Knokke, as the fantastic Absolute! Furthermore, the city hosts cool festivals and events, a famous one is the Knokke Fashion Weekend. Impressive, isn't it?


Travelling in Belgium: Knokke

Travelling in Belgium: Knokke


Travelling in Belgium: Knokke

Travelling in Belgium: Knokke

Travelling in Belgium: Knokke


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