#trip to catalunya anyone?

[crazyhickofftheirrocker]

Well, Well, Well

Sitting in bed at 3am theorising about Mafin's options this morning and one of them was "what if Jaime moved to Barça as well?". But I thought, nah they'd never go with that and if they did, he'd refuse.

Guionistas, colour me sorprendido 👏 didn't see that one coming!

I trust this carrot being dangled in front of us about as much as I have faith in Jesús' ability not to incur someone's wrath for more than 10 seconds.

But it was nice to finally see some joy for our girls instead of the stress of the last few weeks 😊🥰

[golfspain]

Planning Your Perfect Golf Getaway in Spain: A UK Golfer's Guide

When it comes to a golf getaway, Spain often tops the list for British golfers seeking sunshine, world-class courses, and an unforgettable experience. With its diverse landscapes, rich culture, and warm climate, Spain offers everything needed for the perfect golf holiday. 

Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just planning your first trip, this guide will help navigate the essential details to ensure your golf getaway is seamless and memorable.

Why Spain is the Ideal Destination for a Golf Getaway

Spain’s combination of stunning golf courses, pleasant weather, and vibrant culture has made it a favorite among UK golfers. With over 400 courses scattered across the country, from coastal retreats to mountainous terrains, there's a venue to suit every golfer's taste. Plus, many courses are located near luxury resorts, making it easy to relax and indulge in local cuisine and hospitality after a day on the greens.

But it’s not just about the courses. Spain’s appeal lies in the lifestyle. After a round of golf, there's always a charming town to explore, delicious tapas to try, and a sunset to enjoy by the sea. It’s a complete package—golf, relaxation, and adventure.

Choosing the Right Region for Your Golf Getaway

Spain’s regions offer a variety of golf experiences, each with its unique charm and characteristics. Choosing the right region is key to tailoring your golf getaway. Here’s a look at some of the most popular areas:

Costa del Sol: Known as the "Costa del Golf," this sun-soaked coastline is home to over 70 golf courses, including some of the best in Europe. Marbella, Sotogrande, and Mijas are must-visit areas for anyone serious about their game. The Mediterranean climate makes it possible to play almost year-round, and the upscale resorts and nightlife options ensure there's plenty to enjoy off the course.

Costa Blanca: With its crystal-clear waters and impressive golf courses, the Costa Blanca region offers a more laid-back golf experience. Courses like Las Colinas Golf & Country Club and La Finca Golf provide top-tier golfing combined with beautiful natural surroundings.

Mallorca: This Balearic Island offers a more tranquil escape with stunning sea views, charming villages, and some of the most scenic courses in Spain. Courses like Golf Son Gual and Alcanada are well-known for their challenging layouts and breathtaking backdrops.

Costa Brava: For those seeking a blend of culture, history, and fantastic golf, Costa Brava is the perfect choice. The courses here, like PGA Catalunya, are surrounded by lush greenery and provide a tranquil, yet challenging experience. Plus, being close to cities like Girona and Barcelona means you can combine your golf with a cultural adventure.

Selecting the Best Time to Plan Your Golf Getaway

One of the many perks of a golf getaway in Spain is the almost year-round availability of golf-friendly weather. However, it's worth noting that certain regions and times of the year offer optimal conditions.

Spring (March to May): Spring is perhaps the best time to visit, especially in the southern regions. The temperatures are pleasant, and the courses are in prime condition. It’s also a quieter time, meaning less crowded fairways and a more relaxed atmosphere.

Summer (June to August): If you're heading to the coastal regions like Costa del Sol or Costa Brava, summer is ideal. The heat can be intense, especially inland, but by the coast, there's often a refreshing breeze. Many resorts offer early morning or twilight rounds to help golfers avoid the midday sun.

Autumn (September to November): Another excellent time for golf, especially if you're looking for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. Autumn is perfect for regions like Mallorca and Costa Blanca, where the courses remain in excellent condition, and the weather is still warm.

Winter (December to February): While northern Spain may experience cooler weather, regions like Costa del Sol and the Canary Islands remain ideal for golf, with temperatures rarely dropping below 15°C. Winter is also a great time to find discounts on golf packages and accommodations.

Choosing the Perfect Golf Resort

Spain offers a wide variety of golf resorts, from five-star luxury experiences to more budget-friendly options, making it easy to find something that matches your style and preferences. When selecting a resort, consider not only the quality of the golf course but also the accommodations, dining options, and additional amenities.

La Cala Resort (Costa del Sol): Boasting three championship courses and a luxurious spa, La Cala offers a perfect balance of challenge and relaxation. It’s ideal for a longer golf getaway, allowing you to experience different layouts over several days.

PGA Catalunya (Costa Brava): Ranked as one of Europe’s best golf resorts, PGA Catalunya offers world-class facilities, two spectacular courses, and proximity to the vibrant city of Barcelona. It’s a golfer’s paradise set in a serene natural landscape.

Hotel Almenara (Sotogrande): This luxurious resort is located in one of Spain’s most prestigious golf regions. With easy access to several top-tier courses, including Valderrama, it’s a prime choice for those looking to experience the best golf in Spain.

Customizing Your Golf Getaway Experience

While golf is the primary focus, a trip to Spain offers many other activities to enhance your getaway. Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or as part of a golf group, it’s worth exploring beyond the golf course.

Culinary Delights: Spanish cuisine is world-renowned, and each region has its specialties. In Costa del Sol, enjoy fresh seafood paired with a glass of local white wine. In Mallorca, try the island’s famous sobrassada, a cured sausage, along with some locally made olive oil.

Cultural Adventures: Spain is rich in history, art, and culture. Take a day trip to explore the Alhambra in Granada, the architecture of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, or the historic streets of Seville. Mixing golf with a bit of culture will make your trip even more fulfilling.

Relaxation and Wellness: After a long day on the course, nothing beats unwinding at a luxurious spa. Many golf resorts in Spain offer full-service wellness centers where you can enjoy a massage, soak in a thermal bath, or practice some yoga.

Pro Tips for a Smooth Golf Getaway

To make sure everything runs smoothly, a little planning goes a long way. Here are a few tips to ensure your golf getaway is hassle-free:

Book Tee Times in Advance: Spanish courses can be very popular, especially during peak seasons. It’s always a good idea to reserve tee times well in advance to secure your preferred slots.

Bring the Right Gear: While most resorts offer equipment rentals, bringing your clubs can ensure a more comfortable experience. Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat, and appropriate clothing for varying weather conditions.

Consider a Golf Package: Many resorts and travel agencies offer golf packages that include accommodation, tee times, and sometimes even transport to and from the airport. It’s a convenient way to ensure all details are taken care of, allowing you to focus on enjoying your trip.

Conclusion: Plan Your Dream Golf Getaway with Golf Spain

Planning a golf getaway in Spain promises not only spectacular rounds of golf but also an immersive experience in a country rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. By choosing the right region, timing, and resort, you're setting yourself up for a holiday that will not only challenge your skills on the course but also provide unforgettable memories of it.

For those ready to take the next step, Golf Spain is here to make your dream golf getaway a reality. With their expertise in golf tourism, you'll find the best golf packages, top resorts, and everything else needed for the perfect golf holiday. From securing the best tee times to recommending the ideal golf course, let Golf Spain handle all the details, so all that's left is to enjoy your time on and off the greens.

[ilovejevsjeans]

HOW DANIEL RICCIARDO STARTED MY JOURNALISM CAREER

For a longtime fan of any sport, meeting one of the athletes that they are forever looking up to can be a lifelong memory. We spend our weeks working and saving our money to see these people in person and what they do, while our weekends off are occupied by following their every move on television and social media. Formula 1 is no different, but when I managed to meet a person I dearly admire in the sport, it was an experience that would change my life, for the absolute better.

In case we haven't met yet, my name is Coilin and I am from Ireland. When I finished school at seventeen, I felt at a dead end. My friends all went off to college and university to new beginnings while I felt so lost in figuring out what I wanted to do, I was sort of left behind. I took up a job in the local furniture factory where I still am today, and despite being forever grateful to hold that job, I always aspired to be more.

In 2018, I and a mate from work took a trip to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. For a person who only left Ireland once before for the previous year's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, I was both nervous and very excited to experience a new country and knew I would instantly feel at home once I got within the confines of the Circuit de Catalunya.

The following morning was a Friday, and I set off into the city to find the bus station for the bus to the circuit. My mate fancied a few more hours in bed with the intention of meeting up later so I headed out alone, not afraid by the unfamiliar streets and customs.

Barcelona is like pretty much any other city, a main road in the middle with smaller streets surrounding it. When I got to this main street, my google maps suggested crossing the six-lane wide street, which obviously I couldn't do. Walking down the street in an attempt to find a crossing, I spotted a dark blue Aston Martin DB11 in the traffic beside me. I didn't really stop to look until I noticed the decal on the side of the car. 'Aston Martin Red Bull Racing' and the all too familiar figure waving at me out the window. Surely not...

It was Daniel Ricciardo on his way to the circuit with his trainer Michael Italiano, who had noticed I was wearing his Red Bull cap. I took a breath, knocked off the google maps app on my phone and chanced my luck. The moment I approached the car he let down his window and greeted me with that familiar accent. He then comically told me he didn't like my Ferrari shirt and I was to change it when I got to the circuit. A solemn remark to the rumours of a move to Ferrari at the time. I couldn't believe it.

I asked for permission for a picture to take a picture at which the traffic light went green. Michael, who was driving went to take off when both of them noticed my instant disappointment. Daniel then insisted to wait and took my phone from me in order to get a proper picture of us together. I was in shock, they took off and it was over. I honestly could not believe what just happened.

Long story short, we returned home after a great weekend the following Monday and I couldn't stop talking about the encounter, or how good Dan was to me. I spread it all on social media, told anyone I could, everything. That's when I encountered Drivetribe, and decided, without trying to gloat, to share this amazing story.

I didn't think much of the article, and it was full of your typical spelling and punctuation errors, but did it take off. Soon, the article was full of comments both praising my work and sharing their own amazing stories of encountering Daniel, each as special and unique as the next.

Thanks to that first article, motorsport journalist Rob Burnett, who was head of the F1 tribe on Drivetribe at the time, got in touch and suggested I continued article writing as he felt I had a real promise for it. Then, it all hit me. My favourite subject at school was English, writing stories and essays, and I never had anywhere or anyone to properly share my love of F1 or motorsport, why not fuse the two together and give this a proper shot?

Three years to the day, I am now studying to become qualified in freelance journalism, met and interviewed the likes of David Coulthard and Nicky Grist on behalf of Drivetribe, as well as write for a number of different news sites and agencies. I have yet a long way to go, but I know what I want and for one of the only times in my life, I've got a proper end goal to work towards, to become a proper motorsport journalist in the future.

It was all thanks to Daniel's kindness that day, that simple encounter changed my life for the better and gave me a purpose and something to work for. Part of my ambition is to someday meet Daniel again in better circumstances, and explain just what he did for me that day. I owe it to him to say thank you.

For now, I will continue to work hard and not stop reaching my end goal. I adore this sport above anything else, and I am determined to work hard and make it someday. It's something I never thought I would be interested in, but thanks to that simple five minutes of decency and the effort to spend time with a starstruck fan, Daniel put somebody who felt a little lost in life on a road of pure determination and desire to chase a career I didn't think was possible. Thanks Dan. (X)

[gametriprant]

Thank you @agus-likes for the tag^^

Nicknames: I’m always Dani...but I was recently told that when I was working in Brazil I had at least two nicknames, Frodo and Ligeirinho (Speedy Gonzales), that last one for my (excessive) talking speed :D 

Gender: cis male

Astrological Sign: Pisces, not that I follow this

Height: 1.72m (last time a doctor checked I was 2 cm taller, and yeah it’s important :p )

Sexuality: Boringly heterosexual.

Hogwarts house: I understand I’m mostly Ravenclaw but with a big tendency to Slitherin.

Favorite Animal: Don’t have a big preference but cats are always nice^^

Number of Blankets: Just one, in winter.

Where I’m From: Barcelona (Catalunya)

Dream Trip: I’m not sure, I've been around the world a lot, and in the end the dream trip is to go anywhere with my close friends, because that’s always going to be fun^^

When I Created This Account: I don’t remember but it seems it was 3rd of March 2015 

Why I Created This Account: I was seeing more and more content that I liked in several tumblrs and was tiresome to check each page, plus wanted to post some long written posts too, so I joined. 

And again I’m tagging anyone who follows me and would like to do it^^

[expanishcom3-blog]

Leading 5 Reasons Why Anyone Should Understand Spanish as well as Visit Barcelona

expanish.com Learn Spanish language hotspots inside Barcelona by means of this article. However usually are many places in Southern spain where you could go on the holiday, most returnees and also locals will advise 1st timers to visit Barcelona. They are saying that when an individual experience Barcelona, you can definitely decide to come again along with experience Spain when again. Below are a few places throughout Barcelona you can visit. Observe for yourself if you learn the particular answer to why guests of this area retain coming rear.

expanish.com

1. Museums - Discover Spanish Background with Genuine Artifacts

When you are into typically the background of Spain, anyone can never rue your own personal visit to Barcelona. Barcelona houses most of often the grand museums in the actual country. Among these tend to be the particular Museu Etnologic, A language like german Stand, Caixaforum, Joan Miro Adult ed, and Palau Countrywide Memorial among others. You actually can ask your travel company to organize a traveling plan for you to be able to make sure that you actually pay a visit to these places in your vacation.

2. Very best Places to Visit rapid Learn Spanish Areas together with Health-Friendly Atmosphere

The Are generally Placa Catalunya and Todas las Ramblas are healthy locations in Barcelona where folks enjoy the scenery when going for walks. Aside from your personal picturesque go walking path, these kinds of places may also be known regarding the healthy food. Associate with locals and additional travelers alike while a person exercise inside the beautiful surroundings of The country of spain.

3. Move on Cruise instructions Find out Spanish Stories note of

Exactly why not go on cruise trip with Barcelona's waters even though playing stories about The world. The particular relaxing trip will be blended with entertaining flamenco grooving, tetragrammaton musicians, and excellent foods. Surely, this classy get is an knowledge every traveler should certainly not miss. Onboard is a fantastic opportunity to take any great few shots regarding the metropolis skyline from day and night.

several. Watch Broadway- Learn Speaking spanish Opera in Style

Barcelona properties the most well-known theaters in the region: Teatre del Liceu in addition to Palau de la Musica Catalana. These are generally very exquisite structures that can accommodate way up to thousands of followers. If you want for you to experience the Spanish design of going to the movie theater, check if you need to enjoy a Spanish safari. May worry about the vocabulary because these theaters are usually equipped with interpretation application. Surely there is some sort of mouvement for English.

a few. Study Spanish Fashion- Deal, Acquire, and Show Down

If you want to help go over a Spanish purchasing spree, you should not move wrong with browsing Valor and Kelkom within Barcelona. These are the trend zones almost equal in order to Paris inside France. Yet if you want to be able to get very good bargains, take a look at Bulsos Toros and an individual will surely get a new good clothing for reduced prices.

[silverteresa]

21 Questions tag, tagged by @ja-lin

Nickname: "biscuit lady" by my classmates and English teacher because sometimes I bring cookies for them.😂😂

Zodiac: Capricorn

Height: 173 cm (5'8"?)

Last Movie I Saw: An Italian movie called "Puoi baciare lo sposo" ("you may kiss the groom"). The protagonists are a gay couple 😄🌈

Last Thing I Googled: Weiss Schnee, because a friend of mine and I were discussing some theories after rwby latest episode.

Favorite Musician: Blaumut

Song Stuck in My Head: "The greatest show" from The Greatest Showman

Other Blogs: nope

Do I Get Asks: sometimes, mostly anons

Following: 100 more or less

Amount of Sleep: I'm trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep during the week and as many as I can during the weekend.

Lucky Number: 5 and 18

What Are You Wearing: a sweater and sporty trousers

Dream Job: translator, tho I'm still considering a few other jobs

Dream Trip: Japan and Sweden

Favorite Food: empanadas

Play Any Instruments: nope

Languages: italian, catalan, english, spanish and some german

Random Fact: I love baking, I try baking whenever I got time

An Aesthetic Describing Yourself:

baking, mountains, videogames, water because I love swimming, catalunya, animals, pride lgbt, fantasy, photography

@alex-cyprin @a-lovestruck-salamander @i-stan-turnip-helpers @laulink @akilice anyone who wants to do this go ahead!

[thetraveljedi]

Why I travel solo

I travel solo quite frequently, and when I’m traveling and discussing my travels with people I get different reactions to the fact that I choose to travel alone. A small few comment “I travel solo, too!” But people are shocked; they could never have the guts to travel alone, they would be too nervous or scared or be too lonely, and wonder how safe it is, especially as a woman. Usually this is followed by a “so why do you travel solo?”

I got into solo travel accidentally, as do a lot of solo travelers; we want to go somewhere, but cannot find someone who will go with them. I was fresh out of culinary school with a steady paycheck and vacation days and it had been way too long since I had been to my favorite place since I was a kid, Walt Disney World. I was dying to go, but couldn’t find anyone willing to go with me. So I decided to just go by myself.

I booked my trip and started to plan my itinerary. It was so freeing to be able to do whatever I wanted to do there. When you go to Walt Disney World with your family, you’re not always the one who gets to decide what to do. I could stay at any hotel I wanted, go to any restaurant I wanted, any ride or show I wanted. I could take advantage of some of the special activity offerings there that I had always wanted to do but couldn’t because of my family plans. I was planning a trip to a place I had been to countless times, but all of a sudden it felt like a brand new world.

On my trip, I booked two activities I had always wanted to do; I went horseback riding at Fort Wilderness and got a massage at the spa at the Grand Floridian Resort. I remember sitting on the horse, wandering through the forests of Fort Wilderness and peering through the trees I could see Cinderella Castle. The castle is one of my favorite sights at Walt Disney World, one I had seen countless times before, but I was seeing it from an entirely new perspective. It was exhilarating in a way I had never felt before. I made it a point from that moment to do a special activity like this every time I would return to Walt Disney World, and I’ve kept to that promise. It’s made my solo experiences there all the more special.

Another great thing about going to a place like Walt Disney World for my first solo trip- safety. You’re in an enclosed “campus” the entire time, surrounded by security and families having a good time. As someone who lives in New York City and is always on high alert, it was insanely refreshing. Being in a familiar, safe place for my first trip allowed me to focus on the fun part of the trip and not the stressful part of traveling. It would also give me the confidence I would need to venture elsewhere in the USA, and eventually, the rest of the world.

After a few trips to Walt Disney World, I was ready to expand my horizons. I was already traveling a lot to see the band Phish at the time, but usually with friends on the East Coast. Soon my Phish trips started turning into mostly solo trips to see them on the West Coast. Then I took my first completely solo non-Phish trip for my 30th birthday, spending 8 days in California traveling from Los Angeles down to San Diego (with a stop at Disneyland, of course). After that I finally felt comfortable enough to take the leap and go abroad, and the following year went on an 11-night Mediterranean cruise that started and ended in Rome. Then later that year I spent 8 nights in Spain, starting in Madrid and driving my way to Salamanca. Yes, that’s right, I drove by myself in a foreign country. (Spain drives on the same side of the road in the United States and has some of the most clearly marked highways I’ve ever seen. It was actually a breeze.)

So what is it about traveling solo that I’ve come to love so much? The freedom. Even if you do find someone to go with you on your travels, it’s almost impossible to find someone with the exact some travel interests as you. I love history, so I plan a lot of historical sites into my itineraries when I travel solo. Most people would find the amount of historic sites I go to pretty boring. Also, when you’re traveling solo, you’re going at your own pace. I go through sites pretty quickly solo, so I’m able to do more on trips. But if there is a site I want to linger on, I can- there’s no one there to stop me. Except maybe the security guard at the end of the day.

Do I get lonely? Not really. I’m pretty extroverted, but I have an introverted side too. It’s actually nice that when I travel, I get to choose which side to be at any given time. I meet so many more people when I travel solo, but if I’m not in the mood to make friends, I can do a solo activity or hang out in my room. That’s something nearly impossible to do when you’re at home in everyday life, especially while working in the travel industry.

Let’s say you want to plan a solo trip, but you’re not sure where to begin, or you’re feeling anxious about the whole thing. I get it. I was pretty nervous when I went abroad for the first time, especially since my first stop was in Italy, and I speak maybe 25 words of Italian. Here a few suggestions to help you ease into solo travel.

1) Pick somewhere for your first solo trip where the language will be familiar to you. It’s not a coincidence that I chose to go back to Spain for my first longer non-cruise European vacation; not only did I love Spain during my first visit and wanted to go to Madrid to see a Real Madrid game, I’m mostly fluent in Spanish. If I wasn’t, I definitely would not have felt comfortable going there for my first completely solo non-cruise trip to Europe. Once you get the first time experience of going abroad alone, you will feel more confident to travel places with unfamiliar languages. Though I almost always recommend trying to learn some of the languages of the places you visit. Locals are much more willing to help you if you make an effort to communicate with them in their local tongue, even if they speak English. Keep in mind, too, that sometimes even within countries, more than one language is spoken. Go to Barcelona and you may not hear all that much Spanish, but you will see and hear a lot of Catalan. Make an effort to learn some Catalan and try speaking it with the friendly people of Barcelona and you’ll make friends there quickly.2) DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Research everything about where you’re going. Start off by learning a little bit about the history and culture of not just the country you’re going to, but the specific city you’re going to. Why? Take Barcelona for example. Barcelona is in a region of Spain called Catalunya, which remained a separate kingdom from Spain for a large portion of history, and as a result has a different language and different culture. Read further and you’ll learn about the Spanish Civil War and the suppression of Catalan identity under Francisco Franco’s regime, and that to this day the notion of an independent Catalunya is still very much a hot button issue there. Because you now know this information, you can be sensitive to political situation when you talk to locals. Next, research crime in where you are going. This is not to scare you; actually, you’ll find that violent crime isn’t a major issue in many places, but rather pickpockets. Pickpockets in each country have different ways they try to work their magic on tourists. For example, I learned when I traveled to Italy that many pickpockets and scam artists will be dressed in expensive looking suits and watches to avoid suspicion. We rarely associate petty theft with people wearing expensive stuff, but in Italy it’s a criminal’s uniform. You should always be on alert and take some precautions wherever you go, but knowing bits of information about the scams out there are extremely helpful when it comes to avoiding them. Look up which neighborhoods are safe and which aren’t. Make sure you know what the tipping situation is where you going, especially if you’re an American traveling abroad; our big tipping culture is often exploited outside of the country. Read up on the best way to travel in the country you’re going to. Many cities have clean, safe public transportation; some don’t. Most have reliable, responsible taxis; some don’t. Don’t set yourself up for trouble by not being prepared in advanced with this kind of information.

3) Finally, figure out where you want to go in each city and make some kind of a game plan as to how you’re going to see it, preferably as soon as the trip as booked. Tickets for many popular sites sell out far in advance. If you want to go to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, you need to book months out or you will just be staring at the crown from her large, green feet (still worth a visit, though, in my opinion). Also, many sites close for holidays, and many countries have holidays that aren’t celebrated in the country you live in. They also will be closed one day of the week-sometimes that day is Sunday, but sometimes it isn’t. Some countries in Europe are very much on the “siesta” schedule- open in the morning, close for a few hours in the afternoon, reopen in the evening. So make sure you are checking this information as far in advance as possible so that can you prepare to get tickets for the right day and you don’t get shut out. It also helps that when you do book tickets in advance, you’ll have usually have access to a much shorter line than people who haven’t, and this could save you precious time. Visit Florence, Italy in summer and you’ll see what I mean when you walk towards the hordes of people waiting in line to get into the Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michaelangeloa famous David statue. I ’ve had seemingly hundreds of people tell me that when they travel, they just book plane tickets and room and wing it when they get there. Pretty much all of those people come back and tell me they wanted to go to a certain site, but it was closed or sold out for the day. Don’t be that person; you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Sure you can wing your trips to a certain extent, but if you know there’s one particular site you want to see in a city, do your research ahead of time and plan accordingly. Don’t feel like doing the work? Consider using a travel agent to do the work for you.

A cruise is another great option for those new to solo travel, especially to foreign countries that don’t speak the same language. Cruise lines offer tons of group excursions with English speaking guides, so you’re always with people, you’re always getting transportation back and forth from the ship, and you’re learning about the destinations in English. You spend your evenings on the ship sailing, so you’re in a contained moving resort as opposed to wandering a foreign city at night. Other cruise benefits that don’t just pertain to solo travers: you can see a whole bunch of destinations in a short amount of time and only unpack once; the cruise line can take care of your transportation from the airport/hotels to the ship and back; and it’s all-inclusive, so most of your meals will already be paid for before you travel.

For planning trips to Europe, I can’t recommend Rick Steves’ television program on PBS (available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video) and guidebooks. Not only will you get a comprehensive background of the history, culture, and major sites of the places you will visit, he goes into a lot of detail about the practicalities of traveling within the country- if public transportation is better than taxis, neighborhoods to avoid, and other basic traveling tips. I also love his walk throughs of cities/neighborhoods and major sites; they really help you understand what you’re looking at when you’re walking around and direct you to the places you really need to see within them.

For trips elsewhere, I really like Lonely Planet and Fodors. I also recommend the Lonely Planet Guides app, which has great information on sites, restaurants, hotels, and more for major cities around the world.

I’ll be posting destination guides for the places I’ve visited in the weeks to come- these will also be a great resource for your travels. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your planning, or you just simply feel like you don’t have the time to do it, I highly recommend reaching out to a travel agent like me. We’ll do all the work for you and make sure you’re all set and ready to go for your trip with everything you could possibly need, no stress involved. And we’ll probably save you some cash along the way too.

For my next trip, I’m headed to Amsterdam for a few days, then leaving from Amsterdam on a 15-night Viking River Cruise, with stops in Kinderdijk, Netherlands; Cologne, Koblenz, Miltenberg, Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, and Passau in Germany; Melk and Vienna in Austria; and finally, Budapest, Hungary. Be sure to stay tuned here to my blog and my Instagram account (@thetraveljedi) for words and pictures from my trip.

Safe travels!

Traveling solo at El Escorial in Madrid, Spain

[tiabryantprofessionalenhancement]

Living like a local in Barcelona with my best friend. (PSA: the photos will make you wish you were there)

This year I have been fortunate enough to have friends who are on Erasmus, studying abroad, meaning I can travel across Europe to see them and explore their temporary new home. 

In February this year I went to Barcelona for 5 days to see my best friend Georgia, who’s studying at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, and living with her lovely boyfriend, Luke, only a short metro ride to the centre of Barcelona. I was lucky enough to visit the week when the UK and Europe had that weird heat wave in the middle of Feb, so it managed to reach temperatures of 22 degrees in Barcelona, which of course was lovely, despite the looming fear of global warming.

On my first full day there Georgia had classes so I ventured into the centre of Barcelona on my own to explore, I walked down La Ramblas to the docks and back up to the MACBA, which is infamous for skaters who travel across the world to visit the area. I then caught the train to the nearest station to UIC to meet Georgia at uni and walk home with her, a nice 40-minute walk downhill, down a path that was filled with Palm trees, and anyone who’s friends with me will know that Palm trees are my favourite type of tree. 

Whilst we were out, Luke packed a picnic for us all, so when we got back, we bought a few beers and decided to take a trip to Badalona. Unlike Barcelonetta, this beach is one of the quieter ones in Barcelona, with less tourists. We listened to music, ate our sandwiches and watched the sky turn pink - it’s safe to say that I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, sitting on a beautiful beach, sipping cheap beer with my best friend who I hadn’t seen for 9 months.

On the Saturday me and Georgia attempted to do a small workout in her apartment before heading out for the day whilst Luke went for a run – this involved us getting stupidly sweaty, Georgia making some weird grunts (which almost had me in tears) and getting incredibly sore legs. After cooling down on the balcony and getting washed and dressed we headed to Park Guell. It was a very sunny day and the park was absolutely beautiful. We saw an abundance of dogs which was amazing, and spent the morning walking around taking in the sites and snapping a lot of photos. 

We went back to the apartment for lunch, Luke had made up some Tapas for us, which was lovely, then we headed back out to explore Placa d’Espange and the surrounding sites. We went to the old bullring (which is now a shopping centre with a viewing deck at the top), The National Art Museum of Catalonia and finally the Olympic park, in which we stopped on a bench to watch the sunset over the city.

On Sunday we woke up early and headed out of the apartment by 7am. We had booked a trip to Montserrat, a multi-peak mountain range on the outskirts of Barcelona (only about an hour on the coach) with Luke and Cara, Georgia’s friend from home who’s also studying in UIC. The peak we climbed was Sant Jeroni which was 4000ft above sea level. Our legs were still incredibly sore from the HIIT workout the previous day, which made the climb somewhat more difficult, but with ‘just think of the gains mate’ constantly being repeated to each other over the course of the day we kept motivated and looked forward to reaching the top. The view from the Monastery in Montserrat was amazing, but the view from the peak of Sant Jeroni was even more breathtaking. It certainly made the trek up there worthwhile. 

Monday was my last full day in Barca, so it was another day of exploring the city. Georgia and Luke took me to Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, the Arc d’triomf and Citadel park, all before catching a bus from Barcelonetta up to a place called The Bunkers to watch the sunset over the city. 

We had a bit of a nightmare with the bus as a diversion had started on that day without us realising, meaning we had to walk (what google maps said was) an extra 35 minutes to get there, but we made it in about 20 as we really didn’t want to miss the sunset so basically legged it up the hill. Although it was pretty busy when we got there, we managed to find a great spot that overlooked the city, cracked open a few more beers and watched the city turn dark. I felt so happy to be there, but also incredibly melancholy because I was leaving the next day and wouldn’t see Georgia and Luke until they returned to Coventry in September. We returned back to the apartment later that evening, finished off the remainder of our beers and watched friends before heading to bed – the perfect end to the perfect day. 

My flight was at midday on Tuesday, I woke up at about 6am to say my goodbye to Georgia as she had to leave the house early for work, felt a bit teary-eyed but went back to sleep for a couple of hours before waking up to walk to Sants and get a train to the airport. Luke took me all the way to the airport like a true gent and after we said our own goodbyes, I wandered into the airport to catch my flight back to Birmingham. I was lucky enough to be greeted by a sunny sky when getting off my flight in Brum, which didn’t make returning as bad as I anticipated, if it would have been rainy and miserable I have no doubts I would have booked another flight to head straight back to Barca. 

Living like a bit of a local in Barca was such an amazing experience, and to do it with my favourite people made it a million times better. I can’t wait for them to return back to Coventry so I can have my bff back living just across town, but I hope they both thoroughly enjoy the remainder of their time living it up in the sun! Love and miss you both!!

[l10nelmessi]

Thank youuu for the tag<3 @rubendiass

rules: tag people you want to get to know better

relationship: happily single

colour: baby blue/lilac

three fave foods: potatoes, gulab jamun(my belovedest), rasgulla tbh

song stuck in ur head: Someone You Loved- Lewis Capaldi

last thing I googled: barca's schedule

time: 12:49AM

dream trip: Catalunya and Germany<3

Tagging: anyone who wants to do it tbh<3 knock urselves out

[jcuvala]

Museum Entry

Today I visited the LGTBI Centre in Barcelona for a class of mine. Prior to this field trip, I had no idea the centre even existed in Barcelona, so I was not sure what to expect. However, this museum was so interesting as the workers there (there are roughly ten of them total) truly have the mission of making Barcelona a more inclusive place for people who identify with the LGTBI community. The picture of the magazine cover AGHOIS was definitely the thing that intrigued me the most. It is the first gay magazine cover to exist, and clearly was made in 1972. The entirety of the museum was colored in rainbow, including the seats in the conference room. This museum also has the largest library of books about the LGTBI community in Catalunya, which is amazing that it is located in Barcelona. Our tour guide did an amazing job explaining to us what the museum has to offer, one thing specifically being ten sessions of therapy for anyone who lives and studies in Barcelona. This place is a safe place for many people, and I hope the staff there knows the impact they are making on peoples’ lives!

[yourboatholiday]

Why choose Barcelona as a base for your next summer boat journey?

Barcelona is one of the European cities that best knows how to attract tourists to itself thanks to its winning mix of culture, art, fashion, leisure and last but not least, a beautiful sea. All characteristics make it one of the most requested destinations by European and even world tourism.

Thanks to its numerous marinas it is also the perfect city to be placed at the center of a boat itinerary to savor Catalan life and beyond.

CONTACT US FOR YOUR PRIVATE CHARTER IN BARCELONA

Where is Barcelona located?

It is the second Spanish city both culturally and economically after Madrid. Barcelona is the beating heart of Catalonia, an autonomous Spain region of which it is also the capital. It is located in the south-east of the country and borders the Pyrenees and France to the east while it overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

Its strategic position has made Barcelona one of the main Spanish and Mediterranean ports.

Related: Top Spain Yacht Week Destinations for Young Couples,Families & Nightlife(Opens in a new browser tab)

How to reach this city?

The main airport serving the city is El Prat and is located about 12 kilometers from the center of Barcelona to which it is well-connected thanks to an excellent network of public services (trains and buses) as well as the motorway network.

VIEW ALL THE BOATS BASED IN BARCELONA

What are Barcelona’s best marinas?

As we said, Barcelona is well-stocked with marinas, from the most exclusive to the most accessible, each located not far from the city center. Here is a selection of the 4 best marinas listed in order of fame and proximity to the heart of Barcelona:

Real Club Náutico

This luxurious marina offers 200 berths up to 35 meters in length with a maximum draft up to 8 meters.

In addition to being highly accessible from the city center, this marina is known for organizing and participating in various sailing competitions throughout the year.

Within this marina, there is a private restaurant where all guests can enjoy extraordinary Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine.

Not-to-be-missed: The MYBA Charter Show 2021 has been canceled and .. It may not be the only one!(Opens in a new browser tab)

OneOcean Port Vell

Remaining in the main port of Barcelona, ​��Port Vell is probably the most visited marina thanks to an extensive renovation and redevelopment program which it underwent during the 1992 Olympic Games.

It is home to many superyachts and ships, and boat owners are welcome to enjoy its 5-star facility. The space available is not lacking and in fact, there are 241 berths for boats up to 190 meters in length and 9 meters of draft.

Marina Vela Barcelona

With its 136 berths, the Marina Vela offers, thanks to its enviable position, the fastest access to the open sea from the port of Barcelona. Another great advantage is that it has a large and wonderful beach within walking distance, perfect for relaxing, swimming and sunbathing.

The maximum permitted length of the boats reaches 100 meters with a draft up to 6 meters.

Port Olímpic de Barcelona

Located a little further north than the previous marinas, it is one of the newest in Barcelona, ​​having been built and equipped in 1992 for the Barcelona Olympic Games.

The structure is truly impressive and it is no coincidence that it even offers 740 berths up to 35 meters long and draft up to 4 meters.

Considering the wide offer and proximity to some of Barcelona’s major attractions, such as the Sagrada Familia, it can be a viable alternative to the marinas mentioned above.

What are Barcelona’s main attractions?

Mentioning all the locations that drive millions of tourists to visit Barcelona every year is really difficult and goes beyond the scope of our storytelling. However, it is right to end this short article writing about Barcelona symbols in the world:

La Rambla

La Rambla in Barcelona is the long avenue that leads from Plaza de Catalunya to the foot of the statue dedicated to Christopher Columbus, a few meters from the sea. La Rambla is the first thing that everyone wants to see as soon as they set foot in Barcelona and in fact, tourists, locals, and street artists in search of fortune flock here night and day. You can visit the Rambla starting from the sea, passing under the Mirador de Columbus, or from the equally magnificent Plaza de Catalunya.

The Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is truly extraordinary work, one of the things to absolutely see in the Catalan capital. Although it is still unfinished compared to the projects of its creator Antoni Gaudì, it still remains an immense and extraordinary work. The Sagrada Familia is an immense Christian symbol, a kind of biblical story in stone

The external facades told Jesus life, from birth to death. Inside, on the other hand, the celestial city is represented, inhabited by the son of God who has finished his earthly sufferings and lives in Paradise next to his father.

The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

Bookshops and antique dealers, bars, and restaurants populate the streets of this neighborhood, which has always been Barcelona’s life’s center. Above the neighborhood stands the pointed spire of Barcelona Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Eulalia. There is no recommended route to discover the Gothic Quarter, it is much better to wander around its narrow streets for a while.

    – Gaudì masterpieces

In addition to the Sagrada Familia, there is much more. Barcelona is a canvas on which this great artist has left his unmistakable features scattered here and there, so much so that you can often come across one of these while walking through the streets of the city. Of course, once you meet, you can’t help but notice the works of this artist with his visionary and extravagant, without a doubt the most bizarre and emblematic expression of Barcelona. His houses (Casa Pedrera and Casa Batllò) and his gardens with cartoonish and brightly colored architectures (such as the well-known Park Guell) halfway between dream and reality, will accompany your walks through Barcelona.

Contact  now YBH Charter Brokers:

You can contact us by sending an email at ask@yourboatholiday.com or by phone, calling +39 33436 00997, available also on WhatsApp for both calls and texting.

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[bryonysimcox]

Goodbye Aragon, hello Catalunya: Week 5, Spain

This week saw us depart Zaragoza and head to a secluded cottage nestled amongst vineyards and olive groves. Life on the road seems surreal and sublime.

You would think by now the reality of living nomadically would have settled in. But it hasn’t! While we’ve become accustomed to the rituals and rhythms of our new lives, the actual feeling of knowing we don’t have a brick and mortar home or stable jobs to return to still feels bizarre. What’s more, knowing that we can explore so many different places, often blessed by more pleasant weather than the UK at this point of the year, feels like a gift.

I am very conscious to remain mindful and grateful while travelling and living in Suzi the van. I’ve never wanted to take the experience for granted, or to boast that this way of living is better than anyone else’s. Whilst it feels like a ‘gift’ to be able to live in this way (even if it is only for a few years), I have to keep in mind the sacrifices made to get this far: the process of building the van, the cost of doing so, and the relationships we have put under strain by leaving family and friends.

(images) Painful memories from 2019 of the seemingly endless van build!

Living like this certainly isn’t for everyone. But for me, I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be.

Exactly where we are (in physical as opposed to metaphysical terms), as I write this blog post, is up in the hills above the Spanish coastal town of Palamós. We started the week in the city of Zaragoza, wrapping up some video editing and life admin. On Thursday, we drove south-east towards Barcelona on the coast, and then up from there towards Palamós, where we have been lucky enough to stay in a secluded cottage belonging to Dan’s family. Dan is George’s best mate, who featured in the previous blog post.

We had really enjoyed Zaragoza, but by the start of this fifth week on the road we were ready to leave and get some more miles under our belt. We’ve been honing down our ‘vanlife admin’ routines but still managed to overfill the waste water tank from the sink on Wednesday evening. It wasn’t a disaster, but was a reminder of how used we become in domestic settings to all our services being piped in and out, out of sight, like water, gas, electricity and waste. After the clean-up operation, the prospect of cooking an evening meal and washing everything up again felt pretty undesirable, so we headed into town for dinner.

Eating out is a really big treat, as we’re living within a tight budget to make sure we can sustain our travels. That evening, we were both really craving a vegetarian burger and were hoping we could find a good one amongst Spain’s meat-heavy dining scene. The Bronson Bar, where we eventually stopped, did not disappoint with an incredible veggie burger, and as the third meal we’ve eaten out in five weeks(!), it was totally worth it. That said, it’s worth noting that we both really enjoy cooking, so making food in the van isn’t usually a burden, but a joy.

The challenge of cooking food in a van becomes a fun daily activity: making tasty, healthy and inventive vegetarian and vegan food with the produce that we can find in local shops.

On Thursday, we had passengers in the van! Taking others is a welcome chance to shake things up a bit; share conversation and pass the time with others, and of course to use our swivel-sofa (which I’m very proud of). We took Dan, who was headed to Barcelona to catch a flight to Berlin, and Alison, a bubbly Bolivian girl headed to Martorell who we met through BlaBlaCar. There are so many wicked apps encouraging the ‘sharing economy’ out there these days, and BlaBlaCar is the perfect example: hooking people who are driving somewhere with spare seats in their car up with people looking for lifts. It works both ways - we get some petrol money and the passenger gets an affordable journey in the comfort of a car (or campervan).

(images, left to right) A full house in the van, saying goodbye to Dan after a brilliant week with him in Zaragoza.

Headed east, the rocky expanses of Aragon gave way to a changing landscape: more verdant and fertile but still dramatic in its own way. We had arrived in Catalunya.

Having dropped Alison off in Martorell and then Dan off too, we were suddenly in the heart of Barcelona, a city we both know and love. Throngs of people, active street fronts, night-time buskers and signs in Catalan all added to the charm, and although we were set to immediately leave the city up the coast, George and I were so excited to be back that we agreed we would properly return to Barcelona before we leave Spain and spend a few more days there.

An hour up the coast from Barcelona, we found an Area Autocaravanas in Sant Celoni and stopped there, late Thursday night. The next day, glorious sunshine greeted us and we went for a bit of an explore - revealing that behind the train line and industrial area we were parked next to there lay a charming little town! Sant Celoni’s narrow streets, brightly coloured houses and bustling town square amid preparations for the upcoming carnival made for a perfect wander and photo-taking session.

(images) Sunlight and vibrant buildings made Sant Celoni a visual delight.

Yet again, travelling by road allows you to discover these unassuming little places, brimming with life and characterised by vernacular architecture and everyday activities.

Having caffeinated/wandered/read my book/eaten bread with olive oil to my heart’s content, we left Sant Celoni mid-morning and continued north. From the seaside town of Palamós, we drove up into the hills, and as soon as we were on the dirt track flanked by vineyards that leads to Dan’s family’s cottage, I was pretty damn excited. I’d been to the cottage once before, three and a half years ago when George and I were still doing a long distance relationship between the UK and Australia and I could hardly dream of the adventure we’re on today. Back then, when it was just a holiday getaway, it was a blissful spot, and returning to it once again as a week-long stopover on a very different journey, it brought back that same bliss.

(video) George’s travel film documenting our trip here three years ago.

Since arriving at the cottage on Friday afternoon, we’ve made it our base, our home, our escape and our office. Just a simple building with a small plot of land has offered so many creature comforts - such as a verandah that we can do workouts on, a shower that we can use after said workouts, an oven that we can cook with (a welcome change from just having a two-burner hob in the van), a wood fire, a normal bed and even a flushing toilet!

Having a place to stay like this little cottage is an absolute privilege and we are floored by the generosity of others.

(images) Our home for a week, a cottage up in the hills above Palamós.  

Even though we only just left Zaragoza where we’d been positioned for more than a week, coming to another place for a whole week has been critical. George is tantalisingly close to finishing the ultramarathon documentary about Jacko, Steve and Pat, and the other footage-sorting, editing and admin jobs have been piling up for me. So the two of us are really getting our heads down and trying to treat this like a working week, removed from the distractions of vanlife.

Even though it sounds like I’m moaning about all the self-inflicted ‘work’ we’re doing, I can't imagine travelling in a van without a focus. Having Broaden, the documentary channel which we’re launching, allows us to express our creativity, learn technical skills, meet new people, and hopefully generate some income too. It’s becoming more and more clear to me how important it is for everyone to have some sort of creative outlet like this, to express themselves outside of their conventional activities or job. I recently finished reading ‘The Amateur’ in which the author Andy Merrifield champions those who make and create, who follow their passion and do what they love. The book tied up a lot of my feelings about resisting the status quo and ignoring the internal voice that says “it’s not even worth trying, you’re not an expert”. Listening to the deeply personal and evocative ‘Gaba’ podcast from Adam Martin has been further encouragement that our own perspective can be deeply valuable for others - as Adam’s is for me.

My ongoing resolution is to keep making and creating - whether that be doing graphic design, making collages, writing blog posts or even just cooking new meals. But also, I want to keep supporting others who make and create.

(images, left to right) Storyboarding a new video we’re making, ‘The Amateur’ which I’ve just finished reading, making collages as AnalogueBryony.

It feels almost coincidental that quite a few of our friends are underway with their own creative endeavours, whether that be our aussie mate Pat making a podcast about running, our pal Matt Carline starting an online community ‘That Thing You Like’ for people to share their passions, Andy’s ‘Bad Luck Book Club’ designs, or Rosie Tee’s growing musical career and jazz-infused releases to name just a few. If this blog can have an impact on others, I’d like for it to be a platform to champion positive initiatives and projects, and to spread the message that it’s never too late to start. Never too late to make, create, learn, and be a self-professed amateur.

Of course, it’s not all video editing and life admin. On Saturday, we were lucky enough to catch the Carnaval de Palamós. Although the sunshine would have you believe otherwise, this is the town’s annual winter festival, complete with various festivities and competitions across 11 days. Saturday was the day of the grand parade, where each team goes to impressive lengths to prepare co-ordinated dances and wear perfectly matching costumes. Starting from a bar on the waterfront, George and I wandered along the spectator-filled pavement, walking towards the oncoming parade and frantically snapping photos along the way. It was a frivolous and joyful affair, with participants of all ages and a welcome low-key approach (no H&S officers or Police barricades as you’d expect in England).

(images, left to right) 1950s beach babes who were having so much fun, some impeccably dressed seamstresses, and a bunch of fantastic seahorses: just a few of my favourite costumes from the festival.

I've always loved dressing up, so I was floored by the commitment to epic costumes. From start to finish, the whole carnival parade was surreal and sublime.

So that’s it for this week’s post. Reflecting on another week leaves me feeling refreshed and ready for the next. I’d also just like to say what an honour it is hearing from those of you that are reading these posts, as I know they’re long and sometimes tangential! My only hope is that I can share a little of the magic that George and I are experiencing on this bumpy adventure, and as I said, perhaps inspire others to take a leap towards their own desires or projects too.

I’ll leave you with this passage from ‘The Amateur’ which really resounded with me:

"To be an amateur is to perform for yourself, to draft the script to your own life, not simply in work, a state of being as well as a mode of doing. It is to do things well because you're intimately connected to what you do, because doing well correlates positively with being well, with well-being. To be an amateur is to enrich yourself beyond wealth. Amateurism is an affair of the heart, like love. It is complicated and messy, often tumultuous. But it is always about honest human expression."

[bigyack-com]

Year-Ender 2019: Liverpool FC- Klopp’s world beaters are pride and envy of Europe - football

As Jordan Henderson lifted Liverpool’s third continental title of the year in Qatar, it was bedlam back home in Merseyside, where fans saw their beloved Reds become champions of the world for the first time in their illustrious history. It’s astonishing that a club with six European titles never lifted the Club World Cup until their successful trip of Doha recently. But this isn’t like any Liverpool side that graced the hallowed turf of England’s top flight in the past. They aren’t like the dominant force of 80s neither are they the chokers of EPL era. They are different. They are an enigma which seems to get better year after year, so much so, that this could actually be their year.Leading Pep Guardiola’s machine-like team from Manchester by more than 10 points till Christmas is no mean feat. Last year, Liverpool tried their best to end their Premier League duck but their best fell one point short. This year somehow they have bettered themselves, without making any significant adjustments to the squad, forcing City to relinquish the top spot. It seems Jurgen Klopp has finally discovered the secret formula to make teams consistent, which was introduced in the Premier League by the great Sir Alex Ferguson at Theatre of Dreams, passed on to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and honed by Guardiola in the blue half of Manchester.City’s grasp at the throne is getting weaker by the day while Liverpool are finally ready to lift the crown which once was their commodity until the Devil awoke in red half of Manchester. Liverpool now have a friendly menace about them which isn’t a good sign for the rest of Europe. At half-way stage in the Premier League, The Reds have opened up a significant gap at the top but their supporters aren’t ready to celebrate until the fat lady sings. One cannot blame the Kop as they have seen their gods slip in the most unfortunate moments in the past. They have led the way till Christmas four times in Premier League era and have squandered their advantage every time. But in reality, Liverpool are in such a position that they can come a dismal second only if they stop showing up for matches. The reigning European champions are also in a good position to successfully defend their Champions League crown, a feat achieved only by 13 time winners Real Madrid, since the change in format decades ago. Liverpool are arguably the only side on the entire continent who can look into the eyes of Real, Barcelona, Juventus and PSG and not feel inferior. The daunting task of travelling to Anfield has become even more gargantuan these days. Just to put things into perspective, it has been more than 900 days since they lost a Premier League or European game at home.YNWAIt took time but it was worth the wait as Liverpool have assembled a remarkable team which is robust at the back and sublime up front. In Alisson Becker, they possess a complete goalkeeper. Dutchman Virgil Van Dijk has replaced Sergio Ramos as the best defender in the world. Trent Alexander Arnold will soon have more assists than the great Paul Scholes in the Premier League. Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino form a trident that’s as effective as the famed MSN of Barcelona or BBC of Real. And to hold it together like glue, they have a non-illustrious albeit level-minded captain in Henderson, who somehow brings out the best in the team. He is on course to pull off something that even Steven Gerard failed to deliver to his beloved worshippers.“They are a side which literally plays with Henderson and the two centre-halves at the back and the rest can go wherever they want,” Curtis Davis said after Hull were thrashed 5-1 at Anfield. “That is not an ill-disciplined thing. That is organised. That is what causes all the problems… the inter-changing, the good football, the passing.”This organised behaviour has been instilled by Klopp, who has a history of disturbing the apple cart. In Germany, he kept Bayern away from Bundesliga for two years in a row. He then came to England, found his feet after an unceremonious trophy-less beginning and is now moving Liverpool towards immortality at a very rapid pace.Since 2001, this has been the most successful year for Liverpool in terms of trophies. They are unbeaten in 34 league games and this ridiculous number has never been reached by them in the past. Chelsea were unbeaten in 40 consecutive games under Mourinho while Arsenal’s invincibles were a bit better at 49. Klopp’s army is more than equipped to surpass both of them. So-called rivalsUnlike Liverpool, Manchester City once again meant business in the transfer market and strengthened their squad which won the right to be called champions of the country. Injuries haven’t been kind and they find themselves in the unfamiliar position of not fighting for top two. Guardiola have also lost his trusted Lieutenant to Arsenal, making his job to become three-time successive champions all the more difficult. City have drowned themselves in Spaniard’s philosophy but a European medal still looks like a distant dream considering their inconsistent performances this term. Not to forget they will up against Real Madrid next.Another team which managed to turn Liverpool’s head in England are Leicester City, who are coached by a former Kop darling. Such has been Brendan Rogers’ influence on the former champions that management had to offer him a significant pay rise just to keep him away from Gunners. But Foxes inexperience to wage war against the elite on a consistent basis make them a less dangerous proposition. They were blown away but City, a team which was schooled by Liverpool earlier in the season. Fallen GiantsApart from poor results, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have another thing in common - they are stuck up in the past trying to conjure a magic for a better future. Old heroes have returned to take charge of fallen Giants in a bid to help them recapture their glorious past. Inconsistent performances have kept them away from top but they still remain a force, which awakens sometimes here, sometimes there.As things stand, they still are few a transfer windows behind the current pack of leaders. For normalcy to resume in England, these Giants have a major role to play. If not, Liverpool and Manchester City can keep exchanging trophies year after year and the Red Devils and Londoners can call the next year as their own.Foreign ThreatsKlopp hasn’t just kept in-house rivals under check but with typical German precision, he has dealt with foreign threats equally. Liverpool have entered the final of UCL twice in the last two years. While the Los Blancos in their Cristiano Ronaldo power trip swept them aside in Kiev, Liverpool barged into Madrid and edged high-flying Spurs at Wanda Metropolitano. Not a single season goes by when Real aren’t favourites for Champions League glory and this season it is no different. Although they have drawn City in last 16 which will see the return of public enemy number one at Bernabeu, they pose a massive threat to Reds’ dream of a European double.The other Spanish team, Barcelona, still haven’t forgotten the magical night in Merseyside where somehow they managed to concede four. It was supposed to be a routine day at work for them. They had a three-goal lead. They had arguably the best player ever in full flow. But they were brought down to earth by collective power of Liverpool’s young side. Barcelona were so hurt by Liverpool’s European dominance that they hatched a plan to bring the best to Catalunya. While they succeeded in landing Antoine Griezmann, they failed in their public pursuit of Neymar. The Brazilian has somehow managed to get his act together and firing on all cylinders for Paris St. Germain. He along with Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi, Edinson Cavani and other ‘Expendables’ make PSG a tough nut to crack.Their pursuit of Neymar ended Phillips Coutinho’s dream of making it big at Camp Nou. But a door closed meant a door opened up for the Brazilian and he is letting it rip in Germany now. Coutinho seems to have inserted as the missing piece in Bayern jigsaw as they are trying hard to get over the hangover created by Nico Kovac. Not just Germans but Italians are also after Liverpool’s crown as the best team in Europe. A certain Portuguese changed his home address to Turin and Serial A once again back in the spotlight. Juventus last won the Champions League in 1994 and they want to rectify that stay which puts a blemish on one of the most successful teams in world football history. If you can’t beat them join them seems to be the motto as in came Ronaldo, who scored two goals to beat them in the final three years ago. CR7 has 5 UCL titles in his bulging cabinet and if anyone can fulfil the Old Lady’s wishes, it’s the superstar from Madeira. Read the full article

[ccorneliast]

A Heart In Barcelona - Chapter 3: A Carrison Fanfiction

Rating: M Summary: Carrie and Harrison go on a weekend getaway to Barcelona during filming of The Empire Strikes Back in the late seventies. Something happens on that trip that changes their lives forever. Disclaimer: this is a real person fan fiction, so it all definitely came from my imagination and I’m not trying to offend anyone (you know the drill). I did take some creative liberty on what concerns the timeline, so stuff that is mentioned/places they visit may not have existed in the seventies, I apologize in advance; I do use/paraphrase some parts from Carrie’s books, as a way of making it feel more like them.   A/N: Jennifer, my love, this third chapter is for you ( @jennydehavilland ), for your constant love, friendship and excitment over these two. Big thanks to my girls over at the carrison groupchat, y’all are the best. 

On AO3 (tumblr was being stupid so it ate my italics, so i’d recomend reading on AO3 this time!)

I hope you enjoy this new story of mine and don’t forget to reblog and tell me your opinion!

You’d think that an afternoon of such intimacy and years of accumulated tension would be enough for them to keep their hands on each other. Instead, as they make their way to the España Square, Carrie’s eyes rarely meet Harrison’s. Truth be told, it just dawned on the two actors that they rarely had this much time alone as is, and they don’t quite know how to deal with it.

Soon enough, if they weren’t careful, Harrison would start to get annoyed at Carrie’s mood swings and, in turn, she’d begin to resent him for his frustratingly unconcerned demeanor.

They walk side by side, though miles apart psychologically, until they reach it. The square is momentous in itself, it’s huge fountains dominating most of the space. Up above, almost sky high, they could observe the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, an enormous classical edifice, much too different from Gaudí’s architecture.

Harrison glances at his wrist watch and mumbles: “Maybe we should get something to eat.” She nods.

They walk up the steps (more steps, ugh) until they’re by the bigger, more crowded fountain. Carrie spots some street food and urges Harrison, with little to no words, to follow her lead. They pay for some delicious, though unreasonably priced, meaty sandwiches.

“You wanna sit there?” Harrison’s questions, uninterested.

She does. She sits down on the grass, right in front of the fountain. He sits next to her with some difficulty, for the area’s overflowing with tourists and natives alike.

“Harrison,” she says, but it’s barely audible. She tries again, this time turning her face towards his. “Harrison.”

He continues eating, but nods.

“What was that earlier?” she asks. He keeps chewing, but it’s not a way to divert the attention from the conversation. He doesn’t try to deny it or change the topic. Instead, he says:

“That thing was jam-packed.” He takes another bite. “I couldn’t breathe up there.” On top of the rooftop of La Pedrera.

“Why didn’t you say somethin’?” she chews on the straw of her drink absentmindedly.

“Didn’t want to worry ya, kid.” His eyes focus on the still dormant fountain instead of on hers.

“Bullshit.” She sets the cup down in front of her and brings a hand to his face, turning it towards her.

“What?” he’s shocked by how quickly her tone turned aggressive.

“You heard me.” She repeats, her hand falling to her lap. “You weren’t trying to be selfless.”

“Then what was I doing?” his tone is dangerous.

“Can’t crack that up yet.” She ponders it for a few moments.

“I have that problem sometimes.” He confesses. “When things aren’t the way I want them to.” He finishes his sandwich and puts away the wrapper in his backpack.

“When things aren’t the way you want them to be…” she echoes. He’s unbelievable.

“I didn’t want you to see me like that.” People start cheering, but they remain absorbed in their conversation.

“Afraid?” she runs her hands through her hair and successfully makes a ponytail.

He keeps quiet.

“That’s it, right?” she smiles, pleased. “You didn’t want me to see you scared?” the fountain rises and water starts splashing around in various colors. “You didn’t want me to think you’re what? Human?” she presses. His eyes reflect the pinks and blues and yellows. “Tell you a secret, I don’t. Never have.” That’s a lie, a big one. Big movie star, Harrison Ford, fearless and manly as can be. That was her mindset and, frankly, it was scary to think otherwise.

He turns around, effectively shutting her up. His mouth clashes onto hers, his tongue slipping inside her, demanding and expecting nothing but her very best. She obliges, of course. The music in the square is nearly deafening, but it doesn’t throw her off. Her hand grips the hair on the back of his head, tugging him closer and closer. Their lips slide on each other until he’s breathless. As they part, she sits back up in her place, their skin barely touching.

Then, softer:

“You kiss like a poet.” The words barely reach her.

“Kissed a lot of poets in your life to know how they go about it, Harrison?” she laughs it off, uncomfortable.

“You know what I mean.” He says, their eyes never meeting.

She does. Because every time he looks at her, suddenly flowers grow in her chest.  

The morning sunlight accompanies them on their way to La Sagrada Família. The map easily leads them to the closest transit station. The metrotakes them directly to the cathedral, as they exit the station. And then they see it, through the waves of tourists and countless bright green trees. La Pedrera and Casa Batlló may be Gaudí masterpieces, but Sagrada Família?

It’s a monster.

Its height is unfathomable and the exquisite sculpture work on the facades is unbelievable. Portraits of Christ’s life cover the entirety of its outside and its shape is eerily reminiscent of sandcastles on the beach. It looks like a fantasyland castle – wet sand dripped through fingers, both sharp and soft.

Carrie and Harrison circle the entire structure, taking in the seemingly unorganized order of the figures carved into every inch of the front. So much is happening, everywhere, that the overall style defies categorization. The west side is austere and tormented, drawing their attention to an emaciated Jesus on an iron cross. Stone women wail beside a pile of skulls at his feet. However, the east side is an abundance of life – humans and angels and animals and wheat – and topped by a green tree covered in white doves. Carrie inhales at its beauty, and they’ve only seen the outside.

As they enter the cathedral, they’re aware of an absence of noise. Organic figures intertwine with colorful and intricate stained-glass windows. On the right side, windows dyed with blues and greens and purples bid goodbye to the sun, whereas on the left side, where the sun rises every morning, warm colors like oranges and yellows welcome it.

“Fuck, this is beautiful.” Harrison whispers, only to Carrie. She nods.

And then, an overwhelming need to pick up her notebook pops up. An entire storyline occurs and she wants desperately to write it down. She tugs on Harrison’s shirt’s sleeve and he looks down at her: “Harrison,”

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” they keep walking through the columns.

“I want to write.” Her voice is tight.

“What, now?” his eyebrow creases.

“Please,” she tugs harder, more urgent.

“Okay, okay.” He looks around. “Sit down there, huh?” he points to one of the columns farther to the left.

She walks towards it, slumps on the ground and leans against the warm stone, hot from the sun rays. She fumbles inside her bag, fishing out her little grey notebook and a black ink pen. Words flow out of her and onto the paper, energy turning into energy. Harrison observes curiously, taking note of the way her lip curves when she’s thinking of what to write next, the way her teeth bite into it when she knows she’s got a good idea. Her back is curved over her ink-stained hands and the yellowed-out pages.

It’s a mesmerizing sight, even amongst all of Gaudí’s beauty.

A while later, her head rises and she smiles. His body, his soul, fills with the most pleasant adrenaline he’s ever felt. The sight of her proud smile imprints a crescent moon on his lip, and the desire of capturing this moment and savoring it for more than these mere seconds is overpowering. He sneaks out his camera and snaps the swiftest shot he’s ever taken, her lips and sparkling eyes forever inside his jeans’ pocket.

I wish the world would swallow us whole, in this moment. This, it hits me, feels like falling in love.

The afternoon train is already speeding out of Spain and it’s warm-colored buildings, en route to reality, also known as grey old London.

“When are you gonna show me one of those things you write?” Harrison mumbles.

“What?” Carrie’s eyes are cloudy from tiredness.

“Will you ever show me?” his eyes are the smallest hint of hopeful.

“Someday, Harrison,” she responds. “Someday.” She smiles, though not very convincingly.

“What is it exactly that you write?” he thought of letting go of the subject, but he’s too invested now to stop.

“Whatever I feel like.” She replies. It doesn’t seem enough to satisfy him. “Sometimes, it’s journals. Others, poetry. Rarely prose, though I do have a million ideas for it.” She laughs, suddenly nervous for having his undivided attention.

“Interesting,” he looks at her like he’s studying her. It’s intimidating. “Very different writing styles, then.” She nods. “Does it feel different?”

She lets her hair loose from the pony tail and it falls down onto her shoulders. “When I write a diary, I do it to listen to myself, not to communicate.” He nods in understanding, inciting her to continue. “It’s sort of like I’m cloning myself in an effort to try to understand myself.” She chuckles. “Just trying to get to the edge of my personality.”

“And poetry?” her gets up and makes his way across the table, sitting down beside her. As if this conversation couldn’t get any more daunting.

“Oh, poetry is a lousy lousy way of communicating.” She explains. “But such a great way to find yourself.” His lip curves upward in the most endearing smirk.

“So, your words mirror you.” He tries. When she doesn’t react, he bites his bottom lip in anticipation. She melts a little bit inside.

“My words burn.”

If only he knew every hurtful, confused, venomous words she’s written about him.

“It’s ironic how artistic we become when our hearts are broken.” As she says this, she realizes how truly powerful her words are, because it looks as though his face shut down. His eyes look glassy and dark, his facial features very harsh, as though they were hand-painted with coal. She almost regrets them. Almost.

“All art comes down to love and heartbreak, isn’t that so?” she’s enjoying the effect she has on him. He must understand. Her smile is wicked.

He plunges into her, dives into her, drowns. His lips are hers, his bottom lip trapped in between his. Her hands on his soft, brown hair, pulling him closer, as close as she pleases. In her waist, she feels his fingers digging perfect oval holes on her skin. His slight stubble rubs against her sun-kissed skin and it feels nothing short of exciting. These days, it feels like he only kisses her to shut her up.

As the train breezes through the French countryside, Carrie and Harrison kiss. The kiss doesn’t quite feel the same, though. Her air leaves her body and enters his, enters her spirit, enters her life.

[marxpobert-blog]

It was a warm and sunny morning in Edinburgh and my husband and I were rather excited as we had planned our first driving holiday in the UK. We were planning to drive around the Highlands and head to some of the distilleries, explore castles and lose ourselves in the beautiful landscape. However, the travel gods had other plans for us. There was some technical issue with our prior booking and we could not get a car at the last minute. We tried a couple of rentals and they were all booked for the weekend. As we mulled silently in our disappointment, we decided to drown our sorrows in a distillery. Glenkinchie was one of the closest distilleries to Edinburgh, but it was too late for any tours. Eventually, we set out on an exciting adventure. On an impulse, we boarded a bus that took us to small hamlets and we hiked a bit. We wandered aimlessly without a map into a little village which seemed practically like a ghost town. Everything was shut. Even the church was closed. The roads were empty. There was just an inn which was open and as we feasted on some baked potatoes, the hostess asked us about our plans. When I mentioned Glenkinchie was on our agenda, she immediately called her friend, a taxi driver, to take us to the distillery. That was the only cab working on that weekend from the village as everyone had taken a break. We had a great time, driving through some of the prettiest landscapes, with a complete stranger, listening to stories as we eventually landed in Glenkinchie. Travel is not about what you miss out on the road but the many experiences.  There are several ways beat FOMO while you are travelling and here are some travel tips to deal with Travel FOMO.

Travel is essentially about the joy of exploring and the little serendipitous discoveries that you make along the way. Personally, I have always felt that travel is a way of life and as a traveller, who is constantly on the road, I feel that there is very little room for FOMO. However, several travellers exhaust themselves as they try to cram in a lot of things on their itinerary. And even then,  FOMO takes over as they see a beautiful image on Instagram and they realise that they have not been there. Here are some travel tips to combat FOMO if you are constantly pressurised with social anxiety.

Focus on the little joys of travel

It is always the little things that make for great memories. A fun conversation, a hot meal, a sudden discovery – travel is made up of these precious moments. While we may miss out on a tourist attraction or a fascinating activity, it does not take away the joy of travel. Travel is more than just sights and sounds or a bag of experiences. It is important to shift the focus from the destination to the journey. People make places and very often, the little acts of kindness from strangers add a special element to the travel.

I was heading to the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin and my credit card was not working. An elderly couple nearby came to me and gave me their unused tickets saying that they were too tired to explore the palace and they had to head back. I was grateful and was also overwhelmed by their kindness. Such unforeseen events can happen anytime. As we travel a lot, this started becoming a pressing issue too. What if something happens to us? Have we secured our loved ones? Have we secured their financial requirements? That was the starting point for me sitting down and starting to plan for all the what-ifs in life.

Be a mindful traveller

Travel is not just about getting into an autopilot mode. Most itineraries turn us into a robot. We are either forever in a planning mode, or we are mindlessly rushing from one place to another. And that can sometimes leave you exhausted or even with a sense of FOMO. There is never a dearth of the top ten or the top 100 places that you must see. But if you’ll run behind travelling to every place, you’ll not even enjoy the top three places since you will not be able to soak in the moment.

A mindful traveller is always immersed in the present – be it sipping a cup of coffee or attending a culinary class or trying kayaking for the first time or even doing nothing. Less is more becomes the mantra. Travel is also about being practical. You cannot obviously do everything. I was in Rome for just a day and I could hardly explore a couple of sights. Whenever FOMO hit me, I reminded myself that even Rome was not built in a day. I have stopped planning a detailed itinerary during my travels and I go with the flow. And that leaves me with no room for FOMO.

Every trip does not have to an exotic destination

FOMO usually creeps in when you realise that your travel plans have just been quashed, but the rest of the world is bombarding you with their photo-shopped photos from exotic locations. But not every trip has to be to a far-flung offbeat destination. You may not be able to travel all the time. Work may come in your way of planning a holiday. Your finances may bog you down. I remember going through a bad phase of health and had to revisit my travel plans. A huge sum of money was spent towards my health and this came in between my travel plans for the rest of the year. That got me thinking, while I can plan for most of the things in life; illnesses is something which cannot be predicted. Also, treating illnesses these days is a costly affair. Hence post that phase, I choose to invest in a Term insurance plan from ICICI Prudential Life – ICICI Pru iProtect Smart. The plan provides me cover against 34 critical illnesses and also secures my family with a life cover in case of an unfortunate event. Also, the plan gives me the freedom to decide on how I want to receive this money at the time I need it the most. This allows me the freedom to travel anywhere, without a single worry in my mind.

Stay flexible with your plans

It was a sunny morning in Amsterdam and it seemed like an idyllic day to explore the Spanish city. But my mood was rather low. My husband and I were on holiday in Europe and we had just landed in the city. This trip had been special as I was on the road after a long bout of illness. But the day we landed in Amsterdam, we got a call from my husband’s boss who asked him to cut the holiday short as there were some sudden developments in the workplace. Within minutes the entire holiday plans had altered. The weather changed as well and the rains descended upon Amsterdam. We were both hugely disappointed and I was almost on the verge of returning home with my husband. However, I decided to continue the trip solo. A few days later, I sat alone in the vibrant Plaza Catalunya near the iconic La Rambla in Barcelona and watched life pass me by. Although I wished that my husband was around, I was glad that I did not head home with him. I have always enjoyed control over my decisions in every aspect of life. My husband recognises this and gives me a freehand in almost all aspects of life. For example, when I was planning to invest my savings in some plans, I chose ICICI Pru Signature. One of the key criteria’s to select this plan was that it offered me flexibility in choosing where to invest my money in be it pure equity or a pure debt or a balanced one and I was the one deciding where my money would grow. I have invested in the plan for the last few years and I have been quite happy with how hassle-free the entire process of buying or after service is.

This journey is about you

Travel is about being you. It is your journey, your holiday, your interests and your choices. You do not have to live up to the expectations of anyone, who claim to have “done the destination. “ I have always been a bit of a laid back traveller, revelling in the very essence of a journey, listening to stories and exploring the culture of a destination. I am not into adventure sports and I also have a bit of a water phobia. Initially, I would feel a sense of FOMO when I used to see all the travel photos dripping with adrenalin, but then I realised that this is not me. As my health slowly deteriorated, I also learnt to focus more on my body and mind than allowing FOMO to get to me. I realised that my interests lay elsewhere and I travelled for my personal gratification and not for a bunch of likes on Instagram. I started to remove things that created anxiety in me and started concentrated on things that kept me happy. Being a full-time traveller, finance is something that will always bug you and to be frank; you cannot ever ignore this aspect. However, what you have control over is – planning for your finances, as I did by investing in plans from ICICI Prudential Life. Their plan provides the growth of money and at the same time also ensures that my loved ones are financially protected. For any queries regarding my policy, I can reach out to them over phone, email or advisors. In short, they remove the hassle of planning for my finances and lets me enjoy my trip to the fullest.

Travel consumes me as a person and I like to be alive and energetic savouring every moment of it. And there is absolutely no scope for FOMO to ruin it for me. While my passion needs constant funding, I always plan ahead and stay invested keeping long term commitments in mind and hence, I chose ICICI Prudential Life.

This post is written in collaboration with ICICI Prudential Life

The post Why travel is not about FOMO appeared first on Lakshmi Sharath.

[nhouvang-blog]

Over the years, I have met many Barcelona fans who also liked and enjoyed Madrid. I have never met anyone who hated one when loving what some call its opponent or best advisory. I see two stunningly beautiful and exiting cities, two capitals, in fact, although technically only one is.

Barcelona: The lowdown

Barcelona has been described in many books and two of them really capture the city’s soul: La Catedral del Mar and Rosa de Cendra. Both describe Barcelona and its inhabitants at two periods of its long and rich history: The Middle Age, when the Gothic District developed not so far from the port, and the late 1800s and early 1900s, when Gaudi built the elegant Art Nouveau Barcelona we all love.

Long, pleasant walks on the Ramblas and the new promenade alongside the Med are the stuff of travel dreams…and the colors of the stones when the sun hits the old part of the city, is nothing short of breathtaking. This is when locals and visitors take the time to enjoy a good glass of wine under the palm trees of the Plaza Mayor.

Picasso spent his youth here, and some of his most moving paintings are displayed in the Picasso Museum. For yummy paellas, Els 4Gats can’t be beat. Passeig de Gracia has the most elegant shops!

Madrid; The lowdown

Madrid is the kingdom’s capital and it shows. The magnificent Castellana gracefully splits the city in two, but it’s a fairly recent addition to the cityscape. The real Madrid can be found between Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor. Not so far is the Mercado San Miguel where a stop to enjoy a refreshing caña and delicious tapas should be a non-negotiable part of your itinerary.

Then, of course, the Gran Via, the local Champs-Elysées, with its spectacular architecture, is an attraction in its own right. For shopping, head to Salamanca, a place for connoisseurs of everything.

Madrid is also home to three museums that are absolute must-sees (after all you are visiting the nation that gave the world Goyal, Velazquez, Picasso): El Retiro, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofia. Fabulous. If you have an extra day, do extend to El Escorial where Philip II built a sumptuous monastery.

For centuries, Madrid and Barcelona have been rivals, and to this date, as Catalunya claims its independence, the situation is fairly complicated. But oppositions aside, these two cities are inextricably linked. For a start, there is the bullet train that travels between them, and there are trains every hour. So if you are making a trip to Spain- and you have the luxury of time, why not visit both?

The post Madrid vs. Barcelona; Where To Go This Summer appeared first on Magazine.