tatuanja

My sister just moved here and I am sooo curious to see how she is managing the whole settlement and change of environment.

aaaah, Alfama, Bairro Alto, Praça do Commercio, Belém, the Ocean.
I can still feel the smell of Lisboa.
And the taste! yum, pastis de belem…

Beautiful, simply.

The first is also my only trip to Cuba. I spent one week in La Habana and then moved to Cienfuegos and Trinidad, much quieter places compared to the capital where, by the way, I spent half of my budget not knowing yet how to handle the situation with transports, food, and trips.

I met dozens of Cubans, lived in their houses – having rent rooms in casas particulares, I have been spoilt and comforted while trying to be as less tourist as I could and in the end I was left with the clear feeling that Cuba cannot really be understood because it is a unique mix of good and bad. Still I cannot come out with a clear idea on the island and its incredible history. I only hope that Cubans will never be forced to give up their identity and pride.

One big advice: change asap dollars/euros in pesos. There is really no reason why you have to be charged in other currency when going to a regular restaurant, or a market or taking the guaga (bus).

I love Spain.
I really, really, love the whole country and I always had a great time during my trips. I visited Andalucia a couple of times, being based in Malaga or Fuengirola and I do recommend visiting Sevilla and staying in one of the many small hotels in the historical centre.
Granada and the Alhambra can’t be missed of course and Malaga, which is quite a touristic place, of course, but not as much as to give away its real nature, which explodes during the famous Feria that, for what I can remember is a whole week of partying in the streets from noon to dawn, every day! Which is the reason why I can hardly recall those moments ;-)
Then of course you have the Costa del sol, Marbella on top which means crowds of young tourists coming from all over europe, really.

In the end what I really recommend is visiting and enjoying: the weather, the people, the rythm, the music and the tapas before dinner (or instead of a proprer dinner if you travel backpacking …yuumm albondigas).
Take a walk in the streets and…enjoy the whole enjoyment! :-)

I am sorry, I know the place has a longtime reputation for its panzerotti, but being the Pugliese that I am and having eaten panzerotti in the real places in Bari, I can’t recommend it.
To me it is a just an avarege, not cheap at all, rosticceria
and you can find better food just around the corner.

A place for everyone!

Yes, why not. I know I would enjoy many other things once in Argentina, but I have to admit that tango is the main reason why I would pick this destination beyond many others right now!
Asì se baila el tango

At the moment that’s one of the places I’d really want to go, and I really should, at least until the euro/dollar change is going to be in favour! Still I cant’t imagine if I am going to love it or hate it…

I visited Chicago when I was 17 – which was (gosh!) 12 years ago. Anyway, the impact was shocking to the young me coming from a small town in the south of Italy but in the end I managed to survive for a couple of months. Most of the exciting things offered by the place were not allowed to the <21 and I spent a lot of time on my own, so it was more like an intimate journey, a way to turn me more into a grown up! I loved taking pictures and had classes at the Art Institute.