Dolomites

I absolutely love immersing myself in nature and when I read there were some mountains called the Dolomites two hours from Venice, I knew it was somewhere I had to visit! I hadn't heard too much about the Italian Alps beforehand until I did my research and realised there are many skiing resorts dispersed among the Alps. 

After a night of partying at Roov the night before, we set of quite late at around 2pm. We got there just before 4pm. The drive was picturesque, as we could already see the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The day was very pleasant for the end of October, but definitely jacket weather.

We made our first stop at Lake Misurina. Dolomites are not far from Germany and it is reflected in the architecture. The lake was gorgeous, not as blue as I had imagined. But very therapeutic in comparison to manic Venice on a weekend.  Surrounded by mountains and houses, with not many people in sight.

There are also nearby shops located around the lake for those staying nearby who spend time skiing in the Italian Alps and for those who live there.

Just up from Lake Misurina was Tre Cime. To enter, it is 16 euros with the car. Tre Cime is the name of the most famous mountains in the Dolomites, which are perfect for hiking enthusiasts. The mountains are snowcapped and are part of a beautiful landscape. We had reached the top and were not prepared for the cold we were going to feel. It was freezing! Especially in comparison to the bottom of the mountain, which you would expect. We were unable to leave the car for more than 6 minutes....as it was THAT cold. The view was very reminiscent of the Himalayas which I visited 6 years ago. Well worth a trip if you are in Venice. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.

You can see how much I am trying to keep a brave face with that ice cold feeling that overwhelmed me!

It was well worth the journey. Nature at its best. Not many hikers were there, which probably means that October is a perfect time for visiting. 

We moved on to Cortina which is a neighbouring village. It was very German indeed, with wooden houses. On route, there were many winding streets with cone shaped orange trees. Simply lush!

Cortina, I believe is one of the main skiing resorts as the town centre is filled with ski shops and lovely restaurants. 

We arrived there quite late, but there is also another beautiful lake which is located in Cortina. 

Next time I come to somewhere like this, I'll have to look fear in the face and have a go at skiing! 

Venice

I've been quite proud of reaching my target at the beginning this year to visit as many places a possible in Europe. Years ago, I did an overland trip from Croatia to Italy ( Trieste) , but it dawned on me that I haven't seen Italy properly. 

Although I have always lived so close to Europe, my passion for travelling Europe has never existed. It's only been when I have travelled to far fetched places and I've met people from distant lands, who remark on how many places I must have visited in Europe due to living there. I usually turn around and tell them that it isn't the case. However, that has changed.

I'm intrigued by places surrounding by water and chose to visit Venice; a city of meandering walkways and canals. Absolutely stunning! 

To travel almost everywhere , you have to get a vaparetto (waterbus). I remember reading to refrain from visiting during the summer. Luckily we arrived mid week and only experienced a Sunday in Venice as we stayed in a place called Quarto D'Altino which was about 20 mins drive away, on the outskirts of Venice. Travelling into Venice is cheap, only €3,30. However once you're in Venice, expect to pay around €20 per person for a Vaparetto to take you around all day. There are cheaper alternatives if you purchase a 3 day ticket.

You could definitely feel and see the difference when being in Venice at the weekend the water taxis get packed and Venice is heaving. Luckily, having arrived on a Wednesday, we avoided a lot of the madness.

One of the highlights of visiting Venice were trying cuttlefish spaghetti. Due to the ink of the squid, the spaghetti is black.  We found a lovely restaurant by Rialto bridge called Pedrocchi which served an assortment of fresh fish and spaghetti. 

It may not look the most appetising, but it was delicious! 

Venice is composed of different islands. Some of the neighbouring islands include Burano and Murano which are famous for their colourful houses and coloured glass. You can visit the workshops and see where glass is made  with the use of a furnace and glassblowing. 

Murano is simply beautiful and a lovely place to walk around. Unfortunately, I missed out on the beauty of the colourful houses of Burano as we had arrived late. 

We had arrived in Murano when it was still light, so I captured a beautiful view of the canal. I love this place! 

Of course, being me, I had to find a reggae club. We found ourselves at the place called Roov Club, luckily having a car made it easier to travel around. It was pretty cool! Funny how this music is appreciated everywhere. The Italians were very welcoming and very vibrant. I've not known many places in Europe to be strict with I.D, but this place was and they made us sign up for a membership card which was an extra 10 euros each! So it was 20 euros each. But for a fab night...who cares?

Venice is of course not complete without a gondola ride which starts at 80 euros for half an hour. Pricey! But I must say it is indeed relaxing and very beautiful. You get to travel through the back streets of Venice which you wouldn't necessarily reach by foot.

 It is a must do! 

Berlin Baby!

Why do you need to head to Spain when  you can simply experience  33° heat in Berlin  and chill by the pool and sip  on some  Pimms?

Well we found  a great little hideaway by our hotel which was awesome. For only €5 entry, you can spend a whole day listening to chilled sounds,  get some complimentary Pimms and use of the outdoor pool while soaking up them rays.  Not bad at all. Take a look for yourself!

But do you really want to know what made my day? Noticing that there was a catering company by the name.of VybZ Catering which were selling jerk chicken. YAAAAY!

I know they say when in Rome and all...but as someone of  Caribbean  heritage, jerk chicken can be a little hard to resist! 

Berlin and the Holocaust

When you think of Berlin, one can either conjure up images of its dark history or the crazy alternative lifestyle and nightlife comes to mind. 

During my 72 hour stay in Berlin, I must say that I experienced both the haunting past of the Holocaust, but equally enjoyed what Berlin nightlife has to offer.

On Day 1 we arrived at our hostel Plus Berlin which was lovely and very modern. For my friend Charlene, it was her first time staying in a hostel and she was somewhat apprehensive. However,  on arrival she was pretty  impressed. It was immaculate and the theme of the Berlin  Wall can be found all over the hostel.

Our hostel was located right by the Berlin Wall which was lovely to walk by. We didn't  walk the whole stretch,  but the some of the artwork  was truly enthralling.

One of the highlights which I found very informative was the Jewish museum.which brings you back to the Holocaust  and also gives you an insight into the Jewish diaspora in different parts of the world.

I was never fond of history at school, so didn't know a lot about the Holocaust. Little did I know about the 60,000 placed in Sachshaussen  Camp, when really it was made to accommodate just 10,000.  Even when Jews were told to leave, many couldn't  leave with none of the valuables which they had earnt. Not even wedding rings! 

 In schools they were often ridiculed by teachers and students alike and many had to step down from skilled professions during the Nazi era.

That's just a snippet,  but a must visit for everyone visiting Berlin! 

I found Sachshaussen very sombre as you'd  imagine and it does take a long while to get there. But it is worth it. 

Sachenhaussen bought the Holocaust to life. As you leave the station Oranienburg, you'll do the same walk to the camp that the prisoners did. We were taken to the spot beneath the trees where prisoners would shave their whole body and be given their striped uniform. 

They were given numbers which helped the guards see them as animals as opposed to humans. In addition they were even made to wash in the same bath water as each other.

It was really insightful to see the conditions  and hear about the treatment the Jews received. It was very reminiscent  of the Killing Fields in Cambodia, for those of you have visited there. 

We did this trip with a tour group which costs €15 but you are expected to have a travel card as the tour group takes public transport there.

The tour group leaves at 11am everyday at Brandenburg Gate . However,  if you prefer to travel there without the tour group, you only pay €3 for the entrance. You also have the chance to buy audio guides when you are there.

Wireless

Wireless is one of the biggest festivals in London....well probably the biggest as Glastonbury is huge and takes place outside London.
It definitely has more of an urban vibe in comparison  to other festivals you can find in London.

Unfortunately, there had been some problems with gatecrashers entering the festival due to poor security on the Friday event. Luckily, I had attended on Sunday and hadn't  witnessed anything of the sort!

Ciara and Rae  Sremmurd were some of my faves on the day. Rae had the crowd  going with their crazy antics and infectious  energy, I couldn't  help but jump around  myself.

Here are just a  few highlights from the amazing event. Nicki  Minaj  turnt  up almost 2 hours late due to her flight arriving late. But it was a fantastic night.

The DJ kept us occupied whilst we were  waiting for Nicki. A bit of dancehall never hurt nobody!

Guernsey

A friend of mine is based in tax free Guernsey; one of the Channel Islands not too far from France. When she invited us to visit, I jumped at the chance as I wanted to go to somewhere new. After all, when else would I get the chance to go there?

Considering the fact that Guernsey is part of England. Unfortunately, flights weren't  as cheap as you'd think. We paid around £150 for flights. From London  flights with EasyJet to places such as France, Germany and Spain  can sometimes be half or a third that...return journey!
Normally the weather is a few degrees cooler than London. However, I found it just as temperamental. At times it was really warm...then completely cool.
On a Friday night we found ourselves  at  Folies Bar located on the centre. The strip reminded me very much of what you find somewhere like Maguluf! Guernsey was very quiet...tranquil during the day, considering  it was a holiday. But, not at night!

I decided to try some gache ( pronounced gosh) which tasted delicious. It's  quite simply  a sweet bread with raisins which can be eaten the same way you would scones....With jam on top. Very lovely indeed.

We spent an afternoon hiking on the Saturday. With the help of our Lonely Planet, we were on our way to Fermin Bay. We started off at St. Peter's Port which is the town centre then off we headed into the wilderness.

However, we did come across some spectacular views. 

Despite a few bouts out the gym  recently.  The steps were definitely a challenge! 

We almost got lost but found some others heading that way. It was a rocky beach...but perfect place for a glass of Pimms and some ice cream! 

The following day.was a bit limited as we had little time, but still decided to head to Herm.  Herm is another part of he Channel Islands.

It is very easy to get to and only costs £10 return from Guernsey. From the pier where the ferry drops you off....be prepared for a bit of a walk. However, the beach makes it worth it! 

This is the view of Herm from the ferry.

This is the amazing view of Herm.

If you do decide to come here, try and find the toilet before you get settled.and find a  spot because it does take a while to get there. 

There's  also a lovely  cafe where you can get an ice cream or a cup of tea and relax.