Rototom 2014

The best reggae festivals seem to take place in other parts of Europe and never in London. Maybe due to the homophobia that once strongly existed in the dancehall and reggae community which was often reflected in the lyrics.

Rototom is a festival which used to take place in Italy, but now takes place in Benicassim, Spain. The 2014 line up seemed very commercial, but it was sure to be good, regardless of who was performing.

Line up: Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Anthony B, Lauryn Hill, Junior Kelly and many more.

The person who I was looking forward to seeing the most was Chronixx who still hadn't become so popular at the time, very reminiscent of Garnett Silk and despite only being on the planet for 21 years of so, he sure knows a lot and speaks the truth.

Many people who attend Rototom decide to camp. We tried it for one night and decided against it. We found it really cold! We stayed in a hotel about 20 minutes away, with all the comforts we needed which included an outdoor pool and jacuzzi.

Chronixx...who I'm besotted with! He was amazing. I really only came to see him! He has a very calm demeanor about him. He's definitely set for big things to come! 

Sean Paul and Beenie man were great. But Anthony B impressed me. Amazing energy and he got the crowd going! 

This festival simply caters for everyone. There's every cuisine going for sale on the festival grounds. You can also take part in a dancehall lesson on the beach, led by the Spanish Dancehall Queen herself. 

She got some moves on her! Typically a lot of the European dancers go to learn in JA and bring the moves back with them!

More than anything, I enjoyed the Senegalese dancing and drumming. Even if it took place at 4am. The dancehall stage is great if you just want to heat some yard tunes, bruk out, skin out or do whatever they call it nowadays! Rodigan and Robbo Ranx are just a couple of DJs who were on the bill that week.

If you're looking for a more peaceful approach, yoga and beach time will provide you with the tranquility you need....

You can also educate yourself with range of documentaries on show, during the day at Reggae University. 

I have to say, I've been to many places. But this was one of the best weeks of my life. I was filled with tranquility. 

If you want to stimulate yourself mentally, several talks take place during the day.

There was even a talk from a Tibetan monk who spoke of seeing his mother being killed by the Chinese, but due to his beliefs based on forgiveness, he simply had to forgive and let go. It really is enlightening.

The weather is great. 

Vibes...great.

 People...amazing. 

It's also a great chance to catch all the artists you wouldn't see all in one place for a mere 180 euros. 

Beenie Man

Sean Paul

Shaggy

Lauryn Hill...closing act on last night. The crowd was heaving. I reckon most people came to see her.

Romain Virgo. I didn't know much of his material before. But he definitely won me over when he performed. Beautiful energy.

Come with friends, if not, you will sure meet some cool people on the way.

Amsterdam

I visited Amsterdam briefly a few years ago for Rotterdam carnival and jumped at the chance of going again for a friend's 30th birthday.
It was absolutely freezing...well a lot colder than London had been that weekend. We arrived on a Friday night and stayed at the Apple Inn Hotel.

We found ourself in Rembrandt Square and decided to head to a club called Escape. Be warned...if you head to this club. You will have to pay 50 cents to use the toilet...so make sure you have loose change. Shocking! Is that even legal?

That didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves! 

A very oestrogen filled holiday as there were 10 of us. It took us 2 hours to get out of the hotel on the Saturday morning! Insane!

Our hotel was about a 20 min tram ride from the centre. 

We wanted to go to the Anne Frank Museum, but should have probably planned it better as the queue was enormous. We only really had all of Saturday as our flight was Sunday morning, so we didn't want to hang around. At that point, our only option was to head to another museum which I'm sure you can guess the name of. Let's just say this is the most inexplicit photo I could post of the museum! 

The weather wasn't great and so we found anywhere we could to sit down. 

We decided to eat at a Thai restaurant called Bird's which is based in the Red Light District. Unfortunately the food was far from authentic Thai food and only one out of the 8 of us finished and actually enjoyed their meal. Very disappointing for a birthday dinner. 

Some of us kept our jackets on for a while as it was really cold! We asked for heating....but a member of staff  said there was no heating upstairs and put the air con on! It did get really packed, so it's obviously a popular place...but not somewhere I'd return if I had a choice!

 

Canals can be found everywhere in Amsterdam and some even call it the Venice of the North. Having visited there less than a.month ago, I beg to differ. The beauty of the Venice cannot be rivalled. Amsterdam is still very quaint and beautiful in an unconventional way.

We took a walk through the Red Light District before heading on a night out again. Walking the streets at night, Amsterdam is a typical stag do destination, maybe due to the legality of weed and prostitution. It truly is a haven for most. 

Amsterdam is an awesome city which is very distinct to other parts of Europe. I am a fan indeed, but think it's more targeted to those who aim to indulge in activities they wouldn't necessarily partake in, in their own countries! 

We definitely had a good last night in Amsterdam! 

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!