Chieti has held my attention and love for many years now, but I recently visited a town in the south west of England that rivals Chieti for its lush countryside, peaceful coastline and fishing atmosphere. Looe in Cornwall may not be able to match the warm temperatures prevalent in Chieti, but it does have many similarities that were it not for the English weather, have me thinking twice about living in Italy.

Situated near the mouth of the River Looe, the town has remarkably similar streets to those in Chieti – narrow, quaint and peaceful. Stroll down to the harbour in the morning to watch the sun rise over the piers and fishing boats (which you can also charter), and you may see some unique wildlife foraging for food. Many rare birds use the coastline and river as their hunting grounds and bird watchers from all over the country are known to visit in their droves.

Like Chieti, Looe is separated into two parts – East and West Looe, both connected by a bridge across the river. The warmth and friendliness of the locals is the same in both Chieti and Looe. All visitors are treated politely and encouraged to get involved with the many activities the towns have to offer. In Chieti tourists are often encouraged to attend services in the cathedral and take part in the traditional dances the local populace puts on. Looe does the same and goes a long way towards negating the stereotype that all English people are ‘cold and distant’. In terms of friendliness I found it difficult to separate the two towns.

Both towns boast remarkable accommodation. In Looe there are many places to stay but one of the best has to be The Old Bridge House Hotel situated close to the bridge on the west side of Looe. Run by a lovely couple, the hotel provides one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever enjoyed (traditional Cornish food) and was even served at a time of my choosing! I hate getting up early when on holiday so it was nice to be able to meander down to the dining room in my own time. My room was exquisite and I have never slept as well in another hotel in England before. The en-suite bathroom with power shower reminded me of many of the boutique hotels I’ve stayed at in Chieti. I would highly recommend The Old Bridge House Hotel so much so that I’m going to stay there again in a few months. If you’re interested in booking a room, do it fast before high season hits at http://www.theoldbridgehousehotel.co.uk/

Simply put, there is little difference in terms of hospitality, scenery and things to do between Chieti and Looe. If this review of both doesn’t convince you to go, then I don’t know what will. Take my advice and visit both!

The Old Bridge House Hotel

The Quay, West Looe, Cornwall PL13 2BU

01503 263159 ‎

Similar Posts:
Yesterday’s Olympic, today’s Universal Championship : The time…
The Old Bridge House Hotel and Chinese Takeaway : The Old…
Holidays in the United Kingdom : There can be many different…
Khao San Road Adventures : One of the reasons that I adore Khao…

Living in London has its advantages – fast paced lifestyle, open freedom of expression, late night food whenever you want it and a wonderful health care system. Compare the NHS to the system we have in Italy and I have to say there is no comparison at all. So imagine my surprise whilst at home in Chieti this summer and I heard about the new health care bill being passed through the Parliament. It is interesting but I am concerned about allowing private companies to tender for services normally provided publicly.

I see GP jobs and more being advertised on the internet every week. Both the private and public sectors are screaming for medical professionals it seems. I think this is good and healthy competition between the two can result in a stable and well balanced system. Yet the public option must always remain open for those that cannot afford private care. I have studied what the new bill will actually mean for the NHS and GP work in general and there seem to be several ups and downs to it.

For a start I can see that giving budget control directly to GPs could be a good thing. Knowing they can spend money on medication and patients whenever they see fit rather then having to wait for clearance at a higher level may be more efficient. It would certainly remove the frustration that many GPs have when trying to get funds into local surgeries for drugs and referrals. On the other hand though I can see how much more pressure this strategy will place on GPs. Instead of solely focussing on the patient care they will have to think about how much money they can spend on the patients. If a GP was to run out of money before the next budget year, then patients could suffer as a result. Each patient would have a £ value attached to their forehead each time they visited the surgery and that is concerning.

… the many jobs available for GPs and Nurses in the UK show that there is a demand for quality and quantity …

In Chieti things always seem so much simpler then when I am in London. I am currently writing this on the beach as the sea has a tendency to help me think more clearly about things. When it comes to the NHS I can say that my country and virtually every other country in the world are jealous of the organisation. Private care can be excellent there is no denying it. Yet if you cannot afford the private option then public health care is the only solution. If the UK allows its public health care system to deteriorate then the system will revert in efficiency and go against the Hippocratic Oath every doctor swears to – do no harm.

I understand times are tough – have you seen the state of the Italian public finances? But there are always things people must hold onto in order to weather the bad times and see the sun shine again. I would encourage all UK politicians to come and visit Chieti before making more changes to the healthcare system in Britain. The sun and landscape will help clear their heads.

Similar Posts:
Yesterday’s Olympic, today’s Universal Championship : The time…
Taiwan  : Formerly referred to as ‘Ilha Formosa’,…
Traveling around Europe? Go InterRail ! : For the traveller…
Khao San Road Adventures : One of the reasons that I adore Khao…

Not only does Italy boast wonderful beaches and resorts, it also has one of the richest histories in the world. I recently went to Tarquinia on the west coast of northern Italy and got back in touch with the roots of my nation.

Tarquinia is one of the original Etruscan cities and has much to see and do. The main sites to see include the Etruscan necropolises. Used to house legions of the dead in ancient times, the necropolises currently host 6000 tombs that we know of and work is still being done to see if there are more to be uncovered. When I walked into the first necropolis I could smell the stale air and grit that you only get from tombs that are thousands of years old. It is slightly unnerving to walk around and the ground can be treacherous due to decay and sediment. I own a pair of Birkenstock sandals that made the ground more bearable to walk on but I did feel sorry for several tourists who were struggling in cheap knock offs they’d bought on the beach. I’d recommend getting hold of a pair. Zalando was one of the few reputable sites that I could trust in giving me what I wanted for the best price without compromising on quality.

If the Necropolises aren’t really your thing, then there are a number of churches to visit including the Cathedral of Tarquinia. A Romanesque-Gothic feat of architecture still maintains the original edifice of the 16^th Century after a fire destroyed many parts of it in 1643. Walking around the cathedral itself is an awe inspiring experience and whilst it is generally open to visitors, regular services are still held there which you can attend if you wish. All are welcome and the local Bishop – when available - actively encourages visitors to come in and look around which is a lovely touch for the town.

If all that history still doesn’t convince you of the quality of Tarquinia, then there are still some wonderful stretches of coast line to explore and relax on. The main beaches of Tarquinia may surprise those of you accustomed to golden sand and pebbles. The sand in Tarquinia is a dark brownish-black. This is not due to any pollution. Tarquinia exists in a highly volcanic region of Italy so the colour of the sand is due to the constant movement of the sediment being brought to the surface. Don’t let this put you off though, as the beaches and sand are amongst the most beautiful in northern Italy.

If you are planning on taking a trip to Italy this summer, then I would recommend Tarquinia as the place to go. Peaceful, beautiful and fascinating, it has something for everyone.

In my opinion, it really deserves to be declared as the world capital for two things-food and beaches. I have never enjoyed a more diverse meal on the entire European continent as I have enjoyed in the country of Italy. You just have to move from southern Italy to central Italy to witness a complete change in cuisine. Many persons are of the opinion that Italy is all about pasta and pizzas. Well, these may be the most popular exports of this country but there is a lot more to Italian cuisine than just these dishes made of bread and flour.

Olive oil-this is what differentiates food made in Italy from all other cuisines. Only a person who has eaten olive oil used in a dish in Italy will understand its real impact. The combination of herbs with the oil creates for a dining experience that is unsurpassed in the world.

The beaches of this country are not as well known as they ought to be. Instead of using the internet to purchase designer silver rings, you should search more about the various coastal regions of Italy. You may not get the standard commercialized beaches in this country. Rather, you will get beautiful coastal regions that offer rustic landscape. It will give you the opportunity to get close to nature as you have never done so before. If you are planning to visit Italy, make sure you work up a good appetite and include a few beaches in your vacation schedule.

Similar Posts:
The Streets of Shanghai : Shanghai - China’s most…
Horror Stories : It happens to every traveller and it can be…
Khao San Road Adventures : One of the reasons that I adore Khao…
Find Your Perfect London Holiday Getaway : Although London is…

You can book your tickets in advance to get a cheap flight from any city. It is a small island that spans four square miles. A trip to Italy is always incomplete without a visit to the island of Capri. You can go for a day trip to the island or spend a whole week in one of its hotels. It has lots to offer to even the most traveled visitors. The Lotus Eaters by Somerset Maugham speaks a lot about the beauty of Capri.

The main advantage of the island of Capri is that its peak time stays longer than the other Mediterranean tourist destinations. April to October is the right time to visit Capri. Getting a hotel reservation in this period becomes very difficult. So, always do your reservations well in advance to save money on flights as well as hotels.

Capri has an urban aspect to it too. The city has most of the big hotels, cafes, restaurants and shops. Via Camerelle is a shopping center in Capri. You can browse though the designer wears, sandals and jewels and many more. You can visit the lanes of Capri for buying souvenirs, ceramics, paintings and lace. The beautiful churches of Capri also require to be visited for their beautiful architecture and paintings. So, you can do lots of things in this Italian island city. You can take a walk on the lovely streets. You can enjoy exotic drinks and beverages in the local cafes. You must visit the Villa Jovis, the ruins of one of twelve villas built during the first century.

So, go ahead and book those tickets. It is important to treat yourself to a vacation once in a while in order to take your mind off unpaid taxes, office work, price hike by red diesel suppliers and the like.

Similar Posts:
The Streets of Shanghai : Shanghai - China’s most…
Taking historical trips around Africa : No historical tourism…
Brighton : Brighton is surely a must visit place for those who…
Driving on Scotland’s roads : Despite not being a large…

As a great fan of Europe, I will be spending a considerable amount of time in Italy this summer as part of a new photography project. I will be staying in Florence for five nights, from which I will also be exploring numerous other destinations, including Siena, San Gimignano, the Val d’Orcia, Volterra, Pisa and Pienza.

When staying in Florence, you must make sure you devote an entire day to explore the city in full. Take a long walk up the steps of the Duomo to enjoy a magnificent view of the city’s skyline, before taking a long stoll up to the famous viewpoint south of the river, which commands one of the best sights of any Italian city. On the second day, consider spending the morning in San Gimignano, the ‘Manhattan of Italy’, before heading off to Siena, one of the most impressive settlements of the Roman era. If you can are hiring a car, you should consider making a journey to the Val d’Orcia in the far south of the region, which boasts spectacular countryside (with Caravan insurance as well), domainted by cypress trees and luxury villas. Another day can be spent in Volterra and Pienza, which are much smaller than Florence or Siena and as a consequence they tend to be a bit quieter during the peak season.

Similar Posts:
Explore-Indonesia  : The Indonesian islands have attracted vast…
Budget Holiday in France : Given the stressful and busy lives…
Edinburgh : Edinburgh is situated on the border between England…
Driving on Scotland’s roads : Despite not being a large…

Similar Posts:
Why China? : Why visit China? This is the question most of the…
Stone Mountain - an oustanding natural landmark of the southeastern USA : …
Some Fabulous UK Holiday Spots : UK holidays are a good way for…
The Land of The Loch Ness : If it is picturesque landscapes and…

I’m pretty much into food, but I’m still not sure about pizza. Obviously it makes a good snack, because a man on a moped will come to your door at whatever time of the night you become hungry. And obviously it makes for quite a nice meal to share, as it is easy to slice into roughly equal pieces and generally isn’t too messy to eat.

What I am still undecided about is whether I’d go out of my way to eat it. I mean, I don’t dislike it, but I’m not going to ask for a takeaway meat feast deep pan filled crust as a wedding favour.

The pizza we enjoy delivered to our doors bears little resemblance to the pizzas of Italy. This could be a good thing – the only pizza I ever ate in Italy was pretty terrible, and not something I’d ever rush to consume again. Pizzas in England, however, are a different meal altogether. They have deep stodgy bases and are topped with strong, artificial flavours. Packed with monosodium glutamate and very low grade meat, these things are warm and fatty. Normally the cheese isn’t very good, and sometimes isn’t even cheese at all. The ingredients refer to it as “cheese analogue” – what that means I don’t know and probably don’t want to.

Organisations like Pizza Express, to their credit, make quite nice pizzas in a not quite authentic way. You can tell that a proper oven has been used, rather than just a grill.

Similar Posts:
Working at Home is Awesome : Working from home is absolutely…
Budget Traveling to Spain and Portugal : Budget traveling to…
Skiing Holidays are Great, But They’ll Cost You : Ever since we…
Took my new ride for a drive into Scotland. : The larger and…

The older version of the new Jazz Hybrid was significantly smaller and the change in size is a welcome one. Very few people would need to be convinced to buy the new Jazz Hybrid. It has amazing features and it has garnered the reputation of being an eco friendly car that does not compromise on functionality. Although the physical aspects of the car are exciting enough, it is also a sensible car that fulfils what it is intended for. The car is reliable and it is an economical option with low running costs that make it a worthwhile purchase during these economically challenging times.

The older Jazz was popular and the good news is that the new one takes it a notch higher. The economical aspect of the car has been enhanced along with its level of performance. The new Jazz Hybrid is an easy car to get around with and the big windows make it easy to see ahead. The dash provides ease of placement of items along with other essential aspects that include heating. The price of the car is acceptable, considering what drivers stand to gain from the overall features of the vehicle.

The extensive improvements that have been made on factors such as fuel consumption and carbon emissions warrant a good response as hardly any other car showcases this extent of being eco friendly. The steering function is great and luggage space is more than sufficient, rivaling that of much bigger cars. For a car that is attractive, reliable and functional, the new Jazz Hybrid is a good option.

Similar Posts:
Working at Home is Awesome : Working from home is absolutely…
An authentic Scottish Burns Night : I was lucky enough to be in…
Skiing Holidays are Great, But They’ll Cost You : Ever since we…
Take a Walking Holiday in Scotland : When you go on a holiday…

Similar Posts:
Working at Home is Awesome : Working from home is absolutely…
Holidays - orthodox churches : Not a fan of ski holidays? Then…
About The Tower Of London : The Tower of London form part of…
Higher Fuel Prices Deterring People From Travelling at Christmas : Christmas…