Philadelphia - USA

Philadelphia – USA

Post published:2 September 2018
Post category:North America USA

Share it with the world

The Birthplace of America

Yet onto another of our day trips from Baltimore, the second main base in the trip so far. While the day before we enjoyed a great escape to Washington DC, the capital of the nation, today we would do so at the city that is referred to as “the birthplace of America”, Philadelphia. For me it’s the second time here, but luckily in this occasion the time spent was way longer than back in the 2012 trip where I was only for just around 4 hours, and even so, still managed to visit almost everything. Running yes, rushing for sure, not the nicest way. Now it was a different story.

While I totally refrain from copying anything from the internet directly into my blog, I must say that the following text given in Wikipedia best describe some of the key facts of the city: “I was founded the city in 1682 to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony. Thereafter played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 at the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Other events occurred during the Revolutionary War including the First Continental Congress, the preservation of the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Germantown and the Siege of Fort Mifflin. Philadelphia was one of the nation’s capitals during the revolution and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington D.C. was under construction.

Summarising some of the nation’s first, then by yearly order would be the first Library in 1731, the first hospital in 1751, the first medical school back in 1765; of course as mentioned before, the first national capital in 1774 until Washington DC was built. The first stock exchange was created in 1790, the first zoo in 1874, followed by the Centennial Exposition in 1876 which was in turn, the first official World’s Fair in the United States. Lastly, in 1881 the creation of the first business school.

(more…)

Share it with the world

New York City - USA

New York City – USA

Post published:29 August 2018
Post category:North America USA

Share it with the world

The Big Apple

New York City! The most vibrant city I’ve ever been and probably without a rival, with only Tokyo coming closer but still, impossible to beat the vibe and thriving live of New York. Since the moment you land and until you depart it’s rather feeling like in a real movie. Nonetheless of course, arch known from the many movies, TV series, documentaries, news papers… just everything; being there in person and you are part of a real movie. From the police cars, fire fighters engines, the huge lorries, if lucky a Coca Cola truck; the subway trains, to the smoke coming out from the sewers, the bagel and hot dogs vendors… and that without going into it’s many symbolic architecture.

You need to be in the city to experience all this. And either you like it or… you actually like it!. No, just kidding, I know some people who did not feel too comfortable after all, but it might actually be a bit claustrophobic for some while others won’t appreciate its architecture and will consider it as all “the same”. Well, from my experience, definitely none of these are my case. It is still my favourite city ever, and I doubt this feeling will change any soon. Since the very first time I step in back in the year 2000, this is the 4th time I return, and for the many more to come (hopefully).

This guide is a mix of what I’ve created over the past trips, hence why it is now way much more complete and better altogether than otherwise, the older versions of the city guides here in my blog. It’s good I keep returning to many of the cities I’ve already been, and as such, I will continue with the same trend in order to update or create a better than before guide for your help and information. (more…)

Share it with the world

Leon - Spain

Leon – Spain

Post published:28 July 2018
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

Share it with the world

The cradle of Parliamentarism

Finally my hands are on the most awaited travel guide ever since I started my blog project. And why is that you might ask? Certainly the answer is direct, Leon is the city I was born, hence why it hosts a special place and meaning in my heart. Of course, I will try to make it one of the most complete too, as are the likes of Madrid, Barcelona or Brussels to name a few of the cities I travel very often. With Leon nowadays, it’s a different story, not only I left to study in Madrid, but then left Spain itself to come to London where I made my living for the past 13 years. Unfortunately, travelling to Leon for a weekend is not possible since there are no direct flights, nor flights to the next nearest international airport at Valladolid where Ryanair scrapped the flights to London long ago. In the other hand, there is really no need for finding a suitable airport nearby, since the high-speed train links Madrid in barely only 2 hours.

Leon is a city of over 2000 years history, and a very very rich past. All started as a small Roman camp and base for farther extend the empire up north towards Galicia and Asturias, but due to an ideal location at what became to be a cross-roads in the north, northwestern of the country, with easy access to the rest of the country, and the newly discovered gold mines Las Medulas, it soon reached the status of a city during the Roman times. This is something quite unknown to most people, however these Roman mines were one of the richest and largest during the Empire, with the gold taken to Rome. The mines are now listed an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are west of Leon some 130 kilometres, beyond the city of Ponferrada, in El Bierzo region, once so rich through the coal rush years until the industry collapse in the 1980’s.

While you can admire in Leon some of its Roman past, noteworthy the city’s walls, it is not the place you come for this, but instead, to admire its impressive medieval and Gothic architecture. One of the most complete of any city in the country, being its iconic highlight the Cathedral, finest example of French-style classic Gothic architecture in Spain. (more…)

Share it with the world