Lake Como

Arriving in Milan at sunrise, we waited at the airport and watched the sunrise over a beautiful city. After managing to communicate in broken Italian to find the coach to take us to the inner city, we began our journey.

 

Pulling up to Lake Como we were overcome by beauty, miles of green mountain terrain as far as the eyes could see. Dotted amongst the natural green landscape were perfect structures making up the thousands of houses. Centered in the middle of this landscape was the crystal blue lake, jaw-dropping natural beauty.
To travel to the main Como area, an hour ferry ride will allow you to explore Como via the lake. Stopping at several smaller villages on route, each with its own culture and history to discover.

The main area of Como is full of vibrant bars and restaurant serving the freshest Italian foods and the vastest range of wines. The locals welcomed us with open arms and were friendly and helpful.

Written by: CallMeMishka

100 Hot Books

Let’s go to BraziL

This journey started a year ago when my cousin said: ‘let’s go to Brazil’! I love traveling and if I can do it on a budget even better!

Brazil is a wonderful world filled up with obvious contradictions at every corner, music, samba rhythms and hip hop, vanishing rainforests and also developing metropolis.  Brazil boasts Latin America’s biggest economy but for most of us on hearing  Brazil we see  football,  carnival, superstars sipping cocktails on the Copacabana, and  sun-downers at Ipanema beach front. Did you know Brazil is one of the few countries on the planet where you can explore the rain forests, visit dreamy tropical islands? Our first visit : Pão de Açúcar or Sugarloaf Mountain 396 metres (1,299 ft) above the harbor.

I was a bit skeptical to pay BR62 to climb into those tall glass trams and be whisked in no more than three minutes start to finish to the first stop: Morro da Urca, 220 meters high. I was unprepared for the magnificent, indescribable panoramic view. A breathtaking confection of mountains, islands, bays and golden beaches. As we walked around I fell silence and tears of joy blinded my visions . As we climbed to the next level to Pão de Açúcar only the imagination could envisage the beauty of the scene.
  

 Come with me and you will enjoy every moment of this wonderful city.
Our hotel, The Ibis Santos Dumont located in the center of Rio de Janeiro. It is 200 m from Santos Dumont domestic airport, it is very quiet. The hotel is less than 0.6 miles from the beach and make a wonderful base. A 15 minutes taxi ride or plenty of bus to Copacabana also the hotel is walking distance to Lapa, Rio de Janeiro’s bohemian quarter a wonderful place with its wide variety of bars and restaurant.


In the afternoon: Copacabana
Since I was a child I knew of Copacabana Beach. Today I am here, experiencing the waves on a sun-drenched afternoon.

The rest of the world seen far away. Between Pão de Açúcar and Cristo  Redentor there are miles of white fine sand encapsulated by the blue sea and sky. The mosaic that is the promenade, I sat drinking coconut juice gazing at the passers by.

 
Essential Info:
Nearest Airport: Rio de Jeneiro
Flying time direct from Heathrow :11h30
Currency: Brezilian Real  R$...1 GBP = 4.00154 BRL
Time Zone : BRST -2