World Destinations by Cinthya Pavan

27/07/2024

Located between France, in the department of Haute-Savoie, Italy, in the Aosta Valley, and Switzerland, in the canton of Valais, the Mont-Blanc massif culminates at 4808m/15744ft and covers some 400 km2/154sqmi.
The Mont-Blanc massif is surrounded by valleys linked by the Mont-Blanc tunnel, the Montets pass and the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass. But the Mont-Blanc massif is above all home to Mont-Blanc, Europe’s highest peak. At Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, it’s the star of the show!

Surely one of the world’s best-known peaks, Mont-Blanc is a sight to behold, arousing both admiration and mystery. The summit of Mont-Blanc is located in the commune of Saint-Gervais. The development of mountaineering and the influence of Europe’s highest peak are an integral part of the village’s history and daily life. In fact, you can admire the mountain from some of the village’s terraces and villages. What could be better than a view of the summit of Europe ?

The highest peak in the Alps, Mont-Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe.

The ascent of Mont-Blanc represents the self-transcendence and freedom that every mountaineer dreams of. Michel Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat were the first to achieve this feat in 1786. Their route is impassable today. Marie Paradis was the first woman to reach the summit of Mont-Blanc in 1808.

We will be exploring the Mont Blanc soon ! Yuhuu !

# peaksofeurope

08/10/2023

Stop what you are doing now. Read this --- The link below is a slightly abridged version of a letter written by Albert Einstein to Sigmund Freud. Under the title Why War?, the letter and Freud's reply to it were published in 1933 by the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation. They formed part of an international series of open letters, sponsored by the Institute, in which leading intellectuals exchanged ideas on major questions, the most crucial of which was the threat of war.

Caputh near Potsdam, 30 July, 1932

Copy and paste on your browser to read.

https://en.unesco.org/courier/may-1985/why-war-letter-albert-einstein-sigmund-freud

07/10/2023

**Trummelbach Falls**

With its ten glacier waterfalls inside
the mountain, accessible via a tunnel lift, the Trümmelbach Falls are unique in Europe. The Trümmelbach alone drains the huge glacier walls of the Eiger (3970m), Mönch (4099m) and Jungfrau (4158m) with up to 20,000 liters of water per second from its catchment area of ​​24 square kilometers, half of which is covered with snow and ice. The Jungfrau-Aletsch area has been declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Trümmelbach is listed in the “Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance”.

Depending on the weather conditions, the Trümmelbach Falls are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the beginning of April to the beginning of November, and in July and August from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please inquire about the exact opening times at the beginning and end of the season - we accept no liability for wasted travel expenses. https://truemmelbachfaelle.ch/smart/

15/08/2023

Una delle più lunghe strade europee è la E45 con un percorso complessivo di 5.190 Km tra Gela in Italia, Austria, Germania, Danimarca, Svezia e Finlandia per arrivare ad Alta, a 70Km da Capo Nord, in Norvegia.

15/08/2023

Ferragosto is a public holiday celebrated on 15 August in all of Italy. It originates from Feriae Augusti, the festival of emperor Augustus, who made the 1st of August a day of rest after the weeks of hard work of the agricultural sector.
It became a custom for the workers to wish their employers “buon ferragosto” and they would get a bonus. This became law during the Renaissance throughout the papal states. As the festivity was created for political reasons, the Catholic Church decided to move the festivity to the 15th of August which is the Assumption of Mary allowing them to include this in the festivity. This festivity was also used by Mussolini to give the lower classes the possibility to visit cultural cities or go to the seaside for one to three days, from the 14th of August to the 16th, by creating “holiday trains” with extremely low cost tickets, for this holiday period. Food and board was not included, this is why even today Italians associate packed lunches and barbecues with this day.

By metonymy, it is also the summer vacation period around mid-August, which may be a long weekend (ponte di ferragosto) or most of August. Up until around 10 years ago, 90% of companies, shops and industries closed but, with the growing influence from other non-Catholic countries, and the fact that closing an entire country’s industry for a whole month meant an incredible loss of money and backlog of work, most companies now close for around two weeks, forcing all workers to take imposed vacation, similarly for the 25th of December.

History
Ferragosto became a popular holiday time during Fascist rule. Starting in the mid 1920’s, the regime offered discounted prices on trips and transportation. The offer was limited to 13, 14 and 15 August and included two formulas; a “One day trip”, within a radius of up to about 100 km, or a “Three day tour” with a radius of up to about 200 km. 
It was the only time that most Italian families could afford to travel to the sea, the mountains or other cities.  The trips did not include food, thus, the associated tradition of packed lunches and picnics like nowadays.

13/08/2023

*Top ten puffin facts*
1. Nicknamed “sea parrots” – and sometimes “clowns of the sea“! – Atlantic puffins have black and white feathers and a large parrot-like beak. They are small seabirds measuring around 25cm in length.
2. Puffins spend most of their lives out at sea, resting on the waves when not swimming. Their range spans the eastern coast of Canada and the United States to the western coast of Europe.
3. A puffin’s beak (or bill) changes colour during the year. In winter, the beak has a dull grey colour, but in spring it blooms with an outrageous orange! It’s thought that the bright colour helps puffins assess potential mates.
4. Puffins are carnivores and live off small fish such as herring, hake and sand eels.
5. Puffins are fab flyers, flapping their wings up to 400 times a minute and speeding through the air at up to 88km an hour. Wow!
6. What’s more, these brilliant birds are great swimmers, too! Using their webbed feet as a rudder, puffins can dive down 60m under water in search of their favourite fish.
7. In spring and summer, thousands of puffins gather in colonies on the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic Ocean to breed. They usually pair up with the same partner as previous years – some may have been together for 20 years!
8. When starting a puffin family, our feathered friends dig out a burrow using their sharp claws and beak, usually in a grassy bank or rocky crevice. At the back of their burrow home, they build a nest lined with feathers and grass where the female lays her egg. Both parents take it in turn to incubate the egg for the next 36-45 days before the baby “puffling” hatches!
9. In the wild, these winged wonders live for around 20 years. Their main predators are hungry gulls, which can sn**ch puffins mid-flight or swoop down and scoop their tasty treat from the ground – so they need to keep alert!
10. Although puffins are not classed as an endangered species, populations in some places are in decline. The main threats are overfishing, which can lead to a shortage of food for puffins, and pollution – particularly oil spills. Not only does the oil make these beautiful birds sick, it destroys their waterproof feathers

13/08/2023

With its 463 meters high(1519ft), Kirkjufell mountain is one of the must-see sights of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Its unique position near the sea and its almost perfect conical shape has allowed Kirkjufell, "the mountain of the church"(i call the witch's hat), to become one of the most photographed landscapes in all of Iceland.

Although there are several itineraries that allow you to climb the mountain, always with the supervision of a local guide, most tourists prefer to stay at the foot of Kirkjufell to contemplate one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Iceland.

If you plan to visit Kirkjufel in winter, we suggest you bring crampons with you to enjoy the experience comfortably. Kirkjufellfoss At the foot of Kirkjufell is Kirkjufellfoss, a small waterfall compared to others in the country, but undoubtedly essential to create the magic that surrounds Kirkjufell. Not surprisingly, most of the photographs that see Kirkjufell immortalized are taken right from the Kirkjufellfoss waterfalls!

Kirkjufell in Game of Thrones Of all the locations for films and series filmed in Iceland, Kirkjufell is undoubtedly one of the most popular thanks to its appearance in the sixth and seventh seasons of Game of Thrones. In Season 6 of Game of Thrones, Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellfoss waterfall appear in a premonition of Bran, the Three-Eyed Raven, during which viewers learn how the Children of the Forest created the fearsome White Walkers. In the following season, Kirkjufell appears in Game of Thrones as the backdrop for a bloody battle between the White Walkers and some of the series' most beloved characters, including Jon Snow and Jorah Mormont.

13/08/2023

The historical Mt. Helgafell - the Sacred Hill - on the Snæfellsnes peninsula is in the eyes of many of us Icelanders a sacred place. It is believed that if you hike to the top of the mountain without looking back or uttering a word you will get 3 wishes fulfilled.

This only works the first time you hike the mountain though, so most Icelanders have already done this hike and got their wishes. Mt. Helgafell is 73 meters tall and it takes about 10 minutes to hike to the top. From there you will be rewarded with a great view of the Breiðafjörður bay and the surrounding areas.

Mt. Helgafell is mentioned in the 33rd chapter of Landnáma - the Book of Settlement: Þórólfur (mostrarskegg) settled land from Stafá river to Þórsá river and called it Þórsnes peninsula. He so highly revered a mountain that stood on the peninsula, which he called Mt. Helgafell, that no man should look in its direction unwashed.

And it was so sacred that nothing should be killed on the mountain, neither livestock nor men. And he believed that when he and his kinsmen died they would go inside the mountain.

Eyrbyggja Saga, which is an excellent Icelandic Saga, takes place in West Iceland and tells us that Þorsteinn þorskabítur, the son of the settler Þórólfur mostrarskegg, was the first one to live at Helgafell. His sons were Börkur digri (the stout) and Þorgrímur.

The walk up us not difficult as long as,you have great grippy shoes and feel comfortable with your balance.

24/07/2023

Icelandic Summer 2023.

15/07/2023

BIG BEN PART 2 ******

Big Ben isn’t the only bell in the tower
Believe it or not, there are four smaller bells (known as quarter bells) alongside Big Ben, that are all played together to make its quintessential chime.Each bell makes a different musical note:
The first quarter bell plays a G, The second quarter bell plays a F #, Big Ben and the third quarter bell both play an E, The fourth quarter bell plays a B.

Big Ben itself chimes every hour alongside the quarter bells, and the quarter bells chime by themselves every 15 minutes.
It has GIANT hour and minute hands
The minute hands on the tower’s clock faces are a staggering 14ft long. To put that into context, that’s equivalent to the height of an adult female giraffe! The hour hands are just under 9ft long, and, sticking with the animal analogy, that’s roughly the same size as an ostrich!

The Ayrton light - The Elizabeth Tower has something called an Ayrton Light, which is essentially a giant lantern that lights up the clock faces when parliament is in session.
The bells don’t swing
You may think that the bells inside the Elizabeth Tower swing to make sound, but they’re actually fixed into place and struck from the outside by hammers.
It has survived a lot in its time

Big Ben has lived through many historical events but has always stood strong. The Commons Chamber was destroyed by German bombs in WWII, but the Elizabeth Tower suffered minimal damage and Big Ben never stopped chiming!

You can climb up the Elizabeth Tower
If you fancy a challenge, you can climb up Elizabeth Tower to get a unique look at the inside mechanisms and Big Ben itself – but it’s no mean feat! You’ll have to climb 292 steps to get to the clock faces, 42 more steps to where Big Ben hangs and a further 65 steps to get to the Ayrton light – that’s a total of 399 steps!

After 5 years of restoration works, the Elizabeth Tower is stunningly beautiful again.

# londres

15/07/2023

BIG BEN PART 1 *****Big Ben is a nickname
Although most people know this iconic landmark as Big Ben, this is actually the name of the bell in the tower – which weighs a whopping 13.7 tonnes! There are a lot of theories about where this name came from; one of them being that the bell was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the Chief Commissioner of Works, who was affectionately known as ‘Big Ben’.   
The tower itself was previously known as ‘The Clock Tower’, but in 2012 it was renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
The clock face is made from hundreds of individual pieces of glass
Every clock face is intricately made up of 324 pieces of pot opal glass, all held together with a cast iron frame. With four clockfaces on the tower, that’s a staggering 1,292 individual pieces of glass in total!
Big Ben was built 164 years ago
The Palace of Westminster was destroyed in a catastrophic fire in 1834 and parliament decided that they would build a new clock tower as part of the restoration works. They started building the tower in 1843 and finished in 1859, making the tower more than 160 years old.
It’s really tall - Elizabeth Tower is an astonishing 96 metres (just under 315ft) tall – that’s equivalent to 21 London buses stacked on top of each other!
Big Ben isn’t the only bell in the tower
Believe it or not, there are four smaller bells (known as quarter bells) alongside Big Ben, that are all played together to make its quintessential chime.Each bell makes a different musical note:
The first quarter bell plays a G, The second quarter bell plays a F #, Big Ben and the third quarter bell both play an E, The fourth quarter bell plays a B.
Big Ben itself chimes every hour alongside the quarter bells, and the quarter bells chime by themselves every 15 minutes.


# londres

06/07/2023

Art and Gallery lovers.
NY artist. Very interesting:

EMILY LOUGHLIN

Ceramic and Mixed-Media Sculpture by Artist Emily Loughlin

17/06/2023

The Transformative Power of Politeness and Respect:

Changing the World One Interaction at a Time❤️

In a world often plagued by conflicts, divisions, and misunderstandings, the significance of politeness and respect cannot be overstated. These simple yet profound values have the power to create positive change and foster harmonious relationships within societies. Politeness and respect transcend borders, cultures, and backgrounds, enabling individuals to connect, collaborate, and shape a better world together. By embracing these virtues, we can create a ripple effect that transcends individual interactions and spreads throughout communities and nations.

1. Fostering Understanding and Empathy:

Politeness and respect are the bedrock of effective communication and understanding. By approaching others with kindness and respect, we demonstrate a willingness to listen and learn from diverse perspectives. This paves the way for meaningful dialogue and enables us to bridge gaps between different cultures, ideologies, and worldviews. Through open conversations, we can dismantle stereotypes, challenge biases, and foster empathy, leading to a greater appreciation for the richness of human diversity.

2. Building Stronger Communities:

A polite and respectful society is one where individuals feel valued and included. When we treat others with dignity and consideration, we create an environment that fosters trust and cooperation. In such communities, people are more likely to support one another, work together towards common goals, and find innovative solutions to shared challenges. Politeness and respect contribute to the creation of safe spaces where everyone's voice is heard, and collective well-being is prioritized.

3. Cultivating Peaceful Conflict Resolution:

Conflicts and disagreements are inevitable in any human interaction, but how we address them can make all the difference. By approaching conflicts with politeness and respect, we encourage constructive dialogue and nonviolent resolution. Respectful communication allows us to express our views without belittling others and seek common ground based on shared values and interests. This approach reduces hostility, promotes compromise, and lays the foundation for sustainable peace-building efforts, both at interpersonal and international levels.

4. Inspiring Positive Role Models:

Politeness and respect have the power to inspire and influence others. When we embody these virtues in our interactions, we serve as role models for those around us, particularly the younger generation. Children and young people learn from observing how adults treat one another. By consistently modeling polite and respectful behavior, we empower future generations to carry forward these values and create a world where compassion, empathy, and understanding prevail.

5. Creating Lasting Change:

Although politeness and respect may seem like small gestures, their cumulative impact can be profound. Every interaction, no matter how brief, presents an opportunity to influence others positively. By treating others with kindness, we plant seeds of change that have the potential to grow and transform societies over time. Acts of politeness and respect can inspire a chain reaction, motivating others to embrace these values and contribute to a more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable world.

All in all, I firmly believe that Politeness and respect have the power to transcend boundaries and bring people together.
By practicing these virtues in our daily lives, and teach them to our kids and future generations, we can foster understanding, build stronger communities, resolve conflicts peacefully, inspire positive role models, and create lasting change. Each act of politeness and respect carries the potential to shape the world, one interaction at a time. Let us embrace these values and be catalysts for transformation, working together to build a world where empathy, compassion, and mutual respect thrive.

13/06/2023

3rd Michelin Star restaurant !

Moss, the restaurant at Iceland’s popular Blue Lagoon, was awarded a Michelin star in Turku, Finland yesterday.

08/06/2023

Tenute di Badia in Tuscany - brief history

In 1980 Argante Romani from the nearby town of Montecatini Terme acquired the property of the Farm, known as ”Estate of Badia (Pozzeveri)” : Tenute di Badia, indeed. Back then, it comprised two hundred hectares of land, a fully operating but not-so-up-to-date Wine Cellar and a number of different ancient buildings in different states of conservation. Our story begins here.

The ancient Church of Badia Pozzeveri and nearby burial site, located a couple of minutes of walk away from the Tenute, are now object of study. Organized by the University of Pisa, the archeologic excavation site involves researches and doctorate students from different Countries. 

Learn more about them at (copy and paste on your browser
https://www.tenutedibadia.it/?lang=en

Thank you to the Romani family for such an interesting, welcoming and happy visit. The meal andcthe wine added to the experience.

24/05/2023

And i was their Tour Manager !

Traveling with my best friends is one of my favorite ways to see the world. We recently explored Switzerland and had an incredible time.

21/05/2023

This is a trip very close to my heart.
Come join me !

14/05/2023

04/05/2023

Soccer in Italy is almost a religion. Being Italian is synonymous with being a soccer fan in Italy. Soccer seems to be everywhere.
Soccer began in Italy in 1898 when the first official soccer matches were held. These were regional games and there was no national championship event. In 1929 the first national championships were played in Italy and the Italian Football Federation ruled over the games. This was the beginning of the Serie A League.

Serie A is the top division of the Italian soccer leagues. Most consider Serie A the most elite and the best in the world. Beneath it are the other leagues including Serie B, Serie C1, Serie D and Eccelenza. The Serie A League consists of 20 teams. Each team must play all of the other teams twice, once in the home stadium and once in the opponent's stadium. A total of 38 games are played in a season which begins at the end of August and the last regular season game is played in May.

Italian soccer fans are called tifosi and I got to experience firsthand what it is like to be part of that group. When I was in Siena I decided on a whim to attend a soccer game, after I heard all this noise and saw all these crowds behind my hotel. I inquired about the price of a ticket and was surprised that it was only eight euros so I bought one and went in. Siena was in Serie B at that time but in the next season it moved up to the elite Serie A. I found a seat in the bleachers and was surrounded by boisterous tifosi, both male and female.

It was nothing like an American football game because here in this relatively small stadium with a capacity of just over 15,000, fans cheered, booed, cursed and stomped their feet for every single play. They were yelling in Italian at the players and were completely involved the entire time. I loved it and found myself nodding in agreement and stomping my feet on the aluminum bleachers just like everyone else. The energy was electrifying. I loved the experience, despite not knowing anything about the team or the players. I could understand why this sport, called calcio in Italian, is such a big deal. Everyone should have this experience while traveling to Italy.

Bravo Napoli ! Champions 2023.

04/05/2023

🟡 EARTHQUAKE SWARM AT KATLA - AVIATION COLOUR CODE RAISED TO YELLOW 🟡

This morning an earthquake swarm started at Katla. The two largest earthquakes were a M4.5 at 09:46 and a M4.8 at 09:52.

Following the swarm, Veðurstofa (Icelandic Met Office) raised the aviation colour code for Katla from green to yellow, which is done every time monitoring stations are recording activity above background levels.

There's no sign of an imminent eruption at the moment or imminent jökulhlaup (glacier flood). Volcanic tremor is low.

It's anyway advised to not get close to Kötlujökull given the slight increase of gas emissions and water runoff in Múlakvísl. At the moment data are still being processed.

I'll post more info regarding the swarm and the situation on Katla later.

In the pics: the location of the earthquakes (top pic) and the aviation colour code raised to yellow (bottom pic).
Images credit: © Veðurstofa Íslands

04/05/2023

Hjörleifshöfði & Yoda Cave

For history explorers and travel enthusiasts, Hjörleifshöfði cave is a perfect place to visit. The cave is located in Hjörleifshöfði mountain, and is often called the Yoda Cave. The cave wasn’t well known until the Hollywood movie Star Wars Rougue one was filmed there. You can find unique caves all around Iceland, but this one is special for its shape and the views that you get when standing inside and watching the surrounding area through the opening of the cave. It is simply breath-taking.

The Yoda Cave is large with intense echoing and in a very unique form. If you have watched the Star Wars movie, you can see that you will recognize the cave’s opening as soon as you arrive. 

Named after Hjörleifur, the famous settler of Iceland’s History, the cave is located on the south coast of Iceland. With the panoramic view of hills, caves, and fields, this place will amaze you. Also known as the cape of Hjörleifur, the Hjorleifshofdi cave is a 221 meters giant rock made of volcanic eruptions during an ice age. You will find historical trails to cover around the cave that will give you a glimpse of beautiful fields. Standing tall majestically, this historical promontory attracts locals as well as other travelers. You can capture the magnificent view of huge rock standing above black sand in your camera. 

This cave in Hjorleifshofdi mountain was featured in the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in the film's opening scene. You might recognize the area as Jyn Erso's hiding spot on the planet Lah'mu.

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU !


one

04/05/2023

The Basilica di Santa Croce or ‘Basilica of the Holy Cross’ is a medieval church in Florence, Italy, most well known for its beautiful decoration and its status as the burial site of many of Florence’s most famous individuals. As such, today the Basilica di Santa Croce is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Historic Florence.

Constructed around 1294 in marshlands originally outside the city walls, the Basilica di Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world. The church replaced an earlier building and was paid for by the city’s wealthiest families.

Although designed to reflect the austere lifestyle of Franciscans, the Basilica di Santa Croce has 16 chapels, each of which was ornately decorated. Amongst those who contributed to the splendour of this church was the artist Giotto di Bondone, whose frescos can be seen throughout and include the 14th century Ca****la Bardi Frescos. The architect and designer of the famous duomo of Florence Cathedral, Filippo Brunelleschi, also left his mark on this site in the form of the domed chapel, Ca****la de’ Pazzi.

The Florentines whose tombs lie within the Basilica di Santa Croce are a mix of prominent artists and philosophers such as the Michelangelo, who was known as a painter and sculptor and also as an engineer and architect. Philosopher and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, whose works included ‘The Prince’ and ‘The Art of War’, is also buried here as is the astronomer and philosopher, Galileo Galilei.

02/05/2023

With over 400 bridges crossing the canals of Venice, you'd have to be a local to visit them all. But if you're looking for the best ones to see on your next trip, the Bridge of Sighs surely makes the list. Called the Ponte dei Sospiri by locals, this iconic landmark was built in the year 1600 and connects the Doge's Palace to the historic prison across the canal.

Even though it has a dark history and was used to transport prisoners, today, it's easily considered one of the most romantic places in Venice, which is no small feat in a city as idyllic as La Serenissima. It's tradition to kiss your loved one on a gondola ride while passing under the Bridge of Sighs; just don't expect it to be an intimate moment since most tourists have the same idea.

Prisoners that were tried in Venice were initially held in the underground prison chambers inside the Doge's Palace (the most famous one being Casanova). As the number of prisoners grew, the prison was expanded to a building across the canal named the New Prison, and the Bridge of Sighs was constructed to shuttle passengers directly from their trial into their cells.

According to legend, the name of the bridge comes from the sighs of prisoners who crossed the bridge on the way to their prison cells or the ex*****on chamber, catching their last glimpses of Venice through the tiny windows. The bridge and its unforgettable name became particularly famous after Romantic poet Lord Byron referenced it in his 1812 book "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," writing, "I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs; a palace and a prison on each hand".

The highly ornamental bridge is made of white limestone from Istria in modern-day Croatia, which is typical of most buildings built in Venice during the Renaissance. The architect, Antonio Contino, was the nephew and apprentice of Antonio da Ponte, who designed what is arguably Venice's most famous overpass, the Rialto Bridge.

The arched bridge isn't open air like many of the bridges in the city, and there are just two small rectangular windows with a lattice-like screen. Inside, a stone wall divides the interior into two narrow hallways, so prisoners who were entering and leaving could nev