Magical Matera

At long last here it is, my blog on the few days I spent in the wonderful city of Matera, in Basilicata.

After an anticipated wait around, my friend Helena and I boarded the plane at Stansted and headed to Naples, I was quite excited at the fact that when we arrived there was a sign with the words PARSONS written on it, I had never had a private transfer before! Although this did come at a price... 40 euros each later, we were feeling suddenly a lot lighter.

The view from our room.

We drove for roughly an hour before we were dropped in the heart of The Sassi, where we were greeted by smiling receptionists who guided us up winding steps so we didn't get lost trying to find the hotel; Hotel Sassi, and I am so glad they did! The hotel reception was tucked into the rock with an elevator to get there, and our room in a totally different area, a little room completely set into the Sassi, and the view was amazing.

As I had stated in my previous blogs, the reason we were here on this date is because of the spectacular Madonna Della Bruna Festival, and we had landed the night before, so despite being completely knackered, we wanted to explore, and was completely blown away by how active this untouched city really was. With arches wound with blue lights lining the roads, street sellers out in full glory and the bustling crowds created an amazing atmosphere, and it wasn't even the festival yet! After a good look around all of the different stalls, we decided that we most definitely had a crazy day ahead tomorrow and so headed back to the room for a good nights sleep.

Our room was incredibly unique, with high ceilings and everything made from rock, Hotel Sassi gives you an authentic cave stay experience, the room was comfortable and spacious, however there is a disadvantage in staying in a cave when its 35 degrees outside. It can get quite damp. Although at times in the night it could get quite chilly, being able to have a cool retreat during the hottest period of the day was a God send.

In the morning, we got up and ready and was greeted by the most glorious sunshine, we headed up to the hotel reception, also home to our breakfast bar, where fresh fruit, pastries, juices and what we could only explain as a sort of pizza and potatoey garlic bread was laid. We enjoyed our delicious traditional Italian breakfast with this stunning view...

Then it was time to get into the festival spirit, we walked under archways and cobbled steps into the main street / square where hundreds of people gathered in celebration, bands played and people dressed as knights rode gallant horses through the streets. We stopped at a quaint shop that sold pastries, drinks and gelato, for a traditional Italian ice-cream, very refreshing in the hot July sun! We then headed to a beautiful church, where the sacred statue of the Madonna stood. Here we watched a ceremony be performed, unfortunately but obviously all in
Italian, so we had no idea what was said! Although it was rather moving.

After this, the statue was taken via a magnificent horse drawn carriage up the long street to another church. In front of the carriage, lead the horses we had seen before in the square, and the band. The atmosphere was fantastic.

Once the statue had been placed there was a cool down period, in Matera they don't call their middle of the day break a siesta, but it is pretty much the same thing, shops started to shut for the hottest part of the day and people retreated back to their hotels and homes to relax, we did head back to our hotel, but not before grabbing a few pictures at an amazing picture hot spot. It looks like something from a film!

After some down time, we headed back to the main square where we grabbed a baguette and waited for all of the excitement to start again. In this time the Madonna statue had been placed on a magnificent float hand made by a local artist, made from papier-mâché and was being paraded down the street, it was approximately a 20 minute walk from the main square to the church the statue was in, however by float it took 3 hours for it to arrive because of the amount of people that blocked the roads in celebration, but it was worth the wait. The float was pulled by horses and stopped in the main square where Italian music played. it was then pulled to the first original church, where it circled three times before the statue was returned. It is then that the float is pushed down the hill to the main square where people shred the float apart as it is said that a piece will gain them good luck for the rest of the year. It was too dangerous to get close to the crowd however I plucked the picture above from Twitter a few hours later.

The festival ended with a huge firework display over the ravine at midnight. 

The day after the festival was our last full day in Matera and we decided that in the never ending Italian heat to walk the entire city- not the smartest thing to do in the height of summer, however it was totally worth it. This city has so much diversity; walk along the ravine and you get views that will blow your mind, sneak through the cobbled alleyways and discover cute churches and hidden homes. See the tucked away houses of the locals that used to live here and then head into the more tourist area where you could get your lunch time treats, and a piña colada.

The Sassi Ravine

Tomato pasta with crushed Senise peppers

After seeing nearly every site there was to see in Matera, we returned to our hotel where we freshened up, got dressed up and found a cute bar to sit outside, drink cocktails, eat Italian nibbles and chat. We then found a tucked away restaurant that was actually a converted cave, and ate delicious traditional rustic food. It was our last night in this beautiful city, and it definitely didn't disappoint.

We had a late flight home the next day, so we decided to spend the first half of the morning trying to find the train station... We were not prepared to pay another 45 euros to get back to the airport, so after a lot of pointing and hand communications we not only found the hotel but also managed to get us a train each to the airport for just 10 euros! So feeling pleased with ourselves, we headed out to a lovely restaurant and treated ourselves to a pizza each for lunch, and oh boy... Was it good! We also paid to go into an underground reservoir, which was located in the middle of the main square. What seemed like a pretty average thing to do, and mainly used as a time killer turned out to be really interesting, where we learnt more about the history of this magnificent city. So after stuffing ourselves with pizza and facts, we headed back to our hotel where we picked up our luggage, and sat out on the balcony for a few hours, sipping on fizzy orange juice and enjoying a good book before we had to get our train. I have to say it was probably one of the hardest places I had to tear myself away from...

Once on the train, we relaxed into our chairs and watched olive groves and rolling hills pass in the window. We talked over the amazing few days we had had and enjoyed the ride home. That was soon interrupted. This is me, I can't ever go away without at least one problem! Not understanding how strict the Italians were with their trains, we had stuck our bags on the seats as there wasn't much leg room, but what we gathered was the ticket officer came round, he asked for my ID and then when the next stop occurred gestured us off the train! We followed him, absolutely terrified on what was going to happen, he made us get on the front carriage, where he started talking to us in Italian - of course we didn't understand a word, and he didn't speak a word of English. Thank goodness there was a lady who realised what was happening, and clearly saw how terrified we were, she explained we would have to pay a fine as we had put our bags on the seat, but we would be allowed to still stay on the train... We paid the fine, and now absolutely broke, we sat squashed in our seats, bags at our feet, and almost silent like naughty school children!

Finally we got to the airport, I had never felt more relieved to get off a train in my life! We had a good look around duty free, grabbed a sandwich for dinner, and then boarded the plane as the sun set. It really was sad saying goodbye to Italy. Matera and its magical festival had satisfied a gap I had, having studied and learnt about this amazing city for nearly a year, it was amazing to finally be able to see it in the flesh. Somewhere I will be returning to, and somewhere I recommend you all to go!

See you on my next adventure,
Jadeene. x

Living like Kings on a Paupers Wage

On the 30th May it was James' birthday and hence the title we spent far to much money (well I did!) on an amazing weekend! He had no idea what I had planned when we caught the train from Kelvedon, just that we were going to have a fab day in London... 

So to start the day we headed to Camden, where straight away we were greeted with the craziness of the Mad Hatters Tea Party, placed on the egde of the curb charging £2 for a photograph. Don't worry I wouldn't disappoint... Best £2 I ever spent. 

Camden is beautiful in the sunshine, walk through the chatters of people and buskers along the river, head over the lock and down the cobble slope to lead you into the manic street food markets, my favourite part of Camden! Food from all over the world is placed at your finger tips with people handing you tasters as you walk through the bustling crowds, it is fantastic! We had the most delicious paella I have ever eaten.

 After the food, we looked around the markets, spent time in the sun listening to the most amazing busker and of course, found a bar to drink lots of cocktails! It was then time for the next surprise... The Hard Rock Cafe! It was, of course a 45 minute wait to sit inside but we were lucky enough with the weather so we decided to sit outside, we ordered two more cocktails and a plate of nachos to share for starters... Lets just say we didn't need much else after those nachos.

We also enjoyed a huge burger and two more cocktails at the inside bar, absolutely delicious, a little bit pricey, but with guitars and outfits on the wall from Jimi Hendrix and records from The Beatles, it is the ideal restaurant for a budding musician with a big appetite!

After The Hard Rock Cafe, it was time to head to James' next surprise. A quick trip on the Jubilee line and we arrived at Tower Bridge, we were going up The Shard! 72 floors later and we were looking 40 miles out of London, it was incredible.

We decided that as we were here, we would try out the Aquashard Bar, and let's just say it wasn't our best move ever... We got in the lift, (slightly hot and bothered by our busy day in London) with those in the fanciest suits and long evening dresses... OOPS! Once we were finally served at the bar, the bill nearly knocked us out at £32 for two drinks! I have to say though sipping champagne cocktails 32 floors above London wasn't the worst way to end an incredible day. It was then that I told James that we weren't in fact going home but that building you can see behind the champagne glass was in fact the hotel we were staying in... The Tower Bridge Hilton!

I really want to give you the background on this fantastic offer I experienced with Hilton as I really did hit the jackpot. When I originally booked, I managed to get one of their flash deals on a normal double room, at £140, however when I phoned to enquire about the cost of breakfast I nearly cried when they said it was £21.50 per person, they instead offered an upgrade on the room with breakfast included for just £20 each, so of course I agreed! When we arrived to check in, James still grinning from ear to ear the lady looked at us in surprise as she said "you have the best room in the hotel" and when we got up to the top floor and walked in we discovered why... 

This was the view that we had from our window, including the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in,  complimentary black forest gateau, a big tub and my name on the TV screen! James and I just looked at one another and laughed at how we did not belong in this room! The next morning we also had our breakfast inside the 'executive lounge' where you could only use your room key to get inside! We sat in a private breakfast bar with every type of breakfast imaginable, from smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, cheese and ham, pastries and cereals, they had everything, and whilst I tried to uphold the sophistication, neither James or myself could figure out how to work the toaster and James sat there eating nutella on bread. I don't think we are made for a posh lifestyle haha! 

The rain started as we were packing our things to leave the room, and reality came crushing down that it was back to college for James and back to mopping the bar floor for me the next morning. What a wonderful get away we had had, and I also reccommend  to any of you guys to experience The Shard's wonderful view, taste the food at the Hard Rock Cafe but mostly, try and sneak a deal The Hilton. I promise they will not disappoint!

See you on my next adventure,
Jadeene x

"Follow old Rafiki, he knows the way"

So I have been visiting London once again, this time a coach trip with my grandparents, cousin, little brother and my great gran who is nearly 90! It was time for my little brother of nearly 11 years to finally see the show that my grandparents have taken my cousin and I to see more times than I care to admit... The Lion King.

We boarded the coach at Colchester Train Station, another gloomy looking day- given my previous blog by the looks of things a day out with me just determines a rainy one. My Grandad being the tightest man I know also had a bad start to the day, the car parking machine didn't give him his 10p change and we all bought a packet of crisp from the vending machine at £1.00 a packet. The poor man was pleading poverty before we had even reached London!

We got dropped off and decided to head to Covent Garden for lunch, and a lunch it was! I had the biggest southern fried chicken, cheese and bacon burger with fries and slaw, nice and healthy! Oh and of course a glass of zinfandel. We then headed for the Covent Garden Jubilee Market Hall, where the boys picked up some sweets for the theatre in an old fashioned style Fry's shop, plus a few souvenirs and I bought an amazing candle which placed in front of a lamp just looks fantastic, although my photography does not do it justice sitting on my bed side with my little rose lights (which I may add, is also a Covent Garden purchase)

For those of you who haven't yet been to Covent Garden, I would reccomend an attempt when the weather is sunny, the markets are beautiful and in nice weather you also get to see all of the fantastic street performers, who decided not to brave the disgusting weather we were enduring! After we had finished around the market we made a slow walk over to the beautiful Lyceum Theatre just 5 minutes away. 

We were also super lucky with our seats, given the fact we had a nearly 90 year old lady with us, they swapped our seats so were in the Royal Circle, had extra leg room and was along the aisle. Thanks Nan!

I made sure my little brother was on the aisle seat, knowing that the animals would be walking past his eyes as that first neck tingling song 'The Cirle of Life' came on. His little face was gobsmacked as it started, and his eyes were everywhere as from every direction there was something incredible to look at. I absolutely sobbed just watching him, as I remember the first time I saw it. I know... I'm such a sap for all this stuff.  For those of you who haven't seen this incredible production, it is an absolute must see, with costumes so great that you forget your in a theatre seat and travel to Africa, locked in a story which will make you laugh, cry, sing-a-long and actually make you think a little about what is truley important in life. It's the perfect performance for any age or gender, and would recommend it to all.

See you on my next adventure, and Hakuna Matata!
Jadeene. x

Feeling Hungry? I've got just the place...

This past week I've been a bit of a spendthrift when it comes to food, dining out in what are now two of my new favourite restaurants to stop for lunch and a cheeky chinese inbetween the two, but let me tell you about these two little gems.

First up is The Oyster Bar located on the docks in West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, in which James and I headed last Sunday with hope that the summer weather we had that week would be following that day. It didn't. So we decided to have lunch here instead, and whilst the outside doesn't look too glamourous, the inside is incredble and far from your average fish and chip shop on the front! I would give you some pictures but even on this dismal Sunday afternoon it turned out we still had to book to get a seat and they were full for the day. Luckily in the grey cold outside there was outdoor seating available... Fabulous...

We still wanted to stay so I dug into a plate of the most fresh tasting plate of cockles I have ever tasted whilst James had a fancy prawn cocktail, then for mains James had classic fish and chips with mushy peas whilst I tried the king scallops and bacon salad. The food was fantastic.

And if you don't believe how good it is by the pictures or my word, take a look at their wall of fame, on the inside they have a list of all the famous people they have had tasting their food. I managed to get a quick snap shot whilst I was cueing to buy pots of cockles to take away, and yes that is Justin Timberlake on there! 

My other little discover came today after having lunch with friends at the Thatchers pub/restaurant located in Mount Bures, Suffolk. This lovely little village pub has a fantastic location, where outside seating looks over rolls of fields, and the modern yet classic interior makes you feel very at home.

The food was also amazing great hearty portions, and with a window seat what more could you want! I had delicious chicken and chorizo pasta with a creamy sauce and garlic bread, my friends had the biggest portion of fish and chips I've ever seen and we ate the whole lot.

For those of you who know me, I am a huge foodie, and absolutely love to both cook and eat! I am most definitely one of those saddos you see in the restaurant taking a picture of their frothy coffee or their food, but hey it makes for a good blog!

See you on my next adventure, 

Jadeene x