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Skiing in Madonna di Campiglio, Trentino
I recently went on a skiing holiday in Madonna di Campiglio, a village and ski resort in Trentino, in Northern Italy. This was my second skiing holiday in Italy. I had previously gone skiing in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town and ski resort in Veneto, due to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics (together with Milan). Trentino is renowned for its mountains, such as the Dolomites, which are part of the Alps. It is one of the two autonomous provinces of Italy. The other one is the neighbouring South Tyrol, officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), an autonomous region…
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23 Japanese books to read in 2023
World Book Day 2023 will be on 2 March 2023. To mark the occasion, I have compiled this list of 23 Japanese books to read in 2023. A fan of Japan (a country that I am yet to visit) and literature, I have read quite a few Japanese books in the recent years. A year ago, I joined the Virtual Book Club: Japanese Literature on Meetup. This is a book discussion club that meets online once a month. Before each meeting, a Japanese book (that has been translated into English) has been selected for the attendees to read, whereas during the 90-minute meeting the attendees share their thoughts, impressions and reflections…
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Top 7 tips for a winter visit to Reykjavik
It all started a few months ago, when I attended an Icelandair-sponsored event in London. Iceland had already been on my bucket list for quite some time, but remained the only Nordic country (excluding the autonomous Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland Islands) I was yet to set foot to. In fact, I wanted (and still do) to visit the Land of Fire and Ice in the summer and go on a road trip around the country. Tempted, however, by an Icelandair promotional deal, I booked a 3-night round-trip to Reykjavik for mid-January, an ideal time to see the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights were spectacular – and my photos do…
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Beyond K-pop: the culture of South Korea
The recent increase in the global popularity of South Korean culture is commonly referred to as ‘K-wave’, ‘Korean wave’ or ‘Hallyu’. It’s been almost 3 years since ‘Parasite’, directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. This was a historical moment: ‘Parasite’ was the first South Korean film to have been nominated in these categories, as well as the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Since then, I have watched many more films from South Korea, a country that I’m yet to visit, and I have been slowly riding the ‘Korean wave’. Today, I’d like…
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7 international films I’ve watched in 2022
I have previously written about international films, including films nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film before 2020), my favourite Oscar, and films I’ve watched in film festivals. As another year is coming to an end, I have been reflecting on the films I’ve watched in the last 12 months. Of those, 7 were international. Before I further discuss those, I would like to note that I have borrowed the terminology used by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (best known around the world for its annual Academy Awards, a.k.a. “The Oscars”). So, ‘international’ refers to films in a…
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20 + 1 Greek sweets and desserts
I’ve always had a sweet tooth. Having grown up in Northern Greece, I’ve become an expert in (savouring) Greek sweets and desserts. In the last few years, I have often re-created those sweets and desserts from my homeland, though I am yet to become an expert in baking/making Greeks sweets and desserts. Here are some of the most iconic Greek sweets and desserts, with links to the recipes. Some of these recipes are mine, whereas some are by Akis Petretzikis, a Greek chef that I trust and follow. Μπουγάτσα (Bougatsa) Bougatsa is a pie made with phyllo pastry and typically served in the morning (breakfast or brunch). It is very…
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Italian cuisine: books and TV shows
As much as I love travelling to Italy, I love Italian cuisine. A tote bag that I bought in Rome says it all: ‘spritz, carbonara, tiramisu & amore’. Well… perhaps not all. There’s also pizza, gelato, panettone, pannacotta, coffee (un caffe shakerato per favore), wine, vitello tonnato (my new favourite), cacio e pepe, maritozzi, canolli… Just don’t let me get started… My love, as well as my knowledge of Italian cuisine, has grown not only through travelling and eating out, but also thanks to books and TV shows I’ve come across in the last few years. Italian cuisine: Fatto in casa da Benedetta Rossi It was when I visited Verona…
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Where to eat and drink in Rome
When I recently visited Rome, I spent most of my mornings following in Robert Langdon’s footsteps and visiting notable churches around the city. In the afternoon, I slowed down. I would first have a coffee, then a light lunch (followed by yet another coffee), whereas in the evening I had an aperitivo (a pre-meal drink) followed by dinner and gelato to end the day on a high note. Here are my recommendations about where to eat and drink in Rome: Breakfast Although I mostly had breakfast at the hotel where I stayed, I also had to try the maritozzi (cream-filled buns that Romans have for breakfast). The Pasticceria Regoli (on Via…
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Angels and Demons and Churches of Rome
I first visited Rome in 2003, a few months after the release of Madonna’s ‘American Life’. In ‘Nothing Fails’, the album’s third single, she’d sing ‘I’m not religious/But I feel so moved/Makes me wanna pray’. Back then, this lyric resonated with me, albeit only in part. Still a teenager, I wasn’t particularly interested in churches, so I headed to the Colosseum instead of the many churches of Rome I visited this year. I’m still not religious, though. In the words of Madonna, ‘I’d like to express my extreme point of view/I’m not Christian and I’m not a Jew’. During the last 19 years, however, a lot has changed. On a…
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9 Italian TV series to watch
I started watching Italian TV series last year, amidst the third (and longest) lockdown. In fact, I published the post ‘6 French and Italian crime series to watch’ in April 2021, a few days after we came out of lockdown. Since then, not only have I watched more Italian TV series, but I’ve also been fortunate to visit Italy. A few months ago, I went on a 10-day trip to Southern Italy. After landing in Bari, the capital and the largest city of Puglia, I visited the inland towns of Alberobello and Locorotondo, as well as the seaside Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. I then visited Matera, a city located…