Puerto Rico Accommodation doesn't start and end with resort hotels

One of the things that really struck me when I visited Puerto Rico a couple of years ago were the number of resort hotels where people were able to completely isolate themselves from the island and the islanders.

Staying for 6 weeks in San Juan and traveling around the island at weekends, we found Puerto Rican's to be unfailingly polite, courteous and friendly, and to have missed that experience would have made the trip much less enjoyable.

Sure, Puerto Rico does have social problems and you do need to be careful. But staying in a big hotel resort where everything is provided and everything is safe is far too sterile an environment for me.

Read more about Puerto Rico accommodation

Levante v FC Barcelona

Barcelona play away tonight against Levante, a team which is new to the first division for this season. Given that they lack experience in the top division and Barcelona's gradual return to form (they beat Zaragoza 4-1 on Wednesday) this should be pretty much a walk over; but we'll see.

Next match is at home against Atletico de Madrid and some tickets are still available from the link below:

FC Barcelona Tickets

Improved quality of Turin Hotels ready for increase in tourism

Turin really is under developed as a tourist destination, but I'm sure that after the improvements in infrastructure, increase in the number of hotel rooms and better access from budget airlines, that situation won't last too long.

Although the city has a reputation for being industrial - it is true that it led Italy's post war renaissance with Fiat at its head - the centre of Turin is just as you imagine any Italian city, with squares, statues, trams and cobbles; the streets are arcaded and the people dressed like only Italians can.

As I mentioned before the number of hotel rooms has increased, with a number of big hotels opening over the last few years. Not only have new hotels opened though - older establishments have upgraded their facilities and many of the city centre hotels in particular really have come a long way. So my advice; spend a weekend in Turin by flying easyJet or Ryanair; stay in one of the central hotels like Hotel Amadeus; walk the streets, drink the espresso, indulge yourself.

Find out more about Turin Hotels.

Where to eat in London

I was recently over in London for a few days and as usual found myself in an Indian restaurant on Saturday night. Loads of people here in Barcelona ask me where they can eat well and cheaply in London, and my answer is always the same; Indian food.

Now many people assume that the food is always hot, and sometimes that certainly is true. But on the other hand dishes like tandoori, or mild chicken curry recipes lack the heat of chili but have plenty of flavour provided by the aromatic spices that are used in cooking them.

I went for a standard; chicken Madras with pilau rice which is (or can be) quite hot, and I wouldn't advise someone who doesn' t like heat to go for that. If you don't know what the mesnu is about, simply ask the waiters. They're usually very polite and will be able to advise on the strength of perticular items on the menu. And remember, water is the worst thing to cool your mouth down with!

Learn Spanish - Like Crazy

Learning Spanish Like Crazy is the name of an impressive home study course that helps get you speaking Spanish fluently in 3 months. The focus is using language like it is used in real life, rather than the overly correct - and overly complicated - official grammar.

Museo Egizio Turin

Turin's Egyption Museum, the Museo Egizio Turin, is one of the top Egyption Museums in the world with a comprehensive collection that is second only to Cairo's museum. Housed on 3 floors, the museum displays many different artifacts, including mummies and other antiquities recovered from the pyramids.
Read more about the Turin Egyption Museum

Turin's car museum

The Turin car museum, or Museo dell' Automobile, is one of the biggest displays of cars in the world with 170 models on display. It charts the city's progress as the centre of Italy's motor industry, responsible for much of the post-war economic development for Italy. The museum has some real beauties, including vintage Fiats and as well as long dead manufacturers and also includes some F1 Grand Prix cars.

All in all well worth a visit.