Category: Europe

Dublin selected as European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024

Posted on by Jonny Blair

In a resounding acknowledgment of Dublin’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and cultural richness, the European Commission has selected the Irish capital as the European Capital of Smart Tourism for the year 2024. The decision, announced after a European Jury meeting in Brussels in late November 2023, marks a significant milestone for Dublin and positions it Read more about Dublin selected as European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024[…]

Backpacking In Scandinavia: My Highlights From My Trips There

Backpacking In Scandinavia: My Highlights From My Trips There

Posted on by Jonny Blair

In total, I have been to Scandinavia on 6 different trips, swallowing Sweden (7 times), Denmark (6 times), Finland once, Norway once, Iceland once, Faroe Islands once as well as the lesser recognised Christiania and Ladonia! It was mostly in snow, and with a real winter beauty! There are lots of options for travelling in Read more about Backpacking In Scandinavia: My Highlights From My Trips There[…]

Backpacking In Belgium: How To Get From Brussels To Charleroi Airport

Backpacking In Belgium🇧🇪: How To Get From Brussels To Charleroi Airport✈️🛫🧳🛬

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Backpacking In Belgium: How To Get From Brussels To Charleroi Airport I have visited Belgium five times now, having first backpacked it in 2007. However it wasn’t until 2023 that I first had a flight out of Charleroi Airport. On other adventures, I was in Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and some small border villages with Read more about Backpacking In Belgium🇧🇪: How To Get From Brussels To Charleroi Airport✈️🛫🧳🛬[…]

Backpacking In Guinea Bissau: My Stay At The Pensao Creola Hostel, Bissau

Backpacking In Guinea Bissau🇬🇼: My Stay At The Pensao Creola, The Best Hostel In Bissau

Posted on by Jonny Blair

After getting my visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau, I was ready to explore this smaller African country. Guinea-Bissau houses just over 2 million people, and its capital city, the eponymous Bissau houses a huge 500,000 of that. However, when backpacking in Bissau, it feels like a calm over-sized town. On Christmas Eve 2023, particularly, the Read more about Backpacking In Guinea Bissau🇬🇼: My Stay At The Pensao Creola, The Best Hostel In Bissau[…]

Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️“Move closer; set my mind in fire” – Tim Wheeler. You know the drill when you grow up in the outside-monikered country called “troubled Northern Ireland”. You’re asked where you’re from and you tell everyone “I’m from Northern Ireland”. At least I did, I made a point Read more about Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️[…]

My Visit To The Home Of Football: Sheffield FC, England (Formed 1857)

My Visit To The Home🏠Of Football⚽: Sheffield FC🔴⚫, England (Formed 1857)

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“It’s coming home. It’s coming. Football’s coming home” – The Lightning Seeds. Sheffield FC are widely regarded as the oldest club in world football that have been continuously playing. They were formed in 1857 and as much as I hate FIFA, they are the governing body of world football and they recognise Sheffield FC as the world’s Read more about My Visit To The Home🏠Of Football⚽: Sheffield FC🔴⚫, England (Formed 1857)[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness At England's First Self-Service Bar

Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness⚫⚪☘️🍺At Autobrew England’s🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿First Self-Service Bar

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“You come in on your own and you leave on your own” – Richard Ashcroft. My latest trip back to England threw up undoubtedly more surprises than my backpacking glory days in that country. I spent a few days back in Birmingham. It’s a city I’ve been to many times of course, mostly to visit Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness⚫⚪☘️🍺At Autobrew England’s🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿First Self-Service Bar[…]

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 AFC Bournemouth (17th March 2004) at Hillsborough

My Twenty Season Gap From Sheffield: A Football Return

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“The air coming up to the boil; rubbing up against walls and lamp-posts trying to get rid of it. Old women clack their tongues in the shade of crumbling concrete bus shelters” – Jarvis Cocker (Pulp – Sheffield: Sex City). Sheffield FC are widely regarded as the oldest club in world football that have been Read more about My Twenty Season Gap From Sheffield: A Football Return[…]