Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.CultureThe culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding one’s head means ‘no’ where as shaking the head means ‘yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers aren’t much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers don’t have to… Continue reading
Holiday Checklist Preparing for a holiday can be a stressful affair, often beginning months before you depart for a warmer and less stressful environment. However, for a week or two’s relaxation the months prior can make you want to pull your hair out and strangle the kids! (If you are fortunate enough to have little angels of your own…). With the help of this guide and a few useful links I will make the run-up to your perfect getaway just as perfect. Airport ParkingAirport parking is possibly the first thing you should organise once the trip is booked. Booking in advance can save you up to 60% off the price on the day. For example at Heathrow Airport, the gate price for 14 days parking in August starts… Continue reading
Perhaps one of the most common misconceptions about Brazil is that Brazilians speak Spanish and a sure fire way to get off on the wrong foot in Brazil is to assume just this and start jabbering away in your best GCSE Espanhol to that seemingly friendly immigration officer. They may be able to understand what you say, but that doesn’t mean that they will be pleased, or grant you with the stamp in your passport you had been hoping for.
Brazilians will joke that foreigners will go as far as to believe that Buenos Aires is the capital of Brazil. However, when you take into account that the rivalry between Brazil and Argentina is akin to that between France and England, you begin to realize that this is in… Continue reading
