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Ancient kings, patron saints and unparalleled beauty – the Rock of Cashel brings together Ireland's long legacy and trademark stunning scenery. Silhouetted against the sky, rising above the lush green fields of the surrounding countryside, the Rock is home to over 1,000 years of history, right at the heart of Ireland's Ancient East. The Rock of Cashel is one of the wonders of the Emerald Isle; a truly wonderful place to visit and explore the history of this magical and spooky place with a very dark history. Found southwest of Dublin and northeast of Cork in mystical Irland is a hill known to the locals and to many around the world as The Rock of Cashel. Dripping in history and wonder it is on many to-do lists for those who visit Ireland. Thankfully because it is relatively distant from most places in Ireland the Rock of Cashel isn’t completely overrun by tourists - at least just yet. According to local legends, the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil's Bit, a mountain 20 miles north of Cashel. Local legend states that St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock's landing in Cashel. Although this mound or hill as it may be referred to where we find the Rock of Cashel has been here since the ice age - so sadly a nice idea about St Patrick but simply not true. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century. The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion. In 1101, the King of Munster, Muirchertach Ua Briain, donated his fortress on the Rock to the Church. The picturesque complex has a character of its own and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. Few remnants of the early structures survive; the majority of buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries. The oldest and tallest of the structure is the well-preserved Round Tower - 28 metres, or 90 feet. Its entrance is 12 feet from the ground, necessitated by a shallow foundation (about 3 feet) typical of round towers throughout Ireland - if you are curious what they are like from the top or to climb - do check out my video on Kilkenny where I climb the Round tower in Kilkenny Ireland. The tower was built using the dry stone method. Modern conservationists have filled in some of the Tower with mortar for safety reasons. The Cathedral, built between 1235 and 1270, is an aisleless building of a cruciform plan, having a central tower and terminating westwards in a massive residential castle. The Hall of the Vicars Choral was built in the 15th century. The vicar's choral were laymen (sometimes minor canons) appointed to assist in chanting the cathedral services. The Office of Public Works undertook the restoration of the Hall as a project in connection with the European Architectural Heritage Year, 1975. Through it, visitors now enter the site. In 1647, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Cashel was sacked by English Parliamentarian troops under Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. The Irish Confederate troops there were massacred, as were the Catholic clergy, including Theobald Stapleton. Inchiquin's troops looted or destroyed many important religious artefacts. In 1749, the main cathedral roof was removed by Arthur Price, the Anglican Archbishop of Cashel. Today, what remains of the Rock of Cashel has become a tourist attraction. Price's decision to remove the roof on what had been called the jewel among Irish church buildings was criticised before and since. The entire plateau on which the buildings and graveyard lie is walled. An extensive graveyard is to be found in the grounds around the buildings, including a number of high crosses. Scully's Cross, one of the largest and most famous high crosses here, initially constructed in 1867 to commemorate the Scully family, was destroyed in 1976 when lightning struck a metal rod that ran the length of the cross. The remains of the top of the cross now lie at the base of the cross adjacent to the rock wall. Cormac's Chapel, the chapel of King Cormac Mac Carthaigh, was begun in 1127 and consecrated in 1134. It is a sophisticated structure, with vaulted ceilings and wide arches, drawing on contemporary European architecture and infusing unique native elements. The Irish Abbot of Regensburg, Dirmicius of Regensburg, sent two of his carpenters to help in the work and the twin towers on either side of the junction of the nave and chancel are strongly suggestive of their Germanic influence, as this feature is otherwise unknown in Ireland. Other notable features of the building include a barrel-vaulted roof, a carved tympanum over both doorways, the magnificent north doorway and chancel arch and the oldest stairs in Ireland. It contains one of the best-preserved Irish frescoes from this time period. The Chapel was constructed primarily of sandstone which has become waterlogged over the centuries, significantly damaging the interior frescoes. Restoration and preservation required the chapel to be completely enclosed in a rain-proof structure with interior dehumidifiers to dry out the stone. It is now open for limited tours to the public. All in all, a beautiful and magical place to visit and in my mind should be added to everyone's itinerary when visiting the Emerald Isle. If you manage to visit it or have visited it previously let me know what you thought. The wonderful crows who call the Rock of Cashel their home make the trip worth it alone. Either take a road trip from Dublin or Cork or alternatively, stay in the area. When booking accommodation in Ireland and around the world I like to use Booking.com I am not sponsored by the Irish Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & Odysee. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas Odysee is for Free-Speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman #Ireland

If you haven't been to Asia and have thought about travelling there, the odds are that your first country to visit on the continent would be the usual suspects of Japan, South Korea, China, and even Singapore. But if you are a little more adventurous and up to the challenge of taking the road less travelled, Malaysia should definitely be placed on your shortlist of the first Asian countries to visit. It is a place brimming with diversity and with a food culture that has slowly garnered worldwide acclaim. This is partly made possible by the food heritage influence of various cultures like Malay, Chinese, Vietnamese, Javanese, and more. And let's not forget that Malaysia used to be a British colony. So you can find more than just a hint of western influence in the food culture. You only need to walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur to see and taste this with your own eyes and mouth. When people revisit Malaysia for the food, don't think for a moment that they are talking about the hamburgers in fast food chains, the steaks in restaurants, or the sashimi on display in a Japanese restaurant. It is "street food" that is all the buzz in this food paradise. Some of the infamous dishes include the delectable; Chay Kway Teow, the irrepressible Asam Laksa, and the national dish that is Nasi Lemak. It even has a dessert with an icy reputation that has spread far and wide all over the world in Cendol. There is something for everybody. If there is a particular dish that you somehow dislike, there's going to be something else nearby that would give your taste buds the pleasure it deserves. The dilemma is never about having nothing to delight your taste buds. It will be about whether you have enough space in the stomach to gobble down every delicious food you come across. Then there is the king of fruits that is famous in this part of the world. Either you like durians or find them repulsive. Many still love to consume them even when they loathe the aroma of this thorny-looking fruit. The good thing is that some of the best durians come from Malaysia. So you wouldn't be shortchanged by getting your durians here. They are cheaper, fresher, and have a wider range of variety available for patrons to select from. Malaysia is a hidden treasure of a travel destination in Asia. The people generally speak English, the exchange rate is very attractive to the US dollar, and the food culture is like a buffet on nuclear steroids. Those who love city life have Kuala Lumpur to explore and prowl. The most mesmerizing of rural tourist spots can be easily found just outside the city. It is definitely a country worth plotting into your shortlist of the next Asian country to visit. Book your flight today with WayAway and use the Promo code "WonderingEnglishman" to get 10% off "WayAway Plus" membership - an essential tool for booking cheap flights anywhere!

The Sauna is a living institution in Finland. It is said there are more than 3 million saunas for the 5.5 million people in Finland. That’s more than the total number of cars in Finland. The Finns I’ve met along the way tell me the Sauna is an expression of lifestyle in the family or is frequently used as a tool for business to improve client relations. For outsiders to Finnish culture, the Sauna may have only really been seen in their upmarket Gym or when staying at a nice hotel spa. The thought for most of having a Sauna at their home could feel alien to the majority of humans living on Earth. And yet the average family in Finland will have at least two saunas, one in town and one in the country cottage. You have to understand the Finns aren’t short of a few Bob; so having a cottage in the country is very common among its well educated, wealthy, homogenous population. To truly understand the Sauna and the Finnish culture of Sauna I tried my best to immerse myself in the experience when and where I found it in Finland. Although this wasn’t going to be too difficult as I found the Sauna to be everywhere I went. From the humble city apartment to the numerous hotels and public locations. The hardest part of trying to understand the Finnish culture of the sauna was breaking the ice with the average Finn who is infamous for being people who naturally socially distance well before there was any Pandemic and arent well known for small talk. Unless it’s a modern electric sauna - which is what you will find in all city apartments in Finland, the traditional sauna is heated with dry wood, Alder, Aspen, birch or even pine. In the old days heating the sauna used to be the work of women, but now it's generally the work of men and in Finnish tradition, a matter of honour to them. It is said that every Finnish man knows how to build “The best Sauna” and how to heat it and that of course, the best sauna is the sauna that he built himself. In Finland, it is said all saunas are different and if they have been individually made then each one is unique. However, there are various types of sauna and thankfully the best place in the world to experiment with the different types of sauna is of course in Finland. Smoke sauna Also called savasana or savu sauna, the smoke sauna is the oldest and most traditional type of Finnish sauna that has been used to be a thousand years. It is a log house with a big stove but no chimney, only some shutters (lakeinen) to let some of the smoke out. The sauna is heated for hours, once the room reaches the right temperature “the häkälöyly”, the fire is put out and the room is ventilated. The room is designed such that it is able to retain heat for quite some time after the fire is put out. The smoke will make the interior completely black. All shutters and the door is kept open to let the harmful fumes and carbon monoxide are able to get out. Wood burning sauna Also called a wood stove sauna, a wood-burning sauna works by burning wood in an oven which in turn, heats up stones that can retain and spread heat in the sauna room. Electric sauna The electric sauna is the most common type of sauna in Finland and works the same as a wood-burning sauna. The key difference is that the oven, or heating element, is powered by electricity rather than by burning wood. It was in the Lakelands of Finland where I really got to grips with the different array of saunas. Most notably at a destination called Revontuli - a resort that markets itself as a Northern Lights Resort. To get here I travelled up from the beautiful capital city of Helsinki to Jyvaskyla - you may have seen my video on Jyvaskyla before continuing further north-east to the Revontuli. It was here that the local Finns gave me insight into the Sauna culture as well as a place where I was able to sample 6 different saunas. From Smoke Saunas to Tent Saunas I got to see the pros and cons of each - visually the most impressive was a very special glasshouse sauna with a magnificent view of the sky above. The average Finnish family will aim to take a sauna about twice a week, and traditionally this has been on Wednesdays and on Saturdays. The sauna is the hottest place where people go voluntarily, with temperatures up to +90 C (+ 194 F). The heart of the sauna is the stove built of stones. The Finns call the steam“Löyly” that rises off the stove. The steam that rises off the stove when water is thrown on them is the spirit of the sauna. Up until the 19th-century men and women and children and the servants bathed together in the countryside, strict rules in the community prohibited any indecent behaviour. Sauna has been the secret weapon in the wars for the Finns – dugout saunas were built and bathing was mandatory in the army, also cutting the hair and cleaning the lice out of one´s hair while taking the sauna. “If there is time to fight, there is time to have a sauna” is the saying. The sauna is a good place to discuss differences of opinion on many matters, also political. In the sauna, everybody is equally naked as on the first day and in the sauna, the big and the small directors can get equal. President Kekkonen of Finland often discussed political matters in the sauna with his guests and during the days of the Soviet Union, it was common for the communist leaders to conduct meetings in the Sauna. The invitation to take a sauna with your Finnish hosts after an official negotiation is a gesture of hospitality. This is done to seal and celebrate a good contract agreed with both parties and to show mutual trust and friendship. This has been the tradition for several hundred years. In Finland’s Parliament House, there is a sauna for men and one for women. It’s common for corporations in Finland to have stylish and handsome saunas for the use of their executives and business guests. The employers´ unions and the trade unions meet in the sauna. The technology of the sauna has changed very little in the course of the centuries. The sauna is getting ready for the bathers. The sauna etiquette is all about respecting your fellow bather. When intending to throw water on the stove you always first ask the approval from other bathers and then after throwing inquire if more is needed and also ask the quality of the löyly. You stay in the löyly as long or as a short period of time as it feels good. There is no other rule in this behaviour. Löyly is an ancient Finnish word that is also used to mean the “soul of a human being” or the “soul of the sauna”. “Vasta – vihta” Birch twigs are bundled and bound together leaving the under part of the leaves on top. You softly beat this bunch - the vasta all over your body, starting from the head. It is a custom that you also provide the vasta treatment to the person next to you by beating his or her back as wished, especially if you are sitting next to an elderly person Tradition is no matter what the temperature outside - You go swimming in the lake or the sea - with or without ice - or if the ice is simply too thick in winter, you can roll in the snow to refresh yourself in between the löyly experience. When leaving the sauna, one adds firewood to the stove (if the stove is of the sort that is heated continuously) and fills the water buckets as a polite gesture for those coming to the sauna next. The best thing about the Sauna experience is the science that backs up the health implications of having a sauna. The heat immediately brings the blood pressure down and allows one to start relaxing. The heat and the steam open the pores and allow sweating. The heat relaxes muscles, the breathing gets slower and one feels good. The sensational shock of cold water or snow releases the stress-relieving hormones in a burst. You experience a tsunami of dopamine, endorphin, serotonin and all the healthy highs. The cold shock also boosts all the vitals in your body, your blood circulation and other fluids circulating inside you are rearranged. After the dip, you feel different and great. In the sauna you can disengage your mind from the outside world – the sauna experience can be like a mental rehearsal and a meditation - everything just feels better after a good Sauna session. To book a truly unique Finnish Sauna experience like I did. Check out Revontuli - The Northern Lights Resort. Either contact them direct or book via Booking.com. Have a wonderful time and think of this blogger as you sit there and unwind. I am not sponsored by the Finland Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please do check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & Odysee. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas Odysee is for Free-Speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please do click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman #Finland

Lapland & Helsinki are places most will be able to visualise without even having to visit. They are the lifeblood of the Finnish tourist industry due to their magnetic draw for the tourists that flock to Finland every year. Both are on either end of Finland - so far detached from each other that they are often only connected with connecting flights. Helsinki in the South and Lapland in the far North. And yet locals and those in the know will tell you that there is more to Finland than just the top and the bottom. If other countries in the world had the Lakelands of Finland to boast about, you would see adverts on every airport train, in every country around the world. And yet ask anyone outside of Finland, if they have heard of the Lakelands of Finland? Few will respond with a certain yes - most will look at you blankly. And yet ask a Finn where they like to holiday when they are staying in Finland - many will tell you about the Finland Lakelands. Although they will tell you about the Lakelands with hesitancy because they don’t want the whole world to know their little secret. I recently found myself exploring the Finland Lakelands. It’s an all-year-round destination depending on one's enthusiasm for the great outdoors. As the name suggests the land is full of lakes. In the winter these lakes are frozen over for at least 3-to 4 months of the year. The winter months offer Snowmobiling, snow walking and dogsledding adventures to name but some of the activities you could partake in while the summer months offer visitors extreme water sports to leisurely boating escapes. The further you venture from the major cities, towns and villages the more peaceful the surrounding nature appears to be. Although one must approach all nature with caution as this land is blessed or cursed (depending on your perspective) with randy Moose and shy but predatory wolves roaming the forests. As beautiful and unique as all these animals are, each would rather not bump into a lost tourist. So these graceful animals can stay hidden even for the beadiest eyes of nature hunters. I tried my best to not only experience as many activities as possible. From Snowmobiling to Dog Sledding but also I tried my best to understand the unique cities, towns and villages that cut through this region. Regular viewers of my YouTube Channel “The Wondering Englishman” will have witnessed many of these adventures unfold. In my latest adventure, I found myself exploring the city of Jyväskylä. Architects and fans of design have become regular visitors to this city over the years as it's considered a showcase for the now past Finnish designer - Alvar Aalto. Alva Aalto is loved by the Fins for his unique designs with food and this city offers up plenty of opportunities to try to understand what makes him so cherished. To get to Jyvaskyla I flew into Helsinki and then from there, I took a bus north. However, Jyvaskyla is a very well-connected city so it’s very easily accessed via Train also. To see what Train travel is like in Finland I’ll be showing that in a future video. So make sure you subscribe to gain access to that release. The city's most famous architect didn’t think much of what I liked the most in Jyväskylä. I very much enjoyed walking up the Harju steps which are to the north of the city, built-in 1925 and considered by Alva Aalto to go nowhere. Maybe true in his time but in the 21st century, these steps lead to a very fine view of the surrounding forests, the city and Finland's deepest lake (a favourite place for locals to ice skate on during the winter months). And as long as you venture up these steps from Tuesday to Sunday you will be able to gain access to central Finlands Natural History Museum and the City’s observation tower - Vesilinna. I think visitors to the city of Jyvaskyla should use it as a springboard to the many activities and sights that can be had on the outskirts of the city. The city can be blitzed in a day so can either be used to connect the dots of Finland or as a base to take in the surrounding Lakelands throughout the forever-changing months of the year. Jyväskylä is going to be very different in peak summer from what you see in peak winter. The long days where the sun barely sets with a vibrant free population that isn’t constrained will certainly be of a very different vibe to what I witnessed while Finland was suffering under draconian curfew measures imposed by its WEF-endorsed government. While I was in Jyväskylä I stayed at the Solo Sokos Hotel PavilJonki - an incredibly comfortable room with all the amenities one could ask for including a fantastic breakfast that set me up for the day to explore the sights and sounds of Jyväskylä. Although Jyväskylä has many fine hotels and apartments to suit someone from all budgets. Jyväskylä is best known amongst rally enthusiasts for hosting the Finnish stage of the world rally championships. When the petrolheads invade Jyväskylä in the summer months I’m told the dynamics of the town change dramatically. Not only do visitors encounter more roaring cars parked outside the numerous hotels where rally parties can go onto the early hours. The place comes to life further with music festivals in the surrounding areas. My hope is visitors to Finland will discover Jyväskylä before it makes the news for other reasons. With the recent Ukraine conflict, It got me thinking that should the Fins ever enter a conflict with the Russians again - expect Jyväskylä to make its presence known on the world stage as it hosts the headquarters of the Finnish Air Force. Let’s hope that time never comes! Before leaving Jyväskylä I found myself taking in the small island of Haapasaari just to the east of the city centre. On this island are some incredibly old saunas from the modern to the incredibly old. The Island even has a Sauna Monument on the top of the hill is that devoted to the Sauna. I found it an incredibly beautiful place to watch the sun go down and reflect on all I had seen lately. Post sunset I recommend eating at the only restaurant on the island called Savutuvan Apaja Oy. Here I was introduced to some relaxing Yoga which I have to say enabled my mind to drift and reflect. I hope I get to return to Jyväskylä in the summer months - if you do before I do - let me know how it was. I'm certain it will be enjoyable and worth anyone's time of day. I am not sponsored by the Finland Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please do check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & Odysee. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas Odysee is for Free-Speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman #Finland #Travel

I recently found myself visiting the centre of Finland during peak winter when snowfall was at its most fluffy and dense. And the outside temperatures consistently remained below zero degrees celsius. As one moves closer and closer to the arctic circle the snowmobile becomes more and more of a common sight. It’s a machine you would never see in the Caribbean but that’s OK they have their jetskis. Whereas the Northmen of Europe & North America have their snowmobiles. 7km from the centre of Jämsä, located on the waterfront of Lake Patalathi which connects to Finland's deepest lake - Lake Patalathi. I found myself kitting up in a 1 piece snowsuit that would protect me from the freezing elements but also should the crash my snowmobile and it blows up while I’m on (this is very unlikely to happen but it’s always best to be prepared)! Once I had my helmet and gloves on I was ready to explore the frozen lakes and forests that surround Himos. A winter resort known for its ski slopes in the winter months and buzzing music festivals in the summer months. A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not require a road or trail, but most are driven on open terrain or trails. Snowmobiling is a sport that many people have taken on as a serious hobby in recent years. Snowmobiles do not have any enclosures, except for a windshield, and their engines normally drive a continuous track at the rear. Skis at the front provide directional control. Early snowmobiles used simple rubber tracks, but modern snowmobiles' tracks are usually made of a kevlar composite construction. It was only in the second half of the 20th century that saw the rise of recreational snowmobiling, Over the years riders have been called snowmobilers, sledders, or sled necks. Recreational riding is known as snowcross/racing, trail riding, freestyle, boondocking, ditch banging and grass drags. In the summertime, snowmobilers can drag race on grass, asphalt strips, or even across the water. Snowmobiles are sometimes modified to compete in long-distance off-road races. The Snowmobile greatly changed life in northern communities, especially North America's isolated communities, but also northern Scandinavian communities where Ski-Doo replaced sled dogs by the end of the 1960s. Although Sled Dogs are still used they are just much less common and are generally used for racing and sentimental reasons (check out my Husky Racing Video if curious about that experience). The Snowmobile also greatly improved communication between isolated communities. Snowmobiles are also called "Snow Machines” in some areas of Alaska. As a result of their inherent manoeuvrability, acceleration, and high-speed abilities, skill and physical strength are both required to operate a snowmobile. Snowmobile injuries and fatalities are high compared to those caused by on-road motor vehicle traffic. Losing control of a snowmobile could easily cause extensive damage, injury, or death. One such cause of snowmobile accidents is loss of control from a loose grip. If the rider falls off, the loss of control can easily result in the snowmobile colliding with a nearby object, such as a rock or tree. Most snowmobiles are fitted with a cord connected to a kill switch, which would stop the snowmobile if the rider falls off; however, not all riders use this device every time they operate a snowmobile. However, both snowmobile tours I experienced in my time in Finland (Himos Ski Resort & Tahko Ski Resort) encouraged the use of the kill switch and provided extensive training on how to use the machines even if the riders had ridden before. A common mistake for many riders is being a little too confident while bombing along the powdery trails - one could get a little too excited and lean badly or swerve off of the path. Which could result in rolling the snowmobile or crashing into an obstacle. In unfamiliar areas, riders may crash into suspended barbed wire or haywire fences at high speeds. Each year a number of serious or fatal accidents are caused by these factors. In my time in Finland I made one mistake - I tipped my snowmobile while riding in the Tahko Ski Resort - this caused the snowmobile to turn on its left side - which in turn broke the windshield. Thankfully it only set me back 30 euros at the end of the ride to repair but more costly mistakes could cost the rider north of 1000 euros if they manage to destroy their machine. Something that happens at least once a season with at least one rider no matter on the resort. While I was snowmobiling I managed to get mine up to 80kmph - one wrong turn or a clip of a hidden rock could have ended with disaster; so I don’t recommend pushing the machines to the limit (as they can go way past 100kmph with ease). Each year all over the world, riders are killed by hitting other snowmobiles, automobiles, pedestrians, rocks, trees, or fences, or falling through thin ice. As long as you are aware of the dangers you will approach with caution and respect the trails ahead. Collision with large animals such as moose and deer, which may venture onto a snowmobile trail, is another major cause of snowmobile accidents. Most often such encounters occur at night or in low-visibility conditions when the animal could not be seen in time to prevent a collision. Also even when successful, a sudden manoeuvre to miss hitting the animal could still result in the operator losing control of the snowmobile. Risks can be reduced through education, proper training, appropriate gear, attention to published avalanche warnings and avoiding drinking alcohol. It is recommended that snowmobile riders wear a helmet and snowmobile suits. And thankfully with all this information and amazing tour guides at your disposal either in Himos Ski Resort or the Tahko Ski Resort you are going to have a good time! If you are curious about my ride at the Himos Ski Resort - check out the video that I made for my YouTube Channel “The Wondering Englishman” - titled - “Snowmobiling on the deepest frozen lake in Finland - Päijänne Lake - Himos Finland”. To Snowmobile in either Himos Ski Resort or Tahko Ski Resort, I would advise flying into Helsinki Airport and then either taking the Train north or renting a car. The trains are extremely well priced and incredibly comfortable in Finland. In peak winter a car though will give you the freedom to get about it can be fairly difficult driving when the snow is coming down blizzard style. Either way if you have ever wondered what Snowmobiling is like - Finland is as good a place as any if not better to try it out for yourself. Highly recommended and worthy of your time! I am not sponsored by the Finland Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please do check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & Odysee. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas Odysee is for Free-Speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please do click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman #Finland #WinterBreak #Snow #Travel

Like many people on this planet, I’ve spent my life around dogs. From the largest (Great Danes) to the smallest (Chiwawa’s and Pomeranians) to an array of many in between. And yet despite always considering them man’s best friend and always being the greatest of company. I always felt it was I, that was doing work for them. I would take them for a walk, I would get them breakfast and dinner, I would fill their bowl up with water and I would bathe and groom them. The gun dogs never seemed to be working gun dogs and the Jack Russell never seemed capable of ratting. The ex-police dog was retired way before I met him as he probably didn’t have the killer instinct and the rest of the dog pack over the years lived a dog's life. And rightly so - they are domestic dogs and have no reason to worry about mortgages or paying one’s way in life. And yet it wasn’t until my recent encounter with a pack of dogs did I finally see what real working dogs were like. The Cocker Spaniel that collects the dead duck for the hunters - while impressive how gently he brings the limp bird back and holds it in his mouth. Is if you would admit purely novelty value and work the human beaters could easily do if they were being honest with themselves. Truly impressive working dogs come in the form of Siberian Huskies. And it was on a recent adventure in the Lake lands of central Finland did I discover how wonderful these working dogs truly are. Some 3 hours north of Helsinki is a working kennel where some of the finest racing dogs have lived and worked over the years. International competitions in dog racing have been won because of the grit and determination that has gone on at these Finnish kennels in central Finland. And it was here that I would come to meet dozens and dozens of Siberian Huskies who were all gagging for the opportunity to pull their dog sledge while I or others experienced the delights of dog racing for the first time in our lives. I arrived at Mc Ahon Kennel which is near the town of Jämsä, a town between Tampere and Jyväskylä city. Due to its geographical location, this part of Finland is covered in snow for a sizeable amount of time - which makes it perfect for those wishing to enjoy an array of snow activities. However, today I wanted to experience the delights of being pulled as fast as possible by some very excited Siberian Huskies. I’m very conscious about the welfare of animals and I like to think I’m well tuned in to animals to sense if they are happy or sad and I can safely say with confidence that all the huskies I saw at Mc Ahon Kennel were in fine shape and extremely happy dogs. They were clearly well-fed, exercised a lot and were well looked after. Huskies can withstand temperatures of -70c so when I found them they were chilling out in the snow by the kennels very comfortably when the temperature was just under zero celsius. Depending on the package you opt for will depend on how long you get to take the husky pack out with your traditional Finnish sleigh, which will most likely be covered in reindeer pelts to keep you warm when the sun vanishes and the icy wind picks up. Thankfully the day I was there I had the weather on my side so it really didn’t feel that cold. The key to staying warm anywhere is always plenty of layers and decent thermals and on the day I was there sliding around the ice, I certainly wasn’t shy about wearing as many layers as possible so to maximise the enjoyment for the day. I only had a small taster of what Siberian Huskies were capable of, but should I want to take them for a longer excursion in the future, this option would be available direct with Mc Ahon Kennels. If you are curious what my day with the Siberian Huskies was like, do check out my video which is available on YouTube and Odysee. To get to the Lake Lands of Finland so that you may personally go Husky racing - I recommend flying into Helsinki. Most of Europe's major airlines fly to Finland and if they don't you can get a connecting flight somewhere in Europe if you are flying from outside Europe. You are of course more than likely to be able to pick up a good deal if planned ahead. Kayak, Google Flights and Skyscanner should be the go-to websites for searching for the best flight deals. In my personal experience, my favourite place to go for European flight deals is Skyscanner. For some reason, Skyscanner works best when searching for European Flights over any of its rivals. If you are tempted to stay for a few days in the area, you could stay in one of the hotels, or Airbnbs that can be found depending on the season. Over the years, I've had the fortune to stay in an array of hotels, apartments and various forms of accommodation while travelling. For the majority of travellers, I recommend Booking.com - yes there are hotel comparison websites such as Trivago and Kayak. However, from my years of travel experience, I've discovered both of these comparison websites do not have all the hotels, hostels and apartments listed. The reasons behind this could be some premises simply do not pay the comparison sights a fee or the reason could be something else. If you know of the reason do leave a comment below. However, I have discovered no matter what the location Booking.com will 9/10ths of the time have the most competitive deal and generally the most choice. However, if you are super keen to get the best deal- use Booking.com, Kayak, Trivago, Lastminute.com and Hotels.com in separate browser windows. A big thank you to: Mc Ahon Safari, Makiahontie 20, 42100 Jamsa, Finland Written by Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman If Huskies aren't your thing - maybe try Snowmobiling - Check out this article #Finland

We love our homes and the furniture in our homes however we love our babies far more and we of course want to protect them as they learn to walk and run. The last thing any parent wants is for your little prince or princess to bash their eye out on the corner of your beautiful coffee table or kitchen table. The solution could be to rid your house of every sharp edge and corner for a couple of years where their balance isn't so good however we know this isn't possible. The best solution for any home with a new baby unsteady on his or her feet are corner guards. These not only protect your bundle of joy but also protect that furniture that will hopefully last your beautiful home for years to come. So what are the best Corner Guards that money can buy? 1) - Large Corner Guards Protectors - Pack of 14 What I love about these Guard Protectors is the fact that they don't destroy the look of the furniture on top of this they are extremely difficult to remove which means little Johnny can't take them off and risk swallowing them. A risk many cheap corner guards come with is the risk of swallow or simply being removed and then not being there when needed. The soft-touch reduces the risk of any head injury and the transparent look to them enables them to blend in meaning that elegant worktop still holds its beauty. The beauty, the incredible low cost, and the functionality make these the number 1 corner guards at least in my mind. Available on Amazon. £4.49 (Pack of 14) 2) - Canwn Foam Proofing child Safety Corner Protectors These traditional corner guards have high-density foam, which better absorbs impact, and is loaded with adhesive so they stay in place. The material is non-toxic and the design offers full coverage of sharp corners. They also come in three colors: white, brown and black. Canwn safety corner protector is made of healthy and eco-friendly soft NBR material and 100% non-toxic and no smell which will let your baby and child live healthier and safer. Available on Amazon. £8.49 - £9.49 (Pack of 8) 3) - FiveSeasonStuff Table Foam Corner Protectors These thick and soft foam corner protectors provides great protection for your little ones. A fantastic product for reducing impact injury. They fit perfectly on various desktops and can be used in wood, glass, aluminum alloy, ceramic tile, marble, metal, cement, etc. furniture. They report to have anti-tear fiber layer - I tried personally ripping one up and it was nigh on impossible - I think I need to eat more spinach! With a very Secure and Easy Installation like all of these protectors it comes with a strong adhesive, strong enough to stay on but gentle enough to come off and not damage furniture. What is different abut these is just how many colours are available - think of a colour and they probably have that range for you! Available on Amazon. £7.98 - £12.98 depending on colour (Pack of 12)

To someone not from Ukraine or possibly eastern Europe - the name Zhytomyr conjures up images (at least for me) of a city from another planet. The name, at least before I had visited; “Zhytomyr” didn’t look like it is from this realm and yet Zhytomyr (Pronounced Ja-Tom-Ya) is a city in North Western Ukraine a mere 150km west of Kyiv. The road that leads through Zhytomyr once linked Kyiv to Spain but it wasn’t until the 9th century do we have evidence of what one would call a major settlement. Although that’s not to say there wasn’t a village or town where Zhytomyr now stands before the 9th century it simply hasn’t had enough archaeological attention to find the evidence of such past extraordinary lives. I recently took the time to explore Zhytomyr, a fairly easy thing to do should you have the desire or the need to go there. A train will take just over 2 hours from Kyiv while a car or a bus will get you from Kyiv to Zhytomyr in a slightly quicker time. High-speed rail hasn’t impacted the Kyiv to Zhytomyr route just yet! Legend has it that Zhytomyr was established in 884 by Zhytomyr, prince of a Slavic tribe of Drevlians. This date, 884, is cut in the large stone found in the centre of the city that was thought to be left behind from the last ice age. Zhytomyr was one of the prominent cities of Kievan Rus'. The first records of the town date from 1240, when it was sacked by the Mongol hordes of Batu Khan. Along with the atrocities carried out by the Mongols in the 13th century. Zhytomyr has had a hell of a bloody and grim past - should one ever have access to a time machine and care to visit this city over the centuries; it would make many R rated horror movies feel like family movies. From Soviet oppression to Nazi brutality. Henrik Himmler insisted while in Zhytomyr that the Ukrainian civilian population be brought to a 'minimum when he was carrying out his atrocities in and around Zhytomyr. Scratch beneath the surface of this small city and I’m certain every street will tell a story worthy of any history buff time. While Zhytomyr won’t win any awards for its beauty or its culture it does have a grittiness and warmth found so frequently all over Ukraine. It has all the hallmarks of what makes a Ukrainian city from its large Soviet squares to its array of old Soviet buildings and monuments found spaced out over the grid-patterned city. Zhytomyr might be a city frequented more by those who are connecting on elsewhere than those seeking out an adventure. However, this is probably exactly the reason why it should be added to your list of places to visit - being off the beaten track and on the path less trodden can bring magical moments and because of this Zhytomyr is a worthy place to engage with and allow it to steal some of your time, possibly one weekend in the future. I spent 24 hours in the city of Zhytomyr where I made this video. I personally think the city would be more enjoyable and worthy of your time in the warmer months than the cold icy months, but certainly, a place that can be considered excellent value for food and drink. As the city gets few visitors in the form of tourists it has far less accommodation than most Ukrainian cities, but bargains and suitable accommodation can be found if you take the time to look on Airbnb or Booking.com. Both of which I regularly use and recommend should you find yourself travelling around Ukraine. The surrounding forests, rivers and quarry lakes would be time well spent if exploring the Zhytomyr region in the warmer months. With an array of nature to be found in the surrounding countryside, it could certainly be a place worth escaping to if needing a weekend break from the congested city of Kyiv. If you are needing extra information on how to navigate around Ukraine - I put together a free guide on how to travel around Ukraine with the different forms of Transport. In this guide, I explore the various modes of transport. All of which makes Zhytomyr more accessible and less off the beaten track. I am not sponsored by the Ukrainian Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please do check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & Odysee. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas Odysee is for Free-Speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please do click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman If you would like insight into where to stay when in Kyiv Click Here Insight into the capital city Kyiv Click Here A tour around Odesa Click Here Considering exploring Dnipro Click Here Visiting the city of Ternopil Click Here A guide to Kremenchuk Click Here #Travel #Ukraine

As an Englishman, in the early years of my life before the internet came along, I had to endure only the corrupt news programs I could find in the United Kingdom. Over time I learnt to observe the propaganda being inflicted upon myself and the wider population. In this article, I will look at how the media pushes propaganda on the masses, and while many of the examples will be focused on the UK, much of this would also apply to any country where you find corrupt media organisations intent on power and control of the masses. One by One I will look at the "10 manipulative methods" that Noam Chomsky categorised and spoke about in his book on Media Control. However, as the focus of this piece will be the British Media I think it might be wise to familiarise the reader with the British media. Like all countries around the world, the UK has several types of mass media: television, radio, newspapers, magazines and websites. The UK’s large music and film industries could also be considered the mass media and ways used to manipulate the population. The UK’s biggest media providers are the publicly owned public service broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The BBC's largest competitors are ITV plc, which operates 13 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, and the broadcaster Sky. Each and every one of these broadcasters is involved in the manipulation of the people. Let's now look at the 10 ways the media manipulate the masses. 1. The strategy of distraction The primary element of social control is the strategy of distraction which is to divert public attention from important issues and changes determined by the political and economic elites, by the technique of flood or flooding continuous distractions and insignificant information. Distraction strategy is also essential to prevent the public interest in the essential knowledge in the area of science, economics, psychology, neurobiology and cybernetics. "Maintaining public attention diverted away from the real social problems, captivated by matters of no real importance. Keep the public busy, busy, busy, no time to think, back to farm and other animals." (quote from text "Silent Weapons for Quiet War"). The British Media and particularly the BBC push their agendas on a daily basis. Sadly in recent years, the BBC pushes the Neo-Liberal agenda of Globalism upon the unsuspecting viewers, listeners and readers. They do this by shaping the news for large swathes of the population. Some citizens in the United Kingdom only get their news from the BBC. The BBC workforce has been intent for decades on a borderless Europe and Borderless world. So much so that the consequences of open borders and the mass importation of people from all over the world, mean the BBC will only highlight the positive impacts. They will ignore negative news stories that changing demographics bring to a population. So much so that in 2014; when it was confirmed that 1400 young girls had been systematically raped by Asian men in the Northern English town of Rotherham they barely touched on the story. Instead what would be considered a massive news story was regulated to their local Sheffield and South Yorkshire BBC page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-28939089 - If you had blinked you would have missed the story at least on the day it broke. For years, the BBC has followed the same line of brushing these stories under the carpet by distracting the masses with stories of people dancing or distracting them with news from the USA instead of focusing on real stories in the UK. In 2021, the BBC has ignored every single anti-lockdown protest that has happened in London. And yet when there has been a BLM or Extinction Rebellion Protest in central London they devote non-stop airtime to these causes because these causes suit their agenda. 2. Create problems, then offer solutions This method is also called "problem-reaction-solution. It creates a problem, a "situation" referred to cause some reaction in the audience, so this is the principal of the steps that you want to accept. For example: let circumstances unfold and intensify the urban violence, or arrange for bloody attacks in order that the public is demanding further security laws and policies to the detriment of their freedom. Or: create an economic crisis to accept as a necessary evil with the retreat of social rights and the dismantling of public services. Since the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, all media outlets in the UK that are owned by the Government or the Billionaires have all been peddling the same stories. Back in December 2019 and January 2020 networks in the UK and around the world started showing images on the television screens of Chinese people collapsing in the streets of Wuhan. We were told of dead bodies piling up in morgues in Chinese hospitals. All to instil fear into the general population. When the Global Lockdowns came the news networks had done such a fabulous job of beating the fear drum everyone accepted the authoritarian measures without question. People gave up their rights, their freedoms and their businesses, all because they believed what was happening was necessary. And yet as people began to notice that in no other country did people collapse in the streets and (at least in 2020) hospitals were not overrun with Covid victims - a solution was offered. The solution came in the form of untested new mRNA vaccines courtesy of our friends at big pharma. Coincidently the same industry that pays millions to all the networks in the form of advertising. Whose share prices would be at all-time highs in 2021 as their profit margins were in the billions thanks to the crisis that unfolded. In 2020 if the world had not watched the news, would they have known there was a pandemic? Death stats in 2020 suggest it wasn’t an exceptional year for deaths. And yet in 2021, when a solution has been provided to a problem, we only knew about only because the media had told us about it. Deaths now seem to be higher everywhere, despite the rollout of vaccines. Are they really vaccines? That is a topic for another day! 3. The gradual strategy Acceptance to an unacceptable degree, just apply it gradually, for consecutive years. That is how they radically new socioeconomic conditions (neoliberalism) were imposed during the 1980s and 1990s: the minimal state, privatization, precariousness, flexibility, massive unemployment, wages, and do not guarantee a decent income, ... so many changes that would have brought about a revolution and anarchy in the streets if they had been applied all at once. The BBC has been guilty of pushing the NeoLiberal agenda upon the population since the 1980s and it’s only gotten worse as the years have crept by. However, I think it’s very clear they have pushed the acceptance of every single one of these views listed above on behalf of big government and big business. In the last 2 years, the BBC has pushed the gradual strategy of giving up our rights to remain safe due to the Pandemic. Giving up our right to body autonomy came gradually with mask mandates, vaccine rollouts, then recently pushing mandatory vaccines and vaccine passports all with the rhetoric that it is for the good of society. Something that if it hadn’t have been done gradually; would have been resisted far harder. The LGBT & Environmental agenda has been pushed gradually and incrementally over the decades by the BBC. Some may argue that times are simply changing, but if they had shown what they are showing in 2021 back in 1981 there would be riots on the streets and people would have been smashing up their television sets in disgust. The gradual steps to make both these movements accepted by the BBC has happened over time. 4. The strategy of deferring Another way to accept an unpopular decision is to present it as "painful and necessary", gaining public acceptance, at the time for future application. It is easier to accept that a future sacrifice than of immediate slaughter. First, because the effort is not used immediately. Then, because the public, the masses, always has the tendency to expect naively that "everything will be better tomorrow" and that the sacrifice required may be avoided. This gives the public more time to get used to the idea of change and accept it with resignation when the time comes. Once again we can refer to the recent Lockdown agenda by the mass media. Pushing the idea that lockdowns are necessary to bring a better future. This was pushed daily by the corrupt journalists at the BBC despite the fact that Lockdowns have been shown to only cost lives and have no benefit upon society. Lockdowns did not save lives (americanexperiment.org) 5. Go to the public as a little child Most of the advertising to the general public uses speech, argument, people and particularly children's intonation, often close to the weakness as if the viewer were a little child or mentally deficient. The harder one tries to deceive the viewer, the more it tends to adopt a tone infantilising. Why? "If one goes to a person as if she had the age of 12 years or less, then, because of suggestion, she tends with a certain probability that a response or reaction also devoid of a critical sense as a person 12 years or younger." (see "Silent Weapons for Quiet War") The BBC in all its headline news (BBC News Every hour) has a habit of speaking to the public as if they were children. It’s infuriating to listen to if you are subjected to this news. They’ve been doing this for decades and examples of this can be seen daily on BBC iPlayer - but I wouldn't recommend subjecting yourself to that garbage. 6. Use the emotional side more than the reflection Making use of the emotional aspect is a classic technique for causing a short circuit on rational analysis, and finally to the critical sense of the individual. Furthermore, the use of an emotional register to open the door to the unconscious for implantation or grafting ideas, desires, fears and anxieties, compulsions, or induce behaviours. 7. Keep the public in ignorance and mediocrity Making the public incapable of understanding the technologies and methods used to control and enslavement. "The quality of education given to the lower social classes must be: poor and mediocre as possible so that the gap of ignorance it plans among the lower classes and upper classes, is and remains impossible to attain for the lower classes." (See "Silent Weapons for Quiet War"). Just in the same way that the BBC talks to the masses like they are children they keep their general broadcasts extremely basic. They prefer to push their ideologies and ignore alternative points of view or thinking. I keep referring to the Covid crisis but I think it’s very clear time and time again how they keep the public ignorant to what’s really going on. Hiding the upticks in natural deaths in the vaccinated. Hiding that the vaccines are killing people and hiding that there is clearly a risk from these forced vaccines. Various wars over the years the public has remained ignorant to unless of course, that war benefits British interests or British businesses. The war in East Timor was a classic example of those in the UK remaining blissfully unaware whereas the Gulf wars were blasted onto our screens and newspapers as they fitted the Globalist western agenda. 8. To encourage the public to be complacent with mediocrity. Promote the public to believe that the fact is fashionable to be stupid, vulgar and uneducated. It’s my belief that we can use the examples of what the BBC used to be and what it is today. In the past, back in the early 20th century, the BBC used to employ well-spoken and highly educated individuals to host their News, Television and Music programmes. I believe in the early 20th century before the first seeds were planted to destroy the west; the BBC wanted to uplift the population. Educate them on important matters and to do this they did this with an authority. Today in the 21st century the BBC employs individuals intent on filling diversity quotas. Individuals who think it’s acceptable to use lazy slang to appeal to kids, who seem to think urban culture is something to be idealised. The News, Television programming and music programmes all embrace mediocracy across the BBC in 2021. Everything is broadcast in bytes rather than long intellectual segments where open discussion of ideas can be had. Gone are the days when a well-educated individual from Oxbridge can talk about the works of Shakespeare over hours. Now we have programming on grime music and sports quizzes, pushed upon the masses because they are deemed mediocre and not worthy of having their minds stimulated. 9. Self-blame strengthen To let individuals be blamed for their misfortune, because of the failure of their intelligence, their abilities, or their efforts. So, instead of rebelling against the economic system, the individual and guilt, which creates a depression, one of whose effects is to inhibit its action. And, without action, there is no revolution! Throughout the entire Brexit debate the BBC informed the population that they weren’t strong enough to go it alone or leave the EU. Day after day this was drilled into them and to the horror of the Liberal Globalist BBC, the Brits voted to leave the EU. Ever since then anything that goes wrong financially or Politically, is according to the BBC; the Brits fault for voting Brexit! If too many migrants cross the channel illegally it’s the Brits own fault the BBC will claim. If there’s a downtick in GDP then that’s the fault of Brexit. This corrupt organisation will go out of its way to blame Brexit on everything and anything. 10. Getting to know the individuals better than they know themselves Over the past 50 years, advances in accelerated science have generated a growing gap between public knowledge and those owned and operated by dominant elites. Thanks to biology, neurobiology and applied psychology, the "system" has enjoyed a sophisticated understanding of human beings, both physically and psychologically. The system has gotten better acquainted with the common man more than he knows himself. This means that, in most cases, the system exerts greater control and great power over individuals, greater than that of individuals about themselves. The BBC will daily promote studies that suggest the individual should do this rather than that. And effectively live by the statement that Nanny (The BBC) knows what’s best for the individual and that all thinking should be done by them. It’s not a BBC example, but a fine example of this, was earlier this year, by another corrupt news organisation - CNN. CNN told its viewers not to do their own research into Covid Vaccines and that CNN will be the gospel of gospels. CNN: Do NOT "Do Your Own Research" on COVID Vaccines - The New American I believe our corrupt media globally is carrying out the 10 manipulative methods on a daily basis sometimes subtly and sometimes overtly. I think as time has gone on and it has become clear we are more easily manipulated than ever before. They have increased their determination to manipulate the population to an extent the public now have the lowest trust in the media. Trust won’t be regained until the media stops manipulating the public. And that will unlikely end while the media is in the hands of big corporations and government. If you appreciate this content and would like to support me further please do Subscribe to My YouTube Channel (it costs nothing). However, if you would like to donate you can do this via Ko-Fi, Patreon, Pledsto or SubscribeStar. Best regards and resist all Propaganda!

Found tucked between Lviv & Khmelnytskyi in western Ukraine located on the banks of the river Seret this small city could easily be missed by most Travellers and tourists keen to head either further east or further west. And yet like so many Ukrainian cities dotted around the magnificently large landmass; that is Ukraine - this city has its qualities and charms that many will feel enriched if they take the effort to experience. Ternopil (pronounced Ter-Nop-ill at least by this Englishman) once went by a similar name Tarnopol until 1944 when it was changed by the Soviets who had freed it from Nazi occupation. To get to Ternopil I took a train from Lviv Train station. A route you and many foreign visitors will likely favour as it’s only a 2-hour train journey from beautiful Lviv city. A word of advice though when travelling by train to Ternopil (if you can afford it) pay the extra for a more comfortable carriage. I sadly made the mistake of opting for the cheapest ticket with the Proidz app which in turn meant I ended up laying in a carriage with no ventilation from open windows and no air conditioning. Not the most comfortable of rides I’ve ever endured - some chicken buses in Honduras could be defined as more comfortable. This being western Ukraine the 230k residents of Ternopil mostly speak Ukrainian so do take the time to brush up on some basic Ukrainian. It goes a long way to be able to simply say “Please” & “Thank you” (“Bud Laska” & “DyaKuyu”). Although thankfully the younger population in Ternopil, like most places in Ukraine, probably speak better English than some of your English-speaking friends ever could. The population is a homogenous 99%+ Ukrainian - this brings with it certain benefits to the local population and visitors. Low crime rates and a general feeling of safety combined with clean streets make for your time there (at least in my mind) extra relaxing. The beautiful city of Ternopil was founded in 1540 although some historians have suggested a settlement existed here before the Mongol raids in the 13th century, due to their brutality, all signs of that settlement were wiped off the land; as they came, they saw and destroyed everything in their path. This is a similar story to many settlements in this part of the world - only the most rigorous archaeologists and time travellers will be able to unearth one day what was once here centuries before. The 500 years of history that is known in Ternopil is fascinating and worthy of anyone’s time should they have a vested interest in expanding their knowledge base and scratching beneath the surface. Ternopil's 18th century Cathedral built in 1749 stood out the most for me as it dominates the centre of this peaceful and welcoming city. If you are curious about whether it is worthy of a day trip, weekend or even longer? Maybe my video will sway you - in my video, on Ternopil, I spent 24 hours exactly in Ternopil and took in the nightlife and every significant monument on the map - sadly due to lockdown measures I failed to see any museums or galleries but they do exist should you be looking to spend longer in the city than I did. One of the incentives to visit should be the incredible value of the hotels in the city for the simple reason this place is off the beaten track so prices are a fraction of what you will see in Lviv or Kyiv. The Airbnb market is a little small (but there are some bargains to be had). However, my tip would be to check out one of the many hotels and go Old-Skool and imagine what it was like back in the old Soviet days. If you are needing extra information on how to navigate around Ukraine - I put together a free guide on how to travel around Ukraine with the different forms of Transport. In this guide, I explore the various modes of transport. All of which makes Ternopil more accessible and less off the beaten track. I am not sponsored by the Ukrainian Government or any Travel Group, I simply have written this post as I enjoy travelling. Please do check out this blog for more independent travel ideas and my YouTube Channel. As always, videos can always be found on YouTube & LBRY. I use both as sadly YouTube is now censoring content whereas LBRY is for free speech. If any of this information has been useful to you and you fancy buying me a Coffee please click the link below to buy me a Coffee via Ko-Fi.com. Thank you - Alex van Terheyden AKA The Wondering Englishman If you would like insight into where to stay when in Kyiv Click Here Insight into the capital city Kyiv Click Here A tour around Odesa Click Here Considering exploring Dnipro Click Here #Travel #Ukraine

Seconds before 11 am on the 14th of November 2022, an Islamic terrorist blew himself up inside a Minicab taxi outside the “Liverpool Women’s hospital”. In a police conference on the 15th November given by the head of the counter-terrorism Policing in North West England - Ross Jackson was able to provide crucial further details into the terrifying incident thas has shocked residents of Liverpool and put the UK on high alert with expectations that another terrorist attack could happen at any moment. “The Improvised explosive device” (IED) which caused the total destruction of the taxi driven by the Taxi Driver David Perry led to the fatality of the Jihadi terrorist Emad Jamil Al-Swealmeen who went by the alias Enzo Alemi (Age 32). Thankfully the IED didn’t take the life of the innocent driver David Perry. The Delta Taxis driver David Perry is understood to have picked up the Iraqi born jihadi terrorist in Rutland avenue near Shefton Park on Sunday morning. A good 10-minute drive from the Liverpool Women’s hospital where the IED would eventually go off. Unconfirmed reports suggest David Perry’s suspicions were raised during the journey which eventually led the driver to divert the journey from a Memorial service where the terrorist was wanting to go to. Instead, the taxi driver headed in the less crowded direction of Liverpool Women’s hospital. It has yet to be confirmed or denied by the counter-terrorism police whether the IED was timed to go off at 11 am on Remembrance Sunday. 11 am on Remembrance Sunday is traditionally the time those in the United Kingdom pause for a minute to remember the brave soldiers who came before us and gave up their lives for the freedoms we all now enjoy. This isn’t the first time jihadi terrorists have targeted Remembrance Sunday events in past years. Previous incidents have included the burning of poppies and flags around the corner from the British cenotaph in central London and foiled bomb attempts 4 men who are possibly connected to Emad Jamil Al-Swealmeen have since been arrested under terrorism laws - ages 21 26, 29 and the fourth unknown in the Liverpool area. All are still in custody and being interviewed by counter-terrorism police. The threat level in the United Kingdom has since Sunday been raised to severe which means another terrorist attack is believed to be very likely. This is the second terrorist attack in the United Kingdom within the last month. The other one was the assassination of the MP David Amess who was brutally stabbed over 20x at his surgery in broad daylight by another Jihadi terrorist. The PrimeMinister Boris Johnson & Home Secretary Priti Patel have acknowledged the attack but have once again been shown to have no solution to the growing threat that the British public now faces decades of uncontrolled immigration of people whose ideologies are incompatible with the west have enabled many who hate the British way of life to settle. Emad Jamil Al-Swealmeen had entered the United Kingdom illegally and managed to convince the authorities and naive Christians that he was a Christian convert in 2017. He would spend the next few years living under the alias of "Enzo Alemi the Pizza guy" and yet his true intentions would be revealed to the world on Remembrance Sunday highlighting once again how open borders and naive generosity is risking the lives of innocents. Liverpudlians and Brits will once again be muttering to their corrupt leaders that "we were never asked". The debate will rage once again and many will ask are less safe and dramatic changes to the communities really worth an increasing GDP that mass migration undoubtedly brings? As clearly big government seems only to care about increasing the profit margins of big business over protecting the people of the United Kingdom and Europe.

Under communism, design can often go out the window, and yet in the 1970s, the planners who found themselves in Ukraine decided they wanted to produce something that might encourage the locals to dream of Space and the Glorius USSR. At least that’s what I hope they were thinking when they came up with what is now The Salute Hotel in the Pechersk district of Kyiv overlooking the Dnieper River before it became mildly radioactive. Thought up in the mid-70s and most likely inspired by 70s Sci-Fi Movies it was eventually completed in 1984, architects would call the design of The Salute Hotel; Socialist Modernism or if you compared it to the Los Angeles Capitol Records building you would think it was a more Brutal version of that striking building that symbolises the sleazy LA music scene. The Ukrainian building may have even been inspired by the Capitol Records building given that the one on the west coast of the USA was built 3 decades before the one in Kyiv appeared. Thankfully, despite its very Soviet retro feel, the Salute Hotel is a functioning 3-star hotel. It Lobby remains faithful to the day it opened in 1984 - some would say neglected but I would like to believe the original furnishings have been retained because - why not, who doesn’t love feeling like they are checking into the set of a Buck Rogers. The bedrooms have been upgraded over the years so they don’t retain their original 1984 digital bedside clocks but you will forgive the owners for this because every hotel room no matter where you are in the world needs a facelift every few years to avoid looking tired and broken. The location of what the hotel is for me one of the selling points and this certainly rings true to anyone who visits Kyiv on a regular basis. It’s far enough away from Kreshchatyk street and Maidan that you don’t feel you are surrounded by only tourists and it’s within throwing distance to one of the most magnificent religious sites in all of Kyiv. The Kyiv Perchersk Lavra Monastery as well as being a short stroll from the Motherland Monument, various parks and museums. Would I honeymoon or make the Salute Hotel a place for special occasions - no. However, for a business trip, a brief couple of nights or for those seeking out the kitsch in a comfortable location for an amazing price (depending on when you book) it is worthy of your time and attention. It’s 3 stars and not 5 stars so don’t go expecting the Ritz but with the friendly staff and Soviet vibes of the place, you will enter with a smile upon your face and leave rested and still smiling. Needing more detail about the Salute Hotel then you are in luck as I've only gone and made a YouTube video dedicated to the Hotel Salute! If you are curious about Luxury, Mid-range and cheap accommodation options in Kyiv. Well, I’ve made it easy for you as I created that article already - click here. "Kyiv - Where to stay" I’m not sponsored by the Ukrainian Government or the hotel and the views on Ukraine and this hotel are entirely my own. I simply provide a Booking.com affiliate link that maybe you might book this hotel with or another hotel with - that way I earn 1% from the booking that you make and the reservation costs you no more than if you were to book it elsewhere or direct. Contact The Wondering Englishman #Ukraine #Kyiv