"Hello from Leeds" karentids's Profile

It's okay to be scared. What's not okay is to let fear dictate, keep you from doing what you need and want to do, what you were meant to do. The only failure is the failure to try.

ABOUT LEEDS

I have lived in Leeds since I was 7 years old after moving here with my parents from Hamburg, Germany.

I reckon Leeds is a great city - it is considered to be one of the best shopping centres outside London. There are also a number of large parks and Stately Homes on the outskirts.
Lots of new buildings have been erected in the centre, including the revamping of central former offices and warehouses on the riverside, properties which have been turned into modern apartments.

Leeds is also noted for its Night Life, the City Centre is home to hundreds of trendy wine bars, restaurants and night clubs. It is a very cosmopolitan city and caters for all tastes, you can eat Japanese, Spanish tappas, Italian, Greek - just about every cuisine is catered for. For those who like Night Clubs there is a mind boggling choice. In between the trendy, up market night spots you can still find some wonderful traditional old pubs some of which are well known for their traditional old beers.

One great thing about Leeds is it's location - one hours drive North and you are in the Dales, a little further and there is the Lake District one of the most beautiful areas of England, Scotland is also within eay reach.
One and a half hours away either East or West we have the coast. I prefer the East side, towns such as quaint Whitby and Staithes are well known tourist places but yet they have managed to retain their charm and history.
All these places are perfect for walkers, climbers and hikers of all ages.
Blackpool with its famous tower on the other side I think of as a fun place with its massive Pleasure Beach where there are rides to make your hair curl!

Then there is Northumberland in the North East, again just a short drive away. I explored this area for the first time last year and loved it. It is not a bit touristy, in fact you can drive over the moors for hours without coming across another car, like having your own private road. There are huge Forest areas and miles of desolate beaches, wonderful.

I intend to take lots of photos from Leeds (once I have my SLR sussed out) which I will put on these pages.

I 'collect' local music from the countries I have visited, try and buy CDs from local bands and have heard some superb musicians on my travels.

The best are always the impromptu and unexpected such as encountering a group of pure Flamenco musicians in a tiny alley in Spain, two excellent classical music players in Dubrovnik whose music brought tears to my eyes as did the group of Klappa singers in a village square in Makarska, Croatia.

The Croatian klapa is a type of harmony singing with sometimes guitar, etc accompaniment. It originated in the middle of the 19th century and is truly beautiful and emotional.

Morocco introduced me to Tinariwen, a Tuareg group from Mali. The Tuareg people are descendants of the Berbers, a group of Saharan nomads whose music was initially about the problems of the exiled Tuareg people and political issues. Tinariwen’s edgy, bluesy sound has earned them fans like Robert Plant and Carlos Santana, whose music inspired Tinariwen’s members when they first picked up guitars.

In Spain we came across the Tuna which are a roving band of semi professional singers and musicians. They play traditional Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American music in bars, restaurants and theaters, or on street corners, or anywhere else where it seems like a good idea. We came across them playing late at night in a small square, it was lively with impromptu dancing, absolutely wonderful.

In Basilicata we were hoping to come across some local Tarantella music and dancing. Apart from a few local musicians in the village square in Rotonda we unfortunately did not find any others.

My recent retirement has given me a new lease of life - at last I have the time to do all the things I could never fit in before.

I have a new SLR camera and want to learn how to use it professionally.
I have a hand made guitar which my son made for me and which has a superb sound - I will learn to play this year.

I am also addicted to Photoshop, I love editing images, making montages, etc. I have been using it for quite some time but am still learning and never fail to be amazed at what can be achieved. Yes, the camera can lie these days.

One of the best thing about my retirement is the chance to travel and research more (and to update my VT Travel pages).

I am a late starter where travel is concerned since my ex partner was not enthusiastic or adventurous enough. As I am now 'my own boss' I can go when and where I want, although I am

I consider myself to be very lucky to have been able to visit quite a few countries but have come to the conclusion that I am just plain greedy - my list of "I want to go to......." just grows and grows!

We have recently returned from Southern Italy and Sicily and I have made a start on my Basilicata pages with Sicily to follow. There does not appear to be much info on Basilicata so I want to include as many tips as I can since it is an outstanding part of Italy.

September 2008 - One week in Menorca

January 2009 - My big adventure was 5 weeks in Ghana which included some voluntary work. And an adventure it certainly was - I loved Ghana and its people

April/May 2009 - The original plan was Montenegro but that changed to exploring Tunisia where we had a wonderful time travelling round the country. Just don't ask me how Montenegro became Tunisia. This is my favourite way to travel - nothing is cast in stone and plans can change sometimes on a daily basis.
Montenegro is still on the agenda but it has slipped down the list somewhat. Particularly since a surprise trip is on the horizon - a friend whom I have not seen for some 35 years has invited me for a visit to NSW, Australia in September 09. My second adventure of 2009 beginneth soon!

I must say I am totally ashamed about not completing my pages, life always seems to be taking over. I intend, however, to make a supreme effort before I commence my travels to down under to do some pages on Ghana and Tunisia. Not only to appease my guilt but also to give something back to the VT community