Why do we move so much? (A Traducendo touristic guide to some few interesting spots)

Traducendos’ main feature, yeah, we areThe Traducendos , we thought it would have been cool to have a name like that, you know, like The Sopranos  (by the way, Tony is dead… we are so sorry…). Anyway, the Traducendos’ main feature are our “restless butts”. OK, not all of you will understand this typical   Spanish saying, so let me explain it to you: if your butt is restless it will push you to move (it wasn’t that difficult after all). 

And so yes, we move.

We lived (and worked) in Rome, Barcelona, Brussels, Singapore, El Palmar, Mazzano, Campobasso, Granada, Marino, London, Milan and Malta.

And we have loved all of these places.

Rome is the sort of fil rouge: Gabriele was born and raised up there until his 20s, Irene lived there for a couple of years and Antonella, always lived up and forth from somewhere else and   the capital of Italy (even though she supports the wrong football team). What can we say about Rome? It’s the most beautiful, intense, fascinating city of the world: the monuments, the history, the restaurants, everything in Rome is amazing… the traffic, the pollution, the chaos, the noise, everything!

Irene and Gabriele then, lived (sort of) together also in Barcelona and Brussels, two very similar though very different cities. Both cosmopolitan, active, frenzy, hectic, however different in their spirit. Barcelona is a sort of European amusement park. There is everything there to have the best fun of your life, including the beach and the warm weather. Brussels, on the other hand, is the capital of Europe. Grey, bureaucratic and yet full of events and great people.

Mazzano and Marino, on the opposite, are  small towns around Rome. Apparently insignificant places to live in, they actually hide all that Italy can offer: art, history, great food, great wine, landscapes, a site of  the European Space Agency. I’m not telling you to go  live there, but if you are in the area, you should not miss to visit them! Irene and Antonella lived in Mazzano… they must have had a reason, what do you think?

Campobasso… In Italy we say that Molise (the region where Campobasso is located) doesn’t exist, therefore Campobasso does not exist! Well, we have the real life, first hand evidence that this is not true. Campobasso does exist, hidden among the mountains, laidback and lazy,  charming with its southern Mediterranean spirit  as well as its young style thanks to the renowned University.

P.S.  Good food over there!! Irene lived there for almost 1 year, and she survived.

Granada.

Yeah, Granada.

The Alhambra, the Albaicín, the Corridas, Flamenco, all those things that made Spain famous around the world, well, here they are. An Arabic city, crawling up the hills, full of stairs, parks, small streets and flavours. If you come here you will never want to leave again. It’s difficult to describe it, it’s like being in a 1001 nights tale, but it’s for real and with plenty of souvenir shops. A must see!! Irene spent  some time there… and she still dreams about it.

London and Singapore, we put them together. Why? Because they are just two faces of the same coin. Finance oriented, modern, futuristic and yet with an old spirit. Plenty of different kind of people,  cultures,  styles and it’s impossible to  feel at home (Antonella says it’s not true though, she still thinks of London as her second home).  They both have a big panoramic wheel, weird skyscraper and a predominance of Indian and Asian restaurant. Not only, they are both freaking expensive! If you want some tips for London you need to ask Antonella , or Gabriele if you are planning on Singapore.

Milan, the fashion and design capital of Europe. Did you know that  70% of all the European design industry is based in Milan? No? Well, you do now and you can as well understand why people are so cool and stylish there. Maybe the city lost a bit of its human side to become the cradle of the fashion industry, but Milan surprise you every time you go there, ’cause even if you have visited everything that must be seen, you will always discover some new spot that will take you one step forward in style, modernity and shopping!!! Antonella stayed there for a while, and our recommendation is that you don’t miss it in 2014, during the world expo!

Then we got to El Palmar de Vejer.

It’s where our executive office is currently located .

How to describe it? Well, first of all, El Palmar doesn’t exist either, but for other reasons.

 It’s not a town, it’s not a village, it’s just a bunch of houses grew chaotically on the line of a 25 km long, golden, sandy beach some 45 km from Cadiz and 35 from Morocco. Basically the last bit of Europe before Africa. Why should you come here? Well, first of all to meet us. Then to discuss about work while drinking an iced tea by the swimming pool  or to go  swimming in the ocean after work. Also because fish it’s amazing, vegetables taste like they should, Spanish ham it’s great and people around here are fantastic. Not convinced yet? OK, come here to do some surfing or kyte-surfing during your lunch break, or get some horse riding on the beach to relax, or to discover that monitor lizards also live in Europe, that storks still exist and that it is beautiful to have cows  coming to freshen up in the sea water just two meters away from your towel. Also, because it’s incredibly sweet to see another continent while you have a stroll in the sun!

And last (for now), but not least: Malta.

Gabriele lived in Malta for a while, and these days we are there so often that we can say  it’s our second home.

Imagine 3 small islands, in the middle of the Mediterranean, packed of people who look like Greeks, speak like Arabs, drive like English geezers, eat like Germans, watch Italian TV and make business like in Tokyo. The Maltese Archipelago is all of this and more. They are the last bastion of Europe before the eldest continent, brought there by the Templars, historically passing from one domination to the other. They are now trying to build a country based on business, but still keeping all its characteristics. Maltesers are nice people, very funny and kind. So we have to tell you to go there and check the islands. Of course, if you don’t want to find yourself surrounded by thousands of sunburnt northern Europeans, try to go there in May or in September/October. Temperature will still amaze you, but you’ll be able to find a bit of silence and calm too!

Enjoy your summer people!!!