Author: Laura Ferries Writer

Teacher and writer from Liverpool, UK. First book of poetry 'Somewhere Between Roses & Oranges' is available now on Amazon. Second book of poetry 'Lucid Dreamscapes' is out now on Lulu.com. Follow me on Instagram @lauraferrieswriter .

Algeciras: Visiting Andalusia’s Forgotten Corner

On By Laura Ferries WriterIn algeciras, beaches, cadiz3 Comments

Going to Spain on holiday but don’t know the language? Wanting to know just enough Spanish to use on your holiday without having to learn the grammar and tons of pointless vocabulary and phrases? (‘La niña come manzanas‘ on DuoLingo, anyone?)

Download my simple, colourful and helpful guide to holiday Spanish which will give you exactly the word and brief phrases you will need for chatting with the locals in Spain here!

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Algeciras is often spoken about as the ugly spot of Andalusia. Industrial. Crime-ridden. Barren.

You won’t find it featuring highly in travel guides and it is often seen as just a transient port of call between Spain and Morocco. Algeciras is in the autonomous region of Cádiz, it is the last stop on the train line from Madrid and overshadowed by its stunning neighbour, Tarifa to the south-west.

I first heard of this supposedly unremarkable town when I was studying A level History, with reference to the Algeciras Conference of 1906, held to discuss the future of Morocco.

Intrigued to see why this place is both disregarded and heralded, I spent three days in the Algeciras zone, visiting a friend who lives there. The Campo de Gibraltar encompasses the following areas:

  • Algeciras
  • Los Barrios
  • La Línea de la Concepción
  • Castellar de la Frontera
  • Jimena de la Frontera
  • San Roque
  • Tarifa

With my knowledgeable friend to show me round, our first stop was at one of Algeciras’ surprisingly beautiful beaches. The ugly reputation is largely undeserved, once you look past the grey dusty streets and shutter-drawn windows.

Continue reading “Algeciras: Visiting Andalusia’s Forgotten Corner” →

Visiting Porto: Visiting The Stunning Portuguese City of Blue Tiles

On By Laura Ferries WriterIn europe, portugal4 Comments

Porto is a blend of chilled, happy days and charged, wild nights. It feels very, very safe and the people are amongst the friendliest of any city I’ve ever visited. 

This is the first travel article I’ve done for my own blog on a place other than Andalusia but I feel it’s now a natural progression to cover more of the world. I’ve noticed that over the past few years, I’ve travelled a fair amount around my home continent of Europe (my last long-haul trip was back in 2015 to Las Vegas).

The beauty of Europe is how the culture, climate, language and history is so varied and you can be in a completely different place after only a 2-3 hour flight!

My cousin works with a Portuguese woman who had long been recommending for him to visit Porto as she knew he had visited the Algarve around five times. When he suggested Porto to me, I had no visual impression of what it was like, I had never seen photos of the place.

The only thing I knew was that it has a football team and is sometimes referred to as Oporto.

Continue reading “Visiting Porto: Visiting The Stunning Portuguese City of Blue Tiles” →

28 Spanish Sayings to Sound Natural Like a Local!

On By Laura Ferries WriterIn andalucia, cordoba, spanish11 Comments

Going to Spain on holiday but don’t know the language? Wanting to know just enough Spanish to use on your holiday without having to learn the grammar and tons of pointless vocabulary and phrases? (‘La niña come manzanas‘ on DuoLingo, anyone?)

Download my simple, colourful and helpful guide to holiday Spanish which will give you exactly the word and brief phrases you will need for chatting with the locals in Spain here!

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[Click here to visit my post on Italian sayings]

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Continue reading “28 Spanish Sayings to Sound Natural Like a Local!” →

Exploring La Ribera and the Roman Bridge in Córdoba, Spain

On By Laura Ferries WriterIn cordoba, roman10 Comments

Going to Spain on holiday but don’t know the language? Wanting to know just enough Spanish to use on your holiday without having to learn the grammar and tons of pointless vocabulary and phrases? (‘La niña come manzanas‘ on DuoLingo, anyone?)

Download my simple, colourful and helpful guide to holiday Spanish which will give you exactly the word and brief phrases you will need for chatting with the locals in Spain here!

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La Ribera means riverbank, similar to riviera in French.

When you search Córdoba, Spain, on Google, the Guadalquivir riverside and its famous UNESCO Roman bridge and Mezquita dominate most of the images and for good reason too.

It is the heart of Córdoba and is a spectacularly beautiful site which never gets old or boring to me. It looks pleasant on photos but no justice is done compared to actually being there and taking it in with your own eyes. The sound of the river streaming past with bats swirling overhead and the sunset behind the Mezquita makes for a truly stunning setting.

Continue reading “Exploring La Ribera and the Roman Bridge in Córdoba, Spain” →

Yoga Retreat with Lumiere Zen Garden Yoga in the Sierra de Córdoba

On By Laura Ferries WriterIn cordoba, yogaLeave a comment

Going to Spain on holiday but don’t know the language? Wanting to know just enough Spanish to use on your holiday without having to learn the grammar and tons of pointless vocabulary and phrases? (‘La niña come manzanas‘ on DuoLingo, anyone?)

Download my simple, colourful and helpful guide to holiday Spanish which will give you exactly the word and brief phrases you will need for chatting with the locals in Spain here!

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The Sierra Morena, the hills of Córdoba, offer another perspective to the visitor or resident. It is a rough, brushy and seemingly uninhabitable zone which I am still yet to fully acquaint myself with but there is actually  a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Most locals tend to visit the Sierra for bike-riding or for the beloved Spanish tradition of the perol (cooking a big pan of rice to be shared with the family or a large group of friends) and I have experienced the joy of this several times myself.

So when I saw that my yoga teacher Ángela (Lumiere Zen Garden) was organising a weekend retreat in the Sierra de Córdoba, I messaged her immediately and booked myself on.

Continue reading “Yoga Retreat with Lumiere Zen Garden Yoga in the Sierra de Córdoba” →