Gamer Wants To Travel
A travel blog by Emma
Category Archives: France
Dec 28 2012

7 Worldwide Festivals I really want to see!

by Gamer

Hi guys, I hope you had a nice Christmas! I keep telling people that I’d love to spend Christmas abroad, and mostly I’d love to spend it here:

Christmas in Leipzig Germany

Christmas in Germany

Every year in Leeds we get a German Christmas market, however it’s become repetitive and fake recently. I believe back in the day (5 years ago I think) it was usually staffed by Germans, but now it’s just people from Leeds – I liked the feeling I was travelling to a little part of Germany. I used to go on a lot of days for my dinner, and now… I probably visit it once in the whole time it’s here. I know exactly what stalls will come and can make my way straight there without even looking around. It’s become sad.

So this post is about some places I would love to spend, not just Christmas but other festivals too.

Read the rest of this entry »

photo by: Zygia

Categories: Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, lists, USA | No Comments »

Sep 23 2012

Finding out about Guadeloupe

by Gamer

I mentioned in a post recently that I’d love to take my mum on a trip to the West Indies. This is where she was born and it’s a place she would love to see.

Now, I don’t know very much but here’s a picture of the region she was born in:

Basse-Terre-LaTraversee

Basse-Terre

She was born in the French West Indies, on the Western half of Guadeloupe. I didn’t realise this until recently, but the “West Indies” are not really a country. There are several collections of islands in the Carribbean called “The West Indies” such as the “French West Indies” and the “Portuguese West Indies”. I also thought that Guadeloupe was a country, when in fact it is a part of France (an overseas territory)

So I’ll be looking at Guadeloupe, which is where my mum was born.

Guadeloupe : Pointe des Chateaux

Guadeloupe

How big is Guadeloupe?

Guadaloupe is not a very big region. It’s probably comparable to:

Luxembourg Neumünster und Johanneskirche

Luxembourg

Hmm, yes Luxembourg. That’s a pretty small country. Guadeloupe is slightly smaller than Luxembourg – but not as small as somewhere like Andorra or Monaco (they’re basically just cities with country status). Guadeloupe’s population is also pretty similar to Luxembourg’s.

What currency do they use?

Being a part of France – they use the Euro. Strange to think that somewhere 4,000miles away from Europe uses the Euro! I believe they speak a variant of French over there.

What is the weather like?

sunset on Les Saintes 2

Pretty sunny

My mum would be happy to hear that it doesn’t often go below 19C in this place! It also doesn’t often go much above 30C (which is the limit for me really).

What else is there?

This is a random fact that I learned – I’m a little bit like Thierry Henry, the French footballer:

Thierry Henry

I’m not that athletic

Why is this? His father was born in/lives in Guadeloupe, so Henry often goes to visit him.

Has anyone been? Please tell me more!

Categories: France | 2 Comments »

Sep 2 2012

5 Beautiful Bookstores, 5 Beautiful Libraries

by Gamer

I recently wrote a post about being depressed and unemployed. During that period, the library was one of my places of solace. And so was the book store. I just loved reading and being away from home for a bit.

So now I present

5 Beautiful Bookstores and 5 Beautiful Libraries

Book Stores

Shakespear and Company Bookstore

Shakespeare and Company

1) Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France

Narrow hallways, staked with books, and it’s open until 11pm! How I would love for a bookstore in Leeds to be open this late. They offer you places to nap, and the I can just smell all those rare books. You can also sell your books to them so you have no excuse to not go if you “don’t have any money”.

Website: www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Barter Books

Barter Books, Alnwick, UK

2) Barter Books, Alnwick, UK

Not one I’ve visited (yet) – but look at those lovely high ceilings. This is also the home of the original “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster – now a British icon due to its rediscovery in 2001. I love the labelling on the sides of the aisles so you can easily see what section you’re in!

Website: barterbooks.co.uk

Livraria da Vila

Livraria da Vila, Sao Paulo, Brazil

3) Livraria da Vila, Sao Paulo, Brazil

This one fits in nicely with many ‘modern’ book stores, but I’d love to sit on the floor here and read.There are even books in the banister, it’s amazing!

Website: www.livrariadavila.com.br

Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal

4) Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal

Here is one very beautiful that looks like a lot of old libraries – look at that magnificent staircase! Lots of room to sit and cuddle with a nice book.

Website: Don’t think they have one but here’s their Google Plus

Selexyz Bookstore

Selexyz Bookstore, Maastricht, The Netherlands

5) Selexyz Bookstore, Maastricht, The Netherlands

This bookstore is in a converted church. I have a thing for high ceilings and I also really love churches. I’m love to visit, even if all the books are in Dutch!

Website: www.selexyz.nl

Libraries

Tiled Hall, Leeds Central Library

Leeds Central Library, UK

1) Leeds Central Library, UK

I couldn’t miss this one out – it was a great source of comfort to me. And inside it has some very beautiful architecture, especially the stairs and the ceilings.

CS Lewis Reading Room, McClay Library, Queens's University

CS Lewis Reading Room, McClay Library, Queen’s University

2) McClay Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK

I mgiht be a bit biased here, but I love university libraries. Even more so if they have a CS Lewis themed room. Northern Ireland is the home of CS Lewis, so of course Queen’s University has a CS Lewis, Narnia themed room.

Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland

3) Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College has a very beautiful campus, and the library is not exception it is the permanent home of the Book of Kells. I would love to go back to Dublin to see these things.

Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA

Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA

4) Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA

The Library of Congress has 2 awesome things: high ceilings and beautiful architecture. Actually, it also houses the Declaration of Independance. I’ve wanted to go here ever since watching National Treasure.

Nicholas Cage National Treasure I'm going to Steal the Declaration of Indepence

Ahhh, good old Knickerless.

(Thanks GIFolas Cage)

Strahov Monastery Library

Strahov Monastery Library, Prague, Czech Republic

Strahov Monastery Library, Prague, Czech Republic

It was difficult to choose out of many “Monastary Libraries” – they all seem to have beautiful ceilings, paintings and statues. This one in particular caught my eye. Prague has a lot of things to offer and I’m seriously considering wanting to go!

Does anyone have any other libraries or book shops to offer me?

Categories: Brazil, Czech Republic, England, France, Ireland, lists, Northern Ireland, pictures, Portugal, The Netherlands, USA | 1 Comment »

Mar 21 2012

Little places to drive to in the Loire-Atlantique in France

by Gamer

Right-o people, last time I gave you a list of things to do in Strangford Lough. It was were I grew up.

I thought I’d follow it up with an entry about a place in France that I’m familiar with, because my family come from there.

This post is going to be about the Loire-Atlanqiue region in France, and little quaint things that run around the Loire and the Canal from Nantes to Brest.

île Feydeau Nantes France

The île Feydeau in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique France

River Loire, France

The Loire River in France

Canal Nantes-Brest

The Canal that runs from Nantes to Brest

Read the rest of this entry »

Categories: France | 4 Comments »

Feb 2 2012

Why the heck did I start a travel blog?

by Gamer

Hello all. I’m not quite sure what to write yet.

I want to travel and I want to write about travel, but I just don’t know how to start.

I suppose you may as well say this is an introductory post to myself and the blog.

I’m Emma, your host. I’m twenty-something, I work regular hours, have a degree in mathematics, a video game review blog, a desire to see the world and not enough money. Hmmm.

Well, I might as well tell you where I have been.

Courtesy of John Hamilton

I was born and raised in Northern Ireland, home to the stunning Giant’s Causeway. It’s not somewhere I’ve been often, but it takes my breath away every time. I think this is a must if you visit Ireland – even if you’re in the South, make the effort to come to the North coast. You won’t regret it.

Courtesy of Loranger

My mum is French, so I’ve visited France a lot. Most of her family come from near Nantes – we usually stayed in my Great Grandmother’s house, near a town called Blain.

Courtesy of Tomoyoshi

However, my grandmother and mum’s brother live in Nice. The most beautiful part, to me, is not the beaches (although they are beautiful) but the ‘old town’ – Vieux Nice. I have always loved those parts of cities, as I feel they really give a city character. I am soon going to visit Stockholm and am really looking forward to visiting it’s ‘old quarter’.

courtesy of Tim Green

Then I moved out of Northern Ireland, to go to University in Leeds. And here I am today. Yorkshire is a beautiful place, and I’m looking forward to having the chance to see more of it.

I will probably continue to tell you about my hopes and dreams as well as where I have travelled. Stay tuned.

Categories: England, France, Northern Ireland | No Comments »

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