The Dark Knight Rises

I didn't have that high expectations for this movie. I, like everyone else, pretty much knew the full story from the comic books, and Bane, unlike the Joker for instance, is not that much of an unpredictable character. However, Bane had other interesting qualities that the producers ofThe Dark Knight Rises didn't portray too much or at all in some cases. For example - some facts are given about his birth and parents, but nothing about his upbringing, which is quite interesting. Bane was a constant reader (he read everythign he could get his hands on) and later on he started receiving a classical education from a Jesuit Priest who was also an inmate at the Peña Dura prison. By his manhood years he became fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin. He also had a teddy-bear, named Otto, which he carried around everywhere and considered his only friend.

So, in my opinion Bane has much more substance to him than the lame antagonist the writters of this movie portrayed him as. Other than this fact, and ignoring some straight-forward Hollywood cliches, I enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises :-).

Watch the Trailer here:

Sighisoara - Romania

Sighisoara is a small, medieval-like city, and currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 12th century by German craftsmen and merchants, who were invited to live here by the King of Hungary, the city is officially listed as being a Saxon establishment since 1191.

The high-point of the year for Sighisoara is its Medieval Festival held on the last weekend of each July.

The Medieval Festival is certainly a unique experience - because you not only get an intense spectacle of medieval theater displays, but all these are placed in the fortified citadel of Sighisoara which gives it an authentic taste, and really makes you feel like you're going back in time - *in the good way*.

Here are some pics from the 2011 Medieval Festival.

St. Paul Cathedral

Probably the building that played the most important part in world war two, St. Paul Cathedral became a symbol of the British spirit after this famous photo was published:

Huge and with an imposing dome, St. Paul Cathedral is surrounded by a green yard. Two twin towers guard the western pediment, built in 1707. In the north tower we can find "Great Paul" - which is actually the biggest bell in England, weighting approximatelly 17 tons.
Christopher Wren built St. Paul's Cathedral between 1675 and 1710. This happened as a result of the old medieval cathedral being destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. Wren was the one who actually led the rebuilt of London after this fire, being responsible for designing 52 Churches.


Getting there:
Address: St Paul's Cathedral, St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AD

Due to the lack of parking spaces in the neighbourhood, visitors are advised to arrive using public transportation.

By Bus:

You can take the following Bus Routes to get directly to the Cathedral : 4, 11, 15, 23, 25, 26, 100, 242.


By underground:


The nearest Underground station is St Paul's on the Central Line (2 minute walk). Mansion House and Cannon Street stations on the District and Circle Lines are also within walking distance. Please contact London Transport for information about the closest station to the cathedral with wheelchair access.
NB: BLACKFRIARS Underground station is currently closed for renovation. The overground station remains open.

For more info plan your Journey using: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk

City of London

The City of London aka the "Square Mile" is considered the financial core of the metropolis and is almost fully dedicated to commerce. Being an interesting (sometimes overwhelming) mix of Georgian and Victorian architecture, as well as modernist, the City zone is a very nice place for long walks. It is not the most quiet place in London, but its many Churches, dating as far back as the XVII century, can offer you quite an oasis of peace and quiet.

London

Everyone knows the famous attraction points of London - The St. Paul Cathedral, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey. But in this fascinating city there are many other "side roads" and places that are worth discovering.

London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, being both full of history and modern at the same time. Westminster Abbey serves as the headquarters for the British government. The royal residence is also found in London, at Buckingham, as well as the most important art galleries and museums of the country. One of seven British people live in London, a city with an amazing adaptability - having progressed along the way from being a roman fort in the Middle Ages to the rank of Medieval Town, and finally to the rank of a reborn Phoenix Baroque, after the Great Fire of 1666. After that, London transformed itself in an ideal of georgian elegance and a powerful center of an Empire that binds together elements of well-being and poverty; after that   becoming one of the cities that played a crucial role in the second world war - just to become, soon after, the dancing capital of Europe in the '60s.
Nowadays London looks like a giant ant-farm that is preparing for the 2012 Olympic games. In the next articles we will review the places to visit while in London.