2021 Year In Review

*check out last year's Year In Review here!*

My year started, as most years do, at midnight on January 1^st, but this one was quite unlike any other years had started. I was standing in the middle of a deserted street wearing Grumpy Cat pajamas, listening to the sounds of illegal fireworks going off in a city that I had unexpectedly found myself living in. That unexpected start to the year, alone, cold, but feeling more alive than I had since the pandemic began, ushered in the start of what would become a very unexpected year.

 

The first unexpected thing was being offered a prime time radio slot on UK Country Radio. Towards the end of 2020, I’d begun presenting a show on the station, and in early January was promoted to ‘Friday primetime’ – three hours of country music and a bit of chat from me which I have continued to host throughout 2021. (You can tune in every Friday from 5-8pm on www.ukcountryradio.com!)

 

It’s been great fun, and not only have I been able to share my favourite songs with whoever’s tuning in (and will be getting my own additional one hour special this coming year to do just that), but I also had the opportunity to interview loads of great artists over Zoom, including Seaforth, SixForty1, Chase Bryant, and many more. These are artists who, in normal times, I might not have had the chance to sit down with, had I still been in Australia, or if they had been too busy touring to take my calls, but here we were, me in my ‘office’ in the Netherlands chatting to them in Nashville, Texas, Canada and beyond.  

 

The next unexpected surprise came in February, when we got some pretty significant snowfall, making for pretty walks in fresh snow, watching hardy Dutch locals ice skate on the frozen canals, and even taking a step on one myself (and not falling in). Such cold weather simply called for comfort food, so I continued my explorations around all of the local bakeries, testing out the best cakes they had on offer and even getting one to celebrate my (unexpected) one year anniversary of living in the Netherlands in March.

 

The weather improved in April, bringing with it gorgeous spring blossoms, baby lambs, and a fresh batch of cygnets to spot on my daily walks around the waterways. This time was obviously a new beginning for nature, but also for me too, as I was offered a job teaching online in Riga, Latvia. Along with the teaching I was already doing for students in China, I spent the next few months finishing up courses and running summer programmes teaching kids, teens and adults. I met some truly lovely people, and I can only hope I’ll get to meet some of them in person a bit further down the line.

 

As the blossoms faded, May heralded the start of tulip season, and with covid not as bad(?) as it had been the year prior, we were finally able to get out and see them. We took two weeks to explore the tulip trails, travelling around the country to see the best and the brightest tulip fields that stretched for miles and miles, with gorgeous flowers of every colour. I get why people like it in the Netherlands now.

 

June saw the tulips give way to rhododendrons and roses, the weather get warm enough for long cycles, and even more cake for me, including one which I baked for my birthday – whipped cream sponge with salted caramel buttercream and caramel drip, decorated to look like a tropical island (i.e. where I’d rather be during the pandemic!) It was yet another unusual birthday, but these were unusual times.

 

We took advantage of sunny days in July to get out and explore the Netherlands, visiting beautiful cities like Delft, Rotterdam, Maastricht and Amsterdam, including seeing Girl With A Pearl Earring in the flesh. I also made a new friend around this time in the form of Bob, the cat from across the road who I got to cat-sit on occasion. This was the time when I saw a lot of my friends in other countries start to get vaccinated and begin to meet up again, so going over to pet him for half an hour was the perfect excuse for a much-needed serotonin boost when I was feeling low that I couldn’t yet meet up with friends safely.

 

Alas, the end of the social isolation tunnel was in sight, and I received my second vaccine in mid-August, just in time for me to finally leave the country for the first time in over a year. We headed to Ireland to catch up with family at long last and celebrate my cousin’s wedding in Ballinasloe, County Galway. It was so nice to see each other again after so long, as well as do a bit of planning for another wedding coming up later in the year…

 

But first, we had to get through September, and were finally feeling comfortable enough to spread our wings a bit. There seemed no better way to do this than with a European roadtrip. The first stop was back to my birthplace near Heidelberg, where we went castle chasing and visited the town I spent the first few months of my life in. 

Next, to beautiful Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Meersburg, on the shores of Lake Constance, where we wandered through Disney-like villages and soaked up insanely beautiful sunsets. Onwards to Liechtenstein to see the juxtaposition of the old and the new, and Strasbourg, to eat and admire the views from the Cathedral. Finally, Luxembourg and it’s winding streets, and the ‘smallest city in the world’ of Durbuy in Belgium. A much-needed break away from the Netherlands, and a great way to see so many stunning places in Europe. (You can find posts about all of these places on my blog!)

 

We made it to another stunning place in Europe in October – County Kerry, Ireland. Whilst we had only been in Ireland a few months prior, this time, we were joined by my brother and his fiancée to explore the Wild Atlantic Way, beaches and bays, and reconnect after so long. This was essentially a ‘pre-honeymoon’ for the two, as they were then married in a lovely ceremony near my Dad’s hometown. It was a small wedding, but so long as you’ve got those who matter most around you, what more do you need? Very happy to be ending 2021 with a happy brother and brand new sister-in-law!

 

I also took the time in Ireland to donate my hair to the Little Princess Trust for the third time – covid may not have been good for many, many reasons, but at least not being able to go to the hairdressers meant I had 14 inches of hair that I was able to donate!

 

No sooner had I arrived back in the Netherlands that the most unexpected change happened, and I moved to Italy. I had received a job offer to work in Como, and after a year and a half of teaching online in the Netherlands, I was more than ready for a change. I arrived in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and jumped right into a busy working schedule teaching adults, teens and children at school in Como and across Lombardy.

 

I started exploring further afield in November, visiting some of the towns around Lake Como including Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, as well as taking a long weekend to visit Verona and Bologna (you can check them out on my blog too!). I learnt the power of aperitivo, ate so many amazing things, and even tried my hand at cooking too.

 

And here we are in December. My Italian travels have continued with snowy trips to Milan, and food-filled ones to Bergamo. During the short time I’ve been here, I’ve made the most incredible friends, eaten spectacular food, and visited stunning places. There’s so much still to explore in 2022, and I can’t wait!

Thanks for reading about my 2021 adventures! What did you get up to this year? Drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry, along with what your plans are for 2022! 

Travel: BERGAMO, ITALY

*check out my last Italian travel adventure (to Verona, home of Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet) here!*

One thing that I love about Italy is how much Italians love it too - the number of times I've asked Italian people what their favourite place in the world is, only to have them answer somewhere in Italy, is truly testament to how beautiful this country is. 

I got a glimpse of it's beauty upon visiting Verona - wandering along the river and admiring the views from up high, but even that was nothing compared to the most recent destination I've visited, Bergamo, which proved it's beauty both in it's landscapes and it's food too. 

The good decisions began first thing, when we purchased day travel tickets for 16.50 Euro, allowing us to travel to Bergamo from Como and back, and would prove their worth even more once we'd arrived there. Being close to two hours long, the journey to Bergamo wasn't short, so I'd worked up quite the appetite by the time we arrived. First stop on the agenda: food.

I was glad I didn't let myself be sucked into the first cafe we passed, as it was when we reached Tresoldi La Boutique Del Pane that we found heaven. I opted for a pear and chocolate cake, but had to stop myself halfway through when I saw the slice of pizza my friends brought over. This Margherita was cooked to perfection with just the right balance of tomato and cheese, and the slice of Quattro Formaggi I bought afterwards was just as delightful. We'd been in Bergamo for less than ten minutes, and I was already happy. 

We carried on up the main street to the funicular which would take us to Citta Alta, the old town. This area was utterly gorgeous - narrow streets flanked by high buildings, Christmas decorations strung above our heads, and welcoming shop windows selling clothes, gifts, and oh so much food. We passed artisan gingerbread makers, fresh pasta, and patisseries. I physically couldn't help myself from going in to one and buying a 'polenta e osei', a traditional Bergamasque sponge cake covered with yellow almond paste and decorated with chocolate or marzipan birds.

We admired the pretty checkerboard church before continuing on our way, although we didn't make it very far before we got distracted. There, on our right, were the most stunning focaccias we'd ever laid eyes on, and dozens of them. You want mortadella and cheese? You got it. Burrata and tomatoes? Sure. Prawns and rose marie sauce? Of course. Grilled vegetables? No problem. Every kind of topping you could imagine was stacked high onto these soft pieces of focaccia, so of course we had to try them. 

The queue was long, but worth it, although I must warn you that the servers are VERY generous (it's pay by weight), so you might want to get just one slice between two. We opted for an aubergine and burrata option, and tomato, burrata, and salad. Divine, although I struggled to eat much at all given how full I was already! 

On we went, wandering slowly through the streets and stopping occasionally to pop into one of the little shops. We ended up at another funicular (told you that day travel pass would prove it's worth) which took us up to Torre Castello San Vigilio. When I tell you that the views from the top were some of the best I'd seen in a long time, it was no word of a lie. 

We walked up to the castle, and were greeted with 360' views as far as the eye could see. The horizon stretched on for miles, towns down in the valley and great mountains stretching up behind them. It really was breath-taking. This seemed like the perfect place to rest for a while, so we stayed, taking photos and chatting to other visitors, before the sun started to set. 

This made for a visually spectacular wait for the funicular as the sky lit up with yellows, oranges, purples and blues. You know I'm a sucker for sunsets, and this one didn't disappoint. This was quickly turning into my favourite day in Italy so far, and it wasn't even over yet. 

Back in Citta Alta, we cruised back through the streets as darkness set in, pausing at Piazza Vecchia to stand under the lights, snowflakes and baubles that had been erected outside the Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai. I'd been wanting to see an Italian Christmas town, and this one seemed to do the trick. 

Still feeling full from the day's eating didn't stop me from picking up one last culinary delight that I'd admired on the way up - a slice of Torta Trentina al Cioccolata at the Nessi bakery. It was even better than I'd imagined - soft and squishy, like a mix of chocolate mixed with dates, and topped and tailed with a thin layer of biscuit. I truly regret not buying a whole block of it after I got home and discovered I couldn't find anything called 'Torta Trentina' anywhere on the internet! Readers, if you know this recipe, or anything like it, I need you to send it to me! 

It seemed like everyone had the same idea to leave Bergamo around that time, as we had to queue a while for the funicular back down, and quick march our way past the city Christmas lights in order to catch the train home. Worth every minute. 

Fear not though - our day was not quite over, as we were bringing a special surprise back home with us - fresh scarpinocc, a type of ravioli made with cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, and amaretto that had been recommended to me by an Italian colleague (I love having local friends!) We cooked it at home, it's freshness meaning that it was ready within minutes, and served with butter and a generous helping of parmesan. A genuinely perfect way to end a perfect day. 

Tip for visiting Bergamo:

- I cannot stress this enough: do. I know I still have plenty of Italian cities yet to visit, but I think this might be my favourite yet. The landscapes change rapidly between one part of the city and the next, and I don't even have to tell you that it's worth it just for the...

- ...food. Oh my gosh, I have never been so satisfied. Everything I ate was not just good, it was excellent. I would go back just for exactly the same food as I had this time, and that's without even having tried the plethora of eateries that this beautiful city has to offer. My stomach and I will certainly be back. 

I hope you enjoyed today's blog post on Bergamo! If you did, do let me know on Twitter @CiarasCountry or in the comments below, as well as giving me suggestions for where else in Italy I ought to visit! I'd love to hear all about your travel adventures too... More Italy blog posts coming soon, thanks so much for reading! 

Travel: VERONA, ITALY

 

*check out my previous travel blogs here!*

 

“Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.”

 

If a city is worthy of inspiring one of the greatest love stories of all time, it’s probably somewhere I ought to visit. I arrived at Verona Porta Nuova station one sunny afternoon and headed straight for my hotel – Hotel Sanmicheli. Now, a hotel wouldn’t usually be my first choice for a budget trip, but this was a holiday weekend, and I was pretty sure Sanmicheli had the only available room left in the city, so needs must. My room was fairly tiny, but I didn’t plan on being there for long anyway.

 

First stop – food. I’d passed an unassuming pasta bar en route to my hotel which I thought was worth a try, and boy, was I right! Amido had a simple menu – choose from a few types of pasta, pick your sauce, and any toppings you might like. I opted for a pasta that I hadn’t heard of before – bigoli, and topped it with Norma sauce (tomato and aubergine) and Grana Padano cheese. I kid you not when I say it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. 10/10 in my books, and perfect to fill me up for the day’s activities.

 

I made my way to the incredibly busy centre of town to search for inspiration at the Tourist Office. Thanks to the free wifi there, within minutes, I’d booked myself a ticket to the Arena – the Roman Amphitheatre slap bang in the middle of the city. Scooting past the queue waiting to buy tickets, I waltzed right in. Due to renovations, much of the Arena was closed off, but you could still walk around inside, read the informational posters, and then head out into the arena itself.

 

If you’ve got enough stamina, you can walk up and down the stands as much as you want to see the vistas across the city and see what its citizens are up to. It was time for me to join them shortly after, and I set off into the fray, along the river towards the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore. The church was closed at the time I visited, but that didn’t stop me from admiring the architecture from the outside.

 

I wandered back through the city streets at my leisure, into the busy Piazza delle Erbe and then down a side street where I came across a long queue. It turned out to be leading towards my destination: Casa di Giulietta, aka Juliet’s House, said to have inspired the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

 

I was once again pleased to have booked in advance as it meant I was able to skip the inordinately long queue. I found myself in a courtyard full of people and a large bronze statue of Juliet herself, with a certain body part tarnished a burning gold from being rubbed for luck.

 

Inside the house, I expected… more. You walk up some nondescript stairs, and join another queue to get your picture taken on the famous balcony. Would you be able to tell that this is an important balcony from the photos? Absolutely not. Continue up another set of stairs to be greeted by four props from one of the older movie adaptations of the play, and that’s pretty much all there is in the whole house. Was it worth 8Euro to stand on a balcony? Absolutely not. Save your money and spend it on Amido pasta instead.

 

As the night was drawing to a close, I walked back along the river, admiring the reflections of the lights on the water, and decided there was only one thing that it made sense to do on a chilly night like that. Get hot chocolate. And when I say hot chocolate, I don’t mean Nesquik and hot milk, I mean practically melted chocolate in a cup. La Bottega definitely delivered with its liquid chocolate that you could have with a variety of different toppings – strawberry was a good choice.

 

The next day started with a complimentary breakfast in the hotel – breads and pastries, yogurts and spreads, and a selection of hot drinks. Then it was time to explore. I passed by a few pretty churches before heading up to Castle San Pietro. I wasn’t there to visit the castle, but to admire the view, and what a view it was. The clear blue river flanked by red-roofed buildings, bridges spanning the water and the occasional church spire rising above. The water shallowed as it approached the bridges, giving the impression of waves. One of the best views I’ve seen in a while.

 

From there, I walked across to the Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes, a large yellow painted church high on the hill, again offering great views of Verona. I was just in time for a church service to start, and how nice it was to hear the Italian hymns ringing out of the church doors as I admired the vista.

 

I followed a sketchy looking path labelled ‘Verona’ on the way back, but it did take me back to the city, and via the imposing Forte Sofia no less. From here, I could see back up to the Santuario and across to the Castle, and found myself impressed by just how far I’d walked in a few hours!

 

My walking wasn’t quite over yet, as I had to navigate my way back across Verona to the train station. I thought ‘why not take the scenic route?’ and wove my way towards Castelvecchio, taking careful steps to walk across the high path on the bridge, again offering lovely views of the city. I haven’t visited all too many Italian cities (yet) but Verona will go down as one of the most beautiful in my book.

 

Tips for visiting Verona:

-        Save your money on Casa di Giulietta and go to Amido instead – definitely more worth it!  

-        Make sure at least part of your itinerary involves a viewpoint (I recommend Castel San Pietro) – Verona has a really beautiful skyline that’s well worth appreciating from higher up

I hope you enjoyed today's travel blog! Keep up to date with all my travel adventures on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and let me know where you're off to next! Thanks so much for reading :)

 

 

Best of Music: November 2021

 *check out my last music round-up here!*

I'll never quite forgive Spotify for making October 31st the cut-off for Spotify Wrapped (the ranking of your most listened to songs throughout the year) because anything I listen to afterwards isn't even considered, meaning all of the great music I've found this month won't make the list. Nonetheless, it certainly makes my monthly list, and November certainly delivered on great new music. You can check out my full Nov 21 playlist here, and read on for the best of the best - enjoy! 

Message In A Bottle - Taylor Swift

The biggest musical event of the year is obviously when Ms Music Industry herself, Taylor Swift, releases an album. I've been a fan since the Fearless days, so without a doubt the thing that gets me most excited about her re-records (aside from the fact that she now gets to own her own music) are the Vault tracks. Mr Perfectly Fine absolutely delivered as a Fearless Vault track, so I had high hopes for the Red Vault, particularly as this album was really Taylor's last country album before she veered off into pop. I knew we'd be getting Better Man and Babe (the originals of which are definitely worth checking out too), but there was one track which stood out to me above all others - Message In A Bottle. Picture an early 2000s rom-com makeover scene, and you've got the perfect soundtrack song for it. It's teen pop turned up to eleven, with the cutest lyrics to boot: "You could be the one that I love, I could be the one that you dream of. Message in a bottle is all I can do, standin' here, hopin' it gets to you. You could be the one that I keep, and I can be the reason you can't sleep at night." I want that kind of love.
Taylor-Swift-Red-.jpeg (1440×1440) (gingergeneration.it)

24 - Johnny Dailey 

"Why do you like country music, Ciara?" It has been, and always will be, because of the lyrics. I'm all for good melodies and talented vocals, but you give me some words that make me think and feel something, and I'm sold. Upon first listening to this track whilst multi-tasking, it was the melody and vocals that drew me in, but it was those subsequent listens that I thought 'there's more to this'. Country newcomer Johnny sings: "Time is borrowed so if tomorrow heaven came knocking on my door, I’d pull you closer, hold you tighter, kiss you slower, while the world’s on fire. No time wasting, just me making good on forever till my final hour... If I only had one more, I’d give you my last twenty-four." It's not a song that reveals itself to you immediately, but I like that. An artist to watch for sure.
Warner Chappell Music Nashville Signs Johnny Dailey - MusicRow.com

Madness - Maddie & Tae

It's not every day I stop in my tracks when listening to a song, but it happened with this one. As with many songs that come my way, Madness shuffled its way onto one of my recommended Spotify playlists that I listen to when working, and it blew me away. I hadn't even finished listening to the song before I Tweeted about it to say I'd fallen in love. Maddie & Tae are special with whatever songs they write, but this one is next level. Both married, the duo wrote this song about their husbands, and you can feel the love throughout - it starts: "You're my north star, you're my hideaway, you're my lighthouse shinin' in a hurricane. You're my best friend, you're my favorite thing, changed my mind, change my heart, change my last name." This is a song about loving someone no matter what: "Come what may, babe, hell or high, if those stars fall from that sky, let it all come crashin', I'll be runnin' to you the fastest. If these streets go up in flames, if everybody goes insane, I'll reach for you, you'll keep me safe, cause baby, whatever happens, if the world goes mad, if it all goes bad... I'll love you through the madness." It's a strange world we're living in, but this is a song that'll really let your partner know you love them.

Maddie & Tae Dedicate Emotional ‘Madness’ To Their Husbands (tasteofcountry.com)

Teddy Robb - Cigarettes'll Kill Ya 

You know how there are things that remind you of people from your past? Mine are songs and places, and for Teddy Robb, it's the smell of cigarette smoke. Not a smell that would get me thinking about love, but I can relate to the nostalgia that certain things can trigger. This song, sung in Teddy's signature dulcet tones, tells the story of a guy in a bar (where all good stories start, really) being reminded of a past love by a woman smoking across from him. She doesn't know the memories she's stirring and how much they hurt him: "That second-hand smoke from the red and black cloves. Same ones we used to burn when we get a little loaded up on Friday, buzzing the night away. Damn you were one in a million, now I'm sitting right here in a missing you haze. Hurts a little more with every drag she's taking, baby, I'm dying just to be with you, yeah, cigarettes'll kill ya." A phrase that’s true for more reason than one.

TEDDY ROBB DISCLAIMER: “CIGARETTES’LL KILL YA” - Monument Records (monument-records.com)

Neon Cowgirl – Raelynn

There’s not a part of me that understands why Raelynn isn’t up there with Kelsea, Carly, and Gabby. Her music has grown so much within the past few years, and I really think there’s something refreshing about her no-nonsense attitude to the topics she sings about, whether that be meeting the one, getting drunk, or knowing your worth. Neon Cowgirl falls into the last category, about a girl sitting at a bar ‘waitin’ on a cowboy to rope her heart’ when in reality, no-one who walks through that door will be anywhere near good enough for you. Raelynn tells us: “Girl, you need to saddle your horse up and get the hell outta here, all of them Wranglers and whiskey and smoke is all smoke and mirrors. You're shinin' like a diamond in your denim and pearls, but don't you go losin' your light in the neon, cowgirl.” I love the imagery of denim and pearls, the positive message behind the lyrics, the Wild West backing track, and Raelynn’s totally underrated vocals. Like last month’s favourite Get That All The Time, she has a way of making any song fun and extremely listenable.

Spotify – Neon Cowgirl - song by RaeLynn

Follow Your Heart - Logan Mize 

Someone else who definitely needs to break into the big time is Logan Mize. I first saw him perform at Nashville Meets London in 2016 (read my review of his set, and my interview with Logan here), and the fact that he still hasn’t yet had a big hit is a crime. Follow Your Heart is a song about wanting someone to do just that – go out and follow their dreams, and hey, if that path leads them back to you, that’d be okay too. “Follow the highway signs, follow the long line of memories. Follow that little voice inside that’s telling you right where you oughta be. Follow your heart, follow your heart right back to me.” It’s simple and noto verdone, allowing Logan to project on the lyrics and make it sound effortless. We all know the famous saying that if you love something, let it go, and if it was meant to be, they’ll come back to you – this is a song that I have no doubt will come back to me again and again.  

Follow Your Heart - Logan Mize - Testo | Testi e Traduzioni

If I Was A Cowboy - Miranda Lambert

I can’t believe there was ever a time when I didn’t love Miranda Lambert. I will go to my grave claiming that The Weight Of These Wings is one of the best country albums to date, Bluebird was the song that got me through four months of manual labour on an Australian farm, and Track Record is the backing track for my official radio promo (every Friday, 5-8pm UK on www.ukcountryradio.com!). I think I can probably call myself a pretty big RanFan, and it’s songs like If I Was A Cowboy that make that incredibly easy to understand. It’s not a song that any artist could make their own, but Miranda has that authenticity that truly make you believe that she lives by each and every lyric in this song. They’re clever too: “If I was a cowboy, I’d be wild and free, rollin’ around these towns like tumbleweeds. I’d be a legend at loving and leaving, nipping on a whiskey and numbing up my feelings. You thought the West was wild, but you ain’t saddled up with me, if I was a cowboy, I’d be the queen.” It’s powerful and nostalgic and real, and I can only hope that she’ll never stop making music just like this.

If I Was a Cowboy - Miranda Lambert - Testo | Testi e Traduzioni

Changed Everything - Austin Burke 

Versatility is in Austin Burke’s nature. He can go from sweet duets like Far Boy with Leah Marie Mason, to euphemistic parodies like Wet Dream, to want-you-back songs like Changed Everything. Here’s a man who can appreciate when he needs to make an effort: “Baby, I changed for the better, got my s--- together like you always wanted me to. I’m a little less screw up, a little more grew up since I messed it up with you. I can’t take back your last goodbye and the good Lord knows I’ve tried, cause baby, I’ve changed everything but your mind.” It’s a sad song that doesn’t feel sad, and one that allows you to appreciate what a great songwriter and singer Austin is. I can definitely see him as being one of the artists to come up alongside the likes of Parker McCollum, Roman Alexander, and Matt Stell – he certainly has the voice and talent for it.

Austin Burke – Changed Everything Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

I hope you enjoyed reading my November favourites – you can check out all of my favourite songs throughout the year right here: Ciara's Country Spotify, and I’d love to know what songs you’ve been loving recently! Drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and make sure to join me every Friday GMT 5-8pm on www.ukcountryradio.com for three hours of great country music just like this. Thanks so much for reading!