【推荐1】After talking about it for years, I finally got to visit Puglia in 2021. Not for a week or two but an entire month. I sure am glad that I married a half-Italian.

A little background, my husband’s father’s family is from Salento in Puglia and they even have a place to stay there on the beach. I have heard about this place ever since I got married. I ended up visiting it six years after being married.

Honestly, it wasn’t my first time in Italy. I was in the Trentino region before but most of the Italians told me that “the real Italy only starts from the south of Rome”. Anyway, I was all set to have a very “average” experience in the south of Italy in every sense but I was in for a surprise. That’s because I have visited a lot of amazing beaches and islands. Moreover, I have also visited countries that are known for their amazing food and I thought I’d find Italian food very “plain and basic”, but I was wrong. I didn’t expect to love it so much.

If there’s one country that’s so culturally powerful that everyone has to experience it at least once, it has got to be Italy. In terms of culture, family, food, art, architecture and music—they all play an important part individually and wholly. Italians take pride in their culture.

It is hard to describe how it is to experience a new culture. I come from a country where culture plays a very visible part and I felt something similar in Italy. Even if you arrive in Italy with a closed mind, over time the country will win you over because you can’t help but fall in love with it.

【推荐3】We’re giving London’s Lidos some love this summer. Whether you're an outdoor swimming fanatic or are yet to dip your toes into the water, there are plenty of options for you. Let’s dive right in!

Brockwell Lido

Located in the corner of Brockwell Park and surrounded by low line art decorated with redbrick walls, the unheated 50m pool has a dedicated army of year-round swimmers, and queues often stretch all around the block on summer days. Do book ahead if you can. There’s also a gym and fitness center on-site, all operated by Fusion, with the added bonus of an outdoor sauna available during the winter season.

Hampton Pool

Hampton Pool is well-known for its famous moonlight swims, taking place late at night in the summer months. Not a night owl? During the day, two outdoor pools are available—a 36m one for the adults, and a 12.5mlong one for learners and toddlers. They’re heated year-round. As well as the moonlight and Christmas Day swims, Hampton Pool offers other special events including picnic concerts in the summer months.

Charlton Lido

Charlton Lido has all the equipment and classes a gym fanatic might need, but we’re here to talk about the outdoor pool. 50m long, heated, surrounded by a sun terrace in the summer months, with drinks available to buy from Coffee Corner in June-September. Members can take part in classes such as aqua aerobics in the outdoor pool free of charge.

Oasis Sports Centre

Central London’s only heated, outdoor pool, this one comes with the added bonus of being located on a sun terrace. The outdoor pool is just one part of the Oasis Sports Centre, which also houses a gym, indoor pool and exercise studios. The 27.5m long outdoor pool is surrounded by a patio area and sunbathing deck, with the added bonus of a sauna nearby. Sure, views of the rooftops of Covent Garden make it feel like something of a hidden gem (宝石).

【推荐2】Great American Song Contest

Contest Rules & Entry:

This annual event is designed for amateur and semi-pro (半职业) songwriters only. Songwriters who earn over $10,000 annually from song publishing royalties (版税) do not have qualifications.

Amateur and semi-pro songwriters from all nations of the world are invited to participate in the Great American Song Contest.Song lyrics (歌词) may be in any language. Please include an English translation.

All participants will be sent an entry confirmation and a judging schedule when their songs are received and processed.

This year’s deadline is March 5. Online submissions must be received by this date. Mailed submissions must be postmarked (盖邮戳) by this date.

An entry fee of $30 is required for each entered song. After the first two entries,the entry fee drops to $25 for each additional song.

If the same song is entered in multiple categories, each requires a separate entry fee.

Prizes & Benefits:

Grand Prize Winner receives $1,000 in cash; each First Prize Winner receives $500 in cash. In addition, all winners receive a free membership to TAXI Independent A & R Company—$300 value!

Unlike those highly competitive“big cash prize”contests, which receive 20,000 to 30,000 entries each year but reward only a few, the Great American Song Contest offers a clear benefit to everyone who enters. Songwriters can get their songs heard and get feedback from knowledgeable music-industry professionals. That’s because the Great American Song Contest offers this opportunity and unique guarantee: All participating songwriters receive written opinions on their songs from experienced music-industry professionals!

【推荐3】A 4-Day Private Tour in Turkey

A Turkey tour is full of many dream-come-true moments. Here we offer you a 4-day private tour in Turkey.

Day 1 Arrival in Istanbull

Once you land at Istanbul Airport, our local guide will pick you up and send you to the hotel downtown. We will then leave the rest of the day for your own plan.

Accommodation: Fer Hotel☆☆☆☆

Day 2 Istanbul Old City

The first stop will be the ancient Hippodrome, which is now a public square, and where several monuments (纪念碑) still stand, including the most eye-catching obelisk. Then we will head to the nearby Blue Mosque, one of Istanbul’s landmarks. Finally, after today’s sightseeing, we will send you to a new hotel.

Accommodation: Hilton Hotel☆☆☆☆

Day 3 Bosphorus Cruise

In the morning, the guide will lead you to the Spice Bazaar, where you can buy Turkey’s most traditional spices and food. The locals often come here to buy daily goods, so it’s a great place to have an in-depth understanding of their daily lives, too. Then, we will board a ship to enjoy the Bosphorus Strait, which will last for about 2 hours.

Accommodation: Hampton Inn Hotel ☆☆☆☆

Day 4 Cappadocia

Cappadocia is famous for lunar-like landscapes and cave buildings. Among various sites in the region, Goreme Open Air Museum is the best site to visit. Next, we will come to Avanos, a small town specializing in making pottery (陶器) with red clay from Red River. Finally, we will drive to Kaymakli Underground City, consisting of 8 layers connected by tunnels.

Accommodation: Kayakapi Premium Hotel ☆☆☆☆☆

At 7: 00 next morning, we will say goodbye after the driver sends you to the airport.