British nurse stunned by £5,000 NHS bill

Hi

Although it might be UK rules, simply doesn`t seem right :

"An elderly British ex-nurse who lived in the UK for 66 years has been hit with a £5,000 bill from her former hospital after falling ill during a visit from her new home in the USA.

Kathleen Batten, 83, returned to her hometown for her sister's funeral but suffered a heart attack as she read a tribute during the service."

Source and full story

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/12057205/British-nurse-stunned-by-5000-NHS-bill.html

Strong pound a bonus for holiday makers

The recent strength of the British pound against the Euro is proving a bonus for British holidaymakers heading to Europe.

Also noticing it myself has have been in Italy for the last 2 months.

"British graduate Alexander Troop has the Bank of England to thank for making his last vacation before starting work a memorable one.

The 24-year-old trainee lawyer joins an upswell of holiday makers taking advantage of a surge in the pound as higher U.K. interest rates loom. Sterling’s near the strongest level since 2007 versus the euro and has climbed against every major currency this year except the Swiss franc."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-05/drinks-are-on-carney-as-britons-abroad-embrace-pound-s-strength

Immigration/refugees in to Europe a big issue

Hi

An issue that concerns several EU countries.

In Italy an anti immigrant stance by the  Italian right wing Northern Leagues political party helped them sine more votes.:

"He is virulently anti-immigrant, has called for Roma camps to be razed and once referred to the euro as a “crime against humanity”. Matteo Salvini, the bombastic rightwing leader of Italy’s xenophobic Northern League, has even accused Pope Francis of doing a disservice to Catholics by promoting dialogue with Muslims.

None of this appears to be doing him any harm at the ballot box. On the contrary, in the divided and economically battered Italy of 2015, it seems to be a winning formula. The 42-year-old is riding high after his party made significant electoral gains in central and left-leaning parts of Italy, results that reflect growing opposition to the EU and concern over the thousands of migrants landing on Italy’s shores each week."

Quite an extreme view.http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/01/northern-league-gains-italian-elections-matteo-salvini

Converting shipping containers in to homes

Hi

It says something about just how expensive property has become in some areas when there is a business that converts shipping containers in to residential accommodation.


"Luke Iseman has figured out how to afford the San Francisco Bay area. He lives in a shipping container.

The Wharton School graduate’s 160-square-foot box has a camp stove and a shower made of old boat hulls. It’s one of 11 miniature residences inside a warehouse he leases across the Bay Bridge from the city, where his tenants share communal toilets and a sense of adventure. Legal? No, but he’s eluded code enforcers who rousted what he calls cargotopia from two other sites. If all goes according to plan, he’ll get a startup out of his response to the most expensive U.S. housing market."

More here :

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-30/wharton-grad-s-got-a-tiny-illegal-solution-to-bay-area-housing

Summer Palace Vienna

Hi

Summer Palace ( Schonnbrunn ) Palace is one of the top tourist attractions in Vienna,with magnificent garden grounds.

Built in the Baroque style Emperor Franz Joseph was born here in 1830.

It is on Unesco`s World cultural heritage list

Como Italy 2015

Hi

Spending a couple of months just outside Como, one of my favourite cities.

Very pretty by the Lakeside,with a nice selection of bars/cafes and restaurants to relax at


Picture of the sign to a walkway/entrance to a public park

Glitterman ?

Nice view out to the Lake

Popular mooring spot for boats

All in all pleasant place, the green area very popular on this day

Campione -Little Italy in Switzerland

Hi

 Campione is a small Italian enclave within Switzerland.

A part of Italy yet surrounded by Switzerland.

It uses the Swiss Franc ( although the Euro is acceptable ), Swiss telecom & postal  system

Only a small place, one of it`s main features seems to be it`s large Casino which brings in a lot of revenue to the enclave.

Lovely views out to Lake Lugano.

A mini tax haven

The arch, commissioned by Mussolini

 You can drive through in minutes, population small with a high proportion of foreigners due to it`s favourable tax regime.





Lovely surrounding area