THE FILE

Facts, figures and stuff from the Ryanair world of travel

The numbers

35.5 The amount in billions of euros of national income generated from tourism in Spain in 2005, the highest of any nation in Europe.

1.8 The amount in billions of euros of national income generated from tourism in Bulgaria in 2005, the lowest recorded.

600 The number of rooms in Buckingham Palace.

700 The number of rooms in the Palace of Versailles.

577,352 The size, in km2 , of the world’s largest independent island country, Madagascar, located in the Indian Ocean.

21 The size, in km2, of the world’s smallest independent island country, Nauru, in the South Pacific.

10,500 Largest number of unduplicated whiskey bottles all in different shapes collected by Alfredo Gonçalves of Lisbon, Portugal.

3 The number of same shape, same-size whiskey bottles drunk by the Ryanair Magazine editorial team on day before print deadline.

Rites of passage

Random customs, rituals, festivals and superstitions

PROCESSION OF THE UNMARRIED WOMEN

ITALY

Yes it’s true. Every 12 June in the village of Palestrina outside Rome, the Procession of the Unmarried Women takes place. It’s all for those oh-so-desperate women eager to tie the knot, seeking divine assistance in their quest. OK, for all you outraged feminists and atheists out there, it’s not quite like that any more.

Things have changed and the time-honoured practice of segregating all single women in the village, dressing them in white robes and getting them to walk in line through the city praying to St Anthony for a husband has been phased out. However, now the participants are just the little white-clad girls of the village, who have taken the First Eucharist the previous year. Actually, wait a second… that may be even more worrying!

Your shout

What’s been the most memorable dish you’ve tasted on holiday?

ELODIE, 24, STUDENT, NEW YORK	PETER, 32, RETAIL INTERIOR DESIGNER, AMSTERDAM

‘‘Jellied eels. Yuck!,,	‘‘A curious dish incorporating salted apples when I was in Hungary,,
IMOGENE, 24, COSTUME DESIGNER, NEW ZEALAND

‘‘A strawberry coulis over roast duck in Spain – it blew my mind and I still think about it,,

My Europe

MINNA AALTONEN
TURKU, FINLAND

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT TURKU?

Well, it’s most definitely the riverside and the beach in Ruissalo. It’s truly amazing. Turku was founded in the 13th century and is the oldest city in Finland.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST WHEN YOU’RE FLYING AROUND EUROPE ON RYANAIR?

Without question, the seafood and Finnish pear cider.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIVE MUST-DO’S FOR A 24-HOUR STAY IN TURKU?

01. First thing in the morning, go to the market in the heart of the town centre for coffee with special Finnish buns, pulla, followed by shopping for fresh fruit, seafood and Finnish handicrafts.
02. Wander to the riverside where you can catch a boat to Naantali, a small town 15km away. On the way, you’ll see one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the world and the biggest in Europe, with over 20,000 islands. When you get there, enjoy the seaside with its wonderful restaurants.
03. If you have kids, head to Moominworld. The cult cartoon characters are incredible up close.
04. If you are feeling a bit parched head for one of Turku’s restaurant boats on the river, and enjoy a beer or cocktail at sunset. Dinner must be the best pizza you’ll ever have outside of Italy, at Dennis. Alternatively, Rocca has great food and is owned by ice hockey star Saku Koivu and chef Antti Vahtera.
05. For a great end to your day, check out the range of nightclubs, like Hamburger Bors and Galaxy, as well as Marilyn and Abo Diskotek for the younger crowd.

LAST WORD?

Turku is famous for its summer music festivals. Don’t miss Ruiscrock (6-8 July) on the beach and the City Festival (24-29 July) by the Laituri river.

Eavesdropper

What we overheard at 35,000ft

“I feel rough. That vodka joint in downtown Riga last night blasted the backend of my brain.”

“Hahahahaha. I got the best seat with legroom ’cos I got on first. Priority boarding — it’s the real deal, baby.”

“Do you reckon Gordon Brown will ever travel with Ryanair?”

“Hey look! Bullseye Baggies. It’s booze in a teabag.”

“I’m flying high in the sky like a human with wings.”

How to cure a hangover

Often the hangovers on holiday are far worse than at home. Why? Because people don’t follow the tried and tested cures honed by locals through years of practice.
IRELAND Have a hearty, tasty, greasy fry-up. That’s sausages, black and white pudding, fried eggs, tomatoes and some soda bread. It’s the only way.
SWEDEN Gulp down a litre or more of natural mineral water and have a long sauna to sweat out all those toxins. Then immerse your arms and legs in cold water afterwards.
FRANCE Down a strong balck coffee and chain-smoke a pack of Gauloise Bleu.
ENGLAND Take a couple of Resolve (contains painkiller), followed by a Bloody Mary — tomato juice, vodka, Worcester sauce, Tabasco and a celery stick for good measure.
RUSSIA Pop an RU-21 the night before you drink. The pill was invented by Soviet scientists for the KGB when they were out on missions that involved much socialising. Otherwise, cabbage soup is a good remedy.
POLAND Drink a cup of honey mixed with pickle juice — the salt from the pickles replenishes electrolytes and dulls the pain.
ROMANIA It’s all about tripe soup here, say rural villagers. The tasty concoction of vegetables mixed with the lining of a cow’s stomach is guaranteed to heal the head!

The unpronounceables

Brno

Pronounced: “Brrrrronoooh.” The name comes from the old Slavic word brnie apparently, which means “mud”.
Where is it? At the crossroads of ancient trade routes that have joined northern and southern European civilisations for centuries… or rather in the south–east of the Czech Republic where the Svitava and Svratka rivers meet. It’s also the country’s second-largest city.
What happens there? Quite a few things actually. It’s a pretty rocking town. There’s the Moto Grand Prix Brno; the International Music Festival Spilberk (16-26 August); Ignis Brunensis, an international fireworks competition held every June; and Slavnosti vina, the annual wine festival each September, celebrating the regional wine harvest.
Reasons to visit: Brno has fantastic architecture, so get your fill of its baroque and gothic treats at the numerous castles and UNESCO sites (like Mies van der Rohe’s landmark Tugendhat Villa). Fly there with Ryanair from London Stansted.