Desperately Seeking Coffee
Exploring the history of coffee - while trying different brews around the world
One Morning in Laos
Luang Prabang is a place of cobbled streets and quiet cafes overlooking the Mekong. The (somewhat faded) French colonial charm provides a counterpoint to the old wooden buildings and the innumerable wats, or temples. Every dawn, the monks leave these wats to partake of Tak Bat, a silent offering of food by the locals.
Overlooked in Singapore
Singapore may be a tiny island, but there is still a lot to see and do, some of it a little unusual…
Finding Leonardo in Fiesole
Above Florence is the delightful town of Fiesole, once home to the Etruscans (and a summer retreat for the Medici). In the hills above the town a plaque marks the spot where Leonard, using one of his creations, once tried to fly.
A Walk With Dante in Florence
Dante began writing The Divine Comedy while exiled from his beloved Florence. The pain of banishment weaves through his work. The poet never returned to his native city; even the tomb built for him in 1829 in Santa Croce remains empty. Yet were Dante to return to Florence today, much of the city would be familiar to him.
Wandering Hoi An
Wandering Hoi An is the best way to explore and discover this ancient city. The buildings reflect her years as a thriving port; now Hoi An is filled with art galleries, gastronomic gems, ceramics, lanterns, and, of course, the silk for which the town is famed.
Wandering in Venice
No matter how lost I became, I always found something to see in Venice. Simply walking her streets with no destination in mind is an absolute delight.
A Cabinet of Curiosities
A Cabinet of Curiosities — such a delightful term. In Prague’s Strahov Monastery, a few rooms are dedicated to an eclectic mix of curiosities: from unicorn horns to chain mail, from hand-illustrated manuscripts to a dried whale penis. Then, there is also the Strahov Library.
Why I loved Nagasaki
Nagasaki was unexpected. Perfect for wandering, uncrowded, with great food and shopping - plus a delightful welcome at the port! It boasts Japan’s oldest arched bridge, and a garden which inspired Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.
An Apartment in Florence
Thoughts on staying in an apartment in Florence above the San Lorenzo Markets. Of course food became a central part of the stay, with the Mercato Centrale just around the corner. Plus the place came with a clothesline hanging out the window.
Eating Japan.
Japan is a land of contrasts - which is reflected in her food. From a traditional breakfast to a meal from a vending machine; instant noodles to a deer curry, not to mention the green tea ice cream: each meal offers a new adventure.
Mont St Michel
Against the darkness Mont St Michel rose from the sea, unchanged from medieval times when the island became a mystical emblem of the heavenly Jerusalem, an earthly image of paradise. By day the place may be filled with tourists, but stay on the island overnight and you step back in time.
Le Vieux Paris
Where else to begin exploring Paris but where the city began? Walking through the Île de la Cité covers some 4000 years of civilisation, from when the first Gauls settled here, to those living statues who pose each day outside the Notre-Dame for tourists.
Travels With an Epicurean Zombie
When the zombie apocalypse arrives, why not embrace it and enjoy some food along the way, while travelling the world?