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Villa Cavrois: A Modern Castle
A modern castle - that's what it was called when it was built. And remarkably, that was seventy years ago. It was seen as being astonishingly modern, nested as it was in the countryside of the somewhat traditional Northern France. It was created as the family home for...
Campendium: Where To Camp in N. America
Whether you want to head to the hills like the guy in the photograph above or prefer your camping to be in a luxury RV, the vacation starts with deciding where to go. At the time of writing, with a pandemic underway, many people are considering camping in one of its...
Airbnb Guests: Why Should I Pay a Cleaning Fee?
There does seem to be quite a lot of confusion online from short-term rental guests who don't understand what the so-called cleaning fee is all about. Note that not all hosts charge this as a separate fee but wherever you stay - hotel, guesthouse B & B, short...
El Peñón de Guatapé, Colombia
El Peñón de Guatapé, the Rock of Guatapé, is the weirdest thing - as you can see from the photograph. (See the video below too). This isn't man-made, it's a natural object. And there it sits, all alone, just waiting for you to visit it. Not a mountaineer? That's no...
Visiting the UK. Abbey Road, London
What you see above is probably the most famous pedestrian crossing in the world. Recorded in 1969, Abbey Road was an album by the Beatles and the cover featured the four band members walking across the road on the crossing. Use the map below to locate the crossing our...
Check SeatGuru Before You Book Your Flight
There are so many wonderful places to visit in this world of ours and it can take us a long time to decide just where we want to go for our next precious vacation time. And once we've decided on our destination, we then have to choose how to get there. Many of us will...
Český Krumlov Castle. And Bears
This amazing castle in the Czech Republic dates from 1240. It's an astonishing place to visit. The town of Český Krumlov is a designed UNESCO World Heritage Site and quite rightly. You can see some of the highlights of the castle in the video below. Since the early...
Book Now for Pride Fort Lauderdale 2019
I'm biased I know, but I really believe that there's no better place than Fort Lauderdale - if you know about the hidden gems. And there's no better place for a pride beach party. It takes place every February and the next event will be February 24th, 2019. It seems...
Harran Beehive Houses, Turkey
In the USA, domestic air conditioning wasn't available until the mid-nineteen fifties but other countries had the problem solved in ancient times. Take, for example, the beehive houses of Harran - examples of which are pictured above. Beehive houses were constructed...
Dove Cottage, Cumbria
In 1799, English poet William Wordsworth, moved into Dove Cottage - a former inn - near Ambleside in what is now the stunning Lake District National Park. The area is justifiably famous for its hills, mountains, waterfalls and lakes. A couple of years later Wordsworth...
Visiting Rome: Carciofi alla Giudia
Carciofi alla giudia is a traditional Roman recipe that is a Jewish speciality. It's a plate of sheer deliciousness, being a wonderful twice-deep-fried artichoke dish. It's prepared in a traditional manner. (See the video below). Recently though, it has become...
The Empress Hotel & The Eternal Triangle
The opulent Empress Hotel in British Columbia sits like an elegant Edwardian duchess overlooking the harbour of Victoria on Vancouver Island. But this sumptuous hotel was at one time considered to be a dowdy and faded building that was better demolished to make way...
Rjukan. Norway. Mirrored Sunshine
Norway has stunning scenery. The lakes, the mountains ... they are beautiful and popular with travellers. But what can be done for those who live in the small towns and villages that are set in the shadow of these mountains? The tallest mountain in...
Danger! Giant Hogweed
I know, it sounds a little triffid-like. But it is true that this plant, giant hogweed, is something that you should watch out for - and avoid - due to the sap causing severe skin irritation. In fact, these burns can cause hospitalisation and scarring. Get the stuff...
Blorenge, Wales, UK
What do a twentieth-century showjumping horse and a delicious tropical fruit have in common? This hill in South Wales, Blorenge. I'll come to that in a minute.Borenge is described sometimes as a mountain, sometimes as a hill. As I like my mountains to be rugged and...
Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.
It's going to be a little difficult writing about the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in Tennessee without resorting to 'pardon me boy', 'dinner in the diner' and 'won't you choo choo me home' but I'm fairly sure that I can do it if I try. The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel...
Cape Romano Dome House, Florida
Some people think that they were built by aliens but the fact of the matter is that the Cape Romano Dome House, now abandoned, was built in 1980 by an American businessman named Bob Lee. (I'll admit that the alien story is more romantic though). I imagine that many of...
Visiting Sweden. Slottsskogen, Gothenburg
Reluctant as I am to use an aged cliché, it's nevertheless important when we're travelling to have some time to 'stop and smell the flowers'. Travelling can be very hectic, especially when most of us only have a limited number of time to spend on our vacation - the...
Visiting the UK: The Crooked Spire, Chesterfield
If you're travelling up the Mi motorway from the south of England to Yorkshire or Scotland or all points north then watch out for a sign directing you to Chesterfield. This lovely Derbyshire market town is worth visiting for several reasons but a tourist attraction...
Olveston House, Montserrat. The Beatles Connection
Olveston House on the British territory isle of Montserrat is a relaxing, lazy haven for travellers. Better described as a guesthouse than a hotel, it features traditional Caribbean architecture, swimming pool, cool verandahs, wifi, room service, a library and plenty...
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