LATEST ARTICLES
Spanish Cuisine: Tortilla de Patatas
At the time I'm writing this, no-one really knows what's going to happen to the travel industry. Even before this virus confined us all largely to our homes, many people were avoiding flying, for instance, because of concerns for the planet. Will flying become a more...
London: Cabmen’s Shelters
If you've been to London, you might have noticed them. If you're planning to go there, then watch out for them. These curious little structures, looking rather like a Victorian garden shed, are scattered throughout the city.There are only thirteen of them these days...
Love Locks & Eiffel Tower: New Orleans
They say that writer Guy de Maupassant used to eat lunch every day at the restaurant atop the Eiffel Tower - because it was the only place in Paris that didn't have a view of the thing. This 'fact' is doubted by my family as we once drove around Paris for ages but...
Locations: Game of Thrones
Dark Hedges is a stunning - and rather magical - parade of beech trees to be found in Northern Ireland and brought to general attention by its use as a location in the TV series Game of Thrones. This dark avenue of gnarled trees was planted in 1775 as the entrance to...
Ramones Museum, Berlin
Way back in 1990, Flo Hayler started collecting Ramones memorabilia. He collected tickets and t-shirts, posters and pants. These were to form the basis of the Ramones Museum in Berlin. Yes, you're right of course, the Ramones are mostly associated with their American...
Ashtrays in the Airplane?
It used to be one of those mysteries of life. How old is this plane I'm travelling in? Smoking on planes was banned in 1988 so why does the loo of the plane I'm in feature an ashtray? The answer is pretty simple, although somewhat bizarre. By law, aircraft loos (or...
Grand Hotel Campo dei Fiori, Italy
Here's another seriously spooky hotel, this time the Grand Hotel Campo dei Fiori in the Italian Alps. The hotel was abandoned when tourism declined in the area. Since its abandonment, in the late 1960s, the hotel fell into a ruinous state. Furniture and decor items...
What Do People Hate To See In Bathrooms?
Particularly important to travellers and to hosts of properties such as those listed on Airbnb, are the recent statistics that show what seriously turns people off bathrooms. My own huge turn off is seeing a pubic hair of dubious provenance on the toilet seat. But...
Movie Locations: Mountain Lake Lodge
A cult movie of the 1980s, Dirty Dancing was set at the fictional Kellerman's Resort in the Catskills. In fact, the filming took place at the Mountain Lake Hotel in Pembroke, Virginia. The film was set in 1963 and reflected the lifestyle of prosperous New Yorkers in...
The Black Sheep Brewery, Yorkshire
Paul Theakston was born into the brewing industry and worked at the namesake Theakston's Brewery in Masham, Yorkshire. That is until business and managerial mayhem made him leave in the 1980s. But - and many a Yorkshireman would say the same - beer was in his blood....
Isle of Lewis, Scotland
The Hebridean Islands are well-known because of their incredible scenery, wild seas and astonishing wildlife. The islands are largely unspoiled and the Isle of Lewis is no exception. And if you want to baffle a friend with a trivia question, who do these three...
Tianducheng: Paris in China
Paris is a beautiful city. Few people would argue with me there. But what exactly is the deal with reproducing wonderful places? Tianducheng is a suburb of Hangzhou in China and Paris has been reproduced - not very well - in a development that was built in 2007. And...
Kunsthofpassage, Dresden, Germany
Kunsthofpassage is a series of alleyways in the student district of Dresden. The area contains quirky bookshops and cafés - and unusually decorated buildings. One of the most famous is the one you see above. A series of drainpipes are displayed not only in an artful...
Do You Know Which Attraction is Number One in Europe?
It's not the Eiffel Tower. Nor is it the Prado in Madrid. Forget Barcelona Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and even the Acropolis in Athens. Today, the number one tourist spot is in Northern Ireland. Have you guessed yet? It's the Titanic Belfast tourism attraction -...
Lake Michigan: The Wreck of the Francisco Morazan
The wreck of the Francisco Morazan can still be seen just a couple of hundred yards from the shore of Lake Michigan. Yet the ship floundered and was abandoned in 1960. The ship was built in 1922 in Germany and you can still tell today, looking at the wreck, that it...
Visiting Paris: Musée Édith Piaf
Even though French iconic singer Edith Piaf died as long ago as 1963, most people would recognise her voice today. Even those who aren't old enough to remember her will probably know this: And there is a private museum dedicated to her in Paris. It can be visited by...
Bunce Island, Sierra Leone
Bunce Island has a fascinating and rather chilling history. Today the island is deserted but in 1670 a castle was built there by a British slave trading company which became a hub for the slave trade. People from the west coast of Africa were kidnapped and shipped as...
Visiting the UK: The Cats of York
York is a truly amazing place. It's packed with history, ancient architecture, museums, parks ... there are fabulous places to eat, the local scenery is unbeatable and it's even a great place to shop. Bizarrely, you can also - free of charge - enjoy hunting for cats....
Gnomesville, Western Australia
There is a state in Western Australia called Dardanup and within that area is Ferguson Valley. There's not much there, really. A timber mill was there back in Victorian times but it closed in 1929. In 1950 the town there was mostly destroyed by fire. Yet it's a huge...
Iceland: Sleeping Under the Stars
Imagine relaxing under the stars in your own private cocoon watching a fabulous light show provided by Mother Nature. This is exactly what you can do at the Panorama Glass Lodge in Iceland. This private small lodge gives you privacy and spectacular views. As you can...
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