Visiting the Azores

An 8 day visit to the main island in the Azores over Christmas time, detailing the pros and cons of visiting here. It’s beautiful and green but frequently rains, much like Ireland.

How Do I Love Thee, Vienna

Belvedere Palace Two years ago we first visited Vienna for five days and were so delighted by it that we returned again to this extraordinary Austrian city for the entire month of August. I love Vienna now even more than before. Here are fourteen reasons why. There are almost 1,000 municipal parks in Vienna, including … Continue reading How Do I Love Thee, Vienna →

Walking Vienna’s Ring Road

One recommended activity to get a good sense of some of Vienna’s architectural and cultural delights is to walk the Ring Road (Ringstrasse) around the inner city. It takes about 1.5 hours to complete if you’re not stopping. I decided to give this a try the other day. I started my walk beside the neoclassical … Continue reading Walking Vienna’s Ring Road →

Sound of Music Tour

My favorite movie ever is the Sound of Music. I love the songs and the plot, lust after Christopher Plummer and delight in lovely Julie Andrews. Given that, I knew I would have to do the original tour when in Salzburg. Our Tour Bus I recently took this tour with an Austrian friend and three … Continue reading Sound of Music Tour →

Discovering Pieter Bruegel

Art History Museum We recently went to Vienna’s Art History Museum, an impressive structure built “under Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph to accommodate the collections acquired by the emperors and archdukes of the House of Habsburg over the centuries,” according to its brochure. The museum is known by locals as KHM, short for the Kunsthistorisches (Art … Continue reading Discovering Pieter Bruegel →

Visiting Jaen

Jaen is capital city of the province of Jaen, in the autonomous southern Spanish community of Andalusia. Although not as well known as some other Spanish cities, it has an interesting history dating back four centuries. This town first came to my attention when I broke my leg walking down the street in Mengibar, a … Continue reading Visiting Jaen →

Travel Favourites – The Isle Of Wight

Some good travel ideas on this blog, including Isle of Wight. My new series features some of my favourite holiday destinations. So far we’ve visited Dubai, Bournemouth, Harrogate and Dalaman in Turkey. This week… Travel Favourites – The Isle Of Wight

India: A Tapestry of Diverse Experiences

India, a land steeped in history, culture, and natural beauty, offers a plethora of captivating destinations for travelers seeking unforgettable …India: A Tapestry of Diverse Experiences

Discovering India: Fascinating Places Beyond Mumbai and Delhi

Most people are familiar with the big Indian cities of New Delhi in the north, Mumbai in the south and Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. But there are many other cities and towns of interest in this massive country, the seventh largest in the world with a total area of 3,287,263 square kilometers … Continue reading Discovering India: Fascinating Places Beyond Mumbai and Delhi →

Varanasi: The Spiritual Capital of India

If you already know something about India, it might be that you have heard of the ancient city of Varanasi, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Kashi, which means city of light, was the ancient name of the city and it was part of a kingdom from 2500 years ago. Indeed, … Continue reading Varanasi: The Spiritual Capital of India →