The title of this post is misleading as I have never been to Brussels in the summer, but I can only imagine that it must be nicer in the summer than on the rainy, dismal December day that I visited.…
Visiting the Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdam
I read ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ as a young teenager and, like many other readers of the novel, discovered not a gritty tale of Holocaust hardship but a vibrant young girl dealing with the trials of approaching adulthood like …
Christiania: Copenhagen’s Controversial Commune
The colourful façades of Copenhagen’s fairy-tale buildings slowly give way to a row of crumbling shacks adorned with psychedelic graffiti. The area is deprived and the unmistakeable scent of marijuana perfumes the air. Clearly we are close.
My companion is …
American Brunch in Stockholm
What do you do if you are very hungry on a Sunday morning in Stockholm, and have a craving for American pancakes?
Let me give you some advice for if you ever find yourself in this situation; head to Arizona …
Discovering Bucharest
I didn’t expect to like Bucharest.
It’s not that I’ve heard bad things about it; but it rarely, if ever, features on ‘Europe’s Best City’ lists.
I was merely going to visit a friend, and just happened to be adding …
Europe’s Fairy-Tale Castles: Peles, Romania
When you think about Romania, what do you think of? Ugly communist buildings? Shaven-headed children in run-down orphanages? Oppressed people ruled by a tyrannical megalomaniac?
Or do you think of jagged mountain peaks, lush pine forests, pretty medieval towns, …
Snagov: The Final Resting Place of Dracula
If you read my last Romania post ‘Dracula: Romania’s National Hero’, you will already realise that finding Dracula was high on my agenda when I visited Romania, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that he …
Lighting a Candle on All Saints’ Day, Sweden
All Saints’ Day is an official holiday in Sweden that usually falls on the first Saturday in November. On this weekend, many businesses close early on Friday, remaining closed on Saturday. This means that people who want to buy their …
Dracula: Romania’s National Hero
Most people know that I have two passions: travel and literature. Those who know me really well know that I am somewhat of a gothic aficionado when it comes to books. I read Dracula many, many, years ago and, more …
How to Survive Europe’s Most Hated Airline!
If you have spent any time in Europe then you will almost certainly have heard of Ryanair. Irish-owned airline Ryanair is the marmite of the skies: you either love them or hate them. Most people fall into the latter category, …
Why You Should Visit Wales
Rather than flowing over the top of the British Isles as usual, the Jet Stream’s current positioning to the South has brought the rainiest summer that the United Kingdom has had in decades (and let’s face it we normally get …
Anundshög: Sweden’s largest Viking burial site
Being a bit of a History geek one of my favourite things about travelling is encountering ancient cultures and histories, and where better to be than Scandinavia—home of the Viking?
Britons, in particular, will be very familiar with the …
St Fagans: a Slice of Welsh Life
St Fagans National History Museum stands in the shadow of Cardiff’s Millennium stadium, and is only a stone’s throw from the uber-trendy Mermaid Quay bay area. It is a gem of a museum chronicling Welsh Life through the ages.
What Happens When Plans Don’t Work Out?
You may remember a post not all that long ago when I revealed that after our travels around South America we would be relocating to Tenerife, with the aim of trying out a new life in the sun. Although …
Tenerife’s Top Days Out
As a visitor to the largest of the Canary Islands you will be inundated with choices of things to do and see while you are here. For an island that is small enough to drive around in less than 3 …
What Makes Britain So Great?
I recently read Mallory on Travel’s brilliant article ‘What’s So Great About Britain?’ with a huge grin on my face because, all things considered, my homeland really is an amazing place, and what better day to celebrate this fact than …
Tenerife’s Good Friday Passion Play
Every year on Good Friday thousands gather at noon in Adeje to witness ‘La Pasion’, a 2-hour performance of the last few hours of the life of Christ.
Performed by local amateur actors, the play begins at the top of …
Relocating to Tenerife: Finding a Job
You might have already read about why I decided to relocate to Tenerife and how I managed to find an apartment within four days, but none of this is much good without a job.
For many people the idea of …
Colours of Carnival, Tenerife
Everybody knows about the Rio Carnival, right?
Even people who have no intention of ever visiting Brazil can tell you that every spring the streets of Rio de Janeiro come alive to the seductive sounds of samba and the sashaying …
Relocating to Tenerife: How to Rent an Apartment
Much of Tenerife’s accommodation market is aimed towards holiday-makers or Timeshare apartments and is very expensive if you intend to stay for longer than the standard two week vacation, but it is possible to take out a long-term lease if …