Travelling
My first trip to Russia post-Socialism took me, quite fittingly, to the imperial city of St. Petersburg, the Hero city of Leningrad, the modern city of St. Petersburg with its rich history and countless works or art. And where would be a better place to…
Now that I have returned from Russia, I cannot wait to give you the full report on my visa-free Russia trip! I booked this a few months ago when I figured out I can visit Russia without a visa, if only for a relatively short…
Do you print your photos? Make postcards? Books? I used to, but my efforts in recent years have been pathetic. I am never sure which printing companies print a good quality photo or gift. Most of my pictures have been languishing on hard drives and…
Gaillac is one of the oldest wine regions in France, yet it is little known outside France. But if you like your wine organic, and your organic winery small and fuss-free, an organic winery in Gaillac might be one of the best places to visit.…
When in France… buy cosmetics! This was my mantra for years, once I discovered you can buy mid-priced, high-quality body care and cosmetic products all over France even in the tiniest village pharmacy. I think plenty knowledge is out now that France produces some excellent…
Almost every year, we visit my family in Occitanie in France. It is a highly under-rated region. As we get to know it bit by bit every year, we venture further out to explore its beautiful countryside and charming towns. Rodez is little-known small city…
When you are looking just for a good nights sleep, when you have transportation to catch early in the morning, and you’re not interested in nightlife or sunset-watching, where do you prefer to stay? We had an early flight from Toulouse just recently, and instead…
February 1989: I’m on an airplane journey for the first time in ten years. For the first time, too, without my parents. It’s bitterly cold in Germany and in Moscow, where we spend one week practicing German-Soviet Friendship by visiting the great achievement of the…
Bukhara is perhaps the place with the widest choice of charming small hotels in Uzbekistan, and perhaps Central Asia. So, on my trip to Samarkand and Bukhara, it made sense to push out the boat a bit and book a characterful traditional small hotel. I…
Samarkand is a large city and it is harder to find charming accommodation close to the major sights. A hotel in Samarkand hotel is typically large, business-orientated and geared towards tour groups. After my good and very cheap experience at the Hotel Rahmon, I decided…
I had the opportunity to fulfill a big dream, thanks to an unexpected week off work and the end of the Uzbek visa rule in March. And I had to act fast before this gift of extra time was to be booked up. Quickly I…
My impromptu Silk Road trip to Samarkand and Bukhara lasted six days, including two long flights, and time was a bit of an issue. What to do if you have limited time, want to see everything, but don’t want to spend a ton of money…
On my recent flying visit to the Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, my first contact with the locals was in this guesthouse I had just booked quickly in order to crash somewhere upon arrival. I had already booked some fancier hotels in Bukhara…
Uzbekistan has been a rather difficult country to travel in the past. Most of us would need to apply for a visa, customs rules were extremely strict, immigration was difficult. And once there, you had to change currency at an unfavourable official rate in a…
“What on earth are you doing in Algeciras?” you might ask. This port city is mostly known as a passing through place en route to Morocco and the Spanish Enclaves, but not as a tourist sight on its own. What makes it a great place…
