A quick guide to Porto – Northern Portugal – Porto Part II While for some, the whole point of Porto is Port Wine, there is a lot more to discover in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The second-largest city in Portugal, Porto really does have a charming personality of its own. A brief visit in […]
Travelling to Sri Lanka – a visa and a bucket list in advance
Armchair Travel to Sri Lanka and the benefits of getting your Visa in Order. Do you have one place that stands out from your travels? Somewhere that you really want to revisit? For me, that place is Sri Lanka. About a quarter of the size of the UK, it’s a charming island, just off the […]
Visit Arbroath – Smokies and the Declaration of Arbroath
Visiting Arbroath – A Tale of Scottish Independence and Smoked Fish Arbroath is a small Scottish fishing town on the coast just north of Dundee and about an hour and a half drive from Edinburgh. It has two main claims to fame – the Arbroath Smokie and an ancient Abbey where the Declaration of Arbroath […]
A Short Break to York by Train
York by Train – A Short Break in God’s Own Country Visitors to London often ask where else in England they should travel. Less than two hours direct from the old smoke by train and en-route to Edinburgh, York is a deservedly popular destination. It was actually the UK’s first UNESCO Creative City of Media […]
My Seven Wonders of the World
Seven Alternative Wonders of the World Starting travelling abroad in the 1960s at the age of three, I was something of a curiosity to my friends at school. In those days for most people, holidays were generally to an English seaside resort, or perhaps if your parents were really adventurous, by car ferry to France. […]
Four English Cathedrals and a Minster
English Cathedral Cities: There’s nothing like a visit to one of the great Cathedrals of England make me question my own spirituality. On hilltops or on plains – towering spires that reach up into the sky. Intricate stonework, jewelled windows and imposing ceilings. These are buildings surely created by some God or higher force. I […]
Durham – Harry Potter, Prince Bishops, Spooks and Saints
A Castle, Cathedral and More – Things to do in UNESCO listed Durham: Why, it’s wonderful – a perfect little city – and I kept thinking: ‘Why did no-one tell me about this?’ I knew, of course, that it had a fine Norman cathedral but I had no idea that it was so splendid. I […]
A Festive Edinburgh Sojourn at the Balmoral
The Balmoral and More in Edinburgh: While I’ll admit to 50% or so Scottish blood, I’ve lived most of my adult life in London. There’s probably only one other city in the UK where I’d be happy to move…and that’s Edinburgh. With both my brothers now living in Scotland I have a family connection there. […]
A Taste of Agatha’s Egypt
Tutmania and More – Agatha Christie’s Egypt: Stop Press – Tutankhamun returns to London from 2nd Nov 2019 – 3 May 2020 – check our review of Tutankhamun, treasures of the Golden Pharoah I am old enough to remember the Tutankhamun exhibition at the British Museum in London in 1972. I didn’t get a chance […]
Mons – A City for All Seasons
Tanks in Town and More in Mons, Wallonia, Belgium. Wallonia, the southern and French-speaking part of Belgium is one of those regions you might chance upon rather than visit by design. But, go once and you’ll want to return. Gentle and slow-paced, Wallonian cities are typically unspoilt and not overly busy. However, as I discovered […]