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-Europe

-Turkey

On Cloud Nine

I am both a tea and a coffee drinker, so Istanbul was my kind of place; strong, Turkish coffee scents the air, and men dash to and fro carrying trays […]

-Turkey

Sultans, Tiles and Circumcision

My favourite part of the Topkapi Palace is the area known as the Fourth Courtyard.  Here the lovely gardens and terraces are home to a number of kiosks and pavilions […]

-Belgium

Spicy Window

This is one inviting grocery store in Brussels. English speakers who don’t speak French would probably guess that the name of this store has something to do with spices, and that wouldn’t […]

-Turkey

Bridging the Ages

Istanbul’s Galata Bridge connects the old town with the new; atop are the trams and the fishermen, beneath are the bright lights and restaurants, beyond are the domes and minarets. […]

-Turkey

I is for… Istanbul

And a very cold, dull, grey Istanbul at that – it’s not that I edited out the colour, there just wasn’t any there in the first place. Linked to Tagged […]

-Belgium

Sprouting Up in Brussels

Many of my recent travels seem to have resulted in the same mantra- “miserable grey, wet and cold: must return in better weather to explore properly”. This tree looks good […]

-Belgium

Beyond Hope

There’s a Congolese artist, known to some as “Papa Machete”, who produces some thought-provoking and somewhat disturbing sculptures. Freddy Tsimba was born in Kinshasa in 1967 and studied at the […]

-Turkey

A Golden Moment at Topkapi

The Topkapi Palace was built in a brilliant location, with stunning views onto the water below.  The Palace is now a museum and on the whole I’d say that a […]

-Turkey

City of Diversity

“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their […]

-Turkey

Abandoned in Istanbul

I returned yesterday from my first ever visit to Istanbul.  I found it to be a vibrant place, full of contrasts: old and new; East and west; spicy and sweet. […]