The incredible Renaissance castle, Castello Odescalchi, sits in the heart of Bracciano and has borne witness to centuries of change. As we arrive in Bracciano on the first leg of our Summer Holidays, it greets us, presiding over the piazza as we unload our bags, the boys too tired to notice, me bewitched and speechless at the sight. … Read the rest
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a truly inspiring place both architecturally and spiritually.
It was a very quiet Monday morning when I visited due to Eid and the public holiday. I approached from a side entrance near the car park and was redirected to enter from the main entrance at the front.… Read the rest
Hutongs
This feels like the real deal. It’s drizzling and I’m finally out. In China. The real China. Old certainly meets new here in the Hutongs (narrow street) district where neon sits beside buildings which are hundreds of years old and now protected as the old town historic district. … Read the rest
Brugge Is A Blur – 5 Must Dos
What a whirlwind of a weekend in Brugge (Bruges), it went by in a blur. And not just because of the speed of the Eurostar, the upside of which you can do Brugge in a weekend. But going fast can also be a downside!… Read the rest
Highlights of Auxerre
Auxerre. The name comes out in a sigh of awed appreciation of such a beautiful city and indeed the highlights of Auxerre are the embodiment of French delight. Of all the picturesque places that we have visited across the Haute-Savoie, Côte-d’Or and Burgundy regions of France, this is one of the best.… Read the rest