Travel, life, loves and laughs.
Messina. Another glorious day, another glorious port. After feeling that I missed out in Valetta yesterday, I am well equipped for today and have a trail planned out. This pivots around being in the city’s main square at midday to see the clock chime 12pm and the mechanical performance that enshews.… Read the rest
I am utterly unprepared for the delights that Valetta, the capital of Malta, has to offer. I have heard of the beauty of the Greek Islands, the party scene and endless nights that Ibiza has to offer but I seem to have missed Malta altogether. … Read the rest
The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes is housed in a building complex that was originally the hospital run by the Knights Hospitallier, the Knights of the Order of Saint John. It at the bottom of the Avenue of the Knights, just down from the Palace of the Grand Master. … Read the rest
Facade – Palace of the Grand Master
At the top of the Avenue of the Knights in the magnificent medieval city of Rhodes, sits the Palace of the Grand Master of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. … Read the rest
Rhodes was never even on my radar. When it came up as a stop on our itinerary I really didn’t give it much thought. Usually a planner down to the minuscule details, I viewed this as a bit of a rest day.… Read the rest
The sun beats down on Athens and the temperature rises although I’m too preoccupied to notice. Still high from the delights of Mykonos and keen to start exploring an entirely new city, I haven’t given much thought to the realities of today. … Read the rest
Wadi Aday and Yiti, the nearest town, is an off the beaten track, yet comfortable 1 hour drive, south of Muscat. So the day hasn’t exactly gone to plan so far. Not that I can complain – I spent the morning at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque while my husband ran the kids around in 40+ degrees Celsius at the nearest park and then got picked up and taken to lunch. … Read the rest
The only word that comes close to describing the enormity of the Forbidden City is “vast” and even this doesn’t seem to do it justice. It’s hard to comprehend that the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) was built in the Ming Dynasty (around 1420) and served as the primary imperial residence until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. … Read the rest
Together the Drum and Bell Towers, which stand opposite each other at the end of Drum & Bell Square, were used as the city’s official time keepers (right up until 1924!), the drums were beaten and the bells were rung to mark the time of day.… Read the rest
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