Cultural cliches abound and have been highlighted by Hollywood and Hendrix… but Morocco is so much more than just Absolutely Fabulous!! My Moroccon preconceptions were limited to a black clad Omar Sharif emerging from a liquid mirage; a 1942 smokey bar in Casablanca where Sam plays it again; and a land of scorching deserts where […]
Go to Barcelona!
I thought I’d ticked Spain off the bucket list years ago… but, my daughter and friends kept insisting “Go to Barcelona! It’s different; you’ll love it!” So finally, we stopped for a visit… Oh, what a delight! What a colourful, creative, delicious and easy city to graze in for a week! Day 1 – We […]
Sleeping In My First Snow Hotel
Have you ever wondered how you ended up here… right now? I do. Often… and last night was one of those times! It was 11:08pm and I was completely cocooned in my sleeping bag on my ice bed, in my -4C bedroom inside the Snow Hotel at Kirkenes, Norway. I’d layered up from thermals to […]
Onboard a Working Ship
According to legend, the name Norway comes from an old norse word Norðrvegr and means “the way north”. This name was given to the long, craggy coast because it was largely ice-free in the wintertime. Yesterday, we joined a Hurtigruten ship for a couple of nights cruising across the Arctic Circle from Tromso to Kirkenes. […]
In the beginning, there was Tromso!
Well isn’t Tromso in Norway a delightful little surprise!! I had never heard of this place before (well, have you??) … but after being inspired by yet another travel show, I found so many reasons to visit: * I wanted to catch a slow boat north to see the awesome coastline of the Vikings. * […]
My Brother, The Bear…
The youngest sibling craves attention while older siblings are rightly convinced that they are always over-indulged; hence, my ‘little’ brother Andrew… or ‘The Bear’ as he is known to friends and radio audiences… has become our entertainer! This bear now dances for all family gatherings… and with his keen eye and humorous take on life… […]
My Sister, the Art Critic
Recently, I celebrated my 60th birthday with family and friends, and my sister, Felicity gave a speech unlike any other. It captured, in particular, my love for art… and my partiality for a red wine. Enjoy!! ‘The Fiona’ – by Felicity Reynolds, June 24, 2017 As we are gathered here today to celebrate the 60th […]
Turkish Delights
‘Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.’ – Gustave Flaubert I found it helpful to view this country extensively from on, sometimes from under and most memorably… from above! The Turkish scenery in places is quite unique. The landscape in Cappadocia appears surreal and I think […]
My Big Fat Greek Holiday
♪♫Mamma Mia, how can I resist you? ♫♪♫ Of course there are no signs or directions! So we asked around and played a bit of follow the leader before lining up…. at the wrong boat! After a quick discussion made up of quizzical looks, Greek gesturing and s-l-o-w English (yes, it’s coming along well thanks […]
Revisits
Apparently, I don’t enjoy returning to destinations that I’ve visited previously. I guess it’s like eating that second ice-cream. While the first may have been the classic, culinary experience of a lifetime, that second yearned for repeat performance never quite lives up to expectations. I first visited London nearly 20 years ago and while I’ve […]