On a remote island in the South China Sea, there once stood a fishing village that occupied the head of a small, sheltered inlet. Along the inlet stacks of incense, grown and harvested in the nearby countryside, were stored before being shipped out for sale. Passing fishermen reported that the aroma could be smelled many [...]
Above the crowds of Causeway Bay, the late afternoon sunlight floods onto oversized billboards and stacks of grimy air conditioner units. The traffic light is ticking red as a mass of pedestrians swarm noiselessly across the intersection. I am on the top deck of an old electric tram, taking the slow route across the northern [...]
When you’re in Cadiz with a Greek, two things are guaranteed to happen: one, you will gorge yourself on seafood; and two, the trip will be one big fiesta. It’s Friday night in the old city and we are bar-hopping through its cobbled streets. The mournful strains of a saeta emanate from a converted market hall [...]
When spring sweeps over the Castilian highlands, Salamanca’s honey-coloured stone buildings set the scene for a dramatic comeback. Within no time the umbrellas and café tables reappear on the streets, now coloured by a multitude of sunglasses, smiles and scoops of ice cream. I am sitting in the shade of a secluded garden, tucked away behind [...]
Think Barcelona minus the tourist crowds. Think palm trees, oranges and the hometown of paella. Valencia may be Spain’s third-largest city, but it is quite possibly one of the country’s best-kept secrets. An experience as refreshing as its signature horchata, that delicious summertime concoction made from chufa nuts, this city is still some way off [...]
