Sep 18
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
It’s been more than a year since I left Spain, but every now and again certain details resurface, catching me at quiet moments and leaving me with a pervasive sense of longing. Among them I recall the sound of Salamanca’s cathedral bells, the intense, woody smell emanating from a jamón shop, and the taste and vivid crimson of a tinto de verano. Read more
Sep 1
It was the twelfth year of the reign of Guangxu, emperor of China’s ailing Qing Dynasty; in Western terms, 1887. On a headland at the eastern entrance to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, a new fortress was nearing its final stages of completion. Read more
Aug 25
Centuries before the British took control of Hong Kong, a small outpost was built on the shores of its deepwater harbour to manage the local salt trade. Eventually this evolved into a coastal fort on Kowloon, the peninsula of “Nine Dragons”. Then, in the mid-19th century, came the disastrous First Opium War. Read more
Aug 24
It emerges from the arid, dusty landscape like a desert mirage, a medley of tan-coloured buildings and soaring spires amidst an iridescent ribbon of green. We are on the approaches to Zaragoza, a historic city that sits roughly halfway between Bilbao and Barcelona. Read more
Aug 20
En route to Milan, the western shore of Lake Garda was a one-night stopover on a whirlwind tour through northern Italy. Read more
Aug 14
For such a small place, Hong Kong packs a lot into its 1,100 square kilometres. Just behind the soaring skyscrapers and traffic-clogged streets lie a surprising array of beaches, hiking trails and windswept islands. Read more
Aug 6
Hair wrapped artfully in a turban of black cloth, her tough frame is softened by a lilac top and short frilly skirt. As she saunters in and out of the room, I watch the light momentarily catch on her earrings – they are two silver crescents, raw and slightly tarnished, sweeping around a hollow in the shape of the full moon. Read more
Jul 31
View down the River Avon, Bath
Summers in Britain can be hit-and-miss, governed by the famously unpredictable weather patterns that are such a talking point among the local populace. Last Friday we witnessed a spectacular opening ceremony for the Olympics, celebrating British culture and featuring several key episodes of the nation’s history. Watching these clips brought pangs of nostalgia for the rainy islands that I called home for four influential years of my life. Read more
Jul 19
Erica from Kizzling Around has kindly nominated me to join the Capture the Colour photo competition run by TravelSupermarket.com. The idea is to publish a post with five original shots from your travels, each one representing the colours blue, green, yellow, white and red. Read more
Jul 12
“I dreamed about Kweilin before I ever saw it,” my mother began, speaking Chinese. “I dreamed of jagged peaks lining a curving river, with magic moss greening the banks. At the tops of these peaks were white mists. And if you could float down this river and eat the moss for food, you would be strong enough to climb the peak. Read more
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