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Mar 10

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Veni, Vidi, Amavi – 3 days in Segovia.

When night falls and the busloads of day-trippers leave Segovia, the city reverts to its timeless medieval charm. It’s nearing 8 o’clock on a Friday evening and I have just completed the 3-hour journey from Salamanca.  The walk to the hotel takes me through a warren of narrow, atmospheric streets and animated squares, interspersed by the odd floodlit monument. Although it has only been a good 40 minutes since my arrival, I am already falling in love with Segovia. Read more

Feb 28

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A Tale of Six Plazas – Oviedo, Asturias.

To be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect when we got to Oviedo. Between reports of the city being “super bonito” (“very beautiful” in colloquial Spanish), I had also heard that much of it was destroyed during the turbulent years of the 20th century. Read more

Feb 18

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Sun, Sea and the Perfect Fabada – Gijón, Asturias.

When it comes to last-minute weekend trips, it’s often best to throw caution to the wind. Ignoring the stack of work due in for Monday, and the fact that I had only just met my travel companions, I loaded my rucksack and headed off to the Plaza Mayor. As much as I loved Salamanca, I was itching to get out and explore another part of Spain. Read more

Jan 29

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Waiting for the Sun, Hong Kong.

Sometimes life is all about choosing the crazy option. Whether it’s taking spontaneous trips just days before an important deadline, or moving to a country with barely 5 months of the local language, it makes things a heck of a lot more fun. So when an old friend asked if I wanted to see the first sunrise of the New Year, I inevitably said yes. Read more

Jan 26

7 Comments

Stilt Life – Tai O Fishing Village, Hong Kong.

Ask anyone what they imagine Hong Kong to be like, and chances are that they will describe a neon-lit concrete jungle, martial arts action movies, and a city at the forefront of high technology. But what catches people out upon arriving is the surprising amount of greenery – more than 40% of the territory has been designated as country parks. Hong Kong’s natural beauty is one of its least-known assets, and it is astonishing to consider the options available within such a small area. Half an hour is all it takes to get to a beach, a rural escape or an accessible hiking trail. Read more

Jan 18

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A Night in Milan, Italy.

On my way home for Christmas, I had exactly 22 hours in Milan between my arrival from Madrid and the departing flight to Hong Kong. Rather than languish in an airport hotel I took my suitcases and caught the next train out from Malpensa – it was nearing 4pm and I had an appointment to make. Read more

Jan 17

3 Comments

The Journey to El Teide.

My first impression of Tenerife was not of a beach, nor of palm trees and coastal resorts. Instead it was a sea of clouds and then the sudden appearance of a conical peak, dazzling in its beauty and draped in a layer of freshly fallen snow. I instantly thought of Mt. Fuji but there was something about this mountain that made it even more alluring. Read more

Jan 5

5 Comments

Lost for Words – La Orotava, Tenerife.

¿Puedo ayudarte, cariño? – Can I help you, Darling?

I was stunned. No one on the Spanish mainland had ever addressed me as such, least of all a stranger in a sports shop.  “¿Tenéis bañadores?” I asked. In my haste to come I had forgotten to pack a pair of swimming trunks. She sauntered over to a nearby clothes rack and pointed to a trio of brightly coloured briefs. “We only have these ones…” Read more

Dec 23

11 Comments

Tenerife Dreaming – Masca Gorge and Back.

What do you do when you get a 5-day weekend in early December? For those of us in Salamanca, the answer was obvious: plan a brilliant escape to the Canaries. Read more

Dec 2

4 Comments

Adeus, meu amor – Lisbon, Portugal.

I could never claim to be a morning person, but somehow my last day in Lisbon began shortly before 8am with some soft rays of sunshine peeking through the shutters. Outside, a blue sky beckoned and the scene resounded with a silence I had not experienced since arriving in the city. It was Monday morning on a public holiday and the streets were practically deserted. Read more

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