Jordan is a proud and welcoming nation, keen to show off its spectacular landscape and fabulous history. In 2016 it won a special accolade. Rough Guides included it in its top ten list of countries to visit. I was there recently. This is my must do list. It includes an outstanding Roman city, the fabulous rose coloured… Continue reading
Browsing Category Things to do – various destinations
A trip to Planète Mars – gritty, culturally-diverse Marseille
With the start of direct Eurostar trains from London last May [2015], the rebirth of this once run-down and edgy Mediterranean port is complete. Crumbling shops and factories have become cool designer B&Bs, galleries and concert halls. The famous old harbour has been renewed by Britain’s Norman Foster. And they make the perfect bouillabaisse…. Continue reading →
Harrogate welcomes the Tour de France, with a nice cup of tea.
Now we know where Harrogate is. The first day of the 2014 Tour de France, which took palace in Yorkshire was an event of Olympic proportions, and enthusiasm. Was there ever a televised road journey with such massive, joyous support? The race started in Leeds and ended in the sedate spa town of Harrogate. The… Continue reading →
Istanbul is top taste in freshly MINTED Turkey
In January 2014 economist Jim O’Neill presented a series on the “MINT” countries – Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey – on BBC Radio 4. It was O’Neill who, in 2001, coined the term “Bric” countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – as potential world powerhouses. Now he has repeated the exercise with four more fresh… Continue reading →
Time to pause in Exeter, no longer the West Country’s hurry-on-past city
It was always so easy to hurry on past Exeter, on the way to the seaside resorts of Devon and Cornwall. But there are good reasons to resist the siren call of the beach, at least for a while. My list of the things to see and do in this ancient Devon city include Britain’s… Continue reading →
Abu Dhabi, winter holiday destination if you want more than beach and ski
Ipsos MORI polled 18,000 people in 24 countries in 2013, and asked them, among other questions, which world city they wanted to visit. From the answers they drew up what they described as a list of “superbrand” cities. In fourth place on the list, behind some very to be expected cities (London, Paris and New… Continue reading →