Books that inspire you to travel
As I enjoy reading & travelling I thought I might double the enjoyment by finding some books to insire my travels. I don’t mean the trusty Lonely Planet or Footprint guide, but rather a novel or...
View ArticleMankoushe for breakfast – in Lebanon
What did you have for breakfast? Mine was a Mankoushe or Lebanese flatbread topped with Gebnee (cheese) and salad. The Lebanese eat Mankoushe, which is much like a pizza for a morning or mid-day snack...
View ArticleSunset on the Corniche – in Beirut
If you visited the Corniche in the daytime, you might be forgiven for thinking that it was like any other seaside promenade the world over. But come at sunset, especially at the weekend and you’ll feel...
View ArticleMeet the winemakers at Chateau Musar – in Lebanon
Unless you’re a wine connoisseur, you may not realise that Lebanon produces some world class wines, that rival the best of Bordeaux. On my recent trip to Lebanon I was lucky enough to join a visit to...
View ArticleCakes outside the mosque in Sidon – Lebanon
Anyone who’s travelled in the Middle East seems to come back with tales of the legendary hospitality that is engrained in the Arab and Muslim culture. I experienced this myself several times on my...
View ArticleThrough the snowline on Mount Lebanon – in Lebanon
On my recent trip to Lebanon, my friend and I went on a girl’s mini-road trip for 3 days, touring the north of Lebanon. There was a touch of Thelma and Louise in the fun we had, although no pretty boys...
View ArticleThe fading charms of the Palmyra hotel in Baalbek – Lebanon
Have you ever been to the hotel that time forgot? Where it feels like walking into the home of your bohemian great aunt – the one who entertained all the poets and artists of her day, who even had Jean...
View ArticleMezze memories in Lebanon
I love the Mezze style of meal where you can try a little of what you fancy instead of wishing you had ordered your friend’s meal. I like the congeniality of sharing food, passing it around, letting...
View ArticleBook review & Giveaway of Clean Breaks by Richard Hammond and Jeremy Smith
If you’ve ever travelled yet felt you didn’t quite get the best out of a place, then Clean Breaks, by Richard Hammond and Jeremy Smith, will open your eyes to a different way to travel. This book’s for...
View ArticleThe Cedars of Lebanon – Tannourine Cedars Reserve – Video
If Lebanon is on your travel radar as a place to visit, you may not think of bringing your walking boots. Yet my video about the day I spent hiking in the Tannourine Cedar Forest Reserve will show you...
View ArticleGoing Downtown in Beirut – in Lebanon
The Downtown area of Beirut is the place to wander of an evening in central Beirut and stop for a drink or a meal. The area is a relatively small area of streets and squares which have been made into a...
View ArticleSt Anthony’s monastery of Qozhaya in Lebanon – Video
Staying at St Anthony’s Monastery on the beautiful Quadisha valley in Lebanon was one of the highlights of my trip there in June and I hope you’ll also enjoy the short video about the monastery. St...
View ArticleMy travelling year in 2009
2010 is well and truly here, and with snow on the ground in Bristol, I’ve been reliving the memories of some of the sunnier places I visited last year – here’s the round up the places I travelled and...
View ArticleA lacklustre lunch at Pepe’s Byblos Fishing Club – in Lebanon
On my road trip around Lebanon with a friend in June, we stopped at Byblos for a tour of the Crusader Castle and lunch at the famous Byblos Fishing Club. The Byblos Fishing Club, otherwise known as...
View ArticlePaintings and Poetry at the Khalil Gibran museum in Lebanon
In some ways this story is more about words than pictures, or is it more pictures than words? for it’s about the American-Lebanese poet and painter, Khalil Gibran whose museum and last resting place at...
View ArticleSea Castles, Souqs and Soap in Sidon – in Lebanon
If you drive south out of the traffic madness that is Beirut, you’ll hug the coastal road and in under two hours you’ll be at the seaside town of Sidon which makes a great day trip from the capital....
View ArticleWine tasting stop at Chateau Ksara – in Lebanon
You may be surprised to learn that Lebanon is a source of world class wines – of course grapes have been grown and made into wine here for centuries, but it was mainly for local consumption. It was...
View ArticleDon’t fall in the Baatara Pothole, near Tannourine in Lebanon – video
On my visit to Lebanon last June, I walked the mountain trails of the Tannourine Cedar reserve and afterwards stopped to take a look at the Baatara pothole – you can view my video about the pothole...
View ArticleRoad Block etiquette in Lebanon
If you visit Lebanon, you’ll probably be wowed by the buzzy atmosphere of Beirut, get lost in the Souks of Sidon or love the gorgeous mountain scenery on the Lebanon mountain trail, but you may just be...
View ArticleThe ruins of an ancient town at Byblos in Lebanon – video
When I toured Lebanon last summer we drove an hour north out of Beirut to stop at the coastal town of Byblos or Jbeil which is ideal to visit as a day trip. The city has a long history and became...
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