Think of a major holiday destination in Ecuador, and I’m fairly sure that Guayaquil probably doesn’t pop up anywhere in the list. Except maybe as somewhere to fly into and then leave from. Certainly, everything I read about the place before arriving wasn’t exactly glowing with enthusiasm. And, talking with fellow travellers didn’t entirely fill me with … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2013
I hear Rio calling
I have two stories to tell you. The first is about the title of this post, and the second is related to the content of this post. First though: we’re going to Rio de Janeiro next week! Ok, that’s off my chest. Let’s talk about the title of this post, which might explain quite why I’m so excited about visiting Rio de Janeiro, beyond the obvious. When I … [Read more...]
Things to do in Poznan, Poland
Ok, I have to admit that before the City of Poznan e-mailed me and asked if we were interested in coming to visit and seeing what there was to do in Poznan, I’d never heard of it. I’d also never visited Poland, but after doing a minimal amount of research, it seemed like the sort of place that we were likely to enjoy. The slight downer was that we were only able to squeeze a … [Read more...]
Irish night at Dublin’s Belvedere Hotel
After Guinness, if I asked you to name something typically Irish, I suspect you might go with Irish dancing. It’s that strange dancing which looks a bit like someone has attached two bodies together – the top of which stays entirely still, the bottom of which behaves as if possessed by the devil. It was explained to me by a practitioner of the art that this style evolved as … [Read more...]
Shootin’ some clay, up to no good
“Guys, you should stay clear of Western Ireland next week: Vera signed up for some clay pigeon shooting!”, Loz dutifully informed everyone he had known for more then five minutes once we had made it to Ireland. I smiled wryly. Thanks, man. We were in Dublin, and about to embark on two different trips. Loz was going to explore the south-west, and I had settled for … [Read more...]
The Undeniable Romance Of Train Travel
Picture the scene. A girl runs frantically down the platform, as the conductor’s whistle blows, and the doors slide shut. She misses getting aboard by a fraction of a second, throws her hands up in the air, and retires to a railing along the edge of the platform. A nearby man raises a consoling eyebrow, and they strike up a conversation. Years later, they tell the story of … [Read more...]