A day in the sun at Lake Martignano, Italy

Lago di Martignano, Lake Martignano, is a small, volcanic lake reaching depths of 58 meters. This small lake is just beside the larger, and more well known Lake Bracciano. Within the region of Lazio, Lake Martignano makes an easy day trip from Rome. The lake was known to the Ancient Romans, although it was believed to…

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Best websites for writers

Writer’s Digest came out with their annual list of the best web sites for writers. Many of my favorites made the list. Others I didn’t know of, but will have to explore. Here are some of the sites I enjoy that made this year’s list, and hope other writers will find useful: Nathan Bransford :…

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Bailey’s Prize shortlist for 2015

The Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist is out. I love following the Bailey’s Prize (formerly the Orange prize). There has been some criticism that there is no longer any need for a separate prize for female authors, but if the final list of last year’s Booker prize (see my earlier post) is anything to go…

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Exploring the gold and spice souks in the Dubai

There’s not much of an ‘historic center’ in the über-modern city of the Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Still, there are a few winding streets that date back to the city’s days as a sleepy fishing village not so very long ago. So on your visit, when you tire of shopping malls and high-end boutiques,…

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The Adriatic seaside town of Trani, in Puglia

On a drive from Rome to Bari to catch a ferry, my family and I managed to make good time (never a given on Italian highways during the holiday periods), so we decided to stop off to explore the Adriatic seaside town of Trani. This charming port city, with its long history, is well worth a…

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Happy as a clam reading on the white sand

Okay, this is completely unfair, but I write this post pre-holiday knowing it will be posted as I return home, happy, relaxed and well-read on gorgeous white sands looking like this. I love the beach, but I generally don’t do the lazy, beach resort kind of holiday. But this year, I really felt I needed…

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Paris from Quasimodo’s perspective

Admittedly, it’s an obsession when I travel: I always want to see a city from up high. I love to get the feel for a place, understand the layout and geography. When I understand the blueprint of a city from high above, I start to feel more like a local than a tourist glued to…

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