The Café de Turin in Nice, France

Nice is a wonderful city for visitors to southern France, offering beautiful architecture, art and an ideal position along the turquoise waters of the Riviera. Nice is also – not surprisingly – a wonderful place to enjoy seafood. The Café de Turin  has been famous for serving up seafood to visitors and residents alike since…

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Go west, young woman!

Okay – so a bit of artistic license in the title. Although, you will be sure to note, I have not altered the word ‘young’. Sometimes one just has to be a purist (particularly when it’s more flattering…). I’m often back with my family in New York and, while in the US, my husband and…

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Colonial influences in Melaka, Malaysia

I recently wrote a post about how much I enjoyed my time in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. While I was there, I decided to take a day trip to explore the city of Melaka (also known as Malacca), a two hour drive south of the Malaysian capital and a UNESCO Heritage site. Melaka…

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Reason #5359 to love Rome: Sports Day

Okay, Sports Day (Giornata dello sport, in Italian) is held every year in Rome and it’s just so much fun. If you’re passing through Italy’s capital in October – and especially if you have kids in tow – you must stop by to enjoy this event. It’s usually held the third Sunday of October in…

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A car-free stroll on New York’s High Line

Garden strolls and a chance to feel at one with nature are always in demand in big cities like New York. New York’s High Line is an unlikely place to find a car-free environment where you can stroll, observe the city and river views, admire the landscape architecture and relax on lounging chairs ideal for…

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Shopping at Nice’s outdoor market at Cours Saleya

Part of the pleasure – and there  are many – of travelling in France is a visit to the local outdoor markets. This colourful market square sits at the edge of Nice’s vieille ville (old town) and definitely merits a visit during your visit to this lovely city on the French Riviera. The market at the…

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Lake Skadar – the Balkans’ largest lake

The Montenegrin Skadarsko jezero goes by many names: Skadar (from the Montenegrin), Shkodër (from the Albanian) and Scutari (from the time when it was an Italian protectorate). It’s the  largest lake in the Balkans – part of the lake is in Montenegro and part in neighboring Albania. The lake itself is well known for its…

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Spectacular views from Èze, France

Just a short distance from Nice, after a dramatic and spectacular drive along the Moyenne Corniche road that alone make the trip worthwhile, lies the charming medieval town of Èze. At 470 metres above sea level, Èze – frequently referred to as the eagle’s nest – is a picture-perfect village perché (perched village), with breathtaking…

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Sleep in a cave in Matera, Italy

If you read my blog, you’ll know I’ve raved about the Women’s Fiction Festival held each September in Matera, in Italy’s southern region of Basilicata. But I haven’t actually posted a travel piece about the town, which is well worth a visit. Since I am on my way to the annual conference later this week,…

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