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Where in the World: Madeira

This is a traditional farmer’s house in Santana on the island of Madeira in the Atlantic, one of the outermost regions of the European Union.

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Carib Territory, Dominica

There are about 3000 native Carib Indians left in the world. They live in a 15 sq. km. (3700 acres) reserve on the island of Dominica.

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Fiery Furnas: Steamy cauldrons in the Azores

As the plane descends, my youngest daughter exclaims: “Look! The earth is boiling.” And it is! From above, the Furnas Valley looks mysterious and misty. A few minutes later we land on São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores archipelago. About halfway between Britain and America, the Azores islands are volcanic and verdant, and [...]

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Travel photo – Fishing boat, Lombok

Lombok fishing boat A relatively wordless post today – I think this cheerful fishing boat speaks for itself. Where: Senggigi beach on the island of Lombok, Lesser Sunda Islands group, Indonesia Lombok

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Where in the World: Tonga

It’s time for another photo quiz, so without further ado – where in the world is this lovely bit of nature? This spectacular natural phenomenon occurs along a 5-kilometre-stretch of coastline in this little country. There you are, walking along the beach, when suddenly a series of jets rises before you. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Ocean [...]

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Two highlights of Bahrain

It’s early evening in the village surrounding Qala’at al-Bahrain. The creatively decorated houses remind me of pictures in fairy-tales, especially through the filter of the setting sun. Five horsemen appear out of the dusk in front of the silhouette of a large 16th century Portuguese fort. This is home to Iranians, says Aziz, my guide [...]

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Pyramiden – an Arctic ghost town

I’m in Pyramiden, once a showcase of the Soviet Union, a perfect mining community, set between mountains, glaciers and fjords in the Svalbard archipelago. Today, it’s an Arctic ghost town. The decision to abandon the settlement was sudden, its implementation even more so. The inhabitants were given just hours to pack their bags and leave. [...]

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Flirting with Fate in the Faroe Islands

Oyggjarvegur, the old mountain road from Torshavn, the tiny capital of the Faroes, towards the northern islands, is spectacular. But then, nothing less is to be expected in the world’s best island-destination. In places, there are no barriers between us and a 1000-foot drop into the chilling waters of the North Atlantic fjord. We edge [...]

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