From the Nile, the Old Cataract Hotel looks grand, perched on the granite bluff above. If you’ve seen Death on the Nile, it will also look familiar. My oldest daughter enjoys sipping tea in old world hotels, preferably while wearing a big hat, looking mysterious. Uniformed guards at the gate inform us we have to [...]
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 [...]
The largest ancient religious site in the world
Situated right outside Luxor, Karnak Temple is the largest ancient religious site in the world. An impressive avenue of ram-headed sphinxes connects it with Luxor Temple. Karnak is a place of records: everything here seems to be the biggest and tallest. Its scale defies description. The first pylon (gate) alone is 42 metres high (like [...]
On the road in Egypt
Getting up at 0345 is not particularly child-friendly. Luckily, my daughters are easygoing. They look forward to sailing the Nile and seeing Egypt. A six-hour flight later, we land in Hurghada. Now, I won’t knock Hurghada, because I didn’t see all of it, but apart from beautiful beaches, grand resorts along the Red Sea coast [...]
Kuwait Towers
30-year-old Kuwait Towers is probably the best known landmark on the Arabian Peninsula. Outside Dubai, that is. Designed by Scandinavians, and comprising two large spheres and a spike, the iconic towers are likely the top tourist attraction in Kuwait City. My first proper look at Kuwait Towers is through the windows of Le Nôtre, a [...]
The Bedoun – Kuwait’s stateless people
On my old blog, I touch upon the issue of the Bedoun (although mostly my ignorance of the matter). This is what I wrote then – from the observation deck of Kuwait Towers: I’m soon joined by the only other westerner here. A journo from a Central European country, he is there to cover the [...]
Kuwait and the Gulf War
The most evocative house in Kuwait City must surely be Kuwait House of National Memorial Museum, Bait Al Watani. Outside the house is an Iraqi tank. The taxi driver, Assis, ensures I see it. The 1 KD entrance fee gets me a personal guide. Sakina begins by reeling off names of former sheikhs; the earliest [...]
Oman at last – the Musandam Peninsula
We finally manage to get to the Musandam Peninsula, after I ascertain our new driver has brought his passport. Border formalities at Al Darah are straightforward – we pay 25 dirham p.p. to leave the Emirates and about twice that to enter Oman. This Wednesday morning, we are 10 people queuing; the whole thing takes [...]
Welcome! I'm Sophie - writer, dreamer, negotiator, wanderer - mostly with my daughters, sometimes solo.
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Autumn leaves in Kew Gardens
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Three Terrific Christmas Markets
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From Aberystwyth With Love
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A Quirky Christmas Market in Paris
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Urbino – a secret Italian hilltop town
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No more: The natural bridge of Aruba
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Travel photo – Brimstone Hill Fortress, Saint Kitts
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High Tea at the Old Cataract in Aswan
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Warsaw’s Jewish cemetery: a memorial to a cruel past
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A to Z of Sophie’s World
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Anne-Sophie Redisch: It really is a pity. I think it was very popular a...
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