By Alexandra Redisch in Marsaxlokk On our way to Valletta, we made a little stop in the historic fishing village of Marsaxlokk (pronunciation Marsashlock). ‘Marsa’ is Maltese for ‘port’, and is the same root as the French town of Marseille. ‘Xlokk’ is the local name of the South East region of Malta, where the village […]
Valletta and the Knights of St John
By Alexandra Redisch in Valletta Ah Valletta! A jewel in Malta’s crown. If you’re a history buff, you cannot miss this city! Malta has lots of interesting spots, but I don’t think you’ll find another place here that shows how many cultures this little country has endured. The Crusaders, the Aragonese, the French, the British […]
An afternoon at the Palazzo Parisio – in which Alexandra becomes insufferably colonial
By Alexandra Redisch in Valletta In the village of Naxxar is the beautiful Palazzo Parisio; once a hunting lodge, now a splendid palazzo with an impressive garden. The palazzo has had several owners, all important figures in Maltese history, but has belonged to the Scicluna family since Marquis Scicluna bought and embellished the hunting lodge […]
A Visit to Ħaġar Qim
The Ħaġar Qim temples (pronounced Hadsjar ‘Im) is a Maltese Megalithic temple complex dating from around 3600-3200 BC. The name Ħaġar Qim means ‘standing/worshipping stones’, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. It is a well-preserved temple well worth a visit if you are interested in archaeology or pre-history.
Bergen: Gingerbread town 2016 in photos
By Alexandra Redisch in Bergen At the old Sentralbadet (public swimming pool) in Bergen, you will no longer find the smell of chlorine, but rather the scent of gingerbread – and Christmas itself. This is the site of the largest gingerbread town in the world. Schools, kindergardens and students (and everyone else who wants to, […]
Oak Alley, a classic Southern Antebellum Plantation
Have you ever visited a southern plantation? In New Orleans, I saw two. The first was the unusual Creole plantation Laura – very different from what we think of as a typical southern plantation. Now let’s have a look at the classic Antebellum mansion. Come with me to Oak Alley.
What makes us human? Thoughts on prehistoric cave art.
Last summer, I spent time in Bordeaux and the surrounding wine districts with my mum and sister. A highlight in the area was the ancient cave art in the nearby Vézère Valley. There are many excellent caves to visit in the valley. Having studied archaeology, I have a penchant for prehistory, and if you too […]
Welcome! I'm Sophie - writer, dreamer, negotiator, wanderer, mum - in search of the world's curious places. Mostly with my daughters, sometimes solo. The girls share their take on it, too.
- Chasing shadows in Czechia
- A Tale of Two Villas
- The Waterhead: A Boutique Hotel in the English Lake District
- The Four Seasons Hotel in Baku: Graceful and luxurious
- Gori: birthplace of the world’s most infamous dictator
- World at a Glance: Petroglyphs in Tamgaly Gorge
- Hiking Qadisha Valley and the Cedars of God
- Yet another day out Beirut: Byblos, the world’s oldest city?
- Day out Beirut: Tyre
- Park Musakowski: biking across borders
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Katrin: What a bizzare experience to have! Maybe the citiz...
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Anne-Sophie Redisch: Love unusual finds like this plantation. Thanks fo...
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Jeanette Brunet: I was in Edinburgh in August of 2015 for 9 days. W...
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