Bergen is Norway’s best known city for visitors. And although I’m a Drammen patriot, I’ll happily admit Bergen is recognised for good reason, not least for its proximity to the famous world heritage-listed western fjords.King Olav Kyrre granted Bergen (then named Bjørgvin) city status in [...]
I’ve just returned from a short road trip in Greece. It was a much-needed break, an opportunity to see my fave travel mates, and, as an added bonus, a chance to celebrate my birthday in another country. That's a 3-in-1 Kinderegg right there!We spent a [...]
I've been meaning to write about stave churches here on Sophie's World for a while now. Years, actually; but waiting until I had seen the oldest of them all: Urnes. Somehow, I thought that one was needed.Well, in this corona-dominated summer - or early autumn [...]
Campo dei MiracoliField of Miracles: how wonderful is that name!Wonderful - and apt, I think. I can easily picture this as a centre of miracles: the blue sky, the green grass, the wonderful white constructions, the warm Tuscan terracotta wall: it's all rather stunning.The official [...]
When people think of the UNESCO-listed Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin, Sanssouci is probably the first that comes to mind. And that Rococo palace of the Prussian king is indeed a fine example, with its park and temples and follies. Voltaire even stayed [...]
Utopia: we all have our own ideas of that, don’t we? Compassionate capitalism and urban planningSo did Robert Owen. Back in the late 18th century, this Welsh philanthropist, social reformer and idealist thought it was possible to combine a highly profitable business with human welfare. [...]
I'm noticing I haven’t written nearly enough about wine here on the blog. Scandalous really, considering the total yum! We’ve covered the vines of Switzerland’s Lavaux, (surprised Switzerland is wine-growing country? I was.) We’ve briefly touched upon the yummy wines of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. We’ve [...]
