Thumbing through photos, I’m reminded of a little memorial I once saw in the Engadin Valley. On Piz Nair mountain just above St Moritz, I spotted a glass box in the distance. Practically pulled over, I was. By a strong impulse. Curiosity – and something else. There was no way I was not scrambling over […]
World at a Glance: Temple of Heaven, Beijing tranquility
It’s early evening; the sun is slowly setting. As I wander through the gate in the bright red wall and into the park, I wonder: if I travel ever westwards, how fast will I have to go to see a perpetual sunset? A continuous magical golden hour? Let’s see: if we stick with the Equator, […]
World at a Glance: Stoclet House
Stoclet House – or Stoclet Palace – is a secret heritage site. All you’ll see is the back of the building. Through an iron fence. I’m feeling a bit like a stalker, snapping photos through the fence as cars pass by on Brussel’s busy, snazzy Avenue de Tervueren. Now, the back of the building does […]
World at a Glance: Valencia’s ancient silk exchange, a temple to trade
As you wander through Valencia’s lovely old city, you’ll come across a flamboyantly fascinating building with delicious details: grotesque gargoyles and fantastical figures surrounding the main doors. Be sure to move in close, there’s lots to look at. This is La Lonja de la Seda, the city’s medieval silk exchange. Beginning operations in the early […]
World at a Glance: Heidelberg’s Student Prison
From its foundation in 1386 and until World War I, Heidelberg University had jurisdiction over unruly students. Depending on your misdemeanour, you could land a sentence of anything from 24 hours to 4 weeks in the Studentenkarzer (student lock-up). The most common offences? … loud singing in the city lanes, inappropriate behaviour in public as […]
World at a Glance: Defenestration of Prague
‘Defenestration,’ he said, the stranger who came up to me as I leaned out the castle window. Or snuck up on me, rather. Silent as a panther he was. A tuxedo-clad panther, with grey eyes. Steel. Eerily magnetic. View from Prague Castle I must have looked as confused as I felt. ‘An ominous word for […]
World at a Glance: Tropical Island in a Nazi Hangar
Just 60 km from Berlin, in the state of Brandenburg, is an indoor beach paradise located in one of the world’s largest buildings. On Cat’s school trip to visit concentration camps this summer, we stopped at Tropical Island for a completely different experience. Important to balance the challenging with lighter things, especially with kids. Tropical […]
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
- Gori: birthplace of the world’s most infamous dictator
- The Waterhead: A Boutique Hotel in the English Lake District
- The Four Seasons Hotel in Baku: Graceful and luxurious
- 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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