You might not be surprised to read that I discovered Brussels on a business trip. The Belgian capital, best known for its EU credentials, had never really crossed my mind as a holiday destination. I had fallen into the trap of thinking of it as a “boring”, stuffy city, but I was happy to be… Read More »
In 1914, a man named Aston Webb told the London Society that he had a vision for the capital 100 years from now. He envisaged “a beautiful woodland almost throughout London”, with “a certain amount of open space, pleasure ground” protected by “town planning schemes”. He described this vision as a “green belt”. It turns… Read More »
The carpet is the color of sweaty minced meat – pale, bloodless, gray and brown-speckled. In the center, four chairs are placed around a circular table. They are heavily gilded, their backs crowned with a baroque emblem – armchairs for people who like to feel important. Set around a plywood tabletop upholstered in electric blue… Read More »
Wilder and less restricted than the rest of Devon, the north of the county has a comfortingly old-fashioned, low-tech feel. Prices are generally cheaper than the more stylish resorts of South Devon, so it’s a great option for large families, large groups and those on a tight budget. Hotels tend to focus on honest service… Read More »
You’re sitting in the dark, watching a scary story unfold. Maybe the hairs on the back of your neck are standing on end. Maybe you’re on the edge of your seat — and maybe you’re sitting in a slightly tired, slightly cramped red velvet chair, next to a stranger sipping an expensive plastic glass of… Read More »
My middle daughter Bliss hasn’t had a proper holiday for five years. She’s a great traveller but two young children (and quarantine) mean she’s pretty stuck. It was my dream to take her eldest, four-year-old Elliott, before he starts school and is stuck with the school holidays. Her younger daughter Ivy is two. They live… Read More »
Next week the public will follow in the footsteps of the Royal Family when they are invited to see the view from the Buckingham Palace balcony for the first time. Perhaps at an unexpected moment, these steps will take them past hundreds of golden dragons from floor to ceiling, a Buddha statue blowing incense from… Read More »
The popular image of auditions today is defined by the cruelty and embarrassment of reality television. “People expect Nicole Scherzinger to say, ‘You’ve made it to the judges’ houses!’ and Rylan to cry,” says freelance casting director Jatinder Chera, raising a skeptical eyebrow. In the media, heartless rejection and impossible dreams seem to be the… Read More »
Despite being a former British colony, one of our closest allies, and generally lumped together on the world stage, travelers are often surprised and delighted by the differences in lifestyle, attitudes, and geography they encounter in the United States. But when British travelers, with their staunch belief in common sense above all else, realize that… Read More »
I am sitting in a bright orange tin tub, deep in the woods of rural Aberdeenshire. The water is 8C cold and I am being led through breathing exercises by Britain’s first female commando. This is not a military exercise or some kind of cult initiation, but an activity offered at the new Discovery and… Read More »