Poland’s geographical location has meant that the country’s borders have changed many times, giving rise to cities that blend diverse influences in their architecture and food. But Kraków is resolutely Polish and is seen by many as their spiritual capital. Stroll the cobblestone streets, peer from a café on the vast Market Square, dip into… Read More »
A falling yen has helped fuel a tourism boom in Japan. About 33 million visitors are expected this year, a new record – and a million more than pre-pandemic levels. But not everyone is celebrating. In April, the small town of Fujikawaguchiko made headlines when it took a tough step against “overtourism” by installing a… Read More »
The paintings in the Royal Academy’s astonishing new exhibition are political refugees. They were loaded onto trucks to be taken out of Kiev in autumn 2022. Tuesday was chosen because the Russians usually bomb the city on Mondays, but as soon as they reached the Polish border, a rogue missile exploded on the other side.… Read More »
Scotland and tea have had a relationship since the 1600s, with the first tea served at Holyrood Palace in 1680. Originally smuggled into the country and only affordable to the very wealthy, tea became a regular afternoon treat with bread and butter by the mid-1800s, and the rest is history: sandwiches, scones, cakes, cream and,… Read More »
“Dark is bright, dark is bright directed.” Who wouldn’t want to accept this line as their own? Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43, full of shadows, sleep, and dreams, bears a resemblance to his lines. A Midsummer Night’s Dreamhuman mystery speaks more powerfully than sweet fairy magic. When Benjamin Britten turned the play into an opera for the… Read More »
In a small village deep in the dark Amazon jungle of Peru, there is a 108-year-old shaman. He is tired. He feels his journey on planet Earth is over. He wants to die. My mother left this earthly plane when she was 68. She had wanted to spend her twilight years traveling, but it was… Read More »
Nova Scotia feels like a place that should be remote, northern and, above all, cold. It’s perhaps surprising, then, that flights from London to its capital, Halifax, take less than six hours. Perhaps even more surprising, this southeastern corner of Canada lies on roughly the same latitude as Burgundy. And yes, it does have some… Read More »
Extreme turbulence incidents appear to be on the rise. The latest was on July 2 when an Air Europa flight travelling from Spain to Uruguay injured more than 30 passengers and forced an emergency landing in Brazil. It is one of a number of high-profile incidents in recent years. In May, a British grandfather was… Read More »
The lush green lawns and shady paths of Hampton Court are probably not the first places you’ll find Ray Mears. Britain’s most famous bushcraft and survivalist has travelled extensively throughout a 30-year television career that has taken him to some of the planet’s most challenging locations, most notably through three series – Wild Australia, Wild… Read More »
What do you hear? Birds chirping? Look, it must be British Summer Time! But while the days are starting to get shorter as we head back towards the clocks turning back at the end of October, there’s still a few months left to enjoy the early morning light (and hopefully sunshine). And there’s plenty to… Read More »