Tag Archives: architecture

The Sultanate of Oman is a land of forts and castles. Sitting at the southeastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, this Middle Eastern country has always been a centre of regional trade. As early as 120 AD, a branch of Nabataean Arabs arrived in the vast desert interior. By the 1600s, the Omani Sultanate was […]

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The Inca Trail is a 45 km (26 miles) trek from Piscacucho, a locality 82 km (51 miles) from Cusco, to Machu Picchu. The path follows a small part of the larger UNESCO-listed Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca-built network of roads and tracks through the Andes Mountains. The classic walk is usually done over four days, […]

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India is a real experience in sensory overload. That is true of all the places I’ve visited in the country, but especially true in Varanasi. Varanasi – previously known as Benares, Banaras, and Kashi – is considered the spiritual capital of India. It is one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities, and has been […]

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The small, land-locked country of Nepal contains about 0.37% of the world’s total population, and much of this is concentrated in the Kathmandu Valley. Fortunately, this region –  which is one of the most densely populated areas of Nepal – is also very fruitful. According to ancient Buddhist scriptures, the Kathmandu Valley was a giant […]

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Two of the great joys of travel are eating and shopping! Any visitor to these pages know I love exploring markets. I love the colour and the chaos; I love the photographic challenges they present; I love the insight they give into local people’s lives. I don’t even mind the pseudo ‘workshop’ visits that are […]

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