Tag Archives: architecture

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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When you are trekking at altitude in Nepal, the Sherpas will tell you: Go high, sleep lower. In the Peruvian Andes, the guiding companies seem to take the opposite approach. Cusco, in the south-east of Peru, is the starting point for most Inca Trail tours. This little city in the Central Peruvian Andes sits at 3350 […]

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The little city of Santander with its sheltered natural harbour on the Bay of Biscay has a long and rich history. It is thought to have been the location of the 26 BC Roman port: Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium, but no definitive archaeological evidence has been found. The first documentary mention of the settlement was in 1068, although […]

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I was breathless with excitement! Or maybe it was just the altitude? Or the psychoactive effects of the coca tea we’d been drinking? Flying into Cusco (previously Cuzco) felt like flying into another world. And it was: it was a world away, and a long time ago. My husband and I were planning to walk […]

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