Tag Archives: history

I spent less than a week in the Sultanate of Oman, an Islamic Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In that time, however, I saw countless forts, castles, and towers (see: Oman’s Fortress Castles and Jabreen Castle). Perhaps this is unsurprising, as the country is called “the land of [a] thousand forts.” These […]

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I’m not normally a huge fan of museums: there are only so many plaques I can read on dusty displays before I hit overload, or become mind-numbingly bored. But, all of the guide books and everyone I met on Crete recommended the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. It is reputed to be one of the greatest museums […]

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Nestled at the foot of the Hajar Mountains are some of the oldest villages in Oman.  This is a rugged, desert region with little rainfall. Settlements could only survive where ground water was available. But, where water was found, it was ingeniously managed. Using a type of irrigation system developed 5000 years ago in Persia, […]

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Lakes Entrance is a delightful coastal town in eastern Victoria, Australia. It is known for its long, beautiful beaches, recreational and commercial fishing, and bushwalking and water-based activities. It sits at the meeting point of the Southern Ocean and the Gippsland Lakes – a vast system of inland waterways. Being only 320 kilometres (200 mi) […]

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I fell in love with Crete. Greece’s southernmost district, Crete is the country’s largest and most populous island. Nestled between the Aegean and Libyan Seas, it is home to a magnificent coastline and beautiful beaches (eg: Preveli Beach). Populated since time immemorial, there is evidence of human settlement as early as 130,000 years ago. Buildings […]

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