Tag Archives: history Porto, Portugal’s second largest city, sits nestled into the granite hills either side of the Douro River. One of Europe’s oldest centres, the early Proto-Celtic settlement of Cale dates back to at least 300 BC. It was conquered by the Romans around 136 BC. and served as the outpost city of Portus Cale (Port of […]  “What did the Romans ever do for us?” I love that line from Monty Python’s Life of Brian and have thought it appropriate in many circumstances. Naturally, it came to mind when I was wandering through the magnificent Roman ruins of Jerash – Ancient Gerasa or Garshu – in northern Jordan. These extensive ruins, so […]  “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” ― Alfred Wainwright After living in the tropics for many years, I should be used to rain. But, this past week I’ve been trapped indoors as my portion of East Coast Australia has been battened down against heavy rainfall, gale-force winds, and the threat of […]  Time lost all meaning for me in Egypt. The 63 tombs in the Valley of the Kings might indeed be over a thousand years younger than the magnificent Pyramids of the Old Kingdoms at Giza (see: Stories in Ancient Stone), but even the graffiti defacing them is older than the buildings I grew up around! […]  There are some sights – no matter how many times they have been shown in photos or on film – that you just have to see for yourself. Sure, there are stock images online that are taken in better weather conditions and from better angles, and the hosts of travel programs get superior entry and […] |
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