Home away from home – Europe’s largest Japanese garden in Kaiserslautern
byKaiserslautern is not the kind of place where you look for a piece of Japan. Nestled in the forests of the Palatinate, this town…
Travel Stories
The Wild Spirit of the steppe in Mongolia
byVisiting a country for the first time is an opportunity to verify whether the preconceived ideas we had formed about that country are true…
The American Southwest (Part 1) – Joshua Tree NP and Grand Canyon NP
byIt’s official: a reopening of the United States as a travel destination for fully vaccinated tourists from the EU is looming around the corner…
Taíno Identity in A Remote Fishing Village in the Dominican Republic
byA whole people wiped out and annihilated in the name of audacious exploration and glorious expansion, with all its once cultural complexity reduced to…
Sardinia, Our first (and last?) package holiday
byTwo months ago, in mid-June, we were packing our bags for our long overdue, twice postponed trip to South Africa when a big, German…
Portuguese Rice Fields – where to find them
byWe’ve always believed that the rice we ate on our table came from Asia. That is because every time we thought of rice, we associated…
A spiritual journey to Kyoto along the Kumano Kodo
byOne week to reach Kyoto from Tokyo, in a modern-day pilgrimage, taking in Kanazawa and rambling along the centuries-old trails of the Kii Mountain…
Foraging Wild Garlic in Luxembourg
byYears ago some good friends of ours, who are also experienced foragers, introduced us to the wonderful world of wild garlic. They prepared a…
Wild Daffodils in the forest of Lellingen (Luxembourg)
byLocated in the northern countryside of Luxembourg, Lellingen is an almost forgotten small hamlet that comes to life and to the limestone in April,…
Western Canada: Mountains, Lakes and Wilderness
byI think it’s safe to say that many of us owe quite a lot to our parents. After all, they bring us into this…
Sherkala Mountain – Mangystau province in Kazakhstan
byAfter taking the ferry from Baku (Azerbaijan) through the Caspian Sea, we made it to the quiet port town of Aktau in Kazakhstan. (For…
Ordaining as Novice Buddhist Monk in Luang Prabang
byThe powerful emotion reflected in Joulong’s young face and eyes is palpable. And for a good reason, he is about to enter an important…
A week in Normandy, a day at the Normandy Beach Race
bySome twenty years ago, my brother came up with the idea to jump on our motorcycles and ride to Normandy in order to see…
Konglor Cave – Expedition in the Dark
byOne of the most popular trips in Laos is the legendary Thakhek loop, right in the middle of the country. The loop includes several…
Freita Mountain – Portuguese Magic Mountains
byThe first time that I camped without my parents it was here, at the Serra da Freita. The parish invited the group that was preparing a…
Life is like riding a Unicycle
byIt all started with my friend Zé Tó and with a young fellow, his son João. Seeing him enjoy riding the unicycle sparked my curiosity. That day my friend…
The 26 most beautiful landscapes of Laos
byLaos is one of the least known countries in Southeast Asia. It is a landlocked country, being surrounded by Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China. With such popular neighbours,…
16 amazing Temples in Luang Prabang
byLuang Prabang is the heart of Laos and the heart of Lao Buddhism. It has been listed as a UNESCO heritage site in 1995 for its…
Day Trips from Luang Prabang – What to visit Outside Luang Prabang
byTrue, the city of Luang Prabang has enough to keep one busy for a few days, but there are some sights outside town that should…
Berlengas – The Secret Islets off the Portuguese Coast
byThe Berlengas Archipelago is a group of Islands located off the Portuguese coast, opposite the town of Peniche. These islands are mainly made of…
