Stories behind the stories. By Travel Writer, Amy McPherson
You knew this was coming ;-) Remember when I did a little cat album for cats in the Philippines? Well, here are some cats in Marrakech! Besides sightseeing, you’ll often find me stalking cats on my travels, and boy oh boy was Marrakech a crazy cat lady heaven! Morocco is one of the 5 destinations …
Ah, the beautiful Prague… I know my last post about ways to escape the crowds in Prague may have put you off from visiting… Yes, it is absolutely chaotic and yes, we were there in winter. So, in summer during the main tourist season, it must be worse! However, there is a reason. Prague really …
Lake Bled is the most popular destination for visitors to Slovenia. It is naturally beautiful, historically important and from the first sight of the lake from our accommodation’s window, I was in love. The dramatic mountain ranges that surround the lake is a great backdrop to the castle on the cliff top, the church on …
I have been thinking about the Pacific lately, thinking about the islands, the beaches and friendly people. Combining the European setting and thoughts of smiling islanders I landed my mind back in bustling Noumea, where it is easier to get a good croissant than it is to order the Bougna, a traditional Melanesian feast cooked in banana …
I have a thing for sunsets, as you probably have gathered from my post about Chasing Sunsets. This particular sunset was captured on Baracay Island in the Philippines, taken by Peter Navea. It has been almost a year since our trip to the Philippines. We never made it to Baracay but it is certainly on …
Along the Masarykovo nabiezi at dusk, Prague felt magical. It is the City of a Hundred Spires, and even in this ordinary shot, mini spires rise from the top of the buildings pointing to the sky. My memories of Prague is filled with such images. Outside the Prague Castle, the architecture – Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance, dashed …
[Feature image source: Morgue File. Credit to: muvuca] Some people like sunrises, some people prefer sunsets. Some, doesn’t understand why anyone would be impressed by either, as our trekking guide in Thailand wondered “why you tourists always want to watch sunrise and sunsets? It happens everyday. If you miss today, it’ll be there again tomorrow.” …
Yes, you knew this was coming. I have always taken pictures of cats when I travel but not so much as this trip to the Philippines when I decided that I’d start posting them on the blog. So here it is! The Crazy Cat Lady album, Philippines Edition!
We are experiencing heat waves here in Australia, and I am trying think cooler thoughts. So, that got me thinking about Stockholm when I visited in winter of 2003. Stockholm is a beautiful city and it was particularly beautiful when I visited in winter. They’ve had some light snow falls and made everything powder white, …
Our Philippines adventure began at Tagaytay, a picturesque township south of Manila where an active volcano – the Taal – dominates the landscape and the tourism industry of the region. Those who visit Tagaytay must pay the obligatory visit to Taal volcano, one that is still living and could potentially erupt again in the near …
I’ve been avoiding Christmases for the past five years, mostly by travelling to non-Christian countries because I don’t really agree with the commercialisation of any religious/cultural events. (Despite the effort, I still found Santa in Brunei!) This year will be the first year that we’ll travel to a predominantly Christian country and it got me …
This is where I had my first meal in Hanoi when I visited in 2004. I had only arrived in the country for an hour, was wet and hungry and needed food. My love of street food took me to this little corner and my nose couldn’t go past the fragrance of the freshly steamed …
I wanted to have a postcard this week that is relevant to my cruising theme. However I’ve never cruised before remember! So I thought I’d put on the next best thing: my memories of Venice, where getting on board local ferries to traverse through its many islands was the closest to cruising I’ve ever done! …
One of my favourite things about travel is being able to make friends anywhere and everywhere. In this picture I was on Isla del Sol, one of the many islands on the famed Lake Titicaca bordering Peru and Bolivia. They had originally approached us to ask us if we wanted to buy their bracelets. Having …
Winter has always been a fascination of mine, especially snow. We don’t get a lot of winter and snow here in Australia, especially in Sydney, where we get mild winters and virtually no spring and autumn as transition between the extremes. So, I was naturally attracted to snow, and I had plenty of it during …
Mermaids were all over Daydream Island. Which reminded me of the first time I met a mermaid…. It was in Copenhagen in Denmark, 2003. She was the ‘Little Mermaid’ of Hans Christian Anderson’s story. Her sad and lonely stance here remind me of the real story, the one Anderson actually wrote, not the Disney version, …
This was taken at the Alter Brucke (the Old Bride) in Heidelberg Germany. They say that by rubbing the mirror the monkey was holding will guarantee my return to Heidelberg again and again. My wish came true three years later, when I took my now husband on a tour of Germany (on our way back …
I’ve decided to make this a regular Thursday post. Here’s today’s postcard from the memory vaults. This is Brighton Beach in England. It was one of Europe’s hottest summers and I decided that I needed to be at the beach. Brighton was only an hour’s train ride away from London, which made it a perfect …
2003, summer. I was on a bus between Germany and Czech Republic and we came across this field of blooming sunflowers. I’ve never seen a sunflower field (of this size) so I couldn’t resist a photo opportunity. I remember it was a fine sunny day with a pale blue sky, and as I stood among …
Photos & Words by Bell Chan Tai O is a heritage fishing village located in Lantau island of Hong Kong. Tai O is also referred to as “Oriental Venice”, as there are lots of stilt houses along the coastline as the villagers live with fluctuating tides. Today, fishing activity is diminished in Hong Kong, and Tai O has gradually changed …
Photos by Fiona Yuen Fiona and husband visited Beijing and fell in love with its depth of history and traditional charm. From popular tourist spots such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Panda Sanctuary, to the streets by the lake, the markets and the growing number of chic cafes and restaurants, it …
Photos by William McPherson I was born in Taiwan but having moved to Australia at the age of 10, never really had the opportunity to really understand the country. Back in 2006 when my husband and I visited and backpacked around the island, we found a land that was fertile with lust vegetation, immersed in …
Sydney isn’t all about the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. I find beauty in Sydney’s back streets, where autumn leaves add that extra charm to the backdrop. Here are some corners of Sydney that I love, both in the rain and on sunny days!
Photos by Fiona Yuen Shanghai glows. The skyscrapers that illuminate the night scene are symbols of its economic growth as China’s financial hub yet across the river on the Bund and the ‘Old Shanghai’ are heritage and traditions from a long history of Chinese culture. From temples to art galleries to succulent xiao long bao dumplings, …
