You might think that a place called Hellville would have a dark past. But this lively town on the Madagascan island of Nosy Be takes its name not from any Satanic connections but from Anne Chrétien Louis de Hell, a French admiral who was governor of Réunion Island from 1838 to 1841.
-
-
There are luxury resorts all over the world where you can, if you want, relax on a beach knowing that you and your fellow guests will have it to yourselves. No one will intrude to disturb the illusion of perfection or remind you that you are (quite probably) in a third world country. Eden Lodge, on Baobab Beach, where we spent our last few days in Madagascar, is definitely not such a spot.
-
Of course a trip to Madagascar is always going to be focused mainly on its unique wildlife. Endemic species such as lemurs and chameleons will be top of everyone’s must-see list, ours included. But sometimes it’s nice to take a break from these and to see something of the island’s human population and their culture.
-
The Place des Vosges must be one of the most beautiful corners of this beautiful city. Like the Place Dauphine it owes its existence to the city planning ambitions of Henri IV. It was laid out as an elegant residential square where the upper echelons of Parisian society could live and socialise. Much has changed since then, not least due to the Revolution, but it remains as elegant as ever.
-
When you first arrive in a new city, you can’t wait to get out and explore. There are new sights to be seen, new experiences to be had. But if it’s somewhere you’ve visited many times before there isn’t that urgency. New sights can wait for tomorrow. Today, on arrival, your desire is rather to reconnect, to regain that sense of feeling at home. And for me, in Paris, that means a walk by the Seine.
-
You won’t have to walk far in Cartagena’s old town before spotting one or more of these colourfully dressed women. They stand on street corners, bowls of tropical fruit ready to balance on their heads for any tourist willing to tip them a dollar or two. And most visitors will feel it is worth that tip to get a photo of such an iconic sight.
-
The traditional ceremony of Tak Bat, or almsgiving, isn't unique to Laos, or even to Luang Prabang, but has become particularly associated with this town because of the sheer number of temples in a concentrated space. Every morning the monks leave the temples to walk the streets, carrying a pot in which local people place food, usually sticky rice. In this way the monks have food to eat, and the people receive good karma and blessings in return for their giving.
-
With 7.888 billion people in our world it shouldn’t be hard to find someone interesting to photograph. Yet, among so many, how do we find the ones that stand out from the crowd? Which are the faces that speak to us? Which seem to tell a story that can be captured in a single shot? Perhaps it’s their clothing, their expression or what they are doing?
-
On the same day that we visited the Kosan Fruit Farm near Wonsan we were also taken to this children’s holiday camp on the outskirts of the town. And while, like the apple farm, that might not sound especially worth visiting, it was, like many places in North Korea, unexpectedly interesting.
-
I had heard a lot about the stunning landscapes of the Lofoten Islands. They promised dramatic mountains, pretty fishing villages and a beautiful coastline. So when an evening excursion to see a little of the islands was offered on the Hurtigruten ship, I was quick to sign up.
