In the astonishing mix of ultra-modern and ancient found in Seoul’s Jongno-gu area is the Gyeonghui Palace, which is now the city’s Museum of History. Surrounded by corporate headquarters, government offices and embassies, the museum has a treasure of a different kind – the fine dining restaurant of Cong-du. This is a new-age destination restaurant best described as organic concept-art cuisine focused on Korean produce. It has a modern take on traditional tofu and bean-based …
Browsing: Activities
If your family is lucky enough to be one of those which has kids starting school after Labor Day, you still have time to plan a trip to the gorgeous Emerald Coast of Florida. And you should immediately do so. The pure sugar white sand and amazing Gulf of Mexico simply can’t be missed. If your kids also have a fall break, plan your getaway for then as the area is still warm and beautiful …
It is a crisp October evening in Washington, D.C. There is no snow falling, but the temperature has dropped considerably from the afternoon to this late evening. People are moving rapidly down the street bundled in their winter garb, looking like heavily clothed energizer bunnies, but it is not unusual as D.C. always has a distinct undercurrent of electricity that is almost palpable.
The streets are dotted like blue M&M’s with miniature zap cars (www.zapcar.com) …
Not all Caribbean treasures wait to be discovered in chests hidden in long-forgotten sites – a visit to the Dominican Republic can also provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of semi-precious stones to be found around this island nation. In fact, the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with neighboring Haiti, is renowned among gemologists for its semi-precious stones of both amber and larimar that have been uncovered here. Nowadays, the traveler …
Five, four, three, two, one…HAPPY NEW YEAR! Cue the traditional song of Auld Lang Syne to usher in the dawning of another New Year. From Times Square in New York to Trafalgar Square in London, voices ring out, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display on the stroke of midnight. So, where should be heading this year for the most dazzling New Years Eve experiences? Here are some of the best free world-class events around the …
I absolutely loathe spinning class. I really, really wanted to like it. Because how difficult could it be to ride a stationary bike in place?
You know what? It is extremely difficult. For one thing, the bike seats are incredibly, indescribably, immeasurably hard. So hard that no matter what you do, no matter how thick a bike seat cover you buy, no matter how many times you stand up on the pedals to relieve your …
The Victoria Falls Safari Club is the ultimate in lodge accommodations. Each of their sixteen club rooms and four spectacular suites have private patios and uninterrupted views across the bushveld. It’s all a potent mix of African wilderness and history seamlessly blended with exotic luxury, complete with a private check-in and butler service.
From the lodge’s lobby you walk into a quarry-tiled hallway showcasing an African-styled chandelier made from fine honey-coloured strips of hide. It’s …
Before we drove to the lovely and historic Amelia Island on the Atlantic coast of Florida, I had never heard of it. Amelia Island is one of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands that reaches along the east coast of the United States all the way from South Carolina to Florida. It’s only about 13 miles long and 4 miles wide, but it’s a charming place full of beautiful Victorian mansions. It’s the …
Wanting to explore Flanders’ WW1 poppy fields and old battlegrounds? I tapped in the GPS coordinates for Dover – just a stone throw from London only 82 miles away. In Dover I took a ferry which deposited me across the English Channel in France’s Calais 90 minutes later. I planned to explore the territories where The Great War had been fought and to see the appalling conditions in which the soldiers lived and the immaculate …
If you’re looking for a cheap holiday, Cape Town has probably never topped your travel agenda. This gloriously swanky South African city has won so many travel awards that you naturally assume it’s going to pack a punch in the price department too. It’s been ranked as the top holiday destination for 2014 by the New York Times and the UK’s Guardian, and it’s always in favor with the flush Condé Nast class. It’s also …
Cape Town is South Africa’s holiday city. Few urban centers could match its picturesque setting along the mountainous Cape Peninsula spine, which slips into the Atlantic Ocean. The most striking of its sights is Table Mountain, rearing up from the centre of the city and often draped in white clouds. Standing on the tabletop, beyond the mountainous Twelve Apostles, the drop to the ocean is sheer with Africa’s priciest real estate tacked to the slopes. …
Spaniards may take a relaxed mañana attitude to things like completing half-built cathedrals and scoring World Cup goals.
But when they say that access to a train closes two minutes before the departure time, they actually mean it.
“The train has gone,” a square-shaped security guard told me with an indifferent shrug.
“Not it hasn’t,” I panted, “I can see it.” I pointed it out, large and definitely present, as a loud speaker tauntingly confirmed …
It seems appropriate that the legendary French beauty Empress Josephine, known for her sense of style, spent her early years on the island of Martinique, where travelers today can still encounter an abundance of fine design, craftsmanship and style. In fact, Martinique nowadays is home to a range of merchandise, local handicrafts and personal apparel that reflects an enduring appreciation of style. Around city streets, suburban enclaves or at points out into the countryside, a …
Heading northwest, towards the Mozambique border, we left Wonderboom Airport (near Pretoria) via a chartered Cessna. Ninety minutes later we arrived at Cheetah Plains, a privately owned game reserve located within the 65,000 hectare Sabi Sands reserve, which itself shares a 50km border the Kruger National Park. Sabi Sands is world renowned for Super Seven* viewing, with Cheetah Plains the hot spot for Big Cats. There are no dividing fences, which sees game moving freely …