In Paris’s Muslim quarter, Barbés Rochechouart, John M. Edwards finds ho-hum Christmas cheer, but no champagne or beer. . . . Back when I lived in Paris, one of the most comically incongruous things I saw as a temporary expat was a pathetic Pere Noel with a guelle de bois (“face of wood” = hangover) peeing in the snow, with an excessively painful grin, on the legendary Boulevard St. Germain (namedropped ad infinitum in Hemingway’s elegy to the … [Read more...]
Praying for Rain on Patmos
John M. Edwards plans to tour the cave where St. John wrote the Bible’s “Book of Revelations” on an idyllic Greek island called Patmos. . . . On the little-known island of “Arki” near Patmos, Greece, four travelers stared at the boat docking under a cliff-shrouded curl of surf and sand resembling a sneer. “Smugglers!” my new friend Leo, an Argentine of Italian descent and owner of a “finca” in Welsh Patagonia, exclaimed. All of us … [Read more...]
The Maltese Beercan
John M. Edwards takes a ferry boat, complete with a small steamer trunk and a traveler’s liquid pride “In Sicily, it’s fine, you can change money everywhere,” the lanky traveler lectured, popping the tab on his beercan, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. A white floppy sunhat, popularized by British sunbathers in Brighton, shaded his head from the fierce Mediterranean sun, though we were hidden in the subterranean hold of a ship … [Read more...]
Eating my Way Around Berlin
Spend just one day in Berlin, and there’s no denying it’s cutting-edge city. It pulses with non-stop energy day and night, the air infused with creativity, culture and promise. There are many ways for travelers to gain some insight into this complex and ever-expanding metropolis. On my recent whirlwind visit, I got a feel for the city by exploring its cuisine. As a frequent traveler and devoted foodie, my key to a new destination is usually … [Read more...]
Lourdes on 25 Prayers a Day
The Lowdown on Tacky Souvenirs and Christian Kitsch - Hautes-Pyrenees France I think it was Goethe who said that the imagination was man’s “deadliest enemy,” but how could that be so when all of us have dreamed up so many fabulous places to visit, celebrity people to admire, and unique pleasures to seek out. Even so, nightmares notwithstanding, we are all vaguely astonished when legend becomes reality and we actually arrive in a place we … [Read more...]
Top 10 underrated beauty spots in Europe
Forget the stigma that some of Europe’s beach resorts have picked up over the years (Kevin and Perry, The Inbetweeners, Sun, Sex and Suspicious parents…), even the busiest islands have a diverse range of resorts to suit all tastes and their fair share of culturally significant tourist stops. Make sure you book your 2014 holiday now to get the best deals, and give yourself enough time to scour some European beauty spots. 1) Majorca Majorca is … [Read more...]
Bolzano Christmas Market
Are you rushing around trying to finish your Christmas shopping? Can't find anything in the shops for love or money? Perhaps you are just looking in the wrong place – the High Street might be fine for boring stuff like perfume, socks and ties but for something a bit different, a quick hop over to one of the many European Christmas markets is bound to do the trick. With time now quite short, you will need to make sure you choose the right one and … [Read more...]
Great Destinations for a Weekend Away in the UK
Fancy getting away from it all for a weekend? Well then, aren’t you the lucky one – this sceptered isle plays host to hundreds upon hundreds of fantastic destinations of all sorts: from quaint little chalets overlooking the English Channel to glorious old manor houses in the middle of the countryside, you’re spoilt for choice. Sadly, this then provides an altogether different problem – how on earth are you going to decide where you want to go, … [Read more...]
The Diverse Attractions of Stockholm
Located on the east coast, Stockholm is Sweden’s largest city and its capital. Vibrant Stockholm is actually built upon 14 islands but is easy to traverse on foot and is the perfect location for an exciting weekend city break. Stockholm is an amazingly diverse city, a mix of the historic Old Town, modern architecture and natural beauty spots. This was the first city in the world to have a natural park in its city as well as the world’s only … [Read more...]
Please Pass the Pommes Frites: My Dinner with Martin Amis’s Son
Ex-expat John M. Edwards is invited as a “standby” to a sumptuous Parisian dinner party near Passy, where perforce playing the devil’s advocate comes with no pricetag at all. . . . “Hello John, how would you like to come to a dinner party tonight,” queried fair friend and picnic partner Julie, a fellow Servas member. A world peace organization affiliated with the United Nations, “Servas,” we joked with devil-may-care abandon, should … [Read more...]
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