A few years ago, I watched the episode of An Idiot Abroad where Karl was forced to climb Mount Fuji in Japan. Karl did his usual grumbling as he hiked up all night long — but was rewarded by the most incredible sunrise. He was indifferent to it, of course. That sunrise was on TV, […]
Japan: Home to the World’s Most Beautiful Light Read More »
I’m not a girl who dreams about hotels. I have some friends who work in the luxury hotel industry and they wax poetic about hotels they dream of visiting someday — hotels with plunge pools overlooking mountains, glass-bottomed overwater bungalows, and 50,000 thread count sheets. Me? I get their fascination, but hotels aren’t my thing,
How to Visit the Burj al Arab: The World’s Most Luxurious Hotel, Dubai Read More »
I was fully prepared to hate Dubai. Before arriving, I had read up on the reality of this shiny Gulf city. Johann Hari’s famous feature in The Independent, though published in 2009, was resurging online and painted a picture of Dubai as a fairy tale gone wrong, a desert oasis hiding a poisonous core. Dubai
The Ethics of Visiting Dubai Read More »
As soon as I realized I would be in Dubai for my 29th birthday, I knew I would have to plan a fun celebration. Believe it or not, this is only the second birthday that I would be spending abroad — the first was my 17th birthday in Ireland! Luckily, Dubai is a city that lends
How to Celebrate a Special Occasion in Dubai Read More »
I’m on the bus from Skopje to Prizren, typing madly on my computer as I work on a freelance assignment. My only breaks are cursory glances out the water-stained window: the scenery has been growing greener and more mountainous as we edge closer to the border. It’s my first time in Kosovo, and I don’t
Kosovo: A Warm Welcome from a Newborn Country Read More »
If you’re familiar with Lake Ohrid, one image probably comes to your mind: a tiny red-brick church overlooking the vast expanse of blue lake, faint mountains in the distance. This church is Sveti Jovan, and it’s probably the most famous image in all of Macedonia. As soon as you arrive, you’ll want to photograph it
Scenes from Lake Ohrid: Macedonia’s Summer Beauty Read More »
Sometimes the best countries are the most surprising ones. Macedonia certainly falls into that category. I fell into Macedonia on a whim — I needed somewhere to go for two weeks in between Istanbul and Dubai. Skopje popped up as a cheap flight from Istanbul, and I booked that flight in no time at all.
Macedonia: This Magnificent Country Will Surprise You Read More »
“Go to the Asian side — it’s one of the best things to do in Istanbul.” Nearly everyone told me this on my first trip to Turkey nearly two years ago. Yet for some reason, I spent my first trip firmly ensconced on the European side of the Bosphorus (journeys to Sabiha Gocken Airport notwithstanding).
A Day in Kadikoy: Scenes from Istanbul’s Asian Side Read More »
When I first arrived in Sliema, my friend told me to keep my expectations low: “Don’t judge Malta until you see Valletta tomorrow.” I could see what he meant — Sliema didn’t look overtly appealing during my evening arrival. Traffic raced along the water’s edge; the sidewalks were filled with kiosks. Pubs catered to middle-aged British
The Sweet Sliema Life Read More »
Driving through the Maltese countryside, a white city appears in the distance. It stands atop a hill, layered like a wedding cake from its walled edge, surveying all of Malta from one of the highest points on the island. It’s a city older than Valletta, dating back 4,000 years. It was built by the Phoenicians
Mdina: The Silent City of Malta Read More »