I like cities. I don’t like to leave them. Frankly, too much green and nature makes me slightly apprehensive. Wide open, verdant space may seem idyllic in many respects, true, but it can hide suspect hazards. Like bear traps. Or vicious moles. Or dogs off-the-leash intent on crotch investigation. A park, however, is acceptable; a […]
There is nothing quite like avoiding the multitudinous crowds when visiting a popular attraction. Something about being among a throng and herded around gets my goat. So it was with some delight that I recently visited the sanctified stones of Stonehenge for an hour with just nine others. There was no herding around, and you […]
I clearly remember my first love. I was a little girl sick in bed, glued to the TV set watching Audrey Hepburn play a princess to Gregory Peck’s dashing reporter, as they zigzagged through Rome on a Vespa. Ever since that film, I have dreamed of my Roman Holiday moment. Decades later, thanks to Trufflepig, […]
There’s another big kid on the block in London’s ever-growing high-rise City. Officially known as 20 Fenchurch Street, unofficially and widely known as the “Walkie Talkie” due to its shape, the building is a gleaming edifice rising over lovely Leadenhall Market. The 37-storey building by world-renowned architect Rafeal Viñoly has a distinctive shape in that it widens […]
On a recent trip to Athens, we had the good fortune to book a tour through those lovely and wise folk at Context. Their learned docent Smaro met us at our wee boutique hotel, The O&B on the edge of the Plaka, where we ventured through lanes and flower-strewn alleys on a sun-dappled late autumnal afternoon (it seems […]
While I have a deep deep hatred for those who deface priceless antiquities (I’m looking at you, Laszlo Toth), the inner archaeologist in me also has a fascination with the results, especially when they manage to stick around for a long time. On a recent visit to Angkor Wat, I strayed from the usual temple shots […]
Kochi (or Cochin) is a wonderful coastal town in India’s colourful southern state of Kerala; a smiley, happy spot with rather lovely locals and some of the best curry this side of Manchester. It is a place to park your self for a wee while and soak in the local flavour, strolling the streets and […]
Mendoza’s wondrous wine region has much to recommend it: gorgeous towns with lovely, leafy plazas, marvellous Malbecs, delectable dining, and terrific places to stay. All this and we haven’t even mentioned the Andes, which stretch dramatically in the distance, an impressive backdrop and a useful orientation device. The Uco Valley in the Mendoza region has […]
Did you know that more than 60% of Perúvian terrain is Amazon Jungle area? Conversely, the ruins in the Andean Valleys (where most people concentrate their visits) constitute only about 28% of the country’s land. I was fascinated when I realized this—it wasn’t Brazil or Ecuador, but Peru’s ancient, Incan land, full of ruins and […]
We like a new way to see an old thing. Preferably one that does not involve a selfie; there are far too many shots of people’s mugs eclipsing the Taj or Victoria Falls. So when the new walkway opened up at London’s rather old Tower Bridge, it was time to revisit this ancient way of […]
At Trufflepig, we like to partake in all things fine and swine. When we come by fine swine, it’s sublime. Or perhaps a lovely wine, how divine. Okay, I’m done, I promise. On a recent trip to Vietnam, I was introduced to a program that is doing some great work west of Hanoi. Bloom Microventures has […]
If there really is such a thing as heaven on earth, I believe it is called Hierve el Agua. These natural pools nestled in the mountains outside of Oaxaca city are so perfectly formed and wondrously beautiful that some have a hard time believing they’re naturally created and not man-made. Hierve el Agua means “the […]
On a recent trip to Chicago, I stumbled across something that would make even Charlie Scott swoon with envy. A place so crammed with old treasures both fascinating and bizarre that one can’t help but get lost for hours. Architectural Artifacts was just supposed to be a quick stop on a busy day of touring. I dragged […]
The non-believers among you might consider skipping churches when making your sightseeing hit list; on a trip to Ethiopia, this is where you’d be making your biggest mistake. In Tigray you’ll find the oldest Christian sites in the country, and they are absolute must-sees, even if you’re of the atheistic persuasion. Church fatigue is a […]
There’s probably something you look for immediately on your first day exploring a new destination. Maybe it’s the most interesting museums, delicious street food, local markets; everyone has their go-to travel highlights. As for me, after a long journey to a new city, I often steer myself toward the places where people rest—eternally, that is. […]
One of the best benefits of a trip to Iceland is the plentiful and seemingly endless source of geothermal energy. My favourite implementation of this energy is in the hot pots, both natural and man made. To be clear, I’m not talking about an Asian stew here; hot pots are part hot tub, part mineral […]