Dee Light Bakery, Tooting Bec, London. May 2019. Boy have I had some fun over the years exploring the rich cafe scene of London’s Tooting Bec neighbourhood. Over the course of my many stays in South London, I’ve seen the range of coffee shops mushroom; the crown of favourite passing from head to head on several […]
Read MoreTooting Bec Common, London. May 2019. There’s always something comforting about turning the corner onto Elmbourne Road and catching those first green flushes of Tooting Bec Common. After all, this beautiful city park has become a symbol of my London home. Not that I stay on the common itself under a tree, I should hasten […]
Read MoreCool Spots Around Hanoi. April 2018. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to read my eight feature length articles from the Vietnamese capital. Now, wrapping the series up, here’s the best of the rest with some Cool Spots Around Hanoi. If you’ve only got time for one of Hanoi’s three lakes, it simply has […]
Read MoreHanoi Train Street. April 2018. I was starting to think that I would never find Hanoi Train Street. With no official listing on any online map app, I’d been relying on written directions from a blog article. Directions that turned out be… if I’m charitable… patchy. And so unfolded a frustrating hour of walking around […]
Read MoreTemple of Literature. Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. No matter where I go, I aways seem to bump into my old buddy Confucius. Indeed I’ve been to perhaps a dozen temples across the world dedicated to the famous philosopher. I’ve also photographed statues of the celebrated old sage in Thailand. And visited Hyanggyo School, constructed in his […]
Read MoreThang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cover photo courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra. April 2018. I’d never seen a water puppet performance before. In fact, I hadn’t been aware it was even a thing until I started planning my trip to Vietnam. The more I read, the more I realised seeing a water puppet show […]
Read MoreHoa Lo Prison, Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. If you’re visiting Hanoi and have the means to treat yourself to a luxurious stay, one might consider the Hilton Hanoi Opera. I’m sure you can picture the place, without even looking. Rooms feature elegantly handcrafted traditional Vietnamese furniture. Moreover, there’s a giant swimming pool, a full range of […]
Read MoreHo Chi Minh Complex. Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. “Ho Chi Minh!” I told the grizzled old moto taxi driver. He replied with a serious nod, then handed me the passenger helmet he kept on his right handlebar. I fitted it over my head, clambered on and we were quickly away, weaving between the traffic down […]
Read MoreHoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi. April 2018. It was a hot and sticky overcast afternoon in Hanoi as I set off for some exploring around one of the city’s two great lakes. They say if you only have time for one, it should definitely be Hoan Kiem, a tranquil 12 hectare freshwater lake that holds a special […]
Read MoreBun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim. April 2018. As anyone who’s ever been to Vietnam will surely attest, the food is just phenomenal. Having already sampled some of Hanoi’s tasty Banh Mi sandwiches, I was keen to delve deeper into the national cuisine during my time in the capital. One evening, after a full day […]
Read MoreHanoi Old Quarter, Vietnam. April 2018. I remember feeling so chilled when I hopped off the airport bus and took in my first deep breath of Hanoi. Sometimes life can be so sweet. And in all honesty my adult life has rarely been sweeter than in the spring of 2018. I’d just finished a one […]
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Traveling the world, one country at a time.
