Posts about Travel and tourism
Blog posts
Cornwall Summer
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Beautiful time-lapse films from the south west of England by Italian photographer Mattia Bicchi.
Oberberghorn
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I’ve been looking at the tooth-like promontory in the distance quite regularly, ever since we moved to Faulensee. It’s a very distinct peak on the eastern side of the Schynige Platte and one which begs to be explored.
The First of August
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1st August is Swiss National Day, chosen as the date on which Switzerland celebrates the anniversary of the first alliance between cantons in 1291.
The Swiss Pyramid
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The triangular Niesen towers over the Lower Simmen Valley and the towns of Spiez and Faulensee, on the shores of Lake Thun in Switzerland. The glowing clouds behind the mountains in the distance aren’t illuminated by towns, but by lightning storms above (respectively) Lenk and Gruyères.
My most popular photograph is for sale
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The most popular photo I’ve posted to Flickr is of Loch Garry, off the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
Strolling the streets of Positano
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One of the best parts of visiting Positano is a stroll through the roads and lanes from the upper town to the beach-side restaurants, stopping off in the shops and for ice-cream on the way.
Water spout on the Amalfi Coast
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An unexpected water spout on the boat journey between Ischia, Capri and Positano in Italy.
Trümmelbach Falls
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Visiting the dramatic waterfalls and cave system in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland.
Aare You Safe?
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Swimming in the river Aare is a regular summer pastime of the Bernese in Switzerland. But there are occasionally mishaps. The campaign “Aare You Safe?” is intended to remind the public of the dangers of swimming in the river: not with a wagging finger but with a “cheeky wink”. Keep an eye on yourself and…
Cimiterio delle Clarisse, Ischia
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The gruesome crypt beneath the former monastery in the Aragonese Castle of Ischia Ponte.
Parcours on the Altenbergsteg bridge in Bern
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Être Fort (“Be Strong”) parcours athlete Simon Gfeller crosses the Altenbergsteg bridge in Bern the hard way: by hand, across the underside of the iron framework.
Molo di San Vincenzo
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The lighthouse on Molo di San Vincenzo (the main breakwater of the harbour) in Naples was built in 1950 but taken out of service just 29 years later, being superseded by an electric alternative on a lattice structure nearby. The statue in front of the tower is of San Gennaro (original name Januarius), the patron saint of Naples, who…
One New Change
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When scouting destinations and views prior to my recent trip to London, I came across an potentially interesting-looking rooftop amongst some shots which photographer Ben Roberts, who I follow on Instagram, had shared on social media platforms. A quick question to find out where it is (and a nice friendly answer!) led me to the comparatively new…
What the Swiss keep in their barns and cellars
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A short film by Rick Steves about the unexpected artillery behind closed barn doors, and the overly-secure cellar bomb shelters beneath almost every Swiss home. The main installation featured is the Artilleriewerk Faulensee at the end of our road.
Ulm Minster
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I’d all but forgotten that we’d even visited Ulm, until I came across a set of photos of the interior of the minster.
St. Dunstan-in-the-East
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St. Dunstan-in-the-East was a church in the City of London, built in 1100, extended in the fourteenth century and repaired just over thirty years before the Great Fire of London, after which a large steeple to a design by Sir Christopher Wren was added. Despite largely surviving the fire, the structure was found to be unsafe in…
The Monument, London
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Although there are plenty of monuments (with a small “m”) around London, there is only one Monument (with a large “M”): that to the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire of London, which raged through 400 acres of the city within the original Roman walls in September 1666, destroyed almost 90% of the city and left most of…
The View from The Shard
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Visitors to London can buy tickets to ascend The Shard by express lift and enjoy the views across London from near the top of Western Europe’s tallest building. I received a ticket as a gift last year and so when I was in London a few weeks ago, I organized to visit. The view from the…
Southbank Centre
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The Southbank Centre has long been one of the places to which I return when in London, thanks to a proliferation of arts venues, large spaces free of traffic, plenty of street performers, and a wide range of nooks, crannies, corners and walls in which light – both natural and artificial – are constantly changing. Although…
Borough Market
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The marketplace beneath the big railway viaduct near The Shard is Borough Market: one of London’s oldest. According to its own self-promotion, the market dates back to the twelfth century, when it was located at the southern end of the original London Bridge. Traders travel from far and wide to visit the market; a close…
St. Mary-le-Bow
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The church of St. Mary-le-Bow in London sits halfway between St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England, on the historic road known as Cheapside. The church is widely accepted by many Londoners as being the true centre of London: tradition indicates that in order to be a true “Cockney” (Londoner), one must have been born…
