I’m not the type who returns time and again to the same holiday destination. But I have been back to Athens. Admittedly, my last visit was 34 years ago and was nothing more than a hurried day trip during a week spent by the sea on the Greek mainland with my best friend Chris. My companion…
Tag: City breaks
Heading south from Savannah to Jekyll Island, Georgia
It was time to say goodbye to Savannah and head south, deeper into Georgia. We checked out of our smashing hotel, the Hamilton-Turner Inn, after an over-the-top waffle for breakfast, served by our friendly innkeeper. A true Southern lady, she stopped to chat to us about the fascinating history of her house, including its links…
A cemetery, a murder and a musician in Savannah
Too much high living, rich food and booze had taken their toll on my guts so I didn’t feel too perky on our Sunday morning in Savannah. I steered clear of breakfast and watched Graham tucking in instead. But there was no stopping the sightseeing. Our first stop, with temperatures again high, was Bonaventure Cemetery,…
On the beach at Tybee Island, Georgia
Savannah was sweltering again so we decided to spend a day relaxing on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean and the breeze as our companions. We had, after all, spent most of the week on our feet, nosing around historic homes. After breakfast we jumped in the car and set the sat-nav for Tybee Island,…
From Charleston to Savannah, Georgia
It’s surprising what you end up watching on TV in those quiet moments back in the hotel. Take Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. It’s very shouty and pretty much the same thing every day – man visits restaurant and stuffs his face – but we’d seen him in a place in Charleston so,…
A day touring Charleston’s historic plantations
After a day of exploring Charleston’s historic heart it was time to drive into the countryside, to visit a couple of the plantations that helped the south so rich and so notorious for slavery. The road to Drayton Hall took us through industrial and nondescript suburbs, along dual carriageways lined with fast-food joints and out-of-town stores. Later…
Exploring Charleston’s historic district
No matter what the time, it was hot and humid in Charleston. And with a belly full of food and booze from the night before, neither of us fancied a heavy breakfast. So we popped out for a quick coffee and a pastry at a local cafe instead, before going for a walk around Charleston’s…
Arriving in Charleston, South Carolina
The humidity in Charleston was like nothing I’d ever experienced, matched only by the intense heat. It fair took my breath away as we staggered out of the local airport under the weight of our luggage. It was there that we hired our car from the enthusiastic Rhonda of Avis, who worked incredibly hard and…
San Francisco: Cycling around Golden Gate Park
We never got round to crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on our visit to San Francisco, making do instead with a catamaran trip across the bay to the city’s finest landmark. However, we did cycle round the park that bears its name. Golden Gate Park is represented by a big green blob on maps of the…
Marrakech: Ruins and royal tombs
Our riad was a cosmopolitan place, home to holidaying Brits and Spaniards, Germans and Americans. So breakfast was taken to a background hum of languages and accents, all of which could also be heard on the vibrant streets of Marrakech. The city has become a popular holiday destination in North Africa, reasonably safe and with…
Marrakech: The lush Jardin Majorelle
Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent had a home in Marrakech for many years and, with his partner, helped restore a famous city garden. Our visit to the Jardin Majorelle turned out to be a highlight of our holiday. Located outside the old walls of the Medina, in the Ville Nouveau, we walked to the gardens one steamy morning…
Marrakech: A bizarre trip to Ouirgane
A trip to the village of Ouirgane, 60km or so south of Marrakech, was meant to be a reviving day in the hills and an opportunity to see a different side of Morocco. But it ended up being something of a trial. It started OK with us hiring a car in Marrakech’s European-looking new town….
Marrakech: A day of palaces and history
The call to prayer is one of the essential sounds of a stay in an Islamic country, and the first one of the day came at 5.30am or thereabouts. Some may find it annoying and curse the interruption of sleep, especially at the crack of dawn, but I’ve always found it romantic, reassuring and exotic. At…
Marrakech: Arriving at the Ksar Anika
Morocco looked hot from 35,000ft up. Blisteringly hot. I gazed down from the window of our British Airways A319 and saw reddish desert sands, dusty villages and little in the way of life. There was water – the sun’s blinding reflection proved it – but the artificial irrigation channels and anorexic streams didn’t look like much to…
Istanbul: A day in Yildiz Park and Ortakoi, and sailing on the Bosphorus
Istanbul is a city of Imperial Ottoman splendour with its fair share of handsome mansions, among them the waterfront Dolmabahce Palace. But when we arrived for a visit on the tram at nearby Kabatas, disappointment lurked in the form of a long, long and slow-moving queue at the palace ticket office. Pained by sunburn and…