It was our last day in the Gifu city of Takayama, and we decided to go traditional. Or rather to spend a few hours in a tourist attraction that recreates the past. The Hida Folk Village is some way out of town, hidden by trees and a bit of a trek away from our hotel through the…
Tag: History
Japan: A tour of historic Takayama
At first sight Takayama looks much like any other Japanese town or city, with lots of post-war development that lacks any real charm or character. Perhaps understandably, the priority after the devastation of the Second World War was putting roofs over heads rather than architectural quality. Perhaps too, the Japanese prefer practicality and resilience rather than…
Touring historic Tokyo
Japan is notorious for its earthquakes and I’d wondered several times, with varying degrees of apprehension, what would happen if one struck during our stay – especially at night while we slept high up in a hotel tower block. We finally experienced one during a visit to a historic site in Tokyo. Or rather everyone but me…
A shrine and the bright lights of Shibuya in Tokyo
We’d always known that Japan was going to be a cultural and linguistic challenge for a pair of Englishmen. And while we’d end up bemused by much in Tokyo during our first full day of exploring the city, at least we could go to breakfast in our Hilton Hotel confident that we’d conquered the punishing jet…
Polesden Lacey – in the heart of the Surrey Hills
I’ll come out of the closet and admit to being a fan of country houses. I always have been. So it’s not just grannies who spend their leisure time nosing around mansions and palaces. Deep in the Surrey hills is a house with beautiful views and real style, now in the possession of the National…
Verona: A Roman survivor
Italy may change but some things remain resolutely the same. The food is great, the architecture is awe-inspiring and the locals can’t resist a shiny puffer jacket. On our first evening in Verona, nursing a beer in a touristy but quiet bar in the Piazza Bra, there were plenty of puffer jackets on display. Veronese and…
Norway: A weekend in Bergen
Our first visit to Norway ended up being part city break in Bergen, part winter sports holiday in the mountain resort of Geilo. Bergen lies on the west coast, little more than an hour away from London. We’d climbed out of Heathrow on a clear February evening, the sun setting in the west, but landed…
Athens: Plaka and the hills
After the arid months of summer, Athens becomes a city of green hills in autumn. And we spent our second full day in the city exploring one of them – Filopappos Hill. Not that I had much energy in the morning thanks to a grotty night of sleep. Our hotel, the Herodion, was proving to…
A day touring Athens’ historic sites
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…
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,…
A day touring Savannah’s grand homes
Sleep was troubled in Savannah, ahead of a day exploring the city’s Historic District. The air conditioning kept turning itself on and off and my long-dodgy and painful shoulder kept waking me. But breakfast in our hotel was delicious, including a pulled pork sandwich with a firey tomato jam and scrambled egg. Our posh innkeeper…
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…
The Cairngorms: A visit to Craigievar Castle
If nothing else, my first visit to Scotland in years confirmed that the weather can never be relied upon. One day we were hot and bothered in the sun on top of a mountain, the next waking to drenching rain. At least we had Craigievar to visit during the couple of days we were spending…