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Cultural/Gastronomic

Is Barcelona the perfect short break city destination?

I have been to Barcelona on four or five occasions over the past few years but each one was a flying visit — either joining a cruise ship departing the Catalan capital or disembarking from one! I was therefore determined to finally set aside two whole days so that I could take time to experience just some of what this Spanish jewel has to offer, and the destination didn’t disappoint. The term ‘short break’ has

Is Singapore the perfect city?

I’m an outdoorsy kind of person who is big into his mountains, forests and wide-open spaces but every now and then, I like to up gear a notch or three and spend a few days in a big city. It’s not just because of the change of scenery, shopping, nightlife or even the infinite choices available in which to eat or be entertained. There is an energy that such places generate and I’ve yet to

WHERE TO GO IN 2018? — PART 3

‘Familiarity breeds contempt’, so the saying goes, and it is always a disappointment to me when people denigrate Spain as a holiday destination as it is still, in my opinion, one of the most amazing countries in the world and indeed that is one of the many reasons why it is still the most popular destination with Irish people. Ironically, the expression ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ was never about places but about people — children in

WHERE TO GO TO IN 2018? — PART 2

Things are beginning to heat up in the China space in 2018 — at least as far as Ireland is concerned. On June 2nd, Cathay Pacific will start their new direct, non-stop service from Dublin to Hong Kong with flights on Monday’s, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, leaving at 00.50hrs and arriving in Hong Kong at 06.45 hrs. This will be the first time that Ireland and China have ever been linked by a direct service

Where to go in 2018?

  It’s that time of year again when everyone starts reading all the travel articles in the various Sunday papers, hoping they’ll be inspired by some report of an idyllic island paradise that has just recently been discovered and which doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Chance would be a fine thing! The reality is that if you want somewhere idyllic that isn’t overrun by hordes of other tourists just like you, then unfortunately,

The most sparsely-populated country in Europe is becoming increasingly crowded!

Now there’s an oxymoron if ever I heard one but it’s true! Iceland, that large Island that sits directly northeast of us (Reykjavik is approximately 1,473 kilometres from Dublin) is almost 103,000 square kilometres in area, making it roughly 25% larger by area than the entire island of Ireland and yet it boasts a population of just 332,000 citizens — two thirds of whom chose to call Reykjavik, the capital, home. The reference to crowding

Harry Potter and the Portuguese connection!

There’s no doubt about it. The Harry Potter Franchise has been a phenomenal success both in publishing and cinematic terms. Since the publication of the first novel in 1997 — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — J.K. Rowling has gone on to sell more than 500 million copies of all (as of 2013) making the Harry Potter series the most successful book series in publishing history. Of course, it is the film franchise where

Water Babies — Cities that live in, by or on the water!

When one thinks of cities that are dominated by water, the place that almost instantly comes to mind is that unique piece of history that is Venice — one of the most successful city states that ever existed and where, unexpectedly, the concept of assembly lines in manufacturing originated from. The Venetian Arsenal was Europe’s first and largest military-industrial complex prior to the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, when Venice was a major maritime power

And you thought it was all about the destination?

  For many travelers, travel decisions are largely determined by the destination itself. Prague or Budapest? Australia or New Zealand? The USA or Canada? We choose places based on a multiplicity of criteria such as proximity, accessibility, cost, uniqueness, safety and a whole host of other qualities. Increasingly though, travelers (and experienced travelers in particular) are choosing destinations based more on what they can do when they get there. The destinations themselves still must tick

So you think you know the Canaries?

The Canary islands and Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura in particular are amongst the most popular destinations for Irish travelers given their year-round climate. Located just 100 kilometres at their most easterly point off the west coast of Morocco, this autonomous region of Spain is the most southerly extent of Europe. What some people may not know though is that the archipelago compromises three further islands — La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera

There is no sincerer love than the love of food!

At least that’s what George Bernard Shaw claimed and I’m inclined to agree with him. It would also appear that I’m not alone as the people at Oceania Cruises also take their food very seriously indeed. They reputedly spend more on food than any other cruise line and having recently spent a couple of indulgent days aboard Oceania Insignia as it made its way up from Bordeaux to Dublin, I can attest to that claim!

The Vegans are coming — live long and prosper!

I LOVE my food! I love eating out. I love watching cookery programmes and browsing through cookery books. Indeed, I don’t think there is a world cuisine that I don’t enjoy. A lot of those cuisines are based around the use of meats or fish of some kind and whilst I am a life-long, card-carrying member of the carnivore society, the older I get, the more I’m beginning to come around to the questionable morality

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