For the final of our virtual tour through the city on 2 continents – Istanbul – we’re going to the beach. We’ve done the historical and cultural sides of this ancient city already, although there is so much more to see and learn, but this time we’ll relax at the beach. If you want to […]
As I explained in my blog last week we had seven days to get to know Istanbul better. We took one of those hop-on hop-off bus tours on our first day there. If you want to get an overall picture of what a city looks like, this is an excellent way to do it. The […]
Istanbul. The only metropolis in the world situated on two continents. Europe and Asia. It might be the largest city in Turkey with a population of 15 million people, but it is not the capital. That is Ankara. Just saying. With travelling also a favourite activity, this has definitely been one of the most exciting […]
You know that song about favourite things… yes, from The Sound of Music? Well, if you think about it, we all have favourite things that make us happy…. I was thinking about things in my house that I use (almost) daily and that bring a certain joy to my life. Makes my life better. […]
It was during the first lockdown, way back in March last year, that people started baking banana bread, more than usual. Banana bread usually gets baked when you look at the fruit bowl and see three overripe bananas … So, instead of throwing them out you can actually make something delicious. It is also […]
“Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.” Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, published by GP Putnam’s Sons. Many people who I perceive as avid readers and who would read the same type of books I do, have told me about this […]
I love comfort food. If food could hug, this would be that kind of food. It makes you feel warm and cosy and comfortable, outside and inside. During these times when we can’t really meet up and have to stay in our own little bubble, keep to ourselves, it helps to eat food that makes […]
With 2021 still in its baby shoes, most of us are glad 2020 is over. It was an unprecedented year to say the least. Millions of people got infected by the Covid-19 coronavirus. More than one million sadly died. Governments the world over handled this virus in many different ways, although also quite similar […]
I remember we were in Germany one December. That was when we still didn’t think twice about travelling and flying. Somewhere on a square in a German city. It was bitterly cold. But that smell …. it was amazing. Oranges, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and wine. Warm and comforting. Yes, glühwein, the perfect drink to warm […]
It was 1914. The First World War. A bitter cold winter in the trenches for soldiers on the Western Front. Bleak, with little hope that the fighting would stop over Christmas. Then, on Christmas Eve, the English soldiers suddenly heard something familiar in the distance. The tune was familiar, the words not. Stille Nacht sung […]