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By Gregor Swiderek

London with its long and rich history has so much to offer. There are world class museums (like the Tate, British Museum, Natural History Museum, V&A and many others) as well as historical monuments (the likes of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey or St. Paul’s Cathedral being only a few examples). Then, there is all the buzz of one of the most energetic and attractive cities on earth. Think of Soho, Camden, Piccadilly, Shoreditch, Greenwich and many other tourists’ hotspots. But there is also another, less known and quieter, side of London.

Located just 14 miles south east of Charing Cross, the village of Downe is as different from central London as you can only imagine. But however rural it might feel, being part of the London borough of Bromley (even if only just), it is technically still part of Greater London. Its biggest attraction is of course Down House, home of Charles Darwin.

I was thinking about visiting the place for quite a while and finally, on a glorious July day, we decided to go. We chose to take the train to Hayes, where the line from Charing Cross ends, and then walk to the village.

Hayes is one of the many distant and anonymous suburbs of London, and it could be anywhere in the UK. From Hayes station it is about 4 to 5 miles to Down House (yes Down house is spelled differently to the village). Continue reading Charles Darwin’s House

By Gregor Swiderek

It’s time to finally write about one of my favourite cities in the US, if not in the whole world, New Orleans. I absolutely love the place and it is actually a shame that I had to wait for so many years to see it again.

My first visit there was in 2001 when we stopped in the Crescent City during our transcontinental trip from Florida to California. We only had a few hours to explore this amazing place before heading further west. We did our best, walking constantly for hours through the streets of the French Quarter, and the city really made its impact.

Still, it was only a few hours stop and we didn’t have a chance to try its famous (or, for some, infamous) nightlife. So, finally, after all those years I decided to visit the city again and see if it is really as great as I remember it.  It could be that because it was one of the first such places that I had ever visited, I only have good memories of it. Then there was of course Hurricane Katrina in 2005. So, how is New Orleans now?

This time we decided to stay here for longer and booked ourselves a cheap room in a guest house right on the edge of the Vieux Carré, (as the French Quarter is also called), literally minutes from all the action of Bourbon Street. It was particularly unimaginatively named as “New Orleans Guest House” but it was a historic building, painted pink, with a nice patio, (where breakfast was served), and a resident cat. All the right boxes ticked then. After parking our Mustang and dropping bags off in to our room we hit the town immediately.  Continue reading New Orleans

By Gregor Swiderek

When you ask people about Louisiana they will probably think of New Orleans or eventually marshes and swamps of the Gulf Coast. These associations are obviously correct but there is much more than that in the Pelican State.

We entered the state driving across Mississippi River from Natchez to Vidalia on the impressive (if a bit narrow and precarious) cantilever bridge, offering great views and which showed how massive the Great River is. As we were driving the heavens opened and torrential downpour started. Basically while we were heading west a huge cold front was heading east. Literally in minutes the temperature dropped from about 28C down to less than 15.  We decided to wait-out the worst in the State Welcome Centre, where a lovely old lady furnished us with all the possible maps and brochures.

From the Mississippi valley we drove over 120 miles to Natchitoches, crossing the sparsely populated and heavily forested centre of the state Continue reading Louisiana

By Gregor Swiderek

It took us a whole day to get from the Mississippi-Tennessee border to our main destination in the Magnolia State, the Lower Mississippi valley with its historic towns of Vicksburg and Natchez (you can read more about the rest of the state in the previous entry). 

We arrived at Vicksburg in the late afternoon and headed straight towards the Vicksburg National Military Park. Run by the National Park Service, it preserves the site of the American Civil War’s Battle of Vicksburg in 1863. The park includes over a thousand historic monuments and markers, miles of historic trenches and earthworks, a 16-mile tour road, a walking trail, antebellum homes, 144 emplaced cannons and the restored gunboat USS Cairo (sunk in 1862, on the Yazoo River and recovered in 1964). Continue reading Mississippi – Vicksburg and Natchez

By Caroline Sandes

Chogha Zanbil is, according to the UNESCO World Heritage list, the largest and best preserved ziggurat in Mesopotamia. It now stands alone in the semi-desert landscape, its well-preserved red brick construction somewhat at odds with its wild surroundings. It was built around 1250 BC and was part of a flourishing temple complex with the town of Dur Untash until Ashurbanipal, who was also responsible for destroying Susa, sacked it in about 640 BC. It was only rediscovered in 1935.

By Richard Slater, photographer and author of People in London: One Photographer. Five Years. The Life of a City.

You don’t have to go to India to see a Murugan Hindu kavadi ceremony.

As I discovered, all you have to do is hop on the Tube to Archway and go up the hill to the Murugan Hindu Temple in Highgate.

A kavadi is an object which consists of two semi-circular pieces of wood or metal attached to a cross structure which can be balanced on the shoulders of the devotee. It’s decorated with lots of flowers, foliage and peacock feathers – they’re the symbol of the Hindu God of War and Victory, Murugan – and can be very heavy indeed.

 

Continue reading People In London: Exotic Hindu Ceremony close to Home

This Friday, 6th June marks the 70^th anniversary of D-Day. Take a look at some of our top D-Day maps and books below:

Six Armies in Normandy by Keegan, John		The Silent Day by Max Arthur		D-Day: The Battle for Normandy                        by Antony Beevor
Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Major & Mrs Holt’s Battle Maps		D-Day Diary by Carol Harris		GSGS Reproductions of the Bigot Plans by Alan Godfrey Maps
Forgotten Voices of D-Day by Roderick Bailey		Normandy D-Day: 6 June 1944 by IGN		D-Day and the Battle for Normandy  by Carl Shilleto Continue reading 70th Anniversary of D-Day

To celebrate the start of the holiday season, our friends at Marco Polo are giving away a Nikon Coolpix L27 Camera plus a Marco Polo guide of your choice! 

Whether you’re looking to stay at home or travel abroad this summer, Marco Polo Guides – the guides with Insider Tips – are the perfect travel companions. With over 100 destinations available, you’re sure to find a guide to suit your trip.

These practical, pocket-sized guides provide everything you need to get the most out of your holiday:

• Insider Tips: Carefully researched by Marco Polo’s 200 strong team of authors, who know the destination intimately – including special tips, personal recommendations and unusual experiences.

• The Perfect Route: Helps you to hit the ground running – with routes marked on the street atlas and pull-out map you are taken straight to the highlights of a destination. Also includes practical tips on how to beat queues, get the best views and much more.

• Street Atlas AND Pull-Out map: The best of both worlds! The only guides on the market which come with a separate, fully-indexed pull-out map contained in a handy plastic wallet at the back of the book, plus a street atlas. Continue reading Win a Nikon Camera with Marco Polo