Is there an authentic travel experience?
With Japanese tourists sinking into depression because a destination failed to meet their expectations, psychiatric diagnoses, such as the Paris syndrome, have made the quest for an authentic tourist experience almost compulsory.
Beirut: Between war zone and super cool
Just as memories of the Lebanese civil war were starting to fade, perceptions of Beirut as a perpetual war zone have begun to dominate with the recent unrest. But bullets and tear gas aside, this city can also be irrepressibly super cool.
National Museum of Beirut mirrors Lebanon’s past – and present
For a frequent museum goer like myself, the ultimate test of a history museum is how much it says about the present in addition to the past. The National Museum of Beirut, Lebanon’s premier cultural shrine, delivers on both.
A mission in Malawi yields unexpected treasure
Whenever I travel, I keep my eyes open for antique or vintage items that best represent the culture and workmanship of any given country. My other favourite are antique or vintage items that may have been manufactured elsewhere but tell a local story.
In Venice, an epidemic is an old (plague doctor’s) hat
To visitors of Venice and Venetians alike, the measures taken against the coronavirus outbreak should ring a bell or two. During the historic outbreaks of plague, mandatory quarantine, fumigation and social distancing were the norm.
Hi and welcome!
I’m Roman and I do the travelling, antiquing, writing and photography around here. In the travel department, to date I’ve been to 93 countries and am planning to visit all others. I try to keep off the beaten track and always aim for the authentic travel experience.