[I wrote this for my Nat Geo Traveller article on Athens Neighbourhoods, but in the end only three of the four sections were published.] When the plans for the new capital were drawn in the 1830s, speculation about the position of the palace was rife and plots of land changed hands on hearsay and gossip. […]
Travel During Elections Abroad
Generally as a tourist you’d probably tend to avoid travelling to a country during an election period, but as a traveller who goes on three-week plus trips, sometimes, you can’t avoid them. I’ve been in four elections in four different countries. In 1997, I witnessed a phenomenon rarer than El Niño: Chilean Parliamentary elections – only […]
A tale of Crime and Punishment on Skopelos
I’m often surprised at the depth of history behind any small church in any village in Greece. Certainly in places like Spain, France or Germany they’d have a plaque or a board with a long historical exposition, a detailed brochure and maybe a trail leading up to it. In Greece, you’ll have to conduct your […]