Taiwan- beautiful island blending East and West

Written by Ruth Sheffer

The lure and magic of the East with the comforts of the West - what could be more tempting?

After living in China for a while, the attraction of modern toilets and a clean environment could never be overstated. So with this in mind we hopped on a ferry boat to the island of Jinmen and from there onto a small domestic flight and soon found ourselves in the heart of the capital city, Taipei.

Maobitou Rock Formations & Cliffs - TAIWAN

How can I describe Taipei - bustling, cultured, fascinating, illuminated? 

All of these are true, but not enough to capture the charm of the city. It has a great subway system, cheap and easily navigated even by those who don't read Chinese characters. It has skyscrapers, the famous Taipei 101  being one of them, it has Asian markets full of cheap knock-off goods, but also exclusive glitzy fashion stores for the fashion conscious, and it has every style of restaurant imaginable, from the hole in the wall noodle guy to the fancy elegant upscale seafood place. 

It also has a fascinating history and enough museums to prove it, and finally it has art galleries and exhibitions. We were lucky enough to be there during a Hello Kitty exhibition in a building formerly a tobacco factory.

Autumn in Patroklos Island

Written by Antonis Iordanoglou

Years ago I heard my father talking about Gaidouronisi (donkey island in Greek), as we drove to Cape Sounion, watching this remote island, located quite close to the shore. We now know the place as Patroclos (or Patroclus’) island and since I got my speedboat I often moor at its sandy beaches and protected bays.

Island of Patroclus...

On that October Saturday, I had gone spearfishing with a friend, again in that island. The weather was weird: it started like a north wind but kept changing direction west - east. The clarity at the atmosphere was amazing. We loiter at the spotless horizon all the nearby Cyclades islands up to Serifos. What a sweet autumn afternoon...
 
Very few boats had come out to the sea that day and quiet was absolute. Underwater it was quiet too; fish were not many, but the images were full of greatness.

I was watching around, during my dives, the remains of the many shipwrecks of Patroclus. Broken crockery everywhere, iron plates, wires, handles from ancient jugs tied to incredible formations with the colourful rocks of the seabed, trimmed with all kinds of seaweed, anemones and sponges. I've seen those remains many times.

A Whistle Stop Tour of Ireland

Written by Kate Power

If you can, I would advise spending a whole year in Ireland.

Visit the best cities in the world like Cork, Galway, or Belfast. Go to the small towns and soak up the sights and sounds. Get invited to go surfing on the Atlantic Coast at Doonbeg, find yourself in Enniscrone, find out why it’s called the Devil’s ladder in Kerry or discover the undiscovered beauty of islands like Baltimore off the Cork Coast. You could spend a long time in Ireland and still not discover everything. But, we don’t always have the time, so I’ve taken a couple of highlights for a quick stopover in Ireland.

Dublin

Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Photo Credit: Tinou Bao

A hop-on hop-off bus tour is a good way to spend a morning.

Dublin is a small city so it only takes an hour or two and if nothing else, it’ll help you figure out where everything is.

A good place to stop off is at either the National Gallery or the National Museum; both are free and offer a real insight, if in broad sweeping strokes through Irish history. You cannot leave without visiting the Guinness Storehouse. Its reputation is well earned; offering a fun and imaginative tour. It finishes off with a pint of the black stuff in the Gravity Bar, one of the best views of the city.

The Science Gallery is an incredible science and information hybrid, with real life experiments like growing cheese out of your armpit or clothes from a pint of Guinness as well as a great lunch. It’s free in, just check their programme to see what’s exhibiting when you arrive.

Why Spend Your Next Holidays In Fascinating City Of Dubai?

Written by Shezaa Nehal

Dubai is one of the most sprawling and bustling cities of the modern world beyond any doubt. This bewitching city does not only provide great business opportunities to the investors from across the globe but also offers some sensational places for the tourists to explore and behold.

Following lines explain some important reasons for the people to visit Dubai during their holidays.

Best Destination for Shopping

Most of the items in Dubai are duty free and therefore, Dubai is a spectacular destination for the people who love shopping. People can actually choose from a large variety of their favourite things available at exquisite shopping malls, plazas and boutiques scattered across the city.

Dubai Shopping Girls - Vector Illustration

The Excellent Climate

The climate of the city remains warm throughout the year making it a perfect tourist spot especially for the western tourists. A large number of people choose Dubai to spend their vacations in order to get rid of cold weather in their respective countries and enjoy the warmth and energy that is available in this mesmerizing city. You can also avail an opportunity of Dubai fishing during your winter stay in Dubai.

Drew Goldberg of Seoul SOUTH KOREA

27. Featured Traveller 
 Drew Goldberg

English Teacher

Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

"Life is short and the world is large"

This is a story of a young man who travel a lot and got two things in mind when travelling - food and nightlife. 

Binsky, as he is fondly called, has travelled to every country in Western/Central Europe, USA, Mexico,Canada, Bahamas, Haiti, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Israel, UAE, Japan and South Korea. In spite of the 40 countries he has visited, he plans to take trips from January to February 2014 to South America and at least ten different Southeastern Asian countries. 

Flag of South Korea

"My life is a constant adventure.  I am very optimistic, love to make new friends and enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone. 

My friends that I met around the world inspire and motivate me to travel. They are always recommending a new place to explore. And I do love visiting them in their home countries", he says.

Drew is currently living in South Korea. He spend most of his time teaching the English language.

Flag of the USA

He was raised in Phoenix, Arizona and attended at the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he completed degrees in economics and entrepreneurship. He also studied in Prague, Czech Republic in the spring of 2012. During his stay in the country, he had the opportunity to travel all over Europe. He has learned other languages other than English during his travels. He can communicate in Spanish, Czech and Korean, and willing to learn more as the situation calls for it.

Drew has one very important advice to you when you are travelling. "Always talk to the locals. They know better than any lonely planet or guidebook will tell you. I have made some awesome local friends and had some awesome experiences", he adds.

He will tell you more about his journey all around the world in his own travel blog, The Hungry Partier. Come and visit him before, during and after your travels. It's a blog worth reading!

* * * * *

I always want to share my travel experiences around the world by providing tips and advices that will be of help to travellers like you, who eat and party in every place you go. Growing up in a Jewish household made me a food lover and going to college at Wisconsin cultured me with drinking and partying.  

Drew in Interlaken SWITZERLAND

If you want to experience the true culture of a city and find the best local cuisines and the hottest nightclubs in town, then Amsterdam is a good place for you to visit. The city is a magical place. Contrary to what we have been hearing about Amsterdam, it is not known only for its fabulous Red Light District and lavish entertainment. Tourists are coming here for many reasons.