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The Thinking Traveller

The Thinking Traveller

Free Grand Prix

History (and fun) can be found anywhere.  Sometimes you need to look, other times it lands in your lap when you least expect it. Here is an example of the latter.  On a relatively normal stretch of everyday road in Gueux, France, you will find yourself ready to rev your engines and don your helmet.  You're…

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Head south

If you've not been to Latin America, or haven't been in a while, it's time to head south.  As is everywhere in the world, Latin America is bang up-to-date, too.  Above and beyond the incredible scenery and the genuinely warm people, Latin America offers itself as a tempting and wise place to settle down, too.  The…

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The hotel that isn’t

There are few things more intoxicating than being able to stay in a luxurious, lauded and visually stunning hotel.  Europe is full of them. But there is one hotel that is a hotel, but actually it's not a hotel.  Luckily, you can explore it anyway.  We're talking about the Hotel Solvay in Belgium.  Listed as a UNESCO…

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M’lord, m’lady

Have you seen the world?  Have you been there, done that?  Do you want more?  Well, as always, Matouring comes to the rescue with something more. Fit for a king or queen—or your whole royal family—these castles located in delightful destinations around Europe invite you and your kin or friends for an unforgettable stay in…

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Hamburg-er

There are so many swanky restaurants and cafes around the world, serving such things as sea foam and Peruvian gravel.  We are very fortunate to have such choices. But, sometimes, we want something simple, something free (so to speak.)  No frills, just honest food.  And what can be simpler than McDonalds.  With over 36,000 locations, you're…

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This is not your father’s caravan

This is not your father's caravan:  it's the 21st century. Contemporary caravans and travel trailers evoke scaled-down loft living on wheels – perfect for modern nomads seeking a much-needed change of scene. Modern campers are spacious, well-appointed and - best of all - economical, especially in the European models.  The days of the gas-guzzler are slipping into…

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Get Hippodrome

As ever, the world is swirled and twirled by events, people and time itself.  Even the most powerful must take our last breaths. And where would this addage be more appropriate than in the lands where kings, queens, power, priviledge and treachery were business-as-usual. Of course, we're talking about ancient history (as we do,) and in this…

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Make lunch, not war

Even better than the real thing. The annual festival of Els Enfarinats (Valencian pronunciation: [elz amfaɾiˈnats]) takes place in the town of Ibi in Alicante, Spain on December 28,[1] as part of celebrations related to the Day of the Innocents. Els enfarinats comes from the Valencian word for "breading", and roughly translate to "the breaded ones" or "the floured ones". In the day-long festival, participants known…

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Plane train

Despite covid and all of the fistfights we hear about nowadays, air travel is still a marvelous thing.  Spectacular locations matched to state-of--the art-aircraft are still the thing of dreams.   Wouldn't it be nice if we could go forward and and backward at the same time?   If you're one of those romantic types, read on here... courtesy…

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No tell Motel

It always seems like "what goes around, comes around."  The new new. The latest and greatest are not really the latest.  They've been around the block before.  Been there, done that. But, sometimes that's not a bad thing, especially if the old new is new old, if you know what we mean. In this case, our subject…

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Ærø …dynamic!

It can be done. It can be done. The tiny Danish Island of Ærø was awarded the designation of the EU’s most sustainable island. All it takes is willpower. The island has been experimenting with renewable energy since the 1970s, and today, produces more electricity than it uses. Watch the BBC video below that demonstrates…

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Bangkok walks!

A marvelous thing about our world and our planet (with all of its residents) is how much change happens every minute of every day.  Not all of it is necessarily good, but there is so much good in humanity that, sometimes, it's nice to simply celebrate the good. For example, Bangkok is a sprawling, diverse and…

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Fly the friendly skies of DIY Airlines

As the old phrase goes, "there's no getting around getting around."  We've all got to do it. Sometimes it's a pain, other times it's a pleasure.  Sometimes you have no choice. Getting around has been a real challenge during these times of the Covid-19 pandemic.  So much so, that many of us have simply opted not…

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лед лед Ana (Ice ice Ana)

лед лед Ana. (ice ice Ana.) In 1993 the 2,500-year-old mummified remains of a woman were discovered in the frozen Ukok Plateau in Siberia. Known as the 'Ukok Princess' or the 'Ice Maiden' in the media, she is thought to be one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th Century. Watch the video, below, courtesy…

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