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Activity Design and Art Do Something Different Fun History Life of Luxury Special Interest Technology The Thinking Traveller World Culture

The prettiest French cars

We love automobiles here at Matouring.  Especially European cars.  And even more especially French vehicles.  Por quoi?  They have always seemed to go beyond the pale, seeking smart functionality with undeniable style. Our favourite French marque is Citroën.  From the 2CV to the latest Cactus models, they have never been shy about pushing the envelope.…
2021-09-160Comments

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Adventure Design and Art Do Something Different Europe Food and Drink For Women Only Fun History Life of Luxury Nature & the Environment Outdoors Relaxation Romance The Thinking Traveller World Culture

You’ve tried the liquor, now try the islands

We would imagine most of you have been to Europe at least once.  And, we're confident that many of you have visited Portugal, likely Lisbon or Porto.  What a lovely, gentle country it is. But, out on Portugal's Madeira Islands, the lush archipelago far from the mainland, the North Atlantic ocean has shaped every aspect…
2021-09-160Comments

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Do Something Different For Women Only Health Inspiration LGBTQ Meditation Outdoors Partytime Romance Special Interest The Thinking Traveller

Simply ask questions

Are you shy?  Maybe out of "the game"?  Have you recently moved to a new location and finding it hard to connect with others? These three strategies can help if you’re looking to make new and meaningful connections. If you check out your social media feeds, you’ll see that you’re probably connected to a lot…
2021-09-150Comments

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Activity Adventure Do Something Different Fun North America Outdoors Special Interest Technology The Thinking Traveller Unusual World Culture

Are you out of your Vulcan mind?

On some days, you just want to say, “Beam me up, Scotty! There’s no intelligent life here.” And when those days arrive, Scotty’s transporter is waiting in Vulcan, Alberta, Canada, halfway between Calgary and Lethbridge. The Canadian Pacific originally named the town for the Roman god of fire, but the citizens had a better idea. …
2021-09-150Comments

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Adventure Design and Art Do Something Different Europe Food and Drink For Women Only Fun Partytime Relaxation Special Interest Technology The Thinking Traveller Travel Solo Unusual World Culture

Yotel!

If you've been to London (or the Republic of Ireland, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Australia) you'll likely know Yo Sushi. A restaurant chain first started in London, Yo Sushi took the popular Asia-originated conveyor belt concept (you grab the plate you want as it passes) and tweaked it a bit…
2021-09-140Comments

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Do Something Different Europe For Women Only Partytime Special Offers / Deals Spend Wisely Technology The Thinking Traveller Travel Solo

At €29 per flight, how does Ryanair even make any money?

If you've flown Ryanair, you'll know that it can be a mixed bag.  On the plus side, the prices are almost unbelievable:  how can anyone operate a jet aircraft (and all of its associated costs) with a €29 fare? On the more questionable side, some passengers feel like cattle (with the same amount of "love"…
2021-09-130Comments

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Adventure Europe History Life of Luxury Nature & the Environment Special Interest The Thinking Traveller Unusual

La Jetée

As of this writing, Covid 19 still continues to confuse, confound and destroy mankind, with chequered survival success rates, disbelievers, and countries that simply cannot rise above it.  Horrible, sad and terrifying does not describe the situation. But, it recently reminded us of a film from 1962 that, in some ways, predicted such events.  That film…
2021-09-130Comments

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Design and Art Do Something Different Europe For Women Only History Inspiration Meditation Mindfulness Relaxation Special Interest The Thinking Traveller World Culture

A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

We're sure that everyone who frequents our site knows of The Vatican, even if you're not a believer.  But despite the openness of the Vatican (nowadays, anyway) there is still so much to learn and understand. The video below attempts to shed some light on this most venerated of institutions. Trust OMIO for your European…
2021-09-120Comments

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Adventure Design and Art Do Something Different Europe For Women Only Fun History Inspiration LGBTQ Life of Luxury Special Interest Special Offers / Deals Technology The Thinking Traveller World Culture

A live-in legend

If you frequent our site, you'll know how much we love architecture:  it's a part of life, especially when it is executed with creativity, originality and love.  We especially like the Bauhaus and modern movements from the start of the twentieth century. It is often almost impossible to visit, let alone stay in some of…
2021-09-120Comments

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Europe For Women Only History Nature & the Environment Special Interest Special Offers / Deals Sustainability Technology The Thinking Traveller

FailItalia

Pity poor Alitalia.  For years, they've been the underdog, constantly chided and teetering on the brink of disappearing.  They've had their problems, but we've flown many times on the airline and had good experiences. (We even sat near Peter Gabriel on one flight.) But, it looks like the future is bleak. On September 10th, 2021 the European…
2021-09-110Comments

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Activity Design and Art Do Something Different Europe For Women Only History Life of Luxury Special Interest Technology The Thinking Traveller Unusual World Culture

Brave soldier, man of letters, publisher, first Grand Master of Neapolitan Masonry

Raimondo di Sangro Prince of Sansevero (Torremaggiore 1710 – Naples 1771) was an original exponent of the first European Enlightenment. A brave soldier, man of letters, publisher, first Grand Master of Neapolitan Masonry, he was – more than anything else – a prolific and enterprising inventor and patron. In the underground laboratories of his palace,…
2021-09-110Comments

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Adventure Do Something Different Europe Fun History Life of Luxury Special Interest Special Offers / Deals Spend Wisely Technology The Thinking Traveller Unusual

Plead the Fifth (freedom)

You might have heard (recently) of the concept of Fifth Freedom flights.  It may sound like a bad action film, but its principles are fairly straightforward and, to be honest, a bit boring.  But, as you'll see in the video, below, in practice it can bring some benefits. Click here to see part one. In…
2021-09-100Comments

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Activity Adventure Do Something Different Food and Drink For Women Only Fun Lifestyle Outdoors Pacific Partytime Relaxation Romance The Thinking Traveller Travel Solo

Fire up the engines

Slowly, but surely, travel is gaining speed.  More aircraft are flying, with more people on board.  Borders are opening, albeit with an air of caution.  One of the most anticipated restarts is cruising. But how do you actually restart such a monstrous travel industry, as well as firing up the ships themselves? Well, Norwegian (one…
2021-09-100Comments

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Alternative Lifestyle Design and Art Life of Luxury Special Interest Special Offers / Deals Technology The Thinking Traveller

I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid you can’t write that

Machine-written literature might offend your tastes but until the dawn of Romanticism most writers were just as formulaic. Since its inception in 2015, the research laboratory OpenAI – an Elon Musk-backed initiative that seeks to build human-friendly artificial intelligence – has developed a series of powerful ‘language models’, the latest being GPT-3 (third-generation Generative Pre-trained…
2021-09-100Comments

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Activity Adventure Do Something Different Nature & the Environment Oceania Special Interest The Thinking Traveller Unusual

The sunlight zone

Do you consider yourself as deep?  Full of meaning?  Sometimes unfathomable? Well, you have nothing on the Mariana Trench.  Most of us have heard of it, but probably know very little about it.  And is worth knowing about. The Trench sits like a crescent-shaped dent in the floor of the Pacific Ocean, extending over 1500…
2021-09-100Comments

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