Even in these "enlightened" (we won't use the word "woke") times, where everything is visible and almost instantaneous, there are still some elements of being human that are inhuman. We all need something every so often and sometimes we need to look in alternative place. We're talking about the need for "love" in it's most…
If you're a regular reader, you'll know how much we love old. Old buildings, ancient sites, historical locations. When you think of how many of these incredible places are hundreds of years old, and they still function, live and thrive. And then, give a pause to those that were destroyed or simply…
Mother Earth is still fighting the good fight, despite so many of us giving her a hard time. She keeps warning us, but many of us are still not listening. And if things keep going the way that they are, there won't be any rooms where she will send us when we've misbehaved:…
The United States is the United States. Europe is Europe. Correct? Apparently not, when it comes to flying. If you travel regularly, you'll know about the concept of codeshare. A codeshare agreement, also known as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines…
Please welcome our newest team member, Trish Filipovic. Whereas your editor jerks from one topic to another, Trish will focus on lengthy and content-rich articles. She's been all over the globe and knows what she's talking about. Get yourself a coffee, sit down and have fun. With a seemingly diminishing Covid 19, Post-Pandemic seems to…
We humans are always looking for good ways to improve ourselves. We want to be more efficient, more healthy, more loving and loveable. It's part of who we are. Thoughtful things, such as howing up on time. Dressing appropriately. Remembering the little things. Holding the door open. Et cetera. Some people…
We love history here, at Matouring. History is who we are and why we are the way we are. And, even more than that solumn sentence, history is actually really fun, especially when you realise all that they did - and did for the world (even today) in a relatively short amount of…
There are so many fabulous places in the world in which to travel. Many of us are lucky enough to be able to do so. And, many of us have already been able to make the rounds and see all of the "star" locations, such as Paris, New York, Beijing etc.
It will come as no…
Let's go to Toronto now!
We think that almost everyone has a warm and fuzzy feeling about Canada. The country is almost like the North American Sweden: healthcare for all, low violence, a population from every corner of the world and, honestly, nice people. You can land here and relax.
Probably the best place to start…
All cities have their secrets. Some light, some dark, some darker. Some are dark, some became that way beyond their control. Some may remember past days and glories, while others will have no recollection at all. That is the way of life.
Here, we talk about a hidden and - for the most part - forgotten…
Here we go again - Matouring waxing on with dreamy eyes about the world's state-of-the-art rail systems. Today it's - no surprise! - Japan. Like most of Asia (and Europe as well) they realise the complete 360º view of what train travel brings to exploring the earth - or even just getting to work and…
Collectively, we are so used to seeing Japan as squeaky clean streets, gracious and polite residents and - almost - not a hair out of place. Cherry blossoms. Mount Fuji. Bullet trains. Mind-blowing food.
And, of course all of that is correct. But there are some places in Japan that don't always bubble up to the…
We're not sure if this is a trend, or a reaction, but we're seeing more and more wellness solutions appearing in the news and in our mailboxes.
Why is this? Are these jokes, snake-oil salespeople, misguided wellness gurus or . . . a real thing? Something to think about when you click on a link or…
Our affiliate friends, G Adventures, are always on the cutting edge of sensing what the world needs next in adventure travel. They've been doing it for decades and, so, know their stuff.
Well, given where we are in this point in time, travel has had to change and shape-shift. But, that has given us time to…
Europe is a very organised place. It has to be, with 27 different countries, almost as many languages and 447.7 million inhabitants, it's pretty big, too. Of course, that's also what makes it such a fun place to visit. Peaceful, prosperous, progressive and ever-changing, it's a travel destination that never gets boring.
But, even with those…
The more you fly, the more questions you'll have. For example, why does the food vary so much from airline to airline? Why do you suddenly get switched to an entirely different airline at the last minute? Why are points almost worthless? Why don't we exit the plane from the back as well as the…
Creativity takes courage, that's for certain. It's one thing if you send your masterpiece to your friends and family, but it's another thing entirely if you bare yourself to the world. That being said, some of the best artists were laughed at in their early days, and now we spend millions to buy them and…
If you haven't visited the Vatican in Rome, please be sure to add it to your list. Not only are the Vatican buildings, themselves, incredible, but the Vatican museum will blow your mind. As you may know, the Vatican itself is an independent city-state and enclave located within Rome, Italy and it is a distinct…
Los Angeles is often painted as being a vain and vapid place. All looks and no substance. Bring your alibis. (We rather like the place.) But, to be honest, some of LA is, indeed hollow and in some places, shallow. Some of its buildings, in fact. And they hide an interesting and still relevant and…
Oiran (花魁) is a word used to refer to the high-class prostitutes that worked in the Yoshiwara red-light district (Yoshiwara-Yukaku) during the Edo period. The Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri started in 2003 to preserve this piece of Edo history.
It takes place along a 500m or so stretch of road with members in full Edo period dress…