We arrived in Karbala after dark. The city centre is largely car-free, so our bus had to drop us off at one of the gates. From there, we carried our luggage through security checkpoints...
After leaving Baghdad, our next stop on the journey through Iraq and Kurdistan was Babylon, one of the most famous names in history. Most people know it from the Bible or from school, but...
Before travelling to Iraq, Baghdad was one of those cities I felt I already knew. For decades, television news had shown wars, bombings and political turmoil. Yet Baghdad was once the largest city in...
Before travelling to Iraq, most of what I knew about the country came from television news. Wars, sanctions, invasions and endless reports about violence had shaped my image of Iraq for decades. Yet Iraq...
I think many Europeans who have visited Brazil have been to Rio de Janeiro and only there. Who can blame them? When you are down in the city’s streets, you can feel like you...
In this little mountainous town, Ouro Preta, which is a little jewel box, I have found more churches than grocery stores. Of course, UNESCO’s heritage has also impacted this town. On my trip around...
When I arrived on the coast of Brazil, Fortaleza, Natal João Pessoa was my three first cities to visit. First impressions are important. When I travel to several similar cities, it is challenging to...
Salvador was once the capital of Brazil. After the prohibition of slavery, many descendants of African slaves settled here, making Salvador a colourful and multicultural city. As in so many other cities in Brazil,...
In the heart of the Amazonas, you find a city called Manaus. Its port along Rio Negro shows its past grandness with Teatro Amazonas. Manaus was a busy city with heydays between 1888 and...
I will say no, but when the country needs more space in the capital and the old one is too crowded, I can see why they had to build Brasilia. However, when large egos...
