

Story-telling and social-urban art meets islands, moonrise and God’s hands
It’s November, and it’s time for the art-meets-islands festival in the Saikung area of Hong Kong. The “Sai Kung Hoi Arts Festival” is a three-year arts project that started in November 2022 and focuses on some of the islands and villages in Saikung with the idea that “isles can be the place where people meet, Read more

Dispatch from London on World Environment Day: Green Park and “do-you-have-an-underground-station-named-after-you?” vibes
Did your London friends tell you about the Green Park’s Underground roundel turned into Green Planet (as it did in January 2022 to celebrate David Attenborough’s TV series?) First, you will have to have a park called Green Park, then you’ll have a station named after it – a feat that neither Hyde Park nor Read more

In search of spring flowers #2: Taiwan’s “snow blossoms”
The romance of “April snow” and “May snow” The Tung Blossoms (油桐花) (Latin name: Vernicia fordii) that line mountains and hillsides around the country in April and May are very popular in Taiwan. Taiwanese people often refer to Tung Blossoms as “April Snow” or “May Snow” (depending on when they are in full bloom) and their Read more

In search of spring flowers #1: Hong Kong’s spider tree blossoms
We love the “oo-ing” and “ah-ing” we somehow allow ourselves to do when we see beautiful light pink blossoms in the midst of an urban cityscape – cherry blossoms in Tokyo, roses in Paris (“the roses in Paris are worth waiting for”) – and doing a pink-flower-and-scent-walk using our secret gardens in Paris map is Read more

Dispatch from wintry London: walking another part of Regent’s Canal, dropping by Greenwich, about the Thames
We went walking around town in London early this December. And what did we find? First was the wonderful Christmas atmosphere at Trafalgar Square. While the “Christmas market” itself is relatively small and nothing to write home about (the top 3 by our word-of-mouth research is “Christmas by the River” at London Bridge, Spitalsfield Christmas Read more

An autumn round-up from London, Paris, Antwerp and Sydney
Now that autumn coolness has descended upon us (at least those of us in the northern hemisphere), we can definitely remember the very hot Europe we were in this late summer, London followed by Paris followed by Antwerp, and before then we were in “southern winter” in Sydney. “The world” as we found in these Read more

Smart cities remix: sustainability that is fun, green, and amazing
With many countries experiencing an energy crunch and gas prices going through the roof, and as many cities around the world are still recovering from Covid restrictions and Covid-related angst, we must share some promising and even amazing ideas that we’ve seen in our travels to many cities in the world. In fact, there’s been Read more

Why fly when you can float?: London, Paris and a floating farm?
Wouldn’t you want to know about some of the magical ways to experience a city from “above”? Paris … When in Paris, you can find your way to the Promenade Plantée that is an elevated walkway built around a disused railway line about three floors above ground level and winds its way “above” Paris in Read more

Summer in Melbourne #1 (forget about the Greek alphabet soup …)
Madeleine is going all the way to Melbourne! To celebrate this and as it is summertime in Australia, we thought to offer 10 ideas on how to enjoy summer in this city in this time of social distancing … In fact, with all the space it has, the outdoors lifestyle and its adventurous spirit, Australia Read more

“Stuck” in Hong Kong? Travel round the world with 8 hidden and not-so-hidden cafes
There are many hidden and not-so-hidden coffee places in Hong Kong … here we share with you 8 special ones that reflect a diverse range of cultural and culinary influences from our address book … Visit Mount Fuji at Grandmama Café in Tsim Sha Tsui (or “TST”) (176 Nathan Road, Jordan is the nearest MTR Read more