atmosphere

The beautiful, resounding and history-witnessing bells of Paris and Beijing

 

[We write this in honour of the bells of Notre-Dame returning to service earlier in November, with 3 new bells also, for the first time since the 2019 fire that threatened to destroy the Parisian landmark which is celebrating its reopening this weekend.] We at Madeleine’s love the Gulou area of Beijing with its many hutongs Read more

Mid-summer thoughts: a little love for Amsterdam, and even more for Anne Frank – part 1

 

Many know that Madeleine the travelista shared her inspirations while a 6-year-old that she wanted to “travel around the whole wide world”. Our very own travelista loves Paris, a city with a lot to like: art, design, culture, gardens, food, history, architecture. Then, there’s London: yes Paris has buildings wrapped with plants, but London has 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

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

Whiz around Paris and ponder on liberty

 

Parisians take their liberté seriously!  There is of course the history of their nation and the Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen of 1789 being considered one of the most important documents that have shaped the world in terms of the idea of freedom for all mankind, and having in part Read more