Old woman dressed in green and black sits on one of a row of green bar stools in front of her food and drink stall at a market in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh: City of Beautiful Madness

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45,000 Dong – that’s just under a couple of British pounds – will buy you entry to the South Saigon Pools: a secluded oasis in hot suburban district 7. Kids play in the sand-filled shallow water, and in the adult pool a middle-aged Australian is teaching his Vietnamese companion to swim. She paddles with her […]

A woman in purple headscarf walks past a person dressed up as Mickey Mouse in Valletta, Malta

Street Photos and Portraits: Valletta, Malta

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Maltese travel guides are full of references to a chequered history made up of Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, French and British influences. They talk at length about the legacy of the Knights of St. John, the interesting architecture and the great food that characterise this Mediterranean island with its temperate December days. It’s all there […]

Diverse group of shoppers walking down Brick Lane on a sunny afternoon

Brick Lane and Shoreditch: Sunday

Every time I go to Shoreditch I see evidence of the City’s encroaching wealth. The signs of creeping gentrification are everywhere: from boutique fashion shops to gleaming luxury apartments, through carefully staged pop-up venues and finally to Microsoft ads posing as street art. Still, amongst the trendy cocktail bars and chic hotels a lot of […]

Dash for gold: Stratford 5 weeks before London 2012

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Today I took a walk around the new Olympic Park’s perimeter, starting at Hackney Wick, passing through the flashy new Westfield shopping centre and ending up in Stratford’s original high street. The area’s seen some major changes, but will the Games realise its promise of economic regeneration?

Woman in black top and purple skirt walking down deserted street

Street view: Ibiza

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I resisted visiting Ibiza for a long time, simply because I did not imagine it to be the kind of place to have a relaxing holiday, due to its reputation as binge party destination. Finally succumbing based on friends’ recommendations, I was genuinely surprised ..

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