Whenever we visit a new destination there are two things we want to see: the landmarks that have made the place famous (yes, the ones that grace several pages of any well respected travel guide) and those places that only locals seem to be able to stumble upon. So, starting…
View from our Balcony On this beautiful sunny morning in Berlin it is hard to imagine that not 30 years ago this city was still cut in two. Sitting on our balcony of the Adina Apartment Hotel Hackescher Markt at this early hour I can hear nothing but a subtle…
A few things worth knowing before you visit Morocco: 1) You may already live by this rule but if not, only brush your teeth in bottled water you may regret it otherwise and always remember a small bottle a hand sanitizer – this was a life saver when camping in…
This is where I tell you that haggling is easy right? Wrong! For me it’s something I struggle with and my husband doesn’t find it any easier. So how do two complete novices in the art of bartering prepare? We enlist help. Before attempting to haggle our very good friends…
The wrought iron bed, with its distinctive blood red throw decoration and the dark oak wood of the room makes this a perfect setting for not only a romantic evening away but also for one of ghost hunting. The pitted wood, complete with miniature cobwebs, simply adds to the old-worldly feeling…
Star Rating: *** Pages: 249 English translation first published by Secker and Warburg in 2003 Originally written in German and titled Herr Lehmann this story represents life in Berlin, for the twenty-something’s, before the wall came down. With no responsibility or sense of short-coming Herr Lehmann has embarked on a…
Star rating: *** Pages: 256 First published by Hogarth Press in 1939 Want to know what Germany was like pre WWII? Christopher Isherwood highlights the highs and lows of life in Berlin in his short biographical observations expertly put together within this novel. Split into six short stories, all with…
Star Rating: **** Pages: 463 First published in 2011 by Century I recently read an article that condemned James Patterson for his joint projects. The author of the article was unrelenting in his disapproval of the split in workload: two people discuss the storyline and plan out the chapters but…
Marrakech is famous for many things – the Souks and the Night Market of Djemaa-el-Fna to name just two – so to stumble across the brightly coloured Majorelle Gardens was a complete surprise. Designed by the expatriate French artist Jacques Majorelle during the 1920’s and 30’s the twelve acres of…
Star Rating: **** Pages: 372 First Published by Headline Publishing Group in 2013 Quiet, reserved, submissive to the life she has adopted as her own – are these all characteristics that lead to murder? This novel is written from the perspective of two people: the unofficial wife, Jodi, a Psychologist…