Albi, France

So far, this is my favourite area in France (the next posts will be of the surrounding villages). Albi is in the Tarn region in the southwest. I was immediately struck by the warm red colours of the buildings and the charming accent of the locals (some still speak the ancient Occitane, street signs are in Occitane and French, and their south western accents are beautiful). The Sainte Cécile Cathedral is absolutely stunning, as is the architecture. The Toulouse Lautrec Museum was one of my favourites and is a much loved stopping point for Japanese tourists (for some reason, he’s very popular in Japan). There’s no nightlife to speak of here, but the small winding streets and still nights are enchanting enough.

Photo: The old house of Albi

Carcassonne, France

A daytrip from Toulouse, Carcassonne is a bit of a tourist trap, and yet, it was so fun getting trapped. Yes, the streets are lined with kitschy souvenirs and families walk around with plastic swords and knight’s gear, but it’s worth the trip. The enclosed village of Carcassonne houses medieval streets classified by UNESCO. The castle is amazing and a tour leads you through the halls and rooms. Everything is themed to knights and jousting, and the festivals there are supposedly fantastic. I’d love to go back in the summer to experience the jousting competitions, the castle lit up in red at night, the bull festival and the crazy men who joust on boats in the water. I only spent a day here but walking within the pristinely preserved medieval walls was well worth it.

Read my article on the city here.

Photo: The Viscount's Castle at night, July 15th

Toulouse, France

My first impression of Toulouse was experienced through frustration and lack of sleep. I had taken the overnight train from Paris and, unlike any other trains I’ve taken in France, this ride was horrible. I couldn’t sleep because I had to go to the washroom, but most were out of order and the others were in such a gross state, I couldn’t bring myself to actually use them. The ride lasted over 7 hours of excruciating hell. I arrived in Toulouse in the very early morning while it was still waking up. After checking in at the hotel, which of course wasn’t ready for me until the afternoon, I was refreshed with some tea and breakfast in their lounge. The rest of my few days here were much better, visiting the St-Sernin church, Le Pont Neuf, Place de Capitole (where all of the action takes place) and all of the exquisite hôtels particuliers. The city has a young vibe, as it’s filled with university students. The buildings are typical of the area, with wrought iron balconies in all different colours. I highly recommend the Hôtel Mermoz, who kindly hosted me for my stay.

Photo: St-Sernin Church at night

Read my article about the city here.

Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden

I have a dear friend in Uppsala, Sweden. We met while she was living in Vancouver, Canada, but when she went back home, I knew I would have to make it to Sweden someday. And I did! I arrived in Stockholm from London and was met by my gal friend. Her mom picked us up and off to Uppsala we went. A sushi dinner and a lot of catching up later, we tired ourselves out and fell asleep. The next day was Stockholm and we rode the train downtown and walked around all day. A visit to the National Museum and more wandering, we found the BEST funky nightspot for eating without doing the club thing (except that I forgot the name). A few glasses of wine and delicious food later and we made our way back home. The next day was exploring Uppsala and watching a really passionate but totally bizarre religious show in the middle of the street (we took pictures and everything) and then to a Swedish Easter dinner with her family. Easily part of the top loveliest people on the planet, we talked politics, ate a beautiful meal and took the dog for a walk. I’d like to think all Swedish people are that wonderful.

Photo: Uppsala duck pond

Haworth, England

It was my dream for a long time to visit Haworth, England. It’s the village where the Bronte sisters grew up and wrote their captivating novels, my favourite being “Wuthering Heights.” I went this April and it was everything I imagined: the desolate but beautiful moors, the Bronte memorabilia, and the old parsonage (now the Bronte museum)… it was incredible. I stayed at the Ashmont Guest House, which was once occupied by Charlotte and her father’s physician. The village itself was quaint and lovely and one big hill! If you go, do not get off the bus at the bottom of the hill, the driver will take you to the top (I learned the hard way). The paths walked by the sisters are intact and you can see Penistone Craig, the waterfall, the church where the family is buried and, of course, the magnificent Parsonage museum. It really is worth the trip and needs about 2 solid days, at least, to experience everything. I also got a lot of great tips from my fellow travellers, as they were all on Bronte sister pilgrimages as well.

My travel article on Haworth can be found here.

Photo: The Moors, of course

San Diego

Photo: San Diego's "Champs Elysees"

I spent 4 days in San Diego last week. The palm trees, sunny weather and stunning beaches were definitely the highlights. It was a working trip, though, and I wrote 2 articles: 1 on downtown San Diego and the other on the lovely La Jolla neighbourhood. You can find the links and some photos here:

The Downtown San Diego article

The article on La Jolla