Canal Saint-Martin is, well, a canal in Paris where few tourists previously ventured into. It’s really a working class arrondissement just off Place de la République, but it’s becoming more and more hip with shops and trendy cafés mushrooming about. There’s now even a boat ride for tourists! In case you somehow vaguely heard the [...]

One of my favorite pastimes in Paris is relaxing and taking a stroll around Jardin des Tuileries. I absolutely love the green chairs, some which are partly reclined, and the circular pools where you can rent wooden toy boats. My daughter also enjoys the Tuileries as she can freely run around, chase the pigeons and [...]

When I told friends and acquaintance that we were going to Hanoi, many mentioned the buzzling markets where you could buy almost anything at bargain prices. Mind you, most of them have actually never been to Vietnam, just that they’ve heard of others say it. In any case, I got excited. I love markets, not [...]

An architectural detail I love in Buddhist countries are red bridges. I find them really beautiful, often giving me the feeling of serenity and peace whenever I see them — very zen. Being Catholic, I don’t know much about their meaning, just that red symbolizes good luck. As a child, I always looked forward to [...]

Although Murten belongs to the mostly French-speaking Canton of Fribourg, its architecture mainly resembles that of Bern, the capital of Switzerland. Medieval arcaded buildings, some dating back to the 14th century, line the main street Hauptgasse (which literally means main street), most having so-called cellar taverns. Cellar taverns are basically large wooden doors with iron [...]