Tag Archives: France

Approaching Beirut.

Posted on 06/06/2018 by awtytravels

Beirut, Paris of the East. Beirut, mother of laws. Beirut, the city that can be Rio, Miami and 1943 Stalingrad all within the same block. Beirut, the filthy. Beirut, the ironic (another French legacy I suspect). Beirut, you’ve got the … Continue reading →

Posted in Lebanon, Middle East | Tagged Beirut, Cedars, Civil War, France, Graffiti, Holiday Inn Beirut, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Phoenicia, Rubbish, Sunset | 17 Comments

Songs for the Road 7 – Now with even less sense!

Posted on 29/05/2018 by awtytravels

The hot season is definitely upon us (at least, as much as it can be for London) and the poor algorithm that chooses the Your Mix selection on Youtube must be excused to be thinking that the heat has made me … Continue reading →

Posted in Music review, Odd ones out | Tagged Acid Arab, Bomba éstereo, Cantaloupe island, Cem Yıldız, Cenotes, Cumbia, Dave Brubeck, El Búho, France, Herbie Hancock, La Haine, Latin America, Les Sages Poètes de la Rue, Lulacruza, Mexico, Minimal, Music, Music for the road, Music recommendations, Neşe Karaböcek, Norway, Rave, Shanghai, Smilla, Spanish, Stil, Take Five, Techno, Todd Terje, Turkey, Youtube | 12 Comments

“Wild Coast. Travels on South America’s Untamed Edge”, by John Gimlette, Profile Books

Posted on 01/03/2018 by awtytravels

Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana: raise your hands if you can recite, by heart – and no Googling, I can see you – their capitals. Not a clue? Well, I honestly doubt there’ll be many, amongst the few who’ll stumble across … Continue reading →

Posted in Books review | Tagged At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig, Barrister, Books, Cayenne, France, French Guiana, Georgetown, Guyana, Hmong, John Gimlette, Jonestown, Korou, Maroons, Massacre, Montagnard, Netherlands, Papillon, Paramaribo, Planters, Profile books, ravels on South America’s Untamed Edge, Surinam, Suriname, Theatre of Fish, Travel literature, Wild Coast | 13 Comments

Shanghai stopover.

Posted on 16/11/2017 by awtytravels

Five hours to kill before boarding for Singapore, one trip into town and the discovery that, out of all my music on the iPad, only one has survived an iOS update, many thanks Tim Cook. Still, it’s from Les Sages … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, China | Tagged Asia, China, Flying, France, Jin Mao Tower, La Haine, Les Sages Poètes de la Rue, People's Republic of China, Pudong, Rap, Shanghai, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, Singapore, Skyscrapers, Stopover, Supertall | 6 Comments

And then came the rain: wandering through Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Posted on 30/01/2016 by awtytravels

The noise from outside woke me. I sat down on the corner of the bed, rubbing my face and scanning the unfamiliar room as if it was the first time I’d seen it; the bedside table, my paraphernalia dumped on … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Vietnam | Tagged America, Asia, China, Chinook, France, Hanoi, nón lá, Old quarter, Street photography, Vietnam, War | 8 Comments

The world from above: Paris, France

Posted on 31/07/2015 by awtytravels

I fly above Paris at least once a month but I could count on the fingers of a hand the times I actually have been to see the place. Today is one of such days and I couldn’t pass the chance of … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, France, The world from above | Tagged AvGeeks, British Airways, Europe, Flying, France, Paris, The world from above | 5 Comments

Marseillais Graffiti – A photo essay (Part II)

Posted on 17/12/2014 by awtytravels

As promised in the previous instalment, here’s the second part of my photo essay about Marseille’s street art. Graffiti are, without a shadow of a doubt, the main actor on the stage that are the Panier’s walls. But it’d be … Continue reading →

Posted in Decay, Europe, France, Marseille | Tagged Art, Europe, France, Graffiti, Marseille, Panier | Leave a comment

Travelling through a country’s music – Mali

Posted on 14/12/2014 by awtytravels

It all started with two groups and neither of them were Malian. Ofo The Black Company was the first and I discovered them in the Botswana special of Top Gear: James May was overtaking, in a old and battered beige … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Music review, Reflections | Tagged Africa, African music, Ali Farka Touré, Amadou et Mariam, Blues, Boubacar Traore, Desert Blues, France, Mali, Music, Operation Serval, Rokia Traore, Samba Touré, Sidi Touré, Songhoy Blues, Tamikrest, Tinariwen, Toumast | Leave a comment

Marseillais Graffiti – A photo essay

Posted on 13/12/2014 by awtytravels

As with many other cities in France, Marseille has a tough stance on graffiti. Fines and prosecution for taggers are serious business and, unlike neighbouring Italy, vandalising public properties is no longer condoned as an unsuppressable physical need felt by … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, France, Marseille, Overlooked locations | Tagged Art, Europe, France, Graffiti, Marseille, Panier | Leave a comment

“À Marseille, on ne se tracasse pas” – Part II (Le Panier)

Posted on 10/12/2014 by awtytravels

Stepping into the Panier brings a certain feeling of déjà-vu and it’s easy to identify where I had all seen it before. It’s Napoli. Napoli, like Marseille, was founded by the ancient Greek as bases from which to continue their … Continue reading →