St Winefride’s Well: The Lourdes of Wales
Everyone has heard of Lourdes, the French town that pilgrims have been flocking to since 1858 in the hope of miraculous cures. Yet St Winefride’s Well, in the north Wales town of Holywell, is much lesser known. Even though it has been a place of pilgrimage and healing...
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Book Review: Lonely Planet Street Art
I enjoy street art. I like the colour, the boldness and the frequent subversiveness. And I like the way that street art is often associated with the renewal of places that have been damaged, whether through poverty, violence, or - as in the case of Christchurch, New...
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Religion, Race and Culture: the Astonishing Diversity of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is unique. Not just because it is an ancient city bursting with history. But also because it is a major centre for three different religions, attracting pilgrims from around the world. History and religion have made this an exceptionally diverse city:...
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The Unexpected Pleasure of Eating Out in Jerusalem
I didn’t expect to eat particularly well in Israel. I had memories from my last visit of endless amounts of falafel, fish and salad, and not much else. But I was pleased and surprised to find that the food had changed out of all recognition. Eating out in Jerusalem...
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The Jerusalem Ramparts Walk, a New Perspective on the Old City
With its narrow streets, bazaar like atmosphere and thousands of years of history, the Old City of Jerusalem is one of the world’s foremost tourist attractions. It is also a place of pilgrimage, a focal point for three major world religions. All of which means that it...
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Book Review: The World’s Best Spicy Food by Lonely Planet
Dotyou like to try different foods when you travel? Do you try to cook the new dishes you’ve discovered as soon as you get home? Or are you just a keen cook with a taste for spicy food? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then take a look at the new book...
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Wandering Among the Sculptures at the Billy Rose Art Garden
It was a sunny Sunday morning, and I was strolling through a peaceful garden. This was the Billy Rose Art Garden, in the grounds of Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. The Museum has some impressive exhibits, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and extensive collections of art and...
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