It shouldn’t have come as surprise. A quintessentially American holiday has swept parts of the world including Australia. Carved pumpkins in shopping centres, Halloween cakes and sweets in shop windows, adults in party costumes, trick or treat in the streets and taking candy from strangers. Bah-humbug… I hear the popping of fireworks in my quiet [...]

You can easily spot Isola Comacina from the ferry ride across the lake. It’s the only island you’ll encounter in Lake Como. Unless you are dining at Locanda dell’isola Comacina, you may not consider a stop at this small but significant island that has been cursed for centuries. But it is worth a look and [...]

Arts et Métiers is a Paris métro station that you are less likely to pass during your travels unless you’re on your way to Père Lachaise Cemetery. But it is one that is well worth a visit. General Information Located in the 3ème arrondissement, Arts et Métiers station is named after Musée des Arts et [...]

Passe Navigo Découverte is a convenient pass that allows you unlimited travel on the Paris métro, bus, RER and Montmartre funiculaire within your chosen zones from Monday through to Sunday. Effective 1 July 2011, the €5 rechargeable card which is valid for 10 years can be topped up as follows: Travel Zone Cost for Recharge [...]

Listen… You can hear the tranquility. I am at one of the most beautiful restaurant locations in the world. Locanda dell’Isola Comacina is situated at the tip of Isola Comacina, a small island in the middle of Lake Como that holds a mysterious curse. The restaurant boasts a stellar clientèle of the rich and famous, with [...]

Gourmantic recently celebrated its second anniversary, and with nearly 400 articles under its belt, it’s time for a little navel-gazing. The purpose is not to ascertain how much weight has been gained from delectable food and drink experiences but to review the progress and reminisce about good times in travel writing. My 7 Links is [...]

A bouquet of ceramic lemons hangs on a wall in the Kasbah of the Sicilian town of Mazara del Vallo. Curious, I turn the corner and spot a woman in a white coat standing in front of a shop. In the distance, I mistake her for a chef or a cook on a short break [...]