Here are all the “GT” Travel posts that focus on the people or culture of a destination more than its natural environment. Posts that explore the culture and nature of a place evenly appear both here and in “GT” Nature.
I started travelling at an early age. When I was barely three years old my parents took me on my very first trip to the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I have never really stopped travelling since. Decades later I made a pact with a friend to travel to 100 countries; something I was meant to achieve […]
Read More Wonders of the unexpected: Pleasant surprises in Azerbaijan & Saudi Arabia
In 2017, the US’ National Academy of Sciences conclusively determined that wine originated some 8,000 years ago in Georgia. I was already working in Georgia and was invited to visit the tiny village of Alaverdi in the heart of Georgia’s Alazani River valley, a vast winemaking area. With a population of fewer than 200, Alaverdi is […]
Read More Where wine was born and the local cheeses are prized: Alaverdi, Georgia
A recent “Good Tourism” Insight about ‘jouissance’ prompted me to reappraise the concepts of sensation and perception and the pursuit of pleasure. It triggered memories of San Miguel de Allende, a magical UNESCO World Heritage-listed colonial town in central Mexico. The story begins with an artist and one of Canada’s former figure skating champions, the […]
Read More Reflections on the ‘best small city in the world’: San Miguel de Allende
I was at a tourism industry conference a few months ago listening to a talk on the devastating effects of COVID-related travel bans on heritage destinations. Professor Mike Robinson, the speaker, cited Jordan as a prime example. Amidst my sympathy for the destination and its people, my ‘bucket list’ quest reactivated instantly in my mind. It […]
Read More Memories of Jordan (and celebrating the ‘bucket list’)
The city of Mae Sot in western Thailand displays most of the hallmarks of a small border crossing hub. Rich in trade, the quiet little town is a fascinating melting pot of people. Over decades, influxes of refugees fleeing neighbouring Myanmar, many from the persecuted Karen tribe, have shaped the city and earned it the nickname of […]
Read More Find five-star dining in surprising Mae Sot
Established some 4,000 years ago on the banks of the Red River, and chosen as the capital more than 1,000 years ago, Hanoi is widely regarded as the historic heart of Vietnam. It clings strongly to traditions. The city’s Old Quarter transports visitors back in time. Over the centuries, Hanoi has been exposed to the ups […]
Read More Far and wide: Inspired by Hanoi’s hoa sữa