At once mysterious and welcoming, Thailand is a tropical paradise with hidden depths beyond its beaches, spa resorts and nightlife.

Typically South East Asian, Thailand is the confluence of three great cultures. Dominated for centuries by the neighbouring Khmer, the people of Thailand have also been strongly influenced by India and China. From early Hindu influences through to Buddhist conversion, the Thai have borrowed from their Indian and Chinese neighbours to create a distinctive identity of their own. While many of these traditions may have their origins in the India of classical times, and while a large percentage of the population is of Chinese extraction, the resulting mix is a spicy blend that can be rightly labelled as Thai.

The Thai, or Siamese, state was established when the country broke free from the yoke of its Khmer masters and established the first of several dynasties, the Sukhothai, in the 13th century. From then on, the nation became a major power in the region, eventually even wreaking its revenge on the Khmer as the 15th century Kingdom of Ayutthaya invaded modern-day Cambodia and destroyed the old Khmer capital at Angkor. Smaller kingdoms competed for power until the nation was finally unified in the late 18th century and bordering areas incorporated under King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty that rules to this day. (more…)

Forever associated with the classical music inspired by the waters of the Danube River that flows through its heart, and the Baroque palaces and operas built to give those immortal tunes a home of their own, Vienna is also a wonderful city in many other ways.

One might be tempted to think of the Austrian capital as an open-air museum, where waltzes play to a backdrop of elegant classical buildings and handsome couples dressed in their finery, yet even though this is one of the best preserved cities in the world Vienna is very much a vibrant, modern metropolis too.

The imperial splendour of the past is cherished, but with a quarter of Austria’s population within its agglomeration this could only be a dynamic place. Inspired perhaps by the Parisian model, Vienna’s city centre retains a pristine homogeny of classical architecture, with the modern high-rise such as that of the United Nations complex concentrated on its periphery. (more…)

The Grand Hotel Bellevue is a jewel of opulence, style and comfort in the millionaire’s playground of Gstaad. All around are the valleys and wooded slopes of a paradisiacal Swiss landscape, green in summer and white winter wonderland at this time of the year.

In keeping with its jet-set location Bellevue is indeed a Grand Hotel in the finest of traditions—a place where well-travelled people come to be pampered in unabashed luxury. No need to apologise for having a good time here, it’s understood that that’s what people come for, and with sumptuously styled suites, fine dining restaurants, jet-set night spots and one of the best spas in Europe, it’s exactly what they get. (more…)

Photography Wilderness Safaris & Caroline Culbert

It is hard these days to see and experience the Africa of old, as described by the likes of Ernest Hemingway in the days of the classic safari, when wildlife roamed the open African savannah and tom-toms sounded from within hidden villages. Fortunately there are still pockets where Africa lives on in all its glory.

One such pocket, indeed a sizeable one, is Namibia. Situated to the northwest of South Africa, this is a country that stands out for its peace, stability and relative prosperity. Quite in contrast to most of the continent, it is not plagued by coups d’etat, unrest and famine, but has enjoyed many years of growth, building on natural resources such as minerals, its wildlife and scenic beauty, and a population that is small enough in relation to resources to allow a good standard of living. (more…)

Paris: City of Light, beacon of romantics and capital of fashion and elegance. Yes, this beautiful city is all these things, but much more besides. More profound than the sum of its famous parts, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe or Champs Elysées, Paris is a city of many layers, its history and present intertwined in a rich mosaic of beauty, grandeur, passion and sorrow. To truly discover Paris is as great an endeavour as to tame a wilderness or scale a giant peak.

Like most great cities Paris is a place of clichés. Do the great monuments, sights and romantic aura of cinema, fiction and travel brochures hold true? Yes, Paris is not one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations for nothing; go out and marvel at the elegant buildings, walk the broad boulevards, visit the museums, soak in the café society and be seduced by those chic shops. This city has it all to offer; just don’t think you can come to grips with a place as big and fascinating as this in one visit. To unravel the many layers that truly make up Paris takes an understanding borne out of many years of experience – some even say a lifetime. (more…)