The tiny fortress village of Marvao, sits poignantly upon a rocky outcrop on the Serra de Sao Mamede, is located in the central-eastern region of Portugal and not that far from the border with Spain.
Marvao was a natural strategic defence, with its steep slopes to the north, south and west. Access by foot is only possible from the east, which was the direction in which the town gradually spread within the castle walls.
Marvao attracts visitors from all over to enjoy the unspoiled medieval atmosphere. Its narrow lanes and whitewashed homes that lead to a magnificent 13th century castle. The 13th century church with an interesting museum of archaeological finds and local artifacts are also of interest.
Muscat is the capital of The Sultanate of Oman, a small country bordering Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. Muscat itself is made up of a number of coastal towns on the Gulf of Oman that have joined overtime. Each town is sandwiched between the coast and the barren desert mountains.
Muscat has strict building regulations and there are very few high rise buildings and even the newest, most functional building is required to reflect the traditions of a dome or an arabesque window. Muscat in places has a medieval feel resulting from the Portuguese occupation during the 1500s and two old forts, Al Jelali and Al Merani are testimony to this era. Whilst visitors are unable to enter ‘Al Alam Royal Palace’, photos of the entrance are permitted. The maze-like market of Mutrah Souk, which also includes the fish market, is often described as the best in the Gulf region.
Singapore is a tiny (580sq kilometres) city-state south of Malaysia. It is the ideal first-time experience for travellers to Asia, with Western standards of comfort and hygiene, together with traditional Chinese, Malay and Indian enclaves.
This descriptive guest post of Singapore is by Johanna Baker-Dowdell. Johanna has worked for 15 years as a journalist and public relations consultant, and launched Strawberry Communications in 2007 to help business tell their story through great writing and PR. A four-year working holiday in the UK combined Johanna’s love of writing and marketing with travel, and inspired her to start her own business when she returned to Australia. Her travels include the Australian, African, Asian and European continents, but being a mum to two small boys means travel is closer to home now.
Raffles Hotel
I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a few hours on a hot afternoon than by sipping a Singapore Sling in Raffles Hotel. I’d been walking around Singapore for most of the day and was feeling in dire need of a long, cool drink. The sweet pink concoction was exactly the right fix as I sat underneath Raffles’ electric fans and enjoyed the cool breeze.
This was my first day in Singapore after arriving very early that morning and sleeping for a few hours before facing the hot, steamy city that never seems to stop. When I woke I was very hungry and went to one of the many hawker centres dotted around Singapore. I looked at the options and realised Cornflakes were out of the question so I pointed to whatever looked good. I ended up with a very tasty selection of vegetable curries and noodles – not my standard breakfast fare but when in Singapore…
The best way to see the city on my three-day stopover was on foot, so I started with the bustling Arab Street quarter of the city. Arab Street is jam-packed full of stalls selling everything from silk and hand-woven baskets to fishing tackle. My senses were buzzing with the vivid colours, spicy smells and impatient car horns. I had never seen such beautiful fabrics and wanted to buy metres of it but, alas, my excess baggage was already too excessive.
After recharging at Raffles Little India was the next stop for some sightseeing and traditional Indian curry. Little India was equally as active at night as Arab Street had been that morning. Cars gave way to hoards of pedestrians, both tourists and locals, who were shopping for clothes, watches or food, or just enjoying the spectacle. I felt alive as my eyes flicked from one stall to another and watched the people walking past.
Singapore
The following morning I decided to tackle the city’s biggest quarter – the Historical District. Here were the buildings that documented Singapore’s past. I began in Fort Canning, a park built around Singapore’s fortified World War Two underground operations. Next to the park was a registry office and I watched sentimentally as a newly-married couple were greeted by friends and family and then made their way into the park for their photos. From the park I could see the glorious juxtaposition of the old ornate buildings that signified the rule of the British Empire set against a backdrop of shiny new skyscrapers.
Fort Canning
From Fort Canning I wandered past many museums and art galleries, including the Singapore Philatelic Museum and Singapore Art Museum. I wanted to learn more about the island’s history so spent a few hours in the Singapore History Museum enjoying the historical dioramas, the Jade Room and the war rooms. During the afternoon I covered St Andrew’s Cathedral and the “Chopsticks”, the Civilian War Memorial standing 70 metres high commemorating the civilians from Singapore who died during the Japanese occupation in World War Two. A relaxing cruise along the Singapore River finished the day, travelling out to the harbour to see the country’s symbol, the Merlion – a creature which is half fish and half lion. I walked to Clarke Quay and enjoyed a cool drink by the water and then wandered further down the river to Boat Quay, which was hopping with young Singaporeans enjoying their Friday night in the multicultural restaurant district.
The Chinese Quarter was left for the final day in Singapore. Each of the city’s quarters had its own personality formed by the monuments, landscape and, of course, the people. Colourful temples were spread across the area, some beautifully decorated with gold and others displaying intricate wooden carvings. The quarter also housed striking rows of terraces painted in bright colours and there seemed to be a market on every corner, the best of which was Chinatown. I finished my time in Singapore in the shopping mecca Orchard Road. Here the street was lined not with small stalls, but with enormous department stores and brand names like Harrods, Rolex and Tiffany’s.
I was exhausted after jamming so much into my three days and the airport provided a much-needed rest while I waited for my 3am plane. The taxi trip to Changi Airport was very interesting as I watched the bustling streets of the inner city give way to palm-lined avenues and then the spreading urban sprawl of apartments blocks catering for those who can’t afford the city but want the lifestyle. I flew out watching the lights of Singapore dim underneath me.
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