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11 things to do in Vibrant Valparaiso
Valparaíso! What a cool, colourful and delightfully bohemian city! I can safely say I have seen nothing like it, anywhere else in the world. And that’s saying something. And let me warn you from the get-go: this is a photo-heavy post. It is practically impossible to take a bad photo of this...- Hoca
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Cabinda: The Third Congo
Billboard in Cabinda 1. Antigo cemetério Wandering around the historic cemetery here in Cabinda, I spot an interesting grave. Here lies the Viceroy of Cabinda The Viceroy of Cabinda! Fabulous title, isn’t it? One that sets the wheels of the imagination spinning. I’m picturing a character...- Hoca
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Rwanda: The least I can do
23 March 2024 At the beginning of this year, I wrote about visiting the world’s dark places. About however unpleasant, however bad or sad or angry it makes me feel, it is necessary. I can choose whether to go – or not. Those who suffered through unimaginable horrors did not have a choice. I owe...- Hoca
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Entebbe and the Equator
Entebbe. What comes to mind? For me, it is Idi Amin, 1970s dictator – and a hijacking at Entebbe Airport in that same decade. The decade of hijackings. There’s bound to be more to the former Ugandan capital than the memory of this rather sad chapter in history, and I was curious to learn. So...- Hoca
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11 things you’ll love in one of the most expensive cities in the world
Are you guessing Oslo or London? Tokyo or Zurich? Not today, folks. We are further south in the world. In the southern parts of Africa. Angola, to be precise, a green and gorgeous country and Africa’s largest oil producer (even larger than Nigeria), and infamous for a 27-year-long devastating...- Hoca
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Quickly into Kenya
Thanks to some savvy planning (if I do say so myself), my recent journey to Rwanda began in Uganda and ended in Kenya. That resulted in the best deals on flights and gave me just enough time to get a tiny sample of the countries at either end. Your choice! Here – and in life. So what to do...- Hoca
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Sassy Santiago
I have been meaning to write a little something about some fun, cool and thought-provoking things to do in Santiago. Et voilà: 11 things to do in Santiago 1. Plaza de Armas Your explorations of Chile’s capital will likely begin at the buzzing Plaza de Armas, heart of the city since Santiago...- Hoca
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Timeless Trelleborg
On the picturesque, windswept coast of Denmark’s Zealand region, is Slagelse, a charming little town that seems to blend history, culture and natural beauty, without much effort. Now, there are plenty of charming little towns in Denmark, so what makes Slagelse special? In fact, what am I doing...- Hoca
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UNESCO in northern Netherlands: 4 water sites
Two years ago, I spent a couple of days in the Netherlands, checking out three of the World Heritage sites in Utrecht (a fabulous city in its own right). This weekend, I am back for the rest. There are 6 UNESCO sites in the northern part of the Netherlands, 4 of which deal with water and the...- Hoca
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Colonies of Benevolence: an 18th century social reform experiment
Hello again, folks. Last week, I talked about all the World Heritage sites in northern Netherlands that celebrate the country’s long history of reclaiming land. Well, it’s more to these parts than water. There’s also colonies of benevolence. And a planetarium! (We’ll get back to that in a later...- Hoca
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Eisinga Planetarium: where curiosity and reason challenged superstition and ignorance
In the Netherlands, Franeker is one of 11 historical cities of the northern province of Friesland. 1,200 years ago, it was a stronghold for the Carolingians, (the family of Charlemagne & co, remember?) Today, it is the kind of place where you park the car along the canal, hoping you’re not so...- Hoca
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The Curonian Spit: NATO-Russia border in a unique landscape
Hello there, good people! Today, I’m in the Curonian Spit. Where is that, you ask? And, just as interestingly, what is that? I’m glad you asked. The where is the westernmost point of Lithuania. As for the what, a spit is a narrow point of land projecting into the sea, often sheltering a bay...- Hoca
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Nakhchivan: The enigmatic land of Azerbaijan
Another day, another exclave. This time, I am in the southern part of the Caucasus, in the Azerbaijani exclave Nakhchivan (spelled Naxcivan in Azerbaijani). This autonomous republic is surrounded by Armenia in the north and east, by Türkiye in the west and by Iran in the southwest. For a...- Hoca
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Alger la Blanche: The White City on the Mediterranean
Why Alger la Blanche? Algiers the White? Gleaming, shiny white buildings against the cerulean Med. That is why. 11 things you’ll love in Algiers 1. The architecture – and it is (almost) all white Whilst occupying Algeria, the French built large stone buildings. Gorgeous Art Nouveau...- Hoca
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Tipasa: Ancient Rome in Algeria (Day out Algiers)
It’s early on a Friday morning in June; we’re on our way to Tipasa, an ancient Roman city on the shores of the Mediterranean. Before the Romans, it was a port of trade for Phoenicians from Carthage. ‘Location, location, location,’ they must have thought, the Phoenicians. Some prime real...- Hoca
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Mauritania: Nouakchott to Chinguetti
Well hello there, good people. Been a while. You see, we’re just back from hitching a ride on the oh-so-iconic iron ore train in Mauritania. This will be our most hardcore adventure yet. But let’s begin at the beginning – with a stop in Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott, thousands of camels...- Hoca
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Mauritania: Oases in the Sahara Desert
In the last post, we leave Chinguetti and set off for Atar, for one final night before the Iron Ore Train. We drive past the endless sand dunes of the Sahara, interrupted by dramatic cliffs, deep canyons and oases. We stop for a bird’s-eye view of M’haïreth, one of the largest oases in the...- Hoca
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In transit: One day in Palermo
Palermo Airport Falcone Borcellino, 1 August 2024 I’m in Palermo today, peeps. Sort of by chance. And by chance, I mean a cheap direct flight from Oslo and a flight onward to Lampedusa (also cheap). I’ve been curious about that enigmatic island for a long time, and will tell you about it in...- Hoca
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Riding the longest train in the world through the Sahara
Today, we’ll take you along on Mauritania’s Iron Ore Train, the most singular rail journey on Earth. I know you’ve been waiting for this, dear readers. The train starts its voyage in Zouérat, a remote mining town in the middle of the Sahara, where up to 84 tonnes of iron ore are loaded on...- Hoca
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Destination Dakhla: a road trip in Western Sahara
Dakhla Grand Mosque The short road trip from Mauritania to Western Sahara – specifically from Nouadhibou to Dakhla – is a journey with very interesting landscapes and experiences. The coastal views are lovely, the desert expansive, and there’s fun animal encounters to be had. Read on! We begin...- Hoca
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