Voici un petit compte-rendu d’un voyage en Israël que j’ai effectué à l'été 2015 (les nouvelles ne sont plus toutes fraiches, mais vaut mieux tard que jamais…). C’est un voyage que je désirais faire depuis longtemps, je l’avais même prévu l’année précédente, mais comble de malchance, la foutue guerre avait éclaté une semaine avant le jour où je devais partir et j’avais décidé d’annuler à la dernière minute. Comme je n’aime pas renoncer à mes projets de voyage, ce n’était que partie remise. Alors voilà.
Arrivée à Jérusalem
Arrivé en fin de matinée à l’aéroport, je m’attendais à ce que les formalités soient ardues (compte tenu de ce qui s’est beaucoup écrit à ce propos), mais tout est allé rondement. Le sherout (taxi collectif) attend les voyageurs à la sortie de l’aéroport. Un moyen de transport pratique et pas trop coûteux mais il ne faut pas être pressé car celui-ci dépose tous les voyageurs à leur hôtel ou résidence. Comme j’ai débarqué en dernier, ça m’a fait faire un premier tour de ville.
Je suis à l’Abraham Hostel pour 6 jours, une auberge de jeunesse située sur Jaffa Road, très bien située en plein centre de la ville nouvelle. Visite assez intensive de la ville pour les deux premiers jours, et pour les jours suivants, des visites dans les environs. Je retournerai à Jérusalem à la fin de mon séjour pour trois jours encore, après un détour de quelques jours en Jordanie.
Jérusalem est peut-être la ville la plus intéressante que j’ai eu l’occasion de visiter. Il y a, d’une part, l’abondance des vestiges historiques qui se succèdent; et d’autre part, le fait de se trouver dans un lieu qui fait régulièrement les manchettes de l’actualité et d’avoir l’occasion de le voir par soi-même. Et bien sûr, la dimension religieuse, même si on n’est pas particulièrement croyant : c’est la ville où toutes les confessions se croisent : juifs et musulmans bien sûr, mais aussi toutes les églises chrétiennes; que ce soit catholique, grecque orthodoxe, ou anglicane, arménienne, russe, si ce n’est copte ou éthiopienne. Et pour ne rien gâcher, c’est aussi une très belle ville.
Côté pratique, la ville se visite très bien : à part quelques musées, tous les sites d’intérêt sont à distance de marche. Il existe un tramway, mais sur une seule ligne (c’est tout récent, la ligne a été inaugurée il y a trois ou quatre ans).
Voici donc quelques photos de la ville et mes impressions, quartier par quartier.
Les remparts et la citadelle
Édifiés par les Turcs au 16e siècle, les remparts sont un des plus beaux attraits de la ville. La voie d’accès principale, en partant de la ville nouvelle, est la porte de Jaffa.
Tout juste à droite, la citadelle, imposant ensemble fortifié qui loge le musée d’histoire de Jérusalem. Du haut de ses murs, une belle vue de la vieille ville. Celle-ci est traditionnellement divisée en quatre quartiers.
En continuant tout droit passé la porte de Jaffa, on arrive dans le quartier chrétien (nord-ouest de la vieille ville), dont le point central est le Saint Sépulcre. Celui-ci est entouré sur ses quatre côtés par les ruelles du souk où on vend des souvenirs et bibelots à ‘’l’orientale’’ pour touristes. Le Saint-Sépulcre lui-même est presque entièrement caché, dissimulé derrière les boutiques du souk; on n’accède au parvis de l’église que par deux étroites ruelles fermées par une porte la nuit. L’église du Saint-Sépulcre n’est pas comparable aux grandes cathédrales d’Europe ni pour son décor ni pour ses dimensions. Mais c’est quand même impressionnant d’entrer dans ce lieu, même si on n’est pas particulièrement croyant. Tout est tellement chargé de symboles…ici, le Golgotha, le rocher où Jésus aurait été crucifié. En-dessous, la chapelle d’Adam. Dans la crypte, taillées dans la roche, les milliers de croix gravées par les pèlerins depuis des siècles…et enfin, le Sépulcre lui-même, le ‘’tombeau du Christ’’, qui est un petit autel situé dans un édicule à l’intérieur de l’église, une pièce minuscule ou l’on entre un par un, en s’agenouillant.
Dans les petites rues situées au nord du quartier, c’est assez tranquille, peu de commerces, pas mal d’institutions religieuses.
Le quartier musulman
Il n’y a pas vraiment de délimitation claire entre le quartier chrétien et le quartier musulman, ceux-ci se chevauchent plus ou moins; ainsi on retrouve une mosquée à deux pas du Saint Sépulcre, alors que la Via Dolorosa – parcours supposé du Chemin de Croix du Christ – se prolonge dans le quartier musulman, chacune des stations étant marquée par une petite chapelle. La différence la plus visible avec le quartier chrétien, c’est ce qu’on vend sur les étalages: ici, on est dans l’utilitaire: cravates, poupées en plastique, ustensiles de cuisine, gadgets pour renforcir les abdominaux et j’en passe… Ce qu’on remarque également, c’est l’absence de considération esthétique dans ce qui serait considéré, en Europe ou en Amérique du Nord, comme un quartier historique que l’on chercherait à embellir et mettre en valeur. On contemple donc les gros conduits de ventilation laissés apparents…On doit se rappeler cependant qu’il y a 22 000 personnes (généralement assez pauvres) qui habitent le quartier et que ce n’est pas du tout une ville-musée. Le quartier est riche au point de vue architectural, beaucoup de coins pittoresques, de rues en escalier, d’arcades; mais malheureusement l’entretien laisse à désirer: souvent des graffitis sur les vieux murs de pierre de bâtiments historiques (à ma grande horreur), constamment des bouteilles de plastiques vides dans le décor, ou d’autres déchets non ramassés.
Du côté nord du quartier, se trouve la porte de Damas, principale voie d’accès entre le quartier musulman et la ville nouvelle, et la plus belle des portes fortifiées de Jérusalem. L’endroit est très animé pendant la journée, ça grouille de monde. Plus loin, la porte d’Hérode (plus tranquille) et la porte des Lions, sur le côté Est des remparts, et qui donne sur le Mont des Oliviers.
Le soir après 20 heures, dans le souk, les portes des devantures se ferment. Dans les quartiers musulman et chrétien, c’est pratiquement mort, il n’y a plus rien à faire. Dans les rues couvertes, on a l’impression de se promener dans des tunnels. Le quartier juif, par contre, demeure encore relativement animé, les ruelles sont éclairées.
Au sud-est de la vieille ville, un quartier tout différent, qui forme un contraste assez étonnant avec son voisin. Tout est beau, propre et bien aménagé. Vu de loin, on ne le croirait pas, mais l’ensemble du quartier a été construit récemment, après la réunification de la ville en 1967. Par contre, c’est très bien intégré, on a conservé les ruelles étroites en plan compliqué (on s’y perd), les arcades, les rues en escaliers, on a utilisé la vieille pierre. Les monuments anciens ont été mis en valeur; le Cardo (l’ancienne voie romaine), les ruines d’une ancienne église, un ancien minaret… Quelques commerces, mais en bonne partie résidentiel (pas mal de juifs orthodoxes), des petits musées, des synagogues. Sur le rempart, côté sud : la porte des Immondices, voie d’accès du quartier juif. Et enfin, le Mur des Lamentations, (appelé officiellement Western Wall), un des grands moments de la visite à Jérusalem. Il faut y aller trois fois plutôt qu’une : tôt le matin, pour l’atmosphère, l’après-midi, pour la photo (avec le mur ensoleillé), et le vendredi soir (j’en reparle..). Une arcade dans le bâtiment de gauche donne sur une salle voûtée qui semble servir de bibliothèque ou de salle de prière fréquentée par des juifs orthodoxes. Je suis un peu appréhensif mais on me laisse entrer.
De l’autre côté du mur se trouve le Mont du Temple, autre lieu emblématique. Mais voilà : pas le droit d’entrer, c’est interdit aux non-musulmans durant tout le mois du ramadan. J’aurai cependant l’occasion de le visiter deux semaines plus tard, à la toute fin de mon séjour.
Le quartier arménien - le mont Sion
Entre le quartier juif et le quartier chrétien se trouve le petit quartier des arméniens; il n’y a rien à visiter (au moment de mon passage la cathédrale était fermée pour travaux) mais il est agréable de s’y promener, c’est assez tranquille, de beaux bâtiments anciens, presque pas de commerces. C’est devenu un peu un point de passage entre la porte de Jaffa et le quartier juif. Du côté sud : la porte de Sion, qui donne accès à la colline du même nom, avec l’église de la Dormition (la plus imposante de la ville, on la voit de loin), le Cénacle, bâtiment du 13e siècle bâti sur le lieu présumé de la dernière Cène, et juste à côté, le site (toujours présumé) du tombeau du roi David. Je me fait aborder par un juif orthodoxe très aimable qui me fait faire la visite…mais c’est suivi d’une demande de don en argent. (Ah! je me disais bien aussi…)
En dehors des murs, côté est (le Mont des Oliviers et la ville arabe)
À la sortie de la vieille ville, porte des Lions, on se retrouve en face du Mont des Oliviers. C’est un point de ralliement pour les chauffeurs de taxi, en général pas mal collants. Mais à 35°C au soleil, je considère que ce n’est pas une mauvaise idée d’en prendre un. Mon chauffeur insiste pour me servir de guide pour la journée; selon lui, le quartier est dangereux (difficile à vérifier, c’est évidemment plus profitable pour lui mais quand même, je me dis qu’il ne fait pas une bonne pub pour ses compatriotes). Toujours est-il que je décline son offre, d’ailleurs c’est facile, il suffit de redescendre la côte en suivant les groupes de touristes. Au sommet se trouve la mosquée de l’Ascension (il s’agissait à l’origine d’une chapelle) où se trouve l’empreinte du pied de Jésus (il faut pas mal d’imagination pour y percevoir une empreinte de pied). Un peu plus bas, la chapelle du Dominus Flevit, où l’arrêt vaut surtout pour sa vue magnifique sur la vieille ville. Toujours plus bas, la petite église russe, avec ses bulbes dorés, et tout en bas, la basilique de l’Agonie, avec le jardin de Gethsemani et ses oliviers qui doivent dater de l’Antiquité, lieu supposé de l’arrestation de Jésus. En contrebas se trouve le tombeau (toujours supposé) de Marie, en fait une crypte taillée dans le roc.
Si on se déplace au nord de la vieille ville, du côté de la porte de Damas, on arrive au cœur de la ville arabe. Je ne m’y suis pas trop attardé. On retrouve ici plusieurs témoignages de la période coloniale anglaise : la cathédrale anglicane (typiquement british), le musée Rockefeller, et le Jardin de la Tombe, lieu hypothétique du tombeau du Christ. Il faut dire que c’est le général britannique Charles Gordon qui le premier a lancé cette hypothèse, soutenue uniquement par les protestants (qui, rappelons, n’ont pas voix au chapitre quant à l’administration du Saint Sépulcre). Mais bon, le jardin est plutôt agréable, et on se dit, après tout, pourquoi pas ici?
Ici peu d’églises ou de monuments historiques, mais on y retrouve la plupart des restaurants, terrasses, cafés, commerces (boutiques à l’occidentale et non pas souks), ainsi que les grands musées, les parcs et les espaces verts de la ville (toutes ces choses sont rares sinon inexistantes dans la vieille ville ou les quartiers arabes); autant dire que ça incite à y passer une bonne partie du séjour.
À la sortie de la vieille ville, porte de Jaffa, se trouve le Mamilla Mail, une allée piétonne avec des commerces et restaurants, l’ensemble est récent, assez chic et agréable, et bien intégré à la vieille ville toute proche. En bifurquant vers le sud on arrive dans le quartier de Yemin Moshe, le plus ancien faubourg de la ville, aujourd’hui quartier résidentiel assez cossu. On y trouve de nombreux parcs et jardins.
En partant de Mamilla et en continuant vers le nord-ouest, on arrive dans le quartier de Nakhalat Shiva puis sur la rue Jaffa (Yafo), c’est ici le vrai centre-ville de Jérusalem, beaucoup de restaurants et de boutiques. Jaffa Road est la principale artère commerçante de Jérusalem, maintenant transformée en belle allée piétonne où passe la ligne de tramway.
Toujours plus au nord se trouve le quartier de Mea Sherim, habité par les hassidim. À la différence des autres quartiers juifs, c’est assez pauvre (en apparence à tout le moins) et plutôt délabré. On y va par curiosité, évidemment. Rien à faire et rien à visiter, et on passe en vitesse. Je n’étais pas trop à l’aise pour prendre des photos.
Que faire à Jérusalem un vendredi soir?
Vendredi soir, c’est le shabbat chez les juifs, qui continue jusqu’à samedi au coucher du soleil. Jour férié en Israël. La plupart des commerces et établissement ferment leurs portes le vendredi vers 17 h (souvent un peu avant). En fait, il n’y a vraiment pas grand-chose d’ouvert après cette heure. À vue d’œil, je dirais que 99% des commerces sont fermés (sauf quelques rares épiceries ou pharmacies ouvertes 24 heures). Côté restaurants, c’est moins pire. Sur Jaffa Road et Ben Yehuda, les principales rues commerçantes, tout est fermé. Dans les petites rues à l’arrière (à l’abri des regards?) quelques terrasses demeurent ouvertes; il s’agit surtout de bars où on sert également à manger (quelle chance!). Je vais faire un tour ensuite dans la vieille ville, pour constater que tout est fermé également (même si on ne fait pas le shabbat chez les arabes, on ferme tôt en soirée). Par contre, grande effervescence du côté du quartier juif. Beaucoup de monde dans les rues, et tout le monde est habillé chic; les hommes et les garçons en complet-cravate, les femmes et les petites filles en robe; comme ici lors d'un mariage. Et tout le monde converge vers le mur des Lamentations, aussi animé qu’une place de festival. Comme il y a pas mal de juifs religieux autour de moi, et que c’est plutôt mal vu prendre des photos pendant le shabbat, je m’abstiens.
Bethléem
À Jérusalem les transports publics (sauf le tramway) sont dédoublés; il y a une gare d’autobus pour les quartiers juifs et une gare pour les quartiers arabes, qui est située près de la porte de Damas, pas loin de la vieille ville. C’est là que je compte prendre l’autobus pour Bethléem. Je trouve la gare, mais on m’informe que l’autobus n’entre pas dans le stationnement mais attend de l’autre côté de la rue. Comme je ne vois ni autobus ni arrêt, je prends le premier taxi qui passe (un chauffeur arabe, les taxis israéliens ne pouvant se rendre en territoire palestinien). Celui-ci ne passe pas par le checkpoint mais fait un détour, on sort de la ville et on aperçoit à notre droite une colonie juive, au sommet d’une colline et entourée d’une barrière (exactement comme une ville fortifiée du Moyen-Age). De l’autre côté de la route, sur l’autre colline, un village palestinien. Entre les deux, une clôture métallique, à peine visible (à cet endroit il n’ y a pas de mur de béton), qui sépare ce qu’on nomme la zone A (contrôle palestinien) et la zone C (contrôle israélien). Il n’y a pas de contrôle quand on entre en zone palestinienne.
Nous voilà donc arrivés à Bethléem, sur Manger Square, en face de la basilique. Je ne suis même pas descendu qu’un type cogne à la vitre de la fenêtre et se présente comme un guide pour la visite de la ville. - Non merci, pas besoin de guide; - mais il est collant et insiste. Je dois pratiquement aller me réfugier dans l’église pour m’en libérer.
La basilique de la Nativité – l’endroit supposé de la naissance de Jésus – date du 6e siècle et est donc l’une des plus anciennes églises au Monde. Une église assez curieuse d’ailleurs; composée de murs de pierre sans aucune décoration ni clocher (celui qu’on aperçoit appartient en fait à un couvent attenant). La porte d’entrée est minuscule, on la surnomme la ‘’porte d’humilité’’ car on doit s’y pencher pour passer. L’intérieur est en restauration, complètement dissimulé par des échafaudages. Au fond, quelques chapelles de style orthodoxe grec. Comme il y a une messe dans la crypte, je ne peux pas y entrer. J’y reviendrai un peu plus tard. Un peu plus loin derrière la basilique se trouve la ‘’grotte du lait’’, lieu supposé où s’arrêtèrent Marie, Joseph et l’enfant Jésus avant leur fuite en Égypte (certains seront peut-être sceptiques quant à l’exactitude des lieux mentionnés dans la Bible où il n’y a pourtant pas la moindre indication, mais bon, c’est la version officielle….) Cela dit, la chapelle est plutôt jolie, elle débouche sur une grotte artificielle et communique, à l’arrière, avec une église moderne. Je retourne à la basilique, et - catastrophe – mon ‘’guide’’ de tout à l’heure m’intercepte à nouveau, me suit jusque dans l’église. Comme il y a une file d’attente pour entrer dans la crypte, un prêtre, voyant que je ne faisais pas partie du groupe, me fais signe d’entrer par le passage de sortie, et me délivre du même coup de mon ‘’guide’’. La charité chrétienne existe encore! La crypte en question serait le lieu précis de la naissance du Christ, un endroit minuscule où l’on passe un par un pour s’agenouiller (comme au Saint Sépulcre). Adossés sur le côté de la basilique se trouve l’église Sainte-Catherine (catholique, du 19e siècle), et un petit cloître. C’est la partie la plus jolie de l’ensemble. À la sortie de l’église, je traverse à nouveau Manger Square. Cette fois c’est un chauffeur de taxi qui s’en mêle et qui m’interpelle. Il m’a vu passer tout à l’heure, et tient absolument à me parler. Pas moyen d’avoir la paix!
Pourtant, une fois passé le piège à touristes de Manger Square, je ne suis plus du tout importuné. La ville de Bethléem, en son centre, est assez jolie, avec ses maisons de pierre et ses multiples clochers d’églises. Peu d’entre elles semblent cependant ouvertes à la visite, je peux cependant entrer dans l’église syrienne, qui donne sur la rue principale. Quoique les musulmans soient majoritaires, il n’y a qu’une seule mosquée dans le centre, sur Manger Square, en face de la basilique. Plus loin, se trouve le souk, très animé en ce jour du ramadan. Il y a deux petits musées sur ma liste des endroits à visiter : l’un est fermé, l’autre (celui des crèches) n’ouvre bizarrement qu’en fin de journée. Je décide de rentrer à Jérusalem, et continue jusqu’à la gare d’autobus. Même problème qu’à l’aller, l’autobus doit se prendre sur la rue et non sur le stationnement, et pas la moindre indication. C’est donc encore en taxi que je me rend au checkpoint.
Et comment ça se passe au checkpoint?
On traverse un long corridor, entre deux murs de béton avec grillage au-dessus, on traverse un tourniquet et on aboutit à une salle où se trouvent d’autres tourniquets avec des files d’attentes. Comme ça semble bloqué, la foule passe continuellement d’une file d’attente à l’autre, on n’hésite pas à faire des accrocs à la politesse d’usage en se bousculant et en passant devant d’autres gens. Enfin, ça débloque. On traverse le tourniquet et on aboutit au contrôle des sacs, puis au guichet pour le contrôle des passeports. Ce n’est qu’à ce moment qu’on voit des israéliens. Pour moi, ça va vite, c’est à peine s’il jette un coup d’œil au passeport, pas de contrôle des empreintes digitales (comme les autres). Durée de l’opération : une grosse demi-heure, mais à ce qu’on m’a dit il y avait plus de monde qu’à l’habitude, beaucoup de palestiniens se rendant en effet à Jérusalem pour la fin du ramadan. Une fois sorti, à nouveau le taxi pour se rendre à Jérusalem.
L’Abraham Hostel organise des tours en dehors de la ville. Enfin c’est davantage un service de transport que des tours organisés à proprement parler, mais c’était tant mieux en ce qui me concernait. J’en ai fait trois; le premier pour Césarée – Nazareth – Tibériade; le deuxième pour le désert de Judée et le troisième pour Massada et la Mer Morte. Je n’ai pas trop l’habitude de ce genre de tours, mais c’était bien pratique pour moi car plusieurs des sites en question sont inaccessibles en transport public (dont Césarée), ou sinon peu pratiques et nécessitant plusieurs correspondances (Galilée).
Césarée
Site archéologique important en Israël, Césarée fut le lieu de résidence des procurateurs romains au temps de Jésus-Christ. Bâtie en partie par le roi Hérode, reconstruite douze siècles plus tard par les croisés, avant d’être reprise par les musulmans et de disparaître. Les ruines en tant que telles ne sont pas grandioses mais le site au bord de la mer est superbe et vaut vraiment la visite.
Nazareth
Ensuite, direction Nazareth. À peine deux heures d’arrêt - la visite ne sera pas trop en profondeur… Nazareth est aujourd’hui une petite ville principalement arabe, moitié chrétienne et moitié musulmane. Une belle ville? Je ne dirais pas, même si certaines ruelles ont un certain cachet. Le centre-ville est un mélange de bâtiments anciens et récents, avec pas mal d’institutions religieuses, comme à Bethléem. Dans le centre, où se trouve le souk, c'est un peu un labyrinthe. Il ne faut pas lâcher son plan de ville une minute, ça ne prend pas longtemps avant qu’on se perde. Aucune rue en ligne droite, aucun nom de rue. Le point central est évidemment la basilique de l’Annonciation, une église moderne construite dans les années 60 (c’est la plus grande au Moyen-Orient). Avec un intérieur en béton, l’église aurait pu être assez laide; c’est sa décoration qui fait tout son intérêt, composée de panneaux de mosaïques représentant la Vierge à l’enfant en provenance de partout dans le monde. Ça se poursuit dans la cour extérieure. Pratiquement tous les pays sont représentés, on se croirait presque aux Nations Unies. Certaines sont étonnantes (dont la thaïlandaise, ma préférée…)
Lac de Tibériade
Et on continue… Arrêt de deux heures sur une plage, en attendant que notre conducteur répare une panne d’air climatisé. Il fait très chaud et collant (un bon 38°C avait été annoncé). Voilà donc l’endroit où Jésus aurait marché sur les lieux? Il faut avoir beaucoup d’imagination (ou la foi?) pour s’émouvoir. Le lac et le paysage sont très ordinaires et sans attrait particulier.
Ensuite, bref arrêt à la ville de Tibériade (qui s’est résumé surtout à une promenade au bord du lac). Du peu que j’en ai vu, la ville présente un attrait assez limité; pas de centre ancien, aménagement quelconque. Bref, décevant.
Et pour finir la journée, sur le chemin du retour, un autre site célèbre : le Jourdain.
Bilan de la journée? Plutôt mitigé, en fait. Un site célèbre n'est pas nécessairement spectaculaire. Reste la satisfaction de pouvoir dire; ''voilà, j'y étais...''
Le lendemain, on nous amène en direction du désert de Judée, vers des endroits dont je n’avais pas entendu parler jusqu’alors. Cette fois c’est un vrai tour guidé, avec commentaires sur la géographie, la nature, l’histoire… Un très bon guide d’ailleurs, dont j’ai malheureusement oublié le nom.
Notre premier arrêt se fait au parc national Ein Prat sur le Wadi Qelt, un petit ruisseau qui serpente à travers un canyon, oasis de verdure dans le désert. À côté d’une ancienne station de pompage, il y a un petit bassin où les gens vont se baigner, mais on doit marcher un peu pour découvrir toute la beauté du paysage…
Par la suite, on quitte la route pour ce qui est plus ou moins une piste – ça brasse pas mal à l’arrière de la jeep. Nouvel arrêt : une ancienne citerne byzantine vieille de 1500 ans et toujours en activité. Nous ne sommes pas trop loin de la ‘’civilisation’’: on voit une colonie de l’autre côté de la colline. Pas loin, un genre de bidonville avec des tentes et des baraques en tôle et contreplaqué. Des palestiniens? Non, il s’agit de bédouins. Quelques enfants viennent à notre rencontre. On passe ensuite vers un lieu appelé le mont Azazel. Encore des bédouins, et un troupeau de moutons sur les pentes – on se demande ce qu’ils peuvent trouver à brouter. C’est le désert, pas le moindre arbuste à l’horizon.
On continue sur la piste, avant d’arriver au lieu le plus étonnant – et spectaculaire – de la journée: le monastère de Mar Saba (grec orthodoxe, et toujours en activité – les femmes n’ont pas le droit d’y entrer) érigé sur les pentes d’un canyon, au milieu de nulle part – un petit ruisseau coule au fond du ravin. On remarquera les petites grottes creusées dans la falaise, où se réfugiaient les ermites qui ne se sentaient pas suffisamment isolés dans le monastère. Le ravin constitue la limite entre le territoire palestinien (‘’zone B’’, en face) et le territoire israélien (‘’zone C’’). Pas sûr cependant que la douzaine de moines qui y vivent (sans électricité ni eau courante) soient au fait de la situation…
Et on remonte dans la jeep pour le chemin du retour. Au passage, un troupeau de dromadaires. Sauvages? Ils ont l’air bien tranquille. Ils appartiennent en fait aux bédouins qui en font l’élevage. On verra le reste du troupeau et leur gardien un peu plus tard.
Massada
Site important dans l’histoire juive, Massada est le lieu où s’est terminé la révolte contre les romains, par le suicide collectif de ses défenseurs. Une forteresse au sommet d’une montagne et au milieu du désert, aujourd’hui grand centre touristique avec centre d’accueil au bas de la montagne et téléphérique. Davantage que les ruines elles-mêmes, c’est le site qui impressionne. Le simple fait de traverser le plateau au sommet – à 40 degrés au soleil – demande un effort et on a peine à s’imaginer ceux des soldats de l’armée romaine pour prendre la forteresse, à une époque où il n’y avait pas de téléphérique pour gravir la côte…D’ailleurs, c’est loin d’être la foule au sommet, c’est à peine si je croise quelques personnes. Beaucoup de monde dans le centre d’accueil climatisé par contre…
Ein Gedi
Nous continuons donc en direction de la mer Morte, à la réserve d’Ein Gedi, une oasis dans le désert. Le site, assez touristique, est aménagé autour d’un ruisseau qui mène à une petite cascade (le Wadi David, un simple filet d’eau). À mon avis le site est moins beau que le Wadi Qelt vu la veille, mais je dois dire que compte tenu de la chaleur j’ai fait demi-tour rapidement.
La Mer Morte
Et on enchaîne avec le moment tant attendu : la Mer Morte. Avec ses deux records mondiaux - point le plus bas de la surface de la Terre (400 m sous le niveau de la mer), et étendue d’eau la plus salée (32% de taux de salinité), la mer Morte est une curiosité naturelle célèbre à juste titre qu’on ne peut décidément pas négliger lors d’un voyage en Israël. Sauf que voilà… Le paysage n’est pas terrible (du moins celui de la plage où nous nous arrêtons). La baignade est une expérience assez curieuse. Le sable est une sorte de boue très foncée et salissante pour la serviette et les vêtements, assez agréable pour les pieds sous l’eau, mais en-dehors de l’eau carrément brûlant, on ne peut y marcher une fraction de seconde sans sandales. Mais revenons à la baignade. L’eau est très chaude, on ne se rafraichit absolument pas. Le niveau de flottaison se situe en-dessous des épaules, impossible de se noyer. On peut mourir d’insolation, par contre – on crève de chaleur. Après vingt minutes, je n'en peux plus et je remonte en haut de la plage, complètement en sueur. Un écran affiche la température – il fait 46°C. Notre autobus s’était arrêté un peu plus de deux heures – et c’était plus que suffisant. Voilà, affaire réglée pour la Mer Morte.
Je ne partage pas votre approche du Kinnereth (Lac de Tibériade), Il y a des lieux assez troublants à visiter. Encore faut-il en avoir le temps. Sur la ville elle-même, vous avez raison, elle est ordinaire. Continuez votre carnet, je suis impatient de lire la suite.
Pour la Dead Sea, il faut prendre l'option Ein Bokek et pas Ein Gedi. Enfin c'est un choix qui n'engage que moi. 😎
Je ne partage pas votre approche du Kinnereth (Lac de Tibériade), Il y a des lieux assez troublants à visiter. Encore faut-il en avoir le temps. Sur la ville elle-même, vous avez raison, elle est ordinaire. Continuez votre carnet, je suis impatient de lire la suite.
Pour la Dead Sea, il faut prendre l'option Ein Bokek et pas Ein Gedi. Enfin c'est un choix qui n'engage que moi. 😎
Concernant le Lac de Tibériade, mes impressions concernent le lieu où notre chauffeur a bien voulu nous déposer. Sans doute le plus pratique pour lui, pas nécessairement le plus beau. De là l'inconvénient des tours organisés.
C'est la métropole économique du pays. Mais la richesse de la ville ne saute pas aux yeux quand on arrive. La gare d’autobus est assez miteuse, et le quartier environnant est dans le même registre. Ça s’améliore cependant quand on arrive dans le centre.
Je loge au Chief Montefiore Hostel, mi-auberge de jeunesse, mi-hôtel, installé dans une jolie maison rose très bien située en plein centre de la ville; assez sympathique, mais mal organisé – c’est le patron en personne qui assure le service à la réception (enfin, quand il est là, et il n’est pas là souvent). J’y suis pour 2 journées (entrecoupées d’un séjour à Acre). Après avoir déposé ma valise, je file direction sud du côté de Jaffa. Lors de sa fondation en 1907, Tel Aviv n’était qu’un faubourg de Jaffa. Aujourd’hui Jaffa est le quartier arabe de Tel Aviv. Le vieux Jaffa forme une petite enclave à l’intérieur du quartier et se compose essentiellement d’un parc et de quelques ruelles bordées de maisons anciennes, ainsi que de l’église catholique qui domine la place centrale (c’est assez curieux d’ailleurs compte tenu de l’endroit où nous nous trouvons). L’ensemble est joli mais c’est très touristique et on fait rapidement le tour.
De retour vers les quartiers centraux, je passe par la plage – ou plutôt les plages car ça s’étend jusqu’au nord de la ville.
Et me revoilà au centre-ville – rue Allenby, la principale artère commerçante, le marché HaCarmel, plus loin le boulevard Rothschild avec son allée centrale aménagée en parc où on peut s’assoir à l’ombre. Un peu plus au nord, la place Dizengoff, avec sa fontaine et le marché aux puces juste à côté.
Tel Aviv n’est pas une ville spectaculaire comme Jérusalem mais elle n'est pas sans attraits. Elle est reconnue pour ses nombreux bâtiments de l’école du Bauhaus, construits dans les années 30 et se reconnaissant par leurs formes épurées et leurs lignes courbes.
Ensuite, l’Opéra (Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center), le musée d’art de Tel Aviv, les gratte-ciels du Azrieli Center…
Le musée d’art n'est sans doute pas le lieu le plus cité par les visiteurs, mais moi je ne passe pas à côté de ce genre d'endroits. Le musée est d'ailleurs très riche : des Chagall en série, des Renoir, Bonnard, Van Gogh, Matisse, Klimt, Foujita, et ainsi de suite…
On prétend que Tel Aviv est une ville qui ne dort jamais. Mais comme moi, je dors la nuit, je laisse le soin à d'autres de vérifier.…
Située sur la côte au nord d’Israël, l’ancienne cité de Saint-Jean d’Acre – aujourd’hui Akko – est une étape importante pour quiconque s’intéresse un peu à l’Histoire. C’est ici, en 1291, que l’épisode des Croisades se termina, lorsque la ville fut prise par les Arabes. La ville fut complètement détruite, les ruines laissées à l’abandon jusqu’au 18e siècle où l’on décida de la reconstruire. C’est la ville fortifiée que l’on voit aujourd’hui. La vieille ville est habitée par la population arabe, la ville moderne par la population juive, mais ce n’est évidemment pas la ville moderne qui suscite l’intérêt.
Parti de Tel Aviv en autobus, arrivé en train suite à un transfert à Haifa (contrairement à ce qu’il est indiqué dans certains guides de tourisme il n’existe pas de ligne directe en autobus), je me rend à mon hôtel dans la vieille ville – le Nzar Khoury for Hosting, un immonde trou à rats. Ça commence bien….Mais abordons les attraits touristiques.
Le point d’intérêt majeur de la ville demeure les vestiges de la forteresse des Hospitaliers, dont il ne reste que le premier niveau (au sous-sol), et qui fut jusqu’à tout récemment complètement enseveli, les bâtiments de la citadelle (que l’on voit de l’extérieur) ayant été construits par-dessus. Les voûtes imposantes nous donnent une idée de l’ampleur que devait avoir la forteresse à l’origine. Malheureusement la présentation ainsi que les commentaires sur l’audioguide que l’on nous donne font un peu Disneyland et on n’apprend pas grand-chose. Vaut mieux avoir lu sur le sujet avant d’avoir fait la visite. Le billet inclus la visite à l’ancien hammam turc juste à côté.
Pas très loin se trouve la mosquée d’Al-Jazzar, construite au 18e siècle. La cour intérieure est bien jolie. C’est la seule mosquée que l’on peut visiter en Israël (c’est payant pour les touristes). À l’intérieur, le guide nous explique surtout les fondements de l’Islam, mais ne fait pas de commentaires sur la mosquée elle-même. Par contre, j’ai eu un Coran en guise de souvenir.
Parlons de la ville elle-même maintenant… C’est un peu à l’image de ma chambre d’hôtel : mal entretenue et très sale par endroits. Si les ruelles peu fréquentée sont somme toute assez présentables, tout le secteur au bord de la mer est gâché par les innombrables rebus qui traînent un peu partout. Des remparts au bord de la mer? Il y en a ici, mais les créneaux servent de poubelle pour les bouteilles de plastiques vides, emballages de popsicles et restants de lunch en voie de décomposition. Un passage voûté, qui ailleurs, ferait le bonheur des touristes, sert ici d’espace pour des conteneurs à déchets, avec à côté des bidons de plastiques vides qui flottent dans les flaques d’eau. Sans parler de la pollution visuelle ou aménagement peu esthétique qui défigure les édifices anciens. Le moindre espace libre sert de stationnement pour les voitures. Je dois donc dire que j'ai trouvé Acre très décevante. D’autant plus que la ville, qui a conservé ses bâtiments anciens, pourrait être belle si on se donnait la peine de faire un peu de ménage et si on faisait un minimum d’effort en matière d’aménagement.
Quoi d’autre? Je dois dire que les gens étaient plutôt accueillants. Un petit point positif, quand même.
Pour répondre à votre question, je n'étais pas en voyage organisé. Par contre, j'avais pris des tours organisés à la journée, au départ de Jérusalem, pour me rendre en Galilée + désert + Massada et Mer Morte. Je n'avais pas de voiture et cela aurait été difficile (question temps surtout) par autobus. Pour tout le reste, je me suis ''auto-organisé'' avec mon propre programme.
Concernant mes commentaires plutôt négatifs sur Akko, il est possible que le piteux état de ma chambre d'hôtel (je ne ferais pas de description ici) m'ait mis de mauvaise humeur et que j'ai accroché sur ce genre de détails alors que j'aurais dû être un peu plus indulgent. Mais c'est bien l'impression que j'ai eu.
Comme la vieille ville est principalement arabe, je suppose que c'est aussi plus pauvre (là je m'avance peut-être) et qu'on ne doit pas s'attendre à un super aménagement design au bord de la mer. Cela dit, j'ai constaté qu'il y a pas mal d'indifférence concernant la propreté des lieux (les petits déchets que les gens jettent par terre après consommation), et que les lieux publics à forte circulation ne sont en général pas très ragoûtants. Cette remarque vaut aussi pour certains coins en Jordanie (mais là j'anticipe...). Peut-être que les résidents comme les habitués du coin trouvent ça normal et ne le remarquent plus.
Je ne veux pas avoir l'air de déconseiller de venir à Acre, la ville mérite qu'on la visite.
Mais ce genre de choses se corrige, justement. Si personne n'en parle...
Concernant Jaffa, je n'ai pas l'impression que mes commentaires aient été négatifs. J'ai manqué quelque chose?
Parti de la gare d’autobus de Tel Aviv, j’arrive cinq heures plus tard au Sunset Motel de Eilat (tout à fait correct et emplacement pratique tout près de la gare), sur les rives de la Mer Rouge, complètement à la pointe sud d’Israël. Bon, pas de monument ni de ruine antique à visiter ici, on vient pour la plage, mais aussi comme étape pour Petra, en Jordanie. Il fait très chaud : un bon 40°C, mais ça se supporte assez bien (après le passage à la Mer Morte, ça semble presque confortable). Première préoccupation : me trouver de l’argent comptant pour la suite des choses. Je me dirige vers la série de bureaux de change en face de la gare; sauf que tous semblent être à court de dinars jordaniens et ce n’est qu’à la sixième tentative que je trouve ce que je cherche.
Mais que voir à Eilat? La plage bien sûr, mais aussi le fond de la mer, réputé pour ses récifs coralliens. Comme je ne fais pas de plongée sous-marine et que je n’ai pas le courage de commencer, je vais plutôt visiter le Coralworld Park (ou Underwater Observatory), situé à l’écart de la ville pas loin de la frontière égyptienne. C’est un parc thématique avec plusieurs aquariums; poissons rares, requins, poissons des récifs, tortues marines, reptiles d’Amazonie, mais surtout l’observatoire sous-marin, une structure reliée par un pont qui permet d’observer le véritable fond marin. C’est très beau et très bien fait, mais l’entrée coûte cher. Comme les hôtels en général à Eilat, ce n’est pas vraiment une ville pour les petits budgets.
Et en route vers Petra...
Le passage à la frontière (Yitzhak Rabin) se fait sans problème et sans attente (une grosse demi-heure pour les deux postes); taxe de sortie payable au poste israélien. Il existe un bureau de change (si j'avais su...).
Concernant la procédure au poste jordanien, mes infos datent: il semble que cela ait changé en 2016 (donc, je passe les détails).
À la sortie, des chauffeurs de taxi attendent pour amener les touristes vers Petra. Le tarif est de 55 JD; à ce que j’ai compris, c’est la même compagnie qui opère tous les taxis. Deux heures de route et très beaux paysages.
Les parkings auto sont assez nombreux autour de la vieille ville. Il faut bien préparer sa halte.
La ville n'est pas très propre en effet. Il y a pas mal de belles choses à voir toutefois. Tu n'auras plus qu'à y retourner. 😎
Non loin de là, dans le nord de la ville, il y a les jardins de la secte Baha'i. Pas aussi beaux que sur Haïfa même mérite un détour.
Sur Jaffa, je présume que tu as visité la ville nouvelle , ou plutôt celle en réaménagement avec des appartements hors de prix pour les Bobos locaux, sur la partie "montagneuse" face à la mer. 😎
Il faut voir le marché aux puces et les marchands de tapis Iraniens dans le bas de la ville coté terre. et déguster ou plutôt engloutir une Shakshouka chez le célèbre Docteur Shakshoukah ! 😎 Encore une occasion de revenir !😎
C'est bruyant, animé, odorant et assez marrant à faire.
J’y ai passé une journée et demie. Suffisant? Théoriquement j'aurais eu le temps d'à peu près tout voir, mais il y a la fatigue, la chaleur... et donc je n’ai pas tout vu. Le site est ‘’habité’’ pendant la journée par les bédouins (ils résident en fait dans les villages voisins) qui vivent du tourisme. Toute la famille contribue : maman sert le thé et vend ses bibelots, grand-papa vend des bijoux et des médailles ‘’antiques’’, les jeunes proposent des ballades en cheval ou en dromadaire, les plus jeunes, la montée du Monastère à dos d’âne, et les enfants vendent les cartes postales. Les pires de tous sont les enfants et les ados, insupportablement insistants et collants, pas moyen de s’en débarrasser. Les plus âgés font de la sollicitation eux aussi, mais au moins, ils ont un peu de savoir-vivre et n'insistent pas trop. J’ai tout de même accepté l'invitation pour le thé - il y avait bien sûr un petit souvenir à acheter après coup.
Pour la photo devant le Khazneh (dit le Trésor du Pharaon) – moment essentiel du voyage – c’est à 10 heures du matin que le monument est pleinement éclairé par le soleil. Il y a une petite heure de pointe à ce moment-là. C'est un point important à retenir, car cette petite foule fait en sorte qu’on est moins harcelé par les foutus vendeurs de cartes postales…
À l’intérieur du site (incluant les boutiques qui se trouvent près du guichet), les tarifs sont alignés sur ce qui se vend à Versailles ou au pied de la tour Eiffel. Chute vertigineuse des prix dès qu’on sort du site.
Je ne sais pas si c’est dû à la guerre en Syrie ou à la saison (juillet), mais il y avait assez peu de touristes. Sur le site, c’était loin d’être la foule, et une bonne partie des visiteurs étaient arabes. À mon hôtel, j’avais presque l’impression d’être tout seul (je crois que je n’ai croisé qu’un seul couple de touristes). À l’évidence, le contexte au Moyen-Orient fait très mal au tourisme en Jordanie.
Wadi Musa
C’est la ville près du site où sont situés les hôtels. Rien à voir en particulier. Je m’attendais à un centre ultra-touristique, ce n’est pas vraiment le cas. Tout au plus quelques épiceries, quelques restaurants, dans le genre avec deux tables et trois chaises de plastiques dépareillées (je n’ai jamais mal mangé, par contre). En dehors du site de Petra, les jordaniens sont généralement des gens charmants et accueillants. On n’hésite pas à vous aborder pour vous souhaiter la bienvenue, s’informer d’où vous venez.
Avant mon départ je pensais naïvement effectuer tous mes transports en mode économique (autobus), mais cela s’est avéré un peu plus compliqué que prévu. En Jordanie, une gare d’autobus, ça peut signifier (comme à Petra), un simple espace de stationnement sans comptoir ni la moindre information concernant les horaires. Pour quelqu’un (comme moi) qui aime les horaires fixes et qui n’a pas la moindre patience, la tentation est forte de se tourner vers la solution facile (mais plus coûteuse) : le taxi. Cette question se règle d’ailleurs assez rapidement dans la mesure où les chauffeurs de taxis repèrent vite le voyageur en attente avec sa valise. Sauf exception (c’est-à-dire incapacité de s’exprimer en anglais), ceux-ci vous proposeront de vous amener non seulement là où vous voulez aller, mais également de vous servir de chauffeur privé jusqu’à la fin de votre séjour. À Amman, pas de métro, ni tramway, mais plusieurs gares d’autobus dispersées dont aucune n’est située dans le centre. En fin de compte, j’ai fait la totalité de mes transports en taxi. Ce n’est pas, en soi, inabordable, mais disons que ce n’est plus un voyage à petit budget. Le trajet Petra – Amman m’a coûté 60 JD (soit environ 100$); l’aller-retour Amman-Madaba, 35JD; pour Amman-Jerash (avec attende de 2 h sur le site), 50 JD (cependant j’aurais pu le faire pour 35 JD – mais j’ai eu cette offre après coup…)
Amman
Me voici donc à Amman, capitale de la Jordanie, grosse ville de trois millions d’habitants. La ville est bâtie à travers une série de collines (djebels). À la voir sur une carte, ça fait un peu peur, question orientation - pas une seule rue en ligne droite. Mais on finit par se retrouver; les rues principales serpentent à travers les djebels, la citadelle (en haut de la côte) et le théâtre romain servent de points de repères. Quelques-unes des rues principales sont indiquées en alphabet latin. Mon hôtel est situé sur la rue al-Malek Faisal dans la basse-ville. Disons-le tout de suite: côté esthétique, Amman est loin d'être extraordinaire. De loin, le relief et les collines lui donnent du caractère, mais à peu près tout est construit en béton sans aucun souci d’ornementation. Il y a quand même quelques attraits touristiques: le théâtre romain, très bien conservé (théoriquement il y a un droit d’entrée mais le gardien était parti en pause-café), et la citadelle, qui surplombe le théâtre en question, où on retrouve des ruines romaines ou de l’époque des omeyyades (première dynastie arabe), et un petit musée archéologique.
De retour à la basse-ville, le souk. C’est regroupé par secteurs : l’alimentation, les vêtements, les bijouteries. Il ne faut pas s’attendre à trouver grand-chose d’intéressant. Mais pour quelqu’un qui n’est jamais allé au Moyen-Orient, c’est un bain de foule assez dépaysant.
Grande rareté : les parcs et les espaces publics où on peut s’assoir; le seul que j’ai aperçu était situé à proximité du théâtre romain…en plein soleil.
Les restaurants à Amman sont assez peu nombreux, ce sont le plus souvent des restaurants pour touristes qui communiquent avec des hôtels. Manifestement, ce n’est pas dans les habitudes des jordaniens.
Parmi les autres choses à voir à Amman : la mosquée du roi Abdallah, récente et pas extraordinaire en soi, mais c’est la seule qu’on peut visiter. Le quartier environnant est visiblement un peu plus cossu que la basse-ville. Galerie d’art contemporain tout près.
De retour à la basse-ville, un peu plus à l’ouest, se trouve le tout nouveau Jordan Museum. Pas immense mais moderne et très bien fait, un personnel surtout féminin et très serviable. Je souligne ce point car les musées en Jordanie, c’est en général assez poussiéreux, le plus souvent avec un plafond de plâtre fissuré et un gardien qui s’endort sur sa chaise à l’entrée (mention spéciale à celui de Petra où le gardien dormait étendu sur un banc…) Visiblement on a fait des efforts pour se doter d’une belle institution.
Jerash, ancienne cité romaine, est un site archéologique à environ une heure de route de Amman. Le site est aujourd’hui entouré par la ville moderne, mais comme c’est très vaste, on parvient un peu à l’oublier. C’est le matin, je suis presque seul sur le site, c’est à peine si je croise quelques personnes. Ça semble cependant plus animé en soirée, si j’en juge par les ‘’vestiges’’ d’un autre genre. Un festival d’été se tient en effet sur le site, et le ménage semble avoir été fait de façon assez sommaire… Pas mal d'éléments peu esthétiques viennent gâcher le paysage, principalement près du théâtre et de la fameuse Place Ovale mentionnée dans les guides de tourisme. Heureusement, ce genre de dégâts disparait quand on s’avance vers l’intérieur (ça s’étend sur plus d’un kilomètre); c’est à ce moment qu’on peut constater à quel point le site est grandiose, avec ses colonnades qui n’en finissent plus…
En voici un avant-goût….
Madaba
Petite ville au sud de Amman, Madaba est reconnue pour ses vestiges de l’époque byzantine, dont particulièrement l’église Saint-Georges, dite ‘’l’église de la carte’’, la carte en question étant le plancher en mosaïque du 6e siècle, qui constitue la plus ancienne carte géographique connue de la Terre Sainte. À proximité, le parc archéologique, regroupant une série de mosaïques byzantines, dont l’extraordinaire plancher d’une ancienne église. Plus loin, l’église des Saints Apôtres, encore des mosaïques, mais d’intérêt moindre cette fois.
Malgré son intérêt, Madaba se visite assez rapidement. Mon chauffeur parvient à me convaincre de me rendre au Mont Nébo, le lieu où Moïse aurait aperçu la Terre promise avant de mourir. Je me suis fait avoir : l’église était fermées pour restauration, tout au plus, une petite exposition sous une tente et la fameuse vue sur la Terre promise…assez quelconque.
Arrivé au poste-frontière du King Hussein Bridge / Pont Allenby. J’avais lu que les contrôles pouvaient être longs, ce poste étant au point de passage des territoires palestiniens. Effectivement…. D’abord, le poste jordanien. On prend nos passeports. Une heure et demie d’attente, et j’embarque dans l’autobus (procédure obligatoire), direction le poste-frontière israélien, situé à peu près un kilomètre plus loin. À ce moment on nous redonne nos passeports. Après peut-être un demi-kilomètre, l’autobus se range dans une très longue file d’attente. Après deux heures d’attente, on arrive au foutu poste. Et ce n’est pas fini! Procédure semblable à celle d’un aéroport. Contrôle (scan) des bagages, trois contrôles des passeports, au deuxième contrôle, questions assez pointues sur mon itinéraire passé et à venir. L’interrogatoire n’est pas exagérément long (peut-être quatre minutes), mais comme il y beaucoup de monde… Enfin la sortie…Plus de cinq heures après mon arrivée au poste jordanien. Le shuttle en direction de Jérusalem attend les voyageurs…
Jérusalem, encore
De retour à Jérusalem pour les trois derniers jours de mon voyage. Cette fois je loge à l’hospice autrichien, dans la vieille ville. Un établissement assez particulier, ancien hôtel du 19e siècle construit à l’usage des pèlerins et administré par l’église catholique. La plupart des grandes puissances de l’époque (France, Angleterre, Allemagne, Russie) avaient des établissements équivalents à Jérusalem. Celui-ci est situé au cœur du quartier arabe, entouré d’un mur d’enceinte. Un établissement à l’ancienne : pas de télévision ni d’air climatisé, pas de paiement par carte de crédit; mais tout est propre bien tenu, et le cadre est agréable. Le personnel semble autrichien également. Du balcon de ma chambre, belle vue sur la vieille ville.
Avec le Mur des Lamentations et le Saint Sépulcre, c’est le lieu que doit voir tout visiteur de passage à Jérusalem, lieu ultra-sensible qui fait régulièrement les manchettes des nouvelles télévisées. Pourtant, on semble avoir fait le maximum pour qu’il y ait le moins de visiteurs possible (remarquez, c'est peut-être justement ça le but recherché). Outre les horaires ultra-restreints pour les non-musulmans, l’entrée n’est pas évidente à trouver. La passerelle pour y accéder saute aux yeux (à condition de savoir que c’est bien de ça qu’il s’agit…), mais comme la guérite de contrôle est derrière une palissade et que surtout, il n’y a pas la moindre indication, on a l’impression d’entrer dans une zone interdite d’accès. De là, donc, contrôle des passeports et des sacs en présence de gardes armés, et on passe de l’autre côté où d’autres gardes – musulmans ceux-là (mais non armés), – veillent à la sécurité. Il n’y a pas de droit d’accès, mais comme je suis en bermudas, je dois me couvrir les jambes avec une sorte de drap (j’ai l’air ridicule et ça prend dans mes lacets de chaussures) – que je dois louer. Bien entendu, il est interdit d’entrer à l’intérieur des monuments. Interdiction également de lire. J’avais sorti un guide de tourisme, ce qui a fait accourir la sécurité (j’ai cru d’abord qu’ils voulaient inspecter mon sac à dos); ils me l'on redonné après l’avoir longuement feuilleté. Quelques instants plus tard, une sorte de manifestation avec des enfants qui scandent des slogans. Je finis par en comprendre la raison: un petit groupe de juifs escortés vers la sortie par des soldats... (deux jours plus tôt, pendant que j’étais à Amman, il s’était produit un des premiers accrochage sur le Mont du Temple, qui allaient se poursuivre durant l’automne.)
Mais tout ceci ne doit pas faire oublier ce pour quoi j’étais venu : la place en elle-même, le Dôme du Rocher, peut-être le plus beau monument de la ville, mais aussi les petits pavillons qui entourent le Dôme, qui forment un ensemble remarquable.
Des musées à voir à Jérusalem
Musée d’Israël
Il est surtout reconnu pour conserver les manuscrits de la Mer Morte (exposés dans un pavillon à part), mais à mon avis ce n’est pas la partie la plus intéressante du musée. J’ai préféré la section archéologique (très riche), mais aussi la section d’ethnographie juive, pas mal de belles choses (manuscrits enluminés, orfèvrerie, costumes) d’un monde que je connais assez peu. Le musée est très grand – on y passe facilement la journée, et encore on n’a pas tout vu. Il y a encore la collection de peintures; puis l’art asiatique, puis l’art précolombien, qu’on ne s’attendait pas à trouver ici, et qu’on doit passer en vitesse compte tenu de l’heure de fermeture qui approche…
Musée des pays de la Bible (Bible Land Museum)
Juste à côté du musée d’Israël, un musée d’archéologie qui se consacre aux anciennes civilisations du Moyen-Orient, depuis les Sumériens jusqu’aux premiers chrétiens. Malgré son nom, il n’insiste pas particulièrement sur l’histoire des Hébreux. Très bien fait.
Musée Rockefeller
Archéologie encore une fois. C’est le plus ancien musée de Jérusalem, fondé du temps des britanniques, et aujourd’hui annexe du musée d’Israël. Étrangement assez négligé (parce qu’il se trouve dans le quartier arabe? il y a même une guérite à l’entrée). C’est gratuit, mais il n’y a pratiquement pas d’indications – parfois un carton jauni qui semble dater d’il y a trente ans. Dommage, car il y a de belles pièces : étonnant décor sculpté provenant d’un palais arabe (avec des figures humaines, élément rare dans l’art musulman), beaux bijoux en or d’origine inconnue (faute d’indications…) Le bâtiment lui-même, avec sa cour centrale à la manière d’un cloître, est de belle allure.
Yad Vashem
C’est à la fois un mémorial et un musée sur l’histoire de la Shoah – l’extermination des Juifs par les nazis. Dans un beau parc à l’écart du centre-ville, néanmoins facile d’accès (terminus du tramway). C’est gratuit.
Avec un dernier accroc avant le départ. À la gare d’autobus, j’apprends qu’il n’y a pas de ligne directe entre Jérusalem et l’aéroport; il faut faire un transfert. Un type (un chauffeur de taxi, naturellement) me renseigne : pas de train non plus, celui-ci se rend à Tel Aviv. Le sherout? Il faut le réserver la veille. Et il insiste : il faut arriver à l’aéroport au minimum trois heures avant le départ à cause des contrôles, totalement impossible pour moi d’arriver à l’heure. Heureusement, il est là pour me sauver la vie! Je finis par accepter son offre. J’ai l’impression de m’être fait avoir, mais sur le coup, la peur d’arriver en retard l’a emporté. Selon ses dires, une nouvelle ligne de train reliant l’aéroport à la ville serait en construction, et je n’aurai pas le même problème lors de mon prochain voyage. Et il me dit que j’ai eu de la chance d’être tombé sur lui; en tant que chauffeur accrédité par le gouvernement, il n’a pas à être contrôlé à l’entrée de la zone aéroportuaire, un chauffeur arabe se serait tapé une heure de contrôle. Sur ce point, effectivement, cela a été très rapide.
Enfin à l’aéroport - il reste les fameux contrôles. Un monsieur se présente – sécurité! L’interrogatoire commence et dure… une trentaine de secondes. Vraiment, j’aurais pu m’éviter le taxi, prendre l’autobus et arriver une ou deux heures plus tard sans problèmes. Il me reste pas loin de trois heures à attendre avant l’embarquement….et onze heures de vol avant l’arrivée au pays.
Quelques remarques pour finir
Sécurité (ou plutôt, zèle sécuritaire des Israéliens)
C’est la grande surprise du voyage : j’avais lu des histoires d’horreur à ce chapitre et je m’attendais au pire. Et bien, pas du tout : à part l’attente interminable au poste-frontière, rien à signaler ou si peu. On demande d’ouvrir les sacs à l’entrée des gares (trains et autobus), des centres commerciaux (mais pas les petits commerces), des grands musées et bien sûr pour le Mur des Lamentations et le Mont du Temple. À l’aéroport, contrôles habituels. Pas la moindre question concernant un éventuel passage dans les territoires palestiniens. Aucune fouille, à l’arrivée comme au retour.
Transports publics
Pour les liaisons entre les grandes villes (Jérusalem – Tel Aviv – Haifa – Eilat), c’est pratique et assez bon marché. Sinon c’est assez compliqué. Le système est évidemment fait pour les résidents et non pour les touristes. Il n’y pas de plan du réseau ni de tableau avec affichage des différentes destinations en anglais. Au guichet d’information, on nous renseigne à la pièce. Difficile donc d’établir un itinéraire.
Taxis
Lors du retour, j’ai appris – à ma grande surprise – que l’usage du compteur était obligatoire en Israël. Eh bien, les chauffeurs prennent pas mal leur aise avec la loi quand ils voient qu’ils ont un touriste pour client, car des taxis avec compteur, j’en ai eu deux seulement, et dans les deux cas c’était un taxi appelé directement de la rue. Ce n’était jamais le cas pour ceux qui attendaient à la sortie des gares ou des sites touristiques.
Guichets automatiques
Les guichets automatiques en Israël fonctionnent très souvent en hébreu uniquement. Des guichets ‘’internationaux’’, on finit par en trouver, mais il faut parfois chercher. Curieusement pas le moindre problème en Jordanie.
Sollicitations et marchandage
Que serait un voyage dans ces pays sans prendre le temps de se promener dans les souks? Sans tester ses talents de négociateur lors du marchandage? Sans s’imprégner de cette ambiance typiquement arabe? Moi je n’ai pas trop apprécié. Pourtant au début, je trouvais cette façon de faire fait plutôt amusante. On a le vendeur (ou le guide) devant nous qui nous fait son baratin, qui nous parle de son frère ou de son cousin qui a habité au Canada (j’imagine que le discours est adaptable à la nationalité), que pour ça il est prêt à nous faire un prix d’ami, qu’il ne ferait pas à un américain, etc. Alors on est pris dans l’engrenage et il ne nous lâche plus. À ce stade, ça va encore si on désire effectivement acheter. Mais une fois qu’on a conclu sur le prix et qu’on sort le portefeuille, d’autres frais peuvent venir s’ajouter : soit c’est les frais pour l’usage de la carte de crédit, soit c’est le pourboire (selon la situation), on doit recommencer l’opération de marchandage, cela n’a plus de fin, et on finit par céder, exaspéré. La sollicitation est très souvent assez lourde : un ‘’non’’ prononcé avec le sourire n’est généralement pas interprété comme un ‘’non’’: il faut se montrer impoli et désagréable, en tournant le dos sans répondre.
Pour être tout à fait honnête je dois préciser que ces façons de faire sont surtout représentatives des emplacements à forte présence touristique (mais qu’il est impossible d’éviter) : le souk du quartier chrétien à Jérusalem, le Mont des Oliviers (en bas de la côte), le parvis de l’église à Bethléem, le site de Petra. À peine sorti de ces emplacements ‘’stratégiques’’ on n’est plus harcelé, les achats s’effectuent de façon à peu près normale, et ce, même si notre qualité de ‘’touriste’’ est clairement visible.
Propreté des lieux
Dans les villes ou quartiers arabes (jordaniens comme arabes israéliens) il y a parfois pas mal de laisser-aller. Les lieux que l’on visite sont généralement propres et bien entretenus (le site de Petra notamment) mais on semble indifférent à ce qui se passe en-dehors de ces sites, même si c’est à la vue de tous. Sur la bordure de la route en arrivant à Amman, succession quasi infinie de sacs de plastique pris dans les arbustes. À Jérusalem: jour de marché, porte de Damas, on balance allègrement les ordures aux pieds des remparts, sans même se donner la peine de les mettre dans des sacs ou de les dissimuler…
Je comprends qu’on a des problèmes nettement plus graves à régler dans cette région du Monde, mais une petite campagne de sensibilisation ne ferait pas de tort…
Climat
Israël en juillet, ça ne devait pas être un peu chaud? En fait, oui, mais moins pire que ce que j’aurais cru. À Jérusalem, le climat étant sec, les soirées sont confortables. On peut dormir la nuit même dans une chambre non climatisée. À Tel Aviv et sur la côte, la température est en principe équivalente, mais c’est assez humide et collant, et donc moins agréable. C’est pire à Tibériade. À Eilat et dans le désert, un bon 40°C (ou au-dessus), mais le climat sec fait en sorte que ça se supporte mieux qu’on pourrait le penser (et pour la Mer Morte, j’en ai parlé plus haut…)
Pour la Jordanie, c’est semblable à Jérusalem.
Conflit israélo-palestinien
Je n’en n’ai pas vraiment parlé ici même si c’est souvent le sujet qui occupe l’attention. Disons qu’en tant que touriste, on demeure à l’écart et on ne le sent pas ou très peu (seule exception peut-être, le Mont du Temple). On le constate surtout par le fait que juifs et arabes vivent dans leurs propres villes ou quartiers et se mélangent peu, sauf aux points de passages obligés (j’ai vu quand même plusieurs arabes dans les rues commerçantes de Jérusalem-Ouest – à moins qu’ils ne s’agissaient de touristes?). Et évidemment, les militaires qui font partie du paysage.
merci pour ce superbe compte rendu
je pensais qu'il n'était pas possible d'aller dans un pays arabe après israel...
apparement pas de problèmes entre israel et la jordanie ?
Il n'y a aucun problème de visiter la Jordanie à partir d'Israël. À ma connaissance il n'y a que l'Iran, le Liban et la Syrie (peut-être d'autres pays?) qui refoulent les visiteurs ayant mis les pieds en Israël. À l'arrivée en Israël, on vous remet un ticket, et on n'inscrit rien sur le passeport. Donc en principe, pas de problème pour votre futur voyage en Iran.... sauf si vous êtes passé (comme moi) par la frontière terrestre avec la Jordanie. Alors vous aurez deux belles étampes sur votre passeport (Israël + visa jordanien).
Merci pour ce beau compte rendu qui donne beaucoup de détails. Je projette un voyage au Liban en septembre et j'aimerai en profiter pour faire un saut en Jordanie.
Par hasard, sais tu si depuis le Liban, on peut rejoindre facilement la Jordanie, soit en bus, soit en avion.
Un grand merci pour ta réponse
Malheureusement je ne connais pas le Liban, mais je peux quand même répondre à ta question: ce sera en avion. Entre le Liban et la Jordanie, il faut passer par la Syrie, et disons que présentement.......🤪🤪
Merci beaucoup pour cette réponse rapide. Je me renseignerai donc de ce côté là.
Si besoin, je te contacterai pour des infos sur la Jordanie, bien que tes messages soient vraiment précis.
Merci pour ce beau compte-rendu. Les petits détails et surtout vos appréciations rendent le récit très intéressant !
Pour ma part, départ dans 1 mois pour le même voyage.
Je garde vos indications sous le coude 😉
Bonjour, superbe récit, je suis actuellement à Jérusalem et fait presque le même parcours.
Pour ceux qui comme moi liront ce compte rendu, voici quelques nouvelles informations.
Depuis 2015, il y a qq changements, notamment un train direct pour aller de Jérusalem à l'aéroport. De Tel Aviv à Jérusalem un train avec changement à l'aéroport sans avoir à changer de quai, c'est TOP! Pratique et rapide, on arrive direct à une station de tramway.
Good trip à tous.
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If I close my eyes and think of the Sultanate of Oman, I first smell a light scent of incense, feel the warmth of a sunbeam on my skin, before sand slips through my fingers. I taste the sweetness of a date, a real candy, then the flavor of coffee with a hint of cardamom and rosewater... I hear the desert wind whistling in my ears, the distant call of a muezzin, then the murmur of water. I open my eyes to see smiles, welcoming gestures, a turquoise sea, rocks ranging from ochre to purple, deep wadis where torrents burst forth, orange dunes, white sandy beaches where tiny crabs scurry at full speed. I see incredible oases emerging between arid mountains. I see abandoned villages that I’d dream were full of life, imposing fortresses overlooking valleys, and lively souks where offers are delicate and negotiation is a mutual courtesy.
All that, and so much more.
This is what I tried to capture in my illustrated travel journal, which I’ll fill in here and there with photos.
I drew this journal “cold,” after my return (actually, I made it this summer, while our trip was last winter). It’s a pretty special format—I bought it in Japan without really knowing what I’d do with it. Well, it found its purpose! Below is a photo of this accordion-style journal: here, it’s only partially open, because when fully unfolded, it’s 5 meters long!
For drawing enthusiasts: The accordion format is both a constraint (each sheet is 9 cm x 27 cm) and a freedom (you can create a fresco). The paper is also a bit special: it doesn’t allow for fine lines, but it takes ink well (liner pen). However, everything has to be done almost in one go (with a very light pencil sketch) because it erases poorly. It absorbs too much water for coloring with markers or watercolors (unless you avoid soaking it), but it works well with oil pastels and their use with a brush and solvent. Since it’s yellowish, it allowed me to create contrasts even with white pastel.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Oman is one of the world’s largest producers of frankincense resin. Incense burners are everywhere, from the simplest clay ones to the most precious handcrafted silver ones...
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.
We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.
We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.
August 2–3
Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!
We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.
We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.
We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed...
Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.
It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.
We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂
At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.
We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.
After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!
The latest travel journal about Turkmenistan dates back to 2019. Here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before.
This is my first travel journal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. The country is slowly opening up, but it’s still possible to visit sites where you’ll be completely alone. In five days, I saw two Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, ten Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!
It’s possible to visit Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan. The easiest and most economical way is to take a taxi to the border from Bukhara. The trip takes a little over an hour.
Crossing the border takes quite a while because many Turkmen bring back items bought in Uzbekistan to resell in Turkmenistan. For example, diapers, baby products, or beauty products.
It took me over 2.5 hours to cross the border. To visit Turkmenistan, it’s mandatory to have a guide and go through a travel agency. British agencies often offer three-, five-, or seven-day trips for over 1,500 or 2,000 €.
But if your budget is more limited, you can contact a few Turkmen agencies directly by email, and they’ll make you an offer between 700 and 1,300 € for three to seven days. I took a five-day trip from Turkmenabat in the northeast of the country to Dashoguz in the north. The goal was to visit the main UNESCO-listed sites, including Merv, and archaeological sites like Nisa or Gonur Tepe.
Your guide will also be your driver. They’ll pick you up at the border. The formalities are very long because customs officers have to stamp multiple documents, and obtaining the visa you previously requested from your travel agency requires several checks. But the process goes relatively smoothly, even if each step takes a while.
Once on the other side, the first surprise is the brand-new highway all the way to Turkmenabat. A very long line of trucks stretches for several kilometers on the Turkmen side to cross the border into Uzbekistan. According to my guide, Turkmen trucks transport gas and cotton (though not this season, since the harvest is in September), but they mainly fill up their tanks because fuel is much cheaper in Turkmenistan. A full tank for a car costs about 3 €, which is unbeatable.
From the Farap border post, the goal is to reach the city of Mary, which is home to the UNESCO-listed site of Merv in its suburbs, about thirty kilometers away. This city is known as a foundation by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC under the name Alexandria of Margiana. Several fortresses are visible.
After more than three hours on the road, we have lunch at a Turkish restaurant called Aladdin. Several quotes from the president are visible along the highway, but the road is in good condition, and we move along easily. This will be by far the best road in the country—things will get much worse later.
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
Hi everyone, we're back from a DIY USA road trip we organized from July 31, 2026, to August 26, 2026.
The destination: The Southwest USA, including Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Roughly 7,000 kilometers covered.
The car: A Chevrolet Equinox for two, rented through BSP Auto and Avis. Inside, we had 2 suitcases, a travel bag, two carry-on bags, a Walmart cooler, photo gear, and water bottles (a 40-pack).
The route: Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo, and back to Dallas to finish with a departure from DFW.
The travelers: Two seniors well advanced in years (73 and 75) but still active (nothing too physically demanding—to stay alive and fund our trips), fully independent physically, though a bit less so mentally. Big USA fans, a country where anything is possible. More walkers than hikers, preferring 3-star hotels over roadside motels, Italian restaurants over US food, frequent stops for photos, museums over nothing, naps over forced marches. Not too whiny, just enough to stay French in the land of the "great Satan," as they say.
Not great with languages—street English (but handy), and my Spanish is non-existent except for: "Hola! Una cerveza por favor!" That’s about it. My wife understands everything but refuses to speak.
The cost of the road trip: Around 12,000 €, including AF flights, the car, gas, gifts, visits, and everything else. Well managed, since we’d budgeted 13,500 € initially.
The positive side: A delight, with those endless open roads. Museums to discover. The realization of the Hispanic presence and its important history in this part of America. Lovely locals. Tourists who were more or less friendly. A terrible Texan accent that was hard to understand. Gas stations that were like real stores, with prepared food, alcohol sold in Arizona and New Mexico, and employees who were always up for a laugh!
The negative side: The heat throughout the trip... 43°C in Dallas at the end. Impossible to walk the streets. Lots of homeless people in downtown Dallas. Hotel breakfasts that were always the same. You get used to it.
So, it was positive overall, but the concept is starting to wear us out. We might rethink the DIY road trip model for next time. If the man upstairs grants us more time.
Next up, we’ll wait for the first batch of sorted photos to go through the wringer.
"So, my little wanderers, back at the decks? What’s this mystery destination you’ve got in store for us at the start of the year?"
Yes, the schoolyard bell’s ringing again! We’re hitting the road... or rather, the skies! At first glance, our destination might surprise more than a few. First off, simply because I was here exactly twenty years ago, and I don’t usually like retracing my own footsteps. Secondly, because the name of this place screams mass tourism—basically the opposite of what Flo and I look for.
Despite that, in this land of backsheesh, I’d promised myself I’d come back one day to experience it my way. And since Flo told me, during our wanderer chats, that this destination straddling Africa and the Middle East was in her top 2 travel dreams, the stars aligned for this roots-style trip to quickly make it onto our pharaonic festivities program! Unless you’re totally clueless in general knowledge, you’ve probably guessed by now—we’re off to Egypt! Of course, a few classics will be on our itinerary, but above all, we want to soak up a culture that can’t be appreciated in four-star resorts or on a Nile cruise boat. And let’s be clear, these next two weeks won’t be a walk in the park—neither for our two daughters who are joining us, nor for our bodies!
And that’s clear from the get-go: after our first flight, eight hours of trying (and failing) to sleep on Milan airport’s metal seats, our second flight, landing, passport stamps, our Uber ride, and our first Cairo kilometers, we finally drop our exhaustion at the little guesthouse we booked in Giza. Doesn’t all that energy deserve a little reward?
Oh, absolutely! And here it is: a full-on slap in the face for everyone! But just look at this view from our hotel terrace? For 20 € a night for four, even with this incredible view, I figured the room must be pretty shabby, right? Nope... Is the staff rude, then? Nope... Okay, so what’s the catch? You’re gonna tell me breakfast is included too? Well, yes! Honestly, this Egypt trip is off to a great start.
And the rest of the afternoon, spent rubbing shoulders with locals, only confirmed this vibe. After digesting our pyramid view, we dove into the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood with the goal of exchanging money, eating at street stalls, and testing the hospitality of the locals. Ten out of ten!
Eight little sun breads with baba ganoush and falafel? 80 pounds, or 1.5 €. A dozen Middle Eastern pastries? Same! 80 pounds! Two hawawshis, those little pita breads stuffed with meat and spices? 10 pounds each, or about twenty cents! Not to mention all those smiles and free "welcomes" left and right!!!
What a welcome! We end this first day with a sunset over the three sisters of Giza—where we’ll obviously be gawking tomorrow...
My buddy Christian and I (Patrick) are off for 28 days in Argentina in March.
We’ve already shared several trips as a duo (Bolivia Peru, Namibia, Laos, Costa Rica).
Since we’re starting from the idea that at our age (65) we won’t be coming back here—there are just too many other corners of the world to discover—we did the "grand tour" of Argentina, with 6 domestic flights to make the most of our 28 days.
Here are our stops:
1) Departure from Brussels to Buenos Aires via Madrid
2) Arrival and first contact with Buenos Aires
3) Early morning flight to Ushuaia. Boat trip on the Beagle Channel
4) Ushuaia: hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park
5) Ushuaia: last hike and flight to El Calafate
6) El Calafate to El Chaltén by bus. First hike
7) El Chaltén: hike
8) El Chaltén: hike
9) El Chaltén: hike and bus back to El Calafate
10) El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier
11) Flight to Bariloche. Car rental and surrounding areas
12) Seven Lakes Region
13) Nahuel Huapi National Park region
14) Flight to Salta. Car rental
15) To Tilcara
16) To Humahuaca
17) To Purmamarca
18) To Jujuy via the salt flats
19) To Cafayate
20) Around Cafayate
21) To Cachi
22) Back to Salta
23) Flight to Iguazu
24) Waterfalls on the Argentine side
25) Waterfalls on the Brazilian side and flight to Buenos Aires
26) Buenos Aires
27) Return flight
28) Morning arrival
Happy reading!..
After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...
Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses?
Uzbekistan!!!
"How about a Christmas market this year, huh? A little romantic weekend getaway...
- Yes! That’d be cool! Strasbourg? Colmar?
- Feels a bit déjà vu, doesn’t it? Plus, slim chance of snow there... And I’d love something a bit more exotic with a touch of originality..."
"Okay, Google, give me the list of the five most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe.
- In fifth place, the Christmas market in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
- Save your breath! Lithuania, here we come!"
We wanted cold, and cold is exactly what we got the moment we set foot in this new, unknown land. As for landscapes, forests and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see across this vast plain, its vegetation scorched by the frost of a winter that’s clearly already well underway here.
Lakes, in fact, set the scene for our first visit to Trakai Castle, whose brick-red towers and walls rise proudly against the azure sky of our first day. Lakes, because this castle was built on an island and is only accessible on foot via a series of walkways spanning half-frozen lake offshoots. I couldn’t have picked a better spot to build my castle! Translation: We’re totally sold! Proof is we spend two hours hiking around the area, alternating between forests, reeds, and cozy houses tastefully decorated for Christmas.
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
This time, I landed in Monastir on a direct flight from Nice, again with Tunisair. We left about ten minutes late, and the flight lasted around 1 hour 30 minutes. A meal was served on board (cucumber salad with Edam-like cheese, carrots, and two small portions of dishes I couldn’t identify—semolina with peppers, olives, and parsley, two small rolls, a square of processed cheese, and a chocolate cake). It’s worth noting because it’s not common on flights this short.
In February, France and Tunisia were in the same time zone, but now Tunisia is one hour behind. This time difference and the flight duration work perfectly for a short 15-day trip since it takes me a few days to adjust to jet lag.
Luckily, I’d asked my hotel about the taxi fare from the airport because the drivers (there were several around me) didn’t hesitate to quote outrageous prices. The actual fare is 20 dinars, but one asked for 120 dinars. I refused, and another offered 60 dinars. I replied, "That’s too expensive—I’ll take the metro!" (Having tried the Tunis metro, I had no desire to repeat the experience in Monastir with a suitcase!). I started walking toward the metro, and one of the drivers caught up with me, saying, "20 dinars is fine!" I’ll skip the details, but the negotiation took a little while.
When I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist someone had asked for 120 dinars. He put his hands to his head and said, "They’re awful!" He remembered our phone call two days earlier when I’d booked (he’s the one who told me I could take the metro).
The Mezri Hotel isn’t expensive. I got a sea-view room for 75 dinars (22 €). (I’d booked a balcony room for 90 dinars but wouldn’t have had time to enjoy it.) It’s well-located but noisy because there’s no double glazing.
The receptionist is a very kind older gentleman. He called a friend whose wife is from Tozeur to find out if I should take a bus or a *louage* tomorrow and what time.
I arrived at the hotel around 7:00 PM and had time to stroll along the corniche to the ribat. Despite some run-down buildings, the seaside seemed livelier and cheerier than Sousse’s.
Monastir is the hometown of former president Bourguiba. I passed his mausoleum by taxi. There are Tunisian flags along the avenue by the sea because every year on April 6—the anniversary of Habib Bourguiba’s death—the president of the Republic visits the Bourguiba Mausoleum in Monastir to pay respects.
The taxi driver mentioned other Tunisian presidents. He complained about rising prices and insecurity, blaming President Kaïs Saïed (I’d already heard that security was better under Ben Ali).
At the end of my stay, I’ll take time to explore Monastir, but tomorrow morning, I’m off to Tozeur—a long bus ride awaits me.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
Here we go!!!
I left home at 4 AM on October 31st and headed to Barcelona. Driving through Barcelona on the ring road stresses me out a bit, but at 6 AM the traffic is smooth, and I arrive at the airport without any issues. I call the valet, who quickly comes to pick up my car. He takes photos of it from all angles before letting me go.
Baggage check-in hasn’t started yet, and there are already several of us waiting.
Once free, everything happens very quickly. The flight to Abu Dhabi is on time and goes smoothly. I’ve never had any problems with this airline, which I’ve been using for several years.
The flight to Bangkok arrives at 7 AM as scheduled. This is my first time in Thailand and Bangkok. I’m used to traveling in India, and I notice that everything here is well organized—the customs process is quick, and the luggage is already on the carousel.
I booked a taxi on Booking. All I have to do is find the right exit and door based on the agency’s instructions. A large sign with the names of people who booked is posted on a wall. A hostess greets me and calls the taxi, which arrives 5 minutes later. I booked one night at the Lost Inn BKK hotel in the Phra Nakhon district, and we arrive at 9 AM. The welcome isn’t warm, and I have to wait until noon, sitting on a chair, before I can check into my room. I’m exhausted, and sleeping sitting up isn’t ideal. Noon finally arrives—the room is small but clean, which is fine for one night. I quickly take a shower to wake up because I plan to spend the afternoon visiting the Grand Palace. First, I need to exchange some money, and the banks are all close together on the same street, which is very convenient. When I enter one, a hostess gives me a ticket and invites me to sit down. There are about twenty counters, and I wait quietly until my number is called. The exchange is quick, so I can head out to find the Royal Palace. It’s actually very easy, and the walk is pleasant.
Entry to the Royal Palace (500 baht).
It’s magnificent and grand, and there are quite a few of us visiting. The sky is gray, it’s very humid, and a shower interrupts the visit. It’s a vast complex of temples and palaces. The buildings are colorful and sparkling, with a great sense of serenity (without the tourists, of course). I quietly enjoy the place and try to take photos without tourists, which isn’t easy.
Very close to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the capital.
It’s very famous for its 46-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
Walking around the temple, you can see different representations of Buddha, all covered in gold leaf.
Inside the temple, on one side, monks recite their prayers, while the other side is reserved for tourists who come to meditate in silence.
Before returning to the hotel, I have dinner at an Indian restaurant. I go to bed early because tomorrow’s wake-up call will be very early again.
Saturday, November 2nd
Wake-up at 4 AM, departure from the hotel at 4:30 AM. The taxi I booked via Booking is waiting for me and takes me to the airport. The trip is fairly quick—he takes small roads, and at this hour, there’s no traffic.
The flight to Phnom Penh is on time. Before boarding, I realize I left my fleece jacket on the carousel, but it’s too late to go back for it.
The flight goes well, and customs is quick.
At the exit, I take a tuk-tuk to Julieka’s GH near the museum. The welcome is friendly. I won’t be able to check into my room until noon, so I take the opportunity to exchange some euros on the market street. The street is lined with restaurants, and I’ll have my first meal there.
The museum is right across the street, so I don’t waste any time visiting it.
The representations of Hindu deities are very different from those in India, and I don’t recognize them. Many beautiful Buddhas are on display.
The museum is very pleasant, and there aren’t too many people, which is a plus.
At the exit, I return to the GH, settle into my room—which is decent and clean.
The Royal Palace is 1 km away. I walk along a garden, and at the end of the street is the Tonlé Sap, but I turn right. I arrive at a large esplanade and see the buildings with tiered roofs and glazed tiles. The entrance to the palace is a little further away.
At the entrance, I notice there isn’t the same crowd as at the one in BKK.
Khmer architecture is magnificent. The complex consists of gardens, palaces, pagodas with golden roofs, and slender spires.
The Silver Pagoda houses the small Emerald Buddha, which is actually made of jade. The silver flooring is covered with carpets. Photos are not allowed.
The walls surrounding the pagoda are covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
My partner and I traveled from Sunday, July 5, 2026, to Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
We spent a long time debating whether to rent a car or use public transportation. In the end, after reading so many posts about travelers getting scammed by police or rental companies—even those recommended by blogs and reviews—we decided to stick with public transport. It worked out really well. Sure, we had a little less freedom to go where we wanted, but it was way less stressful for us.
Sunday, July 5:
Arrived at Cancun Airport. Withdrew cash from the ATM in the terminal just before exiting. The ADO bus counter (they pronounce it "A-Jee-O") is right behind you when you're facing the ATM. Bus to downtown Cancun cost 145 pesos per person.
Stayed at "Rose 5," booked on Booking. The studio was super clean and perfect for one night. The owner’s instructions for accessing the place were very precise, with photos included. Check-in was self-service with a code. The ADO bus terminal isn’t far, and there are shops and restaurants nearby. We really appreciated that the AC was already on when we arrived. By the way, I’d recommend always booking places with AC—it’s *really* hot in Mexico.
Monday, July 6:
Bought a SIM card with data from a TELCEL store. My partner, who’s on Free Mobile, was able to use her regular plan. Just so you know, I found the network pretty unstable. As soon as we left the cities, neither of us—me with TELCEL or her with Free—had any signal.
Another thing to watch out for: roaming charges. I had to turn my SIM back on for less than 30 seconds to get a bank SMS code, and my phone apparently connected to the internet—resulting in an 8-euro roaming fee.
Left on an ADO bus to Chiquila for 278 pesos per person. During our trip, ADO buses were always on time, comfortable, and clean. The AC is *cranked* though, so bring something to cover up with—it gets cold. Some routes were fully booked even in the low season, so try to reserve 1 or 2 days in advance either via the app (when it works) or at the counter.
When we arrived at the ADO terminal in Chiquila, the ferry company counters were right next to it. Ferries leave every 30 minutes, alternating between companies, so no need to book ahead. Just take whichever one is leaving next (330 pesos per person).
When we got to Holbox (pronounced "Hol-bosh"), we’d booked a place via Booking called "Casa de Nana." It was a huge studio with a fridge, cooking plate, and utensils. The best part? The *location*. It was 100 meters from the beach and 200 meters from a Chedraui supermarket. They provided bath towels and beach towels, and the AC worked perfectly. There’s a key box so you can leave your keys inside when you go out. The only downside was that no one was there to let us in when we arrived, so we had to wait a while. The Wi-Fi was good, which was lucky because during our 4-day stay in Holbox, the phone network *never* worked. According to locals, that’s pretty common in Holbox, along with water outages.
Luckily, I’d had the good idea to download an offline map, which helped us find our way back to the place more easily. You can walk there from the dock.
The restaurant next to our place (La Barracuda) was great if you like seafood—I’d recommend their octopus dishes.
Tuesday, July 7:
We did a kayak tour in Holbox’s mangroves at 6 AM. We were looking for a sunrise kayak tour with a French-speaking guide. That’s exactly what we got with "Kayaking Holbox," where Diego, the owner, speaks English and French. He was joined by Gustavo, another guide.
We’d booked for a group tour, but we were the only ones. Diego still went ahead with it instead of canceling due to lack of participants, so we got a private tour at the group rate—really professional of him. They showed us this amazing ecosystem for over 3 hours. We saw all kinds of birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, egrets, frigatebirds... rays, a horseshoe crab, and a little crocodile that was *so* well hidden. Diego and Gustavo have a real eye for spotting animals—I could’ve passed by the crocodile 100 times and never seen it, it blended in so well. Their explanations about the flora and fauna were super interesting. We also got a little break where we tasted mangoes and bananas that taste *nothing* like the ones in France. A real treat—those little Mexican yellow mangoes! I’d definitely recommend Diego and his agency for a French-language kayak tour (1000 pesos per person).
In the evening, we walked to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. No need for a guided tour—if you really don’t want to walk, you can take a taxi. At Punta Coco, you have to pass the beach bar/restaurant and then go left into a kind of inlet that forms a lagoon. You have to wiggle your feet or move your hands in the water to create movement, which makes the light appear. Just don’t expect the kind of photos you’ve seen online—they’re all edited! It’s fun to see, but you won’t be dazzled by the light...
Wednesday, July 8:
Whale shark tour with "My Holbox Tours." Why recommend this agency over others for swimming with whale sharks? Simply because Valérie surrounds herself with top professionals to make your experience unforgettable. We were with Captain Fernando, who does everything to position the boat perfectly and make your swim easier. In the water, we were with Humberto, who also goes above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible time. He doesn’t just "supervise" like some guides from other companies who leave you on your own. No, Humberto reads the whale shark’s trajectory and guides you—all you have to do is follow him. He really puts in the effort, even holding your hand to guide you through this quick but intense encounter. Humberto also films the moment and will offer to show you the videos and sell them to you. His footage is really high quality.
Fernando and Humberto also prepared food for us. Special mention for their guacamole! Valérie is there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the boat and to answer your questions in French, English, or Spanish about these animals. If you choose My Holbox Tours, you can be sure you’ll get a top-notch experience.
About the tour itself: before you go, you should know that the sharks can be *really* far away. The day we went, it took 3.5 hours by boat to reach them. The boats are small, and let me tell you—on the way there, when we weren’t going with the waves, it was *rough*. Out of 9 passengers, 4 got seasick. But once you’re face-to-face with the shark, you forget all about that. Even if swimming with a whale shark isn’t exactly a walk in the park—they swim pretty fast, so you need some endurance to keep up. You’ll usually get 2 turns. Our first swim lasted a little over 4 minutes, and the second about 2 minutes because the shark was moving fast and we were still tired from the first swim. It might seem short, but when you’re swimming, it feels *long*. Either way, it’s an experience you *have* to do—but choose your company wisely. On the way back, there’s a stop at Cabo Catoche. Honestly, the snorkeling is pretty disappointing if you’ve done it elsewhere in the world. But the lunch stop at Cabo Catoche is really nice for relaxing (white sand and hammocks).
Thursday, July 9:
Short morning walk to Punta Mosquito at 6 AM. Really nice.
Ferry to Chiquila (330 pesos per person) + ADO bus to Valladolid (300 pesos per person).
In Valladolid, we booked "Casa Lucia" via Booking. The hotel is gorgeous, with a colonial style, and very close to the ADO bus terminal and downtown. It’s super quiet and clean. There’s a shared kitchen you can use with a fridge, microwave, and water dispenser, plus a big table by the pool and a nice indoor terrace. Breakfast was simple but included. The only small downsides were the tiny room and bathroom, no mirror in the room, and a noisy fan.
Friday, July 10:
Not far from the ADO bus terminal is the colectivo station for Chichen Itza. They offer a round-trip to Chichen Itza with an option to stop at Ik Kil cenote on the way back and then drop you off in Valladolid for 370 pesos per person (Ik Kil entrance included).
For the Chichen Itza visit, we’d booked a tour with a guide often mentioned in groups—his name is Juan Pat. He’s a Maya who lives near the site and speaks excellent French. He reserves spots in advance for you and queues up to be the first on-site. It cost 500 pesos per person + entrance fees. His tour lasts 2 hours and focuses mainly on the main pyramid and the ball court. He’s passionate and fascinating, even if some of his claims, as a Maya, might be a little biased. I think it’s *really* important to have a guide—otherwise, you’ll miss so much. You can contact Juan Pat on WhatsApp at +52 985 121 2381.
Afterward, we went to Ik Kil cenote (showers and life jackets mandatory, lockers available). It’s *very* crowded, but still really beautiful with its lush vegetation.
Saturday, July 11:
Since we didn’t have a car but still wanted to visit other cenotes that seemed hard to reach by public transport, we decided to book a taxi for the day. We agreed on 1200 pesos to take us to 3 different cenotes and wait for us at each one. (To find taxis, just look where they park near the ADO bus station.)
He picked us up at Zaci cenote, which we’d walked to. We got there at opening time and were the first ones there—had the place to ourselves for a while! 150 pesos per person. A pretty cenote in the city center with lush vegetation. It’s a bit like Ik Kil but without the deep cylindrical effect.
Cenote Xcanahaltun: the most beautiful cenote we visited. Entry 250 pesos per person. It’s a closed cenote with a hole that lets light in—a cave-like setting. You can kayak inside. There are little fish at the edge that nibble dead skin off your feet. Since it’s closed, the water is *freezing*!
Cenote Palomitas: entry 250 pesos per person. Another stunning closed cenote, even more enclosed than Xcanahaltun. The hole in the ceiling is smaller, so it was pretty dark when we arrived—kind of an eerie vibe. But when the staff turned on the lights, it looked like a "Gothic cathedral" full of bright stalactites.
Cenote Sac Aua: entry 290 pesos per person. The ticket includes a guided cave tour (tip-based). This cenote is really unique with its central island and way less crowded than Suytun. Just so you know, the water is *really* cold in cenotes. In these three, in July, we had the place to ourselves for a while and never saw more than 2 families at once—so peaceful!
Sunday, July 12:
ADO bus to Bacalar (536 pesos per person).
In Bacalar, we stayed via Airbnb with a host named Luli, who offers several rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen.
The room is nicely decorated in a pleasant setting. It’s ideally located near the lagoon and downtown. The shared kitchen is handy. The mosquito net over the bed is useful because there are *a lot* of mosquitoes in Bacalar. Luli provides a water jug, which is really nice. The only big downside is the lack of water pressure in the shower—we had to rinse off by filling a bucket. Also, there’s no real door separating the room from the bathroom. We never met Luli in person, but she was very responsive via messages. The terrace in the middle of the vegetation is lovely.
From the ADO terminal to the place, we took a taxi for 40 pesos. Since this driver was honest about the price (we’d checked beforehand), we decided to use him every time we needed a taxi in Bacalar. Here’s his WhatsApp: +52 983 184 3585.
Monday, July 13:
We did a boat tour on the lagoon with "Bacalar Francophone Activities." Since we were just the two of us, it cost 3500 pesos. If we’d managed to be 4 people, it would’ve been 1000 pesos per person.
We had a private 4-hour tour on the lagoon with Steeve and his very comfortable boat. He’s from Quebec, so his French is perfect. During those 4 hours, Steeve showed us the lagoon’s iconic spots *and* places other boats don’t go. He told us about the lagoon’s history and gave great tips on where to go and where to eat. As a little bonus, he gave us a video taken with his drone during our swimming break.
Tuesday, July 14:
We went to Los Rapidos by taxi (400 pesos round trip) and entry was 225 pesos per person. It’s *very* touristy but really beautiful. You can eat there (expensive), relax, and go down the "rapids" as many times as you want. It’s worth it if you spend a few hours there. You can’t bring in food or drinks—you leave them at the entrance and pick them up on the way out.
Wednesday, July 15:
On Wednesdays, navigation is banned on Bacalar Lagoon, so we’d planned another excursion.
Visit to Calakmul from Bacalar with ABCtours (WhatsApp +52 983 319 8359).
This agency organized a trip from Bacalar to Calakmul with a French-speaking guide. Communication beforehand via WhatsApp was smooth. Mr. Checo, the driver, and Fernando, the guide (who spoke great French), picked us up on the day. Mr. Checo drove very carefully on the long road and always made sure we were comfortable. Fernando is passionate about flora and fauna—he’s a biologist with a degree in ornithology, so he knows *everything* about animals. The slightest sound or song, and he knows what it is. He’s got an eye for spotting them, from the biggest to the smallest.
During the trip, we stopped at km 27 for a short forest walk, then went to see the two main pyramids on the site. On the way back, we stopped at the bat cave for the magical spectacle of millions of bats flying out at dusk. In the end, we saw or glimpsed (some briefly) spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a toucan, 2 tapirs, turkeys, 2 deer, and lots of birds. If, like us, you’re more into flora and fauna than archaeology, I’d *highly* recommend this agency and tour with Fernando.
It’s not cheap, but the road between Bacalar and the site is *long* (3.5 hours). Price: 3900 pesos per person for 2 (3500 for 3, 3200 for 4).
Thursday, July 16:
ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (614 pesos per person).
In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in an Airbnb. The building is on the town hall square, next to the casino.
The best thing about this place is the *location*—super close to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta). The kitchen is pretty basic, but the fridge works well. There are supermarkets nearby. The rooftop pool is really nice. The two big downsides, though, are the soundproofing (you can *hear* the neighbor’s alarm and all the events on the square) and the *total* lack of water pressure in the shower. We had to fill a trash can with water to pour over ourselves. When we told the owner, he said it wasn’t normal and someone would come fix it, but we never heard back. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be a known issue that never gets resolved.
Playa del Carmen is *very* touristy on Fifth Avenue, but in a fun, musical vibe—we never felt unsafe. There are *tons* of little souvenir shops for tourists on this street. There’s a beautiful monumental sculpture on the beach (the two figures meeting in the air), next to which you can see the Voladores show (men climbing a pole, tying themselves with ropes, and descending headfirst while "flying" around the pole). The show is tip-based and happens several times a day. In our opinion, Calle 38 is prettier than Fifth Avenue—it’s lush, green, and quieter, with the sea at the end. Great for an early evening stroll. We had really good meals at great prices at "El Tio Noy" tacos, just a few meters from Fifth Avenue in a side street.
For souvenirs, we’d recommend going to Walmart instead of Fifth Avenue—you’ll find skulls, tequila, mezcal, keychains, mugs, glasses... at good, fixed prices.
Friday, July 17:
We did the excursion to Isla Contoy. Isla Contoy is an uninhabited, highly protected island. Only 200 people are allowed to land per day on a rotating basis, so only a few companies have permission to dock there. Most agencies subcontract the day to a third-party company.
We booked through VRM (Viviendo Riviera Maya), but it was Ocean Tours Mexico that handled the tour. Contoy is a little paradise. We were accompanied by multilingual guides, including French speakers, throughout the day. Steffy gave us info about the island during a short walk on the marked trails, and Leño Tlatemoa kept the mood up on the boat rides with music and dancing. Isla Contoy is *truly* stunning, and the lunch was delicious: grilled fish and chicken, guacamole and tortilla chips, rice, fruit, drinks (everything is brought and taken back by the guides). The snorkeling part was pretty disappointing if you’ve done it in Cozumel, though. The stop at Isla Mujeres isn’t very interesting either—it’s too short to explore, and the island is *extremely* touristy. Still, the excursion was very well organized, and we had a great day (2970 pesos per person).
Saturday, July 18:
We wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel but thought the prices from French-speaking agencies were too high. Plus, for snorkeling, we figured we didn’t *need* a French-speaking guide.
So we found a much cheaper solution by taking the ferry from Playa del Carmen ourselves and choosing an agency in Playa. The round-trip ferry cost 663.50 pesos per person. Then we took a taxi to the snorkeling boat (100 pesos). The agency we chose is called Mystic Snorkel—they don’t have a physical office. The tour cost 1400 pesos per person. It was a small boat, but that day we were the only ones, so we got a private tour at the group rate. We stopped at 4 different sites, all very different and beautiful. We saw all kinds of fish, corals, a nurse shark, and turtles. El Cielo, with its huge starfish, is *exceptional*. If you’re going snorkeling in the Yucatan Peninsula, this is *the* tour to do—the other sites are pretty "poor" in comparison.
Sunday, July 19:
Morning dive with Triton Diving. I chose the Cozumel dive option. Great experience.
Booking via WhatsApp was easy. On the day of the dive, Selene, who speaks French, was our guide. She’s *very* attentive to the group’s safety. The briefings are clear and precise. In Cozumel, we did 2 very different sites: the first was a drift dive with lots of life—beautiful corals and fish. The second was a wreck, the C53, a 56-meter boat you can enter. Not much marine life, but a beautiful wreck intentionally sunk for divers—still in great condition. An unforgettable moment. Selene even took videos during the dive, which the club sends you for free afterward. I’d *highly* recommend this club.
Just so you know, in Playa del Carmen, the beaches were full of sargassum during our stay, despite barriers and daily cleanup. Locals told us the problem is getting worse and the sargassum is arriving earlier in the season. Tourism has taken a *big* hit this summer, and they’re wondering if tourism can even survive the sargassum season anymore. A lot of tourists are heading to the islands—Isla Mujeres and Cozumel—to enjoy the beaches, as the west side of those islands is sargassum-free.
Monday, July 20:
Colectivo to Puerto Morelos. First, a colectivo toward Cancun that drops you off between Puerto Morelos town and Puerto Morelos beach (40 pesos per person), then another from that junction to the beach (10 pesos per person).
In Puerto Morelos, we’d booked a room via Airbnb at "Piedra del Caribe." *Best* place we stayed in Mexico. It’s an aparthotel. Our room was ready before check-in, so they let us in early. The place matched the description—spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed. The shower had *great* pressure, which isn’t a given in Mexico. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. They let us use the pool, restrooms, and rooftop shower after check-out while we waited for our ride to Cancun Airport. They even kept our luggage. I *highly* recommend this place.
In Puerto Morelos, there was *way* less sargassum than in Playa del Carmen—it was actually swimmable.
We did the snorkeling tour with the fishermen’s cooperative for 450 pesos per person for 2 hours. The reef is close to the beach (you’re not allowed to swim there), so the boat ride is short. It’s not as pretty as Cozumel, but it’s nice and affordable. On Puerto Morelos’s page, you can also access a small, not-very-well-preserved reef. There’s also a cenote in the sea where fresh water mixes with saltwater—the water is murky there. We had a great dinner and excellent cocktails at "La Choza del Puerto."
Tuesday, July 21:
Wandered around Puerto Morelos (check out the church and read everything—it’s entertaining!), relaxed by the hotel pool, and left for Cancun Airport by taxi (400 pesos) booked via InDrive to head back to France.
Our highlights:
- Holbox
- The whale shark tour
- The cenotes
- The local flora and fauna (so present!)
- Isla Contoy
- Cabo Catoche (except for the snorkeling)
What we liked least:
- The bioluminescence (barely visible despite good conditions)
- The food—we found it not very diverse in taquerias
- The constant tipping
- The lack of water pressure in showers (fixed, wall-mounted, no hose or showerhead)
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions while it’s still fresh in our minds.
Traveling with just one spare pair of underwear, considering a hot shower a miracle, never staying in the same place too long by sleeping wherever night catches us, taking whatever local, improbable, and rickety transport we can find—this is the DNA of us wanderers. Except this time, the script for our movie is going to be a whole different genre. On paper, the destination doesn’t exactly scream epic adventure: Réunion! And what’s more... we won’t be two, or four, or even ten. We’ll be a solid thirty. All from the same family. Yes, thirty. At this point, it’s not just a trip—it’s a summer camp on the move! Why inflict this on such a peaceful island? Because my brother decided to get married there with his lovely bride. A great idea, you might say... especially when it involves relocating the equivalent of a small Ardennes village 10,000 kilometers from home for three weeks! So who’s stepping up to be the guide and wave the little flag?
So, for an exceptional trip, exceptional stories! Don’t worry, the debates at the supermarket over whether to choose plain chips or roast chicken chips, the beach picnics washed down with ti’ punch, and other rougail sausages to digest by the pool will only make it into the family archives. Here, I’ll stick to the tales of our beautiful escapes, the ones where we explore the wild corners of this little volcanic rock planted in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So where exactly are we headed?
For the first week—the subject of this first installment—we’re taking it easy. We’ll start by rediscovering the coastline, from the Souffleur in Saint-Leu to the Hermitage lagoon, before a little trip to the Cirque de Cilaos and its legendary road with 400 turns, just to get our legs warmed up.
This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style.
All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.
All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of three years at most in Thailand, and I’m not a big expert on the country.
However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.
I guess I wanted to piece together a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who miss it.
I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.
There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.
I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guards for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.
Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course.
Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious.
Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big property, be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t really made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons.
That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though, are much rarer—they’re too big.
It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been broken for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the side of the road, sometimes right on the road. When you arrive, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, which reminds visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.
Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. Seeing a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you might think it’s best not to cross paths with them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at temples on the brink of death, enduring terrible suffering. No one did anything about it. The image (and the smell) of one of them, dying and emitting the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.
Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The well-fed animal quickly became a happy, enormous beast with its own garden. Yet, it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.
You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water in them for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.
If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not a gimmick—it’s just that these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
It was winter, a winter with beautiful weather,
A season that only exists in the southwest of America,
I remember very well what I told you that morning
A month ago... A century ago, an eternity ago...
We’ll go... wherever you want, whenever you want...
Well, yeah, back from our adventure in our enchanting American West just a month ago, we’re already taking a bite out of one of its lesser-known competitors. "Flo, if you had to pick just one reason to justify your love for the U.S., what would it be?" The greasy, dripping burgers? No, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying it’d be the wide-open spaces... And that’s exactly what our new quest is taking us to—a land on the other side of the globe where the horizon also seems endless, where silence tastes like salty wind and sand, where freedom is measured in kilometers of desert tracks, where the GPS is mostly there to confirm you’re lost in the middle of nowhere... Add to that magic formula the fact that you’ll see more zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and elephants than people per square kilometer, and you can imagine us setting foot in Southern Africa for the first time, more precisely at the small airport in Windhoek, capital of... of...? Brush up on your geography, damn it! We’re landing in Namibia!!!
To be honest, Namibian landscapes have been flirting with me for ages. So how did I resist this island of temptation for so long? First, the budget. Let’s just say that for the same amount of effort (and kidneys), the bank lets you choose two other adventures almost anywhere else on the planet. Then there were my girls. Yeah, back then, they were too little to dose up on Malarone, the only malaria remedy at the time... Long story short, ten years later, all the planets have aligned. First, I won the Euromillions! Well, almost... Let’s just say my girls are now old enough... not to take Malarone, but to stop following me on all my adventures! Jackpot! "Flo, how about a little two-person caprice, just the two of us, tackling the Namibian tracks?"
As we landed on the runway, first wow effect: The horizon is immense. It’s flat as can be, incredibly flat... So much flat space! Did I mention it was flat?... Looking into the distance, it feels like your gaze could circle the Earth without hitting a single obstacle—until you end up staring at your own backside. "Oh, what a nice view!" Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen my butt from this angle! Touching moment... Sorry, I’m rambling—must be the exhaustion from the three-flight marathon we just powered through via Ethiopia and South Africa... And yet, no time to philosophize about my anatomy. As usual, we want to rack up our first kilometers to be front and center at dawn tomorrow. After wrapping up the tedious Namibian immigration formalities and meeting the 4x4 that’ll be our companion day and night for the next fifteen days, we’re off! We’re not exactly fresh, but we’re ready to tackle the next five hundred kilometers in night mode, cruise control set due south! Just outside Windhoek, the local wildlife—a jackal—welcomes us with a smile: "Welcome to Namibia!" That’s what it said! Honest... Okay, first endless straight road, first flaming sunset, first corrugated dirt track, first Milky Way with zero light pollution... You get it—it’s definitely the day of firsts... First night camping, too, in the big trunk of our Toyota Fortuner parked by the side of the track... The real adventure, the kind that smells under the arms, can finally begin...
Here we go—finally, the big day has arrived! A trip the whole family (my two kids, my husband, and me) had been looking forward to for so long.
To keep it short, we left from Nice, arrived in Namibia on June 25, 2025, and left again on the 21st—four weeks later.
We used an agency for all the camping reservations, activities, and the car rental. At least that side of things was taken care of. Michaël was our contact throughout the planning and the trip itself.
We spent our first night at Londiningi BB. A bit out of the city center but very quiet. The rooms were spacious and clean, and we could eat on-site that evening. Perfect for recovering from the flight.
This travel journal is our second on VoyageForum, following last year’s where we recounted our four weeks in Vietnam.
The goal remains the same: since some members on this site share tips, experiences, and great deals that help us prepare for our trips, we do the same after returning—both to give back a little and in the hope that our experiences might be useful to others in some way.
Our route was as follows: Bangkok, Siem Reap, Krabi, Suratthani, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Bangkok.
Beyond rediscovering Bangkok, our objectives were the long-held dream of seeing Angkor and exploring southern Thailand, much of which isn’t overly touristy.
A quick big thank-you to Barbot, who took the time to answer several of our questions.
12/07/2013
The cheapest flight we found earlier this year was a Paris-Bangkok route with a layover in Moscow for 1440 €, total for two people.
So, this time we tried Aeroflot. Airbus A318 for the first leg, A330 for the second. Nothing particularly annoying to report—the passengers were very calm, the cabin temperature was comfortable, and we had enough legroom.
That said, the quality of the meal trays was pretty mediocre, and the flight attendants weren’t exactly comedians.
We’d like to remind everyone that it’s best to exchange as little money as possible at the airport upon arrival, since the rate is about 5% worse than at city banks.
Of course, we made sure to take the airport exit where you can catch official taxis to avoid getting scammed. So, we queued up, a little lady gave us the ticket, and off we went with the driver.
Generally, this system works well because these drivers are registered, know their duties, and the risks they face if they break the rules. Except that day, right off the bat, we got the scammer of the day. His first move was to snatch the ticket from my wife’s hands—the one you’re supposed to keep in case of a complaint. My husband saw it, but after a full day of travel, we were a bit out of it, and honestly, there was no reason to be suspicious. But once we started driving, the guy refused to turn on the meter. We insisted more and more firmly, but nothing. So, I used the famous method of opening the door and starting to step out of the car. At 40 km/h, that scares the driver more than the passenger. He finally turned on the meter, but that didn’t calm him down—quite the opposite. For the next half-hour, he ruined the ride by demanding extra fees here and there. Having dealt with several scam attempts last year in Vietnam, this wasn’t exactly new, and we were proud of ourselves for staying pretty zen. Still, this guy was a little scary—he was completely wired and aggressive. Honestly, it was hard not to think he was on something. He’d be perfect for a *Scarface* remake. When we finally arrived at the hotel, he followed us to the entrance. We paid the two tolls (25 and 45 baht), gave him the usual 100 baht extra for the ride, and stayed polite but firm. So, meter: 245 baht + 100 baht + 25 and 45 baht for tolls—we paid the exact amount, no way we were tipping this guy. He left furious, but he was already like that before picking us up... Anyway, avoid Mr. Chartree Chidchen, number 089 826 7308, car E2663!
We were so relieved to finally settle in at Feung Nakorn Balcony hotel in the temple district. 42 € per night, great reception, all the staff is friendly. The AC works fine, the bed seemed hard at first but turned out to be comfortable. The hotel is quiet, away from the nightlife, but at this time of year, many places are less crowded than in high season. Even with a nice fish pond and outdoor breakfast area, it’s a decent hotel, though we felt we could’ve found something better.
After a night on the plane, the first afternoon is always a bit of a slog. We napped for a few hours, and when we woke up—guess what—we were starving. We visited a temple across from the hotel (nothing special) and then decided to take the Chao Phraya Express, the river shuttle that serves many piers along the river. It was a really enjoyable experience. The steel gangway wobbles when you board and disembark, the boat sits low in the water, and sometimes you get splashed. During peak times, you’re packed in like sardines, but most of all, there’s that exotic urban landscape passing by, especially the temple rooftops.
At that exact moment, the boat was packed. We didn’t see a ticket booth at the pier, and we tried in vain to pay the few baht for the ride. The cashier on the boat was too busy, and another employee we called didn’t have time to help us. Oh well, we weren’t going to force the issue. Still, this mode of transport is super practical for avoiding traffic, and at the piers, the lines with station names are clearly marked, with colors matching the flags on the boats. Combined with a map like the *Routard* guide, it’s easy to navigate.
We easily made it to the restaurant *Harmonique*, located near one of these piers. It’s a unanimous favorite on this forum, and let us tell you—it’s well-deserved. What a wonderful experience that evening! We only saw the outdoor gazebo because there was no way we were dining inside. It’s not flashy, so those looking for a luxurious setting should look elsewhere.
That night, the staff was a bit slow, and we had to track them down several times to move things along. But oh, my friends—what a feast on the plate! Start with the appetizer platter for two at 250 baht, featuring four specialties, each more tempting than the last, followed by their famous crab curry for 200 baht. There’s *so much* crab in there! The dish is so delicious and rich that when you finish, you feel—how to put it—like it was almost *too* good, to the point where you’re almost put off eating for days. And also, oh yes, we *will* be back. Their satay chicken is just as amazing, and it would be a crime not to mention their generous dessert with ice cream, warm banana, and chocolate, plus their *excellent* almond milkshake.
Later, we took a taxi to Kao San Road, mainly to book a Ko Tao-Chumphon trip for 600 baht per person at the Lomprayah counter. In hindsight, we should’ve booked all three of our trips there right away.
Kao San Road is *ultra*-touristy—better for younger crowds, but it’s still worth seeing. There’s rock ‘n’ roll, hippies, and crowds everywhere.
We walked back to the hotel, and when we got a little lost near a canal, a really nice older Thai man spontaneously appeared out of the night to kindly point us in the right direction.
Finally, a real long night of sleep ahead—we cranked up the AC. Sweet, the vacation has begun!
Hi there,
I just got back from a trip to Sri Lanka from December 18th to January 1st with 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old).
If it helps, here’s my itinerary.
We left on December 18th from Madrid with Qatar Airways. No complaints. I booked my tickets back in March for 800 € per person. (I flew from Madrid because I live near the Spanish border and was too worried about strikes in France.)
We arrived on December 19th at 4 PM (local time). Before leaving France, I’d booked a taxi through MyTransfer for 59 € to Sigiriya. A van was waiting for us at the airport exit.
A never-ending 3-hour drive to Sigiriya. We stayed at Samana Guesthouse—very simple, clean, with a pool and an excellent Sri Lankan breakfast. Shower and straight to bed.
Friday, December 20th: Beautiful weather, but very humid and hot. We visited Lion Rock (36 € for adults) and then Pidurangala.
I loved both sites—they’re a must-do in my opinion.
Spent the late afternoon by the pool.
Saturday, December 21st: Another gorgeous day. The guesthouse manager offered us a free 2-hour tuk-tuk tour. We first visited a lake, rice fields, the temple, and the Sigiriya market, plus the usual tourist trap—the botanical garden (no pressure to buy anything at the end).
Then we took a tuk-tuk to Dambulla Temple, the Golden Buddha, and the wholesale market.
Sunday, December 22nd: Still beautiful weather. I’d booked a taxi for 8 AM. We did all the long trips by taxi to save time. I’d ask for prices from 2 or 3 WhatsApp taxi agencies 2 days or the day before—super responsive, always got replies within 5 minutes. We headed to Ella (4-hour drive) for 22,000 LKR.
Arrived in the afternoon at Rest Full Homestay—a small, family-run guesthouse. Clean, cozy, and an amazing Sri Lankan breakfast.
In the afternoon, we went to Nine Arches Bridge. It was a Sunday, a Sri Lankan holiday, so it was *packed*—mostly locals and very few white tourists! Even though it was crowded, it was cool because it was all Sri Lankans. We waited an hour for the train. It’s worth seeing, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that amazing.
Then we headed to the station to check if we needed to book tickets for the train to Haputale—turns out, no.
Monday, December 23rd: Beautiful weather. We hiked Ella Rock—a gorgeous trek. The final stretch is steep but shaded, so it wasn’t as tough as I’d read. The whole hike is stunning from start to finish. We saw the train pass twice (one blue, one red) and lots of women picking tea.
After that, we did Little Adam’s Peak. It’s not hard, but it was *packed* with tourists—meh. Luckily, at the top, you can walk a bit farther (down one side and back up) to get some space to yourself.
What I *didn’t* like was the commercial vibe at the big café/restaurant with a pool at the entrance of Little Adam’s Peak. Loud music, all that money being made right next to little souvenir stands run by Sri Lankans or tea-picking women. Felt off.
Ended the day buying souvenirs at one of the few shops we found during the trip.
Tuesday, December 24th: Beautiful weather. Took the train to Haputale. We got to the station 30 minutes before the 9:30 AM train. We could’ve taken 2nd or 3rd class—I went with 2nd (160 LKR per person).
It was crowded, but we managed to get seats—first 2, then 3. Only a 1-hour ride, but I *loved* it—windows and doors open the whole time.
Arrived in Haputale around 11 AM, and the mist was already rolling in.
We walked to our guesthouse, The Mist Holiday Bungalow. Simple but clean, with a great view of the tea plantations. The owner’s wife is Vietnamese and used to work for French tour operators, so her French is still pretty good—helpful for us since our English is terrible. They booked us a tuk-tuk for 4:45 AM the next day (2,000 LKR) to Lipton’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon wandering around Haputale. Not much charm, but there’s a nice fruit and veggie market and a short walk through the tea plantations.
Wednesday, December 25th: Beautiful weather. The tuk-tuk was on time to take us to Lipton’s Seat. We were the first ones there—the sky was just starting to turn pink. In the end, only about ten of us watched the sunrise. The guesthouse had packed us breakfast, and we walked back down (half on the road, half through the plantations). Didn’t see any tea picking since it was Christmas, but the walk was still incredible. We took detours through villages full of kids.
After that, we visited the tea factory. The tour was really interesting, and we took the bus back down to Haputale. Such a great moment—whole families were heading to mass, dressed up and made up. All so beautiful.
At noon, we left for Udawalawe National Park. Taxi for 14,000 LKR. Stayed at River Inn Safari Cottage. *Warning*: It’s the same place as Eagle Safari Cottage. I don’t recommend it. We’d always stayed with families before, but here it was just staff—totally different vibe. The pool was nice but not very clean (water was murky). The bungalow was big and fine, but it was brand new—so new the asphalt floor wasn’t fully dry. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so we had to eat on-site. Couldn’t leave a review on Booking because they never confirmed we’d stayed, and they canceled our reservation the next day.
Thursday, December 26th: Beautiful weather. I’d booked a safari through the hotel for 5:30–10 AM for 54 USD. Honestly, yes, there are a lot of jeeps, but it was great. The kids loved it—we saw everything there was to see.
Left by taxi at 11:30 AM for Welligama (12,000 LKR).
We didn’t stay in Welligama city but at Coconut Beach, between Welligama and Midigama. *Total crush* on the guesthouse: Sky Mountain Café with View. Such a lovely family. The mom makes amazing meals at reasonable prices. The view from the hill over the sea is unreal.
Spent the afternoon walking along the beach.
Friday, December 27th: Beautiful weather. My kids are surfers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any boards their size to rent at Coconut, so we took a tuk-tuk to Welligama Bay (1,000 LKR). They surfed from 8 AM to 5 PM—rental was 5,000 LKR for the day. Meanwhile, we walked the beach and swam. Water was 29°C.
Saturday, December 28th: Beautiful weather, rain from 4 PM until midnight. Same surf day. They were so well-behaved the whole trip, so this was their reward.
Sunday, December 29th: Beautiful weather. Beach day at Coconut. *Warning*: It’s a reef break. For surfers, there are three spots (Coconut Left, Middle, and Right). The boys bodysurfed (with fins) all morning, and at 1 PM, we took the bus to Hikkaduwa.
Stayed at Hotel Universal Beach. Nothing special—right on the water, but the rooms were dark even though they were clean. The manager was super nice, but the rest was meh, and breakfast was mediocre compared to what we’d had before (2 eggs and 3 slices of toast). Plus, it was late—8 AM.
First impression of Hikkaduwa wasn’t great—way too many Russians for our taste.
Monday, December 30th: Beautiful weather. Spent the whole day exploring. Turtle Beach, then the other side of the beach (toward Galle) near the fishing port. The beach there is much wider, with scattered hotels and super quiet. It’s beautiful—I should’ve booked somewhere in that area. Ended up having a great day away from the crowds.
Tuesday, December 31st: Overcast, then beautiful, rain at 4 PM. Had to end the year (and the trip) with some surf. Rented boards for the kids (3,000 LKR per board for the day). Bad luck—the waves were on a reef break but small. Not great for them, but no big deal. They still got out of the water by 2 PM. Walked the beach (which is gorgeous), had a juice, and went for a swim. Then back to surfing in the rain at 4 PM.
Wednesday, January 1st: Left by taxi at 5 AM (18,000 LKR). Flight at 10 AM. Arrived in Madrid at 8 PM.
I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.
In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.
The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.
Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi
On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).
We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.
The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.
In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.
An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
It’s an ancient city that breathes, a living spring.
Here, no kitschy signs like “I miss you in Fengyu,” nor mass-produced fake antiques.
The century-old houses still bear the marks of wind and rain; in the morning, you hear roosters crowing, and at dusk, smoke gently rises from the kitchens.
This city doesn’t try to please anyone—like the spring water flowing through it, it simply keeps living at its own pace.
Located in Eryuan County, in the Dali Prefecture of Yunnan, the ancient town of Fengyu is a nationally designated historical and cultural city. It’s nicknamed the “land of scholars and ink”—during the Qing Dynasty, the Fengxiang Academy produced four *jinshi* and eleven *juren* in the imperial examinations. The Bai families made studying and farming a true legacy. Even on market days, you’ll find stalls of calligraphy and paintings, while lintels and screen walls are covered with family mottos.
Fengyu was also an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. It preserves the second-largest Bai architectural complex in China, just after Xizhou. The famous traveler Xu Xiake spent seven days here and compared it to the “peach blossom paradise.”
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
Let’s start with the shotengai...
Our first "wow" moment came as we stepped out of the subway in Asakusa, the Tokyo neighborhood where we’d booked our hotel for our first five nights. Exhausted after our long flight, we finally arrived and took an exit that led straight into a shotengai—one of those covered shopping streets that pop up in city centers and flourished between the 1950s and 1980s.
It was an instant aesthetic shock, like a close encounter of the third kind between the modern city, a typical Asian market with its street stalls, the vintage vibe of the arcade, the sheer abundance of goods, and the bustling crowd—a mix of tourists, pilgrims (thanks to nearby Senso-ji Temple), and locals (it’s a very working-class area).
In the end, it set the tone for a feeling we’d experience throughout the trip. Wherever we went, shotengai turned out to be fantastic spots for finding little restaurants, shops, or even fresh produce. Some are like real mazes, like in Kyoto, where we spent ages trying to relocate a restaurant we’d loved ;-)
In Kanazawa, the Omicho Market:
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
Preamble:
Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much.
Where to go?
Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia.
We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done.
We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.
Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip).
I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me.
We’d see how it goes!
Off we went for our new adventures
If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
It often happens that we're asked what to visit in Belgium.
And the answers usually point to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels—and rightly so, as these cities are well worth visiting ;).
However, Belgium, though small, isn’t just limited to these four cities.
I live in one of them (Brussels), enjoy spending time in the other three, but I’d like to highlight some lesser-known spots that could add to the trip for those who want to see a bit more or something different.
Between trips, I like exploring one or two corners of the country where I live.
Hence the idea for a travel journal of walks.
Most of the places I’ll talk about can be visited as a day trip from Brussels, whether by public transport or car.
In chronological order of the topics covered:
- The Gileppe Dam (Liège province) - message 2, page 1
- The Domaine de La Hulpe (Walloon Brabant) - message 3, page 1
- Mechelen (Antwerp province) - message 4, page 1
- The coast - message 5, page 1
- The Westhoek, from De Panne - message 6, page 1
- The Zwin, from Knokke - message 7, page 1
- Lier (between Mechelen and Antwerp) - message 8, page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9, page 1
- The Florenville region - message 12, page 1
- The East Cantons - message 13, page 1
- Dinant - message 18, page 1
- The Japanese garden in Hasselt - message 24, page 2
- Leuven - message 29, page 2
- Louvain-la-Neuve - message 32, page 2
- Ostend - message 42 (page 3) and message 166 (page 9)
- The floralies of Groot-Bijgaarden - message 43, page 3
- Halle Forest - message 44, page 3
- Pralines - message 54, page 3
- Charleroi - message 68, page 4
- Namur - message 92, page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier (Marcinelle) - message 95, page 5
- Couques and gosettes - message 96, page 5
- Liège - message 99, page 5
- Tournai - message 115, page 6
- Oudenaarde - message 121, page 7
- Meise Botanical Garden - message 124, page 7
- Tongeren - message 125, page 7
- Beersel Castle (Flemish Brabant) - message 126, page 7
- Brussels in lockdown (messages 150 and 154, page 8)
- Notre-Dame à la Rose Hospital in Lessines (messages 161 and 162, page 9)
- Westende (message 167, page 9)
I’ll keep updating this list as the journal progresses...
(à suivre)
Madaba
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
A little sneak peek?