Results for "colline+ou+Pnyx+|+123+>+211"

Bonjour a tous!

J'aimerais savoir s'il y a une belle plage en chine que ca vaudrait vraiment le coup d'aller visiter o mois d'aout (bon climat et tt!).

Merci

Bonjour à tous !!!

Je suis à la recherche d'info sur le parc de UJUNG KULON sur Java.

Merci.

Je vais en CRETE en septembre; quelqu'un a-t-il des tuyaux pour des choese à voir hors des sentiers battus, des contacts avec les alliances françaises, etc..

merci par avance

Bonjour. Je vais faire de la rando itinérante sur la côte sud-ouest de la Crête entre Paleohora et Preveli, et je souhaiterai avoir des renseignements sur les hébergements sympas et pas chers dans ce coin si, ainsi que les possibiltés de ravitaillements. Si quelqun peut me donner des tuyaux, à vos claviers. Je vous remercie par avance de votre aide.

Bonjour C'est avec un grand plaisir que je voudrai soumettre cette préocupation au forum.

Je suis malien né d'un petit village de 600 habitants, un beau coin très fantastique, riche de culture et de diversités, bien hospitalier et dévoué pour le travail et l'entraide et la solidarité.

Pour ce petit village bien coquet, je voudrai chercher un village ou une petite ville sur tout autre continent afin de lancer les bases d'un jumellage sincère.

Ce serait un très grand plaisir pour moi de lire toute personne nourrissant des intensions similaires afin que nous conjuguions nos efforts pour concretiser nos sentiments communs.

Merci

Qui peut nous donner des adresses de restaus locaux sympas mais de bon niveau (anniversaire de mariage ...) pour séjour prévu dans 15 jours ?

Vue sur le Bosphore non obligatoire !!!😉

D'avance merci.

Bonjour, je suis à la recherche d'info sur la possibilité d'obtention d'un visa Iranien (plutôt touristique mais éventuellement transit) depuis la Turquie. Agrément ministère iranien nécessaire? Quel délai d'obtention? Depuis quelle ville de Turquie (Ankara?)?

Depuis la France, ça paraît compliqué : passage obligé par une agence de voyage, cher, long ...

Merci pour vos infos.

Qui connaît cet hôtel proposé sur Yoopi Travel (Internet) à St-François en Guadeloupe ?

Est-ce que St-François, c'est un bon plan ou y a-t-il d'autres endroits plus sympas en Guadeloupe ? Nous voulons partir à la fin du mois, tous vos conseils seront les bienvenus. Merci à tous.

Bonjour à tous!

je suis une québecoise qui pars pour longer la Côte d'Azur durant ses vacances! 3 premieres sem. de aout j'arrive à Toulouse et repartirai de Nice. et veux voir la Corse...

bref j'aimerais avoir des suggestions et endroits sympas et pas cher ou aller...

si qqun voyage qques jours par la... qui sait

Merci et a bientot :-) chantalgag@hotmail.com

pareil que pour mon post pour le benin, je vais faire un copier/coller de mon post sur la lituanie sur lonely planet, pour qu'un plus grand monde profite des infos!

En avril 2001 et 2002 je suis partis en lituanie et j'en garde un tres bon souvenir. Vilnus est une tres belle ville surtout son centre ville ( attention la nuit cela devient un quartier infame), n'oubliez pas la cathedrale gothique que Napoleon a voulu rammener en France, et qui est maintenant au patrimoine de UNESCO. Il y a la colline des croix pres de scaulai qui est une experience inoubliable avec ses 50 000 croix plantées et d'inombrable croix possées sur les autres! Trakai est a visité, c'est l'ancienne capital de l'etat, et on y visite un chateau fort sur les rives du lacs; tres jolie, mais un peu cher pour les touristes. Klaipeda est le port principal du pays et celebre pour sa dune qui fait office de frontiere entre Kaliningrad et la Lituanie. A KAunas se trouve un camps de concentration ou vous pouvez trouver des guides parlant francais qui pourront vous expliquer son histoire et ne manquez pas la rue pietonne qui par de la Basilique, dont j'ai oublié le nom! Palanga est la ville balenaire mais en Avril il n'y avait personne dans les rues et donc ville triste.(de tres nombreux km de plage)

Sachant que les gens sont assez froid a premiere vue mais des qu'on se montre un peu poli qu'on sort un peu quelques mots lituanien ils sont chaleureux et vous invite a manger et a dormir chez eux. Un bon conseil, preparez vous a boire bcp de vodka et interdiction d'en refuser car c'est un signe de politesse que d'accepter et regardez bien c'est souvent de la vodka fait maison dont 60° facile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pour partir en lituanie il n'y a pas 36 manieres: l'avion: il y a qu'un compagnie qui dessert la lituanie et c'est la compagnie lituanienne; pour 2000fr vous vous en sortez bien le train: tres peu de train en lituanie mais vous pouvez prendre le train de la gare de l'est il me semble direction varsovie par train de nuit(paris-cologne-berlin-varsovie) et puis il ya un train qui fait la liaison avec Vilnuis en voiture: De marseille compter 25heures non stop pour dormir!!!!!!!!! Au depart de paris passez par la belgique c'est plus rapide. Un bon conseil: ne jamais traverser la pologne de nuit car pirates de la route (ancien souvenir)! En bus: avec euroline il y a des liaisons Paris vilnus et Paris kaunas ( une nuit et un jour dans le bus)

Since I don’t have time to come up with an original theme, I’m suggesting a broad, international topic: religious buildings around the world. Given how vast the subject is, I’d like us to focus on photos of exteriors—wide shots or details. Interiors, which are just as varied, could be the subject of another contest.

A few of my own photos, just to give you an idea:

hi everyone, I’m planning to spend 2 days trekking in the jungle in this park in late February. My question is: is it a good time to go? Thanks

Hello everyone,

We’ve just returned from a few days in Cork with my partner, and we really wanted to share our experience with you. We loved the vibe of the city and its surroundings!

What we loved:

The highlight of our visit was definitely our guided walking tour of Cork City. We booked it through GetYourGuide with Dorren, and honestly, it was amazing. If you're looking for a guide in French, go for it—he’s the only one we found offering this service, and he does a remarkable job. He knows the city like the back of his hand and shared anecdotes we’d never have found in regular guidebooks.

We also spent ages at the English Market, a must-visit for food lovers. The atmosphere is authentic, the local products are excellent—it’s really the heart of the city.

A little stop in Cobh:

We also took the time to head down to Cobh. It’s a gorgeous town with its colorful houses climbing up the hill and its majestic cathedral overlooking the harbor. The maritime history is very present—it’s an emotional and very photogenic visit.

A few extra tips:

Must-see: St. Peter and Paul Church. It’s truly stunning, much more impressive and rich in detail than we expected.

Avoid: To be honest, we were a bit disappointed by St. Finbarr’s Cathedral. We’d heard so much about it, but inside, we felt the decor wasn’t really worth the entry fee. In my opinion, you can skip it or just admire it from the outside.

Food:

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, we tried Market Lane. It was a real favorite! The ingredients are super fresh (they often use produce from the English Market), the menu is great, and the service is top-notch. Just remember to book ahead—it’s a popular spot, and now we understand why!

In short, Cork is a perfect destination for a city break. If you have any questions about the itinerary or the tour with Dorren, don’t hesitate!

Happy travels to those planning their trip! !

Day 1 – February 14

We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...

But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.

"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?

This one-month trip, from January 18 to February 17, 2026, allowed us to visit Mexico City and travel through the states of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. We mainly used buses (ADO company) for medium and long distances and colectivos or taxis (or Uber) for shorter trips. Before leaving, I had contacted several people on the ground: Harry, a Vendéan settled in Oaxaca offering, among other things, discoveries of artisan villages or the Monte Albán site, and Oscar in Comitán de Domínguez. I’ll come back to our meeting with Oscar, who runs a local agency (CVL Travel Turismo Alternativo & Corre la voz) and owns a very pleasant hostel, a real highlight of our trip. Our journey took place in 8 stages on a loop starting from Mexico City. The connections between each were made by day or night buses depending on the trip duration. I had booked our seats in advance, either directly on the ADO company’s website or through booking platforms depending on the rates offered. Note that by planning ahead, I was able to benefit from very interesting "Early Booking" rates. There are several comfort classes. For all our trips, I had booked seats in Primera class buses, except for two in GL (Grand Luxe) class. The rates are very reasonable, and the buses turned out to be comfortable or even very comfortable (only the basic seat recline might surprise you).

Our itinerary and number of days per stage: Stage 1 – Mexico City: 4 days Stage 2 – Puebla: 2 days Stage 3 – Oaxaca: 4 days Stage 4 – San Agustinillo: 4 days Stage 5 – San Cristóbal de las Casas: 3 days Stage 6 – Comitán de Domínguez: 6 days Stage 7 – Palenque: 4 days Stage 8 – Mexico City: 2 days If I were to do it again, I’d remove one day from Palenque and add it either to Puebla or San Cristóbal to visit nearby sites or villages, or to San Agustinillo to enjoy one more day by the Pacific Ocean.

Stage 1: Mexico City (2,200 m / 9.2 million inhabitants) We arrived in the Mexican capital around 10:00 PM. The simplified customs process was very quick. After exchanging some money at the airport, we took a taxi to our youth hostel. We got around the capital on foot, of course, but also by metro. Signs are very rare, and we took the train in the wrong direction several times. After a few mistakes, we systematically asked on the platform if we were going the right way. The metro is very affordable. You need to get a rechargeable card (the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada) and top it up as needed. This card (less than 1 €) isn’t personal, so there’s no need to get one per person.

Mexico City: Day 1.



Visits and walks of the day (note: many museums are closed on Mondays): The Zócalo or Constitution Square: it’s one of the most beautiful, largest (195m x 240m), and oldest squares in the world. This is where Cortés decided to build the center of the new Spanish city on the site of the former Tenochtitlan market. Stones from the pyramids were used to pave the esplanade and build the surrounding colonial churches and buildings. During our visit, the huge square was covered with (resin) cacti, the theme of the temporary exhibition at the time. Indeed, temporary events or exhibitions take place here throughout the year. It’s also the endpoint for many protest marches.











The cathedral: it’s sinking by one centimeter per year despite massive stabilization work (the collapse of many Mexican buildings—30 cm/year—is due to groundwater pumping). It was built starting in 1571 and completed in... 1813. The modest remains of the Templo Mayor (exterior view): they have high symbolic value, as this monument was the most important in the Mexica Empire.

We then walked through the streets of the historic center to the Santísima Church, unfortunately closed for renovation work. Next, we took the metro to visit one of Mexico’s most important pilgrimage sites: the Insigne y Nacional Basílicas de Santa María de Guadalupe, as well as the Capilla del Cerrito on the hill. The first, dating from the colonial era, is really leaning a lot.



The second, shaped like a rotunda, is very impressive from the inside.



In the basement, there’s a sacred tunic where, in 1531, an image of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. A real mystery for scientists, the garment has never deteriorated since that date. Slow-moving conveyor belts allow pilgrims to admire it, preventing crowds from gathering in front of the image for hours. Well thought out!

From the top of the Capilla del Cerrito, you get beautiful views of huge Mexico City.

It’s an understatement to say that Japan is a world apart. All around me, people exclaim: "How lucky you are to be able to go there! I’ve always dreamed of visiting, of finding myself in that culture blending tradition and technology!" Yes, they’re right. Until the moment their dreams become reality and things appear as they truly are, without the filter of fantasized preconceptions. Because in the collective unconscious, Japan indeed seems like a civilization—if not neutral—at least stripped of any social maturation. As if it had emerged all at once from its canonical ages, offering only the best of its traditions, and as if those traditions were undoubtedly the foundation of its extraordinary discipline. Yet, as always, the truth is far more complex. Modern Japan is likely shaped by its millennia-old traditions. But that Japan is also the result of its own uncertainties and contradictions. I’ve always been wary. I’ve never understood why the cleaning women on the platform bow when the train arrives. At some point, too much discipline, too much deference—it makes you smile, it raises questions.

Finally, thanks to F., a dream is coming true! Not the dream of going to Japan—a country I’ve visited more than any other, except for Réunion and the UK—but the dream of completing the fastest round-the-world trip of my career. Indeed, due to the restrictions imposed by the Russians*, the plane flies over the Caucasus and China on the way there; on the return, it gracefully heads toward the Arctic after skirting the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and Greenland. So, in nearly 26 hours of flight, I complete my 6th round-the-world trip. A round-the-world trip with just one stopover. Or two, if you count our impromptu detour to Okinawa.

(* In response to Western sanctions, Russia closed its airspace to Western airlines on February 28, 2022, except for Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and Belavia. This decision adds 2 to 3 hours to flight times and, incidentally, increases operating costs.)

The empire of noise. The empire that dazzles. In Japan, the auditory and visual space is constantly fed. No respite. You have to be strong. Navigating public transport feels like playing the most advanced video game: moving between language barriers and a different organization, the hero tries to ignore the numerous visual and auditory distractions. Mostly auditory, though. Because in Japan, there’s a culture of noise that has undoubtedly inspired our national railways. Everything must be announced. So, here and there, all along the route, we find agents whose sole role is to endlessly repeat safety messages through megaphones more or less suited to the situation. The result is a constant murmur, a kind of tinnitus, a subtle but incessant buzz that fades only at bedtime and returns with a vengeance at first light, when we descend back into the supposedly sterile depths of Osaka’s subway. "To go right, please turn right, kudasaï. When descending the stairs, please mind the steps, kudasaï. To go straight, please take the left corridor, kudasaï." That *kudasaï* ("please" in Japanese), I assure you, has permanently lodged itself in my auditory cells.

Screens are no exception; the brain is constantly stimulated. But paradoxically, passengers massively retreat into their own worlds via their screens. Literally glued to their phones, earbuds firmly in place, people escape into the virtual aisles of a furniture store, a game, a movie... In the train cars, raised voices are rare. The field is clear for announcements and other jingles. Each stop is announced by a little tune unique to each station. Simply incredible.

If we usually judge a country by the welcome its inhabitants offer, in Japan, we’re left wanting. Indeed, the Lost in Translation* spirit doesn’t just apply to verbal exchanges—it applies to everything, especially non-verbal communication. In Japan, me, the slightly North African Corsican, I’m at a loss. I speak loudly, I gesture, in front of a hotel concierge just as lost. Each for our own reasons. Yes, he speaks some English, but we can’t seem to connect. It’s a losing battle trying to find a bit of compassion from a local who’s far from familiar with Western concerns. I try to buy tickets for the World Expo? I run into a systematization as rigid as it is abrupt, which the concierge can’t seem to navigate. While we might still have a shred of common sense, here in Japan, everything is digitized. Soon, no one will be surprised that a QR code becomes essential just to go to the bathroom.

(* Film by Sofia Coppola, released in 2003, which explores isolation, unease, Japanese culture, and language through the experiences of two protagonists.)

In the end, we get that ticket for the Expo. After providing personal information on yet another account created for the occasion, we buy electronic tickets—a QR code, then—to regulate the comings and goings, the souls and aspirations of all these wandering beings scattered across the globe. And it’s probably for the best... Because we’ll be tens of thousands of visitors—100,000 to 150,000 per day—walking the aisles of this enormous improvised amusement park, a kind of delirious superstructure surrounded by the Grand Ring, the largest wooden construction in the world. Inside the park, the pavilions, flagship vessels of their respective countries, compete in ingenuity, proportionate to their GDP, to attract visitors. But you have to wait up to two hours to visit the most popular ones! Fortunately, about a hundred countries can be explored without waiting in shared, more spacious areas. What will I remember from this adventure? The beauty of that wooden structure, despite any environmental or financial considerations—200M € for barely renewable elements; a certain poetry, even magic, in the expression of this event—conversing with Juliette Petit, the splendid representative of Vanuatu, had something indescribable; a close-up experience of Japanese discipline when it came time to return to the subway after that epic evening—thousands upon thousands of people converging at the same time toward a single place without any interruption in the flow.

But my real passion is the countryside. So, I’ll especially remember that brief escape, on the very first day, to the Mino-o waterfall, where the journey itself was already enchanting. Quickly leaving the underground lines, our train speeds through the city’s endless expanse and drops us at the foot of a hill, the abrupt edge of the urban sprawl. The slope was too steep to build anything? We leave behind an impressive hotel, a capitalist eyesore defying the laws of elevation to tackle the climb toward the waterfall. A bucolic walk where the stroller can choose between a paved path or more epic trails. Here and there, stalls, temples, everywhere, a certain serenity. The city’s pulse gives way to a magnificent spectacle magnified by giant sequoias. From the depths of a ravine, we try to glimpse the sky beyond the foliage. Everything is oversized. Here, you can breathe.

***

In reality, Japan has never undertaken any real work of memory. Aside from a few feeble gestures to appease Washington in its choice of Asian partners, one wonders if the Japanese have ever truly grasped the horror they were forced to participate in. While our Judeo-Christian society has more or less assimilated the notions of forgiveness and self-questioning, where does Japanese society stand, juggling a millennia-old Zen philosophy and the unabashed Machiavellianism of an emperor utterly possessed? Is it just me, or does there float in the atmosphere a kind of unease, a malaise, an awkward relationship with reality? For me, bowing to a train as it enters the station is just the result of a poorly directed moral dilemma...

Ah, how distant is the time of sakoku, that closure of the country—both concrete and ideological—that was in vogue for two centuries. Because if no one could enter, no one could leave either! A boon for neighboring countries. But from 1854, following the skirmishes of Commodore Matthew Perry, who demanded Japan’s participation in trade, the country suddenly became aware of the disparities separating it from the West. Bring Japan up to the level of other nations? Industrialization, competition, search for raw materials... Hirohito (1901–1989) emerges on the scene, a bit expansionist and willing to stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Above all, he knew how to use, in his own way, the incredible capacity for self-sacrifice of his people...

We protest, we condemn, we all rally behind an acceptable discourse when it comes to discussing the use of the atomic bomb. Yet, we forget one essential thing: Hiroshima wasn’t enough to make Hirohito yield. While we’re bombarded with anti-fascist elements, as if the sole purpose of school curricula were to prevent us from voting for the National Rally, we completely overlook those events of rare cruelty that took place on the other side of the globe at a time contemporary with Nazi atrocities. Why? Because it was farther away, on the other side of the world? Because we must both condemn the use of nuclear weapons and Nazism? What a dangerous game. Killing civilians is beyond comprehension, everyone agrees on that. But hasn’t Japan ever been guilty of such atrocities? Our empathy is legitimate; it won’t, however, remove from my mind the idea that there was no other solution. Nagasaki is the most telling proof of that.

At least in France, in school textbooks, Hitler will have completely overshadowed the existence of people crueler and more abject than him. Certainly, Adolf was a deeply disturbed man whom events propelled to power. But I’m justified in believing that his approach was probably more humane than that of Joseph Stalin at the height of his art*. And if Hirohito followed the same line as Hitler, in the sense that he represented the superior race, he would apply with conviction what was Stalin’s credo: contempt for his own people when sending them to slaughter, and an even fiercer contempt for the human race when it didn’t have the good fortune to be Japanese. Just look at how China was invaded and by what means millions of Chinese were annihilated, burned, deported, buried alive! Operation Scorched Earth or Three Alls Policy for kill all, burn all, loot all? No comment. Even today, the Japanese are convinced they waged a patriotic war, when clearly, that war served only vague ideological (and certainly economic) interests.

(* "In many ways, Hitler’s National Socialism was far more humane than Communism: it wasn’t unthinkable to speak to the SS or the Gestapo, and dissuading them from sending you to a prison camp wasn’t utopian. To some extent (compared to the Communists), you could still expect a semblance of justice. All those who lived under Hitler and under Communism will tell you: as the front lines shifted, they always managed to end up in Germany, where, though it was a strange place ruled by a madman, life went on. Under Communism, there was no life; totalitarianism was absolute. Probably, Hitler’s conservatism prevented him from fully imitating Bolshevism." Seraphim Rose in The Revolutions of the 19th and 20th Centuries (circa 1970))

In Naha, we visit two strategic sites: the Imperial Navy headquarters and Maeda Escarpment, in Urasoe, better known as Hacksaw Ridge. I love this confrontation with history. In the hand-dug tunnels of the headquarters, we meet Japanese people seeking information. They’re not responsible for this tragedy. Neither are we. I would have liked to tell them that, to hug them, to move on. To finally believe in those peace messages displayed here and there. Yes, it’s curious to read those calls for peace* when no real work of memory** has been undertaken. Two civilizations, two perspectives, a profound misunderstanding. When I analyze the waste of that war—and particularly the waste of those Pacific battles—like Peleliu in autumn 1944 and Okinawa in spring 1945—I can’t bring myself to share in the pathological patriotism that reigns within these walls. There, the room where the last message of Admiral Minoru Ōta was transmitted in Morse, praising the merits of the archipelago’s people. A tangled mix that, yes, is charged with positive emotions but, no, won’t remove from my mind the idea that this people was completely conditioned, completely disconnected from reality. Allying with the Axis powers? Invading the South Pacific? And finding that noble! Everyone sees things through their own lens.

(* Peace Declaration by Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa, June 2020. ** "Recognizing the atrocities committed by one’s country requires a mix of democratic culture and self-confidence that is more the exception than the rule." Dominique Moïsi in Les Échos, April 30, 2015)

Okinawa. 200,000 dead. Stemming from bushido, the way of the warrior, this conditioning reached its peak with the kamikaze philosophy in particular and suicide in general. So, schematically, here’s how things went: as the island was encircled—Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa—and all hope was lost, the order was given to kill ten American soldiers before taking one’s own life. The deceit of this system, where surrender is synonymous with dishonor, involves creating tunnels and secret pockets where Japanese soldiers hide and from which they emerge. Long before the atomic bomb, the knell of their war had sounded. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are just the result of human pride, of which Hirohito’s reign is the finest example. Why was this henchman of Satan left in place until his death? I don’t understand. While the humiliation inflicted on Germany repeatedly was abject, especially for its people, the absence of any real and pressing accountability for Hirohito in this large-scale carnage he instigated leaves room for the wildest interpretations. As if to underscore my point, Emperor Naruhito visited Okinawa the same day we did, paying his respects to the inhabitants who fell in battle. I looked at the faces in the monorail serving the south of the island. There were elderly people who undoubtedly lost their parents eighty years ago. To what extent can they blame this tragedy on the delusional visions of their leaders?

On Maeda Escarpment, I salute the courage of Desmond Doss, that conscientious objector who fought to serve his country while refusing to ever carry a weapon. There, at the top of a steep ridge, you can see to the north the Allies’ advance, while to the south, the slope is gentler down to Shuri, in front of the headquarters. The underground is a Swiss cheese filled with enemies. Desmond works as a medic. He manages to save 75 wounded from certain death by evacuating them at night from the battlefield using makeshift ropes. Back in Osaka, far from the somewhat dilapidated tropical islands, I rediscover the splendor and grandeur of Japan’s second-largest city. To tell the truth, and this applies to Okinawa too, the density is so insane on this archipelago that you sometimes wonder if it’s not just one giant city spread across the vast territory. Because between Tokyo and Osaka, while there are some mountains and forests, it’s the city that dominates; during rush hour, a rapid train connects the two cities every five minutes. We get lost in rather quiet alleys parallel to the main streets, only to find ourselves in the covered and lively galleries of Dōtonbori. We’re looking for a place to eat—above all, we’re trying to navigate the unlimited options stretching endlessly along the sidewalks. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. And while I introduce F. to a part of history that our Western societies have quickly forgotten, he initiates me into Japanese gastronomy despite my well-known aversion to Asian food. But nothing beats having a master in the field! We feast on okonomiyaki, Japanese pancakes expertly prepared and served on a teppan embedded in our table.

Night falls on Japan, and I still haven’t found the answer. Like in Singapore, one can praise the calm and serenity of human relationships, the delicacy that may just be hypocrisy, the politeness, the discipline. But above all, we notice that in the absence of freedom, in the absence of madness, poetry struggles to take root, boredom looms, as does real madness. Bushido still exists, honor is there and must be preserved. But the youth drowns in electronics and in willingly sterile cults (otaku), unable to discern what’s essential, failing to believe in their dreams. You have to succeed? Young people commit suicide because of school bullying, the slightly older ones because of work-related difficulties or marital problems. Nothing exceptional, we might say—average*—but you’d expect better from a country so well-organized, a country that makes so many Westerners dream. Yes, night falls on Japan. Empire of noise, empire of the senses, a very strange land where you find clean toilets in subway corridors but where the very meaning of life seems stifled by the mirages of technology. Above all, a civilization deprived of a penance that would prove salutary. We’re caught between two waters. Those of a shallow modernity without depth or anchor; those of a past that was majestic but irreparably tainted by the demonic madness of an overly adored emperor.

How can one fully thrive when guilt has no outlet?

(* France and Japan share a common statistic of 17 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, which, depending on density, means 30 per day in France and 70 in Japan...)

I'm starting a new travel journal in Italy. It's about a month-long trip (from September 3, 2025, to October 4, 2025), or rather a part of it. This section matches the title: an opera festival in Verona (one evening) and the Dolomites in the Veneto region. I'm posting the part of the trip I think will interest French-speaking readers the most (since this is where I saw the most French travelers). Here’s a quick summary: - Trip in September 2025 - Solo travel with camping (caravan) - Small geographic area: besides Verona, the surroundings of the Marmolada massif and Cortina d'Ampezzo. - Main but not exclusive activity: hiking.

Since I have limited internet access where I am now, I’ll be writing slowly. Here we go!

Day 1: Thursday, September 4, 2025

I arrived in Veneto under the sun and with warm weather. I drove to Verona and tried to find a spot at the campsite (Verona Village) located south of the city. Unfortunately, it was full. Booking on the website was mandatory, but when I tried to reserve a few days ago, the site never moved from the "reservation" step to the "payment" step (I don’t know why—it’s always like that in these cases). I found another solution over the phone; the drive from southern Verona to the northeast was a bit long, but I finally settled at the "Oro Verde" campsite. It’s an "agricampeggio" (farm camping or rural campsite) on the outskirts of the city, and its name (green gold) suggests they produce olives there. Since it wasn’t late, I biked to the Adige River, following the recommended route into the city.

Hi everyone,

It’s been a while since I last posted... so I’m jumping back in with this amazing trip we took in October 2025:

We’re doing this trip with fellow traveler friends who, like us, have already been to Japan. That means we can aim for a different side of Japan, away from the usual tourist circuits. That’s why I opted to rent a car instead of relying on trains. I was drawn to the castles and the samurai-novel atmosphere.

When I plotted the sites I wanted to visit on Google Maps, it suggested a return route via the island of Shikoku, so it turned into a nice loop around the Seto Inland Sea between Kyushu, Chugoku, and Shikoku.

The trip will be just the four of us, doing it all independently. I rented a car from Budget in Fukuoka. Before heading over, I watched several videos to get an idea of what to expect—road signs, parking, and general driving behavior. In Japan, they drive on the left, but that’s not an issue since in Southern Africa we also drive on the “wrong side of the road,” so I’m used to it. For accommodations, after checking with two agencies, I decided to handle it myself. It saved a significant amount of money, and I was able to choose exactly what I wanted. I know I can be picky about the type of lodging I want, especially in Japan where you can really treat yourself. We stayed in some stunning ryokans, once in little cabins run by monks next to a temple, and more.

Here’s the route: Fukuoka - Hagi - Miyajima - Matsue - Okayama - Kurashiki - Matsuyama - Yufuin - Kurokawa - Kumamoto - Fukuoka

Here we gooo...

Hi everyone, We’re just back from a month-long trip to Morocco in our camper van. After crossing France (we left from the Nantes area) and Spain, we arrived in Algeciras where we bought our boat tickets to Tangier. When we got to Tangier, as we were going through customs, you can imagine our surprise when the customs officer took our road map of Morocco and pointed out the label "Western Sahara" (just like in the forum’s destination section, by the way!). He wanted it to say "Moroccan Sahara" instead!!! But there was nothing we could do—it was an old map... He wouldn’t listen, and after long discussions with the other (younger) customs officers, he finally gave it back and let us through... Unbelievable! Later, we heard that other travelers had their maps confiscated outright. So, hide it well if you want to keep yours!!!

Anyway, we skirted around Tangier’s suburbs—pretty grim—and finally arrived in Asilah.

Following the coast and the long promenade along the beach, we reached the campsite. It was a bit crowded, not much shade, but it wasn’t far from the medina or the beach, and it wasn’t expensive. There’s some life here: Moroccan families seem to live on-site, in tents or basic bungalows. A woman was cooking tagine on a brazier—we were right in the atmosphere! The night was quiet, and we slept well. We set off on foot, walking along the seafront to the medina... We’d already been here in 2009. It was less touristy back then! Still, at this early hour, the little streets inside were very quiet. The walls had been freshly whitewashed, and there were even more murals than before. Around 11:30 AM, we strolled along the ramparts by the sea. There was a nice breeze! And a lot more people around. We enjoyed a milkshake on the terrace of a café overlooking the beach that stretches out at the foot of the medina. Some young guys were having fun diving off the rocks—and even off the top of the wall!

Hey there, VF crew!

After wrapping up our travel journal on Java (link below), we’re now diving into our recent adventure in Puglia! Happy reading... Off we go on an adventure in Java (and a bit of Bali) | Travel journal > Indonesia | Voyage Forum

Day 1 - October 19

When you tell your friends and family you’re itching to escape to the other side of the planet to mingle with the Mongols, you can usually expect a barrage of questionable jokes and terrible puns. For this new adventure, it’s a different destination but the same old story—this time, we’re visiting the "pouilleux" (the "scruffy" ones). We’re taking off straight for Puglia! If you need a cheat sheet to remember where this oddly named place is on a world map, just think of it this way: Puglia is the maiden name on the ID card of the heel of the Italian boot! Personally, I prefer to remember it as the land of creamy burrata, the smell of focaccia fresh from the oven, orecchiette shaped by mamas, golden olive oil that shines like the sun (which beams down here 300 days a year), amaretto that makes you happy, and those famous trulli—those little hobbit-like dry-stone houses straight out of a movie set...

But I’ll stop spoiling the rest of our trip and focus on a factual rundown of this first Puglian day. So, are you joining us on this new adventure beyond our Gallic borders? Either way, Sasha (my youngest) and Luna (Flo’s daughter) didn’t need much convincing to stick with us and keep up the pace!

Our plane drops our little crew in Bari, the site of a famously tragic battle lost in 1991. But revenge is sweet! After renting a motorized carriage, we escape the landing zone and head to our military base of operations: Ostuni, a strategic little town where we’ll set up camp for the next four days. Why Ostuni? First, for its central location, which lets us explore a region packed with must-see gems. Second, for its vibe and beauty, which have earned it quite the reputation. Perched high on a hill, the *città bianca* (the "White City") lives up to its nickname. It literally dazzles visitors. The reason? The whitewashed facades of its houses, a testament to the region’s rich architectural heritage.





We arrived late last night, so only the two bravest soldiers volunteered to scout ahead at dawn, while the younger recruits stayed behind—for now. But not for long! After the first wave of streets and the next round of exploration, headquarters made the inevitable call to retreat. Reinforcements were needed! A few strategic errands, a breakfast ration, and our battalion marched in tight formation, flag held high, to conquer Ostuni the White! *Charge!* In my squadron leader’s memoirs, I’ll write that I didn’t expect Ostuni to put up such a fight. What I thought would take two hours to conquer turned into a humbling experience—we could only bow in respect to its beauty, its relentless charm. The alleys are whiter, more labyrinthine, narrower, and more photogenic than the last. *Veni, vidi, vici*—but what an entrance, my troops!

Hi everyone, I’m planning a trip to Quebec at the end of June/beginning of July 2026 for 20 days. We’re a family of 4, with two kids aged 7 and 4 at that time. I’ve already started drafting our itinerary but I’m open to all suggestions and ideas. We plan to land in Montreal and stay a few days to recover from the trip. Here’s my first draft of the itinerary: -Day 1 to 4: Exploring Montreal: -Day 5: Sucrerie de la Montagne in Rigaud. -Day 6/7: Parc Omega (staying in Pods) -Day 8-10: Saint-Alexis-des-Monts (staying at Pourvoirie du Lac Blanc) -Day 9/10: Heading toward Lac Saint-Jean: I’m still looking for accommodation halfway to La Tuque. I’ve noticed Pourvoirie du Triton or Domaine Le Bostonnais. -Day 10/11: Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien: I’m also looking for accommodation near the lake for this stop + visiting Village historique de Val-Jalbert? -Day 12-13-14: Stop in Sacré-Cœur at Ferme 5 Étoiles. (I also saw the Canopée Lit accommodations in the area—something to consider). -Day 15-16: Tadoussac: Whale-watching excursion. Should we do it by Zodiac given my kids’ ages? I’m also looking for accommodation in the area (Hotel Tadoussac is out of budget). On the way back from Tadoussac to Quebec City, I’m considering an intermediate stop if there’s a spot worth the detour (Malbaie??). -Day 17-18-19: Exploring Quebec City (Montmorency Falls / Old Town / Wendake). -Day 20-21: Return to Montreal and flight home. I’d love recommendations for activities for young kids along this route. Thanks

Hello everyone! Photo taken at the end of August off the coast of Tasiilaq (eastern Greenland). This is that kind of halo surrounding the top of this iceberg (it’s the only one I saw like this out of thousands). It’s apparently a light diffraction effect combined with moisture freezing above the iceberg. Estimated height of the iceberg: 30 m. Have a great day!

So, my flight tickets have just been booked for a trip to Cambodia from November 4th to 27th, 2025. I’ll be traveling solo and want to explore this amazing country while getting a bit off the beaten path. I’m arriving in Phnom Penh and also departing from Phnom Penh. My goal is to travel as much as possible by bus and scooter. What itinerary would you recommend? What are the must-do things? I’m open to all tips and info. Thanks in advance for your help and responses.

Hi there,

I’m spending 2 days in Athens in July with my two daughters, aged 10 and 13, during our Greek trip. I’ve seen there’s a multi-day pass for all the major sites in Athens. Is it worth it? I’d love to know if there are any must-see spots (we’ll obviously do the Acropolis, even if it seems like a hassle) and any places to avoid?

I’m also visiting Meteora for 1 to 2 days... which monasteries and caves should we prioritize?

Finally, a few days on Sifnos and Serifos. Should I book a car in advance, or is it easy and quick to rent one when we arrive by ferry?

Thanks for your tips! 😎

Hi there,

I’m in the middle of planning our trip to Croatia. We’re arriving in early September for a week in Split and leaving from Split as well. We’re a couple with a 20-month-old little girl. We’re renting a car directly at the airport, which I still need to book (I have a GOLD debit card). I hope that won’t be an issue because, logically, with this card, I shouldn’t need to take out extra insurance from the rental company. If you have any recommendations on that, I’d love to hear them.

As for the itinerary I’m planning, I’ve already ruled out Plitvice and Zadar because we don’t want to spend too much time on the road—this is a vacation, after all—and some travelers told me Zadar can be seen quickly and isn’t worth the long drive. For the nights, someone already suggested we spend the last two in Trogir to consolidate.

I particularly love beautiful towns, historic centers, ports, taking photos, shopping, beaches, and seeing stunning places. We’re not big on museums, and hiking with a little one makes long or steep hikes tricky, especially with the heat we might encounter.

Here’s the initial plan I’ve come up with:

Day 1:

Activities: Arrive in Split in the morning, pick up the car, explore the historic center, Marjan Hill... Klis Fortress, and see what else we can add before evening. Night: Initially planned near Plitvice (2 min away).

Day 2:

Activities: Day at Plitvice—check out Entrance 1 or 2 with the baby. Night: Lozovac (2 min from Krka, 16 min from Šibenik, and 1 hour from Zadar).

Day 3: Activities: Zadar and Šibenik. Night: Lozovac (2 min from Krka, 16 min from Šibenik, and 1 hour from Zadar).

Day 4: Activities: Krka National Park (someone recommended going after 4 PM and seeing the "circular" waterfalls) + Primošten. Night: Lozovac (2 min from Krka, 16 min from Šibenik, and 1 hour from Zadar).

Day 5: Activities: Hvar (exploring the island). Night: Jelsa.

Day 6: Activities: Omiš + Starigrad Fortress. Night: Omiš.

Day 7: Activities: Trogir city center, Čiovo Island. Night: Trogir.

I haven’t updated the plan yet because I’m still looking for the best way to optimize it. Someone suggested Makarska and Brač as alternatives to Plitvice.

Given that I’m already planning to visit Hvar with an overnight stay, is it worth adding Brač? If so, maybe taking the ferry without the car—would we still be able to enjoy the day without being too limited? Did I forget anything essential? Thanks in advance—I know answering all these questions can be repetitive, but it’ll save me so much time and help optimize our vacation. I also like to take my time and enjoy being there rather than stressing over preparations, which is why I’m planning just enough. What’s most important to me is optimizing the route and staying in places that let us explore easily. I think we’ll come back another time to enjoy Dubrovnik, which we didn’t include in this itinerary because it’s over two hours away with a border crossing.

What I really want to see: Trogir, Split, Krka, Hvar…

Hello everyone,

I’m starting a travel journal about the amazing round trip I took in August 2022 with a big circuit through the US West.

Here’s what I posted on another travel forum back when VoyageForum hadn’t yet regained its freedom. 😉

Hello!

We got back yesterday in the middle of the afternoon, and here’s a quick first take on the 2022 round trip.

Has America changed? You could say that, yeah. For better? For worse? Who knows. A massive circuit—nearly 8,000 kilometers, actually around 5,000–6,000 miles.

Round-trip flights went smoothly, except for Air France on the way back, which let a rather large dog in the cabin with an owner who let it roam around the plane. Cool, Air France... Outrageous!

The rough itinerary: Salt Lake City. Jackson Hole–Grand Teton. Yellowstone. Cody. Rock Springs. Moab–Arches–Canyonlands. Monument Valley. Grand Canyon. Bryce Canyon. Zion Park. Las Vegas. Death Valley. Mammoth Lakes. Tioga Road. Mariposa. Yosemite Valley. San Francisco.

Tourists on site—a sociological study:

Italians: Always nice but just as loud as ever! Hispanics: Same as the Italians, just a different language. Germans: *Ein, zwei, ach mein Gott!* Order and discipline! Americans: Still no manners whatsoever. Pathetic. I’m only talking about the tourists, not the locals who work there. Quebecers: Pure joy! English-speaking Canadians: Same as the Americans. Asians: For the Japanese, it’s perfect. But the others from the Middle Kingdom... Let’s not start a war over this. There’s already Ukraine going on. And yet... Israelis: Still no manners. The Kibbutz kids are the bane of this country. French: Some excellent, some very good, some good, and some... not much.

Note that tourists in the northern part of the trip were much better behaved than those in the south. "Hello," "Goodbye," offering a hand? Etc. Few Asians in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Lots of locals. The same goes for hotel staff in the northern part—more attentive. Really cool!

On the other hand, we were pretty surprised not to encounter any African-American locals in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, or even Arizona—whether tourists or employees. It’s quite striking, to be honest.

The Hotels:

Holiday Inn - 206 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, United States. A modern but soulless hotel. Basically, a place to pass through. Minimal breakfast.

Miller Park Lodge - 155 North Jackson Street - Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Not a hotel but a luxury motel. 750 € for two nights!! No breakfast. Huge room where you could hold a tea dance!! Well-located. No staff. Only room of the month-long stay that was fully redone during those two days.

Best Western Weston Inn. 103 Gibbon Avenue, West Yellowstone, MT 59758 Well-located, not far from the park entrance. Minimal breakfast. Friendly staff. Room refreshed every two days.

Best Western Sunset Inn. 1601 8th St, Cody, 82414-4134 Very good. Quiet. Good breakfast. Friendly staff.

Baymont by Wyndham 2717 Dewar Drive, Rock Springs, WY 82901 Very good. Quiet. Good breakfast. Friendly staff. Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene!

Wingate by Wyndham Moab. 126 South Highway 191, Moab, 84532 End of the "family" hotels. Start of the tourist hotels. Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene! Minimal breakfast.

Hampton Inn Kayenta. US Highway 160, Kayenta, AZ 86033, United States A stopover hotel run by the Navajos. Friendly staff wearing masks. Lots of people. Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene! Minimal breakfast.

La Quinta by Wyndham Williams. 1100 Cataract Lake Rd, Williams, AZ 86046, United States Finally, Route 66 for 500 meters! The staff is there. Nothing more. Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene! Minimal breakfast.

BEST WESTERN PLUS Ruby's Inn. 26 South Main Street, Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764, United States A factory!!! Great Hispanic or Romanian staff! A liquor store in the hotel! Awesome! Very good breakfast, but go early because the crowd—and the jerks—are there! Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene!

BEST WESTERN Casino Royale - 3411 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Strip, Las Vegas Good hotel at a reasonable price. No breakfast, but Denny’s is next door. Quiet hotel despite the casino. Friendly staff. No memory of seeing any pets!

Shilo Inn Mammoth Lake. 2963 Main Street, Mammoth Lake Disastrous! Ineffective security system. Fire doors propped open with wooden wedges. Tiny breakfast room. No staff in the room. Tables not cleaned. Minimal breakfast. Gross pool. Rooms need work. No, the whole hotel needs to be redone. They say they’re renovating. They’d be better off tearing it down. Too many pets that should be "not allowed." Hello, hygiene! Very bad memory. Apparently, there’s supposed to be staff in this hotel.

Quality Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway. 4994 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338 Hotel or motel? Booking should clean up its listings! No room refresh! Minimal breakfast. The staff is there. Nothing more.

Comfort Inn by the Bay. 775 Van Ness Avenue, Marina District, San Francisco No room refresh in four days! Minimal breakfast. Friendly and helpful staff. Well-located. Depends on what for, but well-located.

And then there are those who steal apples from the breakfast to put in their bags in the morning, those who fill up their famous US water bottles with orange juice from the breakfast pump, those who don’t clear their tables—I could go on. And also, those who don’t say hello or respond to a greeting!

Met some super nice French people (in the northern parks)! They’ll recognize themselves!

And the magic phrase that opens doors with Americans: "Do you speak French? OK, good!" Laughter guaranteed!

Don’t try that with Asians who run souvenir shops in big cities—they have no sense of humor unless it’s about the color of the green bill.

The park rangers are always available! Great!

And 5,000 photos to sort and organize, plus a few hours of dashcam videos!

See you soon.

Until the next update...

And off we go again for what’s certainly our last trip to the American West... After the disaster of September 2022, the diabetes flare-up, and the pulmonary embolism, we’re spending ten days in the spots we missed and some unlikely places. After flying over Scotland, still English,

Greenland, still Danish,



And Lake Huron, still half Canadian,

We land early in Detroit... a nightmare of an airport. A long, dreadful baggage check process, but we still make it to gate A10 just in the nick of time—only for disaster to strike! My passport has my first and last name, my boarding pass has my first and last name, BUT not on Delta’s computer—so we’re denied boarding! We head to the Air France-Delta-KLM desk, where an employee listens to us sympathetically. He books us two seats on an 8:30 AM flight to SF... Then passes us off to two colleagues who offer us a night in a hotel... and send a message to the baggage service to keep our checked luggage safe... In the end, we go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, but since we’ll still get some sleep on the plane, we might be able to look back on this whole mess with a smile... well, we hope so, anyway. 10:17 PM in Detroit—time to sleep. Our clean clothes and toiletries are in the plane. We’ll bounce back!!;

February 2025: A new fully paved road (just a few kilometers missing near Tisguine n'Aït M'Rao) from Alemdoun to the Dadès. Gorgeous pass.