It’s that time of the year again, when the thermometer hanging outside my window shows a lower reading than the display on my freezer. When I first moved to the Netherlands more than 20 years ago, one of the first things that caught my attention was the Dutch people’s preoccupation with ice. As soon as [...]
A guided tour of Westminster Abbey
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Westminster Abbey is one of the London landmarks that I always think takes an entire day to itself. I know some people ‘do’ it in an hour and a bit, but it is the sort of place that richly repays a more leisurely, lingering visit. And there’s far more [...]
Unravelling the mysteries of theatrical Covent Garden
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Covent Garden wasn’t quite in at the start of London’s theatrical tradition – Shakespeare’s Globe for instance was south of the river and other early playhouses clustered in the East End – but it’s been the centre of London’s theatreland since the time of Charles II. Nell Gwyn acted [...]
A warm welcome in Amman
“Good evening Mr. Jenkins, would you like to see our drinks menu?”. I looked up at the waiter with an expression of pure amazement. I’d checked into the Four Seasons Amman twenty minutes earlier and decided to head to the bar for a night cap. How did he know my name? I was seriously impressed. [...]
Explore the temples of London
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Sometimes you know when you step into a place that it is holy. You feel the weight of the years, the atmosphere charged with silence and veneration; the air seems colder and thinner than in the street outside and there’s a sense of something invisible being there. I never [...]
Five alternative things to do in Berlin
Berlin, the capital of Germany, is arguably one of the most intriguing cities in the world. The city played a prominent geopolitical role in the first half of the 20th century before being completely destroyed and divided into two. It then staged a remarkable comeback after the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall in 1989 [...]
Culinary Journey: sushi and sashimi in Vancouver
What: sushi and sashimi Where: Miko Sushi. 1335, Robson St., Vancouver Notes: If you love sushi and especially sashimi (raw slices of tuna or salmon), you have to check out Miko Sushi in downtown Vancouver. I’ve been to many sushi bars in Vancouver (in my book, one of the best places for Japanese food outside [...]
Things to do on transit at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
The man sitting next to me on the plane looked a bit flustered. We were about to land at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol after an eight hour flight from Vancouver and aside from the polite “hello” when I settled in my seat, we didn’t speak a word to each other throughout the flight. He turned to [...]
My velvet escape travel tip: Antigua, Guatemala
My velvet escape travel tip” is a guest series about what the name ‘Velvet Escape’ evokes and what that would be in the hometown or favourite place of the guest writer. With this series, I hope to uncover travel tips from places around the world to help visitors have a truly local experience. Today’s [...]
High wine at The Dylan Amsterdam
Afternoon tea is a centuries-old English tradition of late-afternoon indulgence: a cup of freshly-brewed tea accompanied by a selection of pastries and bite-sized sandwiches. This quintessential English tradition was introduced in many of the ex-British colonies, including Malaysia, where I grew up, where it became commonly known as high tea. It was something I [...]
About Keith Jenkins
I'm Keith Jenkins. In July 2008, I left my ten-year banking career to travel around the world. I've not looked back since.
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