The Himba are a semi-nomadic tribe whose existence centres on herding and breeding sheep, cattle and goats. The women are known for covering their bodies with otjize, a mixture of butter fat and ochre which gives their skin and plaited hair a reddish tinge. Traditionally both men and women go topless and wear skirts or loincloths made of animal skins.
Lesotho is called the “Kingdom of the Sky”. The Sani Pass is a gravel track connecting South Africa with the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Rising 1332 metres to an altitude of 2876m in just 9 kilometres it has 1:3 gradients and numerous tight hairpins. It’s the most dramatic 4×4 drive in South Africa.
Taquile is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 45 km offshore from the city of Puno. About 2,200 people live on the island, which is 5.5 by 1.6 kilometres in size, with an area of 5.72 km². The highest point of the island is 4,050 metres above sea level and the main village is at 3,950 metres. The community of “Knitting Men”, people of Taquile Island are living the lifestyle they’ve preserved for centuries. When a man wants to marry a woman, he needs to prove his worth by drinking water out of his knitted hat. If the hat is knitted so tightly that the water doesn’t drip, he has successfully proved his abilities.
Lake Titicaca, straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia in the Andes Mountains, is one of South America's largest lakes and the world’s highest navigable body of water. Said to be the birthplace of the Incas, it’s home to numerous ruins. Its waters are famously still and brightly reflective. Around it is Titicaca National Reserve, sheltering rare aquatic wildlife such as giant frogs. The Uros islands are a group of 70 man-made totora reed islands floating on Peru's Lake Titicaca. Its inhabitants, the Uros tribe, pre-date Incan civilization and continue to hunt and fish the plentiful land and waters they occupy. Amantani is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca and is the highest island in the world at 4,115m on Pachatata. According to a 1988 census, it had a population of 3,663 Quechua speakers divided among about 800 families. The island is circular and about 9.28 km² in size.
The Atlas mountains run from south-west to northeast of Morocco and the landscape includes beaches, desert, mountains, lakes and forests. Marrakech, the Red City.... a place where Europe, Africa and the Middle East merge....this centuries old trading hub has an eclectic atmosphere - from snake charmers to food touts to henna tattoos - it is intoxicating!
Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It’s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district.
In the mid-1800s, people started eating crayfish as they are eaten today. The crayfish feast or crayfish supper in the month of August spread through the middle classes. In the 1900s, crayfish became a national delicacy and people in all sectors of society began celebrating the occasion. What to serve? Bowls of crayfish, VästerbottenCheese tart, some nice salads (beetroot salad and potato salad are good choices). Crusty bread and crispbread on the side – with more cheese (Västerbotten is the traditional choice) on the side.... and Schnapps!Malmö is a coastal city in southern Sweden. It lies at the eastern end of the striking Öresund Bridge, a long road and railway bridge–tunnel running to Copenhagen, Denmark. In the city center, Lilla Torg is a cobblestone square with cafes, half-timbered houses and shops selling local handicrafts. Malmö Castle, a 16th-century fortress built by King Christian III of Denmark, houses nature, history and art exhibits.The Foteviken Museum is an archaeological open-air museum on the Höllviken peninsula in southern Skåne, Sweden.
Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views.
