A visit to les Machines de l’île is a great starting point in Nantes. Genuinely fun, it’s also an insight into what makes the city special. An Excursion to Look Forward To In my last post, I wrote abo...

Once a major port for transatlantic trade, Nantes is one of many cities reinventing itself as traditional industries and ways of living have declined. In barely 24 hours we saw history, art, and fanta...

A masterful storytelling performance as Dov Citron takes on George Orwell’s classic in Animal Farm: As Witnessed by Moses the Raven. Animal Farm: As Witnessed by Moses the Raven “I’m exhausted”, said ...

My very final stop in Egypt is Luxor Museum. An opportunity to review some of the things I’ve learned during my travels and see some highlights in a purpose-built, well-displayed museum setting. What ...

A sunset visit to Luxor Temple marked a spectacular final point on our tour of Egypt. Wow, What a Way to Finish (Almost) Thank you to my readers for following my tour of Egypt. In May of this year (20...

One of the biggest religious complexes in the world, Karnak Temple is spectacular by day or night. A Visit to Karnak In my last post, I began to share with you the activities the Urban Geographer and ...

You could easily spend a week at the Valley of the Kings to see everything. But getting a taste of it, and the surrounding monuments, in a morning, is still a very special experience. Another Childhoo...

Silver linings abound, as a weekend in Paris means I miss some of Open House London, but get to experience les Journées européennes du patrimoine instead! The Unexpected Pleasure of les Journées Europ...

Tailwind Physical Theatre get into all the messy corners of the mind in the aftermath of losing a loved one in G R I E F C A S E at the Hope Theatre. G R I E F C A S E When a loved one dies, and parti...

Perhaps my favourite temple during my trip to Egypt, the well-preserved colours of the Temple of Khnum at Esna make it a magical place. A Final Stop on our Nile Cruise Esna was the final stop we made ...

The first archaeological stop of our Nile cruise is at Kom Ombo, location of an unusual temple with a dual dedication, a crocodile museum, and a depiction of the mysterious Imhotep. A Visit to Kom Omb...

A boat trip from Aswan to Luxor was a highlight of our trip to Egypt. In this post I’ll cover the different options for Nile cruises, as well as what to expect on and off the water. Cruising on the Ni...

An early morning trip to the Philae Temple complex near Aswan is a real treat, from the first boat ride to the last known Ancient Egyptian heiroglyph. A Journey to Philae In my last post, I described ...

As part of our Egyptian adventure we travel all the way South to Abu Simbel, home to the temples famously rescued from Lake Nasser. A Mammoth Excursion – Would It Be Worth It? So far in Egypt, I’ve po...

A smaller batch of Open House visits than usual is a good opportunity to focus on spaces closer to home. Open House London 2026 In hindsight, I don’t think I’ll ever have another Open House haul like ...

Darren Raymond translates Molière’s theatrical classic to modern-day London and a Nigerian-Jamaican family in Tartuffe (Remixed). Tartuffe (Remixed) I’ve had the privilege of seeing Darren Raymond’s w...

The gig economy is under investigaton in Max Wilkinson’s new play Night City, on now at the Southwark Playhouse Borough. Night City The gig economy. Freedom! Flexibility! Be your own boss! But also: E...

The Tate exhibition Frida: The Making of an Icon examines how Frida Kahlo came to be such a phenomenon, looking at her art and image in the context of her contemporaries, and the impact she has had on...

A review of Speech, Speech, Tristan Simpson's debut play, on at the Jack Studio Theatre as part of SE Fest.

Geraldine Pilgrim encourages us to rebel against increasingly hostile urban planning in CHAIR!, on as part of this year’s Greenwich + Docklands International Festival. CHAIR! As one of my more local a...

A remarkable version of Beckett’s most autobiographical work, Krapp’s Last Tape, is currently on at The Cockpit. To what extent does our memory of past selves constitute our identity? Krapp’s Last Tap...

The silver lining of only making to Egypt for the first time in 2026 is that I had the opportunity to see the impressive and long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest museum in the world for a s...

A childhood dream fulfilled as I visit the Pyramids and the Sphinx. And thanks to extensive reimagining of the visitor experience, it’s a smooth and simple journey. You Mean I Really Get To See the Py...

If you don’t have much time to spare in Cairo, a little excursion to al-Muizz Street gives an insight into one of the city’s many historic faces. A Hare-Brained Scheme, But A Good One In The End I exp...

Ahead of a visit to the shiny new Grand Egyptian Museum, I decide to check out where it all began – the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A Long-Awaited Trip Today on the blog, we are embarking on a series of...

A third and final selection from the Camden Fringe, The Bride (蚕女) is a meditative and visually impressive work. Physical theatre and moving image combine to explore female identity and generational i...

Dr. David Craggs provides a guest post on the Architekturzentrum Wien, including (now concluded) temporary exhibition Abundance Not Capital: the lively architecture of Anupama Kundoo. Urban exploratio...

A 900-year-old work gets an immersive update in Bitter Visions: By Order of Hildegard. Presented by Ololyga as part of Grimeborn Festival 2026. Bitter Visions: By Order of Hildegard I’ve lived in Lond...

My second outing to this year’s Camden Fringe is to see Gammelstad, a historic drama exploring social and religious life in 19th century Sweden in the context of one family. Gammelstad As long-time re...

Curator Jacqueline Springer addresses a historic imbalance by celebrating the importance and influence of Black British music. Come with me as we visit The Music is Black: A British Story. The Exhibit...

I visit one of London’s newest museums, V&A East, part of the development of Stratford as a cultural quarter. London, I Can’t Keep Up No, I’m serious. Between exhibitions, theatre, other sights to see...

A speculative insight into the mind of one of America’s most famous writers in Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call, written and performed by Scott Robinson. Caution: spoilers ahead. But spoilers for real events ...

A final museum visit in Hong Kong takes me to Flagstaff House and its Museum of Tea Ware, a mix of colonial architecture and Chinese tradition. A Final Museum Stop in Hong Kong Thank you for joining m...

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum covers a broad range of topics that make this place so special. A Final Day in Hong Kong – What to Pick? I’ve already given you a teaser for this museum: we walked past i...

I get to know more of the West Kowloon Cultural District with M+, built to rival the great museums of modern and contemporary art. A Visit to M+ In recent days you have joined me for three walks in di...

On my final day in Hong Kong I learn more about the territory’s 20th century development by walking around Sha Tin. A Walk in Sha Tin So far on this trip to Hong Kong, we have stretched our legs in Wa...

Making use of Hong Kong’s ferry network, I spent my free day in Hong Kong exploring Lamma and Aberdeen, where aspects of fisherfolk culture are still in evidence. Hong Kong’s Fisherfolk I was explaini...

On a return visit to Hong Kong I make the most of staying in a new neighbourhood and explore Wan Chai, a restaurant and nightlife hotspot. Google Searches Are Not Always the Answer I recently had the ...

A second contemporary art encounter in Val en Vignes in two days – this small community really benefits from a rich cultural landscape! Galerie Malebranche en Campagne In my last post, I was talking a...

An unexpected find in an old industrial building, la corbata rosa is a great asset for its rural community. la corbata rosa – Contemporary Art in a Historic Setting Now, if you had asked me even a few...

It’s a world of saintly visions and the drama of the ordinary as the National Gallery puts Francisco de Zurbarán centre stage. Zurbarán There’s just about a month left to see Zurbarán at the National ...

SPID take their story of community activism and social change on tour, using a workshop format to reach audiences far beyond their home in Kensal House. How To Make Art That Brings Housing Justice Wel...

Imagined geography and a real history of colonialism, imperialism and resistance collide in Project a Black Planet at the Barbican. Content warning: this exhibition, and review, contains some outdated...

Monroe’s agency in creating her image is at the forefront in the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait. Choosing Which Exhibitions to See in London: A Matter of Snap Decisi...

I get to know Puccini’s famous love story, La Bohème, at the Royal Ballet and Opera. Why did nobody tell me this was a Christmas story? La Bohème What I previously knew about La Bohème I could have wr...

There’s more here than meets the eye in Tender, as Eleanor Tindall’s queer romance returns to the Bush Theatre. Tender For me, one of the strengths of the Bush Theatre‘s programming is its support for...

We’re all invited to Chunkyz Shisha Lounge as Blue Mist continues its UK tour. Blue Mist Stratford East, it’s been a while! A shockingly long while actually – the last time I came here social distanci...

Learn all about the world’s first international sea port in Byblos, Cité Millénaire du Liban at l’Institut du monde arabe in Paris. Byblos, Cité Millénaire du Liban In my last post, I introduced you t...

A visit many years in the making, I finally make it to l’Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. A Long Overdue Visit When the Salterton Arts Review was but a youngster, and hadn’t yet seen much of the worl...

The Ryan Calais Cameron Season at Catford’s Broadway Theatre kicks off with Last Goal Wins, a play in which it’s all to play for as the last spots on Nigeria’s World Cup squad are decided. Last Goal W...