Getting Out of the Bubble

At approximately the half way point between Brussels and Bruges is anther little, lesser known, canal town. It has just as much charm as Bruges, just significantly fewer tourists. Ghent (or Gent) was our impromptu day trip when we managed to do everything in Bruges in one day, and the crowds became a little bit too oppressive. Similarly to Bruges, the town is set around a series of canals and cobbled streets, which means that there are plenty of pretty walks to explore. We only had a few hours so we did the wizzstop tour of Ghent - just enough to get a feel for the city. Honestly there isn’t a huge amount to do in Ghent, nothing to specifically make a trip for, but there is definitely enough to amuse you for an afternoon. Primarily, Ghent is a University town. But what draws tourists is the Medieval architecture and pretty waterways. The city has an abundance of churches, wandering around the centre you will come upon the St Nicholas Church, Ghent Belfrey, and St Bavo's Cath...

New York is one of those cities that everyone knows from movies and TV, all of the main sites are iconic in a way that few cities can compare to. Even without having visited people seem to have a strong visceral reaction to the Big Apple, and this makes it a fantastic place to visit – as long as you can manage your expectations. There is nothing worse than being disappointed by somewhere that you have built up in your mind, a little like my first trip to Paris, but New York doesn’t have to disappoint. Sometimes cities do live up to the hype. When I came back, and was thinking about what to write about in relation to my trip, I was tempted by the “hidden New York” angle; but the reality is that I don’t know the hidden New York. The first time in any city should be spent doing all those things that are iconic and first spring to mind (plus a couple extra things), so this is my guide to a first time in New York. All the must see and do things for your first trip. Because everybody ha...