Before the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), the capital, Beirut, was a trade and amusement center – the Paris of the Orient. The political situation continues to be difficult, but stylish restaurants like the Kaléo near the Al Omari Mosque will turn worriers into epicures.
Every summer, safari fans gather in the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya to see one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles: the mass migration of over a million wildebeests across the Serengeti savannah.
Sebastian Erras travels the world with his eyes on the ground, taking pictures of fanciful mosaic floors and snapping characteristic patterns in Paris, Barcelona and London (photo). The signature detail is the German photographer’s stylishly shod feet at the lower edge of every picture.
The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, was built in 1799 for the sole purpose of allowing the ladies of the royal household to watch processions unobserved. Hence the 953 intricately screened windows in its facade.
Summer and water sports are a perfect combination of fun and activity. But why not take it up a notch by building your own surfboard, sailing boat or raft? See you in the water!
Mr. Know It All
© Bente SchippAt a top speed of three kilometers an hour, a rafting trip on Sweden’s Klarälven River is a leisurely drift. But first you have to build your own raft – using whole tree trunks.
Build your own kayak, row- or sailboat in only a week at the Great Lakes Boat Building School in the U.S. state of Michigan. Then set sail straight into the water sports arenas that are the Great Lakes on the doorstep.
Foam surfboards are a dime a dozen. At Patrick Burnett in Cape Town, you can make your own beautiful, ecofriendly, custom wooden board – and then test it at South Africa’s top surf spots.