URBAN

Alleyways run in older parts of towns. Fenced-in from the urban sprawl surrounding them, they are a world on their own. Enigmatic, sometimes intimidating. One early morning in 2018 I entered a back alley, it turned out to be a dead end street, adding to my overall sense of altertness, but it also turned out to be an ever-changing gallery of beautiful street art. 

The Wintercircus in Ghent has a fascinating history. Designed as hippodrome, it served as a city circus, an old timer depot and now a music club. Largely abondoned since the early 2000s, it hosted the light festival in 2015. For a  moment, horses, circus artists and old timers returned to the central arena. The ring master watched crowds flock around once more. 

The circus is in town

Walking the streets of Kathmandu is a sensory delight but it can also lead to sensory overload. If you can filter out the noise, it's a street life delight. With colorful displays of traditional crafts, historic shopfronts and a vivid street food culture. Try the Newari bara lentil pancake, Juju Dhau king yoghurt and  homemade Aila liquor.

As one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, Matera offers a unique city scape. Carved into the rock, almost Biblical in appearance. This is the only town in the world where Google Maps is rendered useless. Il faut le faire. The maze of narrow footpaths is nearly impossible to navigate. 

Rock the city

The Japanese love their autumn foliage. Every year they go out and enjoy it in abundance. This phenomenon is called Momiji-gari, which means “hunting red leaves". Unfortunately, it means it's hard to witness the autumn colours without crowds. This small temple was still okay, ... well, not packed... do come early. The garden view framed by sliding doors is a sight to behold.

Girl at the window

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