My Travels

Being a history buff, I've always dreamed of traveling to those ancient lands I researched passionately for many years. When in the 1990's I started my career as a travel agent, I would finally be able to make my dream come true. I absolutely love ancient civilizations, cultures and historical places, especially those around the Mediterranean, like Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. The Old World...

I can still smell the damp air coming from the nearby oasis while standing at the ruins of Jericho on an early morning, feel the bone dry hot wind on my face while standing atop the fort of Masada, and remember having goosebumps inside the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, although it was very hot and humid indeed. Those experiences shaped me, and it made the books I read and the civilizations I studied come to life. My travels inspired me to write my own books and to see the broader picture, so I could understand Occitania, France, the way I do.

I believe it was my father's passion for history that ignited mine. At a young age I would visit old castles and when I was 6 in 1972, my parents taught me how to use a photo camera, so already at a young age I began to develop a passion for photography as well. During my life I would take a lot of photos and even shoot video films at all the travel destinations I visited, but unfortunately, none have been digitalised, only the ones posted below.

Let me take you to the Old World... ♥

I started my career as a travel agent in 1992, got my certificate in 1993 and suddenly, the travel agency I worked for was awarded and made it to the newspapers! How cool is that! :) I can only say that I loved my job very much, and that these years were the most wonderful years of my life.

Epidaurus, Greece (Peloponnese).

At the Wadi Qelt in Israel.

Knossos, Crete (Greece).

At Delphi, Greece.

Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, Gran Canary Island.

Meteora, Greece.

Pompeii, Italy. I knew I'd end up in the gutter, lol... :)

Venice, Italy.

Cyprus, 4x4 road trips exploring the ancient history of the island.

Ephesus, Turkey.

Ephesus, Turkey

At the tomb of St. John the Evangelist, Turkey.

Studying the treasures of Tutanchamun at the Cairo Museum, Egypt.

The famous Merenptah Stele in Egypt. Apparently, this was the first time that the name 'Israel' (in this case "Isirir") would be mentioned on a site in Egypt.

With Argiris, the tour guide, in Athens, Greece.

Going into the Zeus cave, Crete, Greece.

Luxor, Egypt.

At Glastonbury Tor, looking at where Avalon might have been. It's a circular field just beneath the Tor, where the priestesses may have lived, 18 centuries ago. Glastonbury has always intrigued me, especially after reading Marion Zimmer-Bradley's books, and visiting the sites, the ancient cathedral ruins, the Tor... it all felt so familiar. This site meant as much to me as all the other ancient places mentioned above, so I felt I needed to mention it in my little list on this page.

Now that I have settled in Occitania, France, the traveling has become more local. This time I am not following a tour guide through other countries; now I am myself a tour guide, trying to make this ancient realm come to life for my own groups and individual travelers, who visit Occitania from around the world. In a way, Occitania has become my PowerPoint presentation in which I am able to reveal the many layers of history that shaped our modern day western civilization as we have come to know it.