The temple walls
As sundown approaches in the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneswar
trails of young girls and boys make their way into the local cultural center.
On entering the performance hall the youth leave behind the everyday clamour
of the streets of this city located in one of the poorest states of India.

Greece: Winning over the creative class
He is youthful, suave and presents an ambitious agenda for
his constituency. A feisty yet slight character, his eyes
rather glare than look and while some are curious about his plans,
others simply wonder if he will be able to push his agenda through.

Ecuador: More than Galapagos
Take a walk in the Ecuadorian port-city of Guayaquil, you may
be surprised to see modern, high-class tourism infrastructure
developments. The Malecón is a riverside promenade adorned with
sculptures, suave restaurants, a museum and an IMAX theatre.

Ecuador: Walking gently in paradise
One word of advice to any visitor to Ecuador: walk
gently after visiting paradise. Only then should you
cautiously climb to this, the capital Quito, perched high
and nestled among mountains, valleys and volcanoes.

Hungary: All five stars of Budapest
Landmark buildings painstakingly renovated into
21st-century luxury, as well as newly constructed
modern five-star hotels have brought a new quality
to the architectural landscape of Budapest.

Nigeria: Put your oar in
It doesn't take much to become the subject of local
curiosity in Nigeria, if you are two very Caucasian-looking
"tourists" among a sea of many thousands of passionately
dancing Africans at the first Abuja Carnival.

Angola: Rewriting history
Standing high above the African savannah at the giant
rocks of Pungo Andongo in north-central Angola's remote
province of Malanje, you can feel the weight of
history reverberating from the soles of your feet.

Hungary: More than Balaton
Hungary's famed Lake Balaton has been undergoing
significant transformations of late. From wine cellars
to spas to attractions for those looking for a traditional
country lifestyle, a new look for Balaton is on the horizon.

Brazil: Bitter-sweet contrasts
There was nothing gallant about Rio, glitzy or
even elegant. But I did get the feeling of a misplaced
elegance. It must have been the architecture from the
golden age of Rio that made me imagine a silver-screen...

Vietnam: Mysteries of ancient pagoda's and imperial cities
The development of tourism in Vietnam only came about
after the reunification some time ago, it isn't surprising
that this lush land is not a historical tourist hot-spot.
Vietnam is, however, attracting more and more visitors.

Slovakia: Bratislava, city of contrasts
The city-center is an undiscovered jewel. Beautifully
refurbished, it is a mini-Prague, that has yet to see
the enormous tourism influx of its neighboring capital.

Georgia: God's Land
When God was parcelling land to the peoples of the 
world, the Georgians somehow missed the boat and were 
left without their share. God, however, having kept a special 
place for himself, gifted it to the people of Georgia.