Mark & David's Travels

21/09/2025

Football in the World’s Most Breathtaking Settings

For many fans, football isn’t just about the game—it’s about the experience. And some stadia around the world are as unforgettable for their surroundings as they are for the matches themselves. Here are some of the most picturesque settings where football meets nature, history, and architecture:

🏔️ Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, Gspon, Switzerland
Perched high in the Alps at nearly 2,000 meters, this is Europe’s highest stadium. To reach it, fans take a cable car—and once they’re there, they watch the game surrounded by snow-capped peaks.

🌋 Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia
One of the highest professional stadiums in the world, sitting at over 3,600 meters above sea level. The views of the surrounding mountains are as dramatic as the challenges visiting teams face in the thin air.

🏖️ Estádio Municipal de Braga, Portugal
Carved directly into a granite quarry, one side of the stadium opens onto sweeping views of the Portuguese hills, making it one of the most unique and scenic stadiums on earth.

🌊 Stadium Kantrida, Rijeka, Croatia
Built next to the Adriatic Sea with a limestone cliff rising behind the stands, this stadium offers fans the chance to enjoy both football and a stunning seaside atmosphere.

🏜️ Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon
This African gem is set against lush, tropical greenery and brings together vibrant local culture with modern footballing spirit.

🏝️ Henningsvær Stadium, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Not a professional venue, but perhaps the most photographed pitch in the world. Nestled on a rocky islet in the Arctic Circle, surrounded by the Norwegian Sea and jagged cliffs—it’s pure magic.

Whether it’s mountains, oceans, or ancient rock, these stadia prove football can be played—and loved—in the most extraordinary places.

18/09/2025

🌍✨ 10 Cultural Festivals to Add to Your 2026 Travel Bucket List ✨🌍

Travel isn’t just about places – it’s about people, traditions, and unforgettable experiences. If you’re planning adventures in 2026, here are 10 cultural festivals you won’t want to miss:

1️⃣ Carnival – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Feb)
Dazzling parades, samba rhythms, and costumes that light up the night.

2️⃣ Holi – India & Nepal (March)
The Festival of Colors! Celebrate spring with joy, music, and paint-splattered fun.

3️⃣ Cherry Blossom Festival – Japan (March–April)
Enjoy hanami picnics under pink blossoms across Tokyo, Kyoto & beyond. 🌸

4️⃣ Songkran – Thailand (April)
A New Year water fight that turns the streets into the world’s happiest splash zone. 💦

5️⃣ Inti Raymi – Cusco, Peru (June)
A spectacular Inca sun festival in the heart of the Andes.

6️⃣ Running of the Bulls – Pamplona, Spain (July)
Adrenaline, tradition, and fiestas that keep the city alive for a week.

7️⃣ Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Scotland (Aug)
The world’s largest arts festival: comedy, theatre, music, and pure creativity. 🎭

8️⃣ Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany (Sept–Oct)
Raise a stein, feast on pretzels, and join the world’s most famous beer festival. 🍺

9️⃣ Diwali – India (Oct–Nov)
The Festival of Lights: fireworks, sweets, family gatherings, and sparkling nights. 🪔

🔟 Day of the Dead – Mexico (Nov)
A beautiful celebration of life and memory with altars, art, and parades. 💀🌼

✈️ Which one of these is calling your name for 2026?
👇 Tell us in the comments where you’d love to go and why!

16/09/2025

Mark & David have been in a brewery in in . Not easy to say after a few beers.

Listen to the podcast to learn about Wilhemine, Wurst, Weissbier and maybe a tiny bit of Wagner. Meet the brewer and a two-star Michelin chef and maybe some royalty and find out what Germany, Bavaria and Bayreuth have to offer. Ooh, plus German's oldest still-used synagogue!

https://www.jpost.com/podcast/travel-edition/article-867568

Germany Tourism
Bayreuth Tourismus
Alexander Herrmann
Maisel and Friends
Alexander Herrmann Posthotel

The Jerusalem Post Podcast - Travel Edition, Episode 114.

15/09/2025

✈️ 10 Top Tips If You Lose Your Passport While Travelling 🛂

It happens more often than you think—but don’t panic! Here’s what you should do if your passport goes missing abroad:

1️⃣ Stay calm & retrace your steps – check your hotel room, bags, and any places you recently visited.
2️⃣ Report it to local police – get a written report; many embassies require it.
3️⃣ Contact your embassy/consulate – they can issue an emergency passport or travel document.
4️⃣ Carry ID copies – a digital or paper copy of your passport helps speed things up.
5️⃣ Gather documents – bring your police report, ID copies, and travel itinerary to the embassy.
6️⃣ Have passport photos ready – many embassies need fresh photos for replacements.
7️⃣ Call your airline – ask if they need special documents for you to board with an emergency passport.
8️⃣ Alert your travel insurance – lost passport costs may be covered.
9️⃣ Secure your finances – keep your bank/credit cards separate from passport in future.
🔟 Take preventative steps – register with your embassy before travel & keep emergency contacts handy.

👉 Pro tip: Always store your passport in a safe place and carry only a copy when exploring!

Have you ever lost your passport while travelling? Share your survival stories below ⬇️

11/09/2025

🌍 Travel Quiz Time! ✈️
Think you know your destinations? Test yourself with these 10 quick questions:

1. Which city is known as “The City of Canals”?
A) Venice
B) Amsterdam
C) Bangkok
D) Bruges

2. Machu Picchu, the famous Incan citadel, is located in which country?
A) Peru
B) Chile
C) Bolivia
D) Ecuador

3. Which country is home to the Great Barrier Reef?
A) South Africa
B) Australia
C) New Zealand
D) Fiji

4. The Eiffel Tower was built in which century?
A) 17th
B) 18th
C) 19th
D) 20th

5. Petra, the “Rose City,” is carved into cliffs of red sandstone. Where is it?
A) Jordan
B) Egypt
C) Israel
D) Lebanon

6. Which U.S. city is nicknamed “The Big Easy”?
A) Miami
B) Las Vegas
C) New Orleans
D) Chicago

7. The Taj Mahal is located in which Indian city?
A) Jaipur
B) Agra
C) Delhi
D) Mumbai

8. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, is in which country?
A) Kenya
B) Tanzania
C) Uganda
D) Ethiopia

9. Which Asian city is famous for its skyline and Victoria Harbour?
A) Hong Kong
B) Singapore
C) Tokyo
D) Shanghai

10. Santorini, known for its whitewashed houses and blue domes, belongs to which country?
A) Italy
B) Greece
C) Croatia
D) Spain

The answers are in the first comment. Hiw many did you answer correctly?

10/09/2025

Who built this famous windmill?

09/09/2025

🌴✈️ Ever dreamed of escaping it ALL? 🌊
We’re talking about islands so remote that planes rarely reach them, ships visit only a few times a year, and few locals.

Here are 5 utterly isolated island paradises you probably didn’t even know existed:

🌋 Tristan da Cunha – The most remote inhabited island on Earth.
⚓ Pitcairn Island – Home to the descendants of the Mutiny on the Bounty.
🌳 Socotra – Otherworldly landscapes that look like another planet.
🐢 Aldabra Atoll – 100,000 giant tortoises and zero crowds.
🗿 Easter Island – Mysterious moai statues in the middle of the Pacific.

🚫 No crowds. No noise. No stress. Just the adventure of a lifetime.

👉 Which one would you disappear to first?

08/09/2025

Amazing lunar eclipse over the Middle East, Sept 7, 2025

04/09/2025

Saying “Bon Voyage” isn’t the only way to wish someone well before a trip! Around the world, cultures have their own beautiful travel blessings — some poetic, some practical, and all unique.

A few favorites:
🇮🇪 Irish – Go n-éirí an bóthar leat! → “May the road rise up to meet you!”
🇵🇱 Polish – Szerokiej drogi! → “A wide road!”
🇯🇵 Japanese – いってらっしゃい (Itterasshai) → “Go and come back!”
🇿🇦 Zulu – Hamba kahle! → “Go well!”
🇹🇭 Thai – เดินทางปลอดภัย (Doen-thāng plòtp̄hai) → “Safe travels.”
🇮🇱 Hebrew – צֵא לְשָׁלוֹם (Tzé l’shalom) → “Go in peace.”
🇳🇿 Māori – Haere rā! → “Go well!”

Travel isn’t just about the destination — it’s also about the words of blessing we carry with us from home.

02/09/2025

Mark & David just returned from the pre-launch voyage of Royal Caribbean’s brand-new mega cruise ship – Star of the Seas!

Join us as we explore this floating city, tour its incredible spaces, and meet the amazing crew members whose mission is to make sure every passenger has the best vacation ever.

Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes stories, stunning views, and a sneak peek at what makes Star of the Seas unlike almost any ship you’ve seen before.
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/travel-edition/article-866017

The Jerusalem Post Podcast - Travel Edition, Episode 113.

29/08/2025

✨🎨 From Butchers to Brushes: Munich’s Slaughterhouse District 🎨✨

Once the beating belly of the city where meat was traded and packed, Munich’s Schlachthofviertel (Slaughterhouse District) has transformed into something totally unexpected… a graffiti artist’s paradise! 🖌️

🚇 Wander down Tumblingerstrasse and you’ll find Munich’s longest legal graffiti wall, alive with color and creativity.
🚢 Spot the quirky Alte Utting — a decommissioned boat perched on a bridge, now a buzzing cultural hub.
🚂 Explore Bahnwärter Thiel, built from shipping containers and an old railbus, with 100 meters of wooden wall ready for street art.
🎭 And don’t miss the annual Open Schlachthof, when artists throw open their studios and bring the creative process to the streets.

What was once a meat-packing center is now a place where gritty industry meets vibrant imagination — a district that proves how a city can reinvent itself through art.

28/08/2025

Enjoying cool weather in Munich