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Florence: stories carved into stone

Some cities are carved out of rock. Florence’s beauty is built on marble, carved and shaped by masters of art and architecture.

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UTE JUNKER

Luxury Travel and Lifestyle - Writer, editor, podcaster. Co-founder, tonicmag.com.au

Ute Junker has been reporting on luxury travel and lifestyle for more than 20 years. She spends much of the year on the road and is happiest snorkelling a coral reef, tucking into a new cuisine, or enjoying an up-close encounter with wildlife.

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I learned something about hotel bathrooms the othe I learned something about hotel bathrooms the other day. Which was surprising, since this is a subject about which I’ve always had Many Thoughts. Spending too much time in hotels over too many years, I have strong opinions on everything from the best amenities to the correct shape for a bathtub. (Nix those round tubs – they may look great but they take forever to fill up.) A good bathroom should have big piles of towels – I’m not going to use them all, I just want to know they’re there - and cuddly bathrobes that instantly switch me to holiday mode. (Unless I’m in the tropics, that is, in which case I want something loose and light.) Lights: bright. Floors: heated. The one element I’ve never worried about too much, however, is the sink. It’s a fairly basic piece of equipment. You don’t spend too much time with a sink. Hand washing, teeth brushing: they’re both over fairly quickly. The other reason you need a sink, of course, it to launder your smalls. And that’s where I’ve recently come unstuck. Travelling through Central Asia I encountered something I haven’t seen for years: the hotel sink without a plug. They were a thing back when I was young, exploring Asia on a couple of dollars a day, but it’s been years since I’ve seen one. In three weeks of travel, however, only one or two of the hotels I stayed in supplied this essential luxury. Let me tell you, it’s hard to wash your undies without a plug in the sink! So next time I check into a high-end hotel, I’m going to revel not just in the extra-long bathtub or the high-end amenities: I’m going to thank the heavens for the simple pleasure of a sink full of water. Find more musings on travel over at my Substack account - it’s free to sign up, and you’ll get it delivered straight to your inbox.
Next time you’re in Singapore, should you be pla Next time you’re in Singapore, should you be planning to have dinner at @mrniland’s @fyshsingapore - and you really should - head to @singaporeedition hotel a bit earlier so you can check out the fab interiors. BYO photographer highly recommended.
No surprise that @qatarairways was named World’s No surprise that @qatarairways was named World’s Best Airline this week - the last couple of times I’ve flown with them, they were terrific. And there’s another thing they do well too: and that’s the lounge. They have a huge number of lounges at @dohaairport but the newest - Al Mourjan Garden Lounge, which I just tried - is something special. It has everything you’d expect - quiet spaces, lively areas, a la carte dining - and a few added extras including a small gym, for workouts and stretching, and a full-scale spa (not the poky rooms you find in most lounges) where I had an absolutely superb massage (which you have to pay for, but it was well worth it.) The other fabulous feature: it opens onto the airport garden, and the oxygen-rich air on your face is the best break you could ask for. The lounge is only open to business class and first class passengers but you don’t need to be a @qatarairways frequent flyer to get in: as long as you are flying in the right class, you have access.
People come to Central Asia for its incredible his People come to Central Asia for its incredible history and its wild natural beauty, but I want to give a shout-out to its transport. We’ve boarded high-speed trains at futurist Soviet-era stations, and travelled through high-altitude tunnels that go for 5km at a time. But it’s in our last stop, Tashkent, that I’ve had one of my favourite transport encounters. Tashkent’s metro stations are not as grandiose as their Moscow equivalents but they were built on the same principle: that the public needs exalted spaces. And the closest station to our hotel, Kosmonavtlar, certainly fits the bill, with its portraits of pioneering cosmonauts like Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova.
So here’s the thing about Bukhara. I’ve wanted So here’s the thing about Bukhara. I’ve wanted to visit Bukhara as long as I can remember. This oasis city has an incredible history stretching back several millennia, and for centuries it was a major cultural capital under both the Persians and the Arabs. A large chunk of the city centre has a World Heritage listing in recognition of its gorgeous architecture, including mosques, madrassas, bazaars and caravanserais. All of which is wonderful. But the other thing about Bukhara is that at this time of year it’s hot. Really hot. And let me tell you, sightseeing in 42 degrees saps you. So here’s my hot tip: do as the locals do and head out after dinner. The temps will still be around 38 degrees but without the sun beating down on you - and with locals out in force, feasting, shopping, having fun - Bukhara by night is magical.
I’ve always loved cemeteries and burial places b I’ve always loved cemeteries and burial places but this one is beyond compare. Sit back and let the beauty of Samarkand’s Shah-I-Zinfandel necropolis - a cluster of magnificent tombs laden with mesmerising details - wash over you.

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© 2019 Ute Junker, All Rights Reserved | Site By Design Counsel

LISTEN UP

Subscribe to my podcast I Know This Place, a series about the world’s most interesting places, seen through the eyes of the people who know them best. Join me on the road as I talk with chefs, architects, historians and more about the places that are special to them.

I'M ALL EARS

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Join my absolutely zero spam email list for insider travel tips and other news.

Get Social

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PRIVACY | CONTACT

© 2019 Ute Junker, All Rights Reserved | Site By Design Counsel

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