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  • Casa Marina, Sosúa – Dominican Republic

    Casa Marina, Sosúa – Dominican Republic

    Five nights at Casa Marina, an all-inclusive resort in Sosúa on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, from June 30 to July 5, 2026. Sosúa sits on a sheltered bay a short drive from Puerto Plata, and the resort spreads along the waterfront with pools, palm trees, restaurants with sea views and a rocky stretch of coast that is perfect for watching the sunset.

    Casa Marina sign and water feature at the resort in Sosúa, Dominican Republic

    Getting there

    The trip started on June 30 with a long travel day. By the next morning the view had changed from an aircraft wing to palm trees and turquoise water.

    View of the aircraft wing through the plane window on the flight out

    The resort

    Casa Marina is built around its pools, with palm-lined decks, a palapa-roofed bar and loungers spread out between the gardens and the sea. The photos below show the room, the pools and the grounds over the first few days.

    Hotel room at Casa Marina in Sosúa
    Swimming pool lined with palm trees at Casa Marina, Sosúa
    Pool and palapa-roofed bar at Casa Marina, Sosúa
    Pool overlooking the sea at Casa Marina, Sosúa
    Palm trees and pool under a blue sky at Casa Marina, Sosúa

    The beach and the coast

    The resort sits right on the water. There is a sandy beach with blue umbrellas on the bay, and a rugged, rocky shoreline where the Caribbean comes in in every shade of blue and green. A lot of the trip was spent simply looking at the water, from a lounger, from the rocks or through the restaurant windows.

    Beach with blue umbrellas on the bay at Sosúa
    Turquoise Caribbean water off the rocky coast at Sosúa
    Rocky cliffs and clear blue water along the coast at Sosúa
    Rocky shoreline meeting the Caribbean at Sosúa
    View across the bay and beach at Sosúa
    Sea view through the restaurant windows at Casa Marina
    Relaxing on a beach lounger facing the sea at Sosúa

    Food and drink

    Being all-inclusive, the food never stopped: big breakfasts with bacon, pastries and fresh fruit, a lunch buffet that included sushi, and sit-down dinners with dishes like seafood ceviche and plated desserts.

    Breakfast plate with bacon and pastries at Casa Marina
    Breakfast of pastries and fresh fruit at Casa Marina
    Sushi and dishes laid out on the lunch buffet at Casa Marina
    Seafood ceviche with lime served at dinner
    Dessert served in a glass at dinner
    Plated dessert at dinner at Casa Marina
    Dinner on the last night at Casa Marina

    Resort cats

    Casa Marina also has at least one friendly resident cat, who was happy to stretch out on the pool deck for a photo.

    One of the resort cats relaxing by the pool at Casa Marina

    Sunsets

    The evenings brought some spectacular sunsets over the water, from the rocks on the first night and from the restaurant on the last.

    Sunset over the sea from the rocks at Sosúa
    Sunset over the beach seen from the restaurant at Casa Marina

    Looking for another Dominican Republic all-inclusive? See our week of dinners at Finest Punta Cana in Uvero Alto.

    #Sosua #DominicanRepublic #CasaMarina #AllInclusive #Caribbean #PuertoPlata #BeachVacation #Travel

  • Croatia: Mlini, Dubrovnik and Koločep

    Croatia: Mlini, Dubrovnik and Koločep

    Five days on the southern Dalmatian coast in June 2026, based in Mlini – a small seaside village in Župa dubrovačka, a short drive south-east of Dubrovnik. The plan was simple: clear water, long sunsets, plenty of seafood, an evening looking down on Dubrovnik’s Old Town, and a boat day out to the island of Koločep.

    Mlini: pebble beaches and clear water

    Mlini sits on a quiet bay with pebble beaches and water so clear you can see every rock on the bottom. Mornings were for swimming and wandering the coast path; the hillside villages and calm bay made it an easy, relaxed base away from the crowds in the city.

    Calm bay and hillside village on the Dubrovnik Riviera near Mlini
    Pebble beach and clear turquoise water near Mlini
    Crystal-clear water over white rocks on the Adriatic coast

    Adriatic sunsets

    Evenings in Mlini were all about the sky. The sun drops behind the islands and the whole bay turns gold, then pink, then a deep Adriatic blue.

    Sunset over the Adriatic with an island on the horizon, seen from Mlini
    Sunset over calm water with an island silhouette near Mlini
    Evening sky and still sea after sunset near Mlini

    What we ate

    Seafood was the highlight: pasta with mussels, a big grilled seafood platter with flatbread and red pepper dip, crispy fried seafood with salad – plus a thin-crust pizza night for good measure.

    Seafood pasta with mussels
    Grilled seafood platter with flatbread and a red pepper dip
    Thin-crust pizza at dinner
    Fried seafood with a rocket salad at dinner

    Dubrovnik from above

    One evening we headed up into the hills above Dubrovnik for the view. In daylight you can see the coastline and the islands stretching out to the horizon; after sunset the walled Old Town lights up below like a model.

    View of the Dubrovnik coastline and islands from the hills above the city
    Adriatic coast and islands seen from high above Dubrovnik in the evening
    Sunset over the islands off Dubrovnik
    Dubrovnik Old Town lit up at night, seen from above
    Night view over the lights of Dubrovnik and the Adriatic

    Boat day to Koločep

    Koločep is one of the Elaphiti Islands, a short boat ride from Dubrovnik. The highlight was its sea cave, where sunlight coming in under the water turns the whole pool an unreal glowing turquoise.

    Boats in the harbour on a sunny afternoon near Dubrovnik
    Blue Adriatic sea and the Elaphiti Islands from the water
    Turquoise water inside a sea cave on Koločep island
    Light glowing through the water of the Koločep sea cave

    Last evening in Mlini

    We finished the trip back on the beach in Mlini, watching one more sunset over the bay.

    Beach at sunset on the last evening in Mlini

    Tips if you go: Mlini makes a calmer, cheaper base than staying inside Dubrovnik, with buses and water taxis into the city. Bring water shoes for the pebble beaches, and save an evening for the view over the Old Town after dark.

    #Croatia #Dubrovnik #Mlini #Kolocep #ElaphitiIslands #Adriatic #Dalmatia #CroatiaTravel #Seafood #SeaCave #Sunset #TravelPhotography

  • Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden, near Watford

    Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden, near Watford

    On Saturday, January 24, 2026, we spent an afternoon at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios just outside Watford. It’s where the films were made, and the tour walks you through the real sets, costumes, props and creature effects – finishing with an enormous scale model of Hogwarts.

    Arriving: a dragon overhead

    The welcome hall sets the tone straight away, with a huge dragon hanging from the ceiling. Not far in you’ll also find one of the most famous small spaces in film: the cupboard under the stairs.

    Dragon hanging above the entrance hall at the Harry Potter Studio Tour
    The cupboard under the stairs set

    The Great Hall

    The tour starts in the Great Hall itself, with its long tables set with plates and goblets, house costumes on display and the stone walls you remember from the films. Further on, the portrait-lined staircases are just as detailed up close.

    Long tables laid with plates in the Great Hall set
    School robe costumes on display in the Great Hall
    Staircase set lined with framed portraits

    Inside Hogwarts

    Set after set recreates the castle’s rooms: the dormitory with its red-curtained four-poster beds, the corridors leading to the headmaster’s office, Dumbledore’s office itself, and the Potions classroom with its shelves of jars and cauldrons.

    Four-poster beds with red curtains in the boys' dormitory set
    Stone arches and walls of portraits leading into the headmaster's office set
    Dumbledore's office set with its desk and bookshelves
    Potions classroom set with cauldrons and shelves of jars

    The Burrow, the Ministry and the Forbidden Forest

    Beyond the castle there’s the Weasleys’ cosy, cluttered kitchen at the Burrow, a towering stone monument from the Ministry of Magic, and a dark, misty Forbidden Forest where Hagrid’s costume stands waiting with his lantern.

    The Weasley family kitchen set at the Burrow
    Carved stone monument from the Ministry of Magic set
    Hagrid's costume with lantern in the Forbidden Forest area

    Greenhouses and the creature workshop

    The Herbology greenhouse glows at night, with student figures in earmuffs repotting mandrakes. Nearby, the creature workshop shows off the animatronics and models used on screen – dragon heads, toothy beasts and a lifelike hippogriff.

    Herbology greenhouse set lit up at night
    Mandrake plants and student figures with earmuffs in the greenhouse
    Spiked dragon head model in the creature workshop
    Creature model with an open mouth full of teeth in the creature workshop
    Hippogriff model resting beside pumpkins

    Gringotts and Diagon Alley

    The Gringotts bank set is a highlight: goblins at their counters, a gleaming marble banking hall and a vault overflowing with gold. Then it’s out onto Diagon Alley, where every shop window is packed with tiny details.

    Goblin figure at a counter in the Gringotts bank set
    Marble banking hall with rows of counters at Gringotts
    Bank vault piled high with gold treasure
    Shop window full of curiosities on the Diagon Alley set
    Bright red shopfront window on Diagon Alley

    The Hogwarts castle model

    The tour saves the best for last. After a white card model of the castle used during design, you walk around the giant, intricately detailed model of Hogwarts used for exterior shots in the films. The lighting slowly shifts from day to night, so it’s worth going round more than once.

    White card model of the Hogwarts castle
    The giant Hogwarts castle model in daytime lighting
    Towers and courtyards of the Hogwarts castle model up close
    The Hogwarts castle model under blue night-time lighting

    Tips if you go: tickets are sold for timed entry slots, so book ahead – especially for weekends. Allow at least three to four hours to see everything. If you’re coming by train, a shuttle bus runs from Watford Junction station to the studios. Making a weekend of it? See my London food and pubs guide for where to eat and drink in the city.

    #HarryPotter #WBStudioTour #MakingOfHarryPotter #Leavesden #Watford #Hogwarts #DiagonAlley #Gringotts #London #UKDaysOut #FilmSets #TravelPhotography

  • High Noon at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London’s West End

    High Noon at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London’s West End

    A night out in London’s West End to see High Noon, the stage adaptation of the classic Western, at the Harold Pinter Theatre on Panton Street, just off Leicester Square.

    The Harold Pinter Theatre opened in 1881 as the Royal Comedy Theatre and took its current name in 2011 in honour of the playwright. The photos show the theatre lit up at night with the show’s signage out front.

    If you’re planning a visit, the theatre is a short walk from Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square tube stations, which makes it easy to pair with dinner in Soho or Covent Garden.

    The Harold Pinter Theatre

    #London #WestEnd #Theatre #HighNoon #HaroldPinterTheatre #LondonTheatre

  • Dim Sum at Harrods: Soup Dumplings in Knightsbridge, London

    Dim Sum at Harrods: Soup Dumplings in Knightsbridge, London

    Dim sum at Harrods, the landmark department store in Knightsbridge, London. The spread pictured here includes soup dumplings and steamed buns served in bamboo steamers.

    Harrods is famous for its food halls and in-store restaurants, and a dim sum lunch makes a good break from browsing the shop floors.

    Harrods is right next to Knightsbridge tube station on the Piccadilly line, a short walk from Hyde Park and the museums of South Kensington.

    #London #Harrods #DimSum #Dumplings #Knightsbridge #LondonEats

  • These guys settled into London quickly

    These guys settled into London quickly

    A quick update from London: the cats have made themselves at home. Here they are stretched out by a sunny window, clearly unbothered by the move.

    Anyone who has relocated with pets knows the first few weeks can be an adjustment, so it was good to see these two settle in so quickly.

    #London #Cats #CatsOfLondon #CatLife #NewHome

  • A Day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure

    A Day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure

    This post has affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    The second day of our July 2025 Southern California weekend was spent at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim – Disneyland Park by day, Disney California Adventure by night – after a day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

    Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

    We started in Batuu with a Ronto Wrap for breakfast and a look at the Millennium Falcon, then stopped in at Oga’s Cantina for drinks.

    Grilled sausage and slaw wrapped in flatbread at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
    The Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland

    Around Disneyland Park

    The rest of the day was classic Disneyland: little details like the Davy Crockett Coonskin Cap Supply Co. window honouring Fess Parker, the jungle temple queue of the Indiana Jones Adventure, and a lunch of shrimp and grits with andouille sausage.

    Davy Crockett Coonskin Cap Supply Co. window honouring Fess Parker at Disneyland
    Jungle temple ruins along the Indiana Jones Adventure queue at Disneyland
    Carved temple wall inside the Indiana Jones Adventure queue
    Shrimp and grits with andouille sausage for lunch at Disneyland

    Before heading back into the parks for the evening we stopped at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel.

    Disney California Adventure at night

    After dark we crossed the esplanade to Disney California Adventure: Hollywood Land glowing at dusk, the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! tower, and Avengers Campus with WEB SLINGERS and plenty of Stark details. We finished on Pixar Pier, which is at its best lit up at night.

    Palm-lined Hollywood Land street at dusk in Disney California Adventure
    Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! tower lit up at night
    WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure sign in Avengers Campus
    Superhero-themed lockers on a brick wall in Avengers Campus
    Stark sign on a brick wall in Avengers Campus at night
    Pixar Pier lit up at night in Disney California Adventure
    Night lights and rides along Pixar Pier
    Red Wharfside building strung with lanterns at night in Disney California Adventure

    More Disney drinks: see my round-up of Disney bars and tiki lounges.

    Tips if you go: a Park Hopper ticket makes this kind of split day easy. Galaxy’s Edge is quietest first thing in the morning, and Pixar Pier and Avengers Campus are worth saving for after sunset.

    Where to stay

    We kept our room at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City and drove down to Anaheim for the day. If you’d rather not make the drive, there are plenty of hotels within walking distance of the parks.

    #Disneyland #DisneyCaliforniaAdventure #DisneylandResort #GalaxysEdge #StarWars #AvengersCampus #PixarPier #IndianaJones #Anaheim #ThemePark #California #TravelPhotography

  • Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

    Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California, is one of the best-known tiki bars in the Disney world, with themed cocktails, collectible tiki mugs and plenty of in-room effects that go off when certain drinks are ordered.

    The photos show some of the drinks and mugs from this visit, along with the bar’s packed-in decor of masks, carvings and nautical props.

    Trader Sam’s is small and popular, so expect a wait in the evenings; arriving when it opens or mid-afternoon is usually the easiest way to get a seat. It’s a short walk from Downtown Disney and the park entrances.

    More from that day: a day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

    Make tiki drinks at home

    If a trip to a tiki bar gets you hooked, here’s what we’d start with for a home bar. The full list is on our Tiki Bar Gear page.

    #Disneyland #TraderSams #TikiBar #DisneylandHotel #TikiMug #Anaheim #DisneyEats

  • Oga’s Cantina at Disneyland: Star Wars Drinks in Galaxy’s Edge

    Oga’s Cantina at Disneyland: Star Wars Drinks in Galaxy’s Edge

    Oga’s Cantina is the bar in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, set in the village of Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu.

    The cantina serves Star Wars-themed cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks in a dimly lit space with DJ R-3X spinning tunes overhead. These photos show the drinks and the bar’s interior from this visit.

    Reservations are strongly recommended and can be booked through the Disneyland app; walk-up availability is limited, especially on busy days.

    More from that day: a day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

    #Disneyland #OgasCantina #GalaxysEdge #StarWars #Batuu #DisneyDrinks #Anaheim

  • A Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

    A Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

    This post has affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    A full day at Universal Studios Hollywood in July 2025, the first stop on a long weekend in Southern California. We stayed at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, right next to the park, and kicked things off the night before with the king crab and lobster buffet at Café Sierra (now called MERiNE).

    Universal Studios Hollywood sign on the hillside above the freeway in Universal City

    The Studio Tour

    The Studio Tour is still the heart of the park: a tram ride through the working backlot, past the famous view over the San Fernando Valley, classic town-square and seaside village sets, a line-up of picture cars from the Fast & Furious and Transformers films, and the huge plane-crash set from War of the Worlds.

    View over the San Fernando Valley from the Upper Lot at Universal Studios Hollywood
    Vintage Universal Studios tram on display along the Studio Tour
    Brick City Hall building facade on the Universal backlot
    Seaside village set beside a lake on the Studio Tour
    Movie picture cars lined up on the Studio Tour
    Yellow and black sports car from the Transformers films on the Studio Tour
    Plane crash set with wrecked jet and houses on the Studio Tour backlot

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

    Up on the hill, Hogwarts castle towers over Hogsmeade. The walk through the castle – past the moving portraits and into the headmaster’s office – is half the fun of the Forbidden Journey ride.

    Hogwarts castle towers in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
    Gallery of portraits inside Hogwarts castle
    Headmaster's office with bookshelves inside Hogwarts castle

    Springfield

    Springfield brings The Simpsons to life, from Moe’s Tavern and the nuclear plant’s cooling towers to Dr. Nick’s.

    Moe's Tavern and the Springfield cooling towers at Universal Studios Hollywood
    Dr. Nick's storefront in Springfield at Universal Studios Hollywood

    Super Nintendo World

    Super Nintendo World was the highlight: you step through a green warp pipe into a bright, noisy Mushroom Kingdom, with Bowser’s Castle looming over it all and detail packed into every corner.

    Super Nintendo World entrance sign at Universal Studios Hollywood
    Colourful Mushroom Kingdom landscape and castle in Super Nintendo World
    Bowser's Castle with pipes and piranha plants in Super Nintendo World
    Themed interior with telescope and colourful props in Super Nintendo World

    That evening we headed out for tiki drinks at Kahuna Tiki in LA. The next day was all Disney – see a day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

    Tips if you go: staying at the Hilton or another Universal City hotel means you can walk or take a short shuttle to the gates. Super Nintendo World can need a timed entry pass on busy days, so check the app when you arrive, and do the Studio Tour early before the line builds.

    Where to stay

    We stayed at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, right next to the park. It’s an easy walk up the hill to the entrance.

    #UniversalStudiosHollywood #UniversalStudios #StudioTour #SuperNintendoWorld #WizardingWorld #HarryPotter #Springfield #TheSimpsons #LosAngeles #ThemePark #California #TravelPhotography