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2 weeks ago | 
theguardian.com | Stephen Phelan
I have always longed to be a lighthouse keeper and now, at last, I am one. If only for the weekend. Look at my chunky-knit jumper! Feel the waterproof weave of my Donegal tweed cap! Truth be told, I am way too toasty in this quasi-nautical ensemble, having hoped and dressed for ominous fog, murderous gales and oceanic rainstorms.
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1 month ago | 
yahoo.com | Stephen Phelan |Francesco Lastrucci
The fall of the ancient Maya civilisation came gradually — as did the disappearance of its centres of power, each one slowly reclaimed by the creeping jungle. Mighty cities were lost for centuries, biding their time beneath thick drapes of vines and moss like dust sheets. In Guatemala, after the curtain was drawn back, hoards of artefacts eventually made their way to the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Guatemala City, one of the largest troves of Maya antiques.
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1 month ago | 
nationalgeographic.com | Stephen Phelan
The fall of the ancient Maya civilisation came gradually — as did the disappearance of its centres of power, each one slowly reclaimed by the creeping jungle. Mighty cities were lost for centuries, biding their time beneath thick drapes of vines and moss like dust sheets. In Guatemala, after the curtain was drawn back, hoards of artefacts eventually made their way to the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Guatemala City, one of the largest troves of Maya antiques.
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2 months ago | 
yahoo.com | Stephen Phelan |Francesco Lastrucci
Livingston is not an island, but it exists so separately from the rest of Guatemala that locals use the word ‘mainland’ to mean everywhere beyond its boundaries. Triple-isolated on the east coast by rainforest, river and saltwater, this small fishing town is cut off from the national road network and only accessible by boat.
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2 months ago | 
nationalgeographic.com | Stephen Phelan
Livingston is not an island, but it exists so separately from the rest of Guatemala that locals use the word ‘mainland’ to mean everywhere beyond its boundaries. Triple-isolated on the east coast by rainforest, river and saltwater, this small fishing town is cut off from the national road network and only accessible by boat.
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2 months ago | 
aol.com | Stephen Phelan
One of many myths surrounding Lake Atitlán tells of an ancient Maya sorceress who forged a magic ring for a Spanish conquistador, swearing it would make him irresistible to the object of his affection. Long story short: the plan went sideways, and the ring was lost at the bottom of the lake. There it remains, they say, still casting its spell through the water like an electric current, drawing travellers to these shores and compelling them to fall in love with the place.
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2 months ago | 
nationalgeographic.com | Stephen Phelan
One of many myths surrounding Lake Atitlán tells of an ancient Maya sorceress who forged a magic ring for a Spanish conquistador, swearing it would make him irresistible to the object of his affection. Long story short: the plan went sideways, and the ring was lost at the bottom of the lake. There it remains, they say, still casting its spell through the water like an electric current, drawing travellers to these shores and compelling them to fall in love with the place.
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2 months ago | 
theguardian.com | Stephen Phelan
Ibiza in the off-season. The big resort hotels are shuttered, the beach bars sealed up, the superclubs powered down until their showy reopening parties get the summer started again in late April. By July, the ratio will be back to 20 visitors to every one resident, but for now the island is as empty as it gets. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
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Feb 5, 2025 | 
flipboard.com | Stephen Phelan
1 day agoFILE - U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk prior to a NATO round table meeting at The Grove hotel and resort in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, Dec. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File) FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Canadian Prime …
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Feb 5, 2025 | 
wsj.com | Stephen Phelan
A near-century ago, the king of Spain turned his attention to domestic tourism when he approved a new plan for state-run hotels across the breadth of his domain. Tasked to lead the project, the Marquis de la Vega-Inclán called it La Red de Paradores (“The Parador Network”). That may sound like a fictional guild of assassins, but the word “parador” actually dates back to the age of gold doubloons, when it described roadside lodgings for cloaked travelers on horseback.
