Hamra Street, Beirut’s Champs Elysées

23 September 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Shopping, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  12 minutes

Hamra Street © flickr.com - Lolinka/cc-by-2.0

Hamra Street © flickr.com – Lolinka/cc-by-2.0

Hamra Street or Rue Hamra is one of the main streets of the city of Beirut, Lebanon, and one of the main economic and diplomatic hubs of Beirut. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name, Hamra. Its technical name is Rue 31. Due to the numerous sidewalk cafes and theatres, Hamra Street was the centre of intellectual activity in Beirut during the 1960s and 1970s. Before 1975, Hamra Street and the surrounding district was known as Beirut’s trendiest, though in the post-war period it has arguably been eclipsed by Rue Monot in Ashrafieh, Rue Gouraud in Gemmayzeh, Rue Verdun, and downtown area. In the mid 1990s, the Municipality of Beirut gave a face lift to the street to reattract tourists all year round. Hamra Street was known as Beirut’s Champs Elysées as it was frequented by tourists, mostly Americans, Europeans and mega-rich Arabs, all year round. Today it is a commercial district with numerous prestigious universities (such as: American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, and Haigazian University), hotels, furnished apartments, libraries, restaurants and coffee shops, with “78 Street” (commonly known as “the Alleyway”) being Hamra’s main pubbing and clubbing hub.   read more…

Theme Week Burgenland – Parndorf

27 August 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Shopping Reading Time:  11 minutes

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Parndorf © Steindy/cc-by-sa-4.0

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Parndorf © Steindy/cc-by-sa-4.0

Parndorf is a bilingual municipality with 5100 inhabitants in the Neusiedl am See district in Burgenland. The western part of Parndorf extends into the Leitha Mountains and is located on the Parndorf Plain. The town is 7 km north of Lake Neusiedl.   read more…

Orchard Road in Singapore

6 August 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks, Shopping, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  9 minutes

ION Orchard Shopping Mall © flickr.com - Erwin Soo/cc-by-2.0

ION Orchard Shopping Mall © flickr.com – Erwin Soo/cc-by-2.0

Orchard Road, often known colloquially as Orchard, is a major 2.5 km (1.6 mi)–long road in the Central Area of Singapore. A famous tourist attraction, it is an upscale shopping area of Singapore, with numerous internationally renowned department stores, restaurants and coffeehouses located in its vicinity. Orchard Road got its name from the nutmeg, pepper and fruit orchards or the plantations that the road once led to. Such plantations were common in the area in the 19th century. The Orchard Planning Area is a planning area as specified by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. It is part of the Central Area located within the Central Region. Orchard is bordered by Newton in the east and north, Tanglin in the west, River Valley in the south and Museum to the southeast.   read more…

Faneuil Hall in Boston

1 July 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, Shopping Reading Time:  2 minutes

© flickr.com - Kevin Rutherford/cc-by-sa-2.0

© flickr.com – Kevin Rutherford/cc-by-sa-2.0

Faneuil Hall is a marketplace and meeting hall located near the waterfront and today’s Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts. Opened in 1743, it was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. It is now part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes referred to as “the Cradle of Liberty”. In 2008, Faneuil Hall was rated number 4 in “America’s 25 Most Visited Tourist Sites” by Forbes Traveler.   read more…

Leadenhall Market in London

3 May 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, London, Shopping Reading Time:  5 minutes

© flickr.com - Aurelien Guichard/cc-by-sa-2.0

© flickr.com – Aurelien Guichard/cc-by-sa-2.0

Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street but with vehicular access also available via Whittington Avenue to the north and Lime Street to the south and east, and additional pedestrian access via a number of narrow passageways. It is one of the oldest markets in London, dating from the 14th century, and is located in the historic centre of the City of London financial district.   read more…

Dubai Gold Souk

19 April 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Dubai, Shopping Reading Time:  4 minutes

© flickr.com - Joi/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Joi/cc-by-2.0

Dubai Gold Souk or Gold Souk, is a traditional market (or souk) in Dubai, UAE. The souk is located in Dubai’s commercial business district in Deira, in the locality of Al Dhagaya. The souk consists of over 380 retailers, most of whom are jewelry traders. Some of the shops are as old as four decades, while some are as new as a year. The major items of mall includes Gold, Platinum, Diamonds and sometimes also deals in silver.   read more…

Souq Waqif in Doha

7 April 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Shopping Reading Time:  11 minutes

© Diego Delso/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Diego Delso/cc-by-sa-3.0

Souq Waqif (“the standing market”) is a marketplace (souq) in Doha, in the state of Qatar. The souq is noted for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. It is also home to dozens of restaurants and Shisha lounges. Although it dates back at least a hundred years, it was renovated in 2006 to conserve its traditional Qatari architectural style. The area is very popular with locals and immigrants alike as it offers multiple dining options in the same location. It is located in the district of Al Souq which is situated in the center of Doha. As it was a market used for trading activities, the area used to be located immediately adjoining the shore to allow for boats to access it. Although still facing the water, the direct link to the water front for boats is now divided by a major road and the recently completed park.   read more…

Little Italy in New York City

5 April 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, New York City, Shopping Reading Time:  9 minutes

Colour-changing Little Italy sign on Mulberry Street at Broome Street © Jameschecker/cc-by-sa-4.0

Colour-changing Little Italy sign on Mulberry Street at Broome Street © Jameschecker/cc-by-sa-4.0

Little Italy is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City, once known for its large Italian population. It is bounded on the west by Tribeca and Soho, on the south by Chinatown, on the east by the Bowery and Lower East Side, and on the north by Nolita. In 2010, Little Italy and Chinatown were listed in a single historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Little Italy, by this point, was shrinking rapidly.   read more…

Borough Market in London

1 March 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, London, Shopping Reading Time:  8 minutes

© flickr.com - Jeremy Keith/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Jeremy Keith/cc-by-2.0

Borough Market is a wholesale and retail market hall in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century. The present buildings were built in the 1850s, and today the market mainly sells speciality foods to the general public. Borough Market is located on Southwark Street and Borough High Street just south of Southwark Cathedral on the southern end of London Bridge. The retail market operates Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The wholesale market operates on all weekday mornings from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.   read more…

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