Dede Sophie

There was a time when it was a backpacker’s haven and Laos’s party capital with drunken parties, tubing down the river and chilling at its iconic river side TV bars. Today, it is an eco-tourism hotspot that is known for its adventure avenues, pristine nature spots and oodles of relaxation. I am talking about the tropical green paradise called Vang Vieng that is surrounded by gorgeous karst topography in Central Laos. Located by the Nam Song river, Vang Vieng is blessed with gorgeous nature all round. It was this very beautiful nature that made it extremely popular in the backpacking circuit. Unfortunately, instead of nature, tourists focussed on drinking and drugs and a good many of them lost their lives while participating in adventure activities in an inebriated state. The good news is that Vang Vieng has rediscovered its mojo with version 2.0. This version 2.0 is more focused on promoting Vang Vieng as an eco adventure destination of Laos. This eco adventure includes kayaking and r...

Situated about a 20 minute drive from the centre of Funchal, Madeira, Palheiro gardens are one of three top class gardens to be found on the island. Utilising one of the larger sections of relatively flat land on this dormant Vulcanic rock, the 1st Count of Carvalhal found it perfect for laying out pleasure gardens on a grand scale.  Currently owned by the Blandy family, it is an excellent example of an English influenced Edwardian pleasure garden with a superb collection of trees Camellias, specimen trees and a selection of well-maintained compartmentalised themed gardens within the overall site. So join English horticulturists Simon and Lorna as they make their way around the garden for the first time, pointing out interesting plants that catch their eye and discuss the relevant landscaping as they pass through. Fell free to leave a comment, press the like button or even subscribe if you woild like to see more content like this.

Since Lorna’s tortoise came back, she has been worried about him escaping again so I was tasked to build a stronger garden enclosure – which I call the prison. Reluctantly, as I could have been watching TV, I took my man-tools out of the garage and set to work with no plan. So far neither of them have escaped which I feel is a reflection on my craftsmanship! If you would like to see more content like this then why not click on to the ‘SUBSCRIBE’ button. This helps to support our channel and you can be notified of any future videos.