architecture

El Gouna: Egypt’s seaside idyll?

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You need to fly at least five hours from the UK to find guaranteed winter sunshine and warmth.

So I booked a trip to the Egypt’s warm Red Sea coast for some much needed Vitamin D.

But I didn’t choose the ever popular Sharm El-Sheik – I decided to stay in El Gouna, Egypt’s upmarket purpose-built resort which took shape from 1990.

With its series of little islands and lagoons connected by bridges, the town has been called The Venice of Egypt.

How did this safe, manicured holiday idyll measure up? READ MORE BELOW

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I chose the Creek Hotel and Residences as my El Gouna home. Modern and comfortable, with friendly staff and a great buffet breakfast and dinner to graze on.

It was fairly quiet, with plenty of room around the sun-kissed pool area and small stretch of beach next to the furthest reach of lagoon.

A tuk tuk driver and his vehicle in the Egyptian resort of El Gouna

Tuk tuks are El Gouna’s transport of choice

The hotel wasn’t in easy walking distance of El Gouna’s downtown and seaside area. But there was a solution – a fleet of fast and cheap tuk tuks to whisk you around.

With its rows of pastel, white and sand-coloured villas set next to the water, the resort had an architectural purity and neatness that was a joy to photograph.

Zaytouna Beach, next to an ironically blue Red Sea, was full of places to settle and sunbathe and had a stunning boardwalk to wander along.

An unexpected attraction further inland was the Festival Plaza, a tall structure full of symmetry that didn’t seem to be doing anything apart from crying out to be photographed from all angles.

I also wandered around the downtown area a lot, with the shopping area designed like a souk but without any of the hard sell hassle.

Mike Osborn beneath El Gouna's impressive Festival Plaza structure.

The Festival Plaza was an impressive find

And the marina areas were lined with impressive looking crafts, handsome villas, upmarket cafes – and even a pristine white lighthouse.

Maybe El Gouna didn’t pack enough of an Egyptian punch  and felt a little too smooth and perfect.

This is why I took a trip to nearby Hurghada, a larger city which delivered more of an authentic feel with bustling street life and some rough around the edges architecture.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dose of winter sunshine and a refreshing change of scenery in El Gouna. Maybe the answer is to come here to decompress after a more intense visit to Egypt’s vast, chaotic capital Cairo?

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Hurghada: A real taste of Egypt

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Feeling the winter chill and overdue a change of scene, I booked my very first trip to Egypt.

I didn’t choose the Pyramids or a Nile Cruise, but the upmarket sun-kissed Red Sea resort of El Gouna.

But I craved a taste of real Egypt and booked a day trip to the nearby city of Hurghada.

Was this an eye-opening contrast to the beach and sun loungers? READ MORE BELOW

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My day was spent in the company of tour guide Mostafa, an enthusiastic and friendly young guy with a detailed knowledge of his home city.

We visited the city’s impressive waterside mosque, but this was Friday and time for prayers – the biggest event of the week.

Sitting with a throng of male worshippers, carefully following their every move and listening in awe to the Imam’s sermon was a great privilege, thanks to Mostafa.

We moved from one part of Egyptian life to the nearby fish market, bedecked with seafood and locals carefully selecting their catch of the day.

Mike and guide Mostafa taking in the sights

The marina area has been redeveloped for the tourist trade, with a slew of restaurants where Westerners would certainly feel at home.

I asked to head away from here and we went to an ordinary neighbourhood distant from the seafront, with a busy outdoor market and a colourful array of shops and cafes.

It was filled with a hotch-potch of architecture, with some buildings in need of some TLC. But this area of Hurghada felt authentically unmanicured.

A stop for a refreshing sugar cane juice and then mint tea at a sprawling street cafe – the domain of Egyptian men – added a further sense of authenticity to this experience.

My El Gouna base seemed much smoother around the edges but lacking that fizz of excitement when I returned – I’m glad I had this brush with real Egypt.

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2025: The year in six photos

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It’s almost time to ring in 2026, so it’s time to look back on the year that’s been.

2025 is sharply defined by photographs for me, which bring back places I’ve visited and moments that have created a lasting impact.

I was lucky enough to travel far and wide again, although the summer was marked by a lull with staycations closer to home.

I hope you enjoy exploring those locations. A Happy New Year to you and may 2026 prove healthy and rewarding.

1) North African island

A stretch of Djerban coast, the blue of the Mediterranean and the Spring sky.

A winter sunshine holiday to the Tunisian island of Djerba outdid expectations. Rarely content with beachside relaxation, I hired a bike to explore the island’s compelling architecture and landscapes, meeting Tunisians along the way. The holiday grew into a fully-fledged trip.

• Explore stunning Djerba here

2) Seaside sunsets

A summer sunset on St Anne's beach on the Lancashire coast.

This summer I turned my regular day trips to England’s north-west coast into little staycations. I was rewarded with blazing, rich sunsets on St Annes Beach in Lancashire and went on a 20km hike along the Fylde Coast. Don’t head home, book a hotel.

• Enjoy more Lancashire summer sun here

3) Purpose-built capital

A cluster of high rise buildings on the Astana skyline, including the iconic Bayterek Tower.

2025’s long distance adventure took me to the vast Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan. It boasts monumental landscapes but the new capital of Astana impressed me the most with its bold, modern architecture. You just have to look up in this city.

• See the riches of Kazakhstan here

4) Memorable stay by the bay

A group paddling in the water seen on Morecambe South Beach in the last light of day.

I turned regular day trips to the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe into a short break, staying at Art Deco landmark The Midland Hotel. I captured the bay’s legendary dawns and dusks, with a walk to neighbouring Heysham thrown in. This was so much more rewarding than rushing home to Manchester.

• Enjoy more of Morecambe’s marvels here

5) Far flung mountains

A yurt encampment nestling in the mountainous landscape of Kyrgyzstan.

Mighty Kazakhstan was followed by a visit to far smaller, rugged Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. Valleys studded with yurts and a vast lake posing as this landlocked country’s seaside made this a memorable short stay.

• Discover more of Kyrgyzstan here

6) Manchester keeps on growing

The high rise tower of new development Square Gardens in Manchester.

The development of Manchester city centre continued at speed in 2025, and I was in the right place to capture it. Square Gardens with its sleek blue towers became a new favourite – a preference likely to change in 2026?

• Explore more of Manchester here

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Manchester: November in 15 images

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November in the north of England. Is it all cold, miserable and wet weather as the dark nights take hold?

Here in Manchester I spend most days capturing the city’s architectural growth and how weather shifts from one day to the next.

I’m armed with my trusty 12-year-old Fuji or Samsung mobile, now a handy mainstay after a reluctance to use it as a camera.

They produce different results, but my eye often looks upwards and maybe doesn’t see the Manchester that many people expect.

Here’s November through my lens. I’m heading to warmer climes as it draws to a close – more on that next time.

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Mike Osborn on a Manchester photo walk with his Fuji X-E1 camera.

A November photo walk in Manchester with my trusty old Fuji X-E1 camera

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Morecambe: Stay on the bay

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Why settle for a day out when you can stay over?

After my successful break on the Fylde Coast, I decided to repeat the feat for Morecambe Bay, a familiar seaside spot in north Lancashire.

I spent a couple of nights in the town’s landmark Art Deco hotel and witnessed some jaw-dropping dawns and sunsets for the first time.

So I didn’t rush back home to Manchester for once. Was it worth the extra effort? CONTINUE READING BELOW.

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Morecambe’s Midland Hotel, a stylish slab of Art Deco concrete close to the beach, had long been on my list of places to spend a night or two.

The building won my heart with its elegant circular staircase, while I was given Room 101 – a large double room on a curve of the property.

It wasn’t a cheap stay, but I was in the perfect place to witness Morecambe Bay’s legendary sunsets. Ample skies, a scattering of cloud and the still waters providing a perfect mirror – I struck gold.

I also rose around 6am to see the sun rise with scarlet ribbons of colour layering the sky and Cumbria’s fells lining the horizon. The sea front was very quiet, settling my inner peace.

The last of the sunlight reflecting on the water of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

Dusk beauty awaits Morecambe visitors

There was plenty of time during my extended stay to take a walk to Heysham, a little seaside village I’ve visited on a previous occasion.

I wandered through Morecambe’s West End on the way, through streets full of historical markers but waiting for a good dose of TLC. 

As a regular solo traveller, it was lovely to speak to local people on my walks. They admitted the town needs a boost and whispered that the Midland Hotel has lost a little of its sheen in recent years.

This was a little staycation that proved a success – you can experience so much more if you decide to stay for a night or two. So where’s next?…

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