Holly Doran

Holly is a 28-year-old London girl turned Leipzig enthusiast. By day, she works at ProVeg, an NGO looking to reduce the consumption of animal products and by night, she indulges her love of words, both foreign and otherwise. Besides all things German, her passions and interests include dogs, running, Eastern Europe, 20th century history, vegan food, sarcasm, and linguistics.

Georgia: ancient cave town to mountaintop church

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"My lasting memory of Sighnaghi is, without a doubt, the relaxed stupor the place lured me into. This is aside from the layers of juxtaposing splendor afforded by the combination of adorable architecture, unspoiled fields and assertive mountains."

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Georgia: architecture, wine and murderous dictators

"We stood with mouths agape. Alas, no light was to be shed on the very odd spectacle to which we had just borne witness."

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Almaty: high in the birthplace of the apple

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"A friend... was going to fly back to his adoptive home in China via Almaty in Kazakhstan. This, of course, left me with no choice but to procure my very own Aeroflot tickets and to join him on his discovery of this mystical land seldom travelled to."

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Confusing, intriguing, surprising Minsk

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"It surpassed all my expectations and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone for a city break, not even just to a communist history geek like myself."

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The importance of learning to say “no”

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There’s only so long you can kid yourself that going to crocheting classes on Tuesday nights is what you’re all about.

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Leipzig: challenging vegan stereotypes

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"Instead of confining us to a select few, often undeniably tasty, but sometimes just too stereotypically healthy plant-based cafes and restaurants, Leipzig allows vegetarians and vegans to partake in the consumption of fast food in the SAME PLACES as our meat-eating counterparts."

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