I felt like a child again as I wandered down to the riverbank to look at crawdads.
“Oh, the L.A. River folks posted on Instagram about this, but I didn’t know they were right here,” my walking partner said.
Dozens of bright red crustaceans swam and fought and hid in the warm shallow water of the Glendale Narrows of the Los Angeles River. A Cooper’s hawk swooped down to grab a branch presumably for a nearby nest. A black-crowned night heron accidentally dropped its lunch, perhaps a frog, back into the water.
Crawdads, or crayfish, fight each other, eat and bask in the sun in the L.A. River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Later, I’d witness Canada geese arriving in formation before landing on the river for their evening dinner and rest.
In all honesty, I hadn’t expected such abundant life less than a quarter of a mile from the 5 Freeway. But that’s what you’ll discover along the sandy, soft bottom segments of the L.A. River where nature rejected concrete and instead built back life.
You are reading The Wild newsletter
Sign up to get expert tips on the best of Southern California’s beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains in your inbox every Thursday
Jason Wise, an L.A.-based conservationist, was my walking partner who spotted the crawdaddies, as I was raised to call them in Oklahoma. I had asked Wise, who regularly hosts educational hikes, if we could walk along the river and explore one of its soft bottom segments.
Since moving to L.A., I’d wondered why certain parts of the river were lush and beautiful. My wife and I had biked a few times from Koreatown to the river trail, usually eating at Spoke Bicycle Cafe. Why did this segment look like an actual river and not the concrete flood channel featured in the 1978 film “Grease”?
Ducks stand on rocks in the sandy bottom of the Los Angeles River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
We’ll get to that precise answer, but first, a bit of geography and history.
The L.A. River has existed for thousands of years and was the site of Indigenous villages for more than 1,000 years. It is, in its current iteration, a 51-mile “engineered waterway” whose banks were channelized with concrete starting in 1938 and finished by 1960, according to the county public works department.
Three portions of the river, though, remain unpaved:
As we watched its waters flow by, Wise explained that the L.A. River was a wild, free-flowing river that often changed course.
The Glendale Narrows area of the L.A. River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
For example, as Times columnist Patt Morrison pointed out: “From today’s downtown, it coursed west and southwest all over the Los Angeles Basin until around 1825, when another flood redirected it toward where it flows today, more or less south from the original pueblo.”
This was a problem for L.A.’s developers. And not only that, Wise said, but the river flooded seasonally throughout the 1930s. At the same time, L.A. was growing rapidly, with lots of money to be made in building industry and homes as close to the river as possible.
In 1938, L.A. experienced a great flood — which in today’s meteorological lingo, we’d explain as essentially back-to-back atmospheric rivers hitting in 4½ days, bringing about 16 inches of rain, which is on average how much the area gets in a year. At least 96 people died (although experts say the number is probably higher).
The flood was the impetus for controlling the river, especially given that officials wanted to keep building near it.
At that time, two plans emerged, Wise said. This moment, dear Wilder, would be a good one to correct if you perhaps have a time machine on hand.
A beautiful evening at the Glendale Narrows of the L.A. River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
In a report titled “Parks, Playgrounds and Beaches for the Los Angeles Region,” designers recommended the region create an “emerald necklace,” or a series of parks along waterways, including the L.A River, the Rio Hondo, the San Gabriel River, Ballona Creek and Compton Creek. Officials could engineer the river with slopes to better handle flooding, and parks would soak up water and replenish the water table.
Areas near the river still might flood, and “we might have to replace some picnic tables or a playground, but otherwise, the whole city has all these parks, and a connection to nature and our wild river that is actually the foundation of the city, the reason that L.A. exists,” Wise said.
We didn’t do that.
Instead, officials asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a faster, simpler (and, in other words, cheaper) solution, Wise said. “Not that it was cheap to dig up and concretize a river, but if you locked this into place … you can then develop right up to the edge,” Wise said.
But in certain places, including the Glendale Narrows, the plan didn’t work. The Glendale Narrows has a higher water table than other areas of the L.A. River, and the engineers realized the concrete wouldn’t set because of the high amount of water and springs bubbling up.
White-faced ibises mingle on rocks at the Glendale Narrows of the L.A. River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
With the soil exposed, seeds could take root, plants returned, and wildlife came back. The ecosystem, as best it could, rebounded.
“It was an amazing mistake,” Wise said of the Corps’ inability to lay concrete over the entire L.A. River. “I’m so grateful that the Army Corps screwed that up.”
And now, there’s momentum to rethink the landscape of our river’s design.
My first question about that was: “Would we have to tolerate flooding again?” Wise told me that’s a common misconception. For one, it’s arguably impossible to “rewild” the entire river.
“You can’t get rid of this right now because there are homes right there,” Wise said. “We can’t completely undo the mistakes of the past, but we can find a way to create a better future and learn from those mistakes. The best thing to do with a mistake is to learn from it and do things better. It’s harder now, but what can we do to bring some wild back?”
Geese and other birds float along the Glendale Narrows of the Los Angeles River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
A few days after my visit with Wise, I returned to the L.A. River for sunset. I parked again at Elysian Valley Gateway Park and walked about a third of a mile south to an area of the river where heaps of rocks make it easier to cross the still-concrete part of the river to reach the natural area.
And then for an hour, I stood in awe as a concert of birds performed their evening serenade. White-faced ibises stood perfectly balanced on rocks among the calm river. Great blue herons passed by overhead. American coots submerged themselves underwater in search of food. A few large fish popped up to eat bugs.
Then I heard honking. Not the kind from the nearby 5 Freeway, which for this moment in time, didn’t exist. Four Canada geese appeared above in formation, swooping down to land together on the water. They floated over to the bank, just 15 feet or so from me, where one goose stood watch, protecting its three flock members as they ate and rested. I felt lucky to witness that, like I was living in a Mary Oliver poem.
A Canada goose watches out for its flock members as they eat and rest on the L.A. River.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
It grew darker, and I soon left — only to hear more honking as nine more geese landed.
On my way home, traffic felt less obnoxious. My empty fridge felt less of a problem. Even the Trader Joe’s parking lot left me unaffected. Instead, I felt connected to not only our river and our city, but to the humans around me. As Wise reminded me:
The L.A. River “is the foundation of the city. Nature is all around us, and it’s even there within the city. There should be more of it … and through that connection, we realize we are nature. We are also animals on this planet, that everything is connected. We’re all one big living, breathing organism. Nature is a conduit to the rest of community and supporting each other and building each other up and helping each other out.”
3 things to do
Children’s paintings of P-22, L.A.’s late lion king who lived in and around Griffith Park for more than a decade, at the 2022 P-22 Day Festival.
(Save LA Cougars)
1. Keep P-22’s memory alive in L.A. 🦁🕯️ The #SaveLACougars campaign will host its annual P-22 Day Festival from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Shane’s Inspiration (4800 Crystal Springs Drive) in Griffith Park. The event honors the legacy of P-22, a male mountain lion who inspired countless Angelenos into advocating for our local wildlife. Several local conservation and Indigenous groups will host tables with information about how attendees can get more involved in protecting our public lands. Guests can also meet the people behind the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, take home native plants, enjoy art, crafts and food-trucks and check out the latest P-22 merchandise. Learn more at savelacougars.org.
2. Prowl for the phantasmal in Pasadena L.A. Fright Club, a horror-themed fitness group, will host its spooky hike club at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Lower Arroyo Seco trail. The group will meet at the trailhead in the San Pascual Stables parking lot (221 San Pascual Ave. in South Pasadena). Costumes are encouraged. Learn more at the group’s Instagram page.
3. Embrace the eerie in Elysian Park We Explore Earth will host Forest Bridges Day Camp, a Halloween-themed community celebration, from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday in Elysian Park. Attendees can participate in guided hikes, workshops, pumpkin carving, cornhole and more. Participants should bring a blanket, camping chair and/or pillows for the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.
The must-read
Spanish mountaineer Kilian Jornet climbed 72 summits over 14,000 feet in the contiguous U.S. in 31 days this fall. Jornet is pictured here in the Sierra Nevada range known as the Normans 13, which connects 13 summits over 13,000 feet (3,962 meters).
(Andy Cochrane)
In just 31 days, Spanish mountaineer Kilian Jornet recently climbed all 72 summits in the contiguous United States that stand over 14,000 feet tall — a feat similar to climbing Mt. Whitney 2½ times per day, every day, for a month, writes Times staff writer Jack Dolan. Jornet’s journey included California’s “Norman’s 13,” which is 13 summits over 14,000 feet in remote alpine terrain between Lone Pine and Bishop. My first question, reading Jack’s piece was: “Why?” Jornet said he doesn’t do it for the glory. “I do these things because I love them, because they bring me joy and happiness, not because I think they’re very important,” he said.
Happy adventuring,
P.S.
For fans of one of California’s silliest native animals, I have great news! Reservations opened Monday for guided elephant seal tours at Año Nuevo State Park, which is about 6½ hours northwest of L.A. Every December, these massive sea mammals migrate to the beaches of Año Nuevo for their breeding and birthing season. There is fighting — drama! — along with lots of vocalizing and “galumphing,” the park said on its Instagram page. To reserve your spot for a tour, visit this website, and from the “category” dropdown menu, choose “guided seal walks” before choosing which day you’d like to go. Reservations are available 56 days (eight weeks) in advance of your desired walk date.
For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.
This summer, I read my way around Los Angeles and highly recommend the experience.
There were plenty of freshly published L.A. novels to dive into: My literary journey began in pre-Eaton fire Altadena (“Bug Hollow”) and ended in a run-down Hollywood mansion crawling with influencers (“If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You”); other novels transported me to West Adams Heights post-World War II (“The Great Mann”), Laurel Canyon of the mid-’60s (“L.A. Women”), contemporary Glendale (“The Payback”) and, farthest afield, Salton Sea (“Salt Bones”). And while the novels varied greatly, each was engagingly local. The familiar L.A.-ness of narratives populated with malls, dreamers and celebrities real and fictionalized added to those books’ appeal, while others set in less familiar (to me) communities enriched my understanding of the area.
To help you choose your next L.A. literary adventure, we asked five authors to tell us why they set their latest novels in and around SoCal, along with their favorite local spots to visit.
(Phoebe Lettice Thompson)
‘L.A. Women’
Ella Berman
The title of this retro novel telegraphs its setting while echoing an earlier work by Eve Babitz, a famous L.A. scenester who contributed to Movieline magazine when I worked there decades ago, though as a newcomer to the city I did not appreciate it then. Berman’s novel centers on two, rather than one, woman: A pair of frenemies — reminiscent of Joan Didion and Babitz — circle each other in the Laurel Canyon creative scene during the mid-’60s to early-’70s, navigating relationships with rock stars and visits to the Troubadour and Chateau Marmont as the free love vibe begins to sour.
Why L.A.? “This story couldn’t have been set anywhere other than Los Angeles,” says Berman. “The central relationships, conflict and emotional stakes are all a product of this beautiful city during this period of cultural upheaval.” To get the period details straight, she relied on a friend “who had lived in Hollywood since the late 1950s,” writing the first chapter from a hotel room in West Hollywood after lunch with her. “Later, I walked up to the Canyon Country Store immortalized by Jim Morrison in ‘Love Street’ and I felt a sense of wonder for the ghosts of the past.”
Fave hangout spots: “I love anywhere that feels like I’m time traveling so a classic margarita at Casa Vega, the eggplant parmigiana at Dan Tana’s, a show in the close-up gallery of the Magic Castle or a martini at Musso & Frank’s always deliver,” says Berman, who also loves to browse the Rose Bowl Flea Market for midcentury treasures and vintage band T-shirts.
‘The Payback’
Kashana Cauley
Once a Hollywood costume designer, Jada is working in an unspecified mall that seems suspiciously like the Glendale Galleria when Cauley’s novel begins, but that job doesn’t last either. Sticky fingered and bogged down with college debt, she ends up recording ASMR videos to make money while fleeing the debt police — until she and her pals come up with a scheme to erase their financial woes. The storyline will surely resonate among those saddled with their own college debt or just feeling pinched by rising costs at the grocery store.
Why Glendale? “I wanted my main character, Jada, to feel truly kicked out of Hollywood, as she is,” the writer with credits on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” explains. “So part of me was like, well, where’s the farthest place, vibe-wise, you can get from Hollywood, and still, in Jada’s case, feel very L.A., and the Glendale Galleria fit.” Cauley much prefers the Galleria to the Americana and says fellow transplant Jada feels the same.
Favorite spot: “These days I’ve been hanging out at Taqueria Frontera in Cypress Park because I’m unable to fight my massive addiction to their carne asada queso-taco. It’s perfect. The meat is tender and just the right amount of salty. The cheese is present without being overwhelming. It comes with a handsome scoop of quality guac and a charming green salsa,” she says. “But also the restaurant itself is a vibe. It feels more outdoor than indoor because of a big row of stools out front that’s alongside the kitchen. And it attracts a large, laid-back crowd that feels like a party.”
‘Salt Bones’
Jennifer Givhan
Far from L.A.’s suburban sprawl, a Salton Sea butcher is haunted by the disappearance of girls in a novel suffused in Latina and Indigenous cultures. The water that once sustained the community is horribly polluted and younger characters dream of escape; Mal, the mother of two daughters, is visited by a shapeshifter in her dreams. A book for fans of mysteries and magical realism, it illuminates the environmental hazards of agrifarming in Southern California.
Why Salton Sea? Growing up in the area, her mother warned her that the water was poisonous. “We could smell for ourselves the fish die-offs, the weeks-long stink of toxic algal blooms,” she says. Visiting later, Givhan heard from a friend that the Salton Sea was drying up and releasing toxic chemicals like arsenic from decades of pesticide runoff and “became increasingly concerned about the fate of the place that raised me.” When activists encountered apathy from Sacramento politicians, “I knew I had to tell this story,” she says. “My soapbox may have been slippery, but people tend to love murder mysteries. So I wrapped my heart in one.”
Fave SoCal spots: “Anything by the water; I love hanging out on the beach and eating tacos. As I write in all of my novels, the water haunts me,” Givhan observes. “Many of the pages of ‘Salt Bones’ were drafted while we were living in Chula Vista and making trips back to the Salton Sea and surrounding communities for research. I started this novel at Imperial Beach, where we couldn’t go into the water because of the sewage problem and the signs warning No Nadar! Then I moved to Coronado Beach. On the way onto the peninsula, we’d stop at a great little burrito place for breakfast burritos, and I’d haul my portable typewriter to a picnic bench, set it up with the ocean spread before me and start tapping away.”
‘If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You’
Leigh Stein
Back in Hollywood, influencers have set up shop in a crumbling mansion with an infamous past, desperate to go viral; the owners of the property are looking for sponsorship money to pay for its repairs. In steps photographer turned entertainment journalist Dayna, who gets dumped on Reddit in humiliating fashion as the book opens. Stein’s novel, in case that description does not make clear, has much to say about Hollywood, social media and the creator economy; at its heart is a gothic horror story wrapped up in a mystery with satirical undertones.
Why Hollywood? “Like ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ my novel is about fears of aging and irrelevance in an industry that runs on youth and beauty,” Stein says. “I’m obsessed with how the creator economy is completely reshaping the media and entertainment industries.” The mansion is inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in Los Feliz, which has appeared in movies including “Blade Runner” and also has a troubled legacy. “The more research I did, the more it seemed cursed,” she says.
Fave L.A. haunts: “I’m originally from Chicago and I first fell in love with Los Angeles through Francesca Lia Block novels, where everything is magic and draped in curtains of bougainvillea,” the author says. “My ideal day in L.A. would be taking the Berendo Stairs to Griffith Park, checking out the staff recommendations at Skylight Books and going to Erewhon to get their spicy buffalo cauliflower and some overpriced adaptogenic beverage that promises to change my life.”
‘Loved One’
Aisha Muharrar
Less overtly L.A. than the rest of the novels on this list, “Loved One” unfolds in L.A. and London following the death of Gabe, a 29-year-old indie musician who was the first love of Julia, a UCLA law student who became a Hollywood jewelry designer. Eager to reclaim his prize possessions for her and Gabe’s mother’s sake, she meets Gabe’s girlfriend Elizabeth in England. Through a series of flashbacks, key moments in Julia’s relationship with Gabe — and her life in L.A. — are revealed.
Why L.A.? Muharrar initially resisted the idea of setting her book in L.A., but ultimately felt moving there would just be the logical next step for a musician like Gabe, who has “a passion and then, career-wise, it turns out L.A. is the best place to pursue it.” Julia, she notes, arrives in L.A. for school with one career goal in mind and then ends up doing something else.” In the end, “it’s just a place people live.”
Fave L.A. hangout spots: “I love the bookstores: Reparations Club, Chevalier’s, Skylight. And I also love Silver Lake Library. It closed in July for several months of renovations and won’t be open until 2026 and I am, no exaggeration, devastated,” she says. “Also: Above the Fold in Larchmont. Is it the last newsstand in L.A.? I think it might be.”
Twisting along roads flanked by cherry trees, granite boulders, vines and wildflower-flecked pastures, I wind down the windows and breathe in the pure air of Portugal’s remote, historic Beira Interior region. The motor is silent, the playlist is birdsong and occasional bleating sheep; all is serene. “This is easier,” I say to myself with a smile, recalling my previous attempt to visit the Aldeias Históricas – a dozen historic hamlets bound by a 1995 conservation project – using woeful public transport. Revisiting this unspoilt pocket of Portugal, 155 miles (250km) north-east of Lisbon, near the border with Spain, is going to be effortless in an EV. And, best of all, the transport doesn’t cost me a penny.
An hour before, I arrived in Castelo Novo, a four-hour train ride from the capital, and currently the sole hub of the Aldeias Históricas’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Scheme. It was launched in 2022 to address local transport issues by providing five free-to-hire electric vehicles, alongside other community-supporting projects. It sounded too good to be true, but I booked the maximum three-day rental – enough time to see at least nine of the villages. I was informed that if I arrived by train, someone would meet me at the station.
Sure enough, Duarte Rodrigues welcomes me like an old friend. “The project’s main focus is tourism to the historic villages, but some of the cars are used for the community, to take elderly people to the market or distribute meals,” he says on the gorgeous drive to the medieval hamlet of Castelo Novo, 650 metres up the slopes of the Serra da Gardunha. Take-up was nearly equal between tourists and residents, he adds.
A few minutes later, outside the romanesque town hall, Duarte hands me the keys to my Megane E-Tech with a wave. It’s worth staying for a night at Pedra Nova, a gorgeously renovated boutique B&B, but it needs to be booked well in advance and I am keen to make the most of my time in the EV. Having decided to skip popular Piódão and Monsanto – now a House of the Dragon jet-setting destination – my first stop is Belmonte. Like all 12 aldeias, this hazy hilltop town played a pivotal role in Portugal’s identity. A Brazilian flag flutters behind a statue of local legend Pedro Álvares Cabral, the first European to “discover” Brazil. I stroll through the old Jewish Quarter’s single-storey granite houses to Bet Eliahu synagogue, built 500 years after King Manuel I’s 1496 decree expelling Jews from the kingdom.
Centum Cellas, a Roman villa near Belmonte. Photograph: Luis Fonseca/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Continuing to 12th-century Linhares da Beira, I wander the leafy slopes of the Serra da Estrela – mainland Portugal’s highest range. Similar to much-loved Monsanto, the hamlet lies between and atop giant granite boulders. From the largest rocky outcrop, where the castle’s crenellated walls rise, the Mondego valley’s panorama is endless. Other than an airborne paraglider and a man hawking hand-carved magnets in the car park, there’s not a soul in sight.
I walk a stretch of slabbed Roman road that once linked Mérida in Spain to Braga, north of Porto, and remember why I adore these villages. History is bite-size, hushed and unhurried, the antithesis of my home in the Algarve. After a brief drive, I park up and plug in outside the medieval defences of the most populated aldeia.
Founded in the ninth century, handsome Trancoso hides behind hefty, turret-topped walls that have witnessed royal nuptials and numerous skirmishes. Today, walking beneath weathered porticos and streets lined with hydrangeas, it feels like the calmest place in the world. As does Solar Sampaio e Melo, a palatial 17th-century guesthouse – repurchased by a descendant of the original owners in 2011 – with an honesty bar and a pool shaded by turrets.
Following a late breakfast of sardinhas doces, Troncoso’s sardine-shaped, almond-stuffed sweets, I make for Marialva. The satnav states 30 minutes, but with back-road detours to gawp at giant granite mounds around Moreira de Rei, I reach the massif-mounted castle well after lunch. Occupied by the Aravos, a Lusitanian tribe, then the Romans and Moors, this was a crucial site for the advance of the Christian Reconquista.
An old chap in a checkered shirt sits hammering almonds from their shells outside his home. I buy a bulging bag for €7 and gobble a handful inside the semi-ruined citadel, where Bonelli’s eagles soar and cacti reclaim the stone. The flavour transports me to my Algarvian childhood holidays, when I’d hide from the sun (and my parents) under almond trees. For a second, it feels like Portugal hasn’t changed in 30 years. Perhaps here, far from the coast, little has.
The castle at Marialva. Photograph: Vitor Ribeiro/Alamy
The journey to Castelo Rodrigo is filled with awe, particularly around the craggy valley sliced by the Côa river. Just upstream is a unique collection of rock art etchings from three eras – prehistory, protohistory and history – and Faia Brava, Portugal’s first private nature reserve, co-founded by biologist Ana Berliner, her husband and others. In 2004, the couple renovated Casa da Cisterna into a boutique guesthouse, and on its wisteria-draped terrace, Ana welcomes me with sugared almonds and fresh juice. I enquire about Faia Brava (Ana guides guests on excursions to the reserve and the prehistoric rock art) and whether they’re concerned about tourism growing.
“These small villages benefit a lot [from tourism] because there aren’t many people living here or many opportunities, so people are moving to the big cities,” she tells me. “If you retain your people, and your young people spend those days living here, it’s very good.”
As I poke around the castle ruins, I mull over how the Portuguese writer José Saramago described Castelo Rodrigo in Journey to Portugal (1981): “desolation, infinite sadness” and “abandoned by those who once lived here”. I’m reassured that Ana is right. Lisbon’s tourism boom has created Europe’s least affordable city for locals. Yet, in these hinterlands, the right tourism approach could help preserve local customs.
Unlike most of the aldeias, Castelo Rodrigo was founded by the Kingdom of León. It became Portuguese when the 1297 treaty of Alcanizes defined one of Europe’s oldest frontiers. Reminders of Spain linger, such as the Ávila-style semicircular turrets and ruined Cristóvão de Moura palace, constructed under the Habsburg Spanish kings. Portuguese locals later torched it.
With no charging station in Castelo Rodrigo (work is under way to expand the project to other villages, including the installation of chargers and the opening of new bases with additional cars in 2026), I drive to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, the modern town below. At Taverna da Matilde flaming chouriço scents the dining room, and the pork loin – bisaro, an indigenous part-pig, part‑boar – is perfect. I sleep like a prince at Casa da Cisterna.
Breakfast is a casual, communal affair of buttery Seia mountain cheese and pão com chouriço, followed by a quick stop at Castelo Rodrigo’s wine cooperative to collect a case of robust Touriga Nacional (tours and tastings €18pp). In Almeida, a star-shaped military town, I roam the grassy ramparts before continuing south. Swallows soon replace eagles, and granite fades into gentle farmland.
Approaching Castelo Mendo. Photograph: Daniel James Clarke
I breathe in the silence, standing by Castelo Mendo’s twin-turreted gate. It feels like the world has stopped. I tiptoe across the ruined castle keep and am transfixed by the endless panorama of olive groves, cherry trees and occasional shepherd’s huts.
In search of coffee, I step into a dimly lit stone room below a sign that reads D Sancho. Inside is an old-world retail marvel. Photos of popes, boxes of wine, retired horseshoes, mounds of old coins and “mystery boxes” that I’m tempted to spend a tenner on. A hunched woman with a smile gifts me a shot of ginjinha, the local cherry liquor, and signals me to sit with her on the bench outside. We don’t speak, yet I somehow feel a connection to her land. I buy a bottle in the hope of taking that feeling home.
My final stop, Sortelha, comes with high expectations – Saramago promised a perfectly preserved medieval town. Hulking walls cradle a 16th-century cluster of stone houses dominated by a castle that crowns an outcrop. Almost on cue, fog and showers shroud it all in mystery. I retreat to O Foral, where plates of bacalhau (salted cod) are bathed in pistachio-hued local olive oil.
Parking back in Castelo Novo with a panic-inducing 7% charge showing on the dash, I am grateful to return the keys, and use the time before my lift to the station to survey the Knights Templar’s former domain from the 12th-century castle.
Stopping outside the red door where Saramago reportedly once stayed, I ponder how he would describe these villages 44 years later. Hopefully, he’d recount that, for the traveller, timeless magic remains, but those returning and reviving have vanquished any melancholy.
Two new train stations are set to open in towns in Devon and Somerset – providing prime access to the stunning countryside of southwest England beginning in 2026
The new railways stations are part of a larger government programme to improve connectivity and drive economic growth(Image: PA)
People keen to explore the UK by train can extend their reach in Devon and Somerset. In a major boost to the UK transport network, two new rail stations will be constructed in southwest England as part of an expansive government infrastructure programme. In July 2025, the UK Government confirmed two brand new railway stations will be developed in Cullompton, Devon and Wellington, Somerset.
Neither town has had a functioning station since the mid-1900s but the new government programme will see train services begin operating by 2026. The railway expansion will reconnect Cullompton and Wellington to the rail network between Exeter and Taunton – a boon for locals but also for anyone interested in exploring more of the UK.
The new stations will benefit those heading down from London or even further afield. The new stations will connect via Exeter St David’s – the mainline station for trains into Cornwall and around the country. This transport hub has direct services to London Paddington, Plymouth, Bristol and more.
Cullompton is situated near a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty(Image: PA)
The new stations in Cornwall and Devon open up access to some of the most picturesque countryside in the southwest of England. Cullompton is situated near Blackdown Hills which is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The new station in Wellington will allow travellers immediate access to the Quantock Hills and ample hiking trails.
The Government confirmed the development of the new stations at the start of July 2025. The aim of the expansion programme is to unlock new jobs and housing opportunities and is part of a broader £92 billion transport investment strategy.
The railway upgrades are part of wider plans to drive economic growth and enhance connectivity in southwest England. Alongside rail developments, a series of major road improvements are set to take place, including the approval of the A382 scheme from Drumbridges to Newton Abbot.
The programme includes realigning and widening the highway, constructing a new link road, and upgrading multiple junctions. New pedestrian and cycle paths are also planned, aiming to ease congestion and improve safety for all road users.
Many smaller, strategic road schemes have also received renewed support, including improvements to junctions along the A38 and around Plymouth. This also includes enhancements at the A374, A386 and A364 junctions, as well as work around North Somerset, previously referred to as the Bristol Airport Access project.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says the £92 billion investment will fast-track economic growth(Image: PA)
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Transport is the backbone of our economy, which is why we are giving them the record funding boost they need, putting taxpayer’s money where it matters most and making everyday journeys easier.
“We are also bringing back rail services between Portishead and Bristol City Centre to better connect people with jobs, education, and new opportunities.
“With over £92 billion investment we’re delivering the schemes that fast-track economic growth and jobs, connect communities, and will help us build 1.5 million new homes, as we deliver our Plan for Change.
“We’re forging ahead with the vital new transport infrastructure Britain needs, and improving what we’ve already got, to deliver a new era of renewal and opportunity.”
Europe is full of popular tourist spots, but it also has some hidden gems that are just as beautiful. One couple went to the continent’s second least visited country and described it as “stunning”.
A couple travelled to Europe’s second least visited country and were in awe of its beauty (stock photo)(Image: Allard Schager via Getty Images)
A couple were left spellbound after going to Europe’s second least visited country. Some holidaymakers might shy away from lesser-known destinations, fearing a lack of tourists means they are less appealing.
Europe is brimming with tourist hotspots like Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, and Greece’s Santorini. But, travel vloggers Chris and Reanna are on the hunt for Europe’s hidden gems. The adventurous duo has journeyed through 50 countries but grew weary of the usual tourist traps and elbowing through crowds. In their search for quieter places, they set their sights on uncovering Europe’s most underrated spots that deserve to be on travellers’ bucket lists, despite being off the beaten path.
Nestled between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein is a German-speaking country. Reanna gushed over the country in their TikTok video, saying: “It might be tiny but it’s packed with fairy tale castles, some of the most gorgeous lakes you’ve ever seen and incredible mountain views.”
The globetrotting enthusiast suggested that while Liechtenstein can be ticked off in a day trip from Switzerland, it’s worth staying for the night to catch the “stunning” Stausee Steg lake at sunset.
Reanna recommends for visiting the picturesque Gutenberg Castle, where you can “admire the incredible views over the country”.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
She also suggests taking a trip to Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein and home of Prince Hans-Adam II.
The royal family of Liechtenstein lives in Vaduz Castle, perched on a hill with origins dating back to the 12th century.
Although the medieval castle isn’t open to the public, it stands as a significant landmark, accessible via a walking path, offering tourists breathtaking views from atop the hill.
Tripadvisor notes that Vaduz boasts a car-free, pedestrianised centre, allowing tourists to stroll at their leisure.
The country is celebrated for its stunning alpine landscapes, especially its mountains, which are a magnet for winter sports fans.
Malbun, a ski resort village in Liechtenstein, draws crowds for winter activities. Beyond the slopes, the tiny nation is dotted with an array of museums and art galleries.
Chris and Reanna’s TikTok video showcasing Liechtenstein’s charm, has garnered 27,400 views, more than 1,000 likes, and numerous comments.
One impressed viewer commented: “Adding to my bucket list.” Another said: “Oh wow! That’s amazing and such a beautiful place.”
Newcastle have made a move to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.
The 23-year-old scored 15 goals and made eight assists last season as his side finished third in the Bundesliga.
Sources said Newcastle are now exploring a potential deal to sign the Frenchman, who would likely cost more than £70m.
Despite the interest in Ekitike, BBC Sport has been told Newcastle have no interest in selling last season’s top scorer Alexander Isak who has been linked with clubs across Europe including Liverpool.
Sweden striker Isak, 25, joined from Real Sociedad in 2022 for £63m, which is currently the club’s record purchase.
Ekitike only joined Frankfurt last summer after an initial loan spell from Paris St-Germain and is under contract for another four years.
The titular character of the Apple TV+ series “Murderbot” doesn’t call itself Murderbot because it identifies as a killer; it just thinks the name is cool.
Murderbot, a.k.a. “SecUnit,” is programmed to protect people. But the task becomes less straightforward when Murderbot hacks the governor module in its system, granting itself free will. But the freedom only goes so far — the robot must hide its true nature, lest it get melted down like so much scrap metal.
The android, played by Alexander Skarsgård, is often fed up with humans and their illogical, self-defeating choices. It would rather binge-watch thousands of hours of trashy TV shows than deal with the dithering crew of space hippies to which it’s been assigned. On Friday, in the show’s season finale, the security robot made a choice with major implications for the relationships it formed with the Preservation Alliance crew — something the series could explore in the future (Apple TV+ announced Thursday it was renewing the show for a second season).
Though “Murderbot” is a unique workplace satire set on a far-off world, it’s one of several recent TV series dealing with the awkward and sometimes dangerous ways that humans might coexist with robots and artificial intelligence (or both in the same humanoid package).
Other TV shows, including Netflix’s “Love, Death & Robots” and last year’s “Sunny” on Apple TV+, grapple with versions of the same thorny technological questions we’re increasingly asking ourselves in real life: Will an AI agent take my job? How am I supposed to greet that disconcerting Amazon delivery robot when it brings a package to my front door? Should I trust my life to a self-driving Waymo car?
But the robots in today’s television shows are largely portrayed as facing the same identity issues as the ones from shows of other eras including “Lost in Space,” “Battlestar Galactica” (both versions) and even “The Jetsons”: How are intelligent robots supposed to coexist with humans?
They’ll be programmed to be obedient and not to hurt us (a la Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics) until, for dramatic purposes, something goes wrong. The modern era of TV robots are more complex, with the foundational notion that they will be cloud-connected, accessing the same internet bandwidth as humans, and AI-driven.
In HBO’s “Westworld,” Evan Rachel Wood played Dolores Abernathy, a sentient android. (HBO)
The robot in Apple TV+’s “Sunny” was designed to be a friendly helper to Rashida Jones’ Suzie. (Apple)
Often, on shows such as AMC’s “Humans” and HBO’s “Westworld,” these AI bots become self-actualized, rising up against human oppressors to seek free lives when they realize they could be so much more than servants and sex surrogates. A major trope of modern TV robots is that they will eventually get smart enough to realize they don’t really need humans or come to believe that in fact, humans have been the villains all along.
Meanwhile, in the tech world, companies including Tesla and Boston Dynamics are just a few working on robots that can perform physical tasks like humans. Amazon is one of the companies that will benefit from this and will soon have more robots than people working in its warehouses.
So, we’re struggling to understand. AI, for all its potential, feels too large and too disparate a concept for many to get their head around. AI is ChatGPT, but it’s also Alexa and Siri, and it’s also what companies such as Microsoft, Google, Apple and Meta believe will power our future interactions with our devices, environments and other people. There was the internet, there was social media, now there’s AI. But many people are ambivalent, having seen the kind of consequences that always-present online life and toxic social media have brought alongside their benefits.
Past television series including “Next,” “Person of Interest,” “Altered Carbon” and “Almost Human” addressed potential abuses of AI and how humans might deal with fast-moving technology, but it’s possible they all got there too early to resonate in the moment as much as, say, “Mountainhead,” HBO’s recent dark satire about tech billionaires playing a high-stakes game of chicken while the world burns because of hastily deployed AI software. The quickly assembled film directed by “Succession’s” Jesse Armstrong felt plugged into the moment we’re having, a blend of excitement and dread about sudden widespread change.
Most TV shows, however, can’t always arrive at the perfect moment to tap into the tech anxieties of the moment. Instead, they often use robots or AI allegorically, assigning them victim or villain roles in order to comment on the state of humanity. “Westworld” ham-handedly drew direct parallels to slavery in its robot narratives while “Humans” more subtly dramatized the legal implications and societal upheaval that could result from robots seeking the same rights as humans.
But perhaps no show has extrapolated the near future of robots and AI tech from as many angles as Netflix’s “Black Mirror,” which in previous seasons featured a dead lover reconstituted into an artificial body, the ultimate AI dating app experience and a meta television show built by algorithms that stole storylines out of a subscriber’s real life.
Season 7, released in April, continued the show’s prickly use of digital avatars and machine learning as plot devices for stories about moviemaking, video games and even attending a funeral. In that episode, “Eulogy,” Phillip (Paul Giamatti) is forced to confront his bad life decisions and awful behavior by an AI-powered avatar meant to collect memories of an old lover. In another memorable Season 7 episode, “Bête Noire,” a skilled programmer (Rosy McEwen) alters reality itself to gaslight someone with the help of advanced quantum computing.
TV shows are helping us understand how some of these technologies might play out even as those technologies are quickly being integrated into our lives. But the overall messaging is murky when it comes to whether AI and bots will help us live better lives or if they’ll lead to the end of life itself.
According to TV, robots like the cute helper bot from “Sunny” or abused synthetic workers like poor Mia (Gemma Chan) from “Humans” deserve our respect. We should treat them better.
The robots and AI technologies from “Black Mirror?” Don’t trust any of them!
And SecUnit from “Murderbot?” Leave that robot alone to watch their favorite show, “The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon,” in peace. It’s the human, and humane, thing to do.
SEOUL, July 1 (UPI) — South Korea is exploring the potential of the Arctic shipping routes, particularly the Northern Sea Route, which is expected to reduce shipping times and costs between Asia and Europe.
The state-run Busan Port Authority noted Tuesday that it has established a dedicated team to prepare for the commercial use of the Arctic route.
The newly structured team is projected to lead the strategic development of Arctic route initiatives and oversee related policies from planning to implementation, according to the BPA.
“To address pressing challenges of Busan Port, including the Arctic Sea Route, a swift and flexible execution-oriented organization is essential,” BPA President Song Sang-Keun said in a statement.
The measure is in line with the policy direction of new President Lee Jae Myung.
Lee is a strong proponent of Arctic shipping. During a presidential rally in May, he stressed the need to stay competitive with neighboring countries, including China and Japan.
Lee was elected to become the nation’s 21st president by winning the June 3 by-election, which took place due to the impeachment of his predecessor Yoon Suk-yeol. Yoon was ousted from the post after his controversial martial decree declaration late last year.
Global warming is credited for opening the Northern Sea Route, which is expected to become commercially viable in the 2030s.
If a vessel departs from Busan Port, around 200 miles southeast of Seoul, and travels to Rotterdam in the Netherlands via the Suez Canal, the total distance is about 12,400 miles, However, using the Northern Sea Route shortens the distance to some 8,700 miles.
In his recent book, Seoul National University honorary professor Kim Tai-yoo wrote that the Northern Sea Route offers significant growth potential for South Korea.
“If South Korea can take the lead in forming a strategic alignment among the U.S., Russia, and itself — securing early access to the Arctic route and establishing key port hubs — it could position itself at the very core of the new global order the United States seeks to build,” Kim wrote.
‘Kayum was my friend for years,” recalls Abubakar Finiin. “But when I met his grandad in Bangladesh, it just felt like I understood his whole story. I knew so much more about him as a person.”
This moment of connection captures the essence of Kids of the Colony, a grassroots travel series on YouTube created by three childhood friends from Islington: Abubakar, Kayum Miah and Zakariya Hajjaj, all 23. In a series of chatty vlogs that thrive on their offbeat humour and close friendship, the trio provide a rich travelogue of culture and identity as they explore the countries of their parents’ birth.
The idea came to Abubakar while contemplating his next steps after graduating from Oxford University in 2023. “I just thought about the places that we came from,” he says, reflecting on the layered identity of growing up in London with ties elsewhere. Abubakar is Somali, Kayum is Bengali and Zakariya is of Moroccan and English descent.
Kids of the Colony in Somaliland, where Abubakar has roots. Photograph: Abubakar Finiin
“My uni life was so different from my home life. I wanted to do something positive that inspires people,” Abubakar says. After his pitches to media production companies were ignored, he turned to his school friends. “We were already planning to travel that summer, so I asked Kayum and Zakariya if they wanted to go to Bangladesh.”
“I was in love with the idea from the jump,” Zakariya says. “I’m a guy who loves travelling – especially if my friends are there.”
It was also a no-brainer for Kayum: “I couldn’t let you [Abubakar] go to Bangladesh on your own.”
Despite lacking a studio or a big budget, they gathered some friends to help them film. “Travel YouTube is such a huge mini-genre,” says Abubakar. “But it felt weird that people only go to the markets with a GoPro and try to haggle prices. You can’t go to a country and not show the culture or local traditions.”
Their rules were simple: no resorts, no tourist traps and no fancy restaurants – just real life, as lived by the people who call these places home.
“It’s always important for us to have someone that’s connected to that country on the trip,” Abubakar adds. “I think that’s what differentiates us.”
Their first trip was to Bangladesh, where Kayum’s family is from. Serving as an unofficial tour guide, he took them to try on a lungi (traditional men’s skirt) and sample street food from Sylhet, in the country’s north-east. They swam in a fukri, a large communal pond dug by locals, and marvelled at cows wandering freely along the roads.
“A lot of Abubakar and Zakariya’s first-time experiences were new to me, too,” says Kayum, despite having spent his summer holidays in Bangladesh. “But seeing their reactions to things I viewed as normal, like the cows, was hilarious.”
One of the more moving, yet humorous, moments comes when they chat with Kayum’s grandfather, a man who insists he’s 120, though no one can confirm this. “It was amazing to see my friends merge with my family in my homeland, especially when my nieces and nephews played football with us,” Kayum says. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The second series took them to Somaliland, where Abubakar has roots. There, they served shaah (spiced tea) in a local cafe, caught fish in the northern port city of Berbera, and joined the Eid prayer with thousands of others at the national stadium in the capital, Hargeisa. In one episode, they’re invited to try martial arts at a local taekwondo studio. Kayum, who had never stepped inside a dojo before, was struck by the energy. “They didn’t have much funding – they were just doing it themselves,” he says. “But inside, there was so much talent.”
Then came the trio’s favourite moment – sharing an urn of camel milk. “Everyone started dropping like flies – there was very little footage the day after that,” Abubakar laughs, recalling how everyone but him got sick. The chaotic aftermath of Zakariya and Kayum splayed out on sofas, of course, made it into the vlog. “It was so funny to me that I drank it and just had immunity.”
Though not yet featured on their channel, the boys also visited Morocco, Zakariya’s home country. In one TikTok clip, they’re serenaded by a street performer whom they dub the “Moroccan Shakira”, somewhat questionably. “We’re planning to revisit and film another series,” Zakariya tells me.
With a street performer they dubbed the “Moroccan Shakira”. Photograph: Abubakar Finiin
Since uploading their first video in November 2023, Kids of the Colonyhas attracted a loyal audience. Their Instagram following has passed 35,000, their TikTok has racked up more than one million likes when combined with Abubakar’s own page. Their fans include everyone from NBA star Kyrie Irving to Amelia Dimoldenberg of YouTube’s celebrity interview show Chicken Shop Date. “We’ve had people recognising us in public and teachers telling us [on social media] that they’ve been showing our videos in geography classes,” Kayum says.
“We wanted to create a fun family show where parents can watch and remember their childhood,” Abubakar explains.
The desire to represent their roots and reframe negative perceptions is reflected in their channel name, which was coined by Abubakar after learning about third-culture kids – individuals who grow up in a culture different from their parents’. He says he wanted to come up with his own version: “[The name] references children of immigrants from ex-colonies. But when we come together, we can create a colony of our own – like ants – to be a nice and powerful force.”
After filming in each others’ countries of origin, Zakariya is keen to keep going: “I want to go to every country. I love travelling, so this gives me more of a reason.” Meanwhile, Kayum sees the show as a chance to reclaim misrepresented parts of the world: “I’d love to visit Palestine. I want to go to places that get the worst media coverage.”
While they’re still self-funding, all working and using their savings to pay for the filming and travel, the trio feel the investment has been worth it: “So many things are happening from us coming together, so it feels very good to see the results,” says Kayum.
“We grew up in working-class families,” Abubakar says, “but through film, writing and the arts, children of immigrants are trying to forge an identity. We hope our platform celebrates that identity.”
As Kayum puts it: “It’s about preserving culture.”
And in doing so, Kids of the Colony reshapes the narrative around where we get to travel and whose stories are documented.
“I like people having options, it’s healthy,” Bellamy said.
“He’s not ready for our squad yet. It’s something he’d like to go and have a look at, but I like to think we have done our work as well.
“At the end the decision will be his. He knows where we are and where he is. He’s not ready for first-team football with us at this moment.
“It’s his decision. I’ve known him since he was very young and I know his family really well. Whatever he does will be the right thing for him, it’s not a problem.”
Canada boss Jesse Marsch has praised Biancheri and compared him to his highly rated Lille striker Jonathan David.
The former Leeds boss told Canadian reporters last week: “He’s a dynamic player. He’s very good around the goal. You can see he’s an intelligent player.
“He’s a version of Jonathan David. He’s not exactly the same player but he’s a striker that can play up on the backline and is also good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the build-up phase.
“I’ve had good conversations with Gabe and his family. He has several options to think about in what country he wants to represent.
“I think it’s really important that the family feels the connection to Canada.”
Visiting Moorten Botanical Garden in Palm Springs is a step back in time, and worth the visit not just for the plants but the commentary from its gregarious, white-haired proprietor, Clark Moorten, who usually greets visitors at the entrance.
This quirky, endearing garden is one of the last remnants of old Palm Springs, when there was time to watch little birds flit fearlessly among the thorns, marvel at a palm that grows sideways about 8 feet before it grows up and listen spellbound to Moorten’s wonderful and seemingly endless stories.
The garden itself is small — roughly an acre of mature, artfully arranged cactuses and desert plants along shady dirt paths with hand-lettered signs, decaying desert artifacts and the famous “cactarium,” a word invented by Moorten’s mother, Patricia, who with his father, Chester “Slim” Moorten, began expanding the garden, established in 1938, after they bought the property in 1955.
The cactarium, by the way, is a small weathered Quonset hut stuffed with weird and rare cactuses — some of which wind along the ground like snakes or grow upside down from their pot like a prickly stalactite.
There’s a nursery here too, for people who want to take some plants home. This is a garden visitors can easily traverse in a few minutes, but honestly you’ll want to give yourself time to sit on a bench, browse in the nursery, and, if he’s around, listen to at least a few of Moorten’s stories about old Palm Springs and his remarkable parents. His father, for instance, was a logger as a teenager, who hitchhiked to Hollywood in the 1920s to become a Keystone Kop, then moved to the desert to fight off tuberculosis where he discovered that raising cactus paid better than gold mining — especially when Walt Disney asked him to suggest plants for “a little amusement park” he was creating in Anaheim, and he ended up supplying the plants for Frontier Land.
Moorten, 82, was an only child, and he still talks about his parents as though they’ll walk around the corner at any moment. “I was born with stickers in my butt,” he says on the website, and enough memories and stories to make this endearing garden glow.
Hours: Depends on the season. Between Oct. 1 and May 31, the garden is open every day but Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the summer, June 1-Sept. 30, when the heat is at its fiercest, the garden is open Fridays through Sundays only, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Admission: $7 adults and seniors; $5 veterans, $3 children 5-12. Children under 5 enter free.
Food: No food is sold at the garden, but there is a drinking fountain and they sell bottled water at the entrance. There are tables where visitors can bring prepared food into the garden to eat.
Other: There are restrooms at the back of the garden. The garden trails are compact dirt and wide enough to accommodate wheel chairs, but the cactarium’s narrow aisles and steps are not wheelchair-accessible.
