Quixoticguide
Hi, I’m Maarten Van Den Driessche, a curious human, aviation enthusiast, vexillophile, world traveler, and food lover with over 14,000 days of life experience.
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307 Million Journeys: World Tourism Held Its Ground in Q1 2026
World Tourism Held Firm in Q1 2026 — QuixoticGuide QuixoticGuide Destinations Guides Stories About Travel Intelligence 307 Million Journeys: World Tourism Held Its Ground in Q1 2026 Despite the shadow of conflict in the Middle East, international travel grew 2% in the first quarter — a quiet testament to the enduring pull of elsewhere. QuixoticGuide…
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Exploring the 9 Governorates of Lebanon
Despite its small size, Lebanon is remarkably diverse. From Mediterranean beaches and ancient cities to mountain villages and fertile valleys, each of its nine governorates (muhafazat) has its own character, history, and culture. The 9 governorates of Lebanon are: The country’s capital, Beirut, is the political, cultural, and economic heart of Lebanon. To the east,…
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Exploring the 26 Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the world’s most diverse and fascinating countries. Stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Great Lakes region, its 26 provinces encompass vast rainforests, active volcanoes, mighty rivers, bustling cities, and hundreds of ethnic groups. From the vibrant streets of Kinshasa to the volcanic landscapes of North…
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Beyond Borders, Beyond Assumptions
Travel has taught me that the world is far more nuanced than maps, headlines, and stereotypes suggest. Some places welcome you with chaos, others with silence. Some stay in your memory because of a grand landscape, others because of a quiet conversation in a café, a bus ride through the desert, or the way the…
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The Road Less Traveled
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” It has always been my favourite quote. Not only because it speaks about travel, but because it captures something much deeper about the way we move through life. Every journey, every decision,…
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When the Largest City Isn’t the Capital
Many people assume a country’s capital is automatically its biggest or most famous city. But around the world, that’s often not the case. A capital city is the political center — where governments sit, laws are written, and embassies gather. The largest city, meanwhile, is usually the economic or cultural heart of the country. Sometimes…
Where curiosity leads
Travel isn’t about collecting countries, but about understanding them.
These are places that shaped how I see the world — not just destinations, but contexts, encounters, and stories waiting to unfold
Travel Beyond Tourism
- Discover Places
- Understand Cultures
- Travel Better
- Meet the World
- Learn the Context
My Travel guides
- Not instructions, but orientation.
- These guides explain how places work — so you don’t just visit, you arrive.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” –
Ibn Battuta
Maghrebi traveller