Iceland’s thermal pools and hot springs are soul nourishing, skin rejuvenating and simply beautiful. There are many to explore in Iceland… Sky Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Myvatn Nature Baths. Start with Blue Lagoon. After landing at Keflavik Airport, hop on a shuttle straight into the heart of Reykjavík (there are a handful of shuttle companies that […]
Iceland’s Once in a Lifetime Blue Lagoon Experience Read More »
The southeasternmost point the Italian Stiletto, Otranto has been a target for invaders and crusaders both. Otranto is a great day trip from anywhere in the Puglia region with charming shops, fascinating history and (very important!) many reasonable restaurant choices facing the crystal, azure waters of the Adriatic just south of Brindisi. Otranto is as
Beautiful, Macabre and Delicious Otranto on The Italian Stiletto Read More »
Along the heel of Italy’s famous boot, in the region of Apulia you will find Paestum. A major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia in the Province of Salerno. Very different from Pompeii, Paestum’s ruins are smaller, older, more Greek and – crucially – a lot less overrun.
Visit Italy: See These Spectacular Ruins of Ancient Greece Read More »
At first glance, this community of conical dwellings looks like the predecessor of our modern day “tiny homes.” Situated in the Puglia region of southern Italy, the city of Alberobello houses the largest collection of homes built in the trullo architectural style. The original trulli date back to prehistoric times. But the most ancient trulli
Trulli Unique: My Top Reasons to Visit Alberobello Read More »
The Wieliczka Salt Mines. A thousand feet deep, 200 miles of passageways first dug with hand tools by salt miners beginning in the 13th century when salt was precious as silver. Magnificent carvings in grey salt rocks. Chandeliers carved from salt crystals. There are over twenty separate chapels in the mine dating from the 17th
Poland’s Buried Treasure: The Grandeur of the Wieliczka Salt Mines Read More »
This is a difficult post to write. It should be. The inconceivable horrors that took place here, and in over 450 other concentration camps in Poland alone, are memorialized on a scale equal to the evil of their complex, messianic perpetrators. The people of Poland and the Baltic countries do not doubt that this evil
Walking Among the Ghosts of Auschwitz-Birkenau Read More »
Easter Sunday just outside of Krakow in Europe’s most Catholic country. This most important holiday is a celebration of food, family and worship. No shops are open and even the picnic tables at the monastery of Jasna Gora have been removed. Bells peal from the towers as we enter the small sanctuary where the Madonna
The Mysterious and Miraculous Black Madonna of Czestochowa Read More »
It’s a simple shrine. Just outside of the northern city of Sialuliai, Lithuania on a hilly expanse of cleared land, forested on one side and bordered by streams; a monument like no other I’ve see. It’s origin is a mystery. It is a holy place. Thousands of metal and wooden crosses draped with rosaries, medals
The Hill of the Crosses: A Triumph of Relentless Faith Read More »
My favorite city on this tour. Riga, Latvia. The Art Nouveau capital of Northern Europe and nicknamed “The Paris of the North.” This is an image post, words can’t do justice to the city’s beauty. Art Nouveau was an ornamental style that became popular throughout Europe and America between 1890 and 1910. It was an
My Ultimate Views of the Rich, Lush, Fabulous Art Nouveau Streets of Riga Read More »
In this country, anti-Soviet sentiment runs fresh, harsh and deep. Occupation is a recent memory. Estonia was established as an independent country with a government and eventual NATO membership just 32 short years ago in 1991. During the Second World War, Estonia was first invaded by Russia, then Germany and finally again by Russia. In
Singing For Freedom: The Incredible Liberation of Estonia Read More »