This past weekend saw the debut of the very popular “Lumiere” event in London. Described as “installations from the world’s most exciting artists working with light,” this outside exhibit joined a long line of other city light festivals held throughout the year and all over the world, including Sydney, Singapore, Helsinki, Amsterdam, and Lyon. Each […]
On this most romantic day, it seems appropriate to talk about love, affection, and passion. Artists such as Renoir, Jean-Léon Gérôme, and Constantin Brancusi have used love as themes in some incredibly moving masterpieces. And I’m thrilled to have seen in person two of the most famous works to focus on, well, smooching. […]
Can it really be 25 years since the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall? The city itself has been paying tribute to the event this weekend with lighted balloons placed along the entire path where the hated wall once stood. We were in Berlin just 3 weeks ago; and getting up close to parts of […]
The quirky and unusual Zwölf Apostelkeller restaurant in Vienna is quite literally a buried treasure. In fact, its name translates into the “12 Apostles’ Cellar.” And this keller/cellar is one popular (although kind of hard-to-find) gem. Located in Sonnengelsgasss, behind St. Stephan’s Cathedral and down some winding streets, this subterranean tavern is worth hunting down. […]
By my third day in Vienna, I had learned a lot about the history of the city’s most popular royals and had seen their palaces. So when I heard that public tours are offered of the Kaisergruft (Imperial Crypt), I decided to pay a visit to the final resting place of these new friends with […]
Vienna, Austria is like an elegant, beautifully adorned grande dame of European cities. Its wide streets lined with intricately designed buildings, green spaces, and lavish sculptures, plus a truly impressive list of great artists and composers that are still celebrated, make this locale a fantastic one to check out. There are many famous as well […]
The story of Greyfriars Bobby is full of love, devotion, and extreme loyalty, which were all shown by one little dog that inspired an entire city — and led to his continued celebration more than 100 years later. And I was excited to learn about him during my recent trip to Edinburgh. Bobby was a […]
Although every European city has its shares of very old and majestic, stately, and even quirky cathedrals, two in Edinburgh especially warmed my heart and made me smile. St. Giles is one of the most well-known of the city’s religious structures, as this iconic building stands proudly on the Royal Mile – right in the […]
“Have you been under the city yet? You’ve heard it’s haunted, right? Make sure you check out ol’ Mary’s place before you leave!” These words were told to me by a smiling shop lady on my first day in Edinburgh, Scotland – but variations were repeated by others several times over the week. Finally, on […]
Edinburgh, Scotland is a very old, very quaint city that is perfect for walking around and exploring all of its mysterious nooks and crannies. Although I didn’t have a lot of time for sightseeing on my recent trip there, I made the most of EVERY spare moment. Here are my top 5 highlights (plus one […]
