Travel
An evening at Vienna’s Volksoper
During my last visit to Vienna, the Opera Ball had been at the opera house in previous days, and ballet performances were scheduled. Luckily, there was Strauss at the Volksoper, so I booked my tickets. Vienna’s Volksoper opened in 1898, originally as the Emperor’s Anniversary City Theater. In 1903, the theatre shifted to operas and…
Read MoreAdmiring Bordeaux’ Saint-André cathedral
I’ve already written about the Pey-Berland belltower, which is separated from its cathedral, Saint-André. The cathedral was created over the centuries, originally built upon a Roman church, and expanded greatly between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Today, it is a UNESCO Heritage site. Pope Urban II was on hand in 1096 to formally consecrate the…
Read MoreVienna under the snow
This past week, I had a wonderful, long weekend in Vienna. On my last day, I also had the chance to see Vienna coated in magical white, thanks to hours-long snow. It managed to make the city look magical, but stopped by later afternoon, making my trip to the airport easy and not delaying flights.…
Read MoreVisiting Stalin’s birthplace – in Gori, Georgia
Many years ago, I remember reading a biography of Joseph Stalin. I was living in Prague and struggling with the grammar of that difficult Slavic language. Although I knew Stalin was originally from Georgia and that Georgian is an isolated language and not Slavic, until that biography, I did not know that Stalin never perfected…
Read MoreA night at the Rome Opera
I like to write posts about opera houses I visit – when possible, when I travel, I try to squeeze in tickets to an opera. It gives me the chance to check out beautiful opera houses around the world, while enjoying operas I love – or operas new to me. The Opera di Roma is…
Read MoreViews from the top of Pey-Berland belltower in Bordeaux
The views from the top of this 66 meter/216 feet tall belltower are spectacular – well worth the 231 steps you must climb to get up there. Construction on this clock tower began in 1440. It was physically separated from its cathedral, Saint Andre, to protect the church structure from the vibrations caused by daily…
Read MoreRome’s ex-Aquarium … that was never an aquarium
Living in Rome, I often pass the “ex acquario”, the former aquarium. For years, it was closed entirely, but I was always impressed by its beautiful exterior. Later, I would learn it was never truly an aquarium. The building was planned for Piazza Manfredo Fanti, in Rome’s Esquilino district, right beside the Termini railway station.…
Read MoreBordeaux’ stunning Place de la Bourse
Last November, I visited Bordeaux, France for the first time. It’s a city I’d been “meaning to visit” for many years, but it was such a pleasure to finally make it to this beautiful city. One of the first places to visit when you’re in Bordeaux is the spectacular Place de la Bourse. This is…
Read MoreIn the steps of the Grand Tour – at Castello del Gallo, Mandela
I had a wonderful trip to visit the Castello del Gallo, in Mandela, a small town east of Rome. The castle was taken over by the Orsini family in the 1600s, and would later be purchased by the Gallo family, with its connection to Giulia Bonaparte, cousin of Napoleon Bonapart III, and patron of the…
Read MoreThe wonderful Cité du vin, in Bordeaux
I had a wonderful time on my recent trip to Bordeaux, France. There was so much to enjoy about this city, but one can’t visit Bordeaux without learning about one of its most important industries – fine wines. Luckily, there’s a fabulous museum you can visit to learn all about wine – Bordeaux’ Cité du…
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