Travel
The biggest log building in the world : The Old Faithful Inn
The Old Faithful Inn, the iconic lodge of Yellowstone National Park, was built in 1903-1904 (started in the winter, if you can imagine) and today is a national historic landmark. It is located just across the Old Faithful geyser. The structure was built entirely with local logs and stones, and it is considered the largest…
Read MoreAdmiring Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
The Hluboká nad Vltavou is a very pretty castle in southern Bohemia. The town itself is situated on the Vltava River, very close to the Czech city of České Budějovice. This castle was built from the medieval Froburg castle, perched above the Vltava river. It once belonged to the Přemyslid king Ottokar II of Bohemia. Later it passed…
Read MoreA sleepy Austrian spa town where WWI began: Bad Ischl
On a trip last summer through Austria, while driving through Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) when we passed near Bad Ischl and decided to stop and stretch our legs. Bad Ischl was well-known among court society in the past centuries. the saltwater springs located here were discovered back in the 16th century, but it only became a…
Read MoreRelaxing in Ubud’s Lotus Cafe, Bali
The town of Ubud, in the center of Bali, Indonesia, is a relaxing place to visit. My sons and I had fun exploring when we were here for a holiday and made Ubud our base for some days. One place we stopped off at a few times in our wanderings around town was the pretty Lotus…
Read MoreDubai’s ‘Venice’
Madinat Jumeirah is the so-called Venice of the Dubai. We were here on our 24-whirlwind race around the Dubai during a short stop-over on a flight to the Maldives. If you’re in the Dubai, it’s worth getting to Madinat Jumeirah for a short wander. We stopped here on our quest to see everything of interest…
Read MoreMedieval architecture and beer in Freistadt, Austria
Freistadt is located in the Austrian Region of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), the is the largest town of the Mühlviertel region. This used to be one of the last border fortresses on the route leading to Bohemia. Today, it’s just a few kilometers from the border of the Czech Republic. Freistadt has impressive medieval architecture, including…
Read MoreA spring day in seaside Sperlonga, Italy
During the Easter weekend, my kids and I had a perfect day in the beautiful beach town of Sperlonga, Italy. I’ve already written about this pretty little beach town on teh Tirrenian Sea, half-way between Rome and Naples. See my earlier post about the resort town once the favorite of Emperors. But my day-long escape…
Read MoreThermal Tuscany – San Filippo ai bagni
Tuscany, Italy, is a pretty nice travel destination. Every time I go to the Tuscan countryside, I find myself fantasizing about moving to some old, Tuscan farmhouse and spending my time in that peaceful, rolling landscape. My son goes to a running camp in the Tuscan region south of Siena, and I’ve already written about…
Read MorePrague’s Old Town Square clock
Every hour on the hour in Prague’s historical center, Town Hall’s historic, astronomical clock chimes the hour as the crowds below watch. The astronomical clock, on Prague’s Old Town Square (Staromětske naměsti) stands at the base of the 14th century Town Hall. The clock itself was constructed in 1410, making it the third oldest astronomical…
Read MoreGoats grazing in the trees? Morocco
Strangely for a city girl, I spend a fair amount of time surrounded by goats. I’m often out in Italy’s Abruzzo region, which once was widely known as a region with more goats than people. And way back in the days of yore, becoming a shepherd was among the most popular career choices for local…
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