Travel
The splendors of Taipei’s National Palace Museum
I’ve already written an overview of tips from my vacation with my sons in Taipei, Taiwan last summer. One of the places you absolutely cannot miss on your visit to the Taiwanese capital is the impressive National Palace Museum (Guoli Gugong Bowuguan). The museum is considered the world’s greatest repository of Chinese artifacts. The works…
Read MoreA bird’s eye view over Hamburg from St Michaelis
St. Michaelis, whose tower is perhaps the most famous landmark of Hamburg, Germany, is actually the newest of Hamburg’s main churches. The church, with its entrance marked by St. Michael slaying a writhing devil at his feet, has an unlucky history. The first church, built in 1649, was destroyed my lightening in 1750. The 18th…
Read MoreReason #5375 to love Rome: Golden Gala 2014
I spend a lot of time at children’s track and field meets, so it’s a nice change of pace each June when the international stars of track and field – the adult variety- descend upon Rome to participate in the competitions of The Golden Gala. I already wrote about the competition last year. This year’s…
Read MorePoppies amidst the fortress ruins in Skopje, Macedonia
I live in Rome, and each spring I watch the poppies growing in the high grass, peeking out from the ancient ruins. On a recent trip to the Balkan country of Macedonia, I smiled as I visited the ancient 11th century Kale fortress to see that it was also overrun with the beautiful red blooms.…
Read MoreReason #5374 to love Rome: Mandolino concerts in ancient ruins
I pass the Auditorium Mecenate on a daily basis. For years, I’ve been curious to visit the site of ancient Roman banquets and concerts, but it is rarely open to the public. The structure above ground is enclosed by a gate, a sign announces that tours can sometimes be arranged through a central office. So…
Read MoreEnjoying sunrises and sunsets on Albania’s coast
I was just in the Albanian coastal city of Durres, Albania for work. To be fair, there’s not that much to see in this city that served briefly (from 1913 to 1920) as the Albanian capital following Albanian independence. Unfortunately, the modern city seems to have forsaken any pretense of urban planning. It’s been built, quite…
Read MoreAn idyllic urban retreat in Hamburg’s Planten un Blomen Park
On a recent trip to the city of Hamburg, a vibrant port city in northern Germany, we were lucky to be staying near the beautiful Planten un Blomen park (‘Plants and Flowers’ in the local dialect). The 47-hectare park is a lovely green heart in a bustling city. Hamburg weather in the sprintime is-understandably-iffy at…
Read MoreEat at the Three Little Pigs’ house of straw in Kolašin, Montenegro
Well, okay. It’s not really the lazy little pig’s house of straw, but that’s what I told my four-year-old when we stopped to eat here while travelling in Montenegro. And it’s certainly a dead ringer for the version you see in illustrated children’s stories. The restaurant, Savardak, is located less than 3 km from the…
Read MoreSkyscraper Tourism: Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia
I’ve already posted about my love of skyscrapers. When I’m in a city with a great observation deck, I like to get up there early to enjoy views over the city and to get a bearing on the city’s geography from up on high. I’ve already posted about things to see in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s…
Read MoreSee the world’s biggest medieval brick cathedral – in Albi, France
Ever see National Lampoon’s Vacation, where Chevy Chase’s character enthusiastically drives his family hundreds of miles out of their way on their cross-country vacation to see the world’s second largest ball of twine? I felt a kindred spirit when I was bumping along on a bus with my family – the milk-delivery bus, apparently, since…
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