Travel Journal
Relaying the experience of a journey…
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Day 3 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit Hike
More Details: Day 3 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit HikeAfter enjoying a day off and the scenery around Spiterstulen, the time came to leave this great setting to push forward on the circuit. Next stop: Leirvassbu. I had not really envisioned what this trail would entail but, spoiler alert, after completing the Norway trip, this trail ranked #1 in my list. Varied landscape and…
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Day 2 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit Hike
More Details: Day 2 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit HikeHaving survived the first day of a 6-hike circuit – and the longest hike of the 6 -, it was time to get going on Day 2 for the next challenge: getting to Spiterstulen by climbing Glittertind mountain (vs. skirting it and going around it). Tallest mountains in Norway and northern Europe Glittertind is not…
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Day 1 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit Hike
More Details: Day 1 on the Jotunheimen NP Circuit HikeHiking in the Jotunheimen National Park from Gjendesheim to Glitterheim in Norway (Norge)
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A Cool Hiking Circuit in Norway: Jotunheimen National Park
More Details: A Cool Hiking Circuit in Norway: Jotunheimen National ParkI recently had the good fortune to be able to go to Norway to do a hiking circuit in Jotunheimen National Park. Jotunheimen is northeast of Bergen, about halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Swedish border. The park offers a wide range of opportunities to explore nature and experience it any way you want.…
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Exploring Capernaum’s holy sites in a Holy Land pilgrimage
More Details: Exploring Capernaum’s holy sites in a Holy Land pilgrimageTen miles north of the town of Tiberias along the Sea of Galilee is the town of Capernaum. Capernaum is sort of the northwest quadrant of the lake/sea. All around Capernaum are important religious and historical sites that merit a couple of days to visit. Exploring Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee is a key…
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A Few Great Hikes in Acadia National Park
More Details: A Few Great Hikes in Acadia National ParkWhen it comes to beautiful places, I don’t mind repeat visits. This month, I was fortunate enough to return to Acadia National Park in Maine. In my first visit, I did some hiking but also explored more of Maine in the vicinity, such as the town of Belfast. This time, I was able to do…
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A Special Church in Tiberias: St. Peter’s Catholic Church
More Details: A Special Church in Tiberias: St. Peter’s Catholic ChurchSt. Peter holds a special place in the Catholic Church as the chosen apostle to lead Christ’s church. The main church in Christendom, St. Peter’s Basilica, is understandably named after him. So it is no surprise that, during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, one would run into a few churches also named after him!…
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Beautiful Sirmione, Lake Garda’s Jewel
More Details: Beautiful Sirmione, Lake Garda’s JewelThe town of Sirmione, Lake Garda is on the northern tip of a tiny peninsula that juts out of the lake’s southern shores. Lake Garda is the largest of Italy’s northern lakes and is very close to Verona. I had never heard of it until 2021 when I went to the area to hike in…
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Cheese Town in The Netherlands: Gouda
More Details: Cheese Town in The Netherlands: GoudaAs my trip to The Netherlands was taking shape, I was looking forward to visiting the town eponymous with cheese: Gouda. I had never stop to contemplate what this cheese town in The Netherlands could actually be like, much less look it up. Gouda’s name doesn’t sound like it reads Once in The Netherlands, I…
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An Attic Church in Amsterdam
More Details: An Attic Church in AmsterdamWhen The Netherlands left Catholicism after the Reformation, all Catholic churches became Protestant churches. While the Dutch were able to practice any religion, Catholics were not allowed to practice Catholicism in any public setting (let’s say, a loose definition of religious freedom was at play; they were allowed to be Catholic but only to practice…
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A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei Signori
More Details: A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei SignoriThe Piazza dei Signori (or, “Piazza of the Gentlemen”) is right next to the more famous (and impressive) Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona, Italy. It likely earned its name as it is surrounded by important buildings or “palazzos”. It is not as old as the Piazza delle Erbe – and it is…
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It Is High Time to Explore Split!
More Details: It Is High Time to Explore Split!In between Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia lie a number of islands and coastal towns that form Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. I have been fortunate to have visited Dubrovnik twice – as charming a town as I have ever seen. But, in a recent trip along the coast, I got to spend a brief day in…