cathedral
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Rouen: Full of History in War and Art
More Details: Rouen: Full of History in War and ArtFrance has so many destinations to explore, it is hard to cover them all or explore them as in-depth as they deserve. Even after living in Paris for 6 months many years ago, I could not cover all the territory that I would have liked. One of the towns that I always wanted to visit…
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A Great Day Trip from Stockholm: Uppsala
More Details: A Great Day Trip from Stockholm: UppsalaA long weekend in Stockholm sounded like fun. And off I went last October with a college friend, John. While Stockholm was the focus, I have always wanted to see something of ‘rural’ Sweden: lakes, charming homes, and lots of green. At least, that is how I envisioned it. So, once in Sweden, I was…
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Santiago de Compostela: Food, Charm, and “New” Family
More Details: Santiago de Compostela: Food, Charm, and “New” FamilyI wrote earlier about my arrival in Santiago de Compostela as a Camino pilgrim and the activities related to the end of the pilgrimage (getting the Compostela certificate, Pilgrims’ Mass, etc.). Though my stay in Santiago was brief (less than 24 hours due to needing to bring the group back to Madrid), there were some…
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Photo of the Week – The Basilica of a Tiny State (NOT The Vatican!)
More Details: Photo of the Week – The Basilica of a Tiny State (NOT The Vatican!)The tiny state of San Marino, nestled in the midst of Italy, is supposedly one of the world’s oldest republics. The Basilica of San Marino, though from the 1830s, sits on the site where a church has existed since the 4th century.
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History via One Monumental Building: Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia
More Details: History via One Monumental Building: Istanbul’s Hagia SophiaThe highlight of my visit to the great former Byzantium, former Constantinople, or current Istanbul is Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia. Getting there is always step one After having had some challenges getting out of Egypt, my arrival in Istanbul continued to offer “experiences” as there was an unexpected change of plans that I shared in my…
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Boarding Pass Stories: Christchurch, New Zealand
More Details: Boarding Pass Stories: Christchurch, New ZealandThe destination, the when(s), and the reason(s) After spending two weeks there, I flew from Melbourne, Australia to New Zealand. My entry point: the very livable and lovely town of Christchurch. This was in 2009, so before the large earthquake that did so much damage to this beautiful town. I got to see it before…
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Photo of the Week: León, Nicaragua
More Details: Photo of the Week: León, NicaraguaI visited the town of León, Nicaragua a couple of times for half days during my visits to Nicaragua in the mid-2000s. Its main plaza is typical of the Spanish colonial layout seen all throughout parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America. León adds a nice touch with a statue in the plaza……
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Arriving in the Southern Island of Middle Earth: Christchurch, New Zealand
More Details: Arriving in the Southern Island of Middle Earth: Christchurch, New ZealandThere are so many awesome places in New Zealand but I feel Christchurch, though not one of the top 2 cities in NZ, may be the best place to hit first on a trip over (Dunedin is not far behind!). The arrival I arrived in Christchurch on the eastern coast of the southern island of…