Is doing A Viking River Cruise for You?
We took our first Viking river cruise in 2023. Here’s some things you should know and some thoughts on Viking’s “longship” cruises, just based on our experience.
Scotland’s North Coast 500: An Ongoing Interactive Map (and a list of posts related to our adventure)
This is an ongoing post with a Scotland’s North Coast 500 map and a post list. That is, we are gradually adding markers and posts as we write about our adventure.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a Blast !
Every August (with the exception of the pandemic, of course), brings the Edinburgh International Festival and, with it, the Fringe Festival. Here’s why we want to go back, if just for the Fringe.
Exploring the North Coast 500 Part One: Planning Your Adventure
This is the first in what will be a long series of posts about Scotland’s North Coast 500 — an epic and memorable road trip (though I’d better write about it before I forget about it!) This post consists of an introduction and some tips and resources for trip planning. Future posts will comprise stops along the route and some other places in Scotland.
48 Hours in Santiago de Compostela: See, Do, Eat
Santiago de Compostela is a fascinating town with a rich history visited each year by the many pilgrims who come to walk the Camino de Santiago.
Here are the best things to do if you have 48 hours to spend in this Spanish town.
Marie Antoinette. Peasant.
On the grounds of Versailles, away from the palace, and away from her house on the grounds, Marie Antoinette had a rustic village and farm constructed where she could get away from palace life and pretend to be a peasant.
Here’s more about this interesting area of Versailles, that I actually enjoyed visiting more than the Hall of Mirrors.
Traveling the World…Virtually
When you’re stuck at home one way to possibly assuage your travel lust is to go on some virtual tours.
Plenty are available on your laptop or desktop and, if you’re lucky enough to be staying home with a VR headset, you can heighten the escapism with plenty of 360 degree videos and adventures.
Here are some of my favorites.
Walking the Philosopher’s Path…Plus
The Path of Philosophy is a classic Kyoto walk — especially in Spring as the path is lined with cherry trees.
This is an extended route (with accompanying routemap) that takes you not only on the Tetsugaku no Michi itself, but also through many nearby temples.
The Cutest Little Cream Puffs in Tokyo
Toyko (and much of Japan, for that matter) is a great place to find kawaii (cute) desserts! If you’re a Studio Ghibli fan visiting Toyko, you might find these cream puffs a little too cute to eat! Here’s more about visiting Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory.
Things to Do and See at York Minster Cathedral
I usually hate the words “simply must,” in a blog post. But if you go to York you simply must visit York Minster Cathedral. Here are some things to do and see at this wonderful medieval gem that is my personal favorite of the cathedrals I’ve had an opportunity to visit.
Snickelways and Walls: Walking York’s Passages
When I was growing up I used to play in Alleyways — but York has Snickelways, which are more than just alleys. Snickelways are narrow passages between buildings that locals use to take shortcutes to navigate the city faster. And York’s still-standing walls are, perhaps, its largest Snickelway.
Life of a Traveler: 6 Budget-Saving Hacks for Traveling Without Breaking The Bank
Guest author Henry Taylor used to think that he couldn’t achieve his travel goals due to budgetary restrictions. In this post he shares budget travel tips that have helped him travel without breaking the bank.
Gifts for the Traveler Who Has Nothing
“Gifts for the traveler who has everything,” comes to mind when thinking about holiday gift lists to create. But what about gifts for the traveler who has…nothing? When my daughter asked me to borrow my carry-on I, instead, put together a holiday package that would serve her for the many years of travel she has ahead of her. Hint: these are also good basic things to put in your carry on bag in general.
The Flies that Come With the Morning: A Little Diatribe on Pigeons in Venice (and the tourists who feed and handle them)
Pigeons mean problems in Venice and other cities with ancient architecture. But tourists insist on feeding and handling them — when they wouldn’t do so at home.
Visiting the Paris Catacombs: A Labyrinth of Death Beneath the City of Light
Are the Paris Catacombs worth visiting? It depends on what you like. If you’re not somebody who enjoys visiting cemeteries when you travel, it might not be the place for you. But there aren’t too many other places quite like it and it has an interesting history.
Here’s a bit of the history of the Paris Catacombs, a few interesting facts and some tips for before you go and how to get there.
Here’s more about the catacombs, with some tips for visiting.
Why Take a Ghost Tour?
Why would a skeptic love ghost tours? There are a few good reasons why the unbeliever or undecided would enjoy taking a ghost tour. The post includes a poll you can answer about your experience with ghost tours.
Amidst Old Tombstones at Kirkmichael Trust Cemetery
The Kirkmichael Trust Cemetery in the Scottish highlands has done some serious restoration work, bringing old medieval tombstones into a restored church building for preservation and display. The stones outside, as well as the small mausoleum, are also worth a visit if you like old cemeteries — its just a bit off the main itinerary for your North Coast 500 road trip.
Visiting the Gion Kyoto Starbucks
I’m from Seattle, where there seems to be a Starbucks on every corner. So when travel, I tend keep away. But I’m glad I ended up going into the Gion Starbucks in Kyoto — it’s a different world than your average Starbucks.
Otaku Kyoto
Tokyo, of course, is known for its Anime, Manga, pop culture — but what about Kyoto? When I toted my Anime-loving daughter along to Kyoto, I was worried that she would simply hang out at the AirBNB which, largely, she did. But we did find some loosely “Otaku” things to do in Kyoto (my daughter’s objection to the term duly noted).
A Day in Arashiyama
When you think of the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Sagano Bamboo Forest. But there’s so much more to do in this beautiful area of Kyoto. Plan to spend at least a day here — here are some of the many things to do to make the most of your day in the area.
Ten Zen: Temples in Kyoto
While I was visiting a temple in Kyoto, I heard someone repeating “this is the heart of Zen.” Kyoto is, at least, the center of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism and there were far more temples than I could visit during my time there. Here are ten that I visited from the highly touristed to the more remote.
Going Ghibli: Visiting the Ghibli Museum
Visiting the whimsical Ghibli Museum is a must-do in Tokyo if you’re a fan of the animation of Hayao Miyazaki. But getting tickets can be a bit challenging and confusing for foreign visitors. Here’s what you need to know about the museum, including getting tickets and getting there.
The Magical House of MinaLima Harry Potter Gallery in London
Budding wizards (or muggle Harry Potter fans) probably already know about this London gallery. But if not, read on. MinaLima designed all the graphics for the Wizarding World of JK Rowling films. The gallery is an amazing collection of art, and Harry Potter ephemera.
14 Things to do in York, UK
York is a charming medieval walled city filled with history — but there’s much to do here, as well, for the train lover, the chocolate lover, the ghost whisperer, or the pub crawler. Here are some of the best things to do in York, UK, along with a resource list.
King by King: The Choir Screen at York Minster
The Kings’ Screen (the choir screen separating the choir from the nave) at York Minster Cathedral features fifteen kings ranging from William the Conqueror to Henry IV. Let’s take it king by king! Here’s a brief photo guide to the kings from left to right.
