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Norway: Bergen and Bryggen
Our tour guide said that Bergen, a port city on the west coast of Norway, has attracted outsiders for centuries, both as traders and settlers. Then she made the point with her own story: Although our guide was born and raised in Bergen of
Czech Republic: Karlovy Vary’s grande dame
The Grandhotel Pupp, in the Czech Republic’s Karlovy Vary, dates to 1701; however, the two main buildings that one sees, and sleeps in, date from the late-19th century heyday of Czech spa towns — and a time when Karlovy Vary was called Carlsbad. The hotel
Prague: Hotels quirky, fun — and practical
My recent itinerary to the Czech Republic opened and closed with stays in Prague, in two hotels opened just this spring and located across a tiny square from one another. Further, they are only a couple of blocks from the Powder Gate Tower and a
Worldwide: Murals here and there
Travel and 2020 are mutually exclusive concepts. Except for skiing (driving between New York and Vermont), I went nowhere this year. By now, I entertain myself with old travel photos. I am taken with the fact we humans treat architectural blank spaces like vacuums, filling
Rio de Janeiro: Carnival town, Olympic city
In September 2020, organizers of Rio de Janeiro’s official carnival parade canceled the annual event, set for February 2021, leaving the nature of the carnival itself in flux. The parade will be back (like my travel plans), but no one knows when. As it happens,
France: Strasbourg at Christmas
This past December (2019), I arrived in Strasbourg, France, almost exactly 20 years after my first and only other visit. There have been changes — new construction and the like — but the historic center is reassuringly much the same. Indeed, I can offer a
Thailand: A glimpse of Phuket Old Town
I got my first look at Thailand’s Phuket (the town) in late 2019 and regret that I did not have additional time there to absorb more about the local history, customs and architecture. The visit was a tease, which is why this blog will be
Michigan: Of trees and horses
I had anticipated that Mackinac Island would be the centerpiece during a recent and very short driving tour in Michigan. But, the island had to share the honors with an attraction I had not anticipated. I planned this trip with two friends, and we agreed
Brazil: Beyond burning forests
I visited Brazil’s best-known city, Rio de Janeiro, a couple of times in the 1970s and, finally, this fall (2019) had the chance to revisit. The run-up to this visit was not especially auspicious. Earth’s lungs — the Amazonian forests — were (and are) aflame.