How did Helena become Montana’s State Capital?
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How did Helena become Montana’s state capital? Was it the architecture?
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Good Things in Small Packages
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In a disconnected world, run by electronics, Troy Homecoming reminds us of better days. Where people are friends in real life, and not on a computer or phone screen. Where sports are played outside under the big blue sky and not in front of a television. Where we get to hear truly talented musicians, not masked by synthesizers. The joyous activities of the weekend bring family, friends, neighbors and strangers together.
Read MoreTroy Homecoming, an Old Fashioned Community Festival
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This homecoming is not a high school dance (though you could dance to live music throughout the weekend). Rather, it is a century old, free, community festival held annually in southern Geauga County in Ohio. According to local historians, Troy Homecoming started in 1911 when the township celebrated its 100th birthday.
Read MorePreservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana. USA
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While in New Orleans, my traveling companions suggested going to Preservation Hall. I was rather elated about the notion and struggled to wait patiently for the treat.
Read MoreBelfast and Northern Ireland
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Northern Ireland is beautiful. I am a northerner and convinced that the further north you go, the prettier the world becomes. I had initially visited Belfast, Northern Ireland over a decade ago. At the time, there was still political strife and the air in Belfast was thick with tension. Fast forward 16 years, Belfast is renewed. People were out an about, walking the streets, shopping, mingling, exchanging welcoming glances. It is beautiful. My heart is glad for this city.
Read MoreCigar Factory New Orleans in Louisiana, USA
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The diligence and skill of the folks rolling cigars at Cigar Factory New Orleans is captivating. They do not falter in their performance, even while being interrupted with admiration by observers. The warm, brown interior of the shop indicates years of producing and savoring a delectable leaf that has been enjoyed by countless people through history. The thick, spicy musk of unburnt tobacco mingles with the humidity of New Orleans and makes me smile.
Read MoreKnossos Palace on the Isle of Crete in Greece
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We flew into Heraklion on Crete, rented a car and drove a relatively short distance to the preserved historical site of Knossos. Sections are roped off for its protection, but you can still get an up-close look at the ancient ruins. Some of the ruins have been restored to give onlookers a vibrant notion of what Knossos looked like at its peak.
Read MoreHistoric Rauchbier (Smoke Beer) Brewery in Gorgeous Bamberg, Germany
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Bamberg, Germany is like a fairy tale. Gorgeous stone buildings are built flush against the Regnitz River. In the center of town is an old brewery that crafts smoked beer.
Read MoreRosetree Blown Glass Studio and Gallery on Algiers Point, Louisiana in the USA
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A short ferry ride from downtown New Orleans, across the Mississippi River will take you to Algiers Point. Algiers Point is refreshingly quiet and full of pleasant experiences, such as the Rosetree Blow Glass Studio and Gallery. The studio is housed in an old Art Deco movie house. You can watch the artists in action and even purchase a one-of-a-kind, hand-made glass item.
Read MoreDelicious Food in Krakow, Poland
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Krakow, I found, is amazingly rich in the history, architecture and culture I crave. Main Market Square on a Saturday night is alive with activity and food to tempt, even on a full stomach. Unparalleled street food, less tourists and more people from the countryside, are what you will find on a Saturday night in the Main Market Square.
Read MoreAuschwitz and Birkenau
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During my visit to Krakow, Poland I wanted to tour Auschwitz and Birkenau. I felt compelled to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau, in order to remember and reinforce my awareness of the horror and inhumanity, the unfathomable capacity of humankind . . . lest we never forget. There are no words to describe the experience.
Read MoreFlossenbürg in Germany
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Flossenbürg is a small town in eastern Bavaria near the Czech border. There is a small castle ruins here and the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp; where the remaining members of the Valkyrie plot to kill Hitler were executed just two weeks before the camp was liberated. One of these men was Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Read MoreOberammergau, Germany
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Oberammergau, Germany is famous for its production of a Passion Play, which was first performed in 1634, and its woodcarvers. The Oberammergau Passion Play is the result of a vow made by the inhabitants of the village when God spared them from the effects of the bubonic plague. The village is also known as the home of a long tradition of woodcarving; the Bavarian State Woodcarving School is located there. The streets of central Oberammergau are home to dozens of woodcarver shops, with pieces ranging from religious subjects, to toys, to humorous portraits.
Read MoreAscension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, Russia
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The Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, Russia is probably one of the biggest and most ornately built churches I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of churches.
Read MoreThe Rich History of Stirling, in Central Scotland
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Stirling, in central Scotland, has maintained its historical significance. Strategically established and valued for centuries, you can still imagine where warriors marched and royalty was anointed.
Read MoreSardegna (Sardinia), an Autonomous Region of Italia (Italy)
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I drove zig zag across Sardinia, Italy to visit all the sites on my wish list. There are 7,000 Nuraghi, or Nuraghic ruins throughout Sardinia. The distinctive, cone-shaped stone towers dot the countryside. Their history and purpose are impressive. Near Alghero, is the Grotte Di Nettuno (Neptune’s Caves), which is well worth the drive. The hike to the cave is a spectacular representation of Sardinia’s west coast. A highlight of my trip.
Read MoreSavenac Historic Tree Nursery in Haugan, Montana
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Few of you may be familiar with the 1900s style and smell associated with the forest service and national parks of North America. When I saw a sign for “Historic Tree Nursery” along Interstate 90 between Missoula, Montana and the Idaho state line, my heart went a flutter. I have toured countless nurseries and I most definitely wanted to visit the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in Haugan, Montana.
Read MoreVisit Unique Cliff-Side Monastery in Central Russia
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ancient Russians found a few limestone cliffs on the banks of the Don and excavated rooms into them. One of the places is named Divnogorie or “the place with amazing mountains” in Russian. Another one is Belogorie or “the place with white mountains”. Both places are located in the Voronezh area on rural roads, away from the cities and crowds.
Read MoreLichtenstein Castle (Schloss Lichtenstein) in Germany
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Lichtenstein Castle (Schloss Lichtenstein), built in Gothic Revival style, has been described as the "fairy tale castle of Württemberg." The ruins of a medieval castle, that inspired a novel, are a few hundred meters away. The name Lichtenstein translates as "shining stone."
Read MoreLuxembourg
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Luxembourg is quiet, has beautiful architecture and is an under rated destination.
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