Not Visiting the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
The Dome of the Rock, built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites of the Muslim faith. Muslims believe this is where Muhammad ascended into … Read more
Tom Bartel
Our 2014 Travels in 50 Photos
2014 was our biggest year of traveling yet. We visited 19 countries, including a long driving trip in the western United States. We saw, in order, the United States, Belgium, … Read more
Old City, Jerusalem
Mostly I just wandered the warrens of the narrow streets of the Old City of Jerusalem and looked at a city unlike any I’ve ever seen before.
The Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
When it comes to church art (and other interesting stuff) it’s hard to beat the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence. For quality and quantity, it’s far more important than … Read more
Images of Verona , Italy
We were in the Verona Cathedral at night. Consequently, the light inside was even dimmer than normal in an old church. So, I almost missed this amazing feature of the … Read more
The Pope’s Chair, St. John Lateran, Rome
If you said that St. Peter’s Basilica is the Pope’s “home church” in Rome, you’d be wrong. In fact, the Pope’s chair (cathedra in Latin, hence the English word cathedral) … Read more
Duomo Demons, Florence, Italy
There’s a lot of debate about the Vasari paintings that cover Florence. I think the safest thing to say about Giorgio Vasari was that he was a better businessman than … Read more
The Battlefield of Pointe du Hoc, France
The seaside cliff called Pointe du Hoc, overlooking Omaha and Utah beaches in Normandy, was the site of some of the fiercest D-Day fighting.
American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
This is the second time we’ve visited the Omaha Beach Cemetery. The first time was in 2007.
The Dominican Church, Colmar, France
The Dominican Church in Colmar, France was built in the 14th Century. There was a time it was not used as a church, then again it was, and then again … Read more