Turaida Castle, Sigulda, Latvia
Turaida Castle in Sigulda is a remnant of the old days, when bishops were, in some parts of the world, richer and more powerful than the nobility.
Glimpses of Estonia Past and Present
We ask, every chance we get, what the reaction in Estonia is to the recent events in the Ukraine. Does Estonia fear it will ‘be next,’ annexed back into Russia … Read more
Chartres Cathedral, France
Nothing says Gothic like butresses, unless of course it’s spindly decorated spires. And, if you want perhaps the best example of Gothic architecture in the world, that’s Chartres Cathedral. I … Read more
Erratic Rocks, Kasmu Peninsula, Estonia
I don’t normally feature photos of rocks, unless we’re at Stonehenge or something. But these are “erratic” rocks, dropped on the Kasmu Peninsula of Estonia by glaciers many millennia ago. … Read more
Leiden and The Hague, plus Delft
There’s no law that says you have to stay in Amsterdam the entire time you’re in The Netherlands! As entertaining as it is, and as much art as it holds, … Read more
Greta Garbo’s Grave, Skogskyrkogården Cemetery, Stockholm, Sweden
The Swedish film star of the early 20th Century, Greta Garbo, is probably the only person who is buried in the Skogskyrkogården Cemetery whose name you might recognize. We wandered … Read more
Dry Dock, Suomenlinna Fortress, Helsinki, Finland
The Fortress of Suomenlinna, a Unesco World Heritage site, is constructed on a series of six islands in Helsinki harbor. It was built by the Swedes, who then controlled Finland, … Read more
Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden
Drottningholm Palace, the ornate home of the Swedish royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is well worth a visit from Stockholm.
Finding My Ancestors in Skåne, Sweden
This unplanned search for my ancestral homestead turned up many helpful people, some funny stories, and a look at my family’s backyard and grave sites.
Recommended Byways in Belgium
Sometimes we get caught up in sightseeing and forget to cover the basics on how we live–that is, how we eat, sleep, and navigate along the way. True happiness is … Read more
