Art Nouveau Facades, Riga, Latvia
The art nouveau streets of Riga, Latvia are perhaps the city’s most charming facet. We went into a couple of churches, and they aren’t much to look at. I think … Read more
Europe
Struve Geodetic Arc, Tartu University, Estonia
The Struve Geodetic Arc is a series of triangulations done by Tartu University astronomer and geographer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve between 1816 and 1855. The measurement of the meridian used the observatory at Tartu University in Estonia as its base point.
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
Wildlife Sightings in Finland
We kept our eyes open for wildlife sightings in Lapland, when we weren’t blinded by the midnight sun. It was a relief to be out on the road, out of … 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