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 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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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, the ornate home of the Swedish royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is well worth a visit from Stockholm.