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
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
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
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
A Context Travel Tour in Venice
Travel, at its best, is a lot like the our best college days: sit back and take in a ton of information from people who know what they are talking … Read more
Lion and Saints, San Marco, Venice
The winged lion is the symbol of both Saint Mark the Evangelist and the city of Venice. You see it pretty much everywhere. There is some dispute of the origin … Read more
Ceiling, San Marco Basilica, Venice, Italy
We arrived on the train from Ljubljana in Venice late afternoon, when the sun was already low in the sky, and the lines to get into San Marco Basilica were … Read more
The Bernina Express Train, Switzerland
The Bernina Express Train, from Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy, is the only train route to receive Unesco World Heritage designation. The Albula line in the north western part of the property is 67 km long. It features an impressive set of structures including 42 tunnels and covered galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61 km Bernina pass line features 13 tunnels and galleries and 52 viaducts and bridges.