Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
When we’re somewhat close, we usually go out of our way to visit Unesco World Heritage sites. In this case, we tore ourselves away from the Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey Distillery … Read more
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, England
In the early years of the 16th Century, King Henry VIII of England decided that the various Catholic abbeys held too much wealth and power. (It is estimated that the … Read more
Stonehenge and the Avebury Stones, England
Yes, it’s a bit of a tourist cliche, but Stonehenge does amaze. When you look at Christian cathedrals and think of the religious fervor that inspired their construction and decoration, … Read more
Parthenon Frieze, British Museum
There is probably room for debate about whether or not the British should have taken (or should return) all the sculpture from the Parthenon in Athens which they removed in … Read more
Time for Tikal: Stay on Site
As we did at Chichén Itzá in Mexico’s Yucatan, we allowed three nights’ stay right inside the site of Tikal in northern Guatemala. We wanted to be sure to have … Read more
Temple of the Jaguar, Tikal, Guatemala
Tikal is one of the largest Mayan sites in the “Mundo Maya” which extends through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Tikal was once a city of 90,000 people and flourished … Read more
Howler Monkey, Tikal, Guatemala
A family of howler monkeys, we’re told, usually consists of a male, a few females, and the offspring. The family that lives in the jungle which surrounds our hotel inside … Read more
Temple of the Wind, Tulúm, Yucatán, Mexico
Tulúm, the Mayan ruins by the sea, guarded the approach to the major Mayan city of Cobá, 50 kilometers inland. The Temple of the Wind, it seemed to me, also … Read more
Mayan Ruins, Tulúm, Yucatán, Mexico
One of the best things about the ruins at Tulúm was their compactness. They’re only spread over a few acres and the site can be easily seen in a little … Read more
Temple Carvings, Kabáh, Yucatán, Mexico
One of the recurring motifs at many Mayan sites is the curved nose of the rain god, Chaak. The curve, in the sense that it both descends and ascends, represents … Read more