Dublin is a magical brew, with the key ingredient its warm and outgoing people. From the immigration officer whose melodious voice first gave me a friendly welcome to the chatty locals offering sightseeing tips at breakfast, each person I encountered left a positive imprint on my recent trip – my first to the Emerald Isle. It seems silly […]
Europe
Versailles: In the Footsteps of Kings and Tourists
In the 1670s, Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles on the site of his father’s hunting lodge. Louis was fed up with the scheming nobility and relocated the entire French court from Paris to a remote location where he could monitor them more closely. Versailles was designed to show off Louis’s absolute power as […]
50 Incredible Photos of Riga in Winter
I never liked winter until I moved to Riga, Latvia. Sure, playing in the snow was fun as a kid, but digging out my car and commuting to work was another matter entirely. Teeth chattering behind the steering wheel, I dreamed of warmth and sunshine and planned my vacations accordingly. To say that I was […]
Fun Things to Do in Valmiera, Latvia
In 1764, a Prussian duke by the name of Peter August built a hunting lodge on the grounds of a 17th century manor house outside the town of Valmiera, Latvia, then part of the Russian Empire. Duke Peter August, who was Field Marshall of the Russian Imperial Army, was given the land by Emperor Peter […]
Cesis, Latvia: A Must See Fairytale Town
“This is the land of Narnia,” said the Faun, “where we are now; all that lies between the lamppost and the great castle of Cair Paravel on the eastern sea.” My favorite book growing up was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The story is about four precocious British children who […]