The Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, otherwise known as Hearst Castle, is located on the coast of California near San Simeon. It was built by tycoon William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan during the years 1919-1947. Although it was never completely finished, what they designed, where they built it, and how they furnished […]
Of places to see in the United States of America, caves appear high on my list. Because they offer natural shelter (from the elements or predators,) their dark and mysteriousness, and the fact that they are all different, I am attracted to them naturally. Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota […]
The saying goes: “Two heads are better than one.” For Koblenz, a German city on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, the saying becomes two rivers are better than one. Where these two major waterways in Europe join, a major city was born and given a name meaning “at the confluence [Latin].” Thusly, Koblenz means confluence. […]
There are many ways to get to Cologne, Germany. Either by train, plane, bicycle, automobile, or as I did, by riverboat on the Rhine River, you undoubtedly find yourself next to Cologne’s gothic cathedral downtown. There, you marvel at the tallest cathedral in northern Europe. It is hard to miss the twin towering steeples that […]
Truly, the best way to see a city is by walking through it. Doing that one day last winter, my camaras’ eyes recorded the following pictures (see video below.) A single day captured Amsterdam in the Holland region of The Netherlands in a moment of time not in the past or the present, but a […]
Whether your particular travel style is by car, boat, feet, plane, subway, bicycle or scooter, the city of Amsterdam is for you. Big enough to host more than one great museum, but intimate enough that it does not overwhelm, there are so many things to do, sights to see, and places to eat that you […]
Served by a fast, direct train route from Amsterdam, Haarlem in the Netherlands acts as a suburb to its bigger city while still retaining its own character. Hollandish canels run through the town, Danish architecture prevails, and an awesome cathedral creates an anchor for the central square. Suburban life in Haarlem is slower-paced, but there […]
In continuation of our tour of notable museums in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, one museum one should not overlook is the Rijks. Although the Rijks Museum holds a noteworthy collection of Asian sculpture, the main focus here is the Dutch/Flemish culture. Paintings, tapestries, industrial arts (e.g., clothing, ceramics and metalwork,) and what I call domestic arts […]
The Vincent van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, provides a retrospective collection of his art and influences in a well-thought out, modern design. There are the major works of Van Gogh on hand, like “Sunflowers,” self-portraits, and his later paintings of intense color and vibrancy. Artworks by his influences are on display as well: […]
Naturally, the Rhine River courses through numerous European countries – Switzerland, France, Germany, the Netherlands. Each country has its own culture and language, but all are tied together by the river. For example, in this video we examine the city of Strasbourg on the west bank of the upper Rhine. Located in northeastern France, it […]