Month: December 2018
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High-speed Trains
Am I the only American who thinks it’s absolutely criminal that we don’t have high-speed trains in the United States like they do in Europe? Let’s look at some times on a trip from Rome to Florence: Car: 2 hours, 56 minutes Plane: 55 minutes Regular train: 4 hours High-speed train: 1 hour, 20 minutes […]
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Vatican City
Well, if you have to do it. Don’t get me wrong – Vatican City is well worth a visit – if you’ve never been there before. St. Peter’s Basilica is magnificent. Michelangelo’s Pietà alone is is worth a look. It’s such a shame you have to look at it through glass while surrounded by people […]
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My Obsession with Mosaics
“…but beautiful mosaics are made out of broken pieces” — Lori Jenessa Nelson Traveling through Europe there are plenty of beautiful palaces and churches to look at. For some reason though, while others are gaping at flying buttresses or speculating on who once lived in a certain palace I’m the one in the corner with […]
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Church Walking
If you’re lucky enough to be spending time in a European city that allows free entry into churches then I recommend a bit of ‘church walking’. Church walking is when you’re on your way to somewhere, spot a church and decide to go in just to take a peek around. By ‘looking around’ I don’t […]
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Rome: How to spend your time if you’ve already seen the Forum
Walk the ‘Heart of Rome’ When arriving after an international flight the best thing to do to prevent too much jet lag is to plan nothing but stay awake for an early dinner and bedtime. A little exercise after sitting for many hours on the plane is also a good thing. Enter the Heart of […]
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Pompeii
When in Rome Pompeii is an easy, if long day trip. Early one morning we met up with City Wonders for a bus ride down to the ruins of Pompeii. The bus had a guide who pointed out points of interest along the way like the ancient Abbey of Montecassino and the Appian Way – the ancient main […]
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After Ada
One hundred years after Ada Lovelace – the visionary who imagined ‘the analytical engine’ – the field of software development and the opportunities for women have greatly changed. Ada was born an aristocrat – the daughter of the poet Lord Byron in fact – and as an aristocrat had the opportunity to study, write, experience […]
Unfolded Maps 