Trinity College, located in the heart of Dublin, is Ireland’s oldest university. It was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. The monarch wanted to create an institution in Ireland modeled after Oxford and Cambridge. The iconic university campus…
International
I visited Dublin for the first time in my life in December 2022, not realizing an arctic cold front would bring snow, sleet, and temperatures plunging below 30F. I should have packed long johns. But no matter as I…
James Joyce Centre celebrates the life and times of Ireland’s most famous and enigmatic writer. For anyone who has struggled to read his opus, Ulysses, it can be an insurmountable mountain to climb. But I came to Ireland to…
Picturesque vs. Sinister Stanley Park? This was the question I must answer after I took Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours’ incredible 2-hour tour of this public park in Vancouver, British Columbia. It didn’t take me more than a minute to…
Italian leaf-peeping excursions are a favorite for me when I vacation in the autumn. Since my birthday falls on September 29, I usually try to book a getaway early in October. While every season promises some one-of-a-kind treat for…
I am standing in Museo Teatro Romano in Lecce, Italy. But it is the 21st Century, not the 2nd Century AD. If I put on a long white toga and don a face mask, I might believe that I…
What is it about looking at the turquoise Caribbean sea-tossed like a blanket over a mattress and framed by a mountainous headstand—that lures me into sleep? My eyes are wide open to see this view yet my mind feels…
Playa Coson unravels like a tawny ribbon, sprawling toward verdant green mountains. Located in the Dominican Republic, it is part of a necklace of glittering white beaches in Las Terrenas. While everyone knows of Punta Cana, its celebrity cousin…