London is known, rightfully, for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, both for residents and for visitors. Hotels are pricy, meals equally so, and many of the top sights are outrageously priced (in my opinion). However, for those who travel on a budget, London also has a surprising number of amazing…
It is nearly 10:00 AM, and the excitement is building. I wait among dozens of other eager museum-goers, glancing down at our watches and up at the doors, still closed. We know what is on the other side of these simple wooden barriers, standing in stark contrast to the magnificence of the building that puts…
"It's just a stone circle." "It's too crowded." "I don't see what the big deal is." These were the things people told me before I went to Stonehenge. And... yes, it's a stone circle. Yes, it's crowded, even in the pouring rain. But Stonehenge is absolutely a big deal. For that matter, so is Salisbury,…
Nationalism movements are all the rage these days. Kurdish in Syria and Iraq grabs headlines, while Catalan demonstrations in Spain have eclipsed the formerly grandiose Basque independence movements. Here in the United Kingdom, Scotland only barely remained after a referendum failed, and talk of another is looming in the face of Brexit. Wales, however, is…
What do you get when you combine the setting for several of Jane Austen's books and the most famous Roman baths in the world? You either get a fantastic tale of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett meeting after a day of soaking and massages or an exploration of the English city of Bath. Bath was…
On June 23, 2016, a very small majority of British voters decided to change the course of the UK and of Europe. In a popular referendum initiated by then Prime Minister David Cameron, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union behind. This British exit of the EU, or Brexit, has been at the…
I have been a fan of Shakespeare for as long as I can recall. I've read Shakespeare. I've watched Shakespeare, both on screen and the stage. I've even performed Shakespeare; my high school portrayal of Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing was greeted with much fanfare by my parents. I've written about Shakespeare, most…
The Wren Library is bright, despite its complete lack of electric lighting. Even on this cloudy day, its huge glass windows allow more than enough sunshine in for the eight or so researchers and librarians lucky enough to work here, and the fifteen visitors allowed in at a time. It smells of old books, of…
"Where are you going in England?" all my friends asked me as I planned my trip. "London," I said and they nodded. "Bath, Cambridge, Stratford-Upon-Avon," to more nods and grins. "Norwich," I told them. This time, the looks were more puzzled. I mentioned that my cousin Anisa (of Two Traveling Texans fame) lived there, and…
Tourism to religious sites normally isn't associated with America. The holy sites of Jerusalem, St. Peter's and the Vatican, the mosques of Istanbul, or temples and shrines of Japan or Thailand, these are known around the world for being destinations in and of themselves. But in the US? It's hard to imagine someone visiting Washington…