Editor’s note: I have been to a lot of countries, but it is amazing to experience those I haven’t yet visited, or even have thought of visiting, through the eyes of one of my writers. Today, Sam Spector shares his experience in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in part one of a UAE double feature. For…
Another day in Europe, another palace. Just as frequent European travelers can talk about “church fatigue,” where beautiful churches all over the continent begin to dull and blend together, so, too, is palace fatigue a real thing. And yet, we are drawn to them, to these shining ego projects built by the crowned heads of…
Walking around Berlin can be a little eerie, especially to a Jewish guy like me. From here, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis did their best to exterminate my people. And traces are all over, from historical signage talking about what a building was under the Reich, to memorials, to museums. Despite how much exposure I…
Hamburg, one of Germany’s largest and most important cities, is beautiful. Any new arrival can tell you that as soon as he/she steps off a plane or train (or bus, in my case, from Berlin). The heart of the city is made for walking, with pedestrian-only streets, wide walkways along the canals and lakes, and…
Editor’s note: Like Sam, I loved my time in the Rhine Valley, although I based myself in Bonn and Cologne rather than south as he did. His take on the religious history of the region is amazing, a wonderful contrast to my own experience. For more of Sam Spector’s adventures, click here to visit his…
Editor’s note: it is purely coincidence that our writer Christian ended up in Frankfurt just before my own German odyssey began. In fact, it was his photos on Facebook that got me more excited for my trip to begin. While my time in the city was more spent with museums and historic sites, it is…
I suppose it’s pretty cliche to come to a European capital and see a palace. Another gaudy building honoring a family who had everything, largely while the poor starved. I get it. And yet, each of these terrible beautiful structures has a story to tell, a unique tale, if only we listen. Berlin’s Charlottenburg Palace…
My day starts in Hamburg, checking out the sights: the warehouse district, the bridges and churches. I then travel to Bavaria to catch Neuschwanstein Castle. An alpine adventure awaits me in Austria and Switzerland, gazing fondly at the skiers, before I head to Italy to spend time at Pompeii and viewing the top attractions of…
In August of 1961, construction began on what was to become the Berlin Wall. An already divided Berlin in an already divided Germany would be saddled with a concrete monstrosity that would become the symbol of the Cold War. The wall would encircle all of West Berlin, stretching 96 miles, dividing it from both East…
What qualities go into a great museum? For me, there are a few. A great museum has to start with a great collection. Whether it’s art, antiquities, or anything else, a museum cannot be truly great without a world class collection. Secondly, it has to have a good physical space. A beautiful view, a historic…