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…
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building looks like an old luxury hotel, which is unsurprising because it is, in fact, and old luxury hotel converted to offices, conference halls, and banquet rooms for Salt Lake City's most famous entity: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Members, formerly referred to as Mormons as a…
Can you believe I haven't left the country in four months? Me neither, but my "dry spell" is ending next week when I head off to see the Royals (from a distance - if at all - since I don't actually know them and they didn't tweet me back), the Bard, and the Brexiteers in…
What makes the world's best zoo? Is it the best value for the money? If so, the St. Louis Zoo might be tops, given the fact that it is both good and free. (Parking is expensive, however.) Is it the largest? San Diego might take the prize. Is it the most unique? The Night Safari…
The rolling plains of Iowa are covered in cornfields, just like a scene out of Field of Dreams, broken up by the occasional silo or windmill. It is beautiful, if redundant after the first 30 or 40 miles. But it's not the reason I'm in Iowa. Welcome to Iowa! In Des Moines, I visit the…
Cincinnati. Queen City. Once a hugely important river port and cultural hub of the Midwest, it has since faded mostly to obscurity. Nationally unimportant, it is, in a word, pleasant. Cincinnati isn't at the top of many tourist lists, and perhaps it shouldn't be, but a few days here can provide for a truly delightful…