Simon Meiners is a man on a mission. As the Communications and Research Specialist at Louisville’s Frazier Museum, he is tasked with sifting through the history of Kentucky and sharing it with the public. After the first five minutes speaking with him, it is clear that this mission is more than just a profession for…
I hate to do this, but I have to begin this article with a disclaimer. While this piece will focus on what can still be seen of ancient Tenochtitlan and the Aztec Empire from modern Mexico City, one must keep in mind that while the empire was destroyed as a political entity by Hernan Cortes…
Editor’s note: I have never been to Poland, partially for practical reasons as it is harder to reach from Western Europe, and partially for emotional reasons due to the concentration camps here. But I recognize the importance of visiting, and Sam’s articles (you’ll read more soon) are certainly inspirational. For more of Sam Spector’s amazing…
When those who would become the Aztecs discovered this city in the 1200s, it was already ancient. And it was already mostly empty, having been abandoned for reasons unknown more than 400 years prior. But at its zenith, Teotihuacan was perhaps the most influential civilization in Meso-America, its culture spreading as far as the mighty…
Editor’s note: I have been to Slovakia, spending about a week in Bratislava as part of a large trip based mainly in Germany. However, I will admit that the rest of the country is a blank for me. It is really nice to learn more via our wonderful traveling rabbi, Sam Spector. For more of…
Editor’s note: like Sam, I preferred the east bank of Prague to the west, but found value on both sides. Make sure to click here to visit Sam’s article on the eastern part of the city, and when you fall in love with his writing, click here to visit his index page. As a travel…
Editor’s note: while I haven’t done a cruise on the Rhine, regular readers of The Royal Tour will probably remember time I spent in the region, based in Bonn. You can visit my guide to the amazing city here, and see my favorite castle experience here. Jackie, however, puts the whole length of the river…
Editor’s note: Prague is a city unique. It has a well preserved medieval core, incredible food, and the best preserved Jewish quarter in all of Europe. For my personal takes on the city, you can find my guide here. But this is Sam’s version, and describes a whirlwind tour through some truly amazing locales. For…
Editor’s note: my experience with Switzerland is fairly limited, with a couple days spent in a couple towns on a bus tour when I was a child, and two nights just outside of Liechtenstein when I wrote about that tiny country. I’ve been largely put off by the cost, but in reading this piece by…
The Ohio Statehouse is a beautiful building. The crown jewel of downtown Columbus - itself a reasonably pretty place, although mostly empty on the day of my visit - it gleams white behind carefully planted flowers and trees. Its rotunda, built without a full dome, is iconic atop the columned facade. Inside, the building is…