Lyon is France's third largest city and second largest metro area. Sitting at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers in the shadow of the Alps, it is a perfect base to explore eastern France. More than that, it is an incredible destination in its own right, and is easily my favorite city in…
In the year 43 BC, what is now Lyon was founded as the Roman city of Lugdunum. 2,062 years later Jonathan from The Royal Tour visited the city, now a proper modern metropolis. As the great Rabbi Hillel would have said, "That is the whole history of Lyon. The rest is commentary. Now go and…
On the border of France, Germany, and Belgium lies Luxembourg, the world's only remains Grand Duchy (being ruled by a Grand Duke or Duchess), and my third tiny country bordering France that I've seen in my three months here. I loved Andorra. I hated Monaco. Where would Luxembourg rank? I arrived in Luxembourg City, the…
Bordeaux is best known for being the wine capital of France - and rightly so. But it is much more than just a place to get good wine. It is a historical center, a bastion of creativity, and a place to just live a good and happy life! In a month spent living in this…
It is my second full day in Oslo, and I find myself on a boat tour of the Oslofjord, the narrow inlet along which the Norwegian capital is laid out. It is cold, especially for a kid from California. We are given thin blankets as we board, which help, but even those, my thick winter…
Camp des Milles isn’t exactly the image one has in mind of southern France. A former tile factory just minutes from the center of Aix-en-Provence, the complex was requisitioned by the French government during World War Two, first to house those suspected of fascist sympathies and later, after the fall of France, as a depot…
Marseille is France's second largest city and largest port. But did you know it is also the oldest city in France? Built around a narrow inlet off the Mediterranean Sea and sheltered by the nearby Frioul Islands, the city has undergone massive changes over the centuries, both positive and negative, but the importance of trade…
Walking outside of my apartment on my first morning here in Marseille, I was greeted by the facade of a savonnerie, a soap store. Odd, I thought to myself, to have Savon de Marseille (Soap of Marseille) advertised so publicly. I resolved to return, but I had an appointment. About half a block down the…
Outside of the Mediterranean, there are a few areas in the world with a Mediterranean climate: the cape of South Africa, Chile, and the California coast. Perhaps that's why, when oil tycoon J Paul Getty wanted to build a replica Roman villa on the cliffs of Malibu to house his art collection, nobody called him…
For most people from elsewhere, West Virginia is a bit of a blank spot. We know it exists, but we don't know what there is to do there. It's most famous export, coal, isn't exactly something that draws the tourists in droves. However, West Virginia is a wonderful place. It has some unique history, incredible…