My favorite souvenir from Iceland, besides this picture of me at Lake My’Vatn with the Bardabunga Volcano erupting in the background, is a little thing called a Jólasveinar – a Yule Lad. The Jólasveinars, or Yule lads, are among the…
Brown vs Topeka Board of Education Historic Site in Topeka Kansas
Monroe Elementary School in Topeka Kansas is physically bigger than most people consider when they envision an elementary school. It’s two stories tall and has 13 classrooms as well as a gym and cafeteria, among other features. But it’s fitting…
Visiting Flanders Fields Museum and the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium
“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row.” So begins the poem by Lt. John McCrae, a Canadian surgeon who witnessed the worst of World War I and tried to repair it. It is because of this…
The Real Story of Winnie the Pooh and Winnipeg Canada
The most exciting thing about our trip to Winnipeg Canada was learning that Winnie the Pooh was a real bear! While Pinocchio claimed to be a real boy, he was just an animated character. But Winnie the Pooh, who never claimed…
Exploring Ålesund Norway and Art Nouveau Architecture
We had been in Ålesund Norway for just a few minutes when I posted this picture on social media. “Who knew Ålesund was such so gorgeous?” I asked rhetorically. Certainly those who have been to Ålesund know of the interesting…
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a smaller unit of our national park system, but one worthy of exploration when your travels take you to southern Colorado between Montrose and Gunnison. It is here over millions of…
Colorful and Free Street Art Highlights the NEW Detroit Michigan
When Detroit, Michigan was struggling with its financial issues and coming out of bankruptcy, civic and community leaders developed a number of low-cost, high-impact projects to improve their neighborhoods. In many places, all that was needed was a gallon of…
Hiking up Diamond Head State Monument on Oahu
This is Diamond Head as seen from Honolulu’s famous Waikiki Beach. This is Honolulu’s famous Waikiki Beach as seen from Diamond Head. And the path from Point A to Point B is a rugged one, a good work out and…
Visiting the Canadian Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg
If you are of any nationality other than Canadian, don’t be deterred in thinking that the Canadian Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg is of interest solely to Canadians. This incredible building encompasses global stories of the struggle for human rights…