The train passed by large lakes, then hills, meadows, lakes again, mountain plateaus, and, ultimately, glaciers… In this article published in the Travel Examiner magazine, I not only recounted my August journey by train across Norway, from Oslo to Bergen, but also discovered how this railway became the backbone of the country’s history and identity. Read more » » »
Thanks to its visual elegance, complete with a moat and perfect symmetry, Bodiam features on every list of top English castles. Built, unusually, by a low-level aristocrat during the Hundred Years’ War, the castle drew me into its story, which still has some unanswered questions. I visited one October afternoon, and the fall colors gave the place an especially medieval atmosphere. Read more » » »
Even though most Europeans flock southward every August, some head for the rainy part of the continent. They are lured by an annual festival in Edinburgh—the Fringe—where performers of all kinds and experience levels show off their skills, against the backdrop of the historical Scottish capital. Now that the 2018 festival is under way, I recall my 2017 visit to Edinburgh. Read more » » »
The movie Loving Vincent inspired me to visit Auvers-sur-Oise, a town outside of Paris. I wanted to walk in the footsteps of the great artist, who lived, painted, and eventually died there, under tragic and still somewhat mysterious circumstances. Although Auvers has plenty of spots and buildings associated with the artist, it has kept its air of a typical, pleasant small French town. Read more » » »
