What a difference 20 makes. We're not talking about the doing a roundabout in the changing of a position or stance (although that figures into this story.) We're not discussing going beyond the beyond. We're discussing something even more palpable and exciting, and something that we've been wishing for for a long…
Europe
How fast is TGV? (TGVs – Trains à Grande Vitesse)? 300 km/h (186 mph!
Behold another installment of our "Hey Presto!" series of posts. This is where you can sit back, pour your desired beverage and vicariously live the lives of everyday people going about their days, doing everyday activities. These "Hey Presto!" posts make it easy for you to tour the world from the comfort of…
We all have feelings: even buildings, cars, aircraft or tacos have feelings. There are instruments that can measure it and prove it. There are songs written about it. Often, when we enter a building, we can even viscerally feel its presence. Some are bright, bouncy and welcoming. With others, you can…
Europe’s first trains to use batteries as a main source of power have arrived. The future is now.
... or how to beat the 90-day Brexit rule and live in France for six months a year. Your editor is British, although I don't live there at the moment. But, of all of the several places that I have lived, Britain is the place that I hold dearest. So, when…
Do you know Bergamo? It’s listed as #3 of World’s Best Places to Visit for 2023-2024.
"Good things come to those who wait," said a wise person. "A patient seeker will be satisfied in due time; patience is a virtue." How many times have you heard these proverbial nuggets as you're standing in a queue waiting for your turn to get your new passport? Hours, for sure. Days?…
You can always trust the Nordic people to think about ways to save the planet. They've been doing it for decades. They are surrounded by nature and, as such, they take care of their "home." Environmental consciousness is deeply ingrained in Nordic culture. These countries have a long history of valuing and respecting…
If you haven't already noticed, we're kinda geeks / dorks here when it comes to certain things. One of which is rail. Why pollute the environment at 65mph when you can hurtle down the tracks at twice that speed - comfortably in a reclining seat, we might add - and where you can…
When you think of that most marvelous of edifices, Stonehenge, what do you think of? Probably "Spinal Tap" but that's not history now, is it? No, probably second in line is your disappointment in not being able to run up and lick the sarsen standing stones. At one time - when your…
A good day in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is one of those places that is on everyone's list to see. Even if you know nothing about it, you want to go there. Unless you've been under a rock all of this time, this is one of those must-see places on the planet. …
This post has nothing to do with your chosen financial institution. This is an honest question about the City of lights. For those of us who have been blessed to be able to experience this most magic of places, a walk along the Left bank of the Seine river is de rigueur, bien…
In principle, as humans, we're permitted to do what we please, unless it effects others negatively. That's the theory, anyway. As the oceans of human emotion ebb and tide, these rights of ours do the same. We've been alive for a long time and have lived through most of it. There…
You’ll need to be hardy to visit here, but the bragging rights are undeniable.
Hey presto! You’re now in Spain.
Not many places in the world are as desirable and as beautiful as the Italian lakes in Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy. How many thousands of photos have been taken there, usually by dreamy-eyed lovers who sadly realize that they may never stay in that most revered location. Why? Well, primarily it's down…
One thing that Europe doesn't lack is history. It's been around forever, it feels like. Actually, though, the history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD 500.) What is even more amazing than that, is that so…
War is not funny, nor is it something to be admired. But, learning about the horrors of war is something worth doing. History is destined to repeat itself if we don't. We feature history here on our site for those very reasons. Drive a tank? Yes, you can. And,…
Most of you need no introduction to Britain and the UK in general. It's certainly one of the top travel destinations in the world. In 2019, there were 40.86 million tourist arrivals registered in the United Kingdom. But why is it so popular? Well, where do we even start? Certainly it's because…