Category: History

 

I search out historical sights on my travels and share my experiences here.

My Magna Carta Barge Review – History, Heritage, and Haute Cuisine on the River Thames

This Magna Carta barge review is all about our luxury cruise on the River Thames to celebrate our special anniversary

All wedding anniversaries are special, but those ending in a “0” are doubly so. So, when my husband and I were looking for an extraordinary way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, another luxury barge cruise with European Waterways quickly came to mind.

After three other cruises with European Waterways in France and Italy, we knew there was no more indulgent way to celebrate this memorable event. For a week, we would be wined and dined like royalty. And since we were doing a barge cruise on the River Thames in England, the royal treatment was quite appropriate.

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Luxury Without Murder – My Orient Express Experience

I am sharing my personal Orient Express experience to inspire your next luxury holiday train trip. Let this detailed review inspire your next luxury experience.

Exotic destinations, quirky sleuths, and twisting story lines are all hallmarks of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novels. Her most famous story undoubtedly has to be “Murder on the Orient Express,” which takes place on the luxurious and legendary train traveling from Istanbul to London. That same elegant train experience and legendary service can now be experienced again as you travel on the Orient Express from Venice to London, like I did.

This post was recognized by the North America Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) in 2017 awards competition with a Bronze award in the Luxury and Resort Travel Online Publication category

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How An Origami Paper Crane Became a Symbol for Peace – The Story of the Hiroshima Children’s Peace Monument

For me, the most moving monument at the HIroshima Peace Park was the Children’s Peace Monument with its statue of Sadako Sasaki holding an origami crane. I am sharing Sadako’s story and how her paper cranes became a symbol for peace.

 

This is our cry;

This is our prayer;

For building peace in this world

These were the words that greeted me at the Children’s Peace Monument in the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park. On August 6, 1945, the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. After the second bombing, Japan surrendered and the World War II conflict in the Pacific was over.

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My Visit To The Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park – A Continuing Classroom for Peace

A visit to the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park should be on all Japan travel itineraries. I’ve been fortunate in that I had the opportunity to visit twice, most recently during my small ship cruise with Heritage Expeditions.

The original version of this story was recognized with an Honorable Mention in the 2018 North American Travel Journalists Association Competition in the  Historical Travel-Online category.

As a teenager, I learned about the devastating effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. On my visits to the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park as an adult many years later, I encountered present day Japanese teenagers learning their history in this living classroom for peace.

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Why I was Thrilled to Finally Visit Little Petra

On my second visit to Jordan I was finally able to visit Little Petra. Much smaller than its famous neighbor, I found this site to be a nice compliment to all that I had seen at Petra.

The “lost” city of Petra in Jordan is no longer lost – in fact it is quite famous. It was rediscovered in 1812 by the intrepid Middle East explorer Johann Ludwig Burkhardt, and since then has become a very popular tourist destination.

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How to Visit Petra – My Petra Travel Tips For A Perfect First Time Visit

Are you planning to visit Petra? After two trips to Petra, I share this long list of tips to help make your visit to Petra memorable and easy.

There are many wonderful things to do and see in Jordan, but for most, a trip to the Hashemite Kingdom in the Middle East is not complete without a visit to the rose city of Petra.

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Ancient Petra Photos – A City of Mysteries in Black and White

Petra has been described as a city of mysteries and nothing accentuates that more than seeing Petra photos in black and white.

The ancient city of Petra is Jordan’s premier historical site and also the country’s most visited tourist destination. It is also a popular photography subject.

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Inside Petra by Night and Day – How to Spend 1 or 2 Days in Petra

The Treasury is its most recognizable landmark but there is so much more to see inside Petra. I share ideas for a 1 day and 2 day Petra itinerary to give you options on the best way to explore the mysteries of Jordan’s most popular sight at a leisurely pace. I also share information about the Petra by night experience.

Read on to discover all there is to see inside Petra, Jordan, the “Rose City”, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site. I have been fortunate to visit Petra twice in the last couple of years and I am sharing all my Petra visit experiences as well as all some of my best Petra photos to inspire and to help you plan your own trip to this unique historic wonder.

Regardless of whether you have 1 day in Petra or are planning to spend 2 days in Petra, you should find these travel tips helpful.

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