Arts and History

Two different galleries – both for shopping rather than art. Starting with Gallerie Vivienne a covered set of shops dating back to 1826. Next up, Galleries Lafayette, probably the largest department store known outside France. I took a guided tour that allowed access an hour before the store opened to learn all about the history…

Leave it to British aIrways to provide a most British experience. From “a very good evening to you ladies and gentlemen…” to the newest safety video “May One Haveth one’s Attention”. On the flight from London to Paris: “Sir would you like a scone? A fruit scone or a plain scone? What kind of scone…

A short half hour train ride away is the small city of Asti. It may be familiar as a wine growing region -both their red wines including Barbera D’Asti as well as their sparkling wines like Asti Spumante. After reading a bit about it, it seemed like an interesting place to visit and pretty easy…

Continuing on exploring the grandeur of Turin. While I won’t get to all 14 of the residences from the Royal house of Savoy in the area, I did make out to one of the more opulent palaces and gardens. It was a short train ride away from Porta Susa, the train station I find I…

The Acropolis (high city) is very much the centre of Athens figuratively and literally. Standing for 2500 years on a rocky outcrop it has endured through the centuries. In more recent years they have opened its own museum which is useful in better understanding the site, its history and the decorative elements that were part…

It was a rainy start to my time in Budapest but the city is still very grand. One of my first stops was a poignant memorial, the shoes on the Danube. It marks the spot some 23,000 people were massacred (most of them Jewish) during the fascist regime. The rain provided a chance to visit…