Riding the train up to the 11,371-foot Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest point accessible by railway, I fell in love. I first glimpsed her after departing Grindelwald station, when the cogwheel stopped briefly at Brandegg and she …
March 23, 2015
Europe
Switzerland's Jungfrau
People must hate the Swiss
Joachim Raff was one of the most popular and influential composers of the Romantic era. Sadly, he is also the esoteric pick of the week. Raff "balled out" during the 19th Century with eleven symphonies, …
March 16, 2015
Sevilla goes to Seville
Like a call from a muezzin when it starts, the tone grows gradually more profound. Rhythm gets stronger and more intense – now accompanied by the powerful stamping of feet from a dancer, whose long, …
March 10, 2015
Matera: no longer the "shame of Italy"
In what is the instep of Italy’s boot, the first forays into Italy from North Africa came to settle in Matera 10,000 years ago. Living quarters were fashioned in both the limestone caves and built …
January 20, 2015
Mignon isn't just a cut of beef
Esoteric pick of the week: Requiem für Mignon by Robert Schumann. Schumann is not an esoteric composer, but Mignon is definitely a specialized topic of interest. In Europe she is considered the most successful heroine …
January 10, 2015
Zagreb under the radar
Overshadowed by beach destinations of the south, Zagreb, Croatia’s inland capital, should not be missed. Like several other European capitals, Zagreb is a blend of nature, culture and the characteristic pace of Europeans. What sets …
December 20, 2014
Norway on the cheap (it's possible)
I’ll be honest. We visited 131 countries before finally summoning the courage to travel to Norway. No, we weren’t worried about crime, political instability, or unhealthy conditions. In fact, there's almost a complete absence of …
November 18, 2014
Off the beaten path in Leuven, Belgium
Leuven, Belgium, might look like a small town on a map, but visiting, we found a captivating city filled with students, rich history, and great places to eat and have a locally brewed beer. For …
October 23, 2014
Berlin in 7 Days or Less
I knew Berlin was a big city, but I never knew how big until I explored it on foot. I had seven days to see the major and not-so-major sites. Since the fall of its …
September 4, 2014
Summer of Wagner
July and August are Wagner months on account of the annual Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany. The festival has been running since 1876, and has been impossible to attend for most of that time. However, …
September 1, 2014
Marseille: stay for the soup
Bouillabaisse [bu.ja.bɛːs]. For first timers, getting the correct pronunciation is hard. And it’s even harder to spell it. For first timers, it’s also easier to have a bowl of soup in Shanghai, Japan or even …
August 28, 2014
The sky is falling in Italy
The fourth largest opera house in Italy is shutting down its two largest productions of the season, according to a Newsweek report. The fourth-largest opera house in Italy is the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Italy. …
August 18, 2014
Buy Puccini's hideout
The Guardian is reporting that Puccini’s hideout is up for sale. It’s going for about $535,000. The story goes that Puccini knocked up the very-married Elvira Bonturi and needed a place to hide from her …
August 16, 2014
Kafka's Prague: surreal moments in Old Europe
Prague is a strikingly beautiful baroque city and the prime gateway for Americans into Eastern Europe. The city has intrigued me ever since I became enamored with Franz Kafka’s books as a teenager. An Old …
June 8, 2014
Playing basketball on Mars
No visit to Paris is considered complete without a glimpse of the iconic Eiffel Tower. And if you want to truly capture the full romantic grandeur of the occasion, it's best to approach from the …
May 3, 2014