Irish history is fascinating, mystical, and at times tragic. I suppose you could say this about any country with deep historical roots, but there’s something about Ireland that renders its past particularly epic and mythological. We’ve learned all about more modern Irish history during our time in Dublin – the 1916 Easter riots and Irish […]
Tag: History
Gems of North Dublin: Glasnevin, the Botanic Gardens, and the Gravedigger’s Pub
Dublin is a fairly large and spread-out city, so it’s hard to explore the whole of it even over the course of a month. On top of that, the downtown area is packed with places to eat, drink, and visit, so you’ll find your schedule full daily just trying to get a grip on the […]
An Afternoon at the Teeling Whiskey Distillery
I am not a whiskey connoisseur. But I do enjoy a good Old Fashioned, and I have fond memories of sipping Jameson after hours when I worked at a bar in college. Since we are in Ireland, and Irish whiskey is definitely a thing, Joe and I have decided to sample some of the local […]
Berlin Retrospective: 550 Square Miles and Too Much to See
Berlin is a truly huge city. And I’m not really talking about population – although 3.47 million is nothing to scoff at. I’m talking about its actual size. It covers 550 square miles. To put that in perspective, realize that all of New York City – all five boroughs, with a population well over 8 […]
A Beautiful, Art-filled Day in East Berlin
When you live in a city, it’s easy to get stuck in your neighborhood. Especially if it’s a really lively, interesting, great neighborhood like ours here in Berlin. Mitte is full of adorable, cozy restaurants, inviting bars, tempting boutique shops, and intriguing courtyards. Why would we ever leave? Because Berlin is full of other such […]
Archaeology is Alive and Well in Zagreb
There are dozens of museums in the city of Zagreb. When you wander the city streets, you can’t help but pass several within five minutes. The brown signs pointing visitors towards cultural sights are comically stacked up at intersections in the Old Town. So how do you choose? Must one prioritize broken relationships over archaeology? […]
Athens Retrospective: Rediscovering an Ancient City
Steeped in history and mythology, Athens is a complex beast. Many visitors simply use it as a stopover point on the way to the more romantic, alluring islands. Perhaps because of these short, hurried stays, Athens gets a bit of a bad rap. The architecture can’t rival that of Rome or Barcelona, the people can […]
Discovering Stories at the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Nestled on a quiet street corner on the edge of the Kerameikos neighborhood, a relatively clean, four-story building devoid of street art rises up behind a row of orange trees with a subtle air of importance. The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art houses a stunning collection of artifacts dating from the 8th – 19th centuries […]
Getting Cultured: Saturday at the Museum of Catalan History
In an attempt to get the most out of this year as possible, we’re making it a point, while living amidst so many architectural, cultural, and natural marvels, to engage in least one culturally/personally enriching experience a week – preferably more, but we set reasonable (surpassable) goals. After all, we’re not tourists here – we’re living, working, cooking, […]
