History

  We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started, knowing the place for the first time.   These words on a mural overlooking a parking lot in Grass Valley pretty much sum up the...

I made this image of a man sleeping next to a side entrance of the National Assembly on my first trip to Paris, as a 16-year-old in 1960.

Gumbo's Picture of the Day for April 13th, above, is an image I made nearly 55 years ago, on my first trip to Paris: a man sleeping on the ground at a side entrance to the National Assembly building.

Copenhagen has its downtown Tivoli, with rides, restaurants and entertainment packed into a glittering core, but Stockholm can match it and maybe then some with Skansen, a large park a short bus or ferry ride from the central city. Skansen, opened in...

Happy Birthday to one of the world’s most famous structures! The Eiffel Tower was officially completed 125 years ago today, on March 31, 1889, just in time for its role as the grand entrance to the Universal Exposition.

Every place wants to be the "most important," "most popular," "most famous," "most beautiful." It can't all be true—but there's no doubt in my mind our visit today to the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, also called the Mezquita, took us to one of the "most unusual."

Jerez is known to most people for its namesake wine—sherry—or as a center for Flamenco, but it has another less well-known attraction, its alcazar, originally a Moorish fort and military residence, then the seat of Christian mayors,...

Sintra is a town that's had two "Golden Ages," nearly a thousand years apart. They have left Sintra with so many things to visit that it is not only one of Portugal's biggest tourist attractions but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   Starting...

Many people don't know that Ottawa is the capital city of Canada.  Situated a few hours drive north of Toronto and Montreal, straddling the provinces of Ontario and Quebec-- Ottawa being on the Ontario side; Gatineau on the Quebec side --...

  One of the highlights of any visit to Ireland is a chance to explore the Dingle Peninsula.  While it’s only half as large as the Ivernaugh peninsula ( Ring of Kerry ), it’s packed with beautiful views and interesting things to...

 Dingle (in Irish,  An Daingean ) is the main town on the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry, with a population of around 1500 people. The Dingle Peninsula sits on Ireland's west coast just north of the Ivernaugh Peninsula (i.e. Ring of...

    The Ring of Kerry is a loop drive that circles the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. It's just 110 miles (176 km) long but is not a fast drive as it's narrow and winding.  And there's lots of beautiful scenery and historic...