Vienna’s Karlskirche, or St. Charles Church, was built from 1716-1737 after being commissioned by Emperor Charles VI. The emperor had promised to build a church after his namesake, St. Charles Borromeo, if…
On our way home from our Alaska cruise, we decided to take the scenic route back to Edmonton. Well, it was more of a scenic detour since it wasn’t even…
The Tokyo International Forum is one of the most unique and distinctive buildings in central Tokyo. Forget your typical city skyscrapers, the International Forum resembles a large ship! Its glass…
“Where are you heading today?” the border security agent asked as we prepared to enter Washington. “Winthrop,” Mike confidently replied. The agent’s next question was a little odd and caught…
An unmissable monument in Paris’ cityscape is the glittering gold dome of the royal chapel at Les Invalides. Dôme des Invalides was first inspired by the dome at St. Peter’s…
Koyasan- sacred, traditional and somewhat mysterious- was one of the most rewarding places we visited in Japan. In this quiet mountain town, we not only got a glimpse into the…
The stone path was dim and moody. Centuries old cedar trees towered above us, shading the moss-covered tombstones below. We didn’t say much as we quietly wandered deep into this…
As a sacred site for Buddhism in Japan, Koyasan features many temples dedicated to the practice of Shingon Buddhism. While each is important in their own way, none is as…
As soon as we arrived at Mt. Koya, I was excited to begin exploring the temples and shrines of this sacred Buddhist site. We started our day in Koyasan by…
This week I’m featuring a photo taken at Mycenae during my 2007 trip to Greece. The aptly named Lion Gate is the main entrance to the citadel of Mycenae, an…
When I was researching Regensburg as a possible destination for our European honeymoon, I kept seeing it referred to as “Germany’s best-preserved medieval town”. Hmm…now that’s a lot to live…
All it took was a seeing a single photo and I was hooked on visiting Yoshino. The picture showed a perfect vista- a vast valley full of pale pink blossoms,…
Vienna is known worldwide as a centre of culture and art, but is perhaps most famous for its roots in classical music. A long tradition of classical music attracted many…
It was a beautiful day in May. Warm, sunny, a clear blue sky above and fresh mountain air to awaken the senses. It was the perfect weather for a casual…
It was unlike any mountain path we had walked before. Thousands of vermilion coloured torii gates lined the way, sheltering us from the forests of sacred Mount Inari. On and…
I am not always a fan of public art but there was one specific piece I was itching to see since it was installed in 2013. Wonderland is a bent-wire…
On our way from Füssen to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, we decided to take a short detour off Germany’s Romantic Road to visit the Wieskirche, an important pilgrimage church and…
Hiroshima, Japan. August 6, 1945. 8:15 am. A bright flash lights up the sky. A fireball 300 metres wide burns with intense heat, 4000°C. Morning commuters disappear, vaporized or turned…
At the mention of Hiroshima, most people immediately think about the first atomic bomb and the devastation it caused. It will forever be what Hiroshima is known for. It also…
Füssen is the ending point (or starting point, in our case) for one of Germany’s most famous drives- the Romantic Road. It’s a picturesque town with colourful architecture, charming old…