Monday, July 30th, 2012
One of the great things about being an American is that you’re part of a melting pot. And that goes for my own ethnic background. While mostly Slavic, I have bits of Irish and Scottish in me too.
On my …
Saturday, July 28th, 2012
Edinburgh is divided into old and new. The old city dates from 1124 and is really well preserved. The castle dominates the skyline, sitting atop a granite outcrop. From here the city’s High Street creates a cobble-stoned spine, with steep …
Wednesday, July 25th, 2012
The Highlands is both a geographical term, depicting the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, and a cultural distinction that distinguishes the northern “place of the Gaels” where Scottish Gaelic is spoken, from the rest of Scotland, …
Saturday, July 21st, 2012
After more than 19+ months on the road, I’m starting to crave my creature comforts. You know, luxuries such as hot showers, worm-free food, transportation without livestock.
Not only am I yearning for some developed-world standards for a while, but …
Wednesday, July 18th, 2012
The Orkney Islands are a well-kept secret — even for Scots! Since few of my Scottish pals have been, I consider myself lucky to have visited these little gems situated in the North Sea.
The Orkneys are actually an archipelago …
Monday, July 16th, 2012
While England’s Cotswold district is famous for thatched houses, I saw these iconic cottages throughout my tour of the UK and Ireland – from the remote Aran Islands off the rugged Irish west coast to Scotland’s northern Isle of Skye.…
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
I know the English are renowned for their gardens, and yet I was surprised to see wildflowers covering the English countryside. Daisies and lupines and foxgloves – oh my!
In fact, the whole of the English countryside is absolutely charming …
Monday, July 9th, 2012
I’m not a religious person, but that doesn’t stop me from admiring a beautiful church – the domed roofs, the wood carvings, the stained glass. One of the ways I’ve found to best experience a church while in England is …
Saturday, July 7th, 2012
Standing stones are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in lots of varieties. They appear singularly, in small groups and in circles. They can also appear in ovals and horseshoe shapes. Of course, it’s not what they …
Friday, July 6th, 2012
I’ve been in Ireland not even a week and I’m already having a blast with my good friends Brid & Paula! The night I arrived, I was whisked away to the heart of Dublin for a few pints, and the …