February 11, 2012

National Archives: See Great Documents on Display

National_Archives

If you have a love of history, or want to instill it in others, research the budget flights to Washington DC, and check out some of the vital documents of our nation’s history with a visit to the National Archives.  The National Archives is the repository for documents related to the business of running the [...]

Baby Boomer Berlin

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

As a student, I learned history by memorizing dates, place, battles, generals, and a host of other stuff that I just couldn’t relate to.  Traveling, however, has helped put history into perspective, a trait common with Baby Boomers, I believe, who learned history through rote memorization rather than through any experiential or emotional connection.  That’s [...]

Paris Pantheon: Finding Where the Bodies Are Buried

Dome of Pantheon in Paris

One of my favorite places in Paris is the Pantheon, a neo-Classical church in the Latin Quarter.  It was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome and topped with a dome similar to the one on Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.  Although it was originally an abbey, it now primarily serves as a burial place for [...]

Revolutionary History at Boston’s Old North Church

Old North Church Steeple

Students spends lots of time learning about the revolutionary history of the country, and some of the heroes from that era. I remember memorizing the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describing the famous ride of Paul Revere: One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready [...]

Paul Revere House in Boston’s North End

Paul Revere House in Boston

In Boston’s North End you’ll find the small wooden home that was the starting point for Paul Revere’s infamous ride.  He lived in the home with his wife, five children, and mother, remaining in the home long after the ride that made him a legend.  The house was eventually sold around 1800. The Paul Revere [...]

The Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome is Worth a Stop

Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome Italy

The imposing cylindrical Castel Sant’Angelo, situated along the Tiber River in Rome, was built between 123 and 129 AD.  It was first known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, serving as the resting grounds for the ashes of the Roman emperor.  Ashes of Hadrian’s family, as well as subsequent emperors, joined him there. The tomb was [...]

Photo Friday: Pompeii, Italy

structureatpompeiiitaly2008.jpg

Today I join with some of my fellow travel bloggers in Photo Friday, a day to celebrate the photographic side of traveling. Whether our photos are professional quality, or merely serve as a memory of a wonderful adventure, photos have become an increasingly important part of travel.  And in the era of so many digital [...]

National Park Service: The American Presidents

With the Presidential inauguration just a couple weeks away, it’s a good time to think about our former Presidents and the place they occupy in history.  Putting politics aside, that’s just what the National Park Service has done – put Presidential PLACES on display – with the new Discover Our Shared Heritage on-line travel itinerary [...]