Seen from a distance the Cathedral of St. Helena is impressive, but when you get inside, impressive doesn’t begin to convey the beauty of the neo-Gothic Cathedral. If your travel plans call for a visit to the area, it’s worth the time to stop off to check it out. Located in Helena, Montana, the Cathedral is modeled after the Votive Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna, Austria. It was opened in 1914 (when the first service were held), but wasn’t finished, however, until 1924. Although the Cathedral was seriously damaged in an earthquake in 1935, it was reconstructed preserving both the impressive architecture and adding earthquake-proofing construction. It still maintains an impressive and imposing presence in Helena, attracting worshippers and travelers alike. As you walk up its stone stairs, take a moment to look behind you at the downtown […]
Read MoreHow Do You Define Adventure Travel?
Adventure. It’s different things to different people. And when it comes to adventure holidays, those definitions are all over the map – literally and figuratively. Fortunately adventure travel has become broad enough to include everything from cultural interactivity to adrenaline pumping action in a way that lets travelers create an experience that they’ll never forget. Let’s explore the spectrum of adventure for a few ideas and possibilities, in turn getting you thinking about which adventures might turn into probabilities. Adrenaline rush adventure. For me, this is climbing a mountain, scaling a rock formation, serious white water rafting, or some other high fitness, high adrenaline level activity. (It often evokes thoughts of snow, very cold weather, and icicles forming on my eyebrows.) This is not my cup of adventure tea, but I know several people who find these ideas exciting and […]
Read MoreTravel Tip: 10 Places to Find Someone Who Speaks English
International travel can be uncomfortable for people because of a belief that a language barrier will keep them from getting around and having a good time. It’s one of the travel fears cited for traveling in non-English speaking countries. Unlike most of the rest of the world, average Americans only speak English. We may have taken a couple years of foreign language study while in school, but that’s often not enough for travel fluency. I find myself in that same situation. While at one time I was fluent in Spanish, my non-use of the language now has me muttering and groping for the right word or phrase in a conversation. I’ve found that some effort on my part, part English and part language of the country I’m traveling in, along with some pointing and gesturing, usually does the trick. Since […]
Read MoreNew Zealand UNESCO World Heritage Sites
I became fascinated with UNESCO World Heritage sites a few years ago when I realized the incredible diversity in the type of places and things on the list. Whenever I’m researching a new location, one of the first things I look for are the sites that are on the UNESCO list. While it’s not the be-all nor end-all of places that I’ll eventually visit, it helps me learn a lot about my eventual destination and get a feel for where I’m going. The island nation of New Zealand has three sites on the UNESCO list, just part of the reason that New Zealand is popular with visitors from the U.K., United States, and Australia. New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Island – The five southernmost island groups (the Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island) are referred to as the New […]
Read MoreNew York City Airport Transportation
If a visit to New York City is in your plans, you’ll enjoy today’s guest post outlining your options from getting into the city from the area’s three major airports. One method not mentioned, and I think worth exploring, in the train/subway connection. Do your homework and you’ll save time and money. —- Whether flying for business or leisure, planning transportation can often bet the most challenging part of a trip. Not only that, but if there is something that travelers typically forget to plan for, transportation and parking is often that one thing. Thus, many travelers have to settle for the most convenient transportation and parking options, which aren’t always the most economical. This couldn’t more so be the case than in NYC, which has multiple airports, including the big three, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark. As one of the […]
Read MoreLatino Culture on LA’s Olvera Street
Olvera Street, also known as El Pueblo Historic Monument, is the birthplace of the City of Los Angeles. The block-long street, one of the oldest in the city, features historic buildings lining a traditional Mexican style plaza, and is home to one of the most colorful marketplaces that you’ll ever see. The street was originally a short lane called Wine Street. The lane was eventually extended, and the name changed to honor Agustin Olvera, the first county judge of Los Angeles. Although it became a dirty, unused alley for a period of time, the area was eventually rehabilitated, closed off to vehicles, trees were planted, and a large wooden cross was put up at the south end of the street. Olvera Street officially opened on Easter Sunday 1930, and provided a place for Mexican American vendors to sell their goods […]
Read MoreRevolutionary History at Boston’s Old North Church
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 to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm The poem refers to hanging a lantern (or lanterns) in the belfry of the Old North Church in Boston as a signal that the British were coming, a signal to Paul Revere to alert the neighboring villages to prepare and take action. The Old North Church still stands in Boston today, and is the city’s oldest surviving church structure as well as a National Historic Landmark. It’s 191 foot tall steeple makes it […]
Read MoreAdventure & Luxury in the Galapagos
Adventure travel doesn’t have to mean roughing it, and there’s probably no better example than Galapagos cruises, which mash up education, adventure, and luxury into vacations of a lifetime. The Galapagos Islands are located about 525 miles west of [amazon_textlink asin=’1742207855′ text=’Ecuador’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’travelingwithmj-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8e8ec20e-3836-11e8-bd8d-395d4538e8e2′] and are a volcanic archipelago hovering around the equator. The islands are home to a national park, a whale sanctuary, and biological marine reserve, and are a part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Galapagos are home to about 23,000 people and far more wildlife species. There are 18 main islands offering a variety of experiences and leisure activity: swimming, snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, and explore. This is also an amazing spot for photographers with postcard-perfect island scenes as well as unique native life. But a visit to the islands also offers far greater […]
Read MoreUNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vietnam
For many Baby Boomers, a visit to Vietnam represents both a cultural exploration and a reconciliation of political beliefs from the 1960’s. It can be voyage of discovery, exploration of history, an answer to long unanswered questions, and the turning of a new page on a country deeply embedded in US history. One way to learn more about the country is a visit to one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, many of which are included on Vietnam tours. There are four cultural and two natural sites on the list. Hue, in Central Vietnam, is the former capital of the country (until 1945), and is the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual center of Vietnam. The city is packed with pagodas, temples, citadel and royal tombs, or at least what remains of them, all blended into the incredible natural landscape. Here you’ll […]
Read MoreThe Floating White House in Jack London Square
The USS Potomac was used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as his presidential yacht, and to this day it is affectionately referred to as the “floating White House.” The ship was a 165-foot Coast Guard cutter before it was commissioned by the US Navy in 1936 and put to its new purpose. FDR hated to fly, preferring to travel by ship or train, and the USS Potomac was outfitted to accommodate his mobility issues. It could cruise along at speeds of 10-13 knots, and FDR would often hold informal strategy meetings aboard, enjoying the privacy and seclusion the yacht provided. Visiting dignitaries were entertained on the yacht, and at least one of FDR’s famed radio broadcasts originated from on board. There were many “secret” meetings held aboard, only some of which have been made public, leaving us to speculate about […]
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