Skip to content

Posts from the ‘Travel’ Category

Jul 23

2 Comments

Travel, Timing, and Reconstruction: Why You Can’t See What You Came to See

Washington DC had a very unusual earthquake in 2011.  It destroyed some of the statuary at the National Cathedral and cracked the Washington Monument, an iconic obelisk-shaped landmark in the center of the city.  This summer a massive scaffold has gone up over the tower to continue the repairs.  Reconstruction and restoration are common sights for travelers where long-term improvement projects often leave facades covered and historic interiors obstructed.  You can still enjoy these sites with in most cases with minimal impact on your visit!

washington monument restoration

Restoration of the Washington Monument takes place behind an artistic scaffold.

Read more

Jun 17

1 Comment

Big Thank Yous!

I want to send a big Thank You to all my readers!  I write to satisfy my own fascination and passion for art and travel and it makes me happy that others find these things as interesting as I do.  Within the WordPress blogging community there are several awards that are passed around through peer nomination.  I have been honored to get four of these over the last year but haven’t had a chance to write about them!  And so I need to catch up on some long overdue thanks to these wonderful bloggers who nominated me: MidLife Traveler, will wander…, Florence and the Historian, and Sharp and Keen!

Read more

Apr 3

1 Comment

Back from Spring Break!

As you probably noticed, I’ve been slacking on my weekly daydreaming.  That’s because I picked up last minute, mileage tickets (read: free!) and had only 4 days to plan a whirlwind Spring Break!  I didn’t end up having the city and museum break that I was thinking about, but I had an incredible time!  Lots of new cities and new sights; I even wrapped up some unfinished business from this summer.

I have lots of art and history to share but first let me give you some clues about my trips via a new (well, actually very old) media.

cartoon 1

cartoon 2

cartoon 3

cartoon 6

cartoon 4

Feb 7

Museo Prado hall, Madrid
8 Comments

Spring Break 2013 in a Museum?

A list went out earlier this week of “100 Museums to See Before You Die” which got me thinking about my next trip.  While this particular list of museums is in no way exhaustive (no Egyptian Museum, no Chicago Art Institute, etc, etc!), it made me realize there are huge clusters of amazing museums I’ve never seen because there are many major international cities I still haven’t visited.  I’m itching for an easy to plan “Spring Break” and what better way to spend a potentially rainy week in March than in museums!  My only problem is deciding where to go….

Madrid, Spain

Museo Prado hall, Madrid

Central gallery, Museo del Prado, Madrid (Photo: Turismo Madrid, flickr)

Read more

Jan 31

3 Comments

The Tourist in the Digital Age

After two recent trips (domestic and international), it was clear to me that we are now traveling differently compared to even 5 years ago.  Our electronic gadgets, which have become a big part of our daily lives back home, are just as much a part of our leisure time and travel experiences.  Thanks to a 7 hour flight home, I had some time to reflect on what this all means.  The age of portable digital devices means some really exciting changes for the traveler, and some changes that don’t seem right.

The Good

A young couple reading a much more detailed tour of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul on their iPad (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

Read more

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
%d bloggers like this: