Topics

Jun

Bookmarking the British Library

by Joyce McGreevy on June 20, 2016

The carved lettering of the British Library's main gate, an artifact of English cultural heritage designed by David Kindersley, (Image C.G.P. Grey)

As designer of the iconic main gates, David Kindersley was truly a man of letters.
By C. G. P. Grey – C. G. P. Grey’s Photography, CC BY 2.0

Online Treasure Hunt of the World’s Cultural Heritage

Search engines—including some that rhyme with kugel, king, and kazoo—are the world’s “auxiliary brain,” the one we count on to have all the answers, all the time. But when it comes to repositories of cultural heritage, literary artifacts, and linguistic wisdom, all search engines lead to London. There you’ll find the ultimate must-know for all who must know: The British Library. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/England/Language & Culture

Jun

Cultural Heritage: Listening to Ireland

by Joyce McGreevy on June 1, 2016

Sunrise in Ireland, where an audio postcard might include a recording of birdsong. Image © Joyce McGreevy

While I’m sleepless in Chicago, dawn arrives in Ireland. I can almost hear the birdsong:
© Joyce McGreevy

Audio Postcards from Galway

Travel articles emphasize the visual: the view from the room, the lay of the land, the unique color palette of a place.

reland offers spectacular scenery, but to appreciate Irish cultural heritage, you also need to listen. © Joyce McGreevy

Ireland is visually dazzling, but to appreciate its cultural heritage, you also need to listen.
© Joyce McGreevy

Longing to Listen In

My favorite example of the visual is a webcam overlooking a pedestrianized street in Galway, Ireland. The view is so intimate that, as a former resident, I’ve recognized friends among the passersby. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 3 Comments

Art of Travel/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Ireland

Apr

Travel Stories: Good Thing We Took the Wrong Train

by Joyce McGreevy on April 26, 2016

A view from a flight departing Boston might feature in travel stories about travel mishaps that turn out just fine. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Travel Mishaps, Mosaics, and Memories

If two trains travel toward the same station at different times . . . Remember those math questions from school? Call them my least favorite travel stories.

I recall Mrs. Newton asking our fourth grade class to brainstorm solutions. As the collective desperation mounted, I burst out with “Agh! Stop the trains!”

Okay, so not a mathematician.

Yet those equations proved instructive. As emblems of bewilderment in motion, they offered a preview of real-life travel problems. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 1 Comment

Art of Travel/France/Ireland/Italy

World Views: