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21

Jan

Everyday Aha Moments in Italy

by Joyce McGreevy on January 21, 2019

Santa Croce and passing trucks in Florence inspire an aha moment about everyday Italian rituals. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Santa Croce inspires. So do the delivery-truck drivers on their daily predawn rounds.
© Joyce McGreevy

Discovering Beauty in Life’s Little Rituals

It’s no revelation to say that icons of awe-inspiring beauty are everywhere in Florence. For some visitors,  the rarified aha moments induced by a surfeit of grandeur can even become physically overwhelming.

But as Italian psychologist Piero Ferrucci writes, we can also “discover [beauty] in everyday life: a song heard on the street, a crumbling old wall, the reflections in a puddle.”

The Arno at sunset in Florence Italy inspires an aha moment about life’s little rituals. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A walk along the Arno at sunset is glorious, but . . .
© Joyce McGreevy  Read more...

 

Crossing Cultures/Discoveries/Italy/Life Lessons

12

Dec

Two Travelers, One Journey

by Joyce McGreevy on December 12, 2018

A woman gazing at Christmas decorations in Galway, Ireland embodies the joy of winter wanderlust. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

The sight of another’s wonder sharpens our own observations.
© Joyce McGreevy

Winter Wanderlust
Sends Siblings Packing

With wanderlust comes surprise—the weather is spectacularly sunny. Can this really be Ireland in winter? The air is crisp as a Kerry Pippin apple, but sunlight warms the flagstones of Galway’s pedestrian-only streets.

As sunlight washes over my sister and me, so does a fresh wave of surprise. It’s the ebb and flow of discovery so many travelers experience: Are we really here? We really are!

The Long Walk on a sunny winter day in Galway, Ireland shows why wanderlust inspires holiday travel. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

A daytime glimmer of moon hovers over 18th-century houses along Galway’s Long Walk.
© Carolyn McGreevy  Read more...

 

Art of Travel/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Discoveries/Ireland

09

Oct

Grand Openings

by Joyce McGreevy on October 9, 2018

A facade in Hobbiton, New Zealand evokes the cross-cultural stories of doors and windows. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

What’s behind doors and windows? In Hobbiton, New Zealand, that’s a trick question!
© Joyce McGreevy

A Cross-Cultural Tour of Doors and Windows Around the World

With more than 12 million posts and counting, doors and windows around the world are among the most shared objects on Instagram. Clearly, doors can be adorable and windows wonderful. But beyond pretty pictures, what cross-cultural stories do doors and windows tell?

A window in Lismore, Ireland evokes the cross-cultural stories of doors and windows. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

In Lismore, Ireland, a medieval window has been silent witness to both
Sir Walter Raleigh and John F. Kennedy.
© Joyce McGreevy

A facade in Zagreb, Croatia evokes the cross-cultural stories of doors and windows. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

In Zagreb, Croatia, a post-Civil War window showcases the city’s renaissance.
© Joyce McGreevy

 Read more...

 

Crossing Cultures/Cultural Symbols/The World's Art & Design/Worldwide Sites

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