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Jan

A New Year’s Resolution for Notre Dame

by Meredith Mullins on January 13, 2020

Savoring the moment (two days before the heartbreaking Notre Dame fire).
© Meredith Mullins

Restoration of an Iconic Paris Cultural Symbol

Renew. Restore. Revitalize. Renovate. Refresh. Rejuvenate. Rebuild.

The new year invites certain words into our sphere of action, as we concentrate on new beginnings and life-changing resolutions.

This focus is particularly timely for the monumental restoration project of the fire-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral—a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and a historic cultural symbol for Paris, France, and the world. No matter what religion or spiritual beliefs are personally held, Notre Dame touches people’s souls. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 2 Comments

Cultural Symbols/France/France (Paris)

Jan

Travel Hacks for 2020

by Joyce McGreevy on January 6, 2020

A mountain climber taking in the view from a peak reminds the author that 20/20 hindsight can actually be a valuable travel hack. (Public domain image by Skeeze/Pixabay)

Seen in hindsight, a travel challenge may prove to be a peak experience.
Image by Skeeze/Pixabay

Take a Fresh Look at 20/20 Hindsight

What’s your travel vision for 2020? Now that we’ve journeyed to a new decade, it’s tempting to focus forward. But don’t overlook the vision that’s always 20/20—hindsight.

Hindsight has a bad rep. No critic ever praised anyone for being “hindsightful.” If hindsight were a character, she’d be the younger sibling of over-achievers. As in, “Why can’t you be like your brother Foresight, always thinking ahead? Or your sister Insight, who brings home one A+ after another?” Read more...

Joyce McGreevy Comments

Clever Ideas/Life Lessons/Travels to the Past/Worldwide Sites

Dec

Holiday Wanderlust in Leipzig!

by Joyce McGreevy on December 16, 2019

People at the Leipziger Weihnachtsmarkt, the annual Christmas market in Leipzig, celebrate centuries-old German Christmas traditions. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

**Winter is Wunderbar at Germany’s Christmas Markets**

It’s an ink-dark December morning as my sister and I board the train in Berlin. Yet our hearts are light, warmed by the promise of discovery. Winter wanderlust leads us to Leipzig’s Weihnachtsmarkt one of Germany’s oldest, biggest, and most beautiful Christmas markets!

Now popular around the world, the European tradition of the December market wasn’t always so charming. In the early Middle Ages, it was merely the last chance to stock up on supplies before hunkering down for a long, miserable winter. Visions of survival, not sugar plums, danced through one’s head in those days. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 4 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Germany/The World's Art & Design/Travels to the Past

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