Category: Destinations

A Visit to Giverny, the Dreamy Home of Monet, in July

I went to Giverny many years ago, when I was 14, on my first international trip. At 29, now armed with a better and more profound appreciation for art and history, I returned. It was absolutely lovely and an absolute must-visit for Monet fans.

Here’s what you can expect to see if you visit, and what the gardens may look like if you visit in July.

Claude Monet at Giverny

Claude Monet reportedly saw the town of Giverny from a train window and quickly rented a home there in 1883. Monet called his small home “House of the Cider-Press.” In … Continue reading

Visiting Jane Austen’s England: 66 Spots She Knew

Jane Austen is a popular author touching the hearts of millions over the past few centuries – mine included. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in possession of a good desire to travel must be in want of a Jane Austen pilgrimage in England.

There is a ton of information and several guides available for places to see relating to Jane Austen, and I don’t want to be just another generic guide. I did a lot of research (though not as much as my sources, which are listed at the end) to find places that Jane would’ve … Continue reading

Charming Chawton, the Last Home of Jane Austen

Chawton is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.

Just kidding! Chawton is a super cute little town in Hampshire and of course, its greatest appeal is that it was the last home of Jane Austen. So of course during our Jane Austen pilgrimage to England, it was somewhere we had we go. It made a beautiful day trip to the countryside and back to the early 19th century.

Jane Austen at Chawton

For some quick background: Jane’s brother, Edward, got adopted out by the Knight family, who had a huge fortune and no heir. Edward Knight, as he … Continue reading

Visiting Gudvangen Viking Village on the Norwegian Fjords

Since I’m into history, the Gudvangen Viking Village was a place I wanted to visit to learn more about the Vikings. I find that open-air museums like this one are great for experiencing what life was like in a different time, rather than simply reading about it or seeing artefacts. If you want to go to the Gudvangen Viking Village, here’s what to expect and what I thought of it.

Called “Viking Valley,” the Viking village is actually named Njardarheimr, meaning “the home dedicated to the Norse god Njord.” It opened in 2017 on the site of what was … Continue reading

Borgund Stave Church: a Beautiful Medieval Marvel

I didn’t want to visit Norway without seeing a stave church, and Borgund Stave Church is accessible from Bergen and also the best preserved. I’m so glad I got to see it because it is so beautiful and a remarkable emblem of Norway’s history.

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What is a “stave church”?

To understand Borgund Stave Church, it helps to know what a stave church actually is. In short, it’s the architectural style of church used in post-Viking Scandinavia.

At the end of the Viking age, in 12th-13th century Scandinavia, Christian churches were built from wood all around the area. I’m really … Continue reading

Bergen, Gateway to the Fjords: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Bergen is one of Norway’s most visited cities, and with its proximity to the fjords, it was a definite stop on my first trip to Norway. I did a lot more in the city than I feel a lot of other travellers do, so what did I think of it?

The History of Bergen

Bergen was founded just at the end of the Viking age in the 11th century, just like Norway’s other big city, Oslo. Due to its location, it very quickly grew to be a large trading port city which also hosted royal residences and coronations by the … Continue reading

Exploring Oslo, Norway’s Fabulous Capital: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Would any trip to Norway be complete without seeing Oslo? I admit, before going, some people said they didn’t like it much but I was keen on visiting its museums. I’ll explain more in detail, but even though I didn’t like it much the first day myself, I began to really like it after exploring the city more in depth. Here’s what I thought of it:

The History of Oslo

The city as we know it was actually established after the Viking age ended in the 11th century, but was shortly made capital in the late 13th or early 14th … Continue reading

5 Cute Towns in Maryland to Visit

Being from the “Old Line State,” I’ve seen a lot of different towns in Maryland. When the pandemic hit, I decided to get to know this place a bit better and explore different areas that I hadn’t seen before. I’ve been to many, many places here, and these are the ones that stuck out the most to me.

Unlike my other posts, this list is in order of population size. Some of these places are technically cities but have a small-town feel, and don’t have many residences in their downtown/old town areas – so I thought it was still suitable … Continue reading

“The” Day Trip to Chiang Rai: an Honest Review

There’s a lot to do & see in Chiang Rai, but since I was short on time, I decided to take *the* day trip from Chiang Mai. This itinerary is typical and includes the famous White Temple, Blue Temple, and Black House – and you’ll probably see it a lot as an organised tour. It’s done in a day so you start early to take the 4 hour drive to Chiang Rai.

Chiang Rai is constantly on lists of the best places in Thailand so going there was a no-brainer. But as the title might suggest, I was a bit … Continue reading

14 Nice & Affordable Antique Stores in Maryland

I love antiques, so it’s lucky there are so many great antique stores in Maryland. A lot of my weekends and time travelling around the state is spent looking in antique stores so I decided to compile a list of some of my favorite antique stores in Maryland.

As there are lots of – no, tons of – antique stores in the state, I felt a list of all of them would be too overwhelming and wouldn’t help you narrow down where to go. Some things I look for in a good antique store are:

• Size: big stores means more