I have been many places in the world where history is around every corner, but I have never been to a place like Egypt. The history that is in this country pre-dates many of the places I have visited, and the representation of that history is so grand in design that it is hard not to feel overwhelmed by it. There are many historical sites that people visit when out here like the pyramids, and the ancient city of Thebes, but Egypt has recently opened a new museum that will quickly rival those traditional spots, the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The building itself is an impressive structure located in Giza in the shadows of the pyramids. It has slowly been being built starting in 2006 when they moved the impressive statue of Ramses II which used to be located in the center of Cairo. Since then, they have opened up other sections of the museum over the course of the next couple of decades, and as of the writing of this in 2025, there is 80 percent of the planned museum opened up to the public right now.
This includes the hanging obelisk just on the grounds up to the main building. It is the first thing that most visitors will see and it is a great introduction to the treasures that are held inside. It is a great introduction to the culture. There are many hieroglyphics carved into the stone, but the most interesting one is the one carved on the bottom. Here Ramses hid his name, so if any other kings came and tried to erase his name to take credit for his accomplishments, people would still be able to find the truth on the bottom of the obelisk.
There is also the grand staircase. Visitors have to travel up this staircase to get inside the main gallery. The staircase is covered with the largest collection of Egyptian tombs, statues and arches. They are the ones that are too big to bring into the main gallery, but are still impressive to see. Each one holds its own story, and I would highly recommend hiring a guide so they can take you to the more important ones, and tell you the stories that they hold.
The main gallery was just opened in October of 2024, and is where the main collection resides. There are so many pieces in this place that it would be impossible to see all of them in just one days. In fact, our guide told us that if we spent a minute looking at each one, then we would be in the museum for the next 80 days.
It is broken up into different rooms that follow the history of Egypt as it progresses down the hall. They then break up each era into the culture, history, and stories of that era. It is a lot to take in, so I would recommend taking a guide who can point out the more important pieces, and tell the stories behind them as well. I would not have gotten out as much from the experience if I did not have a knowledgable person to guide me.
I found out that there is a lot to see in Cairo, and that you need to make some decisions if you are planning a short trip out there. The pyramids and the sphinx are obvious musts, but there is another one that most people need to see as well, and that is the Grand Egyptian Museum. I was blown away by the sheer scale of it, and I could not imagine how it will grow even more when they open up the last twenty percent of it. It just gives me another reason to plan another trip some day to go out there to enjoy the museum again.
There are a couple of places in the world where theatre is one of the main attractions. Of course, many Americans know of the appeal of Broadway in New York, but even before that became the gold standard, there was the West End in London. It has been producing some of the highest quality English speaking plays, and musicals dating all the way back to 1806. Many of the productions bring in the best of the stage and screen, and people travel from all over the world to see a production here. It is a big part of what makes London the city it is.
You know you are in London when you travel on the tube, and every time you get off a train, you see poster after poster promoting a production that is now showing in the West End. This includes classic stories from Shakespeare, some of the bigger musical productions that have toured around the world such as Wicked and Les Miserables, and some movies that have been turned into new musical productions such as Clueless and Mean Girls. There is always something to see there, and some of the biggest productions happen in the neighborhood known as the West End.
The West End is a quaint little neighborhood filled with great restaurant, interesting stores, and of course theaters. It is nestled right next to London’s Chinatown, and there is so much to see just wandering up and down the streets. I enjoyed seeing what Chinatown had to offer, and it also boasts one of the biggest bookstores I have ever been in, Foyles.
The streets also hold their own charm. You can take a quick turn, and can easily find a street that would only be comfortable in the confines of London. If you can find it, Craven Street has been the inspiration for many locations in great British writers’ works. Supposedly down the street is where Charles Dickens came across a knocker that inspired him to impose the face of Marley on it for his Christmas Carol. It is also the street that inspired J.K. Rowling to come up with Knockturn Alley from her Hairy Potter series. It is a little hidden, and not many people find it, so if you can, it will be like you are on the street on your own.
But if Craven Street is not enough Harry Potter for you, there is always the London production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the eighth story in the series, and a two part play. It is only in London where they perform the complete play. Everywhere else, it is a condensed version of the story. You can watch this play in two different ways, either break it up in two nights, or watch the first part in a matinee, and the second part three hours later. I would recommend seeing the play in one day. It is a long day, but the time just flies by and there is enough to do in the neighborhood during the break to make the day one that you will never forget.
Whether you go to see one of the big plays playing out in London, or just wandering the neighborhood, the West End is a great place to visit when traveling to this city. It is also a place that will be different every time you visit because there will always be something new to see. I enjoyed my time out here, and I can’t wait until I can come back and see the next performance on one of their stages.
The first big trip that I took out of the United States was almost twenty years ago. Christine and I flew over to Europe with backpacks and spent fifty days traveling through ten different countries. It was when I first really caught the traveling bug, and I have recently reached my fiftieth country in the last year. But there was always something about the first place that I landed in. It was the first time that I had to navigate a completely different culture while I marveled at the new places that I was seeing. I was spoiled a little bit because the first of the big cities that I traveled to was London, and the place is so packed with so many different things to see that I instantly got that cultural experience that I was looking for. I was able to see the Tower of London, attend a Shakespeare show in the Globe Theatre, wander through the London Library, and do the tours at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I have kept those early memories of the start of this trip with me ever since, and it was because of these memories that when I was looking for a place to travel to over a long weekend, and saw affordable tickets to London that I had to make the effort to get back to this city that I have enjoyed so many years ago.
I did answer London’s call, but I did not rush to repeat the same things that I enjoyed the previous time around. First of all, we came out in the middle of the Winter when clouds and rainy cold grip the city, so I would not be spending as much time outside checking out all of the sights. Secondly, I now know people who call London their home, so there was time spent catching up with people I have not seen for so many years. This meant that we were not going to go to the big tourist spots all of the time, but instead, we would go to those hidden gems that the locals go to all of the time. One of these was the Beer Mile. This is a series of micro-breweries that are set up in old warehouses underneath one of the train lines. It is a great place to enjoy one craft beer after another as you walk from one small brewpub to another. It also holds the charm of the train rumbling overhead every few minutes because of its location underneath the tracks.
Of course, there were other things that we needed to check out that we missed the first time around. One of these was visiting the British Museum. The nicest thing about visiting London is that all of the museums are free to enter, and there is a big collection of amazing things to be found at these places. The Brits have has a long history of taking the treasures from many places around the world and putting them on display in their museum. Now, I know that there is a pretty bog controversy surrounding this idea, but it is still pretty cool to see what is collected in this big building. We spent a couple of hours there and were only able to really view the collection Assyria, and Ancient Egypt. There was still so much to see in the place, and I might have to hear London’s call again someday to see what else I have missed in this building.
A place that attracted more tourists then the British Museum was the Borough Market. This is an outdoor food market that gives visitors numerous options of food and drink. You can find the typical British options such as meat pies and fish and chips, but there are many other choices out there as well. Dishes varied from paella, risotto, and bao, with drink options including beer, wine, and cider. We were able to enjoy a hot cider while there, but they were serving up mulled wine as well to warm up the people as they strolled through the market. I was amazed at how packed it was on a cold February day. I could not imagine what the place would be like during the Summer months, so I was glad that I got to experience it when I did. I think if it was any more crowded I wouldn’t have wanted to visited it in the first place.
Overall, it has ben nice to come back to this place I have visited so many years ago. I have enjoyed looking for different corners that I wasn’t able to explore the last time I was out here. I don’t know when I will be able to come back again, or if I ever will, but in the meantime, I will just collect more memories of this place, so I can answer the call when it comes again someday.
The holidays are always a great time to get back to the people that you love. There are millions of people that believe the same, and if you do not believe me, just visit an airport an see how packed they become as people travel back and forth to those spots where they can make the magic of the holidays happen. At times, it can be a pain in the butt to be one of those people who are trying to make their flights, and move across the world, but in the end it is worth the time that was spent making the effort.
Despite all of the rewards that come with travels, there comes a time when you have to pack things up and return to the life that you are living. The holidays cannot last forever, and we all need to pack up the packages and decorations. If we left them up all year long, then the moments that we create during this time of the year would be meaningless. We need to have the drudgery of a regular routine to make those moments matter.
I am in the process of moving back to that life. I am not sadden by the prospect of going back to my classroom, my alarm, and my responsibilities. Yes, they can bring us down some times, but at the same time, they give us the life that we wish to live. It is when we get those breaks from the routine that we can find those treasured moments in our lives.
I have just come from a three week respite from the daily routine. It was a great couple of weeks being able to spend time with family and catch up with their lives while sharing what was going on in mine. The meals, the laughter and the hugs will stay with me during the cold and dark beginning of the year, and it will take me through the time until I can come back to see these people again. It is probably the greatest gift that can be given over the holiday season.
I want to thank all of the people in the United States that I was able to spend time with over this break. You have made the beginning of my year great, probably without even knowing that you have done that. I hope that the start of 2025 has been just as memorable for you as well. It may be discouraging that it is time to pack up the season, but keep in mind that it is only a short time until those glittering lights and thoughts of family will return. Until then, have a great 2025, and I look forward to sharing with you the highlights I have along the way.
2024 was an interesting year where I only traveled to eight different countries, four of which I had never been in before. I also hit the fiftieth country I have visited this year, and after all of the travel I have done, it is getting harder to find those places where I have never been before. Still, the new countries I went to, Georgia, Armenia, Slovakia, and Romania, are not the ones that many people put on their lists for travel. I found that they were some of the best traveling experiences I have had in a long time due the fact that the places were not overrun with tourists, and I was able to find some spectacular hidden gems out there. The interests of some of these sparked my readers’ interests as well, especially the country of Georgia, because this was the best year I have seen for this little blog that I write, and I appreciate that all of you come to visit to see what I am up to in this world.
Enough talking, here is the list of the most popular posts I wrote this year:
This is the first appearance of the country of Georgia on this list, and it is not the last. My exploration of this country on the Baltic Sea captured the imagination of my audience throughout the year even though I was only there for a couple of weeks early in the Summer. It is not a place that is on the usual destination route for many Americans, but after being there, I think that this might change. The capital, Tbilisi is a great undiscovered city that I can see becoming the next big city that people will flock to. I loved the blend of the European feel with the old relics lingering around from the Soviet era. There is a reason that this country will appear on this list a couple more times.
Wadi Rum has gained in popularity over the years, but because of all of the unrest that is happening in the Middle East right now, it is not getting the tourists that it used to have. This means that the place is quieter, and it makes it feel like you are the only one there as you get explore the amazing landscapes. It was the second time I have made it to my favorite place in Jordan, and I am also amazed at the pictures I am able to get while there. It will only be a matter of time before people once again make there way out there to see its beauty.
This is the second time that Georgia will appear on this list, and it will not be the last. Sighnaghi is not as big of a town as Tbilisi is, but it is one of the must-sees if visiting this country. This is the wine country of Georgia, and they are known as the place where wine originated. They still produce it the same way they did over 8,000 years ago in huge clay pots that are buried under the ground, and there are numerous wineries in this region that allow you to go and try out the unique blend that can only be found here. It was one of the more memorable parts of this trip and I can see why the post connected with the crowd.
Officially this is a different country than Georgia, but it was a day trip that I took while staying in Tbilisi. It was part of a day tour that took us through the majestic mountains of this country to explore its many monasteries. It was a great way to spend the day, and the landscapes out there were breath-taking. I also had fun getting to know the variety of people on the tour. They had come from all corners of the world with different beliefs, and ideologies, yet we were all willing to share in the beauty of the day.
I was able to spend my wedding anniversary in Hood River in Oregon. It is a touristy town in the Columbia Gorge area that attracts many people who enjoy windsurfing. The town also boasts one of the oldest hotels in the state, the Columbia Gorge Hotel. We spent the night here, and enjoyed the accommodations. It was fun to take a little trip back in time while enjoying the landscape of the Gorge.
Yes, we are back in Georgia. This time we traveled to the border for the mountain town of Kazbegi. I remember taking this picture and saying, “I can see Russia from here”, and yes, we were that close. This post does not surprise me about its popularity. It talks about how to find the hiking trail that will take people up to the small church that sits on the peak of one of the mountains. This was one of my favorite days of the year taking this hike and staying in this small mountain town. I am glad that it was one of the bigger posts from the year as well.
This was another one of my favorite days of the year, and also one that we had stumbled upon. Because of the recent turmoil in the Middle East, it had been difficult to find a quick flight to any place in Europe. Ryan Air had just about left the region, and the prices of air fare had grown a lot. We were able to find a cheap flight to Vienna, and we flew there to take a short bus ride to the town of Bratislava. We spent a long weekend in this small European town, and spent one of those days stopping at the various restaurants in town and having a drink and a small bite to eat. It was a great way to spend a day, and I would love to do it again in other small towns I get to visit.
I was able to travel to other place other than Georgia this year, and another place I enjoyed was Transylvania in Romania. I did go to two of the bigger tourist sights, Bran Castle and Peles Castle, while I was there, and I did a quick comparison of these bigger attractions. Both of them were fun to go to, but they both had their own vibe and reason for going there. Many people found this post helpful as they made plans to make it out there on their own.
One of the strangest places I went to over the past year was also in Georgia. The Chronicles of Georgia is on the outskirts of the city of Tbilisi, and overlook the people as they move about their daily lives. It is actually a relatively newer structure that hints back to the days of Soviet occupation as it tells the history of the Georgian people. It was never finished, but there is enough going on in the carvings on the stone that it easy to spend half a day here looking at all it has to offer.
This is the post that surprised me the most this year. I have been writing board game reviews on the side ever since I got back into the hobby during the pandemic. Some of them have done well, but I never expected anything big to come out of it. I got this game because I knew I was going to have some time where I would be by myself and could play it alone. I really enjoyed the game, and posted the review. Apparently it is a game that many people are interested in because this was the post that is constantly being clicked on. It easily became the biggest post of the year, and has inspired me to write more board game reviews in the future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The following post also had a lot of traffic, but they were written in previous years.
I did have a couple of expectations when I traveled to Romania during the month of October. The idea of a creepy landscape with rolling fog and old world charm had to be around every corner, and it would be like walking into some gothic horror story. My expectations might have been a little too big, but what I encountered instead was even more exciting and exceeded the expectations that I did have.
Transylvania does have an old world charm to it, but not in the creepy gothic vibe that I was expecting. It is more of the walking through the country side on a crisp autumn day that allows you to feel the nostalgia of days past, and an excitement for the days to come. I was able to feel the joy of the season again which does not come with the places I have lived recently such as Jordan or Thailand. It used to be my favorite season, and I enjoyed being able to experience it again.
Transylvania is also a mountainous part of Romania that give spectacular views of the fall colors. There are many beautiful drives between the bigger cities in the mountains that take you through these mountains. At many times it is like driving through a tunnel made of large deciduous trees shedding their leaves on the road. There were also many spots along the roads that made for great pictures of the faraway landscape. A perfect picture was always around the corner.
There are two major cities that people visit in Transylvania and each of them offer their own specific type of charm. Brasov is a mountain community that feels like an older European city with a long and expansive walking part of the town. It has more of a medieval feel to it because of the old wall that protects this part of the city, and the old towers and churches that you can explore there. The restaurants and shops definitely cater to a tourist crowd, but it feels as if that crowd would come from a different part of Romania, and you do not see as many out of country tourists hanging out there.
Sibiu is the other major city in Transylvania, and it has a completely different vibe. There is still a huge walking part of the city that most of the tourists spend time in, but the platas, or squares are much bigger, and attract the usual crowds that can be seen in most Western European cities. There are numerous restaurants with tables spilling out into the square, and behind them hold various shops that tourists can be seen entering and leaving. Overall, it feels more like a typical European city rather than the mountainous Brasov, but both are great places to stay and enjoy the chilly atmosphere that this spot of the world offers in autumn.
Each place is a great place to settle down and then from there take day trips to the various places that are worth visiting in the region. There are historic churches and castles waiting to be explored, and beyond that there are so many paths through the woods that take you to the most unexpected places. Some of them are more populated than others, and you never know when you will run into a pop up shopping area.
There are many other things out there to explore that just add to the beauty of the region. Even the quiet solitude of a graveyard seems like it should belong on the typical tourist itinerary. It may feel a little gothic to even consider doing it, but somehow it belongs on this trip. It just adds to part of the atmosphere of the experience, and it is also interesting to read the history that some of these places hold in its grip.
I am glad that I have gotten to experience Romania in the fall, more specifically Transylvania. I was a little surprised to see that there were not more people out there enjoying the same experience that we were because it seemed like the perfect time to be out there. The fall colors were amazing, and I don’t believe that we hit the height of those colors. I could only imagine what it would have been like if we were out there then. The weather was perfect for most of the trip, and it just heightened the atmosphere of what the location is best known for. Maybe because of the smaller crowds, it made for a more memorable trip, but I could not imagine another time to come out to this beautiful part of the world. I hope that someday you can find the time to understand the joy that I found by coming out to Romain and seeing what it has to offer in the fall.
Uneven cobblestones make up the lane As I try to find some better footing, But the were leaves won’t allow any gain. The path is gathering them by looting The fall tress of their greatest finery. They can no longer offer protection Against the strong wind that blows so chilly From its mountainous fortification. I dig my hands deeper in my pockets As I peek out from underneath my hood. I start to remember things life forgets Like how moments like this used to be good. Nostalgia returns in the autumn As each step sings with the crunches that come.
Transylvania is known for one creature that stalks our nightmares, Count Dracula, and it is the main reason that people come to visit. The good people of Romania play this up, and it is hard to find a place where the inspiration for this legend, Vlad the Impaler, does not show up somewhere. It makes for a great place to visit during Halloween, and many people who come out to Transylvania make sure that they tour the place where Vlad ruled from, Bran Castle, but is that the best castle to check out?
There is another place that brings many people to visit as well, Peles Castle. It is a more modern take on the medieval masterpieces with this one being built in the late 1800’s, and early 1900’s. It still has the feel of a fortress that could hold back the invading hordes, but it comes with modern conveniences such as running water and toilets. Both of the places housed the royalty of Romania, but are both worth the visit? If you came out to Transylvania and you only had time to go and see one of them, which one should you go? Well, that is the question I will be answering for you today.
There is a stark contrast between the two places. Peles Castle still has the feel of a large sprawling building with many twists and turns with secrets and ghosts hiding around each corner. However, the castle has a lot of the modern conveniences that would make living there very easy. The only problem is that there is so much money that has been put into the place that there is no possible way that only but a select handful of people could ever think about living in a place like this.
Each room showcases the amount of money that King Carol I had when he had the place built. The walls are covered in expensive paintings, specially designed leather wallpaper, and intricately carved wood. I would have spent more time looking at the walls if it wasn’t for all the furniture that was also supplied in the place, each one handcrafted to fit into the room where it now resides.
The pieces don’t only come from Romania either. King Carol I lived during a time where international travel was starting to become more of a thing for people in power, and he took full advantage of that fact. He not only traveled all over Europe, but spent a lot of time in the far eastern part of Asia. There are many art pieces that come from India, China, and Japan that help to decorate this place, and though they come from all over the world, they never feel out of place in this palace.
If the interior of Peles Castle is not enough to enjoy, taking a stroll out on its massive grounds is also worth the visit. Right next to the castle there are manicured gardens that have spots where you can sit down and enjoy the day. Beyond this are forest paths that can take you to the town down below. It is a beautiful walk on a fall day, and there are stalls set up along it where merchants sell their own handcrafted art, or the typical souvenir. It is an impressive place to visit though there can be crowds that will cause some delay to get in to see what the place has to offer.
Bran Castle also has large crowds that go and see it every day. However, it is dramatically different. The most obvious is the connection that the place has to the famous horror character, Count Dracula. He did not live in this castle, but the inspiration for the character, Vlad the Impaler did, and they play that up at any opportunity they can. It is a little bit campy, but when you are out here during the month of October, a little bit of camp can be fun.
It is an older castle, built in the 14th century, and it does not hold the modern conveniences that Peles Castle does. The rooms are also simple compared to the other castle, but it still offers a feeling like people could have actually lived in a place like this, as opposed to Peles Castle where everything is so extravagant that it is hard to believe that anyone ever lived like that.
The furniture is also not nearly as elegant, but then again, it comes from a time when even royalty looked more to practicality rather than showiness. It would still have been greater than anything that could have been found in a house from the locals living off of the land, and its durability highlights how something like this could have lasted throughout the centuries.
Its grounds are not as immense, but it is situated in a hilly part of Transylvania where the views from the windows are spectacular. If would offer a simpler kind of lifestyle, but it would still be elaborate enough to know that you are in the house of royalty.
All in all, both places are great to visit. Peles Castle is a little more memorable because of how extravagant everything is there, but that does not mean that Bran Castle does not have a lot to offer. It basically comes down to whether you are really into the vampire legends or not. If this is your thing than you will really enjoy the camp of Bran Castle over Peles. My biggest suggestion would be to plan for a long enough trip where you could visit both of them because they are both worth it.
Until next time, go out there and see as much of the world as possible.
It was a chilly October day, and there was a constant drizzle coming from the sky all day long. Every once in a while, the rain would pick up for a bit, but it was never for very long. As long as I planned the day well, I could stay relatively dry as I ventured out for my first full day of Fall Break. There was no way that I was going to let a little water falling from the sky from keeping me from enjoying the day. The city of Brasov was waiting and I wanted to get out there to enjoy what it had to offer.
It was early in the season for fall colors, but they were just starting to peek through, and there were plenty of parks where the leaves were falling from the trees and covering the ground. Walking around the old part of town was a pleasure because we would run into one of these parks and would have to walk under the canopy to get the full flavor of what the season had to offer.
The main streets had a lot to offer as well, and the rain kept the crowds at bay, especially on a Saturday when even the locals would come out and enjoy this part of town. Despite the cold and wetness, there were still plenty of people having a beer and some food underneath the umbrellas in the middle of the street, so it still had that European feel. The walking market area also had a lot to offer but my favorites had to be the book stores and the restaurants. I went into a couple of the book stores, and they had a lot of options available including many English options. There was a beautiful one on the main drag that even sold records and board games. If I lived out here, it would be a place that I would visit often.
There are also a couple of great sights that are located in the old part of Brasov. They are pretty close to each other and it makes for a great day to make it around to them to see how many of them you can find. My favorites were the Catherine’s Gate and the park that surrounds it, and the Black Church that sits in the middle of the old town.
The Black Church is an impressive sight, and it looks even more gloomy when the rain streaks down its facade. It is the easiest building to spot because it looms over the rest of the town, and its gothic architecture begs for a visit. It survived a fire in 1689 which adds to its appeal, but unfortunately many of the treasure that it once held did not survive. It is cool to look at fro the outside, and if you are really into architecture, it is worth a visit inside. Otherwise, it is best to look at from the outside, and you can skip going in.
If it gets a little cold wandering around the town, there are plenty of good restaurants to pop into for traditional Romanian food. They boast some hardy cuisine of soups, and roasted meats. I went in to La Ceaun for some food, and had a bean and ham soup served in a bread bowl. It warmed me right up, and gave me a little rest from all of the rain that was coming down.
It was the perfect way to spend a drizzly October day. The was cool, and rainy, but also had the perfect feel of a fall day. I enjoyed the start of the trip, and look forward to the other adventures that await me while I travel around Transylvania.
It has been a long while since I have had a true autumn experience. I have not been able to travel to the places in the world that explode in the fall foliage as it spreads its blanket across the earth. It used to be one of my favorite times of the year, where I would wear jeans and long sleeved shirts as I ventured out to experience the change of seasons. Since I have moved overseas, I have lived in places where autumn is not a season. It is either a continuation of the hot weather that I have lived with all year long, or it is a short two week jaunt into a colder, unbearable weather. So when I had the opportunity to go on a long fall break, I looked around the area I was living to find that perfect location where I could go and enjoy fall. Some place with the leaves, the crisp weather, and if at all possible, a little of the creepy feel that comes with Halloween being right around the corner. There was one place that fit the bill, Transylvania. It is perfect. It has the hilly mountains filled with deciduous trees. The cool, crisp weather comes with low hanging clouds that will blanket the land in a fog that adds to the creepy atmosphere. There is also the legend of Dracula that looms over the whole region that makes it feel like I have walked into a scary movie. It has every thing that I would look for in a vacation of this type.
So I am off for a week full of the autumn experience. I can’t wait to experience that cool, crisp air, and walk through the lanes full of fallen leaves. I hope you can join me in the experience as I write about all things Romanian as I travel off to Transylvania for the fall.
John Collings 