Trans-Saharan Trade Routes; Caravans of Gold Exhibition
The Sahara Desert was never an empty wasteland but a thriving network of trade routes, some of which date back to the 5th century. Between the 8th and 15th centuries, merchants and camel caravans crisscrossed the desert as trade increased between North Africa, Egypt...
Casa Loma, Toronto
Casa Loma is one of Toronto’s premier tourist destinations. The site is run by an entertainment conglomerate which must generate considerable tax revenue for the city if the crowds on the day of our visit were anything to go by. Stained glass roof, Conservatory - Casa...
The Road to Toronto
After three days of cooking for family and friends over Christmas, J and I drove to Toronto. Many parts of the United States are quite beautiful but our 480 mile route from Washington DC was not one of them. To be fair, we couldn't see much a lot of the way because of...
Fallingwater, Pennsylvania
In 1934, when Edgar Kauffman Sr., a Pittsburgh department store owner, turned to Frank Lloyd Wright to design a weekend house in the country, it was to cost $35,000. At the time, Frank Lloyd Wright was 67 years old and a world famous architect, but thanks to the...
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC
The genesis of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC - if that is the right word to use here - is 1847 when Pope Pius IX named the Virgin Mary as patroness of the United States, under her title of Immaculate Conception. In...
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Why a child in rural Perthshire should know the song “John Brown’s body lies a mouldering in the grave” is a mystery, but this civil war song was quite known to me, although at the time I had no idea who John Brown was. I thought of this when I went to Harpers Ferry...
Lincoln’s Cottage
In the spirit of continuing to discover Washington, we visited Lincoln’s Cottage which is located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in the Upper North-west quadrant of the city. Lincoln was not the only president to stay here in the summer months, but...
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
Last weekend, we set out for Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, which is located in the district close to the border with Maryland. I doubt we’d have heard of it if we hadn’t received a little book called Secret Washington DC, as a gift. And it is a secret, because...
Richmond & Appomattox
Richmond, VA The day dawned suffocatingly hot and humid again. The intent had been to wander round Belle Isle and the James River Park Pipeline Walkway, but after wandering round Belle Isle for a bit I was already undone and had to take a break and sit on the rocks...
The capital of the kakistocracy to the capital of the confederacy
Richmond, Virginia Not wishing to be in the capital of the kakistocracy on the 4th of July, J and I repaired to the capital of the confederacy. I am not especially a fan of the 4th of July to begin with; as far as I’m concerned when you’ve seen one set of fireworks...