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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – ALCOBACA MONASTERY
Historic, gothic and the resting place of royals, Portugal’s Alcobaça Monastery is found 121 km/75 mi north of Lisbon. It is the earliest example of gothic style churches in the country. King Afonso Henríques (first king of Portugal) established it 1153 C.E. to honour the victory of Santarem during the Crusades and presented it to Cistercian abbot Bernard…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – LAPLAND
As shout-out to my nordic roots, today’s spot is the northern region of Lapland, Finland. This my friends is where Santa Claus lives. I have said to many: “Everyone knows Santa lives in Lapland.”. It’s true!! You can meet the man in red yourself by crossing The Arctic Circle in the region’s largest city of Rovaniemi. The…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – FREETOWN CHRISTIANIA
A note and an apology: This weekend was my birthday weekend and what a fun one it was. Additionally, my big sis is visiting. We had a fun yet busy day today and are sitting down to a nice dinner in about five minutes. As a result I am purposefully engaging in what some may…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – TIVOLI GARDENS, COPENHAGEN
This week’s round of SSS is an attraction I have actually visited. It was many, many years ago but I still remember it. Back when I worked in the travel industry I had an opportunity to go an a “familiarization trip” or “fam trip” as industry insiders call it. Myself and other travel agents from…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – ISLE OF SKYE
Moody, majestic, jagged, remote, stunning – all these words play around my head when I think of Scotland’s Isle of Skye. Although I have never been (yet) I imagine its beauty is remarkable. Although I may think it remote, the opposite is true. Found in the Inner Hebrides of the Scottish Highlands it is in…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – RUINS OF HERCULANEUM, ITALY
Most are aware of the destruction of Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 70 C.E. , however the loss of Herculaneum is often overlooked. Herculaneum was buried with Pompeii and several other Roman cities that were based near the deadly volcano. Today, the incredibly well preserved ruins are found in the town of Ercolano. Although…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – LAUGAVEGURINN TRAIL
This past December I saw Ben Stiller’s movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” in the theatre. I found the story interesting yet recall, most vividly, the striking beauty of Iceland, where much of the movie was filmed. It was wonderful to learn that Iceland is not a barren country, as I once thought. I suppose…
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SUNDAY’S SPECIAL SPOT – LYSEFJORD, NORWAY
The scandinavian country of Norway is famous for its incredible fjord-filled western coastline. Although fjords are found in other world locales it is often Norway that comes to mind when picturing these stunning glacier created narrows. Lysefjord, in the southwestern section of the country is one of the most famous of Norway’s fjords. A rocky…
