The White House Tour

Approximately 2000 people visit the White House daily. Last month, I was one of them. I'd been thinking about visiting for a while but kept putting it off because I thought it would be difficult to get in, and I'd have to get up really early.  Turns out it was pretty straight forward. I mentioned it to one of my aunts who lives in the area and she did the rest.  Once the date was confirmed, we received a welcome note with instructions and a list…
 

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Oxford, City of Dreaming Spires

Oxford, in my mind, is probably as equally well-known as a university town as it is for the television series about the fictional detective, the opera-loving, often morose, Inspector Morse.  Despite its strong connections to Oxford and the university - Colin Dexter, the author of the novels that the series is based on, worked at the University of Oxford for more than twenty years - Morse, a brilliant and perceptive detective, surprisingly did not receive a degree from any of the city's famous schools.…
 

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5 Quirky Things to do in Barcelona

If you’ve ever gone on any Barcelona weekend breaks in the past, then you’ll know that the city is replete with amazing unique cultural experiences, from its tasty regional food to its numerous beaches, and iconic buildings such as the Sagrada Familia. But the capital of Cataluña has plenty more to offer those who’re willing to make their way off the beaten path.  [embed]https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgangstaudt/2052664615/[/embed] If you’re going to Barcelona and want to discover a few strange but great things to see and do,…
 

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5 Great Winter Destinations

Have you recently found yourself researching flights to great winter destinations? Well, if you’re looking for a place to head for vacation this winter and haven't yet settled on where, there are plenty of great options offering everything from snowy peaks to sand beaches. If you can’t quite make-up your mind on what best suits you, here are 5 great winter destinations that are bound to impress. [embed]https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/9997823784/[/embed] Iceland For those willing to head deeper into the winter dark, the North Atlantic country…
 

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Stonehenge, Repackaged

Stonehenge was a bit of a disappointment when I saw it in 2011 and for several days after, I tried to figure out why. One thought was that Stonehenge could not compare to the inflated images I had in my head – images that had been shaped by television, stories I had read and my own very fertile imagination. Another was that my mind was still fresh from seeing the Eiffel Tower a few days earlier. Unlike Stonehenge, I hadn’t…
 

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Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, Pt II

After leaving Stonehenge, we drove through the English countryside towards Bath, arriving there just before lunch. Named  World Heritage Site in 1987, Bath is a picturesque city located on the Avon River in Southwest England, and part of the south Cotswolds. Its well-known Great Bath (Bath Spa) and historic Georgian structures attract more than 250,000 visitors annually.  [gallery type="rectangular" ids="14796,14786,14793,14799,14789,14791,14792,14790,14787,14788,14798,14794,14797,7956,5794"] What Not to Miss in Bath: The Royal Crescent - Designed by John Wood the Younger, between 1767 and 1774,…
 

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Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, Part I

I didn’t plan to return to Stonehenge – the Neolithic stone circle located on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. I’d been there only a few years ago, in 2011, to be exact. It was during that tour that I heard about Avebury. If you like Stonehenge and have time, the guide said, you should visit Avebury. It’s quite impressive! I was intrigued. I couldn’t imagine anything more impressive than Stonehenge. If Avebury is that impressive, I thought, why hadn’t I…
 

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Bond in Motion at the London Film Museum

Now on view at the London Film Museum is Bond in Motion, a must-see permanent exhibition that traces the history of the franchise through the many vehicles (cars, boats, motorbikes, sleds, jets, helicopter and more) that James Bond used over the years. I'm a huge Bond fan, but I hadn't heard about this exhibition until I spotted an ad at a tube station in London in August, 2015. It didn't disappoint. As you walk into the museum, you can't miss a helicopter hanging from…
 

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Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Priestess

She is the only woman among Jamaica’s seven national heroes. Her bravery and skill as a military strategist are unparalleled. Born in the 18th century in Ghana, Queen Nanny became the spiritual leader of the Winward Maroons, the enslaved Africans who fled to the rugged mountains of Jamaica’s eastern parishes of Portland, St. Thomas, and St. Mary. It is from this her stronghold that she led her people in several decisive battles against the British army, bringing them to heel.…
 

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Gear Review: The Sleeper

It happens almost every time I travel. I fall asleep, wake up when my head jerks forward or rolls to one side. I look around sheepishly wondering if anyone noticed that I'd fallen asleep. Invariably, the person across the aisle is sleeping peacefully, with a pillow supporting her neck and I think, next time I'm bringing one of those. But I never do. Recently, I received a sample of The Sleeper. Unlike the pillow that we're used to, the Sleeper, which…
 

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