Shetland Islands Discovered Scotland’s Shetland Islands (or simply, Shetland) is a group of more than 100 islands, only 16 of which are inhabited, with a pristine coastline unrivalled in all of the United Kingdom. Its …
Claude Monet’s Water Lilies are among the most beloved artworks of the 20th century. Displayed in Paris’s Orangerie in a set of rooms devoted entirely to the paintings, they are Monet’s gift to France at …
Vikings and Their Use of Wool for Sails According to Kassia St Clair in her book The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History, when the Gokstad ship, dated 850 AD, was found in 1879 as a …
The Beginning of Human Civilisation Ancient Greece is well-known as one of the earliest civilizations that contributed significantly to human advancement. “Greece reached heights in almost every area of human learning” (Mark 2013). Generally speaking, Ancient, …
Exploring the Faroe Islands
- 9 mins read
Blog, Denmark, Europe, History, Scandinavia, Scotland, Travel tips
The Faroe Islands, far far away Tjornuvik village, Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands (also called the Faroes or Faeroes) is a self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark, a group of 18 pristine volcanic islands …
Queen Victoria’s Britain (Part 1 of 2) This two-part article on Queen Victoria’s Britain was prepared by one of our Odyssey Program Leaders, Mal Bock. She will be leading this small group tour especially designed …
Weaving textiles throughout history and the advancement of society Fabric and textiles industry has a long and coloured past. While it is estimated that fabrics were used in the time of the Stone Age, nearly …
Queen Victoria’s Britain (Part 2 of 2) This two-part article on Queen Victoria’s Britain was prepared by one of our Odyssey Program Leaders, Mal Bock. She will be leading this small group tour especially designed for senior …
Ireland’s Gems More than 11 million people travelled to Ireland according to the latest tourism statistics, lured by its lush scenery, historic landmarks, and centuries-old culture. (This number includes visitors to both Northern Ireland, part …
Designing Paris The Paris that many of us know and love did not always look as it does now. When Napoleon III instructed Hausmann to tear down the urban centre to make way for the …
Victorian England Country Life The industrial revolution changed dramatically Victorian England Country life. From the demographic shift in the population commencing the rural -urban drift, to education and the nouveau rich from the industrialisation who …
Soviet Art in Kazakhstan When the Kazakh khanate splintered into three hordes in the early 17th century, they became vulnerable to raids from Mongol tribes, primarily the Dzungars (dson, “left”; gar, “hand”) who formed the left wing …
Armenia: Buildings and Christianity In this post, we will look at examples of Armenia’s buildings and building design before and after its conversion to Christianity. Grigor Lusavorich, later Saint Gregory the Illuminator, was born and …
Problem of “Overtourism” The night crowd at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy Tourism is a double-edged sword: it brings economic prosperity to a community, but can also be a burden on its resources. Cities …
Secrets of Florence Florence, capital of the Italian region of Tuscany, is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and left behind a legacy that shaped the Italy we know today. This article reveals some of …
Eight Amazing Rail Journeys
- 10 mins read
Asia and the Orient, Blog, China, Europe, History, Iran, Italy, Middle East, Spain
Eight Amazing Rail Journeys This article details eight amazing rail journeys that you may wish to consider when planning your journeys. Humans have been travelling by sea since ancient times, but on land, humans were …
Choosing the Right Walking Shoes: Advice for Women For women, especially older adults, choosing the right walking shoes has repercussions beyond fashion. A study in 2005 showed that “incorrectly fitting footwear is common in older …
Photographing the Northern Lights. How to Capture the Beauty of the Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis, commonly called the Northern Lights, as well as the Aurora Australis, the Southern Lights, are two the world’s most …
10 Unimaginable Destinations This article details 10 Unimaginable Destinations for travellers to visit in the world. Although much of the mystery of travel may seem diminished in the age of online search engines and low …
Key 19th century painters No trip to any country in Europe is complete without a visit to one of the many impressive art galleries that are lined with the artistic talents throughout history. Especially in …
The Bund The Bund, a stretch of historical buildings lining the western bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China (“bund” derives from the Hindustani word band which means “embankment”), was initially a British settlement that at …