Tag: travel
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Spring Blooms & Strudel: A Day Trip to Innsbruck, Austria
The mountains were snow-capped, yet flowers were emerging when Shawn and I made an early-spring day trip to Innsbruck, Austria. Shawn and I had been cooped up for much of the winter, so once we got to Innsbruck, we opted to stay outside as much as possible to soak up the sunshine. We strolled Innsbruck’s…
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Creating Handmade, Italian Marbled Paper in Florence, Italy
The art of paper marbling is mesmerizing. An artisan applies droplets of paint to a small pool of water. The colors appear to gracefully dance upon the surface of the water, but these individual splotches of paint respect the neighboring colors’ boundaries. As the artisan adds more and more colors, this dance continues. Finally, when…
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The Art of Florentine Marquetry: Watching Italian Mosaicists “Painting with Stones”
The arts have long flourished in Florence — the so-called “cradle of the Renaissance.” Hundreds of years ago, there were tens of thousands of artisans in the city, each dedicated to everything from leather goods and hand-decorated paper to jewelry making. Over time, the number of workshops has declined. Nevertheless, Florence still has a sizable…
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The Windows of Pordenone, Italy
With its pretty palazzi and mountain vistas, the northeastern Italian city of Pordenone offers a superb blend of beautiful architecture and nature. Home to just over 51,000 people, Pordenone is located a mere 90km (55 miles) from Venice. This makes for a delightful day trip. But, Pordenone can also be a great place to base…
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Hiking to Georgia’s Gergeti Trinity Church
One of the most iconic images from the country of Georgia features the Gergeti Trinity Church dwarfed by immense mountains. This 14th-century church is crowned with cone-shaped towers and is located in the heart of the Caucasus. It’s just a few kilometers from the Russian border.
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An Apiary on Malta’s Xemxija Heritage Trail
Since ancient times, the Mediterranean island of Malta has been renowned for its splendid honey. There’s even some speculation that the country’s name has its origins in honey. The ancient Greeks, for example, referred to Malta as “Melite” (Μελίτη), which translates to “honey sweet.” And during the Roman period, the island was called “Melita.” In…
