All tagged History

Where America’s History Still Lives on Every Street Corner

Everyone has heard of Colonial Williamsburg with its dozens of buildings from the late-17th to mid-19th centuries. But it's not real, folks! Although few people have heard of New Castle, Delaware, it has almost as many buildings from that same era and real people live there. Okay, they're not dressed up like Revolutionaries, but the history there is even more...well, historic. It’s a genuine Colonial town but without the colonists.

Creepiest Spots in Mexico City

Humans have developed a fascination for things we cannot explain. Our nature is to reason, that is what separates us from the animal kingdom.How do you explain that feeling that bristles the hair on the back of our neck? The alarm goes off, your heart starts beating quickly, your senses sharpen, your legs are ready to run and yet we always want to know more.

Sicily, Italy: What’s not on the itinerary is as important as what is

It happens all the time with Overseas Adventure Travel. I start out expecting to write about the trip itself – in this case, Sicily's Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions -- and I end up writing about all the things that are not on the itinerary – what OAT refers to as Learning and Discovery. Sure, I wanted to focus on the extensive ruins of the Greeks and Romans from the 8th century BC; the city market initiated by the Arabs in 900 A.D. which still operates today almost as it did then.  The Norman Church built in 1174 which was proclaimed by one of the trip participants as “The most magnificent cathedral ever!” and a boat ride to a Phoenician island dating back 2700 years. But that’s where the story veered into trouble… I found myself being equally surprised and delighted by all the little extra things we were seeing and doing -- and yes, often eating -- that were NOT on the itinerary, the L&D moments that reflect the culture and deepen the immersive experience already embodied within the OAT itinerary.

Majestic Marais District of Paris

Strolling along the twisted streets lined by aged buildings in a jumble of architectural styles, my first thought was that the setting would be a city planner’s nightmare.   Then my mind wandered to the rich history that has unfolded in the often-overlooked neighborhood in one of the most-visited cities in the world. Throughout the Marais district of Paris, crumbling mansions that cling to memories of past glory days are neighbors to trendy shops and galleries. Bustling restaurants abut small, offbeat museums.