Historic and Cultural Monuments
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A Short Walking Tour of New York’s Lower East Side
In the 1860’s the Lower East Side was deluged in a wave of immigrants from Germany; known as Klein Deutschland, it had the 5th largest German-speaking population among cities in the world at the time
July 11, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
A Trio of French Colonial Sites in Hanoi
In Vietnam's capital city you can still find many wonderful examples of French colonial architecture, including St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Opera House and the luxurious Hotel Metropole
July 03, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
A Toast to the Astoria Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia
A Russian icon in the Art Nouveau style on St. Isaac‘s Square near the Neva River, the Astoria evokes a Belle Époque world gone by
June 13, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Prospero’s Island in the South Pacific
Was it Bermuda—or the dreamy French Polynesian island of Huahine—that inspired the setting for Shakespeare's The Tempest?
June 11, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Jaipur via The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A delightful new film takes viewers to India’s picturesque western state of Rajasthan
June 07, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Passion in the Poconos
Home of the heart-shaped tub, the Pennsylvania mountains once rivaled Niagara Falls as a honeymoon destination
June 01, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
A Medieval Castle in the Making
The construction of a medieval fortress in France is answering important questions about 13th-century building techniques
May 21, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Explore the Treasures of Kazakhstan in New York City
Ancient artifacts from the storied Central Asian nation, including saddles ornamented with gold foil and cinnabar, are on display for the first time in the United States
May 07, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
All Aboard the Beijing-Lhasa Express
The writer casts aside concerns about comfort and political correctness to take the rail trip of a lifetime
April 26, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Plus Ça Change in France
The nation says au revoir to the franc and to "mademoiselle" and bonjour
to a proposed new theme park—Napoleonland
April 19, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
A World of Cocktails
Unmixed feelings about mixed drinks, from the Singapore Sling to the Spritz con Aperol, courtesy of a thirsty traveler
April 04, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
A Short Trip to Coal Country
In eastern Pennsylvania, learn more than you ever imagined about flammable carbon at the Anthracite Coal Museum, and marvel at the virtual ghost town of Centralia
March 30, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
An American Library in Paris
Founded after World War I, the City of Light's English-language library has long been a haven for expats, including Hemingway
March 25, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
It’s Always Springtime at the Flower Market
Exploring New York City's mid-town bloom bazaar, a unusual burst of color and perfume amid the helter-skelter of the city
March 20, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Is Paris Really for Lovers?
Give Paris its due, but the place has at least its share of unromantic features
February 10, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
What to Look for on the Train Ride From New York to Washington
Sure, the view along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor has its share of grime. But there are also sights that'll make you want to put away your smart phone
February 02, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
L.A.’s Answer to the Yellow Brick Road
A group including the actor Jack Nicholson has tried to get Dirt Mulholland on the National Register of Historic Places
January 30, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Goofing Around in England’s Lake District
Now out on DVD, The Trip, with comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, takes the road movie into the storied English countryside
January 04, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Tintin is Everywhere in Brussels
The famed comic book character, now a Steven Spielberg-Peter Jackson film, is a nifty way to know the Belgian capital
December 15, 2011 |
By Susan Spano
Five Hundred Years of Giorgio Vasari in Arezzo, Italy
Poor fellow. His art has ever played second fiddle to that of contemporaries like Michelangelo. But Vasari remains an important Renaissance figure, as his Tuscan hometown is eager to show
December 08, 2011 |
By Susan Spano


