Australia's other great city is Marvellous Melbourne and yes they really spell marvelous with two l's! Briefly the capital of Australia while the planned federal capital of Canberra was being developed, Melbourne was where the national parliament met from 1901 until 1927. Personally, Melbourne feels very British with its Victorian-era architecture, dense network of hidden laneways, and strong cafe and arts culture; while Sydney feels more American. The city's grid layout makes its very easy to explore on foot, with many historic landmarks, shopping streets, and laneways concentrated within a relatively compact area. The Victorian gold rush transformed Melbourne into a boomtown during the 1850s, bringing wealth, migrants, and grand buildings that helped earn the city its nickname, “Marvellous Melbourne.” At one point in the 1880s, Melbourne was actually the richest city in the world!  A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

Ávila looks like a medieval city pulled straight from a fantasy movie; its spectacular stone walls, fortified towers, and historic churches create one of Spain’s most recognizable medieval skylines. And the best part is that one can go on a day trip from Madrid! The city's walls form one of the best-preserved and remarkably complete medieval city-wall circuits in Europe, measuring approximately 2.5 kilometers around the Old Town. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

On today's entry, let's explore scenes from the main ministry of Jesus Christ. The Pools of Bethesda (though now empty of water), is where Jesus healed the man who had been an invalid for 38 years (John 5:1–15). Archaeological excavations reveal layers of history, including a Roman temple, Byzantine basilica, and later Christian structures around the pools. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic and pre-Iran ware tale.

San Francisco is the ideal base for road-tripping. On a single journey, you can go from the city center to foggy Pacific beaches, redwood forests, wine country, desert landscapes, alpine mountains and giant granite cliffs. California's sheer variety is astonishing, and I'm not only talking about its astonishing collection of natural wonders, its small towns can be as photogenic as its famous landmarks! And no other landmark in San Francisco is as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge! Built in 1937, this was once the longest suspension bridge in the world. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

Australia is not for the timid! An old joke for tourists warns that "Everything in Australia wants to kill you"; from a list of over 89,700 species with every single one of them including the plants and cute marsupials actively conspiring to end your life, to the extreme environment. In fact, a huge portion (around 70-80%) of the continent known as the Australian Outback is one of the most hostile and remote environments on Earth! Nonetheless, the continent is blessed with natural wonders and a fascinating (and unique to Australia) native wildlife. Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park opened in 1972 and began as a small collection of Australian native animals before growing into one of the country’s major wildlife parks.  One of the park's great attractions is seeing animals that are surprisingly difficult to encounter in the wild; because spotting a wombat in its natural habitat isn't exactly as easy as spotting a pigeon in Sydney! A note from the writer: this is a pre-p...

One cannot explore Madrid without examining its most famous residents, the Royal Family. One of Europe's remaining monarchies, Spain has had a monarch for over 500 years, dating back to the unification of Castile and Aragon in the 15th century. The Spanish Royal Family belongs to the House of Bourbon, a dynasty originally from France. Spain’s monarchy was actually abolished twice before eventually being restored in 1975 after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. King Juan Carlos I then played a major role in Spain’s transition from dictatorship to democracy. His son and current monarch, Felipe VI, became king in 2014 after he abdicated. The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest functioning royal palace in Europe by floor area, with over 3,400 rooms. King Philip V ordered the palace built to rival the grandeur of Versailles in France. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

On today's entry, let's explore different scenes from the early life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Al-Maghtas, meaning “baptism” in Arabic, is located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, in modern-day Jordan. It is traditionally believed to be the exact location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus (John 1:28). A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic and pre-Iran war tale.