Finding Romance in Bath, England
If you’re looking for that special romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day, you could fly to Florence, Paris, or Vienna and really dazzle that someone special in your life … or you can pull out all the stops and set your sights on the Romanesque city of Bath, England. There is romance in Bath, England. There are actually so many wonderful things about Bath I really don’t know where to begin. I can start by explaining that this historic Roman spa city, located 100 miles west of London, is listed as a World Heritage Site.
Back in the glory days of the Roman Empire, sometime around 50 AD, the Romans erected temples around natural hot springs to honor their Goddess Minerva. These bath complexes, in the ancient Roman province of Brittania, were known by their inhabitants as Aquae Sulis. Today this romantic city is simply known as Bath. To really win her heart, you should start by taking her straight into the heart of this city. Take her directly to the site that really makes this city tick – the Roman Baths.
The Roman baths in Bath, England are the only mineral hot springs in the entire United Kingdom. These 2,000 year old feats of awe-inspiring archeology are superbly maintained for the modern world to see. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged bath england.
Footsteps of Liberators on a Path through Normandy
Much has happened since Eisenhower first drafted that triumphant call to arms some seventy years ago. The world is very much a changed place. There are no more air-raid sirens blaring over the streets of London; no more war planes soaring over the skies of Dover; no more anti-aircraft batteries booming off the beaches of France. But to go back there, to see the place where 160,000 allied troops made their landing on June 6, 1944, was for a me a walk in the footsteps of liberators.
“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.”
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe, Historical Journeys and tagged D-Day, France, normandy, Omaha Beach, world war 2 timeline.
Greenville- My Hometown of Heroes
The beautiful Upstate city of Greenville, SC was once known as the Textile Center of the World. During the textile industry boom, the Poe Mill was the largest manufacturing center in the area. At one time the mill encompassed 75 acres of property and employed nearly 400 workers. Today all those spindles and looms have long since been silenced. As a result, the vibrant city reinvented itself and is now an internationally recognized city of commerce.
Poe Mill, Greenville, SC
Personally, Greenville isn’t just a place of old red-brick mills and emerging institutes of commerce. If you ask me, my hometown is a place of heroes. The city’s name alone was taken from a hero of the American Revolution, Major General Nathanael Greene. This General of the Continental Army commanded the Southern Campaign and was considered George Washington’s right-hand man. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged greenville, South Carolina.
A Towering Friendship Between a Lawman and President Roosevelt
When I first discovered the Friendship Tower in the mid 1980s, I was only 13 years old. I stumbled upon it quite accidentally while hiking through the snow with my little brother, Aaron. The site had fallen into obscurity. There were no paved roads leading to the site; no signs; no parking lot, no gift shop. There was nothing to explain the purpose or meaning of this stone tower. It was a lost monument without fanfare buried deep within the Black Hills of Deadwood Gulch. Well, nothing save a small plaque on its rock wall that read:
IN MEMORY OF
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
“THE AMERICAN”
OCTOBER 27, 1858- JANUARY 6, 1919
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE SOCIETY OF BLACK HILLS PIONEERS
JULY 4 1919
My brother and I entered the tower and took refuge halfway up its spiraling steps. Aaron’s feet were near frozen from trudging through knee-deep snow in cheap plastic tennis shoes. I removed his shoes and damp socks, and began warming his small feet with my hands. As young boys often do while exploring, we reclaimed the discovery as our very own, and renamed it The Castle. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged deadwood, friendship tower, roosevelt.
Traditions of Christmas in Dixie
The Christmas season is once again upon us. It’s a time to love, a time to give, and a time to spread good cheer. Because it’s the most wonderful time of the year, It’s only fitting that I pay homage to America’s most beloved of holidays. In doing so, I’ve set my sights on a region of the United States that has a distinct culture all of it’s very own. Y’all know the place I’m referring to… Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten, Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!
That’s right boys and girls, I’m talking about the South. Home of antebellum plantations, bluegrass music, shrimp and grits, and mason jars full of sweet iced-tea! If you find yourself this holiday season restless and going south of the Mason-Dixon line, then allow me to point you to a few of my favorite places for Christmas in Dixie. You’re fixin’ to have a real swell time down South! Spend some time in any one of these spots and you’re certain to discover that good old-fashioned yuletide cheer!
Question: What do the Alps of Germany have in common with the southern state of Georgia? Well absolutely nothing, unless you’re talking about the town of Helen. This charming village, with a population of roughly 500 people, is hidden deep within the shadows of the Chattahoochee National Forest. In 1828, this Blue Ridge Mountain community sprang up out of the glittering dust of the Great Georgia Gold Rush. When gold fever finally ran its course, the town became a hub for an emerging timber industry. Unfortunately, the people there had more saws than they did trees and in the 1960s the town nearly shut down. It wasn’t until 1968, when businessmen bumped heads with a local artist, that they came up with a unique solution to revitalize the town. Helen, Georgia would be given a Bavarian facelift; and slowly over the following years, the entire town was recreated to look just like a German alpine village. There are German-styled restaurants, German-themed gift shops, German traditional festivals, and one of my favorites -cold German beer! With all that Old World appeal, this place is just brewing with adventure! When you throw in Santa, horse-drawn carriages, and some holiday lights into the picture, than Helen becomes a place that easily populates the top of my list for spending Christmas in Dixie.
Go to Helen, GA for a wonderful Christmas in Dixie with real Bavarian charm. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, North America and tagged christmas in dixie.