Danish Castle

Rosenborg Castle, Copenahgen The Rosenborg Castle was originally built as a summer home for the Danish royal family in 1606. Subsequent expansions, completed in 1624, brought it to its present size. Royal heirlooms are on display inside; e.g. King Christian IV's crown, King Christian III's jewel- encrusted sword, and the Danish Crown Jewels. Thought for …

Castle Gate

Joslyn Castle Joslyn Castle, located in Omaha, Nebraska, was built in 1903 as the private home for George and Sarah Joslyn. This is the man gate that leads pedestrians up a winding path through manicured lawns and flower beds to the 35-room mansion sitting atop 5.5 acres near downtown Omaha. The castle is a landmark …

Vernon, France

Castle Ruins Walking around the charming village of Vernon, France I found the remains of a medieval castle wall and tower. Surrounded by gardens now, it was a pretty sight. The old town center is near the Seine River, where it's been since William the Conqueror marched through. It was an easy walk from the …

St. Germain

Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye Located in the Paris suburb of St. Germain, this little fixer-upper is formally called the Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Louis VI built the first castle on this site in 1124. A chapel (not shown here) was added in 1238. Expanded several times over the centuries, Louis XIV was born here in 1638, but …

Cat Walk

What exactly is a cat walk?  According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, it is "a narrow walkway (as along a bridge)". When I was in high school, we would walk home sometimes, and to shorten the 3 mile walk, we'd cut through the Omaha Stockyards.  To do so, we had to use the "cat walks" …

Wachau Valley

The Wachau Valley Gorge, in northeastern Austria, is one of the most scenic stretches of the Danube River.  Beautiful and filled with so much history, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This magnificent castle-residence was one of the first we saw as we entered the gorge, just a little downstream from Melk, Austria.  The …

Prague Castle

The Prague Castle, sitting atop a hill overlooking the Vtava River, is the largest ancient castle in the world.  Construction began in the 9th century.  Modified several times over the centuries, the current version was "completed" in the 13th century.  The Prague Castle is the seat of the current Czech Republic government. Other famous landmarks in …

Bad Day for War

What a crappy day!  It rained all day today, a steady rain, making me scrap everything I planned to do outside.  Nothing to do now, but sit by the fire place with a good book. Wow, like I really have it tough.  Imagine having sentry duty on a day like this, or worse, at night. …

Powerscourt Estate

In a previous post I talked about pet cemeteries, namely the one I found at Powerscourt Estate near Dublin, Ireland.   This is a panoramic view of the Powerscourt Estate, compliments of Wikipedia.  (In case you're wondering, the pet cemetery is up close to the mansion, off the frame in the upper left hand corner.) …

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef is a little known National Park in southern Utah on Utah's scenic highway 12, just a pleasant drive northeast of Bryce Canyon.  The paved  scenic drive is only 8 miles long taking you through endless rock formations of red sandstone.  Even though the cliffs rise over 1,000' above the road, after the first …

Prague (Praha)

Prague is a beautiful city, especially the Old Town, rich in history and culture.  Sometimes referred to as the "Paris of eastern Europe", meals, lodging and entertainment certainly reflect metropolitan areas of western Europe. This photo, taken at sunrise, does not do justice to the size of this castle; a wide-angle lens is needed to …

Czech Republic

Czesky Krumlov is a charming little town about 100 miles south of Prague near the Austrian border.  During mideivel times, it was the center of commerce in eastern Europe, but now its major attraction is the Krumlov Castle, the world's second largest, built in the 1300's.  Built so well that visitors can still climb to …