For the curious: I had wondered about the gargoyles in front of a building but nobody I asked knew what they were about. It was only when I met a Finnish traveler in Serbia that I learned what they depicted. These are characters from the Finnish epic poem Kalevala, compiled in the 19th century from … More Postscript to: In the Northern Reaches
Helsinki, Finland Aug 14, 2025 I had imagined a basic ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki. But this was no mere ferry, it was a huge ship. I have never been on a cruise ship but I imagine it must be similar to this. Multiple decks at multiple levels, cafes and restaurants and even duty-free shops … More In the Northern Reaches
Tallinn, Estonia Aug 12, 2025 They may sound like the lead characters of a fairytale, but they are actually the names of a pair of defense towers. Twenty-six towers once studded the encircling wall of Vanalinn old town. Today we know the town as Tallinn. Heavily bombed in March of 1944, much of the walls, … More Fat Margaret & Tall Hermann
Riga, Latvia Aug 9, 2025 A row of what looks like airplane hangars lines the edge of the canal next to the bus station. It is the Central Market. It spills outside with the stalls lined in regimented order, segregated by category. It is very much like Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent or for that matter, … More Smoked Fish Anyone?
Riga, Latvia Aug 7, 2025 They are scattered around Riga, reputedly some eight hundred of them. But there is one street where they seem concentrated, one after the other in a row. The buildings on Alberta street are all art nouveau, built largely in the early 1900s when Riga commanded a privileged position in the … More Where Bizarre Reigns Supreme
Siauliai, Lithuania August 4, 2025 I had come to Siauliai in a largely random manner. In part because it was enroute to Riga, in part because that was where the next bus was headed and in part because there was a place called Hill of Crosses nearby that piqued my interest. The fact that this … More An Unexpected Tour
Vilnius, Lithuania Aug 1, 2025 In the not-too-distant past (mid-14th century CE) a wooden fortress on a small hill in the center of present day Vilnius was abandoned and a fortified brick castle built on the plain below the hill. It was the residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, related to the Polish kingdom … More Inside a Ducal Palace
Krakow, Poland July 30, 2025 To the southeast of the old town of Krakow is the area called Kazimierz, founded by King Casimir in the 14th century and named after him. It was a separate city, intended to protect the southern boundary of Krakow. In the late 15th century, rising tensions in the city led … More The Changing Face of Kazimierz
Krakow, Poland July 29, 2025 The year is 1941. Poland has been under German occupation for two years and Krakow has been turned into the capital of the General Government. Persecution of Jewish residents have reached the level where they are now treated as vermin. About 40,000 have already been expelled from Krakow and the … More A Man Named Schindler
Krakow, Poland July 26, 2025 Krakow, I was told by every local I spoke with, is a jewel and the best in Poland. It is an absolute must-see; go, they urged. So here I am, wandering in the market square of the old town. At four hundred square meters, this market square is deemed the … More The Jewel of Poland
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 