Attractions

Fraumunster Kirche in Zurich, Switzerland

Of the many beautiful churches to visit in Zurich, Switzerland, the most popular may be Fraumunster. This relatively small church, located on the banks of the River Limmat on the Munsterhof, is easy to locate by its giant clock tower topped by a slender green spire. The church was donated by King Ludwig the German in 853 AD and originally served as a Benedictine convent. After the Reformation the church and the convent passed into the city’s possession.

Architecturally the Fraumunster is of interest for its Romanesque choir and the high-vaulted Gothic transept, but most visitors come to see the art. Besides the biggest organ in the canton with its 5793 pipes, the most important pieces of art are the stained glass windows by artist Marc Chagall.

In 1967, 80-year old Marc Chagall accepted the commission to create five 10-meter tall stained glass windows for the choir, as well as a circular rose window in the south transept. Upon completion, Chagall’s five masterpieces joined the existing stained glass window in the north transept designed by Augusto Giacometti in 1945, which depicts God and Christ, eight prophets, the Four Evangelists, and ten angels. Read More »

I am traveling to Paris next spring to celebrate a major birthday, and my entire trip is about eating and experiencing French food. As I was thinking about the itinerary, the more special, local food I discovered, the happier I became! Here are my top 5 must-dos in Paris for my perfect Paris food adventure:

French Brasserie

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I visited Montreal, Quebec, Canada, recently. I was only there for one night which was painful because I know that the city offers so much to see and do. Whether you’re into the arts, restaurants, music, museums or nature, Montreal truly has something for everyone – and that’s not me being cliche and cheesy.

Check out the following things to do in Montreal – we’ve gathered the best of the best!

1. Montreal Botanical Gardens

Huge and beautiful – and you don’t have to be a plant lover to enjoy the gorgeous landscaped grounds!

Montreal Botanical Gardens

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Lofty Mount Pilatus, the 7000-foot high massif that looms over Lake Lucerne, is a side trip that should not be missed when visiting Lucern, Switzerland. Steeped in legend, Mount Pilatus earned the nickname “Dragon Mountain” during the Middle Ages, as it was believed to harbor dragons and evil spirits and the body of Pontius Pilate was said to have been disposed of in a tiny lake on the mountain.

Para-gliders jump off the top of the Mount Pilatus and drift to the valley

Once a year, on Good Friday, Pilate appeared as a figure with flowing gray hair, wearing purple garments and seated on a chair in the middle of the lake. People so feared this vision that climbing the mountain and use of the lake was prohibited until 1585, when Lucerne’s priest and residents challenge the ghost. They Read More »

The Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland is known for being home to the Staubbach Falls, where the clash of water and rock turns the water into a spectacular cloud wave going upwards, in contrast to the water on its way down.

Die Wasserfälle der Schweiz

This beautiful natural symphony once famously inspired Goethe to write the poem Song of the Spirits over the Waters, in which he says – “The soul of man Is like the water: It comes from heaven, It returns to heaven.”

The 1000 ft Staubbach Falls has always been proud of its place as the tallest waterfalls in Switzerland. That was until waterfall specialist Florian Spichtig published  his book Die Wasserfälle der Schweiz, which takes an inside look at 129 of Switzerland’s best waterfalls.

Spichtig took a tape to all the falls, and turns out that the history books in Switzerland, which categorically declare Staubbach as the tallest waterfalls in Switzerland, are wrong – not once, but twice.

First Spichtig declared that the Seerenbach Falls on Lake Walen in eastern Switzerland was the tallest. Then the estimates were revised and he crowned the Mürrenbach Fall as the tallest, which brings the tallest waterfalls title back to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, but not to Staubbach.

For the record, the Rhine Falls is the biggest Falls in Switzerland, in terms of the flow of water. It is not as big as the Niagara Falls, which is six times as big, but still big enough to be the biggest Waterfalls in Europe. 

Related posts:-
Top Ten Waterfalls in the US
Lake Como Switzerland – scenic lake between Italy and Switzerland

CN Tower in Toronto, Canada

I visited Toronto, Canada last week, and I was so busy with work that I didn’t actually have a chance to go up the CN Tower. The view from the ground was impressive though! I’ll definitely go up the tower on my next trip, especially since it’s not as expensive as I thought. It’s $28 to go up the tower, test out your fear of heights on the glass floor and then zoom up 34 more stories in Sky Pod to the tallest level on the tower – yikes. It’s only $23 if you want to skip the Sky Pod. (Don’t worry about that glass floor – it can apparently take on 14 large hippos without breaking. Good to know!)

And, if you’re in the mood to spend some money on a lovely lunch or dinner, check out 360 The Restaurant, which offers, as you might guess, 360 degree views of Toronto – and the restaurant revolves, too!  The site says that “elevation is complimentary with the purchase of a main course,” which I assume means that your ticket price is comped.

If you’ve got kids with you, they might enjoy seeing one of the movies offered or the Himalamazon motion theater ride.

Be sure to check out the tower at night – it’s beautifully lit up!

Photo: Jenny Bengen

Fanshawe Pioneer Village in London, Ontario, Canada

London, Ontario is one of Canada’s most charming destinations. London has many worthwhile attractions and things to do year-round; the challenge is choosing between activities if you’re short on time! London, Ontario is smack in the middle of Ontario’s Shakespeare County, and as the name implies, you will find lovely, old-world style streets, quaint shops and a thriving performing arts and cultural scene. The next time you’re in London, Ontario, be sure to check out some of the following – if you’re a history buff, you’ll be especially thrilled:

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San Gervasio Ruins

Most visitors don’t think about Mayan ruins in Cozumel but the island boasts the 2,000 year-old ruins of San Gervasio.  Located on 125 acres of rain forest in the middle of the island, San Gervasio is the biggest archeological site in Cozumel. Dedicated to Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility and the moon, the structure was so important to ancient Mayan women that they made pilgrimages from as  far away as what is now Belize and Guatemala.  A visit to Ixchel’s shrine ensured that women would birth the average 18 children expected of Mayan women. Read More »

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Nestled between two of Canada’s most beautiful national Parks, Jasper National Park and Elk Island, Edmonton Canada’s sixth-largest metropolitan city and is the second largest city in Albert, second only to Calgary. Just over 780,000 people call this beautiful city home, and it’s no surprise why – there is plenty to see and do in Edmonton! Whether you’re stopping by for a weekend or a week, check out some of the following sights to get a flavor of what Edmonton has to offer.

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Coffee Heart Art

Walking around Florence, Italy’s spectacular art galleries and monuments can truly overwhelm you and apparently make you physically ill – it’s called Stendhal Syndrome, and having been to Florence multiple times, I can definitely attest to feeling overwhelmed by all the beauty and history, whether or not the syndrome is real. (Although, it could also have been the fact I nearly knocked myself out on a 14th century beam at the top of the Duomo.) Not a fan of dizziness and feeling completely overwhelmed? How about trying out an entirely different type of experience at the Espresso Academy. That’s right! Instead of wandering around the Accademia or the many piazzas, you’ll get to learn about one of Italy’s greatest passions, which some people say is a work of art in itself – coffee and espresso.

Don’t scoff! The Espresso Academy gets really good reviews, and I find it to be a refreshing, creative alternative to the city’s innumerable art galleries. Here, you’ll learn that anyone can make a cappuccino – but making a good one takes skill and knowledge. Have ever been to a cafe that creates little milk designs on the top of your cappuccino? There’s an actual certification you can get to learn how to do that (it’s not as easy as it looks!) in the course called Milk Art.

I would also love to take the Tasting course – you are able to taste coffees from all over the world, both good and bad, and learn how to distinguish between high quality and low quality coffees. Apparently, coffee is as complex as wine, and this course will help prove that to you.

Florence, Italy

Photos: journeyscoffee, stevehdc