The crowd assembled in Liberation Square gripped their small British flags, eagerly awaiting the moment when re-enactors would come pouring into the plaza, dressed in vintage WWII uniforms. As the last strains of “Beautiful Jersey” faded away, cadets from the Royal Jersey Militia Army mounted a rear wall and came rushing through the onlookers, handing … Read more
Green and pink-haired teens clustered around the tattoo shops and clothing stores, pawing at leather dominatrix outfits and vintage hi-top sneakers imprinted with the Union Jack. I had come to Camden Markets to experience London’s alternative fashion scene but within minutes the seething crowds had frazzled my nerves. Abandoning my plan to be a pretend … Read more
Dull gray skies spit rain and the wind tore through my hair, but no amount of bad weather could wipe the grin off my face as I steered the Tall Ship Lady Avenel down the River Thames. As luck would have it, my visit to London had coincided with a press event held by the … Read more
During my first trip to the United Kingdom two years ago my friend and travel writing compatriot, Mike Sowden, took me on an architectural walking tour of York’s old city walls. As we neared the megalithic York Minster Cathedral, he asked what cities I had visited in England. “Only Newcastle and here,” I said. “You … Read more
Like most visitors to Barcelona, Spain, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sagrada Familia Basilica was on my must-see list, so I was surprised when an employee of the hotel where I was staying told me not to bother going inside. “Tickets are very expensive and there’s not much to see,” he said. If I … Read more
