Brewery Gate in Plzeň, Czech Republic

It all started in 1842, when the new municipal brewery in Plzeň, a town in southwest Bohemia, opened. The world was introduced to a new style of beer, the golden lager style, that would go on to revolutionize the brewing industry. Today, 95% of beer brewed in the world today is golden lager. The original is still brewed in Plzeň and is known internationally as Pilsner Urquell. For visitors, the town of Plzeň is a little bit off the beaten track. It's about 60 miles from Prague, which in the Czech Republic, makes it a day trip. The good news is that there is a day's worth of sight-seeing in Plzeň. There is a brewery tour, a brewery restaurant, and a brewery museum. Plzeň also has an attractive historic town square.

Beer in Sapporo, Japan

The first brewery in Japan was established in Sapporo in 1876. The beer, as well as the brewery, was inspired by the Bavarian model, and today, there is a lovely beer garden located at the brewery. One hour tours of the facility are complimentary.

The Budweiser Brewery Tour

Anheuser-Busch is the brewer of the largest selling beer in the world, Budweiser, with breweries all over the world. Within the U.S., Anheuser-Busch has 12 breweries; 5 of these breweries offer complimentary brewery tours (St. Louis, Missouri, Fairfeld, California, Ft. Collins, Colorado, Jacksonville, Florida and Merrimack, New Hampshire.) Free samples of the beer are also available.

Water at the Guinness Storehouse

The Guinness Storehouse, located in Dublin, is essentially a brewery museum, which covers the popular history of the brewery and exposes visitors to some insights into brewing the very popular Guinness beer. It attracts millions of visitors every year, making it one of Ireland's leading tourist attractions. At €14, it's a bit pricey for a self-guided tour, but the price of admission does include one complimentary pint at the roof top bar. It's called the Gravity Bar, and it provides patrons with some fairly impressive views of Dublin.

I have written an article about Guinness, which can be viewed HERE>>>

The Heineken Experience

Heineken doesn't brew beer here any more, but it used to. Its historic brewery in Amsterdam that was the center of it brewing enterprise from 1867 to 1988 is now a brewery museum called the Heineken Experience. Admission is €11 and includes a complimentary Heineken.

Peter Cooper Monument in New York

Peter Cooper founded Cooper Union in 1859 in New York City. Today, Cooper Union is one of the most selective colleges in the nation and one of the very few which does not charge its students any tuition. Cooper Union's Great Hall was the site of the school's inauguration whose primary address was given by Mark Twain. Months later, when Abraham Lincoln came to New York, he came to Cooper Union to give what would become his famous "Right Makes Might" speech at the Great Hall.

You can read my travel article about New York HERE>>>

King's Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts

The King's Chapel is not only one of the most historic churches in Boston, it has one of the most beautiful interiors in all New England. The King's Chapel was designed by Peter Harrison and dates to 1754; it served as the official Royal church of colonial administrators of Massachusetts.

You can read my article about the King's Chapel HERE>>>

Helsinki Cathedral

The Helsinki Cathedral (Evangelical Lutheran) was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and dates to 1852. It is today considered to be the most important landmark in all of Finland. Originally, it was called St. Nicholas Cathedral in honor of Russian Czar Nicholas when Finland was a part of Imperial Russia. Finland became an independent state in 1917. (What is today Finland was actually liberated by Russia from Sweden during the Finnish War of 1808-09, and the German architect Carl Ludvig Engel was chosen to design new buildings and public places for Helsinki at the behest of the Czar.)

The Riddarholmskyrkan in Stockholm

The Riddarholmskyrkan is located near the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm. Its iconic steeple is one of the most photographed images in Stockholm. It is the traditional burying place for members of the Swedish monarchy.

Vigeland Park in Oslo

Vigeland Park is actually a sculpture garden within the Frogner Park in Oslo, Norway. It is dedicated to the work of the famous Norwegian artist, Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943), who spent the last twenty years of his life creating art for the garden. In all, there are 212 sculptures over 80 acres.

Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen

Established in 1843, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark is an old world amusement park that is highly popular with travelers and Danes alike. If you want to get a feel for how people had fun before Disney, Copenhagen's Tivloli is the place to go.

Reykjavik's Hallgrímskirkja

The Hallgrímskirkja is one of the leading landmarks in Reykjavik, Iceland. Historically a Danish territory, the Republic of Iceland was established in 1944, and Reykjavik was chosen its capital. Construction on this church began in 1945 and was completed in 1986. The statue in front is of Leif Ericson and was a gift from the government of the United States. At 244ft, the church's tower dominates the Reykjavik's skyline, and there is a public observatory which provides vast views of the Icelandic countryside.

Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal

St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal is a Roman Catholic basilica in Montreal. Its dome was modeled after the dome at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and is considered to be the second largest in the world, after St. Peter's. Located near the top of the great expanse Mount Royal, its dome is the highest point in the city of Montreal. (As a result, aviation lights have had to be placed on the exterior of the dome.)

St. Joseph's is considered a church of miracles, that is, a healing church. More than two million people visit the church every year, many of them pilgrims in search of a healing miracle. There is a public display inside the basilica which is comprised of thousands of crutches which were brought into St. Joseph's by the sick, but left behind because they were no longer needed. Pope John II officially recognized the healing power of St. Joseph's in 1982.

To read more about churches in Montreal, click HERE>>>

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

Montreal's Notre Dame Basilica was designed by James O'Donnell of New York and was built in the Gothic Revival style that was popular in the 19th century. At the time it was built, it was the largest church in North America.

The true beauty of Notre Dame, however, is the work of designer Victor Bourgeau, who is responsible for the interior design. Notre Dame is possibly the most beautiful church in North America. The color scheme is interestingly dominated by sky-blue and sky-gold, and it is accented with a lot of timber expertly crafted by local artisans. The artwork attempts to tell both the story of the Bible along side the story of Montreal, with images of the saints right along sides images from the Canadian frontier.

To read more about churches in Montreal, click HERE>>>

Sofia's St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Sofia is a city of about 1.3 million and the capital of Bulgaria. One of its leading tourist attractions is the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is one of the world's largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals. Oddly, the cathedral, which surprisingly dates to 1912 was officially dedicated to the memory of the Russian soldiers fought and died in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 which freed Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire and resulted in the creation of the modern Bulgarian state.

All Saints Church in Moldova

All Saints Church dates to 1830 and is located in the Moldovan capital city of Chisinau. Part of the Imperial Russian Empire during most of the 19th century, part of Romania between the World Wars, and the USSR after WWII, Moldova declared its independence in 1991.

Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest

After hundreds of years of Ottoman, Hapsburg, and Imperial Russian rule in the region, the Kingdom of Romania was established in 1881, and Bucharest was chosen its capital city. In 1888, a new concert hall called the Romanian Athenaeum was built. It was just one of many new French-inspired buildings constructed in Bucharest in those years as its people strove to define their new capital. Unfortunately, many of those buildings were destroyed by the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu.

Charming Timisoara

Timisoara is a charming little city of about 300,000 in western Romania. After 150 years under Turkish Ottoman rule, Timisoara was captured by the Austrian Hapsburgs in 1716. It was under Austrian influence that Timisoara became a center of culture, art, and science, even at one point becoming known as "Little Vienna."

Bratislava Castle in Slovakia

Bratislava is a city of about 425,000 and is the capital of Slovakia, a nation which was formally created in 1993 when the nation of Czechoslovakia was divided. The origins of Bratislava Castle date to the 10th century, and its significance as a military and/or political center has waxed and waned greatly over the course of the years. It experienced its apex in the mid-1700s when Austrian Empress Maria Therese used the castle as the seat of the Kingdom of Hungary and was herself regularly present at the castle. Today, the castle is home to the Slovak National Musuem.

Dinosaurs in Houston

The Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas is one of the most impressive museums of its kind in the world. The museum was established in 1909 and opened its present location in Houston's Hermann Park in 1969.

Austin, the Capital of Texas

Austin is the home of the University of Texas, a vibrant local music scene (the one that produced Stevie Ray Vaughn), as well as the government of the state of Texas. To read more about Austin as a travel destination, you can read my article about Austin HERE>>>

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo

Known by most as simply the "Khan," this marketplace dates to 1382. It is the largest in Cairo, Egypt and one of the most fascinating bazaars in the whole of the Middle-East. It is also considered the best place for tourists and locals to mingle in Cairo.

Marcus Aurelius Arch in Tripoli

Tripoli is a city of about 1.7 million and the capital of Libya. Though Libya is technically one of the wealthiest in Africa, its wealth is not readily apparent. Because of its government's suspicions of foreigners, Libya had yet to fully embrace tourism. Its oldest historical landmark of interest is the Marcus Aurelius Arch. Built in 168 A.D., this archway is the only surviving vestige of the Roman Empire in Tripoli.

Tunis' New Clock Tower

Tunis is the capital city of Tunisia. Tunisia was where U.S. forces first fought the Germans during WWII, and not very far from the ancient city of Carthage, the North Africa American Cemetery is located. Dating to 2001, the Tunis Clock Tower is 125 ft and a symbol of the new, modern Tunis.

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

Casablanca, a city of approximately 4 million, is the economic capital of Morocco. Its Hassan II Mosque, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, is the second largest mosque in the world. It can host 25,000 worshipers within its walls and another 80,000 in its courtyard. Its minaret is the tallest in the world at 689 ft. The mosque was built between 1986-1993.

Street in Tangier

Artists such as Matisse and Tiffany were inspired by the Moroccan city of Tangier, as were writers William Burroughs and Paul Bowles, among others, who expatriated to Tangier and made it their home. Today, Tangier is home to a unique art museum, the Tangier American Legation Museum, which is housed in a building that served as the American Legation to Morocco from 1821 to 1956. It has a special room dedicated to Paul Bowles.

Queen's University in Belfast

When Queen Victoria established Queens University in 1849, it was part of a larger effort to make higher education more available throughout Ireland. Today, the school has approximately 25,000 students and is considered one of the better universities in the United Kingdom. The school's chancellor is former US Senator George Mitchell.

Dublin's Abbey Theatre

The Abbey Theatre was founded in 1904 as the National Theatre of Ireland. Behind the writing of W.B. Yeats and John Millington Synge, the Abbey would forge a distinctively Irish style of theatre. The original Abbey was destroyed by fire in 1951, and the company was compelled to use other theatres until the present facility opened in 1966. Leading Irish playwrights Hugh Leonard, Brian Friel, and Tom Murphy regularly have their works performed at the Abbey.

The Motherland Calls!

The site of the Battle of Stalingrad is now a public park in the re-named city of Volgograd, which is a city of more than 1 million along the banks of the Volga River in southern Russia. Approximately, 2 million people died during this WWII battle, and memorials to the dead can be found all over the city. The monument at the top is called "The Motherland Calls," and at approximately 155ft, it is slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Amir Timur Museum in Tashkent

This is one of the recent additions to the historic city of Tashkent in the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan. The museum is dedicated entirely to the 14th century warrior, the amir Timur, and the Timurid Dynasty, which was one of the largest and most powerful in the history of Central Asia. English playwright Christopher Marlowe wrote a play based upon Timur called Tamberlaine the Great, Parts I and II. Today, Timur is considered the greatest national hero of Uzbekistan.

Ban Jelačić Square in Zagreb

Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia with a population of approximately 1 million. Ban Jelačić Square is located in the historic Upper Town of Zagreb and is considered main commercial square of the city. Ban Josip Jelačić, for whom the square is named, is one of the great national heroes of Croatia, who is credited with freeing the Croatian people from Hungarian influence and winning a good deal of autonomy for the Croat people within the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg Empire.

Prešeren Square in Historic Ljubljana

France Prešeren is considered the greatest writer from Slovenia and one of the great Romantic poets of Europe. A verse from one of his poems is today the National Anthem of Slovenia.

Chinatown Gate in Portland

Located on the Willamette River at the historic Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon, the somewhat oddly named neighborhood "Old Town Chinatown" is the historic area where the city founders created the city of Portland in the mid-1800s. And for the traveler today, it's a natural first stop.

Seattle's Pike Place Market

Established in 1907, the Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operating farmers market in America. Located on 9-acres of waterfront property in downtown Seattle, the Market is much more than farmers market. Craftspeople, small merchants and restaurants combine with the fresh produce and seafood to make an eclectic collection of services that attracts both locals and tourists alike.

Gastown in Vancouver

Gastown is the original town settlement that would become the city of Vancouver. Today, Gastown is a lovely historic district, filled with shops and restaurants and 19th century architecture. One of its landmarks is the world's only steam powered clock, which bursts steam at every quarter hour.

Stretch Lada in Cuba

This is a do-it-yourself stretch job performed on an old Soviet-era Russian car called Lada. Lada was the leading seller of automobiles in the Soviet Union.

El Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre

Nicknamed "El Cobre" for short, this is the most famous church in Cuba. Located just out of Santiago, it has, since its construction in 1927, been a church of pilgrimage for the Cuban people. Santiago is the the second largest city in Cuba and is considered the cultural and artistic capital of of the nation. Desi Arnaz was born and raised there.

Egyptian Temple in Spain

Construction on the Temple of Debod began in the 2nd century B.C. Originally located along the banks of the Nile River in southern Egypt, the temple was donated and moved to the Spanish city of Madrid when dam construction on the Nile threatened the safety of the temple. It was moved in 1968 and opened to the public in 1972.

Catedral de Canarias

This is the Cathedral of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, which are an autonomous region in the Kingdom of Spain. Las Palmas is the largest and most historic city in the Canary Islands, having served as pit-stop for mariners between Spain and the Americas. Christopher Columbus stopped here at Las Palmas in on his way to America. The Cathedral is probably the oldest structure in the city, dating to sometime in the early 1500s.

Monument of Martyrs

This is located in the intriguing city of Algiers in Algeria. The monument was built in 1984 to honor those who suffered and died during the bloody Algerian struggle for independence. Algeria officially won its independence from France on July 5, 1962.

Ruins at Pompeii

Pompeii is an ancient Roman city destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius (in the background) in 79AD. Either go with a tour guide or pay the extra money for an audio guide because there are no explanatory signs to be found any where.

Obelisco de Buenos Aires

This is Plaza de la Republica in Buenos Aires, the principle public meeting place for the people of Argentina. The 220 ft obelisk was built here in 1936 to celebrate the city's 400th anniversary.

Greetings From Liechtenstein!

The Schloss Vaduz is the residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II, who is considered one of the world's most wealthy men. Liechtenstein is an old-fashioned constitutional monarchy where the Prince wields far greater power than the Prime Minister. Located in the city of Vaduz, the home is unfortunately not open to the public.

Look Out in Budepest

The Fisherman's Bastion is located on the Buda side of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. Built in 1902 as a recreational look-out, it is named in honor of the fishermen who both fished here and who were charged with defending this section of the Danube from foreign invaders during the Middle Ages.

Longwood House, Natchez, Mississippi

Longwood was supposed to be the grandest mansion in all of Natchez, but construction was halted as a result of the Civil War. The interior is nearly wholly incomplete. The house is a museum open to the public.

The Tijuana Cultural Center

Yes, Tijuana has a cultural center.

The Getty in L.A.

Founded in 1997, the Getty was designed by renown architect, Richard Meier. The museum's collection primarily consists of classical and European works.

BMW Headquarters

Still under construction, this will be the newest part of the BMW headquarters in Munich, Germany.

Melbourne's Rialto Towers

The Rialto is a 63 story office building in Melbourne, Australia. Discounting communication masts and the like, it is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.

Golden Temple Pavillion in Kyoto, Japan

The original Golden Temple was burned to the ground by a mentally deranged monk (fictionalized in Yukio Mishima's novel The Temple of the Golden Pavillion) in 1950. It was re-built in 1955.