Stories, tips, & joy.

Spui is one of those magical parts of Amsterdam we think of when we envision the idealized Amsterdam. Quaint streets with bikes parked along brick-paved sidewalks, a lovely canal nearby to watch boats float by, taking us to some other time that is somehow both past and future at once. About 10 easy-walked-minutes from the…

From page one, I was smitten with Jean-Luc Bannalec’s Death in Brittany novel (2012). To be frank, I’d never heard of this book, much less this series starring French police commissaire Georges Dupin, until the day I laid eyes on it in my local library’s book sale. It’s like it was waiting for me, among…

Dan Brown revolutionized the historical thriller genre when his book The Da Vinci Code was published 22 years ago, in the process elevating literary tourism in the European locations featured in the novel. Now Prague is hoping his latest in the Professor Robert Langdon series, The Secret of Secrets (released just last month), can do…

Prague is the shining star The Secret of Secrets of Dan Brown’s latest novel starring beloved genius Professor Robert Langdon (brought famously to the screen in the adapted film The DaVinci Code, played by Tom Hanks). Long overdue to be the featured character in a modern novel, Prague is filled with beauty and appreciation of…

I’ve only been to the northern Italy – the lakes district and Milan. But I dream of going back to visit the rest of this gorgeous (and delicious) country and finally getting to Florence, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Capri, Pompeii, Venice, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Genoa… yep, everything else! While I wait, my mind’s been…

Books, bookish things, and literary places… with lots of reading to boot. These are the heart of what it takes to become designated as a City of Literature by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO. The unique places that earn UNESCO’s City of Lit label all recognize “past, present…

Heading to Paris and just need to get your book fix? No problem. Here are two English book stores you need to visit… along with a few more bookish places to see while you’re enjoying this jewel of a city too. Shakespeare and Company If you love books, reading and or writing… or watched or…

Maps have always been a way to share stories. They’re advice from one traveler to the next to go this way and see that there. We often take their storytelling purposes for granted as we rush to get from point A to B. When you think about it, a map can reveal a lot about…

Bill Bryson has a humorous outlook on life. Much like David Sedaris, I have enjoyed his work especially by audiobook, a friend telling you a good tale from their latest adventure. But when I saw Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island for a dollar at the thrift shop, I decided it was time to read…

Óbidos, Portugal is a shiny gem in the middle of Portugal for anyone who loves books, writing and really cool things. You don’t have to take our word for it – UNESCO agrees and granted it elite “Literary City” status, one of only 53 across the whole world. Here are six points of interest, conveniently…