Category Archives: Europe

General Headquarters

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

When I first read about a lost board game called “General Headquarters” that was created by Kurt Vonnegut, I was certain that it was an elaborate internet hoax. But, apparently I was wrong. Vonnegut’s life was not without its ironies. … Continue reading →

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Obvious travel advice and more

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Obvious travel advice, including “Mindset matters more than where you go”, and “Don’t confuse scarcity with value. A really good afternoon in the park (a really good one) is maybe about as good as it gets.” I recently purchased what may be … Continue reading →

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How not to blend in

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

With the return of mass U.S. tourism in Europe, there has been renewed chatter on social media about how American tourists stand out. After more than four decades of travel in Europe, I’ve accepted that I will never completely blend … Continue reading →

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Tram Champs

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been an enormous fan of trams since I experienced my inaugural tram trip in Amsterdam more than four decades ago. It may sound a bit silly, but for a North American, European trams seemed to be such a brilliant … Continue reading →

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Mapping Meaningful Travel

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

 Tourism Cares, a leading non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability within the tourism industry, announce the launch of its “Get on the Map” campaign, a month-long initiative running from October 1 through October  31, 2024. The campaign is designed to inspire … Continue reading →

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Iceland in a nutshell

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

It’s been a hot minute since I indulged my Iceland obsession, so here’s a marvelous video that will have you packing your bags for a Winter trip to the otherworldly travel paradise. SNÆFELLSNES – ICELAND IN A NUTSHELL by Alessandro … Continue reading →

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Wild Beasts of Art

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I don’t think that I really appreciated the work of the great French artist Henri Matisse until I saw a fabulous retrospective show at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.. After viewing the exhibition, I became a huge … Continue reading →

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Fatherlands

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

 

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It’s really all about mutual aid

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

It may seem to be a big leap from U.S. Presidential politics to a book published in 1902 by a Russian scientist and anarchist, but this week watching the electioneering I have been thinking about Peter Kropokin’s seminal work Mutual … Continue reading →

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Puffling

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Regular visitors to TBTP will be aware that I am enamored with all things Iceland. Of course that includes the unofficial symbol of the country the puffin. In coastal cities in Iceland, including on the Vestmannaeyjar islands, it’s common to … Continue reading →

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