Category Archives: Europe

How to embarrass yourself in Paris

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I readily admit that my language skills are atrocious. Wherever I travel, I always manage to awkwardly mangle any attempts at spoken communication in the local language. Oddly, my written understanding and comprehension can be adequate, but it all goes … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Lifting the lid on censorship

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

It’s been way to long since we’ve had a look at the always clever shenanigans of my favorite street art collective Luzinterruptus. The anonymous group of Spanish guerilla environmental/political art activists recently turned their attention to the Spanish Government’s new … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Freedom of Speech, Tech | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Visit Barcelona Before It Closes

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I love Barcelona—and who doesn’t—but I’m more than a bit ambivalent about newly-elected Mayor Ada Colau’s plans to try and limit tourist visits to the Catalan capital. A recent city hall press statement indicated that Barcelona was halting all new … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Hotels, Restaurants, Tourism | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

If you do it right, it will last forever

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

The late design icon Massimo Vignelli, who died last year, will always be remembered for his visually powerful and timeless graphic art. To honor his memory, the Spanish design studio Husmee Estudio Graphique asked a diverse group of international graphic … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Maps, Museums, Public Transport, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

It’s Elementary

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

British graphic designers Jim Kynvin and Adam Frost have teamed up to create a marvelous series of infographics exploring more than a century of Sherlockiana .

Posted in Books, Europe, movies, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Sculpture by the Sea

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

“When my Father died it was like a whole library had burned down” is Swedish artist Susanna Hesselberg’s contribution to this year’s Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Aarhus, Denmark. The cryptic title references Laurie Anderson’s song “World Without End”. … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Libraries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Travel Reading

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

While I might quibble with the specific book choices, I love the concept of this infographic from Fly Abu Dhabi. I always try and find good reads on my travel destinations before a trip. Travel guidebooks are great for history … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Asia, Books, Europe, South America, Tourism, Travel Writing, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Gonzo Bookselling

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I paid my dues as a flea market bookseller, but the random gallimaufry of book shelves, boxes and tables of my book stall pales when I see the brilliance of Jeff Towns’ traveling “BookBus”. Officially called Dylan’s Mobile Bookstore, the bookmobile turns up … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

But How’s The WiFi

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

With all of the time that travelers are forced to spend in airports these days, free and fast wifi has become even more important. The website Rotten WiFi has compiled crowd sourced speed test data on more than 130 airports … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Asia, Europe, Public Transport, Tech, Tourism, USA | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Mind Is Like An Iceberg

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

One hundred years ago Sigmund Freud published his groundbreaking paper titled “The Unconscious”, which revolutionized thinking about the mind. To mark this centenary, this week the Freud Museum London is launching a three-month long celebration to demonstrate how the unconscious … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Museums, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment