Category Archives: Europe

Yule Got Your Goat

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

If you’re a gambler, the bookies in Gävle, Sweden are still taking bets on the fate of this year’s Gävlebocken ( Gävle Goat ). Each winter since 1966 the city in central Sweden has been erecting a 40-foot tall straw … Continue reading →

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

We Always Remember

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Brian D. Butler
Posted in Europe, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Everything Comes To An End

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I read this week that Nordstedts, the Swedish publisher of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series has engaged author David Lagercrantz to write an “original” sequel to Stieg Larsson‘s Millennium series using characters from the trilogy. I don’t know … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Great War

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I recently had a number of conversations with young friends and family members about their difficulties with their history classes in high schools and at university. As a former history teacher, I found the lack of connection with the subject … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, History, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I Want a MultiPass

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The MultiPass—named after a personal identification device seen in the sci-fi flick The Fifth Element—is a digital card that will allow users to pay for virtually any type of transportation throughout the UK. Like a digital wallet for travelers, the … Continue reading →

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

The Little Prince : A New York Story

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

 For seven decades booklovers around the world have been drawn to Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry’s parable of an interstellar traveler, The Little Prince, who comes to Earth in search of friendship, compassion, and understanding. Few readers, however, realize that the iconic … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Libraries, Museums, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t Drink the Water

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Amsterdam is commemorating the 400th anniversary of its iconic canals by selling souvenir sets of Amsterdam Canal Aqua. The four bottle set, which retails for €50, is filled from the Singel, Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Each bottle is labeled with … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe, History, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t Be Rude

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

On my recent visits to Paris, I noticed that the Metro was more crowded than ever.But it seemed that Parisians were relatively civil compared to subway riders in NYC, or even London. So, I was a bit surprised to see … Continue reading →

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

All Aboard the Little Red Bus

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

There’s never a dull moment when daredevils of Frenchies’ Flying Circus challenge all notions of what the circus can be. “From Spain to Scotland, Brussels to Brévent, traveling by air, land and sea, they hit the road tumbling, flying, gliding … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Film, Photography | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Fun With Maps

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The Belgium-based international crew at Khuan+Ktron are gaining renown for their whimsical, colorful and eccentric work. They’ve built a solid reputation with off-beat typographics, books, posters, infographics, brochures, ad work and lots of magazine covers. This set of marvelous maps is … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Maps, Tourism | Tagged , | 2 Comments