Category Archives: Europe

London Calling

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Soon Come is a sweet short film featuring skateboarder Ezra Bruno rolling through a deserted London reminiscing poetically about what life was like before Covid-19. The film, produced by Outright Films, was shot in one day during April of this … Continue reading →

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Primary Source

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

It’s now possible to read one of the oldest books of English literature in the world  online.The Exeter Book is a 1oth century anthology of poetry in Old English and one of  only four manuscript books containing virtually all the English … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, ebooks, Europe, History, Libraries, Tech, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Restoring Rome

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

During the past few weeks, I have been pondering a story from the news about a project to restore parts of the ancient Roman Colosseum and open those areas to tourists. The story claimed that for the first time ever, … Continue reading →

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

Chill Out

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I have never visited the little fishing village of Polperro in Cornwall, UK, but it has been highly recommended to me over the years. The very chill, hour-long video of the village (below)is incredibly relaxing and meditative. There is no … Continue reading →

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Nemo me impune lacessit

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

In this age of mindless memes, it’s refreshing to run across an unexpected Edgar Allan Poe reference. While not as well known as the Murders in the Rue Morgue or the Tell- Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado is just … Continue reading →

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Always Check Your Bookmarks

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Researchers recently discovered an unassuming bookmark in a 19th century French novel that featured three sketches by Vincent Van Gogh. In 1883,  the artist gave a friend the book and more than a century later, researchers discovered that the novel … Continue reading →

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Bad Bunnies or the World Turned Upside Down

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I have long been intrigued by the variety of marginalia found in medieval European manuscripts. While it’s not uncommon to discover colorful and playful images of mythical creatures, dogs, cats, snakes, snails, or sexualized caricatures or people, I only recently … Continue reading →

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Soon the city fades before your eyes…

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

When you have arrived at Phyllis, you rejoice in observing all the bridges over the canals, each different from the others: cambered, covered, on pillars, on barges, suspended, with tracery balustrades. And what a variety of windows looks down on … Continue reading →

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Midnight Train From Paris

Posted on July 1, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Many years ago, when I took my first big European trip, I managed to stretch my travel budget by traveling at night by train. More often than not, I simply tried to sleep in a regular compartment, however when the … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: London

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I have had the great fortune to spend both quality and quantity time in London’s wonderful bookstores. In fact, I have browsed 15 of the 17 bookshops featured in the video below. Compiled by Abebooks.com, the short film features some … Continue reading →

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