Category Archives: Tourism

Light Up The New Year

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Amsterdam’s annual Festival of Lights is welcoming the New Year and banishing winter blahs with 36 illuminated installations around the city. This year’s theme “Existential” was interpreted by artists from a dozen countries, including the beloved human rights activist artist … Continue reading →

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World’s Smallest Bookshop

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The world’s tiniest bookshop launched this week in Malmö Sweden. The diminutive bookstore, called Frankie & Benjys Böcker, was created by an anonymous street art collective appropriately named AnonyMouse. Their mouse-sized mini-bookshop joins the group’s previous projects, Il Topolino, a miniature restaurant, and Noix de Vie, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Theater, Tourism | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Winter Is Coming

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Tomorrow marks the  winter solstice —the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the northern hemisphere, the solstice also marks the official start of winter. Here on the east coast of the U.S., the solstice will be happen at … Continue reading →

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Imagine Peace

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The Imagine Peace Tower is a dramatic and moving memorial to John Lennon that was built by Yoko Ono on Viðey Island just off Reykjavik, Iceland. The monument consists of a round stone base with the words “Imagine Peace” inscribed in 24 … Continue reading →

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Amsterdam is Magical

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve had the good fortune to visit Amsterdam many times, in every season. While I love balmy summer days hanging in cafes along the atmospheric canals or lounging in Vondel Park, there is something truly magical about the city in … Continue reading →

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Free Airline Ticket (really)

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The catch to getting your free air ticket is that you first have to purchase and play a game. Get Packing is a limited edition board game from JetBlue airline which comes with one free round trip ticket anywhere JetBlue flies. The … Continue reading →

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Packing Priorities

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Brian D. Butler
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Rationalizing Airport Security

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

During the last two weeks Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport has been testing a novel approach to airport security screening. The Personal Security Pass pilot project aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to reduce wait times and make passenger security screenings … Continue reading →

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Reasons to use a guidebook

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

As a former travel guidebook author, I am biased in favor of old-school print travel guidebooks. Not that I am completely averse to digital travel literature; I use e-book guides too. But print guides are easier to highlight and annotate, … Continue reading →

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Coffee Makes The World Go Round

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Folks who know me will vouch for my life-long love of coffee. For the most part, I’m a coffee purist; I tend to stick with simple and direct caffeine delivery systems. Give me a doppio espresso, a Red-Eye, or just … Continue reading →

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