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While traveling the past few weeks, I kept thinking about the upcoming 2020 US presidential election. More precisely, I kept wondering whether this election would be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. (more…)
Harald of Norway with Halfdan the Black, from Flateyjarbok.
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My recent adventure took me to the Northern Isles of Shetland and Orkney. During my trip, I visited the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, the Bronze Age settlement of Jarlshof, and the Viking Age sites described in the Orkneyinga Saga. As I visited these locations, I was reminded of all the hours (more…)
John Varley I, Bamborough Castle from the Northeast with Holy Island in the Distance, 1827.
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I recently traveled to Northumberland to visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle. Before visiting these sites, I woke up early each morning to take a walk along the beach at sunrise. During my walks, I thought about my life and all things I want out of life. As I look back on my time in Northumberland, I realize that we must always say what we want before we can achieve the things we want. (more…)
Lucas van Valckenborch, View of Antwerp with the frozen Scheldt, 1590.
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As I have gotten older, I find myself thinking about the fleeting nature of time. I often ask myself whether I have wasted too much time playing video games, reading fantasy books, or attending heavy metal concerts. Yet without these hobbies, I would have never visited Antwerp (more…)
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I have always wanted to visit Transylvania and Bran Castle, known throughout the world as Dracula’s Castle. Although having little connection to Vlad the Impaler or Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the myths behind the castle have inspired countless horror films and heavy metal songs. (more…)
Vlaho Bukovac, Gundulić’s Dream, 1894.
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While I was living in Eastern Europe, I traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia to go on some Game of Thrones walking tours. (more…)
W. Trentsensky, Cavalry skirmish during the Battle of Komárom, 1849.
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When I was living in Hungary, I took my girlfriend on a day trip to the border town of Komárno, Slovakia. Despite having a nice meal and a scenic walk around the town, I ended up complaining and arguing about trivial matters. Near the end of the day, we saw a memorial to Mór Jókai, the famous Hungarian writer (more…)
Antoni Piotrowski, The Batak Massacre, 1889.
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I spent a long summer in Sofia, Bulgaria to explore the area and attend a few heavy metal concerts. During my time there, I took daily walks through the city center where I passed by stray dogs, ancient ruins, and historic monuments. Many of these monuments were dedicated to the countless individuals that lost their lives (more…)
Lāčplēsis
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On my way to a heavy metal concert last year, I had a layover at the Riga Airport. While having a beer and a shot of Black Balsam at the airport bar, I was talking online to a Latvian woman that also liked heavy metal. I told her that I had always wanted to visit Riga (more…)
Juliusz Kossak, Kmita’s Companions on a Ride, 1885.
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When I first moved to Eastern Europe, I did not have any friends in the region. Thus, I spent the winter of 2017 in solitude. To avoid any feelings of loneliness, I set a goal to finally read Henryk Sienkiewicz’s trilogy of historical novels. I also set a goal to go for a walk each evening. Whether I was in Lviv, Rzeszów, or Minsk, (more…)
Holger Danske.
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Of all the airports I have traveled through, I have probably spent the most time at Copenhagen Airport. During a recent layover there, I kept passing by a souvenir shop that displayed books about hygge, a Danish term that broadly represents “coziness, contentment, and happiness.” Whether I was visiting castles, discovering ancient burial mounds, or attending heavy metal concerts with friends, I have had many experiences in Denmark that gave me the hygge feeling. As a wanderer, dissident, and white advocate, (more…)
George Lambert, View of Dover Castle, 1738.
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I went on a long train ride this week to meet some friends in the UK. Once I arrived, I wanted to try some local food and have some drinks in a British-style pub. (more…)