Alaska: The Great American Cruise

The Louvre is one of the most incredible museums in the world, full of priceless and beautiful works of art - none of which I’m qualified to talk about. But, I got tons of footage - and so rather than try to tell you any real history about it this art, I think I will simply show you some of the beautiful paintings and sculptures, and I’ll intersperse with some of what I like to call - Dad History.

Get up close the scale of this monument to the indomitable spirit of France! While the arch was initially commissioned by Napoleon I in 1806, it wasn’t completed for 30 years, after many stops and starts along the way. Since then, it has stood as an iconic symbol of France.

The Opera Garnier stands as a testament of the opulence and decadence of a bygone era. Built between 1861 and 1875, it was eventually renamed for this man, the architect behind the project, Charles Garnier, Stepping into the Palais Garnier transports one into a refined frame of mind.

Welcome to Florence, Italy! Enter here, the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, better known as the Duomo. Climb the 463 stone steps, past Vasari’s frescoes of the Last Judgement, through the seemingly never ending narrow passageways, and finally emerge at the top of Brunelleschi’s Dome. From here, enjoy one of the best views in all of Italy!

In my humble opinion, no trip to Barcelona would be considered complete without a visit to La Sagrada Familia. La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for over 130 years but there is finally an ending in sight - 2026, on the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudi’s death.

Experience one of the most interesting and unusual attractions in Seattle - Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour! After a brief introduction to the town’s history from our tour guides, we were lead down below street level, to a series of interconnected tunnels that mark the original “ground floor” of the city.

While today the White Pass & Yukon Route operates merely as a tourist attraction, the story of the this railroad is the story of gold. In July 1897, miners arrived in Seattle with tons of it. The news electrified the nation and within weeks, tens of thousands of men & women steamed north towards Skagway. There they would start their harrowing 600 mile journey to the Klondike gold fields. Construction of this 110 mile narrow gauge railroad began in 1898 to make the journey to through White Pass easier. Nowadays, it’s more of a leisure experience than a practical one, and we were simply enjoying the spectacular views.

Without a doubt, the most iconic building in Seattle is the Space Needle. Standing 605 feet tall, for 50 years it has been a defining landmark, identifying the Seattle skyline at a mere glance. A one minute elevator ride takes you to the top of the spire, where the observation deck provides 360 degree views of the city. The Space Needle is in the heart of Seattle Center, an area also home to the Museum of Pop Culture, the Children’s Museum, the Chihuly Garden and the Pacific Science Center. We decided not to venture to the top of the Space Needle this time because we knew we wanted to visit another landmark with commanding views of the city later in the day, the Smith Tower. But that just means we’ll need to come back to Seattle and visit the top next time!

Fun Fact: The Space Needle was built for the 1962 world’s fair. In 2018, a 100 million “Spacelift” on the Space Needle completed. The observation deck now features multi-level floor to ceiling glass panels, and is home to a first of its kind rotating glass floo

The world famous Pike Place Public Market! Of all the major sites in Seattle on our list, this was the one I was most excited to visit! The Pike Place Market dates from 1907, and it’s one of the largest and oldest markets in the US. Hundreds of farmers, artisans, chefs, craftspeople and small businesses are located within the sprawling nine acre historic district.

Although glaciers are abundant in southeast Alaska, only a few are as accessible as Mendenhall Glacier. Mendenhall Glacier is located about 12 miles outside Juneau, and it is one small fraction of the Juneau Icefield, a 1,500 square mile expanse of snow and ice that’s home to about 40 other large glaciers. Standing back and trying to drink it all in, you realize that there are few places as astounding and overwhelming in the world. Guests can almost walk right up to the glacier from the Visitor Center to get up close and personal with this frozen wonder. One marvels at the staggering shades of blue display, while huge chunks of ice calve into the small Mendenhall lake.

The exploration of glaciers in Alaska is one of the greatest travel experiences in North America, and nowhere allows you to do that better than here. This is World Heritage site, an immersive natural lab, a United Nations Biosphere reserve, a national park, and most importantly, a spiritual homeland for Tlingit natives. Here you’ll find countless species of plants and wildlife, placid and serene waters, soaring mountains, and earth shaping rivers of ice. This is Glacier Bay National Park.

London has some amazing museums, and one that should definitely not be missed is The British Museum! Dedicated to human history & art, the museum first opened to the public in 1759. Over the past two and a half centuries the museum has expanded to what we see now, a massive collection of over 8 million objects from all around the world. Admission to the museum is free, but donations are welcome.

Open up your eyes and ears to a take in a place not within the walls of your own dwelling. Take a minute, take a breath, and imagine you're somewhere else, soaking in the beauty of the world that we often took for granted.

Any trip to Barcelona would be considered incomplete without a visit to La Sagrada Familia. For over 135 years, construction on this monumental place of worship has been underway. In 1883, when modernist architect Antoni Gaudi took over the project, he replaced the classic Neo-gothic plan with one a modern one, one distinctly “Gaudi”. The massive church is full of symbolism, inside and out, and depicts in incredible detail, scenes from the bible juxtaposed with an overt theme of nature. When completed, La Sagrada Familia will have the tallest steeple in the world. As of now, work is slated to be complete on Sagrada Familia in 2026, marking the 100 year anniversary of Gaudi’s death.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Cliffs of Moher, on the west coast of Ireland. Open up your eyes and ears to a take in a place not within the walls of your own dwelling. Take a minute, take a breath, and imagine you're somewhere else, soaking in the beauty of the world that we often took for granted.

Located on the south end of the Millennium Bridge is Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a reconstruction of the theatre that mounted many of Shakespeare’s original plays. The design is as historically accurate to the original Globe Theatre as possible, with some upgrades in safety regulations. Builders used the same types of materials that would have been available in the early 1600’s when the original was built, and even used many of the same techniques & tools that would have been used in construction. Shakespeare's Globe is an open air amphitheater, which means show’s primarily run spring through fall, but tours are offered year round. The Globe also offers classes & seminars for up & coming thespians, along with a small museum dedicated to Shakespeare and his works. The museum is a self-guided tour with an accompanying audioguide, and has representations of sets, costumes, & even musical instruments that would have been used in Shakespeare’s day. And mine friends, I assuredly sayeth to thee, tis a consummation devoutly to be wished, to exit through the gift shop.

Trinity College is one of the most recognizable and important sites in Dublin. The biggest crowd draw at Trinity College is the Book of Kells, an ancient text that was hand crafted by monks around 800 AD. Trinity College boasts some famous alumni as well, including Oscar Wilde and James Joyce.

The Guinness Storehouse is a high priority on the list of many a Dublin visitor.

While Blarney Castle has almost no historical significance, for centuries, tourists have been schlepping up to the highest turret of this medieval castle and kissing the Blarney stone, in the hopes of receiving the Irish “Gift of Gab”. While it may be one of the greatest tourist traps in Ireland, the Blarney Castle is still worth a visit, if for no other reason, than bragging rights.

The Cliffs of Moher stand proudly as one of the greatest natural wonders of the world, and no trip to Ireland would be complete without a visit. While there are tours that will take you directly to the top, (complete with visitor’s center and gift shop), if you’re physically able, there’s nothing like hiking the whole length of the coast. Start from Doolin, and hike The Burren Way.

Doolin Cave is home to the world’s second largest stalactite! Friendly and knowledgeable guides lead guests down 125 steps, 210 feet below the earth to the main cavern, where they can behold the 8 million year old natural formation.

Burren National Park offers some of the best hiking in Ireland. While hikes often consist of many steps and rocky, uneven footpaths, the Burren’s beauty more than makes up for the sore feet.

Galway City is a metropolitan city by western Ireland standards. With a fascinating history dating back to medieval times, Galway is now a town bursting with life. The street scene is lively, complete with buskers, brightly painted pubs, and a multitude of shops.

If it’s a storied past you’re in search of, look no further than Her Majesty’s Royal Palace & Fortress the Tower of London, a medieval castle in the heart of London with a bloody history. The Tower of London was established by William the Conquerer in the year 1066, but nearly 1000 years of history have culminated in the behemoth construction you see now.

Arguably the most recognizable landmark in all of London, Big Ben stands tall along the River Thames, a historical sentinel, conjuring images of our favorite movies, TV shows and books. What may surprise you, however, is that Big Ben is not the name of this iconic clock tower, it is actually The Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the name of the bell that rests behind the clock face. The Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben are attached to the Palace of Westminster, which is the home to the British Houses of Parliament. Sharp eyed fans of the popular TV show Downton Abbey may also notice that the Palace of Westminster bares a striking resemblance to the real life Highclere Castle. That’s because shortly after completing work on the Houses of Parliament, architect Sir Charles Barry remodeled Highclere Castle and incorporated much of the same design in both.

Just a few steps from St. Paul’s Cathedral is a much newer addition to the city, the pedestrian only Millennium Bridge! This steel suspension bridge officially opened to the public in 2000, but wasn’t completely functional until 2002. The bridge connects the north and south bank of the Thames, with St. Paul’s Cathedral to the north, and the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe to the south. There are over thirty bridges in London crossing over the Thames, but the Millennium bridge is the only one specifically built for pedestrians in over a century. The bridge offers some spectacular views of the city, and is extremely handy when trying to get from one attraction to the next!

Harrods Department Store is a London institution and no trip to is complete without a visit. Even if you’re not one for shopping, stepping into these hallowed halls of retail history is a rite of passage for all who visit here. No matter when you visit, chances are the place will be busy, but avoid weekends and weeks leading up to holidays and you should be able to make your way through with relative ease. Of course, Harrods has your big name expensive brands, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Gucci, Burberry and the like, but it also has so much more! Step into Harrods Food Hall for a quick bite to eat or something to take home. They have desserts and meat pies and everything in between, and it’s all made right in the Harrods Kitchens. If this doesn’t strike your fancy there are 27 other restaurants to choose from and they even have a small grocery store stocked with fresh produce! Once you’ve had your fill of delicious pastries and cakes, make your way through the crowd to the elevators and start to explore the seven floors and 330 departments! Another famous feature of Harrods is the Egyptian Escalator, decorated with Egyptian symbolism and sculptures.

Harrods is best when you can take your time. The store is absolutely massive, so don’t expect to see everything. Instead, pick a few departments that sound interesting to you and take your time.

London has some amazing museums, and most are amazingly free, but one that should definitely not be missed is The British Museum! Dedicated to human history & art, the museum first opened to the public in 1759. Over the past two and a half centuries the museum has expanded to what we see now, a massive collection of over 8 million objects from all around the world. Admission to the museum is free, but donations are welcome.

Since 1837, Buckingham Palace has been the official residence & principal workplace of the monarchy in London. This fully functional palace is comprised of 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 240 Royal, guest & staff bedrooms, more than 90 offices and 78 bathrooms!

The tallest structure along the banks of the River Thames, and one of the newest, is the London Eye. Constructed using parts from all over Europe, this 443 foot tall ferris wheel has 32 air-conditioned pods, each representing one of the 32 boroughs of London.

Westminster Abbey was founded in the year 960, and is one of the most historically significant churches in all of the United Kingdom.