Hiking the Trail to the Castle Neuschwanstein :Bavaria, Germany

One of the most beautiful places in the world, that I have ever been, was an easy day trip from Munich, Germany. Through the Bavarian Alps, the Castle Neuschwanstein towers on a mountain above the quintessential Alps towns of Hohenschwangau and nearby Füssen. It was an easy journey from Munich.

My hike to the Castle, Neuschwanstein…

Krakow Poland's PhotoMonth Event

This was my first time visiting Poland. It was an impromptu decision. I was going to Germany and Poland happens to be their neighbor. I love pirogies, wanted to visit Auschwitz and wanted to learn more about Poland than pirogies and Auschwitz. I arrived just in time for the final week of Krakow's PhotoMonth Event. Being one of Poland's oldest cities and a UNESCO world heritage site, Krakow is a dynamic setting to display contemporary artists photographs at various locations around the city. PhotoMonth is more than a month of photo exhibits; it's accompanied by workshops, outdoor events, concerts.

I decided to check out the exhibit at the Bunkier Sztuki Contemporary Art Gallery. I followed the bright red banner, announcing PhotoMonth, up to the art galleries crowded cafe to the entrance of the Bunkier Sztuki.

For my visit to Krakow’s Contemporary Art Gallery during PhotoMonth…

The Neues Museum in Berlin

I know what you are thinking…how could she be exploring the Neues Museum when the Currywurst Museum is right down the road! As intriguing as the invention of hotdogs slathered in spicy sauce is, I skipped the Currywurst Museum and went to Museum Island, stranded in the middle of the River Spree in Berlin, to visit one of their four great museums, the Neues Museum, famous for its Ancient Egyptian artifacts and the Nefertiti Bust.

Visit the Neues Museum in Berlin with me…

Random Richard Serra in Berlin

Here on the southern end of Tiergarten Park in Berlin, Germany, right in front of the Berlin Philharmonic (that yellow, musical looking building in the background) is what I found…

The Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin Smells

Were you expecting an outrageous building? I was. This could probably be mistaken for a Deutsche Bank if you don’t look closely for the banners marking it the Deutsche Guggenheim.

I didn’t get an outrageous building to show you but I did get a fantastic exhibit from NYC based artist, Wangechi Mutu, Deutsche Guggenheim’s newly crowned Artist of the Year 2010. Her solo exhibit, My Dirty Little Heaven re-creates a ghetto, similar to one in Mutu’s native Kenya.

Check out my visit the Deutsche Guggenheim to see Mutu exhibit on my recent trip to Germany.

A Fancy Fat Feline in NYC (A Hidden Modern Sculpture)

While I was in NYC I was too busy to stop at the usual suspects (ie- the Met, Guggenheim and MoMA) to catch the latest exhibits. But something I really wanted to show you- it's a little-known sculpture on the the upper east side by a very famous modern artist...

Hidden between these trees at 900 Park Avenue and 79th Street, gleaming in the sun, is...

The "Last Stop" for WW II soldiers- Piermont, New York

On a day trip to Piermont, New York I found this statue dedicated to the men who fought and died in WW II. The statue is called “Last Stop USA” and is appropriately placed in the last spot US soldiers would step foot on in the USA before embarking to Europe- off of the Piermont pier. 40,000 US troops per month passed through to board ships headed for the shores of Europe, many of whom never came home.

My blog post on the Last Stop USA WW II memorial statue

Top 10 Things to do in Nyack, New York (the best day trip from NYC)

There are so many other fun things to do in beautiful and historic Nyack, New York that you should know about. I should know...I lived here for a few years. So I compiled my top 10 list of fun things to do (because I know you love Top 10s! lists)


My Top 10 Fun Things to do in Nyack New York

An Edward Hopper Fan’s Pilgrimage to Nyack, New York

To cure any homesickness that might have occurred, I have managed to return to the US twice already this year. In between all the social events I made it to my old stomping grounds of Nyack, New York.

If you haven’t heard about Nyack, then you are missing a very quaint and historic town that is a short trip from New York City, about 25 miles north of Manhattan. You can explore this town’s great restaurants, bustling streets, scenic views and trails along the Hudson River, an abundance of parks for lazy picnics and my one of my favorite small art galleries and historic homes, The Edward Hopper House Art Center.

Visit my blog post about the Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack