Sunday, Sep. 18, 2011

Most people come to the Yomitan Peninsula on Okinawa’s main island for the sand and the scuba opportunities. I, however, am one of those island residents on whom paradise is wasted — I like neither a sweltering day at the beach nor an afternoon spent exploring the intimidating world beneath the waves. I’m more of a mountain lover, and while Okinawa is a bit short on elevation, recent explorations of my island home had me steering my car to the highest hil… (View original article)

During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell took a dim view of Rose Castle,
the Bishop of Carlisle’s palace in Cumbria. One of the occupants had been
rash enough to fire a cannon as he passed by, and so he burnt it. But thanks
to the efforts of Georgian and Victorian divines, it recovered from the
disaster and entered the 21st century as one of the most precious jewels of
the Church Commissioners’ portfolio. But the Puritans are back. Despite a
report two years ago… (View original article)

It’s been dubbed as “The Loveliest Castle in the World,” and the more than half a million visitors that made a trip there last year most probably agree. The Leeds Castle in Kent, England is a place of history and beauty, and perhaps “lovely” could even be considered as an understatement.

These are the historical bits: the castle was built in 1119 by

Robert de Crevecoeur. It served as the royal palace in 1278 for King Edward I of England and his q… (View original article)

It’s been dubbed as “The Loveliest Castle in the World,” and the more than half a million visitors that made a trip there last year most probably agree. The Leeds Castle in Kent, England is a place of history and beauty, and perhaps “lovely” could even be considered as an understatement.

These are the historical bits: the castle was built in 1119 by

Robert de Crevecoeur. It served as the royal palace in 1278 for King Edward I of England and his q… (View original article)