History Guru Blog

Berlin's Pergamon Museum: The Altar of Zeus

Fri, 31 Jan 2014 22:11:45 GMT

Berlin's Pergamon Museum is located on 'Museuminsel' or Museum Island, which consists of an ensemble of 5 museums. In 1999 the 'Museuminsel' was listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Centre stage in the Pergamon Museum is the monumental and Hellenistic 'Altar of Zeus'. Another equally gobsmacking exhibit in the Museum is the 'Ishtar Gate'. An interesting temporary exhibition on 'Uruk - 5000 Years of the Megacity' was another highlight of this visit.

Roman Villas in Germany

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 20:56:52 GMT

An insight into mainly Baden-Wurttenburg and Bavaria's Roman villas.

A Visit to some Celtic Heritage Sites in Germany: Kelheim and Manching

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:08:19 GMT

The former formidable oppida of Kelheim and Manching are well displayed in their respective towns' museums. Additionally, Celtic artefacts are shown from other German sites.

In search of Roman sites near or along the Limes Trail of Germany

Sun, 03 Nov 2013 11:13:04 GMT

An investigation into some of the main sites and museums near or along the Roman limes trail, a World Cultural Heritage site since 2005.

The Moselle and Rhine Rivers: Gallo-Roman life

Sat, 28 Sep 2013 21:42:46 GMT

Some fascinating insights into Gallo-Roman times can be gained driving along these two great German rivers: the Moselle and Rhine.

Trier- Germany's oldest city.

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 22:06:49 GMT

The Gallo-Roman civitas of Trier was once described by a Roman writer, Pomponius Mela, as 'urbs opulentissimo' or 'city of great wealth amongst the Treveri'.

Bliesbruck-Reinheim: Celtic Princess, Roman villa and Gallo-Roman site.

Sat, 24 Aug 2013 12:14:44 GMT

A visit to the European Archaeological Park of Bliesbruck-Reinheim, a testiment to the value of conserving heritage albeit within two national boundaries- Germany and France. An archaeological triple treat!

The 'Hell of Verdun' - 'L'Enfer de Verdun'

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 16:04:44 GMT

A visit to Verdun, its War Museum and Fort Douaumont .

Champagne and 'les crayeres', a Gallo-Roman legacy.

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:55:02 GMT

History of Champagne province.

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art: a huge warehouse of antiquities

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:46:39 GMT

A visit to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A smorgasbord of Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C.

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:08:33 GMT

National Museum of American History and the National Museum of the American Indian make up only a fraction of the 19 Smithsonian museums and art galleries. The National Zoo is also included in its portfolio of care.

San Francisco: de Young and Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museums

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:37:19 GMT

American Indigenous art.

Yosemite National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1984)

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:55:01 GMT

A must see eco site near San Francisco.

The Grand Canyon: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:42:33 GMT

A journey to UNESCO's World Heritage Site in Arizona - the Grand Canyon.

Rome's legacy in Las Vegas, Nevada- Caesars Palace

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:46:41 GMT

The Graeco-Roman past is on-show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cleopatra - 'The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt' Exhibition in L.A.

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:02:01 GMT

A modest yet fascinating underwater archaeology exhibition at the Science Center, Los Angeles featuring Franck Goddio's discoveries at Canopus and Heracleion near Alexandria, Egypt. The exhibition sheds some light on Cleopatra VII's life in ancient Egypt.

The Getty Center and Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:06:09 GMT

Getty Center and Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

Los Angeles: The Getty Villa

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:28:47 GMT

A tour of a superb Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles, a legacy of an eccentric American billionaire, John Paul Getty.

Los Angeles: city of glam, long boulevards, bitumen and legacies of John Paul Getty

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:00:18 GMT

7 July 2012 visit to Los Angeles La Brea Tar Pits.

Los Angeles: city of glam, long boulevards, bitumen and legacies of John Paul Getty

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:00:18 GMT

7 July 2012 visit to Los Angeles La Brea Tar Pits.

Prehistoric Rock Art in Krabi, Thailand - January 2012.

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:35:25 GMT

Tourists travelling to the south-west coast of Thailand around the usual resort sites of Phuket and Phi Phi Island should stop in Krabi Province to see some of Thailand’s best prehistoric cave art....

OCTOBER 23-25: BACK TO WINDY ENGLAND (BRIGHTON) AND THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:13:23 GMT

Spanish airports like Spanish roads and rail are first class. Spanish sovereign debt may be large at over 60% of GDP along with high unemployment of 23% but some of the government’s previous...

OCTOBER 22-23: Malaga in the rain!

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:31:16 GMT

Ronda’s high average annual rainfall caught up with us on our departure down the mountain to Malaga. Talk about storm and tempest! An angry Jupiter was busy with his bolts of lightning...

OCTOBER 20-22: Remarkable Ronda Part 2

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:38:01 GMT

Walking around the old Moorish quarter of Ronda called ‘La Ciudad’, I was surprised to find so many interesting places. The first street we entered was Calle Tenorio which wraps around the gorge of...

OCTOBER 20-22: Remarkable Ronda Part 1

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:49:05 GMT

Our drive along Costa del Sol’s freeway which runs parallel with the coast, revealed a phenomenal amount of tourist development. Although the land grab for tourism began as early as the 1960...