This post is a few weeks late, but I didn’t want to interrupt my series on our European trip. Now, however, I want to look back at these last four years of blogging. The actual day of my first post of Battered Suitcase was July 29, 2019. My first article was “Why Travel?” which has served as a bit of a guide to my posts over the years. My goal has been to help travelers have information on a variety…
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I recently saw a blog post where the photographer shared his favorite photos from the previous year. It dawned on me that I should do that. The point is not so much to say, “Look at these great photos,” but it gives me the opportunity to share about specific photos, and what I like about them. When I started this blog, the photos were always intended to be a major part of each post. However, I know that as one…
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In my first year of blogging, I did a post on nativity scenes from around the world. I shared that I had been collecting nativities as I enjoyed seeing how the birth of Christ was interpreted and represented within various cultures and by various artists. We recognize that while Christ’s birth happened in a certain time and location in history, he came for all mankind. The various cultural interpretations acknowledge that fact. The nativity scene in the cover photo is…
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One expects to encounter and experience other cultures when traveling. We definitely anticipate this if we are going to another country. However, even within a large country like the United States we can encounter other cultures as we travel around. We may not realize that because we may not understand what culture really is. Defining culture can be challenging. One definition I like is “the way of life for an entire society.” One of the things I like about this…
Whenever people travel, they always have some kind of expectations about their time on the road. Maybe they’re hoping for some rest and relaxation. Perhaps they are looking forward to some new and interesting experiences. Sometimes as people travel there are certain activities that just seem to be a necessary activity to participate in or experience. These may not be something that excites them, but when they get back home they know people will ask about it so they just…
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I love the word serendipity. First I think it’s a fun word to say. More importantly is its meaning. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary it means: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. In other words finding unexpected good things. When that happens while traveling, it just makes the travel experience that much better. It can also offer moments of greater understanding or clarity about another culture or country. In this post I’d like…
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When people consider where to travel within the United States, National Parks often rise to the top of the list. However, to limit one’s options to just the 62 designated National Parks is to miss out on many other opportunities across the United States. The National Park Service oversees 423 units or parks along with some 150 areas. In previous posts I have noted the National Historical Parks as well as the National Monuments which other government agencies sometimes oversee.…
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During these last few years of COVID anxiety, National Parks have been more popular than ever as people try to avoid crowds and stay outside. Previously I have shared about the ones that I have been able to visit, and you can find those posts here. In March I shared about the lesser known National Historical Parks. Today I want to focus on another list of possible places to visit this summer, National Monuments. If you hear monument, you might…
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The saying is that, “Timing is everything.” I started my blog shortly after retirement from teaching in 2019. I was looking forward to sharing some of my past experiences initially and then moving on to new adventures. While my wife is still working, she has generous vacation days so I expected we would travel a lot. However, about seven months later the world shut down as COVID took over the world. How was I going to write a travel blog…
It was nearly fifty years ago that I stepped onto a plane for the first time. That particular trip turned into about 15 flights in the space of a month. I wrote about that in a previous blog series. As I reflect on the last fifty years, it is interesting how much flying has changed in that time. Strolling down memory lane can help us appreciate some changes while lamenting others. First one needs to realize how common flying has…
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