Halfway between lovely Sioux Falls in the eastern part of South Dakota and the gorgeous Black Hills in the west, Pierre seemed a good resting spot for a couple of days as I traversed the state. And when I first arrived here, I knew immediately that “resting” would be the operative word in this very small city of 14,000 of the friendliest people you’re ever likely to meet. But the city’s size — it’s the second-smallest capital in the United States (after tiny and charming Montpelier, Vermont) — also offers a good opportunity to really get to know and admire some of its outstanding architecture. These are my top five buildings in Pierre. Read more >
Monthly Archives: March 2015
First-rate Dining at Café Christiania in Oslo, Norway
Consistently ranked at or near the top of lists of the most expensive cities in the world, Oslo can easily break your budget. While you’ll want enough money to last throughout your entire trip, you won’t want frugality to prevent you from enjoying the finer things that this friendly city offers. The key is balance. For instance, you can spend your day ice skating at the free rink in the middle of the city and admiring the 212 bronze and granite sculptures in fee-less Vigeland Park while snacking on excellent cheese and bread from a local grocer, then put all the krone you saved into a superb dinner. And one of the best restaurants to enjoy that superior meal is Café Christiana. Read more >
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Unexpected Masterpieces in the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art
I didn’t know any of their names, and I had never seen their works before. But the artists exhibited in the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art in Zagreb completely captivated me, particularly because just about all of them had never received any formal training or schooling. Despite that, these naïve artists, akin to folk or so-called primitive artists, have created a unique style with their use of striking colors and a common disregard for distance perspective. This museum is easy to miss, and its collection is fairly small, but it’s also one of the most surprisingly delightful and impressive in the capital of Croatia. Read more >
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Rejuvenate Yourself at Casa Calma Wellness Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The outside of Casa Calma, in the heart of Argentina’s capital, left me wondering if the place was still open. Decrepit, fairly ugly, and covered in untamed vegetation, the hotel appeared to have been abandoned years ago. When I walked through the front door, however, things instantly changed and just got better and better over the next 48 hours. By the time I checked out two days later, I was most definitely calm and well. Read more >
Stephen Travels 