Sicily’s Catacombs of the Capuchins (Catacombe dei Cappuccini in Italian ) are unlike anywhere else I know of in the world. Described by some as a “ grisly one-stop shop for horror” or the “ultimate museum of the macabre”, I believe there is actually far more to them. The catacombs were created in the 16th … Continue reading
The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic. The ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, many of whom have had their bones artistically arranged to form decorations and … Continue reading
Fifteenth-century Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes is all too often credited with being Dracula, the vampire-count featured in the classic Gothic horror story Dracula (1897) written by Anglo-Irish novelist Bram Stoker. The association of these two unholy figures – one historical, the other fictitious – is nothing more than a product of popular imagination though. But … Continue reading
It’s interesting walking on the same streets that were once strolled by Christopher Columbus and Sir Francis Drake… On the edge of this square is the oldest cathedral in the Americas (consecrated in 1521). Continue reading
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Continue reading
Over the past few years, visiting the Salton Sea took on an urgency of almost religious significance for me. Yeah, I loved the movie, The Salton Sea, but this only served to strengthen my desire to visit the Salton Sea. It did not create this desire in the first place. My passion to visit was … Continue reading
A view over Quebec City with the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in the foreground and the Saint Lawrence River in the background: The Saint Lawrence River: Scenes of Quebec City: I was pleased to see that there were still separatist sentiments around to keep things interesting: I liked the fact that Quebec City is a … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 