Brought to Louisiana in the 18th century by African slaves, Louisiana Voodoo, a.k.a. New Orleans Voodoo, has been a practiced religion in the state for centuries. While it's estimated that approximately 60 million people practice voodoo worldwide, in 2014, there were around 2,500 and 3,000 practitioners in New Orleans. However, after Hurricane Katrina, that number …
Ok, full disclosure: I believe in ghosts, the paranormal, the supernatural, and all that jazz. I believe our universe is far too complex and massive to be only the things we can physically see, touch, or understand. Combine that with my love of history, and I really enjoy learning about and visiting haunted places. My …
Continue reading Waverly Hills Sanatorium: Do You Believe in Ghosts?
✨Fun fact: Did you know, Rhode Island is only 48 miles North to South, 37 miles East to West, and yet, 1.06 million people live there? To put that into some perspective, just the city of Los Angeles is 44 miles North to South and 29 miles East to West, and almost 4 million people …
Continue reading Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharf (Rhode Island).
Obviously not my photo 🤪 (from Google). As you can see, her nose was pretty average sized. Born Mary Katherine Horony, Big Nose Kate didn’t actually have a big nose. According to a nice older gentleman we met at her gravesite, she got that moniker from being a well-known gossiper who had her nose in …
Continue reading The Grave of Big Nose Kate: A Wild West Icon.
The “green table” for which Mesa Verde National Park is named after. Translated from Spanish as “green table”, Mesa Verde National Park is very appropriately named. The “green table” for which it’s named is prominent from the start, appearing very shortly once you pass the entrance. One of the first things I remarked upon on …
The Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial. I had been to Washington D.C. once, back in 2003 at the tender age of 13 for my 8th grade graduation school trip. To say I barely remember it is an understatement. Returning 15 years later as an adult was an entirely different experience. It was still a whirlwind …
Continue reading An American Pilgrimage Story (Washington D.C.).
Officially the oldest bar and business still operating within the state of Arizona, the Palace Restaurant and Saloon does everything in its power to firmly hold onto its Wild West roots. It sits on Whiskey Row, in the heart of downtown Prescott (Prescott, Arizona: “Everybody’s Hometown”.) and is considered to be the most historic bar …
Continue reading The Palace Restaurant and Saloon: Step into a Wild West Time Machine.
One of Northern Europe’s oldest port cities and on the west coast of Norway, Bergen was the last city we visited in Scandinavia. It is the second-largest city in Norway, coming in only behind the capital, Oslo (pop: 702,543), with a population of around 287, 888 (2022). It puts into perspective how sparsely populated Norway …
A small, desert city (current population: 9,192) located in the Little Colorado Valley, Winslow’s main claim to fame is being mentioned in an Eagles song. It is quite isolated, located within Navajo County in northeastern Arizona, right off I-40. It’s around 57 miles east of Flagstaff, which is the closest large city in Arizona. The …
Continue reading Standin’ on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona.
While I am happy to say that I’ve been to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - one of America's most important "Founding" cities (if not thee most important) - I always feel like I'm lying a bit when saying it. While my friend and I did very clearly visit this colonial city, we did NOT plan efficiently enough …
Continue reading Independence Hall and The Liberty Bell (kind of… a cautionary tale).