By Dr. Nancy Watson

Exploring the World

International travel has been one of the great teachers of my life. Walking through ancient streets, standing before monuments, and sharing moments with people from different cultures has expanded not only my understanding of the world but also of myself. Each journey has left me with new stories, new perspectives, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty and resilience woven into every corner of our globe.

Exploring the World

Recent Posts

The Bridge Between Two Continents – Iceland

The Bridge Between Two Continents – Iceland

When we visited the Reykjanes Peninsula in 2016, we found one of Iceland’s extraordinary places: The Bridge Between Two Continents This short metal walkway stretches across a narrow, rocky raving. The ravine marks a section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates slowly pull apart. Iceland is the only country […]

January 2026
Ghandi Smriti – India

Ghandi Smriti – India

More than a decade ago, on my second trip to India, I visited one of the most memorable places I have ever stood: Gandhi Smriti, the site where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. What made this visit so moving were the footprints. Set into the stone pathway, I walked where Gandhi took his final steps on […]

January 2026
Basilica of St Francis: Assisi, Italy

Basilica of St Francis: Assisi, Italy

The Basilica of Saint Frances of Assisi was built after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1226. St Francis had lived a life defined by humility, poverty and service to others, and his followers wanted a place that could honor him as well as welcoming pilgrims from across Europe. Construction began in 1228, soon […]

January 2026
Frida Kahlo Museum – Mexico City

Frida Kahlo Museum – Mexico City

In 2018, Erin and I had the opportunity to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City: La Casa Azul. This vibrant blue home is where she was born, lived, created and ultimately died. Walking through her sunlit courtyard and rooms, we felt the presence of a woman whose life was defined by color and resilience. Physical […]

January 2026
Budapest

Budapest

Budapest is a beautiful city known for its architecture, grand bridges. thermal bathhouses and a vibrant culinary scene. Among these pleasures, one of the most poignant moments of our visit came along the banks of the Danube. There, along the river’s edge, is a memorial known as “Shoes on the Danube Bank.” There are dozens […]

January 2026
Trabi Car in Berlin

Trabi Car in Berlin

When we visited Berlin in 2017, one of our fun adventures was driving a Trabant, known as a Trabi. I have to admit, I had never heard of these cars before. And when Marty suggested the tour, I was curious and so glad we did it. Marty took the wheel as we followed our guide […]

January 2026
Crumlin Road Gaol – Belfast

Crumlin Road Gaol – Belfast

During our visit to Northern Ireland, Erin and I spent time exploring Belfast, a capital city layered with history. One of the most powerful places we visited was Crumlin Road Gaol. Opened in 1846, Crumlin Road Gaol operated for more than 150 years and housed prisoners during the turbulent chapters of Irish history including the Irish War of […]

December 2025
Panama Canal

Panama Canal

The day we spent on the Panama Canal was unforgettable. The moment those massive gates close behind us and we begin to rise, lifted by nothing more than gravity-fed freshwater, we understand that we are stepping into an important chapter in world history. Moving through the locks, you can see there are no pumps or motors. The natural […]

December 2025
Warsaw Poland

Warsaw Poland

Today, Warsaw Poland is a rebuilt and thriving city.  Walking around the city, there are powerful reminders of its history.  Nowhere is this more evident than along the boundary markers of the former Warsaw Ghetto.  These modest markers trace the outline of what was once the largest Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe.    In November […]

December 2025
Copenhagen – 2017

Copenhagen – 2017

When Erin and I visited Copenhagen in 2017, this large bronze statue of Hans Christian Anderson, fondly reminded us of so many of the childhood stories we shared.  Anderson is Denmark’s most beloved storyteller, and he is seated on a tall chair as if he is ready to share a story in the middle of […]

December 2025
Ghetto Heroes Square – Krakow

Ghetto Heroes Square – Krakow

In 2019, we visited Ghetto Heroes Square in Krakow, a wide-open public square that today holds striking memorial installations.  Scattered across the space are dozens of oversized bronze chairs: simple, empty, and haunting. The installation, created in 2005 by Lewicki and Latak, stands as a memorial to the Jewish residents of the Krakow Ghetto who once lived […]

December 2025
Normandy Cliffs and American Cemetery

Normandy Cliffs and American Cemetery

There are few places more memorable to me than our visit to Normandy. No movie, photograph or history book could prepare us for the vastness of this coastline or the weight it still carries. It is impossible not to feel the immensity of what happened across these beaches on June 6, 1944.   We started at […]

November 2025