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Slow Down And Wander. Visit Paris Like An Artist With Cynthia Morris

Paris has so much to see and do, it can be overwhelming if you try to do it all. In this interview, Cynthia Morris talks about how to visit Paris like an artist and how walking and wandering is a great way to see the city in a more relaxed way. We discuss how to manage museum and art gallery overload, how to pay attention to your curiosity and tap into your senses, plus we talk about some of our favorite places in the city.

Cynthia Morris is the author of historical fiction as well as travel memoir and creativity books, including Visit Paris Like An Artist. She’s also a coach, speaker and runs workshops in Paris and online.

Show notes

Wandering the back streets of Paris, taking it slow and allowing for serendipity
Managing your energy when there is so much to see
Eating and drinking well in Paris with recommendations for resources to find out more
Tapping into your senses in order to see things in a different way
The value of curiosity and slowing down when exploring a new place
Recommended travel books about Paris

You can find Cynthia Morris at Originalimpulse.com

Beauty In Ruins, Dark Myths, And Hope In Difficult Times. Greece With Peter Fiennes

Podcast

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Peter Fiennes talks about his search for beauty — and hope — in Greece. We discuss the different areas of the country with recommendations for ruins to visit, as well as how the ancient Greek myths still resonate in modern times, with their tales of the darker side of humanity.

We consider whether generations of belief can somehow imbibe specific locations with spiritual meaning, and how a realization of our place in history can give us hope that things live on — and that life is to be celebrated, even in difficult times.

Peter Fiennes is the author of four non-fiction books, including Footnotes: A Journey Round Britain in the Company of Great Writers, and A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical and Modern Greece, which we’re talking about today.

Show Notes

The unique and varied landscape of different areas of Greece
Finding beauty in ruins
Consulting the Oracle of Delphi
Do landscapes resonate with the belief of those who have come before us?
Why ancient myths still hold meaning in modern times
Attractions of modern Greece
What travel may look like in the future
Recommended travel books

You can find Peter Fiennes at One World Publishing

Layers Of Invasion And Empire. Slovakia With Sarah Hinlicky Wilson

Podcast

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Slovakia only became an independent state in 1993, so it is less than 30 years old. In this interview, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson and I discuss borders and how strange it is that history draws lines on a map that don’t necessarily represent the people who live within them. These layers of invasion and empire can shape lives for generations.

Sarah also recommends places to visit for both culture and nature and shares specialties of the region, as well as some of her favorite travel books.

Sarah Hinlicky Wilson is the author of memoir, poetry, and religious nonfiction. And today we’re talking about I Am a Brave Bridge: An American Girl’s Hilarious and Heartbreaking Year in the Fledgling Republic of Slovakia.

Show notes

The sense of always wanting to be somewhere else — and whether those of us who are ‘unrooted’ will ever find home
How borders split Europe in ways that resonate through history
Interesting places to visit in Slovakia, for culture or nature
Slovakian architecture, including wooden churches, built without nails
Food and drink specialties of the region
Recommended travel books

You can find Sarah Hinlicky Wilson at SarahHinlickyWilson.com

Header photo: Photo by Branislav Knappek on Unsplash

English Folklore With Icy Sedgwick

Podcast

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Folklore encompasses legends, fairy tales, and myths; physical objects and practices to protect and ward away evil; spirits and supernatural entities associated with particular places, and so much more.

You might not even know that you practice folklore — but did you ever leave a tooth out for the tooth fairy? Or wonder at carvings of the Green Man? Or go trick-or-treating at Halloween? If you approach your local customs and stories with an open and curious mind, you might just discover a lot of folklore.

In this interview, Icy Sedgwick talks about different aspects of folklore and how it resonates with particular places, as well as how it’s handed down in a community. She also talks about specific English folklore stories and practices.

Icy Sedgwick is the author of dark fantasy, Gothic horror, and supernatural mysteries. She’s also a blogger and host of the Fabulous Folklore Podcast.

Show notes

What is folklore? How does it relate to places in particular?
Is there a resurgence in folklore in an increasingly digital and secular time?
Northumberland coastal folklore
Remedies used in ancient times to ward off the plague
Urban folklore
Body parts, relics, teeth, and the Hand of Glory
Halloween folklore
Recommended books about folklore

You can find Icy Sedgwick at IcySedgwick.com

Walking The St Cuthbert’s Way. 5 Days From Melrose To Lindisfarne, Holy Island

Religious, Walking

I walked the St Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose, Scotland, to Lindisfarne, Holy Island, on the Northumberland Coast in early October 2021. It was a secular pilgrimage to an area of the UK that I have always wanted to visit and since the pandemic restrictions prevented travel overseas, I decided to take the opportunity to finally go.

This article covers the 5-day walk, including the final crossing to Lindisfarne, Holy Island. There were challenging elements every day in terms of distance, weather, and terrain — but it really was a worthwhile trip and I highly recommend it. I share day-by-day pictures from the walk and some practical information if you’re considering the route.

Cicerone Guide to St Cuthbert's Way and paper OS Maps — Cicerone Guide to St Cuthbert’s Way and paper OS Maps

I organized the trip independently, walked solo, and carried my own pack. I used the Cicerone Guide to Walking St Oswald’s Way & St Cuthbert’s Way and also took physical OS Maps with the route highlighted. I also used the Komoot app and I have the OS Maps app on my phone. Although there is a phone signal most of the time on the way, there were notable occasions with no service, especially in the valleys in the more rural section of the Cheviots.

Traveling Light With Katherine Leamy, The 5 Kilo Traveller

Podcast

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How can you travel light even on an extended trip? How can traveling light be an attitude to life as well as a practical way to pack your gear? Katherine Leamy talks about these questions and more in this episode.

Katherine Leamy is The 5 Kilo Traveller, a freelance travel writer, and blogger based in New Zealand.

Show notes

Why traveling light is useful
Ideas for the ideal type of backpack
Advantages of different types of clothing
How to manage toiletries and the weight of liquid vs solid as well as brand tips
Is traveling light an attitude?
Tips for women traveling solo
Recommended travel books

You can find Katherine Leamy at the5KiloTraveller.com

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