Up right up until the Archaic Greeks introduced the first freestanding statuary, a remarkable success, carvings had mostly been accomplished in walls and pillars as reliefs. Most of these freestanding sculptures were what is known as kouros figures, statues of young, attractive male or female (kore) Greeks. The kouroi, viewed by the Greeks to symbo

As the adage goes, the road best travelled is actually a river. River cruises are becoming considerably more popular with tourists all the time. These cruises now provide many more features than in the past. People have gone on cruises for generations, but these days river cruises are getting to be a more common travel option, since some passengers

Don’t forget the Baltic states when traveling by sea to Scandinavia, as the region offers lovely Old Towns to explore and a rich history that dates back to medieval times and the Hanseatic League. Some of the cities viewed as “most livable” in the world can be found in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Norwa

The Anglo-Saxon way of life was dramatically changed by the introduction of the Normans in the later eleventh century. Architecture and gardening were attributes that the Normans excelled in, trumping that of the Anglo-Saxons at the time of the occupation. But there was no time for home life, domesticated architecture, and decoration until the Norm

In Rome’s city center, there are many easily recognized water features. One of the greatest sculptors and artists of the 17th century, Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed, conceived and built almost all of them. He was furthermore a urban designer, in addition to his expertise as a water feature engineer, and remnants of his life's work