Located just a little ways from Toronto, Hamilton is a quiet lakeside city with a lively and artistic downtown area. It’s perfect for a morning stop on the way to Niagara Falls with plenty of cafes that are open even on weekend mornings. Although it shares the same name as Read more
Even though I’ve perviously lived in Europe, Geneva never really felt like home to me. Sure, the western sectors of Berlin look a bit like Geneva, but the two cultures are so vastly different that it confirmed that my heart was still in Berlin. Geneva didn’t speak German, it wasn’t Read more
Known as the great humanitarian president, Herbert Hoover gave all he could to US aid projects in Europe after the two world wars and encouraged his fellow Americans to do so as well. It could be said that he is the man who sings-handedly created the mid-century image of American Read more
While Sioux Falls actually has a waterfall, the radio of Cedar Rapids remains nowhere to be seen. Located just 30 minutes north of Iowa City, Cedar Rapids is an optional stop for those looking for a genuine piece of Europe in North America. Most well known for its Czech and Read more
Located conveniently along the I-80, Iowa City is a must-see afternoon stop for travellers along the route. Right next to West Branch, which houses the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, Iowa City used to be the seat of government in the state of Iowa. The Old Capitol Building is now home Read more
While writing this, I realised that Neuchâtel is French for Newcastle, like the town in the UK. At just 33,000 residents, the Neuchâtel area is small enough to be quiet and large enough to be interesting. The Castle of Neuchâtel is a must-see as it is the centrepiece of the Read more
Right on the westernmost end of Lake Neuchâtel, Yverdon-les-Bains reminds me of the geography of Geneva, but the similarities end there. It is a much more industrial town and it actually reminds me of the Midwestern US where the buildings are sparse and people rely on cars to get around. Read more
Known for both its cheese and its castle, but mainly its cheese, Gruyères is a small area in the mountains of the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The milk for its cheese has to come from farms within a 20km radius and meet stringent requirements to be branded as a Gruyère Read more
Switzerland has plenty of towns and cities with the names of things such as Apples and Bière and Egg is no exception. While “Egg” doesn’t mean anything in German but tourists from English-speaking places know how to make a place look silly. The tram-train called the Forchbahn goes from Zürich Read more
Luzern, or Lucerne, whatever you fancy, feels like a plus-sized St. Gallen. It’s got the charming narrow streets, classic painted façades on historic buildings, and a helpful population. It’s also the terminus of several famous scenic train routes, the Luzern-Interlaken Express, the Vorlapen Express (to St. Gallen), the Gotthard Panorama Read more