Topping bucket lists everywhere, Iceland is, quite possibly, the most fascinating country on the planet. A vast volcanic laboratory, Iceland is literally a country in the making. Every day, geysers gush, mud pots boil, volcanos rumble and glaciers cut great pathways through entire mountains. These mighty forces seemingly all come together to remind us of our utter insignificance in the larger scheme of things. The energy on this enchanted island is palpable.
Like most everyone before me, I was awestruck during my first visit to Iceland. Sure, I had a list of must-see places, but I had no idea how many wonderful, incredible, amazing surprises were waiting for me. Before I had even completed my first trip, I was already
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Vibrant and bustling, Paris is, in every sense of the word, monumental. Paris is also arguably the most beautiful city in the world. With two World Heritage sites, 141 museums, over 450 parks and gardens and at least 170 places of worship, it comes as no surprise that Paris tops most every traveler’s list.
Truth: The first time I came to Paris, I was overwhelmed. The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and the Louvre were all great places to start! But, because each new neighborhood also came with new, exciting discoveries, I left Paris that first time feeling sad that I ran out of time to explore deeper.
Fast forward 20-something years. Countless returns later, I’ve grown to
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Somewhere between Cairo and Paris, it became Sunday, at which point I became acutely aware that my Grand Egyptian Adventure was over. And, in case I needed a not-so-subtle reminder, the cold winds of Western Europe slapped me across the face for good measure as I stepped out of Charles de Gaulle and into my taxi. Speeding away from the curb, I silently crunched the numbers:
Thirty-one days + five domestic flights + four local cabs + two tuk-tuks + one quad bike + the most insane supper of my life = millions of memories.
For the second time in as many years, I’ve visited this legendary land of kings and queens and gods and pharaohs. And, after all the
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Encased in temperature-controlled glass cabinets, mummies are often a star attraction at some of the world’s greatest museums. For centuries, mummies were viewed as nothing more than money-making commodities. Thankfully, attitudes have drastically shifted.
But what exactly is a mummy?
The word ‘mummy’ refers to the dead body of a human being or that of an animal whose soft tissues and organs have been preserved by either intentional means or by accidental exposure to extreme conditions. Practiced throughout most of early Egyptian history, mummification refers to the specific methods used by the Egyptians to remove all moisture from the body, leaving only a dried form that would not easily rot or decay. You may have viewed a mummy on display …
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