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The location is considered public and may be visited by anyone at any time.

Basilica Santa Maria della Salute

In our first night out exploring the surrounding area from our apartment, we enountered this marvel. So impressive by daylight, it was incomprehensible by night. We were so pleased to discover that it was open for us to look around inside. The interior, like most Italian churches, was almost overwhelming in it artistic beauty, to say nothing of the amazing architecture.

St. Peters Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the most famous churches in the world and one of the central landmarks of Vatican City. It stands on a site that has been important to Christians for nearly two thousand years, because Catholic tradition holds that Saint Peter, one of Jesus’s apostles and the first bishop of Rome, was buried

Roman Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is one of the most famous buildings of the ancient world. It stands in the heart of Rome and remains a powerful symbol of the Roman Empire. Construction began around AD 72 under Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty, and was largely completed by his son Titus in AD 80. Later additions were made by Emperor Domitian, creating the vast structure we recognize today.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo is arguably the ultimate symbol of Rome's ability to reinvent itself, standing proudly on the banks of the Tiber River as a 2,000-year-old architectural shape-shifter. If you want to understand Roman history without flipping through endless textbooks, this single building tells the entire story.

Vatican Museum

Having visited St. Peter's Basilica, we had lunch and then prepared for a tour here. I didn't really know what to expect, not having read much about it, but I assumed it would be interesting and, of course, finishing with the Sistine Chapel that I was particularly looking forward to. I was going to be very surprised...

Prince of Wales Fort

I boarded the boat with my equipment bag, excited for what was to come. This fort had been on my list of "to-do's" for a very long time, and I was finally about to see it. With our beluga whale escort across the mouth of the Churchill River, we arrived at the dock for our first look around.

White Lake Pioneer Cemetary

While driving home from a weekend in Belleville, we stopped at this fascinating little cemetary. I had noticed it on our drive down, and made a mental note to stop on the way back for a closer look. I'm happy I did.

Mission San Jose

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, often referred to as the "Queen of the Missions," was founded on February 23, 1720, by Father Antonio Margil de Jesús. The mission was established to serve the Coahuiltecan Natives and to relieve overcrowding at Mission San Antonio de Valero (now known as the Alamo). The mission was named in part for the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, José de Azlor y Virto de Vera.

Mission Concepción

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, commonly known as Mission Concepción, was originally established in 1716 in East Texas. It was one of six missions authorized by the Spanish government to serve as a buffer against French incursions from Louisiana. The mission was developed by Spanish Franciscan friars with the goal of converting the local Indigenous communities to Christianity and teaching them European ways of life.

Mission San Juan

Completing my short hike from Mission Espada, I arrived at the back gates of a mission that seemed much better restored. Perhaps it was just much less damaged. In either event, I also noticed there were significantly more tourists present.

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