Curious Traveler

Christine gets curious about Lucernes Chapel Bridge its ornately painted city squares the Weinmarkt its many beautiful fountains the Musegg Wall the Wildenmann and the Mannliturm Then its up to the Swiss Alps aboard the steepest cogwheel railway in the world to learn the history of St Gotthard Pass dragon lore and the curious connection between Pontius Pilate and Mount Pilatus

Christine gets curious about the legend of Kalev and the foundation of Tallinn Estonia the story of the Danish flag falling from the sky Tallins UNESCO Old Town City Hall and Old Thomas the medieval wall Kiek in de Kok and Fat Margaret towers a Russian Orthodox church St Catherines Passage legendary unicorn horn powder at one of the oldest medieval pharmacies in Europe and much more

Christine gets curious about the castles of Switzerland In Chateau de Chillon she explores its unique architecture and discovers secret passageways In Chateau de Gruyeres she learns about the legend of the Gru and the many phases the castle went through under different rulers and at Schloss Thun she explores a medieval hall and tells the legend of the creature who lives in its attic

Christine gets curious about AixenProvence and why its known as the City of a Thousand Fountains She visits Cezannes atelier and a mansion in the historic Mazarin District then learns the curious connection between a king and the calisson In Arles she visits the exact spots where van Gogh painted then Arles Roman Arena and learns what a vomitorium was its not as gross as you think

Christine gets curious about UNESCO sites in the Netherlands At the Kinderdijk Windmills she shares how early residents made their belowsealevel lands habitable Then to the Colonies of Benevolence a 19thcentury social experiment to help the poor At Beemster Polder she explores a town that was once at the bottom of a lake Finally she explores the midcentury marvels at Van Nelle Factory

Christine explores Dijon and Beaune in France Highlights include Dijons Old Town and its architectural treasures NotreDame du Dijon an owl legend Palais des Etats de Bourgogne Philippe le Bon Tower and the Cite de la Gastronomie In Beaune she makes the regions famous mustard at Fallot Mustard Mill and visits both the Hotel Dieu MuseumHospices de Beaune and the historic Hotel le Cep

In Estonia Christine travels to the Setomaa region visits an Orthodox Seto church meets the indigenous Seto people and learns about their polyphonic singing tradition and traditional folk costumes In the Peipsi region she visits the Onion Route learns about Russian Old Believers and creates traditional arts and crafts In Voromaa she cleanses her spirit in a UNESCO Estonian smoke sauna

Christine ventures through the beautiful streets of Krakow Poland to learn about its Medieval Renaissance and Enlightenment history She tours Copernicus alma mater Jagiellonian University and Collegium Maius and learns about the Lajkonik legend at the Krzysztofory Palace Museum After a trek up to Wawel Castle she heads to Old Town to experience the annual Wawel Dragon legend and parade

Christine gets curious about bears Bern and the citys founder Berthold V In Old Town she tours the Zytlogge clock tower and its Renaissance mechanisms Then she follows Berns subterranean stream which surfaces in historic fountains In Münsterplatz and Bern Minster she learns how the Protestant Reformation impacted Bern Later she rests on Einsteins Bench in the Rose Garden

Christine traces the history of Estonian homes made for Baltic Germans Scandinavians and Russians She visits Kadriorg Palace built by Peter the Great and named for his wife Katherine Next she explores the curious history of Alatskivi Castle and tours Palmse Manor surrounded by Lahemaa National Park At Vihula Manor Christine interviews a historian who lives in an Estonian manor house

Christine explores pre and postWWII Warsaw At the Royal Castle she learns about Warsaws role within the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth Next she explains the history of Sigismunds Column and investigates Roman symbolism in the Lazienki Palace Later she visits the Warsaw Rising Museum to remember the heroes of WWII Finally she attends a concert of Chopin music and makes Polish pierogis

Christine explores Gdannsks history as a Baltic seaport and its medieval trade with Holland In Main Town Hall she investigates the art of the council room Then she explains the influences of the Gdansk city crest and visits Gdansks Neptune Fountain and the Long Market Lastly she explores the WWII sites at Westerplatte Peninsula the treasures of St Marys Basilica and the Amber Museum