Northern Ireland-Staying in an Inn Above an IRA Bar Located Along the Wall Dividing the Catholic and Protestant Neighborhoods of Belfast

by Matthew Allison | Sep 26, 2016 | Europe

Quick Glimpse into Northern Ireland September 2016: As part of a trip that included Scotland, Paula and I flew into Belfast, rented a car and explored for two days. I had previously visited Ireland and I wanted to see how Northern Ireland was different from its...

Exploring the Highlands & Camping in Ruined Haunted Castles on Scottish Lochs, Scotland

by Matthew Allison | Sep 24, 2016 | Europe

A Road Trip Through the Scottish Highlands: Castles, Whisky, and Untamed Beauty September 2016: Decades of watching romanticized films about kilted warrior clans battling against the stuffy British to the south had instilled in me a deep curiosity about Scotland. The...

One Night in the Old City of Prague-Truly a Spellbinding City and Maybe the Most Beautiful City in Europe, Czech Republic

by Matthew Allison | Nov 16, 2015 | Europe

November 2015 – Prague, Czech RepublicAs part of a whirlwind long weekend adventure—one that also included an overnight stay in a former Nazi SS castle in Germany—my friend Kevin and I hopped a train to Prague. I’d heard countless friends rave about the Czech capital,...

Spending the Night in Himmler’s SS Nazi Castle-One of the Most Sinister Places I Have Ever Stayed

by Matthew Allison | Nov 4, 2015 | Europe

November 2015:  I have always been fascinated in all things related to World War II, and when I watched a documentary about Himler’s Castle-Wewelsburg that appeared on the History channel in October, a castle that Himler envisioned to be a Vatican or...

Exploring Buzludzha, a Ruined Communist Era Building Resembling a Spaceship during a Snowstorm and Being Invited Into a Gypsy Ghetto before having to Escape a Gang of Glue Sniffing Kids

by Matthew Allison | Jan 7, 2015 | Europe

Exploring Bulgaria’s Surreal Side A Winter Road Trip to the Buzludzha Monument and Beyond January 2015 — As part of a larger Eastern Europe trip, my friend Frank and I spent four days exploring Bulgaria. I planned the visit with help from my Bulgarian friend in San...

Visiting a Soviet Ghost Town Created by the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

by Matthew Allison | Jan 5, 2015 | Europe

First Impressions of Ukraine: From Transdniestria to Odessa 2008: I first set foot in Ukraine in November 2008, traveling with my friend Dan to the historic Black Sea port city of Odessa. We arrived via public transportation from Transdniestria, crossing from one...