Lost Cowboy

Were it not for this pesky pandemic, I would be in the process of packing for my annual April vacation – and this year is was going be back to London, Bruge and Amsterdam. But, of course that is not going to work out. At least I will be saving money, and I am not going to miss anything, as everything over there is closed too. Meanwhile, I am taking advantage of all the great online resources, like the virtual tour of one the world’s greatest collections – The British Museum in London.

About The British Museum:

“The British Museum is unique in bringing together under one roof the cultures of the world, spanning continents and oceans. No other museum is responsible for collections of the same depth and breadth, beauty and significance. Its eight million objects allow us to explore the extraordinary diversity of human cultures, from small communities to vast empires, to discover the many forms and expressions human beings have given to every aspect of life, and to realise how closely they are interconnected.”

Check out he virtual tour of The British Museum here.

Visit The British Museum online here.

This week I will continue to suggest some virtual tours we can tale while we are trying to flatten the curve. I am starting with one that totally captivated me – a collection of clips from New York City in 1911 – restored and respectfully colorized. I just love it!

If you have never seen the majesty of Arizona’s Grand Canyon in person, it hard to imagine just how amazing it is – even though photographs of the natural wonder can be spectacular. Some have commented over the years that looking over the canyon can be underwhelming, I assure you it is as amazing as it is grand. It may be a while before you can travel to see the Grand Canyon, but this virtual tour may hold you over until you get there.

About the virtual tour of the Grand Canyon:

“There are plenty of pictures of the famed canyon online, but get a little deeper with a VR archaeological tour. This allows armchair travellers to explore and learn more about the history behind the canyon’s formation by clicking on different geological features.”

Start your tour of the Grand Canyon here.

nps.gov/features/grca/001/archeology

Oh, to be able to hit New York City right now, see some shows, do some shopping, and take a stroll through Central Park. There are plenty of Broadway shows streaming online, and you can certainly do some shopping from your phone. However, the stroll may be a little more challenge. Well, it just got easier now that I found this virtual tour of Central Park.

About the virtual tour of Central Park:

“NYC’s green centrepiece is available to tour online. Not only does it show you the sites, it also comes with a guide who talks you through significant events in Central Park’s history as you “travel” from the West 72nd entrance.”

Start your tour of Central Park here.

During virtual tour week, I have to point out that the best way to travel virtually anywhere is still reading a good book. If the book is also about travel, and is a nonfictional account of a time in the life of one of literature’s greatest figures, then I say it’s a home run. Which is why I highly recommend The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie – edited by Ms. Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard.

About The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie:

“Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. In this fascinating travelogue of the prolific author’s yearlong trip around the British Empire in 1922, Christie provides the clues to the origins of the plots and locales of some of her bestselling mystery novels. Containing never-before-published letters and photos from her travels, and filled with intriguing details about the exotic locations she visited, The Grand Tour is a must-have for Agatha Christie fans, revealing an unexpected side to the world’s most renowned mystery writer.”

The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie is available from Amazon and other fine booksellers everwhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Tour-Around-World-Mystery/dp/006219125X/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=the+grand+tour&qid=1584915797&s=books&sr=1-5

Anyone who has spent any real amount of time on these pages knows that I am a huge fan of the Art Institute of Chicago – it really is one of my favorite places on earth.

Sadly, I won’t be able to get there and indulge in the museum’s trove of treasures any time soon. However, lucky for us, the Art Institute has a ton of online resources, including a virtual tour.

About the Art Institute of Chicago:

“Founded in 1879, the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the world’s major museums, housing an extraordinary collection of objects from across places, cultures, and time. We are also a place of active learning for all—dedicated to investigation, innovation, education, and dialogue—continually aspiring to greater public service and civic engagement.”

Take a virtual tour of the Art Institute of Chicago here.

Visit the Art Institute of Chicago online here.

In recent years there has been a lot of commentary about “over tourism” in the great cities and regions of Spain and Italy. It is with great sadness that in recent weeks we have seen scenes of iconic places usually crowded with tourist now empty due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. I for one can’t wait to see these places full again – even if it means too many people.

This week, I will try to find places where we can satisfy our urge to travel with online tours to hold us over until we can get back out there.

Today, I present Enoteca Properzio in Spello, a charming village in Umbria, where I spent one of the greatest days of my life on trip with my sister and niece in 2011.

As I dream about be able to go back to Italy – I dream of that day and the graciousness of our host Roberto, who laid out the red carpet as we tasted wine and other pleasures.

About Enoteca Properzio:

“Imagine entering a room with ancient origins, dating back to medieval times, where the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. This is Enoteca Properzio 1 , one of wine store most popular in Italy not only for high quality of its products, but also for the context in which it is inserted.”

Take a tour of Enoteca Properzio online here.

Visit Enoteca Properzio online here.