100 Days in Europe Days 68-79: Italy, UK, Ireland, Croatia

100 Days in Europe Days 68-79: Italy, UK, Ireland, Croatia

Day 68

Alpe di Siusi

The Alpe di Siusi is the largest alpine meadow in Europe. Located in the Dolomite Mountains, it is also known by the German name, Seiser Alm. This beautiful alpine meadow is in use year-round for biking, hiking and skiing. Click the picture to watch the video.

68 Alpe di Siusi

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Day 69

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital city and always bustles with entertainment. Walk the Royal Mile, visit the Castle, lounge in Princes Street Gardens or stroll like a noble in the Georgian-era new town; there is something here for everyone. Pubs and eateries serve up traditional food with a eclectic flare. Have a “wee dram” and enjoy the city. Click the picture to watch the video.

69 Edinburgh

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Day 70

Edinburgh

Harry Potter was written here as was Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Poets and bards made this their home. It boasts an old medieval town tumbling down from the castle and a “new” 18th-century Georgian town. There is a lot to see and experience in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Click the picture to watch the video.

70 Edinburgh

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Day 71

Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle stands majestically guarding the mouth of the River Conwy at the Irish Sea. It has been here since 1284 looking pretty much as it does today. The English, under King Edward I, built this castle to protect themselves from their newly acquired subjects… The Welsh! Click the picture to watch the video.

71 Conwy Castle

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Day 72

Caernarfon Castle

In the 13th century, the Welsh were fighting bitter battles with the English who were invading their lands. Finally, in 1283, Edward I of England defeated the Welsh and claimed the land as his own. During the next few years Edward built great defensive castles to ward off the Welsh attacks and to protect his armies from the savage Welsh warriors. Caernarfon is one of those castles. Click the picture to watch the video.

72 Caernarfon Castle

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Day 73

South Docklands

The South Docklands was once a thriving port with wharfs and warehouses lining the River Liffey. The 19th and 20th centuries saw a massive economic decline in this area of town. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of local pride coupled with economic development in the area. I ran across this “take pride in our community” parade while strolling down the Liffey. Click the picture to watch the video.

73 South Docklands Parade

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Day 74

Dublin Docklands

Dublin’s Docklands district has gone through many changes over the last 100 years. In the boom days of the Celtic Tiger economy (1990’s and early 2000’s) this area was filled with construction cranes and lots of development. Unfortunately, the economic recession of 2008-2016 caused all the development to lay dormant. Now in mid-2016, things are picking up, construction is booming again and the Docklands are loaded with start-up and well-founded tech businesses. Click the picture to watch.

74 Docklands

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Day 75

Viking Splash Tour

The Viking Splash Tour is a fun (and informative) way to sightsee in Dublin. The WWII-era vehicles actually do “splash” into the Grand Canal Square for a cruise on the water. I had loads of fun! Click the picture to watch.

75 Viking Splash Tour

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Day 76

Grand Canal Docks

Dublin’s Grand Canal Docks were opened in 1796 and soon became the world’s largest docks. By the 1960’s this place was completely derelict and almost forgotten as a piece of Dublin’s landscape. The 2000’s saw massive clean-up projects and an influx of young tech start-ups such as Google, Facebook, AirB&B, and TripAdvisor. As a result, this area has been nicknamed The “Silicon Docks.” Click the picture to watch.

76 Grand Canal Square

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Day 77

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland’s second largest tourist attraction and rightly so! Plunging over 700 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, these cliffs occupy a five-mile stretch of land in West Clare. Over 1 million people visit here each year, some for only an hour and others spending several hours hiking the trails along the cliffs. Click the picture to watch.

77 Cliffs of Moher

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Day 78

Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital city of Croatia. In this episode we will take a short look around the so called “Green Horseshoe.” It is a pleasant walking transition from the ugly post WWII-era’s high rise neighborhoods to the elegant 19th-century old town. Click the picture to watch.

78 Zagreb

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Day 79

Zagreb’s Outdoor Market

Each morning, local farmers, vendors and craftsmen set up a table under the colorful red umbrellas in Zagreb’s Dolac outdoor market. The market bustles with activity from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every day except Sunday. This is one of the best outdoor markets I’ve visited in Europe and certainly a place to embrace the culture and feel the pulse of everyday life. Click the picture to watch.

79 Dolac Market

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