Curious Traveler

Why does Paris look like Paris? Why were the Eiffel Tower and the Pont Alexandre III built for World Expos? Why is the Opera Garnier so ornate?

Why is there a giant hole in the top of the Pantheon? And how is it still standing after more than two millennia? Why does Piazza Navona look like a racetrack?

Why did Shakespeare use Kronborg Castle as the setting for Hamlet? Was picturesque Nyhavn really the playground for sailors and brothels?

Who was Gassy Jack & why was he so gassy? Why was Capilano Bridge built and what do all those totem poles mean? What's so important about the Hotel Vancouver?

When and why were so many stunning châteaux built in such a concentrated area in central France? Why is there a river running through Château de Chenonceau?

Where is the hidden symbol of Venice on the iconic gondola? Why are there two different saints on the gateway columns? Why is the solar system off on Torre dell'Orologio?

Why is there a beautiful, tiny blue-domed church floating in Kotorska Bay? Why did someone build 1350 steps up the side of Kotor's mountain?

Why are you encouraged to walk on the rooftop of the Oslo Opera House? Why did Vikings live here, and why are their ships shaped like that?

Who got hitched at Bordeaux Cathedral and why was it such an important moment in history? Did Parisian architecture actually come from Bordeaux?

Why did ancient Roman rich & famous choose to vacation here? Who opened the gate for the bad guys in the 1500s? What does the town clock tower symbolize?

Why did the famous French architect Viollet-le-Duc only work on one residence: the historic Roquetaillade Castle? Why is there a monolithic church in St. Emilion?