Interview: Madalyn Sklar, Twitter Expert, on why she loves Houston, Texas
In my Twitter Spaces series Places: Top Places to Love, I interview notable people on Spaces (live audio) about what they love about their home cities/countries, to inspire travellers to visit when we can travel again. I blog here about highlights from our conversations.
Madalyn Sklar (photo courtesy of Madalyn)
I recently interviewed Madalyn Sklar, a serial entrepreneur, community builder and Twitter marketing expert, on Twitter Spaces. Madalyn Sklar hosts the popular #TwitterSmarter Twitter chat and TwitterSmarter Podcast, as well as Spaces.
She has been named the #1 Social Media Power Influencer in Houston, 50 Women Entrepreneurs to follow. She also founded GoGirlsMusic, which grew into the oldest & largest online community of female musicians. She has cool tattoos.
Madalyn lives in Houston, Texas and she shared her favourite spots in her home city and state.
Madalyn’s ‘Top Places to Love’ Houston, Texas:
1) Gerald D. Hines Waterfall Park, Houston:
A multi-story sculptural fountain that sits opposite the south face of Williams Tower in the Uptown District of Houston. Has appeared in the background of several movies and TV series.
2) Space Center Houston:
Learning center about space and science with extraordinary experiences for the whole family.
3) Galveston
Thriving Galveston Bay area has loads of attractions from water parks, gardens and museums, to arts attractions, beaches, restaurants and more. It is only a short drive from Houston.
4) The Cockrell Butterfly Center, Houston
The Houston Museum of Natural Science houses the Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology, filled with butterflies and insects.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning author, speaker, broadcaster and travel writer. Watch Shannon’s interviews with Extraordinary Women at www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com.
Interview: Jim Byers, Canada’s Travel Guy, on his favourite places in Ontario
My Adventures on Twitter Spaces continue.
As I wrote in my previous post, I have been active lately on Twitter Spaces, Twitter’s cool new live audio feature.
I had the opportunity to chat with Jim Byers, fondly known as “Canada’s Travel Guy,” who is the author of “Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now” (2020), available on Apple Books. Jim is the editor at Canadian Travel News and TravelPulse Canada, and a contributor to the LA Times. For many years, he was the travel editor at the Toronto Star, and before that he covered sports, and, of course, has his own blog.
Jim Byers (photo courtesy of Jim)
Jim lives in Toronto and he shared his top places to love in his home province of Ontario, Canada – a place I also call home. There is lots to love about Ontario.
Here are some brief highlights from our discussion. We covered a lot of ground in our one hour chat, so I condensed as much of it as I could for this blog post.
Screenshot from my phone of our Twitter Spaces live audio broadcast
Jim Byer’s top places to love in Ontario, Canada.
“Mostly, I love the natural spots and the small towns.”
- Thunder Bay – Sleeping Giant Park, trail hikes and walks, and lots of nature.
- Lake Superior Coast – hiking the Lake Superior Coastal Trail (note: Jim says there are not enough places to pull over or Tim Hortons restaurants).
- Muskoka – sort of the “playground of the rich and celebrities,” where you can to boating amongst beautiful islands such as Lake Joseph and Lake Rosseau; and the town of Huntsville.
- Ottawa – cool, thriving neighbourhoods, the Rideau Canal, museums, the National Gallery of Canada, the Byward Market and its very Canadian “beaver tails.”
- Kingston/Ganaoque – Kingston castles (and helicopter tour), and for the “1,000 islands.”
- Kawarthas – Peterborough city, the lovely towns and a “crazy garden filled with stone carvings from Zimbabwe;” also a cool winery and “butter tarts.”
- Lake Huron coast – Grand Bend community is “best beach town in Canada.” Jim says it reminds him of California, where he grew up.
- Toronto – Ontario’s largest city offers a lot of nature, which Jim calls “quiet Toronto” (Toronto islands especially).
- Niagara region – especially Niagara-on-the-Lake and the wineries.
- Lake Erie shoreline – “Canada’s Forgotten Coast,” has lovely small towns such as Kingsville, culinary and beer/wine gems.
- Grey County – the town of Meaford, hiking and kayaking on Georgian Bay, spectacular waterfalls.
- Stratford – “more than theater festival,” bacon and ale trail, and parade of swans, and B&Bs.
For more about Ontario destinations, check out Jim’s book: “Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now” (2020), available on Apple Books. It is filled with tips, advice and fun and quirky stories written with great humour. The book was published by Sharon Creelman at Black Sand Digital .
**
How to join me on Twitter Spaces:
- First, you need an iOS or Android phone. Spaces is not accessible on a computer yet.
- Go to my Twitter account @Shannon_Skinner
- You obviously need a Twitter account
- At the time of broadcast, you will see a live link appear in my feed (in purple). It was say something like “join me.”
- Click on the live link and it take you to my Space.
- Your mic will automatically be muted.
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, author, international speaker and loves to explore the world through travel and wine. Watch her interviews at ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com. Join me live for Inspiring Conversations on Twitter Spaces, M-F at 10am EST. Follow me at @Shannon_Skinner to join (you need an iPhone or Android phone).
Interview: Tweeting Goddess Samantha Kelly’s favourite places in Ireland
Travel Interview Series on Twitter Spaces
I recently interviewed some cool, notable people about their favourite places in their home city/country to inspire travellers to visit once we can travel again.
I wanted to know more about Ireland, so I interviewed (the first in the series) the lovely “tweeting goddess,” Samantha Kelly, who is an Irish entrepreneur, Twitter expert and CEO of Women’s Inspire Network, a global networking organization for female entrepreneurs. She is known for her Twitter handle @TweetingGoddess. I got to know Sam having shared some Twitter Spaces together.
So I asked Sam, who has a strong love for her home country of Ireland, what places she loves in Ireland are – and why you will love them, too.
Samantha Kelly (photo courtesy of Sam Kelly)
Samantha Kelly’s top reasons to love Ireland:
1) Fanore, County Clare, a village on the West coast known for its fishing, beach, walking, surfing (and surfing lessons), seafood and cycling, and also popular for botanists.
2) Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford, known as Ireland’s ancient east, is filled with culture, attractions and festivals, lovely beaches, horseback riding, trail walking and a secret garden known for its peace and tranquility.
3) Glengarrif, County Cork. You can take a lovely boat trip, lovely walking trails, water sports, music festival.
4) Killmore Quay, Wexford, which has “the best fish and chips in the world.” It is a fishing village near Killmore, offering sailing, see angling, a seafood Festival, and there are two small islands nearby which have the largest bird sanctuary in Ireland where you can find puffins and seals.
5) Kinsale, County Cork, which has two 17th century fortress, yachting, sea angling, golf, art galleries, food festivals and a marina. It is known as one of the “20 most beautiful villages in Ireland and the UK” according to Conde Nast.
Screenshot of my Twitter Space interviewing Samantha Kelly
Stay tuned for more stories by Shannon on Spaces (follow #ShannonSpaces).
This story was originally published as part of another story about Twitter Spaces and I later re-published it as a stand-alone piece.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning author, speaker, broadcaster and travel writer. Watch Shannon’s interviews with Extraordinary Women at www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com.
My Adventure on Twitter Spaces
It was an inspiring week filled with inspired work, considering the circumstances we find ourselves in regarding the pandemic here in Ontario. Here is what I’ve been up to.
Twitter Spaces
You may have heard of Twitter Spaces, Twitter’s new live audio broadcast feature. It is currently in beta and I’ve been a beta host since the end of February, testing out the platform. I launched a daily live audio show called Inspiring Conversations, which takes place weekdays from Monday to Friday at 10 AM EST. I also have a separate Travel Space where we talk about travel and wine. To join, follow me at my Twitter handle @Shannon_Skinner.com.
Spaces will be rolling out more widely sometime this month or possibly next. Presently, you can only join Spaces if you have an iPhone or Android phone (no computers), although eventually it will have access from your computer/web browser.
In my Space, people gather from all over the world and we talk about a range of subjects from mindset to wellness to unlocking creativity, to food, wine and travel, all with the aim of how to live the life you love. I also have been conducting interviews, which has been great fun because we have a live audience who can engage and ask questions in real-time.
Please join me.
Screenshot from my phone of our Twitter Spaces live audio broadcast
“Top Places to Love” Travel Interview Series on Spaces:
Over the past couple of weeks, I interviewed some cool people about why they love their home (country/province/city) and their favourite places to visit. I will be writing more about this in the coming days and weeks.
How to join me on Twitter Spaces:
- If you wish to be added as a speaker, you need an iOS or Android phone. Spaces can be accessed by computer, in listen-only mode.
- Go to my Twitter account @Shannon_Skinner
- You obviously need a Twitter account
- At the time of broadcast, you will see a live link appear in my feed (in purple). It was say something like “join me.”
- Click on the live link and it take you to my Space.
- Your mic will automatically be muted.
**
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, author, international speaker and loves to explore the world through travel and wine. Watch her interviews at ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com. Join me live for Inspiring Conversations on Twitter Spaces, M-F at 10am EST. Follow me at @Shannon_Skinner to join (you need an iPhone or Android phone).
Learn to ask quality questions
Madeira
The quality of questions you ask yourself determines the quality of your life.
Newton is said to have discovered gravity by observing an apple falling from a branch of a tree while at the same time noticing the moon hanging in the sky. He wondered why the apple fell and not the moon. A remarkable question that lead to a greater understanding of our universe.
Okay, so not everyone is Newton asking questions that will help us understand universal laws, but we can learn to ask quality questions to do something that inspires us, get ourselves out of a pickle – or transform our lives and ultimately live an extraordinary life.
The difference between a quality question and a regular question lies in where it comes from: your heart. Zeroing-in on what is truly important in your heart to create, whether it is personal, business or other, is the first step. Then you ask yourself questions that are derived from or connected to your values.
We all live with a set of values. Some of those values are more important than others. For instance, an entrepreneur will have a high value on business and will spend a lot of time learning and growing in that area. A health expert will have a high value on wellness and will spend considerable time focussed on having a healthy lifestyle, whatever that takes. A mom will have a high value on her children, and she will put much time and energy into raising her kids, such as their education, food and clothing. An investor will put an enormous time and energy into understanding finances, the markets, etc.
For me, I have a high value in higher learning, travel, writing and media. There are other areas that are important to me, such as health and relationships, of course, and the priorities change, depending on what is going on in my life and the world around me. Right now, travel is not possible, so that area has been replaced by learning in other subjects that interest me, and other things.
One thing I know for certain that to live an extraordinary life begins with a) getting clear on your values and then b) asking quality questions.
Here are some examples of how you can turn a general question into a quality question:
- How can I earn more money?
Quality question: How can I make more money than every by doing what I love and getting paid handsomely for it?
- How do I stop making the same mistake?
Quality question: How is this (fill in the blank) helping me get what I deeply desire?
- Why am I failing at xx?
Quality question: How is this setback helping me reach my goals in the bigger picture?
The bottomline is to link your questions with your highest values and turn the question into a way of moving you forward and finding answers that will inspire you, help with clarity, and overall living a quality life.
The quality of questions you ask yourself determines the quality of your life. So ask quality questions – of yourself and of others.
*Photo: Madeira beach
**This blog post is an excerpt from my book, The Whispering Heart: Your Inner Guide to Creativity. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse permitted.
This is the second part of my How to live an extraordinary life series.
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, speaker, writer and author of The Whispering Heart, Your Inner Guide to Creativity and host/producer of ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com. She speaks around the world about her message: follow your heart, not matter what.
3 lessons menopause has taught me
Shannon’s Sunday Stories is a series of personal reflections and musings.
I didn’t know that menopause was going to be so hard.
Since I was a girl, I’ve read about the changes to a woman’s body as she goes through menopause and it always seemed like a mystery. As an adult, over the years, I’ve interviewed some experts on the topic. On a personal level, I’ve talked to many women who have gone through this phase in life.
All of it had not prepared me for my own journey through it.
Menopause derives from the Greek menos, meaning month, and pause, meaning to cease. Therefore, menopause means the “monthly (period) stops.”
But for some women, it is not just her period that stops. It may also be a more general pause in life.
During the menopause stage (perimenopause and menopause), when a significant drop in estrogen hormone levels occurs, the changes for me have been both gradual and overwhelming. Women generally complain about experiencing the same symptoms, ranging from body shape changes, weight gain (oyvay), brain fog, fatigue, irritability, night sweats, hot flashes, skin dryness and loss of elasticity, among others.
I can relate. As my body was changing, I clued in too late that adjusting my diet was necessary: I had already put on weight. Then began the difficult uphill battle of taking it off.
The loss of estrogen is also the loss of the fountain of youth. Part of that experience is grief: we are grieving the loss of our youth. So menopause is also a journey of grief.
The biggest change for me, though, is how I view myself. With all of these changes to my body, I had a dip in confidence and began to feel invisible. My inner voice became increasingly more critical of myself. Today, the idea of me as a woman in mid-life getting into a swimsuit does not exactly thrill me.
Menopause requires a shift in thinking. And, really, this is just part of the aging process.
From an early age, I heard comments about my looks, as most girls do, such as “you look pretty.” A focus on my looks would only continue from adolescence and throughout adult years. So many girls learn to put their self-worth into their physical appearance, as I did, because that is what society encourages. But what happens when you have lost your fountain of youth?
Some women have told me the symptoms get better after about three years of the post-menopausal stage. There’s always room for optimism, right?
3 Lessons menopause has taught me:
1). Find gratitude: by finding all the benefits that menopause brings, you can experience the changes with a more balanced view. An attitude of gratitude goes a long way.
2). Discover wisdom: you are worthy of love and your self-worth is not tied to your looks. Nothing is ever lost, energy just transforms. So find the new form of “youth” in your life. Someone, somewhere sees you as youthful. Look to see if there is at least one area of your life you have abundant vitality and vibrancy.
3). Embrace change: continue to do what is best for your body, mind and soul; and do what you can to slow down the aging process, while at the same time embracing the change and changing your perception about it. Maybe it is time to make some new conscious changes. For example, if you have always wanted to straighten your teeth, now might be a good time to do so. Or changing the colour of your hair or stopping the colour dying once and for all. Or maybe it’s changing your wardrobe to reflect a new you.
Shannon Skinner is a TV/radio host, speaker, author and writer. Watch her interviews at www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com.
The memory box
Bob trying out his doggy stroller while it was being assembled
Shannon’s Sunday Stories is a series of personal reflections and musings on life.
How do we best keep memories of our loved ones alive?
I have been working on a project compiling photos for albums and a photobook of my beloved sheepdog, Bob. He passed away last January at the age of nearly 15. Until now, all my images of him have been stored on my computers.
Going through the process has made me realize how much in our modern digital world we so easily, both consciously and mindlessly, capture images with our phones. I have thousands of photos of my dog and I have been pouring over them, as if I am trying to preserve every waking moment I had with him. So far, I have printed hundreds of photos for albums and then with my favourite shots am creating a photobook.
Bob
Then I will be putting them into a special memory box that will also contain other precious keepsake items to honour Bob. I’ll call it the Bob Box.
This might not seem like a big deal for some people, but many of us are storing our digital images without a serious thought about what would happen if they were lost, or computers/ drives stolen, or when they will eventually disintegrate, as they are apt to over time.
Nonetheless, it is a healing project for me.
The old adage “time heals” is not actually true. Time does not heal. Love does. Love heals with time. It is how we open our hearts and what we do with that time that is key.
Bob and me, a few years ago. I love this photo.
In my last Sunday Stories, I wrote about my daily walks to heal my grief and my new interest in refining my photography skills. In addition to my ongoing reflective writing, I’ve been slowly working on this memory box project. Looking at my dog’s photos is still painful to my heart, but the pain is lessening. He was like my kid, just in a furry suit. It has taken me a year to find the wherewithal to properly honour his life and memory. I am blessed to have so many images of him.
And it has me wondering: before the invention of photography and the moving picture, what was it like for people to keep the memory or image alive of their dead loved ones, particularly what they looked like? The first known photograph in history was taken in 1826/7. Then it would be the late 1800s when the moving picture would be invented. Of course there were paintings and drawings, and other art, for the rich and famous, but how did the ancients before that feel when a loved one died and they would not have a way to remember what they looked like? Or sound like?
I recall travelling through northern Thailand where I had spent time with the hill tribes. They did not have cameras or anything tech. The tribal people used the water of a pond to see their images reflecting back to them in the water. Otherwise, they would not have known what they themselves looked like.
Today, thankfully we have photos and video that immortalize our loved ones; and audio, too.
An urn with Bob’s ashes, for the Box Box
A few years ago, I recorded casual interviews with my grandmothers so I could remember the sound of their voices. Now that they have passed, I am so grateful that I did that. I think of my grandfathers, who passed away many years ago, and try to remember the sound of their voices, which I had not recorded, but now I wish I had.
Audrey Hepburn, WikiMedia commons
Think of famous dead celebrities whose photos in magazines and moving pictures are frozen in time. They will forever seem alive to us in our perception. Just think of Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Munroe, Humphrey Bogart and even more modern celebrities like Anthony Bourdain and comedian Robin Williams; they still seem as though they are with us.
And yet, when I look at the photos and videos, nothing seems real.
Gratitude is the heart’s memory. – French proverb.
Shannon Skinner is a TV/radio host and producer, author, speaker and write and wine writer.
Stranger in East Germany
(photo credit: Spielvogel, WikiMedia Commons)
Shannon’s Sunday Stories is an occasional series of personal reflections and musings on life.
Our eyes lock. His are blue and suspicious. Mine, curious and looking for adventure.
I should be afraid, but spontaneity tends to remove fear; adventure will do that to any 22 year old. I am determined to speak with the stranger, tall, lean and handsome in his uniform, as he stands in the street keeping a watchful eye on the people milling about.
I tell my friend, who I am travelling with, my plans to approach the stranger and alarm bells must be going off because perspiration is trickling down her forehead. She motions to me to go ahead without her. We have not been getting along after months of being on the road together throughout Europe and are ready to choke each other. So her concern must be his gun.
The buildings that surround us are old and worn. Some of the architecture is lovely; others, what look like apartment buildings and offices, are plain and boring. It is the buildings with holes in them that I am curious about.
This gives me the excuse I need to start up a chat.
“Excuse me,” I approach the stranger slowly, not wanting to appear overly enthusiastic. “What happened to that building?” I ask, pointing to one of the buildings that appeared to be badly damaged.
He gently adjusts the strap of his machine gun across his shoulders, which relax, signalling he is unconcerned that I am in his personal space.
My shoulders, however, are burdened with the weight of a backpack containing my entire world.
“Der Krieg,” he says. “The war.”
Artillery damage. I imagine planes flying above and dropping bombs, like I have seen numerous times in movies about World War II. It is now the Cold War, which to someone in their twenties doesn’t mean much, if anything at all.
“Where you are from?” he asks in broken English, his face unflinching.
He pulls out a cigarette from the pocket of his uniform and lights it. The match falls to the ground with a thud (I note the cement is same colour as the buildings), and he ensures it is extinguished by stepping on it with his shiny black boot.
“Canada,” I reply with a perky lift in my voice. I dare not say I hitchhiked with my friend to get to Berlin, thanks to a father and son who gave us a lift on the Autobahn in their BMW. Hitchhiking is illegal on the Autobahn and we heard that some have found themselves in a German jail.
“Canada,” he repeats with an easy smile. “Very nice.”
His helmet has tilted slightly across his forehead, but he quickly puts it back into place. His eyes match the sky behind him, and his cheekbones are high and chiseled. Not a hair on his face. He is probably not much older than me. He looks similar to other soldiers of the National People’s Army of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) that we saw “goose-stepping” during the changing of the guard at the war memorial, Neue Wache, for victims of war.
In the distance, behind the buildings, are the watch towers with border guards carrying machine guns, the Elbe river with security boats moving up and down, barbed wire fences and Checkpoint Charlie, where border guards gave me a terrifying grilling about my identification and the contents of my backpack.
And, of course, there is the Wall, which has separated East and West Berlin since 1961, years before I was born.
On June 12, 1987, just more than a year previous, U.S. President Reagan delivered his famous speech calling for the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to tear down the Berlin Wall. My friend and I had been backpacking across Europe all summer, along with other pals who came and went, and we heard news reports that the Berlin Wall would be coming down within months and we were encouraged to see it before it happened.
“Have you been to Canada?” I ask the stranger.
A long pause. He looks right through me. He shakes his head ‘no.’
I realize what a stupid question it was. He may never have been able to go outside state borders in his lifetime. I wonder if he ever had to shoot anyone trying to escape over the wall.
My friend signals to me that she is going to stand in a line with locals queuing at outdoor stands for fresh fruit and vegetables. The lines are long and winding. The locals stare at us with a faraway look; a look I have not seen elsewhere. She points to her watch. There is not much else to do and we have to leave through security at Checkpoint Charlie to return to the West before nightfall
Not to overdo my welcome, I thank the soldier and walk away. I can feel his gaze squarely on my back.
I pull out of my pockets the East German Marks that I have not spent because there is little to buy in this communist state. It is forbidden to take out East German money from the East, so you have to spend it or leave it behind. And so I wonder how I can sneak it out.
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Shannon Skinner is an award-winning TV/radio host, author, speaker, and travel writer.
Copyright Shannon Skinner. All rights reserved.
Romantic cities for getaways (when we can travel again)
This month we celebrate Valentine’s Day, which is a good time to start dreaming about that romantic place to whisk away to, by car or plane, once we can travel (safely) again.
Budapest, Hungary
I decided to put together this list after I was thinking about the line in the movie When Harry Met Sally, when Sally (Meg Ryan) tells Harry (Billy Crystal) about her and her ex-partner talking about flying off to Rome on a moment’s notice while they were still in their relationship. It was a fantasy that never transpired.
That lead me to think about one of the most memorable lines in film, from Casablanca, when Rick (Humphrey Bogart) says to his former lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), “We’ll always have Paris,” a reference to their romance on the eve of World War II.
Rome, Paris…so many places in the world for romance.
So I put together a list of my top 10 cities to consider for your next romantic getaway. Some will be expected and others might be a surprise.
Quebec City, Canada (photo: Allice Hunter, WikiMedia)
1) Quebec City, Canada: Canada’s predominantly French-speaking city with European flare, cobblestone streets, quaint alleys and bistros with delicious food (be sure to try the crepes). Rest assured, you don’t need to speak French to visit.
Paris, France (photo: Pierre Blache, WikiMedia Commons)
2) Paris, France: Cliché, maybe, but Paris is Paris, brimming with history, art and literature, museums, romantic strolls along the Seine, and so much more.
Vienna, Austria
3) Vienna, Austria: A city filled with music and cafes, and stunning architecture, palaces, and, of course, chocolate. I have visited Vienna a couple of times and want to explore more of this stylish city.
Viennese chocolate
4) Budapest, Hungary: It is a superb choice for travellers interested in wellness because besides the wonderful architecture and safe nightlife, Budapest is home to world-renowned spas. See my photo essay.
Budapest, Hungary
5) Jaipur, India: The Pink City is one of my favourite spots in the world, with its ancient palaces and forts, with some, such as the Samode Palace, being popular spots for weddings and honeymoons. It has many heritage boutique hotels that were once royal family residences, like the Samode Haveli.
Fort Amer, Jaipur, India
6) Cheyenne, USA: Not an obvious one, Wyoming’s capital city is filled with intriguing cowboy and cowgirl history. It is a terrific starting point for those wanting to go hiking or skiing in Wyoming’s vast parks.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
7) New York, USA: It’s almost too obvious to put on a list, but it’s New York and you can find anything you want to do and buy there.
Me, in New York (thanks to my friend Andrea for taking photo)
8) Boston, USA: One of my favourite spots. Years ago, I worked on the Massachusetts tourism account representing the commonwealth in Canada, and had the privilege of experiencing Boston at its best. From delicious seafood to history to the Boston Pops, there is much to do and see.
Boston, USA (photo: Nelson48 Wikimedia Commons)
9) Geneva, Switzerland: One of my favourite European cities, Geneva is a walkable city where you can enjoy international cuisine, world-class wines, chocolate and cheese, and high-end fashion, plus quaint art shops.
Geneva, Switzerland
10) Toronto, Canada: I can’t not mention my hometown, Toronto. It can be best described as a smaller and friendlier version of New York. It has high-end shopping, museums galore, international cuisine, an entertainment scene, some of the finest hotels and many parks.
Toronto, Canada
While this is merely a short list, the world is a big place and there are many destinations to consider. Rome, however, is not included because, unfortunately, I have not yet been! Hopefully this has sparked some inspiration to pack your bags and go…when it’s safe to do so.
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, author, international speaker, and travel and wine writer and consultant.
You may be interested in these related posts:
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Geneva’s special ‘chocolate pots’ for Escalade
Nuremberg: the room where the trials took place
January 27 is recognized around the world as Holocaust Memorial Day. In honour of it, I wanted to write about an important room which captured the world’s attention 75 years ago.
I had visited Nuremberg, Germany a few years ago while on a river cruise with Viking Cruises. Nuremberg is a lovely city and, of course, it is best known around the world for the Nuremberg Trials.
Our day excursion included touring the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Palace of Justice, where the famous Nuremberg Trials took place post-World War II to hold accountable Nazi war criminals. The most famous of them all, the Major War Criminals’ Trial of 1945-46, saw twenty-four people indicted and six Nazi organizations determined to be criminal (including the notorious Gestapo). I would like to share with you not all the details of the trials, but what made this room significant.
Along with about a couple dozen of other tourists, I sat quietly in the courtroom inside the Palace of Justice where the drama had unfolded, as I listened to a history lecture.
The courtroom, with its wooden panels on the walls, was dimly lit. Taking in the stillness of the room and the horrendous stories told here so long ago sent a shiver up my spine. Infamous rooms will do that to you. I love to learn and I was leaning in to the lecturer’s stories of men being prosecuted for their involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the horrendous deaths of millions of Jews and so many others in the Holocaust. Many were sent to prison and some sentenced to death.
Dark and grim for sure, but thankfully our lecturer, who was a Nazi Party scholar, had a sense of humour, which was welcoming to lift the darkness that draped us. In fact, the group was so intensively enthralled with the lecture, that if anyone said anything loud or even sneezed that person would be promptly told off (yes, me being one of them).
But this courtroom, while it doesn’t look like much, has a history that represents so much more. This room represents many firsts:
– the first international trial of war criminals, leading the way to establishing international law including the UN Genocide Convention (1948) and Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and the Geneva Convention on the Laws and Customs of War (1949).
– since the defendants and judges spoke several languages, there was rapid technology innovation for a means to create instant translation into many languages at once (English, French, German and Russian) – a technology we use today for gatherings of world leaders.
– the room had to be made larger and adapted to accommodate media from all over the world due to international news interest, making it the first and largest truly international media scrum. In fact, the room was so bright with camera lights that some defendants allegedly wore sunglasses. After the trials, the room was returned to what it looked like before the trials.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this room because I learned a lot about world history. From my experience, there may be a tendency to avoid touring places with a dark history, but I would suggest that, instead, you lean in because it can be a tremendous education and learning experience. To me, that is what travel is about.
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, author, speaker and travel and wine writing and consultant.
