Europe

The World Health Organization (WHO) was established by the United Nations to act as an international coordinating authority on April 7, 1948. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO succeeded the role of the Health Organization, its predecessor under the League of Nations.

The Games of the I Olympiad were held from April 6 to April 15, 1896 in Athens, Greece, the first Olympic Games in modern times. The first Olympics, or "I Olympiad" also established the International Olympic Committee.

Along with the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid, there may be no more instantly recognizable man-made structure than the Eiffel Tower, inaugurated on this date in 1889. The grand tower was built for the Universal Exhibition held that year in celebration of the French Revolution.

The Georgian capital Tbilisi’s name derives from a word that means warm place. The word applies to both the glorious sulfur baths on which the city was founded, as well as the generosity and warmth of the Georgian people.  A trip to the baths allows visitors a chance to luxuriate in the soothing hot waters, which are part of the centuries-old history of this Caucasus city.

When The Slave Trade Act passed in Parliament on March 25, 1807, the United Kingdom effectively abolished the slave trade throughout the British Empire, but slavery continued.

Americans interested in visiting Europe may want to do so before 2021. According to a report, the European Union said any U.S. travelers coming to the European Schengen area will need another kind of visa for entrance.

On this day in history, the 23rd and last official Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay and a few other Templars, were sent to their death after enduring years of torture and other humiliations. The Knights Templars were Crusades warrior monks.  The Roman Church granted the Knights Templar with near autonomous power, answering to no one other than the Pope.  But it was the Order's enormous power that eventually led their downfall.  Over the years, the Order became extremely wealthy and at times acted as a bank throughout Europe. King Phillip IV of France became financially indebted to the Templars. On Friday, October 13, 1307 (the origin of the "Friday the 13th" bad luck date), Phillip, who because of his indebtedness to the Order, demanded the arrest of all Templars. They were tortured into false confessions of heresy and eventually forced to disband. However,  Jacques de Molay [...]

Lisbon, Portugal is a beautiful, warm, affordable place to visit. Think of breathtaking views of red rooftops for miles on end, watching the sun set over the wide river Tagus while sipping a beer, perusing the streets of the old town and admiring the mosaic walls. Lisbon possesses so much beauty and character in its heart, it's tempting to not want to venture further afield. But if you do, an exciting city break can be extended into a activity packed, architecturally appealing European holiday with both town and sea.

One of our favorite spots offering an extraordinary view is located on the west coast of Ireland—the Cliffs of Moher. These almost vertical cliffs drop sheer into the heaving Atlantic Ocean, creating a haven for seabirds. From the top, you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, the Twelve Pins, and the Maum Turk Mountains to the north in Connemara, as well as Loop Head to the south. The breathtaking panorama from the Cliffs of Moher never gets tiresome.

I first learned of Guy Fawkes when I moved to London and was invited to a Guy Fawkes celebration that was full of fun, fireworks and libation.  Only later did I learn more about the man that the British recognize today with fanfare. 

Sir Hans Sloane was a naturalist who had managed to amass an enormous collection of books, manuscripts, dried plants and antiquities from his travels. As he neared his death, he did not wish to see his collection broken up or, worse yet, forgotten. Sloane bequeathed his collection to King George II who, in turn, gave his royal assent to an Act of Parliament to establish the British Museum using Sloane's collection as a foundation. Two large libraries of books, one of which included the only surviving copy of Beowulf, were added to the Sloane materials. The concept for the British Museum was unique - it was owned by the government, but not by the king, and was freely open to the public. First situated in the Montagu House, the exhibition galleries and a reading room opened on January 15, 1759. The gallery was first situated in Montagu House in Bloomsbury. [...]

On January 10, 1863' the London Underground (a.k.a. the Tube) became the first underground rail system in the world. In 1890 the world's first electric trains began operating there as well. The original track ran between London Paddington station and Farringdon station. Many more lines would be added to the Underground railway network over the years, but most of it was developed over the next 50 years.