Category: Miscellaneous

From Vatican City To Monaco

Okay, I’ll admit it—I have a pretty quirky item on my bucket list. While you guys are out there dreaming of skydiving or tackling Mount Everest, I’m working on something a little more low-key: visiting every microstate in Europe. You know, those tiny little independent countries that most travelers skip over. They may be small but each one has so much history that it’s hard not to be fascinated.

Take Vatican City, for example. I visited this one a few years ago, right in the heart of Rome. It’s the smallest independent state in the world, both in area and population, and yet it feels monumental. Walking through its halls and seeing artistic masterpieces that I’d only ever read about was surreal. It was like wandering through centuries of art and spiritual history all at once—a place that just gets you if you love art, history, or just a sense of the sacred.

Fast forward to now, and I’ve just come back from a day in Monaco—my second microstate checked off the list!

Talk about a contrast, though. Monaco’s all about the glitz and the glamour, from Monte Carlo’s’ casinos and those Mediterranean sea views everywhere you look. It’s like a tiny slice of luxury nestled into a space no bigger than a city park. From the famous Casino de Monte Carlo to the Japanese Gardens, everywhere you look had something new to offer, a blend of opulence and elegance with a dash of Mediterranean magic.

I know you believe me, but I’ve got some proof anyway… photos from my day in Monaco. It may be small, but it’s got a style that’s larger than life, so enjoy this virtual stroll through one of the world’s tiniest (but most dazzling) countries. It may be little, but trust me when I say it leaves a big impression.

Casino de Monte Carlo
Monaco Parks
Monaco selfie
Prince’s Palace
That’s about half of the entire country

“Born On The High Seas”

One thing I’ve been doing with my spare time lately is digging into some family genealogical history. That means I’ve been running search after search on some provincial archive websites for the past few weeks.

At one point the other day I had tracked down some records relating to my great grandmother. Emphasis on the “some.” A couple of records that I was looking for were proving elusive.

Eventually I found a record where great-grandma had given an attestation for the birth of my grandfather’s sister, which she signed with the surname “Rose.” Nothing odd about that, except my g-grandfather’s surname was McLean and her maiden name was Flynn. This might explain why I can’t find her death records by searching for Flynns and McLeans.

So, I dug a bit deeper, and I found a marriage registration between my great-grandmother and a gentleman named, no surprise, Rose. A wedding that was witnessed by my grandfather and his sister and that took place when both the bride and groom were 75 years old. Three weeks before the groom’s death, according to another record I found registered with the province. Huh. Well, it was the 1950s, so I guess things were different back then?

Anyhow, I have more free time than I know what to do with nowadays, so I ran some queries on young Mr. Rose as well. I quickly found another record relating to his parents that showed his mother was from Northern Ireland, and that his father was born… literally, and I’m quoting here… “On the high seas.”

I bet there were some interesting stories that came out of that family history!

Archived birth certificate showing child's father was born on the high seas.
Archived birth certificate showing child’s father was born on the high seas.

Suffice it to say, this was a much-too-long way to get to the joke this reminded me of:

I’m not saying ships were slow back then, but ships were so slow back then that a heavily pregnant woman approached the captain one day and says “I need a doctor, I’m going to have a baby!”

The captain says to the woman, “Ma’am, you shouldn’t have gotten on board the ship in that condition!”

To which the woman replies: “I didn’t!”

Anyone else got a funny/strange/unexpected story from their family’s past that they care to share? I’d love to hear it!

Autumn

There’s just something about autumn that makes it my absolute favorite time of year. After sweating through those long, hot summer days, the first cool breeze of fall? It’s like a breath of fresh air. The weather hits that sweet spot—not too hot, not too cold—making it the perfect season to get outside and actually enjoy being outdoors, without melting in the heat or bundling up against the cold. Autumn weather reports don’t make any mention of either humidity or wind chill. That’s the way it ought to be.

One thing I’ve always loved about fall is the light. There’s a certain crispness to it that’s hard to explain, but it’s different from any other time of year. It makes everything seem more vivid, more alive. The reds, oranges, and yellows of the leaves just seem to pop against the clear blue sky, turning even the simplest view into something kind of magical.

 

Autumn trees
What autumn looks like in my neighborhood.
© 2020 Greg Nason. All rights reserved.

And don’t even get me started on the air. Autumn air just feels cleaner, fresher. Maybe it’s the cooler temps clearing out the leftover haze from summer, but there’s this stillness to the air that’s perfect for a peaceful hike or even just a quiet picnic. It’s like the whole world slows down a little, and you can actually breathe deeper.

Plus, let’s be honest—there’s a real sense of satisfaction knowing the grass finally stops growing so fast in the fall. Fewer weekends spent mowing the lawn means more time to kick back and really appreciate the beauty of the season, without that constant upkeep hanging over your head.

For me, autumn is also about finding a bit of peace. It’s that little break before the chaos of the holiday season kicks in, a time to slow down and enjoy nature’s quiet transformation. The cooler, quieter days just have this way of making everything feel more calm and relaxed. If you’re anything like me, it’s the perfect season to unwind, take it all in, and savor life’s simple pleasures.