Escal’Atlantic is a visitor experience, recalling the heyday of the great French liners or “paquebots” (mailships)* that carried mail and passengers across the Atlantic, and around the world, at speed and in style. The experience recreates a classic passenger liner using sets and artefacts based on some...
A Museum of Illusions (MOI) is opening in Washington DC on 13 December 2022. The experience is designed around illusionistic rooms, optical illusions and a playroom with didactic games and puzzles. All exhibits on science, mathematics and psychology allow visitors to learn about vision, perception, and the...
The EOL Centre éolien – Offshore Wind Farm Visitor Centre in Saint-Nazaire is the first and only such centre in France. It opened in 2017 and is designed very much with family and school groups in mind. The centre explains how wind turbines and wind farms work...
The Écomusée in the old port area of Saint-Nazaire focuses on the port’s historic, industrial and maritime heritage. Who knew!? Most Anglophones, me included, think the “Éco Museum” is something to do with the environment, and probably linked to the EOL-Wind Turbine experience nearby. I wouldn’t have...
It’s Trafalgar Day tomorrow (21 Oct) and the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) is revealing some of Lord Nelson’s letters in a temporary exhibition that will run till 16 April 2023. ‘Nelson In His Own Words: Treasures from the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation’ features rare &...
Espadon (“Swordfish”) is a French submarine from the Cold War era, now a museum ship on display in Saint-Nazaire. Other Saint-Nazaire Posts Operation Chariot Battlefield Trail in Saint-Nazaire Saint-Nazaire Mystery Wreckage Submarine Espadon – Museum Ship EOL Centre éolien – Learning Centre Écomusée – Industrial Heritage Museum...
The Military Museum of the Canaries in Santa Cruz de Tenerife covers the military history of the Canary Islands (Spain) from the 15th century to present day. It is housed in the Almeyda fortress, which was built to strengthen the capital’s defences after Admiral Nelson’s failed attack...
Hertz and General Motors Co. have announced an agreement in which Hertz plans to order up to 175,000 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and BrightDrop Electric Vehicles (EVs) for the North American market. The vehicles will range from compact and midsize SUVs to pickups, luxury vehicles and more....
Twelve days ago, 16 sailors in small yachts set out from les Sables d’Olonne on the French Atlantic coast to race around the world, non-stop and single-handed in the 3rd edition of the Golden Globe Race. There’s nothing particularly unusual about that. There are a number of...
French boat builder, Iguana Yachts, unveiled its latest amphibious boat at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2022 last week. The Iguana Foiler – “A boat that sails, lands and flies” – is an electric version of their previous models… with foils. The Normandy based company says that sustainability...
A visit to the 95th Bombardment Group museum and Red Feather Club is a rare treat, and when I say rare, I mean rare, so grab any opportunity to visit with both hands! The USAAF’s 95th Bombardment Group – the only Eighth Air Force Bomb Group to...
The return of supersonic air travel is a step closer with a show of faith by the world’s largest airline, American Airlines, who have paid Boom Supersonic a non-refundable deposit on 20 aircraft, with an option for an additional 40. When/if those orders are completed, American will...
We Have Ways Fest is a three-day weekend festival in Buckinghamshire* of World War II history talks, demonstrations and presentations… with beer! The event is hosted by the We Have Ways podcast duo – Al Murray and James Holland. This year’s festival definitely built on the first...
The Dutch Mining Museum (Nederlands Mijnmuseum) re-opened in May this year (2022) in the old Kneepkens department store in Heerlen, south Netherlands. Heerlen is in that panhandle that extends south to Maastricht along the Meuse between Belgium and Germany, and includes the Limburg region, famous for its...
This is a niche blog about technically-minded travel. It reflects my own interests in the mechanical, technical, historical, engineering, transport and military world.
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