City Walks Kevin Durst City Walks Kevin Durst

Architecture, Cars, Cigars and Rum - Havana, Cuba

This post covers the safe, vibrant, culturally rich Old Havana. Havana is the largest city in the Caribbean and in 1982, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The architecture exhibits a blending of many styles from Art Deco, Neoclassic, Baroque and ugly utilitarian. Many main buildings in Havana have been restored to their original glory, while others are showing signs of the slow process of restoration.

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House Museum Kevin Durst House Museum Kevin Durst

A Painter’s Hudson Retreat - Olana

Olana was the eclectic home of Frederic Edwin Church and his wife Isabel. Frederic was one of the major figures in the Hudson River School of landscape painting. The mansion was designed by Mr. Church in conjunction with architect Calvert Vaux and built between 1870 and 1872. A studio wing was added in 1889.

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City Walks Kevin Durst City Walks Kevin Durst

The Pearl of the Danube - Budapest

Did you know that that the capital city of Budapest was formed in 1873 joining together two different cities, Buda (on the west bank of the Danube) and the Pest (pronounced Pescht, on the east bank)? Although they are united under one name, they are still referred to separately.

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Historic Sites Kevin Durst Historic Sites Kevin Durst

At Home With The Phipps - Old Westbury Gardens

Old Westbury Gardens is the former estate of John Shaffer Phipps who had the 44-room English manor house house commissioned as a wedding present to his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps. It was completed in 1906 by the English designer George A. Crawley on 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes.

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