We’re going to start off the New Year with a tough trivia question. At least it was tough for me. It has to do with a place that is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

I would never have noticed it if a tour guide hadn’t pointed it out when I was on my way to board the S.S. Legacy. As my bus turned the corner, the guide told the interesting tale of this small plot of land. Read more...

On New Year’s Eve in 1912, a young New Orleans boy fired a gun into the air. That was a big mistake – or maybe it was a huge break for the child and for the world of music.

Arrested for disturbing the peace, Louis Armstrong was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home in New Orleans. While there, he met band manager Peter Davis and received his first formal music training. Read more...

During the Spanish Civil War, three bombs fell on the Basilica del Pilar in Zaragoza, Spain. Two bombs went through the ceiling. Another landed just outside the church. None exploded.

“It may have been a stroke of luck,” said local guide Benoit. “That is a plausible theory.” Read more...

Barbara Kensey thrusts one hand out, palm forward and launches into the words and moves of the well-known Supremes song, “Stop, In the Name of Love.”

From an old photograph hanging on the wall, singer Diana Ross seems to look over her shoulder at all the hullabaloo going on. A tour of the Motown Historical Museum  in Detroit includes music and lots of it. Read more...

Before the advent of modern washing machines, many women set aside Monday for the weekly chore of washing and drying the family laundry. At the same time, they would need to plan a hearty supper.

“What they did,” said Debbie Kelly, “is cook something that wouldn’t need a lot of attention, something they could put on the stove and it would be ready at the end of the day.” Read more...

She proudly struts down the street, her long slender legs clad in gold boots. Peacock feathers atop her head sway in the breeze as parade watchers cheer and clap when she passes by.

Accepting the adulation with calm poise, she seems to know she is top dog. Read more...

The nation’s 38^th president was born in Omaha in 1913 and named Leslie Lynch King Jr. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because his name was soon changed.

“Shortly after his birth, his mother moved to Grand Rapids. Following a divorce, his mother married a man named Gerald R. Ford,” said Kristin Mooney. “His mother then changed her son’s name to Gerald R. Ford Jr.” Read more...

Since beginning its partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2010, Carnival Cruise Line has raised more than $18 million.

Now, Carnival has announced that it will raise its pledge to a total of $33 million by 2024.

“Because of the generosity of our guests and team members, we are able to increase our fundraising goal and look forward to continuing to support our friends at St. Jude,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. Read more...

As duckmaster at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Doug Weatherford has no doubts who is boss. After trailing the fowl on their daily march to the elevator, Weatherford acknowledges the obvious.

“The ducks don’t actually follow me,” he admitted. “They lead me.” Read more...

Viking To Offer Access to Highclere Castle, Filming Location of ‘Downton Abbey’

“Downton Abbey” fans are going to have a chance to visit filming locations for the popular TV series and movie, courtesy of Viking cruises.

Starting in 2021, Viking cruises will be offering a new pre/post cruise extension named “Great Homes, Gardens & Gin.” The extension was designed to give cruisers an exclusive look at several country estates that have served as settings for the acclaimed PBS and Masterpiece Theatre productions. Read more...