If you've watched a movie about a university professor, you've probably seen someone wearing a Harris tweed jacket. Known locally as "clò-mòr", or literally "big cloth", Harris tweed is made exclusively in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, mostly on the islands of Harris and Lewis. In this short documentary by Jack Flynn and Nick David, you get a glimpse into the family connections that come along with the production of Harris tweed. Protected by the Harris Tweed Act of 1993, any tweed that bears the Harris name must have been completely produced in the Outer Hebrides and will bear a distinctive stamp to help ensure that the quality level remains high.

Ties To The Past

Tweed production in the Outer Hebrides reminds me of the generational farmers that you see in the Midwest here in America. A trade passed down from father and mother to daughter and son, perfected, tested and used to support life in a mostly remote part of Scotland. My family comes from a lot of farmers that handed down land and craft. That physical connection to your past can be strong and enduring. A tangible reminder of where you come from. Local weavers in the Outer Hebrides have seen a bit of a resurgence in production and demand since 2009, with companies as varied as Nike and Brooks Brothers experimenting with variations on the fabric in their collections. Remember, just look for the Authority stamp to make sure it's authentic Harris tweed.

To learn more about Harris tweed, visit the Authority's website here.

There’s nothing quite like a journey by train. The ability to slow down and let your focus wander as you churn through the countryside is a welcome distraction from our busy lives. My last train ride was a 3-hour trip from Paris to Amsterdam. There was something therapeutic about leaning my head on the window and watching the Belgian fields fly by. I shot the above footage and thought about editing it and cleaning a bunch of it up, but in the end, the slow-moving nature of it enchanted me. For most of the trip I just stared out into the countryside. As we approached Brussels, the transition from grass to concrete was stark. How far we have come and how far we have to go. Yes, that's me leaning up against the window with my iPhone. I never said this was one of my best videos, just soothing.

Now all I can think about is this list of the 7 Best Train Trips in the World compiled by Wired, or the World's 15 Most Scenic Train Rides from Fodors Travel. Check out this trip through the Balkans as documented by Leon Visser. Just a few friends heading through Southeastern Europe on holiday, taking their time and enjoying the scenery and cities around them.

Balkans By Train

Between 1940 and 1945 the network of concentration camps in annexed Poland known as Auschwitz Birkenau killed an estimated 1.1 million Jews, Poles, Roma and Soviet prisoners of war. The camp was a machine of death, its name now synonymous with torture, gas chambers and the Holocaust. In 1979 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is visited by an estimated 1.4 million people a year (number taken from 2011 estimate.) I've visited a few different Holocaust memorials and each time I'm struck by the way that each person around me experiences it. As I walked through the Mémorial de la Shoah's Wall of Names in Paris' Marais district, I noticed people running their hands along certain names, lingering slowly to let the realization of the horrors committed sink in. Others calmly walked by, noting the names but ultimately moving further inside quickly.

We Must Remember

The idea of a memorial as a tourist "attraction" feels odd to me. I love learning the history of a new place, connecting its now to the good and bad of its earlier years and soaking in the context. As I stood in line to enter the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam I remembered the scenes from "Nuit et brouillard"(Night and Fog), the 1956 French documentary by Alain Resnais that looked at the abandoned grounds of Auschwitz and Majdanek a mere 10 years after their liberation. It's black and white depictions of the scene of so much horror is sobering, emotional and ultimately unsettling. The monochrome shots tear at your soul, urging you to examine how these atrocities could have occurred in a so-called modern society.

The pieces that always stick with me are the personal stories and recollections of survivors. They lived through hell and their words carry a weight that should cut through eternity. These memories must be remembered. Seeing the actual diary of a young teenage girl who was sent to her death at the age of 15 for simply being Jewish brought me to tears. I stood in a line of English, German and Dutch tourists viewing her writings and barely a word was spoken. As soon as we left the tiny house, each one sparked up conversations about nationalism and anti-Semitism in each others own country. The house of remembrance had done its job.

Tourist vs. Pilgrim

My wife leads a pilgrimage each year for incoming college students to London and Canterbury that aims to connect them with the roots of the Episcopal/Anglican faith. The students walk through Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey seeing the formation of their faith tradition come alive in front of their eyes. A pilgrim's eyes see not with wonder but discovery. They search for meaning, connection and context to inform their present lives. That's how these sites of remembrance must be approached. The Santayana quote "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," should live in our hearts. Simply visiting sites of remembrance and not letting ourselves be changed by their sobering realities is a disservice to our own selves. See not as a tourist looking for beauty, but as a pilgrim craving meaning and discovery. In that meaning, you'll see a deeper beauty, one that can change your worldview.

Being a bit of a gear head, it's hard for me to leave all my cool camera stuff at home. It's the perfectionist in me that wants to frame everything correctly and have just the right lens to capture the light perfectly. Well, the thing is, I don't always have my Nikon D750 with me. It's kinda bulky and when I walk around all day it can become a burden if filming wasn't what I intended to do. You know what's always with me? My iPhone. This short video from Wang Yao exploring Tokyo shows that you don't always need the perfect equipment to capture memories. With just an iPhone, Yao harnesses the beauty of Japan's capital city. Colors pop and streets come to life with people all in front of the little camera lens. Is it the best footage ever? No. But it gets the job done and makes a beautiful cinematic travel memory. Tokyo seems like a magical place to me, a delight to the senses. This travel video captures that and more. So next time that you're out and about, remember that any memory worth having is one worth capturing.

The first time I saw Paris was on a bus. It was 2007 and my mom had come to visit me while I was traipsing about London and on our itinerary was a quick day-trip to Paris. We hopped on the Eurostar and in a few hours we were aboard a private bus tour. It was air-conditioned, lovely and honestly, a bit sterile. We were experiencing one of the most beautiful cities in the world from behind glass and with no way to do what we wanted. Sure it was a quick trip but there had to be a better way.

Jump On The Big Bus

If you haven't been to a city before, the best way to experience it is by walking its streets. If you're pressed for time, an open-top bus is the next best thing. I've taken the Big Bus Paris Tour a number of times, including this past June, and have never been disappointed. It's a quick, fun way to get your bearings in Paris and plan where you want to visit with your remaining time. My wife and I have used Big Bus Tours in London to keep a group of high school pilgrims awake on their very first day in the country. In Rome, we hopped on a Big Bus to maximize a poorly planned trip (totally my fault) and see the highlights.

While it's not everyones preferred method of seeing Paris, there definitely are advantages to the Big Bus Tour. If you're using a Paris Pass, its included in the price and is a great kick off to seeing la Ville Lumière. It's hop off/hop-on feature lets you take your time when visiting museums or sites. So if time is of the essence, a Big Bus Tour is definitely the way to go.

Intimate Paris in a Citroën

cedric paris tours

If a bus isn't your thing, then maybe a private car ride around Paris with a local Parisian guide might be. On our honeymoon, my wife surprised me with a jaunt around Paris with Cedric of Cedric's Paris Tours and his 1982 Citroën 2CV "Thelma", complete with champagne. The tour was tailored to us and skipped the St. Germain de Pres area, since that was where we were staying, and focused on areas a bit further out. Cedric was beyond amazing and explained everything about the car, Parisian history and quirks of the city as we passed by the Arc de Triomphe and through the tiny streets on the Île Saint-Louis.

The tour was so great that we even sent our parents on it this past June for an anniversary present. Cedric and his drivers are all local Parisians and they have a few different cars and options to choose from to help tailor your tour to your taste. On our honeymoon we opted for a two-hour night experience with Champagne and photo opportunities behind Notre Dame. You can even book a tour with a photographer and visit all the best Parisian photo spots.

Life On Two Wheels

One of the most hilarious experiences that I've ever had in Paris was taking a Fat Tire Paris bike tour that snaked in and out of traffic, through crowds and in parks. We "dominated" lanes while drivers honked at us and thought we'd never make it back to the office, but we did and it was a blast. We took the Paris Day Tour but the real excitement came with the Versailles Bike Tour. Most people head out to Versailles and only experience the Chateau and a little section of the impressive gardens, but there's so much more to see. With Fat Tire you get transportation from Paris To Versailles and a truly magical ride around the massive palace grounds.

Did you know that Marie Antoinette had a small hamlet built away from the main palace to escape life as a French royal? Well, this tour takes your right up to the hamlet, complete with farm animals and a unique look at life in the time of Louis XIV. For lunch you get to shop at the local market and have a memorable picnic at the far end of the Grand Canal, with many great photo opportunities along the way.

Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet at Versailles

However you see Paris, make sure you wander a bit. That's where the magic in the city really comes out.