35 Search Results for "unesco"

• Borgund Stave Church

  • From: acpatel714
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    Borgund Stave Church, Norway

  • 1 week ago
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• Blue Boats

  • From: kellysteveadventures
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    Fishing boats in Essaouira, Morocco.

  • 3 months ago
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• Feeding Time

  • From: kellysteveadventures
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    Gulls by the ramparts in Essaouira, Morocco. 

  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 110

• Sunrise at Easter Island

  • From: asonbuchner
  • Description:

    While we were met with crowds at a sunrise at Angkor Wat, we were the only early birds at Ahu Tongariki.

  • 3 months ago
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• Þingvellir National Park, Icel

  • From: cbenitez
  • Description:

    Þingvellir National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The park is located on a section of the Mid-Atlantic ridge which passes across Iceland, where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates can be seen subsiding and diverging.  The picture of the plains was taken atop the Almannagjá fissure.  Þingvellir is part of the most famous sites in Iceland collectively known as the Golden Circle.

  • 4 months ago
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• Sekowa

  • From: lprice
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  • 5 months ago
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• Poland - Part 6 (Podhale and L

  • From: lprice
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    Sekowa is a small village and is the site of SS.Phillip and James Church. The church is one of the six wooden churches of southern Poland on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The churches steep roof sweeps all the way out forming a surrounding porch. Pilgrims to the church had to travel so far from home that they arrived the night before and would sleep on the porch awaiting services the next morning.

     

    Zakopane is known as the winter capital of Poland and is located in the Podhale region. It is situated in the middle of the Tatra (Carpathian) Mountains. Zakopane is known as a resort town, but is also a great city to act as a home base for day trips to the surrounding villages. 

    

      There are several options for transporatation. I would recommend taking a bus. They are cheaper than a train and way more convenient. They typically leave the main bus station in Krakow every 30 minutes and takes about 2.5 hours. There is a fast train to Zakopane but it doesn't leave from krakow's main station and therefore can be tricky if you aren't familiar with the city. It is the most expensive option. And last but not least there is the regular train from Krakow. These trains can take anywhere from 4 to 5 hours to get there and costs more than the bus. If you aren't in a hurry this can be a good option as the ride is gorgeous and you will get to see a lot of the little villages on the way. 

      
    Make sure to stop at the Jaszczorowka Chapel right outside the village. It was one of Pope John Paul II's favorites. The whole church is constructed out of wood with gorgeous paintings and symbols decorating the inside. Also, the can't miss cultural experience of the Podhale region - Oscypek. You will see these sold all over Krakow by old women in their babuskas. It will looks like bread that has been baked into a mould, but don't be deceived. It is actually a yummy smoked cheese made from sheep's milk and is an exclusive product of the Podhale. Warning though, it is very salty, so if you have a diet that is low in sodium, this might be all your salt for a week.

     

    Daily side trips: 

    

    Czorsztyn is the ruin of a 14th century Castle that sits over the Dunajec Reservoir. It isn't recommended for families with small children. 

     

    Niedzica is a former border-post with Hungary. This castle also serves as a hotel which is perfect for a romantic getaway. The views from the ramparts are also phenomenal.

    There is also a great restaurant just below the castle that is perfect for a lunch break. Make sure you ask at the castle about the ghost.

     

    Chocholow lies about 17 kilometers east of Zakopane and is an easy bus ride from the city center. It is one of the most complete historic gorale villages in the Podhale region. Kids will enjoy the museum at number 75.

    

    Debno is another one of the UNESCO listed wooden churches. If the church isn't open make an effort to track down the parish priest. The paintings on the interiors are some of the best religious and natural symbols I've seen.

    
    

     

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  • 5 months ago
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• Poland - Part 2 (Greater Polan

  • From: lprice
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    I totally love this hotel. I don't want to leave. The restaurant on the ground floor was great. But all good things must come to an end, back to the bus as we head to the Wielkopolska region. 

     

      Our first stop of the day was at Antonin, the hunting lodge of Prince Antoni Radziwill. It is a yellow octagonal- shaped home with a huge column in the center if the home. Animal lovers, be forwarned, there are deer heads covering the three story column. Karl Friedrick Schinkel, a famous German architect, built the home in the 1820's. 

      Out front you can't miss the Chopin bust that looks as if it is floating above the hedges. Chopin apparently lived here for a while and taught the Prince's daughter piano lessons. He composed several pieces here, including the Introduction and Polonaise in C-Major op. 3. He also dedicated the Piano Trio op. 8 to the Prince himself. This is a great place to stretch your legs and wander around the huge park that the estate sits on. 

     

      Our next stop is at a beautiful French Chalet of Goluchow set in the middle of the Polish countryside. You enter into the courtyard with an arcade overlooking it and part of the grounds. The home was rebuilt in the late 1800's and was turned into a museum with a huge collection of Greek vases, paintings, military equipment and prehistoric tools. The museum was one of the largest private museums in Europe until 1939. The museum was looted in World War II and part of the grounds destroyed. The grounds were designed in the English park style, similar to the Biltmore. The grounds are still the largest arboretum in Poland. After hiking across the grounds for a bit it was time to go see a modern castle. 

     

      We stopped in the city of Kornik for lunch before we headed to the castle complex.

    I am not sure if I was just starving or what, but the Bolognese Spaghetti that I had from the restaurant was amazing. 

      The castle was renovated by the Dzialynski family in the Neo-Gothic style that we see today. The castle was under repairs when we went through the home. We ended up sliding across the wood floors with our cloth booties created to protect the floor. The house has been turned into a museum now. It has a great armor collection and period furniture from different eras.

     

    
    Gniezno was the first Polish capital until the 11th century. There is a large cathedral that was built in 1342  and is on the UNESCO World Cultural Treasury list. The relics in the cathedral are of St. Adalbert, the first patron of Poland. If you haven't had lunch yet, there is a great field at the bottom of the hill where the Cathedral is located. It would be a great option for a picnic lunch. 

     

      Strzelno is a photographers dream at sunset. There are two structures on the parish land. The Bascilica looks Baroque but is much older. Check out the Romanesque column that they found during restoration. After you have wandered around the nave, head outside to St. Adalbert's Hill and the rotunda shaped Church of St. Prokopus. The red light of the sunset bounces of the brick and makes it look like it is on fire. Well worth the trouble to get there at sunset.

     

    Torun is the home of gingerbread, mmmmm, and Nicholas Copernicus. There is a statue dedicated to him in the Old Market Square next to the Old Town Hall. We got to Torun late so we toured the city in the dark which was interesting, but I think we all agreed that the best part was the Leaning Tower. Yes, you heard right, Torun has a leaning tower too.

    If that isn't good enough, they also made it into a bar. Not the nicest thing to do to your drunk patrons, but hey at least it was entertaining. The tower leans a  whopping 1.4 meters. You might not think that sounds like a lot but walk around in the tower and let me know if you don't have the fun house effect. 

     

    PTTK Guesthouse was where we settled in for the night after a beer or two. Check with the staff. This was a great hostel, but it might be reserved for students under the age of 26. It also has a fairly early lock-out time so beware nightly party animals. 

     

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  • 5 months ago
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• Temple Mountain

  • From: RLLin
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    The giant stone faces of Bayon are perhaps the most recognizable image connected to the classic Khmer art and architecture.  The picture was taken December 16, 2008.

  • 6 months ago
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• Smiling Khmer

  • From: RLLin
  • Description:

    The giant stone faces of Bayon are perhaps the most recognizable image connected to the classic Khmer art and architecture.  Bayon is within the Angkor temple complexes where Angkor Wat is the most world known.  The picture was taken December 16, 2008.

  • 6 months ago
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• BEHIND THE RED CURTAIN AND ATO

  • From: patrickmurphy
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    BEHIND THE RED CURTAIN AND ATOP THE GREAT WALL- CHINA!

    "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." This was my first thought after exiting the train station in Guangzhou, my first city in mainland China which is a few hours north of Hong Kong. China does not put it's best foot forward with Guangzhou. It is a large city (4 million) with bustling traffic, some uninspiring architecture, and alot of smog. I must admit that it was a bit intimidating at first (especially given the reality that there are zero signs in English...as expected). However, after figuring out the currency, tackling the subway and making it to my hostel okay, I then had enough time to get situated and learn that the people were friendly and that there's nothing to worry about so I took the opportunity to get myself oriented for a day and do some travel planning.

    I've been fortunate to have had enough time to cover a lot of ground and traveled to some fascinating sites in the countryside, small cities, and large cities. Traveling this time of year in China is very cold which precluded me from doing more hiking to some of the famous peaks such as Huang Shan or Tai Shan or to visit more of the hillside villages, but the good thing, I guess, was that there are no tourists this time of year. I'd say that about 98 percent of the time I was the only non-Chinese person to be found wherever I happened to be, whether it was amongst the 15,000 people in the train or the bus stations, or at restaurants, hotels, the various historic sites, or on the street. I can say that China is a very, very safe place in which to travel, as I did not have a hint of any trouble anywhere.

    There are many versions of China. The rural areas are as rural as it gets, with farming families living in very simple wood-frame, mud, or concrete structures and where fields are still plowed with horses or water buffalo. Bicycles and scooters are still the main form of transportation in these areas. The rural highways are really something to be experienced...all vying for the same road space are buses, cars, scooters, three-wheeled motorized carts, horses pulling wagons stacked fifteen feet high with agricultural products or building supplies, and hordes of bicycles (including kids being towed on their bikes by grabbing onto the back of cement trucks or tractors). There are some stunningly beautiful landscapes, such as the areas around Yangshou and Guilin, along with areas of serious environmental destruction due to mass grading for new bridges and/or road projects that obliderate entire hillsides, factories spewing black soot into the air, and garbage dumps on hillsides overflowing directly into rivers. China is also as modern as it gets with Shanghai's bright lights, new bullet train connecting it's two modern airports (240 mph), and attractive modern skyscrapers. In between, there are many plain, uninspiring industrial cities (just what you envision when thinking of some of the older communist-era cities), along with many wonderful hillside villages, ancient historic cities, and world heritage sites. One thing in common with all of these different areas visited is the people...they are wonderful.

    THE PEOPLE / LANGUAGE

    China has managed to turn the Red Curtain into a Red Carpet. After six-plus weeks traveling here, I have been absolutely blown-away by the warmth and helpfulness of the Chinese people. I cannot say enough good things about them, especially the staff at restaurants and the hotels/hostels who were especially friendly and helpful. No matter where I went, the children were always the first to offer a cheerful "Hello!" or "Ni Hao!" (hello in Chinese), along with a wave and followed by a giggle or two. The elderly, who tend to speak no English, also were quick with a wave, a smile, and/or a "Ni hao". Sales people in doorsways would constantly yell out a "Hello" or "Hello, welcome to China!", along with a wide smile. I was constantly approached by people on the street, in train or bus stations, or restaurants who wanted to know where I was from, how long I had been in China, where I had visited and what I thought of China, and asking what life in America is like. Similar to other countries, I discovered that some were eventually only trying to sell something or trying to get me to sign up for a tour...which I have come to expect. The vast majority, however, were genuinely interested in just talking, learning about me and America, and learning what I was doing in China. The fact that I was taking time to visit their country absolutely thrilled them (the best "ice-breaker" was definitely bringing up the name of Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball player now playing in the NBA. Faces would light-up when I mentioned his name and when I complimented his play and his like-able personality.)

    I spent most of my time speaking with the under-40 crowd, most of which can speak some English and were always eager to talk. The University students, many of whom were English majors, flocked to me to have the opportunity to practice their English and discuss a variety of topics, the most popular being U.S. culture and politics. I discovered that most were very knowledgeable about the U.S. (our history, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. presidents, and the upcoming election). They had so many questions about the prospect of the first-ever woman or black president, which really interested them. They also spoke freely with me about their life in China and what political and social changes they were hopeful for. These were some of the most interesting discussions I have ever had...anywhere. With my trusty Lonely Planet travel guide and my small Chinese phrasebook, I was able to get by with respect to ordering food, getting a place to sleep, and finding my way from point A to B. Any attempt of mine to speak some Chinese was greatly appreciated by the locals. At such times when there was a language stalemate, I would resort to paper and pen and/or a game of charades to communicate what I needed. There were many, many laughs in these situations. The fact that one does not know a certain language should not get in the way of one visiting a foreign country. It takes some work at times, but it all works out in the end!

    THE FOOD

    Many people, as well as some travel books, attempt to steer one away from eating from street vendors. If I followed this advice, I would have missed out on some of the best (and most interesting) meals of my life over the years. If the locals are gathered around a food stand, hop in line and enjoy. From homemade ice cream or empanadas on the beaches in Baja, to home-made ceviche in Peru, to barbecued grasshoppers with hot chili powder in Thailand, treating oneself to these culinary delights is what travel is all about. The same holds true for China.

    Along the streets, alleys, and night markets were boiling pots of soup, dumplings, and steamed meat buns; smoking woks and frying pans serving up vegetables, omelets, and various meats; and 55-gallon metal drums on small wagons on the back of bicycles that were converted to mini ovens cooking up wonderful sweet potatoes or piping hot, fresh bread. The best outdoor food markets visited were in the Muslim Quarter in Xi'an, the night market in Kaifeng, and the daily markets tucked away in the hutong neighborhoods in Beijing. I went on a feeding frenzy at these markets. Half the time I had no idea what I was eating (or how to find out what I was eating), but it was all good. Most of the time I would resort to looking, pointing, paying, and enjoying. My favorite was a little food stand in Kaifeng which served fresh sesame bread sliced in half and packed with three different types of hot noodles, along with some vegetables, tofu, and smothered with a bean paste and hot chili powder for about 30 cents...and it was delicious! The various restaurants serve up some fine traditional Chinese plates and were always very good, but it is the street foodstands and markets that should not be missed when visiting China.

    TRANSPORTATION

    One cannot discuss China without touching upon the transportation system, which is extensive, efficient, and affordable (it has to be in order to move 1.3 billion people around a very large country!). It can also be chaotic. Much like traveling in South America, surviving travel in China requires a great deal of patience and a good sense of humor. Ticket lines and waiting lines for trains and buses can be ridiculously long, things are loud, and (obviously) everything is foreign so one needs to be able to accept being out of ones comfort zone a bit. If one can do this, no problem. The hardest thing for me was purchasing a ticket for a bus or a train (although just trying to cross a street without getting run over was a close second). Sometimes a hotel or hostel was able to take care of the ticket purchase for me (for a small commission), but most of the time it took waiting in line at the bus or train station, which can be quite the experience! I would jot down what I needed on a piece of paper in the best Chinese that I could and then try my best in broken Chinese to state what I needed (a ticket), to where, and at what time. This worked okay until I would get a question back at me, at which point I was clueless at to what was being said. There were a couple of instances where someone in line who knew some English saw me floundering and offered some friendly assistance. More times than not, however, I ended up guessing and buying a "mystery ticket", not sure what I really purchased until it had been handed to me. Luckily, every ticket purchased ended up being the correct one and I was able to get from point A to point B with no major complications.

    The other comical event to witness is the entering/exiting of the mass of people from the local buses and subways. There is no such thing as a "line" or "queuing" in much of China....if there is any kind of an opening someone is going to grab it. You can read all about it, but until you've actually witnessed and experienced it, it can't be truly appreciated. The best analogy I can use is that of a rugby scrum, where large groups would push, shove, and elbow their way into (or out of) the doorways, along with people being lifted and pulled through the back windows when the driver is not looking. The old ladies were the worst with the elbows (or, I guess, the best depending on how you look at it). They could throw elbows better than anyone and it amazed me how successful they were forcing their way onto the buses or trains. I am curious as to why roller-derby is not more a popular sport here given the flurry of elbows and shoulders flying about.

    THE SITES

    Guilin

    After my first stop in Guangzhou, I took a nine-hour bus ride northeast to the city of Guilin (population 700,000, which is a "small city" according to the locals). I spent three days here and although my guide book doesn't give it that great of a write-up, I enjoyed it. It is a clean, modern city with very friendly people along with some interesting sites to visit (including Wang Cheng, a 14th century palace with nearby Solitary Beauty Peak, as well as Seven Star Park). There is also a great public park in the middle of town which consists of a couple of lakes with nice walking paths around the perimeter and restaurants and shops along the path. At night, the pathways, trees, and bridges have ornamental lighting of yellow, green and and light purple and is very popular for casual strolls or night boat trips. The landscape around the city is spectacular with huge eroded limestone peaks in the shape of camel humps...or when a group of them are lined up together, the locals refer to the peaks as "the dragon's back."

    While in town, I attended a performance at the local theater which included a combination of dance, song and acrobatics with the theme focusing on the daily life of the various minority ethnic groups in the region. The stage props represented life in the rice fields, caves, and river, and the incredible backdrop of the Dragon's Back hillsides. The traditional costumes were also excellent. I was told that some of the acrobats who performed will be part of the open ceremony at the Olympics. If this is a taste of what is to come at the Olympic ceremonies with respect to costumes, song, and acrobatics, the world is in for a great treat! There was also a public participation segment of the performance in which four people were plucked out of the audience and brought on stage to participate in one of the dances...one of which was yours truly (I don't know if I was selected randomly or if it was because I was the only Anglo in the entire audience of a couple hundred people). Anyway, I was presented with a traditional Chinese ornament around my neck and then brought on stage with 30 or 40 elegant and graceful Chinese women (life can be rough at times) in traditional dress for about 2 minutes of a basic dance. I made it without stumbling or making an idiot of myself.

    Yangshou From Guilin,

    I then headed south to the the city of Yangshou. On the way, I went on a half-day boat cruise on Li River which snakes its way through some of the most stunning scenery of limestone peaks that are found throughout the region. Although it drizzled some, the low clouds helped to create an eerie feel along the river with some of the peaks being half hidden. The beautiful city of Yangshou (pop. 300,000) is also surrounded by the tall limestone peaks in every direction and had the most spectacular scenery of all. This is a wonderful city that has a "village" feel to it with pedestrian-only streets and great little restaurants and shops.

    The Li River passes right by the town as well as another river just outside of town. I spent four days here exploring the town and its surroundings which included I renting a bike ($1.20 for the day) and riding out into the countryside following a dirt road along the river for a five or six hours. Although I ended up getting lost for much of the ride, that turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. Time after time I'd choose the wrong fork in the road (no English signs) only to end up on dirt trails which eventually led me to agricultural fields and rice paddies...with nothing but a farmer, his dog, and a couple of water buffalo. I was always greeted with a smile and then pointed in the direction back to the main dirt road. My wanderings also brought me through some tiny little villages where I was greeted by warmly by the adults as well as the little kids who were off playing with sticks or kicking a flat soccer ball around...and having the time of their lives doing so. On Christmas Eve, a Canadian woman (also traveling the world) and I attended the famous light and dance show on the Li River which literally involves hundreds and hundreds of performers. The light show is directed by the famous Chinese film director who is in charge of the Olympic ceremonies. It was a great show.

    Ping'an

    From Yangshou, I took a bus four hours north to the small hillside village of Ping'an (pop. 500) which is famous for it's terraced rice fields known as the Dragon's Backbone. From the end of the roadway, it's a 15-minute hike up a narrow path to the village, where the only mode of transportation is your own two feet or a mule. The village's attractive wood structures are scattered across the hillside and connected by a series of dirt pathways. From the village, a handful of trails make their way up and over the hills to other small villages, one of which known for the women having the longest hair in the world. There were only four other travelers in the village at night (two from Germany, one from Spain, and one from Argentina). We enjoyed each others' company in the small cafe at dinner and then drank tea (and a couple beers) with the family who runs the hotel/cafe (the two daughters spoke very good English). I wasn't able to really see much of the terraced rice fields due to the low clouds which were draped over the hillsides then entire time, but it was great wandering through village along the hillside pathways.

    Shanghai

    Shanghai (pop. 15 million) is a huge city with a mass of people, bright flashing lights, chic billboards, a modern subway system (including the bullet train), and bold and attractive modern architecture. The city is bisected by the Huangpu River, along which is "the Bund", the famous financial street from yesteryear and a walkway which provides fantastic views of the main business district (Padang area) across the River (including the very recognizable Jinmao Tower). Despite the mass of people and traffic, I found Shanghai to be very safe and comfortable in my five days there....I really enjoyed it. I visited the very interesting Shanghai museum, the French Concession area, and the Old Town area with its classic Chinese architecture (including the historic Yuyuan Gardens). I also visited the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall which is a very attractive five-story building devoted entirely to city planning (if you can believe it). I debated whether or not to go in (being that it is a work-related subject), but curiosity got the best of me and I bought a ticket. The exhibit is actually one of Shanghai's most-popular tourist sights and includes everything you want to know about the history of the city and what is planned for the next 20 years. The most popular exhibit is the huge 3-D model of the city that takes up an entire floor of the building. It is pretty impressive as you walk around its raised platform.

    On my second day in town, I was befriended by two pleasant, bright young ladies...one lives in Shanghai with the other visiting her. For two days, they showed me around the city, which included the local restaurants, city sites, and some shopping (yes, Chinese women like to shop just as much as American women). We also went to a great acrobat show at one of the many performing arts centers in town which was simply amazing and included included a late night/early morning of karaoke, which was quite amusing. They had a ton of questions about life in America and were very up-front about talking about modern life in China, including politics. They expressed their frustration with the limitations on professional career opportunities for women. They had alot of respect for the U.S. political system (elections), the laws/rights protecting individuals, and the opportunities to succeed, regardless whether or not you happen to be a man or a women..or born poor. I am to have a hopeful that they someday may have the opportunity to experience this as China's political system continues to change for the better.

    Beijing

    From Shanghai, I took an 11-hour overnight train (very comfortable) to Beijing (pop. 15 million), which of course is the site of the Olympics this summer. The wrecking ball is alive and well in Beijing, as there are construction cranes everywhere and new apartment buildings (most of which are very plain looking) replacing the older neighborhood flats. Some of the construction is directly related to the upcoming Olympics, but most of it I'm told is just the continuation of the construction boom that started years ago. The Olympic venues are still "active construction sites", so I was not able to view any of them close up. During my six days in Beijing, the weather was dry, very smoggy, and pretty cold (daytime temps in the twenties and in the teens at night). I broke down and bought a heavier jacket for a whopping $28. Within two days all of the buttons had fallen off, but it served its purpose. I made it to the most of the must-see sites in Beijing, including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, Jingshan Par, the Lama Temple. and many days of walking through the small alleys of the older neighborhoods known as the Hutong. The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven contain amazing buildings and temples and art work and were really special.

    Tiananmen Square is massive (it is the largest square in the world which can accommodate up to a million people). The square is bordered by the Forbidden City, China Museum, the Congress Building and two large gates. In the middle is Chairman Mao's mausoleum, as well as a number of monuments .While strolling across the square, it was hard to no think about the events of 1989 and what the future holds. I have to believe that there will be more major political and social changes taking place in China over the next 5 to 7 years. There are simply too many young people who know too much of the world and social issues, coupled with their hunger for more professional job opportunties for change not to occur.

    To visit the Great Wall (one of the New Seven Wonder's of the World...my third so far on the trip!), I took a bus 45 minutes outside of town to the segment of The Wall at Badaling (there are different segments of the wall spread throughout the area...Badaling is the most visited). Due to the frigid temperatures, the crowd at The Wall was not bad. I was amazed by the width of the wall (easily wide enough for a large bus)and the terrain it was built across....it meanders up steep cliffs and down steep gullies, with lots and lots of steps.) President Nixon said it best when he uttered "this is a great wall." It certainly is.

    The rest of Beijing didn't do that much for me as the majority of architecture and streetscape is very plain and uninviting. Maybe the new construction associated with the Olympics will provide a jump-start for more appealing buildings in the years to come, as Beijing could use it.

    Harbin (Haerbin)

    Acting on a tip from someone on the train, I bought a ticket for an 11-hour train ride from Beijing to the City of Harbin (pop. 4 million) in the northeastern corner of China...on the edge of Siberia!!! The city has a strong Russian influence in its design, with churches and buildings having turrets and spires. Let me tell you, it is really, really friggin' cold in Harbin in January!!! The daytime highs was 0 F and at nighttime it got down to -15 F...along with a light breeze that was punishingly (is that a word?) cold. Human beings are simply not meant to live in such conditions. It was easily the coldest I have ever been and only helped to re-confirm what I've always known...that I am definitely a warm/hot weather person. So, why then did I come to such a frigid place? The answer: for the annual Ice Lantern Festival which is held each January. The festival features some pretty amazing ice and snow sculptures in the city's downtown park and across the river (which is frozen solid) at another large, scenic park. At nighttime the ice sculptures are illuminated with multi-colored lights. Along the river, there is also ice skating, hockey, sledding, and other outdoor activities. Even with the brutally cold weather, it was worth a visit to experience life in such extreme conditions. I tip my hat to those folks that can endure this for an entire winter.

    Pingyao

    After making it back to Beijing for a few more days after Harbin, I boarded a train for a 6-hour trip to Pingyao (pop. 40,000) which is one of the most well-preserved walled cities in China (one of China's many Unesco World Heritage Sites). The 30-foot high earthen and stone walls, along with its many watchtowers is quite impressive. Inside the walls are narrow, maze-like streets with nice little restaurants, shops, hostels, temples, and homes. Being off-season, it was very, very relaxing and I really enjoyed just wandering the streets, as well as my stay at a great little hostel with wonderful staff.

    Xi'an / Terracotta Warriors

    Xi'an is another walled city and one of China's oldest settlements, dating way back to the days of the Silk Road. It snowed the entire time that is was there, so I only saw a fairly small portion of the city, including the impressive Drum Tower in the center of the city, a portion of the ancient city walls and watchtowers, and the Muslim Quarter (including the Great Mosque). Like most folks, the primary reason for my visit to Xi'an was to visit the nearby Army of Terracotta Warriors. The life-size sculpted figures are situated in three large pits, with Pit 1 being the most impressive with over 6,000 warrrior figures. The scale of the site is astounding and the level of detail given to each figure is just incredible (apparently, no two warriors have the same face). It was a mind-boggling site to see.

    Luoyang / Longmen Caves

    I made a one-day stop in Luoyang (pop. 1.5 million) to visit the nearby Longmen Caves, another Unesco World Heritage Site. The combination of caves and carved out niches are situated along both sides of the limestone cliffs above the Yi River and include carvings of Buddha and other figures, ranging in size from a couple of inches high to over 50 feet high. The carvings were completed somewhere around 500 to 700 A.D. and, according to the information provided with my entrance ticket, include over 100,000 carved images in over 2,400 hillside caves/niches. It's an incredible piece of work which just kept going and going and going as I walked along the river banks.

    Kaifeng

    I made a brief stop in Kaifeng (pop. 600,000), which is another ancient, walled city. Due to the weather (heavy snow), I didn't get a chance to see much of the city's sites, but I did get a chance to enjoy the aforementioned night market with an incredible array of food!

    Suzhou

    With a population exceeding 5 million, I found the core of Suzhou to be a very attractive town with nicely landscaped streets lined with Sycamore trees with new and old buildings with traditional Chinese architecture. Similar to my stay in Kaifeng, there was heavy snow for the two days I was there, so I didn't check out the numerous gardens the city is famous for (gardens really aren't my thing), but I did get to check out the network of small canals and trails/alleys that are scattered throughout the city which were very pretty in the snow. I made it out of China just as the heavy snow was beginning (China is experiencing the most snowfall in 50 years). Had I stayed one more day in Nanjing, I would have likely been stuck there for a good week to 10 days, as the trains and buses are not running at the moment and hundreds of thousands are now stranded in bus stations and train stations. This is very sad, given that a billion people are now traveling across the country for the next 2 weeks for Chinese New Year, which is the only time many folks get to see their families all year. With the sweeping changes occurring in China at the moment, coupled with the excitement and national pride associated with the upcoming Olympics, now is a fantastic time to visit China. It is highly, highly recommended (maybe not in winter, though).

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• Peru and Machu Picchu

  • From: patrickmurphy
  • Description:

    PERU

    Buenos dias everyone. I´m currently in Arequipa in southern Peru, which is a large city (approximately 1 million people) but a very beautiful and comfortable city at about 8,000 feet. It has been declared a UNESCO world cultural heritage site due to its splendid architecture, plazas, and history. The city sits at the base of a large volcano which is borded on each side by two other very large mountains, all of which are over 17,000 feet.

    Peru has been a treat in my two + weeks here. The people could not be any friendlier and the sites and culture have been exceptional. Also, as it is the ceviche capital of the world (and I love ceviche) I am one happy camper. Other fine Peruvian cuisine sampled thus far include llama, alpaca, cuy (guinea pig, which is a Peruvian delicacy....where you get the WHOLE guinea pig), yucca, chura de camarones, lomo saltado, and lots of different types of maize and potatoes. Beverages sampled include Cusqueña, Arequipeña, and Cristal beers, chicha morada (made from purple maize), Inca Kola (tastes like a mixture of bubble gum and cough syrup....I don´t know whether to recommend it or not), and many great fresh-blended juices. I also bellied-up to the same soup counter at the large central market as Anthony Bourdain, one of my travel mentors ("Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" on the Travel Channel...the best travel show on TV in my humble opinion). The simple potato, cheese, pepper, egg and onion soup was just as tasty as he reported and each of the counters/tables was completely filled by locals...which is always the best sign of a great place to eat.

    COLCA CANYON

    I just returned from a 3-day hike to the Colca Canyon, which is about 3 to 4 hours from Arequipa. The canyon is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. At first I thought that must be a typo in the guidebook, but after visiting (and hiking) it, I can confirm that it is true. Our small tour group hiked down the canyon, where we stayed in a mud hut with thatched roof in one of small Andean villages located about half way down the wall of canyon. The next night we spent on the canyon floor (this time in a bamboo hut with thatched roof) in an oasis of palm trees called Sangalle. We had a terrific guide who taught as all about the Inca culture, including the incredible agricultural techniques used by them (lots and lots of terraces...which are still used today), the food, the environment, the use of medicinal plants, etc.

    After waking up a 3 a.m. to hike back up the canyon with flashlights (or "torches", as my English friends called them), we arrived at a lookout point called the Cruz del Condor to view the many condors that reside in the canyon. It´s one of the very few places in the world where you can view the birds close up....as they swoop by only 10 or 15 feet above your head. While they are not going to win any beauty pageants, they are incredibly massive birds and very, very impressive to see in flight. It was one of the highlights of my South American journey.

    CUSCO

    Cusco is the finest city I've visted with respect to architecture, history, and people in my South American travels. The city contains beautiful spanish colonial buildings with bits of Inca archicture mixed in (incredible Inca rock/stone walls that are used as the foundations of existing buildings). There are also beautiful plazas and churches spread throughout the city, the gem of which is the Plaza de Armas which has two enormous churches facing the plaza, along with two-story buildings with arched portals/arcades. One of the best plazas I've seen anywhere.

    The city has a population of approximately 275,000 people and is located at about 10,000 feet. Given that I have spent the past 2 months at an average altitude of about 10,000 feet, the altitude in Peru has not been a problem for me. Similar to Bolivia, coca leaves and coca tea is served in all of the restaurants and hostals to help tourists (and locals) deal with the altitude.

    MACHU PICCHU

    There is a very good reason that Machu Picchu was just voted as one of the new seven wonders of the world...it is an incredible, incredible site. As there are no roads to the Machu Picchu, there are only two ways to reach it....by train or by hiking. I opted for a 4-day hike with eight other travellers from six different countries. One of the members of our group, a college student from Spain, was my favorite person over the past 2 months. Travelling alone, she had been mugged about a week earlier in Boliva by a fake police officer who took almost everything she had, but you never would know that my meeting her. She spoke no english and spoke spanish very, very rapidly....to the point that I could pick up about one out of every 10 words she said. Just by her expressions and laughter, however, she entertained me and everyone else in our group for 4 days. Her positive outlook on life, enthusiasm, and maturity for someone her age was also commented upon by others in our group when we had dinner together when we were back in Cusco. It was an absolute pleasure meeting her.

    As the famous Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu requires reservations months and months in advance (which we did not have), our hike was one of the many "alternate hikes" available. The hike took us to two small Andean towns on the first two days, then to Aguas Calientes on the 3rd day, which is about an hour and a half hike from Machu Picchu and the point at which the trains arrive. Our group woke up the next day at 4 a.m. and arrived at Machu Picchu at about 5:30 a.m. As we were the first ones there, there were nothing but llamas at the site when we entered.... we were very fortunate to have the site to ourselves and a few others from another group for about a half hour before other people started to trickle in. We then were the first to arrive to the top of Huayna Picchu, which is the very large, football-shaped mountain towering above the site in all of the famous pictures...which also contains some very nice ruins. The quick-paced, half-hour trek up many, many steps, was worth the effort, as you are rewarded with an incredible view of the ruins below, as well as a great view of the river valley far below the site.

    The only comparison I can even remotely make to experiencing Machu Picchu is that of visiting Yosemite for the first time. Both have provide a unique magical/spirtual experience, however, Machu Picchu is different in that it combines fanstastic scenery with a man-made masterpiece that is more than 500 years old. As I stood there trying to absorb the scenery and the unbelievable ruins, coupled with everything else I had experienced on my trip, I couldn't help but think about a quote from the aforementioned Anthony Bourdain during his episode on Peru. He was actually quoting a friend of his, who said something to the effect of "the older I get and the more I travel, the more I realize how little I know about everything." Boy, is that ever the truth.

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• Travels through Vietnam

  • From: patrickmurphy
  • Description:

    VIETNAM

    The trip began via a boatride down the mighty Mekong River which I caught just outside of Phnom Penh, Cambodia which then proceeded into southern Vietnam. It was a fantastic way to enter a country! The 10-person boat passed along the banks of the Mekong River and then meandered through a network of small canals which passed a number of small villages where we were greated by smiling, waving families. We then made our way to the town of Chau Doc on the Bassac River which is part of the extensive Mekong delta. Over the next 4 weeks, I inched my way from south to the north and was able to experience a good cross-section of Vietnamese living, which is more similar to traveling in China than nearby Cambodia or Thailand. Similar to China, the people are very animated (not so quiet) and the sound of load motorbike horns, car horns, and bus horns is non-stop along the highways and city streets. Vietnam has a quite a wide diversity of terrain including endless bright green rice paddies, lively cities, stunningly beautiful coastline, and some great hill tribe villages with terraced hillsides for growing rice. It was a bit strange visiting such beautiful, peaceful areas knowing that 40 years ago it was a much different scene with the "American War" (as it is called here). I wasn't quite sure what kind of reception I'd be given as an American (especially in the north) given the war. I am pleased to report that everyone greeted me with nothing but smiles and helpfulness everywhere I went. The people of Vietnam were wonderful. Similar to Cambodia and much of Thailand, English is widely spoken throughout the country.

    SOUTHERN VIETNAM

    Mekong River/ Delta

    I found the town of Chau Doc to be quite nice place for a "border town." It is clean, friendly, with lots of activity along the waterfront, along with a great, bustling market. From Chau Doc, I made my way south to Can Tho which is mainly known for its great river and canal tours. I took a 6-hour trip on a small boat up the Can Tho River (beginning at sunrise) and visited two separate floating markets which are quite a site to see as there are hundreds of boats (big and small) filled with every kind of vegetable and/or fruit imaginable. The boat ride then veared off the river and made its way through a maze of small canals lined with dense vegetation, coconut palms, and an occasional small village.

    Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

    Until I visited Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), I thought Bangkok was the motorbike capital of the world. Saigon easily wins that title as motorbikes must outnumber cars 300 to 1. It is quite an experience to catch a ride 7km across town on the back of a motorbike darting between cars, buses, and swarms of other motorbikes with the very skilled driver chosing to stop at only one stoplight. Everyone has complete command of their motorbike, whether their 15 years old or 70 years old. In addition to being the main mode of transport for the people, the motorbike is also the daily "workhorse" as I witnessed people carrying ladders, bags of groceries, bundles and bundles of coconuts, TV's, collapsable tables, large water bottles, pigs (live and dead), and even a small office desk. Similar to other areas in SE Asia and China, it is very common to see 3, 4 or 5 persons on a single motorbike. While in town, I went on my own walking tour of the key sights, including the Reunification Palace, the very attractive People's Committee Building, the War Remnants Museum, the Municipal Theatre, the Museum of HCMC, and numerous neighborhoods and interesting back alleys. The tree-lined streets provided much-needed shade from the sweltering heat/humidity and where there were no trees, I tried to find refuge in the shadows cast by the dozens and dozens of powerlines/cable lines strung together above the streets (amazing to see).

    Dalat to Hoi An

    From Saigan, I caught a bus to the attractive mountain town of Dalat which is situated amongst pine trees (who would have thought that there are pine tree forests in vietnam?). It was also a good place to escape the heat and humidity of the flatlands for a bit. I then caught a bus to the very nice beach city of Nha Trang which includes some very interesting Cham ruins/towers on the edge of town and then up to Quy Nhon which also has a large number of fishing boats and nice beaches, but not as many tourists as Nha Trang. My trip from Quy Nhon to Hoi An provided me with another entry in my ever-expanding of "Bus/Van Rides from Hell" chapter of my trip. The 5-hour trip began with 15 people in the 16-person passenger van (I was the only non-local) which then steadily increased to 17, 18, and 20 people along the way... until it reached the apparent maximum of 24 people that can be stuffed into a van. Each bench seat was crammed, with others sitting on the floor, and an old man stuffed in the back with the luggage. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, a couple of passengers decided it was an opportune time to light up a cigarette. It was a brutal trip. The good thing is that in the end I arrived in Hoi An which was definately one of my favorite places in the country.

    Hoi An is a terrific town located on the Thu Bon River and is one of the very few places in the country that was not battered by the various wars over the years. As a result, it retains some fantastic architecture and includes pedestrian-only streets in the old part of town and has been named as a UNESCO world heritage site. I enjoyed spending a few hours of one of my afternoons just siting at small table/chair with a couple of older local ladies drinking the juice of a freshly-topped coconut with a straw and just taking in the sights of the active riverfront market and the loading/unloadign of produce and people out of boats. At night, the town is really a treat with the attractive lighting of restaurants, museums, temples, and various shops (including many silk lantern shops that are very attractive with all of the different colored lanterns lit on the outside).

    From Hoi An, I hopped on a good bus to the city of Hue, which contains one of Vietnam's most famous pagodas overlooking the Perfume River as well as the large Citadel complex which was constructed during the time when Hue was the capital in the early 1800's. The walled complex includes numerous pagodas/temples, museums, the palace, impressive gates, and Vietnam's own Forbidden City with the emperor's residence and state buildings. Tour of the Demilitiarized Zone (DMZ) North of Hue is the "demiliaritzed zone (DMZ)" which marks the old line dividing North and South Vietnam. Some of the heaviest carpet bombing and fiercest battles of the "American War" took place in this area. One of the strangest sights is to see is the many, many round bomb craters now filled with water in the middle of the rectangular rice paddies. I was the only American on tour and given that it was a Vietnamese-run tour, I found it interesting to see a small American flag plastered on the dashboard of the bus, as well as a small one over the local drivers seat. The interesting tour included visits to locations of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (network of trails created by the North Vietnamese to supply their forces to the south), "the rockpile" (key lookout point/command post for the U.S.), the faint remains of a U.S. army base, and the absolutely amazing Vinh Moc tunnels dug by North Vietnamese villagers who lived in them for 4 years to avoid the enemy and keep supply lines open for the North Vietnamese troops.

    NORTHERN VIETNAM

    Ninh Binh /Tam Coc

    Two hours south of Hanoi is a small city of Ninh Binh. The town is an average looking rural city, but the surrounding countryside is just spectacular. A 20-minute bicycle ride southwest to the small town of Tam Coc is a real treat as the scenary is similar to that found in the Guilin/Yangshuo area in China with towering limestone cliffs/karst topography rising from the flat rice paddies, through which is a river filled with boats, some of which are rowed by operators using their feet!!).

    Hanoi

    Similar to HCMC, Hanoi is very, very busy with thousands and thousands of motor bikes, blaring horns, and fantastic street life. I spent most of my time in the historic Old Quarter with its narrow, tree-lined streets, and Hoan Kiem Lake. Sidewalks are absolutely jammed with restaurants spilling out onto the walkways with tiny tables and chairs that made me feel like an NBA player while seated with my knees up to my chin. The restaurants serve tasty dishes of food including Pho (soup) and great spring rolls washed down with very inexpensive bia hoi (beer) and/or rice wine. Besides roaming through the Old Quarter, other sights visited in town included the site of Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, the very interesting temple of Literature, the one pillar pagoda, and numerous other temples and neighborhoods.

    Halong Bay

    East of Hanoi is Halong Bay which is known for having some of the most spectacular scenery in the world with its limestone formations/karst topography similar that found near Nihn Bihn, except that the tower cliffs are in the middle of a bay, which makes for an incredible boat ride. I took a boat to Cat Ba Island for a few days where my very nice six dollar a night room had fantastic view off the bay. There are numerous nice beaches are within walking distance of town and I also rented a motorbike for a day ($3 dollars) to get around hilly/densely vegetated island, most of which is a national park which contains some great hiking.

    Northern Highlands: Sapa & Boc

    Ha Similar to the hillside areas I visited near Ping'an/Longshen in China, the northern portion of Vietnam includes some amazing mountain scenery with small hilltribe villages (such as Bac Ha) and terraced rice fields stepping down the hillsides. The Bac Ha sunday market was really interesting as hundreds of indingenous villagers, mainly Flower H'mong who are easily recognizable with their beautiful, colorful dresses and leggings to buy/sell vegetables, meats, clothes, etc. A few hours west of Bac Ha, is the town of Sapa which is very popular with tourists. It is a very, very attractive town situated atop a mountain with great views (when it's clear...which luckily is was while I was there), and nice accommodations and restaurants. I went on some great hikes down the mountain to some small villages (Cat Cat and Ta Phin) inhabited by the Black H'mong and Red Dzao people.

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  • 11 months ago
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• Laid-Back Laos

  • From: patrickmurphy
  • Description:

    LAID-BACK LAOS

    I entered Laos from the town of Nong Khai in northeast Thailand via the Friendship Bridge which spans the Mekong River (the common border between Thailand and Laos). My two-week tour here followed one of the typical tourist paths from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, via Vang Vieng. The trip was very relaxing and uneventful, which was just fine with me. Similar to Cambodia, Laos is now beginning to see it's fair-share of development and tourism. Many people I spoke to describe it as the Thailand of 20 years ago, as it is still very, very laid-back and the modern western world has not yet invaded the country (no McDonald's, no KFC, and ATM's are in short supply...only a few in Vientiane and that's it!). Similar to other parts of Southeast Asia, the people are quite friendly. People in Laos also take relaxation seriously. With the exception of maybe Baja California, I've never visited a place so relaxed. On more than one occasion I had to wake a sleeping taxi driver resting in his hammock in the back of his tuk-tuk or wake up the Internet guy from behind his desk to get service. No worries here.

    The food is very tasty and pretty spicy. I learned that Lao food is actually quite different than Thai food in that it is prepared a bit more dry (use of less oils/liquids), mainly due to the use of sticky rice which doesn't fair well if soaked in liquids. My favorite dishes were laap (diced marinated meat, onion, garlic, mint, hot chilli peppers, and lime juice), and the tom mak houng salad (raw papaya, chilli peppers, peanuts, sugar, fermented fish sauce, and lots of lime juice). The culinary treat of the trip was in Luang Prabang at "A Taste of Laos" which served a wonderful lemon grass chicken (cooked and served in lemon grass shoots), sticky rice (which you roll up into small balls), and a tangy dipping sauce consisting of chilli peppers and crushed peanuts. The restaurant also provided wonderful service in that the staff and menu did a great job at explaining the origins of Lao food, preparation techniques, and an extensive sampling menu to experience the various dipping sauces available. Laos also gets the award for the best coffee of my trip thus far, as well as one of the very best beers of the trip (Beer Laos). Due to the French influence of years past, there are also some fine bakeries in each town with great fresh bread and pastries.

    One thing I was not taught in school is the fact that Laos is the most bombed country on the planet as a result of U.S. bombing campaigns in the 1960's and 1970's. The bombing has resulted in much of the land in northeastern and eastern Laos being virtually unusable due to UXO's (unexploded ordnance). The ordnance that has been detonated and has left scores of people with missing limbs, providing a harsh reminder of our past actions. Maybe someday we will learn from them. VIENTIANE Yes, even the capital city (pop. 200,000) is laid-back! This pleasant city has wide landscaped boulevards, manageable traffic and virtually zero car horns, and provides a nice mix of old French colonial buildings and Laos temples/wats/stupas. Side-streets are well shaded by huge trees which reminded me quite a bit of Chico. Key sites visited included the huge Victory Monument (Patuxay), That Dam (an impressive black stupa), Pha That Luang (impressive golden stupa that is Laos' national symbol), as well as many other temples/wats scattered throughout the city.

    VANG VIENG

    A 5-hour bus ride north of Vientiane brought me to Vang Vieng, which I still don't know what to make of. The town is located in a beautiful setting with a river running right through town and beautiful limestone crags providing the backdrop. Between the river and mountains is some beautiful countryside with rice paddies and many, many caves which I explored on a great bicycle ride). The town itself, however, is pretty much overrun with travelers from Europe and the U.S. in their early 20's who hang out in cafes and Internet shops during the day, wonder the streets drunk in the evening and watch re-runs of "Friends" (I kid you not, there must be 30 different restaurants/bars that only show episode after episode of "Friends" at night...quite strange). This scene just seemed to be so out-of-place compared to the rest of Laos. So, don't come to Vang Vieng for a true Laos cultural experience.

    LUANG PRABANG

    The drive from Vang Vieng was one of the most beautiful of my entire journey as the roadway wound its way up and down green mountains and passed through banana and palm plantations, terraced rice fields, and through numerous small villages...and only one flat tire! The town of Luang Prabang is a very, very nice town...a real gem. It's been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its wonderful old French Colonial buildings and numerous temples. Due to the numerous temples, monks in their orange robes are everywhere, as well as the peaceful sounds of drums and chanting. The town is located at the confluence of two rivers (the Mekong and Nam Khan) and is densely vegetated. There are fine restaurants/cafes in the main part of town as well as some great outdoor eateries along the banks of the Mekong. There's also a nice nightly market. The scenic area is also known for some fantastic boat rides up the Mekong River, but my butt had experienced enough hard boat benches by that time (tours in Vietnam and Cambodia), so I passed on another boat ride.

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• Piton Mountains- St Lucia

  • From: amccarth
  • Description:

    The Piton Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are known as the Mystic Mountains due to the fact that their appearance changes depending on where they are seen from.  The shorter peak can appear taller, they can appear to be touching when in fact they are 3 miles apart, they may look to be miles apart, they may look cone shaped or flat topped.  The Pitons, Petit and Gros, are the national symbol of St Lucia.

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• Petit Piton- St Lucia

  • From: amccarth
  • Description:

    The Piton Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are known as the Mystic Mountains due to the fact that their appearance changes depending on where they are seen from.  The shorter peak can appear taller, they can appear to be touching when in fact they are 3 miles apart, they may look to be miles apart, they may look cone shaped or flat topped.  The Pitons, Petit and Gros, are the national symbol of St Lucia.

  • 11 months ago
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• Piton Mountains- St Lucia

  • From: amccarth
  • Description:

    The Piton Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are known as the Mystic Mountains due to the fact that their appearance changes depending on where they are seen from.  The shorter peak can appear taller, they can appear to be touching when in fact they are 3 miles apart, they may look to be miles apart, they may look cone shaped or flat topped.  The Pitons, Petit and Gros, are the national symbol of St Lucia.

  • 11 months ago
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• Freedom Is Not Free - Normandy

  • From: jhickey
  • Description:

     

    Normandy - Part II of Souvenirs of France

    Fewer and fewer WW II veterans are returning to Normandy now - that momentous day in history, when the tide of war changed, is far in the past and most of those who fought to overcome Hitler and his monstrous ideas have joined their fallen hero-friends in the hereafter. But we can still travel there to wonder at their tremendous courage and sacrifice and to pray that the world will never again allow such a thing to recur. I don't know why I did not grasp the pathos when, as a teenager, I visited Normandy with my WWII veteran father, but, returning with my retired US Naval officer husband, almost 40 years later, it moved me deeply.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Normandy is full of reminders of war juxtaposed in peacefilled settings. We began our journey through history at the pilgrimage town of Lisieux, at the  beautiful 20c. Basilique of St. Therese, where incredible modern mosaics depict the message of a young girl who, in her simple understanding of faith and prayer, "the little way," influenced many and was named a saint by the Catholic church. St. Therese is the patron saint of France and this tribute to her life was well worth our time.

     

    After a quick tailgate lunch, we proceeded to the fascinating medieval town of Bayeux. Since most of the fighting occurred along the coast, many of the historic timber-framed and renaissance buildings still stand in this charming town. It is not hard to spend an entire day or two strolling and visiting sites. We began at the UNESCO registered "memories of the world," Bayeux Tapestry. Embroidered in the 11th c., it depicts in great detail (58 scenes) the adventures of William, ("the Conqueror") Duke of Normandy, who, in 1066 set off to conquer England (and succeeded!) The tapestry runs the 70 m. length of a dark corridor  (you do the math, I was an English major!) Thankfully, the admission price includes a hand-held English interpretation wand that allows you to move at your own pace to appreciate each scene. They even have guides for children. Even in our video action-packed age, who would not be fascinated by this peek into medieval life? ....My photos do not do this justice!

    Since we prefer picturesque lodgings, we chose to spend two nights at LeCornu Bed and Breakfast, Place de Gaulle, in Bayeux. Smiling and helpful Christelle LeCornu showed us up the narrow staircase to our charming and comfortable garret room overlooking the park. (We parked on the street.) In the evening, we entered the "cave" where Francois, our host and the farmer-producer, treated us to a Calvados (apple brandy) tasting. Apples are the signature crop of Normandy and Calvados is a great way to get your "apple a day!" At breakfast, also in the cave, we were able to taste the various apple jellies and juices as well. The lovely bottles and jars we chose from their inventory made wonderful souvenirs and gifts (but remember, they must fit in your checked luggage when returning to the US.) 

    Well rested, we set out for the nearby Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie. We purchased the Normandy Pass which saves some euros on other sites. The exhibits and films in this museum are very well done and give a comprehensive overview of the Normandy campaigns which began on June 6 (D Day) and ended August 29, 1944. While Dan and Bill were most interested in the battle paraphenalia, Joanne and I found the displays about the French Maquis (resistance) fascinating. The British Cemetary is nearby.

    The next stop was the Arromanche 360; a circular theater located on the formidable cliffs overlooking the seaside town of Arromanches. We stood mesmerized as black and white photos of the battle flashed around us, accompanied by the sickening sound of artilliary fire. It was a powerful presentation that brought home the incredible courage and horror that Allied troops experienced there. After we regained our composure, we walked down the steep sidewalk to the town. From that perspective we had another panoramic view of the windswept wide expanses of beach only littered now with the remains of concrete cassons that the British troops, soon after the invasion, moored as an artificial port. Once on the beach, Dan, my historian/engineer, became our interpreter of all we surveyed...it is very helpful to travel with those of varying expertise and insight! 

     

    After a brief respite, we drove on to Omaha Beach  .......

    Locks and low tides at St. Pierre du Pont

    Omaha Beach - yellow flowers, thorns - rope ladders of rangers climbed cliffs

    Mont St Michel

    Utah Beach -

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  • 1 year ago
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• Costumes and Connections: Pari

  • From: TheresaNelson
  • Description:

    Since 1997, we've been visiting back and forth with friends in Paris, whom we met through our daughter's bilingual school. Almost every year since then, our friend's daughter has visited us in California for a month or so in the summer to work on her English, and our daughter or the whole family have spent time with them in their apartment in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. This trip was different, becuase it led us to new people and new experiences that never would have been open to us as casual tourists. (Please understand that the first part of this journal covers a time just before we got a digital camera, and the scans of nondigital photos did not work here).
    
    December of 2005 was a special visit - our first to Paris in the winter-time, so different from the crowds and humidity of summer (the summer of 2004 had been the incredible heat wave in Paris, with temperatures over 100 degrees F.). We arrived on the 23rd of December (while they were in the south of France with their extended family), to their high-rise apartment decorated with a small Christmas tree. This was our first time spending Christmas anywhere besides at home,  so it was both an adventure and an adjustment. After a day recovering from jet-lag and visiting the Louvre, we set about on Christmas Eve to acquire all the ingredients for a real French Christmas Eve. We focused our shopping on the nearby rue de Mouffetard, a shopping street from Medieval times which has an open market every day and is lined with speciality shops. Everywhere the streets were filled with tiny white lights, glittering packages and golden wrappers, in addition to the usual clothing, perfumes, toys and other gifts offered for last-minute shoppers.
    
    First we stopped at a place recalled from our previous trip - La Valette, for some pâté de foie gras and similar delectables, where we confused a staffmember who planned to practice his English with us, but was surprised when our daughter spoke with him in her perfect French. Next, we visited a wine merchant and discussed the right bottle of champagne, then to the charcuterie for a lovely duck breast for three and a small ham, then the fromagerie for a selection of cheeses, then the produce market nearby for small potatoes, thin green beans, fruit, early lettuces, taramasalata, cheese and nuts. We also bought items for breakfast and lunch, knowing that almost everything would be closed on Christmas Day. Our last stop - the pièce de resistance, the Bûche de Noël, at a bakery on rue de Glaciere, in a pristine white box wrapped in gold paper enclosing the traditional rolled chocolate cake sprinkled with meringue mushrooms, plus the late-baked bread. Our final purchases secured, we hurried back to the apartment to unload our treasures and begin our cooking. We sang Christmas carols as we cooked our delicious Christmas Eve dinner, planned to end about 9pm to allow us to reach Notre Dame de Paris in time for the pre-Midnight Mass concert.
    
    Along with some thousands of other people, we came to Notre Dame for Christmas Eve, drawn by this centuries-old icon of French Christianity and Medieval life, as people had done for hundreds of years. Finding seats in the crowded nave, we marveled at the beauty of the organ, the stained glass and the sound of the choir, whose music was matched perfectly to the architecture and acoustics of the cathedral. The multilingual service gave everyone a chance to sing, pray, meditate, or to just to listen, faces brightened by candlelight and the sense of history and inspiration that was so strong. Far removed from the commercialism of Christmas in America, where the most important  information seems to center on weekly retail sales compared to the previous year, it was a pleasure to be in a place so old, so steeped in history and build by generation of believers. At the end of the service thousands of worshippers exited the church, us among them, to find the Metro had closed at midnight (as always) and a one-hour wait for a taxicab. We managed to find the night bus stop, and joined a packed bus of Christmas revelers who, like us, were traveling back home to await the next day.
    
    Christmas Day brought a lovely breakfast and opening of presents, including some left for us by our hostess. Later in the day we enjoyed a crisp walk in the Jardin de Luxembourg, along with few other hearty souls, and a dinner of the ham and vegetables followed by fruit and cheese. Our friends came home the next day and we enjoyed several days of museum visits, concerts and shopping. We were grateful for the chance to have had Christmas in another place, following their traditions and creating new ones of our own.
    
    Our friend had graciously invited us to share New Year's Eve with some of her friends  ... our first real French dinner party. In France, New Year's is not celebrated with masses of strangers in hotel ballrooms or public spaces or casinos, but in homes over lengthy dinner parties. My French is passable but my husband's Barney's is limited, so our friend carefully arranged the seating with her friends and the gracious hostess so we'd be near some English speakers. More shopping, this time for the largest quantity of foie gras I'd even seen, enough for 12 people as an appetizer. Our daughter was to attend a teen New year's eve party with friends of her Parisian counterpart  ... nowadays, teens and adults celebrate separately in Paris. We dressed for dinner and took the metro, meeting up along the way at transfer points  with friends attending the same party.
    
    The dinner was lovely  ... wonderful people from many backgrounds, and fascinating conversation about politics, art, films, music and current affairs, with no discussion of business or work. As the evening continued, and many bottles of champagne and red wine were consumed, our hostess suggested it would be nice to sing (she is a choral singer, and I sing opera and choral music). She asked me to play something classical, to which I demurred - I'm not much of a pianist and my sight-reading is limited. Then she pulled out a book of American jazz tunes, standards from the 40s and 50s, and asked me to pay a few notes, about what I could handle. To our surprise, everyone at the dinner knew these American standards - not just the melodies but several verses in English as well. Together we finished dessert wines, sang these wonderful old songs, and truly felt that we had welcomed in the New Year properly.
    
    One of the guests, Professor Alkis Rafkis, is from Athens, and spends about half the year in Paris. He has two roles, one as head of the UNESCO International Dance Council and also as head of the the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre of Greece, the county's national dance company. His charming descriptions of Greek dance and his work to continue to present historically-accurate dance were inspiring, and he invited us to visit the dance company someday if we came to Athens.  On the metro back he told us more about the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre, founded in the early 1950s to nurture and preserve the historic dances of Greece, along with the costumes and artifacts related to these culturally-specific dances. Each year, about 50 dancers from all over Greece perform in a special open-air theatre across from the Acropolis, clothed in historic costumes collected by Ms. Stratou decades ago. For more on the company, see http://www.grdance.org/index.php
    
    Prof. Rafkis gave us his card, which I kept, as we hoped to visit Greece soon, rescheduling a trip from the previous year which was cancelled due to a death in the family. Over the next months, we emailed back and forth, and as our plans to visit Greece in the spring of 2006 were confirmed, I contacted him about visiting him at the theatre. Since the troupe performs from late May through late September, and we would visit during April, it would be too early to see the dancers in action. Nevertheless, Prof. Rafkis invited us to visit us, and after a few days in Athens touring historic sites and museums, we went to see him at the company's headquarter in the Plaka in central Athens.
    
    The whitewashed building was tucked into a small cul-de-sac up against a hillside, about four floors, all belonging to the Dance Theatre company. Prof. Rafkis welcomed us to his office, and showed us a lovely collection of documents and artifacts. Since they were not yet performing for the season, he asked if we might be interested in seeing the costume collection. Since my daughter and I both perform in musical theatre and opera (and love costumes) we jumped at this opportunity.

    He took us down two floors, and opened the door to an entire floor filled with costumes, taking up every inch of the double-height storage racks, as well as chests and hanging racks. Literally every surface horizontal and vertical was covered with costumes and accessories, and two of the staff were taking care of the costumes, doing repairs and restorations. He walked us among the racks, noting the origins of the costumes and some of the stories about how Ms. Stratou came to acquire them. There were over 2,500 costumes, with at least 2-3 dozen of each type, labeled by the village of origin and the date of acquisition.
    

    The costumes themselves were spectacular: silk skirts with hundreds of tiny pleats, heavy wool embroidered jackets, lace aprons and headdresses, colorful embroidered boots and woolen shoes, hats festooned with feathers and silks, intricate gold jewelry, brilliant white shirts with cut-work and intricate stitching, fabrics of every weave and color.

    Prof. Rafkis walked us through the racks of these stunning costumes, pointing us some of his favorites. He showed us one jacket whose cuffs were nearly covered in detailed gold embroidery, relating to us how after years of doing the bright gold embroidery, some of the women in the villages where the costumes were made were literally blinded by the reflection from the gold thread. He allowed us to touch the costumes and even to try on a jacket. A chill went up my back as I felt the costume on my shoulders, thinking of the many women who had worn it and danced the traditional dances clothed in its handmade beauty. Our daughter also noted that the costume was much heavier than it looked because of all the embroidery.

    Prof. Rakis told us Ms. Stratou had obtained the costumes, going from village to village after World War II, at a time when many young people were leaving the villages for the cities, and costumes were stored unused and sometimes decaying. She  traded items such as household equipment or a hand-cranked wringer washing machine for a costume. Because she sought to outfit an entire dance company, she needed not one but 20 or 30 samples of a costume from a specific village, so the dances of that village could be performed in the correct costume. She would tell one family that she would buy or barter for their old costumes but only if the family would talk to their friends in the village and convince others to sell their costumes, too. She would also film village dancers so their dances could be taught to the dancers in her company, as often only older residents still performed these dances. Thus she preserved a vital part of Greek village life and history, through preserving the costumes and of course the dances themselves.
    
    We learned how the costumes were worn every day in the summer heat by the dancers, and how this was causing the costumes to wear out. Used to how museums preserve textiles so carefully, with human hands never even touching them, I was surprised to find out that the dancers were actually wearing the historic original costumes in performances, rather than replicas. Decades of the wear and tear of performance was taking its toll, and the costumes required constant maintenance and were impossible to replace. I asked Prof. Rafkis about having replica costumes made for performances so that the originals could be preserved. He said they would like to do that, but it would cost at least US$2 million to make accurate replicas of all the costumes they use, less than US$1,000 per costume, but still a fortune for an organization supported only by performance revenues and a modest government subsidy.

    
    
    In any country, song, dance, costume, theatre and visual art express essential elements of a culture and of a people. Seeing and touching these costumes, which represent a culture almost vanished from Greek villages, truly struck a chord for me about how easily we can lose important elements of any heritage. In the future, I hope to begin a fundraising campaign to help Prof. Rafkis produce replicas of these beautiful costumes, so that the original costumes and their stunning embroidery and construction can be preserved for generations to come while the talented dancers of his company continue to perform these popular and historic dances.
    
    So it was the people that made these visits and these places special - our longtime Parisian friends who opened their home to us and involved us in a very special social New Year's Eve...  and their friend who welcomed us to her home and made us feel like part of the family when we sang together... and Prof. Rafkis, whose invitation to visit him in Greece led to an extraordinary afternoon getting to know the culture and traditions of one of the oldest of human endeavors, the dance. We enjoy museums and monuments and churches and historic sites a great deal, but over and over, we have found that the most powerful experiences are those that were linked to the wonderful people we've met on our journeys.

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• Prague monuments and attractio

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    PRAGUE CASTLE It is the largest medieval castle in Europe. Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Bořivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. The biggest development came in the 14th century, when the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. made the Prague Castle his residence and had the St. Vitus Cathedral built there. Habsburg emperor Rudolph II. added some buildings in Renaissance style in the 16th century. Then the rulers moved to Vienna. Prague castle has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa. The Prague Castle became a seat of Czechoslovakian (and later Czech) presidents in 1918.

    St. Vitus Cathedral St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important church in Prague. Apart from divine services the coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place in it. The remains of provincial patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops are interred here. The first stone was laid in the year 1344 in the reign of Charles IV. The first architect was Matthias of Arras, after his death Petr Parler took over and completed much of the structure in late-Gothic style. Over the following centuries renaissance and baroque details were added and the job was completed in 1929.

    The Old Royal Palace Dating from 1135 it is one of the oldest parts of the castle. It was the seat of Bohemian princes but from the 13th to the 16th century it was the king's palace.

    St. George Basilica St. George`s Basilica was founded about 920 by Prince Vratislav I.
    The present Romanesque apperance is from 1142. It is the best preserved Romanesque church in Prague, the fasade is baroque from the 17th century though. There are tombs of Přemysl royalty. The acoustics make it a good venue for classical concerts.

    Golden Lane Golden Lane is a very little street with nice little houses. They were inhabited by the castle servants, perhaps goldsmiths and the castle marksmen. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were occupied by squatters, later it was the home of the writer France Kafka (house 22) and the Nobel-laureate poet Jaroslav Seifert. Most of them are souvenir shops today.

    www.hrad.cz

    OLD TOWN SQUARE  The Old Town Square is the oldest and most important square of the historical Prague. It is surrounded with historical buildings such as the Old Town City Hall with the famous Astornomical Clock, St. Nicolas Church and Church of Lady before Tyn, and many houses and palaces of various architectural styles and colourful history. It has been a centre of Prague Old Town since the middle ages, when it was a market place at the crossing of European merchants´ roads.

    The Old Town City Hall It is a complex of buildings from various historical periods and a tower with the famous Astornomical Clock. The city hall was a center of Prague Old Town administration since the 14th century. King John of Luxembourg sanctioned building of the Old Town City Hall in 1338. The Old Town citizens bought a private Gothic house from Wolflin of Kamen for it. The 66 metres high tower was added in 1364.

    Astronomical Clock The medieval astronomical clock adorns the southern wall of the Old Town City Hall.It announces every hour with 12 apostles passing by the window above the astronomical dial and with symbolic sculptures moving aside. That makes it a popular tourist attraction.

    CHARLES BRIDGE It is in Gothic style, 516 m long, 9.5 m wide and supported by 16 massive piers. Both ends are fortified by towers and was the only bridge in Prague up to 19th century. Named after the Emperor Charles IV in 19th century the Charles Bridge is Prague's most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. Although it is now pedestrianised, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years. The magnificent Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower was designed by Petr Parler and built at the end of the 14th century. It is considered the finest Gothic tower in central Europe, mainly for its decoration.

    Old Town Bridge Tower The entrance gate to the Charles Bridge from the Old Town river bank, the most beautiful gate of the Gothic Europe was a masterpiece of the Court Buildingworks, it was finished before 1380. It is richly adorned with sculptures - coats of arms of the countries belonging to the Czech Crown under the reign of Charles IV, statues of St. Vitus, Charles IV, Wenceslas IV, St. Vojtech (Adalbert) and Sigmund.

    Lesser Town Bridge Towers The smaller tower - the romanesque one, a relic of the Judita's Bridge, was constructed in the 12th century. The higher one is 200 years younger (1464) and its late gothis architecture draws upon the Parler's Old Town Bridge Tower.

     

    JEWISH QUARTER Named after the emperor Josef II, whose reforms helped to ease living conditions for the Jewish, the Jewish Quarter contains the remains of Prague's former Jewish ghetto. There are two figures synonymous with this part of the city, Franz Kafka (1883 – 1924) and the mystical humunculus Golem created by Jehuda ben Bezalel, also known as Rabi Löw.

    Old Jewish Cemetery Founded in 1478, it is Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery. People had to be buried on top of each other because of lack of space. There are about 12 layer and over 12,000 gravestones.

    Pinkas Synagogue Founded in 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas this synagogue was rebuilt many times over the centuries.

    Klausen Synagogue This Baroque synagogue was completed in 1694. There is a good exhibition of Hebrew prints and manuscripts, an exhibition of Jewish traditions and customs and also drawings of children from the Terezín concentration camp.

    Old New Synagogue Built around 1270, it is the oldest working synagogue in Europe and one of Prague's earliest Gothic buildings.

    Maisel Synagogue Built by Maisel the original Renaissance building was a victim of the fire in 1689. A new neo-Gothic synagogue has been built in its place.

    Spanish Synagogue Built in 1868 the Spanish synagogue was named after its striking Moorish interior.

    High Synagogue Its prayer hall is on the first floor, this synagogue was built in the 16th century and financed by Mordechai Maisel, mayor of the Jewish Town.

    www.jewishmuseum.cz, Prague 1, Josefov

    LESSER TOWN The Lesser Town was founded in 1257 on the slopes bellow the Prague castle and conected with Old Town by Charles Bridge.

    Church of Our Lady of Victory - the Prague Bambino An early baroque building from the year 1611, 1634 - 1669 rebuilt by the Carmelite Order. The church is world-famous thanks to the Prague Bambino - Infant Jesus wax figure (of the Spanish origin), which was presented to the church by Polyxena of Lobkowicz (1628). www.pragjesu.info, Karmelitska 9, Praha 1

    Loreta A remarkable place consisting of a cloister, the church of the Lord’s Birth, a Holy Hut and clock tower with a world famous chime that has been situated in Prague Hradčany for more than 300 years. www.loreta.cz, Loretanske nam. 100, Praha 1

    Powder Tower A monumental entrance to the Old Town built by Matej Rejsek in the gothic style in 1475. Once it served as a gunpowder depot. In the late 19th century it was rebuilt by J. Mocker. When the Royal family moved from the Royal Court in the Old Town back to the Prague Castle in 1488, the Powder Tower was left unfinished. Some building work was done in 1592, when the new spiral staircase was built.

    Na prikope, Praha 1

     

    Vysehrad  Ancient legends situate the original seat of the Czech princes - the legendary Princess Libuse and the first Przemyslides - on the hill. In fact, however, this fort had not been founded until the Prague Castle was already in existence, since it dates back to the mid-10th century. In the latter half of the 11th and in the 12th century Vysehrad used to be the Przemyslides princes' main residence which brought about a generous building activity within its walls. Among noteworthy sight there are the precious romanesque rotunda of St. Martin (interior only for groups announced in advance), the gothic church of St. Peter and Paul (in the late 19th century rebuilt in the neogothic style), the Vysehrad cemetery used as a burial site of the Czech outstanding personalilties since 1869 with a collective tomb called Slavin, the underground casemates housing the originals of several baroque statues from the Charles Bridge. The Vysehrad site is open the whole day. www.praha-vysehrad.cz, V pevnosti 159, Praha 5 Not only Prague! Cesky Krumlov ��" very popular destination. Its destination number 2 after Prague. Definitely not for one day trip only due there are lot of things to discover. Mainly during spring and summer season its very popular place to chill out, do rafting, horse riding and of course sightseeing.300 protected buildings in the historical centre designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic, and the oldest Baroque theatre in the world.Ideal buget place for backpackers, many hostels in historical center.  http://www.ckrumlov.info      Kutna hora ��" perfect place for one day trip. Only one hour by train from Prague.900y old town with huge history and famouse Bone Church.  http://www.kutnahora.cz         Karlstejn Castle - High Gothic castle founded in 1348, which has a unique position among Czech castles. It was built by Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV as a place for safekeeping of the royal treasures, especially Charles's collection of holy relics and the coronation jewels of the Roman Empire.About 40min by train from Prague.  http://www.hradkarlstejn.cz           Terezin Memorial ��" the concentration camp located about 1,5 hour from Prague by bus.The key mission of the Terezin Memorial, the only institution of its kind in the Czech Republic, is to commemorate the victims of the Nazi political and racial persecution during the occupation of the Czech lands in World War II, to promote museum, research and educational activities, and look after the memorial sites connected with the suffering and death of dozens of thousands of victims of violence.  http://www.pamatnik-terezin.cz      Olomouc - the ancient town of Olomouc lies in the heart of the so-called Haná region. Its history dates back to the 10th century AD when it became an important trade crossing-point. It has the second most significant collection of historical monuments in the country after Prague. The second oldest university in the Czech lands was founded in Olomouc in the year 1573.Deffinitely not for daytrip. Its about 3hours by bus or train. You can find there hostel or buget accomodation like pensions.  http://www.olomouc.eu        For more go to prague central hostels

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