National Shrine

A few years ago I took a trip to Washington DC in December and while there visited the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, sometimes referred to as America's Catholic Church.  I had heard that it rivaled all the grand churches of Europe, a fact that I wasn't quite prepared to believe until I saw it for myself.  It is the largest Roman Catholic Church in North America and has been a work in progress since 1920 when its cornerstone was put in place.

The Basilica is a massive Byzantine-Romanesque style structure that surrounds over 70 spectacularly embellished chapels paying tribute to peoples, cultures, and traditions that are the very fabric of our nation.

My tour of the church began on the lower or Crypt level.  At its center is Memorial Hall which takes its name from the tablets of Travertine marble and Radio Black American marble inscribed with the names of benefactors and others memorialized here.

In the very center of the hall stands a statue called Mary, Mother of Mankind by sculptor Harry Eversfield Donahue.

At one end of the lower level lies the Crypt Church, an area that is as large as most modern neighborhood churches.  The vaulted ceiling and the walls are adorned with mosaics.  The photo above doesn't really do it justice, it was stunning in its beauty and detail.

Many of the 70 chapels are located on this level and run along the length of the building on each side of Memorial Hall.

The chapel to the right is called Our Lady of La Vang.  This chapel pays tribute to the Vietnamese region of La Vang where Christians sought refuge during struggles in the 18th Century.

The statue here is a depiction of a vision the people saw when praying while hiding in this region.

Another chapel on this level is Mary Queen of Missions.  Venetian glass mosaic depicts Mary crowned with 12 stars and holding a globe.

Our Mother of Good Councel chapel  is based on a legend about a small plaster picture of the Madonna and Child that appeared in a church in Genazzano Italy and remained standing without support for years even though most of the church was destroyed during WWII.

Each chapel on this level seemed to out shine the last one and there were far too many to show them all here.

The Basilica on the main level is massive in size and topped with a number of domed covered in glass mosaics.

The altar is dominated by a huge mosaic of a fierce looking Christ in Majesty.  At 3,610 square feet it is thought to be the largest mosaic depicting Jesus in the world.

Also on this main level is a chapel that quite literally took my breath away when I entered it.  It is called the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and it features a bronze tabernacle by Xavier Corbero of Barcelona containing the blessed sacrament.  It is evocative of the Ark of the Covenant.

A canopy above the tabernacle depicts Manna falling from the heavens.

There was so much more to see that I'll have to cover this spot again in a future post.  For now, I'll leave you with the stained glass window that was set in the cafeteria inside the church.  Yes, it was so big that a cafeteria inside is an essential amenity.

In the land of Champagne

Back in the early 2000's, I took a trip to London and Paris with my close friend David and we decided that while we were in Paris we should take a day trip to Reims and visit the home of our favorite champagne, Veuve Clicquot.  It was David who introduce me to Veuve and it immediately became my favorite champagne too.  Clicquot Cellars is open for tours by appointment only so arrangements to visit were made long before we left on this trip.  We asked for a specific day and then they gave us a time to be there.  We arrived in plenty of time, stopped for lunch in the heart of the city and then took a taxi to the cellars.

The enterprise was founded by Phillippe Clicquot in 1772 and taken over by the son Francois who married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin in 1798.  Francois died in 1805 leaving his entire enterprise to his widow.  Madame Clicquot was the first woman to take over and run a champagne house and she was only 27 years old at the time.  The word Veuve means "widow" in French and the official name of the company became Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

Behind the gates, we found showroom and the start of our tour.

In 1816, Madame Clicquot invented the first "riddling" table which makes it possible to ensure a crystal-clear wine and this process continues today.   Riddling is done by turning and moving the bottles once every day to dislodge the solids in the wine so they settle at the top of the bottle.  When this process is done, the cork is carefully removed, the solids removed and then the bottle is re-corked.

You can see some of these riddling tables in the photo to the left.

In 1909, Veuve Clicquot moved to it's present location in Reims and took full advantage of the chalk cellars created from a former quarry.  Our tour took us to many locations inside the cellar where we saw bottles and wine casks and even a locked area with some very, very old bottles that have been preserved.

The tour ends in the tasting room where we got to taste the different varieties of champagne produced by Veuve.

Of course, there was the possibility of buying some to take with us which we did and there were a few gift items that could also be purchased.  I still have the silk scarf I purchased that features depictions of the various labels that have adorned the bottles over the years.

If a tour of the Veuve Clicquot cellars interests you, you can request a tour on their website.

Lord Mayor's Show

Before I went to London last November, I did some checking to see if there was going to be any events or ceremonies happening while I was there that I might catch a glimpse of.  I found that the Lord Mayor's Show was happening and decided that might be well worth a peek.

I found what looked like the perfect spot to stand and watch the event.  I had a clear view down the street with the private viewing boxes located just ahead on both sides of the street.  I had a spot right up against the barrier, it was perfect.

I had arrived about 45 minutes before the event was to begin so I watched all the officials as they prepared the area.  At one point, I thought the gentleman was pointing right at me and I suddenly wondered if I had done something wrong.  But no, he moved on with a smile on his face.  He was probably just commenting on what a perfect location I had to view the parade.

To my right, I watched this military band come marching in and take up residence in a spot right next to where the media where doing some filming of the event.  So now, not only did I have a great spot but, I had the band playing right next to me.  This was going to be great.

About this time, more military men came marching down the street and with a stomp of their boots and a click of their heels, they stopped and stood at attention right smack-dab in front of me.

Hey guys, your blocking my view!

They didn't budge!

So as the gilded coach came rolling down the street, the only view I had was of the rain soaked hats and backs of these dutiful officers.  This was the Lord Mayor arriving and I could tell it was a gorgeous red and gold coach with a beautifully costumed driver but I could only see the very top.

The new Lord Mayor stepped out of the coach and began to inspect the uniformed troops.

As you can see, the rain has started to come down much faster now and I am now struggling with an umbrella in one hand and a camera with the telephoto extended in the other.  Not the best conditions for taking photos, thus this rather blurry shot of the Lord Mayor passing by.

After she finished this inspection, she went up to the viewing stand to the left in the second photo above to watch the rest of the parade.

The military men who had been blocking my view, left the scene and the rest of the parade started.  At this point, I was very wet, very cold, and it was raining at a steady pace.  I decided that I wasn't going to get great pictures taking one handed shots, so I ducked into an underground station and left in search of a place to dry off and warm up.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this traditional event even though it was through the sleeves of those brown uniforms but, next time I'm taking someone with me to hold the umbrella while I snap the photos.

Later that same day, after I had dried off and warmed up, I spotted this group walking down the street.  I can only assume that they must have had some part in the parade that I had missed when I left early.  Apparently I missed the most colorful parts of the parade.

St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery

Two weeks ago I made the short, seventy mile trip southeast of the Phoenix area to visit St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery, a place I had only recently learned existed.  After driving an hour and a half across the very dry, moisture deprived desert, I was surprised to see quite a lot of green looming ahead as I passed a row of trees neatly planted along the road.

Between those trees, I caught sight of what looked like a Greek chapel sitting at the very top of a small hillside.  This I learned was St. Elijah chapel looking as pristine on it's desert mound as if it was perched on a cliff over looking the Mediterranean on a remote Greek isle.

I arrived at the parking area already attired in the required conservative dress.  All I needed to add was the head scarf and I was ready to enter the gates.

The monastery was quite busy with guests who were going to stay a few days and a few others like me who were there for a day visit.

I was greeted by a bearded and black-clad monk who gave me a map indicating the path to take and the buildings that were open to the public and those that were not.  He wished me well and sent me off to explore on my own.

The path starts at St. Anthony's Church, a Byzantine style, domed basilica that serves as the main church on the property.

The inside is adorned with icons of saints and brass trim and chandelier.  Almost everything inside the church was brought to this desert location from Greece.

Upon exiting the church, the path leads on to the main courtyard with it's beautiful and quiet gazebo constructed of brick with a domed roof and a fountain in the center.

A little further down the path is St. Nicholas chapel, another example of Byzantine architecture this time produced in stone and tile.  The details on the dome were particularly attractive to me.

A short walk through the orange grove and then the olive grove brought me to the chapel of St. George.  This Romanian style chapel faces a beautiful plaza complete with a fountain and palm trees.

The inside was a beautiful space with gorgeous wood trim and another brass chandelier.

 The Fountain of the Cross dominates a garden area near the chapel of St. George with pathways the radiate out to various locations on this section of the property.  Two more small chapels are at the ends of two those paths, St. Seraphim's Chapel and St. Demetrios' Chapel.

Another path leads to a shake-roofed gazebo with benches inside.  Once again, another quiet spot to contemplate or read.

The front of the gazebo had two statues of the Lion and Lamb on either side of the entrance.

The residents of this monastery have created a little piece of heaven in the middle of the harsh Arizona desert and the contrast makes it a fascinating place to visit no matter your spiritual persuasion.

If you plan to visit, please check their web site for information about dress and the hours they are open to the public.

Mexican Food: London vs. Scottsdale

On one very chilly day on my recent trip to London, after spending the day walking from one end of the city to another, I was hungry and very cold when I found myself in front of a restaurant called Cantina Laredo in the Covent Garden area.  It was new and modern looking and most of all, looked warm inside so in I went.

The inside was indeed warm and also friendly and the menu looked very interesting with a lot of familiar dishes.  I started thawing out, unwound my neck scarf and settled in for relaxing meal.

The first thing I ordered was the house made guacamole, made table side just like at many Arizona restaurants.

I watched the server mash the whole avocado and add all the familiar ingredients and when I dug in, I felt warm all over.  It was a little taste of home so far away.


For my entree I ordered the Chicken Mole enchiladas and I was eager to see if those too were as good as the food I'm used to eating in the U.S. southwest.

I was pleasantly surprised.  The enchiladas were beautifully presented and every bit as delicious as those in my favorite Arizona Mexican restaurants.

When I decided to write a post about having great Mexican Food in London, I went to their website to gather some details, I noticed at the very bottom of the site's pages a link to "US Cantina Laredo".  I checked it and discovered that there was a Cantina Laredo in Scottsdale.  That's when I decided I should do a comparison.

The restaurant is located in far north Scottsdale in a very busy shopping area.  The outside is very attractive in a much more southwestern looking building than the location in London.  That I expected.

The inside was warm and modern like the restaurant in London with very tasteful decor and art.

I decided to order the same thing I ordered in London, the Chicken Mole enchiladas but, I skipped the guacamole.

I was just a bit surprised when the plate was placed in front of me with just one enchilada on it but, I thought maybe that was because it was lunch time.  The presentation was nice looking but I thought it was just a little less attractive.  The enchilada itself was good but it didn't wow me like the one I had in London.

In the end I decided that the London restaurant was by far the superior dining experience.  Imagine that, I found a Mexican restaurant in London that is much better than it's sister restaurant located so close to the national origins of it's cuisine.

Walking the Streets of Paris

One of my favorite things to do when visiting another city is to walk with no particular destination in mind, just walk to take in the atmosphere of the place.  I can wander for hours delighting in the interesting things that pop into my view.  Fortunately, I'm gifted with an excellent sense of direction so I never fear getting lost.  I always have a map in my bag just in case I need to identify something.

On one such walk in Paris, I stumbled across this sculpture by Jean Marias' titled "The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls".  The sculpture was inspired by a short story by Marcel Ayme.

On another occasion, I happened by a Holocaust Memorial tucked away beneath a tiny park on the very tip of the Ile de la Cite.  It was a beautifully solemn place dedicated to the over 200,000 French who departed Paris from this very location never to return again.

A trip down a side street revealed a wedding party posing for photos.  One more photographer in the background didn't seem to bother them.

A little Smart Car painted with scenes from the Chronicles of Narnia caught my eye……

….as did this gorilla perched on a ledge at the Grand Palais.  I found out he was there to lure people into an exhibition inside but, I didn't go.

 I just kept on walking!

Travel Inspired by a Television Show

At the risk of dating myself, I will admit that I was a huge fan of an old British television show called "The Prisoner".  I have warm memories of staying up late, just me and my dad, to catch the latest episode.  In spite of obsessively watching every episode (and the repeats), it wasn't until many, many years later that I learned that "the village" featured in the show was an actual place and it really did look just like the unique and colorful place I grew to love in the TV show.  That was when the village of Portmeirion in Wales went on my list of places I had to visit.

In 2006, I traveled to London with my best friend David and another friend and while they had their heart set on an overnight trip to Paris, I decided it was my perfect opportunity to visit Portmeirion.  So early one morning the three of us headed off in our separate directions.  I took three different trains to arrive at the station in Porthmadog, the closest station to the village.  A short taxi ride took me to my destination and soon I was checked into a room at the beautiful Pormeirion Hotel pictured above.

I set out to do some exploring and immediately found the famous "round house", the place that was used on the television show as agent No. 6's apartment.  The building now serves as The Prisoner gift shop where pilgrims like me can pick up a souvenir from the old show.

Portmeirion is located on an estuary and I watched the water rise and fall at least three times while I was there.  Above is one of my favorite pictures overlooking the water.

 The village was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, an architect and environmentalist.  It dates back to 1925 and construction continued until 1975.  Williams-Ellis gave the village a Mediterranean or Italianate look that is fanciful in many ways.  It was built mostly from reclaimed materials because the architect believed in reusing materials that had been discarded.

This statue of Hercules by William Brodie sits in the center of the village in a prominent place.

The village is a beautiful place and a perfect spot for a weekend visit.  The hotel was beautifully furnished and dinner in the hotel restaurant was delicious.

Obviously, I'm very happy I went and if the opportunity ever presented itself again, I'd go again.

Sleeping in a Pyramid

I'm not a huge fan of Las Vegas but, a couple of years ago I had to attend a conference there and the hotel I was given was the Luxor, that giant pyramid on the Las Vegas strip.  I have to admit, I did enjoy my room with the slanted wall and those elevators that have to jog sideways a little as they get to the higher floors.

The main floor center of the hotel is where the casino is located with all it's noisy machines and busy tables.  Above the casino on the second floor is a sort of play area with amusement rides, restaurants and entertainment venues.

I believe that's sushi bar in the photo to the left.

I do enjoy all things Egyptian so I have to say that I did admire the effort that was put into the interior.  It did give the feeling of a giant temple.   Of course those giant video screens and noisy slot machines wouldn't have been present back in ancient Egypt.  At least I don't think they were.  :-)