The Aurora Pyramid of Hope

There are so many interesting things to see inside the Natural History Museum in London but, I have to admit I went back twice to look at these beauties.  Called The Aurora Pyramid of Hope, this is a collection of 296 natural diamonds in a wide variety of colors.  It is said to be the most comprehensive natural color diamond collection in the world.  After a little research, I learned that the collection is actually owned by Aurora Gems Inc. and has been on loan to various museums around the world.  I'm glad I got to see them when I was there.  The display was in a large case and every few minutes the light would dim and a UV light would come on and all gems would glow.  Wikipedia has a picture of the gems glowing on their site here if you would like to see it.

Spoonbridge

One of my all-time favorite sculptures is located in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Center’s Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.  I fell in love with it the first time I saw it.  It was created by Claes Oldenburg in collaboration with his wife Coosje van Bruggen.  During the summer months, a fine mist sprays from the cherry’s stem and in the snowy winter months it takes on the look of being topped with whipped cream in a bowl of ice cream. 

I apologize for the graininess of this old scanned photo.  

Women of WW II

One of my favorite monuments in London has only been around for a few short years but it’s message seems to somehow resonate with me.  It is the Monument to the Women of World War II located on Whitehall.  The money to build the memorial was raised by a charitable trust along with the National Heritage Memorial Fund.  I love the simplicity of the monument which stands 22 feet high, 16 feet long and 6 feet wide.  There are 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms around the sides of the monument symbolizing the hundreds of different jobs women worked during the war.  Most of those jobs were given up when the men returned home at the end of the war. 

The monument created by John W. Mills was unveiled on July 9, 2005 by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the 60^th anniversary of the end of the war. 

Cherry Festival

Isn't that the most beautiful basket full of cherries that you've ever seen?  That's exactly what I thought when we discovered that right across the road from Vill Barbaro (see last post) a Festa della Ciliegia (cherry festival) was going on.  We joined the crowds of mostly locals and wandered around enjoying the festive atmosphere.....and the cherries.

I discovered the festival looking out of the window of the villa and seeing all the tents across the road and we quickly decided that we should check it out.

There were rides for the kids like this steam powered tractor.

And there were a variety of classic cars like this one with all decorated with flowers and bows.  Way in the back of this photo you can see the cherry booths where the vendors were selling cartons of fresh cherries.  We took two cartons with us and enjoyed snacking on them the rest of the trip.

Among all the craft booths was this table displaying some antique scales.

There was also food and wine being sold and of course, all kinds of cherry desserts and treats.  It was fun to mingle with the locals and enjoy their hospitality.

Villa Barbaro

A short distance from the beautiful town of Asolo that I featured back in July of 2013 (you can see it here) is Villa Barbaro, a grand villa designed and built by Andrea Palladio.  The villa is still lived in today by descendants of Count Giuseppe Volpidi Misurata the founder of the Venice Film Festival who acquired it in 1934 for his daughter Marina.  In 1996 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Parts of the villa are open for tours.

We walked past the Fountain of Neptune and up the long driveway to the entrance.  Upon entering the villa, visitors are given a pair of jumbo sized, slide-on slippers to slip over our shoes while walking inside the villa.  I really wish I had taken a picture of those goofy, clown-like slippers but, photos inside the villa were not allowed and they had many attendants around to make sure you obeyed the rules.

I really think those shoes served a dual purpose.  I couldn't really lift my feet so I just scooted along polishing the floor as I went.

Photos were allowed on the grounds of the villa and that's a good thing because there were certainly grand views in almost every direction.

This vine covered walkway led to a fountain at the end.  

The family living in Villa Barbaro operate a winery and the grounds of the villa are surrounded by vineyards.  The photo above is a view from the villa grounds looking over the vineyards toward a church in the distance.

Next week I'll post a little about an event that was going on just across the road from the villa when we visited there.  It was another one of those unexpected things we stumbled on to as we roamed the Italian countryside.

Hidden gems in Venice

On the first day visiting Venice, my friend Janet's nephew arranged for a private tour guide to take us around the various parts of the city.  It was a very special treat because it was just the three of us and the guide and she kept us enthralled with everything we saw.  Above is a stone head that sits above a doorway in a private garden she was able to let us see.

At the Doge's Palace we saw this face with it's "Lion's Mouth" that was used at one time as a post box where people could post anonymous reports of crimes against the government.  They would slip them through the opening in the mouth.  Unfortunately is was often used to get back at someone for some domestic dispute so after a while the mouth was sealed up with copper.

Many hints at the Moorish influences in Venice can be found in statues and plaques attached to buildings.  Here we have a relief of a merchant and his camel located in Palazzo Camello.

Another statue sports an iron nose probably replacing one that broke off.  It is said to be a portrait of one of the Mastelli Brothers and can be found in Palazzo Mastelli.

This Arab fellow is located in Campo Dei Mori and is likely another trader who sold his wares in Venice.

Finding and learning about little jewels like these made our tour of Venice very special.

The Magic of Venice

One of the many magical things about Venice is...

...that you can point your camera in almost any direction....

....and get a fabulous photo.

I took well over 500 photos so this will probably not be the last on this blog from this most photogenic city in Italy.

Another "St. Louis Cathedral"

Last Sunday I featured the Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.  This Sunday I'm featuring the St. Louis Cathedral in St. Louis Missouri.  This one was designated a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.  Dedication for this church took place in 1914.

This church is know for its large installation of mosaics, the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

Installation of the mosaics began way back in 1912 before the church was even dedicated and continued until 1988.  That's a very long time to be completing the task but, if you step inside the church, you might understand why.








The entire church is covered with beautiful mosaics containing 41.5 million glass pieces in more than 7,000 colors and covering 83,000 square feet of space.

The mosaics in the side chapels and sanctuary were designed and installed by Tiffany Studios.  Those inside the main church were designed by August Oetken.

When you walk inside the church, it seems like every where you look it sparkles and shines.

I've seen spectacular churches in Europe but the St. Louis Cathedral can stand up against any of those grand churches.  It's well worth a peek inside.

A French Quarter Landmark

Located next to Jackson Square and facing the Mississippi River stands this grand church building.  It's official name is the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France but everyone just calls it the Saint Louis Cathedral.  It is actually one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States.

A church was built on this site in 1718 and a third church built in the same spot in 1789.  It was designated a cathedral in 1793 and was enlarged and substantially rebuilt in 1850.  Only fragments of the 1789 structure remain.

I took this photo around 18 years ago.  It's been that long since I've been to New Orleans.  I guess I need to go back again.

Florence's Best

I recently found a web site called "10 Most Today" that makes posts with a list of the 10 most.....whatever the subject of the day is.  A few days ago it was the 10 Best Attractions in Florence and it made me happy that I actually got to visit all but just one of them.  I decided to dedicate this post to the ones I got to visit. In reading the order of them, I have to say that I probably would have put them in a different order but I'll follow their pattern.

Number 1:  The Florence Cathedral or Santa Maria del Fiore.  It looms over the city with its tall dome and beautiful walls like a giant exclamation point.  My first glimpse of it was from a hotel window just after I had checked in.

Number 2:  The Uffizi Gallery.  I don't have a photo of this one but I did spend hours inside viewing the world's finest collections of Renaissance art.  Weaving through the gallery rooms is a bit overwhelming.  The next time I visit this place, I'll make a list of what I want to see and stick to it.

Number 3:  Michelangelo's David.  I would have put this as number 1 in my list.  Although the Academia Gallery where it is located is very nondescript it certainly houses the most magnificent statue I've ever seen.  I think my friend who was with me got tired of waiting for me while I walked around and around it in awe of its perfection.

It will be the first place I go when I return to Florence one day.

Number 4:  The Ponte Vecchio.  I got my first glimpse of this amazing structure from a window inside the Uffizi Gallery.  It is an impressive sight when first viewed from the gallery window with the bright Italian sun lighting it up.  Strolling across the bridge with its many jewelry vendors, I could easily imagine it full of butchers, fish mongers and fruit and vegetable vendors from its past all shouting out for attention.

Number 5:  Piazza della Signoria.  This piazza feels like the heart of the city.  It's a perfect place for visitors and residents alike to meet up with friends.  We stopped into a wonderful pastry shop for a quick bite to eat before out scheduled visit to the Uffizi Gallery.

Number 6:  Basilica di San Lorenzo.  This church was built in the 15th century and is one of the city's oldest churches.

The courtyard garden was particularly inviting.



























Number 7:  Loggia del Porcelain (Mercado Nuovo).  I thought I had a photo of this place but apparently not.  I do have clear memory of it.  It's a 16th century building that accommodates an indoor market.  I remember it because I bought a beautiful handbag from one of the vendors.


Number 8:  Piazzale Michelangelo.  This is the one I missed.  It's a park that overlooks the city of Florence.  If I had known about it, I can assure you that I would have been there.  I've seen photos taken from there and they are stunning.

Number 9:  Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace).  This was once the home of the powerful Medici family.  It's a 12th century structure that dominates the Piazza dell Signoria.  It now houses a museum and acts as the town hall.

Number 10:  The Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.  This beautiful place once housed the ruling families of Florence.  It is now a museum you can tour.  The tour is divided into two tickets, the house tour and the garden tour.  The view of the garden above gives you an idea of its beauty.

The house was huge with wonderful antique furnishings and striking chandeliers.

I found the look of the carriage house (to the right) quite unique.

So that is the list of the 10 best attractions in Florence in the opinion of the authors of the web site I mentioned above.

Egyptian Temple in New York

Whenever I go to New York, the first place I visit is the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the first place inside that museum that I visit is the Temple of Dendur.  It is a real Egyptian Temple that was a gift from the Egyptian Government to the United States in 1965 and awarded to the museum in 1967.  There it was reconstructed in a room in the museum that was added specifically for the temple.

Years ago I read a book called "Making the Mummies Dance" by Thomas Hoving, the somewhat controversial Director of the museum at that time.  It's an interesting read that can be summed up by this cover quote from Louis Auchincloss "A fascinating, appalling and ultimately sobering account of genius, toadyism and guile required to amass and house a great public collection of art."  One of the many things that I remember from that book is what it took to get the temple awarded to the museum and what it took to build the room it sits in.

Regardless of all that recent history, the history of the temple is of course far grander.  It dates back to 15 BC and was built by Egyptian governor Petronius and commissioned by Emperor Augustus of Rome.  If those walls could talk, I wonder what tales they would tell.

Finding hidden gems...

I've probably mentioned this before but, one of my favorite things to do when I travel is to walk and explore new places.  I've found so many beautiful and sometimes unusual things just taking a long walk.  Last August when I was in Laguna Beach California, I walked from the beach to the hillside exploring the community.

One of the places I found is the Laguna Presbyterian Church located at Forest Avenue and 2nd Street.    The Spanish-Colonial architecture of the church fits in perfectly with the Southern California environment but, on this occasion I discovered the charming atmosphere of a hidden courtyard behind the church.

The area reached from one street to another with arches and plants and rustic benches along the way.





Another gem of this church that might go unnoticed by most tourists in the area, is the rose garden located on one side of the church.  The vast array of beautiful roses blooming in this little area enticed me to stay awhile and enjoy the gorgeous blooms.  There is a sample of them below.

It was a good place to stop and smell the roses and then explore the beautiful architecture of the buildings that surround the garden and that is exactly what I did.

Lloyd's of London

Ever since my very first trip to London, I've been fascinated by the very unique Lloyd's of London building and on every subsequent trip, I found a way to walk around it once more.  On that first visit, the building of steel tubes, columns and pipes seemed huge and imposing but, on this last trip I noticed that it has become almost hidden away in the jungle of much bigger glass and steel monoliths.

Lloyd's is located on Lime Street in the main financial district in the City of London, that ever changing part of London that keeps transforming itself with newer and more extraordinary buildings.

I learned that the Lloyd's building was completed in 1986 so it must have been brand new when I saw it the first time.

The building was designed by architect Richard Rogers, the same architect who was involved in the design of the Pompidou Centre in Paris.  At the time it was built, it was considered innovative in having its services such as staircases, lifts, electrical power conduits, and water pipes on the outside of the building leaving the inside an uncluttered space.

When I took my dad to London back in 2000, I made a point of walking past here to show him this crazy looking building.  He wasn't impressed.  In fact, he said "That's awful, lets move on."

I would love to see the inside someday but the building is not open to the public.  It is however, open once a year during the "Open House London" annual event.  The 2015 "Open House" will be September 19 and 20.  Maybe I should plan another trip!

Twinkling Lights

Back in October, I had a picture of the Chicago skyline taken from this view point in the late afternoon when it was still light.  I mentioned that I was there for a wedding that took place on the rooftop of The Public Hotel.  Since I was there for the entire evening, I was able to take several skyline shots as the sky darkened and day turned to night.

It was fantastic to watch the changes in that gorgeous skyline and to see all the twinkling lights in those wonderful skyscrapers out there.  When it was completely dark, it was like floating silently in that canyon of buildings.

Greeks and Myths

The origin of some of our common sayings can be found in a variety of places but, I wasn't expecting to find this one inside the Vatican Museum.  I'm sure you've heard the saying "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".  Well, the story that goes with the statue pictured above is the source of that saying.   The statue depicts the fate of Laocoon after he tried to warn the Trojans not to let the giant wooden horse into the city.  His warning was "do not trust the horse Trojans.  Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even bearing gifts."  It is said that Athena, angered by his attempt to thwart the ruse, sent giant snakes and sea serpents to kill Laocoon and his two sons.

The statue of Laocoon and his sons struggling with the serpent was unearthed in 1506 in a vineyard near Rome.  Pope Julius II, a classicist sent Michelangelo to examine the statue.  Upon his recommendation, the Pope immediately bought the statue and put it on display at the Vatican.  It is said to be one of the very first acquisitions that would become the Vatican Museum.