!Viva La Color!

So, I don't know how everyone out there in the intraweb feels, but man, I am READY for spring!  I am SO tired of my winter jacket and snow boots!  As I said in "Time Keeps on Slipping," we went up into the Alps for this past weekend, and I played around with my camera.  What I found, besides an amazing waterfall, was proof - SPRING IS COMING!  I promise!

I have no idea what this is, but it's some kind of
tuber flower, and it was trying SO hard to bloom!

We all know that I get distracted.  A lot.  That's ok, though.  My distractions are my inspiration!  My distractions are my subjects!  I have learned to embrace my inability to focus on the end task!

Even better than finding random flowers trying to bloom?
Finding ones familiar to you!  Heather is in bloom all
over the Alps, it was beautiful!  Purple hillsides everywhere!

There is an end in sight people, I promise!  The mountains are coming alive again!  The birds have started to come back, and the flowers are starting to bloom!  Color is coming back into my world - WOOHOO!!!  I am so tired of scenes that are so dreary, you honestly can not tell if they are black and white portraits are not!  Viva la color!

So, how do you know spring is on its way wherever you live?  What tells you it's time to put up the snow gear, and start planting?  Please, leave a comment, share the page, subscribe - I would love to hear from you!

The Most Difficult Post, Ever.

To date, this has been the hardest post for me to ever compose, the hardest photos for me to edit.  I honestly don't like most of these images- but that is not the point.  This place, and the all too many like it, none of us like that they exist/existed, but we NEED to remember.  We NEED to see the atrocities that man is capable of - so that we may never repeat them.

Dachau to me is a bucket list place of a different sort.  Not for beauty, not for engineering marvel - merely because it existed ever.  It never should have.

"Freedom through Work".  Yeah, right.

I have always felt that I NEEDED to go there before we left Germany.  I have seen the ghetto of Budapest, and monuments there, and they moved me - but nothing like Dachau.

It has taken me weeks to get this post done.  Quite honestly, these pictures were very hard for me to even edit, let alone put words to.

One of many memorials to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.  Each symbol on this sculpture is one that was used to mark the prisoners - whether it be because they were Jewish, Polish, a Drunk, a Prostitute, a Priest, or Gay.  Anyone labeled "Socially Undesirable" was sent here, anyone vocal in opposing the National Socialist Regime was sent here.

For thousands, this was the last train platform that they ever saw.
This was where prisoners were taken off the trains, and brought into the camp.
 It is precisely in the middle between the SS barracks, and the Prison Camp.

Dachau affected me on a deeply profound and personal level.  I was in a funk - a deep funk for a couple of weeks after visiting the first concentration camp of the National Socialist Regime (Nazi).  Growing up, I learned about the Holocaust, I read "The Diary of Anne Frank," I saw "Schindler's List".  I knew of what happened, but it never hit me at that personal level.  

A re-creation of one of the barracks buildings.  The originals
were torn down.  All that remains of them is their foundation
footprint in the dirt along the avenue.

Anyone wonder why dysentery spread rampantly?

Barracks bedding.  Originally built to hold around 30 per level,
often more than 100 souls would be crammed onto each level.  At
the height of Dachau, barracks built to hold 300 held over 2000 people
in each one.

Going to Dachau, seeing the site where thousands upon thousands were exterminated for the mere reason that they were born of a different faith, that their lineage was different, that they opposed the cruel regime which had taken control of their country - it hit me.  For so many reasons, had I been alive in that era, it could so easily have been me.  I could have been the mother having her baby ripped out of her arms.  I could have been the mother watching the death heads take her beautiful girl and forcing her to the brothel.  But I wasn't, and for that I am more than thankful.

This is the gas chamber.
Though no evidence exists of this room ever actually being used for its intended purpose, it does not
mean that it was never used for other purposes.  It is believed that human experimentation happened
here, and cruel punishments were carried out throughout this building and its grounds.

The entire area of Dachau to me was very. . . oppressive.  The town itself was nice enough, however the minute we got near the camp, the atmosphere changed.  The air was suddenly heavy, and I just felt so much emotion; sadness and grief and anger come immediately to mind, but there was so much more than that, so much that was beyond my verbal capabilities.  I am incredibly thankful for the experience, as hard as it was, and I would recommend everyone go.  I did not take my family with me for this - and I am comfortable in that decision- my daughter is a very bright, and very sensitive soul, she could not have taken it well, or recovered from it easily.  For her, I took these pictures. I want her to understand this all some day, and to make sure that this never happens to anyone again.

Never Again.  This statue stands in front of the crematorium.

Never Again.

Glasgow!!!

We were able to go into Glasgow for the afternoon, and it was magic!  For the time, the sky cleared a bit, the winds calmed, and we were able to see the beauty of Glasgow that is so often over-looked.

Glasgow is not a city for the faint of heart!  It is in the midst of a slow going re-birth, an attempt to pull itself up by the bootstraps and move forward.  

Many of the Victorian-era buildings remain, but have been re-purposed.  What once were government buildings are now art museums and even casinos.  Don't worry, though, some of the classics still remain.  

Did I mention the shopping?  Harrods, Frasers, Argyle Court, you name it, they have it!  Even American brands like Lush - it's there, along with the chains we all recognize, like TGI Fridays and Starbucks (swoon!)

Glasgow is known for the most part as a rougher city.  It's working hard to change that image, but with some of the highest incomes in the country, along with some of the lowest, there will always be a culture clash - something simmering just below the surface.

My family is from not very far away, and so going into Glasgow was a bit of a homecoming. Seeing the things my mum saw growing up, seeing the buildings my Gran worked in - there is definitely something to that.  The town council is working hard to make it a gentler city, but I think that perhaps that rough exterior is what makes Glasgow what it is. That's part of what makes it home.

Thank you for reading about all of our wanderings!  I would love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment, ask a question, or share your own experiences!

He Who Holds Stirling....

Holds Scotland.

For years, Stirling Castle was a pivotal point in battle and politics.  It was far enough from Edinburgh, but close enough.  The castle sits high atop the town, and it simply put, amazing.  I remember visiting as a child, and just thinking "Oh yay, another castle".  Not this time, though.

There is something that is so cool about bringing your own children to places that you visited as a child.  Even better than that, is when you take your children to said places, and find that they have been painstakingly restored, and are not only beautiful, but now interactive. 

  

 Stirling castle has lovingly restored the inside of the Royal Quarters, and as you walk through, each room has a docent in there.  The docents are dressed in period costume, and will answer your questions, or even just tell you about day-to-day life in the castle.  This was so nice, as it kept my 10 year old completely engaged in what we were seeing, and made it realistic for her!

After wandering through the Royal Quarters, we found our way into the courtyard, where we found the Great Hall.

The Great Hall is the only buidling in  Stirling Castle that is lime washed.  In the day time it almost looks like it has a stucco finish, and was a huge show of wealth at the time.  Inside the hall, tapestries are hung along the walls as they would have been back in the 1500s.  (All the tapestries are woven on site in the Stirling Tapestry Studio - you can even watch the weavers at work until 4:30pm daily!) The wooden ceiling and all its beams are intact (restored) - it is beautiful!

When all was said and done, and we exited the Great Hall, Dusk had fallen.  We were near to, if not the last people in the castle besides the staff, and had the place pretty much to ourselves which made it SO nice!

An interior courtyard shot of the Royal Quarters.  At night all the pedestal figures are lit up beautifully.  It was explained to us that they are mostly Roman Gods, meant to show the wealth, health and prosperity that would follow.

This the the Chapel Royal.  In the 1500's the biggest threat to scottish life (besides repeated English attacks) was the change of religion.  The Monarchs of the time were Catholic, but there was a slow and steady wave of protestantism moving through the country.  In 1560, Scotland officially became protestant, and this was one of the first churches build for the newly Presbyterian nation.  It was also the last building to be build in Stirling Castle.

As we left the grounds, the castle was beautifully lit up.  In fact, the whole city of Stirling was beautifully lit up, to include the Wallace monument in the distance.

A statue of William Wallace, with the Wallace Monument in the background.

Thank you for reading about all of our wanderings!  I would love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment, ask a question, or share your own experiences!

Birth of A Queen

It happened on 8 December, 1542.  In this palace Mary, Queen of Scots was born!

This is Linlithgow Palace.

Sadly, today this amazing palace is in ruins after being burned out in 1746, but it is easy to imagine what it once was like!  It is massive still, even with one whole wing having been demolished!  

 

As you walk through the ruins, you can imagine what life must have been like.  You are given access to the King and Queens private quarters, where you can still see remnants of what it was like - you can see the beautiful fireplaces, the seated windows, and the tiled floor patterns.

This is the birthplace of quite a few Royals, including James V, and Mary Queen of Scots.   We are lucky enough to even be able to go into the room in which she was born!

The room in which Mary, Queen of Scots was born in 1542.
Nine months later she was crowned Queen of Scotland.

This is thought to be the oldest fountain in Great Britain.  It has been said that one special events (like Bonnie Prince Charlie arriving) it was made to flow with wine even!  It has been restored, and now, on special days throughout the year, water still flows through this almost 500 year old fountain!

Thank you for reading about all our wanderings!  As always, please leave a comment, share your experiences, ask a question!

Italia, Where to Begin?

Yesterday was day 2 of our last minute "Invade Italy, 2012" trip.  We drove down in 8 hours, and are staying in our amazing hotel on the beach here in Rimini!  Rimini is a funny town - it tried to be the Italian version of Ibiza, but with the clubs came lots of drugs and darker elements, so now, 20 years later the town is struggling to clean itself up.  They have done an amazing job - this is the town we come to unwind in.  The beach is gorgeous, and quite literally goes on for miles - the Adriatic Sea is breathtaking, and the food - well - the food is beyond anything most people can imagine.  I am getting SO ahead of myself though.  I am going to try and take this trip day by day - and maybe even more than that - as some towns deserve multiple entries on their own.  For the life of me, I have never figured out how some guidebooks ignore this area completely, and others give it a mere page or two. . . I guess if you stick to just the tourist spots you could do that.  We avoid those places :)

In the afternoon, we drove just a bit up the coast, and went to Ravenna.  Ravenna is known by and large for two main things : BEAUTIFUL mosaics, and the tomb of Dante Allegheri  I don't want to overload this blog with photos - so, choosing just my very favorites is my mission - one picture for each place - I will probably expand upon each place in a later post though, I was so amazed here!

Basilica di Santa Maria en Porto

We started out in Ravenna, walking the Via Roma.  There are street signs here, but they aren't always easily understood, so we figured the best way to find anything was to go on foot, and stay close.  Thankfully, most of the major sights are well within easy walking distance (even with a 3 year old in tow).  We parked by the Museum of Art, and off we went!  We walked past the Basilica di Santa Maria en Porto - there were worshippers there, and I really do not want to bother someone in prayer.  Pretty sure it's frowned upon.

We continued on our walk, down to the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.  You know that saying good things in small packages?  Well, the package was not small, but it was most definitely unassuming.  It looked like a plain brick church from the front, not much special.  Then, after you pay your 9.50 to enter (you buy a ticket that gives you access to 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sights, and is valid for 7 days)  This is what we found INSIDE. . . The Basilica is STUNNING!  The mosaics inside defy words - such artistry, so much love and time spent.  My photos do not give any of it the justice it deserves!

 Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

Next, we went to the Tomb of Dante Allegheri.  After being pushed out of Firenze, Dante spent his days in hiding in Ravenna.  Even after his death, the monks still hid his remains for a few hundred years before entombing him next to their monastery.  At the end of this little alley, is the Tomb.


Inside of the tomb, if you look directly above your head, you will see a lit oil lamp.  To this day, Firenze is still paying a pennance of sorts for their persecution of the author of "Inferno".  The oil for the lamp in the tomb is provided by the city of Firenze every year.





When the Germans occupied Ravenna during WWII, Dante's remains were again put into hiding, as the monks chose to bury his body under a pile of soil and plants in the courtyard adjacent to the tomb, so that his remains could not be desecrated, or taken by the German soldiers.


Ravenna, as I said before is known for it's Mosaics.  Not all Mosaics are on Cathedral ceilings.  There are many artisans that do all kinds of amazing work there, from wall hangings, to dishes, to lord knows what else.  As we were walking towards Dante's tomb, I found my favorite Mosaic piece.  Apparently it is other peoples favorite as well, because they had to lock it down with the blue bicycle lock that you see attached to it!

From there we wandered around beautiful, if poorly marked streets, and found our way to what appeared to be a HUGE amazing church - surely, it was so big that it had to be part of what we needed to see!  It wasn't!  IT was huge, it was beautiful, but it was just the duomo (HA!  Never thought I would say something was JUST a duomo) - the small, octagonal building next to it was what we were really trying to find.  It was the Battistero Neoniano.

The Duomo - this is still very much an active church!

Did I mention that the sun was out?  The entire day was NOT warm, but we did have the sun!  I miss the sun.  In Germany, we are so far north that even if you were outside all day long, the sun is simply not strong enough for your body to begin to synthesize vitamin D at all!  I LOVE VITAMIN D.  This California Girl is seriously solar powered.


No wonder I love it down here in Italy.  The climate here in Northern Italy is SO similar to what it is like where i grew up in Northern California - I always feel like a part of me is coming home when we travel down here!

The Duomo again, as seen from the Battistero Neoniano

Originally built on a roman bath site, the battistero is actually over 4 stories, however 3 of those stories are now underground, and inaccessible to the average bear .  Ah well, the one floor of it that we did get to see what amazing.  The mosaics are otherworldly!  And they even have a bronze cross on display from around 688 or so AD!

The ceiling of the Battistero Neoniano.  The scene is depicting Christ being baptised by John the Baptist - I think my favorite part of it, though is if you look off to the side of the centerpiece, you will see a man holding a cloth for Christ to wear - that man is actually the spirit of the river.  Roman mythology meet Christianity!

One of the alcoves inside the Battistero Neonian

We thought we were leaving at this point.  We really did.  And then we saw it.  We saw the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

my dad was kind enough to know that I REALLY wanted to see this church, so he offered for my mom and him to take the kids to the park, while I went inside, and shot pictures of the Basilica all by myself!  It was stunning!  This will have it's own blog post, because there is just too much to share on this page by itself.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.