Gargoyles & Graffiti

Faces in the Stone: Santiago de Compostela

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Stone face in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Continuing in a gargoyle frame of mind - on my cruise from Barcelona to Dover, I scouted out architecture with faces in stone in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was started in 1077 and has been added on since then up until the 18th century. It is a treasure trove of medieval artifacts and architecture, including gargoyles. But there are also a ton of stone faces that are absolutely fascinating. I took a bit of time to locate as many of the different faces as I could. Many are from medieval times.


More stone faces in Santiago de Compostela, Spain Cathedral grounds

St. James the Elder, Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Virgin Mary on one side of statue

Virgin Mary on Cathedral wall, Santiago de Compostela

Controversial information can be found on Santiago de Compostela here

Santiago de Compostela is located in a beautiful, green part of Spain so unlike Madrid or Sevilla. The people of this area, Galicia, are said to have Celtic roots like the Irish. I can not wait for my return to this wonderful area of Spain. We reached it on the cruise from Barcelona to Dover at the port of Vigo. It is the third most important pilgrimage site in the world. I strongly recommend a trip there. It does not disappoint.

Taormina: a Beautiful Slice of Sicily

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:03:00 +0000

Fountain in Taormina

Overlook near Taormina

This is definitely a gargoyle post. On our Roman Empire cruise, my niece and I took an excursion to Taormina, Sicily. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Set up on a hill and overlooking the sea and mountainous terrain with beautiful greenery thrown in, it is truly a gorgeous slice of Sicily.

What appears to be an abandoned night club with a Cross above

Stairway by souvenir shops

On that particular day, it happened to be the day after an election of some sort. It was so wonderful to observe all the local Italians standing in groups in the streets, conversing in whispers in corners and gesticulating wildly about the outcome. We had no idea who had run and won or lost, but it was great fun just being part of such a lovely place.

Behind the Greek Theater

Taormina is small and friendly. It is oozing with charm and lovely restaurants and hotels. It has a Greek theater, which to me was kind of the low point of the tour. I preferred the cappuccino and desserts and the stroll around town. I adored watching the children play. I even loved our group that day.

Greek Theater

Another view from the overlook

Walking around Taormina

Skip Messina. It is just another port town. Make your way instead to Taormina. More information can be found here. And if you ever do make it, please go in and check out Hotel Timeo. I really wanted to stay there but I was on a cruise. A good reason for me to go back! If you would like more info on the luxury hotel Timeo, please click here. It is located right in front of the Greek Theater. Enjoy!

Girona: Here I Come

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:14:00 +0000

Riverside area of Girona from Wikipedia

Starting to get super psyched about my upcoming cruise from Rome to Rome. I will visit Palermo, Sicily, Tunisia, Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Portofino ... back to Rome. (I know I have mixed up countries and states, but this is how I think of them.) As I have been to Barcelona twice in the last 3 years, I plan to go to Girona, Figueres and the Dali Museum. Don't get me wrong. I love love love Barcelona, but this time I want to venture out and how better to do it than on a Holland America ship tour.

Above is a photo from Girona, Spain. Looks absolutely amazing! Girona Cathedral sounds awesome too. More information from wikipedia can be found here.

Canterbury: Funky Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Canterbury Abode Hotel entrance - #1 in my book

After I wrote the post on Canterbury exposing the things I didn't like about it, I felt bad, disappointed in myself for not liking it more. Like a lot of places, it isn't perfect but it really isn't all bad either. I spent two days there and I did like a lot of things. As I said earlier, I loved the Abode Hotel. Information can be found here

Of course after I raved about it, I got a message from the hotel that they didn't like me posting one of their employees with a thumbs up on tripadvisor. I don't know what to say about that. Where is their sense of humor?

If you want a small town feel, medieval charm and a great place for walking, Canterbury can't be beat. I also loved the funky feel of the place. From the musician singing and playing for spare change to the Third Eye tattoo and body piercing shop, Canterbury is as much a 60s throwback as it is a medieval tourist destination.

Tattoo and body piercing shop

Street musician

Street vendors

Canterbury is also pretty famous for its graffiti, so this will be a graffiti post. Have not done one in a while. The following photos are compliments of Canterbury Bombs

No post would be complete without an architectural detail or two, so here goes.

Funky door stop

Rooftop of the Prezzo Building in Canterbury

Dubrovnik & Corfu: Heavenly Sea Views

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:30:00 +0000

Corfu, Greece

On our Roman Empire cruise, our first stop was Dubrovnik, Croatia. Second stop was Corfu in Greece. I was hard pressed to decide which has more magnificent sea views, the Adriatic Sea near Dubrovnik or the Mediterranean Sea near Corfu. Both are so amazing because the hilly or mountainous terrain on these islands creates lookouts for Heavenly sea views.

You decide. Which do you like more?

Dubrovnik Adriatic sea view

Paleokastritsa Beach in Corfu

Vlacheraina monastery at Corfu

View near Dubrovnik

In and around Dubrovnik, the Adriatic sea is a deep blue and on Paleokastritsa Beach in Corfu, the water of the Mediterranean is so clear, it reminds me of my hometown of Cozumel.

Where is this? Answer at end of post.

Corfu pier

More information can be found on Corfu here. Info on hotel options by Paleokastritsa Beach, in my opinion one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, can be found here.

Information on Dubrovnik, Croatia can be found here. Personally, I think they are both magnificent and would be thrilled to go back either place.

Lastly, no post would be complete without some art or architecture so here goes.

From Achilleion Palace in Corfu

Answer from above: Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Dubrovnik Croatia: A Medieval Delight

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The last few days I have been reminiscing about a Holland America cruise I went on with my niece called Roman Empire on the Holland America Noordam. We visited Croatia, some ports in Italy and Greece and Malta - from Rome to Rome. I remembered how beautiful the Adriatic Sea was in Dubrovnik, but I hadn't fully appreciated the old medieval buildings. Looking at the photographs again, I am struck by their beauty. This is definitely a gargoyle post!

First for the gorgeous scenery ...


So lush and green

Sarah and me (on the right)

Dubrovnik and the Adriatic Sea

We took a bus tour through the countryside and the views were awe-inspiring. When we returned to the town, my niece and I took a stroll around and bought some paintings made by local artists and had lunch at an outdoor cafe. In all sincerity, I don't remember what I ate but I do remember the town. It is delightful!

Now on to the medieval streets and statuary:

Mix of old and new!

Beautiful courtyard

More information on Dubrovnik and Croatia can be found here

Brussels: Better than Brussel Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Close-up on wall of Grand Place in Brussels

Before my cruise from Barcelona to Dover, I angsted over whether I preferred to go to Bruges, Ghent or Brussels on the day we docked in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Each place had its own charm. Bruges has the waterways and cute shops and is so convincingly medieval, even though it is said most of it was bombed during the war and rebuilt. I was told that Ghent is a bit more authentic and a real town, not a tourist trap. And finally Brussels .... a few people tried to discourage me from going to Brussels. But I think Brussels must be a lot like Brussel sprouts, either you love them or you hate them. I happen to love them, so maybe that is why I loved Brussels so much. (Just kidding.)

Grand Place

In my mind, what's not to love? Okay, so it is a bit dirty but what super congested city is not. There is a ton of construction going on now and supposedly many pickpockets. I didn't see any or hear any horror stories from our bus tour group. But the buildings are awe-inspiring and being the seat of the European Union, it is just so darn interesting. Every other block has some embassy or other, and there must be over a hundred museums.

Mannequin Pis, Brussels

We did a walking tour and honestly, we didn't walk far. It just took forever because of the crowds. It was a Saturday so we did not have the added traffic from the business people. There were a lot of tourists from the UK though, so since I was only there the one day, I am not sure if the tourist sites are more or less crowded during the week. When you come upon Mannequin Pis and see this little boy statue who is famous for peeing and has over 300 costumes in a museum, or round the corner and see for the first time the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels, with all its medieval buildings still in operation, you understand why it is so crowded. It is just that great ... one of the most beautiful sites on earth, truly. To make it even more special, there was a wedding going on, and the limousine waiting for the lucky couple was an old convertible Jaguar. Ou la la.

I loved Brussels. I loved the chocolates, the fun-loving people, the restaurant where we ate ... I mean, when is a mass-produced meal for cruise ship tours good? Normally if the meal is edible, I am happy. We had chicken, but it was delightful. I loved the old streets and the city museum I visited. The only thing I didn't like is we had to leave. I wanted to stay longer.


Little boy scooting along with his brother and dad

First mall in the world with lots of chocolate shops

On the tour bus back, I chatted with a lovely couple who sat behind me. I explained to them that I was torn on which tour to take, but I was happy with my choice. They said that they had encountered the same dilemma the year before and and chosen Bruges. Therefore, they opted for Brussels this time around. She turned to me with a big smile and said, "I never expected to come back so soon, but here we are just one year later." She gave me hope that I would go back, but truth be told, I would probably opt to go to Brussels again. I just loved it that much.

Lovely couple from the tour

Ephesus, Turkey: A Truly Awe-Inspiring Site

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:19:00 +0000

Ephesus, Turkey ruins

The day my niece and I went to Ephesus on our Roman Empire cruise, the young guy working in the coffee shop on the ship mixed up the decaf and regular coffee. We ordered cappuccinos expecting to get a nice jolt for our tour day.

Instead, I walked around Ephesus bleary-eyed. But looking back now on the photos, I am blown away by how truly awe-inspiring this site really is. It is so amazing that it is hard to believe that it is real.

From a website on Ephesus, "During the 2nd century BC, Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the eastern Roman Empire, famous for its Artemesium, the Library of Celsus and its medical school." Additional information on Ephesus can be found here.

Library of Celsus at Ephesus

I mean, come on, The Library of Celsus ... this is the same Celsus that is responsible for centigrade readings of temperature. It doesn't get more special than that. And the preservation and restoration are incredible. The best part of the tour was the Terrace Houses, which we paid extra for. But I will cover that in another post. For now, I am remembering the walk we took through time.

The day was sunny, hot and bright. There were what seemed like a million people there. Groups from all over the world speaking with group leaders speaking in over 15 languages at the same time. What I wouldn't give to go back and walk the site alone or with a small group!

Is it Greek or Roman?

The archaeology of Ephesus is especially interesting to me. On Wikipedia, I found this, "The history of archaeological research in Ephesus stretches back to 1863, when British architect John Turtle Wood, sponsored by the British Museum, began to search for the Artemision. In 1869 he discovered the pavement of the temple, but since further expected discoveries were not made the excavations stopped in 1874. In 1895 German archaeologist Otto Benndorf, financed by a 10,000 guilder donation made by Austrian Karl Mautner Ritter von Markhof, resumed excavations. In 1898 Benndorf founded the Austrian Archaeological Institute which plays a leading role in Ephesus today."

More information on Ephesus can be found here.

My favorite Ephesus cat

Port of Kusadasi where the Noordam docked

Olympia, Greece: the Archaeological Site

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:30:00 +0000

Olympia, Greece Archeological Site

from the Olympia Archaeological Museum

The day we docked in Katakolon, Greece to make our way to our destination of Olympia could not have been a more beautiful day. We had a warm sun, no clouds and a cool breeze. As the day wore on, it did get hot, as it did almost every day during our Roman Empire cruise, but since it was May, it was still bearable heat. We did not see one drop of rain the entire ten days.

My niece Sarah at the Olympia, Greece archaeological site

With a jolt of java in the morning, my niece and I chatted as we rode from Katakolon to Olympia. There wasn't much to see other than dried grasses and occasional farm machinery. But once we arrived, we realized just how special the place really is. More information on Olympia can be found here. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for good reason.

Doric column at Olympia site

All of us that have studied Greek history have read about the Olympics and how they started. I still find it hard to believe that the first competitors did all that without a stitch of clothes on. Even if we aren't into history, who doesn't watch when we have the Olympic games on TV? My niece and I did the obligatory run down part of the Olympic track. Some members of our tour group actually ran the whole length, and let me tell you, it was a long way!

This is just the first post in a series on Olympia. The highlight for me was actually what they hauled into the Museum. Other than the museum in Athens, I don't think I have seen anything more impressive.

Corinthian columns - look at the size of the people to see how impressive they are

And last but not least, one of the cutest couples on our tour ....

Cute couple on our Olympia tour

Archaeological Museum of Olympia: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:55:00 +0000

Back by popular demand (thanks, Rob) .... revisiting the Archaeological Museum in Olympia

One of the most impressive museums I have been to in the world. The museum in Athens is much larger and is even more impressive, but the museum at Olympia is awesome. It actually makes sense of the archaeological site. Some of our cruise mates did not visit the museum and were a touch disappointed in the tour. It was the highlight of our visit to Olympia for me.

More information on the museum can be found here. These are just a few of the wonderful things you can find. The museum is not big, but it is really special. Let's all support Greece and visit there this year. They could use the economy boost. It is a beautiful country, especially the islands. A few of the great things to see below ....

Archaeological Museum of Olympia: Home of the Gods

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

From the Archaeological Museum in Olympia

Our tour group visiting the Museum

Mr. Lamb taught Greek mythology at Regina High School, where I attended for the 9^th and 10^th grades. I also took his photography classes and loved those. Can’t say the same for Greek mythology. I just didn’t get it. Too many names, too much drama, seemed almost like real life but more so. Little did I know that 38 years later I would be standing in front of the displays of the Archaeological Museum in Olympia, memorized by all the beautiful works.

It helped that I had gotten a BA in anthropology in the mean time, but my area of study was the Mayan Indians of Mexico and Guatemala. Needless to say though, the works in the museum in Olympia are some of the most impressive in the world.

Dedicated to Zeus, the father of both gods and men, and the father of the Olympics, I walked around this fabulous museum awe-struck. I must have taken photos of every display. Here are a few pieces I photographed. Enjoy!

Bronzes were especially exquisite

We arrived in Olympia on our Roman Empire cruise by way of Katakolon, Greece, a small port town. Other than souvenir shops and a few restaurants, there wasn't much there. Just get on a tour bus or take a taxi and head to Olympia, but let me give you a tip. The best of the best of Olympia is at the Archaeological Museum, so make sure you visit includes this. Below is some information for a good website on the Museum.

From Olympia Museum, and I quote:

"The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic games were born. The museum's permanent exhibition contains finds from the excavations in the sacred precinct of the Altis dating from prehistoric times to the Early Christian period."

Carnaval in Cozumel

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:49:00 +0000

Crowning of the Cozumel Carnaval new King and Queen will take place February 15th, but already the town is gearing up. Deanna Campbell of Two D's Diving and Tour Adventures took a slew of great photos along what is known as the malecon of Cozumel ... the main beach street downtown. Here are some of my favorites.

Festivities will run through Feb 22nd. For a full schedule, please click here.

And if you would like more information on Two D's Diving and Tour Adventures, feel free to contact them. There was a great article written up about them on Dive News Network's Cozumel, Mexico: A Holiday on Holiday.

Graveyard in Galicia: a Holy Place

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000

A beautiful graveyard in Galicia, Spain

On our cruise from Barcelona to Dover, we spent one day in Galicia, Spain. We made a stop at a graveyard that was the site of a Church that had burned down hundreds of years before. As most everything is made from stone in this area, much of the outer walls of the Church structure remained. The graveyard was then placed in front. I thought is was an ingenious use of the space.

Definitely a gargoyle post - the graves were so beautifully decorated and there were flowers everywhere!

Burned down Church made of local stone

I loved walking around the reading the names of the deceased. Spanish names are so beautiful anyway, and in such a tranquil setting ...

My friend Neil photographing the graveyard

One wall also had Christ on the cross and a place to say a prayer. This was one of my favorite spots on the cruise.

Holland America Eurodam: Another Look

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Me in the main dining room

Atrium of the Holland America Eurodam

Atrium Bar

I am psyched. I will be going on another cruise on the Holland America Eurodam. I liked it that much. The itinerary I wanted was available on the Eurodam and on the Nieuw Amsterdam, but I preferred to go in the spring and not in the fall, so I chose the Eurodam. Maybe I will do the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2013!

Main dining room

I nostalgically went back and looked at my photos from the May 2011 cruise from Barcelona to Dover. What a ship! Can't wait to join her again and see my friends, George from the Lido and Henry from the Canaletto.

Sunset from my room

Flowers on the front desk

Me again!

I am one lucky lady!!!

Sintra, Portugal: Love at First Sight

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Alfama District, Lisbon

I did a tour from the Holland America Eurodam called Lisbon sights, Sintra & Cascais. It was a great tour. My favorite place was Sintra.

Portal of Church before 1755 earthquake in Lisbon

This is the review I submitted to Holland America:

The Lisbon highlights were well presented by our guide. The gentleman we had the day before was not nearly as interesting or entertaining. This woman was lovely but unfortunately I forgot her name. All the women guides wore green scarves.

Guides with green scarves

Sintra is absolutely amazing, a true fairy tale place. We were dropped from the bus, given a short orientation and then allowed to roam around for a few hours. It is walkable but has very steep hills and may not be recommended for people with mobility problems. There were cute shops, museums and churches. I even took an additional train tour that rides around Sintra that is provided by the city of Sintra. The woman who drove the train spoke in three languages throughout the tour - Portuguese, Spanish and English. Very enjoyable.

Sintra fountain

Sintra rooftops

Sintra, Portugal

Walking around Sintra

I walked around and took fabulous photos, stopped in a cafe for a cup of cappuccino and a wonderful almond pastry. It is a delightful place and I could have stayed longer, but we really had enough time to see everything. It is a place I could definitely see myself going back to for a longer vacation.

Wonderful shop with pastries and coffee in Sintra

Almond pastry & cappuccino

Cascais is a typical beach town, with lots of tourist shops and restaurants. It is clean and the weather was lovely, warm but not too hot with a breeze. We enjoyed it.

Beach at Cascais, Portugal

Malta: Full of Contradictions

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Mdina, Malta

My niece and I toured Malta on our Roman Empire cruise on the Holland America Noordam. We did a tour of the old capital of Mdina. The guide who took us around explained that the same six families have owned the old city for hundreds of years, and no amount of money is enough to buy in to Mdina.

Malta is full of contradictions. It was founded by the Order of St. John, a Roman Catholic order of the Knights Hospitaller (crusaders.) More info can be found about the founding of Malta here

Malta is so impressive from the water as we entered the port area. The old buildings all made of stone with the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a beautiful site.

There is the old capital city of Mdina and the newer capital of Valleta. Valleta is the most crowded spot in all of Europe. It is evident in all the buses we saw, with crowds of people everywhere we went. I preferred the solitude of Mdina. More information on Mdina can be found here

But the crown jewel of Malta is found on its waterways. We took a private boat tour in the afternoon that was magnificent.

My niece Sarah on the beautiful wooden boat

Malta seen from the water

Malta takes on a whole different feel from the water, laid back and peaceful. If you would like more information on tourism in Malta, click here

Cherbourg and Normandy: Simply Wonderful

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Barfleur

On the Holland America Ms Eurodam cruise from Barcelona to Dover, we made a stop at Cherbourg, France. I had no expectations. My aunt had been to the beaches of Normandy and found them cold and uninviting, so I decided to take a tour out to the countryside and to Val-de-Saire and Barfleur from the cruise ship. The towns looked charming and picturesque online.
I actually met a family from Normandy when I was in Athens on a boat cruise and kind of felt sorry for them for having to live there (based on what my aunt had told me.) Little did I know that when I disembarked, I would fall in love with Normandy. It is a beautiful green countryside with ocean views. It just doesn't get better than that. I have heard the winters can be rough, but the day we arrived, it was warm but not hot ... the sun shone bright and the air was crisp.

The bus meandered along the ocean road until we stopped at a lighthouse. While everyone else took photos of the lighthouse, I asked for permission to run down the road and take a photo of some sheep I saw grazing.


My favorite sheep

Dashing quickly as I knew I didn't have much time, I approached the sheep closest to the fence. She immediately came to me and rubbed above her ear against my hand. She was so friendly and adorable. A man appeared with some clover, but she preferred to be petted. I found out from our guide later that they were English sheep. I loved petting her! I stayed as long as I could but when I saw everyone was back on the bus, I ran to catch up.

Amazing espresso and yummy bread and butter

We continued on to Barfleur, one of the most charming medieval towns I have ever been. Famished when we arrived, I went inside the only coffee shop I saw open and asked for a double espresso and pastry. All the barkeep had was french bread and butter. It was the tastiest bread and butter I have ever eaten.

Back on the bus, we headed through the Val-de-Saire countryside, which is absolutely stunning. Our guide told us that the Camembert cheese comes from this area.I made sure when I returned to Cherbourg to pick up some Camembert at the local grocery. The Camembert cheese available in Cozumel where I live is good for one year. This cheese expires in 30 days as it does not have any preservatives. It was truly the most amazing cheese I have ever eaten in my life. The taste was nutty, creamy and sinfully delicious. After eating that cheese, I wanted to move to Normandy! (I loved the city of Cherbourg as well.) It must be the world's best kept secret.

More information on Normandy can be found here

Santiago de Compostela: The Way of St. James

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

There were two reasons why I took the cruise from Barcelona to Dover. The first and most important was that we did an overnight in Lisbon. I thought it would be the highlight of my cruise, but in reality, I enjoyed so much more the three places I didn’t even care if we visited – Cherbourg, Brussels and Gibraltar. (Just goes to show our expectations don’t always match our realities.) The second reason was to visit Santiago de Compostela, the third most important pilgrimage site of the Catholic world. It did not disappoint. This blog covers my observations and enchantment with this lovely city in Spain.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Protesters or pilgrims?


Our group: Brendan, Tiara, me, Yvette & Neil. Ray took the photo.

Walking on to the plaza of Santiago de Compostela, I entered a surreal world of hundreds of years ago. There was a mist in the air and it was chilly as we stood in front of the Cathedral. Our group of five, two couples I met through Cruise Critic (I got so lucky meeting them) and myself traveling solo, had the most wonderful guide imaginable. Brendan of Guided Galicia drove us to Santiago and the remaining area in a lovely new Mercedes van. I assumed I would bone up on my Spanish on the drive, but to our amazement, Brendan hails from New Zealand, so he speaks wonderful English! He told us that he and his lovely Galician wife and their two children live in Vigo, Spain.

Brendan could not have been more cordial and knew so much about the surrounding area, but let me not digress.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

The Mass was going on when we arrived at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Three priests performed the Mass and it was beautiful. The scent of incense was heavy in the air as we wound our way around the different areas of the Cathedral. I did not feel right about taking pictures inside, even though many people did. I would love to have the memories but it just didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

There are some wonderful youtube videos of the Mass at the Cathedral. Here is one I especially like:

Outside Brendan showed us the marker for the Way of Santiago de Compostela, and there are so many routes to get there. I also saw a marker in front of the Godiva shop on the main square of Brussels.


Marker for the Way of St. James in Santiago de Compostela

You can walk the way of Saint James from England, Portugal, Brussels or even closer locations in Spain. There are hundreds of websites and blogs devoted to the pilgrimages of the young and old that make their way to this religious city, the capital of Galicia.

One of the blogs I especially like is:

Camino to Santiago de Compostela

wall outside the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela

Me in front of one of the sweets shops

And if you happen to find yourself in this area, either arriving by cruise ship to the ports of Vigo or La Coruña, or by pilgrimage, contact Brendan from Guided Galicia. You won't be disappointed.

Guided Galicia: Shore Excursions from Vigo

Stockholm Memories: Vasa and Skansen Museums

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

European bison at the Skansen

Mom and baby moose at the Skansen

My husband and I went on a Baltic cruise for our tenth anniversary last year. My favorite parts of Stockholm were the Vasa Museum, Skansen Open Air Museum and the surrounding waterways. I especially loved our sail out of Stockholm to Drottningholm Palace.

The Vasa Museum centers around a warship that sunk in 1628 and was refurbished starting in 1961. But I found all the other things in the museum of far more interest - the statues and reproductions of her hull and how she looked as she sailed out of Stockholm almost three hundred years ago.


Vasa Museum wall painting


My husband Moises at the Vasa Museum


Me at the Vasa


Reproductions of the hull ornamentation circa 1628

More information about the Vasa Museum can be found at this website:Visit the Vasa Museum

Carousel at the Skansen

After the Vasa, we visited the Skansen Open Air Museum, a combination small zoo and living history museum, showing the lives of Scandinavia in times past and includes shows and entertainment. The museum is 120 years old.

More information can be found on the Skansen open air museum at:Explore the Skansen Open Air Museum

I found this youtube video which I think is especially good about both the Vasa and Skansen Museums.

But our favorite part of that day was the view we had while up on the hill in Skansen, looking out over the water. We were hot and tired and had just bought two bottles of water and dreamed of the wonderful lunch we would have later at a Hotel in Gamla Stan (the old part of the city.) I had the traditional smorgasbord, makes my mouth water just thinking of it.

We ate lunch at the Grand Hotel, with fabulous service and amazing surroundings. For additional information on Swedish smorgasbord, check out:
Swedish classic: the smorgasbord
or
information on the Grand Hotel:
Grand Hotel Stockholm

View from the Skansen

Catherine's Palace St. Petersburg: pro or con?

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000


Our guide in St. Petersburg

It seems it is all the vogue to go to St. Petersburg, Russia and come back with stories of how you loved the Hermitage Museum, Catherine’s Palace and generally St. Petersburg. The city felt cold to me, like the guide who took us around. She was lovely in appearance, a beautiful, poised woman dressed in a gorgeous outfit with a polka dot skirt. She smiled on cue. She answered questions, but there was a disconnect as if she was doing her Communist, civic duty. There was no warmth or spontaneity and what she said felt scripted.


Too much gold?

My feet in booties to protect the floor in Catherine's Palace

Moises

St. Petersburg surprised me for its modern feel. I knew it contained a lot of old buildings but I was surprised at all the flash. I felt like I was in Times Square, but I prefer being near Tiffany’s so that was not a plus for me. Times Square always feels too dangerous and St. Petersburg felt dangerous too.

The air in St. Petersburg is super polluted and my eyes stung the whole time there. I was probably cranky as well as the temperature was in the high 90s and there is no air in any of the museums (except the offices where we were not allowed.)

The architecture is elaborate but almost too much so. I prefer French or Italian, and even though Catherine’s Palace is supposed to be Western, it felt so overdone with all that gold. Having to wear booties as well to tour the museum seems over the top, and the customs people both entering and leaving are so unfriendly.


Catherine's Palace

On the other hand, my husband loved it, but he did say he wouldn't want to go back. Here is a youtube video I found. Let me know what you think of Catherine's Palace, pro or con!

Some warnings for people visiting St. Petersburg (like any big city, you have to be careful.)
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Russia/Gorod_Sankt_Peterburg/Saint_Petersburg-564323/Warnings_or_Dangers-Saint_Petersburg-TG-C-1.html

There were plenty of nice people outside the Palace. I bought some imitation Faberge eggs from a super nice lady and I love the eggs. I have them displayed on my guest bedroom dresser and they look great. And I had an ice cream at a truck outside Catherine’s Palace and it was delicious.

My fake Faberge eggs

One really cool thing did happen at Catherine's Palace. I saw a woman in the bathroom that I had met on an Eastern Med cruise a few years before. We got reacquainted and I was able to introduce her and her husband to my husband later on. Talk about a small world.


Singers at Catherine Palace lunch

Friend from cruise on our Neva River boat ride

Funny things we saw ...

How many signs they had with Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives advertising Loreal. There was a billboard on every block. Too bad I didn't get a shot. If anyone has one, please forward on.

The laundry hanging on the boat when we entered to go on our Neva River cruise, probably crew's clothes! (By the way, doesn't anybody else notice how dirty the Neva River is? I was shocked at all the industrial plants dumping stuff in the river on our excursion.)

Combarro: A Room with a View

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:10:00 +0000

On the cruise from Barcelona to Dover, we toured a few small towns outside of Vigo, Spain with funny names like Poio (pronounced like chicken in Spanish, pollo) and Combarro. Combarro is a sleepy fishing village with the most amazing grain storage facilities. It is also famous for witches and a special pomace brandy called orujo. But for me, Combarro felt like a mystical, magical place where anything could come true. Witches rode on broomsticks in the shops and people gathered in the narrow streets speaking in whispers and laughing.

It is a place where time stands still. I relished the few hours we spent in Combarro.

Combarro, Spain

Grain storage houses called horreos

As I stepped from the minivan, I felt the warm sun on my back and gazed out on a perfect scene with small, colorful boats. Walking slowly through the town, I felt as if I was in a trance. I gazed at the granary houses made of sparkling granite. I snapped a photo of a plastic table and chair set with a perfect view and thought to myself, “a room with a view.”

My room with a view

I yearned to sit down but didn’t dare as witches in the form of dolls and statues hung everywhere, from every surface in the shops to sprawled out on the sidewalks. I found a stone staircase to nowhere.

Stairway to nowhere

Witches everywhere


Me

Brendan took my photo in front of the bougainvillea, my shirt the matching shade of pink.

If you would like to know more about Combarro, check out:
Combarro Travel Guide

And here is a little more information on the area of Galicia, Spain where Combarro is located.
wikipedia Galica (Spain)

Barcelona Barri Gothic - Walking the Crooked Line

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:20:00 +0000

Restaurant in Hotel Royal Ramblas

I traveled to Barcelona solo and took a few days to see some of the sites again. I wasn't in a hurry this time, didn't have my guide book out, checking maps, looking for all the tours. That is the beauty of a great place the second time around. I ate dinner at a restaurant in the Royal Ramblas Hotel. Great Italian dishes. I snapped a few photos of the street lights and decorative features along La Rambla, but the real treat was saved for the next day when I went on a tour of the Barri Gothic.

Walking tour group led by Oliver

10 am on most weekdays (you can check the schedule at the tourist office on Plaza Catalunya only a few blocks from the Le Meridien where I stayed) they have a Gothic walking tour that takes you through the labyrinth streets of Barcelona's oldest part dating back to Roman times. I had gotten lost and ended up in Raval a few years before so I decided the walking tour was the way to see everything in a short amount of time.

I arrived with only a few minutes to spare before the tour started. We had some confusion with the headsets while Oliver stressed over somebody not replacing the batteries and finally he opened a new box and we got started on our tour. The tour lasted about 2 hours and was chalk full of great sites. We walked around with our mouths hanging open in wonder. I think per square inch Barcelona has more great Gothic sites than anywhere else in the world, but I haven't been everywhere so maybe I am wrong.


Street lamp St. Jaume Place

According to Oliver our guide, this is the only remaining Roman ruins in all of Barcelona ... they have torn all the rest down or built things over them or changed them in some way.

Roman walls

Here are some photos of the Barri Gothic walking tour. I cannot tell you what every Chapel or Cathedral is but I saw some great architectural features.

These are some of the places we visited along the way:

Casa de la Pia Almmoina
In addition to being a fine example of Gothic architecture, this 11th-century building is of great historical interest as well. It was first the headquarters of a charity organization that used to provide a free lunch every day to 100 of the city's deserving poor, hence its popular name - Pía Almoina (the compassionate alms). Later, in 1450, it became home to the cathedral canons.

San Felip Neri school children

San Felip Neri is a plaza or square where children go to play. The You tube video I uploaded at the beginning of this post is about the mystical qualities of this square. When we visited, the plaza was full of children playing, the laughter and joy of their voices and the sound of the fountain. The video is in Spanish, but it is wonderful to listen to the voice of the woman with the distinctive accent from Catalonia.

Casa de l'Arcadia is where the historical archives of Barcelona are kept.

It is part of the La Seu (or Santa Eulalia) Cathedral complex.

Casa de l'Arcadia

Area around the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia (or the La Seu) is full of wonderful architectural details such as iron doors,wall plaques, walkways, decorative railings and inset tiles.

Santa Eulalia is the seat of the Archbishop of Spain.

There are a flock of geese that live in the courtyard.

Santa Eulalia plaque on wall

Geese in the courtyard of the Santa Eulalia Cathedral

The tour was great, informative, but in my typical fashion ... I turned off the headset halfway through and just enjoyed the ambiance ... the sights of old and decaying artifacts everywhere and smells of the damp walls. It was dark through part of the tour as no light enters these narrow walls. Then we would come upon a plaza and the sun would dapple through the trees. Not hearing but seeing and touching, I dreamed of a time long ago when people walked these crooked streets for the first time .... the Romans, in the 1600 and 1700s, even the Middle Ages. And I felt exquisite peace.

Sunday Morning Spirituality: Vejer de La Frontera

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000


Vejer de la Frontera, Spain

Our second stop on our cruise from Barcelona to Dover was Cadiz, Spain. I had visited before so I wasn’t too psyched about going back. I typically don’t like to revisit places, especially ones I hadn’t loved to begin with. What I remembered of Cadiz was a port town, kind of dirty and getting driven by a 70 year old lunatic named Bartolomeo on the cruise ship pier against our will going 90 miles a hour. Needless to say, I didn’t want to relive that experience, but Cadiz surprised me. It was clean and lovely and not at all how I remembered it. They have done a lot in the eight years since I was there. I took a wonderful tour of Cadiz with a guy I met named Bob, and we had a great afternoon touring Cadiz. (That will be saved for another post.) Since it's Sunday, I want to talk about Vejer de la Frontera.

Vejer de la Frontera was once the border between the Christian and Moorish worlds. We arrived in early morning before the town was really awake. A few old men wandered the streets. One had a loaf of bread in his hand. Another man spoke to a woman above, who opened her window to lean out and chat.


Lady in the window chatting

Our guide walked us through the old town, so charming and beautiful and in harmony. It was chilly and so quiet as the town slept and we had the privilege of enjoying the morning without a mob of people, cars or buses.

Honestly I don’t remember much about what she said that day. I mostly remember how I felt … full of peace and serenity on a Sunday morning.

Cathedral in Vejer de la Frontera


my traveling feet

I had thought I took the picture of my traveling feet in Barcelona, but actually it was here in Vejer de la Frontera. I love the cobblestones and the wad of paper on the ground.

Last but not least, I didn't notice until my husband pointed it out - that the photo above has graffiti that says, "My name is Bombe."

Santorini: Our Favorite Place on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:32:00 +0000

Santorini (officially Thira)

View from up top by cable car (see it peeking out?)

I have had this discussion dozen of times. "What's your favorite place on earth?" Had it recently with my friend Jim (whom I have never met in person - yet.) That is the beauty of the internet. He is my facebook friend and what a friend he is. I write a blog post and put it on facebook page. A while later, a like appears and invariably it is from my new friend, Jim. Anyway, he and I were discussing and reminiscing, and Jim and I both love Santorini the most.

There is just nothing not great about Santorini, except maybe for the donkey sh**, which is why I took the cable car and not the donkey trail when returning to the ship.

My niece Sarah walking the cobblestone streets of Oia

My niece and I spent a day on our Holland America Noordam cruise in Santorini. Approaching it, it appears as if there is snow covering the mountain peaks, but in reality, it is the white houses perched on top, all strung together so closely, like lights on a Christmas tree. It doesn't make sense the way it is laid out. We couldn't even get from one town to the other without getting on a cable car or in a crazy taxi, but it is truly Heaven.

Love the wheelbarrow

The architecture is so unique that now when I see a photo of Santorini, I know it is on this wonderful island in the Cyclades archipelago of Greece. This is what Wikipedia says about Santorini (or officially Thira.)

"Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and created the current geological caldera."

For more info on Santorini, or Thira, click here

Fabulous door

Santorini workshop

My best find was a local workshop on the island. Kind of reminds me of our workshops here in Cozumel - I'm thinking it must be an island thing!

Costa Concordia Accident

noreply@blogger.com (Luh McDevitt) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Bench from Costa Concordia on Giglio beach (Paul Hanna/Reuters)

I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families of the people who died from the Costa Concordia accident. I also want to express hope and prayers for those still missing. I could not imagine how hard it would be to be torn away from the ones you love to be put in a life boat, not knowing if or when you will see them again. Thankfully we are now down to 17 unaccounted for.

My prayers and thoughts are with you. I hope the stranded get back home safely.

Update January 20th ... we have heard all kinds of things by now. Costa and Carnival Cruises claim they are not responsible as the Captain made the decision to enter the water by Giglio Island on his own. The Captain appears to have abandoned his ship. I truly believe this accident will change cruising. I know my sense of safety and security is shaken. Never again can we say the Titanic can never happen again. If this accident had occurred in colder waters and further out to sea, I think we would see way more deaths. All of us wait to see what is going to happen. I think all the cruise lines will be forced to keep further away from vulnerable areas like Giglio, which is basically a marine park like Cozumel. Our hearts go out to the families still searching for their missing.

We had our own tragedy this week in Cozumel. Our installer/drapery/upholstery guy lost his wife. She was 26 years old. She got sick and was gone in a month. Our heart goes out to our worker. Sad week all around. Lots of prayers needed.

Satellite image of the Costa Concordia

Now a guy has fallen or jumped and been killed on the Carnival Fantasy. Not a good month for the Carnival Corp.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4731