This “Isle of Demons” could well be Quirpon Island, located in the icy strait between Labrador and Newfoundland, where French sailors would not go ashore without crucifixes in their hands, because the island was inhabited by devils.

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The Expeditions of Cartier and Roberval

Much of what Thevet wrote was condemned later by historians as showing “excessive credulity” and “suffering from his mendacity”, but he was not the first to claim he had visited an Isle of Demons. In 1540, Jacques Cartier received a royal commission from the French king for his third voyage to Canada. He was given fifty prisoners suitable to serve in the expedition, because sufficient people to travel to New France could be recruited only by beating, bribing or dragging those who had no choice.

Shortly afterwards, Jean-François de La Roque, Sieur de Roberval, would sail with Cartier “for conquest of these lands and to make settlements in the said country”. He would be the real captain of the enterprise and he also would receive complete command over the lands. Roberval however lacked artillery, ammunition and other supplies, and he was unable to accompany Cartier. In 1541, the expedition of five ships filled with mariners, convicted criminals of both sexes, horses and cattle and poultry – and only 25 “persons of quality” – departed without Roberval.

The following year, well armed and provisioned, Roberval sailed out with his own fleet of three ships and 200 colonists. The two parts of the expedition met in the harbor at St. John’s, Newfoundland. Cartier tried to convince Roberval of the uselessness of an attempt at colonisation. He wanted to return to France. But Roberval was determined to continue as planned and set sail toward the St. Lawrence.

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The Lovers of Isola des Demonias

Roberval was accompanied by his niece, Marguerite de La Roque, who entered into a passionate love affair with one of the young officers on board, identified by the Newfoundland storyteller Earl B. Pilgrim as  Pierre de Val Cormier. This was such an affront to Roberval’s religious principles that, upon reaching what he considered to be the Isle of Demons, he immediately put her ashore, along with four guns and the old nurse, who had pandered to her mistress’s illicit love.

When the young officer was about to be put in irons, he jumped overboard to join Marguerite… but Isle of Demons did not tolerate a romantic idyll. The evil spirits of the island at once beset them, day and night. The lovers and the old nurse tried to drive the demons back through readings from the New Testament and intercession of the Virgin Mary, but “beasts or other shapes abominably and unutterably hideous, the brood of hell, howling in baffled fury” kept visiting them.

Marguerite became pregnant and the infuriated tormentors redoubled their efforts. Her lover sickened and died, and so did the child… and finally the old nurse. Marguerite faced her agony and despair alone now. She killed three bears “as white as an egg”, but the demons were not “vulnerable to mortal weapons”.

Her ordeal took two years and five months… until a passing fishing boat rescued her and brought her back to France, where she – and André Thevet – told her tale.

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Confused and inarticulate

In his marvellous book Phantom Islands of the Atlantic, Donald S. Johnson says that the key element, responsible for the name of the island and its reputation, is the “confused and inarticulate voices” that emanated from the Isle of Demons. Portuguese and French mariners timed their voyage so as to get an ice-free passage through the Strait of Belle Isle into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This brought them to Newfoundland during the nesting and breeding season of gannets and other pelagic birds.

A sailor who had spent a long and lonely passage at sea, hearing only wind and wave, seeing nothing but the infinity of sky and water, was suddenly engulfed in a cacophony of sound, produced by a large gannet colony. On their breeding grounds, gannet males give a whistling call, the females a resonant trumpeting. Nesting auks utter low moans, guttural growls, quacks and croaks and piping cries. The Newfoundland fog would undoubtedly add an aura of mystery to the clamorous event…

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More Strange Islands:

The Island of the Living Dead Dolls

Searching Google Ocean for Lost Islands and Cities

Atlantis Found and Lost with Google Ocean

More Historical Mysteries

Crime

Crime is a major issue in Puerto Rico, especially in some of the more dangerous areas of the capital city, San Juan. Bad neighborhoods to avoid include La Perla, Santurce, and Ponce. Pickpockets and armed robbers are active in these zones. Tourists and locals who appear to have money on them are primary targets. Drug dealers and violent gangs also roam the streets in these areas, especially after dark. Always keep a close eye on your personal belongings and travel in groups rather than alone. Avoid carrying anything of value with you whenever possible.

Traffic Accidents

Traffic in Puerto Rico can be quite hectic. The streets of San Juan are crowded with crazed drivers. Most people get around in taxis and buses. Drivers often ignore stop signs, lane restrictions and traffic lights. Aggressive driving leads to many accidents and a fatalities. Be especially careful crossing the street in San Juan. Take only taxis and buses that are registered with the state; they should have government-approved stickers and documentation.

Hurricanes

The best time to visit Puerto Rico is between December and April. Hurricanes have wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico in the past, causing major damage to property and taking lives. The Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June to November. Avoid the months of September and October in particular. The last major storm to tear apart Puerto Rico was Hurricane Georges back in 1998. It is hard to predict the severity of tropical storms in advance each year, so you can never be sure when the next big hurricane will strike.

Horse and Carriage Ride

Taking a horse and carriage ride is one of the classic tourist attractions in New York City. This tradition has been going on since the 1800s. The Horse & Carriage Association of New York provides carriage rides through some of the most interesting areas in the city. One of the best places to go for a ride is Central Park in Manhattan. Knowledgeable carriage drivers will fill you in on the history of each place you visit, offering fun facts and providing color commentary along the way.

Horse & Carriage Association of New York
522 West 45 Street (59 St/5 Av)
New York, NY 10036
(718) 606-5557
www.horseandcarriageny.com

Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty

No trip to New York would be complete without a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Ferry boats take guests from Battery Park in Manhattan across the bay to the Statue of Liberty. From here, continue on to Ellis Island. This famous port of entry into the United States features the American Family History Immigration Center. This resource allows visitors to research their family history in the national immigration archives. The view of downtown Manhattan from the island is quite nice, and this makes for a decent day trip.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Ellis Island, NY 10004
(212) 561-4500
www.ellisisland.org

NBC Studios Tour

The NBC Studio Tour at NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center, is a fun way to go behind the scenes of popular shows like “Saturday Night Live.” You can go backstage, have your photo taken behind the news desk of the “NBC Nightly News,” experiment with the green screens and learn all about the history of the network.

NBC Studios
30 Rockefeller Plaza
(Enter on 49th St between 5th & 6th Ave)
New York, New York, 10112
(212) 664-3700
www.rockefellercenter.com

#1 Top Seafood Restaurant  : Moby Dick’s

517 S. Alister , Port Aransas, Texas 78373, Phone: 361-749-9447

Moby Dick’s has good brews on tap; like most of the south it carried Yeungling beer, which is in the class of best lagers. Moby Dick’s also has good visual character which is good for the children, a rich selection of dishes—I tend to go for shrimp while my husband prefers crab. Prices are reasonable and you receive good quality although we once had the grump queen as waitress but we smiled her way out of her attitude and she delivered quickly.

#3 Top Seafood Restaurant : Joe’s Crab Shack

5025 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78411, Phone: 361-980-0023

Joe’s Crab Shack is one of the chain restaurants. They airlift in seafood from the north and always cook it up delectably. They’re famous for making buckets of crab, potatoes, corn, sausage and sometimes in combination with clams, lobster or other seafood. The staff dances for the diners every forty-five minutes and if you go often enough you’re likely to be able to do it to. Lots of fun.

#4 Top Seafood Restaurant :  Railroad Seafood Station

1214 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401, Phone: 361-883-6200

The Railroad Seafood Station is downtown Corpus Christi near the tourist sites and was quiet compared to many of the restaurants right next to the USS Lexington. The atmosphere was quiet, the service good and the menu varied. Their specials were a good deal, my husband ordered the Rock Lobster special and was pleased by the price, portion and tastiness. I had salad and was equally pleased.

#5 Top Seafood Restaurant : Doc’s

13309 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78418, Phone: 361-949-6744

Doc’s is a great pub with casual dining style. Prices are a bit more than the fish fry shack next door. You are seated, waited upon and served good seafood. Service was terrific and the crowd large, get there early on weekends. It has a great view of the the harbor and is located midway on the causeway from Corpus Christi to Padre Island. The place next door is more like a fish and chip joint–you order as you enter, find a table and they drop fried seafood and french fries at your side. Beware the seagulls.

#6 Top Seafood Restaurant : Virginia’s Seafood and Steaks

815 Trout Street, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, Phone: 361-749-4088

This place was packed. The menu was somewhat intimidating. They’d cook your fish for you. Or you could have a fish they had bought. Fish is the right choice at Virginia’s. The cole slaw was promised without mayonnaise but came creamy anyway. It was a small annoyance because I ordered a green salad too and that was terrific. Beer was good but a good lager was only available via bottle.

#7 Top Seafood Restaurant : Castaway’s

320 N. Alister , Port Aransas, Texas 78373 Phone: 361-749-5394

Castaway’s was quiet when we ate there, but has a huge salad bar not used at lunch. We had good fried bar food – me chicken strips and my husband and prawn salad. The salad was rather unvaried but fresh. Service was terrific. Beer was good but a good lager was only available via bottle.

 There’s other seafood restaurants in Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, but these will feed you well.

Apart from the fact that Fribourg had never dealt in onions, the chronicles of Bern show no such event for 1405 of the following years. Rather, the feast of St. Martin held on a single day was expanded over time to fill two whole weeks. Martini, as the day is known in Switzerland, was a time to mark the passing of summer into autumn and free of work for everyone. And the market offered all the goods you might want to stock for the coming winter.

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The market attracts over 700 merchants every year which put up their stands during the night and start selling before the break of dawn. Officially the market opens at 6 a.m., but selling starts at 4 o’clock. The local population is usually long home when at nine the first busloads of tourists arrive. And they arrive all day long, ten thousands of people.

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Though the Queen of Wistenlach has lost her predominance over the market, still more than one third of stands sell the golden skinned onion together with her red skinned royal cousin. The rest is given over to clothes, sweets, cheese, and whatever you may think of peddling at the market.

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The market is the last of the kermes, after that the Christmas markets will hold sway. The day is given over to the market and its stand, but after the schools close, it takes on a carnival air, when dressed up people will roam the streets, singers will go from restaurant to restaurant singing satirical songs about what has happened over the last year, and satirical newspapers will be distributed to the visitors.

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The most important part of the day for kids starts at 4 p.m.: the great confetti battle. He general battle held mainly by kids with little paper shreds (almost everything is allowed to get anybody as full of shreds as possible) usually heralds the end of the selling market and the start of the evening’s festivities.

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The traditional food for the day is obviously the local onion pie or the local cheese pie, though meanwhile you’ll find any kind of sustenance at the market. With it you might drink spiced hot wine or cold local wines.

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 Monastery of Batalha, façade.

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Batalha monastery with the statue of Nuno Alvares Pereira.

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The Dominican abbey of Santa Maria da Vitoria in Batalha, celebrating the Victory of Aljubarrota in 1385 is the masterpiece of Rayonnant Gothic Style in Portugal. Dom Joao had made a wish to erect a sumptuous church dedicated to the Virgin if he won the battle. The works expanded from 1388 to 1517 in the Late Gothic Style intermingled with the Manueline decoration. The architect Afonso Domingues, followed in 1402 by David Huguet used the Rayonnant Gothic influenced by the English Perpendicular Style of York Minster, Joao had married Philippa of Lancaster who introduced English architects. Huguet then introduced the Flamboyant Gothic, raising the height of the nave, which makes it look even narrower. He could not finished the works so we still have the so-called, but magnificent, Imperfect Chapels. During the following two centuries, various kings continued the works: the son of Joao, King Duarte, ordered a pantheon behind the apse, and the Manueline decorations were then added. The abbey still has a military role, two unknown soldiers of World War I rest in the Chapter House whose star vault by Huguet and stained glass windows really are exceptional.

     Monastery of Batalha, the Royal Cloisters.

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In the Founder’s Chapel, Dom Joao I and Philippa of Lancaster, are resting hand in hand. The tomb was began in 1426 by David Huguet and finished in 1434. Their son, Henry the Navigator also was buried here under the octagon stellar vault.

Remarkable stellar vault in the Founder’s Chapel.

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Tomb of Joao I and Philippa of Lancaster.

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Fountain (1450) in the Monks Lavatory.

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The Imperfect Chapels ordered by King Duarte is an unfinished mausoleum.  The motto of King Manuel I , who did not continue the works, is repeated two hundred times on the walls. The homage to King Duarte says: “Leauté faray tam yaserei” (I will always be loyal). 

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The sumptuous Manueline Portal of the Imperfect Chapels sculpted in 1509 by M. Fernandes.

Pot

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Outside of the Imperfect Chapels.

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The Royal Cloister is ascribed to various architects and the famous Diogo Boitac gave the intricate tracery of the arcades featuring the Cross of the Order of Christ, armillary spheres, pearls, lotus flowers, seashells and all sorts of exotic vegetation as well as tree stumps. There is a stark contrast with the sober and simple Cloister of Alfonso V.  During the Napoleonic Wars, Marshall Masséna, and his troops, facing the religious fanaticism, unfortunately caused great damage to the Monastery of Batalha in 1810-1811 and namely opened certain tombs and threw the royal remains away. In 1840, King Ferdinand II restored the ruined buildings from where the Dominicans had been expelled in 1834. The edifice became a national monument in 1907 and listed by UNESCO a world heritage site in 1983. It is a museum since 1980. The abbey still has a military role, two unknown soldiers of World war I rest in the Chapter House.

Manueline décor with intricate arcade screens in the Royal Cloister of King Joao I.

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Carved traceries in the Royal Cloister.

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The Monastery of Batalha where Flamboyant Gothic architecture is intermingled with Manueline Style.

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Please check out also my related article: http://trifter.com/europe/portugal/the-knights-templar-castle-in-tomar/

Filoli Mansion and Gardens, located in Woodside, California, is 30 miles south of San Francisco along scenic Interstate 280. Filoli is about to unveil Holiday Traditions, a fun filled seasonal event and fundraiser that begins the day after Thanksgiving and lasts for 9 exciting days.

What is Filoli?

Filoli is a 654-acre private estate that includes a 36,000 square-foot mansion furnished with elegant antiques and decorative art. The property also has 16 acres of European-inspired gardens that showcase dramatic seasonal horticultural exhibits.

Filoli is recognized as one of the finest remaining American country estates of the early 20th century. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

Today, Filoli is owned by a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote cultural and horticultural activities. The knowledgeable staff – with the help of hundreds of active volunteers – raises money to sustain Filoli by staging colorful family events with enormous appeal.

Winter Wonderland at Filoli

This year’s event theme is Winter Wonderland. Six hundred and fifty Filoli volunteers are transforming the mansion into a spectacular floral display and storehouse of exciting gifts. Filoli will sparkle and glisten with stunning decorations, live music, merriment  – and dancing in the ballroom at the Gala Dinner Party. 

You and your family can be part of the holiday cheer – but buy your tickets early

SHOP

Come and shop the Holiday Boutique with its wide range of exceptional merchandise. Browse while holiday performers sing and play seasonal favorites. Bring your holiday shopping list.  As the photos attest, there are thousands of desirable gifts for all ages.

Dine

Relax amid glorious winter flowers and glistening decorations while enjoying a tasty lunch or dinner.

Socialize

Celebrate the season by attending The Gala Dinner Party on November 28 – a grand occasion featuring fine food, live music and dancing in the famed Filoli ballroom. Get your tickets early. This event is a certain sell-out.

Bring the kids

Be sure to take the young ones to the popular Children’s Party on December 5.

Everyone that visits Filoli during this festive season will experience the magic and wonder of winter in beautiful Woodside, California.

Support the cause. This is one fundraiser where all benefactors are sure to walk away with a pocket full of holiday smiles, and a bag full of special gifts.

General information is available online by clicking Filoli. For tickets and reservations click on Holiday Traditions.

See you there, and Happy Holidays!

Interested in learning more about Filoli? Click on the titles below:

Movies made at Filoli

Dynasty’s TV mansion

Filoli Spring Fling

© Travels with Wayne and Judy (syndicated)

Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff

On a hill overlooking an attractive stretch of the River Thames, stands the high-steepled church of St. Michael and All Angels, in the Oxfordshire village of Clifton Hampden.  And although the greater part of the present church is the result of Victorian ‘restoration fever’, there is historical evidence to suggest that a church has stood on the spot since well before the 12th century.

Some parts of the original medieval village church still exist inside the building, dating back to around the time of King Stephen who was the grandson of William the Conqueror.  Examples of the architecture from that time include the large square bases of two pillars, a piscina that once held holy water for making the sign of the cross and a carved crosslet in the lower part of a substantial stone pillar. 

A unique and fascinating artefact that also survived from around the 12th century is set into the south wall of the south chapel.  Believed to have been above the door of the original medieval church, it is a stone carving depicting a medieval boar hunt.

The baptismal font is attractive and richly decorated but relatively new in historical terms.  However, the church did at one time possess an ancient lead font until, in 1797, in what can only be described as a sheer act of vandalism, it was melted down by the churchwarden of the time, John Ridge, who then proceeded to use the lead to help repair the roof.  Quite rightly he was ‘invited to resign’.

For whatever reason, by 1843 the church had deteriorated to such an extent that only substantial restoration would save the building from being lost forever.  George Gilbert Scott, the celebrated architect responsible for, amongst other things, St. Pancras railway station in London and the Albert Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, was commissioned to save it.  Funds for the project were provided from a legacy from the late George Henry Gibbs, (whose tomb is inside the church), his widow and his son.  A second phase of restoration took place in the years 1864 to 1867 when a new organ was installed, three Gothic windows were introduced into the north wall and the chancel was re-fitted with stalls for the choir.

Outside, the churchyard of St. Michael and All Angels is interesting in its own right.  The steps leading up to the carved wooden lych-gate, and the churchyard itself, start from a deeply-hollowed lane that was once part of a coaching road that ran through the village from Dorchester-on-Thames.

At one point the churchyard was actually part of a farm, thereby bringing about the necessity to have all burials transported to nearby Dorchester-on-Thames.  In 1819 however, the land was given as a gift to the church by Anne Noyes, her sister and Elizabeth Drake, finally allowing the residents of Clifton Hampden to be buried in their own village.

On the subject of burials, there are two graves at Clifton Hampden that are of particular interest.  The first is that of William Dyke.  Dyke, at the time a 20 year-old private in the 1st Foot Guards (later to become the Grenadier Guards), accidentally fired the very first shot in the Battle of Waterloo of 1815.  The second is that of John Shannon DSO DFC RAAF, a 20 year-old squadron leader who, as a member of one of bomber crew, survived the ‘Dam Busters Raid’ over Germany in 1943.

One other item is worth a small mention with regard to the churchyard.  At the east end is a Cedar tree.  It was brought back from the Lebanon in 1864 by John Lomax Gibbs and grown entirely from seed. 

The Victorian façade of St. Michael and All Angels is only one small part of the timeline of its historical past.  How many other age-old secrets are yet to be revealed?

Other village churches in the series include: Charwelton (Northamptonshire),

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The Peruvian Indians assembled the ship under the instruction of a Scottish engineer and it was finally put into service in 1874 as a ferry boat, crossing from Puno in Peru to La Paz in Bolivia, which was a 50 miles trip. 

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It is now used as a floating warehouse by the Peruvian navy. It was replaced by the Ollanta which was built in Hull, England in 1931, dismantled for transportation and then reassembled at the lake.

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Titicaca is the largest lake in South America at 118 miles, or 190 kilometres long and it covers an area of 9065 square kilometres, or three thousand five hundred square miles. The maximum depth is 275 metres, or nine hundred and three feet.  Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is much larger that Titicaca but it is not strictly speaking a lake, but just an almost land-locked bay of the Caribbean Sea.  

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It is fed by melt water from glaciers and rainfall, and has five main river systems which drain into it; the largest by volume of water is the River Ramis. There are also another forty one streams running down into Titiaca.

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The lake itself has forty one islands, some of which are inhabited.  It also has a group of around forty artificial islands made from floating reeds and inhabited by people known as the Uros. Their original purpose was a defensive one so that if the people were threatened, they could easily move their island elsewhere.

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The name of the lake, Titicaca, translates as ‘Rock Puma’ and is thought to refer to its shapes. From the air it looks just like a puma chasing a small animal which some say is a rabbit.

Carlisle has changed beyond recognition during the past 20 years. It has gone from being a friendly little City to a busy, noisy environment like many of England’s other larger cities. However, it is still small in comparison with most.

Although I say it is a small city, which it is in terms of the actual inner city area, it is also the largest city in England because the city boundaries extend so far in all directions.

Carlisle is still somewhat cut off from the rest of the country in that it has no international airport. There have been plans to extend the existing local airport, but these have never got off the ground. So, if you want to fly in you have to go to Newcastle and use the train, or drive across the 90 mile gap to Carlisle. The other options are Glasgow or Manchester airports.

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There is the main railway line running throuh the centre, but train times are very restricted and if you want to travel late at night, or on a Sunday, you will find that there are few trains if any. For example, if you want to get to Preston on a Sunday you cannot travel until after 2pm. So, we are fairly well cut off from the rest of the country where transport is concerned.

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The City used to be a network of small shopping lanes, but now these have been knocked down and there is a large shopping centre in their place. Names like Long Lane, Globe Lane and Drovers Lane still exist and are a tribute to their heritage but the ultra modern New Lanes Shopping centre now stands on the site of the Old Lanes. Here there is a whole range of modern shops like Debenhams, HMV, Next, New Look, H&M, Faith, Quiz, etc. There is however, no supermarket in the Lanes. You have to go across the road to Marks and Spencer or Tesco for this.

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Apart from a range of shops, Carlisle has a cathedral which boasts the largest stained glass window in Britain, a Castle, and a number of historic buildings including the Prior’s Ceiling (at the Cathedral) The Guildhall and The Citadel. It is only a few miles from Hadrian’s Wall and parts of that structure are visible just a few miles away. Tullie House is a Jacobean Mansion which houses the museum and art gallery and is surrounded by historic gardens including a herb garden and a Roman Well.

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Various plaques in the City centre commemorate important historical events and eras. For example, there is a list of charges to made for entrance into the city which is attached to the old north gate. It lists various animals at 1d each and Scotsman at 2d each. At the bottom is a note that reminds visitors that Scotsmen must leave the City before nightfall.

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On the wall near the Citadel there is a plaque commemorating the last hanging in England and beneath the Town Hall in the square, you will find England’s first Victorian red pillar box.

Accommodation is easily found in Carlisle, with a choice of many hotels including the Ibis, Crown and Mitre, Lakes Court hotel and others in the town centre, depending on your preference and pocket.

Gretna Green is just a short drive away and Robert The Bruce’s Cave on the Scottish side of the border is another popular tourist spot. Out to the west is the Solway Firth with its mud flats, sand dunes and spectacular bird life.

Carlisle has everything you need including many nightspots and clubs and restaurants grouped together on the southern side of the city centre. You can find plenty of interest in and around the City Centre, and access to the lake District is easy by bus coach, train, or car.