Uncategorized – Snapping The Globe

Juliet, Oh Juliet…

A visit to Verona is not complete until you visit the place immortalized in William Shakespeare’s tragic romance, Romeo and Juliet.

Well…

While tourists flock to the place labeled, “Juliet’s House”, pose with Juliet’s statue and stand on the balcony that they envision her to have used while declaring her love for Romeo, many forget that Romeo and Juliet only ever existed on the pages of some very well known literature.

Shakespeare’s fateful love story, first published in 1597, was preceded by Arthur Brooke’s poem, The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, (1562), which in turn was inspired by older Italian writers, including Luigi de Porto and Matteo Bandello, who told the story of Romeo and Giuletta and the feud between their families. But, so enthralled by the literary tales, centuries of readers took to heart the story, some forgetting that it wasn’t actually based on real characters.

Seventy years ago, Antonio Avena, the director of the city’s museums, wanted to capitalize on that misunderstanding. He transformed the 13th century property of the Dal Cappello family into the home of the imaginary Juliet, after the house was purchased by the City of Verona. The idea was to give a physical location to the fictional story and a boost to Verona’s tourist industry. Extensive restoration of the home was eventually completed with a balcony, similar to that described in Shakespeare’s tale, added in the 20th century.

When tourists learned of this location and subsequently, the name of the original owners, the Cappellos, more commonly known as the Cappellettis, the natural progression was to associate that name with the last name of their heroine, Capuleti, leading them to believe that this really had been Juliet’s house. Flocking to the house in droves, they hoped to feel the emotions of Juliet and see the place that she called home.

As a visitor to Verona, while there was so much to see and do, I did make it a point to visit Juliet’s House since it is such a popular attraction. Approaching the courtyard through the entranceway, I was greeted by a large crowd gathered under the balcony and surrounding a statue of Juliet, by sculptor Nereo Costantini. Many people were awaiting their turn to pose with and rub their hand over the statue’s right breast…a gesture which is supposed to bring love and fertility. It is not known why this custom started, but in order to preserve the original, the courtyard statue was moved into the museum for safekeeping and replaced with a copy.

Paying my entrance fee, I made my way through the museum space, both upstairs and down. Of course I took my turn on the balcony, posing for a photograph and spotted the original statue of Juliet, protected and well away from prying hands.

The house has been restored and appointed much as it would have appeared during the time period in which the Dal Cappellos resided there, though there is no evidence of anything in the house that belonged to the family. There are, however, many references to the Romeo and Juliet story…a bust of William Shakespeare, copies of the story, Renaissance-era costumes and the actual bed used in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film adaptation of the story. The rest of the furnishings and furniture are all genuine antiques from the 16th and 17th century.

Actual bed used in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film adaptation of the story.

After my tour of the house was complete, I stepped back into the courtyard and noticed the red post box. Tourists used to leave letters tucked into the wall or stuck onto the bricks with chewing gum below the balcony, however, this practice was discouraged and the use of the box promoted. A movie I once viewed, Letters to Juliet, detailed an American tourist who finds an unanswered love letter shoved among the bricks. The story details the search for the intended recipient and the love story that results from it! These letters and those received from the mail do not go unanswered, however. Much like in the movie, a group of volunteers known as Club di Giulietta (the Juliet Club), replies to the more than 10,000 letters received annually, signing the responses, Juliet’s Secretary. Noticing through the small clear window on the front of the box, many letters that had already accumulated, I was glad to see that the tradition still continues.

With a quick glance around the museum’s gift shop, I found myself at the end of my tour. Stepping out of the gift shop with the intent to continue my day in Verona, I stopped and quickly stepped back inside. After a bit of searching, I purchased a pen and some paper, deciding that one day, I will use it to write a love letter to my own “Romeo”.

For more pictures, check our Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Juliet’s House

https://www.italy-museum.com/venice/juliet-house
Address: Via Cappello, 23, 37121, Verona, Italy
Hours: Tuesdays through Sundays, 0900-1800. Mondays, 1330-1800.
Admission: Adults, €11,60, Children (ages 8-14), €2,10, Children (under 8 years), €1,00

Tour de Bonton

Amsterdam is known throughout the world for its Red Light District.

Throngs of visitors head to this area of the city for various reasons. Some are curious and want to discreetly gaze at the sex workers posing in the windows wondering what brought them to this profession. Some want to “engage” with these workers and still others want to have a few cocktails and visit the sex shows or sex shops.

Many years ago, my friend and I visited Red Light Secrets, the museum about prostitution. Located in a building that was once a brothel, the museum’s mission is to educate and demystify its guests about sex work in Amsterdam. (Check it out here: https://snappingtheglobe.com/?p=1266). It was an interesting and informative stop with a fun bit of posing in the museum’s own upstairs “window”.

Recently, on a trip to Amsterdam, I was perusing the internet, searching for something interesting to fill my afternoon. Something called Tour de Bonton caught my eye. Advertised as an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of one of the most famous high-end strip and sex clubs of Amsterdam, it claimed to answer any of “your burning questions” about how things work at this particular club. At first glance, it seemed similar to the Red Light Secrets museum, but not located in the Red Light District.

Yes, I had lots of burning questions! I needed to do this tour!

After a quick metro ride from Central Station, during which I purchased my on-line ticket for three-thirty, I arrived about forty minutes early to find the door locked. Assuming that I needed to return closer to the entry time, I headed to the Irish pub around the corner to have a small pint which I assumed would help me to overcome my hesitancy of arriving alone.

At the appointed time, I returned to find the door open and a young lady seated behind a desk, just inside the opening. Showing her my on-line ticket, I was instructed to ascend the narrow staircase to the next floor where I discovered a well-appointed bar area. Two small platforms with stripper poles were located in the center and surrounded by lush, red-velvet banquettes. The walls were covered in a rich, teal and gold wallpaper, the ceiling in an etched copper tin and the floor in a herringbone patterned wood. It was not the typical, grungy strip club you would normally envision and seated in the banquettes were two couples and three older English ladies on holiday. Not the lot you would normally expect to find in a grungy strip club…but of course, they were also there for the tour as the club doesn’t actually open for regular business until 9:00pm.

After a few minutes of waiting, the lady who had greeted us downstairs came in to take our drink orders, which were included with the purchase price…I guess it helps to loosen up the tour-goers, but I wish I had realized this before I paid a visit to the Irish pub!

Taking a seat in front of the bar, Felicia, proceeded to explain how things work in the club. Girls, are paid per dance on the poles as well as for lap dances and engage customers as they congregate in the bar area. We spotted the champagne bottles lining the bar and she related how lucrative the selling of one of these bottles, preferably the most expensive (bottles range from $160-$2500), is for their pay. Finally, she went on the the part that most of us were interested in, the VIP rooms upstairs.

After a steep climb to the top floor for a quick tour to each of these uniquely decorated rooms (plus the dressing room), she explained how these VIP rooms are “rented” to the customers for a half hour or hour’s time, for $300 or $500 respectively. This is for the room only…any other interactions with the girls in these rooms are extra and at the discretion of the girl. The burning question for me, however, was how these customers made it up (and back down) the steep, narrow staircase, after a few drinks, to begin with???!!!

A bit of quick addition led me to believe that after the $50 entrance fee per person, one would definitely expect to spend A LOT of money in a night’s time! Which led to another burning question…are many of these customers on expense accounts?

Felicia was an open book and answered all of our questions without any inhibition. She was funny and interesting and had some amazing stories! I won’t reveal her secrets…its up to you to visit for yourself and discover what makes this place so exclusive in a city full of sex.

Were all of my burning questions answered? You bet!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Tour de Bonton

https://tourdebonton.com/
Address: Stadhouderskade 64, Amsterdam, NL
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 1230-1930. Last tour starts at 1830 and tours last approximately 1 hour.
Admission: At the door, €21.00 per person, Online €19.50 per person.
Getting There: Metro 52 to Vijzelgracht (exit Vijzelgracht), Tram 1, 7, 19 (stop Vijzelgracht), Tram 24 (stop Marie Heinekenplein)

Canal Life

Despite the day’s drizzly beginnings, it was shaping up to be much improved. Drawing back the curtains, I noticed that the clouds were parting and the sun attempting to make its presence known. By the time I had dressed and made it outside, I discovered the perfect fall day for a bike ride in Amsterdam.

Jumping on one of my hotel’s complimentary bikes, I headed toward the river IJ. The ferry quickly carried me over to the train station and there, I decided ride adjacent to one of the less trafficked canals that ring the city, the Prinsengracht. There was a museum in that canal that I wanted to visit.

Yes, in the canal…the Houseboat Museum.

Visitors to Amsterdam can spot hundreds of houseboats lining each of the canals throughout the city.

Some are basic. Some are unique. Some are small and others are large.

Regardless of where they are located and what they look like, the most common question in most people’s minds is “what is it like to live in one”?

The Woonbootmuseum, the only houseboat museum in the world, is the perfect place to have this burning question answered.

Over 2,900 houseboats line the Amsterdam canals. Many are traditional iron freighter ships with holds converted into houseboats and others more modern concrete-based rectangular houseboats.

With its origins as a barge, built in 1914, this vessel was tasked with transporting timber, sand, gravel and coal until the 1960s. Its conversion was conducted in 1967 to include a skipper’s quarters with sleeping bunks, living room, kitchen and bathroom and renamed the Hendrika Maria. With approximately 262 square feet of living space, its inhabitants enjoyed canal life until 1997.

Crossing the gangplank, I descended the narrow stairway into the living space. The first part of the houseboat I encountered was the sleeping quarters tucked away at the rear of the boat. A few years ago, we had taken a trip on a sailboat in the Caribbean and these small berths reminded me of our nightly quarters. A small stove and kitchen area completed the space.

Moving through the curtain, I encountered the agent behind a desk and purchased my entry ticket. A descriptive pamphlet was handed over to guide me through the various areas of the converted freighter’s hold.

Moving into the next room, I found myself in a very spacious living/dining area. It was surprising how large the area was and reminded me that this houseboat is equal in size of the average Amsterdam apartment…believe me, I have been to my friend’s apartment where four people reside!

Finally, heading to the rear compartment where the small bathroom is also located, I found another small sleeping quarter with an exhibit of houseboat models and an illustrated history of the boat. Crouching behind the sleeping berths wall, I found a viewing area into the bow with another sleeping berth and a television screen showing a film giving insight into the houseboat lifestyle. If you think that Amsterdam houseboat living is for you, keep in mind that in addition to insurance and maintenance charges being quite significant, there are no leases to be had in any of the city’s canals.

Since the space is a limited one, capacity is limited and guests sometimes encounter a wait to enter the boat. On this day, I was the only visitor and had the museum to myself! It was a most pleasing experience to envision how I would spend my days if I lived here since I was the only one moving through the boat!

Finishing my self-guided tour, I climbed the small stairway to the top of the boat and made my way back over the gangplank to where my bike was locked up next to the canal. Contemplating my next destination if I had been a first time tourist, it would have been quite convenient to walk the five minutes to the Anne Frank House or to the nearby Westerkerk church. Since I had visited these attraction in the past, however, I headed back the way I had come toward the train station. I had another destination in mind.

Parking my bike in the bike garage in front of the train station, I walked over the canal and into the Lover’s Canal Cruise office. With the weather cooperating, I decided that I would keep the theme of the day…Canal Life!

Purchasing a ticket for a departure at 5:30 p.m., I waited patiently in the adjacent café area until boarding time. Being one of the first passengers to board, I headed towards the rear of the long boat and took my seat, plugging in a set of headphones into one of the ports which offered information on the sites we would be seeing in nineteen different languages.

Soon on our way, we cruised into the river IJ, which I had previously crossed, passing the train station, the ferries and river cruise boats docked for the day. Back into the Oosterdoksdoorgang canal, we made our way past the NEMO Science and the Amsterdam Maritime History Museums.

Motoring along, as expected, we encountered a multitude of houseboats docked along the canals. With a much better perspective, I know could see the differences between the types of these water homes.

Passing under and near many of Amsterdam’s bridges, bikes lining their lengths, we also sailed by the Montelbaanstoren, the 16th century defensive tower which was once part of the city walls and other identifiable structures throughout the city; the floating Sea Palace Chinese restaurant, the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge), the Hermitage Museum, Westerkerk church and my favorite, the dancing houses on the Amstel river.

These houses that lean…to the left, to the right, and forward…look like an architectural hazard to outsiders, but are normal to those residents of the city. Though I am not sure that if I had stood immediately in front of the houses on the street, I would have noticed how skewed they were, but from the water, it was extremely conspicuous.

If you are interested in a little history on these and many dancing houses in Amsterdam, here goes. Since all houses in the city are built on piles, which are drilled deep into the wet soil to keep them from sinking, the age and quality of the wooden piles cause the buildings to sink into the ground unevenly. Many of the houses along the canals lean on each other for extra stability, however, problems arise when houses are renovated. In other cases, you may notice that some houses lean forward, toward the street…not an accident…for centuries it was the custom to build houses leaning forward. For the residents who reside in these crooked homes, it must be quite the feat to walk around on a slanted floor when you’ve had a few drinks!

It was a beautiful afternoon and we encountered many other cruise boats making their way through the city’s canals. It was a perfect way to enjoy the early autumn weather while seeing so much of the city. While it was not my first canal cruise, it was one that I enjoyed the most as it was not planned, not crowded and I had one of the best seats on the boat!

When you find yourself in the “Venice of the North”, take a canal cruise to get acquainted with the city. Whether it be a city sightseeing tour during the day or night, a dinner cruise or one of the holiday Light Festival cruises, its the perfect way to see the sights!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

The Houseboat Museum (Woonbootmuseum)

https://houseboatmuseum.nl/
Address: Prinsengracht 296 K, 1016 HW Amsterdam
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 1000-1700. Closed Mondays.
Admission: Adults, €4,50, Children (ages 5-15), €3,50, Children (under 5 years), free

Lovers Canal Cruises

https://www.lovers.nl/en/
Address: Prinsengracht 2571 Amsterdam, Drenthe The Netherlands
Hours: unknown
Admission: Cruise prices vary, €15-€80. Check website for specific cruise prices.

The Musical Wall

Murals, graffiti, sculptures…

Having studied art and architecture, they always draw my interest. There are days, during my layovers, that I just wander around taking pictures of public art…and it is never in short supply in any city throughout the world.

One fall afternoon in Milan, I was walking the streets in the Navigli Canal area. Trying to locate another particular point of interest, I spotted something else marked on Google maps.

The Macan Music Wall.

Not quite sure what this would reveal, I headed in that direction.

Each year, in addition to Milan’s famous Fashion Week, the city also hosts Music Week, a pace of concerts, showcases, meetings, workshops, webinars, exhibitions and presentations. During Milan’s 2018 Music Week, the event was kicked of with the inauguration of the Macan Music Wall, a public artwork dedicated to music, unveiled, commissioned and gifted by Porsche Italia to the city.

This imposing mural covers the façade of a building in via Conchetta (corner of via Troilo) and was created by the collective of urban artists Orticanoodles and the Leagas Delaney agency. Entitled “Music Is A Never Ending Journey”, the work depicts a gigantic beating heart placed at the center of a musical cosmos. Around the heart, planets and constellations inspired by different genres and musical instruments rotate, as in a star map. Painted with special fluorescent paints, it is even visible during the nighttime hours.

To make your visit even more special, pop your Airpods in and tune to Porsche Italia’s Spotify channel, entitled “Music Is a Never Ending Journey” for the full experience!

While this is not a major attraction, it was interesting to discover while in the area and I think that it would be quite the spectacle to behold at night!

Many more art installations, sculpture and graffiti can be found the in Navigli Canal area, including the Wall of Dolls ( https://snappingtheglobe.com/?p=6924). Put on your walking shoes and start searching!

*Navigli Canal area art installations, murals and grafitti*

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Macan Music Wall

Address: Via Conchetta, 8, 20136 Milano, MI, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Tram 3, L.go Mahler stop. P.TA Genova FS metro stop, walk 16 minutes.

The Lions Next Door

Having been on safari in Tanzania, I knew that the Bandia Reserve in Senegal, had its shortcomings.

While I absolutely loved visiting and had done so three times, there was the glaring fact that it was missing some of the animals that captivate thrill seekers…the big cats. Because it is a private reserve comprising just over 8600 acres and is surrounded by fencing, the animals that do reside there…giraffes, deer, ostrich…would be sitting ducks. There are a few hyenas that reside in the front of the park, however, they are in their own enclosure and not free to roam.

On my last visit to Bandia Reserve, I did learn something…Ranch de Bandia, a lodge which offers lion experiences, had opened recently adjacent to the reserve. Offering up close interactions with lions, it was meant to fill the gap where The Bandia Reserve was lacking while still offering a Safari experience with big cats and a place for visitors to call home while surrounded by African wildlife.

Located only 70 kilometers from Dakar (45 minutes), it is an easy drive from the city and also located near the resort town of Saly, a popular tourist destination. Since we were staying near the downtown area, we decided to do both activities (Bandia Reserve and Ranch de Bandia) in order to make the most of our time and the drive.

Arriving in the late morning to Bandia, we quickly realized that early arrivals and late afternoons are probably best for animal spotting. The midday hour is when most animals are inactive due to the heat and it was on this trip when I saw the least amount of wildlife. We still managed to see enough to make our trip worthwhile, however, the park’s rhinos remained elusive on this trip.

*Hyenas in their enclosure at the front of the park*

*Many kinds of deer and elk reside in the park*

After our safari at Bandia was complete, we headed back thru the entrance gates and over to Ranch de Bandia, across the highway.

Preparations had already been made by our tour guide, Mass Kane, so we were all set to take off on our 30 minutes of exploration into the lions’ territory.

Loading up into the park’s specially equipped vehicles, we noticed pieces of meat still sitting on top of the truck’s iron mesh that enclosed it. Flies were everywhere, attracted by the smell and the bloody mess, but if this was the way to attract the lions, we had to get used to it.

Entering the gates of the enclosure, we could hear the roars of an angry cat in the distance; Malik, a territorial lion protesting our arrival. Moving through the second set of gates, the sound of his roars became much louder and as we turned onto a small roadway, we spotted him behind a bush in a clearing. Realizing that he would soon partake of a meal, he came forward, jumping onto the hood of our vehicle and then climbing onto the roof. It was an amazing experience to have such ferocious, yet beautiful creature that close to us. As he shifted closer to the back of the truck above where I was seated, I could smell his musky scent and feel the mud from his paws falling down into my hair. All in the experience, right? I was definitely going to need a shower when I got home!

Moving back to the front of the truck, he interacted with the driver and guide who, through an opening in the front mesh, doled out his afternoon snack. Finally, growing tired of us, he jumped off and headed back into the trees, seeking shelter from the afternoon’s heat.

Starting up our truck, we drove through and then exited the enclosure into another area. A small bit of travel ensued before we finally spotted the first of two female lions. One, named Savannah, stood under a tree watching us warily before approaching, yet still maintaining a bit of distance. We drove along the road with her staying nearby until we came across her mate, Madibah, a proud male. Promptly, Madibah jumped into the hood and waited for his treat, while Savannah waited patiently nearby. After he was satisfied, he climbed onto our roof and Savannah took her turn, giving us some great photo opportunities with the assistance of our guide.

While I don’t recommend it, we did get some pretty decent shots of Madibah by holding our phone’s camera through an opening at the top of the vehicle. After trying it once, (seeing another friend successfully photograph Madibah this way), I was roared at, causing me to quickly pull my phone inside. On a trip a week later, another friend had Madibah grab her phone from her, biting it and hurling it from the vehicle onto the muddy road.

I wonder if Apple Care covers that!

Our thirty minute adventure soon came to a close and we headed back to where we had started.

What I did learn later, however, is that in addition to the adult lion encounter, Ranch de Bandia also offers a baby lion encounter. This was not an option offered to us nor to any of my friends who visited near that time, leaving me to wonder if it is something that has been added recently or if there were no baby lions at that time.

A visit to both parks is something special for visitors to Senegal. An opportunity to see many animals in a protected reserve is unique to the area and should not be missed! And if you travel with my friend and tour guide, a great dinner on the beach in nearby Saly can wrap up your day’s adventures!!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Ranch de Bandia

Lion cub activity, 1000-1530, daily, 15 minutes. 25,000CFA per person. 18 years and over only. Mandatory dress required: trousers and closed shoes.
Lion Safari, 0900-1630, daily, 30 minutes. Children ages, 3-10 years, 10,000CFA per person. Adults, 20,000CFA per person.
Compulsory vehicle rental for the safari, 20,000 CFA for a maximum capacity of 7 people.

The Motherland Experience

http://themotherlandexperiencetraveltours.com
Telephone: +221 77 295 24 24
Owner: Mass Kane
Email: Kanemass@hotmail.com

Wishing the Snapping the Globe subscribers a very special holiday season! Thanks for following along!

Stay Tuned!

Having such a great time in Cambodia…up at dawn, down at dusk and much later!

Have had no time to write or post pics…no time to edit!

Be patient with me! I promise, I have so much to write about and pictures to share!