Tag: travel

Going To Guatemala

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

What do you do when your spring break plans fall through?

Call your mom and ask her to go exploring, of course!

Traveling with my children is one of the best things ever! I love taking them to new places and discovering new cultures, foods and traditions.

My middle son’s sense of adventure mirrors mine, so when he called me and informed me that his spring break plans had cancelled, I jumped into action, knowing that it would be a lot of fun for us to discover someplace new.

Asking my colleagues about Guatemala, a country that has piqued my interest for quite some time, I found that most recommended that we fly into Guatemala City, but continue our journey to the nearby city of Antigua.

After our three hour flight and customs and immigration clearance, we headed to the front of the airport to secure transportation to Antigua. My initial intent had been to hire a colectivo, a shared ride service, which transports 1-6 passengers, dropping each at their individual hotels. As I waited for my son to come back from the restroom, a local resident advertising tours, struck up a conversation with me. When I told him that my son and I were getting ready to head to Antigua via colectivo, he suggested that I hire a private car for the same price.

Of course, he had one in mind.

A quick call by this gentleman brought the car, a modern sedan, to the curb. We agreed on the price with the driver and we set off for the hour-long journey.

Our driver, dressed in uniform, handed me a business card for the car service and attempted to communicate with us in his limited English.

Traffic was very heavy and as we sat in air conditioned comfort, our journey was slow. Tracking our progress on my phone, I noticed that we hadn’t made it very far when our driver pulled into a gas station. I had noticed that his car had been making a “ringing” sound and he had made a phone call, speaking in his native Spanish. Thinking we were only at the station to fill for the journey, he suddenly explained that his car was giving him a warning light and he had called another driver to meet us here who would take us to Antigua.

He must have seen the concern in my face, when the new driver pulled up. Was this some kind of a scam? I should have taken the colectivo!

The new driver’s vehicle was fairly new and he greeted us warmly, putting our bags into the trunk of his car. We pulled back onto the roadway and attempted to make some headway amidst the thick traffic.

As luck would have it, we hadn’t traveled very far when his car began to overheat!

Yes, believe it!

Now I was sure that it was a scam and both my son and I were going to be sold into Guatemalan slavery!

DEFINITELY should have taken the colectivo!

We pulled over once again into the parking lot of a gas station and he opened the hood of his car. He made a phone call and I could see that his was frustrated and embarrassed, which actually made me feel a bit better. He told me fifteen minutes…someone would be there to help us continue our journey, but fifteen turned into thirty. At this point, I turned on my phone service and checked to see if Uber was available. It was either that or hail one of the cabs that we were regularly seeing passing us by.

Finally, after asking him, again, how much longer, the replacement driver pulled in next to us. On our way, once again, exhaustion overcame us and we dozed in the air conditioned comfort of the driver’s car. Thankfully, as we headed out to the highway, traffic thinned and we were arriving in Antigua around 3:00 in the afternoon, only an hour later than we had anticipated.

The next step was finding our hotel on the walled, cobblestone streets. Although I had given the driver the address, he seemed to drive for a while, dodging the many pedestrians crossing the narrow streets. Finally, he jumped out and checked a couple of doors returning to tell that we had arrived at the correct spot.

Paying him the arranged fare, we breathed a sigh of relief and saying a quick prayer. We had made it safely.

Next time, I’m hiring a colectivo!

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Booking A Shared Shuttle From Guatemala City Airport to Antigua

Just A Quick Look

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Curiosity always seems to get the best of me!

Spying a church steeple down the street while walking back from the East Side Gallery in Berlin, I found my feet turning automatically in that direction.

Not wanting to miss something good, even though I was trying to make it back to my hotel for my dinner plans, I thought, “Just a quick look“.

Though the church’s interior wasn’t open for inspection, I did learn quite a bit about the property from the signboards posted at the front and back of the church’s property.

This was more than a church…this was about an entire square.

Architect August Soller, whose grave can be spied at St. Michael’s, was tapped to design the city’s third oldest Roman Catholic church. With plans completed in 1845, construction commenced six years later with much influence from Soller’s travels in Italy; mainly churches in Padua and Venice. So, when you spy St. Michael’s, as it was originally meant to be seen, with its view beyond the water feature (the remains of the Luisenstadt Canal) its conception from Venice’s churches along their waterways can be understood, as I was about to discover.

Completed in 1861, St. Michael’s served as a garrison church for Catholic soldiers due to its location near the border between Berlin-Mitte locality and Kreuzberg and was established by King Frederick William IV. After damage during World War II, it was partially reconstructed in the 1950’s. Now protected as a historical monument in Berlin, you can still see the wounds it sustained during the “Bombing of Berlin”, as you walk around the exterior of the church.

Though the church’s original walls and dome remain, the roof and the interior, including its organ, was destroyed. As I stood before the church’s entrance, it was amazing to be able to see the surviving dome through the portal window below the bell tower. Beneath the window is a mosaic depicting the Annunciation which surprisingly survived the bombing along with the church’s facade and entrance.

Long before the church’s completion, an idea to build a waterway through Luisenstadt was conceived. The idea was shelved until 1840, when the King of Prussia made the decision that a canal should connect the Landwehrkanal and the River Spree to reduce travel on the latter. With construction beginning in 1948, the first ship sailed along the waterway, passing St. Michael’s church in 1952, before turning at Engelbecken, the canal basin.

Despite the King’s determination in fulfilling the canal project, many years later, in 1926, the decision to fill in the Luisenstädt Canal was made due to noise, odor and lack of use. The Engelbecken, was then developed as a park under the guidance of landscape architect Erwin Barth. Though Barth’s main desire was to keep the canal, an idea not popular with the city’s government, he finally succeeded in developing the Engelbecken, surrounded by a green space. The canal basin became the Angel’s pool, a pond for swans surrounded by gardens.

Making my way across the Michaelkirchplatz, I stood on the raised viewing platform, anxious for a better look at the church, however, looking down at the Angel’s pool and the adjacent garden’s I anxiously searched for the steps leading to the area.

Cafe Am Engelbecken sits at the canal’s original water level, a relaxing spot to take in an afternoon tea or aperitif. Walking along the pool, lined with hedges and greenery, I glanced across at the picturesque and precise buildings which spread out along the perimeter. Pergolas hover above the path, awaiting the new growth of the warmer weather and I could only imagine how beautiful my walk would be during the summer when the Virginia creeper, climbing ross and clematis cling tightly to the structures. Arriving at the far end of the pool, it was then that I understood Soller’s idea of St. Michael’s position on a waterway, much like the Venetian churches.

This is the best view of St. Michael’s church!

The rose gardens, destroyed by the construction of the Berlin Wall, were excavated in 1993 by the Berlin Historic Gardens Conservation and a path runs down past the Oranienplatz between both Legiendamm and Leuschnerdamm. The path is highlighted by the Indische Brunnen, an eastern-style fountain also called the Hindu Springs. Although I exited at Oranienplatz, the path continues all the way down to Böcklerpark.

My detour to St. Michael’s church was definitely worth the eventual mad dash to my dinner plans. Very interested to learn about its and the surrounding area’s history, I now have another mission to see the interior of this historic church, which probably will not warrant, just a quick look!

I’m blocking off the whole afternoon!

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St. Michael’s Church and St. Michaelkirchplatz

  • Address: Michaelkirchpl. 15, 10179 Berlin, Germany
  • Hours: Park open 24 hours, church hours unknown
  • Admission: free
  • Getting There: Metro, Heinrich-Heine-Strasse and Kottbusser Tor stations

Movin’ On Up…To the East Side

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

The wall.

For you and me, it could be the barrier between our bedroom and the hallway.

For Germans, during the years between 1961 and 1989, it meant something vastly different.

The Berlin wall was a heavily guarded, concrete barrier, that divided Germany both physically and politically during the Cold War. Constructed by the German Democratic Republic, it remained until its demolition in November 1990 after the reopening of the border in 1989.

There are many of my colleagues who remember the division of their country and more importantly, when the wall came down. One friend tells me that each time she comes back to Berlin, she still get emotional when she sees the portions of the wall that remain, reminders of the years of separation from her family.

Today, the wall is a large draw for visitors to Berlin, eager to see the physical barrier that split families and friends. There are quite few locations where the wall can be seen in the city, including Mauerpark, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall Memorial, Schlesischer Busch Watch Tower, Potsdamer Platz and the longest remaining stretch at the East Side Gallery located on Mühlenstraße. Having visited the wall on a few occasions, it is always surprising to see how narrow it really was. I guess I always thought that its height and depth was what deterred people from scaling it and defecting to the other side, however, the guards and their machine guns were the real obstacle.

A few years ago, while on a tour bus, we had driven down Mühlenstraße and I was mesmerized by the brightly painted longest span of the wall. Why it had taken me so long to return, I am not sure, but on this trip to Berlin, I was going to take advantage of the sunny afternoon.

Arriving at the East Side Gallery, I decided to start at the part of the wall nearest to the Oberbaum Bridge, the iconic double decker bridge that crosses the River Spree (note to self, come check out this beautiful bridge on another trip to the city!).

At the start of the wall, there is the Berlin Wall Museum, located on the second floor of the Pirates of Berlin building, a great place to start your exploration of the history of the wall.

This museum, founded on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie (November 2014), highlights why and how the wall was built and how Germans, both East and West, suffered; how this aberration changed people’s lives. There are many historical facts, exhibitions, film clips and photos and a portion of the museum that commemorates the dead who died on the wall during its twenty-eight years of existence.

Mikhail Gorbachev had announced the founding of the museum on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie in November 2014 in Berlin. A part of the museum is dedicated to him, as he is a trigger and guarantor of change and a peaceful revolution.

After my departure from the museum, I headed to the start of the wall and made my way down its length, taking the time to examine each of the one hundred and five murals painted by artists from all over the globe. Possibly the largest and longest lasting open-air gallery in the world, originated in 1990, the murals document the time of change when the wall fell and the jubilation that those affected by its presence experienced.

Though some of the paintings have suffered from exposure to the elements, the heritage protected landmark still draws over three million visitors every year. Work has been conducted to restore over a third of the murals and the effort continues.

Any visit to Berlin should include a stop at one of the remaining portions of the wall. The East Side Gallery is highly recommended for its artistic renditions of the joy felt around the world when the wall came down. Head first to the museum, walk the wall’s length and even check out the backside, filled with graffiti…the perfect place to enjoy both the river and an important historic landmark marking the reunification of Germany.

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East Side Gallery

  • http://www.eastsidegallery-berlin.com/
  • Address: Mühlenstraße 3-100, 10243 Berlin, Germany
  • Hours: 24 hours
  • Admission: free
  • Getting There: Nearest U-bahn stations, Warschauer Straße, Schlesisches Tor, Jannowitzbrücke

The Wall Museum

  • https://thewallmuseum.com/
  • Address: Mühlenstraße 78-80, 10243 Berlin, Germany
  • Hours: 1000-1900, daily
  • Admission: Adults, 12,50€, Students, 6,50€, Groups of 10 persons or more, 9,50€, Children up to 7 years, free
  • Getting There: Nearest U-bahn stations, Warschauer Straße, Schlesisches Tor, Jannowitzbrücke

Lindenhof Lookout

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

If you want to see Zurich…see Zurich…

From above.

Some of the best views of Zurich can be found from Lindenhof Hill.

Lindenhof’s lofty location, atop the remains of a glacier, made it the prime location for the Roman’s to build a citadel during the years of Valentinian. This fortification was used as a line of defense against migration from the North by the Alamanni. Outfitted with ten towers and thick, two meter wide walls, it eventually became the fortification of the historical center of Zurich, rising twenty-five meters above the Limmat River.

Over the years, many other types of construction were situated on the hill, including a chapel and a royal residence. Graves of late medieval children and adults were also found in 1937 by archaeologists.

Finally, with the demolition of the royal residence, the hill became the only public park within the city walls, where residents met and bow and crossbow shooting were practiced. A variety of trees and plants were instilled in the park and in 1688, the Hedwig Fountain, sculpted by Gustav Siber, which depicts the legend of the siege of Zurich (1292), was erected in the park.

In 1851, the Masons purchased the adjacent Paradies building and converted it into a lodge. In 1865, the park was redesigned and chestnut and acacia trees introduced. The local population was not happy with its new look and in 1900, the park was given its present appearance.

Today, the park is a popular meeting spot and the location where numerous public events and festivals are held. Some of the best views of the city can be had here so on any given day, a large number of tourists can be found in the park, enjoying the beautiful Swiss buildings and clear river below.

The adjacent streets are closed to automotive traffic and it is a short walk to the church of St. Peter’s and the Fraumunster from Lindenhof Hill.

If you are new to visiting to visiting the city and want to first get your bearings, take a hike up the hill to Lindenhof park. You can get a lay of the land and then take the short walk to the other landmarks of the city.

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Lindenhof Hill

The Cloister and the Deer

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

A couple of years ago, I visited the Fraumünster, one of Zurich’s four main churches. One of the city’s highlights, it boasts windows by Marc Chagall and a rose window by Augusto Giacometti. It is a historic site visited by thousands each year.

As much as I enjoyed my visit to the historic church, however, what is just next door to the Fraumünster is what is really the what visitors should come for!

Fraumünster

Recently, a friend and I were walking past the Fraumünster, admiring its blue clock tower spire and carvings on the outer walls. Just past the church, we came to a gate and what appeared to be a cloister. Venturing inside, we discovered, that this was indeed the cloister from the ancient abbey.

The cloister was built at the end of the 12th century and moved to the present location in the 19th century. The Fraumünster church, next door, was built over the remains of the monastery around 1250.

As compelling as is a visit to the Fraumünster, it is the peaceful cloister’s origins that I found fascinating. In 853, King Ludwig of Germany’s two daughters, Bertha and Hildegard, lived in Baldern castle, high above the city. The extremely pious sisters would make their way down through the dark forest to the Grossmünster to spend time in prayer each morning and worship before the relics of Saints Felix, Regula and Exuperantius. Legend has it, however, that one day, the sisters encountered a stag with burning antlers in the darkened forest that led them down to the River Limmat across from the Grossmünster. After the encounter repeated itself many times, the sisters finally understood that it was a sign from God urging them to oversee the construction of a religious sanctuary for women at the edge of the river. King Ludwig was persuaded by his daughters to begin the fabrication and eventually appointed his daughters as the first abbesses.

This is the Legend of the Deer With the Lighted Horns and the fresco depicting this story can be spotted in the cloister along with many other amazing scenes painted by Swiss artist Paul Bodmer between 1924 and 1934.

Only a few other tourists walked through the cloister with its small central garden, flanked by two corridors, covered by beautiful Gothic arches. Other murals depicted the figures of Felix and Regula the patron saints of Zurich who are buried in the crypt beneath the Fraumünster and distinctive facial carvings can be spotted throughout the space on walls and atop columns.

A simple memorial was installed in the cloister on March 14, 2004 to honor Katharina von Zimmern, the last abbess of the Fraumünster Abbey. Created by sculptor Anna-Maria Bauer, the memorial consists of thirty-seven copper blocks layered into a compact square referring to the shape of an altar. There is also an engraved banner on the floor which states Die Stadt vor Unruhe und Umgemach bewahren und tun, was Zürich lieb und dienlich ist (to save the city from restlessness and surroundings and to do what is lovely and useful) referring to Von Zimmern’s handing over the convent to the reformation, thus stopping further bloodshed.

It was the legend of the deer, however, that kept bringing me back to inspect the murals more closely. What was it about Zurich and deer? There is another legend, involving King Ludwig’s grandfather, Emperor Charlemagne that tells how a stag led him to the graves of Saints Felix and Regula, but it was thinking back to a visit to Uetliberg, some time ago and remembering the large sculptural deer with lighted antlers lining the pathways. I had loved these strange tiled beacons, which represent what is an important part of Zurich’s history.

Whatever brings you to the Fraumünster’s cloister…be it the murals, the history, the tranquility or even the Legend of the Deer…know that you’ve stumbled across something extremely extraordinary!

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Fraumünster Cloister

  • https://www.fraumuenster.ch/
  • Address: Münsterhof 2, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
  • Hours: Monday-Friday, 0730-1830, Saturday, 0800-1800
  • Admission: free

Read more about the Fraumünster in my blog post, “The Münsters” on www.snappingtheglobe.com. https://snappingtheglobe.com/?p=2404


The Largest Clock Tower

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

After visiting Zurich’s Predigerkirche, I was on a quest to make it to the last of the city’s four major churches that I had not visited before the end of the day.

The Church of St. Peter’s.

Problem was, there were so many photos to take in the beautiful Neumarkt area that I kept getting sidetracked!

Finally, crossing the river, it was easy to find the oldest parish church in Zurich. Standing on the former site of an ancient Roman temple to the god Jupiter, the church’s clock tower is said to be the largest in Europe and can be spied from most locations within the city. With a clock face measuring almost nine meters in diameter, it is an amazing site to behold!

Arriving at the church, we discovered, as did other tourists arriving at the same time, that the entrance was opposite of where we thought.

Making our way down the stairs, through the alley and back up another set of stairs, we finally found a courtyard with some interesting art pieces. Not even convinced that this was the entrance, we made our way inside to discover what makes this church interesting.

In 1345, the church was acquired by the city’s first mayor, Rudof Brun. His grave and monument can be seen by the outer tower wall. The first pastor, Leo Jud, served from 1523 until 1542 and contributed to the first translation of the Bible in Zurich. The church’s second pastor, J.C. Lavater, served from 1778 until 1801 and was so popular that people reserved seats for Sunday mass. His gravestone is in the courtyard, to the left of the entrance, on the church wall.

As I walked into the church, I noticed immediately the similarities between St. Peter’s and the Predigerkirche. The first church in Zurich that was built as a Protestant place of worship, after the Reformation during the eighth century, St. Peter’s exhibits the same elegant, simplicity although its tower and choir date back from a Romanesque church built in 1230.

During the Middle Ages, the short spire windows of the tower was the home of the town watchman, whose duty was to look out of the windows every fifteen minutes for signs of fire. Should a fire be spotted, he would sound an alarm and hang a flag out of the window facing the fire. Since Zurich, unlike so many other cities, never endured a major fire, the system worked well.

As I walked through the interior of the church, I took note of the three-aisled Baroque nave and the Romanesque choir that still contains some faded medieval murals. Above the pulpit, the name of God in Hebrew can be spotted, reflecting the Reformation emphasis on the original biblical languages. Another important feature of the church is the original 9th century foundation walls which can still be seen beneath the chancel.

In addition, St. Peter’s contains a baptismal font, dating back to 1598 and richly carved choir chairs from the 15th century. These chairs were transported to the church from the suppressed convents of the city. Make sure to take a look upward at the beautiful crystal chandeliers and the wood paneled gallery.

Even though, I initially thought that St. Peter’s was so very like the Predigerkirche, I learned from my visit that this church had a much richer history and much more to discover in its interior.

If you are taking a stroll through the streets of Zurich, take a look upward, find the largest clock tower and head that way! Its worth the visit!

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St. Peter’s Church

  • https://www.st-peter-zh.ch/home.html
  • Address: St. Peterhofstatt 2, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
  • Hours: Monday-Friday, 800-1800, Saturday, 1000-1600, Sunday, 1100-1700
  • Admission: free
  • Getting There: Tram, stop Paradeplatz

The Preacher’s Church

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

If you are a church lover (like me!) and visiting Zurich, there are four churches that are must-sees!

The Grossmunster, the Fraumunster, the Church of St. Peter and the Predigerkirche.

Cloudy, drizzly day aren’t optimal for day trips outside of the city so I decided, instead, to head toward the train station and into the old town area of Zurich to seek out the two churches I had never visited on previous trips.

The Predigerkirche, the Preacher’s Church, was first built in 1231 AD as a Romanesque church, the largest in the city and converted in the first half of the 14th century when the choir was rebuilt and the high bell tower was added. Originally part of a monastery of the Dominican Order, the church appears to have been modeled after the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna which was the most important church of the Dominicans and where their founder, Saint Dominic was buried in 1221. The church is now used as the “open town church” or a place of encounter with its side aisles containing a library, easy chairs and a dining area for free Sunday lunches. It also employs a Catholic priest and celebrates joint masses with Muslims and Buddhists and is often the site of evening concerts.

With my excitement growing as I turned off of Limmatquai street and made my way up the hill, I could see the beautiful bell tower of the church which is regarded as the highest Gothic edifice in Zurich. As I arrived at the church on Zahringerplatz, however, I was a bit disappointed with the church’s plain facade. Though the high window-lined walls of the side and rear of the church were a bit more interesting, I simply could not believe that this was was the entrance, especially with its magnificent bell tower!

Entering the church, I was also a bit underwhelmed. Appearing to be elegant and modern at first glance, I began to walk around the space, hoping for more detail. The high arched ceiling caught my attention and lent to the lofty atmosphere along with the wide, square columns which divided the space. Although the ceiling was decorated with light gold rosettes and molding, it was quite disappointing combined with the plain altar. Beautiful in its own right…I guess I am used to the extravagantly decorated churches of Italy!

As I turned to the rear of the church, the magnificent organ in the gallery caught my eye. Now, this piece definitely gives the church a bit of extravagance. I had noticed that there were other smaller organs scattered throughout the church but this pipe organ, built by Paul Hintermann and Jakob Schmidt, is the showstopper. It was installed in 1970, after the original (1503) was broken during the Reformation struggle and the replacement (1879), was deemed unworthy.

Another piece that caught my eye along the outer perimeter of the church was the grave plate of Heinricus de Ruchentstein, a ministerial member of the House of Rappersil and dates back to 1270. The grave plate is the oldest surviving piece of this kind and the oldest surviving grave plate in Switzerland. It is notable due to its arrangement of the inscription, the absence of the date and a cross.

Exiting the church, I made my way out into the streets of the Neumarkt quarter. Though I was a bit disappointed with my time at the Predigerkirche, it was still an interesting visit and I was glad that I had made my way into this part of the city. Certainly, I couldn’t skip out on seeing the final two of the main churches of the city.

Now, it was off to find St. Peter’s!

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Predigerkirche Zurich

For The Price Of A Train Ticket

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Where would you go for the price of a train ticket?

Rome has set the bar very high for me as far as Italian cities go. I never tire of walking through the city and finding that around every corner there is something bigger and better. I don’t ever feel as though I need to venture outside of the city.

Milan, however, was never a place that I could find footing with. In fact, I would complain (to anyone who would listen) about how much I hated going there. I always felt like I had to work extra-hard to find the things that make it Milan…and it was never just around the corner.

Over the years, I have done research and found those outstanding and sometimes hidden gems that make Milan special…there were more than I ever imagined and more of which I hope to come. Lately, however, I have stumbled upon an interesting fact. The trains in Milan are relatively inexpensive.

For the price of a train ticket, I could venture outside of Milan and discover so much more. That inexpensive ticket opens up lots of possibilities with so many charming Italian cities nearby that you can explore.

Having visited the city of Pavia, about a 45 minute journey from Milan, I had heard about Certosa di Pavia, one of the largest monasteries in Italy. In fact, I had seen it in the distance from my window on the train when I visited Pavia. Filling the skyline in the countryside, it appeared imposing and mysterious…I had to buy a train ticket to check it out!

Getting to the monastery was quite easy. The subway near my hotel, brought me to Garibaldi station and from there I was able to take a train straight to the Certosa di Pavia station. One there, it was about a 12-15 minute walk, following the path around the high monastery walls to the entrance.

Having discovered that a tour was offered at the opening times in Italian only, I was a bit disappointed that there were no others in English. Someone, however, gave me a bit of advice…take the tour in Italian. Even if you don’t understand any of it, you will get to see parts of the monastery that are not open to those not taking part in the tour.

Time to muster all of my Italian…and I promise, there’s not enough in my repertoire to understand a guide on a tour.

There were many visitors congregating at the entrance and right on schedule, someone was there to open the gates and allow everyone in.

Now, I have been to the Duomo in Milan many times and to this day, I am still awe-struck by its beauty and intricacies. This place definitely gives the Duomo a run for its money! Towering above the grass courtyard, it simply takes your breath away! Every nook and cranny of the structure’s facade is filled with reliefs, statues and inlaid carvings and you want to stand there and take in every minute detail.  

Heading inside, however, I was on a mission to make sure that I did not miss the tour. Mouth gaping at the larger than life-size statues dominating the dimly lit space, I obliged when beckoned by the monk behind the gates at the rear of the church.

Starting at the left side structure, our tour commenced with a request…no photographs. It was interesting however, to realize that the monks who reside in the monastery now are of the order of the Cistercians, those who have taken a vow of silence. How is it that this Cistercian monk was giving us a tour? It was later, that I learned that some of the monks have been released from their vow for the sole purpose of giving guided tours.

Moving throughout the spaces behind the gates, the monk guided us though each of the areas within the church probably informing our tour group of the important details about the church’s inception.

(My Italian lacking severely, I was busy sneaking photos, not even trying to comprehend what was being communicated!)

The monastery, built in 1396-1495, is one of the largest in Italy. Founded by the monastic order of Carthusians, the Certosa is vastly different in style than what the Carthusians were normally known for…simplicity of architecture.

Originally, the church was built to serve as a mausoleum for the Visconti family and was built in the Gothic style with a Latin cross plan, consisting of a nave, two aisles and transept. Indeed inspired by the Duomo of Milan, its crossed vaults on Gothic arches are alternately decorated with geometrical shapes and starry skies.

A fresco, Incoronation of Mary between Francesco and Ludovico Sforza can be seen in the main apse as well as other frescoes with saints and prophets. The Certosa also exhibits other painted masterpieces by Bergognone including the panels of St. Ambrose and San Siro and the Crucifixion. Some important paintings originally in the church have either disappeared or been disassembled and distributed among museums, including the National Gallery of London. Inside the Chapel of St. Michael, frescoes by Carlo Francesco Nuvolone can be inspected and there is an important collection of stained glass windows by 15th century masters, including Zanetto Bugatto, Vincenzo Foppa, Bergognone and Hans Witz. Many notable sculptural works can be found here including the carved wooden choir stalls, the marble altar frontals, a bronze candelabra by Annibale Fontana and a 16th century high altar.

The Chapel of St. Michael
The Chapel of St. Michael
The Chapel of St. Michael

The tomb of Gian Galeazzo Visconti can be found in the southern transept as well as the tomb of Ludovico Sforza, the 7th Duke of Milan and his wife Beatrice d’Este in the northern transept.

The tomb of Ludovico Sforza, the 7th Duke of Milan and his wife Beatrice d’Este
Reproduction of the tomb of Ludovico Sforza, the 7th Duke of Milan and his wife Beatrice d’Este in the Museum of Certosa di Pavia
The tomb of Gian Galeazzo Visconti

Following the monk, we were awestruck by the portal with sculptures by the Mantegazza brothers, leading to the Small Cloister with a small garden in the center and the terracotta decorations on the small pilasters. The Grande Cloister was similarly decorated with the cells of the monks opening to a central garden. It was quite interesting (and moving) to walk through one of the monk’s cells to see just how simply they lived.

The Small Cloister
The Small Cloister
Fountain in the Small Cloister
Fountain in the Small Cloister
The Grande Cloister
The Grande Cloister
The Grande Cloister
The Grande Cloister
The Grande Cloister
The monk’s garden
A monk’s cell

After our tour was complete, I once again walked through the parts of the church that had caught my attention and finally made my way to the Museum. With free admission, the museum is worth taking the time to walk through and displays many of the Certosa’s impressive pieces and informs about the history the area. What I loved the most, however, is the plaster casts of friezes from the church’s facade. Here you can see, up close, what you can’t see with the naked eye due their locations high in the facade.

Finally, I headed into the Monastic Shop where the products made by the monks who reside at the monastery are sold. There is a large selection of herbal teas, alcoholic beverages, soaps, honey, religious icons and rosaries for purchase and you might spy one of those monks catching a nap in the corner, like I did!

Before heading out, I spent some time walking around the grounds in front of the church before heading out to make my way back to the train station.

Happy that I learned about the inexpensive price of Italy’s trains, I inserted my few euros into the ticket machine and purchased my return ticket, headed back to Milan, dinner and some much needed rest.

Most impressed by the Certosa di Pavia, this will most certainly be the first of many adventures outside of Milan!

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Certosa di Pavia

I ❤️ Oil

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Olive oil.

Say it, moving your mouth, but not emitting a sound.

It looks like your are saying, “I Love Oil”.

Well, if it is oil, as in olive oil…I do love it!

I will admit, I never knew a lot about what makes one olive oil better than another. Last year, standing in the olive oil section of a grocery store in Athens, I was stumped. I needed some to bring home, but I had no ideas as to which one was better than the next. Finally, a kindly older gentleman took pity on me and helped me pick out a couple of bottles. Situation solved on that trip.

But, yes, I definitely needed an olive oil education!

So, when my friend texted me and asked if I would be interested in joining her on an olive oil tour while we were both in Rome, of course, I said YES!

Heading out into to cold, wet May afternoon, it didn’t quite seem as though we were nearing the Italian summer months. Still, we had a plan and the wet stuff was not going to hamper our good time!

From the Tiburtina station, we caught a train to Fara Sabina where we would meet our tour guide, Johnny Madge, a Brit who has lived in the area since the early 80’s. A former marble sculptor, he has evolved into a world class olive oil judge after buying a farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove and learning everything he could about the small oval fruit.

Johnny, a good natured gentleman, first took us for a coffee (to help perk us up a bit) and then we headed out onto the small, dirt roads of the Italian countryside. Since the skies were growing darker by the minute, we decided to first head to the tree that bears the title of the Oldest Olive Tree in Europe…there are signs along the way to prove it, though the Olive Tree of Vouves in Crete would probably disagree!

This tree sits in the yard of one of the locals…not in an olive grove as you might expect. It was conveyed that owner will sometimes come out and say hello (anticipating a few coins for his trouble), but on this day, I am guessing that the weather kept him inside.

We ventured through his yard, passing his pet peacocks and his prized pizza oven (doesn’t every Italian have one in their yard?) and to through the small stone wall which protects the area around the gigantic tree, which is said to be about 2,000 years old and still productive. This tree’s girth is so large that it takes about five people to hug it and is hollow in the inside. The massive branches are so heavy and tall that the owner has taken some steps to give it some stability.

Continuing on our journey, we stopped at a nearby olive grove and inspected a mere baby…only 500 years old. Also, hollow, it provided for some fun souvenir photos!

Johnny was a wealth of information and continually pulled over to the side of the road to show us different herbs and flowers that are native to the region. It was amazing to realize how much someone can glean from the land…something us city folks don’t often think about!

Because it was a Sunday, we were unable to visit the places where the olives are sorted and made into olive oil, a little disappointing, but expected. As we pulled into the parking lot of one particular place of business, Johnny explained the pruning and picking process to us and how the olives are pressed into olive oil. He further went on to explain how the determination is made as to whether an olive oil is categorized as extra virgin or not…something I never knew!

Driving onward on the winding roads, we looked up on the ridge of the mountainside at the beautiful town of Toffia, with is church standing proudly at the highest point and a grotto devoted to the Blessed Virgin down below in the valley.

Driving to the entrance gate, we were able to snap a few photos as the rain came down upon us.

Next stop was the small town of Farfa. Bordered by olive groves on either side, this picturesque village with unique boutiques, quaint restaurants and pretty houses is also home to one of the most famous abbeys in Europe, belonging to the Benedictine Order. Entering the abbey, I wasn’t aware of its status at the time, but I knew it was something special…unlike anything I had seen anywhere before. The cathedral was divided into three naves and every surface covered in beautiful friezes, with a stunning lunette representing the Virgin and the Child in the middle. Several chapels line the exterior walls and the interior wall of the facade showcases a large canvas of Last Judgment (1571) by Flemish painter Henrik van der Broek.

Such an important, historic place, several kings (including Charlemagne), emperors and Popes (including most recently Pope John Paul II, 19th May 1993) have visited the Abbey throughout the centuries.

Guided tours are offered on in Italian every day except on Mondays and would be a great way to see all parts of the church, including the crypt entrance and the archaeological museum if you have the time as well as the surrounding grounds.

Wandering around the village we stepped into many of the artisan’s shops inspecting their beautifully hand-made wares…of course, Mother’s Day was coming up and some tea towels to wrap around olive oil bottles was a must!

Finally, with the sun getting lower in the afternoon sky, we headed to the town of Montopoli. It was here at a local pizza restaurant, where we finally sat with Johnny to have an olive oil tasting. Explaining to us how to slurp the oil to the back of our throats, it was there that we were looking for a burn, thus giving us the knowledge that it was indeed, extra virgin. Sampling three different olive oils with our delicious meal was the something new to me…I never thought that I could drink olive oil straight, something very good for us Johnny explained and I never realized how differently olive oil could taste.

With full bellies, we packed up our belongings into Johnny’s van and headed back to the Fara Sabina train station for our ride into the still wet Rome but with a greater knowledge of Italy’s olive oil!

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Johnny Madge

Benedictine Abbey of Farfa

  • http://www.abbaziadifarfa.com/
  • Address: Via del Monastero, 1, 02032 Castelnuovo di Farfa RI, Italy
  • Hours: 1000-1900. Guided tours are performed hourly every day except on Monday from 1000 to 1300 and from 1530 to 1830 (Sat. and Sun. 1500-1900 during Summer)
  • Admission: free

The Castle On A Cold Day

© 2019 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

An impressive structure in the center of Milan, the Sforza Castle, built in the 15th century, is a must see while visiting the Italian city.

I have walked through the grounds many times but never gave a thought to the museum housed inside.

During the winter, it’s sometimes a struggle to find things to do when the weather is not optimum, so on a cold day, I finally decided to head over to check out everything the castle had to offer.

The castle, built by Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan on the remnants of a 14th century fortification, was built as a defensive castle. Throughout its history, it was destroyed, rebuilt and modified and was once one of the largest citadels in Europe. Today, the castle houses the Museums of the Castello and offers glimpses of masterpieces by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Bramante.

Allowing myself just two and a half hours to see what the castle had in store for me, I exited the Cairoli metro station and enjoyed the architectural monument laid out before me. Stopping for a moment to enjoy the modest fountain, which frames the castle’s facade, I then made my way through the Torre del Filarete and into the castle’s courtyard. Making my way around the castle walls, I inspected each of the circular keep-towers and some of the statues and architectural ruins scattered throughout.

Often the site of artisan and farmer’s markets and entertainment, this day was no exception with artist Thiago Gusi giving us music to sight see by.

Finally, entering the museum, I paid my admission and began my exploration. I have to say, the amount of art and sculpture displayed here was mind-blowing and I quickly realized that I really should have allowed more time.

I won’t try to describe each and every piece in the museum, but as I moved through each of the rooms, there was a plethora of outstanding sculptural works, tapestries, frescoed ceilings, tiled floors, suits of armor, stained glass and painted canvases. Stunned by the quality and quantity, I glanced at my watch and moved as expeditiously as I could.

Thinking that my tour was almost complete, I discovered that, yes, there was more!

Moving through the museum, I found a whole other section highlighting furniture and then another, with religious icons. Each and every piece was more spectacular than the last.

As I glanced through the window at the waning daylight, I realized that my two and a half hours had passed much too quickly.

Having walked through and near the castle so many times, why had I never ventured into the castle’s museums before?

With such an affordable admission price, it won’t be the last!

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Sforza Castle

  • https://www.milanocastello.it/
  • Address: Piazza Castello, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
  • Hours: Castle, 0700-1930. Castle Museum, 0900-1730. Closed on Mondays, December 25, January 1 and May 1.
  • Admission: May 16, 2019-January 12, 2020, full ticket 10€ , reduced 8€ , reduced first Sunday of the month 5€ . Ticket includes the entrance to all  the Castle Museums and Leonardo exhibitions. Free entry: every first and third Tuesday of the month from 1400. Guided tour every Saturday at 1500, 8€
  • Getting There: Metro, Cairoli (red line) , Cadorna (red and green line) and Lanza (green line) stations.