history – Page 3 – Snapping The Globe

Plan Goya

Plans A, B, C, D, E and F.

When your time is limited in a city, it is imperative to have multiple plans because you never know…websites have incorrect hours, the lines are too long to get into your intended destinations or you happen to sleep too long.

On this particular day, I had plans to visit the Pantheon of Illustrious Men. It was some distance from my hotel and it closed at 3:00 p.m, so I knew that when I laid down for a quick nap, it had to be just that…quick.

So, what do you think happened?

Yes, I slept a little too long.

On this day, however, I had broken my cardinal rule. There was no Plan B, C, D, E or even F.

As I rushed to get ready, I ran through list of attractions, churches and museums in the area. Temple of Debod came to mind and I thought I would head that way to see what I would find.

It was a beautiful day and I headed on foot in the direction of the Temple of Debod. I didn’t remember that it was a place where you could enter the building; I had only remembered that it was in a park. Yet, when I arrived, there was a line formed waiting for entry.

“Okay, is this worth it?” I asked myself, looking at the empty water basins that make up the monument. I remembered walking by in the past, and it was quite lovely, but waiting an extraordinary amount of time due to Covid spacing requirements for entry, didn’t seem like a productive way to spend my shortened afternoon. Quickly taking a look at my Google maps, I realized that I wasn’t extremely far from the Real Ermita de San Antonio de La Florida (The Royal Chapel of St. Anthony of La Florida).

A few years ago, I had dragged a couple of my coworkers to this small church before taking a ride on the Teleferico en Rosales. I didn’t remember much about it except that it was extremely famous for its interior painting.

Walking through the Parque de la Montaña and near the Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste, I enjoyed the warmth of the winter afternoon. Finally, crossing the brightly bedecked pedestrian walkway above the train tracks, I found myself at the rear of the church.

Though it wasn’t extremely far, it had taken about 45 minutes and it suddenly dawned on me that it could be closed. I also suddenly remembered that there had been no photography allowed when I had first visited…oh brother…this afternoon was surely going to be a bust!

Oh well, I was here.

Walking toward the front of the church, I found a sign directing me to the entrance on the right. There was no one to greet me and I made my way through the hallway and right into the church, where I found two other visitors, eyes trained on the ceiling. Following their lead, I looked upward and remembered what this church was famous for.

Goya.

Okay, so I had moved on to Plan G. Plan Goya.

In the late 17th century, a chapel, devoted to St. Anthony of Padua, had a great many devotees, especially those of women without future matrimonial prospects. To this day, it still hosts of a pilgrimage, held on June 13, that is attended by young adult women who hope to be married.

The chapel was eventually demolished and relocated to the estate of La Florida. King Charles V ordered the construction of the new chapel between 1792 to 1798 and commissioned painter Francisco de Goya to adorn its vaults with a series of frescoes. Goya, aware of the importance of this chapel to its devotees took great care with his creation and these frescoes ultimately became some of the greatest of his masterpieces.

Due to its importance to the city of Madrid and to Spain, in 1905, the chapel was declared a National Monument and Francisco de Goya’s remains were moved here in 1919 from Bordeaux (where he had died in 1828). In order to preserve the original as a museum, an identical chapel was built beside it, in 1928, for worshipers.

As my eyes moved around the room, I was entranced by the muted movement within each series. These frescoes, depicting the miracles of St. Anthony of Padua, were painted over six months time during which Goya developed many new techniques that he went on to incorporate into his art going forward. The most captivating series, however, are within the dome and depict Saint Anthony raising a man from the dead and absolving his father who had been falsely accused of his murder.

Take a moment to sit on one of the benches, prepare for a neck ache and take it all in.

As I did this for a while, my neck spasms then began. Moving around, I then took in the two altarpieces painter by Jacinto Gómez Pastor, on each side of the rectangular Greek cross-plan chapel, as well as a gold cherub chandelier dropping from the dome. At the front of the chapel, I admired the crucifix, within the apse, decorated with angels and fronted by Goya’s tomb.

The chapel is and contains one of Madrid’s most spectacular treasures and it is a place that all visitors should seek out. Best part for me? Photographs are now allowed!

As I always like to suggest to people, “head on over,” to places that I recommend, I think that in this case it takes on an interesting connotation here.

When Goya’s remains were to be brought to Madrid, the French officials realized that his head had gone missing. Madrid’s response?

“Bring him home, even headless!”

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Real Ermita de San Antonio de La Florida

Email: http://www.madrid.es/ermita
Address: Glorieta San Antonio de la Florida, 528008
Hours: Daily, 0930-2000, Closed Monday. Summer hours, from June 15-September 15, 0930-1400, Tuesday to Friday. Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 0930-1900.
Admission: free
Guided tours (conducted in Spanish and English, with prior booking by calling 91 542 07 22, from 9:30 to 20:00.
Getting There: Metro, Príncipe Pío (L6, L10, R). Bus, 41, 46, 75, N20. Local train (Cercanías).

Ted Obsessed!

Last fall, while attending my friend’s annual Halloween party, I was stumped.

While most people’s costumes are easily identifiable, there was one group’s that was not.

All dressed in blue and red sweats, one of the girls had a mustache and a whistle. I assumed she was some sports figure, but I had no idea which and neither did my husband.

A few beers later, I finally had the courage to admit to “mustache girl” that I could not figure out what her costume was all about. Ted Lasso. We still did not know who that was, since we did not have Apple TV and strangely enough, neither of us had never seen any ads for the television series either. It was totally off our radar!

Ted Lasso virgins…yes we were!

A couple of months later, while perusing my subscriptions, I discovered that we had been signed up for an Apple TV trial. I didn’t remember doing this and planned to cancel…until I remembered Ted Lasso. I decided to hold off, because maybe, just maybe, we could watch it…but only after we had finished watching Game of Thrones (yes, we were very late to that game too!).

Once the Nightwalkers had been defeated and Daenerys’ dragon had wreaked havoc upon King’s Landing, my husband and I needed a new series to watch together. Impatiently, we flipped through, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Showtime and HBO, realizing how different our tastes are, until I remembered that we had not canceled that Apple TV subscription.

It was a Saturday afternoon and we were toying with the idea of getting dressed and going out to dinner. With a little time to kill, we decided to see what Ted Lasso was all about. The episodes were pretty short…we could get one in to get the gist of it.

Eight episodes later, with some Chinese takeout for dinner, we were hooked.

While watching Ted walk near his apartment, I wondered (out loud) where the show was filmed. The little square and the pub near Ted’s flat were so picturesque! My husband suggested that since I would be in London that week, I should look it up. With a few clicks on Google, I easily found the location! Richmond…only 9 stops from my hotel!

Needless to say, Sunday afternoon was spent finishing Season One and beginning Season Two. Obsessed was what you could now call us!

Arriving to a beautiful morning in London two days later, I took a quick nap and headed to catch the tube’s District line to Richmond. My Google map on my phone was marked with the location of the pub that Ted frequents, Richmond green and some other interesting locations in the area.

Forty-five minutes later, I was walking out of the Richmond transit station and down the road toward my destination. Turning onto Golden Court, I spied Richmond Green up ahead and on the corner, to my left, the Prince’s Head pub, the location of Ted’s and other character’s favorite hangout, called The Crown and Anchor on the show. Exiting onto the lovely small square, complete with red telephone booths, I couldn’t believe that just a week before, I had no idea that any of this existed!

Spotting the small alleyway to the left of the pub, I realized that this is where Ted’s apartment is located. Because of some prior research, I had learned that although his apartment on the show is number 9 1/2, it is, in actuality, a small shop with a different number! Paved Court is a quaint little pedestrian street, filled with colorful doorways, shops and an ideal place for having a coffee or grabbing some empanadas from Chango’s…perfect for my lunch the next day.

Crossing the street toward Richmond Green, where Ted and Coach Beard watch the local children play soccer, I spotted a sign which informed me that a couple of the buildings, that I had marked on my map, were part of the Richmond Palace, just across the street. The Richmond Palace was a royal residence during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and replaced the former royal residence of Sheen. Only nine miles from the Palace of Westminster, it was built in 1501 by Henry VII of England. Henry VIII lived in the palace, until moving to Hampton Court Palace, as well as his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves (after their divorce). Not much of Richmond Palace remains, however, after walking through the old gate into the Old Palace Yard, I spotted the Old Gate House, The Trumpeter’s Lodge and the Trumpeter’s House. All of the remaining structures are private residences and not open to the public.

*Old Richmond Palace, the Trumpeter’s House and the Trumpeter’s Lodge*

Following signs pointing to the river, I was in search of the area where Ted Lasso characters Keeley and Roy walked for their first date. As I neared the banks of the Thames, I realized how high the water was. The sun was low in the sky, creating an amazing setting, so I decided to stroll along the walkway towards the Richmond War Memorial. The water was over the banks and lapping along the walkway and I noticed a gentleman peering over the adjacent fence.

“You can’t go that way”.

“Hmmm? Me?”

“Yes, it’s blocked.”

I noticed the water had covered part of the walkway up ahead but a few people were walking my way from that direction. I decided to ignore this man, who, no doubt was giving me false information. Pretending to study my phone, I continued forward, until the three gentleman reached me.

“It’s blocked. The water is really high and you won’t make it unless you swim!”

So, he wasn’t lying!

As I turned around, I realized how fast the water was rising! Now covering the walkway entirely, I had a bit of a problem. The guys tried to run through the grass, not understanding how high the water was there as well, so I just popped off my shoes and waded through freezing ankle deep waters. Thank goodness I never fell off the Titanic, because I could barely walk back to Old Palace Lane. That water felt like piercing needles!

Frozen feet needed to be defrosted! Back to the Prince’s Head I went and secured a table in the front near the bar. Ordering a Guinness, I watched as a CNN crew disassembled their equipment in the corner and some of the pub regulars wondered aloud if they were there to promote the show. Though I desperately wanted to ask the bartender a billion questions, I also didn’t want to appear as a tourist, which was probably harder to disguise than I thought.

*The Prince’s Head pub, a.k.a. The Crown and Anchor*

The Guinness was delicious, warmed me to the core and rested my feet enough to head…the long way around…back to the Richmond War Memorial.

Taking Paved Court, I headed to King Street and then back to Petersham Road, taking a turn at the Museum of Richmond and the Old Town Hall. The Richmond War Memorial, located higher up (thank goodness) on the banks of the Thames was unveiled on November 23, 1921 and is dedicated to those local individuals who died fighting in World Wars I and II.

*Richmond Riverfront area near the Richmond War Memorial*

Though I would have loved to have visited one of the many restaurants along the riverfront, prior plans had to take me back in London!

Two weeks have passed since my visit to Richmond. I am watching the final episode of Season 2. My husband probably regrets reminding me that I would be in London after our foray into Ted Lasso Land. I keep pointing out the locations that I saw…the exact table I sat at at the Prince’s Head was where Ted, Keeley, Rebecca and her mother sat during lunch…Ted and Coach Beard walking past Chango’s…those were delectable empanadas!

If you are a Ted Lasso fan…well…you know what to do!

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The Prince’s Head

Address: 28 The Green, Richmond TW9 1LX, United Kingdom
Hours: 1200-2300, Monday through Saturday, 1200-2230, Sunday
Admission: free
Getting There: London Metro, District Line towards Richmond.

The Old Richmond Palace

Address: Richmond TW9 1PA, United Kingdom
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: London Metro, District Line towards Richmond.

Richmond War Memorial

Address: Whittaker Avenue, Richmond, TW9 1EH, United Kingdom
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: London Metro, District Line towards Richmond.

Chango’s Empanadas

Address: 3 Paved Court, Richmond TW9 1LZ, United Kingdom
Hours: 1000-1900, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: London Metro, District Line towards Richmond.

What Goes Up…Must Come Down, Part Two

I love airplanes.

Well, obviously…I am a flight attendant, after all!

My job is performed on airplanes, I travel for pleasure on them, I enjoy seeing them in museum settings and especially love seeing them in action, no matter if they are modern or antique. They are all works of art and feats of engineering. The Wright Brothers imagined that they could take us up high into the atmosphere, show us the world from another viewpoint and bring us back down again safely. They did and continue to do so.

What is even cooler is that my husband loves airplanes too! Could you imagine if he was afraid to fly? No…definitely would never have worked out!

On a trip to Palm Springs, there was only one day that I would have to spend with my husband, since he was actually there for work. Although there were lots of things in the area to enjoy, I wanted to make sure that we participated in something that we could enjoy together. Visit a church? No, I have probably dragged him to enough churches to last him a lifetime! Go to the top of a mountain? Check out some airplanes? Yes to both!

The Palm Springs Air Museum fit the bill. Perfect for me. And. Perfect for him!

The idea for Palm Springs Air Museum was conceived in 1993 from the minds of three men, Charlie Mayer, Pete Madison and Dr. Mort Gubin during a break from an airport commission meeting. Since they knew various people with World War II airplane collections, they wondered why they just couldn’t have a museum to house a collection in Palm Springs.

After years of working with contacts and volunteers, construction was started in February 1996 and the Museum opened to the public on November 11, 1996. Two hangers were initially built to house the collection, a third, opened in 1999 and a fourth opened in May of 2017.

A simple idea during a meeting break has led to a Palm Springs venue which attracts over 100,000 visitors annually. The museum houses over 59 vintage flying and static aircraft, the Berger Foundation Youth Exploration Center, the Berger Foundation Classroom Annex, the General Ken Miles Science Center, an upstairs Library and Education Center with over 9,200 volumes (many primary source materials), a Community Room, Theater and tons of wall exhibits. Over the years, the museum has also hosted temporary exhibits and visiting aircraft such as the only flying B-29, the AVTT Vietnam Wall Memorial, the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum Bob Hope Exhibit, Ansel Adams’ Photos of Manzanar and the Salute to WW2 Flying Tigers in China.

Spotting the museum’s amazing outdoor collection of aircraft while landing at the Palm Springs Airport on my arrival into the city, I made up my mind, then and there, that this was the one of the places that I would bring my husband. With our visit to the top of Mount Jacinto complete during the morning, we headed to Gene Autry Boulevard and parked in the parking lot amidst many aircraft on display in front of the museum. Saving these for later, we paid our admission, we were then greeted warmly by one of the volunteers and given a map of the premises. With so much to see, we decided to start with the first hanger and discover something new and exciting at each turn.

While it would be tedious and, to be honest, a bit boring, to try and describe everything we encountered, I will tell you about a few of the things I enjoyed most.

The short documentary describing the German prisoners which were kept in Texas during World War II.

The countless airplane models housed throughout the museum in glass cases along the walls and in the middle of the hangers.

The many military uniforms on display.

Staring up at the A-5 Release Bomb Rack while standing under the plane.

The automotive collections.

The outdoor collection.

The “named” aircraft.

Seeing the F-117 Nighthawk.

Sitting in the cockpit of US Air Force Roadrunner.

Seeing the “movie-famous” leer jet seen in The In-Laws, Airport 1975 (1974), Any Which Way You Can (1980) and Dragnet (1987) among others.

Playing with the in-flight simulators in the Library and Education Center. This by far was my favorite and in case we ever have an emergency on one of my flights where the flight attendants have to land because something has happened to our pilots…well, let’s just say that I can’t do it! My time on the simulator proved that we would be doomed if left up to me!

Learning about my husband’s extensive aircraft knowledge. The most educational part of our afternoon, however, was learning how much my husband knew about these planes. Spouting off facts and figures about so many of the aircraft on display, I finally had to ask him how he knew all of this. When he was a boy, his favorite things to do was build model airplanes and watch World War II movies and television shows (remember Hogan’s Heroes?)! Well, just when you think you know everything about your spouse!

*Aircraft and monuments in the front of the museum.*

We both spent a wonderful afternoon, sometimes losing each other in the vast hangers, each preoccupied with the things that interested us most. The idea that Charlie Mayer, Pete Madison and Dr. Mort Gubin dreamed of was one that probably evolved more than they ever imagined and I was proud to see many veterans walking through the premises.

A popular museum for not only visitor’s to the area, but it also hosts many functions throughout the year for various conventions and other private events.

That evening, while my husband was talking to a colleague about our outing that day, he discovered that his work function’s cocktail party, the next night, was going to be held…

At the Palm Spring Air Museum!

More fun for him!

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Palm Spring Air Museum

https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/
Address: 745 North Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, California 92262
Hours: 1000 to 1700, daily
Admission: Adults, $20, Seniors, Veterans, Retired Military, Teenagers (ages 13-17), $18, Active Duty & immediate family (significant other + children), free with ID, Children 12 and under with paying adult, Free.

The Wild, Wild West

Saturday afternoons were for westerns.

Bonanza (1959 to 1973), Gunsmoke (1955-1975) and Rawhide (1959-1966), were some of my favorites. They were preceded by countless of other popular movies and series, set during a time where cowboys, Indians, outlaws and sheriffs ruled the land.

When Hollywood began searching for a “living, breathing movie set”, 32,000 acres in the California desert near Palm Springs was deemed the perfect location. Investors, including Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Dick Curtis and Bud Abbott, incorporated the land which became known as Pioneertown.

The town, easily accessible from Los Angeles, served as a filming location, vacation destination and residence for those working in the entertainment industry. The structures built on Mane Street were fully functional and included a grocery store, saloon, restaurant, motel, beauty shop, bowling center and shooting gallery. More than fifty films and serials were filmed in Pioneertown during the 1940s and 1950s, including the popular Gene Autry Show, the Cisco Kid television series (1950-1956), Annie Oakley television series (1954-1957) and The Adventures of Judge Roy Bean (1955-1956) and it wasn’t uncommon for two separate movies to be shooting on opposite sides of the street.

Being such a short distance from Palm Springs, I decided to make the drive to see what Pioneertown was all about in a day and age when westerns are no longer all the rage. Though I anticipated some authentic-looking buildings, much like the few I had encountered while in the small towns of South Dakota, I was really surprised by the number of buildings which comprised the town and its credibility.

As I arrived a bit early in the morning, I discovered that I was one of only three people wandering the dusty main street, Mane Street. Beginning in the Film Museum and Trading Post, I marveled at the collection of memorabilia on display and watched the film which narrated the story of this historic town.

Walking west on the north side of the street, I photographed and inspected each of the buildings and businesses that occupied their spaces…the General Mercantile and its souvenirs, the Pottery and its artwork and the Chapel, which to my dismay, was locked. There were weathered wagons, rusty mine cars and remnants of old machinery littering the street as well as a few artful pieces.

To say that the residents of Pioneertown have a bit of humor is an understatement. Barrel cactuses wearing sunglasses and quirky signage was prominent, but they really fooled me near the Mercantile. My curiosity got the best of me as I saw a barrel, covered with mesh wire and topped with the sign, “Warning! Baby Rattlers”. I half-expected to see small snakes slithering around the bottom, but that seemed like such a hazard…instead, the bottom was lined with baby rattles…yes, the kind baby’s like to shake!!!

As I approached the Bath House and Hotel, I stepped onto the boardwalk, I and passed the Bank and the Livery. Many buildings were inaccessible as they were now private residences. At the end of Mane Street, I stopped to inspect the town’s Ok Corral, the Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Post Office, said to be the most photographed branch in the United States.

*Pioneertown Post Office and Sheriff’s Office*

I made my way back up the south side of the street, I noticed that more visitors were making their way amongst the buildings. Although still eerily quiet, it must have been quite the site during its prime to see horses hitched to their posts and gunslingers ready for duel…of course with cameras recording!

Approaching the Hay and Feed Store (53585 Mane Street), I learned that this was the location of the current sound stage. Today, though not in the capacity as it was started, the town still functions as a production set where movies, independent films, music videos and commercials are filmed quite regularly. Some of the more familiar titles you might recognize are Ice Cube’s I Rep That West Music video (2010), Kenny Roger’s The Gambler (2014), Cyndi Lauper’s Funnel of Love music video (2016) and Ingrid Goes West (2017), which I had actually seen!

Finally, I completed my walk and headed to the Pappy + Harriet’s Grill for a bite to eat. Sadly, I was visiting on a day in which it was closed, but there was still a few more things to see. The Wild West and Stunt Show arena was closed but I was able to peek through the fence to see its primitive hay bale seats and old west architectural set. A little further, I spotted the Pioneertown Motel…the perfect spot to spend to live out my cowgirl fantasy…horseback riding by day, marshmallows by the campfire and a short stumble home from the Red Dog Saloon!

Though the original intent of Pioneertown is much different than what it has evolved into, it is now a destination where regular folk can live out their cowboy fantasies in the Wild, Wild West…whether for the day, the night, or as the residents do…for a lifetime!

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Pioneertown

https://visitpioneertown.com/
Address: 53626 Mane St, Pioneertown, California, USA 92268
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: From downtown Palm Springs. Head north on Indian Canyon Drive past Interstate 10. Turn right onto CA-62 E and continue for 13 miles. Turn right onto Pioneertown Road and drive for 4.4 miles. Pioneertown will be on the right with parking behind Pappy + Harriet’s Grill.

In the Line of Fire

When in Rome…

That is a most popular saying, but truly, when in Rome, there are things you must experience.

The top of my list is gelato! Then there is the Trevi Fountain, The Vatican, countless museums and churches…the list is endless.

At some point on their trip, most visitors find themselves at St. Peter’s Basilica, usually in conjunction to a visit to the Vatican. Church lovers like me, not only find themselves in these famous sanctuaries but also in nearby parish churches.

Despite being just down the block from St. Peter’s Basilica, Santa Maria in Traspontina, a titular church, doesn’t fall too far behind in the beauty or interesting history department and is one sanctuary in the area that should be placed on any visitor’s must-do list.

When it was first constructed, Santa Maria in Traspontina, was located near the Castel San Angelo, traspontina…Italian for beyond the bridge. This church, sadly, was demolished by Pius IV to clear the line of fire for the cannons of the Castel. When plans for a new church were conceived, there was insistence by the papal artillery officers that the dome be low to avoid the previous problem, so instead, the decision was made to erect the church a short distance away, to the west of the Castel.

Construction began in 1566, by architect Sallustio Peruzzi, was continued by Ottavio Mascherino and completed by Francesco Peparelli, who also built the bell tower. Although the exterior is quite congruent to other churches in the area, it is interesting to note that the travertine used to build the façade came from demolition material from the Colosseum.

As I entered the church, I discovered it to be a wide open space, highlighted by a beautifully illustrated ceiling and dome, but devoid of the usual columns that define its spaces. The walls are richly decorated in ochre hues and painted panels depicting religious scenes, while the floors offset its golden decor with black and white patterned tiles.

The Latin cross interior is edged on either side with chapels, the most significant being the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, built in 1581 by the Marquise of the Guard Victory, Tolfa Orsini. The beautiful statue of the Madonna del Carmine, was placed in the church in 1922, blessed by Pope Pius XI and crowned by Bishop Luigi Pelizzi on the eve of the Feast of Mount Carmel in 1928. Other chapels are devoted to Saints Barbara, Canute, Albert of Trapani, Mary Magdalene De’ Pazzi, Andrew Corsini, Angelo of Sicily, Theresa of Jesus, Peter and Paul, Elijah, Our Lady of Carmel, the Pieta and the Holy Cross.

My eye was immediately drawn to the high altar. Erected as a monument to the beautiful image of the Italian-Byzantine Madonna, it was placed under a rich canopy, dating back to the 13th century (today’s canopy is a 19th century reproduction). The altar was created by local craftsmen and consecrated in 1694. What should not be missed, however is the altarpiece, Icon with the Virgin Mary and Child, which dates back to 1216, and brought from the Holy Land by the Carmelites.

While the church is known for its historical relocation and its dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is also more recently known for something else…Pachamama. Pachamama is known through the Amazon region as the pagan goddess of fertility. Worship of Pachamama gave way to the veneration of Mary after the Spanish conquest of South American and the eventual conversion of its people. Pagan statues of Pachamama were used in a ceremony during an assembly of Amazon officials in Rome and were then placed at the church’s altar to promote inclusivity…an act met with resistance by many of its faithful. Soon after, the idols were stolen and thrown into the Tiber River, an act recorded and uploaded to the internet. Pope Francis was highly criticized for his responsibility in placing the idols at the altar of the church, a place reserved for its own Icon with the Virgin Mary and Child. While the statues were recovered shortly thereafter, it is interesting to note that Santa Maria in Traspontina houses the office of Father Vincenzo Taraborelli, a Carmelite priest and one of the busiest exorcists in Rome. For those opposed to the Pachamama demon statues, maybe Santa Maria in Traspontina was the perfect place to house them…

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Santa Maria In Traspontina

https://www.parrocchiatraspontina.it/
Address: Via della Conciliazione 14, Rome, Italy
Hours: 0800-1300, 1600-2000, daily
Admission: free
Mass Times: Sunday and Feast Days, 0800, 0930, 1100, 1215, 1830. Daily, 0730, 0900, 1830. Rosary, daily, 1800.

The Gift

The mission of the day was to see a fountain.

I saw the fountain, but I also found a church.

Imagine that? Another church in Rome!

After a bit of research, I had learned about the history of the Fontana Delle Cariatidi and the controversy that it had stirred due to its explicit statues and its proximity to a nearby church. Deciding that the fountain was the first thing that I wanted to visit during the beautiful, Roman summer afternoon, I accomplished this feat and the church, San Gioacchino in Prati, less than a block away, became my next calling. It soon became a place that I learned a great deal about the generosity of Catholics throughout the world.

The construction of the church of San Gioacchino began in 1891, to address the problem of the expanding population and movement to the outer perimeters of the city. Pope Leo XIII (whose birth name was Gioacchino Pecci), then the head of the Catholic church, had always desired that a church be built in Rome to honor his patron saint. Because of the need and of his long-standing wish, this church became a gift to him for the celebration of his 50th anniversary of priesthood. The church took a long seven years to be completed due to the mismanagement of the project by Abbe Antonio Brugidou and delays due to natural disasters. The pope, however, persevered and realized his dream and his gift.

Finally opening to its parishioners in 1898, San Gioacchino’s interior was not quite in its finished stages, more specifically, the side chapels. Regardless, it was dedicated to St. Joachim, the father of Mary, the Blessed Mother, consecrated on June 6, 1911 and made a titular church in 1960 (assigned to a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal).

What struck me the most, in a city abound with churches, was its interesting façade, designed and built by architect, Raffael Ingami. While churches are usually known for their amazing art collection and painting on their interiors, this one is graced with beautiful paintings on the exterior, atop the portico, and depict the Blessed Mother, its namesake, St. Joachim, other saints and angels. The gold dome is decorated with perforated burgundy stars.

My walk down the main nave kept my eyes trained on the ceiling, observing its high decorated vault, edged by small, circular stained glass windows and below, a darkened balcony and large columns.

The altar and pulpit were highlighted by a small dark blue dome, awash with ambient light from the perforations in the outer stars and from the stained glass. The beautifully crafted maple pulpit, divided into chiseled panels, depicted scenes from the lives of Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Joachim, Saint Anna, Saint Alfonso de Liguori, Pope Gregory the Great, Saint Agostino, Saint Girolamo and Saint Ambrogio. It was quite hard to appreciate the altar’s stark beauty, but I was willing to excuse the lack of illumination to be able to visit on a weekday and have the place all to myself.

The side altars were what I was most enchanted with, however. While most of the church was in a darkened state, many of the chapels were somewhat illuminated. What I learned about each of these elaborately decorated chapels was that while they were not completed initially, a unique plan was set in place to do so.

Abbe Brugidou, returned to Lyon by Pope Leo XIII for his inadequacy in fulfilling obligations to bring the church’s construction to completion, did have an idea that proved to be astute. Catholics from specific countries around the world were invited to contribute to the project in honor of the pope. Each country that actualized the monetary benefaction, were to have its own chapel. Many countries took part in this process and the construction debts were exculpated quickly.

Moving along each side of the church, I admired these chapels dedicated to the countries of Brazil, Portugal, Bavaria, Poland, Canada, England, United States, Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Ireland and Argentina. Each unique and resplendent in the own right, it was quite moving to know that each country cared about a small church in another country, and their pope, to assist it in its realization.

While San Gioacchino may not be the oldest or the most visited church in Rome, it may hold the title of one that achieved a most impossible dream. A true gift.

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San Gioacchino in Prati

http://www.sangioacchino.org
Address: Pompeo Magno, 25, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Hours: 0800-2000 (unverified)
Admission: free
Getting There: Metro, Lepanto (Line A)

Chi-Town Chinatown

My first visit to a Chinatown was in San Francisco as a new flight attendant. Although I had never been to China, in my mind this was pretty close to what I expected it to look like. Hours of my layovers were spent wandering the streets and shops, hoping one day to see the real thing when I would be senior enough to hold those trips.

Over the years, I have traveled the world and there have been multiple visits to Chinatowns throughout…New York, Washington, D.C., Milan, London, Havana, Manchester, Amsterdam…each unique in their own right, but all brimming with restaurants offering mouthwatering delicacies, shops selling everything from antiquities to dime-store trinkets and streets filled with Chinese architecture, signs and lanterns. I still love spending time in these neighborhoods and continue to seek them out whenever possible.

A friend’s retirement party brought me to Chicago one weekend this past spring. Though I had been through O’Hare airport many years ago, I had never been to the downtown area. Eager to see its highlights, I set out early. I had discovered that Chicago had a unique Chinatown and I headed in that direction with a stop at the Shedd Aquarium along the way. It was a cold and drizzly day and I huddled against the brisk wind blowing in from the lake, making my way through Grant Park, only to find an extensive line at the aquarium and a sign stating that reservations were required and no longer available.

Despite this disappointment, I pushed on and continued my walk along the harbor, passing Soldier Field and inspecting the bronze statues of Hall of Famers Walter Payton and team founder/former coach George Halas at the south entrance. It would have been interesting to take a tour of the Chicago Bears’ home field or take in a game, if it had been football season, but I really wanted to experience Chi-Town’s Chinatown.

*Statues of Chicago Bear’s Hall of Famers Walter Payton and George Halas*

First encountering the crimson-hued entrance to Ping Tom Memorial Park with its beautiful Chinese-style pavilion, I then spied the Chinatown gateway at the intersection of S. Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road. The colorful gate, a prominent display at most Chinatowns entrances, was constructed in 1975 and meant to act as a symbol of unity for the Chinese. As I walked beneath this massive structure, designed by Peter Fung, I was struck by the simplicity of its design and rich-toned hues that reflected its origins.

*Chinese-Style Pavilion in Ping Tom Park*

Chicago’s Chinatown was first established in 1869 when immigrants began to arrive from San Francisco with the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. With no work to be found after the railroad’s opportunities were exhausted, the Chinese fled to other areas within the United States which were more accessible than the discriminative west coast. By the late 1800s, a large portion of the city’s Chinese residents had settled in the area which is now Chinatown and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, more arrived in droves.

Butcher shops, restaurants, gambling houses, Christian mission houses, Chinese laundries and grocery stores were prevalent in the area and Chicagoans, welcomed the new arrivals and patronized their businesses. In fact, frequenting the chop suey restaurants became extremely popular and more restaurants continued to open.

As expected, I found Wentworth Avenue to be replete with authentic Chinese restaurants, shops, buildings topped with pagodas, lion statues, mosaics and intriguing architecture. Although it is one of Chicago’s smallest neighborhoods, it was filled with huge sights and sounds!

Because I was obligated to meet my party for a meal later, taking the opportunity to enjoy a fare of dim-sum or noodles wasn’t in the cards for me, however, I stopped in to The Seven Treasures Cantonese Restaurant for a fresh coconut drink. Even though it was cold out, it was refreshing and reminded me of the drinks I once purchased from street vendors in Cambodia!

Before heading back to the metro, I wanted to see two of Chicago’s Chinatown’s important works of art. In Chinatown Square, I examined the two-story shopping center decorated with twelve sculptures of the Chinese zodiac and the mural “Chinese in America” which describes the history of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. and the Chinese cultural beliefs. 100,000 individually cut pieces of hand-painted glass from China were used to create this spectacular mural. Across the road and on my way to the metro station, I encountered the prominent Nine Dragon Wall. Modeled after the wall in Beihai Park in Beijing, it is made up of glazed tile from China and replicates the large dragons and over 500 smaller dragons painted in red, gold and blue signifying the Chinese focus on good fortune. It is only one of three such replicas outside of China.

Finally, time to head back to my hotel, I reluctantly boarded the train at the Cermak-Chinatown metro station. My time in Chi-Town’s Chinatown, was brief, yet an enlightening and entertaining experience. Much like my experiences in San Francisco many times over the years, I reveled in the art, architecture and cuisine. But as much as I enjoyed Chi-Town’s Chinatown and many others, I still found myself wishing that it could have been the real thing.

One day.

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Chinatown

https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/illinois/articles/top-10-things-to-do-and-see-in-chicagos-chinatown/

Chinatown Square

https://www.chicagochinatown.org/
Address: 2133 S. China Place, Chicago, Illinois 60616-1536

Nine Dragon Wall

Address: 158 W. Cermak Road, Chicago, Illinois 60616
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

The Cathedral of the Musical City

Sometimes I feel like I don’t find churches, they find me!

I wasn’t looking to visit a church while in downtown Austin…I just happened to stumble upon one of the most historic ones in the state.

Built in the late 1800s, St. Mary’s Cathedral began as a small stone church named St. Patrick’s. As the parish continued to grow, the decision was made to build a new church. With both an Irish and German congregation, it was determined that a patron saint that reflected both heritages was needed, and St. Mary was chosen. In 1872, when Austin was made the state capital of Texas, the first cornerstone was laid, and the church completed two years later. St. Mary’s was deemed a cathedral in 1948.

The Gothic exterior seemed out of place amongst Austin’s towering skyscrapers, yet it was mesmerizing with its Gothic revival towers and spires which were added in 1907. Inside the tower, the cathedral’s bell is one of the largest in the state of Texas.

As I entered the cathedral, I was quite surprised to find a stunning interior, highlighted by spindled beams and a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Towering stained glassed windows lined each side of the church and tree-like columns were topped with foliage carved capitals. As I made my way toward the altar, I gazed upward at the bright blue dome painted with stars and flanked by two altars dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph and as I turned to face the rear of the church, I was mesmerized by the spectacular large rose window in the front façade.

In a city of known for its music, St. Mary’s is the site of a Christmas concert that highlights its Irish heritage. Traditional Irish and Scottish music is performed by acclaimed artists and the concert is a sellout each year.

So, when you visit Austin, not only can you experience music throughout the city, you can hear it at St. Mary’s and experience its history and architecture at the same time.

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

St. Mary’s Cathedral

https://smcaustin.org/
Address: 203 E 10th St203 E 10th St, Austin, Texas 78701
Hours: daily, 0800-1800. Daily mass schedule, Monday-Friday, 0630, Monday-Saturday, 1205. Weekend masses, Saturday, 1730 and Sunday, 0730 (Latin), 0930 (Live streamed), 1200, 1345 (Spanish, live streamed), 1530 (Latin, live streamed), 1730.
Admission: free

The Koreshans

Driving down Estero Parkway toward Naples, I came across a sign directing visitors to the Koreshan Historic Site. With no idea about what this place was, on a whim, I turned my car and decided to check it out.

What I found, blew my mind!

Anticipating a monument of some sorts, I instead found something within Koreshan State Park, very unexpected, very historical and just downright interesting.

In 1894, Dr. Cyrus R. Teed, founded the Koreshan Unity Settlement in Estero, a utopian community comprised of approximately two-hundred followers. Taking the name “Koresh”, Hebrew for Cyrus, meaning shepherd, he led his people to the area hoping to find a location which was accepting of their religious, scientific and cultural beliefs, the main one being that the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere…the Earth.

At this location, the followers built a community consisting of a farm, nursery, botanical gardens, a printing facility, boat works, cement works, sawmill, bakery, store and a hostelry. Living a life based on communal living, they also lived celibate lives.

Only fourteen years after the establishment of the commune, Dr. Teed passed away at the age of 69, leaving some of the members to give up on the movement. After years of decline, there were only four remaining members in 1961, who then decided to deed the 305 acres of their land to the State of Florida as a park and memorial.

Something seemed familiar to me. The name Koresh. In 1993, a man by the name of David Koresh was the leader of a cult, the Branch Davidians, in Waco, Texas, which met a devastating ending when their compound was stormed by the FBI. As I made my way through the site, I wondered if this former settlement was related. While visiting one of the buildings, I discovered that others were wondering the same thing as the question was posed to a park ranger. What we learned was that although both were communes with unique beliefs, the only similarity was the name Koresh, one that was adopted by its leader for its meaning…shepherd.

The grounds of the Koreshan Historic Site were quite large and as I made my way along its pathways, I encountered eleven buildings, each depicting the life of the community members and other points of interest.

The Art Hall served as the cultural, religious and educational center of the community. The members produced plays and musicals and founded the Pioneer University here, which instructed students on construction, baking, beekeeping and music.

The Planetary Court was built in 1904 and served as the residence of the governing body of the Koreshan Unity, the Planetary Council. The group, composed of seven women, each handling different aspects of day-to-day living in the settlement, lived in their own room and in relative luxury.

The Founders House, built in 1896, is the oldest structure on the site and was the home of Dr. Cyrus Teed. It was restored in 1992.

The New Store was built in 1920 to replace the Old Store located nearby. This store not only served the Koreshan community but other residents in the area and served as a general store, restaurant, post office and dormitory.

The Old Store was located on the banks of the Estero River and was in use until construction of the New Store and burned down in 1938.

Damkohler Cottage was built by Gustave Damkohler in 1882 with one room and was the first building to be constructed. This was the location where Dr. Teed stayed during his first visit to the site.

Bamboo Landing was constructed to receive visitors and freight that arrived from the river. The pier was also used as a stage for theatrical and orchestral performances.

The Victorian and Sunken Gardens were installed to showcase native and exotic plants that were imported by the Koreshans.

Hedwig Michel Gravesite is the final resting place of the last Koreshan to live at the settlement. Mrs. Michel arrived shortly after the death of Cyrus Teed and was responsible for a brief revival of the commune in the 1940s.

The Dining Hall. Although all that is left of the three-story building that served as a dining hall and girls’ dormitory, is the dining bell and three of the four foundation corner stones.

The Koreshan Bakery was built in 1903 and produced 500-600 loaves of bread per day. The bread was used by the commune and sold to the public in the general store.

Lillian “Vesta” Newcomb Cottage was the residence of long-time member, Lillian Newcomb and built in 1920. Originally serving as home and office of Koreshan barber, Lou Stratton, the building was moved to its current location in the1930s.

Conrad Schlender Cottage was built in 1903 and moved to the settlement in the 1930s serving as a dormitory for the male members. It eventually became the home of Conrad Schlender one of the last remaining members of the settlement.

The Small Machine Shop was built in 1905 and used to produce small detailed products.

The Koreshan Laundry handled the washing, drying and ironing of all laundry for the settlement. Built in 1903, the laundry was eventually demolished.

The Large Machine Shop was a production shop for a variety of products and materials needed by the settlement. Built in 1904, it was powered by a steam engine which also powered the adjacent laundry.

The Generator Building housed the electrical alternator, generator and power source for the community. It also provided power for the nearby communities until 1916 when Florida Power and Light assumed the task.

Of course, because of Covid restrictions, the buildings were not open, and tours were temporarily suspended. We were, however, able to peer into the windows of each and get a glimpse of what life was like for the commune members.

While most visitors to Fort Myers lean toward more popular attractions such as the Edison Ford Winter Estates and the miles of white sand beaches, this is one that shouldn’t be missed. An important part of southwest Florida’s history, it is an attraction that was truly enlightening and worth the spontaneous side trip!

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Koreshan Historic Site

https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/media/file/kor-brochure%20%28002%29_0.pdf
Address: 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero Florida 33928
Hours: 0800-1700, daily
Admission: $5.00 per vehicle (two to eight people), $4.00, single-occupant vehicle, $2.00 pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.

The Slave Island

Over the course of more than a decade, I have spent considerable time in Dakar, Senegal. A vibrant city with much history and friendly people, there is no shortage of places to visit and things to do.

One of the most sought-after destinations for most visitors is Goree Island and that was the first place on my agenda when I arrived more than 11 years ago.

A short walk from our hotel was the ferry port and a twenty-five minute choppy boat ride had us approaching a colorful island nestled in the Atlantic waters off of the coast of Senegal. It was quite the adventure! Over the years, I made many trips to Ile de Goree, but some time had passed since my last. Walks around the island always revealed the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French influences. I always found photographic opportunities at every turn and I had been toying with the idea of a return.

As I overheard two of my co-workers, on their first trip to Senegal, questioning whether or not to venture out to the island on their own, I decided that maybe it was time to reacquaint myself with the beautiful island and I offered to take them there.

Noting the ferry schedule, we decided to leave our hotel (now much farther from the city center) about an hour prior to our selected ferry. Little did I realize how much more congested the city’s streets and roadways had become. Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, we inched forward along the coast, ultimately realizing that we would not make it in time. Our two taxis finally arrived at the port only to discover that COVID and security restrictions had personnel limiting those who could enter and demanding identification. While I had my driver’s license with me, I discovered that two others had not brought any identification…at all. This certainly put a kink in our plans!

A gentleman, who had been hovering nearby, suddenly stepped in and introduced himself as a tour guide. He went on the explain that those wishing to visit Goree with a tour guide leading the way, could enter without identification.

Smelling a rat, I questioned him further, wanting to know the cost of his services.

“You pay me at the end of the tour what you think I am worth.”

Although he had the official tour guide badge, I have been in this situation before and it never ends well. But what other option did we have at this point? Jump into two more taxis and go back the way we had come, enduring more than another hour’s worth of traffic?

Reluctantly, I made an agreement with him. We paid him the cost of the ferry tickets and the cost of the admittance to the island along with the tour guide tax (paid to the island) and took a few seats in the nearby restaurant to wait out the time until the next ferry departure.

At two-thirty on the dot, our boat pulled away from the dock and we enjoyed the salty breeze on our journey, punctuated with pleasant conversations with some of the local women. Though these conversations seemed innocent enough, it wasn’t until we arrived that I remembered their purpose.

“Enjoy your visit. My name is Fatou. I have a stand in the market. Come see me and buy something.”

Making our way with our guide along the dock and to the crescent beach area, we waited patiently for him to settle the necessities for our tour.

Finally, we were on our way.

Everything was still quite familiar to me with a few remodeled buildings and a new market area. We listened as our guide gave us a detailed history of the island, including its role in the slave trade from the 15th to the 19th centuries, and we followed him in the direction of the House of Slaves.

The House of Slaves, is the most famous landmark on the island, built by the Afro-French Métis family from 1780-1784, and is one of the oldest structures on the island. This is the location where more than 33,000 slaves, torn from their families, were held and then shipped to the western world to work, wage free, never to return.

We made our way through each of the small rooms of the house, taking in our guide’s haunting stories, aware of the atrocities that took place where we now stood. But, until you stand at the Door of No Return at the rear of the structure, you don’t realize what each of these people must have encountered until gazing out at the water beyond the portal. That ocean was their uncertainty. Their new future. One that they could not have envisioned.

Leaving the House of Slaves, we wandered the streets, with our guide, making our way to a small shop where the art of sand painting was demonstrated. Years ago, I remembered seeing this on the hilltop area of the island, however, this store was a little nicer and allowed the artist to exhibit multiple paintings, all for sale.

After a couple of purchases, we once again entered the streets, heading to the Catholic Church of St. Charles Eglise. With my distinct fascination of religious structures, I found it odd that I had never been here before or even knew of its existence.

Remember Fatou? Well, you don’t think she or the other women were going to let us forget our promises to visit their shops. These women began to follow us, asking us to make purchases from them. Although I have more than enough African art, fabric and crafts, it is hard to continually say no when they begin to follow you, interrupting your tour.

And if that wasn’t enough, after our guide led us to the area near the fort (now a museum), relieving himself on a wall as we looked on, he then demanded his payment.

All five of us put up 10,000 CFA each, a total of almost $50.00. Unbelievably, he was not happy about that amount and demanded more, which we refused to hand over. And this was in addition to what we paid for admission to the island, the museum and for the guide tax, which he had assured me a portion would be given to him! A frustrating situation, all due to two people not having identification.

After his hasty departure (in order to make the next ferry), we made our way through the back alleys, eventually losing a couple of our group to the demanding ladies in the market. Gathering our group once again, we made our way to the highest point on the island with its winding walkway lined with giant paintings. This has always been one of my favorite parts of my visits as it is like an art gallery in nature.

On the island’s highest peak, La Castel, we found ourselves in the presence of two large cannons, remnants of the French occupation during World War II. The Vichy cannons were the largest ever made of this type and their turrets now function as homes with artwork and handicrafts for sale near their entrances and clotheslines strung with the occupants’ freshly laundered clothing swaying in the wind. Also topping this pinnacle is the WWII Commemorative Monument which is in the shape of a white sail.

Spending a few minutes in this area, we looked out on the waters that surrounded the island, remembering that the grand cliffs leading down to the ocean were the ones that Gregory Peck scaled to attack Nazi troops in the 1961 movie “The Guns of Navarone”.

Noticing the late hour, we headed down the steep walkway toward the bay and ferry dock for the next boat to Dakar, carefully evading Fatou and the others. Although we would have loved to purchase more to help their businesses, time and funds were running short.

Making our way to the front of the ferry, I suddenly realized how tired I was. It’s a lot to take on the responsibility of a group and to ensure that all goes well and that we everyone achieves what they want from their visit!

So, to wrap up this adventure, if someone asks me for recommendations on visiting Goree Island, I would give them three important pieces of advice.

Hire a reputable guide.

Make sure everyone carries identification.
Pack your patience.

Well…that and a camera!

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Dakar-Ile de Goree Ferry

Ferry Schedule: Sunday, 1200-2300, Monday-Thursday, 0645-2300, Friday, 1200-2300, Saturday, 1315-2300. Ferries run every one or two hours.
Fares: Special ferry boat, 1,750,000, Resident, 2,700 CFA, Non-resident, 5,200 CFA