architecture – Page 4 – Snapping The Globe

Keep On Keeping On (To Kotor), Day Two in Croatia

Now we were gun shy. Or maybe you could say…car shy after our misfortunes driving in Dubrovnik. Who gets stuck on a bike path with a rental car?

Us…

Neither one of us wanted to touch that rental car with a ten-foot pole, much less drive it…and to another country at that. But, we had made a plan and we were determined to stick to it. Getting to the Airbnb, upon our arrival in Croatia, had proven to be a disaster. We had almost wrecked the rental car, gotten it stuck in a precarious position and now we were going to drive to Montenegro. Hmmm…okay. What else could go wrong?

Lots of things!

“Okay. I’ll open the gate. You step on the gas and shoot up that hill until you reach the top. I’ll meet you there,” I told my husband. This was the plan before the plan.

Huffing and puffing, I met my husband in the small parking lot at the top of the hill. He looked a bit nervous, as was I, but I pulled up my big girl panties and opened up Google maps and gave him the first instructions to Kotor, Montenegro.

Confident in the first twenty minutes of the drive, as it led us back to the airport, we had only about an hour and twenty to go from there. First, however, we had to cross the border into Montenegro. Since we had been informed by our car rental agency that a Green Pass (50 euro extra) was required to cross into other countries, we had that as well as our passports ready for inspection.

The border behind us, it was all smooth sailing until we reached the town Strp. We slowed down as we noticed a line of cars stopped on the highway. Waiting patiently and moving slowly forward, we suddenly realized that we were only moving as the police were directing people to turn around. The road was closed! Not sure what was happening or if it was going to be resolved at any time, we turned and headed back the way we had come. Stopping at a small restaurant, we decided that we would eat lunch and regroup. Alas, this would not go as planned either.

The restaurant was not serving food, so we just ordered sodas. When we decided to pay, we realized that we had missed something very critical…Montenegro uses the euro, which we did not have, and this restaurant would not take credit cards. Deep breath. With instructions from the waitress, I walked along the water to the nearest ATM, about ten minutes away, leaving my husband as collateral!

What we discovered on this little detour, however, was that I had noticed cars waiting to board a ferry in Kamenari. While we were having our drinks, I did a little internet searching and found out that we could take this car ferry across the Bay of Kotor and drive to the Old Town from the other side, so all was not lost!

Deciding to give it one more try, we headed to the ferry and got in line with the other cars. I jumped out and purchased tickets and then we were on the ferry making our way to Kotor after all!

*Waterfront near Kamenari and ferry across Bay of Kotor.*

While it took a little longer than we expected, we made it to Kotor and found a parking spot in one of lots that wasn’t very far from the Sea Gate of the Old Town.

What can I say about Kotor?

As we made our way inside through the Square of the Arms and past the Clock Tower, we secured a table for a quick lunch and noticed how immaculate and beautiful it was. There was piped in music. Not a speck of trash or a trash can in sight. What I felt like was that I was really in a new country at Epcot…it did not seem real! However, Kotor is not a new country…in fact, it was built between the 12th and 14th century and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval fortified towns in the Mediterranean.

Since we were so delayed, we realized that we had to make quick work of discovering what lay within this ancient walls.

While enjoying our lunch, we reveled in the sound of the bells at the nearby Saint Tryphon Cathedral, one of two cathedrals within the town. Beginning our exploration at this beautiful place of worship was a given as it lay only a few hundred feet from where we dined.

The Cathedral, dedicated to its protector of Kotor, Saint Tryphon, was consecrated on June 19, 1166. The Romanesque church has been restored from damages from past earthquakes, the most recent being 1979 Montenegro earthquake. The church contains numerous artifacts, including a valuable treasury containing a silver hand a cross decorated with ornaments and figures in relief. The main altar offers a depiction of Saint Tryphon, as well as a relief of saints in gold and silver. The relics of Saint Tryphon are kept in the cathedral and it is well known that while they were destined to be housed in Dubrovnik, however, while enroute from Constantinople, they did not get any further than Kotor.

After paying our entry into the cathedral (thank goodness we had those euros!), we made our way through the cathedral, both downstairs and upstairs, examining all that made it special, finally ending up on the balcony overlooking the phenomenal view of the Square of Tripuna.

*View from upper window in* *Saint Tryphon Cathedral*

*Upper balcony of* *Saint Tryphon Cathedral*

*Upper balcony and towers of* *Saint Tryphon Cathedral*

*Upper floor of Saint Tryphon Cathedral*

Winding our way through the narrow lanes and alleyways, where only foot traffic is allowed, we next found our way to the Orthodox Church of Saint Luke, situated on the Piazza Greca. With traits of both Roman and Byzantine architecture, the church was once used as a Catholic school but was then given to the Orthodox denomination to demonstrate the harmonious co-existence of the Catholic and Orthodox people. Because of this significance, the church has two altars, one Catholic and one Orthodox.

Nearby, was the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, located on St. Luke’s Square with its spectacular patterned tile. Built in the early twentieth century, in the Pseudo-Byzantine style on the foundations of an older building destroyed by fire in the nineteenth century, it consists of one-nave with a large cupola that towers over the nearby rooftops.

As we approached, we admired the two bell towers and the black domes topped by golden crosses, gifts from Russia and a beautiful mosaic situated above the entryway. Inside, the diagonal patterned floor led our eyes to the altar, framed with a wall of icons and religious paintings, the most important by Czech painter Frantisek Ziegler (1908).

Continuing our explorations, we visited the small Church of St. Michael’s. Tired of churches at this point, my husband opted to hang out in the square near the huge three-hundred year old poplar tree that occupies it, while I went in to get my church fix. While I had read that the ancient church, built between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, had been repurposed as a lapidary, I found the opposite. Standing in the spot where previously stood a 9th century pre-Romanesque church, the interior displays many frescoes, dating back to the 9th and 11th centuries and best preserved in the apse. Artifacts exhibited in the church include ancient tombstones, capitals and coats of arms of Kotor providors. The most impressive sculpture is one from the 1st century AD, made of white marble and depicts the Roman emperor Domitian. It is one of only three surviving sculptures, depicting the emperor, in the world…there is a bust in the Louvre and a statue in the Vatican museum.

Realizing that I needed to find something more to my husband’s liking, we headed toward the Kampana Tower and the outer walls of the city. As we walked along the ramparts, we had outstanding views of the blue-green waters of the Škurda River at its base. The walls were built between the 9th and 19th century, although the rampart ring was closed in the 13th and 14th century. The walls stretch for over four kilometers, range from two to fifteen meters in thickness and reach a height of up to twenty meters.

*Kampana Tower and views along the outer walls of the city.*

We had views of a crumbling church tower and wall as well as the rear view of St. Nicholas’ black dome and towers. We also had a stunning perspective of Mount Lovćen. On this mountain, we could see the tiny figures of hikers making their way up the fortress trail. With about fifteen-hundred steps and over an hour to complete, we didn’t have the time or the proper shoes to make this climb. Apparently though, the views of Old Town, the Bay of Kotor and a visit to Our Lady of the Remedy, the fortress of San Giovanni and the Kastel Sv. Ivan are worth the hike.

As we made our way down off of the wall, we passed the Church of St. Mary Collegiate, walked through Milk Square and took a path around the back of Old Town. Ducking quickly into the tiny Montenegrin Orthodox Church for a quick look-see, we then found our way to the Gurdić Bastion (parts of which date from the 13th century) on the south end of town. The drawbridge stretches out over the Gurdić Spring.

Walking along the roadway, we headed back toward the Sea Gate. Entering the Old Town once again, we opted for a little shopping and some gelato before it was time to make our way back to Dubrovnik. As we were in the front of the Old Town, we learned that a bike race was finishing up. Could this be why the road was closed earlier? Not wanting to risk finding the road closed again, however, we decided to go back the way we had come…by ferry.

Aside from a little longer wait at the border, we made it back to Dubrovnik without incident, even making it down the hill into our Airbnb parking expeditiously! While I was happy to have had the time we did in Kotor, I wish that we had had more, even having had the time to spend the night.

Oh well, we will have to make another trip to Montenegro!

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

Old Town, Kotor, Montenegro

http://Stari grad, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
Address: Stari grad, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
Hours: 24 hours daily
Admission: free

Cathedral of Saint Tryphon

Address: Trg Sv. Tripuna 336, Kotor, Kotor Municipality 85330 Montenegro
Hours: 0900-1800, daily
Admission: 3 euros per person

Church of St. Luke

Address: Trg Sv. Luke, Kotor, 85330, Montenegro
Hours: 0800-2000, daily
Admission: free

Church of St. Nicholas

Address: Trg Sv. Nikole Stari grad bb, Municipality Kotor 85330, Montenegro
Hours: 0800-2100, daily
Admission: free

Saint Michael’s Church

Address: Square of Our Lady of the Angels, 85339 Starigrad Kotor, Montenegro
Hours: unknown
Admission: 2 euro

Montenegrin Orthodox Church

Address: unknown
Hours: unknown
Admission: free

Airbnb-Mery Room 1

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/42226101?source_impression_id=p3_1651936434_2otNyd3LEIY%2BmrVg

Croatia, Here We Come!

Croatia has been on my bucket list for years.

But not because I was a Game of Thrones fan…(that would come later!)

Having seen friends’ pictures and read many travel articles, it appeared to be beautiful, intriguing and full of history and it was exciting to hear that my airline was planning to fly that route starting in the summer.

Booking our flight for the end of September, I had three and a half months to plan, but fear suddenly gripped me! With ten days at our disposal, I wasn’t sure how to tackle the trip. We were going to fly into Dubrovnik, but what other cities could we fit into our itinerary? I stared at the map of Croatia, but really had no clue how far each city was from the other and how easy it was to get to and from.

After endlessly putting off the task of booking my hotels, I realized that in order to find a place fitting of our needs, I needed to figure it all out…and quick! Thankfully, my friend Kris had just returned and had posted about his trip on Facebook. Giving him a call, I quizzed him on his itinerary and rattled off a list of questions, trying to get the gist of what would work for my husband and I.

As we talked, I scribbled down some quick notes and I formulated a plan. But would it work?

Kris thought so.

The plan was as follows:

Day 1: Depart New York’s JFK International Airport
Day 2: Arrive Dubrovnik
Day 3: Drive to Kotor, Montenegro, explore and return to Dubrovnik
Day 4: Drive to Split, Croatia with a detour to Mostar, Bosnia
Day 5: Split, Croatia
Day 6: Depart Split, via ferry, for Hvar, Croatia
Day 7: Hvar, Croatia
Day 8: Depart Hvar, via ferry, for Dubrovnik
Day 9: Dubrovnik
Day 10: Depart Dubrovnik

With an itinerary in place, it was time to hit Airbnb and figure out where to stay. After a long day of perusing the site and countless emails and calls to my husband, that all finally fell into place, one city at a time. Why Airbnb? There are some really nice hotels in each city, however, I learned that some of the nicest places were on the Airbnb sites, especially within the walled city of Dubrovnik and Diocletian’s Palace in Split, where larger hotels are not located due to each’s confines. While it would have been nice to stay in Lapad (near Dubrovnik) and have views of the sea and a swimming pool, would we really have time to enjoy a refreshing swim? With so much to see and do, I seriously doubted it! Plus, every time we wanted to head to town, we would have had to catch the bus or call Uber.

Next came transportation. Cars? Buses? Ferries? Yes, No and Yes. I decided that we would rent a car upon arrival and drive to Split where we would drop it off at the airport. Using Uber to get to our Airbnb in Split, we would be on foot and then utilize the ferry to Hvar and then back to Dubrovnik.

Ok…were we ready?

I hoped so!

The only thing left was to figure out what attractions we wanted most to see in each city and then…

Wait until September!

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

Marquis Landmarks

Walking along the Manzanares River in Madrid, especially on a beautiful day, is a real treat as many landmarks and parks sit on or near its banks.

As I left the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, I decided to make my way to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour which lies a short distance away, in the shadow of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Walking along the Paseo de la Florida, I neared the metro station of Principe Pio and spotted a large structure in the middle of the traffic circle.

The San Vincente Gate.

Curiosity had me whipping out my phone to see what information I could find on this interesting piece of architecture. What I found, however, was more interesting than I anticipated.

While Madrid is filled with many historic architectural features, this was not one of them!

In 1726, a structure, commissioned by the Marques de Vadillo, stood in this area. Consisting of three giant arcs topped with a figure of San Vicente, the gate was also known as Puerta de Florida. Standing for about fifty years, it was then demolished to make way for much needed roadways. In 1775, King Carlos III, contracted Francesco Sabatini to design a new gate, closer to the river. Built of granite and limestone, it featured two shutters and an arc, Doric columns and military symbols. Unlike the first one, it stood for over two hundred years…but much like the first, it too was disassembled in the 1980s for traffic renovations.

In 1992, a proposal was passed by the City Council of Madrid approving an exact replica of the original 1775 gate. Original molds were used to construct the single arch and two blind apertures, decorated with two Doric columns and two pilasters in its interior.

Risking life and limb to make my way through the traffic zooming around the traffic circle, I crossed the roadway to get a closer look. What I thought was part of the gate, I quickly realized was remaining Christmas lighting, set within the openings of the the arches. The sun was low in the sky, highlighting the structure and I noted that if I stuck around for a couple of hours, I might get to see these holiday lights enhancing the structure.

If I wanted to get to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour, however, I needed to make haste, so off I went, walking along the Paseo de la Virgin del Puerto. Many people were out due to the unseasonable warmth and I grew excited as I spotted the spires of the chapel in the distance.

Noting its unique appearance, I thought that it reminded me of a German palace. I approached from the rear, appreciated the sun’s rays highlighting the beautiful towers and roofline.

This chapel was built between 1716 and 1718 by Pedro de Ribera and is one of the first examples of baroque architecture in Spain. It was damaged by missiles in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, which left only the walls and the octagonal dome. In 1945, it was proclaimed a national monument and reconstruction was begun by architect Carlos Mendoza. The church was reopened in 1951.

On this day, however, it was not open. I had read that it was often closed to the public and the best time to obtain access was immediately after masses of which I had hoped there would be one during the afternoon. I had hoped that it might arrive just at that time, however, it was locked up tight and I realized that the only afternoon masses were on Saturdays. Sad, considering that in the interior, you can see the tomb of Marquis Vadillo…yes, that same Marquis responsible for the San Vicente Gate, which I had just visited. What a coincidence!

While my visit to the chapel was a bit of a bust, I did get to get up close and personal to the Gate of San Vicente and learn that the chapel houses the remains of the person responsible for this gate. So, although I didn’t quite get to do what I had set out to, I learned a little bit about something unique in Madrid.

And that’s what visiting a city is all about…discovery!

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

Gate of San Vicente

https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/puerta-de-san-vicente
Address: Glorietade San Vicente, s/n28008
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Metro, Príncipe Pío station (L6, L10, R). Bus, 3, 25, 33, 39, 41, 46, 62, 75, 138, 148, C1, C2, N16, N18, N19, N20, SE730.

Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour

https://www.ermitavirgendelpuerto.es/
Address: Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto 428013 Madrid, Spain
Hours: Unknown
Admission: free

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!”

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

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).

Camels and the Capital

After an eventful day visiting the Saloum Delta in Senegal, we were still yearning to explore more than we had ever experienced in this beautiful African country.

Our friend and tour guide Mass gave us another option…one he had described to me in the past. A place that he said he wanted to take me to show me the contrasting beauty that existed in the northwest coast of the country.

It would be a long day…longer than the day spent visiting the Saloum Delta, but we were ready to tackle it for the adventures that lay in store.

*Sights along the way to the Lompoul Desert*

Three and a half hours after our early departure, we woke from our napping to realize that we had turned onto a small, hilly road, leading to the Ecolodge de Lompoul. This lodge is situated in in the Lompoul Desert, a small desert with distinctive orange sands piled into high, extraordinarily shaped dunes. Located about 145 kilometers south of Saint-Louis, the country’s former capital, the area is stunningly beautiful and offers accommodations in the form of tented lodges. As we pulled into the Ecolodge’s perimeter, we noticed the row of tents to the left and the main tent containing the restaurant on the right side.

The main thing we saw, however, was the magnificent sand dunes that stretched out beyond the tents, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean!

While the lodge offers quad bikes to rent and ride throughout the desert (which would have been fun), we had opted to do a more traditional activity…riding camels!

We jumped onto our camels and headed out into the barren landscape. It was hot but a faint breeze, from the nearby ocean, cooled the air as we plodded on through the desert. It was quite beautiful and serene. While we wished that we would have had time to ride all the way to the water, it was still quite some distance. Instead, we concentrated on the shifting sands and even spotted a dung beetle!

With our ride over, we headed back to the camp to have a cool drink before hitting the road again. One thing we wanted to do before we left, however, was check out the accommodations. Peeking into the first tent, we discovered a pretty nice setup. There were beds on the left, protected with mosquito netting and the floor covered with a nice carpet. A couple of chairs and a table filled the remaining space. Behind the table, to the right, there was a dividing cloth and behind it, a basin and primitive shower and a toilet. While the tents have running water, they do not have electricity. They were extremely clean and we were impressed! Had we known the setup, we might have decided to come here the day before and spend the night!

Finally, we were on our way again, this time enroute to Saint-Louis or Ndar, as it is known to the locals. Saint-Louis was the capital of the French colony of Senegal from 1673 until 1902. From 1920 until 1957, it served as the capital of the neighboring colony of Mauritania.

*Sights between Lompoul and Saint Louis*

Driving into the city, we marveled at the colonial architecture and as we crossed the iron Faidherbe Bridge, which links the island of the city of Saint-Louis to the African mainland and we were excited to realize that we were getting ready to see life in the city. But first, lunch!

Lunch at Flamingo Restaurant was delicious and our appetites were filled with not only the grilled gambas, but with the outstanding view of the muddy Senegal River rushing under the Faidherbe bridge and the faint landscape of Mauritania in the distance. With our lunch complete, we walked outside and jumped into a horse drawn cart for the real treat! A tour of the island!

Riding through the streets, I remembered thinking of how much it reminded me of my trip to Cuba. Buildings were largely in disrepair, but I could still the beauty that once was.

Once an important economic center, it still has some important industries including fishing and tourism, mainly due to its status as a UNESCO world Heritage site. While sugar production plays an important part of their commerce, we could see how fishing is what is the most dominant.

As we crossed from the island of Saint-Louis onto the Langue de Barbarie Peninsula, this was where the role fishing plays in the community was most apparent. The village of Guet N’Dar was bustling with activity and colorful boats lined the river banks. Multihued clothing and fishing nets, attached to lines strung between buildings, fluttered in the sea breeze, while strings of bobbers littered the grounds. Near the end of the peninsula, trucks were lined readied for loading of the day’s catch.

Elsewhere, goats languished in the sun while older residents sought out shade from the afternoon’s heat. The children played in the streets, sometimes oblivious to our presence and at others captivated, running alongside our cart, yelling ”Toubab” (white people)!

As I sat on my perch, riding through the streets, I could not help but be mesmerized by its simplistic beauty but I also felt as though we were intruding on these people’s daily lives. True, they rely on tourism, yet you could feel their watchful eyes, wondering why we were truly there.

Eventually, we returned to Saint-Louis where we stopped for a moment to admire L’eglise Saint-Louis-en-I’lle, the 18th century Catholic Church which bears the distinction of being the oldest church in West Africa. The first foundation stone was laid on February 11, 1827 and was brought to fruition by Anne-Marie Javouhey, founder of the Order of Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny and Captain Roger Baron. The stone was blessed by the apostolic prefect Girardon father and opened to it faithful on November 4, 1828.

With so much to see and experience in Saint-Louis, I could have stayed for days soaking it all in, but alas, there was a long drive back to Dakar to think of.

Bidding our adieus, we took our tired, sweaty and camel-smelling bodies to the waiting van for our return trip. Indeed it was an amazing adventure, one that I will build upon on a future trip! A night in a desert tent will definitely be something in my future when I return, but as of this day, I will think back fondly of our trip to the north of Senegal to the vast desert, the former capital and its people.

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

The Motherland Experience

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

Lompoul Eco-Lodge

Restaurant Le Flamingo

https://www.hoteldelapostesaintlouis.com/le-flamingo/
Hours: 1200 noon-0200

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!

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

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.

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!

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

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)

Not Taking Art For Granted

Exploration of Chicago’s Grant Park is something that every tourist in Chicago undertakes at some point during their visit.

Me included!

Filled with important sculptural works and wide-open spaces, it is where Chicagoans head to enjoy the great outdoors.

My first full day in the Windy City was a beautiful one! The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and it was definitely not windy! My husband and I decided to head to Grant Park to see the many landmarks that dot the landscape and evoke fervor from its visitors.

Knowing there were many things to see and so many access points to the park, we decided to simply work our way from north to south. Entering from Maggie Daley Park, we walked through the Cancer Survivor’s Garden, with its open metal pavilion flanked by two forty-foot-tall granite columns, set up to greet visitors and invite them to stroll through its beautifully landscaped paths. This garden has spectacular views of Lake Michigan and was designed to be a celebration of life and hope for the survivors and those afflicted with cancer. It is a popular location for weddings and other special events and attracts those interested in ice skating during the winter, to its rink, and children seeking out a place to let off steam, year round, in its well-equipped playground.

To the west, we spied one of the city’s most iconic landmarks…the Cloud Gate in Millennium Park. A piece of fascinating sculpture, affectionately known as “The Bean”, it allows views of the city from its many mirrored sides. The stainless steel piece of artwork was designed by British artist Sir Anish Kapoor and installed in 2004. It is one of the most famous symbols of the city and definitely one of the most photographed.

Not far away, we spied the Crown Fountain through the tree line. Another of the city’s interesting sculptural pieces, it was designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa and consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at the end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images of Chicago citizens with water flowing through an outlet in the proximity of their mouths. It is a great place for cooling off in the hottest months of the year!

Continuing our walk south, we encountered the Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain, one of the park’s art pieces that I was most excited to see. One of the world’s largest fountains, dedicated in 1927, it was inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, which I had seen on one of my visits to France. Sadly, it was not operating. Not sure if it was the time of the year or if it was shut off due to Covid, it was a huge disappointment. We were, however, able to see some of the smaller fountains that surround the Buckingham Fountain…Fisher Boy, Crane Girl, Turtle Boy and Dove Girl…one pair north and one pair south. These fountains were designed by Leonard Crunelle and were originally part of an exhibit at Humboldt Park. In 1964, they were installed in their current location.

*Clockwise from top left, Fisher Boy, Crane Girl, Turtle Boy, Dove Girl*

Heading west to Congress Plaza, we encountered the Equestrian Indians, two bronze equestrian sculptures which act as gatekeepers to the park. Known as The Bowman and The Spearman, they were created in Zagreb by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović and installed in 1928.

Walking through the Formal Gardens to the southernmost end of the park, we finally ended up at the sculptural group that I most wanted to see, The Agora. Consisting of 106 headless figures, these bronze, steel and iron effigies, designed by Magdalena Abakanowicz, was installed in 2006. The figures are posed as if walking in multiple directions or standing still and seemingly invite visitors to pose with them (which I did, of course). In ancient Greece, the Agora was the central meeting place in its villages and cities…this final piece is the perfect addition to Grant Park. As the ancient Agora attracted people to meet, visit and learn, so does this newest addition to the park.

Grabbing rental bikes for our exit, we finally had the opportunity to experience the wind in our hair! As we rode past these amazing works of art again, seeing them in a much different light, we realized that although there are so many things to see in Chicago, these ones that people walk past every day, are not ones to be taken for granted!

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

Maggie Daley Park

https://maggiedaleypark.com/
Address: 337 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601
Hours: daily, 0600-2100
Admission: free

The Cloud Gate

Address: 201 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602
Hours: daily, 0600-2300
Admission: free

Crown Fountain

Address: 201 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601
Hours: daily, 0600-2300
Admission: free

Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain

https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/clarence-f-buckingham-memorial-fountain
Address: 301 S. Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601
Hours: 0800-2300, daily
Admission: free

The Bowman and The Spearman

Address: S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

The Agora

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartagora.html
Address: 1135 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free