Thursday 13 - Wonderful Places I've Seen - Septtember 26, 2013

I haven't participated in this meme before but it seems like fun.  Each Thursday,
you pick a theme and list thirteen things about it.  I can do that, I'm sure!

My very first time to participate, I thought I'd write about thirteen wonderful
places I've seen - though I don't have photos with me, here in India, to depict
all of them.

1.     The Taj Mahal in Agra, India - the Unesco World Heritage site which was
         built by Shah Jahan, for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving 
         birth to their 14th child

from Bing Images, domain free

The Taj Mahal

An architectural treasure,
A tribute to true love,
It almost seems to glow,
From a full moon above.

Made of pure white marble,
Mumtaz Mahal lies here,
With Emperor Shah Jahan,
Resting very near.

Such overwhelming beauty,
Reflected in its pool.
Its minarets standing guard,
Over India's treasured jewel.

Built on the River Yumana,
The Taj is an exquisite sight,
Symbolic of love for centuries,
Inspiring poets to write.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2008 by Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved.  . 

2.     The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, a Buddhist temple in Bangkok,

        Thailand.- he is 15 m high and 47 m long

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho
Bangkok, Thailand

What is that you contemplate
As the crowds go passing through?
You lie in gilded splendor,
With nothing else to do.

Is there meaning to your dreamy face.
Could it be nirvana near?
Can you hear the faithful praying,
As they bow before you here?

Though you lie alone, Wat Pho is filled,
With Buddhas large and small,
A thousand other figures here,
So you are not alone at all.

Your surroundings are exotic,
Chedi graceful and serene,
A vast temple of great beauty,
A never forgotten scene.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright ©  1997 

3.     Iguazu Falls - on the border of Argentina and Brazil, was named as one

        of the winners of "The New Seven Wonders of Nature" - rent "The 

        Mission" with Robert de Niro which shows the splendor of the falls

from Bing Images, domain free

4.     Mysore Palace in Mysore in southern India - the official residence of the 

        Wodeyars who ruled Mysore for over seven centuries

5.  The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy is a freestanding bell tower that

      began to lean during construction.  The ground was too soft on one side

      to support the tower's weight.

6.     The Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, in Kyoto, Japan is officially named

         Rokuon.  It is a Zen Buddhist temple built in the midst of classical

         gardens with a reflecting pond.  It is part of a World Heritage site.

7.     The Sydney Opera House, in Sydney, Australia is also a World Heritage

         site looking out at Sydney Harbor.  It is a multiple venue site and is one 

         of the world's most famous performing arts centers.

from Bing Images, domain free

8.     Butchart Gardens is a National Historic Site of Canada, located at

        Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, near Victoria.  It receives over a

        millions visitors a year.

from Bing Images, domain free

9.     The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California is one of the most

         internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco.  The American 

         Society of Civil Engineers named it one of the Wonders of the Modern

         World.  I crossed this bridge, as a visitor from New Orleans when I was

         eighteen.  I'll never forget the thrill I felt - because I feel it every single 

         time I travel over it - and I have hundreds of times in the 35 + years 

         I've lived in the San Francisco area.

10.   Senso-ji is the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo, located in the Asakusa

         area.  Next to it is a Shinto shrine.

11.    The Byodo-In Buddhist Temple on the island of Oahu in Hawaii is 

          a replica of a 900-year-old temple near Kyoto, Japan.  It is set in

          beautiful gardens, with the Ko'olau Mountains behind.  It has a

          9 foot Buddha and a three ton brass peace bell.  I see it every

          time I am on Oahu since it is in Kaneohe, about fifteen miles from

          Honolulu.

from Bing Images, domain free

12.    La Boquerria - (  Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria )  located on 

          La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain is my favorite of many markets I've

          visited about the world.  The produce and vegetables are so 

          artistically arranged and there are wonderful spots inside to have a

          quick meal of Padron peppers or calamari, or to sip a glass of

          Spanish wine.

13.    The Acropolis of Athens, Greece is an ancient citadel that looks out

          over the city, reminding all of its importance to history and the world.

I have been blessed to travel about much of the world so I could easily do

another post about thirteen wonderful places!!!

I am participating, for the first time in 

Thursday 13

Check it out and jointhe fun!

  

, 

The Weekend in Black and White - Barcelona Scenes - July 31, 2011

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world - beautiful scenery,
an area rich in history and culture, activities to fill every minute of your
day and night, wide avenues to stroll, lovely plazas, warm and friendly
people, delicious food and wine, including Mediterranean seafood of
incredible variety.  Very different from the rest of Spain, Catalonia is
a treasure that should not be missed.  Now that I have retired, I don't
know if I will ever be able to return but memories of  past visits are
never far from my mind.

Barcelona has so many beautiful buildings with wrought iron trimmings.

 

Gaudi's famous Sagrada Familia, a work in progress.

One of the many stalls at La Boqueria, the fabulous La Rambla market.

One of the many sights one sees on La Rambla.

I am participating in The Weekend in Black and White - check

out the site and add your own post to join in the fun!

Red Is... Alphabe Thursday, Rainbow Colors, Red, July 29, 2010

Red Is... Alphabe Thursday, Rainbow Colors, Red, July 29, 2010

Well, we finally made it through the alphabet in Miss Matlock's classroom and it was great fun.  I think we all did very well and we learned a great deal from each other.  I thought we'd get a break but, oh, no, not with our teacher.  She has us right back in the classroom, doing colors now.  When will we get any play time in this summer??

This week is the color red.  I am not sure what to write about red.  I think I'm just going to

go through my picture files and try to find some red pictures.  Some of these you may have

seen before in my blogs.

This delicious Dungeness garlic crab was dinner one night at San Francisco's Crustacean Restaurant.  My son Jeremy and I both had one and there was nothing left on the plate when we were done but a pile of shells.  It was absolutely delicious.

Red and white floral display at the Intercontinental Hotel, Miami

A lovely red rose

Sensoji Temple in Tokyo

A crab at Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market

Robin red breast

Red Bloody Mary

Strawberries at La Boquerria Market in Barcelona, La Rambla

Red winter berries

Red Is....

Red is...

the color of fiery flames,

of rageful anger full of disdain..

of passionate lovers sipping champagne.

Red is...

the color of chilis that blister one's tongue,

a sexy lipstick that make us feel young,

the wildest of lyrics that haven't been sung.

Red is...

a feeling of power that goes to one's head,

the violence of warfare that leaves thousands dead,

the hundreds of battlefields where soldiers have bled.

Red is...

a sign of emergency and a need to take care,

one should go cautiously if there is a red flare,

is often a sign that one should beware.

Red is...

the color of love and celebration,

it can be a source of stimulation,

and can liven up any presentation!

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2010 by Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved

 

I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday, Rainbow Colors - why don't you?

B is for Barcelona

Today is the second week of Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. 

The letter "B" is our topic and I have chosen one of my favorite cities in the world - Barcelona, a place I have visited about ten times if my memory serves me correctly.  Most recently, I was there for four days in October 2008, as part of my 65th birthday celebration, along with four friends, and I also spent three days there in April 2007, with my dear friend, Sherry Arndt, at the end of our transatlantic crossing on the Navigator of the Seas.

picture courtesy of www.traveladventures.org

Panorama of the city with the spires of Gaudi's unfinished Sagrada Familia 

Barcelona, with a metropolitan area of over four million people, is the capital of Catalonia, with its own language.  Spanish, however, is the national language and is spoken and understood almost universally.  The city lies on the northeast coast of the Iberian peninsula and faces the Mediterranean Sea.

It is a city both ancient and modern, tracing its history back to the time of the Romans in the 2nd century B. C.  The Visigoths conquered the city in the 5th century and the Moors took it in the 8th century.  Louis, the son of Charlemagne, reconquered Barcelona, in 801.

From the 12th through the 14th centuries, Catulunya was wealthy, with Barcelona ruling a small empire which included Sicily, Malta,Sardinia, parts of Greece, the Balearics, and the French regions of Rousillon and Cerdagne.  The 15th century, however, saw a reversal of fortune, with the onset of the plague, bank failures and other traders taking over their markets.  Opposition to the Spanish throne on several occasions, resulted in the defeat of Barcelona and even in the

banning of the Catalan language, in 1714.

Around the 1830's, the European Romantic Movement helped usher in the Catalan Renaissance, with a strong nationalist movement.  The turn of the century, in Spain, was a period of great political unrest. However, with the death of Franco, Catalunya returned and Barcelona, as its capital, is a city to be treasured and enjoyed.

Barcelona has a warm Mediterranean climate so it is a year-round city to visit.  It can be quite hot and humid in the summer - and very crowded, especially in August.  Many Catalans

vacation themselves at that time so shops may be closed.  Late spring or fall are nicer times to visit to avoid crowds and to maximize your time in Barcelona.

To really avail yourself of all that Barcelona has to offer, please refer to the websites at the end of this article.  I will mention only a few.  Of course, there are museums and arts to please every taste.  Throughout the city, the work of Gaudi is evident - in lamp posts, buildings, parks.

Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, is a Gaudi work on the Paseo de Gracia in the stylish Ensanche district.  It was completed in 1910 and was Gaudi's final civil work before he devoted himself to the Sagrada Familia temple on which he worked until his death.  This building has few straight lines and, as you can see, has curves and undulating forms.  La Pedrera was declared a World Heritage site in 1984.

Park Guell was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.  It is home to the Casa 

Museo Gaudi ( the Gaudi Museum ).  Gaudi lived there in the Pink Tower from 1906 until 1925, a year before his death.  Many of his personal objects and furnishings are there.

The Casa Batllo is also on the Paseo de Gracia and is one of the most famous of Gaudi's buildings.  I never get tired of seeing it and no trip to Barcelona is complete until I have passed by there!

 A Gaudi alligator at La Sagrada Familia

 Crucifix at La Sagrada Familia

 Eternal construction at La Sagrada Familia - estimated to be complete in 2020

Barcelona is a city of wonderful restaurants from the simple to the most elegant.  With its proximity to the Mediterranean, there is never a shortage of excellent seafood and, of course, one may simply feast on assorted tapas rather than eat a whole meal.  Outdoor dining abounds and prices range from reasonable to extreme.  Spain is well known for its excellent wines.

Colon Square Restaurants by Gipsy Bokeh

Our nice waiters at Colon Square

Padron peppers and scrumptious octopus

The city is resplendent with stunning architecture - from ancient to modern.  My first trip to Barcelona, I rode the hop on, hop off buses to the end of each route, just to get a feel for the city and I was overwhelmed with its incredible beauty.  The lCatalans take much delight in their home and, on Sundays, people are out in huge numbers, strolling hand in hand, along the avenues, and at Placa Catalunya, walking down La Rambla, enjoying the fresh air and listening to street musicians.  It is a remarkarkable place.

Another pretty building

Apartment building

Barcelona turrets

The old and the new

Of course, the famous street, La Rambla, is a favorite of tourists, running from Placa Catalunya to the statue of Christopher Columbus at the port.  It is lively from morning till late night, with its hotels, restaurants, shops of all sorts, mimes, entertainers and the like.

Flower stall on La Rambla

Entertainment on La Rambla

The fountain at Placa Catalunya

Beautiful light fixture

 I have talked about La Boqueria in another post but I can't write about Barcelona without mentioning this incredible market on La Rambla.  Whenever I travel about the world, I always visits markets but this one is my all time favorite.  It is so beautifully organized and alluring.  For the best prices, choose stalls that are further away from the street!

La Boqueria Vegetables

Fruits

Eggs of every kind!

Paella 

Goodness, do I ever wish I had some right now!!

The Agbar and the Diaganol Hotel by Gipsy Bokeh

The Statue of Christopher Columbus at the port end of La Rambla

Icari by Thor

Nothing I can write can do this city justice.  You have to visit to experience Barcelona.  It is fashionable, modern, exciting, but honors the old traditions and its history stretches back two thousand years.  I never tire of visiting.  When I arrive there, it feels like I am going home.

To learn more about Barcelona, check out the following websites, for a start:

http://www.aboutbarcelona.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona

http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/spain/barcelona/

http://www.world66.com/europe/spain/catalonia/barcelona

http://www.shermanstravel.com/

Also, thank you to the photographers ( names with their pictures ) who allowed their pictures to be shared.  At least, there was a little variety from mine!