tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19223380308347543012024-03-14T18:49:01.590+00:00Everything And NothingI may tell you everything
I may tell you nothingAkelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.comBlogger1188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-64723188494637600802017-11-04T08:55:00.002+00:002017-11-04T08:55:58.312+00:00Dona Nobis Pacem<br />
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Due to moving home I haven't had time to create a new Peace Globe this year, but I didn't want to let the Peace movement down so I've used last year's effort. If you want to join in, fly your Peace Globe and go to <a href="http://mimiwrites.blogspot.com/">Mimiwrites.blogspot.com</a> and sign Mr Linky.<br />
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<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-50284977539082234392017-10-20T13:43:00.001+01:002017-10-20T13:43:44.330+01:00Twelve Months I can't believe it's almost 12 months since I posted anything on my blog!<br />
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I confess I've been spending a lot of time on Facebook - I know you think I'm a traitor yes?<br />
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Trying to remember what's happened since I last posted -<br />
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Late November 2016 we had two weeks holiday in Gran Canaria<br />
May 2017 we spent two days in Nottingham with good friends<br />
Beginning of June 2017 we had 8 days in Lake Como, Italy, including a trip on the Bernina Express Train to St Moritz and a visit to Milan.<br />
Beginning of July 2017 we had 4 days in London sightseeing and a show.<br />
August 2017 we had 3 days in Edinburgh to see the Tattoo. Then friends came to visit us for a couple of days.<br />
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September 2017 MIL moved into sheltered accommodation and we decided we will move into our bungalow, which she lived in, and sell our house. Since then we have been overseeing work being carried out on the bungalow ready for our occupation, and the sale of our house is going through. We should be moving week beginning 13th November 2017 all being well.<br />
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So that's 2017 up to now in a nutshell.Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-8116319982309856122016-11-04T07:00:00.000+00:002017-11-04T07:52:32.738+00:00Dona Nobis Pacem.......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please join the Peace movement by flying a Peace Globe on your blog
with your own message or quote for Peace. Together we can make a difference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't already got your Peace Globe please go to <a href="http://mimiwrites.blogspot.co.uk/">Mimi's </a>and get one then fly it with pride and sign the Mr Linky to let everyone know you have participated.</span>Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-71343434941800482662016-08-29T08:00:00.000+01:002016-08-29T08:00:15.881+01:00China Part 12......After an extremely busy day and a good night's sleep we were once again up early for breakfast for our last day of the tour before we flew home.<br />
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Our first stop of the day was the Summer Palace.<br />
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The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park.<br />
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Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake , it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water.<br />
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Longevity Hill is about 60 metres (200 feet) high and has many
buildings positioned in sequence. The front hill is rich with splendid
halls and pavilions, while the back hill, in sharp contrast, is quiet
with natural beauty. We walked around the lake to the base of the hill to see the white building in the distance. <br />
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The small windows were exquisite.<br />
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The central Kunming Lake, covering 2.2 square
kilometres (540 acres), was entirely man-made and the excavated soil was
used to build Longevity Hill.<br />
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We continued exploring <br />
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there was music playing,<br />
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We had some interesting conversations with other tourists, I told you in my last post how Westerners are a curiosity in China didn't I? The Chinese tourists loved having their photo taken with us. <br />
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Whilst waiting for all our group to assemble our guide needed to use the loo and left me in charge of the flag so the group would know they were in the right place. I felt honoured. <br />
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Back on the coach again our next stop was a visit to a Jade Factory, where we also had lunch. The jade was beautiful and very expensive. I did buy one of the cheaper bracelets made from offcuts of different coloured jade and a small jade elephant ( I collect elephants), lovely momentos of our trip. MWM purchased his usual Tshirts from various stops - he has more Tshirts than I have elephants!<br />
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After lunch we continued our journey to the last place we were to visit on our tour of China - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China">the Great Wall!</a><br />
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It was quite a hike to reach the place where we actually ascended the wall.<br />
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We did walk a short way on the wall itself<br />
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up to the first tower on the North Side.<br />
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Until you see the wall with your own eyes you cannot imagine the magnitude of it, photographs do not do it justice. The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth,
wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line
across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe.<br />
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Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built 220–206 BC by Qin Shi Huang,
the first Emperor of China. Little of that wall remains. Since then,
the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced;
the majority of the existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty. The history of the wall is fascinating, you can follow this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China">link</a> if you wish to read more about it.<br />
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Some of our group walked quite a way but we decided to retire to the small cafe/bar for refreshments to wait for them there.<br />
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Whilst we were waiting two young men from Nepal decided MWM would be the perfect person to advertise their product - Yak's Cheese, they asked him to pose with them whilst holding one of their leaflets. I presume their new leaflet now features that photograph. LOL<br />
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Eventually the rest of our group joined us for a beer at the cafe/bar. The owner of the Greatwall Bar was playing a CD over her loudspeaker featuring Daniel O'Donnell singing 'You Are My Sunshine' and was so thrilled when we all started singing along she played it another 3 times insisting we sing along! We asked if she could change the music so she put some country and western songs on, to which we also sang along. When it was time for us to leave we had gathered quite a crowd of Chinese tourists (again) who were filming our singalong. I imagine we are on YouTube somewhere, if you come across it please let me know. It was the perfect end to the last day of the tour and one we all agreed we would remember forever including our guide, who was in tears because she said we were the best group she had ever had and she would miss us. <br />
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On the way back to the hotel we passed the Olympic Village in Beijing.<br />
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Back at the hotel we had time to freshen up before meeting up with our fellow travellers again in the hotel restaurant for our last meal together, and time to reflect on the highlights of the tour, of which there were many. We had an early start the following morning for the journey to the airport and our flight home so we didn't stay up late but we did have a few drinks to celebrate. <br />
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It truly was an amazing holiday and if you have ever thought of doing it you really should, you will not be disappointed. I really hope I have brought some of the magic of China to your armchair and I'm sure we will relive it all many times when we look through our photographs.Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-11585318587667063052016-08-23T11:20:00.001+01:002016-08-23T11:20:46.943+01:00China Part 11.........An exciting day ahead of us as we departed our hotel for another day of sightseeing. Our first stop was the Hutong area in Beijing where we were designated two to a rickshaw in which we toured the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutong">Hutong</a>.<br />
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Hutongs are a type of narrow streets or alleys, commonly associated with northern Chinese cities.<br />
In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of <i>siheyuan</i>, traditional courtyard residences.<br />
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Since the mid-20th century, a large number of Beijing hutongs were
demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, many
hutongs have been designated as protected, in an attempt to preserve
this aspect of Chinese cultural history.<br />
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After the fun rickshaw tour we were then taken to a traditional house in the Hutong to see how the people there live.<br />
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Many neighbourhoods were formed by joining one <i>siheyuan</i>
to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another.
The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighbourhoods.<br />
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Time to leave the Hutong and have lunch before our next visit - traditional tea tasting, which was very interesting. Of course we bought some samples to bring home.<br />
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Then on to our next destination<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square"> Tian'anmen Square.</a><br />
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Named after the Tiananmen ("Gate of Heavenly Peace") located to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong
proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in the square
on October 1, 1949; the anniversary of this event is still observed
there. <sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (February 2016)"></span></a></i></sup> It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.<br />
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We were in the square when the changing of the guard took place. <br />
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Outside China the square is best known for the Tiananmen Square Massacre, an armed suppression of a pro-democracy movement in June 1989. Our tour rep politely requested that we did not discuss this event as it is forbidden in China.<br />
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Our guide had arranged for an official photographer to take a photograph of our group in the square as a momento of our tour of China. He took great pains to get the group together and as soon as he had us ready we looked up to see a large group of Chinese tourists standing behind him ready to take our photo as soon as he had finished! Wherever we went in China we found that Westerners are a great source of amusement to the Chinese people. Our guide explained that lots of Chinese tourists have never seen a Westerner other than on TV hence the interest.<br />
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We made our way across the square to the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_City"> Forbidden City</a> for the next leg of our excursion.<br />
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The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty—the years 1420 to 1912. It is a truly magnificent place and HUGE!<br />
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When Hongwu Emperor's son Zhu Di became the Yongle Emperor, he moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, and construction began in 1406 on what would become the Forbidden City.<br />
Construction lasted 14 years and required more than a million workers. Material used include whole logs of precious <i>Phoebe zhennan</i> wood found in the jungles of south-western China, and large blocks of marble from quarries near Beijing. The floors of major halls were paved with "golden bricks" specially baked paving bricks from Suzhou.<br />
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There is also a rather interesting garden that consists of what looks like petrified wood <br />
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and a lake.<br />
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As you might imagine after such a busy day we were very tired but our guide had one more place to take us before we headed back to the hotel - Silk Street, a shopping center in Beijing that accommodates over 1,700 retail vendors, notorious among international tourists for their wide selection of counterfeit designer brand apparel, or as she descibed it the place to get your 'genuine fake bargains'!<br />
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What a way to end the day!<br />
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I hope you will join me for Part 12, the last day of our China experience, when we visit the Summer Palace and The Great Wall of China.<br />
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Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-7076350218539557402016-08-08T10:47:00.000+01:002016-08-08T10:47:33.035+01:00China Part 10......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After an early breakfast and check out from the hotel our luggage was transported to the airport for our onward flight to Beijing whilst we visited the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Wild_Goose_Pagoda">Great Wild Goose Pagoda</a>.<br />
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A Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi province, it was built in 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. The structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming dynasty. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.<br />
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A beautiful, peaceful place to walk around taking in the many treasures housed there.<br />
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Two of the monks very kindly allowed us to take their photograph.<br />
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After a very interesting couple of hours it was time to board our coach for the journey to the airport to catch our flight to Beijing, where we were able to have a short rest before being treated to a delicious Peking Duck Dinner that evening. We retired straight after dinner, as we had a very busy time to look forward to the next day.<br />
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I hope you will join me for Part 11 when we visit the Hutong, Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City.<br />
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Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-5212053326870918892016-06-28T15:41:00.000+01:002016-06-28T15:42:09.547+01:00China Part 9..........After an early breakfast we boarded our coach for our first stop of the day in Xi'an the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortifications_of_Xi%27an">City Wall</a>.<br />
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Xi'an City Wall was erected in the 14th century Ming Dynasty,
under the regime of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. When Zhu Yuanzhang captured
Huizhou, long before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he was
admonished by a hermit named Zhu Sheng, who told him to "build high
walls, store abundant provisions and take your time in proclaiming
yourself emperor", advice heeded by Zhu Yuanzhang. The current city wall is an enhancement of the old Tang Dynasty structure, as a result of the emperor's wall building campaign.<br />
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There is a flanking tower every 120 meters<b>. </b>The
flanking towers were built to allow soldiers to see enemies trying to
climb the wall. The distance between the flanking towers is within the
range of arrows fired from either side. This allowed soldiers to protect
the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy. There are 98
flanking towers; each has a sentry building on top of it.
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Our next stop was the Terracotta Workshop<br />
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where they make souvenirs including life size terracotta warrior figures in the traditional way the originals were made, which you can purchase and have shipped to your home.<br />
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Finally it was time to go to see the <a href="http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/emperor-qin/">Terracotta Army</a> itself, the highlight of the holiday for me. I cannot even begin to describe what it was like except to say WOW, so I will let the photographs speak for themselves.<br />
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The floors were rammed with earth 45cm thick and paved with bricks.<br />
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The site has no-where near all been excavated.<br />
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There are even horses! <br />
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It is said that all the warriors have a different face and their ranks are shown by the different hairstyles.. This next photograph shows that it could quite possibly be true, you will see the differences if you click on the photo for a closer look. <br />
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There is a space at the back of the dig where figures are renovated to be put back where they were found.<br />
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In the museum you can see the different ranks explained. A kneeling archer.<br />
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Middle ranking officer.<br />
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High ranking officer.<br />
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Cavalryman with his saddled horse.<br />
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Standing archer.<br />
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The bronze chariot and horses that were found are in the museum.<br />
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There is even evidence of chrome-plating technology 2,200 years before the Germans invented it!<br />
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The Terracotta Army is part of a much larger necropolis.
The entire necropolis built for the emperor covering a large area was
found surrounding the first emperor's tomb mound. The earthen tomb mound
is located at the foot of Mount Li and built in a pyramidal shape with Qin Shi Huang’s necropolis complex constructed as a microcosm of his imperial palace or compound. The warriors stood guard to the east of the tomb.<br />
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The tomb appears to be a hermetically-sealed space the size of a football pitch.The tomb remains unopened, possibly due to concerns about preservation of its artifacts. After the excavation of the Terracotta Army, the painted
surface present on some terracotta figures began to flake and fade.The lacquer covering the paint can curl in fifteen seconds once exposed
to Xi'an's dry air and can flake off in just four minutes.<br />
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We were told by our guide that archeologists and scientists are working hard to find a way to open the tomb without destroying what is in it. We have always said we never go back anywhere because there is so much to see in the world. However, if that tomb is opened and available to see in our lifetime we intend to try our hardest to go to see it.<br />
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We have lots more photos, this is just a small selection, and the most wonderful memories of actually seeing something most people can only dream of. Suffice to say it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!<br />
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I hope you've enjoyed seeing the famous Terracotta Army and I do hope you will get to see it for yourself some day.<br />
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Please join me for Part 10 when we continue our journey to Beijjing.<br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-15436116651224720182016-06-20T13:46:00.003+01:002016-06-20T13:46:58.114+01:00Hello........Hi everyone, sorry it's been a while but things have been busy here with one thing and another ie many hospital visits with MIL who is thankfully well (for her age 86) again now and I've had two lots of surgery ( carpal tunnel release on both hands) which has been very successful.<br />
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I will eventually get back to telling you all about the rest of our trip to China, I bet you've forgotten all about it haven't you?. First I want to tell you about a holiday we had recently in Croatia. which we thoroughly enjoyed because it was just totally relaxing instead of touring, unlike like most of the holidays we have done for the past 6 years.<br />
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We flew into Dubrovnik and took a ferry for the 25minute crossing for our 10night stay on the little island called Kolocep, which is just off the coast of Dubrovnik, at the Sensimar Kalamota Island Resort. The island is traffic free and has about 160 inhabitants and the hotel is the only one on the island. Everything is all inclusive at the hotel and adults only, mostly couples, so we thought it would be the perfect place to totally relax after a quite taxing time and it was exactly that.<br />
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Here's a few photos of the hotel.<br />
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All the accommodation is in villas set in the hillside, so the resort is not suitable for the infirm as there are lots of steps and hills to climb. Our room was in the topmost villa and we had 72 steps to climb from the main part of the hotel to get there. Good exercise after all the delicious food we were eating three times a day! Here's the view from our balcony.<br />
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We spent most days relaxing round the beautiful pool, drinking fabulous cocktails, reading, listening to music and sleeping.<br />
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Our evenings consisted of dressing to dine in the fabulous restaurants, be it the buffet restaurant, either of the two Al a Carte restuarants or the local restaurant, Villa Ruza, a short stroll away, where they served the most fabulously tender lamb Dalmatian style, which was cooked in a big clay oven for over three hours.<br />
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We weren't completely lazy we did venture away from the island to visit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostar">Mostar </a>in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the way to Mostar we visited the church of Herzegovinian Gračanica, situated on a Crkvina hill above the town.<br />
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The church is very beautiful inside, apparently built following the model of the Gracanica church in Kosovo.<br />
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The views from the church are magnificent.<br />
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We continued our journey to Mostar looking forward to seeing the famous bridge, which was destroyed in 1993 by the Croatians during the war there. This Youtube video shows the bridge being destroyed.<br />
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The bridge has obviously been rebuilt and is quite magnificent. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (<i>mostari</i>) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans
in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most
recognizable landmarks, and is considered one of the most exemplary
pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.<br />
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We visited a mosque and a traditional Turkish house in the town.<br />
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Unfortunately the weather was atrocious, it literally poured with rain all the time we were there and we got soaked walking round the lovely cobbled streets which were virtual rivers because of the rain. However, we are happy we made the trip because the sight of the magnificent bridge was worth it.<br />
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On the way back we stopped at a traditional vilage called Pocitelj for some refreshment. The walled town of Počitelj evolved in the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries.<br />
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It was a tiring day and one we would have enjoyed a lot more had the weather been kinder but hey ho such is life. We headed back to Dubrovnik to catch the ferry back to the island hotel in time for dinner and a rest.<br />
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After another few days of doing nothing by the pool we decided to take the ferry over to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrovnik">Dubrovnik </a>itself for the evening. Here I am waiting for the ferry on the island's pier.<br />
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The sun was setting as we set sail.<br />
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This was the view of the Dubrovnik Bridge from the ferry as we neared the harbour. The Dubrovnik bridge is one of the largest single-pylo<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">n, cable-stayed bridges in the world. 52m above the water, it spans a large cove north-west of the city. This water crossing has shortened the distance between Split and Dubrovnik on the coastal road by 12km.</span></span><br />
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Dubrovnik from the sea.<br />
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We spent a lovely evening wandering around the city, enjoying the architecture and the nightlife,<br />
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before enjoying a superb local bottle of wine with a plate of local cheeses in a lovely little wine bar called <a href="http://www.dvino.net/">D'vino</a>, which himself had discovered on the internet before our trip.<br />
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With only one day left we spent it round the pool again, <br />
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then another delicious dinner,<br />
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The pefect way to end a perfect holiday before packing for the journey home and a very early departure.<br />
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I shall be getting back to my report on our trip to China very soon so I hope you'll join me for that. <br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-63179911813661346122016-03-14T09:00:00.000+00:002016-03-14T09:00:14.502+00:00China Part 8......After a very early breakfast on board, we disembarked our ship for a coach ride to the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, it is the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity.<br />
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As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the
Yangtze River's shipping capacity and reduce the potential for floods
downstream by providing flood storage space. The Chinese government
regards the project as a historic engineering, social and economic
success,with the design of state-of-the-art large turbines,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges_Dam#cite_note-18"></a></sup> and a move toward limiting greenhouse gas emissions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges_Dam#cite_note-19"></a></sup><br />
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However, the dam flooded archaeological and cultural sites and displaced some 1.3 million people, and is causing significant ecological changes, including an increased risk of landslides. There is no doubt that the dam is a fantastic piece of engineering and there are areas that would appear to be more of a park, quite pleasant in fact.<br />
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After visiting the dam we joined our bus again for the journey to the railway station to catch the Bullet Train to Wuhan. Thetop speed of the train is 186 mil/h (300 km/h) and is planned to be increased to 217 mi/h (350 km/h) in 2016.<br />
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Our party of 40 had seats booked together in one carriage, along with all our luggage, which we had to store at either end of the carriage. <br />
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The seats are quite comfortable considering we had a 3 hour journey. Our tour guide said she would let us know about 10 minutes before we were due in to our station as we needed to be ready to get off. She suggested we block the exits so no-one could get on before we had got off as we only had a matter of minutes before the doors closed automatically and couldn't be opened manually. If we didn't get off in time the next stop was Shanghai! Thankfully we all got off safely and porters took our luggage to the coach, which then took us to lunch - yes another Chinese banquet.<br />
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After lunch we were transported to the airport for our flight to Xian. After an uneventful flight and bus journey we arrived at our hotel about 10.45p.m. that evening and were so tired we ordered room service - not a chinese banquet but a burger and a beer for a change! Sleep came easily that night.<br />
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Please join me for Part 9 when we visit The Terracotta Army - the main reason I wanted to visit China.<br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges_Dam#cite_note-20"></a></sup>Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-8486342600036498692016-03-07T09:00:00.000+00:002016-03-07T09:00:06.760+00:00China Part 7......Whilst heading to our next destination I took advantage of the onboard facilities and enjoyed a fabulous foot massage, before joining MWM to marvel at the scenery as we travelled through the <a href="http://www.travelchinaguide.com/river/yangtze_attraction/qutang/">Qu Tang Gorge</a>, the shortest and most majestic of the Three Gorges, it winds five miles from Baidi City in Fengjie County to Daxi Town in Wushan County. <br />
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After lunch we sailed through the <a href="http://www.travelchinaguide.com/river/yangtze_attraction/wu_gorge.htm">Wu Gorge</a>, the second of the Three Gorges of Yangtze River, famous for its elegance. Winding over 25 miles, it starts from
the estuary of Daning River (east of Wushan) in the west and ends at Guandukou in Badong, Hubei Province. Because of the long and deep canyons here, the daily period of sunlight
is short which impedes the dispersal of air borne moisture within the
gorge and so creates clouds and fog in a variety of fantastic shapes.<br />
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We docked mid afternoon to join our next excursion, which was a Sampan cruise through the Wu Gorge to the <a href="http://www.chinatourguide.com/chongqing/goddess_stream.html">Goddess Stream</a>, which cannot be reached other than by sampan.<br />
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The scenery was magnificent as you will see from these short videos.<br />
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Our lovely guide on the Sampan encouraged us to join in the singing on the way back to the ship.<br />
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After a lovely day cruising, sightseeing and singing we were ready for a rest in our cabin before the Farewell dinner, and the following day we would be leaving the ship for our onward journey.<br />
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Join me for Part 8 when we visit the 3 Gorges Dam before taking the Bullet Train to Wuhan to catch a flight to X'ian.<br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-48406810515876553372016-02-29T09:00:00.000+00:002016-02-29T09:00:08.427+00:00China Part 6...Embarkation of the Century Sky completed we enjoyed a relaxing evening on board, with a super buffet dinner and entertainment.<br />
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After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast we spent most of the following day relaxing on our balcony and the sun deck as we sailed down the Yangtze,<br />
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watching passing traffic<br />
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and enjoying the scenery.<br />
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Our ship docked in Zhongxian County, famous for the <a href="http://www.chinahighlights.com/chongqing/attraction/shibaozhai.htm">Shibaozhai Pagoda</a>, which means Stone Treasure Fortress,
it was first built in Qing Dynasty in 1750 <br />
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We disembarked to walk around the little market on the way to the Pagoda.<br />
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We eventually arrived at the gate to the Pagoda<br />
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but as it was a very steep climb to the Pagoda we didn't visit. We stopped at a local cafe for refreshments before heading back to the ship, exchanging the time of day with the locals, well those that weren't asleep.<br />
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Back on board we relaxed on our veranda watching the comings and goings on the river<br />
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before getting ready for the Captain's welcome party before dinner. After dinner we were treated to some fabulous local entertainment, which included a 'Changing Faces' artist. This is act quite magical, it would seem with the wave of a fan in front of the face the face of the artist completely changes makeup! We weren't allowed to film but I have found a clip of a similar show on You tube if you'd like to watch it. <br />
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The dance group invited a member of audience to join them on stage to take part in the show and a very game man from our group volunteered. The result was hilarious and amused the Chinese members of the audience as much as it amused us. <br />
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After a lovely relaxing day and exciting evening we retired for the night, looking forward to sailing through the Wu Gorge the following day. <br />
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I hope you will join me for Part 7 of our cruise. <br />
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<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-81318167317425796632016-02-22T09:00:00.000+00:002016-02-22T09:00:07.005+00:00China Part 5....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After our overnight stay in Chongqing it was time to depart our hotel for a tour of the city, before our onward journey. Our first stop of the day was a visit to Ciqikou Old Street, which means "Porcelain Port", an ancient town originally called Longyinzhen and was also known as Little Chongqing.
According to an old Chinese proverb: "One flagstone road, and one thousand years' Ciqikou". The name of the town can be traced back to porcelain production during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasties. Formerly a busy port located at the lower reaches of the Jialing River, a thousand years after its foundation the town remains a symbol and microcosm of old Chongqing.<br />
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Fascinating old buildings, <br />
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thriving businesses,<br />
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interesting entrances and carvings.<br />
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We found a lovely modernised coffee shop up a hidden flight of stairs where we enjoyed some refreshment.<br />
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It had a veranda at the front overlooking the street <br />
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and one at the back overlooking their back terrace.<br />
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Our next stop was lunch, yes you've guessed it another Chinese banquet, then a full city tour where our first destination was People's Square <br />
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with the magnificent <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Hall_of_the_People_%28Chongqing%29">Great Hall of the People</a>, which is a large hall for political meetings and cultural events.<br />
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On the opposite side of People's Square stands the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges_Museum">Three Gorges Museum</a><br />
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with it's magnificent entrance hall.<br />
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Displays include painting, calligraphy, porcelain, coins, sculpture and cultural objects.<br />
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From the museum we joined our coach again to visit the Huguang Guildhall. <br />
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The Huguang Guild Hall is an old complex of buildings that was a
cultural, business and social center for more than 200 years. When
people came from other provinces to settle in the region during the Qing
Dynasty, they built guild halls. The Huguang Hall was built for people
from Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan. This complex of rooms and halls served for business, entertainment,
religious and social activity and as a meeting place for people from the
provinces in the southeast and east.<br />
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It contains many interesting artefacts.<br />
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We were interested to know why every doorway had a steep lip to step over to enter a room and were told it was to deter ghosts from entering, apparently ghosts cannot step over anything.<br />
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As we were leaving the Guildhall we stopped for a while to watch the great traditional entertainment in the courtyard.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxU2igIBJxGiig3-HwwmQc6bZGcYIdSzv_xUwfgBueN-HqqnEJ0q2x1jnDwoND3FIOtKvIasjM_S6vPfCcgKQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Then it was time for us to join The Century Sky Cruise Ship for a two day cruise. <br />
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I hope you will join me for our cruise on the Yangtze River in Part 6. <br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-19428486397775235842016-02-15T19:44:00.004+00:002016-02-15T19:44:39.403+00:00China Part 4.....After breakfast, luggage already loaded onto the coach, we departed our hotel in Chengdu and headed for the <a href="http://www.chinahighlights.com/chengdu/attraction/wangjiang-pavilion-park.htm">Bamboo Park</a> to visit a tea house and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.<br />
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The tea house was right in the middle of the park and our hosts were waiting to seat us and serve us tea.<br />
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After sampling the tea some locals were offering shoulder and neck massages so I, and a few others in the group, decided to try.<br />
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I have to say it was quite vigorous and caused a lot of amusement amongst our group. We posed for photos with our guides,<br />
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some local people enjoying the tea house very kindly let us take their photo too.<br />
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After sampling tea and massage we walked around the park, which is popular at weekends with parents bringing their children to enjoy the park, fortunately it was still early so it wasn't too busy whilst we were there. <br />
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The park is quite beautiful and smelled so fresh, probably because it had been raining earlier, before we arrived.<br />
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You can see from the next photo just how huge the bamboo is next to MWM. Another friendly local kindle agreed to let me take his photo too. <br />
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We had a lovely relaxing couple of hours in the park, by which time we had to leave to go for lunch, which was a chinese banquet in a local restaurant. After another delicious leisurely lunch we joined our coach again for our 370km journey to our next destination, Chongqing. We had enough time to unpack and freshen up at our hotel before heading out for dinner, yet another Chinese banquet, lucky we like Chinese food eh?<br />
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Join me next time for Part 5 and a day sightseeing in Chongqing. <br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-60630904523721463922015-12-16T08:41:00.002+00:002015-12-16T08:41:56.167+00:00The Christmas Tree.....I know you've read this before but I'm posting it in remembrance of my Dearest Dad, as I will every year.<br />
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<br />
<br />
They
were dirt poor, living in a poor neighbourhood but Christmas was always
a magical time for Kit. There was no money for fripperies but Kit
needed a Christmas Tree.<br />
<br />
"Joe, make me a Christmas Tree" she said to her youngest son.<br />
<br />
"What? How am I supposed to do that?" he asked.<br />
<br />
"Use your imagination" said Kit.<br />
<br />
Why
did she always demand such things of him, Joe wondered, just for once
couldn't she ask one of the others to come up with the impossible. Oh
well, there was no use in sulking, he would just have to get on with it
and do his best because his mother would not accept anything less.<br />
<br />
On
his way back from work that day he decided to take the short cut
through the park, as for once he didn't have any errands to do for Kit
or the neighbours to whom she so readily offered his services. Busy
wondering how he could fulfill Kit's latest request he was not looking
where he was going and suddenly found himself flat on his face having
tripped over a broken branch off a tree, which had fallen as the result
of the storm the day before. Drat it, he thought as he dusted himself
off, then *ding* a lightbulb lit up in his head - he could maybe do
something with the branch! It was quite a big branch with quite a few
forks and twigs attached so he grabbed it by the thickest part and
dragged it as carefully as he could along the streets until he got it
back home. <br />
<br />
Once home he found a bucket and filled it
with stones and soil and planted the branch carefully so that it was
secure and standing proud. He searched the cellar and found some white
paint and set to work to paint the branch. Whilst the paint was drying
he searched the house for anything that would liven the tree up; bit of
tinsel from a previous Christmas, a couple of paper chains Kit's
grandchildren had made at school, a small doll one of the grandchildren
had left lying about dressed in crepe paper would make a fairy for the
top of the branch. He carefully moved the branch to the front room and
set it in the front window, it actually looked like a Christmas Tree he
thought when he'd finished dressing it!<br />
<br />
"I knew you wouldn't let me down" a delighted Kit told Joe.<br />
<br />
Soon
word got round the neighbourhood that Kit had a Christmas Tree,
something no-one else had, and that's when the frequent knocks on the
door started. Neighbours arrived asking to see the Christmas Tree
bringing little gifts to hang on it - an odd earring, another piece of
tinsel, a long forgotten fripperie from more affluent times. Before
long the Christmas Tree was shimmering and sparkling and was truly
magnificent. Kit was thrilled and so were the neighbours who claimed
part of The Christmas Tree as their own. On Christmas Eve Kit's family
and neighbours gathered in the front room and sang traditional Christmas
Carols whilst marvelling at the Tree. Everyone agreed it was the best
Christmas Tree they had ever seen and vowed that every year they would
do the same thing again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>This is a true story - Joe was my Dad and Kit my grandmother. </i><br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-46235986116818496492015-11-10T17:13:00.000+00:002015-11-10T17:14:31.237+00:00China Part 3.......Day three found us on our way to visit <a href="http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/sichuan/chengdu/huanglongxi-ancient-town.htm">Huanglongxi Old Town</a> (Yellow Dragon Town). I thought you might like to experience our journey through Chengdu to our destination, so I took this short video of the manic traffic.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyDBdAijcry7Rf2IeFMzKRXUe0MrFgMcBHXuyFCYCNZ__MMhUQu122NPh7hg4qbidDqZ6Zyx5fNJL9w3Tg7yw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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Huanglongxi is an ancient town with a history of more than 1,700 years, it is situated in Shuangliu County, 30 kilometers southeast from Chengdu.<br />
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Arriving at our destination we followed our guide into the town, notice the locals keeping to the traditional way of carrying goods.<br />
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There is a lovely stream running through the centre of the town, beautifully clean and decorated with traditional ornaments.<br />
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It even has a working water wheel!<br />
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There were some very interesting food stalls.<br />
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Traditional birds in cages,<br />
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buildings,<br />
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and transport.<br />
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Two small temples<br />
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and an offering tree.<br />
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There was a magazine photo shoot taking place whilst we were there using traditional costumes.<br />
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We really enjoyed our visit to the old town but it was time to board the coach again and travel to Leshan for lunch, before boarding a boat to take us to view the Giant Buddha.<br />
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The other way to see the Giant Buddha is to walk down from the top near the head and end at its feet,<br />
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walk across the walkway in front of the Buddha<br />
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and up the other side.<br />
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Of course we took the easier option!<br />
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Begun in the year 713 in the Tang Dynasty,
and finished in the year 803, the statue took people more than 90 years
to carve. During these years, thousands of workers had expended their
efforts and wisdom on the project. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in
the world, the Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story.<br />
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Facing the river, the Buddha has symmetrical posture and looks which
have been beautifully captured in its solemn stillness. It is 71 meters
(about 233 feet) high, and has 8.3-meter-long (about 27 feet) fingers.
The 9-meter-wide (about 30 feet) instep is big enough for one hundred
people to sit on and the 24-meter-wide (about 79 feet) shoulder is large
enough to be a basketball playground. It truly is a spectacle to behold.<br />
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We had really enjoyed our third day in China taking in the culture but it we had to return to the hotel, rather late that day so we ordered room service and enjoyed a burger and fries, a nice change from a Chinese Banquet! LOL<br />
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Please join me in Part 4 when we visit the Bamboo Park and journey to Chongqing.Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-40150846266604171242015-11-04T01:00:00.000+00:002015-11-04T01:08:42.814+00:00Dona Nobis Pacem........<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please join the Peace movement by flying a Peace Globe on your blog
with your own message or quote for Peace. Together we can make a difference.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't already got your Peace Globe please go to <a href="http://mimiwrites.blogspot.co.uk/">Mimi's </a>and get one then fly it with pride and sign the Mr Linky to let everyone know you have participated.</span>Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-13905821394402179732015-10-21T15:43:00.000+01:002015-10-21T15:43:49.429+01:00China Part 2.....We had barely caught up with our sleep when Day Two in China dawned and after fortifying ourselves with a hearty breakfast we met up with the rest of our group for our excursion that morning to the Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre. You can read more about the centre and their work <a href="http://www.panda.org.cn/english/about/about/2013-09-11/2416.html">here</a>.<br />
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One of the most endangered animals on earth, there are over 80 Pandas being bred and reared here, in surroundings recreated to resemble their natural habitat. We saw babies in incubators, you can see in the photograph below the back end of a baby with it's head covered, this is because they tend to thrash about and don't settle if they heads are not covered.<br />
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When a Panda gives birth to twins at the centre the staff there only give one at a time to the mother to feed, keeping one in the incubator until she has fed the other one. This ensures survival of both babies as left to her own devices she would just cast one aside. Apparently the mothers are none the wiser when the babies as swapped.<br />
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Slightly older babies are kept in cots in the nursery<br />
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and older still in a larger nursery.<br />
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Pandas can't walk until they are a few months old which is why the nurse in the film is moving them about. Adolescents live together, eating and socialising.<br />
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Fully grown Pandas live solitary lives.<br />
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The breeding centre also has Red Pandas, which I think look more like racoons.</div>
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It's a fascinating place, they have lots of information such as videos showing the breeding programme and the history of the centre. The Pandas are adorable, especially the babies, and one could spend hours just watching their antics. Unfortunately we had to leave to go for lunch (another traditional Chinese banquet) before setting off to visit a Silk Factory.<br />
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Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photographs in the silk factory but the tour was extremely interesting, starting with how the silk was farmed, woven and made into the most beautiful bed covers, quilts, clothes and scarves.<br />
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We made our way back to the hotel for a short rest and a quick freshen up and change for dinner at another traditional Chinese Restaurant. This time dinner consisted of lots of different Dim Sum and MWM even tried a local delicacy - rabbit's head! He had to hold it in one hand and pick the meat off the skull with the other, including the brain inside! I know YUK! He said it was quite tasty. I couldn't believe he tried it, this man that heaves at the thought of mashed potato!!!!<br />
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Another busy day over we looked forward to a good night's sleep back at out hotel, with it's great views<br />
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and the trip the following day to an old town and the huge Buddha carved into a mountain. I hope you'll join me for Part 3. <br />
<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-15174205435326313992015-10-05T11:26:00.000+01:002015-10-21T15:44:13.390+01:00China Part 1.....Well we've been back a week from our China trip and recovered from the jet lag, so let's get going on what we saw and did.<br />
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We arrived at our first City, Chengdu, at 11 am local time after a ten and a half hour overnight flight. No time to sleep just unpack enough for a 3 night stay, freshen up before meeting our group for a visit to Jinli Old Street and dinner.<br />
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Jinli Old Street is one of the oldest shopping streets in Sichuan
Province, and it can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms Period, over
1,800 years ago. The street showcases the customs of Xishu and the
culture of Shuhan (one of the Three Kingdoms from 221 to 263). Most of
the architecture here is of the style of the residences in western
Sichuan Province.<br />
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Lots of dubious looking street food, some recognisable (rabbits heads) some not.<br />
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Fish ponds and little bridges.<br />
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Two styles of ntertainment on Jinli Old Street.<br />
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Chinese lanterns.<br />
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A huge bell.<br />
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Starbucks!<br />
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then onto dinner a traditional Sichuan style banquet, approximately ten dishes with rice, tea and beer or soft drinks, which was delicious.<br />
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Fed, watered and tired we headed back to the hotel for a much needed sleep to prepare for the visit to the Panda Breeding Centre early the next morning. I hope you'll join me for China Part 2. <br />
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<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-44988321267971457602015-09-07T20:11:00.004+01:002015-10-05T11:26:37.368+01:00Tuscany Part 6 Finale..........OK the final part of our Tuscany travels today. Need to finish this trip now as we are off to China next Tuesday!<br />
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The last visit on the Tuscany trip was first to San Gimignano. San Gimignano is a small, walled medieval hill town known as the Town of Fine Towers, it is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form "an unforgettable skyline".<br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-UNESCO_2-0"></sup><br />
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Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches.<br />
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The Palazzo Comunale, also known as the <span lang="it">People's palace</span> of San Gimignano has been the seat of the civic authority in the commune since the 13th century.<br />
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the Collegiate Church contains frescos and cycles dating from the 14th and 15th centuries.<br />
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The first church on the site was begun in the 10th century. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AAVV1_3-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collegiate_Church_of_San_Gimignano#cite_note-AAVV1-3"></a></sup>During the early 12th century the importance of San Gimignano, and its
principal church, grew steadily, owing to the town's location on the
pilgrimage route to Rome.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (May 2014)"></span></a></i></sup> The present church on this site was consecrated on 21 November 1148 and dedicated to St. Geminianus (San Gimignano) in the presence of Pope Eugenius III and 14 prelates<br />
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We wandered around taking in the alleyways<br />
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and winding streets,<br />
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then I found a little shop selling the most beautiful hand stitched Italian leather handbags! Oh Joy! You ladies reading this will understand why I just had to buy one, they were a fantastic price and the smell of leather was divine. </div>
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It was time to get on the road again to Sienna. Sienna, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill forts. A Roman town called <i>Saena Julia</i> was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor Augustus. The first document mentioning it dates from AD 70.</div>
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We made our way through the winding streets, taking in the medieval cityscape, </div>
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stopping for lunch in a small bar, </div>
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before making our way to The Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped town square, which unfurls before the Palazzo Pubblico with its tall Torre del Mangia, itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art museum.</div>
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The Piazza del Campo dips to the centre resembling a bowl, surrounded on all sides by hotels, shops and restaurants.</div>
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The Piazza is also the site for the Palio horse race which is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16 consists of ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen contrade, or city wards.<br />
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A pageant, the Corteo Storico, precedes the race, attracting visitors and spectators from around the world. The spectators crowd the bowl at the centre of the square whilst the race circles the Piazza del Campo,
on which a thick layer of dirt has been laid, three times and usually
lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is common for a few of the jockeys to
be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the
piazza, and indeed, it is usual to see unmounted horses finishing the
race without their jockeys. We weren't there at the time of the race so obviously didn't get a photo but I have borrowed two from Wikipedia to give you an idea of the numbers of spectators and the race itself.<br />
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<img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="1536" data-file-width="2048" height="165" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Siena_Piazza_del_Campo_20030815-375.jpg/220px-Siena_Piazza_del_Campo_20030815-375.jpg" width="220" /><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="427" data-file-width="640" height="147" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Palio_di_Siena_2008_%282%29.jpg/220px-Palio_di_Siena_2008_%282%29.jpg" width="220" /></div>
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We walked away from the Piazza and found the beautiful cathedral,</div>
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then ventured further through the back streets where we found the steps leading to the back of the cathedral.</div>
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We would have liked to have stayed longer in Sienna but unfortunately it was time to head back to the coach for the journey back to the hotel for our final evening and an early night, as we were leaving Tuscany very early the following morning.<br />
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I would like to say the journey to the airport the following morning was uneventful but it was very ,as we got caught in a huge traffic jam on the motorway and instead of checking in two hours before our flight left we had only 40 minutes to check in, get through security and board the plane - PHEW! Thankfully we did make it and the flight home was smooth.<br />
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We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Tuscany, I hope you have too. The next time I post, in a few weeks time, will be to tell you about our visit to China, I hope you'll join me for that.<br />
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Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-85438717345221472422015-08-24T18:36:00.001+01:002015-08-24T18:36:28.831+01:00Tuscany Part 5......Another day, another place to visit - Firenze (Florence) the capital of Tuscany.<br />
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Florence is famous for its history: a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence#cite_note-3"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>it is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence#cite_note-4"><span></span></a></sup> A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence#cite_note-5"><span></span><span></span></a></sup> From 1865 to 1871 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy. <br />
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We had a ten minute walk from where our coach dropped us off through streets lined with fascinating architecture,<br />
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shame about the 'Irish Pub' sign outside this next building!<br />
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Our fist stop was the Basilica di Santa Croce, where we met our guide for a short tour of the city centre.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Croce,_Florence">The Basilica di Santa Croce</a> (Basilica of the Holy Cross) is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, and a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church. It is situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about 800 metres south-east of the Duomo.
The site, when first chosen, was in marshland outside the city walls.
It is the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as
Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile and Rossini, thus it is known also as the Temple of the Italian Glories (<i>Tempio dell'Itale Glorie</i>).<br />
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Continuing the tour we passed the Duomo, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore<b> </b>("Cathedral of Saint Mary
of the Flower") the main church of Florence.<br />
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Begun in 1296 in the
Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed
structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi.
The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in
various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate
19th-century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris.<br />
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Our tour ended in the square at the entrance to the Medici Palace.<br />
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Medici">House of Medic</a>i was an Italian banking family, political dynasty and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. </div>
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The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside, gradually rising until they were able to fund the Medici Bank. The bank was the largest in Europe during the 15th century, seeing the Medici gain political power in Florence — though officially they remained citizens rather than monarchs.</div>
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The Medici Palace overlooks the square where its copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi stand, it is one of the most significant public places in Italy, and it host cultural points and museums.</div>
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We stopped for a quick lunch before venturing into the Medici Palace, through it's magnificent courtyard,</div>
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only to be even more amazed and thrilled by the interior with it's beautifully decorated ceilings, </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGaaVLmQ7u5C8zT0NnUf1RGOpm40mhWMnfm1z-gBvluJYyn3n1eUKw1g2vzUvlCMVPP6mWKTFdSSnHl577NLMDQJDMrDWFthdCNUldUYKtIQeahbaQVbZaepfKY1rV8EJ8Ofhxu7cjX5T/s1600/20150519_122454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGaaVLmQ7u5C8zT0NnUf1RGOpm40mhWMnfm1z-gBvluJYyn3n1eUKw1g2vzUvlCMVPP6mWKTFdSSnHl577NLMDQJDMrDWFthdCNUldUYKtIQeahbaQVbZaepfKY1rV8EJ8Ofhxu7cjX5T/s320/20150519_122454.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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majestic staircases,</div>
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amazing artwork,</div>
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apartments and chapel of Eleonora,</div>
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fabulous furniture,</div>
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artefacts, like the Putto with Dophin by Andrea del Verrocchio.</div>
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One can only marvel at the huge doorways,</div>
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the audience chamber,<br />
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the carved doors depicting Dante,<br />
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the windows,</div>
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the incredible Hall of Geographical Maps or Wardrobe is where the Medici Grand
Dukes kept their precious belongings. The cabinets and carved ceiling
are by Dionigi Nigetti.<br />
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The doors of the cabinets were decorated with 53 remarkable <i>maps of scientific interest</i>, oil paintings by the Dominican monk Fra Ignazio Danti (1563–1575), brother of the sculptor Vincenzo Danti, and Stefano Buonsignori (1575–1584). They are of great historical interest and give a good idea
of the geographical knowledge in the 16th century. <br />
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Those are just a few of the sights you will see if you ever get the chance to visit this magnificent place for yourself, not to mention the view over Florence from one of the palace balconies.</div>
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Unfortunately it was time to leave beautiful Florence for the journey back to our hotel, but we had another day of sightseeing to look forward to. I hope you'll join me for the final day of our tour, Part 6 when we visit Sienna.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-74337256807490014442015-08-11T20:04:00.000+01:002015-08-11T20:04:50.692+01:00Tuscany Part 4......Another day, another place to visit, first stop was the Umbria region and Assisi.<br />
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Famous as the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208. The winding streets, architecture and frescos are a delight as you make your way through the town, <br />
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as are the views from Assisi's hilltop position. <br />
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Assisi is also the resting place of St. Clare (<i>Chiara d'Offreducci</i>),
the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order of Poor
Clares after her death and home to Basilica di Santa Chiara (St Clare's
Basilica), which is reached via cobbled winding street as one climbs
higher. Construction of the Basilica of Saint Clare began under the direction of Filippo
Campello, one of the foremost architects of the time. <br />
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On 3 October 1260, Clare's remains were transferred from the chapel of San Giorgio to the
Basilica of Saint Clare where they were buried in the earth under the high altar of the new church. After having remained hidden for six centuries - like the remains of
St. Francis - and after much searching had been made, Clare's tomb was
found in 1850. On 23 September in that year the coffin was unearthed and
opened, the flesh and clothing of the saint had been reduced to dust,
but the skeleton was in a perfect state of preservation. Finally, on 29
September 1872, the saint's bones were transferred, with much pomp, by
Archbishop Pecci, afterwards Pope Leo XIII, to the shrine, in the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Clare, erected to receive them, and where they may now be seen.<br />
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Onwards and upwards<br />
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where we came across The Temple of Minerva,<br />
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an ancient Roman building which currently houses a church, <i>Santa Maria sopra Minerva</i>, built in 1539 and renovated in Baroque style in the 17th century. The attribution to the goddess Minerva derives from the finding of a female statue, although a dedication stone to Hercules has been found, and the temple was likely dedicated to this male semi-god. Of the ancient temple, the façade has been preserved, with six Corinthian columns supporting the architrave and a small pediment. The columns were originally covered by a very strong plaster, which was perhaps colored.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TItalia_1-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Minerva_%28Assisi%29#cite_note-TItalia-1"><span></span><span></span></a></sup><br />
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A little further on we were faced with a fork in the road to take us to St Francis' Basilica and chose to take the left way down the hill, it proved to be the wrong way for where we wanted to go and we had to come back up, but it was a worthwhile detour as you will see from the following photos.<br />
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We headed back and took the right fork to find more beautiful buildings<br />
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and alleyways,<br />
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then there it was, the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco.<br />
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The basilica is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy, with its accompanying friary, Sacro Convento, the basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a
hill and comprises two churches known as the Upper Church and the Lower
Church, and a crypt where the remains of the saint are interred. The interior of the Upper Church is an important early example of the Gothic style in Italy.<br />
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The Upper and Lower Churches are decorated with frescoes by numerous late medieval painters from the Roman and Tuscan schools. The range and quality of the works gives the basilica a unique importance in demonstrating the development of Italian art of this period.<br />
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We made our way down to the lower church.<br />
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On 16 July 1228, Francis was canonized by Pope Gregory IX
in Assisi, and he laid the foundation stone of the new church the
following day, although construction may already have been begun. The
construction having been begun at his order, the Pope declared the
church to be the property of the papacy. The Lower Basilica was finished in 1230. On Pentecost 25 May 1230, the remains of St. Francis were brought in a solemn procession to the Lower Basilica from its temporary burial place in the church of San Giorgio (St. George), now the Basilica of Saint Clare of Assisi.
The burial place was concealed for fear that St Francis' remains might
be stolen and dispersed. The construction of the Upper Basilica was
begun after 1239 and was completed in 1253. Both churches were
consecrated by Pope Innocent IV in 1253.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Piazza del Loge, the square leading to the lower church, is surrounded by
colonnades constructed in 1474. They housed the numerous pilgrims
flocking to this church. In 1818, the remains of St Francis were
rediscovered beneath the floor of the Lower Basilica. In the reign of Pope Pius IX the crypt was built so that the faithful might visit the burial place of the saint.<br />
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We sat in the shade under the colonnade whilst waiting for our group to complete their sightseeing in the square before making our way back down the hill to our coach.<br />
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Heading back to our hotel we visited Perugia, which involved a trip on the Minimetro which is a family of cable propelled automated people mover systems, built by Poma/Leitner Group. The vehicles either run on rails or an air cushion and have either a detachable grip (to the cable) or a fixed grip. We took a video of the ride but unfortunately it won't upload because it's too big, so take a look at the youtube link here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Js2LnQ_Kic . It was rather fun.<br />
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An ancient Etruscan city, Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the river Tiber. The city is also the capital of the province of Perugia. A city full of alleyways, <br />
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majestic buildings, <br />
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fabulous doorways,<br />
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religious icons imbedded in walls, <br />
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fabulous arches,<br />
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including this hidden treasure an Etruscan arch/gate dating from the 3rd century BC, which our guide took us to when we bumped into her during our exploration of the city.<br />
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We found our way to the main square with it's<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontana_Maggiore"> Fontana Maggiore</a> and<br />
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the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_dei_Priori">Palazzo dei Priori</a>, the centre of communal government.<br />
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Perugia's San Lorenzo Cathedral's side entrance can also be found on the square,<br />
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so we went in and sat for a while and enjoyed the silence.<br />
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The first chapel as one enters the cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Ring, the relic of the engagement ring of the Holy Virgin, which was stolen from Chiusi in 1473. It looked much to large to be a ring that would fit on anyone's finger so I imagine it was just a symbol of the engagement. I took a photograph but because the ring was behind glass it's very blurred. <br />
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Perugia has become famous for chocolate, mostly because of a single firm, Perugina, whose Baci (kisses) are widely exported.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perugia#cite_note-22"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>
Perugian chocolate is very popular in Italy. The company's plant
located in San Sisto (Perugia) is the largest of Nestlé's nine sites in
Italy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perugia#cite_note-23"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>According to the Nestlé Usa official website Baci is the most famous chocolate brand in Italy.The city hosts a chocolate festival every October. Of course being a chocoholic MWM purchased a good amount and can vouch for it being good!<br />
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As you see we'd had a very busy day sightseeing and were more than ready to head back to our coach for the journey back to the hotel, to rest our weary feet and enjoy a good dinner.<br />
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Please join me for Tuscany Part 5 when we visit Florence.Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-91333692621371827182015-07-29T18:35:00.001+01:002015-07-29T18:35:49.873+01:00Tuscany Part 3.....After the excitement of Rome we had to be up and out early next morning for our next sightseeing trip to the Chianti Region. This is a view overlooking the Chianti valleys.<br />
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Travelling through the beautiful Tuscany countryside, our first stop was the beautiful little village of Radda,<span style="color: black;"> situated on a hill covered with woods
and extensive vineyards forming the watershed between the
Pesa and Arbia valleys. </span><br />
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The structure of the medieval village is still intact; it
grew up elliptically around the church of San Nicolò,
of 14th century origin and the Palazzo Pretorio. Built about
1415, its facade adorned with the coats of arms of the podestà
(chief magistrates), the latter is now the seat of the municipality.<span style="color: black;"> Formerly belonging to the Guidi family,
it came under Florentine control in 1203. After being fortified
in 1400 it was, from 1415 onwards, head of the League of Chianti,
and it preserves the remains of its ancient walls.</span><br />
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The winding streets and architecture were a delight.<br />
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Beautiful fountains and piazzas.<br />
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San Nicolò church, where the sounds of singing drifted over the peaceful silence of the village.<br />
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We wound our way through the village<br />
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stopping for a short coffee and cake break<br />
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before joining our group again for the quick photo stop on the journey, Pienza, if you have seen the film The English Patient you may recognise these photos.<br />
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Through vineyards, are far as the eye could see,<br />
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on to Monteriggioni - the Balcony Of The Valley.<br />
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Monteriggioni is a medieval walled town, located on a natural hillock, built by the Sienese in 1214–19 as a front line in their wars against Florence, by assuming command of the Via Cassia running through the Val d'Elsa and Val Staggia to the west. During the conflicts between Siena and Florence in the Middle Ages,
the city was strategically placed as a defensive fortification. <br />
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It also
withstood many attacks from both the Florentines and the forces of the Bishop of Volterra.
In 1554 the Sienese were able to place control of the town's garrison
to Giovannino Zeti, who had been exiled from Florence. In 1554, in an
act of reconciliation with the Medicis, Zeti simply handed the keys of the town over to the Medicean forces - considered a "great betrayal" by the town's people<br />
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We stopped here for a lunch of bread, cheese and a cold and very refreshing lemon beer.<br />
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Then we explored some more<br />
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until it was time to make our way to the last stop of the day the Aiola Winery, where, besides tasting their delicious wines, we also enjoyed sampling their superb olive oil, (we brought a bottle home). Built as a fortress during the local wars between the Florentine
Republic and the Republic of Sienna which ended in the 17th century, the
Aiola Castle went through a radical transformation. The original aspect,
characterized by town walls, drawbridge, secret underground tunnels has
gradually left space to an elegant<b> </b>manor<b> </b>villa during the Renaissance, although it maintained some original elements.<br />
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In 1934 Aiola was bought by Senator Giovanni Malagodi, who started bottling the Classic Chianti, with its own label since the 60s. <br />
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In 2012 the ownership passed to some Russian entrepreneurs which paved the way to an important program concerning the replanting of new vineyards and cellar refurbishment<b> </b>through
the renovation all of equipment. Today Aiola lies at the heart of a
modern farmhouse in the Classic Chianti, where vineyards, entirely
surrounded by ancient holm forests, stretch across 36 hectares. The respect for the environment and its traditions,
the rich experience gained during the years alongside of the deployment
of cutting-edge equipment are a good recipe to keep up the brand
prestige.<br />
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It was the perfect end to the day's sightseeing and we enjoyed sitting back and enjoying the ride back to the hotel, where we had time for a short rest before dinner.<br />
<br />
Please join me for Tuscany Part 4 when we visit Assisi and Perugia.Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-7091601193172077852015-07-14T17:54:00.000+01:002015-07-14T17:54:43.151+01:00Tuscany Part 2.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Setting off straight after an early breakfast we made the two hour journey from our hotel to Roma!<br />
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Our first sight of St Peter's,<br />
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getting closer.<br />
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Alighting our bus we made our way through the winding streets of the eternal city snapping the architechture as we went.<br />
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Our first stop on the tour was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome">The Pantheon</a><br />
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which is on the site of an earlier building commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). The present building was completed by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated about 126 AD. He retained Agrippa's original inscription, which has confused its date of construction.<br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome#cite_note-3"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>
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The building is circular with a portico of large granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which is under a coffered concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus)
to the sky.<br />
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In the middle of the floor of the rotunda is a hole which drains away water coming through the oculus.<br />
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Almost two thousand years after it was built, the
Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome#cite_note-4"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome#cite_note-5"><span></span><span></span></a></sup><br />
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It is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MacDonald_1976_p.3D18_6-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome#cite_note-MacDonald_1976_p.3D18-6"><span></span><span></span></a></sup> Two kings of Italy are buried in the Pantheon: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, as well as Umberto's Queen, Margherita, also the artist Raphael was buried there at his own request. <br />
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The square in front of the Pantheon is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_della_Rotonda">Piazza della Rotonda </a>which gets its name from the Pantheon's informal title as the church of <i>Santa Maria Rotonda</i> with it's centrepiece fountain and obelisk.<br />
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Continuing our walking tour took us to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Navona">Piazza Navona</a><br />
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which is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Navona#cite_note-1"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>The ancient Romans went there to watch the <i>agones</i> ("games"), and hence it was known as "<i>Circus Agonalis</i>" ("competition arena"). It is believed that over time the name changed to <i>in avone</i> to <i>navone</i> and eventually to <i>navona</i>. Oval in shape with impressive buidings surrounding a central space.<br />
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In the 15th Century the space was flooded every Saturday and Sunday to allow it to be used for mock naval battles. At the southern end is the <i>Fontana del Moro</i> with a basin and four Tritons sculpted by Giacomo della Porta (1575). At the northern end is the Fountain of Neptune
(1574) also created by Giacomo della Porta; the statue of Neptune, by
Antonio Della Bitta, was added in 1878 to create a balance with <i>La Fontana del Moro</i>.<br />
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In the centre stands the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, topped by the Obelisk of Domitian, brought in pieces from the Circus of Maxentius.<br />
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We continued our tour taking in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Justice,_Rome">Palace of Justice</a><br />
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on our way to <a href="http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/299_Arch_of_Constantine-all.html">The Arch of Constantine</a>, a triumphal arch, erected c. 315 CE to commemorate the triumph of Constantine I after his victory over Maxentius in the battle at the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE. The arch is located in the valley of the Colosseum, between the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum, along the road taken by the triumphal processions.<br />
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Also there is the Temple of Venus, thought to have been the largest temple in Ancient Rome. Located on the Velian Hill, between the eastern edge of the <i>Forum Romanum</i> and the Colosseum, it was dedicated to the goddesses <i>Venus Felix</i> ("Venus the Bringer of Good Fortune") and <i>Roma Aeterna</i> ("Eternal Rome"). The architect was the emperor Hadrian and construction began in 121. It was officially inaugurated by Hadrian in 135, and finished in 141 under Antoninus Pius. Damaged by fire in 307,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Venus_and_Roma#cite_note-1"><span></span><span></span></a></sup> it was restored with alterations by the emperor Maxentius.<br />
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All very impressive but the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum">Colosseum </a>is the most impressive of all! The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum#cite_note-6"><span></span><span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum#cite_note-7"><span></span><span></span></a></sup>and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.<br />
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Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to go inside before continuing our tour passing Palazzo de Venezia, where Mussolini had his headquarters during the WWII, it was originally built in 1451 for the Ambassadors of the Venetian Republic. <br /><br />
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We then made our way to St. Peter's Square and the Basilica.<br />
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica">Basilica </a>is the burial site of its namesake St. Peter, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ and, also according to tradition, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. Tradition and strong historical evidence hold that St. Peter's tomb
is directly below the high altar of the Basilica. For this reason, many
Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian
period. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cathency_6-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica#cite_note-cathency-6"><span></span></a></sup><br />
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There has been a church on this site since the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Construction of the present basilica, replacing the Old St. Peter's Basilica of the 4th century AD, began on 18 April 1506 and was completed on 18 November 1626<br />
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Unfortunately the queue to go in the Basilica extended all around the square and was reported to be taking two and a half hours to reach the entrance, so as we had very limited time we had to dismiss the idea. Apparently it was so busy that day because two nuns were being canonized the following day.<br />
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We saw the Papal apartments<br />
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where the Pope usually resides. Apparently the present Pope Francis does not reside in the apartments he just uses the offices. Disappointed not to be able to go in the Basilica we made our way to the Vatican City, hoping to see the Sistine Chapel,<br />
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only to be disappointed again because the queue there was also two and half hours long!<br />
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine_Chapel">Sistine Chapel</a> (Latin: <span lang="la"><i>Sacellum Sixtinum</i></span>; Italian: <span lang="it"><i>Cappella Sistina</i></span>) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in Vatican City. Originally known as the <i>Cappella Magna</i>, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV,
who restored it between 1477 and 1480. Since that time, the chapel has
served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity.
Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and <i>The Last Judgment</i> by Michelangelo.<br />
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Our last port of call was The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Angelo">Mausoleum of Hadrian,</a> which was close to where we had to meet our coach for the journey home. Usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo (English: <i>Castle of the Holy Angel</i>), is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum
for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as
a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. The Castel was once the
tallest building in Rome.<br />
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We didn't have time to go inside but sat for a while people watching and talking about our visit to Rome and what we hadn't been able to see. <br />
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We decided a return visit is a must but we would have to spend at least three or four days there to ensure we wouldn't be disappointed again. As of yet we have not made any plans but will be sure to let you know when we do.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed our visit to Rome and will join me next time for Part 3 and wine tasting in Chianti, and visiting other places. <br />
Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-18948106097245186562015-07-02T15:32:00.000+01:002015-07-02T15:33:09.596+01:00Tuscany Part 1..........Well Hello!!<br />
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I've finally found a little time to write a blog post! The campaign is still ongoing and very involved but I'll write more about that some other time.<br />
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I know I said I would write about 2014's trip to Italy before 2015's but I've lost my notes and this one is more fresh in my mind so that's what you're getting folks. LOL<br />
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In May 2015 we enjoyed another fabulous holiday in Italy. We had a very early morning flight to our destination, Chianciano Terme, Tuscany, so consequently we arrived just after lunch, which was great as it meant we had all afternoon and evening free.<br />
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<a href="http://www.chiancianoterme.com/en/waters-and-spings.html">Chianciano Terme</a>, approx 500 metres above sea level, is a spa resort with mineral water enriched with healing elements, it's waters surface from five different types of springs. It <span class="cf3 ff3 fs20">is a unique health resort
whose baths have been renowned since very ancient times.The earliest
Etruscan findings date back to the 4th century BC and portray the
Goddess Sillene. Unfortunately we had a very busy schedule for the 7 days we were there so didn't have time to sample the Spa, but we spoke to other guests who did and they thoroughly recommended it. </span><b><span class="fs24 ff4 cf3"></span></b><br />
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<span class="fs24 ff4 cf3">This </span><span class="fs24 ff4 cf3">was the view from our balcony, it looks a bit dark but it brightened up.</span><br />
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Our first stop, after checking into our hotel, the Grand Plaza, was a small restaurant/bar five minutes walk away, where we enjoyed a couple of cold beers and a lovely Mediterranean platter for lunch. <br />
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After lunch we headed back to the hotel to have a short rest before getting changed for dinner.<br />
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The following day was our only free day so we decided to take the bus up to the old town, <span class="cf3 ff2 fs20">Chianciano Vecchia or Paese, as is called the
ancient town of Chianciano. Its aspect is very different from the
modern quarter that has grown all around the Terme. It is situated on a
hill and shows part of its medieval town walls and its ancient urban
plan. </span><br />
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<span class="cf3 ff2 fs20">The gate of the town is at the end of Via Dante, where stands
Porta Rivellini with its elegant Renaissance structure.</span><br />
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<span class="cf3 ff2 fs20"><span class="cf3 ff2 fs20">Soon after the arch stands the Church of the
Immaculate Conception, that once had the title of St. Mary of the Star
(1455) and the title of death (1580) because it was given to the
Brotherhood of Death. Here in the past there was the church of Borgo
alle Taverne (1317), a hospital and a tower. The tower had to be
restored in 1576, but it ruined and a new Church dedicated to the Virgin
Mary of the Star was built in the same place where in 1789 a fresco
representing the Virgin Mary of the Peace was set up. According to some
documents, the Virgin Mary of the Peace is one of the patron saints of
the town and the fresco is attributed to Pietro Perugino or Pietro of
Cortona; others, however, attribute it to Signorelli. </span></span><br />
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<span class="cf3 ff2 fs20"><span class="cf3 ff2 fs20"></span></span><span class="cf3 ff2 fs20"><span class="cf3 ff2 fs20"><span class="cf3 ff2 fs20">At the end of Via Casini stands out the
elegant and simple Bell Tower. Its structure is medieval, but it was
adjusted in subsequent periods when a marble covering was added. On its
façade you can admire the Medicis' coat of arms which was added when the
domination of Florence get the definitive control of the town.</span></span></span><br />
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We loved the winding streets</div>
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<br />
the architecture<br />
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and the fantastic views<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJy2U7hrmc1XaZdq4Wfa2DFwBRKIPMI2VEJvA4ou97yU56NGwOKjUdfHore3jI03lOUXpZlPBJ4e53yzOCm4SVbNtPIcGgYEN5CR7znTdH1QpBz37Hkxj-OLuEkoNT1ZXIFj_cJfJcFdmE/s1600/P1010222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJy2U7hrmc1XaZdq4Wfa2DFwBRKIPMI2VEJvA4ou97yU56NGwOKjUdfHore3jI03lOUXpZlPBJ4e53yzOCm4SVbNtPIcGgYEN5CR7znTdH1QpBz37Hkxj-OLuEkoNT1ZXIFj_cJfJcFdmE/s320/P1010222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We caught the local bus back which stopped virtually outside our hotel, arriving back with lots of time to enjoy a nice cappuccino and a brandy sitting on the swing on the front porch of the hotel, then a rest before dinner.<br />
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Join me for part two and our visit to the eternal city Roma!!<br />
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Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922338030834754301.post-65215920925106732562015-06-19T06:35:00.002+01:002015-06-19T06:35:38.380+01:00Apologies......Apologies again for not posting but I have been so busy with our campaign I just haven't had time!<br />
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The campaign is progressing and I promise I will try to post about our holiday soon, though I may tell you about our trip to Italy in May 2015 rather than May 2014, while it's still fresh in my mind.<br />
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Please bear with me. x<br />
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Here's a photo from the last holiday to be going on with - Tuscany where the film The English Patient was filmed.<br />
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<br />Akelamaluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11234268568845148285noreply@blogger.com6