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Journeys, a Creative Travel Blog
What motivates us to travel? It is certainly the need to get away from our daily routine, but more than that, it is our unquenchable curiosity about the way other people live, think, and work. Come blog with us! Send your contribution to
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Preparing for travel - 17 march 2010  | | Prague Astronomical Clock - Ph. by D. Santal |
When I help travelers plan a trip, I advise them to do some research to make sure their destination will be what they are looking for or what they hope to find there. With the Internet, this is an easy and very pleasant endeavor. Paying attention to my own advice, having chosen to visit two new places I had never seen before, I went ahead and researched our destinations.
I am about to go back to Paris for my bi-annual family visit, and as always, selected an additional corner of France or Europe to explore. Last fall, on the History Channel, there was a documentary on Dresden in Germany: it showed how the allies, at the end of World War II, had unnecessarily bombed it, reducing it to rubble. I understand that this was unnessary as the war had already been won and Hitler defeated. Today, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has been restored to its medieval appearance almost completely; I find it interesting that the rubble of the original buildings, therefore the original stones, were used to achieve that. The capital of Saxony in Eastern Germany, looked so appealing that we decided to visit it. Because it is only a two-hour train ride from Dresden to Prague, we also decided to return to the capital of the Czech Republic; we added Crakow (also spelled Krakow), in Poland, adding a much longer train ride further east, to our itinerary.
My first preparations led me to the internet: a quick search revealed untold treasures and photographs! Each website gave me information about the layout, the must-see places, the museums, the restaurants. Once I knew that, I could decide on a hotel, preferably not too far from the railroad station and a good fit for our budget. I also found out that the Czech Republic and Poland, although members of the European Union, are not yet using the Euro as their official currency, that will occur on January 1, 2012.
Initially, we had thought of flying from Paris to Dresden, then driving to Prague, then to Cracow, and finally flying back to Paris. It became quickly obvious that flying to and back from Prague was much more convenient with several daily and short, non-stop flights. Driving between Prague and Cracow would have meant 6 to 8 hours on the road... as our main interest was the cities themselves, taking the train was the obvious option, so we took it. Fares on European trains are quite reasonable, even the long rides are comfortable and generally pleasant; I was just sorry that there were no high-speed trains for our itinerary... but nothing is perfect.
Prague,CzechRepublic
Dresden (Saxony), Germany, Online photographs of Dresden
Krakow, Poland
Prague on the Vltava River - M. of Contemporary Art Crakow Fortress in the center of the city
| Returning to Paris, Florence and Milan - 10 December 2008  | | Rainy Day at the Tour Eiffel - Ph. by D. Santal |
We just spent three November weeks in Paris and also took a side trip to Florence and Milan.
As well as I know my native city, it still surprises me when I return to it. I think that I forget just how spectacular and beautiful it is. Why go in November? Very simply it’s “in season” (en saison) as Parisians call it. And what is the “season”? Any time when theatres and museums are in full swing and when restaurants are at their most creative, usually between late October-early November and late April-early May. If, it addition to that the weather is pleasant, the way it can be in November and in March-April, a Parisian jaunt can be perfect.
This time, with a temperature in the high 40’s and low 50’s, walking and gawking is at its very best. For instance, one day, as we were just walking towards our favorite Oh! Poivrier restaurant, at the intersection of Boulevard Haussman and Rue Lafitte, I caught a marvelous glimpse of the Sacred Heart Basilica in the distance: it was a breathtaking view, and totally unexpected. On another occasion, as we were at the restaurant of the Théâtre de Chaillot -- we were about to attend a performance of Sombreros, by the famed French choreographer Philippe Decouflé : our table had an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower; and all of a sudden, the tower turned a magnificent bright blue, and, literally, the whole restaurant gasped out loud, in awe.
In my first blog ever, I had said that to me Paris is not the Eiffel Tower or the Eiffel Tower, Paris. Yet on this visit, I took dozens of photographs of it, from every angle at which I had not noticed it before; not only is it an engineering feat, but it is truly handsome, I might even say “statuesque”.
Other surprises awaited us in Italy. I know Florence almost by heart, having first discovered it in Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy which describes, through the eyes of Michelangelo, every street , every building, every stone of 16th century Florence. As Florence was very rainy, we looked at it from under our umbrellas, thus revisiting the Renaissance city at eye level; I started noticing all its tiny details, from the sculpted door-knockers, to carved wood doors, the sculpted stones identifying various buildings and residences, I also explored the street markets where I found many bargains… it was so entertaining as well as amazing!
Milan, or Milano, had its great surprises too. I had been there before, but thought of it as just another large city with interesting sites, but no particular sentimental or artistic appeal. For the first time, I went inside the Duomo to enjoy the stained-glass windows; I visited the Il Museo Teatrale alla Scala with its memorabilia and collection of fine instruments. We unexpectedly sneaked a peak at a rehearsal of Aida; the opera season was a couple of weeks away so we did not get a chance to attend an actual performance, much to our disappointment. Much to our thrill, we discovered excellent small restaurants, where mostly Milanese eat… but more about that later.
| A Parisian Walk: Le Marais - 25 March 2008  | | Place des Vosges - Ph. by Doug Morrill |
I grew up and was educated in Paris. I always took it for granted. Fortunately, my parents did not, and every Sunday we had to go for a family walk. I did not appreciate it at all! I just wanted to take the metro and get to our destination, whatever it was, a museum, my aunt and uncle’s apartment, a monument. I have not so fond memories of climbing all the way to the top of the Arc de Triomphe using the stairs: it would have been so much simpler, so much less tiring, to take the elevator!
Today, I can hardly wait to walk around my native city, rain or shine, in any season; my Parisian nephew amusedly pointed out that he got to know his city because I make him walk everywhere, fortunately he is grateful for that.
I don’t have favorite walks, not exactly… but I love Le Marais best of all, in the 3rd and 4th districts, on the Right Bank (marais means “swamp”, as that's what it used to be). It developed in the 17th century, under King Henri IV, just northeast of the heart of Paris (Ile de la Cité): many of its buildings are in the classical style typical of that period. I love Le Marais because it is elegant, yet informal, the streets are somewhat narrow, very busy with merchants and 20th century traffic; it has many ethnic restaurants, cheerful cafés, a youngish, yuppish crowd, there are more museums per square kilometer than in any other part of Paris.
A walking tour could start at the Saint-Paul metro station, where Rue de Rivoli becomes Rue Saint Antoine. It would be a good idea to take Rue de Turenne, walk north, and turn right onto the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois which leads to a spectacular square, Place des Vosges. Occupying most of the Place, there is a lovely park (Square Louis XIII, 17th century king of France), and all around it the typical classical brick buildings of that period; also typical of the 17th century are the sidewalks, protected from the elements under arches; there are many superb street performers who are hired by the city of Paris: they sing opera, or play jazz, or turn magic tricks… it’s all dazzling. Victor Hugo's house, a charming museum about the Romantic poet, playwright and novelist, is in the southeast corner building: I was surprised to discover that he was also a fine artist, and many of his drawings are on display.
From there, I like to wander randomly, taking any street off of the Place. Such a walk affords all kinds of delightful surprises. There is the Museum of the City of Paris, the Museum of Hunting and Nature (where there was recently an exhibit on dogs through history; a dog's armor was on display!, the Picasso Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Musée Cognaq-Jay (18th century furniture and decoration), the Doll Museum, and so on.
As to eateries, the best known is L’As du Falafel; it is extremely crowded, noisy, informal, fun, friendly, and especially delicious: Jewish food, with a North African twist, is served there. Don’t let the crowds discourage you, just arrive before you are hungry, the wait will not seem so endless: it is worth every minute! Another gem is L’Arganier: the fixed price bufffet, for Sunday brunch, is especially scrumptious and abundant.
As to the shops, they are on the trendy side, especially on the Place des Vosges, but try Rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Rue des Blancs Manteaux… You might end up at the Place de la Bastille… From there (you are now in the 12th district), follow the Avenue Daumesnil, the wide street on the right side of Opera-Bastille, and enjoy a walk along another park known as the Viaduc des Arts, up above the street.
For more information, great addresses and terrific ideas, go to:
| Rediscovering Barcelona and Valencia - 14 June 2007  | | Flying over Barcelona |
We had visited Barcelona three times in the last ten years and it had become a great favorite along with Paris and London. Its richness, its elegance, and its liveliness are the reasons why Barcelona is such an exciting city. On my very first visit there, I had marveled at the omnipresence of the arts everywhere: sculptures on the street, passers-by gawking at them, walking around them, photographing them! There was music everywhere as well, on the streets, in the parks, from flamenco to jazz to traditional Catalan music... It was a thrill!
For this fourth visit, as the weather was balmy -- it was the last week in May, we spent all our time walking along the wide avenues, exploring gardens and enjoying the diversity of the urban landscape. Our modest and convenient hotel was one block away from La Rambla, a wide avenue which goes all the way to Plaça de Cataluña, the city’s major square. In the middle of La Rambla, there is a pedestrian area with outdoor café terraces, merchants, and lots of musicians. The major surprise, and delight, was an outdoor exhibit of sculptures by Igor Mitoraj, the Polish born artist.
In the Gothic area of Barcelona, easily reached on foot or by metro, we visited the Picasso Museum then took a guided tour of the completely restored Palau de la Musica Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is so beautiful, words cannot do it justice! We also “discovered” a large indoor market: it was such fun walking around the permanent stalls with the freshest fish, the most tantalizing fruits and vegetables, the mouth-watering bakeries and colorful flower displays. The cuisine of Spain had never struck me as good or even pleasant: I wondered why, considering the remarkable availability of fresh food! By the time we walked away, we were very hungry so we headed for our favorite paella place, the Seven Doors restaurant (7 Puertas) in the Gothic Quarter… But that’s another story!
Of course, we became reacquainted with Gaudi’s buildings, and discovered other Modernist period architects too often neglected because of Gaudi’s fame.
We then drove to Valencia along the Mediterranean coast, stopping for lunch in Tarragona, a lovely medieval town. Before leaving the United States, I had selected a reasonable central hotel on a quiet street near the main railroad station, itself a beautifully restored building of the Modernist period; the hotel was quite a find, smallish, with large rooms and room-size bathrooms, delicious buffet breakfasts, and superb staff.
Valencia was holding the America’s Cup at the time, so when we arrived, the atmosphere was most festive. We were eager to stroll in and around the harbor and to see close up the Arts and Sciences Center designed by the famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava: we had seen photographs, even a television documentary, but nothing prepared us for the actual sight; it is spectacular, especially to those who love bold contemporary art! Unfortunately, the music center was closed due to preparations for an important event, but just walking around was awe inspiring.
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