VICTORIA’S PARLIAMENT BUILDING

             An Outstanding Parliament Building

In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, we were so glad we had taken a docent to tour the Parliament building, as there was so much to learn. The rotunda has a lovely mosaic floor and tasteful paintings on the dome ceiling. The paintings on the wall around the rotunda depict the history of the area. The first one represents 1792, the next the advent of the Hudson Bay Company in 1842, and Fort Victoria, 1843, is in the next mural. All the murals were painted in the 1930s, the last mural represents the hanging judge who was there in 1863.

            Francis Rattenbury was the architect who won over 67 other architects, and he was only 25 years old at the time. He had signed his drawings B C Architect. Apparently the committee thought he was a local boy, but he was from Yorkshire, England. When asked to show some of his other works he showed many---but they had been completed before he was even born! Besides designing the Empress hotel, he designed over 100 buildings in British Columbia.

The building cost $920,000, including the overruns. However, between 1972-84 the renovation cost a hundred million dollars. At night 3333 lights illuminate the building. The lights were installed in 1897 and were not replaced until 1976.

The gold on the second floor was added during the renovation. During the Pueblo Gold Rush 20,000 men a year came through the area. The Provincial government has one house. There is no senate like in the US.

The original stain glass window showing the coat of arms was made in Yorkshire, England and was shipped in molasses. It was removed in 1911 to make an entryway into the new library wing of the building. That window was lost in the basement for 62 years until found in 1974. It now is installed in the foyer.

A lion lies on top of the crown, and 16 years ago a dogwood collar was added to the lion. Dogwood is the provincial flower. Originally the sun was under the flag which was interpreted as the Empire was fading, so it was changed so the sun is now on top of the flag. The brass helmet was added to the corner of the flag 16 years ago.

The blue represents the ocean, and the white represents the snow on the mountains. The red in the flag represents the patriots, the white in the flag represents the French. The splendor sine occasu translates: beauty without ceasing. The new stain glass window was unveiled for the Queen’s golden jubilee.

The legislature table is U shaped and the sides, or legs, of the U are exactly 2 ½ sword lengths apart, allowing for a ½ sword length if each side should take up arms. The legislature is never in session without this mace (medieval spiked club) being in place. It’s a lot bigger than a gavel and is strictly ceremonial, but a custom still in use.

Jade is the Provincial stone. Queen Victoria named Victoria in 1858. The second floor of the rotunda is a memorial to past legislators. Italian craftsmen laid the mosaic floor using inch square stones.

Rattenbury met a sad death, as he was bludgeoned to death in England by his second wife and her young chauffeur/lover. After a big trial at the Old Bailey she was acquitted, but three days later committed suicide by walking into a river and stabbing herself six times. The chauffeur was sentenced to death, but later his sentence was commuted to life in prison. However, he was released during WW II. He survived the war and lived in isolation in England.

A HARDY PIONEER

                                     A True Pioneer

            In Norway we has the privilege to visit  a woman who lives in the mountains by herself. She arrived in 1969 to take care of a sick lady and just never left.

            Kjeaasen, translates to goat kids on the hillside, is located 530 meters above sea level. The narrow switchback road to Kjeaasen, built in 1980, is narrow and one way. Traffic goes up on the hour, down on the half hour. Before the road one had to trudge up a footpath!

            The farm dating, back to 1300, was originally a summer farm. In 1349 the plague hit the village below and people fled to the mountain, but they died anyway and the area was vacant until 1600. In 1860 an avalanche destroyed everything in its path. The first cottage was close to the edge and an 8-year girl    went over the edge while playing. The next building moved away from the edge and was occupied by six children and their parents. In 1940 a cable made getting supplies up the mountain much easier. It only took 16 minutes, but I guess it sure beat walking up with a load, even with a load on a donkey. In 1900 there were two farms. The hunt included fox, grouse, and reindeer.

            This lady has been a year-round resident for many years. It took several years to gather the materials to build the house. She had and maintained a lovely vegetable garden. She never married and had no children. Now hillside farmers have moved to town and the farms are generally just summer residences.

            This lady spoke limited English but she had an English recording  that explained all about the farm and her life. Talk about a hardy pioneer!

THE FLAM TRAIN

                              A Short but Spectacular Train Ride

            Norway is one spectacular scene after another of mountains, waterfalls and fjords. The journey on The Flåm Railway is regarded as one of the highlights of any trip to Norway. The 20-km-long train ride from the mountain station of Myrdal to Flåm, located beside the fjord, takes around 55 minutes.

            The railroad built in 1914 took 20 years to complete. The first cars were steam driven. On the journey, you have views of some of the most magnificent mountain scenery in Norway with an ever-changing panorama of tall mountains and cascading waterfalls. The slow moving train stops at the best views.  At one stop we could get off to take pictures and admire an absolutely spectacular waterfall. Spray from the falls nearly drenched us, but none of us cared.

            At Voss we changed trains for another short ride. Then it was back on the bus for a fantastic steep ride over many hairpin turns. What a great ride, but I was glad I’d left the driving to someone else! At the fjord we waited for the ferry to cross the bus to Eidfjord.

            This train ride rivals Switzerland’s much longer, all day Glacier Express that passes over spectacular scenery leaving one gasping in wonder.

KOLBENZ,GERMANY

CUTE STATUES

Manhole covers are seldom of interest, but In Koblenz, Germany our guide on a walking tour stopped at one and explained, “The French occupied this area for twenty years and it was home to French refugees during the French revolution. Of course only males were here and eventually some of them married German girls. Their offspring were called schangel. This brass cover depicts a mischievous little boy. All the covers in the city are like this, and later we’ll stop by a statue dedicated to him.”

            When we got to the statue it was a surprise to all of us the first time that little bronze boy spit a mouthful of water onto the plaza. He was pretty cute and got a laugh out of us.

            Many statues are around the city. Some are red sandstone, others bronze. They all depict and commemorate common people who were known in the area. In one plaza is a woman who sold produce every day. On the square is the town character who drank too much and who one night decided to play the drums in the middle of the night waking his neighbors. The statues keep the town’s history alive and are a sweet addition to its character. They are adorable and can’t help but make you smile much of the time.

            We ended the walking tour at the History Column celebrating 2000 years of history. Our guide interpreted the fountain, “Mother Mosel sits in the rear of the boat while Father Rhine sits in the front guiding the oarsmen. The boat is full of wine kegs. The column rising from the center of the boat depicts various periods of time in the city’s history.”

            It is an unusual but meaningful monument.

ST. SOPHIA CATHEDRAL

                                 A Very Old Church

St. Sophia’s, a UNESCO site since 1990, is the oldest church in Kiev, Ukraine. We learned that the 11^th century, 13 domed church is considered one of the most remarkable structures from the Kievan-Rus period. Built 1017-31 by Prince Yaroslav, the church houses some of the country’s greatest mosaics, frescoes, and ancient icons.  Modeled on St. Sophia in Istanbul, the church is actually a small complex of two churches, bell tower, school and monks’ cells. Renovation in the 19^th century was done in Renaissance and Ukrainian baroque style.

The 12 columns divide the interior into five naves.  The church represents a perfect fusion between symbolic image and architecture: the big central gilt cupola and twelve smaller cupolas which crown it evoke Christ and the 12 Apostles.

A complex of monastic buildings surrounds the church. Built originally of wood in 1633, the buildings were destroyed by fire in 1697 and reconstructed in stone.

On the extensive tour of the complex we learned there are 177 hues of color used inside. The old frescoes were magnificent. Stalin closed the church in 1934. Gold headed domes were very popular with Slavs and the city is full of them. There are domes everywhere you look.

A docent told us, “This beautiful iconostasis is gilded over carved linden wood, a popular technique and is about one third the size of the original one.”

The condition of this ancient structure was amazing.

The four-story bell tower reaches 230 feet and features several architectural styles. The first story is typical Ukrainian of the early 17th-18^th century. The next two stories are embellished with molded decorations of Ukrainian baroque-style and the fourth story is pseudo-Byzantine.

From the plaza around the bell tower we had a great view of the water, and I regret to say I don’t remember what the body of water was.

THE YUSUPOV PALACE

One of My Top Three Palaces

I have visited many palaces and castles in my travels but the Yusupov in St. Petersburg, Russia, is one of my three top favorites. It is positively magnificent!

The Yusupov represents a rare combination of architectural monument and a temple of art. The home of a wealthy family, the Palace is also noted for the murder of Rasputin in 1916.

We entered the Yusupov Palace, facing the Neva River, through the carriage entrance. Immediately I noticed the gorgeous large tapestries hanging on the wall, the crystal chandeliers and the marble floor.

The ceiling covered with gorgeous plaster reliefs and sculptures over the grand staircase was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Two large white marble lions with the head of Madam Pompadour lay on each side at the bottom of the wide marble staircase.  A fancy dress collar covering the shoulders was sculptured on each lion.

The Yusupov family was the richest in Russia. Five generations lived in the palace, the last being Felix who died at 54. Our guide said, “Perhaps this exquisite ceiling is the first prefab as it was created by French artisans and shipped to Russia in bits and pieces to be assembled here.”

I was mesmerized by all the beautiful ceilings in the palace. Some of the beautiful parquet floors were done in marble, and the wood ones had different designs in each room.

This private home with a great interior has an interesting history. It was the first building to have central heating, electricity, phone etc. The family had large land holdings and was very rich. The family collected over 1000 pieces of art and sculpture. Some of the originals are in the Hermitage collection so replicas have been placed in the home. One stateroom was built to accommodate the gift of four huge tapestries. I estimated that each tapestry measured at least 12 X 14 feet, and they were gorgeous! In one bedroom the color scheme of pink and blue was carried out even to the chandelier that had a blue ball in the center of pink crystals.

            The blue drawing room displayed the original 300-year-old wall coverings. Blue upholstery covered the furniture. The ceiling was painted with what appeared to be sculptures---ah the talent of the artist! In the center of the ceiling was painted decorated latticework.

The dancing hall revealed another beautiful ceiling with cherubs and pastel colors. Pastel flowers bordered the center square of the happy ceiling. Candle lights, set in gold holders, were placed about every six inches around the upper wall. In the center of the room hung a gorgeous crystal chandelier.

            On the way to the private theater we walked under a couple of long domed ceilings. The hallway's large windows and mirrors were placed between marble columns. The theater was a takeoff on La Scala in Italy. Maroon velvet dominated the inner space. Baroque gold was everywhere. Two balconies extended to the ceiling. Rococo best describes the décor of the theater. Chairs were French. The orchestra pit receded 8-10 feet below the stage.

            Extensive carving dominated the oak in the dining room. Even the chandelier was carved from one huge piece of wood! In the 1800s palaces generally had no fixed dining room as the table or tables were simply moved from room to room to accommodate the expected crowd or occasion.

I had never seen crystal spindles which I spotted in a banister. Nor had I seen unusual embossed leather wallpaper. French stain glass decorated a couple of reception rooms. A marble fountain resembling a Turkish bath sat in the middle of a very Moroccan-décor room.

I love it when I can find and see something new and different.  What a fabulous visit! It is definitely a must-see when one is in St. Petersburg.

CARACOL MAYAN RUINS

                                      Would We Make It?

Because of the arrival of an early rainy season in Belize that year, it was questionable if we would be able to make our journey to Caracol the next day.

In the morning we learned the trip was a thumbs up! The road, and I use the term very loosely, through the jungle was a very slippery clay  one. We did our share of slipping and sliding but stayed on the ‘road’ as there was nowhere else to go. No gutters to fall into! After three hours on our 18-20 mile journey we spotted ruins in a clearing.

Caracol is the most extensive known Mayan ceremonial center in Belize. A five square mile clearing in the thick jungle comprises a classic period complex that includes pyramids and an astronomical observatory. The most visually striking structure is Caana (sky palace) a temple towering 136 feet above the plaza floor.  We were told it is the tallest man-made structure in Belize and it measures 100 X 120 meters. The Central plaza is linked by causeways to a number of outer ruins. Archeological finds here are expected to result in a much better understanding of the Mayan social structure and may help determine what led to the dissolution of the civilization.           

            Only a small portion of these ruins have been excavated and the tour still took over three hours. Our local guide was young but very knowledgeable.

Of course I had to climb the sky house and although it wasn’t all that far the steps were very steep. On the trip down some chose to nearly crawl down backwards. I just sort of bounced down, first on one foot and then on the other. I’m an equal hip/knee kind of gal!

In 1993National Geographic showed a film of the ancient Mayan civilization which was filmed at these ruins.  Caracol is seven square miles and when fully excavated will be one of the, if not largest,  discovered Mayan ruins. It is estimated that 180,000 people lived here and it was the capitol of the Mayan civilization for many years. It reached its cultural zenith between 500-600AD. In 1992 a tomb was uncovered and the body of a woman found wore the largest jade mask ever found. She also had a ‘fan’ above her head.

The Mayans who arrived from the north and east in about the third century AD constructed towering pyramids, engineered needle-straight highways, and designed very accurate astronomical friezes. They flourished for five centuries and then mysteriously disappeared. It is presumed that there are some Mayan ruins in the wilderness still undetected. All this happened centuries before Columbus discovered America.

It was very hot and still in the ruins and we all consumed large amounts of water. On the return trip to the lodge, the driver detoured to the Frio No where we went swimming in the cool pools. Some of us even bounced down a waterfall or two. It was great fun and a delightful cooling way to end an interesting day.

HAWAIIAN MONK SEALS

                                                 Endangered Species

The Hawaiian monk seal is the most Hawaiian of Hawaii’s marine animals. They are seldom seen around the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, but are found in the northwest part of the archipelago from Nihoa to Kure islands. Maybe they are shy of people because they have been hunted so much. They are so named because they are solitary animals, similar to monks. They also have very little fur on the top of their head and the skin folds around the neck resemble a monk’s cowl collar.

There are three species of monk seals. The Caribbean monk has been extinct since 1952, the Mediterranean monk is endangered with fewer than 500 animals remaining. The outlook is dim for them as the countries surrounding their habitat have political priorities over saving the seals. The Hawaiian monk has been endangered since 1976 with a total population of only 1200 animals.

The monk seals have remained in tropical and temperate waters while relatives have moved to colder polar climates. Tropical habitats have fewer resources and fewer haul-out areas. Such areas also are favored human habitats and often humans rearrange the monk habitats.

It was explained, “The objective of this research is to monitor the population including the age, sex, and numbers of seals and identify the beaches used to determine if there is a seasonal pattern. Data will also show the composition of the population, reproductive and survival rates, and movement to other atolls. It will also identify birth sites and nursery beaches as well as the diet, by analyzing collected scats. Documentation of scars, injuries, entanglements, and other threats will be made. Potential entangling debris will be collected and disposed of and any seal found entangled will be freed. And finally we’ll determine  how disturbances, including aircraft traffic, affect the seals.”

The Hawaiian monk seal history is rather a sad one. As human activity increased many seals were clubbed to death for meat, oil, and skins. With the disturbance of hauling-out areas mothers and babies were forced out to sea where sharks further reduced the population. Others drowned accidentally when entangled in lost fishing nets that drift from the North Pacific.

Seals feed on eels, small reef fish, octopus, and lobster. They have been known to dive 500 feet and remain under water for as long as 20 minutes when feeding. They can eat as much as 10% of their body weight each day providing a thick layer of blubber as an energy reserve. Although the monks live in warm waters their blubber layer is equal to that of seals in colder climates. Their life span  may reach 30 years. Generally seals remain close to the island of their birth. Adult females often have a pup each year. Monk seals are normally polygamous. In some areas this has become a problem when males out-number females. Aggressive courtship, known as mobbing, has resulted in injury and even death of some females and juveniles. In recent years wildlife managers have identified the aggressive males and moved them to other islands.

A newborn pup weighs 35-40 pounds and will quadruple  his weight during the 40 day nursing period. A pregnant 7-foot female can weigh 600 pounds and will lose half of that during the nursing period as she does not leave her pup during that time, even to feed. The weaned pup will slowly lose weight as he learns to feed by trial and error on his own. He will feed around his birthplace.

A weaned pup has been described as looking like a silver football with big black eyes and whiskers at one end and floppy flippers at the other end. At one year the pup is generally 4 ½ feet long and weighs about 100 pounds.

Breeding season is generally spring and summer. Gestation is about 10 ½ months with most births occurring in March to May, although births have been recorded in every month. New born pups have black fuzzy short hair which falls out during nursing and is replaced with silver-gray fur on the back and creamy white fur on the underside. Subsequent molts occur annually. Only elephant and monk seals molt each year. Each animal has his own molting schedule, they do not all molt at the same time of year. The fur is attached to the epidermis and comes off in strips. The process takes about two weeks. The seal remains on the beach during molting and does not feed during that period. The new fur comes in on the dermis layer.

  The monk seal bone structure is quite different from that of other seal species. Its limbs and flippers are very short. On land they are very awkward, unable to haul out on rocks like other species. They kind of wiggle and inch their way along. But in the water they are sleek and graceful.

The Midway seal population is the most depleted population in the northwest Hawaiian Islands.  The high Midway human population, without a doubt, was a big contributing factor as the residents made ample use of the beaches.

During this ten day research project we spent some time washing and examining seal scat the biologist had collected. It was amazing the things we found. It was a fascinating activity.

There were times when I was pretty bored on this project, but it certainly was interesting and educational!

WONDERFUL BIRDS

                                               Surprises All Day

Besides the animals we had many surprises in the Galapagos Island. After a visit to the Darwin Research Center and museum on Santa Cruz Island we checked out the giant tortoises. They were in all stages of growth. The babies were in pens. When they get a little bigger they are placed in large enclosures, and the adults were lumbering around the grounds everywhere.

More memorable than the Center was the delicious lunch we had up in the highlands where it was considerably cooler. The tropical landscaping was gorgeous and the view magnificent.

On the way down from the highlands we stopped to walk the rim of a sink hole. Our guide instructed. “Sit quietly for awhile and listen to the songs of the Galapagos doves and watch the vermilion flycatchers.”

 We did, and the birds’ songs were the only sound that broke the absolute solitude of this quiet place. Wonderful!

Later we visited a large lava tunnel. Some of the younger people descended the rough trail to explore its depths. It was a bit rough for my old joints to say nothing of my claustrophobia, so I stayed in daylight and enjoyed the scenery.

We left Santa Cruz Island late in the evening for an all night cruise to Tower Island. We were sent  to bed with the promise of a surprise in the morning.

When I walked out on deck the next morning with my first cup of coffee I suddenly stopped short, mesmerized by the sight of two red footed boobies perched on the bowsprit. They sat there in all their splendor for a very long time. My son  had been up for some time and had taken pictures. He slowly walked over to me and said, “Aren’t they wonderful, Mom?”

Later we learned these birds feed far out to sea in deep waters. They usually hitch a ride back to shore on the boats that sail the islands. By being quiet and moving slowly everyone was able to take pictures. The birds posed as if it were expected of them. It was a wonderful surprise and a great way to start a new day! 

THE RASPUTIN LEGEND

 RASPUTIN

During the tour to the Yusupov Palace in St Petersburg, Russia, we were clustered in a small room to hear the legend of Rasputin. Later we were actually in the basement which was really at ground level where a good part of the action took place. It was pretty awesome as well as fun to actually be in  that room.

According to legend Rasputin, a monk, was getting a bit too friendly with a family member and it was on the pretense of meeting Yusupov's wife  that Rasputin was invited to the palace. He entered through a lower door to find his favorite sweets and vodka waiting for him.  All the domestic help had been given the evening off. About 45 minutes later the doctor came downstairs and was surprised to see all the goodies gone and Rasputin alive and well. The doctor had been ordered to poison the goodies. Some say that the doctor did not follow those orders because it was against his oath.

            He returned upstairs to seek advice on what to do next, and was told that Rasputin must be shot.

            The shots attracted the police so to cover the crime a stray dog was shot becoming the excuse for gunshots. In spite of being shot several times, with bullets in his body, unbelievably Rasputin escaped into the cold December night and started to crawl away.

            He was found and thrown into the Neva River across the street, but his assailants forgot to attach the concrete weight to his body. He was found a couple of days later. Water was found in his lungs so it was determined that he actually drowned.

CORNWALL, ENGLAND SURPRISES

                                                  Wonderful Unexpected Venues

            Cornwall was part of a trip during a hoof and mouth disease outbreak. Several travelers had cancelled, so we were a small group of nine. One day it was the consensus to just follow a map and do our own thing. What a marvelous day it turned out to be!

            We made our way to the village of Gweek where there was a rather extensive and nice seal sanctuary on the Helford River.   Grey seals grow to eight feet long and weigh 550 pounds. Two-thirds of the world’s population of this species lives off the coast of the British Isles, mostly off Scotland.  Pups are born August-September.  It is not uncommon for a storm to separate the pups from mom, and then they are likely to be bashed against the rocky coast. Many pups are rescued, treated and housed in the sanctuary until the following spring when they can be safely  released.

            Rather unusual, the pups are weaned between 3-5 weeks. Grey seals are only able to dive for about ten minutes. The sanctuary has a hospital, plus several tanks where we found several varieties of seals.  Watching the seals being fed, we suddenly realized we could use some lunch ourselves, so we headed to the Gweek Inn/Pub. At the only pub in town we found a rather complete menu and had a wonderful meal.

            After lunch we journeyed to Trebah Gardens.  The introduction in their flyer says, “This is no pampered, pristine, prissy garden with rows of clipped hedges, close mowed striped lawns, and daily raked paths. Instead it is a magnificent old, wild, and magical Cornish garden---the product of 100 years of inspired and dedicated creation followed by 40 years of mellowing and ten years of love and restoration.”

            And magnificent it was! Even the light rain showers didn’t keep us from walking and enjoying the garden. Trebah stands at the head of a 25-acre ravine, 500 meters long and dropping 70 meters to the Helford River. Under an umbrella I walked the whole length twice on two different paths plus occasionally zig zagging between paths.  The paths were well marked and at the end of the loop I stopped to read the marker that stands as a memorial to the men of the 29^th Division who headed off from there to Normandy for D-Day.

Our hotel in Penzance, a seaside community, was across the street from the ocean promenade offering us a delightful view of Mount’s Bay and St. Michael’s Mount.  In the 16^th century Spanish raiders destroyed most of the town, so most buildings were 18^th century.

One evening we headed to the Turks Head Pub where we learned the 14th century inn is the oldest in the town. It was a pleasant surprise to find an extensive menu  with reasonable prices and generous and extremely good servings.

            One evening we went to the local church for the bell ringing, which takes place once a week. Our guide somehow managed to get us up into the tower to watch this very involved and precise activity. The six men and women were playing the bells. It is quite a knack to get the bells upright, where they stay until finished, and then are lowered over a period of time. Once upright they swing and their weight turns them 360-degrees.. It is much more complicated than I ever thought.

AN EXTRAVAGANT SURPRISE

                           A Cuban All Inclusive    

I was fortunate enough to visit Cuba nine years ago just before all travel to the island country was prohibited. 

We  crossed a 48-kilometer long causeway to reach our Santa Clara, Cuban hotel on Cayo Santa Maria. Many mangroves were in the bay of the causeway we crossed.

Our plush all-inclusive resort, built in 2001, could have been anywhere. We were driven to our room in a golf cart. It seemed a long way with many twists and turns and I wondered if I would ever be able to find my way back to reception and the dining room.

Our lovely little balcony looked out on nothing but lush vegetation.  The buildings were attractive two-story quadraplexes. Huge pools, most pretty shallow, with bridges over them were in the center of the complex.  The large property had 4 restaurants, 5 bars, tennis, gym, beauty parlor, massage facilities, live entertainment and a gorgeous long white sandy beach.

The enormous buffets had a huge variety of food, drinks and all the wine and liquor one desired. It was almost overwhelming and so easy to really overeat.

 I turned the A/C off in our quarters because it was too cold and turned on the ceiling fan which did a fine job of keeping the room comfortable. The next morning I woke at 6:30 AM, made my coffee and sat on the balcony to drink it. What a way to start a morning!

We’d had several long busy days so after a short ride to a village in the morning we spent a free afternoon at this lovely resort, which incidentally was strictly for foreign tourists, as no Cubans were allowed to book into the hotel. I walked to the far end of the beach, but the red flags were flying, so the best I could do was remove my shoes and walk along the edge in the water. 

I looked at one of the many hammocks strung among the trees, but it was a bit cool to lay around in the shade of a tree. Several thatched bars were scattered around the grounds. One was never far from the rum.

I know this type of all inclusive resort appeals to a lot of people, but sitting around a pool drinking is not really my thing. I much prefer smaller quaint accommodations and being able to get out among the locals, see, visit and learn. But I do admit that it was a lovely respite after some busy days and before others that followed.