NUREMBERG FOUNTAIN

Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain).

The pulse of Nuremberg, Germany beats at the market square Hauptmarkt. The lively square is dominated by the beautiful Church Frauenkirche and the Gothic fountain Schöner Brunnen.

This ornate and richly painted fountain was the work of master builder Heinrich Beheimby. Built in the 1370s, the three-tiered Beautiful Fountain, looking much like a Gothic church spire, stands in an octagonal water basin. The stone pyramid fountain soaring nearly 60-feet upward features 40 sculptured figures which reflect the world-view of the Holy Roman Empire. The pool is decorated with figures representing philosophy and the seven liberal arts and above them are the four Evangelists and the four Church Fathers.  In the middle are the Seven Electors and Nine Worthies and above them Moses and Seven Prophets.

The wrought-iron grille was added in 1587. The iron-smith who made the wrought iron fence surrounding the fountain had an apprentice who fell in love with a nobleman’s daughter. Naturally the dad objected to the match. One evening the apprentice disappeared never to be heard from again, but he left a golden journeyman’s ring on the fence. (Now a representative ring is embedded in the railing.) It is said that   if one turns the ring it will bring him good luck. Tour guides bend the legend to mean that you will return to Nuremberg.  The rather small ring is not noticeable on first sight. It is such a popular thing for tourists to do that periodically the ring has to be replaced due to wear and tear. We were told that on one occasion it was a black ring. I’m not sure when that was though, why, or for how long the black ring remained.

            This fountain is unique and if absorbed in small sections I could handle it but en masse in the whole it was very baroque and in my mind gaudy. But when in the area it is definitely a must-see.

            Art exhibits are often displayed in the square and at the time of my visit there were thousands of rabbits lined in many long rows. The sight of all those rabbits had to make you smile!

CUBA

               OLD HAVANA

Old Havana was designated a UNESCO site in 1982, and UNESCO has been instrumental in helping restore Habana Vieja. Slums are sometimes hidden behind colonial facades. Architecture in the old city included 1600s  pre-baroque, 1700s baroque, and 1800s neo-classical and neo-gothic buildings.

There are numerous old buildings and mansions many of which now  house museums. At one time shipbuilding here was the largest in Latin America. Many of the high ceilings in old buildings were built by shipwrights and resemble an inverted ship’s hull. We did see many beautiful ceilings. If one wanted to take pictures  in museums you were required to pay a dollar to someone or other---often an attendant.

Colonialism, capitalism, and communism have merged into one. One-fifth of Cuba’s population lives in Havana.  The tree lined boulevards of this once wealthy city are tranquil and the least threatening of any in Latin America. Music was everywhere---all the time—in the many parks, on the streets near or in the restaurants. That was nice. At no time did I feel uneasy, threatened, or intimidated anywhere in the country. Policemen or guards, not sure which, were seen on street corners in Old Havana. They were usually in pairs, conversing, bothered no one and any guns certainly were not visible or threatening.

On the east side of Havana Harbor lies Regla, a small fishing village that didn’t look very prosperous. Riding through an industrial and railroad area we saw many ship containers, large and small, and oil storage tanks. In colonial days that area developed into a smuggler’s port. Pirates made a living stealing off American yachts anchored in the harbor. It was also the setting for Havana’s bullfights. Today the main electricity generating plant for Havana is located in Regla, as well as petrochemical works. There is a well preserved church in the area.  Facing the waterfront the church was built in 1810. The gilded altar under an arched ceiling is legendary.

Castro’s policy concentrated on rural rather than on urban areas. When there was a housing shortage, a building campaign removed the unhealthy shanty towns. After the Russians pulled out, supplies and money to improve buildings were lacking and such areas began to reappear. In 1959 Castro closed the strip clubs, brothels, and casinos. Wealthy Cubans started an exodus. Tourism stopped, and the hotel and restaurant businesses suffered tremendously.

One afternoon we attended a lecture at the Hotel Mundo where for $2 a day Hemingway lived in room # 501. Historic and nostalgic.

Education through college is free in Cuba. Many teach school for the required number of years and then leave teaching to work in the tourist industry---where the money is. Every day when we returned to our hotel room the TV had been tuned to the BBC. Obviously the maid had been listening to the news while she worked. Was she an ex schoolteacher? Very possibly.  School children wore uniforms and whenever we saw children they were well behaved. Cuba’s literacy rate is high.

I loved old Havana and wished to have an extra couple of days to spend there.

CUBA OPENING UP FOR AMERICANS

GETTING TO CUBA

For the past decade, since the end of 2003, visiting Cuba has been forbidden for Americans. Everybody in the world, except Americans, could travel to Cuba. In 1996 the U.S. Treasury Department issued licenses to a handful of companies such as Global Exchange and Cross Cultures for sanctioned travel to Cuba for educational and cultural purposes.

          People participating in these programs usually had to fly via Canada or Cancun, Mexico. Sometimes, if the group was large enough, there would be a chartered plane from Miami.

            Then several travel /tour agencies decided to jump on the bandwagon to obtain a Treasury license. It didn’t take long for the Treasury Department to realize that along the way the educational and cultural components of these companies’ trips had gotten lost.

            By December 31, 2003 when licenses expired none would be renewed essentially cutting off all such travel for Americans. I was lucky to move off a waiting list and able to visit Cuba in mid-November of ’03. I booked a flight through Cancun where I met several others and our guide.

            Literature I received informed me that the climate is tropical and temperate. Walking shorts certainly were acceptable. No credit cards, ATMs, or personal or travelers’ checks could be used in Cuba. One must carry all the cash one anticipates needing. There are two currencies: the peso and the US dollar, however only Cubans used pesos. There were both dollar and peso stores. We found that everyone was most happy to accept the American dollar!

One was allowed to bring back goods worth $100, which included tobacco and liquor. Twenty-five cigars were permitted within that allowance. Cuban cigars are supposed to be some of the best in the world. I did a bit of cigar research to know what I was talking about when buying a few for friends.  Bottled water was recommended; even to brush one’s teeth.  I’d been down that road before. It was best to avoid ice, even though most ice is made from purified water. I’d been down that road many times before too.

We were to expect cobblestones and walking up to three miles over rough sidewalks in disrepair, sometimes hilly terrain and good walking shoes were essential. The literature strongly suggested that to enjoy the adventure, flexibility and a large supply of patience would be most helpful to cope with situations quite different than in the U. S. The literature was accurate and it was nice to be forewarned.

As people learned about my impending trip I experienced a variety of comments ranging from, “Wow, I wish I could go” and “So you’re going before they shut it down, good for you,” to “Why do you want to go there. I’d never go to Cuba. It’s too scary.”  When I asked that person why, she responded, “It’s full of Communists.”  Stymied I just shook my head and cut the conversation short.

This turned out to be a fantastic trip, full of wonderful lectures, walking tours, travel throughout the country, good accommodations and better food than I’d expected. It was also my introduction to the flavorful mojito. Lots more about Cuba  to come.

REYKJAVIK LANDMARKS

                            Two Unusual Buildings

            One of the main reasons Reykjavik, Iceland is such a clean city is because the city it totally heated and powered geothemically. It was interesting to tour the ten-story Perlan, Pearl Building, built in 1990,  where all the heated water and power is supplied to the city. 

The building sits on six huge storage tanks. On the fourth deck of the building is an observation platform that offers wonderful views of the city. A revolving restaurant is on the top floor and a café below that.

It was an easy walk in this very walkable city to the famous Hallgrimskirkja Church.  Completed in 1986, the church is designed to look like a mountain of lava and is the city’s most unusual structure. The parish built the church taking 40 years to complete. Architect Samulson, who was the first  architectural school  graduate, designed the church  in 1920 as well as  many other city buildings in later years.   The church, named for a poet, has a 246-foot tower which affords a panoramic view of the city.

Outside the church is a statue of Leif Erickson presented by the US in 1930.  The plaza surrounding the church is paved with 9-inch charcoal and gray tiles that are laid to form several crosses in the design.

Many think the Lutheran church interior is stark, but I rather think it is elegant in its simplicity. The all white interior makes it very light inside.

The church is the tallest building in the city, but I understand an office building is in the process of being built that will be slightly higher.

The day I walked back from the Botanical Gardens I heard the organ play Here comes the Bride as I approached the church. On the patio of the church sat a old ‘52 Hudson to carry the new couple away. I sat on a bench, but after awhile when the bride did not appear, I left and walked back to the hotel.

The City Hall, Radhus, was controversial when it was built. Located on the north end of the lake, its front pillars are actually in the lake so part of the building is suspended over the water. It is an unusual building. The lake, Tjornin, is in the city center and is more of a pond than a lake.

XI'AN, CHINA

XI’AN

I always wondered how to pronounce Xi’an, China. Once I learned, it is easy. It sounds like she han. Now probably most people in the world know Xi’an is where the terra cotta army was discovered.

During my rather extensive trip to China we arrived in Xi’an by train, and let me tell you about that train ride.

Our train was delayed so instead of wasting the time in the Beijing train station our guide took us to Beijing's  underground city---more about that another time.

       We boarded the train at 8 PM. The compartments hold two bunk beds and you could be bunked with anyone. Fortunately we had bought the entire cabin so we could sleep on the lower bunks and be comfortable with only two people per small cabin. This new train had been in service for two weeks, was an express from Beijing to Xian and had a capacity for 592 passengers. A small TV was at the foot of each bunk.

My cabin was only one cabin away from the western toilet, which was fortunate for me as I was up several times during the night. How lucky could one get! Four or five sinks lined the wall just outside the commode.The eastern toilet was at the other end of the car.

The bunks were hard. I tossed and turned all night and was mighty glad to see daylight. The train was quiet, but none of us slept well. A thermos of hot water was in our cabin when we boarded. The next morning I was stunned to find the water still hot! It wasn’t boiling but was pleasantly hot enough to wash up and even make a fairly hot cup of coffee. If only I could have found such a thermos anywhere to buy! I enjoyed a couple cups of coffee as I watched the scenery flash by and the farmers  out tending their crops.

It took eleven and a half-hours to make the 1200 kilometer (720 miles) trip.

The train pulled into the 5000 year old walled city of Xi’an, capitol of Shaanzi Province, at 8 o’clock in the morning. We immediately found ourselves in throngs of people. Somehow in the mob of humanity in a light rain our guide found our local city guide, who directed us to our bus.

Xi’an was gateway to the Silk Road that 2000 years ago connected China with Persia, Rome and the world beyond. The city is an important economic and cultural crossroads between east and west. Once called Chang’an it was the political center of China, as well as the center of Buddhists scholars, monks, and artists.

Our local guide told us, “In ancient times before clocks, a bell located on the east side of the village, rang in the new day. Xian’s 600-year-old bell tower, built during the Ming era, was re-built in 1769 during the Qing Dynasty. A drum, located on the west side of the village beat the end of the day. The Drum Tower, smaller than the Bell Tower, marks the beginning of the Muslim part of the city. One of the largest mosques in China is located in Xi’an. With a 60,000 Moslem population the 18^th century mosque is an active one today."

The walled part of Xi’an is the geographic center of the city. The old city wall (1374-1378) dating back to the Ming Dynasty is built over the old wall foundation. The 12-meter high wall is also 12 meters wide and contains four huge gates and 164 watchtowers. The 14 kilometers of the nearly complete wall are in the shape of a rectangle. It surrounded the inner city for the emperor

Air raid shelters were hollowed out of the walls when the Japanese bombed the city, and during the Cultural Revolution caves were dug into the wall to store grain. The outer city wall is nine times longer but is mostly gone. The west part of the city is home to an electronics industry and the east side houses textile, aircraft, chemical, and military factories.

The traffic was horrendous. City cabs were a lime green---different. Tourism has grown into a major industry for the city since the discovery of the Terra Cotta Army. Our adventure in Xi’an had begun! 

FOOD AND DRINK

Strudel and Coffee

When biking Austria we stopped each day mid-morning for coffee and in mid-afternoon for pastry. One day our guide told us, “I’ve called ahead to a fellow I know in Eizendorf. He makes the best apple strudel and he said to come  and have some. You can have it with or without schlag (real whipped cream). I highly recommend it.”

           He got no argument form any of us and we were on our way. The strudel  was warm, right out of the oven, as if they made it special for us. Without a doubt it was the best I have ever eaten, before or since.

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Crepes are common in France and we ate many of them. A breakfast burrito or taco was about the same only in a flatter and larger crepe. We had the equivalent of a dinner casserole in a crepe and of course we had all sorts of desert crepes. Somehow, a crepe tastes best in France and especially in an outdoor café!.

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I’d been touring Europe for nearly two weeks and had switched to drinking tea as I’d found the coffee too strong for my taste. When I entered the chalet gift shop on top of Strassehorn, Switzerland,  behind the counter I spotted coffee on a hot plate . 
“Is that hot water there beside the coffee?” I asked the young man.

            “Yes.”

            “Good. I’d like a half cup of coffee and then I’d like you to fill the cup with hot water,” I instructed.

            “No, no. This coffee, we make to put  liqueur in. It is good.”

            “Just the coffee please.”

            “OK, if you insist.”

            I sat in the sun on the terrace 6000 feet up  a mountain enjoying the only really good cup of coffee I had on the entire trip. It was worth the three dollars to just enjoy my brew while listening to the cow bell serenade from the alpine valley below.

YORK TRIVIA

MORE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YORK

York, England city’s medieval wall was built on top of the old Roman wall using it as a foundation, a fairly common practice, in those days throughout Europe. Every-thing remained inside the walled city—garbage, bodies, everything. Eventually the ground and the city level became elevated.

Although the wall was level we could see areas where its height was shorter on the inside due to the inside ground level.

            Years ago the ancient wall was naturally in need of repair, and the city wanted to simply tear it down. Some wise and concerned conservationists said NO, and the end result was that the wall was saved and repaired. In some areas a couple rows of stones were removed and a concrete cap added, but the wall remains. We walked part of it—just because.

The Shambles, now a tourist section of the city, was once a market area. Shambles referred to a meat shelf, later it came to mean a meat store or butchery. As time went on the non-edible parts of the meat trade were thrown into the street (alley) to rot and thus shambles now means a mess.

            A red devil sits on the corner of a building on the corner of Stonegate (street).  He’s a pretty cute little devil, all red and grinning.  It seems years ago a printer set his type and when absent or  his back  was turned youngsters would rearrange some of the letters. (Boys will be boys) The printer would scold the boys and call them little devils.

Now Stonegate, the ancient through-way alley, is a pedestrian mall where visitors can shop and enjoy a rich medley of medieval and Georgian architecture.

The Castle Museum occupies three huge multi-story buildings. One can view and walk in recreations of British life over the past 300 years; many of the displays extensive.  Victorian Kirkgate is the oldest recreated street in any museum in the world and offered  great  19^th century window-shopping.  The Half Moon Court offered insights into Edwardian life. Prison life 200 years ago? It was there. I’ve walked many a cobbled street, but never one in a museum.

            We found the chocolate exhibit fascinating. We even lifted up all the answer panels meant for kids. The UK spends a staggering 360,000 pounds (dollar equivalent) an hour on chocolate! It has the largest chocolate consumption in the world.  I’ve heard other such claims but the above is a huge expenditure

INTERESTING ENGLISH CITY

YORK, ENGLAND

The first thing we learned in York, England  was that the ancient gates to the city are called bars because they bar anyone from entering the walled city.

A local docent told us, “Bootham Bar is the defensible  bastion for the north road. Micklegate Bar on the south was traditionally the monarch entrance, and the place where traitor’s heads were displayed. Monk Bar, the last bar built, is the tallest and has kept its portcullis (iron grating) in working order. It has a couple of levels and each one is defendable. A tax door is at  street level as  everything entering the city was taxed. Walmgate Bar is the only town gate in England to have preserved its barbican, a funnel-like approach forcing attackers to bunch together.

            “York’s streets are called gates from the Viking word. So gates are bars and streets are gates, some people find this confusing.”

We walked a good part of the three mile ancient wall surrounding the inner city. The population inside the walled city is 2000, the city’s population reaches 60,000 and greater York approaches 150,000. Romans were in the area from 71-400s when the city was a Roman military center. Anglo Saxons followed, Vikings appeared 866-1066 and then came the Normans.

The rivers Foss and Ouse flow through the city. William the Conqueror took the River Foss for his private fishing pond. Quirky as it may seem, use of the river still belongs to the Queen, and the city of York pays three pounds fifty annually to the crown for the use of the river. This amount has never been increased, but the Queen keeps the money which today equals approximately $6.

St. Leonard’s was a hospital built and run by monks and nuns in 937. At the time it was the largest in Europe. It not only accommodated the sick, but  it was also a haven for the aged and poor---ancient social security. William the Conqueror took care of all that, and eventually alms houses were built for the needy.

St. William’s College, 1465, was built for poor chancellor priests of the York Minster. These priests came to the church as children for food and shelter. However, when they became adults they decided they did not want to be celibate. They were locked in the residence each night where the windows were very small. Legend says that the street of the residence was nicknamed Little Alice Lane. Apparently Little Alice was wee enough to make it through the window in the darkness of night!

IINTERESTING RIDES

                                                 A Camel Ride

In the Australian outback the camel handler gave us some advice on what it would feel like when the camel got up and down. We decided to ride together in the double saddle.

A camel gets up on his hind legs first, which tends to propel one a bit forward, then up goes his front legs. There wasn’t too much of a jolt as the camel got up, but going down Jan let out a whoop! When lying down   the camel puts his front legs down first! Then the hind legs go down with a plop. We both were propelled forward, but we managed to stay in the saddle.

The ride is different than riding a horse. You don’t bounce like on a horse. I wouldn’t want to ride a camel very far, but it was fun and an interesting experience.

Australia is the largest producer of camels in the world, and exports them all over the globe.

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A Slow Slippery Ride

Due to recent rains in Belize it was questionable whether we would be able to make it to the ancient Mayan ruins Caracol. The rainy season started early that year and the archaeologists left the area two weeks early. The final decision would not be made until  morning. Since this was the main purpose of my staying over in Belize,  I whispered a silent prayer.

            At breakfast we learned the trip was a thumbs up! The road, and I use the term very loosely, through the jungle was like clay and very slippery. 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!

            Our young driver told us, “Unlike the US, most of our young people do not drive.” This young man was good and he kept us from getting stuck, although at times we had pause to wonder.

            As we inched along, I tried to visualize what it must have been like to cut a path through the jungle during wartime. The jungle does not stay at bay long and grows back quickly--like overnight!.

            We heard several toucans while riding but never did see one. These beautiful birds were too high up in the tree canopy.     After almost three hours, in which we had traveled 18-20 miles, we sighted a ruin and then we were suddenly in a large clearing—the entrance to Caracol! 

THE GREEN MACAW

     Beautiful Birds

           

The owner of our hotel in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica belonged to a volunteer organization trying to save the green macaw.

She told us, “Because of deforestation and rapid colonization, the habitat of the Great Green Macaw has been reduced from 12,460 hectares to 529 hectares. Five years ago there were only 25 mating pairs, now they have increased to 100 pairs.

           “The Great Green Macaw is still endangered. On the black market one sells for $3000.  That is a great deal of money to someone making $300 a month.”                

The bird mates for life. They live exclusively in the almond tree in the tall canopy of the forest. The almond tree grows 30-50 meters tall. As the leaves fall from the tree, it creates a natural cavity for the bird. The nut is very hard, but the macaw has a very strong beak and can crack the nut.

She continued, “Almond wood is very hard and a desirable building material. People cut the trees on their property to sell the wood. Our organization has started paying property owners an annual sum      to take care of and nurture their almond trees and not  cut them down. It seems to be working.”

            A macaw reproduces at five years of age and has one to three chicks a year. They can live to be 60 years old. Owls and the African bee are the predators of the macaw chicks.

She concluded, “It is recommended that 1000 trees per hectare is ideal. Seven years ago this ten acres was pasture land. We have planted every plant on the grounds. We also planted many almond trees, and it is our hope that someday macaws will be all over this area.”

We saw many green macaws during our visit.  Our Chachagua hotel had a resident green macaw. Her mate had died and she was a cantankerous little bird. Well, she wasn’t very little. She would perch on the dining room rail during meal times. She was cranky enough to make visitors aware to keep their distance. She was lovely to look at though and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

AN UNUSUAL NIGHT

                                                           The Ark

          

           The first thing we did when we arrived at the Aberdare Country Club overlooking Mt Kenya was to check all our luggage except the overnight bag going to the Ark.

            After a leisurely lunch at the club we were on our way to the Ark. Upon arrival our guide instructed, “The only way to reach the Ark is over this long elevated trestle. It goes directly to reception.  You can take your time walking over the forest floor as you will see a lot of birds on the way.”  A bonus along the way was a huge cape buffalo grazing at the edge of the trestle.

The Ark in the forest is a unique structure  with a large elevated deck overlooking a salt lick and watering hole. A deck provided a great place for viewing animals as they came to drink from the pond and to lick the salt.

The ground level houses the lounge and dining rooms. The windows are very thick glass with a stone barrier base outside so you needn’t worry about a big water buffalo barging through the glass while you’re eating dinner!

While up on the observation deck everyone is asked to be extremely quiet. All the rooms are on the second and third level. Each room was equipped with a buzzer.  All night the buzzers went off when animals wandered into the area. Two rings meant large animals, rhino or elephant, were feeding. Three rings meant big cats had arrived.

        It really was too cold to sleep on deck that night although my son and another hardy photographer made it until 4AM when a little fog rolled in. The rest of us slept in our clothes and when the buzzers went off grabbed a jacket or wrapped up in a blanket and quietly and quickly made it to the observation deck. I saw rhino and two beautiful female lions. It was an interesting experience.

   We speculated that heat sensors at the perimeter alerted the watch that an animal was approaching. Then after a visual search and identification he would ring the buzzers. It was an exciting and unusual night.

The next morning as we were driving out from the Ark a beautiful spotted leopard crossed right in front of our van; my guess is he was going home to rest after a nights hunt. He was beautiful! What a bonus!

INTERESTING TRIVIA

BITS AND PIECES

Our hotel room in Stockholm, Sweden overlooked the Kings Hops Park where hops were grown in the 18^th century for the royal brewery. We walked to the town center ending up at King Garden Square. Five hundred years ago it was the king’s kitchen garden where he raised vegetables. Now surrounded by the Sweden House, NK dept store and the harbor front, it is a great place for people watching.

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The staircases are ubiquitous to Quebec City, Canada  and a reminder of the city’s past,. At one time as many as 25 such staircases connected the two parts of the hilly city. Upper Town was the home of dignitaries, religious and political leaders, where Lower Town contains the oldest neighborhood in North America. Once crowded with traders, workers and the disenfranchised, now it is a delightful restored smart shopping and historical area.

Breakneck staircase is the first staircase built in 1893. The 170 steps are built on the site of the original 17^th century stairway that linked the town. Today shops and cafés can be found at various levels. We walked sections of the staircase at various times as we wandered around the city as a means to get where we were going but did not climb it all at once just for the sake of doing so.

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In Italy a bar is an open-air sandwich shop. Food is consumed while standing at a small high table. Sitting for a meal is pretty much for tourists and in 1992 cost $2-$5 for the privilege of sitting.  We did find a chain restaurant, which had very good food at a reasonable price, and where we could sit for free. I learned Italians were not big on condiments on their sandwiches. On my next trip I’ll think about carrying some packets of my favorite condiments with me!

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The Carnivore Restaurant, located in the Nairobi outskirts is a popular and famous tourist restaurant. A large cooking pit is in the center of the restaurant where all kinds of wild game are cooked. Waiters come to the table to serve you and tell you what the meat is and you can try any or all of it. The food was good, although I’m not much for exotic dining. It was certainly a different dining experience. The view of the tropical landscaping was lovely from the dining room. Our interesting lunch was something one should do once and we both were game (no pun intended) to at least try everything.