KREMLIN TREASURES

                 So Much to See

            Stalin opened the Kremlin to the public in 1953. In the Kremlin our first stop was the Armory to view the country’s jewels and treasures. Created in 1806 it is Moscow’s oldest museum and opened to the public in 1911.

The Armory Palace, Moscow’s most fascinating and richest museum, flanks one side of The Kremlin at Red Square. The crown jewels, Catherine the Great’s coronation crown with its 5000 diamonds, religious icons, priceless artifacts, and fabulous world famous Faberge egg collection are housed in the Armory. Gold and silver shine everywhere in bowls, goblets, chalices, and jewelry.  Also included are carriages, royal vestments, robes, and headdresses as well as the 189-carat Orlov diamond.

            We spent a long time walking the many rooms of the Armory while our guide explained different displays as everything was written in Russian. No English subtitles here! At times the glitter was overwhelming. Thousands of pearls decorated gowns, crowns, book covers and more.

            We were all agape at the tiny waists of past female czars as we viewed some of their garments. “My gosh, my thigh is bigger than that waist!” I remarked.

           I was fascinated with the bronze floor to ceiling gate that protected one room. It displayed a coat of arms of each Russian state/district, and was truly a beautiful work of art.

Emperor Cannon

The huge 40-ton cannon, cast in Moscow in 1586, is the oldest and largest cannon in the world, but it has never been fired. The length of this monstrous cannon measures over 15 feet (5 meters). The external diameter of the barrel is 120 centimeters. This unique piece of work was a natural result of the development of the oldest branch of Russia’s craft-foundry business dating back to the 10^th century. The cannon has been moved several times over the past 400 years and since 1960 has stood here in Ivanovskaya Square. The four cannonballs stacked beside it weigh 1000 kilos each.

Emperor Bell  

            Stopping at the 210-ton bell our guide told us, “This is the largest bell in the world. It has stood here for 150 years. This large chunk broke from its own weight and of course it has never been rung. It is a unique monument of Russian art molding of the 18^th century. Many large bells cast in the 16-17^th centuries have broken in various ways.”

            In my wildest dreams I never thought I’d ever visit the Kremlin. It was a fascinating visit and it was wonderful to have a good guide interpret for us. It was at the Kremlin where I saw onion and helmet domes close enough together to really see the difference.

LJUBLJANA continued

    A Vibrant City

            I always enjoy walking tours of a new city with a local docent. It is a great way to pick up a lot of information that one might miss otherwise.   

            During the walking tour of Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital city, our guide stopped at the statue of a well known poet telling us that it is the landmark for the city’s meeting place. Turning, she pointed down a lane to show us the orange woman in a picture frame on the second floor of a yellow house. “She is Julija, and to the right of her is Hauptman House, the only structure to survive the 1895 quake.”

            There were lots of bicycles, but we noticed only a very few of them were locked and that says a lot about the crime rate in a locale. We walked down a cobbled lane until the guide stopped in front of a 1706 baroque church, saying, “This door was made for the pope’s visit in 1996. It depicts the history of Christianity and the city. In ancient times churches were built on a hill with a protective wall around them. A linden tree will always be near a church. People sit under it to contemplate and solve problems. The country’s national tree has a heart shaped leaf and is a symbol of hospitality. Tea is sometimes brewed from the leaves.”

            During WW II Italians built a 23-mile long barb wire fence around the city that stayed for 105 days.  Slovenia is a country of bee keepers. Painted bee hive panels are a popular folk art souvenir item. The country produces 50,000 liters of honey a year. Fruit brandies are popular in this part of the world and in this area the drink is made from pears.

            From the cobbled square one has a good view of the picturesque medieval castle sitting high on the hill. It looked imposing. The   fortress provides a panoramic view from its vantage point.  The 12^th century Roman castle was added on to in the 17^th century. It fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in the 1940s and renovated in the 1970s. Two trails and a tourist train lead up to the castle/fort.

            St. George (dragon slayer) is the patron saint of the city and the dragon bridge has been the symbol of the city for years.   Several quaint bridges span the Ljubljana River flowing thru the heart of city.  The Triple Bridge with its Venetian vibe marks the half way point between Vienna and Venice, the crossroads of the Italian and German worlds.

            Everyone associates the Lipizzaner horses with Vienna, but this is the original home of the famous equines.

            Ljubljana is a vibrant exciting city, and I liked it a lot. People were very friendly. Many spoke English so language was not a problem. I had no need to play charades  which I do not do real well.

             

LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

                                      A Charming Old City

            The drive from Vienna to Ljubljana was over a good road through pretty countryside back dropped by green mountains. Wild flowers were in bloom. Many maypoles were still standing in small villages. Pumpkins grow in the fertile areas, and apparently pumpkin oil is a big product. We crossed the border into Slovenia at noon. Officials came aboard to check passports. The European Union has opened up borders and relaxed restrictions. The only passport stamp we received the whole trip was on entry into the EU in Vienna. The Slovenia stamp occurred only because our guide had to collect all our passports at a stricter control point and the female official did us a favor by stamping them.

            Only 150 miles from Venice, Italy, the Slovenian capital city of 300,000 is a lazy old town clustered around a castle topped mountain.  Although a mid-sized European city and gateway to the Julian Alps, it maintains the friendliness of a small town, while possessing all the characteristics of a metropolis. Here, where cultures of the east and west meet, the old harmonizes with the new. Ljubljana, surrounded by hills, is in a fertile glacial valley.

            The city boomed when the railroad connected Vienna and Trieste. An 1895 earthquake destroyed the city and it was rebuilt in the then popular art nouveau style. Integrating historic structures with modern designs created a unique architectural style. Cafés, restaurants, and markets line the embankment of the Ljubljana   River that flows   through the city. Large market squares sprawl along the river’s south bank.

            I fell in love with Ljubljana. It is a city of young people and you can feel the excitement and vitality of the city. Ljubljana University brings many young people to the city----a city of culture, numerous theaters, museums, galleries and one of the oldest philharmonic academies in the world. Many cultural events take place in the Slovene capital. Top quality musicals, theater and fine arts performers, as well as alternative and avant-garde performers can be discovered in 14 international festivals.

            I learned that 85-88 percent of the country’s two million people are Slovene. The country is 55 percent forested. Mushroom picking and chestnut roasting are national sports. Biking and hiking are popular past times. Karst covers 28 percent of the land accounting for the many caves. Vineyards abound and wine is a popular drink. We learned local beers and wines are everywhere with each community having its own facilities. I cannot speak for the beer, which everyone said was good, but the wines, mostly white, were excellent.

            The city goes back to the 6^th century. During medieval times the country’s first settlement was in the large marsh lands that cover 53 square miles just outside of the city.  The two million year old marshlands are protected.  Now hops are grown in that area. The bitterness of the hops off sets the sweetness of the malt and is what makes beer so good. The city experienced earthquakes in 1895 and 1905.

          More about this lovely city next time.

BALMORAL CASTLE

                              The Queen's Favorite Home

 Balmoral Castle is one of two properties that the crown actually owns, and   is the favorite retreat of Queen Elizabeth. Albert actually designed the castle for Queen Victoria in 1852. It took about 50 years to complete. In the area are heather covered moorland, peaty lochs, wood glens, salmon filled rivers, granite stone villages, ancient castles, fishing harbors, and north shore beach resorts.

        A very good film in the beginning was most informative. Only 50 miles from Aberdeen, Balmoral covers 18,000 hectares, includes 10 miles along the River Dee, has 80 miles of road, and sits 1000 feet above sea level. Forests cover 3000 hectares. Red deer live on the property and are managed to control the population at about 2500.

         The property employs 50 full time people, 20 part time people and several contractors. The services of a plumber, painter, mason, joiner, gardener, and seamstress are always needed. On the property there is a nine-hole golf course, stables and fire station. A 3000-foot high mountain can be seen in the distance. Everyone was wearing the Balmoral tartan.

        It was disappointing that the ballroom was the only room in the castle open to the public. And that is open only three months a year. The docent there said, “At the end of July everything will be removed from the ballroom and returned to its home in the castle. The room actually will be returned to a ballroom.”

         The castle is impressive and looks like the image most of us have of a castle. The grounds were lovely and would be  wonderful to just sit and enjoy the scenery.

       There was a nice gift shop on the grounds and a small cafeteria where we grabbed a sandwich and drink for lunch. The ride to and from Balmoral was through scenic peaceful countryside. Several of us got off the van and walked over the single-lane 250-year-old picturesque arched bridge spanning the River Dee. It’s the little things that make a trip memorable leaving lasting memories

BERGEN continued

                 More About Bergen, Norway

            In this quaint picturesque city small wooden houses painted lovingly in bright colors are a special feature of the city. Owners take great pride in maintaining them. Many date back to the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Bergen was chosen as one of Europe’s cultural cities in 2000.

            We walked to the fort at the far end of the city where, in spite of the misty day, we had a good view of the city and harbor.  Hakon’s Hall, 1247 and 1261, is the largest secular medieval building still standing in Norway. Built of local stone, its corners, window and door casings were worked in soapstone. The hall was the most imposing building in the royal residence at "Holmen", the political centre of the 13th-century Norwegian kingdom. It was built for great occasions in the history of the monarchy and the realm.  In  1520 it was used for storage. Roofless by the 17th century, it was refitted as the storehouse of Bergenhus Castle around 1680. The hall was restored in 1880-95. A German ship explosion in 1944 set the Hall on  fire, leaving only the walls standing. Restoration followed. The Hall today is used for ceremonial occasions, and for concerts. Rosencrantz Tower dates back to medieval times. The tower served as a combined residence and fortified tower to Bergen.

            People have worshiped for  900 years in the Bergen Cathedral, Domkirken, built in 1150. The original small parish church was damaged  in 1248 and 1270 by fire. In the early 13^th century Franciscan Friars were granted use of the church and built a beautiful church next to their convent. Again fire damaged the church in 1463 and 1488. When Lutheran Reformation was introduced to Norway the old cathedral was in ruins. The first Lutheran Bishop claimed the old Franciscan church and made it the Cathedral of the country’s oldest diocese. The cathedral was rebuilt after fires in 1623 and 1630. Restoration took place in the 1880s. The old rococo interior was replaced with the present interior. A new organ was acquired in 1997.

            At the Hanseatic Museum we were lucky to pick up an interesting English guided tour just as it began. In 1360 German merchants set up import/export offices in Bergen and dominated the trade for 400 years. A 1702 fire   reduced the city to ashes, but the museum  was quickly rebuilt on the foundations that had been in place since the 11^th century. The museum is one of the best preserved buildings in the city and is furnished in the style of the 1700s.  Hanseatic apprentices were teenage boys. They slept two to a bunk, head to toe, in narrow single beds in enclosed cabinets. They actually were locked in at night so there was no monkey business.  Punishment was severe for rule infractions. No smoking was allowed because of the real danger of fire. The guide was very knowledgeable and made this visit not only interesting but a lot of fun.

            The 12^th  century St. Mary Church  is the oldest building in Bergen, and one of the most outstanding Romanesque churches in the country. The Baroque pulpit is one of the finest in Norway. Hanseatic merchants worshiped here 850 years ago.

            St. Jorgen’s Church, built in the Middle Ages, forms part of the old leprosy hospital. Rebuilt after the 1702 fire, it is now used for special services for students, associations and English congregations. We ran on to this church by accident and happened to run into a couple of English-speaking fellows who enjoyed filling us in on the history and background of the church.

Bergen was heavily bombed  in WW II. In 1944 a German ship loaded with explosives entered the harbor as the captain wanted to see his brother. The explosion tossed boats up onto land, broke windows and threw the ship’s anchor 4 kilometers away.  This reminded me of the Nova Scotia harbor explosion during the same time period.

            Norway is more than untouched nature. The country is rich in history, but Nature and  its rich natural resources has formed the Norwegian character and given it a kind of durability that has formed the country’s national identity. There is rightfully a special pride in being one of the first countries to eradicate illiteracy!