Tagged With "Cathedral of Saint John the Baptists"
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Re: Hurricane cancels hundreds of flights, cruises
I'm glad to hear good news on this front...it's certainly a distressing time for many, including our own Travel Rob, who has had to evacuate from Saint Augustine, Florida. And there are concerns that the storm may turn and hit some areas a second time...
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Re: Surprising Speke Hall, Liverpool
Great piece! I can't say enough good things about John Lennon Airport that's next door. Not only is does it have a wide array of budget flights for Europe, the passport control is actually friendly there.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 9
Well, nothing "Thais" us together like a good puzzle! But alas, this one did not last to the weekend. WorkerBee, our puzzle champion started homing in by e-mail on Wednesday, with an inspired but wrong guess: Once again Gumbo is taking time to visit a church. This church is made of wood on a base of stone. The location is near Barsana (Birsana) in Maramures county, Romania. By Thursday, he had continued his research, and last night he was back with another e-mail, and he had nailed it. On...
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
I visited Monticello as a kid and enjoyed the views. I need to go back now and look at the architecture here and especially at the U of V in more detail. My favorite John Kennedy quote (to his staff at a dinner in the White HOuse) I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quo...#G4wQ5S4SazWSs0dq.99
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Re: Should Wi-Fi be free in all hotels?
Originally Posted by JohnT: Maybe it's the old capitalist coming out in me, but I think "should" is a strong word. Free access to wi-fi certainly helps me determine where I'll stay, just like free breakfast is...but if a hotel has enough other amenities so that people are willing to pay for it's wi-fi then so be it...although it is easy enough to get free somewhere, I don't value it enough to pay for it. I agree with you John, that market forces will drive this. But the demand for "free"...
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Re: La Dolce Vita (Part 5) Venezia (Venice)
Great pictures...makes me want to go back! Interesting to note: the Mayor of Venice has been very active lately in trying to get the large cruise ships re-routed to keep them out of the fragile space between San Marco and Guidecca...and last month hundreds of people swam out to try to block the ships!
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Re: La Dolce Vita (Part 5) Venezia (Venice)
Thanks for your comments, PHeymont. The cruise ships are BIG business in Venice, and certainly allow a lot of people to enjoy the destination if only for a day. But there are easily places the ships could park that wouldn't hurt the delicate lagoon, then shuttle people into the city.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi Hank, In my opinion Manchester is really worthwhile to see and I loved it.Two libraries are really cool there,John Rylands and Chetham Library, in the School of Music.Also the Manchester Art Gallery and the Museum of Science and Industry are well done and free. Manchester has an area of town,the Northern Quarter,that has independant stores and cafes with no chains allowed that's also worth a walk around Liverpool has some excellent sights as well ,but I'll let the expert GarryRF tell you...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 8, 2013 : The Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral, a World Heritage site
It's an impressive image, Mac, made all the more interesting by the story behind it. One sometimes forgets the role the church played in "forgiveness" acts through the centuries. I'm always astounded at the quality of craftsmanship behind these thousand year old items. In many ways, we've lost ground, not improved on their skills. Thanks for the education, and sharing this photo!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 8, 2013 : The Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral, a World Heritage site
That's an amazingly cool photo!!!!
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
Re the name "Montreal": there is a town in France with the same name so it is not certain that the City of Montreal is called that because of Mont Royal. Apart from that small quibble, I heartily agree with all you have written about my home city. Oh, wait ... it really isn't so that "almost everyone speaks English quite well". Venture east of Blvd St Laurent and you'll soon find that isn't the case. But then the average visitor, unless by accident, will not find him/herself in the part of...
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
Thanks for your note, Arion! I really didn't run into anyone in Montreal who couldn't speak some English. My French is weak at best, but got by here. That certainly wasn't the case as we headed further east. Maybe we can convince you to do a piece on the "hidden Montreal" -- the places only locals know about. I'd like to explore some of them the next time I'm there.
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
Yes Arion,please do. There are a lot of us US travelers that are really unfamiliar with what our great neighboring country has to see.
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Re: Renting an apartment in Europe
John mentioned the Google street maps...really a very good way to check out a neighborhood, since it has more than just the maps! On top of the zoom scale on the map, you'll see a little orange man. Drag him onto a street on the map, and you'll see photos of the street. It takes a couple of moments to get used to maneuvering, but you can go up and down the streeet, turn and face the opposite direction, "walk" around corners, and zoom in and out. You can use the Windows snipping tool or other...
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
I'll give it some thought while cruising the Hawaiian Islands later this month, if I have a minute when not learning to hula dance, eat poi and look down into volcano craters. Aloha from Montreal, in the Province of Quebec where our provincial government wants to pass a law making it illegal for Muslim women to wear the hijab, for Jewish men to wear the skull cap (forget the proper name) and for South Asian men to wear turbans, if they work in government institutions (i.e. schools,...
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
A word of warning about poi. It's even more tasteless than you've heard.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 22, 2013: Moab before the storm
Wow, that's beautiful! Reminds me of the old John Wayne movie settings.
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Re: The Worst Train in the World
It isn't cool to travel on a train where you get thrown around in the carriage because the tracks are warped with age John ! Many journeys take 24 hours of hanging on like a Roller Coaster ! That's just in Asia. You'll be fine in Europe.
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
In Europe, I have had good luck finding value accommodations at Booking.com and Europe-Stays. com. Those sites list hostels with their ratings and prices. A quick peek for June shows several promising choices for around $ 21 USD per bed per night. Unless you just want company, you might budget hotels pricing similar to the hostels. They often charge per person, not per room, which is a big help for the solo traveler. Tune Hotels will work for the London part of your trip, but they are not in...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Thanks Red Rover. My last trip I was supposed to go to Edinburgh ,but went to Liverpool instead . I guess I remembered The Tune Hotel from the untaken trip .
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Re: Seville Cathedral
The beautiful golden glow on the façade is reminiscent of the shimmer of Columbus' catafalque, contained within the cathedral. Thank you for the fine image.
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Re: Seville Cathedral
That is gorgeous...the color and the composition make it see so inviting! I can hardly wait.
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
I'm ready for a visit. The Beatles history alone is worth the trip! Liverpool has a "reputation" as being a "dirty, industrial" city. I presume that was not the Liverpool you experienced, Rob?
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
In a way, most of the places in the world worth visiting have some history of being "dirty, industrial" places--that's where people cluster and societies are forged. The ancient cities of the Middle East and Greece, and Rome itself were like that! We recently visited the excavated Roman city under central Barcelona, and were surprised to see how much of the area in the center of the ancient city was given over to commercial laundry, large-scale dye works and industrial-scale wine-making. The...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
No offense intended, PHeymont. I was trying to make a point that the modern reality is very different than the "reputation".
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
No offense taken...your remark just started me on a train of thought that stopped at a new station!
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Liverpool has never been a Dirty Industrial City. Shipping, sugar and timber have all been the source of employment. All that you would associate with the Industrial Revolution - Mills, Chimneys and the Cotton trade had no connection.
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
No, not thinking of mills and chimneys, necessarily--note my very pre-Industrial Revolution examples--but certainly industrial, and by the nature of sizable cities with people living in close quarters and with the side-products of their industry, an argument can be made for dirty. It's not a slam...it's just the condition of cities that are alive. Here's a quotation, by the way, from the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health: The industrial revolution in England had by the beginning...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Not only is Liverpool a great city to visit,but it has so many great places for daytrips that make staying there an excellent base. And to me it seems prices are half the cost of London. One thing Garry might expand on in the thousands of European tourists that are coming there for the day or weekend ,thanks to the budget flights. It has a very international feel to it.
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Here's a good quote Paul PORTRAIT OF AN UNHEALTHY CITY - NEW YORK INTHE 1800'S by David Rosner Columbia University When a horse died, its carcass would be left to rot until it had disintegrated enough for someone to pick up the pieces. Children would play with dead horses lying on the streets. In addition to lacking street cleaning, the city also had no sewage system and no flush toilets. Garbage--which included both human and animal waste--was basically thrown out windows and onto city...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Originally Posted by PHeymont: According to JECH, there is an exhibit of reconstructed "back houses" at the Liverpool Museum of Liverpool Life. That must be a fascinating museum! And the author mentioned that while most of the back houses were town down in urban renewal, the few that remain have been turned into luxury housing! I visited a block of "back to backs" in Birmingham, the last left after thousands were demolished in the move to urban renewal in the city center. They've been...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Garry...I certainly did not mean to pick on Liverpool, or to pick it out of the very large crowd consisting of all large cities of the time. My point was that the reputation that Dr. F mentioned was not untrue--but was also nothing special about Liverpool. All the great and interesting places have been through that stage, and to some extent it will never end. While Prof. Rosner's description is a little simplified and sensationalized, it could serve as a prototype for writing about most...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
I like GarryRF's spunk. Listen, whatever it's history, I have to admit that I'm intrigued to go visit Liverpool. I think it's an interesting and worthwhile travel destination. And the first ice cold pint will be on me, GarryRF!
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Now there's another word with mixed definitions ! In Britain you would say "I like GarryRF's spirit" You may want to check out what your version means in England ! Like when I attend a party in America and I get "Pissed" (Drunk) And someone says "Why - who upset you to make you pissed?"
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Tnanks TravelRob! some great points here. I can see I'm going to enjoy Liverpool and especially want to explore that Beatles history. They're like part of the family. Rob, did you have any advice on hostels in Liverpool? Presume there's probably a lot but was wondering if you had a recommendation?
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Hank ,I'd check the Tune Hotel for rates. Maybe Garryrf can weigh in on cheap accomodations too.I didn't stay in any hostels while there.
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Re: controversial architecture? - Parasol Sevilla
Makes an attractive public space. Thanks for the great pics of your Spanish excursion, John T. Now we all want to go for the churros and chocolate.
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Re: 25 Yr Old Wins $ 1M Picasso for only $ 135 US
Originally Posted by JohnT: I saw this in the paper this morning as well. Apparently there are only 10,000 tickets left... Gotta admit it's tempting...only way I'd ever own a Picasso...just wouldn't go with the rest of my decor though...clashes with "Dogs playing poker." No John, don't think it would clash with the Dog picture. Welcome back. Hope you've recovered from your jet lag and have settled into "life as usual" (ie. starting to plan your next trip).
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Re: Buenos Aires, Recoleta Basilica Nuestra Senora del Pilar's altar
DrF, I've never been to S. America so I'm fascinated by this one and all your pictures from BA. Please, keep them coming and I so look forward to the blogs to come.
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Re: Buenos Aires, Recoleta Basilica Nuestra Senora del Pilar's altar
Thank you, PortMoresby. I know you would enjoy Argentina -- probably more so the smaller towns and cities than massive Buenos Aires. The journey is still new and we're in Patagonia now -- very much looking forward to seeing everything here.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#128)
I admit it's a wild reach, but something about the not-parallel alignment tickled a neuron or two. Will be very embarrassed if it turns out to be John Portman.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#128)
Had no idea who John Portman was and now discover that I stayed in his first atrium hotel, the Atlanta Hyatt Regency, within a year of it's opening '67 or '68. Then at the one at Chicago O'Hare, which I assume was his too, in 1971. I sat in front of a window in our room in one of the silos, which looked out over the runways, amusing myself counting the planes back to infinity as they lined up to land, while I cared for my infant son. Thanks for the memories, John.
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Re: Ryanair on Alitalia: 'we want it and want it whole'
This man O'Leary is a Saint - not a sinner. When he gets access to the cross Atlantic routes he'll have the Big Boys quaking in their boots ! I can fly anywhere in Europe and have change from $30 bucks !!
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Re: Granada's Cathedral (Where Gumbo was #270)
We enjoyed our trip to Granada, and the gazpacho soup was excellent. One of my photos below.
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Re: Rio de Janiero - Part 2
I requested a can for recycling recently from the collection company. It was delivered with my address in black marker on the lid. The house number was correct but they got the street name wrong, calling it Sugarloaf. Maybe it's a sign!