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Palaces, Walls, and A Castle In Spain!

When we planned our Road Scholar trip to Portugal and Spain I was excited that we would be going to many World Heritage sites, including castles and palaces. Let’s be honest, I was born along with DisneyLand in 1955 and I grew up seeing the Disney castle every week on the Wonderful World of Disney. I remember so well the evil villain of Babes in Toyland singing, “My Castle in Spain.” For me this was going to be a highlight.

We saw a number of castles and palaces on our trip. Some were absolutely extravagant; others were just empty stone shells without much romance. I always knew that the tapestries were created to keep the rooms warmer. But until you walk through a large castle and see the size of the rooms, and the small size of fireplaces and heaters, do you realize that these places would be extremely cold in the winter. In fact, our guide told use that most people had to walk around wrapped in a blanket. BRRR

Even still, with this reality check, with knowing when I saw the Castle in Segovia that it had been heavily damaged by a fire and most of it was reconstruction, I could not help but be joyful. Why? Because was like seeing the real Disney Castle in Segovia, I knew my wish had come true. So instead of starting at the beginning of our trip and describing our experience in order, I must start with our second to last castle, Alcazar!

The Disneyworld Cinderella Castle’s towers and windows were based on the Alcazar of Segovia, Spain. Perhaps other elements come from other castles. But once you see the Alcazar, all you can do is hum, “When I Wish Upon A Star.” I did that for the entire time we toured the castle. I might have made my sister and husband crazy.

After walking uphill through narrow, ancient streets of Segovia we came upon the first sight of Alcazar, which has been a World Heritage Site since 1985. Some castles you cannot enter. But this one was not only renovated, it had furniture in some rooms to make you realize what it once looked like. It is also a museum.

Before I leave Segovia, I must say there is another important site to see there, the Roman Aqueduct that is about six stories high when goes above ground , while its underground route through the town is marked with different stones. It is an amazing feat of construction!!

Now that I have finished swooning over Alcazar, I will return to the beginning of our adventure and talk about the Palacio da Borsa, the original Board of Trade. Although it is not a castle, it is definitely a palace. Some of its rooms are absolutely stunning. I understand why it is an event space for conferences, conventions and if someone could afford it, what a place for a wedding!!

From the Grand Staircase, to the meeting rooms, – each one has its own character and special artwork, on the ceilings, the walls, the floors, the furniture- the building is elegant. The trial room with its ornate carved wooden furniture and beautiful art; the views; the room where Gabinete De Gustave Eifel worked when he was in Porto; The Hall of Countries.

All of it fabulous. But nothing prepares you for the Golden Room. Many people oooh and Ahhh over the Amber Room in Catherine’s Palace near St. Petersburg. And that room is stunning, I admit when I saw it in 2018. But to be honest, the Golden Room with all its intricate carving and inlaid is something special. It made me think of the inlay at the Taj Mahal. The inlaid wooden floors were reminiscent of the ones I saw in the Hermitage in Russia, but actually more intricate. From floor to walls to ceiling to columns, there is not one spot untouched and plain. My pictures will not do it justice. But if you ever have a chance to go to Porto, you must visit the Golden Room. My brain was exhausted after seeing it.

The walls are sitting on granite boulders.

Thank goodness our next stop, the first castle on our tour, was less ornate but also fascinating in its own right: The Castelo de Guimaraes in Guimaraes. We did not actually go into this10th century edifice, we walked around the stone fortifications and massive walls. It is built on top of a granite mountain, and some of its walls are the granite stones. And they are enormous. They are everything a castle should look like from the outside. It was constructed by order of Countess Mumadona Dias to protect a monastery from Moorish invaders. Although the castle is not a world heritage site, it is a Portuguese National Monument since the late 1890s.

On the grounds of the castle are two more buildings. First the Church of Saint Michael. This little chapel was the place where Portuguese King Afonso Henriques was baptized in 1927. There is no furniture in the church as the entire floor are the tombstones of important people. In fact, you can only walk around the inside perimeter, so you do not cause damage to the engravings.

The Palace of the Dukes of Braganza is there as well. We only walked along the outside. It was renovated in the 1930s and served as the residence for the then President Antonio Salazar. Although part of it is open to the public, we did not go inside.

Although not a palace or a castle, the University of Coimbra, founded in 1290, definitely feels like one. I am not sure I would be able to actually go to classes there, especially in some of the older buildings. I would be too busy looking around.

We were not allowed to take photos of the famous library. It is a stunning work of carved wood and bookcases filled with ancient tomes. It is still used by students and scholars, but the books must be ordered in advanced and not allowed to leave the campus.

The lecture room, where students present their PhD dissertations also makes you think of a castle great room. The ceiling is stunning as is the woodwork.

But I have to be honest the part that capture most of our attention was the fantastic view of the city and the river; watching the students take their graduation photos; and finally visiting the underground ‘dungeon’ that was a special prison for students who got into trouble. This is not your usual dungeon, because since the students were from the upper class, even when they got in trouble they did not suffer like the riff-raff. In fact, we were amazed that they actually had a two-seat stone toilet to use. They could spend anywhere from a day to several months here depending on their misbehavior.

Later photo shows me between the window openings.

Next stop the monstrous and magnificent Roman Walls of Lugo. We walked around them from the outside. And then we walked on the walls in two different places. Once the walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also had multiple towers surrounding the city. Now just vestiges of the towers remain.

Walking along the walls give you a great view of both the old and new cities, but also make you aware of how technologically advanced the Romans were as these walls have lasted centuries. Over time, some people had the opportunity to build their homes right into the wall and have the walls paths as their backyard. People can no longer do this, but those who have this cannot be destroyed.

Our final Palace was La Granja, or Real Sitio de San Ildefonso, was the summer home of the Spanish kings. It was walking distance to our hotel, the Parador De La Granja. Our hotel was once part of the Palace grounds and was the home of two children and their attendants.

This is made in France with porcelain flowers.

The Palace is enormous, we only got to see about ¼ of the total rooms, just walking through the open rooms on the bottom floor. Through the windows we could see some of the fantastic gardens. Unfortunately, they were closed because that evening some of the fountains were going to be opened. But from what I could see these gardens are much like the ones in Russia at the Peterhof Palace.

The chandeliers and ceilings in this palace were stunning. The Royal Glass company is in San Ildefonso, so many of them were made in the town for the Palace. For this palace I will just show you some of these fantastic and some fanciful chandeliers. To be honest after going through these rooms I became somewhat overwhelmed. But it was definitely a great final stop on our tour.

Inicio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Room

Paço dos Duques – Home

https://www.uc.pt

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/987/ https://www.spain.info/en/destination/san-ildefonso-o-la-granja/

Tags: Alcazar, Chapel of St. Michael, Coimbre, Europe, Golden Room, La Granja, Lugo, Palacio da Borsa, porto, Portugal, Real Sitio de San Ildefonso, Roman Aqueduct, Roman Walls of Lugo, Segovia, Spain, The Castelo de Guimaraes, travel, University of Coimbra

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Categories antiques, architecture, Egon Travel, Musuems, Travel, Uncategorized

Vineyards Adventure In Portugal and Spain: Drinking Our Way…

9 May

Our trip to Spain and Portugal with Road Scholar was entitled, “Beyond the Vineyards, but in reality, it should have been called In the Vineyards, Drinking your way through Portugal and Spain.

I learn much about white wines, red wines, port, sweet sherry, sweet vermouth. I drank more wine in two weeks than I usually drink in a year. I am not exaggerating! I discovered that my wine pallet was immature. I like table wines much more than the expensive bold flavored wines. I am ok with that. I also learned that every lunch and dinner in the Iberian Peninsula comes with wine and more wine. I learned to turn my red wine goblet upside down and to put my hand over the top of my white wine glass after the second refill and shake my head saying “por favor, no mas.”

I learn how different barrels and/or stainless-steel containers change the taste of wine and that all vineyards do not grow their grape vines the same way. I thought all wine vines grew about waist high off the ground. I am so wrong: some grow overhead, others close to the ground. I learned that weather and rain impact how wine vines grow. I learned that roses are planted in vineyards not for beauty, but because if a rose bush gets a disease, it indicates that the vineyard could have a disease as well. Olive trees are planted for a similar reason. Also, and important, is that there are the most lovely peacocks at almost every winery. We were told that they indicate great wealth. So having peacocks on the grounds was popular.

I found out there is much wine tourism in the Iberian Peninsula. Here is a summary of the wine tour aspect of our lovely and exhaustive program. Mayra, our main tour guide told us that before the pleasure of wine tasting was the hard work of learning about the vineyard. To be honest that was my favorite part, because many of these vineyards were just lovely.

Quinta de Aveleda was our first vineyard on the way to Guimaraes. I have written about Quinta de Aveleda in an earlier post because of its absolutely stunning acres upon acres of gardens. I will not write about them again, but honestly, they are worth seeing. (See link below.)

We were allowed into the barrel room (fermentation) to see and smell where the wine ferments and learn about the process. In this winery, and its centuries old building, we could really smell the fermentation. We saw a display of some of its original bottles. And had the opportunity to taste both a red and a white wine. I will say that the Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde, turned out to be my favorite wine of the entire trip. These wines are not fermented for long, so they are considered ‘green’ or young wines.

The machine to stamp the name of the winery.

Our next stop was to find out the overall history of wine making in the Douro River area at the Museo del Douro tour in Regua. Marco was our very enthusiastic and wonderful museum docent. We had a great, detailed overview of the start to finish of wine making in the Douro area, starting with the Romans and the priests who came later. Wine making and drinking were very popular.

I was amazed that people would carry 80 pounds of grapes on their shoulders in heavy wooden baskets during the picking season. I learned how they bottled the wine, made the labels and branded the crates. People do not become vintners overnight. There is training and a hierarchy of influence. Going to this museum gave us a foundation for each of the rest of the wine related stops we visited.

After our tour, we were also treated to a glass of wine and/or lemonade. It was a delicious end to a great museum visit. (Always a glass of wine, but in many stops they had non-alcoholic drinks for those who do not imbibe alcohol.)

After we left the museum, we traveled to another vineyard. Along the way, we learned that the vineyards themselves are a World Heritage Site. These terraced vineyards were terraced by hand and then separated by the stones that the farmers dug up. Today, those that have decayed over time, cannot be torn down because they are protected by the World Heritage designation.

Some of the vineyards were abandoned when Phylloxera, a tiny insect, destroyed most of the vineyards in Europe. The only solution was to bring in roots from US vineyards, which were immune to the insect, and graft European grape vines on to them. The phylloxera blight almost destroyed the wine making business in Europe.

When we arrived at Quinta Da Pacheca we learned more about the wine tourism business. At this vineyard, they still crush the grapes by stomping on them. They allow paying tourists to come and participate in the process. But they told us, the tourists only last for about 30 minutes of stomping, while the people who live there often stomp for hours. I am exhausted thinking about it after seeing the giant stone basins when the stomping takes place.

When we toured its fermentation room, I was amazed at the giant barrels that were once used to store the grape juice that turned into wine. These are no longer used in the wine making, but are there for people to view. They are enormous.

Even bigger are the one designed to cater to the wine tourism. Quinta Da Pacheca offers its tourist a chance to stay in a room made from a giant barrel. But these were made specifically for living.

Of course, there was wine to taste and a peacock to admire.

Our next vineyard Adegas de Casa de Santar or Casa Santar located in the Dao region of Portugal. We had a tour of part the large vineyards, the granite wine cellar with its wonderful entrance, the wine tasting room, a food demonstration and then finally a meal and a wine tasting.

I loved the two-century old building where the winery was located. The tasting room, where the original owner would taste the wines, was something special, especially the tiled scenes about the windows and doors. The chef did a demonstration of cooking the food we would be eating for lunch. We also learned about the three wines we would be tasting: Casa de Santar Reserva Red, Casa De Santar Colheita White and Casa de Santar Reserve Rose.

We spent a few days in Santiago de Compostela, which will be a separate blog. That doesn’t mean we did not drink wine…we did some tasting on our own. But we did not go to a winery for two days. When we did, it was time to taste Spanish Galician wine and food.

We went to Bodegas Del Palacio de Fefinaneto to see the winery. I must say I was very confused at this winery. There is this castle-like structure at the end of road. When you walk into a large courtyard. Then there is another street with restaurants along the side. I thought the street was part of the winery. But no, that was a part of the small town that surrounds the winery.

Here we saw a totally different way of growing wine. Because of the water and the climate, here the vines grow up high on pagodas, with the grapes hanging down. The juice is first put into stainless steel drums to ferment and then put into the barrels.

After our wine tasting, we had some time to walk down that little street and get a treat. For me it was a delicious coconut macaroon and ice tea. I was quite happy!!

Our final winery was the most intense!! Dehesa de los Canonigos offered us tasting and light lunch in the “Golden Mile,” of the Spanish Riveria Region, the Spanish Duero River. We got a true education there. The Sommelier was fantastic and gave us so much information. It was so interesting, my husband who uses hearing aids, had his phone save what she was saying.

This was the youngest of the wineries. It was established in 1989 by Luis and Mariluz Sanz. But the house and the vineyards are much older. Constructed in the 19^th century, the main house was designed by a famous architect and is designed in the Basque country style. For many years they provided the grapes to another well-known winery before they started making their own wine.

What you notice right away is that the grapes and vines are extremely close to the ground. Once again, this is because of the weather and altitude. It is 750 meters above sea level, so the temperature varies from day to night. It gets very hot here in the summer, so the grapes stay close to the ground to get as much moisture as possible. Our guide spent much time explaining how the vines rest in the winter and wake up when it is 10 degrees Celsius. I was amazed to learn about weeping vines during the spring pruning. Vines can weep, or release sap for up to two weeks and up to five liters a week. This just stuck with me.

At this vineyard they use two different types of barrels: white oak from France and from the USA. We got to taste two different wines. One that spends 15 months in American oak, Los Banonigos; and one that spends 24 months in French Oak, Soleo Deo.

I wish I could tell you everything she taught us about wine. But that would be three more blogs! So I will end this saying that I learned more about wine during this trip then I could imagine. There were many on our tour who already had a great appreciation and knowledge of wine making. I was not one of them. But I so much more appreciate the wine I drink and the skill and attention to detail that makes it delicious.

Drinking My Way Through Portugal and Spain: The Beautiful Gardens

https://aveleda.com/en/wine-tourism/quinta-da-aveleda

https://www.museudodouro.pt

INÍCIO

https://pacheca.com/pages/quintadapacheca?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=13743095986&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2I_qpoqrlAMVai3UAR3WFhvYEAAYASAAEgLo8fD_BwE

https://www.fefinanes.com/en/

Tags: Adegas de Casa de Santar, Bodegas Del Palacio de Fefinaneto, Dehesa de Los Canonigos, Museo del Douro, pinot-noir, Quinta Da Pacheca, Quinta de Aveleda, travel, wine, wine-tasting, winery

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Categories architecture, Egon Travel, food, Musuems, Travel, Travel blog Book, wineries

Gaudi’s Casa Botines, or La Casa Del Dragon

6 May

I really enjoyed our time in Leon. Besides my interest in the bits of Jewish history that still remained, I was also intrigued to learn that a building designed by Antoni Gaudi was there are well.

My two trips to Barcelona have made me a Gaudi fan. While there, I made a point of visiting all of the Gaudi sites that are open to the public. To have another Gaudi site to see in Leon was an unexpected joy.

Unlike Casa Batllo, Casa Vincens or Casa Mila, from the outside Casa Botines seems simple and calm. Situated on San Marcelo Square, it is a large rectangle building whose main eccentrics are noticeable in the four corner turrets and towers, the notable wrought iron fence and the sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon above the front door. (Which is why it is also known as the Dragon House.) Gaudi designed the sculpture, while Lorenzo Matamala actually carved it.

I loved the gate and fence. It seemed to reflect the idea of a dragon protecting the house in my mind.

Inside the house is also much simpler than other Gaudi creations. This makes sense as it is one of Gaudi’s earlier works. Cassa Batllo was built in 1902-4 and Park Quell from 1900 – 1914. Cas Botines was built decade earlier, in the 1890s, so perhaps Gaudi had not yet reached the apex of his most creative and inspired and colorful visions. Thus the Casa Botines seems a bit conservative after seeing his other works. Many are filled with vibrant colors and art. Whereas Casa Botines is mainly defined by the woodwork and staircase. Although there are stained class windows and colored glass in the house.

The woodwork is beautiful as in all Gaudi’s homes. The window frames, doorways, floors and staircases are stunning. I love the windows in the turrets and also the multi-paned window that frame the outdoor scenes. I can imagine living there and enjoying the warmth of the wood. However, Casas Botines was not actually built as a home, rather as the headquarters for a business.

Currently, Casa Botines is a museum about Gaudi. The rooms have some furniture that he created, including a heart chair, which I loved. There is much information about the building of the Casa Botines and about Gaudi. But there are also some items that make no sense to me as to why they are there. Like the dentist’s office set up in one of the rooms. But I think that is because a dentist used to live there.

Outside the house, in the courtyard, sits a statue of Gaudi sitting on a bench and sketching. I imagine him looking at the space and trying to plan what he would build there. I always wondered how he came up with his fantastical ideas. Of course they always began with a sketch.

On a side note, according to our tour guide, Gaudi’s visits to the cathedral in Leon, with its many stain glass windows, vibrant colors and extremely high ceilings, was inspiration for his masterpiece, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Perhaps, a bit. But actually they are very different.

You can learn about my previous experiences with Gaudi in these two blogs:

My Architectural Love Affair With Hundertwasser and Gaudi

I Do Love Gaudi! My Second Barcelona Gaudi Adventure.

Tags: Antoni Gaudi, architecture, Barcelona, Casa Botines, Gaudi, Leon Spain, Spain

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Categories architecture, Egon Travel, Musuems, Travel

The Jewish Connection We Discovered While in Portugal and Spain

4 May

Whenever I travel to the Iberian Peninsula, I am intrigued and drawn to any information I can gather about where the Jewish communities lived before the forced conversions and the expulsions. I am a direct descendant of these Jews. I imagine my ancestors walking the streets, attending the synagogues, traveling between towns and living their lives in joy before it was all destroyed.

For over two weeks we visited many cities and towns in Portugal and Spain. We saw streets that once were the homes of Jewish communities. We saw the evidence of Judaism left behind in street names and buildings.

We started our trip in Porto, where once a large Jewish community existed. We took a food tour while there, visiting the Market, the oldest restaurant and several pastry shops. At the last one, our guide brought us out macaroons, saying that this was a treat the Jews ate during Passover. A treat we still eat. She said that we were eating it here because this was the area where the Jewish people once lived. And she pointed us to the street where the synagogue once stood. When the tour ended, we returned.

There is not much left of the Jewish presence in what was the Judiaria Nova do Olival. But we walked Rua De S. Bento Da Vitoria, the street where the community once lived viewing the site of the destroyed synagogue. Where it once stood is a public building that was originally a monastery. There are two signs, one next to the building and one on the building commenting on the Jewish community that used to live. It is currently under renovation, thus the plaque on the wall was difficult to read, so the photo I am showing came from the internet. It says:

“In perpeturam memoriam…In memory of all Portuguese Jews who, by decree of 1496, were given by God the choice between forced conversion or death. May their blood never be forgotten. May the blessed memory be restored to all those – the shepherds and the sheep – who for five centuries kept alive and ever present the word of the prophet Moses on Mount Horeb: the bush burned with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. Their burning embers were not destroyed by the flames – nor by those who sought to destroy them through the most terrible tortures – forcing them to renounce their sublime faith at the fount of life: For the Just man lives by his faith.”

On Day 7 we went to Coimbra, the site of the Coimbra University and Library. It was a truly lovely site up on a mountain, where you could see the river below. Of course, a college town would have had a Jewish population. In fact, the street where the Jews lived was directly across from the main church. Rua Dos Coutinhos, an ancient narrow street. No sign of any Jewish life now.

In Santiago de Compostela, the city that is saturated with spirituality as it is the end of the pilgrimage at the Cathedral of the Portical of Glory, we saw Ruela de Xerusalem, Jerusalem Street. Our guide told us it is believed this was the street for the Jewish population.

Puerta Moneda. The Coin Gate, where the Jewish People lived, the money lenders in Leon,

In Leon, we saw much more signs of Jewish life. We entered what was once a walled city through a street where there was once a gate, the Puerta Moneda, or the Coin Gate. Immediately we guessed it was the entrance to the Jewish area where the money lenders lived.

Our guide pointed out a long, narrow street that once was filled with vibrant Jewish life, as well as the square where they held a market. In was in Leon that we first saw the markers placed by the Red de Judarias de Espana (Network of Jewish Quarters in Spain.) Their symbol includes the Hebrew letters that spell out Sefarad and mark important Jewish sites.

The first one we saw was on a plaque on Calle De Juan De Arge marking the home of a Jewish family that lived there from 1370 until 1481. We saw another marker later on that was embedded in the ground.

Sergovia last remaining synagogue. Now a church

Finally Segovia, where we visited the only surviving synagogue in all the towns we visited. Once a synagogue, now a church, this synagogue used to be one of five that served the large Jewish community of Segovia, where about a third of the town was Jewish. It was the MAIN Synagogue, La Sinagoga Mayor, located in the center of the Jewish area.

When you first look at it, it seems to be a small building. I wondered how it could be the MAIN synagogue. But it is a false front. When it was opened later in the day, my sister and I entered the courtyard and explored the building. There are still indications of its use as a synagogue. It is an open room where the bima would have been in the center. And there is a women’s balcony above, with screens so that the men could not see them, but they could see what was happening below. It remained a synagogue until 1419. In 1899 the Synagogue/Church was damaged by a fire. It was restored in 1902 and remains open today.

The visit to this synagogue was a highlight for my Jewish journey. We are descendants of Iberian Jews who left Spain for Portugal, then left Portugal for Amsterdam, then made the mistake of leaving Amsterdam for Galicia in Austria. But then even in Amsterdam the Jews were slaughtered by the Nazis.

The one final sign of Jewish life in Spain startled me. Although Portugal had a Jewish community before WW2. In fact, Jewish people started returning to Portugal in the 1800s. But Spain was a different story. It wasn’t until 1869 that the new Spanish Constitution allowed Jewish people to settle in Spain. But there were not many. However, it is believed that about 15,000 Jews survived by escaping to Spain.

But the “Stolperstein,” stumble stone, I found tells a different story. Fermin Cristobal Lopez died in Dachau. Born in 1894, he was exiled from France, and Deported from Sergovia on the Ghost Train in 1944. I do not know if Fermin was a Jew or a political prisoner. But I do know he died in Dachau.

In these times of Jew hatred, for me it is important to know where we once lived and how we were forced to find new homes and new places for sanctuary. In Spain it was very obvious that the status of Jews is precarious. In every city in Spain we visited, except Sergovia, there were giant banners calling supporting the Palestinians. But nothing to recognize what the Israelis and Jews have suffered.

I asked our tour guide if she felt the Jewish people of Spain were safe. She differentiated between Israelis and Jews. Saying the government and people were angry at the Israeli government. But she believed Jewish people in Spain were safe. I guess we shall see.

In Portugal it was different. No Palestinian Flags. No feelings of queasiness as I walked down the streets. For me, as a Jewish person, I will not soon return to visit Spain.

Tags: camino, Coimbra, Europe, La Sinagoga Mayor, Leon, Network of Jewish Quarters in Spain, porto, Red de Judarias de Espana, Santiago De Compostela, Segovia, Spain, travel

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Categories Anti-semitism, Egon Travel, Expulsion from Spain, Holocaust, Travel, Travel blog Book, Uncategorized

Drinking My Way Through Portugal and Spain: The Beautiful Gardens

30 Apr

When my husband and I booked our latest Road Scholar trip, “Beyond the Vineyards, Sampling Northern Portugal and Spain,” he started telling people that he was going to drink his way through Portugal and Spain. And he did.

Our tour included visits to six wineries as well as seven or more UNESCO world heritage sites. We learned more about Port, Sweet Vermouth, red wines and white wines, than I anticipated. And along the way we had to taste all the differences.

At every winery we had a tour of the vineyards, the fermentation areas, and the tasting rooms. Some of the wineries were located in estates that had been in families for generations. One winery’s gardens were magnificent.

In honor of these beautiful gardens, I plan to start off my blogs about our trip to Portugal and Spain focusing on the beautiful gardens we visited in Portugal.

Our first garden was at the site of the original Crystal Palace. Although the Palace no longer exists, the lovely gardens do. The Galeria Municipal Do Porto Gardens are enchanting not just because of the lovely plants, but also the lovely peacocks and peahens who roam the park. I have never seen so many in one place before!

(I have to add here that almost every winery had peacocks. We asked why, the answer was that peacocks represented wealth. So having them indicated that the winery and the family were doing well!)

In the Crystal Palace gardens, the azaleas and camelias were in the best blooms. They were so large and stunning. There were trees from other countries. Statues along multiple walkways that went to lower levels in the garden. Formal gardens that overlooked the Douro River. The many overlooks gave you a chance to view Porto from a different perspective.

Two buildings are on the site. The official circular arena for the Porto, which stands where the original Crystal Palace once stood, as well as the Capela do Rei Carlos Alberto. A small chapel that is still in use.

The second garden was on the grounds of the Fundacao De Serralves, the Contemporary Art Museum. The museum grounds includes the Serralves’ art deco villa and the park including many gardens and sculptures. We saw the outside of the villa and walked only two of the parks. The formal front and then the treetop walk. I wish we had even more time. To be honest I spent all my time in the gardens and never entered the museum!!

The third and most stunning of the gardens was at the estate and winery the Quinta de Aveleda! This property has been owned by the same family since the 16^th century. They have had hundreds of years to create the most beautiful gardens. Included in the gardens are three small houses, including one that was used by family members on their honeymoons. There is also a small area for a family of goats to live, which were put in the garden for the enjoyment of the children. You cannot visit the estate’s lovely mansion, except to view it from a distance, as it is still used by the family.

I wish everyone could see these gardens in person, as photos can only capture some of the essence of these fantastic garden sites.

https://ambiente.cm-porto.pt/parques-e-jardins/jardins-do-palacio-de-cristal

https://www.serralves.pt/institucional-serralves/parque_apresentacao/

https://aveleda.com/en/wine-tourism/quinta-da-aveleda#

Tags: Aveleda winery and gardens, Crystal Palace Gardens in Porto, Europe, porto, Portugal, Serralves Park Gardens, travel

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Categories Egon Travel, Gardening, Travel, Travel blog Book, wineries

Entering Another World: The Gardens of Portland

25 Oct

Portland, Oregon, is home to three of the most beautiful gardens I have visited!

China Town and the Lan Su Chinese Garden is located just off the Willamette River near the Steel Bridge. It was a mile walk from our hotel. So we decided to walk over the Steel Bridge in order to see it up close.

Opened for use in 1912, the Steel Bridge (yes, it is made of steel) has a central area that is a vertical lift, which moves the two-deck surface upwards so that high ships can sail under it. It is an amazing contraption to see. Since the bridge has a Kansas City connection – Waddel & Harrington, who designed it were a Kansas City firm – I felt it was something we had to experience. Although the lower deck is built for pedestrians, we did not know that when we walked across, so we took the top deck. At times, I noted that the railings along the deck were quite low, so I recommend the lower deck for walking.

At the end of the bridge, it was a short walk to the Lan Su Chinese Garden. This delightful oasis was built in 1999 by 65 artisans who came from China and opened to the public in 2000. There is a short movie that explains how it was built. I was fascinated by the inlaid rock areas. I even asked the guide if we were allowed to walk on it, it was so beautiful

The gardens and the lake create lovely view, but so is the wonderful craftmanship of the buildings and the woodwork. You are able to walk into all the buildings and admire them. The tea house serves a variety of teas and pastry. We had to stop in there for a snack and enjoyed to views of the gardens.

When walking through the gardens, I did not think of the city around us, instead I felt like I was encapsulated in a hidden jewel.

Afterwards we walked to the Golden Horse restaurant for a lunch. It seemed right that we have Chinese food after visiting the garden.

The next day we continued our Asian garden experiences with a visit to the Portland Japanese Gardens in Washington Park. WOW! If Lan Su is an encapsulated oasis within the city, the 12-acre Japanese Gardens is a paradise!

A part of Washington Park since 1962, this peaceful setting was built to bring healing to the city after World War 2. I believe it did. You cannot walk through these gardens and not appreciate the culture that produce it.

Like Lan Su, there are buildings on the grounds including a Japanese Tea House. Since it is a much larger garden, there is a learning Center, a Café, a more. But for me it was the gardens that drew my admiration.

You start at the bottom of a hill after paying at the Welcome Center, meandering upwards to antique gate and continuing up. Looking back at the views of the city as you climb the foliage is really breathtaking. At the top you enter the Nezu Gate by the Japanese Arts Learning Center, where you can visit the Bonsai Garden. From there, you take the paths around the garden settings with koi ponds, waterfalls, raked sands and more. Every garden has resting spots where you can sit quietly and enjoy the views and the peace and serenity.

I think if I lived in Portland I would go to the Japanese Gardens weekly to ease my anxieties.

Because we were in Washington Park, after we finished our time at the Japanese Garden, we did walk over to the International Rose Test Garden. Established in 1917, this garden has over 4 acres of magnificent roses. I was here several years ago when I first visited Portland. But we had to stop in to see the beauty of this garden as well. There are always amazing roses during the blooming season. One peach-colored rose caught my eye, its petals resembled crepe paper.

And a wonderous mansion too!

Since we were in Washington Park, we visited one more spot close to Washington Park, the exquisite Pittock Mansion. The home of the owner of the Portland Oregonian, the mansion took two years to build, with a move in date of 1914. Overlooking the city and the river, it has magnificent views and lovely gardens as well. But it is the house that is the main attraction.

The Pittock Mansion has many innovations for a house of its time. The abundant bathrooms had all the ‘modern conveniences” with both tubs and showers; an intercom system: extensive laundry room and an amazing cold room. The door was extra insulated and the room contained cold storage. Mr. Pittock wanted the best and the most up-to-date home.

After the family moved out in 1958, the house was abandoned. Eventually the city purchased it and restored it and opened it to the public in 1965. I am sure the upkeep is still tremendous!

Today it is a great venue for weddings and other events. I had to pose on the grand staircase. It was a moment for me to imagine living there. Which I never could, but really some spots just call out for a photo. The Pittock Mansion is another must see site in Portland.

Steel Bridge

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https://japanesegarden.org/

https://www.portlandpf.org/rose-test-garden

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Tags: International Rose Test Garden, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Pittock Mansion, Portland Japanese Gardens, Steel Bridge, Washington Park

Comments 4 Comments
Categories architecture, Egon Travel, Gardening, Musuems, Travel, Travel blog Book

Charleston, A Lovely City, But the History of Slavery Cannot Be Ignored

14 Oct

Every Year on the Fourth of July, we watch the movie version of the play 1776. We love the music; we love the acting; we love the retelling of the founding of our country. But for me the scene that always hurts my soul is when Edward Rutledge sings “Molasses to Rum to Slaves.’ That moment in the movie is so strong and so emotional. When John Adams says, “For God’s Sake Mr. Rutledge,” I can feel the pain.

When we were in Charleston, South Carolina, we knew that part of our visit there was to learn more about the slave trade: to see where it happened. We visited St. Philip’s Church and walked through the historic cemetery where some of those involved in the American Revolution are buried, including the infamous Edward Rutledge. We saw the area where the slave market was held and walked down the cobblestone streets. The historic district of Charleston is unique and extremely interesting.

I learned interesting information about the history of slavery while in Charleston. This new- found information started with our visit to the Magnolia Plantation, which is just outside Charleston. I never knew that Carolina Gold referred to golden rice. Actually, I never knew that rice was grown in the south. I always just think of tobacco and cotton. My eyes have been opened. What I learned created a burn in my heart.

While at the Magnolia Plantation where saw the area where the slaves lived. Four families to a building. There are only a few rebuilt slave buildings now. Most were destroyed in previous hurricanes. At one time there were 11 or more ‘homes’. Almost 250 slaves lived on the Magnolia Plantation. Their main job was growing and harvesting rice.

We saw where the rice paddies once were located. Some of them still have water. It is from the tides that wash over the banks of the Ashley River and fill up areas that have been dug out down three feet and contained by low levees, so the water doesn’t all recede. A perfect spot for growing rice and also good homes for alligators and water moccasins. Two creatures that are adept at killing humans.

We found out that once a child was tall enough, he or she went into the rice paddies to work. The average length of time that someone survived the rice paddies was six to eight years!!! Someone who was 20 years old and still alive after being exposed to deadly snakes, alligators and disease, was considered old. That was something I did not know. And that makes me a bit sick to my stomach. How could they use children this way? Really disgusting! No one there are people who are adamant to keeping the real story out of our schools.

Going the next day to the International African American Museum cleared up a puzzle for me. How did these slaves know how to grow rice? It seems when the white men came to Africa to purchase captured slaves, they were going with a list of who they wanted. And what they wanted were farmers who knew how to grow rice and indigo. They were enslaving people who had the knowledge that would make the plantation owners rich, while the slaves would not only be enslaved but most likely die young. It seems so unreal. But it is true. I always knew the slave owners became rich due to slavery, but I never knew the stave traders went to Africa with a shopping list of which Africans they wanted to enslave. A definite eye-opening experience.

We enjoyed learning at the museum. The first section discusses the African American community in South Carolina and how the Middle Passage from African often ended up in Charleston, which was the most active port in the slave trade. Many people died on the way over and those who survived that horrible journey had more horrors ahead.

I also learned more about the Low Country Gullah Geechee population and their unique culture, which is so interesting. The descendants of slaves, the Gullah Geechee people were able to hold on to their African heritage because they were isolated on island and costal plantations.

The second section of the museum was filled with facts and information decade by decade of the African American experience. To be honest, this is not a museum to take young children, there is just too much reading and too much standing. I wish they had some benches along the winding hallways to take a break both physically and mentally. There is so much to absorb. It was difficult for me. And after a bit I was exhausted from the stories, the reading and the standing.

A few years ago, we visited the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Michigan. The permanent exhibit, “And Still We Rise,” was so immersive and left a permanent mark in my memory about how horrible the Middle Passage was for the enslaved and captured Africans. It does a much better job, visually, explaining the slave trade and having the visitors feel the impact, while its special exhibits focus on more cultural experiences.

The museum in South Carolina, however, does a much better job about explaining and detailing the history of the African American community over the centuries by highlighting important events, dates and people. But trying to see it all in one day is too much.

There were two little exhibits that stuck out to me as I walked through this museum. They had a display of the Green Book that told African Americans where they could stay as they traveled around the USA. I turned to pages to Kansas, where I currently live, to see where people could spend the night. There are not many places, which is disturbing. But in a way, being Jewish, I understand this pain, as Jewish people were also discriminated against and not allowed to stay in many places.

I did enjoyed seeing two of David Drake’s pottery pieces. I had seen his work several times on the Antique Roadshow, so was excited to see them in person. We saw another one at the Gibbes Museum in downtown Charleston. It was interesting to note the fact that he could write and sign his name was a quiet protest against slavery since slaves were not allowed to learn to read or write. This knowledge could have cost him his life.

Charleston was a lovely city to visit. There is so many places to immerse yourself into the history of our country. But while learning about things we can be proud of, we cannot forget the darkest, bitter moments of our country’s past due to its support of slavery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Philip%27s_Church_(Charleston,_South_Carolina)

https://www.thewright.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Drake_(potter)

https://www.magnoliaplantation.com/

https://www.gibbesmuseum.org/

Tags: Charles H Wright Museum of African American History, Charleston, David Drake, Gibbes Museum, history, International African American Musuem, Magnolia PLantation, South Carolina, travel

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Egon Travel, Musuems, Travel, Travel blog Book

Remembering and Looking Forward

7 Oct

The Anne Frank Center and Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim

When we drove from Asheville to Charleston, before the hurricane, friends of ours who live in Charleston suggested we stop at the Anne Frank Center located on the campus of the University of South Carolina.

I never expected South Carolina would be the home of one of four Anne Frank Centers in the world, and the only one in the United States, in partnership with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. I contacted the Center before our trip and was able to make an appointment to tour the exhibits.

So today, on October 7, 2024, I feel that I must remember the distant past of Jew hatred as we mourn the one year anniversary of the vicious attack on Israel.

The Anne Frank House does an excellent job recreating the feeling of the hidden annex. While touring the exhibit, visitors will enter a display of Anne Frank’s diary written in many languages on a wall of bookcases. Not surprisingly one bookcase opens allowing visitors to enter a darkened room that helps tell the story of the Annex. Having visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, I was amazed about how this small display harkens to the feelings I had in Amsterdam.

Besides the onsite programs, the Anne Frank House also offers traveling exhibits that can be sent across the USA. They teach local high school or college students to serve as the guides to the 32-panel exhibit. I would love to see this exhibit in my home community! Our tour at the Anne Frank Center was led by a college sophomore who was doing her first tour for us and her dad! Emma did a great job. I could see that she related to the world of Anne.

Going to the Anne Frank Center and remembering her words of hope help me see hope in the situation that we have in the Middle East today. There are good people who want this violence to stop. Who want terrorists to end their campaign of hatred. No one wants innocents, like Anne Frank, to suffer or die. So I have to believe there will be peace.

My feelings of hope continued in Charleston where we visited the 275-year-old Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim synagogue, founded in 1749. It is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the United States. The current building dates from 1841, after a fire in 1838 destroyed the second building.

Originally a Sephardic synagogue with the bima in the center and balconies above for the women, it changed in 1879, when the bima moved to the front and women joined men in siting for services. Later, after the earthquake of 1886, the balconies were destroyed and were not replaced.

Standing in a building that has housed a congregation since 1840, almost 190 years, and knowing that the congregation itself is 275 years old gives me hope. This congregation has survived the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW1, WW2, antisemitism, the creation of the State of Israel, the rise of the alt right in the south, and more. The fact that it continuous to be an active congregation gives me hope.

Today, I remember my feelings on October 7, 2023, when my daughter called me from Israel to say she and her husband were okay, but that the situation was very bad. The entire country was in shock. Everyone knows someone who died. For me, although I knew no one, I do know people who lost family members and friends. The past cannot be forgotten. However with education, like that of the Anne Frank Center, and endurance like that of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, I believe we can look forward with hope to the future.

https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/education/partnerships_outreach/anne_frank/index.php

https://www.kkbe.org

https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/education/partnerships_outreach/anne_frank/index.php

Tags: Anne Frank Center, Charleston south Carolina, Columbia South Carolina, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, October 7 attack

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Anti-semitism, architecture, Egon Travel, Holocaust, Israel, Musuems, Travel, Travel blog Book, Uncategorized

We Couldn’t Go To Israel: Road Trip To Madison, Wisconsin

20 Nov

Since my husband had over two weeks off for our trip to Israel that got cancelled due to terrorism and war, we had to keep moving or the anxiety would get to us. Our first Road Trip lasted only three nights. The second trip took six nights.

We have driven to Madison, Wisconsin, several times. Always doing it in just one day. But this time, I decided we needed to stop every now and then and just relax; so we did.

Day one: On the road to Altoona, Iowa. Why Altoona? It is on the eastern outskirts of Des Moines. And there was something to do. On our wat to Altoona, we stopped at the Amish Store that is just across the border from Missouri to Iowa. I love this store. Jams, spices, seasonings, candy and cookies. All home-made and delicious. We stopped for lunch and stocked up on gifts for our Madison hosts and for us.

Next stop the hotel in Altoona. My planning was excellent because across the street was a wonderful discount mall. If it hadn’t been so cold and windy, we would have walked there. Instead, we drove over and walked around this outdoor mall for a while helping the economy of Altoona. We also found an Italian restaurant halfway between our hotel and the mall and ate dinner there. Yum.

Day two: On the road to Madison with a planned stop in Dubuque, the last stop in Iowa before Wisconsin. We have driven through this Mississippi River town several times and always said we wanted to stop. This time we did. Our aim was to visit the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. Even though it was cold, and we had to walk outside between the two buildings, it was a great experience. But I am sure it is even more wonderful if you have children. There is just so many activities for them.

We did not go to the main movie, but we did see all the aquariums and visited the displays. One building holds the aquariums for the part of the Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico, that enters the ocean. There were jelly fish, seahorses, an octopus, stingrays and other ocean animals. The other building held the aquariums for river life: sea otters, turtles, snakes, fish. I had never seen real paddlefish before. They really do have a paddle on their snouts!

Our favorite exhibits were the Riverways History Gallery and the Innovation Currents Gallery. We also ate lunch there in a restaurant that overlooks the Mississippi and the outdoor displays. If it was warmer, we might have spent more time outside because there was a lot to see there as well.

Two hours later we were on our way to Madison.

Days Three-Five: Being in Madison with our friends was great. We had a good time visiting and seeing some of the sites. Our highlights was a tour of the State Capitol and the Chazen Museum of Art.

The Wisconsin state capitol building is really lovely. The building itself is over 100 years old. What makes it so amazing is that all branches of the state government still meet in the building. There are four magnificent rooms. One for the House of Representatives, one for the senate, one for the Supreme Court and one for hearings and meetings. Each room has a beautiful and large stain glass sky light that illuminates the room. Another lovely room is the senate’s private parlor.

There are free tours of the capitol each day. We were lucky in that we arrived at the capitol rotunda just a few minutes before the tour and we four were there only ones there allowing us to have the best private tour of the capitol that you would want. Our tour guide, Mike, was excellent. You could tell that he loved the building. And there is so much to love. Which you can see by the photos of the rooms.

Another day we went to the Chazen Museum of Art, which is on the University of Wisconsin’s campus. Although not a large museum, it was filled with amazing art. We were fortunate to see a special exhibit: Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art, had several pieces that caught our attention. Petro Beads, with was a giant set of prayer beads made from old metal petro containers. The Throne of Languages made from old military devices was an eye opener.

In other blogs I have written about my love of the glass art of Dale Chihuly. I really enjoyed seeing some of his early art work. He studied at the University of Wisconsin earned his MFA from the School of Education’s Art Department under Harvey Littleton, who was a well-known glass artist. We saw a few pieces of his work as well. I am sad to say I did not get to see The Mendota Wall at the Kohl’s Center. That will have to wait for another trip.

Day 6 and home:

It was going to be a long drive on highway 39 and 90 to the State Capitol of Illinois, Springfield. We had no plans to visit the capitol building there. Instead, our destination was the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Before I discuss our visit to the Library, I must tell you that I wish had more time in Springfield. We were only there for a few hours and were totally focused on the library. But it has many other sites to visit. We will go back.

I love how this library is set up. There is a central Plaza area that all the different exhibits lead off from. It was so fun to explore. After walking through a front yard, you enter a replica of the Lincoln log cabin. As you exit the cabin from the other side, you enter a wonderful exhibit all about slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation. As you leave that exhibit, you are right in front of the entrance to the White House replica. There you walk through a room and enter an exhibit about politics in the time of Lincoln. I could not believe the horrible nasty political cartoons that made a mockery of Lincoln. It made me realize that ugliness in politics has been around for a long time.

We watched one of the two shows and walked through the Treasures Gallery where you can see some items own by the Lincolns as well as some important documents.

We love our visit there, but as I said earlier, wished we had more time to visit some of the other Lincoln sites and to see the capitol.

When we left Springfield, we knew that our trip was almost over. We spent the night in St. Louis, my husband’s hometown and visited with family. Then the next morning we headed home. We went through five state: Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.

My husband’s vacation is officially over. We have completed our road trips for the fall. We look forward to the future when we can visit Israel in peace.

Tags: Chazen Museum of Art, Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, National Mississippi RIver Museum and Aquariums, Wisconsin State Capitol

Comments 2 Comments
Categories architecture, Egon Travel, Travel

A Day’s Escape to Ft. Scott

20 May

In 1988 I went on a road trip with my parents, husband, and then two -year-old daughter. My Dad was a big Civil War and also Harry Truman fan. Since we lived on the border of Missouri and Kansas, he had sites he wanted to see.

We drove down Hwy 69 to Ft. Scott first to see the old historic site. It was in the beginning of its renovations and restorations. I just remember one building. From there we went to Silver Dollar City, Mansfield where we visited Laura Ingalls Wilder’s house (for my Mom and me) and finally on our way home, we stopped in Lamar, Missouri, to see Truman’s birthplace. This four-day trip was a highlight for my parents.

For me, there was just one place I wanted to return to, Ft. Scott. For the last 33 years, I have been commenting that I need to go back and see what they did with the fort. It is not that I haven’t been to the city of Fort Scott. I have driven through it at least once a year on my way to Arkansas or other spots in Kansas.

I have even stopped in Ft. Scott to visit the Lowell Milken Center, Unsung Hero Museum. This museum focuses on taking action to improve the lives of others. I was interested in it through my volunteer work with the Kansas City Section of the National Council of Jewish Women. We were involved in the development of the play about Irena Sendler: Life In A Jar, which is highlighted at the museum.

But I never got over to the Fort! Each time I went it was raining, not a gentle rain, but a good Kansas downpour.

When I went the first time, in 1988, the renovations and restorations had only been going on for a decade. The Fort Scott Historic Site became part of the National Park System only in 1978. For a long time, From the late 1800s to 1978, it was part of the town of Ft. Scott. Some of the buildings, that were not torn down, were used by town’s people as homes or community buildings, like a home for girls.

In the 1950s community members started working to restoring the fort. Most buildings are not original, rather recreations. Since 1978, recreations of buildings have been built around the common area.

The Fort was important during the time of “bleeding Kansas,” as Kansas and Missouri fought over free and slave states. In fact, during that time, two of the buildings were used as hotels. Across the square common area from each other, one was for those who supported a free state, the other was for those who wanted a slave state. Sometimes, violence broke out!!

During the Civil War, the Fort was used as a supply depot and hospital for Union soldiers. In the Visitors’ Center they have a room set up as the hospital would have been like in the 1860s.

For the past 33 years, I have been wondering, did it get completed? What happened? I have been wanting to see the Fort! I tried to arrange field trips with friends to take our children there. It never happened. I tried to get my husband to go with me. He did not have time to take the drive.

Finally, I completed my quest. In the time of Covid, my husband had 25 vacation days that have to be used before July 1. He is taking every Thursday and Friday off for three months. Good friends of ours drove down from Wisconsin. Our first overnight company in 15 months. We are all vaccinated. I suggested a field trip to Ft. Scott. Most of the time we would be outside. They agreed.

I have to admit, it was better than I imagined. When we were there 33 years ago, the place was ragtag and a mess of construction. Now it is a lovely well-organized group of 20 buildings that you can enter and see cannons and carriages; the places where supplies were kept and bread was made. The best was the officers’ quarters. The building we entered was an original 1845 building. It is the same building we went into in 1988. This building had been a private home and then a school for girls.

There is even a Tallgrass Prairie planted with a trail, so that you can imagine yourself walking the prairies of Kansas in the 1840s.

We spent about 90 minutes walking around the grounds and into the open buildings. Several of the buildings were closed for various reasons. The Visitors’ Center, which once was the hospital, has a small gift shop, and clean restroom. There is no entrance fee to visit the historic site. It is opened almost every day until 5 pm. But even when the buildings are closed, you are still allowed to walk around the park.

After we toured the site, we walked across the street to a nice little Mexican restaurant and then walked through the quaint town, entering a few stores.

There is one other museum I want to see in Ft. Scott, the Gordon Parks Museum. Located on the grounds of the Ft. Scout Community College, the museum highlights the work and life of well-known photographer Gordon Parks. I will get there one day!

To be honest, I enjoyed my day in Ft. Scott so much, I have decided that this one-hour drive will be added to my activities whenever we have out of town company. It is a great way to spend a day.