Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Medieval Thyme
Posted on: February 13, 2019
- In: History | Spain | Travel
- 62 Comments
Every year for three days at the beginning of February, the city of Orihuela, Spain transforms itself into a medieval town complete with market stalls, soldiers, street entertainers and food cooked over open flames. The Moors and the Christians are both represented as at one time they lived side by side in this area. This year a friend and I took the twenty-minute bus ride to the city to partake in this fun event. Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!
Our first stop was at a Moorish tea tent, to partake in perfect mint tea and delicious baklava. We even got to keep the tea glass as a souvenier.
I got to pet a camel! Those of you who have read Amanda in Arabia, know how much I love camels.
We watched artisans at work, such as this potter
And this sculpture
And this baker making buns in a medieval oven!
Displays of sturdy ovenware for sale
and colourful graters, perfect for grating garlic, ginger, tomatoes and more
Street entertainers were spotted everywhere.
Medieval musicians
and dancers wound their way through the streets as in days of old.
Even a troll
and other scary woodland creatures
Adults dressed up in their finery
And children got to be a king for a day!
How would you like to buy a suit of armour?
We stopped for lunch at a charming little restaurant frequented by the entertainers!
There were plenty of food stalls with fresh produce
waiting to be cooked over the hot coals, resulting in paella and other mouthwatering dishes
We decided not to have soup with balls.
A handsome Bedouin poses for us by his tent
To catch the spirit of the day, watch the video I took while there. You might feel like you have gone back in time like I did.
Back to the Future
Posted on: January 25, 2019
On my recent trip back to my home province of Alberta, I was fortunate to visit two schools where I did presentations, readings, and workshops. I may have mentioned before that doing school presentations is my favourite part of being a writer. These two visits were very special.
I was invited by a school in Airdrie, Alberta to visit as the Grade 4 classes are currently reading Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone. I did four presentations to the grade four classes at Herons Crossing School the day after I landed in Calgary. The students were delightful and devoted Amanda Travels fans. Some had read all the books. They said they enjoyed the use of cliffhangers in the stories. I love that kind of feedback. They were all well behaved and asked very good questions.
Students eagerly listening while I read from Amanda in Alberta.
A few days later I visited Irvine School, just outside Medicine Hat, where I did a presentation in the library to about 70 grade 3 and 4 students. After the recess, I did a workshop with one of the Grade 4 classes.
This was a double special visit as I went to Irvine School myself many years ago and it is now the school my great-granddaughter attends. It is not the same building I attended as the original school burnt down in 1989 and has been replaced by a modern building. But it was a memorable visit for me. I brought along my old high school sweater and yearbook to show the children that I had once attended that very school.
Presentation in the library
Considering it was just a couple of days before the Christmas break, the students were very attentive and asked great questions. After sitting on the floor for quite some time, the teacher had them get up and do a few exercises.
After the presentation, many came up to ask more questions.
Later, I facilitated a workshop on using all the senses in writing. Using a photograph as a prompt, we brainstormed words describing the five senses. Everyone participated. Later they were given ten minutes to hand write something based on a picture, using as many of the senses as possible. Some shared their writing. I was amazed at how eager they were to do the assignment and how they produced such incredible work in a short time. A great example of how children still love to read and write.
Facilitating a workshop with eager participants is so much fun.
My oldest grandson was my driver, helper, and photographer. He was a huge help.
My grandson and his niece (my great-granddaughter)
I was so impressed with the school, the teachers and the staff. There was such a positive vibe in the place. Wonderful quotes decorated the hallway walls.
And look what I found on a door in the girl’s washroom!
Talk about positive reinforcement!
I went back to my old school and found that the future is in good hands.
2019 The Beginning!
Posted on: January 9, 2019
- In: Dreams | Travel | Writing
- 66 Comments
Time to write down and share my goals for this year. If I don’t write them down and share them, nothing will get done. It seems this is the only way it works for me.
I´m a bit late with this post but better late than never as my dad would say. So here they are…
- Publish and promote Amanda in Holland-Missing in Action
- Return to Canada in the fall of 2019 to launch Amanda in Holland, organize readings and signings at bookstores, libraries, and schools.
- Finish writing Amanda in Malta-The Sleeping Lady
- Start Amanda in France
- Do (at least) one thing every day to promote my writing.
- Publish an anthology of short stories about growing up in rural Alberta
- Try writing a picture book.
- Visit a part of Spain I haven’t been to before
- Attend a Moors and Christians Festival
- Go on a cruise, visiting Venice, Rome or Greece perhaps
- Read at least 30 books
- Take an online course
- Make new friends, online and in person, and stay in touch with longtime friends
- Celebrate my birthday in style.
I usually like to pick a word or three for the year. I decided on action, learn, listen for 2019
I´ve read some of your goals already and they are all doable! Wish me luck and share yours if you feel like it.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Posted on: December 1, 2018
- In: History | Travel
- 56 Comments
Notre Dame de Paris – Our Lady of Paris
I love visiting cathedrals, especially those full of history. They each have stories to tell and represent the culture of the area. A fascinating cathedral is Notre Dame de Paris and I was delighted to see it, inside and out, during our visit in May. The Notre Dame Cathedral, with its fine sculptures and stained glass windows, was one of the very first Gothic cathedrals and is 800 years old. It has been through so much, including being plundered during the French Revolution and used as a storage facility. If those walls could talk.
Amazing sculptures adorning the exterior. Note the intricate detail.
The rib vaults of the nave
One of many gorgeous stained glass windows
It is breathtakingly beautiful inside. I was fortunate to hear the choir singing during mass while I was there. The hordes of tourists made it difficult to get pictures inside but I managed to take a short video to give you an idea of the magnificence of the place.
The next day we returned to the area and our friends took us to a quaint pastry shop, La Maison ODETTE, where we enjoyed a perfect cup of tea and melt in your mouth choux a la cremes on the top floor. The shutters were opened and we had a perfect view of the cathedral!! A quintessential French experience I will never forget.
.
Our view of Notre Dame from the top floor of Odette
Odette is located opposite the charming Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre church, one of the oldest in Paris.
Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church (Church of Saint Julian the Poor)
I did not see the hunchback, but I certainly understand how Victor Hugo was inspired. My dream of visiting Notre Dame Cathedral was fulfilled.
Moroccan Tea Gardens in Spain
Posted on: November 2, 2018
- In: Spain | Travel
- 73 Comments
The entrance to Carmen Del Campillo Moriscos
I heard of these Moroccan Tea Gardens, Carmen Del Campillo Moriscos, located about one hour from where we live and was intrigued. I finally had an opportunity to visit them recently. They are tucked away in the countryside among groves of lemons, oranges and pomegranates and not easy to find. But once there, it is worth the drive. The minute I entered the gates, a feeling of tranquillity surrounded me. The gardens seemed to go on forever with many little paths to follow and explore. Every corner I turned, another delightful scene appeared. As well as the picturesque gardens, the site comprises a number of buildings to investigate, inside and out, on many levels. A fabulous selection of tea is served in the gardens or in the tea rooms, on mats and pillows, at tables or even in a Bedouin tent! Stroll along with me as the sun sets on this incredible place.
Where will this path take me?
Happy to finally visit these delightful gardens
An authentic Bedouin tent at the top
-
The resident peacock
Delicious teas and baklava type desserts
Inside the tea rooms
Evening sets in and creates an enchanting world
Following a candlelit path, I found this mysterious door
This place is so charming and well displayed. I enjoyed wandering the gardens and felt like I was in Morocco. The lovely stone paths, the calming music, the pottery, the Bedouin tent, the resident peacock, everything was perfect. The selection of teas was incredible, I had a delicious Rooibos chocolate flavoured tea. I also loved the baklava type pastries. As the sun set, the gardens and tea rooms took on a romantic, exotic feel. I wandered the candlelit paths and discovered many more interesting scenes. I didn’t want to leave. I will be bringing out of town guests here to be sure!!
- In: Art | Travel
- 51 Comments
We had one rainy day in Paris, the trains were on strike and the traffic horrible. So we decided not to go downtown. Since the Ceramics Museum was nearby, we choose to visit it instead. I love ceramics of all sorts, my daughter is a potter, after all. It was a good decision.
The elegant entrance into the French Museum of Ceramics
Located in Sèvres, a suburb of Paris well known for producing fine ceramics, the museum is housed in a building built in 1876 on the site of a ceramics factory which is still in operation. The museum was originally created in 1824 by Alexandre Brongniart who’s statue stands in front of the building. It was later moved to the current location.
The museum contains one of the world’s largest collection of ceramics representing many countries, periods and techniques. I was fascinated by all categories of ceramics (pottery, faience, stoneware, porcelain, as well as enamels, stained glass windows and glass) from various cultures and time periods well displayed in the many rooms. Here are some of my favourite pieces.
Don’t you just love the face on this item from Germany?
I couldn’t help but admire this vase decorated with dogs, cats, and rabbits.
A fabulous wall of ceramic plates
This was one of my favourite pieces. I love the colours.
And not just because it matched my nail polish perfectly!!
The rain doesn’t ruin your plans, it just gives you an opportunity to do or see something you hadn’t planned!!
Paris by Night!
Posted on: October 7, 2018
- In: Travel
- 64 Comments
I found Paris to be delightful and loved every minute I was there. A special treat was a drive around the city at night. Here are a few pictures of what we saw. The quality of the photographs may not be great, but, it was nighttime and I was in a car for the most part.
Monsieur Eiffel’s tower, amazing by day, exquisite by night.
The Champs-Élysées going toward the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
Avenue des Champs-Élysées going the opposite direction
Paris street scene at night
The Opera House, is the phantom lurking behind one of those windows?
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris on top of Montmartre
Sacré-Cœur Basilica
It was a drizzly evening so the view from Montmartre, the highest point in Paris, was not great, but it was still exciting to see this vibrant city at night.
I hope you enjoyed my night time views of this fabulous city.
Have you been to Paris at night?
