Category Archives: Travel

Goya’s Madrid Specters

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Visiting anywhere in Spain is a pure pleasure, and whether the reason for being there is business, vacation, art, or anything else, there are spectacular things to see while you’re on your way toward enjoying life.  There’s no city that can represent the heart of Spain as well as Madrid, perhaps, because of its spectacular combination of culture and history, where the present meet the past at every turn, and there’s always something new to learn.  Madrid is a tourist’s paradise.  It’s not difficult to get around, the people are rather friendly, or at least extremely fashionable, and there is a sense of adventure, that makes the city accessible and extremely fun.

For those who are used to only settling for the best, Madrid restaurants can offer a spectacular taste of the good life.  There is enormous variety here, with some wonderful places that specialize in international cuisine, as well as fusion dining.  There are also a few Spanish restaurants that could change the way you think about your tongue.  The tastes have been simply amazing for generations in Spain, and with each generation, it gets better, with more perfections made, and more bold experiments to speak to the traditions.  It’s the same principle in the art.

It operates now with the boldest new artists, looking to break with tradition, but also wanting to take the best parts along with them.  Spain is different than many countries, and a clean break with the past can mean tearing out what’s roots, or destroying an intellectual, creative, and spiritual legacy, so even the most fearless experimenters tend to know their artistic ancestors pretty well.  Goya was certainly working in this realm, and although he moved in fantastic, bold new directions, had a steady connection with all that came before.  His caprichos speak to earlier folk traditions, and even help to interrupt the flow of contemporary art in his time, to make the proper authorities stop in their tracks, haunted by the specters of their own reflections.

The Origin of Ibiza Town

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The island cities of Ibiza offer a home to about ten thousand people, but, of course, in the summer months, that number skyrockets as travelers find their way to luxury ibiza hotels.  The largest of the communities on this Mediterranean island are Ibiza Town (also known as the Vila d’Eivissa, or, more simply as Vila), Santa Eularia des Riu, and then Sant Antoni de Portmany.  All of these cities are well known for their hospitality and night clubs and restaurants — but, if you’re seeking a different side of the island, you may be more interested in the monuments available for sight-seers, and, if so, you may well want to find your way to Sa Caleta peninsula, where it’s thought that Phoenicians came sometime in the eighth century B.C. and settled.

Today, over two hundred centuries later, you will find the remains of a Phoenician village, a monument to Ibiza’s past.  While there’s some guess work involved, it seems that the Phoenicians arrived gradually onto the Iberian peninsula, until they created throughout the seventh century B.C. a large urban community.  The schematic remains of the buildings suggest that the Phoenicians were communal, sharing large ovens, which may have been used for a variety of purposes: sandstone mills, milling grain, and baking bread.

In the same area, you’ll find a number of pottery shards — jugs, plates, lamps, pitchers — and bronze cooking utinsels, as well as fishing hooks and weaves for nets; but, it seems, the major occupation of the Phoenicians on the peninsula, was metal work — instruments and evidence of lead-making are apparent, as well as methods used to extract silver.  The Phoenicians later left Sa Caleta in 600 BC and resettled in Eivissa, creating the origins today’s Ibiza Town.  For history lover’s, Sa Caleta is not simply a sight with amazing, white sandy beaches, but a place where you can find the very origin of modern Ibiza Town.

Tina B. in Prague

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Prague is one of the most attractive places to visit in Europe these days, having risen up again recently in the circles of coolness.  The hip factor is very high when it comes to talking about Prague, but the city itself is surprisingly unpretentious.  But still manages to live up to its reputation, because it is as hip as people say.  There is a spectacular scene for arts and culture, making it enormously attractive for young people looking to make something happen in the world.  In regards to the rest of the continent, it’s very affordable, which is perhaps one of the main reasons it is thriving culturally.  The more you look into it, the more you’ll see that there is more to see.  It’s been like that for a long time, as well.

For many decades, there has been a very strong cultural momentum here, decreasing only in times of conflict and crisis, when the artists go underground.  There is a strong tradition for the underground here today, and a deep suspicion of anything popular.  This makes it refreshingly free of prejudice, and most travelers feel a sense of ease when they visit Prague, Czech Republic.  Hotels are plentiful, offering gracious lodgings so that you can rest while you’re having exciting adventures in the city.  If you’re here in the fall, you might want to time your stay to coincide with one of the most interesting festivals of contemporary art, not just in Prague, but in the world.

It’s called Tina B., an acronym for This is Not Another Biennale.  It’s an apt way of stating some of the sensibilities behind this spectacular event.  For three weeks in October, Prague sees a stunning array of new works from all over the world, although this curated festival focuses on the work from Central and Eastern Europe.  It takes place in several venues all over the city, and if Prague’s aesthetic of embracing the new while taking the lessons of history into its present appeals to you, then this will get you your fill of radical new art.  Or it might just make you hungry to see more, and you’ll have to come back to this amazing city.

Passing Out in Barcelona

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It’s a huge weekend of music here in Barcelona. The other night, I had tickets to see the ‘Red Hot Chili Peppers‘. Barcelona was the start of their European tour. The concert was Fabulous! My friends and I squeezed our way right up to the mosh pit in front of the stage. This gave us an excellent view of the stage, we were so close, only 5 rows back. But, this meant we had the entire weight of thousands of people pushing up against us and we had nothing to hang on to, so we were feeling the stress, my feet were off the ground during most of the concert! My body turned against me and I fainted. Apparently, I managed to pass out in the center, so I was held up by all the bodies surrounding me, but me friends managed to carry me, well drag me, out of the crowd. Tell told me the yelled the whole way.

They took me to the medical tent, which was quite a show in of itself. The doctor was asking me so many questions, like, ‘Where are you?’, ‘How many fingers am I holding up?’, etc. I was completely alright, but the music was so loud that I couldn’t hear any of his questions, plus he was speaking Spanish! So, there I am knowing what answers he wanted from me, but I failed to communicate with him well in Spanish. I was laughing so hard, the doctor kept shaking his head. I finally managed to convey that I’m alright, by letting him know I’m staying at a Barcelona, Spain hotel and that I faint all the time, it’s nothing serious. He let me go back to the concert. We of course headed back to the same spot. It was great!

The next three nights, I had tickets to the music festival ‘Primavera Sound‘. This time I brought plenty of water, but I found that wasn’t necessary because there was no fear of heatstroke, the bands didn’t start playing until 10pm  and the final acts take the stage around 5am! I ditched the water for plenty of caffeine.

Singapore’s Art Buddha

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Singapore is a splendid place with an amazing array of cultures and sensibilities.  They make up the heartbeat of the city state, giving it a constant rhythm that is constantly shifting.  Travelers here find a superb sense of style in the streets, where the locals combine the best of all the traditions, mixed with a marvelous playfulness that finds all the intricate beats of pop culture and absorbs them to make new forms.  This is reflected in the fashion, the design, and the art.  It’s also apparent in the cuisines, and there is a spectacular selection of tastes and cooking traditions to choose from here.

There is a great variety in Chinese, Indian, and Malay cooking, and some of the very best Japanese restaurants in the world.  The Japanese influence on the place is perhaps best evidenced in its cooking, where tradition is something that is revered and carefully studied, and contemporary innovations are added to the mix with generous flair.  Generous flair in never missing in Singapore, where the arts scene is as diverse and electric as the restaurant scene.  One of its most famous members, Kuo Pao Kun, passed on in 2002, but left a legacy that’s still very strong here, and his flair will burn on for generations.

He was a playwright, and known for his deeply human vision in his works, having witnessed the Japanese Invasion in China, as well as the People’s Liberation Armies taking over Beijing, and he was also imprisoned by the Singapore government for his writings and activism.  This ability to remain outspoken, no matter what the deep personal price, is a characteristic tenacity that followed him through all of his work here.  He is the founder of one of Singapore’s great alternative performance venues, The Substation, and also founded the Practice Performing Arts School.  He has inspired generations of new artists, and will continue how we do things in Singapore.  He opened many doors which can never be closed again.

Traditional Wear in China

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You may want to find a Hong Kong car rental and head out for some shopping. You could surely find all of your favorite designer shops in the local malls and streets but how about taking home a piece of true tradition from this unique country. So much of the spirituality and status of the Chinese people is shown in what they wear. It all seems to be a brilliant costume for the westerners that visit but most things on the cloths have a real meaning. Two feathers of a ho bird, which is like a pheasant that fights well, are warn in a head dress to symbolize a bold spirit.

There are three main kinds of Chinese clothing that fall into tradition. The pien-fu is an ancient ceremonial wear that has a tunic type top going as far down as the knees and a skirt that goes all the way down to the ankles. This was topped off with the pien which is a cylinder type cap used in for ceremonial purposes. The other two styles are  the chang pao, which means long robe and the shen i.
All have similarities like the wide cut and super large sleeves along that shows a straight lined design. All are rather loose fitting and form a nice natural fold. Many could be left to hang or be cinched at the waist.

While constructing these wearable works of art they have a minimum amount of stitches they must use for each size of cloth. Because the clothing is such a basic design, they add the embellishments to give each one a unique flair. Sashes and bands, applique and embroidered edging really made the clothing special. Darker colors have been the more favorite as apposed to the light colors. Often the heavy ceremonial clothing are still made in black.

A Young Actor in New York

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Jaime is a young actor who has strong ambitions, not to become a famous Hollywood star, though he would never resist that should the opportunity present itself, but to perform in quality original productions and eventually start a theatre company that supported the development of original work. He lived in a small town in rural Kansas before moving to Houston, Texas where he was able to stay with a friend while he looked for a job.  Soon into Jaime’s life in Houston he became involved in a company that represented all of his major theatrical interests. He worked with them regularly for a year and was invited to join the small ensemble for a tour to New York. This was almost too good sounding to be true, but it was the chance to perform on a New York stage was suddenly available to this young but passionate actor. Jaime accepted the invitation without hesitation and the company decided which two plays they would take with them. They booked reservations for a two week stay in one of the hotels New York USA and already had worked out a contract with an Off Off Broadway venue on 42nd Street.

Jaime had the time of his life while in the city. When he was not onstage he ate great pizza in a sidewalk café and even talked one of the other actors into taking one of the city tour bus rides. This actually turned out to be more entertaining and informing the either of them expected and they learned a great deal about the early development of New York and the history of some of the city’s landmark buildings. Jaime also visited the Empire State Building felt a little dizzy at the top. The views of the city were incredible though and the trip ended up being one of the highlights of Jaime’s first twenty three years of life.

Grand Prix in Singapore

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We left Melaka today and we took the coach to Singapore. It only took us 4 hours to get there. Our bus driver was amusing, which when we thought about it, fit into the general theme of our trip. He really didn’t know English, but he pretended he did. No matter what we said to him he would say yes and always agree. We had loads of fun talking with him, telling him that he was on fire orasking him if he was a secret agent, stuff like that. It made our trip seem shorter than it was.

When we were near Singapore, we all had to get off the bus for immigration. We got our passports stamped and got our visas back, they even checked our bags, which took awhile and that kind of worried us because they kept looking over at us and pointing. But, we got through even though I forgot my departure card.

When we got to Singapore, we were astounded by all the advertisements for the Grand Prix. Posters and signs were everywhere! It was a little difficult to get to one of the best Singapore hotels where we had reservations due to various road closures in preparation for the race. Luckily, we made reservation well in advance, we could tell as we were checking in that the hotels were filling up quick. We heard the couple in-front of us at the front desk stating that all of the other hotels had no rooms left. They were told that our hotel might have a few rooms available, they were told to wait until the end of the day, and come back, that maybe there would be some cancellations, but that they too were booked full.

We didn’t even know when we booked that the Grand Prix was in town! If we would’ve known that, we would’ve been prepared for all the crowds and hype. So, after we got situated in our room, we decided to take an excursion outside the city, but as we were getting ready to board another bus that would take us, we caught the Grand Prix fever! We instead headed to a ticket place and managed to get tickets for the first day events starting tomorrow! Grand Prix here we come!

Colonial Life in Williamsburg, VA

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Williamsburg is often referred to as the place where America began and history lives. The first Europeans settled in the area as early as the late 1500’s. Today Williamsburg is a fascinating place. The oldest part of town has been preserved as it was in the 18th century and life goes on pretty much as it did several hundred years ago.

Visits to Williamsburg at various times of the year give an over view of what life in the colonies was like. In spring there is planting to be done, gardens and farms are prepared for the summer crops and nearly all activity is focused on the extremely important task of food production. Plowing demonstrations where a man runs behind an ox with a hand held plow to turn over the field for planting. Early vegetables are harvested and prepared to eat.

Summer bring in different activities. With gardens and farms planted tending to the crops and harvesting what is ready becomes the focus. Also many of the farm animals are having their babies and the site of baby goats, sheep and calf’s is just too cute. The candle maker is dipping their wicks in newly collected bees wax making candles. As animals are slaughtered for food the fat is rendered down and mixed with lye to make soap and herbs and other plants that can be preserved by drying are gathered and hung near the cooking fire.

Fall brings us to harvest time, the village is focused on collecting up all ripened fruits and vegetables before the first frost come and kill of all plant life. The roving sheered from the sheep is being processed into roving in preparation for spinning into yarn then woven into fabric.

Winters we find the residence hold up in their houses keeping warm by the fire. Men repair and make tools they will need to do their work in the spring. Women sew repair cloths and engage in embroidery.

No matter what time of year book a room at Williamsburg hotels and come get an education in the life of an 18th century colonist.

The Mandela Family Museum in Johannesburg

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Many cities around the world have museums in honor of the beloved former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. However, not many are in the house where he once lived, just one to be exact, and that one is located in the city of Johannesburg.  The Mandela Family Museum is one of the most interesting stops that you can make on a visit to the city, as the history of the man is so physically present, so deeply felt by the sheer fact that you are standing in his house.

The house, Mandela’s first house, is small and humble, consisting of just four rooms, and contains various bits of history, of photographs and paintings and the collection of the doctorates that have been honorarily bestowed on him from the institutions and the universities all over the world.  One of the pieces in the collection is Sugar Ray Leonard’s heavy weight championship boxing belt.  Leonard sent it to Mandela as a gift, as so too did many other people send him gifts throughout the years.  One of the most haunting parts of this collection is a row of Mandela’s old boots that lines one of the walls.  To physically see the shoes that this man walked in literally, is quite powerful, especially given the shoes he has walked in figuratively throughout his incredible lifetime.

He did not spend much time in the house beginning in 1958, as he was on the run from the law for his actions as a freedom fighter and political activist.  Upon his arrest in 1962, his wife and their daughters remained living in the home while Mandela was imprisoned.  While he did return after his release from Robben Island, he only stayed for a short while before settling into a different home in Houghton.  The history of the home is like the history of the nation.  From the moment you leave the comfort of one of the city’s hotels, Johannesburg will tell you a tale of struggle and of triumph, and what better place to visit, than the home of the man who felt that struggle, and overcame it with triumph and with honor.