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.All Trips / Belgium / Europe
Brussel’s Amazing Market Square (Grand-Place)
Grand-Place (Grote Markt in Dutch) is the central square of Brussels which is know of its beautiful and decorative architecture in a variety of styles (e.g. Baroque, Gothic). The square is lined by City Hall, Maison du Roi, and a number of guild houses. In 1998 it was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Many famous events in Brussels’ history occurred in the Grand-Place, including the martyrdom of protestant leaders Hendrik Voes and Jan Van Essen, and a brutal attack by the French in 1695 targeting the façade and tower of City Hall, resulting in extensive damage to many buildings of the square. Obviously all has been repaired and today many of the buildings house museums and tourism-related shops.
Some of …
.All Trips / Europe / Germany
Berlin’s unique Museum Island: a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Situated on an island in the Spree River, Berlin’s Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is home to five world-renowned museums. The space is shared with Berlin’s great Cathedral, the Berliner Dom. In 1999, the Museum Island complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage.
The five museums on Museum Island are:
1) Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum):
Opened in 1930 — the last museum on the island to open but also perhaps the greatest of these museums. This museum alone attracts around one million visitors every year and is currently under refurbishment. Its collection includes the Pergamon Altar and Ishtar Gate.
Bode Museum, Berlin’s Museum Island
2) Bode-Museum:
Opened at the northern tip of the island in 1904 and with a renovation completed in 2005. It has an …
Tagged architecture, art, Berlin, history, Museum Island, UNESCO World Heritage Site
.All Trips / Europe / Spain
Granada’s Other Great Attraction — a Visit to the Granada Cathedral
Most visitors to Granada come to explore the fascinating and beautiful Alhambra, with good justification, but you shouldn’t skip the chance to stop by Granada’s Cathedral as well. In fact, it’s most pleasant to walk through the relatively compact historic core of Granada.
After the expulsion of the Moors from Granada and take-over by Spanish Christian forces, it makes sense that a new Cathedral was called for, but that did not happen right away. The war had been very expensive and other conflicts were diverting the monarch’s monies away from Granada.
View of Granada Cathedral from the Alhambra
It was not until 1523 (31 years after the conquest) that construction on the Cathedral began atop the site of a mosque. The project was not finished for 181 years (in …
Tagged architecture, Cathedral, Granada, Moors, Renaissance
“PIc of the Week”, November 2, 2018: Cargill’s Store, Colombo
One of the most popular buildings from the British Colonial era in Colombo is the Cargills department store, located in the city’s old Fort District. A century ago this store was busy providing British residents with a place they could purchase staples and luxury items from back home. The journey to Cargills often required them to make the long trek to Colombo from tea plantations and other remote destinations in Sri Lanka.
The lovely building is know for it’s red brick facade. It was originally built as the residence of the Dutch military commander of Galle, before British occupation. The building was acquired by Cargills in 1896 and underwent a remodel and refinishing, opening as a store in 1906.
Like many of …
Nov 1, 2018
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“Pic of the Week”, June 8, 2018: Burj Al Arabia
In a country of spectacular modern buildings and architecture, the Burj Al Arab more than holds its own. A beautiful white structure, it was built to resemble a dhow sailing into the blue waters of the Persian Gulf. The Burj Al Arab was one of the first big constructions in modern Dubai and like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York, it has come to symbolize today’s Dubai.
Some of the Particulars:
The Burj Al Arab is considered one of the world’s great luxury hotels and is the third tallest hotel in the world. It’s built on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to it …
Jun 7, 2018
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.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
Back at the Getty Center, Los Angeles
When I have free time while traveling in greater Los Angeles, I love to visit the Getty Center — well worth a full day’s visit, especially if you’ve never been there before. There’s no admission fee but you have to pay $15.00 to park for the day (so if you’re dropped off by a friend, the entire day would be a freebie). There’s a large parking structure adjoining the 405 Fwy in Sepulveda Pass and from here visitors takes a tram uphill to the Getty Center. The tram/funicular ride takes just a few minutes and when you exit you enter a beautifully crafted world of art and architecture. I enjoy walking the meticulously maintained grounds and taking in the ever …
Tagged architecture, art, Brentwood, Century City, Getty Center, J.P. Getty, museum, West Los Angeles, Westwood
“Pic of the Week”, December 1, 2017: Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resort
I attended a medical meeting at Disney World not long ago which was held at the award-winning Dolphin and Swan Resort complex. I’d never been to these hotels before and found them to be pretty impressive. Very massive modern structures, with over 2000 rooms between the two of them, they had interesting architecture, sitting beside a man-made lake. The resorts are near the Disney Boardwalk and very close to one of Disney World’s entrances.
Boat services on the lagoon allows guests to get from the resorts to various water-based destinations around Disney World, such as Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Each hotel has many restaurants and those I tried had excellent (albeit not cheap) food.
I was a little surprised that …
Nov 30, 2017
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.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
The Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles’ Art Deco Treasure
One of Los Angeles’ most famous landmarks is the Griffith Observatory, which is situated on a hill (in massive Griffith Park) overlooking the Los Angeles basin. Designed to be an observatory of the planets and stars, it’s a beautiful Art Deco structure that houses space and science exhibitions and has a great planetarium.
While smog obscures the views from the Observatory most of the time, the place is especially memorable for its great views on a clear day like the one I had the …
