South Africa Travel Guide: Unspoilt forests and wild beaches surround the ‘friendly city’ November 6, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Africa, Europe, Museum, Oceanarium, Rail Pass, Tickets, Tour, Trails , 2commentsThere are many places within easy reach of Port Elizabeth that offer fine walks and hikes through unspoilt natural surroundings. Even within the boundaries of the city, walkers who take to the Guinea Fowl Trail through Settlers Park Nature Reserve will be surprised by the wildness of the area.
Settlers Park contains some 160 different trees and shrubs, and is noted for its richly varied birdlife — which includes the Knysna loerie, giant kingfisher, fork-tailed drongo, gymnogene, herons, Guinea fowl and Egyptian geese. Also common are dassies (Hyrax), tortoises and leguans. The Guinea Fowl Trail takes two to three hours to walk, but is relatively easy. Many shorter walks through the park are also possible, and the park has several entry points, making it easily accessible from almost any part of the city. (more…)
A Wealth of Wildlife in a world with little Water September 30, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Africa, Botswana, Map, Rail Pass, Tickets, Tour, Trails, Travel Gear , 2commentsThe traveler is greeted by an extraordinarily stark, sunburned landscape. The climate ranges from dry to very dry, and periods of extreme drought can be measured by the carcasses in the dry river beds. Yet there is abundant life in the harsh environment of the Kalahari — a primeval vitality that comes as a surprise amidst the seemingly inhospitable surroundings. For those who wish to see and feel an unspoilt Africa, this is perhaps the most rewarding place to visit. Here it is stillpossible to experience the wild excitement of a lion-kill, or to witness the lightning dash of a hunting cheetah — exactly as if mankind had never appeared on the scene. (more…)
One day in Germany Speyer Cathedral, World Famous Heritage continue… September 10, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Air Tickets, Cars, Destination, Europe, Hotels, Museum, Rail Pass, Tour , 5commentsThese geomantic stones had associations with certain alignments and the axial centres of towns. The Domnapf location not only had typical Blue Stone connotations with ancient judicial rules, as indicated above, but also expresses this geomantic role as its presence on this alignment attests. Furthermore, it was from this spot that the layout of the streets of Speyer was arranged. The omphalos point.
Maximilianstrasse was created at the time of die cathedral in the eleventh century as a Via Triumphalis, linking the west gate — the Old Gate or Altportel — and the west porch of the cathedral. The German Emperors and the newly appointed Bishops of Speyer used it for their ceremonial entrances into the city. (This is a medieval continuation of the link between kingship and straight alignments.) (more…)
One day in Germany Speyer Cathedral, World Famous Heritage September 10, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Air Tickets, Belgium, Europe, Germany, Hotels, Netherlands, Rail Pass, Scotland, Sightseeing, Switzerland, Tickets, Tour , 3commentsSituated in Rhineland-Palatinate, this extensively rebuilt Romanesque structure is the largest cathedral in Germany. Although it dates from the eleventh century, the origins of the site are much older.
To the Celts it was known as Noviomagus, and the Romans called it Civitas Nemetum. The cathedral has evolved on a former pagan holy place, for the site was occupied by a Roman temple dedicated to the Celtic goddess Nantosvelta. It is even thought `probable that buildings from the Roman period were converted to construct the church’.’ It is likely that the site was considered sacred ‘even before the Roman temple was built’ . (more…)
Avebury Village & Related Megalithic Sites: Remarkable Monument, Ceremonial Landscape part 3 August 12, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Air Tickets, Beach Resorts, England, Sightseeing, Tour, Travelling Bag, Trip , 4commentsOne way or another, therefore, it seems that the summit-terrace segment of Silbury had great significance. But what could that be? Patient research has revealed that it almost certainly relates to an astronomical effect that can be observed from Silbury.
Looking eastwards from the top of Silbury one can see the nearby ridge of Waden Hill, and, several miles beyond, the far skyline formed by the Marlborough Downs. In 1987, in early May the author observed that the sun rose in a slight dip in this far horizon. (more…)
France World Heritage Chartres Cathedral part 2 August 11, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Europe, Jerusalem, London, Middle East, Rail Pass, Sightseeing, Tour, Trails, Trip , 3commentsCharpentier felt that was a link between the Ark and Chartres forged by the mysterious Order of the Knights Templar. He questioned the immediacy with which Gothic architecture appeared, particularly Chartres, and how it was concurrent with the Romanesque style, not deriving from it. How could it spring up so readily? There must have been a school from which the master builders emerged, Charpentier reasoned. (more…)
Splendour Versailles June 6, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Italy, Lodges, Paris, USA , add a commentIn size and splendour Versailles has few peers in the history of Western palace building. In fact, the Roman Palatine itself is perhaps the only building complex that can rival the grandeur and historical influence of this palace. And like the Palatine, Versailles has undergone many changes, though fortunately far less actual destruction, even during the French Revolution.
Versailles was the creation of the Sun King, Louis XIV, who reigned for nearly three-quarters of a century from 1643 to 17154 And because practical requirements, new currents of taste and political upsets have led to many changes, a fair degree of imagination is needed to visualise the palace at the height of its glory. And Versailles repays the effort handsomely. (more…)
River Thames bank: Historic royal palace of Hampton Court June 1, 2008
Posted by dodo in : England, Europe, Jerusalem, London, Museum, Spain , 4commentsThe historic royal palace of Hampton Court stands on the north bank of the River Thames about 11 miles west of Charing Cross in London. This large complex is in fact two palaces in one, for as one moves eastwards from the west front the Tudor wings built in the time of Henry VIII yield to later work designed by Sir Christopher Wren for William and Mary. These two halves represent two distinct and important periods in the history of English architecture—the late medieval Perpendicular style tinged with Renaissance elements and the English Baroque affected by French and Italian influence. Yet overall unity is preserved by the use of warm-toned brickwork and the more-or-less symmetrical balancing of successive low wings. (more…)
Other Nineteenth Dynasty Temples April 11, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Cairo, Egypt, Memorial, The Nile , add a commentIn discussing the great cult and ceremonial temples of the Eighteenth Dynasty, we did not explore the mortuary temples of the kings because they have been so poorly preserved. Their outer stones were taken off to be used for new constructions, and their inner cores became submerged by the flood waters and later covered over by cultivated fields. Their poor condition was probably also due to the fact that the further away, in time from the death of the king to whom these temples were dedicated, the more the cult tended to languish and then completely die. No pharaoh would be particularly interested in restoring the mortuary temple of one of his predecessors, and even less so in using the structures again, so that we have few remains of the Eighteenth Dynasty mortuary temples. However, it is known that the plan of these temples, in general, was not much different from that of Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri ; that is, it had terraces and arcaded courtyards. (more…)
Egypt’s Monuments Usurped by Foreigners April 7, 2008
Posted by dodo in : The Nile , add a commentAmong the many treasures from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods — specifically, in the form of papyrus letters and receipts a large number have survived from the Theban zone. We are thus especially well informed about the situation of the monuments of this area, especially West Thebes. We have already noted that this was a unique case of a concentration of people who worked in connection with the local funerary activities. Political motives must have been the reason for such a concentration. Amenhotep III had already had a palace built near his mortuary temple (of which only the Colossi of Memnon remain), and we have seen how this was the place where the king met his people.
West Thebes thus developed into more than a “city of the dead” ; it became a meeting ground between the king and his people. This is also demonstrated by the palaces annexed to the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasty royal mortuary temples. Given these conditions, it is obvious to expect West Thebes to become the center of the unofficial religion of the country, the one not connected with Amon. We may recall the local cults at Deir el-Medinet, the workers’ village. Likewise, Amenhotep, Son of Hapu, prime minister of Amenhotep III, was granted the privilege of having his mortuary ten erected in this area. (more…)
