Travelogue…… with Bob Nicolaides.
A
Mycenean Palace Discovered Near Sparta
A new excavation in the Xirokambi area of Aghios Vassilios west of
Sparta, in the Peloponnese, has revealed a richness of Mycenean artifacts in
the area, including the remains of a palace, Linear B tablets, fragments of
wall paintings, and several bronze swords.
The excavation, led by emeritus ephor of antiquities Adamantia
Vassilogrambrou, was presented publicly at the biennial Shanghai Archaeology
Forum at the end of August as one of 11 sites showcased from different parts of
the world.
The Aghios Vassilios excavation began in 2010, after Linear B
tablets were found in the area in 2008, pointing to the existence of a powerful
central authority and distribution system. The deciphered texts were devoted to
perfume and cloth production, the trade of which was controlled by a palace
administration in the Mycenean era.
Evidence of a central palace administration was confirmed also by
the architecture, which is dated to the 14th century BC, while contact with
Crete was confirmed by the finding of a double axe, a feature of the island's
palace culture.
Artifacts found include seals, a multitude of ceramic and bronze
vessels, and 21 bronze swords. According to the evidence, a sudden fire that
broke out either at the end of the 14th century or the beginning of the 13th
destroyed the three buildings on the site which were never rebuilt at the same
location.
Top 10 Travel
Destinations For Fall 2013
Nowhere else in the world is there a movement of animals
as colossal and breathtaking as Africa’s wildebeest migration, where as many as
2.5 million white bearded wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and eland hoof it from
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to the greener pastures of Kenya’s Maasai
Mara National Reserve from July to November.
Northern Lights Norway
Scandinavian countries love to brag about their “midnight
sun,” but it’s the otherworldly “northern lights” that’s the real showstopper.
The Fantasia-like phenomenon is forecast to be particularly brilliant in 2013,
and one of the best ways to see it is on a cruise ship out at sea away from the
city lights.
Portland Head Light
Nothing quite says fall like a trip to New England, America’s leafy northeastern extreme. And nothing quite epitomizes New England as well as the plucky seaside city of Portland, Maine. With its jagged, island-strewn coastline and mountainous tree-covered interior, it's hard to find another U.S. destination more diverse in natural beauty than Maine.
Patzcuaro, Mexico
While Canadians and Americans celebrate Halloween, their neighbors south of the border partake in a much more somber affair: Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). The Mexican holiday is a time of remembrance when families honor their deceased loved ones with gifts and altars at the cemetery. Yet, solemn as the occasion may be, the holiday takes on the air of a carnival with candlelit processions, papier-mâché skeletons and candy skulls aplenty -- especially if you're in Pátzcuaro.
Whale Watching Australia
Australia’s warm, shallow and predator-free Hervey Bay is protected by the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island, and has evolved into the most popular resting place for Southern Hemisphere humpbacks on their 6,215-mile return journey from Antarctica. As such, it’s considered one of the best places in the world to watch these massive mammals at play. Each year from August to November, Hervey Bay is like a playground where the whales stop for up to a week to relax, do some tricks and, if obliged, hang out with eager, camera-toting tourists.
Discovery Park of America
The $100 million, 50-acre Discovery Park of America will completely engulf the tiny town of Union City, Tenn., when it opens Nov. 1 with the mission of inspiring both children and adults to “see beyond” their current level of knowledge in areas of science, technology, history, art and nature. Highlights of the “Smithsonian-like” attraction three hours west of Nashville include a 20,000-gallon aquarium, a 60-foot replica of the human body and a theater simulation of the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes that shaped the surrounding region.
Octoberfest
It's a simple equation: big steins + big outfits = big party. About 7 million people from around the world will drink more than 7 million 1-liter mugs of beer at Oktoberfest this year. While there will certainly be plenty of bierleichen -- Bavarian slang for drunkard, which literally translates to "beer corpse" -- it's easy to forget that Oktoberfest is actually a cultural celebration for the whole family.
Oranjestad, Aruba
Knowing where to travel during hurricane season can mean the difference between a week at the beach and a week stuck in front of the hotel television. That said, if you crave warm waters with no chance of a major tropical disturbance this fall, you may want to consider the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, which lie just off the South American coast below the traditional hurricane belt.
Columbia River Highway
Considered a modern marvel of engineering when completed in 1922, the Columbia River Highway was the first scenic drive to earn National Historic Landmark status. The route itself follows the last leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and was part of the early path along the Oregon Trail. Designers of the modern road created it, in part, as a platform for viewing the natural beauty of the area, which boasts a tapestry of colors each fall that complement the region’s plunging waterfalls, deep gorges and perky wildflowers.
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
If you're standing anywhere between Chateau de Chillon and the eastern outskirts of Lausanne and you look into the giant liquid mirror that is Lake Geneva, this is what you'll see: A patchwork of tightly-tiered vines spread like golden butter across the undulating hills. The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a World Heritage site that blankets some 19 miles (30 kilometers) of Lake Geneva's northern shore, has been in use since the Roman times, though the present vine terraces trace back to the 11th century when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the region.
Islet of Strongyli Designated Archaeological Site
The easternmost edge of Greece, the 100-hectare islet of Strongyli near Kastellorizo, was designated as archaeological site by the Central Archaeological Council on Tuesday. The Council based its decision on antiquities found on the islet, mainly the remains of a fortress of the Hellenistic era with an outer enclosure and a system of water cisterns. Its square tower was used in a signalling network of torches linking Strongyli with the islet of Ro and the island of Kastellorizo and used by the island of Rhodes to control sea passages. The tower was used in the Byzantine and Ottoman times.
Strongyli has no permanent residents besides a Greek army base. Until Cyprus' membership, it was the easternmost border of the European Union.
Some of the World’s Most Historic art is at the Musee D’Orsay.
The Musee d’Orsay in Paris’ city center houses some of the most famous historic works of art in the world. Though the Louvre is the first place tourists flock to when choosing their museum destinations in the city, the Musee d’Orsay is also quite vast with collections ranging from Renaissance classics to contemporary modern pieces. If you’re planning a visit to the d’Orsay, I would recommend leaving at least a four or five hour window to see the museum, but you could easily spend two full days enjoying the artwork.
What was once a railway station and an opera house, the Museum building has its own interesting history, including its role as the central deportation center for the Jewish and disenfranchised victims of World War II. The Museum now is comprised of six levels, each with seemingly endless rooms, separated by the school of artwork displayed, the artists, and the time periods. The collections of work include many of the greats, such as Degas, Monet, Manet, Sisley, Pissarro, Bazille, Caillebotte, van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir and countless others. If you’re a fan of impressionist, skip the Louvre and head straight to the d’Orsay. The paintings are breathtaking to see in person and the crowds are completely manageable. Additionally, the sculpture collection of the museum is quite impressive, with the largest pieces on display in the main center visible from all floors of the museum. There is also a large focus on architecture and design, including a room of furniture from an upper class home in the 1800’s. For a full list of collections, visit http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/overview.html.
 |
| Musee D'Orsay, former RR station |
If you’re a European
under the age of 26 or a student traveler attending a European University,
admission is free! For everyone else, tickets range from 9–12 euro with options
for groups, and joint passes for 15 e to other museums like the Rodin.
A Terrific Hotel in Gythion
Castello Antico Beach in Mavrovouni
Beach, Gythion, Laconia Region is a great, small-sized hotel located in a very
convenient site, right by the sea, very polite and friendly staff. Good food,
fresh fish and real "home-made" set up! David, the bartender is high
class, making great cocktails! The owner Dimitris is a very nice and friendly
gentleman but also good professional, in few words the PLACE in Eastern Mani
area.
 |
| Hotel in Gytheio |
Destroyed Jesus fresco turns into a tourist Mecca
A year ago she
became the global laughing stock after she destroyed a prized fresco of Jesus
Christ. Twelve months later, she’s launched her very own art exhibit. She’s the
world’s most infamous art restorer and her name is Cecilia Gimenez, Spain’s
face of the month. On August of last year, residents of the village of Borja in
northeastern Spain, were shocked to find out that a vandal had destroyed a
prized fresco in their local sanctuary of Mercy Church.
The 19th century Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) depiction of Jesus with his crown of
thorns had been disfigured and made into a monkey-like creature, bearing no
resemblance to the savior.
As the village authorities were sending a nationwide appeal to find the culprit, up popped an 81-year-old woman who admitted she was responsible for the artistic atrocity. “They didn’t let me finish,” she told the Spanish daily El Pais. The parishioner of that church, confessed that she was concerned that parts of the Elias Garcia Martinez fresco were flaking off due to dampness on the church wall. Everybody who’s gone into the church saw me painting it. Never did it behind closed doors!”
 |
| Christ Icon destroyed means Toursim plethora |
As the village authorities were sending a nationwide appeal to find the culprit, up popped an 81-year-old woman who admitted she was responsible for the artistic atrocity. “They didn’t let me finish,” she told the Spanish daily El Pais. The parishioner of that church, confessed that she was concerned that parts of the Elias Garcia Martinez fresco were flaking off due to dampness on the church wall. Everybody who’s gone into the church saw me painting it. Never did it behind closed doors!”
News of the pensioner’s improvised restoration spread
like wildfire across Spain and as soon as the international and as soon as the
international press and the social media platforms got hold of the story,
Gimenez’s ‘monkey Jesus’ became a laughing matter for the world. France’s Le
Monde newspaper ran the story with the title ‘Holy Shit-the restoration of a
painting of Christ turns into a massacre’ and the Daily Telegraph ran the
‘Elderly woman destroys 19th century fresco with DIY restoration.’
Less than a month after Gimenez’s botched restoration, an
international art exhibition by collaborative art group Wallpeople was held in
Barcelona in honor of her “masterpiece” Ecce
Homo fans prepared a montage of Gimenez’s ‘money face; on a number of
renowned artworks, including Andy Walhol’s Marilyn
Monroe and Gustave Klimt’s The Kiss.
Even the US’s Saturday Night Live and
the Conan O’Brian show featured
sketches in which they mocked the so-called ‘Potato Jesus.’
Faced with a barrage of international media attention,
Spanish newspapers reported that Cecilia Gimenez suffered an anxiety attack. “I
couldn’t understand everyone was talking about me,” she later told Spanish
daily ABC. Borja authorities had even considered legal action against her for
what they initially deemed to be ransacking of the village’s patrimony.
‘Cecilia, come home,” her sister told her on the phone when she heard the news.
“They want to throw you in prison.”
But intial plans to have the fresco restored were put on
hold by the local parish and Borja authorities, as soon as they realized the
positive effect it was having on the village’s economy. Tourist’s from all
around the world began descending on the once-sleepy Aragonese village to catch
a glimpse and have a giggle at what has been popularly referred to as the worst
art restoration project in history. Admission to the church was set at €1
($1.35) and all the money collected will go to the restoration of the building.
Sweets reproductions of the Ecce Mono
(or Behold the Monkey) as the artwork was dubbed-are been sold as far as Japan.
In Santorini, Try Petit Palace Suites Hotel
 |
| Petit Palace-Trip Advisor |
Thailand: New
routes to attract Chinese tourists
 |
| Thailand: Catering to Chinese Visitors |
If Thailand was to waive visa for the Chinese tourists
then this would mean that the Asian Economic Community (AEC), will also benefit. The program will be offered to
member’s trip for four countries namely Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos
maintaining Thailand as a hub to connect. This will result in uniquely cheaper
costs for all the members to benefit. Currently all tour companies have
international traveling packages but there will be focusing more on Thailand
and then to Singapore and Malaysia as the last destination.
Larisa of Argos Medieval Castle to get Repairs with EU Funds
One of the oldest and
most historic castles in Greece, that of Larisa in Argos, is getting preserved
and promoted with the help of National Strategic Reference Framework funds. The
Peloponnesian castle was declared a national monument by Greece in 1992; its
preservation project that the EU is partly funding is worth 945,000 euros.
Located on the top of
a hill which was used since prehistoric times for defence purposes, the castle
was repaired and augmented by the Argives in the 5th and 6th centuries. It was
built up by the Byzantines in the 10th century, who turned it into a major
fortress in the Peloponnese. Its history reflects the turbulence of the Middle
Ages and later, as it came under the jurisdiction of the lord of Nafplio, Leon
Sgouros, in 1203; was taken over by the Franks, who rebuilt it into its present
form in 1212; was sold to the Venetians in 1394; and fell to the Ottoman Turks
in 1463 - with a brief interlude when it became Venetian again - until 1822,
when it was taken over by Turkish Ottoman general Dramalis, after the Greeks
had declared their war of independence in 1821.
During World War Two,
the castle was severely damaged by bombs dropped by the Germans, who were
trying to flush out resistance fighters. Today little survives of a
12th-century Byzantine church, while architectural members of earlier
constructions including from the Classical era were used to build and repair
the fortress walls and are still discernible today.
