Hospitality & Sights in Glasgow

I stayed in Glasgow in a suburb called Giffnock with Margaret's family - her hubby Don, & grown boys Allen & Ian. It was a lively home with lots going on at all time. Ian just arrived home from a trip to Australia, & Allen was going off to California on a holiday with his mates. So, at times there was pandemonium with so many things that needed to be sorted.
I managed to get myself in to see Glasgow one day. Couldn't believe it though - I actually left my camera back at the house, so was forced to limit my photos to a few crappy ones taken on my mobile. Not happy Jan!!!
So I took a train into the city & walked over to the Glasgow Cathedral first, which was completed way back in the 1400s. Just behind the Cathedral on the hill was a cemetery called the Necropolis which has been a burial ground since the beginning of recorded history. The tombstones there were simply magnificent, overlooking Merchant City & the wider city of Glasgow.
Then on to St Mungo Museum of Religious Life & Art just across the road from the Cathedral. It showcased artifacts & info on on range of religions & cultures in the world - fascinating!!

Cologne - Middle-Aged People, Moustaches & Lots of Smoke

Cologne isn't the liveliest of cities. It seems like a high percentage of the population are aged between 55 & 70, have moustaches (even some of the women), & smoke continuously.
Just across from my hotel, there was a cute pub that sold fantastic schnitzel & was rockin with 80's pop classics. I was surrounded by middle-aged people both times I wandered in there for a couple of beers, which were served in the smallest beer glasses I've ever seen (a commonality in Cologne). And smoke is everywhere - people are lighting up as soon as they've finished their last one.
The one full day I had in Cologne I headed towards the Dom, this magnificent cathedral - the biggest in Germany. Very impressive indeed! I stumbled on the surreal ceremony celebrating the patron saint of chefs, & 5 chefs were knighted with a sword. There were chefs in hats everywhere.
Then outside the dom there was this drum festival going on - love drumming!
But after that, not much else to do but people watch.

A Bigger Little Town Called Fulda

Anne & her sisters, Maria & Catherine, took me for a visit into Fulda one day. We had a really long lunch, then went for a stroll to the cathedral, then on in to the local park, which was beautiful.

Seemingly, Fulda's really quite a conservative part of the world, so I tried to blend in as best as I could & refrained from my any unusual public outbursts.

Prague Castle

On my second day, I headed to the Prague Castle in the afternoon. It‘s a UNESCO World Heritage site & seemingly the largest castle complex in the world. The entry fee was really quite expensive (from memory about 250 CZK for the Short Tour that goes for 2 hours) plus an audio guide fee of another 200 CZK (about AUD$30).
The first stop in the castle grounds was the St Vitus Cathedral - a stunning example of Gothic architecture & the biggest church in the Czech Rep. It’s like sacred turf here as lots of kings, princes & even saints are buried in the cathedral. Unfortunately, the most precious chapel in the cathedral, the St Wenceslas Chapel, was being renovated, but there were many others available for viewing. And the stained glass windows are exquisite here.
2nd stop in the grounds was the Old Royal Palace which had lots of history attached to it, but no furniture or any decorations inside. There was a great view from one of the balconies here across a large part of Prague.
St George’s Basilica was the 3rd stop on my castle tour. Built in the early 10th century, it is the oldest church building in the castle grounds & holds the tomb of a famous saint. Its architecture is Romanesque. Sitting inside the old church, it feels like you’ve been transported back in time - interesting experience.
Last stop on my mini tour was the Golden Lane, a collection of adorable little shops specialising in all kinds of touristy brick & brack.
At just before 6pm, I completed my mini tour in time to meet with Zuzana for the eve.

The Milano Duomo Cathedral

It was at least a 45 min walk from the hotel to the Piazza Duomo. When I finally arrived at the piazza, I came around the corner & saw it standing there - the Duomo Cathedral. Magnificent! What an inspiring gothic cathedral it is, the largest one in the world, & the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world.
Building was started in 1386 & wasn't completed till 1762 - excellence does take time. The multitude of spires & detail in the architecture are remarkable, all built with marble facings. The stained windows behind the alter are reputed to be the largest in the world, made up of a number of smaller frames each with its own theme.
For architectural fans, this is definitely a must see!

18th June - First Day in Florence

For Florence, I’d booked at the Hotel Helvetia cause it was cheap. But the cheap room wasn't available (shame about that) so they assigned me to a room (a nice double with bathroom) in the Hotel Elite (a Pensione) about 100 metres down the road. Nadia at the Hotel Elite was just great - very friendly & really informative. It was quiet & had heaps of character.

I did my orientation walk around the city that afternoon, visiting the Duomo cathedral & the Galleria Dell Accademia. The Duomo (Cathedral di S. Maria del Fiore) is one of the biggest cathedrals in Europe, but I didn’t think it was that impressive, apart from its size. At the Galleria Dell Accademia, I saw the statue, David, by Michelangelo - truly a masterpiece. It was much larger (5 m) than I expected & I was in awe of its beauty & I viewed it from many angles for at least an hour.
At dinner on the first night, I met a young woman called Anne from Germany who was sitting at the next table by herself. We started up a lengthy conversation & at the end said we’d catch up again the next day, which we did. I spent quite a bit of time with her while I was in Florence, staying up late in the evening chatting away. It was lovely to have connected so well with someone new on my trip.

Sacre Coere

A famous cathedral on the top of a hillside in the same district as Moulin Rouge, there were oodles of people milling about on what was a beautiful sunny day in Paris. The walk up the stairs to the church was an event in itself. People sunning themselves on the grass, make do stalls selling trinkets on the side, buskers singing ‘Bye, bye Miss American Pie’ & getting a hundred or more others to sing along, it was a feast for the eyes with more people outside than in.
No, I’m not Catholic (or even Christian really) but I was really moved by this church, & after feeling more than a bit homesick, I shed a few tears while sitting on one of the pews looking around. Quite weird for me really, but somehow comforting.

28th May - Notre Dame

My first stop on the tourist circuit in Paris was Notre Dame, the second cathedral on my tour after Westminster Abbey. There were quite a few people mingling about the square outside with almost as many people perusing the church on the inside. Although not a religious person, I do at times feel peaceful & reflective when visiting these places. I guess because of all the hope, grief, prayer & faith that is shared by so many within these walls. Not sure really, but I am moved.