Venice: The World Loves It To Death

Venice is unique and wonderful.

For that reason people come from all over to walk its streets and take a vaporetto.

At the same time, the huge ships are undermining the piers.

The tourists make it difficult for the natives to get around.

Venice is a victim of its own beauty.

 

Detail: Rock of Gibraltar

If you are like me, you envisioned the Rock of Gibraltar is one huge solid block of limestone. The Rock not only has many natural caves, it is filled with human made tunnels and gun placements. The picture is a long lens photo of a set of gun ports way up on the rock.

 

Glass Art

        My art outlet has been working with glass. While I have used other media I liked the surprising quality to glass. Because of this we made sure to go to the island of Murano out of Venice. There were many factories, but what struck me is the Museum of Glass which had works by people that surprised me. Picasso, for example, as several works on display. The photo here is of a room in the Louvre which contains modern glass, not just ancient works like the British Museum.

        Almost every museum has a area which celebrates glass. In Europe, from Germany to Italy to France we have had to see the glass artistry there. It makes you want to get better.

 

The view from the American Cafe in the basement of the Municipal Building, Prague

 

        Have a beer? Indeed I do. I drink the beer of the nation I am visiting. Most times one glass. My traveling companion prefers wine. I rate the beer in Prague excellent. Munich's beer has a German swagger. Scotland known for Scotch has a beer called Tenants which is great. France and Italy are not  places for beer really. Belgium and the Netherlands have light beers that I like. As for Ireland's Guinness it has to be drawn  or it is not as good and for me I'll have a Carlsberg. Just remember that your favorites in the United States are imports and you will pay for that. Finally, while in an Asian restaurant in America I will drink that nationality. Otherwise, I stick with Sprite.

Vienna: getting ready for music

You do not have to go to a concert in Vienna but it would be a shame if you don't.

 

Brussels by car and driver

A giant model of an iron crystal cell

The Atomium

Brussels World's Fair Expo 58.

        My 12 year-old grandson had chosen to go to Southern Africa (four nations) on Safari. It is a 25 hour flight from San Francisco. As we fly Air France often, we booked a flight to Paris to then catch a flight to Johannesburg. That is two 12+ hour legs.

        I asked my grandson if he could visit another country on the way down (to break up the flight) which one would it be. As his heritage is Flemish, he chose Belgium. From CDG airport we took a train to Brussels for a four day stay. (Went to Amsterdam on the way home.)

           Before we left I contacted a company that provides a car and driver for ten hours to go anywhere in the city you want to go. Grandson made a list. We went from Mini-Europe and the Atomium to the European Union headquarters to lunch at the driver's favorite Belgian Belgian waffle house, and more. We learned a good deal and after our drive we had dinner  at the same waffle house!

        George was our driver and in the end, our friend.

 

Prejudice is not new

        As we see unfolding in the United States, there has been often a willingness to choose a group for all of a nation's problems. History is filled with groups challenging other groups not only for power, but for existence. The Hebrews in scripture tell of the Escape Goat or Scape Goat. A community put all of their problems on a goat and sent the out of the community to be killed.

        In America, in each generation, there has been someone to blame. The Jews, the Irish, the Polish, the Latino, the Native Americans -- all have had their time in the box of hate.

        If one goes to Europe, one sees the evidence of this one time hate for the Jews. The cemeteries and memorials  will not let you forget it.  This photo is of the Jewish Cemetery in Prague.

This is a memorial wall for those who died by the hands of Hitler.