veni... vidi... verba-verti...

Veni, Vidi, Verba Verti

9/30/2010 12:01:00 AM

Ut munimenta linguarum convellamus et scientiam mundi patentem utilemque faciamus, instrumenta convertendi multarum nationum linguas creavimus. Hodie nuntiamus primum instrumentum convertendi linguam qua nulli nativi nunc utuntur: Latinam. Cum pauci cotidie Latine loquantur, quotannis amplius centum milia discipuli Americani Domesticam Latinam Probationem suscipiunt. Praeterea plures ex omnibus mundi populis Latinae student.

Hoc instrumentum convertendi Latinam rare usurum ut convertat nuntios electronicos vel epigrammata effigierum YouTubis intellegamus. Multi autem vetusti libri de philosophia, de physicis et de mathematica lingua Latina scripti sunt. Libri enim vero multi milia in Libris Googlis sunt qui praeclaros locos Latinos habent.

Convertere instrumentis computatoriis ex Latina difficile est et intellegamus grammatica nostra non sine culpa esse. Autem Latina singularis est quia plurimi libri lingua Latina iampridem scripti erant et pauci novi posthac erunt. Multi in alias linguas conversi sunt et his conversis utamur ut nostra instrumenta convertendi edoceamus. Cum hoc instrumentum facile convertat libros similes his ex quibus edidicit, nostra virtus convertendi libros celebratos (ut Commentarios de Bello Gallico Caesaris) iam bona est.

Proximo tempore locum Latinum invenies vel auxilio tibi opus eris cum litteris Latinis, conarehunc.

Opening of the new rooms devoted to Classical Greek and Hellenistic art | Louvre Museum

The museological approach

Housed in the southwest corner of the Cour Carrée (Sully wing), this ensemble comprises two galleries formerly part of the royal apartments and leading to the famous Caryatids Room, thus completing the chronological presentation of ancient Greek art.

The first gallery, to the north (Rooms 7–12) is part of the wing built for the Renaissance palace. This restructuring offers an authentic journey through the Greek world of the period from the Parthenon to the conquest of Greece by Rome. Each room brings together artifacts from a specific part of the Greek world in a range of materials and media, including vases, jewelry, sculpture and architecture. The visitor will discover art from Athens and central Greece, the Greek cities of southern Italy, Macedonia and northern Greece, Asia Minor and all of the Hellenistic Near East, and Greek Egypt and Cyrenaica (modern Libya). 

More recent and running parallel to the first, the second gallery, to the south (Rooms 13–16), was inaugurated in the early 19th century, with courtyards being transformed into the Musée des Antiques, whose contents included the Borghese Collection. Today's refurbishing presents Roman copies of vanished masterpieces of Classical Greek sculpture; it follows a thematic path dedicated to the gods and heroes of mythology and ending in the Venus de Milo room, with the famous statue returning to the place it occupied from 1824 to 1848. In the newly rediscovered niches of the original building the history of the statue's finding is shown, together with images of Aphrodite from the Hellenistic period.

The itinerary then continues through the remodeled Caryatids Room, where the replicas of Hellenistic Greek sculpture are on display. Highlighting some of the oldest rooms in the museum, this new project improves public access to works sometimes overshadowed by the fame of the Venus de Milo, while at the same time making the latter easier to find.

via louvre.fr

 

South Cornwall: the perfect break UK

A trip to the Roseland Peninsula in many ways represents a journey back to what Cornwall was like before camper van-toting surfers, inebriated teenagers and DFL (Down From London) families invaded the county. From bustling St Mawes to sleepy Portloe, this corner of south Cornwall is characterised by castle ruins, lush gardens, fishing villages, thatched cottages, coastal walks and wild beaches, and favoured by one of the mildest climates in Britain.

more via telegraph.co.uk

 

London in a new light

Taxis on Bishop's Bridge Road, queuing for Paddington Station

more via telegraph.co.uk

 

A picturesque time at the Impressionist Normandy Festival

 In the footsteps and on the canvases of Monet, Pissarro and provincial artists, past and present intertwine.

 

By Mike Ives Special to the Los Angeles Times

Last spring in the Paris Metro, I paused to admire a colorful advertisement for the Impressionist Normandy Festival, a celebration of the region's role in the Impressionist painting movement.

My brother Davey, an art history major at Connecticut College, was contemplating an ad for detergent. "Hey, bro!" I called. "Check this out."

Whenever I see Impressionist paintings at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the airy brushstrokes transport me to the late 19th century French villages. So I was intrigued to learn that until late September, the festival will celebrate Impressionist painters and their favorite muses: the Seine Valley, the medieval city of Rouen and seaside towns along France's northern coastline.

Impressionist Normandy presents linked museum exhibitions, concerts, outdoor balls and thematic "Impressionist Itineraries," or self-guided walking-driving tours. Over three days in June, I followed two of the itineraries highlighting two themes: "Gardens" and "The Moment."

Some of the gardens are in Giverny, a touristy town about 50 miles west of Paris and a former hotbed of Impressionist activity. Claude Monet lived in Giverny from 1883 until his death in 1926. After touring his house, Davey and I wandered through his backyard, where Monet composed some of his most iconic paintings. Walking among the artist's bamboo trees and azalea bushes, we followed a babbling brook until we reached his famous waterlily pond.

I had seen Monet's waterlily canvases at the Met in New York and the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, so his pond seemed vaguely familiar, like a place you remember from childhood. The scene probably didn't look too much different, I realized, than it had in the 1880s. I marveled at how the painter's hand had magically evoked all those subtle ripples and reflections —

Splash! Plunk!

"A fish!" a little boy observed. "Did anyone see?"

Our next .....

more via latimes.com

 

New Orleans' French Quarter: A novel place, still

New Orleans' French Quarter: A novel place, still

William Faulkner's home during the 1920s is now a bookshop. (Jay Jones)

Reporting from New Orleans —

Despite its name, Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" isn't a play so much about a geographic destination — Desire Street — as a place in the heart. In the Crescent City, both perspiration and sensuality still ooze from the pores, despite the scars from 2005's Hurricane Katrina.

The curious mix is as palpable for today's visitors as it was for the various famous writers who once lived and worked in the Vieux Carré. The character — and characters — who inspired literary greats such as Williams and William Faulkner remain, as do the houses in which the men toiled amid the city's sounds, smells and — of course — oppressive heat.

The charming, now-famous neighborhood would be unrecognizable to its earlier residents. Before a pricey transformation into a tourist district after World War II, the French Quarter was an urban slum not much different from other poor areas of New Orleans.

"This was a dump. The whole French Quarter was a dump," notes Joanne Sealy, the literary expert who runs the appropriately named Faulkner House Books, a tiny shop on the ground floor of the narrow house in which the author lived during the 1920s.

Places to visit

Faulkner House Books: 624 Pirates Alley, between Royal and Chartres streets in the French Quarter; (504) 524-2940, http://www.wordsandmusic.org

Williams' apartment: 632 St. Peter St. A plaque marks the home in which Tennessee Williams wrote "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1946.

The French Quarter: best savored on foot. Besides walking tours, horse-drawn carriage rides also provide informative journeys through the narrow streets.

The St. Charles streetcar: a good way for visitors to rest their weary feet while enjoying a trip from Canal Street to Uptown, past stately homes and Loyola and Tulane universities.

New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau: (800) 672-6124, neworleanscvb.com

"It was a small boarding house, four stories, a rabbit's warren," Sealy adds.

In a letter to his mother, Faulkner wrote, "I have a whole floor. Two rooms, a court [yard], and a kitchen." The shared bathroom was — and still is — up a steep flight of stairs.

"This really was the place to be in the '20s if you couldn't go to Paris," Sealy says of the French Quarter. "Prohibition didn't mean boo."

From the front of his flat in Orleans Alley — city fathers renamed it Pirates Alley in the '40s to add what Sealy calls "pizazz" — Faulkner could look out onto what remains the city's most famous landmark: the towering St. Louis Cathedral. Jackson Square was only steps away. The park remains the bohemian gathering spot it was in Faulkner's day, although the surrounding streets now are home to trendy boutiques and restaurants instead of bleak warehouses.

Sure, visitors can buy the latest bestseller at the bookshop. But it's better known as a repository for exhaustive collections of the works of Faulkner and Williams, who during the 1940s lived just one block away on St. Peter Street. Some of their first editions are under lock and key in an adjoining hallway.

"The only [Faulkner] first edition I don't currently have is 'Absalom, Absalom!'" Sealy tells a potential customer over the phone. "That runs about $3,500."

The well-read bookseller says Faulkner's works often convey an indomitable human spirit — not unlike that of the people who have rebuilt in the wake of the hurricane and the events that followed.

"He points out the mistakes we've made," she observes. "His characters face unimaginable trials and tribulations but keep getting up again."

If Faulkner's novels are analogous to man's basic goodness, Williams' plays reflect a grittier reality. In his Pulitzer Prize-winning "Streetcar," a modern tragedy unfolds through the often-bleak existences of Stanley, his wife, Stella, and her older sister, the libidinous and, alas, mentally ill Blanche.

"What you are talking about is brutal desire — just — Desire! — the name of that rattle-trap street-car that bangs through the Quarter," Blanche DuBois intones in "Streetcar."

Three lines still clatter through New Orleans, but the streetcars no longer run to Desire Street, with its gaily painted small homes. Desire Street is in the 9th Ward, but it escaped the worst of Katrina's fury. Nonetheless, at the height of a muggy and oh-so-real modern tragedy, muddy floodwaters rose over the sidewalks at some intersections, obscuring the aging ceramic tiles that spell D-E-S-I-R-E. And like a character in a Faulkner novel, this city keeps getting back up again.

travel@latimes.com

 

via latimes.com

 

Canada's Maritime Provinces and Coastal Maine

During the autumn months, the sylvan hills and bucolic towns of Canada’s Maritime Provinces and coastal Maine are ablaze with orange, crimson, and yellow. Join us as the weather cools and the summer crowds fade for a cruising adventure to the historic communities of Eastern Canada and Maine. Stop at long-settled communities of the Maritimes, villages that still bear witness to the empires that shaped Canada, like historic Louisbourg, Nova Scotia and the old seaport of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Then cruise Maine's scenic coast to the the picturesque town of Bar Harbour for an unforgetable excusion to Acadia National Park. Spend your final day in Portland, exploring the cities lively arts district before heading to Gloucester, Massachusetts

via smithsonianjourneys.org

Coastal Maine: Etched in the heart

Coastal Maine: Etched in the heart

Glaciers carved it. Andrew Wyeth painted it. This rustic state's craggy coast is an ideal place to escape life's frenetic pace.

Reporting from Southport Island, Maine —

Ten miles later, down narrow back roads cut through fields and woods, we pulled into the parking lot, and the Olsons' three-story clapboard farmhouse loomed above us much as it did for Andrew Wyeth more than 60 years ago.

Not everyone will want to make the trip. The seaside towns that extend from Brunswick to Bar Harbor are far more inviting than this 20-minute detour off the main drag. Never mind the fact that Wyeth memorialized the setting with canvases that are part of the canon, including his most famous one, "Christina's World." The Olson House is an acquired taste.


THE BEST WAY TO THE MAINE COAST
From LAX, nonstop service to Boston is available on American, JetBlue, Virgin America and United; direct service (stop, no change of plane) is offered on Delta and Southwest; and connecting service (change of planes) is available on United, Southwest, AirTran, Delta, US Airways and American. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $378.
Set on a slight knoll partially adorned by orange day lilies, it keeps its distance, aloof, monumental, almost defiant. Winter pounds the weathered wood; summer bakes it. Its rooms are forlorn, nearly empty, the floor bearing the faint impressions of stenciled leaves, the walls some ghostly patterned paper.
But its indifference is its appeal. The Olson House has a timeless quality, as if it exists at some intersection of past and present, a place that seems both permanent and ephemeral.
For almost 30 years, Wyeth returned to this spot. He savored the character of the house and the company of his friends, Christina and Alvaro Olson. "I just couldn't stay away from there," he said. "I did other pictures … but I'd always seem to gravitate to the house.... It was Maine."
Wyeth, of course, was lucky. He had a lifetime to discover Maine in the suspended moments that define the essence of this place — a breeze wafting through an open window, an oar lying on a stone wall, the far-off stare in a local's eye — but we had only a week.
Fortunately, we had a slight advantage.
Roots here
My grandparents came to Maine in 1926, renting a home in a town called New Harbor. It was here that my father spent his summers, playing the prankster, tipping over outhouses, shooting squirrels and sailing model boats.
My family was no different from most New Englanders who each summer traded the inland heat and humidity for the fog and the cool of the coast. These vacationers of late 18th and early 19th century — rusticators, they called themselves, an openhearted exhortation to the virtues of a rustic lifestyle — transformed the local economy when exports of granite, ice, salt cod and lumber began to fail. They made Maine the "Vacationland State" it is today.
But vacationland has its price. There is a frantic side to the economy as merchants try to wrestle a year's worth of living out of the summer months. They cater to out-of-towners, perhaps resenting them a little too, and play up an idea of Maine — lobster knickknacks, ol' fisherman tchotchkes, balsam air fresheners — that seems almost a parody of the life that once defined this region.
When New Harbor grew too crowded for my grandparents in 1941, they bought a cottage overlooking Pig's Cove on Southport Island for $2,000. Today that cottage is owned by my uncle, who is in his 80s and with the help of my aunt turns our visits into long-overdue reunions. We rent the cottage next to theirs (seven days, $1,300) and make ourselves at home.
With three bedrooms, one bath, our rental is a place of wonder, testimony to more than 50 years of its owner's comings and goings: shelves crammed with books and board games, mismatched antiques, circle throw rugs, appliances that should be in the Smithsonian, driftwood mobiles hung from the ceiling that catch the breeze through the open door.

Quebec, French and English and uniquely itself, Canada

Quebec really is its own unique culture, neither French nor Anglo Canadian, and certainly not American. No place I visited in the city so perfectly encapsulated the melange of cultures as the Cochon Dingue in the Lower Town portion of Old Quebec. Inside the atmospheric cafe (the name translates as "Crazy Pig") you could almost think you're in Paris. Coffee: strong and aromatic. Croissants: properly light and flaky. Newspaper-reading patrons: appropriate air of studied nonchalance. But one bite of the delicious, buttery toasted pain aux canneberges (cranberry bread), and you know you're not anywhere near the Eiffel Tower. Cranberries just aren't a French thing; they're a North American crop.

more via...  washingtonpost.com

 

Attention, chocoholics: It’s festival time in San Francisco

Chocolate lovers can revel in the sweet smell of excess during a weekend festival planned in San Francisco Sept. 11-12.
The 15th annual Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival, expected to draw 40,000 chocoholics, will feature  chocolatiers, artisans and chefs showcasing chocolate delicacies and desserts.  In addition, the two-day event will offer family-friendly activities such as a  “hands-free”  ice cream sundae-eating contest in which participants dive head-first into giant sundaes.
The festival is free, but tickets for chocolate tastings cost $20 for 15 samples. Tickets may be purchased online in advance or on the day of the event, which will be held at the Ghirardelli Square complex,  900 Point St. ...

more via travel.latimes.com

October is Virginia Wine Month

Wine is so big in Virginia that we're dedicating the entire

month of October to viniferous passions!

Wine Month celebrates the wine harvest in Virginia. Over 15 million acres of fall foliage are at their peak, and with more than 160 wineries, wine trails, wine festivals and wine packages, it is easy to find the wine you love in Virginia.

 

 

Central Virginia | Hampton Roads | Southern Virginia | Northern Virginia
Chesapeake Bay | Blue Ridge Highlands | Shenandoah Valley

Central Virginia

Moneta - Oct 2, 9, 16, 23 - Fall Foliage Open House at Hickory Hill Vineyards & Winery - Celebrate Virginia Wine Month with a fall foliage adventure to Hickory Hill! Bring a picnic and enjoy it in the scenic picnic area overlooking the vineyard.

Moneta - Oct 2 - Sunset Saturday at Hickory Hill - Join Hickory Hill Vineyards and Winery for an evening of relaxing music, good friends and family, and great wine all set in our beautiful picnic area overlooking the vineyard! Sunset Saturday features many local music talents! Pack a picnic, blankets and chairs and bring the family!

Nellysford - Oct 2-3, 9-10, 16-17 - Make Mine Wintergreen Wine - "Pull a Cork" and win specials discounts and gifts. Light picnic fare including artisanal cheeses will be available. Picnic by the Rockfish River and take in autumn's splendor.

 Etlan - Oct 8-11 - Fall Wine and Leaf Peep Festival - Come join us at DuCard Vineyards for wine and local gourmet foods at our inaugural event! We are new and have a gorgeous tasting room on the eastern edge of the Shenandoah National Park.

Amherst - Oct 9-10 - Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival - The Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival embraces food, wine, live entertainment, arts, crafts, and GARLIC! There are five stages with constant music and entertainment, including Garlic Cooking, Garlic King, Queen, and Jr. Queen Contests.

Glen Allen - Oct 15 - Fridays on the Patio at James River Cellars - Our beautiful patio sets the scene for this monthly event featuring local musicians, light food, and wine tasting. Bring a picnic and some friends.

 Mineral - Oct 16 - Louisa Festival of the Vines - Included in the festival for your tasting pleasure, there will be over 100 wines to sample and purchase as well as Blue and Gray Micro Brewery. Products crafters, artisans, and food vendors are available for you to view or purchase.

Stanardsville - Oct 16-17, 23-24 - 24th Annual Barrel Tasting at Autumn Hill Vineyards - Barrel tasting of newly fermented 2010 wines with a cellar tour and wine appreciation discussion. Vertical Cabernet Sauvignon tasting including light refreshments and souvenir glass. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the fall foliage.

Powhatan - Oct 23 - Powhatan's Festival of the Grape - Experience the Wines of Virginia at Powhatan's Historic Courthouse Square. Enjoy Live Music & Entertainment, Juried Arts & Crafts, Gourmet Foods. Adult tickets $20, include complimentary tasting glass.

Wineries in Central Virginia

 

Hampton Roads

Yorktown - Oct 2 - Yorktown Wine Festival - The Best of Virginia in Yorktown - Virginia has become well-known in the world of fine wines. Come and sample wines from premiere wineries throughout the Commonwealth. Art and food vendors, plus entertainment, are also scheduled.

Norfolk - Oct 16-17 - Town Point Virgina Wine Festival, 23rd Annual - Join us along the Downtown Norfolk waterfront for one of the state’s largest outdoor wine festivals featuring more than 30 Virginia wineries. The musical sounds of Lewis McGehee will drift through the air as wine lovers sample a variety of wines, nosh on gourmet, made in Virginia foods, and shop onsite retailers for specialty crafts and wine accessories.

 Chesapeake - Oct 30 - Chesapeake Virginia Wine Festival - Premier wines from the around the world will be available for tasting at the First Annual Chesapeake Virginia Wine Festival. This event will benefit the Cancer Center of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center and the community charities of the Rotary Club of Chesapeake. Music by Lewis McGehee.

Wineries in Hampton Roads | Back to the Top

 

Northern Virginia

Linden - Oct 2 - Sunset in the Vineyard at Fox Meadow - Come enjoy great wines while you relax on our deck, listen to classical music and view the spectacular sunset over the vineyard.

Delaplane - Oct 2, 16 - Sunset Saturdays at Delaplane Cellars! - Enjoy a wine tasting, bring a picnic, listen to great tunes from local arists, enjoy delicious wine, & delight in the delicious local food offerings we have including hummus, cheese, sausage, and bread. Ages 21+ only

Middleburg - Oct 2-3 - The 10th Annual Norton Wine & Bluegrass Festival - Visit Chrysalis Vineyards during harvest and experience the hottest festival of the year. Enjoy the best bluegrass in the area all weekend; food from our local “BBQ King”; cheese and chocolates from Virginia's premier producers; jewelry and art from top-notch artisans; hay-rides through the vineyards; and a special 9-wine tasting. Then factor in that you are at the home of the world's largest grower of Norton, The Real American Grape!® and you truly have a celebration!

 Washington - Oct 9 - Columbus Day at Gadino Cellars - Join us for the 518th anniversary of the celebration of Columbus Day featuring the music of Robbie Limon. There is a lot excitement in the air as harvest and fermentations of 2010 wines will be under way. Cheese and sausage plates are available to pair with our wines or bring your own picnic.

 Fredericksburg - Oct 9-10 - Fredericksburg Area Wine Festival - This is the 20th anniversary of The Fredericksburg Area Wine Festival with its six ownership wineries, 2 guest wineries and over 80 varieties of wine to sip and purchase. Also included in the festival for your tasting pleasure is Blue and Gray Micro Brewery. Products from 35 crafters and food vendors are available for you to view or purchase.

 Leesburg - Oct 10 - Paddle & Wine Tour - A unique experience on a private paddle and wine tour! Guides will meet you at the winery and guide you on a 4.5 to 7 mile canoe paddle (kayaks can also be used) on the Potomac or Shenandoah River. This gentle stretch is rich in natural beauty and makes for a relaxing and fun time on this scenic stretch of river. Wine tasting of several premium wines follows in Tarara's outdoor pavilion.

Culpeper - Oct 10 - Taste of Culpeper - Tempt your palate at "Taste of Culpeper" featuring the very best in local cuisine from Culpeper's unique restaurants and caterers and Virginia wineries and microbreweries. Other activities of the day include children's activities, live entertainment, and artist displays.

 Fredericksburg - Oct 30 - Harvest Festival at Hartwood Winery - This quaint Virginia farm winery is the ideal place to celebrate the fall season! Join Hartwood Winery and Rogers Ford Winery to sample the harvested fruits of the vine and usher in the winter air. Enjoy hayrides, scarecrow-making, games, pony rides, live music, food and more! Kids will love this outdoor event. And the best part is, children get in free! Adult admission is $15.

 Linden - Oct 30-31 - A Taste of the Harvest at Fox Meadow - This activity will be held in the wine cellar where we will be tasting our wine-in-process from the current harvest. Taste the white wines recently fermented and the young red wines in the barrels or bins. This activity is complimentary with a paid wine tasting.

Wineries in Northern Virginia

 

Chesapeake Bay

Oak Grove - Oct 16 - 31st Harvest Celebration Festival - See winemaking demonstrations, take a tour of Ingleside's vineyards and winery, enjoy artwork, crafts, exhibits and delicious food. Sit in the courtyard and relax (or dance) while listening to live music and sipping wine. Includes tour, tasting, Ingleside wine glass, live music. Food available or bring a picnic. $15 advance ticket; $20 at gate. Reservations recommended.

Wineries along the Chesapeake Bay 

 

Blue Ridge Highlands

Floyd - Oct 9 - Chateau Morrisette Black Dog Wine & Beach Festival - Two musical acts will perform from 11 am – 5 pm. Tickets $15 in advance; $20 at the Gate. Children and young adults accompanied by an adult are admitted at no charge!

Wineries in the Blue Ridge Highlands

 

Shenandoah Valley

Raphine - Oct 2 - Annual Harvest Festival - Bring the family for a fun filled day at picturesque Rockbridge Vineyard. Live music, delicious food and wine tasting. Grape stomping and hayrides for the kids. $5 includes wine tasting and souvenir glass.

Rockbridge Baths - Oct 8 - Wines and Wags at Lexington Valley Vineyard - Relax and stroll through Lexington Valley Vineyards with your pet while enjoying unique Virginia wines. Bring a picnic or snack baskets available. Join other dog lovers for a waggingly good time!

Waynesboro - Oct 9-10 - River City Wine Festival - 3rd Annual - Plan a beautiful evening along the South River in downtown Waynesboro with live Jazz, wine tastings, and gourmet food vendors.

Fishersville - Oct 15 - Sunsets at the Vineyard - Barren Ridge Vineyards - Bring a picnic! Wine will be available for sale by the glass or bottle and the souvenir wine glass is yours! $10 entry and children under 12 are free.

Fincastle - Oct 15 - Wine, Moon & Stars at Virginia Mountain Vineyards - Enjoy a brief astronomical discussion by a member of the Roanoke Astronomy Club. View the October sky through telescopes set up in the vineyard. Relax and enjoy a bowl of chili and a bottle of your favorite VMV wine as you listen to an evening of music under the tent. Saturday Oct. 16 will be a rain/cloud date.

 

 

via virginia.org

 

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Sometime during your visit to New Orleans, find a wrought-iron balcony, an oak-shaded courtyard, or a columned front porch and sit quietly, favorite beverage in hand, at 6 AM. At this hour, when the moist air sits heavy on the streets, New Orleans is a city of mesmerizing tranquility. Treasure those rare minutes of calm in a city where there is so much to see, hear, eat, drink, and do.

The spiritual and cultural heart of New Orleans is the French Quarter, where the city was settled by the French in 1718. You can easily spend several days visiting museums, shops, and eateries in this area. Yet the rest of the city's neighborhoods, radiating out from this focal point, also make for rewarding rambling. The mansion-lined streets of the Garden District and Uptown, the aboveground cemeteries that dot the city, and the open air along Lake Pontchartrain provide a nice balance to the commercialization of the Quarter. Despite its sprawling size, New Orleans has a small-town vibe, perhaps due to locals' shared cultural habits and history. Families have lived in the same neighborhoods for generations; red beans and rice appears on almost every table on Monday; people visit cemeteries and whitewash the tombs of their departed on All Saints' Day; and from the smartest office to the most down-home local bar, New Orleanians are ready to celebrate anything at the drop of a hat.

To experience this fun-filled city, you can begin with the usual tourist attractions, but you must go beyond them to linger in a corner grocery store, sip a cold drink in a local joint, or chat with a stoop-sitter. New Orleanians, for all their gripes and grumbling, love their city. They treasure custom and tradition, take in stride the heat and humidity of a semitropical climate, and face life with a laid-back attitude and an undying sense of hope and faith that sometimes seems fatalistic to outsiders.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

My favourite hotel!

 

Doubletree Hotel New Orleans

300 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States 70130
Tel: 1-504-581-1300   Fax: 1-504-212-3141

The Doubletree New Orleans Hotel on Canal Street offers full service at a premierdowntown New Orleans location overlooking the Mississippi River and the city's major business and entertainment districts. Our French Quarter hotel is located directly across the street from Harrah's Casino and is within walking distance to major New Orleans attractions. New Orleans International Airport is only 20 minutes away.

Attractions near Hotel:

We are centrally located to all that is happening in New Orleans. With dozens of New Orleans attractions and hundreds of shopping venues only minutes away, we're the ideal choice for your visit this great city. From jazz joints to riverboat rides, our caring and knowledgeable staff at the Doubletree Hotel in New Orleans can help with all your sightseeing and transportation needs.

• Bourbon Street and the historic French Quarter
• Aquarium of the Americas
• Morial Convention Center
• Audubon Insectarium
• Entergy IMAX® Theatre
• Hundreds of shops, upscale retail establishments, restaurants and clubs of Jackson Brewery and the Riverwalk

via doubletree.hilton.com

 

Tours of a Lifetime

We’re traveling again. Tour operators are reporting big spikes in inquiries and bookings. But an uncertain economy, ongoing wars, and the fragile health of the planet have, perhaps permanently, reordered priorities. Travelers now seek more perspective, meaning, and challenge. They want to see the unvarnished reality of a place, not just the fantasy. Outfitters have responded by dialing down the luxury and refocusing on core offerings. Their itineraries are more innovative and experiential—aimed at developing lasting connections between people. Here are 50 of the world's best guided tours for 2010, as chosen by the editors of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

via travel.nationalgeographic.com

 

See the Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis

Northern Lights

The sight of the lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky will be etched in the memory of all those who are lucky enough to witness it.
The phenomenon of the Northern Lights has fascinated the Sámi people for centuries and there are more than 20 folk tales that attempt to explain their existence. In many parts of Lapland the Northern lights are known as the Firefox. Legend has it that the tail of a running fox brushing against the powder snow causes the sparks in the sky. It is also said that the Arctic Sea contains so many fish that the sun's light is reflected off their scales and creates the patterns in the sky.
Today's science means that we now know that the Aurora Borealis displays we see are caused by electrically charged particles in space hitting the earth's atmosphere. When they collide with oxygen and nitrogen particles they emit excess energy as light.
Although the Aurora Borealis can be seen from northerly parts of the United Kingdom the occurrences are rare and the intensity of the displays tend to be low. The further north you travel the better your chances of viewing the lights so all the destinations in this brochure provide great opportunities to see the Northern lights.
The optimum time to see the Northern lights is between 9pm and 1am in the morning. Be careful not to go to bed too soon or you may miss out. The intensity of the displays can vary and may start with a small stationary glow or arch in the night sky before building into a spectacular show.
The Aurora Borealis is a purely natural phenomenon and therefore cannot be guaranteed whichever destination you choose. However, the further north you travel and the further away from man-made light you are, the better your chance to see the Northern lights. Many of our destinations offer night time and overnight safaris that will give you the perfect opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis as we take you deep into the darkness (and our guides know all the best view points!).
Lying on a reindeer skin in deep snow, watching the sky shimmer and drinking hot berry juice is an excellent way to spend part of your holiday! Whatever you believe about the Aurora Borealis there is no more spectacular experience on Earth than sitting in a winter wonderland watching the lights dancing across the sky. It is truly magical! Choose from our Lapland trips below and see the Northern lights with Activities Abroad.

via activitiesabroad.com

dedicated to my friend @Vlavo

Alvalade Medieval Fair @ Portugal Dream Coast

Held annually, this event in Alvalade, south of the district of Setúbal near Sines, relives the Middle Ages with arts and crafts, food, games, jousting tournaments, costume contests, and more.
Taking place on 17 – 20 September 2010, the fair incorporates an exciting programme of entertainment intended to appeal to all ages, and includes Jugglers, Bands, Displays, Theatre, Medieval Dancing, Fancy Dress and of course, craft stalls.
There could hardly be a more perfect setting for a truly authentic historical event that will capture adults and children’s’ imagination of life in medieval times. The entire town will be dressed to look like medieval times really incorporating the spirit of the event.
What makes this year’s event even more interesting is that the town is commemorating 500 years that a Letter of Privilege was issued by King D. Manuel I on the 20th September 1510.

The atmosphere is enhanced by the wandering minstrels and an early music choir. You can listen, participate or just relax with your pint of beer and a delicious lunch or dinner from the local spit roast.
Tickets:
- Friday (17) – 2€
- Saturday or Sunday – 1 day – (18 or 19) – 3,50€
- 3 day Ticket – 8€
- 2 day Ticket– 6€
How to get to Alvalade:
From Setúbal: Enter the A2 motorway, get out on “Beja/Ferreira” and follow the road to “Ourique/Algarve”. After you pass a location called “Mimosa” turn right to Alvalade.
Please contact us if you have any questions.

via portugaldreamcoast.com

it's wonderful... you have to attend it once!

the Mediterranean "Jewels"

How to find the best section of the Mediterranean coastline that extends for 46,000 kilometres (28,600 mi), winds through 21 countries and is bounded by three continents - Europe, Africa and Asia? From hundreds of amazing spots we selected ten jewels of the Mediterranean that are particularly rewarding, beautiful and special.

Be it perfect surfing conditions, superb food, rich culture or Europe's most famous mountain tracks, these destinations, besides being ideal beach getaways, have something for every type of traveler.

1. Tarifa in Spain

Tarifa. By digitalnoise

Tarifa, the Spanish city from where Africa can be clearly seen as it is only 13 km (8 mi) away, is one of the most fantastic places on the Mediterranean coast. Thanks to the constantly blowing winds (due to its location at the meeting point of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean ), the town has become a mecca for windsurfing and kitesurfing addicts. So if you are one of the surfing enthusiasts, do not miss Tarifa while planning your Mediterranean escapade. Of course, Tarifa is also an exceptionally rewarding town for non-surfing folks. It's ultra easy-going, relaxed and arty with its beautiful old town, white sand beaches and green surroundings. 

Playa de los Lances de Tarifa. By Chodaboy

2. Aeolian Islands in Italy

Vulcano Island. By HOTC Media

We have selected the Aeolian Islands as one of our favorite Mediterranean locations due to their exceptional beauty. Located not far from Sicily, the archipelago is composed of eight volcanic islands, whose jaw-dropping vistas have power to amaze the most skeptical traveler. Surrounded by crystal azure waters, the mountainous green islands are home to ancient old towns with narrow streets, Mediterranean-style houses and superb restaurants, offering the freshest of fresh sea food. What else does one need for perfect beach-oriented holidays?

Lipari. By iMat77

3. Malta

Blue Lagoon Comino, Malta. By eurodrifter

According to Lonely Planet Malta is "a microcosm of the Mediterranean", and we fully agree with that statement. In other words, you will not miss anything of the Mediterranean package by visiting only this one little country. Covering the area of 300 km², located centrally in the Sea, Malta is a mix of European, North African and Arabic influences, which makes it such a diverse, fascinating and unique place. Malta is a specially rewarding destination for history enthusiasts as it packs amazing architecture of Norman, Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque periods, amazing ancient buildings dating back as far as 6,000 years ago and wide selection of museums from archaeology to modern history.

By El Ojo Inoportuno

 4. Cassis in France

Port Cassis in France. By Guillermo Fdez

For those who love the French style of vacationing, Cassis is the place that will not disappoint the most fastidious Francophile. Situated near Marseille in southern France, the charming town of Cassis is famed for its spectacular cliffs, numerous inlets with hidden beaches and wine. Apparently, the town was the first of three French vineyards to profit from the appellation d'origine contrôlée (label of controlled origin) introduced in the 1930s. Today, renowned white wine from Cassis is a symbol of the region and iconic tipple of France.

Cassis. By Teorem

5. Dubrovnik in Croatia.

Dubrovnik. By darkmatter

Dubrovnik, in southern Croatia, is an absolutely unique place on the Mediterranean coast. For many it is a number one destination that beats its Mediterranean competitors with spectacular location, stunning old town filled with ancient architecture and fantastic coast. In the Middle Ages, Dubrovnik, an important port and trade center, was the only city that could rival Italian Venice. No wonder, today the city, being on a par with the most popular Mediterranean destinations, attracts a staggering 0.5 million tourists a year.

Dubrownik. By retro traveler

6. Hydra in Greece

Hydra. By country boy shane

The reason why we love Hydra (besides the obvious) is the fact that the cars and motorbikes are not allowed by law on the islands. How wonderful is that? With donkeys, bicycles, and water taxis providing public transportation, Hydra is truly a special place among the country's islands, making you feel the traditional Greek spirit. Add to it the outstanding Hydra's coast filled with little harbors, pretty buildings, crystal waters and an array of fine restaurants, and you might have enough reasons to make it your next Mediterranean destination.

Hydra. By Giorgos

7. Tossa de Mar in Spain

The Beach at Tossa de Mar. By neillalderney123

Tossa de Mar is a perfect getaway, especially for those who want to ease overloaded senses after visiting Barcelona. Located not very far (100 km) from the famed capital of Catalonia, on the Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar lures visitors with picturesque beaches, a charming and quiet old town and a beautiful medieval castle towering above the beaches. Over a glass of fine wine in one of the town's little bars, the town seems to be even more attractive.

Tossa de Mar's village. By monkeyleader

8. Corsica in France

Corsika, Palombaggia. By sramses177

If you think Corsica is just another Mediterranean island, you are obviously wrong. Besides its golden beaches and turquoise waters (as if it wasn't enough), Corsica is home to the toughest long distance trail in Europe - the legendary GR 20 that can be walked in 15 days. In fact, mountains cover two-thirds of this French island, located not far from Sardinia. With over 20 summits of more than 2,000 meters (6,600 ft), Corsica is a paradise for hiking lovers. In addition, the island's coastline that winds around 1,000 km is a fantastic destination for beach-goers.

Corsica's mountains. By bass nroll

9. Portofino in Italy

Portofino. By owlhere

If we had to describe Portofino in one word, it would be "fairy tale". Once a small Italian fishing village located on the Italian Riviera, today the town has become a famed resort, considered the most beautiful port on the Mediterranean coast. No wonder, Portofino has a few replicas in the world - it inspired a re-creation of the sea side town at Tokyo DisneySea, is copied in authentic detail at Universal Orlando Resort in USA as well as in the Gulf Harbour marina in New Zealand. With its charming architecture, magical location and multitude of café terraces, Portofino is a quintessence of Italian and Mediterranean lifestyle.

Town's beach. By sgirolimetto

10. Tetouan in Morocco

By Viktor Kaposi

The richness of the African part of the Mediterranean coast could make another post, but here we present one of the most remarkable destinations surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea - Moroccan Tetouan. In comparison to the European side of the sea, the coast in Morocco remains virgin unspoiled and undeveloped. Tetouan, meaning "the eyes" in the Berber language, is one of the two major Moroccan ports on the coast, being, at the same time, a beautiful resort with the old town listed on the World Heritage List, filled with charming traditional white buildings. Tetouan is truly a unique and slightly exotic side of the Mediterranean coast.

Mediterranean coast of Morocco. 

via opentravel.com

Notre Dame de Paris - France

Notre Dame de Paris - France, originally uploaded by sergio.pereira.gonzalez.

Notre Dame de Paris (French for Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra (official chair), of the Archbishop of Paris, currently André Vingt-Trois. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe. It was restored and saved from destruction by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, one of France's most famous architects. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French, and is frequently used in the names of Catholic church buildings in Francophone countries. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism, unlike that of earlier Romanesque architecture.
Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern.
The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. During the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state.
source and more info : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris

Amazon River Amazing Photos

10 beautiful and fun photos of the Amazon River.

If you haven’t noticed, I love water. Every time I do a post for this 10 Friday Photos series, I seem to pick something related to water or at least include a lot of pics with water in them. Perhaps that’s why Martyna decided to do one on deserts last week, to balance things out a bit.
If I can’t get to the ocean, my next choice for enjoying nature is probably heading to a nice river. I thought I’d make this post 10 beautiful photos of rivers from around the world, but ended up finding so many cool or beautiful Amazon River photos that I decided to just make it an Amazon River post. Enjoy!

Amazon River at Sunset

Photo Credit: Bruno Girin via flickr


Photo Credit: zrim via flickr


Photo Credit: PHOTOPHANATIC1 via flickr

Amazon Baby

Photo Credit: Daniel Zanini H. via flickr

Amazon River Headwaters

Photo Credit: quinet via flickr

Where 2 Rivers Meet & Mix

Photo Credit: idua_japan via flickr

Floating Houses on the Amazon River

Photo Credit: Bruno Girin via flickr


Photo Credit: Bruno Girin via flickr

Amazon River and Rainforest

Photo Credit: leoffreitas via flickr
Like these photos? View more from our 10 Friday Photos series.
Top Photo Credit: Kara Allyson via flickr

via planetsave.com

Amazon galore!