Vasa Ship & Museum

#VasaShipMuseum

The Vasa was a 17th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and it was not salvaged until 333 years later
 To finally be seen in Stockholm Sweden at its museum

KeyTip; 
The admission is free ages 18 and under with adults around $24 USD depending on the time of year
It takes about two hours to view and well worth it to see a 90% preserved battleship

 

Early History
The ship was commissioned by King Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years War
 The Vasa was intended to be the pride of the Swedish Navy by showing itself as a powerful symbol of the nations military might with its two gun decks and other combat capabilities
 This included 64 cannons which could launch 250kg (550 pounds) of shot, which was twice as much as any other powerful European vessels of her day

Engineering Mistakes
The ship was lavishly decorated with hundreds of sculptures (this grandeur was ordered by the Monarch) but the vessel was dangerously unstable due to design flaws, which included being excessively tall and top heavy with also an insufficient ballast

The Builders Knew
Before the launch tests revealed the craft was unstable but no one dared to report the problems
to the impatient King

Quick Disaster
The Vasa set sail from Stockholm harbor in view of a full crowd but only managed to go 1300 meters (4300 feet) when a gust of wind caused the ship to list, thus taking on water through the open gun ports with the vessel quickly sinking and taking at least 30 lives

Reborn
The ship was largely forgotten until the 1950s and because of the cold, brackish (low-salt) waters of the Baltic Sea it had preserved the wooden hull
Divers spent the next two years digging tunnels under the hull to pass steel cables through which then slowly lifted the ship to the surface in 1961

With the Preservation;
 A) It started with using a polyethylene glycol (which is a waxy substance) gradually infused into the wood to replace the water which prevented it from shrinking and cracking as it dried
B) The ship was moved into a custom built museum that is climate controlled which officially
opened in 1990
C) Any of the other artifacts recovered aboard have gone under a separate preservation process like the sails that were saved by using a fiberglass backing plus acrylic solution

Military Force
Despite the Vasa disaster, the country continued to grow plus also to emerge a
major European power 

Forest Fun Facts
In the 1830s the Swedish Navy planted over 300,000 oak trees to ensure a future supply of timber
 for their fleet
However by the time the trees matured (150 years) wooden warships were obsolete and being replaced by steel vessels
 But the woodlands still stands today, thus something good actually came out of a war

Watchword
Interesting Latin phrase to use (Taste and See that the Lord is Good) when Sweden was building military strength, which then comes with aggression and fatalities

The Lion of the North
Sweden at this time was vying with the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth for the control of
the Baltic Sea coastline
Eventually King Gustavus Adolphus was successful earning this moniker 

 Myths & The Sea

A) The Greeks; believed Poseidon ruled with his trident plus Aphrodite and Oceanus also controlled
the oceans
B) Japanese; they had Ryujin who was a dragon god that manipulated the tides and resided in an underwater palace
C) Inuit; Sedna which was a sea Goddess who ruled marine animals
D) Norse; the water was ruled by the godly couple Aegir and Ran who was feared for her net that could pull sailors to their death 

 
Epic Hoax
A group of Finnish students put a small statue of the famous runner Paavo Nurmi on the ship (the night before its final lift) as a prank before it was sent to be fully restored, this confused the
archaeologists at the time 😅

Folklore Now
No hard feelings; as now the figurine is now kept as a piece of the ships
 history at the museum 

Georgetown DC & Exorcist Film

 

#GeorgetownExorcistFilm

Georgetown was established in 1751 to be an area to serve as a port for the lumber
 and tobacco industries, before being annexed into Washington

William Blatty
 He was an alumnus of Georgetown University and was inspired to write the novel after reading about an actual exorcism that happened in nearby Mount Reiner

Movie Set
The 75 steep stairs became famous after being featured in the 1973 horror film The Exorcist,
plus other scenes were also filmed around the campus
Thus this explains why a lot of students and faculty became extras in this cult classic

Halloween Tradition
Now at the university every October they do what they call The Healy Howl, where students
watch the movie then go to the Jesuit Gravesite to bark at the moon when
 the midnight hour strikes

Healy Hall Seal
Other myths at Georgetown University; it is considered to be bad luck to step on the seal
in front of this building
If you do, its rumored you will not graduate

Early History
The University was founded in 1751 and named after King George that predated the United States itself
Its known for its number one ranking in the world for International Relations plus a major
source for Wall Street candidates

Fun Fact:
The Hoya nickname and chant did not come from the classical Greek language (as some have thought) but just a college cheer that has evolved over the years

The Area
As i walk down the cobblestone streets here, this is an example of the Federalist Style of buildings that is of a Neo Classical Architecture
It was part of the movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, Germany and France which became a prominent design method in the western world 

Underground Railroad Movement
Georgetown played a significant role during those times

As many of its historic buildings, the Methodist Church (with its buried vault that served as
 a hiding place) the C&O Canal
 and its docks, that all played a very active part in the escape of enslaved people 

C&O Canal (Chesapeake & Ohio)
The canal closed in the 1880s due to declining revenues, damage to the waterway from floods and just more efficient modes of transportation

Today
Now managed by the National Park Service, the 300km route (184 mile) follows the Potomac River from Georgetown to Cumberland located in Maryland
It has been turned into a popular hiking and biking routes plus recreational
use for watercraft

 Famous Residents 
Alexander Graham Bell, John F Kennedy and Francis Scott Key
 It was also the founding location of IBM with all
those key folks

Embassy Row
It is a self guided tour that starts near Dupont Circle which features some of the most notable
embassies and historical structures in the area

Some buildings i would recommend;
A) Larz Anderson House; its an elegant museum that features artwork and gardens

B) Old Turkish Embassy: a Beaux-Arts Mansion built in 1915 that was one of first to be bought during the Depression in 1932 by that government
Also a fun fact its later owner was Ahmet Ertegun (who co-founded Atlantic Records) studied
at Georgetown University

C) Embassy of France; it has a French wine reception and concert hall

D) Heurich House: also known as the "Brewmaster Castle" was the home of German brewer Christian Heurich with available tours and of course tastings

E) The Dupont Underground: its an abandoned streetcar station that has been converted into an arts
 and cultural venue

Savior-Transfiguration Monastery

#SaviorTransfigurationMonastery

The Cathedral was founded in 1198 and has been rebuilt many times due to age/erosion and many wars in the area
The Monastery was established in 1213 as the first school of religion, then in 1747
 the first logical seminary was established within the building

My Entry
Cannot really say how i gained access to the bell tower (my secret) as its usually restricted to the monks or members of the religious order who maintains it; so i feel blessed 🙏

General Admission
Visitors can typically only go to the designated areas such as chapels, guests houses and gardens
This was designed for visitors to experience the monastic lifestyle without disrupting
the religious community

125 Steps
As i make my way up to the top i am reminded the Monastery was devasted by the Great Fires of 1500s
but it was rebuilt and restored plus evolved from the wooden structures into stone
cathedral fortifications
Thus reflecting in the changing architecture styles and needs of the different eras

Early Survival History
As you can see with this narrow opening the Monastery had to protect itself from attacks, for example like the one in 1238 by the Khan Baty and his troops
He was the Mongolian ruler (who was the grandson of Genghis Khan) and founder of the Golden Horde which would control Eastern Europe for about 250 years

Monks History
It comes from the Greek word "monos" meaning alone or solitary
In the beginnings, they were responsible for the coping / preservation of texts which made them important scholars and scribes

Some Fun Facts;
A) Monks in medieval England were involved in the creation of the first public clocks
B) Trappist Monks have a long history of brewing beer which was a source of income for the Monasteries ( today....13 designated locations worldwide)
C) Buddhist Monks are associated with the practice of the Chinese martial art of King-Fu 
They also have a vegetarian diet to follow their beliefs in non-violence and minimizing harm to all living things

The Bell Tower
 It was to serve as a call to prayer as a reminder of Gods presence and for the Monks
to practice their vows

Other Uses
But beyond the monastic community the bells were used to alert the surrounding villages of important events, of incoming danger from invading troops, of a symbolic message to ward
off evil and with incoming weather storms 

My View
From the bell tower i am overlooking the Volga River and Yaroslavl
Its a city located 250 kms (155 miles) northeast of Moscow and is the part of what they call
the Russia Golden Ring

 Tourist Route
 Its a journey that connects ancient and historically Russian cities north of Moscow,
 which some include Kostroma, Ivanovo, Vladimir and Suzdal

High Noon
Not sure it was my time to leave jajajja, but the bells were chiming
and it was loud

 John Donne Wise Words
 As he wrote "the bell tolls for thee" and i remember the meaning of that;
 its a common bond of humanity that no one is truly isolated

Today
After being the center of education for centuries, the monastery was closed in 1787 and converted
into a residence for archbishops
Then during the Soviet era it again changed and became the home to the Yaroslavl Historical / Architectural Museum-Reserve

Seville Spain

#SevilleSpain_PearlAndalusia
 
Because it was under control by both the Roman and Moors. you have many structures from the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire to look for within the city
 The Italica Amphitheater, Aqueducts & Columns in the Alameda de Hercules,
City Walls, La Giralda, The Courtyard of the Orange Trees etc.

KeyTip;
Ways to Tour Seville;
A) Free Walking Tours; which you can "Tip" you guide whatever you deem 
B) Hop-On Hop-Off Bus; it has fourteen stops plus some providers offer packages that combine hop-on bus and panoramic river cruise
C) Bicycle; either a guided tour or rental on the 180 kms (110 miles) of bike lanes available  
D) Horse-Drawn Carriage;  45 minute tour through the historic center
E) Paddle Surfing or Kayaking; not sure how much you would see of the city from the river, but thank goodness we are all different 😅

Early History
So for Seville it started with the Romans (birthplace of Emperors Trajan & Hadrian) then the Moors who introduced crops like oranges ( that still today line most of the streets plus the city squares) lemons, peaches, apricots, figs, sugarcane, dates and saffron

Moors Influence
Also under the Moors education was universal in Spain thus available to everyone, meanwhile in all of Christian Europe 99% of the population were illiterate, even the Kings could not read or write
To put this is context; Europe had two Universities, Spain (under the Moors) had seventeen including a location in Seville

Future Thinking Mindset
During their 800 year rein they also introduced many scientific techniques to measure the positions of the stars and planets plus advancement in chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography and philosophy

Beginnings of Sherry Wine
 As i learn the name originated from the Jerez Region of Spain which was known as Sherish
under the Moorish Rule
The wine making started in this area in 1100BC with the Phoenicians onto the Romans
finally the Moors

Sir Francis Drake
How good was the wine with all this experience you ask, so when he raided the area in 1587 then brought back a very large quantity of the product (3000 barrels) which became known
 as "sack" in England

Tapas
 ( meaning lid or cover; to keep the flies off the food)
So its tradition here in Seville to have your wine with a small plate of food, which history claims that King Alfonso X ordered the pubs to serve food with the drinks to reduce the drunkenness 

Some Examples;
A) Pringa Pork; stew served on bread
B) Tortilla Espanola; potato and onion omelet
C) Gambas al Ajillo; shrimp cooked in olive oil with garlic and chilli peppers
D) Bacalao; salt cod stewed in tomato sauce
E) Berenjena con Miel; fried eggplant with honey
F) Choco Fritos; fried calamari

Jewish Quarter
On my way to Santa Cruz as you feel the history of area as you walk the streets

Oppressed
Started in the 13th Century under King Ferdinand,
he established the Juderia area through the Spanish Inquisition in 1481
 But he targeted Jews who had converted to Christianity but secretly continued to practice Judaism

  Final Expulsion
 It happened in 1492 under the Alhambra Decree where the Jews had four months to leave and were allowed to "only" take moveable goods
The asset restrictions to stay was gold, silver, minted money or horses

#AlcazarPalaceGameofThrones
It is the oldest Royal Palace in Europe which is still used by the Spanish Monarch

 Game of Thrones Film Set
A) Mercurys Pool; Doran Martell watching Myrcella & Trystane
 in the Dance Garden

B) Baths of Dona Maria Padilla; location where Ellaria Sand met with her daughters
 to plot revenge

C) Halls of Ambassadors; Where Jame Lannister negotiated with Doran Martell
 to return Myrcella

D) Carlos V Pavillion; the skirmish between Jamie & Bronn with
 the Sand Snakes

Torre Del Oro (Tower of Gold)

Built in 1220 the twelve-sided watchtower was to control the access on the Guadalquivir River thus protecting the city
The early defense mechanism was to stretch a large chain across the river to block any enemy ships before ongoing renovations which added two more levels
 Thus in time it became many things; a chapel, prison, gunpowder store and finally a
port authority office

KeyTip;
 It costs 3 Euro to enter; but visitors can get a great view from the panoramic rooftop plus it houses the naval museum that has nautical instruments, models of ships & historical documents

 Parks of Seville
Some were private gardens that was gifted to the city, another was the film location in 1962
 for Lawrence of Arabia
 Another was a former zoo that the animals that were relocated and some were designed with an asymmetrical layout to symbolize romance 

Charcoal Drawing
 One of the many amazing buildings of Seville as i have a glass of wine
 and say Gracias mi buen amigo  

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Vancouver

#CapilanoSuspensionBridge
It was initially built in 1889 with hemp rope and cedar planks onto now with its steel cables
 anchored into concrete

KeyTip;
There is a free shuttle all year round from Canada Place Convention Centre or Hyatt Regency
 Hotel in Vancouver
If you decide to drive, parking is $8.00 for three hours plus admission that is Adults $78.00, Students $64.00 & Youth $49.00

Tree Top Adventures
There are seven suspension bridges plus platforms attached to 250 year old Douglas Fir Trees as you are trekking 33 meters (110 feet) above the forest floor
But not too worry, as the park uses an adjustable non-invasive collars (that exerts less pressure) which does not penetrate the bark

Repurposed
Finally in the theme of the nature and reuse, what you are walking on is reclaimed wood from a closed grain elevator once run by the Hudsons Bay Company that was located nearby

Cliffwalk
This adventure is 30 stories high as you walk the 213 meter bridge / viewing platforms (700 feet) along the granite cliffside with sights of the regions rainforest and canyon.

Numbers
The structure uses a cantilever design for support and is engineered to
hold 45 tons or 100,000 lbs

Totem Poles
Throughout the park they are significant to the culture of the First Nations People which tells
stories of their history and connection to the land
 here in Kiapalano

Raptors Ridge
Look for the educational facility to teach you the public about the Raptors and other birds of prey in the park such as owls, hawks & falcons

Night Viewings
The birds visit this area of the ridge every evening plus during the day as they enjoy an open,
 free-flight environment

Many Themed Festivals

Canyon Frights
 (October to November) for all the Halloween Fans on the Cliffwalk 
Love Lights
Millions of lights to celebrate the month (February) of romance
Christmas Lights
To celebrate the festive season 

Bermuda & Halifax Canada Links

#BermudaHalifaxCanadaLinks
One of my favorite places to visit (via a 2 hour direct flight) is Bermuda

Many Common Links
Located off the coast near the American Carolinas, its still a British Overseas Territory
So with Canada a member of the Commonwealth (its now a voluntary association of 56 independent countries which were formerly part of the British Empire)
the organization works to promote shared values, international cooperation and development among its members like Canada and Bermuda
As you will read our two areas have many connections

No Car Rentals
Yes a scooter is an option, but with Right Hand Drive, dealing with Roundabouts and Narrow Streets plus the fact other tourists are on the roads after a 15 minute driving lesson, it does not add
up for a positive outcome 😏

KeyTip;
The bus and ferry passes are for an unlimited use,  day costs $19.00 or one week $62.00
It can be bought at the Main Ferry Terminal, Central Bus Depot and Visitors Service Centres 

Color Explanation
All the roofs are white so the Islanders can collect the rainwater as there is no freshwater sources like springs, rivers or lakes located on the island
The stepped roofs channel the water into the gutters that lead into underground cisterns which provides a reserve that can last for months
Bermuda also uses desalination of the seawater using reverse osmosis technology to
supplement the supply

Water Etiquette
So as a visitor; take shorter showers, reuse your towels, do not waste ice from the hotel machines etc.
You know common sense stuff
In closing just be mindful to conserve this precious resource and do not be that person
who is wasteful

Foodie Choices
A nickname for the locals is Onions, probably coming from the times of  the early settlers who cultivated that as a major crop
To modern times you will find some great Portuguese food choices (who have influenced the area after migrating from the Azores) also a mixture from the Caribbean, Africa and England

Some good picks;
1) Fish Chowder; the national dish of Bermuda
2) Fish Sandwich; served on raisin bread
3) Codfish & Potatoes; breakfast meal that comes with a banana or tomato onion sauce
4) Codfish Cakes; on a hot cross bun
5) Pawpaw Casserole; made with sweet papaya
6) Hoppin John; black-eyed peas and rice

No Big Mac 😂
Also a refreshing fact; there is no McDonalds on the island

The England Military Anchors
Halifax and Bermuda again share a history as both locations were strategically important British Fortresses during the Napoleonic Wars and during the War of 1812
Both areas served as key naval bases to protect the British interests in the Atlantic Ocean plus
along the North American coast

Imperial Fortresses
These citadels were designated this namesake, like their "sister" structures in Gibraltar and Malta
It highlighted their importance in maintaining the British power and influence globally

Butterfield Bank
Its global headquarters is located in the capital City of Hamilton but also
 has operations in Halifax

Reasons
 We are on the same time zone so good for the banking industry, six universities to get brain power for their IT and finance divisions located here,
 also favorable tax breaks from my government and the good exchange rate as the Bermuda Dollar is pegged on the US Currency

Many Internationals
Other Bermuda based financial companies located in Halifax for the skilled workforce and lower operating costs than their island nation
1) Citco Fund Services
2) Olympia Capital International Inc.
3) West End Capital Management
4) BF&M Insurance 
5) Paragon Advanced Development Ltd. IT Company

Swizzle Inn
It seems i can always find a British style pub wherever i visit 
So once inside i am told that it is the oldest pub (1932) on the island and its the birthplace
 of the Rum Swizzle

So after a couple of the signature drinks i learn why the motto is
Swizzle Inn & Swagger Out 😄

The Famous Grottoes
 They were formed millions of years ago through the rainwater seeping into the limestone
caves carving them out
The survivors of the Sea Venture shipwreck in 1609 discovered the area of Grotto Bay

 Grotto Bay Beach Resort
 It began attracting visitors in the 1970s
but in the early 2000s the group of Bermudian investors put in renovations to create a more
 British colonial feel
 through the furnishings, architectural designs and pastel colors

Free Entry
Prospero and Cathedral Caves are located at the resort grounds with the latter open
 to the public to swim 

Expensive Lodgings
Accommodations are expensive here, as an average night will cost you
between $500-$1000 USD

KeyTip;
Take a cruise which then you would stay in port for multiple days,
so your floating hotel

 Shipwreck Gravesites of the Atlantic
Both areas are considered the final resting place for many vessels, so another connection

Bermuda Triangle
The numbers say around 50 ships and 20 planes disappeared, with many cases are likely due to human error not supernatural causes as the myth would want you to believe

Sable Island
It has been the site of over 350 lost ships (with many more unaccounted for as they were lost with a trace) mostly because of a long narrow sandbar that constantly shifts and changes shape so making it a navigational hazard plus lets add in heavy fog

 Pink Sand
The beaches of Bermuda are very unique and not that commonly found anywhere else in the world
 It is created by the erosion of the coral and from family of shells called Foraminifers (of which is the tiny red organism) that live in the reefs