The signature blue and gold exterior of Catherine Palace.

Exquisitely detailed ceiling panel, Catherine Palace.

Delicate wall details, Catherine Palace, Russia

Interior furnishings and inlaid flooring, Catherine Palace, Russia

Elegant fireplace of Delft tiles, Catherine Palace, Russia

For more works of art, click here for Weekly Photo Challenge: Work of Art.

For the official website of the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Preserve, click here.

Large keys like this one unlocked cell doors at Old Idaho Penitentiary

It was almost closing time at the Old Idaho Penitentiary when I arrived in Boise after working in Idaho City, but this landmark I’d seen from the Idaho Botanical Gardens next door was on my list of must-see destinations.  One of four Territorial Prisons open in the U. S. today and designated a National Historic Site, the Old Idaho Penitentiary (1870-1973), now opens its campus and buildings to visitors seven days a week.

Setting sun over Old Idaho Penitentiary

When I arrived an hour before closing time on a coldish, early-spring day, I was a lone visitor taking what became a sort of eerie self-guided tour around the campus and inside the buildings.  As I walked from place to place (looking over my shoulders, uneasy about fully exploring open cells), I found myself imagining how life inside these walls must have unfolded day after day.  And coupled with that feeling of loneliness, I also noted the impact of dwindling afternoon light on my mood as I walked among the buildings into open doorways. Slanted rays of afternoon sun formed long shadows, making me wonder what impact the lack of light — as well as the lack of freedom — had on the residents at Old Idaho Penitentiary. Take a walk with me and see for yourself.

Old Idaho Penitentiary — Outside

Old Idaho Penitentiary — Inside Rooms and Hallways

Women’s Ward — Old Idaho Penitentiary

In 1905, male inmates built the wall with its signature tornado-like brickwork on the corners around the old warden’s residence.  In 1920, according to the Walking Tour Guide, the permanent structure contained seven two-person cells, a central day room, kitchen and bathroom facilities. Was I glad I went to Old Idaho Penitentiary?  Yes.  But enjoyment may not be the operative word here.  The only other prison I’ve visited is Alcatraz, and I had the same empty feeling there as I did at Old Idaho Penitentiary.  Reading the displayed accounts of inmates and wardens helped me put real faces and names into place.  But seeing stone and iron-gated exteriors, scarcely-lit interiors, and small, tight rooms made me wonder how prisoners lived day-to-day with so little of what I take for granted.  It’s definitely a tour worth your time if you’re visiting Boise.

For more information and to check on visitation times:

Old Idaho Penitentiary State

2445 Old Penitentiary Road Boise, Idaho 83712 208.334.2844 http://history.idaho.gov/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Idaho-Penitentiary/94920681668

To read more about our travels through Idaho and Washington, click on the Page at the top:  Inland Northwest.  Thanks!

Boats at the Pier, St. Petersburg, FL

Of course, we all want ample time to explore a city lined with mature, moss-filled trees. A city where world-class art museums, shops sporting local crafts, and hotels with beckoning porches await us.  A city like St. Petersburg, Florida.

But that’s not always the case.  With only one day to explore and hit the high spots, you can be hard pressed to see it all and do it all. But you CAN see a lot . . . if you have a plan.

Here are our top five “must-see’s” and “must-do’s” for a day in St. Pete.

1. Central Avenue

After breakfast, but still early, head to Central Avenue to do a little junkin’.  Stop in at Paper Street Market (915 Central) for industrial finds like sewing machines, architectural drawings, and metal signs. Or pick up a re-purposed desk and chair for your office.  Want to do it yourself? Iron Pelican (2452 Central) just may have the lowboy of your dreams. But sometimes you’re looking for a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. And if you are, you might get lucky at Haslam’s Book Store (2025 Central), Florida’s largest for new and used books — or that’s what the website says!

Come on in. There’s more inside at Paper Street Market on Central Avenue, St. Pete.

Whatever you do, don’t miss Florida Craftsmen (501 Central) where emerging and seasoned artists display their finest work  — like fiber art shoulder bags, hand-thrown pots, baskets woven of mixed grasses, and creative jewelry from fine, fine metals.

Adorned with a bold graphic, this mug catches your attention in the window of Florida Craftsmen.

Hungry yet?  Duck into Ricky P’s (1113 Central) for the Ultimate Shrimp Po-Boy or the Best BLFnT (Bacon, Lettuce, Fish — that’s Fried Tilapia — and Tomato) with remoulade sauce for an extra kick.  Too much sandwich?  Then dig in to Creole Jambalaya (crushed tomatoes, andouille sausage, chicken, and rice, of course).

Ricky P’s on Central, St. Petersburg, FL

2. Dali Museum

Even if you’ve seen the original Dali Museum, you’ve gotta go back to see this newly designed, architectural gem.  Emerging from this rectangular building designed by Yann Weymouth, the “eclipse” — a 75-foot tall curved window of 1062 triangular panes — offers a glimpse into the signature art collection of Salvador Dali.  (For more pictures, click here.) Take the helical staircase (Dali was obsessed with spirals) to the third floor where docents stand ready to share tidbits of the artist’s life and inspiration.  They’ll even shine flashlights on those hard-to-find illusions and symbols you might miss on your own!

The “eclipse” at the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Want a cup of tea after touring? There’s not a prettier spot than the gardens facing Tampa Bay.  Adorned with Dali touches (spiral design, drippy watch bench, and a labyrinth made of hedge), the fanciful gardens just might have you looking for the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland — or Dali himself!

3. North and South Straub Park and the Marina

A stroll along the bay might be in order after viewing all that symbolic art, so drive out to The Pier and admire the boats just waiting for a good wind and a savvy sailor.

Boats at The Pier, St. Petersburg, FL

Park your car and stroll the parks while admiring the outdoor sculptures . . .

Newsboy, St. Petersburg

or the magnificent banyon trees standing like puddled drapery in an aristocrat’s home.

4. The Vinoy

After staring at art, strolling the park, and wishing you owned one of those lovely boats in the bay, head over to the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club (501 5th Ave., NE) to take a load off.  Order a drink, find a rocking chair on the porch, and watch the people go by!

An afternoon on the porch at The Vinoy

You may even be lucky to be there when a big event comes to town.  Like the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.  And then you’ll see a sand sculpture greeting the fans and maybe even the team passing by on their way to the buses.

Sand Sculpture, The Vinoy

Or maybe you’ll just see folks like us hanging out, capturing the breeze, and watching the sun go down.

5.  Beach Drive

With one last push (OK,  you can do it!), you’ll leave The Vinoy and move down Beach Drive where you can take in the Chihuly Collection (400 Beach Drive NE) and the sweet little shops and restaurants along the way.  With a vast selection of contemporary crafts, you’ll surely find a souvenir or a special, one-of-a-kind item in Shapiro’s (300 Beach Drive).

At the end of the day, treat yourself to one of the specialties at 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House.  Like Lobster Mac & Cheese, Tandoori Spiced Mahi Mahi, or Florida Grouper Oscar. Be sure to ask if you can eat outside. On the sidewalk!

Not up for that?  Well, you can always tool it on down to St. Pete Beach where sunsets are free and Happy Hours are plentiful!

Sundown at St. Pete Beach

Walking the beach at sunset

Whatever you choose to do, it’ll be a great day in St. Petersburg!

For more information:

Map of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront: http://www.stpete.org/downtown_waterfront_master_plan/docs/Waterfront_Facilities_Parks.pdf

Looking out at Tampa Bay from the “enigma” at the Dali Museum

Designed by architect Yann Weymouth, the hurricane-proof rectangular building utilizes 18-inch thick walls from which spring the “enigma,” a geodesic glass bubble facing beautiful Tampa Bay. Standing 75 feet at its tallest point, the “enigma” is made up of 1062 triangular pieces of glass, becoming not only a window on the gardens and waterfront of St. Pete, but also a place for standing and reflecting on the unique art housed within the museum itself.

The “enigma” at Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Close-up from the “enigma,” Dali Museum

Dali Museum

One Dali Boulevard

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

727.823.3767

For hours and pricing, click here.

For directions, click here.

For more entries in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Window, click here.

Amer Fort is truly remarkable for its timeless beauty enhanced by lines and patterns.

To see more entries in this week’s challenge, click here.

Weekly Word Challenge: From Lines to Patterns

Filed under: Architecture, Travel, Weekly Photo Challenge Tagged: Amber Fort, Hall of Mirrors, India, postaday ]]> http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/09/21/weekly-photo-challenge-from-lines-to-patterns/feed/ 17 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 rushasams DSC03648 DSC03674 DSC03677 DSC03704 http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/09/19/a-word-a-week-challenge-arch/ http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/09/19/a-word-a-week-challenge-arch/#comments Thu, 19 Sep 2013 22:32:59 +0000 http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/?p=2758 Continue reading →]]> This week’s A Word a Week Challenge brings up the word Arch which, in turn, brings to mind two buildings flanking the Taj Mahal that held us spellbound. These two red sandstone buildings, identical in structure, open to the Taj Mahal and allow glimpses of the iconic structure through the arched openings.  We found much to admire about the buildings themselves from the commanding height to the intricate designs on the floors and the arched walls.  An absolutely thrilling experience to see these prime examples of Mughal architecture!

Wide hallways, tall ceilings, and detailed walls in this example of Mughal architecture.

A detail of an archway facing the Taj Mahal reveals bas relief and inlaid decorations.

A unique view of one of the minarets at the Taj Mahal.

Framing the view of the Taj Mahal.

As we moved from room to room with a crowd of (just like us) tourists leaning, peering, and picture-snapping, we couldn’t help but marvel at the acquisitions and ornamentation that made each room more spectacular than the last.  With clean white walls and gold trim, the mirrored room held us captive.  But subsequent rooms showed off statuary, table settings, and period pieces the likes of which we had never seen before.  Here’s just a small sample.

The decadent exterior of Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg.

Note the statues of Atlas holding up the world at each section of this exterior wall.

One of the white-walled rooms adorned with gold. Fireplaces made with Delft tiles stood sentinel-like in various rooms — sometimes in corners or centered like this one. Opulence was under foot, too, in the form of exquisite parquet floors.

Just one of many artifacts of decadent clothing on display.

Even the artwork featured people in exquisite attire.

According to what we’ve learned from our guide, from searching Wikipedia, and from studying a couple of other resources prior to our trip, construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 and lasted 14 years, requiring more than a million workers. Whole logs found in the jungles of southwestern China and marble from quarries near Beijing were used in the building of this site, known best perhaps as the home of Puyi, a two-year-old boy named emperor in 1908.  During part of his reign, Puyi had several wives and concubines who lived in the last of the buildings we toured. Puyi left the Forbidden City after the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949 when he was imprisoned as a war criminal and wrote his memoirs.  He is still known throughout the world as The Last Emperor of China.

Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is a huge rectangle containing 980 surviving buildings and (some say) 9,999 rooms.  (That number is cited primarily because the number 9 figures so prominently in the belief that odd numbers represent yang, one of the key Chinese design factors known as yin and yang.) Our guide told us that if you let a baby sleep each night of his life in a different room of the Forbidden City, he or she would be 27 years old upon the last night in the last room!  (Oh, what you learn on tours!!!)

We think the number nine is tied to good luck, but we’re not sure.  Even so, odd numbers, especially 9, are evident throughout; for example, there are 81 (9 times 9) brass studs on some of the doors, and the main halls of the Outer and Inner courts are arranged in groups of three.

The buildings we saw reminded us of the graceful designs found in the Lama Temple. (Click here for that post.) Since yellow is the color of emperors, almost all roofs bear these golden-colored glazed tiles with sloping ridges.

At the corner of each roof is a line of statuettes, beginning with a man riding a phoenix and ending with an imperial dragon. These groupings contain an uneven number of mythical creatures — ranging from 3 to 9 — but we read that the Hall of Supreme Harmony has 10, the only building in China permitted to do so.

Here’s a close-up of one of the dragons from the Forbidden City.

We noted again the royal blues and reds that we saw at the Lama Temple as well as the gold embellishments, and the attention to detail and remarkable craftsmanship.

Detail under the roofline on one of the buildings in the Forbidden City

Detail of a dragon inset

In the picture below, this central ramp is the Marble Carriageway reserved for the emperor’s entryway into the building. We were not allowed (understandably so!) to climb onto this carriageway to get a close picture, but we’ve read that there are scenes of dragons chasing pearls among clouds. Whatever is pictured here is beautiful even from a distance!

Bert wanted to examine the architecture more closely, so when we were dismissed from the group and allowed to explore on our own, he went down into the courtyard to get a better look. We didn’t know the extent of the area of the Forbidden City, so we were surprised to learn that the length of the rectangle on which is is positioned measures 3,153 feet from north to south.  We definitely underestimated the size of the complex, thinking that there was only one main hall and a few smaller outbuildings.  Not so.  The entire Outer Court was expansive, taking several hours to explore.

A moat carries water from west to east with five major marble bridges crossing it.  This picture was taken behind one of the buildings where the graceful curves and picturesque landscaping (and lack of people!) caught our attention.

Stately Chinese lions guard the entrances of the halls. (Look in the lower right hand corner of this picture to see an incense burner.)

We were allowed to take pictures from the entryways, but not actually go in to any of the buildings.  This shot (taken with Bert’s iPhone held over the heads of many tourists) shows the interior of the one of the buildings in which the emperor actually lived. (Nice digs, right?)

As always, we were amazed by the huge crowds — from tour groups to individual families — traveling to Beijing to see this national treasure.

In 1987, the Forbidden City was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and, according to China Tourist Maps website, it’s one of the most attractive five palaces in the world with the others being Versailles (France), Buckingham Palace (London), the White House (Washington, D.C.) and the Kremlin (Russia).

Although our guide kept telling us that we had good weather with clear visibility due to a front that had moved in, we were still suffering in the 90+ temperatures, grateful that we had carried a bottle of water with us for the afternoon.  Others took measures into their own hands in their own ways!

Near the end of the journey, I saw this little boy appropriately dressed in what looked to be an outfit worthy of a child emperor . . . like Puyi.  I came to find out that he and his dad had rented the costumes for a photo adventure! You’ll have to check back since I have more pictures of them to share in the next post: Flying over the Forbidden City! 

The experience of seeing both Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in one day was both exhilarating and exhausting, but worth the effort.  Again, our thanks to Jack Xiong, our guide, for sharing his passion for the architectural and cultural treasures of Beijing.

If you’ve missed any of our posts on China, go to the bar at the top of the page and click China for links to the other posts. Feel free to leave us a comment below.  And, as always, thanks for reading!  

For more information:

Viking River Cruises: Imperial Jewels of China: http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/rivercruises/china-yangtze-beijing-shanghai-2013/itinerary.aspx

“Forbidden City.” Wikipedia.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_City

Although we had arrived in Beijing one day prior to the first itinerary day of our Viking River Cruise and had a leisurely day exploring the Beijing Zoo and Lama Temple, our first “real” day found us literally running to catch up as we braved the 95-degree heat, unrelenting sun, and the enormity of Tiananmen Square.

Our Viking guide, Jack Xiong, met us at the Westin Beijing Financial Street, and, after brief introductions, told us about “his” city where his wife (a police officer), his son, and he have made their home.  His ease of presentation and interest in history turned us into devoted followers immediately.

We already knew something about Tiananmen Square.  After all, we had lived through the student protests of 1989 and watched in horror as those events came to a bloody end. And we wanted to see the site of all that.  But what we weren’t prepared for was the vastness of the square, the stately symmetry of the buildings, and the many thousands of visitors.

Named after Tiananmen Gate that separates the square from the Forbidden City, the present-day Tiananmen Square fulfills the vision of Mao Zedong to build the largest city square in the world.  Today, the square spans 109 acres and can accommodate more than 500,000 people.  But even though we had read this information, it was hard for us to imagine what it would look like in “real life.”  We soon found out.

Massive buildings greeted us — from this Monument to the People’s Heroes (left) to the China National Museum which houses collections from the former Museum of the Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History.

The Great Hall of the People, noted for its stateliness, clean lines, and signature red emblem, is the site of National People’s Congress meetings.

From this Ming dynasty gate (pictured below), Chairman Mao (whose portrait is displayed prominently on the front) founded the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

Our guide pointed out Mao’s Mausoleum (pictured below) where Chairman Mao’s casket is on view mornings and afternoons.  As you can see, throngs of people formed long lines even in the hot noonday sun to pay tribute or just say they’d been there.

As always, my attention turns to the people who fascinate me wherever I travel.  (We were warned not to take pictures of the police, so you won’t see any of those stoic guardians of the square here.)  I took pictures of Chinese tourists like these folks posing for a group photo . . .

and another group following a flag-wielding leader — just as we did with Jack!

Families, too, wanted to be in pictures with historical monuments and national buildings of Tiananmen featured prominently in the background. This family is centered right in front of Chairman Mao’s huge portrait.

One of the surprises of the tour — and not mentioned in any of the guide books we had brought with us — was the incredibly enormous video screens near the China National Museum.  Ever-changing scenes of China appear on the screens like this one of colorful rock formations . . .

and another one of the interior of a building in China.

Beautifully manicured grounds with unusual shrubbery line the square on all sides.  (Workers must be involved in upkeep around the clock, judging from size of the gardens!)

As we were about to leave Tiananmen to tour the Forbidden City, we spied another sight familiar in the U. S., at least in our big cities — a food truck with customers ready to purchase anything cold to drink! (I almost left our group to line up!)

As you can see, it was people, people, and more people in Tiananmen Square.  Our guide said that on any given day, there could be as many as 30,000 to 100,000 visitors. In fact, he told us, Tiananmen Square is more to some people than just a site to see — it’s almost a pilgrimage for the many who live in China and are now traveling for the first time since the economy has improved. Well, it was on our bucket list, too!

If you want to follow our journey from Beijing to Shanghai, just go to the page at the top marked China.  The links to other posts are there.  Thanks for traveling with us!

For more information:

Viking River Cruises — Imperial Jewels of China: http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/rivercruises/china-yangtze-beijing-shanghai-2013/itinerary.aspx

Recommended reading:

Eyewitness Travel (2011). Beijing and Shanghai. New York: DK Publishing. http://www.dk.com

These little stalls offered paper flowers, books, and long sticks bundled in beautiful paper. We later learned these were called joss sticks, a sort of incense-burning candle/stick combination so important to the worshipers who journey here from all over the world. But we still had no idea how they would be used until we got inside the Lama Temple.

We entered the grounds of the Lama Temple after buying our tickets.  This magnificently decorated portal (paifang) welcomed us to what some of our tour guides have said is the world’s largest and perhaps most renown Tibetan monastery in the world.

Originally built in the late 17th century to house the court’s eunuchs, it became the residence of Prince Yong who, in 1722, was named Emperor Yongzheng. When he ascended the throne, the palace became a home for Tibetan lamas. Monks still live within the monastery, guarding the treasures and directing the worship activities.

A quiet walkway led us to the five expansive halls filled with statues, murals, ornamentation, and many Buddhas.

Silence was all around — in the buildings and the courtyards where the fires were lit for worship.  People held the joss sticks in the fire, and then moved to the kneeling benches. Holding the sticks in front of their bodies, they closed their eyes, prayed, and then bowed three times before placing the burning sticks into the fire. We, too, stood still — silent and observant at the sight. It was hard to believe we were in a city of millions.

We looked up and around, taking in the buildings as well as the people visiting.  Blues blended with reds, and golden Sanskrit writing on the beams intrigued us, even though we had no idea what the words said or meant.

As a comment on the architecture, one of our guide books (Intercontinental’s Best of China) noted that many influences were involved: Han, Tibetan, Mongolian.

For the most part, roofs were the golden color of emperors and almost every corner was adorned with odd numbers of mythical creatures lined up parade-like to form an outward marching procession.  At the head of each glazed ceramic line-up, a man rides a phoenix to lead a variety of animals (nine at most) with a large, rather daunting, imperial dragon at the end.

The last building (and well worth the long walk to get there), the Pavilion of 10,000 Blessings, was the most notable of all, for it held a towering statue of Buddha standing 59 feet tall, carved from a single piece of white Tibetan sandalwood.  It really was magnificent.

(Since photography wasn’t allowed inside the buildings, we’re sharing the Guinness proof, just for the record!)

But one of our favorite shots may be even more telling.  It’s this one juxtaposing the newness of the glass and steel buildings so prevalent in crowded Beijing with the elegant lines of this traditional, well-preserved place of holiness.  The old in the midst of the new.

As we walked out, we noted the coins left in honor of the monks . . .

and one of the ornate creatures of this mysterious Far East culture.

We were thrilled to have been there to see the Lama Temple in Beijing!

For more information:

This blog is one in a series about a Viking River Cruise from Beijing to Shanghai.  To access the first post, It’s Panda-monium at the Beijing Zoo, click here. 

Viking River Cruises: Imperial Jewels of China: http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/rivercruises/china-yangtze-beijing-shanghai-2013/itinerary.aspx

Wikipedia article on Yonghe Temple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lama_Temple

Lonely Planet review of Lama Temple: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/beijing/sights/buddhist-temple/lama-temple

Recommended reading:

Law, Eugene (n.d.). Intercontinental’s best of China. China Intercontinental Press.