CestLaJu

Travel: Chocolate

01 May 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Germany, Travel Tags: Chocolate, Confectionery, Food, South America

It was time for me to leave my friend behind and move on to my next destination, backtracking to Koln. I will leave some closing thoughts about Hamburg, as stated by the famous John Lennon.

“I might have been born in Liverpool – but I grew up in Hamburg”.

When I arrived in Cologne, I was precariously short on sugar, so I started off in the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum. I learned about the origins of chocolate as discovered by conquistadors when they encountered the natives in South America. This history then progressed through the evolution of chocolate from a dark, bitter, drink for tribal nobles, to a sweet sugar-filled bite. It even included the methodology behind the harvesting and processing of chocolate, as well as the cult icons and products that have developed from this rich candy.

One of my favorite parts included the tropicarium, a carefully designed and maintained ‘greenhouse’ of sorts that can support the life cycle of the cacao tree.

It was definitely a sweet moment!

Travel: Pirate of Hamburg

01 May 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Childhood, Germany, Travel

I will leave you with an interesting tale about the infamous Pirate of Hamburg.

Klaus Stortebeker was originally a simple fisherman hired during a naval war to break the blockade that the Danish had besieged upon the Swedish capital of Stockholm. After the war ended however, he found that he enjoyed ‘pirating’ so much, that he continued to capture rich merchant vessels for their wealth. He was a fair man, however, and is known as the only Captain that split the loot equally with all his men, whereas most Captains tended to take up 50-60% of the goods, and left the rest for his men to squabble over. Klaus was even liked by the poor, he was seen as a ‘Robin Hood’ of sorts, and contributed his earnings to help fuel their meager living.

Unfortunately, in his overzealousness, he continued to capture the merchant ships of the Hanseatic League. They were never able to capture him, due to the speed of his ship. Instead, they played upon his character, by paying a spy to play a stranded seaman, Klaus, being the good man he was, welcomed the stranger on board. In their sleep, the spy arose to pour molten lead into the ship’s rudder, thereby rendering Klaus’s ship useless, and unable to escape capture when they saw the Hanseatic Navy on the horizon.

After being sentenced to death, him and his crew were marched naked through the streets of Hamburg. On this route, he tried to think of creative ways to avoid the fate of those that befell the guillotine. Upon crossing the Bridge of Sorrows, he shouted,

“Wait! If you let my men and I free, I will give you a gold chain that can wrap around the city twice!”

The magistrates did not believe him, and decided that even if this was plausible, they would find this treasury of gold after he died. Therefore, they rejected Klaus’s first proposal.

Klaus was running out of time, and as they reached the execution square, he mad a final attempt.

“Wait! If my headless body can walk past my men, let them go free.”

The magistrates replied that they would be more than interested in seeing his headless body march, and agreed to free as many men as he walked past. To the dismay of the executioner, after the severing of the head, Klaus’s body began to stroll past his men. Not 1, but 11 men were passed, before the executioner, in his rage, tripped the the body by throwing the executioner’s block in front of it’s feet.

When asked if he still had the energy to execute the remaining men, the executioner replied in jest, “Not only do I have enough energy to kill all of them, I have enough energy to kill all of you as well!”

In a rage, the senate sentenced him to death as well as Klaus’s men, including the 11 that his headless body had walked past.

Klaus’ Skull

That was an interesting story, no? I certainly enjoyed how it brought me back to a childhood in which such Myths and Legends seemed plausible. ^_^

Travel: Childhood in Hamburg

30 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Cars, Childhood, Germany, Travel Tags: Cars, Childhood, Formula One, Fun, Germany, Miniatur Wunderland, model railway

Trust me, you will appreciate this post when you read the posts to come. I feel a deep need to lighten the mood at this point in time, since the bulk of my future travels have an air of darkness about them.

I went to Miniatur Wunderland!! 😀 It is currently the largest in the world, and seeks to present a geographical, atmospherical, and socially accurate “mini-world”. It also holds the current World Record for the longest model railway tracks. Although it is not yet complete, 8 sections were available for me to scrutinize.

Honestly, I did not think I would be so fascinated, but the program allows for little secrets hidden within each world that you have to find. Like a dead body in the river, or a skiing accident, or a couple making love in a field of daisies! (I didn’t have all day, so I didn’t nearly use such precise scrutiny for each region). It’s like I got to travel the world in 2-hours without leaving the comfort of the building!

Here’s a game!

I will list the regions that are currently on exhibition:
I will provide one iconic picture for each nation:
First two to pair all 8 correctly, I’ll send you a postcard from my next destination ^_^ (Provided I have an address of course :P)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

A) United States

B) Austria

C) Germany

D) Hamburg

E) Knuffingen

F) Switzerland

G) Bayern

I then embrace my tomboy side by going to the Prototyp Museum to gawk at famous cars from Formula One racing history. (One of the many sports I wish I had time to pursue as a hobby, not to mention my bucket list includes restoring an old car and tricking it out).

Travel: Hamburg Friends

28 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Germany, Religion, Travel Tags: Beer, Church, Friends, Germany, Rathaus

Having taken an international and cross-disciplinary class that involved video conference calls across time zones, I managed to accumulate a variety of friends scattered around Europe. Unfortunately, the only country that my travel plans have been able to accommodate (given the time constraint) is the vast and diverse Germany. The first friend I visited is working now, so I did not approach Germany in a geographically efficient manner, and arrived on a sunday morning so I could spend the day with him.

It was amazingly relaxing to be shown the city by a local as I had no prior itinerary for Hamburg. We walked and caught up, and witnessed some pretty memorable sights along the way.

After the old city hall was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1842 (You will hear more about this later), it took 44 years to rebuild the current city hall. Seven architects who were led by Martin Haller designed it in the neo-renaissance style, and it cost an estimated 80 Million Euros.

The building continues to beguile the population even today, because a secret room was found in behind a file cabinet in 1971, so the room count is estimated t 647, but it is speculated that the Rathaus continues to keep some secrets.

Saint Michaelis is one of the five main Lutheran churches in Hamburg, and certainly the most famous. While the exterior is subtlety conservative, when you enter the doors, rare protestant opulence greets you. It dominates the city Skyline with its 132-meter spire that exemplifies classic Baroque architecture. Furthermore, it is hard to miss the iconic bronze statue that towers of the main entrance showing the Archangel conquering Satan in all his glory.

Hamburg did not used to have a lighthouse; it was therefore necessary that a lighted boat guide the ships to safe harbor. Every night, this boat would venture into the darkness of the endless sea and light the way for weary travelers.

We relaxed at the end of our day by strolling along the Reeperbahn, so named because the older ropewalks were relocated in the 1620s to this region. This is distinctly demonstrated by the Low German phrases of Reep, meaning rope, and Bahn, meaning track.

It is also Hamburg’s district for nightlife with Bars and Clubs on one street, and the Red Light Distract just a mere street over. A large variety of strip clubs, brothels, and sex shops line the street in a blatant manner. This is also the historic area for some of Europe’s oldest and most renowned brothels, such as Dollhouse, Luxor, and the Eros Center; although all have closed down due to the economy or the 1980s aids scare.

I enjoyed a local Hamburg beer called Astra. Beer is not normally to my taste, but when in Germany. 🙂

Travel: The Madonna

27 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Art, France, Travel

Lastly, one cannot emerge from the gorgeous city of Paris without a visit to the Louvre, the infamous resting place of Leonardo Da Vinci’s mysterious Mona Lisa.

The style in which he painted her mouth is beguiling; it is this ambiguity that has continued to fascinate art historians to this day. Furthermore, despite widespread speculation as to the namesake of the individual in the picture, if Da Vinci painted his mother, or if he used his own likeness as a model.

Don’t discount the other amazing works of art housed in this museum though; a large and diverse collection of other ethnic arts is available to drown your eyes in! We detoured from the ‘Madonna’ to revel in the artistry of other cultures. I’ve included just a glimpse of what we covered.

Islamic Art

Egyptian Art: A Mummy!

And with that, I bid Au Revoir to Paris. My mother’s vacation was at an end and she returned home to continue with her job. On the other hand, I continued my journey through Europe by taking a ‘sleeper’ train for the first time to visit a good friend in Hamburg, Germany!

It was fascinating learning about the cultures of everyone sharing the sleeper cabin with me; it ended up being a minor United Nations of sorts, with the countries of Chechnya, Russia, Finland, Afghanistan, and Romania being present. Unfortunately, the Chechnyan did not speak English and was unable to partake in our discourse.

Topics of conversation ranged from Global Warming, to the International Economy, and then reaching home for everyone as we started to discuss the plagues of unemployment, government corruption, and the struggles of the lower classes in our respective countries. It was a truly educational experience that served to broaden my mind on the opinions of others with respect to US foreign policy, and the challenges of politics within the borders of nations trying to find their footholds under more democratic oriented leadership.

Travel: The Opulence of Versailles

26 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Architecture, France, Travel Tags: Extravagence, France, French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, Palace of Versailles, Paris, Revolution, Taxation

Since we previously had two gorgeous days in Paris, we had anticipated nice weather for our day-trip to Versailles. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and we were ill prepared for the onslaught of wind and drizzle, forcing us to cut our Chateau visit short. We did manage to tour the main palace before concluding that it was too miserable outside for us to trek across the gardens to the more secluded dwellings at the back of the estate.

In understanding the history that precluded Versailles, from its humble beginnings as hunting lodge, it is easy to comprehend the beauty that drove Louis XIV to construct a palace here. Despite the carefully maintained landscape, one can envision the natural wilderness that once had a place in this town.

At the time, it was a defiance of how the royal family typically resided. It was tradition for the family to travel to and fro from amongst the households of its nobles, and smaller residences scattered about the country; a manner of putting the monarchy on display. The building of the extravagant Versailles put a stop to this.

The most important part of living at the main palace was etiquette, a defined manner of greeting, conversation, and room organizing must be maintained by both the royal family and visiting nobles. The closer each room was to the royal bedroom, spoke of how dear or high-positioned the individual in that apartment was.

My favorite room was the Hall of Mirrors (although I suspect that I would have preferred the Hall of Battles, which was unfortunately closed due to limited manpower). You can see the sparkle of the room as the chandeliers play off of the expanse of reflecting surfaces generously scattered along the corridor. This room is still used for diplomatic functions and state dinners, almost makes me motivated to find a diplomat to marry just so I have the opportunity to waltz about this grand gallery!

Upon entering, it is simple to comprehend the vast amounts of taxation that citizens were burdened with for Louis’ vision to emerge. It is not difficult for me to understand why this resulted in the fuse for the dynamite of the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette lived a privileged yet lonely existence here, as her husband who preferred to focus his energy on his hobby of hunting neglected her. Unfortunately, in the end she was seen as a symbol for the failed French Monarchy and put to the guillotine in 1793 after spending several weeks in a cell at the Conciergerie Prison.

What are your thoughts on Marie Antoinette? Did she deserve her sentence as wife of the King? Or was she just as culpable for the suffering of the peasants through her extravagant lifestyle?

Travel: Classic Paris Sites

25 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Architecture, Art, France, Religion, Travel Tags: Cathedral, Cezanne, Champ de Mars, Claude Monet, Eiffel Tower, Engineering, Musée d'Orsay, Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, Van Gogh, Victor Hugo

I promise, this is the last church that I visited in France! Of course, it is the infamous Notre Dame; the building that inspired Victor Hugo’s classic novel with a hunchback as the protagonist who watched medieval Paris life occur from afar. The sprawling gothic architecture is unique, and it is not difficult to revel in the stark contrast these dark creatures present against the sunny skyline.

The one flaw in climbing the tours however, was how incredibly jam-packed it was. There was little to no room to maneuver, and the entire walkway was enclosed within a 3” x 3” wire mesh. I can’t even imagine partaking in this during the summer!

While I understand the safety precautions, it took some strategic planning to get good photographs devoid of this interference.

The statues also reminded me of a classic Warner Brothers cartoon called the Gargoyles. It was ‘back in the days’ of my youth, and I’m sure it is no longer a recognizable cartoon or brand. I enjoyed it though! It told the story of good versus evil gargoyles that could only continue their battle within the confines of darkness. If sunrise hit, they returned to their stony state.

We then headed to the Orsay Museum; it has a diverse collection of impressionist paintings, and documents the progression of this art. Once again, no photos allowed. Some of my favorite artists were on display, such as Van Gogh, Manet, Monet, and Cezanne.

As dusk approached, we decided to breath in the crisp Paris air, and swing by the triumphal arch to witness the largest roundabout in the world. Interesting Fact: Insurance companies no longer debate claims when an accident occurs here, to save time and headaches they now just split the damage costs 50/50.

Strolling to the Eiffel Tower took longer than expected. Fortunately, we arrived just as the sun dipped below the horizon. This allowed for a large array of photographic shots documenting the vibrancy of the lights with respect to the darkening sky.

(I almost lost mother in the crowd, she is about a head shorter than me and quite difficult to locate even in a supermarket)

Opting not to wait in line and pay the high lift prices, We managed to climb to the 2^nd level platform (a LOT of stairs) and witness some breathtaking views of the city, and particularly the Champ de Mars at night.

On the hike up, I took some time to have a nerd moment and admire the forethought required in the difficult connections. It’s interesting to consider the complexity of the geometry and how the designers engineered all the steel elements to puzzle together in just the right formation.

What comes to mind when you think of Paris? Have you been to any of these places? How have the inspired you?

Travel: Latin Quarter of Paris

24 Apr 2013 1 Comment

by PhoenixKaio in France, Religion, Travel

In all theory, I have had more than my fill of churches by this point of my trip. However it is hard to avoid iconic religious architecture that attests to the strength of faith in those that aspired to build it. The bulk of what we explored exists in the Latin Quarter, a section of Paris that is rich in history.

The first part of our day included a visit to the Pantheon. It was a church built as a promise by King Louis XV should he recover from his illness. Consequently, it replaced the ruined church of the Abbey of St Genevieve and was completed in 1790. Unfortunately, the renowned architect, Jacques-Germain Soufflot did not live to see its completion. It is a prime example of early neoclassicism, and has been modified to be a secular mausoleum that houses the remains of distinguished french citizens. Some of the tombs include, Marie Curie, Louis Braille, Alexandre Dumas, and Victor Hugo.

After that, we made a detour stop to Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church which contains the reliquary of Sainte-Geneviève. She is the patron saint of Paris, and is said to have led a prayer marathon that saved Paris by diverting Attilla’s Huns away from the city.

On the way to the last church of our day, we passed through Place Saint-Michel. This area has always been a convening area for students to discuss social life, entertainment, and most importantly politics. It has a history of being the starting spot for insurrections, and even the centre around which famous authors, such a Hemingway, participated in intellectual discourse.

The final church was Sainte-Chapelle, a Rayonnant style building – an offshoot of traditional Gothic Architecture – built to house Louis IX‘s collection of relics of Christ, one of which supposedly included the Crown of Thorns. Louis’ artistic and architectural patronage of Catholicism, and particularly this Church helped to position him as the central monarch of western Christendom.

We then made a stop at the nearby Conciergerie which was formerly a royal palace, but was modified to be a prison. For hundreds of prisoners from the French Revolution, this was their last residence prior to being marshalled at court, sentenced, and guillotined. It’s most famous resident was Marie Antoinette, who spent her last few days in a cell there.

The quality of life of the prisoners was based mainly on their personal wealth, and the whims of the jailers who watched over them.

Travel: Roman Ruins of Provence

22 Apr 2013 1 Comment

by PhoenixKaio in Architecture, France, Travel Tags: Architecture, France, Pax Romana, Provence, Roman Empire, Ruins

I just finished the France part of my trip, so I am back-posting amid a week of spotty WiFi. I legitimately had to get something at McDonald’s every night so that I could coordinate the next leg of my trip, leaving not so much time to keep my posts regular. I spent a few day’s traipsing the Roman Ruins in Provence.

Provence’s history dates back to the Roman Era in which it was the first province they established beyond the Alps. The outstanding architecture that still exists today is best attributed to the Pax Romana, a movement initiated by Caesar Augustus that was seen a period of peace and minimal expansion by military forces. It lasted from about 27 BC to 180 AD, a length of two centuries.

It is not hard to see the distinct culture of this heritage-filled region, and the lasting impact that the Romans have had; from the Aqueducts, to the Temples, to the Theaters their construction methodology is precise to a tee, this has enabled the structures to last thousands of years with little weathering. This is in sharp contrast to the asian-style of construction, if you’ve ever been to the Great Wall, the rocks are jagged, disproportionate and merely thrown together in a pile, some of the slopes require you to hike up an 80 degree grade!

Arena of Nimes

Just imagine when this immense arena was used to proclaim the glory of Rome through the battles of gladiators versus beasts!

BullFighting

Interestingly enough, I did not get the opportunity to watch bullfighting when I was in Spain, but the Nimes Arena is now a popular attraction for it, and we managed to watch the youngsters take on ferocious bulls. We did not expect, however, that they would actually slaughter the poor creatures, it turned out to be a pretty gory experience

Maison Carree

Pont-Du-Gard

Theatre Antique d’Orange

Travel: Montjuic

20 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Art, History, Spain, Travel

I had originally planned to take a day trip to the Pyrenees Mountains in order to explore the smaller mountain villages and the ancient Monastery of Montserrat. However, taking a bus trip is generally unappetizing for my family given that we have ventured to China, the Southwestern United States, and Japan in this manner previously, and dislike the lack of freedom and spontaneity it results in. Additionally, I would love to hike from the border of Spain into the border of France, and I simply don’t have the time at this moment.

Taking a more leisurely day, we took the Funicular up to the Montjuic Park, where we perused the galleries of the Joan Miro Foundation, one of my mom’s admired artists. Admittedly, despite understanding the progression of his style, and how he sought to veer away from traditional practices, I still don’t quite comprehend his aesthetic.

Joan Miro is a multifaceted artist of Catalonian heritage he is known as being a painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.

His work is best interpreted as Surrealism, a simplified style representative of the subconscious mind; It is childlike in form. This stemmed from his contempt for convention and his view that it supported a bourgeois society.

As usual, no pictures were allowed, it was quite an interesting showcase however.

We then hopped a bus further up the ‘mountain’ to explore the ruins of Montjuic Castle, a fortress overlooking a cliff on the eastern side. It is a fortress that dates from the early 17th century. It was loyal to the Madrid Government and thereby shelled the city in 1842. The history of this military structure includes the use of it as a holding cell for political prisoners, and the numerous executions that occurred on sight. It is most popularly recognized for an 1897 incident known as Els processos de Montjuïc which prompted the execution of anarchist supporters leading to a repression of worker civil liberties. During the Spanish Civil War, both Nationalists and Republicans were executed there, each at the time when the site was held by their opponents. (Thanks Wikipedia, not much information was available on site).

Due to our travel plans that involve crossing into France early in the morning, we called it a day, and took a bus back to the city catching splendid views of the Palau Nacional on the way back. This also gave me some time to make a focused effort at catching up with my blog entries. Some nights, after a day of avid exploring, I am simply too exhausted to write as much as I’d like, preferring to simply read or watch TV instead.