Some time to explore Cardiff in anticipation of Offa’s Dyke. A visit to Llandaff Cathedral, unfortunately damaged during World War II, a visit to the National Museum Of Welsh Life at St. Fagan finished with a visit to Cardiff Castle. All very busy in view of the upcoming Easter weekend and associated school breaks. The …
Freising, just northeast of Munich (near the airport), is also on the Isar. North of Munich the Isartal is much less dramatic than it is to the south, although it still follows a leg of the Jakobsweg. At Marzling the route heads inland past recently plowed farmland and small villages. After Altenhausen the route heads …
One of the reasons Thessaloniki was on my radar was its reported importance as a repository for Byzantine art – exceeding even Istanbul in importance. Although the frescoes in many churches were damaged by plastering over during their conversion to mosques, mosaics were uncovered and their condition was, if anything, improved by centuries of protection …
One day was not enough time to take in all that Straubing had to offer, though we did manage to make it to the Papal Basilica of St. James as well as churches of three orders, Jesuit, Carmelite and Ursuline, in Straubing. We did not get to the oldest church, the Romanesque Basilica of St. …
Another beautiful town but the real surprise was the Gäuboden Museum. (Gäuboden is the fertile plain between the Isar and the Danube, which is why the museum boasts 7000 years of history.) The first galleries are Neolithic and Bronze Age (including Celtic) finds. The second set of galleries cover the Roman period. Two more sets …
Mount Athos has strict rules and limits for entry but it also prohibits boats from approaching closer than 500 meters if women are on board! Still a fascinating journey.
Not just retsina by any stretch of the imagination: know and like Moschofilero, Assyrtiko and Agiorgitiko, but Xinomavro (red) and Malagouzia (white) were welcome new discoveries.