Category Archives: Posts from the road

A Tranquil Day

(Mostar, Bosnia & Herzergovina)

After some gritty images in my last two posts, I’m looking at a more tranquil side of Herzegovinian life today.

I began by visiting the nearby village of Blagaj.  To be honest, I had never heard of it before coming here.  However, I wanted to explore outside of Mostar and Blagaj was the only vaguely touristy place that I could reach by public transportation.  I had hoped to go on a group excursion to see an assortment of local attractions but there were no spaces available.

Of course, the journey is often just as important as the destination.  I had to take a local bus to get to Blagaj.  When it’s not your country and not your language, something as simple as taking the local bus becomes a real adventure.  Finding and figuring out the bilingual (Croatian/Bosnian) city bus schedule, for a Sunday, proved to be a worthy challenge.

Alas, the bus was late and a local gentleman began asking me questions about Blagaj in Bosnian (or was it Croatian?).  I was glad to be mistaken for a local, but could only mutter “Engleski?” in response.  He shrugged and walked away.  Hoping that nothing was wrong with the bus, I boarded it apprehensively a few minutes later when it finally pulled up to the bus stop.  The bus driver sure seemed determined to make up for lost time, so I held on tight and hoped that the bus had functioning brakes.  I hopped off the bus at what seemed to be a more-or-less central location in Blagaj and began to explore.

The Tekija in Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Tekija in Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

As it turns out, Blagaj really has only one major attraction:  the Tekija, a “monastery” for Turkish dervishes.  I had to remove my shoes and leave them outside, as per the custom for Muslim buildings (I have to do the same thing in my hotel).  TheTekija was peaceful and well-suited for quiet contemplation.  It also has a spectacular setting:  immediately below a cliff face, out of which roars a turbulent river.  So turbulent, in fact, that a number of the nearby restaurants had their patio seating (unintentionally) under water.  I took a few pictures and, after a cursory look around downtown Blagaj, managed to find my way back to Mostar.

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The Tekija, the Buna River, a very large rock, and an almost submersed bridge (Blagaj, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

After buying and writing some postcards, I decided to do something that I have never done before:  visit a mosque and climb to the top of its minaret.  The Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque in Mostar is a national monument, so non-Muslims are allowed to go inside, to climb the minaret, and even to take pictures (something I confirmed with the attendant, as this is usually not the case).  They even allow you to keep your shoes on, as a special covering is on the floor where tourists walk.  The mosque was relatively austere inside; like almost all religious buildings in Mostar, it had to be rebuilt after the war.

Inside the mosque
Inside the mosque

The climb to the top of minaret was quite a challenge.  Very narrow, very steep, very circular, and even very wet as you neared the top.  Reverting to a legal frame of mind, I briefly considered the liability issues.  When I finally emerged from the stairs, there was a frighteningly narrow viewing platform that was drowning in at least one inch of water.  I’m so glad that I bought waterproof hiking shoes for this trip!  Holding on tightly to the railing and taking very small and splooshy steps, I then enjoyed the most fantastic 360′ view of Mostar (the photo at the top of today’s blog post is from here).  Of course, my sensations may have been “heightened” by the challenging conditions I endured to get to and move around the top of the minaret.

Mostar's East Bank, from the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque's minaret
Mostar’s East Bank, from the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque’s minaret

All in all, it was a mostly peaceful day.  However, I readily admit that it might not have been so peaceful for somebody with a fear of heights, water, watery heights, enclosed spaces and/or excess speed.  There is always another side of the story, even when visiting tranquil sites!

Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque (Mostar) - was the minaret really leaning that much?
Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque (Mostar) – was the minaret really leaning that much?

Mostar

(Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

From Sarajevo, it is a 3-hour bus ride south through the mountains to the historic city of Mostar.

Like many communities in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Mostar is known to many people only as the scene of horrific fighting during the war of the early 1990s.   It had a remarkable 400+ year-old bridge but that too was destroyed during the recent conflict.   The bridge has since been rebuilt in accordance with the original design (see above) and using the same materials.  Many hoped that this highly symbolic reconstruction would accelerate the patching up of relations between the former adversaries.  I’ll return to this question later.

But first – some background information on the conflict in the Mostar area.  At the beginning of the war, the Bosnian Serbs were essentially driven out of the city by the combined Bosniak (Muslim) and Bosnian Croat forces.  However, conflict then arose between the Bosniaks and Croats.  The Bosniaks controlled the east side of the Neretva River, while the Croats controlled most of the west side.  In 1993, the worst year of fighting, the bridge was destroyed.  The cemeteries are filled with those who perished that year.

Looking down Onešćukova ulica in Mostar's old town
Looking down Onešćukova ulica in Mostar’s old town

Even after only one day here, it seems to me that Mostar was affected by the war even more than Sarajevo.  Many buildings in the city still lie in ruins, although some tremendous restoration work has been done.  The old town is an incredibly picturesque place, with narrow, twisting streets and stairways and bridges leading in all directions.  The old bridge truly is something to behold – both as a sight to be seen from a distance and as something to cross.  The views from the bridge itself are also spectacular.

View from the old bridge in Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
View from the old bridge in Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

There are quaint restaurants appearing all over the “tourist zone” – and, if you avoid one notorious area with great views but poor food, there are restaurants that even locals can recommend.   It also is even cheaper than Sarajevo, although I think that many restaurants are still out of reach of the average local resident.  As you can see from the photographs, there is a purely aesthetic reason that tourists are showing up here in increasing numbers.

However, Mostar is not as big as Sarajevo (the capital) and does not have as many foreign residents.  There are fewer buffers and intermediaries.  As a result, the “war reminders” that I described in my posting on the Sarajevo Siege seem even more intense here.  Despite the undeniable beauty and the reconciliation efforts that have been made by both sides, one still feels tension.  Of course, I just might be more aware of it now that I’ve been in the country for a few days.

Hotel Neretva - luxury hotel destroyed in the early 1990s and still standing on the riverfront (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Hotel Neretva – luxury hotel destroyed in the early 1990s (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

As a result of this tension, I’m glad that I splurged a little on my accommodations.  It’s very peaceful and relaxing, as I’m staying in a mansion that was originally built during the Ottoman period by a wealthy family.   It is a “national monument” with impenetrable walls that started as a museum and subsequently became a hotel as well.   My room is furnished (with original items!) as it was a century ago.  There are “curtains” around my bed, oriental carpets, a ceiling intricately carved out of wood (!), and arches over each of my 5 windows.  If you want to see more pictures and details, check out the website at http://www.muslibegovichouse.com.

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Muslibegovic House in Mostar – my room is on the 2nd floor (1st floor in Europe), closest to the camera.

The Siege of Sarajevo

(Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

I went on a guided tour today that was based on “The Siege of Sarajevo”.  The city was besieged for almost 4 years in the early 1990s, until an internationally-facilitated peace accord finally stopped the hostilities throughout the new nation of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

I am really trying to avoid taking sides or politicizing this blog.   However, I should provide at least a little bit of non-contentious, factual background to help contextualize what I’ll be seeing on this trip.  There are many stories arising from the Bosnian conflict of 1992-1995; today, I’ll just focus on the Siege of Sarajevo.  I also won’t speculate on the causes, the blame, or any of the external issues that affected the conflict.

Bosnia & Herzegovina was one of the independent nations that emerged from the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991-2.  While there is at least one exception (Kosovo was part of Serbia when Yugoslavia was still united), each independent nation that exists today was originally a republic within Yugoslavia prior to its breakup.  Bosnia & Herzegovina was somewhat different, though, as it contained significant populations of three major religious groups:  Bosnian Croats (Catholic), Bosnian Serbs (Orthodox), and Bosniaks (Muslims).  Ethnically and linguistically, these groups are basically identical.  They have also lived together for many hundreds of years with very few disputes.  However, from 1992-1995, these groups were in conflict.

During the Siege, Sarajevo was virtually surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces.  Life in Sarajevo during the Siege was very hard and there was no real connection to the outside world.  Imagine not taking a bath or shower for 3 years because there was no running water (or electricity, for that matter) and no access to the rivers…but there were much more serious dangers.

Looking northeast from Sarajevo
Looking northeast from Sarajevo

Our guide talked extensively about the snipers positioned throughout the mountains surrounding Sarajevo.  Because the mountains are so close (the city is actually located on the lower slopes), venturing outside one’s home raised the very real possibility of death or grievous injury from sniper fire.  You basically lived in your basement and hoped to survive until tomorrow.  Our guide was a teenager at the time and lost both his grandmother and uncle, as well as numerous cousins, to such sniper fire.  His childhood best friend was killed by a grenade.   Over 11,500 Sarajevans, of all “groups”, died during the Siege.

View from mountains above Sarajevo (note cemetery at centre left)
View from mountains above Sarajevo (note cemetery)

As the war went on, the besieged city eventually became tenuously connected to the outside world through the daring construction of an 800 metre long tunnel under the UN-controlled airport.  We walked through a small portion of the narrow tunnel (1.0 by 1.6 metres) – it was hard enough without carrying 70 kg of supplies or dealing with the deep water that flooded the tunnel.  However, even if you could get to the tunnel entrance and then make it through the tunnel itself, you still needed to cross a further kilometre of extremely dangerous land before reaching an area that could be considered “safe”.

The Tunnel Museum (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
The Tunnel Museum (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina), end of the tunnel and pockmarked by bullets

After viewing the tunnel, we went back into the mountains where snipers were based…and where the 1984 Winter Olympic bobsled and luge events were held.  It was startling to see the sports facilities lying in such desolation.  They haven’t been used since the war started, nor have they been maintained.  The mountain lifts, hotels and restaurants were shattered concrete shells that were being swallowed up by the encroaching weeds and forest (the photo at the top of this post is actually the top station of a cable car).  Our guide took us to a place where we could safely walk down the crumbling bobsled track for about 15 minutes.   Instead of being invigorating, however, it felt dangerous…almost like the war was still going on.  The mountain was silent, abandoned, and shrouded by wild vegetation and a thick mist.  It was impossible to conceive of this spot being the site of a joyous Olympic celebration.

1984 Olympic bobsled run (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
1984 Olympic bobsled run (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

We saw and heard much more.  We began to lose track of the cemeteries, explosion sites and “former buildings”.  Yet this was only one location:  similar stories, with different parties and roles, occurred throughout the dissolving Yugoslavia.  It was hard to reconcile this with the safe and comfortable feeling I had yesterday in downtown Sarajevo.

Looking for some balance, I treated myself to a nice dinner afterwards.  I can’t imagine facing the reminders of this conflict on a daily basis…but, despite ongoing reconstruction efforts, that is precisely what many residents of Bosnia & Herzegovina still do.

Finish line at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics
Finish line at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics

 

Greetings from Bosnia & Herzegovina

(Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

I will admit that my decision to visit Bosnia & Herzegovina (“BiH” for short, as they write it here) elicited some surprised looks, for those who knew about my travel plans.  It’s not a place that has a high tourism profile in Canada.  I will also admit that upon arrival my first impressions were lukewarm at best:  the weather was rainy, the airport was dark and the ride downtown from the airport was uninspiring.  I saw lots of crumbling buildings from the communist era and even my (nice) hotel didn’t inspire a lot of confidence from the outside.   I decided to take a nap, as I really hadn’t slept on the overnight flight to Vienna.

However, once I woke up, walking one block from my hotel made me feel a whole lot better.   After making my way through “Pigeon Square” (pictured above), I saw a completely different Sarajevo.  The old town is a compelling mix of  Ottoman and Central European influences.  At times, I felt like I was in Istanbul, while at others I could have been in Austria or northern Italy.   One key difference is that Sarajevo is markedly cheaper than any of those other places.  One can live and eat very well here, on a Canadian budget.  I had a very nice meal in a rustic old town restaurant that would have cost at least twice as much (if not more) in Rome.

Stari Grad (Old City) of Sarajevo
Stari Grad (Old City) of Sarajevo

After dinner, even though the sun was long gone, it seemed like the whole town was out for a walk in the (very large) pedestrian district.  I heard many different languages and saw many different styles of dress.  I felt completely safe and it was very peaceful in the soft light and soft rain.

Sarajevo at night (minaret and clock tower)
Sarajevo at night (minaret and clock tower)

Of course, there is a flip side.  BiH has unemployment that, depending on your source, could be approaching 40%.  The unemployed young people seem to be somewhat restless.  The history and cultural diversity that makes it such a fascinating place to visit can also make it vulnerable…as we saw during the tragic events of the 1990s.

I’m glad that I had a pleasant evening here and saw how BiH could work well.  Tomorrow, I am going on a guided tour concerning the Siege of Sarajevo and will undoubtedly hear some different perspectives on BiH’s recent history.

Another Unexpected Detour

(Belleville, Ontario, Canada)

Today was another example of how you just have to roll with it when you are travelling.

As I had been itching to get out on the road again, we drove to the nearby city of Belleville.   Our “excuse” was that today was Record Store Day and the last remaining Sam The Record Man store is located in Belleville.  Record Store Day now receives a lot of mainstream press, so I don’t think I need to describe it in detail.  In brief:  it is a celebration of independent record stores and more specifically the vinyl record format.  Lots of unique and rare records are released on Record Store Day…and only to independent record stores.  You won’t find these records at big box stores.

Alas, none of Sam’s Record Store Day offerings appealed to me.  We headed downtown to grab some lunch (Thai House – very good) and to see if there was any music of interest at the nearby used CD/record store.  While their vinyl offerings were uninspiring, we stumbled upon a DVD entitled “Radio Revolution:  The Rise and Fall of the Big 8”.   This DVD chronicles the fascinating history of Windsor’s CKLW radio station…a history that I knew nothing about, as that station essentially died in 1984 and I didn’t get involved in radio for another couple of years.  If you have any interest whatsoever in the history of Canadian radio, you’ll enjoy this documentary.

I met my wife at CFRC (Queen’s University Radio) in the late 1980s.  My band first got airplay there and I was actually interviewed as a musician there before becoming a programmer.  Once I passed my broadcast test, CFRC became the place to hang out between classes…and pretty much any other time.  It had interesting people and a hundred thousand records – what more could you ask for?  While I didn’t spend quite as much time at the station after (finally) finishing my studies at Queen’s, I ended up broadcasting at CFRC for 17 years.  Many of our closest friends today first came into our lives at CFRC (including the guy who helped me set up this blog!).

This documentary vividly brought back the characters, the fun and even the technology of our radio days.  What a special opportunity we had – all this music, with almost complete freedom to play whatever we wanted and to do so with as much creativity as we could muster.  We met some famous musicians as well as many more not-so-famous musicians.  All of them had a soft spot for grassroots radio; in fact, many of them had worked at stations just like ours.   Whevener I meet a musician today, my radio station experience is invariably the common ground.

City Hall (Belleville, Ontario)
City Hall (Belleville, Ontario)

I had hoped to take some spring photos on the way back to Kingston but fate intervened again.  The “CHECK ENGINE” light appeared in our car and we thought it would be best to get back to Kingston without stopping.  Of course, I have no regrets – our earlier-than-expected arrival in Kingston allowed us to watch the radio documentary almost right away.

Physically, then, it was a trip to Belleville.  In reality, however, it turned out be a trip through my broadcasting past (via Windsor!)…and a reminder of just how important radio has been in my life.

Stay tuned for what will undoubtedly be some very exciting adventures as I fly on Tuesday (with a stopover in Vienna, Austria) to my next destination!

The Pentagon

(Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)

A couple of months ago, I applied to take a tour of the Pentagon.  You need to apply at least 6 weeks (preferably more) in advance…and then you wait.  You are screened for security reasons and, if approved, only receive notification of that approval 1-2 days before your requested tour date.

It was by no means a sure thing.  After all, the Pentagon is the command centre of the U.S. military and is a highly sensitive facility.  Not being an American citizen, I didn’t expect my visit to be a priority for the Pentagon.  However, shortly after arriving in Washington, I found out that my application had been approved and that I would be able to take the tour.  After passing through an airport-style security check, I was in the Pentagon and about to begin my tour with a group of students from Georgia (the state) and a family from the U.K.

The tour is not for the feeble.  You walk almost constantly for just under an hour.  You cannot stop, not even for a drink of water.  The leader walks backward throughout the tour to keep an eye on the group, with a second “leader” following at the rear to ensure that the group keeps moving and remains intact.

The Pentagon is huge.  23,000 people work there, consisting of 7,000 officers, 4,000 enlisted personnel and 12,000 civilians.  At one point, we were walking down a hallway that was more than 3 football fields long.  The Pentagon is essentially a self-sustaining city; once inside, it almost feels like you are in a suburban mall…except that almost every customer is in uniform and is striding with an unusually strong sense of purpose.

Much of the commentary consisted of general information about the various branches of the U.S. military.  We did not visit many specific sites within the complex, although we did see the internal memorial to the 184 victims of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.   It is located at the point of the plane’s impact.  To get there, we walked down a hallway (now completely rebuilt) that was wiped out by the plane after it first struck the building.  At one point, we even saw some scorch marks on a wall that were left by the burning aircraft once it came to a halt.  We also learned that the death toll would have been much higher (perhaps several thousand more), but the area hit by the aircraft was being renovated at the time and most of the personnel from that area had been relocated.

For obvious reasons, photography is prohibited inside the Pentagon except in the tightly-controlled visitor centre (see photo at the top of this post).  Outside, photography is not allowed either, except at the 9/11 Memorial.

9/11 Memorial, just outside the Pentagon
Entrance to the 9/11 Memorial, just outside the Pentagon

The external 9/11 Memorial does not require pre-approval; anybody can visit it without making advance arrangements.  The Memorial consists of one “bench” for every victim (one of whom was only 3 years old) of the attack.  The angle of each “bench” is 43 degrees, being the plane’s angle at the moment of impact.  As each victim’s name and year of birth is part of the Memorial, the tragedy is personalized.   I saw that 5 of the victims were my age; each one was a member of the military and would have been working at the Pentagon when the plane struck.

9/11 Memorial just outside the Pentagon
9/11 Memorial just outside the Pentagon

After visiting the site of one of the 9/11 attacks, any discussion of the remainder of my day can’t help but seem rather inconsequential.  Among many other things, the Pentagon visit reminded me how much the world changed on that day in 2001 and what a profound and continuing effect it has had on our American neighbours in particular.

The National Mall Marathon

(Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)

I went a little crazy today on Washington’s National Mall.

First up was a tour of the U.S. Capitol building (pictured above).  This is similar to Canada’s Parliament buildings, with a lot more marble.  I had to apply for this in advance and, given all of the security and complicated logistics, the tour itself was somewhat underwhelming.  It’s a remarkable building but, after a 15 minute video, the tour itself was barely 30 minutes long and was extremely crowded.  The tour nonetheless reinforced how Canada and the U.S.A. arose from very different circumstances and how those differences continue to shape our respective countries today.

Upper lobby at the Library of Congress
Upper lobby at the Library of Congress

Already growing weary of the security measures at every site, I took advantage of the fact that I could take a shortcut tunnel to the Library of Congress and not go through another metal detection process.  The Library of Congress is another opulent structure with a couple of special items…including an original Gutenberg bible.  Oh yes, it also contains basically every book,  recording and document ever published.

Reading Room at the Library of Congress
Reading Room at the Library of Congress

Growing hungry, I remembered that the nearby National Museum of the American Indian had a very highly regarded cafeteria.  I decided to eat food from the Northern Woodlands; my main course was maple-brined turkey with cherry marmalade and it was very good.  I’m really glad that I decided to see the museum after lunch, as it had extensive displays from not only the U.S. but also from indigenous peoples throughout North and South America.

There were some common themes in the exhibits – in particular, a number of different groups had philosophies based on the four points of the compass.  In fact, the Anishinaabe of Manitoba have a legend about a man who travels extensively in each of the four directions in order to bring wisdom back to a tribe that has lost its way.  I have come across the theme of travel as a valuable means of learning quite a bit recently.

Next up was a visit to the top of the Old Post Office building.  With the Washington Monument closed, this was a good alternative way to see the National Mall from above.

National Archives (Washington, D.C.)
National Archives (Washington, D.C.)

From there, I dashed over to the National Archives.  The chief attractions there were a trio of original American documents (the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution) and an original Magna Carta from the 13th century.  While it was great to see these “star attractions”, there were also many other worthwhile items.  I particularly enjoyed the exhibit on “signatures” – it turns out even celebrities like to get autographs from other celebrities!

I was getting quite tired by this point, but nonetheless proceeded to the National Air & Space Museum as it was open late.  It was sobering to see the nuclear missiles (both Soviet and American) as well as the spacecraft from the Apollo/Soyuz joint mission of the mid-1970s.   Other notable exhibits included an actual lunar landing module and a series of photographs from Mars.

Lunar landing probe (National Museum of Air and Space)
Lunar landing module (National Museum of Air and Space)

Objectively, this was probably too much sightseeing for one day.  However, all of the above sights are free and are located within easy walking distance of one another.   I am treating this as a “first cut” at Washington:  Louise and I will undoubtedly return before long, so I now have some ideas about what deserves a closer second look and what is of relatively lesser interest.

I’m very excited about tomorrow.  I’ll be exploring a new (museum-free) neighbourhood…and finally seeing something special that I began setting up two months ago!

Washington D.C.!

(Washington, District of Columbia, U.S.A.)

From the capital of the ancient Roman Empire…to the capital of the modern American Empire!

Many other commentators have drawn analogies between ancient Rome and modern America, so I won’t rehash them here.  However, it is fascinating to see so many glorious monuments to America and wonder if they will suffer the same fate as the glorious monuments of Rome.

I started my tour with a visit to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.  The Smithsonian is not just one museum…it is a collection of many huge museums that cannot possibly be seen in one trip to Washington.  I chose this one to start, as I thought it would be interesting to see how Americans see themselves and what they consider to be important in their history.

There were extensive displays on food, transportation, the Civil War, and the office of the President, to name a few.   Having just watched a movie called “The Butler” that incorporated a number of key civil rights events, it was fascinating to see a Woolworths lunch counter from Greensboro, N.C.  In the early 1960s, this counter (and others like it throughout the South) was the location of nasty confrontations between civil rights advocates and segregationists.  Taken out of that context, the lunch counter looks very mundane but it also illustrates how pervasive segregation really was.

Segregated seating from Greensboro NC Woolworths
Segregated seating from Greensboro NC Woolworths

Moving forward a few years, a single display included Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves, Bob Dylan’s leather jacket and Archie Bunker’s chair!

With the thermometer pushing 20’C, I spent the rest of the afternoon outside.  I saw the White House and took the top photo but it was (understandably) difficult to get too close.  Similarly, the towering Washington Monument was understandably closed as the damage from the 2011 earthquake has not yet been completely repaired.  It should be open again later this year.  I really wasn’t expecting an earthquake to impact my DC sightseeing.

Washington Monument, as seen from the Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
Washington Monument, as seen from the Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)

I was able to get very close to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  At first glance, it is underwhelming…a black marble V cut into a small slope.  However, its power derives from the fact that every single American fatality in Vietnam is listed on the monument.  It is relentless.  Seeing the individual names reinforces the sheer scale of the conflict and personalizes the losses in a way that mere numbers cannot.

Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)

Finally, I stopped by the Lincoln Memorial.  It is a much more traditional monument and it is very popular with visitors.  It was also the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech; the speech location is clearly marked on the monument steps.

Inside the Lincoln Memorial
Inside the Lincoln Memorial

After dinner at a Pakistani restaurant in the unusually-named neighbourhood of Foggy Bottom, I returned to my hotel and updated my plans for the next couple of days.  I’ve just received some very good news about Thursday and need to adjust my schedule as a result.

A Farewell to Venice

(Venice, Italy)

After leaving Cortina d’Ampezzo, I still had one day in Venice before returning to Canada.  One of my ski friends suggested that we visit the Palazzo Ducale (known in English as the Doge’s Palace), so we managed to squeeze that in before the palace closed for the day.

I hadn’t researched the Palazzo Ducale much, as I didn’t think I would have a chance to visit it…but I’m really glad that we did.  The palace was the headquarters of the Venetian Republic, which had influence and lands far beyond present-day Venice.   I had no idea that the Republic had so much wealth.

The palace tour started slowly, with some small but nice rooms in the Doge’s Apartment.  After viewing a few increasingly ornate rooms, we began to laugh as we entered each new one.  How could they possibly top the previous one?  But they did, in a dazzling spiral of opulence.  From the Apartment to the administrative “rooms”, the paintings, ceilings and carvings just kept getting bigger and bigger.  Finally, the largest hall was approximately the size of a hockey arena.  Looking from the street, we had no idea that such a space was inside the palace.  Sadly, photos are not permitted within the palace itself, so you’ll just have to take my word on this.  In addition to the building, there are some remarkable collections of maps, globes and antique weaponry.  I saw an old mural showing eastern North America; what is now Southern Ontario was described then simply as Iroquois lands.

Inside the Bridge of Sighs (Palazzo Ducale, Venice)
Inside the Bridge of Sighs (Palazzo Ducale, Venice)

Near the end of the tour, we also got to see the Venetian prison located adjacent to the palace and across a canal.  Leading from the palace courts to the dungeon-like prison was an enclosed arched bridge known as the Bridge of Sighs.   It was given this name because it is said that this was a prisoner’s final view of the splendours of Venice…which would cause the prisoner to sigh.

View from the Bridge of Sighs (Palazzo Ducale, Venice)
View from the Bridge of Sighs (Palazzo Ducale, Venice)

For our final dinner, we went to an enoteca (wine bar) in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood. Dorsoduro is slightly less touristy than the neighbourhoods around the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco; there were even a number of Venetians out and about. The enoteca was very atmospheric and the menu is rewritten by hand every day, depending on what is in season and what inspires the chef.

The Rialto Bridge (Venice)
The Rialto Bridge (Venice)

This was when the rain started. I can’t complain, as I was in Italy for 2 full weeks before there was any inclement weather. Even so, it was nice to experience rain in Venice because of the city’s constant battle with water.   Thinking back to an earlier comment about the smell of the Sistine Chapel, I now know what Venice smells like in the rain. It’s not a great smell by any means; it’s rather pungent and boggy.  But at least it is a real smell.  Venice may be inching closer to Disneyland status every year, as Venetians migrate away from the inconveniences of the island city and hotels fill the former homes, but Disneyland would never carry the whiff of a re-emerging swamp.

Another thing about Venice that really struck me as we wandered off the beaten path: the absence of the sounds of motor vehicles. No cars are allowed in Venice itself. We’re so used to cars and trucks in cities that Venice sounded almost medieval as a result. There are some motorized boats on the Grand Canal, but even these dwindle markedly after 5:00 p.m. when most of the tourists leave. Other old cities in Europe (Prague, for example) look the part, but I’d have to say that only Venice still sounds old.  Italy is indeed a feast for the senses.

View from the Accademia Bridge (Venice)
View from the Accademia Bridge (Venice)

Skiing in Cortina d’Ampezzo – Part Three: Horses and War

(Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy)

Our final two days of skiing are now complete.  Yesterday, as promised, there was no strike and we were able to take the bus to Passo Falzarego and then ski to the Alta Badia ski region.  This is no ordinary transfer.  You begin by skiing many kilometres down the “Hidden Valley” to Armentarola.   I’m running out of words to describe our reactions to the scenery around here; how about “gobsmacked”?

The horses who "lifted" us to Armentarola
The horses who “lifted” us to Armentarola

We eventually ended up on an almost flat plain just outside Armentarola.  This normally means some tough skate-skiing, but in this case there was another option.  We could get pulled the final few minutes to Armentarola by a team of horses!  Together with about 20 of our similarly astonished ski brethren, we each grabbed the ropes trailing the horses and held on (while still on our skis).  I’ve never seen anything like it.  I had some apprehension due to a fairly serious horse allergy, but I was far enough behind the horses that this was not really an issue.

Summit station at Lagazuoi (Passo Falzarego)
Summit station at Lagazuoi (Passo Falzarego)

We spent the rest of the day skiing in Alta Badia.  This area is very famous in Europe for the fierce battles that were fought in World War I.  There are tours (including ski tours) where you can visit the front lines and installations of the Austrian and Italian armies.  As a result of Italy’s victory in this region, the Austrian province of Sud-Tirol became part of Italy and was renamed Alto Adige.  There has obviously been some “Italianization”, but German remains the primary language in much of Alto Adige.  In fact, a third language (Ladin) is also spoken around here.  Ladin is closely related to Rumantsch, a language spoken in the remote southeast corner of Switzerland.  To my ears, Ladin and Rumantsch are like Italian spoken with German sounds.  As the name suggests, Ladin is directly descended from Latin.   Considerable efforts are now being made to preserve this ancient language.

I mention this because we were essentially on the linguistic border for lunch.  I could order my pasta in German rather than my enthusiastic but almost non-existent Italian.  The servers carried the huge wallets that are so characteristic of the German-speaking countries, there was no coperto, many of the dishes had Ladin names, and Skiwasser appeared on the menu.  I remain fascinated by crossing borders like this, even though we were in Italy at all times.

IMG_1189For our last day of skiing, we revisited the “greatest hits” of the Tofana area.  The last day of skiing is often a little sad, as we realize that we are having our last mountain lunch, our last lift and eventually our final run.   I always feel very alive skiing in the Alps, as if I am reconnecting with a more natural way of life.  While it is always hard to see a ski week end, I am also always highly motivated to begin planning the next mountain adventure. It’s now time to return to Venice.