Cracked But Not Broken

THE EARTHQUAKE last Tuesday in Italy is yet another example of the fragility of existence.

I created digital art (left) for Earth Day and am re-posting it now, suspecting but not knowing to what degree humanity plays a role in agitating earthquake prone zones.

Warring factions disregard how interconnected the planet is and how exploding bombs in one area can destabilize the underground in another. In this age of conflicts, our earthly home can seem as breakable as an egg shell being tapped by a multitude of spoons. (Postscript September 3, 2016: See how fiddling beneath earth's crust to produce oil and gas also plays a role HERE.)

The loss of precious life, and the historic buildings that survived the ages yet now crumbled into ruins, is heartbreaking. A tourist in Italy once, I was awed by its beauty, historic importance and strong resilient people. May they find strength now and support from around the globe.

Later in the week I took a solitary walk through Kwomais Point Park in South Surrey to clear my thoughts. Birds were chirping in the forest and, for the moment, everything seemed right with this part of the world.

Boundary Bay is at the path's end. The sun brought sparkle to the water that recently changed from gray blue to greenish and more tropical aqua hues. Perhaps this has something to do with warmer sea temperatures and how algae is growing. You can read about it HERE.

A sweet lingering fragrance from a forgotten bouquet was at a railing overlooking the scenery. People like to get married at Kwomais Park this time of year and I wondered, since relationships can be fragile too, if the bride and groom together will find the integrity, compassion, humor and resiliency needed to withstand the challenges sure to come their way.

I visited Elgin Heritage Park with my husband at the end of the week. This was a great place to to see the seasonal changes. Summer is clearly on its way out and autumn is beginning.

A sailor who found no breeze to move his boat pedaled rather than paddled along the bordering Nicomekl River.

A spider caught in a sunbeam was rebuilding its web yet again.

Continuing our walk throughout the park it seemed to me that, yes, there are cracks in life but the spirit does not have to be broken.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

BCers Visit Italy, Switzerland & France; Pt 17: What I Did & Didn't Know On My Travels

MY WORLD is in BC as well as the places I travel. I needed a nudge to leave the comforts of home to visit Europe, particularly in these times of travel frustrations. My husband and I did our best to prepare for what awaited us in countries we never set foot in but felt we knew through books and media. There was much we didn’t know in hindsight, not only about the emotional experience but also about the small peculiarities.

There were a lot of firsts in Europe. We could not anticipate how seeing Venice for the first time would make us feel. As we sailed closer to the city seemingly suspended over water, we marveled at how ancient yet futuristic it appeared on the horizon. The crumbling magnificence of the Colosseum in Rome took our breath away. The perfection of David in Florence made history and art intertwine masterfully. Mona Lisa, a surprisingly “little” painting wrapped in mystery, almost brought me to tears. Perhaps it was the right mix of weather and mood, but it was surprisingly more heavenly on top of Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland than in any elaborate church we visited. (This was totally unexpected since I thought I didn’t like heights.) Picturing places didn't compare to soaking in the atmosphere with all five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

When traveling to unfamiliar destinations, practical matters needed attention. We planned some things right. My cap, vest and big purse turned out to be good things to take on our trip. Since I'm prone to earaches, the red cap came in handy on a breezy October evening during a boat ride on the river Seine in Paris. My vest with its upper pockets was handy for glasses and for the ear pieces we required during guided tours. Since it didn’t have pockets on the inside, I wore a passport/money purse around my neck under the vest and a "dummy" purse (suggested by the travel agent) containing small change over my shoulder. A woman on our tour had a significant amount of cash stolen from her purse when on public transit. This can happen in any country.

The large purse I brought turned out to be a good idea since knapsacks needed to be stored upon entering many museums. I think this was less about potential threats and more about bulky knapsacks accidentally knocking into exhibits in crowded places. It was a nuisance for some who had to collect their knapsacks after a tour rather than simply exit the building. I'm not sure if men's shoulder bags (or purses) avoid storage. But this might be a solution.

We were glad the hotels booked by our bus tour company provided breakfast. Most included eggs, fruit salad, yogurt, croissants, oatmeal and other cereal as well as fresh fruit. I took an apple with me one morning to snack on during a long bus ride to a new location. I probably should have done this every morning because it was sometimes a while between stops.

Unlike on a cruise, luggage must be transported from bus to hotel at each new location. We thought smaller would be better but noticed other tourists had relatively large suitcases. Our tour director explained bigger pieces of luggage are less likely to get snatched while waiting to be moved from hotel doorways, lobbies and streets where the tour buses park.

I packed comfortable footwear with good support. This is essential since walking is the major activity on tours. Despite my sensible footwear, I managed to have a serious fall.

This quickly made me realize I should also have packed a greater variety of over-the-counter drugs for different aliments. Although I did bring a few things, I didn’t bring the right thing for swelling. Luckily, a fellow passenger offered me an appropriate and familiar brand.

I was surprised to find NO facecloths in our hotels in Italy or Switzerland. I didn’t pack any because I assumed they were common as towels in hotels. Hand towels were too large and awkward to wash my face with and I would have appreciated a lightweight cool facecloth to nurse my wounds after I fell.

On a boat ride in Lucerne, it was nice to see one of these (pictured above) since our tour director discouraged us from using a similar facility on the bus. This REALLY surprised me and is probably because emptying lavatory contents doesn't occur until the completion of a bus tour. Although travel tips suggest drinking lots of bottled water, I felt compelled to limit the intake of fluids while on the bus. In most tourist locations the restrooms had incredibly long waiting lines for women and short to non-existent lines for men. So to the ladies ... it might be wise to bring liners for undergarments just in case.

My husband made a couple of excellent purchases prior to the trip: a battery operated shaver that worked on four AA batteries that lasted the entire two weeks. He also purchased an electric plug adapter for charging the camera battery in hotel rooms. As it turned out, we didn’t need to take the electric hairdryer as one was provided in each of our hotels.

I should have brought a strap for my camera. I missed several good shots not wanting to hold it over water or edges of things. In fact, the camera did escape from my hands once ... and just missed falling into the water in Venice.

Speaking of "shots", I probably should have gotten a flu shot before my travels. There was a very sick little boy near me on the flight home. Whether I got his bug or caught it elsewhere, I was sick for weeks after getting home.

As I said in an earlier post, I was glad my husband wore a brightly colored jacket. I often wore a red sweater under my black vest. It is incredibly easy to get lost in the crowd. One person on our tour did wander away and was eventually found by her husband after a long and worrying search.

I realize now that although we wanted to be prepared, it is the "not knowing" that made our trip an adventure. New experiences, unexpected situations and different ways of doing even simple things like turning on a tap increased the fun. Bumbling through an unfamiliar language just to say “thank you” added humility, joy and laughter to our journey.

Below are links to my stories about Italy, Switzerland and France from the moment our trip began:

Pt 1: The Travel Agent In My World
Pt 2: The Lufthansa Plane That Wasn’t
Pt 3: Insight Vacation Bus Tours
Pt 4: Time Traveling In Rome
Pt 5: Watery Wonders In Rome & Venice
Pt 6: Fragile Enchantment In Venice
Pt 7: The Selling Of Saint Francis In Assisi
Pt 8: Spirit Of Opulence & Art At The Vatican
Pt 9: Graffiti Begs For Attention In Rome
Pt 10: Artistic Flourishes In Florence & Bologna
Pt 11: Sky High At The Eiffel Tower
Pt 12: Through The Looking Glass At Versailles
Pt 13: Art Decorates A Hill Over Paris
Pt 14: Mona Lisa's Million Dollar Smile
Pt 15: My World On Cloud Nine In Lucerne
Pt 16: My World Of Ups & Downs In Lucerne

BCers In Italy, Switzerland & France; Pt 10: Artistic Flourishes In Florence & Bologna

MY WORLD TODAY is interrupted with thoughts of David. It was exciting to see him up close and personal during our recent trip to Italy. He is gorgeous but aloof and somewhat cold since his concentration is entirely on slaying Goliath. I learned that the original David was created by Michelangelo at the start of the 1500s. He stood at the public square outside the government buildings in Florence to symbolize independence from nearby powerful Rome.

Subject to centuries of damage from natural and manmade causes, the original David was moved in 1873 to the Academy Of Fine Arts where we visited him. Since picture taking is not permitted at the gallery, we were content to photograph David's double (pictured above), including from the perspective of a lion's paw resting on the city's emblem. The replica of David replaced the original at the square in 1910.

There are two identical lion statues near David at the square. Pictured above (upper left of the lion) is a gigantic wall poster commonly used to cover ongoing repairs to the surrounding buildings.

It wasn't always easy to tell the difference between fake and real walls.

We saw a lot of activity behind the scenes at the public square known as Piazza della Signoria.

People and statues alike were focused on distant scenes rather than one another. Although there appeared to be little eye-to-eye contact ...

there were likely hidden cameras observing us all. I wondered if the ornate petals hosted a teeny camera (lower half in the picture above).

Umbrellas were for sale. They tend to go up swiftly at the slightest rainfall.

The best ice cream I have ever tasted was in Florence, possibly because it looked like a delicious work of art.

We discovered Pinocchio nestled in a shop amid the world’s greatest art. I should not have been surprised since the character was created by the fictional Geppetto in a village in Italy.

Amid fairytales and masterpieces there were less high profile reproductions scattered about the square. Our local guides discouraged buying work from street sellers who probably avoid paying the taxes shop owner do. However, I could not resist this print (above) signed B. Cerutti Felugo. The seller asked for 20 Euro but bargaining was expected. Getting it for 10 Euro seemed like a good price until I discovered another tourist got a similar copy for 5 Euro.

Although beautiful, the painting did not capture the true brown mossy-green hues of the original scene that I found so appealing. There are several picturesque bridges crossing the Arno River. Their archs made pretty multiple reflections that rarely came through in my photographs.

The Old Bridge (pictured above) was built in the mid 1300s. It is the only bridge in Florence not destroyed by German military during WW2. Shops were built along both sides of the bridge as was common in olden times.

The charming landscape is subtly mirrored in the windows of buildings as well as the river.

Florence is the capital city in the Tuscany region of Italy. Synonymous with the word “flourishing”, the city is aptly named because it has one of the largest gatherings of Renaissance art and architecture in the world.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore went through several transformations from the 1200s to 1400s and then again in the 1800s when it's facade was augmented.

It is difficult not to encounter artistic details throughout Florence.

It is a city where Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Brunelleschi are grand names commonly dropped for people to ponder while on various tours and forms of transportation.

This realistic equestrian statue seemed about to prance from its pedestal.

The Doors of Paradise by Ghiberti show amazing detail with a 3-D perspective oddly current. After a flood in 1966, the ancient panels were replaced by copies to preserve the originals.

Too soon we had to leave David and his hometown of Florence. Our next stop was Bologna (almost 200 miles away) where we were greeted by an impressive bronze figure of a Bolognese pope pictured above.

As this fountain and statue of Neptune show, Bologna has its share of old world charm and architecture. I also learned that North American baloney did, indeed, get its name from Bologna's historic sausage-making fame.

Even chipped paint looks lovely in Bologna. Having the oldest university in the Western world, there is an element of youth in the city that is heavily populated by students and motor bikes.

I could easily get lost amid the mysterious alleys and series of archways around ancient street corners in Bologna. I was glad my husband wore bright orange and was plain to see when I lagged behind taking pictures. Running to catch up, I was already thinking about our next destination, magical Venice.

Explorers can find more sites from around the globe at My World.

BCers Visit Italy, Switzerland & France; Pt 9: Graffiti Begs For Attention In Rome

HIDING HER FACE from passersby, this woman was hoping for coins from kind strangers. Perhaps she was oblivious to the scribbles behind her or to the idea that graffiti like begging is entrenched in most cultures.

Graffiti is a worldwide problem. In some circles it is viewed as art. Sometimes it is a political statement or an unruly defacement of structures to vex the government in power.

Mostly it is unattractive nonsense with no redeeming value born of disrespect.

In ancient times, special announcements were scratched on walls. This undreamed of precursor to the "facebook wall" was achieved with such tools as chalk, coal or sharp stones.

I've read “graffiti” means scratches in Italian. Connected to the word historically, it is perhaps oddly fitting that Rome, the capital of Italy, and neighboring Florence seem to possess more graffiti than the other places we visited in Europe. It is a dubious distinction that begs to be resolved.

A local guide said that as soon as the graffiti is painted over fresh graffiti appears. Although the most iconic historical places guarded around the clock are generally clear of it, much of Rome is not. It takes a contortionist in some cases to leave a mark behind gates and fences, along bustling highways, edges of bridges and on city walls where people and traffic scurry by.

Unfamiliar with the language, I don't know what, if anything, is being said in my photographs of graffiti.

Nonetheless, it is bewildering and disturbing to find such persistent markings in juxtaposition to exquisite art and architecture and some of the world's most precious historical monuments.

BCers Visit Italy, Switzerland & France; Pt 8: Spirit Of Opulence & Art At The Vatican

MY WORLD LINGERS on thoughts of our recent trip to Vatican City where the body of pope Paul XXIII resposes at St. Peter’s Basilica. His waxy head donned in a red cap with white fringe made me think of Saint Nicholas. A fitting resemblance perhaps since he is said to have been very good and kind.

It is surreal to walk where great artists created their finest works and popes of days gone by rest within concrete walls or (in some cases) behind glass at the Vatican. We were glad to first stop at the Roof Garden Restaurant on site before exploring the enormous enclave of fine art wrapped in layers of history.

Getting from the entrance of the Vatican museum to the Basilica is a fascinating journey.

Along the way we saw a kitchen-table-sized golden replica (encased in glass) of what might be St. Peter’s Basilica.

There is no end to the steps one must trek or the wealth of historical artifacts one will discover in the enormous rooms and buildings.

We saw stunning religious icons embedded in stained glass along the way.

Vases were not simply designed as containers. They were lovely works of art.

Some floors were intricately tiled with great devotion.

If walls could talk, these would certainly have remarkable stories to tell.

This humble chair stood in the corner of a hallway to St. Peter’s Basilica.

A lovely old bell sat in silence as people walked by.

Scarcely seen by the public, there must be private elevators for aging popes who would have difficulty with the exhaustive hallways and stairs such as those leading to St. Peter's Square.

Although lineups were enormous and the buildings packed with visitors, the magnitude of the square at the Vatican transformed people into ants.

I suppose this is how the pope sees it when addressing the crowd.

The Carlo Fontana looked refreshing but unquenchable at the square.

The uniformed Swiss Guards reminded me of the biblical Joseph and his “coat of many colors”. However, the blue and orange-yellow hues represent the once politically powerful Medici family of the 13th and 14th centuries. Red represents the primary colour of Swiss states.

There is always upkeep to be done around statue-laden St. Peter’s Square.

Behind the pillars are the papal apartments where the pope resides. Although there are over 1000 rooms in the building, his living quarters are believed to consist of ten.

I captured a pale photograph of Michelangelo’s "Pieta" (meaning both piety and pity). The marble sculpture of Mary and Jesus was created as a funeral monument for a cardinal in 1499. It was moved to the Basilica in the 18th century where it now stands at the entrance.

There were angelic statues prettily positioned nearby.

Even the drains (pictured above by my husband's foot) were pretty. There were awestruck moments of discovery from floor to ceiling. Our Vatican experience concluded with a visit to the Sistine Chapel where no picture-taking was permitted. We stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of people. Our necks craned upward to view Michelangelo’s reluctantly painted ceiling depicting biblical tales. The physically challenging work began in 1508 and took some four years to complete. It is overwhelmingly large, beautiful and difficult to appreciate with the murmuring crowd that needed to be shushed constantly by priests and staff. It was easier to marvel at earthly opulence and artistry than it was to quietly ponder spiritual matters at the Vatican.

Explorers can find more sites from around the globe at My World.