Travel

Contemplating Rome

/ Leya / 20 kommentarer

Walking from early morning to late night in this eternal city – Rome – I noticed that an important piece of that special mood and atmosphere … is in its people. I was surprised to see how many men and women who actually were just sitting, silently reading a book or a paper – or just contemplating. Life. Stillness. Movement. Not only old people were engaged in this…yes, I admit to feeling a spark of hope and joy every time. Maybe 95 per cent were either playing with their phones or eating …but…Maybe the Book will not die, Maybe…there is still Hope for us to Slow Down and Feel. Just letting go, and just Be.

 

By the fountain
In Piazza Navona
In Piazza di Spagna
In the square
Avantine evening

Weekly Photo Challenge: Descent

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A story of – Descent.

I have just returned from Rome, and a trip back in history to the once lively old seaport of Rome, Ostia Antica. This was ”the mouth” of the River Tiber, but due to silting it now lies 3 kilometres from the sea. The theatre, once double the hight of these remains – is still, today, a beauty. Three hours of walking through the whole area of magnificently preserved buildings with frescoes and mosaics, listening to birds singing and the old stones telling their silent story – is time well spent.

 

Travel Theme: Autumn

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Autumn is here, and most of the colours are gone. Bright flowers still during daytime but at night, in lamplight, the trees are still golden.

More autumn is to be found at Ailsa’s!

Gdansk, Saint Bridget and Sopot

/ Leya / 22 kommentarer

On our way to the railwaystation, we just had to visit the Church of Saint Bridget (Swedish Sankta Birgitta). Maybe it doesn’t look much from the outside – but inside – you are filled with awe.

Destroyed, rebuilt and restored – this church is, and since the 1980’s associated with the Solidarity Movement.

The silence and the crystal air was fascinating. The windows the only source of light in here. But that is enough.

Everything serene, and the altarpiece is planned to have only pure amber in its decorations. Together with red, white and silver, this golden amber art had me standing in total silence and contemplation, head uplifted, for at least 30 minutes.

Saint Bridgit

Walking towards the railway station, autumn showed its true colours.

And then – Sopot next. The summer city of Poland with 40 000 inhabitants. An old health resort with the, always terrible, water which should be good for you…

The hotel
The endless beach
The pier is the longest wooden pier in Europe – 512 m
He was a young, friendly guy, sitting there watching me…
…but when I had nothing to offer him, he turned his back on me and flew away…

By train back to Gdynia again – a soft and lovely evening. We found our Stena Line ferry, heading for Karlskrona.

This was an amazing and unexpected adventure – close to home, but with totally unexpected outcome. To be recommended!

Gdansk Part II: The Waterfront and Mariacka

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Sun, sun, and we walked along the Waterfront towards the Big Crane, built 1444. In the Middle Ages this was the biggest crane in Europe. It was used for loading and unloading ships, and also for masting the big sailing-ships.

Flowers and amber salesmen were everywhere, and we enjoyed the sailing-ships and the sun.

The beautiful old building on the other side is the Maritime Museum.

Through the Maria Gate we reached the most genuine medieval street  – Mariacka. It felt totally genuine despite the renovation.

Here the houses are lower  with terrasses out to the street and old gargoyles looking at you as you are passing by. A night here might be a bit scary…

Shops and galleries everywhere – mostly selling clothes and amber jewellery…but what about this one with canons?

 

On leaving Mariacka, we met these beauties. A friend of mine used to have this breed, also two of them. Bedlington terriers.

Keeping the beauty!

Newer gargoyles – but just as special and intriguing.

The Maria Church and the Royal Chapel- a total breach of style…The Maria Church is the biggest gothic brick-church in the world. They say it takes 25000 people.

And then the Covered Market, originally built in 1896. A skeleton of steel and on the bottom old excavations. Also a brick building, and outside, a lovely market where we bought delicious plums.

 

A sunny walk through Gdansk

/ Leya / 28 kommentarer

Last weekend we spent in Gdansk, Poland. We went by ferry from Karlskrona to Gdynia, and then by taxi and train to and from Gdansk and Sopot. I had a gloomy vision of Poland since my school days – coal, polluted, misty, drab…and no one could convince me of anything else. I had to see it with my own eyes….And, I was met by lovely people (not that good English speakers, but there are hands, feet, body and face to use!), a wonderfully restored city and a glorious resort in Sopot.

Early morning mist and we woke up to this wiew of the harbour. Looking out through the window, the big cranes were sailing by…

….behind the containers, the city itself was rising from the morning mist.

The King walked this way when he had received the key to the city.  Dluga – or the Long Street. It is difficult to understand how all these magnificent buildings all were rebuilt from the disasters of WWII.

Passing the Town Hall, which is the highest building in the city – 81 metres – we reached the fountain of Neptune. But first, let’s take a closer look at some of the architecture.

Oh, the doors and their ornaments…

…and all the old and new signs and lamp posts, intricately woven in iron.

Many old ladies were selling their home made knittings – among many other things…in the street.

And the colours were amazing – on houses and people and clothes and …

…balloons!

This fountain, built in 1549, was so popular with the citizens that they took it down piece by piece to hide it during the war. Not until 1954 was it put together again!

And now, the mighty Neptune himself guided us to…

…the Waterfront. Restaurants, cafés and people, people. More from the beauty, the people and the ships on the Waterfront in the next post!

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Soft Pastels

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It was a great surprise and a great pleasure to visit Gdansk in Poland this weekend. The city centre has been totally renovated and built up from the ruins of WWII. A fantasy of soft pastels. Just in time for Cee’s challenge!