When I told friends I was planning to tour Alabama, some of them said, “Really? Why?” The belief that the state has little to offer the traveler could not be further from the truth. I found out what the song, “Sweet Home Alabama,” really means.
Besides music history and civil rights history, the burgeoning culinary scene is vibrant and up to international standards – even in the smaller towns I visited. To take advantage of several of the best locales, though, I recommend a road trip.
Alabama was central in the civil rights movement, largely because of its leaders’ tenacious fight against the rights of African Americans. In Montgomery, the state capitol sits in the near distance from the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King used to preach. Just a block away is the Civil Rights Memorial and the Southern Poverty Law Center with a wealth of civil rights history and a tribute to 40 people who died in the struggle.
At the site where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on that fateful bus, there is now a museum dedicated to her. A moving tribute, the museum includes an ingenious video reenactment behind a bus façade. You see images of Rosa and her fellow riders through the “windows” and listen to the conversations and arguments that ended in her arrest.
In Birmingham, a visit to the Civil Rights Institute is a must. I spent hours in this museum dedicated to not just the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s but human rights in general in both the U.S. and the world. A recent exhibit includes photos of people who identify as transgender.
16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The exhibits that depict the struggle in the 50s and 60s are impressive, including timelines, photographs, videos, and audio interviews with people who were there. Just across the street from the Institute is the 16th Street Baptist Church where four little girls died when Ku Klux Klan members set a bomb there in 1963. You can go inside and learn more about the bombing and the decades it took to bring the perpetrators to justice.
One of the moving monuments in Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Across the street from the church is Kelly Ingram Park, which includes monuments honoring the movement, including a statue of Martin Luther King, a statue depicting the dogs that were used to fight against the child protesters, and another statue showing the water cannons that were unleashed on those who marched. Throughout the city and the park are markers showing where King’s march took place as he and his followers moved through on their way from Selma to Montgomery. Each marker contains a paragraph explaining more about the march.
The famed water pump at Helen Keller’s birthplace. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Besides civil rights history, the always free Museum of Alabama in Montgomery has a wealth of information about the state’s Native American and Civil War histories, including an original Andrew Jackson portrait, the third largest collection of Confederate war flags in the country, and the jacket worn by the first Alabama casualty in the Civil War at the time of his death, including a photograph of him wearing the same jacket.
In Tuscumbia farther north, you will find the birthplace of Helen Keller. It’s a fascinating museum that contains many of the family’s original furnishings and some of Helen’s dresses. The spigot where Helen learned her first word – water – also remains on the grounds.
Alabama has an unprecedented music legacy as well. In Muscle Shoals, the FAME Recording Studios stand nearly unchanged from the 1960s when the likes of Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding recorded some of their biggest hits. The “Muscle Shoals sound” became so well-known that the Rolling Stones and many others traveled there to record. Founder Rick Hall, now 82, is still working at the studio, and if you’re lucky, you might get to say hello to him during your tour of the small facility. A recent documentary about Hall and the studio, simply called “Muscle Shoals,” will give you a full history of the place.
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Nearby in Tuscumbia is the Alabama Music Hall of Fame with an authentic Alabama band tour bus and loads of other memorabilia that belonged to Alabama musicians. All inductees were born in the state and include Nat King Cole, Sam Phillips, Dinah Washington, Percy Sledge, Tammy Wynette, Martha Reeves, Lionel Ritchie, the Temptations, Jim Nabors, and Emmylou Harris.
A bust of WC Handy at his museum in Alabama. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
In Florence, you can visit the birthplace of “Father of the Blues” W.C. Handy, and in Montgomery, there is a museum dedicated to country music icon Hank Williams. It contains his blue Cadillac and the suit he was wearing when he died of heart failure at age 29.
Also in Florence is some interesting Native American history, including the Florence Indian Mound and Museum and “Tom’s Wall,” a stone wall that Tom Hendrix built in honor of his great great grandmother who walked the Trail of Tears from Alabama to Oklahoma and took five years to make the trip back on foot. Now 85, Tom has spent more than 30 years building the wall with 8.5 million pounds of stones. It’s quite a moving site, and he’s a wonderful and passionate storyteller.
But what about the food in Alabama? While much of the cuisine pays tribute to its southern roots, you can indeed eat healthy in the state, largely due to the dedication of restaurateurs to the farm-to-table movement. Urban farms are in development, and I visited a small farm that grows produce, as well as maintains chickens and cattle. The cattle are not just grass-fed, but also grass-finished in every season but winter when grass is too scarce.
I was very impressed with the chefs whose cuisine I experienced. Chef John Melton at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa likes to put a gourmet spin on traditional southern dishes. He smoked chicken with Alabama’s signature sweet tea and paired it with root vegetables and sweet potato purée. He also made local goat cheese ice cream with fresh fruit and cornbread cakes.
The wonderful halibut dish at Central Restaurant in Montgomery, Alabama. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I was especially impressed with Chef Leonardo Maurelli of Central Restaurant in Montgomery, who combines southern fare with flavors from his native Panama. My favorite dish was halibut in pork broth with sweet corn that had been sautéed with rosemary and charred greens on top. I can’t begin to convey in words the blend of these delicate flavors, but it was unique and unforgettable.
The Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For some more basic down home cooking, check out the Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia. This unique place was built under a cave wall, and horses will be tied near your outdoor table. The adjacent lodge was holding a chuck wagon race the day we were there.
While the hotels aren’t “ultra” luxurious, there are 4-star properties that will provide everything you want (except perhaps a bathrobe). Besides the creative chef, the Renaissance in Montgomery has a spa, great service, and large meeting areas. The Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Florence has received awards for its customer service, and again, while you won’t find a bathrobe or minibar in your room, those are the only missing ingredients in an otherwise luxury experience. There is a great restaurant and spa, and the rooms are spacious. The Westin in Birmingham provided me with an excellent stay (including a bathrobe), and there are also luxury Hyatt properties in Birmingham. Of course, you’ll especially enjoy the southern hospitality in Alabama, where you can expect to hear “yes, sir” and “yes, ma’am” repeatedly. Sweet tea, sweet blackberry cobbler, and sweet people – Alabama is sweet in all sorts of ways.
The author of this article was part of a sponsored, subsidized press trip but is dedicated to providing non-biased opinions of her experience.
I was excited to learn that the Illa Experience Hotel in Quito, Ecuador won a 2023 Gold Travvy Award for Best Luxury Hotel in South America. In December 2017, I was the very first guest at this wonderful 5-star hotel opened by Latin Trails in the historic part of Quito just a few blocks from the Plaza Grande and surrounded by artists’ workshops. When you walk into the hotel, you’re greeted by an enclosed courtyard surrounded by stone columns. But this courtyard has no roof, so there is a shallow pool of water that reflects the stars at night.
My room at the Illa Experience Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Marcel Perkins, the owner of Latin Trails, on more than one occasion, and it’s clear that he’s passionate about tourism in his native Ecuador. He has attended to every detail and made it his personal quest to turn the Illa into a true “experience” hotel that feels like home. Each suite is individually decorated but contains three items that Ecuadorian grandmothers have traditionally made for the birth of new family members – a sheep’s wool rug, a handmade embroidered cotton blanket, and pillowcases trimmed in lace.
The special rug and blanket in my room at the Illa Experience Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Guests are also treated to hot chocolate before bed if they wish, which is a treat not to be missed since chocolate in Ecuador is an experience in and of itself. My room contained complimentary local artisanal chocolates as well, some of which were flavored with fruits indigenous to the country.
The “experiences” at the Illa include tailor-made courses or excursions for guests to get a sense of local life such as visiting an artisan’s workshop or even painting with an artist. You might also get to taste a traditional dish made by an authentic grandmother just down the street. Perkins is dedicated to helping guests become a part of the neighborhood while also giving back to the community.
The small boutique property contains only ten suites on three floors with each floor representing a different era in Quito’s history – the Colonial floor, the Republican floor, and the Contemporary floor. Surprisingly, despite its size, the Illa also contains a private spa with a Jacuzzi that’s available only to guests, a wine cellar, a reading room, a gym with cardio machines, and a rooftop bar with views of the city.
The bath in my room at the Illa Experience Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A local artist has created distinctive wall paintings for the suites, some of which depict Quito landscapes, and the doors to the rooms are all different with their own histories. Much of the furniture has also been locally handcrafted.
My Colonial Suite Junin was on the ground floor, so I had an internal bedroom window that opened up to the courtyard. Opposite the king-sized bed were a sitting area and a large television in the wall that was hidden by a lace-work gate. The ample bathroom was behind the wall containing the TV and had its own shower room, a separate room with the toilet, twin sinks, and a deep, free-standing tub with its own little shelf that ran across one edge.
The Rubin Museum of Art has a new exhibition entitled “Death Is Not the End.” This exhibition, assembled from the Rubin’s own collection, along with contributions from individual collectors and private institutions, is an examination of humanity’s burning questions surrounding life and death, and the desire for greater understanding of our place in the cosmos as expressed by two of the world’s greatest religions: Buddhism and Christianity. The exhibition is on view from March 17, 2023 to January 14, 2024.
Over the years, museums have expanded from simply exhibiting paintings and objects d’art into institutions for formidable investigations into society’s foibles and fears. Case in point the recent exhibition in the Museum of Civilization in Quebec, Canada entitled “Oh Shit”, an exploration of bodily functions common to all living creatures, or the opening exhibition at The Rubin in New York City entitled “Death Is Not The End”. These are two very different subjects but both have intense relevance for the human condition over and above the traditional need for beauty in our lives that museums often fill.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The Rubin is a pearl of a museum located in the Chelsea section of New York City and dedicated to exploring and educating museum goers about the living art of Himalayan and Tibetan Art. Exquisite tapestries, sculptures, statues and artifacts from ancient times to the present cover the walls and display cases in a small but beautifully designed space.
The current exhibit delves into one of humanities deepest questions… what happens when we die? Is there an afterlife? What about heaven and hell? Is limbo a real state of being? Is there punishment for bad behavior or reward for a life well lived? This well planned exhibit shows how these questions are treated in the cross-cultural comparison of Tibetan Buddhism and Christian beliefs. This is by no means a comprehensive investigation including all major belief systems but instead narrowly focuses on these two primary examples.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The exhibition was curated by Senior Curator of Himalayan Art Elena Pakhoutova, around three major themes: The Human Condition, States In-Between, and the (After) Life. The first deals with our shared understanding regarding our physical mortality. The second deals with mythological concepts of limbo, purgatory, and bardo; while the third focuses on spiritual ideals surrounding resurrection, transformation and heaven.
Featured are 58 objects spanning 12 centuries with some outlandishly beautiful objects, along with what we in the west, would think of as gruesome works of art. There is a small painted terracotta sculpture of dancing skeletons (Tibet; 18th century) illustrating the impermanence of life while a large wall painting entitled “The Wheel of Life” illustrates the phases of our progress through life (Tibet; 19th century). There is also the Hieronymus Bosch (late 16th century) painting of “The Last Judgment” which depicts the horrors of hell and the penalties for sin. Both religious beliefs share the promise of transcendence to a better place for a life well-lived or offer the opportunity for further suffering to erase karma and move towards a better place. Both believe that suffering is inevitable; they differ in the time it takes for redemption.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Since time immemorial man has faced these questions and found different religious and spiritual ways of dealing with them. At the end of the exhibit the focus is turned back onto the viewer and asks questions and invites responses which are then displayed. Questions such as “How does believing and not believing – in the afterlife impact how you live?” Or “What is rebirth to you?” Or “Describe your perfect afterlife” and finally, “Tell us how death might not be the end.” Some of the responses are revealing.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
This exhibit is not meant to solve the dilemma of what lies ahead for each and every one of us, but only to get the viewer to confront this uncomfortable topic for themselves and to be open to differing points of view.
During my almost 2-week trip to Japan in the spring, I visited Ashikaga Flower Park, a botanic garden that is filled with color. Even though I loved every day I was in the country, my day at Ashikaga was my favorite.
I chose my dates of travel specifically to get to see the wisteria festival at Ashikaga. If you’ve seen the wisteria tunnel photographs on social media, many of them were taken at this park. When I arrived, the wisteria was still growing and would be a bit fuller a few days later. But I have no complaints. The sights and scents at Ashikaga were wonderful, with wisteria in purple, white, and pink.
Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Wisteria season doesn’t really coincide with cherry blossom season, but there were a few cherry blossoms still in bloom at Japan’s Ashikaga Flower Park (Photo by Melanie Votaw)
I was concerned about my allergies kicking up, but the pollens in Japan didn’t affect me like they do the locals. So I didn’t sneeze once as I walked through the large park.
The gift shop was also a treat. It was much bigger than I expected with all sorts of sweets and scented items. I mostly bought wisteria-scented soaps and a wisteria-flavored fizzy drink that was delicious.
Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For the most part, I’ll let the photographs speak for themselves, but I have to give you some instructions for getting to the park. It was a bit confusing.
I took the train from Tokyo and used my Japan Rail Pass. What confused me, however, was that the park’s website said to use the JR Ryomo line (JR stands for “Japan Rail”). Yet, you can’t get that line from Tokyo. Instead, you must take a local JR train (which isn’t a bullet train) to the town of Oyama. From that station, look for the JR Ryomo line. Since Oyama is an originating station for the line, whatever train you take will go in the right direction.
Ashikaga Flower Park has its own train station as of this year. The next station on the line is simply called “Ashikaga,” but it’s farther away from the park. (For more information about the trains in Japan, see this post.)
From the Ashikaga Flower Park station, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the park itself. I recommend getting there early in the morning, and take your camera! Check out the photos I took that day.
Ah, that is the question… well it’s not a matter of life or death, but there are differences.
We have recently experienced both with Viking so I have a perfect platform from which to compare. Our latest was the “Iconic Western Mediterranean” cruise on the Viking Star.
Serendipitously, I bumped into a woman that was on our last Viking River Cruise and she began a conversation contrasting the two. The matter came up again and again with other passengers we spoke with, so for the record here is my observation for those first-timers who want to take a cruise and are not sure what type to choose; or to repeat cruisers that might want to have a different type of experience.
By the way, almost everyone we met had taken multiple Viking Cruises; in one case a couple had experienced almost all the river destinations – of which there are many – and was working their way through the Ocean Cruise offerings. We met others that had only been on ocean cruises and expressed interest in what river cruises offered and how they differed.
The most obvious difference is size. Viking River Longships can accommodate up to 190 passengers with a compliment of 4 to 1 guest to crew ratio; while Viking Ocean going ships can accommodate 930 with a ratio of staff to passenger on average 1 to 2. Our Viking Star cruise was at full capacity with 930 guests and a crew of 400.
The staterooms also tend to be larger, but in both the river and ocean cruises, the service is outstanding. Both ships offer five-star comfortable beds and amenity packages, and spanking clean staterooms. Both had a desk and lounge area and both had verandas and spacious bathrooms… but again size varied. (see River of Gold)
Size also determines the number of activities on board and the variety of eating venues. On the larger ocean cruises there are many dining venues to choose from. One of our favorite spots, which we returned to over and over again, was the popular Pool Grill that made dynamite hamburgers to order.
In both cases, there are ample opportunities to meet fellow passengers which were without exception, eager to share interesting stories and travel adventures. It’s an opportunity to strike-up lasting friendships with people who live all over the country… in fact, all over the world! It is also true that larger ships tend to see more family or friends traveling together in a group and offer entertainment opportunities for the youthful traveler that do not exist on river ships which are mostly adult only.
Last year we took a “Waterways of the Tzars” Viking River Cruise, visiting not only the big cities of Moscow and the legendary St. Petersburg, but several small towns in between which were delightful and which offered an opportunity to investigate little known bits of history providing fascinating insight into the Russian personality. (see Waterways of the Tzars)
A major plus for the well-seasoned traveler, who is looking for more in-depth experiences, is the ability of the longships to dock at smaller towns and villages lining the rivers. Also the harbors are most frequently within walking distance of the destination du jour, which makes getting on and off the ship at leisure to explore on your own, a bonus.
Another of the major advantages is the proximity to both sides of the rivers which affords spectacular views and photo ops and the fascinating experience of passing through the locks that are necessitated by the elevation differences of the linking rivers. The larger ships mainly visit well-known ports-of-call since they require deep harbors to anchor in. On the plus side, that’s an opportunity for the less traveled passenger to check off major must-see destinations from their bucket list, all in one trip.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The above generalities notwithstanding, it all boils down to personal desire and past experiences. Our Mediterranean cruise departed from Barcelona, Spain stopping at the well-known ports along France’s Cote d’Azur and the west coast of Italy, ending in Rome.
My brother and sister-in-law loved the same cruise which they took a few years ago due to the nightly partying and dancing opportunities it afforded them. They enjoyed relaxing at pool-side during the day and the people they met that shared similar interests, so for them, the larger ships suited them perfectly.
We experienced weather in the Mediterranean with large waves that pounded the ship, which do not exist on the rivers, but in both cases ports-of-call can be canceled due to unpredictable local weather conditions so it’s important to be flexible knowing that passenger well-being and safety is the most important aspect to any ship’s captain.
On boarding the ship I was struck once again by the warm welcome we received from the crew and the top notch efficient organization that leaves no question unanswered or service denied, regardless of the number of passengers.
Viking provides a Cruise Document weeks in advance of departure, which covers your personalized cabin and touring choices, along with ship specifics and general information that is invaluable in making your trip as hassle-free as possible. As in the river cruise, there were daily lectures about the next port-of-call with information provided on the highlights of each destination, plus every stop offered included tours covered under the cost of the cruise, as well as optional tours at additional cost.
While I appreciated all of the many activities such as lectures and films; restaurants and bars; pools and fitness center; full service beauty parlor and authentic LivNordic Spa; Library and Business Center; Boutique and shops; Medical Center; free laundry on every floor, etc., the size of the ship necessitated long corridors to navigate several times a day. Thankfully there were large capacity elevators that moved rapidly between floors and on a positive note, all that walking helped keep down the weight from all that eating.
I especially enjoyed a visit to the popular spa for a massage, although I did not quite have the courage to undertake the full Nordic spa experience having done it in Canada years ago and my bones are still shivering (sic). I spoke with one young woman who had just completed the icy cycle and said it was a “harrowing” experience but could not wait to do it again and invited me to join her in the Snow Grotto after spending time in the Sauna.
Although I declined after describing my previous experience and we had a good laugh about it, I left her entering the cold white sanctuary. I saw her again later and she was still raving about the feeling of well-being resulting from the experience although her husband rolled his eyes at the thought of it, when I inquired if he had also engaged in the much loved Nordic practice.
At the end of the day both types of cruises offer the major benefit of visiting multiple destinations without having to repeatedly pack and unpack; navigate rail and/or air transportation; or deal with the complexities of travel that can ruin a long anticipated vacation. There are so many advantages to ship travel that one must personally experience, hopefully the above whets your appetite for one or the other… or both! For information visit: www.vickingcruises.com
The author received a complimentary cruise, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Some hotels deserve superlatives, and Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden is one of them. The original building was built by Saxon king August the Strong in the 18th century to pledge his love to his favorite mistress, so it’s quite literally an opportunity to stay in a palace. No surprise that it’s a coveted wedding location. Any bride who arrives there in a horse-drawn carriage will fulfill her childhood Cinderella fantasy.
The first 5-star hotel in Saxony, Hotel Taschenbergpalais undertook a major renovation in 1995 and will be closed for most of 2023 as it goes through another one. So get there soon, or start making plans for 2024.
Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Besides both the external and internal beauty of this hotel, its location is perfect. The only time I needed transport by car was the ride to or from the airport or train station. Absolutely everything else I wanted to see was within easy walking distance. It’s steps from the Royal Palace, the Zwinger Palace, and the Semper Opera House, for example, as well as the Elbe River. But the hotel’s concierge can set you up with a car or limousine if you prefer.
Of course, it’s true that Dresden suffered devastating damage during World War II, so many buildings have either been entirely rebuilt or significantly restored – some using original materials from the rubble. This includes the Hotel Taschenbergpalais itself.
Photo courtesy of Hotel Taschenbergpalais.
But I have to say that after having traveled extensively throughout Europe and often becoming (I’m sorry to say) a bit jaded, my jaw dropped at the sight of Dresden’s Baroque and Rococo architecture, reconstructed or not. And I thought about the fact that all historic buildings in Europe have undergone substantial renovations over the years. Even if the buildings are not the originals, they are universally stunning. Some of the construction continues, too, such as on the Zwinger Palace complex.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the market in the square just a stone’s throw from the hotel, where there are booths selling crafts, beer, and bratwursts, surrounded by a merry-go-round, a ferris wheel, and buskers. It was fun to watch the tourists and locals enjoying the sunny spring weather.
A guest room at the hotel. Photo courtesy of Hotel Taschenbergpalais.
After a long day of visiting sights in the historic district or taking a ferry ride on the Elbe, which is lined with historic mansions, the Hotel Taschenbergpalais was an elegant sanctuary. My Kurfürsten deluxe room was 452 square feet with a queen-sized bed, full desk, two chairs, a bench, large closet, and an armoire that contained the television and minibar. The décor was traditional but not staid with dark blue and red. I appreciated the bathtub/shower combination and other amenities like the towel warmer and makeup mirror, as well as the pillow menu that included an allergy cushion. I also had a lovely view from my windows of the neighboring buildings and people walking through the historic section.
The bathroom in my room at Hotel Taschenbergpalais. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Standard and Superior rooms run slightly smaller than mine, but still larger than a lot of hotel rooms in Europe. Then, of course, there are suites available with two rooms and plenty of meeting/conference space. The expansive building contains 182 rooms and 31 suites.
Of course, as you’d expect of a five-star Kempinski hotel, the staff was attentive, and the property included 24-hour room service, free WiFi, valet parking, luxury shops, a gorgeous pool, a spa, a sauna, and a fitness center. Other more unusual services included overnight shoeshine service and charging stations for both electric and Tesla vehicles. There is also an underground garage and an 18-hole golf course not far away if you’re so inclined.
Another view of my room at Hotel Taschenbergpalais. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There are several restaurants within the building, including the Palais Bistro with German-French cuisine. For a few weeks this summer, they’re serving a special six-course truffle menu (I’m sorry to have missed that), or you might want to have flambé Crepe Suzette at your table.
The Fish Restaurant Kastenmeiers has a sushi and oyster bar, as well as a smokers’ lounge, while the hotel’s Karl May Bar was inspired by New York’s Oak Room. The Café Vestibul contains a double-barreled Baroque staircase that was designed by the same architect as the Zwinger Palace and a sun terrace where you can bring your dog and/or have afternoon tea. (In fact, pets are welcome throughout the hotel.) Better yet, it doesn’t require a reservation. Breakfast is held in Kastenmeiers with a large buffet of pastries, cheeses, meats, and eggs, along with sparkling wine on ice for making mimosas.
In winter, the hotel’s courtyard becomes an ice rink that’s open to the public. Since the hotel’s design and site are historical, it’s nice that they don’t keep the rink exclusive to guests.
Palais Bistro at the hotel. Photo courtesy of Hotel Taschenbergpalais.
I highly recommend a visit to Dresden, and if you go, Hotel Taschenbergpalais is THE place to stay. What’s particularly nice about this city and hotel is that you can get five-star treatment for what you’d pay (or less than what you’d pay) for a lesser four-star property in cities like Paris or London. Currently, room rates range from 156-750 Euros per night.
The author of this article received a press rate for this stay but is dedicated to providing a non-biased assessment of her experience.
How did we get here? How did the tools necessary for primitive humans to communicate with each other to survive, turn into one of the most beautiful art forms practiced by almost every culture known to man?
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Initially communication consisted of grunts and hand gestures. Next, pictograms were scratched onto rocks, onto desert floors or cave walls, sharing information to the next passing group about the type and abundance of game in the area.
Over millennia grunts turned into language and stories were passed down verbally from generation to generation; sometimes beating on tightly stretched animal skins or chanting was added to the telling. This process took many thousands of years and continued to increase in clarity and creativity.
At some point before recorded time, an enterprising person pressed lines into wet clay that conveyed easily understood information and formed the clay into small cakes that, once baked to harden, could be carried and exchanged. And slowly, slowly, the process inched forward until, during the advance in civilization that occurred during an extended period of time, in the Shang Dynasty that ruled China (10,468 BCE to about 1,600 BCE) a clever scribe/artist began to use brushes to communicate visually and artistically.
It became so fashionable to dance with brushes dipped in dark liquid and swirled onto paper, that during the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 8 CE) educated men and even high-ranking women were encouraged to practice this form of conversational writing.
The word Calligraphy means beautiful writing and comes from the Greek words ”Kallos” for beauty and “Graphi” writing. Beautiful writing was practiced by many early cultures world-wide and is still considered an art form in Asian countries much more than a form of communication.
Conversely, early Arabic writing that was universally accepted was called Kufic, from the city of Kufah in Iraq where it had been developed in the 7th century… but it was a written form of communication neither precise nor beautiful. When Islam exploded on the scene, the need to spread the word of God directly quoted from the Koran, made mathematical precision and precise beautiful flowing forms a necessity.
The rules and principles of calligraphy were established in the 10th century by Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muqla, commonly known as Ibn Muqla, a Visier in the Abbasid Caliphate of Persia. His theory of proportion is known as the “rhomboid dot” and establishes the exact length of the alif stroke with which all letters in a particular script are measured. The golden age of calligraphy had now arrived throughout the ancient Middle East, first because it unified the Arabic language and secondly because of its visual expression of the written word.
So when the opportunity presented itself to take a calligraphy class during my recent visit to Casablanca I jumped at the chance to understand this omnipresent art form. The calligraphy classes are offered on the third floor of The Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum in what was once a privately owned home in Casablanca’s upscale historic district.
The eponymous named museum holds the eclectic collection of art works by Mohammed Ben Ali R’bati, a well-known Moroccan figurative painter from the early 20th century; ancient perfume flasks of exquisite beauty; an extensive collection of rare Bohemia crystal objects d’art; stunning 18th and 19th century gold jewelry made by Jewish Master craftsman; and Amizigh (Berber)silver wedding jewelry.
Berber women were considered keepers of the culture and communicators of knowledge and as such were heavily adorned with silver jewelry often studded with semi-precious stones laid out in intricate designs that indicated status and tribal affiliation. To them silver was associated with the moon and purity and the feminine mystique.
The tribal jewelry often has spiritual and healing components known only to the craftspeople that created them and the women for whom they were created.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The wedding jewelry is a special set of forehead covering or tiara, hanging earrings, multi-level necklace and frontal brooch (attached to the bodice). It is usually owned by an entire extended family and passed down through the generations.
The most important piece of the set would be the “Khamsa” or hand of Fatima, a symbol of protection against the evil eye for both the Arab and Jewish people. If the family does not own its own bride set, a bride will borrow or rent one for her wedding as it has special traditional and spiritual significance and must be worn during a wedding ceremony.
In addition to these rare and beautiful objects, the museum has the largest collection of antique travel posters by the greatest poster artists such as Majorelle, Dinet and de la Neziere, names revered in the industry.
This collection represents the Golden Age of the Orientalist poster painting which was an early manner of promotion and advertisement for selling travel to exotic destinations. Available for sale are individual copies of the poster collection as well as a coffee table book containing the entire history beautifully illustrated.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Guiding us through this impressive and exotic collection of art objects was calligraphy artist and museum guide extraordinaire, Med Amine (call me “Med”) Serhane. After exploring the two floors of the collection, we reached the top floor where classes were held. The bright Moroccan afternoon light poured in through the open rooftop making this a perfect venue for creating art.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
I took a seat at a long table while Med placed in front of me a small pot of ink and a sharpened-to-a-point bamboo fond. A stack of pure white glossy paper was placed periodically along the table. Calligraphy ink is made out of the burnt wood resulting from burning the edges of the bamboo to form a flat surface and a sharp point, both required for shaping the flowing symbols. To keep the liquid flowing, thin strands of silk are added.
The point of the pen is dipped into the liquid to catch a sufficient amount of ink to work a line without stopping but not so much that it drips. The pen is held at a 45% angle and allowed to flow over the paper gently, maneuvering hand positions to keep the line flowing without breaks, point to flat and back again as the swirl is painted. My effort is above, Med’s is below.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Med had incredible patience as each member at the table giggled and wiggled through their first efforts. He is a very generous teacher and when he felt we had settled down to undertake a serious attempt, he took a pencil to a clean piece of paper and drew each person’s name so they could follow the line.
By this time, we were all seriously trying our best to write our name as Med had outlined and when we had all done the best we could do he took clean paper and for each of us painted our names quickly, without a moment’s hesitation and in perfect form.
His patience paid off for in only one lesson he had helped each of us make a credible effort and take our first steps in the Art and Artistry of Calligraphy. For further information:www.musee-as.ma
Nara, Japan is one of the most popular day trips from Kyoto. Should you bother? In my opinion, yes!
Nara is mostly famous for two things – wild deer and a large Buddha. The deer are both fun and an annoyance. They’re everywhere, and they expect you to feed them. People are set up in various spots where they sell “deer crackers,” and once you buy some of these, expect the deer to be quite aggressive. They’ll probably chase you when all of the crackers have been eaten. I had a deer grab hold of my shirt with its teeth and pull me, while another actually bit through my pants until it hurt. He didn’t break the skin, but it was unpleasant. Yet another one continually butted me with his antlers to try to get my attention.
People in Nara enjoy the city’s famous deer. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The bottom line is that it’s fun to feed the deer up to a point, but be prepared for the fact that they’re still wild animals. They do, sometimes bow, however, if you bow first. I don’t know how wild deer were taught to do this, but often, they will bow before taking the cracker from you.
Nara, which was once called Heijo, was the first capital of Japan, so it has a particularly special place in the history of the country. There are a number of temples and shrines there, so you can spend more than a day if you like or just a few hours and head right back to Kyoto.
If you choose to stay for just a few hours, the temple not to miss is Todaiji, constructed in 752 as the main Buddhist temple in the whole country. It’s the world’s largest wooden building, and it contains a 15-meter tall bronze Buddha with a large Bodhisattva statue on either side of it. These statues and others within the building are quite impressive. The only statues in Japan that rivaled these for me were the bronze Buddha that’s outdoors in Kamakura (a day trip from Tokyo) and the 1,000 statues of Kannon at Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto. (You can’t photograph the Kannon statues, but they’re stunning. You can find images of them online.)
The train to Nara is easy because it’s the last stop, so you can’t miss it. The park with the deer and the area where you’ll find the historic buildings is a bit of a walk from the train station, but the walk is interesting. You’ll pass by a number of shops along the way, many of which are selling every imaginable kind of souvenir with deer on them. If you’d rather not walk, you can take a bus from the train station. There’s a tourist office in the station with English-speaking personnel who can tell you exactly what bus to take. (Note that in Japan, you usually pay for your bus ride as you exit. You enter in the back door and exit from the front door.)
The huge hands of the Great Buddha in Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While in Japan, my phone’s GPS was my best friend, so I strongly suggest that you get a data plan for your phone. It will help you navigate to your desired destination with relative ease. It’s what pointed me to Todaiji and helped me find it among all of the other temples and shrines. If you can work Nara into your schedule during your time in Japan, I highly recommend it. The town is a unusual place with lots of great photo opportunities.
Indiana might not cross your mind first when you think of wine or fine chocolate, but the state is making a mark in both arenas. Country Heritage Winery & Vineyard in LaOtto, Indiana has developed a partnership with DeBrand Fine Chocolates based in Fort Wayne, and they recently gave me a chance to sample some of their delicious wine and chocolate pairings.
Photo courtesy of Country Heritage Winery.
Country Heritage, which now has three locations in Indiana, runs the largest vineyard in the state with 101 acres. Obviously, not all varietals grow well in a climate with harsh winters. They grow 22, such as Minnesota hybrids like Marquette and Brianna, which are cold-hardy grapes, and have more than 50 total wines on their list from dry reds and whites to rosés and dessert wines. They also produce whole fruit wines including blackberry and cranberry flavors.
Photo courtesy of Country Heritage Winery.
The Brianna in particular is an uncommon varietal that many people haven’t heard about, but it’s one that Country Heritage has used to make a name for itself. The sweet white wine produced with this grape is also called Brianna, and the vineyard has won awards for it, including Wine of the Year in 2022 at the Indiana State Fair. The Brianna is also their most popular, so they devote 30 of their acres to that varietal. They enjoyed another honor when Country Heritage was featured in the PBS television series Wine First – the first time the series included vineyards in the U.S.
Photo courtesy of Country Heritage Winery.
The winery was started 12 years ago by Indiana natives Jennifer and Jeremy Lutter, who started out running a blueberry farm. People laughed at them when they decided to open a winery in tiny LaOtto, but it has certainly worked out well for them. At first, they produced just over 3,000 gallons, but now, they produce 75,000 gallons annually. Fridays and Saturdays, they serve food using a wood-fired oven imported from Italy and have live concerts in a large outdoor amphitheater. On many Saturday nights, they host as many as 3,000 people. Soon, they will open a distillery on the grounds.
When pairing wines with chocolates, Country Heritage Director of Marketing Ashlee Baumgartner recommends first trying the wine. Then, clear your palate with water, and try the chocolate alone. Then, try one right after the other to see how each changes when the ingredients are combined. “A good combination should always enhance them both,” she emphasizes.
Photo courtesy of Country Heritage Winery.
I have done wine and chocolate tastings before, but I was quite stunned by how different both the wines and chocolates tasted in these particular pairings. DeBrand’s Dark Chocolate Truffle with Country Heritage’s Marquette red tempered the intensity of both, smoothing out their effects on my palate. We also paired a Salted Café Caramel with the Marquette, which was a surprising but satisfying combo.
Photo courtesy of DeBrand Fine Chocolates.
The Caramel Truffle was delicious with the Brianna dessert wine, but my favorite of all of them was the combination of the Brianna and the milk chocolate Jasmine ganache infused with jasmine tea, which tempered the sweetness of both. The flavors were delectable together, and as Ashlee pointed out, brought out notes of apple and apricot.
“My rule of thumb is always drink what you like,” Ashlee says, “but I love surprising people with a combination they wouldn’t expect. My friends are a little tired of me making them try random combinations, but they always smile in the end.”
Photo courtesy of DeBrand Fine Chocolates.
DeBrand’s chocolates were some of the best I have had anywhere, and that’s saying something, as I have tried artisan chocolates all over the world. The women-owned company, founded by Cathy Brand Beere, hand-paints all of its chocolates. It has many interesting flavors and textures I haven’t seen elsewhere. These include the Rose Carmella, which is a caramel with rose water in milk and dark chocolate varieties. The Gourmet PBJ contains berry and cherry juices with milk chocolate and peanut butter. The Strawberry Rhubarb Caramel has strawberry pieces in the dark chocolate, while the Key Lime Pecan is a white chocolate truffle with pecans.
Some particularly exotic ones in its Connoisseur Collection include Brazil, which contains sweetened Brazil nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, orange peel, and a rose petal in dark chocolate. The Cassia is a Vietnamese cassia cinnamon ganache with sweet pear in milk chocolate. The Aztec chocolate puts a spin on the Mexican chocolate trend with crushed pecan brittle for texture along with both cayenne and chili powder. The Rosemary Citrus features grapefruit, orange, lemon, rosemary, and sea salt in dark chocolate, and the Raspberry Balsamic has balsamic vinegar, sweet basil, and raspberries in white chocolate.
Photo courtesy of DeBrand Fine Chocolates.
DeBrand also makes beautiful chocolate art boxes, dessert toppings, chocolate pennies and race cars, and cookies. My favorite product of theirs is their Custom Chocolate Thoughts™ Bars, which allow you to put your own design on the labeling.
It was a treat to taste what both of these companies have to offer, and I definitely want more.
The author of this article received free samples of the wine and chocolate mentioned in this article but is dedicated to providing a non-biased assessment of her experience.
The Ornithological Park of Pont de Gau in the Camargue region of southern France is a bird paradise in the spring. I had always wanted to visit it, and I finally got my chance. It did not disappoint.
The main draw are flocks of flamingos, but there are other large nesting birds like herons and ibises that are tending to their young as well. It’s a beautiful natural habitat that I highly recommend if you’re a birder.
If you aren’t, I still recommend it if you’re visiting nearby Avignon or Arles in the spring. Below are some of the photographs I took during my recent visit at the ornithological park.
A flamingo in flight. Photo by Melanie Votaw.An ibis and a heron nest in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Flamingo in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Flamingos in flight in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Flamingos in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Beautiful flamingos. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Herons nesting in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A flamingo in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Flamingos in the Camargue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
