Showing posts with label cathedrals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cathedrals. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Charming Prague (Eastern Europe Part 7)

Travelling out of Poland we made our way by coach on a six hours journey to the Czech Republic right into the capital Prague. Being a historical city untouched by the fiery of war, everything was left intact. 



Our walking tour that cold rainy day brought us first to the city's infamous Prague castle which is a simple stone strong hold. In one of the courtyards stands the St Vitus Cathedral which takes me away with its immense facade. 




























































The beauty of the facade deserves a selfie moment for sure!... 

The chapel houses the remains of saint John of Nepomuk in the silver tomb. 


Sheer beauty of stained glass depicting biblical tales...

We also visited the Vladislav Hall inside the Royal Palace. Its ribbed vaults is an architectural standout, which makes it one of the highlights in the city today. 

Moving on further at the eastern sector of the castle lies the Golden Lane which is lined with quaint little cottages from the 16th centurty. They were first occupied by craftsmen and goldsmiths (hence the  name- golden lane). Today the cottages which facades have been exquisitely conserved, are homes to sourvenir shops.





 The one which caught my eye was the store selling handmade puppets. The craftsmanship is impeccable.


Gorgeous flowers i saw along the way, as spring makes way for summer ... 


Walking out of the Golden Lane, we were treated to the picturesque view
of the old Praha city. 



Had to grab one of these on the way, absolutely delicious with a warm soft doughy texture coated with cinnamon sugar. Perfect for a cold day!
Even though it was arduous walking down the steep hill, the view made up for it!



The slow walk down the hill brought us to the start of the infamous Charles Bridge, also the perfect stage set for romancing couples.  
The romance factor of the bridge didn't quite work for me with tons of people crossing over.
Maybe at sunrise we might have better luck.

I met the legendary lucky charm of the Charles Bridge and couldn't resist giving it a rub at the hope of having my wishes come true!
The bridge leads to the Old Town, right into the commercial heart of Prague. 


Before moving along, we were treated to one of the Michelin star recommended restaurants- Mlynec. My vegetarian three course lunch included a salad as a starter... 

Main was a ravioli served with asparagus in a cream sauce... 


And to end off, a poached pear dessert with strawberry ice cream. It was refreshing!


Prague's Old Town Square does live up to its name of being an architectural delight, having buildings inspired from medieval to baroque eras. The square was once the main market place and 
ground to where the Astronomical Clock stands. 

The clock is a masterpiece which captures time in various ways. It accounts time by the seconds to the cycles of the sun and moon. At every hour, eager visitors are also greeted by a ritual of pop out figures from the clock dancing to a catchy tune. 

Of all the sights i saw in Prague, I personally love the Astronomical Clock the most. 

The Old Town Square, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site... 



The rainy weather did dampen my spirit a little, as I wanted to see the city against a clear blue sky;  but maybe she is calling me back again - on a brighter, sunnier day! 

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 4

Monday, September 30, 2013

Macau Visuals (Part 1)

Macau in Autumn. 

A typical street with a European x Chinese flavour.

The cathedral in the heart of the city... 

European influence is evident.
The icon of Macau...




TBC...

pics taken with a Panasonic Lumix camera

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Holy See, Vatican City.

Through ages, the chapel has always been a place of safety and refuge from the stormy seas of life, where people can come together for worship and prayer or simply for peace and contemplation.
And that was one of the things the Holy See stood for being the centre of Christianity.

That morning, we rose up early and like earnest pilgrims making our way through Rome into the Vatican City. We revered the Divine in His magnificent ways and set out early to pray for blessings for our lives. We wanted to avoid the crowds as always and decided that we were going to reach early.

It is a good idea to have an early lunch before entering the Vatican in case the queues are long.

















When in Italy, we ate as much pasta as we could. Obviously! 
It was 11am and the queue was already forming. 












The St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City is the site of the tomb of Saint Peter and also a pilgrimage centre for Roman Catholics all over the world. Today, the Pope (head of the Church) lives there. The city is not only the smallest city in the world, it is also listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 
Whether for religious or touristic purposes, the Vatican City is a must-go destination worthy to be on the bucket list.

We got into the queue under the blistering noon sun. We waited in line for about half an hour (apparently quite a short wait) 



After my first visit to the Basilica in 2004, I learnt that to enter the Cathedral it was compulsory to the dressed appropriately like visits to any religious institutions. Both males and females must have their shoulders covered and shorts were not allowed. (Basically, not to show skin) Many tourists had to buy make shift paper trousers to wear at a hefty price (obviously the best time to capitalize on desperate tourists!) if they wanted to enter the Cathedral. 
Although it was a hot summer, we made sure that we were dressed appropriately and took no chance to be turned down by the guards of the cathedral. 

Statues on the balustrade. 


The ceiling of the entrance. 

Intricate details. 

What we all hope to receive from the pilgrimage or our visit...

Inside the chapel...



The St Peter's Basilica is said to be the father of all the cathedrals as it lived up to his grandeur and magnificence. Every part of the cathedral was lined with details. I particularly liked this dome ceiling of angels. 

The Basilica also holds the Pieta, the original Michaelango sculpture of Mary holding the crucified Jesus. 
I felt so privileged to be in the largest church in the world.
Inside the Basilica...

The statue of St Peter.

Startled by these details!

The Apse, which is elaborately decorated by Baroque work. There sits the supposed chair of Saint Peter. 


The Truth will set us FREE!


Compassion.

Wished i knew more about what the statues stand for.

Every painting, statue and mural has a story/teaching to share.
This one is about Jesus revealing himself to a nun. 

The mercy of Jesus upon people. 


Gateway to Heaven?

Decided to send some greetings from the Vatican to friends back home as we prayed for blessings for all!






































Roamed around the Vatican City!






































What i call the Fountain of Love!






































Being in the St Peter's Square, I can't help but think about the movie Angels and Demons!
Always wonder how they managed to film all those scenes with so many tourists always.

I realized i missed out visiting the Sistine Chapel! I guess the angels are calling me back again one day!

The Vatican City welcomes all whether you are there to pray or just simply to admire the beauty that is created by the faith of the people in the form of the Basilica. 













May all beings be blessed!