Europe Travel - Part 25

An Accidental Pilgrimage on the Road to Chivalry

by J. Kathleen Thompson

Who knew that my pilgrimage in Europe was going to be a lot more about locating the source of chivalry than a shrine to an Apostles’ remains in Santiago de Compostela? For it seemed The Knights Hospitaller had guided my itinerary planning and arranged that my formative experience with them would be with their reincarnations – the hospitaleros – in pilgrim albergues on the Camino. They were determined to reveal a new face of chivalry to me, one that was as much about humility as heroism.

I first became consciously aware that the itinerary for this particular trip in Europe may have been ghostwritten by The Knights Hospitaller, on the Camino, the legendary 800 kilometre long pilgrimage across Spain which honours its patron saint, St. James. Every pilgrim learns early that chivalry is definitely not dead on the Camino. Large dollops of it are served every time you stagger up to an albrgue door mid-afternoon and your parched pleas for a room and respite from one’s screaming feet are met by gentle smiles of the attending volunteer staff, known as hospitaleros. Always ready to dispense information, comfort, moleskins, encouragement and clean beds and showers, these angels of mercy have kept the light on for centuries for pilgrims that have plied the path across northern Spain. I vowed to find out more about this chivalric tradition and it turned out this would only require me to pay heed to my itinerary. The knights had arranged that I would be witnessing the trajectory of their history in reverse as my next stop was Malta.

The traveller is instantly apprised of the fact that Valletta, the capital of Malta, was once the formidable medieval garrison of an impressive Order of Knights, the Hospitallers. The city is completely walled, forts exist on both sides of the main harbour, a hospital and a palace (residence of the sovereign commander of the knights) dominate the centre of the city, and costumed brigadiers, with a white 8-point cross emblazoned on their tunics, are on every street corner. Malta was not the birthplace of the Order, it was one in a long chain of outposts for the Hospitallers. Seemed they had been quite a peripatetic lot, likely because they were a Catholic religious order and kept choosing to set up shop in Muslim or Byzantine controlled countries, eventually getting the boot. Their missionary zeal and bull-headed determination urged me to find out more about them, and the bedrock of belief that lay at the foundation of their Order.

The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Knights of St. John and the Knights of Malta) was a Christian organization that began as an Amalfian hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1018 to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, it became a religious/military order under its own charter, and was charged with the care and defence of the Holy Land. The Hospitallers evolved into one of the great military forces of the Crusades, fighting Islamic forces alongside their brothers and rivals, the Templars. After the fall of the Holy Land in 1291 and the loss the their garrison in Jerusalem and Acre, the Order moved to Rhodes and pursued a naval crusade during their reign there between 1309-1522. Eventually they wound up on Malta, where they remained for more than 250 years, surviving the famous great siege of 1565, until finally ousted by Napoleon in 1798. They re-emerged in Rome in 1843 as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, once again as a religious order dedicated to providing medical assistance to the poor, sick, wounded, elderly and homeless. Today they are considered to be the world’s oldest surviving order of chivalry, with 120 chapters of SMOM worldwide, including one in Canada, operating numerous hospitals, medical centres and first aid camps and mobilizing over 20,000 medical personnel and 80,000 volunteers to areas struck by natural disaster or armed conflict. They were first on the scene during the Paris bombing attacks in November 2015.

Key to the history and the raison d’etre of both the Hospitallers and Templars was that they were established as religious orders and governed by rules much like those one would find in a monastery. A novice would be expected to take vows of poverty, chastity, piety, obedience. At the core of the knight’s pledge was the Davidic ethic – benevolence of the strong toward the weak. The clear marriage of heroism and virtue in such a pledge is at the heart of the ‘chivalric code’ (which is descended from the martial traditions and moral system followed by the chevalrie or horse soldiers). Whether they served chiefly as medics or warriors of Christ depended on the situation which explains why in the modern era, continuing servants of the Order work primarily in areas of hospitality and care. In the peaceable kingdom of northern Spain, where they are known as hospitaleros, the peace and truce of God is maintained civilly, allowing them to focus on other chivalric tasks, namely, the guardianship of the pilgrims.

Two flights and one hydrofoil ride later, my ghostwriters had me gliding into Rhodes Town harbour on the Greek Island of Rhodes, the outpost that had preceded Malta for the Hospitallers. In front of me loomed dark, Brobningnagian-looking ramparts with towering gates stationed along the wall. A UNESCO endorsed site, Rhodes Town oozes with austere elegance, particularly on its flagship street: The Street of the Knights. Here a gamut of inns for each of the ‘tongues’ (languages) of the order lines a 600m long cobble-paved street. At the top of Knights Street, I am deposited onto the ground of the Grand Master’s Palace – one of the oldest Gothic structures in Europe, today fulsome with crenulated turrets and parapets. Standing outside the castle makes one speculate about the decisions made here, battle lines drawn, dignitaries entertained, principles defended, knights initiated and causes championed. Judging by the quiet reverential atmosphere inside the castle, other visitors were doing the same.

A short ferry ride from Rhodes will bring one to any number of still extant Hospitaller fortifications, from those clinging to remote hillsides on the island of Tilos, to those dominating town harbours, like those in Kos, and Bodrum, Turkey. But lingering there would make me late for my date with Acre and Jerusalem where I would visit the cradle of Hospitaller life.

In Acre (Akko in Arabic), recent excavations have recovered the knights’ 4,500 square metre complex from beneath the Ottoman structure that had succeeded the Hospitaller occupation. The whole complex, consisting of a refectory, prisoner’s hall, courtyard and administrative buildings, is stunning in its size and symmetry, particularly the refectory which is cathedral like in its domed ceilings and ribbed vaults. The Hospitaller’s last stand in the Holy Land was not hastily conceived, nor half-heartedly maintained, so when the pilgrims staggered up to the door with their parched pleas for water and a room, they were probably not displeased with the accommodations offered.

The Hospitaller influence in Jerusalem is not immediately evident, in fact much of it is still under excavation. After extricating myself from the labyrinth of narrow passageways dense with Middle-Eastern fare – textiles, woodwork, jewellery, candles, lamps, bronze, gold, lokum, nougat, dried fruit, spices – I reached the Via Dolorosa – a main artery through the market. This led me to a path through to the Christian heart of the city along the twelve stations of the cross to the Holy Sepulchre Church. Here, swept up with the throngs heading into the church, I am transported through the last four stages of the cross by the twenty young monks leading the way. The voices in the church yield to a tangle of people, faiths, chapels and relics dizzying in their complexity. I had reached the epicentre and origins of the Hospitaller Order.

Jerusalem marked the end of my accidental pilgrimage – one that had started on the road to Santiago and ended on the fourteenth Station of the Cross in the Holy Sepulchre Church. Yes, it could be considered the consummate Christian pilgrimage – including the western and easternmost points on the pilgrim’s compass – but in the end, it was the spirit of the kindnesses received on the Camino that had motivated my true quest, the one to find out who had been responsible for such a noble legacy on the Camino. After many flights and stopovers later, it was quite clear that what is still alive today is the Hospitaller original and sovereign goal – to provide medical care and hospitality to the people in need. How chivalric is that, dear pilgrim?

Private Tour of Santiago de Compostela from A Coruña

If You Go:

The Camino – you don’t have to be a Catholic to walk the Camino! Canadians will find the Camino a groomed and graded walk, with a proliferation of supply posts and accommodation. Start in St. Jean Pied de Port so the epic day over the Pyrenees is included in your hike. Allow 4-5 weeks for your walk if you are averaging between 25-30 kilometres a day. Great for solo travellers!

Malta – lots of flights from major cities in Europe. Check out the Asti Guesthouse – one of the few places in the walled city of Valletta to stay for a reasonable price.

Rhodes – easily accessible from any major city in Europe, and by ferry from Athens or Crete. Check out The Pearl Hotel in New Rhodes Town for reasonable hotel costs.

Jerusalem – just 2 hours bus ride from Tel Aviv, which is serviced by most major airlines. For accommodation in Old Jerusalem, try the Ecce Homo Convent – hostel-like hospitality right on the Via Dolorosa!

Acre (Akko) – Akko is an hour train ride north of Haifa, which has a plethora of good accommodations and amazing food!

About the author:
J. Kathleen is a lover of adventure, books, music, epic people and journeys and liberal amounts of Greek sunshine and yogurt. She is a member of the B.C. Association of Travel Writers, and writes for regional publications in B.C. When not on a bike, bus or boat in and around the Mediterranean, she can be found waterside in Vancouver or Christina Lake, B.C.

Photos by J. Kathleen Thompson

Medina Azahara: The Lost City of Córdoba, Spain

by Ana Ruiz

The year was 936 when Abd ar-Rahman III, the first Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba, began the construction of his magnificent Islamic city 5 miles west of Córdoba, the prosperous capital of al-Andalus (Islamic Spain). Legend has it that the Caliph named it Madinat az-Zahra (City of Zahra) after his favourite concubine from Granada.

According to legend, Zahra eventually soon grew most despondent despite all the wealth that surrounded her and luxuries offered. When the Caliph asked her what could be done to restore her happiness, Zahra replied that she longed to see the snow of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Snow-Capped Mountain Range) of her home in Granada.

Not one to back down from a challenge no matter how daunting, Abd ar-Rahman III ordered rows and rows of almond trees to be planted close to each other at the gardens of the medina. When the white flowers of the almond trees blossomed in the springtime, it created the impression or illusion of falling snow and Zahra cried no more.

However, ‘Zahra’ is also the Arabic term for ‘brilliance’ or ‘shine’ and it is generally accepted that Madinat az-Zahra was named for its ‘brilliance.’ Chronicles tell of visitors traveling from afar to marvel at the richness and opulence of the palatial city. Abd ar-Rahman III spared no expense in its glorious construction hiring the best architects and artisans from all over the world incorporating materials such as gold, ivory, precious stones, and marble imported from North Africa. Twenty-five years it took over 10,000 men to build the shining city of Medina Azahara, as it is known in Spanish.

Constructed in a location of great natural beauty at the lowest foothills of the Sierra Morena Mountains, the new urban center functioned not only as the Caliph’s new residence but was to serve as the administrative center as well, while affirming, strengthening, and consolidating his power over his empire.

The fortified palace-city formed a rectangular shape measuring nearly 5000 feet long by 2500 feet wide that was enclosed and securely protected by double walls. Roadways and bridges were built and a reconstructed 1st century Roman aqueduct supplied water from the sierra.

In Medina Azahara you would find schools, libraries, workshops, stables, weapons factories, pavilions, and royal barracks. Cypress and palm trees bloomed amidst a fruitful landscape and wild animals lived in a zoo while exotic birds were kept in an aviary. Splendid features such as lavish gardens, orchards, marble fountains, large fish ponds, pools, courtyards, and terraces adorned the city. It is recorded that over 4000 columns were built from white, pink, and green marble and jasper shipped from the Phoenician city of Carthage.

Medina Azahara was comprised of three descending terraces or levels over the Guadalquivir Valley. The common folk lived at the bottom terrace or lower level where you would find the markets (suq), inns (funduq), public baths (hammam), as well as bakery houses, cavalry housing, and the Royal Mint. The Aljama or mosque, also situated on this level but outside the walled precinct, was one of the first buildings completed in 941. The middle level was reserved for court officials where they resided and performed daily administrative duties in their governmental offices. Lastly, on the uppermost level or top terrace overlooking the city lived the Caliph and his family in their private royal residence (dar al-mulk) at the Moorish palace (al-Qasr). Excavations of this terrace have uncovered traces of stables and servant’s quarters. The ceremonial entrance to the al-Qasr (Alcázar), known as the Great Oriental Portico, forms part of what can be appreciated today.

However, the heart of Medina Azahara was the particularly magnificent reception hall known as the Throne Room or Salón Rico (Rich Hall). It is said that visitors were mesmerized by its splendour and astonishing beauty. Here the Caliph received such guests as civil servants, politicians, and ambassadors. The hall opened to the south directing one’s gaze into the aromatic gardens. Thin sheets of colored marble lined the roof and walls giving it an elegant, translucent appearance while the interior was adorned with ebony, ivory, gold and silver tiles, marble columns, and arcades of horse-shoe arches reminiscent of the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

According to Arab historians, there stood in the center of the hall a fountain filled with quicksilver that when illuminated by the sun’s rays was shaken by a servant on cue as commanded by Abd ar-Rahman III. This motion caused the mercury to reflect from the sun’s rays flashing through the walls and ceiling with an overwhelming brilliance similar to that of lightning. Nothing like this had ever been constructed anywhere before, and although guests were generally frightened, the Caliph took great delight in this entertaining display.

However, the power of the Caliphate began to decline towards the late 10th century due to internal struggles within and in the year 1010, Berber troops sacked and burned Medina Azahara to the ground. During the centuries that followed, ruins of this once glorious city were constantly pillaged and plundered for the construction of buildings as far away as Marrakech. By the 15th century the vestiges of this forgotten city became known to locals as Córdoba La Vieja (Córdoba the Old or Old Córdoba.) Archaeological excavations began as late as 1911 and what remains today is only about 10% of what existed within the walled city; mainly about a third of the uppermost level comprised of the central area of the Alcázar.

Although the brilliance of Medina Azahara was short-lived, it stands as the most important in Andalusia (Southern Spain.) The once palatial city is the largest archaeological site of Muslim Spain today and is candidate for becoming a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2018. This honour would lead to increased visitors resulting in greater funding for the much needed exploration, preservation, and further restoration of the site.

I had the pleasure of walking though these ruins imagining what the Shining City must have been like in all its glory during the 10th century when it was known as La Perla de al-Andalus (The Pearl of Al-Andalus.) For those with a special interest in archaeology and architecture, Medina Azahara is not to be missed when visiting Andalusia.

If You Go:

As of spring 2017, nightly visits will be available when more than 800 LED lights will illuminate the entire complex. Two daily buses from Córdoba center take you to and from the site in about half an hour, however tickets must be purchased a day in advance. Tickets and guided tours are available at tourist information points. The site is closed on Mondays and their telephone number is (34) 957 329 130. For more information visit: www.medinaazahara.org

About the author:
Ana Ruiz was born in Spain and currently resides in Canada. Ruiz has worked as a journalist and columnist and is also the author of seven books including two on the history and culture of Spain; “Vibrant Andalusia” and “Medina Mayrit; the Origins of Madrid”. Visit: ana-ruiz.weebly.com

All photos by Ana Ruiz:
Dar al-Wuzara (House of the Viziers)
Northern wall ruins (where the tour commences)
The Great Oriental Portico (archway leading to the Alcázar)
Interior of the great Mosque of Córdoba
Inside the House of the Viziers

Eligibility and requirements for Spain citizenship by descent

Italy: One Night In Rome

by Anne Harrison

By the time we left the hotel, it was already late afternoon, and our plane left at dawn. The buildings shimmered with a golden glow particular to Italian cities of stone and marble.

After fortifying ourselves with an espresso, we strolled to the stylish Via Veneto. Lively and fashionable back when Rome was ruled by the Caesars, just on a century ago this ancient quarter consisted of terraced gardens and vineyards. Then the Prince of Piombino sold part of his country estate to develop a luxurious neighbourhood of piazzas and palazzos. (The design proved so successful the Prince could no longer afford to live here.)

The Via Veneto opens onto the Piazza Barbarini. Here stand two of Bernini’s fountains; his first -The Triton – and The Fountain of the Bees. He designed the latter around the Barbarini’s family emblem, in deference to his patron, Pope Urban VIII.

From here, narrow streets wind to the top of the Spanish Steps.(On the Via Sistine is the convent Nostra Signora di Lourdes, one of the many throughout Italy to take paying guests.) At the top stands the Trinita De Monti, a twin-towered Gothic church built in 1495 by Charles VIII of France. As we arrived a bride and groom left to the accompaniment of peeling bells. The church contains two works by Daniele da Volterra, a pupil of Michelangelo, (who was later ordered by Pope Pius IV to paint clothes over the nude figures of the Sistine Chapel).

Immortalized by Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, the Spanish Steps offer an unforgettable view across the roofline of Rome. Bronze domes glimmered under the setting sun; Keats looked onto them as he lay dying in a house in the Piazza di Spagna below.

At the bottom of the stairs is an unusual fountain, La Barcaccia. Designed by Bernini’s father, it resembles a leaking ship. Tradition holds he chose such a shape after the flooding of the Tiber on Christmas Day in 1958, which left a boat in the piazza. Pieces of travertine at either end of the fountain serve as stepping stones for anyone wishing to use the water; La Barcaccia is one of the many drinking fountains scattered across Rome.

The evening promenade filled the piazza, spilling into the Via Condotti with its lining of expensive boutiques. Yet despite the crowds, the nearby Via Margutta remained relatively empty. This street belongs to artists, and connoisseurs of art. A few small shops, unchanged in appearance for hundreds of years, simply but elegantly display a single old print or painting in their window.

After tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain, our path wended towards the Tiber. Near the Ponte Cavour is one of the most significant monuments of Ancient Rome. Commissioned by the Senate in 13BC, the Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustus’ Peace) it is a three-dimensional record of 4th July, 43BC, when Augustus was given a hero’s parade after his victorious campaigns in Gaul and Spain. The Emperor can be seen leading the procession with his family and friends, with the next emperor, Tiberius, beside him.

Preserved under glass, this work is so exquisite some believe it executed by Greek artists. Drenched in spotlights, at night the Ara Pacis Augustae is more than a ghost of days long gone; it’s a dramatic reminder of the power and cultural achievements of Imperial Rome.

We crossed the Tiber on the Ponte Sant’ Angelo. Closed to traffic, this bridge is a quiet place to gaze over the city and river. Built by Hadrian in 134 AD, it connects the city to his future tomb, the Castel Sant’ Angelo. In the 17th century, Bernini adorned the bridge with ten ethereal angels who stand in a perpetual gale, their draperies tossed by a stone tempest.

The Leonine Wall runs along back streets from the Castel Sant Angelo to the Vatican, behind shops selling rosary beads and cardinals’ socks. These streets are often empty, as most tourist approach St Peter’s along the grand Via della Conciliazione. Like Florence’s Vasari Corridor, the Leonine Wall houses a secret passage which connects the Vatican to the Castel. More than one pontiff has beaten a hasty retreat along this ‘passageway of popes’.

By moonlight, St Peter’s Square has a magic magnified by the stillness. Even the pigeons have gone. Bernini likened the marble colonnade stretching around the square to the embracing arms of the mother church. The Basilica was closed, watched over by Swiss Guards in their colourful uniforms and long capes. Yet in a nearby building an open bronze door offered a glimpse of endless corridors, with a few officials strutting importantly past.

We crossed back over the Tiber near the Isola Tiberina. This boat-shaped island has been associated with healing for over 2000 years, having been dedicated to Aesculapius in 293BC. The islands hospital, run by The Brother’s of John of God, still administer to the needs of ill Romans.

Walking along the dimly lit Via del Gonfalone, the sound of clinking cutlery led us to an unmarked door. Inside, a fire blazed, and metre-thick walls of medieval brick supported a roof of exposed timber beams. A charming waiter deciphered the menu for us, stopping only at veal castrata. Perhaps it was the magic of the night which made this one of the best meals we had in Italy: Tuscan wine, antipasto, fresh bread, minestrone, veal staccota and lemon cakes.

Our route home took us past the only perfectly preserved ancient building in Rome. The Pantheon, in the Piazza della Rotonda, was designed by the Emperor Hadrian in 125AD. Hadrian made the unique design of a Roman dome on a circular base, in the form of a Greek temple, all in perfect proportion and symmetry. The dome is higher than St Peter’s, and its consecration in 609AD prevented the plundering which destroyed so much of Ancient Rome following the Empire’s protracted fall.

Next time I will return during a thunderstorm, when the rain splatters through the roof’s circular opening onto the marble floor, and lightening illuminates the tomb of Raphael.

The Piazza di Sant’ Eustachio is reached from the Pantheon via the narrow Via Palobella. This small piazza was filled with locals making a detour on the way home for Rome’s best coffee. The tiny Sant’ Eustachio Cafe was filled to overflowing, with people spilling out into the piazza with their coffees. By this time of night the coffee was served heavily laced with aniseed, giving it an almost mystical quality.

It may border on sacrilegious to spend only one night in Rome, but a traveler adapts to what is available. We’d touched on the spirit of the city, and there is always next time. There has to be, else we could never leave.

Browse Rome Tours Now Available

If You Go:

Ever considered staying in a convent or monastery? There are numerous websites to help, such as: www.bookingmonastery.com or http://www.monasterystays.com.

The official Rome Tourism Website

For ideas on what’s on in Rome

About the author:
Anne Harrison lives with her husband, two children and numerous pets in regional Australia. She discovered travel at the age of ten, then the world of history and philosophy. Her jobs include wife, mother, doctor, farmer, cheese-maker and local witch doctor, and her ambition is to be 80 and happy. Read more at anneharrison.com.au and http://hubpages.com/@anneharrison.

All photos by Anne Harrison
A view towards St Peter’s from the Tiber
The ever popular Spanish Steps
A detail of the Trevi Fountain
The Castel Sant Angelo
Raphael’s tomb, the Pantheon

France: Ghosts of the Trianon

by K.M. Lowe

If you’ve been to Versailles you’ll know that it redefines large. Looking out from the main palace, the gardens go past the horizon in two directions—literally as far as the eye can see. The historic site covers 2,000 acres, making it larger than Manhattan. Once the home of French kings, Versailles can take all day to tour, and you still would not see everything.

Because of its distance from the main palace, many visitors do not get to a small chāteau on the grounds known as Le Petit Trianon.

Originally designed for Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, construction on Le Petit Trianon was begun in 1765. Madame de Pompadour, however, died before the miniature palace was completed, which eventually happened in 1778. The next Louis (XVI) gave the chāteau to his wife, Marie Antoinette, who used it as an escape from the hectic life at court.

Back in the 1980s, I saw a movie on television called, “Miss Morison’s Ghosts.” The programme told the story of two British women who visited the Palace of Versailles on a hot August day in 1901.

While wandering the grounds near the Petit Trianon, the pair of women became disoriented. They subsequently witnessed a series of people and sights that seemed strange, and they also experienced feelings of oppression and dreariness. The event upset them so much that after they had recovered, they did not speak of it for a long time. But when they finally discussed it months later, they learned that they each had seen different sights during the same time period in the same places.

Curious and somewhat disturbed, the women wrote down their individual accounts independently of one another and then compared notes. Surprised by what was revealed in their writings, they began carrying out research on the palace, its history and particularly the small chateau near where they’d witnessed the sights: Le Petit Trianon.

Eventually they learned that their visit to Versailles August 10, 1901 had happened on the anniversary of Louis’s and Marie’s imprisonment during the French Revolution. They discovered descriptions of the property made at the time of the French Revolution that matched what they had seen.
Returning to Versailles (several times in fact), they found the landscape different from their first visit, and records indicated that some of what they had seen did not exist in 1901. It had, however, existed in the 1700s.

Watching the movie “Miss Morison’s Ghosts,” I thought the tale fictional and was surprised to find later that these women did exist. The story had caused a scandal when they published it in 1911 – 10 years after the incident – in a book called, “An Adventure.” They wrote the small booklet using the pseudonyms Elizabeth Morison and Frances Lamont to conceal their identities. This turned out to be a good idea because the book was ridiculed by many, and the authors would likely have faced scorn and ultimately ruin.

After their deaths, however, the authors’ identities were revealed as respected academics Charlotte Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain. In 1901, Moberly was the first Principal of St. Hugh’s College in Oxford, a hall of residence for young women. Jourdain had authored several textbooks and was being considered for the position of assistant to Moberly. Moberly visited Jourdain in Paris, where Jourdain tutored students. They decided to visit some of the sites, and on August 10, they took the train to Versailles.

The book that Jourdain and Moberly wrote had descriptions of everything they saw and heard that day and includes details of music, people, clothing, tools, landscape and buildings. Moberly wrote about “very dignified officials, dressed in long greyish green coats with small three-cornered hats…” She also described a man wearing a cloak and large shady hat whose appearance was “most repulsive… its expression odious. His complexion was dark and rough.” A lady in a summer dress and white hat sketching on the grass was determined by Moberly to have been Marie Antoinette.

Eventually the book they published became known as “The Ghosts of the Trianon,” and the alleged event as the ‘Moberly-Jourdain Incident’ once their true identities were revealed. Over the years, the story has been the topic of scrutiny, ridicule and serious study.

Disbelievers have insisted that these academics were suffering from heatstroke on that sweltering August day. Believers have maintained that they had travelled back in time to the 1700s. Another explanation is that they had inadvertently strayed into a fancy dress party sometimes held on the Versailles grounds by the French avant-garde. The two women themselves thought they may have tapped into psychic memories of Marie Antoinette.

When I eventually found my way to the Palace of Versailles, I was reminded of the story of “The Ghosts of the Trianon.” In addition to wanting to see the grandiosity of this historic location, my love of mysteries drew me to Versailles. Of course we toured the main palace, but I simply had to visit the small chāteau to satisfy my curiosity about the Moberly-Jourdain Incident.

Wide paths walled with massive manicured trees connect the Petit Trianon with the main gardens. In the days of Marie and Louis, travel to and from would have been by carriage. Today, there is a trolley to shuttle visitors back and forth. But I was compelled to walk the same paths that the British academics would have walked in 1901.

Of course we got lost along the way. You could even say we became disoriented, possibly just as Moberly and Jourdain had more than a century earlier. It is easy to do. The tall trees make it impossible to see anything other than the path you are on, which all look the same and intersect at angles. We found ourselves at dead ends twice and had to backtrack to get around a canal and a fence. And we were there in the autumn without the stifling heat of summer that may have caused even more physical distress.

We did eventually arrive at the picturesque chāteau with its private gardens and domed gazebo. The building itself has been called “simple and elegant, architecturally correct…” While knowing little of architecture, I must agree. The impression the chāteau gives is: right; appropriate; proper. But I wonder if that is a relative comparison. Could it be that after touring the grand palace, one can’t help but see the small chāteau as more appropriate by contrast? The Trianon gardens certainly contrast with the formal symmetry of the main Versailles gardens. Meandering paths and streams form a nature retreat around a neo-Classical gazebo. Known as the Temple of Love, the gazebo is only a short walk from the chāteau yet because of the vegetation looks and feels isolated and secluded.

In “Ghosts of the Trainon” or “An Adventure,” Jourdain apparently wrote: “Everything suddenly looked unnatural, therefore unpleasant; even the trees seemed to become flat and lifeless, like wood worked in tapestry. There were no effects of light and shade, and no wind stirred the trees.”

I say she ‘apparently wrote,’ because I have been unable to acquire a copy of the book. However, I must admit that the whole area had a flat, lifeless look to it when I was there, as if it were a life-sized painting. Jourdain is reported to have used the term ‘tableau vivant,’ or living picture, which seems appropriate for what I experienced.

Did I feel the dreariness they’d described? Maybe; there was something unnatural about it all. I wonder though if that had to do with how out of time it appeared—preserved as it would have been for the kings and queens who are now long dead along with the lifestyle they represented. Ghosts of the past, certainly.

As noted early, I have not found a copy to read, and I have also been unable to view the film a second time. For some reason, it is easier to travel to Versailles than it is to get a copy of the film “Miss Morison’s Ghosts” or the book that inspired it.

Sadly, there were no actual ghost sightings for us. But there have been for others. The area is known for ghostly visions and weird occurrences, and a woman matching Marie Antoinette’s description has been seen sketching near the Petit Trianon on more than one occasion. The ‘incident’ experienced by these British academics, however, is the most famous (to date).

If You Go:

Read the book here

Wikipedia

Internet Movie Database

Watch the movie below…

About the author:
K.M. Lowe is writer, journalist and corporate communicator. In her 20+ year career, she’s worked at NGOs, high tech, publishers and the media. Her jobs have included communications director, publishing advisor, staff writer, and managing editor. With a passion for story-based communications, she’s written 100+ articles and hundreds of blog posts. She has traveled extensively and lived in Canada and in West Africa. For more information visit: www.kmlowe.com

Full Day Private Guided Tour Versailles Castle Gardens Petit Trianon from Paris – $233.65
from: Viator

Photo credits:
Versailles photo #1 courtesy of www.all-free-photos.com.
All other photos by K.M. Lowe:
The palace of Versailles and its grounds combined cover 2,000 acres, making it larger than Manhattan… literally as far as the eye can see
The Petit Trianon chateau was built for the king’s mistress, but she died before it was complete. So when it was finished, he gave it to his wife instead.
Paths from the main palace of Versailles to the Petit Trianon are lined with massive hedges preventing visitors from seeing exactly where they are or where they are going.
There are rumours that Marie Antoinette’s ghost is seen in the small (well, relatively speaking) garden of the Petit Trianon near the Temple of Love.

The Many Marvels of Malta

by Darlene Foster

The Republic of Malta consists of three islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino. This unique country boasts a rich and diverse history that dates back 7000 years. The islands have been inhabited by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, French and British who have all left their mark. With over 300 churches, quaint fishing villages, fortified walls, watch towers, museums, megalithic temples, pristine beaches and delightful bays, there is much to see and do.

We arrive once by sea and once by air. What strikes me both times is the natural look of the country due to everything being built from the limestone found in abundance on the islands. The ancient buildings, fortresses and watch towers blend in well with more recent construction. It is the juxtaposition of the old and the new that I find so fascinating.

A rare rainy day in Valletta finds me in the Museum of Archeology, a perfect place to learn about the early history of Malta. Housed in the Auberge de Provence, a baroque building built in 1571, with richly painted walls and a wood beamed ceiling, it is a beautiful setting to view ancient treasures. The Museum exhibits artefacts dating back to Malta’s Neolithic period (5000 BC) up to the Phoenician Period (400 BC). On display are the earliest tools used by the prehistoric people providing an insight into their daily lives.

The highlight for me was the 5,000-year old ‘Sleeping Lady’ from the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. An amazing example of craftsmanship from prehistoric times, this small ceramic figurine about 12cm in length, was found in a pit at an ancient underground burial place. Among other fascinating artifacts is an anthropomorphic sarcophagus from the Phoenician Period.

There are many remarkable churches and there is a risk of getting overdosed but a must see is St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valetta. The plain facade looks more like a fortress and gives no indication of the marvels inside.

This church of the Order of the Knights of St. John was completed in 1577. The interior was originally very simple but over the years the Grand Masters and Knights donated gifts of artworks and financial contributions to enrich it. The interior now drips with gold, ornate statues and exquisite paintings. The original painting of the beheading of John the Baptist by Caravaggio hangs in the Oratory. I am awestruck as I stand in front of this astonishing work of art. Photographs are not allowed so you will have to take my word for it. I was, however, allowed to take pictures in the opulent Sanctuary. The cathedral houses a museum with elaborate vestments and incredible Flemish tapestries. The urge to snap a couple of photographs is strong but I resist. I also resist touching the centuries old tapestries representing hours and hours of labour.

The Knights of St. John established the Malta we know today in 1566 when they liberated the archipelago from the Turks and built the fortresses and watchtowers that still stand. The Grande Harbour is a busy place with boats of all sizes and a wonderful view of Fort St. Angelo That has guarded the harbour for centuries. I am intrigued by the colourful traditional fishing boats called Luzzus with the Eye of Osiris painted on each side to protect them from danger.

A bus trip to the market town of Mosta in the centre of Malta brings us to a domed cathedral built in the mid-1800s. This marvellous piece of architecture features the third largest unsupported church dome in Europe. Dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, it replaced a much smaller church that had been on the site since 1619. The Mosta Rotunda is the site of a modern day miracle. During WWII, on April 9, 1942, while over 400 parishioners worshipped inside, a 200 kg German bomb hit the church, pierced the dome and landed in the aisle. It rolled to the base of the pulpit and stopped. It did not hit a single person and it did not explode! The bomb disposal team removed it, defused it and threw it into the sea. A replica of the bomb can be viewed in the sacristy. It gives me goose bumps to see this. My husband points out where the bomb entered the dome as the coloration where it was repaired is slightly different. We end the visit with a tasty lunch in a restaurant across the street overlooking the Rotunda, wondering how the parishioners felt when the bomb fell at their feet.

We take a boat trip to the island of Gozo, passing the small island of St. Paul where in AD 60, the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome. During his stay on the Maltese Islands, he converted the inhabitants to the Christian faith.

Once on Gozo, we visit Dwejra the site of the famous Azure Window seen on postcards and calendars of Malta and featured in a number of movies and TV shows such as The Game of Thrones. Just two weeks earlier this important landmark fell into the sea. An example of how nothing lasts forever. The view from the rocky shore is stunning nevertheless.

We also stop at the Ta´Pinu Sanctuary where every year pilgrimages are made to Our Lady of Ta´Pinu who is believed to have healing powers. A wall in the church displays crutches, plaster casts and pictures as offerings by those who have been healed. A sandwich on delicious Maltese bread near the Citadel in the ancient capital city of Victoria ends our visit to Gozo. We would have liked more time to explore.

On the return trip, we dock at the uninhabited island of Comino which is a nature reserve. A walk up steep stairs, past a shrine set in the rocks, takes me to a view of the crystal blue waters of the Blue Lagoon. I don´t think I have ever seen such clear water. Some visitors swim and others sun on the rocks. Trucks serving snacks are available for those who get hungry or thirsty. We enjoy the spectacular views as we head back to the island of Malta.

We take a break from historical sites and cathedrals and visit the whimsical film set of the 1980 Popeye Movie, filmed on Malta. Popeye village rests on the edge of a peaceful cove in Anchor Bay and is now a tourist attraction. I feel like a kid again as we wander the streets of Sweethaven, the home of Popeye, Olive Oyl and Swee´pea. To construct this authentic wooden village, tree trunk logs arrived from Holland, and wood shingles, used in the construction of the rooftops, were imported all the way from Canada. There are plenty of activities on the site including a boat ride around the bay. Characters from the story are happy to pose for pictures, answer questions and entertain the guests. A comic museum displaying various comic strips since the character of Popeye the Sailor man was created by Elzie Segar in 1929, brings back great memories. A fun day.

There is so much to see and do in Malta, a week isn’t nearly enough. This country, with its famous balconies, exquisite doorknockers, hospitable citizens and well looked after feral cats should be on everyone´s must-see list.

If You Go:

Malta can be reached by air from any major airport. We flew from Barcelona. It is also included on some Mediterranean Cruise ports of call.

Cars can be rented but be aware the traffic can get very congested. Public transport is easy to get around and very inexpensive. Many bus and boat tours are available.

Accommodations are plentiful. We stayed in the Bugibba area near St. Paul´s Bay which was very pleasant. If you like to party and don´t mind a noisy atmosphere, Valletta may be your thing.

There are many choices for food so there is something for everyone but you must try a pastizzi (flaky pastry parcel filled with ricotta or mushy peas).

The Maltese language is difficult to get your tongue around, however everyone speaks English as well.

About the author:
Darlene Foster is a writer of children’s travel/adventure books, short stories and travel articles. Brought up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, she dreamed of traveling the world, meeting interesting people and writing stories. She has made it her mission to discover the uniqueness of places and write about them. www.darlenefoster.ca

Private Highlights of Malta Full-Day Tour from Valletta

All photos by Darlene Foster