Europe Travel - Part 56

Roman Pompeii: Suspended in Time

Italy

by Chris Millikan

August 23, 79AD was just a regular day in flourishing Pompeii. Toga-robed citizens traded their goods, discussed politics, exchanged gossip and visited places of worship. Just three days later everything suddenly changed when she vanished completely! Entombed for 1500 years by the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii is now one of Europe’s best-preserved archaeological sites. We join an excited group of history buffs on a day trip from Naples and explore this sophisticated Roman city frozen in time under six meters of volcanic ash and pumice.

Entering ancient Porta Marina’s pedestrians-only passage, our guide introduces Pompeii. “Just like now, thousands of visitors traveled here,” Massimillio informs us. “And many different languages were spoken.”

Via Marina leads us through the marble-paved Forum patronized by the bakers, merchants and aristocrats living in nearby neighborhoods. This main square had been surrounded with several lavish temples, law courts and the exchange as well as bustling shops and eateries in a portico-covered market. A fenced shelter alongside the forum holds fragments of friezes and pottery; petrified bodies cast in desperate poses command the most attention.

Past the sparse and deserted Temple of Venus, at one time the town’s most magnificent structure, we pause at the Temple of Apollo, the oldest. Twenty-eight massive columns had once defined this glorious religious building; nowadays a single statue dominates one end. Also prominent, the Temple of Jupiter towered above; arches on both sides of its wide staircase remain intact.

Wealthy nobles lived along via de la Fortuna where elegant homes covered with bright-white ground-marble stucco stood next door to smaller houses. At House of the Faun, an undamaged mosaic displaying the original sign HAVE meaning ‘hail-to-you,’ welcomes us into the entrance hall and open courtyards. Then covering an entire block, its forty stylish rooms included magnificent dining rooms, one for each season. Carved columns had lined two immense gardens filled with marble and bronze statuary and beautiful fountains.

Exiting, we spy a 2000-year-old lead pipe. “From a huge aqueduct-fed tank, three separate systems supplied water to the baths, homes and fountains,” reports Massimillio. “During droughts, the last pipe rationed was to these fountains where everyone got their drinking water.”

Nearby, the House of the Vetti belonged to bachelor brothers, prosperous wine-merchants. This patrician villa retains original mosaics in green jade, white Carrera marble and indigo-blue onyx; vibrantly colored frescoes decorate well-preserved entertainment rooms. At a smaller house next door, we linger over frescoes in rich earthen tones depicting delicate flowers and winged cherubs, among my favorites for their simple whimsy.

At the next intersection a public fountain prompts explanation. “This, and 43 similar fountains throughout the city, were very busy places where locals met daily,” Massimillio reveals. “They continuously overflowed, cleverly flushing streets and gutters into the sea; elevated stones in the intersections allowed pedestrians to cross the flooding streets. Those spaces you see between the steppingstones allowed cartwheels to pass easily.”

Raised sidewalks wind along the street to one of the 34 bakeries needed to feed Pompeii’s population of over 20,000. “Those squat towers made of volcanic stones milled flour on-site,” reports our guide. Amazed that the well-built ovens so closely resemble today’s brick pizza ovens, we imagine tantalizing aromas floating on the air. During excavations, centuries-old loaves of blackened breads were found inside many ovens.

Beyond the bakery we spy another ‘welcome’ mosaic, this time with a bear holding its head announcing Taberna Hedones, a tavern for high living and self-indulgence. The marble table that kept buffet foods hot still stands in front. Illegal gambling such as cock fighting took place in the back. Stalls selling wine, cakes, nuts, figs and breads lined busy streets; we can see where their sliding doors left grooves in the marble street.

Trying out the steppingstones, we cross to the red light district’s top lupanare. Here, lineups of curious tourists like us wait to view the faded erotic frescoes inside, illustrations which had helped foreigners choose their pleasure. “Prostitutes were called lupas,” the guide explains, “she-wolves loudly calling their wares from the brothel balconies.”

Inside, surprisingly small cells held stone beds once covered by mattresses. Using a separate entrance, wealthier clients had used the more private second-story rooms bedecked with rich frescoes leaving little to the imagination.

Few families had owned private baths; most Pompeians enjoyed the public baths and welcomed the socialization. Of Pompeii’s three significant thermal baths, the oldest were situated on the edge of the Theater District.

At Stabian Thermae, citizens relaxed in luxury, playing endless games of knucklebones amid erotic frescoes in bright reds, greens and gold. Rooms decorated with elaborate mosaics and bawdy sculptures had been warmed by heated water running through wall cavities. Separate sections for women and men offered lavish change rooms; cold, warm and hot baths and latrines. This bathhouse also had an indoor waterfall; others provided swimming pools or gymnasiums, sometimes, lovely gardens.

Onward past a former Temple of popular Egyptian goddess Isis, we pause among columns remaining in a second public Forum. This is where theatergoers had mingled in bars and cafes before open-air performances at their Grande Theater. First built in the 2nd-century BC, this theater seated over 5000 citizens in three price ranges. Its smaller semi-circular neighbor, the Odeon staged more intimate mime, plays and musical events.

And Pompeiians adored their theater! Archaeologists discovered pictures of theaters and scenes from plays painted on walls inside houses, sculptures of theatrical masks in gardens and graffiti praising actors adorning walls throughout the city.

From the topmost hillside seats in the theater, we can glimpse the old gladiator barracks, a colonnaded courtyard beyond. They’d trained in the Gymnasium of the Gladiators. “Gladiator-slave extraordinaire, Spartacus himself trained there years before,” mentions Massimillio, “fighting with a round shield and a short sword in the 12,000-seat amphitheater ten minutes away from here.” A heroic figure, ancient graffiti had idealized his strength.

With two-thirds of the buried city now excavated, a glorious early civilization has re-emerged. Pompeii still entices thousands of visitors annually, just like in days of old.

Pompeii Guided Tour with Ancient Roman Food and Wine Tasting

If You Go:

The Site:
A great walking site, Pompeii is historically fascinating with much to see and only 30 or 40 minutes away from Naples. Comfortable footwear is recommended since the old roman cobblestone stone roads, some with cart grooves and uneven ground can be challenging. Take water, sunscreen and hats as summer temperatures can reach 22-25c.

Pompeii visitors information website

Getting There:
By train: Use the Circumvesuviana Napoli-Sorrento line; get off at Pompeii Scavi station. By Bus: SITA runs buses from Naples. By Ship: From a cruise ship, shore excursions include the coach, entry tickets and tour.

About the author:
A much-traveled freelance writer/photographer, Chris Millikan is a retired Elementary School Principal living in Delta, near Vancouver, BC. She enjoys traveling the province and beyond, sharing her tales with others in various local newspapers and magazines. Experiencing zany, off the beaten track, historical and cultural adventures for many years with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, she looks forward to introducing first grandchild Willamina to the wonders of travel. A member in good standing & Vice President of the BC Association of Travel Writers, Chris is a 2009 Kalama Award winner, acknowledged for stories that reflect the culture and history of Maui Nui: Maui, Molokai & Lanai.

All photos by Rick Millikan.

Knowth, Ireland – Megalithic Passage Tomb

Welcoming the Return of the Sun at the Spring Equinox

by Mara Baudais

I was soaked. The rain and wind had not let up all day. I had a brief respite from both as I boarded the small bus from the Visitor Centre which had taken our group to Newgrange*, a huge megalithic passage tomb. The Visitor Centre acts as a gateway to the Bru na Boinne area, the bend of the Boyne river. In this area lie three Neolithic (4000-2500 BC) Passage Tombs—Newgrange, Dowth and Knowth built over an area of 10 square kilometres—Newgrange, the most famous, Dowth, still unexcavated and Knowth, the largest. Five thousand years ago thirty eight passage tombs were built. The area became known as Bru na Boinne– the cemetery of the Boine. The river, Boine, considered sacred, encircles the area on three sides giving great protection. These structures look out from a black slate glacially created ridge seventy metres higher than the glacial valley through which the Boyne River runs. The warmest part of Ireland, the land boasted of three types of soil: clay, gravel and slate, all fertile. Variety of soil types meant that neither excessive drought nor rain would be a crisis. Six thousand years ago Ireland’s first farmers arrived, cut down trees and planted barley and wheat as the main crop. They also raised sheep, pigs, cattle– much like today’s farmers do. Abundance meant wealth and extra time to devote to the building of great monuments, numerous auxiliary smaller structures, the development of advanced social ritual and probably the development of astronomical ideas and rituals which were tied to astronomy.

Knowth, specifically, was first established in the early Neolithic six thousand years ago. First settlement is the ancient remains of a wooden/wattle rectangular enclosure with probably a thatched roof. Knowth is one thousand years older than Stonehenge, England and five hundred years older than the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt yet most people have never heard of it. The first use of the tombs was marked by cremated human bones and other material inside and elaborate ceremonies outside.

There is little evidence of the use of Knowth for the Bronze and Iron Ages, but in the first few centuries AD there is evidence of a new settlement. The mound itself became a defended structure with two dug ditches, like moats. There was only one protected entrance on the south-east and burials were placed around its base.

By AD 800 Knowth became a royal residence of the kingdom of North Brega. Now there were rectangular houses, underground storage areas. In the late twelfth century Anglo-Normans made further fortifications atop the large mound.

Knowth’s most impressive passage tomb is a great grass-covered mound measuring 80m by 95m. It is encircled by 127 kerbstones, a ring of engraved huge stones. Our word ‘curb’ must come from the same idea of being marked as a boundary. Passage tombs have certain features: being in the shape of an egg, or tumulus; being outlined by kerbstones, having a passageway and also an inner chamber often in the shape of a crude cross.

One of Knowth’s outstanding features is the huge amount of decorative stone work on the interior passageway stones and on the kerbstones. Knowth holds more than half of the six hundred decorated stones in the Bru na Boinne sites—this being over one quarter of all the megalithic art in Europe.

There is evidence that the art developed over many centuries and also ideas were apparently borrowed from Britanny on the continent. A picked cup mark is a feature of Knowth stones and may well represent the idea of a tunnel, a symbol of death. Also, unlike Newgrange, the stone work is developed based on the shape of the rock itself.

Under this large mound are two passage tombs, back to back. One faces west, has a 32m passage and a rectangular chamber. The other faces east, has a passage 35m long and ends in a cross shaped chamber. Since the exploration of this passage tomb in l967, there has been speculation and debate between scholars of prehistoric structures and archaeologists as to whether the eastern passage was aligned to the spring equinox, March 20th, and the western passage, aligned to the autumn equinox, September 22nd. Martin Brennan, a scholar, maintains that the chambers may have been aligned to also receive moon beams and that lunar images do appear on some of the inner stones. A large area of cement and metal which is supposedly shoring up part of the entranceway interferes with any proper investigation at this time. It is unknown when any true investigation as to the spring equinox is planned for the near future, especially with a sister passage tomb, Dowth, still needing to be excavated.

Still burdened with my pull-along bag, my pack sack and umbrella I entered the mound through the entrance which faced east. I slowly made my way along the stoned passageway to the crude cross-shaped chamber, delighting in the subtle light and the energy of the countless many who had also walked as I now did. What will be revealed in the years to come?

Beginning from the east a long gravelled pathway, constructed since the mound’s excavation, reached the top of the mound. Buffeted by wind and rain I made my way up to the flattened top of the mound, the wind again turning my umbrella inside out. I looked out over the Bru na Boinne valley, the river and in the distance I could see Newgrange rising out of the distant grassland. Yes, this was another of those moments in Eternity where I could feel my Irish ancestors walking beside me, hear their voices and feel their touch. I, too, will be back.

*Read the author’s ‘Newgrange: Bringing In the Light With the Winter Solstice’ at https://travelthruhistory.com/html/memoirs33.html.

Castle & Curiosities of the Boyne Valley

If You Go:

Knowth, as with the other passage tombs, cannot be directly accessed. You must be on a guided tour that sets off from the Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre by bus. You reach the centre itself by local bus, bicycle or car.

To Get to the Centre:
From Dublin: M1 motorway heading north and turn onto Donore Exit near Drogheda. Travel 6 km to Donore, turn right near the bar and restaurant, travel l km to the Visitor Centre or take a day tour that leaves from Dublin.
From Drogheda: Bus Eireann runs a bus to the Visitor’s Centre. It takes 20 minutes and runs from l0:15am to 4pm.

Other Sites To See:
Newgrange: Another Passage Tomb close to Knowth; associated with the Winter Solstice
Dowth: a lesser of the three Passage Tombs in the same area, yet to be fully excavated
Hill of Tara: 15 km from Newgrange and Knowth; a Passage Tomb known as the ‘Mound of the Hostages’; thought to be where Scotland’s ancient kings were crowned.

About the author:
Mara writes creative non-fiction, travelogues, short philosophical essays and poetry. These are mainly based on traveling and/or a deeply insightful experience. Besides extensively traveling in Europe, she has visited North Africa, Thailand, Nepal, Israel, Turkey, China, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Sri Lanka after the tsunami, Guatemala, Canada (coast to coast), local areas of the B.C. coast and the Yukon. She has recently returned from a six month trip that stretched from Great Britain to the Black Sea. A photographer, artist, teacher and writer Mara Baudais can be reached at m_baudais@yahoo.ca

Photo credits:
Photographs by Mara Baudais (#1,#3). Also: Megalithic art by fhwrdh (Flickr); Kerbstone by miss libertine (Flickr), Knowth entrance stone by Jule Berlin (Flickr)

Spain: Gaudi’s Barcelona

by Keith Kellett

We didn’t stay long in Barcelona. Our cruise ship arrived at 1:00 pm, and were due to sail at 6:00 pm, so we weren’t allowed much time ashore. Nevertheless, eight tours were on offer and, since we hadn’t been to Barcelona before, we chose the ‘Tour of Barcelona’.

Since Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, there was a lot of ground to cover and, as we crossed the city to climb the Montjuic Hill, I did wonder if the only remembrance I would have of the place was shaky video taken through the bus window.

The coach got caught in a traffic jam several times, and on two occasions, we stopped by a rather quirky, distinctive apartment block. ‘These are blocks of flats designed by Gaudi!’ announced the guide. This was the first I’d ever heard of him, but since then, I’ve come across his name and pictures of his work several times in my reading.

Certainly the buildings were different. Nature, it is said, abhors a straight line. So did Gaudi; the builders, glaziers and carpenters of Barcelona must have hated him. But, we didn’t stop at either of them. We were on our way to the Güell Park, where some of the best of Gaudi’s work is to be seen. Indeed, Gaudi used to live here, in a pink, fairy-tale house which is now the Gaudi Museum.

Antoni Gaudi was born in the province of Tarragona, in southern Catalonia on 25th June 1852. There’s some doubt about his actual place of birth; indeed, also about his name. It’s sometimes given as the Castilian ‘Antonio’, although the Catalan ‘Antoni’ is preferred.

But, wherever he was born, he spent most of his life in Barcelona, which has claimed him as its own. He studied architecture at Barcelona’s Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura, and soon began to leave his mark on the city. One of his early works were the lamp-posts in the Plaça Reial. Early in his career, he met the rich industrialist, the Condé Eusebi Güell, who was one of his main sponsors and supporters throughout his career.

Güell wanted to build a model village, on the lines of similar villages in England, such as George Cadbury’s Bourneville, in the Midlands. But, Cadbury built his village for workers in his chocolate factory. Güell was much more ambitious. He intended his village for the more affluent and influential people of Barcelona.

The idea only barely took off, though, because the area was too far from Barcelona, and not served by public transport. But, a couple of Gaudi-designed houses were built. He also designed the distinctive aqueduct, which, usually hung with flowers, runs right through the park. Gaudi also designed the plaça decorated with broken tiles around the walls. He was also responsible for the seats and benches here; they’re especially engineered to dry out quickly after rain, and were reputedly based on a moulding of a woman’s buttocks, for maximum comfort.

From the plaça, there’s an excellent view of the city, with several tall cranes punctuating the skyline. They’re not all in the harbour; some are around another Gaudi project, the church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family). They’re not renovating it, though. Although it was started as far back as 1882 … it’s not completed yet. It’s only within the last year that it was consecrated as a basilica by the Pope.

Gaudi was a devout Catholic, and, in his later years, made the building of the Sagrada Familia his life’s work. However, Barcelona already had a perfectly good Cathedral, and this could have been the reason that no money at all came from the Church. The building was founded solely by public subscription. So, construction progressed very slowly.

Once, when this was mentioned, Gaudi is alleged to have said ‘My client is in no hurry’, which may have given rise to his nickname, ‘God’s architect’

Early in the 20th Century, work at the Güell Park slowly ceased, and, at some stage, Gaudi left his sugar-candy house, and went to live in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia. He lived the life of an obsessive recluse until, in 1926, when he was knocked down in the street by a tram. At first, he wasn’t recognised, and taken to the pauper’s hospital.

When his friends found him the next day, he refused to be moved, saying ‘I belong here, among the poor!’ Three days later, he died, and is buried in the crypt of his beloved Sagrada Familia. In the following years, construction almost stopped; first the Depression, then the Spanish Civil War and the years of the Franco regime accounted for funding draining to almost nothing. However, it has now recommenced, and it is hoped that it will be finished by 2026 … 100 years after its designer’s death.

Private Full Day Gaudi Tour: Pedrera Casa Batllo Sagrada Familia and Guell

If You Go:

Barcelona Airport is located 10 km (6.2 miles) southwest of the city. It mainly serves domestic, European and North African destinations, but does occasionally accept flights from South East Asia, and the Americas.

Most long-haul visitors will, therefore, usually come via Madrid. The air shuttle service from there was the world’s busiest route until 2008, when a high-speed rail line was opened, covering the distance between the two cities in 2 hours 40 minutes. www.renfe.com

Barcelona is also reachable by inter-city bus. The trip takes about 8 hours and costs about €30 single from Madrid; discounts are available for early booking and for group travel.

It stands at the junction of motorways from Zaragosa, Valencia and Perpignan (France) and is a popular call for cruise ships.

For much more information about Gaudi’s work, I recommend ‘Gaudí by Maria Antonietta Crippa, ISBN 978-3-8228-2518-1

About the author:
Having written as a hobby for many years while serving in the Royal Air Force, Keith Kellett saw no reason to discontinue his hobby when he retired. With time on his hands, he produced more work, and found, to his surprise, it ‘grew and grew’ and was good enough to finance his other hobbies; travelling, photography and computers. He is trying hard to prevent it from becoming a full-time job! He has published in many UK and overseas print magazines, and on the Web. He is presently trying to get his head around blogging, podcasting and video.

All photos are by Keith Kellett.

Rynek Starego Miasta: Warsaw’s Old Town Square

Poland

by Wynne Crombie

The cool November sun shone off the buildings. The burnished yellows and reds of the Renaissance, and Baroque structures had been carefully replicated. Seventy five years ago, the Square had been reduced to a pile of rubble by the German Luftwaffe. First, during the invasion of 1939 and then, after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.

The Square was reconstructed mainly in the 1950’s from old photographs and 700-year-old drawings, (some of the narrow multi-storied buildings lean into the Square as they did centuries of ago.) Here, the town’s elite had lived.

As my husband Kent and I strolled on the cobblestones ringing Warsaw’s Old Town Square Square, we bumped into a young man, briefcase slung over his shoulder, reading aloud in Polish. I was intrigued; he was either religious or political. Quite by surprise he was an American from Los Angeles and had come to evangelize the Poles. (Poland is 90% Catholic) Next to him an elderly lady, seemingly unaware of his readings, was selling homemade hats. A few feet away three nuns in full habits walked by without a glance.

It was almost noon. We had been told not to miss the showing of a twenty- minute movie on the destruction of Warsaw during World War II. Unfortunately, it is shown in English only at noon from Tuesday through Sunday. Look for the Historical Museum sign. It’s at 28-42 Rynek Starego. (south side of the Square) The theater is right inside the entryway and well worth the 6 zlotys admission. It is in black and white.

Back on the Square, we came across “Wario Wojciech” (the so-called keeper of the Square) in his red Tartar uniform brandishing a curved sword. He offered to smile for our camera. He took off his fur hat and plunked it on Kent’s head. click. Then the curved sword was placed on Kent’s throat. click. We gave him a few zlotys for his trouble. We also spotted a middle-aged Robin Hood look alike wearing a mesh helmet and carrying a quiver of bows and arrows. Another, click.

Part of the charm of the Rynek Starego Miasta is sitting on one of the many stone benches and watching what goes on. There is virtually no trash or graffiti. Mimes, violinists and accordionists are almost constantly performing.

The outdoor cafes are for beer and people watching. When it gets cold, heat lamps are turned on. Blankets appear when it gets very cold. Each restaurant usually has a young man in front handing out cards with the menu printed on them.

Beer and pretzels were just the snack to fuel our exploration of the venders and shops. An artist was sitting in a chair reading a newspaper waiting for customers. His “portraits” were really caricatures. Next to him a balloon seller was waiting for customers while across the cobblestones horses and buggies waited for fares. There is not much in the way of signs in English or any other language except Polish, but most people speak English.

If you’re looking for souvenirs, there are many venders and shops on the Old Town Market Square. For example, PolArt is three rooms of Polish folk art, including folk costumes, paper art, textiles, dolls, and traditionally decorated eggs.

Potted flowers were everywhere…mostly mums and small potted firs. Flower venders had many bouquets for sale as it was near the Feasts of All Souls when everyone brings flowers to the gravesites.

The Mermaid Fountain statue (the syrenka) had been in the middle of the Square since 1855. Destroyed during World War II, it too was replaced. A WWII Polish paramedic served as a model. This mythical symbol of Warsaw is also on the city’s coat of arms. Supposedly she lives in the Vistula River and protects the townspeople.

In the fountain’s shadows, an unsmiling accordionist sat playing on a bench. Across the square a violinist was doing the same. See if you can come across a, Chopin bench. Each button plays a different Chopin melody.

In the market for a sit-down meal? There is the Stacja Rynek just off the Square at #15. This eatery offers music and a good dinner menu. The Rybak, # 1 on the southeast corner, sports a nautical theme and menu. The Kamienne Schodki at #26 was average, nothing special. Note: most restaurants on the Square are more expensive than ones off the Square.

What’s on a Polish menu? Most restaurants we visited offered an appetizer, salad, soup, hot starter (such as mushrooms in cream sauce), followed by the entrée and dessert. Hearty indeed. The morning coffee is most like American; it gets progressively stronger as the day rolls on. Our personal favorites: pancakes with orange sauce, stuffed cabbage rolls and a shot of cherry vodka. Ah yes, and then there’s the marvelous variations of cabbage and sausage soup.

After fortifying ourselves with a late lunch, we headed for the Square’s book store. Very few books are in English. Even current American best sellers like, “Steve Jobs’ are exclusively in Polish.

As we turned to stroll back to our hotel, we were met by a line of school children wearing fluorescent safety vests. We stepped in behind them and followed them out of the Square.

This year Warsaw will be part of the venue for the 2012 Soccer championships. The Old Town Square is ready.

If You Go:

TRANSPORTATION: You can fly into Warsaw from most European cities. We recommend taking the train from Berlin to Warsaw. It’s a great afternoon watching the countryside roll by.

LODGING: We stayed at the Westin. It’s a great location within walking distance of the 1944 Uprising Museum, the piece of the Ghetto Wall still standing and the Old Town Square.
Browse Warsaw hotels.

RESTAURANTS: Eating in the Square is more expensive, but well worth it. Even in cold weather the outdoor cafes provide heating lamps.

About the author:
Wynne Crombie has a master’s degree in adult education and teaches ESL at a community college outside Chicago. She met her husband of forty-four years in Berlin while both were working for the U.S. Air Force. They have been traveling ever since. They have four grown daughters and three granddaughters.

All photos are by Wynne Crombie:
1. Entering the Square
2. Photos in the Ghetto Museum just outside the Square
3. Reconstruction of Warsaw’s Old Town Square
4. Artist waiting for customers in Warsaw’s Old Town Square
5. Horse and buggy waiting for a customer
6. One of the many restaurants on the Square

France: Quirks of Paris

by Rosrin Wuithiran

When one thinks of Paris, the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre come to mind. Of course, these are gorgeous, amazing locales that tourists should make the effort to visit. Within these popular locales and in other places are quirky and notable things to see and appreciate. Luckily, you don’t have to travel to obscure areas of the city to find them.

St. Denis Statue

If you have a limited amount of time in Paris and must skip some attractions, don’t pass up on Notre Dame. You’ll have an opportunity to visit a peculiar statue along with a certain hotel (see below). On the left of Notre Dame’s entrance, a row statues of saints stand above you. One is headless and holding his head in his arms. This is St. Denis, the Patron Saint of the possessed, frenzy, and rabies (along with being the Patron Saint of Paris). He was martyred in 250 A.D. and after his execution, was claimed to have carried his severed head for six miles preaching all the way.

The Hotel Dieu

When we went to Notre Dame, I was delighted to find the Hotel Dieu next door. Why? This was one of the first hospitals built in Europe, in 622 AD. I assumed not many travelers knew it was a hospital and passed by thinking it was a hotel. (It says, “Hotel Dieu” at the entrance and is decorated with international flags.) The present building was not the one from 622 AD, as that original one was burned down in the 1700s. The one we see today was built in 1822. Why is it still called a hotel? In French, it translates to Hostel of God. The first European hospitals during the Middle Ages were managed by the clergy. Their purpose initially was not to treat the sick but to serve as lodging to travelers.

The folks who may have known it was a hospital may have perceived it as an ordinary hospital from the outside. So what makes the hospital so special besides its age? For a public hospital, it is absolutely gorgeous inside. Imagine being a patient and looking into the interior to marvel its architecture to cheer yourself up. Luckily, you do not have to be sick or fake an injury to enter the hospital. Just walk inside as a tourist and explain to the front lobby receptionist you want to go into the gardens behind her. (I pointed to my camera and then to the gardens, and she understood.) The gardens are more recent as they were created in the 1970s. Looking at its intricate design, I thought, am I really inside a hospital? Hanging on the walls surrounding the gardens are sketches and illustrations depicting historical events at the hospital, such as Napoleon III’s visit. As the epitome of modern and history meeting together, we found a statue of an Avatar creature at the far end of the gardens. We presumed it was a gift to the hospital, and that they decided to let it reside in natural surroundings (as representative of the film’s supported theme).

The National Army Museum/Napoleon’s Tomb: Kissing Couples and Child Armor

This military museum houses historical artifacts of armour, artillery, and various weapons through French history. Napoleon’s Tomb is situated at one end where you have to leave the museum building to walk to the building’s tomb. We were certainly not military experts nor were we that interested in the museum (as we had planned on just going to Napoleon’s Tomb at the end of the tour), but a couple of amusing gems popped up here. We saw hundreds of knit armor and noticed some really small ones that would fit a child. Did children have to participate in the wars as well? Child labor laws did only appear recently in time! After passing by several cannons on our way to the tomb, we found a cannon with figures of two pairs of kissing couples [TOP PHOTO]. We could not find any history panels to explain its origin. Did the cannon makers have a sense of humor to make love and not war?

Musee de Rodin: A Room for the Mistress

The Rodin Museum houses the famed sculptor’s best works; he requested the government to establish a museum for his artwork. But what you might have known is that Rodin’s mistress, sculptor Camille Claudel, also has a collection here. Rodin and Claudel had a fiery on-and-off relationship; she once accused him of stealing her sculpting ideas. After Rodin left her to return to Rose Beuret, his longtime companion and mother of his son, Claudel spiraled into mental illness, living in a mental institution the last years of her life. Rodin, perhaps having a soft heart and appreciating her talents, requested Claudel’s works to be showcased in his museum.

The Hermaphrodite of the Louvre

Hundreds of passers-by probably have not noticed the resting Hermaphrodite statue situated near an exit at the Louvre. Why? If you had not known about the statue, you could have glanced at its curved backside and side cleavage, thought it was lovely, and walked out of the Greek statues exhibit without realizing the surprise. The statue’s maleness is facing the wall in a corner. In our guided tour, we were rushed out so quickly that everyone just walked on by. Except myself of course, who made the effort to walk around the statue for the amusement.

Private Tour: Les Invalides, Napoleon, and Musée Rodin Walking Tour

If You Go:

September is ideal, the weather is cooler, but you can still catch some sunnier days. Beware the walking distances; what looks close on a map is in reality several miles apart.

If you do a guided tour of the Louvre, be aware that they may just hit the highlights in a given number of hours. For us, it was only two hours. It has been said it takes a total of three days to see everything! While seeing the major works is delightful, you may have to go on your own pace without a tour for the other works. Or find a negotiable tour where you follow the guide but then go off on your own after the end of the guided tour. Also, utilize your time wisely; the Louvre is closed on Mondays as of autumn of 2011. The Hermaphrodite statue is at the end of the Greek room near the exit staircase (the Venus de Milo is at the opposite end of the room). Check out www.louvre.fr.

The Military Museum is next door to the Rodin Museum. If you exit from Napoleon’s Tomb, go left on the street, Boulevard Des Invalides, and then turn right on Rue de Varenne to get to the entrance around the block. See www.invalides.org and www.musee-rodin.fr.

About the author:
Rosrin Wuithiran is a freelance writer from Texas. She has traveled to Thailand, London, Macau, Paris, and many U.S.cities. She has written pieces about San Jose and Phoenix for other travel magazines. Her writing portfolio is at www.roswriting.webs.com.
Photographs:

All photos are by Rosrin Wuithiran.