The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn is a stunning example of Russian Revival architecture, featuring intricate frescoes and ornate domes. Built in the early 20th century, the cathedral symbolizes the Russian influence in Estonia and stands as a reminder of the country’s complex relationship and history with Russia and the Soviet Union. It is the iconic centerpiece of the city, famous for its beautiful interior and stunning command of the Tallinn skyline and seves as the primary place of worship for the local Orthodox community. The cathedral is open to worshippers and visitors alike, with everyone being welcome to explore the cathedral and learn about its history.
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Unarguably, Stockholm Sweden’s number one attraction is a remarkable failure of incredible proportions and still a place not to be missed by anyone visiting Stockholm. It is the Vasa Museum and it’s the final resting place of a 17th-century Swedish warship. The ship is without a doubt the best preserved and most complete 17th-century ship ever found anywhere.
The Salvage And Raising Of The Vasa
The Vasa Story
It was a beautiful morning in Stockholm on August 10, 1628 when the newly launched warship Vasa was to sail out on her very first voyage. She was 226-foot-long and was designed to be the most powerful European warship afloat. She boasted two gun decks holding 64 cannons, and would need a 450 man crew. One broadside from her canons was capable of firing 550 pounds of shot at an enemy ship, twice as much as any other ship at the time
It was a calm day with a perfect breeze ready to fill her sails. After casting off the Vasa sailed just 3,000 feet before that light breeze pushed the magnificent ship way over on her port side. She quickly righted herself, but with the next mild gust she rolled even further and water poured into her open gun ports, and she took on huge amounts of water and quickly sank only 400 feet from land as a crowd of thousands watched.
The Vasa Ship Today – The Vasa is a 17th-century Swedish warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was salvaged in 1961. It is now a very popular museum exhibit in Stockholm. The Vasa Museum in Stockholm houses the ship and provides insights into its history, including the reasons for its sinking and the artifacts recovered from it.
Historical Background
The Vasa was a 17th-century Swedish vessel, the mightiest warship of its time, that sank on its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628, with about 30 of the 150 persons aboard drowning.
The Thirty Years War raged in Europe, King Adolphus of Sweden decided he needed a stronger naval presence to keep his position of dominance in the Baltic Sea. He ordered several large warships to be built. From the beginning there were numerous problems: The head shipwright on the Vasa project died suddenly and the king took charge demanding constant modifications without much expert input.
After many delays, the Vasa made her maiden voyage with a disastrous result. After the sinking King Adolphus blamed the ship’s captain, Söfring Hansson, who was immediately arrested. Soon after that the shipbuilders and the crew blamed each other but it soon became obvious that it was the actual design and construction at fault with the king himself had actually overseeing the project. Today analyses by naval architects and engineers determined that the ship’s very design caused the disaster and had she not rolled in the wind that day she likely wouldn’t have stayed afloat following firing her first full broadside.
The Vasa was raised from the floor of the channel on April 24, 1961, fully restored and put on display in her own museum building on the waterfront in Stockholm.
Visiting Tips – Because of the popularity there are often long lines to get in. Before you go purchase tickets on the Museum’s website HERE and store them on your cellphone. Oddly most people try and go early to beat the crowds which makes morning lines the longest with lines in the early afternoon often shorter.
Cutting across the rolling farmland of central South Africa is an impressive canyon often referred to as Africa’s Grand Canyon. The Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is the third largest canyon in the world and has some of the most dramatic and overwhelming scenery in Southern Africa.
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Most visitors to Lisbon, Portugal will be encouraged to experience the Fado scene, but what exactly is it? Fado is a traditional element of Portuguese culture that is often understood to be centered on music but involves a number of additional elements as well like dress and dance.
Today it is typically performed by a singer accompanied by the Portuguese guitar, with the performance often taking place in a small venue or tavern setting.
Fado is believed to have originated in the early 19th century in Lisbon’s working class bars, on the streets of areas like Alfama and Mouraria and in the city’s brothels. It historically embodied themes of longing, lost love and suffering and reflects the soul of Portuguese workers.
UNESCO Recognition – In 2011, Fado was declared part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Portugal by UNESCO, in recognition of its cultural significance.
If you’re interested in experiencing Fado while in Lisbon there are a number of good choices with various show lengths from 50 minutes to over 2 hours. Some include food and wine while others offer only wine with prices that range from US$20 to over US$100. Our choice is Lisboa Em Fado for an inexpensive introduction.
Thriving Street Art In Lisbon
Street art has become a proud tradition in Lisbon with some claiming that graffiti street art originated in the city. If you’re looking to find some amazing examples of this growing art form there are a number of najor locations to explore.
Bairro Alto – This vibrant neighborhood near the center of Lisbon is known for its eclectic street art, featuring works from both local and international artists, often mixing graffiti with more elaborate murals.
Alfama District – Farther out is Alfama that offers a mix of traditional architecture and modern street art, where you can find stunning murals that reflect the city’s rich history and famous culture.
Marvila – This up-and-coming district is becoming a hotspot for street art, with many walls covered by impressive murals created during various art festivals, showcasing urban creativity at its finest.
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The History Behind The Celebration Of Easter Without question the holiest site in all of Christendom is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It represents the location where Jesus was crucified and where his body was laid to rest. Today there is a high level of certainty that the location has been actually identified.…
with From Cartagena, Columbia to Ushuaia, Argentina the South American continent is an amazing land of natural wonders and human accomplishments. Explore the islands of the Galapagos or hike around Iguazu Falls, climb up to Machu Picchu or cruise through the Panama Canal. You can even cast off for a trip to Antarctica or walk…
It seems so other worldly, like Mars or the Moon but it’s right here on Earth. It’s so alien that the NASA space program uses it to test rovers and other equipment. Find the answer HERE. Here Are A Few Of Our More Recent Postings You might Find Interesting…
A year age on a trip to South America we spent a few days at a Ecuadorean Amazon camp. One morning there was an organized walk through the rain forest with a guide, who was a young local man. He introduced himself as a shaman and I admit that my picture of a shaman was an elderly man in native garb wearing beads and feathers. Regardless our shaman, who was wearing boots and jeans, in his introduction said that he needed to perform a ritual on each of us so the jungle would give us safe passage. There is always a bit of theatre in events like these and no harm could come from playing along.
He proceeded to cut a bunch of branches with leaves from a nearby bush and began to shake them over each of our heads and shoulders while blessing(?) us individually. When he came to my wife he stopped, grabed his shoulder and leaned in an spoke to her.
At this point I need to explain that for several years my wife has suffered from pain in her left shoulder. It hasn’t been unbearable and she always claims it is something she just lives with. The best diagnosis guess is arthritis and bursitis and at times when it gets worse she takes ibuprofen to help.
My wife heads into the rain forest followed by our guide/Shaman
What this young shaman said to my wife was that he felt the pain from her shoulder in his and he would now take it from her. That’s it – we moved on into the rain forest. At the end of the walk my wife says that her shoulder no longer hurt. After that incident and to this day she has no pain at all in her left shoulder.
Not just because of this but because of a number of things, oddly some based in science but mostly things like this, I am coming back to believing in the existence of the mystical. I think Shakespeare expressed it best with .
Our Young Shaman
Above is a statue of Huba often noted as one of the legendary figures in Hungarian history, symbolizing the arrival of the Magyar tribes in the Carpathian Basin. He is featured in the 13th-century epic poem, the Gesta Hungarorum, which narrates the history and migration of the Magyars.
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Perhaps today we have become a culture that rejects most of the pasts heros and we have become poorer for it. Any visit to Budapest should include a visit to Hero’s Square where Hungary celebrates her heros.
The Alaskan coast at sunset
Above is a statue of Huba often noted as one of the legendary figures in Hungarian history, symbolizing the arrival of the Magyar tribes in the Carpathian Basin. He is featured in the 13th-century epic poem, the Gesta Hungarorum, which narrates the history and migration of the Magyars.
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