Food | The Travel Lady In Her Shoes

My Best Travel Tip for Istanbul, Turkey

Pierre Loti

On arrival at Hotel Sultania, we were offered a choice of tours to review. We usually prefer to explore on our own, but one tour looked so interesting and the price VERY reasonable, so we decided to do it. I am glad we did, it was one of the best tours we have ever been on! It was the Bosphorus and Golden Horn Boat Tour. But, it was so much more than that!

The 4 hour guided tour, for 20 euros each, included two hours on a boat touring the Bosphorus, to see the palaces along the shore, and the two hour, “Golden Horn Tour”, which included the historical heart of the city and the the Byzantium, Constantinople and Istanbul harbors. In addition, there was a stop at Pierre Loti. The tour also includes picking you up and dropping you off at your hotel at the end of the tour. This is really good because I have been on tours where the tour ended and we had no idea where we were, and had to take a cab back to our hotel. A real bummer! This tour was excellent!

Since Hotel Sultania is located on a pedestrian-only street we walked one street over with the guide, who came to get us, and realized the bus was waiting for us on the corner. Since it was Ramadan, our guide announced, we would be doing the tour backwards, going to Pierre Loti first. I didn’t know what Pierre Loti was, I thought possibly it was the name of the boat docking area, so I just settled in talking to two Australian women and enjoying the scenery along the way when……….

Following a 15 minute ride we stopped and got off the bus at a funicular on the side of a steep hill overlooking the water. The guide paid our funicular fee and we started up the hill in small glass lifts that offered a beautiful view of the Sea of Marmara on one side and a cemetery on the other. I thought, “Where in the world are we going?”

The View from Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

Up the Hill to the Shops at Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

The Restaurant at Pierre Lodi, Istanbul, Turkey

The Pierre Loti Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

The Steps up to the Shops at Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

At the top was a cluster of shops and tables of the Pierre Loti Restaurant (sadly not serving meals because of Ramadan), but the waiters offered soft drinks to us as we admired one of the most beautiful views in Istanbul! We sat at red-checked draped tables under the trees and enjoyed the views with several guests. This is a very popular spot in the city for tourists and the locals.

A View from Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

Another View from Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

Views from Pierre Loti, Istanbul, Turkey

As we looked out over the Bosphorus, we observed through the view finder on our cameras, a boat making it’s way to the boat dock well below and away from our magnificent perch on the hill.

The Tour Boat at the Dock, Istanbul, Turkey

The Tour Boat in the Distance at the Dock, Istanbul, Turkey

Up Close and Personal, The Tour Boat

I seem to remember making a comment that would come back to haunt me, “Well at least we don’t have to walk all the way to the boat.” Soon our guide called us together and told the first story. He would reveal the story of Pierre Loti. Oh, I love stories! I was captivated!

Pierre Loti, a pseudonym for Julien Viand, was a French novelist and naval officer, who wrote books about exotic spots he visited during his naval career and throughout his lifetime. His noted first works were tales of his love affairs; love, death and despair. Other books were travel guides presenting beautiful tales of Islamic life in countries before the exploitation of tourists.

In 1879, he wrote his first book, Aziyadé. It was a story of a love affair between a 27 year-old man with a “Circassian”, harem girl of 18. Many believe this was semi-autobiographical, based on a diary Loti kept during the fall and winter of 1876. Here is the Turkish interpretation of the story as told by our guide.

While Loti was serving in the military in Istanbul, he met and fell in love with a beautiful Circassian woman. They would meet secretly on this hill high above the city. Her family would not approve of her marrying a non-muslim and they were both in turmoil over this. Aziyadé suggested they run away together and go to France, where he could marry her. The only problem; he had not been quite honest with her, because he was already married and his wife was in France! After a few months and several meetings in their secret meeting place he did leave, without her. When she believed he was never coming back she married the person her family had chosen for her.

He did come back several years later and was distraught that she had married! Really, men! Their liaison started up once again, up on the hill. Eventually, her husband suspected something was up and when he found out about her affair with Loti, he killed her. Short and not sweet. Pierre Loti wore a gold ring with her name, etched on the inside, for the rest of his life. The hill is now a popular overlook of the city, with a restaurant and more shops up the hill, but we are headed down the cobbled path along the edges of the Eyüp Mosque and Cemetery.

The Eyüp Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey

Fauna at Eyüp Mosque and Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey

Flora at Eyüp Mosque and Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey

The Eyüp Cemetery, Istanbul, Turkey

Yes, I said that right, we’re walking to the boat! The next story better be another good one! It’s about the cemetery and who are buried there! We’ re off!

Follow me, won’t you, as we explore on the rest of the tour? Enjoy!

For the Bosphorus Tours; Short and Full see:

Blue Brothers Travel Agency

For reservation please contact your travel agency or hotel concierge.

Alemdar Mah. Alaykosku Cad No 17 D Cagaloglu, Istanbul, Turkey

Tel: 90 (0212) 528 73 74

Istanbul: A City of Contrasts

Hotel Sultania

There are so many planes landing in Istanbul, resulting in not enough gates for them to pull up to. This is the hub between Europe and the Middle East. The workers roll metal stairs to the plane’s exits and down you step; just like in the old movies! A bus awaits to whisk you off to the terminal. Getting a cab to the hotel I was pleasantly surprised to see gardens and gardens of ornately designed floral sculptures; bright contrasting swirls of color in bright poppy reds, pure white, and glossy greens. They were the “Whirling Dervishes” of the landscape and I wondered about the work that went into maintaining them. I couldn’t take pictures that would be any good, through the cab’s window, but vowed I would take pictures of them before I left Istanbul! Istanbul is a contrast and mix of old world and modern, european and middle eastern. I was fascinated with the sights along the way!

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

A Glimpse of the Old and New, Istanbul, Turkey

Entering Old Town the cab drivers wait two seconds before they start blowing their horns for the traffic to move! We would later learn that when the traffic is excessive, cabbies refuse to pick up passengers in this area, because they are stuck and not able to move at all. As we got to the vicinity of our hotel we stopped on a narrow, crowded street that our hotel was not located on, and told this was our stop. I was doubtful, until a bellman, opened our cab door, quickly took our luggage and said, “follow me.” We walked down a cobbled street, turned left, where old men sat in an alcove smoking and talking, and scurried after our bellman to the Hotel Sultania; located at the corner of two intersecting lanes that were pedestrian only.

Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

The Tiny Corner Intersection of Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

The Cross Street of Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

A Look at Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

A Look at Old Town, Istanbul, Turkey

Here we are in walking distance to Hagia Sophia; a church and mosque museum, the Blue Mosque, and the Topkapi Palace: all in the Sultanahmet Area. The streets are a mixture of old world and new, with elegant restaurants, hotels and shopping, scattered among alcoves of old brick ovens manned by bakers providing a bubbly flatbread and shops of carpet/rug lined sitting areas, where the guests smoke hookahs. Men outside the restaurants and establishments, ~~encourage~~, ~~intimidate~~, aggressively pursue you to try their wares. It is so alive! Oh, this is going to be fun!!

Entering the Hotel Sultania, we were warmly greeted at the concierge desk and and made aware of the popular attractions and local events that will be occurring during Ramadan.

Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

We were told some places may be closed during the day, but at night the city comes to life, especially at Gülhane Park, where there will be partying after dark. We were shown the indoor/ outdoor breakfast room at one end of the lobby and a rooftop restaurant, one of the best in the city, not to be missed. Then taking another elevator, we were lead to our room. Oh my! I have been in several hotels in Europe, but this was one of the most opulent, depicting a room fit for one of the Sultan’s wives.

The Olga Hatun Room, Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

Our room was named after Olga Hatun, seventeen year old wife to Sultan Bayezid, also known as Thunderbolt. The room was huge with a terrace overlooking the old city and the Bosphorus Strait. HOWEVER, best of all was the extra large, marbled bathroom and a shower that would easily fit four people!

Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

A Tin of Turkish Delight Candy and a Parchment Note about Olga Hatun, Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

All the Amenities, Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey ( The Mirror is a Flat Screen TV, Don’t Ask Me How This is Done!)

Marble Everywhere!, Hotel Sultania, Istanbul, Turkey

A Square Toilet? Hotel Sultainia, Istanbul, Turkey

Unbelievable! After settling in we couldn’t wait to explore our new surroundings!

The New Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

The New Hatay Restaurant is an outdoor restaurant right outside our hotel. The hosts, stand outside the restaurant, and pull everyone aside, who will listen, to encourage you to look at their menu and food. I was enthralled with the bread! Men brought the combination puffy/flat bread from a brick oven nearby that had a line of patrons waiting for the fresh, scorched bread. Then there was the food, so colorful, so exotic looking! And they served wine! Need I say more? We had to try this place first ! A good way to end our first day! Enjoy!

The Bread! Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

The Food! Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

The Color! Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

More Color! Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

Fresh Fish! Hatay Restaurant, Istanbul, Turkey

Dawn at the Rialto Bridge Market, Venice, Italy

Rialto Mercato di Frutta et Verdera

Early Morning in the Streets of Venice. Italy

Walking to the Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

The Pink Lights! Venice, Italy

Early Morning, Venice, Italy

We are walking through the deserted streets to get an early view of the Rialto Bridge without a ton of tourists in the way and to go to the Rialto Market. For over 700 years the Rialto Market has been the place for fresh, seasonal, local food. The Rialto area of Venice was one of the first areas to be developed. Trading of all kinds took place here along the water’s edge, where Venetians and merchants bought and sold exotic imported goods, just unloaded from the ships. In the 16th century, following a massive fire, a complex of squares and porticoes was constructed at the west end of the Rialto Bridge, with areas dedicated to different products. This area is still noted in the names of local lanes and squares. Erberia, (fruit and vegetable market) Nananzeria, (oranges) Speziali, (spices) and Pescaria, (fish) are just a few. Also, there are now food stores around the market selling gourmet foodstuffs, oils, wine, pasta, and regional specialties. The locals still get up early and shop at the market! Follow suite or you will be in the frenzy of tourists! Enjoy!

The Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Walk Over Rialto Bridge to the Market, Venice, Italy

Rialto Market, Early Morning, Venice, Italy

Rialto Market, Venice, Italy

Getting Ready to Open at the Rialto Market, Venice, Italy

Fish!

Tomatoes and Spices!

The Spices at Rialto Market

The Meat Market at the Rialto Market, Venice, Italy

One of the Specialty Markets at the Rialto Market, Venice, Italy

Venice, A New Day!

A New Day in Venice, Italy

9am. Up early, eat breakfast, out the door we go. We couldn’t wait to explore Venice! Oh, woe is me! We are bumper to bumper, head to head, squeezed together! The cruise ships are in and hordes of people are in groups of twenty to thirty! At the top of the bridge way, the group stops and takes pictures and the group behind them, waiting on the stairs, practically rear ends them! We need to re-think our picture taking times! I can’t see anything, but the back of someone’s head! Back to the hotel to re-group.

The Masses are Arriving!

New day! 6am. We are up and out. The streets are empty! Yeah! We can take lovely pictures. What is that man doing? It’s a UPS man delivering goods. What a job that is! Pulling and pushing the dollies up all those stairs and bridges! What’s that in the boats? Fluffy white bundles of laundry, pick up and delivery of sheets and more sheets! What a job that would be! The men row up to little doors along the water. The doors open and out comes the bundled dirty laundry and in goes the fresh! The vegetable man is in another boat, delivering fruits and vegetables in the same fashion. Wow, it pays to be up early and see all the action! 9 am, done with pictures for this morning. Back to the hotel to eat breakfast. Good morning, good morning, lovely day! We’ll rest up after breakfast and head out again after 1pm when the cruisers are done. Perfect day!

Delivery Day!

Another Dock, Another Delivery!

Vegetables and Fruits!

Ah, Quiet Walkways!

Quiet Here Too!

Peaceful Here!

All Tucked in Here!

Shh!

Parked and Waiting!

What’s down this way? Oh, it dead ends at the water! Re-tracing our steps. Have we been in this area before? There certainly are a lot of little walkways! We need to drop breadcrumbs, we never go the same way twice! Look up! Oh, I see it! The Rialto Bridge is this way!

Always Look Up!

Look Up Again!

Rialto Bridge, Early Early Morning! Venice, Italy

St Marks Square that way. As long as we can find these markings we will be able to find our way back, I think! Look at all these shops!

Fancy Pants!

Need a Mask?

Gloves Anyone?

How About a Hat?

Tea and Milk!

Candy!

One sells just gloves! One sells just hats! Wow, that certainly is skimpy underwear! A little bar here. A juice shop there. Oh, another little church. Oh, look at this small shrine!

A Shrine in Venice, Italy

Oh! What a Lovely Balcony!

1pm. Where are we? Are we on this map? I need to sit down. I guess it’s time for some vino! How about here?

Very Quiet Here!

This Looks Like a Perfect Spot!

Or This Place!

Or Here!

How About This One?

Let’s just try them all! Another perfect day in Venice!

Ok This One!

6pm. Repeat the above! Oh, I need to sit down! Time for vino! How about this restaurant?

This One Looks Great!

Maybe This One? We Haven’t Been Here Yet!

Our Favorite!

Our Favorite! Rosa Rossa! Enjoy!

We’re Not Going to Starve in Italy!!

Venice: A Palette of Light

The Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

The Vaporetto on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

Traffic Jam on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

Just Cruizin’ the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

For Stage 2 of the AIT Tour, (Austria, Italy, Turkey) there couldn’t be an easier way, for us, to get to Venice, Italy from Vienna, Austria. Thanks to the Austrian Rail System, a train takes you from Vienna’s Meidling Station to the Villach, Austria train station, where a very cushy, comfortable bus awaits to take you to Venice. There was even a concierge car on the train to help you arrange hotels, cars, sights, whatever the case may be! Arriving in Mestra I was concerned with the industrial look of the area around the Mestra Train Station, where we were supposed to get off the bus. However, the bus driver told us to stay on and he took us all the way to the docks; to the vaporetto that would take us on to Venice. So on the first day we had traveled by train, bus, and boat! We got off the vaporetto and walked to the right entering St Mark’s Square to the left.

One of Many Vaporetto Stops on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

It was early evening and the square was filling with guests, listening to the fine music coming from the restaurants in St Mark’s piazza.

Music in the Night, Venice, Italy

St Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy

We walked on to our hotel to the tune of the clickety-clack coming from our suitcases on cobble stones. Now, I have to tell you I was shocked to discover that there was water in between the buildings with lots of stairs, small bridges, narrow sidewalks and more stairs over strips of water that slapped against the buildings. For some reason I had it in my head that the water would just be on the Grand Canal. Oh no, there is water everywhere here. The large buildings do not sit on land; they sit on water and a lot of the first floors of the buildings are under water. Will they sink eventually? Just how long can the support beams from the water’s floor hold up the buildings? Just a thought, but I couldn’t get over it!

The Small Waterways Between the Buildings, Venice, Italy

The Waterways of Venice, Italy

The Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

The Waterways of Venice, Italy

Small Waterways, Venice, Italy

We came to a wrought iron gate and pushed it open entering a small courtyard and there in the corner was our boutique hotel, the Locanda Orseolo. The small lobby was elegant and inviting. There was the breakfast room to the right, which overlooked the water. We could watch the gondolas float by! After talking to our hosts, who made us so welcome, we were off to our room on the 4th floor. That would be 8 flights of stairs! Stairs, landing, turn, stairs, Floor 1. Stairs, landing, turn, stairs, Floor 2. You get the picture. No elevators in these old buildings! And I was limping before I even got here! Barbara, one of the hostesses, took one look at me and offered to change our room the next day to the first floor! I was so thankful!

LuiGIGI and Barbara, our Hosts at Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

The Courtyard to Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

Room 1, Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

Room 2, Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

So we have fantastic pictures of lively murals on the walls of two rooms here at Locanda Orseolo! All the staff were very friendly; suggesting restaurants, concerts, shopping and sights to explore. Nothing was too much for them. The breakfast room was ideal, we could enjoy the other guests and watch the world go by outside the open window! The breakfast crepes and omelets were made to order and the buffet offered a large spread of meats, breads, cheeses, desserts and juices. Coffee was made to order. It’s another day in this beautiful city! Enjoy!

Raspberry/Banana Crepe at Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

The Breakfast Window, at Locanda Orseolo, Venice, Italy

Melk is in Makeover, Again

Looking up at Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Using our Combi-Ticket, from Vienna to Melk, we get off the train in Melk and look up. The glory of Melk is the baroque Benedictine Abbey, established in the 11th century, later destroyed by fire, and after selling the Gutenberg Bible to Yale in 1929, a restoration was started. The church is under a makeover on the grandest terms today. Even the village of Melk is sprucing up. Has the church sold something else? Or did Melk receive a windfall? There are workers everywhere! The easiest way to reach the Abbey is to go all the way to the right of the train platform and make a beeline straight up the hill through the newer section of town. At the top follow the cobblestones to the left, the rest of the way up to the Abbey. After visiting the Abbey we will go down to the village by another path that will take us into the heart of the historic village.

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Gold of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey Makeover, Melk , Austria

The Gold of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Dining Room, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Rose Colored Marble of Melk Chapel, Melk Abbey, Austria

The Rose Colored Marble of Melk Chapel Melk Abbey, Austria

The Chapel of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

View from Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Grounds of Melk Abbey, Entering the Gardens, Melk, Austria

Entering the Garden of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Pink Pavillion in the Gardens of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Blackbirds of the Melk Abbey Gardens, Melk , Austria

The Restaurant in the Garden, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

It is starting to rain! I can’t look at the entire garden! Darn!!!!

The Village of Melk, Melk, Austria (Look at the new street paving)

The Village of Melk, Austria

Re-do of Hauptstrasse, Melk, Austria

The Village of Melk, Austria

Yum, Yum! At Restaurant zur Post, Melk, Austria

When leaving the grounds of the Abbey walk down the cobblestone path to the village and turn right. Hauptstrasse is getting a new look. They are re-doing the street so follow the planks. Walking to the Hauptplatz we stop at the Hotel/Restaurant zur Post for the tastiest Austrian cuisine we’ve experienced in Austria to date. Yum! Melk is beautiful even during a makeover! Next we are off to find the boat dock to take us to Krems! It is part 2 of the Combi-ticket! Enjoy!

Adventures in the Village; from Vienna to Melk

The Lane off Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna, Austria

If adventures do not befall a young lady in her village she must seek them abroad.

Jane Austen

Or simply in another spot, I say! I enjoyed walking to the metro/train station on Mariahilfer Strasse, in Vienna, because I always discovered something new along the way. One day it was LUSH, a shop of freshly made cosmetics. Soaps, lotions, face creams, and more, oh my! The fragrance from that shop permeated out to the sidewalk and literally pulled me in. Once inside, lovely women tried to explain to me in German/English what all the goodies were and what they could do. I bought round shampoo cakes, for different hair types (all in the loveliest of colors and fragrances) and tins to store them in.

One of Several Lush Shampoos

I would have bought more of their products, but because they are freshly made, some had to be kept refrigerated. The cake shampoos were one of the best purchases I made on my vacation. Every time I opened my suitcase I would get that clean, fresh, fragrance wafting up from the shampoo paper sacks. Take a deep breath, can you smell them? When I returned home I placed the shampoos in the tins, for gifts, and the sacks went into my dresser drawers! Then I looked LUSH up online to see if I could buy the products in the U.S. Yep, there they were! Maybe I should always travel with one!

Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna, Austria

Continuing on our walk to the train station I came to a small portico opening in the storefronts that looked like it was wide enough for a horse and carriage in days gone by. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to turn in and see where this little lane took me.

The Lane off Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna, Austria

The lane went on and on. Here was a collection of small shops and restaurants that looked like they had been inter-connected houses in a different generation. I wondered if this was the way the streets looked before the addition of the modern high-rise buildings. The lane was so charming! I am glad I took the time to turn in. These un-expected finds always interest me the most!

The Shops at the Train Station, Vienna, Austria

Planning a day trip to Melk was fun too. Taking the elevator on the street to the multi-layered train station (there were local trains and metro trains all converging into one area) we found the trains conveniently stopped in a large, beautiful, shopping mall and market, they called the train station. You could just skip the train and spend a lovely day eating and shopping here! The Austrian Railway Office sold a convenient Combi-ticket, which included the train trip from Vienna to Melk, entry to the Melk Abbey, a boat cruise to Krems and the return train trip to Vienna for 47 euros. What a deal! So early one morning off we went to Melk!

The train adventure for me is the scenery and the allotments stretched along the railroad track. Miniature houses (I call them doll houses) are tucked into gardens as far as the eye can see; doll houses with tiny windows showing off small boxes filled with abundant, draping, riotous colored flowers. Leaning near the door frames were clutters of ladders and old rakes. There were neatly ordered flower beds and well tended fruit and vegetable gardens behind picture perfect picket fences. Sometimes there were happy-looking, waving folks, enjoying the sunshine, while plumped in white plastic chairs and cooling their feet in a small child’s wading pool. Others were grilling, while some were bent over their plots in peaceful, nature retreats. These areas, outside the cities, in Austria and Germany, especially along railways, are the spots for garden obsessed people to rent out a small plot and plunge into the soil. They are called Schrebergartens. There are strict rules that regulate the exact dimensions, color, and style of the doll house and how the gardens are to be maintained. The gardens were very neat, and tidy, just like Austria!

In the early 19th century, it was the idea of Dr. Daniel Gottlieb Moritz Schreber, to create athletic fields for children to escape the crowded, larger cities. Before he realized his dream, he died, and his son decided to use the plots for gardening and to teach children the basics of gardening. The idea quickly caught on. In WWI and WWII the gardens rapidly rose in importance as sources of hard-to-get fresh fruit and vegetables. After WWII a lack of housing across the country resulted in the common practice of erecting small structures on the plots so families could have shelter. The result is what we see today; miniature housing developments of nature retreats! Families can enjoy the sunshine, relax, party, and tend their gardens. A village of adventure, to be sure! And now on to Melk! Enjoy!

PS, since the train zipped along the rail over 100 mph I couldn’t take decent pictures! So please……..

Check out Allotment images HERE!

One Word for Vienna: Spotless

Volksgarten, Vienna, Austria

The Streets of Vienna, Austria

Walking around Vienna the first thing that I don’t see is trash, graffiti, cigarette stubs (although smoking in public places and restaurants is still allowed here), newspapers blowing around, signposts covered in a bazillion stickers, dog poop, or people begging on the streets. Vienna is spotless. The city is huge, there are tourists EVERYWHERE, and the city is spotless. Vienna does have large well maintained green areas, beautiful gardens and fountains, benches everywhere to rest, working elevators at public buildings, the metro, train station, and on the main thoroughfare sidewalks there are raised patches of rippled walkway to guide the seeing impaired. What is there not to like?

Pedestrian Strips, Vienna, Austria

The Streets of Vienna, Austria

Vienna is a city of elegance. In 1900 a local chemical maker needed a publicity stunt to prove that his chemicals really got things clean. He purchased two wine cellars under Graben, a ditch or moat originally used by the Romans at their military camp, now a pedestrian-only thoroughfare of great architecture, fine cafes, and fountains. Adolf Loos (1870-1933), a modernist style architect, believed less was more. He was convinced that unnecessary ornamentation was a waste of worker’s time and energy so he designed perfectly geometrical grid buildings with matching windows. Unheard of at the time! No statues, no plastered fake columns for him. Loos was commissioned to take the two wine cellars and turn them into fancy and classy public water closets. He did, complete with chandeliers and finely crafted mahogany walls, creating a very appealing place. They are so inviting, today they are sometimes used for poetry readings! Now we know why bathrooms are sometimes referred to as loos, who knew?

Loos Loo, Vienna, Austria

In the middle of the Graben is a 60 foot Holy Trinity Plague Column, (Pestsäule) a pillar of clouds sprouting angels and cherubs with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost at the top. in 1679 Vienna suffered from an epidemic of the bubonic plague, killing one third of the city. Leopold I (one quarter up the column), in public, begged God to save the city. His prayer was heard by Lady Faith, (the statue carrying the cross below Leopold) who with the help of the cherub tosses the old naked woman (the plague) into the wind and saves the city. Leopold erected the monument as a model for other cities ravaged by the same plague.

Holy Trinity Plague Column, Vienna, Austria

Graben, Vienna, Austria

Michaelerplatz is the square dominated by the Hofburg Palace. In the fountain the four heroic giants illustrate Hercules wrestling with his great challenges.

Michaelerplatz, Vienna, Austria

This is the complex where the Hofburg emperors lived except in the summer, when they lived in the Schönbrunn Palace a few miles away. I can’t wait to see the Imperial Apartments and the museum for the Empress Sisi, but during our walk, we stopped for an ice cream at the famous Demel, (Hofzuckerbäckerei Demel) a famous pastry shop and chocolaterie on the Michaelerplatz, where it has been located since 1857. Yummy!

Demel, Vienna, Austria

Demel, Michaelerplatz, Vienna, Austria

Having had a look at the fine architecture and the beautifully designed streets we have our itineraries marked for tomorrows museum tours. We will start the day early with Mass and a concert in Augustinian Church, and end the day, enjoying the activity in the Volksgarten Park and beautiful gardens of flowers. Meet you in the park tomorrow! Enjoy!

Hi, I’m C-A-D-Y and I have I-T-I-S

Mariahilfer Strasse Neighborhood

That would be arthr I-T-I-S. ( as in swelling of the arths or joints) You who follow me regularly know I have been hobbled (well I am always hobbled, but more so recently) especially the past few months due to increased travels and increased walking, so with the trip to AIT (Austria, Italy, and Turkey) coming up I sought the advice of my physician. I am on the strongest medication, she told me. Next step corrective shoes. Corrective shoes? I already wear supportive, un-flattering, old fashioned, old lady shoes and have for some time. I was ten days out from my trip and had no time for new shoes. This trip was one of the most extensive and varied yet of our travels and included several flights, connecting flights, train trips, bus trips, boat trips, LOTS of walking, exploring, and new experiences. Shoes? I would just have to suck it up!

I came home with Pharyng I-T-I-S. A sore throat, headache to beat all headaches, earache, cough, cough, cough, and complete lethargy. And over 3,000 pictures! So today I begin the tale of what we did in between the I-T-I-S’s. It was one of the best trips abroad! And so we begin!

This week the list for the Best Airlines was released. # 5 on that list was Turkish Airlines. There was no American airline in the top 20. We have never flown on Turkish Airlines, but booked it because the price was very reasonable and got us to our destination with the fewest stops. I was immediately impressed upon boarding to be met my a chef (big hat and chef’s attire and all) and to get to my seat which had a pillow, blanket, earphones, and slippers already placed in my seat. Did I mention our seats were not changed one time in the six months prior to departure and we actually boarded on schedule? When we were all seated (and we were in regular folks seating) we received a travel kit (which I can use over and over it was so nice) with earplugs, sleeping mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm and knee high socks. Right after they served the Turkish Delight candy and the hot wash cloths they passed out the food menu and the drinks menu. Need I say more? I will. There were a bazillion channels for music, movies, news, kids shows and learning. There were plugs for all your electronic devices. And the seats were big enough for your fanny. Following a smooth ride, very tasty meals, lots of entertainment and excellent service we landed in Istanbul on time and ready to transfer to another Turkish Airlines plane to take us to Vienna. It was one of the best airline experiences to date! Please, keep them in mind when booking your flights. You won’t be disappointed.

Twenty four hours later (including time changes and connecting flight times) we landed in Vienna around 8pm. Tired and ready for bed we entered Das Tyrol, a small boutique-spa hotel located in a residential area on Mariahilfer Strasse just barely outside the old town’s RingStrasse.

Mariahilfer Strasse Neighborhood

Das Tyrol Hotel. Vienna, Austria

The fresh invigorating spa fragrance as we entered the hotel quickly helped to rejuvenate us. What a relaxed feeling! Soon we had checked in, got a lay out of the land, ( including the spa area, breakfast area and lounge), and then took the tiny two people elevator to the Donald Duck floor. What a great room we had! We collapsed into bed and were asleep within minutes!

The next morning we were up early to the large buffet breakfast and then out the door to walk to the Old Town. The hotel’s location was perfect. Situated in the middle of a hill, at the top was the train station and metro station (inside a huge mall with great shopping and eateries) and at the bottom of the hill the tram that circled historic Vienna. We decided to do a Vienna City Walk that SB had mapped out for us before we left home. This way we we could get an idea where the major museums were in the area, before we decided which ones to go in. So we walked down the hill, turned right and crossed the street to the Opera House and Gardens.

On the Way to Ringstrasse, Vienna, Austria

Ringstrasse, Vienna, Austria

Here there were many men dressed as Mozart encouraging you to buy tickets to a concert, every few feet.

Opera House, Vienna, Austria

We walked on pass them through the gates and then backtracked past the Opera Museum and the Albertinaplatz and the Monument Against War and Fascism.

Mozart’s Garden, Vienna, Austria

Historic District, Vienna, Austria

Monument Against War and Fascism, Vienna, Austria

Finally we came to corner where the red tour buses were parked and decided we would see another part of the city from the bus on another day. Here also was the Cafe Tirolerhof, a classic Viennese cafe with chandeliers, marble tables, smoke stained upholstered booths and waiters in tuxes. It’s was like stepping into an old movie and it was my first chance to taste the famous Viennese coffee.

Cafe Tirolerhof, Vienna, Austria

Refreshed and relaxed we ventured on passing the Kaisergruft, a church filled with the crypts of Austria’s emperors, empresses and other Habsburg royalty, buried in pewter coffins. Check that for a come back to.

Kaisergruft, Vienna, Austria

We make our way to Kärntner Strasse, a pedestrian only grand walkway, the same road that the Crusaders marched down as they left St Stephen’s Cathedral for the Holy Land in the 12th century. The street was bumper to bumper people, so many in fact that I could not see anything but the back of the head in front of me. What I thought would be a lovely old cobbled street was now a pedestrian mob of shoppers slowly moving along the shops of Gucci and Prada! There were people everywhere! It was Saturday I realized and the shops would be closed on Sunday so the shopping was a must!

Karntner Strasse, Vienna, Austria

I couldn’t wait to reach St Stephen’s hoping the crowd would thin out. Reaching the cathedral we have also entered the center of Vienna.

St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria

The church, built from 1300 to 1450, has a 450-ft tower and a colorful roof and is Austria’s national church. During WWII the stained glass window behind the high altar was dismantled and packed away. The pulpit was encased in a shell of brick. When the Nazi’s were fleeing at the end of the war an order was given to destroy the church upon leaving. Gratefully, the order was ignored, but the church did catch fire during Allied bombings and the wooden roof collapsed on the stone vaults of the ceiling. After the war each region of Austria contributed to the rebuilding of St Stephen’s, replacing the bell, the entrance portal, the windows, the pews and the floor. Today there is scaffolding where they are continuing to restore. Leaving the church I want to get off the main drag and away from the crowds. We find Dorotheergasse and a small grouping of tables outside Reinthaler’s Beisl where we sit and taste our first gulasch meal and apfelstrudel for dessert. The street is quiet and it is nice to sit and watch the world go by. We’ll stop here for now, but return soon to continue our walk. Enjoy!

Absinthe, Pirates, History and the NOLA Charm

St Louis Cathedral

There are two ways to get to the center of The French Quarter from our spot in Marigny; stroll the seven blocks on Chartres St to St Louis Cathedral or take the Loyola-UPT Streetcar that ends near us at the French Market.

The French Market Streetcar

During our stay we do both. From the French Market we get off the streetcar at Dumaine St and walk a couple of blocks to our first stop, the Cafe Du Monde, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

Cafe Du Monde

A large area of indoor/outdoor seating, the cafe is packed. The menus are imprinted on the napkin holders. The choices are coffee, soft drinks, orange juice and two sizes of beignets, either 3 or 6, smothered in powdered sugar. That’s it! I really can’t see what the hub-bub about the place is, but every time we passed by the cafe it was full. It’s been a landmark in New Orleans since 1862.

Jackson Square

Jackson Square, NOLA

Continuing on we come to Jackson Square and behind that the beautiful St Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously operating church in the US, built in 1720, rebuilt in 1789, becoming a cathedral in 1794.

St Louis Cathedral, NOLA

In front of the church on a wide band of street there are small booths of fortune tellers, ice cream vendors and musicians. Stepping inside the church we get relief from the heat and humidity which is quickly rising. Leaving the church and turning right and then right again we are on a small cobblestoned alley with St Anthony’s Garden behind the church. This alley is known to the locals as Pirates Alley. 600 feet long and 16 feet wide it is not listed on many of the maps of the French Quarter. The smell of New Orleans is more intense here, a smell of damp vegetation and a faint woodiness lingering with the latin rhythms, salsa music and blues coming from the corner. This corner was infamous for settling duels and debts of honor. Jean Lafitte, the famous pirate, who provided services to any country at war against another by attacking their ships, brought the booty to town and the goods were sold in the alley. Eventually the Spanish Colonial Prison called the Calabozo was built on this corner in 1769. Lafitte and his men were jailed here by Governor Claiborne of New Orleans. The prison was demolished in 1837, and the land was sold to make a long creole house which was the home of William Faulkner, where he wrote his first novel ”Soldiers Pay.” The creole house is now home to the Faulkner House Books. Now at the intersection of Pirates Alley and Cabildo Alley, where the prison was, is the Pirates Alley Cafe, known for caribbean drinks and absinthe.

Pirates Alley Cafe

Traditional absinthe was made of anise, fennel and wormwood (a plant) with added herbs and flowers making it green in color. The herbs and spices were soaked in alcohol and then distilled. The drink called la fée verte, (Green fairy) in French, was thought to be highly hallucinative also. Yes, drinking a couple of those today one might see fairies and pirates!

One afternoon, not far from Pirates Alley, we made our way to the Grape Vine Wine Bar and Bistro. We spent a lovely afternoon wine tasting and choosing cheeses from the cheese board. Then we were served large portions of appetizers. I had the crab cakes and they were fabulous. The ambience and service in this bistro is outstanding. With seating indoors or out this was our favorite spot in the old French Quarter.

Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro

Another highlight of New Orleans is the WWII National War Museum. Traveling by way of the Canal Streetcar, switching to the St Charles Streetcar, we got off at Lee Circle and walked the rest of the way to the museum. The large museum is separated into different buildings and exhibits. Upon entering the ticket building in the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion we were greeted by veterans who are here every day and volunteer their services at all of the different venues. It was truly inspiring to see so many retired serviceman still giving of their time. Our first stop was the “Train Car Experience” where we boarded a train re-creating the tearful farewells and bittersweet returns of the men and women who went to war. Then we went upstairs to see the “America Goes to War,” “D-Day Invasion of Normandy,” “The Landing Beaches,” and the “D-Day Invasions of the Pacific.” All the exhibits were interactive and very interesting. One of the highlights of the museum was the short movie, “Beyond All Boundaries” produced and narrated by Tom Hanks. The movie is a journey of words and stories of actual WWII participants. The Solomon Victory Theater, where the movie is shown, has a screen 120 feet wide, with 9 digital cinema DPL Projectors. (a regular theater has only one) There are 27 surround sound custom speakers and 250 special effects theater seats that shake when the tanks are rolling by! Many of the props used to make the movie come alive are authentic pieces of equipment. There are 305 archival photographs and 517 film clips of actual footage shot during the war. You will not want to miss this special attraction.

Going outside the exhibits we looked at a WWII Victory Garden complete with posters!

The National WWII Museum

The Marine Corps Band, NOLA

Victory Garden Poster

Victory Garden

Victory Garden Poster

WWII Museum, NOLA

The other feature that I enjoyed was the “USS Tang” experience. Upon entering the submarine we are given actual sailors’ ID cards. Using the ID of the sailor, we were assigned to his station and duty in the sub.

Submarine Sailor ID’s

We had an interactive encounter recreating the last war patrol of America’s most decorated submarine in WWII! What a great time we had visiting the museum! There is the Stage Door Canteen and the American Sector Restaurant to eat in and then to wrap up our day we were entertained by the Marine Corps Band of New Orleans, part of the Memorial Day Concert Series. New Orleans has so much to offer; great food and drink, stunning architecture, history and perseverance. I think you will enjoy including NOLA to your list of “Not to Miss.” Enjoy!

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Travel, Gardens, Food, Photography, Books, Shoes

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Absinthe, Pirates, History and the NOLA Charm

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