A Letter from The Home Traveler

Dear Travelers,

Looking at my posts, I've come to realize that they're much the same: explanation of the place, it's history, followed by a couple of pictures. You must be getting bored! So now is the opportunity to give your feedback  on what you would like to see. Would you like me to post a list of tips? Perhaps you want to recommend a place that you've been to. Regardless, I encourage you to give feedback about anything and everything that you may be interested in. You speak. I blog. We travel.

Until next time, Happy Travels!

Sincerely,
The Home Traveler, Audrey

I've had worse.

In the previous post, I attempted to give you an example of a remediation within Constantinople. I failed. To make up for it, I'm going to give you an example of a remediation that is practically impossible to hate. Dearest travelers, I give you.... MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL.

Just as Da Vinci remediated the last supper, Monty Python remediated the legend of King Arthur and Camelot. As seen above, King Arthur (left) is fighting the Black Knight (right). This picture- rather, the entire movie- adds a humorous twist to the legend of Arthur, while giving us what we know as "British humor." 

Constantinople Part II

 I apologize for the delay due to technical issues, but I'm back! As promised, I'm going to continue with the history and attractions of Constantinople. Instead of performing my traditional outline of: history, followed by attractions and ending with pictures, I'm going to mix it up by introducing you to something called 'remediation.' In a nutshell, a remediation is when one takes a text and changes its form. For example, Da Vinci took the Biblical text of the last supper, and turned it into a painting. In today's blog, I'm going to give you a brief history of the Latin and Ottoman empires, as well as of Turkey today; for the attractions, I will attempt to give you examples on places to go in order to find remediation, whether through art, music, or other cultural practices. Let's begin!

Latin Empire

The Latin Empire is a relatively short one: with Constantinople booming, it fell under constant threat of invasions, especially from various tribes scattered across the middle east; not surprisingly, these tribes did not create the Latin Empire. It was after 1204 that Constantinople fell under the control of members of the fourth crusade (if you're curious, there were a total of nine crusades) and shortly after, Constantinople was turned into the center of the Catholic Latin Empire. 

As I'm sure you can guess by now, this didn't last long. Tensions began to rise between the Catholic Latin Empire and the Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire. Because of this, Constantinople found itself caught in the middle and began to decline in economy, population and defense.  Lacking in the necessary departments for a successful city, Constantinople collapsed and in 1261the Emperor of Nicaea claimed Constantinople, therefore returning it to the Byzantine Empire. At the same time, the Ottoman Turks began invading neighboring cities of Constantinople, therefore, cutting it off from any form of trade or support.

Ottoman Empire
"Officially" conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the last emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Constantine XI died while defending the city, and almost immediately after it's capture, Constantinople was declared as the capital of the Ottoman Empire. It is during this point in history that the world sees the changes in names from Constantinople to Istanbul (the name has stuck ever since.) Personally, I see the rise of the Ottoman Empire as being Istanbul's golden age; led by Sultan Mehmed, Istanbul was reborn through things such as the Grand Bazaar (a large covered market place), the return of Catholic and Orthodox residents, as well as the integration of Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Along with population integration, Istanbul began to flourish with construction of schools, public baths, hospitals and imperial mosques (for those who don't know, a mosque is where the Muslims practice much like how a Christian practices within a church). The Ottoman Empire remained in power until it was defeated and  occupied by the allied forces of World War I. 

Turkey Today
Gaining independence in 1923, Istanbul was not the capital. Instead, it was a city by the name of Ankara. In the 40s and 50s, Istanbul began to re-emerge as new squares, avenues and other roads were constructed. Unfortunately, because of the construction, many of the historical sites were destroyed. On the bright side, many of its historical areas were placed on the UNESCO list in 1985 and in 2010, Istanbul was named a European Capital of Culture by the European Union. 

That goes to show that no matter how old something is, its experiences may continue to have a major impact on the people around it, as well as adding a unique flare to the history books.

In my quest to locate attractions that offer examples of remediation, I'm sad to say that I wasn't successful. But that's okay! I'll still show you some of Istanbul's crown jewels: the Hippodrome of Constantine and the 16th century Suleymaniye Mosque, both which are protected by UNESCO.

That's right fellow travelers, I said "show," not "describe." The reason is that I want you to focus on the simple beauty of the following attractions and to allow your own curiosity to guide you in the direction of either the Hippodrome of Constantine or the Suleymaniye Mosque. 

Hippodrome of Constantine

Notice that the Hippodrome of Constantine (obviously worn down due to weather, construction and invasions) contains two Egyptian obelisks as seen above.

Suleymaniye Mosque

 Exterior of the Mosque

 Interior of the Mosque

On the 4th week of blogging my true love gave to me... Constantinople?

That's right my friends, we have temporarily left Europe and have now entered the Middle East, more specifically: Turkey. Before I go on any farther, I want to make it clear that this entry regarding Constantinople (it's modern name is Istanbul) is going to be in two parts; this week's part is going to cover the time of the Greeks through the time of the Byzantine Empire (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire). Next week will follow up with  the Latin Empire  through modern times. Let's go!

Greeks

Led by King Byzas, Greek colonists settled in modern day Isntabul around 300 BCE (before the common era- traditionally known as 'before Christ'). Following their settlement, Byzas named the city 'Byzantinium' in honor of himself. However, like most things in Europe and the Middle East, the city eventually fell to Rome, as Byzantium sided with a Roman governor, Pescennius Niger, in hope of escaping the infiltration by the emperor Septimus Severus.


Romans

Septimus Severus was successful at infiltrating the city, as well as completely demolishing it, rebuilding it, and naming it  Augusta Antonina. But as history would have it, this city would not remain in peace. As small battles broke out here-and-there, the biggest, and possibly bloodiest, was that of a Roman Civil war (324), as two co-emperors, Constantine and Licinius fought for the crown. With Augusta Antonina (Byzantium) caught in the middle, Constantine emerged victorious as Licinius retreated to Byzantium, only having to withdraw after having his fleet defeated by Crispus, Constantine's eldest son. In 326, the Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium, renaming it Nova Roma- but because he had (almost) entirely rebuilt it - the name 'Constantinople' became the most used.

The Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire

After it was named the capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople experienced a prosperous boom! This lasted until shortly after the death of the emperor Theodosius I in 395, his two sons (are you ready for this? This has never happened before!) created tension within the empire, until finally, they split, leaving Constantinople as the capital of the Byzantine Empire in the 400s.Following the split, Constantinople (noticeably) turned Greek as compared to it's Roman background. This was seen through things such as Haghia Sophia, a church build in Constantinople after an anti-government revolt erupted amongst the people. Because of this revolt the city was destroyed (again) and rebuild with many of its noticeably significant monuments. Haghia Sophia is one of these monuments as Constantinople became the center of the Greek Orthodox Church (much like how Rome is the center of the Roman Catholic Church).


By this point I'm sure you're thinking, "Audrey, enough with the history! Tell me the places to visit!" Well my impatient friend, you must realize that when it comes to Constantinople, it is guaranteed that the sites you wish to see will correspond with some of the history mentioned above. Let's take a look at some of Istanbul's most  significant sites:

• The Basilica Cistern
• Just looking at pictures of it on the internet is creepy. Built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century, it stands on the exact spot where another basilica had been built by Constantine approximately 200 years earlier. What's interesting about the basilica is that some of the pillars holding it up were taken from other ancient sites throughout the empire. However, if you really want to experience history with a flare of eeriness, check out the two pillars that are supported by upside-down stone heads of Medusa (see below).
• Walls of Constantinople
• Created by Constantine, a second layer was later added by Theodosius II. They protected Constantinople from 11 invasions, but found it hard to remain standing after the invention of gunpowder as well as an Ottoman conquest that took place in 1453. The remains of the walls can still be seen in their original lines (in other words, they haven't moved).
• Hagia Sophia
• First a church turned into a mosque, Hagia Sophia now acts as a museum within the Republic of Turkey. As an example as to what has been discovered: behind 6-7 inches of plaster, the mosaic faces of four seraphims were discovered. Along with this, you will see mosaics of various Biblical stories such as Jesus and the wise men. Whether you're religious or simply want to see the interactions of time and empires all in one place, Hagia Sophia is the place where I would want to be. (See pictures below)

Until next week, I hope you've enjoyed the history briefs of modern day Istanbul as well as some of the attractions they have to offer. Are you interested in everything else they have to offer? Check out the following link!

Istanbul Attractions 

Upside-Down Medusa Head

Mosaic Seraphim Face

 Mosaic of Biblical Scene

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote The droughte of March hath perced to the roote...

No matter where you travel in Europe, you are guaranteed to be overwhelmed by the culture's art, history, and action of the 21st century. This is especially true for England: the royal wedding, royal pregnancy rumor, and of course, the Olympics, have come together to send the British into a time of excitement and intrigue. However, we're going to take a step outside of the hustle and bustle, and travel to an area known as Kent. Here, we find a town of about 36,000 people, with much to offer to both the history buff, and the modern spectator. Welcome to Canterbury!

Normally, I would give a detailed description of major events in the city's history, but because of Canterbury's extensive timeline (it dates back to the Celtics of the first century), I've decided to focus on the attractions. This will not only expose what Canterbury has to offer, but it will also give a taste of the extensive, rich history of empires, and individuals.

• Druidstone Park
• Druidstone Park is the perfect place to meet family and friends; whether you're going to spend time in the play area, cafe, or walk in the woods, the beauty and tranquility will remain with you forever.You will be taken back to the time of enchanted forests, sleeping dragons and the mysterious of natural beauty. But, does it have anything to do with the actual Druids? The answer is yes. As earlier mentioned, Canterbury dates back to the time of the Celtics- more specifically- the tribe of the Cantiaci. These nomads were in present day Canterbury around the first century, only to be conquered by the Romans in 43 AD.
• Roman Museum
• Described by one traveler to be an "absolutely AMAZING museum," the Roman Museum allows you to jump back to Roman times without having to leave England for Italy. What's incredible about the museum is that they don't only display worker related artifacts such as tools and simple coins; At the museum, you see all classes of the empire, through articles such as: mosaic floors (preserved where they were excavated), a hypocaust (a Roman underfloor heating system- preserved where excavated), a cavalry horse harness fitting (one of only two in the world), as well as finds from the baths including: toiletry items and bath linings. The Romans stayed in Canterbury (their town was named Durovernum Cantiacorum) for 300 years before the empire began to collapse.
•  St. Augustine's Abbey
• This is not only a "wonderful place to visit," it has also been declared as a World Heritage Site. It was here that St. Augustine, a Roman abbot,was sent by Pope Gregory to convert the Anglo-Saxons. Leaving Rome in May of 595, St. Augustine returned in July after receiving opposition, making him ask the Pope to be released from his assignment. In response, Pope Gregory wrote to him saying:

"My dearly beloved son, it would have been better not to have undertaken a noble task than to turn back deliberately from what you have begun, so it is right that you should carry out with all diligence this good work which you have begun with the help of the Lord. Therefore do not let the toilsome journey nor the tongues of evil speakers deter you..."

• In a modern translation: Nice try, now get back there. After St. Augustine returned, he  founded the abbey in 598 to serve as his head quarters; originally dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, it  became known as St. Augustine's Abbey (after his death), and since then, served as the burial ground of St. Augustine, other abbots, and kings of Kent. It was dedicated as a world heritage site along with St. Martin's Church and the Canterbury Cathedral on May 29, 1984.

 St. Augustine's Abbey

• Canterbury Cathedral
• Over 500 years after St. Augustine's Abbey was founded, Canterbury witnessed the unthinkable: in 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered within the cathedral walls. Since then, thousands of people have been attracted to Canterbury Cathedral, including those in Geoffrey Chaucer's, The Canterbury Tales. In this collection of short stories, a total of 29 pilgrims are making their way to the cathedral, seeking the holy martyr. Who's the martyr? You guessed it, Thomas Becket. Aside from the story line, the most incredible thing about the tales, are the characters. Keep in mind that these tales where written in the medieval ages- a time when religion played a role in the lives of the richest and poorest people. Why do I say this? The answer is that some speculate the characters to reflect the sins and the virtues. For example, the Wife represents the sin of lust, while the knight represents the virtue of selflessness. By putting life-like people in a religious setting, Chaucer not only created one of the best pieces of British literature, but he also added an element to the town of Canterbury- it's an element of persistence, devotion, and a want to never forget the events of the past.
  

 Canterbury Cathedral

Though these are just a few of the many sites offered by Canterbury, they act in a way that make you feel as if  the past were coming to life as you walk in the steps of the Celtics, Romans, and pilgrims. But what about the Elizabethan era? What about the 17th and 18th centuries? If you're curious about other eras and what Canterbury has to offer you, feel free to use the link below and plan for your next trip!

Canterbury Attractions

Hier stehe ich.

October 31, 1517- you're walking through a small town, when all of a sudden, you hear a loud banging echo through the streets. Wondering what it is, you race over to Castle Church, and there on the large wooden door, you see a 34 year old monk hammering his 95 Theses. Without knowing it, you are witnessing the start to the Reformation, an era of revolution and bloodshed, as that monk- Martin Luther- shakes the very foundation of Roman Catholicism, and Christianity as a whole. Welcome to Wittenberg, Germany.

Founded in 1180 by Flemish colonists, Wittenberg has come to house approximately 50,000 residents. Aside from the natives, you will witness people flock from all over the world to view the most famous doors in history: the doors of Castle Church (see below). On these doors, Luther posted his 95 Theses (grievances against the Catholic Church) in hopes for a discussion among academically associated people. However, copies were made, and everyone, even those who couldn't read their native language, heard Luther's message. And before Luther could stop the spread of the Theses, the Reformation had begun; during this time, Luther would put his faith to the test as he faced death and ex-communication for the well-being of those under the influence of the church.

 Visit Castle Church today and you will find that the original wooden doors are gone, due to being destroyed by a fire. In their place are two large bronze doors. Looking carefully within the carving you will see that Luther's Theses are engraved in the bronze- not in German, but in Latin- the language of the Catholic church and the highly educated. Along with these remarkable doors, Luther's grave is located inside.

As stated, Luther faced death and ex-communication for his teachings against the church. But before I go any further, you must understand the importance to the Reformation. During this time, the church had more power, money, and followers than the majority of the princes of Europe. Because of this, the church not only had religious power, but power through the law. This meant that not only could they ex-communicate someone, but they could also kill them, sometimes through beheading, burning, or hanging. Luckily for Luther, he wasn't executed, but instead, excommunicated, which leads me to the next stop: the Luther Oak.

It was at this location that Luther burned various documents related to his enemies: books, including the book of church law, and most importantly, the Papal Bull. I view the burning of the Papal Bull as the final act that Luther performed as a way of verifying any doubts as to whether or not he was a Protestant (this is where we get the word "protest"). So what was the Papal Bull? The Papal Bull (Exurge Domine) was a document stating that if Luther did not recant his teachings, he would be excommunicated. In response, Luther threw the document and other writings into the fire, and is said to have yelled:

"Because you, godless book, have grieved or shamed the holiness of the Father, be saddened and consumed by the eternal flames of Hell".

Aside from the Reformation, what else does Wittenberg have? To be honest, not much. When it comes to attractions that involve Luther, and not the Reformation, you will find:

• Town Church (another place where Luther preached)
• Luther's House
• Lucas Cranach's House (this is the house of the painter, Lucas Cranach, who "documented" the Reformation through paintings and sculptures)

German Etiquette 

• The greetings are formal
• The traditional greeting will consist of a firm, quick handshake
• Titles are very important in showing respect. You must use one's title (Mr., Ms. Mrs.) and their surname (last name). Wait until invited to address someone by their first name.
• Wait to be introduced to a group (this will be done by the host/hostess)
• Entering a room, make sure to shake hands with each individual, including children.

Note: Use "Herr" and "Frau"  when addressing someone. Herr = Sir, Frau= Ms./Mrs.

Want more information on both etiquette and German fast facts? Check out this link!
German Fast Facts

 Martin Luther and the 95 Theses 

Bronze Doors of Castle Church

Benvenuto a Assisi, Italia!

Home to about 55 million people, Italy has been one of the world's crown jewels both in culture and religion and when it comes to Assisi, there is no exception.

A small Umbrian town located 90 miles north of Rome, Assisi is home to approximately 26,000 residences. Bringing in 4 to 5 million tourists a year, Assisi has been able to become "touristy," while keeping it's small town charm. How? Well, Assisi preserves itself: at first controlled by the Umbrian, Assisi fell to the Roman Empire, which named what we know as "Assisi," originally as "Assisium." Various remnants from the Roman Empire still remain (as they all do throughout Italy). Roman attractions include: the remnants of the Roman Forum, an amphitheater, Roman walls as well as the temple of Minerva (the Greek name would be Athena) that dates back to the 1st century B.C.

What's amazing about Assisi is that the history doesn't begin and end in any one time period. Walk the hills of Assisi, and you will stumble upon the Roman ruins, as well as winding medieval streets, and sacred shrines. What sacred shrines am I talking about? The most famous within Assisi, for both Catholics, and non- Catholics, is that of the 13th century Basilica di San Francesco (Basilica of St. Francis). St. Francis, believed to have been born 1181/1182, is one of the most popular saints within Catholicism. Beatified by Pope Gregory IX, no more than two years after his death the construction of a church in the honor of St. Francis was underway. Consecrated in 1253, and designated as a Major Basilica in 1288,   the Basilica di San Francesco is one of the greatest attractions for pilgrims from all over the world.

Is ancient and religious attractions, all that Assisi have to offer? The answer is no! This is the beauty behind Assisi: no matter what you're there for, you're bound to find it. Assisi offers an Italian cultural experience through: culture (both modern and ancient), art (including that of the famous Giotto Di Bondone- see painting blow), festivals to Michelangelo, piazzas (public squares), ancient forums, and even jazz concerts. In other words, just walk around Assisi, and let the various aspects, whether ancient or modern, come to you.

Interacting with the Locals

• Be enthusiastic, yet formal, when greeting someone
• When shaking hands, make direct eye contact with a smile (especially with strangers)
• As friendships develop, it's common to have air-kissing on both cheeks (usually start on the left, and men usually add a pat on the back)
• Wait until you're invited to address someone by their first name (this keeps a sense of formality)
• When it comes to the Italians, first impressions last, so go the extra mile to demonstrate formality and respect

Buon viaggio!

 Painting by Giotto di Bondone

 

Basilica di San Francesco

Fellow travelers...

Traveling is one of the most popular pastimes, but it is also one of the most expensive. Having a love for adventure, I have created "The Home Traveler," so that those who can't afford to travel (such as myself) will still be able to learn about places from all around the world. Composing this as if it were in a AAA magazine, I will introduce you, the home travelers, to places that include: history, what to see, what to do, as well as how to connect with the locals. In other words, I will be stressing the idea that one must "never forget to immerse yourself in the experience." Our first stop? Sorry, you'll have to wait until Monday, when I begin to explore the beauty, romance and mystery that is Europe. Happy Travels!

    

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