We arrive in Monte Carlo on Sunday, 9 August at approximately 8AM. We must return to the ship by 5PM. A tender will meet our ship to take us ashore.
Monte Carlo (Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco's various administrative areas, sometimes erroneously believed to be a town or the country's capital. The official capital is Monaco-Ville and covers all quarters of the territory.
There seems to be a strong police presence, Monaco is a very safe, and crime-free location. It has one of the highest public-to-police ratios in the world. Also every public space is blanketed with cameras. Any kind of disorder may produce an overreaction and the attendance of many officers.
Monte-Carlo is known for its casinos, gambling, glamour, and for sightings of famous people. The permanent population is about 3,000. Monte-Carlo quarter includes not only Monte-Carlo proper where the famous Le Grand Casino is located, but also the neighborhoods of Saint-Michel, Saint-Roman/Tenao, and the beach community of Larvotto. It borders the French town of Beausoleil (formerly known as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur).
Founded in 1866, Monte-Carlo has a name of Italian origin meaning "Mount Charles", named in compliment to the prince then reigning, Charles III of Monaco. The specific mountain is the escarpment at the foot of the Maritime Alps on which the town stands. Monte-Carlo is home to most of the Circuit de Monaco, on which the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place; it also hosts world championship boxing bouts, the Monte Carlo Masters, European Poker Tour Grand Final and the World Backgammon Championship as well as fashion shows and other events.
Monte-Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as the general public and movie stars for decades. The quarter of Monte-Carlo was served by tramways from 1900 to 1953, linking parts of Monaco. The Monte-Carlo Rally is one of the longest running and most respected car rallies, and marks the start of each rally season as the first event on the World Rally Championship calendar, but the rally takes place outside the Monte-Carlo quarter.
Monte-Carlo is one of Europe's leading tourist resorts, although many of the key tourist destinations are located in other parts of Monaco, including such attractions as Monaco Cathedral, The Napoleon Museum, The Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, and The Prince's Palace, all of which are located in Monaco-Ville.
The Jardin Exotique (Exotic Gardens) is a fascinating experience. Many rare plants from around the world are presented in a walking tour that is quite memorable for the views as well as the flora. Due to the rise in altitude, the microclimate of the area is mostly desert, so there are many examples of desert plants, including unusual cacti to see. There is also a grotto (cave) that has scheduled guided tours. The admission is a bit steep (€8). There is a Japanese Garden right by the Grimaldi Forum. Entry is free.
We hope to visit Saint-Paul de Vence [one of the “perched” villages]. Holland America offers a 4 hour excursion. It departs Monaco on the Middle Corniche road that winds along the coast as far as Nice, where we will drive through town, passing the famous Promenade des Anglais. We will then head inland to St. Paul de Vence--a medieval city with an imposing silhouette. Perched high upon an escarpment, St. Paul de Vence is the quintessential fortified town of Provence, and its ramparts are still amazingly intact. Painters such as Modigliani, Signac and Soutine met at a local café which has since become the sumptuous Colombe d’Or. The main reason for this visit is to see The Foundation Maeght. Inaugurated on July 28th 1964 by André Malraux, then Minister of Cultural Affairs, this architectural ensemble was entirely conceived and financed by Aimé and Marguerite Maeght to present modern and contemporary art in all its forms. Painters and sculptors collaborated closely in the realization of this Foundation with Catalan architect Josep-Lluis Sert by creating frequently monumental works integrated into the building and gardens: the Giacometti courtyard, the Miró labyrinth filled with sculptures and ceramics, mural mosaics by Chagall and Tal-Coat, a pool and stained glass window by Braque, a Bury fountain...A true museum in nature, the Maeght Foundation is an exceptional site that contains one of the most important collections in Europe, with paintings, sculptures; drawings and graphic works from the 20th century: Bonnard, Braque, Calder, Chagall, Giacometti, Léger, Miró... Matisse lived near Vence and designed and built the Rosary Chapel nearby. Marc Chagall is buried in St. Paul's cemetery. His mosaics turn up in unlikely places including a baptismal font in a church in Vence and the wall of a private garden. We will return to Monte Carlo via the freeway.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Livorno/Lucca
Livorno [Leghorn] is our first stop on the cruise. It will be Saturday, 8 August, and we will have 11 hours there [7AM to 8PM]. In each port Holland America offers a variety of excursions. They are varied in design and are designated by the amount of activity. Most involve a motor coach transfer to a specific site or a motor coach tour of an area. The buses are usually new or nearly new and a local guide narrates the tour. I found them to be useful when there was a specific destination without stops along the way. The “tours” often described as “highlights of the Ligurian Coast,” “the best of Cadiz” or the like were boring, did not afford enough time for individual exploration and usually stopped at the guide’s brother’s carpet shop or some tourist trap in the worst sense of the word.
We are researching a private van/guide as opposed to a HAL excursion to Lucca and Pisa which would leave the ship probably around 9AM and last about 5.5 Hours. It’s a 45 minute bus-ride to Lucca. After a couple of hours there we would stop at Pisa on the way back and then back to the ship. The cost is coded at $$ [the least expensive of the excursion offerings] which means $51. to $100. A private tour option will cost about $70. per hour for all 4 of us. So 4 to 6 hours would cost about the same but we would have the private car and guide.
Livorno is a port on the Ligurian [Tyrrhenian] Sea on the West [Etruscan] coast of Tuscany. It is the 3rd largest port on the West Coast of Italy and has a population of 170,000 [2004]. It is surrounded by fortified walls and criss-crossed with canals. It is one of the most left-leaning cities in Italy. Tuaca Liqueur is produced here. The Leghorn breed of chicken named for the City of Livorno is the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States. The opera composer Pietro Mascagni (December 7, 1863 – August 2, 1945) was born here. His 1890 masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana is thought of today as Italy “most Italian” opera. Of possible interest in Livorno, provided we have any extra time is the Festival Effetto Venezia. From August 1st to 10th [dates approx.] there will be ten days of music, performances, and entertainments in the Venezia quarter. This charming neighborhood is filled with canals, islands and bridges, many from the 17th century. Just like its namesake, the Venice district is criss-crossed by canals. During the festivities stalls and artisan exhibitions are crammed alongside the elegant antique shops of its main streets. Visitors can go on tours by boat along the canals and enjoy a different view of Livorno.
The Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the Museo di Storia Naturale del Mediterraneo. It contains groupings of plants typical to various locations along the Mediterranean Sea, with each group in a specific soil (limestone, serpentine, volcanic, etc.).
We will, however, be focusing on Lucca and Pisa.
First and of primary focus is Lucca which sits on an alluvial plateau near the Serchio River, 19 meters above sea level. Lucca is a city of some 90,000 people. We will probably start our visit at the Piazzale Verdi. Lucca's long history goes back to Etruscan and Ancient Roman [177BC] times, and the city contains some worthwhile ancient architecture. Lucca thrived in the Gothic era just before the Renaissance, and the city contains much architecture from that era. It was the provincial capital of Tuscany in the middle ages. Lucca remained an independent city state until the end of the 18th century. Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858. His most famous operas were La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Turandot. During the summer months the area is regularly dotted with Puccini festivals, hosting a variety of young opera singers from across Europe and North America. The area of most interest to visitors is still enclosed within the old city defensive wall. The top of these broad walls is a ring park, a pleasant place for walking or riding a bicycle.
The Roman amphitheater is found off the Via Fillungo; the main entrance is by Piazza Scarpellini. The massively thick 16th-century city walls can be explored on foot or bicycle. The entire perimeter is approximately 3 km. This gives a good introduction to the city layout. We expect large crowds during our visit. Guinigi Tower, the palace and the tree-topped tower, belonging to the prestigious merchant family of the Guinigi, is located in one of the most characteristic medieval neighborhoods of the city. It is the only remaining example of a home of Gothic nobility, with elegant quadriforium on the facades, large internal rooms, and a second doorway for carriage access. The 130 ft. tower has ancient oak trees on top! There is an admission charge. The tower provides good views of the city; there is no elevator but lots of stairs. Torre delle Ore is an ancient clock tower with the original clock still working; is it possible to go upstairs [207 steps] on this tower, too (a beautiful view on the city, and good perspective of Fillungo Street).
The 6th Century Saint Frediano’s Church is instantly distinguishable from other Romanesque churches of Lucca by its 13th Century golden mosaic high on the façade. The huge, richly carved 12th Century baptismal font, the Fonte Lustrale, at the entrance is decorated with biblical scenes attributed to three different craftsmen. The church also houses a shrine to Santa Zita, Lucca's saint, whose mummified body is brought out once a year when she may be touched by the devout. The Duomo di San Martino in the Piazza di San Martino is a Romanesque cathedral dating to 14th century. It contains a sculpture of the crucifixion attributed to an eyewitness, Nicodemus. There is also a “Last Supper” by Tintoretto. There are some interesting [Tuscan] carvings in the marble exterior, including a labyrinth. At the Palazzo Pfanner are preserved rooms formerly inhabited by the Pfanner family, as well as a pleasant garden. Also on display is some 19th century medical equipment. The Botanical Gardens are situated in the historical center of Lucca, It covers approximately 2 hectares. Entered through a wrought iron gate, there is a tree-lined avenue flanked by shrubs (an 'arboreto') that leads to a small lake. In the Northern part, there are the greenhouses and the library, which houses 2000 volumes with works and many historical manuscripts). The southern part is where various vegetables from the Lucchesi Mountains are cultivated. The 'Hortus Sanitatis' comprises a rich collection of more than 500 medicinal species. In the two huge greenhouses are numerous cacti (Cactaceae) from the Americas and Africa. It is also possible to view a remarkable collection of Ericaceae and the Theaceae (Camellia), in addition to medicinal plants that are native to Tuscany. The Garden was projected under the reign of Felice Baciocchi and Elisa Bonaparte, but it was only created in 1820 for the duchess Maria Luisa di Borbone. In September 1843, the Garden welcomed the botanists of the Fifth Congress of Italian Scientists. The Garden prospered in the second half of the nineteenth century, under the direction of Cesare Bicchi; where once it cultivated only medicinal plants, it now grew a wide variety of plants. After the first World War, the Garden was neglected, and for all practical purposes, abandoned. It was revived in 1956, under the direction of the chair of natural sciences of the Classical Liceo Machiavelli. In the past twenty years, the garden has once again dedicated itself to the cultivation of officinal plants.
It is safe to drink the water that comes out of the public fountains. Many locals fill gallon jugs and it is their primary source of drinking water. It is delicious and quite refreshing. In fact, it tastes better than most bottled water.
On the way back to Livorno, time permitting, we will stop at Pisa on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. The city is known worldwide for its famous bell tower. While the Leaning Tower is the most famous image of the city, it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Piazza del Duomo, also known, since XX century, as Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), to the north of the old town center. The Piazza del Duomo also houses the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Camposanto Monumentale (the monumental cemetery).
The Orto Botanico di Pisa is Europe's oldest university botanical garden. The Palazzo Reale ("Royal Palace"), once of the Caetani patrician family. Here Galileo Galilei showed to Grand Duke of Tuscany the planets he had discovered with his telescope. The edifice was erected in 1559 by Baccio Bandinelli for Cosimo I de Medici, and was later enlarged to include other palaces.
Some famous Pisans:
Andrea Bocelli, famous Italian tenor; Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia, physicists & Nobel Prize winners; Galileo Galilei, physicist; Leonardo Fibonacci, mathematician.
We are researching a private van/guide as opposed to a HAL excursion to Lucca and Pisa which would leave the ship probably around 9AM and last about 5.5 Hours. It’s a 45 minute bus-ride to Lucca. After a couple of hours there we would stop at Pisa on the way back and then back to the ship. The cost is coded at $$ [the least expensive of the excursion offerings] which means $51. to $100. A private tour option will cost about $70. per hour for all 4 of us. So 4 to 6 hours would cost about the same but we would have the private car and guide.
Livorno is a port on the Ligurian [Tyrrhenian] Sea on the West [Etruscan] coast of Tuscany. It is the 3rd largest port on the West Coast of Italy and has a population of 170,000 [2004]. It is surrounded by fortified walls and criss-crossed with canals. It is one of the most left-leaning cities in Italy. Tuaca Liqueur is produced here. The Leghorn breed of chicken named for the City of Livorno is the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States. The opera composer Pietro Mascagni (December 7, 1863 – August 2, 1945) was born here. His 1890 masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana is thought of today as Italy “most Italian” opera. Of possible interest in Livorno, provided we have any extra time is the Festival Effetto Venezia. From August 1st to 10th [dates approx.] there will be ten days of music, performances, and entertainments in the Venezia quarter. This charming neighborhood is filled with canals, islands and bridges, many from the 17th century. Just like its namesake, the Venice district is criss-crossed by canals. During the festivities stalls and artisan exhibitions are crammed alongside the elegant antique shops of its main streets. Visitors can go on tours by boat along the canals and enjoy a different view of Livorno.
The Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the Museo di Storia Naturale del Mediterraneo. It contains groupings of plants typical to various locations along the Mediterranean Sea, with each group in a specific soil (limestone, serpentine, volcanic, etc.).
We will, however, be focusing on Lucca and Pisa.
First and of primary focus is Lucca which sits on an alluvial plateau near the Serchio River, 19 meters above sea level. Lucca is a city of some 90,000 people. We will probably start our visit at the Piazzale Verdi. Lucca's long history goes back to Etruscan and Ancient Roman [177BC] times, and the city contains some worthwhile ancient architecture. Lucca thrived in the Gothic era just before the Renaissance, and the city contains much architecture from that era. It was the provincial capital of Tuscany in the middle ages. Lucca remained an independent city state until the end of the 18th century. Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858. His most famous operas were La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Turandot. During the summer months the area is regularly dotted with Puccini festivals, hosting a variety of young opera singers from across Europe and North America. The area of most interest to visitors is still enclosed within the old city defensive wall. The top of these broad walls is a ring park, a pleasant place for walking or riding a bicycle.
The Roman amphitheater is found off the Via Fillungo; the main entrance is by Piazza Scarpellini. The massively thick 16th-century city walls can be explored on foot or bicycle. The entire perimeter is approximately 3 km. This gives a good introduction to the city layout. We expect large crowds during our visit. Guinigi Tower, the palace and the tree-topped tower, belonging to the prestigious merchant family of the Guinigi, is located in one of the most characteristic medieval neighborhoods of the city. It is the only remaining example of a home of Gothic nobility, with elegant quadriforium on the facades, large internal rooms, and a second doorway for carriage access. The 130 ft. tower has ancient oak trees on top! There is an admission charge. The tower provides good views of the city; there is no elevator but lots of stairs. Torre delle Ore is an ancient clock tower with the original clock still working; is it possible to go upstairs [207 steps] on this tower, too (a beautiful view on the city, and good perspective of Fillungo Street).
The 6th Century Saint Frediano’s Church is instantly distinguishable from other Romanesque churches of Lucca by its 13th Century golden mosaic high on the façade. The huge, richly carved 12th Century baptismal font, the Fonte Lustrale, at the entrance is decorated with biblical scenes attributed to three different craftsmen. The church also houses a shrine to Santa Zita, Lucca's saint, whose mummified body is brought out once a year when she may be touched by the devout. The Duomo di San Martino in the Piazza di San Martino is a Romanesque cathedral dating to 14th century. It contains a sculpture of the crucifixion attributed to an eyewitness, Nicodemus. There is also a “Last Supper” by Tintoretto. There are some interesting [Tuscan] carvings in the marble exterior, including a labyrinth. At the Palazzo Pfanner are preserved rooms formerly inhabited by the Pfanner family, as well as a pleasant garden. Also on display is some 19th century medical equipment. The Botanical Gardens are situated in the historical center of Lucca, It covers approximately 2 hectares. Entered through a wrought iron gate, there is a tree-lined avenue flanked by shrubs (an 'arboreto') that leads to a small lake. In the Northern part, there are the greenhouses and the library, which houses 2000 volumes with works and many historical manuscripts). The southern part is where various vegetables from the Lucchesi Mountains are cultivated. The 'Hortus Sanitatis' comprises a rich collection of more than 500 medicinal species. In the two huge greenhouses are numerous cacti (Cactaceae) from the Americas and Africa. It is also possible to view a remarkable collection of Ericaceae and the Theaceae (Camellia), in addition to medicinal plants that are native to Tuscany. The Garden was projected under the reign of Felice Baciocchi and Elisa Bonaparte, but it was only created in 1820 for the duchess Maria Luisa di Borbone. In September 1843, the Garden welcomed the botanists of the Fifth Congress of Italian Scientists. The Garden prospered in the second half of the nineteenth century, under the direction of Cesare Bicchi; where once it cultivated only medicinal plants, it now grew a wide variety of plants. After the first World War, the Garden was neglected, and for all practical purposes, abandoned. It was revived in 1956, under the direction of the chair of natural sciences of the Classical Liceo Machiavelli. In the past twenty years, the garden has once again dedicated itself to the cultivation of officinal plants.
It is safe to drink the water that comes out of the public fountains. Many locals fill gallon jugs and it is their primary source of drinking water. It is delicious and quite refreshing. In fact, it tastes better than most bottled water.
On the way back to Livorno, time permitting, we will stop at Pisa on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. The city is known worldwide for its famous bell tower. While the Leaning Tower is the most famous image of the city, it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Piazza del Duomo, also known, since XX century, as Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), to the north of the old town center. The Piazza del Duomo also houses the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Camposanto Monumentale (the monumental cemetery).
The Orto Botanico di Pisa is Europe's oldest university botanical garden. The Palazzo Reale ("Royal Palace"), once of the Caetani patrician family. Here Galileo Galilei showed to Grand Duke of Tuscany the planets he had discovered with his telescope. The edifice was erected in 1559 by Baccio Bandinelli for Cosimo I de Medici, and was later enlarged to include other palaces.
Some famous Pisans:
Andrea Bocelli, famous Italian tenor; Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia, physicists & Nobel Prize winners; Galileo Galilei, physicist; Leonardo Fibonacci, mathematician.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Yosemite
In the past year I have made 4 trips to Yosemite. I have lived in Northern California since 1970 and this is my first exposure to this treasure. The first trip was in September of 2008. From Healdsburg to the Ahwanee Hotel took about 5.5 hours in good traffic. I have used 2 different routes so far. The nicer, more scenic route was through the Delta. We drove over Mark West Springs into Calistoga, down through St. Helena and Yountville, etc. to Jameson Canyon Road over to Hwy. 12, into Lodi, southward on Hwy. 99, to Manteca and east on Hwy. 121, through Big Oak Flat, Groveland and to the park. It took about an hour longer than the other route [101 to 580, through the East Bay on thru Tracy to Manteca and then the same route into the park]. We encountered a snowstorm [about 2 feet total] on the March 22 drive. We left Healdsburg at 9:30 AM and pulled up to the Ahwanee at 5PM. The drive was lovely and we didn’t see any snow until we left Oakdale. Even then it was only visible on the peak tops in the far distance. When we reached Groveland there was evidence of snow on the roadside. By the time we reached the park entrance everything was covered; the roads up to the gate were clear. The young [very young] woman at the gate informed us that the roads were “ok for awhile" but we might need chains when we got to the Valley. We were stopped within 5 minutes. We were threatened with a ticket for not having chains on but we explained our encounter with the “gatekeeper” and he backed off. He was obviously having a very bad day. I got the chains installed [if you are buying chains/cables, be sure to buy the “split” type] and crawled [for 2 hours] into the park. The vistas were like Christmas cards. The snow was only about 48 hours old and absolutely pristine. Even the plowed piles on the roadside were immaculate. All the rivers and creeks were running full force. You could not ask for a more picturesque setting. The hour was late and I had to get back so I crawled back out [only 1.5 hours to the gate] removed my cables and hightailed it back [through the Bay Area] arriving back in Healdsburg at 10PM. On my return on the 28th we drove back through the Delta. Most of the snow in the park had melted and I spent some time taking pictures. Wildflowers were popping up all the way home. Everywhere you looked were blankets of greens; Kelly, Lime and Chartreuse fields washed with the intense orange of poppies, the blue stalks of lupine, magenta redbuds and yellow mustard. I fear that with so little rain the colors will disappear in no time and the hillsides will revert to their June gold well before June arrives.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Frankfurt/Mainz
Frankfurt/Mainz
As I had hoped would happen, we have begun receiving helpful feedback on our plans. Thanks to KLS we have made plans for a day trip while on our 7.5 hour layover on Monday 3 Aug. in Frankfurt. Frankfurt International Airport has two train stations [Regional and Long-Distance] in its terminals. Both go to Wiesbaden and Mainz to the west. Mainz is about 25-45 minutes away and is served by the S-Bahn line S8 (Rhine-Main S-Bahn). Mainz has several train stations. The biggest and the only one in which interCity trains do stop is Mainz Hauptbahnhof; it is located on the western edge of the city centre and works as a general hub for local traffic. Another noteworthy station is Mainz Römisches Theater, south of the centre, but it is only served by regional and commuter trains.
Much of this information and much more can be found on the various “wiki” sites on the internet.
Mainz is the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland - Palatinate. It was a politically important seat of the Prince-elector of Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. Up until the twentieth century, Mainz was usually referred to in English as Mayence. After the last ice age, sand dunes were deposited in the Rhine valley at what was to become the western edge of the city. The Mainz Sand Dunes area is now a nature reserve with a unique landscape and rare steppe vegetation for this area.
Mainz is synonymous with the German wine industry and is the center for wine trade. It is also the seat of the state's wine minister. Rhineland-Palatinate is the only state to one. Mainz is the home of the famous Blue Nun, one of the first brand name wines. Mainz has been a wine growing region since Roman times. The Haus des Deutschen Weines (English: House of the German Wine), is located next to the theater. It is the seat of the German Wine Academy, the German Wine Institute (DWI) and the German Wine Fund (DWF). The Mainzer Weinmarkt (wine market) is one of the great wine fairs in Germany which he will miss by days. It runs during the last weekend in August and the first weekend in September. In keeping with the “spirits” of Mainz, Johann-Joseph Krug, founder of France's famous Krug champagne house in 1843, was born in Mainz in 1800 and Adolphus Busch, the co-founder of Anheuser-Busch was born here in 1839.
Johannes Gutenberg, credited with the invention of the modern printing press with movable type, was born here and died here. The Gutenberg Museum displays a recreation of his original printing press. And legend has it that Mainz is the supposed birthplace of Pope Joan (John Anglicus), the woman who, disguised as a man, was elected pope, and served for two years during the Middle Ages.
Mainz is also the home of the Museum für Antike Schifffahrt (Museum of Ancient Navigation), where the remains of five 5th century Roman warships [discovered during the expansion of the Hilton Hotel] have been restored.
The Church of St. Stephan, St. Stephan zu Mainz, was originally built in 990 at the order of Archbishop Willigis. The church was founded on top of the highest hill in the town, most likely on behalf of Theophanu, the widow of Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor. Willigis intended the church to be a site of prayer for the Empire. The Chagall choir windows in St. Stephan are unique in Germany. Between 1978 and his death in 1985, Russian Jewish artist Marc Chagall created nine stained-glass windows of scriptural figures in luminous blue. The figures depict scenes from the Old Testament, demonstrating to the commonalities across Christian and Jewish traditions. Chagall intended his work to be a contribution to Jewish-German reconciliation, made all the more poignant by the fact that Chagall himself fled France under Nazi occupation. He chose St. Stephan due to his friendship with Monsignor Klaus Mayer, who was then the presiding priest of St. Stephan. Chagall's work has been continued since his death by his pupil Charles Marq and by others. Despite the immense damage caused by both WWII and the powder explosion to St. Stephan, the 13th century altar mensa (or table) and the huge Tabernacle dating from about 1500 have both survived. Archbishop Willigis was buried in the church in 1011. His resting place is no longer known, but it is believed he is buried in the collegiate area. Archbishop Willigis also initiated the building of Mainz Cathedral [Mainzer Dom, St. Martin’s Cathedral] one of Germany’s oldest Romanesque cathedrals. There is a museum [Dom- und Diozesamuseum] in the cloister.
There are two Rococo churches, St. Augustin [the Augustinerkirche] and St. Peter [ the Petruskirche].
Mainz has two culinary specialties, both types of cheese. Spundekäse is local cream cheese whipped with cream into a soft paste, served with chopped raw onion and pretzels — the taste is mild and it goes great with beer. Handkäse is a sour milk cheese with a pungent aroma, most often served mit Musik, or marinated in vinegar and oil, then sprinkled with caraway seeds, resulting in a bizarre, firm, gelatinous mass that most people find to be a bit of an acquired taste — and the "music" refers to the flatulence it tends to cause!
There is also a Saturday market, which is supposedly worth a visit.
As I had hoped would happen, we have begun receiving helpful feedback on our plans. Thanks to KLS we have made plans for a day trip while on our 7.5 hour layover on Monday 3 Aug. in Frankfurt. Frankfurt International Airport has two train stations [Regional and Long-Distance] in its terminals. Both go to Wiesbaden and Mainz to the west. Mainz is about 25-45 minutes away and is served by the S-Bahn line S8 (Rhine-Main S-Bahn). Mainz has several train stations. The biggest and the only one in which interCity trains do stop is Mainz Hauptbahnhof; it is located on the western edge of the city centre and works as a general hub for local traffic. Another noteworthy station is Mainz Römisches Theater, south of the centre, but it is only served by regional and commuter trains.
Much of this information and much more can be found on the various “wiki” sites on the internet.
Mainz is the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland - Palatinate. It was a politically important seat of the Prince-elector of Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. Up until the twentieth century, Mainz was usually referred to in English as Mayence. After the last ice age, sand dunes were deposited in the Rhine valley at what was to become the western edge of the city. The Mainz Sand Dunes area is now a nature reserve with a unique landscape and rare steppe vegetation for this area.
Mainz is synonymous with the German wine industry and is the center for wine trade. It is also the seat of the state's wine minister. Rhineland-Palatinate is the only state to one. Mainz is the home of the famous Blue Nun, one of the first brand name wines. Mainz has been a wine growing region since Roman times. The Haus des Deutschen Weines (English: House of the German Wine), is located next to the theater. It is the seat of the German Wine Academy, the German Wine Institute (DWI) and the German Wine Fund (DWF). The Mainzer Weinmarkt (wine market) is one of the great wine fairs in Germany which he will miss by days. It runs during the last weekend in August and the first weekend in September. In keeping with the “spirits” of Mainz, Johann-Joseph Krug, founder of France's famous Krug champagne house in 1843, was born in Mainz in 1800 and Adolphus Busch, the co-founder of Anheuser-Busch was born here in 1839.
Johannes Gutenberg, credited with the invention of the modern printing press with movable type, was born here and died here. The Gutenberg Museum displays a recreation of his original printing press. And legend has it that Mainz is the supposed birthplace of Pope Joan (John Anglicus), the woman who, disguised as a man, was elected pope, and served for two years during the Middle Ages.
Mainz is also the home of the Museum für Antike Schifffahrt (Museum of Ancient Navigation), where the remains of five 5th century Roman warships [discovered during the expansion of the Hilton Hotel] have been restored.
The Church of St. Stephan, St. Stephan zu Mainz, was originally built in 990 at the order of Archbishop Willigis. The church was founded on top of the highest hill in the town, most likely on behalf of Theophanu, the widow of Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor. Willigis intended the church to be a site of prayer for the Empire. The Chagall choir windows in St. Stephan are unique in Germany. Between 1978 and his death in 1985, Russian Jewish artist Marc Chagall created nine stained-glass windows of scriptural figures in luminous blue. The figures depict scenes from the Old Testament, demonstrating to the commonalities across Christian and Jewish traditions. Chagall intended his work to be a contribution to Jewish-German reconciliation, made all the more poignant by the fact that Chagall himself fled France under Nazi occupation. He chose St. Stephan due to his friendship with Monsignor Klaus Mayer, who was then the presiding priest of St. Stephan. Chagall's work has been continued since his death by his pupil Charles Marq and by others. Despite the immense damage caused by both WWII and the powder explosion to St. Stephan, the 13th century altar mensa (or table) and the huge Tabernacle dating from about 1500 have both survived. Archbishop Willigis was buried in the church in 1011. His resting place is no longer known, but it is believed he is buried in the collegiate area. Archbishop Willigis also initiated the building of Mainz Cathedral [Mainzer Dom, St. Martin’s Cathedral] one of Germany’s oldest Romanesque cathedrals. There is a museum [Dom- und Diozesamuseum] in the cloister.
There are two Rococo churches, St. Augustin [the Augustinerkirche] and St. Peter [ the Petruskirche].
Mainz has two culinary specialties, both types of cheese. Spundekäse is local cream cheese whipped with cream into a soft paste, served with chopped raw onion and pretzels — the taste is mild and it goes great with beer. Handkäse is a sour milk cheese with a pungent aroma, most often served mit Musik, or marinated in vinegar and oil, then sprinkled with caraway seeds, resulting in a bizarre, firm, gelatinous mass that most people find to be a bit of an acquired taste — and the "music" refers to the flatulence it tends to cause!
There is also a Saturday market, which is supposedly worth a visit.
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