Calligraphy

What’s in a Brushstroke?

“Figures are the most shocking things in the world. The prettiest little squiggles of black looked at in the right light and yet consider the blow they can give you upon the heart.”
—H.G. Wells, The History of Mr. Polly

This prolific, English science-fiction writer recognized what we all know… calligraphy can and does reflect and project emotion. Its flourishes and brushstrokes, tails and wisps seem to release the images from the parchment and pages, freeing them from their literary confines, allowing them to seemingly come to life. They can even give, as Mr. Wells clearly recognized, a palpable blow upon the heart.

The Way of Writing

At its origin in ancient Greece, calligraphy was considered a visual art related to writing, and in its purest form was executed with the control of a single stroke. Time has marched on and modern commercial versions of calligraphy, from wedding invitations to important-looking legal documents to degrees from institutions of higher learning, have obviously taken liberties with that original rule. In fact, most computers even contain a calligraphic font. What would the early Greeks have said about that?

And, though Asian calligraphy originated in China approximately 4,500 years ago and took many forms over the centuries, it did not reach Japan until some time in the 6th Century. Once there, it was simplified into three basic writing styles.

Tackling the essentials of calligraphy, or shodou as its known in Japanese, is required as early as elementary school. Later, it becomes part of the art curriculum in higher education. Currently calligraphy is routinely practiced in adult life by a significant segment of the Japanese population.

The most basic style of shodou is called kaisho, meaning,
“correct writing”, and could be thought of as the equivalent of “printing” in the English alphabet. The simple strokes attempt to imitate the letterforms one might encounter while perusing a book or magazine. It’s the easiest to read and execute allowing beginners to practice using the brush.

Gyousho, or “traveling writing”, is like cursive handwriting in English. It’s a more flowing and rounded calligraphic style that’s easily read by educated Japanese. This is the form most people generally use when penning a casual note.

The most artistic form of calligraphic writing is called sousho, or “grass writing”. With this version, form trumps function and the stylized technique of individual artists and their attempt to define a unique shape often leaves legibility aside. It is, however, closest to the original pure form where the brush never leaves the paper.

Tools of the Trade

The brushes, or fudes, are the calligrapher’s essential tools and are artistic collectibles in their own right. Most commonly, they’re made with bamboo or wooden handles and may contain hairs from a variety of sources—cat, deer, dog, horse, and goat are most common—depending on the desired effect. The best brushes are fifty to one hundred years old although a baby’s first hairs are sometimes used to create a commemorative piece in celebration of a birth.

Next in importance is the ink, or sumi. A charcoal stick is rubbed on an ink stone, a suzuri, while the artist adds water until the desired consistency is achieved. Serious artists will always make their own ink though commercial inks are available, especially for beginners.

Finally, there is the paper itself. The Japanese produce a special paper, known as washi, from a type of mulberry bark noted for its extra-long fibers. Its unique surface texture, consistent absorption rate, and strength make it the choice of contemporary calligraphers throughout the world.

Beyond these essentials, every artist will have a paper weight to hold the paper in place, a cloth to place under the paper preventing ink from bleeding through, and a seal created by the artist to identify his or her own work.

A Global Art Form

All across Asia, the calligraphic arts are on display in every country from Mongolia to Myanmar. And each region will have its own distinctive variations. In East Asia, the differences in approach can be derived from the literal translation of the word for calligraphy. In China it is the law of writing; in Japan, the way of writing; and in Korea, the art of writing.

In India, calligraphic inscriptions were often committed to stone, obviously requiring a much more angular style of lettering. In the Islamic world, calligraphy relates to the spiritual world as opposed to the spoken word, and appears often on the walls and ceilings of mosques. Based on the already flowing Arabic alphabet, it has its own look as illustrated in many classic editions of the Koran.

In the west, calligraphy was used most often in handwritten religious texts laboriously reproduced by monks. And, at the archaeological sites of Central America, calligraphy is found in ancient Mayan hieroglyphs that, even today, are used as logos by commercial companies in parts of Mexico.

For such an ancient art form, calligraphy continues to be appreciated and used as a reference point for the highest form of expression by contemporary artists of every stripe. Author Shawn Martin describes one of the characters from his 2013 novel, Shadowflesh, thusly, “Addison spoke in calligraphy while everyone else talked in scribbles.” Sounds like someone we’d like to meet.

In the meantime, why not have your name written in calligraphy as a memento of your journey.

Natal, Brazil

Colonies, Confederates and Capoeira 

“The country has been nicely described as a country with its colonies inside it.” —John Gunther, Inside South America, 1967

And Mr. Gunther was right, especially if you expand the description of “colonies” to be more than just pockets of populations.  Let’s look at the geographical component first.

Brazil is so vast, so huge, so great that its fascinating geography defines its profile.  It is South America’s biggest country and covers practically 50% of the continent.  Brazil is so massive, in fact, that only Chile and Ecuador don’t touch on its borders.  Every other country in South America is its contiguous neighbor.  Now those are some pretty impressive stats.

In the southeast of the country is what’s called the Brazilian Highlands, which reach over 4,000 feet in height.  In the west, as well as the north, is the immense Amazon basin that covers more than 40 percent of the entire nation.  The mighty Amazon River winds through the Brazilian landscape for a whopping 4,000 miles, if you consider tributaries.  These virtually impenetrable jungles, the rugged Andes, the River Plate in the south and the Atlantic to the east form a natural fortress, creating virtual colonies within Brazil.

Pockets of Civilizations

Two hundred million people call Brazil home.  It is the world’s fifth most populated country and the bulk of her population resides within 200 miles of the sea.  More than one dozen Brazilian cities boast over one million inhabitants.  In contrast, the Amazon Basin is virtually without people.  And, even though there is one official language, which is Portuguese, there are in excess of 180 native languages spoken across the land.

So, who are all these people?  The indigenous people, called indios and indianos depending on their ethnicity, form ethnic groups that have inhabited this area long before any Europeans arrived.  Over the centuries, many arrived on ships including settlers from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland.  Millions from Africa followed.  Their communities might be described as mini-colonies. A large influx of Japanese also arrived, as well as people from Syria and Lebanon.  Brazil’s citizens of Japanese ancestry number approximately 1.5 million and, as of 2013, represent the largest group of Japanese outside Japan.  And in 1865, post Civil War America, thousands of defeated Confederate soldiers, known as Confederados, and their families attempted to re-establish an antebellum life by laying down their roots in Brazil in communities called Americana, Lizzieland, and New Texas.  Some historians believe more than 20,000 American Confederados came to Brazil in a twenty-year period from 1865-1885.  With their farming skills, they cultivated tobacco, sugarcane and watermelon.  All this wonderful diversity brings a texture of cultures that is unique to Brazil and forms an important feature of the country’s tapestry.

All this Brings Us to Natal

Natal is the city closest to Europe on the entire South American continent.  It’s no wonder then that it caught the attention of national powers.  The basis of a permanent community took root here in 1597 with the help of Jeronimo de Albuquerque Maranhão who was sent to the area with the mandate to protect Portuguese settlers and prevent the French from interfering with their trade.  Ultimately the Fortress of Three Wise Kings was built.  Soon, this fledgling community you now visit began to grow and was officially founded on Christmas day, 1599 hence the name “Natal”, which is Portuguese for Christmas.

Hopes of creating a productive sugarcane operation here were dashed due to the fact the soil was much too sandy.  Therefore, development was stalled for the area.  Its strategic importance came into the crosshairs of military strategists during World War II when the Americans used Natal’s Parnamirim Airbase for the trans-shipment of supplies to the Allies fighting in North Africa.  Throughout the early days of 1944, the Parnamirim base may have been the busiest American air base in the entire world with planes reportedly landing every three minutes.  Natal became a major player in President Roosevelt’s call to become a “Trampoline for Victory.”  In fact, the air base factored into the resupplying of troops in Africa, Russia, Italy, and Normandy, as well as the even more distant battlefields of China and Burma.  All this activity brought many historic figures here including Madame Chiang Kai-shek, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh and celebrities like Jack Benny and Tyrone Power.

Now, You

You, too, have now found your way to Natal.  Your exploration might include the 16th century Fortress of Three Wise Kings or Wise Men -- Forte dos Reis Mago as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral.  The Centro de Artesanato, housed in the former fortress, showcases the talent of local artisans.  The Palacio da Cultura was the former governor’s palace and the Palacio Philip Camarão is another impressive landmark.  For people watching, there’s the André Albuquerque Square.

And, speaking of that, you may wish to seek out a capoeira de roda demonstration.  This rhythmic dance, introduced to Brazil in the 16th century by African slaves, is physical, powerful and almost terrifying in its choreography.  You’ll definitely need a sweet, strong coffee called cafezinho to prepare yourself for this cultural experience.

La Spezia, Italy

Italy’s Walk of Fame

You are now in Italy’s “Walk of Fame.”  Like in Hollywood.  There are star attractions all around.  And your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to choreograph this day, to write your script, to shine the spotlight on your favorite scene.  La Spezia is like the entrance to a movie studio’s back lot with storylines being played out all around. 

Lights, Camera, Action

Let’s get a little more serious now.  You’ve got just one day in La Spezia to squeeze in as much as you possibly can.  Of course you can remain in the port city, if you wish.  It’s ideal for those, say, intrigued with maritime history as well as contemporary naval operations.  The city hosts the Italian navy as well as their navigation school.  For most, though, it’s the action just beyond the bend that’s beckoning.  And there’s lots of it.  Select wisely because the cameras are rolling and the clock is ticking.

Art Aficionados

Should culture be your greatest temptation, you must journey inland to Florence, an academy award winner all its own.  Michelangelo’s statue David announces your arrival.  Center stage at The Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Art, this Renaissance masterpiece was sculpted from 1501 to 1504 out of a single piece of white cararra marble.  Michelangelo, by the way, was only 26 years old when he tackled this herculean project.  The magnificent Duomo with the adjoining Baptistery and Giotto Bell Tower are all absolute musts.  So, too, a gelato at one of the many ice cream stores that breaks down the will of the wispiest Hollywood starlet.

Engineering Nuts

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is definitely your cup of tea.  Truth be told, the 900-year-old Cathedral and Baptistery, are worth the journey alone.  You know, though, that absolutely everyone comes to Pisa to see the star attraction, the Leaning Tower.  Technically, it’s called the bell tower, or campanile in Italian.  And it does lean, as advertised, approximately 15 feet, or 10%, off vertical.  Curiously, it took more than 200 years to build with construction commencing in 1173 and being completed in 1399.  If anyone asks, there are 297 steps up a well-worn spiral staircase to the very top.  People who climb to the top get to reward themselves with a real pizza.  Oh, it’s 297 steps down, as well.

Romantics

For you, there is Cinque Terra.  Even the weariest wanderer will buckle from the sight of this gem, these five micro-villages sprinkled along the rugged Italian Riviera.  The name Cinque Terra actually means “Five Lands” and aptly marries a string of five terraced, pastel-colored villages with something called Via Dell’Amore.  This “Path of Love” is decorated with hundreds if not thousands of padlocks carrying the names of lovers who’ve trekked this path to declare their love for each other, sealing their vows with these padlocks.  Romance aside, this little path of wonders is so magical it has received the coveted UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition.

History Buffs

Lucca.  Lucca is your destination.  Wrapped in the embrace of a 17th-century wall, this powerful stone structure is the ideal place to get an overview the city.  Wanderers spot such important landmarks as the church of San Michele in Foro, Piazza Napoleon dating back to the days of Napoleon’s sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, and the imposing Cathedral of St. Martin.

Foodies

Time is short, the choices are many.  And your waistline should be of no concern today for you are on vacation.  Seafood is the centerpiece for most meals including Ligurian anchovies, mussels, octopus in regional olive oil with a splash of lemon, and a hearty frutti di mare with everything from cuttlefish to clams.  Freshly-harvested crab is found on most menus.  Grilled local fish like dorado (orata) and sea bass (branzino) are often served as a tasty and healthy main course.

Veal and rabbit are favorite meat dishes with the usual complement of olives, garlic, vine-ripened tomatoes, and basil.  Basil, in the form of yummy pesto, also finds its way into the traditional focaccia so loved by us all.  This unleavened flatbread can be enjoyed fresh from the oven with cheese, meat or vegis inside.  Pesto is a proper partnership of basil leaves, the best olive oil money can buy, a toss of pine nuts, a dusting of parmegiano cheese, and a generous helping of garlic all mixed together.  It’s a showstopper when served with fidelini, a regional pasta.  Mushrooms, chestnuts, grapes, zucchini, and artichokes from nearby farms round out many a menu.

The time for you to choose what your pleasure will be is now.  But choose wisely for the clock ticks religiously in this part of the world.

Sochi, Russia

Temperate and Tempting

“Russians are connoisseurs of the cold.”
—Hedrick Smith, The Russians, 1977

Of course this little string of words rings true for, as Russians know only too well, an immense swath of their massive nation is blanketed in a thick coat of snow for the endless, dark chapters of winter.  Their choices, when faced with this bleak prospect, are to suit up and slog along despite the wrenching cold or somehow find their way to Sochi, the Black Sea’s refuge from the frosty blasts of freezing winds and shivering blizzards.  It’s here, according to enthusiastic promoters, that winter temperatures are surprisingly warm, practically balmy in comparison, promising 300 days a year of sunshine.  In fact, that’s exactly why Stalin picked it for his favorite dacha where he could retreat and ponder his next move on the world’s political stage.

In the Spotlight

Stalin wasn’t alone in his adoration of Sochi.  The kings of neighboring Abkhazia kept this area for their own from the 6th to the 15th centuries, building churches throughout the countryside.  The control was then passed to the Ottoman Empire, which ceded it to Russia in 1829 following the Russo-Turkish War.  Sochi became an incorporated city in 1896.  The resort grew during the Soviet regime when party officials relaxed here, taking mineral baths and medicinal cures offered by the lavish sanatoria including the Matsesta Bathhouse and Springs, plus opulent Rodina and the Italian-style Orzhonikidze.  Matsesta, for your information, means “firewater” and is so named for its sulphur springs that are high in minerals like sodium chloride.  Believers claim these curative waters are beneficial for those with, among other maladies, cardiovascular conditions.

The current President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has attracted foreign investment for Sochi and courted the world’s attention by winning for his beloved city the honor of hosting the 2014 XXII Winter Olympics.  This is actually possible because the snow-capped Caucasis Mountains are literally a pebble’s throw from Sochi.  You can say that, though, of a lot of places because Greater Sochi is officially 90 miles long, making it Europe’s longest city and the world’s second longest.

And, speaking of sports, Sochi was home to two of Russia’s star tennis players Maria Sharapova and Yevgeny Kafelnikov during their early years.  Surely, more will follow.

The Sea, the Trees, and Tea

Beachgoers find a rather pebbly seaside along this stretch of the Black Sea.  But never mind.  Resorts line the seafront promenade with staged areas complete with artificial palms, colorful umbrellas, and all the amenities for enjoying a day at the beach.

And parks abound including Riviera Park, established in 1898 by Aleksey Khludov’s son.  Today, it’s home to the “Glade of Friendship” complete with trees planted by national and global dignitaries including every Soviet cosmonaut.  But, the grand prize in the Sochi open-space category must go to the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve found just north of the city.  Its 731,000 acres have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are definitely worth a visit.

Oddly enough, tea, yes tea, is grown in the hills of Dagomys some 13 miles west of Sochi.  In fact, this area is considered to be Russia’s tea capital.  And Russians do love their tea--in bone china, in porcelain as delicate as eggshells, or from traditional samovars.  This tea-growing region was originally established as a Botanical Garden by Nicholas II.  Today, it hosts visitors from around the world.

Strolling Through Sochi

The sea embankment area is known as naberzhnaya and is a good place to start.  Sit here and watch the passing parade of locals or make your way to the Winter Theater.  Completed in 1937, the 88 Corinthian columns and Neo-classical edifice complete its signature facade.  A 200-foot-high steeple identifies the Maritime Passenger Terminal dating from 1955.  And Stalin’s fingerprints are all over the landmark Railway Terminal Station, so typical of Stalinist architecture.

There should be ample time to sample a local dish or two.  And, why not?  Where else are you going to get zakuski (smoked or pickled fish), ikra (caviar) slathered on heavy dark bread, or some more commonly-known dishes including borsht (beet soup), blinis (pancakes) with a thick coating of jam, or pirozhkis (piping hot pastries stuffed with ground meat and vegis)?  Another specialty is a spicy bean stew called lobiyo.  For just a snack, there’s jelly-coated nuts called churchkhela.  All this may not be on “South Beach” but you’re only in Sochi once.

Or, maybe not.  Perhaps, you’ll want to return in a few years to witness the ongoing transformation fueled by foreign investors, resort developers, tour operators, and the curious traveler on the prowl for the world’s next hot spot.  Sochi just might fill the bill.

Hamburg, Germany

History All Around

This notable region is so rich with tidbits and factoids, this’s and that’s, that we’d best roll up our dirndl sleeves and get right to work.  Let’s just begin by realizing that this trio of northern German cities has much more to offer than your time allows, so plan wisely to sample its magic.

The City of Kiel and its Famous Canal

With a population approaching 70,000, Kiel is the capital of one of Germany’s 16 states, Schleswig-Holstein, and is found on the Jutland Peninsula.  This finger of land between the Baltic and the North Sea is a patchwork of rural farms punctuated by drifting sand dunes that serve as a summer destination.  The town of Kiel features Germany’s largest passenger port and is the kick-off point for the Kiel Canal, a 61-mile-long, man-made waterway opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II on June 21, 1948.  Should you visit London’s Science Museum, you’ll be able to see some grainy footage shot by Britain’s director Birt Acres of this event, the result of 9,000 workers who labored on the project for eight rough years.

Considered by local authorities to be the world’s busiest man-made waterway, the canal cuts off 280 nautical miles for vessels traveling between the two seas.  More than 40,000 ships pass through yearly.  It also affords yachties some challenging sailing.  Non-sailors can simply take in Kiel’s Holstenstrasse, a colorful walking street, or one of the many parks including Schrevenpark or Schliksee Lake.  Use the Rathaus’ (Town Hall’s) 67-metre-high tower as your landmark guide.

Lubeck’s Place In History

Covered in a medieval veneer, this former capital of the Hanseatic League speaks to its rich past.  The towering brick buildings create bold facades where powerful men and women once wove the web of trading partners across Northern Europe into the powerful Hanseatic League.

Founded in 1143, Lubeck is considered to be the first western city along the Baltic coast.  Important remnants from centuries past include its famous main gate and signature structure, the Holstentor, with its cone-peaked towers that once appeared on the 50 Deutsche Mark note.  Men toiled between 1464 and 1478 to erect these city walls and towers, in places 10 feet thick.

Though in the direct crosshairs of Allied bombers, approximately 1000 structures from the 12th and 13th centuries survived wartime destruction.  Lubeck’s Old Town, or Altstadt, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.   Passing through the Holstentor, your exploration should begin at the 13th-century Rathaus, or Town Hall, a display of black glazed bricks, peaked windows, and gilded touches.  The Marktplatz itself dates back to 1230.  And the Marienkirsche, St. Mary’s, is the country’s third largest church featuring the world’s biggest mechanized organ.  It seems only fitting that this setting inspired two Nobel Prize winners for literature – Thomas Mann and Gunter Grass.

Need a “sugar hit” after all this wandering.  Lubeck is touted to be the town where marzipan was invented.  The story goes that during a 1407 famine, bakers used the only ingredients they had – almonds, sugar, egg whites and rosewater – to bake.  JG Niederegger is considered the most famous marzipan maker and his salon of the same name has been serving up this sweet treat for two centuries.  For the record, some historians dispute this claim and theorize, instead, that sea captains brought this delicacy to Lubeck from the Middle Eastern harems they diddled about in while overseas.

And Speaking of Hamburg..ers

Ray Kroc, step aside!  The “Father” of the hamburger was none other than, you guessed it, Genghis Khan.  His army, traveling and tromping about on horseback, often stayed in the saddle for days on end.  And much like today’s mobile population, they ate on the go—often only a mere patty of “scraped” meat that spent a bit of “curing” time under the saddle to make it more palatable.

The great warrior’s son, Kublai Khan, took this delicacy to Moscow when he invaded Russia.  There it became known as “Steak Tartare” after the Russian name for Mongols.  In the 1600s, ships from Hamburg began trading with Russian ports and brought the concoction back to Germany where it eventually became known as “Hamburg Steak”.

Waves of German immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries packed a burger or two as they made the treacherous crossing to America, to the back alleyways of New York.  Low-grade cuts of beef were shredded, mixed with spices and cooked as a dietary staple for the poorer immigrant classes. The graduation of the “hamburger” to fast food madness is a good deal cloudier and frankly, less interesting.

Hamburg, for the record, is Germany’s second largest city after Berlin.  Draped on the banks of the Rivers Elbe, Alster and Bille, it’s laced with 2300 bridges, even more than Venice as the town fathers proclaim.  A boat ride around the Docklands will introduce you to this aquatic city.

Important “land”marks include the Renaissance-style Rathaus (City Hall), a trio of churches including St. Michael’s, St. Peter’s, and St. Nicholas’s, which was the world’s tallest building in the 19th Century.  Do grab a burger and stroll about this glorious city.

Istanbul, Turkey

Mosques and Minarets on the Sea of Marmara

As Crystal Harmony edges toward one of the world's most mystical cities, you might well be reminded of a passage on Istanbul written by Sacheverell Sitwell in his Arabesque and Honeycomb.   "Our ship makes a sweep towards it, and in that moment we see before and in front of us the opening of the Golden Horn, and one after another all the Imperial Mosques of Istanbul standing against and upon the skyline....It is the most sensational revelation: one after another of these great domes as in a panorama, they stand there on the sky-line like huge kettle-drums with something menacing and martial in their air, and in that moment it is more of a capital than any other city, more than London, or than Rome, or Paris.  It must be the most wonderful site for a great capital there has ever been."

The Rich Tapestry of History

Volumes have been written about Istanbul's fascinating and exotic past.  Throughout the centuries many rulers have marched  across this strategic soil.  Their blades have sliced their actions indelibly into the history books.  Their presence has been etched into the monuments that decorate the streets.  Their myths still linger long after they have gone.

Early Greeks, who journeyed here in 658 B.C. from the Peloponnesus peninsula in southern Greece, were credited with the actual founding of the city of what was then Byzantium.  They utilized this area as a supply point for their vessels plying between the Black Sea and their colonies.  The Persians later gained control of the region, but ultimately lost this control, in 334 B.C., to Alexander the Great.

In time an important treaty was signed between Byzantium and the rulers in Rome.  And with this treaty, the area became part of the vast and powerful Roman Empire.  Constantine the Great, one of Rome's most successful leaders, felt the empire needed to be carved up into smaller, more manageable districts.  Thus, with four regions under his control, he declared Byzantium as the capital.

The Byzantine emperor Justinean ruled from 527-565 A.D. and under his rule, the city prospered.  He ordered the building of St. Sophia, which then sparked the construction of many other mosques in the same design.

Mehmet II, also known as "Faith the Conqueror", took the city in 1453.  His troops rebuilt the city and bestowed upon it the name "Istanbul."  The Topkapi Palace, built in 1468, was actually Mehmet's summer residence.

Enter Suleyman I, "The Magnificent", who was in power from 1520 to 1566.  Under his reign the city again flourished as this progressive-minded ruler led the entire Ottoman Empire to new heights in architecture, art, law, and literature.  He was also responsible for the construction of the magnificent Suleymaniye mosque, reputed to be one of Islam's most notable.

This century saw the rise of Mustafa Kemal.  He is best known as Ataturk which translates to mean "Father of the Turks."  He was known as the founder of modern Turkey and became the first president.  Through his efforts, the country was literally catapulted into the 20th century.  He "westernized" Turkey and introduced the Latin alphabet.  Industries were modernized.  Women were fully emancipated.  Islam was "disestablished", although it remains the dominant religion to this day.

Today, Turkey enjoys her independence and continues to march toward prosperity.

A Long List of Sights

If you have only enough time to visit Istanbul's "Big Three" then do so.  But with several days to explore you could wander through rich museums, stroll the Galata Bridge, sip Turkish coffee in a covered bazaar, and enjoy a massage and Turkish bath.  If not, just do the "Big Three."

The Topkapi Palace, which overlooks the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, was the summer residence of the Ottoman sultans and  their harems from the 15th to the mid-19th centuries.  At one time it was the home of some 5,000 residents.  Today, it is one of the world's richest museums with fabulous displays of porcelains, carpets, and miniatures.  Magnificent jewels are found in the popular Treasury, which can be quite crowded.  It is said that two uncut emeralds, each weighing about 8 pounds, once hung from the ceiling here.

Sancta Sophia, also known as the Basilica of St. Sophia, is one of the world's most famous religious structures.  Built by Emperor Justinian in 537 A.D., its former riches of gold and silver sadly have vanished at the hands of the Crusaders.  The Turks converted this basilica into a mosque and altered the architecture with the addition of four large minarets.

The Blue Mosque, or the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, faces St. Sophia.  Its peculiar name comes from the magnificent interior decoration of more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles.  However, the most distinctive feature of this mosque is its six minarets.

Istanbul is so unique for she bridges two continents, Europe and Asia, where the shores of the Bosphorus greet the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn.  It is truly where the East rubs shoulders with the West.

Magdalen Islands, Canada

It’s All About the Food

Certainly an island archipelago named after a cookie couldn’t be about anything else but food, could it?  But, no.  Îles de la Madeleine, the Magdalen Islands, are actually named after the wife of the seigneur (rather like the landlord) of the islands in 1663.

Remember, though, the Mi’kmaq Indians had been there for generations before Jacques Cartier became the islands’ first European “discoverer” and these rocky islands became part of New France, the name given to all French possessions in North America in the 16th Century.  Thereafter, they were owned by the King of France at least until the British took exception to French ambitions and began their own quest for territory in what is now Eastern Canada.

The Acadians

By the middle of the 18th Century, the islands were occupied principally by descendants of French colonists from the Acadian Peninsula—today’s Nova Scotia.  The Acadians were an interesting group whose culture remains remarkably intact to this day throughout Canada’s Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island), as well as Maine and Louisiana.

Mainly city-dwellers, the original sixty families came to North America and settled around the Bay of Fundy.  They were helped and indeed welcomed by the Mi’kmaqs and were able to assimilate many of the native peoples’ techniques for surviving, even thriving, in the sometimes harsh environment.

Acadia was a separate colony of New France, which led to the development of a history, culture, even language distinct from Quebec.  Unfortunately, the colony lay astride the border areas between French and British territorial claims and thus the settlers became victims of the struggles between those two great powers.

The British occupied Acadia in 1710 but were unable to convince the Acadians to give their allegiance to the crown and so, during the French and Indian War, 11,500 Acadians were deported from the region.  Some were settled as far away as Louisiana, where they became known as “cajun”, and still represent a significant sub-culture in bayou country.  Others fled to the Îles de la Madeleine, where their descendants and culture are on display today.

The Dunes

Perhaps the most physically striking aspect of these islands is their topography.  The archipelago itself runs along an undersea ridge formed by an upwelling, miles-thick layer of salt.  The surface of the islands is marked by undulating mounds of earth covered by grasses and wildflowers.  But most unusually, you can actually drive from island to island across long sand dunes that have formed between them, creating an unbroken 60-mile road connecting each to the others.  From the air, these islands look much like a necklace of rocky jewels carelessly tossed on the surface of the sea.  Each island has an abundance of white sand beaches with dunes carpeted by sea grass, reminiscent of Cape Cod.

What is unique in this coastal environment are the red sandstone cliffs slowly being eroded by wind and waves, being carved into sculptures not unlike in the American Southwest.  As you can imagine, days can be spent hiking, cycling, or simply driving from one viewpoint to the next.  Perhaps it’s this dramatic land and seascape that has inspired the artists’ colony that exists here today.  In your explorations you will encounter much of it on display in galleries, shops, and restaurants.

All this beauty is surrounded by a bit of treachery.  The forces that created the unusual linkage between the islands also created a navigational hazard that over the years has claimed at least 400 ships.  Lucky survivors were quickly included in the local population and may have participated in building the lighthouses that eventually reduced the danger to a degree.  These lighthouses have become a welcome sight for seafarers and tourists alike.

The Food

Oh, yes, the food.  In true culinary style, we’ve saved the best for last.  If you’re a foodie, and in particular a seafoodie, the Magdalen Islands will become a dog-eared page in your gastronomic memory book.

Start with the lobster.  Now, there are those who will claim that Maine has no peer when it comes to lobster, and certainly their reputation is deserved.  But the unusual confluence of very cold seawater mixed with fresh water brought from the Great Lakes by the St. Lawrence River has produced, at very least, an exceptionally rare marine environment for lobster fishing.  Connoisseurs of fine lobster will bore you with comparisons as esoteric as afficianados of fine wine.  Nonetheless, these delicate treats from the sea taste great.

Snow crab, scallops, blue mussels, quahogs (large clams), herring, mackerel, Atlantic halibut, American plaice, yellowtail flounder are all commercially fished or farmed around the islands, and the local chefs and Chez could not be happier about it.  In fact, an association, Le bon gout frais des Îles de la Madeleine, the “Flavours Circuits”, has been formed linking producers, processors, and restaurant owners to protect the islands’ well-earned reputation.

Do partake in this culinary adventure while ashore.

Jerusalem, Israel

The City of Gold

To quote Robert Byron from his 1937 work, The Road to Oxiana, "The city (of Jerusalem) stands in the mountains, a scape of domes and towers enclosed by crenellated walls and perched on a table of rock above a deep valley. As far as the distant hills of Moab the contours of the country resemble those of a physical map, sweeping up the slopes in regular, stratified curves, and casting grand shadows in the sudden valleys. Earth and rock reflect the lights of a fire-opal."

Kings And Rulers

Looking back into the dog-eared pages of history we learn that King Melchizedek was the first recorded ruler of Jerusalem. At that time, 1850 B.C., the city was known as "Urusalim" or "Salem." In time King David, king of the ancient Hebrews, overran the city and declared it a Holy City. It was his son Solomon who reigned peacefully and created many foreign alliances, developed trade and built the first Hebrew temple in Jerusalem at Mount Moriah.

This temple was destroyed by marauding Babylonian forces led by King Nebuchadnezzar. He ravaged the city and banished her citizens to wander in exile. In time, a second temple was constructed. Judas Maccabaeus and a band of Jews rose up against the then-ruling Seleucids and once again brought the Jewish faith back to Jerusalem.

The Romans were a major presence in Jerusalem under the rule of Herod the Great who had befriended Marc Antony who bestowed upon Herod the title of King of Judaea. Herod ruled the Jews with a heavy and bloody hand. He ordered the massacre of many innocents during the time Christ was born.

The Legacy Of Masada

Following Jesus' crucifixion Titus' forces devastated the city of Jerusalem and punished Jewish Zealots. Some Jews managed to escape death but were driven from their city. One thousand of them holed up in Masada, Herod the Great's mountain top fortress in the Judaean Desert near the Dead Sea. For three long and painful years, Roman soldiers camped in the fields surrounding the base of the fortress. Slaves were brought in to construct a giant assault ramp to the mountain top. When the Zealots, led by Elazar Ben Yair, realized they faced starvation or conquest, they chose suicide rather than surrender. Only two women and five children of the original 1,000 Zealots survived. The others died at their own hands, suffering death over defeat.

The Not So Distant Past

The Moslems came to Jerusalem and constructed the Dome of the Rock in 691. The Crusaders and the Mamelukes followed. Then the Ottoman Turks, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, whose architects and artisans brought Jerusalem back to its former glory.

In the year 1917 the British supported the idea of a homeland for the Jews. Having wrestled control of Jerusalem from the Turks, the British prepared the famous Balfour Declaration that proposed a Jewish national state in Palestine. Thirty years later the United National declared two Palestines, one Arabic and one Jewish. The city of Jerusalem owed its allegiance to neither faction, for the U.N. proclaimed Jerusalem an international city.

With World War II a closed chapter in the history books, the British withdrew their forces from Israel and left behind Chaim Weizmann as the country's first president. The year, 1948.

Recent history illustrates the difficulties those of differing faiths and ancestry faced by who live side-by-side in a country as small as Israel. However in 1993, a new framework for a Peace Agreement was signed by Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat. The world looks cautiously toward Israel with hopeful eyes and a prayer for peace.

Nessebar, Bulgaria

A Glimpse At Bulgaria Past

Unless you’re a well-heeled traveler with a thick, dog-eared passport, you’ve probably not been to Nessebar previously. Or even Bulgaria, for that matter. ‘Tis a shame for this is a coastline rich with archeological treasures and architectural surprises. Globetrotters flock here, as well, for predictably sunny days and prices to satisfy every pocketbook, hearty food and a long history. A stint ashore in Nessebar gives you an introduction into this menu.

Bits About Bulgaria

The country is officially known as the Republic of Bulgaria, with a total population of nearly 8.5 million—86% of whom are Eastern Orthodox, the other 13% Muslim. The first Bulgarian state was recognized in 681 A.D. It faces the sea along its 354-kiliometer Black Sea shoreline with Varna and Burgas the major resort destinations. Those who call Bulgaria home are a mixture, with native Bulgarians accounting for the majority, 85% in fact. Turks, Gypsies, and Macedonians complete the ethnic tableau with smatterings of other nationalities tossed into the mix.

For the latter part of the last century, agriculture and manufacturing provided the economic base for the country. The economy reflected the ideals of the Soviet Union with cooperatives, collectives, state-owned businesses and the like. Not surprisingly, tourism has emerged as a significant employer, especially in the seaside areas with Eastern Europeans and Turks the major holidaymakers.

From 1946 until 1990, the nation was governed like in the Soviet Union with the Communist Party’s Politburo effectively making the decisions for the people. As this style of totalitarian government saw its demise all across Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, so too did the Bulgarian system fall. In 1991, the country became a democratic republic with a president elected to serve a 5-year term. Bulgaria entered NATO in 2004 and EC membership is targeted for 2007.

Knocking About Nessebar

Begin with the factoid that Nessebar’s old quarter has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Why? Because it sits on a thin neck of land attached to the coast and has changed little for centuries. It stands as a symbol to the designs and decisions made by early settlers as far back the 6th Century B.C. Nessebar is, by all accounts, one of the country’s oldest towns. Your guides and guidebooks will describe in detail the ancient polis of Mesambria that appeared in the 6th Century B.C.; the Thracian settlement of Melsabria; the Roman invasion in the 1st Century B.C., and the conquest of Khan Kroum in 812. Under Tsar Ivan Aleksandur (1331-1371) the area blossomed into a cultural center as well as a seaport. Swallowed up into the Ottoman Empire in 1452, many of its stone fortifications were leveled. Thankfully others survived and can be visited today including towers, sanctuaries, sections of the old wall and gates that were used for safety.

Sights that shouldn’t be missed, if one is on that sort of mission, include something called the Bulgarian National Revival architectural ensemble. Sixty in all, if you’ve got the time. Typical of Black Sea coastal houses, they usually feature cool basements of stone, upper floors with decorative wood paneling, bay windows by the score, and corbels as support. Follow any cobblestone path and fine examples will be revealed before you. Those that garner the most interest include the houses of Mouskoyani, Bogatov, Rousiev, Captain Pavel and others. The latter sits perched on a sizeable stone foundation above the port and is typical of the Bulgarian National Revival style.

Houses Of Worship

The devout face of Nessebar’s people is reflected in the many houses of worship dotted across the skyline. In the past, there were more than three dozen in this tiny community. The Old Bishopric is recognized as one of the most important. Dating back to days of the 5th Century or the dawn of the 6th, it stirs a sense of awe due to its powerful dimensions. St. Stevens Church, also known as the New Bishopric, is “new” only relatively speaking. It dates back to the 12th Century, as believed by some experts while others contend it is much, much older. Visitors are asked to note that it has been preserved almost in its original design. It is claimed that color ceramic decorations were incorporated into the design in this church for the first time. Murals from the 14th-19th centuries are recognized as being of high artistic value. The iconostasis icons are especially interesting, as well.

Other churches of note include St. John Alyturgetos and Pantokrator Church, considered by many to be the town’s most picturesque. The features of note include colorful ceramic rosettes, a luxuriant interior, with artistic and architectural elements unique in their design.

Now if all this sightseeing is not your cup of tea, so to speak, you might pass the day attempting to master Bulgaria’s Cyrillic alphabet, or discussing the impressive body of “contemporary” Bulgarian literature including works by D. Dimov and D. Talev. Under communism, pieces addressing the issue of “Social Realism” were “encouraged” and used to promote the party ideals, so works from that period were considered rather uniform in style.

A new day shines on Bulgaria in so many ways. Chat up some youthful, eyes-to-the-future Bulgarian students and you’ll soon discover just that.

Limassol, Cyprus

Cypriot Centerpiece

“Cyprus remained in my mind … much as heaven does in the minds of respectable people, as a place I should shortly go to, though I made no preparations for getting there.”

So said W.H. Mallock in 1889 In an Enchanted Island.  But, unlike the author who penned this quote more than a century ago, you have indeed made preparations for getting there.  Cyprus is truly in your travel sights and with good reason.  There’s sun and sand and beaches and natural beauty just waiting for you when you come ashore.  And, since this may be your first call to the island, let’s get a few facts and stats under our belt.  The capable guides will fill in all the ancient history, so let’s focus now on other details.

Today in Cyprus

Cyprus is a member of the European Union and has been since 2004.  It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean with its capital in the city of Nicosia.  And, just as a point of reference, Cyprus is approximately the same size as Connecticut.  You’ll find English spoken across the island, a reminder of the period of time from 1878 until 1960 when Cyprus was under British administration.

Literary buffs might remember the names of two important writers Costas Montis and Demetrius Gotsis.  Sports fans will certainly know the name of a colorful and entertaining tennis player currently on the circuit … Marcos Baghdatis … whose smile lights up arenas worldwide.  Anyway, that’s enough of that so let’s segue into the important information of where to go, what to see, and what local delicacies might satisfy your palate once you’re weary from sightseeing.

Where Your Wandering Should Lead You

The choices are many.  You can stay in the town of Limassol and explore there or travel a bit out of town for some of the highlights.  Kolossi Castle is only about 9 miles away and a popular destination.  Surrounded previously by fields yielding everything from cotton to olives even wine grapes, this 15th century castle is considered “military architecture.”  Archaeologists claim its present structure masks an earlier one from two centuries prior.  And, within these unadorned, simple stone walls lived the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, later the Knights Templar.

Aphrodite’s Rock, also known as the Rock of the Greek or Petra tou Romiou, is another visitor’s must-see.  Though not of towering proportions, it is nonetheless filled with intrigue.  Ask one of the locals to fill in the blanks of Aphrodite’s birth and how this rock plays into that story, as details are a bit too spicy for this presentation.  But, for the record, Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty and sexual rapture as well as the patron of Cyprus hence her other name Cypris, or Lady of Cyprus.  And, if that’s not enough, she was also known in Roman mythology as Venus who possessed extraordinary beauty and was the object of great affection not only of mere mortals but of many gods, as well.  When you hear the minutia you’ll remember that she floated ashore in a scallop shell, the subject of Sandro Botticelli’s 1485 The Birth of Venus.

From birth to death, another story lives on in Cyprus.  This one about Saint Neophytos.  Considered a hermit (maybe he heard about Aphrodite’s father), he spent 45 years living in a cave he carved from stone, it is said, with his bare hands.  While not digging other caves and avoiding pilgrims who sought him out, he wrote many important pieces including Concerning The Misfortunes of the Land of Cyprus.  Egkleistra, the lowest of the caves, is open to visitors interested in viewing murals and frescoes from the 12th to the 15th century.  The Ayios Neophytes Monastery dates back to 1159 and today serves as a museum filled with important artifacts.  It is found just beneath the grottoes.

Where Your Food Lust Should Take You

Well, after you’ve finished sightseeing and shopping for copper, embroidered linens, and colorful pottery (all island specialties) you might want to step into a waterfront taverna to fortify your body.  Some local dishes that are as good as it gets include souvlaki, an island delight; a smoked pork loin called lountza; a minced meat pastry thing called sheftalia; any catch of the day; something known as loukoumades that’s basically a thigh-busting puff cloud dipped in local honey; a slice of halloumi cheese; all enjoyed with some local wine or zivania schnapps.  You’ll hear about Commandaria, considered “the oldest named wine still being produced.”  Perhaps you’ll share a glass with friends to celebrate your visit to Cyprus.  And maybe you can write a story entitled Concerning The Fortunes of the Land of Cyprus highlighting your time ashore.  It’s a thought.

North Pole

You’re in for a Big Surprise

Oh, yes. A really big surprise. It will be very cold, lonely, and could be your unintended introduction to the Polar Bear Club. Why? Because the ice on the Arctic polar ice cap is only 6.5 to 10 feet thick. By the way, did you know that during winter, the ice cap is roughly the same size as the US? And in summertime, about 50% of that ice melts away. Anyway, it’s best if you just skooch your cozy chair toward the window today and simply watch the frosty scenery slip slowly past. Meanwhile, let’s think of everything related to the Polar Ice Cap and the North Pole.

Where the Heck is It?

Well, it depends what you’re asking about. The Magnetic North Pole or the Geographic North Pole? They’re not the same, you know. The Geographic North Pole, some people call it the North Terrestrial Pole or “true north”, is that tiny spot on the globe where all the longitudinal lines meet. Just look at a globe on the top at 90 degrees North latitude. From this exact point, all cartographers draw their longitudinal lines to the South Pole and it makes a tidy little grid so sailors and pilots and others will never be lost.

The Geographic North Pole is actually smack in the middle of the Arctic Ocean some 450 miles north of Greenland. So, if you manage to find your way to the exact North Pole and stand there then twirl around, everything within view would be south. And you would have to twirl because that part of the earth rotates at a snail’s pace, virtually imperceptibly. Not so if you were perched on the Equator where you’d be rocketing along at approximately 1,038 miles per hour. You also wouldn’t be able to perceive of this speed either because you’d probably be under a breezy palm next to someone adorable and you’d certainly not be thinking about geography, would you?

Oh, back to the North Pole. There’s also a Magnetic North Pole. So the North Magnetic Pole, per About.com, “is located hundreds of miles south of the geographic North Pole at approximately 82.7 degrees North and 114.4 West, northwest of Canada’s Sverdrup Island.” It’s where the Earth’s magnetic field points vertically downwards. I know it’s kind of confusing especially because it moves some 50 miles from its average center point daily so don’t bother searching for it. Plus, the arrow on your handy scout compass always points to the “N”.

Santa Needs No Compass

So where does Santa come from? If there are children in the vicinity, stop reading aloud. They’ve got their own fantasies of sugarplum fairies and the like to fill their heads. It’s believed that the jolly ol’ St. Nick we all know and love evolved from a Turkish Bishop Nicholas. A right proper sort, he, who lived in the 4th century A.D. He shared his wealth with those less fortunate, especially children, and was known to toss gifts into the homes of the truly needy. Over time, the Catholic Church named him a patron saint, St. Nicholas. The English called him Father Christmas. In Germany, he was Weinachtsmann. But it was the immigrants from the Netherlands that settled in America who brought with them... Sinter Klaas. Santa Claus. And the children all believe he lives at the North Pole with Mrs. Claus and a houseful of elves who toil right through the year making gifts for all the good boys and girls. That elaboration to the tale was created by a Thomas Nast for Harper’s Magazine between 1860 and 1880. Didn’t we all relish those images?

Some Fun Facts and Stats

• It’s warmer at the North Pole than the South Pole, though wintertime temps average 30 below zero.
• Robert Peary is recognized as the first person to reach the North Pole. That was on April 6th, 1909 with four Inuits and Matthew Henson. Some challenge this report and believe the accolades belong to American explorer Dr. Frederick A. Cook who claims to have achieved this goal one year earlier.
• In 1958, US nuclear subs named “Slope” and “Nautilus” actually cruised beneath the North Pole’s ice.
• Animals who reside at the North Pole include the popular polar bear, the lesser popular polar hare, reindeer, polar foxes, and musk ox.
• The South Pole sits atop a landmass while the North Pole is astride drifting sea ice.
• There are no penguins at the North Pole.
• Only about 150 people “live” at the North Pole though not permanently. You live someplace more hospitable.

The Bedouin

Tribal Roots of the UAE

United Arab Emirates. Each word provides a clue to why this postage-stamp corner of the world presents such an oversized profile on the international stage. What makes them so different from other Arab states? How did they manage to unite in a culture that reveres clan warfare? And what exactly is an emirate anyway?

Bedu

Bedouin is the plural form of the word bedu, which translates roughly to desert wanderer. That’s a pretty apt description of the provenance and purpose of the original nomadic families. Born in the pre-Islamic Arabian Desert, the Bedouin eventually spread to the Sahara, the Najd, the Negev, the Sinai and beyond. From the Atlantic Ocean east to the Levant, they grew their herds, established their turf, built families into clans and clans into tribes.

Clans control wells and therefore land for grazing. Their families are related through complex alliances controlled by intermarriage, especially between cousins. Clans making up a tribe can trace a common lineage back for several generations. This blood relationship is the element that binds together key elements of the Bedouin culture.

Bedouin Culture

Loyalty, obedience, generosity, hospitality, honor, cunning, and revenge are the tenets of Bedouin society and behavior. To violate this code is to damage the strength of the clan and bring dishonor to the family. Of these, the highest virtue is hospitality. Born of necessity and driven by the harsh life of the desert, any stranger--friend or foe--can appear at a tent and expect three days of food, shelter, and safe passage.

Hospitality must be offered not just willingly, but generously. Beginning with coffee, which is a Bedouin ritual and the source of great pride; the visitor is served as often as he will drink. This is followed by as sumptuous a meal as the family can provide, even if it means emptying their own shelves and borrowing from neighbors. As a final act of generosity, clothes of the deceased are left atop the grave for the benefit of a needy traveler.

Each family group has a highly developed sense of honor and loyalty, including the morals of family members—rules of life that are defended with blood vengeance if necessary.

Bedouin Life

Like virtually all nomadic peoples, Bedouin families live in tents, their tents adapted to their climate and to the materials most readily found in their universe. The Bedouin tent is long and low and usually black. It is constructed of goat and camel hair cloth, woven by the women of the family. The hair swells in the rain making the tent watertight. The sides can be rolled up to allow breezes in during the heat of the day. A tent can be put up or taken down (also by the women) in about an hour.

The average family tent is divided into two sections. The men’s section is for receiving guests. The rest of the family lives, sleeps and cooks in the women’s section. For Bedouin higher on the socio-economic scale, tents can become considerably more elaborate and may have a generator, a TV and other appliances, and a vehicle parked outside.

Bedouin Tribes

Every Arab country in the Middle East has Bedouin tribes. In many countries, modernization has relegated them to second-class citizenship although, oddly, Bedouin virtues are held up as a model of pure Islamic culture. Only in the areas where Bedouin were the original inhabitants, have they maintained a degree of importance, even leadership.

In Arabia and the Gulf States there are more than 100 tribes, a few numbering as many as 100,000 members. Descendents of these great tribes are the rulers of the modern kingdoms they’ve inherited. The ruling sheikhs of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and the other Gulf States can trace their lineage back to the great tribes of the ancient days. But, without the oil that has created their wealth, they may still be living in tents instead of palaces and high rises.

The oil discoveries that made it all possible could easily have consigned these former desert dwellers to lives of exploitation and subjugation by the dominant world powers that sought to control their resources. But in 1971 one enlightened leader, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was able to convince the emirs of seven neighboring tribal states to form the United Arab Emirates. It was the first and possibly last time Bedouin tribes had been formed into a large-scale political organization.

The new leaders of these powerful city-states are still tribal in their social structures, but they are also university educated, socially liberal, economically conservative, fans of capitalism, and friends of the West. Without them, this whole region might have sunk into chaos long ago.

Cuba

The Big Cigar

Where oh where would we be without the stogie? Could Churchill have won the Battle of Britain without the stub of a Perfecto clenched between his teeth? Could Clint Eastwood have stared down the bad guys in all those spaghetti westerns without his ever-present Corona? Could Fidel have ruled Cuba for fifty years without a Presidente to punctuate his most revolutionary pronouncements?

On the evening of February 6, 1962, President John F. Kennedy ordered his faithful press secretary, Pierre Salinger, to find him twelve hundred H. Upmann Petit Coronas, JFK’s favorite Cuban import. When Salinger arrived the next morning with the haul, Kennedy signed the Executive Order putting into effect the trade embargo on Cuban products that lasts to this day—an embargo that prohibits US residents from importing Cuban cigars, but not from enjoying their classic flavor and aroma outside US borders.

Cigar Origins

There is evidence that the indigenous people of Central America and the Caribbean used tobacco in cigar form for smoking from as early as the 10th century. In 1492, a couple of Columbus’ crewmen became the first Europeans to try a puff when they happened upon it in San Salvador. After settling in Cuba, they took up the practice with abandon. In no time at all, tobacco smoking became the rage in the European courts and one of the world’s lasting symbols of luxurious consumption became the perfect companion to port, sherry, and cognac.

Though Kennedy’s embargo effectively killed off Cuba’s best market, they have never lost their place as the preeminent producer. Other countries like Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua have managed to impress the experts, but none have the cachet of a hand-rolled parejo from Cuba. The prestige of a box labeled totalmente a mano (totally by hand) still commands the greatest respect among connoisseurs.

Cigar Making

Hand rolling is the last step in a complex and highly refined process that requires human attention throughout. The curing process, lasting from 25 to 45 days, reduces the sugar and water content and determines the color of the leaf. During fermentation, the leaf slowly dies while being constantly monitored to prevent rotting and disintegration. This is the stage that determines flavor, aroma, and burning characteristics. During aging, the leaves are kept moistened and inspected constantly until delivered for production.

In Cuba, cigar rollers are called torcedores and now many are women. Their skills are acknowledged as those of fine artists and they are highly respected in Cuban society. The chaveta, a crescent shaped knife, is used to cut and shape the leaves according to each one’s use as wrapper or filler. While they work, the rollers are “entertained” by a lector who reads to the workers in order to break up the tedium of their job. An experienced roller can finish hundreds of cigars a day (and probably more if the stories are particularly exciting). Some reports credit the Montecristo brand name to one of the stories favored by the torcedores. Anyway, at this point the cigars are dried on wooden forms and can be laid down for years of additional aging if kept at the right level of temperature and humidity (70 degrees and 70% respectively).

Cigars are categorized by ring gauge (diameter in 64ths) and length. A Cuban Robusto always has a ring gauge of 50 and a length of four inches. The outer wrapper determines much of the cigar’s flavor and is designated in eight categories from the lightest (Double Claro) to the darkest (Oscuro). The lighter colors tend to be dryer, the darker ones sweeter. If all the tobacco in a cigar is from the same country it is called puro.

Cigar Lore

The language of cigars is like the language of fine wines. Quality smokes can have a mild, medium or full-bodied flavor catering to the preference of the smoker. Descriptives such as spicy, peppery, green, earthy, woodsy, nutty, creamy, chewy and leathery are all used with abandon, and each flavor is further affected by production techniques and aging.

Perhaps the most coveted of all Cuban cigars are those carrying the Cohiba brand. Fidel himself gave birth to the brand when he noticed the particularly pleasing aroma wafting from the cigars smoked by one of his bodyguards. On learning they were hand rolled for private clients by a friend, Castro set this friend up with a team of five rollers in a former diplomatic mansion then had cigars made for his own personal use or to give as gifts to foreign dignitaries. He released his personal cigars as a premium brand in 1982 and they soon became one of the most sought after in the world. The original factory is now staffed entirely by women torcedoras.

As we sail by this mysterious, embargoed neighbor called Cuba, and if the island happens to be upwind, take a stroll on deck and see if you can detect an earthy, chewy or leathery aroma borne along on the sea breeze. Then ask yourself, “where do you suppose the phrase ‘close but no cigar’ comes from?”

China's Opium Wars

British Imperialism in China

The history of imperialism in Asia began with the Portuguese in the 15th century. They were the first to establish a virtual monopoly over the spice trade between Asia and Europe on the strength of their superior naval power. Prior to that time European economies had been largely self-sufficient but the trade of commodities begun by the Portuguese was a foretaste of today’s capitalist system.

By the 17th century the Portuguese had been eclipsed by the Dutch and the Dutch East India Company became the dominant trading force from their heavily fortified base in Batavia (now the Indonesian capital of Jakarta). The British weren’t far behind in recognizing the commercial importance of trade and with the rise of their own naval strength, they too established bases in India. Their Honourable East India Company (also known as the John Company) was given a monopoly over trade with Asia and they were soon operating out of Bengal (now Bangladesh). These fortified bases were never intended to be colonies, merely centers of commerce protected by private armies overseeing trade that stretched to China, Japan and Korea.

Tea Time

By the 1800s, Europe’s demand for oriental products had blossomed beyond spices to embrace a broad range of exotic goods from shimmering silk to precious stones. And in England the hottest commodity was the newest sensation—tea—a thirst that has yet to be quenched even today. The major source of tea was China where it grew in abundance and the Chinese were only too happy to trade heaps of it to the English.

Unfortunately, what the Chinese wanted in return wasn’t something England had in abundance, like coal or itchy wool clothing or British humor. They wanted silver, something the Chinese valued more highly than gold and which the British had to get from continental Europe at a decidedly disadvantaged exchange rate.

Desperate to find a valuable commodity closer to the source, the enterprising “Honourable” East India Company came up with opium—a product grown in profusion in India. But in the 1800s opium was illegal in China and virtually unknown to the general populous. There was no demand for it so the Brits created one by smuggling it in. In a few short years they had encouraged a nice base of over two million addicts and the value of opium soon reversed their trade deficit.

Qing Bling

Leaders of the Qing government (whose members were the primary drivers of Chinese silver lust) soon became alarmed by the drift of events, their people’s health, and the reversal of their silver trade. Attempts to crack down on the traders inevitably led to increasingly violent exchanges that, with the imbalance of military strength and resources, the Chinese were destined to lose.

British pressure increased to the point where they were able to mount military incursions (the First Opium War), soundly defeat outdated Chinese forces, and dictate a peace treaty. The Treaty of Nanjing became the first of the so-called Unequal Treaties forced upon the Chinese by more powerful western imperialists. In it, the Chinese committed to fixed tariffs on British goods, opened several ports to British merchants, and ceded Hong Kong Island to Queen Victoria.

The Arrow War

By the mid-1800s, many outposts established as trading centers had begun to morph into full-fledged colonies and western powers were pressing for the expansion of their overseas markets against still-backward Asian regimes. The British wanted all Chinese ports opened to their merchants, the legalization of the opium trade and the establishment of an ambassador in Beijing. The Qing’s court rejected these demands so the hunt was on for another “incident” that would provide the necessary excuse to force a result.

They soon had it when Chinese authorities detained a Chinese-owned but British-registered ship suspected of piracy. The British claimed that their ensign was treated disrespectfully during the seizure (not exactly a WMD event) and the Second Opium War was on. Meanwhile the Chinese attempted to poison the entire British garrison in Hong Kong by spiking their bread with arsenic. Unfortunately, they were a bit heavy-handed and the alarm was raised before anyone was harmed.

The Treaty of Tianjin further eroded Chinese hegemony by opening even more ports to western trade, allowing foreign embassies to be established in Beijing, and granting foreign travelers passage into the interior regions.

The humiliating military defeats and subsequent Unequal Treaties so shocked the Chinese people that these events led to the Taiping Rebellion in 1850, the Boxer Rebellion in 1899, and to the eventual downfall of the Qing Dynasty, replaced by the Republic of China in 1912 and bringing 2,000 years of imperial China to an end.

Brunei

All that Glitters Comes from Black Gold

Dubai.  Monaco.  Brunei.  Each of these exotic destinations conjures up images of chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phaetons, Sunseeker yachts, and sapphires the size of cherries.  Designer accoutrements to drape and adorn everything from the top of one’s highlighted locks to the tip of her expertly-manicured toes are there for the charging.  And while there may be strong similarities between Brunei and other capitalistic world capitals, it is really quite unique.

The Facts, M’am.  Just the Facts

Since many world travelers have yet to step foot ashore in this minuscule country, it seems only fitting that we recap a few of the facts and stats so you’ll have a better picture of what you’re in store for.

Let’s start with the name.  Officially, this nation is called the State Of Brunei, Abode of Peace.  That’s the English translation of the Malay words Negara Brunei Darussalam.  Since both English and Malay are considered official languages, that seems to make a great deal of sense, doesn’t it.  The capital is Bandar Seri Begawan and the entire country covers a mere 2,228 square miles.  Within its borders live some 325,000 people the majority of whom are Malay. Well, approximately 65%.  The Chinese population accounts for another 20%.

The nation is proud to boast a literacy rate of 88%, which ranks quite high in the world.  So, too, the per capita income that is pegged at close to $15,000.

Nearly two-thirds of the Bruneian people are Muslim.  Buddhists account for approximately 15%, while Christianity is represented by only 8% of the people.

It probably comes as no surprise to practically every visitor that oil and gas are the major industries in this tiny nation.  In fact, since only 15% of the land is cultivated, some 80% of all food must be imported.  This doesn’t seem to be a big problem for Brunei’s citizens.  They are considered among the luckiest people on earth because their nation is blessed with astounding wealth affording them a tax-free government-supported society that provides subsidized food and housing as well as free medical care, even extended to rural areas by an airborne team of medical personnel.  Education is free.

Money Makes this World Go Around

Let’s discuss the topic of this business success story.  It really all began in 1929 with the discovery of oil in the Sultanate of Brunei.  Natural gas was then discovered in 1965.  Today, Brunei’s economy is financially funded almost entirely by the revenues received from exporting natural gas and oil.  In fact, these sales account for over 40% of the gross domestic product.  The crude oil finds its way to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, even the U.S.

According to the 1959 constitution, Brunei had been a British-protected Islamic Sultanate.  In 1984, Brunei gained full sovereignty and independence.  Today, it is an Islamic Sultanate.

The Sultan’s name is Sultan Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah.  It is reported that he is perhaps the richest man in the world.  And, as one might expect, a gentleman of his stature deserves a proper abode, so the Sultan built one of the world’s most luxurious palaces.  Its 1,788 rooms cover some 50 acres and cost a mere $400,000,000 to build though rumor has it that, as with all construction projects, it ran a bit over budget.  Never mind.  For the record, it is called Istana Nurul Iman and is open to the public only at the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting.

Bandar Seri Begawan

That mouthful is the name of the nation’s capital and is often referred to as BSB or even Brunei Town.  Some 60,000 people live there, as it really is Brunei’s only sizeable city.  BSB is modern, efficient, and welcoming to visitors from afar.  Many of these guests take in the sights, usually beginning with the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.  Built in 1958, it is recognized by its massive gold dome.  You’ll find it near the banks of the Brunei River.

Jerudong Park is another destination, but this time for invited guests only.  Complete with polo field, golf course, croquet greens, and a host of other sporting venues, this huge complex is a playground for the elite.  Others find their way to the Jerudong Playground amusement park for fun and games or Jerudong Beach for sun and fish.

Those more interested in nature make their way to Pulau Ranggu found near Istana Nurul Iman in the middle of the river.  It is here that one can observe the proboscis monkeys that leap here and there and literally hang about in the verdant forests.

And speaking of hanging about, there’s no need, really.  It can be said that the streets virtually roll up at 9pm.  Why, you ask?  Well, there is, in truth, little or no nightlife in BSB as the citizens are encouraged to engage in activities other than clubbing and such.  And, while we’re on the subject, there has been a stricter dress code enforced since 1991 hence visitors are asked to respect this practice.  That said, do enjoy your stay in the exotic gotta-visit-someday destination.

Looking to the Sea

Is it the Answer?

We hear about forests ablaze in the Western U.S. and rivers cresting their banks in Europe and Asia after Biblical rains.  We see images of people in all reaches of the globe struggling to eke out a meager existence in soils long depleted of nutrients, and animals nibbling at the withered vestiges of feed scattered among the rocks.

Must we look to the sea for answers on how to fill the world’s bread baskets while the land recovers?  Will it provide for more than just human consumption and animal fodder?  What lurks below us as we sail merrily along the waves?  Could it be the answer to many woes

Brimming with Riches

The oceans wash over nearly three-fourths of the world’s surface.  Hidden in the dark waters are a wealth of minerals and marine life of endless variety.  Fish and marine mammals inhabit the waters and are considered pelagic forms of marine life.  In contrast are the crustaceans and mollusks, as well as corals, which cling to the ocean floor.  They are the benthic variety of marine life.  Add to that the kelps and other marine plants that man has cleverly harvested for fertilizer, human consumption, and animal feed.

The seas are rich with minerals including gas and petroleum.  As our journeys take us around the world we see oil-drilling platforms designed to extract these precious commodities.  Scientists employ sophisticated equipment to map the contours of the ocean floors and discover exactly where to search.  Today, wells for natural gas deposits have been drilled in Brazil’s Marlim field to a depth of nearly 6,000 feet.  Who knows what lies even deeper?

The governments with coastal land have drawn up laws to protect these resources.  In many cases the United Nations’ Law Of The Sea Convention declares that a boundary of 22 kilometers rings the shoreline and is considered “territorial” and the rights of the host country are to be respected.  In other instances, something called “exclusive economic zones” form a boundary that stretches from the coast to an imaginary line 370 nautical miles offshore.  Note for the record that the host country occasionally sells these rights to other nations.

Bringing in the Catch

Who among us hasn’t enjoyed wetting a line and hoping to catch the “big one?”  Sport fishing is an adventure many travelers partake in as they visit new countries.  Sometimes they discover what local fishermen already know… the seas are often overfished.  Fished out.

For example, the Canadian cod industry has been hit hard as has the haddock take in the North Pacific.  In some cases, nearly 90% of the fish have been taken.  This results in economic hardship and unemployment for local fishermen.  The bluefin tuna is another example.  Some estimates put the decline in certain areas of the Southern Hemisphere at over 90%.

Regarding the issue of whaling, this remains a hot debate.  Suffice to say those species that were nearly hunted to extinction – right, gray, and bowhead – have managed to hold on if only for a while.  Others are protected in an area of the Southern Ocean considered to be a sanctuary for approximately 90% of the total population of whales.

Thankfully, the practice of aquaculture has been successful.  Consider the progress being made in such areas as oyster breeding, shellfish farming if you prefer.  Salmon farming in the Outer Hebrides has seen great returns.  And Japan’s Inland Sea is another success story.  Clever fish farmers have strung metal nets across vast reaches of this body of water and created a huge area where fish breeding is done.  And let’s not forget kelp’s contribution to the world’s increasing need for food and feed.

Dangers all Around

Pollution puts all this waterworld at risk.  As we sail the globe, we’ll observe that there are many nations without the financial means or current technology to protect their waters.  The seas serve as their dumping grounds.  In addition, factory discharge as well as the run-off from other chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides further disrupts the delicate balance of the seas.  The occasional oil spill is often catastrophic.

So where does this all leave us?  We will see first hand how bountiful yet how fragile our oceans are.  As travelers of the sea we salute it and all its rewards.  And we look to the future when the tides can create power for our cities, when desalinated water can replenish our aquifers, and when the fish and marine life can be harvested responsibly to help feed the world’s growing population.

All the while, it is a glorious means of travel don’t you think?

The Great Southern Ocean

Wet, Wild and Wonderful

In the year 2000, a fifth name was added to the world’s oceans when the International Hydrographic Organization designated the Southern Ocean as a separate oceanic division. You could be excused for wondering what took them so long to “discover” this new ocean, which had previously been treated as simply the southern extension of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. But advances in the science of oceanography have only recently made it possible. As you cross the Tasman Sea, you’ll skirt the northern limits of this unique body of water, which has already earned more nicknames than its august companions ever had.

The Screaming Sixties

Officially, the Southern Ocean comprises the waters of the World Ocean south of 60 degrees South latitude. World Ocean is used to describe a continuous, interconnected system of marine waters that covers and encircles most of the Earth. It is actually centered on the Southern Ocean with the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans extending northward like giant bays with the Arctic Ocean, at the opposite pole, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific.

The Arctic and Southern Oceans are opposites in more ways than one. The Arctic is surrounded by continents, the Southern surrounds a continent. The Arctic is a relatively warm sea surrounded by frigid landmasses, the Southern is a frigid sea. Sea ice forms at the center of the Arctic and only at the fringes of Antarctica.

One unique aspect of the Southern Ocean is that it is not geographically contained by bordering continents, as are the other four oceans. As a result, scientists do not yet agree on the exact northern boundary of this newest ocean. Some would set it at the Antarctic Convergence, a line between two opposing circumpolar currents that fluctuates seasonally. Oceanographers cite characteristics within the waters of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that are consistent all the way around Antarctica, but markedly different from the adjoining waters of the three contiguous oceans.

The Southern Ocean is the youngest of the five oceans, having been formed about 30 million years ago when South America separated from Antarctica, creating the Drake Passage. That separation is also responsible for the unique weather conditions that exist in this body of water.

The Roaring Forties

The latitudes between 40 and 50 degrees South have been known by this name for centuries, so dubbed by sailors because of the prevailing westerly winds. At these latitudes there is no landmass to slow them down so that they can build up quite a head of steam. These are the winds that have made the Tasman Sea, the Cape of Good Hope, and Drake Passage such storied bodies of water.

The winds of the Roaring Forties were chiefly responsible for the establishment of the clipper route by Dutch sailors in the 1600s. This was the route sailed by the clipper ships of the Dutch East India Company around Africa and across the Indian Ocean to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. The return voyage used these same westerly winds to sail home via the Pacific and around South America.

While this route offered captains the fastest circumnavigation of the world, and brought the greatest rewards for valuable cargoes, it also carried the greatest risks. Passing south of Tasmania, Stewart Island in New Zealand and the three “great capes” (Good Hope, Cape Horn and Cape Leeuwin in Australia), the voyage exposed ships and crews to howling winds, towering waves and growling icebergs.

The Furious Fifties

Although clipper ships have long been displaced by mechanically powered vessels, the clipper route remains the fastest way to sail around the world. It is now the course used by several prominent yacht races. The Volvo Ocean Race is sailed in full-crew boats, with several stops, every four years. Around Alone is a single-handed race with stops. Vendee Globe is a single-handed, non-stop race. These races cover approximately 30,000 nautical miles and have had their share of thrills and tragedies over the years, in part because yachts and crews are so far from assistance should trouble occur.

The clipper route has its heroes, as well. Francis Chichester was the first to sail it single-handed aboard Gypsy Moth in 1966. In 2005, Bruno Peyron and crew set a new world record of 50 days for the route that used to take clipper ships at least 100. That same year, Englishwoman Ellen MacArthur set a new world record of 71 days for a single-handed, non-stop passage. Good on ya’, Ellen.

The combination of fast boats and high risks continues to give this Southern Ocean its unique aura among the world’s great seas.

Constanta, Romania

Black Sea’s Breath of Fresh Air

“Constanta is the lung of Romania.”

So pronounced the first Romanian king, Carol I.  Well, graphic as that may be and worthy of further discussion, one might argue that Constanta today is more the pulse of Romania than the… ahem… lung.  Why?  Well, it’s here that vacationing Europeans flock to take the healing spa treatments, bask lazily in the predictable summer sun, dance away the endless nights, and picnic in the nearby forests responsible for the fresh air that so captivated our king.

Never mind.  Just know you’ve traveled halfway ‘round the world to the Black Sea resort town of Constanta that’s been luring visitors here for some 2,500 years.

The City Proper

Seems everyone says you must begin your look-about Constanta (pronounced Kohn-stahn-tsah) in Ovid Square, Piata Ovidiu in the local language.  Smack in the middle is a statue of Ovidius Puplius Nasos the famous Romanian poet, designed in 1887 by Ettore Ferrari (long before the fashionistas began wearing red hats sporting his last name).  Exiled here by the Roman Emperor Augustus during the final dozen years of this life (43-17 B.C.), it was here Ovid penned his famous Methamorphosis, Tristia and Elegias poems.

Dawdle here and attempt a bit of poetry on your own or saunter over to the Archaeological Museum, rich with fine examples of finds from Dobrogea, this part of Romania.  Important are the sculptures, Neolithic tools, weapons and objects from this ancient city then known as Tomis.

Nearby is a must-see, one of Europe’s largest mosaics, a floor from the Roman Period.  Built in the early party of the 4th Century, it originally measured a whopping 20 by 100 yards! 

There’s an interesting mosque close by, as well.  Called the Great Mahmudiye Mosque, it was constructed by King Carol I (the lung guy) in 1910 and features one of the world’s largest carpets.  In fact, it took a staggering 17 years for one master Turkish carpet-maker to weave this gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid in 1915.  Note, this masterpiece weighs an incredible 1,080 pounds!  Five times each day, the mosque’s muezzin climbs the 140 steps up the 164-foot-high minaret to call the faithful to prayer.  For him, especially, it’s fantastic this region is blessed with clean air!

Two other places worth a mention are the Greco-Roman-style Orthodox Church of St. Paul and Peter, dating back to 1883, and the Folk Art Museum.  Here you’ll find a collection of 16,000 exhibits including costumes, jewelry, and religious icons from the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Histria and the Hermitage

Thirty miles from Constanta stands the oldest and largest archeological site in Romania, Histria.  Founded in 656 B.C., these are the ruins of the first Greek city settled on the Black Sea’s west coast.  Baths, churches, basilicas and old ramparts are still visible.

St. Andrew’s Hermitage is a bit away from town, as well, but quite interesting for this is where the apostle lived.  He is credited with bringing Christianity to Romania and is today the country’s patron saint.

Maritime buffs will want to see the Genoese Lighthouse, constructed in the 13th Century by navigators from Genoa.  And a look at Tropaeum Traini is in order.  It’s the monument built by Emperor Trajan in 109 A.D. to glorify Rome’s victory over Scythia Minor, today’s Dobrogea.  Some 54 bas-reliefs highlight battle scenes from this period in history.

Unwind, Refresh, Recharge

Do as a legion of visitors before you have done… go to the beach for, as rumor has it, the sun shines here 300 days a year.  This nation’s Black Sea coast is known as the littoral and enjoys the same temperate Mediterranean-type climate as the French Riviera.  Plus, the nearby lakes are rich with precious minerals that locals claim contain curative properties.  They’re convinced the breezes near Mamaia Beach, a 5-mile long stretch of sand, are laced with mineral salts that cause good health by merely breathing in.  So, perhaps King Carol I was right after all.

Today, Mamaia is a developed resort area dating back one hundred years.  There are other beaches as well, with enticing names like Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune.  And, should the beach not be your cup of tea there’s the Casino, heralding back to 1909.  Elegant in its art nouveau style, the building was designed by French architect Daniel Renard.

Should you wish to sample regional specialties, try ciorba (a Romanian soup), grilled nisetru (sturgeon), mititei (grilled sausages), or miel fiert in lapte (lamb stewed in milk) followed by a supersweet baklava.  Some fine examples of regional red wines include Babadag, Ostrov, and Murfatlar the winner of 130 gold medals.

And, you mustn’t forget a souvenir or two.  Embroidered garments and table linens, traditional ceramics, plus woven carpets depicting the “tree of life” are always popular.

At day’s end regale fellow travelers with tales of your explorations, the same tales you’ll tell friends back home when expounding on the virtues of this exotic destination, Constanta, Romania.

Auckland, NZ

City of Sails

"A country of inveterate, backwoods, thick-headed, egotistic philistines"  
—Vladimir Ilyich Lenin 1909

"The United States invented the space shuttle, the atomic bomb and Disneyland. We have 35 times more land than New Zealand, 80 times the population, 144 times the gross national product and 220 times as many people in jail… So how come a superpower of 270 million got routed in the America's Cup, the world's most technically oriented yacht race, by a country of 3.5 million that outproduces us only in sheep manure?"
—Eric Sharp 1995

Funny how opinions of a place can change over time. In fact, for many Americans, that dark day in 1995 when Team New Zealand ran off with the America’s Cup was the first time they gave much of a thought to the home of the “kiwis”. Since then, the combination of pleasant climate, pleasant people, natural beauty, and the natural adrenalin high of their “extreme” sports has made it one of the more popular destinations for U.S. travelers.

A Pocket History

According to archaeologists and anthropologists, primitive Maori tribesmen paddled their dugout canoes into the Auckland area somewhere around the year 800 A.D. As their numbers increased and conditions grew crowded, the Maoris took up their war clubs. Battles raged between rival clans. The fighting became so fierce and never-ending that the warriors christened Auckland Tamaki , or “battle,” and the isthmus lusted over by all the warriors, Tamaki makau rau , or “battle of 100 lovers.”

Abel Tasman didn’t receive a very friendly welcome either when he and his crew came ashore in 1642. The fierce Maoris, being less than totally hospitable, dined on a few of Tasman’s unlucky sailors. This unsavory event discouraged other adventurers until Captain Cook, in his inimitable way, developed a far friendlier relationship with the Maoris when he came ashore in 1769. They graciously granted this legendary navigator free reign to explore and map their land during his first voyage of discovery aboard HMS Endeavor.

In 1820, a missionary by the name of Samuel Marsden dropped anchor off what is now Auckland. His crew, from the sailing ship Coromandel, needed new masts and spars for their vessels so they took to the forest and began chopping down the towering trees. Marsden, all the while, was also saving souls. Within 20 years the trusting Maori people sold their beloved 3000 acres of land, now the heart of Auckland, for 50 blankets, some garments, tobacco, provisions, and a paltry £50.

Even at 1840 real estate prices, it was a real steal.

The pakehas  (Maori for “those who are colorless”) began to arrive in earnest once the deal was struck. Lawlessness reigned day and night as whalers and sealers ravaged the tiny community. Then Captain William Hobson arrived, laid down the law, and convinced the Maoris to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, which ceded their land to Britain.

A Pocket-Sized City

One out of every three New Zealanders lives in Auckland. Many are of European descent but there are substantial Maori, Asian and Pacific Islander communities as well. In fact, Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. One of the few cities in the world to have harbors on two separate major bodies of water (the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Tasman Sea to the west), Auckland is popularly known as the "City of Sails". And no wonder because the city boasts more yachts per capita than any other, anywhere. From the Harbour Bridge you can look down upon Viaduct Basin, which has twice housed America’s Cup challengers and is one of the city’s high-energy restaurant and entertainment centers.

You can also look up at Sky Tower rising above Auckland’s central shopping district. At 328 meters, it’s the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere. Newmarket and Parnell are upscale shopping areas with a wide variety of boutiques and designer shops. Otara and Avondale have famous flea markets and, along with Victoria Park Market they offer a bright change-of-pace shopping experience.

A drive to the top Mt. Eden, a dormant volcano, will give you a view of the city from another perspective. On the way down, pass through Auckland’s largest park, The Domain, where the Auckland Museum displays a magnificent collection of Maori and Polynesian art.

But however you decide to experience Auckland and its people, they are sure to show you why it is ranked fifth among the world’s most livable cities.

Gijon, Spain

Asturian Enclave

Some say Asturias is the birthplace of today’s Spain.  Why?  Well, because it was from this rugged Atlantic landscape that the mighty Moors were dealt their first defeat as they battled fiercely for their conquest of Spain.  This perhaps David and Goliathesque tale took place in the opening days of the 8th Century.  The wiry, strapping Asturians fought off the powerful Moorish soldiers and wrote the first pages of the chapter on the Reconquest of Spain, making it the stronghold of the Christian kingdom.  Ultimately all Spain threw off the yokes of foreign domination in 1492 – a time when other important events were unfolding for the Spanish in a far distant land.

Flanked by the Mountains and the Sea

Asturias is a one province Autonomous Community, a principality wedged between Cantabria and Galicia.  Known as the Costa Verde (Green Coast), Asturias stretches for 90 miles and is dotted with tiny fishing villages and hamlets.  With her face to the sea, she is guarded behind by the 8,500-foot-high Picos de Europa, only 25 miles from the coast.  This craggy spine of mountains continues the line from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic.  Providing a breathtaking backdrop of sheer cliffs, verdant valleys, snaking rivers, and apple orchards, the Picos are a hiker’s paradise.  They also serve as a refuge for wild boar, deer, wolves, Iberian brown bears and herds of wild, shaggy Asturian horses.  Prized by the Romans, these small horses were recognized for their power in difficult terrain.

The Port City of Gijon

Pronounced “hee-hohn”, Gijon is a 270,000-person-strong port city with the enormous beach of San Lorenzo in addition to the well-preserved old fishermen’s quarters.  Important sites include Santa Catalina Hill featuring Eduardo Chillida’s 1990 concrete sculpture “Praise of the Horizon” and the cobblestoned Cimadevilla Quarter, situated on a peninsula that separates the port into two distinct segments.  The Collegiate Church of San Juan and the Revillagigedo Palace date back to the 18th century.  Other worthwhile stops include the 17th-century Palace of the Valdes Family and the Church of San Juan Bautista with its statue of King Pelayo.  Don Pelayo, as he is known, was the tribal leader responsible for mustering the resistance to the Moors.  The Universidad Laboral and the Escorial Monastery with its 400-foot-high tower are also most impressive.

Nearby Attractions

Oviedo was once not only the capital of Asturias but of all Christian Spain, at least what was left of it in the 800s.  For 200 years, Oviedo held this exalted position until the royal court pulled up scepters and relocated to Leon in the south.  Her architects left behind an Asturian Pre-Romanesque jewel on the slopes of Mt. Naranco.  Santa Maria del Naranco dates back to the 9th century and was the inspiration of King Ramiro I as a component of his summer palace.  Not to be outdone, Alfonso the Chaste summoned craftsmen to erect the Gothic Cathedral between the 14th and 16th centuries to house the Holy Chamber, Camara Santa.  Hidden within were the gems and jewels and crosses, their worth incalculable.  Among these treasures were items spirited out of Toledo as the Moorish footsteps grew louder.  Thieves stole the priceless gilded and jeweled Cross of the Angels as well as the Victory Cross in 1977 though they were later recovered.

Covadonga holds its place in Spanish history as well.  Labeled the “cradle of Spanish independence, it was here that Don Pelayo took his stand.  Ultimately Pelayo was crowned king and established his court in nearby Cangas de Onis.  The Victory Cross in Oviedo’s Camara Santa is supposedly the one carried by Pelayo.  His body was entombed in Covadonga’s Santa Cueva (Holy Cave) in 737 AD.

All this History Makes Me Hungry

Perfect.  Visitors to Asturias can sample such delights from the Bay of Biscay as grilled sardines, lobster, golden sea bream and hake stew.  Mountain streams offer up trout and salmon.  Local cheeses include Gamonedo, Penamellera and Cabrales.  A typical Asturian favorite is la fabada, a tasty stew rich with large beans.  If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a traditional merendero complete with small garden, you’ll dine with locals.  From there you might continue on to a llagar to sample their cider and tapas or find your way to an espicha for traditional Asturian partying.  It is all in good fun.  Seems certain the locals will regale you with their proud history.