Embrace Your Narrative

Cruise: Madeira to Canary Islands & West Africa

Keta — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:08:19 +0000

Next Trip

24 Dec 2023 to 12 Jan 2024

Portugal: Funchal

Canary Islands:Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, Gran Canaria

Morocco: Dakhla

Senegal: Saint-Louis, Dakar

Apple Orchard

Keta — Sun, 07 May 2023 14:58:56 +0000

For the production of our handmade juice, we use only fresh and healthy apples, hand-picked directly from trees growing in the company’s orchards.

Dolomites

Keta — Sun, 07 May 2023 14:58:39 +0000

Oetzi the Iceman

Keta — Sat, 06 May 2023 21:44:17 +0000

In Bolzano, we had a delightful time learning about Oetzi during our visit to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. In 1991, a mummified body was found by a German tourist on a glacier in the Alps. It has been carbon-dated to 3300 BCE. He was given the nickname, Oetzi (Ötzi) because he was found in the Ötztal Alps.

The scientific community has learned a great deal about him in the three decades since he was found. Oetzi was a man who lived over 5,000 years ago, 25 to 35 years of age, 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed about 110 pounds. He was left-handed and had brown eyes, dark brown hair, and a Mediterranean skin tone.

Equipment

For the full article about Oetzi’s extensive and practical, check out the equipment tab on his website. He had a wide-ranging knowledge about how to survive in the wilderness. He was very well equipped. One of the most important objects is Oetzi’s sublime copper axe. Secured to a yew handle with cow leather and birch tar, the blade was cast from a mold and is 99.7 percent pure copper. It was an extraordinarily wealthy item for the time, and its discovery pushed back the beginning of the European Copper Age by a thousand years.

Unsolved Murder

There can be no doubt that Ötzi was murdered. A few days before his death, he was involved in hand-to-hand combat and had received a deep cut to his right hand. A gash between the thumb and first finger of his right hand revealed that Ötzi had been stabbed a few days before he died. It was an active defensive wound, meaning he likely tried to grab the blade. The evidence therefore suggests that Ötzi was being pursued and was confronted by one or more attackers.

If you want more information, check out Jennifer Pinkowski’s story “Ötzi the Iceman: What we know 30 years after his discovery” in National Geographic.

Trento

Keta — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:31:45 +0000

Originally a Celtic city, Trento was later conquered by the Romans in the first Century BC. In 1027, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Conrad II, created the Prince-Bishop of Trento, who held both temporal and religious powers. Prince-bishops ruled Trento until Napoleon conquered the city in 1801.

Council of Trent

Between 1545 and 1563, the Cathedral of San Vigilio hosted the solemn sessions of the Council of Trent. Although the Council of Trent has sometimes been characterized as one overly long meeting, it only met for three sessions (consisting of a total of 25 actual meetings) between 1545-1563. This began the Counter Reformation and brought half of Europe back to Roman Catholicism.

The Cathedral of San Vigilio, also called Cathedral of Trento, located in Piazza del Duomo, adjacent to Palazzo Pretorio. The Cathedral was built over the remains of a 4th-century Christian Basilica dedicated to San Vigilio, where the Saint was buried at the beginning of the 5th century.

In the 11th century, the prince-bishop Uldaric II began the rebuilding of the Cathedral. Modifications continued into the next centuries

Buonconsiglio Castle

The castle originated from a fortified building that was erected in the 13th century next to the city’s walls. This first building was called Castelvecchio (“Old Castle”), and was home to Trento’s bishop-princes from the 13th century until 1801.

The castle is composed of a series of buildings of different eras, enclosed by a circle of walls in a slightly elevated position above the town. The Castelvecchio is the oldest and most dominant building of the entire housing development.

Ancient Roman City of Tridentum

Roman ruins from the ancient Roman city of Tridentum werebrought back to light during the excavation works carried out to refurbish and expand the Social Theatre in the heart of Trento.

The ancient Roman city of Tridentum was defined as the “splendidum municipium” by Emperor Claudius in 46 A.D.

The findings consist of a long section of the Eastern fortification walls, of an extensive piece of paved road, of parts of houses featuring remnants of mosaics, courtyards and craft workshops.

Garda Lake

Keta — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:31:29 +0000

Lake Garda is the largest of the Italian lakes – so large that it straddles the border of three distinct regions: Lombardy, Trentino Alto-Adige, and Veneto.

Desenzano

The shores of Garda Lake are dotted with quaint, postcard perfect towns, like Desenzano the town we visited. With a population of about 25,000 residents, Desenzano del Garda is characterized by its labyrinthine streets, a castle overlooking the city, and a small harbor.

Cycling Festival

When we arrived in Desenzano, the three-day “Colnago Garda Gravel” Cycling Festival was under way. Across the 3-day festival, there are three routes that always start and finish from Piazza Matteotti, on the lakefront of Desenzano del Garda. The three routes will cross unique locations and panoramas, where history and nature merge into three itineraries close to each other but at the same time with completely different landscapes and totally unique and spectacular features.

Olive Mill

We finished up the day with a tour of a local Olive Mill. Owned and operated by the Manestrini family, this mill is well-known for its extra virgin olive oil and has even received national recognition over the years.

Franciacorta Vineyard

Keta — Wed, 03 May 2023 23:39:43 +0000

Just south of Lake Iseo we were in the Franciacorta wine region. This is the home of Italy’s hand-harvested, bottle-aged sparkling wine.

Like champagne, franciacorta can only be produced in a specific geographic region, and only with particular grape varietals: chardonnay, pinot nero, and pinot bianco.

Bersi Selini Domaine

Bersi Serlini is one of the oldest wineries in Franciacorta with its origin in the MiddleAges. An order of Cluny monks settled in this area in the 11th century.

With wine fundamentally entwined with religion, a steady and uninterrupted supply was crucial. This is mainly why many abbeys and monasteries ventured into winemaking.

The monks had the time to examine their initial results in monastic wine grapes and improve their technique. Consequently, the end result was improved vines and farming techniques as well advanced wine-making skills.

One of the original frescos can be seen on the current wall.

After 700 years of Cluny Monks, the property became private and in 1886 it was acquired by Bersi Serlini Family. Today the Winery is run by two sisters, Chiara and Maddalena Bersi Serlini. The monks experimented with new viticultural techniques and left the Bersi Serlini family, centuries later, with a valuable “savoir-faire” that has enabled them to carry on where the monks left off.

Blind Taste Test

After an informative tour of the vineyard and the wine making process, we were given a blind taste test with three of the varieties. A delightful experience, but I was only able to identify one out of the three.

Monte Isola

Keta — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 17:50:59 +0000

With a mountain in the middle of the lake, Monte Isola is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. With a total area of 4.9 square miles Monte Isola ranks as the largest lake island not only in Italy, but also in South and Central Europe. The island has been known for the construction of wooden boats, the production of nets and fishing

Fishing Nets

While we were on the island we stopped by a shop known for the fishing nets that they make. He even demonstrated how the nets are woven by hand. Today they also make safety nets for a wide variety of applications.

The Floating Piers

For sixteen days in 2016, visitors to Lake Iseo were able to experience a beautiful work of art by walking on it. Shimmering yellow fabric, carried by a modular floating dock system, swayed with the movement of the waves as The Floating Piers rose just above the surface of the water.

“Like all our projects, The Floating Piers was absolutely free and open to the public,” said Christo. “There were no tickets, no openings, no reservations and no owners. The Floating Piers were an extension of the street and belonged to everyone.”

Tirano

Keta — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 17:37:20 +0000

Tirano is a town in Valtellina Valley very near the border with Switzerland in northern Italy

The river Adda flows through the town of Tirano. Located nearby is the Catholic shrine of the Madonna di Tirano.The shrine is dedicated to the appearance of the Blessed Mother to Mario Degli Omodei on September 29, 1504, an event religious pilgrims credit with ending a pestilence. The church construction begun in 1505 and was consecrated in 1528.

While we were in Tirano, we enjoyed two special opportunities to meet with the local population.

A Day in the Life

Our first adventure was “A Day in the Life” at an organic goat farm near the top of a nearby mountain. After our bus driver dropped us off at the farm, we walked up to the farm. The owner gave us a fascinating history of the farm and surrounding area. The farm has been in his family for several generations. He also described the more recent efforts to revitalize and obtain organic certification for their products.

After we received instruction, we help erect a fence around a small pasture for the 60 goats to graze. After the fence was erected, the goats were let in and it was a delight to watch them for a while.

We then went indoors for a lesson and demonstration of cheese making. This was followed by a wonderful meal with local produce.

This visit was most definitely a unique highlight that we all enjoyed.

Bernina Express

The Bernini Express begins in Tirano, Italy, then crosses into Switzerland through the Alps to Davos. It is not an “express” in the sense of being a high-speed train: rather it has panoramic coaches with enlarged windows and caters to tourist and skiers.

On the day we traveled, the weather grew increasing drizzle and snow. When we reached the Diavolezza station, we departed the train for a cable car ride further up in the Alps to a nice lodge with a scenic overlook.

Well, not so with our visit. The visibility was poor, so we enjoyed our lunch and then the beautiful return trip to Tirano. All in all, the awesome scenery was worth the trip, even with the falling snow reduced visibility.

Home-Hosted Dinner

In Tirano we were divided into three groups and then enjoyed a wonderful home-cooked meal and plenty to time to visit with our host family.

My host-family included Chiara, a young architect, and his wife Daniele, who is in real estate. They have two delightful young boys, Giuseppe, 10 years old and Remo, 6 years old.

As an added bonus, on the ride over to their home, Daniele made an additional stop. They are in the process of renovating at a very old building that they want to turn into a small hotel or B&B. They are required to retain as much of the original structure as possible so it is a real challenge.

On the way back to the car, we noticed the beautiful fresco on the building next door.

This was definitely a wonderful evening with a delightful family.

Milan

Keta — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 06:39:00 +0000

Central Mall

Milan is Italy’s undeniable center of fashion and culture. The sophisticated nucleus at the heart of Milan is a spectacular mall that is beyond description. The gallery features intricate mosaic floors and a magnificent archway into its portico-covered “streets.”

Milan Cathedral

The beautiful Duomo sits right next to the mall and it as radiant. Construction of this extravagant Gothic cathedral began in 1386 and it was 600 years in the making.

The Dumo aptly reflects the city’s creativity and ambition. Its pearly white facade, adorned with 135 spires and 3400 statues, rises like the filigree of a fairy-tale tiara, wowing the crowds with its extravagant detail.

The Last Supper

We visited Milan on Easter Sunday which made the visit even more special. There was so much that I did not know about this painting, so I will just quote from the handout.

Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by the new ruler of Milan to paint his masterpiece, “The Last Supper”, in the convent’s refectory, or dining hall. The actual painting was done between about 1494 and 1498.

Rather than painting it as a fresco, he used a dry painting technique instead, in order to be able to proceed slowly and thoughtfully as he layered one veil of color after another. Da Vinci used perspective skillfully to present the scene as an extension of the actual space, so the viewer becomes a participant in the sacred episode.

In the composition, Leonardo captured the moment in which Jesus announced “… one of you will betray me” arousing surprise and dismay in the apostles gathered around him. This allowed the artist to accentuate the various psychologies through intense gestures, expressions and postures.

This masterpiece is still with us today even though the innovative dry painting technique Da Vinci used is problematic and the area was bombed during the war. As a precaution locals had erected iron scaffolding and filled them with sandbags.