TravelCent

Lowell and the 19th Century

The Lowell National Historical Park preserves the history of America’s early working life; it’s essentially a series of museums in the middle of Lowell, just about thirty miles outside Boston.  This small city, founded in 1820, was created as a center for textiles.  To learn about the Industrial Age in America, all you need do is check into one of the hotels Lowell has to offer, and set out among the trolleys and canals to the various museums that will grant any visitor a window nearly two hundred years into the past.  From the Textile Museum to the Working Peoples and Immigrants Museum to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, you’re certain to learn the way people lived and worked in the 19th Century.

The Boott Cotton Mills were certainly a part of that history, whose doors were open for over a hundred and twenty years, not shutting down until 1955.  The museum now features exhibits of the mill equipment and allows guests to experience the look of a working mill.  In the “Weave Room,” there are industrial grade looms, fully active, operating at its highest speed.  The roar of the looms illustrates what workers had to endure on a daily basis here.  You’ll find the museum gift shop next to the Weave Room, where there’s much more information about Lowell and the Mills.

Walking along the grounds of the Boott Cotton Mills, you’ll stroll past the Merrimack River, and may pass the cotton storehouse.  The museum itself contains three floors, two occupied by the museum, and the third by condominiums and lofts which have a view of the waterfront.  Throughout the park, you’ll also may see The Boardinghouse, a place where the women who worked in the mill lived.  The Boardinghouse now is known as the Mogan Cultural Center, which provides historical exhibits, educational programs and celebrates communities and their urban roots.
If you’re a history buff, but also want a scenic place to relax, Lowell, Massachusetts, with its proximity to Boston, may be a pefect choice for a visit.

Michelangelo in Seattle

In high school, before I had a chance to see any real art museums, a teacher would show a slide or a photo in a book and attempt to discuss the paintings, trying to explain that the copies couldn’t replicate the real energy of a painting.  Books and slides could give you an idea of the photo, but never truly capture its essence, the thing that made people travel thousands of miles just to see a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt or drawings or sculpture by Michelangelo.  I didn’t know how true that was until I started seeing masterpieces in London, and then St. Petersburg, particularly anything by Michelangelo.   Over the next month, if you live near Seattle, or have an opportunity to stay over at a hotel Seattle most likely will have waiting for you, then you’ll have a chance to see some of Michelangelo’s brilliance in person.

The Seattle Art Museum, through the end of January, has a display of twelve original Michelangelo drawings.  The exhibit is called “Michelangelo Public and Private: Drawings for the Sistine Chapel and Other Treasures from the Casa Buonarroti,” and has been running since October 15 and will continue until January 31, 2010.  The show is meant to examine the artist’s personality as well as parts of his career and life (in addition to the twelve drawings, the exhibit includes decorative arts and personal documents from the Casa Buonarroti, the Italian museum and home that belonged to Michelangelo’s direct descendants, and who lived for centuries in the building).  However, the exhibit is mostly concentrated on the artist’s work for Rome’s Sistine Chapel, including the working drawings for the chapel and the Last Judgement, offering some insight into the mind of Michelangelo as we see his process from sketch work to finished studies.

Apparently, Michelangelo would have abhorred such an exhibition; he burned a great deal of his drawings, specifically to give the impression that the work was divinely inspired and not the result of painstaking human planning.  However, if your work lasts over four hundred and forty-six years, then perhaps it’s time to take some personal credit for it.  The chance to see any work by Michelangelo, even preparatory drawings for his paintings is a terrific opportunity to see true genius at work, genius which can’t be appreciated from copies in a book.

Street Art in New York

Kyle painted caricatures of people in festivals and for parties. This had been his job for seven years and he was actually very skilled and successful at it. He also painted city scapes in oil and that was his first true passion. However, shortly after school he wanted to travel and in particular he wanted to spend some time in New York and since he had done this once before when one of his aunt’s asked him to for a local school carnival he figured he might be able to pay his travel expenses, or at least make a little spending money with these caricatures.

One his first morning in the Big Apple, Kyle waked around Times Square and had a nice hot cup of coffee. New York, every artist’s dream, and Kyle loved the way it felt. There was an energy to it that he had never felt before, and he had been to many places, he just thought New York was unique. He laughed as he thought that and repeated the popular speech exercise unique New York unique New York to himself as he looked for a place to set up shop. He finally decided on a nice spot near the lobby of some of the New York luxury hotels.

That would be perfect he thought because surely all of the tourists that would be walking in and out of those doors would be interested in a nice sketch of themselves. In addition it would be easy for them to drop the sketch off in their hotel room so they wouldn’t have to carry it around the city with them. Kyle returned to his own economy room to get his supplied but by the time he got back to his spot there were way too many people crowding the sidewalk to even think about trying to set up shop. Instead Kyle went to Central Park and then headed over to explore the Empire State Building. In fact, Kyle never actually got to sketch any people on that trip, though it was certainly one of the best experiences of his life and he would move there two years later.

Home of the Puppeteer

Augsburg Germany is the second oldest city in the country and is now a college town with some major history. It was founded in 15 BC under Emperor Augustus, by Drusus and Tiberius. It grew very well for the first 400 years because of the Roman military and its important access to the Alpine passes. It was the main stop when connecting to any direction in the area. It went on to become quite the route fro major traders in the Middle Ages. It did become the capital of the Roman province Raetia. It got taken over a few times in the up coming centuries. The Huns took it in the fifth century. The Charlemagne took over in the eight century and the Welf of Bavaria made his way into town in the eleventh century. With each settlement the city grew and became more and more prosperous and important.

For a long time Augsburg was very independent. Having its own forms of government until the Holy Roman Empire fell apart in 1806. That is when Augsburg became apart of the Kingdom of Bavaria. It still remained important as a governing city. Because of its location, the military barracks were plentiful in and near the city. Before World War II, there were many barracks built. The United States took them over and either housed them with there own military or closed them when they took them in surrender.

Visitors can come and find some really hospitable hotels. Augsburg has many sites to see. History adventurers can see some beautiful architecture in the Town Hall, Perlachturm bell tower, Bishop’s Residence, Dorint Hotel Tower, St Ulrich and St Afra churches and the ever popular Augsburger Puppenkiste. This puppet theatre was built in the 1950s and is still give outstanding performances today. They are so popular that they are broadcast across the country on Television.

Connecticut Science Center

The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford was founded in 2001 and immediately began planning to create a great educational establishment. By 2003 and after creating an official board of trustees work was begun on what would become the actual Science Center. The master plan was adopted in 2004 and in 2006 the primary construction began. By June of this year, 2009 construction was completed and the Center became open to the public. This is truly a great addition to the attractions offered by the city. And it has also become popular with guests staying in one of the hotels Hartford.

The Center takes a progressive approach to creating interest in science in both children and adults. Instead of assuming that the doors would flood with people once they were opened it analyzed ways in which it could engage their guests. This is incorporated into various exhibits and other features similarly to the perspectives of science centers across the nation. There is a focus on acknowledging the ways that science is exciting, fascinating, entertaining and relative to daily lives. One of the main attractions at the center is the Maximillian E. and Marion O. Hoffman Foundation 3D Science Theater. Explore the Sun and the dinosaur world in films that are presented in thrilling 3-D visuals in this stadium-seated venue. The center will greatly contribute to a future slogan describing Connecticut as the science state.

There are many exhibits in the science center that are intended for both children and adults. And while they are structured to engage and educate children adults find them equally as interesting and informative. Some of the exhibits include Sight and Sound Experience, which is a cutting edge mixture of science, music and art. It is unique in that it features elements where you can feel music and hear light. This is an interactive exhibit and participants are able to use their own bodies to create a harmonious musical performance. Forces of Motion is another featured exhibit that introduces the power and possibilities of robotics, magnets and wind. This is also an interactive exhibit and includes a competition between participants.

A Guadi Time in Barcelona

Our surroundings in Barcelona are so comfortable that we slept in again, although, it won’t matter as we planned to be a bit later in catching the train, because we have clothes being washed by one of the best Barcelona boutique hotels we’ve ever stayed at. We’ve timed breakfast to be over by the time the hotel brings back our clothes.

With our two-day Metro pass, we headed off to the railway station, but we ran into a problem when the pass would not let us through the stile into the station platform. There was no one around to ask, so we assumed that what we had purchased yesterday was not a two-day pass, but something valid for only a day. We ended up purchasing a one way ticket to get us into the city and walk between the attractions we have on our list of things to see.

The train service on Sunday is excellent. There was a train every 20 minutes, meaning we didn’t have to wait long. The sun was shining, it was a gorgeous day to walk after the train ride. Our first stop was the La Sagrada Familia. It took us about a half an hour to get there. It seems that apart from the temple, there’s not a lot elses in the area for tourists to see. We could tell we were almost there when we saw a few ‘hop-on hop-off’ buses that circuit the city highlights. The Temple was designed by Gaudi who had futuristic visions back in 1882. The building had been under construction ever since and it’s still not finished!

While we were waiting in a lengthy queue to get inside, a band of drummers with people dressed up in Star Wars Troopers outfits went by with a whole host of other people following them. All of us in queue couldn’t figure out what that was all about. But, at least we were thoroughly entertained for about 10 minutes. Before we knew it, we were at the entrance. There was a large sign upon entering the temple thanking us for paying the entry fee. Stating that the fees will be used to complete the construction by 2030!

Great Pizza in New York City

There are many reasons to travel to New York, although there was only one thing on Tony’s mind when he arrived in this great American city. He wanted good pizza and was sure he was going to find it here. Tony had only been to the city once before in his life and this was quite a while ago when he was just a child. He vaguely remembers coming here with his parents and visiting the Statue of Liberty. This time, he would enjoy viewing her from a distance but unless he found out there was an incredible pizza parlor out on Ellis Island, he would likely remain were he was.

That first morning when Joe woke up in his room in one of the New York City best hotels he took a quick shower and hit the streets. He wasn’t looking for pizza for breakfast mind you, although he did love it. His first goal was to get a great donut and a cup of coffee. While he was out he would look for the perfect place to have his lunch. At this point in the story it may seem as though Joe was single or simple minded. This could not be further from the truth. However, he could become somewhat obsessed with ideas and interests, and for the last two years he had been seeking the greatest pizza in the world.

Joe passed by Adrienne’s Pizza Bar. This looked interesting and he thought he might as well begin his trials here. However, he kept walking and soon enough found Famous Joe’s Pizza. He felt this must be destiny or at least he was willing to give it a try in honor of the establishment’s name alone. On his way back to the hotel Joe walked by Otto Restaurant Enoteca Pizza. This drew his attention and immediately on his first day in New York he found he was running into quite a challenge. He had no idea how he was going to conquer all of New York’s Pizzerias, but he was certainly going to give it a shot. He decided that he would begin by having one slice in each of the places he had found interest in at that point. That evening he would do the same and continue in this pattern throughout the week. Joe was certain he would find a winner.

Dolphins and Beluga Whales at SeaWorld San Antonio

Last summer Kelly and Renee were finally able to take a vacation together. They have done this before and it used to be their annual habit, however for the last three years one thing or another got in their way and prevented them from actually going anywhere. So, this summer was going to be special. And they could actually say that they had been looking forward to it for years. They decided to spend a week in San Antonio, Texas primarily due to their interest in the Alamo, which both had been wanting to visit since their teen years. Renee booked their room in one of the best San Antonio hotels and they were off.

Once they arrived in San Antonio they were struck by the beauty of the city. Until that moment they had just associated it with the Alamo and were both incredibly impressed with the city itself. They quickly went down to the resort lobby and gathered literature on everything there was to do there and within an hour they had forgotten all about the Alamo. Instead they decided to spend that afternoon at SeaWorld San Antonio. Kelly had a strong attraction to dolphins and had even greatly considered studying marine biology in school, though ultimately he succumbed to family pressure to go into business administration. He looked forward to Dolphin Discovery tour and also wanted to get into the water with the Beluga white whales.

The next morning they woke up early so they could spend a leisurely day walking along some of the historic San Antonio streets. They read about the King Williams Streets area and wanted to visit the Steve’s Homestead Museum. They also wanted to visit the San Fernando Cathedral, which they found to be incredible in design and absolutely beautiful. That evening over their steak and barbeque dinner, Renee wondered what they should do the following day. They were having a wonderful time and talked about some of the other attractions they had read about. Suddenly Kelly’s eyes opened wide and he looked at his wife and said, “Oh shucks, Renee, remember the Alamo!”

Xiang Jing Sculpting Asia

As wide and varied as any continent, Asia has a dizzying number of cultures and languages, and any place you travel here offers a magnificent complexity.  Getting to know another country is something that takes time and energy, but of course, being here is a great way to begin.  Savvy world travelers also understand that it doesn’t matter how many times you see a place, it’s always a beginning, and there’s always so much more to know than there is already known.  In places where there is constant movement and constant energy, it’s a great idea to plan your time there centered in one of their finest luxury hotels.  Although every place on earth is in the middle of enormous changes, some of the larger cities in Asia have seen a number of fascinating and complicated revolutions in recent years.

Whether these revolutions have been in the political structure or in the cultural scene, there is something fascinating to discover here.  Repeat visitors always find out that things have changed since the last time, and this can be the cause of celebration or sometimes a great sentimentality.  But the most sentimental sentiments have found a home in art, and some of the best art in the world concerns the passage of time.  Some art is caught in the passage of time, riding a current that carries it from here to there, and then to now.  Xiang Jing is part of a new wave of artists coming from China, marking a remarkable new body of work that is becoming enormously influential on the global art scene.

In the past decade, new Chinese art has become a focal point for many art critics and scholars, looking at the rise in value in the local Chinese art market.  This is in large part due to the economic strength of the country, and a willingness among its citizens to patronize galleries and buy works of art.  Beijing sculptor Xiang Jing is in this generation, and her sculptures are amazing works that interrogate the classical depiction of the female form, and are remarkable works that speak to multiple audiences.  Her work is shown all over the world, but it is a splendid thing to take the opportunity to see her work here, as an introduction to what some of the best work being done today looks like in all of its contexts and dimensions.

Crazy Guy in Hong Kong

While in Hong Kong, I enjoyed a mostly relaxing time catching up with ‘Survivor’ clips, the latest DVD release of ‘House of Fury’ and eating mango cakes with yogurt. A typhoon is approaching Hong Kong and all the red danger flags have risen. Not a great time to be in Hong Kong, but I do get a chance to catch up on my favorite shows. My travel partner thought this typhoon was perfect, he’s body surfing at Big Wave Bay. Crazy guy.

We were staying at one of the best 5 star hotels Hong Kong has to offer, so I’m sure they didn’t appreciate him tromping through the lobby all dripping wet. He was still dripping wet when he entered our room! I told him to dry off. He told me that the intermittent rain pounded him as the wind whipped up the waves. He caught a few good waves then headed back to the hotel. After he cleaned up we went out for ice cream. He said there’s nothing better than ice cream after body surfing. Crazy guy.

While eating ice cream he reminisced about climbing K2 and a few other 8,000 meter peaks. I on the other hand can not reminisce, I get altitude sickness right at 7500 meters. No matter how much physical shape I’m in, my body refuses to go any higher. Maybe that’s why I like to watch ‘Survivor’ so much, I like to see other people accomplish something. My travel partner was here in Hong Kong on official business and that was over with yesterday, so he’s heading back to Martha’s Vineyard. While I want to stay here one more week.

My business visa was rejected due to the fact that I don’t have a sponsor. So, I quickly applied for another tourist visa. I hope to hook-up with him at Martha’s Vineyard, but who’s to say if I’ll ever see him again. As you know, he’s a crazy guy.