One can't help feeling humbled and quite frankly, dwarfed as you stand beside Florence's Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome rising boldly to the heavens or next to Giotto's campanile standing alongside since 1333. Imagine for a moment, what life was like before the Duomo when an ancient Christian basilica stood on these grounds in the late 4th century when this colony of Rome, known as Florentia, was bustling with Roman denizens? Come with me to explore this Piazza del Duomo which has been the religious center of Florence for over 1600 years and we'll examine the monuments that stood the test of time, those that didn't and we'll uncover the mysteries that lie beneath. Did you know that one of these edifices still holds the world record for the largest brick and mortar dome that has come ... read more

Another profound and wondrous moment in my life was to gaze up at the David, a colossal sculpture of perfection, without question, and beauty! Actually, it's quite humbling to stand before another Michelangelo masterpiece and be moved so spiritually, so intellectually, so artistically. I have waited 18 years since college days of attending art history courses and writing my final paper on this magnificent piece of sculpture, to see David and now, we were just moments away. My heart was pounding! After our morning walk and introduction tour in Florence, we were on our way to the Accademia Gallery to finally see the David. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by yet, another long queue of tourists that stretched beyond the eye could see. However, as I mentioned in the Uffizi posting, we were on a ... read more

The Art of the Renaissance is everywhere in Florence and lies awaiting discovery and scrutiny by all whose curiosity is piqued by the masters' creative genius. Guided by skillful hands, these gifted artists created masterpieces on canvas, in marble, in writing and in the design of some of the most inspiring architecture in the world. Monuments and buildings designed by Michelangelo - the Florentine and Brunelleschi, a "Diving Comedy" by Dante, the master strokes of Botticelli and let's not forget the Medici, the leading family driving the Renaissance and their generous and outpouring support of the arts. Imagine all of this right here in Florence! What else does Florence have to offer? Well for starters, there's the Duomo in the city center - Santa Maria del Fiori with its largest brick and mortar dome ever build ... read more

According to folklore, back before the Germans converted to Christianity, they celebrated Yule, a pagan religious festival, surrounding the winter solstice, that ran from late December to early January. At the time, it was believed that the god Odin the wanderer, or Wodan, would host his annual Yule hunting party with fellow gods and travel the skies at night with his horse, Sleipnir. Children in the villages below, would fill up their boots with straw, carrots or sugar and place them near the chimney so that Sleipnir could come down to eat during his midnight rides. Odin would then reward these kind children by replacing the food with gifts and candy treats. Sounds very similar to Sinterklaas, don't you think. The striking difference between these two legends is in their physical appearance. Odin, like Sinterklaas, was ... read more

Last week, one of my very good friends in London shared with me the legend of Sinterklaas or Saint Nicholas and how her family celebrates the tradition in the Netherlands. I found the whole story fascinating because although very similar to our Santa Claus, Sinterklaas has his own story based in fact as well as legend. Come and discover with me the traditions, the stories and the truths of Sinterklaas, the patron saint of children. Every year on the eve of 5 December or the morn of 6 December, the Dutch and Flemish celebrate Saint Nicholas who is celebrated less for his role as bishop and more for his generosity and benevolence. He is thought of as a kind of Godfather whose good will is remembered and celebrated with traditions of gift giving and feasts and ... read more