jawilso&#39;s Guestbook

I have mailed home some souviners and I am keeping some with me. I will probably be home in November sometime, but nothing is definate yet. There was some wifi in Egypt at the resort, but it was a satelite connection like we have in Waltham, so not very impressive. I hope you are enjoying my blog. -Jennifer

From Blog: Egypt: a whirlwind adventure

4th October 2009

Denise
non-member comment

beautiful photos
Jen, It is hard to believe you are still gone on this trip! When do you return? I applaud you for trying so many new foods - I am reluctant to eat anything I havent tasted before. Are you lugging all your souvieners with, or do you ship them home? Any wi-fi in Egypt? Denise

From Blog: Egypt: a whirlwind adventure

23rd September 2009

next entry
why did they pull the beard off the sphinx? to prove it was fake? so he wouldn't have to shave anymore? hmmmm

From Blog: Istanbul: A city at the center of the world

23rd September 2009

sphinx...
the sphinx isn't doing a very good job. is that why they had to hire guards? what would you do with the other 999 camels? i like the jewelry shop best. whos the golden girl with the bunny ears? are you halfway thru your list yet?

From Blog: Egypt and the story of 1000 camels

22nd September 2009

jenny's dad
non-member comment

nice camel
I don't think that we have room for the camel, so don't go sending it home. By the way, is it as hot as it looks?

From Blog: Egypt and the story of 1000 camels

18th September 2009

Thanks for the message! Greece was beautiful, though i think Rome was my favorite city so far. There was so much to do and see there.

From Blog: Istanbul: A city at the center of the world

18th September 2009

Do you think everyone is interested in cat pictures? Cause i have a dozen at least. But lets face it turkish cats look just like American cats. Except they purr in Turkish.

From Blog: Istanbul: A city at the center of the world

18th September 2009

Becky Donnelly
non-member comment

AWESOME!
Jenny, Thanks again for sharing this wonderful trip with us. I think so far Greece is the most beautiful, I would love to go there. Looking forward to your next blog. Have fun and be safe.

From Blog: Istanbul: A city at the center of the world

18th September 2009

Tom
non-member comment

I see no pictures of cats

From Blog: Istanbul: A city at the center of the world

11th September 2009

Aunt Nancy
non-member comment

hi
Jenny, I hope you have enjoyed your trip to Europe. On to Istanbul. Your pictures of Greece are beautiful!! take care

From Blog: Paradise and the Traveler's network

3rd September 2009

What Lord Elgin took was what was left over AFTER the Christians destroyed most of the sculptures. They destroyed the sculptures around the 600s and Lord Elgin didn't take the rest of them until the 1800s.

From Blog: Athens and the Parthenon

3rd September 2009

but if...
but if Lord what's his name hadn't taken the artifacts, wouldn't they have also been destroyed by the Christians during the revolt before it became a church? so in a way he helped preserve them.

From Blog: Athens and the Parthenon

30th August 2009

venice
do people actually use the steps to walk down into the canals? it didn't look like anyone was swimming or anything in any canal pics. or are they just to get into the gondolas? do they say why only men can be gondoliers? do people really 'live and work ' in venice? or is it mainly just a tourist island...? I think you should take your parents there sometime...

From Blog: Venice

28th August 2009

jenny's dad
non-member comment

prada aliens
I think you are on to something, the fashion industry is operated by aliens from another planet. This explains everything!

From Blog: The Deserted Streets of Milan

27th August 2009

for sure! That is definitely on my list of things to do.

From Blog: Neuschawnstein: putting Versailles to shame

27th August 2009

istanbul to come
Marlene wants to know if you are goin to go see the Hagia Sophia Church when you get to Istanbul? she said please send post card. ha

From Blog: Neuschawnstein: putting Versailles to shame

20th August 2009

can u...?
can u learn to make gelato while yer over there so you can make us some when u get home? or you can take me over there for some...mmmm very entertaining. enjoyed the comments on david n the lady stomping on the man.

18th August 2009

naked statues
It is amazing although there was the infamous fig leaf campaign that insisted on covering all the naked statues with fig leaves. In the Vatican museum a lot of the statues still have them. The sistine chapel ceiling was painted over by another artist in order to clothe the figures. When they cleaned the painting several years ago the removed most of the clothes so it could go back to its original state, but they did leave some of them on. I saw a picture of David from 1990 and he was wearing the ridiculous fig leaf. Censorship is an insult to art. If an artist intended for a sculpture to be naked then it was for a reason. If someone doesn't like or understand that, fine. But they shouldn't get to decide what is appropriate for other people to see or appreciate. I admit that the idea of David fighting Goliath without any clothes on is kind of silly, but that's what Michelangelo sculpted so that's what I want to see.

18th August 2009

Denise
non-member comment

naked statues in America
Jen, I'm amazed at the number of nude sculptures in the public areas and no conservative groups complaining of indecency or pornography. Another reason to love Italy! Denise

18th August 2009

Aunt Nancy
non-member comment

hi
Jenny, Sounds like you are really enjoying Florence. good for you. Stay safe.

17th August 2009

Bob Carlsen
non-member comment

Creative Inspiration
I agree with much of what you have said about the environment for artistic inspiration. However, recently before going to China I read two books by Gavin Menzies titled "1421" and "1434." The first presented compeling evidence of Chinese fleets discovering most of the world in 1421. The second presented equallly compeling evidence of a final journey of one fleet to Venice, and then overland to Florence where the Chinese admiral presented 11000 documents containing 4000 years of Chinese knowledge. The author's premise is that this infusion of knowledge started the Renaissance...that Leonardo was just copying Chinese inventions. So maybe Michelangelo's god was Chinese! So much of our history is Eurocentric (and as a female you might add male centric), so it's interesting to get a different spin. You don't have to believe it, but it's a very interesting read...when you are bored on long flights or train rides. My son flies to Rome next Tuesday for his last two years of university...I envy him!