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Taking Notice of Airport Art

The Canyon, Gordon Huether, 2020 Are you one of those travelers who rush through airports, train and metro stations to your designated gate/quay as soon as you clear Customs and TSA? If so you may have missed some interesting and intriguing artworks which are now mainstays in many terminals around the world. The Louvre-Rivoli metro stop in Paris displays replicas of sculptures from its museum collection like the Venus de Milo. And I recently found out that there is an archaeological museum at Istanbul Atatürk International Airport. So if you have some time to spare, check out the beautiful works of art at your next airport, train/metro stop. The Canyon installations span 362 feet and are made of 500 individual tensile membrane fins with an aluminum frame wrapped in fabric material. Huether was inspired by the canyons of Utah and how light transformed the rock formations. He brought his impressions to the new terminal at Salt Lake City International Airport complete with an immersive li
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Casapueblo and Carlos Páez Vilaró

Casapueblo, Punta Ballena Just a few minutes from the popular beach destination of Punta del Este is Casapueblo which sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If you’re staying at the hotel, then you’re in for a big treat. Imagine the view of the blue ocean made more dazzling by the sun. But that’s not all. There’s also an art gallery and museum next door which displays the artistic works of Carlos Páez Vilaró who also designed Casapueblo, his permanent home and studio. Casapueblo reminds one of the Greek isles at first glimpse. But it isn’t that simple. Look closely and you’ll find the influence of Gaudi in the architecture which Vilaró himself built with no plans. There are no straight lines. The interior has many passages and narrow stairs leading to enchanting rooms, everyone of which is different from the other. Notice the curving lines and the rooftops with its pointed concrete posts. Vilaró likened his house to a hornero’s (ovenbird) nest. He slowly expanded th

Peleș Castle

Peleș Castle Surrounded by the Bucegi Mountains, Sinaia is a popular skiing resort town. Its appeal doesn’t stop there. Visitors come year-round to see Peleș Castle and to enjoy the fresh mountain air and forested landscape. Peleș Castle was the summer home of the first King of Romania, Carol I. It is built in the German Neo-Renaissance style. Note the half-timbered walls that define the architecture.  The Castle is about 86 miles north of the capital, Bucharest, and a fast one hour and a half to two-hour train ride. Photos may be taken inside the Castle but may not be published in social media like Facebook and YouTube.  You can check their website regarding the use of photos taken inside the Castle and admission fees here: en.peles.ro Pelișor Castle A few meters from Peleș Castle is the smaller Pelișor Castle which was built between 1899-1902 for the heirs to the throne, King Ferdinand I and his wife Princess Marie.  Beautiful, lush scenery encircle property grounds. Forest bathing i

A Mosque Designed by Women

Grand Çamlica Mosque, Istanbul Çamlica Mosque stands on Çamlica Hill in Üsküdar, a district on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is the biggest mosque in Turkey with a capacity of 60,000+ worshippers and may accommodate up to a 100,000 people as an emergency shelter in case of an earthquake. The mosque was designed by two female architects, Bahar Mizrak and Hayriye Göl Totu, who won the design competition for the mosque. Çamlica Mosque was inaugurated in 2019. The Mosque has six minarets (representing the 6 articles of Islamic faith), one of only three mosques in Turkey with this number of minarets. The women architects wanted a “female friendly” mosque hence they included a separate place for women for the ablution or cleansing ritual before prayer and a child care facility and playground so the children could be cared for while the adults are praying. Among other things in the Mosque are a library, an art gallery and studio, a conference hall, the Museum of Islamic Civilizations and a p

Favorite Experiences in Rio de Janeiro

Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) I must confess that I went to Brazil with a lot of trepidation. After years of hearing horror stories from tourists who were robbed in Rio, I didn’t believe I could be safe there especially since I travel solo. But I decided to give Brazil a chance after reading and watching videos about the country and figured there must be a way to travel safely. I’m so glad I did because the monument of Christ the Redeemer has been on my bucket list for decades and I finally got to see it. Here are some details about the statue of Christ the Redeemer. The statue which is cast from reinforced concrete and soapstone took nine years to complete. It was designed by Brazilian engineer, Heitor da Silva Costa in collaboration with Albert Caquot, an artist. The French sculptor, Paul Landowski, created the art deco statue which stands at 98 feet above a pedestal of 26 feet. The Romanian sculptor, Georghe Leonida, was tasked to create the head of Christ. The monument was