TravelswithCharie

Palace of Culture We had a brief stopover in Iași (pronounced ee yash) on our way to Moldova and I was pleasantly surprised by everything that I saw. This second largest Romanian city was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia from 1564 to 1859 and of Moldavia and Wallachia from 1859-1862 and of Romania from 1916-1918. There are five public universities in Iași where bright young minds are educated to eventually lead the government and industries of the country. Iași has many nicknames: the Cultural Capital,  the Historical Capital, the Moldavian capital, the City of Great Minds, the City of Three Unions. Boulevard Stefan cel Mari și Sfânt This pedestrian only boulevard is lined with outdoor cafés and restaurants. We sat down to lunch at one of these charming eateries before continuing our exploration of the city. Church of the Three Hierarchs This is one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever visited. The façade is stunning with its stone lacery. I can’t imagine how long it mus

Openwork basket, Surigao, 10th-13th century What a wonderful surprise this exhibition is! These gold objects, about a thousand of them, add a rich layer to Philippine history. This collection which was found in various sites in the Philippines, date back to the 10th-13th centuries. It demonstrates the well developed culture of pre colonial Philippines which the Spaniard, Antonio Pigafetta, recorded in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed in the islands. A thriving interchange between the Philippines and its Asian neighbors existed prior to the arrival of Magellan as attested by some of these gold accouterments which show for example, images from Hindu mythology. The motifs and curvilinear ornamentation of the openwork basket (shown above) intimate Chinese designs found in their ceramics and textiles.  Torso ornament, 10th-13th century Weighing four kilos of gold, this sash is worn across the chest similar to the  upavita (sacred thread)  style in Hindu culture. This sash weighs 3.8 kilo

Amazing is an overused word but this church, Nossa Senhora do Brasil, is amazing. I didn’t know much about it except for the mention of its beautiful tiles on a blogpost that I read. Yes the tiles are indeed stunning but the ceiling is what really captivated me.  Upon entering the main door of the Church, this ceiling is what greets you. It is a replica of the iconic Creation of Adam by Michelangelo which can be found in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Antonio Paim Vieira, a painter and ceramicist, was in charge of the interior decoration of the Church. He painted the starry sky above the Madonna and Child on the ceiling of the main altar surrounded by Brazilians from various parts of the country dressed in their native costumes. (See below) This gilded and carved wooden altar is from the Church of Sant’Anna de Mogi das Cruzes (an hour northeast of São Paulo).  The statue of the Virgin and Child on the altar has  a fascinating story surrounding its origin. A wooden statue was carved