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

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

Golden Room The old international airport of Costa Rica is now the new home of the Museum of Costa Rican Art. The Golden Room used to be the diplomatic lounge. Murals of the history of Costa Rica from pre-Columbian period to the 1940s adorn the walls. Luis Féron Parizot, a French artist, carved the bas reliefs in stucco and painted them in bronze. A section of the murals in the Golden Room shows Christopher Columbus among the indigenous  people of Costa Rica. Que Clavo! Luis Tenorio Rosales, 2010, acrylic on canvas One of the most evocative works of art at the museum is this painting of the crucifixion.  Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica This elegant theater in the Neo-Classical style was built courtesy of the tax levied on coffee. Thanks to the farmers who toiled in the fields this venue for the performance arts was completed in 1897.  The Flutist, Jorge Jimenez de Heredia In front of the National Theater is this beautiful marble statue of a flutist which was originally created for the Ba