TravelswithCharie

St. Elizabeth Church or Blue Church The Blue Church was built between 1909-1913 in the Hungarian-Secessionist art nouveau style. It is a Roman Catholic church consecrated to St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The steeple is 36.8 meters (120.8 ft.) high and capped with an Apostolic cross (double cross). The roof is made of blue cover plates. Blue Church Note the mosaic medallion with St. Elizabeth over  the main door. Above that is the cup and host, a symbol of Eucharistic sacrifice. The Church is located   on Bezručova Street, a short walk from the city center. Interior of Blue Church Hlavné Námestie (Main Square) with Old Town Hall and Roland Fountain The Old Town Hall is now home to the Bratislava City Museum with an exhibit of torture devices, among others. The Roland fountain was initiated in 1572 to supply water to the public with the support of Maximilian II of Hungary. The statue on top of the column is of the knight, Roland, the protector of Bratislava, but may also be a representation

Masaryk Square and the Plague Column with the Virgin Mary Ostrava was founded in 1267 on the banks of the Ostrá (Ostravice) river. The town prospered from mining its rich black coal deposits. That was halted in 1994 due to environmental degradation. Ostrava today is one of the major European hubs in the automobile industry.  Ostrava is the second largest city in Czechia in area and the third largest in terms of population. The city’s logo   Ostrava !!!   embodies its dynamics. The three question marks allude to its vitality, energy and confidence. The Ostrava blue is taken from traditional armorial emblems. Church of St. Wenceslas  St. Wenceslas is the oldest monument in Ostrava. The first church was built on this site in the 13th century. The church has been restored a few times over the centuries.  Notice the Baroque onion dome which is a later addition.  Cathedral of the Divine Saviour When the Church of St. Wenceslas could no longer accommodate the increasing number of parishioners

Cavtat and Luka Bay Many moons ago, I was lucky to have spent a week in Dubrovnik in the off season.  It was enchanting and tranquil then. I had a room at the Hilton Imperial with a view of St. Lawrence Fortress (Lovrijenac). The fortress glowed at night and it was magical! But Dubrovnik has changed quite a bit in the intervening years. Current hotel rates there are beyond my budget and the city is crowded with visitors who want to see one of the locations of Game of Thrones. So this time around, I chose to stay in Cavtat (pronounced tsav-tat). It is a small, relaxed village on the Rat peninsula just thirty minutes south of Dubrovnik. It turned out to be a great choice! Franciscan Monastery and Church of Our Lady of the Snow with  Supetar Island in the distance Račić Family mausoleum (on the hilltop) and marina Vlaho Bukovac Vlaho Bukovac (Biagio Faggioni) is one of the foremost Croatian painters and is considered an early exponent of modern Croatian art. He was born in Cavtat where he

  Maison des Ponts Couverts If you’re looking for Instagrammable locations in France, look no further. From the half-timbered houses in La Petite France to cobble stone streets around Cathedral Square to the bridges over the meandering river, you’d be hard pressed to find a better subject than Strasbourg. It is  one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Every year around Valentine’s Day,  Strasbourg mon amour  celebrates of romance. Concerts, cultural events and food festivals are scheduled for the pleasure of all lovers. Strasbourg is also the seat of the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It is the “chief” city in the Alsace region. The best time to visit is in springtime when flowers are in bloom and the days are sunny but not too warm. La Petite France Notice how the beams are arranged in these half timbered houses. The dark yellow house in the foreground has a V design on the upper floor and a diagonal design on the lower floor with