Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Windows

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Mama Cormier

….. thanks to Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

Windows at the V&A, Liberty London, Harod’s, Westminster Cathedral and Buckingham Palace

How to Stay Cool in Italy

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Mama Cormier

….when people tell you it’s hot in Italy in the summer….believe them

We knew going to Italy in July that it would be very warm. Everyone who had been there before us warned us over and over again. One thing that we made sure of was to book accommodations that had air conditioning. Here is my list of how to stay cool in Italy in July.

Stay only in air-conditioned hotel rooms or homes with air-conditioning.
Drink lots of water.
Walk in shady areas and underneath porticos if you can find them. They were everywhere in Bologna.
When eating outside make sure you’re under an umbrella and preferably next to water.
Spend time in the mountains (the Dolomites) or high up in the hills of Assisi.

6. Always wear a hat.7. Cool off in the sink, shower or pool.

8. Sit or stand by a fountain.

9. Spend time in an air-conditioned museum or find an old dark cathedral to sit in.

10. Enjoy a gelato.

11. Cover yourself in yogurt.

11. Find a shady park and sit or lie down for a spell.

12. Enjoy an icy glass of Aperol spritz or Prosecco.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Enjoy!

Churches, Statues and More Churches and Statues

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….there certainly is no scarcity of either structure in Ireland

Ireland offers a myriad of church buildings and statues honouring city founders and heroes. One evening and then again the next day, while waiting for a bus I walked up and down the boulevard on O’Connell Street and took photos of the statues that one sees when coming into the city centre.

The churches in Ireland are old and predominately Catholic but one of the most famous churches in downtown Dublin is Anglican; St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick Cathedral stands adjacent to the famous well where tradition has it Saint Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin.

The parish church of Saint Patrick on this site was granted collegiate status in 1191, and raised to cathedral status in 1224. The present building dates from 1220. The Cathedral is today the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland (a church of the Anglican communion) and also serves as a popular tourist attraction in Ireland.

I don’t have any photos of the interior. This was the second church today that charged to walk through the doors. The cost to see both churches would have been 18 Euro for each of us or about $25.00. I understand needing the money for renovations but we found the prices were prohibitive, especially when there were three of us. I would have been happy to make a donation but that wasn’t an option. If you check out the website above you can see some interior shots and get some more history about this magnificent building.

The first church we stopped at was the Christ Church Cathedral. It is the oldest medieval church in Dublin and was founded in 1028 by the Norse King, Sitriuc Silkenbeard and associated with many important figures in Irish History, including the infamous Strongbow (Richard de Clare) and Dublin’s own Patron Saint, Laurence O’Toole.