Linda’s Top 5 Places to Visit #MFRWAuthors Blog Challenge #travel

mfrw blog challenge badge

This week’s prompt for the #MFRWAuthors Blog Challenge is Top 5 Places I’d Like to Visit. I seem to talk about travel a lot these days. So here’s my list:

1. The British Isles, ever and always on the top of my list. Yes, I’ve been there before, but I only saw a little bit of what is to offer on those little islands. I’d like to spend more time in the Scottish Highlands, see more of Ireland, the northern part of England, and I’d like to visit Wales, the only place I haven’t been to at all. I have roots in the British Isles and I feel sort of home there. Well, not at Urquart Castle, which is a picturesque ruin.

Urquart Castle, Loch Ness

Urquart Castle, Loch Ness

2. Germany, where the rest of my roots are. On my trip last fall, I got to see a bit of the Bavarian countryside as we drove from Prague to Regensburg to board out river boat. The next morning we had a short walking tour of this charming little city. The picture below doesn’t do it justice. I’d like to see a lot more of Germany, with at least a day cruise on the Rhine. Gotta see that Lorelei Rock before I push off into the great unknown.

Regensburg

Regensburg on the Danube with old stone bridge, Oct. 2016

3. Croatia. I’ve been dying to see Dubrovnik ever since I heard of it, and the Plitvice Lakes National Park looks absolutely stunning. I’d also like to continue to Slovenia to see Lake Bled and the capital city, Ljubljana.

Plitvice

Breathtaking sunset view in the Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)–© mpaniti

4. New Zealand. I went to Australia in my twenties, but missed New Zealand, which must have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. I’m thinking cruise.

Mt. Cook, New Zealand

Amazing Pukaki lake and Mt. Cook, New Zealand–© OlyPhotoStories

5. Iceland. I think it would be fascinating to visit such a remote, unique place. Maybe in the fall (if I think I can stand the temperature) because I’m dying to see the Aurora Borealis, and it will never be visible in Southern California. My friend Rebecca wants to go to Finland and spend a night in a glass igloo, and maybe we’ll get there some day.

 Kirkjufell Mountain

The landscape Kirkjufell Mountain on west of Iceland–© shirophoto

And of course there are loads of places in the US and Canada I’d like to see, for instance Glacier National Park. But I’m dreaming big today.

What five places would you like to visit?

Linda

Click on the linky list below for more #MFRWAuthors blog challenge posts.

Prague’s Awesome Alchemy Museum #TuesdayTravels

Tuesday Travels

Of all the fabulous sites Rebecca and I saw on our trip, I have to say that Prague’s awesome Alchemy Museum, aka Speculum Alchemie, was one of the highlights. I’d found out about it online and decided we HAD to see it.

Alchemy Museume entrance

Entrance to the Alchemy Museum, Prague, photo by Linda McLaughlin, Sept. 2016

What happened is that Prague had some very bad floods in recent decades and in one flood, some of the streets collapsed, revealing parts of the old Medieval/Renaissance city. The building at number 1 Haštalská Street somehow survived the 19th century destruction of the Jewish ghetto, and the floods revealed the 16th century alchemist’s lab and other underground rooms and passages. The decision was made to open and underground area it as a museum. I’m so glad they did.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Alchemical Elixir

Alchemy Museum Elixir, Prague, photo by Rebecca Anderson, Sept. 2016

We entered the shop with it’s fascinating displays, including two products they sell based on original recipes found in a very old book closed inside a metal box. It’s a miracle that it survived. I thought about buying some Elixir of Eternal Youth, but I was afraid the bottle wouldn’t make it home in one piece. The other choices are Elixir of Love, Elixir of Memory and drinkable gold.

We paid our entrance fees and were led through the door to the inner sanctum by Victor, a young man doing his very first tour in English. After the manager unlocked the door, we entered the alchemist’s study which included tall bookcases, artwork with an alchemical theme, and two replica gowns based on actual 16th gowns worn by one of the mistresses of Emperor Rudolf II who was particularly supportive of all things occult, including alchemy. We also viewed an old grimoire of alchemist remedies.

I was a little surprised to learn that many alchemists set up shop in the Jewish ghetto, but Victor explained that they had two good reasons for doing so: 1) they studied the Kabbalah, and 2) in this area they were away from the prying eyes of the Catholic clergy who did not approve. In excavating they found a tunnel that went toward Prague Castle.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

To our delight, the bookcase was moved aside to reveal a door to the laboratory underground. (I’d always wanted to see one of those moving bookcases we see in movies in person. Very cool.) We followed Victor down the stone steps and through dark and suitably spooky passages that defied my iPad’s photographic ability. Luckily, Rebecca had her camera with her and got some amazing photos. My thanks to her for sharing them with us. Obviously I do not recommend this tour to anyone who is claustrophic.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There were several rooms underground, including the lab with it’s brick kiln and still, plus what appeared to be a storage room. Don’t ask me what that white stuff is hanging from the ceiling.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Alchemists were forerunners of modern chemists, and when I think about the smells emanating from my high school chemistry lab, I can’t imagine working in a lab like this one with candlelight and little ventilation. It had to be hot and smelly, and a man had to be dedicated to his craft. You can view more pictures at the museum’s photo gallery.

On leaving the museum we headed back to Hotel Rott for lunch and a chance to rest in the room for a bit. Our feet and knees were pretty sore after our walk and underground tour. Later in the afternoon, we walked to the nearby Choco Museum where we looked at the displays, and then went wild in the chocolate store. We went back to the room with delicious chocolate marzipan and chocolate covered Brazil nuts. I’m an admitted chocoholic, with a preference for dark chocolate.

Linda

Save

Save