The European Capital of Art Nouveau: Brussels, Belgium

 

Art Nouveau

This artistic movement, characterizing the aesthetic research and renewal of architecture and decoration in the west at the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. The stylistic revolution represented by these works is characterized by their open plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building - or later the rectangular lines of Art Deco.

Brussels is - beside Riga, Latvia, Vienna, Austria, and Glasgow, Scotland - a city with a huge amount of Art Nouveau buildings and interiors. If you are - like me - a fan of this end of 19th century’s architectural style, there are so many architectural gems and Art Nouveau artifacts to discover in Brussels.  Starting from the Fin-de-Siecle Museum, thousands of house facades throughout the city to open-house visits from Victor Horta, Couchie, to Art Deco Architect Josef Hoffmann buildings. 

Art Nouveau was most widely used in interior design, graphic arts, furniture, glass art, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and metalwork.  What are the Art Nouveau characteristics?

• Asymmetrical shapes
• Extensive use of arches and curved forms.
• Curved glass and curving, plant-like embellishments
• Mosaics and stained glass
• And Japanese motifs

Even the Musical Instruments Museum or the Belgian Comic Strip Center are presented in Art Nouveau buildings.  And then there are self-guided walks in several parts of the city.  The tourist information at the city hall and on the Royal Place sell useful maps describing walking tours, details about the buildings, and lots of images - available in English, French, Netherlands, German, and Spanish.  Despite significant public demand, few art nouveau venues are open to the public year-round in Brussels. 

Five House Museums

Maison Autrique, one of Victor Horta's earliest creations, was purchased by the municipality of Schaerbeek. restored and opened to the public in 2004, it presents decorations restored in the spirit of the period thanks to marvelous wallpapers in an original scenography based on the theme of the Belle Époque. it welcomes 7 to 10,000 visitors per year in various exhibitions and activities.

Charlier Museum: It is housed in a neo-classical mansion that shows the art collection of the patron Henri van Cutsem, which was transferred to the municipality of Sint-Joost-ten-Noode by his legatee, the sculptor Guillaume Charlier. between 1890 and 1893, victor Horta built two extensions to the rear of building 6.

Cauchie House was the personal home of the architect Paul Cauchie. Saved from destruction, it was restored and opened to the public in 1994, thanks to the persistence and boundless investment of its owners, Guy and Léo Decissy and their children.

Horta Museum, one of the most wonderful examples of Art Nouveau, opened for visitors from noon on, is situated on 25 Rue Americaine. It shows the architect's personal home as well as his work studio - a gem of art nouveau architecture. It is a self-guided tour, though there is a set route and the museum staff will ensure you follow it correctly. No photographs may be taken…

Solvay House: Between 1894 and 1898, this most prestigious of Art Nouveau mansions was built to the designs of Victor Horta for Armand Solvay, son of the famous industrial magnate.

Horta was given an unlimited budget, and created an interior full of visual fireworks, using noble and precious materials. The range of red and orange hues reinforces the luxurious and comfortable atmosphere. The building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Originally, these houses, which have become museums, were obviously not designed for mass visits. They must be protected, in particular by limiting access... So, it is necessary to sign up only well ahead before your visit!

TIP: Get an Art Nouveau Pass online and also get a map of Art Nouveau Walks

It offers you the possibility to do five Art Nouveau walks in Brussels on your own!  You will find information on emblematic buildings, on known or less known architects and on the various materials of Art Nouveau construction!

This was just a tiny excerpt from an upcoming book of Brussels gems. Stay tuned!

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Au Revoir Air Canada

 

OPEN LETTER to Michael Rousseau Air Canada CEO

Bonjour M. Rousseau,

I am a former commercial pilot, now turned travel writer, and also have been flying on hundreds of airliners for more than 50 years and I am now in my seventies. I can't imagine that you train your pursers to behave to your passengers this way, touching them inappropriately during a flight. At least I have never watched or experienced this by a female purser. 

Flight AC832 19:30 (YUL) to Brussels, arriving at 08:10 Tuesday 20 Jul 2021 - Seat 29D (28C on my boarding pass).

During this night flight, a male purser touched me inappropriately on my butt, in a humiliating, sexist, and chauvinistic way to tell me to buckle up. He could not know if or not I was buckled up as I had a blanket over me. I was sleeping after a very long day (about 19 hrs on my feet) and was glad to have a 3-seat row to stretch out. At around 11 pm (EST) I awoke when I felt hands on my body. 

Both his colleague and the customer service purser (head purser?) declined to tell me his name, but it was the older one of the two male pursers on this flight.

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However, this was not the first incident of this kind, I experienced the same on an Air Canada flight (which was on October 13, 2020). So, to me, it seems like it is either the same person or this behavior is "company policy". 

If a male passenger would do this to an Air Canada female purser, he would be arrested and charged, or the flight would be diverted and the person kicked out of the plane.

Why does the inappropriate behavior of your pursers have not consequences?  Why do female passengers have to endure this...?  His male colleague whom I asked for the name found it quite ok... And why is it that you know the names of your passengers, but the passengers may not know the names of your employees?

Why I won't fly in the future with Air Canada anymore? 

This was not a single incident, last month I wrote already to you when one of your call center's employee screamed and yelled at me on the phone. You never bothered to answer... And this after I waited for two hours until "Amalia" or "Amelie" answered my call. She also made an error in my booking that caused a disruption/confusion on my flight on July 19th from Montreal to Brussels. Only because I had my laptop with me and could prove that I had a flight confirmation and even an email that same day to check-in online, plus my Visa card receipt, could I catch that flight at the last moment. Sure enough, your Air Canada ground staff blamed me for the error until she saw the proof! And then she didn't even apologize!

Another female purser humiliated me on a March 18th, 2020, flight home from Frankfurt to Montreal. I had booked this flight long before the Covid lockdown. By chance, it was the second-last flight before Canada closed air traffic due to Covid, and it was fully packed. I sat on an aisle seat and a mask-less passenger across me was coughing the whole time. I got up and asked a purser if they can't do anything, like handing a mask to her as at my age I do not want to be infected with Covid.  The purser looked at me in a derogatory and arrogant way and said: "That's your own risk, why do you fly at all?" It sounded to me  "Why do you fly at all with Air Canada?"  Shortly after that, the passenger had suddenly a mask over her face. It was given to her by the same crew...  So, I am wondering why do you not train your staff how to behave towards customers. 

Instead of slighting me, the purser could have said: "I understand your concern, let's see if we have a spare mask for this passenger" or something like that. Why are Air Canada employees so mean, impolite, and vulgar toward  their passengers???

Money and Time Lost

Due to untrained/less knowledgeable Air Canada employees, I lost a lot of money and time. For example:  Last September a flight from Halifax, NS, to Frankfurt, Germany (with a stop in Montreal) in the evening was canceled and bounced to an early morning flight, taking off at 6 am in Halifax. At that time I was living 200 km from Halifax (in Antigonish) and no bus or train, or even a friend/relative would have been able to drive me at 2 am to Halifax to check in at 4 am. 

I called as I had booked for an evening flight and Air Canada had canceled it (NOT me!) - to offer to board in Montreal as I was there two days earlier. This way, Air Canada could have sold the morning flight to someone else and I could have boarded in Montreal. I talked with three different agents, and they all declined and said that I need to get a new ticket for a flight Montreal-Frankfurt and charged me an additional $160. Only later in Frankfurt, I learned at a German Air Canada service counter that it was not true and the evening flight cancelation was done by Air Canada and I should be reimbursed. 

On another transatlantic flight, arriving late morning in Montreal in March 2020, I was booked on a connecting flight to Halifax at 5 pm! I hang around at the airport and found out that there was a flight three hours earlier to Halifax, which was not even half booked. But it was too late! When I boarded and placed my small handbag into the overhead bin of this Montreal-Halifax flight, my fingers almost stuck: The handle was so filthy, it felt like it had not been cleaned for months. And this in times of Covid! It was just disgusting...

I Have Had Enough!

These are only a few examples of how I have been treated as a customer by Air Canada. My decision to avoid your airline in the future might not come as a surprise...  During the last two years, I had only one single positive experience when I met a very nice person from your company on the phone. The rest was only frustration, anger, and lost time/money. 

Please retire this chauvinistic purser from flight AC832 and spend some (or better a lot of ) money on customer service and training - instead of fat bonuses to CEOs.  After all, we are the customers who pay for this all - and want to be treated with respect and politeness.  I will warn everyone and tell my experiences with your companies' employees.  Word of mouth - or word of the mouse - is often mightier! 

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Visiting Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN

 

Finally, I made it to Tennessee on a long drive from Canada to the Panhandle of Florida. It was not easy to navigate to the small hamlet of Lynchburg, TN, and to find parking in their very dusty, unpaved parking lot. I couldn’t believe that about 275,000 people per year would tour the Jack Daniel's distillery. Where on earth are they all parking? 

I walked over with my dog Bentley to purchase my ticket.  Two employees stopped me.  I told them that this is a service dog and pointed to his badge.  No, they said, the dog is perfectly fine, but no one can enter carrying a handbag. I looked puzzled.  “But I need my small purse to have money and credit card handy!”  Their answer: “Please leave it in your trunk, and take only the money with you.”  Grumbling I walked back to my car and hid my handbag under the seat.  

I purchased a ticket for a tour including tasting.  Why I took this whiskey distillery tour?  And not only this one, but distilleries during my trip, everywhere I find one?  My mother owned a brandy distillery when I was a kid back in Europe.  So my interest is home-grown.  I am still mad at her that she let her license expire without telling me.  I would have loved to operate it in the third generation. 

The guided tour group strolled through the old brick buildings with the huge distillery equipment.  Bentley was a good boy and climbed the steep stairs to the upper part of the fabrication rooms.  I learned that the distillery also produces its own barrels — which are only used once and then sold. 

They also make their own charcoal in an old building nestled in a tree-shaded hollow.  Later, when we entered the tasting room, I “parked” Bentley in a corner from where he could see me.  We tasted four different whiskey types. Two whiskeys were too sweet for my liking, one was too harsh, the one that tasted best was the one that is longest produced at Jack Daniels.

Jack Daniels History

In the 1850s, when Daniel was an orphaned boy, he went to work for a preacher, grocer, and distiller named Dan Call.  That’s where he learned distilling from Mr. Call and distiller Nathan “Nearest” Green, a slave who continued to work for Call after emancipation.  He learned to make whiskey using the “sour mash” method and how to filter whiskey through charcoal, which was common at the time.  Other distillers would abandon the process for time and financial reasons, but it became a staple of Daniel’s final product. 

Daniel used his inheritance from his father’s estate to found a legally registered distilling business in 1875.  He purchased the hollow and land in 1884 where the Jack Daniel’s Distillery is still located today. Known as “Stillhouse Hollow” or “Jack Daniel’s Hollow”, the property includes a cave at the base of a limestone cliff. 

The funny thing was: Moore County, the home of the Jack Daniel Distillery, is still a ‘dry’ county to this day.  None of Jack Daniel’s whiskey may be sold or publicly drunken in Moore County.  State law provided one exception, however.  A distillery may sell one commemorative product from its gift shop. And this gift shop was stocked with Whiskey bottles from floor to ceiling.  People bought like crazy to bring home the famous product.  Me too : )

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Photo Impressions of South Tyrol - Alto Adige

 

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South Tyrol is the alpine pocket in the most northern part of is the country’s most wonderful best-kept secret.  Alpine traditions and the Mediterranean collide with influences from Italy, Austria, and Germany to create a wonderfully welcoming and enchanting destination for travelers.

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Visitors will find everything: from emerald alpine lakes, ski slopes, and quaint medieval towns to the Dolomite mountains, wineries, orchards, and fine restaurants.

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Traveling in the Dolomites however really does not really feel like traveling in Italy, more like Austria. The South Tirol identity: to live in Italy, but feel Austrian.  And the best: Most people speak the two languages, plus some English.

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The summer season technically really kicks from mid-to-late June, ramping up to its busiest month in August (the holy month of holidays for the Italians and French).  May and September offer a cooler 24° average temperature, which is perfect for hikes.  After all, it's a wine-growing area with a mild climate well into late October, early November.

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World-class hiking

Highlights of South Tyrol:

Lago di Braies & Lago di Carezza

Dramatic peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Exquisite wineries of Strada del Vino

Picturesque cities of Bolzano and Merano

Unique museums in Kronplatz, Bolzano, Merano or Bruneck

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Due to the various disputes over the region between Italy and Austria, and its position as a place of cultural and commercial exchange between distinct languages and cultures, both Italian and German are widely spoken in the Dolomites.

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Want to taste some of the best local wines? Check out what’s considered to be one of Italy’s top wine routes, the "Sudtirol Weinstrasse" (or “Wine Road”). 

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South Tyrol (Alto Adige) is divided into eight different districts. Bolzano (in German, “Bozen”) is the capital and largest town.  Fine food, such as "Speak", "Knoedel", and fine spirits can be found all over the place.  And certainly the many ice cream stores "gelaterias"...

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One could spend a year here doing various hiking trails, visiting each and every peak several times from different perspectives, staying at hidden refugios, cycling mountain passes, rock climbing, and still, there would be much left on your to-do list.

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Open in the summer season, some are very bare-bones rustic and basic whilst others are a little more like a basic hotel but, aside from a warm bed and good food for the night, they are usually situated in a beautiful setting too. 

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For photographers, early starts are absolutely essential for the best light, the best positions, and the best experiences.

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South Tyrol, Italy, is a haven for outdoor-lovers.

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The Dolomites and South Tyrol are a real bargain in comparison to the mountains of Switzerland.

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Backdropped by the Dolomites and Italian Alps, Italy’s South Tyrol—also known as Alto Adige—is a must-visit for travelers who love the outdoors.  In winter, South Tyrol is ideal for skiing and snowboarding.  In the summer, it’s perfect for those who love hiking and biking.

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Photo Impressions of the Charming Village of Schmilka

Last February, I discovered Schmilka, a charming village 30km east of Dresden in the National Park "Saechsische Schweiz". A whole village is organic! In the middle of Germany's wild east, right next to the Saxon Switzerland National Park, is Schmilka, a district of Bad Schandau. 

From the other bank, the historic ferry "Lena" from 1927 crosses over. Schmilka can be reached by S-Bahn or train via Bad Schandau and then by a short bus trip - or via:

S-Bahn S1 von Dresden bis Schmilka Hirschmühle brings passengers at least once per hour to Schmilka Schmilka-Hirschmühle is a railway station on the Děčín–Dresden-Neustadt railway for the village of Schmilka, Saxony, Germany. The station is located across the Elbe river and can be reached from Schmilka by ferry.  The town may also be accessed on the regional bus services run by the OVPS. OVPS also operates the Kirnitzschtal tramway, a historic tram service that runs from the town center to the "Lichtenhain Waterfall". 

The Elbe Cycleway runs along the banks of the Elbe.

Once a mining and lumber town, and border village to the Czech Republic, looking pretty run-down during the Eastern Block, it became one of the prettiest places in the National Park thanks to a forward-looking investor who bought several heritage buildings and renovated those to their new glory.

The Schmilkaer Brauhaus has a restaurant, serving local cuisine.

Bio- und Nationalpark Refugium Schmilka
Boasting a spa & wellness center, a garden as well as a terrace, Bio- und Nationalpark Refugium Schmilka is set directly in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. 

Small half-timbered houses with quaint guesthouses crowd up the hill to the historic mill from 1665, where flour is still ground and traditional crafts are cultivated in the neighboring organic bakery and beer brewing manufactory.

Fine hotels and stylish vacation apartments are located in and around Schmilka.

It is not surprising that this place was awarded the title "Most beautiful village in Saxony".

The Winter Village Schmilka was also awarded as "Lighthouse of the Tourism Industry"
for its creative and sustainable concept.

For vacations in the middle of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, Schmilka is perfectly placed: directly on the Malerweg (Artists Path) and as an ideal starting point for hiking and climbing in the region. 

Mystical, quaint and cozy in winter, so colorful, fresh, and full of life in summer -
you simply have to experience this gem between village culture and nature.

Cycling and dozens of hiking paths can be enjoyed around Schmilka,
and a bicycle rental service is available.

The Ilmenbach stream drives the Schmilka Mill "Schmilksche Mühle" only a few meters
below the spring. Built in 1665, it is one of the first buildings in Schmilka.
The mill was closed in the 19th century. In 2007, however, the mill was restored
to a functional state again and visitors can purchase fresh-milled flour.  
Or get delicious fresh-baked goods just a few meters away

Schmilka is built among the huge rocks of the Saechsische Schweiz in a narrow valley.

Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are certainly available. I asked the server to show me the vegetable quiche, and she presented this huge plate...

Comfortable chilling in this quiet spot after a long walk.

Schmilka on the Elbe river - as if fallen out of time... 

If possible, travel to the Saechsische Schweiz and Schmilka in late fall, winter or spring.

Read more (English and German):

https://www.instagram.com/biorefugiumschmilka/

https://www.inspirock.com/germany/bad-schandau/muehle-schmilka-a7264468525

https://www.organictraveller.de/organictraveller-schmilka

https://www.winter-sterne.de

https://www.schmilka.de/schmilka-historie

http://www.saechsische-schweiz.info/

http://hikersbay.com/europe/germany/hotel/de/winterdorf-schmilka.html?lang=en

https://www.cafe-richter-schmilka.de/cafe-richter

https://www.schmilka.de/home

https://www.airbnb.ca/s/Bad-Schandau--Germany/things-to-do/food-restaurants

https://meurers.net/2017/02/06/wintervillage-the-ecovillage-schmilka-during-the-cold-season/

https://www.happybiketours.com/data/tours/f6ac1c8b138f0fe277eae5d1952048b7.pdf

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Zakopane, Tatra, and its Beautiful Wooden Buildings

 Zakopane was on my bucket list for about 30 years, from the day on when I read about the wonderful wooden buildings for the first time.  And I finally made it to this attractive place!

Tatra Mountain Tops

Zakopane is a resort town in southern Poland, at the base of the Tatras Mountains - part of the Carpathian Alpes.  It’s a popular departure point for winter sports and summertime mountain climbing and hiking.  I drove with my rental car from northern Slovakia towards the Tatra Mountains - late in the afternoon and this was my first view, a bit obscured by clouds.

Most Polish travel itineraries start in Warsaw and end in Krakow. However, venturing two hours further south brings you to one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe – Zakopane, which borders the Tatra National Park.  I had booked a place in one of the traditional built Bed&Breakfast places where even the interior was completely made of wood.  The only pieces made of plastic in this house were the shower curtain and the coffee maker.

Zakopane Style (or Witkiewicz Style) is an art style, most visible in architecture, but also found in furniture and related objects, inspired by the regional art of Poland's highland region known as Podhale. 

Drawing on the motifs and traditions in the buildings of the Carpathian Mountains, this synthesis was created by Stanisław Witkiewicz.  He designed a number of original buildings in Zakopane, including the "Dom pod Jedlami" in the Koziniec district, the chapel in the Jaszczurowka district, Villa "Oksza" on Zamojski Street, the building of the Tatra Museum, the chapel of St. John the Baptist in the parish "Church of the Holy Family" on Krupówki Street, and the "Korniłowicz Family Chapel" in the Bystre district.  Learn more about this in Zakopane's "Tatra Museum" of the history, culture, nature, and ethnography of the Polish Tatras.

Best place for Brunch in town...

As the Podhale region developed into a tourist area in the mid-19th century, the population of Zakopane began to rise.  The new buildings to house these new well-to-do inhabitants were built in the style of Swiss and later Austro-Hungarian chalets.

Many new pensions, villas, and highlander homes are built according to the architectural model devised by Witkiewicz to the present day - at least the front part of the buildings...

See more of Zakopane in this video (text in German):  "Sagenhaft - Die Hohe Tatra - in Polen und der Slowakei" http://bit.ly/36xCIbb

Hiking in the High Tatra Mountains:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_AhZ6yy_OA

Discover Zakopane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkD8BcOQcR4

Zakopane is nestled right next to the Tatra National Park and trails are abundant.  Most trails are day-long hikes. Try a full day hike up to a peak, then a return to town to relax with a mulled wine in hand.  Hot Mulled wine, or "grzaniec galicyjski", is prevalent throughout the mountains. When the temperatures drop, it’s perfect to warm you on those cool fall evenings. 

Try the Smoked Cheese
"Oscypek" is a delicious smoked sheep’s milk cheese. It is a local staple and you will find stands selling the stuff all over the town of Zakopane and various mountain lodges throughout the region.

See One of the World’s Most Beautiful Lakes
Lake Morskie Oko, or the ‘Eye of the Sea’, is the largest in the Tatras at 862 meters in length, and it will require a bus ride to the base of the trail. From there, it’s about a two-hour walk through the area’s impressive permaculture.

Hiking
Follow the trails up the mountain and you'll pass through wildflowers and lush green mountains.  After a while, you will come across the Murowaniec Tourist Shelter where you can get refreshments and delicious food and sweets.  The "emerald lake" (Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy) is only another 30 minutes from the shelter.  The round-trip hike to the lake and back to Kuźnice (south of Zakopane) is about 12.5 km and will take 4-5 hours.

Soak at the Thermal Spas
Especially popular in the wintertime, the hot pools at Terma Bukowina are a nice place to rest after a day on the slopes!

Enjoy your trip to Zakopane - and take at least a week to explore the town and the mountains around!

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