Stirring Up Cape Town's City BowlWritten by Gregory Hudson
For discerning traveller to Cape who would like to explore Cape Town's City Bowl, here are a few suggestions. Remember, Cape Town bears two distinct faces, a mask worn by day and a mask worn by night. Whichever one you choose, this article will provide you with a few hints on how, when and where to explore city bowl, whether by day or by night. The City Bowl by Day: Pan African Market Now that subject of masks has been broached, discerning traveller to Cape may want to experience full range of African facades. If this is case, you need go no further than Pan African Market. Located in a national monument on historic Long Street, one could easily walk to this destination and most rented taxis know exactly where Long Street is situated. Drop by market on any day of week and they should be open, although there are certain occasions when they may be closed due to certain religious observances. Well worth a visit, it literally looks as though contents of this shop sprang straight out of pages of “King Solomons Mines”. Although motifs behind masks and other goodies have often been lost in time, just looking at them should provide you with enough of an explanation! Green Market Square A large cobbled area known as Greenmarket Square can be found in centre of city bowl. It is a busy place, a place to barter and haggle, providing a pleasant, corner café atmosphere good for just sitting peacefully and watching goings on. There is perhaps no other place where paths cross as they do at this hub of city life. A traveller to Cape is able to gain an insight into African culture with only an hour's observation, as Greenmarket Square provides a varied cultural sampling of cities folk. The Cape Town Gardens This historic parkland in heart of Cape Town is simply about birds, tea, roses, Koi Fish and history, hopefully mixed with a bit of sunshine. The best place to start your leisurely walkabout would be just outside Slave Lodge on Corner of Adderley and Wale Streets. To avoid disappointing areas inhabitants, bring peanuts. Oh, and lookout for Albino Squirrel. The Bokaap The architecturally and socially unique Bokaap, otherwise known as Malay Quarter, rests on slopes of Signal Hill. This quiet niche on fringe of City Bowl is a newly proclaimed national monument. With its quaint, cobbled streets and renovated slave quarters it, till this day, houses original descendants for whom quarters were built. If you have never heard of a “Roti” ask for one at a Bokaap café, they are delicious.
| | Beautiful BARCELONA - Easy Travel GuideWritten by Travel Make.com
Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a Spain's province), is situated on on shore of Mediterranean sea and bordered at either end by 2 river deltas. Barcelona is second largest city in Spain after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona has a population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. The varied, eventful history of city dates back 4,000 years to first settlements by ancient farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, Visigoth's capital city, then it came under Moorish rule. It went through sieges, destructions and occupations, finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. The city has always played an important role in political and cultural life of Spain and it is well reflected in variety and quality of historical buildings, museums, many other tourist attractions. Today Barcelona is one of most diverse european cities with unique culture and rich traditions. You can find here a formidable balance of traditional things and avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, Barcelona affords visitors a warm and sincere welcome, being aknowledged worldwide as one of best tourist-friendly cities in Europe.Barcelona's organisation of 1992 Olympics provided regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a fresh start to its infrastructure development. WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE: POINTS OF INTEREST - La Rambla is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewellery. Pavement cafes and stands selling craftwork, street performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a noisy bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, Gran Teatre del Liceu, famous 19th-century opera house- these are all colourful parts of La Rambla's mosaic. La Rambla ends at lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to Columbus) and harbour. Barri Gotic - also known as Gothic Quarter, it is old part of city. Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miro was born and lived here during his youth. Gothic Quarter is situated on right hand side of La Rambla, it contains a concentration of medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th century) on narrow cobbled streets and now is home to much of city's nightlife. La Sagrada Familia - La Sagrada Familia is one of most famous and magnificent among Barcelona's landmarks. The life's work of Barcelona's famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, magnificent spires of unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against sky with swelling outlines inspired by holy mountain Montserrat. Above each facade there are four towers, 12 in total, which are dedicated to Apostles. The tower in center, tallest of all at 170 m., is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Around these there are towers of four Evangelists, and tower over apse is dedicated to Virgin. They are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to breathe life into stone. Gaudi died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed, and since then, controversy has continually dogged building program. Nevertheless, southwestern (Passion) facade, is almost done, and nave, begun in 1978, is progressing. La Pedrera - Casa Mila (Mila House) is an apartment building, last example of Gaudi's civil architecture.It is one of his finest and most ambitious creations, extraordinarily innovative in its functional, constructive, and ornamental aspects. Visitors can tour building and go up to roof, where they can see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor below roof is a modest museum dedicated to Gaudi's work. Montjuic - largest open space in city, its main attractions are Olympic installations, Spanish Village and hilltop fortress. Montjuic, hill overlooking city centre from southwest, is home to some fine art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks and main group of 1992 Olympic sites. Montjuic is covered in ornamental gardens with water features and is most popular destination in Barcelona on Sundays. Tibidabo - is highest hill in wooded range that forms backdrop to Barcelona. It has amazing views of whole of Barcelona, a stunning cathedral, and a family fun park Parc d'Atraccions with old-style rides offering breathtaking views. A glass lift at park goes 115m (383 ft) up to a visitors' observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower. Modernisme - spectacular modernista architectural creations dotted around city by famous Antoni Gaudi and his contemporaries. Camp Nou - home of F.C. Barcelona, one of Europe's leading soccer teams, with capacity of almost 100,000 spectators. The Seu Cathedral - Built in medieval times on site of a Roman temple, La Seu is one of great Gothic buildings in Spain. Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona's favourite park and a Sunday afternoon rendezvous for families, friends and ducks The Sardana - traditional Catalan dance, performed outside cathedral and at national festivals, with everyone encouraged to join in.MUSEUMS - The Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. Housed in a gothic palace, its collection is one of finest of its kind and gives visitors an insight into rich world of earliest cultures on American continent. This tiny museum contains one hundred pieces, including wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, jade, often found in international exhibitions and prestige publications. The exhibits represented Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica and Inca civilisations. Palau de la Musica Catalana - one of world's most extraordinary music halls, it is a Barcelona landmark. From its polychrome ceramic ticket windows on Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt side to its overhead busts of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner, Palau is flagship of Barcelona's Moderniste architecture. Museu Picasso - is Barcelona's most visited museum. 3,500 exhibits make up permanent collection. Picasso spent several years (1901-06) in Barcelona, and this collection, is particularly strong on his early work. Displays include childhood sketches, pictures from beautiful Rose and Blue periods, and famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velazquez's Las Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting). Gaudi Casa-Museu - Gaudi lived in this pink, Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to 1926, which now houses a museum of Gaudi-designed furniture, decorations, drawings, and portraits and busts of architect. Fundacio Miro - it was a gift from famous artist Joan Miro to his native city. The museum opened in 1975, and now it is one of Barcelona's most exciting showcases of contemporary art.
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