The Gift of Land and Sea

Mont Saint Michel- FRANCE



Well now I am planning to travel to the very well known and much written destination Mont Saint Michel in France. One of my favorite destinations. With so much history written on this beautiful place which has chapels to ramparts to churches it is indeed a breathtaking place. The history goes back to 16th October 708 A.D. It stands gloriously in the middle of the ocean known to be the gift of land and sea. The Mont has served not only as a religious place, that served as a retreat to pilgrims and devotees, but also served as an very important role in many wars fought that dates back to William the Conqueror. Mont Saint Michel stood as a symbol of resistance during the One Hundred Years’ war. The guardrooms, the ramparts and the English bombards are evidence to the role the Mont played during the wars though out its history.
On entering the main street it leads to the Abbey on top of the rock. There are two main stairways. The great outer staircase, that leads from the village to the monastery, and the inner staircase which leads from the guardroom to a terrace known as Gautier’s Leap. Then there is the lace stairway that leads to the top of the chevet, from which there is a panoramic view of the entire bay. The Mont has gone through many architectural reforms like Romanesque to flamboyant Gothic. The Romanesque Church which was completed in 1084 said to have taken almost hundred years to construct. Then the crypt of Our Lady of Thirty Candles was built. Pillars and arches were introduced that gave birth to galleries and windows to give natural light. The entrance to the Romanesque abbey was on the northwest side of the island which as completed early years of the 12th century. The Mont’s height of fame was during the Abbacy of Robert de Thorigny 1154 to 1186. It was politically, materially, and intellectually thriving during his period. However, the end of this era also brought the end of the age of Romanesque architecture and the reign of the Dukes as Normandy was conquered by the French king Phillip Augustus.
Unlike the English Dukes, with the kings of France having very less to do with the election of Abbots or the life in the Mont, Abbots started to build more elaborate and flamboyant buildings towards the end of the 12th century. Three stories of chambers in the western and eastern sides with more space and light now known as the Marvel was built during the first forty years of the 13th century. Great change in architecture was taking place all over Europe and the Mont also did its part to the architectural style Gothic. It is a masterpiece with beautiful decorative features specially seen in the cloisters in the upper storey which were used by the monks for their recreation. Upper storey also has the refractory and the knights’ chamber where monks worked and studied and the scriptorium where the copyist and illuminators workshop are in the second level. Also on the second level is the guests’ room. This has elegant ribbed vaulting and columns that brings in the light to show of the beauty of the stylized foliage. This turns out to be one of the most elegant gothic piece of work done during the Middle Ages. The undercroft where the food was received and the almonry where the poorest pilgrims where accommodated are on the lowest level.
A walk down the rampart and the town is a must. The small village had inns, taverns where pilgrims could stay. There are yet some of the houses that exist from those days and some restored. With so much history to offer a visit to Mont St. Michel is something you will not regret!!

A small note to the readers- Please write a few words about a place you really enjoyed visiting with a picture if you wish. It will give an opportunity for other readers to know about a glorious place that they never imagined. It does not matter whether it is small country side place or a place in a busy city. All that matters is how passionate you are about the place. Please invite other friends to contribute to the site too. Thanks you hope you enjoy reading about different destinations.

The Lonely Rock

Sigiriya - SRI LANKA

This magnificent rock once a fortress and then a monastery is surrounded by a moat and beautiful water gardens with pathways and with a lot of history dating back to AD 477 – 495, is something worthwhile spending time to see. It is been canvassed to get the status of the 8th wonders of the world. You enter through the water gardens with fountain that work to date during rainy season has a complex underground water system that provide water to the royal pools. The 22 beautiful frescos of the damsels on the wall which are half way up the rock are a few left from the 500 frescos that was believed to have been painted are said to be the same style as the Ajantha caves in India. The mirror wall with graffiti mostly inscribed between the 7th and 11th Century AD. It is so beautiful and could be seen from the bottom of the rock. Further up, you land at the lions paw which is a part of a once a gigantic brick lion with the entrance through his mouth to the summit of the rock. The ruins of the foundation above show what beautiful buildings it would have once had. The pond scooped out of solid rock is overwhelming and the throne made of a solid rock faces the rising sun. The view from top of the rock is breathtaking. There are visitors from all over the world flock to this as it truly a place to visit.



Near Sigiriya are other places of interest that are worthwhile visiting. A beautiful temple with Buddha statues built inside a caves built in 1st century BC is known as the Dambulla cave temple is a not only historical it is also very pictures. A total of 153 Buddha statues and 3 statues of kings and 4 statues of gods are spread over 5 caves. The walls and the ceilings of the caves are covered with murals depicting Buddhist stories. The monastery is still functional and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka.

How to choose a destination

What makes it a top destination?

The Top 10 destinations can vary from person to person depending on an individual’s choice and interests. The popularity of a place could be gauged in many ways. For example it may be because of the number of people that visit a place each year or because it is very ancient ruin in the books of history or it is very scenic, or religious, or simply because it is one of the wanders of a world. Whatever it may be our idea of a vacation is to enjoy and to broaden our knowledge of the world that is rich with different cultures. My perfect vacation destination might not be the ideal destination to another. It is all very perspective, therefore it is important to choose your place of visit with a proper sense of what you intend to see or do and not because someone else said it was a perfect holiday destination. You can always keep your mind open for opinions and experiences of others. However, keep your options open. In this site I would be writing regarding different places of interest that could have anything great from scenic, religious, adventurous, festive to relaxing. I would be introducing places that are not only known to many but also about places that are hardly heard of. I invite any comments and suggestion of any place that you like to share with readers as long as you limit your comments and suggestions to around 15 words. You also can include a photo if you like.

Choosing a destination

Whenever you decide to take that long needed vacation you should do a little research of your own about the place so one knows what to expect when you arrive at your destination. Sometimes, very hard surprises await you if you are not prepared. It basically can ruin a holiday. Therefore, little bit of research can go a long way. The first important factor to consider is what type of vacation are you looking forward to? Relaxing by a beach, relaxing in a cabin, sporty, Outdoor, family oriented, or some adventures wildlife? For example if you want to do a lot of outdoor activity while you are holidaying you may need to pick a place where there are facilities for outdoor fun. For example if you intend to do mountain climbing check whether there is a place to hire equipment or whether you should bring your own. If you plan to go hiking or camping whether proper facilities are available and whether it is a suitable place to do these activities. Most of the time outdoor activities are seasonal because of weather patterns. Weather patterns can vary from country to country. Ex. Winter in Australia is during mid year or the when the rainy season is in tropical islands, the country’s political situation etc. Therefore, choosing the proper destination is the most important.

Cost

The second point to consider is the cost involved. This is very vital. The air fares, accommodation, dining, sightseeing, all involves money. As most holiday destinations could be very pricy. You should be able to get price ideas from various websites. You do not want to go to a place and find you are short of cash to enjoy the vacation you dreamt about. Therefore, budgeting and planning your trip is very essential. Every country has its own currency. Check whether US Dollars or your country’s currencies are accepted. Check also on the exchange rate and the commission on traveler’s checks. Though you think you have enough in your currencies when it is exchanged to the local rate of the country you will be surprised how little or how much more you will get to your hand to spend. If a cost is a one of the major factors sometimes during off season things are cheaper. This is if you yet don’t mind going during off season you might be able to get good deals. But what you have to keep in mind is some places are closed during off season.

Language

Language is also very important. The country you are visiting will have a language that they speak which you would not understand a word. Don’t assume that everyone speaks English, French, and German etc. Most people only know their mother tongue, especially in the rural areas. If it is a country that does not speak the language that you speak and it is your first visit and you don’t know anything about how to get about it is best you join a local tour with a guide that can speak English or a language that you understand. Sometimes it helps to speak to someone that has already been to the particular place you are planning to visit to get a few tips so that getting around would be easy.

Accommodation and Transportation

Is there public transportation? Do not take it for granted that there are cheap ways to get around. If not do you need to hire a vehicle and the rates. What type of vehicle will be sufficient? With accommodation there are different options to consider. If you find prices of hotels to be too expensive you can look into small guesthouses or even renting a room from a house in the area. Most of the tourist places will have room rentals available on short term basis for the season. Sometimes religious organizations like YMCA have hostels where you can book in advance.

Distance

Distance is another factor to consider as some would not like to travel for days. In this case you may break journey. This may give you to relax and enjoy your trip better. Specially, if you are planning to travel with kids. Kids tend to get crabby and restless during flights. Some times over exhaustion in travelling will have you sick during your holiday. You will end up wasting time looking for medical care and medicine. This will end up making you frustrated, bored or sometimes even hate the place.

Other things to consider

Travel insurance- In some countries medical is very expensive and not nationalized therefore having travel insurance is sensible. Check with your travel agent for good insurance deals. Most of the time travel insurance cover from medical to lost baggage.

Visas- Sometimes to enter a country you need to obtain visas in advance. Your travel agent or airline will know whether you require a visa before hand or it is on arrival. Don’t get disappointed at the airport if you don’t have proper travel visas to enter a country. You also can get information from the Embassy or the Consulate of the country you’re planning to travel and the procedure to apply for visas.

Travel light- It is always best to travel light. You can shop more!!! Also most airlines have a standard size for suitcases. If you are overweight you might be asked to pay for excess baggage.

This world has unlimited choices of places that you can visit. But you may not be able to visit everywhere but what you choose could be a vacation pleasurable and memorable. With all in mind, now you can book your ticket to a nice place and just enjoy your vacation!!

In my next article I thought of going to a place in a small tropical exotic country on my first visit.