Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quirky Hotel Locations, Odd Pin Ups and Helpful Travel Gear

My blog has moved to www.satisfyingmycuriosity.com.  If you've enjoyed this blog, please check my new site out for other interesting comments on culture, book reviews, and music.


When I traveled to Istanbul in 1996, I had heard that a new Four Seasons Hotel had recently opened...at the site of an old prison.  The hotel is built on the site of the Sultanahmet Jail.  The jail, built in 1918/1919, had great historical significance to Istanbul history.  Therefore, when the site was picked for the hotel, all efforts were made to incorporate the prison history into the hotel.  The best part about the hotel though is its location.  It is minutes from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. But the downside is all of the tourists swarming around.   Read more...

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Crypts, Mummies and Bones...Sightseeing the Italian Way

My blog has moved to www.satisfyingmycuriosity.com.  If you've enjoyed this blog, please check my new site out for other interesting comments on culture, book reviews, and music.


I don't know why certain cultures or religions love their bones but the Italians sure do.  I remember my first trip to Rome in 1978, I think it was, and part of our tour was a visit to a Capuchin Crypt located under the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini.  It is located on the Via Veneto (very fashionable) and right down the street from the US Embassy.  The Capuchins are an order of friars in the Catholic church.  They are an off shoot of the Franciscans.  Anyway, this crypt contains the skeletal remains of over 4000 friars.       Read More...