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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
Showing posts with label UNESCO World Heritage Site. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNESCO World Heritage Site. Show all posts

Friday, September 16, 2022

Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa and Parliament Buildings

 On Tuesday, August 18, we got up in time.
Packing up and breakfast at our Novotel in Montréal Center.
Just as I walked with two glasses of grapefruit juice to our table, a kid bumped into me...
Now I had a wet right bosom.
The mother kind of stupidly asked if I wanted water. 
I said rather angry; NO—making it even wetter?!
With a paper napkin in–between to suck up the juice, I drove to Ottawa.
Back then we used the old State Farm map as there was no GPS yet...
It were 160 km on a rather flat area with lots of corn.
We arrived at Rue Rideau 1, where our Fairmont Château Laurier is.
Right on the Rideau Canal, another WORLD Heritage Site.
Lots of road work and also in front of our hotel...
From our room 403, we video taped the Rideau Canal and its sluices with the Ottowa River visible as well.
Then we walk around and taped the Parliament Buildings that were right next door of our hotel, visible to the left in above image.
West Block was adjacent to our Fairmont Château Laurier as part of The Canadian Parliament Buildings – Ottawa, Canada ←click link

Related links:

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Cathedral–Basilica of Notre Dame de Québec from 1647

 We continue with our highlights from trip to Québec, Canada...
On August 14, 1998
This time we stepped inside Québec City's Cathedral–Basilica of Notre Dame from 1647.
Pope Pius IX elevated its rank in 1874 to minor basilica, being it the oldest Church in Canada.
The Cathedral–Basilica is a National Historic Site of Canada and also located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Historic District of Old Québec.
We were in awe when viewing this breathtaking neo-Baroque interior with lots of shimmering gold leaf on the many gilded objects...
It kind of shows us humans a glimpse of heaven!
WHY is it that always the BEST artists have lend their talents for creating something to honor God?!
It has been restored and rebuild numerous times...

Next on our video is The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Anglican).
That is the oldest Anglican Church and the first Anglican Cathedral built outside the British Isles.
Nestled in the heart of Old Québec and as you see, not far from our hotel Château Frontenac.
We so much enjoyed walking through this historic city!
Finally on our video, I approach the oldest school for girls in North America ←click link
L'ÉCOLE DES URSULINES DE QUÉBEC was founded in 1639!
Still it remains a school for girls but the Ursuline Monastery no longer is active.
True treasures for North America and we felt fortunate for having walked there and seen it...
Both of us also did visit the Ursuline Convent in New Orleans, Louisiana; the oldest institution for learning for women in the present USA: We DID go back to New Orleans! ←click link.

Have any of you been to those three special and very historic places in Québec City, Québec Canada?

Guess our personal love for places like Québec, Montréal, Ottawa and Saint Augustine in the USA is because of the earliest history one can find there—just like age–old Europe, where we both came from.
AND not the least, the language as so much is similar because the Dutch have been under French rule...

Related links:

Sunday, June 12, 2022

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac — Québec City, Canada

 Both of us traveled with Continental Airlines, on free tickets for miles, to Newark, New Jersey and on to Montréal in the province of Québec, Canada.
That was August 13, 1998 and we always wanted to see the mighty St. Lawrence River and Québec City in Vieux Ville as well as Haute Ville...
So there we went in our bright blue Pontiac rental car from Herz!
Our home for 3 nights high above the St. Lawrence River
Québec City, a UNESCO World Heritage treasure.
Approaching our home and we will reside in room 5178
In reality it all is far more beautiful than on the brochures...
Le Château is over a century old.
We enjoyed a rather salty soup, served by a waiter in 17th century livery costume. 
Soup together with a mixed salad.
We slept well!
On Friday, August 14, we both went on foot after a very good breakfast buffet; including fresh red currants (my favorite!)
Screenshot from video where I indulge in the red currants...
We soon walk La Rue du Trésor, where artists have displayed their paintings.
We both fall for a copper etching with very fine and detailed colored Château Frontenac. 
It just looked lovely and we bought it from the son of artist Pascal Gravel d'Autane (24.04.1943) for Canadian $ 304.00 including tax.
Later we had it framed in my Dutch home town by expert Irok gallery, in museum quality frame with matting.
Artist Pascal Gravel d'Autane
Opposite the Château Frontenac...
Then we walked down to the famous Rue Champlain, the oldest shopping alley of North America!
Both of us felt like being back in France, in the Old World...
Found some treasures in a store with handmade paper poetry albums from cotton.
After a coffee on a terrace and a chat with a nun from Antwerp, Belgium we walk via Boulevard Petite Champlain to Rue St. Paul.
All tips from Victoria Magazine....
A nice street, full of antiques where we find a silver berry spoon for sister Diny (who collected them!) after having enjoyed an ice cream on yet another terrace.
It was such a bright sunny day!
Lots of people from Maine, in old costumes for the battle re-enactment tomorrow...
Since 1675...
Oldest restaurant in North America!
Postcard from Le Château Frontenac in winter time...

Stay tuned for more from this trip!

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Historic Town of Guanajuato, Mexico and Adjacent Mines

One more historic Mexican gem...
Pieter and I, with Jorge to the right, stand here overlooking the historic 16th century town of Guanajuato a UNESCO World Heritage Site and founded by the Spanish in the 16th century.
To the left of the railing you still can see the baroque style Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato... (Collegiate Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, Mexico).
We had arrived here on Saturday evening, coming by car from Guadalajara and were staying at Hotel Hacienda Misión.
After checking in, we went downstairs to listen to this group playing and then walked into the historic center of Guanajuato.
Late dinner outside on a patio together with Jorge and Agustín, just a light meal of cheese and later some ham with melon and a glass of wine.
By midnight we were in our room...
Jorge did come from this branch!
Yes, we have driven past these huge BLUE AGAVE fields and it IS since 2006 on the World Heritage list of UNESCO!
Did you know it takes 10 years for growing the agave 'pineapple' for fermenting and distilling it?
Click on these links and then on link behind saved from.
At least both of us had no idea it took THAT long and that they have been doing this for 2,000 years...
On Sunday, we first explore the beautiful gardens of Hacienda Misión with e.g. Jardín de las Pergolas
My favorite Jacaranda tree was blooming...
Pieter and I below the Jacaranda blossoms...
Everywhere in Mexico you find those bearing walls due to the earthquake danger.
Long stone stairs and lovely vines on both sides...
Ancient walls... This very old Hacienda Misión also had once a silver mine on its premises.
We toured the Hacienda inside and also its chapel and here is an outdoor statue.
By car we went from our Hacienda Hotel to the El Pípila statue on top of the mountain!
Then we walked around in the old center of Guanajuato...
Looking down onto the historic district of Guanajuato with to the right the steeples of the Basílica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, Mexico.
Agustín, Pieter and Jorge overlooking the historic district.
Well, they actually turned towards El Pípila for the photo...
El Pipila Statue Guanajuato click to read more
~
It was Palm Sunday, so went to Mass at 13:00 o'clock and we later entered another large Church for listening to the organ, at the end of their Mass.
Again we have witnessed a touching thing going on last night when we walked there. The cast iron gates around the Churches were closed but outside, rolled inside blankets and like sardines next to each other, were the vendors of the woven Palm Sunday crosses.
In order to obtain a good spot for offering them to the Church going crowd for sale on Palm Sunday, they slept there during the night. Just imagine — on the pavement!
~
We walked and visited the home of Diego Rivera (museum) painter and muralist 1886-1957.
On a patio we enjoyed a very spicy meal and we walked some more. 
Next we visited an old silver mine from 1650 with a shaft of 525 meters deep (1,722 feet). Still in production!
That's where I got gifted a piece of dark grey silver oxide with yellow pyrite in it.
Shown here is the front.
This is the back side and it measures about 1.5 inch wide or 3.8 cm.
Also bought silver earrings with malachite at the mine. 
Malachite is opaque emerald green copper ore.
Those silver malachite earrings were very tricky to photograph.
Top is done outside, in the palm of my hand and then on my leather diaries inside.
Also an elephant in white stone with Cubic Zirconia eyes...
Yes, they also did mine gemstones!
The silver oxide and this white stone elephant, reside in my authentic antique letterpress drawer, in our bedroom.
Scroll down here for seeing it: {My OPA - GRANDDADDY}

Related link:
Historic Town of Guanojuato and its Mines  🇲🇽Mexico | Informative video about Guanajuato as the most beautiful examples of baroque architecture in Central and South America 30:37 min
{Our Irish Blarney Castle Sweaters + Short Hair} | previous post where I show the silver malachite earrings

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Mexico's Mariachi music, string, song and trumpet and I got serenaded...

 We both have been so fortunate for having met the pure Mexican culture in many ways.
Here I'm standing next to a group of Mariachis that came to play and sing at a stylish Mass, celebrating the 49th anniversary of El Encinal, Monteblanco's oldest mushroom farm.
Mariachis are without hats; out of respect!
To the left is the manager from El Encinal and Don Victor who started Monteblanco 49 years ago is seated next to me and on the right of me is his son.
The kind Mariachi lends Pieter his violin...
The priest is getting ready for saying Mass
It was a very special Mass and afterward lunch for all employees.
During Mass, which got celebrated with lots of fresh flowers!
Mariachis still playing while employees are seated at table now.
Second from left is me standing near the door...
No paper napkins and such, but instead an Eco friendly table setting!
That was a meaningful event and most of the employees are grateful for their job!
UNESCO has added Mexico's Mariachi music to its list of 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'.
Glad they did!
On our fourth trip for consulting in Mexico, we got another very special royal treatment...
On Saturday, December 2 of 1995, we got picked up at the Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City, by Agustín and Carmen. They took us to the Historic District of Mexico City (UNESCO World Heritage Site) where we had lunch on a terrace with a margarita, under a parasol in the sun. It is such a beautiful city with many parks, trees and green planting; paradise. 
After lunch we did walk around for some shopping together, for us CD's from the three tenors and organ music from Bach which we could not find at Schiphol/Amsterdam airport.
After a rest period back in our hotel, Agustín and Carmen picked us up again at 21:00 to go to Plaza Girabaldi where, according to the old Spanish tradition, the Mariachis still serenade. The idea is that you will listen in the square and pick out a group for taking to your home for serenading your wife/girlfriend/lover... 
What a display! 
It's like being in a live operette with such beautiful costumes!!!
Beautiful trousers with those gold decorations along the side of their legs. The length is also perfect; nice and long down to their booties. Very slim cut and higher waist, as in the movies used to be. Also with hats on, and they use violins, bass guitars, trumpet and a unique instrument the Vihuela (a 15th-century fretted plucked Spanish string instrument).
Agustín bought a group, for three songs; dedicated to Carmen and me.
That was very special!
Of course, the audience could also enjoy it. 

WISH we'd had our iPhones back then...!

Related link:

Friday, June 25, 2021

Trip to Zitácuaro in Michoacán, México for Viewing Monarch Butterflies

Another highlight of our very first consulting period:
 It was quite a treat when Agustín and Carmen took us after our patio breakfast, to this Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Zitácuaro in the state of Michoacán.
It was a good two hour drive and quite a climb into the mountains.
The trail we followed was also steep at certain segments.
Taking a 'good' photo was nearly impossible as those butterflies don't sit still...
There are state rangers watching, it is prohibited to smoke and you are not allowed to be noisy!
Incredible to see those Monarch butterflies EVERYWHERE!
Millions of them make the migration every year from Canada and the USA for the winter.
The Monarch butterflies seek refuge in the protective Abies religiosa, Oyamel fir trees,  known as Oyamel in Spanish.
Pieter, Carmen and me in front of the trees with yellow flowers on which the Monarchs feast and they drink water.
Carmen and me with a butterfly on the flap of my cap.
Carmen trying hard to stand still, not using her camera and one is right on top of her hat!
Pieter has one on his cap...
Millions of Monarch butterflies...
Pieter standing quiet (which is very hard for him to do!) and he is surrounded by lots of them.
Just walking quietly everywhere...
It sure was a once in a lifetime adventure!
Patrimonia de la Humanidad = World Heritage Site and since 2008 also added as UNESCO World Heritage Site


Both of us feel privileged for having them as our own garden critters: Monarch Butterfly on Citrus Flower ←click for my short video


Related link:
Relaxing Weekend at Valle de Bravo, Mexico | we arrived at the sanctuary from Valle de Bravo
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve | UNESCO World Heritage Center
{Monarch Butterfly - Danaus Plexippus} | previous post by me about Monarch Butterfly in our garden
{Fall is the Spring of Winter} | previous post where I also show a Monarch in our garden

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