Legends - Traveling Thru History

The Taj Mahal

Erin — Mon, 27 May 2019 04:35:28 +0000

The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous monuments of history and is considered a Wonder of the World. Come learn the history of what makes this mausoleum so special. #TBIN

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Top Historic Sites in Europe, Part 3

Erin — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 14:00:32 +0000

Welcome to Part 3 of my Top Historic Sites in Europe series! I’m glad you came back to check out some more fantastic sites. So far we’ve done the top historic sites from 20 countries in Parts 1 and 2 and today you’ll get to see 10 more in Part 3! I have really loved learning more about these countries along with the significance of some of their historic sites and I’m so excited to share this with you. With a recorded history going back over 37,000 years, there are just way too many fascinating places to see them all. That’s why I’ve partnered with other travel bloggers to find out which sites are of the most historic and significant importance for each of these countries. I hope you’ll enjoy what we’ve put together today. Belgium – Bruges Market Square and Belfry Bruges (or Brugge) is deservedly one of the most popular cities to visit in Belgium. The city experienced its golden age during the late medieval period, between the 12th and 15th centuries, during which time Bruges was one of the busiest ports in the world. However, when the river channel leading into Bruges began to fill with silt, the city gradually lost its importance, along with much of its population. Soon, all that was left of the city that was once Belgium’s crown jewel were its beautiful medieval buildings. It was these historic buildings that first attracted tourists in the late 19th century, and brought new life back to the city. At the heart of Bruges lie multiple squares, home to the most important buildings of the city, with the largest square being the Markt, or Market Square. Regular markets have been held in this square since the 10th century and are still held to this day. Surrounding the square are impressive guild houses, including the Provincial Palace, the Cloth Hall and towering above all, the Belfry. The Belfry of Bruges is one of the most famous sites in Belgium. Belfries were a type of medieval bell tower used throughout the region of Flanders and the neighboring Duchy of Burgundy in France. Along with tolling the hours and half hours, they also served as a source of civic pride to the cities and towns, separate from the landmarks built by the church and feudal lords. Along with being an important bell tower, the Belfry of Bruges housed the city’s treasury and archives and was used as a watch tower to keep an eye out for fires and other dangers. The Belfry in Bruges dates back to the mid 13th century. It was first built in 1240, but was heavily damaged by a fire in 1280, after which it was rebuilt. Unfortunately, the archives house inside the belfry were destroyed during that same fire. The belfry has stayed mostly the same since it was rebuilt in 1280. An octagonal top was added in the late 1400s along with a wooden spire holding an image of St. Michael holding a banner while standing atop a dragon, this addition was struck by lightning in 1493, which resulted in the destruction of the octagonal top and the belfry’s bells. Another wooden spire was added shortly thereafter, but it, too, was destroyed by fire in 1741. It wasn’t until 1822 that the Gothic stone parapet was added to the top, which has stood, undamaged, ever since. When you visit Market Square, it’s possible to climb to the top of the Belfry of Bruges and take in a magnificent panoramic view of the city. Halfway up you’ll reach the Treasury, which is where the city’s charters, seal and public funds were kept during the Medieval period. And, at the very top, is the chamber for the bells – all 47 of them! Even if you don’t climb the tower, the market square is one of the best places in Bruges to dine out any time of the day, or just settle for a drink, with the square these days lined with restaurants. Or just stop by one of the many gelato shops and relax by the fountain, taking in the beautiful surroundings. Shandos Cleaver is the founder and blogger-in-chief of Travelnuity, a travel blog focused on dog-friendly travel around the world. She’s currently travelling around Europe with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, and shares about their adventures on Facebook. Belarus – Mir Castle Mir Castle is one of the most renowned fortifications in Belarus. Construction on what would eventually become Mir Castle took place during the early 1400s in an area which was then called the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This private estate remained in the Gedyegoldovish family for roughly 60 years before it fell into the hands of Duke Yury Ilinich. Due to political ambitions and regional hostilities, Duke Ilinich decided to build a fortress castle in what is now called the Belarusian Gothic style. The way Mir Castle was built is unique. The five 25-foot high towers of the castle were planned as independent centers of resistance that were capable of supporting adjacent towers. Each tower was designed so that the towers next to it could deliver flanking fire to increase defensive capabilities. One construction aspect of note is that the tower walls were designed with three layers: the two outside layers are made of brick and stone while the middle layer is made up of small stones and broken bricks. Unfortunately, neither Duke Ilinich nor any member of his family ever saw the completion of Mir Castle. Within 40 years, the entire Ilinich family was gone. Duke Ilinich’s grandson left the Mir Estate to his cousin, Prince Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwill, in whose family the estate remained for the next three centuries. Prince Radziwill finished construction of Mir Castle by adding two three-story living quarters to the northern and eastern walls of the castle and rebuilt three of the towers. He also added a fortified gate to the entrance. Over the centuries, Mir Castle has gone through multiple periods of grandeur and decay, as well as surviving many conflicts. Several restorations have been done over the years, but it wasn’t until 1922 that a full-scale extensive restoration was undertaken, which took 16 years. Sadly, Mir Castle was taken by the Germans during WWII and used as a ghetto for roughly 800 Jews who lived nearby. After Belarus was liberated by the Allies in July 1944, Mir Castle was used as a refuge for the hundreds of Mir residents whose homes had been destroyed during the war. The last of the families staying in the castle left in 1962 and it once again fell into disrepair. In 1983, another extensive restoration was done on Mir Castle and it was opened to the public on December 16, 2010. Nowadays, Mir Castle is a living museum of history as well as a venue for cultural festivals and events. Mir Castle was one of the highlights of my visit to Belarus. It has a nice lake and park on its territory, which are the most enjoyable during warm months. The entrance to the territory, parks, lake is free. To visit museums inside the castle, you need to get a ticket. One day per month (last Wednesday of the month, as a rule) there is a free entry for everyone. Budget traveler, Eastern European, living with local people in India to explore the country from a different angle! Beyond traveling, Natalia is an events & marketing specialist by day and a blogger at My Trip Hack. Twitter: https://twitter.com/mytriphack Albania – Ruins of Apollonia and the Church of St. Mary Apollonia was founded in 588 BC by Greek colonists and named after the god Apollo (not very original as there were 23 other Apollonias along the Mediterranean coast). This Apollonia was the biggest and most important of them all, with a population of 60,000, a record in ancient times. Over the next 800 years, it became a major port for slaves, agriculture, pottery and asphalt. Due to the slave trade, Apollonia rose to become an important city-state: the city minting its own coins and, in 229 BC, became a Roman Protectorate. Apollonia supported Julius Caesar during the Roman Civil War of the 1st century and was rewarded with the title of “Free City,” meaning it didn’t pay tax to Rome. Under Roman rule, Apollonia also became a major centre of learning. Julius Caesar even sent his nephew Octavius, the future Emperor Augustus, to study here. Unfortunately, an earthquake in the third century changed everything for Apollina. Due to the changed landscape from the earthquake, the course of the Vjosa river changed, causing the harbour to silt up and prevent vessels from entering. This resulted in a major downturn in trade and started the slow decline Apollonia’s importance. Over time, the silted river became a mosquito-ridden swampland, increasing the frequency of malaria outbreaks. Added to this, the social structure of the city was failing and the Goths were invading the region. Apollonia was no longer a pleasant place to live and, by 800 AD, the city was largely abandoned. During the 9th century, after most residents had left the city, the monastery of St Mary was built by the small group of Christians who remained. in the ruins of the city and was rebuilt in the 14th century. During communist times, religion was banned, so the monastery was used to house livestock and supplies. Since the fall of communism, the Church of St. Mary was returned to its original use and the former monastery buildings were modified to house a small museum and cafe. With its ancient architecture and dim candle lit rooms, St. Mary’s is once again a place of peace. These days Apollonia attracts not only tourists but also newlyweds who want to get their photos taken amongst the ruins. Around the site are the remains of public buildings, temples, theatres, fountains, villas and the old city walls. If you’re looking for things to do in Albania and are interested in Ancient Greece then a day trip to Apollonia is a must. Ron and Michele are Australians who have decided to live life with less things and have more experiences. Their blog, Legging It Travel, covers their travel experiences across more than 30 countries, which they share on their Facebook page. Croatia – Diocletian’s Palace Diocletian’s Palace is one of the few UNESCO Heritage Sites with residents who live, work, and play inside the palace walls. If you’ve ever wanted to experience living in history, staying in this modern community allows you to soak up the site’s history and marvel at how relevant it is for every aspect of contemporary life. Long neglected, but now undergoing a renaissance, the Palace is popular with visitors who arrive by cruise ship from other countries, ferry from the Dalmatian islands, and Croatians on holiday. Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284-305A.D., famously resigned his position due to declining health, wanting to spend the remainder of his days by the seaside close to where he was born. His plan was to grow tomatoes in the lovely Mediterranean setting in what is now the city of Split, Croatia, on the Dalmatian Coast. This just might be the world’s oldest surviving, upscale retirement home on the water. Constructed at the turn of the 4th century A.D., the palace complex’s residential areas, storehouses, public gathering spaces and temples were supported by a military garrison. Abandoned for several hundred years, and then neglected during Yugoslavia’s Communist regime, the buildings are now repurposed and individual property values within the Palace walls are rising. Foreign nationals looking for an inexpensive holiday home have invested in apartments here, many of which have required restoration within the confines of protected, heritage status. Visitors will experience a bustling, yet relaxed vibe which incorporates historical heritage and clever renovations. Innovative restaurants, upscale accommodations and specialty shops are interspersed among historical squares, a circular oculus open to the sky, colonnades and arches, and ornamental entry gates designated as Gold, Silver and Iron. A stay...

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The Lost Legends of Lagenda Langkawi

Erin — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 03:04:44 +0000

Lagenda Langkawi isn’t your typical historic site. It’s actually not really all that old. Built in 1996, the park isn’t even 20 years old yet, but the inconsistent upkeep on the site has made it appear a bit older than it actually is. I imagine that when the park was first created it was magnificent and drew crowds of people. The 17 massive stone sculptures depicting scenes from legend and folklore were probably a sight to behold in their shiny new glory. But 20 years of neglect and apathy have taken their toll on the once-grand monuments. It’s not decrepit, but you’d think that after spending RM37 million ($9.5M) on the park that they’d take better care of the features. The official name of the site is Lagenda Langkawi Dalam Taman, which means Legendary Langkawi in a Garden. It is a beautifully landscaped park near the waterfront in Kuah, a town on the island of Langkawi. That park itself is 50 acres (20 hectares) of winding paths that lead to ponds, grottos and gardens that host heroic giants, mythical birds, evil ogres and beautiful princesses. To make it easier on visitors, the signs explaining each of the legends has both Malay and English. Only, neglect has made the stone signboards almost illegible. And the once-grand sculptures and once-magnificent grounds have been reduced to common, weather-worn features that bear the marks of forgotten grandeur. Without the signs to tell the story of each sculpture, the park just seems like a mishmash of enormous stonework and ponds with random items. It made me sad to wander around Lagenda Langkawi and see how forlorn it has become. The exterior gave such high hopes for what was beyond the massive walls, but soon after entering we realized that the locals had all but forgotten about the place. It’s not awful, but there is a definite rundown appearance. When we were heading over to the park, we came across this adorable bridge. It gives off an old world charm and fits right in with the era of myths and legends. It was the perfect segue between the town and the park entrance. The courtyard outside the entrance to the park is very clean and vibrant. The welcome sign shows signs of age, but we were still able to read most of it. I was pretty excited about the park after reading it. Seriously. The place sounds amazing! It reads: A theme park, Lagenda Langkawi was created to recapture the glorious history of Langkawi. Lagenda Langkawi brings to life the mystifying events and romantic legends that have made Langkawi known as the “Isle of Legends”. The subject of enchanting tales, Langkawi is a cluster of 99 islands. Folklore claimed Langkawi was the habitation of spirits while classical literature, Hikaya Merong Mahawangsa, related that Garuda, a giant bird, nested in these islands. The Chinese admiral Cheng Ho in his voyage to Malacca in 1406 recorded Langkawi in his map as a cluster of islands known as Lung-ya-Kiao-yi while 16th century maps described Langkawi with various names such as Langa, Langka, Langu Langura and Langapura. Lagenda Langkawi, approximately 50 acres, is a beautiful park built on reclaimed land with man-made freshwater ponds and a lagoon. A sparkling waterway flows through the middle separating a Hillview on the left from the exciting sculptural displays of the legends on the right. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the Straits of Kuah both from the 20-foot-high hill and the 40-foot-high Celebration Gallery or a scenic view of the surrounding sea from the two horns of the Tanjung or Cape embracing the lagoon and the Lagenda Beach. Step into Lagenda Langkawi, a journey through history and a series of gerbang (gateways) will welcome you to an enjoyable passage righ with mystifying legends and local folklore. I really liked the map of the Langkawi islands on the wall outside the park. It was neat being able to see all the different places we’d been over the past few days and all the other areas that make up the island group. The map of the park makes it look huge! The grounds were pretty extensive, but it wasn’t quite as big as we thought it would be. I think we may have missed a few areas. This is Banjaran Gondwana, which is the Gondwana Range. Gondwana is one of the two supercontinents that was created when Pangaea first broke up. Laurasia is the other one. Malaysia was part of the Gondwana continent, which is depicted with these trees. I discovered this on google because the sign for this section was gone. The pond is Laluan Hujan Hujan, which means Rain Driving Rain. It rains a lot in Malaysia. Like, a lot. We lived in Kuala Lumpur and almost every day around 2pm it would rain. It was nice having the predictability, but I was happy on the days it didn’t rain. This next section is Tanjong Chinchin. It doesn’t translate to English and the sign for the legend story was missing. By googling I discovered a legend called The Legend of Mat Cincang and Mat Raya or The Feud of Two Families (think Montagues and Capulets), which tells of how the island was created. The story goes that two families (Cincang and Raya) were having a party to celebrate the engagement of their children when the son of Cincang was caught flirting with another girl at the party. This was perceived as an insult to the Raya family (understandable). The engagement was immediately called off and a heated fued begun. The place where the daughter of Raya threw her engagement ring is now known as Tanjung Cincin (spelling is not consistent in Malaysia, which drives me crazy!) which means Cape of the Ring. This sculpture also goes along with the Tanjon Chinchin legend. The broken crockery became the village of Belange Pecah which means Broken Crockery. Near Belange Pecah is the town of Kuah, which means gravy. Near Kuah is Kisap, which means ‘to seep in’. That village is where the gravy seeped through the land. And just beyond that is Ayer Hangat, the Hot Springs where a cauldron of hot water was broken. As for the two warring fathers, they were turned into mountains of stone, Gunung Mat Cincang and Gunung Mat Raya, and the man who tried to mediate between them, Mat Sawar, was transformed into the hill which now separates the two mountains. The next legend we encountered was of the Pulau Dayang Bunting. That translates to “Pregnant Maiden Island”. I can’t read the sign, but I this is the story I found on google: Dayang Bunting was a female giant guardian that kept watch over the islands of Langkawi. The giant’s defensive weapons include her pet lion and poison from the tuba root. Hence, the two islands closest to Pulau Dayang Bunting, whose silhoutte resembles that of a reclined pregnant giant, are named Pulau Singa Besar (Great Lion Island) and Pulau Tuba (Poisonous Root Island). The story goes that, a group of merchants failed to pay the obligatory respects to Dayang Bunting as they passed by the islands. Awakened by the intrusion, Dayang Bunting summoned her pet lion to dispatch the trespassers. She roused the spirits of wind and water, stirring up a tropical storm that unleashed its fury on the incoming fleet of sailors. The howling winds and tossing waves threw the vessels on Pulau Jong (Junk Island) where they were destroyed beyond repair. After the ships were destroyed, the cargo of black and white water buffaloes escaped to Pulau Gubang Darat (Land Stable Island) and Pulau Gubang Laut (Sea Stable Island) while the white buffaloes made their way to Pulau Balar (White Water Buffalo Island). The last of the ships, laden with rice, were stranded at Pulau Beras Basah (Wet Rice Island). Unfortunately, along from the pond being overgrown and murky, some of the sculptures have been broken. This sculpture is called Bahtera Karam, Sunken Ship. The placard next to it reads: Some believe that you can still see the horrific reminders of the great epic battle between Garuda and Jentayu at Pasir Tengkorak (Sand of Skulls), Tanlong Tulang (Cape of Bones) and Pantai Pasir Hitam (Black Sand Beach) in the form of skulls, bone fragments and shop ballast remnants. Others claim that these beaches bear the remains of the traders and their ships, wrecked in the whirlpools off northern Langkawi where turbulent waters merge with calmer seas. These same whirlpools also sank countless vessels, or Bantera Karam, which came along this way. Pantai Pasir Hitam spins another tail of a mermaid who gave a magical ring which could bring forth an endless supply of fish to a fisherman. In return for a promise by him to find a cure that could transform her back to a princess. If, however, he failed, he was to return the ring within a specified time period. Alas, that fisherman failed and did not even return the ring as promised. Thus the mermaid turnde the beach from white to black. The next place is actually a semi-circular area and looks like it has either been kept up really well or was recently restored. This actually gives me hope that they are working to restore the rest of the park. There is a pavilion (perhaps to listen to the mythical music?) next to three tunnels that lead to sculptures of legendary musical instruments. This reads: The west coast of Lulau Langkawi reverberates with the strains of gentle breezes as if a full orchestra performs in and around Padang Gaong (Field of Echoes) where the winds meet the highlands of Bukit Hantu (Hill of Guardians). This is nature’s gift to Langkawi, entertainment with a naturally sense surrounding environment: tapping waves evoke the rhythm of the canang (inverted gong), giving the beach the name Pantai Cenang. Listen carefully or the multi-layered compositions of the canang, the hypnotic beat of the genggang (double-sided conical drums) and the classical strains of the rebab (three-stringed instrument). The story of the rebab claims that angels once watched over the islands, riding on the winds playing their musical instruments. A pair of rebab fell into the sea and were transformed into the islands of Pulau Rebak Besar and Pulau Rebak Kechil (Big and Small Rebak Islands), living off Pentai Cenang. The rest of the sculptures had plates that were too weathered to read, so I had to do a lot of googling to figure out what some of them mean. This is a sculpture of a mermaid playing with a golden ball. According to legend, a heavenly princess used to come down and bath in a lake on Langkawi and one of the mountain princes happened upon her one day. He immediately fell in love with her and attempted to woo her. She resisted his advances and he sought out the advice of a local mystic. The mystic told him that if he were to rub mermaid tears on his face, the heavenly princess would fall in love with him. So, the prince found a mermaid and when she refused him her tears, he gave her a golden ball to play with. So distracted by the golden ball, the mermaid didn’t notice the tide going out and was stranded on land. Devastated by her predicament, she began to cry and the prince gathered her tears in the golden ball. After the prince made his way back to the lake where the princess was bathing, he rubbed the tears on his face and presented himself to the princess. Enamored by magic, the princess fell in love with him and they were married. Unfortunately, deception cannot bring about a happy union and the couple’s first child died seven days after being born. The princess then learned of the prince’s deception and after burying her child in the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden and putting a blessing of fertility on the lake, she disappeared from this world for forever. It is rumored that the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden is protected by a giant albino crocodile who prevents the unworthy from getting near the water and partaking of the powers of fertility. I guess Troy and...

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Sule Pagoda

Erin — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 03:17:11 +0000

In the geographical and religious center of Yangon, Myanmar, is a site that holds importance for both religious and political groups. It is as ancient as it is important to the Myanmar people. The site is Sule Pagoda, a 2,500-year-old Burmese Stupa shrouded in legend. According to Burmese legend, the site where Sule pagoda now stands was once the home of a powerful spirit named Sularata. The king of the spirits, Sakka, wished to help the legendary Burmese King Okkalap build a shrine for the Buddha’s sacred hair-relic on the same site where three previous Buddhas had buried sacred relics in past ages. Unfortunately, these events had happened so long ago that not even Sakka knew where they were buried. Sularata, however, was so old that he had witnessed the past events and was able to tell King Sakka where the three previous Buddha relics had been buried. Thus, instead of just housing one Buddha relic, the Sule Pagoda site houses four. When we visited Sule Pagoda, we didn’t know what to expect. We arrived in Myanmar, stowed our stuff at the hotel and immediately set out to explore. We got in a taxi and asked the driver what he recommended and he brought us to Sule Pagoda. He said this was one of the most important pagodas to the Burmese people. The first thing we saw when we arrived at the pagoda was a group of women sitting on the ground with baskets. Our taxi driver told us the birds symbolize the captivity of the Burmese people endured for centuries and that releasing them is a symbol of hope for the continued peace and freedom of the people. We all know things aren’t that great in Myanmar, but it has improve and things are continuing to improve, so there is hope for continued improvement and with that thought we purchased two birds. Troy got a little confused and thought the birds were a snack, but I quickly set him straight. After paying for our tickets we took our little birdies to the furthest corner of the complex and set them free. Yes, they are most likely trained to return to the bird women, but we like to imagine our birds flew far away and remain free. Once we’d set our birds free (where they flew far away and lived happily by a small river) we began wandering around. One of the interesting features of Sule Pagoda is the pagoda itself. It is believed to have been built before the other famous pagoda in Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda, making it over 2,500 years old. The pagoda itself was constructed using the basic form utilized in Indian architecture, but the embellishments and final design are of a Mon-style Burmese influence. The main pagoda is octagonal in shape. Each side is 24 feet long and the pinnacle reaches 144 ft 9 l/2 in. While the pagoda itself is about 2,500 years old, none of the other structures in the complex is more than just over 100 years old. Several image houses surround the pagoda and house a variety of Buddha statues. There are also Buddha statues along the walls of the complex. A few of the covered prayer areas. There are several of these Buddha shrines surrounding the pagoda. I asked one of my students at the Myanmar Refugee School in Kuala Lumpur what the characters said and they told me that each of these shrines around the pagoda has a day of the week and a person washes the Buddha and prays to the Buddha that represents the day they were born. Next to the Buddha shrine is a bell. There are ten of these and each one is a different size, age and style in commemoration of large donations made to the upkeep of the pagoda complex. The grey box on the opposite side of the shrine is for people to make smaller donations. Someone saw us admiring this and told us that prayers go in the bird and are taken along the cable to the top of the pagoda where they are received and delivered to the Buddha. There were other things we saw around the complex that we don’t know what they mean or what they are used for, but they look neat.

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Kuan Yin Shrine and the Legend of Miao Shan

Erin — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 13:00:23 +0000

The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is dedicated to a Goddess whose tragic story exemplifies the virtues of kindness, compassion, sacrifice and forgiveness.

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