Indonesia’s Padar Island – Keep Calm and Wander

Indonesia's Padar Island - Keep Calm and Wander

Padar Island is one of the more than 17,000 islands in Indonesia. I’d say that it’s one of those views that you have to see, to believe it! Describing it as incredible is somewhat short of an adjective to fully express the feeling the first time I saw it. Man, it’s so hard to put them into words. Standing from above the island, it felt like you were on another planet – away from the vicious cycles of humankind.

Padar Island Morning Hike

As soon as our small outrigger boat dropped us onshore, we started our hike to the top. Despite the pleading of our guide to be together as a group, I went ahead because I didn’t want to miss the sunrise. It was still dark but the horizon was beginning to show glowing embers of the sun ready to rise. As I hiked alone, I understood why the guide wanted us to be together – the path, though easy to follow, can be dangerous to tread if you’ve never been on that before. There were areas where the rocks were sharp and one false move will bring the hiker rolling down to the deep ravine. I used my cellphone flashlight to keep me on track and out of danger.

The hike was of average difficulty. The pathways were clear but when you’re almost at the top, you have to watch out for the sharp rocks and make sure you’re on the right path. There were other small paths that were confusing, perhaps, made by a few hikers who can’t wait to be on the summit.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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The Hundertwasser Houses in Vienna – Keep Calm and Wander

The Hundertwasser Houses in Vienna - Keep Calm and Wander

You might think why a housing complex, like the Hundertwasser Houses in Vienna, is of so much importance considering the fact that the entire architecture of Vienna has the same vibe. Well, when a building has the rebellious touch of Hundertwasser, it’s bound to get some attention that you can’t ignore. They might look weird, but they are marvelously colorful!

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Basilica Santa Maria della Salute in Venice – Keep Calm and Wander

Basilica Santa Maria della Salute in Venice - Keep Calm and Wander

Standing at the mouth of the Grand Canal, Basilica Santa Maria della Salute ‘s imposing Baroque structure looks like it guards the beautiful city of Venice. Its impressive dome was put in by the survivors of the plague. For their salvation, the city built the church as a dedication to Our Lady of Health/Deliverance (Salute).

One of the survivors of the plague was Titian who died at age 94. Inside, you’ll find 12 of his original paintings hanging at the sacristy.

Unfortunately for me, despite running as fast as I could, the basilica was already closed when I went there. Well, I arrived there at 4:45 PM but they told me that they won’t sell me tickets anymore because they’d be closing soon. And it was my last day in the city, so no more time to go back the next day.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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Dante’s Tomb – Keep Calm and Wander

Dante's Tomb - Keep Calm and Wander

You can’t talk about Italian literature without mentioning Dante Alighieri who peacefully rests in Ravenna. I’d say that his Divine Comedy (Divina Comedia) is, perhaps, the greatest Italian literary work the world has ever known. It’s a classic that must be read whether you’re a believer of hell, purgatory and paradise or not.

Is Dante’s Tomb in Florence Real?

If you were told by one of your guides or a local in Florence that Dante is buried in their city – ignore it. There’s no truth in that. That “tomb” you see in Florence is nothing but air inside. Empty – that is. It’s nothing but a memorial to Dante who was born in Florence.

But what’s this myth about Dante’s tomb lies in Florence? Well, in 1519, Pope Leo X directed that Dante’s bones be moved to Florence but the Franciscan monks at the nearby monastery stole them away and hid them for more than 300 years. It was re-discovered in 1865 – by chance!

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One Day in Avila, Spain – Keep Calm and Wander

Avila, Spain - Keep Calm and Wander

Avila is one of the historical jewels of the crown of Spain. Cities around the world are witnesses of many past events and Avila is no exception. It has seen the Moorish as well as the Christian rule, and both of these eras have left their footprints on the city in form of monasteries, Romanesque churches, convents, and forts. The city is walled and therefore, all of these landmarks are guarded well, and because of their antique nature, the whole city is listed by UNESCO.

In Spain, nearly every city has an Alcazar – a fortification of Moorish origin or of the Christian origin.

The Avila can very much be called a fort in itself. This is because this city is bound by walls that were built for fending off any invasions. There are nine gates in the Alcazar de Avila with the Gate of St. Vincent and Gate of the Fortress (Puerta del Alcazar) flanked by two towers of 20-meter height.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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Amazing Views of Barcelona From Montjuic Castle – Keep Calm and Wander

Amazing Views of Barcelona From Montjuic Castle - Keep Calm and Wander

The views of Barcelona from Montjuic Castle is stunningly marvelous. Situated on the top of the Montjuic hill overlooking Barcelona, Castle Montjuic is an epitome of the resilience of Barcelona against the oppressions and invasions. Yet, it is also a monument of the victory of Spain over Catalan some 350 years ago. The victory is in the walls of the castle, in its spacious verandas, and its fortifications. You can see it everywhere and it augments as you overlook the city sprawling right in front of it. The castle indeed has witnessed not only many years of civil war and unrest in the 20th century, but also the growth of the city.

Well, that was just a brief history of this place. If you are an avid traveler and you have stepped on the soil of Barcelona, you’ve got to visit Castle Montjuic for the following reasons:

1. To see it speak its history

Running for about hour and a half, the guided tours of the castle are a great way to get to know about how it stood multiple invasions and warded off all the oppressors at the same time incarcerating prisoners itself. Aside from the history, the tours will also carry you through all the architectural significances of the castle, its built, the stones used, and the amalgam used to bind them. If you have no time for tours, you can, of course, wander around by yourself.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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A Day in Annecy – Keep Calm and Wander

Annecy - Keep Calm and Wander

For me, Annecy is once in a lifetime experience. Its darting canals through the village, meandering along some of the historical buildings in Europe, its food, and scenery, and most importantly, its settlement on the cleanest lake in Europe—Annecy—told me how different this city is.

The lake itself is surrounded by hills and mountains and it almost seemed to me as if they were peeking at their reflection in the tenuous hazed lake beneath.

It was around noon when I thought of treading the cobblestoned walkways lining the Annecy canals. Indeed, this is the reason they call it the “Venice of the Alps”. All those plaster houses with their baskets full of fresh flowers was a spectacle to remember.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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Rome’s Tiber Island – Keep Calm and Wander

Tiber Island - Keep Calm and Wander

The River Tiber is as ancient as the history of Rome, or maybe even older than it. As it snakes and twines around the city through multiple historical places, it seems as if it takes a small siesta on an ancient island named in honor of it – the Island Tiber.

Just as myths and peculiar stories are attached to every kind of historical and unexplained event, so has the Island Tiber a legend associated with its creation.

It is said that when the last king of Rome was overthrown in around 509 BC, his corpse was dumped in the River Tiber. However, it was so huge that the river could not either dissolve it or flow it away with itself. So, in the end, all of that culminated in the creation of the Tiber Island.

After a few years, they say that during a plague, a ship sent to Epidaurus arrived at Rome with a sacred snake of the God of Medicine Aesculapius. As the very ship was crossing the River Tiber, the snake jumped from the ship and settled on the island. This is why the base of the Temple of Aesculapius was built there followed by a magnificent temple.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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The Duomo in Milan – Keep Calm and Wander

The Duomo in Milan - Keep Calm and Wander

In Milan, all roads lead to the Duomo – a gigantic cathedral that is as old as the Roman empire itself. Any visitor who does not visit this place hasn’t been to Milan.

Why, oh why? …because I have seen this place and I must say that I was shaken to my core when I saw how delicate the finesse of architectural art is combined with the size of the building. It is, after all, the largest church in Italy and the third largest in the world, covering 109,641 sq. ft. area.

1. See all the 3,400 statues

Combining both the inner and the outer statues of the cathedral, they make up to 3,400 statues, 700 figures, and 135 gargoyles. All of these inclusions make the building the most decorated one on the planet!

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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Inside Sforza Castle – Keep Calm and Wander

Sforza Castle Milan - Keep Calm and Wander

Any fortress or castle in the world carries a piece of history that has passed by and eroded, yet evolved its fabric culturally, architecturally, and religiously. The Sforza Castle in Milan, Italy is no different and this is what I found out after visiting it. Milan, generally, is a welcoming city with its Italian vibes. However, it is this castle that brings about its true nature both historic and present.

Before going on stating what you can do in the castle, let us take a dive in the pool of history. I know I hate it, too, but for the sake of understanding this place better, let’s spare some moments.

A Short History

Sforza Castle or Sforcesca castle has seen many eras of complex invasions, sieges, and renovations. Built in the 1450s by Francesco Sforza, it is one of the few remnants of the 14th-century citadels. However, before it was a castle or a residential quarter of the notable rulers, it had been a Visconti fortress with impeccable defense systems – walls and towers that are so high and mighty. It was on the ruins of this fortress that Sforza built the Sforza Castle.

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