M is for Milan and Monza

The Cathedral Il Duomo

It took 582 years to build Milan Cathedral.

The Duomo is decorated with an amazing number of beautifully sculpted statues and spires. There are more statues on this building than any other in the world, 3159 in total. These statues have been made and donated by numerous sculptors, they have been made in numerous styles - starting from the Gothic style and ending up with Art Deco from the 20th century.

 The Cathedral of Monza
The Duomo was built and developed on the site of Longobard oraclium, dated in 6th century AD and Queen Theodelinda dedicated it to John the Baptist. Acording to legnend of the Late Middle ages, Queen Theodelinda had made a vow to build a church in honor of God and saint John the Baptist and a celestial voice announced that the Holy Spirit would appear as dove to indicate the site for the constructions.
The Basilica of Monza was fully rebuilt after 1300 over the  ruins of Longobard church.

The Cathedral: Theodolinda's stories - Zavattari Brothers 1444 - detail

The Museum



Mother Hen with Chicks

The Museum and the Treasure of the Cathedral of Monza show one of the most important treasures in Europe.
17. - 20.5. 2003

L is for Lago di Garda

In year 2003 I spent one week in Italy with twenty lively teenagers.

We made our school trip to Northern Italy: Milan, Monza, Lago di Garda, Verona and Venice.

Luckily I wasn't the only adult watching after them, there were three other adults with me.

And surprisingly everything went super fine!

Lake Garda is Italy's largest and most visited lake. The lake is 51km long but only 17km wide at its widest point in the south. The distance around the lake is 158km. Picturesque villages, medieval castles, and lakeside promenades dot the shoreline. The lake has a diverse landscape with beaches along the southern shores and rocky cliffs above the northern shoreline. Lake Garda is known for its clear water, great for swimming in summer. Windsurfing, sailing, and hiking in the lake's many parks are popular activities.

View of Sirmione 

Sirmione, a town favored by artists and poets, has a medieval center dominated by a large medieval castle. The town is known for its thermal bath resorts.

Malcesine and Monte Baldo

Malcesine has a historic center with tiny streets, a small harbor, and a medieval castle. From Malcesine, the cable car goes to Monte Baldo, known as the Garden of Europe, where there are botanical gardens, hiking paths, and specatucular views.

17.5. 2003

Tomorrow to Milan and Monza.

K is for Kids

Rudolf Koivu´s illustration to Joulukontti in 1936
Rudolf Koivu (1890 – 1946) was a Finnish illustrator and painter, best known for illustrating books of fairytales for children, which are enduringly and timelessly popular. He was born in St. Petersburg. He illustrated stories by Zacharias Topelius, Anni Swan and Hans Christian Andersen, among others. Koivu died in Helsinki in 1946. In his honor, the Rudolf Koivu Prize was established in 1949. It is awarded biennially to Finnish illustrators of children's books.

Martta Wendelin (1893 - 1986) illustrated fairy tales and ABC-books,  ​​postcards, school education boards, book and magazine covers. The cozy red cottages, birch trees, lakes and rural people, cute, kind children,  mothers knitting  and fathers plowing the fields reflect Finn's mindscape. His career peak was in 1930, when the printing industry expanded rapidly.  Marttta's magical world is still living in our dreams.

Minna Immonen was born 01/23/1964 in Posio which is located in the province of Lapland. She has designed several of Finland's stamps, held many exhibitions, and illustrated several books. Minna's work is especially known through her decorated cards which have been very popular. Minna's illustratings are typically like little stories of them own. Fairytale's warmth and charm can be sensed from her work. Delicate details and humoristic touch attract people and get their imagination running.

This is my entry to Beths Postcard Friendship  Friday.



I wish you all a Happy Weekend!

J is for Jazz

 Dinah Washington, Hollywood, 1956

 Buddy DeFranco, " Stars of Jazz" television show, Hollywood, 1956

Thelonious Monk, San Francisco, 1961

These postcards are from my William Claxton collection.

William Claxton  ( October 12, 1927 – October 11, 2008 )

 was the most famous jazz photographer in the world. 

Listen with your eyes.

I is for island

Two little islands from Greece.

Telendos, Dodecanese, Creece

Telendos is a sweet little island a stone's throw from Kalymnos, just 900 meters away. A small, barren, rocky island with marvelous sea, no cars and just 50 inhabitants.

Agioi Thodorou, Crete, Greece

Agioi Thodorou (Saints Theodore ) is the name of the small island opposite Platanias in Crete, more or less in the middle of the bay. It reminds a huge turtle with it mouth open as if it’s about to attack or bite something. 

The Thodorou Islands once guarded Crete from her enemies, but now they protect the Cretan Ibex  from its own enemies, the hunters who would love to add the famous Kri- Kri, the wild goat of Crete, to their trophies.

H is for Hungary

We spent my 50th birthday in Budapest. This card I sent to my mother. " We have been walking all day long on the banks of Danube. This is a lovely city with beautiful buildings, although the Danube isn't  Blue anymore, but the weather is sunny and warm. "

And I really fell in love to Budapest.

The Parliament was built between 1885 and 1902, at the time the largest parliamentary building in the world. The building has a length of 268 meters and is 118 meters wide. The parliament house contains more than 20 km staircase, and 691 rooms. The elegant dome has a height of 69 meters. The main style of the building is neo-gothic with renaissance influences, but the base ground plan is Baroque. 

 Budapest's Chain Bridge and Castle Hill at night.

The Chain Bridge was the first permanent stone-bridge connecting Pest and Buda, and only the second permanent crossing on the whole length of the river Danube. It is one of the symbolic buildings of Budapest, the most widely known bridge of the Hungarian capital.

The Castle Hill contains Budapest's most important medieval monuments and museums. It is the premier sight in the capital with its great views and so many things to see as The Royal Palace, Matthias Church,  Fisherman's Bastion and lovely little shops and cafees.

We had my birthday celebration here.

Perhaps we had  gulasch or pörkölt, paprikas and palacsinta-pancakes.

Kárpátia Restaurant is one of the oldest Budapest restaurants, a city landmark since 1877. 

 In 1987 Budapest was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for the cultural and architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue.

G is for Greece

  

For Greece I picked some typical postcards from my collection: cats, white houses, grannies and grandpas. Perhaps Greece is the only country which advertises itself with old men and women, but I really like them. 

 I will post my Greek postcards more later... :)