A Visit to Medieval Maastricht

March 5, 2012May 10, 2016 | Verónica

IMG_1277_2 — The Saint Servatius Basilica located in Vrijthof, Maastricht's city square. It is flanked by St. John's Church (with the red spire).

IMG_1274_2 — Market Square where you can find City Hall. The bronze statue is of Jan Pieter Minckeleers, a Dutch scientist who invented gas lighting. The statue has an eternal flame.

IMG_1279_2_2 — An ancient guard tower on the east bank of the Meuse River.

IMG_1283_2 — 13th Century Helpoort or "Hell's Gate," remains of the city's medieval fortifications.

IMG_1285_2 — Look-out tower along the medieval walls.

IMG_1286_2 — View from within the city's fortified walls.

IMG_1292_2 — Homes with narrow watery alleyways from the Jeker River which runs through town.

Outdoor cafes along the ruins of the medieval walls.

Out and About in Helsinki

January 9, 2012May 10, 2016 | Verónica

It’s no wonder that Helsinki was chosen as the most livable city in 2011 by Monocle’s annual Quality of Life survey. After spending just a few days there, I was ready to pack up and move. There are several reasons why I loved Helsinki. It’s a walkable city. We walked everywhere. There are wide open sidewalks and pedestrian walkways between buildings. Everything seemed to run smoothly, including the public rail system. It’s unpretentious. The skyline is modest with only a couple of recognizable rooftops on the horizon, including the immaculate white walls and green domes of the Helsinki Cathedral. Everyone was nice. Period.

I loved the emphasis on good design. Walking along the boutiques and workshops in the Design District was inspiring, if not humbling. Everywhere there was an appreciation for all things handcrafted. I even liked the weather. Granted, we were not there in the peak of winter, but it was certainly cold by Texas standards. Nonetheless, I found the cold refreshing and walking around in only 6 hours of sunlight was interesting. Here are my memories of Helsinki.

Along the harbor next to the Baltic Sea before sunrise.

At Kauppatori Market Square. The sign says it all.

Fruits and veggies inside the old market hall. You could also find fresh salmon steaks, herring and reindeer at the fresh meat stalls.

A Finnish breakfast - grilled salmon, fried herring, salty rice cake, cheese and fresh bread.

Sun's coming up. Time is about 10:30 am.

The Uspenski Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox church that sits on a hilltop overlooking the city.

DSC_3203_3 — The golden spires of the Uspenski Cathedral.

DSC_3226_2 — View of the Helsinki Cathedral around noon time. This is the brightest it got during the day.

Detail from the Pohjola Insurance building, designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen between 1899-1901. The motifs on the stone facade are of Nordic nature and mythology. Note to Texans: The Gulf Building in downtown Houston is designed after Saarinen’s 2nd place entry in the Chicago Tribune Tower competition.

Building across Hotel Kamp. Aarikka has a storefront in this building. Aarikka mostly designs jewelry and decorative items all of which are created in Finland.

Dusseldorf in Black and White

December 31, 2011May 10, 2016 | Verónica

On the last leg of our trip to Germany, after visiting the knitting needle factory and the yarn atelier, we spent time at the Christmas Markets in Dusseldorf. The evening was cool and the sky a bit overcast but the lights from all the vendor stalls filled the night.

Dusseldorf 2011 — Dusseldorf Town Hall in Altstadt (old town).

Altena Burg

December 28, 2011May 10, 2016 | Verónica

As we wound our way through the German countryside in our rented Mini Cooper, we saw Altena Castle in the distance. Altena Burg was built in the 12th century and sits on a hilltop keeping watch over the town below.