Panoramas

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is the world’s last great cathedral built using old-world techniques. Designed by Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi, the cathedral is both awe inspiring and remarkably varied. Construction has spanned over a century already, with the completion date tentatively set for the centennial of Gaudi’s death, 2026. This will be a total construction time of 140 years, even with the advanced cranes and tools, the complexity has consumed as much time as the original great cathedrals of the world.

The Louvre Plaza

The Louvre in Paris is regarded as one of the great museums of the world. When I.M.Pei added the new entrance tot he main plaza, the old guard cringed, many calling it a scar on the face of a masterpiece. The public, however has embraced the glass pyramid with open arms, Pei has created a stunning entrance for the art museum in which you hardly notice you are underground.

Paris Hotel

It’s not very hard to have a great view from your hotel in Paris, but having Notré Dame just down the street was pretty incredible. We spent our first 4 hours passed out in the room trying to recover from the previous week of trekking around Europe. We made good use of the rest of our time in the great city, but I will truly regret not taking in more of the inviting feel of that little street.

Monte Carlo Grand Prix

There is one race known the world over for it’s opulence, sophistication and difficulty. I am speaking of the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. My visit to Monaco happened to align with the time trials for the race, which would be taking place a few days later. The city was buzzing, literally, with the sounds of dozens of race cars’ engines spinning at 20,000 RPM. The excitement of the crowd mixed with the beautiful Mediterranean weather in ways that cannot be expressed adequately. The Harbor is the centerpiece of the spectacle, where dozens of $10M+ mega yachts anchor, enjoying front row seats the rest of us can only dream of.

La Piazza dei Miracoli

While everyone knows about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I think the Piazza as a whole is really much more amazing than the impossible angle of the tower. It is very large, with some of the most striking white marble buildings we saw in Europe. The scale of the cathedral and baptistry were striking, but the arrangement of the complex, combined with very minimal vegitation left the visitor with a feeling of insignificance in the presence of the gleaming white monuments of the Piaza.

The Great Pyramids of Giza

Little is needed to introduce the Great Pyramids. I think we all know they are big..and old..and in the middle of the desert. But thats not completely true; they are big, and they are old, but they are actually quite close to Cairo, taking just a few minutes to go from Urban environment to the ancient monuments. Most view the three from afar, to capture their setting, however when you get close, you feel the weight of the immense pyramids which seem to create sheer wall that extends into the distant sky.

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

While not as old as its neighbor, Haggia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is a functioning mosque with an interior that isn’t quite as large as Haggia Sophia’s, but is stunningly decorated with richly detailed Islamic tile. This was the first mosque that I have ever visited while in operation, and I was struck at the formality, the solidute felt in such a lofty space. The amount of detail was intense, reaching far into the domes and carrying with it a sense of refinement not often matched.