We always look up at the ceilings of places that we visit, especially if the building has a dome. Many of them are in cathedral, but not all of them. Throughout our history, people have been fascinated with the sky and the stars and often imagined what might exist up there. In many cases they use the ceilings to paint what they imagine might be beyond the clouds that hovered over their heads.
So Many Murals Inside of a DomeWindows Inside of a DomeThe Cathedral of Granada – Cathedral of the IncarnationOne of the Domes Inside of a Mosque in CairoBeautiful Artwork in the Dome in LuccaCeiling of the Dome in a Church in Cairo
In other cases, artists just used the dome ceilings to create works of art that tell a story that changes with the direction you face as you look up at it. Sometimes the artist will just use the geometrical shape to create a unique look inside of the dome. Regardless of the style of artwork, looking up at interior of domes is something that is worth taking the time to pause and enjoy.
Looking Up at the DomeMonastery Dome in RomaniaSimplicity of a Dome in RomeDome Inside of Another DomeDifferent Angle of the Dome of the Church in CairoColorful Domed Ceiling Above an Altar in France
The architecture of the buildings that line the canals of Amsterdam is quite fascinating for many reasons. From the way that they lean towards the canal to allow pullies to bring the furniture to the upper floors to the very narrow buildings themselves, it is very interesting to see the different buildings along the water. Some of these homes are so small that you can touch both walls at the same time as they measure only 2 meters (about 6 feet) in width. The reason for these narrow buildings had to do with the way that the homes were taxed in the past where it was based on the number of windows and the size of the façade that faces the canal. Here are few examples, including the very narrow red home that is one of the three smallest homes in Amsterdam.
One of the Three Smallest Homes on the CanalTiny White Home on the StreetPullies to Get Furniture to the Top FloorsTiny Home with the Red and White BricksTypical Row of Homes on the Canal
For whatever reason, most of our traditional family recipes seem to be ones that we make during the autumn and winter seasons. They tend to be meals that we create in large batches and either enjoy the leftovers the next day or freeze to have at a later date. Most of these were handed down from family member to family member by example and not written down. Cooking is one of those things that definitely can bring a family together, regardless of where you live or where you are from. It is probably one of the reasons why we enjoy eating traditional meals when we travel to places, because the food will also give you a sense of the people. Here are a few of our family’s recipes that we’ve posted over the past few years.
Traditional Lasagna with Garlic Bread
Meat Lasagna – We certainly enjoyed having lasagna in Rome and Florence, but our homemade lasagna is still one of our favorite meals. We also tend to make our own garlic toast to go along with it as we really like that combination. We always make a large batch so that we can have plenty of leftovers.
Homemade Chili
Red Chili – You will find many different varieties of chili as you travel throughout the southwest. From green chili to red chili, with or without meat, spicy or not spicy, they are all usually interesting and have plenty of flavor. Our version combines kidney beans and chili beans to create a very hearty meal.
Moist and Delicious Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Cookies – We bake these cookies every year in October or November and it is a way to welcome the change in the seasons. We typically make a couple dozen and then share them with our friends, who always look forward to them as well. It is a simple recipe, but the cookies are moist and delicious.
What We Call Egg Slop
Egg and Hash Brown Potato Skillet – That isn’t the actual name of it, but egg slop doesn’t quite describe the dish. What makes this unique is the sauce that we make from chili powder and other seasonings. We have always had it for dinner, but it would make for a good weekend breakfast as well.
Cooking Our French Stew
French Stew – This is an inexpensive meal that combines fresh ingredients in a simple way to make a “stewp”. Similar dishes can be found in the countryside’s of many different countries and is typically considered to be a hunter’s stew. A hunter stew is usually made from meat, potatoes, and vegetables, whatever happens to be available at the time.
