The Vatican Museums in Vatican City

On July 21, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy15 Comments

When traveling to Rome, one of the highlights is taking the time to visit Vatican City and specifically the Vatican Museums. Throughout history, the Popes have collected artistic treasures from throughout the world. The majority of the artwork that the church has collected is not on display, but what is on display is overwhelming and can’t be taken in during a single visit to the museums or even to just one of the museums. We were on a tour of Vatican City and our guide asked us whether we wanted to focus on the paintings or on the sculptures since there wouldn’t be time to see both. We decided upon the sculptures, but we really wish we could have had enough time to see both.

There are 54 galleries spread out inside of the museums and even 4 museums dedicated to the various sculptures. With over 50,000 pieces of art and approximately 20,000 of them on display, the total area of the museums is daunting. Included in the galleries is the final stop on any tour to the museums, which is the Sistine Chapel. You often get very limited time inside of the Sistine Chapel, but we were fortunate to be able to stay as long as we wanted, which was truly a memory that we will never forget. Photography is not allowed, although some people were sneaking photos, but we chose to obey the rules and not take any photos ourselves.

The very first piece of art collected and put on display at the museums over 500 years ago is the Laocoön and his Sons, which truly is an amazing marble sculpture with incredible details. It was put on display one month after its discovery in 1506 at a vineyard in Rome. There were so many interesting pieces of art that we couldn’t come close to describing them all here, but one other statue that we found fascinating was of a man with a child on his shoulder with such lifelike eyes. One thing that is hard not to notice is that many of the statues have been “censored” by the church through the addition of fig leaves, which we think is a shame since it modifies the original sculpture.

Like many other large museums, to truly appreciate all of the artwork you would need to visit many times and spend more time truly enjoying each piece of art. At a certain point, when you are walking past masterpiece after masterpiece, the mind starts to tune out and you stop absorbing the beauty that is in front of you. No visit to Vatican City would be complete without visiting the museums, especially to see the spectacular Sistine Chapel.

Each Pope Proudly Takes Credit for Their Additions

Scottsdale, Arizona

On July 14, 2017July 14, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Arizona13 Comments

Located on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona, Scottsdale is a resort and retirement community that is a relaxing place to visit. In some ways, it reminds us of Hilton Head, South Carolina, only it doesn’t have the beaches. What it does have is a lot of excellent golf courses, upscale resorts, and restaurants galore. Summertime is actually their off-season due to the intense heat and the possibilities of a haboob, which is dust storm that can blanket the entire area with a wall of sand.

The downtown area of Scottsdale has a historic old town that will transport you back into the days of cowboys and give you a glimpse into the old west or southwest. There are plenty of souvenir stores selling Indian jewelry, pottery, and other trinkets to take home with you. There is also a large art district where you can go an art walk and enjoy all of the different galleries with traditional southwestern art as well as contemporary and traditional art. Not to worry, there is also a boutique shopping district, should you desire to do some shopping for non-tourist related items.

The other thing that you can find are plenty of restaurants and bars. If you are daring, you can stop in at one of the several saloons that are downtown and even listen to some good old western music. Needless to say, we had to give more than one of the saloons a try, if for nothing else to get out of the 108 degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Cold beers and margaritas were definitely needed in order to beat the heat.

Walking around the downtown Scottsdale area provides wonderful scenery, interesting artwork, and at this time of year, plenty of beautiful flowering plants. Whether you come to the area to play a few rounds of golf, sit by the pool and relax, or enjoy the abundant food options that are available, you won’t be disappointed. We would probably recommend that you come during the fall when the temperatures are more hospitable, but if you can stand the heat, there are plenty of deals for those who venture to come here during the summer.

The Residenz in Würzburg

On April 24, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany7 Comments

Taking a tour of the Residenz in Würzburg, Germany, was definitely a highlight of the weekend that we spent in the quaint little city. You can usually count on finding a palace, castle, and a cathedral or dom in most historic European cities and Würzburg was no different. The palace, which is called the Residenz, is one of those truly beautiful places that is definitely worth visiting. We were there during the winter, so we didn’t get to enjoy the beautiful gardens, but the interior, with its Baroque/Rococo architecture and artwork more than made up for not walking through flower lined paths.

There were many Prince-Bishops who resided at the Residenz during the time that it was constructed, although the end result is not disjointed or lack cohesion. The foundation for the palace was first laid in 1720 and construction was completed around 1780. As with many cities and palaces in Germany, the Residenz suffered tremendous damage during World War II and reconstruction work continued from 1945 to 1987. Great care was taken to restore it back to as close to it’s original grandeur as possible at a great expense, but the result is magnificent. In 1981, the Residenz was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, which is richly deserved.

The grand staircase is by far the most spectacular part of the palace. With it’s Baroque artwork, amazing frescos, and 3-D reliefs, there is so much detail to enjoy. Unfortunately were not able to take any photos within the palace, but we enjoyed seeing all of the beautiful artwork. Outside of the palace, the Franconia fountain is the dominating feature. It pays homage to the artisans whose artwork adorns the palace walls and ceilings.

Würzburg may not be top on most lists of places to visit in Germany, but we found that it was definitely worth a stop. Obviously there is more to see than just the Residenz, but we would highly recommend taking a tour if you get the opportunity.