San Miguel Chapel in Historic Santa Fe, New Mexico

On March 1, 2021March 1, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New MexicoLeave a comment

The San Miguel Chapel is the oldest church in the continental United States and is over 400 years old. The area of Santa Fe in New Mexico has been populated for thousands of years, first as an ancient Pueblo settlement, then by the Spanish as part of their imperial conquests, next by the people of Mexico, and finally by the United States. There are many things that make the chapel unique, first from its history as a Franciscan missionary to a Catholic church as well as its architecture being built in the traditional adobe style of the region. The church is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and today it is privately owned and is open to the public to tour.

Construction of the chapel began in 1610 and the walls of the adobe building are the original walls, which requires constant upkeep to ensure they endure in the future. The ceiling of the church is held up by wooden beams, one of which is dated back to 1710. The San Miguel Chapel is located in the El Barrio de Analco National Register Historic District in Santa Fe, which also has the oldest house in the United States. There is a large oil painting of the Archangel Michael inside of the church as well as the nine panel wooden artwork that sits behind the altar. In addition to the artwork, there is the mission bell which was brought from Spain in the 17th century.

Nine Panel Artwork Behind the Altar with Archangel Michael Top Center

Although visiting the San Miguel Chapel will only take about thirty minutes, it is certainly worthwhile to do when visiting Santa Fe in New Mexico. The history of the chapel that was built by the Tlaxcalan Indians under direction of the Franciscan Padres is certainly quite fascinating. It is source of pride for the people of Santa Fe to this very day.

Petite France (Quartier des Tanneurs) in the City of Strasbourg

On November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France5 Comments

When visiting Strasbourg in France, one of the highlights will certainly be walking the streets of Petite France, which is the historic quarter of the city. The medieval buildings with their timbered exteriors will truly make you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. You should definitely expect large crowds as you make your way through the streets, but there are plenty of shops and restaurants to visit as you wonder through the district.

Street Leading Into Petite France in Strasbourg

Medieval Architecture and Narrow Streets

In addition to the beautiful architecture, there are several canals that meander through the quarter with stone bridges across them. There are also several companies that offer river boat sightseeing tours that are well worth doing. We visited during the holiday season, so the stores were adorned with extra decorations to celebrate the season. It also meant that there were Christmas markets in the area with gluhwein, sausages, and sweet treats. Although Strasbourg borders Germany and has been influenced by both France and Germany, they are truly Alsace and proud to be so.

We enjoyed seeing other medieval towns in the area, including Eguisheim and Riquewihr, but even if you don’t get out into the countryside, walking through Petite France in Strasbourg is an amazing experience. We were in Strasbourg for several days and enjoyed walking through the historic district several different times, each providing a unique surprise as we turned down a different side street.

History on the Walls of European Restaurants

On August 31, 2020August 31, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn EuropeLeave a comment

One of the things that we enjoy when going to restaurants during our travels is to see artwork depicting the city as it looked back in time. In addition to historic pictures, we also like seeing vintage signs or paintings that are specific to the area. We find that having a relaxing meal while looking at these unique pieces of art that take you back in time is quite fascinating. We have visited restaurants in many different countries that adorn their walls with this kind of artwork, but we especially enjoyed the ones that we saw in Europe. We even took the time to take photographs of the walls while we were at the restaurants because we found them so interesting. The photographs don’t always turn out the best, but they are mostly for our own enjoyment.