Bavaria’s Wieskirche – The Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Photos

Bavaria’s Wieskirche or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies is a UNESCO site in a beautiful stop if visiting nearby Neuschwanstein Castle.


Bavaria’s Wieskirche or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies,  is a UNESCO protected church in the bucolic, green foothills of the German alps. Built in the mid 18th century by two brothers, J.B. and Dominikus ZImmermann, the site became a pilgrimage destination to see the Scourged Saviour, a wooden statue that was purported to produce miracles to those who prayed to it.

When the existing chapel that displayed the wooden figure became too small for the pilgrimage rush, the local abbey commissioned the larger church and shrine – which is Wieskirche we have today. Continue reading “Bavaria’s Wieskirche – The Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Photos”

A Day Trip From Tokyo For a Mount Mitake Hike – Where Nature and Religion Meet

Mount Mitake National Park is not far from the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo, but with its peaceful setting, it feels a world away. I enjoyed a Tokyo day trip for a Mount Mitake hike and discovered that in Japan nature and religion come together on top of a mountain.

Mount Mitake in  Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park was a green and peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of nearby Tokyo. Only 90 minutes away, it was easily accessible and provided a non touristy cultural experience as I hiked with the locals past shrines, waterfalls, and a natural moss covered rock garden.

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A Visit to Japan’s Most Sacred Island – One Day In Miyajima

I’ve been to Miyajima, Japan twice in the last few years and am sharing my experiences on how I spent one day in Miyajima.

Miyajima, Japan is most famous for the photos of its floating torii gate. But this lovely little island offers up lots of gorgeous scenery, both man made and natural. I visited Miyajima twice on recent trips to Japan and this is how I spent my day on Miyajima exploring its photogenic treasures.

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Discovering the Many Beautiful Churches in Iceland – A Photo Journey

As I toured the land of fire and ice, I discovered a wide variety of of beautiful churches in Iceland. In this photo essay, I share images of the many different church designs I saw during my travels.

During my visits to Iceland, I became infatuated (obsessed?) with looking for and photographing the many unique churches that I came across as I traveled around the land of fire and ice.

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A Paris to Chartres Day Trip – Exploring One of France’s Greatest Cathedrals

I discovered that a Paris to Chartres day trip was an easy escape to see the historic Chartres Cathedral with its beautiful stained glass windows. I also enjoyed discovering the quaint and not overtly touristy town of Chartres.

If you are not “churched” out after a visit to Paris, then take a Paris to Chartres day trip, to see one of the greatest Gothic churches still in existence, along with a quant French town that will not be overly touristy.

The Chartres Cathedral is considered the pinnacle of high Gothic architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. As one of the best preserved Gothic churches, it is still adorned with most of the original sculptures and numerous beautifully detailed stained glass windows.

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Famous Churches in Paris – Gothic at its Best

The French invented Gothic architecture and Paris is one of the easiest places to experience it. Within a twenty minute walk of the Cathedral of Notre Dame are a number of other historic and famous churches in Paris that should also not be missed.

There are many beautiful and famous churches in Paris, France, but the grand dame Gothic Paris church is without a doubt the Cathedral of Notre Dame. And while visitors flock to see it, within a twenty minute walk are a number of  other lovely historic churches that also should not be missed. Read on to discover some of the other churches of Paris at their Gothic best. Continue reading “Famous Churches in Paris – Gothic at its Best”

Tips for an Independent 10 Day Israel and Jordan Itinerary

I planned our 10 day Israel and Jordan itinerary around my most important criteria: spending two days in Petra. A visit to the Petra Archeological site was high on my travel bucket list and I wanted to have plenty of time to take in this ancient wonder.

A ten day trip to Jordan and Israel was definitely not going to be enough time to see all that these two history rich countries had to offer, but that was all the time we had. So I prioritized what I wanted to see and built my itinerary around this, adding in time to get from one place to another.

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One Day in Jerusalem: Where Three Religions Intersect

Even with just one day in Jerusalem, I was able to see a majority of the historic sights.

On our recent trip to Israel and Jordan, a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Old Jerusalem was a high priority. Our schedule allowed for only one day in Jerusalem, but we managed to make the most of our time as we discovered why this city is such a historic location for three of the world’s biggest religions.

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PhotoPOSTcard: The Two Faces of Faith

Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre is an important religious site for the Christian faith. Tradition holds that the church is built over the site where Jesus was crucified and then buried. There are many chapels and items of religious significance in this church. Here, I was struck by the contrast of pilgrims prostrating themselves over the Stone of Anointing where it is believed that Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, and the Christian orthodox nun standing behind them, looking at her cell phone.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

Tips For Visiting the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount in Jerusalem

I am sharing my tips for visiting the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount after my recent trip to Jerusalem so that your visit to this beautiful sight is as easy and memorable as mine was.

Seeing the UNESCO Heritage listed Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is at the top of many visitor’s wish list, and it was on mine also. In fact, on my recent trip to Jerusalem, I visited the Dome of the Rock twice so that I could get all the photos I wanted.

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