Saturday 31 March 2012

Day 318- The Blue of Kościół Mariacki



Have you ever seen a blue so brilliant you think that surely must be the most beautiful colour in the world?


I have, quite unexpectedly I might add, in a Polish Catheral stood slightly askew from the main market square of Krakow. The cathedral is called St Mary's Basilica or KoÅ›ciół Mariacki.


This was my first sight of the church as I came through a large door into the prayer end of the hall. I remembered the shock of the overwhelming blue left me a little giddy and I quickly knelt down on the pretext of saying a prayer. It was really to steady myself. 


The blue, the blue. 

It wasn´t quite the kind of  blue you see, rather, you experience it. Right from the awe of  my first confrontation to the sense of being enveloped by it, the sensations did not cease even after I left the basilica. 


It beckoned,



calling out from pretty balconies;


and then it hovered,


never quite letting you leave its sight.


Finally. the embrace...


it was as if the sky had fallen or you had risen, to be covered in a blue blanket embroidered in the most artful colours, weaved with the softest cotton clouds.


There were streaming tourists


and a crowd of chattering children


but I heard only the music.


The music that was haunting


and angelic all at once.

This is the music the blue of this church makes.


Henceforth, I shall call it Mariacki Blue and whenever I say its name, I shall remember and experience the sensations I felt that day when I walked through this Polish Cathedral in Krakow.



I dedicate this post to all the friends here who love painted cathedrals but Ewa and I both agree that Betsy is probably the one who will really enjoy it. So here it is especially to you Bets! Enjoy!



I left Poland this afternoon and said goodbye to Ewa and her beautifully generous and incredibly hospitable parents who all came with me to the airport in a cab. Ewa and her family had made my stay in Poland a dream and  I will never forget them.  

Poland was to be the last leg of my Europe trip and in 3 days, I will be home. In the meantime, I am sitting before Eva´s computer in Barcelona and my trip is not over. Tomorrow I will be meeting 6 other miniaturist friends from Spain. I am still excited , sleepless and excited and thinking of the things I will show from Arnhem. In exactly 13 hours, they will all be here and instead of thinking what shall I wear, I am thinking what shall I show first. I still must catch some sleep so I won´t look like a hag.

Good night and good morning, wherever you are!

Monday 26 March 2012

Day 315-The Wonderful World of Wankendorf



Not a long long time ago,


in a land quite far, far away


there lives a little girl


called Birgit.


In the neighbourhood where Birgit lives,


black birds sing all day,


 storks


bring home the babies


and Sundays are special days.


On this day, friends come from all over the world


(even Singa from Singapore

and Earl Grey from Italy)


because MamaSilke bakes her famous cakes.



Like this marzipan cake just for Ro and Sans!


We even left a teeny slice for Ewa


with kisses from Fluby

(all virtual of course).


And they all live happily ever after.

~The End~

Thursday 22 March 2012

Day 312- Flea Market Finds from Italy


Made in India Pillow Cases



Hand Painted Plate from Greece


A Syrian Inlay Box


Vintage German Dollhouse Plaque


Tuesday 20 March 2012

Day 310- The Portals of Genoa


En route to Santuario della Madonnetta 




Santuario della Madonnetta

1:6 nativity scene in church

1:6 nativity scene in church 

En route to Lift and Academia 



Lunch



En route home




Genoa greeted my arrival with a bright and sunny day. I am getting a tan from Europe. Rosanna and I spent an incredibly beautiful day walking through  a romanesque church and then ancient backlanes, alongside the quaintest and most charming landscape of  Genoese houses. I love Genoa then and I love Genoa now and being with Rosanna makes me feel like Genoa is my home in Europe. In the evening, I spent a warm and loving time with Rosanna and her family. While we indulge in the fattening but oh so good frittell meal cooked by Rosanna,  Papa Rolla was so funny that I laughed like I understood every word of Italian they spoke. I went to bed, tired but smiling. 

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