Tivoli Christmas Market- Copenhagen, Denmark

I was dressed like I was going to summit Mount Everest. Being a native Californian; anything less than 60°F is dang cold. On this late November night at Tivoli's Christmas market it was a freezing 36°! We were only warmed by the Christmas spirit and hot cocoa.

Tivoli's Christmas market opens mid-November and runs through the very end of December. Tivoli is already a popular destination among visitors and locals; especially in the evenings when it is all lit up. It's open til late in the evening, seven days a week so there is no reason to miss out. Its popularity peaks during the holidays because it becomes even more magical and romantic. Lights, ornaments and Christmas trees sprout in time for the festivities.

Scandanavian handicrafts like ornaments, handmade figurines, and knitwear are available in one of the many rustic huts and stalls on Scandanavian themed side the market. The Russian side is dominated by the basillica with its fanciful onion domes topped by prancing reindeer. Inside is Basils Divan where you can find cookies, goodies and other Christmas treats. Well-trained Russian circus bears form a Christmas tree while holding ornaments. Don't worry, they don't bite! Outside, Russian nesting dolls are the coolest things to take a peak at and they have so many of them.

The setting of Tivoli and the Christmas Market here made me feel like we were inside a fairy-tale during the holidays. It's not difficult to bring out the kid in me. My heart was definitely set alight by the fun and wonder here.

 

Plaza de Toros de las Ventas - Madrid, Spain

Las Ventas is the famous bullring in the district of Salamanca in Madrid. The plaza de toros or bullring is the third largest in the world. The two largest are in Mexico and Venezuela; where the bullfighting goes after the Spanish season is over in October. Las Ventas was designed by Jose Espeliú in the Neo-Mudéjar style and makes the building look more ancient than its 1931 inauguration.

The bullring is divided by 27 sections called tiendos. More importantly it is divided in two sections called Sol and Sombra or sun and shade. The tickets in the sun are less expensive but it can get very hot and rowdy. It is the perfect place is you want to immerse yourself in local culture. If you prefer shade and cooler attitudes I would recommend the Sombra side. If it is your first bull fight try finding seats in rows 9 or lower on the Sombra side so you can get a closer look at the action and not worry about the heat. I purchased our tickets through taquillatoros.com (serviced by Ticketmaster) and the process was relatively easy and clear. You print out a confirmation and bring it with you to get your tickets. You can also buy tickets when you arrive or through other on-line vendors.

To get here you can walk, take a taxi or like most people take the Metro. The Ventas stop is where lines 2 and 5 intersect and it will put you directly outside the bullring. There are also a lot of taxis waiting too if you don’t want to walk or take the metro. After you pick up your tickets and head to your seats rent a cushion for less than 2 euros. Your butt will thank you for the next couple of hours.

Bullfighting is a tradition that some people don’t agree with these days and there’s a good chance that in the future it won’t be allowed. I would recommend experiencing a bull-fight at least once in your life. Not so much for the actual bull-fight but to be part of an authentic Spanish experience.

 

Haghia Sophia Museum- Istanbul, Turkey

The Haghia Sophia or Aya Sofya in Turkish has been in its present form for 1600 years. There have been churches on this site since 346. It took only five years to build this immense structure and it was completed in 537 under Emporer Justinian I. This was almost continuously the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople until 1453 (if the Vatican is the physical headquarters of the Catholic Church this would be the equivalent for Orthodox Christians). Then it became the first imperial mosque after the Ottomans took Constantinople and the city became Istanbul. It served as a mosque for 500 more years until in 1931 it became secularized and in 1935 it was transformed into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The building is huge and the height of the majestic Byzantine domes are exaggerated by the low hanging lighting. Above, shafts of golden light fills the hall. This is one of the few places in the world where you will see Christian iconography side by side with Islamic calligraphy and patterns. Most notable are the medallions and pendant chandeliers that were added in the mid nineteenth century. When it became a museum, mosaics and frescos were revealed under plaster from around the main dome and uncovered interesting depictions of feathered angels.

 

The Louvre Museum- Paris, France

People usually go to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and other art from the Masters. That's what we did the first time too. What happens when you luckily get in for free two hours before closing on a Saturday night? You go around and see whatever you can!

Michelangelo Pistoletto decorated the Louvre's pyramid for the first time in its history with a sign against capitalism. Ironically it looks like the All Seeing Eye on the almighty one dollar bill. He has hidden several pieces all over the museum and has a couple more obvious installations each carrying a message or metaphor.

The Louvre is huge and you could/should spend at least one whole day here if you want to see everything. We snapped photos of all the interesting stuff we missed our first visit. Unfortunately, I only recognize Venus de Milo from this interesting bunch of photos.

Feel free to chime in on the comments if you recognize anything else!

 

Preview: Paris, France

We know another preview... 

They're so much fun to make though!  We'll have more in depth posts soon, pinky swear! 

 

Preview: Istanbul, Turkey

We were bedazzled by the rich history, architecture and culture in Istanbul.  Stay tuned for more!  

P.S. We pray that Istanbul and its people find a resolution to their current difficulties.