Tulipanes en Holanda: El Esplendor de la Primavera

Por: Patricia Sendra

La alarma sonó y media sonámbula, me acerque al radio-reloj para ver la hora. Eran las 4 y media de la mañana y no podía creer que me tenía que levantar ya. Se que estaba de vacaciones y se que los turistas tienen que siempre estar listos para aprovechar las oportunidades. ¡Pero estaba madrugando solo para ver flores! ¡Si, flores! De todos tipos y todos colores, desfilando en filas, docenas y millones en la casa de subasta de flores mas grande del mundo. Era el comienzo de la primavera y estábamos en  Holanda, capital de los tulipanes.

El espectáculo floral más grande del mundo toma lugar todos los años en la ciudad de Lisse, en las afueras de la capital Ámsterdam. Los jardines Keukenhof contienen más de 70 acres con 6 millones de tulipanes, narcisos y jacintos. Y la primavera es el tiempo ideal para una visita cuando uno puede disfrutar casi 10 millas de caminos, fuentes, lagos y observar miles de bulbos floreciendo, incluyendo más de 500 variedades de tulipanes.

El área donde están ubicados hoy estos jardines comenzó como territorio de caza  de un castillo en el siglo XV. En esa era, la condesa que residía ahí, cultivaba y recogía hierbas y plantas para la cocina del castillo. De ahí, surgió su nombre Keukenhof, que significa “jardín de cocina”. Los jardines, en su forma actual, abrieron al público en 1949 como  una exposición floral.

El parque está dividido en siete jardines temáticos, con instalaciones dedicadas a  temas variados: color, fragancia, estilo abstracto, agua, fronteras, e historia. Por ejemplo, el Jardín Musical tiene flores pequeñas acompañadas con música al aire libre. El Jardín Natural incluye flores poco comunes. Y el Jardín de Naranjales, dedicado a la familia real de Orange,  contiene 18 tipos de tulipanes en diferentes tonos de naranja.

Habíamos planeado nuestro viaje para poder observar y disfrutar la exhibición sin fin de tulipanes. Esperábamos recorrer el camino de los campos floridos de bulbos y visitar ese jardín de flores impresionante. ¡Todo un viaje dedicado a una flor! Pero ese año, desafortunadamente, la temporada de tulipanes fue corta debido a una ola de calor. Así que nos tuvimos que conformar con una visita a Aalsmeer. Aquí se encuentra la casa de subasta de flores más grande del mundo. Con 19 millones de flores subastadas diariamente, es todo un acontecimiento.

Las flores son recolectadas generalmente en las tardes o las noches y son entregadas directamente al salón de subasta, guardadas en almacenes refrigerados. Entre 5 AM y 6 AM son examinados por calidad y pasando inspección, son cargados en carritos y llevado a uno de los cinco salones de subasta. Los compradores se sientan en filas en frente de enormes relojes que muestra el precio del lote bajo consideración. Empiezan con un precio elevado y rápidamente baja,  en una cuenta regresiva. El primer distribuidor que aprieta el botón computarizado de su sitio se convierte en el comprador de ese lote.

Este edificio es del tamaño de 120 canchas de fútbol, y es clasificado por Guinness, como el edificio comercial más grande del mundo. Los visitantes caminan sobre un pasadizo por arriba del piso donde millones de flores esperan ser subastada. Después, desde las galerías especiales, pueden observar los procedimientos intrigantes y complejos que ocurren simultáneamente en las cinco salas.  Es como un Wall Street para la industria de flores y plantas. La rosa sigue siendo la más popular seguida por el tulipán y  más de 75% de las flores subastada aquí son exportadas al extranjero. Inclusive, los precios negociados de flores enviadas directamente de un país, por ejemplo como Colombia, a otro son  directamente basados en los precios diarios en Aalsmeer.  

Al final fue solo una mañana dedicada a una flor.  Pero me quedé con las ganas de presenciar esos legendarios campos de tulipanes, esa exposición de horticultura mundialmente famosa. Pero Ámsterdam y Holanda es más que tulipanes: también es el país de molinos de viento, arte, quesos sabrosos y arquitectura pintoresca. Será motivo de otra visita a este pequeño pero gran país de tanta  belleza natural y atributos culturales. Y por supuesto, ¡será motivo de otro futuro relato!

otros datos

vía: Ámsterdam, la capital de Holanda, es accesible por vuelos directos desde Miami por KLM

sugerencias: Tanto a los jardines Keukenhof  como a la subasta de Aalsmeer  es recomendable llegar temprano en la mañana. Los jardines se llenan de visitantes mas tarde y en el caso de Aalsmeer, es preferible para poder observar la subasta en acción.

aalsmeer:

·         situación: Está ubicada a 10 millas al sur de Ámsterdam, cerca de su aeropuerto Schipol. Se puede visitar como parte de una excursión guiada o por su propia cuenta desde la estación de ferrocarriles Ámsterdam Centraal Station, por el autobús #172

·         Horario: Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer  , está abierto al público de lunes a viernes, de 7:00 AM-11:00 AM, el lunes suele estar mas concurrido y el jueves, mas tranquilo

·         Entrada: Adultos/5 Euros y Niños (6-11 años)/3 Euros

keukenhof:

·         situación: Están ubicados a 20 millas al suroeste de Ámsterdam en Lisse.  En la temporada, es accesible por tren desde la estación de ferrocarril Ámsterdam Centraal hasta Leiden conectando al Autobús #54 (Keukenhof Express) o por taxi (www.treintaxi.nl)/ en 30 minutos o en estilo muy holandés, por bicicleta bordeando los campos de tulipanes.

·         Horario: En 2011,  estará abierto de 24 Marzo – 20 Mayo diariamente de 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Queda solo unos dias!

·         Entrada: Adultos/21 Euros, 65+/18 Euros y Niños/11 Euros

Verona, Italy: The setting of one of the famous romantic legends

By: Patricia Sendra

"It was here where the beautiful Juliet heard the declaration of the love of her Romeo" the tour guide explained while the dozens of tourists squeezed into the small interior garden. We looked upwards, and saw a rather the rather tiny stone balcony with arched cutouts in its sides.  The young Italian guide continued recounting the story we all knew so well but still found so captivating. A few sighs were even heard amongst the crowd as those legendary words were said. We were in Verona, the City of Love.

This is the city where the legend of the famous lovers was born. And even after centuries, the legend still persists. In this interior patio, some visitors scrawl random declarations of love like graffiti on the wall. Others follow the tradition of rubbing the bronze statue of Juliet, believing it will bring them luck in finding their 'true' love. And Verona looks to oblige them all, offering walking tours including sites such as this one, Juliet's home, as well as Romeo's home, their wedding church and even Juliet's tomb, the scene of the tragic end of the story.

The only small noteworthy detail is that Romeo & Juliet apparently never existed. The story of the star-crossed lovers has been traditionally attributed to William Shakespeare, the English playwright, but it has been said that it was the fruit of the imagination of ancient Italian writers. Although it is thought to be based on two real Veronese families, that appears to be the only authentic element. The characters, the events and the aforementioned sites are pure fiction.  Centuries later, however, Verona adopted the protagonists, converting them into local figures and the story took a life of of its own. And like that, it has turned into an entertaining stop in a tour of the region.

I returned to Verona on another occasion, as part of a grand escorted excursion through Italy. The guide, of course, took us directly to the Juliet's house. Since I was well-acquainted with the balcony, (with its image well preserved in my previous trip photographs), I decided instead to get to know more in depth this picturesque city, situated on the banks of the Adige river.

I asked her directions on how to get to the famous Roman amphitheater. She responded that it would be impossible for us to do so due to the distance and our short stay in this city and stated she had no other suggestions for places to see on our own. Being slightly rebellious tourists, we still abandoned the group, deciding to just ramble through the city's narrow medieval streets in the allotted time. We were happily well rewarded-we discovered that apart from the famous legend, Verona was a jewel full of ancient monuments, elegant architecture and impressive history.

We quickly found ourselves in one its most famous plazas, the Piazza delle Erbe. Full of picturesque kiosks & stalls, this is the site of an interesting open air market. But the mercantile activity tends to hide the beauty of the buildings that surround the plaza. Many of these medieval buildings still retain their colorful frescoed facades with their brilliant colors. Even more interestingly, you can still glimpse vestiges of the ancient Roman forum around the plaza.

We continued strolling, at an even but slow pace, enjoying Verona’s medieval churches with glimpses of its Renaissance buildings and magnificent palaces along the way. Half an hour later, after all our exploration, we found ourselves in another important plaza of Verona, Piazza Bra. And what surprising building did we find there? Well, the piazza is the home of the famous amphitheater, the very one that supposedly we could not possibly reach during our afternoon visit!

The amphitheater, more popularly known as the Arena, was built in the 1st century AD and is surprisingly very well preserved, having even survived an earthquake during its history. In fact, it is the most important monuments of the city, and one of the most representative buildings of the ancient Roman era, outside of Rome itself. The Arena remains in use to this day, primarily as a venue for opera and other theatrical spectacles. Other structures dating back to that era found in Verona include bridges, arches, city gates, and a Roman theater.

We had a short visit of the amphitheater and still had ample time to rejoin the group. So, what did I learn from this experience? First and foremost, that one should not trust one's tour director blindly in regards to the historical facts, possible excursions and (certainly not) directions.  Pre-trip research goes a long way as well as a little knowledge of history of the cities and villages that you plan to visit. If not, you run the risk of missing the more important monuments of a city or getting a feel for its sites & sounds. In the case of Verona, it is involves straying from the popular Romeo & Juliet tour stops. But, on the other hand, I also learned it doesn't hurt to get lost in the myths and legends of the past.  For what is traveling, if not to escape reality? In the case of Verona, it is all about a passionate legend of love. And today, on Valentine's Day, isn't it important to believe in the magic of love?

Additional data:

·         Transportation: Verona is accessible by plane (Catullo Airport), train and/or auto & bus service from Venice or Milan (+ 2 hours). The historic center is closed to traffic but it is compact and easy to explore on foot.

·         Shopping: Via Mazzini, a pedestrian street is known for the high end fashion houses. Corso Portoni Borsari, Via Roma, Via Cappello, and Piazza delle Erbe are other popular shopping areas. Some stores (and most churches) still close from noon until late afternoon.

·         Gastronomy: Specialties include the gnocchi; peperate (boiled beef with 'peara' a pepper sauce with cheese sauce); rice pilota (with pork); bigoli (spaghetti with sardines) and seafood (especially trout) due to its proximity to Lake Garda.

·         Events: The Arena offers opera, ballet and symphony performances (tickets at www.arena.it) and the Roman Theater offers a Shakespeare festival, during the summer.

·         Curiosities:

o   The supposed tomb of Juliet , according the tragic conclusion of the story is located in ancient convent (San Francesco al Corso) and ironically the convent is a sought-after location for civil weddings.

o   The tragic love story so inspires the lovelorn that 'Juliet' receives letters from all over the world. Since the 1930's or so, volunteers have been answering the letters and even formed an organization known as Juliet's Club.   This was the inspiration for the recent movie, Letters to Juliet. 

o   Verona is also the city that inspired another important literary work, the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. One can admire a statue dedicated to the epic poet in another one of the city's plazas, the piazza dei Signori.

 

The Splendor of the Grotta Azzurra

By: Patricia Sendra

In every traveler's imagination, there exists a list with which we plan our journeys. This is the list of those places that we would like to visit at least once in our lives. They may be hidden, out-of-the way destinations; or an experience to be enjoyed rather than a place. Some, however, are simply touristy places that although we do not want to admit it, we want to see them once and then cross them off our list. One such place made my very first list, when I was just child and only dreamed of traveling the world. This place was the legendary Blue Grotto in Italy.

The Grotta Azzurra or Blue Grotto is part of the island of Capri in southern Italy. Situated in the gulf of Naples, the island became a tourist destination after the famous Grotto was revealed to the world by a 19th century German writer. However, this spot was actually discovered by the ancient Romans who built docks and even a small tunnel that still exists to this day. Three ancient statues were recovered from the grotto in 1964 and a recent 2009 underwater survey revealed the existence of several statue bases, leading archeologists to believe in the existence of more sculptures.  In fact, legend has it that the grotto could have been the private pool of the emperor Tiberius, who had constructed a large villa on the island. The ruins of that villa can still be visited today at the summit of the island.

So, after reading the tales of so many writers, intellectuals, and other cosmopolitan characters that had visited this site, I thought it would be an easy, even glamorous outing. But unfortunately, it became a day long adventure.  To reach the grotto, we had to travel in a series of vessels. First, we crossed from the city of Sorrento in a ferry to Marina Grande, the principal port of Capri. There they separated us into two groups and transferred us to smaller motorboats. Once aboard, we lounged about soaking in the incredible vistas, oblivious to what lay ahead. We cruised past the island's craggy cliffs and other impressive rock formations until we reached a rendezvous point. Soon, we discovered that a group of even smaller, wooden rowboats were congregating just along our vessel. That was when we realized that another transfer lay ahead of us.

Our fellow travelers started descending from the motorboat, four at a time, disappearing into the small rowboats.  Finally our turn arrived, but I didn't fully comprehend that I actually had to leap from a ship's ladder onto the rowboat.  It unraveled like a scene from an old "I Love Lucy" episode. I grasped the ladder, gingerly stretching one leg to position myself in the boat. But instead of getting on the boat, the boat starting drifting away. I was holding on for dear life to the ladder with both hands, with one foot on the ladder's rung and the other, sort of in the boat. Apparently, I was not completely trusting of the aged Italian sailor with the toothy grin manning the dinghy!

"SIGNORINA, PER FAVORE!" yelled out the oarsman (and something else in Italian that thanks heavens I didn't understand). I decided I really wasn't keen on swimming in those ice cold waters, so I breathed in deeply and hurled myself onto the boat. He motioned for me to sit down, positioning three of us at one end with the remaining tourist and himself directly facing us on the other end.

As we approached the cave, we realized that all the little boats were lined up in single file, waiting their turn to enter. The only thing was that I could not see the actual entrance from my vantage point. I could only discern a small crack in the face of the cliff, near the water's edge. At that moment, our oarsman again raised his voice. He indicated with his gestures that we had to lie down one on top of another. In other words, we had to lean back like a string of fallen dominos until we were flat against the bottom of the boat. A scant few seconds later, the purpose of his strange plan become crystal clear.

Apparently, our boat was planning to traverse through that tiny fissure. It was so narrow and low that if one of us had decided to sit up, we would have lost our heads. (And I think if I had had the oars in my possession, I would have had that boat turned around immediately!). The oarsman, however, grabbed hold of a chain hanging across the top of the crevice and propelled us right through the hole.  Finally, just like that, we were inside the small cavern.

When we got used to the dim light, the vista was awe-inspiring. Rays of sun penetrated the cavern through an underwater cavity and its brilliance produced an iridescent, shimmering effect.  The water appeared to be lit up from beneath, transparent and luminous at the same time with intense shades of turquoise. It did not disappoint.

But beautiful views aside, the scene inside was slightly chaotic. The oarsmen were rowing furiously in circles, serenading us with Neapolitan classics. Due to the cave's acoustics, however, it was more like a cacophony of sounds emanating from the tiny vessels. But it didn't last long--our surrealistic experience had quickly come to an end and the tiny boats were all realigned to exit through the same small pinhole.

When I returned to the hotel, I took out my dog-eared travel diary and triumphantly struck it off ‘the List'. In retrospect, the experience was quite different from my imagination. But the spectacle, even if short and at times, disorganized, wasn't unimpressive. This sea of blue colors and tonalities, so incredibly intense, formed an indelible memory of this voyage.

·    Via:  Daytrip from Rome or overnight in Naples or Sorrento. Ferries or similar rapid boats will transfer you to Capri in 30 minutes or less. (Or you could choose to stay in Capri itself).

·    Tickets:  Boat transfers can be purchased at Marina Grande. Entry fee is paid to the head of the rowboat contingent. Escorted excursions including the Grotto visits are also available.

·    Visit: The season is generally from the end of April until October, as it depends on the tide, and obviously weather conditions, even in season. It is best to visit on a bright, sunny day.

·    Curiosities: There are several other similar sea grottoes found in Italy, Croatia, Malta and Greece. This is one of the more famous ones.

·    Hot Tip:  Not as well known is that you can take a taxi or bus to the Grotto entrance, descend a flight of stairs directly down to the edge of the grotto, climb into a rowboat and just pay the entrance fee to a 'rowboat' cashier. For us Disney type people, this is what would be known as the 'fast pass'.

·    P.S: Oh and yes, I lied...I ended up returning to Capri several years later, discovered the 'fast pass' and revisited the Grotto. I am happy to report it still hasn't lost any of its splendor... 

A Magical Tour of Dijon by Segway

By Patricia Sendra

"It’s very easy. Lean forward or backward and you will accelerate in that direction," she said. "Turn the handlebar to the left, you will turn left and vice versa. To stop, you only need to stand up straight."

And with these words, the guide declared me ready to go and turned to help another. I found myself completely alone on a narrow side street. So, I leaned forward just as I had been taught. Sure enough, the machine accelerated. In a few seconds, I found myself at the end of the road, needing to turn, and fast! But at the speed that I was going at, the maneuver was not easy and I almost hit the curb straight on. It seemed like I had a long day ahead of me.

So began the adventure of the unbalanced, uncoordinated Tourist and her amazing Segway.

We were in the picturesque city of Dijon, France. As the capital of the Burgundy region, it’s world famous for its wine, gastronomy, architecture and, in particular, its mustard. But Dijon has added another notch to its list of attributes. It became one of the first cities in France (and perhaps in the world) to offer city tours by Segway.

And what is the Segway? The Segway HT is a relatively new invention, unveiled to the public in 2001. It’s described as a self-balanced transport machine, and the suffix, HT, refers to "Human Transporter". It simply looks like a skateboard with a (disproportionately) larger wheel on each side and high handlebars, and can travel on the street or on pedestrian venues. Designed for diverse terrains, all it needs is traction. But the most important design aspect is the vehicle’s ability to emulate human equilibrium. Thus its operation is instinctive; you just have to let yourself go.

My encounter with this marvel was by pure coincidence. As with our first visit to any new city, we headed towards the Tourist Information Office upon arrival. I had gathered from my research that the actual historical center was compact and perfect for a walking tour. But when we arrived, a brochure for the Segway tour caught our eyes. It was an interesting idea that no writer worth his or her salt could pass up. However, there was one tiny detail. This writer did not have a great history with objects requiring balance or equilibrium, such as, let’s say, skates. So this experience promised to be very interesting indeed!

The tourism office had gathered a set of ten adventurers (including me) and pointed us in the direction of the central park. The guide took the lead and we followed her in single file, hopping up on the sidewalk. Ever so delicately, I leaned forward until I achieved a sustainable speed. We then entered the park, circling the gardens towards an enormous fountain area. Arriving at the rendezvous point, we realized we were missing some of our tour companions. Unfortunately, a few minutes of instruction are not really sufficient for everyone, and we soon discovered that one of the ladies had fallen straight off the sidewalk, while her husband had run right into a wall. But they were fine and soon rejoined the group.  I was secretly proud I wasn’t doing as badly as I thought I would.

And so continued the tour. We followed the guide to each point of interest, where we would gather around her in a circle. Rocking back and forth a bit, we maintained our balance as we listened to the lecture. We saw impressive churches and buildings representative of the architecture of the region, and we reflected on the historical timelines as we criss-crossed interior patios and gardens. Little by little, I felt more confident in my futuristic machine. I didn’t even hesitate when I saw the guide jump over the curb; make a 180-degree turn and then climb a narrow ramp. This was obviously an easy maneuver. All I had to do was to slow down to ascend and stop before turning. I was on my way to being licensed as a Segway driver.

There even came a moment when I (confidently) stopped to retrieve my camera from inside the Segway’s own backpack, conveniently strapped to the handlebars. The only thing I didn’t realize at the time is that to do so, I had to let go of those very handlebars. And that would be a very, very bad idea. I concluded rapidly that it would be easier just to return the next day and photograph the sites on my own. I peacefully continued my journey until the last challenge of the day arrived. And this would be an encounter with the very residents of Dijon.

The tour was to end with a ride through the historical center of the city, culminating in the Triumphal Arch. Unfortunately; the aforementioned residents don’t exactly abandon the right-of-way for tourists with the big motorized contraptions. Instead, one such intrepid citizen was attempting to cross the sidewalk in front of me to reach Dijon’s own Galeries Lafayette. My despair was so great that I was speechless. I couldn’t form words in any language to politely tell that older lady to get out of my way! All that escaped my lips was "oui". So without politeness or graciousness, I yelled out "OUI, OUI, OUI" like a boisterous siren. The look of surprise on that her face, as she raced across with dog in tow, was yet another memory of this unforgettable afternoon.

In retrospect, I think it would be most convenient that the city of Dijon clear the streets of all pedestrians during visiting hours so that its tourists can enjoy "the magical visit by Segway" as advertised. At the very least, my nerves and those of its residents would be a lot calmer. But Dijon survived my visit, and I, at the end, was happily circling about and taking my Segway through the most unexpected places. When I got to the point of disembarkation, I didn’t want to part with my beloved machine. It ended up being a marvelous experience in a beautiful and interesting city, an experience I hope will repeat itself in cities the world over. This tourist would be a faithful follower!

Additional data:

·    The Tourism Office of Dijon offers various types of city tours. The Segway tour is offered 2x/ day in July and August and is 1-1/2 hours long. Cost is 16 € pp (children 7 €).  Departs from the Tourism Office at 11 rue des Forges à Dijon

·    Other French cities, such as Paris, Nice and Lyon as well as other countries also offer sightseeing tours by Segway. Costs, length and type of tours vary.

·    Platform measures approximately 19" x 25" x 8" high and the vehicle itself weights +/-80 lbs, depending on the exact model. Its weight limit for the rider is approx. 250 lbs.

·    Turning radius of 0 degrees with speed up to 12.5 mph. Motor is backed up by two batteries (NiMH) which last around 6 hours and can travel up to 15 miles on one charge.

·    It’s being utilized not only for tourism but by businesses, and even police department. In the U.S., however, several states are enacting legislation to regulate its use in the cities.

Article first published in print, Triunfo Magazine and online in Bonjour Paris!