Sunday, December 18, 2011

Jewish heritage in Spain


1) the Jewish heritage in Spain— an introduction
Signs of the Jewish heritage in Spain can be seen in many reminders of the country's colorful history. The Jews (called Sephardis) may be a minority in the country, but they have played an important part in that history, as we shall see.

Jewish heritage in Spain


2) the Jewish heritage in Spain— the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, a large part of southern Spain was ruled by Muslims. Much of the time these people were tolerant of the Jews, allowing them to practice their faith as long as they paid the required tax. They spoke a form of Spanish called Ladino, which included many Hebrew words. Jewish philosophy flourished during this period: One of the most prominent Jewish thinkers was Moses ben Maimon (Rambam), whose chef- d' œuvre "Guide to the Perplexed" attempted to reconcile religion with contemporary philosophy.



The Muslims did often persecute the Jews, however, as did the Christians who regained control in the 1400s. The Inquisition began in Spain, and thousands of Jews were condemned to death. Many fled to the New World, bringing the Jewish heritage in Spain with them.

3) the Jewish heritage in Spain— a modern- day visitor's guide
Present- day reminders of the Jewish heritage in Spain include its many synagogs. Prominent among them are the reconstructed old main synagog in Segovia, which later became a convent; Híjar Synagog in Aragon, one of the best preserved; Córdoba Synagog, which reopened in 1585 in celebration of Rambam's 850th birthday; and the Synagog of El Tránsito in Toledo.

The Jewish heritage in Spain is also preserved on the Smithsonian Folkways collection "Gloria Levy Sings Sephardic Folk Songs" (1958), which has guitar accompaniment. Notable songs include the love song "Morenika" and "Bar Minan."



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Barcelona tours


Barcelona tours

Barcelona is a city with rich, diverse culture and has many tourist attractions such as art, museums, architectural sites, ancient house. Barcelona tours cover many interesting places you can visit during weekend travel, holidays, special occasions and more.



Sight Seeing Tours

There is an eight-hour tour, which is one of the best Barcelona tours from morning to evening that is specially designed for those who make short time visits to the city of Barcelona. The daylong Barcelona tour covers the highlights from the street view to mountains and through the most famous buildings. You also get a chance to walk through the Plaza de Catalunya where you get to see beauty in its making presented in statues and fountains.

You also get to see 15th century buildings like the Barcelona cathedral at the Gothic Quarter. The tour takes you through the Plaza Sant Juame where all government buildings are located. You also get to see the home of Olympic athletes in Villa Olimpica and Port Olimpic on foot. Before the lunch you get climb Mount Montjuich that enables you to have a bird’s eye view of the Barcelona harbor and the city as a whole.

You also get a glimpse of the Monumental Bull Ring and the renowned Cathedral Sta Maria Del Mar, anyone who has been too any of these Barcelona tours will tell you that you the Picasso Museum makes a must visit, and that is where this daylong tour concludes.

Barcelona Day Tours - Information

Day tours in Barcelona include walks that take you through culture and cuisine, traditional and social tours on bicycles provide tourist with a different view around the city. Sailing cruises and adventurous tours through hot air balloons always give tourist memorable amongst all of Barcelona Tours.

The city of Barcelona has a lot to offer for both first time and regular visitors. Barcelona Tours also include custom tours for special occasions. All you need to do is make an early booking and the rest will be done to your satisfaction.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Jeep tours in Spain

Jeep tours in Spain


Jeep tours in Spain offer travelers many opportunities to experience the adventure of a lifetime. Jeep tours in Spain give people a chance to see Spain from a perspective that is not usually discussed. For example, the allure of Spain has typically been what is going on in the cities such as the theaters and the nightclubs, but when tourists are introduced to the possibility of taking jeep tours in Spain, they have much more astounding ventures.




Places to Eat

Several great restaurants can be found in the cities, but within the country tourists will find local restaurants that introduce adventurers to the typical cuisine of the country. These local restaurants can be well hidden from view and are not generally listed in guidebooks and other tours that are focusing on the cities. Jeep tours in Spain that use 4x4 vehicles to transport their passengers around Spain will bring their clients to these out-of-the-way places for a unique dining experience.

Activities to Enjoy

As tourists keep their eyes on the city, they miss the opportunity to participate in all of the more enterprising activities of Spain. Jeep tours in Spain bring travelers to the areas where they can indulge in these activities such as kayaking on the rivers, horseback riding through the mountains and hiking in the most scenic areas of Spain where tourists can enjoy sights such as magnificent waterfalls.

The Pyrenees

Many jeep tours in Spain make it a point of taking their tourists to the Pyrenees. These tours do not keep people only on the Spanish side, but they treat their travelers to the French side as well. The tour has been charted to offer clients the best views of these majestic mountains and also pays close attention to where the tourists will lodge for the night; also, tourists are treated to wonderful meals.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Prayer Request Online


Prayer Request

A few years ago this writer was placed in a challenging predicament. A close friend had suddenly become disenfranchised and there was hardly anyone willing to provide assistance. As this person lived a considerable distance it was not possible to be there constantly. I began to send non-perishable food and cash via the postal system.

Unfortunately the funds were beginning to run dry so it became necessary to use credit and pray that it didn't drag me into the gutter alongside.

At first I sent money and packages of food to the postal box he was able to retrieve mail from. In the end, 4 credit cards were maxed out and over 6000 dollars spent. There was little else I could do at that point so, reaching to my religious roots,

I searched the internet for sites in Jerusalem which would accept a prayer request. Honestly I didn't know what to believe; if someone would fall into such a predicament to start with... Could a prayer request actually be a panacea or "cure all" to such ills?

Nevertheless, since I found many websites and which were created just for the remittance of such things; and so I decided to send a prayer request through each of them. In fact to a single one, which offered to read and post a prayer request daily at the western wall in Jerusalem, I sent many.
 
Perhaps ironically, through and act of faith; or simply perseverance and tenacity on the part of my friend, things began to change. He was soon hired as a pianist for a European tour with some famous Jazz musicians and has been riding on thin air ever since.

While it's impossible to prove that such a miracle was attributable entirely to the faculties of prayer, it's quite evident that it most certainly didn't hurt. I would use this prayer request service, and many others regularly if the need were to arrive.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Catholic Prayer Requests


The power of prayer is an amazing thing and a Catholic prayer request is something that is frequently made during both times of joy and times of trouble. Prayer requests can be made anywhere you are in prayer but many people want to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to submit a Catholic prayer request in person.

Catholic Prayer Requests
 
The church of the holy sepulchre is where many prayer requests are made and it is common to write a prayer request and physically place it in the holy wall. Sometimes it is not possible to physically make that journey to make a Catholic prayer request and this is where the power of the internet can be used.

You will have the opportunity to write your prayer and have it read by a Holy Nun at the church. Your Catholic prayer request will be placed on the Stone of Anointing and photographed for you to see and you will be sent a certificate of authenticity that your Catholic prayer request was placed in the holy wall. You can also have a candle lit as well if this is something that you wish to do.

There are many reasons why someone might want to submit a Catholic prayer request through the internet. Jerusalem is considered to be the holiest place in the world and as such many people believe that if they are praying there it puts them closer to God. The internet has made it possible to be there even if it is not possible to go there.

Through pictures and even live shots you are able to see the holiest place where Jesus spent time. Whether you are submitting a prayer for a time of joy or a prayer to ask for intercession during times of trouble the internet has made it possible for you to do this at a sacred place.

The next time you have a prayer request consider submitting your prayer through the internet to the church of the holy sepulchre. It is something that you will find to be a very powerful experience. 



Sunday, January 16, 2011

Dali Museum Tour


Famous Barcelona museums

Barcelona, the popular Spanish city, offers numerous attractions for the visitors. With various beautiful art museums with an array of breathtaking paintings from popular artists, the city has left an impression as a popular art city. Paintings from renowned personalities such as Picasso, Gaudi, and Joan Miro are preserved here since ages.

During a Dali Museum tour, you will find exquisite paintings, portraying the unique architecture in Barcelona. The city has various art galleries in the suburbs. One of them is the Figueres, a popular town known as the birth place of Salvador Dali. From Barcelona it takes few hours to reach Figueres and the Salvador Dali Museum by train.

Salvador Dali

Dali, the artistic genius of Spain was a very intelligent, eccentric and conceited man. His museum showcases beautiful collections of artworks of various theatrical painters. During your Dali Museum tour, you can see the imaginative paintings of Picasso, Dali and Lorca displayed in the museum. You can choose a self-guided or a guided Dali Museum tour.

Spanish Paintings

Spain has one of the artistic cultures in Europe. Dali’s artwork is the prime example of that. Inspired by Gala, his lover and wife, this painter offered some of the most renowned piece of artwork to this world. You will find beautifully portrayed Gala in many of his paintings. Apart from Dali, Sigmund Freud, Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso had also offered numerous aesthetic artworks to Spain. During your Dali Museum tour, you will see their displayed work at Alhambra exhibits Dali, Picasso exhibits and Joan Miro exhibits.

Temple of surrealism

Apart from a Dali museum tour, you can also visit the Temple of surrealism to experience something unique. While exploring this place, you will get a feel of adventure in a subconscious world. At the entrance to this museum theater, there is a typical puppet in a diving suit. Check out the beautiful Cadillac cars inside the museum as well.


Day Tours in Barcelona


Day tours in Barcelona afford visitors the opportunity to experience the city several ways. There are tours by double-decker bus, van, bicycle or walking. Tours are available for groups from 8 to about 60 in number.. There are also day tours in Barcelona available on a private basis and during the evening hours. Guides speaking many languages await you.


Day Tours in Barcelona

One of the favorite day tours in Barcelona are the wine tours visiting places such as Priovat which was developed on the site of a monastary. The area has been known for wine production since ancient Roman times. This area has only been a specially highlighted region in the past 20years. Wine tasting and purchase of bottles of wine are available from these special winery shops.

One of the day tours in Barcelona definitely not to be missed is a tour of the Gothic Quarter of the city. Here the eye will be treated to towering structures of beautiful architecture some so close together they seem to hem the world in. Among the many sites in this area is an unfinished cathedral begun by the famous son of Barcelona, Antoni Gaudi. From time to time tourists may catch local artisans still busy working on this structure. Other very special areas are the old Jewish area, and the actual remnant of a Roman aqueduct. One of the oldest temples in the world to be enjoyed on day tours in Barcelona is the Temple of Augustus dating back to 15BC.

Day tours in Barcelona would not be complete without sampling some of the native foods which may be enjoyed as you stroll along the famous Rambla street stopping at La Boqueria. Since 1836 this wonderful shop has offered the tantalizing aromas of live sea creatures, fruits, vegetables and cheeses beyond your wildest imagination.