Harvey Travel Arts

Last weekend, Brian and I went to Chicago to see, among other things, Frank Lloyd Wrights creations. Despite his personal quirks, he was a brilliant planner when it came to architecture. Unfortunately, we don't have photographs of the inside of the houses we toured, but I can share with you some of the innovative ideas he had. Inside his own house (below, above is the Robie house), he designed a playroom instead of an attic for his children. The family was very musical, and he wanted to install a baby grand piano. However, he didn't like the fact that pianos took up so much valuable space. So, he did what any of us would do. He designed a cubbyhole above the stairwell and cut the legs off the back of the piano to fit and stabilize it above the stairs. The piano is still there today! Architects plan and design structures for the families they will be living in. Sadly enough, both of these Wright structures fell into disrepair for years before being restored. In a simila...

From the top of a double decker bus, we were able to get some incredible views and shots of Madrid. The architecture there is intricate and beautiful, and there is a movement in the city to incorporate traditional facades on modern new constructions, allowing for consistancy. I know that many people see the bus tours as being 'too touristy,' but they allow you to learn a little history. If they are included in a pass, like they were for us, we were able to use them for three days, and they make for a great rest in between all the walking and climbing. Our Madrid card was well worth the money spent, as was a rail pass that took us out of town one day at no extra charge when we needed a break from the hustle and bustle of the large city.

Brian and I just got back from a trip to Madrid. Despite the fact that Brian checked with the Spanish liason for Iberia, we had no idea that October 12 was a national holiday, and that along with that holiday, there would be a parade. Following the parade, there was an unrelated second parade called VivAmerica, which is a festival for Spanish and Central/South American cultures. Both brought out throngs of people. These pictures, taken from the double decker tour bus, are both of the VivAmerica festival. Although the Palace was closed for the entire length of our stay due to this holiday, we found that we were able to creatively find alternative things to do. The morning of the national military parade (hey, there were even US military personnel in it!), we were able to go through the archaelogical museum and book museum with hardly anyone else...we had the museums to ourselves. We still managed to catch some of the parade, and could see the colorful cloud of smoke from the air di...

Of all the awe-inspiring monuments in DC, this is, in my opinion, the most creative. Walking past the Korean War monument, you can almost hear the fighting, feel the struggle and visually surround yourself with the experience. The agony in the carved soldier's faces brings a great pain to my heart. To see so much in a mere monument; I can't imagine the reality that must have been. The etching on the wall mirrors the etching in our hearts.

In the midst of all the concrete that is Washington DC, the Botanical Gardens add a soft, delightful touch. Due to its location, it also provides a good place to stop and visit while waiting on the Capitol tour. These flowers remind me of being in a tropical paradise. Even the dessert areas of the gardens have lush beauties throughout. The vibrant pinks, purples, yellows, reds, flowers of so many shapes, the flourescent green ivies, the fuzzy cacti, all part of our Creator's neverending imagination. Makes me wonder: if there is this much beauty on this earth, how much more vibrant it will be in Heaven!

Reims, France. Another beautiful city full of ruins, historic architecture, art, and these arches. I especially enjoy the sunlight through the archway of the image below. Our lives are like the archways. We have our thoughts, actions, feelings, our very soul tucked inside, and those close to us can see into our arches. So can God. Nothing can be hidden from Him. If we have Christ as Lord of our lives, He is then the light that shines through us, much like the arch below.

These ghostly images were taken in Luxembourg. Luxembourg was an old walled city, and much of that wall is still in place today. I found it fascinating to be able to walk the borders, and to look down to the cityscape. The old church (above) caught my eye. I can imagine people in worn out clothing, traipsing through the fog, cold and mud in order to worship their God. How sad it is today, with all of our conveniences, we now find easy excuses not to visit. So many churches across Europe are primarily tourist attractions, or they have been abandoned and turned into restaurants and bars.