Loíza - Festival de Santiago Apóstol | Pure Essence & Flavor of Puerto Rico

 

Puerto Rico, beautiful island located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea about 1,600 kilometers southeast of Miami and the coast of Florida between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands characterized by its idyllic beaches, a landscape of mountains, waterfalls and its beautiful rainforest celebrates the Festival de Santiago de Apóstol on July 25 in Loíza town near the capital San Juan, a very significant event for the Caribbean island.

This town part of the San Juan – Caguas – Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area is situated on the northeastern coast of the island west of Rio Grande, east of Carolina, south of Canóvanas and is spread over five barrios and  Loíza pueblo and its urban core is known as “Loíza Aldea” the village of Loíza.

Loíza, known for its rich African heritage in fusion with the Spanish colonial influence, is often considered the cultural capital of the country becoming the beating heart of Puerto Rico with a festival animated by processions, parades, live traditional music, dances, typical gastronomy, all with the characteristic flavor of the fusion of cultures that characterize Puerto Rico in all its essence.

During this event, the visitor will find in the streets of Loíza masked characters who cheer and give life to the local mestizo spirit such as Los Caballeros, Las Locas, Los Viejos, Los Vejigantes, all significant figures who are the historical and cultural symbol of Puerto Rico life.

The festivities culminate with the Carnival of Santiago, the last Saturday of the festival, on this day Loíza becomes a festival of colors, music and joie de vivre with dancers and artists who cheer the scene to the rhythm of Bomba and Plena, the typical music of Puerto Rico that has remained practically intact since the times of colonization and the first arrivals of people from the African continent,  An event that undoubtedly represents one of the milestones of the festive calendar of the Caribbean island.

The Fiesta de Santiago Apóstol in addition to the high quality musical performances presents a great variety with kiosks and local stalls offering a wide range of traditional products of excellent quality such as the famous bacalaíto, delicious fried dough stuffed with fresh cod, alcapurrias stuffed with beef, chicken or seafood, fried or grilled fish of the highest quality and much more.

Tasting these typical delicacies and letting yourself be carried away by the lively music, the visitor will find himself enveloped in a sort of magical atmosphere and will be able to fully enjoy an unforgettable experience by coming into close contact with the rich cultural and historical heritage knowing more the proud identity of Puerto Rico.

The visitor can also enjoy a wonderful relaxation between celebrations with in addition the opportunity to discover the natural paradise encircling The St.Regis Bahia Beach Resort with over 65% of the property composed by green areas, connecting with nature, relax on the local beach, admiring the wonderful view of the El Yunque rainforest which offers the opportunity to enjoy unforgettable excursions along marvelous nature trails.

https://www.expreso.info/noticias/agenda/101236_puerto_rico_celebra_su_diversidad_cultural_musical_y_gastronomica

Princess Hotels & Resorts | Two new Hotels in Portfolio in Jamaica

Princess Hotels & Resorts is expanding its Caribbean hotel portfolio with two new entries in Jamaica such as Princess Senses The Mangrove and Princess Grand Jamaica, opening on September 15th.

The Princess Senses The Mangrove is; an Adults – Only & All Inclusive located on Green Island beach providing 401 ocean view suites and 14 overwater villas, each with an infinity pool, furthermore there will be super exclusive Platinum Club suites that will provide access to exclusive services of the highest level in privacy.

According to travelpulse.com information guests of this resort will also be allowed to enter the Hotel Pricess Grand Jamaica, an all-inclusive designed and launched for families that offer the opportunity of fun to families children in the water park or at the kids club while for the little ones a nanny service will be available with continuous assistance.

Link : https://www.ttgitalia.com/hotel/princess-hotels-doppia-new-entry-in-giamaica-PB20471394

Voghera | Medieval Oltrepò Pavese Treasure

 

Voghera | Medieval Oltrepò Pavese Treasure

 

Voghera, the largest center of the Oltrepò Pavese and third of the province after Pavia and Vigevano, attractive town located on the banks of the Staffora  stream south of the Po river in a territorial area corresponding to the beginning of the extensive Po Valley.

Former village with noble medieval traditions but even before an ancient settlement in the Neolithic and then a strategic center of the Celtic, Ligurian and Roman, it has always been a very active commercial hub in a strategic point where Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria are so close and not far are the Emilian borders.

Surely you will be immediately amazed at the arrival of the immense historical and monumental heritage of Vogherese, a city that has grandly preserved many traces in its municipal terms of that Middle Ages that can still be breathed in its stupendous history, especially linked to the medieval treasures it preserves.

I suggest starting the visit in the central Piazza Duomo. This wonderful urban space consists of the place where the ancient city center was built, dating back to  the tenth century with the Parish Church of San Lorenzo and in 1378 with the construction of the Cathedral - Collegiate Church dedicated to the same Holy Martyr.

This majestic religious building which, although as the date of construction of medieval origin says, was entirely rebuilt in the seventeenth century, an operation due to the terrible collapse of the bell tower, a work that saw the architect Antonio Mario Corbetta as the  protagonist while the current façade was completed in 1875.

 The architectural style of the structure is placed in a neo-Renaissance classification with a rectangular plan divided into three naves with a large dome in the center surmounted by an octagonal lantern supported by four massive pillars and reaching a height of 47.0 meters.

You can visit the beautiful interior that contains the Holy Thorn carried by Jesus on the way to Calvary kept in the reliquary of the Collegiate Treasure for over seven centuries.

You will then be delighted by the view of the extraordinary dome masterfully frescoed by Rodolfo Gambini and Luigi Morgari, of great importance is a huge statue of St. John the Evangelist with a Roman Eagle at the base and the banner of the municipal Voghera as well as the three beautiful nineteenth-century altars developed in correspondence with the three naves.

Continuation reaching Palazzo Beltrami, current headquarters of the Giornale di Voghera and the Salone Millenario, a beautiful building with neoclassical forms modeled in 1854 by order of the lawyer Gaspare Beltrami from whom this structure takes its name, a site that today hosts important meetings and conferences.

On the same square stands Palazzo Gounela , another fine example of neoclassical architecture erected between the years 1844 and 1847 and today the seat of the Voghera municipal bodies.

The building takes its name from a singular character quite famous in the 800s, histrionic and with a strong personality or the Civic Usher Giuseppe Gonnella preserving inside a fresco by Paolo Emilio Morgari which depicts the celebration of Voghera becoming a city. S

In this beautiful trapezoidal square, the city market is celebrated and on three of its sides you can appreciate from different perspectives the beautiful arcades with sinuous arches that increase the charm of this beautiful historic corner of Voghera.

From this square you can move to another square that is Piazza della Liberazione with the shape of a quadrilateral embellished with Italian gardens called "Piazza Castello" for the presence of the Visconti Castle which, as the name conveys, was one of the noble residences of the famous Visconti Dynasty, Dukes of Milan, a majestic brick structure erected between 1335 and 1335.1372 at the behest of Galeazzo II Visconti.

His son Gian Galeazzo, the first Duke of Milan, as was customary at the court of this influential family, after the works ordered by his father, demanded an expansion of this stronghold that has all the canons of the traditional Visconti fortresses, i.e. massive wall thicknesses, considerable height, solidity, concepts fundamentally based on the hermetic defense of the court, sober in decorations and essentially built on the basis of functionality.

Observing from different antennas, the wings of the fortress seen from a distance appear very similar to those of the Sforza Castle in Milan. This ducal stronghold with the fall of the House was then the residence of other nobles such as Beccaria and Dal Verme and in the 19th century transformed into a prison.

Inside, on the eastern side of the extensive courtyard, there is a valuable fresco executed by the talented master from Bergamo Bartolomeo Suardi, better known as Bramantino, depicting the Virgin Mary with Christ Child and muses.

You can walk along the fascinating Via Emilia, a very attractive pedestrian street where there are beautiful buildings built in different periods among which stands out the Teatro Sociale , a building erected between 1842 and 1845 which boasts a splendid neoclassical façade executed by the architect Gioacchino dell' Isola.

Time for your lunch, I recommend among the first courses to choose between Risotto alla Vogherese or Ravioli with Stew Sauce, the second courses will be  Pork loin with Porcini Mushrooms or Cotechino with Spinach in Butter.

After lunch  I recommend reaching the famous Red Church so called for the color of the bricks used for the construction that took place in the twelfth century on the remains of a religious temple of Lombard origin and dedicated to Saints Hilary and George.

With an attractive gabled façade, sober but well outlined in all its architectural elements present in its layout, this building was historically used for various activities, in the seventeenth century it was used as a  lazaret welcoming plague patients, in 1800 as  a warehouse for goods, the church was then deconsecrated in 1805 and in 1956 it became the Temple Shrine of the Italian Cavalry.

The visit of Voghera is splendid for all those who love history, art, a destination of great importance often underestimated that always leaves beautiful memories to the visitor for its remarkable charm.

 

Link : https://www.visitpavia.com/en/village-of-voghera

 

Where to Stay | Recommended Accomodation

Suite Vogue Visconti

Villa Simona

The Nevada | beachfront Hotel opens in York – Maine

 

The team of hoteliers of the Viewpoint Hotel located in York well known seaside resort situated on the southern tip of the charming state of Maine next to the Atlantic Ocean facing a suggestive gulf that is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, four magnificent beaches and highlighted by the presence of the Mount Agamenticus has renovated and repositioned a historic 70-year-old motel that had closed in 2021 with the name The Nevada.

The new hotel is located on the beautiful Long Sands beach and was designed by CR Design in collaboration with new owners Joe Lipton and Michelle Friar while retaining much of its original features reminiscent of a US Navy ship.

During the renovation operations, measures were taken to lift the property on stilts out of the flood zone as well as installing heat pumps for heating and air conditioning in each room and water heaters on request with recirculation pump.

The sinuously curved building includes a wraparound terrace and has 21 rooms with private terraces.

At guests' disposal there is a restaurant, Lulu's bar with a capacity of 75 seats, an open-air dining room with braziers.

The Nevada is a member of the Green Alliance and donates a portion of each stay to Giving Green which directs funding to evidence-supported projects and also collaborates with Clean The World using Blueland cleaning products, commercial composting and bamboo paper products.

The owners along with business partners Chris and Elizabeth Crane also own the nearby luxury hotel The Viewpoint and are in the process of developing a new Spa complex called The Baths which will be launched in summer.

Link

https://boutiquehotelnews.com/news/hotel/maine-the-nevada/