18.4.08
Cherry Blossoms in D.C.
It's spring in Washington D.C. . The cherry blossoms are a spectacular site. Now is the time to tour America's capital city. But these cherry trees are not native to America, they are a gift from Japan. It is a mark of friendship between the two nations that began in 1912.
The first two trees were planted by First lady Helen Herron Taft and Vicountess Chinda (the wife of the Japanese ambassador) on May 1912.
Every spring a Cherry blossom festival is held in Washington D.C., continuing the celebrations that began since the first tree planting.
21.2.08
Istanbul, Turkey
This
week
I'm
going
to
Turkey....
from...
home.
But hey,
at least
I can
check it
out now,
so I won't look like a tourist when I get
there......
This enormous structure is
the Hagia Sophia, located in Istanbul,
Turkey.
What's so amazing about this is the
mosaics of Christ which were originally
created with the structure of the building.
It is said that one mosaic in particular
contains what is considered to be the
very image of Christ when he was 33.
It is believed to have been painted from
an imprint from on a cloth, the burial
cloth of Jesus.
This was originally a christian temple,
built by the roman Emporer Constantine.
The temple was transformed into a mosque
during the Turkish invasion of Constantinople
by Sultan Mehmet in 1453 and the mosaics
were plastered over. The temple mosaics
have been in the process of restoration
since the 1800's.
How does this building relate to American
history? Look at the structure. The
architecture of this building looks
somewhat familiar? The Dome design is
featured on our U.S. Government buildings.
The U.S. Capitol features a dome designed
after the Haghia Sophia.
But, don't take my word for it.
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