Crucifixion in the Philippines: Tourists Welcome

by Jamie Rhein on

As the only officially Catholic country in Asia, the Philippines, thanks to Father Pedro de Valderama who arrived with Spanish explorer Magellan in the early 1500s, is gearing up for Easter. And there are few places on Earth where religious fervor is matched in such graphic shows of penitence and resolve to do better. Although there are calmer, more sedate versions of the Good Friday celebratory happenings, the most extreme are the Penitencia where people mirror Jesus’ suffering by being nailed to a cross. Others dress up like Roman soldiers. Really. There’s a bit more to it than this, and no one actually dies, but it sure isn’t pleasant. The government and the Catholic Church both frown on the practice, but those who are involved are determined.

Tourists do show up. If you’re interested, here’s a link that lists some of these Good Friday events. I also found this interesting read by Larry Kingston in the online travel magazine The Tangent-Ezine. Kingston was an eyewitness to last year’s event. Besides providing an account of the happenings and his impressions, his article is filled with photographs. The photo here is of people waiting for the crucifixion to take place. These crosses are part of the scenery.

Pike Place Market in Seattle Turns 100

by Jamie Rhein on

Pike Place Market in Seattle is turning 100. This season is the time for celebrating this vibrant heart of the city that got its start because of onions. Back in 1906, the price of onions was skyrocketing and shoppers were not too happy since the middle man was taking the profit while consumers and farmers ended up shorthanded. A farmers market was the solution. Consumers could buy from the farmers at a fair price and good-bye middle man. Thousands of people showed up in the early days. In 2007, the yearly number is in the millions.

These days Pike Place Market is much more then a place that sells vegetables. Crafts, antiques and a plethora of food items fill stalls for browsing delight while street performers and musicians provide a festive air.

From now until the official birthday on August 19, there are several scheduled events like fairs and lectures to celebrate the centennial. If you’ve ever traveled there, you can submit your stories about it to the market’s website by April 4. Here you can also read other people’s stories for a terrific trip through American history written by people who were there. Also, look for the virtual tour.

Gadling Podcast: David Farley

by Erik Olsen on

A while back, travel writer David Farley decided to undertake a rather odd quest: he left the cozy comfort of his New York City apartment and set out to find, or at least to learn what happened to, one of the most sacred, um, and shriveled, relics in all of Christendom.

I am talking about Jesus’ foreskin. Farley moved to the Italian village of Calcata and spent months exploring nooks and books to find out the answer. The online magazine Slate even gave him some digital ink to tell his story…or at least where the story lies so far.

In this all-new gadling podcast, I talk with David not only about this glorious quest, but also about the life of a travel writer and how he manages to make a living in one of the most competitive and challenging of professions. You can check out some of Dave’s other work at his website here.

So take a moment, put this on your ipod, and enjoy.

Erotic Art: A Museum Quest

by Jamie Rhein on

When I read Willy Volk’s post about the erotic images of Khajuraho in India, it got me thinking about erotic art and where to find it. Not that I’m planning on taking a world tour or anything, but it’s interesting to see how various cultures display erotica in museums and the place erotica has had in the arts throughout history. There are several places to visit where the aim is not to titillate specifically, but learn more about the human response to sexuality, beauty and, yes, of course, sex.

One place I came across is the Erotic Art Museum in Hamburg, Germany. I remember Hamburg to be more of an industrial looking place built back up after World War II. The museum looks as if the exhibits are superb. The website is entirely in German, but you can get an idea of what’s there. In one of the small photos across the top, it looks like they’ve acquired one of the wooden penises from that Japanese Penis Festival–or perhaps from the time of the Trojans? Just kidding about that. I would like to know what the origins are, though. If you click through the website you’ll find the virtual gallery that has larger images. Informative and slick.

For some odd reason, there is a cartoon figure of Santa Claus on the museum’s homepage. Since I can’t read German, I have no idea what that’s about. Is there secret side to Santa? Here’s a link to a rundown of erotic art museums in Europe.

Khajuraho and the Temples of Porn

by Willy Volk on

Located in central India, Khajuraho is famous for its fabulously sculptured temples resembling huge, melting candles. More than 1000 years old, there are about 20 temples (out of an original 85) remaining today. In addition to their size, the temples — dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain — are noted for depicting graphic sexual acts. Some of the images, in fact, are so explicit you might blush.

Although the Khajuraho Temples feature carvings both internally and externally, they do not contain sexual themes inside the Temples or near the deity. Although there are various hypotheses concerning why the temples were designed with such graphic depictions, there’s no doubt they’re gorgeous, intricate, and well-worth the visit — despite the relative difficulty in reaching the site.

Don’t have time to check out the Temples right now? I bet you DO have time to check out the galleries on Flickr and Sunya, as well as the trip report from Stephen and Klaudia.

Take notes. You might learn something.