Prince George: Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi - Parade
Originally uploaded by kden604.

Today I attended the parade and festival celebrating Vaisakhi for the Sikh faith. I've posted more pictures on my flickr page with the parade pictures.

Despite the recent cold snap in weather there were several hundred parade participants who braved the -10C to celebrate Vaisakhi. Everyone gathered after the parade at the CN Centre parking lot where lots of food and hot beverages were served out.

There was quite a few public speakers and a really excellent explanation of what exactly Vaisakhi is and a summary of the creation of Khalsa.

I had the opportunity to speak to several of the local Sikh gentlemen who not only expanded on the speech but told me a great deal about politics in regards to the temples.

Down south in Surrey you might have heard about how some Sikh members had photographs displayed in an idolizing manner to some men allegedly connected with the Air India bombing. This has caused some strained relations between some political figures who want to disassociate themselves with that aspect of the festival.

If you speak to the average Sikh however I think you will find that there is no support of violence or malice held to anyone and that any true Sikh who takes their spirituality and religion to heart wouldn't be a part of any violent act against any person.

I had a really enjoyable time at the festival and despite the cold weather it was quite a good turn out of people though I thought that there was an under representation of non-Sikh's at the festivities.

I think these type of events are good to help people understand other religions and help build that multicultural family that is Canada.

Basilica of Our Lady - Tongeren, Belgium

Cathedral Ceiling
Originally uploaded by kden604.

The Basilica of Our Lady in Tongeren can be seen from everywhere in the city. It's massive 64 metre tall tower dwarfs the other buildings and makes for an impressive and rather ominous looking tower.

The corner stone for the Basilica was laid in 1240. The present building is far expanded and made more grand than the original. The side chapels were added in the 13th and 15th centuries while the previous Romanesque style tower was replaced between 1442 and 1541 with the current gothic style.

The church itself has a very interesting history. Legend has it that Bishop Saint Servatius first built a church on this spot in the 4th century. Archeologist's can confirm from ancient masonry that there was indeed prior structures on this spot in the 4th century as well as the 9th century.

The Basilica of Our Lady also houses one of the richest collections of Belgian religious art and artifacts. The statue of "Our Lady of Tongeren" being one of its finest pieces of art, which was sculpted in 1475.

Personally I found several items of extreme interest, mainly the amazing ceiling and massive stain glassed windows.

The church is currently (2007) undergoing restorations and renovations which I am sure will only further develop the sanctity of this beautiful Basilica for years to come.

Basilica of Our Lady stands right in front of the Great Market, the statue of Ambiorix and a host of wonderful restaurants and pubs. Grab a seat in one of the open air cafes and enjoy the beautiful tower.

Happy Travels!

Caves of Mount St. Pieter - Maastricht Holland

IMG_0250
Originally uploaded by kden604.

Below Mount St. Pieter is some of the most amazing sights you will see anywhere in Holland. Tunnels systems run for miles and miles, full of charcoal art, carvings and a hidden V2 Rocket base.

Just on the out skirts of Maastricht Holland these caves can be toured as a group with a local tourist guide. There are over 20,000 passageways and hidden tunnels and a guide is an absolute necessity.

Most of the artwork was created by Monks who live on the monestary on top of the mountain. For years they have been using art to show their divine appreciation to the lord by depicting biblical scenes, as well as personal artistic expressions.

These caves systems were also used during world war two as a bomb shelter by the locals. Interestingly you can see where people had gathered to eat, where provisions were left, and also where the monks stored their personal belongings.

It's a thrilling place to visit and probably the most memorable place I've visited in Western Europe.

A couple words of advice however. Bring extra batteries for your camera, the only light will come from candles, lamps and flash lights your tour group brings. So you will need to use your cameras flash quite a lot. Also, the ambient tempurature is around 7-9 celcious all year round and feels quite chilly as your walk around for several hours, so it might be advisable to bring a coat.

Maastricht is really a wonderous city, full of amazing beauty with a fabulous history. The city has a wonderful vibe this is only one of the many sights you should check out while you are there.