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"Been There" Virtual Travel Quiz? Round #26

AlanS

See Round #20 for info about and rules for the contest.

Round #19 was won by Kathy M and MCD
Submitted by BKMD. The courtyard of the Belmond Monasterio Hotel in Cusco, Peru. It was built by the Spanish in the late 1500s and is leased from the Vatican. For an extra fee you will be supplied with supplemental oxygen to help you handle the 11,000' + altitude. Several Tauck tours stay here while in Cusco.

Round #20 was won by Smiling Sam.
Posted by JohnS. This picture was taken atop the Astronomical Clock Tower. The Prague Astronomical Clock, or Prague Orloj, is a medieval astronomical clock located in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still operating. The photo was taken on the Tauck's Imperial Europe tour which I believe now is called Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague.

Round #21 was won by BKMD (aqueduct) and JohnS (Mérida)
Posted by Smiling Sam. Ruins of the Roman aqueduct, Acueducto de los Milagros (English: Miraculous Aqueduct) bridge, part of the aqueduct built to supply water to the Roman colony of Emerita Augusta, today Mérida, Spain.

Round #22 was won by Smiling Sam
Posted by Kathy M. Beer stein lockers at the Hofbrauhaus, in Munich, Germany

Round #23 won by SueMS- she nailed it!!!
Submitted by AlanS. A photograph of a poster of the Book of Kells at the Trinity College library in Dublin, Ireland taken during the "Best of Ireland, Small Groups.** Read about the book of Kells at this link.

p.s. I had heard of this famous book before the tour, but never got around to do any research, so I wondered, "What the heck was a "Kell" and why was there an entire book about them."

Round #24 won by Smiling Sam (again!)
Submitted by SueMS. Dogs digging around the Provence, France, forest floor searching for truffles, that wonderfully pungent (and expensive!!) fungi. Sue captured the action on Savoring France River cruise along the Rhone.

Round #25 won by Smiling Sam (time for a break Sam?)
Submitted by cvc. Photo of an Australian Traditional ‘Tiger’ meat pie with potatoes and smooshed peas. Eaten in Sydney, Australia at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, named after Harry ‘Tiger’ Edwards. (I presume this was taken in Sydney on Tauck's Grand Australia & NZ or Australia Adventure tours)

Round #26 is officially open. Submit your photo in a reply [Leave a Comment] to this announcement.

NOTE: THIS IS THE LAST ROUND FOR EASTER WEEKEND. ROUND #27 WILL START ON MONDAY.

Comments

BKMD

This is a live tree growing in a hanging vase. The tree produces fruit that the area was famous for in the past when it was primarily an agricultural economy. Name the fruit (be specific).

BKMD

Smiling Sam PMed me the correct answer, but he said he'd sit out this round. He's a master at this!

MCD

It's a suspended orange tree in Old Jaffa, so Jaffa oranges.

BKMD

MCD is correct.

Jaffa is a very neat place at the south end of the Tel Aviv metro area. I happened across this tree on my Gift of Time day. I rented a bicycle and tooled around the area. There's a bike path along the Med all the way to Jaffa that's a beautiful ride. That part is flat, but it does get a little hilly within Jaffa.

Jaffa is thought to be the oldest port in the world, with its history going back 4000 years! With the Tauck group, you will spend some time in Jaffa, but IMO, it's not enough and you miss a lot. There are lots of shops, restaurants, etc. Jaffa is also known for where the story of Jonah and the whale took place, and there is a piece of artwork in a small park representing this.

From https://guidolapp.com/item/98535/Suspended-Orange-Tree

Abut the Hanging Tree in Old Jaffa
The Suspended Orange Tree is a surprising art piece that can be found in the Old Jaffa alleyways. This is no gimmick- the orange tree grows from inside the big hanging ceramic vase, suspended by a chain in the alleyways of Old Jaffa, to the adjacent houses.

The hanging tree is located in the Lion alleyway, on the corner of Hazorfim alley. This is a work of art by artist Ran Morin, who created the statue in 1993. Morin is a born and raised Jerusalem sculpture, alumni of the School of Visual Arts in New York. He is an artist that worked a lot in environmental projects having to do with protecting the environment. In this statue as well, it seems as though he tried to emphasize the breach that is growing between man and nature.

Why an orange? - There is a reason for that. During the last century the orange was a symbol for Jaffa. The orange tree was exported to Israel during the 7th century. It arrived in Israel from the Far East, as a small, round. and sour fruit. Throughout the years, local farmers in Jaffa created and evolved a new variety of oranges, nicknamed "Shmoti Oranges." Around the world the orange won the name "Jaffa Orange." As opposed to the original orange from the East, these were sweet oranges, with the advantage of having few seeds. Until the British Mandate era, and during the first few years of Israel as a country, the agricultural wing became a large and important sector.

Since then, many fields of agriculture have disappeared, giving way to buildings. And still - the brand "Jaffa Orange" continues to be familiar around the world, and sold as a high quality brand. Farmers from different countries pay money for the rights for the brands, in exchange for using the variety and named, for oranges that have never actually seen Jaffa.

MCD

I, too, went to Jaffa during my pre-tour day, but I walked from Tel Aviv along the beautiful waterfront. I agree with BKMD that there's not enough time to enjoy Jaffa during the Tauck visit there. Did Uri Geller stop by to speak to your group, BKMD? I got the impression that he often meets the Tauck groups. He's opening a museum in Old Jaffa.

BKMD

MCD - No, we didn't meet Uri. His house was pointed out to us, as was the 10 ft (?) long bent spoon sculpture outside his place.

Smiling Sam

On our tour last September, we spent a morning in Jaffa walking around the port area, the clock tower, the park, and the flea market. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant kind of on the border between Jaffa and Tel Aviv. The flea market appears to be booming as is that whole area as young people move to the area to get cheaper rents.

Oh and no Uri Geller sightings.

Smiling Sam

Old Clock Tower

Inside St. Peters Church

View back to Tel Aviv

Some of the flea market