| |
| |
|
Outdoors Information |
|
|
|
Japanese Garden of Monaco
Have you ever seen an authentic Japanese garden? Well, I had the chance of seeing the one in Monaco and was really impressed too. Wanna taste a little Japanese culture? Stepping on this ground is escaping from the real world into a fantasy land. You suddenly find yourself in a typical Japanese natural setting like the ones you see in marvelous paintings. The only thing that's missing is the fog. Instead, the Mediterranean sun reveals all minute details in a warm light. With Japanese gardens, what you see is not all; the surface of things is the mere reflection of the psyche of an ancient culture. One really needs to be literally "cultured" in this direction to best appreciate the value of this art. (which I myself was not at the time of my visit! And it was a pity as I did not know what to look for and what to analyze better!) One can speak of a philosophy of gardening coming from the ancient Japan. Japanese gardening is an art fetched beyond the arrangements of vegetation, water and stone but is full of symbols: * Koko - the veneration of timeless age; * Shizen - the avoidance of the artificial; * Yugen, or darkness - imply the mysterious or subtle; * Miegakure - the avoidance of full expression The perception of nature is different in the Japanese culture from that of the European one. Instead of viewing nature only as something to be subjugated and transformed according to man-made ideal of beauty, Japanese developed a close connection to nature, considering it sacred, an ally in putting food on the table and an ideal of beauty in itself. That is why the Japanese gardens are the synthesis of nature in miniature instead of correction of nature as with European gardens. Actually, the design of Japanese gardens come from the Chinese model. The history goes back in time, around year 100BC when the emperor of China, Wu Di of the Han Dynasty established a garden that contained three small islands, mimicking the Isles of the Immortals, who were the main Taoist deities. An envoy of Japan saw it and took the idea to Japan, improving the existing Japanese practices. The Japanese Garden of Monaco was designed at the request of Prince Rainier who thus fulfilled a desire Princess Grace had expressed during her life-time. The garden was designed by the landscape-architect Yasuo Beppu, has 7,000 square meters, its construction took 3 years and it was inaugurated in 1994. Specific elements * The wall (Heï) with an intermediary bamboo fencing (Takégaki) that stands for fragility and simplicity. * The main gate (Shô-mon) * The stone lanterns (Tôrô) - each having special different characteristics; * The lake (Iké) with large swishing gold fish. * The stone fountain (Fusen-Ishi) * The covered terrace (Kyukeïjo) * The islands (Shima) - represent two long-living animals - the tortoise and the crane, symbols of complementarity expressed * The Tea house (Chatshitsu)- named the Garden of Grace (Ga-én) * The dry landscape (Karésansui) - quintessence of Cosmos * The Belvedere (Azumaya) - a house on a hill allowing view in all four corners * The waterfall (Taki) - symbolizes the strength of Man and Nature, contrasting to the horizontality of the lake. * The arched red bridge (Taïkobashi) - is red, the color of happiness and is narrow so as to make access to the divine island more difficult. There are olive trees, cherry trees, conifers, azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias, a varied, rich vegetation of Mediterranean, South American, Australia, African and Asian origin, pruned according to the Japanese tradition. Walking in the crowded Monaco, with all its stone, steel and glass, you can find in the Japanese Garden a peaceful, green oasis where even the great number of tourists pass unnoticed, wandering on the winding paths, through the thicket of the garden. Laura Ciocan writes for http://www.ilovemontecarlo.com/ where you can find all you want to know about living in Monaco Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:lauracio@gmail.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Outdoors - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
RV Camping at Casinos There's nothing that will quicken the interest of RVers like the prospect of free overnight parking. Places such as Wal-Mart parking lots, and truck stops, are well known freebies, and if you are on the move in your RV, expanding the list of possible free overnight camping locations will broaden your options. A Torrent of Influences - Tourism in Goa Sun, Sand and Surf - an apt description for Goa? But Goa is much more. Ancient temples and old churches? Yes. Experience The Real Florida Every year around 40 million visitors come to Florida for the sun, sea and attractions. Most visit the world famous theme parks or enjoy the fabulous palm-fringed sandy beaches. How to Repair an Inflatable Boat The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing instructions are followed closely. Rips and holes larger than one inch in the air chambers, or those within two inches of a seam, should be repaired with internal and external patches by a professional repair technician at a certified repair facility. Alaska Hunting Guide WHAT TO HUNT AND WHERE: Alaska is a hunter's paradise. Hunting here can provide the full scope of experiences- from caribou to deer and moose, from grizzly and brown bears to wolves, from Dall sheep and mountain goats to muskox, from waterfowl to ptarmigan and several grouse species. 10 Tips to Planning Your Dream Road Trip Everyone has a travel dream. For many it is hitting the road for a relatively unlimited time, either here or abroad. Drive Me to WA Today! Western Australia Driving Adventure Great Australian Road Trip Large is not the word for it. Massive doesn't cover it either. The Pyramids of Giza The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be built are the Great Pyramids of Giza, located in the outskirts of present-day Cairo. There are over 100 Egyptian pyramids of various sizes, and over 50 more in neighboring Sudan. Eight Tips For A Bug-Free Summer (NC)-With approximately 42,000 mosquitoes for every person in Ontario, most of us spend a great deal of our summers swatting away these pesky insects. Protecting yourself against mosquitoes will not only make your summer more enjoyable, it will help prevent you and your family from getting annoying and sometimes dangerous bug bites. Ultralight Backpacking Versus Traditional Backpacking Contrary to what many think, ultralight backpacking is not just about the freedom to hike more miles or to take your whole pack up the mountain with you. It is also about comfort and safety. San Francisco Beaches When you are planning a vacation to Maui or Rio de Janeiro you may put beaches on the top of you list of things to see. However, when planning a trip to San Francisco, you may have heard of North Beach, but North Beach doesn't have any beaches (though the neighborhood was named after a beach that used to be on its north shoreline). Student Travel - Backpacking In Europe For the fortunate few, life isn't complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Planning Your Own Gorilla Safari Will Save You Money - Heres How Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of the best wildlife experiences left in the natural world. Many people describe it as an overwhelming and awe-inspiring experience and worth every penny they spent on making it happen. Sleeping Pads For Ultralight Backpackers Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping pads are pretty much a necessity for backpacking comfort, but who wants to carry those monstrous old inflatables down the trail? Try some of these lightweight options instead. Spain´s Beaches - You´re Spoilt For Choice Spain offers the visitor over 4,000 kms of coastline where s/he can enjoy shining sun and sapphire seas in wonderful settings.And what a choice of sands! Golden sands, white sands, grainy sands, powdery sands, and even the black sands of the Canary Islands!Allergic to sand? No problem! Just plump for a resort with smooth, white pebbles! You´ll find a good selection!Already holidayed several times by the Mediterranean? Then why not try the fairy-tale fishing villages washed by the Cantabrian Sea or Atlantic Ocean?"Spanish beaches are the most environmentally healthy in Europe" says the Foundation for Environmental Education, which has awarded the much-coveted Blue Flag to 450 of the country´s beaches - more than any other participating contry!Leading the way within Spain itself is the Costa Blanca, which received 48 Blue Flag awards. Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur? Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could have turned into a disaster: He was attacked by a seven-foot bronze whaler shark while surfing about 100 yards out from Sydney's Bronte Beach.Fortunately, the man, Simon Letch, stayed calm and "shoved the board at [the shark] like a barge pole. Creative Camp Cooking - Part 2 In a previous article, I wrote primarily about box ovens. With this article, we will consider a couple of other ideas that can also make your camping meals fun and enjoyable. Bird Safaris: Timbavatis Most Desired Plumage Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The spotlight or limelight is traditionally on lions, cheetah or elephants. Block Island - Memorable Vacations Are Made of This Block Island is a seaside jewel lying 12 miles off the southern coast of Rhode Island. This is a place where nature clings to every pond, stone-walled trail, beach, and everything in between. Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park If anyplace on earth is a natural paradise, Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is that place. Of all Croatia's eight National Parks, Plitvice is the oldest and most visited.
|
| home | site map | Ocean Photography |
| © 2006 |