BY JANET STEINBERG
The magic carpet of travel has taken me
around the world and given me the opportunity to meet some of the most famous
people in the world. It has also given
me the opportunity to spend time with those I never met …but would have liked
to meet. Please allow me to introduce you
to my new best bronze friends that I have never met…and, unfortunately, never
will!
around the world and given me the opportunity to meet some of the most famous
people in the world. It has also given
me the opportunity to spend time with those I never met …but would have liked
to meet. Please allow me to introduce you
to my new best bronze friends that I have never met…and, unfortunately, never
will!
ALLIES SCULPTURE: Lawrence
Holofcener’s bronze sculpture, celebrating the relationship between
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, was unveiled by Princess Margaret in London England on May 2,
1995. The sculpture commemorated fifty years of
peace. I could almost hear the amiable
conversation between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill holding
his trademark cigar. Like millions of other tourists, I was honored to take my
place between two of the 20th century’s most exalted heroes.
Holofcener’s bronze sculpture, celebrating the relationship between
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, was unveiled by Princess Margaret in London England on May 2,
1995. The sculpture commemorated fifty years of
peace. I could almost hear the amiable
conversation between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill holding
his trademark cigar. Like millions of other tourists, I was honored to take my
place between two of the 20th century’s most exalted heroes.
 |
| ROOSEVELT & CHURCHILL IN LONDON |
HUBERT, THE NAPOLEONIC SOLDIER: Hubert is leaning on a bench in
the Main Square, near the Old Town Hall, in Bratislava, Slovakia. Legend has it that when Napoleon and his army
were in Bratislava in 1805, Hubert fell in love with a local girl, stayed in
the city and became a producer of sparkling wine. Hubert happens to be the name of Slovakia’s
most popular sparkling wine’s brand.
Fact or fiction? You tell me!
the Main Square, near the Old Town Hall, in Bratislava, Slovakia. Legend has it that when Napoleon and his army
were in Bratislava in 1805, Hubert fell in love with a local girl, stayed in
the city and became a producer of sparkling wine. Hubert happens to be the name of Slovakia’s
most popular sparkling wine’s brand.
Fact or fiction? You tell me!
 |
|
NAPOLEONIC SOLDIER IN BRATISLAVA,
SLOVAKIA |
THE BRONZE FONZ: Hey Fonzie, Happy Days were here
again when we met on the Milwaukee Riverwalk just
south of Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here was
Henry Winkler, attired in his typical Fonzie outfit of leather jacket and
jeans, giving me a two-handed thumbs-up. Henry Winkler (aka Arthur
Fonzarelli, Fonzie” or “The Fonz”) and most of the Happy Days
cast attended the August 18, 2008 dedication ceremony. Upon seeing the statue,
Winkler said it was “unbelievable”.
again when we met on the Milwaukee Riverwalk just
south of Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here was
Henry Winkler, attired in his typical Fonzie outfit of leather jacket and
jeans, giving me a two-handed thumbs-up. Henry Winkler (aka Arthur
Fonzarelli, Fonzie” or “The Fonz”) and most of the Happy Days
cast attended the August 18, 2008 dedication ceremony. Upon seeing the statue,
Winkler said it was “unbelievable”.
 |
|
TWO THUMBS UP FROM THE FONZ
|
MARK TWAIN IN BERMUDA:
“You go to heaven if you want to, I’d rather stay
right here in Bermuda.” I could almost
hear Mark Twain whispering those famous words of his in my ear as we sat on his
wooden bench in Hamilton, Bermuda. And I could almost feel that
the bushy haired, mustachioed Twain, dressed in his characteristic rumpled suit
and bow tie, was reading my mind as I thought about the numerous Mark Twain
Travel Writer Awards that some of my fellow journalists and I have been honored
to receive.
“You go to heaven if you want to, I’d rather stay
right here in Bermuda.” I could almost
hear Mark Twain whispering those famous words of his in my ear as we sat on his
wooden bench in Hamilton, Bermuda. And I could almost feel that
the bushy haired, mustachioed Twain, dressed in his characteristic rumpled suit
and bow tie, was reading my mind as I thought about the numerous Mark Twain
Travel Writer Awards that some of my fellow journalists and I have been honored
to receive.
 |
| MARK TWAIN IN HAMILTON, BERMUDA |
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON IN COPENHAGEN:
Immortalized in Bronze, fairytale author
Hans Christian Andersen, sits next to Copenhagen’s City Hall, with his head
turned toward his beloved Tivoli Gardens.
With book and cane in hand, his well-worn lap has become a resting place
for kids of all ages. H.C., as he is
affectionately dubbed in Denmark, is a very important part of Danish culture, and his fairytales are
known worldwide. Henry Luckow-Nielsen’s bronze statue was erected in
1965.
Immortalized in Bronze, fairytale author
Hans Christian Andersen, sits next to Copenhagen’s City Hall, with his head
turned toward his beloved Tivoli Gardens.
With book and cane in hand, his well-worn lap has become a resting place
for kids of all ages. H.C., as he is
affectionately dubbed in Denmark, is a very important part of Danish culture, and his fairytales are
known worldwide. Henry Luckow-Nielsen’s bronze statue was erected in
1965.
 |
|
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON AND FRIENDS IN
COPENHAGEN |
ELVIS PRESLEY IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: This statue of Elvis
Presley stands on Honky Tonk Row in Nashville, Tennessee. Statues of all
subjects, shapes and sizes abound in Music City USA, but none with more
frequency than those of Elvis Presley, often perched in front of gift shops
tempting you to go inside and purchase your boots, belt buckles and guitars.
You’ll find Elvis in a variety of outfits, from red leather to rhinestones and
he may be playing a blue, brown or flag-painted guitar.
Presley stands on Honky Tonk Row in Nashville, Tennessee. Statues of all
subjects, shapes and sizes abound in Music City USA, but none with more
frequency than those of Elvis Presley, often perched in front of gift shops
tempting you to go inside and purchase your boots, belt buckles and guitars.
You’ll find Elvis in a variety of outfits, from red leather to rhinestones and
he may be playing a blue, brown or flag-painted guitar.
 |
| “LOVE ME TENDER, LOVE ME TRUE!” |
OSCAR WILDE IN DUBLIN, IRELAND: Reclining on a
quartz boulder in Merrion Square in Dublin, Ireland, is Danny Osborne’s
lifelike sculpture of poet Oscar Wilde. Unveiled in 1997, the
statue is located near his childhood home at 1, Merrion Square. The statue is
mounted on a large quartz boulder obtained by Osborne himself from the
Wicklow Mountains. The statue was formed from different colored stones
from three continents. The torso is of green nephrite jade from British Columbia, Canada, and pink thulite from
Norway. The legs are of Norwegian Blue Pearl Granite with
the shoes being black Indian charnockite and finished with bronze shoelace
tips. The statue also wears a Trinity College tie made from glazed
porcelain and three ring… Wilde’s wedding ring and two scarabs, one
for good luck, the other for bad luck.
quartz boulder in Merrion Square in Dublin, Ireland, is Danny Osborne’s
lifelike sculpture of poet Oscar Wilde. Unveiled in 1997, the
statue is located near his childhood home at 1, Merrion Square. The statue is
mounted on a large quartz boulder obtained by Osborne himself from the
Wicklow Mountains. The statue was formed from different colored stones
from three continents. The torso is of green nephrite jade from British Columbia, Canada, and pink thulite from
Norway. The legs are of Norwegian Blue Pearl Granite with
the shoes being black Indian charnockite and finished with bronze shoelace
tips. The statue also wears a Trinity College tie made from glazed
porcelain and three ring… Wilde’s wedding ring and two scarabs, one
for good luck, the other for bad luck.
 |
| OSCAR WILDE AND FRIENDS IN DUBLIN |
TEXT AND PHOTOS by JANET STEINBERG
STEINBERG is the winner of 43 national
Travel Writer Awards. She is also a Travel Consultant with The Travel Authority
in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Travel Writer Awards. She is also a Travel Consultant with The Travel Authority
in Cincinnati, Ohio.