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Pink Saddles & Djellabas, Edith Wharton's Fez In Morrocco
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August 5, 2010 |
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A light breeze coming off the mountains through which the Fez River cuts, alleviated the day's heat and ruffled Mohammed's immaculate, beige djellaba or loose-fitting robe. On his head however perched a baseball cap with the shield rakishly placed over his left ear. "Oh Edith," I thought, "you would enjoy this." The Edith of my thoughts was Edith Wharton, whose book In Morocco I had read shortly before embarking on my trip to this North African country which never ceases to fire the imagination.
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Edith Wharton's Art History Lesson in San Vivaldo
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February 10, 2009 |
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In a rather remote village in the southern hills of Tuscany is an ancient monastery. There is a church and eighteen separate free-standing chapels. We - four American tourists - drove to San Vivaldo, which is one of the most unique religious sites in Italy. I say, we drove there, but we did not get in. We went unknowingly on a day not open to visitors. It was closed to us. Over a century earlier, in 1894, Edith Wharton arrived at San Vivaldo and not only got in, she revised the artistic history of the place.
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