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Europe 2022 - 2023
  • David Du Buron
  • EDuBu
  • David Du Buron
  • EDuBu

Europe 2022 - 2023

A 432-day adventure by David & EDuBu Read more
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  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    1One of the many parks in Central sofia
    St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral2View from our balconySt. George Rotunda Church, oldest building in sofiaSt. George Rotunda Church1National Assembly of Bulgaria1Street artSofia center. You can see the yellow brick roads here.Ancient Serdica archeological siteSofia SynagogueBanya Bashi MosqueChurch of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker Orthodox church and parkSt. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral interior1St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral interiorStreet art downtown SofiaSofia TheaterOne of the many street vendorsSofia center at night1Church of Sveti SedmochislenitsiMonument to Red Army that liberated Sofia in WWII. Recently painted Blue and Yellow. 😃1The changing of the guard in front of the Presidential Palace

    Sofia, Bulgaria

    April 1, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria and was founded 7000B.C by the Thracian tribes. Since then it was ruled and occupied by many different superpowers, including the Romans and the Ottomans. In fact many Roman ruins sit directly under the center of Sofia. As they build subways and hotels they continue to discover ancient ruins. As was the case of the Arena Sofia hotel which began construction in 2004 only to find a Roman Amphitheater about 15 feet underground.

    Bulgaria has had a diverse political situation. They were once the republic of Bulgaria which gave way to the Ottoman invasion and occupation up to the 19th century. The Russians helped Bulgaria win their independence from the Ottomans in the early 20th century. From there Bulgaria was Communist for over 45 years from 1946 to 1990 when they won their independence and are now a democracy. Today the country still has a pro-Putin political party, a pro socialist party, and an ethnic Turkish party. Those 3 make up about 40% of the votes in the last election, which happened during our stay in Sofia. They are soundly in the minority as other 2 main parties got about 50% of the votes together.

    We took a very interesting Communist tour in Sofia where our guide pointed out historical sites and people of impact. When we landed in Sofia we were not sure what to expect. We knew very little about the city and country outside of our experience last year visiting northern Bulgaria. Bulgaria is supposedly one of the poorest countries in Europe and yet prices for restaurants and groceries remain relatively high compared to the rest of Europe. To provide an example restaurants averaged the same cost as Italy, groceries are cheaper in Germany a much more developed nation than Bulgaria. This is due to political instability, corruption, inflation, logistical issues and proximity to the war in Ukraine. However one thing is for certain,

    Sofia is a beautiful city with a population of 1.2 million. We were a bit caught off guard at its beauty. They have numerous parks throughout Central Sofia, grand buildings from the early and late 1900s, very little tourism from outside their nation, and beautiful street art, that give this city a relaxed yet grand feeling. It was lovely and perhaps one of our favorite cities of the Balkans. Sofia has also been known for centuries as having "yellow brick roads" for streets.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    The Church at Rila Monastery
    2Sneaky interior picture.2Ceiling of the interior1Interior of the church1Dorms of the Monastery from the church porticoes.2Frescoes of the outside porticoes2Frescoes of the outside porticoes2Frescoes of the main entrance to the Monastery.Postcard of the interiorTower and Church of the MonasteryTower and Church of the MonasteryRear entrance to the Monastery.Rila river?Tower of the MonasteryDoorway in the Museum1Backside of the ChurchDormsSouvenir shopChurch again1Walkthrough from front entrance to Church porticoes

    Rila Monastery, Kiustendil, Bulgaria

    April 2, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Orthodox Monastery in Bulgaria. Founded by Ivan of Rila, and is situated in the Rila Mountains, in the Rila Monastery Nature Park, along the Rila River. Getting to go was a big... th-Rila for us.

    This site was one of our main reasons for coming to Bulgaria. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the prettiest Orthodox Religious buildings in the world. Located 2 hours south of Sofia, it wasn't that hard to get to, but it was worth the trip. It's still an active Monastery, but is nowhere near the 500 monk capacity it once held. Today it is a pilgrimage site for Orthodox Christians.

    Founded in the 10th century, the frescoes are continuously renovated to keep them from deteriorating. Although, as we've seen with most Orthodox buildings, the frescos inside are covered by a layer of ash from the constant lighting of candles by visitors. In fact we observed there was one guy whose job it was to keep throwing out candles that had melted down. There were so many visitors, he was frantically doing a circle around the interior with wax covered fingers.

    We were not supposed to take pictures inside but we did sneak a few. I also took a picture of a postcard showing the interior for posterity.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Streets of Plovdiv
    Streets of PlovdivOld town Plovdiv and the Tower of St. Konstantin and Elena Church2Plovdiv street art1Old town Plovdiv6A friendly local we got to share a meal with.Old town Plovdiv1The Plovdiv Ethnographic museumTower of St. Konstantin and Elena Church and towerLamartine's House1Old town PlovdivAncient Theatre of PhilippopolisDjumaya MosqueAncient Stadium of Philipopolis and Djumaya MosqueModel of the original Ancient Stadium of PhilipopolisRoman Forum and OdeonStreets of PlovdivThe clock tower2Plovdiv from the clock towerPlovdiv from the clock tower

    Plovdiv, Bulgaria

    April 4, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    Plovdiv Bulgaria is an obscure little town in the middle of Bulgaria with a population of 330,000. Although many have not heard of it, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in all of Europe starting from around 6000 BC. Although Matera, Italy is thought to be older, it is not known for certain.

    Plovdiv is very multifaceted from a tourism stand point. The "Old Town" is full of beautifully painted traditional buildings from the 1800s filled with craft shops and restaurants. The new town is a mix of communism concrete towers and newer trendy shopping plazas. The downtown is full of excavated Roman ruins from antiquity. The most amazing of which is the Ancient Stadium of Philipopolis. While only a small portion can be seen today, a nearby model reminds you the whole thing is longer than two NFL fields (250m) and could hold 30k spectators.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    4At a traditional Bulgarian restaurant in Sofia
    3Top is braised lamb with salad and rice. Bottom is pork knuckle in red pepper tomatoe sauce1Traditional dips of bulgaria and red wine from the bessa valley3Our hidden speakeasy in Sofia1It was a struggle trying to figure out how to enter2Bulgarian banitza (breakfast rolls: walnut and cinnamon, other was potatoe, mushroom thyme)2Top: Beef ribs with puree root veges and cheese. Bottom: duck meatballs with homemade lyutenitsa.3Top: Master Chicken... Very much like Chicken Parm. Bottom: Chicken Kavarma3We saw this all over Plovdiv, canned corn on Pizza. Dave did not approve.2Pork tenderloin in "forest sauce" with onions, mushrooms, mashed potatoes2Chicken Kavarma in earthenware dish. With onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, pepper, local spice.6Top; Granny's Chicken - with spinach and cheese wrapped in pastry. Top: Cabbage Dolmas - with pork.

    Food of Bulgaria

    April 4, 2023 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Bulgarian food is delicious and very unique. It features many vegetables especislly red pepers and dips mostly containing yogurt or cheese. Their bread is very doughy and heavy but also delicious. Main entrees are mostly meat dishes in the heartland featuring pork, lamb, beef, chicken and rabbit.

    Common bread is served with Sharena Sol a spice mix consisting of Savory, paprika, salt and sometimes ferrugreek. It is delicious on bread.

    The wine of bulgaria is very good. It features a handful of native grapes to bulgaria, as well as Merlot and Cab Sav. Wine here is mostly medium to heavy bodies reds that range from dry to sweet.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Holy Sepulchre Edicule
    The Calvary - the place where Jesus' Crucifix was set in the ground according to traditionChapel of the Holy Cross. Where it is said Helna found the True CrucifixOutside of the Church. Called the Atrium.A choir precessionThe Prison of ChristThe Prison of ChristAn Orthodox Candle Altar.Dave and Emily at the Atrium of the ChurchStairs to the CalvaryHoly Sepulchre Edicule. Got lucky with less peopleApparently this was called the Arches of the VirginThe Chapel of Saint HelenaDivision of the MockingMosaic of the Anointing of the body of JesusThe Stone Slab of the Anointing of the body of JesusThe Latin side of the CalvaryThe Orthodox side of the CalvaryChapel of Saint HelenaInside the Holy Sepulchre Edicule. Took us 4 tries to get insideChoir on Easter SaturdayQuick walkthrough of the Church

    Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

    April 8, 2023 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the single holiest site in the world to many Christians. Religious tradition states it contains within it 3 sacred events in the death of Jesus. The site where his cross was set in the ground, the slab where he was anointed for burial, and the cave where Jesus was entombed before his ascension. The church was originally built by, Helena, the mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine, in 335 AD.

    Today, the Holy Sepulchre is a complicated church. The church is divided among 6 religious groups. Catholics, Orthodox, Armenians (more on them below), Copts (Orthodox Christians from Egypt & Sudan, primarily), Ethiopians, and Syrian Jacobites. Each group had their own traditions and calendars. Given that we were there on Catholic Easter, it was also very eventful. You can see one priest running around cleansing the church with incense, and another of a different faith running around with bells to do the same.

    The worst of it is that these Christians don't trust eachother. The church has 1 set of keys and no one trusted the other to hold the keys. A compromise was reached when 2 local muslim families were given they keys. One opens the church everyday and gives the keys to the second family who will then close the church that evening. They consider it a great honor, but it does seem like a bit of a failure of harmony.

    Now I have to admit, I hadn't heard much about Armenian Christians in my life before visiting Jerusalem. Not only do they have a large portion our this church, but they have a quarter or district within Jerusalem. Their status, comes from the fact that Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as an official religion in 301 AD. This was because 2 apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus, came to Armenia following Jesus death to spread religion.

    Now to top it all off, Protestants don't recognize The Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the correct burial site. They instead, believe it to be The Garden Tomb, about 1 km north. This is assuming the real tomb is still accessible as Jerusalem had been besieged 23 times and completely destroyed twice. So who knows.

    If you're interested in more details on the church and seeing a map showing "ownership" of parts of the church see the link below.
    https://www.206tours.com/cms/blog/inside-holy-s…    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Dormition Abbey. Said to be the place where the Virgin Mary died.
    Some of the Souks with the Lutheran Church Of the Redeemer in the background2Site of the Last Super, according to traditionCrape Myrtle (?) trees in front of Dormition AbbeyDormition AbbeyWailing Wall or Western WallWailing Wall or Western WallStreets of Jerusalem Old TownFountain with Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the backgroundEarly morning Souks and the dome of the Church of St. John the BaptistLeft to right: Gold some of Temple Mound, Western Wall and Al-Aqsa Mosque1Another view of Temple Mound, the Western Wall and Al-Aqsa MosqueA bar mitzvah by the Western Wall. Liberal Jews are forced to have this celebration in a walkwayWestern Wall excavationsHurva Synagogue with a giant gold menorah.1Cats be crazyZion GateUnearthed Roman RuinsApparently an Entrance to an Oil Press near the Jewish QuarterJaffa Gate

    Jerusalem, Israel

    April 11, 2023 in Israel ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Jerusalem is a complicated city. We knew this before coming here, but it's still more complicated than we expected. It didn't help that within a week before our visit, tensions started flaring. A raid on an ultra-sared Mosque, Al-Aqsa, caused rocket attacks on Israel for the first time in 10 years. Also four deaths from terror attacks in fairly close proximity (one in Tel Aviv and a family of 3 killed near northern Jordan in the West Bank).

    Jerusalem's old town, is divided into 4 quarters. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian Christians (mentioned in a previous post). We did not venture into the Muslim quarter much because of high tensions during the week we were there. Our visit coincided with Muslim Ramadan, Jewish Passover, and Christian Easter. This was part of the reason for elevated tensions. We are really good at timing things.

    The most complicated site in the city has to be Temple Mount as it is important to all of the 3 religions that dominate the city. First, Temple Mount is where Abraham, was asked to sacrifice his son to God. Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe in this event, and believe it happened on Temple Mount. Second, King Solomon built a temple around this site. It is considered to be the Holiest site of Judaism. The famous Western Wall or Wailing Wall is the only thing that remains of this temple. Thirdly, Temple Mount, is the site where the Muslim prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven in 621 AD. This makes it the 3rd holiest site in Islam. Today, Muslims control the top of Temple Mount. Built on top of it are the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the shrine of the Dome of the Rock. Israeli forces handle security checkpoints before entering the area, but Jordanian religious authority Waqf controls the site itself. The Jewish population has been able to create a small sanctuary up there. Some of the conservative Jewish population has done up to start praying for God to command them to create a 3rd Temple on this hill. This would probably cause serious disruption to, if not involving destroying the Muslims sites already there. This is often a source of conflict between Israelis and Muslims primarily from Palestine and Jordan, but from other neighboring states as well.

    Besides all that, in certain parts you'd never know there was a conflict at all. Our AirBnB was in a Jewish neighborhood and it was often a party with shops and traditional Jewish music playing at night.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Church of the Nativity
    Church of the NativityExterior of the Church of the NativityExit to the Nativity ShrineBaby Jesus is very popular (Entrance)Spot of the Nativity is a 14 point star on the floor2NativityTOMBS OF THE 3 WISEMENFrescoes of the Church of the NativityCourtyard of Chapel of Saint CatherinePorticoes of the Chapel of Saint Catherine1Small office where the Bible was first translated from Greek to LatinA manger converted into a Chapel. Not THE Manger.Mural by famous artist Banksy called: Edit The Flower Thrower2A car in a treePainting of the nativityEntrance to Shepherds FieldMary shrine at the Milk GrottoPalestine countryside

    Bethlehem, Palestine

    April 12, 2023 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    You know all those stories about how dangerous and scary the "West Bank" in the Middle East is?

    ... yeah, we went there.

    Bethlehem, yeah that Bethlehem, is a holy site of huge significance to Christians. Tradition dictates it is the birth the place of Jesus of Nazareth. While in Israel we becme very familiar with the phrase, "according to tradition." It's the generally accepted way of saying, according to [insert holy book of faith here]. Whether it be the Torah, New Testament, Koran or any other ancient book of faith. Despite that, according to... our tour guide, the major attraction of Bethlehem, The Church of the Nativity, is a little different. Apparently, the site of the Nativity was actually given to us by Mary. At some point in her life she "pointed it out" to everyone.

    Back in the day, sheppards built mangers in caves to help protect the livestock from the elements and predators. So the site of the nativity is a cave below the Church. This site was converted into a place of worship in 135 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian. So it's actually a little more "official" than the sites in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as less time had passed . Like many Christian sites, Constantine's mother Helena created a Basilica on the site around 330 AD. According to our guide, the front of the church had a mural of the three wise men, that can no longer be seen. When the Ottomans occupied the area they destroyed many churches in the region. However, when they saw this site and saw the depiction of three men who, "looked like them," they left the site alone. This makes it one of the oldest churches in the world.

    There was another interesting holy site we visited this day, which is a cave called the Milk Grotto. According to tradition (...yeah), while nursing baby Jesus in this cave, a drop of Mary's milk spilled on the floor turning the entire cave white. There are stories of women having trouble conceiving, scratch off some of the sides of the cave and ingesting it and then being able to get pregnant afterwards.

    It was amazing to see a place that we've heard so much about. Today Bethlehem was a well developed city, much like any other and full of Palestinian Christians.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Mosaic in the House of Dionysus
    House of DionysusLight house and open fields which may have more ruinsVilla of TheseusMosaic of Theseus, who was made famous for this quest in Crete, not CyprusVilla of TheseusHunting mosaic in House of DionysusMedieval fortress of PaphosMosaic of the Four Seasons in the House of DionysusMosaic of the triumph of DionysusMosaic telling the story of Dionysus giving wine to humansHigh detail mosaic depicting scenes of contests. Halos on Gods heads shows Christian influence.Paphos lighthouse1Toumpallos cave dwellingWalkthrough of Toumpallos cave dwelling

    Kato Pafos Archaeological Park, Cyprus

    April 15, 2023 in Cyprus ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Today we visited Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (or Paphos, they seem to be fluid about the spelling of that "f" sound). The site is huge for an open air museum at about 50 acres. Big parts of it are still open fields that beg the question of what may still be yet to be uncovered.

    It seems the hallmark of this park is its well preserved mosaic floors. We've seen a lot of ancient mosaics on this trip, but these are the most beautiful and intricate we've seen. I feel like the pictures did not do them justice.

    The age of the site is generally between the 4th to 2nd century BC. Cyprus was quite prosperous at that time as it had large lines of copper when the rest of the nearby Mediterranean was going through the Bronze Age (copper is needed to make bronze). It started to become a major port and taxed the goods that came through it.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Whoopsie
    1"Blue lagoon"Aphrodite Nature Trail"Baths of Aphrodite"Cyprus1Latsi HarborPaphos HarborCyprus countrysideCyprus countrysideCyprus mountainsShipwreck of MV Demetrios IIAgia Kyriaki ChrysopolitissaChurch of Agion AnargyronLagoon near Shipwreck of MV Demetrios II1Paphos Harbor1We started giving out cat treats and we attracted many locals.1Dolmades or Koupepia (stuffed grape leaves)1Lamb Kleftiko (left) and Grilled Sea Bream (right)1Homemade Octopus Salad and local Olives and WineKeftedes - meatballs in red sauce (top) and Lamb Souvla - skewered meat (bottom)Hard to see in the video, but the tray has 3 classes of water in it.1Traditional Cyprus Glasses of Water on Head Dance

    Paphos, Cyprus

    April 17, 2023 in Cyprus ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a city in south western Cyprus. Since we already covered the UNESCO Antiquity site in the last post we'll try to talk a bit more about the rest. It's a very mixed cultural country. The primary language is Greek and they use the Greek alphabet (making us illiterate in yet another country). However, it was also a British colony from 1878 till 1960. As a result, they have British outlets and drive on the wrong side of the road. The northern half of cyprus 5 is also occupied by Turkey with a UN controlled demilitarized zone.

    Generally, Paphos is a typical beach town. The water front is lined with bars and restaurants. All you stroll the harbor you'll hear as many British accents as you do Greek. Some restaurants feature nightly traditional Cypriot dances to entertain tourists. Another hallmark of the island are cats! Paphos was particularly well stocked though and they often walk around inside of restaurants as well. This is probably a remnant of Ottoman rule on the island.

    Inland, you'd be hard pressed to tell a picture of Cyprus apart from Tuscany in Italy or Andalusia in Spain. Vineyards, Olive groves, and Cyprus trees stretch mountainous landscapes. Homes with a water view can fetch 4-7 million (or so we were told).

    A lot of Greek style food can be seen here. Skewered meats, baked lamb, whole fish, and stuffed grape leaves are seen on the menu in many traditional restaurants.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Hague Sophia
    Outside of Hagia SophiaEntrance after you remove your shoes.Center left symbol is "Allah", the center right is "Muhammad". Not sure on other two.Interior close-up1CeilingHagia SophiaBack of Hagia Sophia. Not sure what any of these symbols meanInteriorDecorative vaseOmphalion or Coronation SquareCeiling of entrance hallFountainSide roomOutside courtyardRuins on display in outside courtyardRuins on display in outside courtyardOutside of Hagia SophiaQuick walkthrough of Hagia Sophia.

    Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

    April 19, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Hagia Sophia is a grand mosque in Istanbul. It is also known as being built as a Basilica during the time of Constantine the Great. The original building was constructed in 325 and was consecrated in 360.

    The Hagia Sophia was actually destroyed twice. First by a fire caused by a riot in 404 (after which, Hagia Sophia NOT FOUND). It was rebuilt in 415. It was then burned again during the Nika insurrection in 532. The third church, as it is today, was completed in 537.

    Originally, the Byzantines used the Hague Sophia as a Coronation Hall. There is still a mark on the floor where Coronation would happen (there is a picture of it below).

    If you get to go, I find this to be a useful floor plan to understand the Mosque.
    https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aya_S…    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
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    Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, Turkey

    April 20, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The Basilica Cistern is the largest and most grand known Cistern sitting below Istanbul. It is so named because it was originally built between the 3rd and 4th centuries as part of the construction of a Basilica that no longer stands. The cistern is 453 ft and 213 ft with 30 ft columns. It is capable of holding 2,800,000 cu ft of water.

    Speaking of columns, the cistern has 336 columns, some of which are uniquely decorated. Two have large marble medusa heads at the bottom and another is decorated with a "tear drop" pattern. The Cistern today is home to a few art installations. So when you watch the video, don't think the Byzantines were projecting an animated tree on the wall

    It's amazing the cistern was so ornate. It's effectively a water well that few probably went into the depths of. It was a beautiful sight.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Ethnographic display of flute player
    Ethnographic display of member of Mevlevi OrderThe stage is set.

    Whirling Dervishes, Istanbul, Turkey

    April 22, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This isn't going to be a very photograph oriented post. We want to observe a Whirling Dervish ceremony today. We were asked to not taste any or video during the ceremony, so out of respect, we did not. They did have a decent exhibit on the ceremony, so we did walk away with a better understanding of this tradition.

    First off, the Whirling Dervish ceremony is not a dance, it's a religious ceremony of the Sufism sect of Islam. Specifically, a subsect of Sufism called Mevlevi Order. Sufism focuses on more mystical religious practice and is practiced by both Sunni and Shia Muslims. This also made our attendance a little awkward as we were basically paying admittance to watch people pray. But hey, tourists gonna do what they gonna do.

    The Mevlevi Order is chiefly inspired by the teachings of the poet Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (Rūmī for short). His teachings "insist" that love is central to Islam and emphasised "developing courtesy and mindfulness" (according to Wikipedia). Rūmī also "complained about the fanatic ideas appended into Islam" (according to a pamphlet given to us at the Whirling Dervish Ceremony). He was born in 1207, and I'm no religious scholar, so I don't know what he was referring to way back then.

    The ceremony opened with a musical portion with chanters, drums, a flute, a lute, and a horizontal plucking guitar thingy (I'm also not a music scholar). After that, the Whirling began. To over simplify it, the "performers" whirled about 5 times over the course of the 1 hour ceremony, with a break between each session. They set-up with 4 on the outside, with 1 in the center on a circular stage. Except the last time, where all 5 whirled on the outside. Each "session" signified a different "meditation," for lack of a better word. It was interesting to see.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
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    Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

    April 24, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    The Blue Mosque is actually an incorrect name for this place of worship. Only western use this name. It's true name is Sultan Ahmed Mosque. From what I've gathered it's not a very historically significant mosque. It was the practice of the Ottomans that the building of the grand Mosque of their reign was funded by their war bounty. Sultan Ahmed did not engage in much war, so instead he used state funds to build his mosque. While this angered many with this, it's hard to argue with the results.

    Westerns call it the blue Mosque based on the color of the minarets and the blue stained glass on the windows. The mosque itself is not overwhelmingly "blue." Still a beautiful mosque to have visited.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Taksim Mosque
    A dock in the "Golden Horn"1The Fatih district, or where all The tourist attractions are. Taken from the Galata Bridge.Grand Bazaar (uncovered area)1Beyoğlu district, where our AirBnB was.Trendy İstiklal street in the Beyoğlu districtGalata Tower2Grand Bazaar (covered area)Grand Bazaar (uncovered area)Entrance to the Grand BazaarNuruosmaniye Mosque1North side of Fatih DistrictTopkapı Müzesi & the wall surrounding Gülhane ParkYeni (New) MosqueTower of Justice at Topkapi Palace1Bosphorus StraightTypical Beyoğlu district alley way1Gülhane Park2Mischief being managed1Yeni Mosque at night

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    April 24, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    If you haven't heard, it's the new Constantinople.

    I feel like there is little about Istanbul I could say that isn't known. It straddles the Bosporus strait, making the city in both Europe and Asia. It is the former capital of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. It is also the 15th most populous city in the world.

    For those curious, our visit felt very safe. In fact, you feel very insignificant in such a big city. There are people from all countries here both living and visiting. Those with and without head scarfs, though when visiting any of the Grand Mosques women should bring a head scarf to be respectful.

    Our visit coincided with the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the 3 day "after party" named Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr fell on a weekend, so the touristy part of a city felt like a zoo, especially trying to cross the Galata Bridge. It was legit elbow to elbow foot traffic.

    It was a great place to visit, stepped with history.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Göreme Open Air Museum
    Göreme Open Air MuseumGöreme Open Air MuseumGöreme Open Air MuseumStairs leading up to cave dwellings and a church1Cave with a dining table1Valley across from the open air museum with more cavesEroded cave with exposed roomsMore of the adjacent valley1Parking lot with more cavesCave with a support pillarChristian church in a caveThe "Dark Chruch"... we were not allowed to take pictures inside.Another dining table with a bowl carved into the middle.Cave with what looks like a ladder.Göreme Open Air Museum1Another table, but this one has a depiction of the last supper.1LocalSome exposed caves along the road to the museum.1One of the better decorated cave churches. This picture was "snuck in"

    Göreme Open Air Museum, Turkey

    April 26, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The open air museum a UNESCO site since 1984 is the crown jewel of the Cappadocia area. This area boasts over 600 churchs mostly dating from 11th and 12th century carved into the rock caves all over the region.

    But to back up a little, thousands of years ago, nearby Mount Erciyes volcano erupted. This volcanoes is in Kayseri 45 minutes from Goreme. Ash and lava fell across the landscape and hardened to form tuff rock. Over centuries wind and rain erosion slowly moulded "fairy chimneys" that we see today.

    It didn’t take centuries for locals to realise they could carve into rocks and soon turned them into houses and churches. They had been doing it since the 3rd century Roman times, although most of the church's and frescos date from the 12th century. During the Ottoman times these church's were converted to the pigeon homes and unfortunately some of the frescos were destroyed. Today this is the main tourism destination of Cappadocia.

    One really cool feature of the caves here are many of them had long dining tables carved out of the rock. It can be seen in some of the pictures. They carved a 15" or so table out of the rock with benches on either side. They must have had huge families.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Perdy aint it?
    Actual sunriseGood examples of "fairy chimneys" with their "cap stone."Street near an antique storeLocal pup having morning coffee with us.Restaurant built into a fairy chimneyHorse stable and a fairy chimney with parts of the habitat exposed.GöremeHotel built into the hillsField with fairy chimneysDowntown Göreme. In parts you'd never know you were in an ancient cave community.Just walking next to fairy chimneysBit of a brag, we got lucky and our hotel upgraded us to the Honeymoon cave.Alley with fairy chimneys.More cave dwellingsChimneys and cavesGoreme from the surrounding hills.2We were quite entertained by a couple of kittens at a local cafe / wine bar.

    Göreme, Turkey

    April 27, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Göreme (apparently pronounced Gor-eh-may) is a big tourist destination. Known for "fairy chimneys" and Hot Air Balloons.

    Fairy Chimneys are really interesting. The whole Capadocia (also, pronounced Cap-a-dok (sort of like "dork" with no r) -ee-ah) region was covered with stories of volcanic ash. Certain sections of this ash layer developed a harder top. Think of dirt on top of a snow like, it stops the rest of the snow from melting as fast. These hard caps acted as umbrellas from rain protecting the ash below from being eroded. As we said in a previous post, many ancient humans created multi floor habitats out of fairy chimneys.

    Unfortunately for us, it was raining for our entire stay, so hot air balloons were not cleared for launch. So we missed out on that spectacle. I encourage you to Google "hot air balloons Capadocia" as it's a beautiful sight.

    Some unofficial things Göreme is known for: stray dogs and sunrises. On one of our few good mornings we got to see a sunrise over the fair chimneys (seen in the cover photo). Also seen in that photo is a stray dog. We saw this a little in Istanbul too. All the stray dogs are literally one breed. They all have a white (or dirty white) body with a black nose and ears. They are super docile and friendly. They love to lounge around on the sidewalk. I was a little intimidated with stories of stray dogs in eastern Europe, but these Turkish dogs are the most harmless things I have ever seen. More sloth than a dog.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    3This tunnel to the burial area was just above waste high.
    Remember if building a massive underground city... leave structural supports.2This downward staircase went down about 50 meters and was very narrow and had a low ceiling.StaircaseHallway1Dave in Derinkuyu2Ventilation shaftThese circular doors were used to close off certain areas by rolling into hallways.Food storage area.Food storage areaModern bridge2Bricked off area.Cruciform church"Ancient" electrical box1Descent down the big stair caseComing out of the "Graves"

    Underground City, Derinkuyu, Turkey

    April 29, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    What was once the ancient city of Elengubu, is now known today as Derinkuyu. It once held up to 20,000 inhabitants at one time and is the largest underground city in the world. It plunges to a depth of 85 meters below Cappadocia and has 18 levels of tunnels. The city was in consistent use for thousands of years, presumed originating from the Phrygians to the Persians and finally to the Christians of the Byzantine Era. It was then abandoned in the 1920s by the Cappadocian Greeks fleeing the Greco-Roman Turkish war. The city itself spans many square miles containing kitchens, cattle rooms, schools, storage rooms, church's, graves, ventilation shafts etc. it's thought that more than 200 small, separate underground cities that have been discovered in the area may be connected to these tunnels, creating a massive subterranean network.
    Derinkuyu was "rediscovered" in 1963 by a local who kept losing his chickens. While he was renovating his home, the chickens would disappear into a small crevasses during remodeling never to be seen again. After some time the owner grew suspicious and did some digging and found one of many entrances to the city. It was the first of more than 500 entrances found within homes in the area leading to the subterrestrial city of Derinkuyu.

    The shear depth of the city is astounding and after exploring it in the morning hours it was apparent how easy one could get lost. The staircases kept leading down to deeper and deeper levels some taking 5 minutes to traverse. It was an absolute marvel in engineering at the time as well as an unforgettable experience for the both of us.

    One awe inspiring fact about this massive underground city is that no one has ever found organic material inside to do carbon dating. So the exact age is unknown. They only know some civilizations that used it and some theorized to have used it. There is a documentary on Netflix that talks about Derinkuyu that we enjoyed called, Ancient Apocalypse. We recommend it! I want to caveat that recommendation by saying I think the hosts premise is unsupported. He doesn't really give any evidence of his thesis. Regardless, he does give you a lot of interesting information, about a lot of archeological sites you may have never heard of, including Derinkuyu. It's a very interesting watch regardless. I just haven't drank the Kool-Aid he's selling.

    Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix
    https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81211003?s=a&a…

    If you'd like to read about Derinkuyu, this article has some good info, including a map showing that we were only in a small part (yellow highlighted area). Maybe 1/4 of the whole city.
    https://cappadocia4u.com/derinkuyu-underground-…    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Uchisar Castle
    Uchisar Castle in distance looking westOne of many rock homesView over Uchisar countryside looking eastOne of the main mosques and ruins below1Dave on top of Uchisar castleView on castle looking down into townUchisar castleTown of Uchisar from castle2View looking northeast3Missed selfie opportunity - whoops!Main entrance to uchisar castle. Shows exposed rooms where part of the castle eroded away.View looking northeastView looking northeastWelcome to UchisarRuinsGoodbye now

    Uçhisar, Turkey

    April 29, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Uçhisar was our neighboring village from Goreme an old village sits in a cone shape around Uchisar Castle. Uçhisar once made a living from agriculture but now depends entirely on tourism, with many of its fine old stone houses turned into boutique hotels.

    Uçhisar means 'Outer Citadel' in Turkish and the one attraction to not be missed is the castle itself. It once held up to 1000 inhabitants in its hay day. Although it is unclear when it was built it was first mentioned in the 14th century by the Ottomans. Its thought to have been around since the 7th century as inhabitants first carved homes into this rock and continued to expand over time. It is also the highest peak in the Cappadocia region. Dave and I stormed the castle before trekking the hour back to Goreme for a well deserved rest.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    2
    Side public beachDock in the bayRestaurants at nightRestaurants in the early morning1Sun anyone?2ArrrrrrghSide bay and some ancient wall in the water.Side bayDockMulti level rug shop, with ruins behind.Zoom out of the big rug market2Side swing... for the InstagramsSide sunsetSide baySee through restaurant patio showing ruins and ancient columns.Side beach1Walk through of Side. It's hard to communicate how close the modern and ancient are. Hope this helps

    Side, Türkiye

    May 2, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Side (pronounced Cid-eh) feels like a truly unique town at this point of time. It is a very modern feeling resort town (one of the most modern we've seen anywhere), but also brimming with ancient Roman ruins. These two features are very much in conflict. New restaurants and boutique hotels are in the process of being built, but are halted as their foundations expose new ruins. The touristy beachfront Side is largely built on top of stilts as the new buildings are suspended over the ruins from 2,000+ years ago hang below. These ruins are exposed by glass bottom outdoor patios for restaurants.

    We'll talk more about ancient Side soon, but for Modern Side it's a beautiful beach town. It's a peninsula with a very shallow bay. Walking out 50 yards still yields only waist high water. Walking west from the "old town" offers a long board walk with beach chairs and vendors. Also fresh squeezed Pomegranate juice for a couple €. Walking west along the board walk ends at a huge Roman forum called Devlet Agorası. In a few years, I could see it being a ticketed museum, but today you can just around it without supervision.

    Side is an amazing confluence of new and ancient.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
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    Ancient Side, Turkey

    May 5, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Side (pronounced Cid-eh) was originally settled by the Greek in the 7th century BC. Over time, these Greek settlers became assimilated with local populations and lost the Greek language. The local language was a derivative of "Luwian" and is lost to time. However, we do know that Side was their word for "Pomegranate." Thus Side is named after the seedy red fruit.

    Side was conquered by Persians, Macedonians, Ptolemaians, Seleucids, then gained independence before falling to the Romans. While under the rule of the Macedonians and Alexander the Great, many megalithic structures were constructed between the 3rd and 2nd centuries. Side was home to a great Amphitheater, a Monumental Fountain, and a Temple of Athena. Those are ones that are still partially standing today.

    Side was totally abandoned by the 10th century AD as residents moved to the nearby city of Antalya. The ruins became known as "Old Antalya" by the locals. It wasn't until 1895 that Turkish refuges from Crete relocated here when Greece annexed it. They settled in the ruins as refugees.

    Today Side is a vibrant beach town and very active archeological site. As more and more restaurants and boutique hotels popup, they discover more and more ruins as foundations are dug. Many buildings are constructed on some type of stilts over the ruins with thick plexiglass decks overlooking the ruins.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    1
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    Ancient Side East, Turkey

    May 7, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We had a bit of a surprise today. We already made a post about Ancient Side. However we went for a walk east of the tourist area and stumbled upon an amazing 2nd half of the ancient city. It was amazing. This half has maybe 2 plaques, few roads, a lot of thick brush and free access. You can see as much as your feet are willing to explore.

    Walking around it felt like you were really discovering things that few tourist venture out to see. We even saw one lady sitting on what may have been the ruins of an old aqueduct eating some ice cream.

    We did see some teams of archeologists in the general area. It seems like they have a ton of structures to investigate and they're working on them as quickly as they can. If we came back in ~15 years, I imagine this area will look totally different. There will probably be a lot more buildings uncovered, and ticket booths blocking all we saw. Today we enjoyed our free access.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    2Turkish Meze
    Mined lamb and beef with eggplant1Lokum (Turkish Delights) and Baklava2Mastik Gum Coffee. I'm still not exactly sure what this was.Street vendors with Corn and Chestnuts were all over Istanbul2Lentil soup, couscous, salad, stuffed grape leaves, and traditional lamb in pot1Lamb in clay pot. They heat the food in a pot, then break the pot to get the food out.Chicken wings and a vege casserole1Left is pomegranate/grapefruit right is pomegranite/orange pressed juice1Pizza and Turkish Pizza... actually called Pide2Cave restaurant. Most restaurants in Goreme were inside caves1Turkish Ravioli with yogurt sauce1Almond stuffed Artichoke hearts1Salad with pomegranate seeds, walnuts and gorgonzola. Crispy Tenderloin with chips2Grilled calamari2See, we do eat healthy sometimes4This was one of our best meals. It was a cafeteria style place, which is more traditional Turkish.1Vege Casserole (top) and Chicken in pepper sauce (bottom)1Sea Bass over mashed potato2Prawn cocktail1A drink and a view.

    Food of Türkiye

    May 7, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Turkish food is delicious and also comes in a lot of variety. Doner (meat wraps/pitas) are common street and cheap food throughout the country. Shish kebabs are also very common featuring chicken beef or lamb. Pide which looks and tastes similar to a long oval thin crust pizza is also a norm. Along with regular pizza. For those interested in lighter fare, salads are plentiful featuring tomatoes and cucumber, stuffed grape leaves, and beans salads as well. Seafood specially sea bream, sea bass, shrimp, and calamari are the most common. Soups are also common usually lentil or bean based. All food is very fresh and spiced well. One thing not to forget to try is turkish delights a sweet rolled dessert or the turkish coffee.Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    Nikoloz Baratashvili Bridge and Holy Trinity Cathedral
    Holy Trinity Cathedral of TbilisiAnchiskhati Basilica and art vendorTbilisi street2Tbilisi corner cafeShopping alley1Juice bar cafeMetekhi St. Virgin Church and Kura river1Street artTbilisi Aerial TramwayKura River and the Bridge of PeaceNarikala Fortress and hills surrounding TbilisiMother of Georgia statue5Taking the Tbilisi Cable car. Enjoy the music.2Metekhi St. Virgin Church and cliffs over the Kura River3Street art2Rug vendor and Turkish mannequin1Holy Trinity Cathedral as surrounding hillsMonument of St. George in Liberty Square1Parliament building at nightOld Clock Tower2Tbilisi Old Clock at Noon

    Tbilisi, Georgia

    May 9, 2023 in Georgia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    მოგესალმებით თბილისიდან, საქართველოდან or Hello from Tbilisi, Georgia!

    Tbilsi was one of Emily's favorite cities on our trip and it was easy to see why. The city was begging to be photographed and had a beautiful mix of old Renaissance buildings, beautiful parks along every few blocks, outdoor cafes, comical statues, and a dusting of old resisential buildings and old city walls. The city felt vibrant and youthful yet had an old world charm and warmth that was uniquely Georgian. Many people were out and about during the day, some with wagons selling fresh produce door to door, others sitting at cafes enjoying coffee and watching the world pass by.

    This city contained the highest percentage of "bamboushkas" or elderly women that we have seen. This contributed to a strong sense of community that was felt while we were here. There is also a large stray dog population that are cared for by the people of Georgia including food, shots and spay/neuter. The tagged dogs (colorful tag on their ear) were adorable and completely harmless. Some would even roll over to expose their belly as you approached. Some lay asleep and others sat with you at cafes hoping for a scrap or two.

    Georgia is among one of the safest countries in the world and it truly felt that way while we were here in Tblisi. Regardless of the time of day or night it was extremely safe (more so feeling than in western europe), and people were welcoming. This truly is a beautiful green city not to be missed.    Read more

    See translation
  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    1Ananuri fortress
    Ananuri fortressAnanuri fortressAnanuri fortress2View from out drive in northern GrorgiaMany of the sulfur springs in GeorgiaGeorgia friendship monument with Russia2Dam in northern Georgia. Made in Soviet times. They flooded 3 towns. Citizens unhappy ...Lake near Tblisi. Sailing team uses it1Many sheep herds along with some donkeys, goats and a few yellow stray dogs pretending to be sheep2Georgian traffic jam2Chronicals of GeorgiaChronicals of Georgia2Out and about in downtown TblisiMany outdoor markets in TblisiCity center TblisiOne of many parks in Tblisi1Beautiful parksCity center and old town Tblisi1The high five king in TblisiHoly Trinity church of Tblisi

    Georgia ...the country

    May 10, 2023 in Georgia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    First off, Georgians do NOT call their country Georgia. This explains a lot as it's a difficult place to Google. You're more likely to get results about Atlanta than Tbilisi. Locals call their country "Sakartvelo."

    It first appeared on a Italian map with the name Georgia in 1320 AD. How Georgia got it's western name has a few legends. One such is that the Persians, impressed with their fierce fighting called it, Gorğān, or land of the wolves. It could also be related to St. George being their patron saint. Although, George, being their most popular name, is locally pronounced as Gorgi (both Gs sounds more like a J).

    It actually goes by a few names. Georgia was invaded by both the Ottoman and Persians (multiple times) and as such many Muslims still refer to it by it's name from that time which is Gurjistan.

    Georgia is a beautiful country. Nestled between the upper and lower Caucasus mountains it is protected by both cold Siberian weather and warm Middle Eastern deserts. This leaves Georgia with a comfortable and moderate climate. The country is also known for hot springs, but very sulfury ones. One such spring can be seen in our pictures.

    It's a beautiful country and we've already talked about coming back someday.    Read more

  • Europe 2022 - 2023
    1Gergeti Trinity church in background
    Gergeti Trinity Church & City of KazbegiHotel rooms foe coffee and a viewBeautiful view from the valley1Watching fog roll inThick fog came quick1Hotel patronGergeti Trinity ChurchCity of Kazbegi2The pups appreciated our treats and leftover chicken kebab wrap3These mothers were happy to get a little extra this afternoonGergeti Trinity Church2Mountain Emily1Gergeti Trinity ChurchGergeti Trinity Church4Taking a minute to enjoy the beauty.2Mount Kazbek is hiding behind the clouds at 16,500 ftKazbegi1

    Mt Kazbegi, Georgia

    May 12, 2023 in Georgia ⋅ 🌫 7 °C

    Gergeti Trinity Church is a popular name for the Holy Trinity Church near the village of Stepantsminda in Georgia. The church is at an elevation of 7120 feet sitting under Mount Kazbek. Just 6 miles from the Russian border this is a very peaceful refuge for religious travelers looking g to do the 90 minute trek up the mountain to the famous chirch from the 14th century. This indeed is a beautiful part of Georgia not to be missed. Apparently the road to Russia is lined with 18wheelers in the hundreds which we passed. Many have to wait 3 weeks to cross the border from Georgia to Russia with their goods. We saw over 100 pulled over on the high mountain roads waiting their turn. In the nearby village of Stepantsminda sit many hotels and rooms for hikers to rent. We stopped at the 5 star hotel Rooms for a coffee and a scenic view. It was pleasant to watch the thick smog roll down from the mountains and cover the base of the valley.Read more

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