PhotoPOSTcard: Experience the Atmospheric Basilica Cistern in Istanbul

There is no doubt that the city of Istanbul is steeped in thousands of years of history – history that can still be touched today. Sitting beneath modern city streets that are teeming with pedestrian, automobile and tram traffic, a walk through the underground space of the Basilica Cistern is an opportunity to physically experience a world that existed 1500 years ago.

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PhotoPOSTcard: Istanbul’s Blue Mosque at Sunset

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque as it is more commonly known, was completed in 1617. Legend tells that its architect misread the Sultan’s instructions and mistakenly interpreted “six minarets” instead of “gold minarets”. This was a problem because at that time, only the Great Mosque of Mecca had six minarets. To allay criticism, the Sultan then ordered that a seventh minaret be added to the Great Mosque in Mecca.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Colorful Houses in Istanbul

Not far from the famous Chora Church Museum in Istanbul are the colorful Balat and Fener neighborhoods. With funds from UNESCO, the colorful houses in this historic district of Istanbul, where Greeks and Jews once called home, are being restored and the area revitalized.

Thanks for visiting

Rose

 

Reflections From 2017

I love taking reflection photos. 

There is something about the symmetry of a perfect mirror image that never gets old for me. Or the juxtaposition of the inside and the outside of a window reflection.  As a result I am always drawn to photographing reflections. Sometimes the reflections make up the whole photo and sometimes they are just a small element, but  with each trip, I always come back with a few more.

Here are my favorites from 2017, at the same time, chronicling my travels for this year.

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A Day with Royals, Romans and Ruins – Visiting Historic Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor

On a recent visit to London, my husband and I took a whirlwind tour through time, experiencing 5000 years of British Isles history in one day as we went to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor. Our tour took us to the prehistoric ruins of Stonehenge, the Roman baths in Bath, and the (relatively) modern royal residence of Windsor Castle. Continue reading “A Day with Royals, Romans and Ruins – Visiting Historic Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor”

A Day Trip to Hampton Court Palace – A Taste of Henry XVIII’s Tudor Court

History remembers England’s King Henry XVIII for his notorious excesses – excess wives, excesses in food and drink and excessing the Catholic church. At Hampton Court, Henry XVIII’s favorite residence, you can still see where he lived, loved and die. Continue reading “A Day Trip to Hampton Court Palace – A Taste of Henry XVIII’s Tudor Court”

Photo Essay: The Louvre as Art

The Louvre museum in Paris is renowned for its world class collection of art. While I enjoy visiting it and viewing the masterpieces inside, the building is also a piece of art in itself. I can’t resist photographing it whenever I have the chance to visit. I am sharing some of my favorite photos of this oft photographed icon.

The photos in this post won Finalist – Photography: Overall Excellence, Online Publication category in the 2017 North America Travel Journalists Association competition.

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PhotoPOSTcard: A Peaceful Perspective of the Eiffel Tower

A view of Paris’s Eiffel Tower at dusk as seen through the Wall of Peace memorial at the south-east end of the Champ de Mars park.

The photo in this post won Finalist – Photography:  Facility or Architectural-Print or Online Category in the 2017 North America Travel Journalists Association competition.

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