Category: Travel

 

Traveling the world has been a long time passion. this is where I share all my  travel stories and experiences.

PhotoPOSTcard: Kos Island, Greece

The 4th stop on my cruise with Running On Waves was on the island of Kos. Kos is one of Greece’s westernmost islands and is within spitting distance of Turkey. It is a popular beach resort destination with the resorts looking much like the ones I had seen on the Turkish coast. The island also has a long history dating back to Neolithic times and is best known for being the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. For history buffs, the island has many Greek and Roman archeological sites and also the well preserved remains of Nerantzia Castle, a knights castle from the 15th century.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Patmos Island, Greece

The 3rd day of my sailing cruise with Running On Waves was to the lovely little island of Patmos. Patmos has all the things you would expect on a Greek island in the Aegean – beautiful beaches, crystal clear blue water and restaurants with great food. The island is also known as the location where John the Apostle received his visions in a cave that led him to write the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament in the Bible. This has made Patmos an important Christian pilgrimage site. The cave, the Monastery of St. John the Theologian built in 1088, and the historic center of Chora became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Mykonos Island, Greece

Day 2 of my cruise with Running On Waves in Greece continued to the famous island of Mykonos. I had time to wander the narrow lanes with their whitewashed houses and blue trimmed shutters, do some window shopping and of course, have some ice cream. I ended the day with a beautiful sunset at the Mykonos windmills, one of the island’s most famous sights.

Thanks for visiting

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Delos Island, Greece

Day 2 of my cruise with Running On Waves started on the island of Delos. The ancient Greeks believed that it was here that the god Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were born. This belief made the island sacred and as a result, no mortal was allowed to be born or die there. One of the unique sights in Delos is the Terrace of the Lions which originally had about a dozen sculpted lions which were dedicated to Apollo by the people of Naxos in around 600 BCE. The island is one big archeological site and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Syros Island, Greece

Day 1 with the Running On Waves sailing cruise in Greece was at the island of Syros. The island’s capital city Ermoupolis climbs up two hillsides from the harbor and on top of one hill is a catholic church and on top of the other is a Greek Orthodox church. Unlike the whitewashed houses of the other Cyclades islands, the neoclassical architecture here is was built by the wealthy shipping merchants that settled the island in the 1820’s.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Sunrise over the Boshphorus

Just want to share a few more of my favorite photos from my past trips to Istanbul. I am NOT a morning person, but, for a beautiful sunrise photo I will make the effort. In this case, I was up at dawn to catch the sunrise over the Bosphorus while enjoying a traditional cup of Turkish tea. Many of the hotels in the historic Sultanahmet district have rooftop restaurants which makes it easy to get up early and enjoy the beautiful views.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

A Love Letter to Beautiful Istanbul

Straddling two continents and over 2000 years of history, there is no other place like Istanbul. With its friendly locals, delicious food and incredible architecture, it is one of my favorite global cities to visit and photograph. So, along with my favorite 25 images, here is my love letter to beautiful Istanbul.

Since the age of 9, I have always wanted to see Istanbul. When I emigrated to the USA from Romania with my parents in the summer of 1970, our flight was rerouted through Istanbul to pick up more passengers. I don’t exactly remember what that 9 year old saw out of the plane window, but it left a lasting impression.

Continue reading “A Love Letter to Beautiful Istanbul”

Tips for an Independent 10 Day Israel and Jordan Itinerary

I planned our 10 day Israel and Jordan itinerary around my most important criteria: spending two days in Petra. A visit to the Petra Archeological site was high on my travel bucket list and I wanted to have plenty of time to take in this ancient wonder.

A ten day trip to Jordan and Israel was definitely not going to be enough time to see all that these two history rich countries had to offer, but that was all the time we had. So I prioritized what I wanted to see and built my itinerary around this, adding in time to get from one place to another.

Continue reading “Tips for an Independent 10 Day Israel and Jordan Itinerary”

PhotoPOSTcard: The Petra Commute

donkey rider in Petra

This photo was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association with a Honorable Mention award in the Photography – Portrait, People, category in the 2021 annual media travel awards competition .

The Petra Archeological site is quite large. To help tourists get around, the local Bedouin offer donkey rides from one place to another. This can be especially helpful for some of the hikes that involve a lot of climbing. The donkeys are sure footed and don’t have any trouble climbing the many stairs. At the end of the day, the owners ride their donkeys home, and like other commuters all over the world, talk on their cell phone to pass the time.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose