After a long day of sightseeing, we rest our aching feet at a little cafe in the shadow of the Yeni Camii, the not so new ‘new mosque‘. This 16th century edifice underscores the fact that ‘new’ is relative here! We watch resident Stamboulis go about their daily lives as we sip Çay from little glass tumblers set over […]
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It was suffocatingly still. And silent. We started walking up a wide road, lined with what looked like crumbling little cottages. The asphalt seemed out of place, the heat bouncing off it in waves and enveloping us in a disquieting haze. Peering into a doorway, spooked by my own shadow, it was evident these structures were never […]
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“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” ~ Robert Browning Perched precariously atop the pinnacles of steep sandstone cliffs, resembling lofty aeries of some giant predatory birds, the monasteries of Meteora beggar belief! Built in the 14th century to escape persecution by the invading Ottomans, with no access save baskets […]
Read MoreThe stained glass windows of Sainte Chapelle, on the Île de la Cité in Paris, are a sight to behold. Fifteen such windows surround the nave and apse of the second floor chapel with a huge rose window at the opposite end. Two thirds of the 600 sq meters (6,458 square feet) of glass is […]
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According to local lore Cusco city is said to be laid out in the shape of a puma crouched over the Saphi river. And its streets denote its body parts. For example: Pumakurko street stands for the “Puma’s Spinal Column”, and the head is supposed to be located in Sacsayhuaman or “speckled head”! Furthering that myth, (rather shiny) brass plaques […]
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Tracing medieval footsteps down the the ‘Odos Ippoton’ on our way to dinner, it was easy to imagine whispers in the dark. The swishing of silk trains, the clang of armour, the neighing of horses, the clink of sword and spear. Less eerie in the glare of daylight, but just as atmospheric, the ‘Road of […]
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Nirvana refers to the ultimate unfettering of the mind from earthly bonds. A quietude of mind and body, a total connection and merging with one’s inner self, a release from all desire and suffering. Enlightenment. The spiritual journey of Siddhartha from crown prince to the “Enlightened One” is one of the most profound stories of transformation […]
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Photo feature on the monumental hypostyle hall of Karnak temple in Luxor, Egypt.
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A delicious homecooked breakfast awaited us on the terrace of our gorgeous B&B along with this view! After five hectic days in the Côte d‘Azur, the thought of lingering in this beautiful terrace was very,very tempting. But our time here was limited and we had to reluctantly admit that we needed more time to master […]
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James of Plus Ultra nominated me for the Hostel Bookers 7 Super Shots, more than two months ago, and I know now what he meant by “choosing your best photos is like choosing your favourite children“! It was hard selecting 7 images from the hundreds in my archives, but fun as well, trying to remember exactly […]
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There are many images in my albums, that transport me back to Peru and the wonderful days we spent there last fall. Of the colourful, pensive Quechua women, their lovely rosy cheeked little children, the Ceviches, the stuffed potatoes (!) and the Pisco sours, the amazing Incan architecture of the sacred valley, the streets of […]
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A distant murmur reminds us of the purpose of our visit long before we catch our first glimpse of the cataracts from the dining room of the Sheraton hotel within the Argentine National Park. It gets louder as we clamber onto the jungle train, a short distance from the hotel, that takes us to long, creaky, metal catwalks […]
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The Urge To Wander 