Free Walking Tour of Bucharest

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Travel Spirit

Walkabout Free Tour offers an informative and interesting free walking tour of some of the highlights of Bucharest, Romania. After leaving Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria on a bus at 11:00am, transferring to another bus in Ruse, Bulgaria and arriving in Bucharest at 2:30pm, Jing and I took a 2 mile taxi ride to our Airbnb, where we hefted our luggage up to the fourth floor, which meant eight flights of steps! I am determined to pack lighter for the next trip. We settled in and walked a mile to meet up with the two hour walking tour.

Some of the highlights they cover are the lovely Stavropoleos Convent…

The ruins of Vlad’s Citadel…

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Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Travel Spirit

Located three hours by bus from Sofia and perched above the Yantra River, Veliko Tarnovo offers visitors narrow cobble stone streets lined with stone houses and amazing views!

Dating from the third millennium B.C., Veliko Tarnovo is seeped in history and was the former capital of Bulgaria before Sofia.

I reserved a room for one evening at the charming Gurko Hotel situated in Old Town with a view of the lovely homes overlooking the river.

The Samovokska Charshiya area is within walking distance from the hotel and the streets are lined with cafes and traditional craftsmen such as wood sculptors, potters, iron smiths, and carpet weavers.

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Day trip from Sofia, Bulgaria to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Travel Spirit

With over a million visitors annually, once you visit the magnificent Rila Monastery you’ll see why people flock to it! Located two hours drive from Sofia, it’s a “must do” for any trip to Bulgaria. The original structures date back to the 10th Century, but due to fire and war, certain sections have been rebuilt in the 15th and 19th centuries.

The Monastery has been a spiritual and cultural center for Bulgaria throughout the years.

The colors are bold and the frescoes are quite lovely…

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Day trip from Sofia, Bulgaria to Plovdiv

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Travel Spirit

The picturesque city of Plovdiv, is a wonderful day trip from Sofia, Bulgaria! Ranked as one of the world’s oldest cities and located just two hours away by bus, you’ll find cobbled streets, art galleries, and beautiful architecture! You’ll have difficulty trying to book transport ahead of time though. I went to the Central bus station in Sofia at 7:00am and purchased one way tickets for myself and my tour participant, leaving at 8:00am. The women working behind the counters at the bus stations are not friendly and at times are rude, but I’m sure it becomes tiresome having to deal with foreigners that don’t speak their language.

We joined a free two hour walking tour upon arrival through Free Plovdiv Tour that supplied us with some of the amazing history of Plovdiv and Bulgaria. While making our way from the bus station in Plovdiv to the meeting point in front of City Hall I snapped a few photos.

The man in the above photo reminds me of a grumpy “Joker” and didn’t appreciate me sneaking a photo in.

This fountain is really cool!

Their pedestrian only walkway is quite lovely…

I always take photos of fountains!

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Sofia, Bulgaria in 2016

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Travel Spirit

I’m writing to you from my European Odyssey through eight European countries and wanted to share my adventures while on the road! Acting as a Tour Director through my site “Travel Spirit Meetup” I have one lady (Jing), whom I now consider a friend, that is with me for the entire 33 day adventure. A gentleman will join us for six of the eight countries beginning in Finland.

We arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria in the afternoon on June 4th and took a taxi from the airport to our centrally located and very stylish two bedroom Airbnb. I love to stay in Airbnbs because they’re typically less expensive than hotels and you’re able live like a local, picking up breakfast items and food that can be prepared quickly from the local supermarket.

This was our view from the living room…

We settled in, stopped at the supermarket, and walked a mile to join a free 2-hr. walking tour of Sofia through Free Sofia Tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and in addition to showing us the highlights of Sofia, she spoke of the changes in Sofia since the fall of Communism in 1989.

A few of the highlights were the majestic Alexander Nevsky Cathedral…

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Little of this and that in Turkey

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Travel Spirit

These camels were on display in the village near where my group and I were staying in Kayakoy, Turkey. I’ve ridden a camel in Egypt and have to say I found it to be the least comfortable animal for transport.

But with a face like this…

I was in the midst of speaking with a man about how to get to the tombs of Fethiye when I turned around and saw this lovely painting on the steps.

For the equivalent of $7.00 I had my hair shampooed and blow dried in Istanbul. I didn’t bring my flat iron with me on the trip due to weight and it was nice to get rid of the frizzies for a few days!

In the town of Fethiye…

This kitty was near Kayakoy…

No matter where you are, there is beauty!

Crossing the Galata Bridge and sights along the way

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Travel Spirit

The Galata Bridge in Istanbul is symbolic of the link between the traditional old city of Istanbul and neighborhoods to the east that are largely non-Muslim. The bridge spans the Golden Horn (the primary inlet of the Bosphorus) and has been rebuilt five times. These are some of the sites I saw on either side of the bridge and on the bridge itself.

I believe we were headed towards Takism Square here…

I’m also a collector of street graffiti “art”!

Nice view of the Bosphorus…

The fishing must be excellent!

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Colorful and Bustling Istanbul

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Travel Spirit

Sights like this, a cat plumped down in the middle of a table of belts, enriched my visit to Istanbul and created such a fun and surprising atmosphere!

When you pick apart a scene like this to understand why it seems foreign to someone from America, the things that stand out to me are: the cart (it’s unlike those from America), the way the man is dressed on the right, with a long apron, the man in the background carrying a box on his head, the cobblestones, and the foreign signs on the building across the street.

Love this guy’s spirit!!

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Going Solo in Istanbul

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Travel Spirit

Each day after taking my group to the included sites on our itinerary, we would split up into groups. Being a photographer, I usually prefer sight-seeing on my own. That way, I’m not worried about holding people up or having to wait while someone goes shopping (ugh). Most afternoons I would head off on my own and on this particular day, I was trying to find better angles of the Blue Mosque and also somewhere to have a nice lunch. There was a man by himself, seated outside of a hotel/restaurant in a somewhat solitary part of town. I asked him if the food was good at the restaurant and he highly recommended it. Oh my, he didn’t tell me what a magnificent view there would be!

I ordered Sea Bass (I think), which was very good and had a nice glass of white wine while taking in my beautiful surroundings!

What’s funny is I thought this was the Blue Mosque that I had such a wonderful view of, but actually it was Hagia Sophia!

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Hagia Sophia Museum and Basilica Cistern

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Travel Spirit

Dating back to the 6th Century, the Hagia Sophia Museum (Holy Wisdom) is one of the most impressive and important buildings in the world! Hagia Sophia was converted from a church to a museum in 1935. It was the largest church ever built until St Peter’s Basilica was constructed in Rome 1000 years later. It is the most visited site in Turkey with over 3.5 million visitors in 2014!

I visited the day after seeing the Blue Mosque and was surprised at how awe-inspiring the Hagia Sophia is in comparison!

It literally leaves you speechless!

That’s gold in the ceiling!

It is so stunning and I loved taking photographs inside…the way people’s shadows made shapes on the floor. Maybe you know what I mean, that some places you’re much more excited to be taking photographs in than others.

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Topkapi Palace

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Travel Spirit

The Topkapi Palace was the main residence of Ottoman Sultans between the 15^th and 19^th centuries. Visiting the palace gives a fascinating glimpse into what their lives were like during this time frame.

We arrived to the Palace early in the morning, so I was lucky to get a few photos without people in them…

The Palace is huge, so there are lots of angles to take photos from…

Topkapı is a series of pavilions, kitchens, barracks, audience chambers, kiosks and sleeping quarters built around a central enclosure.

The view from the Palace was gorgeous!

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Made it to Istanbul! First on the list: Exploring the Blue Mosque

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Travel Spirit

Arriving to the hustle and bustle of a large City like Istanbul from the a sleepy town near the Turquoise coast of Turkey definitely wakes you up! I had a private shuttle arranged to pick us up at the Airport for a 90-minute transfer from the Sabiha Gökçen Airport to our hotel centrally located in Old City Istanbul. After checking in, the first and only thing on the itinerary for that day was to go to the Blue Mosque. There are small windows of opportunity when you can go inside (in between the calls to prayers, but you have to wait until 90 minutes past each call to prayer and there are five of them). We followed a tram line (literally at times running within inches of your body) about fifteen minutes and this was our first view!

Backing up to our arrival in Istanbul. Our hotel, “Eurostars Hotel Old City” was perfect. It was within walking distance of all of the major sites and tucked up a side street so it was nice to sit outside at one of the outdoor cafe tables, have a drink and people watch. I’ve stayed at a Eurostars somewhere else in Europe and had a good experience there also.

Here’s the view looking out from the lobby. Whenever I would pet that cat he would be nice at first and then try to bite me. Bad Kitty!

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Charming Town of Fethiye, Turkey

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Travel Spirit

During my four-day stay in the small town of Kayakoy, Turkey, my group and I explored the darling and picturesque town of Fethiye, located nearby along Turkey’s Mediterranean’s coast. The whimsical umbrellas hanging between the shops were delightful!

Everywhere you look…cute and colorful touches added to the charm!

The waterfront was lined with boats ready to whisk passengers off for a cruise…

Shafts of light filtered through the canopy of enchanting umbrellas…

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Searching for the Ancient Rock Tombs of Fethiye, Turkey

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Travel Spirit

The Fethiye region of Turkey is rich with ancient history and the Lycian Rock Tombs, dating back to the 5th Century B.C., carved into the rock, reminding me of my visit to Petra, Jordan and it’s massive beautifully carved stone architecture!

Our adventure began with a 20-30 minute dolmus ride from our Villa in Kayakoy to Fethiye and upon arrival we set off in search of the Tombs. After consulting with a couple of people to ensure we were headed in the right direction, we meandered through the village’s narrow streets, heading uphill and then…wow, we found them! This young lady was posing for her boyfriend’s camera, and agreed to let me take a photo.

On the way back to the main section of town, I spotted this lady and motioned towards my camera and she nodded her head “yes”.

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Turkey’s Turquoise Coast and Oludeniz

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Travel Spirit

My group and I arrived by foot to Oludeniz after hiking 7 kilometers from the ghost village of Kayakoy, which you can read about here. The blue waters of the Mediterranean sparkled and looked so inviting after our rather sweaty hike over the ~~mountain~~ hill, along with these colorful, plump soft seating areas, under the shade of draped cloth.