Greetings from Istanbul

It's spring awright!!!





Location: Istanbul Istanbul

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Australia: An Epic Road-trip, Part 3

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Part 3: The Mornington Peninsula We continued with a scenic drive that took us along mountain passes, eucalyptus forest and misty mountains. We were greeted by a gentle rain as we crossed the border to Victoria. Then the weather got increasingly worse that it was hard to see the road. Three and a half hours later, we arrived in Metung. We missed our scheduled arrival at the hotel that after checking in, the only thing left to do was to have dinner. But most of the restaurants were closed. Luckily, we found an Indonesian/Mediterranean restaurant not far from our hotel. Oddly enough, it was still light after dinner, so we were able to catch the setting sun and take pictures of the sunset and its reflection on the water. When I woke up the next morning, R had already done his morning walk. He brought us coffee and scones that he got from the farmer's market across the street. It was the best scone I have ever had. We all went back to the farmer's market to get more scones, jam and...
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Ethiopia: Lake Tana & the Blue Nile

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Chapter 2: Lake Tana and the Blue Nile - The Source of the Mighty River From Addis, we flew to Bahir Dar, a laid-back city on the shores of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile River. A boat ride took us across the water to visit Ura Kidane Mehret, a monastic church founded in the 14th century.  From the port, our guide — the head of the monastery — led us on a short walk to the church complex.  The path was lined with beautifully patterned stones, some newly laid, others carefully repaired. The gentle rustle of leaves, the distant calls of birds, and the soft lapping of the lake against the shore set a serene backdrop for our journey. As we walked, our guide shared stories of the monastery’s history and the lives of the monks who had lived here for generations. Soon, we arrived at the circular church, just as a ceremony for a fasting holiday was underway.  I saw vibrant scenes of worship — the rhythmic beating of drums, the haunting melodi...
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Ethiopia: Axum, the Cradle of Ancient Civilization

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Chapter 6: Axum, Cradle of Ancient Civilization  After days of winding mountain roads, rugged landscapes, and stone castles that felt pulled straight out of legend, we finally reached Axum. This wasn’t just another stop on our Ethiopian journey—it felt like stepping directly into the heartbeat of history. Ethiopia calls itself the Land of Origins, and in Axum, I understood why. With more than 2,500 years of history, Axum was once the capital of an empire that traded with Rome, India, and Arabia. Its name alone carries the weight of myth, faith, and mystery. Most famously, Axum is believed to guard one of the greatest treasures in religious history: the Ark of the Covenant. The Church of St. Mary of Zion The Stelae of Axum Our first stop was the Stelae Fields, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These towering granite obelisks are unlike anything I’ve seen before. Some stretch nearly 20 meters high, carved from a single piece of stone, their faces etched with windows and doors as tho...
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