TravelswithCharie

Church of the Beheading of St. John, Arbore Monastery Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Romania lies the enchanting region of Bucovina, home to a treasure trove of stunning monasteries. The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a testament to the region's rich history, spirituality and artistic genius. One of the most visited monasteries in Bucovina is Voronet. It was commissioned by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldova and one of its most admired rulers. Moldova was  a medieval state that once encompassed parts of present-day Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova. Voronet  was built in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui and it was miraculously completed in three months time. Succeeding  princes of Moldova continued the construction of more magnificent monasteries. The exterior walls of these structures were adorned with intricate frescoes, depicting biblical scenes, saints, and...

Walking inside the cavernous halls of Riga Central Market, you wouldn’t know that there are only 619,000 residents in the capital city. Yet this market is so huge it could probably provide the needs of 1.87 million* people living in Latvia today. The Central Market of Riga is actually the largest market and bazaar in Europe with over 3000 stalls. Frankly, I got tired going from one hall to the next. And when I was done indoors, there was a bazaar outdoors to explore.  * Source: World Bank Fish section The Riga Central Market is included with Old Riga on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Dried fish Smoked fish The cheese and pastries section are in the same hall. It’s hard to decide what to get from the amazing selection. Meat Section Notice the architecture of this pavilion. Old German Zeppelin hangars were recycled to form the five pavilions of the Central Market. There is a clothing and bedding section both indoors and outdoors. I bought my souvenirs here at the Central Market...

Bird’s Eye view of Gorica, a neighborhood in Berat We had a smooth ride to Berat from Tirana and immediately drove up to the Citadel. We circled the hills to avoid the bus load of tourists who had just arrived at the castle gate. It was a good move as I got to see the lay of this beautiful land at the panoramic overlook before we started our walk around the castle grounds. It was quite an introduction! Berat was my first sightseeing stop in Albania. It was only my second day and I hadn’t yet seen Tirana but my guide suggested we go to Berat before anything else. Needless to say, he was right! I was completely bowled over by everything that I saw; from the sweeping views of the lower town, to the lofty mountains that cradle the valleys, to the citadel and the surrounding stone houses and of course, the white Ottoman-era houses and its windows. These windows have given Berat its title, “town of a thousand windows”. Gorica Gorica was a Christian neighborhood across the Osum River during...