TravelswithCharie

Roots, Adi Dule The call of the sea rises above the din of the big city. You can’t ignore it especially when it is only 36 km away from Tirana. Durrës borders the Adriatic coast and it’s the natural choice for an afternoon spent outdoors against the backdrop of sea, sun and blue skies. Don’t forget your suntan lotion and lunettes de soleil, bien sur.  By the way, Durrës is pronounced du rosh . There are a few sculptures along the seaside promenade that stand out against the stunning coastline. One of these is Roots (above) by a local artist.  Roman Amphitheater But there’s more to Durrës than suntanning at the beach or sipping a nice cold drink at a café. There is the Roman Amphitheater from the 2nd Century AD which was only discovered in 1966. It could seat 15,000 or so spectators in its heyday.   Venetian Tower and the statue of Redon, God of the Sea The Venetian Tower, which has been restored, was part of a fortified castle from the 5th century and rebuilt in the 13th ...

Spice Market, Istanbul I just noticed that I haven’t posted anything since January 9th of this year. It’s a little hard to write something when you’re traveling because you’re distracted by the 101 things you need to do while you’re living abroad temporarily and the vastly different social life you’re suddenly exposed to. The other reason for my lack of posts is that I find it difficult to write about my travels because the “words” are not flowing. I did write about some of my activities related to my school supplies program. You’ll find this here:  balaynicharie.blogspot.com .  Bucovina, Northern Romania I do have quite a few travel articles in the burner. These are about my visits to Bucovina with its unique painted churches, my trips to Brazil and the beautiful coastline of Uruguay as well as my experiences in the incredible country of Turkey, the breathtaking landscapes of northern Taiwan and the Water Village of Brunei. I’m so grateful to have been able to do some trav...

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi ) The Basilica Cistern or the Sunken Palace, has been around since the 6th century when it was constructed as a reservoir for the palace of Constantinople and the surrounding neighborhood. It takes its name from the Stoa Basilica which once stood on the very same site. There are 336 marble columns standing 30 ft. high supporting the ceiling. Many of these columns were recycled from the ruins of other buildings. The vaulted ceiling and rounded arches remind one of the great cathedrals of Europe but the Cistern predates these cathedrals. It has been restored multiple times through the years and earthquake-proofed in 2017. The Cistern was reopened to the public in July 2022. This is the bottom of the cistern with just enough water to reflect the columns and artworks scattered throughout. Visitors walk on raised walkways. Here’s a Corinthian column decorated with acanthus leaves. Peacock Eye or Column of Tears This column may be a tribute to the slaves wh...

San Francisco, California  Condé Nast Traveler   https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-places-to-go-in-2023 Fodors Go List 2023 https://www.fodors.com/go-list/2023 Fodors No List 2023 https://www.fodors.com/news/news/fodors-no-list-2023 Frommer's Best Places to go in 2023 https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848547-frommer-s-best-places-to-go-in-2023 Lonely Planet Where to go in 2023 https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/where-to-go-when New York Times 52 Places to go in 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/travel/52-places-travel-2023.html Travel and Leisure Best Places to go in 2023 https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-places-to-go-2023 ***** Image by TravelswithCharie  

Rue Saint Taur The history of Toulouse is deeply entwined with its patron saint, Saturnin (Sernin), who was martyred in the third century.  According to legend, Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse, was chained to a taur or bull that dragged him down Rue du Taur. The Church of Notre Dame du Taur is standing on the exact spot where the corpse of Saint Saturnin was detached from the bull as it rampaged down the street. Façade of Notre Dame du Taur The Church of Saint Saturnin was renamed Notre Dame du Taur after the Basilica of Saint Sernin was built to accommodate the vast numbers of pilgrims who stopped by Toulouse on their way to the Church of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.  The genealogy of Jacob, Notre Dame du Taur This 14th century fresco of the genealogy of Jacob was one of the highlights of my visit to Toulouse. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Sarah and the grandson of Abraham. The 12 Tribes of Israel traces its lineage to Jacob. Joseph, the foster ...

Four weeks after Governor Newsom announced the stay-at-home order for California, the corona virus is still taking a toll on Californians and the rest of the world. Physical distancing may have played a big role in capping the number of cases but we are not out of the woods yet. It looks like we’re home bound for a few more weeks. I don’t mind this at all because I know that it will help flatten the curve and set us free to live a “normal” life again. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during this period of self isolation, it is that I should never take anything for granted, especially traveling.  Champs Elysées, Paris, France Singapore Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland Tlaquepaque,  Guadalajara, Mexico Malmö, Sweden Lake Tahoe, Nevada The Sphinx, Giza, Egypt ***** Images by TravelswithCharie