TravelswithCharie

In the peaceful town of Targovişte, 50 miles north of Bucharest, we visited the Museum of Communism, formerly a military garrison. This is where Nicolae Ceausescu  and his wife, Elena, spent their last days. Ceausescu was president of Romania from 1974 until his execution in 1989 and leader of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965. The monument in front of the Museum (first image) is that of Dan Al II cel Viteaz, a five-time Voivode (governor) of Wallachia. His reign ended in 1432 after he was defeated by the Ottomans. He was succeeded by the son of Mircea cel Bătrin, grandfather of Vlad Tepes the Impaler (also Vlad Dracul III) whose life may have been an inspiration for the stories about the blood thirsty Dracula. The Voivodes of Wallachia took up residence in the princely court of Targovişte, the reason I was in the vicinity. Please read my post about the life and times of Vlad Tepes here:  https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2023/12/the-curious-life-and-times-of-vlad.html On...

Brasov, Romania (on National Geographic 2025 list) With the opening of the new airport in Nuuk this November, new flight services will connect Greenland with Canada and the United States. In the past, one would have to go to Denmark  or Iceland in order to go to Greenland on either Air Greenland or Icelandair. The flights to Nuuk from North America will make Greenland more accessible to travelers eager to experience new adventures in the biggest island in the world that is not a continent. Greenland is the choice of three travel publications and ezines linked below. With these endorsements, it  is poised to be the hottest destination in 2025. Afar Magazine Where to go in 2025 This list has picked less visited destinations for crowd-free travel. Think Belgrade, Benin, Guyana and Jordan, to name a few. https://www.afar.com/magazine/where-to-go-in-2025 American Express Travel 2025 Trending Destinations These trending destinations are based on travel bookings made by AMEX card mem...

Hymen Oh Hymenée (or Boda Romana), 1886-1887 No one knew where this painting was after it was sold around the 1930s. Before then it was part of Luna’s private collection. For Jaime Ponce de Leon, owner of Leon Gallery in Metro Manila, it had become an obsession to find this missing masterpiece which had won the bronze medal at the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris where it was last seen in public. More than a century later, in 2014, Ponce de Leon got a call to appear at a certain address  in Europe which he heeded. And there it was, the “Grail of Philippine Art”, for his eyes to behold. Ponce de Leon bought the painting, had it shipped to the Philippines and kept it stored it in a crate for a few more years until it was revealed to the public at the Ayala Museum in 2023. What a journey this painting has taken! Finally Juan Luna’s depiction of his wedding to Paz Pardo de Tavera was brought to light. The Bride Juan Luna is nowhere to be seen in this painting. But his marks are every...

I arrived in Istanbul with the smallest carry on suitcase in tow. This meant I couldn’t go wild shopping in the grand bazaars as much as I would love to. What’s more, Istanbul was my first stop in a four-country tour. There was simply no room for stuff in my Lipault. Fortunately, I only had three items on my list of things to absolutely buy in Türkiye; a nazar, a refrigerator magnet and baklava pistachio pastry.  Grand Bazaar The Grand Bazaar is a maze of shops selling everything you can think of. Shop windows with jewelry, pottery, Turkish Delights, spices, clothes, souvenirs, colorful lamps, household goods, candy, designer knock-offs and the list seems endless. That may be an exaggeration but as I was walking along the main corridor, I found many side corridors which branched out to many more aisles which then led me to the outdoor stalls surrounding the Grand Bazaar.   Grand Bazaar (side corridor) Beautiful pottery I wish I could have brought home the tulip shaped tea glas...

The Promenade on Lake Constance Summer may be the best time to visit Bregenz for the Bregenz Festival but fall by the lake has its irresistible charms like the golden leaves of the season and the quieter, more laid back atmosphere that calms the soul. After the rain Heavy clouds drifted across the sky in early October and I had to wait patiently for the rain to go away. When it did, I took a leisurely walk around the city center to the lakeside promenade which was suffused with autumnal light from the late afternoon sun. Sense of humor? Weinstube Kinz This wine bar is in the center of the city at Kirschstrasse 9. According  to Bregenz Tourism,  it has been featured in postcards since 1808.  Fountain on Leutbühel and the Seekapelle green dome in the background Seekappelle (Lake Chapel) The Lake Chapel was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1698/99. It is dedicated to St. George and the Mother of God. It’s located next door to the Rathaus. Rathaus (City Hall) Bregenz boasts ma...