Tag: Travel

Year in Review – The Best Post of 2023

It has been another year around the sun, and it is time to look back and reflect on those moments that made this year great. It has been nice to know that the recent lockdowns brought on by the pandemic are behind us, and the world has opened up again. This means that travel is back, and many people took advantage of this fact to get out there and see many places on their bucket lists. I was no different. I was in eight different countries last year, three of which I have never been in before. During that time, I was able to tell you all about my experiences in this blog, and what follows are the posts from last year that connect with you the most.

10. Reverend’s Ridge Campground – Golden Gate State Park, Colorado

Every year my siblings get together during the summer to go camping some place in the Colorado mountains. It has always been one of my favorite trips of the year because I get to visit with my family in one of my favorite places in the world, the Rocky Mountains. Usually, we get site at the state park close to Golden, Colorado, and spend our time hiking, cooking, and hanging around a campfire. It is a great place to visit if you find yourself in Colorado during the summer, and one I would recommend looking into.

9. The Old Quarter – Hanoi, Vietnam

It had been a few years since I had made it to Vietnam, and the last time I was out there, they were still putting in place the infrastructure to turn it into the tourist destination it has become today. Even before this, the Old Quarter in the heart of one of its greatest cities, Hanoi, held a fond memory in my mind. It is the place where all of the Vietnamese people converge to enjoy a night out. It has amazing food, jazz can be heard playing on the street corners, and there are tons of shops to find that perfect souvenir. I didn’t think it was possible, but it had become even busier than the first time I had gone out and visited, but still was worth the effort to make it back to.

8. The Isle of Skye – Scotland

There were many highlights from my trip to Scotland, but the one that stood out the most had to be the Isle of Skye. We arrived by ferry, and left by bridge, but spent the whole time exploring every nook and cranny that this island had to offer. Some of the best hikes in the country can be found here with views of mountains, rock formations, and the ocean that stretches out beyond. I was lucky enough to be out there during the off-season, but even then, we had to plan ahead to make sure we got reservations at restaurants, but still there were many times where it felt like we had the island to ourselves. It is one of those places that I know I will come back to visit again some day, and it holds some of the fondest memories from the year for me.

7. Things

This was one of two poems I posted this year that made the list. It had been one of my favorite ones that I have written because it highlights one of the biggest reasons why I started this blog in the first place. I wanted to share those memories with people out there, and inspire them to go out and collect some of their own.

6. The Turning of the Page

This was the first post I added this last year, and the second sonnet to appear on this list. It reflects on the time that I spent last holiday season in Oman, and like many poems I write at the end of the year and the start of a new one, it had me thinking about where my life had taken me. I know that nothing really changes on New Year’s Day, but it still is a nice time to take reflection of our lives, and think about where the next step in them will take. It is the reason you see so many posts like this one at the end of the year.

5. Arthur’s Seat – Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is easily one of my favorite large cities in the world. It is so atmospheric, and it reminds me of walking into a Charles Dickens’s story. One of the spots that I enjoyed the most stood at the edge of town. At this spot, a big hill, or small mountain, (depending on your perspective) beckons for you to hike to its top. Of course, I had to heed that call with a bunch of other people on one of the coldest days I experienced while out there. They call it Arthur’s Seat even though it has no connection to this legendary king. It is still worth the effort to see the view from the top.

4. Betrayal at House on the Hill – A Review

Like a lot of people, during the Covid years, I got back into board gaming. It was something that I enjoyed a lot during my youth, and now that there are a bunch of games being created with adults like me in mind, it was the perfect time to get back into the hobby. Since then, I have spent some time with the games I have been adding to my collection by writing reviews about them. This year, I wrote about a classic light role playing game, Betrayal at House on the Hill. This wasn’t going to make the list this year, but right around Christmas time, it got a surge of hits as people started to wonder if this was a good gift or not. I just hope my review was helpful to them in deciding whether or not it was.

3. Ma’in Hot Spa – Jordan

Though many of my travel posts come from other countries that I live near, I still do some traveling in the country I live in. I discovered a hidden spot this past year that has easily become one of my favorite in Jordan. It is not as dramatic as Petra, or Wadi Rum. It is not as touristy as the Dead Sea, or Aqaba. It is not as historic as Jerash, or Amman. But it is the place that many of the people of Jordan go to in order to unwind. Hidden in the mountains near the Dead Sea is a hot spring call Ma’in that I have found is the perfect place to unwind.

2. A Quick Tuk Tuk Ride – Chennai, India

I travelled with my school’s track and field team to compete in a meet in Chennai, India this last year. It was a really busy trip, and I spent most of my time going back and forth between the school and the hotel with the team. I did have a short amount of time where I was able to get away to do some shopping for my wife for Valentine’s Day, and got to ride in a tuk tuk to get that shopping done. It was not the most unique experience of my life time, but it did make me reminiscent of my time spent living in Thailand.

1. Denver International Airport – It is still weird

It always surprises me what becomes the most popular post of the year. I usually think it would have to do with the ones I spend a lot of time on, and have deep philosophical things that I contemplate on. And then there are ones like this one where I got stuck waiting in Denver International Airport while waiting for the late arrival of my wife’s plane. I used to work at this airport, and it is currently undergoing a renovation, but it still has retained its weird nature. This post talked about how proud I am of my hometown as it retains its strangeness in this iconic airport.

Try Not to Sing the Song – Istanbul, Turkey

There a some songs out there that are ear worms. Once you hear the song, the melody digs a hole through your eardrum to burrow itself some place deep in your subconscious. They are the songs that you find yourself singing all day long even though you keep on telling yourself that you need to quit singing it. Some of those songs don’t even need to be heard in order for them to emerge again. All it takes is the mention of something that reminds you of the song, and all of a sudden allusions to the song pop up all over the place. If you do not believe, start telling your friends that you are planning to visit Istanbul soon, and see what they say. Will they start telling you that even old New York was once New Amsterdam? Will they ask if you are sure that you are going to Istanbul, and not Constantinople? Will they ask you if you have a date waiting in Constantinople? Will you respond that it is nobody’s business but the Turks?

If you want to hear that ear-worm play in your head even more, actually take that trip to Istanbul, and the whole time you are there, you will be singing along. Or at least that was what I was afraid I would be doing, but let’s be honest, how often do you mention the name of the town that you find yourself in. Despite this fact, my mind kept wandering back to this song while I was there, and not just because of its jaunty beat, and memorable lyrics. There is something behind those lyrics that give meaning to this world famous city, and the identities it has carried over its history.

Istanbul is a city centered around duality. It sits on edge of two continents, and it is one of the places in the world where you can travel easily between Europe and Asia. The Bosphorus Strait splits the city right down the center, and there are many places where you can peer across it to see the other continent. It also sits in the middle of the trade routes for both the continents, and the varying ways of looking at the world. There are many times when you wonder if the city has more of an Asian feel to it or if it is in fact part of the European ethos. The strange thing that you will realize when being out here is that it is actually both, and they can live together in harmony rather easily.

The people of Istanbul will claim that their spiritual nature is definitively in tune with the Middle East and its values, but this is not necessarily accurate either. Though there are many mosques and the call to prayer can be heard at the usual times of the day, there are not the restrictions on alcohol and other vices that are prevalent in other countries in the region. If you look hard enough beyond the Roman ruins that can be seen all over the place, you will find the Catholic, and Greek Orthodox churches that you would find in a typical European city. Even the city’s most historic monument, the Hagia Sofia, demonstrates this duality within the culture. It was at one time the greatest cathedral on earth, but was turned into a mosque, then a museum, and back to a mosque. Though it supports the current Muslim culture, it is hard not to walk through it, and not see the remnants of the original plan still all over the place.

This duality creeps its way into all aspects of the culture, giving the city of Istanbul its own unique flavor. It feeds into its food, its landscape, and its people. It gives context to the novelty song from the 1950s, so it is no longer an ear worm that will stick in your head from the moment your hear it, but instead will guide you through this amazing town supplying it with meaning.

Until next time, I hope to see you in Istanbul, not Constantinople.

Centennial Celebration

Today is the day we turn one-hundred,
A monument that not many can claim.
Many thought we would have ended up dead,
And would have never reached our current fame.
We endured in order to prove them wrong,
And built up something mighty upon this site.
In a world where they think we don’t belong,
We will continue to put up the fight.
Today we’ll sing of our national pride,
Lining our streets with our Turkish colors.
We will celebrate our historic ride,
Giving us reason for our hearts to stir.
We’ll meet again in the next century
In honor of this day’s great memory.

When You Are in Town for the Celebration – Istanbul, Turkey

I never plan for it to happen. I just want to go on vacation, get away from my life for a little bit, and see a part of the world that I have never seen before. Every once in awhile though, I find myself in a part of the world during a time of great celebration. These have always been some of my favorite travel experiences, and my trip to Istanbul supplied me with another one of the these experiences.

Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the modern republic of Turkey. It was on this date that Mustafa Ataturk raised the country up from the rubble of the Ottoman Empire and turned it into a secular republic. The busier parts of the city were draped in Turkey flags, and people came out to show their support for the momentous part of their history.

It was not the craziest of celebrations that I have found myself in. People were quietly enjoying the day off by wandering the streets of town and waving their flags. There were some fireworks at night, and a small display of the country’ navy, but beyond that, it was not the party that it cold have been. Still, the day was filled with joyous people, showing their appreciation for their country.

It reminded me a little bit of my youth when I celebrated the bi-centennial of the United States. There was a moment of nationalistic pride in being able to mark this occasion. Some of the celebrations seemed to be appropriate to what was happening; whereas, others used the moment to push their agenda with simple displays of propaganda. Every business went full out to show their support with even McDonald’s creating a special menu board for the day. It makes sense and will allow the moment to stick in the minds of the youth that witnessed it longer because they will remember how the whole country went overboard to celebrate.

As for me, there was only one thing that I could do, join in the celebration. Why would I do anything differently? I was already here, and a moment like this would not come again for another hundred years. You have to enjoy these moments when they come whether you planned to be a part of them or not.

Until next time, keep going out and finding those celebrations, and make sure you get the most out of them when you find them.

The Basilica Cistern – Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul has a lot of treasures above the ground that bring people to the city, but they also have one hidden gem that sits underneath its busiest part. If you look around the opposite side of the street that holds the parks and greatest monuments, you will see a line to a modern looking building that could not possibly hold the crowds that are gathered in the line. It has to be something though, if so many people are lined up to see it, and it would be worth your time if you joined the group to see what it was all about. If you did, you would be taken down to an underground cistern that at one time collected the drinking water for the city of Constantinople, but has sense been drained so people can wander around it and check out the structural marvel that the Emperor Constantine had made back during his rule in the fourth century.

The place is massive. It covers almost 10,000 square meters, and during its heyday, it could supply enough water for 100,000 people for one day. The design has arched ceilings and a variety of columns to keep all of this water safe. The people who constructed it did not spend a lot of time making sure all of the columns matched each other. They knew that they would be covered in water and nobody would be able to see them anyways, so when they built it, they grabbed columns from old buildings and used them to build this cistern. This made it so the columns have their own charm depending on what part of the cistern you find yourself in.

This leads to some interesting design choices in certain parts of the building. In the far corner, in the place they thought nobody would ever come, they had found some shorter columns used to keep the ceiling up, so in order to make up for this problem, they cut off the head of a couple of Medusa statues and placed them underneath the columns to make them tall enough. This makes this the busiest corner of the cistern, and it it fun to check out the faces that they deemed perfect to make the structure sound.

Since they have drained the structure, they have added a bunch of art work in the shallow water that makes the place even more exciting to visit. Some of them are simple designs of leaves or jellyfish, but there are plenty of half completed statues of men and women some of which are pretty creepy. The Medusa is the most terrifying of them all, and they have her hidden in the corner of the Cistern. Others are not as creepy, but a lot of it depends on the color of the light they are showing at the time you find yourself next to one of these statues.

The lighting definitely changes the mood of the place, and at time makes it appear really creepy. No matter the lighting, it is still a must visit place if you are in Istanbul. I have been to a lot of places all over the world, and I can not think of another place like this one. It has been the highlight of my trip out here so far, and I am glad that I was able to see the Basilica Cistern.

Until next time, keep searching for those hidden gems in your travels and make sure you share them with others so they are stay around for the next group.

The Blue Mosque – Istanbul, Turkey

When visiting Europe, many tourists go to the cathedrals, and marvel at their beauty. When in Southeast Asia, they folk to the watts to check out what they have to offer. So it only makes sense that when you are in the Middle East region, you will head off to the mosques and see how they represent the spiritual guidance of the people in this region of the world. Over the last couple of years, I have visited a few of the more important mosques that the world has to offer, but it wasn’t until I traveled to Turkey that I got to see one of the oldest mosques, the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque had finished its construction in the early years of the seventeenth century, and ever since, it has been an imposing figure over the city of Istanbul. It sits in the old part of the European side of the city, and it is easy to find, not only because of its blue dome, but also the six minarets that surround its grounds. The mosque itself is an important piece of architecture because it was the first time ever that a dome was successfully attached to a square building. Despite this feat, it is still a great place to visit for many other reasons.

From the inside, the building becomes even more impressive. The Blue Mosque’s dome looks even more intricate from this perspective. The artwork that adorns the ceiling is original and has had been protected ever since the mosque was built. The designs come from over 21,000 tiles that were places there even though it is hard to distinguish one of the tiles from another. Still, it has created one of the most intricate pieces of art that I have ever witnessed, and much time could be spent looking at the patterns that are created above.

The Blue Mosque is not as big as some of the more elaborate mosques that can be found in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, but that does not stop tourists from coming to see this sight for themselves. It does not hold a chandelier that has a spiral staircase inside of it so it can be cleaned, or a carpet that was hand-sown and covers every corner of the floor, but you can feel the same sense of reverence when you enter. The biggest difference I felt came from the focus of each mosque. Some of the mosques I have visited seemed more interested in make monetary gain from the people who showed up to look at the place; whereas, the focus of the Blue Mosque seemed to be geared towards spreading the knowledge of Islam to the people who visited. There is a corner inside of the mosque dedicated to pushing this passion on to other people, and it makes it feel more authentic when you arrive.

If you are in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque is a must see, especially considering there is no entrance fee to go and see its beauty, and feel its history. Just know that like many other holy sites, there are some dress codes that you must abide by. Conservative dress is suggested with women being asked to cover their hair when they enter, and men cannot wear shorts or hats. It is nothing that is too uncomfortable, and it is a small price to pay to see this place. Also know that, the Blue Mosque is not opened to visitors during the hour around the call to prayer. It gets packed as soon as it opens up again, so it helps to hold off for a bit to enter, if you find yourself here during that time. Still, there was not enough people in the place to make it too uncomfortable. All in all, it is a great place to visit while in Istanbul.

So until next time, get out there and see what the world has to offer.

A Small Hop Can Take You a World Away

Some times life can get really busy, and it is hard to find time for yourself. It feels as if people are pulling you fifteen different directions, and you have to navigate all of these requests at once or fall further behind. During these hectic times of the year, there is some times a small reprieve that is given to you, and you want to make the most out of that time. It helps to get away for a bit and see a different perspective, but it is not always easy to get that perspective with the time that is given to you. A whole change of environment and culture is not just right around the corner, but if you can squeeze in that change of scenery, I would highly recommend it because it will do you a lot of good.

I am lucky to have this as an option in my life at this time. Right now, I am living in Amman, Jordan, and though I love the country, and people a lot, I do need that escape from time to time so I can get a new perspective on the place I am living. The best opportunity to get this dramatic change for me is to hop on a short flight and land on the island of Cyprus where I exchange an Arab culture for a European one. Within a short time I can look at green fields instead of desert landscapes; I can drink good wine instead of mint tea; I can eat Greek inspired cuisine instead of Lebanese.

It is not just these small things that allow me the escape that I am looking for by taking that small flight. It is also a completely different culture with a completely different vibe. Now, I love the people of Jordan. They are friendly and have a great pride in their culture, but as somebody that comes from a different part of the world, I still feel a little like an outsider. Though traveling a short distance away, I will still feel like an outsider, but now, I am able to go around and marvel at the unique sights that have not become commonplace because I see them everyday. It becomes an exotic vacation where I am creating memories instead of making it through the week so I can enjoy the weekend.

I also get to partake in unique experiences by making this little trip. These always seem to be a part of those places that are a short distance away. In Oregon, it is the mountain lakes, and beautiful hikes that the state has to offer. Colorado has those hikes as well as some of the best skiing that the world has to offer. Cyprus has a bunch of quaint European towns to explore as well as a wine country that is fun to travel through and from time to time experience what it is like to try my hand at making some of the wine.

No matter where you live, I am sure there is some place nearby that allows you the opportunity for you to escape your daily grind. I feel lucky that this place is Cyprus for me. It is nice to escape if only for a long weekend. It makes going home a pleasurable experience again because I can get away for just long enough to make me realize how much I have when I get back.

Until next time, I hope you get to enjoy that close by escape as well.

A Smaller Experience – Pissouri, Cyprus

Throughout all of my travels, I have been able to experience many different types of locations. I have stayed in the largest cities in the world, and have slept in some of the smallest locations as well. I have spent time on various beaches, and hiked around the greatest ranges this world has to offer. I have been to the medium sized tourist destinations, and the ones the same size that are inhabited by the locals of the country, and the travelers hardly ever see. It is the variety that keeps me traveling, but if I am being honest, it is the smaller towns that hold a sacred place in my heart, and the ones that I always wish to travel back to.

During my recent trip to Cyprus, I got to stay in such a place, Pissouri, Cyprus. Now, this is my second time to this incredible and often overlooked country, and the last time I stayed in a bigger tourist destination, Paphos. Though I enjoyed, and would recommend it to anybody for its great food, and historical sights, it does not the same kind of charm as this small town does. Pissouri has the amazing restaurants, and walking streets that you hope to find in a European country. The locals are friendly and are eager to share the various types of wines that are created on the island. And the greatest part is that you automatically feel a relaxed, easy-going pace as soon as you enter the town.

Though the town sit perched on a mountainside that leads to the wine country of Cyprus, it still only a five minute drive down to the coast. I has come at the end of September which is the end of the tourist season, and it was easy to find a place to stretch out in the sun while still being able to enjoy the warm summer water of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located next to some restaurants that are not as nice as the ones that you can find in town, but they are still a nice place to hop in to get a quick bite for lunch.

But don’t eat too much because there is always dinner around the corner. I know when I travel back to the United States, I forget about the portion sizes at restaurants. I am always excited when I get to across the pond to experience the portion sizes that are more conducive to what I can actually comfortably enjoy. This was not the case in Cyprus. The portions out there were more in tune to American eating, and it surprised me when the meal was first placed before me. Despite these large portions, they did not skimp on the recipe in favor of the size. The food was outstanding, and I don’t know if I would have had the same kind of meal if I stuck more to the typical places that tourist gravitated to instead of this smaller town.

When I look back at both of my experiences while visiting Cyprus, they were both great. I enjoyed both trips, but to compare them would not do either justice. They were both great experiences, but I believe that in the end, I will have fonder memories of staying in this small town. It seemed to me that the smaller experience was custom made for me; whereas, the times I travel to bigger cities, it feels like an experience that anybody could have at any time they travel to one of these destinations. It is just who I am though, and you might feel completely different about your travels. Either way, there is a way to experience this wonderful country, and no matter which one you do enjoy, you have to put Cyprus on your countries to visit. It is a hidden jewel that you will not regret, and worth going to before more people make the discovery.

Until next time, keep on getting out there and enjoying experience both big and small.

Revecca Winery – Cyprus

Cyprus is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited in the European Union, but it is often ignored by travelers. I can sort of understand why, especially when it comes to Americans. It takes a bit of an effort to make it all the way over to Europe, and there are bigger name countries that they would like to visit before making it to this tiny island which in all actuality isn’t even a part of the continent of Europe. Still, there are plenty of reasons to consider this tiny island country to come and visit. It is home to amazing beaches, tall peaks that even offers skiing during three months of the year, ancient Greek ruins that have held up exceptionally well over the centuries, and most importantly, one of the oldest traditions for wine anywhere in the world.

Cyprus is a must for any wine enthusiast out there. There is only one place in the world that has spent more time creating wine and that is the country of Georgia. There are many varieties that can only be found on the island, but the most famous one is a dessert wine called Commandaria. It is considered the wine mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey that was made from dried grapes and was considered the best wine in the world. Though the recipe has not changed much over the centuries, there are still many variations of this nectar that it is worth traveling around the mountains of Cyprus to the various wineries to try what they have to offer on this selection of wine.

This has been the second time that I have voyaged to these various wineries. The first time I went on a tour which is a great way to do it. A person will come and pick you up in the morning and drive you around while you get to sip the various selections you come across. You never have to worry about drinking too much, and you will be introduced to some of the more popular wineries in the region. The second time I went, I traveled around on my own schedule, and visited some of the lesser known wineries. This does not mean that they do not produce great wine. It just means that they are a smaller operation, and you have to get off the beaten path in order to find their tasting rooms. It changed the way that I enjoyed the region and it came with a few unexpected surprises along the way.

My favorite surprise came when visiting the small village of Ayios Mamas. Up a steep hill indicated only by a hand painted sign is the tasting room for the Revecca winery. They only focus on the Commandaria wine that the region is famous for, and their production is only seven to eight barrels a year. The tasting room is a small room in what used to be the house of the grandmother who first inspired this winery. It has been converted, but it still holds the feel of walking into someone’s home with a welcoming smile. It was my last stop of the day, and the one that had me enjoy an adventure that I would not have gotten on a regular wine tour.

The owner of the winery first told us all about the operation as we got to taste two of the vintages they had. When our time there was ending, I asked where the vineyards were, and she explained to me that she was going out there after we were done there because it was harvest time, and if we wanted, we could go visit them with her. I have learned in all of travels that when out and somebody offers something like this, you always say, yes. It did not disappoint. We were able to go to the vineyard, taste some grapes straight from the vines, watch as the grapes slowly dried out in the sun, and watch as they brought in daily haul so get the process started with them. It was a side of wine production that not many people get to witness and it made the personalized tour much more memorable than the one I took last time. Now, I know that this is not something that will be offered to all guests who show up to taste the wine, but it would not have happened if we hadn’t planned our own day.

Both ways are great experiences, but I am grateful to the Revecca winery to give me an experience that I will never forget. Not only did I learn a lot about the process of how one of the oldest wines in the world was made, but I got to taste a couple that were the premiere example of these wines. If you do find yourself in Cyprus, make sure you take time to visit the wineries, but find those hidden gems that won’t bring in the crowds like the bigger establishments. Revecca winery would be the perfect one to start with.

Until next time, keep on getting out there and finding those experiences.