Far Away Now - Travel Blogs And Inspiration

Updated on 2 January 202621 November 2025Cappadocia - More Than Hot Air Balloons

Cappadocia: So Much More Than Hot Air Balloons

Before going to Cappadocia, Turkiye, all I knew about it was that it was a destination for hot-air ballooning over amazing rock formations. But I found out it is so much more than that. After my summer trip to Cappadocia, I have to recommend it for every bucket list. I was completely awestruck by my visit there. Ancient ruins, history, a castle, cave dwellings, hidden rock churches, underground homes, amazing hikes, great food, four wheeling, and of course the hot air ballooning was the icing on the cake.

When to Go

MakeThe high seasons for Cappadocia are April, May and September, October. I went at the end of June and the crowds were way down and the weather was wonderful. Of course warmer than April and May, but not bad. It seems that most visitors come for about a three day stay. Since my husband and I are slow travelers, we spent eight nights and had an amazing time.

The Cappadocia region is actually two small towns, side by side, Goreme and Uchisar. We spent four nights in each. The first four nights we splurged and stayed in a cave hotel in Goreme. Many of the old homes carved into the rock formations have been turned into boutique hotels and restaurants. From our hotel we were able to walk everywhere very easily. The last four nights we stayed in a hotel in Uchisar.

This small village huddles around Ushisar Castle and has been occupied since the 7th century. Even though it is in such close proximity to Goreme, it felt much smaller and more rural as it is surrounded by orchards. Here, the availability of very affordable and ripe apricots, nectarines, and cherries were a big plus for us. I really loved the feel of this place. It was small, very welcoming, and again, everything was in easy walking distance.

Hot Air Ballooning

The day we checked into our first hotel, in Goreme, the concierge told us that we should book our hot air ballooning in the next few days as no wind was forecast. They can’t fly if it is very windy. So we booked it for the next morning. A van picked us up at 4:00 am. After picking others up from various hotels, we were taken to the launch site and watched the balloons being aired up in the pre-dawn light.

Before we knew it, we were rising into the air to watch the sun come over the horizon. It was magical. Cappadocia is known for it’s amazing and uniquely shaped rock formations called “fairy chimneys”. Sailing over these amazing geological formations and chasms formed over time, by wind and water, was breathtaking.

Our balloon rose to 2,800 feet (853 meters) and we watched dozens more balloons rising beneath us. Generally, about 165 balloons fly every morning. These balloons are huge. Each basket holds 20 passengers plus the pilot in the middle.

Our pilot was so interesting too. He was from Cappadocia but had spent the previous three years flying hot air balloons across the Serengeti in Africa. After landing, our ground crew had a table set up with finger foods and glasses of sparkling wine for everyone. It truly was a magical experience.

Goreme Open Air Museum

There are several open air museums in the area, but this one is an easy walk from town. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this area contains eleven of the best preserved rock-cut churches from the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries.

I was really astounded. Situated high on the rock face, there are stairways leading to their openings now, but they were originally hard to get into. They were built when Christians were still persecuted and had to meet in secret. They all contain amazing frescoes painted on their walls and ceilings. A couple of them were remarkably well preserved with the colors of the paint still bold and bright. They were beautiful.

There is one in particular, called “The Dark Church” that is just unbelievable. It costs an extra 6 Euros to go into, and they limit the number of people a day that can go in. This is for preservation purposes. But it is definitely worth a little extra, I was awestruck. The feeling I had wondering through this ancient site and inside these caves was otherworldly. It was an amazing experience set inside a true piece of ancient history. It pays to get here early and the entry fee is 20 Euros. No photos allowed in this one.

Turkish Breakfast

After leaving the museum, we decided to a hike trail that we had seen on our way to the museum. We wandered a path back among hoodoos and fairy chimneys and to take some pictures.

When hiking out of the area, we came upon a lovely restaurant, Goerkundere Cafe, tucked back into the boulders. Their sign advertised breakfast, so in we went. It turned out that they were famous for their Turkish breakfasts and I can see why.

I have never had a breakfast spread like this one, and they just keep bringing food until you tell them to stop. Fresh fruits, fresh veggies, two types of eggs and sausage, cheese platter, meat platter, pastry platter, pancakes, home fries, syrups, jams, honey with clotted cream, yogurt, juices, Turkish tea, and more. I could not believe how wonderful everything was.

What an unexpected treat especially after the amazing open air museum and our hike. I almost needed to be rolled out of here. It’s a good thing we had a little way to walk to get back to our room, this helped all the food settled. The food in Turkey is amazing and we regularly ate way to much!

Uchisar Castle

Uchisar Kalesi or Castle is crisscrossed by numerous underground passageways and rooms which served as residential homes in Byzantine times. Although it is no longer inhabited today, it once housed around 1,000 people. Several of the royal rooms inside display unique antique furnishings. It offers great views from the top and it feels magical to walk through the rooms of a castle literally carved from a giant rock formation.

It is a little work to get to the top, but once you’re up there you can see why this place was such an excellent location for a castle. One apartment in particular really struck me as you could see where the cooking fire had been in the kitchen and the stunning view the cook would have had. Some rooms were apartments, some were work shops, and some were for schools. The area around the castle comes alive in the late afternoon and evenings with fruit, food, and souvenir vendors. The small streets leading away from the castle are filled with an array of restaurants and boutique hotels.

Hiking

There are a number of hikes you can do all around this area. None of them to taxing unless you go in the middle of the afternoon when the suns at its peak.

We walked to the edge of Uchisar village and hiked down into the river valley, this is where they grow many crops and orchards. The cliff faces along both sides of the valley are dotted with ancient carved out caves. Some were homes and some were pigeon houses.

They used pigeon guano for centuries to fertilize their crops. A large female Anatolian Shepard joined us for our hike and she was the sweetest girl. She came out of her front yard when we were walking past her house and stuck with us for the whole hike. When we came up out of the canyon, she went on her merry way.

We also did another short hike to find an ancient church. Aaron had read about this ancient, rock cut church. It is not an official site to visit. There is no entry fee, or upkeep of any kind. This was a side mission we chose to undertake, and it did require some searching, scrambling, and climbing. But once we found it and got inside, it was amazing.

It was huge inside with massive stone pillars that are carved with Syrian art and symbols. It’s origins are a mystery, they only know it was an ancient church and contains many ancient Christian symbols carved into the rock.

After the Ottomans took over it was turned into a pigeon house and used for pigeon guano for centuries. It now sits empty and hidden unless you take the time and effort to seek it out. I didn’t feel quite like Indiana Jones, but this place did feel like a hidden treasure that we had found.

More Adventure

There is so much to see and do in Cappadocia. For our last adventure here we opted to do a four-wheeler sunset tour. My husband drove the ATV and I held the camera. We followed our tour leader out among the amazing rock formations to another hidden church, then walked up a hill to watch the sunset. It was an easy and fun side adventure that allowed us to see another part of the surrounding area. You also have the option to do this on horseback.

As budget travelers we have to be a little picky about what see and do, and how much it costs. But we were able to fit in a lot of history, fun, and adventure here. We also had some great food to boot. Cappadocia was a magical place and turned out to be so much more than we were expecting. I am so glad we spent a full eight nights here as this allowed us to really see and do so much more than the hot-air ballooning. It is definitely a bucket list destination.

OUR GUIDE TO CAPPADOCIA VIDEO

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Updated on 2 January 202631 October 2025Blog

Visiting Angkor Wat & The Ancient Khmer City

I recently visited the the Ancient Khmer Empire of Angkor in Cambodia. A UNESCO World Heritage site, and an active archeological site for more than 100 years. This site is best known by the name Angkor Wat, but Angkor Wat itself is only a part of this massive complex.

Siem Reap

We took the bus to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. You can also fly directly to Siem Reap from Phnom Pehn and many other Southeast Asian destinations. Siem Reap is a very nice, small city and the closest city to the ancient complex. It has a full range of modern accommodations and a great restaurant scene. Something for every budget. There are also many things to do in, and around Siem Reap, if you have a few days to spend here.

Setting the Scene

This was our second visit to the Ancient City of Angkor. On our first visit, eleven years ago, we had an official tour guide. There is so much history and the place is so big that you really do need a guide. You can get one inside, right after they scan your digital ticket at the entrance. We bought our tickets online, and got our QR codes.

Our guide was wonderful and full of fascinating information, but you will be going along with the mainstream crowd. The complex is so big that you will need a tuk-tuk to get between temples. Your hotel can easily arrange all of this for you as well. This time, however, we had made friends with the tuk-tuk driver that picked us up at the bus station in Siem Reap.

Our drivers name translates to the word “clean”, so he had us call him Mr. Clean and he was our driver for our entire week in Siem Reap. He knew exactly what time of day to be at each temple to avoid the crowds, and wow, did it make a difference. Plus, he took us to many more places we wanted to see in the area, and suggested some other nice sites too. Mr. Clean was really good, almost like our own personal tour guide.

The Ancient City

Angkor Wat (wat means temple) is just one temple in this massive ancient city, but it is also the largest religious structure in the world, ancient or modern. In the ancient city there are hundreds of ancient temples, 72 of them being major temples, plus various other smaller temples and buildings that were used such as monasteries, hospitals, library, schools, hostels, and so much more.

This ancient city is massive and I am so grateful that my husband and I were able to spend two full days here. Many people just hit Angkor Wat and a few other nearby temples in one day, but if you have time, two or more days is ideal. There is so much to see and so much fascinating history in this exotic temple complex set in the jungle.

Angkor Wat

The highlight of the ancient city is definitely Angkor Wat. It is also the symbol of Cambodia and is even featured on the country’s national flag. The Angkor Wat complex by itself covers 402 acres, or 162 hectares. Construction took place from 1113 to 1150, but the city itself goes back to the year 900. Built with the amazing Khmer architectural style, these temple walls are almost half a mile long on each side.

The Angkor Wat complex is surrounded by a magnificent moat that stretches over three miles. Angkor is also known for its advanced water system of canals and holding tanks that brought water from their manmade Lake Baray. This insured the citizens would have water to drink and to irrigate their crops through the dry season.

This magnificent temple was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. At some point around 1177, the kings wife, who was a devout Buddhist, converted him to Buddhism. This is why Angkor Wat reflects Hindu and Buddhist art in its intricate carvings, statues, and sculptures that can be found across this ancient complex and all around the city. The half mile long walls are intricately carved with scenes depicting Gods, battles, harvests, and everyday life of the King and his court. It is incredibly beautiful and fascinating.

Sunrise at the Wat

One of the popular things to do is to be in front of Angkor Wat as the sun rises, to see the beautiful colors of the sunrise behind the silhouette of the temple, and also as it reflects off the water. Even though our Mr. Clean had to pick us up at 4:45 am, it was worth it. Following his lead, as soon as we had taken our photos, he had us come back to the tuk-tuk where he was waiting to take us to the next temple. We would return here to Angkor Wat the following afternoon. His plan worked out perfectly.

Upon our return to Angkor Wat the next afternoon, we approached it from the back entrance. An equally beautiful and impressive sight. The ride there was so nice, shaded and green on one side of the road and the moat stretching out along the other side.

This gave us a great chance to cool down. Fewer people go in from this entrance and we were happy to find fewer people here this time of day. We walked the long, cool, temple halls and climbed the steps up the three different layers to the top, where you can find an inner court yard, beautiful carvings and a magnificent view of the complex from the top. Standing there looking down at the surrounding temples and grounds you can easily imagine what a bustling city this had once been. I also loved seeing lines of monks dressed in their orange robes going across the grounds. This just added to the vibe of the place.

Pra Thom

After leaving Angkor Wat on our first morning, we were off to see the Pra Thom Temple, and it is one of my favorites. Mr. Clean knew what he was doing, bringing us here right after we saw the sunrise at Angkor Wat. We had this temple all to ourselves for 45 minutes.

There was literally no one else here except the temple attendants. By the time the tour groups were rolling up here, we were moving on to the next site. Pra Thom was built in 1186 using tightly fitted, carved blocks of stone, with no mortar. Over the centuries this has allowed tree roots to work their way between some of the walls, blocks, and doorways giving this temple a very unique look and feel.

The massive trees here make it look otherworldly, almost unreal. This temple was used in the 2001 movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie. When these trees start to die they can actually pull a whole wall down with them. Because of this, the trees are closely monitored now and their roots cut away from the temple if they start to die off.

Neak Pean

King Jayavaraman VII had 102 hospitals constructed around the city, but one really stands out, Neak Pean. This was a completely different experience as it was built on an island in Lake Baray. A bridge leads you to the island and when I was there the surrounding lake was full of Lotus flowers with lovely pink blossoms.

In the center of the island is a small temple surrounded by four reservoirs. These reservoirs represent Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water and represent balance in all things. This was a major component in the healing of some diseases, for the body to be in balance. The whole place felt very serene and peaceful. I think this is a must see if you come to Angkor.

Preah Khan

Preah Khan is a section that contained royal palaces, the university, and the Royal Circus, among many other things. It also features a unique building referred to as “the library”. What makes this pavilion unique is that it is the only building with round, Roman style columns.

No one is sure what exactly this building was used for. But over 100,000 people lived in this particular area of the city. Records that were kept during this time show that travelers and scholars visited here. Buddhist pilgrims came from Japan, and an envoy from China came to study at this university. Portuguese explorers also paid a visit.

Bayon

There is one last grand temple that I am going to mention, because I can’t go over them all or this would be a small book, and that is the Bayon Temple. Standing in the city center, it is often referred to as the Temple of 26,000 faces. In actuality there are only 216 faces on 54 different towers.

All of these faces are thought to be the likeness of King Jayavaraman VII. However many faces there really are, it is an awesome sight to see. These benevolent looking, smiling faces all around, make this one of the most popular complexes to visit. There is a type of lichen that grows on the stone at these temples adding even more interest to the intricate carvings.

A True Bucket List Adventure

Many have never heard of the Ancient Khmer Empire of Angkor, and these ruins do receive less visitors than other ancient sites. That being said, more than two million people a year do make it to Angkor. We went in July, which is the low season, it’s hot, but there are fewer people. I do recommend this time of year as I will take the heat over the crowds any day.

OUR ANGKOR WAT VIDEO

There is so much to see in this mesmerizing ancient complex that was once home to over one million people. Even though I’ve been here twice, I still haven’t seen it all. Its location set in the jungle makes it feel like even more of an adventure as you walk through the different temples and buildings. The scale of intricate carvings and statues never ceases to amaze me. In 1860, French explorer Henri Mouhot “rediscovered” Angkor Wat. Although he did not discover Angkor, he just brought Western attention to it. It was never lost to the local people and many temples have been used continuously throughout the centuries for worship and religious celebrations. I realize not everyone is interested in visiting ruins, but if you are, the Ancient Kingdom of Angkor is one of the most epic and impressive places to visit on the planet, and should be on any bucket list.

Updated on 2 January 202617 October 2025Karpathos Greece Is An Island Paradise

Karpathos Greece Is An Island Paradise

Returning to Rhodes Old City from Lindos, we took the Blue Star Ferry to the island of Karpathos, which took about four hours. This island offered a completely different experience and feel from the island of Rhodes. We got off the ferry in the main town of Pigadia, the capital of Karpathos Island.

As I stepped off the ferry, I was greeted by the site of a lovely little classic Greek town nestled around the striking turquoise harbor. This small town is home to approximately 2,700 people. The entire islands population is around 7,000 but this number can swell by the thousands during the high season months.

Most people here are year round residents. Others come specifically to run a business during the tourist season and return to the mainland when the tourist season is over. The island pretty much shuts down to tourists come October.

After the hustle and bustle of Rhodes and Lindos, the fewer number of tourists and laid back atmosphere we were greeted with was a welcome surprise. There are no cruise ships, or day trippers coming into this small harbor.

After collecting our bags, it was an easy walk to the boutique hotel we had booked. The Odyssey Hotel had very nice and very large rooms, a rooftop terrace, and a delicious, free breakfast. We had an excellent view of the harbor, the town, and the surrounding mountains as we sat on the terrace and sipped our morning coffee.

One of the first things we did was scout out the restaurants in walking distance to our hotel. We had found some delicious and affordable food on Rhodes and was hoping it would be the same here. If anything, the prices were a little cheaper, and the food was amazing. Don’t get me wrong, there are some high priced tourist restaurants here, but if you look around you can definitely find more affordable options serving authentic and delectable cuisine along with locally made olive oils and wines.

Next, we walked up the hill to visit two chapels. The first was a beautiful little chapel that overlooks the harbor and is also home to the cemetery. I was shocked at how stunning this place was when I entered. Inside, the walls and ceiling were painted with the most beautiful frescos. The second chapel was just over the next little hill. It too was lovely, but you could tell this is where people gather for weekly services.

There are a few ancient ruins sites here, but not on the level of Rhodes. The few that are here are mostly in the town of Pigadia, can easily be walked to, and are free. Right at the edge of town stand the ruins of an ancient church. The paleo Christian Basilica of Agia Fotini which dates back to the year 400. There is not a lot left, but what is here is very interesting. The site includes some marble columns, frame and foundation of the church, plus some Christian symbols. A great place for photos.

Some notable ruins of the ancient city of Potideon can also be seen here. This small ruin is actually quite popular as it is easy to find, sitting behind a fence at the side of the road. There are a few other small sites that sounded interesting but we had done our share of walking on Rhodes and came to this island to relax and enjoy a more laid back atmosphere and its beaches. We rented a car for a few days and drove all around the island.

I was not prepared for how stunning our drives would be. The East side of the island has high mountain roads lined with pine trees and dramatic cliffs that overlook the Aegean Sea. The West side of the island is drier with a more arid type landscape, including olive and fruit groves, but I found it equally as stunning.

There are 19 beaches on the island, most relatively small. We didn’t get to visit them all, but we definitely made the effort. Some are sand and some are pebble beaches. There is a nice little beach right on the edge of town, within walking distance. But, our first stop for a swim, was the most popular beach on the island, Apella Beach.

We arrived early, so parking and getting beach chairs and an umbrella was easy. We spent several wonderful hours here swimming in the beautiful turquoise waters and soaking up the sun. Early birds that we are, it seemed that we were leaving when the majority of people were just arriving. Driving back to Pigadia, we took advantage of all the scenic overlook spots and pulled over to take pictures of the beautiful, and dramatic scenery. Mountains and the sea combine for some epic scenery.

The next day was cloudy and windy, with some light rain. Not ideal for our next destination, but we forged on and it was a great day. We headed up into the mountains to the village of Olymbos. Not to be confused with Mt. Olympos, where the Greek Gods rule, the tiny village of Olymbos, with a “b”, is one of the most famous villages in not only Karpathos, but in all of Greece.

Described as a living folklore museum, this picturesque village offers interesting history, ancient traditions, and panoramic views to its visitors. The people here consider themselves descendants of the Byzantine Empire and colorful Byzantine customs are very strong here. Their Easter celebration here has actually been registered in the UNESCO Archive of Worldwide Cultural Heritage.

For centuries Olymbos was isolated from the southern part of the island and only in the last few years has the winding road leading here been paved. Built on a mountainside, Olymbos is filled with stairs and narrow alleyways. This means we had to leave the car at the free parking lot at the bottom of the village and hike up!

But I have to say this place looks magical as soon as you approach it. A picturesque village tucked into the mountain sides. Back in the 7th century AD, the small village of Olymbos was originally situated next to the sea. The village was attacked by pirates so many times that the entire population abandoned their homes and moved high into the mountains, and far away from the coast.

By moving here they not only isolated themselves from the sea and the pirates, but also from the rest of the villages on the island. Because of this, their ancient traditions, customs, and dialect have been well preserved.

The traditions here in Olymbos are unique in all of Greece, and can be seen daily in how the women dress. For every day wear, they wear a black apron and simple scarf, and for special occasions they dress in bright colors and wear a double row of coins around their neck.

The homes here are also decorated with small paintings and sculptures. One sweet lady invited us inside her home to see what it looked like. With wooden beams, white washed walls, a small fireplace, and colorful hand stitched embroidery covering all the furnishings, I found it delightfully warm, cozy, and colorful. We also visited the church, the ancient windmills and many quaint little shops and a bakery as we wondered through this amazing mountain village. Here in Olymbos the communal oven is still a feature. These large, outdoor, wood fired ovens, are where women bring their bread and casseroles to bake. They take turns feeding the fire and are traditionally a place for women to socialize while their food cooks. I had read about these but had never seen one in use. Individual ovens in homes are replacing the communal oven in many places now. I found this village picturesque and inviting. It seemed there was something unique around every corner.

Driving back down from Olymbos, we stopped and had lunch in Diafani Village, located right next to the long and beautiful stretch of Diafani Beach. Ten meters wide and 200 meters long, this beach has crystal clear water, and virtually no waves This pebble beach is almost never crowded and offers only a few sun beds with umbrellas. It’s actually used the most by locals. Tourists come to see the sights and have lunch, but few stay long enough to use this beautiful little beach. Restaurants and taverns can be found just a few feet away from the promenade. We had a great seafood lunch at a little seaside restaurant and my husband made a new friend. Cats are very prevalent on the island and before he new it, a large tabby was cuddled up on his lap and napping. My husband is not a cat person, but they seem to gravitate to him every where we go. He just goes with it, but it makes me laugh. The promenade features a beautiful fountain and some amazing sculptures. You can also visit the church of Diafani, built right in the center of the village, and you get a great view of the ruins of the windmills on the nearby hilltops. I also saw another communal oven in use here in Diafani Village.

The following day we left early and drove the entire West side of the island. Stopping at small roadside chapels, discovering isolated beaches, small resorts, and just enjoying all this beautiful island has to offer. We stopped at a small cove beach late in the morning with the intention of staying awhile but after a short time, the heat and the hunger got to us and we hiked back up the hill to a small family-owned restaurant.

Most of the olive groves here on the island are owned by individual families for their own private use. This small family owned restaurant had a bottle of olive oil from their grove on each table and I have to say it was the best tasting olive oil I have ever had. We could not stop eating it. We just kept pouring it and dipping the fresh made pita breads into it. It was so light and delicious. We were a little embarrassed to discover we had eaten over half the bottle of olive oil with breads.

This West side of the island was more arid than the East side. Instead of pine trees, it was more scrub brush. Still beautiful as we passed through small, picturesque villages and visited more beaches. Some with a few amenities and some that were completely empty. It was wonderful!

I was truly enchanted by Karpathos. Even though it is close to Rhodes island, Karpathos takes some effort to get to and is more off the beaten track for tourists and gets much fewer visitors. With it’s preserved traditions, quaint villages, beautiful beaches, and stunning mountains, this won’t last long. Already, people seeking a more authentic experience have put Karpathos among the top European destinations. It is not a party destination, or for those with a limited amount of time. I found it beautiful, relaxing, and a great place to connect with nature and the local people.

Karpathos was so much more than I expected it would be. It definitely left me wanting to seek similar adventures and visit more Greek islands.

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Rhodes is an island full of history, beauty and amazing food.

Updated on 2 January 202614 September 2025Rhodes, My First Greek Island

Rhodes Is A Must Visit Greek Island

Recently I made my first trip to Greece and I was lucky enough to get to visit two Greek islands. My first stop was the Island of Rhodes and I was blown away.

I took the Sea Dreams Ferry from Marmaris, Turkey to the Greek island of Rhodes. It only took about an hour and cost $43.00. The ferry had comfortable seating, air-conditioning, nice restrooms, and a small kiosk to buy drinks and snacks. Before I knew it the ferry was pulling into the ancient port in the Old City of Rhodes Harbor.

I stayed at a nice boutique hotel in the old town of Rhodes, which is contained within the ancient city walls. As it turned out, from the harbor, I was in walking distance to one of the historic city gates that led right to our hotel. Once you pass through the gate into the old town, it is pedestrian traffic only, except for the odd motorized cart making a delivery. These ancient cobbled streets were not built with cars in mind.

Rhodes Old Town is a living museum containing centuries of history. History buff or not, you can’t help but appreciate its beauty and historical significance. I felt as if I was walking through time as I headed up the Street of the Knights of Rhodes. This 600 meter long street begins at what was originally the hospital and ends at the Palace of the Grand Master. In between there are seven Inns. One time residences for each of the Knights of St. John Hospitaller.

Originally built in the seventh century as a Byzantine Citadel, 600 years later, in 1309, the Knights Hospitaller conquered and occupied Rhodes, taking it over as their administrative center and Palace of their Grand Master (head of the Order of Knights). The Order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem were a military and religious order which fought in the crusades to defend the Holy Lands. This order still exists today helping the sick and the poor internationally. There is even an ancient hospice here that was for elderly knights and knights injured in battle.

The palace is grand. I felt as if I had walked into a story book. This beautiful palace has 154 rooms, 24 of which are open to the public and showcase antiquities. Of special significance are some frescos by renowned artists along with great sections of the floors paved with ancient mosaics of Byzantine and Roman art. There are many statues from the Greek and Roman era both inside and out in the gardens. The furniture and tapestries on the walls were outstanding. For 10 Euros a person you can get a combo ticket that includes the Palace and the Archeological Museum, which is not to be missed either. The artifacts there are amazing!

Going back as far as 305 BC, Rhodes was already enclosed by walls. Then the Greeks and Romans added more fortification when they took the city over. And again in 1309 when the Knights Hospitaller took over, they added even more. Things like forts, towers, and an amazing moat that encircles the old city. Dry now, with a walking path through it, you can still see hundreds of enormous stone balls that were hurled by catapult at the city walls during countless battles that took place here.

The harbor here, besides being a strategic Naval base for the Knights, is where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Built of bronze in 280 BC, the statue stood 33 meters high or 108 feet. He only stood for 54 years, then a massive earthquake broke the statue off at the knees. The people took this as a bad omen and never tried to rebuild the Colossus. Over the next century, traders would come and haul pieces of the bronze away until it was all gone. The harbor is still lined with ancient windmills that not only ground grain for export, but were also used as Naval lookout towers.

Cruise ships do come into this harbor and it can get quite crowded and busy. But all the day visitors see the sites, shop for souvenirs on the main street, eat, and then they are gone by late afternoon. We found that when a ship was in, we could just stay a block or two back from the main street and enjoy picturesque alleyways and small local restaurants with no crowds. There is so much history inside these ancient city walls, way more than I can even begin to cover here. It really takes your breath away.

After staying in Rhodes Old City for several days, I headed South, up the stunning rugged coastline to visit Lindos. Known for its beautiful beaches, the ancient acropolis, and picturesque cobblestone streets with whitewashed buildings.

The streets of Lindos are continuous buildings, chiefly with interior courtyards. Most of the houses have not been affected by time or changes in shape or use. They continue to be built from local quarried porous stones, or field stones, then plastered over and white washed. Its charming alleyways, expansive views, Mediterranean cuisine, and cosmopolitan atmosphere draw in everyone visiting the island of Rhodes.

Lindos is a maze of narrow cobbled passages. As picturesque as it is, it can get very over crowded as bus loads of day trippers from the cruise ships flood the small town and small beach for the day. They are all gone by 3:00 in the afternoon to head back to the cruise ship. We stayed four nights in Lindos in a lovely little hotel that had a terrace with tremendous views. The Aegean Sea in front of us and the Acropolis on the hilltop behind.

The Lindos Acropolis, or fortified Ancient Greek city, stands at 116 meters above sea level. Blending in with the dramatic natural landscape, the Acropolis provides a breathtaking backdrop to the town below. This was the center of religious and socio-political life in ancient times.

Most of the important archeological monuments can be found at the Acropolis, these include the Hellenistic temple of the goddess Athena Lindia, which was built on the ruins of an already ancient temple. You can also find the Propyaea, an Ancient Greek portico, these both date back to the 3rd century BC.

Although Athena remained the principal goddess of the temple, the cult of Zeus was introduced here by the Romans in 352 BC. There is also the Stoa, another massive sheltered promenade built in 200 BC. A little out of place was the Byzantine chapel of St. John. As in Rhodes Old City, the Knights of St. John were here centuries later, from 1309 until 1522, when they were forced to hand the island of Rhodes over to the forces of the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Other smaller ruins can be found scattered in and around Lindos.

There is not much flat walking in Lindos and we did have to climb a few flights of stairs to get up to our hotel. The only way to get to the Acropolis is to walk up the hill, or ride a donkey. I walked up a couple of times and it was so worth it. When we entered the Acropolis we went early and were some of the first in line.

This was to avoid the heat and the crowds. People were really lining up to get in by the time we were leaving so arriving early really paid off. I think the island of Rhodes would be much more laid back during the shoulder season, but I am so glad we had the opportunity to visit when we did.

Our next stop should be a more laid back and relaxing experience, the stunning Greek Island of Karpathos.

Our Rhodes Island Video

Check out our blog and video from stunning Karpathos Island, Greece!

Updated on 2 January 20269 April 2025Songkran Water Festival Thailand

Songkran Water Festival Thailand

We happened to be in Bangkok when Thailand had it’s biggest and most important annual festival, the Buddhist New Years celebration also known as Songkran, or the Water Festival. Supposedly celebrated from April 13th to the 15th, in reality it lasts a whole week, from April 9th to the 16th. This is to allow people time off work to travel back to their hometowns and celebrate with their families.

Songkran literally means moving forward and passage of the sun. In the Buddhist solar calendar, this takes place when Aries moves into Pieces. This is also the time when families visit temples, make offerings, and monks proliferate their temples. Thailand is 95% Buddhist and they follow the Buddhist solar calendar which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar used in the West. Their year zero starts in the year that the Buddha attained enlightenment, so it is the year 2567 instead of 2024.

We didn’t really understand the significance of it until we did a little research and asked some questions. Initially we started noticing all the street vendors selling racks of brightly colored, Hawaiian style shirts, along with racks and racks of water guns in every size you can imagine. From little palm sized squirt guns to giant water cannons. This is due to the fact that Songkran, the New Years celebration, is a giant water fight. It was not historically this way, but over the centuries this is what it has developed into, and is it ever fun!

Certain areas of town are designated by the city for the water fights to take place in. They close streets to traffic, allocate city blocks, parks, and the big shopping malls host water fight areas as well.

After learning about it, Aaron and I were thrilled to take part. The water festivities kicked off at 11:00 am on April 13th, so we headed over to the Khao San Road area with our bright shirts and our big water guns slightly beforehand. The entire day turned out to be such an unexpected BLAST! We were walking down the street carrying our loaded water guns, in one of the designated areas, this one was for three city blocks. Nothing much was happening yet.

Then a young girl and boy ran up to us and gave us each one squirt of water on our midsections, said “sorry”, laughed and ran off. That kicked it off, we were soon exchanging “fire” with kids and adults alike.

Aarons water gun soon crapped out, so he replaced it with one that held about a gallon of water (me too!). There were several “ammo” refilling stations on every block. These are vendors with giant drums of ice cold water where you could get your water gun refilled for five cents. Businesses also got in on the act by actually throwing full buckets of water on you when you walked by. Trucks drove by blasting music and filled with people soaking pedestrians as they moved up the street. There were live music performances in several locations, and just a lot of joy-filled people having a great time.

People of all ages, literally, and from all over the world got in on the fun. We carried on for about six hours straight before we had to stop and rest and get some food. The restaurant we stopped at had an outdoor seating area that was filled with soaking wet people. It was awesome. After eating we decided to call it a day for the water fight, but we got and received a few good shots before leaving the street we were on. The walk back to our hotel allowed us to drip off a little before entering the lobby. But they were ready with mops for all the wet guests returning to the hotel. The water fight lasted everyday from 11:00 am until at least midnight.

This festival really stood out to me because there were so many participants, and everybody just wanted to have fun. There was never anything mean-spirited or over the limits going on. I don’t know that I have ever been in a celebration that big, or that much fun, and everyone remained so nice! There was no type of aggression in the festivities at all. Families had small inflatable kiddie pools set up by their front doors so that even the little ones could join in the fun. It really was an all around good time and we are both so glad that we got to participate in it.

This is one example of why we love Thailand. The people are so nice and polite. This is one of the few times I’ve seen the local people be not quite so reserved.

The next few mornings we observed families taking offerings of flowers to the temple on the street where we were staying. The monks bring in sand and build small sand sculptures of “cheddis” or a small, dome shaped shrines. This is also the time that children, of all ages, pay respect to their family elders, verbally and with visits, and gifts.

This would be a great time to visit Bangkok if you’re planning a trip. We would certainly love to go back during Songkran again. If you’re not up for this type of activity, plan your trip at a different time, or stay inside because you will get wet!

Exploring Beautiful Northern Thailand

Updated on 2 January 202615 March 2025Adventures in Northern Thailand: Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang Rai

Adventures in Northern Thailand: Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang Rai

We have been to Thailand several times but had not yet visited the Northern mountain region. Hearing from many people how beautiful it was, we were anxious to visit. Unfortunately, we didn’t know about the burning season in Southeast Asia when we planned our visit. Burning season is when the farmers burn their fields after the crops have been harvested. This is an ancient tradition that helps to replenish the soil for the next planting season. Burning starts in February and goes through April, and the air quality is poor and can get quite thick with smoke. If you go, plan your visit before or after these months. Northern Thailand is known for it’s beautiful mountain scenery, but we didn’t get to see any of it as all of the prime mountain look-out spots were completely socked in with smoke.

Even though we missed out on the mountain scenery we had heard so much about, we still saw so many beautiful and interesting places and ate so much great food, that we still consider our visit a success.

Chiang Mai

In Chiang Mai we stayed within the old city walls at a great place, The Vista Limited, which was within walking distance to almost everything we wanted to see, plus some nice coffee shops and restaurants. Ancient temple ruins, Muay Thai fights, and the Sunday Market. For anything out of walking distance, we used the Grab ride app. Convenient, easy, and cheap, it gets you where you’re going. This can be used in several Southeast Asian countries and is easy to download and works much like Uber.

Sunday Market

We’ll start with the Sunday Market which is one of the best markets I have been to in Thailand, so far. It starts inside the Old City walls, near the ancient Tha Phae Gate and runs one kilometer down Ratchadamnoen Road and spreads onto some side streets. The road is closed to traffic for this market which starts at 4:00 pm and runs until 10:00 pm. The selection of foods, crafts, souvenirs, and entertainment cannot be beat. Be prepared to spend several hours and have some small change as you will want to try many of the tasty treats on offer. It gets pretty crowded between 6:00 to 8:00 pm, so be prepared. We went twice, mostly to take advantage of the great food that we found there.

Ancient Ruins

There are so many beautiful and ancient temples inside the Old City walls that it’s hard to visit them all. Some are free to enter and some cost one or two dollars. The ones we visited included Wat Chedi Luang which dates back to 1385. Wat Phra Singh, which is free to enter and in walking distance of Wat Chedi Luang.

Wat Chiang Man, located in the Northern part of the Old City, this served as the residence for King Mengrai in the 1200s. Wat Phan Tao with it’s beautiful golden and white chedi. The beautiful and impressive Wat Saen Muang Ma Luang, and the Three Kings Monument. All beautiful, very different from each other, and worth a visit. We also visited many temples that are still in use. With stunning grounds and impressive architecture, we have found temples in Thailand very impressive to visit and to wonder through. We were even lucky enough to visit some on special days and were able to see the monks chanting or holding special ceremonies.

A hidden gem and a must visit is Wat Sri Suphan, also known as the Silver Temple. Located just outside the Old City walls in a residential area of the silver-working neighborhood, this is one of the oldest and most unique temples in Thailand. It is completely clad in intricately worked silver. This temple is a piece of art and even if you’re not much on visiting temples, you

will be wowed by this one. It is unlike any temple I have visited and is classified as one of the most unique temples in all of Asia.

Tuk-Tuk Lessons

Aaron’s birthday came around while we were in Chiang Mai and wanting to do something fun and different, I booked us a day learning to drive a Tuk-Tuk. This was a really fun activity, learning to drive the Tuk-Tuk was fun and easy to get the hang of. They drive you out into the countryside for your lesson. You don’t really get to drive on the roadways, just around the area where the lessons are held. We also got to tour a Karin cultural village and the rural countryside, driving past farms, elephant sanctuaries and temples. Combined with a wonderful dinner at a nice restaurant overlooking the river, it all made for a great birthday.

Muay Thai

The national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand is Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing. This ancient martial art dates back to the 13th century and is known as “The Art of Eight Limbs” and using eight points of contact, a fighters body mimics weapons of war. Muay Thai is also an Olympic sport.

If you ever have an opportunity to go to a Muay Thai fight, do it! I didn’t really know how I would feel about it as I don’t like violence or the cage style fights on television. But I quickly found myself hooked on Muay Thai. It is an ancient martial art and a very specific set of rules and conduct are followed. There is a very traditional opening ceremony with music, and fighters wearing ceremonial head and armbands are blessed by Buddhist monks.

Since we were staying inside the Old City, we went to the Tha Phae Boxing Stadium that is located near the ancient Tha Phae Gate. The fights start at 9:00 pm, and the stadium is small so there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. For around $17.00 you get to watch ten matches. The night we went there were a couple of female matches and the title fight was between a local champion and a French champion. It was very exciting! The house was pretty much full with a mix of locals and tourists. There is table service for food and drinks. It was a great atmosphere and a really fun evening. I would love to go again.

Traditional Thai Massage

You need to try authentic Thai massage at least once when you visit Thailand. But be sure you go to someone who is specifically trained in Thai massage. We celebrated our anniversary in Chiang Mai by making an appointment for the “Honeymoon” couples massage package at Zabai Massage & Spa. A romantic four and half hours that consisted of Thai massage, reflexology, mud wraps, herbal treatments, and several showers. This was followed by a beautiful presentation of fruits, sweets, juice, and tea. These ladies knew what they were doing. They were a little pricier than the walk-in massage salons but you get what you pay for.

We also spent some time in another location outside the Old City Walls and were rewarded with a completely different experience in a different part of the city. Bars, nightclubs, restaurants, bakeries, shopping malls, combined to give us insight to another part of Chiang Mai. Not only does Chiang Mai have a healthy amount of tourists, which I was expecting, it really surprised me to see how many Western expats live there. In some places, I found this to take away from the atmosphere.

Getting to Pai from Chiang Mai

The next stop on our Northern Thailand tour was the city of Pai. You can get to Pai by bus, taxi, van, or Grab. We booked seats on a shuttle van for the three hour trip. At the time of our visit, there were no Grab services in Pai.

Pai

One of the premiere things to do in Pai is climb to the top of the hill to visit the Big Buddha. Officially known as Wat Phra That Mae Yen, it is an enormous white Buddha statue perched at the top of 353 steps. Not only is he impressive up close, but you get a great view of the area from the top. The steps are easy to do if you go before it gets too hot out.

We rented bicycles for the short but scenic ride to the hill. Pai is a small town with low traffic, which made for a very pleasant ride out to the hill, and then all around the town afterwards. It was a fun morning and it always feels good to get out and do something physical in the mornings before it heats up too much.

The Pai region of Northern Thailand is known for it’s caves. Located just a little over an hour’s car ride from Pai, the Tham Lod Cave System is easily the most impressive. When these caves were excavated back in the 1960s, the remains of a Stone Age tribe were found. Today, members of the local village act as tour guides. This adds to their income and helps to preserve the caves. The first two caves were enormous and had some natural light coming in. The third cave was completely devoid of light. Using a gasoline lantern, our guide led us through this very impressive cathedral sized cavern. By using only lantern light, the creatures that live in the darkness remain undisturbed. After we finished going through the third cave, we came upon a spot where the river runs through the caverns. Long, thin, bamboo rafts were waiting to pole us down the river and back out into the sunlight. As we glided along on the river, light from the outside began to reflect on the magnificent stalactites growing down from the ceiling and on their reflection in the dark water. It really was beautiful and peaceful.

The grounds around the cave were very nice and a bamboo bridge stretched over the river where we fed the fish. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

The small town of Pai was a great place to spend a few days. In addition to doing some fun outdoor activities, we went to their night market several times. One whole street is closed to traffic every night for this market. We sampled some great local foods, sweets, saw an array of handicrafts, and heard the local school children’s choir sing.

Chiang Rai

After leaving Pai, we headed North to Chiang Rai. One of the first things we did was have a Tuk-tuk take us around town and the surrounding areas. Located about five miles outside the city of Chiang Rai you will find the areas top attraction, the White Temple. You’re not going to want to miss this one. There is nothing like the White Temple any where else in the world.

The White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun is a Buddhist temple, and a work of modern art. The original temple fell into a bad state of repair and money was not available for its upkeep. A local Chiang Mai artist and architect, Chalermchai Kositpipat used his own money to completely rebuild the original temple, plus adjacent buildings. Spending over 40 million Thai Bat, or $1,157,000.00 U.S. dollars, Kositpipat considers the temple to be an offering to Lord Buddha and believes the project will give him immortal life. The compound has nine buildings which include two art galleries and living quarters for monks. Every building is ornately decorated and represents something different.

The main building, or ubosot, is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake. In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire. The bridge of the Cycle of Rebirth proclaims the way to happiness is by foregoing temptation, greed, and desire. There are also some statues of mythological creatures found on the bridge and all around the buildings.

After crossing the bridge you arrive at “the gate of Heaven” which is also guarded by creatures representing death. You then reach the main temple itself, the White Temple. Built in the classic style of a temple with a three tiered roof, that is where the resemblance to a regular temple ends. The all white building is embedded with mirrored glass on the outside, along with abundant use of Naga (serpents). There is just no way I can describe this beautiful building, or its wild interior fraught with ornate symbolism, pop culture images, and art. I truly don’t know how the artist came up with so many unique, beautiful, and sometimes scary designs.

There is also a beautiful golden building across a golden bridge, at the back of the complex that is stunning inside. One art gallery contains the builders art. The other art gallery features paintings from artists from around the world or special exhibits. This whole complex was one of the most wild and intriguing places I have ever visited, and everything means something. Life, death, warfare, idolatry, greed, desire, materialism, Heaven and Hell. The overall moral message is clear: people are wicked. The complex is set for completion in 2070.

The Blue Temple

Next we went to the Blue Temple. We were not surprised to learn that this temple was designed and decorated by a student of Kositpipat, the man who built the White Temple. This temple is more traditional, except for its vivid sapphire blue and gold colors. Most Buddhist temples are golden and red.

This blue color represents elements that Buddhists aspire to; purity, wisdom, and lack of materialism. The grounds are filled with magnificent statues, fountains, and works of art. With its classic Thai architecture, mixed with modern art, this complex has a completely different feel than that of the White Temple. With its bold use of vivid colors, it is unique and beautiful in its own right and definitely worth a visit. An interesting fact, an ancient temple once stood on these grounds. The Temple of the Dancing Tiger. This was when wild tigers still roamed the forests here.

Wat Huay Pla Kang

Next we visited Wat Huay Pla Kang. Lesser known and visited by tourists, this complex is very important to the surrounding community. This temple was designed by Buddhist monk and visionary, Phra Ajarn Phob Chok. What started out as just his office, is now an enormous, uniquely stylized, and very beautiful temple. Next to the temple is a towering, nine story high pagoda. The top tier is bell shaped like a traditional Thai chedi.

All nine floors are decorated with carved sandalwood images of Buddhas and many Chinese divinities. A pair of lovely golden Chinese dragons line the steps leading up to the pagoda. Also towering above the grounds is a massive, 25 story tall statue of Quan Yin. Not to be mistaken for a Buddha, Quan Yin is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, or the Bodhisattva of Compassion. For one dollar you can take the elevator to the 25th floor of the statue and get panoramic views of the grounds, the surrounding rice paddies and mountains. I was also very impressed by gigantic white dragons that wind their way around the grounds surrounding Quan Yin. This whole complex was beautiful to visit and very peaceful.

Bandan Museum

The Bandan Museum, better known as the Black House was another impressive work of architecture, artistry, and imagination. Both unique and strange, this one was done by famous Thai artist Tawan Ducchini. This museum is a complex of 40 black and brown buildings, all built in the style of a Buddhist temple, even though no temple has ever stood on these grounds. Buddhist art can be found throughout the grounds. What makes this museum so unique is the fact that it contains the world’s largest collection of animal remains that have been made into furniture and art.

Ducchini was a devout Buddhist, and all of his work represents the suffering man brings upon himself through desire and greed. Death and mortality are on display everywhere, reiterating the impermanence of life, which is central in Buddhist philosophy.

Even though our trip to Northern Thailand was somewhat tainted by coinciding with the burning season, we had a great time. We saw some wonderful natural and man made marvels, had some fun outdoor adventures, and ate some great food. We really got to delve into Buddhist history and art and learned so many fascinating things. If you’re ever in Thailand, and can tear yourself away from the beach, make some time for a trip to the mountains. It will be an experience to remember.

OUR NORTHERN THAILAND VIDEO

Songkran – Thailand’s Amazing Water Festival

Updated on 2 January 202617 January 2025Taj Mahal - A True Life Love Story

Taj Mahal – A True Life Love Story

The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World! It is known as a jewel of Muslim art and architecture. Like most people, I have seen pictures of it in books, magazines, and on television for most of my life. Now I found myself about to actually see the real thing!

Aaron and I booked a tour of the triangle through our hotels travel agency in Delhi. On departure day, Sanjay Kumar, our awesome driver and guide for the tour, picked us up from the hotel at 7:00 am and we set off for Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. In mid-January in this part of India, the days start off very foggy and stay that way until around noon. You can choose when you want to go to the Taj, morning or afternoon. We wanted the sky to be as clear as possible so we chose the afternoon for our visit when we booked our tickets online.

Agra is not really that far from Delhi, but you have to take traffic conditions into consideration. And a city with 28 million people has a lot of traffic! Driving through the streets of Delhi is a journey in itself. It becomes very apparent that a lot of the fog is smog. At almost every red light there are vendors going from car to car selling anything you can imagine; dish towels, roses, car window shades, sunglasses, etc. There are also the homeless; children, mothers with babies, the elderly, that tap on the window and say “money”, or “chapati” (an Indian bread). You can also see them lined up on the sidewalk in rows, under blankets, or gathered around a small fire they’ve built from collected trash. Although every country has homeless people, this is always the hardest part of travel to me.

Finally getting out of the city limits we stopped for breakfast, and this put our travel time to Agra at about five hours. Our driver Sanjay, stopped at a nice, local roadside spot for breakfast. It was a big place, and it was packed. We had Masala Dosas for breakfast, they were delicious, and some hot coffee to warm us up. It had been a cold morning so far.

We arrived in Agra around 1:00 in the afternoon. Sanjay took us straight to the hotel to check in and freshen up. Our guide for the Taj Mahal met us at the hotel and Sanjay drove us over around 2:30 pm. The lines to get in were not really that long, but our online tickets got us right in. No one without a ticket can get beyond this front ticket area. This is a 42 acre complex and we quickly found ourselves in a shuttle heading towards the impressive and immense entrance gate. Next, we had to make a stop at a booth where they gave us disposable covers to wear over our shoes and a bottle of water each. You don’t have to put the shoe covers on until you are actually going to enter the Taj Mahal building itself. It was also still a good walk from the shoe cover booth to reach the awesome entrance gates.

You can’t see the Taj Mahal until you are going through the enormous gateway. We were already impressed with just this. This gateway is immense and very detailed. I had never even seen a picture of it. But when you walk through and see the Taj, still at quite a distance away, it takes your breath away.

Right after you emerge on the other side of the entrance is the famous spot where almost all the photos you see are taken. Of course, everyone wants to stand there and have their picture taken with the Taj in the background, us included. It’s a must! It was crowded, but not like I thought it would be. I thought there would just be a hoard of people pushing and shoving, but the complex is so big that there were plenty of places to stand and get pictures with an unobstructed view.

The grounds themselves contain the Mughal Symetrical Gardens which are beautiful and meticulously maintained. I was surprised to see green parrots flying from tree to tree. Long fountains stretch from the entrance to the Taj itself. The grounds also contain two guesthouses, a mosque, and another grand gateway. Our guide J.J., made sure we got plenty of pictures at the entrance, then encouraged us to walk the grounds and take more pictures after we had gone inside the mausoleum itself. No picture taking allowed inside the mausoleum. We actually saw people having their phones confiscated and security deleting the photos that they had taken.

If you didn’t already know, the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum. Construction of this ivory marble wonder started in 1631 and took 22 years to complete. At the time of its construction, it cost 32 million rupees, or about $385,000.00 dollars to build. Today it would cost 350 billion rupees, or $421 million dollars to build. The white marble used for the Taj lets light shine through it and it picks up colors from the sky, so it changes very subtly throughout the day. What you can’t see unless you’re close up is the intricate and delicate designs inlaid all over it. These flowers and designs are all done in semi-precious stones such as lapis, topaz, garnet, malachite, jade, and others. It took 20,000 workers, 22 years to complete this marvel of architectural design.

The story behind the Taj Mahal is a real life love story. The Taj Mahal was built under the order of Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz. The Shah had three wives, two were Indian princesses with which he had no children. These marriages were for political purposes only. Mumtaz was a princess from Persia (Iran) and his favorite and most beloved wife, with whom he had 14 children.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz were engaged when she was 11 and he was twelve. They married when he was 20 and she was 19 on the date set by the astrologers. Shah Jahan took Mumtaz everywhere with him, which was unusual for an Emperor to do. He also gave her important positions within his government and granted her the power to make rulings and decisions in his absence. This is a reflection of his love for and trust in her.

When Mumtaz started having complications after delivering their 14th child, it became clear that she was going to die. She asked Shah Jahan to promise her three things. First to always take care of the children, second to never remarry, and third to build her a nice tomb for the family to visit. She was only 38 years old.

He kept these promises to her. He even picked out a spot to have his own mausoleum built across the river from hers. His was to be built out of black marble in contrast to the white marble used for hers. You can look across the river and see where the site was excavated, where the complex walls were to be built and even where the mausoleum itself was to be constructed.

However, during this time, the couple’s youngest son had grown up and decided he wanted to be Emperor, now, not after his father died. He had his two older brothers killed and his father imprisoned in the guesthouse that overlooks the river on the grounds of the Taj Mahal. The Emperor stayed imprisoned here for the remaining 8 years of his life. Upon his death he was entombed next to his beloved Mumtaz.

Interesting side note; as a young man, Shah Jahan also had his two older brothers assassinated so that he could become the Emperor.

The Taj Mahal is more than beautiful, it honestly took my breath away and is one of the most remarkable man-made structures I have ever seen. It truly is a wonder to behold and I feel so lucky that I was able to go and see it and stroll through the grounds.

Our Delhi & Taj Mahal Video

Rishikesh is a spiritual city and the world capital of yoga located where the Ganga River flows from the mountains.

Updated on 2 January 20264 January 2025Exotic Istanbul

Exotic Istanbul

If you are debating about where you should go for your next vacation, or for that once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, let me introduce you to Istanbul, Türkiye (formerly Turkey) and you can see for yourself if this exotic destination is for you. Once home to Sultans and Emperors, Istanbul is one of the great historic cities of the world. Food, culture, history, adventure, shopping, Istanbul has it all!

Getting to Know Istanbul

Istanbul was the most visited city in the world in 2023, followed by London, and then Dubai. We spent a whole month here. You can easily see most of the famous sights in a week, but like I said, we are slow travelers. We love spending longer in a location and getting to know the people, the culture, finding the best local places to eat, and visiting some off the beaten path places. Istanbul is also known for being a shopping and medical/dental tourism destination. But the history here is what captured me.

We always try to stay in a local neighborhood, if possible, and we had a nice room at a boutique hotel that was in a great neighborhood called Karakoy. We were very happy to find that our street had a small local breakfast place where we discovered the wonderful Turkish coffee. Plus a great little grocery store and a few tasty local restaurants, all very reasonably priced. We became regulars in all these places. After our first few visits to these establishments, we felt like part of the neighborhood as we were greeted warmly and exchanged small talk with the proprietors. Just on our street we enjoyed tasty lamb Adana Kebap, and Pide (pee-day) or Turkish pizza. I also discovered Çig Kofte. A vegetarian dish consisting of a paté made from bulgar wheat, herbs, and spices. It is formed into patties and put into a lavash wrap along with fresh veggies and sauce. I was hooked on this dish!

Our neighborhood was also very close to a tram station, and in walking distance to quite a few historical sites. One of the first things I noticed after we arrived, were pet sized food and water dishes outside of almost every business and residence in the city. This is because Istanbul is a city of cats. So if you’re a cat person, you’ll love it.

For a big city, Istanbul is very easy to get around. There are taxis everywhere, but that can add up pretty quickly. One of the first things we did was to buy ourselves Istanbul cards. This card gets you on the metro tram, public buses, ferry boats, and even into public toilets. You can get the card from a machine anywhere there is a metro station or a ferry terminal. You load some money onto it and it’s ready to swipe whenever you want to get on any form of public transportation, and you can top it up as needed. We used our cards to get around the city and to take ferries cross the Bosphorus to the Asian side of Istanbul and it really saved us a lot of money. The trams and ferries are all modern, clean, and air-conditioned. Since this is a big tourist destination, English is widely spoken and used in signage at all public transportation stops, ATMs, and most everywhere else. It also seemed that there was a friendly person that asked us if we needed help when we seemed confused by something. The people here are part of this city’s charm.

I have to set the scene with a little bit of historical background to show how dynamic this city really is. Sitting at the crossroads where Europe meets Asia, Istanbul is an ancient city, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of history here. Founded in 657 BC, and known as Byzantium, over the centuries it was ruled by the Greeks, Persians, Spartans, Athenians, and Macedonians before becoming part of the Roman Empire. In 324 BC the city was conquered by Constantine the Great, and it became Constantinople. The seat of the Roman Empire was moved from Rome to Constantinople, and Christianity was adopted, legalized, and made the state religion by the Emperor Constantine. I mention this because there is a lot of religious history here.

In 1453, the city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and the official religion became Islam. Then in 1923, after the Turkish War for Independence, the Republic of Turkey was established under Mustafa Ataturk. As the country’s first president, Ataturk modernized Türkiye’s culture and led the nation into becoming a modern European country. The city officially became known as Istanbul in 1930.

The Hippodrome

The first place we visited was the Sultan Ahmet Square, where three must visit sites are in close walking distance to each other. The Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. The enormous Sultanahmet Square itself is where the Hippodrome stood for over 1,000 years. Built in 203 AD, this was an arena used for chariot racing. Talk about fascinating! In 324 AD the Emperor Constantine had it enlarged to hold 100,000 spectators. This was the center of the city’s social life, and huge amounts of money were wagered here. There were 4 racing teams, each consisting of 2 chariots pulled by 4 horses, and each team was sponsored by a political party.

Once adorned with great works of art and even bronze statues of famous chariot drivers and their horses, none of that remains today. But you can still see the remains of Emperor Constantine’s Serpent Column, and the obelisk of Emperor Theodosius the Great, which he brought all the way from Luxor, Egypt. Standing in the middle of this huge space, I found it exciting to imagine the chariot races and everything else that went on here for centuries.

The Hagia Sofia

At one end of the Hippodrome stands the Hagia Sofia, which translates to Holy Wisdom. If I had the opportunity to visit only one thing in Istanbul, I would pick this. Built in 532 AD, under Emperor Justinian I, the Hagia Sofia is a representation of outstanding Byzantine architecture and art, and a major cultural and historical site here in Istanbul. The first of it’s kind, it’s dome alone is said to have changed the history of architecture. Built by the Eastern Roman Empire, this was the principal church of the Byzantine Empire in the capital of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul.

It is described as “holding a unique place in Christian history” because for almost 1,000 years this was the world’s largest cathedral, and the center of religion for the Eastern Orthodox Church. In 1453 the city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and it was converted to a Mosque and remains so today. I was blown away by the beauty of not only the building itself, but also the amazing mosaic art decorating the walls, that reflect its history of being both a Christian church and a Muslim mosque.

The Hagia Sofia is still an operating mosque today, but everyone is welcome to come in and tour the second level and the grounds, during non-worship hours. Even though the Hagia Sofia, and the entire country, were taken by the conquest of the Ottomans in 1453, and the cathedral turned into a mosque, the beautiful Christian mosaics inside were not destroyed. You can still see this beautiful artwork today that reflects Jesus, the Emperor, the Empress, the Apostle John, and Mary with baby Jesus. Throughout the centuries and the countless battles fought here, these mosaics were never destroyed and stand as timeless witnesses to the cultural and religious history not only of this building, but of the city itself.

Interesting fact, on the marble railing that surrounds the second level, there is a small portion with a protective covering where you can see that someone carved their name into the marble. It says Halvdan. He was a Viking soldier serving in the Emperor’s Royal Guard. I find it funny that someone would be brave, or stupid, enough to carve their name into the Emperor’s new cathedral.

The Blue Mosque

At the opposite end of the Hippodrome you will see the domes of the beautiful Blue Mosque, one of the most iconic and visited places in the city. This popular monument of Ottoman architecture is officially known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. This historical imperial monument was built in 1609. It remains a functioning mosque today, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Inside it is decorated with thousands of Iznik tiles and hand painted motifs in various shades of blue, giving it it’s popular name. This place was packed with tourists from all over the world, but it is so large inside that it never felt crowded or overwhelming. This site is free to enter, and is truly beautiful to see.

The Spice Bazaar

Istanbul has two iconic, and ancient bazaars. The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is Istanbul’s most famous bazaar. But I opted to visit the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. Built in 1664, the Spice Bazaar wins the prize for being the most colorful, and fragrant ancient bazaar.

This market offers just about every spice you can think of, and some I had never heard of, all heaped in colorful pyramids. It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the nose. Aside from the spices, you can find every kind of tea you ever dreamed of, along with the famous Turkish Delight candies of every color and flavor. I sampled several of these and had to buy a small bag.

You can also find herbal remedies, perfumes, dried fruits, nuts, baklava, olive oils, cheeses, Turkish coffees, Turkish rugs, incredible brass, silver, and ceramic wares, and my favorite the beautiful Turkish lamps, and so much more! And the vendors do expect you to haggle with them over prices. There was so much to see inside the covered market and it continued on into the streets surrounding the outside. It was great fun and I will definitely be visiting the Grand Bazaar on my next trip to Istanbul.

Galata Bridge

The Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn which gets its name from its horn shape. This waterway is the primary inlet of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, where the strait meets the Sea of Marmara. The Galata Bridge carries vehicles, pedestrians, and a tram line. This is the fifth version of the bridge to be built here on this site. This romantic looking bridge has been the subject of many paintings, poems, books, and featured in several movies, and it is also known to be an iconic fishing spot. There are two walking levels on the bridge, and in 2003 restaurants started to open on the underside of the bridge. We passed several hot afternoons here enjoying a plate of fried anchovies and a beer. You can sit back and watch the fishermen reel their catch in to the top level, there is also a killer view on both sides of the bridge.

On the Eminonu side of the bridge you can find these beautiful boats that sell a famous fish sandwich called Balik Ekmek, meaning fish and bread. These were quite tasty, but I much preferred the fish wrap found on the Karakoy side of the bridge. Small vendors with coolers full of fresh fish and a grill. Lavash flatbread, grilled fish, fresh veggies, and sauces made for a great and affordable meal.

Fun fact, It is even thought that the card game “Bridge” acquired its name because the British soldiers who invented it, crossed the Galata Bridge on their way to their favorite coffee houses. The bridge is nice to walk across and just take in the scenery and watch the fishermen, and a very convenient way to see more of the city.

Basilica Cistern

One of the few things not in walking distance for us was the Basilica Cistern. We took the tram, and it was quick and easy. Arriving early, we were among the first few to enter and enjoyed this massive place with only a handful of other tourists.

Built in the 6th century, the subterranean Basilica Cistern is another amazing piece of history and ingenuity. This is an ancient aqueduct that carried water from 12 miles away to be stored here in the cistern for the city’s elite to use. The 336 columns that support this underground cistern are actually recycled marble and granite columns from older buildings that were in the area at that time. Wow, it makes you wonder how old those buildings were! These columns include two massive blocks from the late Roman period, that are carved with the head of the Medusa. These blocks were placed upside down to negate the power of the Gorgon’s gaze, and are pretty amazing.

Once holding almost 3 million cubic feet of water, only a small amount is kept in the cistern today for aesthetic purposes. This place has been featured in quite a few movies and I can see why. It is enormous inside, and the color changing lights give it an other-worldly and mesmerizing feel. The closer I looked at the ancient support columns, the more impressed I became. Some of them are intricately carved with flowers or vines, or Ancient Greek writing. As its name suggests, the Basilica Cistern is grand in scale and definitely worth a visit.

Galata Tower

The Galata Tower is an old Genoese tower in the Galata section of the Beyoglu (Bay-oh-Lou) district. Just a few blocks walk from our hotel, the tower was built at the highest point of the ancient walls of Galata. It has been a watchtower for invaders, then used as a prison for over 200 years, and then as a lookout tower for fires. The tower is a historical symbol of this area, and it is really beautiful at night. It actually gets quite congested in the evenings and a little hectic. We walked up to it one evening and it was lovely. Then we went back early one morning to take pictures before all the tourists rolled in.

We opted to view it from the outside and skipped the $25.00 entrance fee and climb to the top. The tower is surrounded by some nice restaurants and a variety of shops. It was at one of these small restaurants that we first tried Midye Dolma.

Popular as a street food and in restaurants, these are steamed mussels stuffed with aromatic rice. A squeeze of fresh lemon on the top and they truly delicious. My husband and I would polish off about 60 every time we went out for them.

Sulaymaniye Mosque

There are 3,000 mosques here in Istanbul and many of them are very impressive. We had visited a few already and one that absolutely deserves a mention is the Sulaymaniye Mosque. It is beautiful and spacious inside, covered with amazing tile work. The outside is surrounded by lovely lawns and gardens. This mosque is one of the best known sites in Istanbul and offers a commanding view of the Golden Horn. It is also one of the largest Ottoman era mosque in the city. It was built in 1550 by Suliman the Magnificent. I love that name. I love all these ancient rulers names here, they end with the magnificent, the great, the mighty, the supreme, Emperor, or Cesar. These guys let it be known what they were all about. You can also visit the cemetery where the mausoleums of Suliman the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem Sultan can be found. Her mausoleum is especially lovely inside, covered with the blue Iznik tiles. This site is also free to visit.

Kadikoy

One morning we took one of the many ferries that cross the strait, to check out the Kadikoy neighborhood on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Kadikoy was actually named one of the 50 “coolest” neighborhoods in the world, along with being the liberal cultural center of the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Even though this area is home to many bars, cafes, restaurants, and shops, it still has a more relaxing vibe than the European side does. This laid back area is famous for its fish and produce markets. Knowing that, we decided to just spend the whole day here and check it all out.

I loved wondering the streets here. The fresh fish and produce were amazing to look at, as was the neighborhood itself. After wondering around for an hour or so, we stopped at a corner bakery for some Baklava and Çay (Turkish tea). This was delightful. The shopping here was great as well. I ended up with a new outfit and some Nazar Boncugu, or the famous Blue Eye talismans, to take home for gifts. We had a wonderful seafood lunch at one of the restaurants adjacent to the fish market.

This is where I tried Raki for the first time. It’s popular to drink along with, and after meals here in Turkey. I liked Raki more than I thought I would. With its strong anise flavor, poured over ice and a touch of water, I actually fell in love with the refreshing taste.

We ended up coming over here to spend another day during our time in Istanbul. During this trip we had a tasty lunch of Manti. This local dish features small ravioli like pouches stuffed with chunks of lamb. Topped with yogurt and either a garlic or a tomato sauce, it is amazing! I think I would like to stay here in the Kadikoy neighborhood on our next visit.

Topkapi Palace

One of the top sites in all of Istanbul, and one that really blew my mind, is the Topkapi Palace. Located in the old historic district of Fatih (Fought E). This palace served for 400 years as the administrative center for the Ottoman Empire and as a residence for the reigning sultan. Even after the court was moved to the new Dolmabahce Palace in 1857, Topkapi retained some of it’s functions serving as the imperial treasury, library, and mint.

At the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, the state turned Topkapi palace into a museum and library and is it ever grand. With over 400 rooms, covering 175 acres and surrounded by high walls, this place was so much more than what I was expecting. With majestic views, beautiful grounds and rose gardens, this sprawling palace made me feel like I was in a movie or had stepped into the past. From the lavish architecture and fountains, to the fine furnishings and Turkish carpets, this place was definitely made for Sultans. The enormous kitchens, which fed over 1,000 people a day, contain one of the world’s largest collections of Chinese blue and white and Celadon porcelain. These were favored by the sultans as it was believed that the color of the porcelain would change if the food contained poison.

The royal treasury was part museum, part fine jewelry display, and contains some of the finest treasures of the Ottoman age, including the famous bejeweled Topkapi Dagger, and the 83 karat Spoon Maker’s Diamond. I was overwhelmed by the stunning displays of not only jewelry, but gold and jewels that decorated everyday items the Sultan and his family used, such as hand held mirror, brushes, combs, and perfume bottles.

The royal treasury also contains the Harem. The Harem was home to the sultan’s mother, the Valide Sultan. She oversaw the 300 concubines and wives of the Sultan, and the rest of his family including his children, their servants, and eunuchs. She even chose the Sultan’s concubines and wives for him.

One thing the royal treasury held that I had no idea about, and was surprised by, was the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle where holy relics are kept. The Sultan was only allowed in this room once a year, on the 15th day of Ramadan. Now visitors pass through it daily. For me, this was the most fascinating areas of the palace and contains to many precious relics for me to go over here. But the beauty of this ancient palace and the history these walls hold should not be missed. It really conjures up the imagination. The entrance fee here is $46 USD and if you have to choose between the two palaces of Topkapi and Dolmabache, I personally would choose this one. We skipped Dolmabache Palace because being built in 1857 and having electricity and plumbing, it is considered modern. I know it is grand as well, so I will tour it on our next visit.

Gulhane Park

Gulhane Park sits on the grounds of the Topkapi Palace. This historical park is the oldest and one of the most expansive parks in all of Istanbul. Opened to the public in 1912, it is home to several of Istanbuls fantastic museums. You can definitely connect with nature here, right in the heart of the historic center. There are groups of small green parrots that nest in holes in the ancient castle walls that line one side of the park. They are a real treat to see out fluttering from tree to tree. And it is free to enter.

We stopped here to rest after touring the Topkapi Palace and got a Simit from the cart at the park entrance. Reminiscent of a large, thin bagel or soft pretzel, and covered with toasted sesame seeds, the Simit is a staple here in Istanbul. A tasty treat for about .30 cents!

Bosphorus Long Cruise

An essential part of any trip to Istanbul is traveling from one part on the city to another by ferry boat. There are also lots of short sightseeing cruises you can take, but nothing beats setting aside a whole day for the Bosphorus Long Cruise. It is very affordable, and you get to travel nearly the entire length of the strait from the sea of Marmara right up to the third bridge near the Black Sea. The entire trip takes around six and half hours. Leaving at 10:35 am and returning around 5:00 pm. The total cruising time is four hours roundtrip. The best part is you get two and half hours of free time as the boat docks at the quaint village of Anadolu Kavağı.

The ticket office is located at Eminonu Pier just to the east of the Galata Bridge. The ticket booth opens at 10:00 am and there is no need to buy tickets in advance as the boat has plenty of seating. There are three seating levels on the boat and include plenty of indoor (with AC) and outdoor seating, also restrooms and a snack bar. The views of Istanbul at the start of the trip are wonderful and you get a glimpse into the importance of the Bosphorus strait as an international trade route. You cruise past so many interesting and historic places like the Dolmabahce Palace and the Rumeli Fort. In spots you find yourself surrounded by beautiful neighborhoods clinging to the river banks and lining the hills. There are a few stops along the way to collect more passengers, and before you know it you get your first glimpse of the impressive Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and soon after, you dock at Anadolu Kavağı.

As soon as we disembarked from the boat we immediately followed the signs up to the Yoros Castle ruins. It was only about a 15 minute walk. The views from the hilltop are breathtaking and the castle ruins make for some nice pictures. It is a ruins, so you are free to just wander around at your own leisure. Originally settled by the Phoenicians and the Greeks in the BC era, many temple remains have been discovered all around this area.

After our short explorations we walked back down the hill and ended up at a great restaurant called Kavak Doğanay, which I highly recommend. It sits right on the water and I had some of the best Calamari I have ever eaten, and an amazing whole fish stewed in a tomato and pepper sauce. All to soon it was time to board the boat for our journey back. Please check out our Bosphorus Long Cruise video.

We spent a whole month in Istanbul discovering so many amazing places and so much delicious food. If you haven’t already, please check out our two Guides to Istanbul, YouTube videos that highlight what to see and do in this amazing city. I was truly impressed, and we do plan to return to Istanbul. On our next visit I would also like to see Troy, Ephesus, and do the whole Black Sea coast.

We have been slow traveling going on three years now and I sometimes I can hardly believe the amazing places and things we have seen. It makes us want to keep going, and our bucket list is just as long, or longer, than when we started.

OUR ISTANBUL TRAVEL GUIDE VIDEO

Read Our Guide To Cappadocia Blog.

Updated on 2 January 202624 September 2024Magical and Historical Guadalajara

Magical and Historical Guadalajara

Guadalajara, home of the Mariachi and the cultural center of Mexico. We did a long weekend trip from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara. It was only a short 40 minute flight on one of the most organized airlines I have ever flown. Instead of passengers all jumping up and grabbing their bags from the overhead, everyone stays seated until the stewardess gets to your section. She takes four rows at a time and those passengers get up, get their bags and exit the plane. Then she moves to the next four rows. It really made getting off the plane much easier and faster. I wish all airlines did this.

I really had no idea what to expect and was very excited to see what was in store. As it turned out, Guadalajara is a wonderful place to visit. A city of 5 million, Guadalajara is really big, and there was no way we could see everything we wanted in one long weekend. The city is peppered with large works of art, sculptures, and elaborate fountains and gardens. We stayed right in the historic center and I was overwhelmed by the beautiful buildings and cathedrals. I actually felt like I could have been in a European city. Most of these historic buildings surround a very large square where people, vendors, and street entertainers gather every evening.

Parked along one side of this square were horse drawn carriages, many of them very elaborate and beautiful. Early on Sunday morning, we did a carriage ride that took us past many historic buildings and down some beautiful streets. While stopped at a red light, we noticed that one lane of traffic on the main road had been completely closed down for bicyclists. It seems that every Sunday, one lane of the main road, and some side streets, are completely closed down to traffic just so people can get out and ride their bikes without having to worry about traffic. After our carriage ride we decided to walk the main avenue and check it all out. There were single cyclists, couples, and whole families out riding their bikes.

There were even groups of skateboarders joining in. If you don’t own a bike there were many places you could rent one for the day very cheaply. Everything started from the round-about and went out from there. There were also many vendors out and live music playing, and just an atmosphere of fun. We even passed a large outdoor Zumba class going on. What a great way to inspire people to get out and get some exercise and promote family activity. It was really fun.

We stayed in a historic location called the Hotel Franceś. This hotel is over 400 years old! It’s stone walls are three feet thick, and the interior is all polished wood, and marble. The lobby features a beautiful stone fountain, a giant crystal chandelier, and a stained glass ceiling. It is truly lovely and I am sure that it is haunted. There were several truly strange and surreal occurrences during our stay, but I would definitely stay here again. There were blood curdling screams in the wee hours on our third night. Our second night was the strangest. Coming back from dinner, we walked into the immense lobby and found a Mariachi show going on. Tables and chairs that had not been there when we went out were set up in front of the stage and there were at least 60 or 70 people seated and drinking for the show.

Everyone sitting at the tables were dressed in a very old style of clothing, with hair styled to match. Even the Mariachi band’s suits did not look modern. There was no hotel staff to be seen, so we sat down and watched the show for a bit. But it just felt off, we got an eerie feeling and went up to our room. The next morning when we went out to breakfast, all the tables, chairs and stage were gone. There was no sign that anything had taken place the night before. We asked the daytime concierge about it and he said didn’t know anything about it. Then he said that it happens about once a month. We

Being over 400 years old, it has a storied history. In more recent decades it has been in a few movie scenes as well. Even the old Charles Bronson movie, “The Evil That Men Do”. Guadalajara felt a little surreal, like you were stepping into the past in some places. Especially in the historic center, with it’s horse drawn carriages, gaslit street lamps, fountains, and gardens. This place really had some historical ambiance.

Originating here in the state of Jalisco in the 1700s, Guadalajara is the home of the Mariachi, whose music has become a symbol of Mexico around the world. I love a Mariachi band, anywhere you visit in Mexico you’re sure to find one. You can now find Mariachi bands in many countries around the world as well. There is even an International Mariachi Festival every September featuring over 500 Mariachi bands from around the world. I would love to be in town for that. There are many shops here that sell the most elaborate Mariachi costumes, or traje de Charro. Near our hotel was a rooftop restaurant called El Mariachi. In addition to its great food, and beautiful view overlooking the Cathedral of Guadalajara, they had a 13 piece Mariachi band that was so outstanding. There’s nothing like having a song played directly to you by amazing musicians and singers. Talk about a fun evening, and one of the many reasons I love Mexico.

The historic center contains some beautiful, and immense buildings. One of them being the Teatro Degollado. Unfortunately it was still closed due to the pandemic and we did not get to see the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, which would have been fantastic. There were a few people from the orchestra playing in the square and they were amazing. This orchestra is over 100 years old and is not only one of the premier orchestras in Latin America, but also in the world.

Other historic buildings in the square that we were only able to see from the outside included the Supreme Court building, the Building of the Governor of the State of Jalisco, and the Guadalajara Regional Museum.

This historic square is a gathering place in the evenings and on weekends. We strolled through here every evening just to see what all was happening. There was live music, some very interesting puppet shows, clowns, all types of food carts, and toy and souvenir vendors. Pretty much something to entertain everyone.

We did get to go inside the Cathedral of Guadalajara and is it ever beautiful. Completed in 1618, the inside of this cathedral is a work of art with its ten altars, stained glass and marble. It also contains a glass coffin with the mummified body of Santa Innocencia, a young girl who was killed by her father in 1700 for converting to Catholicism. I found this fascinating. Pope Pius XII elevated the cathedral to the status of a minor basilica. It has also survived six earthquakes with only minor damage. It is absolutely worth a visit.

We spent one morning at the Mercado Libertad, the largest indoor market in Latin America. Opened 65 years ago, this market is open 365 days a year and is frequented by locals and tourists. The Mercado has everything from fresh meats and vegetables to eyeglasses, saddles, and video games, plus anything else you can think of. You can also find many little eateries offering some of the most delicious Mexican foods. With three different levels, there is so much to take in here and we did our best to see it all in one morning. I got mesmerized in the handmade leather shoe section by some truly beautiful shoes. Unfortunately, not my size.

Another great area to walk is the Avenida Vallarta. Wide sidewalks, mature shady trees, lush gardens, and historic Colonia Americana mansions. Some are open to tour, one is a museum, and some are still family homes. We found ourselves strolling this grand avenue several times.

We visited a city within a city, Tlaquepaque. It’s complete historical name is San Pedro Tlaquepaque (ta-la-key-pa-key). We took a taxi to this small city of 571,000 that at one time had been located outside of Guadalajara, but over the decades it has been more than encompassed by the city. Amazingly, it still retains its own name, its own city status, and its own flair. We had a great time as we got in on their weekend market that was set up in the park in front of the cathedral. It was filled with beautiful Mexican clothing, handicrafts, art, and jewelry. I bought a lovely necklace and earrings that have colorful, tiny little Mexican clay pots and cups. Tlaquepaque has long been the home of talented artisans and craftsman and is known for its pottery, textiles, and hand blown glass.

Several of the main streets here are closed to all but pedestrian traffic which allows you to stroll through the cobble stone streets, alleys, plazas, and gardens. We walked the Calle Independencia, the vibrant main street of this area, browsing all the boutique stores and art galleries.

Located, one on each end of park, were two lovely cathedrals. First we went to the Parroquia San Pedro Apostal, or the Saint Peter the Apostle Parish. Dating back to the 1600s and constructed by Franciscan monks, this lovely cathedral contains some priceless works of religious art that are definitely worth seeing. At the other end of the park is the Sanctuario Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, or the Our Lady of Solitude Sanctuary. Opened in 1813 this cathedral is beautiful inside as well, while being completely different from the first one.

We also went to the Sergio Bustamonte Art Gallery. Large sculptures line the street in front of the gallery, and the gallery itself is filled with his wonderful and imaginative sculptures and paintings. His work is so unique and distinguished, it’s like stepping into another world. He has a couple of large sculptures displayed on the malecon in Puerto Vallarta and a gallery there as well. This gallery is lovely and even has an outdoor area with amazing works on display. Surprisingly, it is free and I am really glad we took advantage of the opportunity to see more of his amazing work. It is also air-conditioned inside and I really needed to take advantage of that for a few minutes.

We stopped for lunch at a really nice restaurant called Restaurante Casa Luna that offered outdoor seating in the shade, with misters, to keep you cool. We discovered a new drink here called the Cazuela. Made with grapefruit and other citrus juices, mezcal, a touch of salt, and poured over ice. It is served in a carved gourd bowl that sits on a wooden tripod, making a very nice presentation. After a tasty lunch of Bistec Molcajetes and a couple of Cazuelas, we headed back into Guadalajara.

Before we knew it our Guadalajara weekend was over and we were flying back to Puerto Vallarta. We packed so much into our long weekend and I definitely plan to visit Guadalajara again in the future to spend more than just a long weekend. I still need to see the Philharmonic at the Teatro Degollado, and tour the museum. I have always wanted to see the Lucha Libre, and this would be the place to do it. I also want to stay at the Hotel Frances again, at least one night.

Our Guadalajara YouTube Video

Guanajuato is a historical treasure in Mexico’s highlands and is know for being one of the countries most beautiful cities.

Updated on 2 January 202620 May 2024The Jewel of Sabah - Kota Kinabalu

The Jewel of Sabah – Kota Kinabalu

On my quest to see wild Orangutans, I had to stay in a couple of different cities in Borneo before setting off for my wildlife adventure. We took an hour and a half long flight from Kuala Lumpur to the city of Kota Kinabalu, or KK. This was not like any other city in Malaysia that we had previously visited. We had gotten mixed reviews about it, but found it to be a delightful place to visit. Originally a fishing village dating back to the 1500s, this slow growing port city did not even receive “city” status until the year 2000. Now, with its two sea ports, it is the commercial and industrial capital of Borneo and the fastest growing city in all of Malaysia. KK has also become Borneo’s tourism capital and gateway to Borneo with pristine waters for diving and snorkeling, beautiful beaches, rainforests, Mount Kinabalu, and diverse wildlife, including Orangutans. They are the main reason I came here.

We had a nice room just a few blocks from the waterfront promenade, and we definitely took advantage of that. On our first night there we had fish and chips at an Irish Pub overlooking the water. The ocean front promenade here has a nice selection of local and international restaurants, bars, coffee shops, cafes, and nightclubs. We enjoyed ourselves here on several occasions, one being my birthday. We celebrated my birthday dinner on the waterfront at a nice little Italian restaurant called Gusto Food & Wine Cucina Italiana. They had a nice wine room where the owner recommended different bottles of wine to go with the food. It was a great birthday dinner sitting over the water and watching a glorious sunset.

Another place we liked to eat is the famous Waterfront Seafood Night Market. Open from 5:00 pm to midnight every night, you can find almost any type of seafood you’ve ever dreamed about here. Each vendors stall offers a wide variety of fresh seafood and hawkers actively try to get you to come to their stall. Displayed on ice, you choose the type of fresh raw seafood you want. The array of seafood offered was amazing, and it was caught that day. If it’s not still alive, they show you the signs for freshness like clear eyes, red inside the gills, firm flesh, no smell. Then they bring you their menu so you can choose side dishes to go with it and they also recommend the best way to cook the seafood you’ve chosen.

We were then seated at a table to await our seafood feast! I chose a good sized white snapper, some of the biggest prawns I had ever seen, and some squid for a starter. For the sides I kept it simple choosing rice and sautéed morning glory, which is a lot like spinach. You are expected to haggle with them on the prices, but none of the seafood seemed overpriced to me. I always compare prices to what it would cost me back home in the U.S. This place is packed every night, so we had to wait a little bit for our order, which was fine, since we were seated at a table overlooking the water. We sipped our fresh coconuts while watching a beautiful sunset. The first to arrive was the squid, which was tender, tasty, done to perfection and soon gone. Then came the prawns and the white snapper. The prawns were like eating lobster, firm, sweet, and juicy! The grilled white snapper was exceptionally delicious. The morning glory was sautéed with garlic and chilis and delicious. We never got the rice, but that’s okay, I would not have been able to fit it in. An excellent seafood feast in a great location.

As usual, we look for good, cheap, local places to eat and we found a great place we liked for breakfast called Sri Latha Curry House. Our usual became the Roti Telur which is a roti bread with an egg cooked inside, with a side of curry sauce and black coffee. We even found a decent burger here at a place called Damn Good Burger. Another fav was the Aachi Curry House where we had dinner on several occasions. Their Fish Curry on banana leaf and Nasi Goreng were delicious. We both love the food in Malaysia and it seems that no matter where we go, we have a good meal. Malaysia is not a good place to start a diet, there are just to many tasty dishes!

One of the most popular gathering spots here is Tanjung Aru Beach. Known for being the best place to watch the sunset here in Kota Kinabalu, we had to check it out. We had been told that people start gathering for sunset at around 5:00 pm and if we wanted to avoid the traffic jam we should go a little earlier. Were they ever right, I could not believe the traffic! Luckily our Grab (like Uber) driver knew a short cut, through the airport parking lot no less, and we arrived with time to spare. I was expecting a very small and crowded beach, but I could not have been more wrong. There definitely were a lot of people here, but the beach was huge, both wide and long. The setting sun silhouetted the para-sails, jet skis, and hydrofoil surfers.

There was beach volleyball and soccer games going on, and families building sand castles and just a lot of fun in general. Besides the beautiful beach, activities, and sunset, the Tanjung Aru Beach Night Market is here as well. There was live music and many people dressed as cartoon characters wandering around. These characters seem to be popular every where we visit. The market is open nightly from 5:00 pm to midnight and you can find a wide variety of foods, crafts, and souvenirs here. Unfortunately, most of it was what I would classify as junk food, not really dinner fare. Although we did sample a few things that were tasty. This place is so popular that when we booked a Grab to go back to our room, they had a designated pick-up spot, and a waiting line. It was a fun evening and I have to agree, it is a great place to see a breathtaking sunset.

Above, I mentioned my birthday dinner. For the day of my birthday, Aaron booked a boat tour to a private island called Dinawan Island. It was fantastic. We went down to a dock on the river and caught a boat that took us out to sea. It was a beautiful day for boating, snorkeling, and chilling on a tropical island. After boarding the boat, they took us to a snorkeling spot that was rich with corals and tropical fish. The temperature of the water was perfect. I hadn’t snorkeled for a couple of years and I was very excited to get into the water. The tour guide told us what types of fish lived here and to be looking for them. I spotted all but one, the Black Tipped Reef Shark. They are very shy, non-aggressive, and not dangerous, but I would have liked to see one. After snorkeling, we set off for Dinawan Island. You can do tours that will take you to multiple islands in a day, but we chose the tour with just one island so we could take advantage of more snorkeling and additional activities. Dinawan Island is a small, private island and limits visitors to 20 a day. There are a few rooms to rent if you want to stay a night or two, but you can’t see them and they can’t see the day visitors section.

The island itself is absolutely stunning. The varying shades of turquoise water, fine white sandy beach, lush green tropical plant life. There was a huge school of fish surrounding the dock as we were crossing the bridge to the island. After being greeted with a cold juice, we did more snorkeling from the shore, some beach combing, and just relaxed. They served up a great lunch here that was included with the tour. After lunch we relaxed in the shade a bit and then did a little trip around the lagoon in a double kayak. After that we tried out our paddle boarding skills. I have done SUP in Mexico and Hawaii and I really like it, and I’m not bad at it either. When you get tired you can just sit down and paddle, which is really nice. Next, we went hiking around the island a little ways so Aaron could fly the drone. He got some really nice footage of the island, but when bringing the drone in to land, he got to close to the overhanging branch of a tree and the drone hit it and crashed into the ocean. I saw it happen and went into the water to retrieve the drone. Aaron was able to save the footage from the SD card, but a few minutes after being pulled out of the water, the drone began to smoke. Accidents happen, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Another example of this is we wanted to take our own snorkels and masks on our snorkeling trip so we walked down to the Bazaar on the waterfront. Filled with all sorts of shops and stalls, we found two snorkeling sets and bought them. That night we went to take them out of the package and discovered they were “youth” sized. I don’t know why neither of us noticed that when we were looking at them. We kept the snorkels, but the masks were way to tight. The boat tour furnished us with masks so it was all good in the end, but we were a little disappointed as we had intended to keep these for upcoming trips.

On Sunday morning we walked over to the Gaya Street Sunday Market. We have visited many street markets and fairs in different countries, some of them are way to big and crowded, but this one was just the right size. Starting at 6:00 am and going until noon, two streets are closed to traffic in the Gaya neighborhood for the vendors. Set up like a farmers market, one street was all beautiful fresh flowers, potted plants, and locally grown produce. The colors and variety of fresh vegetables were amazing, I would be shopping here every Sunday if I lived here. The second street was clothing, handicrafts, antiques, souvenirs, and tasty treats. We did have to stop and take shelter at one point because a fast moving storm came through and dropped some rain. It was over quickly and we went on browsing. While we were in this area we found a great little Chinese restaurant and had some lunch. After finishing up at the street market and having lunch we checked out a few shops in the area and then headed back as the dark rain clouds were building up again.

KK has a great museum that we spent several hours in. We always check out the museum where ever we happen to be. It is one of the best ways to learn about a places social and natural history and culture. The Sabah State Museum complex was huge. It not only contained the museum proper, it also had an ethnobotanic garden, zoo, heritage village, and the Sabah Art Gallery. The museum was impressive as it takes you through archeological collections from native tribes, even headhunters, up through contact and trade with other countries, through colonization to independence. They also have a great collection of traditional dress and musical instruments displayed. They had a very interesting display of an old Chinese ship wreck that had been found off the coast in the area. They had set it up under glass exactly as it had been found with all the Chinese porcelain and pottery ware sitting in sand as if were still on the bottom of the ocean. It was fascinating. The museum was hosting an exhibition of ancient painted Chinese screens that were absolutely stunning. The ethnobotanic garden and heritage village showing how their original stilt houses in the jungle had been built were also interesting. I can wander around a good museum for hours!

When visiting a Muslim country, or any country, I dress appropriately and am respectful of local social and religious observances. KK is a beach destination and definitely feels more laid back than some other Malaysian cities but, if you’re not at the beach you should be fully dressed to walk around town. That can be shorts and a tank top, but not your bathing suit. Kota Kinabalu was a place I had not expected to be going to, but I’m glad we did. It is so much more than just the jumping off place for a wildlife, diving, or snorkeling adventure. With friendly and welcoming people, it is a great little city to visit and spend a few days in.

OUR KOTA KINABALU VIDEO

Our adventure with wild orangutans.