Flavors of Istanbul

I have more to share on Istanbul however here are a few photos of the people of Istanbul.


                                         Boys having fun enticing my to take their photo.
                                         I should have known they wanted money.

                                       
                                         Young man  carting his goods however stopped long
                                         to pose willingly for photo

                                           Turkish women and gentleman eating at the fish market
                                           water.

Boat along the water at the fish market

At a large family party for a birth of infant
Food, music and dancing

Party food

Party People. The two ladies with the kerchiefs were delighted to pose
and introduce me to other family members.

Man carting food to place of business
There were many different kinds of carts

                                          Another type of cart for hauling food.

Many stands throughout Istanbul with different types of street food
Roasted chestnuts, pretzels, roasted corn. All very good.

And lastly the Sunset from the bar on the top floor of the Maramures Hotel.
Beautiful view and sunset.

Bucovina-The Painted Monasteries

Among the most picturesque treasures of Romania are the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina. Visiting the Monasteries is an unforgettable experience and to best appreciate paintings it is best to hire a guide.

It is evident that the painters who created the frescos had a deep spiritual connection.
The purpose of the frescos was to make the story of the Bible and the lives of the most important
Orthodox saints known to villagers by the use of icons.

The painted exterior walls are decorated with 15th and 16th century frescoes featuring portraits of saints and prophets, scenes from the life of Jesus, images of angels and demons, and heaven and hell and represent complete cycles of religious murals.
They were listed in 1993 by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.

There are five main monasteries: Humor,Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita and Arbore.

The Voroneț Monastery is a medieval monastery in the town Gura Humorului and is the most famous. The monastery was constructed by Stephen the Great in 1488 over a period of 3 months and 3 weeks to commemorate the victory at Battle of Vaslui.

The legend of the origin of the church unites two men central to Romanian history: the founder of the monastery, Stephen the Great, and Saint Daniil the Hermit, the first abbot of the monastery who is buried in the monastery.

Humor monastery is located 25 miles from suceava. The monastery is now a small convent, served by nuns. The subjects of the frescoes include the Siege of Constantinople and the Last Judgement.

Sucevita Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox convent situated in the Northeastern part of Romania. The architecture contains both Byzantine and Gothic elements. Both interior and exterior walls depict biblical episodes from the Old and New Testament. The paintings date from around 1601.

Arbore is best known for its church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It is located in Suceava County, Romania

The Dragomirna Monastery was built during the first three decades of the 17th century.
 It is the tallest medieval monastery in Bucovina and renowned in Orthodox architecture for its unique proportions and intricate details, mostly carved into stone. It lies among forested hills of fir and oak.

The church is built mostly of raw, unpolished stone, except for the pillars. At the windows, Gothic-style frets have intersected bars. Under the cornice, there are two bands of friezed arcatures. The church is encircled with a stone belt of three alternately woven bands. This belt, a symbol of the Holy Trinity, also contains  message from the bishop, who lived to see the union of the Romanian-speaking peoples

Pension Dining Area

My tour of the monasteries took 8 hours one day and 1/2 day the following day. I stayed in Suceava for two nights and Gura Humorului for two nights.
Public transportation is limited. It is best to rent a car or hire a guide. I used a taxi in Gura Humorului which was 40 USD. The cab driver provided information on the Romanian Orthodox religion.

Accommodations
Pension Leagunal Bucovinei
Bd. Sofia Vicoveanca Nr. 18
Suceava, Romania
I booked through Booking.com
Lovely pension with dining area and home cooked meals which were very good.
The host conducts tours of the monasteries and is very knowledgeable. Although the owners do not speak English language was not a mojor issue. An interpreter is used for the tours.

Best Western in Gura Humorului which is a standard hotel but is not far from the train station and has a lovely view over the town

Traveling

I am at the end of my 6 month travel journey, I will return to the United States on June 7. The last weeks have been rather hectic enjoying city life with a few side trips. Thus, I have not posted In a while. Upon my return, I will update my blog with additional adventures. The journey was filled with many adventures, new friends, different cultures and learning experiences. As with all things in life, there have been challenges coupled with WOW moments and surreal moments that were impossible to capture by photo. Those surreal moments will be indelibly carved in my mind.
The moments that most stand out are: the Council Square in Brasov, Romania at dusk observing the interaction of people with the Black Church in the background;
a Basilica in Bucovina where I kept returning to a painting that no words can describe except to say the artist was very spiritual and had a profound faith. The beautiful scene overlooking the harbor at the restaurant in Princes's Island, Turkey.  The Rooftop bar overlooking Istanbul. The views of Montserrett in Spain.

I have visited 8 countries and have written about only three. Over the coming weeks I will be writing about each of the places I have visited. I hope you enjoy the stories and photos.

No doubt that embarking upon a solo travel journey you learn to have more confidence in yourself and always to trust your instincts. It is not difficult to adapt to the cultural differences and local customs. A certain amount of travel fatigue occurs in planning routes and making travel arrangements without having another person to help. During those times be good to yourself. Taking the time to rest and replenish oneself is important. My last day in Istanbul, I went out without my camera, lingered with a cafe latte, went to the Turkish bath, had tea with my host and family finishingthe day on the rooftop of the Maramures Hotel for a beautiful sunset overlooking Istanbul.

I have liked each place I visited for different reasons. Each has a unique ambience.
It is with mixed emotions that I return however I know my travels will not end.

Thanks for following with me!

Romania-Sibui

Sibui is definitely worth more than a few days. There are several museums including: a history museum, ethnography museum and the Brukenthal museum which is one of the most important art museums in Europe. Sibui is the largest of the seven walled citadels built in the 12th century by German settlers. Nearby there are a string of 18 villages rich in architecture, history and heritage. I spent two nights and only had time to explore the exterior of the Medieval village, one of the churches and the Brukenthal museum.

Sections of the medieval wall still guard the historic area where narrow streets pass steep roofed 17th century buildings opening into church dominated squares. The large square has been designated a architectural monument by UNESCO.

Transylvania-Sighisoara

A Unesco World Heritage Site is a 15th century medieval town with nine towers, cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornate churches.

Every year in July, Sighisoara hosts the Festival of Medieval Arts and Crafts which recreates the medieval atmosphere of the town. 

The Cidadel which is the UNESCO Site can be seen in about 4 hours. I suggest staying one night and then travel to Sibui and spend at least 2 nights there.

I stayed at Villa Franka on Decembre NR 1 which is across the street from the path to the citadel. It is an 1894 Villa, very comfortable with an excellent breakfast with homemade jams. Staff are very helpful.

Sites to see are: the Church on the Hill with 500 year old frescos, the Church of the Dominican monastery known for its carved altarpiece, baroque painted pulpit and it's 17th century organ and the 14th century Clock Tower (this tower controlled the main gate of the half mile long defensive wall). The Clock Tower houses the Museum of History which holds a medieval pharmacy from 1670, fine arts and a collection of clocks. There is a walk up creaking, winding staircase with views of the red-tiled roofs of the Old Town.

Walkway to CitadeL

Burgher Houses

The large Basilica along the river with view from Citadel

Stairs to Organ in Church

Church on the Hill Built in the beginning of the 13th Century. Beautiful medieval altar pieces, wall paintings and sculptures.

Clock Tower

Close up of Clock Tower

Clock Tower from the top

The Wall surrounding the Citadel

Transylvania-Brasov

Transylvania has numerous medieval towns, spas, quaint villages and historic attractions. The region is also home to villages, churches and fortifications founded by Saxons between the 13th and 15th centuries. 

First stop in Transylvania is Brasov which is surrounded br Carpathian Mountains. Brasov is definitely a storybook town with narrow cobblestone streets to stroll. The city was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 and settled by the Saxons. Fortifications were erected around the city with several towers maintained by different craft guilds, according to medieval custom. 

I was there for 3 nights but could easily have stayed longer as there is much to do in the surrounding area.

I rented an apartment from Select City Center apartments which was across the street from the Council Square where people gathered to walk, sit by the fountain or eat and drink at one of the cafés. The apartment was lovely, spacious and updated and very well appointed.

Train ride from Bucharest to Brasov

Street in Brasov

Council Square-beautiful place to linger in the evening.

This s the view of the cafe where I enjoyed a glass of wine, the view and the people.

View from the Square. The Church is the Black Church-the largest Gothic church east of Vienna so named because of its dark walls which survived a devastating fire in 1689. Unfortunately it was not open the days I was there.

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View of the Black Church from the rear.

Statue Black Church

Clock tower Black Church

Polana Ski Resort-12 km. from Brasov. 30 minutes bus ride.

Beautiful mountain area with restaurants, lodges and hotels, walking paths.

Very quiet this time of year.

Walked to the Fortress which sits high above Brasov. It is quiets a hike, all uphill.

I used all the muscles to reach the top. Beautiful vistas overlooking Brasov.

View on the way up.

The last leg to the Fortress.

Romanian Restaurant. Excellent food and good prices.

Charming view of a complex in Brasov

St. Nicholas Church. Beautiful area with garden, cemetery and area with benches.

There are several carvings along the wall outside the church

Just one of the story book images.

Enjoy!