My first experience in Old Town, Warsaw, Poland was a couple of years ago on a frozen, sleeting, icy Christmas Eve. The lights, the hot mulled wine, and the desserts made the trip all the more worthwhile.
The Royal Castle, plac Zamkowy, Old Town, Warsaw
Old Town dates back to the 13th century. It was totally destroyed in World War II and later rebuilt to faithfully replicate the original structures.
Christmas fantasy lights cheer up the folks at the bus stopPresidential PalaceMy favorite place for espresso and pastryCafe BaguetteOld Town Market Square with Mermaid Statue
The Mermaid Statue is a very important symbol in Warsaw.
“According to legend, a mermaid swimming in from the sea stopped on the riverbank near the Old Town to rest. She found the place so admirable that she decided to stay. Local fishermen living nearby noticed that something was creating waves, tangling nets, and releasing their fish. Although their original intention was to trap the offender, they fell in love with the mermaid upon hearing her sing. Later, a rich merchant trapped the siren and imprisoned her in a wooden hut. A young fisherman heard the mermaid’s cry and with the help of his mates, released her, whereupon she declared her readiness to offer fishermen her help whenever it would be needed. Ever since, the mermaid, armed with sword and shield, has been ready to help protect the city and its residents.” warsawtour.pl
The preferred method to stay warm is drinking hot mulled wine which helps you stop feeling the cold (or anything else)!
Hot mulled wine with orange slicesSome accordion music to cheer you upChristmas desserts and rollsGive your feet a break!Warming up insideBlueberry pierogis
“The Bay of Fundy (French: Baie de Fundy) is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine.
The Bay of Fundy is known for having the highest tidal range in the world. Rivaled by Ungava Bay in northern Quebec, King Sound in Western Australia, Gulf of Khambhat in India, and the Severn Estuary in the UK, it has one of the highest vertical tidal ranges in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records (1975) declared that Burntcoat Head, Nova Scotia has the highest tides in the world:
‘The Natural World, Greatest Tides: The greatest tides in the world occur in the Bay of Fundy…. Burnt coat Head in the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia, has the greatest mean spring range with 14.5 metres (47.5 feet) and an extreme range of 16.3 metres (53.5 feet).'” –Wikipedia
Located between New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia
It is difficult to grasp the incredible vertical change of water that occurs on average every six hours and thirteen minutes. At low tide you can literally walk out miles on the sand in some areas.
At Blomidon Provincial Park (http://www.novascotiaparks.ca/brochures/blomidon.pdf) north of Wolfville, one can see the clay sand flats and stunning red bluffs, which I even spotted from the airplane when we departed from Halifax!
Red flats at Blomidon Provincial ParkView to the southeastHow far out would you go?600 foot clay/sand cliffsView from the Lookoff on Gospel Woods Road
While at the lookoff, stop in for snacks and refreshments at the Look-Off Full Menu Restaurant across the street. They have great ice cream!
In some ways, life’s cycles are like the dramatic tide changes of the Bay of Fundy. You don’t know how far you’ve risen until you actually see how low you’ve been. Tide changes give you perspective.
Or to phrase it more eloquently: “Always believe something wonderful is going to happen. Even with all the ups and downs, never take a day for granted. Cherish the little things and hug the ones you love.” –Anurag Prakash Ray
“The sour rye soup is a soup made of soured rye flour (akin to sourdough) and meat (usually boiled pork sausage or pieces of smoked sausage, bacon or ham). It is specific to the cuisines of Poland and Belarus, where it is known as żur or żurek (diminutive). A variant made with wheat flour instead of rye is known in Poland as barszcz biały (“white borscht”). In Poland it is sometimes served in an edible bowl.” Wikipedia
Inside there are two hard-boiled eggs and several slices of white sausage. Of course, the rye bread is part of the meal!
Perfect for a cold night!
Usually, however, zurek is served in a bowl, but has the same effect on my palate. It is a comforting, hearty meal that makes me feel like I’m back in my mother’s kitchen!
view of Bosphorus from terrace restaurant at Anadolu Kavagi
“Turkish tea, called çay (pronounced Chai), is black tea which is consumed without milk, is produced on the eastern Black Sea coast, which has a mild climate with high precipitation and fertile soil. Turkish tea is typically prepared using two stacked kettles (çaydanlık) specially designed for tea preparation. Water is brought to a boil in the larger lower kettle and then some of the water is used to fill the smaller kettle on top and steep (brew) several spoons of loose tea leaves, producing a very strong tea. When served, the remaining water is used to dilute the tea on an individual basis, giving each consumer the choice between strong (Turkish: koyu; literally “dark”, tavşan kanı (literally: rabbit’s blood) — a deep brownish red or weak (Turkish: açık; literally “light”). Tea is drunk from small glasses to enjoy it hot in addition to showing its colour, with cubes of (Turkish: kesme şeker) beet sugar.” Wikipedia
Single servings of tea generally cost 2 TL (1 USD). Tea service for two or more people goes for 8 TL.
tea service at terrace restaurant near Topkapi Palace
This tea is delicious and I enjoyed a beautiful view of the Bosphorus Strait while getting a nice caffeine buzz. The terrace restaurants sit on the northeastern hill down from Topkapi Palace. You can find the restaurants by walking to northeastern part of Gulhane Park and turn right by the gate and go up hill. There are several restaurants to choose from. All have great views!
view of Bosphorus while enjoying several cups of tea
I would highly recommend sharing the large tea service with someone. It’s strong enough to give you tea jitters.
There is an even better view from Konyali Restaurant, but that is only accessible by entering the Topkapi Palace museum. It is closed on Mondays! http://www.konyalilokantasi.com
zakopianski (fried goat cheese with cranberry sauce)
In southern Poland’s Tatra Mountains in the city in Zakopane, one can taste smokey fried goat cheese with a cranberry sauce topping. One serving of the small zakopianski costs 2 PLN (about 60 US cents) and is sold outdoors from carts all along Krupowki Street which is pedestrian only for several blocks.
One is not enough. Maybe you should have two, or three…
This event was started in 1988 to foster greater awareness of HIV and AIDS and the effort to put an end to the epidemic. About 34 million people worldwide have HIV. In the USA, it is estimated that 1.2 million persons are living with HIV and one-seventh of this group are unaware they have the virus.
I am glad that people can live full lives by using antiretroviral drugs (ART). This has become a manageable chronic disease as long as one adheres to the meds. While there still may be stigma for being positive, people living with HIV can carry on with their dreams and passions.
I am thankful to my dear friend Vineet for encouraging me to start a blog about journeys. We had just traveled to Istanbul where he ran the marathon which started in Asia and ended in Europe. Actually, I had wanted to start a blog many years ago, but needed a friendly nudge! But what kind of journey would I write about? We all have our journeys in life: emotional, mental, financial, physical, and yes, even travel away from our homes. When I was a teenager, I dreamt of traveling far from home to capture some adventure that I believed I was missing. Now, four decades later, I am still traveling, but not just physically. The journey within is a lot more challenging, but necessary and profound.
Inside The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
“Built in only seven years (1609-1616) by the architect Mehmet Aga, who also rebuilt Kaaba (the holiest shrine of Islam– the giant black cube at the center of the mosque in the holy city of Mecca). The locals call it the Sultan Ahmet Mosque for the ruler who financed it, but travelers know it as the Blue Mosque because of the rich blue color of the handmade ceramic tiles that dominate the interior.” Rick Steves
I am awed by the serenity I felt in this grand Islamic site of worship. Although I was raised in the Eastern Orthodox Church, I felt a connection with this place.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
epicrambler 