Not sure why, but I feel compelled to take photos of practically every new flower I see on my travels. Here are some blooms we noticed during our Switzerland adventures. (I asked PlantNet what they probably are.) Beautiful garden in Mürren Garden lupine Lupinus polyphyllus High up on the peak of the Schilthorn, these grow and bloom on the rocky mountainside. Glacier buttercup Ranunculus glacialis More glacier buttercups, along with the light purple Round-leaved Pennycress Noccaea Rotundifolia Hiking along at lower elevations on the way to Murren, we saw a lot of what looked like grasses. Bladder Campion Silenus vulgaris Hairy Alpenrose Rhododendron hirsutum Round-leaf Saxifrage Saxifraga Rotundifolia My pic above, PlantNet verdict below Golden Hawk's-beard Crepis aurea I didn't take my own picture of this - at least not on our hike to Murren - but loved seeing th...
Day 1: Welcome to Turkey Sat, Apr 25, 2026 In the morning, I set out on my own to go to the Cisterna Basilica. It is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. This one was built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian I to provide water to the Great Palace of Constantinople. We meet our group at 1 p.m. at our hotel in Istanbul's historic center. Shortly after, we'll take an orientation walk and visit the exquisite 400-year old Blue Mosque, named for its brightly colored tiles. Then we'll tour one of the world's great treasures: Hagia Sophia, for 1,000 years the grandest domed structure on Earth. Then we walk to the Grand Bazaar for some orientation a free time in a crazy busy maze like shopping area that use to be part of the sil road. I found a quiet coffee house and rested. We'll end our day getting acquainted with one another over dinner at a local restaurant Nergis Galata, which...
DAY 2 Exploring Istanbul Sunday, April 26, 2026 “We'll explore Istanbul's more recent past and present today, beginning with the Istanbul's opulent Topkapı Palace. Next, we're off to the New District's pedestrian-friendly Istiklal Street with its Art Nouveau facades, restaurants, and trendy boutiques and free time for lunch on your own. Finish up with a scenic cruise of the Bosphorus strait and its panorama of grand palaces, colorful neighborhoods, and bustling waterfront activity.” As an add on at the end of the day, myself and 3 other tour members hopped on a crowded city bus and took it out of the main city to go see a surviving example of Byzantine mosaics in a place called Kariye Camii. It was originally a church called St savior in Chora, (originally built in the early 4th century, extensively remodeled with the mosaics in 1315-1321) but today it functions as a mosque-museum. The mosaics tell the stories of Mary and Jesus, as believed by the Byzantines....
Hi! Hope comments are OK, but let me know. Looking forward to following your adventures!
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm using Chrome and this is working. Blogger must like me :) I wish I could add a picture to a comment but nooooo...
ReplyDeleteSafe travels ladies!
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