A Tree Falling: Spring

Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026, Istanbul, European Side, Part II

Istanbul is an amazing city. We only scratched the surface in our few days there, and still experienced enough that Danelle called it the place on our entire trip that she would most want to return to.

The Grand Bazaar was a must. I expected something more out of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but got something a lot shinier. Like an American mall, but with tapestries and dried fruit.

Tea was on my must list, and Danelle got us several different kinds. I'm almost looking forward to my first cold so I can try the Eucalyptus Tea.

I'm not much of a fragrance guy, so as cool as these decanters look I didn't partake or purchase.

Lamps were on Danelle's wish list, and there were a number of beautiful options. One now graces her desk.

The Blue Mosque kept calling me back for another look. First at sunset from the roof our hotel...

...then before sunrise the next day, when the normally bustling grounds were all but deserted.

Blue Hour at the Blue Mosque? Yes, please.

The courtyard was beautifully lit up. Serious Arabian Nights vibes.

Back to the rooftop for one last shot with the polarizing filter on...

...and another with it off. Time for some breakfast, and then a trip to the Asian side of the city!

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Sunday, August 23, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Istanbul, European Side, Part I

Danelle and I ended our Eastern Europe trip with a short flight from Bucharest to Istanbul (not Constantinople). We booked three nights at a hotel in Old Town, so just a sampling as opposed to a deep dive. First up: the city's European side.

Our hotel was less than a five-minute walk from the city's ancient Roman Hippodrome which features the Obelisk of Theodosius, an ancient Egyptian obelisk originally carved in the 15th century BC and set up at the Temple of Karnak in Egypt. The pink granite pillar was transported to Alexandria in the 4th century, then brought to Constantinople in 390 AD by Theodosius I.

The Sphendone Remains are the only surviving remnants of the Hippodrome' original walls and arches.

Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Bordering the plaza is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque. Although we arrived shortly after it opened to the public for the day, crowds already filled the site to marvel at its domes and columns.

The mosque's interior features over 20,000 handmade blue İznik ceramic tiles, featuring flowers like tulips and lilies that cover the upper levels and glow blue in the natural light.

The structure features a grand central dome supported by four cascading semi-domes and large decorated pillars., with more than 200 small stained-glass windows at the base of the domes to filter natural light into the prayer hall.

The mosque's marble courtyard is a popular location for photos, for obvious reasons.

The historic Hagia Sophia is a unique mix of a 6th-century Byzantine dome, grand arches, and massive Islamic calligraphic roundels. Originally constructed as a Christian basilica between 532 and 537 under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, it was converted to a mosque following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

Southwest Vestibule Mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

The southwest vestibule exit gateway inside the Hagia Sophia features a 10th-century mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus flanked by Emperors Justinian I and Constantine the Great. I love that the Ottomans kept so many of the Christian elements; it's a rare conqueror who shows so much respect for the conquered.

The Basilica Cistern is a massive 6th-century underground water reservoir designed to hold up to 100,000 tons of water that was also built during the reign of Justinian I.

The space features 336 massive marble columns, and was very challenging to shoot in without a tripod. I'm not unhappy with the results, though.

Our tour guide took us to a rooftop restaurant to get this view of the Blue Mosque, and a seagull thoughtfully decided to add a little something special to the scene.

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Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Bran Castle & Brasov

When Danelle and I were initially planning our Eastern Europe trip, we decided against visiting Transylvania. It felt "too touristy." Then we realized that we were, in fact, tourists, and would likely not forgive ourselves if we didn't see the castle that inspired the novel Dracula. So off to Bran Castle we went!

Medusa Door Knocker, Bran Castle, Romania

The vibes were perfect right from the start, with this bronze door knocker featuring the face of Medusa surrounded by writhing snakes mounted on the entrance door to the castle.

Queen Marie Bedroom, Bran Castle, Romania

When the castle was converted into a summer royal residence in the 1920s, this room was designed for King Ferdinand I of Romania, husband to Queen Marie.

A "secret passage" takes you from the first to the third level of the castle. I don't think I even realized I'd pushed the shutter on my camera as Danelle walked up the stairs ahead of me. But the shot I got from it is appropriately creepy.

The castle's courtyard was a little too bright and cheery on this sunny spring day to really give Dracula vibes. I was impressed with how well restored and maintained the structure is, though.

From this angle, I can imagine how imposing the approach to the castle would be on a cold, moonlit night.

The 19th-century Bran Cross, extensively carved with old Cyrillic script, stands on the hillside meadow directly below the eastern shield wall of the castle.

After being favorably impressed with our time at the castle, we headed to the nearby city of Brasov. The city is home to the largest Gothic church in the country, known as the Black Church for damage the structure sustained during a 17th-century fire.

The church was built by the local Transylvanian Saxon community between 1385 and 1477. Its pulpit features a carved and painted wooden figure of Saint John.

The church's bronze baptismal font dates back to 1472.

This stone statue depicts Hermann Balk, a prominent 13th-century Teutonic Knight and the order's first master in Prussia.

This relief carving is part of the church's extensive Baroque woodwork. The scrollwork and central face represent typical woodcarving motifs brought to Transylvania by German-speaking Saxon masters.

Monument to Johannes Honterus, Black Church, Brasov, Romania

A bronze statue of the 16th-century humanist and reformer Johannes Honterus stands outside the church.

We had a delicious lunch a a cafe on the city's historic Council Square (Piața Sfatului). The Romanian-brewed Zăganu Imperial Russian Stout was especially good.

The Hollywood-style sign overlooking the city doesn't quite mesh with the imposing presence of the Black Church, but we still enjoyed this view of the city.

Despite some initial skepticism, our visit to Bran Castle and Brasov was totally worth the drive!

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Saturday, August 8, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Bucharest Old Town

I'm a sucker for the "old" part of any city. Even small towns in Colorado and Texas towns get in on the act with their "Old Main Streets." I like them best when they're full of quaint eateries and shops as opposed to boarded-up storefronts. Fortunately, Bucharest's version has much more of the former.

Our hotel was in the heart of Old Town, which meant that Danelle and I got to politely decline invitations from many eager restaurant hosts whenever we went out for a walk.

St. Nicholas Russian Church, Bucharest, Romania

Built in 1905, St. Nicholas Russian Church is known for its seven distinctive onion domes.

The church is locally recognized as the Students' Church due to its use by students and professors from the University of Bucharest.

The Victoria Passage (Pasajul Victoria), also known as the Umbrella Street of Bucharest, is a historic building with a pedestrian passage between Victory Avenue and Strada Academiei.

Instagram bait? Absolutely. Still striking and joyful? You bet!

We had our final breakfast at the Grand Café Van Gogh, then marveled at their commitment to the theme with their Starry Night-inspired staircase.

As Old Towns go, Bucharest's is an absolute delight!

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Friday, August 7, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Stavropoleos Church

Stavropoleos Church sits right in the heart of Bucharest's Old Town. Danelle and I were sitting at lunch, planning all the places we wanted to see, and then realized, "Oh, hey -- this one's right here."

The church is small, and surrounded by fairly unassuming buildings so that it almost escapes notice. But stepping inside takes your breath away.

The church was built in 1724, demolished by a series of earthquakes in the late 19th century, then rebuilt and restored.

Hand-painted frescoes on the ceiling depict Biblical scenes centered around the Virgin Mary and Jesus.

Interestingly, some parts of the interior were off limits to photographs, as this lady communicated to me with a shake of her head when I pointed to something I hoped to shoot.

The monastery's courtyard acts as an open-air museum, displaying various 18th-century crosses and architectural fragments.

This particular tombstone features an inscription written in the Church Slavonic language, developed by Saints (and brothers) Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century.

A very promising first stop on our self-guided walking tour of Bucharest's Old Town!

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Friday, July 31, 2026

Eastern Europe 2026: Comana Monastery

After finishing our Lower Daube cruise, we planned a few additional days in Romania. Our first stop was the Comana Monastery.

Danelle found this interesting stop between Giurgiu and Bucharest, originally built in the late 15th century by the legendary Vlad the Impaler.

Vlad was killed on a battlefield near the monastery, so it's speculated that his body may have been buried here.

I enjoyed seeing monks quietly going about their business while we tourists wandered around and gawked.

A headless body which could be that of Vlad Tepes was discovered on the property during archaeological work in the 1970s, but it's unknown if it's actually him. I'm not sure if DNA testing has been done to try and reach a greater degree of certainty one way or another.

Speaking of unidentified remains, this pit was somewhat jarring to stumble upon. It houses the remains of over 750 Romanian, German, Bulgarian, and Turkish soldiers who died on the nearby Argeș-Neajlov front in December 1916 during World War I.

The monastery has been restored repeatedly over the centuries, and is in pretty pristine condition today.

I like the juxtaposition of vibrant life and withered death here. Like the Biblical parable of the seeds that fall on fertile ground versus those that don't.

Headstones and crosses around the monastery also serve to memorialize soldiers who died fighting in the area.

An engaging place, and a fine stop on our drive!

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