While strolling through the old town we came across some sights like the clock tower, some more or less outstanding mosques and the great 'Hadrian's Gate'. What interested us the most was the little mosque of the broken minaret. Wikipedia tells: The Kesik Minare Cami (Broken Minaret Mosque) ... was originally built as a Roman temple in the 2nd century AD. In the 7th century, it was converted into a Byzantine church in honor of the Virgin Mary, but it was heavily damaged in the 7th century during the Arab invasions. In the 9th century it was repaired again. The minaret was added in the early 13th century when the Sultanate of Rum established their rule in Antalya and converted the church into a mosque...
The 'Amir Chaqmaq complex', captured by night and by day. Next to the complex with a pond and kind of a park there is a dome surrounded by 5 old windcatchers (we already know them from the village Laft on Qeshm island). We figured out that underneath the dome is an old water cistern. The badgir served as water cooler back then when this kind of water system was in use. Once this system was outdated, the Yazis started using this particular cistern as a gym. Probably not like a gym you know 😂 After visiting the empty cistern (actually, we wanted to know more about the ancient water system, but down there we got barely any answers), we were told to come back in the evening to see the 'Zoorkhaneh' gym-show. We did so. At 8:30, with half an hour of delay, it started. The men, wearing special trousers with ornamental patterns, did theire warm-up, together in a circle, accompanied with live music, singing, and drumming. After almost one hour finally they started to swing the wooden clubs called "meels". We expected this part to be the main event, and since it was already very late, we left at one point. Yea... what a tourist trap... 😅 It's not very visible in the photos, wait until our video is out 😉
On Organicmaps, we stumbled upon a sign for an attraction that claimed "stairs to the roof." We didn't trust that it would be remarkable, but it had to be checked out. In the middle of a bazaar, we turned into a stair hall and took the rusty stairs up until we really reached the roof. Wooow! This made my day! It was fantastic. The feeling while walking upstairs like it was the most normal thing, discovering a secret spot, the fact that nobody else was there, and the breathtaking view, so cool and really unforgettable! Even the snow-covered mountains visible on the horizon amazed me.
Motorcycle season 2024 has started yesterday! 15°C was just right temperature to get out from home (photo 1 LOL), get the right machine out of the garage (photo 2 LOL) and go for a 370 km ride to see Lubuskie region in the western Poland: Słońsk town for example (photo 3 and 4). In next post You will see the beautiful region of Warta River Estuary National Park - where huge flooded areas are beautiful location for birds sightseeing. #photography#landscape#motorcyclelife#outdoor#sightseeing#tourism#Poland#fuji#fujifilm
3 free museums in Madrid: Metro museums
Rather by chance, I came across 3 free activities in Madrid that are not just a great day out for railway fans. Who can claim to have visited a ghost station in the Madrid Metro Museum…
All three museums are completely free of charge - but you have to register in advance via a website. #sightseeing#museum
So, fine denizens of Mastodon who might be familiar with Glasgow... What might a southwestern USA, normally-surrounded-by-cactus-person do while visiting that part of the world in summer? (other than the work stuff they're supposed to do, of course)
Unsere Autorin @AnjaWeinberger liebt Frankreich. Sie reist kreuz und quer durch das Land und bringt immer interessante Geschichten mit. So wie diese über #Reims.
I wrote about our plans for a #summer#vacation to #Greece without airtravel a while ago. I'd said I wanted to put my money and effort where my mouth is.
Now I wanted to add a follow-up, but the original post is already gone. My fault for setting auto-deletion to 3 months.
Two adults and two children travelled from #Vienna 🇦🇹 to #Corfu 🇬🇷 and back via #Italy 🇮🇹 , with some sightseeing in #Ancona, Corfu Town, #Brindisi, and #Rome without using any cars or airplanes. I had bought additional travel insurance for missed connections, but we didn't need that.
Itinerary: Tram, #Nightjet sleeper, bus, #ferry, bus, bus, (hotel stay with occasional outings by bus), bus, bus, ferry, shuttle bus, bus, (hotel), #Frecciargento train, (hotel, metro and bus for #sightseeing), #Frecciarossa train, Nightjet sleeper, metro. (Busses means regular public transit busses on numbered lines that the locals also take.)
Every single vehicle everywhere had working air condition. They were clean and on time, and all the longer trips had tasty food. There's power outlets everywhere. The Frecciarossa (red arrow) between Rome and #Bologna only got to 250 km/h, not the 300 we were hoping to see, but that was the only slightest disappointment.
The ferries are not at all climate-friendly. I have not found a number for how much #CO² for a crossing, but they are similar to cruise ships. The trips are far shorter than cruises of course, but we see and smell the black smoke from the stacks. It's wrong to feel smug about taking a ferry instead of an airplane. All the busses had #combustion engines. All the trains/metros/trams were #electric, so that depends on the grid. The Austrian ÖBB prides itself on using only "green" #electricity.
We enjoyed the trip very much. I am unsure about any future travel. I would totally do this again in terms of comfort and experiences. But my goals for how much I hope to not pollute and damage the world for my pleasure have changed. I have no answers right now.