sojourner's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member sojourner on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/sojourner en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:12:57 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com Greece... in the middle of Turkey? — Kastellórizo, Dodecanese, Greece http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1250572186/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1250572186/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1250572186/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:12:57 -0500 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Kastellórizo, Dodecanese, Greece

This is the furthest point East of Greece.
]]> Η Αθήνη — Athens, Attica, Greece http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/1981/1244421210/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/1981/1244421210/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/1981/1244421210/tpod.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:47:00 -0500 A Periodos of Greece
Athens, Attica, Greece

I'm back in Athens... the heat feels so nice! I am off to find my flat.
]]> Elafonisi - Star-Gazing — Elafonisi, Greece http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1183906920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1183906920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1183906920/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:56:13 -0500 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Elafonisi, Greece

Athena and I boarded the ferry from Paleohora to Elafonisi and witnessed some of the best scenery in Crete, along its southern shore. We arrived in Elafonisi and went to the beach; the best sand beach on Crete and one of the best in Greece, the beach was amazing! Later that nignt, Athena and I went star gazing as there is no town or light pollution to spoil the night sky. We were the only two souls lying on beach chairs starring up at the sky, talking and marvelling at all the stars.
]]> Europe or Asia? — Baku, Azerbaijan http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1185723840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1185723840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1185723840/tpod.html Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:22:13 -0500 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Baku, Azerbaijan

Is Baku part of Europe or Asia? On the map it has always appeared to me to be part of Asia but being here tells another story. It looks and feels much more European than Asian. Gazing upon the Caspian Sea, I realise that I traveled from sea to sea, from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. I learned that Baku is 27.5 meters below sea level.

Taking a journey south of the capital, Baku, and off the Absheron peninsula, we journeyed to Qobustan. The mud vulcanoes were worth the trip but the highlight was going to see the petroglyphs and the eastern-most Latin/Roman inscription (which was barely visible). Returning to Baku, we stopped at a beach on the Caspian Sea. From the beach, one could see five oil rigs and one was so close to the beach! The signs prohibit swimming but, being a beach, many were swimming anyway!

The next day, we visited a Zoroastrian Fire temple as well as the "Burning Hill." The hill is literally burning from the natural gas emitted from the ground! The journey to get there was something else; oil derricks everywhere like I have never seen before; so many and so concentrated.
]]> Vardavar - The Festival of Water — Yerevan, Armenia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1184509260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1184509260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1184509260/tpod.html Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:15:51 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Yerevan, Armenia

This morning Mt. Ararat was shrouded in cloud. First up today is a visit to Zvartknots monastery which is in ruins. Armenian churhes have a circular shell with the crucifix design/shape inside the circle. Then it was onto Hripsime monastery to see the church and to visit the crypt which contained the grave of St. Hripsime who was buried in the 300s AD. Finally it was on to ultimate destination of the day, Echmiadzin. Echmiadzin usually holds the relic of the spear that pierced Christ's side but notthis year as it is on display at the Louvre in Paris. Arriving in time to experience the Armenian Orthodox mass, there was a procession of priests, monks, bishops, archbishops, a visiting Catholic cardinal, and the Catholicos. The Catholicos is the head of the Armenian Orthodox church and he walked within armslength of me while Tom went right up to him and received a blessing! Imagine getting this close to the Pope!

After the ceremony, we went to the Armenian Genecide museum and its monument which contains an eternal flame. Needless to say, it was a very moving experience.

It was back to Yerevan for the afternoon where I visited the Vernissage market. I find that markets are an interesting place to observe culture; everything was for sale: car parts, home plumbing, surgery equipement (in case you want to sell your organs I suppose), musical inctruments, and everything in between.

Afterwards, the children and teenagers were out in full force to celebrate Vardavar, the festivalof water. This festival entails people "sprinkling" others with water. Well, the term sprinkling was used quite loosely and Yerevan definately did not have a water shortage! Groups of kids would swarm you from all sides and dunp buckets of water on you; store owners would spray you with their hose as they cleaned the sidewalk infront of their stores; teenagers would drive around in SUVs standing through the sunroof with super-soakersin hand and do drive-by sprayings! I was soaked completely!

The MFA of Iran finally got back to me. I submitted my paperwork four months ago to acquire a visa to enter Iran. The MFA approved my visa but, as it took them so long to get back to me, I had just bought my plane ticket from Baku to Athens five days ago!! I guess Iran is not in the cards this time.
]]> Pergamum and Troy — Canakkale, Turkey http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187880840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187880840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187880840/tpod.html Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:53:59 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Canakkale, Turkey

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]]> Aphrodisias, the Artemeseion, and Ephesus — Selcuk, Turkey http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053520/tpod.html Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:45:20 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Selcuk, Turkey

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]]> Sunset walk on the terraces of Pamukkale — Pamukkale, Turkey http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187621400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187621400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187621400/tpod.html Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:28:25 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Pamukkale, Turkey

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]]> Ancient site of Caunos — Daylan, Turkey http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1188053280/tpod.html Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:23:39 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Daylan, Turkey

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]]> Sailing, swimming, and the beach — Kas, Turkey http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187361960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187361960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sojourner/caucasus-2007/1187361960/tpod.html Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:21:54 -0400 From Sea to Sea: A Trans-Caucasus adventure.
Kas, Turkey

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