It has been over two months since I returned from abroad and I've been on a job search and not posting. Glad to be back!
Job searching is tedious and relentless. I need a break and have been thinking about the years I was in Europe and the different places I traveled and have wonderful it was to be living in another country and the places I've seen.
This list is hardly comprehensive and isn't in any particular order. I purposefully didn't choose main cities, but those unique to their country. If you have visited any of these cities I would love to hear from you and if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags now!
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| Local architecture - old and new together |
I first visited Levoča in the summer of 2012 and have been back four times since. An overused word is quaint and certainly there is a quaint-ness to the city, but it is much more than that, it is historic. Levoča is in the eastern part of Slovakia which is the center of the center of Europe. Founded in around 500 BC and a UNESCO World Culture Heritage site, Levoča brings the juxtoposition of old and new world together. Many of the historical buildings have been renovated by Slovaks and other European's looking to get away for quick weekends of peace and quiet. Levoča hosts yearly Indian Summer Music Festival bringing artists from all over central Europe for five days of historical and contemporary classical music. Here are the links for my previous postings and photos.
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| View of the Hohensalzburg fortress from the village below |
Coined the City of Salt, Salzburg was probably most notably the home of Mozart, and the location of the Sound of Music. Historically it was also the home of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, killed in Bosnia along with his wife, the Archduchess, which started the First World War.
From Vienna, take the train for a day trip or if your pocket book can afford it (mine could not) stay the night and take in the lake country around the city. It is home to The University of Salzburg (also called the Paris Lodron University) where studies are not only for the arts, but also medicine and the law.
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| Christmas morning - Market Square |
If you haven't seen the film, In Bruges, with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleason and Ralph Fiennes, be sure to download it. It was filmed in Bruges. I saw it a few years ago and after seeing the film definitely wanted to visit Bruges. I wasn't disappointed. This pocket book size medieval city was Europe's trade center and wealthiest until the 1500's. Unfortunately it fell into obscurity for almost 400 years. Then, in the late 19th century the lace cottage industry brought the city back from poverty. It was a wonderful way to spend Christmas morning 2012.
There is a canal that runs through town. If you get to Belgium make sure you make the trip to Bruges. It is a short train ride away and should not be missed!
Pamukkale means Cotton Castle and is located in Turkey. A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the Pamukkale terraces of white rock with thermal pools dot the mountainside some 400 meters above sea level. The natural spring is approximately 35 degree Celsius and the terraces are spread over a 4 km area. I walked out onto the terraces but it is strictly forbidden to wear any shoes. It was quite slippery and I almost took a tumble into one of the pools (what a klutz)! As you can imagine Pamukkale is quite a tourist area and although I was visiting pre-season, there were several people enjoying the water. When people visit Turkey they have a tendancy to only see Istanbul (quite wonderful) and Antalya (also spectacular). This is just one of many cities along the coast of Turkey that should be seen and enjoyed.
No doubt if you love to travel in Europe, visiting Tuscany is on the list. Sienna comes to mind along with the "virgin" hill cities of Pienza, Montepuiciano (made famous by the film, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Montalcino. These little hill cities are ones rarely visited and as such called, virgins. But make no mistake, there is a tourist flare to the area (Sting used to own a villa outside Montalcino). Their size may be small, but the area is still magnificent and grand. Why Pienza over the others? I don't know, except I felt right at home and just didn't want to leave. That's why it is one of the very few times I actually had someone take my picture. Normally I hate to have my picture taken. But in Pienza, I didn't mind.
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| Yes, I could live here |
So while I pine away in my job search, I will remember these unique places I've visited and long for the days of travel again.
As always comments and feedback are appreciated.
No doubt if you love to travel in Europe, visiting Tuscany is on the list. Sienna comes to mind along with the "virgin" hill cities of Pienza, Montepuiciano (made famous by the film, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Montalcino. These little hill cities are ones rarely visited and as such called, virgins. But make no mistake, there is a tourist flare to the area (Sting used to own a villa outside Montalcino). Their size may be small, but the area is still magnificent and grand. Why Pienza over the others? I don't know, except I felt right at home and just didn't want to leave. That's why it is one of the very few times I actually had someone take my picture. Normally I hate to have my picture taken. But in Pienza, I didn't mind.
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