greenhorn2000

[greenhorn2000]

IMG_9043eu on Flickr.

Shop window horror! Budapest, Hungary.

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IMG_9017e on Flickr.

That magic moment when the orchestra is tuning... Budapest Opera House

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IMG_8837e on Flickr.

We always make a point to use public transportation extensively wherever we go; it brings you into the pulse of the city. Budapest's Tram 2 has the added bonus of bringing you along the Danube for a spectacular ride. In fact, National Geographic named it one of the world's top 10 trolley rides: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/trolley-rides/#page=2

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IMG_8883eu on Flickr.

Budapest, Hungary. The Shoes. "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross Militiamen. 1944-1945."

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Harran: tilt-shift on Flickr.

Harran is an ancient village, thousands of years old, near Urfa, Turkey. It is mentioned in the Bible as a place where Abraham lived for a time.  We tend to shy away from hiring guides off the street, but this town is known for aggressive gangs of children, so we hired a man upon arrival.  Hiring someone offered us a more intimate look into the village, and he kept the children away as well!  He explained village life, took us into one of the beehive houses, and rambled all over the town with us.  It was a great experience.

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hand knocker on Flickr.

Cuenca, Spain

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IMG_7476 b and w on Flickr.

Petra, Jordan

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IMG_7445 on Flickr.

I never travel without a journal. I don't like the idea of travel as simply consumption. I want to produce something. The memory is preserved much more powerfully.  This is my Sri Lanka journal, perched atop my belly while I lounged on a long stretch of empty beach.

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We did a homestay in Yuvacali, Turkey with http://nomadtoursturkey.com/yuvacali.php. The Kurdish family we stayed with was absolutely lovely and hospitable, and introduced us to a different way of life in Turkey. We ate with them in the traditional way, on the floor; we slept on the floor with a wood stove for warmth; we played with the kids.  Homestays are always an invaluable experience for a traveler, and the memory stay with you far longer than your average hotel or hostel experience.  You come away with new eyes.

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IMG_8694e2 on Flickr.

church in Budapest (Buda side)

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IMG_8697e on Flickr.

mailbox on the Buda side of Budapest

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"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad

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our lonely planets on Flickr.

My old collection of Lonely Planets in Dubai. I had to ditch all of them when I finally left the country. I don't use them as travel bibles, but they are a useful springboard for getting started in a new place. I have tried the Rough Guide, and I just don't find it user-friendly. The Eyewitness Guides are eye candy, and may be a good supplement to a tour, but they are useless when it comes to planning independent travel. I do like Rick Steves' guidebooks just because they are a relatively unknown alternative and because they are so personal. However, they are still not comprehensive enough to rely on like the Lonely Planet, and the maps look like something drawn hastily on a napkin. Anyway, the Lonely Planets have their faults (such as too much exposure and perhaps too much opinion), but to me they are still the best intro to a new destination.

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she walked into my photo, and started speaking a giggly stream of hindi. she wanted her photo taken. on Flickr.

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sand mermaid on Flickr.

This picture is one my husband took of me in Morocco.

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cool blue on Flickr.  Chefchaouen, Morocco

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santorini tilt-shift on Flickr.