SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - GOA

This week's 'hot spot' is none other than Goa, India. Despite being the smallest state in India, it is favoured by many for its beach life, blend of Indian and Portuguese history, pilgrims and lifestyle suited to expats from around the globe. Located on India's west coast, near the Arabian Sea, this tropical haven beckons. 



Aaahhh... the perfect spot to relax and unwind.

Photo credit: Flickr - Aaron Geddes

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - COLOGNE CATHEDRAL, GERMANY

My first trip to Europe was with my dear friend Izabela. After spending three weeks in England I met up with her in Amsterdam. That began our super fast fun 3.5 week tour of The Continent. One of our stops was in city of Cologne (Koln), Germany. The hostel we stayed in was on one side of The Rhine River and we crossed a bridge twice daily. One our way to the city centre we would amble past the stately gothic Cologne Cathedral. This stunning building that took centuries to build looms along the Rhine and is a source of pride for its cities inhabitants. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the most visited sites in all of Germany. 

Although I found the exterior intricate and stunning, it was the inside that wowed me. Ornate, elaborate and a bit foreboding I found myself looking skyward to its detailed ceilings, in awe of the art of its architecture. A small person in a giant world. 

Photo credit: Flickr - Sanjib Behera

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT: PIAZZA NAVONA

The city square was a central meeting place in ancient cities. Even in a more recent histories they have maintained that social aspect - a place for citizens to eat, drink, sing, dance, discuss and formulate ideas. In 15th century Rome, over its first stadium, Piazza Navona was built. Later, during his papacy, Pope Innocent X shaped it into a tribute for his family, who's palace faced the piazza. Restoration of both his family palace and the Sant'Agnese in Agone church along with the commissioning of Bernini's famous Fountain of Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi) boasted the baroque style of the time.  Additional fountains at either end of the piazza add to its architectural beauty. 

Today this stunning plaza remains a (pedestrian) gathering place filled with restaurants, cafes, artists and a place to share memories with family and friends 

Photo credit: Flickr - O Snail

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - GREAT WALL OF CHINA

One of the most well known man-made creations is the legendary Great Wall of China. Having a history that spans centuries, this fantastic wall runs 21,196km/13,171mi. The intention of the wall was to provide fortification from attacking invaders from the north. Today it not only retains a historical importance but an architectural one as well. 

This UNESCO Hertiage Site, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, owned by Severin Stadler

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - SARDINIA

Italy's Mediterranean island of Sardinia is a sought after destination for beach lovers and sun worshipers. In addition to it's warm summer weather it has a history that reaches back to 1500 B.C.E. It is one of the oldest pieces of land in Europe. It is now a semi-autonomous state of Italy.

Photo credit: Riviera VIP Services Blog

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - SALTA, ARGENTINA

Situated in the northwest of Argentina the city of Salta is perched at an elevation of 1152 m (3780 feet) above sea level. Historic colonial buildings with a Spanish influence date back several centuries. This is one of the main draws for tourism to the area. 



This amazing photograph is of the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco.

This photo is from Flickr and was taken and is owned by Domingo Leiva

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - BERLIN

Some structures remain the same over the years while other change, figuratively speaking. Today's city has one of those monuments.  Constructed between 1788 and 1791, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was originally erected as a city gate and represented peace. Years passed as did governments and rulers. Since then the gate has symbolized triumph, victory, militarism, division and now freedom and the re-unification of Berlin and Germany.

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate, which in was closed off in 1961 as part of the Berlin Wall that separated West Berlin from communist East Berlin was opened after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In 2001 the gate was renovated and restored to it's original glory.

This photo is from Wikimedia Commons. It was taken and is owned by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de 

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - TIMBUKTU

The use of  exaggeration in our vernacular carries some interest. In trying to make a point we often use words incorrectly: "I'm so far behind I'll have reports coming out my yin yang". Since when is "yin yang" a part of, well I don't know what? Or we combine words that express the magnitude of something: "It cost like, a bazillion dollars". That is not a number. Then there is the reference to some imaginary far off place: "That's across town. It's like going from here to Timbuktu".  So where would this hypothetical place be anyways? But there IS a place called Timbuktu! And that is locale for today's photos.

Timbuktu is a city in the West African country of Mali, situated on the edge of the Sahara Desert, north of the Niger River. Maintaining a permanent settlement in the 12th century, Timbuktu has seen its share of prosperity, empires, wars, educational affluence, colonialism, and independence. Despite its storied past, sadly Timbuktu is one of the poorest areas in the world. 

Today I am posting two photos since I could not choose between them. The photographer is very skilled and I recommend that you follow the credits link below or click the photos themselves to see some of his fabulous work. This is not a referral or anything like that, I just really like his photos and hope you do as well.

This is a view of Timbuktu near its market.

This is Sankore Mosque/Madrasah, one of three such ancient centres of learning and their designated mosques found in Timbuktu.

Recently, the city has seen more turmoil and pain with rebellions and a military coup. These events have damaged parts this UNESCO World Heritage Site and even worse, has had human casualties. 

Both photos are from Flickr and are owned and copyrighted by rajarajaraja

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - TIBET

I apologize for not posting a picture last Sunday. I was otherwise engaged and time got away from me. I do hope that this week's photo will make up for it.

Many a castle, palace and other remarkable architecture, especially those long-standing ones, I find to be of great visual interest. In the not-so-distant future, I will make a pilgrimage to many of those well-worn sites and observe them with my own eyes; admiring the colours, textures, lines and beauty they exude. For now, I hope, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

Potola Palace, found in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China sits majestically upon Marpo Ri ("The Red Hill").  A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Potola Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama from the 7th century until 1959, when the current Dalai Lama fled after an ineffective uprising.



Built strong and fortress-like, Potola Palace houses over 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 thousand statues.  During the Cultural Revolution of China (1966 - 77) much of the palace was, sadly, vandalized and  looted by Chinese soldiers. Today, the Chinese government runs the palace as a museum and it is visited by numerous tourists yearly.

This photo is from Flickr. It was taken and is owned by Watchsmart.

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - TURKEY

In trying to decide on today's spot I encountered some difficulty. Not because I did not know which country to choose but which area of it to opt for! Turkey offers so much - it is permeated with history and culture yet maintains a modern flair with eco-tourism, adventure travel and pure beauty in a Mediterrean climate. I have yet to meet someone who has been to Turkey and has not liked it. I can't wait to visit!!




The Cappadocia region, found in central Turkey, is home to much history and natural volcanic rock vistas. Ancient "fairy chimneys" populate the view around Goreme. Due to the soft nature of these "chimneys", the locals created carved homes, churches, temples and other structures into them.

Photo copyright by Moyan Brenn