TRAVEL TUESDAY 499 - PREVELI BEACH, CRETE, GREECE

“There is a kind of flame in Crete - let us call it "soul" - something more powerful than either life or death. There is pride, obstinacy, valour, and together with these something else inexpressible and imponderable, something which makes you rejoice that you are a human being, and at the same time tremble.” ― Nikos Kazantzakis

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.
There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.
Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Preveli Beach (Greek: Φοινικόδασος της Πρέβελης, Finikodasos tis Prevelis) is a beach located on the south coast of the Greek Mediterranean island of Crete. It is located in the municipality of Agios Vasilios in the Rethymno regional unit, not far from the Moni Preveli monastery, whose name also identifies the beach.

According to local legend, the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, remained in the wider area of Lake Preveli after the end of the Trojan War on his return to Ithaca from Troy. The area is a popular tourist destination due to the river, the forest with palm trees in the gorge along the banks of the river, and the sandy beach with clear  turquoise waters. On the beach, there is a rock in the shape of a heart, "The Lovers’ Stone" according to the locals. The area is accessible from the port of Plakias.

Last week, Jill from Denmark, Western Australia posted some lovely photos of the regatta there. Please visit her blog for more great shots.

ACTIVATE!

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” – Ovid

The New What’s Going On Blog has given the challenge this week of writing about making a statement about asserting one’s rights, fighting for freedom, raising one’s voice and become active in bringing about change in a world that is unfair, unjust and steeped in inequality. It is a message of becoming united with fellow sufferers and making wrong things right. Here is my offering:

Activate

Get up, and mobilise, 

It’s time to verbalise

And voice your discontent!

We live in times that stress us

Have leaders that distress us,

And lifestyles that aggress us,

Depress, and downright regress us!

Get up, and mobilise, 

It’s time to verbalise

And voice your discontent!

Your silence means consent,

So, talk! Talk loud, talk clear

This is no time for fear!

Our time has come to shine,

Our strategy streamline,

To organise, combine,

Draw on the sand our line.

Get up, and organise, 

It’s time to verbalise

And voice your discontent!

Your silence means consent,

So, talk! Talk loud, talk clear

This is no time for fear!

Get up, and march together, 

In any place or weather,

It’s time to change for better,

To free and to unfetter.

And seeing that it was a song that was given as an example to be inspired by, I set the above poem to music and you can listen to it in my “Otidorchestre” channel on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, and other music sharing sites.

NOCTURNE

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” - Plato

Poets and Storytellers United this week asks us to “pick a picture and write about it”. What has inspired me is a painting by Henri Rousseau, the French naïf artist, called “The Snake Charmer”. It is done in his signature style and is a wonderful mysterious image, all about the power of music.

And since it’s all about music, you can hear this poem set to music in my “Otidorchestre” sites on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, etc.

Nocturne

In the stillness of the night

To the silvern moon’s delight

Sweetly does the flute resound

Spilling music all around.

Ebon skin and hair that shimmers

Shiny glance that softly glimmers,

Sinuous and sweet’s the air

Luring beasts from out their lair.

Music makes the jungle tame

Calms and yet ignites a flame.

Music soothes the savage beast

Rouses passions in the priest.

Neath the moon’s resplendent orb

Flowers music’s strains absorb.

Snakes start to slither, slide,

Right up to the flautist glide.

She charms serpent, beast and bird

With her music not her word;

Now the snakes around her creep

Up they climb, roused from sleep.

Music heals the deepest wound

Makes the air around perfumed.

Music calls to arms and strife,

Yet assassins drop their knife.

And each gentle leaf unfurls,

Flower twines and softly curls;

As the music upwards floats

Rhythm, melody, sweet notes.

In the stillness of the night

To the silvern moon’s delight

Sweetly does the flute resound

Spilling music all around.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 498 - ELIZABETH TOWER

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” - Samuel Johnson

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, It is also known as the 'heart of British politics'. The Palace lies on the northern bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London.

The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, which is often referred to by the name of its main bell, "Big Ben", is an iconic landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of parliamentary democracy. The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 497 - ASOS, CEPHALONIA, GREECE

“The sea was sapphire coloured, and the sky burned like a heated opal through the air; we hoisted sail; the wind was blowing fair for the blue lands that to the eastward lie.” - Oscar Wilde

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Asos (Greek: Άσος) is a village on the west coast of the island of Cephalonia, Greece and is located 36km north of Argostoli, the capital. It is part of the municipal unit Erisos. Asos was founded under Venetian rule and it served as the administrative capital of northern Cephalonia from 1593 onwards.

Marino Gentilini, an Italian army engineer, was commissioned by the Venetian Senate in 1593-1595 to build the Asos Castle, one of the largest in Greece. The castle was initially built with the view that it would protect local populations in case of an invading attack by passing Turks or pirates, but for various reasons, such as the lack of natural springs for water supply, it was never adopted as a fortress and gradually the grand plan was dropped

.

Nowadays, Asos is a picturesque fishing village that looks out onto the Ionian Sea and is full of colourful houses and narrow alleyways lined with bougainvilleas. Here, you can take a refreshing dip at Asos Beach, try local Greek cuisine at a waterfront cafe, and even hike up the Frourio Peninsula to see the remains of the  16th-century Venetian Castle. The lookout also offers stunning views of the turquoise waters and bluffs along Cephalonia’s north coast. The drive to Asos will take you down a steep and winding road. You can opt for a guided tour which often also includes stops at Drogarati Cave and Melissani Lake.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 496 - FESTIVAL IN FABRIANO, ITALY

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web.” - Pablo Picasso

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Fabriano is a town and comune of Ancona province in the Italian region of the Marche, at 325 metres above sea level. It lies in the Esino valley 44 kilometres (27 mi) upstream and southwest of Jesi. Its location on the main highway and rail line from Umbria to the Adriatic make it a mid-sized regional centre in the Apennines. Fabriano, with Roma, Parma, Torino and Carrara, is an Italian creative city (UNESCO). The town is in the category Folk Arts and is widely-known for its production of handmade paper.

Fabriano appears to have been founded in the early Middle Ages by the inhabitants of a small Roman town 5 kilometres south at Attiggio (Latin Attidium), of which some slight remains and inscriptions are extant. In 1276, Fabriano became one of the earliest places in Europe to produce paper. Since the 13th century and even today, the town has a reputation for fine watermarked paper. This led to Fabriano's prosperity in the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and was also one of the factors that led to the establishment of nearby Foligno in Umbria as one of the earliest printing centres in Italy in the 15th century, from 1470 onwards. 

Fabriano's wealth and commitment to the fine arts in the late medieval period have left it with many monuments. Handmade paper-making courses are popular, festivals and special exhibitions and activities are organised regularly throughout the year, and many artists find it a fascinating city to explore.

WHAT'S GOING ON? "RUIN"

“Life and death are balanced as it were on the edge of a razor.” ― Homer

After a long period of absence, and having found this site again; Hello, old friends and fellow writers! I have been busy, but I am well. I hope you are all in fine form and it is good to virtually interact with you again. I am joining you this week to take part in the prompt “Ruin”.

This poem has been inspired by Greek Mythology and comments on the ruin caused by earthquakes. Enceladus was a Giant, the son of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Sky). During the Gigantomachy, where gods and giants fought for supremacy to rule over the universe, the gods won. Enceladus was defeated by Athena, the goddess of wisdom and thrown in the depths of earth, imprisoned deep in the rocks. However, Enceladus every now and then tried to escape and to shake off the mountains that held him captive. Whenever that happened, earthquakes occurred on earth.

PS: Just in case you are interested, in my absence I wrote a novel, “The Nursing Home”. More about it here.

Enceladus

Enceladus

Sleeps and his slumber’s sound –

His usual napping underground

Untroubled by dark horses…

His languor soothing mighty forces.

The frightful Giant sleeps

And his vengeful hand he keeps

Relaxed, at ease, unmoving;

His mother, Gaia, looks on approving.

His eye starts to move and roll;

A muscle twitches, then his body whole.

He turns and tosses, quite disturbed

A nightmare gallops in, fury uncurbed.

The Giant wakes, his tail uncurls

His mane of wild hair shakes and swirls.

He roars, and arms he stretches

The rocks above him crack, the ground retches.

The earth is split

Ground quakes.

A deep dark pit

Opens, soil shakes.

The houses crumble,

Walls crack and break –

His roar a mighty rumble,

Destruction in its wake.

His sleep disturbed, his pain

Anew awakened, goads him,

And his rage in frustrated strain

Exhausts. His injured limb

He stretches, and Gaia above

Him shudders; her mother’s love

In sympathy making her cry

His pain and suffering decry.

Up, down, and side to side

The ground is turned to jelly;

As Enceladus tries to hide

Deeper in his mother’s belly.

Ruin complete and utter devastation

Above him death and trepidation –

(Athena victory forswore)

All this, revenge enough for

Enceladus…

TRAVEL TUESDAY 495 - VARNA, BULGARIA

“I would like travellers, especially American travellers, to travel in a way that broadens their perspective.” - Rick Steves

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.
There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.
Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Varna (Bulgarian: Варна) is the third-largest city in Bulgaria and the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in the Northern Bulgaria region. Situated strategically in the Gulf of Varna, the city has been a major economic, social and cultural centre for almost three millennia.

Historically known as Odessos (Ancient Greek: Ὀδησσός), Varna developed from a Thracian seaside settlement into a major seaport on the Black Sea. Varna is an important centre for business, transportation, education, tourism, entertainment, and healthcare. The city is referred to as the maritime capital of Bulgaria and has the headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy and merchant marine.

In 2008, Varna was designated as the seat of the Black Sea Euroregion by the Council of Europe. In 2014, Varna was awarded the title of European Youth Capital 2017. The oldest gold treasure in the world, belonging to the Varna culture, was discovered in the Varna Necropolis and dated to 4600–4200 BC. Since the discovery of the Varna Necropolis in 1974, 294 burial sites have been found, with over 3000 golden items inside.

City landmarks include the Varna Archaeological Museum, exhibiting the Gold of Varna, the Roman Baths, the Battle of Varna Park Museum, the Naval Museum in the Italianate Villa Assareto displaying the museum ship Drazki torpedo boat, the Museum of Ethnography in an Ottoman-period compound featuring the life of local urban dwellers, fisherfolk, and peasants in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The city beaches (also known as sea baths -морски бани, morski bani-, are dotted with hot (up to 55°С) sulphuric mineral water sources, used for spas, swimming pools and public showers. Small sheltered marinas are also found along the coast.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 494 - WEGGIS, SWITZERLAND

“It's tough to find a place not to like in Switzerland.” - Michele Bachmann 

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Weggis is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. It forms part of the northern shore of Lake Lucerne. The official language is German. After Lucerne, Weggis is the second biggest tourist destination in Canton Lucerne. With the aerial tramway one can arrive at Rigi-Kaltbad, in the neighbourhood of which is located Viewpoint Känzeli. From Rigi-Kaltbad one can continue his climb up the mountain on the cog railway (Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn). Weggis is also designated the “Riviera of Central Switzerland” because of its “tropical” climate.

Weggis is a place of indulgence and relaxation. With a Mediterranean climate and fantastic views of the lake and mountains it is a place to unwind and to be pampered in a wellness hotel on the Central Swiss Riviera. A boat trip to the Rigi or Lucerne is very enjoyable.

In 1932, Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff purchased land on the lake at Hertenstein, near Weggis to construct a house, naming it “Villa Senar” based on his and his wife's names. He lived there until the outbreak of war in 1939. In the comfort of his own villa, Rachmaninoff completed his “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” in 1934 and “Symphony No. 3” in 1936.

MY NOVEL: "THE NURSING HOME"

"There is no old age. There is, as there always was, just you." - Carol Matthau

In the densely built up suburbia of Melbourne's outer West, surrounded by a high wall, is the large oasis of "The Golden West" Nursing Home. A beautiful, large garden surrounds sumptuous period buildings of great charm, with excellent amenities, caring staff and a charter to provide the "best possible care for seniors who are used to the lifestyle of the well-to-do".

A cavalcade of memorable residents, carers, administrative staff, relatives and friends, all confront the problems of old age with varying degrees of success. All seems to go well, until a series of deaths amongst the residents puts the Director of the Home and his staff in a difficult situation, and threaten the serenity and restfulness of this microcosm that reflects society outside the walls.

Love, hate, envy, deceit, compassion, selfishness, altruism, guilt, religion, atheism, dreams and harsh realities, all the stuff of life and death, are laid out in a procession of humanity's common concerns.

TRAVEL TUESDAY 493 - FANN MOUNTAINS, TAJIKISTAN

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” - John Lubbock

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

The Fann Mountains (Tajik: Кӯҳҳои Фон, romanized: Kúhhoi Fon) are part of the western Pamir-Alay mountain system in Tajikistan's Sughd Province, between the Zarafshan Range to the north and the Gissar Range to the south. In an east-west direction, they extend from the Fan Darya to the Archimaydan River. 

The Fanns boast about a hundred peaks, with several rising to altitudes of more than 5,000 meters and relative elevations of up to 1,500 meters. The highest point in Fann Mountains is Chimtarga peak (5,489 m). Other 5,000-meter peaks are Bodkhona (5,138 m), Chapdara (5,050 m), Big Hansa, Little Hansa (5,031 m), Zamok ('5,070 m), Mirali (5,132 m), and Energia (5,120 m).

There are many lakes in the Fanns.The best known are Alaudin lakes in the Chapdara River valley, Kulikalon Lakes on the northern slope of Chimtarga peak, Big Allo Lake and Iskanderkul Lake. There is a stunning mountain range in Western Tajikistan, near the city of Punjikent, which surprises tourists with its vivid, ever-changing colours. This are known as the Seven Lakes, Haftkul, or even Marguzor Lakes. In Tadjiki it means seven lakes (named after the largest lake in the group).

TRAVEL TUESDAY 492 - BUKHARA, UZBEKISTAN

“If each city is like a game of chess, the day when I have learned the rules, I shall finally possess my empire, even if I shall never succeed in knowing all the cities it contains.” — Italo Calvino

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Bukhara is the seventh-largest city in Uzbekistan by population, with 280,187 residents as of 1 January 2020. It is the capital of Bukhara Region. People have inhabited the region around Bukhara for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long served as a centre of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. Bukhara served as the capital of the Khanate of Bukhara, Emirate of Bukhara and later Bukhara People’s Soviet Republic. It was the birthplace of the scholar Imam Bukhari. The city has been known as "Noble Bukhara" (Bukhārā-ye sharīf). Bukhara has about 140 architectural monuments. UNESCO has listed the historic centre of Bukhara (which contains numerous mosques and madrasas) as a World Heritage Site.

The region of Bukhara has a long and storied history that dates back to the ancient Silk Road. As a crucial trading hub, Bokhara was a melting pot of various cultures and influences, resulting in a rich artistic tradition that continues to this day. With the region's deep roots in trade and commerce, the craft of rug-making flourished in Bukhara. Rugs from this region are known for their distinctive Tekke design, named after the Tekke tribe of Central Asia. This design typically features a rich red base colour with repeating oval or diamond patterns. Bukhara rugs are usually made of wool, known for its durability and warmth. The knotting technique used is the Persian or Senneh knot, which allows for intricate detailing in the designs. The knot density of these rugs can vary, but they are generally very high, resulting in a plush, velvety feel.

Uzbek craftsmen nowadays still practice ancient jewellery-making techniques for cutting gemstones, grain filigree, granular work, engraving and enamelling, also they are trying to take into account fashion demands and styles. Embroidery is one of the most popular applied arts in Uzbekistan. Every city of Uzbekistan has its own unique features such as ornamentation, composition, colour range and stitching. The finest kind of embroidery, gold embroidery is still practised in Bukhara.

PROSE/POETRY

“Remaining childish is a tremendous state of innocence.” - John Lydon

Poets and Storytellers United has prompted us this week to write a piece that is poetry in prose, or vice-versa. Here is my offering.

The morning sun shone brilliantly and his warm rays caressed the earth with the love that has been forever.  The dew-drenched land and the lambent cool sea vied for his affections, each one wanting to ensnare the sunshine, outwitting the other in the sharing.  The frothy wave crests caught the sunlight and broke it into a myriad cascading fragments, which in their turn crashed upon the strand creating long tongues of serpentine agility, licking the sand smooth before returning whence they came.  Mirroring the sky, the ultramarine depths of the sea seemed indifferent, unusually calm and still, as though unaware of the goings-on near the shore.

Amidst the rainbow clumps of coral and the verdant meadows of the depths there was a Child.  A dark-haired, honey-skinned, bright-eyed imp of a Child whose laughter reminded one of crystal bells.  It lived there and spent its time playing with the giant shells, the multi-hued fish of the deep; catching the stray sunbeams that escaped from the tight embrace of the sea surface and plaiting them into translucent chaplets of light and hope.  Thus did the Child of Light live amongst the fish, the shells, the lush underwater gardens.

For many years it was content, living amongst its childhood companions, enjoying the friendship of a little crimson starfish, its constant playmate.  The Child was happy in its simple life, rejoicing in its ignorance, its needs all seemingly fulfilled.  And yet one day, the laughter stopped and innocence lost the game to knowledge.  The Child was growing and as it began to become aware of the world surrounding it. In this new-found knowledge it discovered that something was lacking from its life.  It did not know exactly what, but still its childhood companions, the games and playmates abruptly grew tiresome and inadequate for its new needs.

Happiness gave way to melancholy, light-heartedness to moroseness, and gaiety to long periods of reflection.  Slowly the Child perceived itself to change and the Child of Light became the Child of Darkness.  Gone were the days of sunshine, rainbow colours and coralline remembrances.  Instead came nights of sleeplessness and phosphorescent imaginings, of desperate evasions from the woeful, sinuous enticements of the anemones, all observed with wicked amusement by the baleful eyes of the medusae…

TRAVEL TUESDAY 491 - ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

“To provide meaningful architecture is not to parody history but to articulate it.” - Daniel Libeskind

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only.

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers will be removed immediately.

Zaandam town centre has been radically revamped on the basis of an urban development plan by Sjoerd Soeters. Soeters reinstated the historical street layout, reconstructed an urban waterway and reintroduced atmosphere into the somewhat impersonal and dull town centre, employing magnified stylistic features of the historical Zaanse Schans village. The plan by Soeters incorporated a new hotel, the Inntel Hotel Zaandam. This can be reached by a quick and efficient 15-minute train trip from central Amsterdam.

The hotel, which stands on the Provincialeweg, is definitely the new centre’s eye-catcher. The building with 160 rooms and a conference complex was constructed in part on a viaduct. The colossal, twelve-storey-high hotel tower, essentially square in plan, is a monumental stacking and interpretation of various green-painted house types typical of the Zaan region, ranging from a stately notary’s dwelling to worker’s cottages. ‘The Blue House’, inspired by the work Claude Monet painted at Zaandam in 1871, is the ultimate attention-grabber. The overall result is striking. The varied fenestration, broad protruding sections and bay windows, and decorative white ridge-pieces lend depth and an expressive relief to the façade.

Wilfried van Winden, the architect, was born in Delft on 24 November 1955. He studied architecture at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), graduating in 1987. He co-founded the Molenaar & Van Winden Architecten bureau in Delft in 1985. Van Winden left this practice in January 2009 to establish a new, independent bureau WAM architecten. Besides his design for the Inntel Hotel, Wilfried van Winden's major projects include the Essalam Mosque (2010) in Rotterdam, De Oriënt residential complex (2011) in the Transvaal district of The Hague, and De Marquant residential development (2007) in Breda.