Photos from space are beautiful. The view of our blue planet always makes me wonder why there are so many conflicts on earth. Our planet...

Had it not been for our friend Ibrahim, a merchant in the Grand Bazaar, we would never have learnt about the origin of Turkish Tea. As...

Thanks to the movie “300” many people are familiar with the heroic stand of 300 Spartans at the Thermopylae against the invading Persian...

Given that only four people signed up for the Belly Dancing Class, I thought propping up the activity may be a good idea. Now that...

It is almost impossible to visit Turkey without seeing a shop with Turkish Delights. Lokum, as they are called in Turkish, got their...

Emperors assemble armies, build fleets, conquer countries, build new capitals and have a knack for leaving behind monuments – Napoleon...

Sardis, the Capital of Ancient Lydia, where Coins were invented - Here the Temple of Artemis During our first two weeks of sailing this...

Sunday’s piece about Russia’s presidential flag made me wonder about the Greek and Turkish Flag. The horizontal stripes of the Greek flag...

As we see these days, it is easy to start a war and make ambitious plans. Maps are patient when generals draw their big blue arrows....

One of the true pleasures when sailing on open sea is watching the night sky. Far away from light pollution, one gets a good idea of how...

When Catholics and Protestants think of religion, they usually think of places like Rome or Jerusalem. That there could be holy places in...

Sailling along the Greek – Turkish border is an experience of an extra kind. You can feel the hostility between the two countries - even...

Balat, Istanbul's old Jewish District, is today a bohemian, chic neighbourhood Most travel brochures describe Istanbul as a vibrant,...

If the northerly Meltemi is too strong in our third week of sailing, we continue further south to the Greek island of Leros before...

King Otto, Greece's first Monarch, arrives in his new Capital Athens in 1837 Standing in the summer heat on the Acropolis, you wonder how...

Galata Tower - View from the East - Tokapi Palace, Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque in the back The Galata Tower is one of Istanbul’s most...

At a time when Europe needs to replace Russia as main gas supplier it is worth looking at alternatives in our vicinity. During our trip...

Arriving at Istanbul’s Airport for the first time was a real shock. It was 1979 andI felt so lost. Did not understand a single word or...

The decaying Barracks on the former Prison Island of Gyaros Cruising in the turquoise waters of the Aegean does not prepare for the...

Before writing my blog yesterday, I never asked myself where the marble for Greece's magnificent temples and palaces came from. But...