Iconic Skylines and Cityscapes Around the World

On June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn BloggingLeave a comment

Traveling the world, there are places that you visit where the view of the skyline is entrenched in your memory. As soon as you see it in a picture or in a movie, you immediately know exactly where you are. It is amazing how the simple image of a cityscape can suddenly transport your mind back to a location and the sights, sounds, and even aromas are almost tangible in your mind. It helps that almost every major city has a location with an observation deck that allows you to get high above the city in order to see it in all of its grandeur. Whether viewing Paris from the Eiffel Tower or looking out at the skyscrapers of New York City from the top of the Empire State Building, the views will forever take you back to that moment when you first visited the city.

Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock in New York City

View from Piazzale de Michelangelo in Florence

How can one not see the Duomo in Florence and not immediately be transported to that amazing city. One glimpse of the Parliament Building in Budapest and you will find yourself standing on the walls of the Buda Castle District. Sometimes it is the view of the towers of a gothic cathedral like in Cologne and other times it is the uniqueness of the city landscape like seeing the canals of Amsterdam. Regardless of what it is that draws your eyes, these iconic views can bring back that sense of awe that you first experienced when visiting a location.

Arc de Triomphe in Paris from the Eiffel Tower

There are other times when it isn’t just the city, but the surrounding area that makes a cityscape iconic. Whether it is the ruggedness of a city sprawling on the hillsides like those of La Paz, the lush jungles surrounding Panama City, Panama, or even the peaks of Colorado looming over the city of Denver, these views make each location unique. Just like we can never pick a favorite travel location, we can also never pick a favorite skyline. Each are special in their own ways and will always remind us of our visit when we see their images on the screen.

View of the Roman Forum and Colosseum from the Rooftop

Countdown to the African Adventure

On June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa14 Comments

We are officially 14 days away from our trip to Kenya and Tanzania. We have to admit that we are sitting on pins and needles as the days go by and we keep our fingers crossed that nothing happens to interrupt this incredible trip. It has been over a year and a half since our last meaningful trip and there have been so many changes over that period of time. We still have to get a COVID test within 72 hours of traveling, but otherwise we have all of the vaccinations necessary. We also have to fill out a travel surveillance form, which is specific to Kenya, and provides evidence that we travelled directly from the United States to Kenya.

We Even Have a Countdown App Counting Down for the Trip

Even though our trip hasn’t even begun yet, it has already been an adventure. We originally booked our flights with British Airways who partners with American Airlines. Since our original booking, we had different legs of the flight cancelled causing us to rearrange the entire itinerary twice. Then, a week ago, all but one leg of the flight was cancelled, leaving us no choice but to cancel the flights and request a refund. We then booked flights with United who partners with Lufthansa. All we can do now is wait and hope that we have no new surprises.

Birds on the Treetops Watching the Sunset

In addition to all of the wildlife that we’re expecting to see, food that we hoping to try, and people that we looking forward to meeting, we know that we are going to see some wonderful sunrises and sunsets. We have seen many pictures taken from safaris and almost every one of them has a beautiful sunset, so we are definitely looking forward to capturing some of our own. As we have sat at home, waiting for our trip, we have seen a few colorful sunsets here as well, which just wets our appetite for our upcoming trip. To say that we are excited would be an extreme understatement.

Bratislava Castle in Slovakia

On June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Slovakia5 Comments

Sitting on the hill above the city of Bratislava is the historic Bratislava Castle, the Bratislavský hrad in Slovak. The original castle dates back to the 13th century, but it was obviously modified many times over the centuries. By the early 1800’s, the castle was in a state of deterioration and was being used by the military for barracks. It was also damaged more during the world wars, but in 1953 the decision was made to restore the castle to its former glory and it is now a popular tourist site within the capital city of Bratislava.

We visited the Bratislava Castle in May, so the gardens were just beginning to bloom, but we can certainly can imagine what they must look like in the summer months. The castle itself is a rectangular building with four towers, one on each corner. Although there is apparently only a single window left from the original building, the castle is still quite beautiful. We spent about an hour walking the grounds and enjoying the wonderful views of the city below. There is also a statue of King Svatopluk that was added to the courtyard in 2010, which apparently caused some controversy.

Bratislava Castle as Viewed from the War Memorial

The history of the region, with its importance to Hungary and then recent gain of independence, the Bratislava Castle is a source of pride to the people of Slovakia. It is an interesting theme that we found during our tour of Bratislava of how the castle and the city were a seat of power for Hungary for centuries, which obviously is a frustration for Slovakians, but at the same time the country has recognized the importance of this period as part of their own history. Add to that the other occupations, including that of the Soviet Union, and the country has overcome a variety of historical obstacles. Needless to say, any visit to Bratislava should include going to the castle that overlooks the city.