Tag: river

Aswan High Dam in Egypt

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt1 Comment

At the end our Nile River cruise from Luxor to Aswan, we visited the High Dam. Most of us have heard about the Aswan dam, but there are really two dams, an older dam and the newer one, which is referred to as the High Dam. It was built to end the flooding that used to occur on a regular basis along the Nile River and has truly helped the agriculture business in Egypt. In addition to controlling the water, it is also a source of a lot of the power needed in the regions, so power lines are abundant across the surrounding desert landscape. One interesting side effect of the dam was that it has trapped all of the crocodiles for which the Nile is famous south of the dam, so you won’t see any crocodiles between Luxor and Aswan.

Nearing the Dam Viewing Area
Dam Generating Power
Looking Out From the Dam
Sign Explaining the Dam Area
Boat on the Lake

The Aswan High Dam is interesting from a historical perspective, but actually visiting the dam is, quite frankly, not particularly fascinating. There are tours that you can take south of the dam, but we didn’t do any during our visit to Egypt. We spent about 30 minutes walking around the dam in the simmering heat of Aswan, which was the hottest location that we experienced during our time in Egypt. If you go to Aswan, it is probably worthwhile to see the dam, but it certainly isn’t worth going out of your way to visit, at least in our opinion.

Power Lines as Far as the Eyes Can See
Dam Wall
Surviving a Very Hot Day
Flowers at the Tourist Stop
Dam Shoreline
Sign at the Entrance

Adventures on the Water

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge4 Comments

There have been many different times during our travels where we either had to travel by water to reach our destination or we chose to take a tour on the water. Generally speaking, travel by water is not our first choice, but looking back it is amazing how often we end up in a boat. In fact, at least recently, almost every trip we’ve taken has ended up with some sort of water excursion. Here are a few of the different water adventures that we’ve enjoyed, but it is certainly just a sampling. Do you enjoy traveling by boat or taking cruises?

You Can’t Go to Amsterdam Without Taking a River Cruise
Taking a Ride on a Pirate Ship in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Taking a Cruise Ship Down the Nile River in Egypt
Taking a Boat from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean Through the Panama Canal
Doing an Overnight Cruise in Halong Bay in Vietnam
Canoeing the Tributaries of the Amazon River in Ecuador
Whitewater Rafting in Colorado
Rowing with Their Feet in Vietnam

Top Things to Do in Budapest, Hungary

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Hungary5 Comments

Budapest is a wonderful city with many historic sites to see and visit. We spent six days in Budapest during our trip, which gave us the ability to visit many different places at a leisurely pace. Obviously you don’t need that much time, but spending at least three days would be beneficial. Budapest is really a combination of two cities sitting on either side of the Danube River with one Buda being on one side and Pest being on the other. We stayed in the busier Pest with all of the restaurants, hotels, and many wonderful locations like the Parliament Building and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Here are some of the locations that should be part of your Budapest itinerary.

  1.  Royal Palace (Buda Castle) – The Royal Palace, also known as the Buda Castle, is one of the most dominant buildings in Budapest. Sitting on top of Buda Hill, it looms above the Danube River with wonderful views.

    Walking Towards St. Stephen’s Basilica on a Rainy Day
  2.  St. Stephen’s Basilica – The interior of the basilica is quite beautiful, but one of the main reasons for visiting the basilica is to go to the observation deck with its wonderful views of the city. It is one of the most popular sites to visit in Budapest, so it can be quite busy.

    Amazing Views of the Parliament Building
  3.  The Parliament Building – Although we didn’t do a tour inside of the Parliament Building because the English tours were all sold out, just walking around the building with its unique architecture is worthwhile. With a height that is purposely equal to that of the basilica, the Parliament Building dominates the views of Pest when looking from the Buda Castle District.

    Liberty Statue and Citadel Wall
  4.  The Citadella – The Citadella is a fortress located on the Buda side of the Danube and once again is another location with amazing views. The giant statue of a woman holding a palm leaf can be seen from throughout Pest. One of the best ways to get to the summit of Gellért Hill is to take the winding path from the base through the park.

    Enormous Interior of the Synagogue
  5.  The Dohany Street Synagogue – There are many reasons to visit the Dohany Street Synagogue from its size, history, architecture, and cultural importance. It is also the location of the Hungarian Jewish Museum, Heroes’ Temple, and Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, which will give you a glimpse into the affects of the Holocaust within Hungary.

    Matthias Church and the Holy Trinity Statue
  6.  Matthias Church – Located in the Buda Castle District, the Matthias Church is quite interesting with its colorful roof and unique features. Built in the gothic style, its bell tower can be seen from throughout the city and is as visible as the Royal Palace.

    Iron Shoes Along the Bank of the Danube
  7.  The Shoes on the Danube Bank – It is certainly a somber sight to see as it represents the fate of the Jewish citizens at the end of WWII. As the Germans prepared to leave Budapest, they lined up citizens, tied them together with a rope, and had them remove their shoes. When one citizen was shot, the rope pulled in the rest of them into the river to drown.

    Bratislava Castle
  8.  Day Trip to Bratislava, Slovakia – There are a couple of day trip choices when visiting Budapest, but we chose to go to Bratislava since we had already visited Vienna, which is the other popular day trip. If you have enough time to do a day trip, seeing historic Bratislava is certainly worth the time.

    The Largest Tower of the Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest
  9.  Fisherman’s Bastion – Built in the late 1800’s, the Fisherman’s Bastion is a wall around the Danube River side of the Castle District with a very unique architecture. The views along the wall are definitely amazing as you overlook the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Parliament Building, and St. Stephen’s Basilica on the other side of the river.

    Vajdahunyad Castle Near Heroes Square
  10.  Heroes’ Square – It is a short underground railway ride to reach Heroes’ Square. It is an interesting war monument, but is also the location of a park and several museums including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Art.

    Transylvanian Tomb
  11.  Hungarian National Museum – Located in the center of Budapest, the Hungarian National Museum is a three-story museum with many different historical and cultural exhibits.

    Chain Bridge Looking Towards Pest
  12. Széchenyi Chain Bridge – Connecting the cities of Buda and Pest to create the capital of Budapest, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge spans the Danube River. It is certainly worth walking across the bridge to see the views and to reach the funicular that will take you the top of Buda Hill and to the Castle District.

    Church Exterior Outside of the Cave
  13.  Cave Church – Located at the base of Gellért Hill is an interesting church built in one of the many caves in the mountainside. Cave Church was built in the 1920’s and even served as a hospital during WWII.

    The Original Goulash Stew in Budapest
  14.  Restaurants and Spas – Budapest has many different hot springs and spas as well as an abundance of wonderful restaurants. With so many wonderful places to see, it is worth taking some time to relax and enjoy the food and atmosphere of the city.

    Gathering Crowds Inside of a Ruin Pub
  15.  Go to a Ruin Pub – An interesting trend has occurred in Budapest where dilapidated buildings are converted into pubs with a funky vibe. They are very popular and quite fun and worth taking the time to at least visit one of them.