Places of Worship in Caves Around the World

On January 19, 2021January 19, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt, Hungary, India, VietnamLeave a comment

Caves have provided shelter and safety since the beginning of mankind, so it isn’t surprising that they have also served as places of worship over the centuries. Sometimes they are revered for the historical impact of the location and then become a place where people come to visit in the future based on their faith. Other places serve as actual places of worship just like any traditional temple or church. We have seen several different locations during our travels and each of them was unique and interesting in their own ways. There are so many fascinating places to discover when traveling and finding these caves that inspire people are certainly among them.

Abu Serga Church (The Cavern Church) in Cairo, Egypt – Located in Old Cairo, also known as Coptic Cairo, the Abu Serga Church (also called the Cavern Church and officially the Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church) was built over the cavern where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were supposed to have rested at the end of their journey in Egypt. Even during the offseason when we visited, there were long lines to make your way down to the cave and see the altar housed within. The church itself is also very interesting with many historical relics on display.

Walking into Cave Church from the Entrance

The Cave Church in Budapest, Hungary – Located at the base of Gellert Hill, the hill that the Citadella (fortress) sits atop, is a system of caves. One of the caves was converted into a chapel in the 1920’s and even served as a hospital for the Germans during WWII. The atmosphere within Cave Church is interesting due to the lack of natural light and the rugged cavern walls. After its conversion to a hospital by the NAZI army during the war, it returned to serving as a church until 1951 when the Soviet Union had it shut down. The chapel was raided by the Soviet Army, the monks arrested, and the cave sealed up until Budapest regained their freedom in 1989. Today, the monks of the Pauline Order continue to operate the church and hold religious functions on the site as well as maintain it as a tourist attraction.

Huong Tich Cave at Perfume Pagoda in Vietnam – Perfume Pagoda is a complex of Buddhist temples located about a couple of hours outside of Hanoi in Vietnam. At the heart of the complex is Huong Tich Cave and within the cave is Chua Trong or the Inner Temple. During the festival time, from late January through early March, thousands of people visit the temple and the 2.5 km (1.5 mile) path that takes you up to the cave is lined with vendor stalls selling food, gifts, and objects to use as an offering. In order to reach the Perfume Pagoda complex, you need to take an almost hour long boat ride (less if you take a motorized boat) through the beautiful countryside.

Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Chennai, India – After going to several Hindu temples during our stay in Chennai, going to the Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica was a unique experience. The church is built over the tomb of Saint Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, which is one of only three churches in the world to be built over the tomb of a disciple. For a small donation, you are able to enter the cave where Saint Thomas hid and there is even a rock that is supposed to have been worn down by his hand. There is also a spring that is just outside of the cave called the Saint Thomas Fountain, which supposed provided healing powers to those that came to listen to him and people still drink from it today in order to be cured. There is a cross carved into a rock that was believed to be carved by Saint Thomas and many believers report that it continues to bleed to this very day.

Regardless of your beliefs, seeing such unique places of worship is certainly interesting for a variety of reasons. The backdrop of the caves and caverns, some of them natural and some of them man-made add to the uniqueness of these locations.

An Unusual Birthday Surprise When Traveling to Vietnam

On November 20, 2020November 20, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Vietnam5 Comments

We often travel around the times of our birthdays, mostly just because of the time of year that they occur. At this point in our lives, we don’t tend to make a fuss over our birthdays and certainly don’t tell people when we’re traveling if it happens to be one of our birthdays. This made what happened during our trip to Hanoi even more surprising. We had a very full itinerary while we were in Vietnam with every day full of long tours and it was always a joy to return to our hotel in the old town area of Hanoi.

On this particular day, we had gotten up early and gone to the Ninh Binh province where we saw many amazing sights. It was relatively late when we returned to the hotel and we were looking forward to going out and getting a bite to eat. As we entered the hotel, the staff at the desk asked us to take a seat in the lobby as they had some information for us. This did not surprise us as they were extremely helpful, friendly, and had provided us lots of useful information about places to go in the neighborhood.

What was surprising was when the staff returned with an entire birthday cake and singing “Happy Birthday” to us. Since we had never mentioned the birthday to the hotel, we made the assumption that they must have gotten it from our passports. The staff told us that they were honored that we chose to share such a special occasion with them. In addition to the cake, they also gave us a tray of fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice. Then we went up to our room to change for dinner and discovered a hearts made from towels and flower petals on the bed. To say that the staff of the Antique Legend Hotel were wonderful would be an extreme understatement.

November is One of Our Favorite Travel Months

On November 5, 2020November 5, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Asia, Europe, Travel TipsLeave a comment

We have taken the opportunity to travel many times during the month of November. We choose November for several reasons, including the fact that the weather is usually mild, the scenery in the northern hemisphere can be quite stunning, and it is often considered to be a “bumper” month when there are less travelers. It is also a time when we usually take a couple of weeks to travel, which allows us to see a little more of the places that we’re visiting. Here are some of our favorite memories of traveling during the month of November.

Paris, London, and Stratford-upon-Avon – On our first trip to Europe, we flew into Paris where we spent several days, then took the Chunnel to London. After a few days in London, we took a train to Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick before heading to Manchester for a couple of days. Finally, it was back to London to catch our flight home. We had an absolutely wonderful time, but we have learned a lot more about how to travel since that trip.

Fortress Walls at Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Southern Spain – Spending two weeks in Southern Spain was another amazing experience where we fully immersed ourselves into the country and the culture. We spent time in Granada, Seville, and Gibraltar, but perhaps our tour of Morocco was a highlight of the trip. We found time to relax as well as explore, making it a perfect vacation as well as travel experience.

Cabo San Lucas in Mexico – We have been to Cabo more than once during November as the weather starts getting cold in Colorado at that time of year. Spending time at the beach is always a welcome diversion and we love walking along the beach, enjoying restaurants at the marina, and just sitting by the pool.

Germany and Austria – During our time in Frankfurt, we had just gotten fully acclimated and were taking trips every weekend. During the month of November, we visited Cologne, Hochheim, Würzburg, and also took a train to Vienna, Austria. Obviously, it is so much easier to travel when based directly in Europe as opposed to having to take a flight from the United States.

Panama City, Panama – We saw so many animals during our trip to Panama that was certainly a unique experience. Considering that it can be rainy in Panama at that time of year, we were fortunate enough to have good weather as we took tours that took us from coast to coast. We would definitely consider returning to see more of this fascinating country.

Walking the Side Streets of Old Town Alexandria

Old Town Alexandria in Virginia – You don’t have to leave the country to see interesting places and spending time in Old Town Alexandria was certainly a nice place to get away. Not only is it historic and beautiful, especially in autumn, but it also reminded us of growing up on the east coast of the United States.

Two Reclining Buddhas in Laos (They are Farther Apart then It Looks)

Vietnam and Laos – Our most recent excursion in the month of November was to spend two weeks in Hanoi where we were able to see so many wonderful places. From a few days in Vientiane, Laos or taking a cruise in Halong Bay, the trip was certainly one of the best that we have enjoyed. It was somewhat of a spontaneous decision to visit Vietnam and the people that we met there hold a special place in our hearts.