Adventure to Turkey and Bulgaria is Imminent

On September 26, 2022September 26, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Bulgaria, Turkey5 Comments

We realize that we have been relatively quiet as of late, mostly due to our recent move across the country to Baltimore. We have finally settled in as we near the six-month milestone and an actual adventure has been long overdue. We have scheduled a trip to Turkey and Bulgaria that leaves this coming Thursday and we are extremely excited to be on the road once again. As is fairly typical, we are planning on making the most of our time and seeing as much as possible, but we will take a few days to unwind a little bit while we’re on the west coast of Turkey near the beaches. Our itinerary is roughly as follows:

Seven days in Kusadasi, Turkey where we will visit Ephesus, Pergamom and Asklepan, as well as Apjotdisias and Pamukkale. It is an area rich with historic sites and beautiful scenery, so we can’t wait to spend some time exploring. It is also where we will take advantage of some much needed relaxation.

Three days in Istanbul where we will see all of the historic sites of the old town area, including the palace and the Blue Mosque. We have also scheduled a food and spice market tour that we are looking forward to as well. Needless to say, we will be enjoying as much local food as possible, but this will provide us some cultural background as well.

Finally, we will spend four days in Sofia, Bulgaria where we have a tour to the historic towns of Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa. Then we have a wine tasting at the Rila Monastery followed by a city tour of Sofia on our final day before returning home. The total trip will last sixteen days and we are truly looking forward to sharing everything that we see and do during the trip.

Discovering the Historic Charm of Annapolis, Maryland

On August 1, 2022August 1, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn MarylandLeave a comment

We love the history and character of many of the towns and cities all along the east coast. It had been many years since we had visited Annapolis, so we certainly enjoyed having the opportunity to stay a couple of nights and explore the historic town. The United States Naval Academy is located in Annapolis, but there are many other historic homes, churches, restaurants, and other locations that are well worth visiting. Just walking along the water and seeing all of the various yachts and sailboats is enjoyable in and of itself.

Historic Building and Restaurant Where We Ate a Couple of Times

The architecture in Annapolis has a little bit of everything from the coastal seaside village cottages to the colonial mansions with an abundance of history. It even served as the capital for the fledgling country and was the location where George Washington surrendered his commission in order to eventually become the first president of the United States. There are several historic mansions that offer tours, which we would definitely recommend doing at least one of them during a one or two day trip to Annapolis.

Statue of George Washington Resigning His Commision

As with any place that we visit, food is definitely a highlight of our trip and Annapolis was certainly not any different. There are many wonderful places offering a variety of food choices, but seafood is certainly top on the list at many of them. Maryland is known for their crabs, but seafood in general can be found on many of the menus and you will often find that several places will claim to have the best Maryland crab soup. In addition to restaurants, there are plenty of locally owned shops selling clothes, antiques, and novelty items where you can find a unique gift or just take time to window shop.

The historic district in Annapolis is quite popular, so the crowds tend to grow throughout the day, but people seem to start their days a little later and take time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. We really enjoyed our weekend getaway and found it to be a great place to recharge our batteries and walk the historic streets.

The Fascinating History of the Explorers Club Headquarters in Manhattan

On June 28, 2022June 28, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New York1 Comment

As we researched places to visit during our recent trip to New York City, the Headquarters of the Explorers Club quickly rose to one of the top priorities. Although it takes more than an appetite to travel the world to become members of the Explorers Club, just seeing the inside of the historic club was amazing. To become a member of the Explorers Club, you must have participated in some form of scientific exploration or field research as well as being sponsored by at least two current members. The club was founded in 1904 by some of the world’s leading explorers of the time and one can only imagine the conversations that occurred as they sat in leather chairs in front of the fire and recalled their latest exploits.

As you walk through the Explorers Club Headquarters, you are greeted with paintings and memorabilia that remind you not only of the great accomplishments, but of the harsh conditions that the early explores endured. As you walk through the entrance to the club, immediately on your left you will see a private, members only, lounge and bar with a fireplace and leather chairs. Above the fireplace is a painting by Charles R. Knight titled Woolly Rhinoceros. Just as one would expect from such an illustrious group, there is a plaque commemorating famous firsts achieved by the members which includes the North Pole, South Pole, Everest, Challenger Deep, and the moon.

The second floor has the Clark Room, which has flags that have been on various expeditions, the library with a large collection of books and a large painting titled The Rescue of Greely, which depicts the famous rescue of Adolphus Greely’s expedition that attempted to create the first permanent base at the edge of the Arctic Sea. Greely and six other survivors of the expedition were rescued in 1884 after being stranded for 2 years. Greely became the first president of The Explorers Club 1905 and the bell from the ship that rescued him, named Bear, is also on display on the second floor. There is also a terrace on the second floor with antique stained glass and bistro tables for entertaining.

With our love for travel and exploration, seeing the historic Explorers Club Headquarters with all of the history and paintings was one of the highlights of our visit to New York City. There are parts of the headquarters that are off-limits to visitors, but there is more than enough to see if you decide to visit. They are happy to provide you a flyer with their history and explanations of all of the fascinating artifacts and artwork located throughout the six-story building. They will even give you an application to apply for membership if you ask. There were not any other visitors during the time that we were there, so it is definitely not as well-known as most other locations near mid-town Manhattan.