Telling a Visual Story

On July 12, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge1 Comment

Throughout time, people have written down their history through the use of symbols and artwork. The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words was probably even more true in the days before actual photographs when paintings on the walls of caves represented the lives of the people who lived in them. In today’s world with the internet, emoticons, and the overload of information, we tend to miss the forest for the trees and see life in moments and not as an eternal flow of events. Unfortunately, not enough people take the time to understand the roots of culture, the impact of events in the grand scheme of life, or to even comprehend how we’re all linked together in one way or another.

Relief Showing a Young Elgiss in Iceland

The art of telling a historical story has become an exaggerated, thrill-ride, instead of an understanding of what the past means to all of us as we venture forth into the future. All of us who travel with any kind of frequency understand that the world is interconnected in ways that doesn’t expose itself until major events occur. We will continue to look for the patterns of the world and enjoy those visual stories from the past in the places that we visit. This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge is Collage and we chose to share some photos of that capture the stories of different cultures.

Two-Thousand Years of History in One Statue in Koblenz, Germany

The Agora of Athens

On June 16, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Greece13 Comments

Obviously the highlight of any visit to Athens, Greece, probably starts with the Acropolis, but there is so much more to see in this wonderful city. For us, our second favorite location was the Agora of Athens with the Temple of Hephaestus. The agora was a gathering place for the people of ancient Greece and contains many different structures. It is truly a fascinating place to walk and imagine yourself discussing philosophy or the benefits of a democratic society. When you go to the Acropolis, you can buy a bundled ticket that includes other attractions, including the agora, which makes it well worth the extra money as it will save you money in the long run.

The Temple of Hephaestus, which sits high upon a hill looking over the agora, is one of the best preserved ancient temples in all of Greece. One of the reasons that it is so well preserved is that it had been in continual use for more than two thousand years, even serving as a Greek Orthodox church until the early 1800’s. Hephaestus was the god of metal working, craftsmanship, and fire, perhaps a fitting choice for it to have remained in almost its original condition.

There are so many fascinating ruins to see as you walk through the agora including several statues such as the remaining torso of a statue of Roman Emperor Hadrian. The ancient roads can still be detected as you walk among the ancient ruins. There is also the Museum of the Agora on the grounds, which displays some interesting pieces that have been unearthed during the excavation of the site.

Some people may feel that they have had their fill of ancient ruins and temples after visiting the Acropolis, but we feel that it is well worth taking the time to visit the other sights that Athens has to offer. At least during our visit, there were less tourists at places like the agora and it made walking among those ruins that much more enjoyable. We found the Agora of Athens to be an almost magical place with so much history and so many artifacts that it can a little overwhelming.

Images from the Past

On May 23, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge, South America4 Comments

Since the dawn of man, cultures have been capturing images of themselves, their gods, and their lives in some form or another. Starting early on with cave drawings and then carving images out of stone. It is an important way that people have shared their beliefs and passed down their stories through time. This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge is Heritage, so we decided to share some photos from Tiwanaku. The civilization that created these statues inhabited the areas of Bolivia and Peru over three-thousand years ago. Looking at their artwork is a window into the culture of these very mysterious, but sophisticated people.