http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ConnieF/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from ConnieF en-us Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:33:59 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:33:59 +0000 Artistry in wool and silkAs my husband knows only too well carpets er Rugs fascinate me. Even though we have wall to wall carpet in our flat I have several wool area rugs. My mother Eleanor loved rugs and we had many of them in our home growing up. She taught me how to look always at the reverse side which in good hand made rugs will be almost as colorful and clear as the front side. Appa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Tbilisi-District/Tbilisi/blog-426320.html Our 15 seconds of FameAnyone who's been following Dudley Dawson's Worlds' Worst Cubicle Contest in the San Francisco Examiner or read my previous blog on this subject knows that we submitted two entries 22 and 23 and that 22 was in the lead. I got the news that we WON the contest was there any doubt and we've been awarded a gift card. If you want to see all the entries and results go t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Jose/blog-432556.html Our visit to a fairy tale townSighnaghi is the most beautiful town I have seen in all my travels including Netherlands Turkey Romania Spain and Italy. One of the few medieval towns that still has all its' city walls Sighnahi is perched on a hill overlooking a vast valley with the lofty snow covered Caucasian mountains opposite. The entire town was recently redone by the Georgian government http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/East/Sighnaghi/blog-426311.html Think you have it badEven though we've returned home I still have some fun times to share. It turns out you can publish a book from your blog these website operators are so clever about getting money out of us aren't they and so I'm planning my first book Adventures with Connie 2009. I want to make sure a few more entries get included. To witMy blog about Tbilisi wouldn't be complete w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Tbilisi-District/Tbilisi/blog-426347.html Forming new charity partnershipsOpportunities to share blessings with others surround us all if only we have the courage to look and to ask questions about how we might be of service. Here's some more information about how we hope to expand our charity work into Georgia. Before we left the US we invited Irakli's cousin Ilya to draw on his vast network to help us find potential partners for char http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Tbilisi-District/blog-418958.html The Past meets The PresentAfter our wonderful trip to the Caucasian mountains my husband Irakli departed for home while I got to enjoy another week in Georgia. Thanks to the absolutely wonderful hospitality of his family and friends especially his brother Achi and cousin Ilya I saw even more interesting sights. Although I'm now back in the USA I thought you would enjoy hearing about a few of http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/blog-418600.html Taking the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi and hiking in the Nature ReserveStretching from Tbilisi to Russia via some of the most mountainous terrain on earth the Highway has existed as a route since before the 1st century BC but was only a basic track. In 1783 the Russians converted it into a carriage road via a hurculean effort requiring more than 800 soldiers. In 1829 Pushkin and many ot http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Khevi/Kazbegi/blog-414693.html On the road in GeorgiaHaving been convinced of the wisdom and economy of traveling ldquoGeorgian stylerdquo with friends and relatives rather than hiring a guide Irakli and I embarked on our trip of southwestern Georgia with his brother Achi his cousin Ilya and Ilyarsquos daughter Nuntsa.First stopBorjomi This town of about 20000 people has several well known springs with heathgiving http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/blog-414341.html Planning our trip inside Georgia So my husband Irakli Natsvlishvili despite being a native Georgian has thoughtfully researched hiring a local guide to take us on a one week discovery tour of the South and Southwest of Georgia. Of course his Georgian friends were outraged at the idea and offered to escort us personally or have their relatives escort us. They were also outraged at the pric http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Tbilisi-District/Tbilisi/blog-399577.html I arrived in Georgia on June 16th and I'm writing just a quick note as internet access is intermittent here. According to our sources in Georgia Irakli's brother Achi works for an internet service provider here the main internet trunk line to Georgia goes through Romania. It seems internet service is often interrupted because someone or some firm in Romania accidently digs up the line. Fortun http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Georgia/Tbilisi-District/blog-412090.html The most famous of Romania's Painted MonasteriesRomania's Painted Monasteries are UNESCO World Heritage monuments. Perhaps the most famous and stunning of the painted monasteries is Voronet. Widely known throughout Europe as the Sistine Chapel of the East due to its interior and exterior wall paintings this monastery offers an abundance of frescoes featuring an intense shade of blue common http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Romania/Bucovina/Suceava/Gura-Humorului/blog-413384.html By train and car to and from IasiSo now that you've read about our trip to Moldova you may be wondering How the heck did they get there back Well we traveled through some of the most beautiful countryside in the world in my humble opinion. And we traveled there in the most stress free wayby train.Traveling by train in Romania is one of my most favorite travel activities. The lovely and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Romania/Moldova/Iasi/Iasi/blog-413328.html Moldova once part of Romania has the unhappy distinction of being Europe's poorest country. Historically due to its strategic location on a route between Asia and Europe Moldova was repeatedly invaded Bastarns Sarmatians Goths Huns Avars Magyars and the Mongols all fought over this small country. Recently the 1998 financial crisis in Russia Moldova's main economic partner at the time http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Moldova/blog-410805.html Working alongside friends to help othersSo now from the luxury and order of Holland into the excitement and wilds of Romania. I flew from Amsterdam to Vienna and then to Timisoara Romania where I was met by my good friend and lawyer Daniel Musteata. Daniel is head of Bethlehem Ministries and works very hard to help poor children and families. A specialist in international adoptions he has als http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Romania/blog-410083.html A labor of loveAs many of you know I do both short term relief and long term development. I work directly with small grass roots charities who already have a track record of success and who have few other outside resources. In other words my heart is to help those who have very little help hope or champion. My passion is to marshall the resources of the first world to help those in need while http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Romania/blog-399006.html Blooming BeautifulAs I've mentioned my sister is an avid gardener. Subscribing to gardening magazines trips to local gardens and even this year to London for the prestigious Chelsea flower show all for inspiration and ideas. She's translated these ideas into a lovely country garden surrounding her home in Rockanje a small town near the Strand or beach off the North Sea within commuting dista http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/blog-403629.html All the china and porcelain I didn't buyWe had a great day trip first to a rose garden as my sister is an avid gardner and then to the charming city of Delft. It is located in between Rotterdam and The Hague about 45 minutes from my sister's house in Rockanje. Delft is primarily known for its typically Dutch town centre also for the painter Vermeer and of course the famous Delft Blue potter http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/Delft/blog-403360.html A walk through historyI've been resting up at my sister's for several days feasting on the fabulous cheese rich yogurt delicious chocolate and fresh baked bread. Having fortified myself it's time for a foray into the countryside and a chance to walk off those extra calories. Thus a day trip and walking tour of Brielle located about 25 miles outside Rotterdam. This small and picturesc town da http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/Rotterdam/blog-402741.html How the Dutch do itSave money and the environment at the same time that isThe Dutch bike everywhere. Of course it helps that the country is flat flat flat. And this passion for biking is helped along by the terrible traffic impossible parking and high cost of fuel. Not to mention the lovely scenery and favorable traffic laws. Apparently if you hit a bicyclist with your car you are automat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/Hellevoetsluis/blog-402717.html The easy way to see the best of AmsterdamMy next day in Amsterdam I decided to skip the bike tour and take the canal boat instead. This delightful way to tour Amsterdam is one of my alltime favorite activities in this picturesc city. I bought an all day ticket on the 'Hop on Hop off Canal Bus boats for 20 EU. These low profile glass topped boats tour the major canals and pass all the major to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-402261.html