A
Journey Through the Eastern Mediterranean
Travel has a way of shaping us,
leaving behind memories that linger long after we’ve returned home. Some places
capture our imagination instantly, while others reveal their magic slowly,
through the stories they tell and the people we meet along the way. Photos
sometimes have a way of encapsulating the essence of these remarkable
destinations.
This collection of ten
photographs isn’t just a highlight reel of beautiful places. They represent the
weight of history in ancient ruins, the delicate craftsmanship of treasures
created centuries ago, the breathtaking vastness of desert landscapes, and the
warmth of people whose presence makes a place feel alive.
The Adriatic coast revealed the
rugged beauty of Montenegro, the quiet coastal villages of Albania, and the
timeless allure of Italy. Each stop along the way offered a unique
contrast—medieval fortresses perched high above the sea, narrow stone alleys
winding through centuries-old towns, and bustling harbors where past and
present converged danced.
Greece was a journey through
layers of history. In Corinth, the Temple of Apollo stood in quiet
majesty. In Heraklion, we wandered among
vibrant streets that felt both modern and ancient at once. Nearby, the Palace
of Knossos transported me back to the time of the Minoans, its frescoes and
labyrinthine corridors whispering stories of a civilization that thrived
thousands of years ago. But it was on the island of Ikaria, known for the
longevity of its people, that I felt time slow down completely. There, life unfolded
at its own pace—meals stretched on for hours, laughter echoed through the
hills, and the beauty of the Aegean shimmered beneath the setting sun.
In Egypt, the past and present intertwined in ways that few other places do. Sailing along the Nile at dusk, we watched the riverbanks turn to silhouettes against the fiery sky, a scene unchanged for millennia. The pyramids, rising from the desert with an almost otherworldly presence, raised the hair on my back. But what struck me most were the details—the intricate carvings in temple walls, the colors still visible in tomb paintings after thousands of years, and the stories etched into stone by hands long gone.
Then, there was Jordan. The
moment Cyndy and I walked through the narrow, winding Siq and caught my first
glimpse of Petra’s Treasury, I understood why this place has mesmerized
travelers for centuries. But Jordan’s beauty goes beyond its famous ruins. The
vastness of Wadi Rum, with its towering sandstone cliffs and endless dunes, was
humbling. Watching the sunset paint the desert in shades of gold and crimson
was a reminder of how small we are in the grand scale of time and nature.
These photographs are more than
just images; they are windows into moments that shaped my travels. Whether
you’ve visited these places before or they remain on your bucket list, I hope
they spark your curiosity, inspire your wanderlust, and remind you of the
beauty our world holds.
Here are our top 10 travel photos
of 2024—each one a story for your eyes to explore.
The
Temple of Apollo & the Delphi Oracle
Ruins of ancient Corinth showing
scattered stone blocks of decaying structures arrayed on a hillside. The cloudy
sky is purple and orange.
Sunday
· October 13, 2024 · 6:45 pm
We had ferried from Corfu to the
Greek mainland and then driven to Corinth just in time for sunset. Corinth was
known mainly (at least to me) for the letters St. Paul had written to that
early Christian congregation 2000 years ago, and the great Temple of Apollo. We
sat in a small restaurant and this was the view we saw as we sat down. I caught
the sunset just in time. Not much remains of the great temple of Zeus's son
Apollo, but somehow that made it only more breathtaking. The orange and yellows
of the sun god, the ruins and revelations that even the great and mighty must
one day pass seemed somehow perfect. I was plain lucky to be there at that
moment.
Camels
and Pyramids, Giza, Egypt
Several packed and loaded camels
kneel on the sand while pyramids rise in the backgroud.
Tuesday · November 5, 2024 · 9:16
amYou will rarely be fortunate enough to capture this image without it being
loaded with hundreds or thousands of tourists. Somehow I got lucky. Nine
dromedaries awaiting their next trek into the great Pyramids of Giza. If I took
it in sepia or had a daguerreotype camera with me, it might have looked like an
image from the time of Lawrence of Arabia. If you're interested in a version
like that, we'll provide either a hard print or a digital version Just drop me an email.
Old
Fortress at Corfu, Greece
Thursday
· October 10 2024 · 8:09 pm
The Old Fortress of Corfu has
existed for a 1400 years in some form or another. First built by the Byzantine
Empire and later expanded and rebuilt by the Venetians. The city itself goes back
to the ancient Greek Empire and Thucydides considered it one of the great naval
strongholds of the ancient world. We had arrived in Corfu by ferry and had
walked two miles to reach our hotel by night. Exhausted we found a rooftop
restaurant and we were greeted with this view.
Hot
Air Balloons in Al-Karanah Al-Gadida City
Friday
· November 15, 2024 · 5:43 am
We crossed the Nile on a small
ferry from Luxor in the dark and road by bus with a small clan of others
prepared to balloon over the ancient city, once known as Thebes, one of Egypt’s
many capital cities. Scores of the massive balloons rise each day this time of
year in a great open field. Cyn and I were stunned by the balloon's sizes and
great whooping sounds they made as they rapidly inflated beneath the giant
furnaces that power them into the sky. You can see more views and
video of the sunrise here.
Dalmation
Coast, Herceg Novi, Montenegro
Saturday
· October 5 2024 · 5:33 pm
The Dalmation Coast along the
shores of Croatia, Montenegro and Albania reveals some of the most stunning
views I have ever seen. We had arrived in the little fishing town of Herceg
Novi, Montenegro in a pouring rain. But the next day the skies cleared to
reveal this view of the Adriatic Sea and the mountains that lie along its
shores. It was a late October day and the air was absolutely clear and crisp.
Great battles had been fought in this bay, but that day, you'd never know it.
It’s one of my favorite photos of all time.
Petra
Treasury Entering the Siq
Friday
· November 29, 2024 · 11:42 am
One of the most spectacular
places we found on our journey was Petra's "Treasury" in Jordan, most
famous as a location in the 1989 movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The
Treasury is really a tomb, and only a small part of a vast ancient city that
sits hidden among the mountains to the right. You enter through the Siq, a long
corridor of great rock hewn by time and wind before these carved tombs and
buildings reveal themselves so dramatically. I tried to capture the feel of that
with this image.
Felucca
on the Nile
Thursday
· November 21, 2024 · 8:14 am
Over 700 days into our journey
(November 21, 2024) we had made it to the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, now
known as Luxor. I caught this picture in the early morning — a small felucca
skating the Nile's broad, blue waters under an equally broad, blue sky. And
once again, I felt I had been caught in another time.
Coptic
Monastery of the Virgin Mary, Nile River
Sunday
· November 10, 2024 · 5:26 pm
The Nile weaves its way for
hundreds of miles from Sudan to the Mediterranean, but here was one of its sharpest
bends. Just as the sun began to set we sailed by an enormous and ancient Coptic
monastery along the river's rocky banks - the Deir al-Muharraq or Monastery of
the Virgin Mary, one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world. It
exists because legend has it that Mary, Joseph and the Child Jesus spent six
months there escaping the armies of King Herod who wanted the child murdered. I
couldn't stop taking pictures, but this one seemed to capture it's breadth and
beauty.
Saturday
· November 23, 2024 · 2:21 pm
Everywhere in the cities of Egypt
you see the contrast between past and present. Here in Cairo's grand, old
market district I caught this man hard at work carrying bundles of pita and who
knew what else, striding purposefully in his long, tan Galabeya. The district
is a riot of sounds and smells, artifacts and architecture.
Alexandria,
Egypt
Tuesday
· October 29, 2024 · 5:56 pm
For decades I had wanted to visit
the fabled city of Alexandria, founded
2500 years ago by Alexander the Great. Finally in October of 2024, we
made it and it was worth every minute. From a bay window in the Cecil
Steigenberger Hotel I took this picture. The sun was riding low along the
city's famed and ancient "corniche," lapping at the shores of the
Mediterranean where the Nile Delta empties. You can't hear the riot of
constantly beeping mini-buses, music and chatter on the streets below, but it
only makes the picture better. In some ways, it's those spectacular clouds that
make the picture. Soon videos of this amazing place will be available though
our website. Stay tuned.
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