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17/24 • Serbia was to #JustGo2017 what Hungary was to #CUrope2016 - a random stop I chose because it was budget-friendly and non-mainstream. I came without any real expectations, plans, or even a prior knowledge of its history. At first, I was surprised. The historic quarter didn't look so...well, historic. Then I went on a free walking tour and learned that Belgrade was destroyed more than 40 times. !!! Belgrade wasn't as pretty as Budapest was, but it was tenacious. It has rebuilt itself as many times as it was destroyed and has picked itself up after the world's second largest hyperinflation. Despite the struggle and poverty that's still visible, the people I met were warm, eager to talk about their country, and happy to be Serbian. More than anything, this stop reminded me that we travel not just to see but also to learn. I only wish my brain capacity could retain all that I'd heard on my 3 walking tours! #JustGo2017 #TurkeyAllGreecedUpAndThenSome #MarianWanders2017 #WanderWriteNow #wander #travel #Europe #Belgrade #Beograd  #Serbia #bucketlist #beautifuldestinations #wanderwmn #wanderlust 9/24 • It was supposed to be a transit day - us getting on the bus that would take us from Pamukkale to Kusadasi, which would be our base for our trip to Ephesus. But since it was Ate's birthday, it couldn't be just any other transit day. Remember our failed attempts at riding the hot air balloon in Cappadocia? Well, as they say, if you can't do it in Cappadocia, do it in Pamukkale instead. Okay, they don't say that. We did it anyway.  I guess it still was a transit day, with us experiencing more than just one mode of transportation. Being the paranoid, semi-scared-of-heights, I was initially wary about the whole thing. I didn't know if the view - not of fairy chimneys and fellow balloons, but travertine pools and ruins - would be worth the money and anxiety. There were times I worried that our balloon would burst into flames or that we'd crash into the mountain. But all was well. I didn't get the exact experience I wanted - no fairy chimneys and hundreds of colorful balloons. Still, it was an experience I don't mind risking my life for. Yes. Drama. :)) #JustGo2017 #TurkeyAllGreecedUpAndThenSome #MarianWanders2017 #WanderWriteNow #wander #travel #Europe #Pamukkale #Hierapolis #Turkey #bucketlist #beautifuldestinations #wanderwmn #wanderlust #hotairballoon 8/24 • We traveled 10 hours overnight from the rock formations and valleys of Cappadocia to the hills and travertine pools of Pamukkale. It was my longest bus ride thus far, made better by hours of sleep and a decent reclining seat. We arrived just before 6 in the morning. Luckily, the owner of our hotel was nice enough to let us stay in a free room to sleep and shower before our 9am tour. While Cappadocia's landscape was dominated by shades of brown, Pamukkale was about the greens. Even the remains of Hierapolis were overgrown with fields of grass, sprinkled with beautiful red poppies. An ancient Roman city dedicated to Hades, Hierapolis was ruined by earthquakes, but enough of it has been excavated to give us an idea of what it used to be like. Definitely the highlight of Hierapolis were its white travertine pools, after which Pamukkale or "cotton castle" was named. Though there were many pools set in terraces, only a few of them actually had water in them. We walked down the hill, wincing as our bare feet stepped on rocky ground. When we finally reached a pool that wasn't full, we hiked our pants up and waded in. Surprisingly, the water was cool to touch - refreshing in the heat of the sun. #JustGo2017 #TurkeyAllGreecedUpAndThenSome #MarianWanders2017 #WanderWriteNow #wander #travel #Europe #Pamukkale #Hierapolis #Turkey #bucketlist #beautifuldestinations #wanderwmn #wanderlust

wander

Córdoba, Spain: The Land of Flowers and Friends

Published by Marian Bartolome

I bought two tickets for a single bus ride out of Seville. It wasn’t because I had picked up a surprise companion – much to my disappointment. Rather, I’d...

November 28, 2016
Comment 1
Europe, Travel

Seville, Spain: The Golden Capital of Andalusia

Published by Marian Bartolome

I left Madrid for Seville in the final minutes of dawn, chasing the golden sunrise. Aboard a barely occupied Renfe train, I gazed out the window, spellbound by the...

November 2, 2016
Comments 6
Europe, Travel

Madrid, Spain: My Gateway to Europe

Published by Marian Bartolome

Madrid was never really on my list. It was a point of entry and exit. A doorway. An introduction to the story, where you meet the main character, establish...

October 16, 2016
Comments 9
Europe, Travel

#CUrope Chronicles: Ellipses, not endings

Published by Marian Bartolome

Wherein I finally accept reality and start writing about the dream come true that was my Europe backpacking trip.

July 10, 2016
Comments 3
Europe, Travel

Snapshot Stories

“Excuse me, please.” (aka Four)

by Marian Bartolome

The tale of a postcard-perfect town and a four-time encounter with a memorable stranger. Sort of like "Before Sunrise"...but in reverse.

July 13, 2016
Comments 0
Snapshot Stories

write

#Hello

Published by Marian Bartolome

Last Christmas, I told my friends I had a feeling 2016 would be an eventful year for me. Call it a hunch, but I just knew it would bring about something...

March 21, 2016
Comment 1
Blog

Well, hello there.

Published by Marian Bartolome

I’ve been quite busy this past couple of weeks, so I haven’t been updating my blog as often as I should. While I struggle to get through my backlog of...

March 22, 2015
Comments 2
Blog
Marian Bartolome

Marian Bartolome

I wander on strides of leg, swells of word, and flights of fancy—and always with coffee.

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Europe, Travel

Córdoba, Spain: The Land of Flowers and Friends

I bought two tickets for a single bus ride out of Seville. It wasn’t because I had picked up a surprise companion – much to my disappointment. Rather, I’d...

November 28, 2016
Comment 1

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