Undredal is a small village situated at the majestic Nærøyfjord in Western Norway. Up until 1988 the remote settlement was accessible solely by water. Nonetheless people used to live here for centuries, cultivating the rich soil and living off sheep herding. It is famous for a delicious kind of cheese named Geinost, consisting of goat milk. Also in Undredal you can find the smallest Viking church in whole of Norway, it has only forty seats (picture 6).
Coimbra is a city situated in the centre of Portugal halfway between Porto and Lisboa. For many centuries it was the sole University town of the country and hence renowned as cultural and scientific centre of Portugal. Being home to 140k inhabitants Coimbra today is certainly larger than the college campus it once was. While wandering the narrow streets and discovering the beautiful architecture Coimbra never feels like a big city though preserving the urban image like it was seen by the many generations of students which lived and studied here. Take a look for yourself.
Months passed since I left Lisbon and life is moving on. The place though stayed dear to my heart. Also there are still pictures left to show. While this one is not the last series from Portugal, it is the last one with the general theme of Lisbon – or Lisboa in Portugues.
In the midst of the Atlantic Ocean between the land masses of North America and Europe there are some sprinkled islands of volcanic origins called the Azores. If you want to find them on a map you probably need a pair of glasses. While they seem to disappear in the vast blue surrounding them, the inhabitants are there withstanding the forces of the ocean for many hundred of years already, living mostly of agriculture carried out on the rich volcanic soil of the islands. Products from the Azores like milk and cheese are well known for their quality in mainland Portugal, to which the nine islands belong politically. Also there is some tourism. Since 2015 Ryan Air is operating flights to the islands from Lisbon and Porto. Together with a friend we seized the opportunity and took a flight to the main island of São Miguel. We travelled the island by bike and by public busses mostly. Cruising through green landscapes and passing by cattle, visiting small villages and meeting friendly people. Always on the canvas of a vast endless ocean.
Last time Cyprus was featured it was all about a divided island. Though the political situation is complicated for sure, I recommend to visit both parts of the island. So I won’t differentiate between the Turkish and the Greek parts in the following gallery. The pictures 5, 6 and 7 need some background: After the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus former Gothic Cathedrals were converted into Mosques. Interestingly some where not destroyed and just minor changes were made (like the destruction of angel figures due to the ban of images in Islam) and the altar was displaced within the church, so the believers would be able to pray in the direction of Mekka. According to Ottoman traditions the former Cathedrals were equipped with carpets and the inner church was painted white. Though inside as well as outside you still see the Christian heritage. The clean and bright style of Islamic religious decoration combined with the dark and serious Gothic style makes for a thouroghly fascinating combination.
Situated both on the European and on the Asian continent, Istanbul is the entry gate to the Orient, yet at the same time it is also the last major European city in the southeast. Istanbul, or Konstantinopel, how it was called before the Ottoman conquest, has always been a metropole. Today roughly 15 Million people call it their home. The vast sea of houses is divided by the Bosporus, a water way connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It is one of the busiest waterways in the world. Not far away – on the European site – grand mosques arise, built over the centuries by Ottoman rulers to show of their power. They are majestic indeed, rich decorated with Islamic ornaments and beautiful interiors. Between the mosques you will find the Grand Bazar, a covered bazar consisting of 61 streets and many thousand shops. In Istanbul everything seems grander than usual.
Michael Hoffman Photography 