Turkey and Kebab Delight ~ by Ryan
Istanbul was one of my favorite places to visit. Why? Because there were an endless amount of shops selling Turkish Delight, Baklava, and Doner Meat Kebabs. Istanbul is another place that is filled with history, like Rome, or Greece. It was not always called Istanbul. Before the Turks conquered it, it was called Constantinople. Named after the first Christian Roman Emperor, it was the capital city of Rome. Then, the Ottoman Turks conquered it, and it became Istanbul, a place of delicious dessert and very nice meat kebabs. But the Hagia Sophia, one… Read More
Day 362: Exotic Spices and Turkish Delights – Istanbul
As mentioned in the previous post, Istanbul and the Famed Hagia Sophia, my children may not always enjoy history, but they certainly do enjoy trying new foods and sweet treats. That’s what makes Istanbul an ideal place to visit, at least for our family. It is a melting pot of different cultures and you can most readily see that in its dining choices. Yes, there are also a ton of wonderful historical places to visit throughout Istanbul. If you Google “Istanbul”, you’ll quickly be provided with a huge list, including places like… Read More
Day 360: Istanbul and the Famed Hagia Sophia
Istanbul! What can I say? It’s always held a special draw for me. I can’t exactly explain why, but I’ve always perceived it as mysterious, beautiful, and exotic. We decided to take the kids and visit Istanbul for just under a week before going to Jordan and Israel. I’m so glad we made this decision. Of all the destinations we visited, Istanbul is definitely one of our favorites. The people are friendly and the city is so unique. Below is our new best friend. I don’t remember his name, but he was… Read More
Ryan on Safari
Our first safari was in South Africa, at a place called Bush Lodge. We arrived at night, so we didn’t see as much, but our spotter/tracker Dollen spotted a GREEN chameleon in a bunch of GREEN leaves with a flashlight in the dark. (He had a good eye). Our second safari, which required us to get up at 5:30 AM so we could leave at 6 AM, (after coffee, of course) was pretty awesome. We even spotted a leopard, which is pretty rare to see, because they are so good at camouflage. We… Read More
Day 353: Zambia and Hunting Rhinos
Hunting Rhinos to shoot, with our cameras of course. In addition to Victoria Falls, this was one of the other highlights we experienced in Zambia. We set out in our safari jeep, excited and hopeful but a little apprehensive, as we knew we would hunting the Rhinos on foot. Of course, we could only do this with several heavily armed guards, but if a Rhino chose to charge us, I’m not so sure how safe we’d be, regardless of the guards’ presence. Plus the thought of being the cause for a guard to… Read More
Day 351: Safari on the Zambezi River
The Zambezi River is Africa’s fourth largest river, running through six different countries on its way to the Indian Ocean. Much of the Zambezi is undeveloped and retains its raw beauty. Its biggest claim to fame are the gorgeous Victoria Falls, which we blogged about a few days ago. While in Zambia, we had the opportunity to enjoy several safari cruises. The scenery was stunning, but the wildlife even more amazing. Our highlight was spotting a huge herd of elephants satisfying their thirst riverside. We were all surprised to see this, as… Read More
Safari Encounters: Lions
Large, powerful, daunting. The strongest cats out there (except for possibly tigers). Roars that can be heard 5 miles away. Speeds of up to 50mph. They possess sleek fur and voluminous manes. With 1 1/2 in. (or more) retractable claws and about 3 in. canine teeth, these animals are deadly. They are the leaders and defenders of 15 member groups commonly known as prides. They are the first ones to devour freshly caught prey. They are the ones who have no humility. They are the ones to make wildebeests, impalas, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, wild… Read More
Day 349: Victoria Falls, Zambia – a Photoblog
Years ago, while I was in high school, I met a missionary named Mark in Pearl River, New York. He was at the African Inland Missions summer training, preparing to fly to Kenya to begin his service. I volunteered for this 3 week training every summer, helping the missionaries’ kids in the nursery and cooking meals in the kitchen. It was always a highlight of my summers. Mark and I became instant friends, and began to correspond via airmail letters. (Do you remember those neat, foldable blue envelopes? Do they even exist today?)… Read More
Safari Highlights: The Zebras
I think I took Zebras for granted the first time I went on safari. There were so many of them, I didn’t notice how unique and beautiful each one was. I was more excited about spotting, you guessed it…the Big Cats. This time around, I took the time to study and appreciate them, and learned a few fun facts. I’ve shared a few of my favorite zebra shots and facts below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. First off, Zebras are part of the horse family. Maybe you… Read More
Safari Highlights: Leopards and Cheetahs
Ok, now on to the gorgeous Leopards! Below, we are doing a night safari. It was our very first one at Kapama and I didn’t have high hopes that we would spot any Big Cats. It’s especially difficult to spot a leopard hiding in a tree in the middle of the day, as they blend in so well. Try spotting one at night! But it happened and we felt incredibly fortunate that this one was spotted. We were awed by its beauty and sleekness. The photos below were taken within an hour of… Read More
Deena Gainor
Six Hearts One Journey 
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