Author: Cascoly

I've been exploring and leading trips for over 40 years. climbing & trekkng in the Alps, Andes, North American mountain ranges and the Himalaya. I'm retired from mountaineering now but world travels in Europe, Africa & Asia continue to expand my portfolio. Besides private travel, I now focus on escorting trips to India & Turkey. Other interests include wide reading in history and vegetable gardening / cooking. You can download digital images here, or find images at https://steve-estvanik.pixels.com. We have many thousands of images we haven't displayed yet; so, if you have a special need or request please contact us

AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise – Croatia

Our Danube River cruise had only one stop this time, in Vukovar. Croatia is a popular tourist destination known for its stunning natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and Mediterranean climate. Here are some of the top tourist activities in Croatia: Vukovar The Baroque city of Vukovar located on the banks of the Danube and Vuka… Continue reading AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise – Croatia

AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise – Bulgaria

Vidin is one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria and has played an important part in medieval Bulgarian politics due to its location along the Danube, as evident by the Baba Vida Fortress. This is the only fully preserved medieval fortress in Bulgaria whose unyielding 10th-century stone walls were built on the site of a… Continue reading AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise – Bulgaria

Power Adapters for International Travelers

Travel power adapters are devices used to convert the electrical input from one type of outlet to another so that electronic devices from one country can be used in another country where the electrical outlets are different. This mainly a concern for non-European travelers. Different countries use different electrical standards, including different plug shapes, voltages,… Continue reading Power Adapters for International Travelers

The Fall of Constantinople in 1453

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was a major turning point in world history, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of the Ottoman Empire’s ascendancy. Constantinople, which had been the capital of the Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years, was one of the most heavily fortified cities in the world, with walls that had withstood multiple sieges.

Cascoly Europe Travels – Photos & Journals

Europe is a diverse and fascinating continent, offering an incredible array of cultures, landscapes, and experiences to those who visit. Europe travel is a great way to immerse oneself in history, art, architecture, and cuisine, as well as to explore the beauty of the natural environment. In earlier days, a trip to Europe for me… Continue reading Cascoly Europe Travels – Photos & Journals

Christianity in Cappadocia – Art and Underground Cities

Cappadocia has been an important area for Christian Art for hundreds of years . The terrain is well suited to defense, with cave dwellings and underground cities easily carved from the volcanic tufa. This stone is easy to excavate, but then hardens with exposure to air. With plentiful water and hiding places, various waves of Christian emigrants and… Continue reading Christianity in Cappadocia – Art and Underground Cities

Hoodoo and Cave Church Hiking in Cappadocia

The usual tourist circuit in Cappadocia triangulates Goreme, Avanos and Urgup, but just off this well beaten path there are beautiful, yet easy, day hikes and walks that let you explore the tufa formations and also enjoy vistas of this volcanic land of ‘fairy chimneys’. Gallery of Cappadocia hiking Here are the details from one… Continue reading Hoodoo and Cave Church Hiking in Cappadocia