This video takes place in the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. It features the cities of Split and Salona, specifically highlighting the ruins of Salona. The video is part 2 of a 3 part series. Each episode covers some history of the locations visited, local hot spots, restaurant recommendations, and people we met during our travels throughout our trip to Croatia. Part I is found on this blog, my YouTube channel, and on my patreon page. Stay tuned for part 3 which I will start creating after the initial post date of this video. Sorry for the video quality at times. The entire movie was created with an iPhone X and that’s part of the beauty of its simplicity.
I hope these videos encourage you to record your special moments in life and travels. Remember that creating great memories we can cherish and revisit are what life is all about.
One of the most amazing places I have ever visited is Thailand. Visiting this country felt like being in an entirely different world. From the moment my fiancé and I arrived at the airport in Bangkok, we knew that this experience was going to feel a bit unfamiliar. This was a great thing as I long for the unfamiliar from time to time. I recall asking the driver to take us to the only address we had any knowledge of and of course, that was the location of our hotel. He did not understand what we were trying to say entirely, but at least he was patient enough to figure out what we were trying to convey. My significant other and I chose to stay in the Chinatown area where we were greeted with warm, cleansing towels and a hot cup of tea. We felt pampered, relaxed, and as we were in great hands after such a long trip. Our flight was twenty-four hours to be exact and we were exhausted, yet willing to exchange only a bit of sleep before we’d take on the city and explore. This seemed fair as we had already traveled so far. As we settled into our hotel, we noticed that the vents permeated the air with an aromatic, spa-like, floral scent that sent us off into a much needed pleasant slumber.
Buddhist Prayer Site at The Grand Palace, Photo Credit: Shirley Marcano
Morning arrived and we were freshly filled with purpose and curiosity towards the unknown. Our plan was ambitious. We were going to cover as many monuments as possible and use minimal transportation since our goal was to walk throughout the city to experience as much as it had to offer. Our first monument was the Grand Palace. This palace is astonishing to say the least. Most of the buildings are decorated with colored glass while covered with gold leaf throughout. It’s quite the majestic vision and certainly one of a kind. Built in 1782, this palace boasts incredible, unparalleled architecture unquestionably built for a Thai king.
At The Grand Palace Admiring The Details
The atmosphere at the Grand Palace encompasses an air of whimsy combined with the opulent and regal. The gardens feature perfectly tailored details with little surprises at each turn. One can find majestic statues alongside more playful visual imagery. There’s a sense of peace throughout the grounds that connects to an era ages past. It’s this sense of quiet reminiscence that allows one to escape into one’s imagination and envision what may have been a long time ago. Despite the array of people it welcomes every day, visiting the Grand Palace still manages to feel like a unique and individual experience.
Grand Palace Gardens Photo Credit: Shirley Marcano
The Emerald Buddha Temple lies within the Grand Palace. This temple is to this day a sacred place of worship, therefore, it is prohibited to photograph beyond its walls. Tourists are allowed to enter, but must show respect. This means everyone must remove their shoes, cover their legs, and hide exposed shoulders before entering. Luckily, one can find pants and scarfs for sale at these sites to ensure appropriate coverage which make great souvenirs. Although, I bought a few of these scarfs, I opted to just throw a shirt over my dress I had packed for this specific occasion. I have to admit it was hot, but we experienced nothing less than sunshine. Our visit took place in February which is considered one of the best times of the year to travel to Thailand. I should mention that the rainy season takes place from June to October.
Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha Photo Credit: Shirley Marcano
The next temple we visited was the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or Wat Pho. In this temple lies the statue of Buddha 43 meters long and 15 meters tall. The statue is quite impressive and elaborate within it’s design while it sits within beautifully decorated columns. I knelt before a monk at this site where water was sprinkled over my head as a ritualistic form of blessing. This act was followed by a small donation which entitled me to receive a white thread bracelet symbolizing protection and good health. This buddhist practice is called sai sin and the bracelets are previously blessed by a monk. I proudly wore my bracelet from the moment it was given to me as I optimistically awaited all the good fortune it was meant to ensue.
Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha
These two temples made up the majority of our first day in Thailand and after returning to our hotel and taking a much needed nap (thanks to our state of jet lag), it was time to experience some of Thailand’s best kept secret – its delicious cuisine! Okay, so it may not be an absolute secret to some, but the best authentic Thai food that one will ever encounter is, as expected, in Thailand. This country has some of the best dishes you’ll ever taste anywhere in the world as long as you enjoy spicy dishes. Luckily, the prices for a meal are wonderfully low. Once we were ready for dinner, it was time to search for the T & K Seafood Restaurant. We first heard of T & K from a YouTube video upon searching for great places to eat while visiting Thailand. To our surprise, this restaurant was only about three blocks from our hotel which we felt was a most serendipitous encounter. The food was excellent in case you were wondering. We had the tom yum soup and the snapper dish. They were both to die for and were paired with the local Thai beer, Singha, for a final touch.
T & K Seafood Restaurant
Another temple we were able to visit was the Marble Temple. We rode a tuk-tuk to this location since it was a bit far from our hotel, although, it was on the agenda to experience this mode of transportation. Once our tuk-tuk bucket list had been checked, we experienced this next site. The exterior of this temple is made of marble as suggested by its name. This includes the large center terrace and all the columns throughout the building quarters. The Marble Temple is quite a magnificent structure and a definite site to see. One can find monks in this temple praying within its grand space.
Marble Temple
The last temple on the agenda was Wat Saket also known as The Golden Mount. Arriving at this temple requires a bit of a hike up a winding set of stairs. Once at the top of this temple, the views are phenomenal and lend themselves for some spectacular photos. There’s a row of several large bells that one can ring to secure future good luck. I rang most of them to my heart’s contentment.
Wat Saket Bells Photo Credit: Shirley Marcano
This concludes my temple adventure throughout Bangkok. Visiting this city was quite an experience that I recommend. From its people to the cuisine, I believe that Bangkok is definitely worth the visit. My fiancé and I were engaged during this trip so maybe there will be some other surprises in store for you.
Spread Your Wings and Let Your Spirit Roam Free in Greece, Photo by Shirley Marcano
If you’re into visiting historical sites, especially ruins, there’s no better place to visit than Athens. Not only are the people friendly, but the sites are phenomenal. I did not know what to expect when I arrived in this wonderful city beyond carefully mapping out the distance to the places I would visit. I stayed about ten minutes walking distance from Parthenon since I had predicted that would be the main attraction. I could hardly contain my excitement being that my flight had arrived too early in the morning for my hotel room to be ready or for Parthenon visiting hours. Luckily, The Royal Olympic Hotel, where I stayed, provides a spare bathroom with a shower near the pool precisely for the predicament I found myself in that day. I was exhausted as I had just arrived from a visit to Ireland (more on that another day), but I was able to get ready and explore the perimeter. The hotel staff was very helpful, safely stored my bags in their luggage room, and off I went to explore. I was starving, so I headed upstairs to their terrace restaurant for breakfast and I did not expect what I was about to see. The most magnificent views of the Temple of Zeus were right in front of me while Parthenon stood to my left. It was like traveling back in time and playing a part in a majestic, ancient dream. I had done my research so I had viewed some photos on the hotel’s website pertaining to the astonishing sight that lay before me, but witnessing these historic ruins in person while I enjoyed my delicious Greek meal was a completely different experience. I should add that the view is even more striking at night when the monuments are lit. I just kept thinking, ‘somebody pinch me, but not too hard.’ The other prevalent thought in my mind was that of awe as I imagined how seeing these amazing historic structures on a daily basis must make the Greeks feel. I suppose they grow used to it, but I wonder what they would think of these marvels if only they could see them through my eyes. At the very least, I imagine they feel proud to be Greek.
Dinner With Zeus, Photo By Shirley Marcano
Now that my belly was full, I was ready for my expedition around Athens. I was full of energy and remember walking and asking around how much further until I reached Parthenon on the much anticipated and famous Acropolis Hill. I walked through Plaka and passed the Acropolis Museum, a few artists, and some great shops I was destined to visit eventually after I found what I was looking for – the steps up the hill. This was it! I was about to make one of my wishes come true, but not before waiting in line and exchanging twenty euros for this great experience. Not a bad deal and there are people in line who offer tours. I opted out of the tours, but people seemed to enjoy their guides as did I from time to time when we happened to cross paths. I recommend the tours, but I had only brought a limited amount of money to cover the entrance fees to Parthenon and the museum since I try not to carry around too much cash while on vacation. As I climbed up the hill, the ruins began to reveal themselves. It was such a spectacular moment and needless to say, I managed to become trigger happy with my iPhone and Nikon cameras. In my defense, so did everyone else.
Acropolis Hill Amphitheater: Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Photo by Shirley Marcano
One of the first views on the hill is that of the Acropolis Hill Amphitheater, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which was built in 161 AD by a wealthy Athenian to memorialize his wife. Concerts were held in this theater and it accommodated around 5,000 people. It is a beautiful historic building to see and it’s even better to know that events are held in this structure to this day merging different eras for a similar purpose – to entertain. This is simply mind blowing and another great fact to know if one were to live in Athens. I can only imagine that the mundane becomes extraordinary when visiting this historic treasure.
Another memorable sight one can appreciate from Acropolis Hill, and is certainly not to be forgotten, is that of the city of Athens. One can enjoy 360 degree views of the city overlooking all the ruins. Other archeological sites may be spotted from this perspective, but most impressive are the magnificent mountain ranges that lend themselves as the perfect backdrop for this beautiful and picturesque city.
Erechtheion 421-406 BC Photo by Shirley Marcano
These iconic statues, known as the Caryatids, on Acropolis Hill belong to Erechtheion and are another piece of history that I was looking forward to seeing. The current statues on the building are exact replicas and the original ones are kept at the Old Acropolis Museum in Athens where they are well taken care of these days. I was able to see these in person. However, one of the statues is missing and is held at the British Museum in London.
Parthenon, Photo by Shirley Marcano
Seeing the Parthenon building concluded my Acropolian adventure. This historic building was crafted of Pentelic marble while its foundation was made of limestone sometime between 447 to 432 BC. Parthenon was built to honor the goddess, Athena, and it served as the treasury building to the Athenians for some time. To know that this building has been standing for as long as it has is quite impressive and it was interesting to imagine what it must have been like to walk inside its magnificent walls many centuries ago. It’s no surprise that so many buildings in the present have been modeled after this archeological wonder.
On Acropolis Hill, Photo by Shirley Marcano
This image of me demonstrates my sentiment for Athens, its history, the people, and the Acropolis Amphitheater. If I could add anything to this experience, it would be to attend a concert and listen to great music in that little historical gem right behind me. I think I would feel like Athena herself. Now, THAT would be divine!
