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Continue reading →: Guimarães Castle, PortugalAfter spending time in Braga, I traveled Southeast towards the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Guimarães, a city that dates to the 9th century. There, I gazed up at the magnificent 12th century Guimarães Castle, a towering fort built on a bed of granite, and the birthplace of Portugal’s first…
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Continue reading →: Sé de Braga, PortugalI wasn’t prepared for Braga. Sé de Braga dates back to the late 11th century, but that is only the beginning. After years of war, earthquakes, and renovations, the cathedral is now a mix of various time periods. Each section is a masterpiece, a mystery unearthed, and so much more.…
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Continue reading →: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, PortugalHigh atop the city of Braga, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for absolving sins. It is said that if you climb the 573 steps at the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, you will find salvation. Like Longinus, a roman soldier who pierced the side of Christ with…
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Continue reading →: Quinta da Pacheca, PortugalI heard there was a vineyard in Portugal where you can stomp on grapes barefoot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right time. But I still loved visiting one of the oldest wine producers in the Douro Valley and tasting some of their lovely ports. It was the perfect afternoon after a…
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Continue reading →: Quinta Da Fonte Do Milho, Douro River Valley, and Pinhão, PortugalAs I left the tomb of São Gonçalo in Amarante, my curiosity over the row of green doors faded. But the color took on new significance as I traveled further East along the Douro River. Everything was green. A poignant picture of life and bounty; that’s the Douro River Valley.…
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Continue reading →: Amarante, Portugal“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien The first thing I noticed about Amarante was a row of green doors. I had photographed a similar…
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Continue reading →: Porto, PortugalA wave of nostalgia swept over me as I stepped into the city of Porto and inhaled the sea-salt air; a scent deeply woven with my sense of home. The ocean is less than ten miles from Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, about five miles from Old Town. Only I was…
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Continue reading →: Ritual of the Living Dead, Romania,It was a birthday celebration, a Romanian ritual, that’s what I was told as I was led through an inner courtyard like the one I’d seen at Bran Castle. Ivy cascaded down stone walls, and low lighting gave the restaurant a romantic feel. Medieval armor, dark corners, empty tables… I…
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Continue reading →: The search for Curtea Veche, Bucharest, RomaniaFinding Curtea Veche, the summer palace of Vlad Tepes, proved harder than I thought. I was told that a life-sized bust of Vlad, similar to the statue I saw in Sighisoara, graced the entrance to the ruins. But, like the vampires I sought, The Old Princely Court continued to allude…
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Continue reading →: Stavropoleos Monastery, Bucharest, RomaniaThe sky was blue. The sun was warm. It was a beautiful day in Bucharest. After discovering some amazing street art, and eating breakfast at the Grand Cafe Van Gogh, I was on top of the world. If only I could find some vampires. The summer palace of Vlad Tepes…
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I’m Dawn
Writer, photographer, and traveler on this road called life. Welcome to my little corner of the internet. You can find me on most social media sites @dawnberkoski.
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Dawn Berkoski 