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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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Continue reading →: Street Art and the Grand Cafe Van Gogh, Bucharest, RomaniaMorning in the city of Bucharest. A fresh, new day to hunt for vampires. But my quest was put on hold because, unlike the immortal creatures I sought, I needed breakfast. Luckily, I found a cafe dedicated to one of my favorite artists, Vincent van Gogh. The decor was otherworldly.…
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Continue reading →: Cărturești Carusel, Bucharest, RomaniaAs the sun set over the Dîmbovița River, I hit the streets of Old Town Bucharest, searching for the palace of Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But instead of vampires, blood, and fangs, I found the Carousel of Light. As often…
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Continue reading →: Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest, RomaniaTo find the summer home of Vlad III, the son of Dracul, the guards at the Palace of Parlaiment told me to cross the Dîmbovița River and cut through the park. Easy enough, I thought. But, despite traversing the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania in search of vampires, crossing the Dîmbovița…
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Continue reading →: Palace of Parliament, Bucharest, RomaniaI left Targoviste, where Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, once held reign, and headed back to Bucharest. My search for vampires in Transylvania was coming to an end, and my heart was heavy. After following countless leads across the Carpathian Mountains, I had no concrete evidence that…
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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 