Greece: Land of Gods

Perhaps it’s my lifelong fascination and love of Greek mythology that fuels my desire to visit the ethereal and magical country that is Greece. Located on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, Greece (officially the Hellenic Republic) has the longest coastline in Europe and more than 1,400 islands dotting the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Only 169 of the islands have people living on them, the largest islands being Crete and Evia.

The birthplace of democracy, Greece is home to over a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites that span four millennia. The Parthenon was built in 438 B.C. as a temple for Athena, the goddess of war, and today is the most popular tourist attraction in Greece. Many Greek structures such as doors, windowsills, furniture, and church domes are painted a turquoise blue, especially in the Cyclades Islands. This is due to an ancient belief that this shade of blue keeps evil away.  

From its convoluted coastline to sandy, white beaches to its mountainous interiors including Mount Olympus, home of the gods, Greece contains a blend of ancient and modern attractions such as museums of the ancient and Byzantine eras, archaeological sites, and culture-rich cities. 
 

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vistanature.com

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disneycruiselineblog.com

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worldoftravelusa.com


Iceland: The Land of Fire and Ice

Iceland has consistently ranked number one on the list of countries I want to visit. Situated between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean, this Nordic island nation has a population of approximately 325,000 and is about the same size as the state of Virginia. My desire to visit Iceland originated with my obsession with Aurora Borealis, better known as the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction of particles from the sun with the upper atmosphere near the North Pole, and are visible in Iceland during the winter months, from September to April. In addition to these natural light shows, Iceland boasts mountains, glaciers, geysers, hot springs, volcanoes, and waterfalls. 

One look at the stunning landscapes of this beautiful country and it’s no surprise why Iceland has consistently been a location of choice for filmmakers. From the hit HBO series Game of Thrones to Hollywood blockbusters including Prometheus and Interstellar, Iceland’s varying geographic regions are an ideal location for sweeping shots and out of this earth terrains. While I hope to be able to shortly post my own pictures of this country, in the meantime, let’s take a look at these incredible photographs and transport ourselves to the ‘Land of Fire and Ice.’

via i-fink

via i-fink

via reddit

via reddit

David Sausse via National Geographic

David Sausse via National Geographic

via National Geographic

via National Geographic

Sam Morris via National Geographic

Sam Morris via National Geographic

via ARCTIC-IMAGES/CORBIS

via ARCTIC-IMAGES/CORBIS

via National Geographic

via National Geographic

via ZME Poetry

via ZME Poetry

via ZME Poetry

via ZME Poetry

via ZME Poetry

via ZME Poetry

Marcelo Castro via National Geographic

Marcelo Castro via National Geographic

Nicholas Roemmelt via National Geographic

Nicholas Roemmelt via National Geographic

boredpanda.com

boredpanda.com