TheIntroverTraveler | Travel blog

TRAVEL

The latest posts about travel; practical guides and travel tales from your personal wannabe Bruce Chatwin.

The Monreale Cathedral (Palermo): a Norman and Byzantine Treasure

Monreale Cathedral: a Medieval Treasure of Norman Architecture and Byzantine Mosaics

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The Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul (Turkey)

The Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul: history, architecture, and visiting experience

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Diving in the Maldives: Everything You Need to Know

Diving in the Maldives: do I really need to say anything else?

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The Basilica Cistern of Istanbul (Turkey): the ancient vestiges of subterranean Constantinople

The Basilica Cistern of Istanbul, the ancient vestiges of subterranean Constantinople: history, structure, and visitor experience

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The Temple of Abu Simbel: Monumentality and Awe

The Temple of Abu Simbel — because, evidently, the pyramids were not enough for the ancient Egyptians.

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The Glassmakers of Murano (Venice): History, Art, and Craft of an Island That Made Glass

Visiting the Murano glassworks in Venice: is it worth it?

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DIVING

If you think that the Assyrians invented scuba diving by breathing out of a goat's stomach, that tanks are filled with oxygen, and that megalodons still swim in the oceans, this is your blog.

Diving in the Maldives: Everything You Need to Know

Diving in the Maldives: do I really need to say anything else?

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Diving. Why descents go straight to the bottom: the hidden logic behind a fundamental safety rule

Dive profiles and gas absorption in body tissues

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EPIRB and PLB: GPS Location Devices for Diving. Garmin inReach Mini vs Nautilus Lifeline

EPIRB, PLB, GPS Locators. The Safety Devices for Diving That Can Save a Diver’s Life When Lost at Sea

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Weighting in scuba diving: weight belt or integrated BCD pockets? A choice (less trivial than it seems)

How to distribute your weight while diving: belt or BCD pockets?

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Is scuba diving dangerous? Awareness and management

Scuba diving: is it dangerous? What about sharks? Is there a risk of drowning? How to manage an underwater emergency.

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The Thistlegorm: The Story of a Ship, Its Tragic Fate, and the World's Most Famous Shipwreck

Thistlegorm: an advanced wreck dive at 30 meters. Penetrations, currents, nitrox — everything you need to plan your dive.

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ART

Pontormo, Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Goya, Correggio, Parmigianino, Bernini, Bronzino, Piranesi, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Klimt...

The Monreale Cathedral (Palermo): a Norman and Byzantine Treasure

Monreale Cathedral: a Medieval Treasure of Norman Architecture and Byzantine Mosaics

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Things to do in Nara (Japan): Todaiji Temple

Discover Nara’s Tōdaiji Temple in Japan: the Great Buddha, its colossal guardians, and the spiritual essence of ancient Japan in a masterpiece of sacred art and architecture.

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The Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul (Turkey)

The Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul: history, architecture, and visiting experience

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Topkapi Palace in Istanbul: Anatomy of an Empire

The Topkapi Palace in Istanbul: the splendor, wealth, and opulence of the Ottoman court, besieged by a monstrous serpent of tourists.

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Antonio Canova's Pauline Borghese: Marble Venus and Imperial Ego

Antonio Canova’s Paolina Borghese: marble, vulgar glamour, and aristocratic embarrassment set to the beat of banlieue hip-hop. Un poil de chatte tire plus qu'une charrette de bœufs.

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Cairo's new Grand Egyptian museum (GEM): a colossus still waiting for a soul

The brand-new GEM Museum in Cairo; architectural splendor and a still incomplete collection.

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FOOD

You want to know where and what to eat? I got you covered.

Where (not) to eat street food in Istanbul: the balık ekmek stalls in Eminönü.

A Balık ekmek in Eminönü (Istanbul): a simple, popular fish sandwich, a lively atmosphere on the Golden Horn, and an authentic taste of everyday Istanbul.

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Where to eat in Istanbul: Sultanahmet Köftecisi — the Lamb of God, butchered and cooked to perfection just steps from Hagia Sophia.

Eat like the locals in Istanbul: Sultanahmet Köftecisi — lamb morsels, meatballs, and nothing else.

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Eat like the locals in Florence: Florentine lampredotto

Discover Florentine lampredotto: the best street food in Florence — a traditional sandwich rich in history, bold flavors, and true local authenticity.

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