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Pages To Planes

Adventure Awaits…on Foot and in Books

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Plane Travel

Waiting on Wapiti: a Lifetime Hunt for a Bull Elk

When every one else is getting ready for Pumpkin Spice lattes and scarves, my family welcomes fall in a different way. September is archery hunting season. Being part of a…

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September 26, 2022
Plane Travel

1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: July & August

Today, July 29, marks the start of my second month in New Zealand, so I'm posting the first few weeks of my 1 year of New Zealand selfies. When you're…

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July 29, 2023
Plane Travel

Awestruck in the Arctic: an Aurora Borealis Gallery

From the first human who tipped their head back to watch the fierce and brilliant otherworldly lights, there have been myths to explain the phenomenon of the aurora borealis. The…

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April 15, 2023
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  • Plane Travel

    Ataturk in Ankara: Veneration of the Victors

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    As we wandered the Mausoleum and museum, it felt strangely Roman. Not in design, but in sentiment. In Ancient Rome, past Caesars were worshipped as gods. This enormous monument and the veneration in our guide's voice as he spoke of Ataturk held a similar resonance. It was a bit disturbing to view the abject worship of a man that I consider a dictator. But when you agree with the dictator, when you read and learn the history shaped by the dictator, of course you don't view the person as dictatorial--instead, you see a hero.

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    A Chateau and a Vineyard…I Must Be in France

    January 22, 2020
    Palais de Papes Palace of the Popes

    If Even Popes get Castles…Why Can’t I Have One?

    January 28, 2020

    Singapore Kaleidoscope

    May 26, 2024
  • vaulted ceiling and arches of church carved from rock in Cappadocia
    Plane Travel

    Cappadocia: Land of Hidden Cities and Fairy Chimneys

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    ​The region of Cappadocia in central Turkey consists mainly of volcanic rock called tufa. The wind and weather shapes the rock into unusual formations. In Cappadocia, these formations are whimsically named "fairy chimneys." However, the most interesting forms made from tufa are man-made rather than weather-made. Think multi-level hidden underground cities and rock-cut churches with vibrant frescos.

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    Why I Had to Jump in New Zealand

    March 31, 2024

    The Red-Stone Ruins of Heidelberg Castle

    May 22, 2022

    Beginning in Bali: The Start of My Asia Travels

    May 4, 2024
  • mosque with a jade tower
    Plane Travel

    Between Konya and Cappadocia: Dervishes, Caravans, and Turkish Rugs

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    As we traversed Turkey, we followed narrow roadways over uneven landscape, tracing ancient trade routes and stumbling upon small towns nestled among the hills. We visited the monastery of Mevlana, a caravenserai, and experienced demonstrations of stunning Turkish artisanship.

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    Kusadasi: Seaside Getaway with a Hidden Face

    March 28, 2019

    Nice Carnival: Battle of the Flowers

    February 15, 2020

    Camp des Milles: What France once Tried to Erase

    February 29, 2020
  • Plane Travel

    Pamukkale: Sunken Cities and White Travertines of Healing

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    Everyone loves a good spa. Especially one with magical healing properties. Pamukkale, in the coastal Aegean region of Turkey, is one such place. Well, the magic is hear-say, though I found it magical. With white stone, perfect turquoise water, and roman ruins beneath my kicking feet--it's about as magical as one can get.

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    Peach clouds at sunset over the Côte d'Azur

    La Côte d’Azur: Sunshine, Flowers, and Spring-time!

    February 14, 2020

    The North of the South: Picton to Golden Bay

    October 2, 2023
    vaulted ceiling and arches of church carved from rock in Cappadocia

    Cappadocia: Land of Hidden Cities and Fairy Chimneys

    March 31, 2019
  • Plane Travel

    Kusadasi: Seaside Getaway with a Hidden Face

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    Kusadasi, on the Turkish coast, is a seaside town with beautiful views. Bargain beach hunters flock to Kusadasi in the summer months, but, it’s not just a beach town. Truly magnificent history lies only a few miles away… But first, some relaxation! And now, the sites! House of the Virgin Mary Mary is believed to have spent the last years of her life living on a mountain above the city of Ephesus. The foundation of her home is the base of the church that squats among the green trees today. The Basilica of Saint John St. John lived to nearly 100 years of age, and he is believed to have…

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    1 Year of Travel Selfies: May & June

    July 2, 2024

    Tongariro Alpine Crossing – A Love Affair with a Volcano

    April 6, 2024
    mosque with a jade tower

    Between Konya and Cappadocia: Dervishes, Caravans, and Turkish Rugs

    March 29, 2019
  • Plane Travel

    The Ruins of Ephesus: A City Out of Time

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    I've never seen anything like Ephesus. I've never seen a Roman home with original tiling. I've never seen rows of shops with the original carved signs detailing the shops offerings. And most importantly, I've never seen it all together, so well preserved as a single city. That's Ephesus, a true step back in time. A true city preserved like no other.

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    Goodness Glaciers, Great Balls of Ice

    November 29, 2023

    The Lone Mussel: My Moana Moment

    August 30, 2023

    Stewart Island: The Island of the Birds

    December 20, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    Healing and Horrors at a Roman Psychiatric Hospital

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    Perhaps it's only because the United States is so void of ancient cities and archaic remnants that I am so enamored with ancient things. I wonder about the people living in Turkey. Is it meaningful to them that they can throw a rock and hit yet another gorgeous ancient ruin? Or it simply another thing that hardly warrants noticing, like yet another corn field in the US?

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    Ants-eye view of the glowing Eiffel tower at night

    Paris à Pied: Exploring the City of Love in 30 Hours

    March 8, 2020

    Ducking Ropes and Slippery Slopes in Piha

    August 10, 2023

    Trekking a Trio of Deadly Volcanoes in East Java

    May 20, 2024
  • the walls of Troy
    Plane Travel

    To Breach the Walls of Troy

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    1000 ships. 10 years. 1 hollow horse. Luckily, I only had to wait in line for 10 minutes to breach the walls of Troy. I grew up on myths. I remember reading a child-friendly version of The Iliad in the fourth grade. As a school project, I created a home video of the Twelve Labors of Heracles, including putting a tan, fuzzy blanket on my dog and making my brother run after her and “stab her” to simulate the killing of the Nemean Lion. By the time I was halfway through middle school, my favorite movies were Troy and Gladiator (and The Lord of the Rings). And, like everyone in…

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    You May Also Like

    1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: July & August

    July 29, 2023

    A Sloppy, Sweaty Trek in Sapa, Vietnam

    June 13, 2024

    Beginning in Bali: The Start of My Asia Travels

    May 4, 2024
  • Plane Travel

    Istanbul: Jewel of the Empire

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    It signifies that the Romans were intrigued by past civilizations, as I am. And, like colonizers, were adept at stealing cool cultural monuments to display in their own country rather than leaving them where they belong.

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    The Jurassic World of New Zealand’s North

    August 3, 2023
    mosque with a jade tower

    Between Konya and Cappadocia: Dervishes, Caravans, and Turkish Rugs

    March 29, 2019

    Kusadasi: Seaside Getaway with a Hidden Face

    March 28, 2019
  • Plane Travel

    Along the River Danube: Ancient Fortresses and Fearless Kings

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    I was doing an excellent job of clutching the trappings of Romanticism tight, so I hardly needed help, but the beautiful countries of Eastern Europe continued to prop up my escapism. After all, now we were starting to see castles!

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    fall trees in yellow and red mixed with green and a purple sky dotted with clouds

    I love ME…I mean Maine!

    October 6, 2022

    World of Waterfalls in Blue Mountains National Park

    April 28, 2024

    Yellowstone NP: The Current State of Bear Affairs

    June 15, 2023
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Traveler, Reader, Writer

Hi! My name is Maddie. I am a traveler, reader, and writer. Pages to Planes is where I catalogue stories of my (history-obsessed) adventures and write reviews of my favorite books. Welcome!

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