Zeren Earls
Bio:
A travel writer, Zeren Earls is a native of Turkey, who came to the United States in the late 50s for her college education. She studied psychology at Duke University, where she met her late husband, composer/media artist Paul Earls. Her immersion in the art world through her husband while a fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT, led to her involvement in First Night in 1976. She was among the initial organizers of the Boston event and became its director in 1980. Pursuant to the event's major growth under her direction, she moved on to found First Night International in 1994. After assisting many communities in the US and abroad in initiating the First Night Celebration, she retired in 2002. Since then she has turned to adventure traveling and writing. Each year she travels to a country that is culturally new to her, China, Egypt, India, Morocco and Vietnam to name a few. In addition to her travels she has been writing her life story.
Recent Articles:
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The Mediterranean Coast: Turkey's Magical Hideaways Travel
Part Five: Antalya and the Blue Voyage from Fethiye to Marmaris
By: - Sep 21st, 2009The Turkish Riviera, known as the Turquoise Coast, offers spectacular views of the Mediterranean with wide bays and crystal-clear waters. Ancient Greco-Roman sites, villages with picturesque marinas and sandy beaches dot the coastline. The "Blue Voyage" is an opportunity to visit the ancient sites while enjoying the pleasures of boating and swimming.
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Central Anatolia: Turkey's Magical Hideaways Travel
Part Four: Cappadocia, Konya, Beysehir
By: - Sep 18th, 2009Cappadocia is a nature-made fantasyland of soft white rock from lava, shaped into stark forms. The frescoed churches and underground cities, carved from volcanic stone add to this magic. Konya is renowned as the center of the Mevlevi Order (Whirling Dervishes). The tomb of Mevlana and the museum complex attract visitors from around the world. Beysehir, located by a mountain lake by the same name, is home to the Esrefoglu Mosque, a 13th-century Seljuk masterpiece known as the "jewel of wooden architecture".
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City Across Continents: Turkey's Magical Hideaways Travel
Part Three: Istanbul
By: - Sep 18th, 2009Istanbul is a multifaceted city: modern and traditional, European and Asian, cutting edge and conservative, two millennia old, yet hip. The Bosporos bisects the city into European and Asian sides with picturesque neighborhoods, Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks, many museums, bazaars, Art Nouveau buildings and trendy districts.
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Colossal Gods and Kings: Turkey's Magical Hideaways Travel
Part Two: Mount Nemrut, Urfa and Harran
By: - Sep 13th, 2009On top of Mount Nemrut is the 1st-century-BC tomb of King Antiochus I of Commagene, who rests here with colossal stone gods. Colorful Urfa with its distinctive architecture, old bazaar and ethnic neighborhoods is the birthplace of Abraham. Harran, home to the world's first university, fascinates with its beehive-like mud houses.
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Beyond Istanbul: Turkey's Magical Hideaways Travel
Part One: Antakya and Gaziantep
By: - Sep 13th, 2009The ancient city of Antioch, now Antakya, was the Roman empire's third biggest city and the first meeting place of the Christian community. Its wealth of mosaics, as well as the cave church, known as "St.Peter's Grotto" and proclaimed by the Vatican as a holy place in 1983, make it a visitor attraction. Gaziantep attracted many civilizations since its early settlers because of its location between northern Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. The city, along with a boat ride on the Euphrates, offer a wealth of discoveries.
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Ecuador: Part Five Travel
The Southern Sierra
By: - Apr 04th, 2009The "Devil's Nose" train ride rewards the traveler with a spellbinding journey not to be forgotten easily. Cuenca is Ecuador's colonial jewel, which is also the cultural and economic center of the southern Sierra. The Cuenca basin is a magnet for artisans.
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Ecuador: Part Four Travel
The Avenue of the Volcanos
By: - Apr 02nd, 2009The "spine" of Ecuador, the Andes, has deep green valleys and spectacular volcanos. It has ethnic markets and other points of interest filled with local color.
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Ecuador: Part Three Travel
Galapagos Islands
By: - Mar 27th, 2009The Galapagos is an archipelago of distinct volcanic formations, characterized by the geology of various eruptions. Sea birds and mammals are all around at close range. With no fear of predators, they feed, nurse, court and mate, oblivious to other creatures, including humans. Visiting five of the thirteen major islands was an amazing experience.
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Ecuador: Part Two Travel
The Amazon Basin
By: - Mar 26th, 2009Known as Oriente to the locals, the Amazon Basin, east of the Andes, fascinates with its flora, fauna and indigenous cultures unique to the rainforest.
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Ecuador: Part One Travel
Quito, the Colonial Capital
By: - Mar 25th, 2009Ecuador is one of the most geographically and culturally diverse countries.The Andes form a rocky spine from north to south, separating the Amazon Basin in the east from the subtropical coastal plains. The capital, Quito, is a well-preserved city of hilly, narrow streets, beautiful colonial buildings, opulent churches and indigenous craft markets. Located near the equator, the city enjoys eternal spring.
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Brussels Travel
The Beating Heart of Europe
By: - Jan 28th, 2009As capital of the European Union, Brussels attracts a large international workforce and visitors. The city is filled with interesting museums, gourmet restaurants and chic cafes, along with unique cultural quarters and ethnic markets. Its historic center is one of Europe's finest medieval squares; its Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings are delightful architectural treasures.
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Holiday on the Aegean Coast: Part Two Travel
Coastal Villages West of Izmir
By: - Dec 05th, 2008Coastal villages west of Izmir offer the visitor a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, rich vegetation, delectable regional food and proximity to ancient sites, in addition to the warmth and friendliness of Turkish people.
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Holiday on the Aegean Coast of Turkey Travel
The Cesme peninsula and its famed resort, Alacati
By: - Nov 28th, 2008Known in antiquity as Ionia,the Cesme peninsula with its mild climate, pristine coastline,unique local color and ancient sites, is an attractive holiday destination.
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Bavaria: Part Two Travel
Starnberg,Herrsching,Glentleiten,Murnau,Garmisch and Regensburg
By: - Nov 18th, 2008Towns in the Alpine foothills of southern Germany offer spectacular scenery of lakes and mountains, along with distinctive local color and country charm. Regensburg is a picturebook city on the Danube.
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Bavaria: Part One Travel
Munich
By: - Nov 15th, 2008Bavarians,who call northern Germans "Prussians", distinguish themselves with their traditional charm and exuberant life style. Munich sets the cultural tone of the region with its fanciful architecture, treasure-loaded museums, gastronomic delights and popular Octoberfest.
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Report on Southeastern Turkey: Part Three Travel
Midyat, Hasankeyf, Diyarbakir
By: - Jul 22nd, 2008These three cities are distinctly different in character: Midyat is a mountain city of Syrian Christians; Hasankeyf is a city of impressive ruins, soon to be claimed by the rising waters of the Tigris River dam project; Diyarbakir,an ancient city of twenty-seven past civilizations, is now home to a large Kurdish population.
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Report on Southeastern Turkey: Part Two Travel
Mardin
By: - Jul 21st, 2008Built on the side of a mountain with a commanding view of the Northern Mesopotamian plain, Mardin is an historic treasure. The artistry of the city's stone masons have shaped its architectural character, turning its streets into galleries in stone.
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Report on Southeastern Turkey: Part One Travel
Gaziantep and Urfa
By: - Jul 20th, 2008Southeastern Anatolia is a very distinct part of Turkey culturally and geographically. This is Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris. With the demise of the Ottoman Empire after the First World War, Mesopotamia was divided by the allies to create national boundary lines for Iraq and Syria, and the Turks fought successfully to retain parts of their land. Inhabited by Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Kurds, Suryanis and Turks, the ancient cities of this area retain a cultural richness like no other.
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Report on China: Part Six Travel
Hong Kong
By: - Jul 06th, 2008Although Hong Kong became part of China in 1997, it still operates according to the British system with its own $ currency. It is the financial center of China, where people seem to run instead of walk. The city boasts a panorama of high-rise buildings along with traditional districts. Hong Kong fascinates with its bustling local markets and harbor, and its shimmering skyline.
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Report on China: Part Five Travel
Yangtze River
By: - Jul 05th, 2008Originating in the Himalayas in Tibet, Yangtze is the world's third longest river. Our three-day cruise included shore excursions to cultural sites, a visit with a farmer, who lost his land to the Three Gorges Dam project, fascinating lectures on Chinese traditions and breathtaking views of spectacular gorges carved by the river through limestone highlands.
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Report on China: Part Four Travel
Lhasa and Chongqing
By: - Jul 04th, 2008Surrounded by majestic mountains at 12,000 feet, Lhasa is the cultural and religious center of Tibet, one of five autonomous regions of China. Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lama,sits atop Red Mountain with sweeping views of the city. Ornate temples, silk shawls and colorful flags that sway in the wind carrying written prayers to the gods, all add to the beauty of this Buddhist land.
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Report on China: Part Three Travel
Xian and Chengdu
By: - Jun 28th, 2008As the past capital of eleven dynasties and a center of Chinese civilization, Xian has a rich array of cultural treasures: the famed Terra-Cotta Army, Buddhist temples,herbal medicine markets, ancient folklore and crafts in addition to unique Sichuan cuisine. Chengdu is the home of the Giant Panda Sanctuary and its distant cousin the red panda.
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Report on China: Part Two Travel
Beijing to Xian
By: - Jun 26th, 2008Beijing is the modern political and administrative center of China. Despite its mega city problems of crowded streets, traffic jams and polluted air, Beijing fascinates with its historic treasures, classical gardens, gourmet restaurants and cherished customs. It is a city well worth visiting.
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Report on China: Part One Travel
Shanghai and Suzou
By: - Jun 25th, 2008The upcoming Olympics prompted me to share my impressions of China, which I visited three years ago. My three week itinerary with Overseas Adventure Travel included Shianghai, Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Lhasa, Chongqing, Hong Kong and a cruise on the Yangtze River. In this first of a six-part series are insights to China's modernity and traditions.
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Reports on Southern Africa: Part Six Travel
Cape Town and Peninsula, South Africa
By: - Apr 15th, 2008Cape Town and Peninsula is a nature paradise with its oceans, mountains, flora and fauna. People from every part of the world have arrived here, some not by choice, creating a wonderfully rich and vibrant culture.
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