Bulgarian women in the bazaars of Monastir - Walker Mary Adelaide - 1864

English writer Mary Adelaide Walker published four books detailing her travels in the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

during the second half of the nineteenth century. Her books provide detailed descriptions of

Southeastern European Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical sub-region of Europe, consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans, as well as adjacent regions and archipelagos. There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of the region, d ...

and

Western Asian West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenia ...

cultures from her own perspective as an English traveler. Among the places she describes are

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

, and

Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...

. In her books, Walker also included original illustrations of the people and places she saw on her travels. Some scholars estimate that she lived away from England for about 40 years after joining her brother, a British chaplain, in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

in approximately 1856.

List of works

* ''Eastern Life and Scenery, With Excursions in'' ''Asia Minor, Mytilene, Crete, and Roumania'' (1886; published in two volumes) * ''Old Tracks and New Landmarks: Wayside Sketches in Crete, Macedonia, Mitylene, etc.'' (1897) * ''Through Macedonia to the Albanian Lakes'' (1864) * ''Untrodden Paths in Roumania'' (1888)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Mary Adelaide English travel writers 19th-century English women writers Year of birth missing Year of death missing