It was nothing like I expected to be! I was tired of travelling from Brussels via Istanbul over Black sea… but once I started to land to Baku over Caspian sea… I woke up again and all the excitement started to run again. I got the present at the airport in Baku upon my arrival. After all, it was my first time to Azerbaidjan. What … Continue reading Baku, Azerbaijan – the land of fire π₯
From MoldovaΒ I took low cost company TAROM and landed to Bucharest. And I was surprised. π My friend insisted to order an Uber for me as the local taxi drivers are fatal serial killers trying to scam the tourists. So I decided to accept the advice. As my Uber driver and I were approaching the city, I have to say I did not expect broad … Continue reading Bucharest, Romania
A day trip to the south of Brussels, to be more precise – Brabant region in WallonieΒ which is the site of theΒ Battle of Waterloo, where the resurgentΒ NapoleonΒ was defeated for the final time in 1815. We started with the visit to the museum which takes you to the times of enlightenment and ideas of the 18th century philosophers like Rene Descartes or Diderot, ImmanuelΒ Kant (my ever … Continue reading Waterloo, Belgium
Since I got myself a car: her name is Tintine, we decided to drive around Brussels and explore. My Flemish friend recommended Castle van Gaasbeek –Β apparently the most romantic castle of Belgium. The castle was initially built in 13th century as part of the wider line of defence to protect Brussels but changed it’s style through centuries… The castle was occupied by a succession … Continue reading Castle van Gaasbeek, Belgium
BrightonΒ is aΒ seaside resortΒ on the south coast of England which is part of the East Sussex, about 75Β km south ofΒ London. I ended up there by flying on an interview. Woke up a bit earlier in the morning and decided to see what is offered. π Apparently the city could be traced up toΒ Β Bronze Age,Β RomanΒ andΒ Anglo-SaxonΒ periods. However, the town’s importance grew in theΒ Middle AgesΒ as the Old Town developed. … Continue reading Brighton, UK
Monaco,Β officially the Principality of Monaco, is a micro-state in Western Europe.Β Actually, this is the second smallest independent state in the world (after theΒ Vatican) and is entirely urban. Monaco is surrounded byΒ FranceΒ on three sides and the remaining part of the country is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. I arrived from the train station which I noticed was entirely in marble. Monaco is aΒ principalityΒ governed under a … Continue reading Monte Carlo, Monaco π°
This time my travels to Belgrade brought me to attend the wedding of a dear friend and a colleague from the student times. I was super excited because it has been years now I haven’t visited this city. My trip started with a nice treat on the AirSerbia plane with the famous plazma cookies.
Β Landing and crossing the river Sava, we passed by an example of brutalist architecture: Western City Gate, also known as theΒ Genex Tower. The building is designed to resemble a high-rise gate greeting people arriving in the city from the West (the road fromΒ Belgrade Nikola Tesla AirportΒ to the city centre leads this way).
Another example of the communist/ socialist architecture from the time of Tito’s Yugoslavia is the Palace of Serbia, located in theΒ Novi Beograd. It was used by theΒ Federal Executive CouncilΒ ofΒ Yugoslavia.Β When I was a student, I had a chance to attend the conference inside this massive building. I was not a fan. π
Our hotel was located in Skadarlija. We were lucky enough to have a decent booking as the city was completely crowded by the Ramstein fans that came to attend the concert happening 2 days in a row. Down the street is a market with home grown fruit and vegetables.
Β It was the time of cherries! π
As the day was already long, we decided to eat in Dva Jelena. A popular restaurant in super popular Skadarlija – bohemic Balkan chic. This means you eat and drink, smoke, drink some more, and enjoy the local music.
In Skadarlija you can find super popular rakija. A local drink made of fruit distillation. It is strong but cures body and soul.
Hotel MoskvaΒ is aΒ four star hotelΒ inΒ Belgrade, one of the oldest currently operating inΒ Serbia. The building has been opened in 1908 and as such represented a major investment of theΒ Russian EmpireΒ in theΒ SerbianΒ economy. I mostly wanted to visit the lobby to enjoy the art nouveau. Little did I know, that the hotel is full of Russian emigrates due to the current Putin’s Brutal Aggression on Ukraine.
My afternoon walk continued towards The National Assembly of Serbia. Not the best memories from that building – politically speaking, so moving on.
And the rest of the government buildings – including the building of the former defence headquarters destroyed by USA/ NATO forces in 1999.
In the same quarter of Belgrade called VraΔarΒ (literally translates into doctor witch) π there is The Temple of Saint Sava. It was the first time for me to see the new painted frescoes inside the temple.
This Serbian Orthodox church is dedicated toΒ Saint Sava, the founder of theΒ Serbian Orthodox ChurchΒ and an important figure inΒ medieval Serbia. It is built on the presumed location of St. Sava’s grave.Β
Β Nearby is the St. Mark Orthodox Church, located in theΒ TaΕ‘majdan park. It was built in theΒ Serbo-Byzantine styleΒ in theΒ Interwar periodΒ between 1931 and 1940.
The interior of the church contains Sarcophagus of the EmperorΒ DuΕ‘an the Mighty – theΒ king of Serbia in the 14th century. DuΕ‘an conquered a large part of southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs of the era. Under DuΕ‘an’s rule, Serbia was the most powerful state inΒ Southeast Europe, one of the most powerful European states and anΒ Eastern OrthodoxΒ multi-ethnic and multilingual empire that stretched from theΒ DanubeΒ in the north to theΒ Gulf of CorinthΒ in the south, with its capital inΒ Skopje.Β He enacted the constitution of theΒ Serbian Empire, known asΒ DuΕ‘an’s Code, perhaps the most importantΒ literary workΒ ofΒ medieval Serbia.
A perfect weekend getaway with a friend! Landing a bit late in the evening, having a late dinner and smashing into the city for Saturday night! The dinner was quite greasy: a soup, breaded fingers with melted cheese and even the fish! But the zeppelins (Lithuanias national dish – large-sized dumplings made from a mixture of cooked and raw potato dough filled with pork and … Continue reading Vilnius, Lithuania
After 5 years, I was again in Portugal. Lisbon has been checked and explored quite well, so I decided to explore a bit more! I had a hotel in Oeiras so my friend who lives in Lisbon rented a car and we started a journey towards the north of the country. SantarΓ©m We visited Santarem at first. Just a small half an tour stop. As … Continue reading Coimbra & Santarem, Portugal
Great, big, diplomatic, historic, curteous, quite and calm Warsaw. But then comes the night and you start with vodka and end up calling your ex in some Budda club at 2 am. It all started by my friend’s invitation to Warsaw. I arrived around 22:00 and first thing I saw was theΒ Palace of Culture and Science. Stalin’s gift to the Poles and the building where … Continue reading Warsaw, Poland
RED RIDING HOOD 