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
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°
Why? Because I was daydreaming about this city in the south. Plus I have never been to south of France, furthermore, it is the second largest French city and the capital of theΒ Bouches-du-RhΓ΄neΒ departmentΒ andΒ Provence-Alpes-CΓ΄te d’Azur. You know Provence, no? The lavanda fields etc. Only I haven’t to the countryside. Just saw few lavanda magnets in the market in Marseille at the Old Port. Vieux-Port de MarseilleΒ or … Continue reading Marseille, France
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.
The largest city ofΒ all three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. πΒ We kinda fell in love with it as we were on our small Baltic tour from Vilnius. π The entire region is flat, just flat and the 4 hours bus ride was kinda dull but excited since we never visited these countries before. So let’s start with the entrance to the city over the … Continue reading Riga, Latvia
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
Sintra is a popular tourist attraction in Portugal due to its remarkable 19th century Romantic architecture and breath-taking landscapes. I learned Lord George Gordon Byron visited the place and amazed. And here is where he liked to haveΒ a snack: But we enjoyed this little and narrow streets, stairs and old stone houses! The Palace Quinta de RegaleiraΒ isΒ romanticΒ palace and chapel, and a luxurious park that … Continue reading Sintra & Cabo da Rocka, Portugal
The city that lives as a huge tourist site!! I know there is much more then this of Barcelona, but being there twice, always taken out to places from my local friends – it still gets me this feeling of huge tourist concentration. It is also famous by lots of pick pockets – the unusual ones with ideas of stealing you that would amaze you … Continue reading Barcelona, Catalunya, EspaΓ±a
Tenerife is a volcanic island belonging to Canary Islands, which are part of Spain. It used be portugueese, then english, but in the end Pope Alexander VIΒ took the line and made them spanish spanish (further historical explanation in this article). π TenerifeΒ is the largest island of theΒ Canary IslandsΒ archipelago, but alsoΒ is the largest and most populous island ofΒ Macaronesia –Β a collection of fourΒ archipelagosΒ in theΒ NorthΒ Atlantic OceanΒ off the coast … Continue reading Tenerife – climbing the volcano
Never have I visited the country that is in a war… Although my plan to visit Ukraine – both Lavov and Kiev was some 8 years ago, initially. I was supposed to be there on Monday afternoon for meetings. But the traveler and history nerd in me couldn’t agree with that. So I got my Travel Papers and the ticket for Saturday morning. I woke … Continue reading Kiev, Ukraine
RED RIDING HOOD 