tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67351831997501479432024-03-13T00:21:33.061+01:00The Italian BackpackerThe more I travel the more I want to travelUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-7658460301680966122018-07-15T20:36:00.001+02:002018-07-15T20:36:12.532+02:00The Joys of the Algarve in low season<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last March I went to <b>Portugal for the second time</b>. Apart from spending a few days in Lisbon, which is quickly becoming one of my favourite European cities, I finally went to the <b>Algarve</b>, the southernmost region of Portugal, famous for its beaches and very popoular with British tourists. Even though I am not a beach or a party person, I fell in love with pictures of the <b>cliffs</b> in Algrave and with those <b>bizarre rock formations</b> jutting out of the sea. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Portugal is a <b>special country</b> for me. I love the people, so eager to show their little corner of Europe to anybody who cares to listen. I crave its delicious food: the 101 <i>bacalhau</i> recipes, the <i>vinho verde </i>and the delicious <i>pastéis de nata</i> still warm from the bakery. And last but not least, I adore the rich history of Portugal, with its glorious and dark periods alike: the age of discoveries as a counterpart to the gloomy Salazar years. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Lagos</u></span></b><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lagos is the place I enjoyed the most in the Algarve and where I spent <b>most of my time</b>.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not only is the town really charming, with <b>whitewashed little houses and cobbled streets</b>, but just a short walk away I had the pleasure to see with my own eyes these amazing cliffs that I had only seen in photos. If you want to fall in love with Portugal and with the Algarve, just go to Lagos.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The wild landscape around Lagos</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-joys-of-algarve-in-low-season.html#more">Read more »</a>Stefaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425971932425752938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-14997999115049044132018-05-04T20:50:00.000+02:002018-05-05T11:56:25.948+02:00Islands, cities and lakes: the incredible variety of Croatia<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The more I travel the more I realize that <b>I really enjoy variety in my trips</b>. If I visit a new country, I tend to plan a visit to a couple of quaint small towns and to at least a natural wonder, or a day of culture-filled sightseeing and then a more relaxing day with some beautiful scenery as a backdrop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of all the countries that I have been to, <b>one that has a lot of variety is certainly Croatia</b>. It has <b>quiet islands</b> and <b>lively cities</b>, <b>history</b> and <b>natural beauty</b>, gorgeous <b>seaside towns</b> and some of the best <b>national parks</b> in Europe. In other words, it is impossible to get bored. Here's three examples of the diversity that you can find in Croatia. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Korč</span>ula</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some people consider Kor</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">č</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ula</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to be the most beautiful island in Croatia. Its <b>cobbled streets </b>and quaint little squares make it perfect for a day of <b>slow exploration</b>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I went there by ferry from Hvar for 90 kn (around 12€), leaving without hurrying in the middle of the morning and going back in the evening.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The laundry in Korcula</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I liked about <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kor</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">č</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ula</span> is that I didn't have to run around trying to see all the sights: I could just relax and enjoy <b>the beauty of the island</b>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For as much as I loved Hvar, it felt at times too party-oriented, touristic and glitzy. Korcula is quite another world: the old town has many <b>hidden quiet corners</b> and you just need to walk in any direction to enjoy some beautiful views that are not spoilt by too many tourists. Even though </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kor</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">č</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ula is definitely on the beaten path, I find it a nice alternative to more busy islands. The food was inexpensive, </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Street in Korcula</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One thing that surprised me is that <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kor</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">č</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ula</span> claims to be the real hometown of Marco Polo, one of the most famous explorers in history. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is why everything on the island bears his name: restaurants, hotels and even a house-museum. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is curious and a bit strange, because most sources consider him Venetian by birth. The connection is that </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kor</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">č</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ula, like other towns on the coast of Croatia, used to be part of the Serenissima, the republic of Venice.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Marco Polo crazyness in Korcula</i></td></tr>
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<b><u>Zadar</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zadar receives fewer tourists than Dubrovnik, Split or Pula, but it's a <b>pleasant town</b> to spend one or two days. It looks remarkably like other towns on the Adriatic coast of Northern Italy, for example Grado or Caorle, with a <b>nice historic center</b> full of old churches and a<b> long promenade by the sea</b>.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The historical centre of Zadar</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zadar is famous for its <b>sea organ</b>, an art installation which works with the motion of the sea to produce music. It is a popular place to stroll at sunset time or in the evening. When the sun has set you can enjoiy the<b> Greeting to the Sun</b>, a system of solar panels on the ground that result in a light display.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0xzPzOaV670iLkFTeD3wysuaEzLjXyexwgts3em69MqmLa3m2X1Vstt52C1lrwCiUK6_2Rtdp82V86myiegHmbkDOlLkwH6ymaGvyaM5BZFtyWibOlcjyeqgkxTbZtgbGM8ZeGZmnXM/s1600/P1060589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0xzPzOaV670iLkFTeD3wysuaEzLjXyexwgts3em69MqmLa3m2X1Vstt52C1lrwCiUK6_2Rtdp82V86myiegHmbkDOlLkwH6ymaGvyaM5BZFtyWibOlcjyeqgkxTbZtgbGM8ZeGZmnXM/s640/P1060589.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset in Zadar</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zadar also has remarkable <b>Roman ruins</b> and you can literally sit around centuries-old stones and broken columns. The sqaure in front of the main church - St. Donatus - is in fact the ancient Roman forum. I liked how <b>the ancient and new mingle</b> in Zadar: the many churches with its white marbles, but also the modern shops and ice-cream shops.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Old Stones in Zadar</i></td></tr>
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<b><u>Plitvice Lakes</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How can you say to really know Croatia without going anywhere inland? If you could go to only one place in the interior, I'd suggest that you visist one of the <b>national parks</b>.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofNU8L9TxM3UVDEPEuQ7D1pThx0Hua5OO5CTqRlAn506KaFckQ70mXZvf_qD0k4eSoakZ42J43ZC9OtHvFQuo1LRYNOB4fke_XJEIOkAN4_yrPHf3HrqVYvoQU_hJ5oZIB8po4Rudju8/s1600/Plitvice+Lakes3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofNU8L9TxM3UVDEPEuQ7D1pThx0Hua5OO5CTqRlAn506KaFckQ70mXZvf_qD0k4eSoakZ42J43ZC9OtHvFQuo1LRYNOB4fke_XJEIOkAN4_yrPHf3HrqVYvoQU_hJ5oZIB8po4Rudju8/s640/Plitvice+Lakes3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waterfalls in Plitvice</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plitvice Lakes is a convenient </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>day trip</b> from Zadar or a stop from Zadar to Zagreb if you plan to visit the capital city as well. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The easiest thing to do is to join a group tour, which will basically drive you to the entrance of the park and back. This means you don't need to study bus timetables and you can focus on other things, like the stunning nature.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plitvice is a national park with a system of <b>sixteen lakes</b> connected by wooden foot-walks</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, with countless <b>waterfalls</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. All the time you'll be walking among dense woodland. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The animals in the park - ducks, butterflies, dragonflies and of course fish - make the visit more pleasant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <b>intense green</b> of the nature and the <b>pristine waters</b> of the lakes and waterfalls are stunning. I was a bit unlucky because it started to rain while I was visiting the park, but this did not completely spoil my experience of the park. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plitvice Lakes has an entry fee which varies depending on the time of the year - when I was there in June it was 100 kunas (15€), but it could cost you up to 180 kunas in the summer months of July and August!</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-57115938295967429462018-01-21T20:46:00.002+01:002018-01-21T20:46:47.495+01:00Close to the gods: Delphi<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the most impressive historical sites I have ever seen are the ruins of Delphi in Greece. If you had to pinpoint one obvious thing about the Ancient Greeks that you can still see nowadays, it'd be that they knew where to build their temples. As a matter of fact, Delphi is located on a cliff that overlooks a beautiful valley of cypresses and olive trees, where the green mountains only complement the blueness of the sky. It is so inspirational that it's easy to understand why the ancients believed that this place had a special energy and significance.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An ancient column among the ruins</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delphi was the most famous oracle in the ancient world and its location was thought to be the centre of the world. The priestess, known as </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">pythia</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, intoxicacated by vapours coming from an opening in the earth, would give prophecies to the visitors of the shrine, which had to be translated into beautiful hexameters that were notoriously ambiguous. Many famous people from the ancient times visited the oracle, including Alexander the Great and the Roman emperor Hadrian.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The entrance to the archeological park (12 €, including the museum) gives you the possibility to explore everything. It took me several hours to see Delphi, so my advice is not to come in a rush. I think this place deserves to be seen at a slow pace. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Apart from the shrine dedicated to Apollo, you can admire the so called "treasuries", donated by the city states of ancient Greece (like Thebes or Athens), plus the theatre and the stadium, where you can still see the starting blocks. Here, every four years, the most famous athletes competed in the Pythian games, one of the four Panhellenic games. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The ruins of Delphi</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the most beautiful ruins in Delphi is located in a separated area along the road to Arachova and you might miss it if you visit Delphi too quickly. It is the Sanctuary of Athena with its famous <i>tholos</i> (rotunda), a beautiful structure comprising 20 columns on a three-stepped podium. Three of the columns were re-erected in the 1940s to give you an idea of how the temple looked like. It was really worth the detour from the main archeological site to see it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The sanctuary of Athena</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A great thing about Delphi is that there is a direct bus from Athens that takes you there in about 3 hours. Unfortunately, if like me you plan to travel to Athens, Delphi and then Meteora further north with public buses, you'll need plenty of patience. Between Delphi and Meteora you'll have to change bus 4 times (Delphi - Anfissa - Lamia - Trikala - Kalambaka)! Unlike other parts of the Balkans, there were no private minivans to avoid this inconvenient route and no hostels in Delphi. Because of this, not many backpackers add it to their list, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A detail of the sanctuary of Athena</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delphi is only a small village, with the ruins at walking distance. Plenty of tourists visit it every day, including many tour buses. The archelogical site and the museum are busy, apart from the first hours of the morning and in the evening. After about 6 in the evening, however, the village becomes very quiet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I took the unusual decision to spend the night in Delphi, because I enjoy ruins and because so many hours on the bus left me a tight schedule. No one bothers you if you take a walk along its narrow streets and if you stop to admire the breathtaking view of the valley.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from Delphi</i></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-45028434349529647772017-11-12T20:50:00.000+01:002017-11-12T20:50:11.279+01:00Around the world in 15 meals<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1) Instanbul, Turkey</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is there better than a plate of <em>meze</em> on a hot day in Istanbul? This is supposed to be just an appetizer, but it worked fine for me as a light lunch. It included various dips like <em>hummus</em>, eggplant salad and <em>haydari</em>, then <em>dolma</em> (stuffed vine leaves) and some cheese. Everything with vegetable sticks for the dips. By the way, that puffy bread is called </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>lavas</em> and I love it.</span> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Meze lunch in Istanbul</em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2) Mostar, Bosnia</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;">One of my favourite meals in Bosnia and of the whole Balkan trip was the </span><em style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;">Hadzijski cevap</em><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;"> (marinated beef with peppers and rice) that I had in the old town of Mostar. It was simple but delicious, and also really cheap! </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3) Amsterdam, Netherlands</span></strong>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What to do when you are visiting a country that is not really famous for its cuisine, you've already tried the obvious and looking around you can only see burgers and fries? In big cities in central or northern Europe, like Munich or London, I usually find that Asian food is top notch. So while in Amsterdam, I repeatedly stopped by Indonesian and Thai restaurants. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My favourite was Bird Thai restaurant in Chinatown (close to the red light district). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red Thai curry in Amsterdam</i></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4) Lisbon, Portugal</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If I could recommnend only one Portuguese dish it would be </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic;">bacalhau com natas.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Portuguese have many ways to cook cod, but </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">creamy <i>bacalhau com natas</i> is my favourite. I was lucky enough to participate in a dinner organized by my hostel in Lisbon and this is how I got to taste this delicious typical dish. I am already making plans to go back to Portugal and have it one more time. This is how much I liked it!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Bacalhau com natas</em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5) Schwangau, Germany</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It might not be <em>haute cuisine </em>but I just had to try <em>currywurst</em> in Germany, if only for curiosity. The history of this spiced sausage is quite interesting, because it was invented in Berlin just after WWII borrowing curry powder and ketchup (or possibly Worcestershire sauce) from British soldiers. It became a popular snack with the workers who were rebuilding the devastated city, and it is still today a popular take-away food, not only in Berlin but all over Germany.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTsekvKrdCc2Id7smLYKIG2Cu9tZ6zMwjgRN4_h5HKPgcthvDHYehuk53uZpcspOdQEDYJTmKiVHEtb1OhZgtddlh8VuIbLjvHHt9A4Nuew7L92e9OBmBy5g7zHCqu7GpdjaVVTnnoJdX/s1600/P1020616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTsekvKrdCc2Id7smLYKIG2Cu9tZ6zMwjgRN4_h5HKPgcthvDHYehuk53uZpcspOdQEDYJTmKiVHEtb1OhZgtddlh8VuIbLjvHHt9A4Nuew7L92e9OBmBy5g7zHCqu7GpdjaVVTnnoJdX/s640/P1020616.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Currywurst in Germany</em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6) Marrakesh, Morocco</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vegetarian tagine in an informal restaurant in the medina of Marrakesh - my favourite kind of place where you don't feel weird if you're eating alone (in this case I wasn't). Tagine is the name of the earthenware pot where food is cooked, so you could have many different of <i>tagine</i>: chicken with vegetables, but also with sardines by the sea or with meat and dried fruit. I had this with a glass of orange juice, which seems to be ubiquitous in Marrakesh.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbahXdc3R2q9I4LH6PA8MnesSQk8t1VXod_uDKRjpMmrNfr7whR5uMZOYShwDwzG1B9_hzxhjoq5WTWPoKFkz0fOqB9tvHsINm1Tow8ljGbwe-k2szhzYs4UHigSI-5DvqD_cJR2PyBs7t/s1600/P1030048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbahXdc3R2q9I4LH6PA8MnesSQk8t1VXod_uDKRjpMmrNfr7whR5uMZOYShwDwzG1B9_hzxhjoq5WTWPoKFkz0fOqB9tvHsINm1Tow8ljGbwe-k2szhzYs4UHigSI-5DvqD_cJR2PyBs7t/s640/P1030048.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A vegetarian tajine in Marrakesh</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>7) Paris, France</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">This dish had a name so long that it did not fit in a single line on the menu. Then it turned out to be a steak with potatoes. Overall, my experiences with food in Paris went better when I blatantly tried not to order French food: for example at felafel joints or at a Korean restaurant. I think I owe Paris - and France - a second chance. Next time I'll document myself and try to order some French food with a better understanding of French cuisine.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDaSAZV9V4iRJ4_uaMBL8-99YcasKj9ouv81WD7B1kcWWgnjf4u-wUHEfkzYuyg1sI12hfdjAQN3UctH9O7mZi7_JjEisZzfZOHBAjtTyg0H2yWsxRD1Cu-RbX1XHsIJ4aQuitADiObNF/s1600/Meal+in+Paris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDaSAZV9V4iRJ4_uaMBL8-99YcasKj9ouv81WD7B1kcWWgnjf4u-wUHEfkzYuyg1sI12hfdjAQN3UctH9O7mZi7_JjEisZzfZOHBAjtTyg0H2yWsxRD1Cu-RbX1XHsIJ4aQuitADiObNF/s640/Meal+in+Paris.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A meal in Paris</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><strong>8) Mdina, Malta</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From a culinary point of view, Malta is a mix of influences. And how could it not be so? In spite of having been an English colony in the past, Malta is decidedly more Italian than British when you sit down for lunch or dinner. These <em>spaghetti all'amatriciana </em>- which means in a tomato sauce with <i>pancetta</i> (or even better <em>guanciale</em>) and chilli peppers - were really good. I discovered later that many Italian restaurants in Malta are owned by Italian people, hailing from all over the country and enjoying Malta's relaxed lifestyle and mild weather. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvFCs2bjoVqgG4OFtEMb8ICkkG9Pge7KU38IAddGfs82Eb3nG8xHJZfVtZyKGWCG_t_MMFQJS2MAw4FmixaWFuTMZNBZTU48YAjSVY399-M2hB800TRsOAR0BbPca5mV-pL4Ok0z81EYs/s1600/pasta+in+Malta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvFCs2bjoVqgG4OFtEMb8ICkkG9Pge7KU38IAddGfs82Eb3nG8xHJZfVtZyKGWCG_t_MMFQJS2MAw4FmixaWFuTMZNBZTU48YAjSVY399-M2hB800TRsOAR0BbPca5mV-pL4Ok0z81EYs/s640/pasta+in+Malta.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Pasta all'amatriciana in Malta</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><strong>9) Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll always remember this <em>bento box </em>meal I had in Shakespeare's hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. The Japanese chef was</span> entertaining us, pretending to throw bottles at the clients and things like that. The food didn't look that Japanese, apart from the yakitori, but it was the first time that I had lunch in a box, and I loved the idea.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-xL9DCmWxUjqwmR9MxcjKWqhFHcaiCqBGx8OfWwpYgwIXnfk3rSv4r8c1RMW6SLEMhfEWINQ6h6KiesFA6DJXhqzKpBuOSLtQtaSY8Uf8DpoAnWKMt2XC366GTb05mbCzxsj770bHyYB/s1600/bento+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-xL9DCmWxUjqwmR9MxcjKWqhFHcaiCqBGx8OfWwpYgwIXnfk3rSv4r8c1RMW6SLEMhfEWINQ6h6KiesFA6DJXhqzKpBuOSLtQtaSY8Uf8DpoAnWKMt2XC366GTb05mbCzxsj770bHyYB/s640/bento+box.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";">10) Valencia, Spain</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">You cannot get bored with all the food in Spain: <i>pintxos </i>from the Basque Country, t<i>apas </i>that may include fish or cured meats like <i>chorizo </i>or <i>jamon iberico</i>, and regional specialities such as the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Andalusian </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>gazpacho. </i>After more than three years in Spain I am still</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> busy discovering all its variety. Nothing beats, however, a good seafood paella in a fishing town. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSguvK7wuGVyhuy-xqO3yYtZAUejfeWitttyNFjLiiGbX5US7gqrR0-VJvFDfQi5eEMZT-4vb0dGsHVKD2NFiZp4eYWWV5YsGHwPK559Xg6RFDhNCzqETIPD7vp1_fveJ5BRDlxHt0AeU/s1600/paella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="605" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSguvK7wuGVyhuy-xqO3yYtZAUejfeWitttyNFjLiiGbX5US7gqrR0-VJvFDfQi5eEMZT-4vb0dGsHVKD2NFiZp4eYWWV5YsGHwPK559Xg6RFDhNCzqETIPD7vp1_fveJ5BRDlxHt0AeU/s400/paella.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A paella in Valencia</i></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";">11) Split, Croatia</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the most part I found Croatian food uninspiring.</span> They once served me cod telling me it was a more prestigious seabass, while risotto and pasta were only an imitation of what you would have in Italy (which is so close after all). This tuna salad, nevertheless, on the city beach in Split, was really good, and just what I needed after a morning of sunbathing and dipping my toes in the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblkv_0BZJEQaONoodatY21hyWqYznGygoN6MyS4aZtVfYhRg4E5pFbXyyORcmgpIldEvvJJlWiTGk-NF4ZEpUKgEAYAEQcK3x1F_TcXx8qTejcMdyMbMYLB5cUDiCFgO4mb9w7KN3DQr-/s1600/IMG_20150615_153831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="945" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblkv_0BZJEQaONoodatY21hyWqYznGygoN6MyS4aZtVfYhRg4E5pFbXyyORcmgpIldEvvJJlWiTGk-NF4ZEpUKgEAYAEQcK3x1F_TcXx8qTejcMdyMbMYLB5cUDiCFgO4mb9w7KN3DQr-/s400/IMG_20150615_153831.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Tuna salad in Split</em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";">12) Kotor, Montenegro</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All over the Balkans you will find these spiced sausages: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ćevapčići. Sometimes - especially in Serbia and Bosnia - they serve them with a piece of flat bread, with chopped onions and sour cream, but in Montenegro I had it with French fries. I really enjoyed the meal, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">plus I had a perfect view of the main square of Kotor.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZZ6kehsYUbEpVZOfn7R417R2HJmTk-CV-ogwqDAOKcJFSI4594RclWNIsg-yGU5gOG5fv9HOMcPEcUzRAJrrMKFdCR2QpX6qoTYSz6c-Pchu5k2Vh8HWSkSMQb1KN0rFcDyqFgfqOHgP/s1600/P1050704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZZ6kehsYUbEpVZOfn7R417R2HJmTk-CV-ogwqDAOKcJFSI4594RclWNIsg-yGU5gOG5fv9HOMcPEcUzRAJrrMKFdCR2QpX6qoTYSz6c-Pchu5k2Vh8HWSkSMQb1KN0rFcDyqFgfqOHgP/s640/P1050704.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Cevapcici in Kotor</em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";">13) Brno, Czech Repulic</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Czech Republic might not be famous as a culinary destination, but I had a few good meals there. It was long ago, but I still remember hav</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ing </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span lang="cs" xml:lang="cs"><span style="background: none; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Smažený sýr, different kinds of fried cheese served with potatoes and salad. This was in Brno and not in Prague (I must be the only person in the world who has been in the Czech Republic but hasn't been to Prague).</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvdZB3xEnvLt5DpPQyesVOwY0GcQ8hUoO2zoNZLUdeRXfnDZFdCsIQMR5n9XdpVzLnUBpSjZ29n9KFGnZp-9k3heqaV2XXh-TLtbVnE1p4VAOiStRXxsqrrCydV060T-dlP1nDZMas8V9/s1600/syr2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvdZB3xEnvLt5DpPQyesVOwY0GcQ8hUoO2zoNZLUdeRXfnDZFdCsIQMR5n9XdpVzLnUBpSjZ29n9KFGnZp-9k3heqaV2XXh-TLtbVnE1p4VAOiStRXxsqrrCydV060T-dlP1nDZMas8V9/s640/syr2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><em>Smažený sýr</em></span><em> in Brno</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><strong>14) Bangkok, Thailand</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I arrived in Bangkok after travelling for many hours (and after two sleepless nights) and I went directly to take a much deserved nap. A couple of hours after I woke with a grumbling stomach and went for a Pad Thai in the neighboorhood. It was not long after that I became addicted. It is a simple dish after all: noodles with bean sprouts, some prawns or seafood, and cashew nuts sprinkled on top. Oh, and don't forget a sprinkle of lime and some chilli peppers to have that caracteristic taste. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">15) Pisa, Italy</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And last but not least Italy, my country. Even though I am Italian, each time I visit a new region I discover new things to taste. Italy is not only pasta and pizza, as I keep saying to those who think that Italian cuisine is boring! We have plenty of that, for sure, but also other dishes: <i>risotto</i> in the north, delicious grilled fish and seafood served with plenty of vegetables, <i>soups</i> with pulses in Tuscany and meat with mushrooms or <i>polenta</i> in the mountains. My favourite, though, is always pizza!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hvRam3bV_yjc-3G7W9OXr3na0WgMrqshEEzrYhjtrYZPCnYUCSYFFa7fIvYpP6S3K1mqyOIAWQ3Ms1TTelia8IMYHnE8uU5wcGoGH_rYp15GY6DREC0EAPxR1F0WfMr57nPcwGtxgo8/s1600/20170907_215744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hvRam3bV_yjc-3G7W9OXr3na0WgMrqshEEzrYhjtrYZPCnYUCSYFFa7fIvYpP6S3K1mqyOIAWQ3Ms1TTelia8IMYHnE8uU5wcGoGH_rYp15GY6DREC0EAPxR1F0WfMr57nPcwGtxgo8/s640/20170907_215744.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A pizza in Italy</i></td></tr>
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Stefaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425971932425752938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-21265517955911314972017-09-03T20:25:00.001+02:002017-09-03T20:25:54.521+02:00Everybody loves Chiang Mai<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When someone is planning to go to Thailand I always tell them not to overlook the north, and Chiang Mai in particular. Of course if they have only two weeks in the country it's difficult to see both the north and the beaches in the south, but I still insist because I think Chiang Mai is really worth it. What people usually ask next is: "What is there to see in the north of Thailand"? </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-kS7H0rHPQBZfZx-1gz6eP9k8rZ_egIXXlvg6hnS05MJWmdzZIj-Wg_saHTdBH3nc_RqKMImzSWaURHGRGGdx000cuPAucZzPNb1J8Z-YQwt8PL8gjUNMevxutsWu6spMnd8Fr4MGTs/s1600/tempio+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-kS7H0rHPQBZfZx-1gz6eP9k8rZ_egIXXlvg6hnS05MJWmdzZIj-Wg_saHTdBH3nc_RqKMImzSWaURHGRGGdx000cuPAucZzPNb1J8Z-YQwt8PL8gjUNMevxutsWu6spMnd8Fr4MGTs/s640/tempio+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>One of the temples in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atmosphere</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chiang Mai is the second biggest city in Thailand, but it doesn't feel like that. The streets are quiet, the old town is dotted with marvelous temples and it's not as intimidating and difficult to navigate as Bangkok. In Chiang Mai you can</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> walk almost anywhere, which is a relief after Bangkok (if you haven't been, that is definitely not a city for walking tours). I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t is practically impossible to get lost in Chiang Mai, because a moat surrounds it, giving you an idea of where you are at any given time. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc8Xd6dehaKksd0EPT962k56Ymxqw8ZOrWR9JJl5_kJzrO9bLp8EKu_7HgBQAhco9yR97g6wAFSdSevdNkxrLI_oX5dgGKg2MvjUi8TIHf7uuoYSRkET5gbQVnKTIcMG3WakhjivDgOWv/s1600/night+market2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc8Xd6dehaKksd0EPT962k56Ymxqw8ZOrWR9JJl5_kJzrO9bLp8EKu_7HgBQAhco9yR97g6wAFSdSevdNkxrLI_oX5dgGKg2MvjUi8TIHf7uuoYSRkET5gbQVnKTIcMG3WakhjivDgOWv/s640/night+market2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A night market in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I immediately noticed about Chiang Mai is that the atmosphere is chilled out. It is the right place to slow down. T</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he mixture between tradition and innovation is really exciting: thanks to its student population it has many trendy cafés with wi-fi, but also friendly monks dressed in orange tunics waving and smiling at you. This is why many expats choose it as their base in South East Asia. It is also super cheap, both in terms of accommodation and for shopping.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGqd7t6ZDpH7lg_z6qjeeyUQz7oMbcIZtCYzOVl4UZ9p357Oy1chj76BA8HMu02xYmvxsF3cfUv-ZzSe9U1nwRScBseEBcISgdcn1QS4Sbb5pEH0WJUbkfOqcvyhwnu9KM0tBBxbH2hpT/s1600/children+monks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGqd7t6ZDpH7lg_z6qjeeyUQz7oMbcIZtCYzOVl4UZ9p357Oy1chj76BA8HMu02xYmvxsF3cfUv-ZzSe9U1nwRScBseEBcISgdcn1QS4Sbb5pEH0WJUbkfOqcvyhwnu9KM0tBBxbH2hpT/s640/children+monks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Children monks in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">On the plus side, people in Chiang Mai are down to earth, and generally they don't insist too much with tourists, so I could just walk around and observe things without feeling pressed to buy anything or get on a tuk-tuk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Temples</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Chiang Mai there is a temple for everybody. There is even one - Wat Bupharam - with statues of animals like giraffes and elephants, and even Disney characters, like Donald Duck eating noodles. Some temples are really old and have ruins, while some others are more modern. Most of them don't have an entrance fee and you are completely free to roam around.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy97DgKD6Pf9J8G4wUAhqtUJKOUSIqiX3sVgNf2YCZPYDQRf9UDx0LKdKPUVnhPeRXA7h_9ZbcLxZHRjan9BF2Zmt1ghy7kKGaElTIJt7T56eu6YnTCAuQTu1U95F9IWkWANuXDqPehm0/s1600/Donald+Duck+eating+noodles+inside+a+temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy97DgKD6Pf9J8G4wUAhqtUJKOUSIqiX3sVgNf2YCZPYDQRf9UDx0LKdKPUVnhPeRXA7h_9ZbcLxZHRjan9BF2Zmt1ghy7kKGaElTIJt7T56eu6YnTCAuQTu1U95F9IWkWANuXDqPehm0/s640/Donald+Duck+eating+noodles+inside+a+temple.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An original temple in Chiang Mai</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> What I like about them is that there are so many things to observe, like offerings in many forms (candy bars, flowers and even money!) and statues from different traditions and religions, with the most unexpected facial expressions - they can be crying or laughing, fierce or serene. Temples in the north of Thailand tend to have a three-tiered roofline and carved gables. All around the main structures there are the so called <em>stupas</em>, shaped like bells. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jYRHeXJE8zwugLOLpbOu5UALm6Kgn_pv4xqUSpxuaKzd8fk7bMpsVXrhl9Y9cCGfdgV5DeS39Mz5J2rr6ENzZEEDgjyX0psGnRNUnhYJRWtEq_AhsI_hoz1hhfTAG-RdMwLjlyjtnP4w/s1600/stupa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jYRHeXJE8zwugLOLpbOu5UALm6Kgn_pv4xqUSpxuaKzd8fk7bMpsVXrhl9Y9cCGfdgV5DeS39Mz5J2rr6ENzZEEDgjyX0psGnRNUnhYJRWtEq_AhsI_hoz1hhfTAG-RdMwLjlyjtnP4w/s640/stupa.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A stupa in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I even started asking around or doing a little bit of research whenever I had wi-fi so that I could understand what some details meant. The colourful ribbons tied around some pillars, for instance, mark the place of a spirit house. The ribbons supposedly keep the spirits in a good mood. It's the same reason why they are tied around the keel of longtail boats in the islands of the south. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FbmsTptgRbR4CT1NIo2rHFpXR_9araSBG7hJY1yYo0jNiAYQq8gjO-JaWvC4UozdvSyQiOVmemRmvZ7wGP3Dpza3rClQnMLMGfCWpwwhpHX3-X67PvSk5Hg5KjiPSBzavzhyphenhyphen14VKbfrX/s1600/IMG_20151124_164818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FbmsTptgRbR4CT1NIo2rHFpXR_9araSBG7hJY1yYo0jNiAYQq8gjO-JaWvC4UozdvSyQiOVmemRmvZ7wGP3Dpza3rClQnMLMGfCWpwwhpHX3-X67PvSk5Hg5KjiPSBzavzhyphenhyphen14VKbfrX/s400/IMG_20151124_164818.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Ribbons tied around a sacred pole in Chiang Mai</em> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall in Chiang Mai you really perceive how rich Thai culture is. It is easy to see the beauty of the Buddhist religion, and the importance of traditions in people's daily life. Besides, I was lucky enough to be there during the <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2016/07/loi-krathong-festival-in-chiang-mai.html">Loi Krathong festival in November</a>, which I highly suggest to take into consideration.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBrb7-2rkhyphenhyphen1OzwogCixVJaDQ9u_JbNxPTqIVJiCKAvzHaROkvF3Bc3WwShOWH68PTN4lc9c4FQStEZizlpJC8uIumSZT8GbKl4UxIxB4DUA0euz-rMh3S7B9dpZ42w38m2ee84RT6QU4/s1600/P1070499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBrb7-2rkhyphenhyphen1OzwogCixVJaDQ9u_JbNxPTqIVJiCKAvzHaROkvF3Bc3WwShOWH68PTN4lc9c4FQStEZizlpJC8uIumSZT8GbKl4UxIxB4DUA0euz-rMh3S7B9dpZ42w38m2ee84RT6QU4/s640/P1070499.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A temple in Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Food</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another reason why I am particularly fond of Chiang Mai is food. There are many options, from fancy restaurants to street food stalls, or casual eateries, but the most exciting things - food-wise - were happening right on the street. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my experience it was easy to understand which places are popular because they were crowded with both tourists and locals, and there was a good smell of fresh vegetables and spices. The cuisine of northern Thailand is known as Lanna, from the name of an ancient kingdom, and it has influences from many countries, such as Burma and India. Typical dishes from the north of Thailand are </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sticky rice or </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">som tam</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (papaya salad), but</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> of course, I also ate dishes from other parts of Thailand, such as Massaman curry</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. What is amazing about this is that I don't remember spending more than 2-3€ for a meal. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxEKRsd7KsNQl34ephCn6RIkLJsN9YsZpVIqBW_EAf5NrKyiIaIZTjcbwNrBdFR2gRs8VFID89qaSwqHaWiOMxkKDsrnRyKBXhgkXjqwL4cGMs0gK281YLChcu-Bz0BoDIiWax5rTjrM/s1600/Thai+fried+rice+with+vegetables+and+tofu2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="716" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxEKRsd7KsNQl34ephCn6RIkLJsN9YsZpVIqBW_EAf5NrKyiIaIZTjcbwNrBdFR2gRs8VFID89qaSwqHaWiOMxkKDsrnRyKBXhgkXjqwL4cGMs0gK281YLChcu-Bz0BoDIiWax5rTjrM/s400/Thai+fried+rice+with+vegetables+and+tofu2.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thai fried rice with vegetables and tofu</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The food is not only delicious, but also colourul and well-presented almost everywhere. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the down side, t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he names are sometimes difficult to remember. I also started to develop an addiction to Pad thai, which is dangerous because there are so many other delicious things to try.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Doi Suthep</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even if you feel tired of visiting temples, you should give Doi Suthep a chance. It is secluded and scenic, because to reach it you have to venture outside of the city (15 km), crossing countryside and forest, then go uphill until the top of Doi Suthep, a local mountain. If I remember well I went by <em>songthaew, </em>which is a pickup truck used as a shared taxi or bus. This means of transport is super easy to use, because it usually has fixed prices and stops.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you arrive you will have to climb a staircase that appears to be in the middle of the tropical jungle. It is shaped like a <i>naga</i>, the mythical snake of Hinduism and Buddhism. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's 309 steps, but don't worry: if I made it, you can make it too without problems. Nothing like <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.de/2016/09/the-tiger-cave-temple-in-krabi.html" target="_blank">the Tiger Cave temple staircase in Krabi</a>! If you're really lazy there is a cable car that for just 20 baht </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(0,50€) t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">akes you to the top.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomxzY6LnS3fBCri3rMb_1CaPte1eMKnaP7onfpVv6FAiSctDlYu2i1xj0KCQ9FV-BfLQGO0cl1dAijOkY9UbGF6A5DP5QPO4BOyqKEOEqG_9txhNk5DDcfiSeAX4zm7hPtpimzhfKkZqn/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomxzY6LnS3fBCri3rMb_1CaPte1eMKnaP7onfpVv6FAiSctDlYu2i1xj0KCQ9FV-BfLQGO0cl1dAijOkY9UbGF6A5DP5QPO4BOyqKEOEqG_9txhNk5DDcfiSeAX4zm7hPtpimzhfKkZqn/s640/collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Doi Suthep</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The temple has an entrance fee of another 20 bhat (0,50€). It is quite big and, as most temples in Thailand, it includes several pagodas and areas of worship. It's a good chance to see how local people pray and pay their respects to Buddha. As any other shrines, Doi Suthep has some relics - in this case that of a white elephant bearing a magical Gautama Buddha's shoulder bone relic on the back. You also have a pretty nice view of the city and of its surroundings from a terrace.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEpKe1mnD-NmP_NgUKcjr6q5KKLYf-8nsE7dwnUM4Hgf9pnP2oml8zMrLV9VVxTz6yS5KfNJR6fQ4MLVzRTDdh7E-RJBn09UoBTT06uPZUyjhTj0nTtHK0R6oCT3Os_TkKaVb6COKGck/s1600/Girl+praying+Doi+Suthep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEpKe1mnD-NmP_NgUKcjr6q5KKLYf-8nsE7dwnUM4Hgf9pnP2oml8zMrLV9VVxTz6yS5KfNJR6fQ4MLVzRTDdh7E-RJBn09UoBTT06uPZUyjhTj0nTtHK0R6oCT3Os_TkKaVb6COKGck/s640/Girl+praying+Doi+Suthep.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girl praying at Doi Suthep</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Activities</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is so much more to do in Chiang Mai than just visit temples and eat delicious meals. If you love animals you can visit the Elephant Nature reserve, for instance. If you are into shopping, the Night Market and the Sunday Night Market are excellent places to goggle at the endless variety of nice purses, scarves, bags and necklaces for sale. Ethnic accessories are often manifactured around Chiang Mai, which is definitely a plus.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The night market</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trekking, rock-climbing, white-water rafting are more activities, but bear in mind that it is very hot all year round in Thailand. Another popular option is to take a cooking class, which is something that I had planned to do in Chiang Mai. They are relatively cheap, but in busy periods they need to be booked well in advance. When I visited the city was busy because of the Loi Krathong festival, and all the cooking class were already booked!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Have you been to Chiang Mai? What did you like best about it?</strong></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-66557143518892085842017-07-23T14:23:00.002+02:002017-07-23T14:23:44.563+02:00Appreciating a glimpse of Dutch countryside in Zaanse Schans<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love cities, but when I travel I also like to see something different. Big cities are not usually very representative of a country, so it's a good idea to venture outside and see how the rest of the country looks like. That's what I did when I was in Amsterdam last March. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The village of Zaanse Schans is located only a few minutes away from central Amsterdam. I took a local train leaving from the Central Station that in just 17 minutes and 7,20€ (return ticket) took me to another world. In Zaanse Schans there are working windmills</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, the air is fresh and you get to see a glimpse of Dutch country</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">side. Compared to Amsterdam Zaanse Schans is relaxed and quiet. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Zaanse Schans village</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I think it was the turning point in my trip to Amsterdam. Somehow I couldn't connect to the city and the country, so I spent three days sightseeing without getting particularly excited at anything. While the city was certainly interesting and full of inspiration, certainly different from most European cities I had visited before, Zaanse Schans offered a different point of view and an interesting insight on the country. It made me get away from the hype about coffeeshops and red-light districts and see that there is a lot more to the Dutch identity than that.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tgQ4nP2qR5kCxpCipentee_MC94MZyuGrCvsLCKCJ8SfY_qfe7Zsp1iMpJnGBvcUcsXWpUpDwoYm-PjtLM6SBUabBPdXzqB0svkbQerDsaKEoRuBfupd-x7jQvSB8fkWBxwmYgc06us/s1600/traditional+houses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tgQ4nP2qR5kCxpCipentee_MC94MZyuGrCvsLCKCJ8SfY_qfe7Zsp1iMpJnGBvcUcsXWpUpDwoYm-PjtLM6SBUabBPdXzqB0svkbQerDsaKEoRuBfupd-x7jQvSB8fkWBxwmYgc06us/s640/traditional+houses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lanscape around Zaanse Schans</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">T</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">here used to be a chocolate factory in the area, so as soon as you get off the train you will smell roasted cocoa beans. A few panels explain the importance of this area for both the industrial and cultural heritage of the Netherlands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The first windmill that you see, even before getting to the village on the banks of the river Zaan, is maybe the most picturesque. It is called De Bleeke Dood (which means "the Pale Death"!) and it was built in 1656. It was restored a couple of times and is still used to make flour.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudx0zPrcCh2FnPcj6eruzfurU1nh_KcY7psyJrCYr4WrlaDq5ha8IsBhnt5jyrb-SwWFesBTiDUj7nMmj1upsVqNGaAiQ4lxzmFu3yKiWwUwD7n3N0LYxbJQa4EDw3lNjSQl46Lzz-y4N/s1600/zaanse+schans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudx0zPrcCh2FnPcj6eruzfurU1nh_KcY7psyJrCYr4WrlaDq5ha8IsBhnt5jyrb-SwWFesBTiDUj7nMmj1upsVqNGaAiQ4lxzmFu3yKiWwUwD7n3N0LYxbJQa4EDw3lNjSQl46Lzz-y4N/s640/zaanse+schans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>"De Bleeke Dood" windmill on the way to Zaanse Schans</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wooden clogs, windmills and tulips are all part of the world you enter in Zaanse Schans. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Several mills were moved to this area in the 1960s to preserve them for future generations. They are surrounded by extensive meadows, and just to see the sails slowly turning from a distance make you feel like you went back a few centuries, when life was simpler and things like oil or flour or were produced locally.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP-I5JAFqaOuYrEnwbLKuYq-K6UOltc6KV8QGx7aLrp2wj0aKGNpm2uORPqrf2xKz6I_zV4AuCeD8CDs7DWRL6eS5Sp-rkytmAVMwe7WwZggQCCvlqMCJkOU_7Ga3x3-___9cJ6NRBcU/s1600/windmills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP-I5JAFqaOuYrEnwbLKuYq-K6UOltc6KV8QGx7aLrp2wj0aKGNpm2uORPqrf2xKz6I_zV4AuCeD8CDs7DWRL6eS5Sp-rkytmAVMwe7WwZggQCCvlqMCJkOU_7Ga3x3-___9cJ6NRBcU/s640/windmills.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Windmills along the river</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zaanse Schans is certainly touristic: there were plenty of tourists, especially Asians, with big cameras and selfie sticks, and the windmills now work almost exclusively for them. In spite of that, it is interesting to learn about their several uses: to mill and saw wood for sure, but also to make the pigments used by Dutch painters. For a few euros you can enter them and get to see how they work, then climb the stairs and have a look at the landscape from the top.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>One of the mills along the river</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">There is an abundance of museums in Zaanse Schans, so if you feel like exploring traditional crafts, you could spend there the whole day. There is even a small museum that relates the history and the craftsmanship behind wooden clogs. Moreover, there are demonstrations of traditional crafts, hot chocolate for cold rainy days and a few restaurants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The best thing about a visit to Zaanse Schans, however, was simply taking the leisurely walk from the train station to the village and then stroll on the water's edge, admiring these huge wooden creatures dating from another time. I spent there a couple of pleasant hours, thanks to the perfect weather. I had to plan really well when to go, looking at the weather forecast a lot, because not all the days I had there were as sunny with clear blue skies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvhMK1_A3VqmesKrUw310VASmy4hnpgiCPrNe6E7kurSSNFjtbRx7VHosgKIWmMZVoAVA_FElXIk8f0tFEu7u5sqQmCXxvLxM6c_hWgmBM36SUxBjWEunjKDqdj_iUuRPYCC0xvluBbA/s1600/wooden+clogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvhMK1_A3VqmesKrUw310VASmy4hnpgiCPrNe6E7kurSSNFjtbRx7VHosgKIWmMZVoAVA_FElXIk8f0tFEu7u5sqQmCXxvLxM6c_hWgmBM36SUxBjWEunjKDqdj_iUuRPYCC0xvluBbA/s640/wooden+clogs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Wooden clogs</em></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-16799122448839964122017-04-12T00:02:00.000+02:002017-04-12T00:02:17.119+02:00Walking through enchanting Ohrid<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ohrid is quickly becoming one of the highlights of a trip to the Balkans, and for a good reason. Leaving quirky Skopje for quiet and pleasant Lake Ohrid made me feel as I had crossed yet another border of former Yugoslavia. Yet Ohrid, with its elegant ancient architecture, is in Macedonia, the same country as <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2016/08/the-las-vegas-of-balkans-skopje.html" target="_blank">bombastic Skopje with its huge statues</a> and its kitsch neoclassical architecture.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj208Tup3Q_VNrMbYZ0BcgnAQGWYXMqOSkYUvk2hzHiKgjX5P5aUCOEIrM4FGb76taZmebClyXuXxyHVQKpdV_xa36l-kMlzrfZpoEeHT5S3l0iauYGIwaDSqKetfGs9Z5JJD9WTAqWkUs/s1600/IMG_20160609_112427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj208Tup3Q_VNrMbYZ0BcgnAQGWYXMqOSkYUvk2hzHiKgjX5P5aUCOEIrM4FGb76taZmebClyXuXxyHVQKpdV_xa36l-kMlzrfZpoEeHT5S3l0iauYGIwaDSqKetfGs9Z5JJD9WTAqWkUs/s400/IMG_20160609_112427.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Sveti Jovan Kaneo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Let me begin from the best Ohrid has to offer. The church of Sveti Jovan Kaneo is like a perfect postcard. It's just a small 13th-century church on a cliff overlooking the lake, but what makes it so special is the quiet atmosphere. No wonder that in the past it was used as a place for meditation. The beautiful roof shaped like an half-folded umbrella is one of my favourite features of this church and it indicates an Armenian influence. Just think of the mix of cultures in this small corner of the world. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For example, the part of the town on the hill used to be Christian, while the part on the flat land was Ottoman.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OwWsCDlNV2Ab8omXWcDVRWzLqOT9pqNq8hcfa7kK5eqo54M3SbRVGe9nXa41r971_E4XQFPewqfkaPHzD9zI0PhHc7WOKPPJVRxPC5KcWyGvXPId7RzCDfov43t8wgpxYsfk014szyg/s1600/sveti+jovan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OwWsCDlNV2Ab8omXWcDVRWzLqOT9pqNq8hcfa7kK5eqo54M3SbRVGe9nXa41r971_E4XQFPewqfkaPHzD9zI0PhHc7WOKPPJVRxPC5KcWyGvXPId7RzCDfov43t8wgpxYsfk014szyg/s640/sveti+jovan3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another picture of Sveti Jovan Kaneo</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I reached the church after a short and pleasant hike from the old town. After a gentle bend I saw the church appear in the distance. There weren't too many people (it really depends on the moment of the day) and I spent some time on the hill above the church looking at the perfect view and reading. A woman was painting and every now and then a small group of tourists would come, admire the church and leave after a short time. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Sveti Jovan from the bend in the road</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nearby there is also a small beach with a couple of restaurants: just the perfect place to chill out. As </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ohrid is dotted with monasteries and ancient churches, I kept exploring: I discovered that the church of Saint Penteleimon hosted the first students of the Glagolitic alphabet, which in time became the Cyrill script of Macedonian and other Slavic languages. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also ran into the ruins of a fortress, Car Samuil, with an impressive view, and later into an ancient amphitheater. There is so much to explore that you if you like history like me you'll not get bored. The weather was exceptional and every two minutes there was something to stop for: a nice view, a historical site or a scene of everyday Macdonian life.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqKS9u6v3k5cDv4Cfjk4smTvILcrxmXGx2fp83WB3MKCRBEZCeZy3hsN9wFwnQDID0T3QLEn6JEhwjR5WgbXvMD8BEXzSxGKJUvfFlWV3uV0rz_0auWB8XVDrKAnbQQ_HiVBcQH4VLto/s1600/Landscape+Ohrid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqKS9u6v3k5cDv4Cfjk4smTvILcrxmXGx2fp83WB3MKCRBEZCeZy3hsN9wFwnQDID0T3QLEn6JEhwjR5WgbXvMD8BEXzSxGKJUvfFlWV3uV0rz_0auWB8XVDrKAnbQQ_HiVBcQH4VLto/s640/Landscape+Ohrid2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Landscape in the old town</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-align: justify;">The town itself is crumbling in places, but incredibly fascinating. Here old Ottoman traditions meet the Christian Orthodox world. Its cobbled streets all lead to the main square, with a huge tree that is said to be 900 years old. The menus in the restaurants around the square and the bazaar included stuffed peppers, <i>shopska salata</i>, <i>sarma</i> dumplings and other Macedonian specialities.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM2SxgELJQxUodlCt2kNZLMhblvUHhBHNyruZG2BkthZHNMDnUcL9ORtt8KIgUcVlrAVMGW29DhNA9AAlxF0Bbz75bMXLoukw9MpIIaw2qCbQFn48Pu4HE3XdlYRITWeuWWHwnX9TzUs/s1600/ohrid+town.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM2SxgELJQxUodlCt2kNZLMhblvUHhBHNyruZG2BkthZHNMDnUcL9ORtt8KIgUcVlrAVMGW29DhNA9AAlxF0Bbz75bMXLoukw9MpIIaw2qCbQFn48Pu4HE3XdlYRITWeuWWHwnX9TzUs/s640/ohrid+town.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Charming Ohrid</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Ohrid is a small town, so on the second day, having explored every nook and cranny, I decided to take a day trip to Sveti Naum monastery. There is a ferry that leaves at 10 in the morning from the pier and for 10€ takes you there, then comes back after lunch. I discovered that Lake Ohrid was one of Tito's favourite parts of Yugoslavia (he had a villa here) and in the meantime I observed the less developed Albanian side of the lake. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">When I was around Sveti Naum there was an important wedding and even the president of Macedonia was present. The entry to the monastery was 100 dinars (1,60€). It is tiny and dark, as it is inside Sveti Jovan Kaneo church, but the frescoes were somehow fascinating.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlD8QODHkuMNfP8esYDW1VqikfAKobKTA68NQJIZy1P5ZH5p1NTkbFVxzzz6vAiN4A-t9udNv4NEDxAxyq_ZNzMhEWrxYYm-Zt8POK0kCet-xxPXbakmo8co-wYDhjjr9A7EUm9vFdR-o/s1600/Neum+monastery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlD8QODHkuMNfP8esYDW1VqikfAKobKTA68NQJIZy1P5ZH5p1NTkbFVxzzz6vAiN4A-t9udNv4NEDxAxyq_ZNzMhEWrxYYm-Zt8POK0kCet-xxPXbakmo8co-wYDhjjr9A7EUm9vFdR-o/s640/Neum+monastery.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Sveti Naum monastery</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were peacocks in the courtyard and some girls were rehearsing a traditional folk dance for the wedding. There is also another </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">newer </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">church that I liked, some hiking trails, a spring and a couple of restaurants and souvenir shops. It's a nice trip but maybe it would have been better to couple it with something else to fill up the rest of the day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVJHsl1Fq4kvpnI4tXml6mbZXmuNlfki3uUiszSm68gviGA8fbWXaPdIacDb7rfJnmzLD-U4YP1tfsLrnzow2PQZG-JoYVPRLTzW6UJQukuakm7gcuu-lHMESqTKsQRUNJnAnRMtxUwk/s1600/IMG_20160610_125932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVJHsl1Fq4kvpnI4tXml6mbZXmuNlfki3uUiszSm68gviGA8fbWXaPdIacDb7rfJnmzLD-U4YP1tfsLrnzow2PQZG-JoYVPRLTzW6UJQukuakm7gcuu-lHMESqTKsQRUNJnAnRMtxUwk/s400/IMG_20160610_125932.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The newer church near Sveti Naum</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I reached Ohrid with a three-and-a-half-hour bus ride from Skopje. If you're planning to visit this beautiful lake keep in mind that it's tricky to continue on to Greece, and in my experience it was easier to get a bus back to Skopje and then another one to Thessaloniki. If I remember well there is more than one company that servers the route Skopje - Ohrid, so one stand could not be able to tell you the timetable for the other company and try to sell you their ticket only.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaGEvwfzUR5voUw8-HVAmHnVGlnFl6nauX44_LGbF-Q2qBq9KMUPaAzH624v6ZQdYSsYQ3fgCH_ItQAUrBjDInDNttQL4DUbA0Jfa8GlFNEX17BNihyphenhyphen3aCzv2osAxBePIJWdgqoXsVi0/s1600/P1080397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaGEvwfzUR5voUw8-HVAmHnVGlnFl6nauX44_LGbF-Q2qBq9KMUPaAzH624v6ZQdYSsYQ3fgCH_ItQAUrBjDInDNttQL4DUbA0Jfa8GlFNEX17BNihyphenhyphen3aCzv2osAxBePIJWdgqoXsVi0/s640/P1080397.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A view from behind the fortress</i></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-50046534938097646392017-03-20T11:30:00.000+01:002017-03-20T11:30:10.592+01:00Four enchanted places you should visit right now<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>1) Chefchaouen</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Believe me when I say that I love Morocco, but I must recognize that in big cities like Fez or Marrakesh you can easily feel overwhelmed. The strong smells and the chaos of the medina, the touts, or simply the amount of people walking down the street can make you feel like you've already had enough of this country. In that case a good idea is to spend a few days in Chefchaouen, a small quiet town nestled in the hills of northern Morocco.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NdgSFc9vAm05WjeB6ihJuOyRWJhch_hD9Lh3qYwh78tP2MfnJw_ryEiZ6S_LLWj8UFpjix00B2DtovPCTuSdB1iXKtyPoRqEjIwXS2QkwDZwZqW3C9yQEPECyh0YlgJL3jPj57zlaBI/s1600/Street+of+Chefchaouen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NdgSFc9vAm05WjeB6ihJuOyRWJhch_hD9Lh3qYwh78tP2MfnJw_ryEiZ6S_LLWj8UFpjix00B2DtovPCTuSdB1iXKtyPoRqEjIwXS2QkwDZwZqW3C9yQEPECyh0YlgJL3jPj57zlaBI/s640/Street+of+Chefchaouen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A quiet street in the medina</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There I just walked around, taking ridiculously gorgeous pictures, and shopping for Moroccan slippers or scarfs without feeling the pressure of the vendors in bigger towns. The walls of the medina are painted a deep blue and even the doors, the stone stairs and the furniture are often blue. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m-lasTwG_YI4DO4VmDZL6GQvn-ET870Z3wU_kdW428EHvu7gYiZk-qIlZMJsvV2peI7y7g3j-1Siaozd2pr9PhsZktU-dS2jsBAul6yQzZkCzzOIikEyzowMcZHKKjBzoekaRWJESqg/s1600/street+of+chefchaouen4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m-lasTwG_YI4DO4VmDZL6GQvn-ET870Z3wU_kdW428EHvu7gYiZk-qIlZMJsvV2peI7y7g3j-1Siaozd2pr9PhsZktU-dS2jsBAul6yQzZkCzzOIikEyzowMcZHKKjBzoekaRWJESqg/s640/street+of+chefchaouen4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Men wear the traditional <em>djellaba</em> and look like mysterious wizards, as if they were the last of a disappearing population of magical beings. In Chefchaouen I found people to be extremely welcoming and I appreciated the fact that children could play happily on the quiet streets and small squares. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7JU5log9oe1qZGyQX9Vp5NNfzmdpbqExH2Hf5QwGDl300BK5LvQ_juhLnYqqtWE7icjlwUtDja1VPqNnvM84j9VUhv7eY_ppGADGqOdi7sgNKhazLIVDavxp0iSjDtrwxCfnykT5vnM/s1600/man+in+chefchaouen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7JU5log9oe1qZGyQX9Vp5NNfzmdpbqExH2Hf5QwGDl300BK5LvQ_juhLnYqqtWE7icjlwUtDja1VPqNnvM84j9VUhv7eY_ppGADGqOdi7sgNKhazLIVDavxp0iSjDtrwxCfnykT5vnM/s640/man+in+chefchaouen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add that to the fact that there are great hiking possibilities all around and you have your perfect Moroccan getaway from the bustling city life of Moroccan cities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/chefchaouen-dreaming-in-blue.html" target="_blank">Read more about Chefchaouen in this post from April 2015.</a></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>2) Bled</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Did you ever wonder what the place where Snow White and Prince Charming come from might look like? I think it must look like Bled. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYJm-01sS-n0GRq5XIu1I0LEGlUE4ThWwjEEhy4Ldg4XtWup5hX4b3Sk21f1a2wH337X1aU_OWiOqgZTSu8WeWrEjlPXqFKandYU17bXr5SLj85n8SljwXC0TH0PDPf6fVBedzBMkgCg/s1600/Lake+Bled2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYJm-01sS-n0GRq5XIu1I0LEGlUE4ThWwjEEhy4Ldg4XtWup5hX4b3Sk21f1a2wH337X1aU_OWiOqgZTSu8WeWrEjlPXqFKandYU17bXr5SLj85n8SljwXC0TH0PDPf6fVBedzBMkgCg/s640/Lake+Bled2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lake Bled</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">If you've never heard of this lake, maybe it's because it is found in a tiny and relatively unknown European country called Slovenia. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Other than being the birthplace of Melania Trump, this Alpine country is little known. In a novel by Paulo Coelho a librarian from the capital Ljubljiana decides to commit suicide after reading an article in a magazine about her country, making people believe that she did it because people don't even know where Slovenia is.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xOEHe20Jh3tqBJvFxjALE4pPGkPcocCOvo19-T45wsbh7x1Pwwk7EZIiIVO4H6gIebyThXWvqq04FW_aDuwqaJUOBnSg6Z82ZhB4KhsQk1hfzPR9U6QEgU-CPJVjPwpKHl6ElucSseE/s1600/bled+from+castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xOEHe20Jh3tqBJvFxjALE4pPGkPcocCOvo19-T45wsbh7x1Pwwk7EZIiIVO4H6gIebyThXWvqq04FW_aDuwqaJUOBnSg6Z82ZhB4KhsQk1hfzPR9U6QEgU-CPJVjPwpKHl6ElucSseE/s640/bled+from+castle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lake Bled seen from the castle</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have a plan to visit Bled in every season: in winter with snow, in autumn with yellow leaves and in spring with flowers in bloom. I have already been i</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">n the summer</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">and it is gorgeous: I cannot think of a better country than Slovenia to breathe some fresh air and rest your eyes with a palette of colours unlike that of any other country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><em><a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/slovenia-fairytale-country.html" target="_blank">Read more about Bled and Slovenia in this post, which is actually the first one I wrote on this blog.</a></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>3) Sintra</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In "Journey to Portugal" Saramago described this small town a few kilometers from Lisbon: as an "<em style="background-color: #f7f7f8;">English folly, paid for by the cloth trade ... a monument to an age that had every taste imaginable, but never really defined any of them .... eclectic to the point of eccentricity .... As empires dominated the world economically, they amused themselves with alien cultures</em><em style="background-color: #f7f7f8;">". </em></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J1DdVQT1PJ_iAs6f-zAa5XtZYo2-J0D63ni6eWgUszWiKjJT6UdsZz1lM27CAH4RIx4UBYuhU_mJoC6fkkaa8ImyOnxJaDkwg1VBEEdZ9My3YEfiPimzdhHEricolR1HlRxi1zZWWmw/s1600/Sintra+palace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J1DdVQT1PJ_iAs6f-zAa5XtZYo2-J0D63ni6eWgUszWiKjJT6UdsZz1lM27CAH4RIx4UBYuhU_mJoC6fkkaa8ImyOnxJaDkwg1VBEEdZ9My3YEfiPimzdhHEricolR1HlRxi1zZWWmw/s640/Sintra+palace.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Palacio da Pena</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Sintra resembles the dream of a king that went slightly mad at the end of his life. Several royal palaces dot the hilly landscape, each one slightly crazier than the other. Some elements are Gothic, others call back to traditional Muslim architecture, or to the Portuguese Manueline style. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">As if this wasn't enough, mysterious gargoyles look at you from weird angles.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIvUdgZOkNgkyTbBCYMb6hQqG4TySRr4M-bHb_4OatKe-7lGnUDsgOjgjrMZ10nxnKRoXGzf7Y_X5yzLIirlsk48UzksS0YA73VckFaqRrMAxnzarjV3dg13SMobv4C6jLtJ7Hs7fluI/s1600/Dettaglio+palazzo+da+pena2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIvUdgZOkNgkyTbBCYMb6hQqG4TySRr4M-bHb_4OatKe-7lGnUDsgOjgjrMZ10nxnKRoXGzf7Y_X5yzLIirlsk48UzksS0YA73VckFaqRrMAxnzarjV3dg13SMobv4C6jLtJ7Hs7fluI/s640/Dettaglio+palazzo+da+pena2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Palacio da Pena</em></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />The most charming palace according to me is Quinta da Regaleira, especially the Gothic-style gardens. I spent a couple of hours exploring the grottoes, the statues and the ponds, wondering what the upside-down staircase might mean and feeling that every pinnacle and gargoyle has a secret to reveal.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjlgceoVZ5J0u4YKJD_qwU-rnV5zrhLYaiUZJ4z1caRzNUHXHcZvDA8MdrF3mRFm9I-uEw0eMTbd6Me8jcsBewcxy9hOAC2_MPcyM7K4ot2aLWtSv2v0pml1e93NFXLnnl6WKsdiSSXo/s1600/Quinta+da+Regaleira4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjlgceoVZ5J0u4YKJD_qwU-rnV5zrhLYaiUZJ4z1caRzNUHXHcZvDA8MdrF3mRFm9I-uEw0eMTbd6Me8jcsBewcxy9hOAC2_MPcyM7K4ot2aLWtSv2v0pml1e93NFXLnnl6WKsdiSSXo/s640/Quinta+da+Regaleira4.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The gardens of Quinta da Regaleira</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">If palaces are not your thing in the small town the charming yellow-trimmed houses are a pleasure for the eyes, and the streets bear the names of the writers and artists who tread and wrote about this place, including Lord Byron. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2015/02/sintra-thousand-and-one-fairytales.html" target="_blank">Read more about my trip to Sintra in December 2015 here.</a></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>4) Ait-Benhaddou</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I know, I'm listing Morocco twice in this list, but it's merely because that country of <i>djinns</i> is literally bewitching. Moreover Ait-Benhaddou is one of the most incredible places I have been to. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YrlKwb1s-K2LQHGNTiFA7Gb3stxftlTyEgRsYCs_t4juXYq7qKYcvAIOqwnSmZMJepY6eW9ZOT_omxA1i-IJ1FDBGOYiX70HMo_6LVDP37aCoq7pkMAs4P9FqZ_ObCxKoc9PslWA46Y/s1600/Ait+Benhaddou3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YrlKwb1s-K2LQHGNTiFA7Gb3stxftlTyEgRsYCs_t4juXYq7qKYcvAIOqwnSmZMJepY6eW9ZOT_omxA1i-IJ1FDBGOYiX70HMo_6LVDP37aCoq7pkMAs4P9FqZ_ObCxKoc9PslWA46Y/s640/Ait+Benhaddou3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Ait Benhaddou</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">You may have seen it as the location for countless movies and TV shows, including as Yunkai in Game of Thrones. It is usually portrayed as a city made of sand that appears like a mirage in the middle of the desert. And that is actually what it is: a particularly good-looking <em>ksar </em>that is not completely abandoned and that is at the edge of the desert. The Touareg guides in blue turbans lead the way into a magic world, where you may find anything from Ali Baba's lamp to an ancient amulet.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCaW5ocvOjpc7P6cgebKh-r5dIueJac3VEwGDJ-2_6-jhnQPmxhZY3s-HlXRN3WrOv2HTLAZ1jf7OcmnWKWplyEXJt1hieKF0LrSPtBDTWvF72XA1P4ogchAsz_0XdlKkOdsgeyL1Vcc/s1600/berber+guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCaW5ocvOjpc7P6cgebKh-r5dIueJac3VEwGDJ-2_6-jhnQPmxhZY3s-HlXRN3WrOv2HTLAZ1jf7OcmnWKWplyEXJt1hieKF0LrSPtBDTWvF72XA1P4ogchAsz_0XdlKkOdsgeyL1Vcc/s640/berber+guide.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A berber guide in Ait Benhaddou</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was one of the highlights of my trip to Morocco. It is a perfect stop on the way to the Sahara desert and it is a good opportunity to learn about the ancient trade routes that pass through this part of the world.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpkxfucwmlRPejXB7ItjG8sv6FBG9KThyphenhyphenrVgvwwIQJo8LTlBXXlcn6Ar7gpRoFprAsAXTP7KAxMvQ_dOx8qt8OfV_sG4H_v1b8mbYVgVHIhn792caawK5F3yxE6W2AI2HIujrG_XpZcU/s1600/souvenirs+ait+benhaddou.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpkxfucwmlRPejXB7ItjG8sv6FBG9KThyphenhyphenrVgvwwIQJo8LTlBXXlcn6Ar7gpRoFprAsAXTP7KAxMvQ_dOx8qt8OfV_sG4H_v1b8mbYVgVHIhn792caawK5F3yxE6W2AI2HIujrG_XpZcU/s640/souvenirs+ait+benhaddou.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Souvenirs in Ait Benhaddou</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2014/06/like-mirage-in-desert-ait-benhaddou.html" target="_blank">Read about my trip to the Sahara desert here.</a></em></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-88096340491654351562017-03-06T14:22:00.001+01:002017-03-06T14:22:55.001+01:00Exploring the Big Mango: 4 days in Bangkok<div style="text-align: right;">
"<em>There it was, spread largely on both banks, the Oriental capital which had yet suffered no white conqueror…"</em> - Joseph Conrad</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've already written a <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/surviving-bangkok.html" target="_blank">Bangkok survival guide</a>, but I would like to go more in detail about this incredible city.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<strong>The temples</strong>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I literally love temples and history so I just couldn't miss the emerald Buddha inside Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho, located at walking distance one from the other. The former is inside the grounds of the Grand Palace, which is the only tourist attraction in the city that has a steep entrance fee: 500 baht (13,50€). It also closes early, at 3:30 pm, so I had to schedule the visit carefully. Wat Pho was equally beautiful and at 100 baht (2,70€) was more affordable. Another plus it that it is open until 6:30 pm so I had no excuse.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXj3nFCQ3_j-ntlyV0sOUWVD4XkRa34wXx0-vrG3XKJRhcSVq2v_gM8zzPohv4SuHauIZtWOYRHZx_MKj7UyvnQlaiIMg6dX4l8Cn4ZvtjFtYIS4_BYANKASep_QUBeBj_WQZW-mS6AXM/s1600/P1070083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXj3nFCQ3_j-ntlyV0sOUWVD4XkRa34wXx0-vrG3XKJRhcSVq2v_gM8zzPohv4SuHauIZtWOYRHZx_MKj7UyvnQlaiIMg6dX4l8Cn4ZvtjFtYIS4_BYANKASep_QUBeBj_WQZW-mS6AXM/s640/P1070083.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A stone giant in Wat Pho</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br>
</div><a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2017/03/exploring-big-mango-4-days-in-bangkok.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-37157763243618320642017-02-14T00:09:00.003+01:002017-02-14T00:09:51.727+01:00Places not to miss in Malta<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It never takes more than an hour to get anywhere in Malta, even with the public transport. This is why with just 8 days I was able to see many different things, on different parts of the island. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Here's my personal top five of places not to miss in this charming and fascinating Mediterranean country.</span><br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbxuo4DVjFaNBaUTAA8-t5Y-Y5gvgypinrt9UHldDe2G5ny-EWHPpNEbVwNx22YK88lwtlc1ItVXe44gaWZYEJsRwps14ls-ksygvTh4ysBYbeNMu1fKVA4aSkmsxp58avaflgAd-yR4/s1600/Valletta+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbxuo4DVjFaNBaUTAA8-t5Y-Y5gvgypinrt9UHldDe2G5ny-EWHPpNEbVwNx22YK88lwtlc1ItVXe44gaWZYEJsRwps14ls-ksygvTh4ysBYbeNMu1fKVA4aSkmsxp58avaflgAd-yR4/s640/Valletta+street.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A street in Valletta</em><br>
<em></em><br>
</td></tr></tbody></table></div><a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2017/02/places-not-to-miss-in-malta.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-81720101254681044142017-01-29T23:21:00.003+01:002017-02-01T20:56:29.143+01:00A taste of the new world: the colonial heritage of Tenerife<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tenerife, the biggest of the Canary islands, is famous for all-inclusive resorts where tourists get drunk and enjoy the year-round sunshine, experiencing nothing of the island. Locals insist that the real Tenerife is elsewhere, and especially in the north of the island, where the charming towns and the incredible landscapes will leave you agape. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Tenerife is rich in culture and unique in its diversity. <strong>A volcanic island off the coast of southern Morocco</strong>, it is home to a biodiversity that is comparable to that of Galápagos. To the tourist it offers a variety of sceneries, from the volcanic lunar landscapes of Parque del Teide to the lush forests of the Anaga mountains, or the golden beaches with sand imported from the Sahara. Because of the microclimates of the island, Tenerife is green in the north and arid in the south.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h9GQAF130hNN6yviX8i7FAb4IFeDZ_2oxeJyjzHnKfnCMLNu6-D0Q4n3c6zoykyjy5AVHT2PXSOmS8hSUGbl46uBJf_E3OiKQOWcL6tYZadk4uhlQuqjLIuPlosP6DELa4cm-gqK6Rg/s1600/Anaga+mountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h9GQAF130hNN6yviX8i7FAb4IFeDZ_2oxeJyjzHnKfnCMLNu6-D0Q4n3c6zoykyjy5AVHT2PXSOmS8hSUGbl46uBJf_E3OiKQOWcL6tYZadk4uhlQuqjLIuPlosP6DELa4cm-gqK6Rg/s640/Anaga+mountains.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Anaga Mountains, on the north-eastern tip of Tenerife</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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</div><a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-taste-of-new-world-colonial-heritage.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-72096763345065619372017-01-16T23:43:00.002+01:002017-01-16T23:45:00.897+01:00Hvar: island of the senses<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Hvar has everything I expected from a Croatian island</strong>: it's covered in pine forests, lavender fields and olive groves, it has beautiful secluded pebble beaches and a gorgeous historical centre. Moreover, the ferry from Split took me there in less than a couple of hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It has picturesque marble-paved streets full of flowers and trellis, and its main square looks out onto the sea, with countless smaller islands ready to be explored. Woods grow just behind the square, offering a perfect postcard picture. Hvar is one of the most visited islands in Dalmatia, so it's rather busy in the summer months, but it still shows its charm in the backstreets and quiet corners.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1EgHep3Ad6wQsD556Exx_IOEbu6cxb8-lfQ6rXMYP0YGmRnO2S9HL9ZyO-e5tgKG7Dn7xZYbrQB2qkiySSayqFx6PGHg3Ff8gWToxHiqjPAtN-6N2zceSpR_ZX6wnPMEi8rdW6k1Qt4/s1600/hvar+main+squares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1EgHep3Ad6wQsD556Exx_IOEbu6cxb8-lfQ6rXMYP0YGmRnO2S9HL9ZyO-e5tgKG7Dn7xZYbrQB2qkiySSayqFx6PGHg3Ff8gWToxHiqjPAtN-6N2zceSpR_ZX6wnPMEi8rdW6k1Qt4/s640/hvar+main+squares.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The main square in Hvar</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div><a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2017/01/hvar-island-of-senses.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-57692145175787738042017-01-04T19:43:00.000+01:002017-01-04T19:43:54.531+01:00Pai, backpacker's heaven or hell?<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The small town of Pai, in north-western
Thailand, is very popular among backpackers who visit Thailand. Lured
by their ravishing tales, I decided to give it a go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>There is nothing special about Pai
itself.</b> There are no amazing temples, the food is mediocre and as in
the infamous Khao San Road in Bangkok, the place lost its
authenticity long ago. There are more guesthouses, souvenir shops and
trekking agencies than private houses, not to mention more Western
food that in any other parts of northern Thailand. On top of the
that, the 4-hour minibus drive from Chiang Mai is a nightmare of 700
turns where you'd better not look out of the window.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGQEraPrmv78Dga5exDORIE1Y5Qur4Upr3EyUVdaYeeDt-7QVyJPY_JX88URiHg4or4kcmmo_gkGtbJJDCNaeGK1VxFnMjj8po2Kl5GowHh4M5Fd-f0E7HjdIFXJ5IPEk2YI6C470Ky8/s1600/relaxing+in+Pai2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGQEraPrmv78Dga5exDORIE1Y5Qur4Upr3EyUVdaYeeDt-7QVyJPY_JX88URiHg4or4kcmmo_gkGtbJJDCNaeGK1VxFnMjj8po2Kl5GowHh4M5Fd-f0E7HjdIFXJ5IPEk2YI6C470Ky8/s640/relaxing+in+Pai2.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Relaxing in Pai</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet tourists keep flocking to Pai for
the <b>laid-back atmosphere</b>: hippies, yoga enthusiasts and 20-somethings
devoted to smoke weed, but also some hiking enthusiasts decide to
visit this relatively remote corner of Thailand close to the border
with Burma. Oh, and tons of Chinese tourists, to the point that some
of the accommodation especially caters for them.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2017/01/pai-backpackers-heaven-or-hell.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-56786102236509097612016-12-24T16:35:00.000+01:002017-01-09T22:49:36.527+01:00Touching the sky: the monasteries of Meteora<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meteora has a place in every tourist brochure of mainland Greece, and for a reason. These huge monolithic pillars and the surrounding hills, located in the region of Thessaly in central Greece, were definitely worth the long hours I spent on the buses to reach them (3 hours from Thessaloniki and 6+ onwards to Delphi). </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he landscape looks like that of an old-fashioned videogame, with a character jumping on top of a mushroom. <strong>On the background there are mountains that I kept on thinking they couldn't exist in the real world.</strong> The atmosphere is surreal, magnetic, almost spiritual. Needless to say, it is one of my favourite places in Greece. </span><br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV0y2AQZg4J-31f4U6b5YLxPEA9G8JfidPitSdUn9DttdhrwOKIGJ8N1zwhyHs6nIXr59RxLra6EdNcPaPRokLF7gLl4VI0ojkJkBhZZmBR2vlqXzQQOa-JCGHhJgeVtlOX1r8lEGvZA/s1600/Metora4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV0y2AQZg4J-31f4U6b5YLxPEA9G8JfidPitSdUn9DttdhrwOKIGJ8N1zwhyHs6nIXr59RxLra6EdNcPaPRokLF7gLl4VI0ojkJkBhZZmBR2vlqXzQQOa-JCGHhJgeVtlOX1r8lEGvZA/s640/Metora4.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>View of Meteora</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div><a href="https://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com/2016/12/touching-sky-monasteries-of-meteora.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-34473393861301673162016-10-09T19:24:00.001+02:002016-10-09T19:24:23.825+02:00The exotic in Europe: Malta<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you drew a line from Gibraltar until the other end of the Mediterranean Sea, on the northern coast of Syria, the middle point would fall very close to Malta. With a Semitic language but firmly within Europe, besieged by the Turks but never conquered by them, this small island country can be considered a dividing point between Europe and North Africa, not to mention between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKtECNCdORdbIgTTnWQhyKbKnoLl_l2G3c2oc1cfvYz0DctyzBhm816pGgR0gxXL4GnBK87Iq-qA_cDaF8Tcqesa4nmWHVoO_PlJUVPWfdydsp4ItUNqso_yl88Rti51MOiHZHsxkxyQ/s1600/Malta1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKtECNCdORdbIgTTnWQhyKbKnoLl_l2G3c2oc1cfvYz0DctyzBhm816pGgR0gxXL4GnBK87Iq-qA_cDaF8Tcqesa4nmWHVoO_PlJUVPWfdydsp4ItUNqso_yl88Rti51MOiHZHsxkxyQ/s640/Malta1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A downhill street in Valletta</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">For the European visitor Malta is exotic and yet familiar. The architecture resembles that of North Africa, with cream-coloured houses and flat roofs, except that there are Catholic churches everywhere. Imagine a mix of cultures that rarely speak together: Italian, Arabic and a sprinkle of British. A British phone booth with on the background a palm tree, or a Sicilian cannolo sold next to a fish and chips restaurant. Not to mention the typical and incredibly photogenic Maltese balcony, a sort of southern European version of the British bow-window. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A phone booth in Marsaxlokk</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Invaded by many countries and once home to the multinational Order of the Knights of Saint John, Malta is used to mixing cultures and languages in a natural way. In Malta there is a lot of history, ranging from incredibly-fascinating prehistoric temples to opulent Baroque churches, but also natural beauty and a rich food culture. The island is small but it is ideal for a relaxing holiday, where you can throw in a little bit of everything, from beach days to museums and even a little bit of hiking. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Azure Window in Gozo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You never need more than one hour to reach any place on the island, even if you use the excellent public buses. This allows you to base yourself in one place and then explore with liberty. The tiny capital of Valletta is a treasure hunt for cultural sites, from Caravaggio paintings to the knight's armoury. The ancient capital of Mdina, nicknamed the silent city, is full of picturesque corners, while the smaller island of Gozo - easily reachable by ferry - is famous for its natural beauty and more relaxed atmosphere. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A church in Gozo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Malta is an ideal destination for a varied holiday, and moreover it is easily reached with a Ryanair flight, it has euro and everybody speaks English. In spite of the proximity to Italy, I discovered an extremely rich culture and a history that I almost completely ignored. Did you know, for example, that Saint Paul got shipwrecked in Malta and personally started the evangelisation of this island? Or that the Order of Saint John, founded at the time of the crusades, established itself in Malta and successfully managed to stop the Turkish invasion of the island in what is called the Great Siege of Malta?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A peaceful corner of Mdina, the old capital</em></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-55366472423685532422016-09-25T12:26:00.003+02:002016-09-25T12:26:48.783+02:00The Tiger Cave temple in Krabi<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Andaman coast of Thailand is famous for its beaches and karst formations, not to mention for paradise islands like Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta. The dilemma then is what to do after a few lazy days spent by the beach, when you feel the urgency to saviour a little bit of Thai culture, almost invisible in the touristic heavens of this area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unfortunately, the Andaman coast is not a particularly good place for temple-hopping, because a part of the population is Muslim. There is, nonetheless, a Buddhist temple that is really worth visiting, a mere 8 km from Krabi Town (the main town in the area and a transport hub): the Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Top of the shrine of Tiger Cave Temple</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I reached it by negotiating a <em>tuk tuk</em> ride from my accommodation in Krabi Town, but I guess you could go there from Ao Nang as well. The reason for the name Tiger Cave Temple is uncertain: some say that a huge tiger was seen roaming inside a cave where they also found tiger paw prints. The most astonishing and fascinating part of Wat Tham Suea is the shrine on top of a staircase of 1,237 steps. It is quite a challenge to reach the top and I must warn you: it is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Some of the steps are quite high and uneven, and because of the heat some people give up even before they are half-way through.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Made it to the top</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I was really sweaty and panting, but I finally reached the top. I think it was one of the best experiences I had in southern Thailand. At the top there is a big golden Buddha statue, but the real reason to get there is the view. You can see all the karst formations in the area, and all of Krabi at a 360° angle. Wat Tham Suea is not an ancient temple, as it was built in the 1970s, but it has turned into a place for meditation and retreat for Buddhist monks.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>View from top of Tiger Cave Temple</em></td></tr>
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<em></em><span style="font-family: "georgia";">At the bottom there are monkeys who love to play with fruit and any food that they might find. As usual, a temple in Thailand is made by different pagodas and stupas, so it's worth exploring a little bit more the area. For me, it is always fascinating to see different religious practices. Usually these temples are tourist attractions, but they are also used by the local population, so you get the chance to see the local offerings. Sometimes local people offer flowers or rice, but it's interesting to see offerings of money or candy bars. Apparently, Buddha likes chocolate too!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A pagoda of the Tiger Cave Temple</em></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-83798905209332380322016-08-28T19:39:00.002+02:002016-08-28T19:39:34.194+02:00The Las Vegas of the Balkans: Skopje<div style="text-align: justify;">
Skopje is probably the strangest city I have ever visited. Let's begin by saying that the capital of Macedonia is mostly new, because the city was almost completely destroyed in an earthquake in 1963 and also because most of its monuments were built in the last 6 years. </div>
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As a matter of fact, in 2010 many new statues, monuments and museum buildings were built thanks to a big project called "Skopje 2014". Most of them share a pompous neoclassical style that seems to mock Macedonia's neighbour, Greece. There are so many statues of famous Macedonians that local people laugh and say that every Macedonian by now has a statue somewhere in Skopje. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Statues in Skopje</em></td></tr>
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The project was intended as a way to revitalize the city centre and make it more monumental, but it failed to gain consensus from the local population. Some of the new monuments (like the triumphal arch, a bad-taste imitation of the Roman ones) got hit by paint balls in protest against the corrupted government. The monuments and museum buildings intend to build an identity for a country that has almost never been independent in its history and whose name and symbols are not recognized by Greece. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Skopje's art bridge and the archaeological museum by night</em></td></tr>
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The most famous and controversial monument is a 22-metre statue of a warrior on a horse sitting on top of a marble column and surrounded by fountain jets that are lit up at night. Most visitors recognize him to be Alexander the Great, a historical figure claimed by Greece as its own and that Macedonia uses freely (even the airport is called after him). This politics, sustained by the political party in power, is known as "antiquization" and it claims that ancient Macedonians were not in fact Greeks. According to this theory, modern-day Macedonians, even though Slavic in language and culture, descend from the ancient Macedonians who once had an empire that reached India. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The huge statue of the Warrior in Skopje</em> </td></tr>
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As a result, the modern part of Skopje is kitsch, a sort of Las Vegas reconstruction of ancient Greece gone wrong. There are so many statues that it becomes hard to pay attention to any of them. In spite of this, or maybe because of this, Skopje is a unique and interesting city to visit. Contributing to this amusement-park atmosphere are the Chinese-built red double-deckers that you can see everywhere, an exact copy of the London ones. </div>
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In Italy <em>macedonia</em> is another name for fruit salad, a mix of very different elements, as Macedonia is, a meeting point of different cultures and religions. While walking on the southern bank of the Vardar river and passing by these huge new monuments, I was in an unmistakably Balkan city, even though the façades of Socialist buildings have been cleverly covered to give them a new look. </div>
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This is the area of the city where you can find trendy cafés and shops, but also Mother Teresa's memorial house, built in the place where she was baptised. Born in Skopje in 1910 of Catholic Albanian parents, Mother Teresa of Calcutta embeds the cultural mix of this city. The memorial house is free to visit and a new church in a curious neo Byzantine style is being built here.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Memorial house of Mother Teresa</em></td></tr>
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To add to this mix, everywhere in the city you can see Roma families, with children playing in the streets. As a matter of fact, Skopje hosts one of the largest Roma settlements in the Balkans. I realized how much more of a mix it must have been in the past with Macedonian, Albanian and Roma people living side by side with Turkish, Greek, Armenian and Jewish people, of whom little is left in present-day Skopje aside from plaques and small museums.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtpKoWzOj63I9AuQKta8m0A859LeRUqgYW5VgIFtbD_hjFWSQYs7firX_6tCzdvrm2iv8mr5WGOEGC4_Mt7W6RS1H0UKsNGZJlRWm1G6TtYBq96JueITwUHN3cjK7_eqpEF8ejx_ZKO4/s1600/statue+of+mother+teresa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtpKoWzOj63I9AuQKta8m0A859LeRUqgYW5VgIFtbD_hjFWSQYs7firX_6tCzdvrm2iv8mr5WGOEGC4_Mt7W6RS1H0UKsNGZJlRWm1G6TtYBq96JueITwUHN3cjK7_eqpEF8ejx_ZKO4/s640/statue+of+mother+teresa.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Statue of Mother Teresa</em></td></tr>
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On the northern bank of the river lies<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span lang="sq" xml:lang="sq"><i>Çarshia</i></span>, the</span> old bazaar, which is known by locals as the Albanian neighbourhood (here Albanian is almost synonym with Ottoman). 20% of the population of Skopje (and 25% of all Macedonia) is of Albanian heritage and all official plaques are in both Macedonian and Albanian. I wandered for a couple of hours through reconstructed caravanserai, old mosques and Turkish baths, some of them reconverted as art galleries or museums. The Çifte Hamam, for example, now holds the national gallery, with plenty of contemporary paintings and installations from Macedonian artists. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmeEFMWDeS7IqwPs6lNT0XXjLYUXJ6lg6O-3aHBccbPIrLwhZgBq-bJdv2QUEmEqVjcwSvf8Gq-iI80FGtlfUVVdwSltCbmK0YQ8RgdfLwu6NOOsw2IcejO_LCqjjT4u5J5ETDYMALKU/s1600/art+gallery%252C+skopje.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmeEFMWDeS7IqwPs6lNT0XXjLYUXJ6lg6O-3aHBccbPIrLwhZgBq-bJdv2QUEmEqVjcwSvf8Gq-iI80FGtlfUVVdwSltCbmK0YQ8RgdfLwu6NOOsw2IcejO_LCqjjT4u5J5ETDYMALKU/s640/art+gallery%252C+skopje.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Çifte Hamam</em></td></tr>
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The Kurşumli Han is one of the few remaining caravanserai (the roadside inns of Ottaman times) in Skopje and it now hosts the modest Museum of Macedonia. A world apart from the opulent new museums, this area is more traditional, even though little is left of old Skopje and all the shops sell modern goods. While you walk though its paved streets, you can always spot the minaret of a mosque.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWnZV0Mx2R3sICQVyP214qDVGKQPLWYrYiQzvuRv2w6TF9ZepQ7NinogUNUsJNTcpoB480pDN2Jhq9VICLDpP1hI6mJke4w8yKwee7LttPkspBYf9_ujjNqCusnxuVKw0kas3enDwuAc/s1600/old+bazaar%252C+skopje.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWnZV0Mx2R3sICQVyP214qDVGKQPLWYrYiQzvuRv2w6TF9ZepQ7NinogUNUsJNTcpoB480pDN2Jhq9VICLDpP1hI6mJke4w8yKwee7LttPkspBYf9_ujjNqCusnxuVKw0kas3enDwuAc/s640/old+bazaar%252C+skopje.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Old Baazar, Skopje</em></td></tr>
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The two worlds - the Slavic and the Albanian - run virtually parallel one to the other and sadly there is not much interchange between the two. To divide these two parts of the city there is the 15th-century Stone Bridge, one of the few things left from the time of the Ottoman empire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP-eXSV1naT2QS-eoyYvdY_pe0hnc1HUpjyUaZpCFeqKUk2G-5c75w7CyQS6ygynJpqpX0wuy0HuEc0jMGqKiyrTw_eNG47Rg0mAYSenydJYl5kkrWRYLUCnx57IDASA-fZt6Zevjejc/s1600/view+of+skopje+from+the+stone+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP-eXSV1naT2QS-eoyYvdY_pe0hnc1HUpjyUaZpCFeqKUk2G-5c75w7CyQS6ygynJpqpX0wuy0HuEc0jMGqKiyrTw_eNG47Rg0mAYSenydJYl5kkrWRYLUCnx57IDASA-fZt6Zevjejc/s640/view+of+skopje+from+the+stone+bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>View of Skopje and the Stone Bridge</em></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-31744643609222036532016-08-15T17:15:00.001+02:002016-08-15T17:15:08.655+02:00The coast of Montenegro (Kotor aside)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even though I was planning to stay in Montenegro only a few days, I was determined to see something aside from <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2015/08/discovering-kotor-town-with-character.html">Kotor</a>. When I was o</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n the bus that took me from <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2015/07/welcome-to-dubrovnik-pearl-of-adriatic.html">Dubrovnik</a> to Kotor, we passed by several small towns in the fijord-like Bay of Kotor. These villages all look somewhat lower-key compared to Kotor, but also enchanting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From Kotor I hopped on a local bus that in about 15 minutes (and for only 1€) drove me to a small town called Perast. The main thing to do here is to take a boat tour to the islet just in front of the town: Gospa od Škrpjela (which means literally "Our Lady of the Rocks"). It is an artificial island (the only one of its kind in the Adriatic), and the legend says that it was created by seamen after finding an icon of the Virgin on a rock in the sea. Every time the seamen came back from a successful voyage they threw a rock in this place, thus the island gradually emerged from the sea. </span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenT1ElRzdUA-cxusBj0zvrrZ-queKTGDbUpUqcVScA4dMA8nV1AiV5OocYYySt6AwoKGQUKxkEBBmUc7iZ5FI2HeytumOtQiaKqx7rUuAHhDkTODXohvTl6z3mr4pmOYgFie8MxPIOjA/s1600/perast2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenT1ElRzdUA-cxusBj0zvrrZ-queKTGDbUpUqcVScA4dMA8nV1AiV5OocYYySt6AwoKGQUKxkEBBmUc7iZ5FI2HeytumOtQiaKqx7rUuAHhDkTODXohvTl6z3mr4pmOYgFie8MxPIOjA/s640/perast2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The island of Our Lady of the Rocks</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The boat (5€ for a return ticket), leaves you on the island for enough time to visit the church built in 1452 and the small museum on the island. More than its historical or artistic value, what makes this place special is the atmosphere and the view of the surrounding mountains. The Bay of Kotor looks more like a peaceful lake than a stretch of sea: there are woods everywhere, and practically no beach.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLPu_yULk5TWNfUvSNxEgiHVT07k6uTI_WJV2UMtojMO4BhpZ3KtREu9M5cV0uN7EBg9nH6And8YX0A5ao7uq_9OoVpots9ZubthV2QYOqwO97WYqPAYt8eh3hEpfIufA_TFUG3y003o/s1600/perast3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><em><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLPu_yULk5TWNfUvSNxEgiHVT07k6uTI_WJV2UMtojMO4BhpZ3KtREu9M5cV0uN7EBg9nH6And8YX0A5ao7uq_9OoVpots9ZubthV2QYOqwO97WYqPAYt8eh3hEpfIufA_TFUG3y003o/s640/perast3.jpg" width="640" /></em></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The church of Our Lady of the Rocks</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is another small island in front of Perast, Sveti Dorde, which hosts a 12th century Benedectine monastery, but the boat tour does not stop there. Back in Perast, I walked its cobbled streets and felt the history unfolding all around me. The town is wonderfully preserved, and it has many old churches and palaces, all cramped in a narrow stretch of land before the mountains rise up. As a matter of fact, in the past Perast was a prosperous town under the Venetian flag of the Serenissima. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2A6WOiKJCW5qePUjrg3jNS_nxpXNzpV87ZMCH3hHjfy7PXbntTMedNJp5wkCHuVbvDjCo2E43a2dnKGJbftPuASfvnPqdVY8gfkWLcC5lHYI9tZB3_S_ngCRmYGBF8TmL-YXSs8mnwrs/s1600/perast1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2A6WOiKJCW5qePUjrg3jNS_nxpXNzpV87ZMCH3hHjfy7PXbntTMedNJp5wkCHuVbvDjCo2E43a2dnKGJbftPuASfvnPqdVY8gfkWLcC5lHYI9tZB3_S_ngCRmYGBF8TmL-YXSs8mnwrs/s640/perast1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A church in Perast</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another place that is popular along the coast of Montenegro and that is very easy to reach from Kotor is Budva. In spite of being one of the most famous tourist destinations in Montenegro, it was a bit disappointing. The beach is just a regular sandy beach, crowded, with plenty of ice-cream shops and the usual children toys for sale. The old town is pleasant, but i</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t could have been any small town with some Venetian influence along the Adriatic sea.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1wuPaAYf07H92sts2oE8hPQpkGnx-Po1sbYNzVebDNhzm8wiSco8GzoNPxeMM8DHLoX7kOp2KmIykHmy_Q8yn4kYkk_ajlNcylVg5Zf1-O5LuPdLHjmcoQw_bZFGl5Kqb9I18sqzYEw/s1600/church+in+budva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1wuPaAYf07H92sts2oE8hPQpkGnx-Po1sbYNzVebDNhzm8wiSco8GzoNPxeMM8DHLoX7kOp2KmIykHmy_Q8yn4kYkk_ajlNcylVg5Zf1-O5LuPdLHjmcoQw_bZFGl5Kqb9I18sqzYEw/s640/church+in+budva.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A church in Budva</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I walked through its streets, trying to find something interesting among the trendy cafés and souvenir shops. I am fascinated by Orthodox icons, these simple, yet artistically fascinating works of art. There are several in Budva, if you look in the corners of the smaller streets.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBWhB2lnY8IjPlwJh2C_c1e_rvR2IXJiwNiqxXQq3sjSwgfyIrkhtdiJUqBvYWmo68L-XykoMqIZ8e9Rn2GLdz0L9w_WsC3ZBkyt1LSl5w1pF-DVQ9pQ7QNXRihMy8FPxvnoIW5GpFNE/s1600/icon%252C+budva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBWhB2lnY8IjPlwJh2C_c1e_rvR2IXJiwNiqxXQq3sjSwgfyIrkhtdiJUqBvYWmo68L-XykoMqIZ8e9Rn2GLdz0L9w_WsC3ZBkyt1LSl5w1pF-DVQ9pQ7QNXRihMy8FPxvnoIW5GpFNE/s640/icon%252C+budva.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>An Orthodox icon in Budva</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9GOgRDA8eAZcFjCTqRIiWRwNl6sIgFeTQlxG-SC6lnhfBamqlW4DcRmhuY9XIUkk5rcoU4t0gUyK4GihHDSCEWo_YY8oKuzFk3tWZ_jNcJjGlOrs5V0yvVH5ZU_jVZGZQYPn6zIOIKo/s1600/religious+image%252C+budva%252C+Montenegro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9GOgRDA8eAZcFjCTqRIiWRwNl6sIgFeTQlxG-SC6lnhfBamqlW4DcRmhuY9XIUkk5rcoU4t0gUyK4GihHDSCEWo_YY8oKuzFk3tWZ_jNcJjGlOrs5V0yvVH5ZU_jVZGZQYPn6zIOIKo/s640/religious+image%252C+budva%252C+Montenegro.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Religious image in Budva</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From Budva, it was fairly easy and quick to find the bus stop to go to Sveti Stefan. This islet, connected to the mainland by an artificial narrow isthmus, appears in most of the tourist brochures of Montenegro together with Kotor. In the 1960s and up until the 1980s it was a playground for the rich and famous, with stars such as Elizabeth Taylors or Sophia Loren enjoying its glitz and village atmosphere.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gbtT7wYnNoazo-t-NOZmb_J99ZGqgAIiEkrbgQ3TB57XfJCjpnoICV5vWaYmN5Kn5cE3WT5xkHEz5XvLoRvmvyTuXuSRRYriKI1_tASAV62uv3yVJTglO_fYbtc_2JI0xfXxOKbu5C8/s1600/IMG_20150609_172930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gbtT7wYnNoazo-t-NOZmb_J99ZGqgAIiEkrbgQ3TB57XfJCjpnoICV5vWaYmN5Kn5cE3WT5xkHEz5XvLoRvmvyTuXuSRRYriKI1_tASAV62uv3yVJTglO_fYbtc_2JI0xfXxOKbu5C8/s640/IMG_20150609_172930.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The island of Sveti Stefan</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Unfortunately, Sveti Stefan is now a luxury hotel, so it is not permitted to go to the island, unless you have a reservation for its expensive restaurant, so </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I took a walk. There is another resort nearby, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the Hotel </span><span class="results_for_box__term"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kraljičina Plaža,</span> </span></span>but it is permitted to walk along the well-maintained beach. There are caves to explore, created by the karst rock formations, but the best thing to do is just walk along the sandy beach and along the pine-covered paths.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1ceJpRBTAtMY6m-6MBmEKYXAWxTbQ1bsDzqrbpKmNZhC9UwRqiJzwg42Q_UPW9riHbQSq4tVmExAGv4pY65sE63dxMHw2JuvQDI3gTdU4pherUgE2mrqU2c_kCx1c2XPOuQW9bZSadY/s1600/beach+sveti+stefan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1ceJpRBTAtMY6m-6MBmEKYXAWxTbQ1bsDzqrbpKmNZhC9UwRqiJzwg42Q_UPW9riHbQSq4tVmExAGv4pY65sE63dxMHw2JuvQDI3gTdU4pherUgE2mrqU2c_kCx1c2XPOuQW9bZSadY/s640/beach+sveti+stefan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A beach near Sveti Stefan</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unfortunately, I didn't see the interior of Montenegro, with its famous mountains where bears can still be found, but what I have seen of this small but welcoming country left me with</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> a desire to visit again and explore more.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-1702983522759264272016-08-07T13:55:00.001+02:002016-08-07T13:55:27.130+02:00One more tile in the complex Balkan mosaic: Belgrade<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nobody will tell you that Belgrade is a must-see in the Balkans: Serbia is hardly in the Balkans route for backpackers, and Belgrade is too far away from the popular coast of Croatia, the charming Ottoman-influenced town of Mostar in Bosnia, or even the national parks of inland Croatia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet for me Belgrade was one more tile - an important one - in the Balkan mosaic, a further step to get to know this region, with its complexities and idiosyncrasies. Belgrade seems to be somehow nostalgic of its socialist past, when it was the capital of a big country. I've seen a hotel called Yugoslavia, for instance, and I was surprised that they never changed its name. The buildings and statues are often austere, as if wanting to convey a sense of strength and power.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-3mUa5ZCRXyiT_Jo6OkZvh48bqXXqvhsxO6F-JXN_W2z_pAoZcmuyoukSQ1zAN7c8dXCDZQ1igxEK_A0qCgIqN9dZqQ7pZO-Vnw3ATpZyhPadUjQcEIP88YEWpBPsetGrJHl98ByPz4/s1600/Republic+Square%252C+Belgrade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-3mUa5ZCRXyiT_Jo6OkZvh48bqXXqvhsxO6F-JXN_W2z_pAoZcmuyoukSQ1zAN7c8dXCDZQ1igxEK_A0qCgIqN9dZqQ7pZO-Vnw3ATpZyhPadUjQcEIP88YEWpBPsetGrJHl98ByPz4/s640/Republic+Square%252C+Belgrade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Republic Square, Belgrade</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also perceived that Serbia displays a special connection with Russia and with other Eastern European countries, a lot more than other countries in the area. The Cyrillic alphabet, for a start, and then the common Orthodox religion helped convey that feeling. And then of course the Moskva Hotel, with its art nouveau façade, currently one of the most recognizable buildings in Belgrade. It was built in 1908 with a huge investment from Imperialist Russia, and it was nationalized during the Yugoslav era. There aren't that many showy buildings in Belgrade, and this is why the Moskva hotel sticks out.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXuIfyFPrUhr0iWKcaexs8myD-ZhbcCt65cpFJGJ6CRUye0DIRdMc3mVyPf4PyBJaPxcJ4brV-TsZn523VuCb5w1k96Q-zap38Hx4ujkY3IYo_C9fb-gAlO-5M-K8DvAG6MAWMdB3Y3c/s1600/P1080209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXuIfyFPrUhr0iWKcaexs8myD-ZhbcCt65cpFJGJ6CRUye0DIRdMc3mVyPf4PyBJaPxcJ4brV-TsZn523VuCb5w1k96Q-zap38Hx4ujkY3IYo_C9fb-gAlO-5M-K8DvAG6MAWMdB3Y3c/s640/P1080209.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Moskva hotel</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for enjoying life and going out, Belgrade has a reputation for excellent nightlife throughout the Balkans. Traditional <em>kafanas</em> and trendy clubs sit side by side. <em>Skadarlija</em> - and in particular the long cobbled-street called Skardarska - is considered the bohemian neighbourhood of Belgrade, a sort of Balkan-style Montmartre. Once a poor gypsy neighbourhood, at the end of the 19th century it became a meeting place for writers and artists. Nowadays, Skardarska is a very popular place to have dinner. Restaurants with checkered tablecloths abound and musicians play traditional Balkan tunes, while groups of Serbians and tourists alike have <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">noisy dinners with grilled meat<span style="color: black;"> (<em>p</em></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pljeskavica" title="Pljeskavica"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>ljeskavica</em></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, a beef patty, or <em>ć</em></span></span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%86evap%C4%8Di%C4%87i" title="Ćevapčići"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>evapčići</em></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>, </em>ground meat sticks) and lots of beer.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFGyy_A1GkH7kzvF0uEgH_N1KVQDQFfF8D4Yy2U8NCTOFnL55qsbduzr__J6HW2im8KWJsqDldxIZYr1yTeiGTYSWYdqjVgUebagIP5MfyW812J3mEeEPGf4xIaPM-OzpZAh1Vx99TQ4/s1600/Belgrade1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFGyy_A1GkH7kzvF0uEgH_N1KVQDQFfF8D4Yy2U8NCTOFnL55qsbduzr__J6HW2im8KWJsqDldxIZYr1yTeiGTYSWYdqjVgUebagIP5MfyW812J3mEeEPGf4xIaPM-OzpZAh1Vx99TQ4/s640/Belgrade1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Dining in Skadarska</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">In spite of its vitality, Belgrade bears the scars of a tragic recent history. In 1999, following reports of persecutions and mass killings of Albanians in Kosovo, NATO bombed Serbia without the approval of the UN Security Council. I remember this because Italy was one of the European countries that offered the military bases for the aircrafts. At the time it was portrayed by media as a " just war" and Serbia as an evil country, an image that seemed to be indissolubly linked with the country since the war with Bosnia a few years before. Nowadays few reminders of this dark period are left in the city, which comes out as peaceful, vibrant and in constant change, even though I must confess that it is gritty in some parts.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo9QijGS6EKFm5A3U7KRVu5jXRHad8Y_XUW-9TYqxKFIIUYr4nfiSYUjAKyWDn-raYhkYqSGWFZN9Gqx9sWwAjABq9O4PPRgPmtc35AhNHLp2euBMss0y_Ob9zuF9j2izFwRfr7tbXeQ/s1600/Belgrade2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWo9QijGS6EKFm5A3U7KRVu5jXRHad8Y_XUW-9TYqxKFIIUYr4nfiSYUjAKyWDn-raYhkYqSGWFZN9Gqx9sWwAjABq9O4PPRgPmtc35AhNHLp2euBMss0y_Ob9zuF9j2izFwRfr7tbXeQ/s640/Belgrade2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A street in central Belgrade</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Belgrade is not the kind of city that is overwhelming in terms of sightseeing, and unfortunately I found some of the museums closed. The National Museum has been closed for renovation for years, and the Museum of the History of Serbia does not have a permanent exhibition on Serbia! I did not have a chance to visit Tito's Mausoleum either, so I tried to understand Serbia and Belgrade on my own. The one place that you should visit in Belgrade, and which is always open, is Kalemegdan, a huge public park which includes a fortress, as well as statues, historical buildings, an open-air café and beautiful views from <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the fortified walls.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyW-IVk-H5un5gGlmOEe4tOo6Rfzs8MpAM9Fa1u9LeECYXRtxDxFNd_wAs-TNJRjvYxP_JgzwGylwoKzSyVFJi1l41BAN99PrbgsrlI7rVc5B_LyGI8LR8bKhIWzNapDzCVc_FImCBf4/s1600/Kalemdegan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyW-IVk-H5un5gGlmOEe4tOo6Rfzs8MpAM9Fa1u9LeECYXRtxDxFNd_wAs-TNJRjvYxP_JgzwGylwoKzSyVFJi1l41BAN99PrbgsrlI7rVc5B_LyGI8LR8bKhIWzNapDzCVc_FImCBf4/s640/Kalemdegan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The café in Kalemegdan park</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Inside the Kalemegdan fortress, I really liked the</span> Ru<span class="st"><span style="color: #6a6a6a;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ž</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ica Church, a small and enchanting Orthodox church covered by vines on the outside, and with a creepy crypt and a curious chandelier made of bullets on the inside. The atmosphere of a countryside Balkan church is hard to find anywhere else in Belgrade, so it was well worth a visit. </span></span></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIB7gg9Dz7YS924EwQtj4bzamQzgXMC40V18Ik06476zLMhVFze-YY7GY1QZWNBnV_dsDmzQO4DBuYtHv71oZFIK3hTY3i6MhTgXlJAotgJDOLcrnkxM33X044ZOQLebtZhNrk3icAnY/s1600/P1080250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIB7gg9Dz7YS924EwQtj4bzamQzgXMC40V18Ik06476zLMhVFze-YY7GY1QZWNBnV_dsDmzQO4DBuYtHv71oZFIK3hTY3i6MhTgXlJAotgJDOLcrnkxM33X044ZOQLebtZhNrk3icAnY/s640/P1080250.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Celebrating a baptism at Ruzica church in Belgrade</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Church of Saint Sava is maybe one of the few truly touristic places in Belgrade. It is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world (some sources say it is the largest), and like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, it is still under construction. At the end of the 19th century, the city of Belgrade came with the idea of building a church in the place where in 1595 the Ottoman Grand Vizier burned the remains of Saint Sava in retaliation of a Serbian uprising against Ottoman rule.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBVr-i8uXGwxHt10L6071n9MkQZJmef-APLE71-yPAY7szr-2zr5oZUwJv5uWJVJiGmciPZeRjzbcaygID6gzptvkzGUmj7mY1LyOvQ7gbED_Yt0v9dJwC32PxPjInm2Fwa1Cr8xS8Jw/s1600/SaintSavaBelgrade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBVr-i8uXGwxHt10L6071n9MkQZJmef-APLE71-yPAY7szr-2zr5oZUwJv5uWJVJiGmciPZeRjzbcaygID6gzptvkzGUmj7mY1LyOvQ7gbED_Yt0v9dJwC32PxPjInm2Fwa1Cr8xS8Jw/s640/SaintSavaBelgrade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Church of Saint Sava</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unfortunately, the works were interrupted every time there was a war in the area, and even though the church looks finished from outside, inside it is still empty and without a proper floor. There are beautiful fountains in front of the church, and the whole area is really peaceful and beautiful.</span> </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-43149441696187626992016-07-03T13:40:00.001+02:002016-07-03T13:40:39.936+02:00Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong festival is something unique. I got to experience it almost as a coincidence. It was only after booking my flight to Thailand that I realized that I would be there for this festival, which was mentioned everywhere as one of the most important and beautiful in Thailand. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the dates for this festival change every year, but it usually falls in the month of November. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzjv5uokAYqGmwLigUPFEKnCI0SCl78vtMsLR_D4zP_j5UqNu6qFoU4shlN5YcV04F_4jUPuiMGCCnCQNe2Rcw6W-u-23DOwRFUqAuS4aYDHiuslQaSrIktWqmlELrnOyxEGYU0_-J8/s1600/Monk%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzjv5uokAYqGmwLigUPFEKnCI0SCl78vtMsLR_D4zP_j5UqNu6qFoU4shlN5YcV04F_4jUPuiMGCCnCQNe2Rcw6W-u-23DOwRFUqAuS4aYDHiuslQaSrIktWqmlELrnOyxEGYU0_-J8/s640/Monk%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Child monks in Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was really exited, as I have always been fascinated and interested in Asian religions and their colourful celebrations. At first, I was thinking to spend it among the ruins of Sukhothai, but then I followed some other backpackers heading to Chiang Mai, the enchanting northern city everyone seemed to love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Deciding at the last moment to be in Chiang Mai for this festival was however a very bad idea in terms of accommodation. Almost all hostels were full, and the only one that had rooms available was the worst I've been in. To give you an idea, I even had to buy my own toilet paper, for a filthy bathroom with that horrendous shower room so common in hostels in northern Thailand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The festival itself, however, redeemed the bad accommodation experience. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The most famous event taking place in Chiang Mai during the festival is the launching of rice-paper lanterns in the sky. This is connected to the Lanna festival of Yi Peng, the full moon of northern Thais, so in Chiang Mai, and all over northern Thailand, there are two festivals going on at the same time. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEire2FOMQqlaTxWoZxLwp5-A4IxQ0xx1xs2JlGeiHpGdbOWu_Jxoqcq1XjMXA0aCI5e78qiFMK16Boy7nGVQ9llki1T32ckFymfJRhgqAwAcV7KYks3Kl4D7k02s_91Nd8LZtvUuEgMqP0/s1600/lighting+a+lanthern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEire2FOMQqlaTxWoZxLwp5-A4IxQ0xx1xs2JlGeiHpGdbOWu_Jxoqcq1XjMXA0aCI5e78qiFMK16Boy7nGVQ9llki1T32ckFymfJRhgqAwAcV7KYks3Kl4D7k02s_91Nd8LZtvUuEgMqP0/s640/lighting+a+lanthern.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lighting a lantern</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can either follow the launching of the paper lanterns from the town centre, or head to the grounds of Mae Jo University (with a tuk-tuk or your own vehicle), where the biggest launching of paper lanterns take place. There was unclear and contradictory information on the web and from local people regarding this event, but from what we understood 100$ tickets must be purchased to enter the actual event! We stayed just outside of the grounds, but it was a very long wait, sitting on tall grass infested by mosquitoes and bugs, with nothing but a few beers we bought there. There was no entertainment, and no clue about how long we had to wait before the launch. We only knew that people arrive many hours before the launch to have a decent place to sit and a good view. I hope the authorities will think of something better for the following years, as to go there is becoming more and more popular.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Inconveniences aside, the idea is to light all the lanterns at the same time, for an emotional and visually unforgettable experience. There are thousands of lanterns lit up by tourists from many different countries, especially Asian. The atmosphere is jolly and relaxed, and the reward for waiting so many hours is beautiful pictures and memories of a star-lit sky, only the stars looked a lot bigger.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkwTNqOqUJkGkrjCZk3w07VLIlJYW-DEt3kGIisy8c39KKUSZvWez7h8sdjDYuGZSXZft-HbjhzoI_YvIsm6ZvZY_-v9N_yuMB998n60XBLIgHa3ymnioqjHQ1QH7W6RvlsK-oY0D-WU/s1600/yet+another+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkwTNqOqUJkGkrjCZk3w07VLIlJYW-DEt3kGIisy8c39KKUSZvWez7h8sdjDYuGZSXZft-HbjhzoI_YvIsm6ZvZY_-v9N_yuMB998n60XBLIgHa3ymnioqjHQ1QH7W6RvlsK-oY0D-WU/s640/yet+another+lantern.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lighting another lantern</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back in Chiang Mai, the atmosphere during the festival is equally charming. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To be honest, I don't know how the temples look like in Chiang Mai when the festival is not on, because I did my classical temple hopping when the festival was in full swing. During the night the temples are lit with thousand of candles and colourful lanterns hanging everywhere. Thai people stop to light a candle, leave an offering for Buddha and say a prayer. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkgR-XMU85hKABomZEpz32sMTTBEu6WZkdULjXxZqTzJ5p9GRt7Uz0h0OtCjrwac0KjTEWiIUoJgglAzN6oCezVvebFsmKqBKsSKdGld6YNJkkbaolIrZKnTmqcG2BGhbs38zk-WPoek/s1600/Loy+Krathong%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkgR-XMU85hKABomZEpz32sMTTBEu6WZkdULjXxZqTzJ5p9GRt7Uz0h0OtCjrwac0KjTEWiIUoJgglAzN6oCezVvebFsmKqBKsSKdGld6YNJkkbaolIrZKnTmqcG2BGhbs38zk-WPoek/s640/Loy+Krathong%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<em>Praying during Chiang Mai Loy Krathong festival</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was touched by the spirituality and the atmosphere of contemplation that some simple candles and decorations can bring to a religious building at night. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaQEQrDDkJmMboSPV09mcaZXcCg89-DClME10uiKi81-JVa_yisNTZ1BqRRahZZ9Z9h1hyoviK83HwGLRWMIaqztePy6E3H2AfKNEAlK8KTqSTrm8v8XjpGB7aesJ52EbCb2-I5oPglQ/s1600/P1070406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaQEQrDDkJmMboSPV09mcaZXcCg89-DClME10uiKi81-JVa_yisNTZ1BqRRahZZ9Z9h1hyoviK83HwGLRWMIaqztePy6E3H2AfKNEAlK8KTqSTrm8v8XjpGB7aesJ52EbCb2-I5oPglQ/s640/P1070406.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Another prayer at a temple</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is really worth going around town at night and stopping at different temples to see what's going on. Occasionally, a couple of friendly monks would be there too, available for a chat. Every temple is a bit different, with beautiful decorations or some music being played, making it impossible to get "templed-out".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZo42GQ64ZMKbDww8PaCZtpDmD8k2Kb_73BDFOd8j_EGhsBc_-BTE7jkW8_oQttrjPO-9jXjC9YtExcBB4rd0pAPVFF7F0Pz2vlylR_QQm8muqXjLrfWPW2nHVI3-imXzVs8P8vf5c5g/s1600/sfocatura+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZo42GQ64ZMKbDww8PaCZtpDmD8k2Kb_73BDFOd8j_EGhsBc_-BTE7jkW8_oQttrjPO-9jXjC9YtExcBB4rd0pAPVFF7F0Pz2vlylR_QQm8muqXjLrfWPW2nHVI3-imXzVs8P8vf5c5g/s640/sfocatura+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A temple lit up for Loy Krathong / Yi Peng</em></td></tr>
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My favourite place was this temple with hundreds of lanterns and a wooden path to walk on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzltAWkYhZkvi97HG8e4eYGPr1j3voOmk95JtXcOEuearye1b9okdov7xDn7dzutFFnqhw41vce60vjJQRH9PDYUM76HUQpE38fArnyuDSiS5dDvbaOysjLmqmq-up3r4zGjFUk76Q6YE/s1600/P1070488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzltAWkYhZkvi97HG8e4eYGPr1j3voOmk95JtXcOEuearye1b9okdov7xDn7dzutFFnqhw41vce60vjJQRH9PDYUM76HUQpE38fArnyuDSiS5dDvbaOysjLmqmq-up3r4zGjFUk76Q6YE/s640/P1070488.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The same temple</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not unlike Diwali, locals during Loy Krathong light a basket with an offering and make it float on the river. During the festival you'll see many stalls preparing the baskets with flowers and when it's dark they will make them float.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-wpxFY9zdQ5MsArMiI6xaVhkK7prwgYsma0evAGHIOaikejDyu7ufk99j37O02gx9RlANK2djRT8D5_MeyJVDgBtiUCrQqBqDX7TYCjEMQBMkR7PacCk0jlyIP834b8c3tn5ig8b0Pg/s1600/P1070379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-wpxFY9zdQ5MsArMiI6xaVhkK7prwgYsma0evAGHIOaikejDyu7ufk99j37O02gx9RlANK2djRT8D5_MeyJVDgBtiUCrQqBqDX7TYCjEMQBMkR7PacCk0jlyIP834b8c3tn5ig8b0Pg/s640/P1070379.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A krathong floating on the river</em></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Loy Krathong is a colourful, enchanting and interesting festival. In spite of the number of tourists attending it, it hasn't become overtly touristic. Yes, room prices increase and lots of Westerners are out and about with their big cameras, but the atmosphere is still authentic. There are traditional parades, fireworks, beauty contests, and hundreds of stalls selling food and flower decorations. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLQ-2QvOGT8xVnNQY7ZpAqdmjqwdcI6115DRB53pOqOEI5yncnJ5nhfMi7Mk2tcaEMXLsBVUQ9z3BHvkrxPl6F-PEz_lNj3GWHSkgDcCFakbBSi-y1plq7sUsPMC83PoJunbNYkhg7oc/s1600/Chiang+mai+parade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLQ-2QvOGT8xVnNQY7ZpAqdmjqwdcI6115DRB53pOqOEI5yncnJ5nhfMi7Mk2tcaEMXLsBVUQ9z3BHvkrxPl6F-PEz_lNj3GWHSkgDcCFakbBSi-y1plq7sUsPMC83PoJunbNYkhg7oc/s640/Chiang+mai+parade.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A parade in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The city is full of life especially at night: there is delicious local food, everything from meat skewers to sushi, in hundreds of different stalls, but in the meantime the shops are still open for business and the streets are busy and colourful, with different smells coming from every directions.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbbghW1ppI7YfgwwDgXqjnn70XdbKvq0BDucByDV-nlKGp-4Tw7JcRyg-ffCqPMqDnnavTU6jNys5cdbTH3i-Whp0nx5ly25JJmThedjU_t9w1ZD-v5zDF1pxpafldOktJe3B1QXt_yk/s1600/ponte+chiang+mai+loi+krathong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbbghW1ppI7YfgwwDgXqjnn70XdbKvq0BDucByDV-nlKGp-4Tw7JcRyg-ffCqPMqDnnavTU6jNys5cdbTH3i-Whp0nx5ly25JJmThedjU_t9w1ZD-v5zDF1pxpafldOktJe3B1QXt_yk/s640/ponte+chiang+mai+loi+krathong.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A street of Chiang Mai by night</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzFNc8E6i7mbyW9rggVSUB2YpBQbsMF6O0Bxk2NlPrnJBuglA5cXzxBCl6EoIBQFjOekG7wDy-OReifoP7-yLs6Y4cR5SSl8H0NXzcRnevnL5WwgBvwvu1iNJU2suCm8XNdS1b6PkU68/s1600/monks+chiang+mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzFNc8E6i7mbyW9rggVSUB2YpBQbsMF6O0Bxk2NlPrnJBuglA5cXzxBCl6EoIBQFjOekG7wDy-OReifoP7-yLs6Y4cR5SSl8H0NXzcRnevnL5WwgBvwvu1iNJU2suCm8XNdS1b6PkU68/s640/monks+chiang+mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Lanterns and monks in Chiang Mai</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">In other words, if you are in Thailand around November, make sure to be in Chiang Mai for these celebrations. Of course, book your accommodation at least a few days in advance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-54741794791834812432016-03-27T13:44:00.000+02:002016-03-27T13:44:52.385+02:00Surviving Bangkok<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After writing a post called <a href="http://theitalianbackpacker.blogspot.com.es/2014/05/surviving-marrakesh.html" target="_blank">"Surviving Marrakech"</a>, I though it would be fun to write "Surviving Bangkok". As a matter of fact, for many travellers the capital of Thailand is the first encounter with Asia, and for this reason it can be a bit intimidating. I must confess that when I first arrived in Bangkok from Europe I didn't know exactly what to expect and I had only a vague idea of how to navigate it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82RsJT3oNJ8aCZ90ejZgav8qQzXvWlb848tilIPAlGzDYdjpTdoMPSvM4K2AMT9onzoEJkz6kUXPBKCUnxEy7ey_NwAX8gfXIO2utvIGdNmyVO79ujkQUkztM8976pMmWMXro_BvLGg/s1600/Grand+Palace%252C+Bangkok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82RsJT3oNJ8aCZ90ejZgav8qQzXvWlb848tilIPAlGzDYdjpTdoMPSvM4K2AMT9onzoEJkz6kUXPBKCUnxEy7ey_NwAX8gfXIO2utvIGdNmyVO79ujkQUkztM8976pMmWMXro_BvLGg/s640/Grand+Palace%252C+Bangkok.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Grand Palace in Bangkok</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bangkok is huge, chaotic and full of energy. It has grown without rules, with no center and no urban planning, because Western colonizers, with their obsession for tidy spacious boulevards and squares, never conquered Thailand. As a result, Bangkok has many souls: from the opulent temples of the historical island of Rattanakosin, to the lively and chaotic Chinatown with its Chinese street signs, or the ultra modern areas of Silom and Siam, with huge shopping malls and luxurious hotels, Bangkok has something for everyone. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjPvb-0nooviCU2qeRAiwcTQP5xpOvWSKlyrEgyMEz547HJCc8dk6CxINaJI5ltc-uOArCW44xqe-MBDmDJzXHYTszZVe1F0xeO3EpKiNTwKVoxol4ThcanUv76_ZwrwNy9OXZbyHrUk/s1600/Cinatown%252C+Bangkok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjPvb-0nooviCU2qeRAiwcTQP5xpOvWSKlyrEgyMEz547HJCc8dk6CxINaJI5ltc-uOArCW44xqe-MBDmDJzXHYTszZVe1F0xeO3EpKiNTwKVoxol4ThcanUv76_ZwrwNy9OXZbyHrUk/s640/Cinatown%252C+Bangkok.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Chinatown, Bangkok</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">One of the fist things I noticed about Bangkok is that it has a traffic problem. Luckily, the public transport helped me, in particular the BTS Skytrain, an elevated metropolitan train that is easy to use and also rather cheap (fares start at 15 baht, 0,38€). Unfortunately, this does not reach all parts of the city. On the day that I wanted to visit the Grand Palace and the temples nearby, I was advised by the staff at my hostel to take a boat. This revealed to be a rather adventurous and very cheap trip on a low motorized boat with a lady that walked barefoot on the wooden rim of the boat to collect tickets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Another great way of getting around the city is by taxi, even though as I mentioned you can get stuck in trafic. I usually try to avoid taxis, but in Bangkok they run on the meter and they are pretty cheap (typically less than 100 baht, 2,5€). The only place where I've seen that they refuse to use the metre is around the Grand Palace, because it is the most touristic place in the city and taxi drivers know they can make more money by agreeing a price. If a taxi does not want to take you on the metre, then flag another one or walk a little further. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv5HS_YkWU4BOdwt5X_w1VsHwP5ulMbuJO9mvnFy66MxmFDv5vbuQ92WxzrUJP7oD76SBOrl1t8ncOG3j92sOBPOHrAt5hRsRkaq3RANoKZwBnzsdXSzmn_8pubkwHhwZsRGVUcSIkOo/s1600/P1060983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv5HS_YkWU4BOdwt5X_w1VsHwP5ulMbuJO9mvnFy66MxmFDv5vbuQ92WxzrUJP7oD76SBOrl1t8ncOG3j92sOBPOHrAt5hRsRkaq3RANoKZwBnzsdXSzmn_8pubkwHhwZsRGVUcSIkOo/s640/P1060983.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A taxi near Chatuchak weekend market</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Bangkok it is tiring to walk from place to place because of the hot humid weather, and it can take forever to reach your destination on foot. It is nevertheless interesting to try it once, if it's not too hot. I decided to do part of my journey back from the Grand Palace on foot, and I was rewarded with some interesting sights of Bangkok daily life, like these people playing checkers on the sidewalk. </span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR_gNo1A5okTrtERZM7i1bkfyjSwyHr3cz-Se6CWgc9x72llJhN2GGdxx6Y76ZsYQC6jZox6ES8lB_u3tM_vKgXJIc_xP3bunRctgze3CxJm70DRuOZmqJcDvdhrYPfiGDKnxdOXrmgI/s1600/IMG_20151123_181402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR_gNo1A5okTrtERZM7i1bkfyjSwyHr3cz-Se6CWgc9x72llJhN2GGdxx6Y76ZsYQC6jZox6ES8lB_u3tM_vKgXJIc_xP3bunRctgze3CxJm70DRuOZmqJcDvdhrYPfiGDKnxdOXrmgI/s640/IMG_20151123_181402.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Playing checkers on the street</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Bangkok is a safe city, if compared to any European city like London or Paris. Moreover, locals don't bother tourists that much, and the only scams I've seen are really harmless. The most common cannot even be called scam and I recognized it immediately, but I was with two other girls and they insisted on taking the suspiciously cheap tuk tuk. These drivers, for the equivalent of 1 or 2 euros, take you around to see several temples, but in exchange they want you to stop at a tailor's shop to have a look at the clothes, while they receive fuel vouchers. Don't feel obliged to buy anything!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Cq3uCV-8MZyRwZbgO0c7dq8gDqkekG8vxxNM_dxsNW3hEr5lCI_GyfsVXCBnYhvPEmgiL9Aa8qJi7koTvMS0l4pig7u_a-20-cEGodN5FnDLtQfKDPEttDulJQRfSpOcT342wQ66jfQ/s1600/tuk+tuk+riding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Cq3uCV-8MZyRwZbgO0c7dq8gDqkekG8vxxNM_dxsNW3hEr5lCI_GyfsVXCBnYhvPEmgiL9Aa8qJi7koTvMS0l4pig7u_a-20-cEGodN5FnDLtQfKDPEttDulJQRfSpOcT342wQ66jfQ/s640/tuk+tuk+riding.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Tuk tuk driver</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If Bangkok offers interesting sightseeing during the day, it is even more exciting because of its famous nightlife. Even though I'm not into luxury holidays, I went to a rooftop bar one night, on top of a skyscraper! There are several in Bangkok, but the one<em> </em>I went to is called Vertigo and Moon Bar and it is on top of the Banyan Tree hotel. The view of the city from the 61rst floor is pretty amazing, as you can imagine. I went with some people from my hostel, and even though we had to wait quite some time for some seats, it was worth it. The prices aren't for everyone, I must admit.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaE5VDrLc4xNeGTiJhHpOhb1U5KL530ChHTfnBkXx51ruw6XIaBrq8lROTWwAnmi_B3xb7CKDSmvK1JTsC0S-nKAjUN_xbC8jVmAw9BjSq2Ae2VdUkfBi6C2_2cEbL0bU4We7ElgqAvU/s1600/IMG_20151122_000742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaE5VDrLc4xNeGTiJhHpOhb1U5KL530ChHTfnBkXx51ruw6XIaBrq8lROTWwAnmi_B3xb7CKDSmvK1JTsC0S-nKAjUN_xbC8jVmAw9BjSq2Ae2VdUkfBi6C2_2cEbL0bU4We7ElgqAvU/s400/IMG_20151122_000742.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>View from the Moon Bar</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Where to eat in Bangkok? It might seem incredible if you've never been to Thailand, but the most incredible meals I had were by the road. There is no lack of restaurants in Bangkok, but the ultimate experience here is to eat a pad thai, or another simple but delicious dish, in one of the many improvised stalls that pop up in the evening almost everywhere in the city. Around my hostel, in Ratchadewi, there were many. They cook the noodles, or whatever your ordered, right on the spot with fresh ingredients, and for around 40 baht (1€). With cheap and delicious meals like that one after the other, you can afford to have a drink at a rooftop bar, right?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeSMSRtKDIwbxdaIr6IVDGG5tDQMxYzNpZJbdmWul2a8-iRiXSxmTnliSZ0ujRu0zrAbaGKCu6yloRAjRMx1TT2hMX-Sfj_aRZPSnGDvbEfnoP2D5vcEJ25HUW4NTMJuMwUAOtlHD7L4/s1600/grilling+meat+in+bangkok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeSMSRtKDIwbxdaIr6IVDGG5tDQMxYzNpZJbdmWul2a8-iRiXSxmTnliSZ0ujRu0zrAbaGKCu6yloRAjRMx1TT2hMX-Sfj_aRZPSnGDvbEfnoP2D5vcEJ25HUW4NTMJuMwUAOtlHD7L4/s640/grilling+meat+in+bangkok.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Grilling meat in Bangkok</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another reason to write a post called "Surviving Bangkok" is to learn how to cross the street! Streets in Bangkok often have several lanes, they are very trafficked and can intimidate you. You will often see some overpasses for pedestrians. In many parts of the city, it is the only way to cross the street so do take them. If you have to cross the street but you are unsure how and when, just follow the locals! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The main tourist sights in Bangkok can be visited in two or three days. The most expensive is the Grand Palace at 500 baht (12,70€), but it is unlike any other temple complex I visited in Thailand. Never in my life have I seen so much gold! Be prepared for hordes of Chinese tourists, and make sure to arrive early, because it closes at 3.30 pm. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-CHuc9aMYdS3ATLy_ER6XH64wCgnTJmUAWj1CKydm6WHOc9U1Z65CV_86W_ltFk0W8kQteZ2TVmi0xDcnYvHswcNo3UVr64SAKcHAh4bZAQ1Smhh2DOugRCopyITujEWnsNeqaOeygo/s1600/P1070174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-CHuc9aMYdS3ATLy_ER6XH64wCgnTJmUAWj1CKydm6WHOc9U1Z65CV_86W_ltFk0W8kQteZ2TVmi0xDcnYvHswcNo3UVr64SAKcHAh4bZAQ1Smhh2DOugRCopyITujEWnsNeqaOeygo/s640/P1070174.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Chinese tourists visiting the Grand Palace</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Learning how to bargain in Chatuchak Weekend market or around Khao San Road is something I never learned to do properly, even though theoretically I know the rules, like start at 50% below the asked price and work up from that. Don't do like me the first time I was in Morocco: I was so unsure of my bargaining skills that I ended up not buying anything (and there were plenty of beautiful things to buy for cheap prices).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the rest, just enjoy the energy of this city. If you're on a longer trip you'll end up going back to Bangkok more than once, and each time you'll be more at ease there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>How was your experience in Bangkok?</em> <em>Did you, unlike me, learn to bargain?</em></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-60884890812803921792016-02-07T22:14:00.005+01:002016-02-07T22:14:55.840+01:00Hiking in Costa Brava<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Barcelona is visited by millions of tourists every year, yet most of them never think to venture outside of the city. What a mistake! There are dozens of interesting places in Catalonia, from enchanting medieval towns to marvellous beaches. A stretch of the coast that is really worth exploring goes from Blanes, to the north-east of Barcelona, to the French border. It is called Costa Brava, which means "rugged coast". </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXhEQaYDf0mhohmY0QUEo84-ZeMOkbQtRvLzjUdEToyOElcUZ1wwcYEgTtQ_ritZmUHiDVQ6X7B9b5hBVV1tJC6LfPpGIyvNgGMHhyFZG3Rf68xlrbTNZicFnQ9EovTp2_gALVZVqtwM/s1600/cala+costa+brava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXhEQaYDf0mhohmY0QUEo84-ZeMOkbQtRvLzjUdEToyOElcUZ1wwcYEgTtQ_ritZmUHiDVQ6X7B9b5hBVV1tJC6LfPpGIyvNgGMHhyFZG3Rf68xlrbTNZicFnQ9EovTp2_gALVZVqtwM/s640/cala+costa+brava.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The rugged coast of Costa Brava</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Pretty much all of Costa Brava is lined by Caminos de Ronda, coastal footpaths used in the past by the Guardia Civil to control the coast and stop smuggling, and now offering excellent hiking possibilities. They are dotted with <em>calas</em>, small charming coves, surrounded by pine groves and wild flowers. There is no shortage of secluded beaches, fishermen's retreats and water grottos, making the hike very interesting and varied.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf0lraZ6Quex9XiQySSvhU3fYE4ZGI0-hMTD2xYoUxhz4lmRRNZCZoQhYIc6ygQmASqEJoLh4cwLFYR7LGAyAxQ_PPFqe8Ie_BxUKHxc7JDscu4Yt_SGZYWgt-nNlSrRv_4_y6LQ6xfI/s1600/cala2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf0lraZ6Quex9XiQySSvhU3fYE4ZGI0-hMTD2xYoUxhz4lmRRNZCZoQhYIc6ygQmASqEJoLh4cwLFYR7LGAyAxQ_PPFqe8Ie_BxUKHxc7JDscu4Yt_SGZYWgt-nNlSrRv_4_y6LQ6xfI/s640/cala2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cove near Palamos</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One day last summer, I took a bus from Barcelona to Palamós (17€, 2 hours), and I began to explore the coast to the north of this point. I found the small town of Palamós a bit underwhelming, apart from the church of Santa Maria, with its nice façade. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The real beauty starts of course when you start following the footpath along the coast. The water is very clear, the landscape keeps changing because of the many small bays and cliffs encountered. Some of the beaches are crowded, for example the famous La Fosca, not far from Palamós, but others, especially the hardest to reach, are not.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The beauty of Costa Brava</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">One of the most charming coves I have encountered is called Cala S'Aguer, and it's dotted with colourful fishermen's houses and boats. In another country this cove would have been taken by souvenir shops and restaurants. Here, instead, I could still see bits and pieces of quiet life: an old man painting, a woman cleaning the fish for the dinner, and so on.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOUCtYYkXaka7HBiHMSGVyf8Mh8mZA59jG2n665y368RZFelIQu6OsunHSWjbN3ZrWY-C6C8OfJ4ve6cTyQcR0DNvg-GYA5Eko51C-DUu3DLOle5r5UwlV30s5ra9ziY-NIumGT9655c/s1600/Cala+S%2527Alguer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOUCtYYkXaka7HBiHMSGVyf8Mh8mZA59jG2n665y368RZFelIQu6OsunHSWjbN3ZrWY-C6C8OfJ4ve6cTyQcR0DNvg-GYA5Eko51C-DUu3DLOle5r5UwlV30s5ra9ziY-NIumGT9655c/s640/Cala+S%2527Alguer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Cala S'Alguer</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TIoi5SLnO36beKeH7y2QrYZL7PLjyr3WsHH1Z6BqZZsrFr90sHg1_9t7xcYNexREAYRP6eEGwn3QuGIOdu2P87LGBc9SaUv6F-8F1nHh1bP0lIjnPY_VUekRSzapxQC9WnMm9DbVpTo/s1600/Cala+s%2527Alguer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TIoi5SLnO36beKeH7y2QrYZL7PLjyr3WsHH1Z6BqZZsrFr90sHg1_9t7xcYNexREAYRP6eEGwn3QuGIOdu2P87LGBc9SaUv6F-8F1nHh1bP0lIjnPY_VUekRSzapxQC9WnMm9DbVpTo/s640/Cala+s%2527Alguer2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Another image of this cove</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Around Cap Roig I lost my path, and it took me a while to get back to it. Here, I discovered, there is a famous music festival with international artists, and a botanic garden. There is no lack of culture in this area of Spain: one of the towns of Costa Brava, Cadaqués, was chosen by Dali, Picasso and other artists as a summer home.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA_mfA7PDWDgfUFYktjwss-ww5Z6206ug0BxnjwU_GEwlQ97zz975g57Pjzi34mjEo4Bva6yo5qbR9yTMP5yL5xEiAes_7XPGVp5iKsLpGkUQ2Eh9vhHaMEQmn38JojTtB9va9HnCZG0/s1600/house+in+costa+brava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA_mfA7PDWDgfUFYktjwss-ww5Z6206ug0BxnjwU_GEwlQ97zz975g57Pjzi34mjEo4Bva6yo5qbR9yTMP5yL5xEiAes_7XPGVp5iKsLpGkUQ2Eh9vhHaMEQmn38JojTtB9va9HnCZG0/s640/house+in+costa+brava.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Near Cap Roig</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It took me about 3-3,5 hours to reach my final destination, Calella de Palafrugell, including a stop for luch in one of the few small restaurants along the path. Unfortunately I did not stay long in Calella, because the clouds that had started to gather towards the end of my hike finally decided to give in to a good downpour.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUTRjlCDW2ARcnTfsIj0epB_TxJHcF6IfjT6Ek-9sD92fZnzacMZlIPFrizQ4RayHUquesS1Elnx4BlsqyZq7pKs1bOd2aBBL5UBQiAvBnz4we0DWU1ZGBckw-USCvnSMu67tKw_m7qA/s1600/pineta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUTRjlCDW2ARcnTfsIj0epB_TxJHcF6IfjT6Ek-9sD92fZnzacMZlIPFrizQ4RayHUquesS1Elnx4BlsqyZq7pKs1bOd2aBBL5UBQiAvBnz4we0DWU1ZGBckw-USCvnSMu67tKw_m7qA/s640/pineta.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Peace and quiet in Costa Brava</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next summer I hope to pick up from where I left and explore a little bit more of this beautiful area.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-80583715310870774022016-01-17T16:17:00.001+01:002016-01-17T16:17:25.073+01:00Ayutthaya: the ancient capial of Siam<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the most charming places I visited during my three-week backpacking trip to Thailand was Ayutthaya. Sometimes neglected by travellers caught between northern Thailand with its world-famous street food and the glorious beaches of the south, Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Siam, is ideally situated a couple of hours by train from Bangkok and it did not feel crowded or overtly touristy at all. UNESCO-listed, atmospheric and quiet, it is the perfect retreat from chaotic and polluted Bangkok.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqMw0kgCBIt713b1QGgblNtNuOCCkEsFHFu-G_0mRJWmHm3JFzNKHKcrL44d-bY0uZqSWz7sYa3jSfCTsZwyuNnwa13LRloEm2TMPom42WS7z487iVztVLLD5aPq-YDF9JUN1udx5nPU/s1600/Wat+Mahatat%252C+Ayutthaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqMw0kgCBIt713b1QGgblNtNuOCCkEsFHFu-G_0mRJWmHm3JFzNKHKcrL44d-bY0uZqSWz7sYa3jSfCTsZwyuNnwa13LRloEm2TMPom42WS7z487iVztVLLD5aPq-YDF9JUN1udx5nPU/s640/Wat+Mahatat%252C+Ayutthaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <em>A corner of Wat Mahatat in Ayutthaya</em></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Let me tell you that to get there by myself from Bangkok was the easiest thing in the world: no hassles at all at the train station, and the third class carriage is not as bad as it sounds: it's even funny, and super cheap (20 baht, around €0,50). People passed by every two minutes selling snacks, while older Thai men checked my ticket to make sure I was on the right train. There were many backpackers on the train, all waiting in trepidation to visit these world-famous ruins. Once in Ayutthaya, I walked straight, then hopped on to a boat for a few baht to cross the river and in no time I was in front of the ruins.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEShC2ag1wQ_rcn-I_yFLMkb9JwmmXVogthyCOL8ta-5HiYKl5u6b75fEXvzs8ChZeA8E7rL1gkLZcoJIimb2l_jjX4EF01a-8sM3v93xglcdVA188pvfgAEdZu3aJ_FrMQkWvIINI_I/s1600/Buddha+statue+in+Ayutthaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEShC2ag1wQ_rcn-I_yFLMkb9JwmmXVogthyCOL8ta-5HiYKl5u6b75fEXvzs8ChZeA8E7rL1gkLZcoJIimb2l_jjX4EF01a-8sM3v93xglcdVA188pvfgAEdZu3aJ_FrMQkWvIINI_I/s640/Buddha+statue+in+Ayutthaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A Buddha statue in Ayutthaya</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 and it was the capital of a kingdom that stretched all over Thailand. The town takes its name from Ayodhya, the mythical birthplace of the Hindu god Rama and the setting for the Hindu epic Ramayana, which Thai people call Ramakien. The city prospered until it was sacked and burned to the ground by the Burmese in 1767. It was at this point that the capital of Siam was moved further south, in Bangkok.</span> </span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrpU8u0OqCy9cnqsZocshHxOD1xXQhcEYO8Xk-Lw0O2O2Ggodf0_BNA-_FjdmKgqZVdhzhlByAA7Xmvn4Mb2u1NjI7qhZUQ8oOFRLBkz4AtKUaZIWpjM3o7sEnmMLuuKyZcKnBpWvm2s/s1600/Wat+Phra+Si+Sanphet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrpU8u0OqCy9cnqsZocshHxOD1xXQhcEYO8Xk-Lw0O2O2Ggodf0_BNA-_FjdmKgqZVdhzhlByAA7Xmvn4Mb2u1NjI7qhZUQ8oOFRLBkz4AtKUaZIWpjM3o7sEnmMLuuKyZcKnBpWvm2s/s640/Wat+Phra+Si+Sanphet.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A stupa in Wat Phra Si Sanphet</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The ruins in Ayutthaya are inside a historical park surrounded by a moat, but there are separate entrance fees (50 baht, €1,30) for each main temple. You'll soon begin to orient yourself in terms of which ruins are on the island and which are off the island. There are a few interesting ruins off the island, that is to say outside the park, for which it is advisable to hire your own transportation (a bike, a motorcycle or a tuk-tuk ride are all fine). You could even hire an elephant, but concerns about the well-being might stop you.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCs3sIiqKq1ujphA27OhQ0e73d6bxIjJ2ouGypS2yjwNpN-WuBSrNw5uWhGoOxAuFalZAkSi9kO29YI4F5squP5ET00MK_AmZ1LgLu_0tQbLqojZ5NRGuk2TOCtF9zjF3VYKpInBGic4/s1600/elephant+Ayutthaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCs3sIiqKq1ujphA27OhQ0e73d6bxIjJ2ouGypS2yjwNpN-WuBSrNw5uWhGoOxAuFalZAkSi9kO29YI4F5squP5ET00MK_AmZ1LgLu_0tQbLqojZ5NRGuk2TOCtF9zjF3VYKpInBGic4/s640/elephant+Ayutthaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Elephant ride in Ayutthaya</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The first temple I visited was Wat Mahatat. Most of the buildings in Ayutthaya only show the orange brick with which they were built, but the countless Buddha statues with offerings of flowers or food on the side, the contrast with the green grass and the general atmosphere of quiet and harmony of Wat Mahatat are unique. I noticed that most Buddha statues in Ayutthaya were decapitated, probably a consequence of the aforementioned sack, yet around this temple there were several intact ones, and they are in beautiful surroundings. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZPKUVK50ih7V9qY62Uj59BinOj5QwUNe-vwygxyh3K9erGyt44f8fJgjmNz1koUZ-2Wy7tqDGcgoyNCELYS9u_cNNkNgcGZLVhb9sn2Ew5_m74GT6OuI2EAStxbNcoAo3OY6YfSlnGw/s1600/Wat+Mahatat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZPKUVK50ih7V9qY62Uj59BinOj5QwUNe-vwygxyh3K9erGyt44f8fJgjmNz1koUZ-2Wy7tqDGcgoyNCELYS9u_cNNkNgcGZLVhb9sn2Ew5_m74GT6OuI2EAStxbNcoAo3OY6YfSlnGw/s640/Wat+Mahatat2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>One of the Buddha statues in Wat Mahatat</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is also where you can find a tree with roots growing all around a Buddha head that rolled down the rest of the body long ago. There is something mystical about this image: a face deep in meditation, with a peaceful expression, but swallowed - or perhaps only caressed - by the roots of a tree. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlm0B2-EyX0AKlqvRli74fjxggfN6EP_Ho7hbcNw5NmWXJ7iiYYnpG4J-dkmKMJNxky1pKoybL13nf1stveLkRwv3Y53b3L726IOWXFAJx8D4bjRnTBHFGf-rWd2XT3EZ4pZKq6PQAbo/s1600/P1070792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlm0B2-EyX0AKlqvRli74fjxggfN6EP_Ho7hbcNw5NmWXJ7iiYYnpG4J-dkmKMJNxky1pKoybL13nf1stveLkRwv3Y53b3L726IOWXFAJx8D4bjRnTBHFGf-rWd2XT3EZ4pZKq6PQAbo/s640/P1070792.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The famous Buddha statue with roots all around it</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I decided to sleep one night in Ayutthaya, so I took my time to visit it without rushing or looking too much at the watch. It was an excellent decision. On the morning of the second day I went to Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Even though I regret not going there for sunset with the evening boat tour, I had the temple almost completely to myself. Since it is located outside of the island, most day-tours skip it. It's huge and spacious, with a considerable visual impact, but it's not as old as you might think. It was built in the 17th century in the Khmer style, in vogue at the time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoddh1o9jcQeXtOigWTukS2bPRAkESkRDe-4cEPmm62AsN9D4GjsZgueruyqqpxNVPmoJJPe1a25rzPj0U1GMY-twdK3pfneXtz9jR55sMRGXRFHHDjmVNNGvqrxhEsM0r-bbXxjslITA/s1600/Wat+Wattanaram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoddh1o9jcQeXtOigWTukS2bPRAkESkRDe-4cEPmm62AsN9D4GjsZgueruyqqpxNVPmoJJPe1a25rzPj0U1GMY-twdK3pfneXtz9jR55sMRGXRFHHDjmVNNGvqrxhEsM0r-bbXxjslITA/s640/Wat+Wattanaram.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Wat Chaiwatthanaram</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Another temple worth visiting is Wat Si Sanphet, with its famous three <em>stupas</em> (also called <em>chedis</em>), the typical bell-shaped structure of Buddhist temples. Its the most important temple in Ayutthaya, because</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> it used to be the royal residence. Monks, with their bright orange tunics, are a fairly common sight in Thailand, but they always make for great pictures. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKn1io987GmEL1RyWCIt9um6LtYQSx8_Jkm7YLV6aJ_0tf3u_40kGCSn5jmCNuJSvvHs0wCt7qp3qE61riVgItOXx3IG9ZhK6dvEb8aX6b0g7XPFi2t4tubswggKUX5jsm2rHqB6-sHY/s1600/IMG_20151207_184217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKn1io987GmEL1RyWCIt9um6LtYQSx8_Jkm7YLV6aJ_0tf3u_40kGCSn5jmCNuJSvvHs0wCt7qp3qE61riVgItOXx3IG9ZhK6dvEb8aX6b0g7XPFi2t4tubswggKUX5jsm2rHqB6-sHY/s640/IMG_20151207_184217.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Wat Ratchaburana was my fourth temple among those with an entrance fee. I found this the least charming among the four, perhaps because part of it was being restored, or perhaps because by now I was a bit templed-out. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_uRnL3GiOsPJFBGMWh4UCd9FZUrstAqOtxIpNGxI-ZIdw-lXaerRotOH-FYwgKHR8Qg85XsCOSRk5LrbCf8c24Fd2geXyMrwQT8qdfOlF-1u3NnzUg8GdfxXWycAWjrNFHQS2a7OA4c/s1600/P1070884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_uRnL3GiOsPJFBGMWh4UCd9FZUrstAqOtxIpNGxI-ZIdw-lXaerRotOH-FYwgKHR8Qg85XsCOSRk5LrbCf8c24Fd2geXyMrwQT8qdfOlF-1u3NnzUg8GdfxXWycAWjrNFHQS2a7OA4c/s640/P1070884.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Some of the statues that decorate Wat Ratchaburana</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A couple of things I didn't like about Ayutthaya are the stray dogs that wonder around the place and the inexplicable absence of places to eat around the ruins.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHIQ5BaLnZn_fdpQDRBNaUz0TDMQxq0Cn0FCi72E7lgSm2Trm8DVGuEB4CH0u7-4jYBECur_Qv4kzESaOAykkph7EcwHx0hp4243ZZoHSp1r-NrKRgdkl9og5nAsmqFwYMwXjHoIV6nU/s1600/buddha+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHIQ5BaLnZn_fdpQDRBNaUz0TDMQxq0Cn0FCi72E7lgSm2Trm8DVGuEB4CH0u7-4jYBECur_Qv4kzESaOAykkph7EcwHx0hp4243ZZoHSp1r-NrKRgdkl9og5nAsmqFwYMwXjHoIV6nU/s640/buddha+head.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Buddha heads in Ratchaburana</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ayutthaya was one of the highlights of my trip to Thailand, and yet I almost missed it. My initial plan was to go to Sukhothai, further north, and then maybe go for a couple of days to Siem Reap and visit the amazing ruins of Angkor Wat. In the end, I skipped Sukhothai in favour of the Loy Krathong festival in Chiang Mai and I ended up cancelling Cambodia due to a lack of time and organizaiton. Ayutthaya offered me what I wanted - amazing ruins and lots of history- at less hassle. If you're in Thailand and you've always dreamt of playing Indian Jones among the ruins, this is the place to go.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-13530974643848190552016-01-04T19:56:00.000+01:002016-01-04T19:56:25.273+01:00On the footsteps of emperors - visiting Split<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a history enthusiast like me visiting Split in Croatia was a real delight and a dream that came true. Th</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">e city grows around and within what used to be Diocletian's Palace, built around 300 AD as a private residence for the emperor's retirement. He chose this place because it was close to his home town of Salona. The palace was abandoned after the decline of the Roman Empire, but in the 7th century people took refuge here to hide from the Slavic invaders. They started to build houses and business shops inside the palace complex, which had been both a fortified citadel and an imperial palace. When I first arrived in Split I was asking myself where the palace was exactly, and then I realized that it is everywhere: inside private houses, on the courtyards of restaurants, or inside a museum!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRuLClrbgBNodSlM-7FZ9BOArS5zQipZiTgUpI6aA-fJP-ouFHmTTh3Tw2_TUWxxnlbX9oqApqV_f5sltUW1rJ1p7PbpYHUTm7_5aLJahkuREB_z0pf6pq1tLwELOFwrIUnu0tnQq3Jw/s1600/P1060211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRuLClrbgBNodSlM-7FZ9BOArS5zQipZiTgUpI6aA-fJP-ouFHmTTh3Tw2_TUWxxnlbX9oqApqV_f5sltUW1rJ1p7PbpYHUTm7_5aLJahkuREB_z0pf6pq1tLwELOFwrIUnu0tnQq3Jw/s640/P1060211.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Inside the palace</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">One façade of the palace looks onto the sea, while the others are fortified, with a gate for each side. Some of the decorations have disappeared, like the statues that stood inside the niches, but the Croatian men dressed as centurions will remind you that you are in a place of considerable historical significance. Tufts of grass or flowers grow among the stones, giving an air of fascinating decadence to the whole place.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8ThNYMJkwPJj2u9wAyw8kOMm5jYCkyr5p0jBy9UavYBDOoo9KtdSa1Z7e7sEX60AM3VGNW6oWHGBKWf9uG_pi6JRfdmAzwy9GvO6h8CLfBLjLYSjZO5_0xM3yE7dRHUW4G6HZ17_7a8/s1600/P1060294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8ThNYMJkwPJj2u9wAyw8kOMm5jYCkyr5p0jBy9UavYBDOoo9KtdSa1Z7e7sEX60AM3VGNW6oWHGBKWf9uG_pi6JRfdmAzwy9GvO6h8CLfBLjLYSjZO5_0xM3yE7dRHUW4G6HZ17_7a8/s640/P1060294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>One of the ancient gates</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Walking along the walls, I was soon able to find, next to the Porta Aurea (Golden Gate), the statue of Grgur Ninski, the 10th-century Croatian archbishop who introduced the Croatian language for religious services. It is a pretty big statue and it has become one of the symbols of Split. It brings good luck to rub the statue's toe, which as a result is smooth and shiny.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08DFkoZeYlq3MfGC-e6B285HT0U9CPtU_WyFlO-0EuGHF7QYUWh1XQh6nupbJCHQaoYxFMgOzjrxIw0ehQRudlwMrD0BoQLbqzaW-g7EswTvWRbTIBYTRHh0MKWps01SnAy0xG_2szxM/s1600/P1060249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08DFkoZeYlq3MfGC-e6B285HT0U9CPtU_WyFlO-0EuGHF7QYUWh1XQh6nupbJCHQaoYxFMgOzjrxIw0ehQRudlwMrD0BoQLbqzaW-g7EswTvWRbTIBYTRHh0MKWps01SnAy0xG_2szxM/s640/P1060249.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The toe of Grgur Ninski's statue</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Emperor Diocletian is famous for having harshly persecuted Christians but, quite ironically, after his death the mausoleum built to host his remains was turned into a church. It maintains the original 4th-century Roman structure, and it has a 2,500-old black sphinx at the entrance. Other parts of the church were obviously added later, like the bell tower. A mish-mash of styles is rather astonishing, if not interesting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The mausoleum looks out onto the Peristyle, a monumental columned porch that formed the access to the emperor's apartments in Roman times and is now the main square of the town. In the evenings you can sit on the stairs, on red cushions provided by one of the bars, and listen to music performances while admiring the ruins or observing the architectural details. I was completely mesmerized by this square and I was trying to imagine how it looked like in Roman times.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp0HeLlArVAEzjP98Pj_4mthDBJ-w6cP4G05mpZxvyOlf2Zk9SIAoX7oMiyCOgBDEK-AiLO9bOPicT-Sufqe6rsn6qBw2iLEZXFGNMZqlsMTWuQQeLDqGS8N3KiryvWrOlZ7_XdCbEpQ/s1600/main+square+split.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp0HeLlArVAEzjP98Pj_4mthDBJ-w6cP4G05mpZxvyOlf2Zk9SIAoX7oMiyCOgBDEK-AiLO9bOPicT-Sufqe6rsn6qBw2iLEZXFGNMZqlsMTWuQQeLDqGS8N3KiryvWrOlZ7_XdCbEpQ/s640/main+square+split.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The main square in Split</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Split is such a fascinating place, full of surprises around the corners of its glistening paved streets. You pass under porticoes, next to columns, and observe windows with colourful shutters built into the structure of the palace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Buildings from different periods intersect the Roman ruins, forming a chaos that is nonetheless rather charming. Restaurants and bars put their tables on the paved streets, next to the palace walls, offering their food: seafood and pasta are everywhere, but you can also find soups and Bosnian <em>cevapcici</em> if you search well. While getting lost in the narrow streets of the old town, you can peer through an iron gate and discover a secret garden with ancient marble columns and thousand-year-old stones that formed part of the temples and buildings inside the palace.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwZVelWsrko7D2B7jX57M-9Xv0AvM4T8Eeio9N5ab6GjJleMkPJa_8M_5gS8xh5O8ixzoi14mM_KrthhNAeTnYf2nrAgRcwk3gjyvGQbAJx7hMOicL43jmtJe6WKcqX0TjBmuV7IZ5Y4/s1600/secret+garden+split.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwZVelWsrko7D2B7jX57M-9Xv0AvM4T8Eeio9N5ab6GjJleMkPJa_8M_5gS8xh5O8ixzoi14mM_KrthhNAeTnYf2nrAgRcwk3gjyvGQbAJx7hMOicL43jmtJe6WKcqX0TjBmuV7IZ5Y4/s640/secret+garden+split.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Peering through a gate and discovering a secret garden in Split</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My favourite sight in Split was Jupiter's Temple, once part of the complex of the palace and now a baptistery. There's a headless Egyptian black sphinx guarding the entrance, but the real star is the door. I photographed it so many times at different hours of the day, because I love the carvings and the marble with which it is built. It made me feel like Indian Jones, especially because it is located at the end of a small street that departs from the Peristyle, elevated from the main street level. Interestingly, the statue inside the small temple is not of Jupiter but of Saint John the Baptist.</span> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Door to the temple of Jupiter</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In spite of being a city built around
ancient ruins, Split is rather modern, with fancy shops and
sophisticated restaurants that could compete with any town in
Italy. It was quite a shock to come here directly from
Sarajevo, which is in many ways a simpler kind of place, with less international brands on display and devoid of that annoying obsession for everything hipster.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A restaurant in Split</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I will give you an example of the kind of shock that travelling from Bosnia to Croatia will give you. On my way back to the coast of Croatia from
Bosnia, which is almost a landlocked country, we passed through some mountains, and then entered a valley.
There, the first thing I could see after villages and
villages characterized by a small mosque with a tall slender
minaret, was a church with a pointy bell tower. This reminded me
of the religious divisions in the area, and how different ethnicities
live side by side in this part of the world.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A religious image inside a window in Split</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Outside of the city walls, the city is
equally beautiful. Walking along the Riva - the seafront with a
Venetian name - is really pleasant. From here you have a view of the
outer walls of Diocletian's palace, but you can also enjoy the nice
breeze coming from the sea. I remember that there were some stalls
selling <em>fritule</em>, which is a sweet of Venetian origin, except that we
only eat them around Carnival time, in the winter, and here there are for sell even in the summer. I also took a long
walk on the hill that surrounds the town, and ate a really good
dinner at Konoba Fife, right at the end of the Riva. You can have
fresh mussels or seafood risotto here for a very reasonable price.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Riva</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For my second day in Split I know I wanted to relax, so I headed for the beach. There is one just
outside of the town centre, but as most beaches in Croatia it is
rocky, not sandy. It's called Bačvice beach: it is crowded, but not unpleasant. The water is crystal clear and there are some nice bars along the shore for refreshments and maybe a good tuna salad. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Bacvice beach in Split</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There isn't much to do in Split, aside
from walking around. Split is like an open-air museum, where
occasionally you'll enter a two-thousand-year old structure. I found
it interesting fascinating that the purpose of certain buildings is not certain: it
sheds an aura of mystery to the old </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">town. I know that I could have kept walking around for days, learning new things </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and enjoying the atmosphere of a town that's truly unique.</span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The town centre of Split</em></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735183199750147943.post-19425645182245168472015-10-04T22:46:00.002+02:002017-01-12T20:52:32.668+01:00Painfully Discovering Sarajevo<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As you may know, I backpacked part of the Balkans last June. One of the places I was most excited to visit was Sarajevo. I was really curious to see how the different cultures of East and West met and perhaps collided, the Turkish influence in the middle of Europe and the multiculturalism of a place that has had a troubled yet undoubtedly-fascinating history.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4Y7yuMvDlonqwndl4BCpgAuUxwvwDxaWQkayC1e8TgEKWlEMSfvWrytd9bVP9eijiEmKhCvnKjSJlEZI0RFAdG1vsDriZr_MGO2hv0Y5RAwfVXdlrbxmBRJ2_DV6OoAkjs27dKhOKjc/s1600/P1060103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4Y7yuMvDlonqwndl4BCpgAuUxwvwDxaWQkayC1e8TgEKWlEMSfvWrytd9bVP9eijiEmKhCvnKjSJlEZI0RFAdG1vsDriZr_MGO2hv0Y5RAwfVXdlrbxmBRJ2_DV6OoAkjs27dKhOKjc/s640/P1060103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Pidgeon square in Sarajevo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarajevo is not an obvious tourist destination. People were puzzled when I mentioned that I would be spending quite a few hours on a public bus just to see it. Most people have no idea of what Sarajevo looks like, and neither did I.
Pictures made it unreal, impossible to visualize, and even more so for the many images of war that I saw as a child on Italian news programmes. The terrible war that ravaged in the 1990s is always on your mind when you visit such a place, and casts a dark aura on a city that may otherwise be splendidly recovering from the shock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I must confess that my first impressions of Sarajevo were not the best. I arrived at dusk at the central bus station, which is located outside of the city centre, in a poorly illuminated area of the city with only commercial buildings around. The place looked a bit scary, to me at least, so I asked some other backpackers if they knew their way, and with difficulty we found the tram station. We were lucky and a tram driver immediately asked us, with a shout, to board the tram. We barely had the time to put our backpack down on our seats on the cranky old tram that an inspector came on the bus and threatened to make us pay a fine for the ticket that we didn't have. After a long explanation, half-seriously and half-jokingly he let us go. Not the greatest start, you might recognize, but after a walk in the town centre I changed my mind and started to get the vibe of the city.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The old bazaar area</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The following morning, with shops open for business, I went back and started to elaborate on what I was seeing. Baščaršija, the old Ottoman neighbourhood, made me feel as if I were in an older version of Istanbul, one that now has vanished. The bazaar with its wooden shops, the brass utensils, the tulip-shaped tea glasses, the cushioned seats of restaurant and cafés, everything reminded me of Turkey. I found the area even soaked of that nostalgic aura so typical of Istanbul. I would say that this is the main - and almost the only - touristic area of the city, yet I enjoyed it very much. I peered inside craft shops with dusty cushions and observed Bosnians having </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ćevapčići at eleven in the morning. This cherished Bosnian dish of short sausages served wit pita-like bread, chopped onions and sour cream is what you should have if you have time for only one Bosnian meal. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">A café in <span style="font-family: "georgia";">Baščaršija</span></span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the most evocative places in Baščaršija is the main square, affectionately called Pigeon Square, with its Sebilj, an Ottoman-style fountain dating from the 18th century.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> Minarets in the distance and bazaar streets starting in all directions, it is a busy place, buzzing with life. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Pidgeon square</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My favourite place in the old Ottoman neighbourhood is nevertheless Gazi-Husrev-beg mosque, and in particular its peaceful courtyard and the stunning ablution fountain. Built in the 16th-century, it is perhaps the most important Ottoman building in the country. It suffered significant damage during the siege of Sarajevo, because the Serbian forces notoriously targeted religious and cultural buildings for symbolic reasons. It has been splendidly rebuilt and it is now buzzing with worshippers and tourists alike. I sat there for at least one hour, reading a book under the shade of a tree or taking notes on what I was seeing.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_q87AesX3vNfg1pEx5yy6PcyAJyVYYMn2AvDuHLjhwBpTXDOGgQ-ZyeyBtCf3vC2mY6D-UgjuI1A1MWgEF7bl0w0fgnLqwy8yc5F9m5lUjgWTPIGTu0ohHBiz_BANUOKpomLzO7i47k/s1600/big+fountain+in+Sarajevo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_q87AesX3vNfg1pEx5yy6PcyAJyVYYMn2AvDuHLjhwBpTXDOGgQ-ZyeyBtCf3vC2mY6D-UgjuI1A1MWgEF7bl0w0fgnLqwy8yc5F9m5lUjgWTPIGTu0ohHBiz_BANUOKpomLzO7i47k/s640/big+fountain+in+Sarajevo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The fountain of Gazi Husrev-beg</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Outside of Baščaršija, Sarajevo is a regular European city, with shops and cafés, churches and parks. I passed by Catholic and the Orthodox Cathedrals, as well as synagogues and mosques, as proof of the multiculturalism that pervades the city. Even though religious hatred has been one of the sparks of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, nowadays the different religions seem to coexist once again. </span>Among the most striking monuments there is the Eternal Flame, a memorial to the victims of the Second World War in the form of a flame that is always burning.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Sarejevo Cathedral and shopping area</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarajevo is
surrounded by hills, so much that everywhere you can see streets going uphill. During the siege that lasted a record 3 years and 10 months, the snipers were positioned there and on the infamous sniper alley. Hand-painted signs would warn passers-by: "Watch out - Sniper!". </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Street going uphill in Sarajevo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the hostel where I was staying they kept telling us to hike to the Yellow Fortress. I was having a tour of the town with a Bosnian young man whom I befriended together with some people from the hostel, but he wasn't sure of what we meant by yellow fortress. We climbed to a viewpoint that might have been it. From there you can see all of the city and the white stones of a war-time cemetery. Thoughts of how trapped and scared one must have felt during the long siege came to my mind. These white stones are such a presence on the Bosnian territory that when you stoop seeing them you may guess that you're getting close to the border - at least the ethnic one - with Croatia or Serbia.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>A cemetery in Sarajevo</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't even go to the tunnel museum, preferring to wander the city. I even visited a traditional Ottoman house, as well as a Srebrenica massacre exhibition that I found really interesting and touching. Sarajevo is a city that is trying not to forget the atrocities of the 1990s, but to move on while preserving the memory. It has a young population, with some cool bars and restaurants. Perhaps it is not as rich or as hip as Croatia, but it is catching up with the rest of Europe.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Irish pub</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I came out of the Srebrenica exhibition, I saw an Ottoman military band - a <em><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">mehter - </span></em>playing in traditional costumes in front of the Catholic Cathedral. As a matter of fact, it was part of a music festival celebrating friendship between Bosnia and Turkey. It was interesting to see people waving Turkish flags, since the Ottomans were once the invaders. In the exhibition I saw a war-time video that explained - to me at least - the otherwise-inexplicable hatred towards Bosnian Muslims. Bosnia is, together with Albania, the only part of the Ottoman empire where a large number of people converted to Islam and stayed in the country after the fall of the empire. In the footage, a Serbian general said that he considered Bosniaks traitors for giving in to the invaders, religiously and culturally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarajevo it is the kind of city that is more interesting or fascinating than truly beautiful. There are places that you can definitely call beautiful of course, but in general it is an austere city, especially outside of Baščaršija. For example I was surprised that the famous Latin Bridge, where archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed, looked so dull. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Latin Bridge</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarajevo is not as aesthetically pleasing as Dubrovnik, that's for sure. It is gritty and unattractive in some parts, but it does have the charm of a place that is still a bit uncharted, touristically speaking. I didn't expect it to blow me away from an aesthetical point of view, and it didn't for the most part, but it is definitely an intriguing city. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>View of Sarajevo from the Yellow Fortress</em></td></tr>
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