The area of modern day Bulgaria has been a cultural crossroad since ancient times, while Sofia is the second-oldest capital in Europe (after Athens). Even Constantine the Great considered making it the capital of the Byzantine Empire instead of Constantinople.
Kosovo. A mere mention of the name is enough to start a debate wherever you go in this part of the world. The war ended almost 20 years ago, but the scars still appear to be fresh.
As I crossed the border from Albania to Macedonia, I kept a careful eye on the signs. The republic of Macedonia is the country I’m aiming for, but there is also a region of adjacent Greece which claims the name Macedonia. To make things more complicated, the republic has opted to change its name to North Macedonia.
Ok, I admit to not having counted them, but there are a lot of bunker installations all over Albania. Hundreds of thousands of bunkers went up during 1975-1983, littering the landscape with concrete slabs.
The last days have seen a flood of lament over the passing of Anthony Bourdain. He left us two days ago and the world suddenly seemed a bit less interesting.
Hello again Prague! On my last visit almost a decade ago, the city was chilling with patches of snow. This time the city is lush and green, while the temperature is almost tropical.
In the movie A Room with a View, Helena Bonham-Carter gazes from her window at Hotel degli Orafi towards Ponte Vecchio. But I would say that this is a City with a View, since almost every corner could be featured on a painting.
“Aah, Venice”, as old Indiana Jones used to say. Just like places like NYC and Paris, this island is forever destined to appear frequently on the big screen. With 118 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges there is a lot of scenic locations.
The year is about to get wrapped up. For the occasion, I’m currently in the world’s only remaining grand duchy. The capital, Luxembourg city, is built at a fascinating geographic location.
A few days ago, I was roaming the alleys of Valletta, built by the Knights of St. John after the great siege of 1565. Traces of the Knights are visible all over the place. For instance, their legacy can be seen from the city walls at Upper Barrakka Gardens, where I had a magnificent view over the Three Cities and Fort St. Angelo where the Knights lived before the siege.
