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Kuwait – space towers and Operation Desert Tire
I visited Kuwait quite accidentally and spontaneously. Accidentally, I found cheap tickets there, and I spontaneously visited it regardless that from a logistical point of view, this trip was completely pointless. However, let me start from the beginning. One day in August, I started browsing flight offers and noticed that a well-known budget airline had opened new connections from Rome and Vienna to Kuwait. Return tickets were for €40, including weekend flights. I didn’t have to think long, I quickly looked at the map and estimated that 2-3 days would be enough to see the entire country. I didn’t consider a longer trip, as visiting Kuwait’s neighbours was out of…
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Hezbollah’s Disneyland – where “the land speaks to the heaven”…
Hezbollah’s Disneyland – the Tourist Landmark of the Resistance, created by Hezbollah, is located right next to the village of Mleeta in southern Lebanon, about 50 km from the border with Palestine. The museum was opened on May 25th 2010, on the 10th anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The road to Hezbollah’s Disneyland, as this place is commonly called, leads through picturesque mountainous areas. Along the way, you pass numerous checkpoints that clearly indicate who manages the territory of southern Lebanon. By no means is it a government with the Lebanese Army… Hezbollah, or the Party of God, was founded during the Lebanese civil war. The beginnings of…
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Lebanese cuisine
Lebanese cuisine was one of the main reasons why I went to Lebanon. Lebanon has always been a culturally diverse country, and influences from Arab, French and Mediterranean cuisines are evident in everyday dishes.The secret of Lebanese cuisine is its simplicity, flavor and variety. I had the opportunity to try many Lebanese dishes in Poland, but nowhere did they taste as good as in Lebanon. The basis of the meal are mezze, various appetizers like: pita bread, hummus, grilled eggplant dips or olive oil with herbs. They can also be served for breakfast. Speaking of breakfast, it’s the meal that I remember best from Lebanon. And when I think about…
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Urbex – Lebanon, Girl off the trail…
Urbex (urban exploration) is a way of exploring places that are abandoned and often inaccessible. I must admit that for some time this way of sightseeing has dominated my travels. Why urbex? I could find many reasons, but what excites me the most is discovering the history of inaccessible places piece by piece and the adrenaline rush associated with it. Abandoned places are unique and there’s an exceptional beauty in their slow decay. What’s more, the time causes their constant change, which makes each visit a different experience. These are the reasons why I decided to share my discoveries with you. I start the series with Lebanon – my last…
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Panama City – urban jungle
Panama City was a stop-off on my trip to Costa Rica, for this reason I didn’t have much time to explore this city. I was curious what the capital of Panama looked like, I’d imagined it as an impressive metropolis with skyscrapers and I hadn’t been wrong. The city actually looked better than I’d imagined. The center of Panama City resembles Manhattan with the only difference that the panorama of this city is diversified by numerous palm trees. At first glance it seems to more developed than, for example, the capital of Costa Rica – San Jose. Anyway, due to the geographical location Panama has always been a trade hub …
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Lebanon – life in the country on the edge…
Lebanon is currently struggling with economic crisis as well as political isolation. It’s mainly associated with Hezbollah and the explosion of ammonium nitrate in the port of Beirut. However, the country used to be very prosperous economically. It attracted many foreign investors as well as tourists. It was called the Switzerland of the Middle East, while Beirut, the Paris of the Middle East, due to its characteristic buildings and a number of cultural events. What has happened that Lebanon is now in such a dramatic situation? This question has been bothering me for a long time. The media portray Lebanon as a dangerous country, which contributes to its progressive isolation.…
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Beirut – a city like a phoenix from the ashes
Beirut was on my mind for a very long time. I have been interested in the geopolitics of the Middle East for years, so a visit to Lebanon was a natural consequence of that. However, there was another reason that may seem quite strange. I can’t explain it, but every time I hear the names of certain cities, I get chills. Until recently, I thought this fascination was something bizarre. After all, justifying a trip to a place just because of its name, doesn’t sound very inspiring. Fortunately, I am not an exception, some time ago I read Radek Sikorski’s book “Ashes of Saints, Wartime Afghanistan”, in which he wrote…
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Lebanon – anarchy on the road, there is a method in this madness!
During my several-day stay in Lebanon, I traveled over 1,300 km. Probably many people going to this country are thinking about renting a car. There is no denying that you can guess what the temperament of Lebanese drivers is. How does it look from my perspective? In short, Lebanon is a great place to drive! Roads The condition of the roads is generally very good, moreover, they are all free. Asphalt roads lead to most of the tourist attractions, while dirt roads are also not a big challenge for a standard car, the Nissan Micra I rented managed without any problems. When renting a car, you need to…
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Senegal – vicious circle, Girl off the trail
Finally, I’ve got my stuff together to write another post from my trip to Senegal. In January, just after my arrival, you could read about the problem of the progressive littering in Africa by the so-called “developed countries”. This time, I’ll present the living conditions in this country. I know that pictures are more meaningful than the words, so I will limit the comments. There is no denying that a large part of Senegal’s society lives in poverty, especially in the north of the country. Many people are malnourished, and it is especially painful to see emaciated, begging children. It has a very emotional impact, however, making any donations actually…