-
New Year’s eve in Minsk – unexpected fireworks!
Originally, New Year’s Eve 2018/2019 was supposed to be nothing special. I’ve never actually put pressure on New Year’s Eve celebration, but this time I decided that I’d look for a nice trip option for a change. Unfortunately, I showed a chess player’s reflex, being under an illusion that at the end of November, I would find some accommodation in Poland at a reasonable price. Looking for possible options, I took a map. I glanced at the eastern part, I thought that after all, Brest is not that far from Warsaw… I checked the offers of accommodation: a lot of nice apartments at very affordable prices. Waiting time for visa…
-
Mostar surroundings – an idea for a day trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina has gained popularity thanks to the pictures of the Old Bridge in Mostar. However, it’s worth visiting nearby tourist attractions, which in my opinion can even compete with Mostar itself. The most interesting thing is that these places usually haven’t been discovered by mass tourism yet, and until recently they weren’t even described in well-known guidebooks. They are slowly gaining popularity, yet they still retain their wild character. Just seven kilometres from Mostar, there’s an interesting military area, forged in rock and hidden in the lush nearby forests. It’s a huge hangar where fighter aircrafts were stationed during Tito’s regime. Unfortunately, now you’ll see there only a…
-
Podlasie – fabulous Eastern Poland, Day 2 – Girl on a Trail
Heading from Bialowieza to northern Podlasie, it is worth visiting the ruins of the church of St. Anthony in the village of Jalowka. Arc vaults, high columns and huge windows, give the idea of the former glow of this place. The temple was ruined at the end of the war in 1944. At that time, the German army, for fear that this place was an excellent observation point, blew it up. In front of the ruins there’s a special altar where mass is celebrated every year on St. Anthony’s Day. Just 12 kilometers from the ruins of the church there’s a closed border crossing with Belarus, Zubki Bialystok – Brestowica.…
-
Podlasie – fabulous Eastern Poland, Day 1 – Girl on a Trail
I have to admit, I made a cardinal mistake about my past travels. I had been planning a trip to Podlasie in Poland for a long time, but cheap flight steered me away from visiting this place. Only recently I managed to go there. What I can say, I am disappointed that Podlasie is such an underrated tourist region, although looking objectively I contributed a bit to it myself. This place surprised me with a homely atmosphere, rich history, culture and excellent cuisine. So far I’ve imagined Podlasie as a gray and gloomy place, somewhere on the border with Belarus, meanwhile I’m impressed with the amazing number of colours and…
-
Brno and mysterious Olomouc – weekend break in Czech Republic
I visited Brno and Olomouc in one day. I have a special sentiment for these cities because I visited them during my first solo trip 😉 My sightseeing plan was quite intensive. On Friday after work I got on Lux Express bus, which on Saturday morning brought me to Brno. In Brno I had a quick coffee and switched to a bus going to Olomouc. For 230 CZK, in an hour I found myself in this tourist-forgotten city. When I got there and saw the Olomouc train station, I thought time actually stopped there. However, when you go a little further from the station you can see a completely different…
-
Ostrava – Lower Vitkovice, an alternative way to explore
Just a short drive from the Polish border you can visit the third largest city in the Czech Republic – Ostrava. At first glance, Ostrava can even scare off tourists. Chimneys, mining shafts or large steel halls are certainly not a relaxing environment. However, the city authorities have turned all these disadvantages into an asset. The old mining and steel complex was turned into an interactive cultural and educational center. However, before we reached Ostrava, we decided to visit another place that also was closed some time ago. About 30 km from the border with the Czech Republic in Raciborz, you can visit an abandoned hospital. The hospital building is…
-
Lisbon – from a different perspective, Girl off the trail!
Lisbon is mainly associated with yellow trams, breathtaking views and old district – Alfama. However, there’re many places in the capital of Portugal that are still overlooked by guidebooks. First of all, the streets of Lisbon are real street art gallery. Interesting murals can be seen in above mentioned Alfama and near Marim Moniz metro station. Painted in pink The colours of Lisbon aren’t limited to murals. Close to Cais do Sodré you can find a pink alley – Rua Nova do Carvalho. This place used to be the red lantern district, and now it’s the main party hub. Gallery on walls Furthermore, Portuguese street art is not an art…
-
Germany, Bavaria – Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is probably the most famous building in the world, especially in the age group from 2 to 5 years old. Presented in the intro to Disney fairy tales, it ignites everyone’s imagination. The Castle was an inspiration for Walt Disney to create Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Not very subtle name – Neuschwatein, does not reflect its fairytale look, hence it is often called Disney Castle – then everyone knows what we are talking about 😉 The Castle is located on a high hill surrounded by the Bavarian Alps and resembles the old fortress. However, appearances can be deceiving, because its construction began in 1869, at the…
-
Lisbon, trams – a museum which turned out to be a workshop
While most European cities rely on modern transport facilities, Lisbon remained faithful to the old trams. What’s more, they have become a real tourist attraction there! Yellow trams are the symbol of Lisbon, just as yellow cabs in New York. The old trams are certainly one of the best tourist attractions in Lisbon, however the decision to use them had nothing to do with marketing. The reason was rather practical. Only these trams can deal with numerous bends and narrow streets in Lisbon. Trams which are called here remodelado (or remodeled) have been adjusted to modern technical requirements by modification of brakes or electrical system, however their appearance has remained…