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Muscat – A City from the Tales of the Arabian Nights…
Muscat, the capital of Oman, has a unique fairytale charm in my view. It looks like something straight out of the Tales of the Arabian Nights, but with a modern twist. Enchanting palaces, forts perched on rocky cliffs, lush green oases, white architecture, scenic coastlines, and spice-scented bazaars create a distinctive atmosphere of this city. I began my exploration in the eastern part of Muscat, often referred to as the Old City. It’s the most iconic area of the city, home to numerous government buildings and elegant villas. However, the highlight here is Al-Alam Palace, one of the six residences of the Sultan of Oman. Used mainly for ceremonial purposes,…
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Malta – The Fortress Island, Girl on the urbex trail!
Malta is called the “Fortress Island.” At first glance, it’s evident that the island’s architecture has a defensive character. High fortifications, citadels, and forts are reminiscent of the times of the Knights of Malta as well as the British era. Throughout its history, Malta was under the rule of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Crusaders, French, and British. Finally, it became an independent country only in 1964. Today, we can see numerous traces from the times of the Knights of Malta, as well as from the period of World War II. The Knights of Malta gained control over Malta in 1530 from Charles V of Spain. From that…
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Luxembourg – the fabulous or financial Dutchy?
It’s very hard to determine if Luxembourg is the fabulous or financial Dutchy. It’s one of the smallest and the wealthiest countries in the world. There’re more than 150 banks and numerous EU institutions and international corporations. What’s more, the unemployment rate and taxes are the lowest in EU, in one word – real idyll. According to European Statistical Office, the minimal wage there is twice bigger than average wage in Poland! It’s no wonder that, at least half of the residents of this country are immigrants. A lot of people from France, Belgium and Germany commute to work here, every day. It’s visible that there’s a specific official atmosphere.…