Asia
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Makhtesh Ramon – is this the end of the world?
After leaving sunny Ejlat, we headed north on road number 40 which runs towards Makhtesh Ramon. The landscape was becoming increasingly mountainous and barren. In fact, we were in the Negev Desert, which covers almost half of Israel’s territory. On the way, there’re few cars, but on the other hand we could see a lot of warning signs forbidding going off the main route, as the road we were driving was as a matter of fact in the centre of a huge military range. Never would I have thought that traveling through a monotonous desert landscape could be so thrilling. Awareness of the nearby range, the absence of any civilization…
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Ein Avdat – in the shadow of explosions and an artificial sun
Having driven almost 1242 miles around Israel, our trip was over. We’re going from Makhtesh Ramon to the north towards Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv from where we were supposed to fly off to Poland in the evening. The plan included a short trip to Avdat National Park, which was on the way. Sipping my morning coffee and planning the route I didn’t expect that I would remember this trip to this very day. It might seem that Makhtesh Ramon I wrote about earlier is the only attraction of the Negev Desert. Meanwhile, it’s worth seeing Ein Avdat National Park located nearby the road no 40. The name Ein…
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Armenian cuisine – lavash, apricots and the best breakfast ever!
Armenian cuisine due to Armenia’s location combines the influence of neighbouring countries. Turkish and Iranian flavours dominate the west side, while the cuisine in the east of the country combines Georgian and Russian influences. Armenia is not a popular tourist destination, so in most places ordering food can be quite challenging. Besides Yerevan, English is practically not used, and the only option to determine what will land on our plate is Russian, unless someone speaks Armenian ? In fact, to be honest, when I think about Armenian cuisine I get back to a certain morning in the village of Tatev, in the south of Armenia, near the ′′ border ′′…
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Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, Rosh Hanira – western Israel
Tel Aviv was the first point of our exploration of western Israel. After a visit to historic Jerusalem, the capital of Israel surprised us with modern architecture. Due to the small amount of time, we decided to see this town from the coastal perspective, more specifically from the old Jaffa port area. This place looked amazingly, especially at sunset. On the other hand, from the boulevard, located right next to the port, we could admire the view of the vast beach and the strict centre of Tel Aviv. However, Tel Aviv surprised me the most by its large number of interesting murals. Tel Aviv is well worth visiting because it…
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Northern Israel – Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Tzafad
Northern Israel is the main destination for many pilgrims coming to the Holy Land. Beyond Jerusalem here are the main points of the Christian religion, known from the New Testament. We started our trip with Nazareth, where Archangel Gabriel told Mary that she would have a son, whom she was to name Jesus. The main purpose of the trips here, is Basilica of the Annuciation – a place where according to the beliefs the annunciation took place. Basilica is one of the most important temples for Christians, right after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Basilica is huge and significantly…
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David Gareja – the story of a certain stormy journey
Everything was supposed to look completely different. I was planning to visit David Gareja on the first day just after arrival to Georgia. After visiting the monastery and we were planning to go to Ganja in Azerbaijan. The biggest problem in organizing a tour to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was the car. Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war and the border between them is closed, but that it’s not a problem because you can get to both through Georgia. The problem is finding a rental car company that allows going to these two countries. Finally we managed to find one, it had good rates and response was immediate. Before leaving,…
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Parks in Moscow are quite cool!
After visiting Moscow, it’s best to relax in one of the many interesting parks which are scattered around the city. Moscow parks are not only the places where you can relax, there you can also find many nice viewpoints and outdoor galleries. Excellent views of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Vasil the Blessed and the Moscow river can be seen from the special platform platform in Zaryadye park. The amazing Panorama of Moscow can be seen from the Sparrow Hills, which you can access by the cable car from the Luzhniki Stadium. The hills are 721 ft high what makes them the highest point in Moscow. The visit can be…
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Bethlehem, the Palestinian Authority and the separation wall
Bethlehem is located in the West Bank of Palestine. The name West Bank refers to a geographical location, as this area is situated on the west side of the Jordan River. Bethlehem is the cradle of Christianity. It was founded in 338 and is one of the oldest cities in the world. The proper name of the city is Beit Lechem, which in translation from Hebrew means House of Bread or House of Meat in Arabic. Despite numerous tensions and political uncertainty, the city is visited every year by millions of tourists and pilgrims who want to see Christ’s birthplace. It is located in the so-called Gortto of the Nativity…
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Western Armenia, must – see places, part II
The next destination in Armenia, just after the Armenian Stonhenge (which I wrote about in the first part) was Monastyr Tatev. As we’re getting closer and closer, the road became more and more winding and mountainous. On the other hand, visibility decreased with every meter covered, actually directly proportional to the disappearing asphalt on the road. Aside from the fact that we were heading to the most popular monastery in Armenia, it looked like it was one of those places in the middle of nowhere. Tatev Monastery is mainly famous for its spectacular location in the Vorotan Canyon. The initial plan included a ride to the site by one of…
