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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…
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Tiraspol, Transnistria – practical info, Girl off the Trail
Transport: Tiraspol is located only 70 km from Chişinău and a little more than 100 km from Odessa. The easiest way to get there is from Moldova. Local coaches called marszrutkas shuttle from Central Bus Station, which is located next to the central market in Chişinău, near Stefan Cel mare street. Buses to Tiraspol runs from early morning to late evening, almost every 15-20 minutes. The ticket costs less than 2 €. You’ll find them at the stop no. 13. It takes about 2 hours to get to the capital of Transnistria – Tiraspol. At the border, expect only the Transnistrian control because Moldova does not recognise it. You can…
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Moscow, museums – places worth visiting
Moscow has been on my mind since visiting St. Petersburg which was about 5 years ago. Like most tourists, I wanted to set my foot on the Red Square. For many, such an expedition is comparable to setting foot on the moon. Personally, I didn’t make a giant leap for mankind, but I realised the main purpose of my trip. I reconsidered my stereotypes about Russians. Russia, and above all Moscow are treated a little standoffishly by foreign tourists. It’s particularly visible in tourist places where apart from Russian, almost you cannot hear any other language. I only heard Polish once during all week, however sometimes it seemed that I…
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Liechtenstein – somewhere in a faraway land…
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a tiny duchy. This duchy had no access to the sea, it did not have its own language, army and currency. There wasn’t even an airport there because the duchy was so small that few people visited it. Its neighbors sometimes even didn’t realize that it existed and accidentally entered its territory with an army. Despite this, the people in this duchy were very rich and happy, and their ruler invited everyone to a party every year. If anyone likes this fairy tale, I have very good news. It’s not a fairy tale, but the reality of Fürstentum Liechtenstein, or…
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Switzerland, Basel – gate no. 2
I like landing at the Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse – Fribourg. In fact, there’s nothing extraordinary in this airport, except one thing. The list of my favorite airports is mainly limited to those that allow me to “sleep well” 😉 I focus mainly on cleanliness, location of the seats and lack of armrests. However, Euroairport has stolen my heart for a completely different reason. It’s funny because actually, it doesn’t have to with the airport itself, but it’s more connected with the exit. At Euroairport, you have three options of exit to choose, so you can visit: France, Switzerland or Germany. This time I chose the gate no. 2- Switzerland. The airport…
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Warsaw’s bazaars – the capital lives here
What comes to your mind when thinking about Warsaw? For sure not bazaars… Most people would say that the Palace of Culture and Science, skyscrapers and fancy boutiques in the city centre. There’s no doubt the center of Warsaw is completely different from the rest of the city. As a matter of fact each capital’s district represents its own ” homey ” climate. In Warsaw’s life, for years, bazaars have played a major role. Not only have they been a place of trade but also an important meeting spot. It’s true that I’m a little late with this post, as it lacks the “pearl” of Warsaw markets – the European…
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Berlin in ruins part II, Teufelsberg – Devil’s Hill
In the competition for the weirdest place in Berlin, Teufelsberg, which in translation means – Devil’s Hill is definitely on the podium. The attractiveness of Teufelsberg was initially noticed by the Nazis. Under the direction of Albert Speer – Hitler’s architect, the construction of the military academy began on this site. The investment wasn’t completed due to the war, which took most of the expenses. After the war, the Allies attempts to blow up a solid German construction, ended with covering it with the debris, transported form bombarded Berlin. As a result, a pretty large 80-meters hill – the highest point in Berlin, was created. Initially, it was considered to…
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Berlin in ruins – an invitation to after party
Finally, it’s time for a post about Berlin, but I won’t focus on charming, elegant places. On the contrary, it’s time to write about Berlin in ruins! Practical to the bone, the Germans have mastered the art of bringing back old buildings to life. A similar direction is currently seen in Warsaw, however, on a smaller scale and in a completely different way. How do Germans do it? Very simple. The resuscitation of these places has nothing to do with the German perfection. They assume, that there’s no point of changing something that is iconic itself, due to its history and unique character. Tempelhof Airport Tempelhof airport, closed since 2008…
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Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one!
Georgia’s strategic position on the border of two continents: Europe and Asia, between two cultures: Christianity and Islam has long been the cause of numerous wars. The Romans, the Arabs, the Persians, and also in the modern history Russians, all they tried to occupy Georgia permanently, but no one actually has managed to do so. The incredible determination of the Georgian nation, cultivating tradition, including the ancient Kartuli ena language, allowed the country to preserve national identity. The history of this country is shown in many aspects, starting with the stubborn character of the Georgians and ending with the various architecture. How is the capital of this country? It’s as…
