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Vietnam – paradise for coffee connoisseurs
Coffee is mainly associated with countries like Brazil Or Columbia but in fact Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world. Being a hopeless case of coffee drinker I could write about Vietnamese coffee endlessly. It’s a very thick and aromatic beverage with inimitable taste which combines a little coffee bitter taste and the sweetness of caramel and chocolate. But it’s not the end… The process of roasting is unique. Sweet, chocolate taste is the result of adding butter or vegetable oil. Beans roasted in this way have a little bit greasy, glistening texture with intensive brown color. Taste can be intensified by adding sugar, vanilla or…
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Passenger vs. airlines, part I – flight delay
Flight delays are common. They can be connected with unforeseeable factors such as bad weather conditions, security threat or even volcanic eruption. But there are some situations when delay is results from airline fault. If you travel: from the airport located in European Union/European Economic Area or Switzerland, between EU/EEA/Switzerland and third country, by plane which is operated by an airline which operates in the area of EU/EEA/Switzerland, your rights are protected by the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long…
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Dublin – city in the green island, flowing black Guiness…
Dublin like the whole Ireland, surprises by its diversity. There are certainly more Polish people than citizens speaking in native Gaelic language. In this city we can experience every possible atmospheric phenomena in one hour. Dublin isn’t only a city of economic wonders but it’s also the place where tradition merges with modernity. Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral are the oldest buildings in Dublin. But the most famous building is the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The most surprising is the fact that St. Patrick who is mainly associated with dancing and beer didn’t like this alcohol and to make matters worse he wasn’t even Irish. He had been held captive…
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Real Saigon… How to survive on Vietnamese roads
Our funny story with the hotel wasn’t the only attraction which we had during first day in Vietnam. Starving and exhausted after long journey, we decided to go out for a delicious Vietnamese meal. As experienced drivers, we thought that we had seen every possible thing on the road but as it turned out later crossing Vietnamese streets is a real challenge. Vietnam is a real traffic jungle in the literal meaning of this world. Just imagine agglomeration with at least 7 million people and no traffic rules. Crossroads with traffic lights and pedestrian crossings are thin on the ground. When they exist they can look like this… During watching…
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Vietnamese alcohol…
Vietnamese beer is connected with colonial times. Then the first brewery was established in Hanoi. Its products were intended for wealthy elite. Before the beer was introduced to Vietnamese bars people had drunk mainly rice wine, which was popular till 1960’s. During the American War, its production was banned in view of depleted rice production. From that time beer was getting more and more popular. Additionally close cooperation with Czech Socialist Republic (which was the part of USSR) popularize traditional brewing methods. Vietnamese beer – Bia hoi is brewed every evening, matures through the night and it’s delivered to nearby bars in the morning. Unpasteurized beer without any preservatives is…
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Hobbits’ stronghold in Helsinki neighborhood
Suomenlinna stronghold, located in 6 islands, is a very important point in Helsinki touristic map. It was built in the half XVIII century by the Swedish in order to defense against Russians. In that times it was the biggest building in the kingdom and the second – largest city in Finland. After a long siege it was finally conquered by Russians in 1808. In view of its strategic location, Russians decided to move the capital of Finland from Turku to Helsinki in 1812. Fortress remained under Russians rule till 1917, when Finland regained independence. These days it doesn’t have military significance but it’s a very interesting historic monument. The most…
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Waimea – the Great Canion of Pacific
My love for the mountains has started since the moment I made the first step. Every holiday I used to spend with my father traversing mountain trails. These vacations were so much so that monothematic that in fact I went to the seaside at the age of 14. To some extent these experiences have formed my stubborn character. They also helped me to distance myself from some bad experiences which are sometimes beyond control. Mountains hide incredible mystery, beauty combined with nature unsteadiness, admiration co-occurring with thrill and what’s the most important: climbing effort rewarded by amazing views. It’s no wonder that before my trip to Hawaii, I knew that…
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Helsinki
We stopped off in Helsinki during our journey from Tallinn to Sankt Petersburg. This city, well known for its leafy surroundings and interesting architecture merging Finnish minimalism with Russian grandeur, is actually an archipelago of more than 300 islands. The city is famous of white nights in June and July and intensive nightlife. Gathering information about Helsinki before our trip, I was surprised that regardless the highest alcohol prices, there’s the biggest sobering chamber in Europe! This riddle was solved during our ferry trip form Tallinn. The Finnish – Estonian border is very busy. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a lot of passengers trailing carts filled to the…
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Just Bratislava!
Visit in Bratislava came as a big surprise to us. This city with the population slightly above 400 thousand people, differ much from majestic Prague or nearby Vienna and Budapest. Apart from similar interesting history, Bratislava doesn’t have as many grandiloquent edifices as its neighbors, but this city enthralls with its cozy, homely character. This unrepeatable ambience is created by beautiful, old town lanes with pastel town houses and castle in the background. The most beautiful lanes are Baštová, Panská and Michalská, which is surmounted by 50 m Michalská tower. This is a short section of medieval defensive walls. The Old Town Square has a very unique, intimate atmosphere. In…













