bridges -

Ljubljana – a slightly psychedelic city of dragons

Gosia — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 15:36:05 +0000

Ljubljana is one of those cities that’s impossible not to like. Time seems to move slower here, and instead of the traffic jams and rush typical of other European capitals, the city charms with its intimate, relaxed atmosphere. The city’s most iconic landmark is the Dragon Bridge (Zmajski most). It was built to replace an old wooden bridge that collapsed during an earthquake in 1895. Initially, the plan was to decorate it with winged lions, but in the end, four dragons took the stage. Local legend has it that if a virgin crosses the bridge, the dragons will wag their tails. In practice? Well, let’s be honest – traffic on the bridge is pretty heavy, and the dragons remain stubbornly still. Beyond the Dragon Bridge, three other bridges are worth checking out. One of the oldest is the Shoemakers’ Bridge. Like the Dragon Bridge, it used to be wooden. Back then, it was lined with butcher shops, but the stench proved unbearable, so the authorities ordered them to relocate. Shoemaking workshops moved in instead. Speaking of butchers, Ljubljana also has the Butchers’ Bridge (Mesarski most). Built in 2010, it’s the youngest of the city’s bridges. Today, instead of meat, it’s covered in love locks and quirky sculptures. The most charming of them all is the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), located at Prešeren Square, the heart of the city. From here, you get a lovely view of the Ljubljanica River and the Franciscan Church. The Triple Bridge is right next to Cankarjevo Nabrežje, the famous riverside promenade full of cafés, eateries, and live music. In the medieval centre, there’s a street that literally stares at you from beneath your feet: Ključavničarska Street, the Locksmiths’ Street. Its cobbles are adorned with hundreds of strange bronze faces. The faces create a surreal scene that stretches all the way to Mestni trg, the city’s oldest square, home to the Town Hall and Robba Fountain. On the other side of the river lies the elegant Congress Square, surrounded by historic buildings including the Slovenian Philharmonic and the University of Ljubljana. The best view of the city spreads from Castle Hill. Ljubljana Castle, or Ljubljanski Grad, towers over the city from 375 metres above. You can walk up in about 10–15 minutes for a free cardio session, or take the funicular that starts near the Central Market. The ride itself is an attraction. Once up there, you can explore the castle courtyard and the Chapel of St. George for free. The watchtower offers a fantastic panoramic view over the city. For a different vibe, head to the Metelkova district. Built on the site of former Austro-Hungarian barracks from 1911, today it’s a riot of colourful murals and psychedelic sculptures, where the parties can go on until the early hours – you can imagine the vibe 😉. The Slovenian government has tried several times to shut Metelkova down, but each attempt was met with resistance from local activists. Today, tourists come armed with cameras, artists with spray paint, and locals keep protesting – Metelkova still walks a fine line between legality and rebellion. In the modern part of the city stands another bizarre monument: the Cyanometer. Created by an artist Martin Bricelj Baraga, it measures the blueness of the sky. Over three metres tall, this column compares the sky above to a full colour palette and uses that to assess air quality. The principle is simple: the more “photoshopped” the blue, the cleaner the air. Faded colours indicate moisture and airborne particles. A local measuring station supplies data, which the Cyanometer displays on its surface along with the temperature. You can even track it online – because if it’s not on the internet, did it even happen? The installation appeared in 2016, coinciding with Ljubljana being named the European Green Capital. To round off your visit, head to the city’s largest park, Tivoli, where a distinctive castle now houses the Centre of Graphic Arts. Ljubljana may be small, but it’s full of character. Dragons, quirky sculptures, historic bridges, and the alternative world of Metelkova ensure you’ll never be bored, yet there are plenty of spots to relax away from the hustle and bustle typical of capital cities.

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Kuwait – space towers and Operation Desert Tire

Gosia — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 15:40:21 +0000

I visited Kuwait quite accidentally and spontaneously. Accidentally, I found cheap tickets there, and I spontaneously visited it regardless that from a logistical point of view, this trip was completely pointless. However, let me start from the beginning. One day in August, I started browsing flight offers and noticed that a well-known budget airline had opened new connections from Rome and Vienna to Kuwait. Return tickets were for €40, including weekend flights. I didn’t have to think long, I quickly looked at the map and estimated that 2-3 days would be enough to see the entire country. I didn’t consider a longer trip, as visiting Kuwait’s neighbours was out of the question. For obvious reasons, I didn’t consider Iraq, the second option was Saudi Arabia but visa there is quite expensive. I was also afraid of high prices Kuwait, which is known as one of the richest countries in the world. Finally, I decided to fly from Rome and return to Vienna, and paid an additional PLN 300 for flights between these cities and Warsaw. The idea was completely crazy, the whole-day flight from Warsaw via Rome to Kuwait, a 2-day stay in Kuwait and then a return to Vienna, with an overnight stay at the airport and a morning flight to Warsaw. However, I needed some change, something new, and above all, I wanted to feel that I was on the way. What did I find there? Well, complete surprise, which I like the most ? Hot and even hotter… Of course, another example of my stupidity was the decision to go there in the middle of summer. I realized that it would be hot, even very hot… like 47℃. I also knew that I would have to wear long pants and blouses that cover my shoulders. However, I didn’t perceive it as an obstacle, because I was sure that the high temperature in a dry climate wouldn’t be so bothersome. However, the reality exceeded my wildest expectations, I finally learned the limit of my tolerance for heat. In the end, I decided to follow the example of the Kuwaitis and travel everywhere by car, and limit my time in the “fresh” air to a minimum. I must admit that this way of sightseeing was an interesting experience. Kuwait is perfectly suited to this type of tourism. It has a very well-developed road infrastructure and plenty of parking spaces. As a result, I travelled 600 km in less than 2 days and I still wonder how it was possible, while Kuwait is only 200 km from north to south. Training of Patience The real highlight is a ride on The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway. The entire causeway construction cost only $3 billion. After all, who can forbid a rich person? The construction of the road was one of the largest construction projects in the Middle East. It consists of two bridges with a total length of almost 50 km. The main goal of this project was to shorten the road between Kuwait City and Silk City. In the effect the route between these cities has been reduced from 104 km to 36 km. The ride takes 30 minutes, but personally I must admit that it was the longest 30 minutes of my life. Firstly, because nothing, absolutely nothing, happens on this road. The most surprising thing is that there are practically no cars here. Secondly, driving there is more like a training of patience. It might seem that three empty lanes in each direction are the perfect place to check what the factory has given the car, but the speed limit there is 100 km/h and the speed cameras are located in such a way that you can’t even speed up. Ultimately, I decided that it would be safer not to learn the Kuwaiti fines tariff. A similar situation occurs on most roads in Kuwait, three lanes highways, no signs of any life and the speed limit of maximum 120 km/h. Finally, after an hour of singing and talking to myself, I decided to do something useful. The landscape around me was so beautiful that I decided to take photos 😀 There is no water in the desert… Kuwait has no natural sources of drinking water. It’s obtained from seawater desalination. Although I don’t know much about this process, I suspect that it requires a lot of energy. I must admit that the biggest surprise for me was the large amount of greenery. It’s hard for me to imagine how much it costs to maintain green lawns and parks in Kuwait at temperatures reaching almost 50℃. While driving around the city you can see numerous squares and parks. The most popular park is Al Shaheed Park, which also serves as an entertainment space. Various exhibitions, concerts and other shows are organized there. Space towers The city center of Kuwait is incredibly impressive, especially considering that until the 1960s it was a small fishing village. Modernly planned urban space, numerous skyscrapers, clean streets and carefully manicured lawns and parks show that Kuwait doesn’t have cash shortages. The tallest skyscraper in Kuwait is Al Hamra Tower, reaching almost 413 m. Another landmark is Liberation Tower reaching almost 400 m high. As the name suggests, the tower is a symbol of Kuwait’s liberation from Iraqi occupation. It can be recognized by its characteristic ring resembling a UFO plate. An interesting sight in Kuwait are the water towers, which look more like an artistic installation straight from a science fiction movie. There are 6 characteristic clusters of water towers around the city of Kuwait. The five clusters look like huge mushrooms painted with white and blue stripes. The towers were built to distribute water from desalination. According to Sheikh of Kuwait- Jaber Al-Ahmed’s idea, they were to be a work of art and at the same time a symbol of Kuwait’s modernity and technological advancement. The towers look amazing, but the real icing on the cake is the last cluster of three Kuwaiti Towers, which look like huge balls covered with blue sequins. Past times However, it’s not like that Kuwait completely cuts itself off from tradition. In the city center there’s the Souq Al-Mubarakiya, which is a reminder of the times when Kuwait was a trade center. It’s one of the oldest bazaars in Kuwait. You can buy numerous local products, carpets, perfumes, spices and sweets here. The second interesting place is the Kuwaiti Fish Bazaar, located near the Grand Mosque. This bazaar is not like the bazaars I know from the other Arab countries, above all it was immaculately clean, the goods were carefully arranged, and what is most surprising, there was so silent that I didn’t even think about haggling? Operation “Desert Tire” This may seem a bit strange, but before my departure when reading about Kuwait, I became interested in an unusual place, more precisely, a waste tire dump near the town of Sulaibiya. To dispel any doubts, I have no idea about this type of attractions, but the Kuwaiti landfill interested me because of its scale. Apparently over 50 million tires in storage would make it the largest in the world. I wanted to see with my own eyes the desert covered to the horizon with tires. There were numerous fires in the area, which resulted in the emission of harmful substances into the air. The Kuwaiti government has been trying for years to eliminate its harmful effects on the environment, and apparently they had succeeded by the time I arrived. Unfortunately, when I got there I didn’t see many tires, but wild camels grazing in the desert made my day 😀 Burning oil fields Kuwait ranks sixth in the world in terms of oil resources. What’s more interesting, the costs of oil extraction here are the cheapest in the world, because the oil is located almost below the surface of the earth. No wonder that this country is almost completely dependent on it. Therefore, it’s worth visiting the KOC Oil Display Center, where you can learn about the technology of oil extraction. Part of the exhibition is devoted to the disaster of 1991, when Iraqi soldiers retreating from Kuwait set fire to oil wells. This posed a huge threat to the environment and population. It was estimated that 4 million barrels per day would be burnt. Moreover, according to initial estimates, the operation of extinguishing the shafts was supposed to take from 5 to 7 years, but thanks to the huge support of other countries, the situation was brought under control in only 9 months. Another place of remembrance of the war with Iraq is the Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum. The museum looks more like an urbex. The collapsed parts of the building and the walls with bullet holes were left on purpose by the Kuwaiti government. This place is intended to remind us of the bloody 10-hour raid by Iraqi forces on the hideout of Kuwaiti guerrillas. Opposite the museum you can see one of the Iraqi tanks used in the battle.

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Brooklyn Bridge-21 elephants and 17 camels…

Gosia — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:32:58 +0000

The Brooklyn Bridge – an icon of New York and one of the most recognisable symbols of the Big Apple. I admit I didn’t expect that it would make such a big impression on me. By the way, just knowing that this is one of the oldest span bridges in the world it’s a sufficient reason to be under big impression. Actually, when it was built in 1883 was also the longest suspended bridge in the world. Less than a week after its opening ceremony, the bridge became a place of tragedy, 12 people died on it. During Memorial Day celebrations false alarm about the alleged risk of bridge collapse caused panic among the people participating in the march. This accident and lack of trust for innovative construction caused the residents of NYC to stop using the bridge. It was only the ingenious move of the city authorities who decided to lead 21 elephants and 17 circus camels across the bridge that restored the confidence of NYC residents in the Brooklyn Bridge. To this day, its elaborate construction consisting of powerful stone towers, as well as a large number of steel wires makes it awesome. I won’t even mention marvelous views of Manhattan. In addition to its basic transport function, the Brooklyn Bridge was also the place where wine was stored. Massive granite pillars created isolation and guaranteed perfect conditions for storing wine in the cellars inside. One of these rooms also served as an anti-bomb shelter during the Cold War. It was discovered only in 2006 during bridge construction inspection. Inside the room were medical supplies, water and a supply of high – calorie crackers. Currently you can visit here a photography gallery, located inside metal containers. Being around, it’s also worth visiting the so-called DUMBO. DUMBO is nothing more than an acronym used to determine the NYC area – Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries DUMBO was a warehouse and industrial center, also today you can see old warehouses, made of characteristic red brick. Currently, many of these buildings are transformed into iconic boutiques and small art galleries. However, DUMBO’s most important point is the corner of Front and Washington streets. You can recognize it by a large number of tourists, trying to capture a perfect snap 😉 It’s worth going here both day and night. The view of two bridges – Brooklyn and Manhattan is terrific! Moving further towards the Brooklyn Bridge, you can see the iconic Jane’s Carousel from 1922. It creates the amazing, old-fashioned atmosphere of this place. It’s also worth taking a look at Brooklyn Bridge Park, where you can find an amazing view of Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge . Visit this place both day and night.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina – Mostar, the city of hatred?

Gosia — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 21:13:36 +0000

It’s 11.00 am, delighted with views on the way from Sarajevo, I look forward to getting out of the bus and seeing marvelous Mostar. The door of the bus opens and I feel like I’m going straight to hell. The temperature is 35 Celsius degrees, and it’s not a noon yet. I take my backpack and I move towards the hostel, expecting to see this picturesque city with a famous bridge. But what I see along the way in no way doesn’t look like images from a catalogue which I’d seen before. In addition to the beautiful panorama of the city from the Musal bridge, you can see the ruins of the luxurious Neretva Hotel, also known as Tito’s Palace, which was the favorite Josip Tito’s accomodation. Now it’s a complete mess. Right behind the bridge there’s a high building of the former bank, which during the war was called the Sniper Tower, as its location gave perfect view to the front line. That’s where the snipers were shooting at the civilian population who wanted to get across the river. Now the Sniper Tower is an abandoned building inhabited by homeless people. Here you can see a number of interesting murals and great view of the city. Mostar is a picturesque town located in the valley of the river Neretva. Its name comes from the word mostari, which means the guardians of the bridge, who in the old days were guarding the Old Bridge. The Old Bridge is currently the main tourist attraction in Mostar. Unfortunately Mostar is also called: “the divided city”, “the city of hatred” and “the city with no reconciliation”. It may be hard to believe it right now, but in Mostar took place the most severe battles during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. Initially, Bosnian Muslims and Croats fought against the Serbs. However, in May 1993 Croats attacked the eastern part of the city where Bosnian Muslims lived. During more than one-year occupation, they did a lot of damage in this part of the town. In November 1993 the Croats completely destroyed the Old Bridge, a valuable monument since Ottoman times, which was build more than 400 years ago. The Bridge was rebuilt in 2004 using the same technique. At the highest point, it is more than 20 meters high and the main tourist attraction is to watch the brave jumpers who dive from it to the Neretva river. In the old days, it was a sign of courage but now it’s being performed mainly for gaining money. Despite the reconstruction, the bridge still separates Croats from Bosnian Muslims. As a matter of fact, Mostar currently consists of two cities. Divisions are visible to this day, both in the city’s architecture and in the organisation of public institutions. The right side of the Neretva river, inhabited the Croatian population, has a more modern character than part where Bosnian Muslims live. There are no signs of war here and the architecture look more like European with new buildings and churches. The left part of the Mostar is very diverse. The Old Town has a typical oriental Turkish character. On Kujundziluk street you’ll find bazaar which remids the Turkish ones. There you can purchase products from craftsmen, goldsmiths and have a cup of coffee brewed in Turkish way or smoke a shisha. This part of the city is also dominated by numerous mosques, the most popular of which is the Koskin Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, which offers a panoramic view of Mostar, while the largest is Karadoz – Bega Mosque. Next to the Koskin Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, there’s a small bazaar where you can stock up on brandy, local honey and delicious fresh figs, cut straight from the tree. Some rest from the crowdy Old Town can be found near the Crooked Bridge. Crooked Bridge is the oldest monument in Mostar. It looks the same as the Old Bridge, only in a slightly smaller scale. The resemblance is not coincidental, since it was built as an experiment to verify the strength of the structure, before building the right bridge. That part of Mostar I like the most. The atmosphere of this place is more intimate than the surroundings of the Old Bridge. There are many cosy restaurants from which you can enjoy an interesting view of the surrounding area, sip delicious coffee and eat Bosnian delicacies. Although it has been more than 20 years since the end of the war and despite the enormous financial assistance of the European Union and UNESCO, Mostar hasn’t been completely rebuilt yet. There are signs of fratricidal fighting on the eastern side. During 4 years of war (from 1992 to 1995 ), this part of the city was practically razed. All you have to do is walk a few meters from the bridge to see the destruction of the war. There are traces of cannon bullets, holes of the bullets from machine gun, some of the buildings are torn down or burnt. Most buildings are abandoned in this part, because people who wre driven out of them during the war have never come back. City space is “diverisfied” by cemeteries, where dates on tombstones are the same… Bulevar Revolucije – the former front line during the battle between Bosnian Muslims and Croats, still divides the people of Mostar. Urban institutions are duplicated, separate for Croats and Bosnians. There are two separate post offices, two fire brigade stations, two hospitals, two schools. Electricity and telephone communications are provided separately by different operators to each part of the city. Some Mostar residents have never even crossed the bridge. There may also be a problem with ordering pizza, as it is often not delivered to the other part. In the course of numerous talks, the people of Mostar themselves, didn’t hide disappointment with current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. City’s budget is spent for duplicated public institutions, which prevents Mostar reconstruction and further development. Finally, a big surprise is the statue of Bruce Lee located in Zrinjski City Park near the Sniper Tower. It was built on the initiative of the group called Mostar Urban Movement and was to act as a symbol linking Bosnian Muslims and Croats. Is there anyone who doesn’t like Bruce Lee? Unfortunately, it turned out that there’re some people, because the statue was demolished right after the unveiling. However, Mostar Urban Movement didn’t give up, renewed a monument, which now stands in the park intact. Where to eat? I’ve written recently about Bosnian delicious food and places where it’s worth trying local dishes. The post you can find here. Where to sleep? In Mostar you’ll find numerous hotels and hostels. I chose the cheapest option – single room in Hostel Beg, where for 2 nights I paid 15 €.

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Rotterdam – the unreal city

Gosia — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 07:26:10 +0000

Rotterdam, called also the „Gateway to Europe/World” is mainly associated with the biggest port in Europe and the third – biggest in the world (just after the Singapore and Shanghai). Another famous symbol of this city is Erasmus of Rotterdam. This famous philosopher matches perfectly to the multicultural character of this cosmopolitan city. During our visit there, we had an impression that in this second – largest city in the Netherlands, the Dutch are in the minority. It is said that there’re at least 160 nationalities in Rotterdam. But not only the biggest port and cultural diversity make this city an unique place. Nowhere in the Netherlands you will find such interesting places like here! Before all, Rotterdam is famous for its architecture. It’s an only place in the “land of cheese” where you can admire beautiful landscapes from higher than 4-floor level because only here are skyscrapers. One can admire this beautiful architecture from Erasmus Bridge which is the most popular spot in Rotterdam. It connects the north and the south side of Rotterdam and it’s called “swan” in view of its characteristic span, resembling this bird. Rotterdam is also a testing ground for indefinite architects’ fantasy. One of the most interesting architectonic landmarks is a subdivision called Kubuswoningen. It consists of houses which resemble cubes. But the most surprising is the fact that in these not so normal houses, normal people live! Surprisingly, they look quite “conventionally” inside. One thing’s for sure: nobody sleeps here on the wall or eat on the ceiling but space optimization is definitely an interior designer’s nightmare.Close to the “Rubik’s cubes” you can see another strange building which shape resembles a tube decorated with colorful panels. It’s very hard to say what it is exactly. But when you come closer it turns out to be nothing else than a market place and a simple apartment complex! Residents don’t have problem with buying fresh fruit or vegetables. They only need to look out of the window to check if fresh delivery has come and just go down to buy it. Just behind this modern market place you can find the biggest and the most famous market in the Netherlands. Stalls with electronics, clothes, bike accessories, flowers or cheese wind along Binnenrotte street. Another Rotterdam attraction are numerous drawbridges. During our visit we had an opportunity to see an operation of “folding” them. The impression is amazing, it moves to the surrealistic world of the “Inception” movie. Rotterdam it’s not only a concrete city. Popular place to relax is Het Park which is located in the city center. The Dutch call it just The Park and they like to spend their spare time here, in the surroundings of rivers and ponds. At the end of this park you can find 186 m high tower – Euromast. From the top of it you can admire beautiful Rotterdam panorama. There’s also a very famous district Delfshaven, which is located very close to the Het Park. In was a port of the city Delft. This place moves to another world of Rotterdam. Colorful townhouses located along picturesque canal with an old windmill create unique atmosphere of the old Netherlands. Rotterdam is famous for its diversity, amazing architecture which connects modernity with cosmopolitan ambience. It’s no wonder that in 2014, this city was ranked by the Rough Guides, as a one of the most interesting cities in the world. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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