Stuck in the Perast
July 12, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
A few km up the bay, Perast used to be rich and famous, boasting 16 churches and 17 grand palazzos. Well they used to be grand and some of them will be again as properties have been snapped up byRead more
Kotor cruising
July 12, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
There is no escape from the looming presence of the cruise liner, except perhaps by climbing the city walls which stretch up the cliffs behind the town.
Have to include the image of the laundry hungRead more
Kotor town
July 12, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
It is believed to have started as the Roman town of Acruvium but owes most of its current beauty to 400 years of Venetian rule as Cattaro.
The ambience is laid back without any significant touristRead more
Kotor
July 12, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
To counter the magnificent mountains of Montenegro, the bay of Kotorska offers a beautiful harbour setting that attracts the mega-rich in their mega-yachts as well as the medium rich on their cruiseRead more
Most na Mostanici & lakes
July 12, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
The Romans built a bridge across the Mostanica river in 4 BCE but it moved, or maybe the water did. Now it is stuck out in a farmers field all by itself.
Montenegro seems to be full of lakes. SpanoRead more
Onogost
July 10, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ 🌧 21 °C
Yes, as advertised (just) over the entrance door in this town now known as Niksic, there really is a restaurant inside!
Cigarette stalls mark many crossroads.
The Serbian Orthodox St Basil of OstrogRead more
Gorge ous
July 9, 2019 in Montenegro ⋅ 🌧 21 °C
The road from Sarajevo to Pluzine in Montenegro steadily grew worse, that is narrower and rougher until it was virtually one at a time. The TIR lorries had to travel at less than 20 kph since theyRead more
In Burton's footsteps
July 9, 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
By now it must seem obvious that my tour of Europe is turning into a tour of Hollywood film sets. In this case I turned right instead of left and arrived at Richard Burton's - "The Partisan" -Read more
Oriental meeting
July 9, 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
The old, touristic part of Sarajevo is also small and resembles the Middle East. As a predominantly Moslem environment perhaps it should not have come as a surprise, but it is definetely a relic ofRead more
Another bridge too far
July 9, 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The second thing to see in Bosnia was the place where feudal times ended: the bridge at Sarajevo. The first curiosity I noticed was the sign on the library building, showing once again that SerbianRead more
Pyramid schemes
July 8, 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Entering Bosnia was easy enough, presumably their application to join the EU helps, even though their application has been returned yet again for completion, and the change in Country was underlinedRead more
Fairy fortress
July 7, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Another 40 km diversion took me to Duzluk a pleasant provincial Serbian town in the mountains of NW Croatia. I came to see this old ruin, Ruzica Grad, (Rose Town,) one of the largest mediaevil castlesRead more
Campsite
July 6, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
After the Independent State of Croatia was established by the force of the Axis powers behind it, the first thing the Croat leaders did was to clear the decks of undesirables: that is anybody who didRead more
Spomenik
July 5, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
30 km off the main highway I entered a secluded valley where anti-Axis partisans had a large base and hospital. From Podgaric Tito launched his uprising against the despised Ustase forces of theRead more
TB or not TB, that was the question
July 4, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
There was a young lad, Milivoj Dežman, who fancied the girl who lived up the street, Ljerka Šram and had dreams of marriage and so on. She agreed to wait for him to finish his medical studies inRead more
Resetting history
July 4, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The body of Alojzije Stepinac 1898 - 1960 is displayed in the rather ordinary cathedral. A placard says:
"Cardinal Archbishop of Zagreb; defender of God's and human rights amid the madness andRead more
Letting go
July 4, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The Museum of Broken Relationships is an intriguing phenomenon which was unique although I believe that the Americans have copied the idea, (without payment of course.)
People from all over the worldRead more
Zagreb
July 3, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Stopped for a drink with Ana in Zagreb. We had a couple of beers by the Maksimir Park and avoided the welcomed thunderstorm.
The city has been smashed up so often that there is not a lot left to see.Read more
Trakoscan
July 2, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Scored a freebe here: the entrance barriers were opened and unstaffed.
Turns out that the martial needs of the Grad fizzled out with the passing of the 16th C and from then it was mainly a countryRead more
Another old town.
July 1, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
The recorded history of Ptuj starts in the Iron Age but it peaked early, in Roman times, before settling into the role of a market town. As much as one can be, situated on the major invasionRead more
Pastoral or past aural?
July 1, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C
Alas, the children here have gone to pot so I wonder how long this pastoral scene typical of the region will be maintained.
Slovene stareway to heaven
June 29, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
I didn't think I could face walking up this alleyway.
Why? ??
More dragons
June 29, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The old "Butchers' " bridge was rebuilt with dragons so that it would be snapped up everyday- or at least snapped.
Afterwards I enjoyed listening to a free concert, grooving to the local melodies.Read more
Berlin
June 29, 2019 in Slovenia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Well, it could be. This is another famous squat where student artists commandeered a vacant factory to redevelop into a tourist treat.























































































































Rose Sivasuitably subtle...
Tony HammondIt all sounds a bit of a cock up to me.....