Though still a work in progress, this page is now largely complete. There are links to all posts describing our travels in eastern Europe and details of most.
For the purposes of this blog 'Eastern Europe' means countries that were once described as 'Behind the Iron Curtain' but were not actually part of the Soviet Union (the latter are covered in a separate 'Former USSR' page). Greece is included out of geographical necessity, even if it was never politically part of that Eastern Europe, and also Turkey as it has to go somewhere.
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| Playing Chess, Sarajevo, Bosnia |
In our youth we did once cross the 'Iron Curtain' driving from Boulogne to Budapest with a tent, but that was in 1980, long before the days of internet and blogs. We also visited Czechoslovakia between the end of communism and its fission into Czechia and Slovakia, and Poland right at the start of this century. Poland is the subject of one post and is labelled in another, but sadly the others appear not at all.
The countries that do feature in the blog are (most recent first) Romania, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Poland and Turkey.
Romania
(June/July 2022)
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| Romania |
24/06/2023 |
Romania Location, Our Tour, Walachia & Transylvania. Vlad the Impaler. History 440 BCE to the Romans. 19th Century birth of Modern Romania. Two World Wars. The Ceausescus | |
25/06/2023 |
The Arcul de Triumf. An ‘Irish’ pub, Moldovan & Romanian breakfasts. The Heroes of the Fatherland. The Palace of Parliament, the Ceasescus and their egos, the paintings of Sabin Balasa. Calea Victoreie, Carol I equestrian statue. Revolution Square and the end of the Ceausescus. The Monument of Rebirth. Lunchtime Ciorba. | |
26/06/2023 |
Cozia Monastery, the Holy Trinity Church and it’s Frescos. River Olt. Late arrival in Sibiu. Sibiu Arts Festival. Sibiu ‘City with Eyes.’ History: Transylvania Saxons. Lower and Upper Towns. Bridge of Lies Council Tower, Roman Catholic church, La Turn Restaurant. | |
27/06/2023 |
Sibiu to Hunedoara. Recent history. Hunedoara (or Corvin) Castle and the story of John Hunyadi and Mathias Corvinus. Alba Iulia & Alba Carolina, the citadel. Mihai Viteazul, The Cracked Bell. Plăcintă for lunch. The creation of greater Romania. Catholic Cathedral, Márton Áron, the tomb of John Hunyadi. | |
28/06/2023 |
The Transylvanian Saxons. Biertan and its fortified church, the altarpiece. Bastions, The Prison of Unhappy Couples Bishop Unglerus. Storks. Sighişoara, The Old Town. Lunch, Bean Soup in Bread. Birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Towers of the Craft Guilds. Holy Trinity Church. Dinner In Sighişoara, Sarmale and polenta. | |
29/06/2023 |
Sashiz fortified church. Rupea and its fortress. Brașov, the Transylvanian Saxon city and its history. Schei area where the Romanians were allowed to live, St Nicholas and the Old Romanian School. Council Square, the Town Hall, two City Gates, synagogue and the Black Church and its legends. Whatever happened to the Transylvanian Saxons? | |
Bear Sanctuary and Bran Castle | 30/06/2023 |
Coming one day |
Peles Castle and the Dealul Mare Wine Region |
01/07/2023 |
Extreme patience recommended |
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| Bucharest's 'Champs Elysée' |
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| Sibiu, The City with Eyes |
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| Hunedoara Castle |
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| Fortified Church, Biertan |
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| Inside Rupea fortress |
Albania
(June 2019)
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| Albania |
07/06/2019 |
Starts
in Greece. Corfu-Saranda Ferry. Then in Albania. Saranda to Ksamil. A First
look Ksamil and its Albania.Beaches. A walk in the country. Mosque and
Orthodox Church. Dinners: Octopus and Mussels, Raki | |
|
08/06/2109 |
From Ksamil to the end of the peninsula. Greek Bouthroton, the Temple
of Asclepius, turtles, the Theatre. Roman Buthrotum, the Baths and gymnasium.
Byzantine Butrint, Baptistry and Basilica. Modern Butrint Communits, Fascists
& the Scaen Gate. North to the Blue Eye, a huge gushing spring of
intensely spring blue water. |
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|
08/06/2019 & 09/06/2019 |
History of city. Lunch of byrek and Fergese. The Old Bazaar Hotel. The
Ethnographic Museum (in the rebuilt childhood home of Enver Hoxha). The
Skenduli House. Ismail Kadare, Albania’s premier novelist. Diner and a bottle
of Arberi Kallmet. The Fortress, collection of artillery, a shrinking American
spy plane, Ali Pasha’s clocktower. Obelisk |
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|
09/06/2019 |
North to Fier and east to Berat, Fergese lunch in Berta. The Pasha's
Gate and former house. Berat Castle, the National Iconographic Musuem and the
work of Onufri.. A view over modern Berat to Mount Tomorr. The historic districts
of Mangalam and Gorcia. The Sultan's Mosque. On to Tirana, dinner an Italian
restaurant. |
|
|
10/06/2019 |
A little history. The Pyramid of Albania. Skanderbeg Square, Et’hem
Bey Mosque, National History Museum and Socialist realism. Vegeyable Market, Edi
Rama and murals. Tirana Castle, statues of communist leaders. King Zog, Bunk'Art
2 and the rule of Enver Hoxha. Blloku, once a restricted zone. The house of Enver
Hoxha. Ismail Qemali and a bunker. Tirana Grand Park, Commonwealth and German
war graves. | |
|
11/06/2019 & 12/11/2109 |
South from Tirana to Vlora on the coast. The Llogara National Park, Mount
Cika, the village of Dhermi, the Llogara Tragedy. Lunch in the small resort
of Himare. Ali Pasha’s Castle at Porto Palermo. Submarine bunkers. On to the
larger resort of Saranda. In the Morning back to Corfu then home. |
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| Lori Beach, Ksamil |
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| Apollo, Butrint |
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| Gjirokastër Fortress |
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| Gjirokastër New Town |
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| Modern Berat and Mount Tomorr |
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| Skanderbeg, Tirana |
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| Saranda at night |
Greece(June 2019)
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| Greece |
|
06 & 07/06/2019 |
Corfu-Saranda Ferry. The rest of the post is in Albania. Saranda to Ksamil. A First look Ksamil and its Albania.Beaches. A walk in the country. Mosque and Orthodox Church. Dinners:
Octopus and Mussels, Raki | |
|
05/06/2019 |
Lunch: Dolmas, Tzatziki, Gyro & Corfu beer. The Venetian City, with its forts, old and new, and old town with narrow streets. The British Protectorate and Cricket.
History: Corfu joins Greece, Prince Philip, The Durrells, St Spyridon, Edward
Lear’s House, Squid dinner. |
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| Corfu ferry port |
North Macedonia
(June 2015)
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| North Macedonia |
|
26/05/2015 |
Macedonia, name dispute with Greece. Resolution Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia becomes North Macedonia. Flag issues, the Vergina Sun and
Macedonia’s current flag. The Greek point of view and potential Macedonian
land claims. Goce Delchev, Slavic Macedonia and its relation with Bulgaria. Albanian
population. | |
|
27/05/2015 |
Skopje a very brief history. The new Cathedral St Kliment, Macedonia
Square and ‘Warrior. The, Stone Bridge, St Demetri, Sveti Spas, the Ottoman
Carsija, Museum of Macedonia and the Caravanserai. Porta Macedonia and the
origins of Mother Teresa. | |
|
28/05/2015 |
Through Saraj to Glumovo and its mosque. Matka Canyon, its dam and the church of Sveti Andreja, Motorway driving to Stobi. Impressive remains of Roman Stobi. To Demir Kapija and the Popova Kula (Priests’ Tower) Winery, Winery tour and dinner. | |
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29/05/2015 |
Across Tikveš wine region. Kavardaci. Prilep a tobacco growing centre. The Čaršija and the story of burnt out mosque. Across the Pelagonian Plain. Roman Heraclea. Modern Bitola, dinner in Shirok Sokak (Wide Alley). Next morning to the Čaršija. | |
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30/05/2015 |
French Military Cemetery and the Salonika Front. The Mariovo ‘border badlands’, Makovov, Rapeš. Lake Prespa, Tectonic Lakes, Kurbinovo, tortoise, Sveti Gorgi, frescoes, and the 50-dinar banknote. Resen and on to Ohrid. Dinner in Ohrid. | |
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31/05/2015 |
Through the old streets to Upper Gate of Car Samoil’s Castle. Klimentov Universuty, Sveta Bogoridica, church and icons. Car Samoil’s Castle, the Church of Saints Kliment & Pantelejmon. Kaneo its church & lunch. Church of St Sophia. Evening beer and a pop-up chapel. | |
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01/06/2015 |
Elšani in the Galičica National Park. Gradište, the Bay of Bones and a reconstructed bronze age village on stilts. Noisy frogs. The lakeside village of Trpejca, The Monastery of St Naum. The Source of Black Drin River (possibly). Dinner in Ohrid, we ate liver and dolmas and drunk Mastica, Vranec and Rakija. | |
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02/06/2015 |
To Struga. Beaches and the source of Crna Drin. Coffee on the
pedestrian street. The Miladinov brothers and he poetry festival. The War
memorial. To Radozda and the church St Michael hollowed into the lakeside
cliff. Back to Ohrid for Ohrid (style) trout and plasnica (whitebait). | |
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04/06/2015 |
Struga and following the Crna Drin near the Albanian border to Debar.
Skanderbeg. The Mavrovo Nat Park, Moastery of Sveti Jovan Bogorski, the Cherrywood
Cannon. To Skopje - car towed away & reclaimed. The wrong railway station. |
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| Cathedral of St Kliment of Ohrid, Skopje |
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| Lake Matka |
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| Lynne in Shirok Sokak, Bitola |
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| Rapeš and beehives, Mariovo |
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| Streets of the old town, Ohrid |
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| 'Bay of Bones' stilt village, Gradište |
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| The waterfront, Trpejca |
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| Radozda from the steps up to the church |
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| Cherrywood cannon, Sv Jovan Bigorski |
North Macedonia is also labelled in
14/02/2023 |
A collection of largely plinth-free statues from three continents. In this less deferential age it is good not to be looking up to people all the time. North Macedonia's contributions are The Musicians and Divers, whimsical antidotes to the bombastic statues of the then government's policy of antiquisation. | |
A Collection of Arcs de Triomphe (none of them in Paris) Part 2: Post 1900 |
19/08/2020 |
The North Macedonian contribution is the Porta Macedonia in Skopje. Built in 2011 it is the most recent Triumphal Arch I know of. Other contributions
are from India (2), Mexico, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Transnistria and Azerbaijan. |
22/05/2020 |
A collection of mosques in countries at least part in Europe. North Macedonia’s contributions are the mosque at Glumovo near Skopje and the burnt
out mosque at Prilip. Also mosques in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Turkey (Istanbul) and Albania | |
|
26/06/2017 |
In which I assess the pleasures of the table, both eating and drinking, in 10 countries across 3 continents. North Macedonia acquits itself
well. Also considered are China, France, India, Iran, Mongolia, Morocco, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. |
Croatia
(May 2012)
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| Croatia |
27/05/2012 |
Mostar to Dubrovnik by bus, into and out of Croatia, Neum, the Dubrovnik exclave. The Old City, Pile Gate, Placa (Stradun), St Blaise. A walk round the walls, the harbour, cruise ships and their passengers, the Watchtower and my emotional intelligence. A rainstorm and the Lapad Peninsula. A good dinner. | |
28/05/2012 |
From Dubrovnik along Pelješac peninsula to Orebić. Ferry to Korčula. The Land Gate, The Korčula Statute, St Mark’s Square, the Bishop's Palace, the
Cathedral, Sveti Petar, Lunch of Mussels Buzzara. Marco Polo. Return to
Pelješac, wine tasting. Ston its wall and earthquake damaged church, and
position in the Republic of Ragusa | |
29/05/2012 |
Dubrovnik in the evening. The Rector’s Palace. The Market. Serbian Orthodox Church. Synagogue. Dominican Monastery, art and relics. The Maritime Museum. The Ethnographic Museum |
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| Dubrovnik from the watch tower |
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| St Blaise, Ston |
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| Dubrovnik Market |
Bosnia and Herzegovina
(May 2012)
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| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
|
Sarajevo
(1), The Old Town, The New Town and the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand |
24/05/2012 |
Arriving in Sarajevo. Reminders of the siege. Ottoman Sarajevo, Gazi
Husrev-beg, The Old Orthodox Church, the Yellow Bastion and the Muslim Siege Cemetary.
The Bjelava district and the ouse Srvzo Hse. Austro-Hungarian Srajevo. Trams,
Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals. Despica House. The Assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 1914 |
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24/05/2012 |
Dinner at Kibe. The Republica Srpska and the start of the Siege.
Butmir Tunnel of Hope. War Museum. Snipers Alley and the Holdiay Inn. The
Markale Mortar attack. The Vratnic Citadel and the grave of Alia Izetbegovic | |
|
25/05/2012 |
Kujundziluk. Old Bridge. Crooked Br. Neretva Trout. The war in Mostar,
the Front line, Mepas Mall, Central High Sch, Franciscan Ch. The Bridge and the bridge jumpers. The Musilbegovic
House. Burek. The partly rebuilt Orthodox cathedral. |
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| Baščaršija Square, Sarajevo |
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| The Tunnel of Hope, Sarajevo |
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| The former 'front line', Mostar |
Also labelled 'Bosnia'
|
22/05/2020 |
Covers mosques in countries at least part in Europe. Bosnia’s
contributions are the restored Karađozbeg Mosque in Mostar, the Alpasina
Mosque in Sarajevo and the sights and sounds of the minarets in the Sarajevo
skyline. Also mosques in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, North Macedonia,
Georgia, Turkey (Istanbul) and Albania | |
|
08/08/2012 |
Bosnia’s contribution to this short post is a game of chess using the
big pieces available to all in Sarajevo’s Trg Oslobodenja (Liberation Square). |
Bulgaria
(Apr 2007)
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| Bulgaria |
|
Sofia and the Master of Boyana
|
13/04/2007 |
Why visit Sofia? First Impression. The last 150 years. Alexander
Battenberg, Louis Battenberg, Simeon Sakskoburggotski, Tsar and Prime
Minister, Communist Party HQ, Presidential Palace. National Archaeological
Museum, Rotunda of St George, Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral, Banya Bashi
Mosque, Central Synagogue. Eating in Sofia. Boyana and The Master of Boyana. National
History Museum |
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| Bulevard Vitosha, Sofia |
Also labelled ‘Bulgaria’
|
22/05/2020 |
Covers mosques in countries at least part in Europe. The Banya Bashi
Mosque is Bulgaria’s contribution. Also mosques in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia,
North Macedonia, Georgia, Turkey (Istanbul) and Albania,
|
|
|
10/02/2012 |
Sofia’s Central Synagogue is the Bulgarian Contribution. Also mosques
in Poland an India |
Poland
(July 2002)
Turkey
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| Turkey |
Most recent visit to Istanbul, August 2014
|
27/08/2014 |
Arrival from Georgia, taxi to Sultanahmet. By tram and funicular to
Taksim Sq. Along Istiklal Cadessi, the Tram, Church of St Antony of Padua and
St Mary Draperis, Turkish delight shop. Baklava & apple tea for lunch,
Whirling Dervishes (the Galata Mevlevihane). Galata Tower. |
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| Venerable Tram, Istiklal Cadessi, Istanbul |
First visit to Istanbul, May 2011
|
10/05/2011 |
The Sultanahmet peninsula, Column of Constantine, Hippodrome. Byzantine & Ottoman Empires.
The Blue Mosque. Hagia Sophia, mosaics and calligraphy, the Omphalos, Ahmet
Ertug’s photographs. Lunch in Sultanahmet. The Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. | |
|
11/05/2011 |
The Roman Cistern and an inverted head of Medusa. The Museum of Oriental History & Archaeology and the wonders of the Assyrians and Babylonians, and busts and sarcophagi from the time of Alexander the Great. Lunch of baklava and Turkish delight. The Sultanahmet tram to the 19th century Dolmabahçe Palace. Roast Chestnuts. Kadayif and apple tea. | |
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12/05/2011 |
Topkapi Palace, the harem, the Treasury, the Topkapi dagger and emeralds. Moses' staff, Abraham's saucepan, and more unlikely relics, many tiled pavilions. The Galata Bridge and the fish restaurants on the lower deck. The Grand Bazaar. Dinner with a glass of Raki. |
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| Hagia Sophia, Istanbul |
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| Babylonian lion, Museum of Archaeology |
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| Inside the harem, Topkapı Palace |
also labelled 'Turkey'
22/05/2020 | Covers mosques in countries at least partly in Europe. Turkey's contributions are the Süleymaniye Mosque,the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia . Also mosques in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Albania, |
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