Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
I arrived in Zara, a proud maritime port that now goes by the name Zadar, to a blinding sunshine that made the Adriatic sea glitter. I could but register an endless sea of blue for my eyes to feast on. When entering the city by way of the mainland I was l be greeted by …
Geography Sibenik is located in an inlet that connects the Krka River to the Adriatic Sea. This inlet is an estuary, where the port of Sibinik is enclosed in a large bay and is separated by the harsh sea by strips of the mainland folding around it on all sides. Of course, the exception to …
Trogir is the little cousin of Split. While the former city is a sprawling metropolis, the later retains it’s charm as a small medieval center, almost undisturbed by modern life (with the exception of a fleet of modern pleasure craft idling in the harbour). Geography Trogir is a Croatian city located just north of Split, …
The industrial seaport of Croatia stands in stark contrast to sparkling Dubrovnik. It was born of strife and built into the walls of a Roman emperor’s palace. From its humble beginnings the city grew to become a powerhouse of the Adriatic and the second largest urban center in Croatia. Split may show its wear through …
When one thinks about the Adriatic coastline, one city springs to mind immediately… Dubrovnik the cultured capital city of the ancient Republic of Ragusa. Naaaaah just kidding! To the obnoxious tourist that has overrun the hotspot, it is now better known as “That place where Game of Thrones was filmed bro”, but more on that …
Arrival in Esztergom I arrived in Esztergom, via Nyugati station in Budapest. To my dismay I found out that the station is not located directly in the town center near the Basilica, although the 3km walk did afford me the privilege the to visit a very pretty, albeit decaying city. Watch out for the St. …
Along the shoreline of the Danube lies a place of legend and repute. This urban center is more romantic than Paris, more interesting than Vienna and more exiting than Berlin. The world was deprived of this city (Budapest) for over 50 years, the vile result of the Cold War. As an Iron Curtain fell over …
2022 Update Upon my 2022 revisiting of the city I retract my comment. Bratislava is actually not glum at all, in summer the city really comes alive and surely is one of the quaintest small capitals in Europe. My esteem for both the friendly Slovak people and their capital (but not just their capital, the …
Slow down, you crazy child And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile It’s all right, you can afford to lose a day or two When will you realize, Vienna waits for you? Vienna, Billy Joel – The Stranger (1977) Vienna, the capital of Austria, is a place that has enchanted the …
I had arrived in Vienna from Graz and was just about to take a quick nap when my hostel roommate walked in. We began talking and she mentioned how exhausted she was from her day trip. I asked where she had been and she mentioned the Wachau Valley. Intrigued I asked her more about it …
