Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
A land dotted with fulsome farms, powerful rivers and bountiful forests, Poland is a pastoral paradise. This is reflected in the character of the Polish people, who have a intrinsic connection to the land and its harvests. Yet, it is a small region tucked in the southern tier of the country that has captured the …
Every time I visit Poland, a friendly pole will ask me “Will you go to Zakopane” and when I answer no they suddenly become animated and end with “Well… You Really Must Go To Zakopane”. After multiple visits to the country I can finally say that their love for their mountain paradise is not misplaced …
Exhausted after exploring the incredibly beautiful hillside city of Banská Štiavnica, I retreated to my room in a nearby penzion (inn) called Stary Hostinc, near the Svätý Anton Manor house. Before I could lay my head down I felt my stomach rumble and an inextinguishable hunger set in. It was high time to assuage my …
The belle of Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica occupies a stunning geographic location. Nestled in the green hills of Slovakia, and almost untouched the by uncaring hand of modernity, it is one of those rare places on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain that has been able to escape unscathed. Like its neighbor Banská Bystrica, Banská …
The second city of the Czech Republic (after Prague) and the chief city in the province of Moravia, Brno has a big city feel in a tiny footprint. This busy university town was once known for being at the center of the munitions industry and was home to Československá zbrojovka, an arms factory and the Zweigwerk aircraft …
At the center of the Southern Bohemia, with its quaint rolling hills, stands a town both fair and lively. Its name is Tábor, named after the biblical Mount Tabor located in Israel, but also the literal translation of the world “camp” in Czech, a testament to its humble origins. For those not aware, this was …
Everyone knows Salzburg, it is the quintessential place the comes to mind when thinking about the Austrian Alps. Not only was the city (and the verdant green hills that surround it) featured in the famed flick, The Sound of Music but it has been one of the de-facto tourism destinations when visiting the Alps. Due …
Location of the Falls Located at the intersection of the Montmorency river with the Atlantic bound St. Lawrence, where along spanned suspension bridge connects the north shore to the lovely l’Île-d’Orléans, this waterfall offers a dramatic view of the landscape. This article is a stub of my article on Quebec City. Accessing the Falls You …
Located between the medieval mining towns of Banská Bystrica and Banská Štiavnica, Zvolen’s name is of Slovak origin. It is synonymous with the chosen one, splendid and excellent, and although the city has seen better days, it still has some of that shine. Although it may be hard to compete with its mining town neighbours …
Located at a critical juncture in Europe’s medieval trade network, Prešov feels like it has been frozen in time. It’s impeccable main square stands as a testament to the wealth derived from its position, and to what was lost when those tectonic plates of trade shifted with changing borders. Life can be opportune, but fortune …
