Tag: travel
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The Pintxos of Basque Country – Spain
In Spain’s Basque Country, pintxos – a finger food similar to tapas, are ubiquitous fare in small bars. Pincho (the Spanish version of the name) or pintxos (the Basque version) means ‘spike’ and helps to distinguish this toothpick-adorned treat from its tapas cousins, which generally aren’t served with toothpicks. Go into a bar – especially in the late-afternoon hours –…
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Delving into the Details at the Modena Cathedral in Northern Italy
The Modena Cathedral offers an elegant canvas onto which to watch the world go by in this enchanting northern Italian city. Commuters pedal past its weathered walls on bikes; a gentleman reads a newspaper on its stairs, made smooth from hundreds of years of wear; children ride sculpted lions, which appear to blush at times because of their pink marble…
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The Eclectic Windows of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
To wander Sarajevo’s streets is to journey through the centuries while diving into a grab bag of architectural styles. In the city’s Baščaršija district, which feels like Istanbul in miniature, artisans craft Turkish-style copper coffee pots under towering minarets and mosques dating back to the 16th century. Along the Miljacka River, the city’s Vijećnica building —…
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A Peaceful Nap in Sarajevo, 100 Years Later
A dog naps in the afternoon light on the Sarajevo street corner where Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated 100 years ago today. Special events in Sarajevo will commemorate the 28 June 1914 shooting, which is said to have been the spark that started World War One. There are differing opinions about the event, with…
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Escaping to Marjan Hill, the ‘Lungs of Split’ Croatia
Marjan Forest Park is often referred to as the “lungs of Split, Croatia.” The park’s pine forest exhales fresh oxygen into the nearby city — which is removed, but within walking distance. Marjan (or Marjan-Park Šuma, in Croatian) has been a popular recreation spot since at least the 3rd century. Back then, Roman Emperor Diocletian (who had…
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Paddleboating & Promenading at Lake Palić, Serbia
Passing through Palić’s Great Park entrance, a heavily-carved wooden arch that resembled reddish-brown lacework, I couldn’t help but imagine who had strolled through the gates a century earlier when this part of northern Serbia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. We continued along on a sidewalk that was covered by a thick canopy of handsome old trees, our…
