Longer Latitude

Remnants of Old Dubai in the Middle of the Ultra-New City

paganmaven — Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:42:00 GMT

This small museum is a former fort (Al Fahidi), which was founded in 1787 and is the oldest surviving building in Dubai.

I especially liked the various exhibits, dioramas depicting everyday life in the desert ... mannequins of artisans, merchants & vendors at work. The series of black-and-white period pictures from the 1930s onwards, are a good indicator of how Dubai has grown & developed since its days as a modest village settlement.

The fort is square-shaped & towered, in the open courtyard are some aged cannons and a summer hut composed of palm fronds (known as an Arish). On display both outside and inside the walls are dhows (traditional boats). The museum provides a good grab of local history amidst all the newness of Dubai.

The fort-cum-museum is very close to the city's principal waterway, Dubai Khor (or Dubai Creek).

We went on a traditional water taxi (abra) ride on the Creek ... more of the old contrasting with the new! From near the fort we churned over to another part of the city (historically the creek has been viewed as splitting Dubai into two section - Deira and Bur).

On a conservation note for Dubai, the end of the creek has a waterbird and wildlife sanctuary. The abra is a pretty basic, old form of watercraft but it got us across the creek reasonably quickly so we could spend plenty of time visiting the network of street and arcade vendors alongside the creek.

A Small Sample of the Bedouin Life of the Bani Yas plus 4WDs

paganmaven — Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:23:00 GMT

On our last day in UAE our TG took us on a late afternoon drive for a spot of dune-buggy "rally driving" in the sandhills. Well, that was the first part of why we headed for the hinter-hills. Desert dwellers with SUVs?

Actually we spent an hour or so hot-footing it up-and-down in 4WD land rovers. The first time our Emirati driver drove over the edge of a steep 'wave' of sand and we dropped straight down, it felt pretty 'hairy' ... but it was all quite safe as the 4WDs were equipped with roll bars and the drivers kept completing the same circuit countless times till we got kinda bored of it. We then stopped on a sand ridge and admired the sunset for a while.

After the desert romp we went to a camel park and Bedouin fort camp ... I wondered if this was a "fair dinkum" Bedouin encampment or if it had been slightly sanitised or 'Disneyfied' for tourists. However, seeing the old wooden walls of the fortification for me at least did manage to conjure up a sense of the "Beau Gestes"!

Those that didn't want to do the camel ride (personally, I had sated my taste for camel rides striding atop a collection of even-toed ungulates in Egypt previously), went for a combined dinner and show. The eating conditions were pretty rudimentary (one tick for authenticity at least) - we were seated on large sand-filled cushions which were resting on ancient-looking strips of carpet bleached dry of colour by endless exposure to the harsh sun ... however I would concede the meal was quite good (falafel & kebab roll) except for the rather tasteless penne.

The show was only short - the main part was a bearded male dancer in a colourful, traditional costume, a Arab tunic and a sort of umbrella dress (come to think of it he looked a bit like Max Klinger from Mash, or at least he seemed to share the TV character's wardrobe tastes!).

The dancer twirled around in circles - in one direction - ever more frenetically. He did this for so long I thought he would surely have to unwind in the opposite direction for the equivalent amount of time before he would be able to regain his balance! ... but he was OK. Halfway through his twirling performance his whole outfit lit up like New Year's Eve ... at this point for some reason, randomly, the idea of suicide bombers came into my mind - maybe it was the way he was self-activating the light show (ie, himself) by repeatedly flicking a switch on and off! Fortunately for all the show ended peacefully and we eventually returned to our more comfortable beds in the hotel.

360° Views of a Hazy Metropolis

paganmaven — Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:23:00 GMT

Whilst we were in Downtown Dubai we plunged into high tourism mode by taking in the obligatory Burj (Tower) Khalifa, at 829m (give or take a half-metre) the world's highest skyscraper/human-made structure.

We did the standard thing, paid to go up to the Observation Deck, Level 124. If you want a higher view you can go up to the top viewing deck at Level 148 (all up the structure has 163 levels) - which will cost you about AED350.

But level 124 was high enough for us, the view from there was like looking at a space age city - vast modern buildings and vast intersecting arterial freeways, surrounded by an ocean of sand - made to look all the more Sci-Fi by a constant haze circling around the periphery. The waterworks of the Dubai Fountain was a spectacular hydro-sight from above. Back on ground level the Burj has an interesting info display on the history of the building's construction, charting it stage-by-stage and metre-by-metre.

Sandy Malldom

paganmaven — Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:00:00 GMT

Upon arriving at our Dubai hotel, the Mecure Gold, I tried to exchange some of my money for the local currency, but I couldn't interest the next-door Islamic Bank on Al Mina Rd in my AUDs. They directed me to another bank "five minutes" down the street but after walking for more that five minutes in the extreme heat and not spotting any banking establishments lurking amongst the sand, I gave up, retreating back to the hotel and decided to wait till later in the day when we made the trip into Downtown Dubai.

At the supersize Dubai Mall we found a money exchanger just inside the entrance. The woman inside the glass booth thinking I was trying to change USDs at first offered me AED2.63 to the $ but when I clarified that I had AUDs she offered 2.65 (to my surprise!). I gratefully and swiftly accepted lest she realise her error (a very rare victory over the money changers!). Equipped with my enhanced sum of dirhams I found we could only shop, not eat or drink (alcohol) in public, ie the Mall was public ... Ramadan was still going on!

Dubai Mall or "Sandy Malldom" as I prefer, is a massive place, numerous elongated passageways crisscrossing each other all over. The Mall is a tourist epicentre of course - "The Diver" waterfall fountains, an Airbus simulator, Arab-themed village, etc. The thing that gets most attention though in the Mall (unless you're a terminal shopaholic) is the Aquarium. Interestingly one side of the Aquarium is fully visible from outside through a huge glass wall facing the passageways on several levels ... so you don't actually need to pay and go inside to see unless you want to experience the special features - eg, tank dive with the sharks, etc.

All manner of piscean life can be viewed from the transparent wall - sharks, hammer-heads, stingrays and multifarious smaller fish. We saw scuba divers swimming among the sea creatures, cleaning the gigantic pool with long blue hoses. The neoprene-clad divers were getting unnerving dead-eye stares from the sharks. Hopefully for their sake the human "Creepy-crawleys" do their work AFTER the members of the lamniade family have been fed!

Buda on High: Várhegy

paganmaven — Fri, 5 Aug 2016 16:34:00 GMT

Within the smaller, Buda part of Budapest the focal point for most tourists centres around Castle Hill (Várhegy). On the top of the hill there is a square with St Matthias Church on one side of it and a parapet-like structure on the other.

Originally there was a fortification on the side closer to the Danube. This section of the city castle walls was manned in the Middle Ages by city fishermen, who following a 13th century raid from a Mongolian army, were made responsible for keeping watch on invaders (hence the name "Fisherman's Bastion"). The present, silver/white coloured structure has a Medieval appearance but is actually Neo-Gothic (dating only from the end of the 19th century). The impression it conveys is that of a fairytale castle, like something improbable you'd find in Disneyland (some visitors have noted the similarity to it of the Walt Disney logo). The staircase has interesting old wall relief-sculptures worthy of examination. Access to the terrace is free of charge but if you want to go up to the turrets for higher views there is a fee. Below the parapet the land drops away sharply into a pleasant park close to the river. The castle viewed by night, when all lit up, is at its spectacular best!

Whilst we were visiting the Bastion we went downstairs into the narrow, damp, aged basement and had a viewing of a doco recounting the history of Hungary. It was very informative, especially the story of "The White Stag", a Hungarian creation myth about how twins, Hanor and Magor, founded the Hungarian nation by accident whilst out hunting the aforementioned white stag. The stag suddenly disappeared and the two hunters found themselves in a strange land where they met, kidnapped and married two Sarmatian princesses - thus uniting three peoples - the Huns, the Magyars & the Alans. The film was an enjoyable and educational diversion.

From the Bastion part of Castle Hill it's only a short walk south to the castle/palace proper. Also close by you will find souvenir markets and a wide array of good and reasonably priced restaurants.

Photos: Raygam

paganmaven — Wed, 3 Aug 2016 23:10:00 GMT

Széchenyi 'Beach' Set

paganmaven — Wed, 3 Aug 2016 22:50:00 GMT

The Széchenyi Medicinal Baths are the largest in Europe and one of the continent's most famous thermal pool complexes with a history dating back over 100 years. It reminded me of the old Ramsgate Baths 50 years ago, but with a liberal measure of grandeur and style about it. This place really brings the punters in, all ages and types. It is open every day of the year and I reckon some locals do come every day! Its function and importance to the average Budapester is more analogous with that of the democratic beach in Summer in an Australian coastal fringe city.

Széchenyi is very large and crowded. It is hot, a landscape of cement and water littered with people either sunbathing or standing round in small groups in pools. Many pools in fact! Three outdoor pools plus 15 smaller indoor ones in all. The configuration of the outdoor pools is a conventional rectangular pool in the middle, bookended by two half-circular ones. The baths are mixed-bathing but some other of the very many therapeutic pools in Budapest are either single sex or sex segregated in bathing.

I liked the architecture a lot - grand, very ornate with arched columns with the complex as a whole set in the middle of a pleasant city park which the Baths shares with a circus and an amusement park. On the left side of the pool, near the Pepsi sign, groups of older men, half-immersed in water, were busying themselves attentively in games of chess.

The water was warm to quite hot in parts, up to 38°! It was very refreshing and relaxing, especially when you perch yourself for a while under one of the water spouts which are overshadowed by classical sculptures. But I couldn't stay in the open for long though ... too many people, far too hot and the poolside areas lacked for shaded spots.

One avenue of escape from the heat and potential sunburn was to venture inside to one of the smaller (also crowded) thermal pools where the water temperature was a more tolerable 27°. The locker system in place in the Baths seemed haphazard, rows of lockers up and down different alleys and different floors. It was very antiquated, looked like it was designed in 1913, annoyingly cumbersome and detracted a bit from the experience. When you pay to enter you get a plastic armband for the locker, its advisable not to lose it in the water hijinks.

Glad I visited, even if I found the aesthetics of the baths more rewarding than the swimming (more accurately, wading) experience.

Photos: Brno

paganmaven — Tue, 2 Aug 2016 23:52:00 GMT

Busing, Boating & Walking around Budapest

paganmaven — Tue, 2 Aug 2016 23:28:00 GMT

Taking a tour on the Big Bus of the city on our first day in Budapest provided a concise snapshot of the scope and size of Budapest. One of the first things you notice from the top deck of the bus is the contrasting physical difference between the hillier Buda side (especially around the Castle District) and its expanse of parklands and the larger Pest side with its mainly flat contours. The commercial hub of the city is concisely encapsulated within the Pest District.

We did the combined bus/boat trip with a cruise down the Danube later on. The river cruise was the standout part of the city tour. It was ideal to take in the views on either side, lots of grand architectural sights (eg, the London-influenced Parliament building, the Disneylandish Fisherman's Bastion, etc). Many of Budapest's most impressive buildings are clearly visible from the river. The experience of cruising along the Danube here is superior to the equivalent cruise in Vienna (or for that matter to doing a river cruise in Prague).

The free walking tour was at least equally valuable in yielding insights into Budapest. Our 25-y-o guide was very helpful, took us to many of the attractions the Pest district has to offer. Vaci Utia, the main boulevard was basically an invitation for indulgent mega-shopping for gifts and souvenirs - coupled with countless rows of seating for outdoor eating. Of course we sampled the local sweet specialities like the apple strudel (there was a bit of a Viennese feel to the pastry shops and both places seem to be "sweet tooth" zones).

The architecture in Vaci was an interesting mix of old buildings with some ultra-new glass monoliths. We went past the famous(sic) MacDonalds fast food place ... unremarkable looking but famous, our guide informed us, because it was the first one to open ANYWHERE in the Eastern Bloc. Such was the novelty of Maccas at that time (late 1980s) it was apparently THE place to be seen in Budapest. When it opened diners actually had to make reservations to eat there, and when they did, they turned up in their finest clobber!

The walking tour ended near the famous Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd) and we walked over to the Buda side past the bridge's 'protective' lions. This presented the opportunity to take a swift ride up the steep castle hill in the city's funicular (Budavári Sikló), which reminded me of my experience ascending and descending Chile's ascensores in Valparaíso.

Another mega-shopping place is the Grand Markets ... old, multi-level hangar or gigantic barn-like structure, with merchandise ranging from fruit and veg, fish to clothing and accessories. Budapest has its own version of Aldi (Hofer) and more surprisingly a branch of the South African supermarket giant, SPAR!

I noticed that the local 'fuzz' wear cute if slightly ludicrous little red berets ... to be honest though I doubt if 2016 Syrian asylum seekers see them as being at all 'cute'.

Viennese School for Stallions

paganmaven — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 19:02:00 GMT

One of the tourism high points and cultural gems on a visit to Austria is the Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) with a history of over 450 years in continuous operation. The white show-horses are bred in Piber (Western Styrian region of Austria). In Vienna they perform in the Winter Riding School at the Hofburg Wien.

We didn't catch the famous horsey show but we managed to spot them in their exercising yard prancing up and down. Whilst we were there the Lipizzaners (as the Spanish horses are known) were taken out for a run through the cobblestone streets of the plaza. There was a brief moment of excitement when one of the white stallions did a runner, giving its handler the slip and tried to gallop off in pursuit of free range, riderless freedom. Its liberty was short-lived however as it was quickly reined in.

The riders in the military outfits must feel a bit like Napoleon, parading about on slick steeds wearing their bicornes (loopy-looking two-cornered hats). Here's hoping the practice doesn't lead to a complex!

Bratislava's Contented League of Recreational Drinkers

paganmaven — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 00:16:00 GMT

The tour coach took the M3 expressway from Budapest to Bratislava. Most of the roadway between the two Central European capitals was a vista of seemingly endless fields of Van Gogh-like sunflowers. When we got to the Slovakian border we were able to seamlessly cross over thanks to both countries being EU signees of the Schengen Agreement ... no vehicle stops, no passport checks, etc. Fast-forward just six months, there would no such easy passage for Syrian asylum seekers trying to make it to refugee-friendly Germany.

We parked up the hill near the tramlines & walked down the ancient looking steps to the Town. Old Bratislava was composed of a "rabbit-warren" of roughly cobbled lanes and narrow streets leading directly or less directly to the town square. The first thing that caught my eye (near the under-road tunnel) was a smoking salon, decked out with comfy chairs much like a cafe (actually it might be characterised as a "smoking cafe with coffee optional"). I was bit surprised to find this establishment here, only because I'd heard from a Slovak acquaintance in Australia that smoking parlour shops had been outlawed in Slovakian cities, but here it was, couples happily chugging away at the weed in relaxing surroundings. Mind you, they were lots of other public places anyway that you could freely smoke anywhere in the town (so a shop specialising in smoking seemed a bit superfluous to this outsider!).

It was very hot on the day we visited (about 35-36 degrees), so most of the locals were content to sit round drinking their pivo of choice in the numerous bars (vyčapy) all over the old town. One of the cobblestone street in particular was a kind of "booze bingers' alley", wall-to-wall liquor swilling outlets strung out along a dark, dingy bar strip.

One especially popular bar (called, what else? ... "the Dubliner") had the right idea in the heat, it had affixed a sprinkler system of sorts to the underside of the shop awning allowing the sweltering patrons the relief of jets of soft droplets of water whilst imbibing. The Pest part of Budapest had a similar thing ... a number of Váci utca restaurants were equipped with fans blowing gentle mists of cold vapour (perfumed?) onto diners.

Cultural pointer: Beer drinking du jour is the norm in Bratislava - and cheaper than water I found out! ... when finally we were driven inside one of the bars by the unrelenting heat, the spring water I ordered cost me €1.80 whereas the half-litre of beer my companions both had cost them a mere €1.20 each!?!

From Bratislava's central square, tourists can explore the town on a dinky toy train (in keeping with the 'Lilliputian' scale of the Slovakian capital). Many of Bratislava's public buildings seemed a little tired, in need of a facelift or a paint job - or both.

Among the locals, especially the younger women, I noticed a high percentage of blonds (very much in line with what I observed in the Czech Republic). Amusingly one stopped me in the street to ask me, in animated Slovakian, for directions! I am getting used to being mistook for a local but it still bemuses me why.

Footnote: Tiny Slovakia cf. Even Tinier Slovenia

We visitors to Europe from the other side of the world get these two small Central/Southern European republics mixed up so often (no excuses though once you have actually visited each one!). I can only imagine how frustrating this must be to the Slovaks and Slovenes themselves ... especially as both peoples long existed as subordinate ethnic identities in their respective, larger former states before finally freeing themselves from the shadow of numerically larger ethnic groups.

'Beering' up for the Summer Heat!

paganmaven — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 16:25:00 GMT

We parked up the hill near the tramlines & walked down the ancient looking steps to the Town. Old Bratislava was composed of a "rabbit warren" of roughly cobbled lanes and narrow streets leading directly or less direction to the town square. The first thing that caught my eye (near the under-road tunnel) was a smoking salon, decked out with comfy chairs much like a cafe. I was surprised to find this here, only because I'd heard from a Slovak acquaintance in Australia that smoking parlour shops had been banned in the city, but here it was, couples happily chugging away at the weed in relaxing surroundings. Mind you, they were lots of other public places anyway that you could freely smoke in the town (so a shop specialising in smoking seemed a bit superfluous to this outsider!).

It was very hot on the day we toured (about 35-36 degrees), so most of the locals were sitting round drinking their pivo of choice in the numerous bars all over the old town. One of the bars had the right idea in the heat, the staff had affixed a sprinkler system of sorts to the inside of the shop awning & a gentle mist of perfumed water(?) was being sprayed onto the grateful drinkers reclining below (something similar was done in Budapest, I noticed).

Cultural pointer: Beer drinking du jour is the norm in Bratislava - & cheaper than H2O I found out! ... when finally we were driven inside one of the bars by the unrelenting heat, the spring water I ordered cost me €1.80 whereas the half-litre of beer my companions both had cost them a mere €1.20 each!?!

Footnote: Tiny Slovakia cf. Even Tinier Slovenia

We visitors to Europe from the other side of the world get these two small Central/Southern European republics mixed up SO often (no excuses though once you have actually visited them!). I can only imagine how frustrating this must be to the Slovaks & Slovenes themselves ... especially as both peoples long existed under subordinate ethnic identities in their respective former states before finally freeing themselves from the shadow of numerically larger ethnic groups.

CK: a Nano-sized Bohemian Fantasy

paganmaven — Thu, 2 Jun 2016 12:10:00 GMT

"Czechy Crumbly", well not exactly, but that's what I thought the name of this place sounded like when I first heard it was on the itinerary of our trip to the Czech Republic. This small town 170km south of the Czech capital isn't exactly crumbling but it is very old ... and exceedingly picturesque. The combination of its beauty, charm and size has led many visitors to describe it as a miniature version of Prague.

The 13th century Gothic castle (Zámek), on the left bank of the Vltava River, is the magnet for most visitors to Český Krumlov (or Krumlaw). The castle is a long complex of buildings (40+), courtyards (5!) & 10ha of Baroque gardens, its entirety stretches from a lower point near an old part of the city (Latran) through the Red Gate up to the upper castle. As you would imagine with a grand structure so historically significant, the castle has the customary UNESCO accreditation.

Most visitors pay to clamber up the 162 steps of the Castle Tower staircase to glimpse the commanding, 360 degree-views of CK. Gazing east across the river you can see the orangey-yellow terracotta roofs of the Inner Town (Centrum). The Inner Town sits on a curved nub of land which follows the contours of the winding river and offers a smorgasbord of quaint medieval buildings.

Below the walkway (and the Castle Tower), between the first and second courtyards, there is a bear moat with a few remaining brown bears prowling solemnly around its confines. Bears have been kept here since the days in which the city was ruled by the House of Rožmberk (Rosenberg) (Rožmberk Castle itself is some 25km south of CK).

One of the most distinctive architectural features which connects the Upper Castle with the Castle Theatre is the Cloak Bridge which has apartments and a viewing platform resting on huge, arched stone foundations resembling viaducts.

Centrum has lots of cobblestoned back lanes full of cafés and bars, but something also worth visiting is the museum dedicated to the Austrian Expressionist artist Egon Schiele whose edgy controversial portraits earned him the ire of the socially conservative burghers of Český Krumlov during the two years he lived in the city (just before WWI).

CK is a pleasant, picture postcard sort of place, stocked to the rafters with tourist trade wares. The Vltava which looked more like a stream than a river where we were, apparently has rafting listed among its visitor activities. Judging by how still and tranquil the water was, unless its about "slo-mo" rafting, the serious stuff must be a long way downstream from the city weir.

Prague's West Bank: The "Royal Way" up to Pražsky Hrad

paganmaven — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 00:25:00 GMT

The historic street of Nerudova in the Lesser Quarter used to be part of the "Royal Way" (Královská cesta), the traditional route taken by Bohemian kings to their palace coronations. Today, this is the hilly route taken by countless tourists from the Charles Bridge to reach Prague Castle. It's a steep walk for sure up Nerudova ulice, a winding cobblestone street, but it wasn't as taxing a walk as we had been forewarned it would be, especially as you can stop at regular intervals to look at the many points of interest on the way. Nerudova contains many impressive historic buildings, grand houses, hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and foreign embassies to see. A unique feature of the street is that all of the historic buildings have a distinguishing name and symbol attached to their facade (this feature predates the actual numbering of houses in the street).

Pražsky Hrad (Prague Castle) is no miniature palace, the whole site stretches out for a distance of some 570m or so in length. In fact the Guinness Book of Records rates it as the largest castle in the world! The castle's lofty location is undoubtedly its prime asset. The castle offers great views of Malá Strana and particularly of the eastern part of Hradčany. The whole complex, surrounded by extensive gardens, contains in addition to the 9th century castle, two cathedrals (St Vitus and St George), a riding school, Queen's Summer Palace and a Treasury holding King Wenceslas' Crown Jewels and other treasures (Prague's equivalent to the Tower of London). The large palace forecourt is the place to be if you want to catch the changing of the guard with its bright greyish-blue uniforms (during the summer months on the hour: 0700-2000). Currently the castle/palace is the presidential residence of the Czech Republic.

The whole area around Castle Hill, Pražsky Hrad and the other historic buildings like Lobkowiczky Palác on the hill is known as Hradčany. The core of this district is the Castle complex and its series of courtyards and gardens. The elevated location of Hradčany affords views back across the Vltava River to the Old and New Towns of Prague. There are two sets of old stairways leading to and from Castle Hill ... coming down via old Zámecke schody, even though there are over 200 large steps to descend is much easier than the cobblestoned walk up!

Prague's Karlüv Most: A Bridge Wrapped in Bohemian Sandstone

paganmaven — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 05:00:00 GMT

The Gothic style Charles Bridge over the Vltava River connects the Old Town (Stare Mêsto) with the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) and Hradčany (Prague Castle). It's construction, the Stone Bridge, was begun by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in 1357. It's a wide bridge (nearly 10 metres wide from wall-to-wall) but it needs to be considering the ongoing pedestrian congestion on it.

During the day a constant phalanx of sightseers can be observed moving over it at snail pace - or not moving at all which it seems at times! Strewn all along the balustrade on either side at regular intervals are statues of saints (30 in all). So liberally adorned with statues is the bridge that you'd think they'd have found room to include the patron saint of bridge traffic himself! The locals' favourite statue is St John of Nepomuk - the done thing if you are Czech is to rub the figure's limbs as you pass it for good luck (just like the Moscovites religiously do in the underground metro stations in the Russian capital).

The old cobbled path bridge is full of street vendors selling food or more commonly souvenirs (small paintings and drawings of Prague city scenes are popular items but also other crafty trinkets). The bridge is also a favourite haunt for various musicians who ply their trade in the hope of attracting the generosity of appreciative tourists. As we crossed one particular lively folk band caught our eye, they were an eclectic, motley crew - dressed like gypsies doubling as extras from 'Pirates of the Caribbean', complete with bongo drums and Scottish bagpipes.

Ancient looking towers bookend either end of Karlüv most ... on the Lesser Town side the tower has the sole remaining remnant of the original Romanesque (Judith's) bridge. On the Stare Mêsto side stands by far the most famous of Prague towers - the Old Town Bridge Tower is a magnificent Gothic structure although it looks its age, blackened by damage by 17th century Swedish marauders.

Medical advice for anyone suffering from the effects of ochlophobia: to avoid the "football stadium" crowds on the Charles Bridge you need to visit early AM or after nightfall.

If it's Tuesday it must be Brno: Brno Inside Three Hours!

paganmaven — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 15:20:00 GMT

After our coach deposited us at the central railway station we followed the tramlines from it by foot along Masarykova which took us through the middle of historic Brno. Masarykova connected with a very big square called Zelny trh, which was pretty threadbare with people the day that we visited. There was just a few stall-holders set up in the middle, selling flowers and some fruit and veg, far from the hive of activity we encountered in Prague and Bratislava. The market, known in English as the Cabbage (or Green) Market, had metal fences cordoning off part of the square (refurbishment in progress it seemed?).

Looking around the wide open square I noticed there were lots of these cute little three-wheel yellow 'taxis' darting all over the place ... they looked like cramped smart cars on bicycle wheels. There was a number of fine historic buildings to see, especially the Dietrichstein Palace, the Hotel Grandeeza & some churches. I understand that under the square though, there is much more of interest, a big underground labyrinth with cellars which historically Moravians have stored food and aged wine (Brno's favourite alcoholic beverage). I would have liked to explore this subterranean realm but unfortunately this 'whirlwind' tour of Brno didn't allow for it.

One of the star attractions in the square is Stará Radnice (Old Town Hall), one of if not the most historic of Brno structures (dating from c. 1240). The Town Hall is famous for its structural deformity, a distinctly bent middle pinnacle on the Gothic portal of the facade (a city legend has it that the designer of the building deliberately added this skew-whiff feature because the town officials reneged on the fee for the work). Another associated legend with the Town Hall is the legend of the Brno 'Dragon' - which is actually a crocodile attached to the ceiling! (Cz: Krokodyl).

We ventured into the Moravian Museum (Moravské zemské muzeum) but didn't feel the urge to look at yet more paleontological and archaeological exhibits (BTDT), so we found a little offshoot section the Dietrichstein Palace where we could have morning tea refreshments. This place, called the Air Café and Bar, was good for coffee and brunch (it was 10:30-ish and although the cafe had a good selection of cocktails we thought it was too early to ask for the "breakfast wines" menu!).

Aside from the cocktails, what got my attention in the cafe was its World War II theme. The walls were adorned with a colourful display of Czech WWII pilot paraphernalia. There were war propaganda posters, old b&w photos of aircraft and crew, with the RAF and Churchill also prominently displayed ... I was reminded to some extent of the interior of the Eagle pub in Cambridge which is redolent of the British and American pilots who frequented it during the War, however the Air Café was much more chock full of WWII and more specifically Battle of Britain memorabilia - in a way the Café is a Czechoslovakian homage, not just to Czech WWII fighter pilots, but to the whole Battle of Britain. Well worth a visit.

We spent our remaining brief time in Brno wandering around the streets and lanes off Masarykova. To the east of the wide Freedom Square is the Mênín Gate (Mênínska Brána), another equally historic remnant, the only surviving gate of the Old City. It's also the only fragment of the system of historic city walls that remains. The Gate is now an archaeological museum.

All in all, the thing that struck me about Brno was that it was a pretty low impact town, tourist wise ... or maybe it was just because it was Tuesday!

Wieliczka's 'Sodium City': More than a Grain of Salt

paganmaven — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 15:35:00 GMT

Before coming to Wieliczka in Southern Poland, my idea of what it might be like in a salt mine was informed largely by Hollywood and the Cold War. Hollywood - didn't Ben-Hur (AKA Chuck Heston) start his working life in the service of the Roman Emperor as a lowly salt miner on starvation wages? I remember it was about the dreariest part of the whole film! Cold War - all those Western jokes inspired by Gulag life in the Soviet Union about political prisoners being sent to a Siberian salt mine by the Bolsheviks, real gallows humour but with a distinctively sobering edge to it when you realise it really happened. So, taking a tour down a salt mine didn't sound like fun - cold, dark, dank, claustrophobically tight for space, suffocatingly discomforting. But Wieliczka turned out to be a fascinating place to visit!

From the top we had to descend down a narrow wooden staircase over 35 flights of stairs (fortunately you don't have to return via this route as there are lifts that take you up). Once at the operational level you discover that part of the erstwhile salt mine is actually a huge sculpture palace/museum ... the older pieces were carved out of the natural rock by miners, the newer ones by contemporary artists. Many of the salt sculptures have a religious theme (the Last Supper, Pope John-Paul II).

The underground tour, 327m below the surface, goes for three kilometres and it looks like there a lot of space down there, not as cramped as I imagined it would be. Whilst doing the tour though it is hard to appreciate just how big the mine is (287m long in fact!). The tourist route (there is also a pilgrims' route and a miners' route) takes us a tiny fraction of the mine's entirety. At various points of the mine passageway there are dozens of sculptures of historical and mythological figures and an underground lake too.

The mine's highlight is its four magnificent salt chapels (Wieliczka has been characterised as a vast underground salt cathedral!). Even the impressive chandeliers in the chapels are made from salt. It's amazing to reflect that Kopalnia soli Wieliczka yielded the everyday commodity of table salt from the 13th century continuously till 2007 when it ceased production. Whilst you are undertaking the tour you might want to hold off on buying any of the salt mine souvenirs at the underground kiosk. The stalls outside sell most of the same momentos for less than half the price (even the shop at the exit at ground level is cheaper than the kiosk).

Outside the salt mine is an attractive park setting, and across from the park is the Graduation Tower, a fortress like structure which is a pointer to the fact that Wieliczka was a spa town in the 19th century. People visit the Tower separately (apparently) to inhale brine for relief from respiratory ailments. The salt mine is an UNESCO Heritage Site and is reachable by bus or car from the city of Kraków.

sound like fun - cold, dark, dank, claustrophobically tight for space, suffocatingly discomforting. But Wieliczka turned out to be a fascinating place to visit!

Outside the salt mine is an attractive park setting, and across from the park is the Graduation Tower, a fortress like structure which is a pointer to the fact that Wieliczka was a spa town in the 19th century. People visit the Tower separately (apparently) to inhale brine for relief from respiratory ailments. The salt mine is a UNESCO Heritage Site and is reachable by bus or car from the city of Kraków.

Photos: Scopophile

paganmaven — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 15:55:00 GMT

Kraków: The Auschwitz Experience, Proof of Evil

paganmaven — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 13:54:00 GMT

Whilst I was anticipating my upcoming trip to Poland with much relish, and to Eastern Europe as a whole, the prospect of visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau site wasn't one I was looking forward to. I wasn't at all keen on visiting the former Nazi concentration camp ... maybe I have been fed on too much of a vicarious experience courtesy of the SBS network's televisual obsession (so it appears at times) with all things to do the Holocaust, Nazism and World War II!

To me it was an unappetising and gruesome prospect ... but it was after all an option - it was my choice. In the end a combination of firm encouragement from my young Catholic Polish friend and the fact that we were going to be close to the site once in Kraków itself (75km west of the city), I decided to do it, reasoning that going all the way to Southern Poland & not including it in the itinerary seemed like something I might regret later. Incidentally, some Polish people told me that nothing raises the blood pressure of Poles like hearing Auschwitz-Birkenau described as a 'Polish' concentration camp, as some non-Polish tourists have occasionally and very erroneously done. To Poles it was always & unequivocally a German or Nazi concentration camp - which happens to be located within the borders of present-day Poland!

Today Auschwitz is both a museum and a memorial to the victims of the Third Reich. There was a crowded, chaotic scene at the entrance, long lines of tourists queuing up. Eventually we got inside the building after making it past the bag checks and scanning of the heavy security screening at the gate. It was an eerie feeling walking through those notorious, infamous gates of Auschwitz I (notwithstanding that the ominous sign "Arbeit Macht Frei" we passed under is only a replica of the original one which was stolen in 2009). The incongruity of the scene was very stark, very apparent - constant streams of people milling all over the prison, going from block to block, in a place that otherwise was just so barren, desolate and abandoned!

Auschwitz was a harrowing experience but one in hindsight I wouldn't have wanted to have missed. The various barracks were full of unforgettable sights .... grim but also very, very poignant stuff, from the zoo-sized glass display cabinets of hair (incredibly, a vast room of scalps!), countless labelled but abandoned suitcases, artificial limbs, shoes, including children's (two large rooms of shoes both 30m long x 12m wide). Each block has a thematic element ("Prisoners' Life", "Material Evidence of Crime", etc).

Also displayed throughout the blocks are an amazing amount of official, incarceration documentation (Nazi reports on inmates, medical treatments/punishments, etc). This really was a surprise to me, that such a minutiae of official, day-to-day documents had been preserved. My preconceived notion would have been that such incriminating material for the Nazis would have been destroyed. I can only deduce that the sudden, rapid advance on the territory by the Soviet Red Army in 1945 caught the occupying German Army out and it hastily fled Poland before it had time to dispose of all the evidence.

Photos: Apodysophilia

paganmaven — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 11:49:00 GMT