Long listed for the National Book Award, this third novel by Tania James is one of the best books I have read this year. Here is my book review Loot: A Novel by Tania James
Irresistible Historical Fiction
I couldn’t put this book down. Several book reviews of James work use the word “spellbinding”. Indeed it was. I loved every page. James takes a real artifact from India, Tipu’s Tiger (currently a centerpiece in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London) and creates a fictional tale around it. Brilliant.
18th Century India
Young Abbas, a master wood carver at only 17 years, gains the attention of Sultan Tipu and his life will change forever. He is brought to the palace to build an automatron tiger, to be a gift for the Sultan’s son. Here he begins to work side by side with French clock maker Lucien du Leze to create the masterful Tiger. Along the way he meets the enchanting Jehanne, still a child herself but sparks fly.
British Forces
When Tipu’s palace is looted by British forces wanting to colonize India, the Tiger disappears. Abbas escapes and slowly makes his way to France in search of Lucien. But when he arrives Lucien had died, but he find Jehanne, living in Lucien’s house and posing as his daughter. The two will begin a partnership of clock repair and carving and eventually set out on a scheme to retrieve the stolen Tiger.
Fifty Years
Loot spans fifty years and multiple continents as war ravages and dynasties fall under colonialism. James has a remarkable talent for inventive storytelling. The reader is pulled into a story so visually rich you clearly see yourself in India, London, and on the high seas. It’s imaginative, original and a refreshing read.
Vienna. Wein. Wow. Somehow in all my travels Vienna had eluded me. Now that I have been there, I have no doubt I will be back. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in Europe – right up there with Budapest and Paris, two of my favorites. But Vienna is not Paris and it’s not Budapest. It is its own unique city with fascinating ancient and recent history and a charm and beauty like no other. Today let’s talk about Visiting Vienna Austria.
Beautiful gardens at every turn
Vienna is home to incredible art and antiquities
UNESCO
The rich and varied history and significant cultural and archaeological influence of Vienna have made its historic core a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here is what the UNESCO website has to say about the distinctive history of Vienna.
Vienna, situated on the Danube River in the eastern part of Austria, developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a medieval and Baroque city, eventually becoming the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Schonbrunn Palace summer gazebo
During the Ottoman conflicts in the 16th and 17th centuries, the medieval town’s walls, which surrounded a much larger area, were rebuilt and provided with bastions. This remained the core of Vienna until the medieval walls were demolished in the second half of the 19th century
Baroque Architecture
n 1683, Vienna became the capital of the Habsburg Empire and developed rapidly, becoming an impressive Baroque city. The Baroque character was expressed particularly in the large palace layouts such as the Belvedere Palace and garden ensemble. A growing number of new palaces were built by noble families, many existing medieval buildings, churches, and convents were altered and given Baroque features, and additions were made to representative administrative buildings.
Interior Schonbrunn Palace
Several historic Viennese buildings are now associated with the residences of important personalities such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, when the city played an essential role as a leading European center for music. (Source UNESCO)
Charles II of Spain – Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Dynasty 600 Years
Charles II of Spain – Born 6 November 1661, Charles was the only surviving son of Philip IV of Spain and Mariana of Austria, who were uncle and niece. While European nobility commonly married within the same extended family to retain property, the Spanish and AustrianHabsburgs were unusual in the extent to which they followed this policy, resulting in poor health and disfigurement as seen here. (Wikipedia)
The Habsburg Dynasty was in power for more than 600 years.
Vienna after WWII Bombing
The Second World War created havoc in the city. Vienna was bombed 52 times during World War II, destroying much of the city. However, today the city is fully restored and more beautiful than ever. (Photo Google Images)
Visiting Vienna Austria
We had six days to explore this beautiful city. Prior to arrival we had booked several activities, as well as a room at the Mercure City Center hotel, an easy walk from the main historic center of the city. Our room was comfortable, staff was excellent and the breakfast was well done each morning. Here is how we spent our time Visiting Vienna Austria.
Stephen’s Cathedral, built in the 12th century, in the historic center
Arrival
Our early flight from Belgrade got us to Vienna around 10am. Efficient exit process through Vienna International Airport and to our hotel before 11am. Too early to check in, we dropped our bags, and headed out for a full day.
Visitors flock to Vienna and carriage rides are popular
We started at the world renowned Kunsthistorissche Museum. We had purchased tickets in advance, but I think in April we could have walked in. But during the busy summer months, you should reserve your tickets. Built in 1891 the museum is home to a vast collection of the Habsburg Imperial Family and considered one of the premier museums in the world. You could easily spend an entire day. We were there for about three hours and barely made a dent. We focused primarily on painting and sculpture. When I return to Vienna I will certainly see this museum again.
Our next stop was the Leopold Museum, Vienna’s Art Nouveau collection featuring Austrian artists including the incomparable Klimt. The modern art collection of Dr. Rudolph Leopold makes up the majority of the work, including a vast collection of the works of Egon Schiele and many other artists of the Vienna Succession Movement.
We popped into this beautiful building on our way to the MozartHaus and found a wonderful surprise. Since 2005, the collections have been located within the Baroque structure of the Palais Mollard-Clary. Founded by the Habsburgs, the library was originally called the Imperial Court Library. Stunning architecture as well as antiquities share the space with a vast collection of ancient tomes
Austrian National Library
MozartHaus
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived the final ten years of his short life in Vienna with his family. The house he lived in and composed some of his greatest works, is now a museum to his life. Surprisingly ordinary, the house sits on a main street within the historic core. Touring the MozartHaus museum includes a well done audio guide with facts and details about the life of this remarkable talent. However, the movie Amadeus was actually filmed mostly in Prague.
It had been a long and productive day and we were starving. Time to visit Vienna’s oldest restaurant Griechenbeisl serving traditional Viennese food for 550 years. We dug into this giant Pork Knuckle with sauerkraut and potatoes and delicious local beer. Perfect end to our first day in Vienna.
Port Knuckle at the historic Griechenbeisl
Art & Music
Guten Morgen Wein – day two. Today we had booked a walking tour through Get Your Guide of the Imperial Palace area, which encompasses most of the historic center of the city. Our tour included an orientation of the area with stops outside the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the Austrian National Library, the Imperial Gardens, many pedestrian streets and the stalls of the Lipizaner Horses (more on that tomorrow). Inside the Hofburg Imperial Palace Additionally we toured Sisi Museum, where numerous personal items that once belonged to Elisabeth (Sisi) illustrate the true personality of the frequently misunderstood Empress.
We used Vienna’s easy tram system to head out to the Belvedere Museum, the former summer palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Today the beautiful Baroque buildings are the heart of the Belvedere collection including 24 paintings by Gustav Klimt with his golden images “The Kiss” and “Judith”. “The Kiss” is probably Austria’s most famous work of art.
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
Judith by Klimt
In addition to fantastic art collection, the gardens at the Belvedere are exquisite. Be sure to save time for a lovely stroll around the pond to enjoy the gardens on a sunny day.
The Gardens at the Belvedere
To Market to Market
After the Belvedere we hopped back on the tram and headed to the Kutschkermarkt, a neighborhood market outside of the center. Still early in the season, but we enjoyed the beautiful selection of flowers and produce, live music and crafts. Lots of seafood outdoor restaurants here as well, but we opted for a lovely and authentic Italian meal instead.
Kutschkermarkt
Italian in Vienna
Mozart Concert
After a quick rest and change of clothes back at the hotel, we were back on the tram heading to a Mozart Concert by the Vienna Music Society. The wonderful concert, with orchestra in period costume, was so much fun, and the Golden Hall was exquisite.
The Musikverein was inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1870. The Golden Hall in the Musikverein is known all over the world, not only because of the annual worldwide broadcast of New Year’s Concert by the Vienna Philharmonics, but also for being permanent seat of the Vienna Philharmonics and main stage of the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. I highly recommend this when in Vienna.
When I imagined visiting the Lipizzaner Stallions in Vienna, I imagined traveling outside of the city to big green equestrian field, like I might in Kentucky or Maryland. Oh no. These spectacular horses perform right in the heart of Vienna, in their own Baroque chandelier-ed arena built for the Spanish Riding School in 1729.
The Lipizzaner horse is one of the oldest breeds in Europe. The breed got its start in 1580 when Archduke Charles of the Austro-Hungrian Empire established a stud farm at Lipizza near the Adriatic Sea in modern day Slovenia. This occurred shortly after his brother, Maximilian II, had imported Spanish horses to Austria and founded the court stud at Kladrub. It was from the stud farm at Lipizza that the breed gets its name. Archduke Charles greatly desired to create a horse that was not only suited for war, but also for pulling carriages and performing in the manner of classical riding. Learn more here.
We booked our tickets in advance to see the morning performance of The Spanish Riding School. Not being a horse person myself, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved it. Absolutely astonishing the beauty, grace and athleticism of these magnificent animals. The riders also were amazing. It is highly competitive to be a rider at the school and it takes commitment.
To undergo training at the Spanish Riding School means a lifelong education, which is always subjected to the needs of the horses. It is tough, takes eight to ten years and requires iron discipline. The handed-down oral tradition of classic equestrian art still applies today and is passed on from generation to generation. The horse takes center stage and determines the duration of the training. Currently, there are three chief riders, eight riders, five assistant riders, as well as five trainees at the school. Learn more. Do not miss a Lipizzaner performance when in Vienna.
Performance venue for the Lipizzaner Stallions
Lipizzaner Stallion
Spectacular
Weinerschnitzel
Day three in Vienna and I still hadn’t had any Weinerschnitzel – Vienna’s signature dish. So I had read about a restaurant near to the Lipizzaner Stallions called beim Hofmeister. Their website said serving Weiner Traditional food since 1725. So we not only enjoyed a giant Weinerschnitzel but we ended with delicious Austrian Sachertorte as well.
We booked ahead tickets for Rodgers and Hammerstein iconic Sound of Music at the beautiful Volksoper theater. Even though the show was in German, we know the songs and the story well enough to enjoy it nonetheless. It was a great performance, with highly talented cast and great sets. I recommend it when in Vienna.
Vienna Volksoper (photo Volksoper)
Bratislava
I will have a separate blog post coming up about our day trip to Bratislava Slovakia (my 134th country), but let me suggest here what a nice day trip it is. If you have the time, take a day to cross the border and visit this lovely medieval city of Bratislava Slovakia. An easy one and half hour drive on a clean and efficient Flixbus bus system is a perfect way to go for less than $20 round trip. During the summer months you can also enjoy a Danube River cruise from Vienna to Bratislava and back with a six hour stay in the city. Watch for an upcoming blog post with more details about our day four visit to Bratislava.
Bratislava
Two Icons
There is still much to see in beautiful Vienna, and on day five we hit two iconic Vienna sites. I recommend booking tickets ahead for both the Vienna State Opera House and the Schonbrunn Palace.
Vienna Opera House
I have been to several opera performances in my travels, and I’m not personally a connisseur of opera. But you don’t need to love opera to love this tour. We booked ahead and I’m glad we did as the tours were sold out. This backstage tour of how this beautiful theater puts on over 300 performances a year was one of the most interesting things I have ever done. Get your tickets here.
Schloss Schonbrunn is not to be missed on a visit to Vienna. It is Vienna’s most visited site so get your tickets ahead. Lots of tour busses full of visitors come here, so be prepared for lines, even if you have advanced tickets.
Tickets include an audio guide, which was really well done and easy to understand. The wealth and opulence of this summer residence of the Habsburgs is mind-boggling. Reminiscent of Versailles, Schloss Schonbrunn became the glittering focus of court life during the reign of Maria Theresa. From this time on, it played host to the leading statesmen of Europe.
We arrived an hour before our ticketed entrance time and spent an hour exploring the gardens, forest, labyrinth and walking up the hill to the summer gazebo. Here the view back towards the city, and down to the palace is beautiful.
We entered the palace at our ticketed time, dropped our backpack and went through security. Picked up our headset and then began the tour. All of that took about half an hour. The tour itself you can take as long as you want going from room to room guided by the audio. We spent about two hours.
We found the Vienna tram an easy way to get from the city to Schonbrunn Palace, about 5km outside of Vienna.
Beautiful day at Schloss Schonbrunn
Palace Gardens
View from the Gazebo
Obscenely ornate inside the palace
Gold, tapestries and crystal everywhere
Evening Refreshments
Since it was such a hot and beautiful day, we ended this day five with beers sitting along the river watching the boats go by. Then a simple cold meal of the popular Vienna Brotchen open faced sandwich at Trzesniewski. Delicious.
Brotchen is a popular Viennes sandwich
Beers on the river
Final Day
There are many more museums in Vienna that we did not see…we will save these for our next visit. We had a late flight on our final day, so we decided to get a late check out at the hotel, and spend the day on the Danube River.
Along the Danube
First we enjoyed a walk from the Tram station on the Danube island in the middle of the river. Then we walked along the river front near the river cruise port. Sitting along the river we enjoyed a cold drink before boarding the cruise. We had booked the cruise onboard Blue Danube City Cruise. Our choice was the shorter option of about an hour and half, but a longer three hour cruise with lunch is also available. Although the loud speaker was very difficult to understand when sitting outside, we still learned a lot and enjoyed just seeing the sites from the water on a very beautiful day. Of most interest was passing through the locks.
We hated to leave beautiful Vienna, but it was time. So we booked at table at the famous Lugeck in the heart of the beautiful historic center. We enjoyed a lovely meal outside under the umbrellas, as we reminisced about this fantastic city and all it has to share.
Impeccable Asparagus Soup
Kaiserschmarrn, famous Austrian pancake
Danke Schön Wein
What an amazing city and I truly think I could spend a couple of months here. Thank you Vienna. Danke Schon Wein. You are a shining example of preservation and graceful growth in the modern world. I will return. Danke.
Vienna we will be back.
Thank you for reading our post Visiting Vienna Austria. See last week’s post Visiting Serbia for the First Time here. Be sure to come back next week for a mega post about my ten days in Madagascar.
This fascinating story brings to life the Age of Exploration and the role Captain James Cook played in it, until his death in Hawaii. Here is my book review A Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides.
Captain Cook
Hampton Sides astonishing research culminates in this incredible account of the third and final voyage of Captain James Cook. Revered by his men, considered one of the greatest sea captains and explorers in British history, and unique for his respect of indigenous people. How then did he come to his fate at the hands of the Hawaiian people?
A Change
Many of his crew noticed that Cook was different on this third voyage. Unfocused and unpredictable. Moody and distant. Did this change in personality attribute to the decisions he made about discipline that would ultimately end his life?
On previous voyages Cook had been responsible for mapping much of the unexplored Pacific including much of Australia. He made first contact with a variety of local indigenous people and cultures, including being the first European explorer to visit the Hawaiian Islands.
Cook’s first encounter with the Hawaiian people was positive and congenial. But after exploring Alaska and then returning to Hawaii, Cook’s poor decisions regarding discipline of the theft of a sheep would explode into all out war – killing several of the crew and Cook himself.
Imperialism
This is a fascinating and educational book, well-written and vast in the material it covers. Captivating, I was intrigued throughout and learned a great deal about, like last week’s book review Born in Blackness by Howard French, the European White Imperialistic surge to conquer and manifest wealth and superiority, at all costs.
One of the first countries we visited when we began the Grand Adventure was the Balkan nation of Bulgaria. We were, and still are, smitten with Bulgaria. It had everything we wanted; beautiful beaches, historic sites, delicious food, friendly people and all at a very inexpensive price. So we have made an effort to visit as many other Balkan countries as we could over the years including Romania, and Albania. This is how we ended up Visiting Serbia For The First Time. We only had a week, so we didn’t see it all, but here is what we saw while Visiting Serbia For The First Time in April.
Belgrade Church of Saint Sava
Serbia
Located in a central part of the Balkans, the region has been an important crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa for thousands of years. Wikipedia says – In 1217 the Kingdom and national church (Serbian Orthodox Church) were established, under the Nemanjić dynasty. Next in 1345 the Serbian Empire was established, spanning most of the Balkan peninsula. Serbia became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1540.Next in 1929 the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes adopted the name Yugoslavia. But in 1946, Yugoslavia became a socialist federation of six republics: Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia,
When Yugoslavia broke apart in 1990, the Balkan wars began pitting former allies against each other. Inter-ethnic fighting between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovnia, escalated and included Kosovo and Serbia. The Yugoslav war left economic and political chaos that is still visible today.
On the Danube looking across at Romania
Through Our Eyes
Serbia today, through our eyes, is a progressive country with several beautiful historic cities, UNESCO sites, good roads and infrastructure. It is not advised to drink the water, and EVERYONE smokes, but the traffic is much better than what we experienced in Albania and most people speak a little English. It is very inexpensive. During our six day visit we visited the largest city, Belgrade where we spent one full day. We did a day trip from Belgrade to Golubac. Then we traveled for one night to Novi Sad, two nights to Zlatibor and then back to Belgrade.
Sunrise in Belgrade
If you are considering Serbia, do your research to decide what is most important to you. We had read some recommendations that said don’t bother with Belgrade, but we actually enjoyed our time there very much. So depending on what you are looking for, Serbia has great food, nice museums, historic towns, prehistoric sites, beautiful nature and hiking and much more.
Belgrade
We arrived at the Nikola Tesla Airport mid afternoon. The airport is actually pretty nice and we found arriving quick and efficient. But then we tried to find the car rental area and that was a bit of a wild goose chase. Signage is tiny and we missed the sign and wandered around for awhile. We finally realized we had to cross a major road, with no cross walk, where we found these container type buildings housing the car rental companies. Both odd and inconvenient as we stood outside in the rain. Eventually we were sorted and in the car heading to downtown Belgrade.
Our hotel was fantastic. Garni Hotel Bohemia, I highly recommend for several reasons; exceptional service, parking available, laundry available and a great breakfast. On top of that we could walk everywhere we wanted to go from the centrally located property in the beautiful historic cobbled pedestrian street called Skadarlija.
Garni Hotel Bohemia
We arrived early evening and we were pretty tired. But we took a walk around our neighborhood getting a feel for the location. Instead of Serbian food (more of that comes later), we took the plunge to have a burger and fries at a highly rated little hole in the wall called Burgos. Definitely a nice change of pace and so delicious.
Burgos
Free Walking Tour
Next morning, after a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we took a nice walk to meet up with a Free Walking Tour Belgrade. I’ve said before how much we enjoy doing these tours, it’s always an excellent introduction to a new city. Our tour provided some interesting historical information about the city, religion, ethnic troubles and culture. We walked a lot… visiting several pedestrian areas, churches and the Belgrade Fortress where we enjoyed a beautiful view of the Danube River.
Belgrade Fortress
Following our tour we visited the really amazing National Museum of Serbia enjoying some surprising painting and sculpture as well as some fascinating antiquities from the region. I highly recommend you visit the The National Museum of Serbia when in Belgrade. Leaving the museum we were treated to an unexpected folk dance performance on the Republic Square.
Republic Square
National Museum of Serbia
For dinner we went to the highly rated Tri Sesira restaurant, founded in 1864 and serving the most traditional of Serbian foods. The food was really good, but we thought the service was poor and a bit “uppity”. Many tourists visit this restaurant so their snooty attitude to the customers was a surprise.
Tri Sesira
Golubac and Lepenski Vir
Day Two we headed out on a road trip, with no expectations. We had read about two places to the east that were worth a visit. It was a bluebird day and the drive was beautiful with views of the Danube and small towns along the way.
Golubac Fortress
Our first site of Golubac Fortress was a great surprise, reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty. Originally a Roman settlement, the fortress was built around the 14th century, passing through the hands of the Ottomans, Hungarians, Bulgarians and Austrians before the Serbs secured it once and for all in 1867. Recent renovations of the Fortress have made it more accessible to visitors. It is a beautiful spot for a picnic and lots of tour buses come here, so arrive early in the day if you can.
Golubac Fortress
UNESCO
Just a few miles down the road, with a sign that is easy to miss, you come to Lepenski Vir. I had no idea how incredible this prehistoric site was. Lepenski Vir, a UNESCO World Heritage Sight, is an important archaeological site of the Lepenski Vir culture. It includes Mesolithic Iron Gates Hunter-Gatherers period and transition to Early Neolithic Early European Farmers period of the Balkans.
Lepenski Vir is the oldest planned settlement in Europe and has unique, trapezoidal-shaped houses seen nowhere else. Its culture has yielded not only the earliest discovered portrait sculptures, but also the first sculptures larger than life-size in the history of human art. The site Lepenski Vir is located at the so called “Iron Gates” of the Danube, approximately 150 kilometres east of Belgrade. The excavations conducted by D. Srejovic (1965-69) on a sandy bank terrace, measuring 170X50 m., revealed a settlement which was inhabited between 6600 and 4500 BC. Man I love this stuff. What a great discovery. Don’t miss this.
Lepenski Vir
Lepenski Vir
There is more to do in this region, if you have time, spend another day. But we headed back to our Belgrade hotel and prepared for an early morning departure.
Novi Sad
Day three we headed North. Our destination was the city of Novi Sad, but our first stop was the historic Danube city of Sremski Karlovci. We arrived fairly early on a Sunday morning, the village was quiet. So we walked through the pedestrian area admiring the historic buildings and beautiful churches. Then following our Map My City App we wandered up through the hills around the city to a viewpoint. The site appeared to once have been a lovely spot, but now graffiti and vandalism had ruined it. The view though still worth it. We took another route back to the city, enjoying the flora as we headed back to our car. This region is one of Serbia’s wine regions, I recommend if you have some time, to check it out. The wines we had in Serbia were surprisingly delicious!
Sremski Karlovci
Petrovaridin Fortress
Novi Sad
Our next stop was Novi Sad, only about five miles from Sremski Karlovci. We parked at the bottom of the Petrovaridin Fortress and walked up the steps the way the ancient people would have. But you can also drive and park at the top. The fortress, built in 1692, has a fabulous view of the Danube and is a popular tourist destination. You can walk all around the ramparts and there are a few shops and a restaurant. We almost missed the museum, as the signage was not very good. I am so glad we found it. A fascinating chronological history of the region, the prehistoric people and the fortress. There is also a glimpse into the vast labyrinth that weaves beneath the fortress, most of it still uncharted.
Petrovaridin Fortress
Petrovaridin Fortress Museum
We made a stop to see the Monument to the Victims of the Raid. On the quay that today bears the name Quay of the Raid Victims, occupying Hungarian forces carried out a mass shooting of more than a thousand innocent citizens of Novi Sad in the so-called “January Raid” from January 21 to 23, 1942. The bronze composition “The Family”, 4 meters tall, was erected at that place in 1971. It’s a beautiful sculpture and memorial that includes all the names of the victims. Worth a visit.
Monument to the Victims of the Raid
Next we headed to our hotel on the other side of the river. I was not happy with this hotel so I am not going to recommend it. But we really enjoyed walking at sunset around the beautiful historic town and then heading to Fish & Zelenis’– a fabulous seafood restaurant that was one of the best meals we had in all of Serbia.
Novi Sad main square
Fish and Zelenis’
Zlatibor
Day four we enjoyed a lovely drive heading towards the mountain town of Zlatibor. The rolling green hills and bucolic farmland were a beautiful surprise as we headed to the Gostilje waterfall for a short hike. It was cooler and damper in this forest area but we enjoyed walking through the trees and enjoying the multiple levels of the waterfall. It felt good to get some exercise and breath the fresh air.
After our invigorating hike we headed on to Zlatibor, the mountain ski town at 3000 feet. Wow, it was not what I was expecting. Recent construction has at least tripled the size of the destination. A gondola takes skiers or hikers up the mountain. The town is littered with construction cranes as hotels, retail and restaurants are quickly changing the look of the old town. Our apartment hotel, the Vila Masa, was a nice surprise, brand new and beautiful with an excellent breakfast included.
The weather was chilly but we walked around the town to see what there was to see. It had been a long day so we enjoyed a room picnic and called it an early night.
Next morning we were up early and walked to the Gold Gondola about a mile from our hotel. We took some time to explore the market, full of local cheese, wine and salami as well as traditional souvenirs. We headed to the gondola, hoping to get in a hike before the forecast rain began. The gondola ride was fun, about 20 minutes, and provided a great perspective of the sprawling area, former farmland, now being built up with condos and homes.
Delicious local products at the market
Top of Gold Gondola
At the top, it was a bit chilly, but only a few patches of snow was visible. We had hoped to find some great hiking trails, but there wasn’t really as many as we had assumed. But we put in a couple miles, and had just turned to head back when the rains started.
Zlatabor Mountain Hike
Back in town we visited a very traditional Serbian restaurant Jezero. Our time in Serbia was coming to an end and I still had not eaten the famous Sarma, (stuffed cabbage). It was so delicious. I am going to make this at home.
Sarma Serbian Cabbage Rolls
Back to Belgrade
Our final day we took a couple of hours to drive back to Belgrade hoping to have plenty of time to visit the Nikola Tesla Museum. The highly rated museum does not take reservations or sell advance tickets. Guided tours are offered a few times a day and we were optimistic. Despite arriving an hour in advance to the museum we were turned away. I’ve heard great things about this museum, but we did not see it. I hope you have better luck.
Church of Saint Sava
We took a walk to see the famous Church of Saint Sava, built in the 1930’s, before heading to a hotel at the airport, where we slept just a few hours, our Uber arriving at 4:00am for our 7:00am flight to Vienna. Farewell to Serbia.
Thank you for reading my post Visiting Serbia for the First Time. See last week’s post A Visit to Lake Ohrid North Macedonia. We love it when you comment and share our posts. Thank you.
What if the history lessons of the world emerging into modernity were re-framed? What if we put Africa and Africans – normally placed at the margins of global development – at the center? This is what Howard French does brilliantly with this sweeping narrative. Here is my book review Born in Blackness by Howard French.
The Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War
This book is long, and it was a perfect Audible for us on a long car trip. I was riveted as French re-frames the story of medieval and emerging Africa, creating a new narrative on the domination and exploitation of Africa and Africans. The so-called enlightenment ideals of Europe’s dehumanizing engagement with the “dark” continent. This period focused on furthering and strengthening European imperialism. French reveals the centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with legendarily rich Black societies sequestered away in the heart of West Africa, often turning those societies against each other.
Born in Blackness
French creates a historical timeline that begins with the commencement of commercial relations between Portugal and Africa in the fifteenth century and ends with the onset of World War II. His work demonstrates the important role Africa and Africans played in the rise of the modern world. Presenting historical facts that have been trivialized and forgotten through duplicity for 500 years.
Excellent
This eye-opening epic revisionist narrative should be read by everyone, although I know it won’t be. Rethinking the history we have been taught with new details and facts is an interesting and fascinating account. An excellent exercise for those of European and African ancestry, it is the benevolent thing to do for understanding the world we live in today.
*****Five Stars for Born in Blackness by Howard French.
What a pleasant surprise. A beautiful spot on a beautiful lake. North Macedonia is not on many American’s radars as a destination. Most of its visitors are coming from Europe. But this emerging destination deserves consideration. Our visit was brief, but I’m so glad we came. Here are my thoughts on A Visit to Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia.
The Fortress and the Old Town Ohrid
North Macedonia
What’s in a name? Well the people of North Macedonia have a lot to say about the name of their country. Macedonia is a regional name for a large region of the Balkans that today makes up northern Greece and the current North Macedonia.
Since antiquity the name has been used to identify both the region and the people. When today’s North Macedonia broke free of Yugoslavia in 1991 the name dispute reignited with Greece when the new Republic claimed the name The Socialist Republic of Macedonia. Over the next 25 years tensions escalated over the name with Greece insisting on a geographic qualifier. Negotiators from the UN helped to resolve the dispute finally in 2018 and the new name became North Macedonia.
Dotted line shows “Macedonia”
Yet today, many local people feel cheated of what they believe to be the true name – Macedonia. But, for the purposes of this blog post, I will use the current official name recognized by the government and the United Nations – North Macedonia.
Lake Ohrid
This gorgeous lake is 138 square miles, and is shared between Albania and North Macedonia. The majority of the 300-metre-deep lake however is in North Macedonia. It is considered to be one of the oldest lakes in the world – 3-5 million years. It is fed primarily by underground springs. Learn more about it here.
Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid is 139km from Tirana Albania – you could visit on a day trip. We however wanted to stay longer, so we booked an Airbnb in the village of Ohrid. What a great spot…one of the few lodgings directly on the lake.
Room with a View
Shared patio
Things to Do
We visited in mid April and the “season” had not really started. Busy season is May – September when tourists flock to the beautiful lake to swim, boat, fish and enjoy the sun. During our four day visit we had three perfect weather days, but the final day was raining and stormy. The lake sits at 695 meters above sea level.
Looking across the lake to Old Town Ohrid with the fortress on top
Sveti Naum
We crossed the border from Albania at the south end of the lake. This is a lesser-used border crossing but we had time and wanted to circle the lake. Our first stop after arriving in North Macedonia was the beautiful Sveti Naum, an ancient monastery founded by the Bulgarian Empire in 905. This is a gorgeous spot, with shops and restaurants too. Parking is $1 and entrance to the Monastery is free. Don’t miss this when visiting Lake Ohrid. It is possible to come here by boat from the town of Ohrid. It is an hour and half boat ride.
Sveti Naum
Spring water lagoon that feeds Lake Ohrid at Sveti Naum
Bay of Bones Museum
Heading north from Sveti Naum it’s a short drive to the Bay of Bones Museum. An authentic reconstruction of a pile dwelling settlement, at the excavation site of Ploca Micov Kamen, near Gradishte and Pestani along the Ohrid coast. We found it to be a bit run down, but the $1 entry fee was acceptable.
Bay of Bones Museum
Reconstruction of home
Reconstruction of ancient over the water village, Ohrid
A very interesting history dating back between 1200 and 700 BC. The lake was quite shallow around this period, which allowed for a massive wooden structure to be erected above the water, considered by many as one of the largest prehistoric palafittes. Definitely worth a visit despite the current state of repairs. It is also possible to visit Bay of Bones by boat from the town of Ohrid.
Ohrid
The town of Ohrid, is both historically significant and the largest city on the lake – the eighth largest city in North Macedonia. The old town is beautiful, rising on a knoll above the lake, while the new town spreads through the valley. Primarily a tourism destination, it is both a cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage site, often referred to as the Jerusalem of the Balkans. The lake is one of the most bio-diverse lakes in the world.
We took a lovely boat ride on the lake on a beautiful day
Lake-related activities are the big draw, especially in the summer. Multiple boats of all sizes ply the waters. Although it was too cold to swim in April, swimming is a popular summer pastime. The Ohrid Summer Festival, a music festival mid July to mid August draws thousands.
Sitting like a crown atop the small mountain overlooking the Lake, this imposing fortress makes a spectacular sight. The 10th century fortress was built as the first capital of the Bulgarian Empire. Although it is called King Samuel’s Fortress, recent archaeological discoveries have shown it was constructed into a grand fortress by King Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great’s father.
One of North Macedonia’s most prominent monuments, the 1000 year old church is nestled in the old town, right next to our Airbnb. The beautiful church is considered one of the finest medieval churches in Macedonia. You must visit this gem when in Ohrid.
This was my favorite of the many historic sites of Ohrid. A stunning location, Saint John the Theologian is a Macedonian Orthodox church situated on the cliff over Kaneo Beach overlooking Lake Ohrid. The church is dedicated to John of Patmos, the writer of Revelation, who has been by some considered to be the same person as John the Apostle. The construction date of the church remains unknown but documents detailing the church property suggest that it was built before the year 1447. Archaeologists believe that the church was constructed some time before the rise of the Ottoman Empire very likely in the 13th century. Restoration work in 1964 led to the discovery of frescoes in its dome.
What a view
Church of Saint John at Kaneo
Wow
Ohrid Old Town
The beautiful historic architecture of the old town is worth just wandering about the cobbled streets of the old town. Tumbling down the hillside from the fortress above, the old town is home to many residents, as well as hidden restaurants and lodging.
Parts of the original wall remains
Seeing the Old Town from the water is a must
Ohrid Pedestrian Areas
The new town has a lovely pedestrian walkway along the shore of the lake. We used this as our morning running route, following the path for more than two miles one way. Additionally a pedestrian shopping area is popular with locals and visitors. Great shops where you can buy the famous Ohrid Pearls, other souvenirs, groceries, and much more. Dozens of restaurants are available in this area serving the traditional Macedonian cuisine of the region as well as other options.
Along the pedestrian walkway
Pedestrian shopping area
So many dining options and my favorite Shopska Salad
The Hills are Alive
The beautiful hills and mountains surrounding the lake have options for hiking and enjoying nature. We did an 8 mile round trip up to the tiny village of Ramne. There wasn’t much happening in Ramne but we enjoyed the view. We were fascinated by the flora including the wild lilacs and spotted several new birds.
Hiking in the mountains around Ohrid
Great view from the top
A Visit to Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
We loved a perfect, relaxing four days in Ohrid and recommend it. As a stop to other destinations or as a destination on its own, you will enjoy a visit to Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia. Stunning scenery, amazing history, delicious food and friendly locals. It’s time to get to know North Macedonia.
One of the locals and a very old Yugo
Thanks for reading my post A Visit to Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia. See last week’s post Home Again Home Again Jiggety Jig. We appreciate your support, shares, pins and comments. Thank you.
Wow. Just wow. I am ignorant in the history of the Central Europe country of Georgia, even though my husband and I have it on our travel list soon. But this book, really opened my eyes to the former Soviet country, and the difficult transition it made after communism. Here is my book review Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili.
Tbilisi Georgia
Vardiashvili’s first novel is not a biography, although he, like the novels protagonist, fled Georgia in the early 1990’s for London as a young boy. The novel introduces us to Saba, his brother Sandro and his father Irakli, who fled Georgia together leaving their mother behind. The plan was to get the mother out as soon as enough money could be saved for her counterfeit papers to be bought.
But that never happens. London is harder than Irakli can manage. Barely earning enough to keep a roof over the heads of himself and his two boys. Years go by. Decades. Irakli threatens many times he is going back to get her. He never does. But then, he steps on the plane.
Disappearing
Irakli disappears. The last communication the boys get is “don’t follow.” Sandro flies to Tbilisi and also disappears. This leaves Saba, guilt ridden and afraid, in London. He has no one he can turn to in either London or Georgia. He takes the plunge, despite getting a warning at the airport from a stranger not to get on the plane, he does anyway.
Danger at Every Turn
Saba’s passport is confiscated at the airport. The first sign that he is being watched. Saba, exhausted with no plan, gets a taxi where he meets Nodar. Nodar will become his local guide, friend, and ultimately sacrifice himself for the cause of Saba and the corrupt and violent Georgia.
The novel is violent yet humorous. It keeps you on your toes throughout as Saba searches for his brother and his father and tries to understand this country that he fled. Most everyone he left behind is dead, but he encounters a few old “friends”, follows a poetic and cryptic trail of clues left by his brother, meets quietly supportive new friends who help him dodge police and harm.
In the end, he is left with unexpected results and feelings about Georgia and his life back in London.
Book Review Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili
I thought this was a great story. Intense. Raw. But I loved the commitment this young man has for his family. He grows in this book. I liked that. It’s not an easy book. It certainly made me even more interested in seeing and learning about Georgia in the near future.
*****Five stars for Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili. See last week’s book review Northwoods by Daniel Mason. We love it when you comment, pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.
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