Florian Kriechbaumer 10/13/22 Florian Kriechbaumer 10/13/22

San Marino - Small but Surprising

In the eternal quest to explore all corners of earth, you sometimes have to make your way into the smaller corners, or countries in this case.

In the eternal quest to explore all corners of earth, you sometimes have to make your way into the smaller corners, or countries in this case. San Marino is definitely one of the smallest, at just over 60 sqkm and 33,000 people. In fact, this makes it the oldest extant sovereign state, and also one the wealthiest in terms of per capita GDP.

It was a short road-trip and we had just 36h to explore - on the other hand, its size makes that enough time to explore most of the country’s sights, which are located in the namesake city on Monte Titano (there is a larger community at the foot of the mountain where most people live). On arrival we were greeted with a peculiar cloud rolling in, which was my clue to take a look from above.

San Marino

The fortress of Guaita and its defensive wall visible here, as a low cloud rolled in over the city just before sunset.

It wasn’t quite the weather you’d expect during August in Italy, just 10km from the Adriatic coast. A few minutes later, the city was covered in a layer of fog and clouds, and it became dark, turning the atmosphere into a mix of Christmas and Resident Evil.

Exploring the fortress of Guiata and its two neighboring towers at the cliff of Monte Titano.

Questionable Shops

San Marino has one of the most relaxed weapon laws in Europe, meaning you will commonly find shops as the one on the left. I can't say why shops in the right (a "Christmas House") are popular, especially in the August.

Nightly street vibes

Day 2

Distant Rain

The next day was more promising, with only a few distant rain clouds over the nearby Apennine Mountains.

Guaita Tower

The 11th century fortress is a World Heritage site. San Marino’s independence has partly to do with its location on this hill. As an enclave (one of only three enclave countries), it does hold strong ties with surrounding Italy, particularly related to economic ties, and uses the Euro (although is not part of the EU).

The Three Towers

Alongside Guaita, there are Cesta and Montale towers in the east. They are shown on the country's crest of arms and its flag.

Politics

San Marino’s political system is a peculiar one. It is the world’s oldest constitutional republic with an elected assembly, which in turn elects not one, but two heads of state every six months from opposing parties, called the Captain’s Regents. This tradition is a nod back to the Roman consul times. At the end of their legislature, every Sammarinese (the Demonym for citizens of the country) has 15 days to submit any complaints about their actions - or lack thereof.

Palazzo Pubblico

The seat of the Republic's government body's - notice the car's number plate, no need to guess much whose this is?

As the clouds opened up, I spent the last sunset photographing the country’s most iconic view, but rest assured there’s more to see in San Marino, such as its Museums of Torture, Dracula, and Curiosities (although I can’t say I’d highly recommend either of them). If you’re looking for the Formula 1 track where the race named after the country was held up until recently, you’ll have to go to Italy though. There is however an Ayrton Senna statue as a tribute one of the world’s best drivers, who tragically died at the 1994 Grand Prix.

San Marino at Sunset

Thanks for tagging along - continue here with a nearby architectural curiosity, the medieval towers of Bologna (and a questionable statue).

Florian Kriechbaumer 3/10/22 Florian Kriechbaumer 3/10/22

Oman - 7 Days of Authentic Beauty

From Dubai to Muscat and along the coast - an amazing journey of natural beauty, history, architecture, geology and kind people.

In February 2022 I had plans for a trip to India’s Himalayas, with the goal to take photos of the elusive snow leopard. Owing to various Covid restrictions, this idea unfortunately did not materialize, so it was time to look for another destination. One obvious choice was to look no further than a few hundred kilometers towards the Indian Ocean: Oman. Even though I’ve lived in the UAE on / off for 15 years, so far I had only seen the Musandam part of our neighbor country, and had yet to explore its mountain areas, the coastline, and the capital Muscat.

And oh boy did I miss out! The amount of landscapes, history, people, architecture, and activities you can encounter in just a week, all accessible with easy visa regulations (if you’re a GCC resident especially) and within a few hours drive from Dubai, is incredible.

The route took us through the border near Al Ain towards Nizwa, with several stops on the way, before heading up Jebel Akhdar for a couple of nights. From there, onwards to Muscat to explore the city and its surrounding areas, and a day trip southwards along the coast almost until Sur (but not quite) was on the agenda.

Read on to find out about the sights and experiences on the way…

Hajar Colours

The Hajar mountains feature an amazing variety of colours and shades, and their geological significance has been recognised globally - it makes the 6h drive towards Muscat all the more pleasing.

Beehive Tombs of Bat

Our first stop were the Beehive tombs of Bat, which are between 4000-5000 years old.

Unesco World Heritage Site

Together with their sister sites in the same region, they form one of the largest protohistoric necropoleis in the world.

Jabreen Castle

A little further towards Nizwa awaits one of the many castles and forts in the region.

Shapes

This one was arguably my favourite - which says a lot, given the number of forts and castles on this route.

Date Storage

... along with some interesting uses in war times. The castles and forts in Oman feature some clever defense mechanisms you will encounter when exploring them.

Courtyard

One of the two major courtyards in the castle - this one had its original wooden balconies restored.

Green surroundings

As with most of the cities in this basin of the Hajar mountains, farms and date palms can be found everywhere.

Interior

Some of the rooms have been restored and decorated.

Warm Colours

hiding some of the cruel past of these forts.

Next up, we had planned to visit the ruins of Salut fort, another important archeological site in the area, but were disappointed to find it is currently closed and under development. Check before you go - and avoid getting a flat tire like we did.

Bahla Fort

We then made it to Bahla Fort, the country's only UNESCO-listed fort, added in 1987.

Haunted?

This fort is also the subject of many tales of djinns and black magic.

The Real World

We only encountered beautiful architecture and a cat though (not pictured).

Complex

The fort is part of a bigger settlement, including a 13km wall, pieces of which you can still spot in the mountains surrounding it.

Views

As with all the forts in the area, this one also features beautiful Hajar mountain scenery from its windows.

Restoration

The fort was fully restored in 2012, but there is not a lot of visitor information available, unlike in Jabreen or Nizwa.

From Prayer

A group of young local men returning from prayer and walking past the abandoned village area surrounding the fort.

Al Hoota Cave

Hoota Cave

Another 30min further and you reach Hoota Cave, probably the most famous (of many) in Oman.

Accessible

It's the only cave in the country that has been developed for tourism, although you can only access 500m of its total 4km length.

Impressions

The cave is a nice example of a Karst cave with some stalactites and stalagmites.

Comparison

Having said that, if you've visited some of the large and famous caves around the world, this one may not completely wow you - it's definitely worth the small detour on this route though.

Blind Fish

The cave features year round water, providing a habitat for tiny blind cave fish living in its 4 lakes, one of which is visible below.

Chilling

...and you get to see some bats hanging from the ceiling.

Nizwa

Views of Nizwa

The view from Antique Inn's rooftop in Nizwa, our place for the night.

Former Glory

Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and was the capital in the 6/7th century.

Indian Roller

A very common bird in this area around the farms. Particularly beautiful in flight when it spreads its blue wings.

Al Qala'a Mosque

As seen from the fort. Nizwa features some of the oldest mosques in the world.

Fort Views

The fort was built in 1688, and sits above an underground stream.

Entrance

The entrance to the fort, coincindentally guarded in this photo for that authentic flair.

Nizwa Souq

The outside area near the entrance to the souq, selling pottery and other homeware goods.

Alleys

While it doesn't look it in this photo, Nizwa Souq is one of the most important and oldest in the country.

Salesman

During our visit, it was primarily occupied by this fellow.

Transport

The small tight roads running through the old town are mainly accessible this way.

Old Town

While many of the houses are crumbling and abandoned, some are still occupied.

Grocery Duty

An Omani man passing through the shaded walkways of the market courtyard.

Jebel Akhdar

Upwards

Our next destination was Jebel Akhdar. It's an hour drive into the mountains, to an altitude of more than 2000 meteres. Although the roads are ok (better than in this photo), a 4x4 is required, otherwise you cannot pass the police checkpoint.

Alila Jabal Akhdar

We spent 2 nights in this amazing property, directly on the cliff of the one of the deepest canyons in the Hajar mountains.

Beehives

The area round the hotel features many hikes, and a small trail directly in the grounds, with several interesting spots such as these beehives.

History

You can also find marine fossils everywhere, from millions of years ago when the area was under water.

Visitors

Nowadays, the mountain is home to an abudance of Flora & Fauna - Akhdar literally means "green".

Wadi Walk

We spent the afternoon on a 4h hike through a nearby Wadi. The variety of trees is particularly interesting, including wild olive trees.

Water Source

The end of the trail brought us to this little dam, occupied primarily by frogs.

Abandoned

On the way back, we climbed upwards to find the crumbling houses of Sarab, a former village on the slopes of the Wadi.

Illuminated

Sunset was the best time for this trail.

Sunset over Alila

Sometimes the scenery speaks for itself.

Cliff

Not a bad spot for dinner?

The Day's End

The sun setting behind the Hajar mountains in the distance, next to a little tree.

Via Ferrata

The next morning brought some adventure, as we climbed the via Ferrata, which literally starts at the hotel lobby. You can see the iron rope on the bottom left and the rope bridge across the cave in this image.

On the Edge

An incredible experience, and definitely recommended.

Alsuwjara Village

Our last day at Jabal Akhdar brought us to the cliff guest house, an old village from 500 years ago that is slowly being converted for tourism.

On the Rocks

We were lucky enough to get a tour organised directly by the local Omanis operating the place, who lived in the houses up until a few years ago.

Mountain Villages

We then moved to the towns of Al Aqr, Al Ayn and Ash Shirayjah, famous for their terraced farming, used to grow roses and other crops.

Farming

The terraces used to reach all the way into the wadi, but a lack of water in recent years meant a reduction in usable area. Nevertheless, the entire slope is green during the summer time.

Pomegranate Season

One of the many blooming flowers at the time of our visit. The primary rose season was about to start as well.

Onwards to Muscat

Birkat Al Mouz

This was our next stop on the way from Jebel Akhdar to Muscat.

Falaj Al Khatmain

One of the five irrigation systems in Oman listed on the Unesco World Heritage site runs through the abandoned part of town.

The Last Walls

The village contains two such parts, the larger one called Harat Al Sibani.

Banana Pool

That's the meaning of the city's name in Arabic - and the farms surrounding it give away why.

Quintessential Oman

A short climb on the other side of the farms rewards you with this scenery.

Harat Al Sibani

And this stunning view of the abandoned village.

New Friends

Omani people are always curious, polite, and hospitable.

Work In Progress

Farming and plantations still make up a large amount of the economy in this area.

Hajar Layers

One kind of shot I can never get enough of.

Samail

Samail and its fort was our last destination before reaching Muscat - unfortunately we were too late to see it from the inside.

Steps to Prayer

The city is said to feature Oman's oldest mosque from 600 AD - not this one here though, which we found in our search for a good spot to watch the sunset.

Evening Vibes

The sound of the prayer call and a few lonely frogs accompanied this scenery.

The Capital and its Surroundings

Muscat!

Our first stop in the capital had to be its arguably most famous sight: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

Lighting

The mosque's primary prayer hall can accommodate 6500 people - its chandelier used to be the largest in the world. The same is true for the carpet, with 1,700,000,000 knots over 4300 sqm. Both have been overtaken by Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

Interior Views

In hindsight my OCD is really annoyed that they chandelier doesn't perfectly line up with the window.

Upwards

The mosque was inaugurated in 2001, after 7 years of construction.

Materials

It was built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone.

Muttrah Corniche

Our next destination was Muttrah, a trade and seaport city very close to Muscat.

In Style

The presence of large cruise ships sometimes brings more sophisticated travellers than us to the town ;)

Juxtaposition

It makes for a nice contrast with the traditional Omani style.

Souq Entrance

The city's souq is one of the most important in Oman, and dates back 200 years.

Into the Light

It's nicknamed the "Market of Darkness" due to the roof blocking most of the sunlight even during the day.

Muttrah

Evening views along the corniche, with the local fort in the distance.

Hiking in the City

There's a 1h hike from Muttrah to Riyam, crossing green flower fields and a beautiful wadi - in our case filled with water - on the way.

Riyam

At the end of which, you're rewarded with this view of the Riyam Park Monument, often termed as the "giant incense burner" due to its shape.

Old Muscat

Our next destination was "Old Muscat", the historic part of the city still housing many government institutions. But not before crossing a few more farms on the way, such as this one.

National Musem

The city is also home to the National Museum, with some interesting exhibits. I often find the history of the Middle East to be completely underrated and possibly overshadowed by its recent development. Humans have set foot here some 400,000 years ago, and there is an incredibly rich and accessible past. Reognise this fort model? It's Bahla!

Jalili Fort

Old Muscat is also home to Al Jalili fort, built by the Portuguese in the 1500s and said to have been used as both a jail & refuge for the Omani royals. This one does not seem open to the public.

Al Bustan

Driving a bit further along the coast brings you to the Al Bustan, home to the famous hotel (also where my grandmother used to stay in the 80s) and the State Council, which is the building this clock tower belongs to.

Qantab

Another few kilometres and you reach Qantab, home to this beauitful beach and a natural stone arch in the sea, which we will see later...

Rock Formation

This formation near Yiti was our last spot for the day, before heading back to Muscat.

Making it Fit

On the way back we stopped at this viewpoint over Hamriya.

Along the Coast

Into the Sea

An early morning boat trip the next day rewarded us with this sight - a large pod of dolphins enjoying themselves with the backdrop of the Hajar mountain coastline.

Bottlenose Dolphins

I would estimate the pod was at least 100-200 individuals in size.

In the Air

They were calm this morning, and so there weren't many opportunities to get a photo like this, but I was able to time one correctly with the help of Olympus' ProCapture feature.

Marine Variety

The Omani Waters are home to turtles, dolphins, and wales at the right time of the year.

Dhow

A traditional dhow exploring the beautiful coastline.

The Natural Arch

We also got to see the aforementioned stone arch near Qantab...

Passage

...with a single explorer on his canoe.

Morning Light

Al Bustan and the State Council buildings from the sea side.

The Way Down

Stairs have been built into it, but I can testify that some people prefer jumping (not me).

Bimmah Sinkhole

Another incredible spot of natural beauty is this sinkhole near Bimmah, about 100km from Muscat.

Cyrstal Clear

What a spot for a swim - or just hold your feet into the water and be treated to a fish spa.

Egyptian Vulture

Spotted this guy on the beach.

Jurassic Park or Wadi Shab?

Next up, one of the most amazing Wadi's I've seen to date - makes you feel like entering Jurassic Park.

Scale

The size of the canyon and rock formations was amazing.

No Photos

After a 10 minute swim into the Wadi you arrive at a small cave, accessible by a narrow opening that barely fits one's head. No photos for that, got to explore yourself!

Incredible History

We drove a little further on the coast to see another World Heritage Site: Qalhat. It is unfortunately currently closed, but you can spot its most significant remaining site, the Bibi Maryam mausoleum. This city was visited by Ibn Battuta, Zeng He, and Marco Polo!

Sometimes You Get Lucky

Our plan was to spend the night on the way back to Muscat somewhere on the coast - we knew chances to see the bioluminescent plankton on the beach were next to nothing, but there was always the Milky Way or some deep sky photography...

Natural Wonders

When we explored good locations to set up for the night, our second spot proved to be the golden one, and we spotted little blue dots on the beach and rocks as the waves hit.

Magical

After turning off the flashlight, we saw it for what it really was - the elusive glowing blue bioluminescent phytoplankton. The blue light is produced by energy released from chemical reactions occurring inside these organisms - what a sight.

The Last Day in Muscat

Beach Vibes

The next day was a later and slower start after the night on the coast, walking on the beaches of Muscat.

Friday Vibes

Oman retains the Friday weekend, so the locals were enjoying the day out.

Postcard Views

All around in Oman!

Qurum Beach

This was taken at the beach near the city's national park.

Nice Day

for a walk alone...

Or

...with friends.

Royal Opera House

We also visited the Royal Opera House, which opened in 2011 and has seen performances by Plácido Domingo and Andrea Bocelli. Unfortunately the interior wasn't open for visits that day.

Architecture

It did feature this neat bridge crossing to the House of Musical Arts.

In Flight

Couldn't resist causing a bit of a stir up when we passed Al Bait Mosque.

Golden Hour Vibes

We spent the evening hiking up some dunes in the city for sunset.

Fun Times

We weren't the only ones up there, as a group of people on motorbikes, quads and 4x4s made the most of the evening.

Luna

The moon came out to play as well.

Favourite Subject

Of course I had to play along.

Last Sunset

An appropriate one.

City Lights

The last light of the day disappearing over Muscat.

Back to Dubai

Athawarah Hot Spring

On our way back to Dubai we took a different route, passing by the hot spring of Nakhla. The hot water originating on the bottom left runs directly into the Wadi, keeping it surprisingly warm.

Al Kasfah Hot Spring

We also stopped in Rustaq at another spring - this one is said to have healing powers owing to the sulphur traces in the water. It originates under the caged dome in the background and then runs in a kind of channel through the streets, with stalls for people to take baths in the water visible in the foreground.

18th Century Tomb

The city is also home to this restored Ibadi tomb of the Imam Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi, first ruler of Oman of the Al Said dynasty - took me quite a while to find this info, as there are very few signboards around and the Google Maps pin is in Arabic only.

Rustaq Fort

The fort itself is currently closed for maintenance, but its imposing walls are nevertheless impressive.

Transport

We did encounter this fine gentleman who allowed us a quick glimpse into the fort, and then took us to the older parts of the city in this... vehicle, which he imported from China.

Qusra Museum

This was one of the places he showed us, a restored 300 year old family house, now converted and adorned with various artifacts.

Water Towers

On our way to the final destination. You can find these towers dotted around the landscape, used for storage and to generate pressure.

Framed

Owing to questionable road conditions, we had to take quite a detour, but a few sights on the way made it enjoyable.

Al Ayn Beehive Tombs

When we finally made it, the scenery was worth it. I had initially failed to add this location to the route on the first day, but really didn't want to miss out after seeing the Beehive Tombs of Bat.

Awe-inspiring

Looking at these 5000 year old tombs with the imposing Jebel Misht in the background was truly amazing.

Jebel Misht

The striking landscape from the hill on which the tombs are located.

Hajar Views

Looking the other way into the date farm.

World History

According to Unesco, together with the neighbouring locations, this site forms the most complete collection of settlements and necropolises from the 3rd millennium B.C. in the world. It's almost a bit humbling (and a little concerning for their future) that you can just walk up to these fragile structures with no fences or rails of any kind.

Panoramic View

A full view of the site, which features a total of 19 tombs in almost a straight line. A definite highlight for me.

The End

Obligatory cat photo.

I really hope you enjoyed this small documentary series of my trip to Oman. I’ve known about the beauty, geology, and history of the Hajar mountains from exploring the UAE, but Oman really took this to another level. It is probably a good thing for these sites that the country hasn’t had the same level of attention as some other more famous destinations in the Middle East, but on the other hand Oman and its people really deserve to be recognized alongside them. Will definitely come back.

Florian Kriechbaumer 10/6/21 Florian Kriechbaumer 10/6/21

Bosnia & Herzegovina - Polarising Diversity

A late summer weekend brought me to Bosnia & Herzegovina, a relatively small and almost landlocked country in south-east Europe.

A late summer weekend brought me to Bosnia & Herzegovina, a relatively small and almost landlocked country in south-east Europe. The trip took us from the capital, Sarajevo, through the mountain ranges along the river Neretva towards Mostar and its surroundings sights and back. The country features impressive diversity in architecture, culture, and people - owing to its troubled past, which is still evident today - which made for a packed three days of sights, many of them well known, and a few unexpected ones.

Eternal Flame

A small memorial site in Sarajevo honoring the victims of World War II with an eternal flame & inscription.

Equilibrists

One of the "Equilibrists over the River" statues hanging over the Miljacka river running through the city.

Looping

The "festina lente" pedestiran bridge, meaning "make haste slowly" in Latin.

Miljacka

Another view along the Miljacka river running (very quietly) through Sarajevo, with the famou Latin bridge on the right side.

Souvenirs

One of the many shops selling handmade (or so they say) metal souvenir items.

Artisan at Work

Although in this case I could make sure what I bought was actually handmade.

Kovači Cemetery

A sunset view of one of the largest cemetaries in the city, for soldiers of the Bosnian Army who were killed during the war in the early 90s.

Evidence

Almost 14,000 people were killed during the Siege of Sarajevo, the longest siege of a capital city in the modern history, lasting more than 3 years.

Sunset Layers

Climbing up a little further past the cemetary brings you to one of the most beautiful views of the city.

Low Clouds

Looking east from the same spot provides a very different atmosphere.

Moonrise

As the moon rose, the sun had set on the other side of the city.

The Hum Tower

Named after the hill it is located on, this building is a telecommunication tower located on Mount Hum close by Sarajevo.

Dusk Views

Heading back down into the city along many winding roads, always with at least one minaret in sight.

It is said that there are over 100 mosques in Sarajevo, owing to its muslim history. At the same time, you can find plenty of orthodox churches, cathedrals and synagogues.

Haunting

Passing back along the cemetary, with a haunting atmosphere as the moonlight shone over the many white tombstones.

Roses of Sarajevo

One of the many Roses of Sarajevo, red splatters in the ground acting as constant reminders of the tragedies of war.

Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

The fountain in front of the country's largest mosque and one of the main Ottoman complexes in the Balkans.

Lake Jablanica

Day 2 was the drive towards Mostar, passing some beautiful scenery such as this on the way.

Almost Autumn

The middle of September meant some trees had slowly started to adopt their autumn colours - my favourite season.

Colours

One of the many scenic spots you can find along the roads winding on the side of the Neretva river.

Views

As we went further south, the sky slowly opened up, and the mountain scenery became even more impressive.

Kravica Falls

Before visting Mostar, we went about 25km further to the Kravica waterfalls, a beautiful set of falls around 25m high and ending in a small lake.

Summer Discharge

The falls were at low discharge compared to the early Spring, but still quite impressive and in some ways even more pictoresque.

Swimming

It is allowed to swim in the small lake near the falls, so the location is quite popular during the summer.

Dervish House

Another stop on the way was the Dervish house, a hstoric Sufi monastery built on the impressive cliffs by the water.

Calm

Built in 1520, it was a place of spiritual retreat and reflection - it still feels special today, although there are a lot of restaurants and activities around.

Fortress

Another beatiful spot on the way back towards Mostar, although I wasn't able to find its name anymore.

Žitomislići Monastery

A beautiful Serbian orthodox monastery on the way from Kravica to Mostar.

Colours of Nature

Our last stop before reaching Mostar was this amazing spot of natural beauty, thanks to an innocent Google Maps pin.

Waterfalls

These amazing cascading waterfalls along the Neretva were definitely a highlight.

Close Up

While more impressive from the air, even the ground view was beauitful, although the flow of water was lower this time of the year.

Mostar

Our next destination was Mostar, named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) in the centre.

Old Bridge

The bridge was originally opened in 1566, but destroyed during the war in 1993 and then rebuilt from 2001 to 2004.

Looking North

A view towards the Old Town of Mostar on the right, with the Koski Mehmed pasa Mosque.

Old Town

The old town along the gorge of the Neretva river in the evening light.

Below

A view from the sandbanks below the bridge.

Birds & Planes

The minaret of Koski Mehmed pasa Mosque was built in 1617, and is open for visitors.

Interior

The inside of the mosque.

Minaret

It's also possible to walk up the Minaret tower, although I didn't - not sure why in fact.

Stari Most

The bridge seen from the gardens of the mosque at dusk.

Tara Tower

The western tower seen from the bridge, one of the two "bridge keepers"

City Lights

A photo into the small gorge with its many restaurants taken from the crooked bridge, which was actually destroyed during a flood in 2000 but re-built a year later.

Vibes

The evening was spent listen to some beautful music at the Mostar Blues & Rock festival.

Bruce Lee

Yes, there's a Bruce Lee statue in Mostar, and of course we had to find it. Read the Wikipedia article for the hilarious story...

Mostar Peace Bell Tower

The tallest church tower in Mostar offers panoramic views of the city, although I didn't manage to go up this time.

The Crooked Bridge

This small bridge was built before 1558 and is thus ironically older than the Old Bridge. It is said that this small bridge was a prototype for the larger and more famous version.

Vrapcici Mosque

A mosque outside Mostar, one of our first steps on the way back to Sarajevo.

Landscapes

Another beautiful Bosnian landscape, where a small part of the Neretva splits off to one side.

Village Vibes

You might recognise this bridge from earlier. I was keen to get a shot of this little bridge with a train, but was not lucky enough despite being there for an hour.

Reflections

Where the Neretva splits with the Ravancica we found this spot offering amazing reflections in the calm waters.

Favourites

Cloud covered mountains - can't get enough of that.

Konjic

The next city on the way back to Sarajevo was Konjic, with another famous bridge, the Old Stone Bridge from 1682. It was also destroyed - during the second world war - and rebuilt in 2009.

Bridge near Jablanica

Another interesting bridge story - this one was first destroyed as a ruse, then during an acutal attack, and finally for a movie. Its remains are visible here near the memorial complex for the Battle of the Neretva.

Mointain Villages

A small village in the mountains near Sarajevo.

Train

Another spot where I was hoping for a train to pass (which runs from Sarajevo to Mostar) but wasn't lucky.

Railway Bridge

This bridge leads into the tunnel on the earlier photo.

Cable Car

Back in Mostar we took the cable car up to the Trebevic area, which harbous a few amazing secrets...

Bobsleigh Track

But even more interestingly, the remains of the bobsleigh track of the 1984 Winter Olympics, the outline of which is visible in this aerial shot.

Forest Views

For one thing, the amazingly dense forests of coniferous trees.

Ruins

During the war, the track was used as an artillery position by Bosnian Serb forces and fell in disrepair, although most of it is intact, leaving aside the many war wounds...

Restoration

There were plans to restore the track after extensive demining, however as of today the only work on the track is done by Graffiti artists.

Track Views

Walking along the track is a very strange feeling, to imagine this was once an Olympic site, and then a defensive wall during the war.

1984

The odd reference to the Olymics is still visible around the city, such as this one close to the upper cable car station.

City Views

Of course you also get beautiful city views from Trebevic, such as Alifakovac cemetery in the foreground here.

Layers

The view towards the north brings with it some beautiful mountain layers

Rays

Another view towards the mountain ranges surrounding the city during sunset.

Avaz Twist Tower

Sarajevo's most famous skyscraper is this 172m tall building featuring a twisting facade, which opened in 2008.

Lonely

A small house being built on the slopes of a nearby hill.

Sunset

It was a beautiful sunset that evening, with a few stratus clouds wrapping around the sun.

The western view with the Miljacka river slowly disappearing towards where it meets the Bosnia river.

The Approach

Two planes crossing as they fly over Sarajevo.

Forest Moonrise

The full moon coming up above the forest canopy.

Horizons

A wider angle view of the city and its mountain layers beyond, just after sunset. This shows the modern parts, with the Avaz skyscraper and the Hum tower on the right.

Diversity

Spot the different religious landmarks illuminated in this image. While diverse in its people and architecture, the country itself is still deepy divided and unified governance hasn't happened.

Bird's Eye

The final morning was spent on some aerial perspectives to get a better overview of the city, such as this one looking east the old town.

Histories

A top down view of the aforementioned Kovači Cemetery.

Markets

A view of the historic city centre and the 18th century Sebilj fountain in the centre.

Sebilj fountain

A ground view of the Ottoman style wooden fountain from 1753.

Baščaršija

More of the streets surrounding the historic market area.

Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

The 16th century mosque, the central fountain in front of which we have seen earlier in the series.

Obligatory

The mandatory cat photo of the series - although I took a lot more, there were so many around.

Morning Mood

Low clouds and a moody sky for the last morning walk through the streets.

Alignment

Is still a work in progress for the country.

Moments

A minaret with the Jajce Barracks in the background as a bird soars above.

Tunnel of Hope

Our last stop near the airport was the so called Tunnel of Hope. This was the lifeline for the city of Sarajevo during the Siege.

Remnants

The tunnel building shows what is still evident all around Bosnia & Herzegovnia, both visually and mentally from what I could tell - the scars of the war.

Florian Kriechbaumer 8/22/20 Florian Kriechbaumer 8/22/20

Slovenian Beauty - Lake Bled & Ljubljana

A two day trip to Slovenia brought us to the picturesque Lake Bled with its famous church island, and the beautiful capital Ljubljana.

While travel restrictions with health and safety requirements are still omnipresent, trips within certain countries in Europe are manageable with the right precautions. A two day trip to Slovenia brought us to the picturesque Lake Bled with its famous church island, and the beautiful capital Ljubljana.

Lake Bled

Our first stop was Lake Bled on the foot of the Karawanks mountain range.

Mountain House

We crossed this wodden house on the hike up to Mala Osojnica, one of the best viewpoints over the lake.

Up

The hike is in fact quite steep - so steep that this staircase was installed near the top.

Mountain Tops

The lake is situated in the Julian Alps range.

Church Tops

The tip of the 53m high tower of the famous church in the lake.

Lake Shores

The colour and clarity of the lake was incredible in the summer light.

Assumption of Mary Church

The famous church on the island in the middle of Lake Bled is a very famous photographic spot.

Views

The ascent to the viewpoint on the southern side of the lake is rewarding.

Trio

Lake Bled, the church island, and the Julian mountains.

Summer Greens

The forest was positively glowing with the greens illuminated by the sun.

Light & Shade

The late afternoon sun shining into the woods.

What's up!

A dragonfly was roaming around a small puddle in the forest.

Baby Frog

The same puddle was also home to this little amphibian - who was surprisingly curious.

Afternoon Rays

The last views of the sun in the forest before it set behind the mountain range.

Layers

Green forests, rocky mointains, blue skies, fluffly clouds - welcome to the Alps.

Waterways

The only way to visit the church is by crossing the lake.

Bled Castle

The castle on the western side seen through some trees on the lake shore.

The Right Way...

... to enjoy the end of a summer day at the lake.

Clarity

Some tree branches under water near the eastern shoreline.

After Sunset

The lake is dotted with patches of water lilies by the shore.

Transport

The traditional transportation to Bled Island is a wooden boat known as a pletna.

Opposite Views

The view over the lake from the other side, looking south from Bled castle.

Cliffs

Looking down from the castle walls.

Bled Castle

The lower courtyard of the oldest castle in Slovenia.

Abandoned

The castle seen with Villa Rikli, an abandoned old house on the shores of the lake.

Villa Rikli

The inside of the building, which is supposed to be renovated and rebuilt. Who can spot the alien like shape on the wall?

Ljubljana

We made it to the capital next, walking along the beautiful promenade of the Ljubljanica river.

Trees

Another defining feature of the city are the skinny tall trees dotted in various places, such as here near St Jakob's church.

Gornji Trg

A row of houses near this famous street in Ljubljana's old town.

St. Nicholas's Cathedral

The roof paintings of the largest church in the city with frescoes by Giuglio Quaglio from the early 18th century.

Window Views

Looking northwards from one of the castle windows, with the pink 17th-century Franciscan church visible at the bottom.

City Panorama

Looking southwards from the castle, you can see St Jakob's church, and on the bottom left the tower of St Florian's church, which - obviously - I tried to visit, but it was unforuntately closed (as Florian's often are).

Slovenian Flag

The country is relatively young, emerging from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Stairs

The double staircase leading up and down the panoramic tower of the castle.

Castle Walls

A couple enjoying the view from the castle walls.

Selfie

My lack of focus skills resulted in this shot.

The Dragon Bridge

The Dragon is the symbol of the city, although the origin of this myth isn't fully clear.

Butchers' Bridge

One of the many bridges attracting tourists in Ljubljana, this one features the all too common padlocks.

Prešeren Square Rain Installation

A sprinker installed 10m above the ground produces a simple but effective focal point for the square, with people enjoying a few refreshing drops in the August sun.

Rainy Portrait

Of course, it also makes for a great Instagram photo, although this girl did ignore her dedicted photographer for this shot.

Instagram Boyfriend

...I'm sure she did get a good photo in the end though.

Raindrops keep falling on my lens...

A boy runs through the rainy installation, illuminated by the afternoon sun.

Ljubljana Rooftops

Anyone knows what this dome is?

Castle Views

The Nebotičnik Skyscraper terrace provides a good 360 degree view of the city.

Shadows

The late sun is the best time for street photography in my view.

Evening Drinks

A view of some of the many promenade restaurants along the river.

Tripe Bridge

Looking towards the 19th-century bridge with 2 adjacent 20th-century footbridges that cross over the Ljubljanica River.

Nice Try

Don't we all wish to be invisible sometimes?

Graffiti with a Heart

Spotted on the Stari Trg street.

Rock 'N' Roll Cat

A vinyl shop in the city centre.

Nightly Walks

A couple walking through the city centre. The city seemed quite young and casual.

Performance

Two women watching a street musician.

Market Scenes

The city has a beautiful market square, which was full of food, produce, and craft stalls on this Friday morning.

Maintenance

Ljubljana is well kept and clean - a pleasant city to walk around.

Bird Attack

Hunger overcomes all fears.

Green Shores

The river walls are covered with greenery, making the city feel quite lush. Definitely recommended for a summer visit.

Florian Kriechbaumer 9/2/18 Florian Kriechbaumer 9/2/18

The Alpine Route, Liechtenstein, Lake Como, Genoa, the French Riviera and back!

In August 2018 I finally took a trip I had on my mind for a few years, following the route below. The drive took us through parts of the famous German Alpine Route, past castle Neuschwanstein, along Lake Constance, through Liechtenstein with its tiny capital Vaduz, for a stop at Lake Como and onwards to Genoa, and finally the coastal beauty of the French Riviera with Monaco, Nice, Antibes, Cannes and St Tropez.

In August 2018 I finally took a trip I had on my mind for a few years, following the route on the map above. The drive took us through parts of the famous German Alpine Route, past castle Neuschwanstein, along Lake Constance, through Liechtenstein with its tiny capital Vaduz, into the Swiss Alps, for a stop at Lake Como and onwards to Genoa, and finally the coastal beauty of the French Riviera with Monaco, Nice, Antibes, Cannes and St Tropez. Aside from driving a lot, we also walked and hiked quite a bit as my trusty Pedometer app showed.

It was all worth it though and I can definitely recommend the trip. Below is a selection of photos taken along the route.

Neuschwanstein

One of the most famous sights in Germany, the palace was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat - unfortunately it was never fully finished, but nevertheless attracts over a million visitors a year.

Landscapes

Neuschwanstein overlooks two lakes, the Alpsee and Schwansee. After a very hot and dry summer, you can clearly see how little water the lake had in late August.

Hohenschwangau Castle

A second and less famous castle is located just a few hundred meters away. Hohenschwangau Castle was built by Ludwig's father and served as the family's summer residence.

Marienbrücke

Lookign down into the gorge from the Marienbrücke, arguably providing the best view of the castle.

Fairy Tales

It's been confirmed that the castle served as Walt Disney's inspiration for his famous Disney castle, inspiring countless childhood dreams. The king himself viewed the building as representative of a romantic interpretation of the Middle Ages, as well as the musical mythology of his friend Richard Wagner.

Alphorn Concert

Sheer luck meant we were able to attend the annual meeting of the regional alphornists (yes, that's how you call them) in Wengen.

Alphorns

The Alpine Horn used to be a method of communication in the Alps - nowadays it's a musical instrument.

Up the Hill

The musicians getting ready for the grand finale...

The Finale

... which consisted of 300 Alphornists playing at the same time. Impressive sight and sound.

City Hall

Onwards to Lake Constance, this is the Lindau City Hall.

Lindau Island

The view over the island of Lindau, part of the city on the Bavarian side of the lake (the shores of which cover Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Taken from the lighthouse.

Bavarian Lion

The statue on the entrance of the Lindau harbour.

Lindau Centre

The town centre of Lindau island with its typical south German atmosphere.

Moonrise

We arrived in Liechtenstein in the evening, just before the moon rose looking westwards over the Alps.

Full Moon

A clear night and the full moon made this shot possible.

The Alps at Night

A view over the Rhine towards Switzerland.

Vaduz Castle

While parts of it date back to the 12th century, the Liechtenstein princely family still lives in the castle. Today it is one of the few countries in the world that maintain no military.

Church of Balzers

The church in the city of Balzers, sitting on the foot of the Gutenberg castle hill.

Empty

The church was completely empty when we entered - except for the organist practising, which was both eerie and amazing at the same time.

Pigs

Found these two when we stopped in a small mountain village in the Swiss Alps.

Nufenen

The small town of Nufenen, where we stopped briefly on our way to Lake Como. Population: 150. Unemployment: 0%.

Alp Views

The village is located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

Views

The view into the valley towards the south.

Lake Como

Our next destination was Lake Como, specifically the namesake city.

Transport

You can cross the lake with the "flying" ferry.

Como Cathedral Interior

The roof of the Como Cathedral, construction of which began in 1396 but didn't finish until 1770.

Penguin Style

Found this concrete post in the city centre.

The Como Gate Tower

The building was part of the former city walls, 40 meters high and built in 1192. Weirdly, the lower arch is off-axis from the 8 upper ones. The tower is empty on the inside, even the floors are no longer present.

Tempio Voltiano

A museum on the shores of the lake dedicated to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the electrical battery.

Hotel Bristol

Our hotel in Genoa occupies a building from 1905.

Staircase

It's main feature is the grand central staircase, looking upwards from the lobby in this photo.

St Andrew Monastery

St. Andrew's Cloister are the remains of an ancient monastery from the 12th century in the middle of the city right next to the childhood home of Christopher Columbus.

Old Town

While Genoa doesn't enjoy the same reputation as Milan or Rome, it does have beautiful spots in the town centre.

Church of Santa Maria in Passione

Destroyed during the second world war, some areas of the ruins are now closed off, while other parts of the complex have been re-built and are in use by various organisations today.

Santa Maria di Castello

In close proximity to the Santa Maria in Passione is this church, definitely in a better condition and full of frescos from the 16th and 19th century.

Ventimiglia

Our next stop on the way to Monaco was Ventimiglia, on the border to France.

Old City Centre

One of the buildings in the ancient medieval city centre, perched on a hill overlooking the new town

Street Scenes

The typical Italian streets - Ventimiglia's old city is no different in this respect.

Cat Convent

Got to have a few in each album.

View

A few over the Monaco and Monte Carlo districts of the Principality of Monaco, seen from the Palace du Palais square.

Hairpin

The infamous Formula 1 Hairpin curve just in front of the Fairmont Hotel.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral

The romanesque Catholic cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas is the largest in Monaco. Unfortunately it was already closed when we got there.

Palace of Justice

A fisheye shot of the building housing the Monaco Supreme Court.

Swimming Pool

The construction of the Rainier III Nautical Stadium and its swimming pool forced the Formula 1 track to be adapted in the 1970s.

Rich

In 2014, it was noted about 30% of Monaco's population was made up of millionaires.

A City Circuit

Michael Schumacher once said before the 2012 Grand Prix that the additional risk is "justifiable once a year", as the circuit is not quite up to modern Formula 1 safety standards.

Moonrise

Another moon rise, this time seen from the Monaco harbour, looking over one of the ships anchored at its cruise terminals.

Sunrise

The sunrise seen from the Fairmont hotel, which sits just next to a €2 billion operation to reclaim six hectares of land to counter Monaco's notorious shortage of building space.

The Cars Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco

The collection houses several Formula 1 cars from throghout the history of the race.

The Cars Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco

The museum includes the Bugatti Type 35 that won the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix in 1929.

Casino de Monte Carlo

The most famous casino in Monte Carlo, owned largely by the ruling family, opened over 150 years ago.

Sainte-Dévote Chapel

The name of the chapel is used to identify the first corner of the Monaco Grand Prix track.

Eze's medieval town

While the location is beautiful and the city sports a beautiful botanical garden, the rest of the village feels very touristy.

View from the Top

Eze is famous for the view of the sea from its hill top. Walt Disney spent a significant amount of time here, and Nietzsche appearantly walked up the hill path daily from his residence on the coast.

Northerly View from Eze

With the coastal road and its bridge over the canyon.

Local Spices

A spice shop in Eze with local spices from the Côte d'Azur.

Le Flore

The real reason for the trip.

Nice

The view from the terrace of the NH hotel, looking along the Boulevard Risso.

The Square Head Building

A habitable sculpture, is 30 metres high, has 7 floors, and accommodates 40 administrative staff members of the administrative office of Bibliothèque Louis Nucéra.

Modern and Contemporary Art Museum

A view from the Traverse Garibaldi road looking upwards.

Cat Shop

Ran into this window display in Nice.

Tour de l'Horloge

Looking down one of the roads leading to the tower opposite the Palace of Justice.

Beachfront

The view towards the east with Nice's beautiful beachfront.

Selfie Time

Should have taken a few more in hindsight!

Palace of Justice

The aforementioned courthouse with its neoclassical architecture.

Nice Nightlife

The evening atmosphere in Nice was very lively, with lots of busy restaurants and streetlife without seeming too crowded or touristic.

Hold your breath

One of the many narrow alleys in Nice.

A Cigarette on the Balcony

In pleasant late August temperatures.

Indeed

I was positively surprised by the city, 1 day definitely wasn't enough.

Invisibe Man

We even got a handshake!

A morning in Hill Park

The castle used to stand on the hill from the 11th to the 18th century, but today just a few ruins remain.

Port of Nice

The port of Nice from the Castle Hill.

Antibes Market

Onwards to the west brought us to Antibes, with its markets.

Fort Carre Antibes

With its unique star shape (check it on Google Maps)

Fort Carre Antibes

While star shaped in the outside, the interior features a round open atrium.

Fort Flora

The Antibes fort sports several large cacti, which tourists used to inscribe their various messages for future visitors.

Cannes Hand Prints

The hand prints in Cannes in front of Palais des Festivals on Esplanade Pompidou, where famous film actors and directors leave their mark for posterity.