by ·Comments Off on Reasons Why You Should Visit the Balkans

Montenegro

The Balkan Peninsula is as of a unique region as you may think. It is the best that Eastern Europe has to offer in terms of places to visit, friendly behaviour, and more. However, this region is often overlooked by people who are looking to visit the more popular tourist destinations across Europe and the world.

With that being said, we wanted to list a few reasons why you should put the Balkans on your checklist and visit the countries located in this region. We promise that you will have the most unique and entertaining experience, so without any further ado, let’s start diving into the details.

Friendly People and Tasty Dishes

First of all, all Balkan countries are known for their hospitality. Whichever country you decide to visit, you will be welcomed warmly and you will be pleased to hear that the people here are extremely friendly. They will treat you like you’re their family member and will answer all questions if you have any.

Not only that, but you will be pleased to know that the region has plenty of unique and tasty dishes. The Balkans is known for its unique cuisine, which is shared by many of the countries. Some culinary delights that you are ought to try are sarma, moussaka, ajvar, kebab, stuffed peppers, pleskavica, shopska salad, and most importantly – bread. Balkan people are obsessed with bread and their bakeries make the most delicious bread that you will ever taste.

Find the time to try all of them as we promise you that they are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted in your life and you will be surprised as to how good they are.

The Balkans is Cheap

Next up, when you visit many of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, especially those that are located in Europe, you will be surprised to know that they are pretty expensive. Take Paris and Barcelona as an example. Since they are among the most visited cities in the world, everyday expenses and accommodation can cost a fortune.

That is not the case with the Balkan. All of the countries are relatively cheap here. That includes food and beverage, public transportation and accommodation. Yes, it’s a given that Croatia and Slovenia might be a bit more expensive than the rest of the countries in the region, but compared to the rest of Europe, the Balkans is literally a financial haven for those who are looking to travel on a budget.

Plenty of Places to Visit

Apart from the fact that the cheap nature of the Balkans is of massive importance to your wallet, that also allows you to visit many of the region’s best destinations. And trust us when we say this – there are plenty of them that you should consider.

Let’s start with Slovenia. Lake Bled, Ljubljana Piran, Maribor, Kranjska Gora and Triglav National Park are just a few honourable mentions. Croatia is known for its lucrative shoreside that includes many great cities such as Porec and Dubrovnik. But you will also be pleased to know that there are many other fantastic places to visit here, including Plitvice National Park, the country’s capital, Zagreb, Split, Zadar and Rovinj.

Moving down to the south, we have Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of the must-visit places here are Sarajevo, Mostar, the Battle of Sutjeska monument, Jajce and Una National Park. Montenegro includes various beauties such as Herceg Novi, Kotor, Podgorica and Budva, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations for young people.

Serbia includes tons of attractions including Kalemegdan and the St. Sava church, which are located in the capital, Belgrade. Then, we have House on the Drina, the Studenica monastery, Skull Tower, Devil’s Town Varos and Uvac Canyon.

The final country on the map is North Macedonia, a small nation, yet full of wonders. It hides massive attractions as Ohrid and Ohrid Lake, Matka Canyon, Krusevo, the ancient cities of Heraclea and Scupi, Prespa Lake, Mavrovo, Galicica, Sar Planina, as well as the capital of the country – Skopje.

Unique Culture

The culture in the Balkans is quite unique and unlike anything you’ve ever come across. People here are just looking for an excuse to celebrate for stuff and go out. They mostly do that in their so-called “kafani” where we must warn you that you shouldn’t get too confident with the most popular beverage in the region – rakija.

These restaurants are definitely places that you should visit as they are a true embodiment of the culture in the Balkan Peninsula.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the Balkan is packed with wonders that are just waiting to be unravelled by you. Regardless of whether you are planning to visit this place during the summer or winter, you will not fall short as there are countless places to visit and things to do. The best part about it is that the whole trip will be extremely budget-friendly.

by ·Comments Off on Exploring the Wonders of North Macedonia

ohrid lake

he Balkans is definitely a hidden jewel for tourists as there are tons of great places to visit, things to see, and dishes to try out. Yes, many people who are looking to travel the world opt-out for more “commercial tourist attractions” and that is the reason why the beauties of the Balkan Peninsula often slip under the radar.

With that being said, we are going to take a look at Balkan treasure that the residents in the region are well-aware of, but it still remains relatively unknown to the world – North Macedonia. There are plenty of wonders that this ancient country hides and we will be more than happy to list a few. Who knows, maybe they’ll spark your adventure and you will go and visit them. Let’s check them out.

Matka Canyon

The first of the many wonders of North Macedonia is Matka Canyon, located just outside of the country’s capital, Skopje. This place is home to a few medieval monasteries and its lake, Matka Lake, is the oldest artificial lake in North Macedonia.

Apart from the breathtaking views, great walking trail and the cosy restaurant, Matka Cave is also home to Vrelo Cave, a cave that many divers have explored throughout the years, but never managed to find its bottom. It was recently confirmed that Vrelo is the deepest cave in Europe, while some believe that it has the potential to be the deepest in the world.

Apart from exploring Vrelo Cave, kayaking in the canyon and enjoying the view from the restaurant, Matka is also a popular hiking destination, with the most popular trail being Matka-Vodno, which is around 13 kilometres.

The Ohrid Lake/ Ohrid

Our next listing is the biggest jewel and the most popular tourist destination – Ohrid Lake. Located in Ohrid, the lake is one of the deepest lakes in the world and the deepest in the Balkans. North Macedonia’s side of Lake Ohrid has been declared a national heritage site by UNESCO. NASA even named one of the lakes of Titan, Saturn, after it.

There are virtually countless things to do here aside from enjoying the fantastic views. Ohrid and the Ohrid Lake are the perfect summer destinations. Apart from enjoying a cruise on the lake, you can visit Varosh, the city’s old town, where you can sightsee many of its churches, including St. Sophia, St. John the Theologian and Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon, as well as Samoil’s Fortress, the Ancient Theatre, and more.

The other side of the city is home to its fantastic beaches and other popular destinations like The Bay of the Bones, Ljubanista, St. Naum and the small village of Trpejca. If you happen to visit Trpejca, make sure to try the fish delicacies there.

Finally, if you are more of the adventurous type, you can always go to the Galicica National Park and take a guided hiking tour around the mountain or climb many of its peaks, including Magaro and Lako Signoj.

Peshna Cave

Have you ever watched Lord of the Rings? This is such a legendary movie franchise that we are just going to assume that you did. Well, Peshna Cave has been described as identical to Lord of the Rings’ imaginary caves by the NY Times.

It is located just a few kilometres away from Makedonski Brod and its opening is the largest in the Balkans. It is over 120 metres long and it is home to many several endemic species that are living in the cave’s underground lakes. Considering the fact that its opening is massive, sun rays beam light to the vary end of the cave, making it easy for you to explore it.

Other Honourable Mentions

There’s no denying the fact that North Macedonia is packed with hidden wonders that you must visit if you are planning a trip there. Apart from the aforementioned attractions, there are numerous other places that you can include on your trip. Some honourable mentions include Mavrovo, which is home to the country’s most popular ski resort and national park, as well as its capital, Skopje.

Although Skopje is the business centre of the country, you can explore quite a few places there, including Vodno, the city’s old bazaar and visit its numerous museums. Then, we have Krusevo, which is the home of the country’s most popular singer in history, Tose Proeski, as well as to one of the most endemic buildings that you will come across in your life – the Makedonium.

Heraclea, the ancient city in Bitola, Radozda and Galichnik should be on your list if you have the time. The best part about travelling to Macedonia is the fact that the expenses are pretty low, making it the perfect budget-friendly destination that you can go to with your friends and/or loved ones.

by ·Comments Off on Moussaka – Taste the Balkans!

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Balkans is that they are this place of like-minded people, who look the same, speak the same language and have the same religious beliefs. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The abstract concept of the Balkans encompasses countries, which though having shared history, have very different opinions about it. Apart from history, the Balkan peoples disagree on many other topics mostly because they do share the characteristic of being passionate. No matter what they’re discussing, they are passionate about it.

Moussaka with PotatoesThey pride on their ethnic cuisine and they’d probably think I’m picking a quarrel if they heard me say that they have a dish that’s common for them all but, truth be told, they do – it’s called moussaka. Well, I can’t guarantee all Balkan states have it but most of them surely have their own version of moussaka.

Originally coming from Greece, the mousakás (μουσακάς) is a traditional dish which is most notable for being layered. In Greece, the three layers of what is going to become moussaka are cooked separately and only combined for the final stage of cooking – baking. But as much as layers are important, their ingredients matter, too.

In Greece, they’d serve you a dish of sautéed aubergines and tomatoes and usually minced meat, topped with Béchamel sauce. But in other Balkan countries, if you ordered moussaka expecting that you’d be in for surprise. Though the dish may look very similar, it’d be likely made without aubergines. Instead of the key-ingredient of the Greek moussaka, some Balkan nations use potatoes. They also replace the Béchamel sauce with plain white yogurt with beaten eggs. They often sprinkle grated cheese on top and garnish the dish with flat-leaf parsley. To try the potato-based moussaka, visit Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia or Slovenia. If you’d like to try moussaka with onions, green peppers, carrots or courgettes, order moussaka in Turkey.

I’ll never forget the moussaka Kate and I ate on one of our trips to the Black Sea coast. We stopped at a village in the foot of the Balkan Mountains and had the typical Bulgarian moussaka with “tarator” – a cold soup made from cucumbers, yogurt, dill, and walnuts. Check out this lovely video recipe for the Bulgarian variant of moussaka.

Many people think of moussaka as a Greek dish but there’s a very similar dish in Egypt and in the Middle East. Anyway, let the Greeks and everybody else in the Balkans enjoy this awesome and nutritious meal with ouzo and Greek salad, also known as Shopska salad in Bulgaria, Serbian salad in Serbia or Çoban salatası (Shepherd’s salad) in Turkey.

Talking of the Greeks, did you know that the ancients were very keen on gambling? They supposedly used to bet on major sporting events, including the Olympics. There were gambling houses in Ancient Greece and they even had a goddess of fortune and prosperity – Tyche, the daughter of Aphrodite and Zeus.

by ·Comments Off on The UK, the EU, and the Balkans

Map of the BalkansIf you don’t know someone and are quick to label them negatively, are they to blame? Certainly not. Actually, if there is any fault in this situation, it should most probably lie with the one that’s reluctant to come to know the other, yet quick to judge them. If all this sounds like a bunch of gibberish to you, let me give you an example.

In January 2013, the British press had a very strange urge to present the UK public with a New Year’s gift of half-truths concerning the two latest additions to the European Union – Romania and Bulgaria. The sad example of scaremongering put many of us on edge with the prospect of the allegedly uneducated, arrogant Bulgarians and Romanians flooding the UK labour market and claiming income-related benefits.

A year later, there were quite a number of articles that updated the Brits on the news that only a small portion of the number of expected immigrants have actually arrived on the British Isles and, more importantly, the number has not really changed after the transitional controls were lifted on 1 January 2014. Not surprisingly, the UK newspapers weren’t so quick to admit their erroneous assumptions and discriminatory policies as they were to come out with them in the first place. But, hey, nobody cares about issuing an apology almost a year later, right?

I felt particularly ashamed when people I’d met on my travels in Romania and Bulgaria asked me why the Brits were prejudiced against them. I’m talking about honest, hard-working people, many of whom have master degrees and are qualified professionals. The hard task of justifying a discriminatory policy is even harder when you don’t believe in it and I surely didn’t. Knowing many successful people from those countries is not even necessary – applying some common sense, however, is. Just have a look at the size of the population of the two countries – the population of Romania is almost three times that of Bulgaria – and you’ll realise how different these are and how absurd coupling them is when speaking of the number of prospect immigrants to the UK?

But that was not the end of it. A similar situation arose in 2016. In the months leading to the referendum, Brexit supporters once again used the Balkans as a scare. Armed forces minister Penny Mordaunt blatantly called people from the five Balkan states to join the EU next “criminals”, “terrorists”, and “gangsters.” Seems like the unknown Balkans will be used as a scare indefinitely. Or at least until they become somewhat familiar.

Brexit may well be the single most destructive step in UK foreign policy. As for the representatives of the Balkan nations living in the UK, the future looks pretty grim. Those who have not joined yet and are working hard towards that dream are disappointed as they face delays, to say the least. Those who are in (Romania, Croatia, and Bulgaria) might have problems travelling to and working in the UK.

by ·Comments Off on Putting the Balkans on the Map

You have probably heard non-Europeans refer to Europe as a single country. Some might even ask which the European capital is. Has someone expected you to speak European? I’m sure you’d find that offensive or at least pretty ignorant. Now, what if I told you that many people think the Balkans is this place where people speak the same language and share the same history and have the same features? Don’t you think that would be a generalization that would border on discrimination?

the-balkan-mountains-autumnThough the Balkans are more of a cultural and political concept, they cover a physical territory on the Balkan peninsula and as such can be analyzed from a geographical perspective. The Balkans are a diverse mix of mountains and forests, rivers and lakes, wide valleys and hilly grasslands, flat or rolling countryside. Actually, did you know that the name Balkans comes from the Balkan Mountains, which are a 560 km mountain range that starts in Serbia and sprawls towards the Bulgarian Black Sea coast?

The Balkan Mountains are a remarkable range with steep cliffs as well as rounded mountaintops. There are many views that would take your breath away, including refreshing waterfalls and colourful woodlands. Drive and hike through the Mountains in any season and you’re sure to see something you haven’t noticed before.

I personally picture the Balkans whenever someone mentions autumn because that’s where you’ll find the most wonderful celebration of the colours of autumn. Take the motorway through the Danube River plain in Bulgaria and you’ll be able to enjoy the dancing colours of the autumn trees that look so enchantingly splashed across the mountainside on the horizon.

Other notable mountain ranges on the Balkans are the Dinaric Alps in BiH and the Carpathian Mountains in Romania. Not all mountain ranges are particularly high. For example, in BiH the terrain is quite mountainous but it comes nowhere near the highest peak of the Balkan Mountains – Mt. Botev with its 2,376 metres. There are many national parks and reserves throughout the peninsula including a transnational park that unites Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro.

The Balkan peninsula, bordered by the Adriatic Sea on the northwest, the Ionian Sea on the southwest, the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea on the south and southeast, and the Black Sea on the east and northeast, offers plenty of options for those who like seaside holidays. Try Mainland Greece or the Greek islands, Croatia or Bulgaria – all those abound in popular tourist spots.

But no matter where you go or what you do, don’t assume you know the Balkan people because you’ve met one somewhere. The nations living in this region deserve not to be squashed together in a single, unifying group. Meet people and get to know them and appreciate them for who they are. Don’t let yourself fall for stereotypes. Otehrwise, you’d become the stereotypical, prejudiced foreigner. Also, be mindful that the physical boundaries of the Balkans have been hotly contested and are still not officially agreed upon. Since it’s an abstract term, “the Balkans” is open for a discussion as to what it encompasses.

by ·Comments Off on Peace of Mind: Success in Online Casinos

Casino Hi, I’m Paul. I’m your real-life Englishman in New York. Except that it’s not New York but the Balkans. You’ve probably heard the name but can you honestly say you know what it stands for? Mostly imagined as a place of political conflict, the Balkans are some kind of a mystery to many Brits.

That’s why I started this blog. It’s dedicated to those who think the Balkans are a single entity and to the youngsters playing football in Hyde Park not even caring about history, culture or politics. I’m the old geezer sitting at a bench, quietly feeding the squirrels but mention the Balkans and I’ll give you the names of the countries and their capitals. And a few personal stories, too.

The Balkans have been part of my life for 25 years. In late 1991, soon after the Fall of the Iron Curtain and the following break-up of Yugoslavia, I started teaching English in Macedonia. I later moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I met my wife, Kate. Kate is from Birmingham, so it was ironic we had to meet there. It was a sign we had to stay.

We are a Balkan family. We got married in Slovenia. Our son was born in Romania and our daughter – in Greece. With the kids now gone, Kate and I spend our time in either Kate’s family house in Yardley, east Birmingham, or in one of our cottages in Turkey, Croatia, and Bulgaria.

We tried changing the world by changing our family. I think we did good. But with age comes wisdom, so I don’t try to change anyone any more. I need my peace and quiet. And what gives me my peace of mind lately are online casino games. From the cultural and political peace in the Balkans to the metaphorical peace of mind when I play games – that’s what you can expect from me. Welcome to my blog – I hope you’ll enjoy my stories.