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Sunday, 06 July 2008

Useful reads


The Maze (2004) | By Panos Karnezis

This novel offers a new interpretation of the events in the aftermath of the First World War and the Greco–Turkish War that lead to the Greek population’s expatriation from modern Turkey’s Aegean... Full Story



Albania
The Siege (2008) | By Ismail Kadare

The Siege by Ismail Kadare was published recently in English, almost 40 years after it came out in Albania. The historical novel, written during Albania’s isolation imposed by the communist regime, is a fascinating allegory of this part of the... Full Story


Turkey
Reading Your Destination: Trabzon, Eastern Turkey

The Towers of Trebizond | Rose Macaulay. 1956 Full Story


Serbia
Three Contemporary Serbian Authors Worth Reading

Milorad Pavic | David Albahari | Alexandar Hemon

Full Story


Romania
Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey (1995) | By Isabel Fonseca

After spending four years among the Roma of Eastern Europe, Isabel Fonseca wrote a rich book about the way of life of the community that makes up the European Union’s largest ethnic minority.
Full Story


Bulgaria
Hidden Treasures of Bulgaria (2006) | By Albena Shkodrova and Anthony Georgieff

Do you know what landmark can be found in Gumoshtnik? Or Svilengrad?

Full Story


Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Fortress (1970) | By Meša Selimovic

The Fortress is a trip to Sarajevo as it was during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Full Story


Turkey
Istanbul: Memories and the City (2003) | By Orhan Pamuk

The book that won Orhan Pamuk the Nobel Prize is a monotonous, according to some, but poetic portrait of Istanbul. Seen through the eyes of one of the most interesting modern Turkish intellectuals, the city of this book is a nostalgic version of... Full Story




Balkan Cuisine


Turkey
Balkan Culinary Wars III: Other People’s Meatballs

Ćevapčići from Leskovac, köfte from İzmir or Bulgarian kebapche? Greek keftedes too, please!

Full Story




Curiosity Chest


Balkans
Blue Amulets Guard Against the Evil Eye in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria

If you’ve ever spent time in Turkey or Greece, you’ll surely remember the feeling that you’re constantly being watched. Blue circles in the shape of single, stylised eyes constantly observe from everywhere – dangling from cars’ rear-view mirrors, hanging on houses’ doors, adorning people’s necks, wrists and ears in the form of jewellery, or painted onto boats or even planes.

Full Story



Music Box


Bulgaria
Experimenting with Eastern Orthodox Chants

Milen Ivanov/Daniel Spasov | Thou Art Blessed, Lord |Kuker Music, 2007 Full Story







Annoyances in the Balkans


Balkans
Relentless Homophobia Rages in the Balkans

Be IN-tolerant! Be normal!, appeals a poster (pictured above) that recently flooded the streets of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.

As the first gay pride parade in Bulgaria is about to take place, amid strong opposition by nationalistic organisations and a large part of society, the high levels of persistent homophobia in the country and the Full Story


Insiders' Advice


Is it easy to drive in the Balkans? Depends. If you are looking for adrenalin, this is a cheap way to get it. Expats say the best tactics is not to get annoyed.
Full Story



How to pick the right time to go? Winter is beautiful in the high mountains, the problem is, it can be so cold! Then again, who cares how cold it is - the locals have a cheap cure: heavy red wine. Sometimes warmed up.
Full Story



You can't trust local maps. Nor some international travel guides. One of them, for instance, says, that Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina flows FROM the Adriatic towards the inland of the Balkans, never reaching the sea. OK, how about the Neretva delta and channel in Croatia?
Full Story



The Big Book of Travelling


United States
The Rise of Burlesque in New York: Tassels and the City

Burlesque – the more audacious relative of commedia dell'arte, is in revival. A reality in “upside down style”, this creative, witty and softer version of striptease is back on stage, following an absence of nearly 80 years. In New York, Anjeza Bojku scoped out several burlesqee venues for BalkanTravellers.com. Full Story

Thailand
A Short Guide to the Peculiarities of Thai Food