The World Looks At Munich

The Oktoberfest is one of the most well known events in Munich. This year it ran from 17th September to 3rd October. The first and last weekend is always the highlight, as there are fireworks and everyone is excited to start or end the event. People from all over the world come to Munich, sometimes even just for 2 days, from as far away as the United States. Bavarians usually dress up traditionally, but nowadays a lot of tourists come in traditional dress as well, so it gets hard to differentiate them from the locals. Every beer garden owner has their own tent at the Oktoberfest and they are always overloaded. Between all the tents are roller coasters and little stands with food, games, like at a funfair.

In most of the tents you can only buy beer for 10 Euros, but in a few you can get Radler which is a mix of beer and lemon or a simple Spezi which is a mix of lemon and coke.
The meals consist, of course traditional Bavarian dishes like Bretzl, dumpling "Knödel", Schweinshax, Hendl "chicken" or Kaiserschmarrn. Most people get into the tents early, so that they get a table. Usually the rule is to drink enough to withstand the atmosphere and the smell of drunk and sweaty people. Traditional music is played by the chapel and everyone sings along to the songs. Each year they play the same songs like "Ein Prosit", "Hände zum Himmel" or "Hey baby" so that the citizens and all others who often come to the event, know them off by heart.


The worst part about Oktoberfest is getting to the restroom.
This picture shows how long it can take to get your turn. All in all the event is one of the most exciting things to do in Munich. Everyone is friendly to each other, everyone loves each other and all the usual social barriers seem to disappear for three weeks. You meet people randomly on the streets and everything seems so normal and easy. It is like a loud, international and joyful parade for three weeks. This excitement disappears as fast as it comes once everyone gets back into their daily routine, but everyone keeps the images in their mind, looking forward to next year, and another three weeks of happiness.

Beach Hopping

We went to Lake Mir. Mir means peace in Croatian and you really feel like you’re in a peaceful area.

This place is famous for its salt-water lake. It is mainly rocky.
The main reason tourists visit here is to take part in the tradition to build a chimney with stones. It symbolizes luck. I collected some stones and this is the result:

We kept on travelling. Next stop: Zman. Here we ate delicious Gavuni fish, very popular on the island. It is a must to eat fish if you are in Long Island. After lunch we headed to Sali which is the largest village on the island. We walked along the bay and had a swim in the clear sea.

The last stop of my journey in Croatia was Bibinje where we stayed at a very lovely Croatian family, at Ana Dumančić's house. We headed back to the airport in Zagreb. It was a short, but very impressive and fascinating journey. I had the chance to see lots of places in a short period of time, many thanks as well to the Croatian TV-Star Tomislav. I can recommend Croatia as a great holiday destination for the amazing nature, food and hospitable Croatians.

Nature’s Paradise

After 1.5 hours by ferry we reached the seventh largest island, Dugi Otok, which is well known for its beautiful nature and cliffs. Sali is the largest town on the east side, next to Božava, Dragove, Soline, Brbinj, Luka, Polje, Verona, Savar, Veli Rat, Zaglav, and Žman.

We tried to see as much as possible in the few days we had. So we started with the port village Zaglav, next to Luka. The restaurant Roko is a very good place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were travelling by scooter, so we could move easily between locations.

One of the beaches I liked was the Brbinjscica beach which is a rocky beach with stone terraces and cliffs; the other was the Saharun beach, a beach with sand and beautiful turquoise sea water, which is very rare in Croatia. It is a very calm place surrounded by pine woods. Dugi Otok is the perfect place for any outdoor sport.
For cliff diving fans it is one the best places to jump from very high cliffs into the sea. The lighthouse “Punta Bjanka” in Veli rat has one of the biggest lanterns and placed in a wonderful quiet location, close to a church.
Next we went to the nature park in Telašćica which is full of wildlife and sea creatures. A perfect place for diving. This location is calm and surrounded by a forest of pine, olive and fig trees. I didn’t see any exotic animals, except the sea cucumber!
I saw a sea cucumber for the first time. It is a rare water animal, but we were lucky enough to have found one. They resemble the shape of a cucumber, and feel very slippery. A Croatian told me that they clean the sea bed by eating the dirt off the stones. Croatians don't eat these animals, but in Asia they do.

Cliff Diving At Dragon’s Eye In Rogoznica

Next we went to one of the popular summer holiday destinations, Rogoznica which is between Split and Šibenik. The most visited part is the Dragon’s Eye, Zmajevo oko.

The colour of the lake is azure. A lot of youngsters come to this place to dive from very high rocks into the saltwater. Nearby are a lot of areas to swim in the sea.

The Sea Organ Allures People

The next morning we went to the seaport Zadar.

At the bay there are two attractions; the sea organ, a stone wall that produces a sound when the sea waves hit it. The device was created by the architect Nikola Bašić. Another is the monument to the Sun. The solar plates absorb solar energy in daytime and transform it into light effects during the night. We went on the ferry to Dugi Otok (Long Island).

After 1.5 hours by ferry we reached the seventh largest island, Dugi Otok. Sali is the largest town on the east side, next to Božava, Dragove, Soline, Brbinj, Luka, Polje, Verona, Savar, Veli Rat, Zaglav, and Žman.

Feel The Power Of The Seven Waterfalls

The next stop was at the National parc in Slapovi Krke.

You can reach the attraction via bus, which are scheduled frequently. A lot of tourists come to see the seven waterfalls of the Krka river surrounded by beautiful landscape and wildlife.

There is more than one path to reach the big waterfalls and you can jump into the river to cool down, but it’s forbidden to swim very close to the waterfalls.

Faithless Concert In Split

After having had a nice swim we headed to the second biggest city, Split. The Diocletian's Palace, Dioklecijanova palača, in the heart of Split tells the history of the area and is a place to meet and sit and look up at the stars. The Cathedral of St. Duje is beautiful.

This picture shows the bridge where people do bungee jump.

The actual reason for coming was to see the Faithless concert. So many people from all over the world came just to enjoy the rhythm and dance to the beat. We had the pleasure to get on the Heineken booth and had a perfect view of the whole crowd. At midnight we could admire a wonderful fireworks display in all its glory.

Summer Festival, Terraneo, Under A Clear Night Sky

Thursday evening we headed from Zagreb to Tribunj, had a Croatian mocha and went to Šibenik, to get to the Terraneo Festival. Croatia is a coffee country, and mocha is very well known as an influence from the Ottoman Empire. The little village was very quiet and the summer houses seemed large from the outside, but were very small on the inside. In front of many of the houses were fig trees. Most Croatians trust their neighbours and don’t need to worry about crime. We actually experimented by leaving a bag in front of a house and after 30 minutes it was still there. One of the most exciting bands at the open-air festival was Nouvelle Vague, they were fascinating with their charming performance.

The Croatian Appetite

Next we went to the Lotrščak Tower from where we had a perfect view of the whole of Zagreb. We could see the mountain of Medvednica and the Sava river. On top of the tower is a canon which is fired to mark midday. We continued walking and there was a booth with “Licitar” which is a heart-shaped gingerbread cookie with the symbol of love and affection and is mostly bought as a souvenir by tourists.

We then passed a statue on the Strossmayer Promenade illustrating the poet Antun Gustav Matos and we had a “schnapps” made of honey, a Medovaca. In Croatia people drink now and again all kinds of self-made schnapps: Sliwowitz (plum), Lozovaca (grape), Kruskovaca (pear), Jabukovaca (apple), Smokovaca (fig), Travarica (herb plants), Orahovaca (walnut) or Visnjevaca (cherry).

As a guest you’ll get offered it and it’s a sign of politeness to drink the whole glass of schnapps. What is a typical Croatian meal?

Cevapcici may come first into people’s mind, a meat balls dish. Some might say a dish with fried snails. I tried it, but I did not like it; I prefer the way the French cook it with garlic.

Roasted lamb on a spit with big onions and chips is a must for a tourist, as well as the grilled fish Bakalar or a tuna steak, the Dalmatian pot roast “pasticada” and the pancake served with ice cream, Palacinke.

Mercy Over Croatia

Croatia is a very religious country.
People frequently visit the Zagreb Cathedral. The St. Catherine’s Church, St Stephen’s Chapel, Franciscan Church, St Mary’s Church are all beautiful churches in the heart of Zagreb city close to the Green Horseshoe, a park in the shape of a letter “U” and contains a lot of the public culture. We crossed the Dolac Market, a food market where people buy fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish and figs, particularly in the summer.

We crossed the “Bloody bridge” which connects Gradec and Kaptol. “The Stone Gate” is a very precious place because under the arch of the gateway a painting of the Virgin Mary was saved from a fire in 1731.
Many people light a candle here and make a wish. Close by is the Oldest Pharmacy of Zagreb, Kamenita ulica. Another interesting shop is in the upper town, the Museum of Broken Relationship where anything can be donated, reminding people of their own broken relationships.

Bog Hrvatska!

The weather in Munich was awful for the month of August, which is why I decided to plan my next trip to a country where I can discover new culture, food and landscapes. I chose Croatia, or Hrvatska, as the locals call it.

I arrived in Zagreb around lunch time and my friend Sandra was waiting for me, holding a board with my name on, decorated with chocolate. The capital was very calm, as people spent most of their time at the coast. We went directly into the oldest part of the city, Gornji Grad where we passed the Ban Jelačić Square, which is the central square. In Croatia the tram was the most commonly used public transport in the cities.

One of the attractions is the Mandusevac Fountain which has an important historical story behind it....one day a Croatian leader returned from battle and asked a girl for water from the fountain. The word for “scoop up water” is “zagrabiti” and hence the name Zagreb was used for the city.

Paris - Je T'Aime Encore

Finally I made it to Paris. I couldn't wait to see all my friends again. I always feel like home when I arrive in the magic city. It's not only because I've spent 3 months of my life close to Paris, but also the language is so harmonic, melodic and emotional.

I love the bakeries and "pâtisseries". The picture shows a nice French breakfast not far from the Opéra. Every time I am in Paris I love analysing the clothing habits of its citizens. It seems that the trend is moving toward a more and more Vintage look.

I love this style, as it is very unique and many of the clothes have a special story behind them. Paris is always so busy with tourists, so it's always difficult to get seats in cafés, and if you find a place, you almost have to sit on your neighbour's lap.

One of my favourite cafés was at the "Place Sainte Marthe". I didn't spend much time in the Paris nightlife; the only club I visited was the "Le Pompon" which is a nice club with a dancefloor downstairs. Time passed too quickly and I am looking forward to go back as soon as possible!

Welcome At The London Dungeons

London is famous for it's fashion which is why I was walking down Oxford and Regent Street to get inspired by new trends. The other thing I discovered was that British people seem to like scary rides and attractions, such as the London Dungeons, which was the next visit of my travel plan. Some parts had been really scary, and others had been interesting to listen and to look at. The best part was definitely the end where you can decide if you want to die or escape! We were sent to the execution chamber to be hung! We were forced to sit down in a dark room, were fastened in, and suddenly we were dropped to our deaths!! Now, enjoy the picture which was taken while falling down! Haha!

Easter Egg Ferris Wheel

From far away I could already see the gigantic Ferris wheel. The passenger capsules looked like Easter eggs. The London Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, reaching 135 meters. At the highest point of the wheel I could see the whole of London. The London Eye is one of the most visited tourist attractions, along with Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse, and as usual for London, it started raining so the view in the capsules was not as good as it could have been, but my guide Alex made the best out of a bad situation, and told me historical facts about London and entertained me with his British humour.

Michael Jackson Is Still Alive!

This year I decided to spend my Easter holidays in London, because I had one mission: To find proof that Michael Jackson is still alive.

I was walking around with my eyes wide open! I had just him and his music in my mind. Every beat of his music took me, finally, to a place called Madame Tussauds. A lot of wax figures of celebrities were there.




Some looked like the originals, and some didn't even resemble the real person. The more I walked through the hall of celebrities from the music industry, I came to my inspiration, the king of pop.


 He was standing there in his chic outfit. He still looked energetic and stood out from all the other figures, like the brightest star in the night's sky. I was so proud and honoured to stand next to him, I took a picture with him, blew him a kiss and moved on to the next stage of my sightseeing plan.

Coral Gables And Sawgrass Mills Mall

One of the musts in Miami is the shopping mall, Sawgrass Mills Mall. I was so excited to go there, but to be honest, 5 hours was just not enough! I couldn't even visit all the stores and as the mall was gigantic, huge!!! I did a lot of shopping and was proud of what I found! This time I spent more time in the area of Coral Gables, which I prefered compared with the more popular South Beach.

Miami Baby!

Mission complete! My master thesis was written, now I needed a holiday...sun, beach and sea! My friend Uli and I decided to fly to Miami for 5 days. It was a really unorganised vacation, but that made it more exciting because we didn't have a clue what we wanted to do whilst we were there. Two friends of Uli had been already there so we spent most of the time with them. One of the most beautiful and quite areas we visited was Key Biscayne. The beach, sea and all the nature was wonderful and it was so hot that we got sun burn.

Üetliberg And Rapperswil

The next day I met a friend and we went to a very high point near Zurich, the Üetliberg, which is a popular attraction on sunny days. We were lucky because it was sunny although it was really windy. After having had a very nice lunch on the mountain, we looked over the whole of Switzerland and continued to Rapperswil where we got one of the most delicious self-made ice-creams.

Red Carpet At St. Gallen

I spent one night in St Gallen to see a friend whilst I was on my way towards Zurich. St Gallen is a small city. I liked the red carpet designed by Carlos Martinez in collaboration with Pipilotti Rist which was spread out between the buildings. The city has an outside living room which invites the public to sit and enjoy their time outside.

One Weekend in Prague

We decided to make a short trip to Prague by car. It took us about one hour to get there. Some motorways were still under construction and the signs weren't clear enough that's why we arrived a little bit later. We went out for dinner and looked for the main attractions such as the Prague Castle, the astronomical clock, the Charles Bridge, the old town square and the Jewish quarter.All in all it was too short to discover the whole culture of Czech Republic, but it is definitely a nice city with very friendly people.