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Zagreb, Croatia

You want history?  Read any one of the other blogs about the Balkans.  Paleo…Iron…Rome…Ottoman (but just a smidge) …Austro-Hungarian…Yugoslavia…Croatia…War.  In the early 1990s, ethnic Serbs living in ‘Croatia’ rejected Croatian rule and fought to join with Serbia.  The fighting ending shortly after it started in 1991—that’s is not to say it wasn’t horrible—with a United …

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Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On the bus from Kotor, Montenegro, to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, I noticed that the mountains changed from the steep, rugged, jagged mountains to steep, sculptural, smooth mountains.  Valleys also became wider and better suited to agriculture. I also noticed buildings in disrepair and even ruins.  Montenegro was memorable for well-maintained buildings.  At the time …

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Belgrade, Serbia

I bet you’re wondering why I went from Albani to Serbia instead of Montenegro.  Another blunder?  No.  Well maybe.  We’ll see. I heard about a train that runs from Bar, Montenegro, to Belgrade, Serbia.  The train also runs from Belgrade to Bar.  I didn’t ask…  It is considered one of the most scenic train rides …

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Tirana, Albania

The Illyrian tribes migrated south from central Europe to the region we call Albania in the bronze age, around 4,000 years ago.  it’s a good location, check out a map.  It is just a quick paddle across the Adriatic and/or Ionian seas to anything of importance.  Greeks settled the area, then Rome invaded, as did …

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Sofia, Bulgaria

Good news, Austrian Airlines loads passengers from the outside in.  Window, then middle, then aisle seat.  Pretty cool, but disheartening if you have an aisle seat and don’t know why you’re getting on last.  Now I know, and approve. Bad news, I spent the first 6 days in Sofia battling a cold I caught from …

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