travel date: 05/2023

A must-see... augmented

Without a doubt, Guatapé and the Piedra del Peñol are an unmissable day trip from Medellin, where you can enjoy the calm of tropical nature, the scenery and the traditional architecture of these wonders.

Ok but... what if we added a second day to this getaway? All it takes is a few detours, to a few small towns ignored by mass tourism, in order to discover the authentic, smiling Colombia, a blend of calm and a touch of craziness, on these high plateaus of the Antioquia region.

Another strong argument: the last night is in Rionegro, i.e. close to Medellin airport; perfect for a stress-free end of the stay in the region, with a flight the next day.

How's that for a concept?

Why ex-Yugoslavia ?

travel date: 08/2022

I reverse the question : why restrict the journey to Croatia only, on some remarkable sites of the Dalmatian coast only ?

In Croatia, in Bosnia, in Montenegro, as well as the other countries of ex-Yugoslavia, still as of today and despite the sufferings caused by the war in the 1990s, the inhabitants are brotherly peoples, with the same language, and with a culture, traditions and destiny which are still intermingled.

Yes, the Dalmatian coast is worth the journey, it's extraordinary, unique. But not alone. Visiting also the brother countries, meeting also the brotherly peoples, allows for an authentic and rich tourney in the Balkans.

The former Yugoslavia is still on people's minds, with hostility for some, with regret for others. The phenomenon of "Yugonostalgia" is alive in part of the population of these countries. This feeling that a golden age of fraternity and common destiny has vanished, in a country that had its glaring flaws (zero political, press and entrepreneurial freedom) but also its qualities (rather good standard of living for the masses, free studies & health care, freedom to travel to the West, non-alignment with either the West or the USSR) ; in short, a unique case in history of a socialist model that "kind-of worked" at fulfilling the fundamental human needs. And of course, [...]