There are hardly many travelers who would go somewhere further than city centre where their hotel is situated when on a short-term journey. And if location is a metropolis on top of everything else, such “outside” trips are sure to be put on hold till better occasions.
And vainly so because it is in residential districts where one can have a look at a foreign country with the eyes of its citizens which is far more educative than hurry-scurry tours around castles and squares.
Vesturbær, Reykjavík
Local citizens say that in their city everyone knows each other therefore if the capital is one huge village than its residential district Vesturbær is almost a commune where all dwellers are nearly cater-cousins. The district is distinctive for its open pool with thermal waters that operates year around. In evenings there is “full house” by its nosing because, while back-stroke swimming, not only one can see most beautiful starry sky but polar lights as well. Not far from there ocean swashes calmingly by comfortable beaches and a couple of cafés which serve great ice yoghurt. Several significant buildings at once are situated in the heart of the district: Landakotskirkja Catholic Church, designed by famous architect Guðjón Samúelsson, and campus of University of Iceland. Alongside religious people and students, cats caught fancy for this part of Vesturbær – there are thousands of them and nearly all of them with name-tagged collars. On notice boards most popular notices are on disappearance of this or that pet. “Aborigines” say that for many of them whole life passes in one district – there is everything one needs for comfortable existence so why go anywhere?Photo thebrokebackpacker.com
Staten Island, New York
If there is only New York in your trip to the United States with all its lights, skyscrapers and movie-like life but you very much feel like seeing classic “one-storey America” – Staten Island district is the best suitable place for it. Upper crusters from Manhattan, working men from Brooklin and dealers from Bronx often tease Staten Island inhabitants calling them as nearly as hayseeds. The thing is that this part of the city with its small houses, quiet life and oceans of vegetation doesn’t look like your ordinary metropolis. Many people there are actually engaged in farming within the limits of the Big Apple. Low population density together with natural conditions encourages that: the Island is perfectly washed with Hudson River. Local dwellers feel comfortable because their life is deliberate, there are no traffic jams and all blessings of civilization are just past the legendary Verrazano Bridge. The Ferry is believed to be the main landmark of the district; it connects Staten Island to Manhattan – the trip lasts for about half an hour and provides for a chance to enjoy wonderful views including those of the Statue of Liberty and the zoo that was opened as far back as in 1963.Photo kenlicata.net
Buenos Aires, Argentina
After a look around city centre we suggest all the tourists move to the south-east suburb of the city where Barracas, former working district, is situated. It got its name due to numerous barracks in which eager beavers lived when their main occupation was slaughterhouse. Later nearly entire factory production of the city moved there thus turning 19th century Barracas into industrial heart of Argentine capital. However when in late next century industrial productions wound down or were transferred from Buenos Aires at all, huge warehouse facilities didn’t remain empty for long – poor artists and students began moving to the neighborhood. They were followed by other citizens attracted by cheap accommodation and abundance of artists painting everything and anything. Thus galleries and art-spaces emerged instead of slaughterhouses and factories. Nowadays Barracas is a decent and safe residential district famous for football player Di Stefano being born there, Church of Santa Felicitas and neighborhoods that became sets for numerous movies including famous film South by Fernando Solanas.Photo fodors.com
Tokyo, Japan
The Greater Tokyo consists of huge number of district cities and suburbs – it isn’t just a metropolis, it is a separate country. Sometimes its citizens themselves cannot tell a district from a suburb – so urbanized it all got. In 20-minutes ride on commuter rail from the centre green Mitaka is located – perfect spot for picnics, walks with children and simply having a beer in one of numerous parks (“Kampai” exclamations can be heard every other second even on working days). This place can be briefly characterized with three words: sakura, pond, Miyazaki-land. Nature there is truly impressive – while boating and enjoying beauty and silence it is hard to believe that it is a capital with twenty millions of population. As to the great animator, as far back as in 2001 he created Studio Ghibli Museum that is much more often called Totoro Museum (it was the name of his animation film’s character) in the territory of district. Alongside a chance to see with your own eyes how the masterpieces were created, every willing person can attend the master’s study and have an eyeful of his pictures and sketches. Mitaka is both children’s and adults’ favorite spot and there is no better place in entire Tokyo for a romantic walk.Photo champ-magazine.com
Helsinki, Finland
Right past the bridge with jaw-breaking (for foreigners) name Pitkäsilta, Kallio, real working district proudly spreads out. As late as in 1970s it was notorious for they preferred tight-lipped yet specific people there and treated “aliens” from city centre suspiciously. But the latter ones kept coming anyway because in weather-beaten beerhouses alcohol cost peanuts in comparison to fine bars in Helsinki. Local public baths that occupied entire streets, attracted citizens from all over the city, too. There were so many of them in Kallio because nearly all of local housing built a century ago were condominiums so there were hardly many people who could boast of an apartment larger than 20 square meters and there simply were no baths or showers. All in all, some 15-20 years ago the only things they were doing in the district were working like dogs on factories, drinking beer and washing in baths. Everything changed when the Finns increased their living standards so much that there was no more need in domestic industry on such scale and workers began retraining for clerks and enterprises themselves shut down. First signals, that not only Kallio is becoming a different place but even a hipster one, were opening of a second hand shop and of a vegetarian café there. To the credit of locals, they realized that times changed and didn’t look at people who earn living with their heads rather than hands with jaundiced eye. And as time went on things got really mixed: former plant workers enjoy coffee in brand new establishments and new-coming intellectuals curiously master abandoned objects to turn them into clusters and cinemas. More to that, the district became so unanimous that the main holiday there is Korttelikeittiö, the day when locals gather in the street to cook food and treat each other – some kind of local festival. Second most popular event is litter pick. However, although they may gradually forget former atmosphere of Kallio, the place still preserves its spirit of liberty and over there no one is surprised if beer is ordered at 8 a.m. And cheap baths still operate.Photo instaphenomenons.me
For 1 month spring has been reining our planet, now just watch warm coats to change for thin jackets, cold and mediocrity for the bright sun. And, of course, what sort of spring it could be without green trees and beautiful flowers? Well, in order to make your expectation of long-awaited colours and flavours less agonizing, we offer you to enjoy the beauty that year-round marvels visitors to the most exciting indoor gardens.
Sauntering through picturesque nooks of Grand Dame Europe we look around without even suspecting how many interesting things there are beneath our feet. If you are annoyed with standard tours that include marathon race around museums and monuments, we suggest you have a look at good Old World from a different perspective. Or more specifically, look under its feet.
Tibet… what are you mulling over while articulating this name, drawing it in your mind mentioning the concept involved in the mild space of clouds?Tibet… There are mountains that seem to be speaking with the heaven. Here everything is penetrated with the religion and different beliefs such as culture, art, folk traditions and customs.
Everyone knows that being in Scotland you should try whiskey, in France you should taste wine, and in Japan t is all about sake. But few people think about national soft drinks. They were created by peoples with far more practical intentions - refreshing and burning, repelling from the climate features, possessing nourishing properties.
In this day and age, it is difficult to surprise anyone, especially an urban resident, with some large department store or market, since nowadays one can buy everything from a humble convenience store next door. However, the iconic bazaars and flea markets are still operating across the globe, they are famous in legends and described with delight.
Mon amour, mon ami… All most beautiful words and songs of love sound in French. Review every curve of France and find privacy in province of Provence that gently swings in the south-east of Brigitte Bardot and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Ancient cities from Marseille to Monaco are penetrated with lyric antiquity so ideas of staying at Côte d’Azur keep coming back to your head.
If you like having rest in Bulgaria but haven’t picked a town to stay in, try and do it in Balchik. It will suit those who value cozy yet non-costly trips without a flow of holiday-makers and an empty pocket afterwards. And the town’s ancient age together with unique landmarks will create a great alternative to sun and sea bathes.
Majority of people associate Morocco with either red or yellow – Africa, after all, heat, sand, spices and so on as the list goes. But it only happens in heads of tourists who have never visited an amazing city with such a pleasant and tender name as Chefchaouen. After that one the whole country seems to be a single cloud.
Mexico is a hot and passionate country. At least, legendary Mexican soap operas have contributed to this image. It is time to go there and get your own unforgettable experience that will forever stir your soul! Mexico is a country in the south of North America washed by the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico. Surfers say the waves are amazing there...
Bulgaria rests on two pillars: beautiful nature including perfect beaches and thousand-year history. There are mystical and magnetically attractive places, vibrant discos and nature reserves. We invite you to check out our list of unexpected ideas for holidays to discover all faces of Bulgaria.
While on a trip, willy-nilly you take one of the local excursions. Big promises of travel agents and reviews on sites for travelers do not always help compose a correct picture of your destination. Today we will get you ready as we selected the most amazing trips in the world.
When moving to a new country, more often than not people tend to get settled nearby emigrants like themselves. It is pretty convenient: accommodation isn’t expensive, job can be found right on the location and there is no need to study a new language – everyone around understands you. This is how national ghettos appear.
One can get from Kyiv to Helsinki by car in less than a fortnight. In day and a half by railway. For more impatient travelers planes exist. Several airlines fly from Ukraine to Lapland. By sky it will merely take you two hours to reach crystal surface of the Gulf of Finland, famous saunas and clothes made of deerskin.
Beaches, forests, deserts are not enough to say that you have already visited many parts of the earth. Definitely, you wanna something extraordinarily special? Why not! Humanity has flown into space a long time ago! Frankly speaking, the journey to Mars will seem too expensive even for a millionaire. After all, a trip outside the Earth costs the budget of a personal island.
Often the Balkan countries are deemed to be something very close to us in terms of mentality, culture and traditions, that traveling there seems to be something second-rate, no match for a trip to Europe, or to some islands. However, today we would like to tell about magic Balkan cities that can compete with the much favoured tourist centres!
Today in our already traditional column we talk about national ghettos – a story about one of the most exotic districts in São Paulo – about Liberdade. It is there where the world’s largest Japanese diaspora lives. Immigration from the Land of the Rising Sun began in 1908 when 165 families arrived on Brazilian land ...
Ancient Fez medina is firmly holding time in a criss-crossing maze of tiny alleyways and picturesque shops. The medieval town of craftsmen does not recognize modern technology, however, it is not difficult to trace a full production of cute handbag with embossed lettering. The leather for souvenir is produced there, in courtyards, and at a reasonable cost a tannery owner would reveal details of folk art with a millennial history.
Impressions of this city depend much on what you have visited before being introduced to it. After Los Angeles it may seem very business-like and culturally rich, after New York – provincial and old-fashioned somehow. In any case, it has a bright and memorable face of a gentleman from Massachusetts.
5 tons of water fall off into the ravine every single moment, roaring, raising steam and disseminating spatter in all directions. ‘Liquid wall’ of Iguazu Falls extends its crescent on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Despite the title, in this article we won’t talk about peculiarities of Japanese hieroglyphs and pronunciation. First of all, because there is a whole bunch of specialized literature and secondly, if you don’t study Japanese such knowledge may widen your horizons but will be of no use in practice whatsoever.
Photo thebrokebackpacker.com
Photo kenlicata.net
Photo fodors.com
Photo champ-magazine.com
Photo instaphenomenons.me
