Hollokő – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Holloko, a Unesco world heritage sight is famous for its Palóc culture and traditions, as well as its 14th century castle.
Tag: local culture
Young Czechs leap into the unknown in Opatovice
“These kids are the first generation to have everything: iPhones, laptops, free education. When, and we all know these things are in cycles, when the bubble bursts, I’m concerned for their resilience.”
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Niurkoniai Chapel
Joseph Vavžeckis built this church in memory of his brother Thomas who fought in the Kościuszko Uprising against Russian power.
Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses): a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice.
It would take a heart of stone not to be moved by the sight of over 100,000 crosses standing erect on a hillside in the middle of the Lithuanian countryside. Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) in Siauliai is the site where hundreds of thousands of souls are commemorated, hundreds of thousands of lives are recalled, hundreds of thousands of loved ones are remembered.
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Less mithering in Cineville Latvia
Latvia, it seems, is a cash based society. It’s fortunate that I purchased some Euros on the crossing, because the young lady at the kiosk is shaking her head. “Sorry, no cards.”
Balletic performance in Tori Estonia
Much can be gleaned about the psyche of a nation by whom, or indeed what, they choose to celebrate…
World Wife Carrying Championships
Whilst Super Mario can sprint across the Mushroom Kingdom in under 5 minutes, Lithuanian Vytautas Kirkliauskas can navigate the course of the World Wife Carrying Championship with his wife on his back. No burden is too heavy for this super husband.
Vardø II – The Damned, The Possessed and The Beloved
On a desolate windswept clifftop in Vardo lies the Steilneset Memorial, a commemoration of the 91 people tried and executed for witchcraft in 1621.
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Utsjoki – The outer edge of the EU
Utsjoki is the most northern municipality in Finland, making it the absolute outer edge of the European Union. The mighty Tana, a 250 mile long river that snakes through both Finland and Norway emptying (eventually) into the Barents Sea, forms the backbone of this tiny village…
Heart of Lapland
In Joseph Conrad’s masterpiece (or indeed Apocalypse Now, a film heavily based on it), the protagonist treks for days and days in treacherous conditions towards The Heart of Darkness. He is confronted with increasingly bizarre and disturbing objects, symbols and actions that demonstrate the savagery of the native people.
I’m minded of this I pull into a roadside shop that is selling Sami art…