Lost in the forests of the Zemaitija National Park in Western Lithuania, a Soviet underground missile base was found after the fall of the Soviet Union. It used to house 22 meter long R12 Rockets with 3-meter nuclear warheads, ready to strike pretty much any target in Europe. This is the location where the missiles that departed to Cuba during the 1962 Cuban crisis were stored, and just the idea of being there to witness such a historic place was exciting to me! I had to go see it for myself. In This Article…1 A dark piece of history of the 20th century2 In Pictures3 Pin to Pinterest A dark piece of history of the 20th century After visiting Chernobyl 2 years back and loving the experience, I knew I had an interest for such things. Where else can you visit an abandoned nuclear missile silo that played an important role in world politics in the 20th century. So while in Klaipeda in western Lithuania, […]
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Visiting the Mouth of the Curonian Spit in Klaipeda, Lithuania
Set on a small stretch of coast on the Lithuanian Baltic coast, Klaipeda is truely set in an amazing location. The city is set directly on the Curonian spit which is a UNESCO protected area for its unique natural wonders. With a nice German flavor, this once important Prussian city is now Lithuania’s third largest city, yet keeping a distinctive town summer holiday feel. Its fame is only starting as cruise large cruise ships have included the Klaipeda onto their Northern Europe route along with Tallinn, Helsinki and Stocklholm. In This Article…1 Visiting Klaipeda2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Klaipeda3 Top 10 Things to do in Klaipeda4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Klaipeda5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Klaipeda6 Klaipeda in Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest Visiting Klaipeda Klaipeda was actually called Memel in German times before it was renamed Klaipeda by the Lithuanians. The city was a nice surprise for me, as I didn’t expect such a beautiful little town since I hadn’t […]
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Kaliningrad in Russia – In the Shadow of Konigsberg
Once a very important city in the Prussian empire and now an integral part of Russia, this little enclave to the baltic sea hold its share of history. Its strategic location between the Curonian spit was seen by several empires to be a must keep area, which explains why it is awkwardly separated from the Russian Mainland. A lot of Kaliningrad was lost during world war 2, which is sad because It was once considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Even St-Petersburg is said to be built on the bases of Kaliningrad. In This Article…1 The Missing Piece of the Baltic States2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Kaliningrad3 Top 10 Things to do in Kaliningrad4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Kaliningrad5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Kaliningrad6 Kaliningrad In Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest The Missing Piece of the Baltic States It’s no secret that I consider the 3 Baltic States as one of my favorite parts of th world. And this is probably […]
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Visiting Krasnoyarsk, Siberian Nature at its Best
My last stop on this Siberian Month was Krasnoyarsk, the third largest city in Siberia and a highlight on my last trip 4 years ago. I had been curious to spend more time here and for the occasion, I rented a 10-day apartment in the center to be close to the action. Looking back at it, it was definitely a good move. The beauty of Krasnoyarsk is in its nature, with its parks all over the city and especially the Stolby national park just a few kilometers away. What I especially like about this city compared to other Russian cities is its compact center, situated between 2 rivers, appearing like an island. It helps to concentrate the points of interest in the center and not spreading over a large distance, making it a great pedestrian city. The riverfronts are covered in green parks and seemed to constantly fill up with couples enjoying its romantic atmosphere and kids feeding the ducks. And just as the city is preparing for […]
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Siberian Style Summer White Storms in Tomsk, Russia
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Siberia is Snow. Some people even think its winter all year round, just like Antarctica. But that’s far from reality. Being here in the middle of the Summer with 30 degrees temperatures, seeing a white “pollen” storm was quite interesting and ironic considering Siberian’s “white” stereotype… In This Article…1 White Fluffy Pollen Storms2 A Small Town with a Traditional Siberian Feel3 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Tomsk4 Top 10 Things to do in Tomsk5 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Tomsk6 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Tomsk7 Tomsk In Pictures8 Pin to Pinterest White Fluffy Pollen Storms In June in Siberia, a special species of cotton-tree starts producing an impressive amount of white, thick pollen flying everywhere to what resembles a real snowstorm. The scene is beautiful to watch, but can also be an annoyance as these massive flying pieces make it hard to breathe as they can easily be breathed in the […]
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FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia: A Complete Success
I had the chance this year to take part in my second FIFA World Cup, this time in Russia in June and July 2018. After having participated in the World cup in 2010 in South Africa with a couple friends from Brazil, I decided to buy a ticket for one game and enjoy a few weeks of football celebration with fans of the world in a country that I only ask to spend more time to visit. And this was a great occasion to get a 2 months Visa to visit areas I had wanted to visit for a while. In This Article…1 My Travel Plan in Russia 20182 My Experience3 My impressions of this world cup4 In Pictures5 Pin to Pinterest My Travel Plan in Russia 2018 Actually, there was a plan around all this, and it wasn’t about football. Being Canadian, there is only one sport that I can have passion for: hockey. So as much as I want to like football, it […]
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Visiting Novosibirsk, Capital of Siberia in Russia
The Siberian Capital and third largest city in Russia, Novosibirsk is, in my opinion, the real Russia. Friendly and modern, yet having a distinctive Siberian feel, this is a city where travelers will enjoy friendly people and nature to its fullest. It’s definitely not easy to reach but if you happen to be on a trans-Siberian train or an intercontinental flight on transit, make a 2 to 3 days stop to see what I mean. In This Article…1 Visiting the Siberian Capital2 Ignored by World Cup organizers3 Novosibirsk Dien Goroda4 Best 2 Days Itinerary of Novosibirsk5 Top 10 Things to do in Novosibirsk6 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Novosibirsk7 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Novosibirsk8 Novosibirsk In Pictures9 Pin to Pinterest Visiting the Siberian Capital At the peak of the Fifa Russian world cup of 2018 and just after my final match I attended in Rostov-on-Don between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, I escaped the center of the action and the noise to hide […]
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A Few Days in the Cossack Capital of Rostov-on-Don in Russia
Before 2018, I would have never thought about visiting Rostov-on-Don, as its name resonated too much with the problems of Donbass and Lugansk of Ukraine. But since I had a World Cup Ticket for the Uruguay-Saudi Arabia Game this year, I was kind of obligated to give it a try. And what a surprise! Rostov-on-Don is a Big and Lively city that definitely deserves its share of tourism! In This Article…1 My experience in Rostov-on-Don2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Rostov-on-Don3 Top 10 Things to do in Rostov-on-Don4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Rostov-on-Don5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Rostov-on-Don6 Pin to Pinterest7 Rostov-on-Don In Pictures My experience in Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is known to be the capital of the Cossacks, these ancient warriors who have defended the region over centuries. Even some special police units today have uniforms of Cossacks warriors which you could spot on your visit. I had the chance to be here during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so the city […]
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World Map of the Hardest Countries to Travel – in the Eyes of a Man Who Visited Them All
This map is part of my series about mapping different countries and comparing them with each other against different aspects, from the perspective of a person who has visited them all (188/196 to be precise). After creating the most beautiful countries map, the best food in the world map or even the best quality price countries, this map focuses on the easiest and hardest countries to travel to and to explore as a regular or a budget backpacker. This is a question that I often get from travelers and comparing them to each other will give you valuable information about what to expect. In This Article…1 The Map of the Hardest Countries to Travel to2 The Top Tiers: The Easiest3 The Middle Tiers4 The Hardest Countries5 Conclusion6 Pin to Pinterest The Map of the Hardest Countries to Travel to So from dark red (the most difficult to travel) to dark green (the easiest to travel), here is the map in question. I provide details on my choices […]
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How to Find and Book the Best & Cheapest Accommodation for your Travels
As I keep saying all the time, traveling is not as expensive as people think. Even though accommodation is usually the most expensive chunk of money you will spend out of your daily budget, it will turn out as expensive as you want it to be. There are so many options out there nowadays that you can easily sleep under 30$ a day very comfortably. I’ve been in these types of accommodation non-stop for over 10 years now, which helped me visit 95% of the world’s countries, so I know what I’m talking about. In this article, I rounded up all the tips and tricks out there for you to see the options available and understand you can use them too! I also share valuable tips on how to save money on the biggest websites and how to use them. In This Article…1 Hotel Rooms2 Private Apartments3 Guesthouses & Rooms in Shared Apartments4 Hostels and shared rooms5 Community Hosting6 Overnight Transport7 Sleeping in airports8 Camping9 Which are the […]
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