Sremski Karlovci

Disappointing outing to Sremski Karlovci The bus to Sremski Karlovci, a 20-min ride away, leaves right outside my hostel.  But when I got to the street, I realised the road was closed for resurfacing for about 2 weeks.  I decided to go explore the old town instead but during the walk, changed my mind to […]

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Stopped by the cops

Continuing to Novi Sad At midday, I checked out and took a taxi to the bus station, rather than repeat the walk with luggage in tow.  It was a cheap ride for the short distance.  At the station, I had hoped to get a sandwich for lunch but there was nothing. Someone pointed out that […]

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Sights of Subotica

Above: Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Theresa of Avila with huge cracks in the facade. Apart from the facade area, it’s still in use. At breakfast, I saw the staff smoking behind the bar when there was a no smoking sign.  I later realised that smoking is still common in Serbia. I headed out around […]

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Entering Serbia

Above:  Subotica synagogue in the daylight next morning. Bus ride to the border My time at Nepliget station went surprisingly quickly as I explored the optimum way of spending my last little bit of Hungarian forints, then boarded the full-sized bus about 20 mins before departure.  I was surprised to find it perhaps one-quarter full. […]

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Bath time again

The basilica I started the day with a visit to St Stephen’s (Istvan) Basilica at 1000 with E whom I met yesterday.  We visited the co-cathedral at ground level first.  It was quite a weird layout in that it’s not very deep from the entrance to the altar but quite wide. Text continues after this […]

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Small explorations

Taking on board the recommendation from yesterday’s walking tour that Tram 2 is one of the most beautiful tram lines in the world, I headed out around 0900 to enjoy the sights from it.  I headed south first to the final station, where the city was quite modern and the roads wide and nearly like […]

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Budapest after twenty years

Leaving Baku Despite a full dinner, I was hungry and tired after midnight.  I had a cheeseburger and expensive coffee from McDonald’s. Fortunately, time passed quickly and soon the check-in counters opened at 0135 for my 0435 flight to Budapest.  Baku airport had turned busy since I arrived, with many flights leaving in the 0300-0400 […]

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Last bit of sightseeing

Lazy start My priority for the day was to get my laundry done before flying out at 0435 tomorrow morning.  My hotel offers laundry through its posher sister-hotel next door and quoted AZN3 per shirt.  No way!  I looked online for laundromats and it would have cost AZN20 total to wash and dry. Fortunately, I […]

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Back to the capital

Above: Inside the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre. The glossy stairs down are a little freaky.. Travelling back to Baku Evim Otel had organised a car at 0800 to take me back to Baku as other options would involve a change in Ismaili and would leave equally early.  I had breakfast before 0730 before dutifully waiting […]

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Highland village of Lahich

Getting from Sheki to Ismaili Today I go halfway back to Baku, overnighting at Lahich (travelling via Ismaili).  After yesterday’s painfully slow transport experience, I was prepared to make life easier.  After breakfast, at 0830, I ordered a Bolt car to take me to Sheki’s bus station rather than spend 30 mins walking.  Why not?  […]

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