Displaying items by tag: north macedonia and bulgaria

Straw Hats of Yemen
One of the most curious and unusual details you will see in the mainland are the strange, tall hats worn by local women in the fields. Despite the scorching heat, Yemeni women are dressed in black burqas while working in the fields and the only relief, apparently, is coming through these tall hats. The hats are made of dried and braided strips of date palm leaves and are characteristic to Hadramaut province of Yemen. These strange hats are called madhalla and please ask for permission before taking a photo.

The Lotus Farm
The Lotus Farm is basically a large lake producing thousands of lotus flowers which are harvested to create a unique, silk-like textile. Lotus is, of course, used in Khmer cuisine as well. Pretty much all parts of the plant are edible but we prefer the dried seeds. They have a nut-like flavor and are often sold dried in western countries. Lotus farm makes for a nice, non-touristy detour from the main route and you can get a good picture of how people live in Cambodia.

Stećak Monuments
Just recently added to UNESCO World Heritage list, stećak tombstones are shared by nearly all the nations of the Balkans but Bosnia has most of them: about 60 000. There are several variations of this unique monument and most recognizable are the ones in the shape of a sarcophagus with various decorations on them. Radimlja necropolis near Stolac in Hercegovina is one of major sites to visit if curious about this unique tradition.

Port Moresby Nature Park
Nature surrounding Port Moresby is wonderful. Typical tropical jungle with an abundance of birdlife. To see some unique birds of this fascinating country, Port Moresby Nature park is a wonderful place. Although we prefer to see birds free, in the nature, this park is well worth visiting: for variety of birds and great grounds that are in contrast with rest of Port Moresby. From most of birds of paradise to cassowaries - and some mammals - Port Moresby Nature park is well worth the visit.

Giant Tortoises of Aldabra
Seychelles is home to the world's largest population of Aldabra giant tortoises, native to the Aldabra Atoll. These ancient creatures can live for over a century and are a true symbol of the Seychelles' unique biodiversity. Visit the Aldabra Atoll or other sanctuaries to get up close and personal with these gentle giants and learn more about their fascinating life and conservation efforts.

Richat Structure
If you are a seeker of unknown and interested in truly unique places, the a visit to Richat Structure is simply a must! One of the most unique places on the planet is also called "Eye of Sahara" due to its unusually regular shape. While this structure can only be seen from the sky, a visit to it by car is also a unique experience. Especially if you are waiting for dawn at it's very center. This structure is purely a geological formation although some are connecting it to legendary Atlantis. There is only one way to check.

Communist-Era Statues
Tirana is not the most fascinating city but some parts of the center are quite unique. Enver Hoxa Mausoleum with Communist-Era Statues definitely is the place to visit! Mausoleum is in poor condition as Albanians don't care much about former dictator. The statues of prominent communist symbols used to be all over the main squares of Tirana but now all of them are on one humble location. As a reminder of the times gone by. Cool place to take a photo with statue of Stalin - rare find anywhere else in the World.

Fascist Architecture of Asmara
Asmara is a unique place. With eternal spring weather, it is one of the most pleasant places on Earth for living. It is also a very pretty place with unique architecture reflecting Italian colonial rule. From Cinema Impero, to communal houses and stunning Fiat gas station, walking the streets of Asmara gives a very unique feeling: more classic European than African. And if you are staying at "Albergho Roma" hotel, you will only need Sophia Loren in maid outfit to complete the scene from a Fellini movie. And one more thing, there are no traffic lights in this 600 000 people city. They realized they don't need them after one power outage. Very polite and nice people.