Month: April 2017

What To See In Budapest, And How

Published by Dev

Nesting in the heart of Europe, Budapest offers its visitors an unlimited treasury of experiences. Welcome to Budapest! Home to world-famous artists, mouth-watering food, and above all — cheap beer! I personally favour Budapest over the other neighbouring capital towns of Ljubljana (in its west), and Prague and Vienna (in its north) for the value of money it offers. When I visited Budapest, my initial plan was to stay for three nights, but the city had so much to offer and at such good price that I ended up staying for a week. But I understand that not everyone visiting Budapest will have a week to spare. So if you’re in town for only a few days, this travel guide will help you cover most of the highlights in Budapest on a fast track. But before anything, I’d suggest you to… Invest In A City Card Now, since you’re here for a short time and want to visit as many places, on a fast track, as possible, I’d suggest you to invest in a 48 or …

Exploring The Iconic Budapest Metro

Published by Dev

The Hungarian National Museum, if you want to see it all, appear to be much bigger and overwhelming than you can imagine. A long stretch of art and artefacts and centuries-old history. Don’t plan to see and absorb it all, in a day, just like I did. You need more time than that. And then certainly not plan an evening show in the city’s Opera House later, the same day — something that I ended up doing, again. I remember my second day in Budapest was long and tiring. I mean the city had too much to offer, and I had only a week to cover it all. But the good thing about Budapest was an efficient public transport, that itself is a tourist highlight — yes I am talking about the 19th century Underground Metro System, that is not just beautiful and iconic, but has a long history associated with it. In many cities, the underground commute involves boring line exchanges, grimy stations, suspicious puddles, and avoiding eye contact with that guy. The stations are certainly not a destination unto themselves. But in …

From Getting Robbed In Bratislava, Slovakia, To Saying No To Making Generalizations: My Experience, As It Continues…

Published by Dev

Before you read the story, I request you to please read it till the end. Please do not leave it in between finding a negative tone against Slovaks, or the Eastern Europe at large… because that was never the intention, and just cannot be!  While planning my 2-month backpacking trip across 8 countries in Europe, and before I arrived in Bratislava, the capital town of the east-European country of Slovakia, a few people warned me about having my wits about the place. “You be careful walking along those streets; eastern Europe can be surprising,” they claimed. But I never cared much for their unsolicited advice. I mean for a person who had spent most of his life learning the art of self-defense, inside the crazy boundaries of a city like New Delhi, eastern Europe should be no problem, right? “I’ve seen worse,” I would carefully assure myself. To sometimes even brag about it a little, and sound more experienced, I would utter an experience or two from my solo backpacking trip in Southeast Asia, and Cambodia …

How To See Prague In One Day

Published by Dev

Prague is one of those destinations that always seems to be in vogue. It’s been on the tourist map for a long time, and the crowds show no signs of abating — particularly when it comes to women. And I understand the fascination. Prague is, after all, gorgeous; has a Vegas-style nightlife; and speaks about, from its all nooks and corners, nothing but a hint of romance. But where on one side, the city is beautiful and vibrant, its well-preserved medieval architecture is abundant and rich in history. There is just so much to see and absorb in Prague that if you’re staying here for only a few days, you’re going to miss a lot, unless you plan better, so read ahead and find out how to see Prague in one day. One Day Prague Travel Guide Since I stayed in Prague for only 3 days, out of which, I spent a day in the Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland Park, I was already short of time. So very carefully, I opted for a full-day guided tour around the …

What To Do In Bratislava: Perhaps Some Target Shooting!

Published by Dev

Dodging with the idea of how to make your trip to Bratislava memorable? Wondering what to do in the city? My recommendation: Perhaps some Target Shooting! Now I really can’t say that guns are quite my cup of tea, I mean how can anyone fancy the idea of playing with those dangerous chunks of metal, that are designed for nothing but killing people, but as it was one of the highlights of traveling in Slovakia, and Bratislava in particular, I thought “why not!” Before you read further, please leave all your prejudices behind, and try to absorb the article in the form of a new, healthy experience, after all, I was no one is hunting people! I think during my backpacking trip across Europe, guns were designed to feature somewhere in the itinerary. After all, you do not get to travel to a land, every now and then, where shooting, as an activity, has quite a charm. So yea, shooting a Kalashnikov in Bratislava, was high on my list, especially because I was one of …

What To See And Do In Vienna

Published by Dev

To an outsider, Vienna may just appear as quite city-like, for it is one of fastest growing towns in central Europe, but if you try to see and absorb the city in a more real and conscious form, it will appear as a town you’d still want to call as ‘historic’. As you walk along the Grand Ringstrasse (a one-way street that encircles the Vienna’s 1st district, or the city-center) you literally go back in the 19th century — the time when Vienna was still developing itself as the capital of Austrian empire, and into a city, we are much familiar to, today. Walking along its many elegant pedestrian thoroughfares, particularly in and around the first district, there was not a single moment when I did not find myself awestruck by its ever-impressive architecture. Whether in the historic city center, in the traditional wine taverns or on the other side of the Danube — its many contemporary and historic buildings coexist in a strikingly innovative manner. But that doesn’t mean that Vienna is only about fascinating architecture. In …

Vienna: In Pictures

Published by Dev

Before anything, I confess that Vienna wasn’t on my original travel itinerary for Europe. Its ‘old people city’ charm was, in fact, the demotivation. I mean why would a 20-something solo traveller want to visit a European town where all he can expect is an overdose of imperial grandeur of the Habsburg-era. But as an invitation from ViennaTourism landed in my inbox, recommending me a ballet performance and a guided tour in world’s one of the historical and most reputable horse riding schools, I thought, “Why Not!” The next thing I remember was booking a whirlwind trip to Vienna (after quickly skilling through Prague in one day) — and spending three days just wandering around its many royal and imperial streets. It turned out that walking around the city was one of the best things to do — because Vienna is drenched in incredible architecture. And now that I’ve concluded my visit to this royal city, I thought of putting up at least one picture post on Vienna where I can tell some stories via pictures. So here we go… …

Bohemian And Saxon Switzerland Park

Published by Dev

I always admire beautiful and distinct landscapes. Landscapes that put me in a moment of awe, and allow a sense of wonderment, even if for a fraction of a second. And it was one of those days as I happened to explore a part of the Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland Park and walked along its many giant sandstone cliffs and steep canyons. Before anything, I’d like to clear out that the Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland Park is, in no way, a part of Switzerland. It got its name in the 18th century, when two Swiss artists called it as Switzerland, because it reminded them of the landscape back home in Switzerland. Straddling between the Czech and German border, the park is divided, almost evenly, between the two countries, with just a slightly bigger portion of it falling on the German side (where it’s known as the Saxon Switzerland Park) and the remaining in the Czech Republic (where it’s known as Bohemian Switzerland National Park). Amazingly, the two countries work together to manage and protect the entire region, and you barely find a difference between the landscape and its …

Why Am I Always On Move

Published by Dev

Man is an insatiable being. And I am just one of a kind. Counting the last few hours of my stay with a beautiful family in Rome (that was my home for almost 2 weeks) as I sat down to ponder upon a question I was asked, at the dinner table half an hour ago, I wondered, once again, what they asked me “why I travel so much? What’s the fascination behind it?” I mean why is it when other people around me are busy sorting out their lives and raising families, I act like a clueless nomad — a person who hasn’t experienced the comfort of a permanent dwelling as he grew up and became a man. Why am I so restless, so unsatisfied, and bitten by the idea of ceaseless traveling? The Joy In What’s Fleeting When I ponder upon the reasons of my unquenchable travel thirst, I realize that I am always on the move because I am looking for a world with no flaws, where harmony only reigns, a Shangri-la (if …

Frankfurt: More Than Just Stock Exchanges, Money And Business

Published by Dev

Walking along the far side of the glittering Main River, I heard a song-like melody coming down my way. I did not see her face, as she went past me, in the same direction, but her humming sounded much familiar. Every sound she made with her flawless throat felt hear-soothing. Perhaps I was overwhelmed by the moment. The magic of the riverside Frankfurt had totally overpowered me. Love was in the air! The next thing I know is that I go on a boat tour down the Main River. I sit next to the window, staring out the window as if almost meditating, while the larger-than-life landscape slowly passes by. Frankfurt, at large, appeared to me like a small village with a “touch of the city”, and that’s what it is. It’s one of those remarkable places in the northern hemisphere with a metropolitan, yet a relaxing flair. People were busy living their own personal lives, unknown to any intrusion. ‘Frankfurt am Main’, more commonly known as Frankfurt, has indeed come a long way since its foundation in the 1st century. …