A month in the Balkans! Pretty set, last minute critique?
Nov 24th, 2016, 10:09 PM
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A month in the Balkans! Pretty set, last minute critique?
Hey all! I'm a visual artist and writer from Singapore.Also a postgrad researcher on Islamic art history. Finally heading to Balkans to immerse myself in the rich and recent history and culture. Was in Andalusia winter last year.
I wanna seek your advice and recommendations for these countries listed. Seeing how I wanna immerse as much as I can into the culture especially the Islamic history and arts heritage which will contribute to my research immensely, I would be so grateful to have you point me to precious connections, places, faces that I might have missed..
I'm looking at experiencing the local tekes, mosques, shrines, abandoned sacred sites, alternative/obscured communities, wells of stories, other researchers/artists/writers/seekers.
It would be a pleasure to have some insights on halal food places, islamic quarters, travellers' shindigs, arts exhibitions, cultural shindigs going on as well! It is gonna be freezing cold, some warmth and kindred magic would be super
Thanks in advance!
________________
Arrives in budapest.
Wednesday 14-12-2016 08:20
14 Budapest, Hungary
15 Budapest, Hungary
16 Budapest -----train to Zagreb
17 Zagreb,Croatia
18 Zagreb, Croatia (sunday market) (Rijeka- Islamic Centar daytrip)
19 Zagreb, Croatia (train to Ljubljana then bus to lake bled / bohinj daytrip)
20 Zagreb- 08:59 to 6pm Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
21 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina(Višegrad daytrip with local friend)
22 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Brcka district day trip with local friend)
23 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
24 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
*25 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovinato Dubrovnik, Croatia
26 Dubrovnik, Croatia
27 Dubrovnik, Croatia to Kotor, Montenegro
28 Kotor, Montenegro
29 Podgorica, Montenegro
30 Peja, kosovo
31 Prizren, kosovo
1 Prizren, kosovo
2 Prizren, kosovo
3 Tirana, Albania
4 Tirana, Albania
5 Berat, Albania
6 Berat (gjirokaster daytrip)
7 Berat, Albania
7 Ohrid, Macedonia
8 Skopje, Macedonia via struga
9 Skopje, Macedonia
10 Skopje, Macedonia to Sofia, Bulgaria
11 Sofia, Bulgaria
12 Sofia, Bulgaria
13 Sofia, Bulgaria Belgrade, Serbia
14 Belgrade, Serbia
15 Belgrade to Budapest to be at airport by 6pm
Sunday 15-01-2017 20:25
May I know if this plan is sensible? Am I missing some beautiful places between these cities? Any help would be nice.
Thanks in advance.
Noor
I wanna seek your advice and recommendations for these countries listed. Seeing how I wanna immerse as much as I can into the culture especially the Islamic history and arts heritage which will contribute to my research immensely, I would be so grateful to have you point me to precious connections, places, faces that I might have missed..
I'm looking at experiencing the local tekes, mosques, shrines, abandoned sacred sites, alternative/obscured communities, wells of stories, other researchers/artists/writers/seekers.
It would be a pleasure to have some insights on halal food places, islamic quarters, travellers' shindigs, arts exhibitions, cultural shindigs going on as well! It is gonna be freezing cold, some warmth and kindred magic would be super
Thanks in advance!
________________
Arrives in budapest.
Wednesday 14-12-2016 08:20
14 Budapest, Hungary
15 Budapest, Hungary
16 Budapest -----train to Zagreb
17 Zagreb,Croatia
18 Zagreb, Croatia (sunday market) (Rijeka- Islamic Centar daytrip)
19 Zagreb, Croatia (train to Ljubljana then bus to lake bled / bohinj daytrip)
20 Zagreb- 08:59 to 6pm Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
21 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina(Višegrad daytrip with local friend)
22 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Brcka district day trip with local friend)
23 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
24 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
*25 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovinato Dubrovnik, Croatia
26 Dubrovnik, Croatia
27 Dubrovnik, Croatia to Kotor, Montenegro
28 Kotor, Montenegro
29 Podgorica, Montenegro
30 Peja, kosovo
31 Prizren, kosovo
1 Prizren, kosovo
2 Prizren, kosovo
3 Tirana, Albania
4 Tirana, Albania
5 Berat, Albania
6 Berat (gjirokaster daytrip)
7 Berat, Albania
7 Ohrid, Macedonia
8 Skopje, Macedonia via struga
9 Skopje, Macedonia
10 Skopje, Macedonia to Sofia, Bulgaria
11 Sofia, Bulgaria
12 Sofia, Bulgaria
13 Sofia, Bulgaria Belgrade, Serbia
14 Belgrade, Serbia
15 Belgrade to Budapest to be at airport by 6pm
Sunday 15-01-2017 20:25
May I know if this plan is sensible? Am I missing some beautiful places between these cities? Any help would be nice.
Thanks in advance.
Noor
Nov 24th, 2016, 11:16 PM
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You are planning a lot of daytrips from Sarajevo, but are you spending any time there? It is a beautiful city with a lot of history, exactly what you are looking for. I also recommend taking a war tour with a guide. Did that last September and it was very impressive and memorable.
When you are in Mostar, I recommend Blagaj and Blagaj Tekke. It is one of the most famous in Bosnia and Herzegovina I believe and exactly what you are looking for.
Looks like as a whole your attention shifted more towards Bosnia, Kosovo, and Albania, which is great imo. You could add Jajce and Pliva lakes, but it may be too much of a detour.
When you are in Mostar, I recommend Blagaj and Blagaj Tekke. It is one of the most famous in Bosnia and Herzegovina I believe and exactly what you are looking for.
Looks like as a whole your attention shifted more towards Bosnia, Kosovo, and Albania, which is great imo. You could add Jajce and Pliva lakes, but it may be too much of a detour.
Nov 25th, 2016, 03:10 PM
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Did you see the comments on your other thread?
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-itinerary.cfm
My comments remain largely unchanged.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-itinerary.cfm
My comments remain largely unchanged.
Nov 25th, 2016, 07:50 PM
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Dear @flydrivehike, thank you! To be honest, Bosnia is the one of the strong reasons why I am going to the Balkans. To meet my friend and he will be hosting me so I'm just looking forward to the beauty of it all.
The day trips may or may not happen according to what has been planned on his end. But ugh, Sarajevo has been one of my favourite cities to visit so I'm just excited how it will pan out. So is Mostar. Thank you for the recommendations. I have added them to my lists.
Dear @kja, wow I did not see your reply. I thought the thread has disappeared. There was this korean spams all over the message board that time. So appreciative of it!
Yeah, I booked this ticket way in advance hence, the round ticket to Budapest option. Would have loved to fly out of Istanbul to do some visits to be honest. Noted on your advice, truly helpful especially the sunrise sunset time for a photo enthusiast like me!
I decided to expand and relax on some of the dates too but as usual these are just plans and i will calculate more based on my capacity on the fly.
Thank you
))
The day trips may or may not happen according to what has been planned on his end. But ugh, Sarajevo has been one of my favourite cities to visit so I'm just excited how it will pan out. So is Mostar. Thank you for the recommendations. I have added them to my lists.
Dear @kja, wow I did not see your reply. I thought the thread has disappeared. There was this korean spams all over the message board that time. So appreciative of it!
Yeah, I booked this ticket way in advance hence, the round ticket to Budapest option. Would have loved to fly out of Istanbul to do some visits to be honest. Noted on your advice, truly helpful especially the sunrise sunset time for a photo enthusiast like me!
I decided to expand and relax on some of the dates too but as usual these are just plans and i will calculate more based on my capacity on the fly.
Thank you
))
Nov 26th, 2016, 03:54 PM
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The train from Zagreb to Ljubljana continues to Bled (Lesce Bled station to be exact), so there is no point in changing in Ljubljana. Just take the train straight to Lesce Bled and then either take a taxi or a short bus ride to Bled. I would recommend a stop in Ljubljana, too, but you obviously don't have the time nor does it fit with your interests in Islamic art and history.
On a side note, since you'll be going to Bled, you might be interested to find out that the Slovenian Alps have seen some Islamic presence in the beginning of the 20th century. In 1916, a mosque was built in Log pod Mangartom, a small Alpine village in the upper Soca Valley. It served the Bosniak troops fighting in the Austrian Army during World War I, but it fell into disrepair after the war and was soon demolished. It was long thought to be the only such example but just this year, the ruins of another mosque were discovered high up on Mount Rombon in the Julian Alps, at about 1800 metres.
On a side note, since you'll be going to Bled, you might be interested to find out that the Slovenian Alps have seen some Islamic presence in the beginning of the 20th century. In 1916, a mosque was built in Log pod Mangartom, a small Alpine village in the upper Soca Valley. It served the Bosniak troops fighting in the Austrian Army during World War I, but it fell into disrepair after the war and was soon demolished. It was long thought to be the only such example but just this year, the ruins of another mosque were discovered high up on Mount Rombon in the Julian Alps, at about 1800 metres.
Nov 27th, 2016, 05:28 AM
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Dear rtt0921, that is such incredible piece of information about the mosque history!
Yes, the reason why I wanted to stop at Ljubljana is to take in the charms of the city. Heard so much about it, but do you reckon it would be a waste of time since Lake Bled might take some time? Also planning to go to Bohinj. Is that too hectic? If only there is a way for me to spend a night in Ljubljana. Would that make sense? Say I cut down a night in Zagreb and move to Slovenia with my bag pack. Just that I don't know how to get to Bosnia without going to Zagreb again. Maybe too much time lost there.
Or is something like that possible, you think?
PS: A huge reason for me to also be at Zagreb on the Sunday is to attend the Sunday antique market. hahaha, or is such fleas also possible at other european cities?
Yes, the reason why I wanted to stop at Ljubljana is to take in the charms of the city. Heard so much about it, but do you reckon it would be a waste of time since Lake Bled might take some time? Also planning to go to Bohinj. Is that too hectic? If only there is a way for me to spend a night in Ljubljana. Would that make sense? Say I cut down a night in Zagreb and move to Slovenia with my bag pack. Just that I don't know how to get to Bosnia without going to Zagreb again. Maybe too much time lost there.
Or is something like that possible, you think?
PS: A huge reason for me to also be at Zagreb on the Sunday is to attend the Sunday antique market. hahaha, or is such fleas also possible at other european cities?
Nov 27th, 2016, 05:46 AM
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ahhhh, i found the enlightenment.
this makes best sense for me
16 Budapest train Ljubljana 08:30 arriving Ljubljana at 16:43.
17 Ljubljana (Bled /bohinj)
18 Ljubljana- Zagreb (sunday market)
19 Zagreb, Croatia (rijeka Rijeka Islamic Centar)
20 Zagreb- 08:59 to 6pm Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
so there won't be senseless to and fro zagreb etc, much time is lost there
this makes best sense for me
16 Budapest train Ljubljana 08:30 arriving Ljubljana at 16:43.
17 Ljubljana (Bled /bohinj)
18 Ljubljana- Zagreb (sunday market)
19 Zagreb, Croatia (rijeka Rijeka Islamic Centar)
20 Zagreb- 08:59 to 6pm Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
so there won't be senseless to and fro zagreb etc, much time is lost there
