Stories about Travel from August, 2008
Albania: Tourist Boom?
A Nevada Yankee in King Zogs’ Court comments on the increase in tourism this summer in Albania.
Morocco: Burgeoning Mollywood
Morocco has long been a mecca for foreign filmmakers. Iconic films like The Last Temptation of Christ and Lawrence of Arabia, as well as more recent films Rendition and Black Hawk Down, use Morocco as their backdrop. Other films like Babel utilize more than Morocco's landscape, taking its culture and people into account as well. Morocco's film industry hasn't escaped the blogosphere, reports Jillian York, on Mollywood.
Jamaica: War on Crime
As a Superintendent of Police is detained on charges of corruption for the first time in Jamaica, Kadene Porter at Abeng News Magazine asks: “How serious are the authorities in this war on crime and violence?”
Southeast-Asia: Tallest waterfalls
Bisean lists Southeast Asia's tallest waterfalls.
Kenya: No tourists, no money
Video Journalist Africa blogs about the 24-years-old Sharif Osman who survives on letting tourists in Kenya take a ride on his camel.
Cambodia: Pictures of wildlife sanctuary
Alison in Cambodia visited the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary in Phnom Penh. She posted pictures and video clips of the animals in the zoo.
Laos: Vientiane online map
Apocalypse Lao endorses an online map of Vientiane
Armenia: Reckless Driving
My The Caucasian Knot examines the state of democracy and the rule of law and questions whether there can be either when citizens as well as the government respect neither. Referencing entries by other bloggers, such a situation is most evident when it comes to jaywalking and reckless driving.
Czech Republic: A Beer Excursion to Pilsen
Pivní Filosof-Beer Philosopher reviewed the three brewpubs currently operating in Pilsen, in the Czech Republic, that he visited on a weekend excursion from Prague (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3).
Bulgaria: Taxi Scams
Veni Markovski translated a story from the Bulgarian daily Standard reporting that two Dutch tourists were scammed and threatened by a taxi driver at a Black Sea resort, and commented on the “informal mafia-style” of taxi drivers in Bulgaria.
Czech Republic: Křelov fortress
The Journeys of Captain Oddsocks describes (including photos) his weekend trip to the old baroque fort at Křelov near Olomouc in the Czech Republic, which this year is open to the public as a museum for the first time.
Jordan: Warning to Travellers to the US
“You don't even need to be a suspect of wrong doing, or an American Citizen. Your laptop, hard-drive, flash drive, cell phone, iPod, memory cards are ALL subject to seizure and examination by Department of homeland security agents. They may also be held indefinitely!” warns Jordanian blogger Qwaider.
Albania: Conditional Hospitality?
Inside Albania questions the famous Albanian hospitality after receiving the visit of two “non-white” friends that didn't get a very polite treatment in Tirana.
Russia: Impressions of Astrakhan
Photography & Life posts pictures and impressions from Astrakhan – a city combining the retinues of depressing soviet charm with an air of the East.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Sarajevo's New Towers
Anthony Guennegou (FRE) posted a series of photos of the newly constructed towers in Sarajevo, as a follow-up to his post on the Avaz Tower, which had been heavily destroyed during the war as it was the office of the famous Oslobođenje newspaper.
Russia: Solar Eclipse and Politics in Samara
Russian photojournalist Oleg Klimov was in the city of Samara on August 1, the day of a total eclipse of the Sun, to meet with representatives of the local opposition. On his blog, he described a rare case of conjunction of Russian politics and astronomy.
Hungary: Traffic Laws
Hungarian Spectrum writes about traffic laws and violations.
Albania: Road Trip Photos
A Nevada Yankee in King Zogs’ Court posts pictures and writes about his latest road trip in Albania.
Ukraine: Chernobyl
Belatedly, a trip report, photos and video from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, by Darkness at Noon – here and here.
Budapest: Gozsdu Udvar
Budapest Guide posts photos and writes about the ongoing renovation project in Gozsdu Udvar neighborhood of Budapest.
Kosovo, Macedonia: Islam
Michael J. Totten's reflections on Islam in Kosovo and Macedonia, travel photos and lots of readers’ comments – here and here.