The news that matter in Europe
The news that matter in Europe
The last palace of the Ottoman sultans is called Yıldız Saray (translated as the Stars’ Palace) and today it opens its doors to visitors for the first time.
The palace is located on the Yildiz (star) hill in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district and is spread over an area of about…
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Norway will further limit the access of Russian tourists because of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice announced end of May, as quoted by Reuters.
Norway, which is a member of NATO, shares a border with Russia in the Arctic of almost 200 km. Oslo for the first…
As the holy fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims approaches, Fatih Municipality teams in Istanbul carried out cleaning and disinfection activities at the converted Hagia Sophia mosque.
Teams of the Municipal Directorate “Environmental Protection and Control” cleaned the interior and…
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Tourists will not be allowed to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics for free as originally promised, the French government said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
The reason is security concerns for the outdoor event by the Seine River.
Organizers had planned a grand opening…
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It sounds almost paradoxical, but it is Great Britain with companies like We Love Lucid (“We love a clear mind”) that is considered the leader of a phenomenon that is gaining strength and supporters – sober tourism, or dry tripping.
Because – if we continue with the imported terms…
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The Greek Commission for the Protection of Competition has imposed the largest fine imposed so far in the amount of 41.7 million euros on several banks in Greece, the Greek TV channel Sky reported.
Piraeus Bank is obliged to pay EUR 12.9 million, National Bank of Greece – EUR 9.9 million,…
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The head of the Mediterranean Association of Hoteliers and Tour Operators (AKTOB) Kaan Cavaloglu motivated the need for this initiative with the rising costs against the background of the complex economic situation in Turkey
Representatives of the Turkish tourism industry propose to review…
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It costs just one dollar to ride a Singaporean bus, but $296 to sleep on it
Bus Collective is the first resort hotel in Southeast Asia to convert decommissioned public buses into luxury hotel rooms.
The project refurbished 20 buses that were once owned by SBS Transit, Singapore’s public…
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Nous portons à votre attention quelques-uns des faits et conseils les plus importants pour rendre vos vacances en Grèce (si vous avez décidé de passer vos vacances là-bas) sans problème : – Pour dépasser la vitesse maximale autorisée jusqu’à 20 km/h – 40 euros par à 30km/h. – 100 euros, en roulant sur l’autoroute à…
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Under a new law, suitcases must be carried rather than dragged through the streets of Dubrovnik’s old town in Croatia, and anyone caught rolling their luggage will be fined €265.
Anyone planning to visit Dubrovnik this summer should make sure they don’t get caught out by the new rule…
Una noche en el coche puede superar una noche en hoteles de cinco estrellas hasta 3000 euros, y antes de eso, terminar en detención. Grecia introdujo una nueva multa a principios del verano. Pagamos hasta 3000 euros si nos permitimos parar y dormir en nuestro vehículo en un lugar no regulado de la…
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At the beginning of summer and the tourist season, social media users will struggle to answer the eternal question: If you haven’t posted anything about your vacation, have you really gone?
The answer is, of course: Yes, you were, you probably had a better time because you didn’t…
The adult penguin Enrique of the species Eudyptes chrysocome, which lives in the zoo in St. Louis, USA, received special boots. They were provided by concerned zoo officials to relieve his arthritis, according to People magazine. In its tweet, the Daily Miror posted a photo of Enrique.
Due to his advanced age of 30, Enrique developed arthritis and calluses on his feet, and walking and swimming caused him pain and discomfort. By comparison, penguins live in the wild for about 10 years.
Initially, veterinarians tried to alleviate the suffering of the adult penguin with a special ointment. However, the ointment had to be applied every time after bathing and in the end did not work.
Looking for a way to help Enrique, the specialists were overshadowed by a brilliant idea.
Veterinarian Jimmy Johnson recalls seeing swans in another zoo wearing special shoes for limb problems. Johnson proposed the idea for Enrique to make orthopedic boots.
The penguin’s shoes are made in black and red, look like his real feet and are attached to them with a soft strap. Every morning, zoo staff put on Enrique’s boots and take them off the night before bed.
Russian archaeologists investigated a Byzantine Christian temple of the 5th-6th centuries AD in the ruins of the ancient city of Apameya in Syria as part of an expedition led by Natalia Solovieva, deputy director of the Institute of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Recently Apamea was the site of active fighting. You can only move here with great care: there may be anti-personnel mines in the grass, so sappers ensure the safety of scientists.
“Now we are in the temple, which bears the code name” rotunda ” , – told reporters a researcher at the Institute Yegor Blokhin.
Scientists collect data for projects to restore architectural monuments destroyed during the war against terrorists. Using a drone, they create 3D models of architectural complexes in both the visible and infrared ranges. These models should serve as the basis for the restoration of old buildings.
In Apamea, there are buildings from three different eras: antiquity, the Byzantine Empire and the Arab Middle Ages. On the mountain, in particular, the Arab fortress Kaalat Al-Mudik rises.
“When there is a war, it is clear that no conservation measures are in effect. And only one thing is possible: to take measures as soon as the territory is liberated, it is imperative to take measures to preserve them. … And in order to take measures for preservation, you need to have documentation for this or that object in order to understand what urgent measures, how it looked, “Natalia Solovyova, Deputy Director of the Institute of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained the task of the Russian mission.
“I would like to say a big thank you to the grouping of Russian troops in Syria, the National Defense Center, the Ministry of Defense as a whole, without their help the expedition would not have taken place,” Solovyova added.
Russian scientists have already collected detailed digital information on early Christian monuments in other areas of Syria. In the old part of Aleppo, they found a church hidden inside the medieval Al-Halawiyya madrasah. During the fighting, several shells hit the temple, but, probably, its restoration will begin in the near future.
With an area of nearly 4,000 square meters, less than a football field, the country Sealand is considered one of the smallest in the world. It is located in the coastal area of England and was once used by the Royal Navy during World War II. In 1967, a Briton named Paddy Roy Bates decided to take over the base and turn it into an independent country. For the past 50 years, it has been his family who have supported it, but Sealand has never been recognized as an independent country.
This does not prevent Paddy to put his own flag, as well as the official motto – E Mare, Liberats. Translated it means “From the sea, freedom.” In such a small area we will find that this place has a very interesting and exciting history.
In the last 5 decades of its existence, it has managed to see the death of kings, to go down in history with a hostage situation, to be a territorial dispute and even to fight helicopter battles. You may have never heard of it, but it has a very serious history and that is why it is considered an extremely special area. How does it all start? With the help of a pirate radio. In 1965, former Major Paddy Roy Bates created Radio Essex, an illegal radio station that broadcast from the sea in an abandoned military fort called Knock John. During the war, Britain built many such bases, hoping to repel German attacks on the water. After the war ended, most were abandoned and waiting to collapse, that is, the turbulent waters to swallow them and disappear.
On September 2, 1967, it was given its official name, and then the royal family of the small country was enlarged by two more people. The creation of an independent country turned out to be a very unpleasant detail for the British crown, and we will notice that even then rumors began that this would be a territory that would play the role of Cuba on the east coast of Britain. At first there was a lot of publicity, most people expressed their fears, and it was not until 1968 that the British army officially sent helicopters to destroy some of the military towers near Sealand.
No one understood exactly how bequeathed military equipment could be a problem for the country, especially since it is used to sound music, but Sealand has been officially attacked. The family says they watched the towers explode with incredible height, collecting the remains of the water in the following days. It is clear that they were worried about another potential attack that would hit themselves. By the way, a warship passed by, shouting that they would be next.
In response, Prince Michael Bates also fired several warning shots with a pistol, the country’s heavy combat arsenal, to make history as a revolutionary and patriot. British sailors turned the boat around and sailed far to the shores of their country. In response, Britain sent a summons to the gentlemen to appear and answer why they had shot at Her Majesty’s ships.
At regular intervals, Sealand traded with Britain and received provisions from the coast. The country’s infrastructure is not well developed and the economy is not very developed, so the orders are draconian, because the next schedule can never be officially confirmed. Sometimes they have to stare at the sea for days and wait for provisions to appear while surviving on the edge, but even that has its charm. Sealand’s problems did not end there, and although they defeated Britain in their own game, the Germans soon began to show particular appetites. In 1978, a man named Alexander Achenbach claimed to be the country’s true prime minister. He tried to make a special coup on the fort, using a helicopter with a group of mercenaries, while His Majesty Paddy Roy Bates was not in the country.
Prince Michael was immediately taken hostage. For 4 days, the prince was imprisoned in exile without food and water. The answer was not late and the king prepared a counterattack. His strategy forced most of the Germans to flee immediately, while the rest of the inhabitants hurried to hold at least one German hostage to cool the passions.
The German ambassador to Britain had to fly to the country and negotiate the release of the attacker. For the second time, Sealand finds itself under the blows of fate, and for the second time, more interesting terms will be agreed. The people of the smallest country in the world were sure that they were already recognized by two countries, so there can be no doubt that the territory is completely independent and free.
In the 1980s, the UN issued a convention extending Britain’s waters and including the fort. At that time, the British Foreign Office officially stated that there could be no foreign territory in its territorial waters, therefore its status had to be changed. Despite the attempts, the prince and the king did not surrender so easily and to this day continue to rule their territory completely independently. Paddy Roy Bates died in 2012. Prince Michael continues to control his territory and admits that his children also grew up while he controlled his kingdom from Essex. In 2016, Joan Bates also died and Michael should be considered the official king.
In the 1990s, the family remembered having to reissue their passports because many had used them to commit fraud. In 2006, the area was hit by terrible fires and the only source of electricity left the entire area without electricity. In 2007 it was even put on sale, but again without any success. At that time, many interesting financial proposals were made, but without much success. The kingdom finally finds a very good option for its maintenance, without having to spend too much.
Today, anyone can become an aristocrat and receive a noble title for a price.
Trading titles such as Lord or Lady are an option on the territory’s website. Stamps, stamps, cups and even table flags are for sale. Today we will find that only a few people live on the territory. Mike Barrington and Joe Hamill served the area for two weeks and then returned to the UK. the royal family continues to control England and pays close attention to all matters. From time to time, journalists and close friends who wish to visit the distant territory are allowed.
Incredible beauty in Ovidiopol
Poppy fields have blossomed in the Odessa region. Thousands of flowers have turned the outskirts of Ovidiopol into a red carpet, the site https://www.meteoprog.ua/ reports.
Ovidiopol is a village in the Odessa region, which is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester estuary. Once on the site of the village of Ovidiopol there was a gateway from the Varangians to the Greeks. It was a trade route connecting the lands of Kievan Rus with the Byzantine Empire.
Captured by the beauty of the “poppy seas”, residents of Odessa and guests began to massively upload their photos to the social network. However, environmentalists warn: these picturesque locations are annually harmed by such visitors.
Poppies are very delicate flowers, and people break them, trample them, pluck them. Therefore, ecologists urge fans of picturesque fields to treat them more carefully so that they can return here again next year.
The famous Glenfinan viaduct, through which the train passes in the films about the boy wizard, is 120 years old
The Hogwarts Express train, which rushes to the Hogwarts School of Wizards in the Harry Potter movies, is not a computer animation. The bridge he crosses, too.
Both are based in Scotland and are legendary attractions even before the movies.
The real name of the train is the steam train “Jacobyte” and the viaduct – Glenfinan. Traveling on the route of just over 130 km is one of the best experiences you can book in Scotland.
The route of the steam train journey begins near the highest mountain in Britain – Ben Nevis, and ends in the coastal town of Malaga.
From the final stop of the train you can board the ferry to the Isle of Skye – an unearthly place shrouded in fog.
Surprisingly, the Glenfinan Viaduct is at an honorary age of 120 years. Construction of the section from Fort William to Malaga (steam train route) began in 1896. It was officially opened in 1901.
Unusual rumors have surfaced about its construction. Despite numerous studies that refute this claim, the rumor persists that a whole horse fell into one of the pylons of the viaduct during construction. The pylons were examined with mini cameras and scanned, but the remains of a horse were never found.
Ever since fans of the boy wizard followed in the footsteps of their favorite character, the viaduct has gained unprecedented fame. Some more reckless followers, probably believing in their own supernatural powers, narrowly missed a close encounter with the oncoming train as they walked along the viaduct. This caused the British transport police to issue an official warning to tourists not to walk on the transport facility.
The other problem with the Scottish authorities is that many tourists only reach the viaduct instead of seeing more Scottish beauties.
The Glenfinan Viaduct can be seen not only from the train (which is pulled by a steam locomotive only in summer), but also from the side (where the view is actually more impressive). It is located north of the A830, also known as the Road to the Islands and considered one of the most scenic roads in Scotland. Those who decide to continue their journey beyond the fabulous world of Mr. Potter will see sandy beaches, green hills and sunsets over the sea and islands in the distance.
In summer, one of the saves in the heat is ice cream. Whether we choose it from the freezer in the store or rely on more expensive craft options, the important thing is to enjoy it.
Even if we haven’t thought about where the ice cream comes from, the answer will surely surprise us. At least, because it’s not Italy. Iran is considered the birthplace of ice cream. It all started about 2000 years ago. A solution to the difficult task from today’s point of view – to lower the temperature to the point of freezing, gives a cone-shaped building in ancient Persia. They call me yakhchāl (ancient type evaporative cooler).
Above the ground it is conical in shape, and in its deep underground part the temperature is low enough to freeze water. In fact, this is one of the prides of Iranian architecture.
Each yakhchāl has a massive wall that provides shade, a pond from which the water comes, and an underground storage room where it freezes due to the low temperature. Leder, whether obtained during the nights of the cold months or brought from the nearby mountains, is stored here for months.
This technique was used as early as 400 BC. With this ice, the Iranians also prepared faloodeh – their typical dessert, which is very similar to today’s ice cream. Faloodeh (an Arabicized form of paloodeh that appeared after the Arab conquest of Iran, due to a lack of the phoneme /p/ in Standard Arabic) is a combination of ice, starch and different types of syrup. In appearance, the final product looks like very thin spaghetti.
Today in many places in Iran you can still try faloodeh, writes the BBC. Here it is offered along with ice cream, which we are all used to seeing everywhere. The traditional dessert includes sheep’s milk, rose water, saffron and sugar. It is very likely that not everyone will like the faloodeh, but it is worth a try if you have the opportunity. Of course, today it is not stored in a yakhchāl, but in refrigerators.
Nowadays, after thousands of years of preparing faloodeh, ice cream machines are being imported to Iran from Italy, which many consider to be the home of the ice cream dessert, because it is becoming really popular there.
The Iranians themselves prefer a richer taste, with more sugar and whole milk – like the Americans. While in Europe, where the hegemons are the Italians, lighter versions of ice cream and various types of sorbets are consumed.
In summer, the town of Nazaré, which is located on the western coast of Portugal, an hour’s drive from Lisbon, is a typical resort, generous with the gentle sun, friendly beaches and fresh seafood. From October to February, he surprisingly changes his temper and turns into a real mecca for surfers and adrenaline lovers. It is here, in small Nazaré, or rather on its northern beach Praia Do Norte, that the largest waves in Europe rise, up to 30 meters high!
What is so special about Nazar that makes it the cradle of such giants? The answer is simple: the structure of the ocean floor relief. Nazaré is located near the underwater canyon of the same name – Nazare Canyon, which is considered one of the deepest canyons in Europe. Its length is 227 km, and its depth is about 5 km. As you approach the coast, the depth of the canyon decreases, forming a kind of springboard for the waves and increasing their height many times over.
Waves in Nazaré are born literally in a matter of seconds. In the fall-winter season, when the stormy season comes, a giant wave can appear in as little as 14 seconds. It was here, in Nazaré, that the world record was set for the passage of the largest wave by a person: in 2017, the Brazilian Rodrigo Koja managed to conquer a wave with a height of 24.3 meters, for which he was entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
When shallow bathymetry slows down a part of a wave, this causes the waves to refract. Similar to the way a magnifying glass can bend light to focus it into one bright spot, reefs, sand banks and canyons can focus wave energy toward a single point of the coast. This is what happens at Nazaré to create giant waves.
At Atlantic Surf Route, your website for a surftrip with a campervan in Portugal and Spain, to bring you one of the destinations most demanded by surfers: Nazaré.
The Nazaré Canyon causes very big waves, making Nazaré a very important point on the world surfing route. On November 1, 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed a gigantic wave, breaking the world record, with 23.77 meters in Nazaré. In January 2013, it was confirmed that he had surfed a larger wave still 30 meters high in Nazaré too, probably beating his own previous record.
Although Praia do Norte has captivated the attention of the world, Nazaré has not only giant and powerful waves, but also corners and waves accessible to all athletes.
According to the Federal Tourism Agency, the resorts of the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory are experiencing a tourist “boom” – there are not enough good hotels for tourists.
Rosturizm considers it necessary to build new hotels, and there is already a national project for the development of Black Sea resorts. It envisages the construction of 20 thousand rooms by 2024, which should stimulate competition and lead to lower prices. At the same time, many experts believe that after the opening of air links with Turkey, Egypt and other countries, there will be no mass flow of tourists to the Black Sea, and there is no point in construction.
According to Igor Bukharov, head of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia, the resorts are currently overloaded, since there are simply no other options. He stressed that there is a demand for the local level of service, services and food quality only because foreign destinations with adequate prices are closed. He talked about the tendency in the local industry to raise prices for services in times of demand, but the service does not grow. According to Bukharov, the lack of service at the level of Egypt and Turkey and the rise in prices causes rejection – tourists will leave after the opening of alternative destinations. He noticed that the share of high-quality rooms is only 10%.
According to the vice-president of ATOR Ilya Umansky, it is impossible to compare our resorts with foreign ones – the differences in the number of rooms are too big. He noted that on the Black Sea, most of the room stock is the private sector, when local residents rent rooms and apartments to tourists. Also, hotels are often registered as private households, and they are not required to pay taxes and register tourists.
Unfortunately, Russian resorts cannot please tourists with good weather either.
Crimea flooded: in Kerch cars went under water on the roof
On the night of Thursday, heavy rains fell in Crimea, and flooding occurred in places. The largest amounts of precipitation were recorded in Kerch and Belogorsk (one and a half monthly norms of precipitation), and Simferopol was also affected. A storm warning has been announced. The head of Crimea Sergey Aksenov arrived in Kerch to assess the situation. For the inspection he had to use a boat – because of the downpours, the Melek-Chesme River overflowed the banks, the city streets are flooded, traffic is greatly complicated, and in some places impossible.