Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[A Traveler in the Foreign Service: A birthday that went up in smoke in Belgrade]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-a-birthday-that-went-up-in-sm/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-a-birthday-that-went-up-in-sm/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-a-birthday-that-went-up-in-sm/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's nothing like having a sealed train compartment full of Serbian farmers blowing smoke in your face on your 30th birthday. One of the strangest elements of expatriate life is that you sometimes find yourself celebrating major occasions with people you just met, rather than friends and family.

I had just started a tour as an American Foreign Service Officer in Macedonia right before my 30th birthday and my wife, who was completing a graduate degree in Chicago, hadn't yet arrived at post. So my options were to spend the auspicious occasion with people whom I barely knew, or spend it alone. I told Marija, one of my Macedonian colleagues, that I planned to take the train up to Belgrade, but didn't mention that the trip would take place on my 30th.

"Nobody takes the train," she said. "They gas the compartments and then rob everyone."

I ignored her and turned up at Skopje's forlorn train station on Saturday morning November 9, for my birthday trip to Belgrade. I love train travel and thought that it would be a pleasant way to spend the day. I had a compartment all to myself for the first hour of the trip, but shortly after we crossed the Serbian border, a group of four boisterous Serbs barged into the compartment.

There was a teenager named Ivan, two haggard, middle aged women whose names I didn't catch, and a middle aged man named Slavica who wore a garish jacked with the words CHICAGO HAPPY MEMBER CLUB emblazoned in a huge font across his back. I couldn't help but note the irony: I was spending my 30th birthday with a member of the Chicago Happy Member Club, rather than with my wife in Chicago.

Immediately after sitting down, Slavica slid the compartment door shut, lit up a cigarette, and blew the smoke right in my face. I pointed to the no-smoking sticker on the door. He gave me a puzzled look and a shrug and kept smoking, so I opened our window. In the Balkans, and in other parts of the world, fresh air is seen as a dangerous thing- perhaps akin to spending a holiday at a leper colony or having unprotected sex with an H.I.V. positive prostitute-which causes all sorts of illnesses.

Continue reading A Traveler in the Foreign Service: A birthday that went up in smoke in Belgrade

A Traveler in the Foreign Service: A birthday that went up in smoke in Belgrade originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A Traveler in the Foreign ServiceATravelerInTheForeignServicebelgradeeuropemacedoniaSerbiasmokingsmoking banSmokingBanThe Foreign ServiceTheForeignServicetraintrain travelTrainTravelMon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The world's most ethical tourism destinations]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/the-worlds-most-ethical-tourism-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/the-worlds-most-ethical-tourism-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/the-worlds-most-ethical-tourism-destinations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ethical tourism destinationsEach year, non-profit organization Ethical Traveler conducts a survey of the world's developing nations, analyzing their progress toward promoting human rights, preserving their environment, and developing a sustainable tourism industry. The study, run by Ethical Traveler's all-volunteer staff, factors in country scores from databases like Freedom House, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the World Bank, then dives into actions that governments have taken to improve circumstances within their countries in the previous year.

The top countries are celebrated in Ethical Traveler's annual list of the Developing World's Best Ethical Tourism Destinations, with the hope that increased tourism will help those countries continue to improve. "Travel and tourism are among the planet's driving economic forces, and every journey we take makes a statement about our priorities and commitment to change," they say. "Ethical Traveler believes that mindful travel is a net positive for the planet. By choosing our destinations well and remembering our role as citizen diplomats, we can create international goodwill and help change the world for the better."

This year's list includes Argentina, the Bahamas, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Latvia, Mauritius, Palau, Serbia, and Uruguay. Explore these countries more in the slideshow below.

Gallery: The world's most ethical tourism destinations

ArgentinaMauritiusLatviaPalauUruguay


[Flickr image via Lisandro M. Enrique]

The world's most ethical tourism destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>argentinabahamaschilecominicaconscious travelConsciousTravelcosta ricaCostaRicadeveloping worldDevelopingWorldethical tourismethical travelerEthicalTourismEthicalTravelerfreedom houseFreedomHousehuman rightsHumanRightslatvialistmauritiuspalauserbiasustainable tourismSustainableTourismuruguayWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA["Food" preparation around the world: a video round-up]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/03/food-preparation-around-the-world-a-video-round-up/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/03/food-preparation-around-the-world-a-video-round-up/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/03/food-preparation-around-the-world-a-video-round-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Every savvy traveler knows that meals that are considered taboo (pets), weird (ingredients that are still alive), or gross (insectia, specific animal innards) at home are likely what's for dinner elsewhere in the world. Even if the food or dish isn't unappetizing by our standards, its means of preparation is often spectacle-worthy.

Thus, the following collection of videos, all devoted to the creation of specific regional delicacies from around the globe. Check them out: next time you down a shot of mezcal or snack on some fried grasshoppers, you'll understand that someone, somewhere, put a lot of hard work into their preparation. Bon appetit!

In Mongolia, where food and other resources are scarce, innovation is crucial:

Making noodles is an art form in many parts of the world, including Xian Province in northern China:

Continue reading "Food" preparation around the world: a video round-up

"Food" preparation around the world: a video round-up originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelbizarre foodsBizarreFoodsbudget-travelcookingcooking lessonscooking techniquescooking tipsCookingLessonsCookingTechniquesCookingTipsculinary travelCulinaryTraveldisgusting foodDisgustingFoodeating bugseating insectsEatingBugsEatingInsectsfoodfood festivalsfood videosFoodFestivalsFoodVideosgoatinsectsmezcalmicrowavingnomadsnoodlemakingnoodlesnorthern ChinaNorthernChinaOaxacaoffalrocky mountain oystersRockyMountainOystersstreet foodstreet food vendorsStreetFoodStreetFoodVendorstaco standstacosTacoStandstesticle festivalsTesticleFestivalsThai iced teavideosXian provinceXianProvinceTue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Belgrade fortress besieged by flowers]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/24/belgrade-fortress-besieged-by-flowers/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/24/belgrade-fortress-besieged-by-flowers/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/24/belgrade-fortress-besieged-by-flowers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Belgrade fortress, castle, castles
Belgrade fortress is one of the toughest castles in Europe. In its 2,000 year history its stood against numerous invaders, been destroyed several times, and has always risen from the wreckage.

Despite such a proud history, Belgrade fortress is beginning to crumble from the effects of a combination of coal smoke and fertilizer from the flower beds of the surrounding park.

The website medievalists.net reports that a Serbian and French team have been analyzing a black crust that's been forming on the limestone walls and found it to contain syngenite, a double sulfate of potassium and calcium that's the result of the use of potassium fertilizer in the flowerbeds along some parts of the walls.

Pollution from cars and coal-burning factories has long been known to chip away at stone. A similar black crust can be seen on many of the historic walls in Oxford. This new study shows that caretakers of historic sites have to be careful how they beautify the grounds.

Belgrade fortress is treat for any history buff or castle fan. Located at the strategically important confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, a fort was first built here by the Romans in the first century AD. This was one of the rougher regions of the Roman Empire and the fort saw action numerous times before finally being destroyed in the early 7th century by the Avars and Slavs. Legend has it that Attila the Hun is buried somewhere in the grounds of the castle.

The Byzantine Empire, as the eastern remnant of the Roman Empire came to be called, continued to value the site and built a massive fort there in the 6th and again in the 12th century. Belgrade fortress was later the pride of the emerging Serbian nation and was improved and expanded several times. When Austria ruled the area in the 18th century it saw action against the expanding Ottoman Empire.

The extensive grounds are very popular with locals and include a park, a military museum, and a zoo.

Photo by CrniBombarder!!! (from Wikimedia Commons)

Belgrade fortress besieged by flowers originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architectureBelgradeBelgrade fortressBelgrade tourismBelgrade travelBelgradeFortressBelgradeTourismBelgradeTravelcastlecastlesfortfortshistoric preservationHistoricPreservationhistorymedievalmedieval historymedieval warfareMedievalHistoryMedievalWarfareMiddle AgesMiddleAgespreservationSerbiaserbia tourismSerbia travelSerbiaTourismSerbiaTravelsiegesiege warfaresiegesSiegeWarfareSat, 24 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/02/on-the-trail-of-european-passport-stamps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

european passport stamps
Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.

Yesterday, I wrote about the fact that European passport stamps have become harder and harder to get. The expansion of the Schengen zone has reduced the number of times tourists are compelled to show their passports to immigration officials. For most Americans on multi-country European itineraries, a passport will be stamped just twice: upon arrival and upon departure.

Where's the fun in that?

There's nothing wrong with enjoying your passport's stamps. They're souvenirs. So ignore the haters and treasure them. You won't be the first to sit at your desk alone, lovingly fingering your stamps while daydreaming of your next adventure. You won't be the last, either.

And if you are a passport stamp lover with a penchant for European travel, don't despair. There are plenty of places in Europe where visitors have to submit their travel documents to officials to receive stamps. Some countries, in fact, even require Americans to purchase full-page visas in advance.

The Western Balkans remain almost entirely outside of Schengen. Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan all require visas for Americans, while Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia do not. Immigration officers at the borders of all of these countries, however, will stamp your passport when you enter and when you leave. Turkey provides visas on arrival. These cost €15. Among EU countries, the UK, Ireland, and Cyprus remain outside of Schengen for the time being, while Romania and Bulgaria will soon join it.

Continue reading Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport

Five ways to get more European stamps in your passport originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>albaniaArmeniaAzerbaijanbelarusBosnia-HerzegovinaBulgariacroatiacypruseuropeEuropean unionEuropeanUniongeorgiairelandkosovomacedoniamoldovaMontenegroPassportpassportsRomaniarussiaSan marinoSanMarinoSerbiaturkeyukukraineunited kingdomUnitedKingdomvisasWed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day - Lunch in Serbia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/20/photo-of-the-day-lunch-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/20/photo-of-the-day-lunch-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/20/photo-of-the-day-lunch-in-serbia/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo of the day
One of the best parts of traveling is indulging in a few vices. The "hey, I'm on vacation!" attitude enables you to order dessert, have a glass of wine with lunch, and not worry about the calories you're taking in, especially as you figure you'll burn them off walking around museums or hiking the countryside. This photo by Flickr user eolone in Serbia shows some of the best travel food groups: the sausage group, the fried group, even the "hey, I'm in Europe!" tobacco group. Just switch out the water for a beer and you'd have the perfect guilt-free (for now) vacation meal.

Enjoy any food vices on your last trip? Take a photo for our Gadling Flickr group and it could be our next Photo of the Day!

Photo of the day - Lunch in Serbia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beercaloriescigarettesdessertflickrfriedfrieshealthyindulgeindulgenceindulgenceslunchPhotoOfTheDayphotossausageserbiasmokingtobaccoviceviceswineThu, 20 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day (9.25.2010)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/09/25/photo-of-the-day-9-25-2010/http://www.gadling.com/2010/09/25/photo-of-the-day-9-25-2010/http://www.gadling.com/2010/09/25/photo-of-the-day-9-25-2010/#commentsFiled under: , ,


I did a double-take when I saw this photo; my first thought was that the train had very strange windows (for a train). Then I realized that it's a reflection of the building it's passing, which I think is totes rad because one of my favorite things is watching buildings pass by from a train window. So it kind of reverses and mixes that view up a bit. You're looking at the building from the train, but you're not actually on the train... it almost hurts my brain to try to write that out. Flickr user t3mujin took this excellent photo in Zagreb.

Have any travel photos that squeeze your brain muscle a little? Upload them to Gadling's Flickr pool, and we just might select one for our Photo of the Day feature.

Photo of the Day (9.25.2010) originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ZagrebSat, 25 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kosovo: ICJ ruling a bridge to increased tourism?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/22/kosovo-icj-ruling-a-bridge-to-future-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/22/kosovo-icj-ruling-a-bridge-to-future-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/22/kosovo-icj-ruling-a-bridge-to-future-tourism/#commentsFiled under: ,

Today, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague issued a nonbinding advisory ruling on the question of Kosovo's independence.

The court ruled that Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence did not violate international law. Kosovo's independence, in other words, was deemed by the court to be legal.

Yesterday, Marc Weller, a University of Cambridge International Law scholar, had this to say for Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty about the ruling's prospective result: "anything that is not a clear condemnation of Kosovo will be perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a vindication of Kosovo's claim to independence."

Weller went on to predict that Kosovo would see a wave of recognitions by other countries (in addition to the 69 countries currently recognizing Kosovo) following a ruling that the country did not obtain its statehood illegally.

Following today's ruling, Kosovo will no doubt have an easier time attracting foreign investment. Serbia should also benefit from increased trade and investment and emerge from this decision with an easier path to European Union accession.

In line with anticipated increased foreign investment, Kosovo should see some development as a tourist destination. Several of the country's larger cities (Pristina, Prizren, and Peja) all have tourism potential, as do Kosovo's beautiful Serbian Orthodox monasteries of Gracanica and Visoki Decani.

(Image: Flickr/MichaelTyler)

Kosovo: ICJ ruling a bridge to increased tourism? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>icjinternational court of justiceInternationalCourtOfJusticekosovoPejapristinaprizrenThu, 22 Jul 2010 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Trade Mocked]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/04/10/trade-mocked/http://www.gadling.com/2010/04/10/trade-mocked/http://www.gadling.com/2010/04/10/trade-mocked/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You were a cheerleader, you dated a cheerleader, or you hated the cheerleaders. As I recall, that's how high school worked.

Thanks to travel PR, that same primeval paradigm lives on long after graduation. That miniskirts-shouting-slogans thing still works, whether you're a used car salesman, Miley Cyrus on VH1 or the tourist board of a small Balkan nation. When it comes to selling your destination in today's busy world of busy people, a country's name just isn't enough--just like school spirit, you need colors, a pep band, a mascot, a brand and most important--a cheer.

It's tragic but true: tourist boards don't trust their country's name to inspire appropriate thoughts in your brain. Toponyms are too open-ended and too untrustworthy--also, way too obvious. For example, what's the first thing that pops into your head when I say . . . Monte Carlo? How about Australia? The Bahamas? Kuwait? The Gambia?

Whatever you're thinking, it's not enough. Tourist boards want you to choose their destination over all others, then allocate all of your vacation days to them and then come spend your money on very specific things--like miniature golf by the sea or hot air balloon rides across the prairie. In short, they want your school spirit so much they're churning out cheers to fill up all the Swiss cheese holes in your mental map of the world.

Like a good cheer, a good destination slogan is simple and so memorable it sticks in your head like two-sided tape. Sex sells, but then so does love: "Virginia is for Lovers", Hungary offers visitors "A Love for Life", Albania promises "A New Mediterranean Love", while the highlighted "I feel Slovenia" spells out sweetly "I Feel Love". Meanwhile, Bosnia & Herzegovina call themselves "the Heart Shaped Land" and Denmark's logo is a red heart with a white cross. Colombia and Dubai have red hearts in their logo. Everybody else uses sunshine.

Continue reading Trade Mocked

Trade Mocked originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcountriesPRpublic relationsPublicRelationstourismtrademarksSat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gadlinks for Wednesday 12.2.2009]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/02/gadlinks-for-wednesday-12-1-2009/http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/02/gadlinks-for-wednesday-12-1-2009/http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/02/gadlinks-for-wednesday-12-1-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

I hope you're all having a good start to the final month of the decade! It's time to look ahead -- not back. So let's look to the future by taking a peak on the world's newest destinations, shall we?

  • How cool would it be to take a green break to start the new decade? Here are five clean holidays for those eco-friendly travelers out there. [via Green Traveller]
  • Eastern Europe must be on my mind right now. Here's my first selection on backpacking through Austria and Slovenia. [via Peter Greenberg]
  • For my second selection, a Serbian film crew is right now traveling around to all the Belgrade towns in the U.S., creating a documentary tentatively called "Finding Belgrade" that contrasts these American cities from their namesake. [via NPR]
  • ...and my third selection? There are so many cool things I've heard about Ukraine. This neat article about Odessa makes me want to get there pronto. [via SoSauce]
  • Would you rather be a hermit crab or a savvy backpacker? If the latter appeals to you, then try your hand at these tips to better backpacking. [via Vagabondish]

'Til tomorrow, have a great evening.

More Gadlinks here.

Gadlinks for Wednesday 12.2.2009 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austriabackpackingbelgradeeastern europegadlinksgreen travelserbiasloveniaukraineWed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[United Nations report: Balkans the safest region in Europe]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/05/30/un-balkans-the-safest-region-in-europe/http://www.gadling.com/2008/05/30/un-balkans-the-safest-region-in-europe/http://www.gadling.com/2008/05/30/un-balkans-the-safest-region-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


When I arrived in Montenegro three months ago, one of the things that struck me first was how safe things felt.

What was I expecting?

Well, not a lot of armed thugs or anything. But I'd traveled enough in the former communist corners of Europe -- including past trips into the Balkans -- to notice a slightly different atmosphere than you feel in more staid places like the Netherlands or Germany. There isn't the sense of order you find in those places, and that absence piques your alertness. It's not that you are in danger at all, but you are certainly a little more aware of your surroundings.

Before coming to Montenegro, I'd last been in the Balkans -- specifically Croatia and Bosnia -- four years before. These recent months of traveling in the region has had a decidedly different feel -- Albania being a noteworthy exception.

Turns out that the United Nations is feeling pretty bullish on the Balkans as well.

The UN released a surprising report yesterday that called the Balkans perhaps Europe's safest region, saying countries like Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia boast lower numbers of murders, rapes and petty crime than western Europe.

"The Balkans is departing from an era when demagogues, secret police and thugs profited from sanctions-busting and the smuggling of people, arms, cigarettes and drugs," the report said.

The report surveyed nine countries: Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Albania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Romania.

The report still notes the pervasiveness of corruption and organized crime activities, however.

Of course, a fair question to ask about this report in general is: Compared to what?

After all, the UN notes -- in a major nod to the obvious, it seems to me -- that regular crimes, including homicides and rapes, "across the region are by far lower than they used to be, particularly in the beginning of the 1990s." Well duh. At the beginning of the 1990s, didn't you have widespread instability and lawlessness in places like Romania, Bulgaria and Albania as they emerged out of communism? Didn't you have a regional war that engulfed Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro in an orgy of killing and destruction that lasted nearly five years?

To compare crime rates in some of these countries now to a time when crime was the only thing that counted doesn't seem to say much. It would have been more useful for the UN to note how things have changed in, say, the last five years.

United Nations report: Balkans the safest region in Europe originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MacedoniaMoldovaFri, 30 May 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spain to "dance the chiki chiki" at Eurovision 2008]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/03/18/spain-to-dance-the-chiki-chiki-at-eurovision-2008/http://www.gadling.com/2008/03/18/spain-to-dance-the-chiki-chiki-at-eurovision-2008/http://www.gadling.com/2008/03/18/spain-to-dance-the-chiki-chiki-at-eurovision-2008/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What's a country to do when two million residents vote for a man who calls himself Rodolfo Chikilicuatre and looks like an exaggerated (not to mention distorted) version of Elvis, to represent their country in this year's Eurovision?

Although condemned by the press, there is nothing that can be done but laugh and join in the "chiki chiki"!

Eurovision is one of the longest running television programs in the world. It's a singing competition where each country sends a representative; the day of the contest, all participants must sing their respective songs live as the European audience votes for the best song.

Being a continent-wide singing competition, the contest is generally taken seriously, but the Spanish people seem to have a different definition of that as they chose to send the contestant they found most absurd and hilarious. The representing song "Baila Chiki Chiki" is a rap reggaton that includes reference to politicians and to grandmothers waving knickers in the air as they dance the "chiki chiki". Go Spain!

The word is that our Spanish chiki chiki will only face competition from Ireland's rubber turkey puppet Dustin. The contest this year in on May 24 in Belgrade.

Spain to "dance the chiki chiki" at Eurovision 2008 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ContestEurovisionSingingSpainTue, 18 Mar 2008 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA["Swapping Kosovo for a pair of sneakers"]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/22/swapping-kosovo-for-a-pair-of-sneakers/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/22/swapping-kosovo-for-a-pair-of-sneakers/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/22/swapping-kosovo-for-a-pair-of-sneakers/#commentsFiled under: ,

The person who posted the YouTube video of two young woman looting with glee in Belgrade described their actions thusly: "Belgrade bimbos exploit unrest to steal from smashed-up boutiques without the slightest shame. They are so greedy they even have to carry things in their teeth."

Their arms laden with clothing, bags, and other sundries (including chocolates), the two women could barely carry their booty through streets clogged with other seemingly joyful looters. Although the video is in Serbian (I assume), Reuters translates some of the dialog for us; the cameraman follows the two around, asking sarcastically if they've found their size yet. When one of the woman asks him to turn the camera off, he responds, "but you are the heroines of this protest for me." The video aired on Serbian television and has prompted scores of negative responses on YouTube. Reuters speculates that the shame of the publicity might be better punishment than being arrested. Decide for yourself:

"Swapping Kosovo for a pair of sneakers" originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BelgradeKosovoFri, 22 Feb 2008 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking: Rioters set fire to US Embassy facade in Serbia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/21/breaking-rioters-set-fire-to-us-embassy-facade-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/21/breaking-rioters-set-fire-to-us-embassy-facade-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/21/breaking-rioters-set-fire-to-us-embassy-facade-in-serbia/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Protesting US support of Kosovo's recent declaration of sovereignty, today Serbian rioters set fire to the facade of the US Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia. Some protestors also broke into the building, which is apparently unoccupied today, except for some Marines and security personnel. The protests were eventually broken up by riot police, who sprayed tear gas into the crowd.

According to an MSNBC News story, "Doors were ripped off, set on fire and wedged in the embassy windows. Black smoke billowed from the building. Papers and chairs were thrown out of the windows. One protester climbed up to the first floor, ripped the U.S. flag off its pole and briefly put up a Serbian flag in its place."

Welcome to statehood, Kosovo. More here.

Breaking: Rioters set fire to US Embassy facade in Serbia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredThu, 21 Feb 2008 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Kosovo: The world's newest country?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/17/kosovo-the-worlds-newest-country/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/17/kosovo-the-worlds-newest-country/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/17/kosovo-the-worlds-newest-country/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Those of us who like to show off at parties with our knowledge of world capitals apparently have another city to commit to memory: Pristina, Kosovo.

Today, the speaker of Kosovo's Parliament declared that "Kosovo is a republic-- an independent, democratic, and sovereign state," in a statement to a Parliament chamber that erupted in applause. According to an AP story, the sovereignty declaration provoked celebration throughout the capital: "[R]evelers danced in the streets, fired guns into the air and waved red and black Albanian flags in jubilation at the birth of the world's newest country."

The move is supported by the US and other Western powers, but vehemently opposed by Russia and Serbia, who lost control of Kosovo to the UN in 1999 after a civil war that killed more than 10,000 people.

About 90% of the 2 million people living in Kosovo are ethnic Albanians, and most are secular Muslims who are pro-Western, according to the LA Times. "Pristina has a main boulevard named for former President Clinton, who is revered here because he ordered the NATO airstrikes that drove out Serbian forces," the story says.

So, congrats to Kosovo on its newly-declared independence. Now what was its capital again?

More here and here.

Kosovo: The world's newest country? originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredSun, 17 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Concierge's IT List: Places for upscale tastes, but maybe cheaper]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/06/concierges-it-list-places-for-upscale-tastes-but-maybe-cheape/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/06/concierges-it-list-places-for-upscale-tastes-but-maybe-cheape/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/06/concierges-it-list-places-for-upscale-tastes-but-maybe-cheape/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

There's The New York Times list of 53 places to go in 2008 (see post), the 40 travel tips and suggestions from London's Times (see post )and now Concierge.com has an IT List of 10 more suggestions, all with sound reasoning behind each one.

The way a destination ends up on this list is that it's had enough people show up to increase the odds that it has some sense of what travelers like, therefore it can deliver a vacation to write home about--or it's a place people have gone to for years, but has something new to offer. In the case of this list, it's luxury.

When I looked over the Concierge list, it occurred to me that there are places I'd like to go on a vacation if I had A LOT of money. Any place could be spiffy.

Continue reading Concierge's IT List: Places for upscale tastes, but maybe cheaper

Concierge's IT List: Places for upscale tastes, but maybe cheaper originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DubaiParisSan DiegoSanDiegoSicilySun, 06 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gypsies of Serbia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/12/13/gypsies-of-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2007/12/13/gypsies-of-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2007/12/13/gypsies-of-serbia/#commentsFiled under:

I've recently been in touch with a Serbian anthropologist who studies the Gypsies there. Chatting with her has given me an intriguing glimpse into everyday life and culture of these mysterious folks.

She mainly focuses on their reproductive behavior. In short, they have lots of sex and kids, and in general put less investment into each offspring. In biology, this is known as classic "r-strategy." In comparison, most humans practice (I would hope) k-strategy, which is to say, you fritter away your working life saving up for your kid's college tuition (high parental investment).

The Gypsies there are essentially forced to pursue this counter-intuitive strategy, because of high infant mortality rates. They also happen to be one of the most marginalized Gypsy groups in Europe--many drive these Citroen cars that are stripped down to just wheels and the engine, and go scrounging for scrap metal. The good news they've managed to maintain a rich culture, by marrying only within their clan and stressing their oral tradition (particularly in poetry and music).

The backdrop is dramatic--a country quickly recovering from the 1999 bombings, and moving away from its communism roots towards lucrative privatization, with GDP growth this year at 7% compared to 2% in 2003. They've even been thinking about EU membership. But like everyone else, Serbia has forgotten about the Gypsies.

Here's a BBC slideshow.

Gypsies of Serbia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gypsiesThu, 13 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MelodyTrip: The Easy Way To Visit Your Favourite Music Festival]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/16/melodytrip-the-easy-way-to-visit-your-favourite-music-festival/http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/16/melodytrip-the-easy-way-to-visit-your-favourite-music-festival/http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/16/melodytrip-the-easy-way-to-visit-your-favourite-music-festival/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The rise of iTunes and the occasional use of LimeWire (go on, admit it...), means that we're being exposed to a wider selection of music than ever before. It's a diversity that's being reflected in a growing number of very cool music festivals from Coachella in California to Exit in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Now MelodyTrip makes it easy to locate and book tickets to the best festivals around the world. The MelodyConcierge function even provides recommendations where you should go based on your musical tastes and your budget.

Now about that rocking gypsy music festival in Bulgaria I've heard so much about...

Also check out Gadling's Massively Huge Summer Music Festival Roundup.

Thanks to mister twist on Flickr for the pic of the great Gypsy band Fanfare Ciocarlia

MelodyTrip: The Easy Way To Visit Your Favourite Music Festival originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>festivalgypsy musicGypsyMusicitunesMelodyTripmelodytrip.commusicserbiaThu, 16 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's Raining Frogs in Serbia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/12/its-raining-frogs-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/12/its-raining-frogs-in-serbia/http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/12/its-raining-frogs-in-serbia/#commentsFiled under:

Did you ever see the movie Magnolia, where it rains frogs at the end?** I thought that the filmmaker was just being clever, but apparently it actually happens.

At least it does in Serbia. That's where thousands of frogs descended upon on a village of understandably terrified citizens.

"We were all wondering what it was when suddenly frogs started to fall from the sky. I thought maybe a plane carrying frogs had exploded in midair," Caja Jovanovic told Ananova.

While, at first, you might think this signals some drastic problem -- like the end of the world, for instance -- the phenomenon is apparently recognized by the scientific community. A local climatology expert, Slavisa Ignjatovic, said it happened because "A whirlwind has sucked up the frogs from a lake, the sea or some other body of water somewhere else and carried them along to Odzaci where they have fallen to the ground."

So I guess this could happen anywhere. Sure makes me want to visit Serbia, though.

**Note: if you haven't seen Magnolia, don't worry, the frog falling scene doesn't have much to do with the rest of the movie, so I haven't ruined anything for you.

[via Spluch]

It's Raining Frogs in Serbia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>raining frogsRainingFrogsserbiaweatherThu, 12 Apr 2007 12:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Statue of Rocky Balboa Might Turn the Luck of a Serbian Village]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/15/rocky-statue-might-turn-the-luck-of-a-serbian-village/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/15/rocky-statue-might-turn-the-luck-of-a-serbian-village/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/15/rocky-statue-might-turn-the-luck-of-a-serbian-village/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There is a village in Serbia with such bum luck that they are hoping for miracles-and if not a miracle, then perhaps a statue will do. Rocky Balboa is hopefully coming to the rescue. That's the general idea anyway. As another indication of the power and far-reaching influence of Hollywood, consider this: When Bojan Marceta resident of Zitiste, the town with the no end of weather induced natural disasters recently saw the newest Rocky movie incarnation, Rocky Balboa, he thought a statue of this underdog who never quits is just the solution the town needs. A metaphor for not giving up, if you will.

I looked up Zitiste just to see where this town is and what it's dealing with. Landslides and floods abound it seems. There is one motel listed that I could find. Located just north of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and a cultural center, perhaps Zitiste's residents can hook into some tourist travel from there. If nothing else, the statue may work to keep the land from sliding.

In case you're wondering about Rocky Balboa statue history (I know I was ) here is a link to Total Rocky.com Fast Facts that gives info about where they are and why they ended up where they did.

Statue of Rocky Balboa Might Turn the Luck of a Serbian Village originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BelgradeTotalRocky.comZitisteThu, 15 Feb 2007 10:58:00 EST