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Pristina is a special place

Aerial view of the National Library of Kosovo I didn’t know much about Pristina (also Prishtina or Priština) before my visit last April. The only thing on my must see list was the National Library with its intriguing domes. My guide, Eddy, had a brilliant plan to ask his friend, Fatvera, a student at the university, to show us the library. We met Fatvera, a bright and articulate young lady, at the monument to Bill Clinton where we read the stone inscriptions of the statue and billboard of the former U.S. president and talked a little bit about his legacy in Kosovo. From there Fatvera suggested we go to the Cathedral to get a bird’s eye view of Pristina and that was the best idea ever!  Andria Mutnjakovič, a Croatian architect, designed the National Library which was inaugurated in 1982. His design has received mixed reviews. The domes have been compared to the Albanian national hat, “plisi”, which didn’t sit well with the Serbian community. The  building is covered in a metal net like

48 Hours in Chișinău

Cathedral Park Moldova is one of the least visited countries in the world according to the   United Nations World Tourism Organization. It received 174,000 visitors in 2019 and the pandemic effectively slashed the number of visitors to 29,000 in 2020. It’s too bad because Moldova has a lot to offer, especially to wine enthusiasts. But it won’t be long before Moldova will be “rediscovered” by intrepid travelers and then we will whine about how crowded it is. Already the traffic in Chișinău is a growing pain for the country. Thankfully, there are many beautiful parks in the city when you need a break and a cup of coffee. Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity The Nativity Cathedral was built in the 1830s in the Neoclassical style after the design of Adam Melnikov, its chief architect.  It lost its bell tower in 1962 after it was destroyed by local communists. The zinc dome and cross are additions from 1997. Religious worship was banned during the Soviet era and the Cathedral was converted into a

Images of Buddha at Wat Pho

There are hundreds of images of the Buddha at Wat Pho. In fact, King Rama III saw to the restoration of Wat Pho for the purpose of showing the images of Buddha in various positions according to Buddhist beliefs. This restoration and expansion of the temple started in 1832 and lasted for 16 years. Images of the seated Buddha, the standing Buddha, the meditating Buddha and the reclining Buddha are found in Wat Pho. Here are some of the images of the standing Buddha.  Buddha Maravichai The Buddha obtained enlightenment after meditating for 49 days under the bodhi tree. He found the answer to the causes of suffering which are greed, selfishness and ignorance. The Noble Eightfold Path preached by Buddha is the way to end suffering. These are: Right  Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. It is written that a mad elephant charged at the Buddha during his enlightened state and was

Chernivtsi, a study in contrasts

Chernivtsi National University When your country is at war but you live a thousand kilometers from the combat zones, how is your way of life affected? I had a surprisingly pleasant visit in Ukraine in September. There was no hint of the conflict happening on the eastern front.  This is what I saw in Chernivtsi, a university town in Western Ukraine.   The Chernivtsi National University, once the residence  of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans (bishops), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The residence including the church, monastery and gardens incorporate Byzantine, Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. It became part of the University in 1955.  Bartka Outdoor Terrace As soon as we arrived in Chernivtsi, we stopped for coffee, cola and cake at a rooftop café overlooking the city. How peaceful it was to sit there and soak in the view while slowly savoring my chocolate cake. Address: Holovna St., 124 There’s a lounge area outside the restrooms of the terrace  café which it shares w