Europe
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End of 2020: Two Terrifying Moments (Montenegro)
After being forced to take some rest because of travel restrictions (and rain), we have 2 days to change regions without breaking the law. Ulcinj I choose Ulcinj, a rather big city with a picturesque old town high up, with a sea view. Paradise on Earth. Having been in a warm and comfortable infrastructure for several days, we do not realize that the storm Stella is also approaching Montenegro. In the morning, as we leave the hotel to our Airbnb in Ulcinj, it rains a little, with some stretches where the rain is so heavy that it looks like someone is pouring a bucket of water on us. It is…
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Christmas 2020 & our 10th Year Anniversary in Montenegro
For our 10 years of marriage, we had imagined so many dream destinations: Seychelles, Maldives, Kenya, Tanzania… but because of Covid, the dream destinations will wait. We spend them rather in Montenegro. Note: this article is part of our road trip Croatia – Montenegro. To read the previous parts, click here : #1, #2, #3 Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary But that’s not why we’re going to settle for a simple Airbnb, eh? We choose the 5 stars hotel which seems to us the coolest, not very far from Budva, to spend Christmas in the warmth. The prohibition to change regions applies from…
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The Mouths of Kotor, La Serpentine, Herceg Novi & Perast (Montenegro)
After two days of rest in Dubrovnik in Croatia, under a splendid sun, we left for Montenegro, on December 21, 2020. Note: this article is part of our road trip Croatia – Montenegro. To read the previous parts, click here : #1, #2 Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Covid & Timing In these uncertain times, timing is key. Many cultures have access to a kind of calendar based on astrology. Basically, the location of the planets can influence humans. Usually, I don’t even bother to consult this calendar but due to the uncertain events of the last few months, many eclipses, Blood Moon,…
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Prepaid 4G SIM card in Montenegro: Cost, Speedtest (2021)
WARNING: Montenegro is a European country, you can go there without a visa, you use the Euro. BUT, Montenegro isn’t part of the European Union and you can’t benefit from free EU roaming. Remember to deactivate the data, otherwise you will pay a lot. As an illustration, 1 MB of internet costs 9,7 € with Free… So when I arrived in Montenegro, I used my international Drimsim SIM card the time to buy a local SIM card. While Anh used her Holafly card. Buy a SIM card at the airport Having arrived in Montenegro by land (from Croatia), I did not have the opportunity to see if it was possible…
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2 Days in Dubrovnik (Croatia): Hotel Excelsior & Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing
In Montenegro, we are currently under curfew every day from 22pm to 5am and it is forbidden to move between regions on weekends. That’s why we spend a few more days in Croatia before crossing borders on Monday morning. We choose to spend them in Dubrovnik because it is the closest place to Montenegro that we can reach by bus from Split. Note: this article is part of our series of articles “Road trip Croatia – Montenegro in 2 weeks”. To read the 1st part, click here Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Split – Dubrovnik by bus We leave Split very quickly because…
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[PCR test] Split – Dubrovnik and the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina
A quick article to reassure you for the crossing of Bosnia from Split to Dubrovnik. By going from Split to Dubrovnik (with Flixbus for example), you will cross a small part of Bosnia. If Bosnia asks for a PCR test of less than 48h for all the other borders, this one will not ask for PCR test results. Rest assured, this border is only a formality, so that Bosnia has access to the sea and has all the benefits it can get from. It’s like the little piece of Chile that you have to cross to reach Ushuaia, there are no big difficulties. We entered Croatia on December 17th with…
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First Days in Croatia, Split: PCR Test & Closed Restaurants
It is mid-December and as every year since we have been nomads, our customers “impose” us a vacation at Christmas. Every year, we have 2 weeks of vacations, and every year, we organize a road trip (see our last Christmas in Cambodia, Morocco, and Mexico). This year, because of Covid, it took a long time to decide. And the choice of Croatia and Montenegro imposed itself as an obviousness because it was not too bad and both countries did not ask for a PCR test at the arrival. We booked our tickets 3 weeks before leaving on November 25th. Tired, we learn on December 1st that Croatia has just imposed…
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The Four Major Basilicas in Rome (Italy) #12
We had time to visit 3 of the 4 major basilicas in Rome. Here are some pictures. The four major basilicas are : The Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome (aka the Pope), is the most beautiful of the three that I visited St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, on the site of the tomb of the Apostle Peter The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, on the site of the Apostle Paul’s tomb The Basilica of St. Mary Major, dedicated to the Virgin Mary It is forbidden to take pictures inside the Basilica of St. Mary Major so I will just show…
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Relaxed and Local Ambiance near the Milvius Bridge in Rome (Italy) #11
This is a small article to remember the afternoon I spent with Dominique in a very local neighborhood in Rome. We met in front of the metro, before taking the bus to the Olympic district. The Olympic Games took place in Rome in 1960 precisely. For having visited the Olympic village in Sydney, this one is particularly close to the hyper-centre. There is an Olympic swimming pool not far away, accessible to the common man. Dominique shows me the column in the middle of the entrance, it is still marked Mussolini on it. Finally… !! We arrive then from the Milvius Bridge (literally, the soft bridge). The setting is very…
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Best Viewpoints in Rome (Italy) & Surprise behind the Door: Notebook #10
Simona, who is Roman, asks me one day: have you ever been to ….? ? And I answer her? And I answer her? What? Where? My answer makes her take off her jaw and she tells me that I can’t leave Rome without going there. So, on a beautiful afternoon, Simona takes her car and takes me to see what she thinks are the must-see places. Sorry for the poor quality photos. Not only was it ugly, but I only had my iPhone with me. This little travel notebook is more to remember this beautiful afternoon spent with Simona. Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel…