Red Corner: Balkan Vowel Drop

by Neil Woodburn on

Having just returned from the Balkans, I couldn’t help but think of a certain Onion article every time I passed a street sign or, for that matter, anything written at all!

The article I reference is, of course, the legendary satirical, Clinton Deploys Vowels to Bosnia: Cities of Sjlbvdnzv, Grzny to Be First Recipients.

I laughed like hell when I first ran across this article because it brought back bad memories of trying to pronounce my first vowel-less city in the mid-1990s: Krk, Croatia.

Take a moment to read how Operation Vowel Storm was to drop “75,000 vowels to the war-torn region of Bosnia” so that residents like Grg Hmphrs could lead a normal life as George Humphries.

Red Corner: Czech UNESCO

by Neil Woodburn on

We posted yesterday about the phenomenal UNESCO World Heritage Sites peppered throughout the world and directed you to a webpage which listed all the countries in which they are located.

Today we’d like to point you towards one country in particular which is disproportionately blessed with a wealth of World Heritage Sites. Tiny little Czech Republic, population 10.2 million, has an amazing 12 sites that have been honored by UNESCO.

Sadly, most people who travel to the Czech Republic do so for only one site, Prague, and fail to see any of the other 11. This is a great tragedy as the country has so much more to offer.

A great little article in the Prague Post recently reviewed the list and briefly summarizes the honorees. Take, for example, lovely little Kutná Hora. Stepping into this walled, medieval town awash in Gothic architecture is indeed like stepping back in time. Other UNESCO towns and buildings in the Czech Republic showcase phenomenal Baroque and Renaissance architecture and even something called South Bohemian Folk Baroque.

So, next time you’re in Prague, take a day trip away from the tourists and visit a few of the other World Heritage Sites that bless this fine country. You’ll be happy you did.

Red Corner: Siberia 101

by Neil Woodburn on

Ah yes, Siberia. The vast expanse of inhospitableness so often mocked in my youth as a place of exile and punishment. It wasn’t until I was much older (and perhaps wiser) that I learned just how wonderful Siberia could possibly be–providing you visited on your own accord instead of Stalin’s.

The Independent apparently agrees. They’ve just printed The Complete Guide To: Siberia last month and are introducing the region to a largely ignorant population of travelers who would ordinarily never dream of visiting Russia’s arctic tundra.

The guide covers a lot of ground for a newspaper article. Journalist Simon Calder points out that summertime temperatures in Siberia, an area larger than the United States, can regularly exceed 80 degrees. It is rich with a variety of bears, moose, and even tigers. Calder drops the lowdown on getting there, accommodations, food, getting around, cities to visit, and natural resources to enjoy.

Siberia 101 may or may not whet your travel appetite. I’ve visited twice now and have enjoyed it both times. It ain’t Disneyworld, as they say, but that’s what makes it all the more attractive.

Red Corner: Karlovy Vary Film Festival

by Neil Woodburn on

If you find yourself anywhere near the Czech Republic in the next few days make sure to swing by the beautiful spa resort town of Karlovy Vary where the 41st annual Karlovy Vary Film Festival kicked off on Friday.

Nestled in the mountains near the German border and famous throughout history for its thermal springs, Karlovy Vary is well worth a visit on its own outside of the film festival.

The city, however, cranks it up a notch June 30 – July 8th when “over 220 feature films and up to 40 short films from all over the world” compete in various categories, including one dedicated solely to films from the former communist bloc. 14 of the festival selections this year will be world premiers, including Edmond, a David Mamet script staring William H. Macy, Joe Mantegna and Rebecca Pidgeon.

Special guests this year will include Andy Garcia (who will receive the Crystal Globe award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema), Terry Gilliam, Timothy Hutton, Jacqueline Bisset, John Irving, and others.

Red Corner: On the Trail of Che

by Neil Woodburn on

Che Guevara has always been an iconic figure, and has thusly attracted a rather devoted band of followers, even in death.

In fact, it is his death that even today draws the curious and the dedicated to a remote spot in Bolivia where he was gunned down in 1967: La Higuera

The town of La Higuera has either been blessed or cursed–you be the judge–by the tragic execution of this revolutionary. Certainly most towns wouldn’t want to be remembered for such an atrocity, but on the other hand, it’s great for tourism.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that the townsfolk have erected a Che statue in the main square. In addition, a recently completed Che Guevara Trail traces the journey the revolutionary made from Santa Cruz to the end of the line, La Higuera. It’s not easy though. You’ll need a four-wheel drive jeep to navigate the whole route, but if you’re as fanatical about Che as Che was about his revolutions, I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it happen.