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Red Corner: A Slice of the Time-Frozen Carpathians

by Neil Woodburn on

Here’s a wonderful little photo essay about a tiny, obscure corner of the Ukrainian Carpathians called Dzembronya.

Slovak photographer Lucia Nimcova describes the location of this small farming town as “in the Chornohora range not far from the Romanian border, in the Carpathian National Nature Park, near the town of Verchovyna, under the highest peak in Ukraine, Hoverla.”

Thanks, Lucia, I’m sure we all know exactly where you’re talking about now!

For those of you unfamiliar with the lay of the land in this part of the world, Dzembronya, simply put, sits in the southeast corner of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

The small town is populated by Hutsuls–a unique ethnographic group of highlanders who live in the Carpathian range and speak a slowly dying dialect that combines elements of Ukrainian, Polish and Russian.

After looking at the photographs, I was surprised to learn that the remote, isolated town is actually somewhat accessible and locals will put visitors up in their houses and feed them. There are fears, however, that the Ukrainian government might develop the area, perhaps as a ski resort, and further endanger this unique slice of culture that won’t survive in its originality if busloads of Western tourists arrive toting skis and snowboards.

Thanks go out to Lucia Nimcova for exposing us to this little slice of the world where time has frozen and the 21st century seems decades away.

Red Corner: The Danube into Eastern Europe

by Neil Woodburn on

The Danube is perhaps most well known for sharing half the title of a very famous waltz, The Blue Danube. It is also quite beloved as a popular cruising destination in Western Europe. It starts in Germany’s Black Forest and continues through Austria and Hungary. Most passengers, however, disembark at this point before the river flows into the less inviting regions of Eastern Europe.

If you ask me, the Eastern European stretch is where the journey gets infinitely more interesting. As it meanders through Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria, the monasteries become more plentiful, the cities more rustic, and the nature more rugged. And of course, there is also the amazing delta which boats must pass through on their way to the Black Sea.

So, if you are considering a cruise, go for the gusto and ride that boat all the way to the Black Sea. You won’t regret it.

Intro to Volunteer Vacation: Very Unusual Packing Lists

by Adrienne Wilson on

When my team leader sent over an additional list of items needed for our trip I raised an eye-brow. Oh, great! Something to give TSA a little excitement. Paint brushes? Rubber gloves? Safety spectacles? I’m sure they’ll flip out. This also means extra thinking when putting the final touches on packing my luggage – a task I’ll be busy with all weekend long. Am I complaining? Not at all – volunteer vacations are the greatest! While I’m finding a good place to store the paint brushes and gloves I’ll be thinking of my mission: Turning hope into homes.

Building homes with Habitat for Humanity and their Global Village program was one of the most rewarding travel experiences I’ve had to date and I’m sure this new venture into Tajikistan will be equally rewarding. Going into these projects I’m never quite sure what part of the home building process I’ll be lending my hand to, but the paint brushes are cluing me into something. Hmm… Whatever the case may be, I’ll have the opportunity to work side-by-side with Tajik locals, families, and homeowners in a two-week project that will go a long way.

So as I prepare my list (hammer, level, mask…) and prepare to pack, the excitement continues to build. More to come on volunteering while vacationing, Habitat for Humanity International and the intriguing Central Asian land of Tajikistan. Stay tuned.

As of March 2006 HFH had built 106 homes between the two affiliates in Khujand and Dushanbe. In Tajikistan there are several half-built homes which volunteers and families will work together in completing or they will build houses from the foundation to the roof. The average cost of a home in Tajikistan is $4,864 USD.

(Photo: Group shot during Cluj-Napoca, Romania HFHI build in June 2001. I’m the one with my arm towards the sky.)

Hair Around the World

by Adrienne Wilson on

Let’s take a moment to touch on personal spaces. I’m not the type of person to throw a punch or lunge out at another individual if they get within a certain range of my personal bubble, but it shocks me how comfortable people are at poking, prodding and sticking their hands where they just don’t belong. Sometimes people ask permission, but for the most part others just plop their hands down where they have no business being. Don’t tell me its never happened to you! Okay, let me just get to the point here – I have an afro and unless you’re my hairdresser you shouldn’t be patting my hair. Yes, it’s soft and fluffy looking and all those other things, but please don’t paw at my head! Sure -I’m down for letting a bright-eyed young Romanian child who has probably seen few African-Americans or Africans in their lifetime experiment with touching my funny looking hair, but some of you Americans know better!

Breathe, sigh, relax. Now that I’m done ranting I saw this cool little children’s book called Hair Around the World and in my own personal opinion I think a book like this should be read by adults as well. These are cultural jewels and reads at their finest. The book highlights children’s hairstyles from all over the world including places like Ghana and India. It also helps in letting children see how others live their lives in different parts of the globe. I say pick up the book, understand what’s going on in the world of hair and then think about some of the hairstyles seen here in the states. Oh, and don’t feel as if someone is going to curse you for wanting to understand the differences in texture and style, but just remember the bubble and to ask before touching.

The book can be purchased at Oxfam Publishing.

Word for the Travel Wise (08/16/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Isn’t it funny how we take so much for granted until we’re in a place lacking the modern conveniences we’re so very accustomed to? Looking at the picture included with today’s word from Lonely Planet’s online guide to Bulgaria made me think about the well-built bridges here in the U.S. Not to say that all are well-built, but I don’t know if you could get me to cross this eco-path located in the Negovanka Canyon of Bulgaria. The ‘most’ or bridge, made of only wood and stone looks pretty high from what I can tell and not as stable as I would like. Would you cross it?

Today’s word is a Bulgarian word used in Bulgaria:


most – bridge

The Bulgarian lang falls into the Southern branch of Slavic languages and is closely related to Macedonian. It is the official lingo of Bulgaria and can also be heard in parts of Greece, Turkey, Romania, and Serbia to name only a few. To continue learning Bulgarian online head to BBC for the QuickFix with audio for the most common travelers phrases. EasyBulgarian online offers guides and nine lessons that help beginners learn the alphabet, correct pronunciation in addition to dialog from native Bulgarian speakers. Find a Bulgarian pal online to help with conversation at My language Exchange or pick up an Eastern European LP phrasebook for the road.

Past Bulgarian words: mózhé bí