Photo Challenge # 12 - Name This Location

Here's the latest photo challenge for you to try, do you know where this was taken? As usual, clicking on the photo to enlarge it may help. Good luck!

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 9 - Šemetkovce, Slovakia

This pretty little church is found on a small wooded hill above the village of Šemetkovce in the Svidník region of eastern Slovakia. It is a Greek-Catholic church named for St. Michael the Archangel, and dates from the year 1752. Like most wooden churches in the region, the structure was built without the use of metal nails using an ingenious woodcut pattern with wooden pegs inserted at the end of each log to hold the beams in place.

Another typical feature of Greek-Catholic churches which is found in the Šemetkovce church is the emphasis placed on the number three, symbolising the Holy Trinity. Three domes, three crosses, three rooms in the interior and three doors leading below the iconostasis are all typical features. The three domes rise in height from east to west, with the doorway facing west, also a typical feature of Greek-Catholic design. The iconostasis is of baroque style, designed in the late 18th century, while some of the icons date from the 17th century.

The church was badly damaged in World War Two, and extensive reconstruction work was undertaken in 1969 and 1970, and further renovations were necessary in 2001. Standing next to the church there is a tall wooden belfry with bells that are rung daily. The church and belfry were originally surrounded by a log fence, though today there is a more modern metal fence. The village of Šemetkovce is set in lovely hilly scenery and has a few old-fashioned folk cottages along its laneways.

The village can be reached by bus from Svidník just a few times a day from Monday to Friday, and there are no buses on Saturday or Sunday. Another option if you are without your own vehicle is to take the bus from Svidník to Ladomirová (be sure to stop and see the wooden church in that village as well) and then try to hitch-hike the last seven kilometres to Šemetkovce. That's how I did it when I visited, there were no problems getting a lift from some of the locals since the roads are small and everybody knows everybody else in this region. There are hiking trails which connect together many of the villages with wooden churches in the Svidník region, and it is possible to hike from Šemetkovce across to Kožuchovce village, close to Miroľa village with its wonderful wooden church.

Classic Castles # 3 - Gori, Georgia

The oval-shaped fortress of Gori stands high on a rocky hill in the centre of the Georgian city of the same name. The current structure dates from the 13th century, though the hilltop site is thought to have been fortified since the 1st century BC. Locals claim the fortress was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century AD. In the 16th century it was captured by the Ottoman Turks, and the fortress changed hands many times in the following centuries with periods of control by the Georgians, Turks and Persians.

The territory of Georgia was annexed by the Russians in 1801, and the Russian army kept a garrison of soldiers in the castle. By the mid-19th century the fortress had been abandoned, and it slowly fell into ruin. A major earthquake in 1920 caused significant damage to the structure. The castle interior has not been preserved, and today there is little to see inside the walls.

However, the steep climb up to the fortress is well worth the effort for the superb view it provides across all of Gori and the green countryside beyond. The castle is permanently open to the public, and there is no admission fee. The trail leading to the top begins on the side of the castle closest to the central square, so if you are approaching it from the bus/marshrutka station you will need to walk around the base of the hill to the other side.

Gori is connected by bus and marshrutka with most other major cities in Georgia. It is possible to visit Gori as a daytrip from Tbilisi, taking a marshrutka there and back. Trains also connect the city with Tbilisi and the Black Sea coast, but they are infrequent and slow and not really a convenient way to travel, particularly to Tbilisi. Gori's other major attraction for tourists is the Stalin museum, dedicated to the life of the Soviet leader who was born in the city.

Beautiful Towns # 7 - Cetinje, Montenegro

Cetinje is a pretty town with a proud history in the mountainous interior of Montenegro. A former capital of the Montenegrin kingdom, it is considered to be the spiritual and religious heart of this small Mediterranean nation. Cetinje was somewhat surprised to find itself declared a capital city when Montenegro's independence was declared in 1878. At the time it had a population of just 6,000, which made it the world's smallest capital.

Many grandly designed embassies and government buildings were erected during this period which still grace the streets of the town today. During the communist period the capital of the Montenegrin socialist republic of Yugoslavia was moved to Titograd (now Podgorica), and Cetinje was left to become a peaceful small town once more. Today the population is about 15,000, but the town continues to have an expanded national importance in the modern Montenegrin state due to its status as the former royal capital.

The stone Cetinje Monastery is the seat of the Orthodox church in Montenegro. It was first built in 1701 and was destroyed repeatedly in a series of Turkish invasions, but was always faithfully rebuilt by the local inhabitants. The monastery houses the relics of Saint Peter of Cetinje, an important figure in Montenegrin history. Another church of historical interest is the Vlach church, built in 1450. It is encircled by a symbolic fence made from the barrels of enemy rifles captured during the fight for independence from the Ottoman Turks. Another noteworthy building in Cetinje is the Palace of King Nicholas I, which today provides a home for The National Museum of Montenegro. The museum features extensive exhibits (with some English-language labelling) on the history of the struggle for national independence.

The town is an essential stop on a tour of Montenegro in order to get a full impression of this pint-sized country's sense of self. Cetinje can be reached by bus from most parts of Montenegro, with many daily connections from Podgorica and Budva. It makes an excellent day-trip from Kotor or Budva on the coast.

Remarkable Relics of Communism # 6 - Prague, Czech Republic

In the Royal Garden next to Prague Castle, not far from the Royal Summer Residence, you will find the Royal Ball Game Hall. This building dates from the 16th century and was used by the king's courtiers for sporting activities. The structure was damaged by fire in May 1945 during the last stages of World War Two, but it was fully rebuilt in the 1950's. Along with the many mythological deities that were carefully restored on the facade, a small addition was made that remains as a quirky reminder of the communist period. A figure unfurling a scroll meant to be a five-year plan with a hammer and sickle was included in the design, together with the letters 'ČSR', for Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. This is a detail that you have to look closely to find (it's along the top row of the facade near the roof), so be sure to stop and take a closer look if you are visiting Prague Castle.

Amazing Architecture # 1 - Garni Temple, Armenia

This Greco-Roman temple sits near the edge of a cliff above a deep canyon in Garni, a small village 32km east of Yerevan. The stunning mountainous landscape which surrounds it greatly enhances the beauty of the temple itself. Most likely it was originally constructed in the 1st century AD by King Tiridates I of Armenia using funds he received from the Roman Emperor Nero, and was dedicated to the heathen God Mithra.

The temple was sacked when the region was conquered by Timur Lenk in 1386, and in 1679 the temple was levelled by an earthquake. Most of the original columns and building blocks remained at the site until the 20th century, and the temple was reconstructed under the guidance of Soviet archeologists between 1969 and 1975. The sloped roof of the temple is supported by 24 Ionic columns which sit on an elevated podium.

The blocks of the temple are made of basalt, and it is possible to distinguish between the original bocks and the modern replacements by the lack of carving on the newer stones. Several Christian churches, a palace and a bathhouse were built around the temple after the adoption of Christianity in Armenia in the year 301 AD. These buildings are now in ruins, but floor mosaics can still be seen in the bathhouse. A series of fortification walls made of huge basalt blocks protected the temple complex, and together with its location on a triangular outcrop above the valley, the site had superb defensive capabilities.

Garni can be reached by bus or marshrutka from Yerevan and makes a great daytrip from the capital. Many people go to see the temple in Garni while on the way to or from a visit to the Geghard Monastery. While in Garni village, another worthwhile sight that few tourists visit is the ruins of the fortified monastery of Havuts Tar.

Surprising Signs # 5 - Čičmany, Slovakia

This menu qualifies as a vegetarian's worst nightmare - this is the vegetarian section, yet practically every item has some kind of meat in it. Bacon, sausage, ham... still vegetarian. It's a common sight in restaurant menus in rural parts of Slovakia, since a dish that contains meat but not as the primary ingredient is often still considered to be a 'vegetarian' option. Show this to any vegetarians you know to give them a fright... :)

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 8 - Równia, Poland

This former Greek-Catholic wooden church is found on a small hill in the village of Równia, located south of the town of Ustrzyki Dolne and a few kilometres from the Ukrainian border. It features a three-domed architectural style which is very rare on Polish territory, being more typical of Boyko-style churches found further east in Ukraine.

The church is thought to have been built in the early 18th century, and it would later suffer extensive damage during World War Two. Following the war, the Lemko and Boyko inhabitants of the village were accused of aiding the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which was fighting the Polish government.

They were expelled from the region along with most of the Lemko and Boyko population of south-eastern Poland, and were sent to become new settlers in the recently-claimed former German territories granted to Poland at the end of the war. Thus the village of Równia lost its Greek-Catholic population, and the church was converted for use as a Roman Catholic church when Catholic Poles were resettled in the village.

This is one of the most unique wooden churches in the region of Małopolska (Little Poland), though the interior is much less remarkable than the exterior. The village is difficult to reach directly by public transport as it has very limited bus connections, but it is possible to walk to the village in about one hour by taking a hiking trail that begins at the edge of the town of Ustrzyki Dolne. There are also interesting wooden churches worth taking a look at in the surrounding villages of Ustjanowa Górna, Hoszowczyk and Hoszów.

Classic Castles # 2 - Gýmeš, Slovakia

This large castle ruin sits on a wooded hilltop above the village of Jelenec in the Tribeč mountains, about 20 kilometres north-east of the city of Nitra. The current structure dates from around 1270, when it was constructed as a Gothic palace, although it was built on the site of an earlier fort.

The first owners were the Forgách family, who controlled the castle for several centuries. A peasant revolt against worsening living conditions and increased taxes in 1610 had to be suppressed by force by the Forgáchs. The Ottoman Turkish armies conquered the castle in 1530 and caused significant damage to it, and it was conquered again by the Turks in 1663. Following this period it was fully reconstructed and it remained in use up until the mid-19th century, when it was abandoned and slowly fell into ruin.

Today many parts of the structure remain intact, including several tunnels, standing arches and a chapel. The castle is slowly being reclaimed by the forest, and large trees are growing all through the structure. The castle can be reached on foot following the walking trail from the village of Jelenec, it's about a one hour walk up through the forest. Another access point is from the village of Kostoľany pod Tribečom, which is considerably closer to the castle and has a path leading there that requires a hike of about 45 minutes.

In the village of Kostoľany pod Tribečom there is an another worthwhile attraction to stop and see, the 11th century Romanesque church of St. George, which features design elements typical of the Great Moravian Empire period. Both Jelencec and Kostoľany pod Tribečom are accessible by bus from Nitra, with regular buses stopping in Jelenec which is near the main road heading east towards Banská Bystrica.

Photo Challenge # 11 - Name This Location

Here is the next photo challenge for you to guess, can you name where this was taken? As before, clicking on the photo to enlarge it to look for clues may help. Good Luck!

Natural Wonders # 1 - Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic

The Bohemian Switzerland National Park is a region of stunningly sculpted sandstone cliffs and towering columns of rock punctuated by deep, forest-covered canyons. Located in the north of the Czech Republic along the German border, the name for the park was coined by 19th-century artists who appreciated its romantically unique atmosphere (even though the non-alpine landscape doesn't resemble Switzerland). A major highlight of the park is the Pravčická Brána, a natural stone arch which is the largest on the European continent.

Directly below the arch is the Falcon's Nest, a 19th-century chateau which now features a small museum about the park as well as an excellent restaurant with great views from its balcony. An entrance fee is charged to get close to the arch, but it's well worth the price for the chance to climb the series of stairs that leads to the view point above the arch on the opposite cliff face. From there you can look back all along the valley to see the many sandstone outcrops that rear up out of the forest floor at regular intervals. A great day hike begins in the village of Mezní Louka, which is accessible from the city of Děčín by bus (Děčín can be reached by regular train from Prague). From Mezní Louka, a red-marked trail leads up to the foot of the sandstone cliffs and along a ridge with spectacular lookout points on rocky promontories. After 4.5 kilometres of walking, you will see the arch of Pravčická Brána appear above you on the sandstone plateau. It's a short climb from there to reach the Falcon's Nest chateau.

After you've had time to walk below, beside, and above the arch and enjoy a meal on the terrace of the restaurant, you can continue further west along the red trail, which heads down a steep valley with many shallow caves lining the cliffs. You will come to the main road through the park after 2.5 kilometres, from where you can catch a returning bus to Děčín. Alternatively, continue walking west along the road on the red trail for another 2.5 kilometres until you reach the border village of Hřensko, a pretty settlement of timber-built houses that sits in a sandstone canyon surrounded by tall pinnacles of stone. Another worthwhile route involves heading south-east from Hřensko along the narrow canyons of the Kamenice river gorge. It's possible to continue by raft along the river through the tightest stretches of the gorge, where the cliff walls are just five metres apart while they extend upwards above you by over 100 metres.

The park can be visited as a long daytrip from Prague by taking a train to Děčín and then a bus from outside the train station to Hřensko or Mezní Louka. It's worth staying for two or three days to get a chance to fully experience the park, and there are regions to the west of Děčín with further sandstone formations which are equally impressive as those inside the park.

The Top 30 Places to Visit in Ukraine

Ukraine can be a challenging destination to travel in for the independent foreign tourist, especially outside the cities. Language skills are essential, and an understanding of marshrutka etiquette will go a long way towards easing the hassles of your journey. Overnight train travel in Ukraine is one of my favourite experiences, I love the camaraderie which develops among the passengers as they share out items of food, swap stories and jokes, and then prepare the bunks for the night. Ukraine is a huge and fascinating country, and these are my favourite destinations it has to offer. I still need to visit a few more of the places on this list, I'm looking forward to the next trip!

1. Lviv - A grand old central European city with charm, character and architectural splendours galore. Certainly one of the most beautiful European cities that most foreign tourists have never heard of. In addition to the jaw-droppingly lovely old town, the city features a first-rate outdoor folk architecture museum and the romantic grounds of the Lychakivske Cemetery.

2. Kiev (Kyiv) - The capital and beating heart of modern Ukraine, yet simultaneously the most historic city in the country as well. Few relics remain from ancient Kyivan Rus, but the Pecherska Lavra cave monastery strongly evokes the power of ancient orthodox traditions. A trip by candle-light down into the narrow tunnels to view the mummified bodies of monks is a spooky experience to remember. The steep and winding cobbled lane of Andriyivsky Uzviz forms an impressive backbone to the old town. Just outside the city, the Pyrohovo outdoor folk museum is one of the best in Europe, with several complete villages of historic wooden cottages, churches and farm buildings.

3. Kamyanets Podilsky - A small medieval town perched on a tall pillar of rock and encircled by a deep river canyon. A massive fortress guards the narrow strip of land that connects the town to the mainland. Looking across at the town and castle from the surrounding cliffs is spectacular; the town offers some of the most picturesque views in the country.

4. The Carpathian Mountains National Park - A superb environment for hiking, biking, and getting in touch with traditional village life. Mount Hoverla is the highest peak in Ukraine at 2061 metres, making it a very popular climb with local tourists.

5. Odesa - A hedonistic playground with great nightlife and seaside attractions, along with historical sites to match. The Potemkin steps are what many people come to see, but there's much more to the city than film history.

6. Khotyn Castle - A large fortress which stands in a grassy clearing overlooking the Dnistr river. This is probably the finest castle in Ukraine, even upstaging the one in Kamyanets Podilsky.

7. Yalta - A palm-studded beach resort playground for Russian and Ukrainian holidaymakers, with the added attractions of nearby palaces and museums. The Lividia Palace where the Yalta conference was held in 1945 is nearby, as is the impressive Swallow's Nest castle.

8. Kolomyya - A small town at the edge of the Carpathian mountains with a museum of Hutsul folk culture, and another museum shaped like a giant egg - the Pysanky Easter Egg Museum is dedicated to the traditional art of egg painting, with many thousands of different designs on display.

9. Bakhchysaray - The centre of Tatar culture in Crimea, and home to the former Khan's palace. The nearby cave city of Chufut-Kale is one of the main highlights of the region.

10. Pochayiv Monastery - A more authentically devout experience than Pechersk Monastery in Kiev, this is the place to get in touch with the Orthodox soul. The golden domes and bell tower are a stunning sight on the horizon, particularly with fresh snow on the ground in winter.

11. The Wooden Churches of Transcarpathia - In tiny hillside villages across the region of Transcarpathia sit dozens of beautiful churches constructed of wood. Many of these historic structures are in need of urgent repair, with little funding available for their upkeep. Some of the finest examples of the different building styles can be seen in the villages of Uzhok, Yasniya, Rohatyn, Danylovo and Chornoholova.

12. Chernivtsi - A major city of western Ukraine with classical architecture dating from the time of the Habsburg Austrian empire. The highlight is the University, with a bizarre mix of Moorish and Byzantine styles designed by Czech architect Josef Hlavka.

13. Sudak Castle - A 14th-century Genoese castle perched on a cliff, with great views out over the sea and the surrounding Crimean landscape.

14. Yaremcha - A Carpathian mountain resort town, with plenty of traditional Hutsul folk culture to experience. This is the best base for making a climb to the top of Mt. Hoverla.

15. Kara Dag Crimean Nature Reserve - Take a guided walk in a volcanic landscape full of bizarre lava-formed rock features such as the Golden Gate arch just off shore in the sea.

16. The Nuclear Missile Silo Museum near Pervomaysk - Take a tour through the corridors and control room of a Soviet-era Nuclear Missile base, featuring four huge decommissioned ICBM missiles.

17. Sevastopol - A major Russian naval port and a place of great controversy in Russian-Ukrainian relations, but also a beautiful seaside city of white-painted buildings and historic forts around the bay.

18. Kremenets Castle - A picturesque hilltop ruin overlooking a town of rustic houses and orthodox churches. An ideal place to experience small-town life in Ukraine.

19. Balaklava - A beautiful coastal town overlooked by a 15th-century Genoese fortress on a hilltop. You can tour a Soviet-era submarine base built inside a sea cave.

20. Vylkovo - The so-called "Ukrainian Venice", a small fishing village in the Danube delta area with a series of canals originally built by Russian old-believers. The nearby Danube Delta Nature Reserve is a unique aquatic environment with plentiful bird-watching opportunities.

21. Chornobyl and Pripyat tour - A tour to the former nuclear reactor complex and the nearby town that was destroyed in the disaster. Chilling and unforgettable; you can see the reactor number 4 and the sarcophagus that now covers it, and wander the streets of Pripyat, frozen in time from the moment it was evacuated in 1986. The guide carries a Geiger counter to let you know how high the radiation levels are around you.

22. Ivano-Frankivsk - A charming city close to the Carpathian mountains with cobblestone streets and some impressive neoclassical architecture. It makes a pleasant place to stay while exploring the mountain region to the south.

23. Chernihiv - A city full of orthodox church spires in northern Ukraine with great historical significance, as it was once a major settlement of 11th-century Kyivan Rus. Today you can visit the Antoniy caves that lie beneath the Illinsky church to get a taste of what the city was once like.

24. Zhovkva - A pretty small town in Lviv region featuring several impressive orthodox churches and a monastery, as well as a synagogue and a castle. This was also the birthplace of Cossack hero Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

25. The Cossack Fort Museum in Zaporizhzhya - This was once the most important settlement of the Ukrainian Cossacks, built on an island in the Dnipro river. The site holds great importance in the development of the modern Ukrainian nation. In 1775 Russian ruler Catherine the Great had the fort destroyed, but today you can visit a replica version with several wooden churches and many traditional homes. Nearby is a museum dedicated to the history of the Cossacks.

26. Lutsk - A city in the north-west of the country with an impressive old town core of 17th-century buildings that line cobblestone streets. It's not in the same league as a city such as Lviv, but is still a beautiful and thoroughly un-touristed place to visit.

27. Kharkiv - Ukraine's second-largest city after the capital, featuring several vast public squares such as Ploshcha Svobody, one of the largest in the world. It is a major centre of learning with a large university student population, and also has an impressive art museum to visit.

28. Korolyov Cosmonaut museum in Zhytomyr - A space museum named for a local Soviet rocket engineer, with displays on the Soviet space program including a number of satellites and a Soyuz rocket.

29. Drohobych - A small town south of Lviv, with Austrian empire-era architecture and several stunning wooden orthodox churches.

30. Sofiyivka Park in Uman - A romantic landscaped park featuring a series of waterfalls, fountains and statues, built by a Polish count as a gift for his wife.

Panoramic View # 2 - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Climbing a church tower for a panoramic view is a common part of sightseeing in central Europe, nearly every town of note has a tower which is open for visitors to climb. Scaling the hundreds of steps to the top is often a challenge, and sometimes you have to pass directly next to or under a giant bell that may begin to ring at the exact moment you are passing. The bell tower in Hradec Králové, known as the 'White Tower', is 71 metres high, and contains the country's second-largest bell.

The 16th century tower also features an unusual clock face with a long hand that tells the hour, and a shorter hand that tells the minute. Standing on the observation platform at the top gives a dramatic view over the old town square and the surrounding streets featuring many buildings with gothic, renaissance and baroque facades. Outside the old town and across the river is the new town, composed of buildings constructed between the two World Wars in the Rondo-Cubist style by such architects as Josef Gočár and Jan Kotěra. Beyond this in the distance you can see socialist-era architecture which is typical of the region's larger cities.

Hradec Králové is a worthwhile day trip from Prague or Olomouc, but the city also provides access to the Krkonoše mountains and the Ardšpach-Teplice rock cities to the north, so using it as a base for a few days is also a good option.

Photo Challenge # 10 - Name This Location

Here's the next photo location for you to guess, can you name the town which features this hilltop monument (and for bonus points what it commemorates)? As before, clicking on the image to enlarge it to look for clues may help. Good luck!

Surprising Signs # 4 - Muszynka, Poland

I found this sign outside the gate of a house in a small village in southern Poland. It translates as "Caution! BAD and HUNGRY dog!" (No pies you can eat are involved, as 'pies' means dog). It's not unusual to see a sign warning of a 'bad' (dangerous) dog, but I'm not used to being warned that the owner keeps their dogs under-fed as an extra deterrent to keep trespassers out. I kept my distance from that dog... :)

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 7 - Frička, Slovakia

This church stands on a small hill in the centre of the village of Frička, in a remote corner of eastern Slovakia close to the Polish border. The church is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, who is present in several of the icons that grace the interior. The iconostasis dates from 1830, while most of the icons are from the late nineteenth century. The ceiling of the nave is decorated with a colourful painting of St. Trinity, completed in 1933 by a local artist from the city of Prešov. The tower contains three different bells, the oldest from 1697.

The church is surrounded by a low wooden fence and contains an entrance gate which is typical of the Rusyn churches of the region. The church was fully renovated inside and out in the spring and summer of 2010, returning the structure to its original appearance. The use of a coating of protective varnish on the wood surface of the exterior has been criticised by some historians as not in keeping with the pledge to preserve the original integrity of the building, and this coating will not be used in other renovation projects of Rusyn churches in Slovakia (although it has already been used in the restoration of the church in Potoky). However, the varnish does give a very impressive appearance to the wood because of its shiny finish.

Frička is one of the most isolated villages in the region, but it can be reached by bus from the town of Bardejov with a few connections per day. It is also possible to follow a trail that leads up and over the hill into Poland, as the border is less than one kilometre from the village.