Photo Challenge # 6 - Name this Location

Here is another picture puzzle for you to guess. Can you name this building and where it is located?

Surprising Signs # 1 - Kremnica, Slovakia

This sign is found at the foot of the staircase leading up into the castle tower in Kremnica in central Slovakia. Read what it says carefully - while climbing the stairs it appears to be necessary to discuss obscure indie bands and new-age philosophy...

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #5 - Desesti, Romania

The UNESCO-listed wooden church in Desesti is one of the best preserved in the Maramures region of north-west Romania. Known as the church of Pious Parascheva, it was constructed in 1770. The influence of the gothic style is clear in its design, and this was typical of the churches built in the region following the destruction caused by the Tatar invasions of 1717.

The interior contains an excellent collection of icons painted on glass as well as wood. The exterior of the church features a large cross shape formed in the shingles above the front entrance. The church is surrounded by a small colourful cemetery featuring wooden and stone grave markers and sits on a low forested hill above the village.

A highly decorative gate with wooden towers attached can be found below the church at the foot of the hill. A sign on the front of the church informs visitors that the church was struck by lightning in 1924 and that the tower of the church burned down and had to be rebuilt. It seems remarkable that a building made of wood with such an incredibly tall tower wasn't a more frequent target of lightning in the days before lightning conductors came into common use. I was unable to find any local person about who could locate the key to open the church, so this was one of the few Maramures churches I was unable to see the interior of. The village of Desesti has many of the typical Maramures-style wooden gates lining the streets in front of people's houses, and horse carts are a common sight in the roads and laneways.

Remarkable Relics of Communism #4 - Russian Tanks and WW2 Monuments of the Dukla Pass, Slovakia

The fight for the Dukla pass on the border between Slovakia and Poland was a major battle of the Eastern Front in the Second World War. German resistance was stonger than anticipated, and the advance of the Russian and Czechoslovak forces was held up for many months with over 70,000 casualties on both sides.

Following the end of the war and the establishment of a communist government in Czechoslovakia in 1948, it was decided that the liberation of the country by the Red Army should be commemorated with the greatest possible fanfare. Cities and towns across the country erected statues and monuments to the Russian liberators, usually inscribed with the date that the settlement was freed from German forces. The Dukla pass was particularly important as the spearhead of the advance into Czechoslovak territory, and hence an enormous monument was erected there to honour the bravery of both Russian and Czechoslovak troops. A valley near the pass which saw intense fighting during the conflict became known as the "valley of death", and many abandoned military vehicles and tanks remained there following the battle.

Many Russian tanks in the valley were restored to their original condition and then returned to the position where they had been found in the valley, some sitting frozen in the middle of advancing through a farmer's cornfield, others appearing to emerge from the forest to press the German defenses. Around a dozen Russian tanks remain spread through the fields and forests in the region today as memorials to the Russian liberators. At the peak of the Dukla pass on the Slovak-Polish border sits a lookout tower intended to allow visitors to view the full extent of the battlefield area.

The nearby town of Svidník was almost totally destroyed in the battle, and today another large war memorial to the Soviet troops is a dominant feature of the town's layout. The Dukla pass is easily reached by one of several daily buses to and from Svidník; Svidník is most easily reached by bus connection from Prešov or Bardejov. In Svidník, the Hotel Rubin is an inexpensive and reasonably comfortable place to stay.

Read and vote for my entry in the Bradt Guides travel writing competition

Beautiful Towns #4 - Vlkolínec, Slovakia

Vlkolínec is a traditional mountain village of rustic log cottages found a few kilometres south of the Slovak town of Ružomberok. The village of 45 homes lies in the Velka Fatra mountains beneath a peak known as Sidorovo. The name of the village is most likely taken from the Slovak word "vlk" meaning "wolf", and may refer to a place where wolves were trapped. The earliest record of the village dates from 1376, and the settlement came under the administration of the town of Ružomberok in 1882.

During the second world war the village was used as a base by Slovak partisans fighting the Nazis, and about one-third of the village was burned by the Germans during the fighting. In 1993 the village became a UNESCO heritage site on the basis of being a perfectly preserved example of a Carpathian mountain village with extensive folk architecture. Nowadays the cottages of the village remain much as they were a century ago, still without piped running water.

A stream runs down the centre of the main street where a communal well made of logs provides a water source for the inhabitants. One of the most unique features that can be seen in the settlement is a wooden belfry that dates from 1770. There are also a number of wooden folk carvings of peasants in traditional costume set up as statues near the entrance to the village.

The village is best reached from the town of Ružomberok on a walk through the hills along marked trails that takes from 70 to 90 minutes depending on the trail you choose. There is no public transport access to the village, although it can be reached by car. There is a car park 100 metres below the village, as there is no tourist vehicle access into the village itself.

Quirky and Unusual Sights #2 - The Easter Egg Museum in Kolomyya, Ukraine

The museum of Ukrainian easter eggs in Kolomyya is a dominant landmark of the town and a major tourist draw, in part thanks to the fact that the museum itself is shaped like a giant painted pysanky (Ukrainian painted Easter egg). The museum was constructed in the year 2000 and was opened during a traditional Hutsul cultural festival.

The museum contains a collection of over ten thousand uniquely painted eggs, with almost all regions of Ukraine represented with their individual patterns and styles. Many of the eggs are modern recreations of traditional styles, but there are also a good number of eggs in the collection that date from the 19th century, mostly ones collected in the surrounding region of Kolomyya and Ivano-Frankivsk. There are also eggs from many other Slavic countries, as well as some that come from Romania, Sweden, and as far away as India and Canada. There is another giant easter egg in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada, which celebrates the Ukrainian heritage of many of the town's citizens.

Kolomyya is best reached by train from Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk or Chernivtsi, and the best place to stay in the town is undoubtedly the On The Corner pension, run by a wonderful family who really make you feel at home with great home-cooked meals and lots of good advice for travellers.

Who is this? #2 - Statues and Paintings of Eastern Europe

Here's another picture puzzle to challenge you, can anyone name the person portrayed here? If you've visited this place, I'm sure you remember who created these wonderful works of art...

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #4 - Miroľa, Slovakia

This wooden church is set in some of the most beautiful hilly countryside in eastern Slovakia. It sits on a slope above the village in front of a small cemetery and is visible from throughout the forested valley that surrounds the settlement. The present church was constructed in 1770, but it is thought that an earlier wooden church had stood in the same location in the village since the end of the 17th century. Dedicated to the Protector the Mother of God, the church is a typical three-part Lemko structure with three cupolas rising in height with the highest above the front entrance. Western design influences are apparent in the baroque style of the separate rooftops.

Life has not been easy for the local Rusyn residents, and many of them were forced to emigrate at the end of the 19th century to escape the poverty and poor living conditions of the time. During World War II many homes in the village were destroyed in the fighting for control of the nearby Dukla pass and the church was also badly damaged.

The interior of the church contains side icons in the Russian-byzantine style, while the iconostasis features some unusual images of the lives of peasants dressed in traditional costume placed in among the usual New Testament scenes. The entire iconostasis was restored in the 1970's by local experts.

The key for the church is kept by the family who live across the road, they are happy to open the temple for visitors and can give a demonstration of ringing the bell. It is expected that visitors will leave a donation of one or two Euros in front of one of the icons. The village is serviced only infrequently by bus, so walking in from the main Svidnik-Dukla road is a good option, as blue-marked forest hiking trails connect the villages which contain wooden churches together in a circular route. Bodružal, Príkra, Miroľa and Krajné Čierno can all be visited on an enjoyable day hike.

Photo Challenge # 5 - Name this Location

Here is another picture puzzle for you, in which city can you find this building facade?

Remarkable Relics of Communism #3 - Dresden, Germany

It is becoming harder and harder to find traces of the old GDR in today's modern Germany; the old Trabant and Wartburg cars have all but disappeared, the socialist housing blocks in the cities have been modernised and given a fresh appearance, and the few traces of The Wall still left have been carefully protected as historical monuments. However, a number of mural paintings have been preserved for their artistic and historical significance - this mural is found right in the historic centre of Dresden on a side wall of the Palace of Culture, a concert theatre built by the socialist government in 1969.

The mural features the old state seal of the GDR along with a large red star, and many other common socialist themes such as the role of teachers and the might of the working class. Both peasants and the proletariat raise hammers, sickles and weapons to symbolise their united strength and faith in the socialist cause. The woman at the centre of the mural holding the red flag is a particularly powerful image, representing the resilience and unbreakable spirit of Dresden's citizens when it came time to rebuild the city from the ruins of World War II.

Panoramic View #1 - Lviv, Ukraine

When I arrive in a new city or town, one of the first things I like to do is climb a tower or hill to get a bird's eye view of the place. It puts everything into perspective, so I can visualise where buildings and monuments are in relation to one another, and to understand how the town has grown and changed over time.

Many east European towns start with a medieval core that leads to concrete housing blocks which ring the centre; when viewed from above, these stages of architectural progression and the reasons for town planning decisions become clearer. You can watch as people on the street stop for a chat, an old man buys a newspaper from a kiosk, trams glide to a stop in a sidestreet, a shopkeeper sweeps the front steps - all manner of daily life going on, a grand spectacle to observe and interpret meaning from.

Viewing the city from the town hall tower in the market square or from the summit of High Castle hill provides an opportunity to see the different parts of the ancient city and the dozens of church spires from an ideal perspective.

One rooftop in the old town has been painted with the image of a horse, exclusively for the viewing benefit of visitors to the town hall tower. The highest point of Castle Hill has a large blue-and-yellow national flag flying high above this proudly Ukrainian city.

Beautiful Towns #3 - Brhlovce, Slovakia

Brhlovce is a small Slovak village found a few kilometres east of the city of Levice. The village is remarkable for its collection of cave houses carved out of the face of a cliff, many of which are still inhabited today. One of the houses has been converted into a museum, which consists of a stone house with an enclosed courtyard and several rooms carved out of the cliff at the back of the courtyard. According to local belief, during the Ottoman invasions of the 16th and 17th centuries the villagers decided that they would try to 'hide' their homes in order to make them less visible to the invading Turkish troops.

The soft volcanic-ash soil of the cliff-faces that surround the village were easy to carve out, and when the cave homes were completed they had the added advantage of being more easily defended than normal homes and more resistant to being burned down. The village is set in beautiful rolling countryside, and also features several folk cottages and a historic manor house. The village can be reached by bus from Levice, with several departures daily.

The Top 15 Places to Visit in Hungary

Hungary is a nation that never fails to surprise me - I've visited the country countless times, yet it still has a strong scent of the exotic about it for me. Perhaps it's the language, which seems completely bizarre to most other Europeans (Finnish and Estonian are mutually-unintelligible cousins), or the cuisine, full of spicy, meaty creations that stand apart from the foods of neighbouring countries due to the very liberal addition of paprika. Then there are the Hungarians themselves, who often refer to their people as 'aliens' in the European ethnic tapestry. Their ancestry lies among Central Asian horsemen and nomadic warriors such as Atilla the Hun (Atilla is a common name given to boys in Hungary even today). Here are some of my favourite destinations Hungary has to offer, from the backstreets of Buda to the tranquil village life of Takos.

1. Budapest - Everything in Hungary begins and ends in this city on the Danube, a place that seems to re-invent itself every time I visit. Tour the main sites of Buda Hill, walk the riverfront by night, and be sure to visit Margaret's Island and the Communist Sculpture Park.

2. Eger - A wine lover's paradise, with copious amounts of the famous 'bull's blood' red wine available in the many wine cellars that line the sides of the Valley of the Beautiful Women. A castle that resisted the Turks sits above an old town centre full of lovely Baroque buildings, and the Bukk hills are nearby for excellent hiking.

3. Esztergom - You can see the massive Basilica on the hill from 10km away in each direction, and it doesn't disappoint when you arrive. For over 1000 years this has been the seat of the Catholic church in Hungary; the nation's first king, St. Stephen, was born here in the year 975 and he introduced christianity to his subjects following his coronation in Esztergom in the year 1000. The basilica and castle complex sit on a hill above the Danube and the old town composed of baroque and neo-classical buildings.

4. Pecs - A city in the south of the country that has a feel of the Balkans about it. A number of Turkish monuments have been preserved from the time of the occupation, and UNESCO-listed mosaic-covered early christian burial tombs feature frescoes of Adam and Eve and Daniel and the Lion from the year 350 AD.

5. Holloko - A village with UNESCO status in the Cserhat hills near the Slovak border. The village is made up entirely of traditional wooden cottages with thatched rooftops and has preserved many elements of its traditional culture. The impressive ruin of Holloko castle sits on a small hill near the village.

6. Visegrad - The site of a castle high above the river Danube along one of the river's most beautiful stretches. Excellent walking routes lead in both directions from the Citadel to view the sharp bend made by the Danube as it passes below Castle Hill.

7. Sopron - A small city on the Austrian border with an old town packed with some of the finest medieval buildings in Hungary. The Turkish armies never conquered the town, so much of the centre remains as it appeared centuries ago. In 1921 the people of Sopron had to vote on whether they wanted to become part of Austria or Hungary, and they overwhelmingly voted in favour of remaining Hungarian. This has earned Sopron the nickname 'The most loyal city'.

8. Szentendre - A small town north of Budapest with lots of art galleries and cultural attractions, as well as an excellent skansen (outdoor museum) of historic folk architecture gathered from all over Hungary.

9. Kecskemet - A major city of the Great Plain, Kecskemet offers plenty of art-nouveau architecture, apricot brandy, and day-trip access to Kiskunsag national park on the Puszta (Great Plain).

10. Szeged - The largest city on the Great Plain and a major university centre, Szeged is famed for being the source of the nation's finest paprika spice, which is used heavily in the creation of Szeged Goulash and Szeged Halaszle (spicy fish soup).

11. Gyor - A city in the Transdanubia region with a well-preserved historical centre and a number of excellent restaurants serving the national cuisine. Baross Gabor street and the surrounding cobbled lanes of the old town are a pleasant place to stroll about and to sit outside in a cafe on one of the squares. The Turks only held the city for four years before being ousted in 1598, so Hungarians refer to the city as the 'Dear Guard' which has always been able to watch over the nation's well-being.

12. Sumeg Castle - A large and impressive ruin north of Lake Balaton, which sits on a high round hill of limestone. In the town beneath the castle the Church of the Ascension contains brilliant frescoes which have given the church the nickname 'sistine chapel of the rococo'.

13. Pannonhalma - A village south of Gyor featuring the Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma high above on a hilltop. The abbey has been in continuous operation since the 10th century - it celebrated its millenium year in 1996, the same year it became a UNESCO listed site. The abbey is a mix of many architectural styles as a result of being rebuilt many times throughout history; during the Turkish occupation the abbey was turned into a mosque.

14. Takos - A village in the remote northeast, Takos contains the wooden Calvinist Church, which was constructed using the technique known as wattle-and-daub. The floor of the church is made of beaten earth, and above this is a ceiling beautifully painted with red and blue flowers. Next to the church is a wooden bell tower, considered one of the finest in the country. The church is called 'The Barefoot Notre Dame of Hungary' by the local villagers.

15. Koszeg - A small town near the Austrian border which is referred to as 'the nation's jewellery box' due to its collection of gothic and baroque buildings. The town's castle repelled the army of Suleiman the Magnificent in 1532, with just 50 Hungarians fending off 100000 Turkish soldiers. The town's main square, Jurisics ter, is one of the country's most beautiful.

Who is this? #1 - Statues and Paintings of Eastern Europe

I'm starting a new series of questions, to name the person featured in the picture. Does anyone know who these fellows are?

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #3 - Plopis, Romania

This Romanian Orthodox church is found in Plopis, a village in the Cavnic river valley in the Maramures region of Romania. A superb example of vernacular wooden architecture, the church sits on a small hill above the rest of the village. It was constructed in 1796 by local village builders and consecrated as the Church of the Archangels. The interior wall murals were painted in 1811 by the local artist Stefan of Sisesti.

The murals include an evocative image of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, with the snake coiled around a tree. The layout of the church is rectangular, with a pentagonal chancel apse. There is a porch in front of the main door featuring six pillars supporting the beams that carry the weight of the roof.

The tall pyramid-shaped steeple on the tower is surrounded by four smaller pinnacles in each corner. These pinnacles indicate that the church once served as an official court of law for the surrounding region. The three-lobed ceiling vault of the nave is considered to be a unique feature among the Maramures wooden churches. The structure has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, one of eight wooden churches in Maramures region to receive this honour.

Photo Challenge # 4 - Name this location

Here is another destination in Eastern Europe for you to guess. Does anyone know where this is?

Remarkable Relics of Communism #2 - Bratislava, Slovakia

This mural is found in the main hall of the central train station in Bratislava; most passengers pass quickly beneath it on the way to the platforms and don't pause to glance up and see it on the wall above.
The mural contains many of the classic hallmarks of socialist thought. Looking from left to right, on the far left the viewer can see three 'capitalists' in their business suits being driven away by the moral superiority of the group standing to their left beneath the red banner of socialism with doves flying above their heads. One of the capitalists is dropping a gun to the ground, suggesting that their agression towards socialism will be defeated in the end. All of the capitalists are portrayed in cowardly poses which symbolize their eventual defeat. A worker from the capitalist system (dressed in white) is being freed from the chains of his masters so that he can come to join the group on the left. The group beneath the red banner has three dominant figures, a proud steel mill worker holding tools, an intellectual holding a book, and the flag bearer who stands above them providing the foundation for the development of the new society that labour and learning will develop together in partnership. The group standing in a circle at the centre of the mural is composed of women from different countries around the world, implying that socialism is the system that will unite the world in peace and unity. On the right-hand side the viewer can see the symbols of technology and learning that will make the socialist utopia possible; at the top we can see a rocket and a satellite (which looks like Sputnik) representing the scientific advances that socialism has produced ahead of the capitalist world. Below these we see the scientists who have produced these ideas, as well as the students learning from them who will develop the technologies of tomorrow.

Quirky and Unusual Sights #1 - Pot Trees in Maramures Region, Romania

Many villages in the Maramures region of Romania maintain a peculiar tradition involving placing cooking pots on the branches of a tree in front of their houses. This is done in order to dry them after washing, but placing a large number of pots on the tree was also intended to display the wealth and importance of the family who lived there.

I heard from a local in the region that there is a further element to this tradition; placing a red pot on the top of the tree signifies to any passing would-be suitors that a woman of marriageable age lives in the house. Nowadays the decoration of pot trees has taken on the additional function of aiding the local economy - they help attract tourists to come and stay in the village.