Another large batch of photos! Plitsvice in Croatia had one of the most interesting wooden walkways set up for seeing their national park. The path is literally inches above the water as you meander through the park. This photo of the young man addressing me as his girlfriend takes his photo is one of my favorite from this batch (taken in a refurbished bomb shelter in Zagreb), just an interesting dynamic happening. Bosnia had amazing food and very recent scars from the conflict, but one of the largest growing tourist markets in the world and very friendly locals.
Going through multiple countries that used to be part of Yugoslavia has been a unique experience as you hear about how each region was affected. I was a bit surprised by the fact that most of the younger people seemed to be fond of the unity one country offers. Multiple people stated that it was the politicians who turned people on each other, something I find very relevant to the political climate back home at the moment with the upcoming presidential election.Anyways moving on; the architecture in Prague was truly amazing and of course the bath houses are a highlight of the city! The Bone Church to the east of Prague was one of a kind perhaps only rivaled by catacombs in regards to the amount of bones. Seeing the Slav Epic in Prague by Alphonse Mucha should be on anyone's itinerary whilst in Prague! The scale is truly epic and I wish they were closer to home so that I could spend more time with them.
Berlin was a nice break as I stayed with a friend in an apartment. The Jewish memorial was something I would like to explore more through photography as I spent over and hour walking and taking photographs at hip level when someone walked into my view. Coming into Poland you really see how war ravaged Europe and as I visited Auschwitz the sheer size of the camp was intense. Also for most of the "east" the end of the war only marks the start of the hard transition into Russian influence. But it wasn't all doom and gloom as the Wieliczka salt mines are perhaps the most impressive underground mine in the world. The mine has evolved from mining salt into a tourist attraction complete with underground ball rooms and a church among other things. Everyday brings amazing sites as long as I have the energy to keep going!