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Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
A tale of three cities
I seem to have inherited two loves from my late mother: the love for the written word and that for travel. A combination of both made me extend my trip to Europe when I was invited to present my PhD work at the University of Bergen in Norway. I just had to visit Paris and Berlin! As a rule, everywhere I go, I have to visit bookstores and then mention their names, locations, and the date of the visit on the title page of each book or diary I purchase. This article grew out of that same impulse to document my favourite places in each of the three literary European cities I happily wandered through. BergenAlthough the city of Oslo and the mesmerising Northern Lights are what initially come to mind when one thinks of Norway, for me, Bergen turned out to be a little slice of literary heaven. An unbelievably picturesque Scandinavian city, every street corner seems to be straight out of a fairytale. Grand Hotel Terminus, where I stayed, is bang in the city centre and displayed posters from the works of literary giants like Henrik Ibsen, who served as the resident dramatist at the city's Norwegian Theatre. My first bookish stop was the neo-Romanesque Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek or the public library. The second largest in Norway, it is a bibliophile's dream come true with plenty of reading nooks and unending aisles of books. Here, Scandinavian and Norwegian titles share space with translated works from the Anglophone and Francophone world. It also has a child-friendly space that's open to all. Next, using both translation and map apps, I stepped into the Boksalongen (translated as the Book Salon) situated at the Litteraturhuset or House of Literature, a literary complex that hosts the city's annual literature festival. The space for book events welcoming authors, poets and reading communities also houses a collection of books that mainly includes regional literary texts or canonical works in translation, apart from an English section. 'Here, one can find all kinds of books and literary magazines, many of which are not available in chain bookstores despite the publications' high-quality writing,' said Tijana Przulj, a PhD fellow at the Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen. She also spoke highly of Tekstallmenningen, the city's literary organization, which acts as 'an intermediary between small presses and the public, selling books and other publications both directly to the public and through various other channels.' I wandered through the famous local fish market and stopped to take a picture next to Ibsen's statue on my way to the city's outlet of Norli, one of the oldest bookstore chains in Norway. Much of the action in this massive space with separate levels is in the basement. It's where I bought Invisible Cities, my first Italo Calvino. The staff here is extremely helpful while also giving browsers enough space to peruse to their heart's content. My final bookish adventure in Bergen happened at the airport with wooden interiors, which houses an ARK, an outlet of another large Norwegian bookstore chain. Their 'don't judge a book by its cover' shelves in the English section immediately caught my eye. Here, the brown paper wrapping on books bear hints about plot and characters. You may open the package after you've bought the book on the basis of the hints provided. I boarded the plane to Berlin still wondering which book fit this description: Early 20th C Europe, the haves and have nots, class warfare, for fans of Brideshead Revisited. Any clues? Pro tip: Always carry an umbrella because the weather in Bergen can turn from sunny to torrential within seconds Berlin The first bookstore I visited in Berlin, a city that has been on my bucket list forever, was the Schleichers Buchhandlung near Freie University. It houses a wide range of books in English, a rarity in Germany. A local told me the cosy independent book shop dates back to the Cold War when the city was divided into the Allied and Soviet zones. At the store located in what was once the western part of the divided city of Berlin, I picked up works by Behzad Karim Khani and Nadia Shehadeh. I also took a guided tour and was constantly reminded of Jenny Erpenbeck's works as I came across the many landmarks mentioned in her Go, Went, Gone, a nuanced novel on the treatment of African migrants and asylum seekers in Germany. Next, I headed to Berlin's biggest independent bookstore, Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus. A massive structure with multiple floors, it has the largest selection of books I have ever come across in Europe. A range of souvenirs, tempting stationary and loads of bookish games are also available here. Though it was packed, staff members helped me locate the literary works of Aleksandar Hemon. I was looking for The Lazarus Project, which, sadly, was not available in any of the bookstores I visited in Europe. But I did end up buying the author's The World and All that it Holds. I was keen to visit the She Said bookshop which exclusively stocks books by women and queer writers but alas, I didn't have the time! Pro Tip: The buses are a cheap and convenient way to travel around the city. Paris Doing Paris in a day-and-a-half is a feat. I had to pack in a visit to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and to the one place that has been a part of my literary dreams, the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. After gaping at what I could, I hopped on a rented bicycle outside the museum and rode to the bookstore. There was a line outside with a host who let people in only when it was clear that a certain number of others had left the store. Passages inside the picturesque store are designed to open like chapters of a book, with each revealing many book-filled nooks and corners. The place is believed to have been constructed in the image of the original Shakespeare and Company book store founded in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, which also functioned as a lending library. A poster about Beach states that she was 'the first to publish James Joyce's Ulysses in 1922, when no one else dared'. The walls are laden with quotes from writers such as Anais Nin and framed photos of authors like Langston Hughes, bell hooks and Daphne du Maurier. In the used books section, I grabbed a copy of Jean Rhys' collection of short stories and of course, had it stamped by the cashier. Afterwards, I also briefly stepped into the adjoining shop housing rare books and first editions, which were beautiful to peruse but expensive to purchase. After lunch, I browsed through L'atelier 9, which also has a small collection of books in English. Interestingly, it doubles up as a cultural space that hosts writers from small publishing houses and gives them a platform to speak about their work. Then, before heading to the Eiffel Tower, I wandered past the picturesque book stalls along the river Seine displaying works by or on Montaigne, Flaubert and Diderot. These shops also have an impressive collection of magazines, comic books, posters and art prints. But then it began to drizzle and the shops downed their shutters, which prompted me to seek shelter and a croissant at a quaint café. Oh, so Parisian, mon ami! Pro tip: There are many online pre-booking options for the Louvre that charge double the amount of what the passes actually cost. You can buy passes without a hassle and at the regular cost at counters inside the museum complex. Simar Bhasin is a Delhi-based literary critic and research scholar. Her essay 'A Qissa of Resistance: Desire and Dissent in Selma Dabbagh's Short Fiction' was awarded 'Highly Commended' by the Wasafiri Essay Prize 2024.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Miami Herald
How Opatija became Croatia's ‘Vienna of the Adriatic'
OPATIJA, Croatia - Liliana Stipanić briefly thinks about how to answer the question: Why should you visit Opatija? Then it flows out of her: "It's the flair from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You really feel like royalty here when you look at the old villas, feel the atmosphere, the serenity of the people." Stipanić is a city guide. She also takes day trippers through the Kvarner Gulf to the port and market town of Rijeka. But it's in Opatija that she knows every stone and every detail from history, which began in the Middle Ages with a Benedictine abbey. Saint Jacob's church now stands on the same spot, a reminder of Opatija's beginnings. The nobility paved the way for tourism, which really took off in 1889 after the imperial government officially declared Opatija the first climatic seaside resort on the Austrian riviera. "The air and sea" were decisive, says Stipanić, not any thermal springs. The mild climate is due to the Učka mountain range, shielding Opatija from the land side and protecting it from winds from the west. A playground for high society "Opatija was the second-largest spa town Austria-Hungary, only surpassed by Karlovy Vary," says Stipanić. The town became a playground for high society and was labeled "Vienna by the sea," "Queen of the Adriatic" and "Vienna's bathtub." An influx of tourism began when Opatija was connected to the nearby railway network. Historic villas, the 12-kilometer Lungomare promenade and the Maiden with the Seagull statue are among the symbols of Opatija. Holly bushes cast their shadows on golden walls, while bougainvillea, aleander and magnolias bloom at every corner. Murals in the city park commemorate prominent guests such as composer Gustav Mahler, writer James Joyce, scientist Albert Einstein and Hollywood star Kirk Douglas. Early "marketing ambassadors," as tour guide Stipanić calls them, were Crown Princess Stephanie and Crown Prince Rudolf, "then everyone followed". The locals, on the other hand, became second-class citizens - which somewhat damages the myth of Opatija. Enjoying the promenade When the Lungomare promenade was planned, there were "conflicts with the fishermen who laid out their nets to dry" in the suburb of Volosko, where Stipanić comes from. Also, spa guests complained when the locals swam naked or in their underwear, she says. These days on the waterfront, you can sit back and relax with a cocktail at the harbour and watch the yachts come in. In the time-honored Wagner coffee house, the waiters cultivate elegance with white shirts and black bow ties. The cultural destination in the upper town is the neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation. Inside, spanned by a green dome, light domes stand in the chancel, flooding the sun's rays through stained glass windows. Trip to Kastav Away from the coast, take a beautiful excursion to Kastav. From here, Opatija lies at your feet. The view sweeps as far as the islands of Cres and Krk and through the green mountains. The idyllic town center breathes history, with stone town walls, alleyways and a portico. The ruins of the Jesuit church occasionally serve as an open-air theatre. There are pubs that seem to invite you to take a break. In the Plovanić winery, Dejan Rubesa recounts his unusual career, starting out as a lawyer in the civil service. Later, he opted for early retirement and became a professional winemaker, eager to showcase local Belica wines, which have long produced for home consumption but never really appreciated beyond that. Underground winemaking The Belica is a blend of five grape varieties, three of which are native. Inventor Rubesa started experiments that his 29-year-old daughter, Andreja, who helps out in the winery, affectionately calls "crazy ideas." One involved importing huge, handmade clay amphorae from Georgia and burying them in the ground behind the winery to age grape juice in. After eight months of underground storage, the wine matures for a year in Croatian oak barrels. The result is a wine with an orange color, deeply aromatic, full-bodied and unique. That is just one more good reason to visit Opatija and its environs. _____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
How Opatija became Croatia's 'Vienna of the Adriatic'
Liliana Stipanić briefly thinks about how to answer the question: Why should you visit Opatija? Then it flows out of her: "It's the flair from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You really feel like royalty here when you look at the old villas, feel the atmosphere, the serenity of the people." Stipanić is a city guide. She also takes day trippers through the Kvarner Gulf to the port and market town of Rijeka. But it's in Opatija that she knows every stone and every detail from history, which began in the Middle Ages with a Benedictine abbey. Saint Jacob's church now stands on the same spot, a reminder of Opatija's beginnings. The nobility paved the way for tourism, which really took off in 1889 after the imperial government officially declared Opatija the first climatic seaside resort on the Austrian riviera. "The air and sea" were decisive, says Stipanić, not any thermal springs. The mild climate is due to the Učka mountain range, shielding Opatija from the land side and protecting it from winds from the west. A playground for high society "Opatija was the second largest spa town Austria-Hungary, only surpassed by Karlovy Vary," says Stipanić. The town became a playground for high society and was labelled "Vienna by the sea", "Queen of the Adriatic" and "Vienna's bathtub". An influx of tourism began when Opatija was connected to the nearby railway network. Historic villas, the 12-kilometre Lungomare promenade and the Maiden with the Seagull statue are among the symbols of Opatija. Holly bushes cast their shadows on golden walls, while bougainvillea, aleander and magnolias bloom at every corner. Murals in the city park commemorate prominent guests such as composer Gustav Mahler, writer James Joyce, scientist Albert Einstein and Hollywood star Kirk Douglas. Early "marketing ambassadors," as tour guide Stipanić calls them, were Crown Princess Stephanie and Crown Prince Rudolf, "then everyone followed". The locals, on the other hand, became second-class citizens - which somewhat damages the myth of Opatija. Enjoying the promenade When the Lungomare promenade was planned, there were "conflicts with the fishermen who laid out their nets to dry" in the suburb of Volosko, where Stipanić comes from. Also, spa guests complained when the locals swam naked or in their underwear, she says. These days on the waterfront, you can sit back and relax with a cocktail at the harbour and watch the yachts come in. In the time-honoured Wagner coffee house, the waiters cultivate elegance with white shirts and black bow ties. The cultural destination in the upper town is the neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation. Inside, spanned by a green dome, light domes stand in the chancel, flooding the sun's rays through stained glass windows. Trip to Kastav Away from the coast, take a beautiful excursion to Kastav. From here, Opatija lies at your feet. The view sweeps as far as the islands of Cres and Krk and through the green mountains. The idyllic town centre breathes history, with stone town walls, alleyways and a portico. The ruins of the Jesuit church occasionally serve as an open-air theatre. There are pubs that seem to invite you to take a break. In the Plovanić winery, Dejan Rubesa recounts his unusual career, starting out as a lawyer in the civil service. Later, he opted for early retirement and became a professional winemaker, eager to showcase local Belica wines, which have long produced for home consumption but never really appreciated beyond that. Underground winemaking The Belica is a blend of five grape varieties, three of which are native. Inventor Rubesa started experiments that his 29-year-old daughter Andreja, who helps out in the winery, affectionately calls "crazy ideas." One involved importing huge, handmade clay amphorae from Georgia and burying them in the ground behind the winery to age grape juice in. After eight months of underground storage, the wine matures for a year in Croatian oak barrels. The result is a wine with an orange colour, deeply aromatic, full-bodied and unique. That is just one more good reason to visit Opatija and its environs.
Listly
08-04-2025
- Listly
Top 8 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City in 48 Hours
The largest city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is full of compelling history. It was significant during the French colonization to become the capital of Southern Vietnam in the mid-20th century. Even at present it remains a thriving economic and cultural hub. Discover the top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City during a quick stopover. 01. Explore the War Remnants Museum A visit to this museum is quite insightful as it contains history relating to the French rule in Vietnam and the Vietnam War that holds significance in modern Global History. Conflicts with China are also portrayed at this museum. The exhibits on the two floors portray the details, the harshness of the war and its effect on the Vietnamese. 02. Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office The beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, a neo-Romanesque creation was built in the 19th century with a statue of St. Mary adorning its main entrance. It is wise to arrive at the cathedral soon after 9 am to have a complete tour of this serene place of worship with ease before crowds build up. The Central Post Office of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) also built during the 19th century is located right opposite the cathedral and is still active. Although French architecture is evident in this creation, the main wall carries a portrait of the Late Ho Chi Minh the President of North Vietnam between 1945 to 1969 reminding of his contribution to the nation. 03. Ben Thanh Market This exotic market in HCMC is one of the oldest in the city and offers great insights into the local culture. Apart from the shopping opportunities at reasonable prices especially souvenirs, it is a haven for street food lovers offering an array of eats on the go. 04. Try authentic Vietnamese Coffee Coffee is not simply a beverage in HCMC or for that matter in Vietnam, it is a way of life. Enjoying coffee is a daily ritual that locals indulge in. Most visitors begin to grow a liking for the rich taste of Vietnamese coffee. This piping hot brew can be enjoyed at coffee stalls on the street, trendy cafes or even at the chic Lotus Bar at PARKROYAL Saigon in the heart of HCMC. 05. Cruise on the Saigon River Don't miss a relaxing cruise of one hour on the Saigon River(Saigon is the former name for HCMC) with a host who will explain the interesting sights you will be witnessing, such as the breathtaking skyline of the city, iconic landmarks and many great photo opportunities of this experience from the maters. 06. Cu Chi Tunnels These intriguing and elaborate tunnels in Cu Chi northwest of HCMC are a compelling reminder of the Vietnam War and a captivating attraction for visitors. Vietnamese troops used these to commute between different areas to evade being captured. Though handmade with simple tools, this network of tunnels served a valuable purpose for the nation and is still visited by many visitors to get a feel of being in them. 07. Rooftop Bars of HCMC Visitors are spoiled for choice when it is time to admire the sunset over Ho Chi Minh City. A bevy of cool bars offers enchanting views and novel concoctions of cocktails to keep the sundowners happy and engaged. 08. Exciting Bui Vien Walking Street This bustling street offers an extensive range of food, drinks and entertainment providing a memorable nightlife to those who want to let their hair down. It can be whatever you wish for such as a night of elegance or a long night of dancing your cares away whilst enjoying good company and food.
