tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2398286321278394952024-02-07T20:37:23.150-08:00The Baltic Coast to PragueKaliningrad Region;now separated from Mother Russia, an irritant on the neatly drawn map of independant Eastern Europe..... an abandoned Soviet nuclear missile base in Lithuania.... The Rusyns, a forgotton people on the borderlands of Poland & Slovakia.
Just a few of the hidden gems still to be found in a region succumbing to mass tourism and the capitalist way.Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-23708562236138699242009-09-29T12:20:00.001-07:002010-01-18T08:58:41.972-08:00Latvia - Leipaja<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY4W-u4Aa4SxrCsbxdyDcx_kbr5XqmQWgCR_pxxrxG8BX-sr002kZAWMz_0RZh67ErXm0HJSLLCgBrqZ9XM_46gQhqa24Yd-vDxAWQTpB-2AV6kK7H2OL3Woss9G5Pc1GaVvFLP0yvc7s/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400612507277679746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY4W-u4Aa4SxrCsbxdyDcx_kbr5XqmQWgCR_pxxrxG8BX-sr002kZAWMz_0RZh67ErXm0HJSLLCgBrqZ9XM_46gQhqa24Yd-vDxAWQTpB-2AV6kK7H2OL3Woss9G5Pc1GaVvFLP0yvc7s/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+019.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Tirdzniecibas Canal meets the Baltic Sea. Leipaja (Latvia's 3rd largest city) is slowly shaking off its Soviet industrial past to reinvent itself.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsKZD4Qb0080OOWgCOrmQFOSef-bkrs6aLYs0HUpFXh9ioVhJnNk_aNRD8uvDWLYaccjJT2Kxa95FTI1_BXmdsudAFhL7j2Wqg_maCrcHoywgp1Nygm86MB7Tfqij5LopsQW9AfDcRaOx/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400612437503311186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsKZD4Qb0080OOWgCOrmQFOSef-bkrs6aLYs0HUpFXh9ioVhJnNk_aNRD8uvDWLYaccjJT2Kxa95FTI1_BXmdsudAFhL7j2Wqg_maCrcHoywgp1Nygm86MB7Tfqij5LopsQW9AfDcRaOx/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+020.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iVyris3Zcl2PGTn1fpi6L8CUTX76tLqjQshDDih6gVK7X-bpJ14BIIUHVNjjgUstfOPzzkM2afFtCf5CHXn3LBMK6XiBiGN7XGT0FXpAW7GcfLXQQS43uhDi2mpFGCyTwfuzFTte1C-f/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400612281072383090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iVyris3Zcl2PGTn1fpi6L8CUTX76tLqjQshDDih6gVK7X-bpJ14BIIUHVNjjgUstfOPzzkM2afFtCf5CHXn3LBMK6XiBiGN7XGT0FXpAW7GcfLXQQS43uhDi2mpFGCyTwfuzFTte1C-f/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+022.jpg" border="0" /></a> An innocuous block in a suburb hides a dark past..... during Nazi occupation in World War 2 a ghetto was created in June 1942. 814 Jews were crammed into this small area before it was liquidated on 8th October 1942. A plaque in the apartment car park marks the ghetto..... </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400612185817158546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC2n3om72QW-cscWAHF9ZKKuh2RwunbMk2WNnQcNm6qmPTJwF4pWCvFkHnq0yfm2cEzehSGZqAHXA1UckmDlgbhxG8rt6YZEBtPMaOwF80XQ75nEDhKedZtTc062yhdx-5lcEdTGPDLkr/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+021.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvT6r5ArN1i1xFeNvTc6Y5sOZ44H334a2XWts-ngnGN1JDg_UCVp-IDmg4SCbpOxK4vTOATeo7qolLJy5PqI7yB1IwMYAy_852GP8gDHx5bIIEDFij96uptghtgjPsN4CdgpUeygNkS7W/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400612087170698610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvT6r5ArN1i1xFeNvTc6Y5sOZ44H334a2XWts-ngnGN1JDg_UCVp-IDmg4SCbpOxK4vTOATeo7qolLJy5PqI7yB1IwMYAy_852GP8gDHx5bIIEDFij96uptghtgjPsN4CdgpUeygNkS7W/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+023.jpg" border="0" /></a> Art Nouveau was an architectural movement founded at the turn of the last century. It was characterised by facades of buildings being adorned with elegant lines and geometrical figures in places interchanging with more elaborate decor . Riga the capital of Latvia has the greatest number of Art Nouveau buildings in the world. Leipaja has its fair share too..... </div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k4BPe1HBdZYOm5-H2yTJ898qBp3t00fmAQTAiaJMp940UagsHzEwNxUuWLOYJQZxzUZJ2LPBUqzBDbIp1t9Dxm5qubS3t1in-4xAbHFVDZBVQ19rtoz1qik8S_O6Or2Am-1Ca9PiFQ_Z/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611983888911442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k4BPe1HBdZYOm5-H2yTJ898qBp3t00fmAQTAiaJMp940UagsHzEwNxUuWLOYJQZxzUZJ2LPBUqzBDbIp1t9Dxm5qubS3t1in-4xAbHFVDZBVQ19rtoz1qik8S_O6Or2Am-1Ca9PiFQ_Z/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+024.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3F0VBIjr7P1hs6nru_hH3imNXzPbKm3_o3EnR1k1B_RtfJvxp5FAczhIqtNNOyQFpPWMaXi2fFpknuSJC_I14O-37xp_sULj3RThAvbp1e98G_G87JExcZpsrlujbh7kAgZRRSqkNcSLk/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611893104460786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3F0VBIjr7P1hs6nru_hH3imNXzPbKm3_o3EnR1k1B_RtfJvxp5FAczhIqtNNOyQFpPWMaXi2fFpknuSJC_I14O-37xp_sULj3RThAvbp1e98G_G87JExcZpsrlujbh7kAgZRRSqkNcSLk/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqR8L4GjH6dqJ8d4ltedr2qQvo710uqtJk0ufjQ8Ip49xcqTC_s5O1cuBezyIE3rS1Rvsq-qNnkdZ0Oh745FLfU_OB7MEckKpwzor0ob8dGBKRe9RJA1EGF6hMoRM0p-vLK-bsd2jZy9m/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611798906034050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqR8L4GjH6dqJ8d4ltedr2qQvo710uqtJk0ufjQ8Ip49xcqTC_s5O1cuBezyIE3rS1Rvsq-qNnkdZ0Oh745FLfU_OB7MEckKpwzor0ob8dGBKRe9RJA1EGF6hMoRM0p-vLK-bsd2jZy9m/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+029.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJ83I19HqXJ12p2CQTofXyq2JIFSvQ6DjL7EllkBaMV7anpSImO5xtPne1GqScvxSS8vM_K3Bky06DxNAqB1rM0hf6Nx8CjLJFCgs_G7raGbIRbd3ORM2lQfSC9ZRR6vd7EKGY_fEy-Pm/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611718417207570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJ83I19HqXJ12p2CQTofXyq2JIFSvQ6DjL7EllkBaMV7anpSImO5xtPne1GqScvxSS8vM_K3Bky06DxNAqB1rM0hf6Nx8CjLJFCgs_G7raGbIRbd3ORM2lQfSC9ZRR6vd7EKGY_fEy-Pm/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+025.jpg" border="0" /></a> Latvian towns still have clusters of old wooden houses some now sadly falling into decay..... </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeCjGzXzW1XKZIugeu9fR8k5w6BRnKdV0ab033bs56-QmLz6pVxzIFYkM8p9NvRLFsxNNAeYb0sqqMbcK_cb4-Wx_JTTe6HIi-Con8E5rMjmPqZ8TdjQ4saTA9lB-eidjsK98ZGl-0qUh/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611639726222562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeCjGzXzW1XKZIugeu9fR8k5w6BRnKdV0ab033bs56-QmLz6pVxzIFYkM8p9NvRLFsxNNAeYb0sqqMbcK_cb4-Wx_JTTe6HIi-Con8E5rMjmPqZ8TdjQ4saTA9lB-eidjsK98ZGl-0qUh/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbU8RCj8a9M03j8NNj_YRPfOqlFhYXPx9G_6QP45Uv3kRJs_RKfHwoddeKBOIbtfIDdnMgc0PckxFctWYCxYhcZlBguQpOsS2il9nS7rnFj0uyJiFrpFG15pgJHK1YtaeuuNpe4p20Iuj/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611540204496578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbU8RCj8a9M03j8NNj_YRPfOqlFhYXPx9G_6QP45Uv3kRJs_RKfHwoddeKBOIbtfIDdnMgc0PckxFctWYCxYhcZlBguQpOsS2il9nS7rnFj0uyJiFrpFG15pgJHK1YtaeuuNpe4p20Iuj/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+027.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvogNhShgZ3DGhTNv8QvamEqAaBD4diGKDu6tBkLxYblEMR3DaBaI66Bp0l1kZ80cXbRpxovJU2Gus1Ux59c-ynfjdGNoFIfAYIKSdbzLJF1QE2YIstRJfc7NIPbxUM22hfNgtzujGOJEs/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611466493229026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvogNhShgZ3DGhTNv8QvamEqAaBD4diGKDu6tBkLxYblEMR3DaBaI66Bp0l1kZ80cXbRpxovJU2Gus1Ux59c-ynfjdGNoFIfAYIKSdbzLJF1QE2YIstRJfc7NIPbxUM22hfNgtzujGOJEs/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+030.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlKr32nGxXycKmvliZg24_Cg4IfSwn9bKseIJ1xXm0pRCjhP24ala0TqRxktn6nd5_9ttqaLVqLPjGvPDpjReUqX9nMss0LQHlB3TR9JdSXx3NPNdBP_qN0ARdlzeymMfDB4JwHClm0M/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400611372025705746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlKr32nGxXycKmvliZg24_Cg4IfSwn9bKseIJ1xXm0pRCjhP24ala0TqRxktn6nd5_9ttqaLVqLPjGvPDpjReUqX9nMss0LQHlB3TR9JdSXx3NPNdBP_qN0ARdlzeymMfDB4JwHClm0M/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+031.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-16481014932313173192009-09-29T12:19:00.002-07:002010-01-16T03:43:12.959-08:00Latvia - Leipaja (Karaosta Prison)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fPvmnNoJiI10v957MI_7xxQxH7e2Gr3_8TS3eDijkeW5iNlTgZWw202kBRbTO74Rua2Lm2yKGCclIIFqBX0pRvADeDkbhAhI1fOgPQGE_LFVrezpsuy9znhPOkLh4Ev_8qyTowYXPPFC/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400610395040226130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fPvmnNoJiI10v957MI_7xxQxH7e2Gr3_8TS3eDijkeW5iNlTgZWw202kBRbTO74Rua2Lm2yKGCclIIFqBX0pRvADeDkbhAhI1fOgPQGE_LFVrezpsuy9znhPOkLh4Ev_8qyTowYXPPFC/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+001.jpg" border="0" /></a> Karosta is a sprawling suburb of Leipaja. During Soviet times it was a naval base and was off limits until 1994. At its centre is Karosta Prison which was used as a military prison until 1997..... <span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMelG1FH45x9xnlb5Ng3syEfpfuOwRa2nCxDxhCUEECAkVIyo_peUzMa6JGOa50wKTJfYuh_NghUca0ScTYdf9rz3vZ2HJbWZPBg8__o9T5ZEewQ5oWX9oBtenbnlfx7xsVBSMruLgWBGN/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400610291155323346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMelG1FH45x9xnlb5Ng3syEfpfuOwRa2nCxDxhCUEECAkVIyo_peUzMa6JGOa50wKTJfYuh_NghUca0ScTYdf9rz3vZ2HJbWZPBg8__o9T5ZEewQ5oWX9oBtenbnlfx7xsVBSMruLgWBGN/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVArllP5vpbK-OmsSnGp0mUR4HLkgC3B-BRwDx4w93qoC4YfLTULxbn2JDjOVwQtDNRkjdM8idFxxLaXK7yIfx4i3ldcfri_jqZJUB9ImiIkWQQGrGknh-5nNu_MCUvpyrxOnfXVE3ha5/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400610180277606194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVArllP5vpbK-OmsSnGp0mUR4HLkgC3B-BRwDx4w93qoC4YfLTULxbn2JDjOVwQtDNRkjdM8idFxxLaXK7yIfx4i3ldcfri_jqZJUB9ImiIkWQQGrGknh-5nNu_MCUvpyrxOnfXVE3ha5/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0Hip9Zxw-bpHKOxEwvr4o_vu3BDIYTOg8iiN92l-mXV3GotZ7lNCxanmSFGyLugjWZPL9BvOnGwolT660rn9Niwe0dUMmpzZw1IZjbQxGOpEPFBTYh6O5GSKq3cOn5IxKt88-kMmuqG6/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609981835885826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0Hip9Zxw-bpHKOxEwvr4o_vu3BDIYTOg8iiN92l-mXV3GotZ7lNCxanmSFGyLugjWZPL9BvOnGwolT660rn9Niwe0dUMmpzZw1IZjbQxGOpEPFBTYh6O5GSKq3cOn5IxKt88-kMmuqG6/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnpvhu_CL3T5f4jqM35QlRNZfElto7Mdv1FVL4487BjRlMqW0HWEI6L0ElzsNyThO4omELAWbqbCf6o7So5bZZZYOzUIni1dcIlfnEy5V1jXPqYznk-j5UVpagOETlBu359qrnwo6dyBN/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609888707381362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnpvhu_CL3T5f4jqM35QlRNZfElto7Mdv1FVL4487BjRlMqW0HWEI6L0ElzsNyThO4omELAWbqbCf6o7So5bZZZYOzUIni1dcIlfnEy5V1jXPqYznk-j5UVpagOETlBu359qrnwo6dyBN/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tq4FdRZMn6OSM2dLaRNTz_nzyDIQ2KkpOlYGNjjdIM0gdQnIypl7QpjqDImAa6XaHR8ApO4vpUVbsfergbcw5hEj_IXQ6_lHcDKbdK_N9yOMWYJot4_tAjmYY_al00vgO5vnl2PhnP5Q/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609805697579954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tq4FdRZMn6OSM2dLaRNTz_nzyDIQ2KkpOlYGNjjdIM0gdQnIypl7QpjqDImAa6XaHR8ApO4vpUVbsfergbcw5hEj_IXQ6_lHcDKbdK_N9yOMWYJot4_tAjmYY_al00vgO5vnl2PhnP5Q/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> The guide used to work in this prison.... his desk in the administration office.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxvN8C7MYLAWUAJKTHM6I43kPd7TQejHy1Bhni99NO1O4igq8uXCxUZnAIV0Z1HncCnpy4iag0dIPIO_2nmlSKANZ_ctDTLkuIRos1tmfp83-ALDcpWV_XsOTpDbBNywTiFMed2gD2XBb/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609724681095794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxvN8C7MYLAWUAJKTHM6I43kPd7TQejHy1Bhni99NO1O4igq8uXCxUZnAIV0Z1HncCnpy4iag0dIPIO_2nmlSKANZ_ctDTLkuIRos1tmfp83-ALDcpWV_XsOTpDbBNywTiFMed2gD2XBb/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoZRuLMsSeNuv6EL2nzttajB0aNtkoDSE06u_fjrZ5E5PM1R4r8uBfqI14wcGjOPEzODWjO6o5ElInpSzwu8USwJ8PdbRR0GZFn_XDZbl6xqMKIPbIpKx9xlpeKj_0mOdwf66RVLb6aHY/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609628266685186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoZRuLMsSeNuv6EL2nzttajB0aNtkoDSE06u_fjrZ5E5PM1R4r8uBfqI14wcGjOPEzODWjO6o5ElInpSzwu8USwJ8PdbRR0GZFn_XDZbl6xqMKIPbIpKx9xlpeKj_0mOdwf66RVLb6aHY/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+008.jpg" border="0" /></a>St Nicholas Maritime Cathedral is the focal point of Karosta amidst ex industrial wasteland and piecemeal housing. Built in 1901 it was designed to look as if it was built centuries earlier. The communists stripped it and used it as a cinema and sports complex. In 1990 restoration work began.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolVZCePV5n5RgwMAILp4Hsj5Pz8H3N1hDmYCroq0b9LJNhJqU7jeyLX0epRFjxD44Z6fR8Plmn6-h1TKEcy5HwTQDxflOeFIPU8lScJ1Bkjav3_9cumiaz4kdA7VLgvD_LHXB91XfVCVV/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609524429373218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolVZCePV5n5RgwMAILp4Hsj5Pz8H3N1hDmYCroq0b9LJNhJqU7jeyLX0epRFjxD44Z6fR8Plmn6-h1TKEcy5HwTQDxflOeFIPU8lScJ1Bkjav3_9cumiaz4kdA7VLgvD_LHXB91XfVCVV/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+010.jpg" border="0" /></a> 30 000 Soviet Naval staff were based here during the Cold War. It was fascinating to cycle around the desolate base looking at apartment blocks (built to house soldiers) in various states of decay and abadonment.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThUM8kj5jdLp3cY7eklRySqbiERIerpbOSVaSZtuAYu9GZJMj7vqaz0LDubFwxVfq2pvEiug4qYO0rQ6vB5T8MbZlZkRGHKCIe14OyehsZVH5vkbQysd_cYLRc6sbmJzCidM9WlyeH-xq/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609410677290082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThUM8kj5jdLp3cY7eklRySqbiERIerpbOSVaSZtuAYu9GZJMj7vqaz0LDubFwxVfq2pvEiug4qYO0rQ6vB5T8MbZlZkRGHKCIe14OyehsZVH5vkbQysd_cYLRc6sbmJzCidM9WlyeH-xq/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEmU1J0oKj2xVD3TYPv588iLw14q55Yt61dAboVeiJ9r757I5dAMmIgR04RgbjEAUWWWgxxVU9G9oFvkUNwbrL4jk2zpso5FggNHUjhH5ai-elDdIPQPKZeqdyFHr47NN_PGP8UKyf7Ti/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609270374908418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEmU1J0oKj2xVD3TYPv588iLw14q55Yt61dAboVeiJ9r757I5dAMmIgR04RgbjEAUWWWgxxVU9G9oFvkUNwbrL4jk2zpso5FggNHUjhH5ai-elDdIPQPKZeqdyFHr47NN_PGP8UKyf7Ti/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoETdH0yeR_wLk9jTcrwPfjNzBTVSItZHJ7-6X22ipoJ4yvyH54iR7xA0aXSfIYZBo2QzYVshblS8tccNbo7aEo3GAGfYTMQY1kA6U1TTQm5Nss0xtsCLin8JboRmC8SL33z0X4ZjJCcz/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609145474402242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoETdH0yeR_wLk9jTcrwPfjNzBTVSItZHJ7-6X22ipoJ4yvyH54iR7xA0aXSfIYZBo2QzYVshblS8tccNbo7aEo3GAGfYTMQY1kA6U1TTQm5Nss0xtsCLin8JboRmC8SL33z0X4ZjJCcz/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWZyfZ595Rwyco-9VpWKQx0g6QcKejBp2193AMFZOFixx1C6LFjDTl-0c1oOKQLkwVsEmPso7QIPHhYsWxnFI09gN_7hhLKrHz3nah2RyOoOpiP_WI-dhazwPY5bh830Ol-ZJVAjX4EW4/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400609014422407282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWZyfZ595Rwyco-9VpWKQx0g6QcKejBp2193AMFZOFixx1C6LFjDTl-0c1oOKQLkwVsEmPso7QIPHhYsWxnFI09gN_7hhLKrHz3nah2RyOoOpiP_WI-dhazwPY5bh830Ol-ZJVAjX4EW4/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyibdUG-otE2EWc4aKh33830vAidUScBfVDPjtCFPXuuvWYtAvXORz5RDr3SHg7ZKlspgXEKbZZ4RPcvZFP2MNZXKhqcEV-9DjxhODzc6QMmm4RQcbnQzQrZ0AtKUt8SwEgZ6VBMyjdaS_/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400608923838182930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyibdUG-otE2EWc4aKh33830vAidUScBfVDPjtCFPXuuvWYtAvXORz5RDr3SHg7ZKlspgXEKbZZ4RPcvZFP2MNZXKhqcEV-9DjxhODzc6QMmm4RQcbnQzQrZ0AtKUt8SwEgZ6VBMyjdaS_/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+016.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk9eND5BrO02hb7pq4A1K0hKLWmZYsO7Wru02gsa54N7ikIB9AK_9Lo1s2Pv6RJp-CEetGiwFNzZp6nuxgML1YGg0cVBTePfOqZfhVIcRCE4fgS6wLHjpuUsWIVaQBCoVQvqzh1RopqBB/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400608819070865458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk9eND5BrO02hb7pq4A1K0hKLWmZYsO7Wru02gsa54N7ikIB9AK_9Lo1s2Pv6RJp-CEetGiwFNzZp6nuxgML1YGg0cVBTePfOqZfhVIcRCE4fgS6wLHjpuUsWIVaQBCoVQvqzh1RopqBB/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+017.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-13117728902422304562009-09-29T12:19:00.001-07:002010-01-16T03:48:38.351-08:00Lithuania - Plotstine Nuclear Weapons Base<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4yy7t4i5qVNkAIxTEJe-oCSZDYqvLBlwN842W3P0SRTd5fD0cg9gWfql1DhRtxZsYqAKtdOaE9onegWIL7gFwzqyXA045bsaHFHrABQJhBUFgnnmUWuSg8HcJe_5GqH79M2nDdicL7sJ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398001147674151122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4yy7t4i5qVNkAIxTEJe-oCSZDYqvLBlwN842W3P0SRTd5fD0cg9gWfql1DhRtxZsYqAKtdOaE9onegWIL7gFwzqyXA045bsaHFHrABQJhBUFgnnmUWuSg8HcJe_5GqH79M2nDdicL7sJ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+041.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hidden deep in the forests of Zemaitija National Park is the first underground Soviet nuclear missle base which became operational on 31st December 1962. Its warheads had enough power to destroy most of Europe. For more than eight months ten thousand Estonian soldiers dug the site with shovels at night to avoid detection by US spy satellites. The missiles stayed here until June 1978 when the site when the site was abandoned and left to rot after discovery by US satellite photography<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT2mzlrJkLNTXopmEpFJfriGD5zRWn3c-9XgTTUyYb9kD96mQfWuKPkgUcWvQPv070ybYXwBT-Y2Xq1dWdgdKKTeh0z_B5pfa0SPYh38ZVmTH8A8l6ZIgVT9xMy8p5JqZD0itkYIJOjgJ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398001047898751090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT2mzlrJkLNTXopmEpFJfriGD5zRWn3c-9XgTTUyYb9kD96mQfWuKPkgUcWvQPv070ybYXwBT-Y2Xq1dWdgdKKTeh0z_B5pfa0SPYh38ZVmTH8A8l6ZIgVT9xMy8p5JqZD0itkYIJOjgJ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+042.jpg" border="0" /></a> Rails allowed silo covers to be opened within ten minutes in preparation for launch<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9tEy-Spt4BkdyDBGp1vGlZH2kh8f1eoQCRgUkFtNU_iv9NWYKVPRyPTzJ1b68lE0eM1zmMZgGnLAvHo87Emp8AtoDNu_aDkg4iSLpK5gwrY7-CT4onsZPmZQPrFQh2Cjuz-ya3EuSMtQ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+055.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398000915411908674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9tEy-Spt4BkdyDBGp1vGlZH2kh8f1eoQCRgUkFtNU_iv9NWYKVPRyPTzJ1b68lE0eM1zmMZgGnLAvHo87Emp8AtoDNu_aDkg4iSLpK5gwrY7-CT4onsZPmZQPrFQh2Cjuz-ya3EuSMtQ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+055.jpg" border="0" /></a> Entrance to the underground centre flanked by four missile silos<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXxyka3s-Lw_mN7jWH9gs3Cdo6cOnYgBmq_USmgO1xSzVONhqNL-5G8-4QC-grL_VocK_yPDWQ3f6U32BZFK9kgf1ef55vwe_g26zgHit-9_3AvrXht3h_T0tRaqowhFrjEJuf2oXBcOZ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398000366946048402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXxyka3s-Lw_mN7jWH9gs3Cdo6cOnYgBmq_USmgO1xSzVONhqNL-5G8-4QC-grL_VocK_yPDWQ3f6U32BZFK9kgf1ef55vwe_g26zgHit-9_3AvrXht3h_T0tRaqowhFrjEJuf2oXBcOZ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+043.jpg" border="0" /></a> Control room with 'the button' .....here missles were ready for launch within half an hour of orders. Only twice were fully active warheads loaded and fuelled, firstly during The Cuban Missile Crisis and then again throughout the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU23PpzHydLIpGbI5qLy5CXUo1wvlKCFZceCnY7sHwRrqqNpgGX_RbdKM8nF8kB7UEa8DVYb7Y-9Zi_Gg9j9G2b8EdBoH1j6VEyj_KnQvM-xzSq1lSw59KXFx-9TJ_EGmyug6QEe4BENPH/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398000015621342786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU23PpzHydLIpGbI5qLy5CXUo1wvlKCFZceCnY7sHwRrqqNpgGX_RbdKM8nF8kB7UEa8DVYb7Y-9Zi_Gg9j9G2b8EdBoH1j6VEyj_KnQvM-xzSq1lSw59KXFx-9TJ_EGmyug6QEe4BENPH/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAiImilQAuT9F8g4kFAFwxEttzz5g4rfo7Ortk_LQRznJg3xBW2j3HJaiINgfJDmgr6kndCkI6ngQC5ctA-fhAm08ZcRLvc31HmGcOfcAF-vMVBX43JH799YwYT6_2ZcJBnccg2XKmct0/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+045.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999894343168834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAiImilQAuT9F8g4kFAFwxEttzz5g4rfo7Ortk_LQRznJg3xBW2j3HJaiINgfJDmgr6kndCkI6ngQC5ctA-fhAm08ZcRLvc31HmGcOfcAF-vMVBX43JH799YwYT6_2ZcJBnccg2XKmct0/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+045.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSur4AfESHAEeEzPxZAma4eLSiOcJ4pRo0IHD3yoDUoX0T-ipHNMy8d5aSFULT-YYpDSuHxZS0o1NK4KywGBrXqy3-90XLiLVF2OUtV4x4GCbWr5Mdr5QgSx-xweuG022HsfqTyrGVa3E/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999748459564962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSur4AfESHAEeEzPxZAma4eLSiOcJ4pRo0IHD3yoDUoX0T-ipHNMy8d5aSFULT-YYpDSuHxZS0o1NK4KywGBrXqy3-90XLiLVF2OUtV4x4GCbWr5Mdr5QgSx-xweuG022HsfqTyrGVa3E/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+046.jpg" border="0" /></a> Rest Room<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA647lSxhkXWMjW0A3SIItryHtDutVN7VGcfeeWjq_vU-7RpH1_2_or6Mnnf04mhK8VyDC8ddgO3H41RU-BSfu4kEWYkU-6AwHgd6MgEW4WXtcCzDwKqQaejfqOb5aqCc0E3boCD9iLIeg/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+047.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999630343090626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA647lSxhkXWMjW0A3SIItryHtDutVN7VGcfeeWjq_vU-7RpH1_2_or6Mnnf04mhK8VyDC8ddgO3H41RU-BSfu4kEWYkU-6AwHgd6MgEW4WXtcCzDwKqQaejfqOb5aqCc0E3boCD9iLIeg/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+047.jpg" border="0" /></a> Ventilation Room with the Lithuanian Soviet Flag. The 79th Soviet Rocket Regiment proudly served here and also in Cuba. The Ventilation Room allowed the Control Room to be sealed with enough air and power for three hours<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51bPNX2z0sn_er8Qw1aH8rwn7B7x_DYT5PbCw2BhBqOcmjZTO2BcLlGExI7t13bdu6iKvO-Xt9bwvjINDOHddMpb13NPeXd3gtpG56cDWRIQxwL7fNKZB_g38YHolDqMaq4Uu6_4w-YEo/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+048.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999517101087410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51bPNX2z0sn_er8Qw1aH8rwn7B7x_DYT5PbCw2BhBqOcmjZTO2BcLlGExI7t13bdu6iKvO-Xt9bwvjINDOHddMpb13NPeXd3gtpG56cDWRIQxwL7fNKZB_g38YHolDqMaq4Uu6_4w-YEo/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+048.jpg" border="0" /></a> Electrical Control Room<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqj1PJOLagm0YBt8Q2SjysvucbV6k0bNcQIK_pVBpZIc7kVKGP6_gNaDugNTPZCy54J_xVMKqkPzJ_AzvQQqot8bCphjncYP_Iw5WYpJai4_P6bzPSaEkrq7F7QeTixsnl_N-6Tv7X376S/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999419300636546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqj1PJOLagm0YBt8Q2SjysvucbV6k0bNcQIK_pVBpZIc7kVKGP6_gNaDugNTPZCy54J_xVMKqkPzJ_AzvQQqot8bCphjncYP_Iw5WYpJai4_P6bzPSaEkrq7F7QeTixsnl_N-6Tv7X376S/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+049.jpg" border="0" /></a> Site Generator<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNq-XMbRFQwzRl0T4oxf6wj75M8_3KkwxUMJMDrvIHKecWIpaVLx9rvFb1vJY3HvlJ8CpKERsi8AsOIHHiFymH_L-UhVO4y8ZXnTfvvHQoarA8QWusR_UzhTbHcKajOPH1OL5TtAVmGTE/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999245407506546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNq-XMbRFQwzRl0T4oxf6wj75M8_3KkwxUMJMDrvIHKecWIpaVLx9rvFb1vJY3HvlJ8CpKERsi8AsOIHHiFymH_L-UhVO4y8ZXnTfvvHQoarA8QWusR_UzhTbHcKajOPH1OL5TtAVmGTE/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+050.jpg" border="0" /></a>Passageway<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-r89TuV2RtmogzCF04e8WMU5ssLf2IpuRsWGyTeKf6C4ggQMyvE2OTrn45cydKL0ZzQK1kk9mYV0pU_KnqimtXL5upjcBgM8jZSJHU9O_RQytdRRmyUZcgqGLSqNu0Ew9RcuPm4tZpEF/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+051.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397999138974525810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-r89TuV2RtmogzCF04e8WMU5ssLf2IpuRsWGyTeKf6C4ggQMyvE2OTrn45cydKL0ZzQK1kk9mYV0pU_KnqimtXL5upjcBgM8jZSJHU9O_RQytdRRmyUZcgqGLSqNu0Ew9RcuPm4tZpEF/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+051.jpg" border="0" /></a>All roads lead to Armagedon! One of four passages radiating out from the central control area to the launch silos<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbmCri2WSksA6AbnqMX9_1ynu1FFqtNQmmp2a9KkrZ7VUjGjTH3p_-qE9tv81TpjGUE3kULnO8lSxefeeWKOpFXsBotDsqdTBkD6Uf2NYu9vf6I_LzTn7GlGGDi6IiCDzB4xzAavDkZOC/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+052.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397997967483954482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbmCri2WSksA6AbnqMX9_1ynu1FFqtNQmmp2a9KkrZ7VUjGjTH3p_-qE9tv81TpjGUE3kULnO8lSxefeeWKOpFXsBotDsqdTBkD6Uf2NYu9vf6I_LzTn7GlGGDi6IiCDzB4xzAavDkZOC/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+052.jpg" border="0" /></a> Its hard to believe the rickety steps and doors were the entrance to clamber into the launch silos </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS8V3T8anUTkudF6RjOXkwtAszWfHr61odiRYqVEyewlJGAkZQgWYA3DKI8u58eYsZTt_K1hiPdpgV_LLeVuL1pfDNoCfnPC6sNb9TLDRT1gyjfDEs7BUg7LKAEMMYgE27yFA59TL-LQn/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+053.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397997837878242962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS8V3T8anUTkudF6RjOXkwtAszWfHr61odiRYqVEyewlJGAkZQgWYA3DKI8u58eYsZTt_K1hiPdpgV_LLeVuL1pfDNoCfnPC6sNb9TLDRT1gyjfDEs7BUg7LKAEMMYgE27yFA59TL-LQn/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+053.jpg" border="0" /></a>Peering down a 28 metre deep silo! Each missle was 22 metres high including 3 metre long R-120 (SS - 4) thermonuclear warheads, each with a destructive power of 2.3 Megatonnes<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1HMVgvp5CqE1MncHHj31hBHTKQ1AWASUXTPkHFJMtxUXmTDnxlEhSxCYMwqDiVjW0QcAOLvrBqa4MohVZXLEs_UEEfLvxksxcBdg9E-hnZ45dKQc1978mefy7V3K_Dy1VXQRswkFumj3/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+054.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397997708609549282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1HMVgvp5CqE1MncHHj31hBHTKQ1AWASUXTPkHFJMtxUXmTDnxlEhSxCYMwqDiVjW0QcAOLvrBqa4MohVZXLEs_UEEfLvxksxcBdg9E-hnZ45dKQc1978mefy7V3K_Dy1VXQRswkFumj3/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+054.jpg" border="0" /></a> Looking across the top of a launch silo - no computer guidance, a primative compass surrounds the rim allowing the medium range missiles to be targeted at European cities as far away as 2 500 kilometres with an amazing accuracy of no more than a few kilometres outwith the target<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrGmSHWIRaqRmd2CX0I3MJ_yNcORu6rYocbQFlWa8f7pWAJNE60_NvNwthrvGyzw4l-48f6T_Z_oOSZRR8luvvvv-dvpJ8cYBULqkNAP7ZBeXpeNXBuvtYflaQe8efDe7QNu3SufW5EEy/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+057.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397997605649911138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrGmSHWIRaqRmd2CX0I3MJ_yNcORu6rYocbQFlWa8f7pWAJNE60_NvNwthrvGyzw4l-48f6T_Z_oOSZRR8luvvvv-dvpJ8cYBULqkNAP7ZBeXpeNXBuvtYflaQe8efDe7QNu3SufW5EEy/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+057.jpg" border="0" /></a> The remote site was protected by an outer and inner 1 700 volt electric fence, razor cables, dobermans, search lights and machine gun emplacements. For two decades the Lithuanian people knew little of this terrifying arsenal on their doorstep!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL3RxsMbaC4i3As8EgPuAJungniJ8KW5V5qJUd-nFQ5yfyahO4i6-l_pnlQxBjreNmifyoGtdcZ0g59KwluGvUhgb5bHW5azJ43rBjh-H9eQiHSxPTeFFu0oAz2fi-58iS_sAckQWK9Uj/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+058.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397997513752409218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL3RxsMbaC4i3As8EgPuAJungniJ8KW5V5qJUd-nFQ5yfyahO4i6-l_pnlQxBjreNmifyoGtdcZ0g59KwluGvUhgb5bHW5azJ43rBjh-H9eQiHSxPTeFFu0oAz2fi-58iS_sAckQWK9Uj/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+058.jpg" border="0" /></a> Nearby was the camouflaged rocket storage building. Rockets were secretly transported to Sevastopal on The Black Sea and then shipped to Cuba in September 1962 triggering The Missile Crisis<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-39901081795358918632009-09-29T12:16:00.000-07:002009-11-26T12:24:00.743-08:00Lithuania - Klaipeda<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUBRsbS2yDSPiHPiq1AbJjfVwUZBe6ghI2rPdTkkSRtK-lijsVW-3q3Mp-MlaEvI7DWNX3m_HdbjShU-KUagOlxsxNm2Irjip0ex-1fLP1DQYkIbkcfSvesF_s_H2qxe-XkZTZhfJgLtu/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390188114482688034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUBRsbS2yDSPiHPiq1AbJjfVwUZBe6ghI2rPdTkkSRtK-lijsVW-3q3Mp-MlaEvI7DWNX3m_HdbjShU-KUagOlxsxNm2Irjip0ex-1fLP1DQYkIbkcfSvesF_s_H2qxe-XkZTZhfJgLtu/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+036.jpg" border="0" /></a> The melochonic 'Farewell Statue' (2002) at the entrance to the railway station depicts a mother and small boy clutching a teddy bear. A German gift to the city to remember the Germans who were expelled when the city became part of Lithuania in 1923<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZG9ZoUEJpg3bzPxvDMi2K70nQyUozPgoSsRPuEVVPdu3rCHhaM2tVTlzNeDKC_qRjj-qvToc2D_jXN7uzfyXGcSCTI2HWwtMY6f4fh7KnLEhDVeVJVnNMaUackqGgxvv0et8aP_UFPGm/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+059.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390188012866468194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZG9ZoUEJpg3bzPxvDMi2K70nQyUozPgoSsRPuEVVPdu3rCHhaM2tVTlzNeDKC_qRjj-qvToc2D_jXN7uzfyXGcSCTI2HWwtMY6f4fh7KnLEhDVeVJVnNMaUackqGgxvv0et8aP_UFPGm/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+059.jpg" border="0" /></a> Remembering fallen Red Army heros in World War 2. Every ex Soviet city has collosal memorials to those who died in The Great Patriotic War.....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyIGMxZJpRQpUmkQgF416o39l_dC4EpyQ82c2KfIO7_-pZvmkWRSQjUxbxfb6ap9sSvfb9RPs6QH86dLG2O1yu5s9qTebGDqea6F54iV2KraDfRidica5Q6GHRdj0BX2NGVJfBLBGpfPI/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390187878262481154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyIGMxZJpRQpUmkQgF416o39l_dC4EpyQ82c2KfIO7_-pZvmkWRSQjUxbxfb6ap9sSvfb9RPs6QH86dLG2O1yu5s9qTebGDqea6F54iV2KraDfRidica5Q6GHRdj0BX2NGVJfBLBGpfPI/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+060.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXsHO1Wea3hQeglowy-h4eHRcALhCd2WGDQ8gD-uJe4NEvrQNuy-Xyz99bf2x0BJC8s2kkpluVM3I-pPL4aFxKj4gH9IegC3f7wa2NX77Qhyphenhyphen1qAYicyIh3VclS7Eg5-rPmzl6w6MOlqYs/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390187783823773474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXsHO1Wea3hQeglowy-h4eHRcALhCd2WGDQ8gD-uJe4NEvrQNuy-Xyz99bf2x0BJC8s2kkpluVM3I-pPL4aFxKj4gH9IegC3f7wa2NX77Qhyphenhyphen1qAYicyIh3VclS7Eg5-rPmzl6w6MOlqYs/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+037.jpg" border="0" /></a> For centuries Klaipeda was a Prussian city and was known as Memel its Germanic name until 1925. After World War 1 and the Treaty of Versaille Memel was separated from the rest of Germany in an 'international territory', In 1923 Lituanian troops marched in and renamed the city Kaipeda. Later Hitler stood on the balcony of The Drama Theatre and proclaimed the incorporation of Memel into The Reich<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4scdxQwJMFIkNjdM0xeFd6c5HVBmxtsvNIiGML9os9fSMSLM269V0MVPqqOLTsr3VVsR_Lf0wnwZdHeJUxLb9slBzqc6kfNX3z7hHmOZF6JjDzGiUZ9x8hrYdWBeoCJoRE-UHEyGGToK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+039.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390187639516433778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4scdxQwJMFIkNjdM0xeFd6c5HVBmxtsvNIiGML9os9fSMSLM269V0MVPqqOLTsr3VVsR_Lf0wnwZdHeJUxLb9slBzqc6kfNX3z7hHmOZF6JjDzGiUZ9x8hrYdWBeoCJoRE-UHEyGGToK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+039.jpg" border="0" /></a> Over looking the reconstructed Old Town from the modern K Tower. Soviet 'liberation' and suicidal German defence reduced the city to rubble in 1944<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8Bd8vIIReGH0RybSvlWaTeM3v9xIuozhbmde9QHUNZlC1Bnm24IC57jTSH5K_1i_O8W3Zpc4wFMDPJ7Pu5xmdUv3E-bZPh3NSwiEohTaoa8Sqj82ASnHe7rHGLRXe8fOTT7VmJpDouHU/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390187488771312914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8Bd8vIIReGH0RybSvlWaTeM3v9xIuozhbmde9QHUNZlC1Bnm24IC57jTSH5K_1i_O8W3Zpc4wFMDPJ7Pu5xmdUv3E-bZPh3NSwiEohTaoa8Sqj82ASnHe7rHGLRXe8fOTT7VmJpDouHU/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+038.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Nazis used Memel as a submarine base. Looking out to sea is the northern tip of The Curonian Spit<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-18733944693323878162009-09-29T12:15:00.000-07:002009-11-26T12:24:31.961-08:00Lithuania - Curonian Spit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSsvmJIhpJb2KgkH57rvn0jjoeVkLnU-3AaMaErIseIvLUuMOIpdBQWxtINXAl4vWL8erH-FuOUbHk2KIOaZgCkZPa9SJfHUUVSkEbwxgn96YU0-FUZMJh3ej-RpT81l1X0VnIxXAt2Ey/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390174885308119026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSsvmJIhpJb2KgkH57rvn0jjoeVkLnU-3AaMaErIseIvLUuMOIpdBQWxtINXAl4vWL8erH-FuOUbHk2KIOaZgCkZPa9SJfHUUVSkEbwxgn96YU0-FUZMJh3ej-RpT81l1X0VnIxXAt2Ey/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+032.jpg" border="0" /></a>A few hundred metres across the water from Klaipeda is the Curonian Spit - this thin sliver of sand extends 90km south into The Kaliningrad Region of Russia. On one side is the sheltered Curonian Lagoon, the other The Baltic Sea<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_lGrQHRFrBsdFGWVAleX8cTU8ix-gdgEFapIzdSNEq9asApLcG_3e_kcGajat8zJSyVvILAkXmsE93O04W3M6vfME8jBThEU2AJBXo2cCbcESPLWoXIcbsuiC1LyRTXLVh4PWEMF5Q6J/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+033.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390174719973794210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_lGrQHRFrBsdFGWVAleX8cTU8ix-gdgEFapIzdSNEq9asApLcG_3e_kcGajat8zJSyVvILAkXmsE93O04W3M6vfME8jBThEU2AJBXo2cCbcESPLWoXIcbsuiC1LyRTXLVh4PWEMF5Q6J/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+033.jpg" border="0" /></a> Baltic Sea side.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruO3sqoKhdczQ3_x7Rsnf2uN3dJVZ21o0kOHxn0HqH7bJrDWJNzAu0h7llA1KwnEZum5LLuk_a4Zx4xIyi_YlSe_oDPsh4ronO1KGWhcLZfepTs1RYxn7ikZhVQ292Y-kDAx-Gn84GxD0/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390174336601731618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruO3sqoKhdczQ3_x7Rsnf2uN3dJVZ21o0kOHxn0HqH7bJrDWJNzAu0h7llA1KwnEZum5LLuk_a4Zx4xIyi_YlSe_oDPsh4ronO1KGWhcLZfepTs1RYxn7ikZhVQ292Y-kDAx-Gn84GxD0/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+034.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXntJqQDB6SjPKINEYY-iKz9FeVFKZ0fF9r0osC5w4K-yiPSolhNxtIGc10wIyaAbL-KhccxFQW3RBE5CPpgd5Aoxhv2tdkWDroiIDqO7App-2Xh-7IXUKMBZbyM4IfCJwEOk2sVtJbA_/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390174169516921842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXntJqQDB6SjPKINEYY-iKz9FeVFKZ0fF9r0osC5w4K-yiPSolhNxtIGc10wIyaAbL-KhccxFQW3RBE5CPpgd5Aoxhv2tdkWDroiIDqO7App-2Xh-7IXUKMBZbyM4IfCJwEOk2sVtJbA_/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+035.jpg" border="0" /></a> The northern most tip of the Curonian Spit. The docks of Klaipeda in the background marks where The Curonian Lagoon meets the Baltic in a narrow opening<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7x0HrnIoG6RR3msogvubffP29fubd_P0po27E2UCJs9NbJ8B62wUkjjV6mU7zhzejDW-YdhxqTnxkshxGJL-NFz09UFMPFo4SLzeXqZ6Zu5bjc1pmSlNwfjsAoXRiXgPVkrnW4VaN4Fd/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+062.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390173957741389602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7x0HrnIoG6RR3msogvubffP29fubd_P0po27E2UCJs9NbJ8B62wUkjjV6mU7zhzejDW-YdhxqTnxkshxGJL-NFz09UFMPFo4SLzeXqZ6Zu5bjc1pmSlNwfjsAoXRiXgPVkrnW4VaN4Fd/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+062.jpg" border="0" /></a> About 5o kilometres heading south down the Spit is the picturesque village of Nida, an old fashioned German fishing village now a haven for holidaymakers<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9AIMR_azp-halPWvU6-X6wjv6lKz0ynZkiueqKOPWwzkAU89W7F1XkXljyVCShjQqmoceIQ7QPo_KGGRl-KYKqxR7S3bBk8owlcCvLcGa8qnXl_0PG9bzDI96SS7qiqpt6Rb-_rH4A6a/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+063.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390173697957407042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9AIMR_azp-halPWvU6-X6wjv6lKz0ynZkiueqKOPWwzkAU89W7F1XkXljyVCShjQqmoceIQ7QPo_KGGRl-KYKqxR7S3bBk8owlcCvLcGa8qnXl_0PG9bzDI96SS7qiqpt6Rb-_rH4A6a/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+063.jpg" border="0" /></a> Parnidis Dune is the highest point on The Curonian Spit (52 metres) affording great views down the Spit towards Russia. At its widest the Spit is only 3 kilometres. Upper left is The Curonian Lagoon, upper right The Baltic Sea </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQyxoq8XeCWoilTxBWDT8lNpPFOT1OKaWU0PLh6PeD136-DtE5Q4CcYHjBug-zHiiMVk2LzibxQV31H5Lb4GEDxxPKWUU4poAYPJDd2PHhgsuip2HlH5auL6nUHL6EmgKHB-vGKFx1l6Y/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+064.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390173584640758066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQyxoq8XeCWoilTxBWDT8lNpPFOT1OKaWU0PLh6PeD136-DtE5Q4CcYHjBug-zHiiMVk2LzibxQV31H5Lb4GEDxxPKWUU4poAYPJDd2PHhgsuip2HlH5auL6nUHL6EmgKHB-vGKFx1l6Y/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+064.jpg" border="0" /></a>The dunes are very suseptable to erosion. The Curonian Spit National Park was founded in 1991 to protect it. Lush pine forests have been replanted along its entire length to prevent the Spit being washed away by The Baltic. Wild elk and boar roam the forests of The Spit<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiM1OozAiiGCJR9nQOLf62prcSY6CxMhC_zi5M8hWqBsvwB031SJCM-yJC8Ou52PvPrcvTomeNIewGwfEhnOngH1pecv-Yfc2nfy6XGtvtBvgLaLNpL7fUaTql-tZHdfI37F2pKeiiA0VD/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+065.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390173422943105410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiM1OozAiiGCJR9nQOLf62prcSY6CxMhC_zi5M8hWqBsvwB031SJCM-yJC8Ou52PvPrcvTomeNIewGwfEhnOngH1pecv-Yfc2nfy6XGtvtBvgLaLNpL7fUaTql-tZHdfI37F2pKeiiA0VD/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+065.jpg" border="0" /></a> Pretty wooden cottages line Nida's quiet streets. Cottage pictured has a date inscribed 1905<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQcKrof-eRSvk9LxDbZq7KPEBmo3UIDBc86Jn2uO1BiS7w-iwLn-aMkZ6JV67-GVQXNTSMWHDAPx8e2RIRywCvZ-sd40N70mJJUKYVFMWt5itiobaVQ7ZzRmTj_XWaS_0Dfy0cg0v43_h/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+066.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390173135167579522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQcKrof-eRSvk9LxDbZq7KPEBmo3UIDBc86Jn2uO1BiS7w-iwLn-aMkZ6JV67-GVQXNTSMWHDAPx8e2RIRywCvZ-sd40N70mJJUKYVFMWt5itiobaVQ7ZzRmTj_XWaS_0Dfy0cg0v43_h/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+066.jpg" border="0" /></a>After the collapse of The Soviet Union The Curonian Spit was shared between Lithuania and Russia. A road runs along the entire length of The Spit. This picture was taken just outside Nida 3 kilometres from the border<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoMTbgWbpV9qQHY41C139YXcuPoZtLWsrFLMl5y2YG6agFRKdVWvfWJUK54Tq5xKSWOXRP6Jp9OK4l0xgwpcA-7uAbXVB-X0OD07FQy6nuqg2GDEinmN3bZ_6JiSWAV8nbbSQ4NyNorbO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+067.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390172989655328882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoMTbgWbpV9qQHY41C139YXcuPoZtLWsrFLMl5y2YG6agFRKdVWvfWJUK54Tq5xKSWOXRP6Jp9OK4l0xgwpcA-7uAbXVB-X0OD07FQy6nuqg2GDEinmN3bZ_6JiSWAV8nbbSQ4NyNorbO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+067.jpg" border="0" /></a> Gorgeous beaches on the Baltic side of The Spit. In the distance is a blurred border observation tower<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd2SQSY_YHFJuZfwhvMwSYHdztIh2Notwp2vEiRmCKR2ViDm2b8Gjte70qmGaxT4qyEmOHIlOp1pz_raFEp0iISv5RSWkKhFa2Mdr3L5q3VORaNMoITyic6N4lEVasZ38nORELZWWzBP2/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+068.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390172859134067970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd2SQSY_YHFJuZfwhvMwSYHdztIh2Notwp2vEiRmCKR2ViDm2b8Gjte70qmGaxT4qyEmOHIlOp1pz_raFEp0iISv5RSWkKhFa2Mdr3L5q3VORaNMoITyic6N4lEVasZ38nORELZWWzBP2/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+068.jpg" border="0" /></a> There's no excuse for wandering onto the wrong beach!!!!!<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-8494156360863201782009-09-29T01:29:00.001-07:002010-01-20T01:05:58.201-08:00Russia - Kaliningrad (Konigsberg)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdqclXTRYOunq_j6kIIL-5yNcPwgsN1_jKrTkviJlgPXtvVhpKv0jjrhSlpmsGCk4roFK5OTA67jOkVauF5_7pAHCRBe_1EL5-0sHKSUfFk4msPK3dYRMiqhLcLt6s8Ii3IAprDUdZx1O/s1600-h/konigsberg-1940.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428130641815995026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdqclXTRYOunq_j6kIIL-5yNcPwgsN1_jKrTkviJlgPXtvVhpKv0jjrhSlpmsGCk4roFK5OTA67jOkVauF5_7pAHCRBe_1EL5-0sHKSUfFk4msPK3dYRMiqhLcLt6s8Ii3IAprDUdZx1O/s400/konigsberg-1940.jpg" border="0" /></a> Konigsberg, a Prussian city with an illustrious history of nearly 700 years was amongst the most beautiful in Europe. That was until it was raised to the ground by RAF air raids in 1944 and then subsequently during three months of fierce fighting as the Red Army advanced in the spring of 1945. Any surviving Germans were killed or deported, Stalin then annexed the territory into The Soviet Union. In 1946 the city's name was changed to Kaliningrad in honour of Mikhail Kalinin a leading party member and original Bolshevik who had recently died. Stalin populated the city with ethnic Russians; any memory of Konigsberg was airbrushed from history as Stalin wreaked revenge by reconstructing the city in the most insensitive and hideous way possible. A photograph of Konigsberg City Centre (1939) with the Cathedral (Dom) at the centre<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikb0RwuMony3J-Dfsgvo43sugc44o4ZtvlKypI8CI0GCHgRa8Ra4wqb0DeAm2ZeGPlxy7ZnPHrk1mPQLE2wkQ1UAG-aPFkTya6-YYURQxDTL4ZV07GhFzqYfR4mDK-luOo69Dy_wmoaTpU/s1600-h/pic000old1948.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428130373160064626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 146px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikb0RwuMony3J-Dfsgvo43sugc44o4ZtvlKypI8CI0GCHgRa8Ra4wqb0DeAm2ZeGPlxy7ZnPHrk1mPQLE2wkQ1UAG-aPFkTya6-YYURQxDTL4ZV07GhFzqYfR4mDK-luOo69Dy_wmoaTpU/s400/pic000old1948.jpg" border="0" /></a> Same view as above photograph. (1949) - the shell of the Cathedral is the only building left standing<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinvEZmhiQDjyBQalzBsliaj_xof13KJBQKWaNfHnQSmDQWX1sbbpDV-d-SVGRMeeEQKh8u03OyTKNUYnx8124R15lqL8QdN7p7LFrcRaUU7nzY6Eqeu1yPXj58NsRQ0XEDU6v6gA7SDeT/s1600-h/kb-castle-1950jpg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428129269235738946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 278px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinvEZmhiQDjyBQalzBsliaj_xof13KJBQKWaNfHnQSmDQWX1sbbpDV-d-SVGRMeeEQKh8u03OyTKNUYnx8124R15lqL8QdN7p7LFrcRaUU7nzY6Eqeu1yPXj58NsRQ0XEDU6v6gA7SDeT/s400/kb-castle-1950jpg.jpg" border="0" /></a> Konigsberg Castle in ruins - (1949)</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJic-zJwGsWJeTyMMWxg_JExMhrF7keOPESo20J6a1YDuwxg4Tg5gD0AwiGzKUy3tYS5WKwuAyuljOdyGb2sYn5_DFVDoxAju13rw874fft24XbHIXXcDADmGX0DrsoVtnpYHjd-dBkXCw/s1600-h/kb-castle-1968.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428128936972509746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJic-zJwGsWJeTyMMWxg_JExMhrF7keOPESo20J6a1YDuwxg4Tg5gD0AwiGzKUy3tYS5WKwuAyuljOdyGb2sYn5_DFVDoxAju13rw874fft24XbHIXXcDADmGX0DrsoVtnpYHjd-dBkXCw/s400/kb-castle-1968.jpg" border="0" /></a> Demolition in 1968</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt66AC09Q3r20wKmRBtav7l-aROrLYte94R2Y0E0DrHX0hrULH89njCUKqVALainM22Z9v6_2NeTuBkZ7Py1UWD51P4RZAH5R7nA927YPQB143BWiTixglMGmeqhNnNs_ZO2W1ut79kwP/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+069.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389105378911674162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt66AC09Q3r20wKmRBtav7l-aROrLYte94R2Y0E0DrHX0hrULH89njCUKqVALainM22Z9v6_2NeTuBkZ7Py1UWD51P4RZAH5R7nA927YPQB143BWiTixglMGmeqhNnNs_ZO2W1ut79kwP/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+069.jpg" border="0" /></a>Back to the present day. Due to its sensitive military nature (Soviet Naval base - with the only ice free access to the Baltic Sea in winter) Kaliningrad remained a closed city until 1991. Even today I had the pleasure in meeting no tourists due to the city's image and access problems. Looking north along the vast Leninsky Prospekt<br /><span style="color:#000000;">1</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3tC1lzh9lO8TCAhbQNsfmPwomU1bZE_Bc63ElRJ9FWjy7vKIr5BnaMbheWBaMGswVTCnVie7GuDlAEKv9gQ5D1CqYJVTCDvzxpJaVI3nn5MZsNnVne91TeiBn3Bz_pAHgNxERXSCWPjS/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+070.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389105239922842018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3tC1lzh9lO8TCAhbQNsfmPwomU1bZE_Bc63ElRJ9FWjy7vKIr5BnaMbheWBaMGswVTCnVie7GuDlAEKv9gQ5D1CqYJVTCDvzxpJaVI3nn5MZsNnVne91TeiBn3Bz_pAHgNxERXSCWPjS/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+070.jpg" border="0" /></a> Soviet sterotyping..... fountains, Lenin and lashings of concrete<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiKN1Tffo01yYB9ymM8XDe7nDTwSAOWMg7QdhkMWjNk8UMDlCrELzF9ykgthx4G8Py_4CSNN7kU3VqAqsttrfoBTURrORdkUg1-ACybYcjQ7VqaZikiIt4wB5v6D57a9J2eTpQ8SITSdy/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+072.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389104895142898546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiKN1Tffo01yYB9ymM8XDe7nDTwSAOWMg7QdhkMWjNk8UMDlCrELzF9ykgthx4G8Py_4CSNN7kU3VqAqsttrfoBTURrORdkUg1-ACybYcjQ7VqaZikiIt4wB5v6D57a9J2eTpQ8SITSdy/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+072.jpg" border="0" /></a> Amongst the depressing Soviet new builds the odd Prussian building that remarkably survived on Leninsky Prospekt </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kaE0MbPBh64IZ5-WtcgvQeOvRgch29_h4c0jFNCHaQ79r8x6re-pV_tzmdd8iZtOxl7Z715k4tPpGzVDav4CZIl0UTS29a4VBWwvwERS1OZ5sg8kmOUA8-dHypqHTjalr4nS8JbpWOgN/s1600-h/img004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389104638487820706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kaE0MbPBh64IZ5-WtcgvQeOvRgch29_h4c0jFNCHaQ79r8x6re-pV_tzmdd8iZtOxl7Z715k4tPpGzVDav4CZIl0UTS29a4VBWwvwERS1OZ5sg8kmOUA8-dHypqHTjalr4nS8JbpWOgN/s400/img004.jpg" border="0" /></a> Old postcards testify to the architectural splendour of Konigsberg - a lost city with the mythical resonace of Atlantis. Grunen Brucke (Green Bridge) was one of seven bridges spanning The Pregel River connecting the old city with several islands. Euler famously devised a mathematical puzzle where it was impossible to cross each bridge once and arrive back at the starting point. Grueken Brucke survived the war but was demolished by the Soviets along with Kraemer Brucke (Shopkepper Bridge) to make way for Leninsky Prospekt as it rises onto stilts (below) bisecting Kant Island.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-03Y_JUKxNf1gu4ygAHFt-MYaQyfsWDE2Z30Q2zO7WJugNzfNBI3uDy4EtKPCqCGMwoZSomMQcvGUiMbtCbvp17PZIhSmT0rpACQyny-w6uB6CoQTMhoraXd1sgP4ODBHn61p9q4LJ6W/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+073.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389104393665143026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-03Y_JUKxNf1gu4ygAHFt-MYaQyfsWDE2Z30Q2zO7WJugNzfNBI3uDy4EtKPCqCGMwoZSomMQcvGUiMbtCbvp17PZIhSmT0rpACQyny-w6uB6CoQTMhoraXd1sgP4ODBHn61p9q4LJ6W/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+073.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today! - Same view as the postcard above - little wonder ethnic Germans are reduced to tears when they return and see what happened to their city<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESRdFrMz-47wRIhWsaHJQrvu_MIfi6Nm80bW_tVuVsOXqSclFYoBqVYUfcheedBA2f7WJEzj5WgfIUTAqX4zwAc4i-EjwEKUjE1IO1mWRbicALje_pC3lKXb2_bPQzcREB8yJ4wByjlQs/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+074.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389103774206013378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESRdFrMz-47wRIhWsaHJQrvu_MIfi6Nm80bW_tVuVsOXqSclFYoBqVYUfcheedBA2f7WJEzj5WgfIUTAqX4zwAc4i-EjwEKUjE1IO1mWRbicALje_pC3lKXb2_bPQzcREB8yJ4wByjlQs/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+074.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Stock Exchange - the one building that survives in the above postcard - recently been given a facelift restoring itself to its former glory<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRsCGhSdGp74RenScFfccNCpWqgGm_I16DyTPFABZYvRJj7mNMcLzBgb2nJ4c2K31Ek1gMyhSjCBuQ3szGtjHFMA57Qh7sJXIj7FzuoenfvcEVSg4bJfXqdfAKbDpZSMrxOk2fbQBFzQ4/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+075.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389103518784453202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRsCGhSdGp74RenScFfccNCpWqgGm_I16DyTPFABZYvRJj7mNMcLzBgb2nJ4c2K31Ek1gMyhSjCBuQ3szGtjHFMA57Qh7sJXIj7FzuoenfvcEVSg4bJfXqdfAKbDpZSMrxOk2fbQBFzQ4/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+075.jpg" border="0" /></a> Pregel River with Kant Island (The Kneiphof) on the left. Just beyond the Stock Exchange was another of Euler's Bridges, Koettel Brucke (Guts Bridge) sadly destroyed in the war<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm64e8wxOs_V9fgUhYm0nkTaw0L34aAx7jfx4xCCRvt53j_CjbwZLEigtDHyOJI7WwF3sgvHfiYilAQBv6-kGXe9Fog-dmj3Karx6km6EwcchltTjP54fXQ82PQRVdocDKIAmqdtvfclOc/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+076.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389103356973242162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm64e8wxOs_V9fgUhYm0nkTaw0L34aAx7jfx4xCCRvt53j_CjbwZLEigtDHyOJI7WwF3sgvHfiYilAQBv6-kGXe9Fog-dmj3Karx6km6EwcchltTjP54fXQ82PQRVdocDKIAmqdtvfclOc/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+076.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kant Island and Kaliningrad's main tourist attraction, Konigsberg Cathedral. This majestic Gothic Cathedral dating back to 1333 was left in ruins after World War 2 until German funding helped rebuild it to its former glory during the 1990s. The cathedral used to be hemmed in with narrow streets and imposing Prussian buildings. Now the cathedral feels rather isolated amidst the overgrown parkland of Kant Island.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW7LhLcuz6GWZdpXehbbXCbFoNK9y7QdC0TY3PrTAWmtmHqh5o4hhGjQCGe-ZXZnWA-lyvlULEbjJ-OBpJTFHP9VmyAylO10zXXzMLePqey9ZjVWXMoT-TtrxjHObegd-viQrDB6v0RFw/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+077.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389102996690621938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW7LhLcuz6GWZdpXehbbXCbFoNK9y7QdC0TY3PrTAWmtmHqh5o4hhGjQCGe-ZXZnWA-lyvlULEbjJ-OBpJTFHP9VmyAylO10zXXzMLePqey9ZjVWXMoT-TtrxjHObegd-viQrDB6v0RFw/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+077.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSBuTZuE25mMLH70_gZurJ6TsszorSNKmUvZg45q53muFPz2xFUCvv3ziXtYm_3i9Co70uEYf28eLyRAhuj77Le-j7_NKMLeLfI65SgZ5QWfeRGrbfMjTKD9W7G9PvopJZpNUCOLZo9sO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+078.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389102823736404370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSBuTZuE25mMLH70_gZurJ6TsszorSNKmUvZg45q53muFPz2xFUCvv3ziXtYm_3i9Co70uEYf28eLyRAhuj77Le-j7_NKMLeLfI65SgZ5QWfeRGrbfMjTKD9W7G9PvopJZpNUCOLZo9sO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+078.jpg" border="0" /></a>Nearby Fish Village is a crass attempt to recreate some of the city's destroyed architectural heritage. The Russian oligarch comes to mind when exploring the recently built mock Prussian riverside buildings<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO9iC-rErf8RJ6m_WkQd-O-utTlcv48u4vP-XSkerQCYKyK5au9ICnDGODjsfr0brdy7xolakKBWqxxeitBbOQ0-Fen_xhWQi1WUL-Lw9qAp62xRww0F6K_kjPpIHSAdEmijfCmtUInmk/s1600-h/img003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389102444705654722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO9iC-rErf8RJ6m_WkQd-O-utTlcv48u4vP-XSkerQCYKyK5au9ICnDGODjsfr0brdy7xolakKBWqxxeitBbOQ0-Fen_xhWQi1WUL-Lw9qAp62xRww0F6K_kjPpIHSAdEmijfCmtUInmk/s400/img003.jpg" border="0" /></a> Holz Brucke (Wooden Bridge) is one of the three bridges that still exist. Alas nothing else in the postcard still survives.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQiNQCbNYqX4W3c5BUATkUfQLVUa14Y4KLkcGei058-tTnSTFpjPMinsSkc9GtKE43lO-R7SAC8zhOzbITCDYOL2J5q63NMSaifuXJmWU6Fl5DgjZTcTYc1n2hDNFIbXC_UiYtQwxmKFF/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+079.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389101696855921922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQiNQCbNYqX4W3c5BUATkUfQLVUa14Y4KLkcGei058-tTnSTFpjPMinsSkc9GtKE43lO-R7SAC8zhOzbITCDYOL2J5q63NMSaifuXJmWU6Fl5DgjZTcTYc1n2hDNFIbXC_UiYtQwxmKFF/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+079.jpg" border="0" /></a> Holz Brucke today! More than six decades later crumbling tarmac tantalisingly exposes a throughfare of Old Konigsberg. Cobbles along with original tramlines mark the line of a road leading to the bridge<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mZVCMx8Oz5WXSwb6sgIN4lS5moewKe4jkEStW6yO6I64wI6YDZoSD3KeWGyKiCI_grpSV-StCgH29pVCJMFMExlGQzCYjL7mFxW0HwfK0pJi4d1DBsrDQ-WicpIE7zCJ7Hp8UiT-BKCf/s1600-h/img002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389100875855335730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 255px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mZVCMx8Oz5WXSwb6sgIN4lS5moewKe4jkEStW6yO6I64wI6YDZoSD3KeWGyKiCI_grpSV-StCgH29pVCJMFMExlGQzCYjL7mFxW0HwfK0pJi4d1DBsrDQ-WicpIE7zCJ7Hp8UiT-BKCf/s400/img002.jpg" border="0" /></a> Centrepiece of the Old City! After conquest by The Teutonic Knights in 1255 Konigsberg Castle was built, a residence for Grandmasters of the Teutonic Order and later Prussian kings. In 1945 all that remained were the walls of a burned out shell. These remained in place until 1968 - Brezhnev ordering the ruins to be dynamited out of existence (see earlier photograph) as The Soviets did not want it to been seen as a symbol of Prussian militarism. Check the next series of photographs to see what was built in its place!!!!!<br /></div><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbspiUQH2_h074ZHNfm0L9CbsyAf6q2kgu9KumH3wAQ-53SAJNzTBFsZCYBTHLl4uKb9In5yOu-JxQSunTuxcnuRUrDpjKjji3oAF73WlZ0D6d_cuKykpASfhsiIuhDBP3N67u2tphivSt/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+080.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389034000429278034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbspiUQH2_h074ZHNfm0L9CbsyAf6q2kgu9KumH3wAQ-53SAJNzTBFsZCYBTHLl4uKb9In5yOu-JxQSunTuxcnuRUrDpjKjji3oAF73WlZ0D6d_cuKykpASfhsiIuhDBP3N67u2tphivSt/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+080.jpg" border="0" /></a> The House of Soviets!!!!! A central administration building designed to be the focal point of Kaliningrad was built at the site of the eastern moat of the castle. Construction began in 1960 but abandoned in the 1980s leaving a half built concrete box described as the ugliest building on Russian soil - some going believe me! Foolishly they did not predict that it would sink into unsound soil and collapsed subterranean tunnels of The Castle which run as far as the Cathedral - locals call this 'Revenge of The Prussians'. Absurdly prior to the visit of President Putin in 2005 the building was tarted up with a coat of blue paint and windows installed even though the interior is unfinished and the monalith will never be used<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIskrNIT0z4bzGL3MlrhUklU3dlPYtxX3mFBjN7ox0aEFrvghBZPASbvP1gCZFLdhc97pvuxZzh0wU1i-29MGf4Q1ySzzUwmLZtmamtrlHNKuR0nVGGP3067sgSNc2pu26GuewMDtfVnyc/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+081.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389033425765606882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIskrNIT0z4bzGL3MlrhUklU3dlPYtxX3mFBjN7ox0aEFrvghBZPASbvP1gCZFLdhc97pvuxZzh0wU1i-29MGf4Q1ySzzUwmLZtmamtrlHNKuR0nVGGP3067sgSNc2pu26GuewMDtfVnyc/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+081.jpg" border="0" /></a> From the sublime to the ridiculous!!!!! Same view as in the postcard!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwp6fquzf4ULD7OLFo_EF0iriUNvKb2YOLWe08KzS0BVo3Mkaqz9o4ZGngyLMPZf2vALseqYEVdVAsuOgW7ueAvQzx0muvCCht5thN_-D1PudfzFUYoLMtvFt-3jH4Ievxkc3YQ7WO79j/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+082.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389033021733308994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwp6fquzf4ULD7OLFo_EF0iriUNvKb2YOLWe08KzS0BVo3Mkaqz9o4ZGngyLMPZf2vALseqYEVdVAsuOgW7ueAvQzx0muvCCht5thN_-D1PudfzFUYoLMtvFt-3jH4Ievxkc3YQ7WO79j/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+082.jpg" border="0" /></a>Seventy years ago I would have been standing inside the castle courtyard. Instead I had the dubious pleasure of standing on decaying fountains of Tsentralnaya Ploshchad littered with the empties from alcoholics and the odd hyperdermic syringe. Beyond packs of stray dogs barked and wailed from the fenced off confines of The House of Soviets. However ugly and desolate one is mermerised by images past and present</div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGN-Pr9_PdJ8v5d8Bz8EaKR3DGBg85eb6-6573nKvGbcev20P_GVAXZo2CIVce8dvJcT8u5xEKafClHucN704UY-vayan_gJzzjt5UhWU24PMxu4O3faIa9cx9zsNhfqWmxTHV6wVXuOHt/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+083.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389032720071644370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGN-Pr9_PdJ8v5d8Bz8EaKR3DGBg85eb6-6573nKvGbcev20P_GVAXZo2CIVce8dvJcT8u5xEKafClHucN704UY-vayan_gJzzjt5UhWU24PMxu4O3faIa9cx9zsNhfqWmxTHV6wVXuOHt/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+083.jpg" border="0" /></a> Portacabins and their trashy signs further desecrate the site of The Castle<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRS8QUFMk49ewVZ9FDARdlaBL3pFUXt3EAvexlvMUU1a8rsu8f4M39AaWiYmr_ZLqowRYDHZvuWzTTVE1fBiFkSCxdT2Zsm1sLP31KOxdfQfyOQ_qrwtsAwphYDgFhuVz7ArBxv0feW0W/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+084.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389032410335906754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRS8QUFMk49ewVZ9FDARdlaBL3pFUXt3EAvexlvMUU1a8rsu8f4M39AaWiYmr_ZLqowRYDHZvuWzTTVE1fBiFkSCxdT2Zsm1sLP31KOxdfQfyOQ_qrwtsAwphYDgFhuVz7ArBxv0feW0W/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+084.jpg" border="0" /></a> Grey blends into grey blending into more grey! The vast openness of Tsentralnaya Ploshchad gave the feeling of being lost and alone in a Soviet vortex! The cobbles here are probably the remains from the grounds of the castle. I was rapidly realising anywhere I went I was walking over the grave of Konigsberg with foundations and warrens of cellars just a few feet below me- in a way a modern day Pompei!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVtSt7p6gTSNhVuBiPturNUOQrDRDYGXt1HFPKx2aRojEIqCszk_9ImneccVV7EJGF3IhET_UwlfIY0uopQAdFkALJ_A9Go1nGJigJUTrf-f5dnr5Kr_U9Z3JSJhmQsoJjDk_3xqkpAXQ/s1600-h/img005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389031594818829314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVtSt7p6gTSNhVuBiPturNUOQrDRDYGXt1HFPKx2aRojEIqCszk_9ImneccVV7EJGF3IhET_UwlfIY0uopQAdFkALJ_A9Go1nGJigJUTrf-f5dnr5Kr_U9Z3JSJhmQsoJjDk_3xqkpAXQ/s400/img005.jpg" border="0" /></a> Castle Pond with a view of The Castle. This postcard evokes images of a thriving medieval city jostled up against the walls of The Castle<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKS_d3vVT-xZIqVRGlX0js6ooqD9ydQcaUJaz_hyFdd98_nBRs9YpTyroWvYAnysxaQggxSZY8C0TZDlvLFTx1n-PZOX99s6FA7w14ieJtj8WbDqALoU5HAu99XV24-e-MKhdT7JmYOdV6/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+085.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389030906274785426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKS_d3vVT-xZIqVRGlX0js6ooqD9ydQcaUJaz_hyFdd98_nBRs9YpTyroWvYAnysxaQggxSZY8C0TZDlvLFTx1n-PZOX99s6FA7w14ieJtj8WbDqALoU5HAu99XV24-e-MKhdT7JmYOdV6/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+085.jpg" border="0" /></a> Again I located the same viewpoint as taken in the postcard. Castle Pond is now known as Prud Nizhny. Join me in admiring 'The Castle' in the background!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyA_ZOfvfhREGnZYKJGtiUc4vhPO_Gw1mRVoE4jNnNQYpauH6gW4aiHyzOsgJOpmRE8xYtpVv3m8l6Iwd4gnvm2AHbPvW8Fe95d0jhCb3cpJURUc3t7kEqXJD0E8CeNpb3VOBpCa5aTzg/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+086.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389029111928743074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyA_ZOfvfhREGnZYKJGtiUc4vhPO_Gw1mRVoE4jNnNQYpauH6gW4aiHyzOsgJOpmRE8xYtpVv3m8l6Iwd4gnvm2AHbPvW8Fe95d0jhCb3cpJURUc3t7kEqXJD0E8CeNpb3VOBpCa5aTzg/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+086.jpg" border="0" /></a> Soviet kitsch - nearby - a broken world clock decked out in socialist attire.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlOJxWBTCXYEqrXDg1ez05DRzdLkKiPIkArg-kk5vI38yyoz2mkFmnf3EZ3-0pwq8DP3i3dpgmd19xeP7gX9L_idsmBohDinpiNw34ZFicjzJslSJcrVPsz_Kzg0A4SjHpjcpHgQQSXlb/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+087.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389028663570570434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlOJxWBTCXYEqrXDg1ez05DRzdLkKiPIkArg-kk5vI38yyoz2mkFmnf3EZ3-0pwq8DP3i3dpgmd19xeP7gX9L_idsmBohDinpiNw34ZFicjzJslSJcrVPsz_Kzg0A4SjHpjcpHgQQSXlb/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+087.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43w1LiY5x3bcb2igjDi9ZXLgCfR0_5sxcrdZmLpo_locAPSGUy3hdzyonnW61bM1hLFVE1uCahWY6zht_Q0CpzLLKf_n0nBt_G8CHH9cOi9RjJiO8SpsZvpx6pAjk8TEkpyTMLV8iUQOg/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+088.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389028140309144002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43w1LiY5x3bcb2igjDi9ZXLgCfR0_5sxcrdZmLpo_locAPSGUy3hdzyonnW61bM1hLFVE1uCahWY6zht_Q0CpzLLKf_n0nBt_G8CHH9cOi9RjJiO8SpsZvpx6pAjk8TEkpyTMLV8iUQOg/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+088.jpg" border="0" /></a> The entrance to the Bunker Museum. This was the German command post during the three month battle for the city in 1945.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR63bV8PlPwTlfI8XKKfb4FICRoVGiyeLa0n7BQ4FidtLx6-jPBtXZz95PWmDaRz_mfw57NV7jxqZqWv9zHqsrw8X3Z-WY84xOIip1hEMuvDPrtTs_rJ5-JvXSgwAcUyxBszMZl6J733c/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+089.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389027586647956562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR63bV8PlPwTlfI8XKKfb4FICRoVGiyeLa0n7BQ4FidtLx6-jPBtXZz95PWmDaRz_mfw57NV7jxqZqWv9zHqsrw8X3Z-WY84xOIip1hEMuvDPrtTs_rJ5-JvXSgwAcUyxBszMZl6J733c/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+089.jpg" border="0" /></a> The remains of the bunker was used as a storage area for the Soviet Army until the 1980s. Later it became a museum</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMnQ-3MLGrf36507zMGYueGGndi_gdA_vgfkFV2EQ2Xy0vSW4zWN47TiGpMJhdxqOHhV0vsS-nLqNjd6d51Ypz66P3TJc2mT3p2iEGJeB1Fmn8YRP7-u6aL9hLwVXrVPA6k17ZUb4_CFv/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+090.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389027334565978354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMnQ-3MLGrf36507zMGYueGGndi_gdA_vgfkFV2EQ2Xy0vSW4zWN47TiGpMJhdxqOHhV0vsS-nLqNjd6d51Ypz66P3TJc2mT3p2iEGJeB1Fmn8YRP7-u6aL9hLwVXrVPA6k17ZUb4_CFv/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+090.jpg" border="0" /></a>9th April 1945: Soviet troop envoys negotiate surrender terms with General Otto Von Lasch - head of German forces in this room<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse3up_UAtTGkCd2qODE_wTeoT2XFMV9r5o6gFf6c93lK5tyyz4gQSHPkxAZuDnhSRzX4s7jVvKu5ZWKKYgc88Y7iEPMBAVSWaFkoRZMLmkjZKuBSKaf0V0MsdnuiHRiUeu-x2QvnE12HJ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+091.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389026976020998514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse3up_UAtTGkCd2qODE_wTeoT2XFMV9r5o6gFf6c93lK5tyyz4gQSHPkxAZuDnhSRzX4s7jVvKu5ZWKKYgc88Y7iEPMBAVSWaFkoRZMLmkjZKuBSKaf0V0MsdnuiHRiUeu-x2QvnE12HJ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+091.JPG" border="0" /></a> General Von Lasch's study - here the surrender of Konigsberg to Soviet troops was signed later the same day in this room. Von Lasch remained in prison before being sent back to Germany 10 years later<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcXLRXq2sDI2-KhBu80zH29GUKxn0i97jerXJ0lHKv9Km68wWbvfP7d98AqEUOkqsWe2KzLUxY3TCrt1Fn9RFoGM5-b_IcLSBCx3cx5TzvUwPFoq2URGKq7vhbCMkwrAOAfeJ6WjwkGZL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+092.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389026651634843330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcXLRXq2sDI2-KhBu80zH29GUKxn0i97jerXJ0lHKv9Km68wWbvfP7d98AqEUOkqsWe2KzLUxY3TCrt1Fn9RFoGM5-b_IcLSBCx3cx5TzvUwPFoq2URGKq7vhbCMkwrAOAfeJ6WjwkGZL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+092.jpg" border="0" /></a> Nearby is the statue of Immanuel Kant, an 18th century German philosopher - Konigsberg's most famous resident. The statue was badly damaged in 1945 and restored in 1992<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn9qDqUbg71Op6jMzlAf_UJyh81WJyT5nd-e630Yt49t9t3xLN3ZaObV-TwRT_YmRMHLudjkVi3r1-hf3zVRUZqJ0b-8LG8VarKBLygmTPGzLlYVJLDByFulUSQxTqUnppWqOmDS-RqyC/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388740091755410306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn9qDqUbg71Op6jMzlAf_UJyh81WJyT5nd-e630Yt49t9t3xLN3ZaObV-TwRT_YmRMHLudjkVi3r1-hf3zVRUZqJ0b-8LG8VarKBLygmTPGzLlYVJLDByFulUSQxTqUnppWqOmDS-RqyC/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+093.JPG" border="0" /></a> The next to the statue was a staircase choked with rubbish and beer cans - closed over with wooden boards. Peering through gaps I suspect this was a blocked entrance to another unexplored section of the bunker complex<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKcIrTRNchVq7eJ97J2x4t8YXMK6rO2I2XQI8bQLOaFddByMV7zEHNFW1qb9Dp_fJa7nEa_THuXdcxQqGS4Ndey5TmPgl1YMtjO9CGq9VUuDGA7g6To5uugMOkg7QGuTIXKFSdAuqE-yR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+094.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388739189281484914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKcIrTRNchVq7eJ97J2x4t8YXMK6rO2I2XQI8bQLOaFddByMV7zEHNFW1qb9Dp_fJa7nEa_THuXdcxQqGS4Ndey5TmPgl1YMtjO9CGq9VUuDGA7g6To5uugMOkg7QGuTIXKFSdAuqE-yR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+094.jpg" border="0" /></a> The History & Art Museum - propaganda from Soviet times highlighting a 'bumper harvest'<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj3BVtuBh4OPkIt2uRvEKUp0Z9Gbory0sCxEH-7a_EOLGUHmdo6MM03C4c9jMw6iiS3pEWM_DNqJiVPMFM511zdw4DdYw1lw6uvepRsunmM4eap8BFhuUUWy5B11jn35repvll10kxxVP/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+095.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388738537257678098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj3BVtuBh4OPkIt2uRvEKUp0Z9Gbory0sCxEH-7a_EOLGUHmdo6MM03C4c9jMw6iiS3pEWM_DNqJiVPMFM511zdw4DdYw1lw6uvepRsunmM4eap8BFhuUUWy5B11jn35repvll10kxxVP/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+095.jpg" border="0" /></a> Churchill called Konigsberg 'a modernised heavily defended fortress'. This was partly due to several defensive rings around Konigsberg including 13 city gates. The reconstructed Dohna Tower, a bastion now houses The Amber Museum<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8lcXspHA-sZmrzHBJm21wIZmbsJRYj12bt_8l8qfmEUdn6imaxPovb-iOfYRdCU4BNLz4CisWfSI8a5RhjEcd0wVmYVo871kMt9vNmyEl576P1KBg3Z4DBUded-PhBTUv8o_T0FaDjOy/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+096.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388737868634525714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8lcXspHA-sZmrzHBJm21wIZmbsJRYj12bt_8l8qfmEUdn6imaxPovb-iOfYRdCU4BNLz4CisWfSI8a5RhjEcd0wVmYVo871kMt9vNmyEl576P1KBg3Z4DBUded-PhBTUv8o_T0FaDjOy/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+096.jpg" border="0" /></a> Statue of Vasilevsky, Soviet Chief of General Staff who coordinated the assualt on Konigsberg<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5lYiAjS0yuiQ97gWEGayUrRCWo531eHOo2hLc74GaQVbPNIdIwk1A45J75bXXvld600b2NGUHJOfMPGS6ihHU8Zx0IKg9JkuUNynMrSHXg9ie_wz1fjllxm8z7EYVXFOdS1jj4AAL_oC/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+097.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387961820546526722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5lYiAjS0yuiQ97gWEGayUrRCWo531eHOo2hLc74GaQVbPNIdIwk1A45J75bXXvld600b2NGUHJOfMPGS6ihHU8Zx0IKg9JkuUNynMrSHXg9ie_wz1fjllxm8z7EYVXFOdS1jj4AAL_oC/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+097.jpg" border="0" /></a> Back near the former site of the castle, Moskovsky Prospekt is the city's major boulevard running East to West. Both sides are blighted with swathes of brutal Soviet architecture. Looking west<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jyh35_mAzc_odQk0-l3n5IRXiDKSq5xIuSTCQomBO_uQQGTZw0dsHCrySa_sDoUJQzEyspgka-MwekVW-mmqbm8FzDX8CT3uvqp0-w9iaYsoHBRJ64P5LapSIZIeNB3gEI2B06aMZUbJ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+098.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387961108281062674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jyh35_mAzc_odQk0-l3n5IRXiDKSq5xIuSTCQomBO_uQQGTZw0dsHCrySa_sDoUJQzEyspgka-MwekVW-mmqbm8FzDX8CT3uvqp0-w9iaYsoHBRJ64P5LapSIZIeNB3gEI2B06aMZUbJ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+098.jpg" border="0" /></a>Same vantage point. Looking east </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNUTu-gS_-ASxgrCP1ch4hW3q4uoVjCeZoyBMMidXLvityTyaDc5DFt0rUUdIdLIK9O3AZc6BM2pnQaStSYcP0kNNbCrhfzc8rlKRpC34e7uewX_h961xCh4FIR3xo7JWmTcvPqRZ45Z3/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+099.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387960760602067026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNUTu-gS_-ASxgrCP1ch4hW3q4uoVjCeZoyBMMidXLvityTyaDc5DFt0rUUdIdLIK9O3AZc6BM2pnQaStSYcP0kNNbCrhfzc8rlKRpC34e7uewX_h961xCh4FIR3xo7JWmTcvPqRZ45Z3/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+099.jpg" border="0" /></a> Moscovsky Prospekt.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSSQYC0ZT3fbU_Znu5-EmadWho9vG4Yi-KYgexvFl2QkgRa0vLB-wB9yDHEPKdoG2PDYJiHLtYKE0ShiQy3dUIO3duluAozlKEufdkc66vg12of60FRkiJYzpS4yBbODD6Rqm-WZb6-0K/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+100.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387923828646769506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSSQYC0ZT3fbU_Znu5-EmadWho9vG4Yi-KYgexvFl2QkgRa0vLB-wB9yDHEPKdoG2PDYJiHLtYKE0ShiQy3dUIO3duluAozlKEufdkc66vg12of60FRkiJYzpS4yBbODD6Rqm-WZb6-0K/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+100.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB22bOWX3gIiwAXfTIu6MJAONbKqEWPTHZVF7OWaV6MacttZPfrYmcnbu4TvlvLwVihgT4woE90mKntLq7Krd0emNVlExbmeISJ9Zuf33K7TDE4weB3U5y9Do-mhUZqB2v1BACAkEeDjL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+101.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387923369305009762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB22bOWX3gIiwAXfTIu6MJAONbKqEWPTHZVF7OWaV6MacttZPfrYmcnbu4TvlvLwVihgT4woE90mKntLq7Krd0emNVlExbmeISJ9Zuf33K7TDE4weB3U5y9Do-mhUZqB2v1BACAkEeDjL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+101.jpg" border="0" /></a> Ploshchad Pobedy - Victory Square at the centre of Kaliningrad. Lenin's statue used to proudly stand here, now moved to a less illustrious site. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a recent addition as Russia catches up with its religous past<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvt-7p0f15jxLBHiCj0ZeLqiGx0NhJl8DdN2GORBdB_xagGimneFIv1hArg6ljdT4Ydtu206zxGjU52h2XNPeWrrkq221i_2ukuUqdtQmEfcKfZQFKKapp8bm1hiND2C-DlkVos98B9I8/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+102.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387923125371986178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvt-7p0f15jxLBHiCj0ZeLqiGx0NhJl8DdN2GORBdB_xagGimneFIv1hArg6ljdT4Ydtu206zxGjU52h2XNPeWrrkq221i_2ukuUqdtQmEfcKfZQFKKapp8bm1hiND2C-DlkVos98B9I8/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+102.jpg" border="0" /></a> HQ of The Russian Baltic Fleet. The statue of Peter the Great (2003) honours the fleet's founder. As well as scarring Konigsberg with monstosities the Soviets planted their alien species of fir tree by the thousand all over the city</div><div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpif1VD-zbTr7liZ07TUKvnpz_92Oq_0gIKXhDacqI58ddv0jbZjYla2V4IAFl54Hm1ew_pX2nQ80v3OR1HMPHYcQtjoLFlTaFKDLukejPUysNzvvQh9RO9LVAq89MEu1T7wmZWiLrlK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+103.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387592192454307170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jpif1VD-zbTr7liZ07TUKvnpz_92Oq_0gIKXhDacqI58ddv0jbZjYla2V4IAFl54Hm1ew_pX2nQ80v3OR1HMPHYcQtjoLFlTaFKDLukejPUysNzvvQh9RO9LVAq89MEu1T7wmZWiLrlK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+103.jpg" border="0" /></a>Its our city now! The Hammer & Sickle adorn a building</div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg7vW6gyZsR6ca4kYkhfJQIcWWElHmdiurEuRLp_gQnxotGr3WdRBErwKkNibgsNTWkupwDKeYc0DGO2APqsj2AEr1PWLBkPnn6ypaJifYjmkHCypJIwHwiMxWm4iVBpmrZ-W__SbyGWe/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+104.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387591007949225090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg7vW6gyZsR6ca4kYkhfJQIcWWElHmdiurEuRLp_gQnxotGr3WdRBErwKkNibgsNTWkupwDKeYc0DGO2APqsj2AEr1PWLBkPnn6ypaJifYjmkHCypJIwHwiMxWm4iVBpmrZ-W__SbyGWe/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+104.jpg" border="0" /></a> Another stirring Soviet monument. The Cosmonaut Monument honours Kaliningrad cosmonauts Alexi Leonov, Yuri Romaneko & Alexander Viktorenko.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNhLvLw6lYBv6cZfo_lq2eg7DdEF2BDkG0P9H7dgVIH1hB8F4VaIh4kxdxiSa9iKEuVr74xWECHcB6mosC0GLQtftGaYp-iOkn9YTl6mWj6duQbWgW0xPxer1wTFGZvcN1RPaB3Jbw-oi/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+105.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387590579384958562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNhLvLw6lYBv6cZfo_lq2eg7DdEF2BDkG0P9H7dgVIH1hB8F4VaIh4kxdxiSa9iKEuVr74xWECHcB6mosC0GLQtftGaYp-iOkn9YTl6mWj6duQbWgW0xPxer1wTFGZvcN1RPaB3Jbw-oi/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+105.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNJ_cz-Fhen9nQgZ-kNjAc99lNDE52AVymxBKUagCq9394o9ngnPdY6WT9jR3xF2_L1BAr7eUpptOagl6rmhzxhvwLpXihSprGbFK8ssRUVSYFB45wvi1oZSQPmE9jEs564-T5OMnLtTO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+106.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387589951850068402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNJ_cz-Fhen9nQgZ-kNjAc99lNDE52AVymxBKUagCq9394o9ngnPdY6WT9jR3xF2_L1BAr7eUpptOagl6rmhzxhvwLpXihSprGbFK8ssRUVSYFB45wvi1oZSQPmE9jEs564-T5OMnLtTO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+106.jpg" border="0" /></a> Take a stroll along Prospect Mira heading NW from the city centre, one comes across charming old German neighbourhoods that somehow survived wartime destruction.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-eK8-EZN8HY9XEAcU_MruMOIWwgCNmjV0MhARBClod_LSYxwdhGohCjk3i0AyHHljeFdkiSScp7cQy10cC9qlnhOskv6xgunFnAnH29vjzk7AKR-Y00n3UQ06xq59LGfKvjKNEXhfA9s/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+107.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387589427989446850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-eK8-EZN8HY9XEAcU_MruMOIWwgCNmjV0MhARBClod_LSYxwdhGohCjk3i0AyHHljeFdkiSScp7cQy10cC9qlnhOskv6xgunFnAnH29vjzk7AKR-Y00n3UQ06xq59LGfKvjKNEXhfA9s/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+107.jpg" border="0" /></a> In the late 1940's ethnic cleansing would have been rife in this leafy neighbourhood as surviving Germans would have kicked out of their houses and city to clear the way for incoming Russian and Ukrainian refugees. One house nearby had the date 1821 inscribed on it giving an indication of the age of the area<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vPk0oqxiEIbvkHLZz6vx0INEcin6knJr0VM8NaogpG80aOUnYqCabttFE6DPXhZP-SMzacTvUu2dzXjSboKNbtb3vluW3-KP2BjPRGM3XWPjobKUjmL4bX0ORNdVjKXqwrCa_dQyoZtZ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+108.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387588715533701314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vPk0oqxiEIbvkHLZz6vx0INEcin6knJr0VM8NaogpG80aOUnYqCabttFE6DPXhZP-SMzacTvUu2dzXjSboKNbtb3vluW3-KP2BjPRGM3XWPjobKUjmL4bX0ORNdVjKXqwrCa_dQyoZtZ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+108.jpg" border="0" /></a>It was fascinating to walk around the centre of Kaliningard and stumble onto sporadic evidence of Old Konigsberg. Here on Ul Frunze was the shell of a war damaged building still standing. Amazingly on close inspection it was possible to make out a faded sign 'Kreuz - Apothiehe' , probably a shop in the 1930s. A banner on the gable end indicated the facade was to be incorporated into a new apartment building..... sounds like they're learning from their mistakes!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77lZoWRWtIOlIBmgcMYaejZHn_83fliyAH7eQhfGWxNr5oVd_Hr9dJWomBCnqwYKL33RQROkutheGd_MGJ3ZbmMy4r7SkBFmSIFN5yoBmU6vdQu5XRb8nrIrgYVswHnzeKN2n9nr5d_s-/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+109.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387588414018084914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77lZoWRWtIOlIBmgcMYaejZHn_83fliyAH7eQhfGWxNr5oVd_Hr9dJWomBCnqwYKL33RQROkutheGd_MGJ3ZbmMy4r7SkBFmSIFN5yoBmU6vdQu5XRb8nrIrgYVswHnzeKN2n9nr5d_s-/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+109.jpg" border="0" /></a> Immediately across the road! Unbelievably this was once 'The Royal Way'<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMICqlB1Ho7LD6Ei3hbzEI54HNFMfAKAt163ott08hOPEXs8YjtiM578pqpzLqJB9ybx3feX6z6geUB4WzkkcPTqA4JweV652FoVRSqiDHyXFhfwdVGYKhZIrFNRyR93JDwfOJ-Rp8Uck/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387573873456229362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMICqlB1Ho7LD6Ei3hbzEI54HNFMfAKAt163ott08hOPEXs8YjtiM578pqpzLqJB9ybx3feX6z6geUB4WzkkcPTqA4JweV652FoVRSqiDHyXFhfwdVGYKhZIrFNRyR93JDwfOJ-Rp8Uck/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+110.jpg" border="0" /></a> Two worlds collide! - however visually repulsive the great irony is a city that just grows on you</div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOwBY6Dsh7W3NSL6tH5AsLQUikUzDFtOdspe_etO_W7f3zdnF4dFPB46t5mgadG-KVYn5chA0MRoYCsBe8C1CQkoLEJYmexYMlVmzb_XRe0Z4lIF-mWr7gKAzevhWAcvr32Is19GL7WKM/s1600-h/img006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386806087058874898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOwBY6Dsh7W3NSL6tH5AsLQUikUzDFtOdspe_etO_W7f3zdnF4dFPB46t5mgadG-KVYn5chA0MRoYCsBe8C1CQkoLEJYmexYMlVmzb_XRe0Z4lIF-mWr7gKAzevhWAcvr32Is19GL7WKM/s400/img006.jpg" border="0" /></a> At the head of the 'Royal Way' (Konigstratte / Ul Frunze) is the King's Gate. The postcard shows a pre war view<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8avOxhuGH3IXi-hknIpvOZkHKaML3gpWO8gbpgTWgc_QIyLbx7eXWQbe5oJUPAOf7keNC9IGp4zkezPusopl6lKTzyhyXQE1raSjga7GfkEK7NAMMXatLs1Gs18tB-qbgjn7CLJM0tDtU/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+111.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386805880549062098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8avOxhuGH3IXi-hknIpvOZkHKaML3gpWO8gbpgTWgc_QIyLbx7eXWQbe5oJUPAOf7keNC9IGp4zkezPusopl6lKTzyhyXQE1raSjga7GfkEK7NAMMXatLs1Gs18tB-qbgjn7CLJM0tDtU/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+111.jpg" border="0" /></a> Fortunately King's Gate (1834 -50) looks much the same today. Prussian Kings would take ceremonial parades through The Gate and along Konigstratte to Konigsberg Castle<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCNH64uTMy0qLhilD71XZKL8yjKL3tNmmUDCIlz3QHh0IJmX45ROvbn0m66exBNVdcHlHOvgE9ZsA3UTVboaDNAMSLW1TRONU_A5kQ69Re1mHHH9rwlCZaMqResHswGhArXF-FLXMsyds/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+112.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386805558838042578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCNH64uTMy0qLhilD71XZKL8yjKL3tNmmUDCIlz3QHh0IJmX45ROvbn0m66exBNVdcHlHOvgE9ZsA3UTVboaDNAMSLW1TRONU_A5kQ69Re1mHHH9rwlCZaMqResHswGhArXF-FLXMsyds/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+112.jpg" border="0" /></a> Walking down towards Moscovsky Prospekt another Prussian era building was found<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSO8s7X5i-W-9us6FO48FD_HNwNIpGvcklZThp_EZIA5riolbI521ym1IgTHjVV2d_Dv9D3SDWcnC6Kd1Dy_n_aN4HVUILNahVgv4nIn_pm2vtcQ3oCcAEhrHmUptrTQmgNL3dfD_k79yk/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+113.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386805359621443746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSO8s7X5i-W-9us6FO48FD_HNwNIpGvcklZThp_EZIA5riolbI521ym1IgTHjVV2d_Dv9D3SDWcnC6Kd1Dy_n_aN4HVUILNahVgv4nIn_pm2vtcQ3oCcAEhrHmUptrTQmgNL3dfD_k79yk/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+113.jpg" border="0" /></a> Back on the soulless Moskovsky Prospekt .....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLCJ2mfCziOSeaIXCxZSfIESbRa1UoWxLGKd8g2vgMsybLbHFO7z34ws4LRjRxlkPXy3yJoVjPIi_zAie_GCmeJevI3ZAYyBKJYGSsD5zPAxtTlNKT4FwbasfFZAmZOt-BVkcBgZOEPqL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+114.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386805225861062370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLCJ2mfCziOSeaIXCxZSfIESbRa1UoWxLGKd8g2vgMsybLbHFO7z34ws4LRjRxlkPXy3yJoVjPIi_zAie_GCmeJevI3ZAYyBKJYGSsD5zPAxtTlNKT4FwbasfFZAmZOt-BVkcBgZOEPqL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+114.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5V0nnXYPqAGz8GEOR6uT3D3tjoIHXYUyQZ3UjYhZQV_XmFILALnj06KzK_9-TZzTo93QQ_sRN8i1QzrQlpkuFTZllrzBGVzWDhbw1KbY1pY8qHzCfE-7P3fbc4Of_eLyFSaJ9eVJ1ekx/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+115.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386805039866414306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5V0nnXYPqAGz8GEOR6uT3D3tjoIHXYUyQZ3UjYhZQV_XmFILALnj06KzK_9-TZzTo93QQ_sRN8i1QzrQlpkuFTZllrzBGVzWDhbw1KbY1pY8qHzCfE-7P3fbc4Of_eLyFSaJ9eVJ1ekx/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+115.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXA31PNpKHQjoTQAe_3tzAfg_EL0K02U_sXp_tTa_PRkOkYcuNA7SzzapaDrx8EuwkSULd3SOZz84W_ZhIuoStC7YixMCY_gtpuQGar_Vgz40l9bg9zIR3QtG4gQYwyowHdn_8V5XOaaLr/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+116.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804847880782322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXA31PNpKHQjoTQAe_3tzAfg_EL0K02U_sXp_tTa_PRkOkYcuNA7SzzapaDrx8EuwkSULd3SOZz84W_ZhIuoStC7YixMCY_gtpuQGar_Vgz40l9bg9zIR3QtG4gQYwyowHdn_8V5XOaaLr/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+116.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jUWCZq9k-6OD9BtkHgfmc055QUJi9WmqQysyL8UsrJCG7-Kjse-1mcHCnz2UpycxjrvLcZyBVjwvoZ1DuYemuTCa4ZLyHaf1u5uHwvqkMUf_-nAwIqn7bF0OrnRX2K23IJtFJyLtsTWs/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+117.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804685189908786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jUWCZq9k-6OD9BtkHgfmc055QUJi9WmqQysyL8UsrJCG7-Kjse-1mcHCnz2UpycxjrvLcZyBVjwvoZ1DuYemuTCa4ZLyHaf1u5uHwvqkMUf_-nAwIqn7bF0OrnRX2K23IJtFJyLtsTWs/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+117.jpg" border="0" /></a> A surviving Prussian church alone in a concrete jungle. The large cross at the front indicates that its now a Russian Orthadox church<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4xrJ9YOndJ6FJJscieVrIl66QpQoj5bg5z1Pvavq0yFMYnk-R48_OqSJrJSYaYbJhAChn6UquQ3ZUJsLqeEhbtH-Y5s0fwjTWZlEWgld-knpFqA4h4gVEtxsJsGgqyl7DMPQVRPacl-z/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+118.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804549725578402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4xrJ9YOndJ6FJJscieVrIl66QpQoj5bg5z1Pvavq0yFMYnk-R48_OqSJrJSYaYbJhAChn6UquQ3ZUJsLqeEhbtH-Y5s0fwjTWZlEWgld-knpFqA4h4gVEtxsJsGgqyl7DMPQVRPacl-z/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+118.jpg" border="0" /></a>Approaching Holz Brucke from a different direction - yet another vacuous square - not surprisingly dominated by a stunningly grotesque Soviet war memorial - not quite sure what it represents.....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWduvVYMEYsOWe8EFmNjri2mXQwSJ9Fa6URz0xwEgLqnRaF3aEpW8LO3rbRpB0OOBoxaIxyYzKdX97kk_nwGsYxbVZ5XqukCecbtGUdSCh7b6TliZzFl8NS8mczsRGbaDBXjjB_aya-PUG/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+119.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804431613193058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWduvVYMEYsOWe8EFmNjri2mXQwSJ9Fa6URz0xwEgLqnRaF3aEpW8LO3rbRpB0OOBoxaIxyYzKdX97kk_nwGsYxbVZ5XqukCecbtGUdSCh7b6TliZzFl8NS8mczsRGbaDBXjjB_aya-PUG/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+119.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4WRCRtvhhkxGYIR1tnW1xtmuekc61aads_G_niZ1kTntInoT53zr8l3HuAYfQiVX4JEB4aAQfFImVe7TSqpZEU7LI0vqA983Q5iIWKZKaBHqsjyKK8VyS-7lOqAsuiAlGOe4RmFt05Xh/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+120.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804200888686354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4WRCRtvhhkxGYIR1tnW1xtmuekc61aads_G_niZ1kTntInoT53zr8l3HuAYfQiVX4JEB4aAQfFImVe7TSqpZEU7LI0vqA983Q5iIWKZKaBHqsjyKK8VyS-7lOqAsuiAlGOe4RmFt05Xh/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+120.jpg" border="0" /></a> River running parallel to Moskovsky Prospect </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLc_6NElyak-FYOyG-Xt52H9Ps9KZ6tsdncCtWSrmn22cgZtC-Y2E7vsrPrBo5nWjcokZN0D76gDPme_ev_AG_lLqhRREmfVT67kiktD-kn-_t2bhXdmorrRADHxuMBFCD0opyRH3OPhaZ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+121.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386804069855397618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLc_6NElyak-FYOyG-Xt52H9Ps9KZ6tsdncCtWSrmn22cgZtC-Y2E7vsrPrBo5nWjcokZN0D76gDPme_ev_AG_lLqhRREmfVT67kiktD-kn-_t2bhXdmorrRADHxuMBFCD0opyRH3OPhaZ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+121.jpg" border="0" /></a> A city rediscovering its past! Another Prussian church near The Zolotaya Hotel getting the restoration treatment<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-26903881643556255082009-09-25T04:25:00.000-07:002010-01-16T03:40:33.996-08:00Poland<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkM6WdEHGKLGZdgrSmiPqJFIujRK8jDUG04-0wdes6JhLysjU-Kznf0XI8_v5LR1fVO4Z1-doWwVkW5q-IynIEUIAjgC0AYNzzrYm_1dJFT7hGiWvVnbvbkvvDY4F1YIEO0engCisnUjj/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+122.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390980833338372594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkM6WdEHGKLGZdgrSmiPqJFIujRK8jDUG04-0wdes6JhLysjU-Kznf0XI8_v5LR1fVO4Z1-doWwVkW5q-IynIEUIAjgC0AYNzzrYm_1dJFT7hGiWvVnbvbkvvDY4F1YIEO0engCisnUjj/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+122.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kazimierz Dolny - a small town on the wooded banks of The Vistula River - escaping a persistent plague of mosquitoes was a problem.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU3ojU2Tbva_1pzpN3zFYXS3sae-vPf1kyV6O3-dTKWkcjbwEDmsHyCwgrK7FC-6OsQ6nwOV7UFdHPpn1Rvz55M69RHrbxS_K1YAv8jsbEqH4vJkKiQr-DFGi-K0wMkmyE2Bq-o1U6wKV/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+123.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390980181737854242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU3ojU2Tbva_1pzpN3zFYXS3sae-vPf1kyV6O3-dTKWkcjbwEDmsHyCwgrK7FC-6OsQ6nwOV7UFdHPpn1Rvz55M69RHrbxS_K1YAv8jsbEqH4vJkKiQr-DFGi-K0wMkmyE2Bq-o1U6wKV/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+123.jpg" border="0" /></a> The town founded in the 14th century had a strong Jewish community until World War 2<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDUlc4v05LiayB3jgf7sRRvviFo1slkvBMhc7N-LmbVY5D63CCrjRShuY1HC9OhTd3YFEDtpWSpGp437G3UfyP-OTJuzeO5uzEJg9M2l-zOZ8Y5vcsI8hpNtIOsMoe85T6RV6iy5cTmv/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+124.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390979629418024738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDUlc4v05LiayB3jgf7sRRvviFo1slkvBMhc7N-LmbVY5D63CCrjRShuY1HC9OhTd3YFEDtpWSpGp437G3UfyP-OTJuzeO5uzEJg9M2l-zOZ8Y5vcsI8hpNtIOsMoe85T6RV6iy5cTmv/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+124.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Rynek (Square) with the arcaded Houses of The Przbyla Brothers (1615) and their Renaissance facades<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMkiVRa_Y7JdT9EmTUIRaa8Rny7Zhd2rfzDTUZYCRHHKeTx-2YbfU5RZ1cg_8G1nuzeVwVqmjacjlkOoiBWNwbcMw0lJHrjNzn50gPpeyqr_bV801eMJIra4nb_DeEak4qqgsFgqxNN0Z/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+125.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390979076908859426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMkiVRa_Y7JdT9EmTUIRaa8Rny7Zhd2rfzDTUZYCRHHKeTx-2YbfU5RZ1cg_8G1nuzeVwVqmjacjlkOoiBWNwbcMw0lJHrjNzn50gPpeyqr_bV801eMJIra4nb_DeEak4qqgsFgqxNN0Z/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+125.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kozlowka - 18th century baroque palace<br /><div><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafodnVpcCXw0Gr_fN1Svx6-rWu28uIvGEB8AKPkG5d3L4IkMQ0dRI0VIj9s_CB1zOanGV8hyphenhyphenKydwgQTI76Pl08l7LQt5bu3wjIPfc8EKbAdOaAQeXc5DAC0PlH3AekZQ0CI0p2lKkGpAR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+126.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385368509749799346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafodnVpcCXw0Gr_fN1Svx6-rWu28uIvGEB8AKPkG5d3L4IkMQ0dRI0VIj9s_CB1zOanGV8hyphenhyphenKydwgQTI76Pl08l7LQt5bu3wjIPfc8EKbAdOaAQeXc5DAC0PlH3AekZQ0CI0p2lKkGpAR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+126.jpg" border="0" /></a> The reason to visit Kozlowka Palace was its extraordinary collection of Socialist Realism Art which spread across Poland during Stalin's era<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJt76RL59kcOfarOqx4ONDBbvRkv6Hl8HQ2cq67by7Ul0E6JU6pcO10bac1qp1pDxkWAnablyrg8UaVYIfJnxBsouelGUDh_Ks8MLl5vMRw76-v8wfI_QCkeJ6gjXNlLE09-5MWGW6AlR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+127.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385368352679829282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJt76RL59kcOfarOqx4ONDBbvRkv6Hl8HQ2cq67by7Ul0E6JU6pcO10bac1qp1pDxkWAnablyrg8UaVYIfJnxBsouelGUDh_Ks8MLl5vMRw76-v8wfI_QCkeJ6gjXNlLE09-5MWGW6AlR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+127.jpg" border="0" /></a>'Goodbye Lenin' - statue sculpted by Dimitri Scharz which stood in the town of Poronin from 1950 - 1990<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLvghUZfU6yToNbfOjAx-Ofr-ar286H2gRb6CIxU88yXbEwlDglwPEiFNCglPKD784Ruwe4waU5-oNW6KoifFvqo3OKwEtd8S5P4_6vPLgfUNOnTpQka6Ri92qYe9GvfTSjRsns5aODbK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+128.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385368182083038594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLvghUZfU6yToNbfOjAx-Ofr-ar286H2gRb6CIxU88yXbEwlDglwPEiFNCglPKD784Ruwe4waU5-oNW6KoifFvqo3OKwEtd8S5P4_6vPLgfUNOnTpQka6Ri92qYe9GvfTSjRsns5aODbK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+128.jpg" border="0" /></a> Lublin - a shabby city which has a gem of an Old Town (Stare Miasto) - decaying buildings are gradually being restored<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4qnSWbaTuO7cIaq8B0DDoLb495DngFcsdE7NoSMS2fu0RPwXUxXP58Izr6NHmvFmVxzJ_79q9_eid1JjzbpzWnpRO1e5JrA_gKzJ1gxrxcqxQYyye1yQwNa6pLC_g22WN2X4K_GKaATu/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+129.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385368011237294466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4qnSWbaTuO7cIaq8B0DDoLb495DngFcsdE7NoSMS2fu0RPwXUxXP58Izr6NHmvFmVxzJ_79q9_eid1JjzbpzWnpRO1e5JrA_gKzJ1gxrxcqxQYyye1yQwNa6pLC_g22WN2X4K_GKaATu/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+129.jpg" border="0" /></a> An ungentrified street in Lublin's Old Town has a haunting air<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3d4ePJkVQupfxbdDIhStOWG30awFUU-etuTTSUK5O1yKR5KxBtsHhei2oMFp2nOhyDGC1h6JgsveIGx6eXSau6sZSh8bFjgm0YhK_3epm70eu1Ug36mrEkFksZv3MHOjMtcRfeSUnVGw/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+130.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367845757344690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3d4ePJkVQupfxbdDIhStOWG30awFUU-etuTTSUK5O1yKR5KxBtsHhei2oMFp2nOhyDGC1h6JgsveIGx6eXSau6sZSh8bFjgm0YhK_3epm70eu1Ug36mrEkFksZv3MHOjMtcRfeSUnVGw/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+130.jpg" border="0" /></a> Sanok - a small town in Southern Poland. The surrounding countryside was of more interest.....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilwIsKvUiFDj0Mox-8qtV5SbDkMhCd4k4nQBiuiSQxqB1uoexbz3MFEm2Y6zRX0M6Pj-mRczzdUEOZZ1adLOD__b_V1HZ6tSBTh2d2CWu7K1eDZyTTO93WYEny23CgZakICOniBrB132s/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+131.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367690211226594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilwIsKvUiFDj0Mox-8qtV5SbDkMhCd4k4nQBiuiSQxqB1uoexbz3MFEm2Y6zRX0M6Pj-mRczzdUEOZZ1adLOD__b_V1HZ6tSBTh2d2CWu7K1eDZyTTO93WYEny23CgZakICOniBrB132s/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+131.jpg" border="0" /></a> A cycle along the Icon Trail dotted with small villages, many still having ancient wooden Orthadox or Uniat churches as thier focal point. The village pub at Mrzyglod</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUMSYhiKzu5Yedd8_72L-Zsn2owZpOqn2QFe2X1p9cjWFfbCTJpksK237m4yIjiGslze4RNipiDfpPnyGfo2u7KAH_1hyxW2ny6xES7CZKWvgqVATcyHIeE5TwGE4jP7oJHt_mvzNRdgo/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+132.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367534277882130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUMSYhiKzu5Yedd8_72L-Zsn2owZpOqn2QFe2X1p9cjWFfbCTJpksK237m4yIjiGslze4RNipiDfpPnyGfo2u7KAH_1hyxW2ny6xES7CZKWvgqVATcyHIeE5TwGE4jP7oJHt_mvzNRdgo/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+132.jpg" border="0" /></a> The square at Mrzyglod<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcsjdma5k_YRPPQYmo6oW1sz4UxxPdBbZwGUBf_uQpT5m6VbAkqJIWRt6YzXPnjzpIpASnEy4Ay6gU8c6Ng0BuqWVrklOdppXFGyiX3aILjEueyh_fXdykXR9BFt2P_RvEtSMD5LJjtzO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+133.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367324567290178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcsjdma5k_YRPPQYmo6oW1sz4UxxPdBbZwGUBf_uQpT5m6VbAkqJIWRt6YzXPnjzpIpASnEy4Ay6gU8c6Ng0BuqWVrklOdppXFGyiX3aILjEueyh_fXdykXR9BFt2P_RvEtSMD5LJjtzO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+133.jpg" border="0" /></a> Hlomcza - Greek Catholic Church of The Sobor of Virgin Mother (1859)</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDboMJ_4S_8xnVfSCJPjqiweLF6c9pjfpkTgvPyHO1QtloarUCFg8DuWp-uCbA84Nc_FRrqGbG6UQxGihGAdGCYPPF3K31H1yy3AvSfMrZD2N8XQytyHYbyIkSlU1ithsc0Y1gfhkY6XIH/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+134.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367189285114514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDboMJ_4S_8xnVfSCJPjqiweLF6c9pjfpkTgvPyHO1QtloarUCFg8DuWp-uCbA84Nc_FRrqGbG6UQxGihGAdGCYPPF3K31H1yy3AvSfMrZD2N8XQytyHYbyIkSlU1ithsc0Y1gfhkY6XIH/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+134.jpg" border="0" /></a> Dobra Szlachecka - Greek Catholic Church of Saint Nicholas (1879)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLPOSjk-5qGd2h3uS2fiNCKg3BHB2FVM60GnDZyooEQduju_EY-JpHMHX9EIXT6ETJ0G86I-F5MlpZBNzjE-OqHcrXzjFm0o5XmRmZmbpSqjjT1p2UVdcfNF7293EkEXGasyzeV8S3zRo/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+135.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385367019785094402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLPOSjk-5qGd2h3uS2fiNCKg3BHB2FVM60GnDZyooEQduju_EY-JpHMHX9EIXT6ETJ0G86I-F5MlpZBNzjE-OqHcrXzjFm0o5XmRmZmbpSqjjT1p2UVdcfNF7293EkEXGasyzeV8S3zRo/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+135.jpg" border="0" /></a> Traditional methods still prevail<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9t9ij9DcGL0B0CDpfXx0QKZptJULo11Rme0fMlUym1QVZ4tgWoREPPsKbcfhZqVEqhsMIN2TDU1nrtp0o1Xhg5YMRbfaRHEHdlxaOpnaBKO1-Q3ndcjlCB9e5Ki89SkFAdpEciMcYEY-/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+136.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385366835097310402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9t9ij9DcGL0B0CDpfXx0QKZptJULo11Rme0fMlUym1QVZ4tgWoREPPsKbcfhZqVEqhsMIN2TDU1nrtp0o1Xhg5YMRbfaRHEHdlxaOpnaBKO1-Q3ndcjlCB9e5Ki89SkFAdpEciMcYEY-/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+136.jpg" border="0" /></a> Ulucz - The oldest wooden Eastern Rites church in Poland (1510) sits on top of the legendary Debnik Hill.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9icZMJrl0fXAY7jiVKmZauQOOk4-Y9cPWqaKgCrw9ZYI24y4nJWi4EpSWzi91RWR-hWBs8FWkIfqKvpg2sx4qjmvWEXdSeOiWvBWR9x8jbVnTJSaMpnabyzFfcj3mcHf8NmfoBriUQgY/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+137.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385366671110622018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9icZMJrl0fXAY7jiVKmZauQOOk4-Y9cPWqaKgCrw9ZYI24y4nJWi4EpSWzi91RWR-hWBs8FWkIfqKvpg2sx4qjmvWEXdSeOiWvBWR9x8jbVnTJSaMpnabyzFfcj3mcHf8NmfoBriUQgY/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+137.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vB1jpXs9bJH8WjCzyrQ07RlixO7bt81z2SF1CYhVs-BtlEn1ZrC4_RiAs-4UamnM083L8ERSHmgeMCR4JXRn3Wr9nFhccVXp9viBaxwwIv6mlASxbOG6sdIKbjDeZCOU8TKieWGjRMfk/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+138.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385366539160856738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vB1jpXs9bJH8WjCzyrQ07RlixO7bt81z2SF1CYhVs-BtlEn1ZrC4_RiAs-4UamnM083L8ERSHmgeMCR4JXRn3Wr9nFhccVXp9viBaxwwIv6mlASxbOG6sdIKbjDeZCOU8TKieWGjRMfk/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+138.jpg" border="0" /></a> Ulucz<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKUjNQeZaJcZn-YUGuZy1g1xAjUigTxqGebz5uIEm3DX7GFUv0zPOvARbFIQoPd3RiL6uuiEXtnajUiuBwJXmZQUETnMOGqKYbJfoYBqoVlVENX9VS5XfNl3oVAuWAqi9MxwDl6sMoWTX/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+139.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385366384758875682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKUjNQeZaJcZn-YUGuZy1g1xAjUigTxqGebz5uIEm3DX7GFUv0zPOvARbFIQoPd3RiL6uuiEXtnajUiuBwJXmZQUETnMOGqKYbJfoYBqoVlVENX9VS5XfNl3oVAuWAqi9MxwDl6sMoWTX/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+139.jpg" border="0" /></a> Church at Tyrawa Solna (1837)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2pa1zdlShv7U04BeqVzRY4ZePiSP59YPZ6wFzvFn4iD8KLWRFxfzubBcwhE_ZkdROk0YRNNdg4EXQKfuSm61b_yold57C3xLxWlhIKQmpMZpywTC63cEM5j-cnsxo18fqx3l6_I8p_P0/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+140.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385366222220870786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2pa1zdlShv7U04BeqVzRY4ZePiSP59YPZ6wFzvFn4iD8KLWRFxfzubBcwhE_ZkdROk0YRNNdg4EXQKfuSm61b_yold57C3xLxWlhIKQmpMZpywTC63cEM5j-cnsxo18fqx3l6_I8p_P0/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+140.jpg" border="0" /></a> Church at Siemuszowa (1841)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHDATMFXl6NyIai5drvFesHCH6vZ-JvsHWB1dgGhYGXAm016-pWDVh1-66su4T3DdPBK1IbJtAwtdMlGWtWGJ-rCTgGuxKpcKwXHm6ClG4Xz4TJzOYy1Z7Lqp48NmEoDDgqnII8ScQCqp/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+141.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385365952442998642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHDATMFXl6NyIai5drvFesHCH6vZ-JvsHWB1dgGhYGXAm016-pWDVh1-66su4T3DdPBK1IbJtAwtdMlGWtWGJ-rCTgGuxKpcKwXHm6ClG4Xz4TJzOYy1Z7Lqp48NmEoDDgqnII8ScQCqp/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+141.jpg" border="0" /></a> Back at Sanok, The Historical Museum had many fine icons rescued from abandoned Uniat churches. Depiction of Heaven and Hell - 'The Last Judgement' (early 17th century) by Sad Ostalozny - from a church in village of Lipice<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sBAoT3koqdO9BGVRC3WVl_f9nMnOIus0MHLdg8Hr0qUFKNgcTta3TfVGcuatg5II4XMQ2Qcud5z9xS0P9DHMsupfAMPzwhp6vkIHmVJv0xITvachewhDv8mpGNUOi5jVjYMpZsVaoAF4/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+142.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385365781221502514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sBAoT3koqdO9BGVRC3WVl_f9nMnOIus0MHLdg8Hr0qUFKNgcTta3TfVGcuatg5II4XMQ2Qcud5z9xS0P9DHMsupfAMPzwhp6vkIHmVJv0xITvachewhDv8mpGNUOi5jVjYMpZsVaoAF4/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+142.jpg" border="0" /></a> Wedding celebrations block the road<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNLzAEho8MLbeu1tASgjdva7CPysNqlClQjpNL2nFIDgm9GH-9RbFqr0fUg_8XcoFqY2NIGl8qqz8wvy1mQvM0rGD2NtuTi8pb3GF-HlW6FJrfta5TMsfbclzpgMLPrP3Fst9gft_0h6H/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+143.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385365631798507362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNLzAEho8MLbeu1tASgjdva7CPysNqlClQjpNL2nFIDgm9GH-9RbFqr0fUg_8XcoFqY2NIGl8qqz8wvy1mQvM0rGD2NtuTi8pb3GF-HlW6FJrfta5TMsfbclzpgMLPrP3Fst9gft_0h6H/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+143.jpg" border="0" /></a> Walking over the border from Poland to Slovakia<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-42901906688812736372009-09-22T07:27:00.001-07:002010-01-22T04:11:50.784-08:00Slovakia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedi-o5-ySOjVsWnsF7WAtm07hK9sTBbZSxoSOQ8A8cnOyZLfXkTYiOELhsWvpL4A3HWFYd6HpQfotpgB1xUAIQkRbBc9FcIT-pw2eQWkIKduOV0NWrdCbRiPtca8kjhN1a2D_aoeheyMf/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+144.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397987847132039970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedi-o5-ySOjVsWnsF7WAtm07hK9sTBbZSxoSOQ8A8cnOyZLfXkTYiOELhsWvpL4A3HWFYd6HpQfotpgB1xUAIQkRbBc9FcIT-pw2eQWkIKduOV0NWrdCbRiPtca8kjhN1a2D_aoeheyMf/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+144.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Dukla Pass just over the border into Slovakia. The Soviet Army advancing south from Poland fought the Germans in a bloody battle, late 1944 costing 100 000 lives. A War Memorial at the head of the pass where Czechoslovak General Svoboda had his observation post.....<br /><span style="color:#000000;">1 </span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNeo5uKijGZsZD0j29KjoSt9PwX7FQfyyDzvxzv6t0Q95LSCFJDlnWD36pbK7etbTwHJz8GtFVxf-yJMnULzsk0e6U3PXNOL6hNY0j7ff9joR4dp7GgIbV36iq9CVvv0yFWxQVO-PiFSx/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+145.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397987705672125602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNeo5uKijGZsZD0j29KjoSt9PwX7FQfyyDzvxzv6t0Q95LSCFJDlnWD36pbK7etbTwHJz8GtFVxf-yJMnULzsk0e6U3PXNOL6hNY0j7ff9joR4dp7GgIbV36iq9CVvv0yFWxQVO-PiFSx/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+145.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj1-HqrIfnct2yC1O5VyRD-7G3en6a-UNYLI_bg5Fi9DrI4ElCn0C0i1fOt8ekRejZgwI1RhyphenhyphenK8QDZHwB_wAuLMf9Cl54_w-2-HSIgNeTrA6DcyEesyyFouO8OCNdWAAy4FJ8l-Jlz-hn/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+146.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397987543943390834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj1-HqrIfnct2yC1O5VyRD-7G3en6a-UNYLI_bg5Fi9DrI4ElCn0C0i1fOt8ekRejZgwI1RhyphenhyphenK8QDZHwB_wAuLMf9Cl54_w-2-HSIgNeTrA6DcyEesyyFouO8OCNdWAAy4FJ8l-Jlz-hn/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+146.jpg" border="0" /></a> The road to Svidnik has an open-air collection of weaponary by the roadside..... </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1<br /></span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsgZtEWPGV6fGi9LUW88Yy2SHJ6JbtnO-mlM6BUhAsG15cNhd1ngNjIRtsTKguRFd23BMU4PS-17CfzorP8MKz3zMI2iSb-tIyZh7YGSC24oaVbndORLxHpzUHvq-0WePALE9QOGKRCLp/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+147.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397987416831958162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsgZtEWPGV6fGi9LUW88Yy2SHJ6JbtnO-mlM6BUhAsG15cNhd1ngNjIRtsTKguRFd23BMU4PS-17CfzorP8MKz3zMI2iSb-tIyZh7YGSC24oaVbndORLxHpzUHvq-0WePALE9QOGKRCLp/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+147.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVvf9LilExXpl3ypKX7v25OEI-QfqruecVhABw8BZRH-EcqGn5aHCUl3G7xyUhQMgJ9yyzUNbn0Lqs7Xrhy5KLN8EsTBdiB046NuHOnen-T8uajVr5t652uOiQbkuqhoKghjU3mFATnMk/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+148.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397987063268436610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVvf9LilExXpl3ypKX7v25OEI-QfqruecVhABw8BZRH-EcqGn5aHCUl3G7xyUhQMgJ9yyzUNbn0Lqs7Xrhy5KLN8EsTBdiB046NuHOnen-T8uajVr5t652uOiQbkuqhoKghjU3mFATnMk/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+148.jpg" border="0" /></a> Svidnik and its functional town square..... This seemingly 'one horse' town packs a punch in terms of cultural sites.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki4C2bJEQn5wWN8K7xSOjdYTq6cMZD5oFQYFOw2qNiU0IG1e7IBwP8g94lMcQx1jJ79PY2Hp1tQwQPsQo2SrntOfvzp5ViUEbBz1sjVX5APPNYq48hyphenhyphenNNryWhaIMBro21wAt70Ku1tJcI/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+149.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397986830327696418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki4C2bJEQn5wWN8K7xSOjdYTq6cMZD5oFQYFOw2qNiU0IG1e7IBwP8g94lMcQx1jJ79PY2Hp1tQwQPsQo2SrntOfvzp5ViUEbBz1sjVX5APPNYq48hyphenhyphenNNryWhaIMBro21wAt70Ku1tJcI/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+149.jpg" border="0" /></a> Svidnik was flattened during a battle lasting from 8 September to 28 October 1944. The Soviet Army Monument (1954) commemorates this......<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVEP6nIfDVPDWmvPCoxQBHpKw6mBRbH0BqlbMyEeN1Mac2s_fsy0agbJKbtK_AW9W6wm7wnTgs5gxjegtmwv8UjSJ4UmKPiWB2yF02bCxMXwvacu0ivJsqDA60xuMg7Xgm_0YFCfTSom5/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+150.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397986269850830082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVEP6nIfDVPDWmvPCoxQBHpKw6mBRbH0BqlbMyEeN1Mac2s_fsy0agbJKbtK_AW9W6wm7wnTgs5gxjegtmwv8UjSJ4UmKPiWB2yF02bCxMXwvacu0ivJsqDA60xuMg7Xgm_0YFCfTSom5/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+150.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJdZHW3tx0vTEswfhF1oADewSSktK1hdu5HhGzWtxnOEnxBRRtSkSqJtcs96BXpip4Rq7IBkafDt08BxJxxAaUVlD6BSeMFXbg6S6ne6pjv4hIsNH6g9X7hJJw0nBhR_w4abNH5mmXPbA/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+151.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397986097312360770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJdZHW3tx0vTEswfhF1oADewSSktK1hdu5HhGzWtxnOEnxBRRtSkSqJtcs96BXpip4Rq7IBkafDt08BxJxxAaUVlD6BSeMFXbg6S6ne6pjv4hIsNH6g9X7hJJw0nBhR_w4abNH5mmXPbA/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+151.jpg" border="0" /></a> One of four mass graves where a total of 9 000 Soviet soldiers are buried<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RnXpM5V4XsQotyNC6iHhRhF8SQYp3zNW1HgB9ApJO962oxkp9q9uVYdYJkH1mcZ_CsOB_aJrxVr8RE-K7Hsp3nRmnGF-SrQ8Fjam5V_j_yyVD_GFzjJBQZY_JVxzc6r3PHrEM_OxkFjO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+152.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397985940545383362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RnXpM5V4XsQotyNC6iHhRhF8SQYp3zNW1HgB9ApJO962oxkp9q9uVYdYJkH1mcZ_CsOB_aJrxVr8RE-K7Hsp3nRmnGF-SrQ8Fjam5V_j_yyVD_GFzjJBQZY_JVxzc6r3PHrEM_OxkFjO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+152.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZhbNch30Xdcy4TQ2yeorRzgndLcnM3UvDyc-NLLSUy5Daj5_cnrCzO5HY1EUzqkljc-VASeAPPCbQelySkdECtYM_dcfDhdp4jlYf5geDB1fK6hyphenhyphenRCn3JriLfVGHSlS42Gwg8ZJbhXVR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+156.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397985657515292466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZhbNch30Xdcy4TQ2yeorRzgndLcnM3UvDyc-NLLSUy5Daj5_cnrCzO5HY1EUzqkljc-VASeAPPCbQelySkdECtYM_dcfDhdp4jlYf5geDB1fK6hyphenhyphenRCn3JriLfVGHSlS42Gwg8ZJbhXVR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+156.jpg" border="0" /></a> Svidnik Military Museum with heavy fighting equipment in its grounds.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5plcQFqOrWBiqAyEay3JMHjzFi7W8u1qM9sgBltQuijVmGSVc3cum5IuDtOYjYeuFJZv4fXOJCkibcSMy-6tI1Mi_pSyMww7znHsUGGY1FITeky-DI6tIooKHn0Am2A5Axcin7fqD0nOO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+157.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397985428637677394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5plcQFqOrWBiqAyEay3JMHjzFi7W8u1qM9sgBltQuijVmGSVc3cum5IuDtOYjYeuFJZv4fXOJCkibcSMy-6tI1Mi_pSyMww7znHsUGGY1FITeky-DI6tIooKHn0Am2A5Axcin7fqD0nOO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+157.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlYwEgUY6_0mlcjcVVUJtZ7d59w_ECI2FBY1-b42tVU1JwKx2URuYBqCrll4UGqaG4n6DB2YnJcHcSd1_Ogz6F_tzb7pqwyzqfrsKscNw3_ktRdeq1kYp6b-IZFX0ZwkSByZJX0V0P1CR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+162.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385364672187641234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlYwEgUY6_0mlcjcVVUJtZ7d59w_ECI2FBY1-b42tVU1JwKx2URuYBqCrll4UGqaG4n6DB2YnJcHcSd1_Ogz6F_tzb7pqwyzqfrsKscNw3_ktRdeq1kYp6b-IZFX0ZwkSByZJX0V0P1CR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+162.jpg" border="0" /></a> Svidnik - The Skanzen - a village museum to Rusyn (a largley forgotten Eastern Slavic people) culture. The wooden church (1766) originates in the village of Nova Polianka. Rusyn culture has recently revived after years of communist and Nazi oppression; their lands (Ruthenia) being swallowed up by Czechoslovakia and then mainly annexed into The Soviet Union (Ukraine).....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC4_tHse8fDNtz8sseEPyy4pcpJo0SqGKUXMGV-0ewx6J0IINRGmpNaIUWcTjyU0QD8TIuq2oSe5c7qs3KOJ82qJsL8XCfMdI5U1t8qYefj6AznF6AAdCDAM9tRQSfSNCK1TmXwQoX8DL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+163.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385364435412812498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC4_tHse8fDNtz8sseEPyy4pcpJo0SqGKUXMGV-0ewx6J0IINRGmpNaIUWcTjyU0QD8TIuq2oSe5c7qs3KOJ82qJsL8XCfMdI5U1t8qYefj6AznF6AAdCDAM9tRQSfSNCK1TmXwQoX8DL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+163.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRLsTB5Al3XEHG_TtdF6h3y5HLVEMnILfmBjQgbZrO27ZfhGCQm0Otl-W1fRnYiPZ0SPtjuaDKG-WbPptyKZ3smTbSYmyay6CJWfpUgP0JWF-Hac2kP_WfEEz2zalt3t6Ww3pV7jzZxbQ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+164.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385364214254270258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRLsTB5Al3XEHG_TtdF6h3y5HLVEMnILfmBjQgbZrO27ZfhGCQm0Otl-W1fRnYiPZ0SPtjuaDKG-WbPptyKZ3smTbSYmyay6CJWfpUgP0JWF-Hac2kP_WfEEz2zalt3t6Ww3pV7jzZxbQ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+164.jpg" border="0" /></a> Bardejov with its magnificent square (Radnicne Nam) with its 16th century Gothic / Renaissance Burgher houses - Only four houses have been added since 1600.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKR3J8tBV-j2v3RWa3AEWwxorzr2q1EHxVuvPImyqKDHI3c7cKCyw6xrBTXBeatbpvcckr0Us2UQiYeeT7XvRUswAm6lQCgEUqmq14cZKyL00kQDOxAvhS9t28jevZkJM0cF_W1qrcyxjM/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+165.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385364011392440562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKR3J8tBV-j2v3RWa3AEWwxorzr2q1EHxVuvPImyqKDHI3c7cKCyw6xrBTXBeatbpvcckr0Us2UQiYeeT7XvRUswAm6lQCgEUqmq14cZKyL00kQDOxAvhS9t28jevZkJM0cF_W1qrcyxjM/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+165.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUHLDKoFEE9gIQp2DHdn9Fl0Jfga-vQ76cCbfA1-_StYhfpI3KFRuiQppQRdHZZQHHEovujd3garywTbNHnGQ0nV-2zjjKcd7N32_DGq9kxoUBTapY9i2iUZe-HNszf7KU8-UFjcTbkmL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+167.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385363477295191890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUHLDKoFEE9gIQp2DHdn9Fl0Jfga-vQ76cCbfA1-_StYhfpI3KFRuiQppQRdHZZQHHEovujd3garywTbNHnGQ0nV-2zjjKcd7N32_DGq9kxoUBTapY9i2iUZe-HNszf7KU8-UFjcTbkmL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+167.jpg" border="0" /></a> The town hall (1509) and Basilica of St Egidius<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIHmyt7-qxDg9Wv2TnTSWB4r1jTLHFfRGfq851xM_EuAxRjckT6FUfP9d6TpXCvZBTZaN7FbsqlG2as_AiDww11OAvhCv1NLmHBA2NH0OxUtdPhsYnIs0eXOyB5o6RHX4aGFB_c99ghET/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+166.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385361569205710242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIHmyt7-qxDg9Wv2TnTSWB4r1jTLHFfRGfq851xM_EuAxRjckT6FUfP9d6TpXCvZBTZaN7FbsqlG2as_AiDww11OAvhCv1NLmHBA2NH0OxUtdPhsYnIs0eXOyB5o6RHX4aGFB_c99ghET/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+166.jpg" border="0" /></a> Even this preserved town could not escape the scourge of 'panelak' - every Slovakian town is scarred by 1960's built concrete apartments constructed from prefabricated panels<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PEoboTtjUzqGmE5XDxg8mkg-4ZELEhstfpmYf7uMlBtp2eFlr1ogk0bFeEY4LAdUtnSRRmO3SHBjFzjYBRp_nenxIs1BfHTvViO6k3mpq54hKbcStc4-cgGuomG2qJyUzUJo-6igfalR/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+168.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385361314763118674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PEoboTtjUzqGmE5XDxg8mkg-4ZELEhstfpmYf7uMlBtp2eFlr1ogk0bFeEY4LAdUtnSRRmO3SHBjFzjYBRp_nenxIs1BfHTvViO6k3mpq54hKbcStc4-cgGuomG2qJyUzUJo-6igfalR/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+168.jpg" border="0" /></a> Levoca - Gothic spire of Church of St James which apparently has the world's largest wooden alter. Adjacent is a war memorial to The Red Army who liberated this small town in February 1945<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJhM7wFTCk9IDr4sDg8SFYE9OluIKWkQDTxiQrKnZxIt8WYzD-bIKXn4WiwuqzOHGl7b1EzeJgnhfybIs40s9NWZqjrLLYow_iXQjd720OZaoyJ2jKJ8oYkoFKnEWehGn98vNvONkPlUE/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+169.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385361176226235890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJhM7wFTCk9IDr4sDg8SFYE9OluIKWkQDTxiQrKnZxIt8WYzD-bIKXn4WiwuqzOHGl7b1EzeJgnhfybIs40s9NWZqjrLLYow_iXQjd720OZaoyJ2jKJ8oYkoFKnEWehGn98vNvONkPlUE/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+169.jpg" border="0" /></a>There wasn't much to do here except gawk at Reniassance architecture such as The Thurzov Dom (1532)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9AF4EB2tKZvBsDB54OA6LHt-nKT5-glyTDU15vzLUmFBSZr9EKw2jVq7nftME2KIyjLpDZQYSTqngzYRd3u7WTcquzecwECso5w24RhwpJkwYjedmFF3rYaKn1EvKEr_qVX-djpCNfrL/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+170.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385361031705502514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9AF4EB2tKZvBsDB54OA6LHt-nKT5-glyTDU15vzLUmFBSZr9EKw2jVq7nftME2KIyjLpDZQYSTqngzYRd3u7WTcquzecwECso5w24RhwpJkwYjedmFF3rYaKn1EvKEr_qVX-djpCNfrL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+170.jpg" border="0" /></a> Life drifts by in a Levoca back street<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5W_-Y4dx7v6SYMdWTN88FLesLM32eSZj8sIQSfr667IGvsyUdxuB3MedB_nj4PPmv2PBL4FzWIUTf2jTVNisW2VVjeYM1ZOjsKjwxU4XyOHjiwELyeg_iqtOLlfKlF7xd2TrZMLuWAAH/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+171.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385360866316126850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5W_-Y4dx7v6SYMdWTN88FLesLM32eSZj8sIQSfr667IGvsyUdxuB3MedB_nj4PPmv2PBL4FzWIUTf2jTVNisW2VVjeYM1ZOjsKjwxU4XyOHjiwELyeg_iqtOLlfKlF7xd2TrZMLuWAAH/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+171.jpg" border="0" /></a> Art Nouveau buildings fronting the square in Levoca<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqvyHXYQ8dGKmSOyZ3o8qQ7wCqzmXW4KXNmC515_CJJfLKSICVSob4POp2l7UceLmvCWLZmJIglD_LFULMkPTNjSgEQ1nkTLL2w4eMNULZs0KSctBQlJwheTLxB-WmS3wuZvqPUunOlCr/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+172.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385360747280648546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqvyHXYQ8dGKmSOyZ3o8qQ7wCqzmXW4KXNmC515_CJJfLKSICVSob4POp2l7UceLmvCWLZmJIglD_LFULMkPTNjSgEQ1nkTLL2w4eMNULZs0KSctBQlJwheTLxB-WmS3wuZvqPUunOlCr/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+172.jpg" border="0" /></a> Spis Castle at Spisske Podhradie.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYFVlnjJVL5C8gD6P8dtEA2LpPTFBsZJO4069B_l3hMs6MXj5UiKxFMaGQwTstDOD2vZDAEVSCt0AzUdLHy20mTy6C0GREX6oNXxFV_OL2I5zjlJxu3hmc8lYfav_c3DcITC5HCcLYeWT/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+173.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385360602013088274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYFVlnjJVL5C8gD6P8dtEA2LpPTFBsZJO4069B_l3hMs6MXj5UiKxFMaGQwTstDOD2vZDAEVSCt0AzUdLHy20mTy6C0GREX6oNXxFV_OL2I5zjlJxu3hmc8lYfav_c3DcITC5HCcLYeWT/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+173.jpg" border="0" /></a> Spis Castle from the village<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI-QCrHSHLB5U7ehsRYRgFLKqN66QnjSlA0G85AW4Nn8Mu8MTZGGi-g50GhmnU2b0uNWJUGxyKM_iIU6cdVC0ip1-hqy1xO85ioYw5U_Ks3YzDGehWS0mn_idACjdnKBbJTirhPv4x5g4/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+174.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385360449498178450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI-QCrHSHLB5U7ehsRYRgFLKqN66QnjSlA0G85AW4Nn8Mu8MTZGGi-g50GhmnU2b0uNWJUGxyKM_iIU6cdVC0ip1-hqy1xO85ioYw5U_Ks3YzDGehWS0mn_idACjdnKBbJTirhPv4x5g4/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+174.jpg" border="0" /></a> Zilina - Marianske nam - the Old Market Square, the focal point of a mainly uninteresting town </div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-9979319257922959132009-09-16T02:26:00.000-07:002009-12-31T08:50:16.629-08:00Czech Republic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucA7xak0_4D2L3FNoOXcImvUrprXa8j3YvEqtCpOmnxCvyJC47arxQf1oK0JIwqV9Wo7k7U7gIj2oUTezfJNnw8KFLB3xIhc3dqDFN_aIXSySkOt9-itqPVeX_4oz9y5xiCRZmbpcjXL9/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+175.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390995026497765986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucA7xak0_4D2L3FNoOXcImvUrprXa8j3YvEqtCpOmnxCvyJC47arxQf1oK0JIwqV9Wo7k7U7gIj2oUTezfJNnw8KFLB3xIhc3dqDFN_aIXSySkOt9-itqPVeX_4oz9y5xiCRZmbpcjXL9/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+175.jpg" border="0" /></a> Olomouc - The Holy Trinity Column reminiscent of the Buddhist Shrine of Borobudur, Indonesia<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">1 </span><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9a43gNj78UbuCuV-zG-4-3jKetsx7Ezn6fJ_K6OtOi8i3MWZ_EJSTYw5kqasAsVupOVlkd_bx1Qyksq3xpPT32CDOtzIP3UE8HQzbycNCLp2bzQet9zOlVKcyHL3qqbNKr6P2a8DdJjka/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+176.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390994417532049442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9a43gNj78UbuCuV-zG-4-3jKetsx7Ezn6fJ_K6OtOi8i3MWZ_EJSTYw5kqasAsVupOVlkd_bx1Qyksq3xpPT32CDOtzIP3UE8HQzbycNCLp2bzQet9zOlVKcyHL3qqbNKr6P2a8DdJjka/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+176.jpg" border="0" /></a> Norni Namesti (Upper Square) with The Town Hall (and 17th century tower) and Holy Trinity Coloumn<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Er2FMZ554ym56YlMk3I-9VfHHBUaZzzJOKhLIOToKDOIvcayHj4ED6JEh9WJT42FVTrvjY84sMztsrn4Wn5DztJptluRrR0ushH1gTcKkNi0S_sH6Dq9Q04MEwORYYegzTCqio4eW7nM/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+177.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390993813024111538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Er2FMZ554ym56YlMk3I-9VfHHBUaZzzJOKhLIOToKDOIvcayHj4ED6JEh9WJT42FVTrvjY84sMztsrn4Wn5DztJptluRrR0ushH1gTcKkNi0S_sH6Dq9Q04MEwORYYegzTCqio4eW7nM/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+177.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Town Hall with its fabulous astronomical clock remodelled by Czechoslovak Communists in 1955 with ideological mosaques of socialist man at work<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLzWfNjBITD4gNymNhA-nHDvg-O7l1Tum9z81VYycYhiKBj3vP_qK2GHa646ic8TBs9vK6V6oGkbqLvxrF91DUBOtjOYbxf0hCCd3ixqNGjWSKBrLErA4lDojkSis5eRgeGcfrYtyK7HT/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+178.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390993049553915506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLzWfNjBITD4gNymNhA-nHDvg-O7l1Tum9z81VYycYhiKBj3vP_qK2GHa646ic8TBs9vK6V6oGkbqLvxrF91DUBOtjOYbxf0hCCd3ixqNGjWSKBrLErA4lDojkSis5eRgeGcfrYtyK7HT/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+178.jpg" border="0" /></a> Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg: Sigma Olomouc 1 - 1 Fram Rejkavik.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjII9TiPsW77BZvSkGbC_6CPdcioIv2CYPjdwpppOzgJd9XNo_67OO8PxyQ4K9DqfD_d90N8-uRg_XFx8-VovxJwM3R90-r9wSampaU91_7Xf__S5Z11nmuCHZJVMeljysH7TGVOO6IzFhg/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+179.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390992408223186946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjII9TiPsW77BZvSkGbC_6CPdcioIv2CYPjdwpppOzgJd9XNo_67OO8PxyQ4K9DqfD_d90N8-uRg_XFx8-VovxJwM3R90-r9wSampaU91_7Xf__S5Z11nmuCHZJVMeljysH7TGVOO6IzFhg/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+179.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKJ20CtmGGAa75f-q5VtpoAm83RvJLfcngvoi1CWmK584PpmD202zzdMb5BNFrXBt0TbejI-z78ME3KGxHQRNh4X1qCUOK4Sfds8uaMKuXtUPoyVgdXmh_8kRFvzYFn9C_HcgR4hwzTaH/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+181.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390991825146564754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKJ20CtmGGAa75f-q5VtpoAm83RvJLfcngvoi1CWmK584PpmD202zzdMb5BNFrXBt0TbejI-z78ME3KGxHQRNh4X1qCUOK4Sfds8uaMKuXtUPoyVgdXmh_8kRFvzYFn9C_HcgR4hwzTaH/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+181.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3x7K7aQy4SqVw3oxVHdBaoMVYZQOrtBuCrDrPTmvn_D_VxkIUTqqIQa7-0M1ziu6momAyWskdbFYLwVqwyEit7hUtJnwG9CQe987frVuqDAEEAR1MePVeHZ4rluePisF5lvZZQVrD7nB/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+180.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390991392444262882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3x7K7aQy4SqVw3oxVHdBaoMVYZQOrtBuCrDrPTmvn_D_VxkIUTqqIQa7-0M1ziu6momAyWskdbFYLwVqwyEit7hUtJnwG9CQe987frVuqDAEEAR1MePVeHZ4rluePisF5lvZZQVrD7nB/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+180.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad0ZVrGDz-pMqUt9ZJX1mvJCYk0_Yiz3vmPZSwoJZ1eTf1MPzjp_TvippC-vqZ85f-yo_1rmOt1-2cSvqE3KuV36XMI1SoKkBIazEdVTqQZv3YwEIy96Q9N-chumJCySXGC0kET2hoQ2S/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+182.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390990686053255666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad0ZVrGDz-pMqUt9ZJX1mvJCYk0_Yiz3vmPZSwoJZ1eTf1MPzjp_TvippC-vqZ85f-yo_1rmOt1-2cSvqE3KuV36XMI1SoKkBIazEdVTqQZv3YwEIy96Q9N-chumJCySXGC0kET2hoQ2S/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+182.jpg" border="0" /></a> Brno<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGwkPZYhUFQ3yNeggHAleeaDegXLObgKV5zynIfOwpypN5jveku8zfdILVXodlanOfDnFJlWyCN3_OyuzylqY8fz7XadPaEMgxTPTKwnSZsYfyShE8jNmU9R9MLUjt653FBA3Jitu1Ggm/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+183.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390990079000570738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGwkPZYhUFQ3yNeggHAleeaDegXLObgKV5zynIfOwpypN5jveku8zfdILVXodlanOfDnFJlWyCN3_OyuzylqY8fz7XadPaEMgxTPTKwnSZsYfyShE8jNmU9R9MLUjt653FBA3Jitu1Ggm/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+183.jpg" border="0" /></a>Telc - its centrepiece a magnificent town square surrounded by 16th century Renaissance houses with stunning and vivid facades.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMX6DKTUTxTYLS64_f4wAsp1TcLlPZf6lPMfbfh7i6LG373TVprcHbVKHptinnIOVYt5Nerdc2ogaLAQDbOIzHQWGjKEiH3gio4L5s0HZ5lZT00Yl7s_uc_OAB1tjxql6HPApjAu4yiV1/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+184.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390989495871614738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMX6DKTUTxTYLS64_f4wAsp1TcLlPZf6lPMfbfh7i6LG373TVprcHbVKHptinnIOVYt5Nerdc2ogaLAQDbOIzHQWGjKEiH3gio4L5s0HZ5lZT00Yl7s_uc_OAB1tjxql6HPApjAu4yiV1/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+184.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5xGJPBQ1MvvFqRnI0ntICNQFC4YwjHkF2OhdLkgiHqT5zFHVvfX9u8cZ9U4Wmmr09JEsJUQEXAnW1xxPUFasprwNv6teoxa9gKgIsxOKw151YZpFBCVGqBX7edErpJeEzaDwmMuLVJ2l/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+185.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390988970824089842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5xGJPBQ1MvvFqRnI0ntICNQFC4YwjHkF2OhdLkgiHqT5zFHVvfX9u8cZ9U4Wmmr09JEsJUQEXAnW1xxPUFasprwNv6teoxa9gKgIsxOKw151YZpFBCVGqBX7edErpJeEzaDwmMuLVJ2l/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+185.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_L8VX-JKzwNG-EhjL_xw2gGsjbTk_jUsCMt0DI3Z0HUfotVJqqXzR6FFsqJBbsU9QqQMRYQPo8Vc5i_kNe7oRa3PFHhHFRXAES80AJ4vJ4pJ4XudRHIXCztMGxhdsSC2XWQ-bmiFQJpN/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+186.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390988443511535922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_L8VX-JKzwNG-EhjL_xw2gGsjbTk_jUsCMt0DI3Z0HUfotVJqqXzR6FFsqJBbsU9QqQMRYQPo8Vc5i_kNe7oRa3PFHhHFRXAES80AJ4vJ4pJ4XudRHIXCztMGxhdsSC2XWQ-bmiFQJpN/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+186.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381995955773809810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 407px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEd8GkDCp5dKuXmJza4Nc1o0PXF0HexINpSfGhf1kLiwMnjE6hGNuXVfDhBhX6UMPQpOANerex0cGGQ2SwBcvPl_ju6h9T_ZWzBRRq1DxNT2wBA8tjz_mjwbWFKoPYRzsE5QrQMb8xfrL/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+187.jpg" border="0" />Ceske Budejovice (main square) - home of the famous Budvar Pivo </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnH_HLpEB9Ccbkgxv0ZhGLTliSlmCJ6S85LhYSKf8mn6otWGT33OI_DzRdiwEF8uKp3E5KNqeBBrEE89F-A2p-NSwXtDZmcf3N_Tp6mb0DDNY02h0ibmiscv3rPRnO1Rsa-yTdJ1Eo4Sad/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+188.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381995805269242962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnH_HLpEB9Ccbkgxv0ZhGLTliSlmCJ6S85LhYSKf8mn6otWGT33OI_DzRdiwEF8uKp3E5KNqeBBrEE89F-A2p-NSwXtDZmcf3N_Tp6mb0DDNY02h0ibmiscv3rPRnO1Rsa-yTdJ1Eo4Sad/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+188.jpg" border="0" /></a> Cesky Krumlov - a picturesque town on a meandering arc of the Vltava River - unfortunately overrun by tourists during the day.....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBW2PMLzWOoFnaFl1GjPWOcIHGdTcBd_PiSdUk3mQ3HHd3k2Ojzmw-R-WqLLne_qwH1REb7kjBBS5f6cxSX7aC62sWnOU4mJtdkz-dWfxRXTn8QCs1fJzHUhfB-i3lwGRIn-c1tUWdlxq/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+189.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381995647838534770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBW2PMLzWOoFnaFl1GjPWOcIHGdTcBd_PiSdUk3mQ3HHd3k2Ojzmw-R-WqLLne_qwH1REb7kjBBS5f6cxSX7aC62sWnOU4mJtdkz-dWfxRXTn8QCs1fJzHUhfB-i3lwGRIn-c1tUWdlxq/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+189.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQkBT7b4xZZXMwPXElOfKkTrZkJTyvYIJf3quoLCJh0jSYhJMKYKrN1uI7jzJEzsSwSEZxMU7mAcgEh-8o7TFA3kLYv-986c2YNje1vUDxKZik5G-XbvgYWzrc4gCb2CTpyoS6YLfl3Eo/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+190.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381995518782979378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQkBT7b4xZZXMwPXElOfKkTrZkJTyvYIJf3quoLCJh0jSYhJMKYKrN1uI7jzJEzsSwSEZxMU7mAcgEh-8o7TFA3kLYv-986c2YNje1vUDxKZik5G-XbvgYWzrc4gCb2CTpyoS6YLfl3Eo/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+190.jpg" border="0" /></a> Where did you get <em>that</em> jacket??? </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1ibIs8nbKn9V-fIryQfhjW_p8a33q2m-24L2u7y52Uor2exJZbVQGXBCRc4tQI3LRVvePodY2-2ullnxfPyYimrmRB75YVmp_WCJByCBmkTyt3nPaFc-PcsYPFt2U5Qk6ivQUJWR-8rB/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+192.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381994926710668626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1ibIs8nbKn9V-fIryQfhjW_p8a33q2m-24L2u7y52Uor2exJZbVQGXBCRc4tQI3LRVvePodY2-2ullnxfPyYimrmRB75YVmp_WCJByCBmkTyt3nPaFc-PcsYPFt2U5Qk6ivQUJWR-8rB/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+192.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;"> 1</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyqBK-16_cW19THXnolylGrzwzxG8D4sPlSwiMb1Ntv8RC07bsldqwrnt-x4uD5Sncd8-c2Y79VMTQ4d0MLbR47OyW00YoBRgwdV3M2NF2Gf44EhwjQBFYxyk5UvFf5WlKxHCkr_GqbKX/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+194.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381994701826442722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyqBK-16_cW19THXnolylGrzwzxG8D4sPlSwiMb1Ntv8RC07bsldqwrnt-x4uD5Sncd8-c2Y79VMTQ4d0MLbR47OyW00YoBRgwdV3M2NF2Gf44EhwjQBFYxyk5UvFf5WlKxHCkr_GqbKX/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+194.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>Tabor (town square) </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-1850383349864603182009-09-14T05:57:00.000-07:002009-11-25T12:56:08.973-08:00Czech Republic - Prague<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicapK92iAF9P_1j6gBXvCVnfEmY5AI8-ynX0b-sWrsorofkmarhF5Xn7t1dQXGHpXE-huhE3gewJOqPOhnfbk6Z0cxrfGRrDZudo3VgMtuvwAzaSXtChapo1WagE6fNSjhJMBZoRDPU-6t/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381312501248901794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicapK92iAF9P_1j6gBXvCVnfEmY5AI8-ynX0b-sWrsorofkmarhF5Xn7t1dQXGHpXE-huhE3gewJOqPOhnfbk6Z0cxrfGRrDZudo3VgMtuvwAzaSXtChapo1WagE6fNSjhJMBZoRDPU-6t/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+200.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Golden Tiger - one of the few pubs in Central Prague that has retained its soul<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJI_6DUv5IdSoSHIz0KCaB41xrxdDCkPm9zjPuUHW7lcH7JOqXmjxf3Hm6JlHWwjn4HFUiAudBDATW3F6Es9U3PLReRsCzcL2CfaHOTry6OcGVYKCbGwNnNr6Aq7BH2QWMSJ_SO42Wprx/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+249.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381312265799245762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJI_6DUv5IdSoSHIz0KCaB41xrxdDCkPm9zjPuUHW7lcH7JOqXmjxf3Hm6JlHWwjn4HFUiAudBDATW3F6Es9U3PLReRsCzcL2CfaHOTry6OcGVYKCbGwNnNr6Aq7BH2QWMSJ_SO42Wprx/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+249.jpg" border="0" /></a> Prague Castle from the Vltava River.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXCC2nTds8I_Pi8uy7eEerzxIYzKH5vhtpftqqzT4yNJvxr6lcsOKVNS-N9d7kCMKR2b5snEt1teZJfdkphaEywDj1edRnSkXDaV3cLWf_WM0XEvAyPbGpjfVHMysAyhhAZkrjjNmOeif/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+250.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381312058254672338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXCC2nTds8I_Pi8uy7eEerzxIYzKH5vhtpftqqzT4yNJvxr6lcsOKVNS-N9d7kCMKR2b5snEt1teZJfdkphaEywDj1edRnSkXDaV3cLWf_WM0XEvAyPbGpjfVHMysAyhhAZkrjjNmOeif/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+250.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQd1TMZheVmT-jQwX8tlMMOy8-0pcIc06DTCplBf4XNCg7vdWcS0Glg8g0ApN2ssVMu-g7qf2Z8t5xKDNv6fL9C3ivM_aPKI82ihloyF2dxxUfYUOR_a26yx1yPu1vYCZCh17wGp6Nk1t/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+255.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381311597327414898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQd1TMZheVmT-jQwX8tlMMOy8-0pcIc06DTCplBf4XNCg7vdWcS0Glg8g0ApN2ssVMu-g7qf2Z8t5xKDNv6fL9C3ivM_aPKI82ihloyF2dxxUfYUOR_a26yx1yPu1vYCZCh17wGp6Nk1t/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+255.jpg" border="0" /></a> We're the boys and we're here in Prague!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHYUYYQ6wjLHVDL1AaY5ACgO5H5KKC3i-gsqcHG_96o6nPGha3Amwe6uVLrHbUMFD9Ykq6H0xOnbOHyM4JBepsQFb2a0axbG8Z2nu1ditUlkErv3O4klx1gX2M_8eM1jnqf_Jg39Ql2nn/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+235.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381311393783966962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHYUYYQ6wjLHVDL1AaY5ACgO5H5KKC3i-gsqcHG_96o6nPGha3Amwe6uVLrHbUMFD9Ykq6H0xOnbOHyM4JBepsQFb2a0axbG8Z2nu1ditUlkErv3O4klx1gX2M_8eM1jnqf_Jg39Ql2nn/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+235.jpg" border="0" /></a> Staromestske namesti - Old Town Square and the Gothic Towers of Church Of Our Lady Before Tyn<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmneBsE1YIHwA6USeh3fo2GrOCGnfrg0ipFPstT2mP2fb3cL7z4HYiq7NcXDpnUh_1snc2yFmGwqtf078bEvY7MfGjijfFE6sDWH1pcton6nRKJG5wX3vOmRvbsoeKWtq-Vn6gZP57uSs/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+234.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381310139441151634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmneBsE1YIHwA6USeh3fo2GrOCGnfrg0ipFPstT2mP2fb3cL7z4HYiq7NcXDpnUh_1snc2yFmGwqtf078bEvY7MfGjijfFE6sDWH1pcton6nRKJG5wX3vOmRvbsoeKWtq-Vn6gZP57uSs/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+234.jpg" border="0" /></a> Crossing The Square<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTV04H0tTTLlmir8Z-V_52mUxDAYejQFINhmG0nI57EwEQtKwQJbkD3o_BZwLXHdTjaw3kMYezKgeNZHPG4RjpRbY1g9DmygykdICWstxV1rk42EOgn0V6TbGnwi73ypcNEmiPhOh0C5q8/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+236.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381309897915354930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTV04H0tTTLlmir8Z-V_52mUxDAYejQFINhmG0nI57EwEQtKwQJbkD3o_BZwLXHdTjaw3kMYezKgeNZHPG4RjpRbY1g9DmygykdICWstxV1rk42EOgn0V6TbGnwi73ypcNEmiPhOh0C5q8/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+236.jpg" border="0" /></a> House of The Black Madonna (The Museum of Czech Cubism). A fine example of early 20th century Cubist Architecture<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bJtFCIfjj4GwQc9SAXcG-NPKSdHxl-pKcH__tV2zNbtaufPVLwIOlhOpfnIKvDdId5r6cr6xPwZhD1rVlhBoJUYMWPtlISpf0UT7iyACd75IjF5rqMuam_WMLcWLv9APiNLVYjMJmmdy/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+245.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381309501692857794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bJtFCIfjj4GwQc9SAXcG-NPKSdHxl-pKcH__tV2zNbtaufPVLwIOlhOpfnIKvDdId5r6cr6xPwZhD1rVlhBoJUYMWPtlISpf0UT7iyACd75IjF5rqMuam_WMLcWLv9APiNLVYjMJmmdy/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+245.jpg" border="0" /></a> Almost unique to Prague, Cubist design makes use of eye catching geometric designs<br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ2k2YPFJR9Lq7Y2aEH1NytUphDDHQ2qI9Ngm38XYJ5GNAFqzoxmF1YjrOxYXpk2fXMFhC5Bv3mrPkP_QUhEpClhzfm_SJsOegsrxW7Y4opW-kaou062FaKuoCS1LkQoE4gXyjOJOCTMp/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+195.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381307929742456258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ2k2YPFJR9Lq7Y2aEH1NytUphDDHQ2qI9Ngm38XYJ5GNAFqzoxmF1YjrOxYXpk2fXMFhC5Bv3mrPkP_QUhEpClhzfm_SJsOegsrxW7Y4opW-kaou062FaKuoCS1LkQoE4gXyjOJOCTMp/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+195.jpg" border="0" /></a>Jan Palach Memorial on Wenceslas Square - a Czechoslovak student who set himself on fire and died a martyr in January 1969 protesting at the Soviet invasion which crushed The Prague Spring<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbikCfxPFAr0sRnBRNW09SWkatNerYXvofAIz54FAYwM02V_S_IIHFDDQAIZW7Aodjm6u6ZRKqtS5jM66yMcc1Voz-RCpFlo9UcLSa79kyILS_UtPgSk6_nKu4nB1TtuaZtRm0MC9Xk6j/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+196.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381307672410874914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbikCfxPFAr0sRnBRNW09SWkatNerYXvofAIz54FAYwM02V_S_IIHFDDQAIZW7Aodjm6u6ZRKqtS5jM66yMcc1Voz-RCpFlo9UcLSa79kyILS_UtPgSk6_nKu4nB1TtuaZtRm0MC9Xk6j/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+196.jpg" border="0" /></a> Filling a gap site from World War 2 - The Dancing Building (1996) - this idiosyncratic building complements its Art Nouveau neighbours </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N9m536qVKajQd5RuDtsymE66aZXkbgmXbFjBwx6x9oaTemARCOjC9A87sgkXHsyCeSuSAz76IIbUkrVtUoP_cb8Yq6_p05ZQBu95GtFQSzA5NSfEZKLw9zs2cmpo0f9mwYK8LwswMnfG/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+197.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381307198852128498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N9m536qVKajQd5RuDtsymE66aZXkbgmXbFjBwx6x9oaTemARCOjC9A87sgkXHsyCeSuSAz76IIbUkrVtUoP_cb8Yq6_p05ZQBu95GtFQSzA5NSfEZKLw9zs2cmpo0f9mwYK8LwswMnfG/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+197.jpg" border="0" /></a> In the dark days of World War 2, Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich a leading Nazi ruled Prague with an iron fist. Czech paratroopers assassinated Heydrich (June 1942) provoking Hitler's fury. Seven paratroopers involved holed up in the crypt of Church of SS Cyril & Methodius, ultimately they were betrayed. The Germans besieged the church trying to smoke and flood them out. Rather than surrender the four surviving paratroopers used their last bullets to take their own life<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5vU-sFihfdYtZvARqupfKL_G9B6U7Gwh6Nhtzxcq_FsAXnDWM9jretS5TnqRyjge_5fnOwLWvLOGuHveE7hUSrVPmhOcpH353x-YP-Y8hgrmf4ip_hNzzjXdBZLMrOfXsb13WdceXlSK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+198.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381307046955620162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5vU-sFihfdYtZvARqupfKL_G9B6U7Gwh6Nhtzxcq_FsAXnDWM9jretS5TnqRyjge_5fnOwLWvLOGuHveE7hUSrVPmhOcpH353x-YP-Y8hgrmf4ip_hNzzjXdBZLMrOfXsb13WdceXlSK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+198.jpg" border="0" /></a> A vent to the crypt - The events are immortalised in the film 'Operation Daybreak' </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfMprSIIF6qYr8BEITHesKGbfO7EDgYTqrRe2s9YVu-Gc-ISa7T-ISi91xWtIamrfEXKNOtM_nJKoWKJhcOEt9_-wyXaxwwogOvV1MdIc7uaX7FQZpltWSj08-HLITPJV-539-cFX4FGO/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+199.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381306859394568130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfMprSIIF6qYr8BEITHesKGbfO7EDgYTqrRe2s9YVu-Gc-ISa7T-ISi91xWtIamrfEXKNOtM_nJKoWKJhcOEt9_-wyXaxwwogOvV1MdIc7uaX7FQZpltWSj08-HLITPJV-539-cFX4FGO/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+199.jpg" border="0" /></a> In a vain attempt to escape the flooded crypt the paratroopers tried to tunnel out to the sewers. </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div></div><div>In revenge for Heydrich's assassination unprecedented Nazi executions and terror rained down on Czech civilians - a village unconnected to events unknowingly was about to pay the ultimate price..........<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-52231659541566774042009-09-04T02:33:00.001-07:002009-11-25T12:56:40.797-08:00Czech Republic - Ledice<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcP5DkX8jCH8wCM3YOxGhrsQFwLol-8khjLgL8ExrCagNFfi1CD3D-gvEYv86LrEmRcGKWRT0JnOJlrKeC_lHfe-nuoTs1sSC484DwvLsHWoLBnvE0Jly8-I3_WjzHvuaJ3nIbWyLUuwr/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+226.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377544693535546242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcP5DkX8jCH8wCM3YOxGhrsQFwLol-8khjLgL8ExrCagNFfi1CD3D-gvEYv86LrEmRcGKWRT0JnOJlrKeC_lHfe-nuoTs1sSC484DwvLsHWoLBnvE0Jly8-I3_WjzHvuaJ3nIbWyLUuwr/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+226.jpg" border="0" /></a> In revenge for the assination of Heydrich the Nazis liquidated the village of Lidice (18 kilometres from Prague). On 10th June 1941 the village was wiped from the face of The Earth. All 173 men were shot, all women sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp and most children were gassed in the extermination camp at Chelmno, Poland<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Lb0Z9dZGqV_M9BKdzZSFGdY4Poi7KhInZ3PkhTtZcqYWhFlEC7rRErDkNuHhvuYVukoMg9rEGh0jujTCLkw_JIhw3m9ywqqTn0rcDGMCeCO76eYLbaUfEwKG_8QAo2SQQxXoTa6qYb7u/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+227.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377544556832782962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Lb0Z9dZGqV_M9BKdzZSFGdY4Poi7KhInZ3PkhTtZcqYWhFlEC7rRErDkNuHhvuYVukoMg9rEGh0jujTCLkw_JIhw3m9ywqqTn0rcDGMCeCO76eYLbaUfEwKG_8QAo2SQQxXoTa6qYb7u/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+227.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Children's Memorial - The 82 children murdered at Chelmno.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYhWADdM7VvWP4tysydcF-FGlhewb-s6ohYnDwL91mMMRzr0TsoUmSr_gQ7ALtisbIGbFJUWqihIK-TJKuBw9KJFuuAEQ5ZPmWsncCBAEvuAuWb6p2yxsjBkgE_DpRV0ermJh30GxovkX/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+228.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377544399430151714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYhWADdM7VvWP4tysydcF-FGlhewb-s6ohYnDwL91mMMRzr0TsoUmSr_gQ7ALtisbIGbFJUWqihIK-TJKuBw9KJFuuAEQ5ZPmWsncCBAEvuAuWb6p2yxsjBkgE_DpRV0ermJh30GxovkX/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+228.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-MzEXbZYCsFkikyhKOdBDhHvMZYc0RK9R91tiCkjShTK9S8_WvY6hUsgbpbhOClMoVy-ekOnI-mj6Q5zMNEOO3I3EQIOBOSyneVNmLjId169hHRPHCxdZ8WXw7uHlBCddTd3K10Sa_ik/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+229.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377544233761773234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-MzEXbZYCsFkikyhKOdBDhHvMZYc0RK9R91tiCkjShTK9S8_WvY6hUsgbpbhOClMoVy-ekOnI-mj6Q5zMNEOO3I3EQIOBOSyneVNmLjId169hHRPHCxdZ8WXw7uHlBCddTd3K10Sa_ik/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+229.jpg" border="0" /></a>Remains of Horak's farmhouse - marking the village boundary</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ-LF5beH5_SexmWA2QztKKqfhjvEvNb0L1tXYgUA2pi43uWPrXck-DGP4XeUUMQGwDz6uWs_aRwuF5EsvrRL4pX7EQds-nj1cFC-CDd2hoBgNFnhlEwukKWut6dtBELObW-1S5I-bpCt/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+230.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377544042407087282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ-LF5beH5_SexmWA2QztKKqfhjvEvNb0L1tXYgUA2pi43uWPrXck-DGP4XeUUMQGwDz6uWs_aRwuF5EsvrRL4pX7EQds-nj1cFC-CDd2hoBgNFnhlEwukKWut6dtBELObW-1S5I-bpCt/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+230.jpg" border="0" /></a> The village church<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYIDF7kjtVwrpsOxxPVZKh285zePln9tMfV5mMa2uiLY9EDnXRRk5dR9RA4UQeH8vyRO7VaLglmPaCPly9KdooLVdwLztqBlNPu7AmdtzDdWv_ucMew51p3uZN6RGJzHeaekt8pBM1-7U/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+231.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377543913721382370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYIDF7kjtVwrpsOxxPVZKh285zePln9tMfV5mMa2uiLY9EDnXRRk5dR9RA4UQeH8vyRO7VaLglmPaCPly9KdooLVdwLztqBlNPu7AmdtzDdWv_ucMew51p3uZN6RGJzHeaekt8pBM1-7U/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+231.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pne8fMuzKXJKsxHIprz4E3fI5zyiH6XKuHhV-63uPKCVdCA6vvZXrm2cdzExpo8XCqDCNd9kkPTrhzjuoucz5qHYypANGqvd-2E5RZ_Rj_Kx_72zz5Z5TBZEaawB_AfJ01n5qyJe_m-M/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+233.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377543756310228546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pne8fMuzKXJKsxHIprz4E3fI5zyiH6XKuHhV-63uPKCVdCA6vvZXrm2cdzExpo8XCqDCNd9kkPTrhzjuoucz5qHYypANGqvd-2E5RZ_Rj_Kx_72zz5Z5TBZEaawB_AfJ01n5qyJe_m-M/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+233.jpg" border="0" /></a> The village cemetery was desecrated, all graves destroyed as the Nazis removed all traces of the village<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRRCHzQCEFhNyfrjbtT18Aa_nWG_ItclJDXxzUL7jHLJtny5N5sG0YSBdbv9Jd5ypz-SlylZSg2ZbtFFTkclx33USOsee__0OvV4TRE-VlC9U3StGm8DNtqGryCDMiv8ncT8OEB_janhi/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+232.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377543589717097570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRRCHzQCEFhNyfrjbtT18Aa_nWG_ItclJDXxzUL7jHLJtny5N5sG0YSBdbv9Jd5ypz-SlylZSg2ZbtFFTkclx33USOsee__0OvV4TRE-VlC9U3StGm8DNtqGryCDMiv8ncT8OEB_janhi/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+232.jpg" border="0" /></a> View of the former village of Ledice from the cemetery<br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239828632127839495.post-58585289596935336842009-09-03T13:05:00.000-07:002009-11-25T12:57:29.067-08:00Czech Republic - Terezin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc94Pp7DSaojG0aVmhAtaAncbjZtbHYhTslEHDbzMIBdQWHHl_U8ciGY3KGq9VB3aGpi13nHwJmD7v7CcMKxYDmw4uZW3IPKhyphenhyphen5_xhYwsPdVcpTUjNe10kGUqLuEixxm7ArcsVtwgU7ueu/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+205.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377529770505770178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc94Pp7DSaojG0aVmhAtaAncbjZtbHYhTslEHDbzMIBdQWHHl_U8ciGY3KGq9VB3aGpi13nHwJmD7v7CcMKxYDmw4uZW3IPKhyphenhyphen5_xhYwsPdVcpTUjNe10kGUqLuEixxm7ArcsVtwgU7ueu/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+205.jpg" border="0" /></a> Built in 1780 by Emperor Joseph 2, the fortress town of Terezin (an hour north of Prague) was built to keep invading Prussians at bay. Gavrilo Princip the Serb nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand (kicking off World War 1) died in this prison. Later in World War 2 it's use became more sinister, the Gestapo transforming it into a transit camp for Jews. 140 000 passed through of which 88 000 were destined for Auschwitz, 33 000 dying in it's squalor. Pictured is the National Cemetery in front of The Lesser Fortress - those exhumed from mass graves in 1945<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj9epZ-AlZUH_aPEpTl_Js7uB6lY_4scf8mWNQECro0x3spUWgtHA1FmIoJb2d0K5DMtOW-txxCbVW_h3SOyOfis056lJEuy8k2d3maZaNthSWipf_JRdCX_cbed__Kfy79Gkc6cbO4OY/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+206.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377529577961204914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj9epZ-AlZUH_aPEpTl_Js7uB6lY_4scf8mWNQECro0x3spUWgtHA1FmIoJb2d0K5DMtOW-txxCbVW_h3SOyOfis056lJEuy8k2d3maZaNthSWipf_JRdCX_cbed__Kfy79Gkc6cbO4OY/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+206.jpg" border="0" /></a> Entering the Lesser Fortress<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg012Gr0fU0CnW9G8OJWvO7GGxfasc0lJ6j62U70mHAHbReK55E0OBjSiZ41pFae3uPU1_1zrAceldx0OQ84LtpYgJKUH4TWOFK7Un7ogID6DF5PlUZ71FOrTf6e3P0NNkEFaIhX8ciC46Z/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+207.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377529296600225090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg012Gr0fU0CnW9G8OJWvO7GGxfasc0lJ6j62U70mHAHbReK55E0OBjSiZ41pFae3uPU1_1zrAceldx0OQ84LtpYgJKUH4TWOFK7Un7ogID6DF5PlUZ71FOrTf6e3P0NNkEFaIhX8ciC46Z/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+207.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Lesser Fortress has the melancholy remains of prison barracks, isolation cells, workshops and morgues.....</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BLURpp3WBOPBTPY1S_bon-s3ANE3s3ymQFwyV1noJe48z5I7yBNdeI97asWypqx6c-RnAX7SPwny9Bg6YYNwN4us-avAEUarfT94rEUoEO-LxHXtahwHfL2xB9kLnVzTmvGmxI6z9xL5/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+215.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377529120157807378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BLURpp3WBOPBTPY1S_bon-s3ANE3s3ymQFwyV1noJe48z5I7yBNdeI97asWypqx6c-RnAX7SPwny9Bg6YYNwN4us-avAEUarfT94rEUoEO-LxHXtahwHfL2xB9kLnVzTmvGmxI6z9xL5/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+215.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCKWBnAK1Erp6O5VdRlp-bfto101UgQuAclzJDIqGXGZDMYtRL6J3pBtMl8MHUy20qdcJkM8j2x2ZYoYOtQtCo2GH5_mi-yGR9jt5Jb6WY_dJgBF58fwF8zYQaK6LUCG9kcHiUfLbm84f/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+216.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528950845457234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCKWBnAK1Erp6O5VdRlp-bfto101UgQuAclzJDIqGXGZDMYtRL6J3pBtMl8MHUy20qdcJkM8j2x2ZYoYOtQtCo2GH5_mi-yGR9jt5Jb6WY_dJgBF58fwF8zYQaK6LUCG9kcHiUfLbm84f/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+216.jpg" border="0" /></a> 'Work makes you free' - Nazi mocking concentration camp slogan.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaJIPMtc44x26Yk2iWXSPBhyphenhyphen7mIDgWQ_11-45COVZPwKTysc6_LiULeGsC3ZQHTbMsF00XAuAngA9alp6tVG6xdaNlqd_Jvqn1a8bQ6XMIjCybUgI5rHGKsypBokS_fyiAPXAMYQgHIPf/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+217.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528828151840194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaJIPMtc44x26Yk2iWXSPBhyphenhyphen7mIDgWQ_11-45COVZPwKTysc6_LiULeGsC3ZQHTbMsF00XAuAngA9alp6tVG6xdaNlqd_Jvqn1a8bQ6XMIjCybUgI5rHGKsypBokS_fyiAPXAMYQgHIPf/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+217.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJsHkzx0YdgCvHUVMuHTEFAm2D80f-biLyu7DrftkzLyrU1GKIYstlLam5DS8HIE4LUgZwhmBi4K01dcNgTVvJF8MZBZiNFLtm3NQXkCElE9QxJcsnzmn5ZjyL1RHKJR7kLB5m0wlVG4W/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+220.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528687523588274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJsHkzx0YdgCvHUVMuHTEFAm2D80f-biLyu7DrftkzLyrU1GKIYstlLam5DS8HIE4LUgZwhmBi4K01dcNgTVvJF8MZBZiNFLtm3NQXkCElE9QxJcsnzmn5ZjyL1RHKJR7kLB5m0wlVG4W/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+220.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DsVNnEv1ZciH4AfwdpsAJxOYV9hnJH8XFrLeCq73KYZD64sa_ovuuvLenAQMQsAGarc8zXvH0OnH7J9cmZHl6AiHdHpR2w93M0YbqPihV3YMW_Dv8203mq-fD2_Lb6LHE_uejA3rE7q-/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+218.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528561017780946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DsVNnEv1ZciH4AfwdpsAJxOYV9hnJH8XFrLeCq73KYZD64sa_ovuuvLenAQMQsAGarc8zXvH0OnH7J9cmZHl6AiHdHpR2w93M0YbqPihV3YMW_Dv8203mq-fD2_Lb6LHE_uejA3rE7q-/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+218.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaaw2Nr6AAJldw5O6OiliniYLGCs9Il0YuSuoWrq0SZ95XpLRpMxSjTQ-oOUxHNg5AH1uW4S9v2KZiKXy2gfNhajX0m1j455Y_VJLyyLplEZjr2Eu399GMrikPhKzVYFXaccsKcFdEFFx/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+219.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528423188218066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaaw2Nr6AAJldw5O6OiliniYLGCs9Il0YuSuoWrq0SZ95XpLRpMxSjTQ-oOUxHNg5AH1uW4S9v2KZiKXy2gfNhajX0m1j455Y_VJLyyLplEZjr2Eu399GMrikPhKzVYFXaccsKcFdEFFx/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+219.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGb49_IC-LrUu2G6mpi67UZtglgV5U81tNAAbswpqXzLNuxpiz50wHVKi1ydqNr1ko0h4y844Kiq6NQh1Vgy8rKM-k2e-r1deoft4uKG2pgfO6sx2ETI8bo7YsN0DCC8Bvv1VKNauWRQe/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+221.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377528267647365522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGb49_IC-LrUu2G6mpi67UZtglgV5U81tNAAbswpqXzLNuxpiz50wHVKi1ydqNr1ko0h4y844Kiq6NQh1Vgy8rKM-k2e-r1deoft4uKG2pgfO6sx2ETI8bo7YsN0DCC8Bvv1VKNauWRQe/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+221.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhB47lR-V-kXm9E8xmSjB3vwQMGL0T0a7m4N-sUGiAM8BI4X2FXxwARXJS0hcsPi3BtaM84NQaL1BkRAhET4unW6hhPhShKK98uMQC5UIWnQ3IuRrsAaPkm18MPDrjUjP46lh6tJrMxmgK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+222.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377527777061347490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhB47lR-V-kXm9E8xmSjB3vwQMGL0T0a7m4N-sUGiAM8BI4X2FXxwARXJS0hcsPi3BtaM84NQaL1BkRAhET4unW6hhPhShKK98uMQC5UIWnQ3IuRrsAaPkm18MPDrjUjP46lh6tJrMxmgK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+222.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_6-dMd3Ux2zsqlAvnM5ct8RBqCKk-hgmSlumGZMmU8SDRxo0FArv4BV7VUI0jn_5xL0Pk-0Pa4ElE-q_eySCcAHy1Qw__xaLtbim-wco9yr5VFSW6erlkJjoi-orOqqg2zvBTtRgpqkK/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+223.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377527609982120834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_6-dMd3Ux2zsqlAvnM5ct8RBqCKk-hgmSlumGZMmU8SDRxo0FArv4BV7VUI0jn_5xL0Pk-0Pa4ElE-q_eySCcAHy1Qw__xaLtbim-wco9yr5VFSW6erlkJjoi-orOqqg2zvBTtRgpqkK/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+223.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsPB33i07pDijYpEqmcFjqM7h4p_N8GZfBwZrqNJ0hW_x4lFk3blq6s7xaiGiX34yWvAAIU1aAHN4ekEeWuSzax8CByTq_P5bG_z5-b79ahKEXPijVAUM4DHlag5pzRd-KUpAq_suk2jz/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+208.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377527361644341730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsPB33i07pDijYpEqmcFjqM7h4p_N8GZfBwZrqNJ0hW_x4lFk3blq6s7xaiGiX34yWvAAIU1aAHN4ekEeWuSzax8CByTq_P5bG_z5-b79ahKEXPijVAUM4DHlag5pzRd-KUpAq_suk2jz/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+208.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-wMO5gS7UUmrDmVcfQk3zyASKRHsKCg0Ly32d3LjXKfPv064jus-1_lir6uNFtWikiBUkRVQQc5jYHLajLvsPba9o5Rirkfy4MEB8sFO8XQEO15TP7QvWMIwTBVXvrPLvtVc6oVlcwDQ/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+209.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377527171895087778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-wMO5gS7UUmrDmVcfQk3zyASKRHsKCg0Ly32d3LjXKfPv064jus-1_lir6uNFtWikiBUkRVQQc5jYHLajLvsPba9o5Rirkfy4MEB8sFO8XQEO15TP7QvWMIwTBVXvrPLvtVc6oVlcwDQ/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+209.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji717MZfeMyFiqxYiqW2RChxCU8OpoJsUGR4Yh2bdf6enjiFqM8CUWI2S5a16A5o25TEQirbJ2CLQaePKLz0XbC_K_POjzN8yzUgR60zKf6DJ2drfaCOHrbo5L6P2fxcUA5hgXEWfbZCkV/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+210.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377526348082044402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji717MZfeMyFiqxYiqW2RChxCU8OpoJsUGR4Yh2bdf6enjiFqM8CUWI2S5a16A5o25TEQirbJ2CLQaePKLz0XbC_K_POjzN8yzUgR60zKf6DJ2drfaCOHrbo5L6P2fxcUA5hgXEWfbZCkV/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+210.jpg" border="0" /></a> The tables were turned at end of the War when Germans were interned in these cells before being expelled from Czechoslovakia.....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMRNxG0vnYtg7TpzRxnlKbsuEsDpioKXPWYUx5TPZ4zR_rkUGytzJ9bKnuJ22vASaillJF6B5f6mVJj-Xkac6DDx5h5gyCdjiM9mnxFBfQlXX5zYojZR-KCJE1OWOdcXVc_4F7taPSsPv/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+211.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377525993760814114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMRNxG0vnYtg7TpzRxnlKbsuEsDpioKXPWYUx5TPZ4zR_rkUGytzJ9bKnuJ22vASaillJF6B5f6mVJj-Xkac6DDx5h5gyCdjiM9mnxFBfQlXX5zYojZR-KCJE1OWOdcXVc_4F7taPSsPv/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+211.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioheppCLwa9je9bUOCyNlA4UoOb8mNT8RN2tqcYk1OP6qwpUzQ90mGMluqxkWgLSS6w8QMzCXlVrfTEAFYibXSpASGEJ6zf5HXMuVvpapQx3yPEoCBcYQoUnwZkp9FoG03Q8TypGAeLLfX/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+212.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377525786484577154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioheppCLwa9je9bUOCyNlA4UoOb8mNT8RN2tqcYk1OP6qwpUzQ90mGMluqxkWgLSS6w8QMzCXlVrfTEAFYibXSpASGEJ6zf5HXMuVvpapQx3yPEoCBcYQoUnwZkp9FoG03Q8TypGAeLLfX/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+212.jpg" border="0" /></a> Execution Wall<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhk_7H92VtlDjdBUN1RyPiSS-NvuuJz1Gsjjdny-LD_ByNlaN3l9srsHpm6ph_OqTWBxBUfb_y2kQNGD5mR9zKJxQ5NwEoPSt16fNv9BblnicVhbIScDHxOEW9svEeY-S1gKT21NtWC1i/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+214.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377343698976374914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhk_7H92VtlDjdBUN1RyPiSS-NvuuJz1Gsjjdny-LD_ByNlaN3l9srsHpm6ph_OqTWBxBUfb_y2kQNGD5mR9zKJxQ5NwEoPSt16fNv9BblnicVhbIScDHxOEW9svEeY-S1gKT21NtWC1i/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+214.jpg" border="0" /></a> Swimming pool for use of the commandant and perhaps his subordinates<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO2SLBBFfhbjMcF-gAFPKsYnDS8rbRMiVWyrzfXgXKl_K5tqII4Av9t0Pfu3WFqWKIe_qZuGgce9Mx5CxNQ7xmSMxMPgL2JMHpMY_eU0BCnVm5zs_exioYmmUdDrLtNBPloc0UIqNxWmB/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+203.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377342938640643762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO2SLBBFfhbjMcF-gAFPKsYnDS8rbRMiVWyrzfXgXKl_K5tqII4Av9t0Pfu3WFqWKIe_qZuGgce9Mx5CxNQ7xmSMxMPgL2JMHpMY_eU0BCnVm5zs_exioYmmUdDrLtNBPloc0UIqNxWmB/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+203.jpg" border="0" /></a> A short distance from the Lesser Fortress is The Main Fortress - Jewish Cemetery</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0MfJIon_Qy5gUa90QT3ixiECXE5ibnbAvl7vq1NeHcipkp5VL8GAsM_f_abDwU2M6w1KapJ-vNUkJayXatTrJZwwPqs0jRs_AAykFJvmC2VsN089g9UcQEUpsSxUHgoPL7wmjhrHLYR4/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+204.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377341923937603378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0MfJIon_Qy5gUa90QT3ixiECXE5ibnbAvl7vq1NeHcipkp5VL8GAsM_f_abDwU2M6w1KapJ-vNUkJayXatTrJZwwPqs0jRs_AAykFJvmC2VsN089g9UcQEUpsSxUHgoPL7wmjhrHLYR4/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+204.jpg" border="0" /></a> Memorial to Soviet soldiers who liberated Terezin in 1945</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7UCKsUDeFfJURTCyWPghfUkv0-GadxigzESdgHxprhQRVSdebzJEq56YfK3C28qeze_e7hkQlGG4VOls9_tQyOUZ4tFjs3AI90PYQ5ZBvEcCcB5t3NE9EDdyL-YzQRI4jflrxlx8wMRH/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+202.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377340850981233538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7UCKsUDeFfJURTCyWPghfUkv0-GadxigzESdgHxprhQRVSdebzJEq56YfK3C28qeze_e7hkQlGG4VOls9_tQyOUZ4tFjs3AI90PYQ5ZBvEcCcB5t3NE9EDdyL-YzQRI4jflrxlx8wMRH/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+202.jpg" border="0" /></a> Remains of railway sidings built by prisoners for transporting Jews in and out of Terezin</div><div><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTRMDHqP7A6BYgZHWPDdvoU4sdQJKQpvZmNRZ6AI6-tqB5LGMhzjmlj8x5bgyzKv4eO6mkb_BC5okqHsh4yDmbRFMQ11Bq7KOynrcAOsMAttywnz4DVq5nLGPUqfjB1m0UWhvycuRCdH0/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+224.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377336672542187986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTRMDHqP7A6BYgZHWPDdvoU4sdQJKQpvZmNRZ6AI6-tqB5LGMhzjmlj8x5bgyzKv4eO6mkb_BC5okqHsh4yDmbRFMQ11Bq7KOynrcAOsMAttywnz4DVq5nLGPUqfjB1m0UWhvycuRCdH0/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+224.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Main Fortress surrounded the actual town of Terezin - In 1941 the local population was expelled to accommodate a transit camp. This was presented as a Jewish 'refuge' with the facilities of any town. Many fell for this deceit including the visiting Red Cross as late as April 1945. The streets around the main square today still have an empty eeire feel.....</div><div><span style="color:#000000;">1</span></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmrdAINDFjSk3f7gKhedjWWX7v32yKQ0dvwHOb-MiYR37UaTBG0CcsmrMYV_xHL7T1Cb4CbYjvezdB_l4uE5S2XtUCWwARLjKoBXk1nHG9ssvQUwNz59W3r26jVRNtambkn4ScEPFimfV/s1600-h/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+225.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377335970472942114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmrdAINDFjSk3f7gKhedjWWX7v32yKQ0dvwHOb-MiYR37UaTBG0CcsmrMYV_xHL7T1Cb4CbYjvezdB_l4uE5S2XtUCWwARLjKoBXk1nHG9ssvQUwNz59W3r26jVRNtambkn4ScEPFimfV/s400/Eastern+Europe+July+2009+225.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p>Graham Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10064391301005440896noreply@blogger.com0