The Best Place to See The Great Wall of China

Wrongly convinced that the Great Wall of China is visible from the Moon I was expecting it to be just here, in front of the car which dropped as at the base of the Wall. Overexcited and tired from the long flight, I was searching around looking for a glimpse of one of the top things to see before you die. It was hidden among the bushes another half mile up the hill. Luckily, we used the chairlift to take us to the top and even then we had to climb high, uneven steps to get on it. Once I stepped on the Great Wall I couldn’t hide my surprise at how wide it was. So wide that I could see Top Gear organizing racing on the Great Wall of China! The only problem would be the large number of watchtowers which I am sure Jeremy Clarkson would make disappear.

Once on the wall your mind starts wondering which way to go, left or right. My local guide, a very pleasant and knowledgeable Chinese specialist in hiking on the Great Wall convinced me to go to the right, towards Simatai.

It was December, one week before Christmas and luckily there was no snow in China yet. It was cold but not unbearable. The Great Wall of China was empty except for me, my guide and for one very stubborn hawker whose sales skills were developed under Mao’s strict regime where the word ‘no’ didn’t mean anything. She didn’t speak English and followed us all the way to Simatai. Occasionally, pushing one of the Great Wall of China books in front of me, usually when I sat down to relax. In the end, feeling sorry for her but also admiring her perseverance, I decided to buy a book from her. She took the money and before I could say good bye she was far behind me. Trotting in her high heels, her modern business suit and laptop bag bouncing to get back before it got dark.

I was wearing many layers, new trainers and had a new Sony camera. The weather was excellent for taking photos. The fact that I was on my own and didn’t have to wait for people to move out of shot was an added bonus!

At the beginning, the trek was easy but the further along we went from Jinshanling towards Simatai the Wall gradually diminished from wide to almost non-existent with very steep steps and with loose stones and bricks. At some point, my guide and I were discussing the possibility to leave the wall and walk alongside it until we reached Simatai. It was a good idea but the fact that you wouldn’t be able to get back up, made me instead get on my knees and hands and crawl up to the highest point of this part of the Wall – the Wangjinglou Tower. All my tiredness disappeared once we reached the Tower and saw beautiful views almost up to the outskirts of Beijing. According to my guide the main function of Wangjinglou Tower was to observe enemies in the far distance. If the enemy was on the move, the soldiers would light a fire to alert the next tower who would relay the message along.

Once you pass Wangjinglou Tower hiking gets easier. You are almost descending towards the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China and once you are there, you have the option to get a zip line over the river and get of of Simatai, or if you are wimp like I am then you can continue walking. The hiking route from Jinshanling to Simatai is about 10 km and it took me about 4 hours to complete. I didn’t have any training or any exercise before taking this hike. Bear in mind that I had lots of photo stops as the opportunity to be on your own up, there was too good to miss!

We passed 43 watchtowers and they are great places to relax and have a picnic or, as some people do, have a sleepover. If you are young at heart, I would always recommend you to stay an extra night in Beijing and do the hike on this portion of the Great Wall of China. Most tour operators take you to the Badaling section which is the closest to Beijing and the most commercialized! You don’t have a quiet moment on your own and most of your photos would be full of strangers jumping in front of the camera like flies! The second option would be the section at Mutiyunu which is very well-renovated and not as commercialized as Badaling.

For the ultimate experience, book yourself a private tour with guide and driver and do the hike from Jinshanling to Simatai - it’s closed for renovation until next year but if that fits in with your plans, all the better!

For more information regarding hiking on the Great Wall of China email expert Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com  or check our website.

The Perfect Sightseeing in China

 

 

When you book a group tour to China usually there is not much choice about what to see and when. Your day is packed from 8am to 7pm when you are taken to a restaurant where the menu is decided by the government. You are usually presented with a visit to the Great Wall of China without specifying which part of the Great Wall. To keep costs down most companies take you to the Badaling section which is close to Beijing and most of the time, very overcrowded. 

If you are on a group tour your not able to see any current exhibitions in any of the cities visited, because there’s just not time. In the evenings, you are booked to see a performance of Beijing Opera but without any explanation what is the significance of any of the colours or costumes or masks or dances, so you’ll sit there out of sheer politeness and stay till the bitter end like most tourists do.You’ll go to Shanghai but you won’t have time to catch a world-class performance in the magnificent Shanghai theatre (the seats are so cheap too!). Nor will you be able to ride the fastest train in China, the Maglev, as there is no time, nor will you be able to go to the charming Taikang Lu district as buses can’t park down the narrow streets. 

However, on your group tour you will be taken on factory visits, so-called friendship shops, again earmarked by the government for tourists, in order to increase guides’ commission. Most of the time clients are get annoyed that they weren’t told about these visits (sometimes 3 a day) which can take up a considerable proportion of your time – for example, instead of spending some quality time at the Great Wall of China you have to go to the pearl shop and even if none of the group members buy anything, the will still guide get commission. On your group tour there will be at least 20 other people, sometimes 30 or 40, and just one guide – how many questions are you going to be able to answer? Are you going to be able to get close enough to hear them even?
For a perfect holiday in China, book your own guide and driver and set your own pace on a series of private day trips in each city, special discounts are available for more than 3 tours when booked together.

This is what you can see and do in China in just a week with ReadyClickAndGo!

Day 1 Beijing

AM: If you early starter get to the Tiananmen Square for flag rising ceremony. Later in the morning visit the magnificent Tiananmen    Square bordered by Great Hall of the People and Mao’s Mausoleum. Later visit the impressive UNESCO site, the Forbidden City which was a home to a succession of Emperors for more than 500 years. Exit through the north gate of the Forbidden City and visit the Jingshan Park for panoramic views of the city.

PM: Visit another UNESCO site in Beijing, the beautiful Summer Palace, and the best preserved Imperial Garden in China.

EVENING: Spend the evening with the performers at the Beijing Opera learning about this uniquely Chinese art.

Day 2 Beijing

 

AM: Drive to the less-crowded section of the Great Wall of China at Mutiyunu for a gentle walk.

PM: In the afternoon visit another UNESCO site and the Ming dynasty masterpiece, the Temple of Heaven and try Tai Chi. Opposite the Temple of Heaven visit one of the biggest market of fake goods in China, the Hongqiao Market where you can try your haggling skills.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner.

Day 3 Beijing

AM: Start the day with a visit of the authentic Beijing hidden in the local Hutongs. Don’t miss the Lama and the Confucius Temple.

PM: Learn about modern Chinese art at the funky 798 street which was formerly a military industrial complex from the 50’s. What’s fascinating is that several of the factories within the complex are still operational.

EVENING: Spend the evening at the Hou Hai Lake among the modern bars and restaurants.

Day 4 Beijing, Xian

AM: Fly to the ancient city of Xian and transfer to the hotel for two nights.

PM: On the way to the hotel visit the excellent Provincial Museum of Shaanxi Province built on the site of a former Confucian temple.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy the Tang Era music and dance dinner performance.

Day 5 Xian

AM: Visit the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors who were interred with the Emperor Qin Shu Huang, marvel at the 7000 individually crafted, life sized clay figures. Stroll around the Muslim Quarter and visit the magnificent Grand Mosque. 

PM: If you are travelling to Xian between April and October 2011 try to visit the magnificent International Horticultural EXPO whose landmark is Changhan Tower which has the characteristics of a traditional timber-structure pagodas of the Tang Dynasty: every layer of roof overhang has a layer of supporting pedestals with a patterned layer-by-layer structure.

EVENING: Visit the illuminated Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Day 6 Xian, Shanghai

AM: Fly to cosmopolitan city Shanghai for two nights and take the Maglev train from the airport to the city.  

PM: Along with the usual visits to the Jade Buddha Temple and the Yuyuan garden. I suggest you walk to the fast-disappearing Jewish quarter around the Astor Hotel. You can even ask at the hotel reception and try to visit the room in which Albert Einstein received a phone call about his Nobel Prize. It’s still the same. Continue along the Bund and watch Chinese people performing tai chi. If you are hungry you can either go to the 8th floor of the Peace Hotel for a sumptuous Chinese meal at the Phoenix restaurant with fascinating views over the Huangpu River. If you prefer something more western why not visit Cloud 8 on the 88th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on the other side of the river. The views are breathtaking…

EVENING: In the evening visit Taikang Art Street, full of art galleries, sculpture workshops, photography studios, pottery and woodcarving workshops, etc. Stroll through Xintiandi Concession area where bars, cafes and shops are housed in typical old Shanghai houses.

Day 7 Shanghai

AM: Visit the world class Shanghai Museum. Check what’s on at the Shanghai Theatre and continue through the People’s Park to watch the locals relaxing playing cards, performing tai chi…If you are hungry try the Barbarossa restaurant situated in the middle of the People’s Park.

PM: Continue through the famous Nanjing Road towards the Peace Hotel and listen to jazz there at the bar which has been playing there since 1923. Take the stairs to the famous Phoenix restaurant for panoramic views of the Huangpu River.

EVENING: Continue to the Bund and take an evening cruise on the Huangpu River.

For more information please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

Visit the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), India

When you’ve seen the Taj Mahal, what do you do for the rest of the day in Agra? Are the kids fed up with forts and temples and markets? Why don’t you try Agra’s  lesser-known but rare and uplifting sight, the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), a visit to which can be expertly arranged by ReadyClickAndGo on one of their Private Day Trips.

This 70-acre sanctuary, about 10 miles from the Taj Mahal, has been caring for many of India’s rescued ‘dancing’ bears for nearly a decade, rehabilitating and providing a safe haven for over 500 sloth bears who have been rescued from a life of cruelty and neglect as ‘entertainment’ for locals and tourists alike. Although the sanctuary rescued the last dancing bear a couple of years ago, the threat of poaching and smuggling cubs for bile production and bear-baiting remains severe. There are around 300 bears at ABRF now and several cubs, living in family-sized groups in large, shady enclosures with trees, climbing frames, toys and pools, enjoying air-conditioned quarantine and veterinarian facilities, funded by the Indian charity Wildlife SOS and the UK’s International Animal Rescue – the latter organisation is sent a team of expert ophthalmic surgeons out to Agra in May 2011 to operate on several of the bears who have lost their sight. Permission to visit ABRF has to be sought beforehand, and visitors are met by armed guards and forms to fill in, but the doctor arrives to greet you and show you around, explaining the work and history of the sanctuary, and if you wish, will play a short film about it too, although some scenes in it are distressing  but you will see only happy and healthy animals in the flesh. The whole experience is incredibly heartening, and will enthral children especially. You can also sponsor one of the bears here, and of course, donate to this very worthy cause.

ReadyClickAndGo organises private day trips, sightseeing tours and excursions in India, including a tour that combines the Taj Mahal and the Agra Bear Rescue Facility. This full-day excursion with your own guide, driver and car, entrance fees to sights, plus the Fort and the ‘baby taj’, and permission to visit ABRF, costs £52.50 per person, based on 2 people. More details are available here

ReadyClickAndGo’s wide range of private day trips, sightseeing tours and excursions elsewhere in Asia: China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore as well as in Eastern Europe can be found here www.ReadyClickAndgo.com

Build it Bigger in Belgrade, Serbia

In our post “The Newest Attraction in Belgrade“ dated 23rd December 2010 we mention one of Belgrade’s most eye-catching landmarks taking shape, a new bridge across the Sava River that will be the largest asymetric single-pylon cable-stayed bridge in the world.

The main span of 376m has no supports actually in the Sava so as not to restrict shipping even during construction, and the deck is anchored by 80 stay cables as thick as a man’s arm and a single pylon 200 metres high – one of the highest points in the city. The whole bridge including the main span will be nearly a kilometre long and 45 metres wide with 6 road traffic lanes, 2 railway lines and 2 cycle and pedestrian paths, and it is due for completion in September 2011. See more at Sava Bridge website.

You can watch program about Construction of the Serbia’s Largest Bridge on the Discovery Channel on the 6th May at 10pm.
 
For more information about traveling in Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

Hong Kong’s Top Museum in Kowloon district

 

Are you flying to South East Asia with a stopover in Hong Kong and you have half a day to kill before your next flight? Or, you’ve been to Hong Kong already and seen the major sights, and want something different? Then read this, and keep an eye out for new blog posts on what to do in Hong Kong, and private day trips off the beaten track.  

HONG KONG HERITAGE DISCOVERY CENTRE 

Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre opened in 2005 in a splendidly preserved former colonial British Army barracks in Kowloon Park. The centre has a permanent exhibition gallery on the first floor displaying, pottery, glassware, ceramics and other artefacts and on the ground floor is a thematic gallery for temporary exhibitions. This is a good place for visitors to go to obtain information, leaflets and guides on heritage trails, antiquities and monuments in Hong Kong.

LOCATION – Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year.

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF HISTORY

A permanent exhibition, The Hong Kong Story, comprises eight galleries:

The Natural Environment
Prehistoric Hong Kong
The Dynasties : From The Han to the Qing
Folk Culture in Hong Kong
The Opium Wars and the Cession of Hong Kong
Birth and Early Growth of the City
The Japanese Occupation
Modern Metropolis and the Return to China

LOCATION – 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Tsa Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Mondays and Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays. Closed on Tuesdays and the first two days of Chinese New Year. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve.

HONG KONG SCIENCE MUSEUM

A favourite amongst adults and children alike with its many “hands-on” interactive exhibits and entertaining and educational demonstrations. The exhibition halls span four floors all of which encircle a huge 22 metre high Energy Machine, the largest of its kind in the world. The Energy Machine operates at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm and additionally at 11am and 1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The First Floor Exhibition Hall has Occupational Health and Safety and Electricity and Magnetism Galleries and a Computer Lab where visitors can try their hand at various multimedia computer activities. The Second Floor Exhibition Hall has a Science News Corner and exhibits on Food Science, Home Technology, Transportation featuring Hong Kong’s first airliner, a Cathay Pacific DC-3 suspended from the ceiling and a flight simulator. The Third Floor Exhibition Gallery has an Energy Efficiency Centre and Mathematics Hall with interactive puzzles graded into levels of difficulty.

LOCATION – 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 1pm to 9pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 9pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. 

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF ART

The museum’s collection comprises over 15,000 items divided into five major categories: Chinese Antiquities, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, Contemporary Hong Kong Art, Historical Pictures and the Xubaizhai Collection of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy. On the first Sunday of each month there is a free concert performance in the Lobby of the museum from 3-30pm to 4-30pm.

LOCATION – 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Sunday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year. 

 

HONG KONG SPACE MUSEUM

Located next to the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Cultural Centre this museum is divided into two wings, the East Wing houses the planetarium, Stanley Ho Space Theatre with 23-metre IMAX screen and Hall of Space Science and the West Wing houses the Hall of Astronomy and Lecture Hall. From 15th November 2010 until 30th April 2011 is a 47-minute Omnimax show “Arabia – in search of the Golden Ages”. The documentary follows a Nabataean frankincense caravan, moving through Madain Saleh on its way north to Petra and the Mediterranean Sea around the first century. From 6th January 2011 until 30th June 2011 the museum is showing its latest Sky Show “We are Astronomers” which shows the latest methods used by astronomers to explore the universe.
LOCATION – 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 1pm to 9pm, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10am to 9pm. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Tuesdays and the first two days of Chinese New Year.

LEI CHENG UK HAN TOMB MUSEUM

Discovered in 1955 during construction works, the Han dynasty (AD25-220) tomb was excavated and preserved in its original site. In a small gallery are pottery cups, bowls, models, pots and cauldrons and bronze bells and mirror found in the tomb, and although visitors are not allowed to enter the tomb the front and rear chambers can be viewed through a transparent screen. There is a small secluded park behind the tomb.

LOCATION – 41 Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sundays and public holidays 1pm to 6pm. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Dec 26), New Year’s Day and the first three days of Chinese New Year.

For Private Day Trips, sightseeing and excuriosn off the beaten track in Hong Kong please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

Chinese New Year in London

 

Chinese New Year with ReadyClickAndGo

 

We went through Christmas here, then New Year here and there with a time difference of one hour, then Christmas there, the one called Orthodox, and now to round the celebrations off we will finish it with Chinese New Year, here in the UK. If you can’t celebrate it in China the best place to experience Chinese New Year is in London and I do apologise to all people in Singapore, Toronto, Sydney who claim their celebration of Chinese New Year is the best. It is not! 

My friend, Jenny Chen, a girl from Beijing, is excited as she is flying home on Friday to spend the holidays with her elderly parents who she hasn’t seen for the last two years. She is in a shopping mood and austerity measures brought on by Mr Osborne don’t apply during Chinese New Year. And why should they? I never thought about spending less on my parents when I was getting them a present for Christmas. And with my background they get two presents for the two Christmasses as well! Jenny’s credit card is redder then the lantern in our office that she put up to mark her contribution to the celebration of the Chinese New Year in London. She is sorry that she is not going to be here but also happy at the prospect of seeing her parents. 

This year celebrations in London are the biggest since they began in London. Apart from celebrations at Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, where colorful Chinese dragons, lions and acrobats will dance followed by loud music, you can mark the Chinese New Year at different establishments around London.  

The Victoria and Albert Museum set the exhibition of Imperial Chinese Robes to coincide with Chinese New Year in London. Among the many garments on show are gowns designed for everyday life as well as rituals, banquets, travelling, hunting and official royal visits. The Imperial Chinese Robes exhibition takes place from 10am – 6pm, Tuesday 7th December 2010 – Sunday 27th February 2011 at Victoria and Albert Museum. Tickets are £5.00 or £3.00 concessions. For more information please click here.

You can celebrate Chinese New Year at the National Maritime Museum with a spectacular evening of stargazing which takes place from 5.25pm, on Saturday 12th February 2011. Tickets cost £16.00 per person. For more information and to book tickets, click on the link below. For more information please click here.

The Wallace Collection contributed to the celebration of the Chinese New Year by arranging a special silk painting workshop hosted by artist Caroline Dorset.

The silk painting workshop for Chinese New Year at the Wallace Collection runs from 11am – 4pm, Saturday 5th February 2011. Tickets cost £25.00. For more information and to book tickets, call the gallery on 0207 563 9500. Fo rmore information please click here.

Find out more about Chinese culture through arts and craft activities as part of the Chinese New Year at the Museum in Docklands celebrations which will take place on the 5th and 6th  February 2011.  For daily activities please click here.  The Grand finale to end the Chinese New Year London celebrations will take place at Leicester Square with a huge (and free!) fireworks display.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

恭禧發財

For Private Day Trips to China email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

Sagano Romantic Train, Kyoto, Japan

 

The narrow-gauge steam train Sagano Torroko Ressha or Romantic Train is one of Japan’s most scenic journeys, and can be combined with an exciting boat trip back on the Hozu River to make a wonderful day trip from Kyoto. The scenery is beautiful all year-round, with cherry blossom in spring, maple leaves in autumn, and bamboo groves. However, it is tricky to piece together with the trains and buses and boats all going from different places – these directions will take the stress out of trying to find your way! 

The Sagano train goes from Arashiyama to Kameoka on a 25-minute ride costing around 600 Yen, and the boat trip back on the Hozu River takes around 2 hours and costs around 4000 Yen. 

1. Take the JR train on the Sagano Line from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama Station. This takes around 15 minutes and costs around 230 Yen.

2. In the same building as the Saga-Arashiyama Station is the Torroko Saga Station. From here, take the Sagano Romantic Train to Torroko Kameoka Station, it runs every hour between 9am and 5pm every day except most Wednesdays from March to the end of December (but check the departure times beforehand – you should pre-book tickets a day or two ahead anyway at the JR ticket desk at Kyoto Station). Car number 5 is usually the open-sided carriage – great in summer, a bit chilly perhaps at other times!

3. When you get off the Sagano Romantic train at Kameoka, you need to either take a bus to the Hozu River to get on the boat, and this takes around 15 minutes, look for the Hozugawa-kudari bus, or get another train from Torroko Kameoka Station to JR Kameoka Station and then walk about 10 minutes to the boat.

4. The boats down the river are small, for around 20 people and you sit on the floor on carpet with a vinyl see-through top in cooler weather. The boats are rowed by 3 oarsmen who are very skilled at negotiating the rapids and pools. They depart every hour from 9am to 3.30pm for Togetsukyo Bridge at Arashiyama, a famous beauty spot, and worth lingering at.

5. Once you are back in Arashiyama, the nearest station to the disembarkation point to get to central Kyoto is the Keifuku Arashiyama tram, about 10 minutes’ walk away, and which takes you to Shijo-Omiya Station in about 20 minutes and costs 200 Yen. 

If you just want to do the Sagano Romantic train, you can return to Arashiyama from Kameoka, and perhaps take a gentle hike through the bamboo groves and past some beautiful little Zen temples, or break your journey at the intermediate station, Hozukyo. The train runs in both directions. http://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/eng/index.htm 

If you just want to do the boat trip, you should take the JR Sagano Line train from Kyoto Station to JR Kameoka Station which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the embarkation pier. Note that the boat trip only goes one way, downstream, from Kameoka to Arashiyama. http://www.hozugawakudari.jp/en

For more information about Sagano Romantic Train and another Private Day trips in Japan please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com 

Mountain hideway near Belgrade, Serbia

Another weekend of very warm weather in Belgrade for this time of year (November and it’s 20 C) brought a huge number of people out to visit Avala, a mountain and National Park 16 km from Belgrade.

Avala was part of my upbringing. I would visit at least once a year, mostly with my family – we had vast numbers of relations who’d visit us in the city, and we’d run out of ideas where to take them and always end up doing a day trip to Avala, sometimes with a picnic in one of the many hidden spots on the mountain, sometimes having lunch in the restaurant in Avala Tower. At school there were day trips to Avala for every pupil to learn about the Monument to the Unknown Hero and as a university student I had some field work there, learning everything about the geomorphology of Avala and orienteering in the forest.  

The reason for the huge number of visitors last weekend is the newly opened Avala Tower, one of Belgrade’s landmarks, which has been restored and reopened in April this year after the NATO bombing of in 1999 which wrecked it. The original construction started in 1961 and finished in 1963 and at the top was an enclosed observation deck from which you could see as far as Belgrade and it was one of the city’s main tourist attractions. Today the old glory of the Avala Tower is restored and the views are even more magnificent. The only setback is that the restaurant hasn’t been opened yet, but there is a nearby hotel, the Avala, with nice rooms and restaurant, and a small cafe at the foot of the tower itself. Food here is very good and affordable. 

A village called Zmov grew up at the top of the mountain in the Middle Ages, and when the Ottomans invaded in 1442, they took it  over and built a fortress which they named Havale (meaning shelter) to oppose Belgrade’s Kalamegdan fortress which could be seen in the distance. In 1934 by order of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, the village of Zmov was bulldozed to make way for the Monument to the Unknown Hero, an anonymous Serbian soldier from WWI. Marked only by the dates 1912-1918, the monument also commemorates those lost in the Balkan Wars (1912–1913). The monument was created by the well-known Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic in the form of a mausoleum with 8 female figures, each representing a woman from a different historical region of Yugoslavia.

 On the way to Avala there is a Monument to the Soviet War Veterans, the members of a Russian military delegation who died in an airplane crash on their way to Belgrade for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade in WWII, October 20, 1944 – it was the Red Army who liberated Yugoslavia. And at the top of Mount Avala there is also a Memorial Park dedicated to the victims of WWII – so the whole mountain is steeped in the history of Yugoslavia and it is a very significant place to us. 

If you are staying in Belgrade we would definitely recommend a visit to Mount Avala or even an overnight stay there as there are plenty of opportunities for walking, trekking, cycling or simply enjoying the stunning views.

For more information about Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or visit our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

How to make Serbia’s favourite dish – Sarma?

In one of my previous post I explained how to make a sauerkraut in order to make a Serbian favorite dish – Sarma. Today you will find a recipe how to make her Highness of winter dishes – sarma. If you need any help or explanation please email me at Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com  

 

 

You need the following ingredients:

 

 

5 large leaves of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 pound minced pork or beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of ground paprika

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

2 large eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup of uncooked rice, rinsed

3 slices of smoked bacon

1/2 pint of tomato sauce 

6 tablespoons of cooking oil

4 tablespoons of flour

Gently fry in some oil the minced pork or beef, adding the salt, ground paprika, eggs and rice, and stir. Once it’s browned, place a large spoonful of the mixture into each of the sauerkraut leaves, wrap them into rolls tucking the ends of the leaves in, and place in a cooking pot. My mum usually covers the bottom of the pot with cabbage leaves first, to prevent the sarma burning and disintigrating. Once all the stuffed leaves are placed neatly, cover them with a mixture of the smoked ham which we usually cut into small pieces fried with the tomato sauce for a juicy taste. Put any remaining cabbage over the sarma and add enough warm water to cover the rolls. Bring it to boil and then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 2 hours, adding a paste of oil and flour to thicken the sauce if necessary half way through.

  

Sarma freezes well and can be served hot or cold.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

For more information about Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or visit our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

 

Day Trip to Oplenac, Serbia

The Hill of Royal Splendor

An unusually warm day in November in Belgrade gave me the excuse to take a day trip to a small town in central Serbia, called Topola. I had always wanted to go and visit this charming town to see its church of St George which is the mausoleum of the Serbian Royal Family, Karadjordjevic. The five-domed church was built in the style known as Serbian–Byzantium, a sort of oriental gothic style, between 1910 and 1930, by King Peter I who was a grandson of the founder of the royal family who led the Serbs in an uprising against the Ottoman Empire that had controlled the Balkans for centuries. The revolution was successful, the Ottomans were booted out and in 1811 Karadjordje was confirmed as the lawful ruler of Serbia and his heirs after him. At St George’s Church four of Serbia’s kings and 18 members of the Karadjordje dynasty are buried in the crypt, their tombs made of onyx from Decani in Kosovo, and representing the pearl of Serbia’s cultural and historical heritage.

The most important characteristic of church is the mosaic that covers much of the interior walls, made from Murano glass from Venice. I loved the huge candelabra which is made of melted weapons from the Battle of Kajmackalan in WWI and in the shape of the medieval crown of Serbia but upside down, symbolising Serbia’s mourning at the loss of their country at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389.
Entry tickets are 300 Serbian Dinars which is around GBP2.5 or Euro 3. The price includes entrance to St George’s Church (the curator is happy to give you lots of information in English), King Peter’s house (a small summer villa built in 1912 for his own use and today a museum), the villa of King Alexander I and Queen Mary (closed to visitors at the moment) and entry to the tower and Church of Our Blessed Lady of Karadjordje Town, dating from 1811-1813.
If you have time you may visit the royal winery at the foot of Oplenac Hill. Every year in Topola since 1963, on the 2nd weekend in October, the traditional Oplenac Vintage takes place.
By car from Belgrade is around 3 hours each way, through picturesque countryside. But please be aware that the roads are potholed and road signs are very poor in Serbia – most of the time there are no signs at all, and if you are lucky enough to find any they are in Cyrillic. But on the upside, there are lots of traditional Serbian restaurants known as “kafana” which serve wonderfully hearty, freshly cooked food and the average price is a modest GBP15 for a three course meal including drinks. We recommend MB Kafana.

For more information about a Private Day Trip to Oplenac and Topola or any place in Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or visit our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com