The war in the Balkans during the 1990s devastated the lives of hundreds of thousands. One of the most chaotic areas was the enclave of Bihać in Northern Bosnia. In 1997, two years after hostilities ended, I went for my first assignment abroad – officially still as a student journalist – and took with me […]
Stories
Dutch State of the Union
It is called the Day of Princes and it marks what can be best called the State of the Union of the Netherlands. The Dutch monarch rides with horses and golden carriage to the parliament to deliver the speech of the year, every third Tuesday of September, cheered by tens of thousands along the way. […]
Dubrovnik – for kings, queens and entourage
Approaching Dubrovnik from any direction and the first thought that might pop into your mind is – wow, this is like a place for kings, queens and their entourage. But even if you are less into gaming with thrones this coastal Croatian city will simply impress you. Not at least for the hefty money-making machine […]
Rovinj is Ravishing
A bit weary in the head after moving my body until 6 AM, the morning sun already casts light upon the historic facades of Rovinj. I finally head “home”. It is my second year at the gigantic dance festival that engulfs this Croatian town into Sea, Sun & Salsa for nine days in a row. […]
Eskilstuna: where Begging is Business
You might never have heard of Eskilstuna. Situated 110 kilometres (68 mi) west of Stockholm the small town made headlines when on 1 August 2019 it became the first municipality of Sweden to make begging a business. Sure, you may ask people in Eskilstuna for their money, but like with selling something, you need the […]