Most recent stories in Iceland
Skopje, one of the world’s least famous capitals, is the capital of Macedonia and a city with a rich history. A city that managed to preserve its identity even after being part of several different empires throughout history. Skopje has been part of Alexander the Great’s Kingdom, the Roman Empire, The Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and socialistic Yugoslavia. This makes Skopje a city where the lines between the East and the West are fading away. However, as much as it hurts, today Skopje looks like a city with an identity crisis. The city survived all these conquerors, only to lose its identity to the hands of a Macedonian Government.
Back in 2012, UNESCO made a list of the 12 ideal cities in the world, and one Russian city made the list but it wasn’t Moscow or St. Petersburg. It was Yekaterinburg- the 4th largest city in Russia. The city where Europe and Asia meet, the birthplace of the first bicycle and home to the shortest metro line in the world. The mix of stylish new-wave architecture and old rusty Soviet blocks gives Yekaterinburg a special charm, different from any other place in Russia.
Turkmenistan is a socialist, tightly controlled by the police, country in Central Asia roughly the size of Thailand, inhabited by only 5 million people. However, it’s a country with a rich history, and definitely a must-visit place. If you’re wondering what to expect when traveling to Turkmenistan, keep reading. This former Soviet country is home to the biggest archeological site in Central Asia, the former biggest city in the world, the door to hell, the birthplace of the Zoroastrianism and arguably the strangest capital in the world. To add to that, petrol is cheaper than water here.