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Abroad, Guests, Netherlands

Adventure: Teodora Dobrilova in Amsterdam

posted by Dario
Sep 12, 2017 2029 1 1
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Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls go to Amsterdam and I go to museums

Everyone has heard (very specific things) about Amsterdam. But, shockingly enough, the city is not limited to coffee shops and the Red Light District. Amsterdam has culture. Amsterdam has spirit. Two things that most people never seem to ask about, once you return from the Dutch capital.

Amsterdam is heaven for art lovers. The National Museum (Rijksmuseum) offers a huge artistic selection, including works by remarkable painters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. Even if one does not care about these things, “The Night Watch” is worth seeing.

The Van Gogh Museum has by default the richest collection of works from the Post-Impressionist painter. I had the opportunity to track his development as an artist, to see notable paintings such as “Vase with Twelve Sunflowers”

, “Almond Blossom“, “The Potato Eaters“, and a quite a lot of self-portraits. The museum also houses the paintings of other artists, which is an absolute joy for Impressionism-lovers.

As an addition to the displayed paintings, Amsterdam also offers another way for one to catch a glimpse of Rembrandt’s life – the artist’s house is available to visit. He lived there between the years from 1639 to 1660 and to this day the rooms in which he lived, the workshop in which he worked and the atmosphere of the era have been preserved.

Equally popular is the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis during the Second World War. The worldwide famous diary is exhibited in the house, and everywhere in the building there are photos from the time of the occupation.

Amsterdam is one of the largest centres for grinding, manufacturing and selling diamonds. Everywhere throughout the city there are diamond stores, and each salesman will try to convince you that their prices are the best. In the Diamond museum, you can learn a lot about the precious stones, from supplying to determining prices. There’s also a free demonstration, teaching guests how to distinguish a real diamond from fake ones, like stones made from cubic zirconia, for example.

In the Dutch capital there are museums dedicated to basically everything – tulips, beer, prostitution, erotica, pipes, microbes and so on. Apart from these and the mandatory galleries, I look to visit three things in every city – Hard Rock Cafe, Madame Tussauds and the Zoo. I didn’t get the chance to see the animals, but I did feast at Hard Rock

before entering the wax figures museum. The only problem with Madame Tussauds is the location – the narrow sidewalk can hardly accommodate the enthusiasts trying to get inside and the constant flow of people on the outside. Once you’re inside, you have Salvador Dali, Freddy Mercury, Angelina Jolie, Adele, Barack Obama and many others waiting for you.

Symbolic for Amsterdam are the three Saint Andrew’s Crosses, the canals, the tulips and … yes, the coffee shops and the red lanterns (which by the way can be found all throughout the city, not only in De Wallen).

A brief consultation with Wikipedia tells me that the crosses “indicate the three merits of the city: valour, tenacity and compassion. Tradition also links the three crosses to the three threats to the city: water, fire and epidemics.” I do not know about tradition, but I will forever associate them with the slogan “Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls go to Amsterdam”,  seen on T-shirts, ashtrays, magnets, lighters and virtually anything sold in souvenir shops.

Amsterdam is often called “the northern Venice” and there is a good reason for that – there are over 160 canals in the city. Unlike the Italian city however no one has complained about the smell of the Dutch canals.

There are numerous boat trips available to tourists, as well as various kinds of floating restaurants, bars and even Singel, the floating flower market. The market provides an impressive selection of all kinds of tulips and, of course, other flowers.

I don’t have anything interesting or remotely surprising to say about the coffee shops and De Wallen – everyone knows what they are about and there are thousands of articles on the subject, found on the Internet. Coffee shops are located on almost every street and even if you don’t immediately see them, don’t worry – the smell will lead you to your destination. The Red Light District is exactly what you think it is. Taking photos there is considered bad taste, although it was not strictly forbidden last time I checked.

And while the aforementioned are two of the more prominent symbols of Amsterdam, it should not be forgotten that the city has much more to offer. The food is delicious, the canals are charming and there are art and history museums all over. Also, with the help of the wonderful Dutch trains, one can travel quite easily and without spending a lot of money to places like Delft and The Hague, which also deserve their place in the spotlight.

Oh and … beware of cyclists!

Text and pictures Teodora Dobrilova.
You can follow Teodora and her adventures here!

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Travel Blogger

Dario Dionisi



If you want to know something more about me – my soul is a traveler, my origin is Italian and my true essence is a faithful friend. I am always open to new ideas and will be very happy if you want to contact me at dario@beyondsofia.com

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Dario • Exploring beyond Sofia
Let’s dive in together into the amazing world of Let’s dive in together into the amazing world of Costa Rica! 🇨🇷

To many, Costa Rica’s charm lies in its lush rainforests, unspoiled beaches and abundance of wildlife. With breathtaking landscapes and a myriad of creatures – from toucans to monkeys to jaguars – it’s easy to see why. 

Where else can you hike active volcanoes, zip line through cloud-covered rainforests and surf warm turquoise waters within the span of just a few days? In this compact but diverse tropical paradise, exhilarating outdoor activities are abundant. 

Nature-seekers will roam thick jungles while beachgoers will sprawl across the powdery sands. It’s hard not to admire all the splendors this “Rich Coast” has to offer.

#CostaRica #PuraVida #LatinAmerica
Heading to the next stage of life ~ Since soon I Heading to the next stage of life ~

Since soon I will celebrate my 30th birthday, I’ve been reflecting back to the person I was when I entered my twenties, and while I still feel young at heart, I’ve evolved into a completely different person.

I must confess, I have mixed feelings about turning 30. While I cherish the memories and experiences I have gathered during this time, I have also however, had my share of setbacks. The most important aspect that has inspired me are the experiences that I have gathered during my travels. Meeting new people, understanding their culture and trying new cuisines have changed my perspective towards life in general. While I am still a child somewhere in my heart, turning 30 is a big deal because it is assumed that I am an adult now.

Here are my 30 most precious travel experiences before turning 30:

1. Exploring my home country.
2. Travelling solo.
3. Supporting small local businesses and entrepreneurs.
4. Learning a foreign language.
5. Saving money for traveling.
6. Making friends while traveling.
7. Cooking traditional dishes.
8. Trying traditional food everywhere I go.
9. Overcoming my fear.
10. Trying something new.
11. Travelling with family.
12. Travelling with friends.
13. Travelling for myself and not social media.
14. Going out my comfort zone -  uncomfortable makes life more comfortable.
15. Living in a foreign country.
16. Packing like a pro.
17. Visiting my (some of) dream destinations.
18. Falling in love in a foreign country.
19. Blending in with different cultures.
20. Taking a piece of every place with me.
21. Learning to say no (in different languages).
22. Learning to take decent pictures.
23. Documenting my trips.
24. Valuing experiences.
25. Making memories.
26. Rediscovering my favourite places.
27. Planning elaborate itineraries
28. Keeping it positive and never regretting to have climbed that mountain.
29. Some people around the world are born disadvantaged, not biologically, but socially.
30. Realising that the most incredible thing I can witness happens twice a day, and it’s free.

#life #20 #30
Your positive friendly reminder… Travel is, at Your positive friendly reminder…

Travel is, at its very essence, a tool – nothing more… nothing less. Broken down to its very essence, it becomes an instrument to fulfil our desires, attain new experiences and to discover a difference that is at least a step away from our local surroundings.

One thing that we can often forget is that travel also has the added benefit of helping us build a pretty solid amount of confidence too, something that we all stand to benefit from in the long-term, in our own personal development.

Follow this 5 simple steps and enjoy the best ways to develop your confidence, which can be learned whilst travelling:

✅ Be positive
✅ Embrace strengths
✅ Acknowledge weakness
✅ Listen to your head and heart
✅ Be an assertive traveller

#travelling #positivethoughts #confidence
The Life of a Traveler: What It Is Really Like Ha The Life of a Traveler: What It Is Really Like

Have you ever wondered what it is really like to travel often? Living the life of a traveler is full of paradoxes. Full of strange feelings. Full of grandiosity. Let me tell you what traveling is really like.

Choosing this life is more than a temporary escape. It will completely and entirely transform who you are.

So are you prepared for a journey of beauty, adventure and heartbreak? Read the next few rows.

✔️ Traveling is saying yes to life.
✔️ Uncertainty is a traveler’s homeland.
✔️ Traveling is a life of extremes.
✔️ About the unknown driving force.
✔️ Discomfort as a teacher.
✔️ Traveling is falling in love deeply with the world.
✔️ Always a stranger, but at home in the world.
✔️ Experiencing exhilarating freedom.
✔️ Understanding different perspectives.
✔️ In the life of a traveler, nothing lasts.
✔️ Travel teaches you everything.

This is what the life of a traveler is like: Be courageous. Follow the calling of your heart. It will lead you to a million places you would have never expected. And you will grow big. You will grow beautiful. You will grow so full of life it will make your heart burst with happiness. Some of us simply belong to the road.

#lifeofatraveler #travelthoughts #travelinspiration
The magic of Spain 🇪🇸 Double trouble - Dou The magic of Spain 🇪🇸 

Double trouble - Double S

Dive in the magnificent atmosphere of Segovia and Salamanca - two unique, original and beautiful cities 🌆
Photo dump Spain 🇪🇸 ⚔️ Portugal 🇵🇹 Photo dump Spain 🇪🇸 ⚔️ Portugal 🇵🇹 

#Spain #Portugal #adventure
Dear Portugal, I would never have pointed to a ma Dear Portugal,

I would never have pointed to a map and picked you. I wasn’t sure we would even like each other. I came with only a few belongings and even fewer expectations. But I had the desire to get to know you and see if I would stay. And like two people making an acquaintance at a dinner party, we searched for commonalities: exploring, an insatiable appetite for rice and seafood, a bond to the earth and the sea.

At first I fell for the little things. The promise of discovering new things every single day. That dazed feeling after a few glasses of fruity vinho verde. The melancholy while listening to Fado music. The rissois, natas and feijoada, the melt-in-your-mouth queijo fresco, delectable sardinha and unforgettable bacalhau. And surprisingly, even lamprey and percebe.

I loved the quiet irony of your lavish, impressive buildings next to your ancient, dilapidated houses. I even adored your temperamental weather, sunny in the morning and sometimes tempestuous in the afternoon.

And I loved your people. The grandmas dressed in black with their soft faces and culinary secrets. The fishermen with their old fashioned hats. The shopkeepers who actually mean it when they say “obrigada.”

And then I began to love you for your words, and the new feelings they gave name to.  For that elusive feeling of saudade –– untranslatable but described so accurately by the Portuguese writer Manuel de Melo: “a pleasure you suffer, an ailment you enjoy.” Or the chamego — the sense of intimacy, infatuation, and cuddling, all in one word.

Of course, there are things about you that I will probably never understand. You’re an old soul and I’m too juvenile. I’m impulsive whereas you are cautious and pensive. I have this incessant desire to be happy, but you have this habit of enjoying being triste.

But I’ve lived many lives in different parts of the world, I’ve been running around, not caring where I rest my head, not knowing where I’d end up. Perhaps I met you, Portugal, because something inside me had really been crying out for stillness, for a safe haven where I could finally become myself.

#Portugal #loveletter #Lisbon #porto
At the very lowest point on earth lies a natural w At the very lowest point on earth lies a natural wonder replete with a unique ecosystem, breathtaking desert views, and mineral treasures that have been attracting visitors for thousands of years: The Dead Sea. 

Located in the desert between Jordan and Israel, it is also the world’s deepest hypersaline lake. Although the high salinity of the water makes it almost impossible to dive.

#Jordan #sea #lake
Jordan’s Photo Dump 🇯🇴 #Jordan #album #A Jordan’s Photo Dump 🇯🇴 

#Jordan #album #Asia
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