Unexpected stopover in Veles, North Macedonia — a raw look at post-transition urban life, gambling economies, and the visual contradictions of a city caught between past industry and present precarity.

A spontaneous detour into the mountains led to Kalavryta — a timeless Greek village with a haunting past, radiant nature, and unexpected serenity.

Driving north from Neapoli, I passed through Velanidia and its stunning cliffside blooms, then discovered the tradition of Greece’s roadside shrines—kandylakia—where loss, memory, and faith meet on the edge of the road.

In Greece’s southernmost coastal town, Neapoli Voion, naval history, working-class grit, and timeless melancholy converge under a cloudy sky. A port town with stories in every salt-streaked wall.

A spontaneous stop in the Peloponnese mountains reveals crumbling cottages, new hillside homes, a pristine church, a one-table tavern, and a mayor’s cat. Greece, off-script.

Paralio Astros blends seafront charm with history-soaked alleys and vivid village life. This post explores its restored facades, relaxed beaches, and the nearby Moustos Wetland Reserve—a quiet haven for a seaside stroll into nature.

Kiveri offers a tranquil seaside retreat with its serene beach, delightful marina, and a church rich in history and warmth.

A brief stop in Messini reveals a town wrestling with itself—between decay and charm, graffiti and sunflowers, vacant squares and small human moments.

As I touched the first finger of the Peloponnese, the town of Koroni revealed itself as a charming oddity—roof cats, lantern gnomes, alternative shopfronts and streets seemingly hurriedly whitewashed. A sleepy, creative town that shines quietly at sunset.

Escaping the northwest’s grip, I was rewarded with a jaw-dropping coastal drive and a soulful welcome in Sivota—a pearl cradled by turquoise coves and stone-laced charm.

Awe-inspiring monasteries balanced on towering cliffs—Meteora stuns with its surreal beauty and centuries of monastic resilience. A sacred encounter between stone, sky, and solitude.

A quiet day through Albania’s backlands: wild horses, unfazed cows, and resting souls with a view over their earthly paradise.

On the R427 near Bileća, the road ends—and China begins. Explosions, silos, Mandarin banners, and prefab dorms mark a deeper story: Beijing’s silent grip on the Balkans through debt, concrete, and control.

A blocked road near Stolac led to one of the trip’s best moments: a peaceful lunch by a centuries-old wool fulling mill on the Bregava River, surrounded by ruins, trees, and total calm.

A visit to an authentic fisher house in Valle Canal Novo becomes a vivid time machine—unveiling centuries of lagoon life, hard work, and survival etched in clay and reed.

A spontaneous stop in Marano Lagunare leads to a peaceful overnight spot, an encounter with traditional fish farming, and a walk through the pristine wetlands of the Valle Canal Novo nature reserve—home to elegant flamingos and quiet ecological wonders.

Caorle reveals its playful soul through bold colours, vibrant art, and the irresistible charm of a carousel in motion.

Behind Caorle’s iconic round bell tower lies a treasure trove of underwater wonders—told not by waves, but through the lens of a local diver who turned marine biology into visual poetry.

A windswept detour to Caorle’s old sea chapel—part pilgrimage, part construction site, part quiet encounter.

A surprise turn in Caorle opens onto streets that don’t whisper but shout in color—rooted in history, yet defiantly alive.