Ralph Krämling

Serbien – Belgrad

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The Secret Metropolis

The capital of Serbia is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Europe, so the sights in Belgrade are correspondingly diverse. I’m lucky that my job allows me to travel to Belgrade quite often. So I wanted to introduce you to the city, the sights and good restaurants a bit.

To put your fears at ease, Belgrade is a very safe city. Die alllgemeine Wahrnehmung in Europa ist immer noch, das es hier unsicher und die Kriminalität hoch ist. I can definitely take that fear away from you. I have never felt safer in any other city. It doesn’t matter whether it’s during the day or late at night, you can always walk alone here without feeling anxious. In general, people in Serbia are incredibly nice. Once I wanted to go out to dinner with a colleague and when there was no table left, a group of locals asked us if we wanted to sit at your table. Sure you have to like this but it was a great experience.

There are daily flights from all major airports to Belgrade. The flight is relatively short and cheap.
I try to keep the report small and just focus on Belgrade. I will post further trips in Serbia separately.

1. My top 4 sights

  • Kalamegdan

The number one attraction in Belgrade isn’t so much a single landmark as it is a large conglomerate of everything that makes the city great. Kalemegdan is a crown jewel of Belgrade and one of the most famous sights in Belgrade. It is a MUST to visit Kalamegdan when you are in Belgrade. There is something going on here day and night (especially in summer). There are groups of all ages who are either preparing for the evening or just enjoying the flair.

It is a beautiful green area and fortress with an impressive view over New Belgrade and the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The whole area is home to museums, galleries, restaurants, sports fields and a Belgrade Zoo.

From Roman antiquity, medieval Ottoman rule to modern times, the Kalemegdan has been a center of many turbulent events. It has been damaged and rebuilt many times. That’s one of the reasons he wears a unique blend of western and oriental influences.

Kalamegdan
  • Shopping street Knez Mihailova

In every capital there is the perfect shopping street. In Belgrade it is the
Knez Mihailova Street . Knez Mihailova is the residents’ favorite promenade and is located between Terazije Square and Kalemegdan. It is the main meeting point, easily accessible from all parts of the city. As the epicenter of culture and history, Knez Mihailova has been called one of the most beautiful pedestrian streets in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, there is one thing you can do best here: stroll around – but of course also eat delicious food. If you’ve seen enough, you can continue to stroll to Terazije or Belgrade Fortress from here. There is also a good mix of locals and tourists here. In addition to the large shopping centers (e.g. Usce), the Knez Mihailova invites you to stroll and to gain impressions of the city centre.

  • Cathedral of Saint Sava

The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sava with its ten towers is a unique sight in Belgrade. In addition, the mesmerizing emerald green domes – topped with golden crosses – are a real feast for the eyes. The church even sets a world record. Because she’s running low
5,000 square meters one of the largest religious sites in the world!

It is located on the edge of Vračar Hill . From here you can see the main street Ulica Kralja Milana. The location at an altitude of over 130 meters is of particular importance.
Saint Sava was the Archbishop of Serbia and was venerated by many.

The interior of the neo-Byzantine style cathedral building will also inspire you. If you look up in the right place, you will see a magnificent golden mosaic in a dome. In it you can see Jesus with his apostles and other religious people.

Saint Sava Cathedral, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Zemun

Floating Clubs

Belgrade is known for its vibrant nightlife. Party-goers really appreciate that. You can choose classic bars or discos like the Tilt Club or the Freestyler – or visit the special floating clubs on the Danube and Sava . The so-called splavs are very special, so they are included in the list as a little extra. Who can say they’ve danced the night away on a disco boat? Just thinking about it puts us in a party mood!

There are other great trips to Novi Sad and Cacak

2. Dining Tips

Coming soon

3. Hotels

Coming Soon (My favorite is the Hyatt Regency)

Canary Islands / Fuerteventura

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Canary Islands, Spain · Fuertenventura

In May 2016 we went to the city of Corralejo in Fuerteventura for a few days.

The planned flight with Sun Express would have taken 4.5 hours and our destination was Fuerteventura International Airport. Unfortunately, our flight from Munich was exactly 2.8 hours late (so that was of course one compensation ). So unfortunately we had no choice but to wait a long time at the airport. There was also a small problem with the baggage check. Unfortunately, my suitcase was sent to the system without a label. The Sun Express employee noticed her mistake quickly, but she was no longer sure whether the suitcase would arrive on time with our flight. After what felt like a long wait, our flight was still possible. Due to the delay, we didn’t arrive at the hotel until late in the evening, so the first day was already over. 1-2-3 cocktails and off to bed. The transfer from the airport only took about 30 minutes.

We came in Hotel Labranda Bahia de Lobos under. The hotel is a 4 star run hotel and you get exactly what you pay for the price. The hotel was very central in Corralejo. So you could explore the whole city on foot. Here you could like my detailed review Tripadvisor or under the category Hotels read on the homepage.

Impressions from the hotel

Excursions and sights

After we spent the first 2 days to relax (it was at least 20-25 degrees) in the hotel and in the city, we naturally wanted to explore the island and the surrounding area a little more. Around Corralejo you will find great beaches and sights and the city itself also offers very good restaurants and shopping opportunities.

First we went to the Parque National de Corralejo. We were able to walk relaxed from our hotel and get to know the local population better on the way.
The huge sand dunes in front of the city are one of, if not the most famous sights in Corralejo. You should have seen this. The sand dunes extend up to approx. 11 kiolometers in length. If you fancy a little detour into the sea (be careful, very cold in May) you can do this. The beach invites you to swim in any case.

A few pictures of the beach section and the way there

Buggy tour around the island

The next day we went on a buggy tour over sand dunes and the coastal paths of Fuerteventura. The tour was a “full day” tour. A nice lunch was included. There were a few stops during the tour to take nice photos and of course to learn something about the islands.
The guide on the tour was great. He knew his way around very well, had a lot of fun and also let us step on the gas with the buggy. All in all, it was a very successful day, which brought the island a little closer.

Flight to Lanzarote and the aloe vera farm

A visit to the volcanic landscape is also a must. Because of an “insider tip” we took the ferry over to Lanzarote. The crossing takes about 45 minutes and you can relax a little while driving and simply enjoy the crossing on the sea.
Lanzarote still has a very active volcanic landscape. The Timanfaya National Park is definitely worth a visit. The park is accessible via a well-developed road and it is easy to get there with a rental car. The mountain is still so active that you can grill meat over the escaping heat. The restaurant there makes use of this. The view on the volcano is beautiful. You can also go hiking here very beautifully.

Since we still had time on our way back, we made a short stop at an aloe vera farm. This is a very well-known product and is also made in the Canary Islands. Unfortunately the tour was more of a huge advertising event than a story about aloe vera and its history. For those interested in these products, it is certainly very great … unfortunately it was not for ours.

Pictures from the trip to the volcano and

departure

Now we were already on our last day of our little trip. After breakfast we went back to the airport. This time our return flight was with Air Berlin (Rest in Peace). This was clearly better than our outbound flight. Everything worked out great and there was also supplies on board.

We think Fuerteventure and the Canary Islands in general are always a beautiful destination and worth a trip. The weather there is stable all year round and you can discover a lot.
Attached you will also find a small compilation of the delicious ones Restaurants in downtown Corralejo.

Maui

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Maui – dream of all surfers

Here at Ho’okipa Beach near Pāʻia – around 20 minutes northeast of Kahului Airport – you can meet them all – the surfers and windsurfers. The best waves break here and we’d like to watch for hours. If you don’t have a surfboard under your arm here, you come out as a tourist.

Maui, Sunset, Hawaii



But snorkelers will also find a little paradise on Maui: colorful corals, turtles and fish in all colors. Wonderful places for this are, for example, Honolua Bay, Turtle town, Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve and of course the Molokini Crater – south of Maui’s south coast.

The island appears to be divided into two parts: a narrow point separates the island into two parts, a larger and a smaller part. The south is sunny, the north more humid. On the larger half is the Haleakala National Park with the Haleakala Crater and its fascinating lunar landscape. During the day, Haleakala often hangs in the clouds. Basically, however, you have a view of the other islands of Molokai, Lanai and Big Island from here. Already on the drive up to the crater they cannot be overlooked: the many downhill bikers who let themselves and their bikes be taken up by buses and then whiz down again in a rapid descent of around 1 hour with views of a spectacular backdrop. Drivers have to be careful because the downhill bikers pick up speed and shoot around the bend in groups.
Hobby photographers and early risers have something else in mind: They do everything in their power to be up on Haleakala at sunrise – for a very special moment and a unique play of colors.

Haleakala National Park


Although the climate in Hawaii is warm all year round, it is advisable to pack a jacket for this tour, up here on Haleakala it can be quite fresh – especially at the early hour.

What an impressive moonscape. Depending on the composition of the rock, the colors shimmer gray-brown-red or in blue-yellow-green tones. In the midst of this lunar landscape, in addition to the observatory, there are also some telescopes from the University of Hawaii and the AEOS telescope from the USA. We feel like we’re in a Jules Vernes film.

A complete contrast to this lunar landscape is our subsequent drive on what is probably the most beautiful coastal road in Hawaii: the “Road to Hana” – it leads into the quiet area of the island to Hana. On its way there, the road meanders over numerous bridges into a green, damp rainforest region and offers numerous wonderful stopping opportunities, vantage points and thundering waterfalls. It is definitely worth stopping along the way.

Road to Hana

Big Island – the largest island in the archipelago

Another highlight is northeast of Maui. The largest island in the archipelago: Big Island with its active volcano, Kilauea; the highest mountain in Hawaii, Mauna Kea with its observatory and the world natural heritage Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. And Big Island continues to grow every day. Where the hot lava mostly flows underground from the volcano into the sea, there is powerful steam.


The black lava masses can be found everywhere on the island. A helicopter flight over the seething crater is a unique and great experience, the radiant heat of the volcano is clearly noticeable.
Whether you choose Hilo or Kona as your starting point for exploring the Volcano National Park is a matter of taste. Hilo is much closer to the national park, but it is a very rainy place. Kona, however, is much further away – from here you drive around 3 hours to the national park.
When you arrive at the national park, you have two options: Either you take the Crater Rim Drive or the Chain of craters road. The latter ends there at the “End of the road” where the lava flow crossed the road in 2003 – a very impressive picture.


After an impressive day in the national park, another natural spectacle awaits you in the evening: Take a look at the clear, starry sky. The Milky Way seems close enough to touch.
The Southern Cross is clearly visible. The starry sky is incomparable there and offers a completely different perspective than the familiar starry canopy as we can see it from Europe.

Flights to Maui are currently possible with KLM or Lufthansa. Usually you can arrange this with a stopover in the USA.


Passenger rights

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How and where can you exercise your passenger rights?

There are several options here.

How to claim compensation

Consumers do not always need the help of a lawyer or a commercial passenger helper to enforce their passenger rights to delay, late flight and denied boarding compensation for overbooking. Completing an online complaint form on the airline’s website is often enough to make it pay.

Online complaint via the airline website

It is convenient for passengers to be able to claim compensation online. This is especially useful when the airline is based abroad. The following are some airlines where claims under the European Passenger Rights Regulation can be made online:

Compensation services

There are also some different compensation services that help you make your claims.

Passengers who do not want to have a job and are willing to pay between 20 and 50 percent of their compensation can call on a passenger compensation service. If necessary, the service even sues in court. Passenger rights portals reduce compensation for success by their commission. Immediate compensaters pay out money equally, reduced by their commission.

Some of you are listed here:

– EUClaim

– Flightright

– Fairplane

– ReplacementPilot

– We buy your flight

They are all portals that help you.

Information about passenger rights

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Chaos while flying: do you know your rights?

General information on EU passenger law

The EU Passenger Rights Regulation, which was adopted by MEPs in 2004, defines the compensation that international airlines have to pay to their passengers retroactively for flight delays, flight cancellations, missed connecting flights and denied boarding. Regulation 261 applies for at least three years to almost four years. The three-year period begins at the end of the year: For example, those who flew on January 1, 2017 can claim compensation until December 31, 2020 – almost four years retrospectively. Please note, however, that the EU regulation only applies normal fares for booked flights. Passengers who fly free of charge or generally at reduced prices (discounted flight tickets that are not available on the free market) cannot claim compensation. However, a cheap flight is not a reduced price – so the EU regulation also applies here.

Basically, a passenger is entitled to financial compensation if their flight reaches the destination airport with a delay of three hours or more. In addition, the EU regulation applies to cancellations made within two weeks of departure, missed connecting flights and, of course, in the event of denied boarding on the day of departure.

Of course, EU Regulation 261/14 is a thorn in the side of airlines’ legal departments. With the large number of delays, cancellations or flight cancellations, the airlines incur high costs – because the number of those who have already dealt with the regulation is high. Therefore, airlines often try to avert compensation by pointing out exceptional circumstances. But you shouldn’t let yourself be washed away that easily. On the contrary: it is then important to check whether there is an exceptional circumstance at all. Exceptional circumstances include strikes (depending on the individual case), natural disasters, medical emergencies, the risk of terrorism or bad weather conditions.

In these cases one speaks of “force violence”, by definition an external and inevitable event. This is caused by natural forces or actions of third parties and can therefore neither be predicted nor prevented by the airline.

Right to compensation for flight delays

When it comes to the question of compensation for flight delays, there is a very simple test pattern according to which it is decided whether there is a claim. We now take a closer look at the requirements:

  • Is there a delay of three hours and / or more at the destination airport?
  • Did the flight start or land in the European Union?
  • Were there no exceptional circumstances (“force majeure”)?
  • Was the flight not longer than three years ago?

If all four questions can be answered with yes, the EU regulation applies and you should promptly claim your right to compensation. Now the flight distance between the departure and destination airports determines the amount of the compensation. Passengers who have booked a flight that has traveled up to 1,500 km and landed late will receive compensation of up to EUR 250. From 1,500 km to 3,500 km you are already entitled to 400 euros. From a flight distance of more than 3,500 km, the airline must pay you the full compensation of 600 euros.

Englisch Right to compensation for flight cancellation

Flight canceled and now? In this case too, EU Regulation 261 applies and advocates compensation. You are now entitled to the following three compensation:

  • Right to compensation of up to 600 euros. The height depends on the length of the flight route.
  • Reimbursement of ticket costs or right to rebook a replacement flight.
  • You are also entitled to on-site care and support services.

In addition, you are entitled to compensation if you were not transferred to a replacement plane at all or were informed too late about the flight cancellation. In the event of cancellation, the amount of the compensation also depends on the length of the flight route of the booked flight.

Right to compensation for missed connecting flight

The third case deals with the question of what happens if the flight arrives late and you miss your connecting flight. The replacement flight to which you will be rebooked does not start until many hours later, so that you arrive at your destination with a corresponding delay. Regulation 261 also applies now. It regulates the following points:

  • Not enough transfer time between arrival and onward flight.
  • Replacement flight lands three hours later than the actual flight.
  • There are no exceptional circumstances for the flight delay of flight one.

Here too, the amount of compensation depends on the distance from the departure and destination airports. In the case of a missed connecting flight, however, you can only make claims if both flights were booked together.

Assert passenger rights

Where and how can I exercise my rights?
There are various options and procedures here.

You can find this in this article.

Flights in Times of Corona virus

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Flying with the corona virus.

The empty waiting area in the airport

What happens if a flight is canceled due to corona virus?

If your flight has been canceled due to coronavirus, you are entitled to:

  • full refund of your ticket

Or

  • a replacement flight (as soon as flights are rescheduled).

Since the coronavirus situation is classified as a new circumstance, it is beyond the control of the airlines and they are therefore not obliged to offer compensation. This includes flights to and from all areas affected by a travel warning or travel ban.

What happens if I get stuck at the airport?

If you are stranded at the airport due to a cancellation, you are entitled to assistance from your airline, including:

  • Food and beverages,
  • access to means of communication,
  • Accommodation in hotels, if necessary.

These rights are governed by the European Regulation EC 261 and apply to passengers departing from an EU airport.

Caution!! Outside the EU, however, these rights may differ.

When am I still entitled to compensation for canceled flights?

Flights canceled due to the current travel restrictions due to the coronavirus are not eligible as this is an exceptional circumstance. This means that this situation is beyond the control of the airlines.

How do I get home when I’m stuck?

If your flight was canceled due to the coronavirus while you were in a foreign city or other country, you may still ask for a replacement flight, even if travel bans apply.

Most countries allow their inhabitants to return. However, you may need to undergo some health checks or be quarantined to make sure you are healthy.