{"id":107,"date":"2022-05-30T10:01:58","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T07:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/?page_id=107"},"modified":"2025-10-04T19:53:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T16:53:17","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hi there!<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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I’m Aleks, and this is my blog. I have a few hobbies and interests. Some of them are traveling and photography. So this is exactly what you’ll find here: stories, reviews, and observations from my trips, practical tips and recommendations, of course, with photos.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I enjoy both the usual must-see attractions and non-touristy spots, places where locals go.<\/p>\n

If it’s my first time in a new city, I’ll visit the main, well-known places, not explore the residential outskirts. Only snobs turn their noses up at guidebooks and well-trodden paths. I see nothing wrong with seeing famous landmarks with my own eyes.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Don\u2019t be afraid of well-trodden paths. They\u2019re well-trodden for a reason. If millions of people before you gasped at the sight of Notre-Dame de Paris, don\u2019t be shy to gasp too.<\/p>\n

\/Petr Vail, The Word on the Way<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I don\u2019t travel just to tick off another country. I like to visit some countries multiple times. I don\u2019t think spending a weekend in Paris qualifies as having been to France.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m more into slow travel. I don\u2019t make top lists of places in Rome you must see before you die. I usually choose just one main spot so I\u2019m not running around all day just to check in. You can\u2019t see everything anyway; in good cities, I often leave many guidebook spots for later. Sometimes I just enjoy walking the streets, sitting in a caf\u00e9, and watching life around me.<\/p>\n

Oh, and caf\u00e9s and food! I love eating. Street food, local spots \u2014 these are always top of my list.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I should warn you right away: this is not another broke backpacker\u2019s blog. Because millennials invented couchsurfing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never used Couchsurfing \u2014 I don\u2019t stay for free at someone\u2019s apartment. I\u2019ve never slept (and don\u2019t plan to) in a hostel dorm with 20 people. I snore \u2014 that\u2019s one; I don\u2019t want to hear someone else snoring\u2014that\u2019s two; I\u2019m not ready to smell someone else\u2019s farts all night and sit on a toilet warmed by someone else\u2019s butt\u2014that\u2019s three and four.<\/p>\n

I prefer a clean, private room in a 1\u20135 star hotel, hostel, or guesthouse, with just two conditions: a private bathroom and no strangers nearby. But that\u2019s a personal choice \u2014 I\u2019m all for freedom of choice; if you like something else, I\u2019m happy for you.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I\u2019ll never forget my first hostel experience. Edinburgh, Scotland. There were only six people in the room. I slept on the top bunk, and across from me was a drunk, fat guy. He snored terribly at first. Then, apparently, he got hot and took off his underwear, lying there with his butt right in front of my face. I tried to fall asleep, turned away, but he woke up, started counting coins, then dropped them. A clink across the room. Then he lay down again, and the bed shook from his weight when he turned over. I felt sorry for the guy sleeping below. Then, at the end, he stood up on all fours and farted loudly across the room.<\/p>\n

\/From the internet<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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That guy could have been me. So I don\u2019t want to create such discomfort for anyone.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I don\u2019t have articles like \u201cHow to travel a month through Norway on 25 euros, eating at the Salvation Army and sleeping in a phone booth.\u201d I\u2019m for a reasonable balance of price and quality. Of course, I know how to travel for two days by bus to save 5 euros, but I don\u2019t practice that and don\u2019t plan to.<\/p>\n

I love trains; I love flying even more. I enjoy the airport atmosphere, takeoff, and landing. I like looking at airline liveries, flight attendants\u2019 uniforms, even reading safety instructions. Sometimes I even steal them; at that moment, I feel guilty, but I can\u2019t help myself.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I don\u2019t write long-winded texts, rewriting Wikipedia. That amount of information is of little interest to anyone, and no one remembers when in 1723 Charles stole something from Clara. If I find an interesting story related to a place, I\u2019ll definitely share it.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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I\u2019m not into info-marketing \u2014 I don\u2019t give paid advice, sell courses, host webinars, send boxes, or ask you to leave your email in exchange for some nonsense. I don\u2019t organize group tours. I won\u2019t ask you to donate, and you won\u2019t get that from me either.<\/p>\n

If you want to ask something \u2014 go ahead, ask. If I know, I\u2019ll always answer and help. Maybe the answer will be useful to others, so it\u2019s best to ask in the comments.<\/p>\n

For those who are shy or want to talk privately there\u2019s a contact form. Fill it out, and I\u2019ll definitely reply. I check my email constantly, wherever I am, and respond to all messages within 24 hours. If I haven\u2019t replied, it means you\u2019ve entered your email address incorrectly\u2014write again or leave a comment under the article.<\/p>\n

English isn\u2019t my first language, so apologies for any mistakes, I do my best to make it as good as possible.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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So, what else\u2026<\/p>\n

Three random singers from my Spotify playlist \u2013 Ed Sheeran, U2, Robbie Williams. Writer \u2013 currently Fredrik Backman. Movies \u2013 any Marvel up to Avengers: Endgame, anything by Guy Ritchie, Sherlock with Cumberbatch and Breaking Bad. Seasons \u2013 summer, autumn. Coffee \u2013 black. Wine \u2013 Vinho Verde (Portuguese). Beer \u2013 in Prague.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi there! I’m Aleks, and this is my blog. I have a few hobbies and interests. Some of them are traveling and photography. So this is exactly what you’ll find here: stories, reviews, and observations from my trips, practical tips and recommendations, of course, with photos. I enjoy both the usual must-see attractions and non-touristy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-107","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\nAbout - AleksBlog.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/aleksblog.com\/en\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About - AleksBlog.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hi there! I’m Aleks, and this is my blog. I have a few hobbies and interests. Some of them are traveling and photography. 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