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MY WORLD

Simo Jelača, Ph.D.

GERMANY – THE COUNTRY OF A WORKING NATION

Germany is a country of unique culture and history, but also of natural beauty and elegance. In terms of population, it is the first in Europe, with about 82 million inhabitants. Life in Germany is modern and cosmopolitan. Germany is a country of traditional festivals, classical music and good cuisine complemented by wines. It is the homeland of famous poets (Goethe) and musicians (Bach, Beethoven) and has over 370 higher education institutions. Its regions are specific, depending on the natural wealth and economic achievements. Germany can be viewed by region: Central, rich in history; North, as the Siemens region; Eastern, with a highly developed culture; Western, as the richest; and the South, a region of magical nature.

The Black Forest is a region of alpine beauty, dense forests, mountain waterfalls and small villages. The Bavarian Forest is a region of beautiful castles, historical ruins, and beautiful natural landscapes. Bavarian breweries and the production of glass and porcelain are famous. Munich is famous for its Oktoberfest. The Rhine Valley is a part of untouched nature, a historically famous region that represents Germany in many ways. The natural beauties around the Danube, the Rhine and the Elbe are a paradise for the eyes. Cathedrals, monasteries, town houses, castles and fortifications attract many tourists from around the world. The North Sea is also a tourist area, with numerous parks and spas, and the hilly areas are suitable for plantation vineyards and wine production.

Berlin and Frankfurt are cities of rapid development, while Heidelberg is a picturesque city of charm and silence, and the oldest university center. The narrow stone-paved streets are pleasant for walks. Berlin is the largest city and capital of Germany, a city with a sobering history. Munich, in addition to beer, is a city of museums, architecture and landscapes. Hamburg, the second largest, the largest German seaport, is called the "Venice of the North '' because of its numerous canals and is considered the Gateway to the World. As a port city, it has hundreds of night clubs. Cologne is one of the older cities, over 2000 years old, it is known for its rich architecture, with around thirty museums and a hundred galleries. It even has a chocolate museum. Stuttgart abounds in green spaces, galleries and theaters. There is also a Mercedes car museum, and the Mercedes factories are in the neighboring town of Sindelfingen. Dusseldorf is a city of high fashion, a real mecca for world-class designers and buyers, with over 800 showrooms and numerous boutiques. In Dusseldorf, the most famous fashion street is Konigsallee, where there are numerous galleries. In Dusseldorf it is nice to sit with a beer, watch the Rhine and enjoy. In Dusseldorf, however, the author experienced an inconvenience that he reluctantly remembers, the day after the construction of the Berlin Wall, on August 13, 1961, but he believes that this event has no place here and on this occasion.

The author stayed in Dusseldorf for the first time, on an internship, in 1961. He entered Germany three days after the Berlin Wall was erected in Berlin, which greatly disturbed the Germans. In Sindelfingen he visited the Mercedes car factory. Later, he visited Germany on several occasions, officially.

AUSTRIA

Austria is a beautiful, attractive country, especially in the Alps with many ski areas and excursion destinations. The main destinations in Austria are Vienna and Salzburg. In Vienna, the most attractive are Schönbrunn Castle, Hofburg Palace, the Vienna Opera, the Spanish Lipizzaner Riding School and many museums, and the building of the United Nations for Industrial Development UNIDO, which is also called UNO City. Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Mozart, is completely subordinated to him through museums: "Mozart's Birthplace"; "Mozart Residence" and "Mozart Square". A music concert dedicated to Mozart is held every year in Salzburg: "Mozart Week" (Jan-Feb) and "Mozart Festival" (Jun-Aug).

Schönbrunn, the castle of the Austrian monarchy, was built in the sixteenth century, has 118 rooms decorated with paintings by famous world masters and with beautiful gardens around the castle, as well as a fountain in an artificial lake. Schönbrunn is visited by tourists from all over the world during all months of the year. In it, you can hear all the world's languages and see the most diverse costumes of different nationalities. From the hill in front of the castle, there is a magnificent view of the beautiful city of Vienna, behind which is the blue Danube, which flows through Austria with a length of 350 kilometers. On the opposite side of the Danube, are the hilly terrains around Vienna, where there are well-kept vineyards and vineyards, where good wines are produced.

Hofburg Palace is the centuries-old seat of the Austrian monarchy, and now the President of the country, with 2,600 rooms, in which architectural styles stand out: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classicism. It covers an area of 59 acres, with beautiful gardens full of flowers. Vienna also has a famous Central Park with a monument to Mozart with a violin. In Vienna, the Prater can be seen from a great distance, around which a mass of tourists always gathers. The city also abounds with a multitude of beautifully decorated shops for all kinds of goods, primarily catering to tourists, but also to domestic goods. Vienna is known to the whole world for its New Year's concert, which is broadcast every first January as a replay from the concert hall, decorated with the most beautiful flowers, arranged by the world's famous masters of horticulture. Vienna's history is an unpleasant period for Serbia, which was unjustly accused as the cause of the First World War and thus caused severe consequences. The author stayed in Vienna several times, mostly while working for UNIDO. The first time when going to Poland, and later several times while working for UNIDO. On one occasion, he was a member of the Yugoslav delegation for the EFTA countries, at a meeting in Vienna, when Milorad Unković was the head of the delegation.

POLAND – LAND OF HOSPITALITY

Poland is a country that is not nearly as rich in natural beauty as can be seen in Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, in a word in Yugoslavia, but in Poland at every step one encounters hospitality that can rarely be experienced anywhere. Poles are a world that has suffered a lot throughout history, just like other Slavic peoples, so I guess that's where they got those high human habits of welcoming every well-wisher. The Goplana chocolate factory in Poznań, with 1,600 employees at the time, hosted the author, who experienced Poland like no other country in the world, hospitable, full of youth with pronounced zest and a land of sincere love. When they found out who their guest was, eighty of them together with him gave blood for Skopje, which was killed by the earthquake. And is there anything greater and more honorable than giving your own blood to your friends, probably not.

In the Vinogradi student center, Halina, Adelina, Roma, Domicela and Jana worked and hosted, and they remained unforgettable. They took us to the opera to see Halka from Monjuški. We visited the local parks, lakes and forests with them. We had a great time with them. They took us on an excursion, during which we visited Krakow, the city of monasteries and museums, Warsaw, the capital with all its beauty and sights, and then stayed in an abandoned mine that was converted into underground sports halls. Before leaving for Warsaw, we spent one day in Krakow, where we visited numerous sights of that ancient city. At Sevru, we visited the shipyard in Gdańsk, and then visited Gdynia and enjoyed the beauty of Sopot. Sopot is an extremely beautiful, pleasant town, and it was sunny and warm. We swam in the Baltic Sea, which for Swedes is the south, although the water was still cold for us southerners.

In Warsaw, we experienced a pleasant meeting of two twin brothers, who were separated by the war when they were babies. One grew up in Poland and felt Polish, and the other in East Germany and felt German. Neither of them knew the language of the twin brother, and they looked at each other like an egg. When they met and hugged for the first time in their lives, we all cried.

The author visited Poland for the first time in 1963, when he spent two months working at the "Goplana" chocolate factory in Poznań. The second time he stayed in Warsaw, as a member of the Yugoslav delegation of the Institute of Food Industry.

GREECE – LAND OF THE GODS AND DEMOCRACY

Greece, the land of the gods Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, the goddess Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena and others, on the shores of the Ionian, Aegean, Cretan and Mediterranean seas, and Athens, the city of wealth with the Parthenon almost in the center of the city and Thessaloniki, the shopping mecca, spread many tourists await every summer. There are many islands in the Aegean Sea, they say 3000, among which are Mykonos, Skiathos, Corfu, Rhodes, Kefalonia, Patros, Thassos, the phenomenal Santorini and many others.

Greece is the birthplace of democracy, the land of sun and sea, legends, olives and music. Natural beauty adorns it wherever one goes. And its historical and cultural past is of inestimable value for all civilizations of the world. Tourism is its main economic branch, from which the largest number of Greeks live.

The sandy beaches of the Halkidiki peninsula, with the turquoise-blue color of the sea and the green surrounding forests are a real paradise for visitors. Thassos is considered a green island of incredible natural beauty and the seat of good people. Kefalonia is said to be a paradise for adventurers, where there is good wine. Corfu is a royal island with beautiful beaches, and the small island of Vido guards the Blue Tomb of Serbian warriors. Santorini is a god-given island for lovers, with the most attractive landscapes and the most beautiful sunsets. The white houses with blue windows and church roofs of Santorini are an unreal contrast of natural beauty and an inspiration to many artists. And the beaches of Santorini are long and sandy, and the church peaks are visible from great distances. Many newlyweds come to get married here, in front of the Greek gods, so that Santorini remains in their lifelong memories.

Mykonos is the jewel of the Aegean Sea, and Rhodes is the island of the sun. Atalia, the pearl of the Mediterranean, and the island of Los, the island that never sleeps at night.

Not far from Thessaloniki is Zejtinluk, a Serbian cemetery from World War II with 8,000 graves. North-east of Thessaloniki is Athos - Holy Mountain, the center of the Orthodox world, the seat of 20 monasteries, which forms an autonomous state under Greek sovereignty. It is located on the peninsula of Halkidiki. About 2,000 monks live on Athos. The rocky shores of Athos have always been a danger to navigation, so the Persian emperor Xerxes I ordered a canal to be dug across the isthmus to allow the passage of his fleet in 482 AD. The conquerors of Egypt, Palestine and Syria in the 7th century by the Arabs - Muslims, forced the priests and monks there to leave their countries and many of them took refuge on Athos, in accordance with the decision of the 6th Ecumenical Council and Byzantium. And since the fall of Byzantium in 1453, there was a period of Turkish rule, but Saint Gora successfully preserved the freedom of the Orthodox faith. There is also the Serbian Hilandar monastery on Athos, which was built by the Prefect Stefan Nemanja and his son Rastko (St. Sava) in 1198.

The author stayed in Greece back in 1964, and on the way back by boat he even owed the Yugoslav shipowners 13 dinars, who also treated him to a free trip from Bar to Dubrovnik.

CZECH REPUBLIC

We got to know the Czech Republic better when it was united with Slovakia, as Czechoslovakia. Its sights are mainly located in Prague, the capital, and the city of Prague is considered one of the oldest cities in Europe, and its beauty is mainly attributed to the antiquities of that time. Its Old Town is located right next to the banks of the Vltava, and was built mainly in the Gothic style from the 13th century.

There are many famous buildings in Prague, namely: Charles Bridge, Hradčani, Republic Square, City Hall, Smetana Concert Hall, Karolinum, Old Town Square, Stone Bell House, Dvořák Concert Hall, Frank Kafka House, as well as several monasteries, theaters, museums and palaces. The city of Prague, as well as the entire Czech Republic, is characterized by their well-known "Czech beer", which is poured everywhere with song and merriment.

Charles Bridge, on the Vltava, was built in 1357, in the Gothic style, on which there are 30 statues of saints. The bridge is 515 meters long and 10 meters wide. At one end of it is the Tower of the Old Town, and at the other is the Tower of the Small Town. On the Charles Bridge, the author experienced a serious traffic accident in 1965. Hradčani was built on the oldest part of the city. There is also the Loreto church in baroque style, where the national treasure, clothes embroidered with 6222 diamonds, is kept. The church is dedicated to the miraculous Virgin Mary. Nearby is the Presidential Palace, in front of which you can see the whole city as if in the palm of your hand. And in Zlatna Street, not far from there, is Kafka's house, which today is a gathering place for curious tourists. Republic Square, in the southern part of the Old Town, built during the 14th century, used to gather merchants from distant regions. The town hall was built in 1906-1911. year, is one of the most beautiful treasures of new art. It is very nicely decorated inside and out, with the inscription "In honor of Prague'', on the occasion of the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. There is also Smetana Hall. In Carolinum, the original building of Charles University, from 1348, where diplomas are awarded to university graduates today. The Old Town Square is a symbol of Old Prague, from the 12th century, with the baroque church of St. Nikola, the Chinese Palace, the National Gallery and the monument to Jan Hus. The old town hall with an astronomical tower in the Gothic style and baroque interior, from the 10th century, keeps the grave of the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who worked there as an astronomer, in its church. The "Stone Bell '' house was built as a picture gallery, and in 1945-1946. served as the building of the National Assembly. Here is the Dvořák Concert Hall, where the Prague Spring Music Festival is held every year. The astronomical clock, with 12 dwarfs, on the tower of the church, not far from the Charles Bridge, ticks the time very accurately, on which occasion a saint appears in its window. It is an attraction that every tourist stops in front of. The clock was made in the 15th century. Not far from there is the famous beer hall "At Soldier Švejk's". The Monastery of St. Đorđa is located within the Prague Castle and was built in 973, and the cathedral of St. Vida was started in 1364 and completed in 1873-1929. years. In the monastery of St. Anne, from 1234 there is a gallery of paintings and sculptures from the 19th century. There are also an attractive Royal Garden and Royal Summer House. In the Old Town, there are still some streets that bear the names of the golden flower, golden stars and the like, instead of numbers, from the period of Maria Theresa's reign.

In the New Town (Novo Mesto), the main commercial center of Prague, there are Wenceslas Square, the National Theater and the National Museum, as well as Vyšehrad, the Town Hall, the Palace of Industry, the Prague Rotunda and the Brevno Monastery.

Some other places in the Czech Republic definitely deserve to be mentioned because of their importance and natural beauty, first of all Karlova Vary, and the industrially important city of Pardubice, which is left for another occasion. An important excursion area is Zohova Hata, a mountain-tourist area of the Czech Republic.

The author traveled to Czechoslovakia as a tourist and in Prague, right on the Charles Bridge, he had a serious traffic accident, which he barely survived. Later, he officially stayed in Czechoslovakia several times, as a designer for mills, which were imported to Yugoslavia. On that occasion, we stayed in Brno, and especially as a tourist, he spent two days on the Zohova Hata mountain, presently Slovakia.

LONDON AND CHORLEYWOOD - ENGLAND

London, the capital of England, is one of the largest cities in Europe, along with Moscow. It was started to be built by the Romans around the fifties AD, it lies on the Thames River, in a flat terrain. It has a mild climate, average temperatures of 9-10°S and annual precipitation of around 600 mm. It experienced a great fire in 1666 and was badly damaged by bombing in the Second World War. The parts of the city of London are: Central (City), Narrower area (County of London) and Wider area (Great London). There are 33 municipalities within London. London has about 10 million inhabitants.

London is attractive to many visitors from all over the world, due to its many cultural and historical monuments, museums and galleries, as well as parks. Among the sights are: Buckingham Palace, London Tower, Parliament, St. Paul, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, National and Teit Galleries. Certainly worth a visit are Covent Garden, the former flower, fruit and vegetable market, now a place of famous pubs, cafes, restaurants, boutiques and street acrobats and musicians. There is also the famous Royal Opera House. Next is Soho, formerly a neighborhood of violin makers, but also of hooligans, gangsters and prostitution, and today it is a lively area famous for its nightlife, bars and restaurants. It is located right next to Piccadilly Circle. Chinatown is now in Soho. Next to the Parliament is Big Ben, famous for its clock from 1840 and bells weighing 13 tons. Buckingham Palace has been the Queen's seat since Queen Victoria's time. The changing of the guard in London attracts many tourists every day. Trafalgar Square is a place known for Protestant gatherings and celebrations. On Trafalgar Square is a monument to Horace Nelson, 56 m high. London is also an important gathering place for international business events and the seat of the Commonwealth.

In addition to London, the cities of Cambridge and Oxford are famous in England for their universities, and it is important to mention Bristol, Cornwall, Stonehenge and Greenwich. Greenwich has been located in the eastern part of London, as a royal palace since the 15th century. In Greenwich there is an astronomical observatory, in the center of which a point is taken as a zero for the measurement of longitude, time and astronomical observations. That Prime Meridian was established in 1884, and the point and center of the marked circle is located at latitude 51° 28' 38'' N. That Prime Meridian was also taken as a reference point for measuring time in the whole world.

The English universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College in London are among the world's strongest universities. Cambridge has 31 faculties, and Oxford as many as 39. Trinity and St. John have their own science parks. Oxford is the oldest university, it has existed since 1096. Imperial College is among the three strongest universities in England and among the five in the world.

The author did a trick during a visit to the Madame Tussauds museum. He sat on a bench and held a crumpled newspaper. Passers-by stared at him, wondering if he was dead or alive. When the two women stopped and one touched him he just moved and she screamed.

Chorleywood is a small town, north of London, some forty or fifty kilometers away, connected to London by underground railway. In Chorleywood there is a world-famous institute for scientific research in the field of grain chemistry and technology (Flour Milling and Baking Research Association), where the author completed his postgraduate studies. The institute is located in the forest, and around the building are arranged alleys of colorful flowers, so you can hear the buzzing of bees on the flowers, and in the forest, the constant chirping of birds. The place is ideal for patient work in peace, as required by high scientific research. A little further are the sports fields, where you usually go out during breaks for relaxation and recreation. It seems that the surrounding population also lives in an ideal town, as one could only wish for.

The author stayed in Chorleywood during the school year 1966/67, on postgraduate studies. He spent a lot of time in London and got to know him well. He also visited Oxford and Cambridge, famous university centers, and Blenheim Palace, Churchill's birthplace.

PARIS – THE CITY OF LIGHT

Paris, the capital of France, on the river Seine, which divides it into northern and southern parts, is the political, economic and cultural center. It belongs to one of the most important cities in the world, where the headquarters of the international organizations UNESCO and OECD and the Paris Club are located. It is connected to the world through two airports and six railway stations. Paris has many sights, which make it a very important tourist center and is visited annually by 30 million tourists, making it the first in the world. It is known in the world as the City of Light. Its history is two millennia long. It covers about 112 km² and the surrounding urban area has a population of 12 million.

Paris is an important economic center of France, where a quarter of the national production is realized. Paris is the center of haute couture, mechanical engineering, chemical production and the production of electrical appliances. All the French banks are in Paris, so it is an important trade center. It also has a developed agriculture and food industry. Tourism is still its main branch, and the Eiffel Tower has been dominating as the most attractive destination in the world for decades. The standard of living in Paris is among the highest in Europe. The climate is moderate, with an average annual temperature of around 11°S and precipitation of 650 mm.

Paris has a large number of valuable buildings, churches, beautiful streets, parks, museums, art galleries, theaters and restaurants. Numerous concerts, exhibitions, festivals, fashion shows and more are held in Paris every day.

Notre Dame Cathedral was built in 1163-1235. year, and the basilica in Montmartre in 1914. The most important museum is the Louvre, where contemporary national art is presented. There are also the Rodin and Picasso museums and many others. The National Library is located in the Richelieu and François Mitterrand buildings. It is estimated that the library contains about 30 million books. There are 55 other public libraries in Paris. The Champs Elysées is Paris' most important avenue with luxury shops, theaters and the National Opera. Moulin Rouge is a famous club and cabaret, built in 1889, in Montmartre, the famous bohemian and painterly part of the city. The Palace of Versailles has been a royal residence since Louis XIV. It belongs to the most beautiful castles in Europe, where about 6000 people lived. It is decorated with many fountains and beautiful greenery. After the French Revolution, from 1789 it stopped serving as a royal residence. The Arc de Triomphe is a triumphal arch dedicated to war veterans, on the Place Charles de Gaulle, which is also known as the Place Etoile. It was built after the Battle of Austerice in 1806 and its construction lasted until 1830. It is 51 m high and 45 m wide. The Palace of the Invalids from the 17th century was used to house war invalids, and today it is a museum and the tomb of historical figures, including Napoleon. The Eiffel Tower was built on the Field of Mars in 1889, as an exhibit of the World Exhibition, on the occasion of the centenary of the French Revolution. It was built in one year, it is 300 m high, and 324 m with the TV antenna, and 7300 tons of steel were built into it. Concord Square is the square where the guillotine was located during the French Revolution. Today there is the Egyptian obelisk from Luxor. The Latin Quarter is the center of the university intelligentsia. The world-famous Sorbonne University is located in Paris.

In 1967, the author spent four days sightseeing in Paris. He came to love it, took a boat ride under the 38 bridges of the Seine, entered Notre Dame to hear its silence, spent a day at Montmartre and stopped at the Moulin Rouge, walked under the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées, spent six hours in the Louvre, climbed the the top of the Eiffel Tower and from it he saw all of Paris, the city of light, which he liked and from which he left rejuvenated.

It will be continued

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