We visited Hunyadi Castle, also known as Corvin Castle on Wednesday the 21st of August, 2024. My interest in going here is that its the wonder of the Magyar civilization in the game Age of Empires II. Since the wonder is in Hunedoara in Transylvania and not connected by rail, we did it as a day trip from the city of Deva Getting to Hunedoara from Deva We arrived in Deva from Bucharest the evening before. It was a long train ride. With three nights booked in Deva for two full days, I wanted to frontload the visit to CorvinContinue reading
Age of Empires 2
Ayasofya Mosque Visit in 2021: from Museum to Mosque—Foggy vs Sunny Day
These events happened on the 5th and 21st of November 2021. Jonas and I visited the Ayasofya (aka Hagia Sophia) on a rather spontaneous basis. This was my second visit to the Ayasofya and my first visit since it became a mosque in July 2020. Click here to read about my Istanbul and Hagia Sophia experiences from March/April 2013. There’s also a breakdown of Hagia Sophia as a ‘wonder’ in the videogame Age of Empires II down below. Contents1 A Change of Plans2 Our Experience Visiting the Ayasofya as a Mosque in 20212.1 Can non-Muslims still enter the Hagia Sophia/AyasofyaContinue reading
Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan (Myanmar)—Wonder of the Burmese
We visited the Shwezigon Pagoda on January 8th and 9th, 2020. This iconic stupa is located in Nyaung-U/Bagan, Myanmar, close to the banks of the Irrawaddy River. During my visit, the mandatory Bagan Archaeological Zone Pass, which cost 25 000 MMK (€16.25), included the Shwezigon Pagoda. The reason there’s a dedicated post to this pagoda is its inclusion in the videogame Age of Empires II. Contents1 First Visit to the Shwezigon Pagoda2 Vista from Bagan Viewing Tower3 Shwezigon Pagoda Night Visit4 History of the Shwezigon Pagoda5 Price to Enter Shwezigon6 Shwezigon Pagoda as a Wonder in Age of Empires II7Continue reading