FDG Around the World
Carma’s Travels in Europe
In September, Carma embarked on a trip to Serbia for a christening which quickly became a whirlwind adventure overseas. Visiting four countries over the span of two weeks, Carma was excited to add to her bucket list of activities and experiences.
Q: What countries did you visit and how long did you stay?
A: Dubrovnik, Croatia for four days, Bar, Montenegro for one day, Belgrade, Serbia for eight days, and Amsterdam, Netherlands for nineteen hours.
Q: How long did it take to reach your initial destination?
A: It took fifteen hours to get from Dallas to Dubrovnik.
Q: What was your favorite activity throughout the trip?
A: Island hoping in Croatia. Aside from the beautiful scenery, we met a great group of people from various countries. It was so much fun learning more about them and their culture.
Q: What was your favorite location throughout your visits?
A: Belgrade was my favorite. They have amazing food and amazing people. The architecture was very interesting, with so many styles sandwiched between each other.
Q: What are some cultural differences that you found interesting?
A: The tap water was safe to drink, but almost every restaurant served bottled water. I tend to drink a lot of water when dining and it wasn’t always easy to get more. I started carrying an extra bottle of water with me so I wouldn’t have to bug the servers.
Q: Would you recommend these destinations for those looking to travel?
A: Absolutely! There’s so many amazing things to experience, and traveling to the Balkans is typically more affordable than other areas of Europe.
Q: What would you suggest trying for those visiting the area?
Croatia
Island tours, kayaking, and swimming in the Adriatic Sea - the water is so clear
Montenegro
Go to Stara Čaršija restaurant for a “Salt Bae” type experience and incredible food!
Serbia
Must try the cevapi with kaymak, pljeskavica, and karadjordjeva - it’s the Serbian schnitzel.
Q: Did your travels inspire creativity?
A: Yes. Over there, space is limited. People were very creative on how to make the best use of their space. The integration of greenery everywhere was so beautiful. Almost everywhere I went had at least one plant, if not more. There’s a street in Belgrade where the buildings had an undesirable façade, so they painted a beautiful mural across the entire façade.
Q: What are some design aesthetics from your travels that you would integrate into an FDG project?
A: Would love to incorporate more natural elements, like a living green wall or ceiling into a project.
Q: What was your favorite architectural design you saw while traveling?
A: So many beautiful buildings, but what I found the most interesting was in Belgrade, Serbia, there were so many different architectural styles and they would be positioned adjacent to each other. There were several times when I had to stop and just take it in.
