The Viennese newspaper Der Standard recently ran a travel article on Sarajevo. After a stroll through the old town "Bacarija" [sic], and reference to a Gazi Husrev-beg from the 14th (not 16th) century, the author also informs us that the Holiday Inn is now turned into Southeast Europe's biggest congress and hotel complex by an Austrian business group, with room prices starting at about 100 EU. More interestingly, we also learn that the Italian star-architect Renzo Piano is still looking for a site for his Museum of Contemporary Arts.

A recent article by Aljazeera.net presents a rather optimistic view about the Ottoman-period monuments in Greece which, after years of neglect, are now finally given attention. Special interest is devoted to the restoration of the 19th century Muhammad Ali complex at Kavala and its re-opening as a luxury Hotel. But how accessible is this "Imaret Hotel" really to an interested public? I will try to find that out on the occasion of a brief trip to northern Greece next month.