Diary This is Jan's diary. If you want to receive this diary by mail, write your mail on the contact form. Day:              Country:  2--- Europe ---2006-03-04 - Spain2006-03-06 - France2006-03-17 - Switzerland2006-03-20 - Italy2006-04-12 - Slovenia2006-04-18 - Croatia2006-04-19 - Austria2006-04-25 - Slovakia2006-04-26 - Hungary2006-05-01 - Yuguslavia2006-05-06 - Serbia2006-05-07 - Bulgaria2006-05-12 - Macedonia2006-05-16 - Albania2006-05-22 - Greece2006-05-28 - Macedonia2006-05-30 - Turkey2006-06-05 - Bulgaria2006-06-06 - Romania2006-06-17 - Ukraine2006-06-25 - Russia2006-07-08 - Finland2006-07-19 - Norway2006-07-24 - Sweden2006-08-01 - Estonia2006-08-05 - Latvia2006-08-07 - Lithuania2006-08-09 - Poland2006-08-18 - Czech Republic2006-08-29 - Germany2006-09-19 - Denmark2006-09-29 - Germany2006-10-06 - Netherlands2006-10-23 - Belgium2006-11-11 - Luxemburg2006-11-15 - Germany2006-11-17 - France2006-11-28 - Spain--- Africa ---2007-03-10 - Morroco2007-04-04 - Mauritania2007-04-14 - Mali2007-05-03 - Niger2007-05-15 - Nigeria2007-05-16 - Cameroon2007-06-14 - Gabon2007-06-27 - Congo2007-07-12 - RD Congo2007-07-16 - Angola2007-07-21 - Namibia2007-07-28 - South Africa2007-09-28 - Botswana2007-10-01 - Zambia2007-10-16 - Malawi2007-10-29 - Tanzania2007-11-09 - Kenya2007-11-24 - Ethiopia2008-01-14 - Sudan2008-01-27 - Egypt--- Asia ---2008-02-23 - Jordan2008-03-04 - Israel - Palestina2008-03-10 - Jordan2008-04-06 - Israel - Palestina2008-04-08 - Xipre2008-04-10 - Greece2008-05-12 - Turkey2008-06-07 - Greece2008-06-10 - Turkey2008-07-05 - Iran2008-08-16 - Pakistan2008-09-23 - India2008-10-28 - Nepal2008-11-14 - India2009-03-15 - Nepal2009-03-30 - India2009-04-01 - Thailand2009-04-21 - Laos2009-05-13 - Cambodja2009-05-29 - Thailand2009-06-08 - Malaysia2009-07-03 - Vietnam2009-07-21 - China2009-08-13 - Tibet2009-08-29 - Nepal2009-09-03 - India2009-09-19 - Pakistan2009-09-26 - Iran2009-10-08 - Turkey2009-11-18 - Romania2009-11-26 - Italy2009-11-28 - Spain2010-06-01 - US2010-06-10 - Spain2010-06-15 - US2010-09-24 - Canada2010-10-03 - US2010-10-08 - Canada2010-10-26 - US2011-01-23 - Mexico2011-03-03 - Cuba2011-03-15 - Mexico2011-03-24 - Belize2011-03-28 - Guatemala2011-04-23 - Nicaragua2011-05-11 - Costa Rica  ‹ Previous (04/06/2006)  MONTH   Next (2006-08-03)›                     ‹ Previous (2006-06-17 - Ukraine)  COUNTRY   Next (2006-07-08 - Finland)› Russia St. Petersburg (see on map) 06/07/2006: According to my guide on journeys, St. Petersburg is one of the most charming and impressive cities of the planet. According to Nati, Barcelona overcomes it. And I also think that. And if I write this it does not mean that I miss, not even either St. Petersburg not being really a charming city. Perhaps i would repeat somthing that I have said other times, the people make a city or a country, and Barcelona and Catalonia captivate me because there I have fallen in love many times, and because I will preserve many good friends. It is beautiful to stroll in a city where always it day, allmost at any time. However, its difficult imagine that this charm is keept in the winter, with ten or twenty (or more) degrees under zero and the darkness during all day long. Now in the summer there are many people on the street. The temperature is very pleasant, it invites to go with short sleeve but its not hot. The city is constructed among several rivers and canal, this makes it more interesting, also even though it makes it famous for the mosquitoes. One of these nights I have had really problems with some mosquitoes that have been filtered in the selfcaravan. The architecture of St. Petersburg is very attractive, big buildings, different paintings keys, generally warm, many with sculptures, with relays, big windows... The streets are wide, covered of cables by the trams and for the lights that they must illuminate during the winter. There are many churches, of different styles, but all them very beautiful. And a curious fact, in the touristic places there are quite a lot of men advertising, many simply with a hanging poster from the front and from behind, but other, also with microphones and loudspeakers. On Tuesday, after connecting to Internet, I took the bicycle and I went to give a ride arround the city. There are many places to visit and the bicycle has suited me a lot. I choosed the street of Nevsky, very commercial and with the majority of cibercafès. I rose for the canal of Grivoedova to photograph the church of Spilled Blood. Afterwards the impressive palace of winter, painted of white and light green. And finally I crossed the river of Bolshaya and of Malaya until the fortress of Peter and Paul, where the people sunbathed . In the evening I came off again with Nata and a her friend and made a long walk until after 12 in the night, with the horizon still illuminated. Nata is a girl with sensitivity, she likes to write, the art... But she wants to change and she wants to come back more material, she wants to win money, to prosper. These days, before meeting me, she has been working a lot and she has been slep little. She was tired. Many times a sincere smile was drawn on her face, open, childish, but many other, she closes up, reflexive, worried. During the walk, they asked me why the Russians when travel in Europe are recognised immediately. I did not know it but after thinking a little i commented that generally they are very thin , they dress elegant and provocative, they are blond and especially, high hill shoes. They are also usually very attractive, the same as in Ukraine, and I will not deny that this is not another factor that attracts people to St. Petersburg. Anyway they insisted that there is also something in the physiognomy that makes the difference, and maybe yes, even though I did not know how to find the difference. The following day in the afternoon, Wednesday, I met again Nata. This time we went to a concert with other friends. The concert was very good. two Russian groups singed, one of reagee and another of rock. It surprised me that during the concert noone was drinking not even smoking. I do not know if smoking was prohibited, but alcohol they sold in the palace of sports where it was celebrated the concert. Today in the morning I have been washing cloth at teh home of Nata and i worked. In the afternoon I have strolled again with bicycle, this time the other side of the city . I have gone until the church of Lavra Alexandra Nevskogo. There was a very long row of believers who occupied some two hundred or three hundred metres until the entry of the church. In a basic way they were women with handkerchiefs tied , some reading some holy book out loud and making the sign of cross at the same time. I have attempted to ask diverse people what they expected, but nobody knew how to speak English. Afterwards I have strolled for one old and interesting cemetery and to the to go out I have made the same question about the crowd to some priests (I do not know the name in Orthodox) very well clothed and decorated. Miraculously they knew how to speak English and they have briefed that they were waiting for a relic of Saint Joan Baptista, in particular a hand, coming from Montenegro. Instantaneously the novel "Baudolino" has come me to the memory, of Umberto Echo. Afterwards I have followed the itinerary until the cathedral of Smolny, painted in white and sky blue. I have continued a little more for the side of the river and already I have come back towards the Hymer. I have hanged the bicycle behind and I have directed to Nata Home to search the second washer for the selfcaravan, in ropes tied to the cupboards, in all directions. I have been talking with Nata and I have finished showing her photos on my journey. Then I have proposed her to take the pulse with her and she has accepted. Nata said that the greatest problem of the world is the state of the world environment and the natural resources. The scientists would have to find the solution, of all ways Cream proposed the nuclear energy not to abuse the natural resources. Personally he will try to work in an organization, in concrete in an organization who is in favor of the nuclear energy. In Russia, the greatest problem is in the education: to the universities they teach too much theory that cannot be applied in the labor world. The solution would be in absorbing the experience of the Europe of the West. Nata consideres happy because she has promising future. sHe would be happier more traveling. The secret of the happiness is not to lie yourself saying that everything is well and to be active to improve. Your character is your destiny. After the interview, she has asked : - When you will go of St. Petersburg? - I do not know, that I have not planned it yet, it. - If you want, tomorrow in the evening we can go to a club, and to the end of week to visit a monastery to the outskirts, but afterwards I do not know what we could visit more. Of another side i have to cancel another appointment that i had this weekend. - Then do not cancel it, probably tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will start to go towards Helsinki. - But what will you do in Helsinki? there you do not know anybody. - Do not be worrying because of that, I am traveling alone for all the world! - Anyway, if you want, I spend this weekend with you. Sometimes I have felt treaty like a boy because of the Russian hospitality and Ukrainian. The friends who have received me and have offered hospitality sometimes they feared that moving around without any of them, could make me get lost . Also I have felt like this with Nata, worrying why i would do for the weekend. But I have guessed that really she wished to attend the appointment instead of being with me and I have insisted that it would go the following day. Finally we have seen off with two kisses. 07/07/2006: This Friday in the morning I have made the last stroll with bicycle in the city, it wanted to finish making some photos and to visit some monuments again with the light of the morning, instead of the afternoon. I have also risen above the dome of the Cathedral of St. Isaac, from where I thought that there would be a good sight of the city, and there was one, but not to make the good photos that i wanted. For another hand , I have not had time to visiting the Museum of the Hermitage, one of the most important of the world according to my guide. I could have remained more time to St. Petersburg, the city deserves it, and apparently, for that going round and has other interesting places to visit. But Finland claims me, I will meet someone dear on this journey, Alexandra de Transilvània. SHe will not arrive until Wednesday in the morning, in Turku, but am impatient for the re-encounter, and being more near the fate it makes me feel more near her. Before going I have stopped to a supermarket, and fearing that the prices in Finland would be much more expensive, I have attacked food and also of alcohol, beers and vodka, surely will be appreciated by the new friends that I will make on the road. I have also loaded gas , since in Finland, as the rest of Europe, the prices are the double that those of Russia. During the journey I have seen a beach of sand beside a river and many people bathing and sunbathing. I made quite a lot of heat and I had desires to swim, I have given half a turn and I have been there a good while, swimming and sunbathing. To go out from Russia, contrarily to the one that I waited for, has not been at all complicated. They have paid attention me in two offices different two young boys who did not seem too corrupt. At the Fineness border they have only looked me at the passport, nothing more. I have stopped for dinner exactly after the border and I have continued driving by night, but with the sun was illuminating, going down under the trees. The queue of trucks that there were for entering into Russia, parked beside the road, has surprised me. I have recounted some twenty quilometres of trucks, many of them transporting cars, the majority good cars, of different brands. Analysing it well, afterwards this huge queue has stopped surprising me, on the one hand, Russia exports a lot of oil and matters of everything, especially cars. But for another hand, according to my experience, the formalities at the Russian border are a lot slow, they have to prick a lot of information in the ordering ones and this is endless because the civil servants have to search individually each letter in the keyboard of the ordering one and to press it afterwards. Finland Helsinki (see on map) 08/07/2006: I woke up on the side of a river that opened up to the sea. Yesterday in the evening i saw that somebody swimed, but this morning i have observed that the water was very dirty, with rests of tyre and plastics in the background. I did not swim. Instead of this I have worked a little, but the transformer where I connect the computer has stopped working. I have tried to discover what happened and i discovered that a fuse had been melted down. i knew that i had one more, at least i remembered having it when i left Catalonia with the Hymer. only after disarranging all the selfcaravan I have found some fuses that were of different size from those that i needed. I have decided to wait to solve the problem on Monday, that I will go to Finland, which in theory has to solve also the problem of the battery for me, to visit the distributor of the Hymer. On the way to Helsinki I have crossed many circulating selfcaravans, with the majority i exchanged greetings, as is recommanded in the handbook of the good autocaravanista. It has been a pleasant surprise, since i have been in many countries and I did not cross with any selfcaravan. Aside of this, in the country an air of collective prosperity that also differentiated it from the rest of countries of the Europe of the East that i had visited was also breathed. The borders of the roads were cut with machine, the few fields that there were (forests were the rest) were worked in uniform way, with machinery. The country houses or of the small people they were new, fixed. The road was smooth! In Helsinki i sent a message to diverse people, this time to boys and girls, through hospitalityclub.org, similar to the portal couchsurfing (that it seems that they came back to life), but less pleasant and that many more people. i sent it hastily since i did not know exactly when i would go of St. Petersburg. A girl sent me a message to the mobile inviting me to attend a play that they represented . it was at seven and I have been able to visit the city a little and to go to the point of information. Helsinki is a very calm city, as a matter of fact little more than five hundred thousand inhabitants only live there. And little more than 5 a million in all Finland! The city is settled on the coast with many entries and exits, therefore each two of three you find the sea, with some port, a promenade and in the background maybe some small islands. There are quite a lot of parks. The buildings are simple but of quality, with many windows, and quite big taking into account that in the winter it is very cold . I have gone to the theatre with the Hymer. The theatre was located in the middle of a forest, or of a park, a little put aside from the centre of the city. I have achieved to greet Hanna, the girl who has invited me and little afterwards started the play, an amateurish work but that they will represent during one month and half, bold, surprising, visual... even though I have not understood anything, because they talked in Finn. It has surprised me that in the end, two of the actors, a boy and a girl got naked because the hyphen required it. It is sensed that in the north of Europe they are more usual to the nudism, there is not any modesty. Afterwards they have commented me that this is owed the culture of the sauna, since the saunas are usually mixed, with family, friends, all naked and without shame to show themselves. After the theatre we have kept a small group to go have some beers, I have brought some of those that i bought in Russia. It has surprised me that they all speak perfect English , it has surprised me more coming from Russia. But the one that has amazed me more, it is that between them they also talked in English, for respect towards me. I have asked them about winter, if it was not hard to be in the darkness. They have commented me that yes, that it is a little depressive, the people go out less. But they have commented me that in the summer everything is offset, they can appraise the light and the heat much more. They go out more, take baths in the sea and in the lakes, Afterwards we have gone to a bar where there were economic drinks (they were not at all) and I have taken them afterwards with the autoracavana towards a disco in the middle of a park and in front of the sea. It has not become dark completely, but at three already it was clear again. The music was not too good and i decided to going. they have proposed me to go to another place by the car of some friends, leaving the Hymer there, but i did not liked the idea and i was tired. I have parked in a calme place, a bit far from discotheque and I have started to sleep. 09/07/2006: I woke up late. I have slept more than eight hours. But it is not strange, for many days now I sleep a lot, nine or ten hours. If I do not do this, I feel sleepy, and I have to take coffee. But I prefer not to abuse the caffeine and therefore I sleep a lot. But i dont like this, because i get the sensation that I lose many hours wich could be profitable to discover new things. In some moment I have managed to think that I have so much sleep because I do not have motivation, but I do not believe it, I feel very happy carrying out this journey. Other times I have thought that this is a consequence of life without plans not even pressure. Then perhaps should I require myself a little more? I do not know it, I am very well like this and perhaps to sleep so much is not so much problematic . I have decided to go to park towards the centre, but when i opened the blind i realised that the car was parked near a promenade, beside the sea, by where strolled a lot of people. It was a Sunday with sun, it was hot, i had desires to swim, but not there. In the promenade there were some platforms to the sea, with some tables of wood where the people could wash carpets and moquettes, soaping them and clarifying them with the salty water (or not, they have said me that the water of the Bàltic is not much salty). In the back there were some long bars of wood where they drew the carpets to the sun and moquettes that seemed finished going out for market. In the office of information of Helsinki they offer Internet freely. I have gone there to connect. While i unloaded messages I have received a message in the mobile from another girl of hospitalityclub. I have answered that i had desires to go to swim, that if she feels like. SHe has written again to me saying that yes and we met later. First she has proposed me to go on a beach of the city, but halfway she has suggested me to go to a lake near Helsinki, where parents live. The lake was quite big, with very few people, surrounded of forests and with smooth rocks that penetrated slowly towards the water, hot, quite transparent, very clean. The girl that i met , Salla studies theatre (Hanna did not know, the girl of yesterday, but she had seen her work). She also works in a shop, teaches dance , and a thousand and one more activities more. But luckily she had that afternoon free. She has explained to me that in Finland the society is not that traditional, its very open. When she was eighteen, she went to live with her boyfriend and his parents without any obstacle. It seems to be normal to leave home when u are adult. Also she has explained to me that in Finland the Finn is spoken, but that many people still speak the Swede, or at least they know it. before the world-wide wars they were a lot of time under the command of Sweden. Also they have been a lot of time in silence. She explained me the anecdote of a friend of her that traveled in United States by train, and i found that the people, if he did not speak or he did attempt to pioneer a conversation with him they felt uncomfortable, however he felt very good in silence. 10/07/2006: Today I woke up earlyer, an hour before i planned, because the hour of the alarm clock had not changed yet from Russia. But it was good, cause today i was g oing to the distributor of Hymer in Helsinki to solve the problem of the battery and one another small programmed problem . I got lost a little , but i arrived in good time. In the Hymer shop they have paid attention perfectly, have tested the battery with a device and have verified if the health was goodThey have changed it to me without any cost and also they have solved the rest of small problems. On half a day already I was in the selfcaravan , directing myself towards a supermarket. After having lunch I have made a little nap and next have been working quite a lot , in a basic writing the newspaper and selecting photos, because with the problem of the fuses i had not been able to work too much with the computer. Mid-afternoon, Salla sent me a message that we could meet in a market of used things, where she was attempting to sell a few things that wanted to get rid of. It seems that in Finland in the summer everybody cleans the carpets, they cannot do it during the rest of the year, sell and buy in markets... I have arrived to the market in the late afternoon and Salla had already sold everything. We have been talking a little and I have proposed afterwards to interview her and take the pulse of the world. Salla said that the greatest problem of the world are illusions, since they drive away people from present and from reality. She can only live the present.. The main problem in Finland is that people forget because of technology. Salla consideres to be happy because she lives as she wants. she cannot be more happy. The secret of the happiness is not to try to search this secret, simply to live it. After the interview we have seen off and have come back to the selfcaravan to continue working and to think in Alexandra that at this moment is traveling by train towards Budapest, where an airplane will root towards Stocolm and where afterwards a boat takes her to Turku where I will be waiting for on Wednesday in the morning, of here a day and half. I have many desires to hug her again and to apreciate her presence without thinking about future,because probably will not exist for us. 11/07/2006: This morning I have been working more. Writing an article for the 9nou and another for Cambio16, since I will probably not be able to work too much the next two weeks, I will want to use tmost the time that I will share with Alexandra. After working i wanted to visit the city with bicycle and also to go to swim, but it was late,so I have decided to visit some points of interest with the Hymer. After all you can circulate very well in Helsinki, there are a lot of car park and the points of interest are on the way to the beach where it wanted to go (the one who had recommended Salla ). The city, in spite of being Tuesday , was as calm that the end of week, with people sunbathing all over. They have to take advantage these few months of light and of heat! First I have stopped, to the centre of the city, in a park beside the lake Töölönlahti. It was there very calm, there were few people. Afterwards I have visited the church Temppeliaukio, excavated in the rock. It is modern but very beautiful. I have also visited a interesting monument in Sibelius. And finally I have gone to the beach of Hieatamieni, full of people, in a basic way youth, and of these, in a basic way girls. It has surprised me that with so much culture of the nudism nobody made topless (it is not that i waited for it). I have been swimming a while, and really the water was very little salty. As a matter of fact, there were floors that I have identified of fresh water that grew very arran of the water. After having lunch I have strolled for the market of the fish (kauppatori) that I have found very touristic, especially for the prices, with the most expensive salmon that the one in Spain, even though according to the one that had written it was not from fish hatchery. Afterwards I have visited the red orthodox cathedral of Uspensky and finally the white cathedral Luterana de Tuomiokirkko. On ending I have gone to the centre of touristic information to connect to Internet to send the articles and consult the mail. Marc, the manager of Internet Services Javajan, the company that i managed before the journey, asked me to talk to me to consult about some subjects. We have spoken a while by telephone. Apart from speaking about work also we have commented in a fast way on some personal aspects. It has been very well, it has been the first time that I talk to a friend or relative of Catalonia. With my parents I sustain quite good the contact, but only by Internet. we agreed on it before going... Before going towards Turku, where tomorrow I will meet in the morning with Alexandra, I have met with some Chinese that were making the half tour of the world. I have seen their car stopped in a semaphore. The car had a map drawing from Europe and Asia with all the itinerary that they made. It went to greet them but the semaphore has become green. Turku (see on map) 12/07/2006: I have awakened because of the noise in the street, and opening the blind of the bed i saw that the boat from Stocolm arrived in the port. I have dressed immediately, I have dressed up minimally and I have gone out to the exit of the shipyards. After a while I have seen Alexandra, among the crowd, I have approached from behind and I have hugged .her The re-encounter was better than we imagined. After sharing a long hug and after talking for a while , at midday we have come out to stroll in Turku. It was sunny and windy, it was not as hot as in the former days, rather cold air. Turku develops around a river. there is a big castle, mediaeval, painted in white and with a beautiful interior post. More up, strolling for the side of the river you find some ancient boats, some very beautiful. The blocks of flats have some flowers and sea symbols of summer at the windows, and open balconies. I have also observed quite a lot of scale models of boats, it must be the pastime of the winter. We have crossed the river with a small ferry, free, and more up we have crossed again on a bridge in front of the cathedral. Coming back, a boy asked us from where we were. Afterwards he has presented. Mormón, was an American. He tried to convince us with his religion, but in the end he observed that perhaps we will not get convinced and so he went away.. Turku continues being a very calm city. According to Alexandra, the Finns are very simple: the way to be, from dressing... Also the buildings. i would say that they follow a minimalist art. While we strolled i kept on making photos and kept on writing some observations on a paper. I have been doing this for days, not to forget about anything that i wanted to comment in the diary. In the afternoon we have searched a deserted beach near a road that according to the map passed between small peninsulas and islands. We have found the sea current for several dirt tracks, but none of them drove on any deserted beach, all they ended in different homes of wood, all open, without fences, and each one with a small port or small beach. Finally, asking someone, we have arrived to a beach and community port. But non deserted. We have parked there and we have strolled for the coast, but we have not had a bath ourselves, because the sun did not warm sufficient. Norway Nordkapp (see on map) 19/07/2006: After a week in Finland full of lakes we have arrived at North.Kapp The "end of the civilisation", using words of Alexandra. To arrive it is a milestone, a fate, like rising to the peak of a mountain, but if you do not enjoy the path carrying out the effort is not worthwhile. On Thursday, with the fixation of finding a deserted beach we still started to make path towards Tampere, where Friday we had to find some friends, a party of hospitalityclub. According to the map, halfway there were some lakes, and effectively there was very big one. We stopped beside a map where it indicated all the roades and the few beaches with an icon. I started to make a sketch of the map, but Alexandra suggested me to make a photo of the map and to keep on consulting the map from the digital camera as we circulated for the side of the lakes. In the end, after trying a pair of paths without exit we found the wished beach calm and solitary. We passed through it all day long, strolling, contemplating the landscape, working while the Alexandra went with bicycle, swimming while the Alexandra worked, and especially taking care of eachother.. Well, i didnt swim much, not because the water was dirty or cold, it was quite transparent and hot, but it was full with tiny translucent corpuscles, of colour green, that I identified as eggs of some fish or of some other animal. In any case, seeing that in some home aside there were some children swimming, I tried to swim, but when I penetrated more towards the middle , I started to sense some seaweeds that scraped me the belly and so I came back with anguish. We arrived at Tampere mid-afternoon of Friday. At first we got lost a little, because at once, we lost the indications of Tampere and only because we had those of "Keskusta", a name that did not appear to the map. Finally, luckily, we deduced that "Keskusta" means centre. Later, we found the same indications in other cities and in joke we commented: "all paths take you Keskusta". In Tampere we discovered that the office of tourism had connection to Internet so we consulted electronic mail and got in contact with the people of hospitalityclub that we had to meet later. After using Internet we strolled a little in the city, between two lakes joined by a river. The lake of the north is higher than that of the south, fact that provokes an ordinary fort of the water that since nineteenth century is used as an energy, at its beginning for the textile industry. The party of hospitalityclub was very good, even though i did not stop being curious. When we arrived almost everybody was gathered in a big room, each one with a a sticker indicating the name and the origin. The presentations have been quite formal and cold. In total we were some thirty, the majority Finns, but also quite a lot of foreigners. We were talking to quite a lot of people. A girl commented me that Finland has a prosperous economics for the ethics that imposes the Lutheran church: working a lot and little entertainment. Another commented me that in Finland they pay some of the highest taxes of Europe, they fear for the state of the welfare even so. At present they have a woman as a president and this is sensed, since for example they have many parks for children. A Polish girl explained in group that in the winter she was studying in Tampere and believe that all inhabitants had died. she had to come back this summer to see that it was not not at all like this. With another boy we touched the subject of the Swede, that is an official language together with the Finn, therefore is studied in school . Then I remembered in Helsinki and in Turku, the names of the streets being written in Finn and to under in small in Swede. I commented with Alexandra that the majority of the Finns seem shy. few looked into your eyes, or simply speak you as if you had a ghost on your side. As a matter of fact, in a day when we were strolling Alexandra commented to me: - The Finns are not turned for looking at the girls, contrarily to the Latin. I replied maliciously: - Either they do not look at them when they speak. As a matter of fact, I believe that traditionally, after years of marriage the man looks the woman and he says I "had not noticed that you were so much beautiful", or maybe not, because when they look many years had already past. To the hospitalityclub meeting there was an Italian guy. Before speaking I deduced that he was Spaniard or Italian for the way how he looked at the girls, direct and seductively. Afterwards he became the centre of attention with his jokes and nice comments. I talked to him and I asked him for his opinion on Finns. He commented me that in the Mediterranean, the people are very warm and genial, but when you ask them for help everybody throws himself behind. You have many friends but they are really not interested in you. However, in Finland they seem very cold, but if somebody speeks with you it is that they are realy interested with you and especially, if you ask them for help, they do help. After sharing a dinner with food and drinks brought by everybody and passed the long presentations, they offered the possibility to make a sauna, and the people (boys) started to stroll wrapped in towels in the room. I and the Alexandra went then. The following day we remained with the same group to go by boat to a small island in the middle of the lake of the south. The island had beaches, playing areas, areas of rest, forests... We settled on a beach, where I swam a good while. The water was very clean although a little cold.Afterwards we had lunch and follow the conversations of the former day and finally we played a good while a match of volleyball. In the island I took the pulse of the world to a Greek and to the Italian of the former day, anyway, for a technical problem with the camera of filming, I have only been able to visualise again a part of his interview and therefore to remember a piece of it. Claudio said that the main problem of the world is represented by the wars. The United States is one of the main causers of this problem due to the unifying vision which they want to create. For example they want for you to make believe that the freedom is to be able to choose between Pepsi and Cocacola when really there are many other possibilities. The solution would be found in reading history to know the other points of view, reading more and seeing less television. The main problem of Italy is Papa and the religion that keeps them to the Mediaeval period. The tradition reduces a lot of individual freedom. Perhaps there will not be solution, simply Italy will change because in little time there will be more Chinese in Italy than Italians. He attempted to change his friends, for example showing that people can live alone in Italy, out of the comforts of the family. Claudio considers himself happy and with very good luck, since his parents have always let him act with freedom. he would be happier having a family. The secret of the happiness is the Pizza. I have commented him that another Italian girl, Anna, had answered the same question "the pasta". Is curious the importance that the Italians give to the food, especially as a fountain of happiness. In the evening, or in the end of the afternoon (still it was sunny) we went with a few of the group to listen to some free air concerts , that the purpose of week there was a festival of music in Tampere. The concert was from heavy music, extremist, the people who wandered for there were quite rare, many tattoos, piercings, many girls clothed in Gothic. I remember Alexandra commenting me : it "seems that i am the only girl with black hair that doesnt wear Gothic or black". During the concert I interviewed two Finns, without filming, only writing down. Jari, of 28 years and salesman of music commented that the religions had forgotten their essence. If they would recover at leat partially their essence, for example the friendship , many problems would find a solution. For example, Israel and Palestina,"because they can not be friends"?, he suggested. The solution would be on forgiving, also that it is in the essences of the religions. Him personally, attempts not to make things that he would not like to be done to him. In Finland he believes that the main problem is due to the globalisation: the rich people are every time more rich people and the poor people poorer, also the companies go towards more economic countries. Jari consideres to be happy because he does not take the things seriously and he believes that his small dreams will become real. He is not worried for being happier, perhaps tomorrow will be more. The secret of the happiness is to live the life how you want to live it and to have friends who accept you in this way. I also interviewd Johanna, of 21 years and student of education. Johanna believed that imbalances that provoke wars, hunger, were the main problem of the world... The solidarity would be a solution and for example hospitalityclub can be a good tool for solidarity. She attempts to travel and to know and also to help economically. In Finland the people are not concerned enough with the other ones, they want to possess many material things. the solution would be appreciating the small things. She attempts to see world for understanding it. She is happy because she had a very good year , she has a good weekend, with friends, it is summer... (in the winter also she is happy). But she would be happier if now she could travel. The secret of the happiness is to appreciate more the things that you have than the things that you do not have and to live the moment. On Sunday we started in the morning to go towards Oulu. We chose the path of the coast, shorter, anyway we could not see the sea too much, most part of the itinerary went between forests and meadows. The majority of the homes and granaries were from wood and generally were painted red, I suppose to recognise them among the snow in winter. Beside the road there were many bycicle lanes, with people strolling with bicycle, and many with skates and skates with poles, imitating the movements of the ski , as if they wanted to sustain the winter sports. After having lunch I put gas, it surprised me that Icould servemyself without paying anticipated not even to leave any documentation, totally unthinkable in Eastern Europe East. As a matter of fact, it seems that in Finland there are few offences. Everybody behaves very well, you can observe it perfectly on the road, I have not seen any police in all Finland but nobody surpassed the speed limits or made a not allowed overtaking. For another hand, the homes that we have observed beside the beaches, are open, only protected by the glasses of the windows. Monday was my anniversary (34th!). If it had not been for the Alexandra perhaps wouldnt have celebrated it, I do not respect the habits of my country. We were in Oulu. In the morning, while the Alexandra worked on computer , I strolled, in a small market in the street . I bought vegetable and salmon, it was expensive, but my anniversary deserved it. Afterwards I strolled with the bicycle for some parks of the islands in front of the port. After having lunch and eating a piece of cake, I received a call from Barcelona television, I worked a little while Alexandra strolled by bicycle and afterwards went to find a girl of hospitalityclub that was playing volleyball with some friends. we talked a while with her. sHe commented that in winter she meets with friends, but not so much. Also they play different sports . Anyway for her the winter is a little depressive, even if its not total darkness, as I imagined , since the snow is very clear and also it illuminates. Then she commented that the northern dawn is very beautiful, but not frequent, only on very cold days. On Tuesday, after working a little more, we went at noon of Oulu towards Rovaniemi. At the exit we found a couple that was hitchhiking and we decided to take them. They were going towards Sweden, therefore we took them a few kilometres. The couple was Russian, from a city in the Urals. Curiously also they traveled using hospitalityclub, the former night they had slept in a farm and as Alexandra said afterwards, it was sensed for the smell. We told them our itinerary and recommended us not to stop in the ,cities, that they are not so interesting and to enjoy more the landscape and the nature. Sixteen years ago i visited Scandinàvia with my parents, by car. I remember my father being worried about arriving at Nordkapp or simply crossing the Bàltic to the North, since there were many kilometers and the journey was only for two weeks. Then we did not arrive to Nordkapp, even though I know how happy would have been my father. Now, while we were going to Rovaniemi, i had the same doubts as my father had . Alexandra was supposed to be in in Stockholm on the 25th ,and going to Nordkapp ment to make many kilometres in few days. But Alexandra had the illusion of arriving and also I has the same desire. Anyway, it was the comment of the Russians that decided us to go for it, since it did not matter to make many quilometres, since making them we were also enjoying the landscape and the nature. The road towards the north passed under some low clouds, of many different types, which repeated in the next days. Alexandra had already suggested: "In Finland the sky is much lower", would be a bad country for the Asterix and the Obelix. In the end we did not stop in Rovaniemi and we decided to continue the road towards North and at middnight we stoped to sleep near a lake. The last hour before stopping, the sun was going down slowly, reddish, shining to the horizon, next to the north. We laughed when near middnight we had to put on the sunglasses to be able to continue distinguishing the road. When we stopped, the sun had already gone down completely. I went out to make some photos and found curious that a man was still working at that hour. I imagine that while we slept the sky was red until the new sunrise. Today we have continued the road towards Nordkapp. Yesterday we had crossed the arctic circle. Now the trees were smaller and the forests were less dense. All over there was some characteristic violet flowers. The road passed for the side of a river, very wide and calm. We have started to cross beside many selfcaravans and caravans, maybe one in the few ways in wich can travel for these latitudes. We have also started to find the first reindeers, at first with a lot of desire. Alexandra went out of the selfcaravan like a storm and the has well frightened them:). Alexandra has been driving a while, a little insecure but it went well and i was able to rest and to finish deciding the road to Nordkapp . In the morning the sun disappeared behind the clouds but we still had the intention of going to the Nordkapp with the hope to observe middnight sun. As we increased the latitude the forests have kept on disappearing. When we arrived at the sea of Norway, we were still 200 quilometres away from Nordkapp, the rocks started to turn up stratified, as if they were millions of pressed books. Among the rocks, low herbs, moss, and from time to time, some waterfall. Because there were no forests, we were able to admire the reindeers . Only the sun has resisted turning up, even if sometimes it illuminated in some far point of the horizon, as if he attempted to provoke us. Contrarily of what you expect Nordkapp can be found on an island. To arrive there you have to go through a claustrofòbic tunnel of 7 quilometres and 212 metres under the level of the sea. On the other side there is a toll, with a cost for car and for person. In total we have paid some 20 euros. We have arrived to the waited destination Nordkapp: a big car park of earth and rock (some 15 euros for person), where tens of selfcaravans and coaches were parked. We have gone out of the Hymer, resisting a polar wind and we have headed towards the balloon of metal representing Terra. Very far away, to the horizon some rays of light that wanted to demonstrate us the affirmations of scientists and other tourists were discerned: in spite of being half a night the sun still illuminated in those latitudes. There were some tourists of the coaches that toasted with champagne. We took refuge again in the selfcaravan and celebrated this event in our way. Sweden Stockholm (see on map) 24/07/2006: The following day in the morning, when we awakened, there were no buses. Interesting, hours and hours on journey to rest two hours on a point which they tell us is interesting for afterwards to come back towards south. Well, we were also one of these, even if we had spent the night there. If on the former day there were clouds in Nordkapp, on the following day there was a freezing fog that invited every soul that was there to leave . Anyway, we devoted a while visiting the touristic facilities of the Nordkapp: a pair of bars, a shop of souvenirs, a Post Office (to send postcards with stamps of the place), interesting scale models of the first navigators and the oriel of the king, a terrace that it gave to the emptiness, to the nothing, in the fog. It was guessed that much more down there was the sea because of the powerfull noise. Innocents! We thought that the toll was only from entry in the island, but no, at the exit we had to pay again the 20 euros. We went back on the same road some 200 quilometres and afterwards diverted towards the west, towards new Norwegian earth (Nordkapp is in Norway though), direction the fiords. all day long has been raining. If it wouldnt have been for Alexandra, i would consider this a very sad day. In the afternoon we saw an image little common to my country: a fox with its baby on the side of the road. During all day long we were crossing cyclists loaded of packages directing themselves towards Nordkapp in couple or alone . we commented that there is nothing that you can make of original and extraordinary in this world. In a certain way, now my journey started towards the Cape of Good Hope(Buona Esperanza), in South Africa . I will arrive in one and a half year. I have commented that i should make this itinerary on my knees and not traveling in selfcaravan, this would be worthy of being considered a goal to achieve. The landscape of Norway seems of high mountain, with small glaciers under the pikes, deep valleys, in the form of U, provoked by ancient gigantic glaciers, luxuriant forests. The difference of other landscapes of mountain is that this is half swallowed by the sea. In this way, the water goes deep into the valleys, creating the so called fiords. The night from Thursday to Friday we slept at the entry of a fiord. I put the alarm clock to awake the following day, after all to sleep more did not mean to have less sleep during the day.in the last weeks i felt like sleeping during the day. Perhaps it is a problem of breath caused by the alèrgy that I drag that in seasons is causing quite a lot of rhinitis. Friday the nose was badly and tired of this situation I took a pill of antihistaminics. I knew that this pill provokes somnolence, therefore I attempted to drive arefully. Even so I had a small accident. It is curious, I do not remember to feel sleepy in that moment, only i had slow reactions. I clashed slightly from behind with a car which wanted to turn to the left. Only I produced a small scratch, but we made papers, because the girls from the car were Suïsses and had rented the car in Finland. In spite of the small accident we followed the road descending of latitude. I do not know the motive, but it is surprising that more in the south, the mountains are more covered by snow or they preserve for more time the ice. In the afternoon we have seen a piece of the rainbow in a sky without clouds, surprising. Afterwards I had another discussion with Alexandra. She was worryied not arriving in time at Stockholm to catch the flight back towards Romania, on the 25th, . But I was tired of driving and driving and not stopping to any place of interest, even though the landscape was wonderful. We found ourselves at the level of the islands Lofoten and I proposed to divert a little and to relax ourselves that afternoon there. According to my guide on journeys the Islands Lofoten are a place of indispensable visit (also according to the Russians that we took in Finland) but Alexandra said that there would be nothing interesting, and would be a waste of time.the pessimism and my tiredness made me contradict her and, we of course had the fight that was solved in the end. Anyway in the end, we did not arrive to the Lofoten Islands. To arrive we had to drive some 250 km and we had to come back on the same road the next day. But we stayed in an island nearby Lofoten. In the office of tourism of the zone they recommended us to spend the night in the north of this island since in this way we could observe the middnight sun. And obviously, as in the Nordkapp we could not observe the astronomical phenomenon we spent the night near the sea in the north of this island. We had dinner and we strolled for the rocks. The sun was very high. Afterwards we watched a film with the open blind. At middnight we observed how the sun kept red, next to the horizon, but without disappearing. On Saturday we followed the road towards Stocolm, we had 1400 km to make in three days, not a lot, but we proposed to drive some 600 the two first days, just in case. From the island we took a ferry and we arrived on the continent on the edge of a fiord. I did not expect, but it was quite a big ferry and went loaded with quite a lot of cars, selfcaravans and some coach. The ferry stoped at the shore near the main road, during many quilometres we were circulating following the queue of vehicles that were on the ferry. In the afternoon we crossed the border with Sweden and continued driving a little more in the evening, for the side of some very beautiful lakes . The same day we commented perhaps that it had been an error to go to theNordkapp. It is endeed a place very hard to get but desirable destination, but for another hand, this meant not to enjoy the rest on the journey , since we spent many hours on the road without time to rest and to visit the country. We also commented that we liked more Finland than Norway and Sweden. I think because we enjoyed it with calmness. The following day we have been driving again 600 quilometres, on a road near to the coast, in very good state but very boring, since all time we saw only forests and small villages as landscape. Only a scare awakened us on the monotony. I killed a seagull! Yes, i was circulating at some 90 km/hr when a seagull crossed with the selfcaravan all of a sudden and it shocked frontally. I cursed the incident because it was the second time that i killed a bird, in two days . It is not necessary to say that I was driving with more prudence that was necessary, just to prevent a new accident , cause i felt like these birds are some sort of special notice. This event surprised me a lot, i had never heard that somebody had run down any birds. Though afterwards we started to observe that beside the road there were other dead birds . Maybe the Scandinavian birds do not have the gene that allows to avoid the cars... In the evening, coinciding with the sunset, the road has become much more interesting, since we were next to the sea and some islands protected as Patrimony of the Humanity. Today we have just arrived at Stockholm. During the road I have observed that along all scandinàvia there are containers of sand. Normally they are beside the road and in car parks and I thought that they use them in case of fire. Anyway, I have made the deduction too late, because i had thrown the rubbish once in these containers emptied of sand. We have arrived at Stockholm in the afternoon and we have had a little time to stroll for the centre of the city. It has not been too much , but at least Alexandra has had opportunity to know the city a little. I will visit it with more calm the next days. It was hot. The possibility to stroll with short sleeve has surprised us. Also I have remembered here it getting dark again, at least it becomes dark, unlike the former days. 25/07/2006: This morning I took Alexandra to the airport. We have seen off with sorrow, because we have spent very good days together and we will miss, a lot. But tears have not fallen down, because very soon we will find ourselves again. We are inlove and there are some days since we have decided to travel together. From here in one month , we will meet in Poland and will be together for the rest in the journey in Europe and afterwards Africa, Asia and America. We know that we will have to overcome quite a lot of obstacles, some regarding the life together. It does not stop being complicated to live together in such a small home. Moreover, I am a man that with time has become demanding even though the time has also teached me that it is not good to be like this. For another hand, Alexandra, is only 22 years old, is a little spoiled girl til now. I believe thatthe rest of the journey in Europe will be enough relaxed like to finish knowing ourselves and to adapt oneself enough, so that the difficulties that surely will appear to the rest of the continents can be resolved with facility. Alexandra will sacrifice many projects to accompany me, even though for the time being she will attempt to follow her studies of law and of criminology at distance. She will leave the job, although she had thought to go to Prague to accept an offer of work . SHe will refuse this offer and many other projects that she wanted to complete. Anyway I trust that she will be excited by my project (she has accepted to help me) and by many others that will appear . I have many desires to discover the rest of the world with her. These days we have been traveling with haste, without too much time of enjoying the country, the people, the landscape. But we have taken ourselves the necessary time to enjoying our company. The rest of the journey in Europe will be calmer, there will not be haste, only the appointment with the family and the sponsors on Christmas time. 26/07/2006: Yesterday I parked the selfcaravan near the sea, in one of the islands of Stockholm, in front of other islands, creating the sensation of being in front of a river and not of the sea. I have been reading , thinking about Alexandra, missing .her. Afterwards, instead of working, as I had proposed myself some hours before, I went out to walk and to make photos for the promenade near the sea. I observed many men running , making sport, however I saw less women. Afterwards I noticed on the street quite a lot of men with muscles, I suppose however, the women did not seem to worry so much about their body. It is an image very different of Ukraine and Russia. In Stockholm, it seems the freedom and the feminism changed the need of being attractive from woman to man. As I have noticed, cult for the body is also seen in many tattoos on men, and less on women. With all this I do not mean that the Swedes are not attractive, just that they are ostentative. I also observed, as it described my guide, that Stockholm is a city with many immigrants, the majority of very dark skin, but few with African physiognomy. There are many Iraqi refugees. It is curious to think that in few centuries the population will not be Swedish blond. For the street many couples are already mixed. This morning I have been working, writing newspaper, revising my work , calculating costs of petrol and quilometres... While it made this last work I have noticed the nonsense that I made with Alexandra: driving 5000 kilometres only in two weeks. Before this i made only 15000 in 4 months. Really i had planned badly this part of the itinerary with Alexandra, but we had desires to arrive at Nordkapp. From now the journey will be much calmer. In the afternoon I have found a hamburger place that offered free Internet connection . I have been connected quite a lot and i also ate an ice cream. Afterwards I went back with the bicycle making photos with the light of the sunset. Really Stockholm is a very beautiful city, I saw one of the most beautiful asset of the world according to my guide on journeys, according to them "the asset of scandinàvia", like this it announced at the entry of the city. Good part of the life of the city develops in the sea, calm among several islands filled and connected among themselvs Along the shores of the city you find boats in a row of one or of two. Many of these boats are ancient, of the last century or of XIX...I was making photos for one of these shores when I saw that it could be interesting to make a photo from a platform beside which there were two de luxe boats anchored. In the platform a door of entry had, sit-in, but in inside there were some boys crinking beer. I asked them if i could enter to make some photos and in a very kind way they opened me the door. While i opened the tripod a boy started a conversation . I made the first photos but noticed that the platform moved around, that it floated like a boat. The boy commented me that really it was like this. He also commented me that in the platform, under it in fact, they had the office, a company of programming. He explained that at first was a bit hard to adapt working with this light constant movement. Replying to one of my questions he commented that it is not strange to have a floating office. As a matter of fact there are many bars and discotheques anchored beside the shore, but also restaurants, some hotel, some residence of students... The boy also explained me that Stockholm has two well differentiated parts, the one that is going round of the mainland and the one of the islands . From here the origin of the name of the city (according to him), "Stock" makes reference toearth, and "holm" means islands (in Swede). 30/07/2006: These three days I have attempted to adapt to the new temporary situation of lonely traveller. But I have only wanted to adapt in a provisional way, since in approximately a month I will travel again with Alexandra. Really I have felt a little lost, without big desires to find people. Anyway I wrote to diverse people of hospitalityclub. A boy only replied me that in the end he could not meet me. Also I contacted a Spanish guy of Couchsurfing (definitively the portal works correctly again, even though now I use more hospitalityclub) who wrote in a message in forum that these days will visit Stockholm . Also he replied to me but he did in the end not present himself to the appointment. On Thursday I devoted all the morning to sleep and to work. In the afternoon I went out to make several formalities: searching where the laundry that my guide mentioned was, to buy a protector for the camera (i lost it in Oulu, Finland), to buy some clamps so that the long trousers do not stick with the pedals of the bicycle (those that i bought from Spain, of plastic, had broken), to ask prices for the ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn, to buy a medicine for my nose in the apoteke . Afterwards I connected to Internet and finally I walked in the city a little. Stockholm is a city with many bycicle lanes. There are less cars. As a matter of fact, I believe that at present you have to pay to enter in the centre of the city, but I have not paid, everything is in Swede and I do not understand it. I went with bicycle to the islands of Skeppsholmen, with some parks and a museum of contemporary art, and Gamlastan, where there is the ancient neighbourhood of the city, with narrow streets, pavements and homes that reminded me of the Germanic style. On Friday I went in the morning to the laundry, while i waited i worked with the computer(I could curiously connect to Internet freely using the connection of some neighbour), two men and a woman who spoke Spanish entered. I asked them from where they were and they commented me that from Múrcia. I asked them if they were working in Sweden.- Sure - they replied to me - They go to laundry because they work, they do not go at all when they are on vacation. you also work?- Well, yes, I am doing something that I like a lot, so much that you could consider holidays.I commented them that i was making the turn in the world but it did not interest them at all, perhaps they did not believe me. They commented me that they were drivers of buses and the girl is a guide. I continued working and with this conversation all of a sudden I heard that they killed some bird and i asked them about the subject. They replied to me:- Yes, many birds are killed here with the bus. A day in a journey alone I killed six - and the gesture made: "plas", "plas", "plas"... of how he kept on crushing them. In Spain also they are killed, but less, After the laundry I stopped to buy vegetable and fruits It was very expensive. The salesman seeing me foreign asked me from where i was. I said from Spain and he started to speak to me half Spanish, half in Portuguese. Also I asked him his origins and he told me that it was Iranian. I wanted to know a little more, then I seemed nice, but after he attempted to deceive me twice, first with the weight and afterwards with the change. yes, thousands of apologies after each error. In the afternoon I was quite a lot of while connected to Internet from the laundry, Alexandra needed to talk to me and we were talking quite a lot of while using messenger. sHe is taking one of the most important decisions of her life, to leave everything for us. Naturally she needed support, to know that i really apreciate her, if i wanted everything to go well between us. After talking to her I was a while more connected to Internet, outside then rained. I received an email from a girl who insinuated that I was traveling because, i search something that perhaps i could find in my country. I replied to her : I "do not believe that a traveler is searching for something when he is travelling, I do not miss anything, simply I feel that this is my life, travelling ". In the evening I was thinking if i should go out to see the city in the night, cause it was Friday, but Alexandra was too present in my thoughts and in the end i saw a film. On Saturday in the morning it was raining. Again was profitable to work, to write the articles for the newspaper a little more, to write an article for the 9nou... Afterwards I went to buy the ticket towards Tallinn. yesterday they did not have connection on Internet and they could not consult the bookings. But then there were no more tickets for the same day, therefore I buyed a ticket for Sunday. 175€, crazy! taking the car is expensive, but for another hand there are no seats available and they force you to reserve a bed, in a room with other people. Next I connected to Internet to send the diary of Russia,translated also into English, because Alexandraa has offered to help me in the project as long as it travels with me and already we have started to collaborate. I also sent quite a lot of messages (mail and sms) to people from hospitalityclub portal, with the hope to find some Sweedish people for the last 24 hours. In the afternoon I was reading. Later I went shopping in a supermarket, i had very few food left cause i was waiting to buy in estonia.. And indeed, the food there was less expensive. I was also hoping to be able to find a petrol station close to the boat cause also the gas was less expensive. After booking the ticket I went to make a long stroll with bicycle for the neighbourhood of Sodermalm, with quite a lot of bars and night environment (how I checked out afterwards), the gardens of Djurgarden and the neighbourhood of Ostermalm,very calm. no one answered to the essages that i sent in the morning. So I decided to go out a little, even if i was alone. I went to a club that was recommended in my guidebook. The half casual half modern type. the music was low rythem and there was quite a lot of light but the people danced a lot,on the dancefloor, at the bar there were a lot of people talking. The people arround were very similar to the ones that i observed on the former days on the street: rather fat girls and boys of every type: musculats, big, Iraqi, black, bright (or not)... Yes, the boys touched themselves among yes to like the girls, it is the world the other way round, in my world the girls touch themselves to attract the boys. I do not know if its because i might be too inlove of Alexandra but there was no girl worthwhile. A boy started some conversation and commented me the same : " Stockholm is like a small America". At the entry there were two queues, one that was barred, encircled by a rope, in the other there were the people who wanted to enter. To the exit, the queue that was still encircled for the rope existed, full of people smoking. Of course, I have then noticed : it was the area of smokers, they have special places in public for smoking. Today I have connected a while to Internet and have been wandering for a while, finally I went towards the dock from where the ferry was departuting towards Tallinn. On the way I have crossed with a small demonstration where flags of Lebanon flew and they called checkrooms against Israel. I have already been reading the headlines of these situation for days and its not at all encouraging for the world-wide peace and of the Half Orient. The ferry that was anchored in the port and that was going to cross the Baltic sea was very big, , there were many cars queuing to enter. While i waited a cyclist loaded of packages has been stopped on my side. I have asked from where he was and he has told me that he was from Estonia. Next he has commented me that he had been making a small journey for Helsinki, Turku and Stockholm. In the boat they have sent me in a room with a Russian, well,when he arrived in the room he opened a Russian television chanell and he has started to sleep. Also there was another tattooed boy who has arrived later. Anyway, I have not remained in this room, I went to see the exit of the boat. Stockholm is completely a big city port and full of tourism, during the first half an hour I have been able to observe 4 big ferrys more, of different companies, which they entered or which went out from the port. Afterwards we have entered into a labyrinth of islands, sailing during quite a lot of hours before of going out to sea open. All islands, those that had a considerable size, they were inhabited. Some with simple homes and other that approached palaces. In the boat there was connection in Internet wireless, and I have used it to talk a while with Alexandra. Afterwards, seeing that the Russian continued sleeping with the television at insain volume I went to reception to ask for a new room, with the hope that they gave me some empty room. Simply I have commented that one of the colleagues of room snored a lot. They have assigned me a room where they have told me that there was a normal boy. But in entering there I have found a couple, a boy and a girl, looking at the television, each one in bed. All three of us were looking surprised and I have then said: "I believe that I will search a new room". I have come back to reception and have asked if they could assign me one another room. They have asked me the motive and I have explained them my reasons. the boy of the reception told me that it was prohibited to share the room with a girl and he sent someone to check. He gave me a new room, this time for me alone. But I didnt go there, I waited for the couple to come to reception and to get new rooms rooms. i asked them for apologies offering them my room (with the hope that they had not assigned the boy my room of before). But it is seen that they had assigned to the girl one another empty room and everything was solved. Estonia Tallinn (see on map) 01/08/2006: After fifteen hours of travelong with the ferry, at 10 in the morning the ferry arrived in Tallinn. The control of passports on the border of Estonia was very efficient, the fastest of all the countries out of the communwealth. Anyway, it is normal considering the big column of cars that was waiting on the exit of the boat. I parked next to a church, near the centre. I didnt feel like visiting the city yet, cause from all the people from hospitalityclub that i wrote to, only a girl has answered saying that we cannot meet and another that lives outside the city said she could meet in the second day. This time i have also written to some boys but none of them showed any interest to meet. So, I dedicated my morning to some reading and to buy something to eat from a supermarket. In the afternoon I went out to visit the city, on foot and calmly. I went up to the top part of the city, named Toompea. There is a castle or fortress, and also the location of the government. The nationalism that was breathed in the touristic description of the castle surprised me: "The strength always belonged to the foreigners until the 24th of February 1918 when Estonia was converted in an independent state", without mentioning afterwards the posterior integration into the Soviet Union. The city offers a lot of touristic information, with maps and information in front of the main monuments. In front of the castle i found the orthodox cathedral Alexander Nevsky. I noticed the symbol of the cross on the domes. Recently i had read that in many orthodox crosses a half-moon appears in the foot, sign of victory over Islam. And indeed, that cross had it. The castle and cathedral were at the beginning of the old city, with paved streets, new churches, medieval homes, with big windows, inclined roofs, light colours... From some places a very good sight could be enjoyed on the rest of the city. Exactly at the foot it followed the same old city, also walled and more to the background it started the new town with some buildings and chimneys of factories that fought over the height. Down, the old city followed the same line. In the centre there was a big square with a Gothic town hall in the center, dominating with its beauty the whole square. Tired to walk I entered in a church where they were about to perform a concert with org and voice soprano. I stayed a while, the woman sang very well, but the org seemed been out of tune or the man playing the org did not touch it too well. At night, after showering and dining I went to drink a beer in the old town. I took a book and I kept reading. I am reading a book on health of the traveller, very useful to travel to underdeveloped areas with more safety, even if it doesnt provide a safety of 100%, and it can turn you into a hypohondriac. This morning I made a long turn by bicycle, towards the north of the city, for the side of the sea . In front of the port there were some interesting ruins of a convent and inside a botanical garden. I did not have any reference about the botanical garden, but as it was mentioned in the map of Tallinn I went in this direction. The garden was pretty, very neat, but had very few information of the trees and plants that were inside. In the afternoon I have been reading a little, resting after the effort that i made in the morning, when suddenly, thinking what i could do afterwards I have decided to go out of the city (after all i saw almost all) and to visit a nature reserve at about 60 km in the east of the city, that according to my guidetour was very interesting. Before I have stopped to put gas oil and to buy in a supermarket and next i drove these kilometres till the information point of the park where I stopped and spent the night. Primil (see on map) 02/08/2006: In the point of information of the national park of Lahemaa they have recommended me a couple of itineraries that went by near the coast, one could be made with bicycle and the other one on foot. In the end I have preferred the hike. The path went through a pine wood, at few metres of the sea. The sea, and also the forest, was full of rocks, some very big to which they put names. The girl from the information office had commented me that these rocks were originary from Finland. I have dedicated most of the excursion to sharp my hearing, to try to collect all the noises that surrounded me: my crossings on the sand, on the pebbles, on ramillas, on the moss, on the mainland; the noise of the waves; the wind between the leaves and the trees; some birds;... After a couple of hours of walking I have arrived again to the Hymer. Then I went with the selfcaravan to another point of the park. After contemplating some rock I eat something, worked a little, cleaned the home and left towards Primiläe, some small village in the south of Tallinn where Anna, Vladimir, her husband, and Eric, their son of four months, waited for me. Anna is of Russian origin, five years ago met Vladimir through Internet and now lives in Estonia. Even if Estonia is independent of Russia she cant stop feel sorry about the discrimination towards the Russians, in fact a high percentage of the population is of Russian origin. In the cities and in the west of the country it is spoken quite Estonian, but in the east the Russian is spoken quite a lot, even if it has stopped being official. Anna and Vladimir have also told me that the people are not too nationalist, nationalism is rather a feeling that they try to make the politicians remmember. In fact, they said that the independence was not obtained, but it was rather given. During the collapse of the Soviet Union Ieltsin declared its independence from Russia (ironic, not?) and from here the rest of republics were created. I have asked them about the other Baltic republics and they have told me that the Lithuanians are very open people, resemblance to the Italians; the Estonians are close to the Finns and those of Latvia are a mixture. Vladimir is engineer and works for the state controlling the engergy company. They have called him while he was complaining about the little industry that there is in Estonia, because the occidental companies prefer investing in Asia, even if in Estonia the salaries are also very low. He had to go to Tallinn to solve a problem of energy supply. According to his wife it is a bad job for how small amount of money he receives. They have great expectations on a work interview that soon they will have in London. Anna has prepared dinner while she let me use the Internet connection, afterwards we have continued the conversation while she tried to put to bed her child. Finally Vladimir came back. I told goodbye to it because tomorrow I will leave at noon, probably that it returns, and I have them i will sleep in the Hymer although very nicely they offered me a room. Parnu (see on map) 03/08/2006: When I have awake I have worked a little. Afterwards i went to the house of Anna. I have connected to Internet while she took care of Eric. We have been speaking a little about the work of a mother taking care of her son. she had some paintings exposed on the walls. I understood that she had done a course of paint during the pregnancy with the expectation to be able to paint during the first months of having the creature. But Eric needed her much more than she thought. Mid-morning I have taken the pulse to the world with Anna. Anna was convinced that the main problem of the world are the emotions, the refusals. The people should know how to control these bad emotions. she tries to accept all the world and cant imagine doing bad things to people. The main problem in Estonia is also represented by emotions that the politicians use to act against the Russians that share the same earth. The solution would be in knowing and having friends on both sides. She could not make anything to solve the problem because it is too much implicated with the Russian feeling and better not to act. She is happy because she has a charming family and that is sufficient for her at the moment, but she would want further on to develop as sociologist. The secret of the happiness is to feel safe, to accept the errors of the past since these have also formed you as person and to look at the future with a smile. At midday Vladimir came home because today he was working near the village. We are together and been talking about journeys, Russia, the time... It has surprised me that he said that in Estonia it is much colder than in Moscow, it seems because the sea its much closer. Asking them for the Public Health of Estonia they told me that the waiting lists in Hospitals are very long but that if yu pay you pass to the first of the list. I have found it unfair but on the other hand they try to prevent the corruption, since the state charges this money, and the private health is made less necessary. In the afternoon I have started to go towards Parnu, not too many kilometres. All along the road it has been been raining. The landscape was undulated, with the fields mowed down, forests, villages... An image similar to Russia, but much more lived. I have observed some storks hunting i suppose insects or small animals. Along the road I have tried to look for a gas station with public toilet, to empty my chemical toilet, but i had no luck. At the information center of the natural park there were some public toilets, but the girl that was taking careof them didnt want to open when i told her that i needed to empty my WC .>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... she told me about another place but again i didnt find anything. At the entry of Parnú I have found other public toilets. I have entered with the box my WC but the woman that took care of them refused to empty it there, arguing that it would make smell too badly. I have asked where i could empty it and has answered me that where i wanted, but not there. I said that if i emptied it outside i would be contaminating but she has turbed her back to me. I have gone towards the Beach of Parnú with the expectation to find other toilets. And I have found them but they were locked. I needed to empty the WC with urgency and observing the sand of the beach, abundant, white and fine I have decided to dig a hole this night, far from the sea, and to empty it there. My mother gave me a folding shovel before leaving, thought that i would never use it, but this would be the first time. Parnu is the capital during summer, but the small city seemed a little dull. It was drizzling, it was a bit cold and there were not too many people. I have decided to visit it on the following day in the morning although I have walked on the main avenue through the beach, big and with some facilities for the tourists. I have locked myself up in the selfcaravan and I have started to read. At night I have looked at a film. Towards midnight I went out for a walk and to inspect the ground for the operation to "empty the WC". But the surroundings were not too much deserted. Music was listened in place next to the beach. I have approached. The music was interesting, rock, and the interior of the location seemed quite animated. I went dressed casual and without shaving since some days ago, but I have decided to pay the entry and to be distracted a while. The group was playing very well. They told me that they sang in Estonian and that they were one of the most popular of Estonia. The people danced and the girls screamed. in the middle of the concert I have started to admire the place while i was finishing my beer. Then some girls from a table have made me signals so that I approached. They had seen my aspect of lost foreigner. The girls seemed nice and I stayed with them. Afterwards i realised that they were very interesting. Both worked to the Red Cross and had just returned after eight months helping the victims of the earthquake that was in the Cachmir, in Paquistan. It was at the end of October and there had been 80.000 dead victims. Veronica was from Estonia and in short time was going to work in Chechenia during a year, also sent by the Red Cross. Anna was from Belgrade, Serbia, and basically worked in the office. I have told her that i have been in Serbia and that I had liked Belgrade a lot and she very happy. We have been talking a lot about the work and experience in Cachmir, very rewarding at human level, but quite hard. They worked since they got up until they were going to sleep, but it wasnt so hard taking in consideration the urgency that was required. On the other hand, although they tried to be professional sometimes they could not repress the tears when listening to the stories of some survivors who had lost everything, including the family. I have commented to Verónica,that I also wanted to work and to travel with an ONG after my studies, but i was worried not to find work after some years working as cooperative abroad. she has commented me that she does not worry about that, since after working some years in the field she thinks that will be able to develope a work more bureaucratic to the same Red Cross or in another ONG. Afterwards we have spoken about Islam in Cachmir and in Paquistan. Anna commented that she worked with jeans, although above it had to take a dress that covered all of it. Anyway, she always refused to cover the hair. On the other hand they explained that outside all are very religious and puritan but that afterwards, there is also at home the homosexuality, the prostitution and also that they drink alcohol a lot, even if it is difficult to find. After the concert they have convinced me to go a while to a club to dance and also in the morning to university of Tartú, the second city of the country. ‹ Previous (04/06/2006)  MONTH   Next (2006-08-03)›                     ‹ Previous (2006-06-17 - Ukraine)  COUNTRY   Next (2006-07-08 - Finland)›

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