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 (18/02/2006)  MONTH   Next (2006-04-19)›                     ‹ Previous (2009-11-18 - Romania)  COUNTRY   Next (2009-11-28 - Spain)› Italy Lago Maggiore (see on map) 20/03/2006: I have awakened early, even so the sun was already high. I do not know if in Italy I have to advance the clock an hour... I have consulted it on the windows and yes... I have not awakened so much early... I have decided not to enter into Milan even in the afternoon and to be the morning on the Lago Maggiore taking some photos and editing video. I did not think that this would be so much painstaking one and I have decided that from now I will attempt to edit the films of every day the same evening or exactly the following day. Exactly before having lunch I have received a message in the mobile from Anna, a girl of Milano that I had contacted through couchsurfing.com. She proposed me to meet us at the 8pm. Naturally I have answered it would be perfect and I have started to organise the rest of my day. After cleaning the Hymer (I had already planned on making it), I have gone towards Milano. I have stopped to a gas station to load water and they have not left me... this it is not like in France. In the second I have seen a tap near the jets and without asking it I have loaded the 100 litres of water. It wanted to use one of these gas stations to empty the deposit of the WC, because I think to remain some days in Milano and there it has to be more complicated to empty it. But with the complication of the water and seeing that the toilets were inside the shops, I have not dared to asking for it. I expect that I do not need to empty it until I goes out of Milano... I have entered with haste into Milano, I did not want to arrive late at the appointment. But fair to enter I have seen a very big clock that marked an hour less than that of my clock. I have parked in a hole that I have found and I have asked the time to a girl who passed. She has confirmed me that it was an hour less than what I thought and she also has commented me that I was quite far from the centre. As now I had time, I have decided to take profit of it loading the cartography of Italy to my GPS. But I have not been successful and I have gone to the centre asking. Like always I have found a good place for parking, a blue zone that here it seems to be of payment. Tomorrow perhaps I will put a ticket in case of... I have gone to the appointment and I have found Anna. At first, the encounter has been a little cold, but with the beer and the explanations of our journeys, we have kept on animating the encounter, even though she has had to go early because she had a dinner. Anyway, we have agreed on tomorrow I will invite her to lunch in the Hymer and she to me to have dinner at her home. Milano (see on map) 21/03/2006: I have awakened early, although I have been dawdling a little. When finally I have gotten up I have noticed that it rained. In a certain way I have been happy, because I had a lot of work editing video. Anyway, mid-morning I have gone out of the Hymer, I have looked if there was any machine to pay the ticket and I have not seen any. But when I was going, a man with a phosphorescent orange waistcoat has called me and has asked me if the car was mine. I have answered him that yes and then he has briefed me of having to pay him 6€ for the car park (I have lain that I would only remain even at noon). I have paid him and he has given me a few tickets where he has marked on the day and hour scraping some boxes with the claw. After the formality I have gone towards the centre of information to search a map of the city, to ask for the coffees of Internet and afterwards to buy some food for preparing the lunch that I had with the Anna in the Hymer. Between a thing and the other I have been late and after go out of the supermarket I already have gone directly in the meeting point. We have gone towards the caravan under the rain and once in inside she has surprised for how well distributed the Hymer was. I have started to prepare the lunch, a fideua, my star dish, even though there were not exactly the same the ingredients as in Catalonia, I have bought fresh pasta instead of dry. She has been shocked when I stard cutting the noodles with a scissors, afterwards she has been interested in why I fried the noodles and finally she has been amazed about I cooked the noodles in the same frying pan. The lunch has a very good taste. After lunch she has gone to work again and I have stayed in the Hymer working and editing video. In half a editing a video, the transformer of 220 V has started to complain, to whistle, but I have not paid it attention. But after a good while I have thought that it would be better to turn on the engine of the car so that the battery did not unload more than the account. Even though I have taken the decision too late and the engine has not been able to be turned on. I have decided to wait for a little to see if the battery retrieved force. But nothing... I have thought to leave it more time and I have gone to connect to a on a cibercafe because I needed to unload some messages. Afterwards I have come back and have started to stir up the paperwork to see if I found the telephone of assistance of the insurance broker Zalba-Caldu that sponsors me. I have found it little before 8pm, the hour in that I had remained again with the Anna to go her home to have dinner at. I have called exactly to confirm that tomorrow I would not have any problem for having the assistance and I have presented to the appointment. We have gone with tram to her home . There also was in Ruggero, its colleague of flat. We have had a very good rissoto that has prepared Anna and a very strange but good salad for dinner: fine cut orange, triturated garlic, capers, a vegetable similar to the celery, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. After having dinner I have made them the interview individually. First to Ruggero while Anna paid attention to a call and afterwards to Anna. It has been very curious because both have given the same answer to the first question without having listened themselves. They both have coincided in the main problem of the world being the lack of communication or of common sense between the cultures and ideas. Anyway they have proposed slightly different solutions: Ruggero has believed that political decisions and maybe more advertising had to be taken in this sense and Anna has proposed that it should be solved with education. With respect to the regional problems Anna has highlighted that the stress affects to many people and she has proposed that the football clubs that scroll so many money should pay some holidays to all the population. It has became late and they very kind have offered me its couch to sleep. 22/03/2006: I took a shower at Anna’s hose like time ago, with water profusely... I can not allow me this luxury at the caravan, I always attempt to spare as much water as I can. We have taken a tram towards the centre and there she has proposed me to go to take a coffee. I have found economic the price of the coffee, 0,80€ and I have commented it to her. Her answer has surprised me: the Italian government forbids that the price of the coffee rises over the 0,85€, but if you sit in a table they can charge you the service. Anna has entered to work and I have gone to the Hymer. While I walked I have called to the service of assistance of Zalba-Caldú and they have commented me that in little more than an hour they would be shown. It has been quite more late but when they have arrived they have plugged a new battery in the selfcaravan and the engine have turned on in less than open and close the eyes. This morning I had to meet with the Italian magazine Caravan e Camper, with whom I will collaborate and they sponsors me. With the problem of the battery I have arrived a little late but Antonio, its director, has received me terrifically and we have had time of speaking about the articles I will write, commenting on the possibility to collaborate also with videos of the journey, making some photos, filming an interview and having lunch. He also explained that in Italy there are special zones for caravans where you can upload fresh water and unload the dirty water. He has given to me an Italian map with all these zones marked. I have come back to the centre with the Hymer but I have attempted to park it in another place, because this morning, while I waited for the crane, the man who charges the blue zone has complained me that I had not paid the car park in all the afternoon of yesterday and in the morning. This time, parking has been more complicated, but I have naturally achieved it. I have devoted part of the afternoon to appealing the centre of Milano with bicycle. It is a city that probably does not have too much touristic attractive, without many zones to stroll but it has some charm that attracts. I would say that it’s the trams, there are many and some of them are really pieces of museum, this makes that the city has a pleasant air reconciliation with the step of the time. The evening I have come off again with Anna. We had come off to go to dinner with some friends for afterwards to go to see a film, in Italian, of course. The friends of Anna have been very interesting and fun, I have come off with one of them for tomorrow, Roberto, to make him an interview. Fidenza (see on map) 23/03/2006: This morning I have stayed in the caravan dawdling and editing video. Although I have not been able to advance too much. Sight the hard work that it takes to me to edit the video now I am engraving quite a lot of less, or at least, I do not repeat the catches. To the lunchtime I have come off with Anna and Roberto. I have made him the interview and like always it has been interesting. It has answered that the main problem of the world is the lack of consciousness that the world has really of it’s problems, for example ecological. At a regional level he has commented that the majority of politicians in Italy are a shit and that other should be elected. Many Italians speak me these days about policy because soon they will have elections. At personal level he has commented me that he will be happier when he finishes a series of changes that he is making to his life, even though yesterday, he affirmed "off the record" that he would be happier if he could have more sex. I have seen off Roberto and Anna. Who knows when I will see them again... Anna has bringing very well these days with me, dedicating me her good time. We have had very interesting and deep conversations. I have felt very comfortable with her and its friends. She will be another good friend that I will leave behind because the journey forces me to being ahead. Mid-afternoon I have gone towards Fidenza, a town before of arriving at Parma, where I have remained with some friends that I had made through couchsurfing.com. They told me that they met every Thursday to speak about journeys, which were very interested of knowing me and which invited me to dinner. They already waited for me when I have arrived. We have started to speak about my journeys and it has been curious, Lorenzo was known better my programmed itinerary than I. The mother of Lorenzo has served the dinner while we expected that the other friends arrived. We have eaten pasta, as supposed, afterwards chicken and a very good craft ice cream. Little by little the rest of the friends have kept on arriving: Simone, Leonardo, Michele and other of which I do not remember the name. This group of friends has made me remember my friends of all the life, a group very well gotten along, heterogeneous, fun and heedless. We have been all the night making joke, laughing, getting along with English, Italian and Spaniard and speaking about girls, on their journeys for Europe, Canada, Russia, Cuba... We have been looking if my itinerary coincided with any on theis programmed journeys and to when we check out that not, Lorenzo has been very interested of accompanying some part on the journey I will do in United States. I have commented him that as we have a lot of time since then we will keeping on speaking about it. Late at night I have seen them off because I died of sleep and I have gone to sleep to the Hymer that I had well parked in the street. Cinque Terre (see on map) 24/03/2006: When I was coming out with the caravan towards Reggio Emilia, Lorenzo has suited to find me protected under one umbrella, then it rained. He has risen to the Hymer and we have been speaking a little. He has commented me that he offered to accompany me the following day to Cinque Terre where I planned on going. Also he has reminded me, this evening I was able to come out with them of party. I have answered him that in this moment I did not know yet what I would do, but that I would send him a message in the afternoon. We have seen off reminding me also of the possibility to accompany my through United States. I have directed towards Reggio Emilia where I expected Marco from the international company CTE, members of my sponsor Alan. In CTE they had to solve some small problems that I had in the radio station and in the GPS. Marco has been very attentive and immediately we have started to work. After fixing the GPS and while other technicians studied the interferences that there were in the caravan, Marco has left to me to connect to Internet from the office. Parallelly I have pioneered conversation with Denis, a boy from Croacia that had been living in Italy for 14 years. He has regretted my itinerary not passing through Croacia, it is seen that it is very beautiful. Then he has explained to me that at the beginning of the war of the Balkans he was making the military service in Belgrade. Luckily they did not call him to the war because he had not known what to do if they had made him go to struggle against his own people. I have seen them off genially and with a few photos and I have started to go towards Cinque Terre, five hamlets on the coast protected by the Unesco, it’s said they are very beautiful. Marco and the father of Lorenzo had recommended me firmly of go back 30 kilometres towards Parma and afterwards to go towards Cinque Terre through motorway. But I have seen a little road in the map that went through a neck of 1261 metres and promised to be interesting. And naturally I have thrown myself to it. As I thought, the curves have turned up immediately and the landscape has been gone given back interesting. But in half rise, the conspiracy that avoids that I can observe the landscapes of mountain from the Hymer has manifested again. A mysterious fog has made presence and has not disappeared until I has arrived to the neck, that was all it snowed and romantic. It has been beautiful, but I do not know if it has been sufficient for I do not know how many hours of driving and the fourth of deposit of gas oil. Finally I have arrived, of night, at Cinque Terre. First I have parked in Riomaggiore, in spite of knowing that it was forbidden to the caravans. But I have meditated a good while that I was in the country of "Carevan e Camper", one of the magazines of caravaning with I collaborate, and that to park there would not be too much good advertising for them. And I have ended up going to the town of the side, Manorola where there was a car park for caravans. Before going to sleep I have sent a message to the telephone of Lorenzo excusing me because I was already in Cinque Terre. Really I had desires to be alone a few days. 25/03/2006: Today I have done a good excursion, very interesting. I have gone out at 10am, with the idea of making some photos to the town of Manorola and taking the train afterwards towards the following town of Cinque Terre: Corniglia. But I have started to go through a little way to make photos of the village with perspective. The way bordered the coast direction Corniglia climbing over the precipices and crossing a nature reserve (I have known it afterwards) of feral forests. Really it was very pleasant to make this walk and I have continued walking during an hour and half (making the necessary stops to make photos) until, as I thought, I have arrived to Corniglia. Corniglia had the same charm than Manorola and that (as I have discovered afterwards) the following two towns of Cinque Terre. They are villages of fishermen and farmers, of small ports and boats on the paved beach that at the same time is the main square. The few streets and scales are tortuous, because the houses painted of different warm colours climb towards the mountain and over the cliffs. Its inhabitants, surrounded with tourists, seem to be with its daily tasks: some woman drawing cloth in the window, other men fixing the boats, of other working an earth that has been conquered to the slope of the mountain. In Corniglia I have asked to some girls if the path continues towards Vernazza, the following town and they have indicated me that yes, but that it was a bit more long than the first. This second part climbed much more up than the first did, for cliffs that speeded the heard if you approached too much. I have been walking some two hours, well, walking and I taking photos. It is curious, from time to time there were a table and some banks of wood where you could stop to rest that always were occupied for two or three very amicable cats that I suppose that they fed themselves with the excesses of the hikers. In Vernazza I have thought that with a small effort more I would arrive to the last town: Monterosso. And I was right, with an hour and half more and I have arrived. From there I have come back by train towards Manorolo, where the sunset gave it a very attractive key of colours. After this long walk, I have directed towards Portovenere, some town beside Cinque Terre, where I have had dinner and where I have taken a shower. I was so tired that at 9 I already slept. Pisa (see on map) 26/03/2006: This morning I have awakened myself at six (with the alarm clock). I went to sleep early, so I have thought that I could make some photos to the sunrise. And I have had good luck because I have seen the sun to go out, in spite of that the exits never are so much spectacular than the sunsets, and I have been able to go to still make some photos to a Portovenere half an asleep. Portovenere follows the style of the towns of Cinque Terre but it is sensed that here it is more accessible, because it is more polluted by the tourism, also even though it has an impressive castle that distinguishes it from the other ones. After the walk around the castle I have come back to the caravan where I have started to work until it became dark. I have been writing it these days, I had quite a lot of work to make, and anyway, the day either invited to make nothing more because it has become cloudy and it has drizzled. It has suited me, because now I only have two video tapes, of eight, to edit. Also I have been selecting photos of yesterday; I had many, I had managed to fill both cards of 1Gb and 0,5Gb. Like every day I have written the diary and because it’s Sunday, I have started to write the article for the 9nou. And also, I have swept and have rubbed my small home. After this working Sunday (either I will not complain) I have gone towards Pisa. I went with the GPS fixed and it has not been too difficult to me to arrive to the centre, but I have not seen the tower for nowhere. I have parked beside the river and after having dinner I have come out with the bicycle through the streets of pedestrians of the city but either I have seen the tower. Even though I have been able to observe that the city has many more interesting monuments, aside of the tower, for example a quite well preserved wall that turns up here and disappears there. I have had to ask where it was and finally I have arrived at it. It had some tenuous but interesting illuminations to make a photo. Then I have remembered the challenge that I had before going on journey, making a photo of the Hymer in front of the main monuments of the world: the tower of Pisa, the Moscou red square, the Tower Eiffel, the pyramids of Egypt... And so, I have seen it was possible to half park in front of a hotel from where the tower was seen, I have gotten the caravan and I have made a few photos trying to avoid reflections and graduating the power of the flash. Afterwards I have come back to the initial car park and have selected the best photo, even though I have still stayed awake some three hours editing it because there was the bottom of a car on standing out in front of the Hymer and the wheel of a bicycle under. 27/03/2006: I have not gone out until after having lunch, this time yes, finally I can say that I have edited all video tapes that I had until the moment. I have taken the bicycle again, because I was not really so much near the centre as I had been in other cities, and I have gone towards the famous tower of Pisa, the icon of Italy. I thought to make it some photos with the light of the afternoon and perhaps to take the typical photo holding the tower. But when I have seen the multitude of tourists who wandered all over, I have desisted. However I have started to fix in the comical postures that all they made in front of the cameras of photographing and I have decided to immortalising this moments. welcome in the circus of Pisa! The majority they try to figure that they sustained the tower so that it did not fall down; other more wanton tried the backhand and pushed it, even they gave it knocks of foot to the air, or simply with the finger; some held it about the hand; other crushed it; a girl hugged it and made it a kiss; a group of farmers pushed in group;... When I have had sufficient of this endless comical session I have gone towards the centre of information of the city and I have asked for a map and for the cibercafes (like always). I have connected later, after coming back to the caravan and coming back with the computer. I did not connect since three days ago so I had some messages of friends that they worried. I also had a few answers of contacts that wanted to see me in Rome. Finally also there was somebody who complained that for days I did not send the diary, in fact more than one week. With reason he complained and today I have started to prepare the sending for tomorrow. Firenze (see on map) 28/03/2006: I have made this programme: today I will stay in the morning in Pisa to wash cloth and to connect to Internet to send a part of the newspaper; in the afternoon I will be going towards Florencia; I will have Wednesday to visit Florencia and on Thursday I will go out in the morning towards Siena, visiting San Gimignano in the middle; Friday... uf, days are lacking me because Friday I wanted to meet one of the girls of Rome that yesterday wrote to me. In any case, I have sustained the programme of the morning, but yes, with haste. First I have arrived to the laundry and I have noticed that I had forgotten the soap and softener in the caravan. If I had known it I should searched it again because I have gone too far half an hour to find a supermarket plus the time of searching the product and paid it... Afterwards I have gone to connect to Internet while the cloth was washed, so that after half an hour I have had to disconnect, to do five minutes of bicycle to the laundry, put the cloth in the dryer, to come back to the cibercafe, to search again the cloth, to come back to the cibercafe... But I have been able to do everything and early in the afternoon gone towards Florence. This time I have parked in the centre again, but this time I’m a bit worry, because it is a zone where those where you can only park with a special permission. In the signal there is an icon of a crane taking away a car, but I do not believe that a normal and ordinary crane can take away the caravan... While I went towards Florence a girl from the couchsurfing has written me to the cellular and have arranged to meet for tomorrow at noon. Finally I will not have time to arrive to Rome on Friday in the afternoon... Anyway, either it is not an imperative meeting the girl of Friday. I have also come off with one another on Saturday and on Monday. I have gone out to stroll with the camera of making photos and I have had to think up not to make the typical photos that everybody makes. When I came back I have sawn that in a bar in front of the cathedral they broadcast a match and then I have remembered that today Barça played the Champions. I have come back to the same bar and I have asked for a beer while I looked at the match of Barça, only one because they have nailed me 10euros. The bar did not have any environment, only was me looking at the match, if we discount to the waiter. The result has been poor for the good match that Barça has made, but well, sure that in the Camp Nou we will win. San Gimignano (see on map) 29/03/2006: This morning, like an habit in each important city, I have gone out to stroll with bicycle and film with the camera of video. Florence is a city which is worthwhile visiting, even though I would forbid the tourists entry, there are too much. The cathedral (or Duomo, I do not know why the Italians named like this), the palace Vecchio, the bridge Vecchio (yes, everything is old in this city) are exquisite constructions. At noon, before having lunch I have found Daniela and Priscila. They are two sisters born in Brazil but of Italian roots, where they are studying International Relations. Both have been very nice and interested by my journey. We have gone to lunch a Kebab near where I had parked the Hymer and afterwards I have invited them to visit my flat. They have liked my Sweat home a lot. Then I have proposed them of making the interview of taking the pulse to the world. I have explained them the project and finally they have accessed with the condition of not being filmed. Like always they have been interesting interviews. Daniela believed that the main problem in the world was the Capitalism. At regional level she believed that the main problem of Brazil was the money and the importance that people give to it. She gave the opinion that both problems could be solved with education and changing the politicians. Daniela considered herself happy because for the time being she had all what she wanted, but she would be happier if besides studying she could work in any NGO. The secret of the happiness is to do whenever you want but respecting the others. Her sister Priscila, thought that the main problem of the world is that the people do not have respect for the other ones, the solution would be in familiar and education at level. At regional level Priscila thought the same than her sister, that the people are capable of making anything for money, at personal level she believed that simply assistant for nothing in exchange you are making a good a small step. Priscila also considered herselve happy and she did not need to feel happier. The secret of the happiness: being that whom you want to be and not the that the other people wants. Finished the interview we have gone out to stroll and we have continued speaking about the problems of the world and its solutions. After the majority of the times that I make the interviews of the project, very interesting conversations are started. We have gone to take a capucchino and afterwards they have proposed me to rise to the square Michaelangelo, from where we enjoyed an impressive sight on the city. Mid-afternoon they have had to let me because they had to meet some neighbours and have seen off promising ourselves to write us and I thanking them all the time that they have dedicated me. Seeing that if I went out I could arrive at San Gimignano by day I have started going. And indeed, I have arrived when the sun was being laid. After parking in an embankment beside the road near other vehicles and caravans I have gone out to stroll this interesting mediaeval villa characterised with some very high towers that if you look them of back light you can imagine that you are in Manhatan. 30/03/2006: Today I have felt stressed. Yes, it will seem strange to you that traveling and fulfiling the dream of my life can feel stressed me. I have also found it strange and I have thought perhaps that I have slept badly tonight, because the caravan was very inclined; or I should take again the vitamins that I am not taking during days; or that before having a shower the gas has been finished; or that I did not connect to Internet during too much days (only two); or that I worked too much writing the diary, translating it, editing photos and videos, writing articles...; or... The conclusion I have arrived during the day it is that I do not have organised yet my time and this makes that I stress and that I have the sensation that I do not finish the work and that I do not arrive anywhere. For the time being I have arrived everywhere and have visited all what I had proposed to myself and the work, he have half counted out and I don’t need more than three or four hours per day, and it is a work (if it can be called like this) that I like. So, I need organising the time and keeping on accustoming myself to this new way of life. I starting planning to write the diary and to edit the photos every night and to write the articles and to edit video during the day, because really I’m never all day long out of the caravan. Aside of stressing, I have also visited again the town of San Gimignano where today there was market. There were also many more tourists than yesterday in the evening and the bars and shops were open, but a calm environment was breathed, maybe the green landscape of the Toscana helped. At noon I have gone towards a supermarket where I have started to change the system of gas Repsol to Campingaz. But I needed another wrench more of the one I had and I have had to go to buy it in the supermarket to be able finally to solve it. In the supermarket I also have bought fresh pasta. Anna from Milan have replyed to the interview that the secret of happiness was pasta. As today I felt stressed I have bought quite a lot of Italian pasta and cheese. Mid-afternoon, I have gone out towards Siena, half an hour from San Gimignano. When I have parked I have thought that I had do it near the centre, because a door of the wall was very near. But when I have gone there to stroll I have been three quarters hour to arrive at the other side of the city, or best said in the centre. In any case it has been worthwhile, because all the time I have been walking through streets restricted to the traffic, calm, with some church here and a shop there. And at the end, the square of Il Campo and further on the Duomo, which like many of the monuments that I have visited in this journey, was been restored. Siena (see on map) 31/03/2006: Today, contrarily to yesterday, I have felt full of energy. Perhaps this is because I have slept tonight much better; or that in the morning I have taken the vitamins; or that I have been able to connect to Internet more than two hours paying only 4€; or that for having lunch I have cooked pasta; or that I felt more organised or with time of doing all the work that I had proposed to myself. After having breakfast and having a shower, I have gone out to stroll with the bicycle through Siena that already started to fill with tourists. I have gotten lost in other streets aside from the principal, and from these I have been able to observe better the daily life that evolves very slowly since centuries ago. After a pair of hours of pedalling paved streets, some of which, very steep. I have connected a pair of hours to Internet to do a little of everything, but mainly to send the diary to all my readers, that had not been sent since Pisa and that friends had been claiming it for days. In the afternoon I have started to go towards Rome, but I have stopped to one town called Montefiascone, from where I have enjoyed of an impressive sight on a valley of vineyards, olive trees and fruit trees and to the background the lake of Boisena . I have parked the Hymer in a path and I have gone out to make some photos. when coming back, I have decided to stay working there until the sun was laid, moment that it would be profitable to make more photos. And I have done this. After the sunset I had a lot of hunger, but as the caravan was not too well parked and I did not want to be more annoying to the neighbours, I have decided to go away a little more and to stop to have dinner and to sleep in the shore of some other lake that there was more beside Rome. I have decided on the lake of Vico that in theory is found halfway going by a small road direction the town Ronciglione. But I have arrived to the town without seeing the lake. Anyway, I have not been concerned more with the account and I have made the dinner, I have edited photos and I have started to sleep. Roma (see on map) 01/04/2006: When I have opened the curtains of the Hymer mid-morning and I have observed the town of Ronciglione, it has seemed to me interesting enough to go there to do a stroll and take some pictures. There are a church and a castle that stand out over the daily life of the typical Italian town. Allthougt, I have not seen the lake Vico nowhere. I have gone towards Rome at some 30 kilometres but there was quite a lot of traffic and I advanced very slowly. I have though that the hour was the reason, it was one o’clock and as I was hungry. I have parked the Hymer beside the road and I have made the lunch and I have had lunch. Exactly before washing the dishes, a very annoyed man has told me that I had parked in a private property and I could not park there. I have not understood its annoyance, but afterwards I have supposed that I covered the poster of a restaurant that there was a little further on. In any case, I have washed the dishes and I have started off again. It has been very simple to enter in Rome and also to park in a zone quite downtown, and without being of payment. It has probably been because the hour and because it was weekend and many Romans must go out of the city, the same as it in Barcelona. Mid-afternoon I have gone out, to stroll Navonna towards the square, where had remained with a roman girl. Sabrina has seemed a girl a little closed in its world even though with me she has been very open and nice. We have been strolling and we have been talk while she kept on showing me the main points of interest of the zone: Fountain of Trevi, the square of Spain, the commercial streets... Everything was to burst of people: tourists and locals. I will have to come back any evening among week. After making an ice cream she has proposed me to come out to take something with her friends this evening. It has seemed perfect to me. We have directed there with her car. It has surprised me and fun its aggressive way to drive, according to all Romans: with speeded sudden, changes of lanes matches without looking, with some insult from time to time and some braking. In the pub we have eaten a little and we have started to play a board game while her friends arrived. An also very heterogeneous but fun group, one of which a Greek I have arranged to meet him in Athens drink a beer. We have been talking half in Italian and half in English, while I looked askance at the Barça-Madrid match that it was transmitted on the television of the pub. Finally, towards one o’clock we have gone because Sabrina had to get up early the following day. I have arrived at the caravan with desires for party, I didn’t go out to dance more than a month . I have looked at the guide and have given that near there was a pub that seemed interesting. I have directed there and really there was a quite nice environment. After a pair of beers I have endeavoured conversation in Italian with a girl. But the girl did not understand me at all. Finally she has said me: "yo no hablo italiano". In short, that the girl was from Jaen (Spain). They were a group of girls with journey of course purpose, with a teacher a lot interesting that half controlled them, or they controlled him... The party finished when they achieved to stop a bus that had to take them to the hotel. 02/04/2006: Today I have dedicated the day to myself. Today it has been really a Sunday for me and I have not worked, if I can differentiate when I work and when not... I have awakened late, naturally. After having lunch I have taken the bicycle and I have gone out to know the city under a splendid sun. The people that I have kept on crossing also had taken the day herself like a Sunday: they strolled in calm, they sunbathed, they read, they watched the children who played ball, they ate ice cream, they made photos or simply they observed in the other ones, like me. I have kept on pedalling for the side of the roman forum with multiple columns that do not sustain anything any more and walls half demolished by the step of the time. I have arrived at the huge Colosseo that seems to depreciate the triumphal arch that there is in the background. From there I have gone to the station where there is a centre of touristic information. I have come back towards the Colosseo crossing some gardens and I have followed towards the south bordering the roman forum through the other band. Under there is the Circo Massimo, a long extension of lawn where the people seemed to dilute the stress accumulated during the week. From above the Campidoglio I have observed that in little while a beautiful sunset would be produced with the characteristic roman domes cutting the sky. I have gotten the tripod in the Hymer that I had parked near and I have waited for the event again. Afterwards I have gone towards the Fountain of Trevi and to the square of Spain to take some photos but there were too many people. I have thought that it would be good to go to take some photos in the square of san Petro of Vaticano. I imagined that it would be quite empty at this time of the evening but in arriving the great amount of people who there was and arrived at it has surprised me. Then I have known that the Pope would celebrate a mass. I have kept taking photos with the tripod and have to admit, that in spite of not feeling Catholic I have been touched a little seeing so many people devout with its lights, the singing, the sermons and the waited Papa in the typical illuminated window. After a good while, without waiting the end of the mass mass I have gone towards the Hymer where I have had dinner and I have edited photos. Afterwards, to end a Sunday, I have decided to go back to the pub of yesterday and to make a beer with calm, little while because the following day I wanted to work. But I have been there until two because I have found the group of students from Jaen again and they have held me up talking and dancing. 03/04/2006: Today has been a day of work, after preparing an article, photos and mails to send across Internet I have pioneered the odyssey of finding a cybercafe in Rome which let me connect my PC. It has been much more complicated of what I thought. First I have gone to the park of Borghese where a centre of information had briefed me of there being free wifi. But in spite of finding a poster that indicated that in that zone there was wifi, my laptop have not known how found it. Writing this I do not want at all to give a fault to the town council of Rome, because in Javajan office, where I worked before, I also have problems for finding the wifi of the company. Afterwards I have gone near the Fountain di Trevi where someone had commented me that there was a cybercafe. But nothing. Then I have gone to ask to Information point of Piazza Navona and they have indicated me some cybercafe, one of which did not let me to connect the laptop and the last one that yes, but charged me 10€ the hour. It was later than two and I knew that the Italian magazine of caravaning was waiting with urgency for a message, I have accepted the abuse and I have connected. I have had lunch late but with sufficient time to remain with a girl, Rosanna, at five in front of the castle of Saint Angelo. We had agreed on I would send her a message and she would go out a moment from the work to go to make a coffee. And like this we have done it. She was very interested in my journey and in how I had achieved to pioneer it. Then I have spoken her about my project and I have asked her to make her an interview. But she had to enter again to work and we have agreed afterwards she will come to the Hymer and in principle we will go to have dinner. I have taken profit of the time I had and I have visited the castle of Saint Angelo, because before I have observed that there was free entrance. It was a coarse castle, I suppose that due to the passing of time, because in the roman period it already existed as a fortress. Anyway, on the top there is a good sight on the city. Pity that I did not bring the camera of photographing above. I have come back towards the caravan through the near the river Tevere that crosses the city and once in inside I have translate the article into the English for the Italian magazine. At half work, Rosanna has sent me a message that she would finish quite a lot of later and that she did not know if she would come. I have eaten a little and have gone out to see if I found a container to the near where to throw the two bags of remains that I had accumulated, but I have not found any. Instead of this I have given that in some few portals there was a few stacked bags. Going there to leave my bags has made me thing and I have decided to throw them tomorrow when I will go out from Rome in some service area. Rosanna has arrived with a friend, Susanna, simply to see off. Anyway I have convinced them to rise to the caravan and after showing some photos that I had made during the journey I have made them a joint interview for the project of taking the pulse to the world. Rosanna thought that the main problem of the world was the injustice, in any meaning, and Susanna believed that the world would go better if the people made the priorities correct to the life. They believed that would start to solve the problems changing the current world-wide leaders. At personal level, a first step would be to go next week to vote and another would be to learn collaborate and not concern. The main problem in Italy they believed that it is the lack of work and of work opportunities even though they have not known to propose any solution. Two believed that there were not reasons to be unhappy even though always there are dreams for achieving. In relation to the secret of the happiness Susanna believed you have to search the positive side of all things and Rosanna had the feeling that has to live without being concerned with improving, simply life. Perugia (see on map) 04/04/2006: Yesterday I went to sleep early with the intention of getting up soon today in order to go over the city and take some photos while the tourists were still sleeping. In really I have not awakened so much early, but the tourists would still have to be having breakfast when I have gone out. Only when I have arrived to the Vatican their presence has started to be sensed. I have been in Rome and in the Vatican fifteen years ago with a journey with the scool and the church of San Peter remembered much bigger. But even so I have amazed again this exquisite architectural work and its decoration. It has surprised me that they let me enter to in with the tripod. Anyway, in inside they have advised me that I could not use it. Then I only have used it for backing up the camera. But in the end, when the tourists have covered all the church like a moquette, I have made some photos using it half hidden In the afternoon, after connecting from another much more economic cybercafe that I have found, I have gone towards Perugia. I had agreed with a couple that have written me across Internet. The girl, Denise, that he is from Indonesia, curiously is studying Catalan and she had desires to practice it with some Catalan. I arrived at the evening helped by GPS and they received me terrifically well. Jean François, a French designer, helped me to finding a better car park for the Hymer and afterwards, all three went to make a stroll through the town. They were excellent guides tourists explaining to me good part of the history of the city. Perugia was set up for the Etruscan, and now a part of the original wall and an impressive door is still preserved. Afterwards, to the mediaeval period, Perugia was an independent city that paid the Pope the taxes of the salt. But the Pope of the period wanted to charge more of the account and they started to buy the salt to Siena. But we already know how the Popes of the period spent them, then this conquered Perugia with its army, he executed big part of the population and construct a castle constructed above the homes and streets of the city. It is absolutely interesting, you can stroll for the covered streets for the vaults above that the castle was constructed. Towards 1800, when Italy was reunified, Perugia could be freed from the Popes and demolished the castle. Jean François commented that in Perugia there are many expressions and anticlerical blasphemers due to its history. At present, Perugia is a university city. The square of the town, in spite of it being an evening of an a little cold Tuesday, was to burst of students who made the beer sitting to some outside staircases or of foot. They present me some students and after explain them my journey wanted to raffle to lodge me next night. This I have slept at Denise and Jean François home. 06/04/2006: I have spent two fantastic days in Perugia even though there hasn’t been too good weather, it has been covered and it has rained at times. But I have made big friends and have crossed with another charming people that I have not been able to manage to know. I had planned to take some day of theses and to go to Assisi that is to correspond, but the charm of Perugia has had me caught up. Yesterday, Denise and Jean François awakened earlier than I because they had to go to work. With total confidence they let me the keys of his home . I stayed working good part of the morning with the computer except a while that I have used it to going to clean the caravan. When I came back from the caravan, Denise had already arrived and she was preparing the lunch, pasta, naturally. We were talking in Catalan about my journey, the project and other personal aspects, with a great mental sharpness on the part of Denise. After eating the best ice-cream of the world in a small confectionery, we have met Laura, a girl from Madrid that I knew last night on the square. As Denise had to work again I kept with Laura all the afternoon. First we went to seeing an exhibition of students of fine arts at university and next at home, because it was a day too grey to stroll. She had to study and I wanted to write the article to cambio16 that the following day had to send. But we passed all the afternoon talking about the relations that we had had, about the dreams, the life... It was not until little before having dinner that us both we start to work a little. We had dinner the four in Jean François and Denise home. Jean François cooked a delicious rice with Cocacola! It is seen that in South America they quite use it in the cooking... During the dinner I made them the interview individually. Jean François believed that one of the main problems of the world was the lack of communication at international level and also personal, and perhaps the problem could be solved reducing the speed of life. The main problem in France is the lack of references of the part of the youth, in its work of designer attempts to show new references, for example ecological. At personal level he considered himself happy and he attempted not to complain for his problems. He believed that to be happy was needed a little discipline with oneself and especially smile. Laura believed that the lack of solidarity was the main problem of the world. Curiously also she believed that the main problem at regional level was the frenetic rhythm of life. Laura considered herself happy even though sometimes, the doubts drove her away from this state. Denise believed that the main problem of the world was the economic inequalities. In Italy she believed that the actions of the people are too much conditioned by the thought of the other ones, she thought that the people should be more independent. Denise considered that she could still be happier if she found a better place to live. The secret of the happiness passes through having friends. This morning I have stayed at Laura home finishing preparing some mails and some collaborations with Catalunya Ràdio and afterwards I have gone to a Cibercafe to connect. Very economic, that’s because I’m in a university city. I have had lunch with Denise that any time she is becoming acuter analysing my "charm". After the pizza and the ice cream I have remained with Laura. I have accompanied her to buying, we have gone to her home to follow the conversations of last day and in a moment which it seemed that it had stopped raining definitively, I have later, gone out to make photos. But it has rained again. I was attempting to take a photo with the tripod covering the camera with the umbrella when a very nice girl has offered herself to stand the umbrellas while I took the photo. We have been talking a little, she in Italian making Spanish accent and I in Spaniard making Italian accent. Afterwards we have broken away, I to take more photos and she to buy a book with a friend. In the evening I have gone out with Laura and a friend to see a film that criticises with Berlusconi. It has been good, even though in this film there were more dialogues than in the film that I saw in Milano and I lost some pieces. Afterwards we went to one bar to eat a pizza and we ended in a pub with other friends talking and drinking until pass half a night. I sacked effusively from all, especially of Laura, Denise and Jean François with the desire to meet again some day. This time, I went to sleep in the Hymer. Ravenna (see on map) 07/04/2006: This morning I have gone towards Ravena, where I had remained to have lunch with my friend Christian. I had known him some six months ago during the preparation of the journey, when I had been a week in Rimini in a fair of caravaning. It happened that casually that Christian was a very good friend of the Anna from Milano. Christian is a guy worthwhile to know He regent a shop of board games and is an enthusiast of the quantic physics and the relativity. Last time that I had remained with him we had had some very interesting and deep conversations about physics and philosophy. And this time it has not been less. We have gone for lunch to have a delicious fried fish in the port of Ravena in a restaurant of anglers. We have been talking of languages, board games (chess and go), but especially of my journey and of how the dream that it was six months ago when we had known ourselves it had become really. I explained him that aside of not surrendering and searching new paths for arriving to the fate when some paths block up, also was necessary to readjust the fate or goals to find new paths to arrive at it. In the afternoon I have made him the interview and knowing its depth thought, I have attempted to go more far away with his answers and it has ended up being a very interesting interview. Christian was not considered with sufficient knowledge not to isolate any problem, anyway, he also believed that the problems only existed under the human point of view, therefore, maybe really there did not exist problems. At regional level, he believed that one of the problems in Italy was that many people have closed mind. The knowledge is a path to broaden the field of vision of everybody. Personally, each one has to find its path to help the world, for example, he uses the physics to broaden the knowledge of his environment however other will go to Brazil to achieve food for the people who pass hunger. At personal level he considered himself happy. He believed that the money helps to achieving things that we want but they do not help to happy being, the secret of the happiness is in sustaining a good relation with the other ones and you . In the afternoon I have accompanied him to his shop and as he had work I have gone to stroll through Ravena, a city very calm and little touristic but with some commercial streets and pleasant squares of strolling. Have I have started to sleep early in the caravan to retrieve the sleep of the last days. Bologna (see on map) 08/04/2006: This morning Christian have met me on the Hymer to go to breakfast and afterwards to go to his shop from where he has let me work and to connect to Internet with my computer. I have interested in the card game Magic The Gathering that Christian sold in the shop and he has explained a world that was unaware to me. Is seen that it’s game of more than 12 years, with great international tournaments in those that play many money. The cards print a limited number of times, which it makes that some cards are revalued and end up being paid more of 100€. Each player plays with a quarrel of cards that he makes himself according to the strategy that he uses. The develops of the game is taking out points to the other one until you eliminate him. Later he has broadened my knowledge about the role games. We have gone for lunch to have a pizza to a restaurant beside its shop. There I have eaten the best pizza of my life, or comparable to a pizza of Steak Tàrtar that I had tasted some months ago in France. Is seen that the owner of the restaurant "The Mia Patria" (Way G. Rasponi - Ravena) has won several gastronomic prizes and he dedicates to create pizzerias and to make them grow during a pair of years for afterwards to sell them when they work perfectly. In the restaurant we have found a group of Role players that they had bought formerly in the shop and we have been very amusing with their humour and "freaky" occurrences. In the afternoon I have seen off Christian with the certainty that we will coincide again in some other moment of our lives and I have closed up in the caravan to work a little. Afterwards I have gone to a supermarket and finally I have gone towards Bologna while a big reddish sun went down in front of me. Tomorrow I have to meet Ester and other compatriots in Bologna. Ester is a good friend and, at the same time, the woman of a good friend. She is working in Pahi company that manufactures furniture for hairdresser's and coincides that this weekend there is a fair of aesthetics in Bologna and they set forth there. In my itinerary Bologna was not included, but it is worthwhile to deviate a few kilometres to meet a good friend and to look at a few models (this last she suggested). Reggio Emilia (see on map) 09/04/2006: Yes, it is truth, I already was in Reggio Emilia... Well, I will explain to you what I make this night writing from here. Before however, I will say you that today I have had a fantastic day with the people of Pahi in the fair of aesthetics of Bologna. At mid-morning I have gone towards the fair. I have sent a message to the mobile of Ester and she has gone out to receive me very happy. She has explained to me that all my friends of the town feel perfectly well and that there are already 3 new babies in the world. It seems to be that three couples of the group became of agreement nine months ago. We have entered to in the immense fair, in one of the pavilions, and she has presented me its colleagues of work, all them charming. The truth is that I have felt very well accommodated. She has let me seat in a chair that makes massages while in front I had a beautiful panoramic view of parading girls in a footbridge of hairdresses. Some moment that there was little work Ester has accompanied me to stroll trhough the fair, I have took a massage of legs and hips with a machine that vibrated and in the afternoon have cut the hair with some South Americans who cut with the estisores at the speed of the light go. All this without paying any coin. During all day, Ester and the other colleagues of Pahi have been insisting to me of going to dinner with them in Reggio Emilia. At first I did not decide because next day I would have to go back the same 70 kilometres and because I had been there. But in the end I have let myself convince. And it has been worthwhile, because the dinner has been very cordial and fun. Anyway, it has not been as simple as this to present myself to the dinner, because once arrived in Reggio Emilia I have loosed for moments. Venezia (see on map) 10/04/2006: This mid day I have arrived to Venice. I knew that it would be impossible to park in the centre without buying an equipment of scuba diver. Therefore I have parked in one of the immense car parks that the city has. But when I have entered I have been near to return back. The daily price of the car park was of 37€, incredible... Anyway I have entered with the hope to invent something for not having to pay this nonsense. In Venice I had remained mid-afternoon with Dea, that according to its profile in the website Couchsurfing is a girl without ties and traveller. I had desires to know her but while I prepared the lunch she has sent me a message that today could not remain and that would be better tomorrow in the morning before working. I have been working a pair of hours in the Hymer and when finally I have decided to make a stroll through Venice it has stated to rain. Anyway I have suggested myself that aside of wetting, the rain is also beautiful. So, I have taken one umbrella and I have gotten the bus that has token me to the Square of Rome, the last redoubt where the cars can arrive. From there I have started my walk through the labyrinth of alleys and canals until I have achieved to arrive to the spacious square of San Mark. The city seemed more humid than habitual, depainting, sad, with towers and inclined buildings, like in Pisa... Anyway, also there was some gondolero that attempted to animate the canals with his singing and laughs. When I have came back towards the square of Rome, I have noticed really of how big is the city. I wanted to arrive there before 9:15 to take the last bus the car park of the Hymer, but I have been near to lose it. I have been walking with haste more of half an hour. The thing that I can not insure is that I did not do it with circles, because in Venice it is very easy to lose the orientation and the references. 11/04/2006: Today I have taken the bicycle to go to the square of Rome. I have not gone beyond because all bridges that cross the canals have scales and that makes them quite impassable for the bicycle. From the square of Rome I have guided with the GPS to the bridge of Rialto where I had remained with Dea, and the truth is that it has suited me a lot, because I have arrived at it in a moment. Dea has arrived after a while. I was not sure that she was, because like usually happens, she had an expression different to the photo of Internet. I have asked her and she was. We have greeted ourselves and we have gone to take a coffee. She has explained me that she grew in Canada, in spite of that her origins are Servo-croats. Now she is working in Italy with the Unesco, but her dream is to travel and, after finishing the project that she is carrying out she will probably ask for another destination to the organisation. Possibly in Asia. We have not been able to talk too much because she has had to enter to work, then I have made again a stroll, to connect to Internet, to take photos and to search a laundry, that I have not found until the afternoon. While I was taking a photo of the water park of the firefighters, a man has been passed to me with a girl risen to the neck, and after talking a while he has commented me that Venice is not any more the one that it was, that it has declined a lot and that this was owed to the tourism of low quality that at present visited it. I have not dared to commenting him I formed part of these tourists, of those of lower quality. In the afternoon I have made again a stroll, well, more that a stroll it has been an excursion because I have been walking more than four hours, visiting only a small part of Venice. The sun has illuminated without shame and the tourists have gone out from the hotels animating the majority of streets again, the gondolas have filled in the canals and the damp and the sorrow of last afternoon has blurred. During the walk I have meet casually Dea, she has commented me that she would send me a message for meet me later, but it has not been until the night that she has sent it to me, excusing herself because she had had to stay in the office even late. Slovenia Ljubljana (see on map) 12/04/2006: (Venice) Today, when I have awakened and have opened the blind with view to the sea, it has surprised me to see the mountains of background, I suppose that the Alps, snowed. Maybe because of that I have not been able to switch on the heater that works with campingaz. Anyway, when mid-morning the sun has heated the Hymer, I have been able to take a shower with no problems. Afterwards I have gone to wash cloth to a laundry that I located yesterday. I have gone there with the bicycle, with the well loaded saddlebags. I always use this system to lead the cloth to be washed, but this time has been a little more painstaking because I have had to cross 4 bridges with a few scales. Before having lunch I have taken out the caravan from the expensive car park and I have started to go towards Ljubljana. It is at little less than 300 kilometres but I have arrived there the evening. First I have stopped to have lunch and afterwards have kept on stopping for kept on passing video to the computer and render it. For days I have been using the journeys to connect all the electronic devices that I can to electricity, like so the battery is not unloaded, and at the same time, if I have to stop time to time also get distracted and the driving become still lighter. I have crossed with illusion the border of Slovenia, after half an hour of queue. I have the sensation that crossing this border I pioneer a new stage on the journey. I will start to circulate for countries and to know cultures that are more different for me. Even though quite a lot of people have insisted to me that Slovenia is more similar the Europe of the west than that of the east. And effectively, one thing that has surprised me is the perfect stat of the motorway, the tangential that surrounds Ljubljana and the few streets for where I have circulated. The infrastructures are a lot better than in Italy. Anyway, the green and wavy landscape announces me that, maybe yes, I have entered into a new territory. And there are also the words of the posters, that seems that there is lacking to them letters or they exceed them... For example, every time that I have to write Ljubljana I have to copy and to paste with the word, because typing I do not get it yet. I have parked near an immense shopping centre, where I have to be in a day and half to meet Lea, a Slovene friend that I knew a year and half ago in my journey in Africa. During this time we have been sustaining the contact across Internet and it is not necessary to say that meeting ourselves makes us a lot of illusion. During the weekend I will stay on her town and we will pass Easter with her family. I do not know which received expects me, because in one of her electronic mail she wrote: "I have explained to my colleagues and to students everything about your journey and they are very interested in knowing your, you are like a celebrity here". 13/04/2006: This morning I have gone out to buy to the supermarket that I have beside the Hymer. Only entering it has surprised me that the shelves of products were in diagonal and with big space among them. Then, as I feared only I knew what bought for the drawings or the photos of the packages, except the milk, which I have supposed it was some white tetabrik with some drawn flowers. Luckily, the prices were in euros, even though before I already had searched the change Euro/Tolar. Next I have gone to stroll through the shopping centre of the side that it did not differ too much from the Spaniards, and I have located the cinemas Colosej where I have to find the Lea tomorrow. I have also taken out money with the credit card, as I receive a message in the mobile every time that I pay or take out money, I have noticed that they have not loaded me many commission. In the afternoon, after having lunch and cleaning the caravan, I have directed with the bicycle towards the centre of Ljubljana. It was a good day and the bars of the side of the river were very cheerful. I have permitted the luxury of seating in a table in the sun and taking a drink because before had already made the effort of rising to the castle from where there has a interesting sight of the city. Afterwards I have strolled through the other shore till the triple bridge, really I do not know why they constructed them, but there are very sideways. When I have arrived to the caravan I have feeling tired. Not for the effort carried out because it has been very minor from other days. I rather believe that it is because the allergy that I drag from years ago, this morning I have taken again anti istaminics that I didn’t took for time and these leave a little sleepy. This allergy that I do not have detected yet at what it is exactly, perhaps is to me, it provokes me occasionally rhinitis and this makes that almost never I feel the smells. I have always thought that is better to lose this sense that other, even though it does not stop being annoying. In any case, I explain this to you so that you are not amazed if I never speak you about the smells or perfumes of the countries or cities that I visit or I keep on visiting. 14/04/2006: This morning I have gone to meet Lea and we have greeted ourselves with a strong embrace. She has asked me what I wanted to do but I have commented that I was in her country and that she could suggest me more better what we could do. Then she has proposed to me all the things that we could do in one day: first we would go by her car to the lake of Bled, we had agreed in the afternoon with some friends that will show us Ljubljana and in the evening we will go towards Novo Mesto, where her boyfriend lives. The lake of Bled is small but beautiful. In the centre there is a very picturesque baroque church, in the other shore, on a cliff it rested a castle and in the background, the snowed Alps ends decorating the landscape. We have walked to the top of a clue of ski in the middle of a beautiful forest that awakened of the winter. The pity has been that above we did not have a complete sight of the lake. Afterwards we have gone by the car towards the other side of the lake where a narrow valley called Vintgar starts to be formed. We have walked for the side of a noisy river until we have found a poster that in Slovene said: "Not passing, danger of death". But we have commented that we would become foreigners and that we would pass, because we wanted to visit some waterfalls that there were a kilometre away. But a few metres afterwards we have found a barrier exactly before a bridge of wood with some more explicit signals, but also in Slovene. We have crossed the bridge with precaution and have been ahead, but finally some men who were cutting a tree have drawn us the attention and we have go back. Coming back towards Ljubljana we have found retentions, in good part caused by foreign cars: Germans, Austrians, Czech... that they went to the coast of Croacia to spend Easter. In Ljubljana we have found the two friends of Lea, of whom I do not remember the names. They have been very nice. They have been our guides of the city and we have visited other parts that I had not visited on last day: the town council, the church, the market... Finally we have rested to eat a cake in a bar, which I have eaten with great delight because we were on afternoon and we had not had for lunch. Later we have gone towards Novo Mesto, the town where the boyfriend of the Lea lives. I went with the Hymer following the car of Lea, but we have remained halfway retained, because in this point the new motorway was not constructed yet. Then, I have gone down of the caravan and I have given to Lea one of the walkytalkies that Alan sponsor had given me. So, we have been able to continue talking more than one hour while we circulated slowly. In Novo Mesto, Lea has presented me Igor, her boyfriend, a boy excited by the music. He has prepared some dinner and we have been talking a bit of political. In Slovenia they lived a communal life and separation a little complicated from Yuguslavia and many people ask me here if in Catalonia the inhabitants also want the independence. 15/04/2006: Towards 10am Lea and Igor have suited to me to search in the Hymer to go to make a stroll through Novo Mesto. Novo Mesto is the fifth city of Slovenia in number of inhabitants but not much bigger than Vic, the small city of Catalonia where I lived. It is a city that is growing since many European industries are bringing the production there. They are happy with the new jobs but they are afraid that next year they entered into the euro zone and this provokes an increase of the prices, especially of the flats. Later Igor has asked me if I wanted to see vipers and I comment him that it could be interesting. We have gone to a castle that were on reconstruction where in one of the walls we have been able to observe an viper quite bigger than the Iberian ones that sunbathed. Afterwards we have visited a beautiful castle, or a big mansion, in a small island of a river and there I have interviewed Igor to take the pulse a little more to the world. He thought that the main problem of the world was the overpopulation and the fast growth. It was not much optimistic with the solution of the problem. He don’t know that the solution China applies to avoid the overpopulation is the correct solution because it’s agains of the human rights. Igor was considered happy. The secret of the happiness is to be optimistic and to have fun with the small things. In the afternoon we have directed towards a big monastery where we had to find some cousins of Lea: Petra, Tina and Julien, French and boyfriend of Tina. Togethere we have visited only a part of monastery because in the rest monks lives, we have visited some ancient town where you could have the idea of how people lived one or two centuries ago (a home with home of fire but without chimney has surprised me because they used the smoke to smok the meat that they put in the superior flat), web have visited another monastery where there were some big wood sculptures product of a competition that they made not all the years and finally we have relaxed taking a coffee and a beer in one town that they called Slovene Venice because it was in an island in the middle of a river. There I have made an interview to Tina. Tina have the opinion that the bigger problem of the world is that the people do not understand among them and hardly can be solved because the people get bored if they do not create problems. She can help to changing his going round but not more. The greatest problem of Slovenia is that they are a very small country with very little influence, she believe that it was not a complex but a reality. Tina was considered quite happy because she did not consider that there was a state of absolute happiness. There would not be anything that made her happier. The secret of the happiness is simply to enjoy every moment. During all day long I have been able to keep on observing all over where we passed or that we visited one of the typical Slovene traditions of Easter. It is a tradition to make a special meal on Saturday of Easter but before eating it has to be led to blessing in church. So, in all journeys that we made we could observe women and girls with baskets of wicker covered with a napkin that went towards the church to bless the food. This meal could be to have lunch or to have dinner, but at Lea’s home they have eaten mid-afternoon. I and Lea have arrived a little late, but her parents and sister have eaten a little again to accompany us. The dinner was by loin of smoked pig, sausage, a home bread very good and of a root that I have identified with a turnip. This root in accounts of boiling it, they make jump small sparks with a knife and eat it crude escort the cold meat, its flavour is bitter but pleasant. It has been a very calm and close dinner, with a conversation half in English and half in Slovene that Lea was in charge of translating. Bukosek (Brezice) (see on map) 17/04/2006: I have passed a pair of magnificent days in Bukosek. In principle I planned on going this morning, but I’m still here. If the motive on the journey was to find a wonderful place in the world where to live this would be one of them. The people that I have found and the friends that I have made have been charming. And I do not deceive you if I tell you that I will leave a piece of my heard in Bukosek. These two days I have slept in the caravan but every morning I have showered at Lea’s house with abundant water. I have also been having breakfast with them, capuccino, bread with jam and potica (potitsa), a delicious pastel that is created rolling up the dough. When I was in Ljubjana, the friends of Lea tell me that the potica was a duty that I liked, but the duty is it not necessary because it is impossible that you do not like it. Yesterday I devoted the morning to working, because Lea let me connect to Internet with her adsl. We had lunch in family quite early, at twelve. I took a bottle of wine that I bought in Italy and they liked a lot, although it has 12 degrees of alcohol, quite more than the 8 of the Slovene wines. And after having lunch we had football match. The men of the family and some neighbours have been playing a football match in a clearing in the middle of the forest every Sunday for more than 45 years. Doesn’t mind that it rains, it snows or it is sunny, because they have never stopped playing it. Yesterday, because there were me and the French Julien more men came to play. We were 12 and we made three equipment. It was very fun to play among the trees and trying not to run up against the roots. And between match and match, a little of wine or of beer helped you to retrieving the energies. I had the honour of making the first goal, after three matches of 10 minutes with a result of 0-0, but many more next arrived. Finished the match and after the shower, me, Lea, her parents, her sister Janja and her boyfriend went to visit a cave excavated in the sand in one small town a few kilometres from Bukosek. This deep cave that had been reopened recently, had been used long ago to preserve the foods and the wine in a cool space. In the evening, after having dinner another time in family, we went to drink a beer to Brezice. We were a tot, Lea, her sister, her boyfriend, cousins... It was very fun, the four sisters and cousins were speaking about all games that they play on the forest when they were child, the plays that had represented, the anecdotes of the school. Afterwards we were speaking about my journey and finally they gave me their addresses of electronic mail so that I sent them the diary. I commented them that I was a little late with the sending and that therefore, when they received the diary of the stay in Slovenia I would already be quite far from there. But after a little joke, I have calmed them down telling them that I did absolutely not have anything of bad thing to explain. Tina asked me if after the project of taking the pulse in the world I would know the truth about all these subjects. Anyway I replied that I hoped to obtain my own conclusions, but that in any case they would be so much valid than the rest of opinions that I has collected during the journey. This morning I have worked a little again, but I have gone mid-morning to the home of front, where the cousins of Lea live, and I have made an interview with Petra a girl with a lovely smile. The main problem of the world according to the Petra is that the world is divided different groups who search problems among them. The solution would be in travelling, knowing people of different cultures and being friendly. At regional level Petra thought like its sister, that Slovenia is a too small country and that the people in the world are not interested in their country. At personal level Petra felt a little lost because she did not know which goal to give to her life, if she found this motive for living would be happier. Following the same line, the secret of the happiness is found the meaning of the life. After the interview, Petra has proposed to go to do a stroll with bicycle and I have accepted with the condition of being at home before twelve, the lunchtime in Lea’s home. Tina and the Julien have also come. We have been pedalling for the near a stream. The day was splendid, was sun but not heat. Tina and Julien have been late and I have been having a conversation very interesting with Petra following the thread of the interview. After having lunch there has been one another football match. This time it has been more exhausting because we were only eight and have only made two equipment, therefore there has not been the rest of the other match. Anyway, I have had fun like never. After the match, the father of Petra and Tina has asked me for a DVD with the piece of football match that yesterday Lea filmed with my camera. Finally I have decided to remain until the following day so in the evening I could edit the video tape that I had recorded. In the evening I have seen off everybody, because the following day everybody entered to work early. I have given them many thanks for these fantastic days between them and they have wished me very good journey. Intending a moment that I have kept with Petra alone I have asked her if she would want to accompany me the following day to visiting Zagreb that was few kilometres from Brezice and surprising me she has accepted. Croatia Zagreb (see on map) 18/04/2006: I have stayed all the morning with the caravan parked in Brezice waiting Petra finished working and early in the afternoon we have gone together towards Zagreb, a pleasant city, with many parks, calm streets of strolling, other of commercial, and very nice people. Petra is girl a very sweet, calm, cheerful, fun, intelligent... terribly charming. If I had stayed more days in Bukosek possibly I had fallen in love madly and I had not been able to continue my journey or I had implored her that she accompanied me forever. I have spent an afternoon unforgettable with her, simply strolling and talking. But this is one of the wonderful lessons that I am learning in this journey, to live the present and to enjoy it. It does not matter if it is sunny or it rains, if you arrive above from the mountain or you stop halfway to contemplate the landscape. It’s important to learn to appraise every instant: a look, a smile, the tact... Enjoying every moment without worrying if these will finish or continue. Because if they finish, late or early there will arrive again new moments that will fill in your heard again. And as long as these do not arrive you will be able to enjoy the longing, of the what it could happen but it has not happen, of the remembrance of felling loved for some instants. Austria Graz (see on map) 19/04/2006: Yesterday evening I said goodbye to Petra and I slept in the motor home in front of her home . This morning, just after I have had breakfast, she came again to say goodbye for the last time, at the back, her mother was also saying goodbye to me. It was raining. After breakfast and having had a shower, I have started the road towards Graz, Austria. The shortest way has made me pass three borders: Slovenia-Croatia; Croatia-Slovenia; Slovenia-Austria. In each one I have had to show the passport and in some of them, they have stamped it. In Venice, Dea had explained me that she was working on a project for the Unesco, which had to be developed in the Balkans and she was having quite a lot of problems to have Slovenia accept the project because they did not consider themselves to be in the Balkans because they said they belonged to Central Europe. In Slovenia, I asked some people who confirmed this opinion. Anyway, I have to say that passing the three borders I did not encounter any significant geographical accident nor any remarkable change in culture or landscape. The three countries are full of green colour because of their forests and wavy fields. The rural homes are distributed all over and the white or yellowish churches are projected nearly behind each hill. At Lea’s home, I had found through Internet where to find spares of camping gas bottles in Graz , because mine were nearly empty. Upon my arrival at Graz, I addressed directly to that place. It was a big warehouse full of construction and decoration products. I put 6 bottles on a trolley and I asked the employees, who only spoke German, and who made me go from one side to the other. Finally, I found the chief and I got the spare bottles. And since it had been so difficult, I am thinking about having cold showers from now onwards and using the gas only for cooking and for the fridge. Graz has fascinated me. I have spent a very pleasant afternoon there. It seems a very calm city, its commercial streets have a relaxed dynamism and the bars in the squares are full of people peacefully talking. The city has a few parks, a tower with a clock on a hill and a pair of futuristic structures that contrast with the old buildings of steep roofs: the exhibition centre colloquially called "the friendly alien" and an artificial island in the middle of the river. ‹ Previous (18/02/2006)  MONTH   Next (2006-04-19)›                     ‹ Previous (2009-11-18 - Romania)  COUNTRY   Next (2009-11-28 - Spain)›

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