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‹ Previous (21/08/2006) MONTH Next (2006-10-20)› ‹ Previous (2006-08-29 - Germany) COUNTRY Next (2006-09-29 - Germany)› Denmark Kobenhavn (see on map) 24/09/2006:
The first night in Kobenhavn we realised how bad was the area where we had parked, at night as well as in the morning there was quite a lot of noise. Even that through the street did not pass many cars at night the drunkards did not leave us to sleep and in the morning those that woke us up were workers. On the other hand, we also had a fine in the morning, since we had not paid the parking thiket and in a paper attached to the fine they did inform us about Kobenhavn being associated to the international agency of recovery od debts. In the afternoon we tried to look for a new parking place for the Hymer, but all the streets of the town centre were with paying, also the ones of Christiania. Afterwards we went a little more to the outskirts, in a neighbourhood named Norrebro and there we could park without paying in a residential area, full of immigrants. After parking we opened the computers and miraculously we had Internet, and incredibly we had very good connectivity with a free wireless net. Anyway, the day after we had another fine. For what they explained to us, the majority of streets of Kobenhavn had parking meter. In any case, we did not move the car again and they did not put any other fine again. These days we have continued with the same schema of the big cities. Half a day was spent on internet and the rest of day dedicated to go through the city. But we did not always connect to Internet from the Hymer, since Alexandra had discovered a big library where we could connect the computers to the electric current and we were able to enjoy Internet for free at the same time. The library looked like a store, with great spaces, escalators. The only difference is that instead of workers there were students and instead of clothes, in the shelves there were books. Alexandra says that Kobenhavn is the second city of Europe where she would like to live, after Prague, of course. It is elegant, without exhibiting, and clean. It has long accessible commercial streets for the pedestrians; channels with boats for tourists and coffee shops and restaurants; pretty gardens and parks; palaces and strengths; many bicycle lanes and little car traffic ; calm and nice people; ... The only problem of Kobenhavn is that it is a very expensive city, as all Scandinavian cities. One of the most curious places that we visit is the cemetery of Assistens, a former cemetery in the middle of the city where there is the famous story-teller Andersen buried. The doors of the cemetery are open and if there were no crosses and tombs between the lawn and the trees you could think that you are in a park and not in a cemetery. And the people also see it like this, since everywhere there are girls sunbathing, boys reading, women walking the dog... Another day we also went to the famous Mermaid, symbol of the city. The Mermais is quite far from the centre, following a wide channel that crosses the city. it is the ideal point to find the most varied touristic fauna: families with children; couples; but of course the Japanese, some of which put a soaking shoe when trying to arrive up to the mermaid; that day also there were some Spanish "turenos" typicaly dresses that Alexandra confused with Danish noblemen. We did not take any photo, we did not want to enter the circus that had been formed. Most of days we went over the city with bicycle, moving in the middle of many other cyclists. Kobenhavn is one of the cities where I have seen more people circulating with bicycle (I can not compare it yet with other cities of the West, as Amsterdam, ). i would say that there are more bicycles than cars circulating through the streets. The bicycles have their own lanes, sometimes just as wide as those for the cars. They also have own rules and if you break them you can take a bad look or even some insult. For example you can not circulate too slow, you have to maintain on the right so that they can advance you, if you have to cross a street you have to stop out of the bycicle lane... The bicycles and the people that drives them vary. There are city bicycles, all road, harley type, tricycles (with two wheels in front or behind), bicycles pulling a cart, bicycle taxis, bicycles of the city (they can be driven freely by the centre in exchange for depositing about three Euros that afterwards you can take back)... The drivers can be girls with miniskirt, others with Texans and heels, men with jacket and tie, mothers taking the children in the boot of the tricycle, musicians, alternative... For what is seen, in winter also there are many people circulating by bicycle, although as i heard it does not do as cold as it seems, since the ocean maintains stable temperatures. In Cobenkavn we run into different people. The second night, on Wednesday, we met Denis that invited us to go out with his friends. It happened that we had parked very close to his home and he came to the Hymer accompanied by a friend from Slovenia, Milena. The friends of Denis were almost all musicians, but nobody started to play or to sing. Basically we were talking and drinking at the house of one of them. I talked quite a lot with Jakob, an anarchist and alternative boy. he explained to me that in Denmark there is a lot of work, is a very rich country, partially thanks to the development of new technologies but also thanks to the exploitation of other much poorer countries. He also told me, that even if it was not very visible in the street, Denmark was a very religious country. Denmark was also very rich due to the abundant natural resources and to the fishing, and so they attributed it undoubtedly to God. I asked ihim about Cristiania. According to what had read, in the seventies groups of hippies, artists, political activists and home less, occupied an area in the east of the city and tried to create an alternative society, independent and free from taxes. At first the police tried to take them out because they occupied a private area, but they finally let them exist there due to the support of the Danish society. Anyway, about ten years later the social experiment had derived towards a free drugs market and the police acted again, but only against the drugs. Jakob commented me that at present the police controls everything and the social experiment practically has finished. Anyway, Cristiania is one of the neighbourhoods where there is more social solidarity, more fellowship and where the organisations are stronger. Yesterday, Saturday at noon, I met with Simon. Alexandra preferred working with Internet from the library. Simon invited me to the terrace of the house where he has a room rented. he showed quite a lot of interest in my vision on the transition between the dictatorship of franco towards democracy in Spain, since he had to do a work on this subject for the school. I also showed interest in the situation of Denmark. For one side he told me that Denmark has its own coin and not the Euro because they fear to integrate too much in the European Union and to lose ithe identity and culture. On the other hand Denmark is a rich country, partially thanks to the high technology that they design and build in poorer countries (as denis told me before) but also because ten years ago they discovered quite a lot of oil in their territory. If they were so good designing high technology they had to have very good educational system. Afterwards I showed interest in the royal family of Denmark, a whole national symbol. It is a national symbol, without any power. And although the people pay the crown existence out of their pockets, they are happy since the family carries out a strong promotion of the country in the exterior generating more dividends of those that they deposit. Finally I showed interest in Cristiania. he explained me the history, similar to the one that i had read but very critical to the current situation. He told me that the inhabitants who formerly had occupied the space with ideas about solidarity and freedom, have at present been converted practically in owners, without papers but also without paying taxes. Although some of the space that is occupyed is wide and many more people could occupy it, do not want to divide up , there are rich and poor. On the other hand it is very difficult to be accepted as new member since you need the favourable vote of the majority of the community, therefore, there does not stop being a certain nepotism: favouritism for the known and familiar ones. Of course, I also interviewed Simon. He thought that the main problem of the world could be the racism and the indifference towards the solutions. The people do not look at the humanity as only one breed. The solution would be to be open, the dialogue and to learn from other cultures. The main problem in Denmark is the indifference tied up with the feeling of being the best nation. The indifference is difficult to be solved but he can help by giving example. Simon feels happy because he can do what he wants and because he is free. He feels satisfied whit what he is and with what he is doing and he does not know whether there is a way for being happier. The secret of happiness could be to accept what the life gives you. At night Simon organised a meeting and we met again. Also Alexandra. We raised drinks, blankets, music and light to the same terrace. There were people of all Europe and it was interesting to converse wrapped in blankets due to the cold . I was talking quite a lot with a Belgian boy about nationalistic feelings. he commented me that in Flanders there is a lot of nationalistic feeling but not in Belgium in general. During the conversation he commented that curiously Barcelona was the foreign city most visited by the Belgians. Today,Sunday at noon , we met with philosophical Christofer, a boy a little older than me, introvert, writer and painter. As yesterday, we have also talked about the situation in Denmark. he has commented that in Denmark they pay many taxes, but that in exchange are happy with the social compensations that obtain. he has also explained that the xenophobia is growing a lot. Asking about the royal family he has appeared favourable, at least as a commercial symbol for Denmark. The Danish royal family is the oldest of Europe and for the friendliness that it has in the society he would say that it will be the last one to disappear. Finally we have talked about Greenland, a big forgotten territory that is part of Denmark. Anyway not many people live there and they also preserve a quite considerable political independence. I also took the pulse in to the world with Christofer. The main problem of the world is the humanity, since the main problems are caused by the human beings, anyway the human beings also worry about the problems that they have created. The global suicide of the humanity would be a not wanted solution, would be better to learn though from history. Personally, Christofer tries to have a positive attitude, to be a decent and responsible person, to be opened and to teach the others to be opened. The main problem for Denmark will be the global heating, since Denmark is a flat country, surrounded by sea. But at present, in Denmark, the main problem is the increase of the xenophobia and intolerance. There are not Nazis but there are refined and nice racists. The solution would be in the information and dialogue. he can help by thinking with clarity. Christofer feels happy, "is question of attitude". He would be happier with the woman of his dreams or with a perfect life painting and writing poetry. Anyway, the secret of happiness is to be happy with what you have. At night we have met with Simon again. These days, in Kobenhavn a festival of cinema was celebrated and we went to see a French film: "Goodbye Cheyene". It has not thrilled us, but it has not disappointed us either. After the film we were walking through the streets of Kobenhavn talking, but before midnight I asked Alexandra to go to sleep because my belly hurted and i did not find myself too well. 25/09/2006:
Yesterday to the night, while we walked through the neighbourhood of Norrebro, where we had seen the film, Simon showed us different painted walls. Sixty and nine is the number of a squatted house (by alternative, and homeles ) that the police wants to dislodge soon and to bring down. there had been a massive demonstration that we had not seen. The movement was organised in collaboration with others squatters that since the seventies liveed in 85 acres in the east of the city: Cristiania. Finally, after reading a little of its history and exchanging some opinions, today in the morning I went to visit Cristiania, while Alexandra stayed in the library connected to Internet. Cristiania is another country, metaphorically and literally, according to its inhabitants. Exactly in the exit you find a big poster that says: "now you are entering the UE". In front of the entry there is a street full of bars and small shops, painted in "underground" style and with the most extravagant human fauna that you can imagine, ; middle-aged majority; dresses in any way; of very different origins, drunk or smoked; singing, laughing or talking; and in the middle of all of them some lost and amazed tourists. I was one of them. I have lifted the camera to immortalise that scene, but tens of voices and arms have screamed for me at the same time: "No!". I have approached one of them to ask which was the problem and he has told me that i could not take photos in the main street. Then he has shown me the motif: about five hundred grams of hachis that was on the table. The man has split in two the merchandise and let me to sniff and next to try to sell it to me. Later I have read in a small guide published by the society of Cristiania that according to them the loose drugs are allowed in its territory, but not the hard drugs. Before 1980 the hard drugs were not in a complete way badly-seen, but the destructions of the drugs and the police, made them decide of forbidding them and exiling all the vendors and consumers. The loose drugs have always been sold with easiness in Cristiania, for a lot of time with in their own shops, but since 2004, due to the police, have kept being sold a little clandestinely, or not so much, as I have checked. I have kept walking through that "country" called Cristiania. The gardens, homes and huts in which almost a thousand inhabitants live extend on two pices of land surrounded by water. In the centre there is a wooden bridge that keeps them communicated. The habitáculos are former homes and buildings of the army in which live different families,simple homes built of the most different styles by their own occupants. I thought that the society of Cristiania would be regardless of the capitalist system, but in the roofs of many buildings have observed television antenas, in a garden I have seen a woman cutting lawn with a mower, the cars there are not allowed but in a shop window have seen a bicycle that was sold for 1000€ Anyway, something different was breathed. The paths of sand were very calm, laughs of children were listened everywhere, the bicycles in the pavements were not tied, the doors of the homes all seemed open. I have entered in the garden of a community home where there was a family taking tea. I have asked them if i could take a photo and I have next initiated a conversation with them: - Do you consider that you live out of the system? - I have asked them. - Not, that is impossible. Anyway we think that here inside, the society is better. There are not thefts because the one who steals is expelled. There is a lot of solidarity. We govern ourselves with a system more that democratic, looking for the consensus. It is slow but it encourages the responsibility and the understanding. On the other hand, the services that we obtain from Cristiania paying our own taxes are very good. But above all, the people are happier here. - Happier that outside? - I have asked them again. - Yes, because here we have the opportunity of controlling a little more ours life, we are freer. The pity is perhaps that it will run out, because the government wants to recover the land. - And what will you do if finally the government manages to throw you out? They have shrunk the shoulders but they have answered afterwards: - Going to another place. If i did not have the journey and project beforehand I would have liked to stay to live a season in that attempt of paradise. Anyway it is difficult because i had to accept most of the inhabitants and on the other hand, according to them there was no more land to build houses. I went back towards the selfcaravan with belly pain. I have eaten in spite of the pain because i was hungry and later gone to look for Alexandra at the library. After she ate we aranged the Hymer and left towards the north of Kobenhavn, to the outskirts. At night, Alexandra has also started to have belly pain, with the same symptoms as me. Ribe (see on map) 27/09/2006:
We have been going two days through Denmark with belly pain.unbearable, constant, sometimes intense, especially in the nights. We complained first eachother, laughing . The curious thing is that in spite of the pain we were hungry, if we ate the pain continued, but if we gave up food it also continued. Therefore, we have kept eating, but much lighter. On the next day we went to a farmacy. The woman who attended us spoke English but she did not know what to give us. Finally she gave us some tablets that helped recover the intestinal flora. But it did not help us to recover. Well, this was the impression. Although today I have already started to feel better, but Alexandra did not. In spite of the pain we have been visiting the points of interest that we had marked in Denmark, turning towards to Germany. Yesterday in the morning we visited the fabulous castle of Frederiksborg Slot, in the centre of Hillerod and in the middle of a lake. The castle is made of red bricks, of Renaissance style, has some magnificent gardens, very well cared, for which we were walking a little, until overcame the pain and the tiredness . In the afternoon we arrived to Roskilde, some town, that formerly had been the capital of Denmark and important Viking port. Five viking boats of more than ten centuries ago recovered from the background of its bay. They expose them in a museum that we did not visit. Anyway, in the wooden port there are exact retorts of the exposed boats, some of which had capacity for 60 to 100 warriors. I also had the luck - Alexandra stayed in the Hymer trying to recover from the pain of belly - seeing how five youngsters went to the sea with a small and pretty sailboat of viking style. At night we left towards the castle of Egeskov, with the intention of visiting it this morning. When we arrived there we realised that in the entry there were some ticket windows and we were amzed by the price: 12€. We have decided not to visit it, but returning to the Hymer I have stopped to look a map of the castle and have realised that about a hundred meters further on there was an entry that communicated with the gardens of the castle. Alexanda did not trust my Mediterranean intentions, but has followed me and indeed there was an alley with an open metallic door. We have entered ignoring the few workers or gardeners that were there, who have not told us anything. We have arrived to the pretty and roomy gardens but Alexandra continued with tension for not having ticket and I have told to her: "Sight", no one will ask us for the ticket, but if they would, say that another couple of friends that have returned to the car have the tickets". The space that occupies the castle of Egeskov perhaps deserves the 12 € of entry, but we have not gone over everything due to our physical state. It has different labyrinths of plants, footbridges among the trees, attractions for the children (and adults), a museum of the Falck, the Danish firemen. A museum of vintage cars and another of cars and aeroplanes that we could not visit. The castle, which also we have not visited, rests in front of a nice lake, very liked by old people with motorised chairs. In the afternoon we have started to go towards Odense, the city where Hans Christian Andersen was born and grew. the city and touristic information are focused on this writer that had a life very similar to that of his stories: a very hard childhood with a happy end. We have walked through it, commercial but calm pedestrian streets , and we have also gone to the museum of the writer from where a small alley of pretty old homes can be seen. During all the day we have tried to find a supermarket to be able to buy using the credit card, since we had used almost all the crowns and since the food was finished, but we have not found any. at the End, before going towards the last town which we wanted to visit in Denmark - Ribe - we have tried to buy the most economic and most nutritional products with the equivalent of four euros. Evidently we have not had much, especially because in Denmark everything is very expensive. 28/09/2006:
This morning Alexandra has woken up again with a strong belly pain . I was not completely recovered either. In spite of everything, we have felt with sufficient forces to visit the pretty town of Ribe, although we have had to stop from time to time to rest. Ribe is one of the oldest Scandinavian town and was an important mall. The cathedral is a not very attractive mixture of grey stone cut to the Romanesque style and red bricks piled up with Gothic style. Anyway, its interior is very interesting, with arcs and Romanesque columns painted with Arab reminiscences. The town keeps many of the streets empaved. The homes, old, are simple, of a single flat or two, with the inclined roofs. The windows get used in being open, leaving to foresee the interior, but especially the most different objects that decorate them are in a first plan. It is something that I have observed in the rest of north european countries. From the decoration of the windows you can make an idea about the type of person or family that lives in the home and their interests: some windows have scale models of boats, others only plants, other African or Asian figures, esoteric objects... At midday we have gone out of Ribe towards Germany. It has been an interesting change of country. We had gotten used to the nationalistic feeling of the Danish that filled of red flags with white cross any corner and it has surprised us entering the Germany where there are no flags. It had already explained me Kerstin from Berlin that during the world soccer cup she felt strange to see so many German flags, according to her due to the antinationalistic feeling that they assumed after the second world war. After going over some kilometres in Germany the radio from Spain called me to interview me in the programme “Be adventurous". Despite being a programme in theory serious, they were a lot mischievous and instead of being focused in my journey and project they focused on how I met Alexandra. Later we have stopped in a supermarket and have bought food, but have not bought many fresh products, since the fridge seems not to cool when it works with gas(it works also with electricity when i drive the Hymer ). We have kept going towards Hamburg, but we have not entered and stopped in a town to the outskirts, in the north, where there is a Hymer distributor, with the expectation that tomorrow we can solve the problem with the fridge. Germany Hamburg (see on map) 29/09/2006: We have been giving several turns in Nordestedt loking for the distributor of Hymer in Hamburg. Finally we have found it. I have commented to a mechanic on the problem that we had with the fridge, which did worked with the gas. They have commented me that i had to call to the company of the fridge and that they would come to fix it where i was. Anyway, I havent called today because we have not had too clear until the night where we would park the autocaravan. We have parked finaly near the main station, an enormous structure of crystal and iron called Hauptbahnhof. There was a point of information which for Alexandras dispair was open but they didnt know how to inform about free accesses to Wireless internet. Anyway, walking through the neighbourhood in the east of the station we have later found different coffee shops with internet, which let us connect our computers to the network , in the same way that i used to do at the beginning of my journey. We have written to ten members of Hospitalityclub in Hamburg and the same night a boy has sent us a message to the mobile. We have taken the metroup to the station of S. Pauli where after a little while Gero came with a friend from Honduras. While we presented ourselves we have waited a little more for some other friends of his from Berlin . And when the friends came, we have had a nice surprise, since three of the four girls had been to the meeting of Kloden and afterwards we had met them again in the Arab dinner at the house of Kerstin in Berlin. We have seen sexshops, youth, drinks, prostitutes through the street of Reeperbahn, a long street full of discotheques, pubs, bars... Reeperbahn is placed 300 meters away from the port, since more than one century ago that was the centre of the red district . When the sailors disembarked they went quickly there to forget the sadness with alcohol and women. At present i would not know how to distinguish the sailors, but the youth of the city seems ready to continue with the tradition. We have diverted to the right and we have entered a tavern where we have been drinking and talking. One of the girls had been some months in Uganda and has been explaining some anecdotes to us. Afterwards they have continued the party in another pub, but we have gone to sleep because Alexandra was quite tired, although during the day she has complained a lot less about the tummy pain. 30/09/2006: This morning we have spent in the laundry. We had great quantity of clothes already to wash from Berlin. But for luck we have been able to stuff all into two washing machines and we have saved ourselves of paying three. At noon we have received another message to the mobileof another boy to meet in the afternoon. We have met Andreas in the street of Shhulterblatt. While we waited for him Alexandra has observed some old roks in the ground with the A/H sign. Afterwards Andreas has explained us that this street formerly separated Hamburg from Denmark, the tiles took the indicative signs. We have sat in one of the numerous terraces and bars of the street. Andreas, of about 40 years, has explained us that twenty years ago he started to travel all over the world. I was interested on his experiences in Africa and he didnt understant very well that our idea is to go all over afrika by autocaravan. Afterwards he has told us that he worked as freelance journalist and has been advising us a little about how to take contact with media. Finally I have interviewed him. Andreas thinks that the main difficulty of the world is to maintain the peace among people who have different ideas. The solution is complicated but it would be solved if we discovered the people as they live in other countries and understand them . That would facilitate the acceptance of immigration, which is unavoidable because Europe is rich. He can help sharing ideas and teaching about other cultures. In Germany, the conception of the work has changed a lot in few years (there is unemployment, the people have more spare time...) and the people dont know how to adapt to the new times, for example, there are many students that keep studying medicine but there are less jobs for doctors. The people should be alert and think that there is not a work waiting for us when finishing the university. He could only help in an environment very reduced, for example for friends and children. Andreas is felt happy, especially if he compares with others. He would feel happier if his life stabilised (at work level) and couldrelax. The secret of happiness is not to have expectations. Andreas has recommended us to park near the port, where on Sunday early there is the fishmarket . We have moved the Hymer, but when passing in front of the lake Binnenalster we have observed quite a lot of people gathered together, prepared to attend some public act. We have parked on the pavement, as other cars and we have gone out to observe. After little they have started some fireworks to celebrate the different Chinese exhibitions that were organised these days in the city. But the fires have been ridiculous and left us disappointed. Taking advantage of being near the port, we have gone at night to walk. We have passed near a big location with groups of music singing live and many people dancing and drinking. It was one of the typical celebrations of Octoberfest. A quite expensive entry had to be paid and we have kept walking. In the end we have found another big pub with quite a lot of atmosphere. We have entered to drink a beer. When going out, for another door, we have realised that in this place it also had to be paid. 02/10/2006:
These last days me and Alexandra have felt very united, in love. It seems that all the problems of adaptation from the beginning have faded away. I do not know which has been the detonant of this change. Alexandra asked me to let grow moustache and beard and maybe now she considers me more interesting. Or maybe, when i was reading her my novel during the nights she has started to see me in another way. Or I have agreed to spoil her a little. The thing is that now she does not get impatient when I stop for 10 minutes to take a photo that afterwards I end up discarding. And it is not tensed either when I use a map to decide our tour through a city instead of using the intuition. But also i am not bothered to enter 10 shops of clothes in an afternoon even if we can not buy at all because the economics are not for more expenses. Despite being very united, on Sunday I went out to visit alone the fishmarket. Alexandra likes to sleep too much and to wake up at eight is inconceivable. The fishmarket was very close to the autocaravan. There were many people and many shops of every type: plants, clothes, vegetables, bread, meat and naturally fish. many shops had real sales artists, screaming with loud voice the marvels of their products, and around him tenth of people stand with the expectation to be the following ones to acquire the bargains. I bought a little fish, vegetables and breakfast and returned to the Hymer to wake up Alexandra. But before I entered in the big place where yesterday they celebrated Octoberfest, the entry was free and followed full as yesterday, with new people drinking and some even of yesterday that were working. In the afternoon we went to visit the port. Hamburg has the second biggest port of Europe after Rotterdam . It is curious taking that Hamburg is 75 kilometres inland. Anyway, the port is found along the large river Elbe. The port takes up an enormous extension in the south of the city. We crossed the river for a tunnel built more than a hundred years ago, which passes off at a depth of 20 meters, with a length of 150 meters. On the other side we found the labyrinth of channels for where the port passes off. We disnt go too much. Anyway , the sight on the city, in the north, was worthed. On Monday we were making a long tour with bicycle for an area quite different from the rest of the city . We surround the lake of Aubenalster, in the town centre, bordered with parks and luxurious homes. It was quite windy and the centre of the lake was full of small ships with vela . We finished the trip at the Rathaus, the pretty town council a roomy square next to a channel. Bremen (see on map) 03/10/2006: Yesterday in the night we were working in internet cafe of the first day. Today in the morning we have also went there to finish working, but it has surprised us that it was closed, and also the supermarket that was next to it. We have entered an Asian shop that seemed open, but someone in the shop has informed us that today the shop was closed. Then he has explained us that it was holiday in all Germany to celebrate that 16 years ago they were reunified. Then we have understood that the city seemed death, but what has surprised us is that there were no German flags waving. It seemed that nobody was for nationalistic celebrations, cause nobody felt proud of theirhomeland. So we have started to go towards Bremen, city famous for the history of the singers of Bremen. An donkey, a dog, a cat and a cock that according to the story became friends and went towards the city to get lucky as singers. But on the way they stopped in a home and decided to ask for accommodation singing. But they sang so badly that some bandits who lived there were frightened and ran away. Then the four singers decided to stay to live there forever. 04/10/2006:
Bremen is a very pretty city, which is built on a river. In theory, as Hamburg, Bremen has a big port, but the river seemed completely dead to boat traffic . On the other hand, Bremen was much more attractive architectonicaly than Hamburg. Yesterday in the evening and today we have been walking through its captivating streets of medieval buildings, in Gothic asyle. the charming square of the town council and the cathedral, also in Gothic style and naturally, as all the north of Europe, in red bricks. In many corners or shops in the city you could run into the typical icon of Bremen, a donkey on which there is a dog on top, on the dog a cat and on the cat was the cock. The statues, all equal, of the most different colours are: the colours of the equipe of soccer of the city, abstract drawings, the original colours of the characters... These statues are interesting and amusing. Every German city seems to have its own symbol. Berlin was full of statues of bears (also, all identical) graffiti of the most different forms. And Hamburg was full of statues of an old mancarring water. In spite of not eing such a good day cause it has been raining at times we went a little through the city. Done that we decided to go to the bibliotek to connect to Internet and to work a little. I have been revising all the expenses of the journey, until now, and alarmed myself a little. For the following part of the itinerary: Africa and Asia will have to find more sponsors and media that can support me for not it will be complicated to complete the following part of the dream. 05/10/2006: These days I have been calling the telephone number that the Hymer distributor gave me to solve the problem with the fridge, which does not cool working with gas. After calling the number an answering machine in German was answering and I did not manage to understand. Finally yesterday i looked on internet and discovered that the manufacturer of the fridge had a factory in Bremen. Today we have gone there and it has been worth, because they have changed a small part into a moment and the fridge has worked again. Afterwards we have started to go towards Holland, but without haste. Netherlands Leeuwarden (see on map) 06/10/2006:
Yesterday at night, when entering Holland, Alexandra commented: "look, the windows of the houses are much bigger". And indeed, most of the houses of the villages had big windows that were illuminated with the light of the dining rooms, kitchens or bedrooms. it was as in Denmark, many people lived being unaware of the neighbours, allowing to observe from outside their lifestyle, or maybe the neighbours were not courious. We stopped in Groningen and this morning the have gone out to visit it, although as in the previous days, it has been raining a little. Groningen is an universitary town with quite a lot of charm. is built around different chanels, with houses on water where the people seem to live, they have plants , doorbells... The city reminds of the Scandinavian cities, maybe because of the channels, or because of the architecture of the houses, or simply because its calmness, even if it is quite commercial, with different art galleries, shops of chees shops, 'cafeshops'... We walked through the centre and we run by chance into the red district of Groningen: a street of 100 meters long, with shop windows every 3 or 4 metres, each with a door open or closed, according to the availability of the tenant. Some of the girls also had the open curtains, exposing while they looked at the street smiling at the solitary men. Despite waiting for it in Amsterdam, it has been a surprising vision in this small city. In the afternoon, after eating and connecting a while to Internet, we have left towards Leeuwarden. we have arrived already late-night. We have gone towards the centre and we have parked next to a channel. 07/10/2006:
This morning we have visited the calm city of Leeuwarden, in the same style as Groningen: different channels surrounding the old town, streets of red bricks, low houses, some commercial areas but less people... Anyway, we have not run into any red district here. After visiting almost all the corners of Leeuwarden we have started to drive towards Amsterdam. We have circulated for the motorway A7, and we have passed over the dam 30km long that separates the open sea and the rest of the region, with the waters below the sea level. This dam has allowed to gain many lands that before were under the water. For example, in a place close to the dam we have found a poster that announced that that place was 4,8m under the sea level. Even if they are at different levels, there is traffic of boats and small boats between the dam and the open sea, using a system of floodgates. We have stopped to eat at the middle of the dam , in a parking place that dominated all the view. The wind blew very strong, as along all the coast. It doesnt surprise me, cause Holland has always been identified with the windmills. Along the road we have seen one old winmill, but the majority were new, although it did not seem to be more than in Germany or Denmark. After crossing the dam and reaching Ámsterdam, I have noticed that many fields where cows, horses or lambs grazed, were delimited by channels. Every a hundred or two hundred meters there was one. But did not seem for sailing, simply they seemed to have created them to take the water of the fields. Afterwards I have read in the map that the area was called "Water Land"(zeeland) We have entered Amsterdam mid-afternoon. We have gotten a little lost to find the centre but we have finally situated ourselves on the map and managed to park in a very calm alley next to a channel. Fortunately, from the Hymer we have been able to hunt the connection of internet of some neighbour. While Alexandra used the connection I have gone out to walk a while for the channels of the surroundings under the light of the dusk. Amsterdam (see on map) 08/10/2006:
This morning it has not been too much nice. When i unloaded the bicycles from the Hymer a woman has stopped and started to ask me about the selfcaravan and the countries over which we had gone. Afterwards she has asked me: - Have you also painted the selfcaravan? I have answered affirmatively, thinking about the logos of the sponsores. But afterwards I have observed in the lateral , that some basterd had painted a graffiti during the night. Not very big but was sufficient to be of bad humour. Afterwards I have discovered a fine to the windscreen. Apart from the fine, a paper translated into different languages informed about the fact that we were parked in an area of payment (3€/hour!) and that if we did not pay the fine or continue there, we risked to have the Hymer blocked with a mantrap. In the end, I have gone to a point of information that was quite near and a very unpleasant girl has informed me that the maps of the city cost minimum 2€. For luck, and although if it doesnt seem , the rest of day has not been so bad. We have met with my ex, Eva, who for two years now lives in Holland. I thought that there could be some bad feelings between Alexandra and Eva, but they entertained eachother very well. We have been walking quite a lot through the city, almost without cars but with many bicycles (it does not surprise taking the cost of the parking place into account). Perhaps there are 50 bicycles circulating or parked for every car. Also there are many people that walk on foot, as us. And some tourists with boats that went over the different channels. We have gone to eat some fried potatoes and an ice cream. Later some Dutch creppes, good but not very economic. Eva has been explaining that the Dutch are people who complain a lot, and that in fact, it is simple to initiate a conversation complaining about the bad time or about the public transportation. On the other hand, compared with the Germans are people break more the rules, for example crossing the street with the red traffic light if cars do not come. Afterwards we have talked about the soft drugs that are legal in Holland. In Amsterdam there are many Coffeshops: places with aspect of bar where instead of alcohol you can consume soft drugs. We have read in a magazine that a gram of marihuana costs about 7 euro. I have never bought, therefore I can not compare or know whether the fact that it is legal lowers the cost or the fact that pays taxes raises it. On the other hand, according to what Eva has explained, the consumption is legal, but the production is not legalised. Then, from where the drugs originate? I do not know it, I feel as a child asking from where the children come. Afterwards we have gone a little into the red district. It has surprised me the great quantity of shop windows that were there , with girls in underwear trying to attract men at any hour. As the soft drugs, in Holland the prostitution is legalised and the prostitutes pay taxes . Later we have read in an article that the rent of a shop window costs about 100 or 150 € for 8 hours and that a popular prostitute can get about 500 or 750 € per day. The article kept explaining that the less popular offer a suck for 50€. there were also described other curious services, as a telephone number where you called and they provided a woman in less than 30 minutes, just as fast as a pizza. The legalisation of the prostitution makes it more visible, but i would not say that there is more than in the rest of Europe. After all, i would bet that the number of men ready to pay a prostitute is it as everywhere. Good, more in western Europe , since the acquisitive level is higher. That's why in Eastern Europe it seemed to me that there was less prostitution, because the women ready always to sell her body will earn better a living in the West, even if is working illegally. Anyway, in cities as Budapest and Sofia there were many places for striptise and many advertisements of houses of entertainment. 13/10/2006:
We have spent 5 more days in Amsterdam, parked near the centre but in a free of payment area. On Sunday at night, after using a little more internet from the Hymer, we moved the car for fear of new graffiti and fines. We wanted to park near the centre but even almost to the outskirts of the city there did not stop being the areas of payment . We parked on the other side of the big channel that divides up the city, leaving the centre in the south. But the day after we realised that we were too far and that to arrive to the centre we needed 45 minutes by bicycle. Then we discovered that near the centre, but the same on the other side of the channel, there was also free parking. The only problem is that there was not any bridge to cross the channel, but the problem was not so big, since there were different lines of small boats that every 15 minutes crossed freely the channel. Anyway, one of the days they put a fine for us, since despite being an area of free parking place, you can not park more than two hours there unless you are resident. Also another day that we went out from the Hymer, a woman approached and told us that we could not camp there and that if we stayed she would call the police. Alexandra, every day is more dissapointed by the Dutch. The truth is that in general they seem not too nice. These days we have been working quite a lot from the Hymer, making use of the connection to Internet of some neighbours; and from a library, making use of the free connection there. I have started to send electronic mail to different media to extend the collaborations to have all the expenses covered during the second stage of the journey: Africa and Asia. We also went some hours to walk through the calm Amsterdam; for the side of the channels, with its floating homes; the streets free of cars although full of bicycles; the houses its big windows, open to the curiosity of the passers-by; people relaxing around the bridges or reading the journal on their doorways; We also went to the red district, with a completely different atmosphere; evidently full of red lights, illuminating the windows where the prostitutes, the sexshops, the clubs of striptise were exhibited; in the corners groups of blacks sang you or whispered the drugs availably; groups of Japanese walked shy, solitary boys or in group that looked to buy; couples, as us, that observed with curiosity and condemning; eccentric individuals, characters escaped from the mental hospital, fights; ... On Tuesday at night i had a long discussion with Alexandra about legalising or not the prostitution. I was for as long as the safety and will of the girls were favoured, but Alexandra gave an opinion unfavourably, because ethically was not acceptable. Anyway, in the end we conclude that, in spite of everything, the prostitution had to be concealed. It was probably not correct to show any passer-by or under age, those bodies discovered, making advances; nor the title pages of video and the eccentric artifacts of the sexshops. Wednesday was a more social day. At noon we met with Ramon in front of the train station. He came with a bicycle with the wheel in front decorated with sun flowers of and with some shoes in the same style. It was the attraction of the day, all the looks went towards us. He suggested us to buy something in a supermarket and to go to eat in some park. We accept, cause our economics were not for too many expenses. We, went to Vodelpark, a big park in the south of the city, full of lakes, lawn, some wild bird and many people resting. There we talked about the character of the inhabitants of Amsterdam. Ramon started to explain that the people in Amsterdam had very few patience and expresses with quite a lot of violence. Afterwards he told us about the indifference and about the great growth of the intolerance in Holland. Anyway, Ramon thought that the level of racism continued being below the majority of countries. Then he explained that the murders of the movie director Theo Van Gogh and the politician Pin Fortuyn, both with a xenophobe speech, pushed the society towards more intolerant positions. That's why, he in the end concluded that the image of freedom of Holland was not real. Next we discussed the subject of soft drugs, which are legal in Amsterdam. He explained that the sale (always quantities inferior to 30 grams) and the consumption was legal, but the production (bigger than 8 plants of marihuana) was not legal, not even the storage , because of that, every day the journals reserved columns about the confiscation of drugs or atiks of plantations. Finally he expressed that the drugs and the prostitution are the main touristic calls of Holland. In the case of the prostitution, he commented that 95% of the customers of the red district are tourists, and of these the majority were English and American. I took the pulse in the world with Ramon which opined that the main problem in the world is that the people only think about themsleves and they are unaware of great problems as pollution and poverty. The solution to the problem would be acting, although the humanity does not act on problems that can become severe in a distant future. He is also affected by the problem of thinking in himself and does not know how to go out of the circle. he repeated that the main problem in Holland is intolerance, even if from other countries it does not seem like this. Holland is becoming a politically left-wing country. he can only help in the solution of the problem by talking about that. Ramon doenst feel happy for being still affected by the consequences of events that happened when he was a child. He is working to be happier, for example doing group therapy. The secret of happiness is to accept your situation and to enjoy the small things. At night we followed the conversation with Juan, originary of Argentina, and Susana, from Spain, that invited us to dine at their place. It has surprised us, when entering the block of flats, the height of the stairs. When arriving up, almost dizzy of the giddiness,they explained that the majority of stairs of the homes in the centre were equal. During the dinner they explained to us that the legalisation of the drugs and the prostitution in Holland turned amsterdam into the operational center in Europe for traffic of women and drugs. On the other hand they explained that most of the prostitution in Holland continues being illegal, as the majority of the trade of drugs, which included many hard drugs. the current left-wing government did not see with good eyes the legalisation of drugs and prostitution, in the same way that the majority of the society, but very few want to turn back to the other laws as euthanasia, the abortion and the homosexual marriages. Finally they explained that all the social movement of the sixties, which gave Holland an image of a free country, had completely disappeared. We keept talking about Argentina, about a journey that they had done recently to Africa and finally interviewed them to take the pulse of the world. Juan commented that in the world there are many problems, anyway the main problem of the world is the increase of inequalities, Susana noted the indifference. The solution, maybe utopian, is the participation. They personally try to reflect, to communicate and to take part in organisations, as Architects without borders. When talking about Holland, Susana thought that the main problem is the individualism, the lack of interest and of participation and Juan indicated the Dutch farce that are shown as a country that in fact is not. They see it very difficult to change the culture of a country. Juan and Susana feel very happy, because they are together and make many things, fill many projects and have other projects to carry out. They would be happier going to live in a warmer country. The secret of happiness is to have projects and to carry them out for afterwards to have new projects to carry out. Since I arrived in Amsterdam i had the curiosity to prove a theory . Amsterdam is at the foot of the immense dam . I do not know the date of construction of the dock, in any case it was built later than Amsterdam. Therefore, Ámsterdam, with its channels, were formerly at the sea level, but as they build the dock, it seems that four meters and a half were reduced by the waters of the sea (or by the dam). So, unless they built other docks or floodgates, the channels of Amsterdam would have emptied. I asked Ramon and he told me that it was not true, that Amsterdam was equally under the sea level at 4,5 meters. But afterwards I investigated and i observed from far that there were some great floodgate systems for the boats that separated the big channel . Later I also observed that in another small channel there was a system of floodgates where the waters of Amsterdam were about two meters above those of exit. Today we had quite bad luck. In the morning we have gone to look with the Hymer for carboys of campingaz in a shop near the place where we were parked. There, apart from the gas, we have also bought two drums of gas oil, of 20 litres each, already thinking in Africa. I have gone out of the reverse gear parking place without realising that behind there was a street sign, out of my field of vision, with the misfortune that we have crashed against the wheel of my bicycle and the bumper. All the lights of the lateral of the Hymer have broken and the wheel of my bicycle has remained broken too. Anyway we have managed to cross the channel with the bicycles and to arrive to different shops for bicycles, which did not have any spare wheel until in the end they have offered us one for almost 70€ as expensive as all the bicycle. We have decided to try in some other city and have returned to the Hymer discouraged and with desires of leaving the city. Then we have decided to take advantage of being Friday and go out to party and to leave the city the day after. we have loosened up and we have bought a small box of magical mushrooms, which without eating them all, have provided us with an overflowing and uncontrolled evening party of visual imagination. Den Haag (see on map) 17/10/2006:
On Saturday we woke up late, with the diluted hallucinogenic effects of the mushrooms. As we had decided on the previous day, we started to go out of Amsterdam, but before we stoped to the great floodgates that separated Amsterdam from the gap. It is interesting because you can walk above, but my theory explained previously fell there through the ground. The water of the gap seemed some centimetres above the waters of Amsterdam. In the face of this unusual vision yesterday I was investigating on Internet and obtained some interesting answers. For example, Holland has about 3500 km of defences or dams, bordering the rivers, lakes, sea... 26% of the country is under the sea level. Without the dams, 66% of the country would periodically be flooded, in fact, in the past, Holland suffered different flooding with thousands of deaths. As it seems, the gap - in fact lake called Ijssel- is in the same sea level, therefore it is strange that the channels of Amsterdam are at the same level as the lake Ijssel. The explanation in the floodgates said that the waters were about 2 meters below the channels of Amsterdam so this would be related with the 26% of land that is under the sea level. On the other hand, the dam of 32 kilometres finished in 1932 was built to be able to build other dams surrounding the lakes to be able to drain them during different months for finally to dry them and to use them as fertile earth. On Saturday, after observing the floodgates and of eating, we left towards Hoevelaken, the village where lives my ex, Eva. It is not that i had fixation with her or felt like seeing her again. The case is that some weeks ago the credit card had expired. My father had received the new card and the simplest address where he could send it to me was the home of Eva. On the previous Sunday she had not received the card of my father, so, we had met again the next week. We sleept in a parking place of the small village Hoevelaken and visited Eva the day after. We ate with her and spent a nice afternoon conversing and playing with her cats. Afterwards we start to go towards Leiden, some town between Amsterdam and Den Haag. On Monday we visited Leiden, which we did not find a lot of touristic atractions, apart from the typical channels, which seem to repeat in many Dutch towns, and a big windmill. While we walked we stopped to look at some postcards, very useful to see the points of interest of the area and to observe the techniques used in the photos. In some postcards there were some very pretty images of some mills. I looked behind and I noted the names with a pen to look afterwards for their position on Internet. In the afternoon we went towards Zoetermeer, the town where Ewout, a boy that we had met at Klöden camp, lived. We had wrote him some days ago telling him that we were in Holland and he invited us to visit him. We made use of the visit to connect to wifi and to copy about fifteen films of his cds . But we also had time to converse quite a lot, to consult Internet about all the information of the dams and to go to drink some beers to the town centre with some of his friends. Ewout is town councillor in Zoetermeer. One of his friends who were introduced also is town councillor and we were quite a lot talking about policy . Later another boy of Irish origin sat with us. I was asking him quite a lot about the situation in Northern Ireland and he commented me that in spite of the process of peace, the situation still is very tense and with a lot of hatred accumulated among catholic and protestant. He commented that they should invest in education. In any case it will take a lot of time to heal the wounds. Due to the situation of his family he has always been between the two communities and instead of having more friends he had more enemies. Now, he explained, is very well in Holland, a country with a lot of freedom but with too many rules. Today in the morning I have woken up early and I have driven up to the center of Zoetermeer. Alexandra has kept sleeping in the back. Ewout had explained to me that in the market there was a man who fixed bicycles. I have directed with my bicycle that still had the wheel broken, but the man has told to me that he did not have any spare wheel that was goos for me. Afterwards I have gone to another shop that Ewout indicated me and there yes they had. 40€ was the price but i had to install it myself . Later we have gone to visit the mills that we had observed in the postcards of Leiden, the mills of Leidschemdam, built in the middle of 16 century. Three big and pretty mills were used formerly to drain lands, to take the water towards a higher channel that still exists. At present they are used as houses, as touristic appeal and as image of the postcards. After the magical road among the mills we have gone towards Den Haag with the intention of visiting the city the day after. Roterdam (see on map) 19/10/2006:
In Den Haag is situated the government of Holland and the residence of the royal family. Yes, Holland, as in Denmark is a kingdom, specifically they have a queen, but here they do not talk a lot about that and do not show it in the postcards. Alexandra already feared that Den Haag would be a city without so many attractions, and as it was a bad day, she stayed in the Hymer while I went to give a ride by bicycle through the city. And indeed, there is not too much to comment. At noon we went towards Rotterdam, but not towards the centre, rather in the south of the city. There was a distributor of Hymer. I had intention to fixing the left light behind that did not work since i had the small accident in Amsterdam. But we arrived a little later than five and they told us that until the following day they could not look at it. We parked in a wasteland and I started to work while Alexandra had just produced a pretty scarf that had kept her occupied during three or four days. To change the light of the Hymer has not been so much expensive as i expected, but not very economic either. Next we have gone towards Rotterdam, in a neighbourhood to the outskirts, where we had to meet with Walter. Walter is a computer scientist who lives in a quite big flat with a cat. He had invited us to dine with a friend of his, José Luís, from malaga, Spain, that was doing a post-degree in artificial intelligence in Rotterdam. Walter cooked a simple Dutch dish: purée of potatoes with carotts and sausages. We were talking about journeys, Africa, malaria... It was not a good subject of conversation for Alexandra that, although has decided to accompany me to the following continent, does not stop being scared. Afterwards we talked about projects and about how to execute them. José Luís commented that sometimes, some dreams are only obtained when you do not want them. I also interviewed both of them. Walter thought that the main problem of the world is the intolerance. Hospitalityclub can be the solution, since it allows you to know people of many different countries and being more tolerant helps you. In Holland the intolerance is also the main problem, the intolerance of the extremists of any religion. he does not think that the problem can disappear in the next decades. He does not think either that he can collaborate to change it, apart from talking about that. Walter is happy, because lately he has taken the correct decisions, among them is the one that is allowing him to do a journey arround the world. He does not think that he can be happier, and if he had girlfriend he would be just as happy. The secret of happiness is not to be egocentric and to know opinions and different people. José Luís thought that the main problem of the world is the power and the money, because the majority of problems of the world are caused by the current economic system and in the distribution of money . There is no solution, but an utopian solution would be the revolution. He can personally do small things, which perhaps are better than big things. The main problem in Spain are the immigrants that risk the life to arrive to Spain and afterwards Europe. Perhaps the solution would be erasing borders. he personally tries to have the mind open. José Luís is happy. Before he was not happy because he was not happy with the system, until he realised that the system was also stealing his happiness and decided to be simply happy. he would be happier having more confidence. Perhaps the secret of happiness is to forget the concept of happiness. The flat of Walter is at the 4 floor with a view to a park. When leaving, Walter commented that if there were not dams in Holland he could arrive to his flat by small boat, since we were found in one of the lowest points of the country, 6,5 meters bellow the sea level. ‹ Previous (21/08/2006) MONTH Next (2006-10-20)› ‹ Previous (2006-08-29 - Germany) COUNTRY Next (2006-09-29 - Germany)› |
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