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Diary This is Jan's diary. If you want to receive this diary by mail, write your mail on the contact form.
‹ Previous (24/09/2006) MONTH Next (2006-11-23)› ‹ Previous (2006-10-06 - Netherlands) COUNTRY Next (2006-11-11 - Luxemburg)› Belgium Gent (see on map) 27/10/2006:
We have had a little irritated week. for weeks now I feel that Europe is too smal for me . But due to the sponsors and media I can not pioneer the second phase on the journey, Africa, without closing before new agreements which I am attempting to renegotiate at present across internet. Alexandra is also feeling a little disoriented or dismotivated, because even though she helps me quite a lot, yet has not been implied in the 100% with the journey or project and has quite a lot of free time to fill in. These last days we have spoken and it seems that finally we have found an idea which seems will motivate her. for another hand, these days we have been basicaly in Gent, but not completely. We arrived Monday in the afternoon , but It rained and we remained in the Hymer. In the evening it worsened the problem that i had with the recharger of my computer, i could connect the computer to electricity but it did not load the battery. Tuesday in the morning, we tried to find a recharger on Internet but in the end decided to go to look to the offices of the manufacturer in Brussels. At the same time we could try to solve a problem with the fridge, which it did not cool enough. We directed the same day, Brussels is only 50 kilometres away from Gent. But in the offices of the manufacturer they told me that in order to acquire the recharger i have to buy it through internet and the technical service of the fridge was closed because we arrived a bit later than five. We agreed to work in front of some office taht offered free wireless internet . I buyed online the recharger and made it to be sent at the house of Remco, in Antwerp. Towards nine and half, after working both without interruption, the transformer of the car issued a whistle indicating that the battery was finished. Following the procedure of always I tried to turn on the engine of the car, but this time the procedure didnt work . The engine could not be turned on, the battery was finished. Apparently, the problem with the recharger produced this situation. We let rest the battery during half an hour, with the hope that miraculously the power will increase, but naturally it didnt work like this. Luckily i had the service of assistance in road provided by Zalba Caldú. But I didnt want to call them because exactly the same happened to me in Italy. We attempted to push the car . But in spite of pushing both with force, the Hymer remained nailed in the middle of the street. Then yes I phoned the service of assistance, which arrived before midnight. Luckily, Wednesday we solved the problem with the fridge and we next directed ourselves again towards Gent. We parked in a square from where we could use internet freely. It was not such a good day, it rained, but mid-afternoon it stopped raining and I went out to visit the city a little while Alexandra continued working with Internet. The following day, Thursday, it was sunny and we went out both to visit Gent, wich is charming, clean and elegant ancient helmet, with several canals bordering the old town, with many people sunbathing near the water. Several buildings and Gothic churches, a cathedral and a castle stand up majestically. In a sincere way, I had never felt attracted by Belgium but I now discover only that it was caused by my ignorance. After the visit we decided to change the position of the Hymer because the internet that had been working during all the former afternoon stopped working. It had already happened other times in Belgium, but in the new location we could be connected and work all the rest of the afternoon and all the following day in the morning. Really we advanced quite a lot of work, sending the diary and contacting several media asking them for collaboration for Africa. In the afternoon we went towards Bruges. Brugge (see on map) 30/10/2006:
Bruges is another Belgian city that captivates, rivaling with Gent. Gent perhaps has a more elegant ancient helmet, but aside of this it is not more attractive. Bruges is a city that has known how to keep on the whole a mediaeval and romantic air. It’s a pity that maybe because of that and because it was Saturday, the city was full of tourists. An itinerary of three or four hours by bicycle , walking through calm parks, for the side of the canals, crossing bridges of stone, a monastery, several, shops of chocolate, sqaures, windmills, churches... In the evening we were invited to have dinner by a girl from Bruges, Griet, who was accomodating a girl from Italy and her boyfriend from United States. As supposed the Italian girl cooked pasta with a delicious pepper sauce, bacon and cheese. While we were savurating the Belgian beer we pioneered the conversation with the boy, who had been three years in the American army, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. he had enroled for idealism, but now thought to go out from there in two weeks because many of his superiors were stupid, the rules were incomprehensible (for example they could not drink alcohol when the soldiers of other countries could ) and in the end he did not find any explanation for the intervention in Iraq. Anyway, he said that if he would have found a motive for the war he would remain in the army, even though many of his friends had died. Also we spoke about journeys, psychology, superstitions... but little on Belgium. However, the following day in the afternoon, Belgium was one of the main subjects of conversation. We meet Wim, which had a beautiful house in the outskirts of Bruges. Also there was Vamke, a friend of Wim.Wim was percusionist in a punk-rock band that attempted to become big in Belgium. Anyway, they had not known the correct people in the right moment yet. Afterwards he showed us several video clips that they had recorded, we started to speak about the Belgian king, who according to them kept the country together. Anyway, they believed that the king felt more Walló than Fleming, since he spoke better the French than the Fleming (or Dutch). This is not strange for Wallonia, where the people know how to talk French but non Flemish. However, in Flanders, they explained that the people knew how to speak the Flemish, French, English, perfectly... It was sensed that there was not so much friendliness, but, comparing, Catalan and Spanish, with the Basque nationalism they ended up admitting that in Belgium they were having a better relation. Also we spoke about immigration and this came reflected into the interviews that I recorded. Wim thought that the main problem of the world is pollution, because due to the pollution the nature is starting to take revenge and the nature will win. At present perhaps it is too late for a global solution. He personally attempts to help using the train more than the car, recycling rubbish... The main problem in Belgium is the immigrants that do not integrate. The solution would be in tolerance and in the adaptation of the immigrants to the local habits. He personally simply attempts to be tolerant. Wim feels very happy, because he has a lot more than other people . There are things that perhaps would make him happier but if he had them perhaps he would be less happy. The secret of happiness is to expect nothing from nobody, to accept the things that you have and not to complain about the things that you do not have. Vanke thought that the main problem of the world is criminality: robberies, rapes, murders... sHe does not believe that the laws bring solution. Anyway she attempts to live in accordance with the law. The main problem in Belgium is the immigration and the criminality. The solution would be to have more police in the street and to send the immigrants to their country of origin. She can personally simply vote for the partis that support these policy. Vanke is happy because she has a good job, good friends... she would be happier having boyfriend and more love, she has many friends but sometimes she feels alone. The secret of happiness is to love yourself and not to envy the others for what they have. In the evening we left and we started the way towards the village Yepres. During the second world-wide war, Yepres was the last bastion of the Belgian territory not occupied by the Germans. This corner of earth inserted into the southwest of the country represented the barrier for the Germans to occupy the French port Calais. For four years more than 300.000 allied soldiers died, and many more of Germans. During the British offensive of 1917, they joined in a total of 500.000 victims in 100 days of combat, only to win 5 miles of territory. The first world-wide war was called the great war, the mud, the gas, was the war of the trenches... Yepres, aside of having a beautiful ancient helmet (naturally reconstructed), it has several museums and memorials. Today we have been visiting several memorials, one of the saddest is the door of Menin. It is a big monument with 55.000 names of soldiers without grave, British and commonwealth, that died and that got lost in the mud of the trenches. Among the thousands of names we discovered a few Indians. Another impressive memorial is the cemetery of Tyne Cot, the biggest British cemetery in the world(outside the british teritory), with 12.000 buried soldiers and more, engravings on the walls but without grave, 35.000 names. Bruxelles (see on map) 02/11/2006: Today in the evening, Alexandra has taken an airplane towards Romania. her grandmother feels ill and she wanted to visit, maybe for the last time before pioneering the African adventure. I will be twelve days without her, attempting to use the time and also thinking about her. Today, while i came back from the Charleroi airport towards Brussels I have been thinking, I have reflected on love. Until little ago, i believed that without pain there is no love. i thought that it was normal to feel sad when u are not together with the ones that you love. But after eight months traveling and asking about happiness, I am learning that it does not have to be all the time like this. Eylem and Duygu from Istambul believed that the secret of happiness was love. And when I commented them that the people who fall in love sometimes feel unhappy , they replied that if the love was unconditional nobody would feel bad. I also remembered other answers: the secret of happiness is to love and not to wait for anything in exchange (from your couple). When going tears came out from the eyes of Alexandra, but I simply have smiled with complicity. Maybe the journey is changing me in a faster way than I thought. I love Alexandra, but I will not miss her, at least with pain or melancholy. I would prefer to be with her, but I accept that the fate gives me the opportunity to discover another part more of the itinerary alone. I will continue being happy endeavouring life in the present and I will continue preserving the warm remembrance of Alexandra. The same Monday in the evening, after visiting the memorials of Yepres, we started to go towards Brussels. Alexandra wanted to celebrate Halloween (Tuesday) in the city, she would be in this way more close to the airport. Anyway we spent the night in Tournai. The guide recommended to visit it and the following day went out to discover it while Alexandra stayed inside the Hymer connected to Internet and preparing the lunch. I spent an hour walking through Tournai, one of the most ancient cities of Belgium, with a beautiful cathedral (but in reconstruction) and several mediaeval buildings. In the afternoon we followed the path towards Brussels. We had attempted to contact somebody with who to celebrate the Halloween in the evening. But nobody had answered, therefore we decided to spend the Halloween having dinner in a restaurant and to celebrate an electronic mail that i had received from a magazine that offered to pay very well for my articles about afrika. Anyway, we did not disguise nor paint, because Alexandra was a little worried for the next journey and for the health of her grandmother. We had dinner in a restaurant that was recommended in the guide, convenient and at a good price. After having dinner we parked in a neighbourhood that seemed calm, even though we observed many immigrants. We were watching a film on the computer and when we were about to sleep, a strong knock followed by the noise of a broken glass woke us up. I got up, and i heard the voices outside. Then I put the alarm and the voices ran away. I went out with the armed with the baseball and there was nobody no more. The small glass of the lateral door was well shattered, but it still stood. Somebody had broken it with the intention of opening the door, and to steal. Luckily we were inside. For another hand the Hymer has alarm and double lock. We have clamped the glass that still stood with adhesive tape and have gone to park in another zone of the city, more residential. We have stayed until today at noon, simply enjoying our company and counting the hours that were missing to say goodbye. The glass, I decided to fix it after Alexandra’s departure. Tomorrow I will see what I have to do. 08/11/2006:
On Friday, the following day after Alexandra left, I went to try to change the broken glass of the Hymer. I found a small workshop where they have told me that I should wait until Tuesday. I accepted, after all i also had to wait for the recharger of the computer . So, I sent a few messages to people of hospitalityclub and couchsurfing in Brussels, in order to find somebody for the end of the week. And also I worked a little: I washed cloth, I wrote electronic mail, some articles... Saturday I devoted it to visit the city. First I went with the Hymer to the Atonium, symbol of the universal exhibition of 1958, in the north of the city. It is a surprising building (or monument) , with spheres of 8 metres in diameter clamped by transitable pipes. Its form is based on a metal crystal increased 150 trillion times. Anyway, soon after observing it through the trees it seems an extraterrestrial plant. After having lunch I went towards the centre of the city. It surprised me that it was dark arround half past five . Therefore, I took the tripod. The centre of Brussels was full of pedestrian streets and tourists, probably due to the fact that it was weekend. The Big Square is interesting, the same as the ancient Galleries of St. Hubert. Anyway, for me it was not as attractive as Bruges . Finally I walked towards the other symbol of the city: the Manneken Flat Fountain, a metal boy that seems tired of pissing in the face of the smiling faces of tourists. The same Saturday I received a message from Kat and Andrea inviting me to dinner. I searched the direction on Internet maps and I directed myself with the Hymer. Kat is a Belgian girl and Andrea is her Italian boyfriend, who works in the theatre bussiness. Naturally, as every Italian, he cooked , broccoli and a delicious tiramisú. A French boy and his finish girlfirned cooked pasta. There were also other people, the home where they lived was big and was shared by several youngsters. During the dinner I have been talking quite a lot with Andrea. he explained me that in Italy the politics is not working (like in Spain), with a lot of hatred and resentment among the politicians. Added to all this, the differences between rich people and poor people get bigger, the corruption does not seem to diminish, the investment in culture has been reduced with 50%... According to him the political change of rights in left in Italy is not sensed in the street, because Berlusconi he had emptied the vaults. Finally he commented that the political situation in Belgium was very boring but however people lived there better. Really people live in belgium much better. During the dinner, another boy explained that starting with January he will take one year of holiday paid by the government: 400€/month. It is seen that any hired worker with one year in a private company has the right to a maximum 5 years of hollyday along life and all the vacations are payed by the government. Anyway, it seems that the government wants to change this and to allow only for future parents, future employers, investigators, ... another has explained that Belgium is one of the countries of Europe where more taxes are paid. After having dinner I interviewed Andrea and Kat. According to Andreas the politicians are the main problem of the world and they can not see the real problems. Perhaps the politicians should charge less and they would be closer to the people. What he can do personally is to speak and to implicate the people in politics. The main problem in Italy is the corruption between politicians and companies. The corruption would deturn up with transparency and showing the money The corruption is inverting. For the solution he can just make people talk. Andrea does not feel happy, rather feels confused and with fear for the future. Andrea is artist and can never plan how his life will be in the future. he would be happier when he presents to the public the play for wich he has been working the last months. The secret of happiness is to know yourself and to understand yourself. Kat thought that the main problems of the world are individualism and injustice. According to her the animal world sometimes is cruel but right in comparison with the humans. Anyway, she has a lot of hope deposited in the world because many people show solidarity. The main problem of Belgium is the lack of communication between the north and the south of Belgium, both communities are very separated. For example the artists of the south do not have entry to the media from the north and viceversa. Another problem in Belgium is the growth of the votes for the extreme right. Kat is very happy, but also passes through moments of deep sorrow,she is a girl of extremes. she would be happier if she could organise her life better and if she could be more disciplined. The secret of happiness is to risk and to forget the fear. On Sunday, I was all day long connected to Internet from Kat and Andreas home. I studied the possibilities of Internet connection in Africa, through satellite or using telephones and local connections. I also edited images, and wrothe the diary... Mid-morning I talked to a poet who was also living in the house. He showed me a web site where he was publishing the poems of the last ten years and explained me "with time I have improved and I have a more personal style but have all the life to continue progressing". The following day I continued working with internet, but mid-morning went towards the centre of the city with underground, since i had to have lunch with Sven, a boy contacted through couchsurfing. During the short journey I observed the courious linguistic normalization in the underground: the names of the stops are inserted, both in French and in Flemish, or in Flemish and then French. Afterwards I noticed that the names of the streets seem to be written in French and under in Flemish. for another hand, listening to the conversations i would assure that in Brussels the French is spoken more than the Flemish. It was interesting to meet with Sven. he showed me new parts of the city that I had not visited, a city full of institutions and governmental headquarters. When walking in front of the royal palace he commented me that Belgium also has king, with a significant power, since he has to ratify all laws. Afterwards he explained me a curious fact, some fifteen years ago, the king did not want to sign a law that legalised abortion, then the government constituted a republic for 24 hours, in order to be able to approve the law, and next reinstated the monarchy. We had for lunch light food, in a typical Belgian restaurant since the Belgians usually eat the strong or hot dish in the evening. For accompanying the onion soup I asked for a delicious traditional Belgian beer,: it is very bitter and just a little sweet. I interviewed Sven who thought that the main problems of the world are the maintenance of the environment and the peace in the world. The solution of the problems are at a local level, talking to people and working together. At individual level he can only act in very small areas. The main problem in Belgium is the fear of the unknown that has grown into panic, generating violence in many cases. This problem will be able to be solved by creating small local projects, for example couchsurfing. He tries not to be afraid and to show to the others the same. Sven feels happy even though he needs to fixa goal for his life. he would be happier by being motivated by this goal. He is still searching for the secret of happiness. On Sunday in the afternoon and on Monday I continued working connected to Internet. I was reading a lot about Africa and its conflicts, many of which developed in countries through wich i had plotted the itinerary: Sudan and the region of Darfur, the African Central Republic, ciad... It did not seem too advisable to dare, but seemed the only option to cross Africa, because across the coast of the Atlàntic (Nigeria, Angola, Congo...) the region is also very troubled. But I was studying these countries and was happy to find out that the political situation in this region has improved a lot (in the African parameters). Anyway, looking at the itineraries of other African journeys I observed that few take the east route. I will read with detail the adventures of these travellers in east and will probably end up on the same route, probably safer nowadays. On Monday towards the evening Remco sent me a message telling me that the recharger has already arrived . It was a good news, because on Tuesday i had to solve in the morning the broken glass,get the recharger and afterwards continue the road towards Frankfurt, where I have to meet with Alexandra on the 15th. Anyway, I did not have so much good luck, because on Tuesday I went in the morning to the workshop of the glass,and noticed that the glass they had asked was not the same model that i needed. They told me that I should wait for the following day. So with cold air entering in the motorcaravan through the empty space and with the heating at maximum I left towards Antwerpen, where Remco was waiting for me. We talked a while, he gave me the recharger and I went towards Brussels again. But on the way they called me from the workshop telling me that the glass would not arrive until Friday. Tired of being retained in Brussels, today in the morning I have went to a big workshop of glass and have solved the problem in two hours. Luckily , the other workshop has returned me the money that i had left in exchange . Thus, with the problem solved and tired of Brussels I have started to drive towards Luxembourg, even though I have stopped halfway, to have lunch, in some town that I will visit tomorrow. Luxemburg Luxemburg (see on map) 11/11/2006:
Dinant is a small town with a big cathedral exactly under an impressive cliff, crowned by a castle that I have not visited because the entry was too expensive for the economics of a traveller. Every day I could visit museums and lovely places by paying, but I luckily also have the possibility to visit every day new towns and lovely places without paying. At first Dinant did not seem too interesting, but when i was about to go with the Hymer I discovered some attractive corners. The road towards Luxembourg was going through green and wavy fields, forming the first evidence of mountains. I entered into the city mid-afternoon. I parked out of the centre, in a neighbourhood where Tristan lived, a friend of Remco (Antwerpen) who had recommended to visit him. It had to meet with Tristan on Thursday in the afternoon, but when i ringed the bell of his home , a man (that I imagined is his father) briefed me that Tristan did not arrive. After two hours the same man and offered me the posibilitty to enter and to wait for Tristan inside. But I preferred to come back to the Hymer and I continued working and had dinner. Finally, at 8.30 Tristan arrived. Tristan is a boy of French origins that has been living in Luxembourg for years. he lives in a big home in which he always hosts someone. So little time ago he bought a guest book and half is already full. at that moment he was hosting the man who opened the door and Nathank , a boy from New Zealand. I became interested about Luxembourg and in Tristan offered me several interesting and curious information. Luxembourg, instead of being a realm, is a dukedom, with a duke practising as king. The political system is very stable, with the right and left parties always collaborating (incredible!). for another hand, in Luxembourg they have their own language, spoken by half of the population. Anyway, the language started to exist from the eighties, only was considered a dialect of the German with French words and Dutch accent before. He commented me that Luxembourg was a multicultural country with a great economy. "on what is based the economy?" I asked him. "on banks" he replied to me. Afterwards he explained me that in Luxembourg, together with Switzerland and other fiscal paradises, the bank secret is legal. It does not seem too much logical that there is legal bank secret in the middle of European Union, but if they did not allow it a lot of money would go towards other countries. Finally he showed me a graph on Internet about the Domestic Product per capita. Luxembourg is the country of the world with more wealth per capita, a 20% more that the second, Norway. for another hand, aside of the bank secret the companies pay few taxes and many settle in this country even if they produce in other. Anyway, this wealth does not seem to spread among the population, which in spite of being rich they do not show with Ferraris, like in Switzerland. On Friday I went out to visit the city of Luxembourg with Nathan, the boy from New Zealand. Luxembourg seems a village, there are not big buildings,only one floored houses. Besides, less than 100.000 persons inhabit it. But aside of the extension, the thing that surprised me more in Luxembourg was its charm. A natural defence against the ancient invaders, is a city inserted into a promontory surrounded by a deep valley. In several points the impressive walls covering the valley can be observed. Some beautiful churches and cathedrals cut the sky. The city is quite green (or brown in the autumn), with quite a lot of parks and gardens. The city also has many tunnels and mediaeval galleries excavated in the rock, in one of which there is a interesting exhibition of photography that we visited. Today Saturday I have put myself on the road towards Germany, Frankfurt, where I have to meet with Alexandra on Wednesday. But before I have stopped in small town before crossing the border. Vianden is a small town in the background of a valley dominated by an impressive castle that is being reconstructed. I had a walk between the walls and the beautiful streets and I have next crossed the border. Before however, I have loaded the Hymer of gas oil because in Luxembourg it is much more economic: 0,861€/l (the price is fixed by the government). I went towards the Rin valley , crossing mountains and valleys. But I stopped before arriving , because it was getting dark and i preferred to travel by day, enjoying the landscape. Germany Frankfurt (see on map) 15/11/2006:
Sunday and Monday I invested them visiting a charming segment of the valley of the Rin. I entered through the Boppard village, where I made a small walk, towards the south-east, St. Goar. Although the time was not perfect, I kept on stopping admiring several castles, on the hills, which transported me in mediaeval times. arriving at St. Goar I was amazed by the magnificent castle of Rheinfels, inserted into a mountain dominating all the town. The Rheinfels castle was constructed in 1245 to protect the toll of boats that circulated. This was not liked by the league of Rin cities and exactly ten years after the construction they put it on siege for 15 months. But they did not win and so they ended up naming the castle of Rheinfels as the "unconquerable fortress". A century later, the same family built another castle on the other side of the river and they established the double toll, of rise as well as of slope. Naturally they were made of gold since the traffic of merchandise through the river had to be very important, the same as it is nowadays, with tens of big boats circulating up and down on the river. I parked at the base of the mountain and I started to climb towards the Rheinfels castle , bordering the unconquerable walls during a lot of while. Finally I arrived to the main entrance, where I paid 3€ entry fee and I started to stroll among the majestic debris. I climbed to a turret with an excellent sight on the Rin. Then it started to rain. I protected in some galleries and I managed to find out where i am on the map that they had given me at the entry. I noticed that following the galleries i could arrive at the itinerary "2". So I followed new walls, more galleries with small cracks for the archers, ahead, among chapels... But at half of the itinerary the cracks for the archers disappeared and in the galleries i found myself in complete Darkenes.Trusting the map I continued advancing , I went continue stumbling on rocks, I went continue putting the feet in puddles of mud and I went cursing. Three or four galleries more happened in the same way and finally arrived time in a terrain known and of here at the main entrance. I asked the girl of the entry if it was normal that the galleries did not have light. She started to laugh and half excusing herself showed me a small poster where it was recommended to bring lights or candles to visit the fork galleries. After having lunch I continued along the Rin slowly, I stopped from time to time, until I found some charming mediaeval town called Bacharach. I have parked the Hymer and I was strolling between the ancient homes and mediaeval towers until it became dark. I decided to camp in a big car park at the entry of the town to be able to visit it again the following day. But on Monday in the morning all was covered with dark clouds. Midd morning Monday I stopped in Bingenan important town in the valley. I visited it, but by no means had the charm of the other town. At noon the time seemed to be better and I then crossed the river with a barge (4,5€) and visited the beautiful town of Rudesheim and the vineyards. Before going out of Luxembourg I attempted to contact somebody in Frankfurt, in a basic way to be able to use Internet, since Germany has less internet connections free of password. The same Monday a girl that lived close to frankfurt (in a village in the mountains called Taunus)replied me. She sent me a few indications by S MS but lost some time before I arrived Silke lives with her parents. her parents travel frequently to South Africa and its a good ocasion to aask about the situation of the country. They commented that in spite of the disappearance of the Aparheit, the whites are still very racist. Afterwards,i explained my journey with Alexandra, Silke commented that she also had the dream of crossing the American continent, in particular with a van Wolsvaguen. In the evening she invited me to visit a friend. The friend opened a bottle of a typical product of the region: apple wine. It was similar to the cider but less sweet and without gas. During the conversation they explained to me that in east Germany they are disgruntled with the reunification, some believe that they were better before. But they do not understand, because they considered that they are free from the communism and west germany was paying for economic recovery. Maybe for this motive, in Germany they will rise the VAT (WATT) from 16th to 19% next year. Finally the subject of the German nationalism came out. Silke explained that of small they have been educated to not be proud of their country, due to the nonsense that they had made in the past. Finally they started to explain jokes about Germans of the east and of the north. The following day I was working on the computer all day long. Also today, even though mid-morning I have gone towards Frankfut. I have parked very close to the station and have gone out to visit the city, very modern and with a few small skyscrapers that rise above the houses and of the beautiful and ancient square Romerberg, restored after the bombardments of the second world-wide war. Afterwards I have went back to the Hymer to clean it thoroughly and to continue working and waiting for Alexandra to arrive. 16/11/2006: I have awakened early, at 5:15 of the morning. Yawning and with half closed eyes I have gone to the bus stop. The bus has arrived prompt, but in another place. When I have noticed the bus Alexandra was already out half lost.We have hugged happy, but also tired. We have gone towards the Hymer and we have decided to goout of the city to continue sleeping in a calmer place. In awakening ourselves Alexandra has proposed me to visit Wiesbaden and Mainz, two cities where a friend lived . Both cities, on the Rin, are few quilometres away from Frankfurt. On the way we have proposed which other cities to visit in the next days and on speaking i I have discovered that Alexandra had desires to visit soon Catalonia and Barcelona, my home . Then for the first time in all the journey it has flooded me a feeling of desire to arrive at home after nine months of journey. After all, good part of the work that we are making (to write articles, to write to sponsors, to prepare the continuation in Africa...) we can make it calmly from home. And for another hand, France is the last country that we have left to visit in Europe. In the morning we visited a beautiful castle in Wiesbaden and its gardens and in the afternoon all the ancient helmet of Mainz, interesting but not at all comparable with the other towns that i visited in the rin valley. In the evening we have come back to the road and we have gone towards Strasbourg, a French city nearby the German border. France Strasbourg (see on map) 17/11/2006:
Strasbourg is a charming city. The ancient helmet is in an island surrounded by the river Ill and some canals. Many of the mediaeval homes, with cumbersome structures of wood painted in dark colours, contrasting with the clear walls. During the walk we have surprised ourselves of the amount of homeless that were on the streets. I remember at the beginning of the journey in France i was surprised by the same thing. In the afternoon we have connected to Internet a while, we have written to diverse people from Paris and we have later started to go towards it. We have taken the motorway and for the first time in a lot of time we have paid a toll (I believe that Greece was the last country where I paid ). It was very expensive. Anyway, the French motorways are very good and with many areas of rest, in one of which we have stopped to sleep. Paris (see on map) 18/11/2006:
Saturday we arrived to Paris and it was already dark. The traffic was terrible. We arrived to the centre where we had intention to park, but there was no free parking place. We decided to go towards the outskirts, but the situation was equal. Finally, even though we were far from the center of Paris, we decided to park towards the Forest of Boulogne. At first all the roads of the forest were full of cars and impossible to park, probably because there was some sport event near. But afterwards the roads emptied out and instead of parked cars the prostitution turned up. Despite everything, we decided to park in a quite calm place at the exit of the forest. It was not completely badl, because one evening we entertained observing how the protitutes quarreled among them, how the customers strolled disguisedly until they decided on one, how they penetrated to the darkness of the forest or how they closed up in any car to carry out the service... Sunday we took the bicycles and we went to the Arch of Triumf that was quite close. The arch of Triumf is a big door in a wide way known, built to comemorate the victories of Napoleon. the works stopped when Napeleó started to lose battles and was finished only after thirty years. On its walls there are inscriptions of many conquered cities, among them many Catalan and Spanish names. Also the distant points like Moscow and The Piramides. After visiting the arc of Triumf we continued for the rich and elegant Champs Elysees and finally for the Champ of Seas admiring le tour Eiffel. On Monday my mother called me anouncing that my grandfather died. My grandfather has been feeling bad for months. Before falling ill always he had been a man with a lot of energy and knowledge. had traveled a lot and the stories that he always explained also encouraged probably me to travel. I discussed with my mother the need to come back, but finally we decided it was not necessary, after all i would be again at home quite soon . In any case, the following days I put a candle in remembrance of my grandfather in the cathedral of Notre Dame and in the church of Sacré Coeur. On Monday it was raining all day long. In the evening we went shopping in the futurist area called La Defense, with tens of skyscrapers in different ways, all of glass, illuminated... We got lost a little but finally we found car park and we found a supermarket. On the way Back we found a point with Internet connection without protection and we checked our e-mail. In France it is more complicated than in Holland and Belgium to find zones with free internet On Tuesday and Wednesday we continued walking in Paris. Compared with other cities north or east Europeans, Paris reminds me a lot of Barcelona: the traffic, the commercial streets, the buildings... Even though naturally there are differences, for example the chimneys of the typically French homes: all simple and in line on top of the buildings. On Tuesday we took the underground (it was really a train with 2 levels. Compared with the public transport of the north of Europe, here it is impossible to enter into the underground without paying. We went towards the delicate Cathedral of Notre Dame. From there we came back walking in front of the Hotel of the Ville (town council), the modern centre Pompidou (build in 1977 it does not seem so modern at present), the Louvre and its gardens and again Champs Elises and the Arc of Triumf. We arrived at the Hymer exhausted. While we rested somebody knocked at the door. I opened the window and outside was a man with bicycle. He asked me about the journey that we were carrying out. I went outside and talked a while, finally he invited us in the evening to have dinner at his house close to the arc of Triumf. Frederic lives in a humble flat in the centre of a rich neighbourhood in Paris. It was not too comfortable and he told us that he wanted to move to Bretagne. he explained us that the people of Paris are too ostentatious and that they care only for having a good job and to always dress elegant. he explained us that this fixation on the work provokes that a 30% of the people in Paris live alone, the same as him. Afterwards he told us about the situation of the Ghetos of Paris and about the incidents that happened one year ago as a sample of protest. He complained that instead of helping and investing in the ghetos the French government only brings repression, with 6000 new police officer jobs. Finally I interviewed Frederic. He thought that the main problem of the world is the destruction of the environment and of pollution, there are too many cars , many countries do not have access to clean water... Part of the solution would be helping the poor countries and also reconsidering all what we need. For example he does not have car and however uses the bicycle or he walks. He also collaborates selecting the rubbish... The gethos that have been created around Paris where the people live with very bad conditions and without future are the main problem in France. The solution should come from the government with investments and facility improvements in the houses of these areas and education. He can help them attempting to show a future for them, talking to them. Frederic can not be happy knowing that there are people who have a very bad situation. Anyway,he will be happier after moving to the country side. The secret of happiness is to share the life with someone. I asked at the end of the interview how it was that he did not have a couple taking into account his opinion about the secret of happiness. He commented me that the cause was the French society, that is too individualist . Today we have taken the bicycles again and we have gone to stroll for the calm neighbourhood of Montmartre and the church of Sacre Coeur. During the walk we have decided to leave Paris the following day even though we had not visited the Latin Quarter . It seems that we both realise that the journey finishes and that we would like to spend the winter calm at the house of my parents, preparing the journey to Africa. Anyway, the fact that this stage of the journey is finished i feel a bit worried and disoriented. Economic and logistical worries turn up, feeling imprisoned at home worries me, and finishing a part of the dream saddens me. Versailles (see on map) 23/11/2006:
On Thursday in the morning it rained and was windy , despite everything we have gone out to admire the palace and the gardens of Versailles. There were many parts in works, logically beacuse there were less tourists in winter. Despite everything, the Japanese were present. Afterwards we have gone towards Rouen, which we have visited in the afternoon. It is a lovely city, with paved streets, homes with structures of wood in sight, galleries, antiques shops, beautiful churches, a magnificent cathedral that reminded me of Barcelona and a lot of history. Rouen is the city where the heroin of 19 years called Joana of Arch died burned in 1431, accused of heresy during the war of the a hundred years. ‹ Previous (24/09/2006) MONTH Next (2006-11-23)› ‹ Previous (2006-10-06 - Netherlands) COUNTRY Next (2006-11-11 - Luxemburg)› |
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