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Sweden

Stockholm (see on map)

25/07/2006:

This morning I took Alexandra to the airport. We have seen off with sorrow, because we have spent very good days together and we will miss, a lot. But tears have not fallen down, because very soon we will find ourselves again. We are inlove and there are some days since we have decided to travel together. From here in one month , we will meet in Poland and will be together for the rest in the journey in Europe and afterwards Africa, Asia and America.

We know that we will have to overcome quite a lot of obstacles, some regarding the life together. It does not stop being complicated to live together in such a small home. Moreover, I am a man that with time has become demanding even though the time has also teached me that it is not good to be like this. For another hand, Alexandra, is only 22 years old, is a little spoiled girl til now. I believe thatthe rest of the journey in Europe will be enough relaxed like to finish knowing ourselves and to adapt oneself enough, so that the difficulties that surely will appear to the rest of the continents can be resolved with facility.

Alexandra will sacrifice many projects to accompany me, even though for the time being she will attempt to follow her studies of law and of criminology at distance. She will leave the job, although she had thought to go to Prague to accept an offer of work . SHe will refuse this offer and many other projects that she wanted to complete. Anyway I trust that she will be excited by my project (she has accepted to help me) and by many others that will appear .

I have many desires to discover the rest of the world with her. These days we have been traveling with haste, without too much time of enjoying the country, the people, the landscape. But we have taken ourselves the necessary time to enjoying our company. The rest of the journey in Europe will be calmer, there will not be haste, only the appointment with the family and the sponsors on Christmas time.

26/07/2006:

Yesterday I parked the selfcaravan near the sea, in one of the islands of Stockholm, in front of other islands, creating the sensation of being in front of a river and not of the sea. I have been reading , thinking about Alexandra, missing .her. Afterwards, instead of working, as I had proposed myself some hours before, I went out to walk and to make photos for the promenade near the sea.

I observed many men running , making sport, however I saw less women. Afterwards I noticed on the street quite a lot of men with muscles, I suppose however, the women did not seem to worry so much about their body. It is an image very different of Ukraine and Russia. In Stockholm, it seems the freedom and the feminism changed the need of being attractive from woman to man. As I have noticed, cult for the body is also seen in many tattoos on men, and less on women. With all this I do not mean that the Swedes are not attractive, just that they are ostentative.

I also observed, as it described my guide, that Stockholm is a city with many immigrants, the majority of very dark skin, but few with African physiognomy. There are many Iraqi refugees. It is curious to think that in few centuries the population will not be Swedish blond. For the street many couples are already mixed.

This morning I have been working, writing newspaper, revising my work , calculating costs of petrol and quilometres... While it made this last work I have noticed the nonsense that I made with Alexandra: driving 5000 kilometres only in two weeks. Before this i made only 15000 in 4 months. Really i had planned badly this part of the itinerary with Alexandra, but we had desires to arrive at Nordkapp. From now the journey will be much calmer.

In the afternoon I have found a hamburger place that offered free Internet connection . I have been connected quite a lot and i also ate an ice cream. Afterwards I went back with the bicycle making photos with the light of the sunset.

Really Stockholm is a very beautiful city, I saw one of the most beautiful asset of the world according to my guide on journeys, according to them "the asset of scandinàvia", like this it announced at the entry of the city. Good part of the life of the city develops in the sea, calm among several islands filled and connected among themselvs Along the shores of the city you find boats in a row of one or of two. Many of these boats are ancient, of the last century or of XIX...I was making photos for one of these shores when I saw that it could be interesting to make a photo from a platform beside which there were two de luxe boats anchored. In the platform a door of entry had, sit-in, but in inside there were some boys crinking beer. I asked them if i could enter to make some photos and in a very kind way they opened me the door. While i opened the tripod a boy started a conversation . I made the first photos but noticed that the platform moved around, that it floated like a boat. The boy commented me that really it was like this. He also commented me that in the platform, under it in fact, they had the office, a company of programming. He explained that at first was a bit hard to adapt working with this light constant movement. Replying to one of my questions he commented that it is not strange to have a floating office. As a matter of fact there are many bars and discotheques anchored beside the shore, but also restaurants, some hotel, some residence of students...

The boy also explained me that Stockholm has two well differentiated parts, the one that is going round of the mainland and the one of the islands . From here the origin of the name of the city (according to him), "Stock" makes reference toearth, and "holm" means islands (in Swede).

30/07/2006:

These three days I have attempted to adapt to the new temporary situation of lonely traveller. But I have only wanted to adapt in a provisional way, since in approximately a month I will travel again with Alexandra. Really I have felt a little lost, without big desires to find people. Anyway I wrote to diverse people of hospitalityclub. A boy only replied me that in the end he could not meet me. Also I contacted a Spanish guy of Couchsurfing (definitively the portal works correctly again, even though now I use more hospitalityclub) who wrote in a message in forum that these days will visit Stockholm . Also he replied to me but he did in the end not present himself to the appointment.

On Thursday I devoted all the morning to sleep and to work. In the afternoon I went out to make several formalities: searching where the laundry that my guide mentioned was, to buy a protector for the camera (i lost it in Oulu, Finland), to buy some clamps so that the long trousers do not stick with the pedals of the bicycle (those that i bought from Spain, of plastic, had broken), to ask prices for the ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn, to buy a medicine for my nose in the apoteke . Afterwards I connected to Internet and finally I walked in the city a little.

Stockholm is a city with many bycicle lanes. There are less cars. As a matter of fact, I believe that at present you have to pay to enter in the centre of the city, but I have not paid, everything is in Swede and I do not understand it. I went with bicycle to the islands of Skeppsholmen, with some parks and a museum of contemporary art, and Gamlastan, where there is the ancient neighbourhood of the city, with narrow streets, pavements and homes that reminded me of the Germanic style.

On Friday I went in the morning to the laundry, while i waited i worked with the computer(I could curiously connect to Internet freely using the connection of some neighbour), two men and a woman who spoke Spanish entered. I asked them from where they were and they commented me that from Múrcia. I asked them if they were working in Sweden.- Sure - they replied to me - They go to laundry because they work, they do not go at all when they are on vacation. you also work?- Well, yes, I am doing something that I like a lot, so much that you could consider holidays.I commented them that i was making the turn in the world but it did not interest them at all, perhaps they did not believe me. They commented me that they were drivers of buses and the girl is a guide. I continued working and with this conversation all of a sudden I heard that they killed some bird and i asked them about the subject. They replied to me:- Yes, many birds are killed here with the bus. A day in a journey alone I killed six - and the gesture made: "plas", "plas", "plas"... of how he kept on crushing them. In Spain also they are killed, but less,

After the laundry I stopped to buy vegetable and fruits It was very expensive. The salesman seeing me foreign asked me from where i was. I said from Spain and he started to speak to me half Spanish, half in Portuguese. Also I asked him his origins and he told me that it was Iranian. I wanted to know a little more, then I seemed nice, but after he attempted to deceive me twice, first with the weight and afterwards with the change. yes, thousands of apologies after each error.

In the afternoon I was quite a lot of while connected to Internet from the laundry, Alexandra needed to talk to me and we were talking quite a lot of while using messenger. sHe is taking one of the most important decisions of her life, to leave everything for us. Naturally she needed support, to know that i really apreciate her, if i wanted everything to go well between us.

After talking to her I was a while more connected to Internet, outside then rained. I received an email from a girl who insinuated that I was traveling because, i search something that perhaps i could find in my country. I replied to her : I "do not believe that a traveler is searching for something when he is travelling, I do not miss anything, simply I feel that this is my life, travelling ".

In the evening I was thinking if i should go out to see the city in the night, cause it was Friday, but Alexandra was too present in my thoughts and in the end i saw a film.

On Saturday in the morning it was raining. Again was profitable to work, to write the articles for the newspaper a little more, to write an article for the 9nou... Afterwards I went to buy the ticket towards Tallinn. yesterday they did not have connection on Internet and they could not consult the bookings. But then there were no more tickets for the same day, therefore I buyed a ticket for Sunday. 175€, crazy! taking the car is expensive, but for another hand there are no seats available and they force you to reserve a bed, in a room with other people.

Next I connected to Internet to send the diary of Russia,translated also into English, because Alexandraa has offered to help me in the project as long as it travels with me and already we have started to collaborate. I also sent quite a lot of messages (mail and sms) to people from hospitalityclub portal, with the hope to find some Sweedish people for the last 24 hours.

In the afternoon I was reading. Later I went shopping in a supermarket, i had very few food left cause i was waiting to buy in estonia.. And indeed, the food there was less expensive. I was also hoping to be able to find a petrol station close to the boat cause also the gas was less expensive.

After booking the ticket I went to make a long stroll with bicycle for the neighbourhood of Sodermalm, with quite a lot of bars and night environment (how I checked out afterwards), the gardens of Djurgarden and the neighbourhood of Ostermalm,very calm.

no one answered to the essages that i sent in the morning. So I decided to go out a little, even if i was alone. I went to a club that was recommended in my guidebook. The half casual half modern type.

the music was low rythem and there was quite a lot of light but the people danced a lot,on the dancefloor, at the bar there were a lot of people talking. The people arround were very similar to the ones that i observed on the former days on the street: rather fat girls and boys of every type: musculats, big, Iraqi, black, bright (or not)... Yes, the boys touched themselves among yes to like the girls, it is the world the other way round, in my world the girls touch themselves to attract the boys. I do not know if its because i might be too inlove of Alexandra but there was no girl worthwhile. A boy started some conversation and commented me the same : " Stockholm is like a small America". At the entry there were two queues, one that was barred, encircled by a rope, in the other there were the people who wanted to enter. To the exit, the queue that was still encircled for the rope existed, full of people smoking. Of course, I have then noticed : it was the area of smokers, they have special places in public for smoking.

Today I have connected a while to Internet and have been wandering for a while, finally I went towards the dock from where the ferry was departuting towards Tallinn. On the way I have crossed with a small demonstration where flags of Lebanon flew and they called checkrooms against Israel. I have already been reading the headlines of these situation for days and its not at all encouraging for the world-wide peace and of the Half Orient.

The ferry that was anchored in the port and that was going to cross the Baltic sea was very big, , there were many cars queuing to enter. While i waited a cyclist loaded of packages has been stopped on my side. I have asked from where he was and he has told me that he was from Estonia. Next he has commented me that he had been making a small journey for Helsinki, Turku and Stockholm.

In the boat they have sent me in a room with a Russian, well,when he arrived in the room he opened a Russian television chanell and he has started to sleep. Also there was another tattooed boy who has arrived later. Anyway, I have not remained in this room, I went to see the exit of the boat.

Stockholm is completely a big city port and full of tourism, during the first half an hour I have been able to observe 4 big ferrys more, of different companies, which they entered or which went out from the port. Afterwards we have entered into a labyrinth of islands, sailing during quite a lot of hours before of going out to sea open. All islands, those that had a considerable size, they were inhabited. Some with simple homes and other that approached palaces.

In the boat there was connection in Internet wireless, and I have used it to talk a while with Alexandra. Afterwards, seeing that the Russian continued sleeping with the television at insain volume I went to reception to ask for a new room, with the hope that they gave me some empty room. Simply I have commented that one of the colleagues of room snored a lot. They have assigned me a room where they have told me that there was a normal boy. But in entering there I have found a couple, a boy and a girl, looking at the television, each one in bed. All three of us were looking surprised and I have then said: "I believe that I will search a new room". I have come back to reception and have asked if they could assign me one another room. They have asked me the motive and I have explained them my reasons. the boy of the reception told me that it was prohibited to share the room with a girl and he sent someone to check. He gave me a new room, this time for me alone. But I didnt go there, I waited for the couple to come to reception and to get new rooms rooms. i asked them for apologies offering them my room (with the hope that they had not assigned the boy my room of before). But it is seen that they had assigned to the girl one another empty room and everything was solved.

Estonia

Tallinn (see on map)

01/08/2006:

After fifteen hours of travelong with the ferry, at 10 in the morning the ferry arrived in Tallinn. The control of passports on the border of Estonia was very efficient, the fastest of all the countries out of the communwealth. Anyway, it is normal considering the big column of cars that was waiting on the exit of the boat.

I parked next to a church, near the centre. I didnt feel like visiting the city yet, cause from all the people from hospitalityclub that i wrote to, only a girl has answered saying that we cannot meet and another that lives outside the city said she could meet in the second day. This time i have also written to some boys but none of them showed any interest to meet.

So, I dedicated my morning to some reading and to buy something to eat from a supermarket. In the afternoon I went out to visit the city, on foot and calmly. I went up to the top part of the city, named Toompea. There is a castle or fortress, and also the location of the government. The nationalism that was breathed in the touristic description of the castle surprised me: "The strength always belonged to the foreigners until the 24th of February 1918 when Estonia was converted in an independent state", without mentioning afterwards the posterior integration into the Soviet Union.

The city offers a lot of touristic information, with maps and information in front of the main monuments. In front of the castle i found the orthodox cathedral Alexander Nevsky. I noticed the symbol of the cross on the domes. Recently i had read that in many orthodox crosses a half-moon appears in the foot, sign of victory over Islam. And indeed, that cross had it.

The castle and cathedral were at the beginning of the old city, with paved streets, new churches, medieval homes, with big windows, inclined roofs, light colours... From some places a very good sight could be enjoyed on the rest of the city. Exactly at the foot it followed the same old city, also walled and more to the background it started the new town with some buildings and chimneys of factories that fought over the height.

Down, the old city followed the same line. In the centre there was a big square with a Gothic town hall in the center, dominating with its beauty the whole square. Tired to walk I entered in a church where they were about to perform a concert with org and voice soprano. I stayed a while, the woman sang very well, but the org seemed been out of tune or the man playing the org did not touch it too well.

At night, after showering and dining I went to drink a beer in the old town. I took a book and I kept reading. I am reading a book on health of the traveller, very useful to travel to underdeveloped areas with more safety, even if it doesnt provide a safety of 100%, and it can turn you into a hypohondriac.

This morning I made a long turn by bicycle, towards the north of the city, for the side of the sea . In front of the port there were some interesting ruins of a convent and inside a botanical garden. I did not have any reference about the botanical garden, but as it was mentioned in the map of Tallinn I went in this direction. The garden was pretty, very neat, but had very few information of the trees and plants that were inside.

In the afternoon I have been reading a little, resting after the effort that i made in the morning, when suddenly, thinking what i could do afterwards I have decided to go out of the city (after all i saw almost all) and to visit a nature reserve at about 60 km in the east of the city, that according to my guidetour was very interesting. Before I have stopped to put gas oil and to buy in a supermarket and next i drove these kilometres till the information point of the park where I stopped and spent the night.

Primil (see on map)

02/08/2006:

In the point of information of the national park of Lahemaa they have recommended me a couple of itineraries that went by near the coast, one could be made with bicycle and the other one on foot. In the end I have preferred the hike. The path went through a pine wood, at few metres of the sea. The sea, and also the forest, was full of rocks, some very big to which they put names. The girl from the information office had commented me that these rocks were originary from Finland.

I have dedicated most of the excursion to sharp my hearing, to try to collect all the noises that surrounded me: my crossings on the sand, on the pebbles, on ramillas, on the moss, on the mainland; the noise of the waves; the wind between the leaves and the trees; some birds;...

After a couple of hours of walking I have arrived again to the Hymer. Then I went with the selfcaravan to another point of the park. After contemplating some rock I eat something, worked a little, cleaned the home and left towards Primiläe, some small village in the south of Tallinn where Anna, Vladimir, her husband, and Eric, their son of four months, waited for me.

Anna is of Russian origin, five years ago met Vladimir through Internet and now lives in Estonia. Even if Estonia is independent of Russia she cant stop feel sorry about the discrimination towards the Russians, in fact a high percentage of the population is of Russian origin. In the cities and in the west of the country it is spoken quite Estonian, but in the east the Russian is spoken quite a lot, even if it has stopped being official.

Anna and Vladimir have also told me that the people are not too nationalist, nationalism is rather a feeling that they try to make the politicians remmember. In fact, they said that the independence was not obtained, but it was rather given. During the collapse of the Soviet Union Ieltsin declared its independence from Russia (ironic, not?) and from here the rest of republics were created.

I have asked them about the other Baltic republics and they have told me that the Lithuanians are very open people, resemblance to the Italians; the Estonians are close to the Finns and those of Latvia are a mixture.

Vladimir is engineer and works for the state controlling the engergy company. They have called him while he was complaining about the little industry that there is in Estonia, because the occidental companies prefer investing in Asia, even if in Estonia the salaries are also very low. He had to go to Tallinn to solve a problem of energy supply. According to his wife it is a bad job for how small amount of money he receives. They have great expectations on a work interview that soon they will have in London.

Anna has prepared dinner while she let me use the Internet connection, afterwards we have continued the conversation while she tried to put to bed her child. Finally Vladimir came back. I told goodbye to it because tomorrow I will leave at noon, probably that it returns, and I have them i will sleep in the Hymer although very nicely they offered me a room.

Parnu (see on map)

03/08/2006:
When I have awake I have worked a little. Afterwards i went to the house of Anna. I have connected to Internet while she took care of Eric. We have been speaking a little about the work of a mother taking care of her son. she had some paintings exposed on the walls. I understood that she had done a course of paint during the pregnancy with the expectation to be able to paint during the first months of having the creature. But Eric needed her much more than she thought.

Mid-morning I have taken the pulse to the world with Anna. Anna was convinced that the main problem of the world are the emotions, the refusals. The people should know how to control these bad emotions. she tries to accept all the world and cant imagine doing bad things to people. The main problem in Estonia is also represented by emotions that the politicians use to act against the Russians that share the same earth. The solution would be in knowing and having friends on both sides. She could not make anything to solve the problem because it is too much implicated with the Russian feeling and better not to act. She is happy because she has a charming family and that is sufficient for her at the moment, but she would want further on to develop as sociologist. The secret of the happiness is to feel safe, to accept the errors of the past since these have also formed you as person and to look at the future with a smile.

At midday Vladimir came home because today he was working near the village. We are together and been talking about journeys, Russia, the time... It has surprised me that he said that in Estonia it is much colder than in Moscow, it seems because the sea its much closer. Asking them for the Public Health of Estonia they told me that the waiting lists in Hospitals are very long but that if yu pay you pass to the first of the list. I have found it unfair but on the other hand they try to prevent the corruption, since the state charges this money, and the private health is made less necessary.

In the afternoon I have started to go towards Parnu, not too many kilometres. All along the road it has been been raining. The landscape was undulated, with the fields mowed down, forests, villages... An image similar to Russia, but much more lived. I have observed some storks hunting i suppose insects or small animals.

Along the road I have tried to look for a gas station with public toilet, to empty my chemical toilet, but i had no luck. At the information center of the natural park there were some public toilets, but the girl that was taking careof them didnt want to open when i told her that i needed to empty my WC .>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>... she told me about another place but again i didnt find anything.

At the entry of Parnú I have found other public toilets. I have entered with the box my WC but the woman that took care of them refused to empty it there, arguing that it would make smell too badly. I have asked where i could empty it and has answered me that where i wanted, but not there. I said that if i emptied it outside i would be contaminating but she has turbed her back to me. I have gone towards the Beach of Parnú with the expectation to find other toilets. And I have found them but they were locked. I needed to empty the WC with urgency and observing the sand of the beach, abundant, white and fine I have decided to dig a hole this night, far from the sea, and to empty it there. My mother gave me a folding shovel before leaving, thought that i would never use it, but this would be the first time.

Parnu is the capital during summer, but the small city seemed a little dull. It was drizzling, it was a bit cold and there were not too many people. I have decided to visit it on the following day in the morning although I have walked on the main avenue through the beach, big and with some facilities for the tourists.

I have locked myself up in the selfcaravan and I have started to read. At night I have looked at a film. Towards midnight I went out for a walk and to inspect the ground for the operation to "empty the WC". But the surroundings were not too much deserted. Music was listened in place next to the beach. I have approached. The music was interesting, rock, and the interior of the location seemed quite animated. I went dressed casual and without shaving since some days ago, but I have decided to pay the entry and to be distracted a while. The group was playing very well. They told me that they sang in Estonian and that they were one of the most popular of Estonia. The people danced and the girls screamed. in the middle of the concert I have started to admire the place while i was finishing my beer. Then some girls from a table have made me signals so that I approached. They had seen my aspect of lost foreigner.

The girls seemed nice and I stayed with them. Afterwards i realised that they were very interesting. Both worked to the Red Cross and had just returned after eight months helping the victims of the earthquake that was in the Cachmir, in Paquistan. It was at the end of October and there had been 80.000 dead victims. Veronica was from Estonia and in short time was going to work in Chechenia during a year, also sent by the Red Cross. Anna was from Belgrade, Serbia, and basically worked in the office. I have told her that i have been in Serbia and that I had liked Belgrade a lot and she very happy.

We have been talking a lot about the work and experience in Cachmir, very rewarding at human level, but quite hard. They worked since they got up until they were going to sleep, but it wasnt so hard taking in consideration the urgency that was required. On the other hand, although they tried to be professional sometimes they could not repress the tears when listening to the stories of some survivors who had lost everything, including the family.

I have commented to Verónica,that I also wanted to work and to travel with an ONG after my studies, but i was worried not to find work after some years working as cooperative abroad. she has commented me that she does not worry about that, since after working some years in the field she thinks that will be able to develope a work more bureaucratic to the same Red Cross or in another ONG.

Afterwards we have spoken about Islam in Cachmir and in Paquistan. Anna commented that she worked with jeans, although above it had to take a dress that covered all of it. Anyway, she always refused to cover the hair. On the other hand they explained that outside all are very religious and puritan but that afterwards, there is also at home the homosexuality, the prostitution and also that they drink alcohol a lot, even if it is difficult to find.

After the concert they have convinced me to go a while to a club to dance and also in the morning to university of Tartú, the second city of the country.

Tartu (see on map)

04/08/2006:

I have woken up at ten. I went to inspect one of the toilets that yesterday were closed and now were open. Without asking I have emptied my WC and solved the matter. A little later Veronica and Anna came to see me. They have told me that they wanted to go through the city to have a walk with bicycle and as I had not visited it yet I have. A group of four Portuguese came with us. Veronica and Anna met them in Tallinn two days ago.

We have been going over Parnú, witch is a pretty old town, while vetonica kept commenting on all the points of interest. she explained that after the Soviet Union Parnú is more renewed and colorful, before they did not worry about the aesthetics. Afterwards, walking for the side of the beach she has commented that in winter the sea is frozen and that then you can go by car up to some islands, across temporary roads, although circulating with the doors opened is recommended just in case the ice breaks.

I have asked Veronica on the nationalism in Estonia and she has contradicted Anna de Primiläe me. SHe has told me that the Estonians are very nationalistic. In Estonia live a million Estonians and half a million of Russian . They are two societies in a same country, which are not mixed, each with its bars, its way of dressing, its language... Anyway there are not conflicts.

At half a day we have started to go towards Tartu. The Portuguese have also decided to come. I have taken two in my car and Veronica and Anna the other two.

The Portuguese are very nice. They all were working but were friends from university, studying commercial and management. They were sharing fifteen days of holidays visiting the Baltic countries and tried to know girls. I have asked them for the situation in Portugal and have commented me that economically are not too well, that there is a lot of unemployment worsened by the delocation of companies, who go towards more economic countries.

During the road, Verónica wanted to show us a big home or germanic castle, cause during many centuries they were under its domination. SHe has also wanted to show us some swamps that we didnt find and in the end we have gotten lost on dusty roads. But finally, after helping to one guy injured and after four or five hours (instead of two) we reach Tartu.

I have with the Portuguese who had a small hotel room. I useed the internet connection of the hotel and interviewed one of them, Marcelino, afterwards.

Marcelino said that the main problem of the world is at present in the middle east, the solution will come too late and it will be complicated. But Portugal and Spain had also been in conflict a lot of time ago and at present are countries in a very good relation. In Portugal the main problem are the politicians that they worry only about themselves. They should work more for the people. There is too much bureaucracy. Marcelino feels happy but he would be happyer if he did not have to work, although that is impossible.

Afterwards we met with Veronica and Anna and some friends of Verónica. I have been talking with a boy who had been traveling four months in Asia. He has told me that he traveled alone and that finally the longing made him return. Now he will start to work again of administrator of systems. I have also talked with an Ornithologist. I have commented to him on the accidents with birds in Scandinavia but he didnt known how to explain the cause, apart from telling me that in Estonia it is one of the countries of Europe with a higher number of birds. Then he explained me that the storks eat frogs, this way I have understood that yesterday the storks walked through the fields on a rainy day. Finally he commented me that also in Estonia, as in many other countries of Europe, it is said that the storks bring the children. But it is not said that they come from Paris, as it is commented on in Spain.

In the pub where we stayed I have interviewed Anna, Coliu, the boy who had been traveling through Asia, and Veronica.

Latvia

Riga (see on map)

05/08/2006:

As soon as I woke up,(was late), I have started to work using the internet connection of the hotel. Basically I have been writing the journal and organised an agenda with all the contacts that had answered me through the website Couchsurfing from Riga, Vilnius, and Warszava. This time had answered me quite a lot of people because i had written in time. I had the full agenda to meet with all of them. Anyway I will be able to meet only with few of them because Alexandra has written to me little before ending up wondering if it was possible to meeet this Saturday the 12th in Krakov instead of 16th. Naturally I have said yes, that as soon as possible the better.

Before going out towards Riga, my next destinación i gave a small turn through the old town of Tartú. Yesterday i saw a nice square with an interesting statue in the middle of a fountain and wanted to take a photo, anyway the light was not so good.

I have crossed the Latvian border with no problem. The same landscape and the road have continued without interruption. Have stoped to a gasstation and i saw that they selled gas. While i waited an allroad car has loaded the deposit of gas. Afterwards I have asked whether they could load my campingaz and the boy has offered nicely, but he did not have any adaptor to load them. Victor Lapenko from Ucrania had already commented me that it had been complicated to find an adaptor to fill them.

From Stockolm that i tried to use the minimum of gas, basically showered myself with cold water and had the fridge almost empty and to the minimum. In Stockolm i had looked on Internet convinced that campingaz would have a distributor, but there was not any. The next distributor following my route was in Warszava. Anyway i had the expectation to be able to fill before the carboys in some country of the ex Soviet Union, as Víctor had done. But I have gone to all the gasstation that I have kept finding through the road and none had an adaptor that could go well.

I have entered Riga and I was surprised thati circulated during eight kilometres through a street until i arrived to the town centre. Anyway, I have read afterwards that the population of Riga does not arrive to 1 million of inhabitants. It has also surprised me, unlike Tallinn, to see quite a lot of cars of luxury. More wealth, or more difference among rich and poor is seen.

I have parked in front of the French embassy. It was late, eleven, too late to meet with the Portuguese, anyway I have gone to walk a while in Riga and to drink a beer. It has given me the sensation that the night was very orientated to the sexual tourism. Similar to Budapest and to Sofia, with different bars of striptise, but here it seemed more concentrated. Afterwards I have started to drink a beer in a pub and it has seemed to me that the girls tried to hunt some boy of advantage (foreign or with money) in a quite direct way, thing that i had not observed in Budapest or in Sofia. Anyway didnt want to know any of them and have remained with the desires of knowing whether they were prostitutes or simply hunters of fortunes.

I have returned early to the Hymer. On the street there were many young people (boys and girls), many Italians (or of similar aspect) and very happy people. Anna from Estonia had commented me that the Lithuanians were like latins or Italians and the Latvians between. I will see whether the Lithuanians are more sociable...

06/08/2006:

This morning I have been visiting the city,which is calm and clean. The historic centre is very pretty and interesting, protected by the Unesco. It is full of medieval buildings, of different styles, bright colours, inclined roofs, big chimneys, big windows with multiple divisions sustaining the crystals of smaller measure. Also there are several churches and cathedrals of different confessions. I have stopped in one Catholic where they were celebrating a mass, in that moment the priest was walking among the faithful ones spraying them literally with a small broom impregnated with blessed water.

Before returning to the Hymer I have entered to the museum of occupation of Latvi that showed all the sufferings of the Latvians (and also Estonians and Lithuanians) during the first Soviet occupation (1940-1941), the German occupation (1941-1945/45) and the second Soviet occupation (1944/45-1991). It described the first deportation in 1941 to the fields of works extended through all the Soviet Union, 15000 people, of which 1200 were children of less than 7 years. Afterwards they suffered the German occupation with the extermination of the Jews and the repression of the population in general. In 1949, 10000 of them suffered the second deportation, with 43000 people, children smaller of 16 years, and also some few that had managed to return from the first deportation. Seeing the exhibition I started to wonder whether the Soviet Union would have survived so many years without the concentration camps, without these slaves of the modern times. They worked without pause, except the days that the temperature was inferior to 41.

The exhibition also showed the endurance that there had been for all that time and the demonstrations prior to the independence, for example the human chain in 1989 of two million inhabitants joining the 650 km of Vilnius to Tallinn passing through Riga. This exhibition has contradicted Anna and Vladimir from Tallinn cause they said that the independence has been given to them, that they had not obtained it.

At midday i met with Kristine and some friends in Jurmala, a village near Riga, with many health resorts and with a very long beach (32 km) of white sand. Definitely one of the main points of summer holidays of the Baltic. But Kristine and her friends were there for a different motiv. In Jurmala there is a home named Undine, point of meeting of hipies, artists, musical and alternative in general. We have met there. The home seemed delighted, full of candles, sculptures (many of dragons), old books, musical instruments, many craft, walls painted by the artist of the moment, calendars of eight months painted in the ground (it is seen also that there is one mysterious ninth month)... To outside there was a concert with different groups of folk and alternative music.

There were quite a lot of people and the motiv of the meeting and the holiday was to celebrate the last day of the burning fire. It is seen that traditionally, from this date and for 27 days fire could not be turned on, not even the candles. The motif? They have not known how to explain well, but it seems that it is not needed the fire when its hot and the light disappears late in the night.

We have arrived to the beach crossing a forest. There, Kristine has told me that the beach is for her a shrine, a church. when she was Small she believed that God was behind the horizon. While we got wet on our feets I have asked her if the Latvians were very nationalistic. she has answered me that no, anyway her friend Joanis has been in charge of contradicting her afterwards. I have also asked her whether Riga had been converted in a destination of sexual tourism and has answered again me that she believed not, although last year was commented it was being like this.

After the concert we layed in the grass. They seemed to be bored, what to do next and then asking me I have suggested to interview them. not so enthusiasts to be filmed but they have in the end accepted. Anyway I have kept the feeling perhaps i should not not pressure so much to do the interviews, and like this i would make many less...

Kristine opined that the main problem of the world is the cruelty since it is the cause of the majority of problems. The problem could be solved if the people had more heart. Personally, acting with love she thinks that could inspire the others in a way that there was less cruelty. The main problem of Latvia are the politicians. sHe thinks that the current ones are not too good . If the politicians were younger there would not be this problem, anyway she would never enter the policy. Kristine is happy, because she lives in the correct place and the things that succeed are good. she would be happier if she accepted more the things that happen to her, even the ones that would want to change and can not be changed. The secret of happiness is to be positive and open. she does not like too much to travel because despite knowing cultures she does not like the discomfort.

Joanis said that the main problem of the world are the politicians. In fact he is not interested in policy. the main problem in Latvia are the relations between the Russians and the latvianos, which wanted to kill eachother. It would be better if the Russians lived in Russia and the latvianps in Làtvia. When asking him if it could do something to help in the solution has commented that, not because he doesnt have nuclear armament. Joanis is happy because he has all that he needs and could not be happier. The secret of happiness is music.

After the interviews I have suggested them of taking them to Riga by car. Afterwards I have parked again near the centre, have dined and have stretched a while before working a little. But I have not woken up earlyer than ten. But I kept being tired and I have decided to continue sleeping until the following day.

Lithuania

Vilnius (see on map)

07/08/2006:
when I woke up i felt weak, ill, with aching collar. I have taken an ibuprofen and I have kept sleeping up to ten. Then I have already felt perfectly well and gotten up to start to work. arround two i had already just written the journal, an article for the 9nou and went to connect to Internet in a bar to send the journal of Scandinavia.

Immediately after I have started the road towards Vilnius where mid-afternoon there was a meeting with people from couchsurfing and hospitalityclub. I have been late more time because in Estonia, in Latvian and Lithuania there were some roads in work. In some of these roads there were deviations for secondary roads, others had traffic lights that alternated the circulation in both sides, and the rest were simply slow.

on one of the secondary roads of Latvia i was stopped by police for speeding. The policeman in no moment has given signals of being corrupt. he has informed me about giving me a fine and i should wait fifteen minutes. - Fifteen minutes? It is a lot! - It is the protocol. these fifteen minutes are a measure against a driver that goes faster,is a good deterrent measure]>, more that the 30 € of fine that he has put me. He has told me that i could pay the fine in Spain if i wanted.

I have crossed the border with Lithuania with no problems. The borders among the three Baltic countries only have a control of police unlike the majority of borders that I have crossed until now, which have a control of the country of exit and a control different to the country of entry. The three Baltic republics seem well coordinated in this sense.

I have arrived at 8 to the meeting. There were quite a lot of people, some Lithuanians (basically girls) and some foreigners (only boys, some of England). We have been conversing of journeys, of Lithuania and a little of everything. Afterwards we all have gone to the house of a girl that hosts to two boys, to continue the meeting and conversations.

There I have talked with a girl who had been in the Basque Country in Spain and explained that she did not understand that some Basques wanted to be an independent state. Without wanting to create controversy I answered to her: - I do not understand how you can think like this living in Lithuania, a country that after many years of occupation is independent. - But Lithuania some centuries ago already was an independent state. - Also the Basque Country was an independent state many centuries ago. Anyway, I also told her that i did not think that the nationalistic feelings were too many good ones in general, since they provoke many wars.

Later I asked an English whether there was a lot of sexual tourism in Vilnius. It commented me that no because according to her the sexual tourism was to go to Thailand to be with girls of 15 years. But afterwards she started to explain that there were many bars of striptese and that in some discotheques only foreign boys went because there were Lithuanian girls, very attractive, ready to sex for a night. I did not deepen too much in the subject but I kept the sensation that the situation were similar to the one that I lived some years in Kenia. In the clubs of Kenia there are many girls ready to share the night with you, some are presented you directly as prostitutes, others do not mention the money until the next day in the morning that they ask you some coins to be able to eat, and the rest are simply open to the sex with the expectation to enchant you and like this to be able to access to the developed world.

Despite being Monday, some of the boys went to Brodway, the club most hated by the girls that are ready to offer their body for a night. I stayed to sleep in the selfcaravan. in a while i will be with my darling Alexandra, besides, the day after i wanted to work and to visit the city.

08/08/2006:

This night a drunk man up has awaken me. he was knocking the door. I have opened the window and asked him what is happening. The man did not seem to speak English. With face expessing pain and suffering he kept touching his nek while he muttered something. Finally I have told him that i could not help him and closed the window. But has kept knocking the door, then I told him to leave, first calmly, screaming afterwards, and finally, screaming with the activated alarm. he has returned later, has knocked the door more, has started to move the selfcaravan and has even tried to untie the bicycle... while I let the alarm. he left late, but I have finally been able to sleep again.

In the morning I have woken up with pain of collar again and taken another ibuprofen. It has been raining and I have made use to write. Afterwards it has stopped and I have met with some of the boys of yesterday, a Spanish (of Madrid) that has left after little while, a German (Florian) and an Australian (Brett). We have gone to visit the city in company of two girls of the meeting of yesterday who were the guides.

The city is interesting although the grey day has accompanied us. It is a big old town, medieval. In the south of Europe, the medieval architecture is dark, coarse, based on the seen stone. But here, as in the rest of cities of the centre and north of Europe that I have visited until now, the medieval architecture is luminous, with big windows, painted walls...

One of the girls that has accompanied us was historian and I asked her whether there were conflicts with the Russians in Lithuania. she has explained me that no, partially because in Lithuania the Russians are only a small minority, unlike Estonia and Latvian. On the other hand they have integrated perfectly to the society and there is not the hatred that I have observed in some other part. It has surprised me even to see through the city a boy who wore the typical T-shirt with the initials of the Soviet Union (CCCP). Well, it has surprised me because Lithuania was also strongly repressed during the Soviet occupation.

The same girl has explained that in Lithuania there is a lot of pagan tradition, and for what I observed also in Latvia. she explained that formerly in the tradition people killed a virgin before building a building, to give luck. Also there were some sects that killed children in mysterious ceremonies. And it seems to be really like this, because in one of the churches that we visited there was an old inscription in memory to these murdered children.

We have visited one castle at the top of a hill, from where there was a very good sight on the cathedral and the rest of the city. As it went down, Florian has explained why the stairs of snail go down in the contrary meaning of the needles of the clock. The reason is simple, if you have to defend the stairs from above with a sword you will be able to knock better by being on the right side.

We went to take a beer and to eat a little cheese in the Independent Republic of Uzupis, a neighbourhood on the other side of the river, full of artists and of alternative people that it has proclaimed the independence from Lithuania. Even they have its own constitution hanged in one of the walls with articles of the style: "All the world has the law of loving and of taking care of cats"; "all the world has the law of being happy"; "all the world has the law of being sad"; "all the world has the law of celebrating, or, not the anniversary"; ...

Florian is very comical, sometimes, even, made you die of laughter. Brett accompanied from time to time. They had a little extravagant humour, sometimes using plays on words which I did not understand. On the other hand, they also from time to time kept the compose and maintain interesting conversations.

Towards the night I have said goodbye to them a moment to go to connect to Internet and later looked for them again with the intention of going out through the city to drink something. i brought a bottle of vodka from Russia and a bottle of orange juce and we have kept drinking it during the walk, basically me and Florian. I was well but after few minutes most of the alcohol had already passed me to the blood. We have entered to Brodway (the famous club) but I already started to have the symptoms of the worst drunkenness of my life. I have installed myself near the toilets, but I have not concerned myself to go inside to vomit. Finally a boy of the guard equipe has caught me and taken me outside. I have rested a while. Afterwards I have started to go towards the selfcaravan where fortunately I have arrived without more problems.

I have not had occasion of getting aquainted too much with the human fauna of the club, but the atmosphere seemed similar to that of Riga. There were many local girls and many foreign boys. Anyway it did not seem to me that the girls were as despaired as at the description that I gave of Kenia, but they are a lot less poor here.

Poland

Warszava (see on map)

09/08/2006:
I do not know what was the time when I went to sleep, but I didnt awake so late. I didnt have hangover, my good luck, cause i never had. Yet I was a little tired and the neck was hurting me again. Ibuprofen down. I have had a shower and I have started to drive towards Warszava.

At the exit of Vilnius I have seen a boy who was making autostop and I have stopped. The boy was going towards the south of Lituania, in a different direction than me, but I took him for a while until the deviation of the roads. We didnt had too much time to speak but he has commented me that he studied graphic design.

Mid-afternoon I have arrived to the border with Poland that I have crossed without problems. At the exit there were two girls making autostop and I have stopped. I have told them that it went towards Warszava and they have said already that it suited them. Once inside the Hymer they have explained me that they were from Vilnius and had come out the same day with the intention of arriving in few days to Portugal where they wanted to drink a bottle of wine.

At first they have not offered much conversation and I either have forced it, cause they seemed tired. One of them has been sleeping quite a lot . After a pair of hours they have already livened up a little and they have started to chat, Ola and Milda were their names. Ola spoke English and but Milda no. They have explained to me that they wanted to study art and interpretation.

We advanced slowly for the Polish roads. The Polish roads have a lot of fame of being terrible, but I have not found them so much,but the same as in the three Baltic republics there were many stretches in works that were slowing a lot.

Towards 9 i got hungry and I have stopped. I have offered them macarronis and they have accepted. I did not have anything else to cook because I have not solved the subject of the gas yet and I do have the fridge at a minimum of temperature and it is almost empty . It is incredible but its been two weeks since i have been using the same carboy. I expect to find a distributor from Campingaz in Warszava. Afterwards I will stop to a supermarket and will buy everything.

I have added a jar of tomato sauce and two cans of tuna in the macarronis. I asked if they liked the tuna before adding it, but the tuna was not good even though I had tasted it and it seemed good. But before starting to serve Ola has asked if the macarronis had fish. I have answered that yes and then she has told me of her allergia to every type of fish. I have regretted it but I have not been able to offer her anything else. i have eaten all the macarronis with Milda, who said that they were delicious, even though they were not done so good.

We have started on the road again and then Ola has opened up a little more, not too much. As a matter of fact she has commented that she does not like to talk so much. I have told her that if she does not like to talk it was because she was afraid and that the fears were not good. She has asked me: - why are the fears bad? - I will reply you with another question, you consider that the freedom is good? The fears do not let you be free. - The complete freedom would be unbearable. - Because? I have won many levels of freedom by doing this journey and i feel happier like this. Of another hand i could not have done this journey if before i had not lost many of the fears that i had. From the beginning already I had noticed that Ola had some illness or allergy that affected the skin of her hands. sHe attempted to hide them under the thighs, bending the arms, in the jumper... One sign understandable but evident of her fears.

They have explained me that they had intention of sleeping in the meadows, in a sleeping bag and under a plastic if it rained, without tent, -it is too much expensive- they had suggested. I have proposed them to stop in some meadow to Warszava before entering, they would sleep out as they planed, and me in the Hymer. The following day i would take them in the direction towards Berlin. They have found idea very good and we have made it like this.

10/08/2006:

I have had to awaken them cause I did not want to start on the day too late. In silence, they were half asleep, we have crossed Warszava and I have left them in one of the exits towards berlin. Next I have come back towards the centre where I have parked beside two selfcaravans with registration of Italy. I have been writing a while and I have gone out afterwards to walk.

During the second world war Warszava was devastated, 85% of its buildings were reduced to ashes and half of its population died. So, a beautiful ancient, mediaeval helmet, protected by the Unesco, can seem strange in a city like Warszava. The case is that the ancient neighbourhood was reconstructed as it was before the second world war and the rest of the city also, but with buildings of communist style, even though now also big modern buildings are raised, for offices and hotels.

The ancient neighbourhood seems older than it really is, cause it was not rehabilitated since its reconstruction. Many tourists , many Catalans and have Spanish. I have asked some tourists who were from Sabadell to consult the map. Afterwards, while I prepared myself for making a photo, I have heard the comment in Catalan: "watch that this boy does not take you in the photo". I suppose that it is normal being August to find many catalans visiting poland.

In the afternoon I have taken the bicycle and I have visited the only building that is still in ruins after the second world war. In 200 metres there is an impressive Monument to the Uprising of Warszava, a monument that could not stand up until the end of the Soviet ocupation of Poland, since it does not stop being a shame that during the uprising of Warszava the Russian troops found themselves at little distance and instead of helping in the population they expected that the rebellion was suffocated by the German army.

I have gone towards the south of the city where I have visited the contemporary art gallery Zacheta, cause on Thursdays it has free entrance. There was nothing out of normal to draw my attention . A technical aspect that they used for the lighting of some pictures has only impressed me. In a dark room they sent a bundle of rectangular light on the picture that they set forth, coinciding exactly with the frame , so that the picture seemed to have own light. I suppose that it is a technique that I will be seeing to other exhibitions all over the world.

In the evening it had to meet with a girl, but she didnt come to the appointment. Then I have gone to stroll bars, youth, some club of estriptise and a discotheque alone, for the shopping centre of the city, full of restaurants, directed at students (they offered discount with identification card of student!), but I have not entered there because i was very tired of walking and cycling.

Krakow (see on map)

11/08/2006:
Tomorrow Alexandra arrives to Krakov, I wish to see her, I miss her, even though probably she has missed me more. I saw interesting things every day, i made new friends, however she had given back to the routine daily, to a work that did not fill it in and that kept it far of me. But two weeks ago she decided to resign and today its her last day of work. she left in time to take a train towards Budapest and afterwards a bus to Krakov,where she will join me in my journey, I hope that until the end,i am sure that many problems will appear but i hope we will know how to solve them with communication and patience.

I had intention of arriving in Krakov this afternoon or evening, anyway, instead of pointing south direction i have directed towards the northwest, in a village 70 quilometres away called Plonsk. The same as in Làtvia and in Lithuania, in Poland also I had stopped to gas stations to see if they could load the carboys of campingaz with gas. But none had adapter, the nut of the carboy is of 1,6cm and the adapters that they had were of 1 or 2 centimetres. Like this It has been everywhere and i thought that Victor Lapenko of Kiev commented me that it had been complicated for him to load them, but he did not explaine which type of complication it had. Anyway, in the web site of campingaz they specified on having a distributor in Warszava, well, in Warszava not, in Plonsk.

I have arrived at Plonsk and I have shown the direction of two gas stations, to some workers, and a driver . Each one has sent me to a different place in the village. But in the end, I have ended up in front of the searched company. I have asked to some girls at the reception and they have told me, to go more in the back to the warehouse. . I have asked a boy and he has told me that they did not have refills. My disappointment has been immense, but I have attempted still to exaggerate it more in my face. -are you sure that you do not have some? In the web site of campingaz they said that you have. - Not, we do not have. - Do you not have any adapter to load the carboys? - Not, we only have some smaller carboys. I have asked him to shoethem to me, just in case. I have followed him in the warehouse. Warehouse of what? I do not know it. Of pieces of junk! In a big place there were three metres of plastics, sacks, boxes, devices (new)... Also some shelves, almost empty. The boy has taken over the plastics, sacks and boxes and gone towards a shelf. I have continued attempting not to fall down . In the shelf there were 5 or 6 products of campingaz, not more.none that could serve me.

I have stopped the fridge, the nearby distributor is in Prague and at least I expect to be able to cook from time to time before arriving there. Now yes, I have started to drive towards Krakov, on secondary roads. Many of the roads of Poland have a curious characteristic, the asphalt has rut, probably deformed by the weight of the trucks and for the bad quality of the asphalt. You have to watch in the circular , because this expels you out of the lane or of the road. Anyway they are fixing them in many stretches and this has been a problem to arrive in Krakov.

I suppose that Fridays in the afternoon many people go out of the city to enjoy the end of week and the roads are more busy, but if we add the works that they make, as a result we come to great queues. in a moment in order to make two quilometres I had to wait half an hour. Then I have decided to stop in a service area and I have started to sort the selfcaravan and to make space for the luggage and the cloth that Alexandra will bring. In the evening, the cars were still stopped. I had dinner. At night though it was the same.

Finally, at eleven of the night I have decided to come back to the queue, after all, tomorrow probably also there will be queues. While i was stopped some 30 or 40 prison vans have passed on the road. i thought that they would free the queue, but they have also come off caught up. And when I have achieved to go out after an hour and three quilometres of course there was no trace of the police.

12/08/2006:
I have slept in a hypermarket, at some 120 km of Krakov. I have awakened without having slept eight hours and I have organised myself the morning before of the meeing with Alexandra. Before anything I decided to go shopping because since i put the fridge at the minimum i already eaten all the food left. Instead of an hour I have been late two hours and half and all the organisation of the day has been gone to toilet.

I have started the road towards Krakv but after going in the direction of Katowice I have received a message from Alexandra. she said that she was in Bratislava (that she missed the direct bus to krakow) , that someone had stolen the portable pc in the bus from budapest and that she was desperate. I have stopped in a service area and I have attempted to calm her down with a message on the mobile. Afterwards I have asked her if she preferred i waited her in Katowice, since I have supposed that there would be more trains in this direction, since the city is bigger, although less interesting from the touristic point of view.

While i waited for her answer I have cleaned the Hymer thoroughly and I have made more space for her arrival and the luggage. Also I have had lunch, but when i was cooking the meat the gas has finished. I have remembered that at the exit of France, some months ago, I had left one of the Spanish standard carboys half empty. I have changed the regulator and also the carboy with the hope that it holds until Prague. Finally Alexadra has answered me that i should wait for her in Katowice and have started to drive towards the city.

it was not in my guides,so i didnt had any map of Katowice. Therefore, to arrive at the train station I have had to ask to three persons, one of them police. But none of them knew how to speak English, so i did not have any other choice than making the noise of the whistle of the train and of the locomotice. Then they indicated me with gestures and words, words that already keep on being familiar to me from other languages, like arriving at it: straight "pravo", right "levo".

In the station they have told me that the train from slovaquia will arrive two hours later. . I have just cleaned and sorting and I have showered, with the fair time of receiving the Alexandra at the exit of the train. We have hugged ourselves with force and I have attempted to comfort her for the loss of the pc and for the exhausting journey. sHe has asked me to take a shower of hot water and I have turned of the heater even though it was working on few gas.

13/08/2006:

We have started the road to Krakov. but before I have stopped to a gas station and "have stolen" some water. The water had to be paid with coins but there was a car wash without watching and a hose in sight, connected to a tap. Without asking anybody I have loaded the selfcaravan and we have followed the road afterwards.

We had the option of the motorway, with payment, but we have decided to go on the normal road. But entering into the following village we have found the main street in works. We have attempted to keep on following the indications but after fifteen minutes Alexandra has exclaimed: - Already we have gone to here. - Not, it can not be. But, we had already gone to there. Then I have connected the gps, to use it as a compass, and finally using the intuition we have been able to cross the village. Anyway, to exit we have started to search the motorway, just in case.

In Krakov we have sent a message to in Krzysztof, one of the boys that i met in serbia by picking him up from the road while he was making autostop. He lives in Krakov and some days ago we have decided to meet, with luck because he had problems on achieving the visa to pioneer a journey to Russia.

We have met in front of the town council, in the middle of the biggest medieval square of Europe. When we have arrive there they were celebrating combats with swords (they were not simulating even though blood did not fall) and mediaeval dances. We have met Krzysztof later. With him also there were a couple of Italians and a girl from Ukraine who he accomodated in the next days. We went to drink a beer to some a little dark celler and we have started an interesting conversation. ....................................................................................... They have asked me for the journey and the Italian laughed when I have told him that a sponsor gave me the selfcaravan without any cost. But afterwards I have explained to him that it had not been so much simple, that before i had achieved that three magazines of autocaravaning, a Spanish weekly and a local newspaper compromised on publishing my adventure.

It has surprised me when Alexandra has explained how she reminded the revolution in Romania and the overthrowing of Ceausescu. She was only six years old and remembers all the family having to walk low in the flat from fear that did not enter a stray bullet through the window. Later the Italians have commented that tomorrow they would visit Auswich. Then Krzysztof said that he has never visited it since at school they had studied it more than sufficient and for another hand, it also discourages him to see the tourists who come back sad and without desires for party. Finally he has commented that of another hand, the Russian camps killed more people than the Nazi extermination camps.

We have gone to have dinner at Krzysztof's home. The Italians have naturally cooked, spaghetti and a delicious bread heated in the oven, seasoned with oil and shed of tomato, pepper and onion. As supposed we have been speaking about eating with the Italians and with the boy also of the fame that they have of seducers, well deserved since he was not ashamed of affirming that if it crossed with a attractive girl for the street, he turned to attempt to salute her.

15/08/2006:

Yesterday we went to a big hypermarket to buy a bicycle for Alexandra, one very economic but that she already liked. We were also looking at pc's and we were about to buy one, but we decided not to be impulsive and ask for the opinion of other people.

In the afternoon I was working at the home of Krzysztof while he and Alexandra made an excursion with bicycle. Also I took advantage to wash cloth using his washing machine.

After some three hours Krzysztof and Alexandra came back, her with a big injure to the knee, since she fall down due to some works that they were making to the line of the tram. Little afterwards the Italians came back from Auswich. Perhaps they were a little duller than on the former day, but the Italian immediately got back to good humour took the guitar and singed songs of anarchism. I continued working a little while Alexandra cooked a delicious puree of potatoes with garlic (crude ).

After having dinner I interviewed, the Italian, Janpaul. Janpaul thought that the main problem of the world was the lack of understanding among the people. The solution would be in the education and the respect, if you have respect for you you will have respect for the other ones. In Italy the main problem is the Italian mentality, the picaresque one, that for a side is positive but for another does not stop being dramatic, since the picaresque one generates the mafia. The solutions would be again in the education and also in the European union, that he will make them be more serious about everything and he hopes that by that they will not lose the national identity. Janpaul feels happy even though two months ago, before pioneering the journey he was not so happy. Even though the happiness does not have to be planned but it has to be lived, Janpaul believed that the secret of happiness for him is to listen and to feel a little more. Janpaul feels good traveling because he can discover new things, people... but also to discover himself.

Today we decided to go by bicycle through Krakov. Krzysztof has accompanied us. Alexandra was very careful this time with the bicycle, because aside of the fall of yesterday, the wound hurt quite a lot.

Krakov is a charming city, full of shops with icons and religious sculptures. On the one hand Papa Joan Pau II lived quite a lot of years in Krakov, but for another hand the society has already been very Catholic for a lot of time . During the communism being Catholic was a form of being revolutionary and as a matter of fact, the force of the religion was a way to confrunt communism . Yesterday it surprised me that Krzysztof used the expression: "as every Catholic home..." to refer to a normal home.

We have strolled for the immense mediaeval square again. In the centre there is a beautiful building, City hall, full of shops of souvenirs. Nearby there is the Gothic church of Saint Maria. Anyway, its inland seems baroque, since in spite of preserving all the Gothic structure every painting is with colourful images. outside there were quite a lot of people waiting. Then Krzysztof has explained that shortly a trumpet would go out from the tower to sing according to the tradition. And effectively the trumpet has touched with force a short tune that has finished in a sudden way. It is seen that in time of the tartar invasions the trumpet was heard, but a day in the middle of the song an tartar arrow killed the singer and since then the song its plaied without a normal end. Always there is somebody singing every hour of the day, incredible! Krzysztof has also explained that little time ago there was a boy that went to the tourists and told them that in exchange of money someone would play the trumpet from the top of the tower. The tourists were happy because effectively somebody was singing with the trumpet but that someone was paied by the city council so the boy was just trying to fraud till one day he was caught.

After having lunch in a very good and economic vegetarian restaurant (5€ for two) we have visited the castle of Wawel, up on a hill. The inside is quite interesting the same as the Gothic cathedral , there are many graves of ancient kings. But the one that has drawn my attention more is an arcada post that does not turn up in my guide but Krzysztof has shown us. For an error of architecture or of construction, the last flat of the building has the columns double ,one above the other. The altitude of the last flat is also double so that it is guessed perfectly that they forgot to construct a flat between.

We still had to visit the Jewish quarter, a neighbourhood from where the Nazis evacuated some and afterwards killed all the Jews. But Krzysztof had to go and we have accompanied him until home with the intention of visiting the quarter at night. During the way back Krzysztof has shown us a building that he named "skeleton", a building of some twenty or thirty floors started to construct during the communism that has not been finisged for lack of money. Now it is too deteriorated to continue constructing it and it is too expensive to demolish it.

But to the evening the Alexandra felt quite bad and the wound of the leg had become infected . We have gone to farmacy to buy antibiotics in cream and afterwards we relaxed looking at a film that Alexandra brought.

Oswiecim (see on map)

16/08/2006:

Since Alexandra has arrived we have been looking in hypermarkets and in other shopping centres for a new pc. So that the Alexandra can work and she can help me in the project of taking away the pulse of the world. But this morning we have not found any that was worthwhile.

At noon we went to Oswiecim, some small village known by the terrible name in German: Auschwitz. During the second world-wide war, Auschwitz was the centre of the international genocide the biggest in the history of the humanity. Here, together with the nearby field of Birkenau they killed 1,5 to 2 million persons, the majority Jews.

Alexandra did not feel too well to walk due to the wound, for another hand she had already visited the place little time ago. So i went to visit while she rested while watching a film.

The amount of coaches that there were in the car park has surprised me. Really Auschwitz has become a touristic attraction, and is probably positive, maybe more people should visit it. Now I remember an old friend who doubted the Jewish genocide. He did not believe in it because it had been influenced by a Moroccan who denied holocaust. It is a pity that some Arabs deny evidence simply for going against Israel. I say evidence because the same field is an evidence, the shacks, the trellises, the recounted stories, the pictures, the two tons of hair, the batteries of shoes, glasses, suitcases... But the open jars of Cyclone B used in the chambers of gas and the scientific evidence that has found rests of this poison in a lot of the hair are the ones that drawn more my attention.

Many of the barracs of Auschwitz are used as a museum, in fact that two hours were insufficient to visit everything. But it is still more impressive to visit the field of Birkenau, occupying 175 hectàries, with 300 shacks prison, many of them still in foot, the electrical trellises sorting out the different parts of the field and the 4 gas chambers and crematories, dynamited before the end of the German power. For the ones that dont understand that they killed two million persons, it is only necessary to know that each chamber of gas had space for 2000 persons. there would be necessary only 250 days using each chamber once a day.

I came back to the selfcaravan with pungent images of different films that explain the holocaust. And as Kristof predicted i spent the rest of my day a little bit sad.

Wroclaw (see on map)

17/08/2006:

Traveling is a way to know yourself, but also to live together in couple. Today I have had one small dissagrement with Alexandra and I have ended up revealing that i am a person with a big ego,i like to feel important. Sometimes it is positive, since maybe this is one of the motives that determined me to pioneer this great journey, but many other times it can be negative and this is the thing that i should try to observe and controll more.

At noon, after buying in the supermarket (as we do not have fridge we attempt to buy every morning some vegetable, fruit and meat) and after writing the diary we have started the road towards Wroclaw. We have arrived mid-afternoon and we have parked in the south of the city.

While we were bringing the bicycles down a woman who spoke Spanish began to talk to us. she was from Madrid and seeing the Spanish car registration number she has started a conversation. But nothing interesting. i had to give her a bad excuse for ending the boring conversation in order to prepare the bicycles.

Wroclaw was also devastated during the second world-wide war, 70% of the buildings were distroyed. Despite everything the ancient helmet is magnificent, and it is the same as in Warszava all the ancient neighbourhood has been restored. it has the same as krakow one of the biggest medieval squares in Europe, even though this is relative because in the centre there are a few buildings. The buildings are painted different colours, with the inclined roofs, showing a high façade, triangulated up at the atik, sometimes decorated with interesting sculptures.

We have relaxed ourselves a while in the main square, contemplating the buildings, the people, the tourists, and some boys who made giant soap bubbles helped of some tied ropes in the end of some poles. Afterwards we have followed the itinerary with bicycle for a much calmer neighbourhood, more in the north and in the other side of a river. It is full of churches and ancient homes, only of one or two floors. It has started to be dark and we have observed how they started to switch on the lights, in the old way, using a torch. The lights were made of gas.

Czech Republic

Kutn? Hora (see on map)

18/08/2006:

This morning,after visiting several hypermarkets and shopping centres, at last we have bought a pc. The pc was without operating system (windows), but the offer was good enough. Next we have started to go towards Kutna Kutna, in Czech Rebublic.

No sooner to go out of Wroclaw we have stopped and we took two hitch hikers. They were two Polish boys who were going to see the great prize of motorbikes GP in Brno, but before they thought to go to party in Prague. These boys did not have a tent either, also they intented to sleep outside. They didnt speak a lot, as a matter of fact they did not speak a lot in English. Anyway they became interested in our journey, even though I do not know if they have believed that we were making the tour of the world.

We have left the boys at the border, and after we crossed it us we went some 35 km nort-est direction towards a place that the guide on journeys recommended: the rocks of Adrspash and Teplice. Alexandra was a little pessimistic from finding something interesting, but after giving some turns and asking people we have arrived to a valley where there were some big isolated rocks among the trees.

We had lunch and we went out afterwards to explore a small road by bicycle. And when this became impossible we continued by foot. We have walked a while in the forest, and we have been able to admire some big rocks raising over the mountain. They by no means had the spectacularity of the rocks of Meteora (Greece) or of Montserrat (Catalonia), but we arrived late and I have remained with the desires to continue the road, from where two climbers loaded of rucksacks and ropes have turned up.

In the afternoon we have followed the roads towards Kutna Hour, but one of these was in works and have had to divert, probably many more quilometres of the necessary ones. In the end we remained to sleep in Kolin, few quilometres away from our destination.

19/08/2006:

we are continuing the process of adaptation, even though alexandra does not want to accept that she also has a big ego. The last days I have observed a hidden fight on the part of both to reduce our ego. We have a strange need to feel better than the other one. But as I have suggested, we are adapting and wait that with time we will learn to stand at the same level and not criticise eachother, satirisize ,or ignore eachother...

This morning I have been working quite a lot , on the one hand I had to since i had a lot of pending work, but for another hand by working, i was able to ignore Alexandra as a reaction to her criticism. At noon we were again well and went to Kutna Hour.

Alexandra had already been in Kutnahora and has been acting as guide. It is curious that during the 14th century, Kutna Hora had been the rival of Prague importance and interest. Now its a beautiful village of little more than 20.000 inhabitants, but with interesting homes, churches and mediaeval streets and a big Gothic cathedral.

at the end of the villahe there is a surprising chapel crypt, that it contains the bones (and skulls) of more 40.000 persons piled in the form of pyramids or the crypt in the form of crosses decorating, shields, candelabras... I have asked from where they had taken out so many bones in the centre of touristic information, but they have not known what to reply. then Alexandra has explained a story that in the crypt it has been confirmed.

In 1278 a priest scattered earth from the sacred land over the cemetery of the village. Then it was thought that the earth of the cemetery was saintly. People of all the country and of the foreigner wanted to be buried there. And in this cemetery after so many centuries there were more bones in the earth than land so thats how they came to the idea about using them as an adorn of the. A little macabre.

Before the sunset we have made the few quilometres between Prague and kutna hora, have had dinner, and afterwards Alexandra became again the guide of the city, a city that she loves, and i am not surprised because Prague seems magnificent.

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