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‹ Previous (30/08/2006) MONTH Next (2006-10-29)› ‹ Previous (2006-11-11 - Luxemburg) COUNTRY Next (2006-11-17 - France)› Germany Hamburg (see on map) 29/09/2006: We have been giving several turns in Nordestedt loking for the distributor of Hymer in Hamburg. Finally we have found it. I have commented to a mechanic on the problem that we had with the fridge, which did worked with the gas. They have commented me that i had to call to the company of the fridge and that they would come to fix it where i was. Anyway, I havent called today because we have not had too clear until the night where we would park the autocaravan. We have parked finaly near the main station, an enormous structure of crystal and iron called Hauptbahnhof. There was a point of information which for Alexandras dispair was open but they didnt know how to inform about free accesses to Wireless internet. Anyway, walking through the neighbourhood in the east of the station we have later found different coffee shops with internet, which let us connect our computers to the network , in the same way that i used to do at the beginning of my journey. We have written to ten members of Hospitalityclub in Hamburg and the same night a boy has sent us a message to the mobile. We have taken the metroup to the station of S. Pauli where after a little while Gero came with a friend from Honduras. While we presented ourselves we have waited a little more for some other friends of his from Berlin . And when the friends came, we have had a nice surprise, since three of the four girls had been to the meeting of Kloden and afterwards we had met them again in the Arab dinner at the house of Kerstin in Berlin. We have seen sexshops, youth, drinks, prostitutes through the street of Reeperbahn, a long street full of discotheques, pubs, bars... Reeperbahn is placed 300 meters away from the port, since more than one century ago that was the centre of the red district . When the sailors disembarked they went quickly there to forget the sadness with alcohol and women. At present i would not know how to distinguish the sailors, but the youth of the city seems ready to continue with the tradition. We have diverted to the right and we have entered a tavern where we have been drinking and talking. One of the girls had been some months in Uganda and has been explaining some anecdotes to us. Afterwards they have continued the party in another pub, but we have gone to sleep because Alexandra was quite tired, although during the day she has complained a lot less about the tummy pain. 30/09/2006: This morning we have spent in the laundry. We had great quantity of clothes already to wash from Berlin. But for luck we have been able to stuff all into two washing machines and we have saved ourselves of paying three. At noon we have received another message to the mobileof another boy to meet in the afternoon. We have met Andreas in the street of Shhulterblatt. While we waited for him Alexandra has observed some old roks in the ground with the A/H sign. Afterwards Andreas has explained us that this street formerly separated Hamburg from Denmark, the tiles took the indicative signs. We have sat in one of the numerous terraces and bars of the street. Andreas, of about 40 years, has explained us that twenty years ago he started to travel all over the world. I was interested on his experiences in Africa and he didnt understant very well that our idea is to go all over afrika by autocaravan. Afterwards he has told us that he worked as freelance journalist and has been advising us a little about how to take contact with media. Finally I have interviewed him. Andreas thinks that the main difficulty of the world is to maintain the peace among people who have different ideas. The solution is complicated but it would be solved if we discovered the people as they live in other countries and understand them . That would facilitate the acceptance of immigration, which is unavoidable because Europe is rich. He can help sharing ideas and teaching about other cultures. In Germany, the conception of the work has changed a lot in few years (there is unemployment, the people have more spare time...) and the people dont know how to adapt to the new times, for example, there are many students that keep studying medicine but there are less jobs for doctors. The people should be alert and think that there is not a work waiting for us when finishing the university. He could only help in an environment very reduced, for example for friends and children. Andreas is felt happy, especially if he compares with others. He would feel happier if his life stabilised (at work level) and couldrelax. The secret of happiness is not to have expectations. Andreas has recommended us to park near the port, where on Sunday early there is the fishmarket . We have moved the Hymer, but when passing in front of the lake Binnenalster we have observed quite a lot of people gathered together, prepared to attend some public act. We have parked on the pavement, as other cars and we have gone out to observe. After little they have started some fireworks to celebrate the different Chinese exhibitions that were organised these days in the city. But the fires have been ridiculous and left us disappointed. Taking advantage of being near the port, we have gone at night to walk. We have passed near a big location with groups of music singing live and many people dancing and drinking. It was one of the typical celebrations of Octoberfest. A quite expensive entry had to be paid and we have kept walking. In the end we have found another big pub with quite a lot of atmosphere. We have entered to drink a beer. When going out, for another door, we have realised that in this place it also had to be paid. 02/10/2006:
These last days me and Alexandra have felt very united, in love. It seems that all the problems of adaptation from the beginning have faded away. I do not know which has been the detonant of this change. Alexandra asked me to let grow moustache and beard and maybe now she considers me more interesting. Or maybe, when i was reading her my novel during the nights she has started to see me in another way. Or I have agreed to spoil her a little. The thing is that now she does not get impatient when I stop for 10 minutes to take a photo that afterwards I end up discarding. And it is not tensed either when I use a map to decide our tour through a city instead of using the intuition. But also i am not bothered to enter 10 shops of clothes in an afternoon even if we can not buy at all because the economics are not for more expenses. Despite being very united, on Sunday I went out to visit alone the fishmarket. Alexandra likes to sleep too much and to wake up at eight is inconceivable. The fishmarket was very close to the autocaravan. There were many people and many shops of every type: plants, clothes, vegetables, bread, meat and naturally fish. many shops had real sales artists, screaming with loud voice the marvels of their products, and around him tenth of people stand with the expectation to be the following ones to acquire the bargains. I bought a little fish, vegetables and breakfast and returned to the Hymer to wake up Alexandra. But before I entered in the big place where yesterday they celebrated Octoberfest, the entry was free and followed full as yesterday, with new people drinking and some even of yesterday that were working. In the afternoon we went to visit the port. Hamburg has the second biggest port of Europe after Rotterdam . It is curious taking that Hamburg is 75 kilometres inland. Anyway, the port is found along the large river Elbe. The port takes up an enormous extension in the south of the city. We crossed the river for a tunnel built more than a hundred years ago, which passes off at a depth of 20 meters, with a length of 150 meters. On the other side we found the labyrinth of channels for where the port passes off. We disnt go too much. Anyway , the sight on the city, in the north, was worthed. On Monday we were making a long tour with bicycle for an area quite different from the rest of the city . We surround the lake of Aubenalster, in the town centre, bordered with parks and luxurious homes. It was quite windy and the centre of the lake was full of small ships with vela . We finished the trip at the Rathaus, the pretty town council a roomy square next to a channel. Bremen (see on map) 03/10/2006: Yesterday in the night we were working in internet cafe of the first day. Today in the morning we have also went there to finish working, but it has surprised us that it was closed, and also the supermarket that was next to it. We have entered an Asian shop that seemed open, but someone in the shop has informed us that today the shop was closed. Then he has explained us that it was holiday in all Germany to celebrate that 16 years ago they were reunified. Then we have understood that the city seemed death, but what has surprised us is that there were no German flags waving. It seemed that nobody was for nationalistic celebrations, cause nobody felt proud of theirhomeland. So we have started to go towards Bremen, city famous for the history of the singers of Bremen. An donkey, a dog, a cat and a cock that according to the story became friends and went towards the city to get lucky as singers. But on the way they stopped in a home and decided to ask for accommodation singing. But they sang so badly that some bandits who lived there were frightened and ran away. Then the four singers decided to stay to live there forever. 04/10/2006:
Bremen is a very pretty city, which is built on a river. In theory, as Hamburg, Bremen has a big port, but the river seemed completely dead to boat traffic . On the other hand, Bremen was much more attractive architectonicaly than Hamburg. Yesterday in the evening and today we have been walking through its captivating streets of medieval buildings, in Gothic asyle. the charming square of the town council and the cathedral, also in Gothic style and naturally, as all the north of Europe, in red bricks. In many corners or shops in the city you could run into the typical icon of Bremen, a donkey on which there is a dog on top, on the dog a cat and on the cat was the cock. The statues, all equal, of the most different colours are: the colours of the equipe of soccer of the city, abstract drawings, the original colours of the characters... These statues are interesting and amusing. Every German city seems to have its own symbol. Berlin was full of statues of bears (also, all identical) graffiti of the most different forms. And Hamburg was full of statues of an old mancarring water. In spite of not eing such a good day cause it has been raining at times we went a little through the city. Done that we decided to go to the bibliotek to connect to Internet and to work a little. I have been revising all the expenses of the journey, until now, and alarmed myself a little. For the following part of the itinerary: Africa and Asia will have to find more sponsors and media that can support me for not it will be complicated to complete the following part of the dream. 05/10/2006: These days I have been calling the telephone number that the Hymer distributor gave me to solve the problem with the fridge, which does not cool working with gas. After calling the number an answering machine in German was answering and I did not manage to understand. Finally yesterday i looked on internet and discovered that the manufacturer of the fridge had a factory in Bremen. Today we have gone there and it has been worth, because they have changed a small part into a moment and the fridge has worked again. Afterwards we have started to go towards Holland, but without haste. Netherlands Leeuwarden (see on map) 06/10/2006:
Yesterday at night, when entering Holland, Alexandra commented: "look, the windows of the houses are much bigger". And indeed, most of the houses of the villages had big windows that were illuminated with the light of the dining rooms, kitchens or bedrooms. it was as in Denmark, many people lived being unaware of the neighbours, allowing to observe from outside their lifestyle, or maybe the neighbours were not courious. We stopped in Groningen and this morning the have gone out to visit it, although as in the previous days, it has been raining a little. Groningen is an universitary town with quite a lot of charm. is built around different chanels, with houses on water where the people seem to live, they have plants , doorbells... The city reminds of the Scandinavian cities, maybe because of the channels, or because of the architecture of the houses, or simply because its calmness, even if it is quite commercial, with different art galleries, shops of chees shops, 'cafeshops'... We walked through the centre and we run by chance into the red district of Groningen: a street of 100 meters long, with shop windows every 3 or 4 metres, each with a door open or closed, according to the availability of the tenant. Some of the girls also had the open curtains, exposing while they looked at the street smiling at the solitary men. Despite waiting for it in Amsterdam, it has been a surprising vision in this small city. In the afternoon, after eating and connecting a while to Internet, we have left towards Leeuwarden. we have arrived already late-night. We have gone towards the centre and we have parked next to a channel. 07/10/2006:
This morning we have visited the calm city of Leeuwarden, in the same style as Groningen: different channels surrounding the old town, streets of red bricks, low houses, some commercial areas but less people... Anyway, we have not run into any red district here. After visiting almost all the corners of Leeuwarden we have started to drive towards Amsterdam. We have circulated for the motorway A7, and we have passed over the dam 30km long that separates the open sea and the rest of the region, with the waters below the sea level. This dam has allowed to gain many lands that before were under the water. For example, in a place close to the dam we have found a poster that announced that that place was 4,8m under the sea level. Even if they are at different levels, there is traffic of boats and small boats between the dam and the open sea, using a system of floodgates. We have stopped to eat at the middle of the dam , in a parking place that dominated all the view. The wind blew very strong, as along all the coast. It doesnt surprise me, cause Holland has always been identified with the windmills. Along the road we have seen one old winmill, but the majority were new, although it did not seem to be more than in Germany or Denmark. After crossing the dam and reaching Ámsterdam, I have noticed that many fields where cows, horses or lambs grazed, were delimited by channels. Every a hundred or two hundred meters there was one. But did not seem for sailing, simply they seemed to have created them to take the water of the fields. Afterwards I have read in the map that the area was called "Water Land"(zeeland) We have entered Amsterdam mid-afternoon. We have gotten a little lost to find the centre but we have finally situated ourselves on the map and managed to park in a very calm alley next to a channel. Fortunately, from the Hymer we have been able to hunt the connection of internet of some neighbour. While Alexandra used the connection I have gone out to walk a while for the channels of the surroundings under the light of the dusk. Amsterdam (see on map) 08/10/2006:
This morning it has not been too much nice. When i unloaded the bicycles from the Hymer a woman has stopped and started to ask me about the selfcaravan and the countries over which we had gone. Afterwards she has asked me: - Have you also painted the selfcaravan? I have answered affirmatively, thinking about the logos of the sponsores. But afterwards I have observed in the lateral , that some basterd had painted a graffiti during the night. Not very big but was sufficient to be of bad humour. Afterwards I have discovered a fine to the windscreen. Apart from the fine, a paper translated into different languages informed about the fact that we were parked in an area of payment (3€/hour!) and that if we did not pay the fine or continue there, we risked to have the Hymer blocked with a mantrap. In the end, I have gone to a point of information that was quite near and a very unpleasant girl has informed me that the maps of the city cost minimum 2€. For luck, and although if it doesnt seem , the rest of day has not been so bad. We have met with my ex, Eva, who for two years now lives in Holland. I thought that there could be some bad feelings between Alexandra and Eva, but they entertained eachother very well. We have been walking quite a lot through the city, almost without cars but with many bicycles (it does not surprise taking the cost of the parking place into account). Perhaps there are 50 bicycles circulating or parked for every car. Also there are many people that walk on foot, as us. And some tourists with boats that went over the different channels. We have gone to eat some fried potatoes and an ice cream. Later some Dutch creppes, good but not very economic. Eva has been explaining that the Dutch are people who complain a lot, and that in fact, it is simple to initiate a conversation complaining about the bad time or about the public transportation. On the other hand, compared with the Germans are people break more the rules, for example crossing the street with the red traffic light if cars do not come. Afterwards we have talked about the soft drugs that are legal in Holland. In Amsterdam there are many Coffeshops: places with aspect of bar where instead of alcohol you can consume soft drugs. We have read in a magazine that a gram of marihuana costs about 7 euro. I have never bought, therefore I can not compare or know whether the fact that it is legal lowers the cost or the fact that pays taxes raises it. On the other hand, according to what Eva has explained, the consumption is legal, but the production is not legalised. Then, from where the drugs originate? I do not know it, I feel as a child asking from where the children come. Afterwards we have gone a little into the red district. It has surprised me the great quantity of shop windows that were there , with girls in underwear trying to attract men at any hour. As the soft drugs, in Holland the prostitution is legalised and the prostitutes pay taxes . Later we have read in an article that the rent of a shop window costs about 100 or 150 € for 8 hours and that a popular prostitute can get about 500 or 750 € per day. The article kept explaining that the less popular offer a suck for 50€. there were also described other curious services, as a telephone number where you called and they provided a woman in less than 30 minutes, just as fast as a pizza. The legalisation of the prostitution makes it more visible, but i would not say that there is more than in the rest of Europe. After all, i would bet that the number of men ready to pay a prostitute is it as everywhere. Good, more in western Europe , since the acquisitive level is higher. That's why in Eastern Europe it seemed to me that there was less prostitution, because the women ready always to sell her body will earn better a living in the West, even if is working illegally. Anyway, in cities as Budapest and Sofia there were many places for striptise and many advertisements of houses of entertainment. 13/10/2006:
We have spent 5 more days in Amsterdam, parked near the centre but in a free of payment area. On Sunday at night, after using a little more internet from the Hymer, we moved the car for fear of new graffiti and fines. We wanted to park near the centre but even almost to the outskirts of the city there did not stop being the areas of payment . We parked on the other side of the big channel that divides up the city, leaving the centre in the south. But the day after we realised that we were too far and that to arrive to the centre we needed 45 minutes by bicycle. Then we discovered that near the centre, but the same on the other side of the channel, there was also free parking. The only problem is that there was not any bridge to cross the channel, but the problem was not so big, since there were different lines of small boats that every 15 minutes crossed freely the channel. Anyway, one of the days they put a fine for us, since despite being an area of free parking place, you can not park more than two hours there unless you are resident. Also another day that we went out from the Hymer, a woman approached and told us that we could not camp there and that if we stayed she would call the police. Alexandra, every day is more dissapointed by the Dutch. The truth is that in general they seem not too nice. These days we have been working quite a lot from the Hymer, making use of the connection to Internet of some neighbours; and from a library, making use of the free connection there. I have started to send electronic mail to different media to extend the collaborations to have all the expenses covered during the second stage of the journey: Africa and Asia. We also went some hours to walk through the calm Amsterdam; for the side of the channels, with its floating homes; the streets free of cars although full of bicycles; the houses its big windows, open to the curiosity of the passers-by; people relaxing around the bridges or reading the journal on their doorways; We also went to the red district, with a completely different atmosphere; evidently full of red lights, illuminating the windows where the prostitutes, the sexshops, the clubs of striptise were exhibited; in the corners groups of blacks sang you or whispered the drugs availably; groups of Japanese walked shy, solitary boys or in group that looked to buy; couples, as us, that observed with curiosity and condemning; eccentric individuals, characters escaped from the mental hospital, fights; ... On Tuesday at night i had a long discussion with Alexandra about legalising or not the prostitution. I was for as long as the safety and will of the girls were favoured, but Alexandra gave an opinion unfavourably, because ethically was not acceptable. Anyway, in the end we conclude that, in spite of everything, the prostitution had to be concealed. It was probably not correct to show any passer-by or under age, those bodies discovered, making advances; nor the title pages of video and the eccentric artifacts of the sexshops. Wednesday was a more social day. At noon we met with Ramon in front of the train station. He came with a bicycle with the wheel in front decorated with sun flowers of and with some shoes in the same style. It was the attraction of the day, all the looks went towards us. He suggested us to buy something in a supermarket and to go to eat in some park. We accept, cause our economics were not for too many expenses. We, went to Vodelpark, a big park in the south of the city, full of lakes, lawn, some wild bird and many people resting. There we talked about the character of the inhabitants of Amsterdam. Ramon started to explain that the people in Amsterdam had very few patience and expresses with quite a lot of violence. Afterwards he told us about the indifference and about the great growth of the intolerance in Holland. Anyway, Ramon thought that the level of racism continued being below the majority of countries. Then he explained that the murders of the movie director Theo Van Gogh and the politician Pin Fortuyn, both with a xenophobe speech, pushed the society towards more intolerant positions. That's why, he in the end concluded that the image of freedom of Holland was not real. Next we discussed the subject of soft drugs, which are legal in Amsterdam. He explained that the sale (always quantities inferior to 30 grams) and the consumption was legal, but the production (bigger than 8 plants of marihuana) was not legal, not even the storage , because of that, every day the journals reserved columns about the confiscation of drugs or atiks of plantations. Finally he expressed that the drugs and the prostitution are the main touristic calls of Holland. In the case of the prostitution, he commented that 95% of the customers of the red district are tourists, and of these the majority were English and American. I took the pulse in the world with Ramon which opined that the main problem in the world is that the people only think about themsleves and they are unaware of great problems as pollution and poverty. The solution to the problem would be acting, although the humanity does not act on problems that can become severe in a distant future. He is also affected by the problem of thinking in himself and does not know how to go out of the circle. he repeated that the main problem in Holland is intolerance, even if from other countries it does not seem like this. Holland is becoming a politically left-wing country. he can only help in the solution of the problem by talking about that. Ramon doenst feel happy for being still affected by the consequences of events that happened when he was a child. He is working to be happier, for example doing group therapy. The secret of happiness is to accept your situation and to enjoy the small things. At night we followed the conversation with Juan, originary of Argentina, and Susana, from Spain, that invited us to dine at their place. It has surprised us, when entering the block of flats, the height of the stairs. When arriving up, almost dizzy of the giddiness,they explained that the majority of stairs of the homes in the centre were equal. During the dinner they explained to us that the legalisation of the drugs and the prostitution in Holland turned amsterdam into the operational center in Europe for traffic of women and drugs. On the other hand they explained that most of the prostitution in Holland continues being illegal, as the majority of the trade of drugs, which included many hard drugs. the current left-wing government did not see with good eyes the legalisation of drugs and prostitution, in the same way that the majority of the society, but very few want to turn back to the other laws as euthanasia, the abortion and the homosexual marriages. Finally they explained that all the social movement of the sixties, which gave Holland an image of a free country, had completely disappeared. We keept talking about Argentina, about a journey that they had done recently to Africa and finally interviewed them to take the pulse of the world. Juan commented that in the world there are many problems, anyway the main problem of the world is the increase of inequalities, Susana noted the indifference. The solution, maybe utopian, is the participation. They personally try to reflect, to communicate and to take part in organisations, as Architects without borders. When talking about Holland, Susana thought that the main problem is the individualism, the lack of interest and of participation and Juan indicated the Dutch farce that are shown as a country that in fact is not. They see it very difficult to change the culture of a country. Juan and Susana feel very happy, because they are together and make many things, fill many projects and have other projects to carry out. They would be happier going to live in a warmer country. The secret of happiness is to have projects and to carry them out for afterwards to have new projects to carry out. Since I arrived in Amsterdam i had the curiosity to prove a theory . Amsterdam is at the foot of the immense dam . I do not know the date of construction of the dock, in any case it was built later than Amsterdam. Therefore, Ámsterdam, with its channels, were formerly at the sea level, but as they build the dock, it seems that four meters and a half were reduced by the waters of the sea (or by the dam). So, unless they built other docks or floodgates, the channels of Amsterdam would have emptied. I asked Ramon and he told me that it was not true, that Amsterdam was equally under the sea level at 4,5 meters. But afterwards I investigated and i observed from far that there were some great floodgate systems for the boats that separated the big channel . Later I also observed that in another small channel there was a system of floodgates where the waters of Amsterdam were about two meters above those of exit. Today we had quite bad luck. In the morning we have gone to look with the Hymer for carboys of campingaz in a shop near the place where we were parked. There, apart from the gas, we have also bought two drums of gas oil, of 20 litres each, already thinking in Africa. I have gone out of the reverse gear parking place without realising that behind there was a street sign, out of my field of vision, with the misfortune that we have crashed against the wheel of my bicycle and the bumper. All the lights of the lateral of the Hymer have broken and the wheel of my bicycle has remained broken too. Anyway we have managed to cross the channel with the bicycles and to arrive to different shops for bicycles, which did not have any spare wheel until in the end they have offered us one for almost 70€ as expensive as all the bicycle. We have decided to try in some other city and have returned to the Hymer discouraged and with desires of leaving the city. Then we have decided to take advantage of being Friday and go out to party and to leave the city the day after. we have loosened up and we have bought a small box of magical mushrooms, which without eating them all, have provided us with an overflowing and uncontrolled evening party of visual imagination. Den Haag (see on map) 17/10/2006:
On Saturday we woke up late, with the diluted hallucinogenic effects of the mushrooms. As we had decided on the previous day, we started to go out of Amsterdam, but before we stoped to the great floodgates that separated Amsterdam from the gap. It is interesting because you can walk above, but my theory explained previously fell there through the ground. The water of the gap seemed some centimetres above the waters of Amsterdam. In the face of this unusual vision yesterday I was investigating on Internet and obtained some interesting answers. For example, Holland has about 3500 km of defences or dams, bordering the rivers, lakes, sea... 26% of the country is under the sea level. Without the dams, 66% of the country would periodically be flooded, in fact, in the past, Holland suffered different flooding with thousands of deaths. As it seems, the gap - in fact lake called Ijssel- is in the same sea level, therefore it is strange that the channels of Amsterdam are at the same level as the lake Ijssel. The explanation in the floodgates said that the waters were about 2 meters below the channels of Amsterdam so this would be related with the 26% of land that is under the sea level. On the other hand, the dam of 32 kilometres finished in 1932 was built to be able to build other dams surrounding the lakes to be able to drain them during different months for finally to dry them and to use them as fertile earth. On Saturday, after observing the floodgates and of eating, we left towards Hoevelaken, the village where lives my ex, Eva. It is not that i had fixation with her or felt like seeing her again. The case is that some weeks ago the credit card had expired. My father had received the new card and the simplest address where he could send it to me was the home of Eva. On the previous Sunday she had not received the card of my father, so, we had met again the next week. We sleept in a parking place of the small village Hoevelaken and visited Eva the day after. We ate with her and spent a nice afternoon conversing and playing with her cats. Afterwards we start to go towards Leiden, some town between Amsterdam and Den Haag. On Monday we visited Leiden, which we did not find a lot of touristic atractions, apart from the typical channels, which seem to repeat in many Dutch towns, and a big windmill. While we walked we stopped to look at some postcards, very useful to see the points of interest of the area and to observe the techniques used in the photos. In some postcards there were some very pretty images of some mills. I looked behind and I noted the names with a pen to look afterwards for their position on Internet. In the afternoon we went towards Zoetermeer, the town where Ewout, a boy that we had met at Klöden camp, lived. We had wrote him some days ago telling him that we were in Holland and he invited us to visit him. We made use of the visit to connect to wifi and to copy about fifteen films of his cds . But we also had time to converse quite a lot, to consult Internet about all the information of the dams and to go to drink some beers to the town centre with some of his friends. Ewout is town councillor in Zoetermeer. One of his friends who were introduced also is town councillor and we were quite a lot talking about policy . Later another boy of Irish origin sat with us. I was asking him quite a lot about the situation in Northern Ireland and he commented me that in spite of the process of peace, the situation still is very tense and with a lot of hatred accumulated among catholic and protestant. He commented that they should invest in education. In any case it will take a lot of time to heal the wounds. Due to the situation of his family he has always been between the two communities and instead of having more friends he had more enemies. Now, he explained, is very well in Holland, a country with a lot of freedom but with too many rules. Today in the morning I have woken up early and I have driven up to the center of Zoetermeer. Alexandra has kept sleeping in the back. Ewout had explained to me that in the market there was a man who fixed bicycles. I have directed with my bicycle that still had the wheel broken, but the man has told to me that he did not have any spare wheel that was goos for me. Afterwards I have gone to another shop that Ewout indicated me and there yes they had. 40€ was the price but i had to install it myself . Later we have gone to visit the mills that we had observed in the postcards of Leiden, the mills of Leidschemdam, built in the middle of 16 century. Three big and pretty mills were used formerly to drain lands, to take the water towards a higher channel that still exists. At present they are used as houses, as touristic appeal and as image of the postcards. After the magical road among the mills we have gone towards Den Haag with the intention of visiting the city the day after. Roterdam (see on map) 19/10/2006:
In Den Haag is situated the government of Holland and the residence of the royal family. Yes, Holland, as in Denmark is a kingdom, specifically they have a queen, but here they do not talk a lot about that and do not show it in the postcards. Alexandra already feared that Den Haag would be a city without so many attractions, and as it was a bad day, she stayed in the Hymer while I went to give a ride by bicycle through the city. And indeed, there is not too much to comment. At noon we went towards Rotterdam, but not towards the centre, rather in the south of the city. There was a distributor of Hymer. I had intention to fixing the left light behind that did not work since i had the small accident in Amsterdam. But we arrived a little later than five and they told us that until the following day they could not look at it. We parked in a wasteland and I started to work while Alexandra had just produced a pretty scarf that had kept her occupied during three or four days. To change the light of the Hymer has not been so much expensive as i expected, but not very economic either. Next we have gone towards Rotterdam, in a neighbourhood to the outskirts, where we had to meet with Walter. Walter is a computer scientist who lives in a quite big flat with a cat. He had invited us to dine with a friend of his, José Luís, from malaga, Spain, that was doing a post-degree in artificial intelligence in Rotterdam. Walter cooked a simple Dutch dish: purée of potatoes with carotts and sausages. We were talking about journeys, Africa, malaria... It was not a good subject of conversation for Alexandra that, although has decided to accompany me to the following continent, does not stop being scared. Afterwards we talked about projects and about how to execute them. José Luís commented that sometimes, some dreams are only obtained when you do not want them. I also interviewed both of them. Walter thought that the main problem of the world is the intolerance. Hospitalityclub can be the solution, since it allows you to know people of many different countries and being more tolerant helps you. In Holland the intolerance is also the main problem, the intolerance of the extremists of any religion. he does not think that the problem can disappear in the next decades. He does not think either that he can collaborate to change it, apart from talking about that. Walter is happy, because lately he has taken the correct decisions, among them is the one that is allowing him to do a journey arround the world. He does not think that he can be happier, and if he had girlfriend he would be just as happy. The secret of happiness is not to be egocentric and to know opinions and different people. José Luís thought that the main problem of the world is the power and the money, because the majority of problems of the world are caused by the current economic system and in the distribution of money . There is no solution, but an utopian solution would be the revolution. He can personally do small things, which perhaps are better than big things. The main problem in Spain are the immigrants that risk the life to arrive to Spain and afterwards Europe. Perhaps the solution would be erasing borders. he personally tries to have the mind open. José Luís is happy. Before he was not happy because he was not happy with the system, until he realised that the system was also stealing his happiness and decided to be simply happy. he would be happier having more confidence. Perhaps the secret of happiness is to forget the concept of happiness. The flat of Walter is at the 4 floor with a view to a park. When leaving, Walter commented that if there were not dams in Holland he could arrive to his flat by small boat, since we were found in one of the lowest points of the country, 6,5 meters bellow the sea level. Belgium Antwerpen (see on map) 23/10/2006:
We have spent 4 days in Antwerp very pleasant and with very good company. In Rotterdam we had written to several people from Couchsurfing to meet in Antwerp and three had answered us. Two girls and a boy. The boy proposed us a vegetarian dinner for three euros in a squatters place. It seemed interesting and we sent the other two girls a message so that they could contact the boy and also come. Remco lives in a quite downtown flat, a little old but very cosy. Imediatly after arriving he offered us his connection to Internet, even though not for much time, cause after little his friend Denís arrived and we went towards the squatted place, clean and arranged. We arrived early and it was empty, but before eight it filled up . The two girls that we had contacted arrived too: Elise and Ellen. At eight a queue was formed in front of the kitchen and after a good while we came out with a delicious dish with rice, roasted potatoes, tofu, vegetables... We ate without speaking very much, savurating the dish. Afterwards, with the satisfied appetite, we started to talk about the Belgian mentality in comparison to the Dutch one. The Belgians give more importance to privacy, for example the homes do not have large windows open, therefore, they cannot be controlled. Afterwards they commented that the Belgians do not have a very strong national feeling ,there is the Flemish feeling in the north and the walon feeling in the south, as a matter of fact, although not many talk about division. Despite everything, when I mentioned that in the north of Belgium Dutch is spoken more they rectified explaining to me that they spoke Flemish, even if it differes from the Dutch just for the accent and a few words. In another coversation, Elise commented that she had been living two years in Madrid, but the cloth and the food were more economic in Belgium, and the rents were more economic in Antwerp. Finally they commented that in Belgium there is a lot of immigration - and really the following days this was confirmed. The consequence of this is an increase of racism and of the votes for the extreme right party in Antwerp, a third of the voters is suporting it. When we wanted to come back from the place we got lost and we parked in a street without having any idea where we were. In the middle of the night we were awakened by something that crushed or touched the Hymer. We opened the blind but we did not see anything strange. Anyway, the following day in the morning I went outside and the surprise was considerable: the back wheel of my bicycle was destroyed and it was the same that i had changed four days ago. At noon we meet again with in Remco and we explained him the misfortune that we had had. He looked at the weel and he commented that i could fix it, without the need for changing it. And effectively, I was all the afternoon making pressure with the foot, tightening and detightening stems and finally I assembled the talment wheel again as if it were new. In the evening we made a barbecue at Remcos house , together with Denis. The desserts were exquisite: banana with sugar and ron, wrapped in aluminium paper.During the dinner they commented us that the Sunday following day we could go to visit the Lillo village,an ancient villag of anglers that survived in the middle of the immense port of Antwerp. And effectively, the village had a certain charm although more surprising were the kilometres and kilometres of tongs, floodgates, refineries and you manufacture that we had to cross to arrive there. Sunday, aside of walking in Antwerp, Alexandra had reserved all the itinerary of airplanes and coaches to arrive at home in Transilvània and to come back after two weeks. She had been being worried for the health of her grandmother for days. For another band, if she does not make the journey now, afterwards would have problems to enter into the shengen space, since she will have exhausted the 90 days of permanence that are available in 6 months.Luckily, Romania will enter into 2007 in Europe and Alexandra will not need any more more visas nor permission to travel in Europe. In the evening we had dinner again at Remcos house but this time Alexandra cooked her delicious speciality of potatoes puree with raw garlic torn to pieces. There were also other friends, all boys, I found curious that between them they were greeting with a kiss on the cheek and dared to touch the subject. I do not believe that they liked to speak but they commented me that in Belgium it was common to greet with the friends in this way, the same as in Catalonia also it was among relatives. Before going to Sleep Remco and Denis wanted to show us the red district of Antwerp. Only a few streets but only entering there and we came off hallucinated. in two streets it seemed to be more prostitutes and licentiousness that in Amsterdam. Here also they were behind windows with red neon , then which was the difference between legalising and not legalising ? Today, we have walked again for the beautiful ancient helmet of Antwerp and we became interested with the statue in the centre of the Grote Markt square: a boy throwing away the hand of a giant who was twisted of pain on the floor. Remco explained us the history of the name of the city, that comes from the sentence "to throw away the hand It is seen that long ago there was a giant who charged abusively the inhabitants for crossing the river until a day, one sharp young felllow achieved to cut it and throw away in the river. In the afternoon, before going towards Gent I interviewed Remco. he thought that the people of the world live blinded by the material things, partly due to the advertising. The solution should start from the individual being more open and tolerant. He can also help in the solution pioneering this change and sharing. The main problem of Belgium is the growth of the votes of extreme right. If a war is created against the racist party it can be counter-productive. The time perhaps will solve the situation and if these partys never rise to the power maybe then the people will notice how little they agree with them. personally he attempts to help in the solution simply living in harmony . Remco considers himself reasonably happy: has good health, good friends and family. he would be happier having a couple. The secret of the happiness is to feel well and to accept the things as they are. 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. ‹ Previous (30/08/2006) MONTH Next (2006-10-29)› ‹ Previous (2006-11-11 - Luxemburg) COUNTRY Next (2006-11-17 - France)› |
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