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Acesta este jurnalul lui Jan. Pentru a primi o copie prin mail inregistreaza-te pe formularul de contact. Momentan jurnalul este numai in engleza, catalana si spaniola.

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Slovenia

Bukosek (Brezice) (see on map)

17/04/2006:

I have passed a pair of magnificent days in Bukosek. In principle I planned on going this morning, but I’m still here. If the motive on the journey was to find a wonderful place in the world where to live this would be one of them. The people that I have found and the friends that I have made have been charming. And I do not deceive you if I tell you that I will leave a piece of my heard in Bukosek.

These two days I have slept in the caravan but every morning I have showered at Lea’s house with abundant water. I have also been having breakfast with them, capuccino, bread with jam and potica (potitsa), a delicious pastel that is created rolling up the dough. When I was in Ljubjana, the friends of Lea tell me that the potica was a duty that I liked, but the duty is it not necessary because it is impossible that you do not like it.

Yesterday I devoted the morning to working, because Lea let me connect to Internet with her adsl. We had lunch in family quite early, at twelve. I took a bottle of wine that I bought in Italy and they liked a lot, although it has 12 degrees of alcohol, quite more than the 8 of the Slovene wines.

And after having lunch we had football match. The men of the family and some neighbours have been playing a football match in a clearing in the middle of the forest every Sunday for more than 45 years. Doesn’t mind that it rains, it snows or it is sunny, because they have never stopped playing it. Yesterday, because there were me and the French Julien more men came to play. We were 12 and we made three equipment. It was very fun to play among the trees and trying not to run up against the roots. And between match and match, a little of wine or of beer helped you to retrieving the energies. I had the honour of making the first goal, after three matches of 10 minutes with a result of 0-0, but many more next arrived.

Finished the match and after the shower, me, Lea, her parents, her sister Janja and her boyfriend went to visit a cave excavated in the sand in one small town a few kilometres from Bukosek. This deep cave that had been reopened recently, had been used long ago to preserve the foods and the wine in a cool space.

In the evening, after having dinner another time in family, we went to drink a beer to Brezice. We were a tot, Lea, her sister, her boyfriend, cousins... It was very fun, the four sisters and cousins were speaking about all games that they play on the forest when they were child, the plays that had represented, the anecdotes of the school. Afterwards we were speaking about my journey and finally they gave me their addresses of electronic mail so that I sent them the diary. I commented them that I was a little late with the sending and that therefore, when they received the diary of the stay in Slovenia I would already be quite far from there. But after a little joke, I have calmed them down telling them that I did absolutely not have anything of bad thing to explain.

Tina asked me if after the project of taking the pulse in the world I would know the truth about all these subjects. Anyway I replied that I hoped to obtain my own conclusions, but that in any case they would be so much valid than the rest of opinions that I has collected during the journey.

This morning I have worked a little again, but I have gone mid-morning to the home of front, where the cousins of Lea live, and I have made an interview with Petra a girl with a lovely smile.

The main problem of the world according to the Petra is that the world is divided different groups who search problems among them. The solution would be in travelling, knowing people of different cultures and being friendly. At regional level Petra thought like its sister, that Slovenia is a too small country and that the people in the world are not interested in their country. At personal level Petra felt a little lost because she did not know which goal to give to her life, if she found this motive for living would be happier. Following the same line, the secret of the happiness is found the meaning of the life.

After the interview, Petra has proposed to go to do a stroll with bicycle and I have accepted with the condition of being at home before twelve, the lunchtime in Lea’s home. Tina and the Julien have also come. We have been pedalling for the near a stream. The day was splendid, was sun but not heat. Tina and Julien have been late and I have been having a conversation very interesting with Petra following the thread of the interview.

After having lunch there has been one another football match. This time it has been more exhausting because we were only eight and have only made two equipment, therefore there has not been the rest of the other match. Anyway, I have had fun like never.

After the match, the father of Petra and Tina has asked me for a DVD with the piece of football match that yesterday Lea filmed with my camera. Finally I have decided to remain until the following day so in the evening I could edit the video tape that I had recorded.

In the evening I have seen off everybody, because the following day everybody entered to work early. I have given them many thanks for these fantastic days between them and they have wished me very good journey. Intending a moment that I have kept with Petra alone I have asked her if she would want to accompany me the following day to visiting Zagreb that was few kilometres from Brezice and surprising me she has accepted.

Croatia

Zagreb (see on map)

18/04/2006:

I have stayed all the morning with the caravan parked in Brezice waiting Petra finished working and early in the afternoon we have gone together towards Zagreb, a pleasant city, with many parks, calm streets of strolling, other of commercial, and very nice people.

Petra is girl a very sweet, calm, cheerful, fun, intelligent... terribly charming. If I had stayed more days in Bukosek possibly I had fallen in love madly and I had not been able to continue my journey or I had implored her that she accompanied me forever.

I have spent an afternoon unforgettable with her, simply strolling and talking. But this is one of the wonderful lessons that I am learning in this journey, to live the present and to enjoy it. It does not matter if it is sunny or it rains, if you arrive above from the mountain or you stop halfway to contemplate the landscape. It’s important to learn to appraise every instant: a look, a smile, the tact... Enjoying every moment without worrying if these will finish or continue. Because if they finish, late or early there will arrive again new moments that will fill in your heard again. And as long as these do not arrive you will be able to enjoy the longing, of the what it could happen but it has not happen, of the remembrance of felling loved for some instants.

Austria

Graz (see on map)

19/04/2006:

Yesterday evening I said goodbye to Petra and I slept in the motor home in front of her home . This morning, just after I have had breakfast, she came again to say goodbye for the last time, at the back, her mother was also saying goodbye to me. It was raining.

After breakfast and having had a shower, I have started the road towards Graz, Austria. The shortest way has made me pass three borders: Slovenia-Croatia; Croatia-Slovenia; Slovenia-Austria. In each one I have had to show the passport and in some of them, they have stamped it.

In Venice, Dea had explained me that she was working on a project for the Unesco, which had to be developed in the Balkans and she was having quite a lot of problems to have Slovenia accept the project because they did not consider themselves to be in the Balkans because they said they belonged to Central Europe. In Slovenia, I asked some people who confirmed this opinion. Anyway, I have to say that passing the three borders I did not encounter any significant geographical accident nor any remarkable change in culture or landscape. The three countries are full of green colour because of their forests and wavy fields. The rural homes are distributed all over and the white or yellowish churches are projected nearly behind each hill.

At Lea’s home, I had found through Internet where to find spares of camping gas bottles in Graz , because mine were nearly empty. Upon my arrival at Graz, I addressed directly to that place. It was a big warehouse full of construction and decoration products. I put 6 bottles on a trolley and I asked the employees, who only spoke German, and who made me go from one side to the other. Finally, I found the chief and I got the spare bottles. And since it had been so difficult, I am thinking about having cold showers from now onwards and using the gas only for cooking and for the fridge.

Graz has fascinated me. I have spent a very pleasant afternoon there. It seems a very calm city, its commercial streets have a relaxed dynamism and the bars in the squares are full of people peacefully talking. The city has a few parks, a tower with a clock on a hill and a pair of futuristic structures that contrast with the old buildings of steep roofs: the exhibition centre colloquially called "the friendly alien" and an artificial island in the middle of the river.

Wien (see on map)

20/04/2006:

I have left at mid-morning direction Wien. The road map I use had a cross marked with pencil on a village half-way called Pölau. I had probably marked it during the preparation of a previous trip that in the end followed another itinerary. The Europe guide I use now did not mention it, but I have decided to pass through anyway.

Pölau does not seem too different from the rest of small villages I have passed through, except for a beautiful baroque church constructed just in the middle. I have taken my camera and at once, I have gone back to the Hymer to fetch the tripod and the film camera, because it was worth keeping some images of the fantastic paintings that filled each square centimetre of the church.

When I have gone out, I have noticed that quite a lot of people were eating ice cream in a bar in front of where I had parked the Hymer and supposing that they would be good I had one too. Anyway, they could not be compared with the Italian ice creams.

Wien has surprised me for its splendour, elegant buildings, big parks, wide avenues, .... I have parked next to the Rathaus, which after consulting the dictionary I have known it was the city hall. I have addressed myself to the information centre, crossing three parks. It was mid afternoon and people were relaxing under the last moments of sun, or they were playing football, studying their notes or smoking in group... In Wien, unlike many other cities that I have recently visited, there is a very alternative behaviour: punks, hippies, indefinite...

I was taking pictures in a park, when some boys who were smoking an Arab pipe draw my attention and they asked me why I was taking pictures to people. But I answered them that I was making art and I showed them some of the photos that I had taken. Finally they were convinced that I was harmless and I could continue taking photos.

21/04/2006:

I have been working in the morning, selecting photos and translating the diary that I sent afterwards from a cybercafé. At the beginning of the diary I have asked for some help with the translations from Catalan into Spanish and English, and before disconnecting I have already received some emails offering me such a help.

I am very pleased with the readers I have. Some are friends and relatives, but most of them are unknown people. In the internet service company that I directed before my trip (Javajan www.javajan.com), we have an electronic magazine that we send to nearly six thousand electronic mails of people and companies. Before leaving the company I announced in the magazine that I would start this trip and also that I would send them the diary but many of they may have not read it, because continuously I receive messages of this type: "Who are you? I do not know who you are and why you are sending me your diary, but I like it a lot, please do not stop sending it to me". Other readers encourage me to continue the trip, others give me some advice to improve the diary, others congratulate me for the photos, others give me contacts in the countries where I will go next and there is one who even writes me poems. From time to time I also receive messages of this type: “I am working and I am not interested in your holidays at all, remove my email address from your list or I will take you to Court". I can understand them... Receiving emails like mine makes people distract from their day to day work... In any case, writing the diary and receiving all this feedback encourages me to continue writing, travelling and learning worldwide.

In the afternoon I have taken the bicycle from the Hymer and I have gone for a city tour, filming most of the time. I have visited the centre with its splendid buildings, the parks, the cathedral and the tourists all over. Afterwards I have ridden towards the immense Danubi where there are several long islands in the middle of parks. On the way back the city has slowly lost its elegance and has become a more residential and working area, but the big avenues have not disappeared. When I have arrived at Danubi, I have had a problem in the handlebar of the bicycle and I have returned to the motor home so as not to have to remain there. Before arriving I have stopped at a bar where they offered Internet to the customers and I have had a beer.

The beer has made me feel good, and after having taken another one for dinner, I have decided to go out for fun. I have looked in the guide where to go and I directed to the first place but it was closed. Then I have asked some boys who have kindly told me the best places to find some fun. I have taken the underground and I have seen that most of the people do not pay. Near Morzin-platz there are many pubs with quite good atmosphere. I have entered into one of them where a trumpeters was playing house music. There, by chance I have encountered some boys from Slovenia that had stolen my beer. First of all they have tried to convince me that I was confused, but then they have admitted saying that this was a usual practice in Slovenia. I liked them and I have been for quite long time joking with them and joining them in their attempt to seduce the girls in the pub. Late at night I have arrived at another pub and I have been there dancing with a very sensual girl for long. She was just trying to make her boyfriend jealous. Though I knew she had a boyfriend, I have enjoyed seducing and letting a girl which could leave at any time seduce me.

22/04/2006:

I have woken up at midday, and if it had not been for the alarm clock I would have slept longer. I have had a shower and a breakfast-lunch while in the distance I was listening to some loudspeakers explaining a bike-cross show. The exhibition was in front of the Rathaus, next to the motor home I have spent some time amazing myself at the acrobatics they made and I taking some pictures.

At 3 I have gone towards Schottentor square, also next to the motor home where I had dated a girl. Since the beginning of the trip I use the web site couchsurfing.com to get to know people in each of the big cities I visit. In this web site people offer hospitality to the travellers who visit their city, therefore, the people you meet are usually very bridemind and interesting. As I do not require any accommodation and I am involved in a very interesting trip to most of many people, it is quite easy for me to date somebody in each important city to go for a walk, to take a cup of coffee and to talk to them to get to know how the world behaves.

Is it evident from the diaries I have written till now, that I always try to contact girls, why to say the contrary?. For me, travelling alone as I do, the feminine contact is important, even if it is only to talk and see that my charm, analysed by Denise in Perugia is still latent. On the other hand, I have always believed that in a certain time I will find a girl who will take my heart and who will accompany me during a part or the rest of my great trip. Who knows, maybe is one of my readers;-).

I have arrived at the date without knowing for us whether Katherina would appear, since she had not confirmed it and neither did I know what her face looked like, because in her profile from the couch surfing she did not have her picture. But after waiting a while a very nice girl has arrived.

Katherina is studying a branch of architecture and she has always been lived in Wien. She is willing to go to South America next year to find some work and this is why she has started to learn Spanish. We have been walking in the centre, talking about my trip and her studies and finally she has suggested taking a glass of wine outside the city.

We have taken tram "D" and we have stopped at the last stop. In that area there are several places where you can taste Austrian wines, among the house with their gardens and orchards. But we have taken a street up the residential suburb and arriving at many vineyards, from which a beautiful panoramic view of Wien could be contemplated, until we have reached the top of the hill where she and her mother had been there in the past. There was a place to taste wine but we were so thirsty that we only took a typical white wine with some mineral water.

Upon returning, I have visited her home and there I have made an interview to get to know how the world behaves and I have got internet connection. Then, since both of us were quite tired I have returned to the motor home.

Katerina has very clear ideas. She thinks that the problem worldwide is that people do not respect the life of plants, animals and people. She believes that if people learned how to respect the life of plants and small animals, they would also respect the life of people. She will cooperate in the solution if it becomes an example all over. She believes that one of the problems in Austria is the racism, a problem difficult to solve because classifying people is inherent to the human behaviour. Katerina is filling better now than she was two years ago but she believes she could be happier if she knew what to do with her life and not only do what the others want you to do. One of the premises to be happy is to please oneself.

Slovakia

Bratislava (see on map)

25/04/2006:

I have spent two fantastic days in Radovan and Veronic’s home. I have used time to resting, washing cloth with their washer, connecting to Internet with their laptop and visiting the city.

Monday in the afternoon I went towards the centre of Bratislava with the bicycle. From above the castle, a palace constructed by Napoleon, a sight is enjoyed on all the city. The city is divided by the Danube, in a side there is the centre historical and in the other one side there is hundreds of clones blocks of flats constructed to the communist period. This image of the very long rows of blocks of flats constructed in the simplest way in order to achieve the efficiency has struck for me. Later, Veronic explained to me that she has gotten lost more of one time in the new city, because if you are not in your zone, you immediately lose the references because all buildings seem equal to you.

The centre of the city is cosy. It has a big avenue parallel to the Danubi and inside the city, the calm streets encourage you to relaxing. From time to time, you find an interesting sculpture that I did not have time to photograph: an outgoing worker of a sewer, a Napoleon relaxed in a bank...

Yesterday I had remained more time strolling , but I left a note in the flat that I would come back for cooking the dinner and was been late to me. In the morning it had gone to a shopping centre to buy and I had bought some frozen fish and noodles to make my typical fideua. But I do not know if the pasta of the noodles was different or perhaps I threw too much water, but the food came off a little pasty. But as Radovan and Veronic did not know the texture that had to have the fideua they commented that it was very good, yes, the taste was acceptable. Anyway, I think that the next meal that I will prepare I will have to attempt the potato omelette, in spite of that if I log sincere, the few times that I have endeavoured it, it has not gone out to me.

After having dinner I took the pulse to the world first with Veronic and afterwards with Radovan.

Veronic thought that the main problem of the world was ecological but because she didn’t have knowledge of biology she commented another problem, the little empathy among the people, for example with the poor person people. She did not believe that the problem could be solved, even though sometimes some book or film helps you to understanding other situations. The problem of Slovakia is the complex that people has, they believe they are a lot poor and they don’t do anything to changing the situation. The problem simply needs time to solve. She sometimes attempts to change the opinion of the other ones in this sense. Veronic was considered happy, she had all what she wished in that moment therefore there was not way to be happier. The secret of the happiness is not in the things that happen to you but in the way you see them, in a positive way.

Radovan commented that one of the main problems of the world was the Islamic terrorism and the fear that it provokes. The same fear that there is among the cultures also provokes the terrorism. He believed the time would solve the problem, in the same way than the atrocities of the Christianity also finished. The main problem of Slovakia is the cultural crash that has provoked the change of the communism to the capitalism. At present people want to have the same than people of other countries and they notice that they are poor people. The solution would be in the pass of the time but also on helping the economy of the country. Radovan did not consider himself happy in that moment because he didn’t like the work that he had and he would feel happier if he could change of work. The secret of the happiness is to want what you have, but he was not willing to accept his work, then he commented maybe only you can be happy if you achieve to have what you want.

This morning I have passed it working while Veronic, that today she did not work nor had class, studied. At noon Veronic has prepared a typical dish centre-European by potatoes and pasta with some onion and fried meat. Also she has accompanied the dish of a green salad which when I have tasted it I have thought she had mistaken when she used the salt, because the salad was sweet. But it is seen that in Slovakia, instead of salt they put sugar and instead of oil and vinegar they leave the salad floating on about two fingers of water. During the lunch we have been speaking about many things, and among them the attraction that the money provokes to the persons and of how it can influence on the love. It has been an interesting conversation.

In the afternoon I have accompanied Veronic to under the castle of Bratislava where Radovan expected her to climb on the rocky walls that are there. I have climbed up a while with them, barefoot because the shoes that I wore did not clutch at all. But naturally, I have been tiring immediately. Then I have left them and I have gone towards the centre to finish visiting the city and to take photos.

I have arrived to the main church where along its history many real weddings have been celebrated. Veronic had commented me that almost always it’s closed, but today I was open and when I entered there have noticed that after a while a concert was celebrated. The Requiem of Mozart, which I like a lot. Following my impulses I have paid the entry and I have stayed, and it is not necessary to say that I have had fun like a camel (?). The choir, of the north of England, approached to perfection and the soloists, who sang on the church from the part of behind, were already optimal.

When I have gone out from the church it already was dark, and after buying an ice cream of three balls that it did not cost nor an euro, I have come back on foot until home of my hosts.

Hungary

Budapest (see on map)

26/04/2006:

This morning I have awaked early, the same as Radovan and Veronic. I have picked up the cloths and the things that I had scattered over their flat and I have seen them off.

A few korunas (Slovaka coin) exceeded me and have gone to spend them buying in a supermarket. It is surprising, but in Slovakia the supermarkets open at 6 of morning. Afterwards I have started to go towards Budapest with the fix idea about solving the subject of the water. First I have stopped in a gas station. After a few symbols the man of the area has understood that I wanted water for the motorcaravan, but he has turned up with a bucket. But when I have told him that I would need some a lot more, he has told me than he could not help me. Then I have parked in a car park beside the motorway where there was a fountain from where water did not pour out, and finally, exactly after crossing the border with Hungria I have seen some public toilets where I have been able to connect the hose in a tap. A little beyond I have emptied the dirty waters in a sewer. And for ending, some quilometres beyond I have emptied the chemical toilet in a toilet of a car park of the motorway. As long as I can I will try allways not to pollute the environment, I do however, not know if it will be so simple when I will arrive to Africa or to Asia.

Halfway from Bratislava to Budapest I have stopped to Pannonhalma. Pannonhalma was in my atlas marked like a monument protected by the Unesco but it did not turn up in my guide of Europe. Pannonhalma has been being a big monastery of Benedictine monks climbed in a hill. I wanted to visit the monastery but I have been advised that I only could do it with a guided visit that went out after an hour. Then I have gone to stroll around the building and have seen a group of tourists that was entering into the monastery through a lateral door and have added. The visit has been interesting, even though I have not understood anything of what they said. We have visited a pair of chapels and a cloister. Afterwards I have moved back from the group because I did not feel completely comfortable. When I went to take out the car of the car park of the monastery, a woman has claimed me that I had to pay the car park, almost nothing, but I have said I only had Euros and credit card. Finally she has let me go without paying.

Budapest is a big city, there live towards two million persons. Even so, helped by the map of the guide and the map of roads I have been able to arrive easily in the centre and to park after some turns. It has surprised me at the entry of the city, seeing the tiresome and introspective faces of many men who went in the cars, trams and buses that circulated near mine, as if they had had a very exhausting day. Later, Dora has confirmed me that this vision is typical in Budapest.

I have been a pair of very pleasant hours taking a tea with Dora, a student of economics. We have been speaking about our journeys, studies, projects... Anyway, she was tired and we have agreed on tomorrow we’ll send some message for going to dance to some discotheque on Friday.

27/04/2006:

Yesterday in the evening I discovered that from Hymer I could connect to an Internet wireless of some neighbour. This morning have been profitable to translating six days of the diary into English and to send it.

In the afternoon, when I wanted to go out to stroll I has started to rain, but I have gone out equally. some times it did not rain and others it rained a lot. I have gone to the centre of touristic information to search the map of the city and I have strolled afterwards till the Danube. But I have come back soon to the motorcaravan because at 6 o’clock I had remained with Aniko.

Normally, if in a city I do not have any contact, I send some 5 or 6 mails through the portal coucsufing.com to people (or girls) of the city that seem me interesting. Until now it happened that I only had answer from one contact per city. But in Budapest, Dora had answered me the message two days ago and Aniko, we had already been speaking for more days.

Aniko had written me that she was not an interesting girl, I have found her quite interesting. Besides nice, she is the kind of girl which is very simple to sustain a conversation. Aniko is an economist that works in the financial department of Nokia, a company that has a big factory in Hungria.

We have been strolling quite a lot for the city, visiting the most interesting places of Pest (Buddha is the oriental part of the city that is in the other one side of Danube): the Basilica, the street Andrassy that resembles those of the Eixample of Barcelona, the zone of Oktogon with premises open 24 hours, the bridge Margit from where can contemplate a beautiful sight of the city, the parliament with its beautiful buildings of that going round. It is seen that to construct the parliament at the end of nineteenth century they summoned a competition and won the current construction that they were late fourteen years more from that they planned on to construct it. Anyway, they decided to construct the second and third option surrounding the parliament. One of these buildings is now the ethnographic museum.

After the walk we went to dinner to a typical Hungarian restaurant. Aniko chose the two dishes that we shared: a kind of gutter rolled up kneads crêpe and a meat of veal with a very good sauce of mushrooms. All this accompanied of a good Hungarian wine.

On finishing having dinner, we strolled a good while more continuing talking about our lives. It’s good to talk with unknown persons (or not) in an open and sincere way because it helps you to revealing yourself new aspects of you. For example, replying a question of Aniko I could reply to myself whi I am willing to travel with a girl but with a boy. I said her: "I enjoy a lot of my freedom and I only would be willing to share it completely with a girl or couple".

28/04/2006:

This morning it has been raining. Anyway, after working a little with Internet, at noon I have gone out with the intention of using the rain day for going in one of the typical thermal baths of Budapest to be relaxed. But just gone out it has stopped raining.

I have taken the underground for going to the thermal baths of Szechenyi. The yellow line of the underground is the most ancient of the European continent and only pass a few metres under the street, therefore, just to bring down the scales you find in the roadside. And if you mistake of roadside you have to go out again to the street to go down again trough the other side. I have not paid the ticket even though one of the few things that I remember from Budapest when I was there more than 10 years ago is that a not too nice inspector discovered us travelling like this.

The thermal baths of Szechenyi are very nice, maybe there are not so elegant than those of Gellert but they are more economic. There are different interior and outer swimming pools framed in a neoclassical style. They have several temperatures and water at pressure in some corners. I have swum more than 1000 metres in a swimming pool where people could swim and afterwards I have entered some seconds in an irresistible sauna, the temperature was from 75 grades. I have gone before finishing two hours, so they have reimbursed part of the entry to me. Anyway already I had the leather too creased .

In the afternoon I have done a great walk for Budapest. I have risen for a shore of the Danube and I have gone down for the other one. I wanted to rise to the castle and the churches that there are in the hills of Buddha but the shoes hurt me and I was late to the appointment with Aniko and I have come back to the Hymer.

These days I observe that in Budapest there are many destitutes living in the street, sleeping in corners covered with blankets and spending the day in the parks drinking and talking. But one thing that it has surprised me, compared to other cities, is that almost nobody asks alms on the street. Maybe the government already helps enough to the destitutes or maybe the people are not accustomed to the charity.

I had invited Aniko to dinner in the Hymer. She surprise of the motorcaravan, because in Hungary there aren’t she didn’t know how they were. I have opened the last bottle of Rioja wine that I had, because I knew that Aniko appreciated the good wine. This time I have not cooked fideuà. I have made some chickpeas with spinaches, with some cuts of smoked pork, that have come off quite acceptable.

We have been talking very openly of our past experiences, boyfriends, girlfriends... After having dinner we have gone to dance a little in an underground pub. But Aniko was very tired and she has gone to sleep after a while.

29/04/2006:

This afternoon I have feel a little alone, been missing of company, feminine to be exact. Even though I’m travelling alone, I’m a man of couple. When I lived in Catalonia I did not use to spend too much time among a relation that finished and a new one that started. I started the journey alone because the two or three former relations in those that the girls had accompanied for me, they did not go ahead. But in my inland I had the hope that during this journey I also would find even, maybe not forever, but at least somebody who accompanied me some season. However now, I notice that the few days that I am in each city are not sufficient to intimate with the girls that I know. I would need more time to become intimate sufficient and to be able to propose: "Why you do not take a long weekend and we meet in one another city of my itinerary"? In any case, in the past, this feeling of loneliness was an indispensable step to open me more and to find couple. Already we will see it... Anyway, it is also a truth that I pioneered the journey being very conscious of its being complicated to achieve company and perhaps that I would be three years without couple. It was a sacrifice that I was and I am willing to make.

Feelings aside (I expect that keeping on explaining my mental state to you along the journey does not bother you), today I have awakened late. I have had breakfast, have written a little and near one o’clock I have come out with bicycle to make a long excursion through the city, because I have not come back to the Hymer until five hours, with the groin a bit sore of the seat.

I have crossed the Danube through the bridge of Szabadsag and I have stopped in the beautiful church of Saint Gellert who is in the inland of a cave with several aisles. Afterwards I have risen to the Ciutadella, a citadel that it finds after up of a hill. I have had to take out the tongue to rise it with bicycle, but I have continued once rested towards the royal castle of Buddha. From the first and second placement a very interesting sight of the city is enjoyed. Afterwards I have continued pedalling through Buddha, a city much more bourgeois than Pest. Many of the homes of Buddha are climbed on the mountains and are surrounded of trees, gardens. An a lot calmed environment is breathed. Next I have crossed the river again through the bridges of Margit and Arpad and among them I have strolled for the calm parks of the island Margit. And I have finished the excursion to the Varsoliget park.

Among half of the itinerary I had stopped to take energy eating a hamburger, but I have arrived at the Hymer with a hunger of the devil. After having lunch or having dinner, I have started to work a little or to amuse with the connection of Internet that I had free. Then I have had a shower and I have gone out for party.

Contrarily to the feeling of the afternoon I felt very cheerful. I regretted that it was my last night in Budapest and that in the future many new and interesting adventures waited for me for. I had desires to enjoy a lot simply dancing music and listening good music and have found the perfect premises for this, with a room of funk music and another one of rock and heavy. I have been dancing like one possessed, plenum of energy, I could sense that lately I am making a lot of sport with the walks or with the bicycle.

30/04/2006:

I have awakened late but before going out towards Serbia, I used during two or tree hours the connection of Internet that I had free. Exactly before going I have noticed that the connection of Internet was from the Bar that was beside the Hymer, because it had the same name than the name of the Wifi.

It was around six I have gone out. I have kept on advancing crossing the Hungarian green plain through an excellent motorway which I believed was of no payment. Before arriving to the border I have took two hitch-hikers. They were two boys from Poland: Szymon (Simon) and Krzysiek (Cristofer). They both went towards Belgrade. I have commented them that I had intention of stopping in Novi Sad to Sleep, but they has not mind.

Szymon and Krzysiek have explained to me that they were two young students of Krakow, the most beautiful city of Poland! They spoke some Spaniard, but we have communicated the major part of the journey in English. They were travelling during nine days hitch-hiking, a system of travelling very good for them, because they had travelled like this through all Europe. They brought a tent but they used to sleep in home of people that they knew through a portal very similar to Couchsurfing: Hospitality Club.

At the Hungarian border, a policeman has briefed me of to circulate through the motorways of the country I had to have bought a sticker. Anyway, after say him I didn’t know, he led pass us without problems. However, at the border they have been more stricter. First, our passports have kept on being passed among a few policemen, afterwards they have asked me for the insurance of the vehicle that I have had to research among the papers and finally I have had to reply a few questions before they have let us to pass.

In the other side of the border, there was the same plain, although without towns and with some few homes scattered among the fields. It has became dark and finally we have stopped in a service area near Novi Sad. The Polish have planted the tent beside the Hymer while I prepared a soup with ingredients their and mine. It is seen that in Poland they eat soup every day. I have opened a bottle of Hungarian wine that has been quite good and we have had a nice dinner. It has surprised me that both commented with naturalness that their rooms in home of their parents were not more bigger than 3 or 4 square metres, perhaps they have not found my home so small...

After having dinner I have taken the pulse of the world with them. Krzysiek thought that the main problem of the world is the meanness of the people and he did not believe that there was solution and that sometimes it was better not to act because "make war for the peace is like fucking for virginity". The main problem of Poland is the poverty and the few opportunities to go out from these poverty. He did not believe that the charity was the solution. Krzysiek is happy when travels and knows people, reading... The secret of the happiness is to find the middle way.

Szymon believed that the main problem of the world was people were not authentic, they only copy themselves and they are not themselves. He only can share his experience with friends. The bigger problem of Poland would be the same but related with the religion and the traditions. Szymon normally is happy because he does not wish more of what he has, but travelling and knowing more people would be happier. The secret of the happiness is to find your own way.

On wishing good night, it has started to rain. I have been concerned they not having planted the tent badly, but in all night they have not complained.

Yuguslavia

Beograd (see on map)

01/05/2006:

This morning I have had breakfast with Szymon and Krzysiek. Later we have gone towards Belgrade. We circulated through a good road of only two lanes, one in each direction, so, we where surprised that after few kilometres we found one signal of toll. And indeed, we found the toll. The boy on the toll has told us that we had to pay I do not know how many Dinars in cash, but we have told him that we had not changed money yet. Then he has briefed us we should pay 18€. When the Polish have asked the price in Polish coins and the price were some 10€. We have told him we were not idiots and that we were not willing to pay for a simple road but he said nothing. Then we propose to go back. He has commented us that then we should go back 45 kilometres. We return back, but the next exit at less than one kilometre did not have barrier and we have spared to pay.

Then we have noticed the difference between a motorway and a road in Serbia. The roads are with a lot of holes and squeezes, like the polonaises, as they have commented me. With the help of a compass and asking to the people we have kept on following several small roads, advancing quite a lot of spoiled tractors and being advanced for other cars not very more modern. The towns that we crossed looked much poorer than in the former countries for those that I had passed, dispainted homes, irons made rusty, dirt... Anyway, the people we asked, contrarily to the policemen of the border and to the collector of the motorway, were very kind.

Finally we have arrived to Belgrade after crossing a big bridge. Using the map we have parked quite a lot near the centre, in frond of the embassy of Macedonia, one of the few places without symbols of payment car park. Belgrade seemed much richer and prospers that the rest of the country.

I have seen off the Polishes and have wished to see them again, maybe today on evening to go to drink something. They would send me a message or they would come to the Hymer. But few moments after they went, a policeman who watched the embassy has knocked on the door. I have opened and he has said me in English:
- You can not park here.
- Why?
- Because you can not camp in the city.
- But it is simply a car, I sleep in home of some friends.
- You can not park here.
- where then?
- Out of the city.
- Are you policeman or watcher of the embassy?
And finally he has exclaimed:
- Go away!

I have not wanted to look for more problems with the Serbian authorities and I have gone to park in a zone of payment. Today is holidays but tomorrow I would have to buy some ticket.

I have had lunch, I have had a shower and I have gone an appointment which I was sure nobody would come. And it has been like this. Then I have gone to the centre of information to ask for a map and have seated in a terrace to drink a beer. Studying the map a good while I have achieved to understand where I was and where I had the caravan parked, complicated because the map was with Latin letters and the streets with Cyrillic letters. For example, I have deduced that N that is written turned is I, however H is N.

Sky has been covered and I have decided to go to the caravan to rest a little. I have had luck, because when I’ve arrived it has started to rain. After sleeping a while and writing the diary I have gone out to stroll under the fine rain. In the Republic square there was a concert. A Serbian group where playing with Latin rhythm that encouraged the people to dance under the umbrellas.

I have also kept on cheering up, but after a while I have received a message from Szymon saying me that they were celebrating a party at home of Hogar, the boy who host them. They have given me some indications to arrive there and I have gone with the Hymer.

In the flat of Hogar there was a dozen of persons, boys and girls from Belgrade and also foreigners. There has been very good fealing with all them. Hogar has opened for me a bottle of a 2003 French wine very good. I think I have drunk all the bottle alone. At half a bottle I have known Jasmine, a very sweet and sensual girl. She has started to speak me about personal and deep subjects, about happiness, her man, dreams... I have spoken her about my dreams and finally I have proposed her to dream together for a moment and I have asked her if in dreams she would go with me in my journey. She has suggested that yes, that she would like a lot, and me too... But after a while enjoying the dream she has become serious and has confessed me that she could not accompany me, because she had to keep to help her family. I understood her and I have thanked her she thought seriously the proposition, it has liked me. Afterwards we have started to dream another maybe attainable dream: being together in Istambul, a city which she would like to visit.

02/05/2006:
At midmorning, Szymon and Krzysiek have pricked the door, I was preparing to go towards the centre and I have offered to take them. Anyway, before we have stopped to buy in a supermarket.

I had remained with some girls and they with other. Belgrade has been the city where I have had more answers from the portal Couchsurfing of Internet. At one o’clock I had to meet Senka, which has arrived with her friend Marjana, and at six and half with Sanja, but after noon she has sent me a message for meeting us tomorrow instead of today.

Senka and Marjana have been my guides through the city. We have been walking through the street Prince Mihailo, restricted to the traffic and plenum of shops. Afterwards we have strolled for the park Kalemegdan and the fortress of Belgrade, conquered and reconquered many times along its history. And finally we have strolled for the street Strahinjica Bana that they called Silicon Valley, because it is a street with many bars where the women go there to meet rich men, and certainly, we have seen a Ferrari parked on it. And curiously also I had my caravan parked there.

I have proposed Senka and Marjana of interviewing them, but not they didn’t like the idea too much. Anyway, we have gone to drink a coffee and during the conversation there where many interesting points which should be good to record them.

When I have met them I have commented about the feelings that I had before arriving to Belgrade (and likewise I have comented it with another people that I have found). I had commented them that in Spain had been received a quite negative idea about Serbian people during the war of the Balkans. First they have kidded quite a lot about the idea that the Serbian where killers, but finally they have commented that during the war the advertising gave them this image but this is not real. Senka, has opened up a lot and has explained that they had also suffered a lot during the bombardments, that she had emptiness on memory but she felt very bad sensations when she listened war mermaids.

After seeing them off I have met casually Szymon and Krzysiek. We have been strolling a while and finally I have gone to the Hymer. I was ready to snooze when someone have pricked the door. Through the window I saw that there were two boys and a girl who were yesterday in the party. Casually they had seen my caravan. They have proposed me to go to stroll with them and I have accepted. Halfway a girl has added to us girl and we have gone to drink a tea in the "Silicon Valley". There I have interviewed Cris, an American, and Irene.

Cris believed that the main problem of the world was the distribution of the health and of the wealth, he believed that the problem is inherent to the humanity and he did not know how it could be solved. He can only help to persons individually but not in the global solution of the problem. The main problem of United States is the lack of work because other countries produces more economically. Cris was considered happy, in some way because he was traveling. The secret of the happiness is on doing things that you like and that stimulate you.

Irene believed that the main problem of the world was the American government. In Serbia the main problem was the bad relations that they have with the neighbours and the lack of work. Irene considered herself happy, would be happier if she had a boyfriend. The secret of the happiness is inside you: discovering what makes you happy and go there.

Edita, a girl who seemed very introverted has not accepted to be interviewed.

After the tea we have found Hogar, Szymon, Krzysiek and other people. We have gone to drink a beer. Somebody has proposed of doing democracy to decide what to do afterwards, but before we had talked of the disadvantages of the democracy and I have proposed that the most intelligent person should decide for all. Then, like a joke they proposed that I should chose.

First we have gotten a place to dance. It is seen that in Belgrade there is a lot of party and nice people, but it being Tuesday the locals were quite empty. Finally we have gone at Hogar home where we have prepared a sangria and we have opened again the ours hearts.

I have talked quite a lot with Edita. She has commented me that her mother is from Serbia and her father is from Albania. When she was child she lived in Croatia and she was treated as foreigner due to her mother and now in Belgrade she also feels the same because his father.

During all day long I have asked to quite a lot of people about the referendum that there will be in Montenegro in two weeks about the independence from Serbia. The Serbian comments that the independence of Montenegro would benefit them economically, because Montenegro is much poorer, but at the same time it saddens the Serbians.

04/05/2006:

If there is not any surprise, tomorrow I will leave Belgrade. I will have been there more time that I had planned. In some way, I have found good friends and I have spent very nice time. In other way, next Monday I have to meet a friend in Sofia, therefore I am delaying a little my arrival in Sofia.

Belgrade is a big city, of more than two a million inhabitants, maybe too big to be the capital of a country that has become small. In the centre of Belgrade is breathed modernity. The girls clothe the last models and stroll ignoring the boys that from time to time they twist for admiring a silhouette. The bars and terraces are always full starting at noon. And at the evening, the many discotheques or clubs of the city fill with party, even if it isn’t weekend.

Yesterday I went to the embassy of Russia, it was closed, but through the speaker they commented me that I could go on Friday. They couldn’t tell me what I needed for a Visa for Russia, but at least the passport, a photo, documents and maybe a letter of recommendation. Tomorrow I will go there to see if there is luck again and I can keep on preparing the documents in order to have soon the Visa. It should be probably much better to obtain the visa before having pioneered the journey, but the former weeks I was very busy finishing agreements with the sponsors, emptying the flat, organising the caravan, attending the media...

I sent a message to Sanja for meeting today instead of yesterday, because yesterday I was working a lot. Anyway, Sanja has sent me a message today that did not suit it. Misfortune.

In the evening I meet Edita and two friends more, but they were quite tired and they went soon to sleep. I also, after drink a beer in some quite cheerful local with salsa music. Pity that I do not like salsa, I’m a "free styler" and I do not like when a concrete coordination has to be followed.

Today I have continued working, I have continued connecting to Internet, going to take photos... I have started to overwhelm of being in the same city without doing any new thing and I have decided to go next day. Hogar had given to me a guide book of Serbia and I will use it to organize the weekend visiting small towns between Belgrade and Sofia.

Anyway, it also regretted me to go, because I knew on Friday in the evening there would be big party. But I have decided to go out tonight to party to see off. I have gone out only with the equivalent of 6 euros in the pocket, it is a rare sensation to know that it would be enough for all the night, because Belgrade is quite economic.

First I have entered to a bar where several local groups were playing heavy music. They played quite well. There I have known two boys and a girl who were friends of one of the batteries. They have been very nice and very interested to advertise all the world that Belgrade is very good. I have not gone to sleep too late, even though, before I have gone to other local where some musicians played africo-latin music.

05/05/2006:

I have awakened early for going to the embassy. There I has attended for a very nice boy who has commented me to have the Russian Visa I needed basically a booking of hotel or an official invitation. He has recommended me an agency in Belgrade and I have directed there. In the agency, a girl has commented me that the hotels that they could reserve were expensive than 50€ per night. We have been commenting on several possibilities and in the end I have decided to try it in Sofia.

I have gone to the cibercafe of the former days and have consulted everything about Russian visas. I have discovered an agency that has office in Sofia that transacts official invitations at a quite economic price. I have put all my hopes in this possibility, next week I will see it.

At midday I have started to go towards Sofia. Going out from Belgrade I have taken the motorway, of two lanes at any direction, with the fear it would be very expensive. For this motive I have gone out in one of the first exits in order to take a secondary road that had to lead me to one of the towns which I wanted to visit. But on the exit, the girl who charged has communicated me a price of some 6 euros (only for some 30 kilometres!). But I did not have enough local coins and have paid half with euros and half with dinars.

Some kilometres beyond I have stopped at the entry of a town, in an esplanade, to study the map. While I was studying the monuments to visit, a man clothed with a blue jacked and the blackened hands has knocked the door. I have lowered the window and he has greeted me smiling. He has commented me with a quite acceptable English that he lived in the home of the front. I have commented him that it was very beautiful and then he has invited me to visit it. And why not?

I have gone there finishing eating a red pear that I was tasting. He has taught some pictures to me that he had painted or friends of his, all them were landscapes and portraits of Mickel Jacson. Afterwards he has commented me that he had been a lot of time working in several countries in west Europe and that soon he wanted to go again. He has started to explain that the situation in Serbia is not good since the end of the war and then I have asked him to interview him. He has asked me if he would appear on television and when I said yes he has accepted flavourfully.

Stevanavik (this was his name) has commented that the main problem of the world was in Iran and with its president. But immediately he has wanted to explain the problems of Serbia. He has explained that in Serbia there is a lot of unemployment, that the infrastructures are very bad, that he can not travel even to Croacia, that they will not be able to enter into the European union even very further on... and all this, according to him, due to a unique person, and also to United States.

During all the time that I have been with him, I have noticed that he would like I stay to sleep there, but I have indicated him that I preferred to keep on going. He also asked me what "Araguela Paraguela" meant, an inscription that there were in the grave of his mother who had died years behind in Palma of Mallorca. I have not known how to reply and finally I have agreed to accompany him to the cemetery.

Stevanavik has risen to the Hymer and also a woman, that I didn’t knew and nobody presented to me. We have stopped halfway to buy some candles and finally we have arrived to a cemetery in the middle of the field with many graves of black granite. He has distributed the three candles, one for me, and we have switched on them and have deposited them in a small box behind the grave. Afterwards we have gone without insisting about the inscription "Araguela Paraguela", which I have deduced was the town or the beach where she died.

Before seeing off I have asked to Stevanavik who wrote his name. He also has written me his direction and it has surprised me that after Serbija he wrote Yugoslavija.

I have gone ahead, with the intention of sleeping near a monastery that I will visit tomorrow. I have stopped in a gas station to ask for the way and also to load gas oil. I have paid them with visa but I have not understood the amount that I had paid. I have asked but none of both boys speak English. And when finally I was near to understand the amount they had charged me, one of the boys has given me 10€. I have not understood it, but then I have deduced that maybe yes, that they had charged me more.

The landscape in the south of Serbia has reminded a lot in Slovenia (with pardon for the Slovens friends that are reading this). Wavy mountains, of green colour, with homes scattered all over and few urban towns. The difference was in the roads, which many not fixed from the war. There is a great economic difference between Belgrade and the rest of the country.

Serbia

Nis (see on map)

06/05/2006:

I have spent the night in a service area in Markovac, beside a Motel. In awakening, and after writing a little, I have gone towards Despotovac and from there to Manasija, a beautiful monastery in the middle of the mountains and surrounded by walls. The inland of the monastery there are a very interesting frescoes. When I was going to take some photos with the tripod, a women monk has told me that I could not take photos, but seeing that other visitors were taking, afterwards I have token them discreetly.

From Manasija I have directed towards Ravanica, another monastery. On the way I have seen a gas station that they had a tap of water in sight. I have return back to ask them if I could load the Hymer of water. They haven’t show any inconvenient. In the gas station of yesterday, when I asked to load the caravan with water, the boy appeared with a bottle of 2 litres. He did not understand me when I told him that I needed 100 litres.

Ravanica is also in the service of some women monks. The walls of the monastery are half demolished but the monastery is very well preserved and in the inland there are also some very well worked paintings.

Since I have entered into Serbia I’m interested in the orthodox rite. The churches usually have an unique dome. In the centre there are the images of a saint and also in the laterals. The people approach, do she crucifix sign, make reverences and finally a kiss the images. Sometimes they leave some coins or a note on these images.

Going out from Ravanica I have asked to a man how to arrive to Zajecar, one town in the east were I had to pass if I wanted to avoid the motorway. The man, who seemed to have lived the war, has told me that I should pay to him for his help but I have refused it. Then he has offered to helping anyway. But before he has asked me from where I came from, when I have told him that I was from Spain he has said me: "Solana, very bad, he bombed us a lot". I have no other way that say yes.

To arrive to Zajecar, I have had to take the motorway 10 quilometres and I have had to pay 3 euros. I have the sensation that these are the most expensive motorways in the world, or perhaps they charge my caravan like different type of vehicle.

In Zajecar I have stopped to buy in a supermarket. I have gone out without checking out if I had closed all cupboards . It had happen others times, but this time, instead of falling dawn a can, a jar of glass with bolonyesa sauce has fold down . Obviously it has broken and the 500 grammes of sauce has scattered over my flip-flops and the floor.

Finally I have arrived to Nis, where I will sleep. Since yesterday at noon to today at the evening I have droved 464 kilometres circulating for different Serbian road. Going though motorway I would only have droved 240 kilometres, but I would not have been able to visit both monasteries nor either would have enjoyed the landscape and the roads. I enjoy a lot driving for small roads, even if they are full of jerks. From time to time I stop in a gas station, shop or stop of bus and I ask for the good direction. The people are very nice and even if they do not usually speak English with little gestures they know how to orientate me very well. After these two days I think that I can already face any road, as tortuous that it is, because I will not stop enjoying it.

Bulgaria

Sofia (see on map)

07/05/2006:

(Serbia) In the morning I have visited Latinska Crkva, a small lost church in the mountain. It is the most ancient monument in Nis and has remembered me the ancient Romanesque churches scattered over the mountains of Catalonia, simply that this was of orthodox style. It is not necessary to say that to arrive to there I have had to ask a few times, but as always, people have always been very nice and have guided me perfectly.
At noon I have started to go towards Sofia. In this stretch there was not any more motorway, but the roads seemed the same ones which I had circulated on the former days, or worse, because they were under work and all the traffic have been diverted during varying kilometres through a dusty track.
At the border, a long queue of cars has been formed during more than one hour, time I have used to wash the caravan. Because this hour in the border, bad roads and the change of hour I had to do in Bulgaria, I was being very late to the appointment that I had with a girl in Sofia, Ivana. I have sent her a message to delay two hours and a half the meeting.
It has not been too difficult me to find the centre, but there it was bent of signals of prohibited to park during the day. I have parked behind one signal that I did not understand, I have taken a show and I have gone out to find Ivana.
While I waited her I have entertained to reading posters written in Cyrillic characters. Hogar from Belgrade, and also Szymon and Krzysiek, had written me on a paper the correspondence between Latin characters and Cyrillic characters. Now I was making the process of the small children: I searched a word, I deciphered the letters, I joined them, I read the word and sometimes I understood the meaning, and then I became very happy.
Ivana is an easy, nice and very sociable girl. We have gone to look at the car park of the Hymer and she has commented me that it would probably be taken away the following day. Then she has proposed me to sleep at its grandmother home, that is empty. We have gone to see it and it was very cosy, but it was quite far from the centre and I have commented her that I preferred to sleep nearest the centre. Finally we have parked in a blue zone near her parents home.
She has proposed me to go to drink a tea and I have offered her to prepare it in the same caravan, and so we do it. We have been talking very distendedly about journeys, personal subjects, projects... While, we talked I kept on showing her photos of my journey on the computer. Some minutes ago she had spoken me about a friend of her that had visited her a pair of weeks ago, Hugo,. When all of a sudden, while I showed her the photos of Budapest she has exclaimed:
- He is Bruno!
She has looked at me unbeliever and me also to her. She has repeated again:
- He is Bruno! do you know him?
- Not, it is a photo that I made in the street, simply I wanted to photograph this couple who was waiting for the tram.
Which chances, not? I only must have photographed some 10 or 20 persons in all Budapest, a city of 2 million citizens, and her friend results being one of these 10 persons that I photograph! It has been difficult to her to accept that I was not making her any joke and that really I did not know her friend.
Already in the late afternoon. I have proposed to interview her to take the pulse of the world with her. She has accepted but a little constrained at the beginning. Ivana believed that the main problem of the world was that people and nations do not understand not respect themselves. One of the problems of Hungary is that they are too nationalistic and they can not free themself from the past (before the world-wide wars Hungary was much bigger). Ivana considered herself happy, even though it was not bad to feel sad sometimes to appraise the happiness. She would be happier with things than can’t be possible. The secret of the happiness is to do small good things every day.

08/05/2006:

This morning, while I was writing, someone have pricked the door. First I thought that would be the collector of the blue zone and I have not opened. But afterwards I have heard my name. Then I have opened the door and there was Ivana. She has commented me that the police was writing me a fine and they will call a crane if I didn’t park somewhere else. Next, she has indicated me a new placement where I could park. We have agreed on she will go to search for me this evening in the new car park.
In the morning I have gone to the centre of touristic information. I have asked for the map of rigour, where I could find cibercafès, a laundry (there is not any), where the Russian embassy is, and to show me in a map the direction of the agency of Sofia that transacts visas.
I have gone there and have come back strolling. Sofia is a calm city, a lot. There is not much traffic in centre. The people seem relaxed, dresses in a simple way, without showing. The parks, as everywhere there are resting people, but here have found people playing chess. I have been observing a little how they played, the played good and betting money, not much. I have asked if I could play and at the beginning they didn’t like it. But when I have commented them that I did not play better than them, they let me play. I have played three matches betting half an euro to each one. I have lost all three. They played good and I didn’t play chess for long time. I believe that some of them survived by playing chess.
In the afternoon I have kept on walking to the direction that had found on Internet of the agency that transacts visas (www.visatorussia.com). It was on a residential neighbourhood and the direction agreed in a block of flats. In one of the buttons of the door there was writted with pencil: "Ekmo". The name of the company I had was "Ekmoex". I have knocked there and the door has opened. I have risen and a man of some sixty years has attended for me. He didn’t speak any English but has understood that I wanted a visa for Russia. I have understood that he did not transact visas, but then he has given me a card that came from Finland with a Visa inside. It was not obviously my visa and I have tried him to understand that the visa wasn’t with my name and that I needed one with my name. Then he has told me that his son transacted visas. I have asked him when he would arrive, but he did not live there. Finally the man has phoned his son and gived me the telephone. Then everything has been solved. Emil (the son) spoke good English and he has commented me that he transacted Visas. The cost would be 100 $ included everything and I would have it Friday in the morning. He has indicated me the documentation that I would need. Then it has only been question of going to the Hymer, this time by bus, to come back, to give the father the passport, photos and information and to come back towards the centre. Before closing up in the caravan I have gone shopping in a small supermarket.
As we had remained, Ivana has came and we have gone to dinner. She has proposed me to go to a very cosy restaurant-pizzeria near her work. The dinner, which we have accompanied with a bottle of bulgar wine, has passed very placidly speaking about our lives in a very transparent way. Strolling after the dinner, I have explained the argument of the novel that I wrote last year and which I did not achieve to publish it. And while I was explaining it I have taken a very important decision, in some years, when I finish the journey and supposing that I achieve to publish the experiences of the journey and of the project, I will re-write the novel again from zero, I would like to improve it in many aspects.
I like Ivana, I feel quite good with her. She knows how to listen, also she knows how to show herself as she is. She has desires to get excited, to feel free again. She gets excited about what I explain to her. She is sensitive, sometimes reserved. She needs to feel loved, as everybody maybe.
Tomorrow in the afternoon we will go to visit some town to some 100 kilometres from Sofia by her car.

11/05/2006:

I have spent three fantastic days in Sofia (and an afternoon in Plovdiv), pity that the weather haven’t been good every day. I have spend quite a lot of time with Ivana, another good friend that I will leave behind. However, who knows, perhaps we see again in some other place.
I spend the afternoon of Tuesday in Plovdiv with Ivana. We went there by her car. Plovdiv is the second city more important of Bulgaria, with a certain rivalry with Sofia, because the inhabitants of Plovdiv consider that their city is with much more charm. It’s really true that the environment of Plovdiv is very different from Sofia. It has an ancient helmet climbed among five hills, with the paved streets, some churches, a roman theatre, homes with the superior flats suspended on the street. Plovdiv, unlike Sofia, also has a long pedestrian street, with commercial shops, bars, and people who stroll calmly.
Yesterday in the morning I went to connect to a free Internet connection that an Irish Pub offered. After having lunch, I started to washing by hand part of the dirty clothes that I had. It was a little painstaking, but I will have to get used on it because not many cities of the east (and after Africa and Asia) will have automatic laundries. While I washed clothes Ivana has sent me a message that this evening she could not meet me and she proposed to go to take a coffee, immediately afterwards Rositsa has sent me a message also to meet.
Rositsa is a friend that I have been knowing for time across Internet, even though we have never meet. She is Bulgarian but she lives and works in Madrid. It happened that this week she was in Sofia, because on Friday her father has to be operated because a severe illness.
On Tuesday already I replied Rositsa that I could not remain with her because I went to Plovdiv, but this time I did not want to lose the occasion of knowing her in person, therefore, I only could stroll with Ivana a small while.
Rositsa is a so beautiful girl. She seam so secure of herself, and she must be in professional level, but as you know she you discover that, is and insecure girl like everybody, with desires to find the love of her life, a love that she does not find among the many men that knocked her door. Along the night it was visible her worry for the health of her father, even though at the same time she has a great hope that he will improve. She is an orthodox Christian, therefore, I wish deeply that God listen to her prays.
We have been speaking about many things but it has surprised me the explanation of why there are locals in Sofia that open all night and you can find party every day of the week. Fist motive is that the prices of the bars and restaurants are very economic -and really it is like this- and the second one is, the Bulgarians do not usually invest in their home, even if it is falling down. Therefore, even if they do not earn too much, they have resources for going out often to party or to drink. Also I would add that the Bulgarians do not spend too much on cloth, they dress well but they do not dress to show off.
Even if Sofia seems a safe city, I always bring a knife above, as in the majority of cities. I do not believe that I was capable of using it against anybody, but if I was in a critic situation it can be quite useful to intimidate. Anyway, the best way to never be robbed is to go relaxed, showing security, but at the same time to keep on controlling discreetly yours going round. If there are suspicious persons who follow you or control you, then stop in a shop and to let them pass. If this does not work, to put on the hands in the pocket making see that you bring a weapon, o even to show the knife discreetly. And if you see that you can be in an alley without exit to start to run. If you are in a good physical form, nobody will chase you to steal you. Well, this is my theory, we will see if it works during all the journey.
This morning I have gone the Russian embassy with a colleague of Emil that transacts the Russian visa for me. On arriving I have noticed that I had to pass through a detector of metals. I have thought that I could have some problems if they found the knife that normally I bring above and I have discreetly put it in the jacket. Then I have taken out the jacket and I have left it beside the detector. I have left it so that I showed that in the jacket I brought an umbrella. Then I have passed and I have taken the jacket. The guard said anything to me. I could have brought a bomb and I would have been able to entered it equally. I do not know then why they invest so much in devices and guards.
Two days ago, Emil sent me a message commenting me that the Russian embassy did not open every day of this week and that they had to opt for a procedure of urgency that cost 140 $ instead of 100 $. I was answered him to continue with the process, but I asked Ivana to call the embassy to ask if really they where close (it wasn’t). Emil has came to the embassy and I have attempted to negotiate the 140 $ with him, but I have seeb if I did not agree on the price he halted the process. I have accepted the fixed price.
In the Russian embassy I had to meet the consul. Curiously the consul spoke Spaniard and only on entering he has briefed me in a very kind way of not being able to transact my visa. He has commented me that, in spite of having an correct invitation (the one who had provided me Emil), the Russian embassy in Bulgaria had the rule of transacting only visas of residents in Bulgaria. I have asked him if it was a question of money and he comment me that no. It was impossible. Anyway, the invitation was correct and it could be very useful to achieve the visa from another country. I have asked to Emil what I should pay to him for the invitation and he has surprised me when, while excusing himself for not having been able to transact my visa, he has given me the invitation without any cost. A great bargain, because in spite of having lost one morning, I will be able to transact the visa from another country and it will be much more economic.
I have had lunch with Ivana in a typical Bulgarian restaurant. Naturally we have eaten a salad as an entrée. It is the typical Bulgarian dish and there are of many types, normally half a card is dedicated to the salads. And she have explained to me, not only they eat them in the summer, but also in the winter.
In the afternoon we have a great walk through Sofia visiting parks, markets, shopping centres, churches, a synagogue, a mosque. I continue thinking that Sofia is a very calm city with relaxed people. There are cars parked all over, but the traffic is inferior to other cities. There are also many destitutes that simply rest and live in their corner, without asking for charity, the same as in the rest of cities of the Europe of the East.
This days it has been difficult to me to orient myself through Sofia, to know where the north and the south was. I think that the snowed mountains that there are in the south are the cause, because in my country the mountains are allways in the north. These mountains have clues of ski at less than one hour of the city. In winter many people from Sofia go to ski in the afternoon, after working, because during the night the clues are illuminated.
In the evening, I have gone to connect to Internet in the Irish pub, because tomorrow I’m going towards Macedonia and probably I will be some days without connecting. While I sent the diary of two weeks ago I have received some very nice electronic mails from Ivana. Probably, if I could stay definitively in Sofia or she could leave everything, something had happened among us. But already I keep on accepting that hardly I will find partner of journey, or a simple temporary love. I accept it and this frees me, because I can be with a girl, even if she is very attractive and interesting, and simply observe her as a friend.

Macedonia

Skopje (see on map)

12/05/2006:

This morning, while I was thinking if to go for a stroll with bicycle through the city or go away, someone have pricked the door softly. I have opened the blind and there was Ivana. She has came a while before going to work. We have seen off with a strong embrace and she has given me a jar of typical tomato jam from Bulgaria. It’s name is Lutenica and the basic ingredients are tomato, pepper and garlic or onion. It is seen that all children in Bulgaria grows eating it, often greased in the bread.
Finally I have decided to go. I have gone out from Sofia orientating with the compass. I had to go in Southwest direction, direction to Macedonia. First the road was of double lane but in very bad state, however, halfway it has been of only a lane but in good state.
In Kjustendil, little before the border, I have asked to man stop taking care of a shop at the foot of the street which was the way towards Macedonia. The man has answered me in Spaniard I "do not understand, I only speak some Spaniard". Then I have commented him that I was from Spain and he has become very happy. He has indicated me the continuation of the way and afterwards he has explained to me that little time ago he was three months in Murcia picking up lemons.
At the border I have been able to record the crossing with the spy camera that www.mtvtelevigilancia.com left me. Pity that I has not connected a cable correctly and not gotten engraved the sound. In the customs of Macedonia, a policeman has wanted to check out that I did not bring anything to declare. He has looked at the toilet, the fridge, the freezer, the cooking, the sink, a cupboard... It seems to me that he only has gossiped instead of searching.
The road in Macedonia has been with the same good state. The landscape has changed a little, it has been wavy as the rest of the Balkans, but the green was a little drier. It is sensed that Macedonia is more in the South, as regards Greece.
Little before arriving to Skopje I have had to take the motorway, because according to my map there were not other roads. On the first toll I could not pay with card and I ask the price in euros. The boy there has told me 2€. I have given him 5€ and he has given me back 150 denars and a ticket of 50 denars. Distrusting I have stopped exactly after the toll and have looked the euro/denar change to the guide that I bring. I have calculated approximately that 5€ were 300 denars, therefore the boy of the toll had deceived me. I have gone in the middle of the cars and have claimed him that the change was bad and he had to give back 100 denars. First he has given me 50 denars, but I have repeated again that I said 100, afterwards I have seen that he was counting out 90 denars, but above the mostrador I have seen one bimilk of 100 denars and I have taken it. He has looked at me very badly but he has not told me anything. Some kilometres beyond I have found another toll, I have asked the price in English and the boy has said "2€", but have seen that the price was quite a lot lower with denars and have paid with the denars that I had. Again I have taken away a bad look.
It has surprised me on arriving to Skopje that instead of churches there was mosques (later I have given that there were also churches, but lower, because long ago they couldn’t been constructed higher than the mosques). I have attempted to park where I believed that the centre was, near the point of information, in the ancient city. But people who wandered for there have not seemed too much nice to me and I have moved the caravan towards the other side of the river. I have parked above sidepark, like the rest of cars, and I have gone out to stroll. This area, the south of the city is much more commercial, with a lot of youth strolling, streets restricted to the traffic, many bars and terraces...
In the evening, after working a little with the computer I have gone out to party. I have found a coffee very interesting where a group with music played rock-jazz. I have asked where the party followed and people have indicated me a club, but on arriving there it was too full. Outside I have known a couple that they have accompanied me to another club with electronic music. I have been quite a lot of while talking to this couple, the girl studied architecture and the boy had studied art, I had been 6 years in New York. Maybe this fact made him more open, because I have found that the rest of youth of Skopje was quite closed.

13/05/2006:

Today I have devoted good part of the day to stroll through Skopje, a city with two areas well differentiated. The south, where I have spent the night, does not have interest points but it is full of trades, terraces, bars... The people stroll calmly through the streets restricted to the traffic, near the river and a big square. From the square you can walk over a bridge that crosses the river. Just in the other side the environment changes drastically. The streets restricted to the traffic continue but instead of modern bars and trades they are full of shops and bars of Arab style. In this area the mentioned Turkish bazar is spread. In this side of the city also can be visited some Turkish baths converted now into museum, a church excavated partly underground (because before they could not raise a church higher than a mosque), several mosques, a big market with every type of products, a fortress,...
Just entering in the Arab city there is a point of touristic information. I have entered there, even though the guide Lonely Planet indicated that the deal that they exempted was not much good. I has been attended for a boy of Turkish builds. Contrarily to what the guide explained there has been the place where I have been briefed better. The boy has been incredibly nice, and even he has proposed me a very beautiful itinerary to arrive at Ohrid, the nearby city that I will visit. I have commented him what I had read in the guide and then he has explained me that sometimes there is another girl who is terribly unkind, but he can not change anything.
When I was going to visit the church of Sveti Spas, I have found an English guy with which I have pioneered conversation. He was working some months in Skopje with an NGO. We have gone to lunch together a kebab and before he went I have proposed him to take the pulse from of the world with him.
Marc, this was his name, thought that the main problem of the world was the poverty. The solution would be in creating or promoting local companies in the areas where there is poverty. Individually the solution would be on buying local and non international brands. The main problem of London was also the poverty, even though the social security also helps to solve the problem. Marc is very happy, without reason. He would be happier if he had his girlfriend with him. The secret of the happiness is to appreciate the things that we have.
When I was coming back of the walk, I have received a message in the mobile from a girl that I had contacted two days ago through Internet. She has proposed me to meet at 9:30 of the evening in front of the statue of the Mother Teresa. After working a little with the computer and of connecting to Internet, I have directed there.
Lily is a very sweet girl that is studying informatics. We have gone from the centre to drink a beer in a remote bar. She has been explaining me about the two months she spend in Spain, the cities that she visited, the parties... She has also been explaining me that the majority of the Macedonians (her included) does not like Albanians, normally Muslims and less educated (according to her). We have been speaking about feelings and nationalities. We have commented that the Serbian does not have adverse feelings with Macedonia, however Macedonia don’t like Serbia. However, Serbia and Croatia have adverse feelings mutually. She has compared it with Catalonia and Spain, that there are adverse feelings in both parts, and Catalonia and Valencia, with adverse feelings only on the part of the Valencians.
Lily has lost her bus. Then we have gone to dance to a club where a group played music and I have later brought her to her home.

Ohrid (see on map)

14/05/2006:

I have spent the night in front of Lily’s home, which lives on the outskirts of Skopje. Asking some times I have found the road that goes towards Ohrid, my nearby destination, a town beside a lake that made border with Albania. The road has become motorway during a few kilometres, but this time, in none of the three tolls I have passed, they have attempted to deceive me.
Past Gostivar I have turn right, as the boy of the office of tourism indicated me, and I have kept on following a small road at times with very good state and at times with big holes in the pavement. The road passed near some snowed mountains, among splendid forests and near three lakes dispersed along the path.
After the second lake I have stopped in the monastery of St. Joan Baptista, a monastery with some exquisite altarpieces of wood. In the second lake, while I made a photo of a hole that was in the middle of the water, a man who was waiting beside the road has pioneered a conversation with me with an null English. Then he has asked me if I could take him some ten kilometres beyond. The man seemed to be trustable and have token him. During the way he has explained to me in signs that he was married and that he had two sons and a daughter, also that he had a brother working in United States. Then he has asked me if I was married, and for not lengthening too much my answer, I have indicated him with signs that I was separate.
I have arrived at Ohrid with no idea of where the centre could be. But using the intuition and asking I have arrived there. I have parked beside a promenade that borders the lake. While I went down of Hymer a cross-eyed man has neared me and he has briefed me of not being able to camp there, then he has commented me that he could offer me a place to park the car. I have thanked him the information but I have explained to him that I would liven up.
I have strolled a little through the side of the lake and through the main street of the town, a street restricted to the traffic with a few bars, terraces and shops that has reminded me of the touristic streets of some town of Costa Brava (in Catalonia). I have drink a beer and I have come back to the caravan, where for the first time in the journey I have visualised a film that I had recorded in the comuter: "Samaritan Girl", a quite interesting Korean film.

15/05/2006:

I have been working big part of the morning, I have been writing the article of the 9nou newspaper, selecting cuts of voice of the interviews for Catalunya Radio, editing images... Just before noon I have come out to stroll though Ohrid, I have asked some local persons where the point of touristic information was, but nobody knew it. Anyway, asking I have kept on finding the majority of points of interest of the town.
Ohrid was still with the air of touristic town, but being Monday, there were more workers in the shops and streets than tourists. The ancient part of the town preserves paved streets that keep on climbing calmly mountain up. The main points of interest of the town are three mediaeval, very beautiful orthodox churches. The first is in the town, the second solitary on the lake and the third setting in the mountain. The town also have a citadel that was closed.
Before coming back to the Hymer, I have bought a calzone for an only euro. Afterwards, as I had planed, as I have connected to Internet to send the articles that I had written in the morning, I have gone to a shop of food to spend all the denars I had and I have continued going towards the south, bordering the lake of Ohrid.
In the office of tourism of Skopje they had recommended me to cross the border with Albania through the south of the lake of Ohrid, because just at the border, there is the interesting monastery of St. Naum. The church was lovely, the pity was that the rest of dependences of the monastery had become a hotel. Normally they do not let make photos in churches, but there, have left discreetly the camera on a pulpit and have left it made a photo automatically and it was enough good.
After visiting the monastery of St. Naum I have gone towards the border, very near. I have crossed the border of Macedonia without problems, but when I have arrived to the border of Albania they have briefed I should cross the border through the north of the lake, where there is the main road, because of the type of vehicle I was driving. I have attempted to argue a good while with them that this was not good for tourism but seeing that the rules were established, I have turned back. I have come back to the border with Macedonia and even though I had just crossed it in contrary way they have gived problems me to cross it again. During a good while I thought that I should stay to live forever among the border of Albania and Macedonia. The problem was that the documentation of the vehicle was at name of "Autosuministros Motor", the company that let me the Hymer. I had a document in Spaniard where it specifies this agreement. But the boy of the border argued that this document had to go through notary. Finally he has let me cross.
I have droved the 80 kilometres again in contrary way until the other cross border. I have crossed the border of Macedonia again without problems, but in Albania they have noticed again that the vehicle was not at my name. They have been analysing more than one hour the contract between "Autosuministros Motor" and me written in Spanish. But finally they have let me pass through after paying a rate of 3 euros for the vehicle and 10 euros for the visa.
When I’ve crossed the border it was already night. I have stopped a moment in a col to have dinner and I have continued till the beginning of one town. I have parked the caravan in a spare ground, on the other side of a pair of bars. My intention is always to sleep in inhabited zones, so, if someone never attempt to steal me during the night I can activate the alarm and generate a scandal that surely would frighten the bandits away.
I have started to reply messages of mail in the dark, when somebody has knocked at the door. I have switched off the computer and I have opened the blind of the window. A boy who has greeted me and has started to make me questions: "Do I travel with woman and children"?, I "Yes", " where are you going?" I "Tirana"... Finally he has told me that he was from the bar in front and that if I wanted it could go to take a coffee. Also he has commented me something about paying the car park but I have told him that it was not necessary. From the window I have seen how he went away till the bar and he entered there. If the boy was from the bar he would not be dangerous.
Anyway, when I already was attempting to start sleeping, somebody have knocked at the door again. I have opened the window again a little annoying. There was the same boy of before and he has asked me if I preferred to pay him the car park today or tomorrow. I have answered to him pointing out my annoyance that I did not pay any car park and I have closed the window and the blind noisily.

Albania

Tirana (see on map)

16/05/2006:

Tonight, I do not know which time it should be, someone have come back to knock at the door. I have not bothered to get up nor to reply. But they have continued knocking at the door. Then I have let sound the alarm half second. They have knocked at the door again. But after three more seconds of alarm they have left me alone.
I have been awakened again at six of the morning. This time they were not knocking at the door, but they were splashing the caravan with water at pressure. I have thought that they could not damage any thing and I have slept again.
Towards eight, while I was awakening again. Someone have turned on again the hose against the Hymer. I have gotten up and have noticed that the fridge did not work, probably because they had thrown water at pressure through the grid of ventilation of the gas. I have started to become of quite angry, and more when have noticed that some water trickled under the fridge. I have started to have breakfast but as have realized that they still continued splashing with pressure the Hymer I have decided to go immediately.
I have opened the blind and then I have seen that two boys of some eighteen years were soaping and splash the caravan. The truth is that before I had it quite dirty and more of one time had thought that I should wash it. They have greeted me smiling and I feel sorry to damn them with the blind closed. I have given two dollars to the boys, who have become very happy, and I have gone away with the very shiny Hymer.
On going have noticed that the area where I had parked was full of hoses splashing in all directions. I had parked in the centre of a car wash.
I have stopped some kilometres beyond and I have just had breakfast, I have had a shower and I have cleaned the caravan for inside.
I have continued the way towards Tirana through some very good roads. But halfway, in Elbasan, the road has started to climb through the mountain and become more tortuous. However, the landscape has become very interesting and beautiful. At the beginning of this new road there were many peasants selling plaits of cherries for less than 10 cents of euro. Even though I did not have local coin for buying them, when I stopped to take some photo of the landscape, they greeted me very cordially. The Albanians of the mountains seem very hospitable people.
During all the journey, has surprised me the great amount of Mercedes that circulated, new or old, it is the sane. I do not exaggerate if I affirm almost 50% of the cars that I kept on crossing, advancing me or advancing them were of the brand Mercedes.
Following the main road I have arrived to the centre of Tirana without problems. I have droved through the chaotic city and finally have parked in one of the main streets, with a big sign of prohibited to park but all full of parked cars.
I have gone out to stroll and the modernity of the city has surprised me. Here, aside of Mercedes, also circulated some Humers, these big North American all-road vehicles. The girls dressing to be looked and the boys walking with pride. Despite everything, the majority of buildings were decadents and the streets dusty, but maybe for little time, because many were with works.
In the map of the city there was a river drawn. When I have crossed it I have doubted if really that trickle of water was the river of the map. But really it was, because as the map indicated, some metres beyond was opened the big square of Skenderbeg, with four of the main monuments of interest of Tirana: a statue of a national hero, a mural in the façade of the Nacional Museum of History, a mosque and a tower clock.
I have entered into the mosque, asking for permission to the bearded boys of the entry and removing away the shoes. I have seated and have relaxed in the inland, while I admired the centennial paintings of the dome and observed some inclining believers direction the Meca.
Having visited the main monuments of the city, I have continued strolling without a fixed direction. There was great number of bars and terraces, the majority plenum of youth talking relaxed. I have drink a beer in one of them. The people, or maybe the youth, seemed a bit closed and in the evening have confirmed this sensation.
I wanted to ask where I could find some good locals with good music and I have asked some girls if they spoke English. They have moved back from me not even without responding. I have thought that the girls of Tirana should be shy and I have made the same question to a boy, but he has looked at me frightened and answered me "not" (he had understood me!). Finally I have listened somebody behind me speaking English and I have asked them. Two English have recommended me in a very kind way one local surrounded with a garden.
There I have drunk a beer beside some girls. Fearing the worst of the answers I have attempted to pioneer conversation with this girls who there were beside the bar, but contrarily what I though, they have been very friendly.
I have been all night talking with Glejda Ana, two students of economics and textile engineering respectively. They have confirmed me that the people of Tirara are usually very reserved, like on towns. Also they are very traditional. talking about Albania they have explained me that the economics is not too good, even though it is improving slowly. They have complained that there was not too much work (it seems to me that it is a world-wide problem). At the same time, Albania has great economic inequalities between rich people and poor people. And one fact resorting to non community Europe: they can not go out of the country without visa, it is very difficult to achieve it and they feel prisoners in their own country.
If I am sincere, Albania was the country of Europe that fears more to visit, perhaps because it was the last one to abandon communism , because I has been said that it is very poor or rather because I did not know anything about it. But after a day among Albanians, I will tell you that I feel very safe and accommodated.

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