Diary 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. Data:              Tara:  2--- Europe ---2006-03-04 - Spain2006-03-06 - France2006-03-17 - Switzerland2006-03-20 - Italy2006-04-12 - Slovenia2006-04-18 - Croatia2006-04-19 - Austria2006-04-25 - Slovakia2006-04-26 - Hungary2006-05-01 - Yuguslavia2006-05-06 - Serbia2006-05-07 - Bulgaria2006-05-12 - Macedonia2006-05-16 - Albania2006-05-22 - Greece2006-05-28 - Macedonia2006-05-30 - Turkey2006-06-05 - Bulgaria2006-06-06 - Romania2006-06-17 - Ukraine2006-06-25 - Russia2006-07-08 - Finland2006-07-19 - Norway2006-07-24 - Sweden2006-08-01 - Estonia2006-08-05 - Latvia2006-08-07 - Lithuania2006-08-09 - Poland2006-08-18 - Czech Republic2006-08-29 - Germany2006-09-19 - Denmark2006-09-29 - Germany2006-10-06 - Netherlands2006-10-23 - Belgium2006-11-11 - Luxemburg2006-11-15 - Germany2006-11-17 - France2006-11-28 - Spain--- Africa ---2007-03-10 - Morroco2007-04-04 - Mauritania2007-04-14 - Mali2007-05-03 - Niger2007-05-15 - Nigeria2007-05-16 - Cameroon2007-06-14 - Gabon2007-06-27 - Congo2007-07-12 - RD Congo2007-07-16 - Angola2007-07-21 - Namibia2007-07-28 - South Africa2007-09-28 - Botswana2007-10-01 - Zambia2007-10-16 - Malawi2007-10-29 - Tanzania2007-11-09 - Kenya2007-11-24 - Ethiopia2008-01-14 - Sudan2008-01-27 - Egypt--- Asia ---2008-02-23 - Jordan2008-03-04 - Israel - Palestina2008-03-10 - Jordan2008-04-06 - Israel - Palestina2008-04-08 - Xipre2008-04-10 - Greece2008-05-12 - Turkey2008-06-07 - Greece2008-06-10 - Turkey2008-07-05 - Iran2008-08-16 - Pakistan2008-09-23 - India2008-10-28 - Nepal2008-11-14 - India2009-03-15 - Nepal2009-03-30 - India2009-04-01 - Thailand2009-04-21 - Laos2009-05-13 - Cambodja2009-05-29 - Thailand2009-06-08 - Malaysia2009-07-03 - Vietnam2009-07-21 - China2009-08-13 - Tibet2009-08-29 - Nepal2009-09-03 - India2009-09-19 - Pakistan2009-09-26 - Iran2009-10-08 - Turkey2009-11-18 - Romania2009-11-26 - Italy2009-11-28 - Spain2010-06-01 - US2010-06-10 - Spain2010-06-15 - US2010-09-24 - Canada2010-10-03 - US2010-10-08 - Canada2010-10-26 - US2011-01-23 - Mexico2011-03-03 - Cuba2011-03-15 - Mexico2011-03-24 - Belize2011-03-28 - Guatemala2011-04-23 - Nicaragua2011-05-11 - Costa Rica  ‹ Previous (29/07/2006)  LUNA   Next (2006-09-27)›                     ‹ Previous (2006-08-09 - Poland)  TARA   Next (2006-08-29 - Germany)› Czech Republic Litomerice (see on map) 28/08/2006: Normally I do not pay when I park in the public car parks of payment, the typical blue zones. At most I expose myself to a fine that will probably not arrive at home. But when we have awakened mid-morning a man came and claimed-us to pay. I have tried to explain him that we had arrived in the night and that we didnt noticed that it was an area of payment (and really it was like this), but after this we left . We have parked a hundred metres beyond, in front of a supermarket to make the shopping of the week. But on going out we met again with the same man claiming us the ticket of the parking warning us that he will call the police. I already know that it is bad, but i am a little too Latin or Mediterranean and if I can avoid to pay I do not pay. And in this case I have not paid, and when I told him that he can call to the police he did not do it. After buying we have gone towards Litomerice, a little town close to Germany that according to the guide seemed interesting. When we have arrived mid- afternoon it was raining. We have parked in the centre and we have kept sleeping a while in the car but have not awakened until the evening. Then instead of visiting the town (still it rained) we have gone to park in front of a shopping centre (calmer to sleep) and we have started to work. I have been writing an article for the 9nou and cambio16. On the former days i was a little worried because i did not know about what to write, since the last week in cehia I had not found many people and i realy like to write about the people and their feelings and thoughts. But this afternoon i had the idea about writing an article summarising and making an analyses of all interviews carried out until now. Germany Dresden (see on map) 29/08/2006: In the morning I wrote the article on the interviews carried out until now: which are the problems of the world and the possible solutions. Afterwards we went to visit Litomerice . It is a small town, without too many points of interest, but it has a pretty square and an interesting avenue with pretty sights. Arround midday we have reached Terezín, 4 kilometros away from Litomerice. Terezín is a citadel of the eighteenth century that it was used by the Nazis as concentration camp. At present, the buildings that before were centres of seclusion have turned into homes, schools, shops and some museums, which we have not entered because it had to be paid and we had already used almost all the Czech crowns. When finishing the short visit we have started to drive towards Dresden, Germany, not too many kilometres from where we were. Alexandra has noticed that the north of Czech Republic is very industrialised, with many factories . We have deduced that the fact that is closer to Germany has attracted a lot of investment. Near to the border we have found another consequence of the closness with a richer country. The sides of the road, for where many lorries circulated, were full of prostitutes. But the most surprising thing is that some were in some wooden cabins with some shop windows of crystal faced to the road where they were exhibited just with underwear. Arriving to the border, Alexandra was nervous. Crossing the border meant turning the clepsidra of the legal time that she can spend in shenguen. When having Romanian passport, Alexandra had a maximum of 90 days to each 6 months to travel in the countries of the shenguenspace . she had already used 14 days traveling through Scandinavia, therefore they only remained 76. If Alexandra wants to keep traveling till the end of year through Europe she should travel illegaly. We had already consulted other options and they seemed complicated or impossible. On the other hand, we had also tried to obtain a visa to enter the United Kingdom, but was also difficult, or impossible since she had to return to Romania to request it. So, United Kingdom and Ireland will remain discarded of the itinerary. We have crossed troublefree the border and have just reached Dresden driving on roads in works and full of traffic lights. We have parked in the town centre and have gone out to walk, not too much, because Alexandra was obsessed in finding a point of access to Internet. Anyway we have been able to walk tosome palaces, churches and exquisite buildings. But we have not found the point of access to Internet. When we already were about to return we have received two almost simultaneous messages on the mobile, one from Sophia and the other one from Martin, both gotten in touch through Internet. Sophia invited us to dine and Martin to meet us. We have preferred to meet with Sophia although later also Martin.came. Sophia lives in a shared flat in the new city, even if it is almost just as old as the old one. Afterwards, she and Regine, one her friends that came later, have explained us that the old city is the place where the kings lived, the part that we had recurred moments before, and in the new town, to the other side of the river, it was where the markets were and where the proletarians lived. Afterwards Martin came too and we have kept talking about Dresden, which had been strongly bombarded by the Americans little before finishing the second world war, according to Martin, because it was the city with more nazi members. After the enf of the war Dresden remained in the East german block, and the communists left some churches without reconstructing as monuments to the barbarities carried out by the Americans. But after the reunification of Germany, they started to reconstruct these churches, one of them inaugurated recently and the another still in reconstruction. It does not stop being curious that despite not having been erased in a complete way the memory of the war reappears to the Nazism again with force, especially in the east of germany. As they explained, the cause is that the east of germany was not used to the immigration during the communism and suddenly started to receive many immigrants and racism ,that brings so many fears ,was generated.. At the end of the conversation Martin did surprised me a lot. The Germans are usually well received in the Arab countries with comments of the type: "Hitler yes he had good ideas", due to the hatred that have in common towards the Jews. What do not seem these Arabs to know is that their genes are not Aryan either, and if Nazism would triumph in all the world, they would be the following ones to pass through the crematories. We were speaking on many other subjects . Among them I interviewed Regine and Martin. Martin thought that the main problem of the world is the egoism because it provokes conflicts and destroys the relations. Perhaps it could be solved with genetic m anipulation, although the egoism also has its positive part, since it takes part in the evolution. Personally he could work as volunteer to help in the solution of the problem. The greatest problem of Germany is the political system. There are too many political parties of the former school. The European union could help change the mentality and he could collaborate being pointed to a political party. Martin thinks he is happy, is healthy, has family, friends... but he would be happier living in an apartment with his girlfriend. The secret of happiness is to discover that the bad things that happen to you, in the end are not so bad. Regina thought that the main problem of the world is the global heating and the climatic change. The solution would be found when stopping all the emanation of carbon dioxide. she could help not driving car, using less water... The main problem of Germany is the lack of work. The politicians should provide the solution, but it does not seem that they want to find it or to contribute. Regina doesnt feel happy, at least until she finishes the studies. she would be happier if it entered the sun to the library where she studies. The secret of happiness is the chocolate. she likes to travel because she can buy different types of chocolate . 31/08/2006: Yesterday in the morning we solved partially the problem of the gas and also of the heating of the selfcaravan. It was about three weeks ago when i received the electronic mail from Hymer / Spain in which they informed me that there was a series of selfcaravans that had a problem in the boiler of heating ,that had to be changed urgently. My selfcaravan was included in this situation. I went to the distributor of Hymer in Prague and they told me that to solve the problem i had to go to other town at about 80 kilometres in the south. Also they informed me that if i do not solve the problem the boiler could start to burn, so I waited to solve the problem in Dresden. It happened that the distributor of Hymer in Dresden was also distributor of Campingaz. Anyway they only had two full carboys. But it was not a problem, because the Spanish gas cylinder still lasted. After changing both carboys we had to wait for a while that a technician finished eating and next he changed the frame of the boiler. We parked in the centre and we were all the afternoon expecting to stop raining and we worked. Finally, we decide to go out in a moment when the rain stopped, and we were lucky because it did not rain until we returned to the Hymer two hours later. The light was also very interesting to do photos, and i stopped many times to do tens of different framing in front of every building, that the patience of Alexandra dissapeared completely. In the evening Sophia sent us a message inviting us to have breakfast on the following day. And thats how we made it this morning. We have bought bread and Sophia has offered the jam made by her mother. I have found curious that to open the jam jar all the jam was found above with an air stratum in the bottom. Sophia has explained that in order to be preserved for more time,her mother turns head down the jars. Alexandra has commented that to preserve the jam longer her mother puts an Aspirin in the jar and keeps it with heat during a week. I have explained that my mother I believe only that she puts the jars in watter bath. We have taken advantage of Sophia having internet to work a good while and to send the journal of Slovenia. In finishing and right before saying goodbye I have interviewed Sophia who thought that the main problem of the world was the hatred and the violence. The solution would go through understanding eachother, and afterwards to accept eachother. In Germany the main problem is the age of the people, anyway the immigration makes the average age decrease. Sophia feels happy because her life is full of surprises. She would be happier if her life went on a good path. Ishe likes to travel for when she travels she is entering in a new dimension, that of the new country, and she is learning new things. We have started to drive towards Kloden, a small village, that did not appear on the map, half way between Dresden and Berlin. In Kloden there was a great meeting of hospitalityclub. Anyway, when we have arrived in the evening there were about twenty people of the 150 noted, since the opening day was the following day. We have been conversing, eating, drinking, listening to music, killed mosquitoes and bared the cold. It has been a nice evening party.after explaining my journey, a boy from Holland showed me a book related to this that I have found very interesting. The book written in the form of journal and with many images tells the adventures of a couple of Poles who were traveling five years for all the world doing hitchhiking. I have noted the name myself: "Led by Destiny", the author: "Kinga Freespirit" and the Isbn: 83-7380-205-3, with the intention of buying it. going through it has encouraged me to keep writing this journal with the expectation to publish a stripped-down version when finishing the journey. Kl?den (see on map) 03/09/2006: We have passed three days at the hospitalityclub camp in Kloden. Throughout Friday many more people arrived. In total we were a hundred, the majority very interesting but with desires of having fun, with a lot of beer. But also playing volleyball, soccer, swimming in the lake, visiting the small village of Kloden, taking part in different workshops: baking bread workshop, body painting, driving the trabant... But definitely to drink beer was one of the main sports and games, and some took it very seriously. Spontaneously a worckshop of openings of beers without opener was organised: lighter, empty bottle, bent journal, coin of a cent of euro, teeth, ring... Different games of drinking beer using dice or coins were also organised. the game "I have never ever...". In turns, every participant did a sentence of the style: "I have never made sex in a lift", the participants next drank if in this case they had never made sex in a lift, or they did not drink otherwise. But the funniest game, as to minimum for the spectator, was a game that involved two teams of about ten people each.both of the teams were situated one infront of the other. In the centre there were five empty bottles of beer. Every participant had a bottle of full beer nearby. The first team threw a ball against the bottles of the centre. If the bottles fell, the other team had to move to collect them while the first team drank as much beer as could until the second team crossed the line again and they screamed "Stop"!. And like this successively until all the beer was finished by one of the two teams which also won the game. But not everything was about drink, I also had occasion of knowing fantastic people and of maintaining interesting conversations: about friendship, Sicilian mafia, about journeys, about my journey... I also found former friends, especially known in Vilnius: Lorea, Bret of Australia and Florian from Germany. Florian continued in the same crazy way , or more, that in Lithuania. Immediately converted in the king of the holiday with unclassifiable actions as drinking beer from the shoe of another participant of the camp. At the camp there was also a German of about forty years, Peter, who was traveling for all the world with a LandRover. he had driven all the American continent in two years. Now he thought to do shorter journeys, of only five or eight months because his mother is ill. On the other hand he explained that before starting to travel, his woman abandoned him for another man and then he decided to sell the business and the home to be able to dedicate the rest of the life to know new countries and cultures. Naturally I showed interest in technical aspects of his journey, as the transport cost of the car up to America (about 1300 € and about 1800 € of turn from Argentina). he also told me about a "card of Passage", expensive but very useful and essential to cross some countries of Africa or Asia. I also knew different boys who traveled for all the world doing hitchhiking or using economic means. One of them planned on traveling soon for Orient including Afghanistan, while one of his friend wanted to cross Africa from north to South only by hitchhiking and without paying any means of transport. he explained that they would do a big fair well party perhaps because they would not meet again. Naturally use the ocasion, to do quite a lot of interviews, about ten.i would have been able to make more, but I tried not to press anybody to come in front of the camera. On the other hand, some kept postponing the interview because they were not in perfect state of lucidity. The first to interview was Florian, which despite being famous for his madness it proved to have a very clear head. Florian thought that the main problem of the world was the meanness of some people, who want more and more and unbalance the world. Part of the solution would be in projects like Hospitalityclub, which help you understand the problems a little. At personal level he tries to declare to the people that surround him that to be happy you dont need so many material possessions. The main problem of Germany is the collapse of the welfare state, there is less money for the social security and greater problems. Florian feels happy, even if he is also melancholic and thinks that it can also be learned from sorrow. The secret of happiness is to enjoy every moment. he likes to travel because he has converted it in a way of life: knowing new cultures and learning from them. Lorea from Vilnius thought that the main problem in the world is the lack of homes, of food and jobs. In Lithuania she does not think that there are great problems even if the people complain a lot. She feels happy because the world is marvelous. sHe doesnt know if she wants to be happier, but perhaps she does not need it. Irma from Estonia opined that the greatest problem of the world was that the division of resources is based on interests and not on needs. The problem is, in Estonia the migration of the population towards other countries. If there were more jobs in the country they would not leave. Irma is not completely happy. At present has to take a decision that can change her life, will be happy afterwards maybe. The secret of happiness is to know what you want to do and to do it with passion. sHe enjoys traveling because she can obtain new ideas and when she returns home she has more energy to work. Jens from Germany thought that the main problem of the world is the confrontation among religions. He is atheistic and can therefore not understand the fanaticism and conflicts among the religions. he could help from some NGO. In Germany, the pessimism is a great problem. The solution would be a long process of reassessment of what they have and of what they can make. He could collaborate in the solution simply by being and accepting the other ones. Jens feels happy because he can live as he `wants. he could be happier if he would have more money. The secret of happiness is to find your own personality and to let you be surprised. he likes to travel and to learn, nature, religions, and the people. Manuel from Germany, one of the organisers of the camp, gave an opinion that the greatest problem of the world are the wars and the destruction they cause. They could finish if the politicians and the population would be more peacefull and if they would respect more. He thinks that organising the present camp is a way of collaborating in the solution. In Germany, the main problem is the way of thinking. They want to be or are considered perfect. They should try to be simpler. The solution would be found in observing other cultures and improving without so much stress. Manuel feels happy because soon ihe will go to Australia for 1 year. In the future he would be happier having family. The secret of happiness is found in living the moment. He enjoys traveling because ihe likes to be on the road and to know people. Marcus from Australia thought that the greatest problem is the ignorance. It could be solved if the countries were more open and invested more in education. he can help traveling and sharing opinions. Australia is a multicultural country and the people are tolerant, anyway one of the main problems can be the immigration. It would be solved if there would be more equality between the countries. he does not know whether he can do anything to collaborate in the solution, in fact he feels egoistical because he does not want to think in that. Marcus is happy because his life is satisfactory. he is happy with what he has and learns from other people who live with less. The secret of happiness is to adjust you to yourself. he feels that he can not stop traveling, is surprised of the things that sees and the people that knows. Ola from Poland gives an opinion that the greatest problem in the world are wars because the people die without reason. sHe does not think that this problem can be solved, but she can do something by listening to the people and preventing conflicts. In Poland, the greatest problem is the lack of jobs. The solution would be the investition in infrastructures. Before collaborating in the solution she should find work. Ola, sometimes felt happy and sometimes not. she would be happier if she knew that what she is making will have some meaning in the future. The secret of happiness is to do what you like and to have friends and family. Zane from Latvia opined that the greatest problem of the world is George Bush. The solution would be in the communication without violence. It can help lodging people through hospitalityclub. In Latvia, the greatest problem is the government. They only want to govern although they are not able to do it. Zane feels happy because she works and studies and has time to do hitchhiking and to know new things. she could be happier if ishe could work where she wanted. The secret of happiness is to be free but without affecting your environment negatively. She enjoys traveling, but also hosting people, who do not stop being another way of traveling. Ewald from Holland thought that the main problem in the world is the money. The politicians and the church only act to increase the problem. For example, America helped Europe during the second world war, but the main motif was economic. The solution is complicated, because those that move the wheel of the money are not people but the institutions and companies. He tries to collaborate in the solution expressing his opinion and sometimes demonstrating. In Holland, the main problem is the liberalisation and privatisation of all the state companies, even the health. A possible solution would be not to buy from big multinationals, although it is complicated. Ewald feels happy although soon the holidays will be finished for him. He would be happier with less duties and more freedom. The secret of happiness is to enjoy life. Peter, the German that traveled for all the world with a LandRover, gave an opinion that the main problem of the world are the borders, especially if you travel. In Germany there are many people without work. He does not know the solution, nor politicians nor businessmen have it. He considers himself happy. he would be happier with a woman on his side. The secret of happiness: every day to drink one glass of wine. Ivan from Spain thought the main problem of the world is the lack of communication among people since that provokes the wars, hunger..., the politicians should be more idealistic and should worry more for solving the global problems some to look for short-term economic results . At individual level we should take conscience and act afterwards with coherence, implicating. In Spain, the main problem is political. The people only seem to be interested in the policy and the politicians in communicating their ideas. Ivan is not happy because he has to work, but out of the working hours he is one of the happiest people of earth. he would be happier being really free. To obtain this freedom would be the secret of happiness in his view. Berlin (see on map) 04/09/2006: During the camp, three Dutch asked us to take them up to Berlin once the camp finished. One of the boys will sit on the floor of the Hymer and despite being illegal and dangerous for his safety I accepted. Anyway, before leaving, we have loaded one more couple from Lithuania. In principle only up to the main road, but to the end we have also taken them up to Berlin. We have arrived to Berlin, quite late. We have said goodbye to all of them, although after eating we have found them again in an Internet shop. But we have not connected ourselves there because Alexandra has discovered a Hostel that offered Internet connection Wifi and have had the luck of being able to park in front. Anyway it seems that it is not a parking area, since when returning from a small walk we have found a note from police, forbidden, but no fine, for the moment. 06/09/2006: These two first days I have not had too many wishes to run into anybody. I am still a little tired from being with so many people at the camp. Apart from working quite a lot making use of the connection of Internet of the Hostel in front, we have been doing small tours with bicycle, locating the point of information, a supermarket, a laundry. We have parked close to Alexander platz, which emphasizes by the emblematic and horrible television antenna, of 368 meters height and visible from most of the parts of the city. On Tuesday we went with bicycle up to the Branderburg tor, the other characteristic symbol of Berlin. For here the famous wall of Berlin passed through, but it is not any longer. So, after the photos of rigour we could continue for the other side, in front of the immense park of Tergarten, and even the Reichstag, headquarters of the German parliament. Today in the morning, while Alexandra was connected to Internet, I went with the Hymer to load water and to empty the toilet. It has surprised me that in a gasstation they wanted to charge me 5 € to load 80 litres of water to the Hymer, but in the following gasstation I have loaded the water using a tap that was in sight and without asking. This gasstation was in southeast, following the river Spree. Very near about 300 meters was the old wall of Berlin . The wall is painted by different artists, but the time has discoloured many of the messages. On the other side of the wall, making use of the fifty meters that separate it from the river, I have discovered a beach, with sand, parasols, and some alternative bars filling the rest of the space. There were not too many people, but it had to be a point of interesting amusement at night. In the afternoon we have done another tour with bicycle, first looking for the laundry but afterwards without preset destination. It has been difficult to find the laundry, basically because at first we did not understand how the numbers of the streets worked. They seemed completely untidy, but we have found the logic afterwards. On the one hand, instead of having the par numbers on a side and the couples in the other side, in Berlin the numeration of the streets is increased by one until it arrives at the end of the street and keeps being increased afterwards continuing in contrary sense for the other side. This way, you can find, to have the number 10 nearby and on the other side of the street to have the number 87,instead of the number 9. When returning from the small excursion with bicycle we have found the first fine, but in the street kept parking other cars, with fine and everything, therefore we have decided not to move at the moment the autocaravan. 07/09/2006: Today in the morning I have done a great excursion with bicycle. It would have been nice if Alexandra would have accompanied me,but she preferred having a little independence and has decided to give a ride on her way. First I went near Alexander platz, where there is a former church that at present is a museum with many scale models of Berlin. It has surprised me this use of the church but has also given me the impression that the Germans, or at least the Berliners, are not very religious. In one of the scale models I have seen a building that seemed interesting. I have gone there but it has not been to be very interesting. However, in the park in front there was a grave with three bears, one of the symbols of Berlin. In fact, the name of the city refers to the bears. I have kept going over the streets, full of posters of the candidates to the next regional elelctions, going towards the Checkpoint Charlie, the main point of crossing between the east Berlin and west during the cold war. outside there is a small exhibition explaining how the division of Germany was done and of Berlin at the end of the second worlds war among the allied forces: United States, Great Britain, France and Russia. From this distribution among four it can be understood that Germany of the West and also the West Berlin, occupied more space than the communist area. A little beyond these explanatory panels I was surprised seeing in the face of a retort of the check point a couple of soldiers each with a big American flag . Nearby somebody had just done the August sealing passports with the original stamp pads of the check point. About two hundred meters in the east, the museum of the topography of the terror can be visited. A museum in the open air, behind another segment of the wall of Berlin, in which are explained all the atrocities that the Nazis made since they occupied the power till the end of the second world war. The area seemed quite visited, and not only by tourists. I have followed the way with bicycle passing through a commercial area with an impressive covered square. I have been arround the gardens of Tiergarten, with practically wild areas and others very neat, with quite a lot of people sunbathing, especially at the end, where there was a nudist area. Behind the zoo, that occupies part of the park, is the church Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche half in ruins from the second world war. A good remembrance of the bombardments that they also suffered. while turning I have stopped to photograph the impressive main train station of Berlin and i went to one small footpath next to the river full of terraces and small artificial beaches, with sand that never arrived to the water, I suposed too dirty to swin in it. in the night I went with Alexandra to a meeting of Hospitalityclub. Basically there were the same people of the camp, but only about fifteen or twenty, that had to go dressed, in Muslims, the girls with handkerchiefs in the head and the boys with turban. Another evening party has been nice, with cuscús, quite a lot of beer (pardon, apple juice), jokes in which we tried to defend the Islamic orthodoxy and interesting conversations. I have talked with Martin, which is recurring all Germany with bicycle. He commented that he almost always circulated through bycicle lanes since in all Germany there are more than 400.000 kilometres. I have also conversed with Salvo, from Italy, who allexplained how he studied Business Studies for his mother on condition of being able to travel afterwards. 08/09/2006: At noon we met all the travelers that we saw at the party yesterday. We have had to wait for an hour in the lawn of Alexander platz, before everybody arrived . But it didnt matter, because near there was a supermarket and the journeys to buy beer have been frequent. While we waited I have suggested to visit the bears that i had discovered yesterday. As there has not been any other proposal they have followed me without any haste. First we have passed a shop with big teddy bears through the old town where i was yesterday. Before arriving to the corner I have exclaimed: - in the right you will see the famous bears. The girls ran happy to embrace the bears but the boys have remained well disappointed. Afterwards it has been difficult to convince them that it had been a joke and that the real bears were further on. Anyway we have done another stop in a supermarket, in an Australian shop, in some toilets... And when we have arrived there were no bears!!! We had arrived ten minutes late and they were sleeping inside the cage. Nobody said to me anything, but I suppose that they have been cursing me a good while. To compensate the unsuccessful proposal I have suggested them to take dinner in the Hymer and afterwards taking them all, about ten, with the autoracavana to the new meeting up in the north of the city. We have bought paste, tomato sauce, cheese and a box of beers and dined in the park where we had parked the autocaravan ( with a new fine). After dining, as i had promissed, i took all in the Hymer and we went towards the new meeting. But in the place of the meeting, a bar, there was almost nobody. On the other hand, the foreigners did not want to pay the beers of the bar and prefer those of the supermarket. In the end we have decided to do the party next to the Hymer, in the middle of a parking area. We have put the music at the bigest volume. Some passers-by have been added and we have continued the party. During the evening party I have talked with Kerstin. since the walk of yesterday i had quite a lot of questions that roamed in my head and Kerstin has clarified some of them. For one side she has confirmed me that after more that fifteen years after the fall of the wall of Berlin, at present the differences between the two sides of the city are insignificant. Afterwards I have dared to touch a more sensitive subject and asked about the German feelings regarding the second world war. she has commented me that the history is very present, maybe too much, and that it makes them not be at all nationalistic. In fact, she commented that during the world cup, Kerstin felt strange seeing so many German flags. On the other hand, it is well to remember the history because in the rural areas the Nazism tries to take root again and the memory makes the people be very cautious. Afterwards I have asked about the feeling towards the Americans, since Germany was bombarded and occupied by them. she has explained that this was the best option that could happen to them and besides this the Americans helped a lot in the reconstruction of the country. Anyway, it does not mean that she has any type of friendliness for the current government. Finally we talked about the famous nocturnal holiday in Berlin. She had been a couple of months in Barcelona and could compare both atmospheres . she explained me that in Barcelona the party is usually more of, fashion, however in Berlin is much more alternative. 10/09/2006: The last two days in Berlin have been much calmer. On Saturday at midday we washed clothes in the laundry that we had discovered some days before and we worked using the internet connection of the place. In the afternoon we had met with Alice, a girl from Làtvia who was alone in Berlin since the rest of friends with whom she was in the previous days had decided to go to Hamburg by hitchhiking. Anyway I had to work writing the journal of the previous days and stayed in the Hymer while Alexandra and Alice went for a ride with bicycle. At night, me and Alexandra went to the cinema. We had seen the new film of Almodovar called: “Volver" in original version. The cinema was at the 4th floor of a building in which people accessed across an interior courtyard with some bars and restaurants. Despite this we were surrounded by a very warm atmosphere, the cinema had different rooms. Apart from that, when we asked something in English automatically they answered in Castilian. Probably it does not have relation, but very close to the cinema was the Cervantes institute. The film was very interesting, as all the films of Almodovar, touching a taboo subject. Today we went to do the last trip with bicycle through Berlin. This time Alexandra was in front and i let her guiding me through the places where she had been the previous days. We went to the Reichstag, the German parliament, again. I wanted to enter, since the entry is free and allows you to go to the immense dome of crystal from where all the city can be seen , but was a big queue. We have followed the tour near the river with many people sunbathing in the lawn and many other tourists admiring the city from big barges that strolled through the river. Afterwards we have gotten lost for the gardens of Tergarten to finish in a memorial of the Holocaust, which i havent visited yet. The memorial covers a space of about a hundred meters square full of rectangular blocks of concrete of different heights, towards the centre of more than three or four meters. It is interesting to get lost among this forest of concrete. In the afternoon we went out of Berlin towards Sachsenhausen, a former nazi concentration camp and at present a museum. I wanted to compare the exhibition of the atrocities from Auschwitz/poland with the German point of view. Lately the idea that Europe is too small for me is sufocating me . I still have about three months of journey through Europe, a Europe that i already known and that i could visit in a lot of less time, since the United Kingdom and Ireland will remain out of the itinerary because Alexandra does not have possibilities to enter for lack of visa. Anyway I do not long to be back home, the feeling that I have only gives me impulse to follow the journey towards Africa as soon as possible. Mecklenburgier ? Seenplatie (see on map) 11/09/2006: We have spent the night in the parking place of a mall in Oranienburg, the town where there was the concentration camp of Sachenhausen. Alexandra was not feeling too well, pain of collar and a little fever. we went together to buy food and at midday left towards the Museum of Sachenhausen. Alexandra went out first while I took the camera and a bloc of notes... When I came out from the Hymer Alexandra returned saying that the museum was closed. I didnt believe, but it was indeed closed because it was Monday. Anyway, the information point was open and inside there were some informations and a couple of computers with details. The clarity with which they exposed all the nazi crimes, the excesses, the brutality, the murders has surprised me... Sachenhausen did not have gas chambers, but it had crematories due to the great rate of mortality caused by hard labour, hunger, illnesses, tortures... till 1945 about 220.000 people of 22 countries had crossed the doors of Sachenhausen, about 100.000 died. Anyway, the camp did not close when the war finished. Between 1945 and 1950 the camp acted as Soviet prison, where 60.000 people passed , 12.000 of them died of hunger or of illnesses. The camp of Sachenhausen did not stop and maintained Jews, who normally were sent to other camps of more guaranteed mortality. Anyway, there were some baracs occupied by Jews. In one of these there was a museum but in 1992 a bomb destroyed part of the contents. After this small introduction to the nazi atrocities, we have followed the road towards the north, towards a region called Mecklenburgier - Seenplatie. In my guide it does not appear recommended, but Sophia from Dresden had recommended us to visit it. Searching in the atlas i found that in the centre of the region there was a natural reservation called Muritz , occupying a big area with a lot of lakes. We have stopped in different points of information in the open air that showed maps of the area, roads and routes for bicycles. We have kept skirting the park through a small road. Finally we have stopped in front of a lake with a fantastic sight, in the south of the town called Userin. A man has made us signals to park right in front of the lake. We have asked whether we should pay to camp but instead of that he answered us that we could eat something with them, to use a canoe that there was on a small beach of the lake... Finally, after insisting he has commented us that we should not pay at all, only if we wish to use the canoe. Alexandra does not know how to swim although I have committed to teach her. That's why it has been difficult to convince her to give a turn with canoe through the lake. But finally she has accepted with the condition of taking also the camera . If she fell in the water also the camera would fall. At first the canoe moved a little and Alexandra was with tension, but she has caught the oar afterwards and has started to row pausedly near the saw grasses and have been able to enjoy more relaxed the lake at dusk. At night, the man who had welcomed us has made a small bonfire near the water, away from the autocaravan. I have gone to greet him a moment. There was one more couple of men, one that spoke English and another that only spoke German and Russian, since originated from east Germany . The one that spoke English originated from west Germany and the man who welcomed us was from West Berlin. I have asked him about the situation in West Berlin during the cold war and he has told me that it was quite good, since they received a lot of money from America. Anyway, he commented me how he remembered the endless hours of queue on the border to be able to cross east Germany for motorway to go to west Germany . 12/09/2006: Mid-morning we have unloaded the bicycles and done a long excursion through the natural reservation for about five hours. It was a very good day, sun, not too much though. The natural reservation is full of pine woods and oaks, also some fields and small villages from time to time. We have passed for the side of three or four small lakes, except the last one that seemed quite bigger and connected to the lake of Muritz, to which we have not arrived. The rest of lakes also seemed connected, since we have passed along a couple of channels where we could find canoes . On going back Alexandra took many apples from an apple tree near the road, later, I have stopped next to some pines. Next to the road, among the dry grass i thought i saw some mushrooms. I took one. A red liquid, signal that was of the good ones, has risen up. I kept going arround the area and have found about 8 more, all of them very beautiful. Alexandra did not understand why i took those mushrooms and said that they would be poisonous. It was strange for me to find the mushrooms so near to the road and have thought that the Germans did not collect them, but during the rest of the road i didnt find any other, even if all the time i was looking obsessed. The dinner has been excellent. Alexandra did not try my food, as all the dishes that go out of what is normal. But has been well like this, cause if the mushrooms would not be good she would take me to the hospital. Anyway, for fortune they were excellent and despite doing joke I have not suffered any intoxication or hallucination. At night I have gone out to make some photos to the lake. Nearby there was a couple of men, one of which was yesterday near the bonfire. They have greeted me and they have offered me beer. I have refused it because Alexandra was waiting for me, but I have conversed a while with them. One of them has told me that he is asking for licences to open a hotel in the area. Afterwards has explained to me that, many Germans of the West got used to the fall of the wall of Berlin , for example selling to the eastern ones useless products. On the other hand, former owners of the east who lived in the west claimed the former lands that they had and threw out those that lived for some years. That's why, according to him, the wall still continues in the mind of the people and the Germans of the east mistrust those of the west. he also commented me that in the north of Berlin there is very few industry. There is little work and a lot of youth embrases the Nazism. But they did not consider it dangerous, since according to them in United States there is much more. Rugen Island (see on map) 13/09/2006: At noon we have left from Mecklenburgier - Seenplatie. I have paid 7 € to the man of the parking place, for the canoe and for the parking place. He has thanked me for it although he has not been able to dissimulate either that he waited for more. Anyway he assured me the day before yesterday that the parking place was free. On the other hand he has also asked me to do publicity of the area, and I suppose that I have already made it with the journal of yesterday. We have continued in direction north towards the Rugen island. Along the road we have crossed small villages, little industrialised, with the impression of true country side. The big windmills that took up most of the plain were one of the few signals of modernity. We wanted to stop in Stralsund to eat but the road passes outside towards the island of Rugen directly. There is a little old bridge that connects with the island. Anyway, they are building a spectacular new one right next. when finished they will destroy the other one or they will leave it. We have stopped infront of a touristic information point in the island, where we have eaten. Afterwards I went to get some tips about what we can do in the island. they recommended me to go towards the north-East, towards a point named Konigsstuhl in a natural reservation, where in theory there were some marvelous cliffs and quite a lot of bycicle lanes. Before entering the island i had tried to load the Hymer with water but there had not been luck. In the island I searched with more insistence, but the gasstation and toilets did not have tap from where to obtain the water or did not let me to load , because the island is too much touristic and too many motorcaravans ask for the same. Finally in a gasstation I have seen an automatic tap that was not watched. The tap was without key. I have wanted to see whether the tap had water for afterwards to connect my hose and I have disconnected the hose that connected to the machine. But the water got out with great pressure. I have tried to connect the hose again but there was too much pressure. In the first attempt I have remained completely soaked, but have tried it a couple sometimes more without success. Next, embarrassed and with Alexandra laughing to death we have left the gasstation, preventing to receive a deserved recrimination. We have reached Konigsstuhl where there was a big parking place with payment. Anyway we have parked a little further on and took the bicycles to visit the cliffs. But the road towards the cliffs was prohibited for bicycles. We have tried another way and also there was another prohibitory signum. Finally we have asked a woman from a shop that has informed us about the cliffs being found at about three kilometres. So we have skipped the sign that prohibited to go and started to ride through a marvelous forest with some small hidden lakes. from time to time, since it was late, we have met some travellers who looked at us with reproval, but we have continued ahead until we arrive to the mentioned cliffs. There was a museum with payment but nearby there were some wooden stairs that were going down to the sea . There were about five hundred steps that afterwards we have sweated on the way up. The stairs lowered among a forest, without option of observing the cliffs. Yes, they were made of chalk. whiteChalk , that melted in the hands and it was humid allowing to make graffiti in the rocks and trees. 14/09/2006: We have slept in a village called Glowe, in front of a beach of fine sand and of some hammocks with parasols for rent. Along the beach there was an avenue for where we have initiated a long excursion with bicycle. Afterwards, the avenue has turned into a small path asphalted for bicycles that passed next to the road, among pine woods. The forests were full of hunters of mushrooms, therefore I have not entertained myself another time looking at the margins of the way since I have supposed that all the good mushrooms should already be caught. On the other hand, there were enormous cobwebs held between two pines, so that it did not make much pleasure to go through the forest. We have arrived to other village, quite touristic, with some hotels and rooms for rent. We have crossed the main road and we have continued towards the north, to a lighthouse that we had seen in the previous night. The road has followed among fields,with some tractors were working . The sights were excellent, the see. at half of the road we have found some ancient graves, lifted by the former inhabitants of the island about three thousand years ago. Arriving to the lighthouse (in fact there was three) we have found an ancient circular church and next to the sea, a small village of fishermen that we have visited later. The lighthouses had to be of different periods, but we have not guessed which should be the oldest, since they all were very well preserved. Under the lighthous there was a big bunker, built during the second world war. It could be visited, but paying. Going back we went to the fishermen village, with the homes with thick roofs of straw, the majority converted in restaurants and shops due to the great quantity of tourists that there were, almost all of the third age. I must mention that it was not holidays season. we have arrived to the Hymer after about six hours, tired, after covering about forty kilometres. Alexandra said that she will not use the bicycle for a week. Rostock (see on map) 16/09/2006: Yesterday we got up late, as always, I earlier that Alexandra and she a little later, aroused by the noise that I can not avoid doing in such a reduced space while I take breakfast. This time, she was however whinier than usualy, complaining about pain of belly and of head. In fact, during the night she had already woken up some time with the same pain. I made her an infusion of camomile and she drinked it,a surprising thing, since she had to give up to her dear black tea to betray with milk of every morning. Anyway it good for her, since towards midday she was already found better. We went towards Stralsund, a town exactly in the entry of the island of Rugen that my travel guide recommended visiting. Stralsund has a big old town surrounded by sea and small lakes. We were walking for its streets and parks. In the morning there was market in one of the squares, a market of fruit, vegetables and clothes, as those of Catalonia, but not as those of Romania, since there the government has forbidden them. It has different churches and buildings built of bricks, one of Gothic style, although a little peculiar: very high and with big vertical windows that were opened to the exterior from the ceiling almost until they arrived to the ground. Alexandra told me that curiously in the town there were also many emptied and deserted buildings but not squatted. In the afternoon we returned to the road, towards the west, bordering the coast, but without seeing the sea. The roads have followed as in all Germany of the east, in good state but cut from time to time by works, diverting you for secondary roads. The trick not to lose you is simple, to follow a "U" that with an arrow indicates the continuation of the main road. We arrived to Rostock in the evening. We went through the small city with the Hymer a little, trying to get a Wifi network. We detect one from a bar, but without a lot of intensity. So that it has not been until today in the morning that we have connected ourselves to Internet while we drank a beer in the mentioned bar. Yesterday at night we also had a while to walk through the city. Rostock was in holidays. In the main square, there was a group playing music of the last decades, different mobile bars serving beer in abundance. Some people danced, but the majority was sitting in chairs of plastic, in front of white tables, drinking and conversing. Along the main commercial street there were many sops that sold objects of decoration and jewellery. There was a poster of a bar that announced the prices under the sign of "octoberfest", but in the publicity of the city it was announced as "Rostocker City Fest". It was as a holiday in a any town of Catalonia. Today the party followed, with the same bars and shutdowns, but instead of the group of music, there were shows and also music, but of lower level. In other streets of the city they did activities for the children, painting in the ground, painting faces, dancing, making the intellect work... In Rostock we have analysed with more detail an attitude that until now reproduced in bigger or minor degree. When a traffic light for the pedestrians is red , everybody is waiting, even if no car comes. But if somebody does a crossing the rest follows. In the afternoon we have left towards the west, this time to reach Lubeck . We have made the second half of the path circulating through a marvelous motorway of two lanes.it has surprised me since until now we had not found almost any motorway in Germany, but, consulting the roadmap I have confirmed afterwards that many of the German motorways are in the western Germany. While reaching Lubeck and during all the night i have been maintaining a very interesting conversation with Alexandra about literature. she also likes to write but she gives a lot of importance to the way of writing, the form. However I commented that for me the only thing that is important is the content. It stated that the originality of some authors was in the way of writing and I tried to defend that there were many more original authors only for the message that transmitted. Finally I was translating and reading from Catalan to Castilian for about two hour the novel that i had written two years ago. Lubeck (see on map) 17/09/2006: I do not know if it is like this every Sunday, but today in the morning the bells have been tolling a good while every hour . I have stayed in the Hymer while Alexandra gave a turn through the city with bicycle. Later we both have gone, Alexandra guiding. Lubeck is an interesting city, especcialy a neighbourhood towards the south, following the left side of the river. A neighbourhood of low homes, with many flowers and plants, objects of decoration in the windows, people eating calm on tables in front of the river... The rest of the city seemed similar to the other cities visited up to the moment in the north of Germany, big buildings and former churches always built of red bricks . The Church of Marien is interesting, very high, of light colours in the interior. Inside a showy and pretty astronomical clock can also be observed and in an end bell bits. It seems that it is the same bell that fell when the allies bombarded the city and the church during the second world war. They left the bell broken and in front an inscription in German: "A Protest against the war and the violence". We also wanted to visit the door of the city named Holsentor, but they were restoring it and it was completely covered under an advertising logo. We went out of Lubeck in the afternoon, towards, with the intention of catching today the ferry towards Denmark. We were surprised in finding queues and retentions in the contrary lanes, for many kilometres. But was normal, was Sunday in the afternoon and all the people were going back home, in the city, besides there were some works on the road. It has also surprised me that all the cars had the lights open, the sun was hidden behind the clouds, but the luminosity was good. Afterwards we were recommend to circulate with the open lights. We have arrived to the port of where the ferry left. The girl of the toll has told us that the ferry left in ten minutes. Afterwards she has commented to us on the amount: 56 €, only for 45 minutes. I have considered it a madness but to turn round entering Denmark through the continent would be more expensive in gas oil and we would already take this way on returning. We did not have much time to think since the boat was leaving and in the end we have paid the fee. The boat was curious, was symmetrical, that is, had a booth of control and command in each of the two ends of the boat, so that when arriving to port did not have to turn around. The captain simply had to walk up to the booth behind. We have entered Denmark at dusk and it has gotten dark soon. We have kept circulating towards Kobenhavn, but at half of the road we have diverted to the right and we have gone towards the island of Mon that my guide recommended visiting. The island seemed deserted. The lighting of the few homes was very weak, but we have finally arrived to the town Stege in the centre of the island and spent the night over. Denmark M?ns Klint (see on map) 19/09/2006: Mon is an island that has amazed me. It seems very little touristic, perhaps only for the local tourism. But has many points or panels of information almost all in Danish. In the main points of interest also there are small boxes full of triptychs with information, in Danish. In the same way, the point of information of Stege has great shelves with informations on the different points of interest. We were advised by the girl of the information point and after connecting a moment to Internet we set in route. First we visited the white church from Elmelunde, with a big wide belfry. In the interior, the ceiling was painted with drawings of light colours, simple but interesting. The church was surrounded with a cemetery very well neat. out of the enclosure there was an apple tree and alexandra took the best apples that she could find. Next we visit a dolmen, a megalithic tomb. All the island is folded, but we visit the showiest, named Somarmedyssen. On a small hill there are big stones in the form of table or small habitáculo. It is curious that can be found similar dolmens in Catalonia, taking into account that in that time the communications and the travellers were almost inexistent. It is also surprising that they could drag those big stones without any type of machinery. After eating and raining a little, we walked through the gardens of Lisenlund. these Gardens created in 1700 with a romantic style, with big meadows, small lakes, forests, pretty mansions, a home in Norwegian style, a tea room in Chinese style. The alley was charming. The park enchanted. The gardens were situated near the sea. From there was a small road towards the white cliffs of Mons Klint. But we went there with the Hymer because it was already a little late. Alexandra was a little tired and I went out to discover them alone. First I followed a path through the forest that was going to the top part of the cliffs. And when I arrived there the heart and the respiration stopped . The height was impressive. The cliffs were of sand, earth that melted with easiness and was thrown vertically towards the sea, to the background, very down. The trees seemed to keep firm the earth but below it seemed that there was the emptiness. I discovered a hole among the roots of a tree, that was leading towards the emptiness. The hole of one or two palms of depth was showing that under this land the sea was reigning. Anyway, I could not deprive myself of doing photos, and being courageous and challenging the gods,i passed below the fence and dragged myself through the ground approaching the limits of the earth, but only to be able to pull the arms so that the camera remained sustained in the emptiness. Afterwards, full of dust, I went down the 500 steps to the side of a brook and of a forest leading towards the sea. At the end of the wooden stairs I discovered how fast evolved the erosion of the coast, since the stairs were held almost totally on the sea and the earth seemed to have been withdrawn one or two meters. Further on, walking through the beach I discovered skeletons of trees that little time ago were living in the forest that extended more above. We have slept in Stege again and this morning visited the small village called Nyord, a place that knew how to maintain the charm of two centuries ago. Formerly, the village was famous for sailors who guided the boats for the shallow waters of the coast of the island. At present the village is dedicated to fishing, agriculture and tourism, although today we were the only ones that seemed to visit it. Mid-morning we have started to go towards Kobenhavn where we have arrived at dawn, since we have stopped in a service area to eat and to clean the Hymer. We have walked a little through Kobenhavn and as little as we have seen has been amazing, a great commercial activity and some outdoor musicians, with a lot of talent. Kobenhavn (see on map) 24/09/2006: The first night in Kobenhavn we realised how bad was the area where we had parked, at night as well as in the morning there was quite a lot of noise. Even that through the street did not pass many cars at night the drunkards did not leave us to sleep and in the morning those that woke us up were workers. On the other hand, we also had a fine in the morning, since we had not paid the parking thiket and in a paper attached to the fine they did inform us about Kobenhavn being associated to the international agency of recovery od debts. In the afternoon we tried to look for a new parking place for the Hymer, but all the streets of the town centre were with paying, also the ones of Christiania. Afterwards we went a little more to the outskirts, in a neighbourhood named Norrebro and there we could park without paying in a residential area, full of immigrants. After parking we opened the computers and miraculously we had Internet, and incredibly we had very good connectivity with a free wireless net. Anyway, the day after we had another fine. For what they explained to us, the majority of streets of Kobenhavn had parking meter. In any case, we did not move the car again and they did not put any other fine again. These days we have continued with the same schema of the big cities. Half a day was spent on internet and the rest of day dedicated to go through the city. But we did not always connect to Internet from the Hymer, since Alexandra had discovered a big library where we could connect the computers to the electric current and we were able to enjoy Internet for free at the same time. The library looked like a store, with great spaces, escalators. The only difference is that instead of workers there were students and instead of clothes, in the shelves there were books. Alexandra says that Kobenhavn is the second city of Europe where she would like to live, after Prague, of course. It is elegant, without exhibiting, and clean. It has long accessible commercial streets for the pedestrians; channels with boats for tourists and coffee shops and restaurants; pretty gardens and parks; palaces and strengths; many bicycle lanes and little car traffic ; calm and nice people; ... The only problem of Kobenhavn is that it is a very expensive city, as all Scandinavian cities. One of the most curious places that we visit is the cemetery of Assistens, a former cemetery in the middle of the city where there is the famous story-teller Andersen buried. The doors of the cemetery are open and if there were no crosses and tombs between the lawn and the trees you could think that you are in a park and not in a cemetery. And the people also see it like this, since everywhere there are girls sunbathing, boys reading, women walking the dog... Another day we also went to the famous Mermaid, symbol of the city. The Mermais is quite far from the centre, following a wide channel that crosses the city. it is the ideal point to find the most varied touristic fauna: families with children; couples; but of course the Japanese, some of which put a soaking shoe when trying to arrive up to the mermaid; that day also there were some Spanish "turenos" typicaly dresses that Alexandra confused with Danish noblemen. We did not take any photo, we did not want to enter the circus that had been formed. Most of days we went over the city with bicycle, moving in the middle of many other cyclists. Kobenhavn is one of the cities where I have seen more people circulating with bicycle (I can not compare it yet with other cities of the West, as Amsterdam, ). i would say that there are more bicycles than cars circulating through the streets. The bicycles have their own lanes, sometimes just as wide as those for the cars. They also have own rules and if you break them you can take a bad look or even some insult. For example you can not circulate too slow, you have to maintain on the right so that they can advance you, if you have to cross a street you have to stop out of the bycicle lane... The bicycles and the people that drives them vary. There are city bicycles, all road, harley type, tricycles (with two wheels in front or behind), bicycles pulling a cart, bicycle taxis, bicycles of the city (they can be driven freely by the centre in exchange for depositing about three Euros that afterwards you can take back)... The drivers can be girls with miniskirt, others with Texans and heels, men with jacket and tie, mothers taking the children in the boot of the tricycle, musicians, alternative... For what is seen, in winter also there are many people circulating by bicycle, although as i heard it does not do as cold as it seems, since the ocean maintains stable temperatures. In Cobenkavn we run into different people. The second night, on Wednesday, we met Denis that invited us to go out with his friends. It happened that we had parked very close to his home and he came to the Hymer accompanied by a friend from Slovenia, Milena. The friends of Denis were almost all musicians, but nobody started to play or to sing. Basically we were talking and drinking at the house of one of them. I talked quite a lot with Jakob, an anarchist and alternative boy. he explained to me that in Denmark there is a lot of work, is a very rich country, partially thanks to the development of new technologies but also thanks to the exploitation of other much poorer countries. He also told me, that even if it was not very visible in the street, Denmark was a very religious country. Denmark was also very rich due to the abundant natural resources and to the fishing, and so they attributed it undoubtedly to God. I asked ihim about Cristiania. According to what had read, in the seventies groups of hippies, artists, political activists and home less, occupied an area in the east of the city and tried to create an alternative society, independent and free from taxes. At first the police tried to take them out because they occupied a private area, but they finally let them exist there due to the support of the Danish society. Anyway, about ten years later the social experiment had derived towards a free drugs market and the police acted again, but only against the drugs. Jakob commented me that at present the police controls everything and the social experiment practically has finished. Anyway, Cristiania is one of the neighbourhoods where there is more social solidarity, more fellowship and where the organisations are stronger. Yesterday, Saturday at noon, I met with Simon. Alexandra preferred working with Internet from the library. Simon invited me to the terrace of the house where he has a room rented. he showed quite a lot of interest in my vision on the transition between the dictatorship of franco towards democracy in Spain, since he had to do a work on this subject for the school. I also showed interest in the situation of Denmark. For one side he told me that Denmark has its own coin and not the Euro because they fear to integrate too much in the European Union and to lose ithe identity and culture. On the other hand Denmark is a rich country, partially thanks to the high technology that they design and build in poorer countries (as denis told me before) but also because ten years ago they discovered quite a lot of oil in their territory. If they were so good designing high technology they had to have very good educational system. Afterwards I showed interest in the royal family of Denmark, a whole national symbol. It is a national symbol, without any power. And although the people pay the crown existence out of their pockets, they are happy since the family carries out a strong promotion of the country in the exterior generating more dividends of those that they deposit. Finally I showed interest in Cristiania. he explained me the history, similar to the one that i had read but very critical to the current situation. He told me that the inhabitants who formerly had occupied the space with ideas about solidarity and freedom, have at present been converted practically in owners, without papers but also without paying taxes. Although some of the space that is occupyed is wide and many more people could occupy it, do not want to divide up , there are rich and poor. On the other hand it is very difficult to be accepted as new member since you need the favourable vote of the majority of the community, therefore, there does not stop being a certain nepotism: favouritism for the known and familiar ones. Of course, I also interviewed Simon. He thought that the main problem of the world could be the racism and the indifference towards the solutions. The people do not look at the humanity as only one breed. The solution would be to be open, the dialogue and to learn from other cultures. The main problem in Denmark is the indifference tied up with the feeling of being the best nation. The indifference is difficult to be solved but he can help by giving example. Simon feels happy because he can do what he wants and because he is free. He feels satisfied whit what he is and with what he is doing and he does not know whether there is a way for being happier. The secret of happiness could be to accept what the life gives you. At night Simon organised a meeting and we met again. Also Alexandra. We raised drinks, blankets, music and light to the same terrace. There were people of all Europe and it was interesting to converse wrapped in blankets due to the cold . I was talking quite a lot with a Belgian boy about nationalistic feelings. he commented me that in Flanders there is a lot of nationalistic feeling but not in Belgium in general. During the conversation he commented that curiously Barcelona was the foreign city most visited by the Belgians. Today,Sunday at noon , we met with philosophical Christofer, a boy a little older than me, introvert, writer and painter. As yesterday, we have also talked about the situation in Denmark. he has commented that in Denmark they pay many taxes, but that in exchange are happy with the social compensations that obtain. he has also explained that the xenophobia is growing a lot. Asking about the royal family he has appeared favourable, at least as a commercial symbol for Denmark. The Danish royal family is the oldest of Europe and for the friendliness that it has in the society he would say that it will be the last one to disappear. Finally we have talked about Greenland, a big forgotten territory that is part of Denmark. Anyway not many people live there and they also preserve a quite considerable political independence. I also took the pulse in to the world with Christofer. The main problem of the world is the humanity, since the main problems are caused by the human beings, anyway the human beings also worry about the problems that they have created. The global suicide of the humanity would be a not wanted solution, would be better to learn though from history. Personally, Christofer tries to have a positive attitude, to be a decent and responsible person, to be opened and to teach the others to be opened. The main problem for Denmark will be the global heating, since Denmark is a flat country, surrounded by sea. But at present, in Denmark, the main problem is the increase of the xenophobia and intolerance. There are not Nazis but there are refined and nice racists. The solution would be in the information and dialogue. he can help by thinking with clarity. Christofer feels happy, "is question of attitude". He would be happier with the woman of his dreams or with a perfect life painting and writing poetry. Anyway, the secret of happiness is to be happy with what you have. At night we have met with Simon again. These days, in Kobenhavn a festival of cinema was celebrated and we went to see a French film: "Goodbye Cheyene". It has not thrilled us, but it has not disappointed us either. After the film we were walking through the streets of Kobenhavn talking, but before midnight I asked Alexandra to go to sleep because my belly hurted and i did not find myself too well. 25/09/2006: Yesterday to the night, while we walked through the neighbourhood of Norrebro, where we had seen the film, Simon showed us different painted walls. Sixty and nine is the number of a squatted house (by alternative, and homeles ) that the police wants to dislodge soon and to bring down. there had been a massive demonstration that we had not seen. The movement was organised in collaboration with others squatters that since the seventies liveed in 85 acres in the east of the city: Cristiania. Finally, after reading a little of its history and exchanging some opinions, today in the morning I went to visit Cristiania, while Alexandra stayed in the library connected to Internet. Cristiania is another country, metaphorically and literally, according to its inhabitants. Exactly in the exit you find a big poster that says: "now you are entering the UE". In front of the entry there is a street full of bars and small shops, painted in "underground" style and with the most extravagant human fauna that you can imagine, ; middle-aged majority; dresses in any way; of very different origins, drunk or smoked; singing, laughing or talking; and in the middle of all of them some lost and amazed tourists. I was one of them. I have lifted the camera to immortalise that scene, but tens of voices and arms have screamed for me at the same time: "No!". I have approached one of them to ask which was the problem and he has told me that i could not take photos in the main street. Then he has shown me the motif: about five hundred grams of hachis that was on the table. The man has split in two the merchandise and let me to sniff and next to try to sell it to me. Later I have read in a small guide published by the society of Cristiania that according to them the loose drugs are allowed in its territory, but not the hard drugs. Before 1980 the hard drugs were not in a complete way badly-seen, but the destructions of the drugs and the police, made them decide of forbidding them and exiling all the vendors and consumers. The loose drugs have always been sold with easiness in Cristiania, for a lot of time with in their own shops, but since 2004, due to the police, have kept being sold a little clandestinely, or not so much, as I have checked. I have kept walking through that "country" called Cristiania. The gardens, homes and huts in which almost a thousand inhabitants live extend on two pices of land surrounded by water. In the centre there is a wooden bridge that keeps them communicated. The habitáculos are former homes and buildings of the army in which live different families,simple homes built of the most different styles by their own occupants. I thought that the society of Cristiania would be regardless of the capitalist system, but in the roofs of many buildings have observed television antenas, in a garden I have seen a woman cutting lawn with a mower, the cars there are not allowed but in a shop window have seen a bicycle that was sold for 1000€ Anyway, something different was breathed. The paths of sand were very calm, laughs of children were listened everywhere, the bicycles in the pavements were not tied, the doors of the homes all seemed open. I have entered in the garden of a community home where there was a family taking tea. I have asked them if i could take a photo and I have next initiated a conversation with them: - Do you consider that you live out of the system? - I have asked them. - Not, that is impossible. Anyway we think that here inside, the society is better. There are not thefts because the one who steals is expelled. There is a lot of solidarity. We govern ourselves with a system more that democratic, looking for the consensus. It is slow but it encourages the responsibility and the understanding. On the other hand, the services that we obtain from Cristiania paying our own taxes are very good. But above all, the people are happier here. - Happier that outside? - I have asked them again. - Yes, because here we have the opportunity of controlling a little more ours life, we are freer. The pity is perhaps that it will run out, because the government wants to recover the land. - And what will you do if finally the government manages to throw you out? They have shrunk the shoulders but they have answered afterwards: - Going to another place. If i did not have the journey and project beforehand I would have liked to stay to live a season in that attempt of paradise. Anyway it is difficult because i had to accept most of the inhabitants and on the other hand, according to them there was no more land to build houses. I went back towards the selfcaravan with belly pain. I have eaten in spite of the pain because i was hungry and later gone to look for Alexandra at the library. After she ate we aranged the Hymer and left towards the north of Kobenhavn, to the outskirts. At night, Alexandra has also started to have belly pain, with the same symptoms as me. Ribe (see on map) 27/09/2006: We have been going two days through Denmark with belly pain.unbearable, constant, sometimes intense, especially in the nights. We complained first eachother, laughing . The curious thing is that in spite of the pain we were hungry, if we ate the pain continued, but if we gave up food it also continued. Therefore, we have kept eating, but much lighter. On the next day we went to a farmacy. The woman who attended us spoke English but she did not know what to give us. Finally she gave us some tablets that helped recover the intestinal flora. But it did not help us to recover. Well, this was the impression. Although today I have already started to feel better, but Alexandra did not. In spite of the pain we have been visiting the points of interest that we had marked in Denmark, turning towards to Germany. Yesterday in the morning we visited the fabulous castle of Frederiksborg Slot, in the centre of Hillerod and in the middle of a lake. The castle is made of red bricks, of Renaissance style, has some magnificent gardens, very well cared, for which we were walking a little, until overcame the pain and the tiredness . In the afternoon we arrived to Roskilde, some town, that formerly had been the capital of Denmark and important Viking port. Five viking boats of more than ten centuries ago recovered from the background of its bay. They expose them in a museum that we did not visit. Anyway, in the wooden port there are exact retorts of the exposed boats, some of which had capacity for 60 to 100 warriors. I also had the luck - Alexandra stayed in the Hymer trying to recover from the pain of belly - seeing how five youngsters went to the sea with a small and pretty sailboat of viking style. At night we left towards the castle of Egeskov, with the intention of visiting it this morning. When we arrived there we realised that in the entry there were some ticket windows and we were amzed by the price: 12€. We have decided not to visit it, but returning to the Hymer I have stopped to look a map of the castle and have realised that about a hundred meters further on there was an entry that communicated with the gardens of the castle. Alexanda did not trust my Mediterranean intentions, but has followed me and indeed there was an alley with an open metallic door. We have entered ignoring the few workers or gardeners that were there, who have not told us anything. We have arrived to the pretty and roomy gardens but Alexandra continued with tension for not having ticket and I have told to her: "Sight", no one will ask us for the ticket, but if they would, say that another couple of friends that have returned to the car have the tickets". The space that occupies the castle of Egeskov perhaps deserves the 12 € of entry, but we have not gone over everything due to our physical state. It has different labyrinths of plants, footbridges among the trees, attractions for the children (and adults), a museum of the Falck, the Danish firemen. A museum of vintage cars and another of cars and aeroplanes that we could not visit. The castle, which also we have not visited, rests in front of a nice lake, very liked by old people with motorised chairs. In the afternoon we have started to go towards Odense, the city where Hans Christian Andersen was born and grew. the city and touristic information are focused on this writer that had a life very similar to that of his stories: a very hard childhood with a happy end. We have walked through it, commercial but calm pedestrian streets , and we have also gone to the museum of the writer from where a small alley of pretty old homes can be seen. During all the day we have tried to find a supermarket to be able to buy using the credit card, since we had used almost all the crowns and since the food was finished, but we have not found any. at the End, before going towards the last town which we wanted to visit in Denmark - Ribe - we have tried to buy the most economic and most nutritional products with the equivalent of four euros. Evidently we have not had much, especially because in Denmark everything is very expensive. ‹ Previous (29/07/2006)  LUNA   Next (2006-09-27)›                     ‹ Previous (2006-08-09 - Poland)  TARA   Next (2006-08-29 - Germany)›

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