Nov 10, 2009 12:00 AMSlovakia - 99th country on the clock of the travel reports
If Slovakia is 99th country covered by my travel reports on Globo, which country should be the 100th? Should I wait until I go to a new place or a country I had been before but long time ago, and then come up with a story. Or should I pick one from the twentysomething countries, I have not covered yet? Like Costa Rica, El Salvador, Turkey or Mexico maybe? Hehe, there is not enough substance for those, perhaps, and those trips happened long time ago. So, I guess I will wait. But hopefully, if all goes well, I might hop somewhere worth writing about in the near future.
Nov 09, 2009 12:00 AMBratislava (SK) - cold today
Although not per the official meteorological measure, Bratislava felt colder today. Yesterday's forecast claimed that it was going to be sunny on this Monday morning. Well, it wasn't!
Before going home in the afternoon, I decided to climb (hardly, it was a walk really) the castle hill and check the Slovak national monument. It was an easy hike uphills. I was not sure where the entrance was - I spotted two gates from the side of the parliament building. So, sheepishly I passed under the gate closer to the Danube side, and without being stopped I found myself at the foot of the castle within the brown stone walls. I snapped the New Bridge from the ramparts and the Old Town below. I corrected English of a young woman scribing menu on the blackboard of the Hrad Restaurant (great view of the Old Town from their terrace) and proceeded closer to the castle. Only to find out that the restauration efforts had not been completed. And looking like it was going to take them a few months more to finish. So the castle was closed. I lingered a little bit longer among the turning trees of the park at the foot if the royal residence and descended back to the Old Town for lunch.
On my first day, I spotted the original Slovak Pub located in a rustic little house somewhere in the historic centre and I wanted to try it. But I could not find it again!
Nov 08, 2009 12:00 AMBratislava (SK) - at the wobbly UFO 95m above the Danube
Today, I decided to go up the New Bridge's UFO observation spot (saucer) to see the capital from above. Weather was a mix of sunshine and worryingly thick, grey cloud. The ride to the top of the bridge was €6.50 and the observation deck on the top of the saucer was open-air, which was great for photography. One could not see as far as the advertised 100km due to rather poor visibility, but it was a great and windy (and cold!!) spot to view the city. The restaurant and bar inside the saucer was interesting and wobbly. It was shakkking all the time, and whenever a large vehicle passed through the bridge 95 meters below, the plastic glasses on the plastic shelves rang. The tables and chairs were also made from tranluscent, clear plastic for appropriate weight distribution. Anyway, it was a great feeling. I had a great caffe latte and a superb coconut mojito (all €10.60).
Then, I descended and walked along the Danube and crossed over to the north bank via the rapidly ageing Old Bridge. The old town was packed with Travellers from all over the world, which was a massive change from the night before boasting empty alleys and atmospheric subdued street lighting.
The main square (Hlavné Námeste) had free wi-fi, so convenient for Skype chatting and submitting this travel log.
Nov 07, 2009 12:00 AMBratislava (SK) - it's been over 20 years!
Last time I was in Blava, as Bratislava is affectionately called by its residents, I was a boy scout. It was 1986. Czechoslovakia was still on the map!
When Bratislava came up on Ryanair's map with £10 all inclusive return fare, I decided to visit the city again. I have been hearing that they had done great things to it. Particularly to the old town. I guess my expectations increased over time. But what I really wanted was a weekend away, some sightseeing and wandering in a familiar style of Central European historic town. I packed my black shoulder bag, took my camera, jumped on the Stansted Express train, and switched on the 'on-the-road mode'. Weather in London was fantastically better than the forecasted one for Bratislava. I was hopeful however, that they got it wrong and I was going to see some sunshine in Slovakia, too.
And it was not too bad. I landed on the evening. It was not sunny, but it didn't rain. Then, the darkness came quickly, and the nicely lit old town charmed me. Just as I was struggling to find my hotel...
Oct 23, 2009 12:00 AMLondon (GB) - autumn sunsets
Sadly, summer is over and it will take over eight months at least for it to come back. Well, but today, weather was great in our fascinating, diverse and vibrant city. With temperatures climbing to 17C degrees, ain't bad for the end of October. Global warming, huh? At least sunsets over the River Thames make it a nice sighting. One of the good spots to see them is the Canary Wharf Pier. Oh, that spot also boasts a few good places to eat, including one of London best steak houses - the Gaucho Grill. And a word of warning - the Royal China Restaurant, which is also there is rather terrible - I highly recommend to avoid it!
Oct 18, 2009 12:00 AMUstka (PL) - Getting prettier
Ustka's local authorities have recently received an award for the second best place in Poland in creating EU-sponsored projects to boost the local economy and improve the standard of living of the local community. Indeed, considerable amounts of money have been spent in renovating the old town, whose street layout had not changed for centuries.
Weather was good, so I went to see the effects of the work. And yes, this little summer resort is getting prettier. There is still rather much to be done, to bring Ustka on par with some of the extremely photogenic coastal resorts of England, France, Germany, etc. But, if all goes well, and the old town is going to be saved in its entirety, a few years from now, the town might actually get there. I was also glad to see that the recent mighty storms did not ruin Ustka's grand seafront promenade, and the beach was spared too. Both of them.
Oct 17, 2009 12:00 AMStrzelinko (PL) - the Charlotta Valley
There have been a few disputes on several fora on the internet regarding the name of the place. The Slovincian name is Mlyn w Zamelowie (Mill in Zamelowo), but the proprietors of the valley changed its name to the Charlotta Valley. Allegedly, it has something to do with the Bismarck family and a girl named Charlotta. But I could not verify that. Anyway, the place is great. A little lake created by the Slupia River, is the focal point. Fishing contests are a common activity there, but the main interest is about the hotel, spa, a little zoo (only local wildlife presented), and an amphitheatre, which houses rock festivals, attracting rock legends from around the world. The amphitheatre, which is obviously an open air venue, is surrounded by natural forest and can sit 4000 spectators. The Greeks and the Romans would cringe probably seeing the word amphitheatre with a reference to cultural events, for emphitheatres in the Ancient times were only used for blood-sport, whiles all cultural events took places in theatres!
Anyway (again), I only came to check this place out. I had not been there before. The hotel looks decent, and the personnel seemed friendly. The little house on the island and a beach looked like an absolutely perfect spot for a holiday far away from civilisation.
Oct 16, 2009 12:00 AMGdansk (PL) - still handsome as ever
I was three hours late in Gdansk. Wizzair gave me £4 to wipe my tears and shut my mouth. I landed at about 02:40 a.m. instead of 23:20 (11:20 p.m.), but the morning in the city was glorious. There was not a single cloud in the sky. And what a sky! Blue, blue, blue. The old town looked stunning illuminated by the sun rays falling on the elaborate facades at a low, autumn, angle. The shadows created by the porticoes and reliefs were equally photogenic. I took a wee stroll along the Dluga Street, and the Dlugi Targ Street, Dlugie Nabrzeze Riverfront Alley, and wandered around the Granary Island (Wyspa Spichrzow), and its little sister - the Lead Isle (Olowianka). I stepped into Brovarnia Bar for their own brewed wheat beer. The bar was closed, as it was too early, but I, being me, managed to blag my way in though the hotel. I wore a nice, expensive shirt, which most definitely did the trick.
Gdansk will host a few matches during the FIFA European Football Championships in 2012. The Baltic Arena is being built right now, and the construction site has been praised as one of the best organised in the world. The stadium is already taking shape, although they had only started building a few weeks ago! Apart from that Gdansk will see improvements in the roads network and enhancements in the transport system - new trams, rebuilt stations, and a new airport terminal. All good, good, good.
Oct 15, 2009 12:00 AMGdansk (PL) - here I come!
So, I am back on the road again. This time, it is in Poland. Weather has recently broken down, shifting from a lovely and mild Golden Fall to a wintery storms, bringing snow and drizzle. Temperatures plummeted and the winds uprooted and broke down trees and disrupted power transmission, leaving people with no electricity. This is not exactly what I wanted, but hey - I will take it.
I am taking Wizzair, the Central Europe response to Ryanair. Their prices are not as cheap as Ryanair, but they fly to more places in the region. The only downside is that Wizzair does not have online check-in.
This trip starts in Gdansk. Then, ... well, I will see. It will probably be Ustka, Slupsk and Kobylnica. I will take a memory card with me and will use my brother's and my parents' cameras to shoot a few scenes/landscapes in various places. I am looking forward to see how Ustka has changed since my last visit.
Oct 11, 2009 12:00 AMBerlin (DE) - another day of nothing
It took until about 3pm for my eye to bear dimmed daylight, and half a flask of Vidisan by Bausch & Lomb, for that matter. So, considering my flight was at 8:30pm, Sunday was also a lost cause.
I managed to go out for a late lunch, still wearing my sunglasses, despite of the rainy weather, and got a bottle of red Spanish and a bottle of red Italian wine to nurse my grievances. It worked. The pain in my eye was easing and I could just tolerate, only just, a tv screen. So, the afternoon on a chocolate leather (like mine in London) sofa, sipping wine and laughing at Bruno.
Oh, well. I guess that in such case, I just need to go to Berlin again. At the earliest convenience.
