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Life is a journey - enjoy it 
Oct 28, 2009 11:00 PM New journey has begun
It is today, after few months without special trips I am going to search for a new adventure. This time I am going again to South East Asia, destination Indonesia, but beside this I am going to spend some days at Angkor Wat in Cambodia and few moments in Bangkok. Also this will be a special journey for me because I am going with some friends, not alone. So just keep yours fingers crossed please :)
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Sep 26, 2009 10:00 PM A day in Sopot
That was next day with fabulous weather, sunny and warm day. After tasty breakfast we went to have a walk on the beach. Then we went to see Sopot pier (they are saying that is one of the longest in Europe, entrance fee 4 pln). After that we just took a walk to Bohaterów Monte Cassino street which is main pedestrian street in Sopot. I wanted also to show Gdańsk to my friends but we had no time, maybe next time...
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Sep 25, 2009 10:00 PM I forgot how beautiful Toruń is
Sometimes traveling abroad we forgot how are beautifuls our contries. We came to Toruń yesterday in the late evening, roads in Poland are still not in the European level, so 300 kilomteres took me more than 3 hours. We could only eat dinner and then went sleep. Today from early morning we had great weather, we had breakfast and went to see highlights of Toruń like: Copernicus house, town hall, boulevards near Vistula, St.John church with the fabulous view over the city from the tower (entrance 6 pln) and we had to leave Toruń and head to Malbork. On our way we also stopped for few minutes in Kwidzyń, were are remains of Teutonic Order castle. At the end of the day we reached Malbork with one of the most impressive castles in the world. But we were so late that we could see only the courtyard (entrance fee was 7 pln). Malbork castle was a headquater of Teutonic Order and city itself was a capital. After that we came to Sopot at 10 pm, we were only able to have a walk and listen Baltic sea during the night. I only regret that I put so many places for one day. Only Toruń deserve more than a day, not few hours....
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Sep 24, 2009 10:00 PM A short trip to Polish seaside (Toruń, Malbork, Gdańsk, Sopot)
It is almost end of the summer in Poland as well the end of the holidays. And this september is so beautiful. I didn't travel too much this summer because of my work (even I had to cancel one trip a day before departure). Having only the weekends I could only see some beautiful places in Poland like Wrocław, Kraków and Poznan. I also spent few days in Lisbon and now is my turn to show my country to my Portuguese friends. We have chosen for this weekend a short trip to Polish seaside (they wanted to check if I told them the truth that beaches in Poland are one of the most beautiful in Europe). So the itinerary is: Toruń with the great old town, Malbork with it castle and then some time in Sopot and Gdansk ... It will be also a test for me how well I know my country :)) I am sure that I will have a lot of questions.
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Jun 29, 2009 10:00 PM Kruja castle at the end
It was my last day in Albania. I went in the morning to see Kruja castle. There is a museum inside, where almost whole exhibition is dedicted to Skanderberg, here is the most famous national hero. Part of the castle are reconstructed and don't look to authentic. Also in the inner part is great Etnographical museum (entrance fee 300 leki) which shows how the people were living here in Albania, during the last few centuries. Charming old man (guide and owner I suppose) explained and showed everything very precisely. Not far is Dollma teque (a temple for bektashi order) also guided by the charming man. That was the last thing I saw in Kruja and Albania. I took a taxi to the airport and via Budapest came back home, few useful information: there is a bus from the Rinas Tirana airport to the city centre departing every hour for 250 leki and there is no more departure fee when leaving Albania (10 eur). In the next few days I will upload some photos to my travellog and to my gallery.
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Jun 28, 2009 10:00 PM Feria in Squiperia
I was very surprised yesterday evening when I saw the bustling nightlife of Tirana. There is Bloku district where all bars and restaurants are located and all of them were full of people. Until the late hours people were celebrating the results of the voting (I don't have idea who was the winner) so on the streets were very loud and colorful. This morning I went to see few of Tirana highlights. I saw the former mausoleum dedicated to Enver Hoxha, which was turned into a disco and now is under a reconstruction. Then I saw beautiful small Ethan Bay Mosque with very interesting interior, just opposite is clock tower. Entrance there is free and from the top of it is nice view over the city. Then I went to see Skanderberg place with monumental socialist buildings. Last place where I was were the banks of the Lana river. Houses there were painted in a pastel colors to revitalize them little bit. I took my backpack and went again to Zogu Zi for the bus to Kruja (furgons leaves when are full, ticket 200 leki, journey 50 minutes). Kruja is located on the hills of the mountain. And here the leader of Albanians defended their country against the Ottomans in XV century. From that period are remains of the huge castle, but that is for tomorrow.
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Jun 27, 2009 10:00 PM Zogu i Zi..
Berati is a lovely town. They are calling it "city of the thousand windows" and I was told today that last year it has been subscribed to the UNESCO list. I was also surprised how lively the city is - yesterday evening boulevard on the river bank was full of people. Today are goverment elections in Albania, so in whole city was atmosphere of excitement. I went to see the citadel (Kalasa entry 100 leki) on the top of the mountain. In the citadel is very famous Onufry Museum in the Church of the Dormition of St Mary displaying some of the most spectacular work in iconographic art by master Onufri (entrance fee 200 leki). For me the most impressive was an iconostais. When I was in the church I stuck there because of the rain, so I could see the great icons two or three times and other things like archibishop throne or wodden pulpit. Then unfortunately almost all others interesting places were closed. I couldn't see interiors of: byzantine church from XIII century, great mosques, Helveti teque (the Helvetis are a dervish order or brotherhood of Muslim mystics). Also there were no signs and I couldn't find a monastery in old christian part of the city called Gorica. I hope that soon it will change, beacause city is realy beautiful. After I decided to take a bus to Tirana (every 30 minutes 400 leki, 3 hours). And I am right now in Tirana Backpackers hostel (1500 leki per bed in the dorm) and I am going to see little bit of night life. And the title of this entry - it was the name of the bus stop where I was dropped off - most funny I have ever heard of:))
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Jun 26, 2009 10:00 PM Drymades beach and Llogara pass
This morning was again raining... but only for one hour. After I qucikly went to see Drymades beach which is located about 2 kilomteres from Dhermiu. The road was very nice through the grove of the olive trees. Then two bunkers welcomed me and I could see the great beach. After beaches in the Philippines it is hard to surprised me, but Drymades as for European condition was one of the most beautiful I have seen. White sand and stones, turquoise blue water, no other people. They started to build a bar on the beach so I thing that soon it won't be so "virgin" beach. After I come back to my hotel and had to climb 2 kilomteres in the sun to catch the bus to Vlora. I stopped a bus with turned to be "a school tour" Bus have stopped each 5 kilomteres, people were eating, drinking, buying honey, entertaing a lot. But because of that I missed my connection to Berat. But during the way we had to go through Llogara pass (with altitude 1 027 meters above sea level). Views were breathtaking and the road was so narrow and winding that the bus couldn't turn sometimes... But when the bus stopped again 10 kilometers before Vlora beacause people wanted to swim in the sea I had to hike a car to get the city. My bus to Berat unfortunately left, so I went with furgon to Fier and then switched to bus to Berat. Hard day :)
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Jun 25, 2009 10:00 PM Along the Ionian coast
Weather is not so great as I thought it will be. It was raining almost 4 hours in the morning. I couldn't even go for a breakfast. So when I decided to stay one day longer in Saranda sun started to shine wonderfuly. I quickly pacekd my bacpack and as there is nothing more to do longer than one in Saranda and decided to see some small vilages in the Albanian adriatic coast. There is a lot of minibuses leaving from Saranada to Vlora, I took the one at 2pm. I was surprised when the people told me that the road which has 120 kilometers will take about 6 hours... Road from the very begining is going up leaving wonderful landscapes to see. But when I could see the Adriatic sea cost the show has started (it was little bit like in Montenegro but more spectacular very often). Rough and high mountains, deep blue sea, islands on the horizon, from each corner I had better and better view. I wanted to stay in one of the two places - Himara or Dhermiu. Dhermiu is smaller so I stayed there. Village has great location, on the high mountins, 2 kilomteres down is very nice white beach, where I found my "Dhermiu hotel" (20 eur per single room). Beach is littered little bit. I spend the evening watching the sunset, eating apricots and drinking "Tirana" beer
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Jun 24, 2009 10:00 PM Bunkers on the road to the Albanian sea cost resort
Saranda - even if this city is located only 60 kilomteres from Gijrokastra journeys take at least 1.5 hour. But what was a journey. At the begining we went through the Drin river valley, the we had to pass through the high mountains ( I even't don't know their name) to finally reach the city of Saranda which is located on the Ionian costs. From my entry to Albania almost everywhere I see the bunkers. Enver Hoxa (comunist leader) built 700 000 of them for each family in case of enemy attack (until today nobody knows who was the enemy). Right now they are looking ridiculous, but are part of the landscape. Saranda itself have a very nice location like horseshoe over the bay. City is suffering a little bit of uncontroled developement, so almost everywhere are unfinished buildings. I found quickly a hotel in the city centre (only 15 eur for single) and went to see ruins of the ancient city of Buthoros (now called Butrint). Place is located only 20 kilometers from Saranda, but it's not easy to find from where buses are leaving to the ruins. I have been told in TI that in front of Hotel Butrint is bus stop, but without help of some people I would not find it. Journey to Butrint takes 45 minute and lead through scenic coast with nice beaches and beautiful islands. Ancient city of Butrint surprised me a lot. I didn't expect to see so many ruins in so good condition. Baptistery, ancient theatre, ruins of basilica and venetian castle are really impressive. Come back to Saranda wasn't so easy. I had to wait 2.5 hours for a bus (don't believe if somebody will tell you that there is a minibus every 30 minutes). When I finally reached Saranda I could watch the wonderful Sunset over the Corfu island.
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