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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Nov 16, 2018 10:00 PM Valley of the Temples
500 years before Christ ancient Greeks founded today's Agrigento. They beautiful temples in the valley between the sea and today's Agrigento city. In the morning I was walking there - it is 3 kms to the eastern gate of the complex. 10 euro entry fee, no discounts for the seniors!
The first temple of Juno is visible already from the road. 25 columns remained - very nice, but the temple is fenced so you do not have a chance to go inside... All valley temples are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The prettiest is the second one in the whole row - Concordia - best preserved. I had some sunshine to take a good pictures. Then there are also remained in the row of Hercules Temple... These three temples are illuminated at night.
The I went through the viaduct over the road to the former Zeus temple, but it was heavily destroyed by the earthquake.... Further west there is last temple worth to see - Castor and Polluks.
Then I decided to goto the nature attraction located 12 kms away on the coast - Stairs of Turks. Not easy - no bus service during off season period. Italian drivers seem not to know what it is hitchhiking - very unfriendly! Ii was walking quite a lot. Finally one driver offered to take me, but for the fee of 10 euro!
Stairs of the Turks - a white, stairs-like rock are very unique and worth to see - I did not see such a thing in the whole world, Officilly it is forbidden to climb the rock, but thete is a hole in the fence so everybody goes. It could be dangerous and slippery after rain!
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Nov 15, 2018 10:00 PM By train to Agrigento
To get from catania to Agrigento you have to go back to the north coast of Sicily and then change train... The ticket cost me 15,70 euro and the trip gave me opportunity to enjoy the landscapes of the interior of Sicily.
But the first train was 20 minutes delayed and I was forced to wait in Termini I for the next one. So the rail journey took me 5,5 hours instead of 4,5. The tram-like cars are new and comfortable but no wi-fi onboard.
Agrigento surprised me - if is not located on the coast, but few kilometers inland, on the steep slope of the mountain. There are narrow streets on different levels and the real labirynth of the stairs, passages and alleys connecting them. At the beginning I was climbing to the cathedral, which is on the top, but when I reached it I saw only the sign "closed for renovation" I stay in the little, comfy pension in the old town. Ancient temples are visible from the terrace above the station - but that's for tomorrow!
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Nov 14, 2018 10:00 PM Catania after 45 years. And Mt Etna!
Yes, I was here in the 70-ties. Today is a sunny day to enjoy the churches of Catania, the black elephant fountain in front of the cathedral. University in the ornate palace... I try to organize trip to Mt Etna, whhich is visible on the horizon.... The only public bus to the bottom of the volcano departed at 8.10 - only 6.60 euro each way. So what now?
I found near cathedral the agency offering excursion to the same place - they charge 35 euro giving you 3 hours stopover on the site. I go!
Catania is crowded. It took us almost an hour to get off the city... Then we start to climb from the sea level to 2000 m above... Brrr... getting cold... Lava fields along the route...
Refugio Sapienza on the level of 2000m where everybody goes is in fact a big tourist combinate. The bus is waiting here till 4.30 and you have a choice to pay extra 30 euro for the round trip journey by cable car to the level of 2500. Or 64 euro extra for cable car plus a kind of 4WD bus to the level of 2920 - Torre del Filosofo. But it is not the carater... It is tourist trap :)
The view from cable car is more or less the same like from Refugio. So I decided to save the money and to take a nice walk around Silvestri craters - there is quite good number of the paths in the volcanic landscape.
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Nov 13, 2018 10:00 PM First two flights....
If you travel on a budget very often you combine flights of different airlines to make it cheaper. Today I fly by LOT and lowcost Wizzair.
Yesterday the LOT flight was delayed by 1,5 hours but luckily today it departed on time. Nobody chacked the weight of my 14,5 kilo backpack (the allowance for cabin bag is only 8)
In Warsaw I went to wizz counter... Ohoo, - you have allowance of 10 kilo only! Fortunately I had solid soft bag and enough time to unload
4 kilo. Now I am waiting for the flight to Catania, Italy. I hope everything will be OK...
(later) yes, we landed on time. Cramp terminal, darkness outside. City bus for 1 euro goes to the station, but this is not my way to the cheap pension.
I walked 4,5 km to reach narrow street in the old town. Host arrived soon. Good night!
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Nov 12, 2018 10:00 PM Once again to Brazil!
I am going to South America once again! The destination is Brazil, or more precisely - Estrada Real - a route of historic towns built in colonial period, where gold and precious stones were mined. The trail led to the port of Paraty on the Atlantic coast, from where the treasures flowed to Portugal in the holds of the ships. The towns also grew rich, beautiful churches and monasteries were built there. I want to see it all. Get to know new people and experience a new adventure.
I fly on low-costs to the southern Europe and then I sail to Brazil by cheap ship, stopping on the way on Sicily, Spain and Cabo Verde. And then, in America buses, trains and probably also hitchhiking will take me overland on the distance exceeding 1600 kilometers. If the weather will be good, I will also try to reach one of the highest waterfalls in Brazil. I plan my return by air from Sao Paulo for 19th December. Hot news from the route can be found, as always, in my my travel log - if only I'll have access to the Internet. Please keep your fingers crossed for the success of this new solo expedition! :)
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Nov 10, 2018 10:00 PM Globetrotter's Meeting in Rzeszów
I attend 34-th Annual Meeting of Polish Globetrotters in Rzeszow - Southeast Poland. As usually we have slide shows from all over the world, lectures and - first of all a chance to meet old friends - the top Polish travellers. The weather is sunny, and I have a good time. My two presentations about the East Tibet and Porto Santo Island were appreciated....
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Nov 03, 2018 10:00 PM Giving a lectures
As usual between two travels I work hard to save money for the next voyage. But sometimes it is for me also the pleasure to go to the well known club or library to meet the people who since years are my fans and the old friends. Recently I went to give a lecture about the East Tibet in Lubin - in South Poland. Can you imagine? - they are inviting me to come every year since 9 years!
It was really great event - also for me - to speak there to more then 200 travel enthusiasts...
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Oct 26, 2018 08:00 PM Barcelona to Warsaw flight delayed again
It was 9 am when I disembarked the ship in Barcelona port. The walk in the rain to Plaza Espana (for the airport bus 46) took me 1 hour 10 minutes. Rain, rain...
After check- in they announced that the flight will be delayed due to the bad waather.. I will possibly miss the train connection Warsaw - Gdansk - this could be the first unpleasant accent of this great journey...
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Oct 25, 2018 08:00 PM New friends frm the ship...
Day at sea - we are turning back to Barcelona. But we still have a sunny weather - the rain stayed back in Italy...
Day at see gives me always tha chance to meet new people and to find new friends. I found at least one - Alberto - the passionate traveller from Asturias. He was talking in Spanish with the waiter explaining his journeys. I joined them and - I have a new friend who visited more than 100 countries. He visited all seven continents, so I invited him to our 7 Continents Club! - see our picture on the deck....
In the afternoon I met a young journalist from Chile - he was surprised, that I know his country so well. He asked many questions i was impressed - it is the rare case that you meet somebody who completed 12 round- the-world voyages, travelling alone...
Eduardo - the pianists was playing for me the last time this evening...
It is the time to pack my backpack...
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Oct 24, 2018 08:00 PM I found my love in Portofino....
Do you remember that old song? Here I am! . Portofino, where I landed today is very picturesque and cozy place with miniature port squeezed between rocky hills. It is already off season so I did not experience a crowd of tourists in the narrow streets and squares. Beautiful, beautiful... It could be paradise for the painters. For the best view it is worth to climb the street to San Giorgio church. Brown Castle is even higher and I went there, but sorry, they charge 5 euro for the entrance... So I decided to take a long coastal walk to Santa Margarita Ligure (much bigger coastal resort) and onward to Rapallo. Views are great with some sunshine but the weather is changing. You can also reach S.Margarita by boat paying 7 euro...
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