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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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May 02, 2021 08:00 PM At the bottom of Julian Alps...
The sun is shinning sinse the morning. Fresh geen around... I spent few hours in atmospheric old township of Skofja Loka. There is nice old town, butvthd real jewel of this 1000-years old township is the castle on the hill with a museum in the interior. On Mondays they are closed, but thet were so nice to open fir us. The ornate castle chapel is especially worth to see! In the afternoon I said goodbye to Skofja Loka and went to historic Kranj. There is also nice old town, but it is worth to climb for the grat wiews to the 650-meters mountain overlooking the town for the views of snow-capped mountains. Let you know that from the top of the hill the old Kranj is only partially visible because of the dense forest on the slopes. Lovely sun! We are the only guests in the hostel! What a comfort!
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May 01, 2021 08:00 PM Three places to visit in one day
The morning in Ljubliana was cloudy with occasional showers. But pretty capital, covered by fresh green of the trees was stll nice. I took the walk to well known places like three bridges, ornate cathedral and castle hill, taking new pictures.
Rented car gives a chance to see in one day more interesting places then one. First I was driving to Kamnik - some 30 kms north of Ljubliana to enjoy the medieval architecture of this little town. Little castle, Franciscan monastery, house with loggia - are just few samples of the beauty of Kamnik. 10 kms north from Kamnik there is a cable car going up to Velika Planina Mts. But there were clouds on the mountains today so to take the cable car was a bad idea. I decided to drive instead to Celje - third city of Slovenia, famous for many monuments. I was driving around 70 kms the mountain road with many switchbacks, passing picturesque villages. Celje was nice to visit, I liked most the medieval castle located on the hill, overlooking the river. One of the Queens of Poland - Anna was from here... Great day!
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Apr 30, 2021 08:00 PM Gdansk to Ljubliana
It was sunny but cold morning when I reported in Gdansk airport. During pandemic you cannot get your boarding pass online. You have to check in in the airport and they will see if you comply the covid restriction. I did. 40 min flight to Warsaw. Then 1,5 h by little jet to the capital of Slovenia. We lande 10 minutes before the schedule and... Shame on you Slovenian authorities! Only 2 windows of border control were open. A cowd of more than 100 people was waiting in front of them. How to keep the distance? We were waiting in the line almost an hour! The officer accepted our double vaccination certificates and we finally were free to go without any registration and stamps. Rent-a-car desks are opposite the little terminal. I received brand new VW Polo and we drove to the Lujbliana Old City. Lucky me! On weekends the market on Vodnik Square does not work and you can park your car there for free - in the centre of the city! What a surprise: the cafes on the banks of Ljublianica river work and the guests do not wear the masks!
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Apr 29, 2021 08:00 PM New journey!
Travel planning is difficult in a pandemic. The main attraction of my trip in May was to be the cruise from Athens to the ports of Israel. Unfortunately, the NCL company canceled the event two months before the cruise due to the pandemic. Then I prepared a Plan B - a cruise on Costa ship from Trieste to the Adriatic ports with a cheap flights Gdansk to Ljubljana. Unfortunately, the cruise was canceled due to the increase in the number of cases in Italy. The result was Plan C - a journey from Ljubljana to the Julian Alps in a rented car.
Slovenia exempts people vaccinated (like me) with two doses of the COVID vaccine from the quarantine obligation. I booked a car with basic insurance, paying 14 USD per day and off I go! It only remains to ask friends to keep their fingers crossed for good weather. I was already in Slovenia in 1999, but not in the Julian Alps, so I promise myself a lot after this trip.
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Mar 27, 2021 10:00 PM Back in my Wojtkówka
My African expedition is successfully completed! After four weeks of absence I went to my Wojtkówka, enjoying the spring sun and the first flowers in blossom.
Now is the time to relax, to copy all photos and video clips and to write the solid travel report for the other travellers wishing to go to this interesting African country.
The plan for the next travel is also ready, but requires some corrections, depending of the current covid situation...
Let's do it!
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Mar 25, 2021 10:00 PM From Africa to Gdansk...
Ethiopian Airlines has the opinion to be the leading airline for whole Africa. The terrminal in Addis is under development with the big, but unfinished departure hall. There are some duty free shops, but they are expensive... Just before midnight I boarded brand new airbus 350. Few passengers only due to covid, so everyone had a lot of space. Only one hot meal served on the 7-hours flight. Why they do not serve breakfast before landing, or at least Ethiopian strong coffee? In the morning I enjoyed lovely, spring sun shining in FRA airport. I am waiting for the connection to Warsaw. Everything goes well!
... until German border control and security check. These guys never generate my sympathy.... Why they address to me in German? Should I speak their language obligatory? Or maybe they are too lazy to learn English? Why the security guy was so suspicious taking away all stuff from my little backpack. - You should take your toothpaste off the luggage! Yes, sir!
I will try to stay away from Frankfurt!
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Mar 24, 2021 10:00 PM Waiting for PCR test in Addis
Back in Addis Ababa I am waiting for the result of the covid test, staying in the cozy White House Addis hotel... The best place to perform the test is Washington Medical Center opposite Rwanda Embassy. No appointment requested - just walk on, make a copy of your passport, pay 1500 birr or 40 USD and wait 24 hours for the result.
The strong sun still shines, and I celebrate my last day in the exciting Ethiopia.
At 5 pm I took a walk to the medical center. Crowd of people was waiting there for the test results, including two Europeans. Africa requires patiency - I was waiting almost an hour to get this important paper . Te test result was negative, so I am allowed to fly!
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Mar 23, 2021 10:00 PM The gates of Harar
Old Harar has well preserved town gates and it is good idea to see them one by one, to enjoy the colorful crowd to see the life. to photograph the vendors, kids going to the school and patient donkeys with loads of the firewood on the back. Old Harar is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage and has a lot to offer, but I must say it is still a dirty jewel. Sandy streets, piles of garbage, beggars and hemeless people sleeping just on the ground, even in the main alleys.
There is a museum (30 birr entry fee), a new, but permanently closed cultural centre. From the terraces of the centre you will have possibly the best view of the old and new Harar. Near the Shoa Gate there is a big fruit and vegetable market where I am buying tomatoes, paying 40 birr per kilo - like one dollar. Local beer in the shaddy bars cost only 20 birr per half litre (and you have to drink a lot to avoid dehydration! :) In the evenings at 7 pm locals offer to the tourists hyenas feeding spectacle. It costs 200 birr=5$ plus transport. You can have a pic with a hyena... Sorry, I do not like hyenas, I prefer pictures with the local people!
Today it is the time to say goodbye to historic Harar - after Lalibela probably the most interesting town in Ethiopia... But clean it up, please!
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Mar 22, 2021 10:00 PM Camel market in East Ethiopia
Twice a week there is an interesting camel market 35 kms east of Harar on the road going to the the border post with Somaliland. It is not easy to find the place. The good orientation point is a big camp for Somali refugees - the markrt is just after that. It is very interesting place - apart from the two hundered of camels different age you will find there also "cattle department" and very colorful "goat department" where tha local ladies in color costumes take care of them. Imagine the noise, dust, heat... One camel can be worth as much as 1000 euro! Those primitive people sometimes want to be photographed while the others - no! I was showin the respect to both groups and I survived with many interesting pictures. Be prepared for many control points on the road: customs, army, police, road police. Yes, corruption exists - especially road police is expecting some money... Africa!
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Mar 21, 2021 10:00 PM Flying to historic Harar
If you use Ethopian Airlines to fly from Europe to Addis Ababa (that's what I did) they offer 50% discount on domestic flights. Sounds like 63 USD per segment - I think It is a good deal! I was flying Awassa - Addis - Dire Dawa. Then It wasn't' far to historic Harar - 1,5h- 35 birr by crowded minibus from the city bus station in DD.
Years ago I have been to historic Timbuktu/Mali, where first European was only in the middle of 19th century. Harar in eastern Ethiopia, the target of traders and caravans remained also like enigma till mid- 19th century, when Richard Burton in the clothes of Arab trader saw it for the first time.
Today historic Harar, surrounded by city walls with gates is placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The old part of the city is like the labyrinth of the 300+ narrow alleys. Many of 82 mosques remained with its little minarets. Some of the houses and walls are painted in pastel colours. It is nice. But you will see here a lot of powerty: garbage around, homeless people sleeping day and night just on the ground. Caravans of donkeys are bringing firewood used in the kitchens. No single tourist except me. Different, very authentic world!
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