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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 15, 2025 12:00 AM Madrid after years...
Our hostal is 800 m from the Madrid airport. Metro is the most convenient way to get to the center of the city, but they introduced 3 euro suplement for each ride between city and airport. I decided that the best solution will be tourist ticket - for 15 euro it gives one day unlimited travel on Madrid subway and buses (except airport express bus) no supplements. Since my grandson is a football fan we went first to see famous Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Self tour around costs 35 euro and the young man said that it is worth. Then we went to Plaza de Espana, Royal palace, cathedral, Plaza Mayor and other places. For me it was a chance to refresh old memories. We have been also in the Plaza de Toros where I was watching real corrida in 1971... We returned to the hostal after 7 hours in the city - tired but happy!
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Feb 14, 2025 12:00 AM Stressing start
KLM "royal airline" disappointed me. When I tried to check-in online 30 hours before the flight they informed. "You are checked in. But to get the seat and boarding pass you must report to the counter in the airport. It was snowing whe we were going to the airport by train. At the KLM counter they said "Oh, your are on standby only!" Why? My reservation is confirmed since 3 months! Finally we got boarding passes and last seats on the plane. The flight was 2o min delayed and before take of they sent us to spray against the ice because it was snowing again. I was stressed because we had only 40 min to change the plane in Amsterdam. It was a run from the plane to the bus and from the bus to gate C5 where they were boarding us as the last passengers. Ufff... During 2.5-hours flight to Madrid they served drinks (wine, beer) and sandwiches. When we landed I called early booked Hostal Vicky (800m from rhe airport and they arrived to pick us). It was midnight when we reached their pension. Welcome to Madrid!
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Feb 09, 2025 12:00 AM With my grandson Kuba!
In mid-February I set off once again to the hot and sunny Caribbean. This time not alone, but together with my grandson Kuba, who turns 18 in March. Kuba is interested in the world and travel. He has been with me to Mediterranean ports and Stockholm before, but never overseas... I managed to find a two-week cruise that fits in perfectly with his winter school vacations.
From Gdansk via Amsterdam we will fly to Madrid, where we will have two nights so that Kuba can also get to know this interesting city. Then Iberia airline will take us to Santo Domingo. By land we will reach the small port of La Romana, where a beautiful white ship will be waiting for us. We will spend two weeks on it, making two 7-day loops around the Caribbean and visiting islands and ports in the Dominican Republic. The routes of these two cruises are shown on the maps above.
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Jan 19, 2025 12:00 AM No snow in Gdansk, but cold...
Yesterday in the evening I landed on time after 4h 40 min flight in Larnaca, Cyprus.
They have imm control free channels for the people connecting. But on this path is extra security cintrol: they want you to drink your water before they allow you to go onward! Two hours later I was at the gate for the next wizz flight - to Gdansk. The old lady here was not so pleasant - for the first time in my travelling she took me to the "cage" to check the size of my backpack. Fortunatelu it was soft and squizable. He did not charge more money...
I landed in Gdansk after 3 h 40 min - just before midniht. No snow at all but cold. One more interesting voyage is completed!
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Jan 18, 2025 12:00 AM Departing from Abu Dhabi
Yesterday in front of the Doha Louvre I met nice brother and sister from Kenya. We were talking about different places in their country. Finally they said: do you know that low- cost Air Arabia is already flying from here to Nairobi? Wow! Maybe it will be a cheap route from Poland to Black Africa? Thank you for this info dear friends!
I pack my backpack again - it is time to fly back home. There is convenient connection from Abu Dhabi to my Gdansk via Larnaca, Cyprus. (Assuming that the first flight will be on time - please keep your fingers crossef!)
From downtown Abu Dhabi vity bus A1 will take me to the airport - I still have few dirhams to use on my transport card...
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Jan 17, 2025 12:00 AM Louvre in Abu Dhabi...
Our loop around Persian Gulf is completed. We changed the time again and docked on the morning in Abu Dhabi. In the last minute before leaving the ship I had a chance to meet our captain GianFranco He invited me to the bridge, asking about my travel achievements, showing how they operate the ship from the bridge. And of course we took a souvenir informal picture. He is my captain no.44!
After disembark I took a city bus no. 9 to my pension. It was empty. I took the lunch and boarded bus 94 to Louvre. Louvre Abu Dhabi. The ruler of this country ordered to build on the museum island modern art museum. Like in The Louvre in Paris there is great collection of art from different ages. The objects are carefully selected and very well displayed. Very interesting, but you have to pay 65 dirhams for entry.
The highlite is the roof of of the museum: enormous plate covers all institution. Once you are inside you see that it looks like few layers of roots or leaves allowing to see the sky between them... I didn't see such a construction in the past!
Great day!
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Jan 16, 2025 12:00 AM Doha in Qatar in the mist...
Hello Qatar! There were no electricity in Doha till 1952. Now, with oil and gas they are rich enough to organize mundial!
In the morning we docked in Doha port. Most around. I see on the pther side of the bay a great skyline of the commercial district... I have been here in 1999. It is far to the city and we will depart early so I decided to take the tour. We went to 5he dhows port to see old Arab boats, then to the commercial quarter and residential island Pearl. Final stop was at the bazaar, where I was wondering almost 2 hours in the labyrinth of little shops. On the way back I photographed the emir's guard on the camels passing in front of emir's palace. Interestting day, but I didn't expected this fogg!
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Jan 14, 2025 12:00 AM Oman - Arabia Felix
Nice people, real Arabic hospitality. Frankiscence smelling in the colorful bazaar. I am again in Muscat - the picturesque capital of Oman Sultanate.
It is so nice to wander again the streets, nice corniche and walk to the Royal Palace.
Tomorrow we have a day at sea on the way to Katar... I met a big group of Polish people on the ship - nice to speak my language again...I have a lot of fun...
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Jan 13, 2025 12:00 AM Dubai, day two...
Yesterday in the evening - like 9pm there was noce light show on Dubai Wheel near our port. There is a lot to in Dubai and port fees for the passengers ships are low so no wonder, that we stay here two days plus. In front of the cruise terminal sightseeing hop-on, hop-off buses are waiting. There are 3 competing companies so if you are smart and you have experience you can find an offer which allow you to travel whole day to the tourist places for just 27 euro. I got such a ticket. I have been in Dubai many times, but it is always nice to refresh memories after years! We nent to Burj Khalifa - the tallest building, to old quarter near Dubai Creek and to the bazaars...
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Jan 12, 2025 12:00 AM Dubai Dubai
It was a great day! I had a chance to see for the first time the dancing fountain in action. It is located at the bottom of Burj Khalifa. Then I disembarked hop-on bus at the old souk (bazaar) on the bank of Dubai Creek. There are many stalls woth spices, silk scarves and souvenirs. Old wooden boats offer a short cruise across the creek... On the eay back yo the ship I had a chance to see again the Burj Arab hotel on the coast. Sail-shaped it is still the symbol of Dubai (many years ago it was also the tallest building of the city).
I arrived to the ship only ar 6 pm. Then there was a show - 3 couples dancing on the stage...
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