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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Dec 02, 2018 10:00 PM 2000 kms of country roads...
In the province of Conceicao do Mato Dentro whe I am they have 2000 kms of red, muddy, bumpy roads sneaking up and down green, rolling hills. It is undiscovered paradise for 4WD lovers. Those roads are crossing streams and rivers, they lead to the view points and great waterfalls. I am not a 4WD drive lover, but today I had a good sample of such an adventure. It was rainny in the morning but my host in Tabuleiro - Sr Ricardo offered to took me with his 2WD car to the Horse Tail waterfall - 10 kms away. Why not?
Only once per week - on Thursday public bus goes in the morning from the mountains to Conceicao, returning same day in the afternoon, so for the single traveller such a kind offer is great. We were going on the red roads in the pasture an forestal landscape, passing lonely fazendas and enjoying the views. We were close to the Peixe Tolo Canyon, where from the entrance you can walk up 1 hour to the second high waterfall of Brazil and another 1 hour to the end of the canyon with much lower fall.
Then we took another road challenge to Horse Tail, but the level of the river to cross was to high for 2WD. Bad luck. Same situation was in the afternoon, when I tried to walk to Congonhas waterfall - 4 kms up and down from Tabuleiro... But I still saw a lot! Just let you know that the driest season here is from May to August - nobody told me that! :)
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Dec 01, 2018 10:00 PM Climbing to Cachoeira
It was already dark yesterday evening when I reached by steep country road little village of Tabuleiro. I spent the night in tne cozy and lush Villa Tabuleiro. It was raining whole night...
The main attraction of the area is Cachoeira de Tabuleiro - the third highest waterfall in Brazil, 273 m high! It was not raining in the morning so just after a breakfast included in the room rate (100 BRL) I started 4 kms walk to the park gate. Not easy task because the red, muddy road goes mostly uphill... The waterfall is visible already from the park gate (they were very nice to me, sorry - no maps but also no entry fees).
Once you crossed the gate you have a choice of 3 paths: left one goes down to the pool under the fall, central - to the best view point opposite the fall. The right one climbes to the top of the fall....
I did the central and the left and I am enchanted. Who knows about Tabuleiro? It reminds me Angel Fall visited many years ago...
More in the separate report....
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Nov 30, 2018 10:00 PM Landed in Brazil!
Ufff! It is hot, hot, hot and humid here! After four days Atlantic crossing our junk ship reached Recife in Brazil. I disembarked as early as possible... I have been in Recife already twice, so now it is for me only transit point. They took us from the ship to the terminal by free shuttle bus to avoid crossing through the bumpy terrain of commercial port. Then in the terminal a local Permambuco Band was waiting for us with dancers (see picture).
Passengers took the taxis to go to the hotels or airport. But not me - the budget traveller! :)
I went 150 m to the high Preifeiture building to take there a city bus 117 or 107 going to the train station - 3,20 BRL. Then on the suburban train station the people showed me tha way to the platform for train going to the airport. They said it is free (probably because the entry gates are broken) . I disembarked on the sixth station and took a covered path -like 400 m - to the Recife airport terminal building. Right now I am waiting at the gate for the flight to Belo Horizonte. So far everything goes well. People here are nice to me. Welcome to the hot and humid Brazil!
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Nov 25, 2018 10:00 PM Sao Vincente on Cabo Verde
After two sea days todaywe are again ontha land - the sun is shinning over Sao Vincente island. I was here years ago, but alone and I did not see much out of Mindelo - the capital of the island. Today's Mindelo is nicer that 15 years ago - many colonial buildings are restored.
With my friends from the ship we rented a junk car with the local driver to go to Calhau on the eastern coast and then - by the new, coastal road to Baia das Gatas. There are nice views of the mountains and the beaches on that side of Sao Vincente - see my picture gallery!.
We also climbed by narrow road to the highest point of the island - Monte Verde. There is a nice view from the top, but the day was a bit hazy so the pictures are so-so.
In the afternoon in Mindelo I visited local university and met the students. They were very funny an courious - see the picture... I am always happy to talk with the locals...
In the evening our ship is sailing across the Atlantic to Brazil. Four sea days.... So the next message you will get probably on Dec 1st. Please keep the fingers crossed for the calm ocean! :)
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Nov 22, 2018 10:00 PM Black Friday on Tenerife
The north end of the island was green and sunny when we approached Tenerife this morning. The rest was dark and rainy. And on the juction there was great rainbow.
I was here already twice but it is still smoething new to see - on the edge of Santa Cruz town I found Military Museum located in the old fort. Very interesting, empty and entrance is free!
Then I was walking well known street with palms and flowers...
There is still one problem: my painfull tooth. I found the public health center but no dentist today, Then the private clinic: they are already out for weekend... Reak black Friday for me.
In the evening we will sail to Cabo Verde. Is my organism stron enough to figh with the infection?
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Nov 19, 2018 10:00 PM Sailing to Alicante
Everything goes well (except my tooth...) Yesterday I boarded the ship, I got a cozy single cabin, the captain send me to the cabin a bottle of champagne (they appreciate the frequent passenger)
Then we had spectacular departure from the lighted port of Barcelona.
Today we are in the pretty port of Alicante. I is my first time here. Alicante has lovely location with a nice castle of St Barbara on the rocky hill. After crawling the old town I climbed the hill (it is possible from the back side - from the front they offer lift from the tunnel for 2,70 euro. There is nice view of the city and the whole coasline from the walls and the exhibition about the history. In the afternoon we will be sailing to the Canary Islands.
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Nov 18, 2018 10:00 PM The ship is waiting in Barcelona!
I was sleeping like a baby in my capsule (see picture). In fact it is miniature single room with shared bath... I was the only guest this night and it was quiet... Just in case you are reciving from the reception free earplugs (but no towel).
Terminal is just 100 m away and soon I am flying on lowcost Ryan to Barcelona. Then there will be city bus to Plaza Espana and 5 kms walk to the port where my ship is waiting for me, I believe.
The internet connection from the ship is weak and very expensive sodo not be surprised if there will not be a message from me. Ahoy!
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Nov 17, 2018 10:00 PM To Palermo -again after years...
Train ticket Agrigento to Palermo costs 9 euro and normally it is 2 hours journey. Our train was delayed 30 minutes. No excuse - Italy!
In Palermo I had half a day to explore again the streets of the old town - on Sunday they have a flea market on Piazza Marina. Very close is the yacht marina with the nice view of Mount Pelegrino.
I did not register any presence of mafia, but there are Africans - the illegal imigrants visible in many places... Why they do not send them back to their countries?
Vittorio Emanuele street converted to pedestrian zone took me up - to the cathedral and onward to the Royal Palace. In the 70-ties I was taking limited number of picrures here (slides were expensive and hardly available in Poland then)...
In the late afternoon it was a time to go to Palermo airport. Train and airbuses go there from the Centrale train station. The price is almost the same 6 euro for 50 min journey. I took the bus, just to come to the conclusion that half of this period the bus is crawling the old city - so you can see ornate theatre and other places on the way.
Airport in Palermo has great location - with a huge mountain raising just opposite the terminal. Easy jet took me to Naples airport. Here I will spend the night in the capsule hotel (28 eu) before morning flight to Barcelona. My capsule is 2 by 1,5 m, it has comfy bed with clean linens and TV set. Wi-fi works very well. Good night from the capsule! :)
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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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