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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Nov 07, 2016 09:00 PM Taking people around the world...
In some places in Poland I have large groups of friends and fans. One of them is little but atmospheric town of Lubin. Local hiking club invites me every year (since 7 years - I believe!) to listen about my recent travelling. I just returned from such a meeting. I was giving there slide-show about my 12th round-the-world voyage. The cinema hall was full and my pictures, projected on the huge cinema screen were very impressive. I was talking 1,5 hour and after there were still questions to answer...
I was also promoting my book. It was not only satisfaction and pleasure but also a chance to earn some funds for my next voyage :)
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Oct 19, 2016 06:00 PM Flying home...
Streets of Heraklion were empty, when I was walking to the airport. After 6 am you can use the city bus no.1.
The gate was not open yet. Ground staff was going to buy for themselves big cups morning coffee :) But we started anyway on time to Athens. They offered a glass of juice and little cake on this 35 min flight. I Athens I had only a quarter to go gate to gate - not easy task, because transit passengers must still go through the security control. Done!
On second airbus of Aegean Airlines we got even hot breakfast! Then we landed in the cold and cloudy Warsaw (8 deg Celsius only!) I had enough time to go to the new gate because I landed in the new time zone - I gain an hour.
Welcome to Gdansk! Interesting Mediteranean voyage is over - now it is time to make a big laundry, ...and to plan the next trip...
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Oct 18, 2016 06:00 PM Windy Heraklion
It was raining for the first time during this journey when I was going by bus from Chania to Heraklion. I is a long trip - more then 3 hours, and the ticket cost 15 euro. Controllers are boarding the bus twice - on the route, so make sure you have your ticket handy in the pocket. In Heraklion I found my Evans Hotel on the side of Ikariou street going to the airport. It is important, because my flight is departing early, buses are not operating before 6 am so I will walk 2 kms distance to the terminal.
Then it was the time to take a walk to the huge city walls and to visit the flag monuments of the capital of Crete.
Cathedral church of St Minas has rich decoration inside and is well worth to see. Just nearby in the ancient church of St Catherine now there is a gallery of icons. Lions (Morosini) fountain lies in the middle of old city promenade surrounded by restaurants and cafes. From the Venetian times in Heraklion survived old Loggia (now city hall). I finished my walk at the old port where nowadays you will see little fishing boats and yachts docking in front of the old fortress - very picturesque place!
Sadly it is my last day in Greece...
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Oct 17, 2016 06:00 PM Chania, Crete
I like Chania, especially the colorful old town area where the chain of little restaurants is encompassing the old port. This place has tipical Mediterranean climate. People are sitting for hours at the tables and doing nothing.... :) On the western side of the old town I found a little hill which offers panoramic view of the roofs and towers of old Chania. There are interesting churches and minarets in the area of the narrow streets. One of the temples - Saint Nicos has both - a church tower with the clock and also the minaret. I stay here in the run-down, but inexpensive Hotel Tina conveniently located half way from the bus station to the old town. Internet is miserable, hot water - from time to time, mosquitoes are present... Not recommended!. But today I am going back to Heraklion...
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Oct 16, 2016 06:00 PM Samaria Gorge conquered :)
Locals say that it is the biggest gorge in Europe. I wanted to see it. From Chania, Crete there are 2 buses going in the morning to the upper end of the gorge on the level ca 1250 m above the sea. You can buy RT ticket - it costs 15,70 euro. After an hour on the bus you will land at the national park ticket office to pay another 5 eu entry fee. Then you can start the descent... Do you think it is easier to walk down? I know the people who rather prefer to climb up (uncluding me in some situations). There is a nice view of the summits of White Mountains at the entry but let you know then during next 3 hours there is no views - you are going through the thick pine forest. The trail is hard with many stones. Some are so polished that it is easy to slide. First water you will reach after 45 min.
After 3 hours of walk I reached abandoned Samaria village. Views starts from this place down till the exit point. Dry river, 500 m high walls, colors, heat. But what a experience. I took me 6 hours (with one hour lunch break) to go through the gorge. It is worth the effort! Down on the coast there is little village Aghia Roumeli with sea acces only so you must wait till 5.30 for the ferry (12,80 eu) to take you to to the next port where your bus to Chania will be waiting.
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Oct 15, 2016 06:00 PM On the way to Rethymno
Do not trust them if they will say: -We charge more money (62 euro for the ticket Santorini -Heraklion) but we offer better service! Hellenic Seaways flagship "Highspeed7" arrived to Santorini with 30 min delay and added another 35 min on next journey segment. The scheduled arrival time was 18.50. We arrived one hour and 10 min later and as a result I was late for my bus to Rethymnon. I arrived in the middle of the night.
Rethymno is little town with a labirynth of the narrow streets around the fortress and old Venetian harbor. And that's where I stay in the cozy and atmospheric Rethymno House. I spent the morning walking around and enjoying the silence of the empty old town - locals sleep long on Sunday! Not easy to find open bakery or grocery! After Venetians there were Ottomans - they left there nice mosque.
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Oct 14, 2016 06:00 PM To the top of the island...
Santorini has one big problem: drinking water. The island is small, dry and has only limited number of desalination instalations. As a result in my shower I have the water from the well, but it also has special taste. I boil it for tea and coffee and it is OK. But some tourists complain and buy expensive bottled water.
I climb to the highest point of the mountain. Perrissa lies at the bottom of this huge mountain. First I took a path to Sallani Pass. From this Pass I decided to go first to visit remains of Ancient Thira covering the top of Mesa Vouno Mtn. Very interesting - worth 4 eu entry fee! Then I returned to the pass and started much harder climbing to the Monastery of St Elias on the top of the peak. It worth to have real hiking shoes for this part! Views of Mesa Vouno and Kamari Beach are great. 565 m above the sea! In the monastery (military installations are there too) you will see little lovely church in the garden. It is open and the monks sell home-made wine, jams and honey... The view of caldera is not as impressive as I expected - it is far...
From the top you can the road down to Pyrgos, but I decided to went down the same way... Great day!
Today in the evening I will take the ferry to Crete.
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Oct 13, 2016 06:00 PM 12 kms along the rim of caldera
Santorini has a shape of the croissant. In one end - at ship's the entrance to the caldera you wil see picturesque village of Oia, famous for the sunsets. Fira - the capital is more or less in the middle of the cake. There is fantastic walking trail from Fira to Oia with the incredible views. I took it. First you have to come by bus to Fira. The path, going up and down startts near big and interesting inside mu icipality church. It sneaks between shops ant restaurants climbing the hill with the Catholic church of St John the Baptist. Then it is less crowded possing Firostefani and climbing to the highest point - the village Imerovigli. Stunning views on the way. You still see Oia on the other side of the bay. Then down on the pass you have a chance to switch to the buss going on regular road. I decided to use the old path. And this is the most challenging part of 3.5 hour trail - now there is no pavement on the path, but volcanic gravel, little stones... Little churches on the way and vews, views both directions... Oia is lovely - in my opinion nicer then Fira. Blue copulas of the churches, nice promenade going to the end of the "croissant" where people are waiting for spectacular sunset.
Unforgettable place! I returned to my Perissa in the dark. Tired but happy. So far I saw only one such a volcanic island, where the ships sail into caldera - this was Deception Island in the Antarctic.
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Oct 12, 2016 06:00 PM Go to Santorini!
I have been to many Greek islands but now I know that Santorini is most beautiful and has most unusual landscape. It is former volcano! If you are arriving by sea you sail into the volcanic caldera. I did it and I recommend this mode of arrival - the view is just stunning! White settlements on the sheer inside cliff. Deep blue water... Cruise ships drifting around (the caldera is too deep to anchor).
To stay 3 nights in this unusual place I booked an inexpensive room in Villa Dimitris in Perissa. Perissa is far from the capital of the island - Fira, but if you stay more then one night they provide free pick-up.
Single room with bath, fridge, coffee maker and a/c costs me 20 eu per night.
Villa Dimitris has great location at the bottom of the high mountain, some 100 m from the beach. Place is very quite and there is public bus going to Fira... It costs hefty 2.40, but let you know that Santorini ix expensive place - I advice you to bring with you as much as you can carry :)
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Oct 11, 2016 06:00 PM Paros, Naxos, Ios...
At 7 am I boarded ferry boat Blue Star Delos departing to few islands in the Cyclades group. My destination is Santorini but such a slow ferry - departing once per week gives rare opportunity to enjoy the sea and the island landscapes. Those fast jets they do not have open decks and you see little through dirty windows. In internet I paid 32 euro for economy class Piraeus to Santorini.
So first we saw on the horizon Paros island. Hilly, little-green, the color of coffe with milk dominates... Little town on Paros is right at the jetty. Sailors are very smart - within 15 minutes they unpacked and packed passengers and few cars. But yes, 15 min is enough to take nice pics from the deck...
Next island - Naxos has more dramatic landscape, is much bigger and in the main settlement has churches and remains of the fort.
Third island - Ios looks like abandoned, but it has long and narrow bay where white settlement is hidden. Probably nicest location of all 3 islands. After an hour of sailing I saw the legendary Santorini. Wow! More tomorrow - I am so hungry!
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