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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 14, 2014 04:00 PM Up to Giovo Pass
There is easy and good road from Merano to Bolzano -an hour drive. But I took first the road to Passiria Valley enjoying the pasture panoramas in the sun. After crossing big and picturesque village of San Leonardo I started to climb to Giovo Pass. The road was not as challenging as yyesterday. Giovo Pass has "only" 2 kilometers and there is only one cottage on the pass. After pictures I started to go down to the main Bolzano - Brenner road. Once on the main road I made a stopoverer in the lovely town of Bressanone. Cathedral in Bressanone is nicer that the silmilar churches in Merano or Bolzano.
I reached Bolzano after 5 hours of driving.
Youth hostel is located jus 100 from the station. They charge 23 euro forvthe bed in the 4-bed room with bath. I took the walk around the old town. In the distance the peaks of the Dolomites were visible - but that's for tomorrow!
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Sep 13, 2014 04:00 PM Face to face with Mt Ortler
Sunny morning! Buffet beakfast in YH Merano is better then in Riva. I took the walk along the river to the elegant center of the city. It is surrounded by high mountans. In Tourist Office no maps of the region.
Italy! It was 11 am when I started to drive up Venosta Valley. Upps, traffic jam - 20 minutes. In Prad I turned left to the Stelvio Pass road. They say it is one of the hardest mountain roads. It is all paved but very steep and narrow. Can you imagine 49 switchbacks, 180 deg each?
Yes, I did it! From Stelvio Pass 2757 m there is a great view of .Mt Ortler -3905m - the highest peak in this part of the Alps. Breaks were smoking when I was driving back down.
Before sunset I managed to reach the end of Venosta Valley to see romantic church in the waters of Resia Lake. Only thevtover is above the water. Anothervtraffic jam in the tunnel on the way back to Merano. But what a day!
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Sep 12, 2014 04:00 PM To Madonna de Campiglio and onward
Lovely sun in the morning. Included breakfast in the hostel was very basic (coffees, rolls, juice, butter, jams) but you cac take from the buffet as much as you can eat! Obligatory check-out is at 9 so I left my suff in the car and went forvthe city walk. They promised that the lady-cleaner will be there till 12 to open the courtyard so I can drive out. OK. Riva is compact and nice to walk around, to take picures in the narrow streets and garden promenade along the lake. Regular ships are a nice option to travel almost to e other end. But when I returned to the hostel the gate was closed. They will open at 3 pm, no door bells... Police was too busy to come and help... One hour later only by excident somebody came and open the gate for me. Very bad Italian experience!
Then I was driving narrow and windy mountain roads to get to Madonna. The first imposing group of the Brenta Dolomites impressed me! Then I drove over the Lake Sta Giustina through the apple country.
Finally after 6,5 hours of driving in the great landscapes I reached Merano. It is already Upper Adige and most of the people speak German on the streets. Wow - for 25 euro I got in the YH single room with private bath and breakfast! Recommended!
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Sep 11, 2014 04:00 PM Day one: Gdansk to Riva del Garda
It is hard to believe but 2-hours flight on Wizzair plane from Gdansk to Milan-Bergamo cost me only 25 USD each way. Airbus 320 plane departed on time and landed half past three pm. Bergamo airport is crampy, but it is low-cost place... I found Avis desk. What a surprise: they had a car for me as reserved but they wanted to block on my credit card 3000 euro because I took only basic insurance - it never happened before - so while in Avis Italy make sure you have enough credit!
I booked the smallest A cat. car but they gave me cat.B for the same price - 162 euro per week with unlimited mileage. Black lancia is almost new.
I was driving 1 hour on motorway (4.50 € fee) to turn in Desenzano to the secondary road winding along picturesque Garda Lake. It was narrow road with kilometers of tunnels and great views. Some showers on the way. Very limited view points. I did not have many chances to enjoy the views of the lake and towering mountains because on such a road you must contrentrate on the road! It was already dark when I reached Riva del Garda youth hostel located in the heart of the old town. They charge here 21 euro for the bed in the 6-bed dorm.
Breakfast and linen are included. Lets have a rest!
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Sep 10, 2014 04:00 PM New voyage!
For the autumn of this year I planned to travel beyond the Urals, but the sad events in Ukraine and arousing anti-Western sentiment in Russia forced me to change my plans quickly. For several years Italian Dolomites were on the list of my travel targets and I decided to go there instead - flying at the beginning by the cheap direct flight from Gdansk to Bergamo and then continuing the journey by rented small car. At the end of the stay I'm going to also see the Cinque Terre - famous picturesque villages located on the Ligurian Coast. Lets hope that the weather in this region of Italy will be clear in September!
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Aug 07, 2014 04:00 PM Special guests in Wojtkówka
Friends are coming often to my "Wojtkówka". Among them, those which are particularly appreciated for their life achievements: Dorothy Kobierowska, known for her activities in "Zejman" Gdansk' Sailors and Travelers' Club and Mike Kochanczyk - Gdansk's outstanding mountaineer and explorer, and recently the sailor - Mike sailed last year on a yacht the Northeast Passage, joining a very small group of world travellers who have overcome this difficult area. A meeting with such a class traveler as Michael could not go without a discussion about future travel plans, studying map, which in Wojtkówka is always at the ready and memories from the past voyages. Dorothy just returned from the Caribbean where she was sailing island to islands on the small yacht.
These dear guests you have on the picture on the left column. We were chatting at a fruit and wine until late evening.
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Aug 05, 2014 04:00 PM My summer paradise
Summer, what a time! I am spending wonderful Polish summer as usual in my Wojtkówka, enjoying my the flowers, fresh greens, vegetables quickly growing on the beds and babbling birds. I sleep with pleasure in my cottage, saving time and money and enjoying the silence of every morning when I go out in pyjama to the porch to discover new flowers that are in blossom. Could there be a better place on earth?
I have a lot of work on the fresh air, I have to fight with the weeds fostered by thoughtless neighbors, watering all flowerbeds and even my house need to refresh...
At my dacha I cook my modest meals by myself. This year I have a nice harvest of vegetables. Robust home-grown cauliflowers have quite a different flavor than the ones you buy in the store or in the marketplace. Self beans straight from the beds tastes completely different than that which awaits many hours before it reaches the store. I started also collection of ripe tomatoes, which I use to prepare delicious tomato salad with onion every day.
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May 19, 2014 04:00 PM Summer in Wojtkówka
It hard to believe that just a week ago I was walking on the snow in the Norwegian Arctic. In Gdansk we have 22 deg during the day, lovely sun and fresh green around. It looks like a summer!
I am working in my Wojtkowka planting tomatoes, beans, cabbages.
As every year I plan to spend in my cottage all summer, enjoying the silence of my garden (no TV here), flowers and fresh berries and vegies...
Dear Friends, the door of Wojtkówka is already open for you and I will be happy to meet you here. Welcome for the cup of tea, glas of wine and travel stories!
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May 18, 2014 04:00 PM Low - cost flight...
Most of the people use airport (flybussen) bus going from the city to Bergen airport. I just want to warn you: don't go in the last minute. When I was boarding bus at the bus station it had only few seats left (coming from Radisson hotel). Standard travel time is 25 minutes, but very often there are traffic jams so you can spent 40 min or more on this bus. Then there is security control - very strict ladies. If you carry even small amount of toothpaste, after shave water or cream take it away from your carry-on baggage and put into provided plastic bag... :)
To avoid extra fees I was traveling with Wizz only with the small cabin baggage ( the strict limit is 42x32x25 cm ) My pack was slightly thicker, but at the gate nobody measured it. We departed on time and after 2 hours I landed in Gdansk.
One more interesting voyage is over. Now I have to work during the summer to save enough money for the next one. :)
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May 17, 2014 04:00 PM Bergen in the sun and fresh green...
In the morning we were saling through the picturesque Steinsound - full of little rocky islands - they say it is as much as 1700 of them. Different size and different shapes. The tour leader wanted us to leave the cabins at 10 am. Why? Because they want to clean the cabins for the next sailing. I was writing in the lounge till arrival to Bergen at 2 pm,
Sun was shinning, 19 deg Celsius and fresh green around...
When we were starting sea voyage 12 days earlier the colors were rather grey...
It took me 20 minutes by foot from the pier to Marken Guesthouse where I plan to spend the night before flying home. Room with shared bath cost here 650 NOK. Norway is very expensive - it is hard to find something cheaper! I had enough time to take a walk through the old part of the town and to take a funicular to Mt Floyen for the panoramic view of Bergen. RT ticket for adult cost 85 kr. But you can take only way up for the half and walk down by foot - that's' what I did. View is great but it is better to be there in the morning since in the afternoon the sun shine against you.
I walked again through Brygge - the World Heritage Site where locals sip the beer in the street gardens. Nice atmosphere.
It was great journey but tomorrow I am flying home... My Wojtkówka is waiting for me...
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