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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Jan 09, 2006 07:00 PM China - along the Pearl River
It is good to have a friend in the far-away country! We met four months ago in the high mountains of Pakistan, where we taravelled together bumpy and dusty roads of the Hindukush...
It was almost midnight when my delayed Nortwest flight landed in new Guangzhou airport. She - the charming Chineese lady - was waiting for me patiently in the arrival hall. I was really happy to see her again!
In the morning she guided me to the busy downtown of 3.5-million Guangzhou (former Canton). I hoped to see there some high buildings - I saw much more then I expected. China serprises me... They run a lot a construction work and soon in Canton there will be more new skyscrapers then on the Manhattan. We had my favourite dumplings - baodzy - for lunch... Then we visited Chan Clan village, three main temples and imposing stone cathedral - the tourist highligts of Canton. On the river there is Shamian Island - former colonial enclave with narrow, shaddy streets ant some old, fancy buildings. At the dusk it is worth to be on the promenade on the riverside of Pearl River - lights, iluminated boats pasing by, wonderful music - just enchanting moment... It was great day - thank you my friend! Tomorrow I am heading to Guilin...
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Dec 16, 2005 07:00 PM White snow in Gdansk... welcome home!
From the heat of Madagascar to the winter in Poland in one day! It was white around when I landed in Gdansk... Snow - what a pleasant view! Another interesting voyage is completed... Very interesting and (for me) - relaxing after other difficult voyages of 2005! Now it will be the time for relax, developing pictures (I did 15 rolls of slides and about a thousand low-resolution digital pics) but first of all - for enjoying Christmas time with the family and friends... Merry Christmas to all of you and Happy Travelling in 2006!
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Dec 15, 2005 07:00 PM Mt Kilimanjaro from the air....
Time to come back home for Christmas... But first - how to get to Antananarivo airport? Taxi from the center (old Renault 4 - real experience) will cost you 20 000 ariary - like 10 USD.
But I used other way: taxi from the hotel to northern taxi-brousse station (they call it "gare nord") for 2500 ariary and then crowded minibus to Ivato for 400 ariary - there is plenty of them and each one is passing the airport! Allow a lot of time for the airport check-in in TNR! - they are nice but they work veeeeery slow!
I boarded the plain - half empty - they announced 3-hours flight to Nairobi. The meal was poor but served with good Mauritian beer... After 2,5 hours on the left side of the plain I saw the beautifuly exposed summit of Mt Kilimanjaro - after 29 years! It was in 1976 when I - a young dreamer - was climbing the summit up to Uhuru Peak. Memories, memories... Nairobi to Amsterdam took me 8,5 hours... then Amsterdam to Warsaw - 2 hours...
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Dec 14, 2005 07:00 PM It is me - VAZAHA !
In the different parts of the world they called me: gringo, farang, muzungu... Here, in Madagascar I am vazaha. When I am wandering along narrow streets of Tana barefoot children shout: -Vazaha! Vazaha! They have a fun... I have too! After almost 3 weeks in Madagascar I can tell you that it is one of the most pleasant countries to travel... It is also paradise for the photographer - people rarely do not want to be photographed, they easily return your smiles... To get from the main street of Antananarivo to my hotel "Chez Francis" I must climb long public stairs. Along the stairs there are plenty of stalls - you can buy there everything: live chickens, second-hand clothes, radios, tomatoes, rice and shoes... Just stay every 20 steps and take one photo - what a gallery you will get!
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Dec 13, 2005 07:00 PM Antananarivo in the sun...
There must be cold and rainy where you are... Or even snowy! My Friend Jorge is reporting from Yakutia: minus 40 degrees! Congratulations Jorge! I am still enjoyinng strong sun of Madagascar. Central part of the capital city lies in the valley. Stay on the main street and look up the eastern slopes... On the one of the buldings there is writen: Chez Francis - that's where I live. It is little, quite hotel with a great view of Tana... They charge 26 000 ariary per room with hot shower and the balcony. It is worth to recommend! Tana is located on the level about 1200 m above the sea but it is still malaria zone... I took once a week my lariam pill and use my private mosquito net - I think it is even more efficient... Today I visited the ruins of Rova - the royal palace destroyed by the fire 10 years ago. They charge 5000 ariary for entry to the ruins and to the other palace located nearby, where you can see regalia survived from the fire... Worth to see!
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Dec 12, 2005 07:00 PM Bye bye Morondava on the ocean...
In the heat of the tropics I am already dreaming about white Christmas in Poland... Soon, soon...
Did I tell you that the rhum is extremely cheap in Madagascar? Even cheaper then in Guyana! The bottle of better brand cost around 2000 ariary per 0.5 l . It means that it has the value of two bottles of coca-cola - 0.5 l each!! But do not drink much - in the tropical heat you will get drunk very soon!! I decided to take today domestic flight from Morondava to the capital city of Antanararivo...
Bye-bye palms of Morondava! It was the time for the glass of rhum and sweet little Chocolate...
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Dec 11, 2005 07:00 PM Madagascar - pirogue to Betanie...
If you want to go there from your bungalow in Nosy Kely there is no reason to ask for the directions... On the beach in front of you at any time of the day you will see local people - mostly ladies carrying baskets on their heads. They also go to take the pirogue crossing the channel to large fishing village of Betanie. Wait with them in the strong sun, once pirogue will come take your shoes off and jump to this large duout canoe. The passage in the crowd of locals will cost you 200 ariary - 10 US cents. On the opposite bank you will discover different world. Long and wide white-sand beach was completly empty when I was there. The long row of the fishing canoes lie on the beach. You must cross the dunes to get into the village.
Tatched houses under the palm trees... Old ladies cooking on the open air... Limited water suppluy from the well, no electric power... Barefoot kids are asking for the cadeau, stilo, bonbon, argent... Please, if you really want to help them do not give this gadgets to the children - give them to the teacher of the primitive school...
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Dec 10, 2005 07:00 PM Western Madagascar - no chance to see Tsingy!
I spent two days trying to organize the tour to Tsingy National Park - one of the wildest in Madagascar. Bad luck! The usual response from locals is: too late! Too late! It is already raining there and the roads are rard to pass! The cost of the rental of 4WD car with local driver and fuel for 3 days required to visit the park is like 300 USD. Is this worth to invest such a money and to go there anyway? To fight with mud in the rain? Sorry, next time - maybe...
But in Morondava we still have bright sun. This city has special microclimate: 10 months of sunny weather each year. I am enjoying sea and sun. Today we went by car to the nice and deserted Kimony Beach - surprisely there are luxury bungalows -five of them - 20 USD per night with breakfast included if you like to spend your vacations far from the noisy world...
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Dec 09, 2005 07:00 PM Avenue of Baobabs...
You can see baobab trees in many places... But there is only one such famous *Avenue* where they stay on the both sides of the red, dusty road... Avenue of Baobabs is located some 18 km notheast of Morondava in Madagascar. If you will be able to find companions to share taxi rental you will pay the fraction of 50000 ariary charged per half day car excursion. When I arrived there I found not only the alley but much more baobabs spayed-out inthe area. Thealley itself is some 200 m long and the best time to come here is late afternoon. Then - staying till the sunset you will have the chance to take interesting pictures. The lighting of the sky was just incredibile when I was there!
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Dec 08, 2005 07:00 PM Morondava - Madagascar - paradise on the sea...
If you want to reach this place by local transport from the capital city it is two days journey... Morondava lies on the West Coast of Madagascar. Try to imagine bumpy and sandy main street with some run-down colonial buildings. Stalls of mango - sellers, little, cramped bazaar... The main street will take you to the sea - there is little peninsula Nosy Kely filled up with hotels, guest-houses, bungalows, little open-air restaurants and tatched houses of the local people. All almost empty - the season is over... My bungalow is located 5 m from the wide beach - under picturesque palm trees. I have bathroom and fan - it cost 20000 ariary per night - like 10 USD. I am listening to the ocean day and night - the sunsets are spectacular... Strong sun, high humidity... take a swim and relax - why you didn`t want to come here with me?
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