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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM The funeral and the baptism in Ethiopia
My expensive (50 USD) entry ticket to the churches of Lalibela has one value - it allows me to be there during four consecutive days. So today in the morning I called the church gate again and this was the great idea because the funeral ceremony was performed there under the big tree. Singing, lamenting, priests under colorful umbrellas and, first of all: crowd of several hundered people in the white shammas sitting quietly around the tree (ladies are separated from men). After an hour spent in such a environment I went again to the second group of the churches to discover the lower entrance to the Libanos church and underground corridor to Emanuel Church. The last was the hit of the day with nice facade resembling Petra and friendly priest inside, posing with the big metal cross.
Back in the main group I took a sit between the monks singing near Bete Mariam church. I was enjoying the atmosphere and writing my daily notes. After two hours in the backyard they started the baptism ceremony. What a wonderful chance to observe locals, priests in yellow and crying children!
What a day!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Sailors and travellers in my dacha...
We have lovely, hot and sunny summer in Gdansk this year. Flowers are all around. I am receiving many friends, sailors and travellers, offering them fresh fruits and the travel stories. It is real paradise for me. See my good friend Ela on the picture...
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Ladies in Wojtkowka
Three ladies from different corners of Poland visited me in my Wojtkowka. They also travel (at the moment not so far) and they wanted to meet me and listen to my travel stories. Why not? It was short, but very pleasant visit. They bought my book with a special dedication and promised to be back next year! :)
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Widest waterfall of Europe, Versailles of Latvia
I started from Liepaja at 9.30, heading initially to the old town of Kuldiga. Roads are almost empty in this part of Curland so at 11 am I was alredy walking the streets of Kuldiga. Why I made a detour? Fellow Latvian from the hostel convinced me to visit this little known township. Kuldiga is proud to offer the longest brick bridge in Europe (164 m long) and widest waterfall in Europe (249 m wide) Well, the waterfall is less the 2 m high, but it is still something special!
From Kuldiga I was driving to the Jevel of Latvia - the Rundale Palace near Bauska. They call this palace Versailles of Latvia and they do not exaggerate... You have to pay 12 euro (no discounts) to visit the nicely restored palace and glorious garden. People are coming here for the marriage ceremonies (I attended one enjoying lovely live chamber music) roses in the rose garden were still in blossom. And inside the palace - thousands of paintings, sculptures to enjoy. Rundale is a must if you are in Latvia! It was already 7 pm when I reached the cottage near the Lithuanian border where I will spend the night...
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM What I found in the bazaar...
Suleimaniya is more westernised than Erbil. Along the main Salim street you will see high, fancy hotels. There are also more ladies in the European dressing. I had enough time to walk around the centre, visit Azadi Park with the modest Love Monument., talk with many locals. Local bazaar is very crowded and noisy. Smells in some areas not so nice, but is very authentic. I found there the quarter where they sell Kurdish traditional costumes. I had there a chance to try the headdressing of the Kurds. It consists of two parts: little round hat to put on the top of your head and the cloth - to be wrapped around the hat. Look at the picture - I and the sellers from nearby shops we had a lot of fun... What a nice souvenir from Kurdistan. It is necessaryto to bargain, but you can buy both parts for just 10 - 12 dollars :)
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Last day in Marrakech
At 9 am when I was walking the narro streets of the medina they were still almost empty. It was nice to see well known, but restored for tourists places, mosques, city walls and gates. They charge now 7 euro for the entrance to the main tourist attractions. At 11.30 I was back in the guesthouse to pack my backpack and go to the airport. They required PCR test - the covid situation is changing the rules every day! They suspended flights to France at all. Fortunately i was flying to Italy. The 3-hours flight to Torino was full. Arab kids wer shouting and crying and I was happy to leave them after landing. Here on arrival they checked only the passenger locator forms!!
I boardeb the bus to the Torino railway station paying hefty 7 euro in the machine. The driver charges 1 euro more. It took us almost one hour to reach the station due to the traffic jams. Here I wanted to buy ticket to the port of Genova. I put the exact money to the machine. But I did not receive any ticket. Attendent opened the machine - no ticket inside! What should I do? -You should buy new ticket, your train departs in 10 minutes! But where is my money?. -You can write the protocol, if you can miss your train, but we cannot give you the money back.
Welcome to Italy!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Exotic Dubai after years
I have my flight home late in the evening. So I decided to book the tour, which terminates in the airport in the evening. In the morning I was still sunbathing on the deck 15 with the nice view of the Dubai skyline. Packing mu luggage didn' take me much time. Cruise line was sio nice and organnized for all guests covid thests required now hy all airlines.
at 1.30 pm I was ready to disembark.
Big bus took us to Jumeira quarter to see fajcy hotels and ine mosques. Then were driving to the oldest part of Dubai, to see old, mud- made houses with wind towers in the narrow streets. Dubai Creek with the souks (bazaars) was the highlite of the day. I liked like years ago noisy abra boats sailing with the people across the river. We sailed too - to see Gold Souq and other parts od the lively market. Picturesque Market found me on the bank of the river - they were just calling from the minarets. Great moment! It was 7 pm when the driver drop me at the peripheral terminal 2 of Dubai airport. It is not very impressive, but it seems that only low cost airlines use it. I have 4 hours waiting for wizzair flight to the cold!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Guagua to the ferry
Wake-up in the darkness. At 7 am I was alreadu marching to the guagua stop "Casablanca". For the historic reason Canarinos call the bus "guagua". So from the south airport area guaguas no. 111 and 450 goes to Christianos - a quite big city in the southwestern corner of Tenerife. I paid 2,20 euro to the driver for the 20-minute ride. He left me at the guagua station - quite far from the port and ferry dock. I was walking about half an hour with all my stuff - good morning exercise! Ferries (for foreigners) are expensive on Canary Islands. Imagine that for one- hour sail on the junk ship to Gomera I paid online 32 euro with a senior discount! Locals pay only 7 euro, and tis is the honest price...
Sun was rising when I was embarking - they scanned only the number of my passport. The view from the deck was great: the port and Christianos town were bathing in the strong morning sun. Soon we departed enjoying the view of Mt Teide and jumping dolphins. Gomera was hardly visible in the mist on the horizon. Soon more...
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Ferry to Lanzarote
Imagine that Ryan cancelled my flight from Fuerteventura. Fortunately I found similar from Lanzarote.
At 9.30 am I was already in the ferry dock in Corralejo, thevferry arrived soon and I boarded "Tindaya" for a 35-min journey in the sun. One way ticket cost me 24 euro. It is worth to know, that there is competitive company "Romero" offering the same journey for 18 euro on thevsmaller ship.
The view from the upper deck was great: Corralejo, Lobos Island them Playa Blanca on Lanzarote. Once disembarked I walked 500 m to the main road to find the stop of guagua. It cost me 3,60 to the capital of the island - Arecife. Lanzarote has not as many colors as Fuerteventura. The landscape is less dramatic, valleys are more wide and flat.
In Arecife I found little and crowded hostel "Casita Arecife" to stay for 18 euro in 4-bed room. Cramp but nice atmosphere and new friend - Giovanni from the Italy - the real traveller.
New carrier informed me that I must have a covid test to land in Italy. Giovanni helped me to find the BioLab on Argentina Street. It is worth to recommend - they made the test in 15 minutes for only 20 euro!
Fthen I was free to walk again the beautiful bouleward - againn after 7 years. They build new complex near marina.. Palms, little caste St Gabriel on the island, white boasts in the inside port. I am happy to be here again!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Blablabus to Bordeaux
Three hours bus drive for 6 euro - sounds interesting! It was late morning when I embarked blablabus in Toulouse. The standard of the bus was OK with a toilet and we had only one WC stop on the route. Well, be prepared if you didn't pay extra for the selection of the seat that they will put you into the last row... In Bordeaux they have stop in the narrow street east of the St Jean station building. Looks not to be the safest place in the night...
I found cheapest accommodation in the Formule1 hotel on the other side of the river. To get there I walked through the St Jean bridge and then it is still more than 1 km south. Room for 38 euro has a sink, but not a bath. Covid histeria is still present here - because covid they do not provide towels. You can buy one single-use microfibre paying 3 euro extra!
It is quiet place, but to buy some bread and other groceries you have to walk 2 kms back to Place Stalingrad (what I did). 1,5 litre of red wine cost 5 euro. Let's make a toast in the country of the bordeaux-color wine!
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