Sleeping in the forest

Posted 14 Jun 2008 - Rzeszow (PL):

I did not get to Lipovce for no reason. I was invited by a CouchSurfer whom I had originally approached for a place to stay in the city of Presov. She replied that she would be in the forest during the days I planned to pass Presov, but that I would be equally welcome there.

And so I ended up spending one day in the middle of nowhere, enjoying fresh air and the sound of birds singing. The uphill walk from Lipovce to the cottage (photo below) took me about one hour. I spent the rest of the day with Milka and Rudolf: practicing bow and arrow, throwing knives and conveying sand from the main road to the cottage. I also got an excursion through the cave, but it was too dark there to take any proper photographs.

(© Lipovce - SK, June 2008)
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Cities vs, countryside

Posted 13 June 2008 - Lipovce (SK):

Central European countries all have in common that life in cities is very different from life in the villages. The standard of living is oftentimes lots lower in less populated areas, unemployment is high and people can be extremely conservative and religious. However, contrary to Western and Southern European countries, Slovakia has decent bus connections to even the smallest villages in the country which makes them at least easily accessible. And that is how I managed to end up in Lipovce yesterday morning… Photo below:

(© Lipovce - SK, June 2008)
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Language skills

Posted 12 June 2008 - Kosice (SK):

Two more days in the East of Slovakia. After spending almost 4 weeks in what used to be one country, I am prepared to move on. Poland will be nice. It will be the first country since Austria and before that… Malta… where I speak a bit of the local language. If I count the Maltese as English-speaking, that is. Their own language is actually quite different and comparable to no other European language that I know. Lots of Qs, Hs and Ds with stripes through the vertical part of the letter. Sounds like Arabic, but it`s not advisable to stress this resemblance when dealing with Maltese…

Photo: another crossroad

(© Kosice - SK, June 2008)
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Slovakian buildings

Posted 10 June 2008 - Zvolen (SK):

Slovakia is a nice place to spot interesting buildings. This photo shows the technical university of Central-Slovakian Zvolen, which I am passing on the way to Kosice in the East of Slovakia. Another thing I like about this country is how much nature it has got. Unfortunately I have only seen it from train windows so far but Thursday should bring some more insight into Slovakia`s natural resources.

(© Zvolen - SK, June 2008)
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Road to Wroclaw

Posted 9 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

I left Bratislava this morning, but not before spotting this hideous building somewhere near the railway station. Interesting material..

I planned most of my journey between now and Wroclaw in Poland, which is the city where my friend Bas was studying in 2003/2004 and where I hope to meet some other friends again as well, at least Gosia, Kasia and Magda but maybe some more. We shall see. Inbetween then and now, I will have stopovers in Zvolen, Kosice, Presov (all SK), Rzeszow, Krakow and Katowice (PL). I was thinking of spending a quick day in Ukraine on the way, but decided not to save that for another trip. Can`t have it all..

(© Bratislava - SK, June 2008)
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Food and Football

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

The European Championships of Football started yesterday and I am quite excited about it. Unfortunately, I did not organise any football pools this year, so I do not have the additional excitement of adding up the scores, colouring boxes, writing small programs to help me in the process and creating all sorts of statistics. This time, it will be just watching football and nothing else. Or maybe: After having visited so many countries, I will think of the people I met on my way whenever their national teams are playing. My favourite for the final victory is obviously wearing orange jerseys, but we shall see how things develop.

Below photo shows my host family in Bratislava or actually 20 kilometres away from there. Over the last week or so, I have been spoilt with the most wonderful food, because lady #3 (counting from left) is one of the best cooks I have ever met.

(© Bratislava - SK, June 2008)
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Photogenic Petrzalka

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Here are some more photos from Bratislava`s neighbourhood of Petrzalka. I find this stuff very interesting, hope anyone shares my view. For those who don`t, I am starting to add some new links to the PhotoLog. If you have any tips for photo websites worth visiting, please let me know through the comment form.

(© Bratislava - SK, June 2008)
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Increasing the rhythm

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

I missed some posts during the month of May, but have taken quite some fresh photos during the past few days so can increase the rhythm a little. Here`s another crossroad to celebrate :)

(© Bratislava - SK, June 2008)
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Socialist city expansion

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

My current stay in Bratislava is not the first one this year. I also had a short stay over back in January when I took this photo. I was curious to know what that neighbourhood across the Danube would look like from nearby. Below is a first sample of my small Petrzalka adventure of this morning.

(© Bratislava - SK, June 2008)
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Supermarket chains

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Western European supermarkets have conquered Central and Eastern Europe. French Carrefour and German Metro are sharing the `Hypermarket` share. Austrian Billa, English Tesco, Dutch Albert (Ahold) and Dutch Interspar took the middle part of the market while German Lidl and Aldi have divided the budget market. As I learnt from locals, some supermarkets that have a decent international reputation are not very keep on respecting the same food safety standards for fresh products in their new host countries. What they do manage to achieve is the gradual disappearance of small corner shops selling local products that actually have some taste.

Skoda Favorite

Posted 6 June 2008 - Zalesie (SK):

Photo from Sladkoviscovo in the South of Slovakia. Nice car. I still think that the concept of a car will slowly become outdatumd and only affordable for rich people. I also expect travelling to get more expensive after years of countries joining Schengen, borders disappearing, budget airlines being born... But borders are coming back and budget airlines face difficult survival struggles if oil prices rise even further..

Growing vegetables

Posted 4 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

I think I have found another hobby for whenever I start getting old. One was to play with miniature trains again, the next one will be to have a small garden with vegetables and herbs. This one is in the garden of my hosts in Bratislava. I am staying with Barbara and Anastasia, whom I first met in Klaipeda (LT), then again in Riga (LV) and also last January when I was in Bratislava on the way from Cyprus to Rome (crazy itinerary indeed). Their mother is fanatic about cooking and she does a lot of gardening as well. Lovely fresh dark red strawberries fresh from the garden, yum - yum - yum.

Hot, hotter, hottest

Posted 3 June 2008 - Zilina (SK):

My first stop in Slovakia is Zilina, a quiet city in the North of the country. I arrived on what is probably the hottest day so far on my trip. The last hot day was in Klaipeda, Lithuania now 9 months ago. Guess there are more hot days to come during the remaining two months of the trip.

Continent crossing

Posted 26 January 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Hectic times! I arrived in Vienna this morning at 06h00 after taking off from Larnaca at 03h40. From there, I took a bus to Bratislava. I was invited to stay with Barbora and Anastazia, the two sisters I met first in Klaipeda (LT) then in Riga (LV). Barbora and Anastazia`s boyfriend Marian were waiting for me at the bus station. We walked around Bratislava`s Old Town and then to Barbora and Anastazia`s place outside the city. Their mother cooked a few wonderful things and we walked around the village for a bit. In the evening, I tried to catch up with my articles but could`t help falling asleep every now and then. Altogether, a long but nice day. Off to Rome tomorrow, Hocus di Pocus ;)

Sleeping in the forest

Posted 14 Jun 2008 - Rzeszow (PL):

Cities vs, countryside

Posted 13 June 2008 - Lipovce (SK):

Language skills

Posted 12 June 2008 - Kosice (SK):

Slovakian buildings

Posted 10 June 2008 - Zvolen (SK):

Road to Wroclaw

Posted 9 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Food and Football

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Photogenic Petrzalka

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Increasing the rhythm

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Socialist city expansion

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Supermarket chains

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Skoda Favorite

Posted 6 June 2008 - Zalesie (SK):

Growing vegetables

Posted 4 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Hot, hotter, hottest

Posted 3 June 2008 - Zilina (SK):

Continent crossing

Posted 26 January 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Twitter @photologix

Twitter Updates

Other
PhotoLogiX websites

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Recommended links

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Browse archives

Sleeping in the forest

Posted 14 Jun 2008 - Rzeszow (PL):

Cities vs, countryside

Posted 13 June 2008 - Lipovce (SK):

Language skills

Posted 12 June 2008 - Kosice (SK):

Slovakian buildings

Posted 10 June 2008 - Zvolen (SK):

Road to Wroclaw

Posted 9 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Food and Football

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Photogenic Petrzalka

Posted 8 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Increasing the rhythm

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Socialist city expansion

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Supermarket chains

Posted 7 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Skoda Favorite

Posted 6 June 2008 - Zalesie (SK):

Growing vegetables

Posted 4 June 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Hot, hotter, hottest

Posted 3 June 2008 - Zilina (SK):

Continent crossing

Posted 26 January 2008 - Bratislava (SK):

Twitter @photologix

Twitter Updates

OtherPhotoLogiX websites

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recommended links

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Browse archives

Other
PhotoLogiX websites