tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15999341029985683212024-03-14T14:28:09.907+01:00Mischa's Travel BlogHopping around the globeМишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-83541808456050383872012-04-21T23:59:00.000+02:002017-09-01T15:33:22.464+02:00Andalucía<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I decided to make a few big trips in 2012, and things started off (as usual) with a conference, EuroGP, which took place in Malaga. I hadn't done a proper trip in Spain for years (decades), so I took a week off after the conference and rent a car to explore the wonderful Andalusia.</div>
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I was able to walk a bit around Malaga during the conference, and it is actually a nice city, despite being so touristy. Ignoring the seafront and exploring the castle and some of the small streets around it is a much nicer idea.</div>
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I was also lucky in that the conference organised an excursion to the El Torcal park. I had never heard of it, but I am glad to have joined. A beautiful park with sea fossils all over, and amazing limestone walls and formations.</div>
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But the real adventure began after the conference was over. I picked up my friend Veronika from the airport, and the next day we hit the road. Most of the roads in Andalusia are hilly and full of bends, with amazing vistas, and occasional little white villages perched on hilltops.</div>
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Our first stop was Ronda, one of those villages. This one has the particularity of being set on both sides of a really deep gorge, with a massively tall bridge connecting both sides. A particular site of interest was the Plaza de España, mentioned in Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls", when during the civil war, the fascist townspeople were marched to their deaths by the ravine...</div>
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We then headed for Gibraltar. As you approach the coast, the landscape changes dramatically, all flat, but all of a sudden, in the distance, you notice the Rock of Gibraltar standing tall. Not especially a must visit, despite its historical and political significance, but it's fun to drive around and have a chat with the local macaque population.</div>
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Our final destination for that day was Tarifa. More than Gibraltar itself, this is truly Europe's last stop before the strait, and you can see Morocco across the strait. It's a small town, with an obvious Arabic influence (like most of Andalusia). We stayed in a cute little hotel called "La Estrella de Tarifa", with each room uniquely decorated with great taste.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vejer de la Frontera</td></tr>
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We really enjoyed Tarifa, and were temped to stay and do a day trip to Tangier, but in the end we decided to make full use of our rental car. So we said goodbye to the sea and the African coast, and headed back North, towards a gem of a small town perched atop a small steep hill: Vejer de la Frontera. It has a fantastic main square, around a fountain decorated with 1000s of small tiles, and old people sitting around, under the shade of palm trees. We spent a few hours there, exploring the old castle.<br />
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Next was Arcos de la Frontera. What an adventure it was to get there! We kept following signs for the city centre, and suddenly found ourselves going up incredibly steep and narrow alleys, mirrors almost touching the sides, no chance of turning around. We had lunch there, and walked around the place, probably just us and the locals. It has a magnificent view from the hilltop.<br />
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Back on the road, it was a short ride to our next destination, Jerez de la Frontera. After the beauty of the two previous wonderful little towns, its big city attitude was a let down, but we still explored it a bit on foot, and even managed to sample some of its most famous export, some Tio Pepe liquor. At this point, we had decided not to head to Cadiz nor Seville; despite being obvious must-visit destinations, we would be stuck looking for parking; instead we decided to keep visiting smaller, less obvious destinations.<br />
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So we headed for our final destination of the day, Carmona. It was a bit of a drive to get there, so we arrived quite late. We found a cheap hotel, and went for a massive beer and tapas dinner, great value at 10€ for two people. We spent the next morning exploring the town, which has quite a few interesting historical buildings, and a great view from outside the city wall. And once again it seemed to me that there were no other tourists to be found.</div>
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The main destination of the third day was Cordoba. After a struggle to leave the car somewhere (it is a large city), we explored the riverfront area, with the pleasant Puente Romana. But the main attraction of Cordoba is undoubtedly the Mesquita, where we headed next. It truly is magnificent: a huge indoors area, with a mix of Roman, Muslim and Catholic churches, monuments, artefacts and decorations. We didn't bother with audio guides, and instead spent hours exploring, imagining all the history that took place there, amongst those massive columns.<br />
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We also explored the surrounding tiny shopping and residential streets, soaking up the sun whenever it dared to turn up.<br />
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The final destination of the day was Priego de Cordoba, another tiny hilltop white town. We had by now decided that that would be our approach; every evening, find a small town, with cheap and cozy accommodation, and an off-the-beaten-path village to explore. Priego de Cordoba certainly didn't disappoint. We stayed in the lovely Posada Real, owned by the charming Juan López Calvo, who took care of us as if we were family.<br />
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The following day we drove a lot, as we made our way clockwise around Andalusia. The main destinations were Baeza and Úbeda, famous for their Renaissance beauty. Baeza, the smallest of the two, was our first destination. We just wandered along the cobbled streets around the Cathedral, taking our time and enjoying the place. A charming place.<br />
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Next up was Úbeda. We got there just past lunchtime, and this being Southern Spain, it was siesta time: everything closed, no-one around. We had the city for ourselves! Úbeda is definitely the prettiest of both cities, especially the area within the old city walls. Although most were closed, we really enjoyed just admiring their beauty, especially the Capilla del Salvador del Mundo, and the Palace around Plaza Vasquez de Molina.<br />
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The final drive of the day was nothing short of spectacular: a mountain road, with amazing views of the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada at every turn. We got Guadix quite late, and struggled to find the accommodation we were looking for. It was worth it, though. Guadix is famous for its cave houses, built partially or totally underground, and we stayed in one. It was super cool, a tiny apartment totally underground. It was so dark there with the lights off, it was almost claustrophobic. I had a great sleep<br />
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We spent the next morning visiting the cave district of Guadix. It is such a strange place: chimneys and antennas sticking out of the rocks, doors leading to the heart of small hills. We stocked up on provisions, and headed to our main destination of the day, Granada.<br />
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Luck favours those who try, and we managed to find a free parking space right in the centre of Granada. From there it was a long trek up to the Alhambra, the main visitor attraction of Granada. We got there in the middle of the afternoon, meaning we couldn't get in the Palacios Nazaries, However, we still managed to see the Generalife, the Alcazaba, and even the Museo de Bellas Artes (off-topic with the rest of the complex, but still nice - and free). The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering from shop to shop, bargaining on small souvenirs.<br />
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For our last night on the road, we drove to Comares, a tiny village not far from Malaga. It took a while to get there, running low on fuel along tiny mountain roads! The approach to Comares was beautiful though, always riding along the hill crest, with the village on sight. We got there with nearly no petrol, and the single hotel, "El molino de los Abuelos", was closed. But when we knocked, someone opened the door: a Dutch and Bolivian gay couple, who couldn't be more contrasting with the conservative surroundings. They opened the hotel and its restaurant just for the two of us, and Ivan went to cook a great meal, while Nenne danced and sang for us!! We had a feast and shared three bottles of wine between us all. An epic night.<br />
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The next morning was a rough one! I woke up really early, and went to explore the village. Although with a population of only 300, Comares is full of history. It was a Muslim stronghold, being so isolated and easily protected. The old castle and the cemetery are quite interesting. And like in most towns around Andalusia, small signs on the walls marking spots where people were murdered during the civil war.<br />
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That was pretty much it. We said goodbye to the party couple, drove downhill in neutral until finally finding a town with a petrol station, and went back to Malaga, where we caught our flights back home. It was a great few days of discovery of what is truly one of Spain's most interesting regions.<br />
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Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2Andalusia, Spain37.5442706 -4.72775279999996234.3128701 -9.8913267999999626 40.7756711 0.43582120000003766tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-38068705527535746902011-11-01T23:59:00.000+01:002017-09-01T15:26:13.220+02:00Kiev<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xO_P9j3zw0icfXLSg-yI85vJ_6jARNDE_RokqMuEKNGflZ_ge3kxSMDVe6FbtfCkmb4XPIHA1kcfyS36wDlDuJyEXAXiaJcEMnAuflR-YhuJXxw7Yc0vBEBb5JHfr-C2LfdzZyz7ZnU/s1600/20111028-11-07-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xO_P9j3zw0icfXLSg-yI85vJ_6jARNDE_RokqMuEKNGflZ_ge3kxSMDVe6FbtfCkmb4XPIHA1kcfyS36wDlDuJyEXAXiaJcEMnAuflR-YhuJXxw7Yc0vBEBb5JHfr-C2LfdzZyz7ZnU/s200/20111028-11-07-21.jpg" width="200" /></a>Continuing with my discovery of Easter Bloc countries, I decided to go to Kiev, Ukraine for 5 days, with my great friend Lena Verik. In typical Russian/Ukrainian fashion, hotels are more of an exception than a rule; it's far cheaper (and more comfortable) to rent an apartment, which we did (arranging it through an Ukrainian website is again much cheaper than going through typical Western booking sites).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An eight-legged baby pig</td></tr>
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With five days, we could visit a bit. One of the places I really wanted to see was the Chernobyl Museum. It's a really touching museum, a sore reminder of the suffering of thousands of people, not just because of the effects of radiation, but perhaps even more so due to the massive economic and social problems that it created.</div>
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We followed that with a long walk along the Dripro. November in Ukraine is quite cold, and no-one is crazy enough to go for river cruises, but we could still see some of the pretty churches along the river front, until we nearly froze, and had to find a big bowl of hot soup! Kiev is set on a sort of plateau, and so from the river towards the city centre, we could take a lovely old Soviet funicular.</div>
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At the top of the funicular, is the monasteries area, with St. Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery grabbing all the attention, shiny and postcard pretty (and interesting in the sense that it is a working monastery) - even though it is in reality a very recent reconstruction (2001).</div>
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Nearby is the really nice St. Sophia's Cathedral. Named after Hagia Sophia in <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.ie/2010/04/istanbul.html" target="_blank">Istanbul</a>, it may not be as grandiose, but one does feel the power of history inside it. Nearby there once was yet another church, replaced by the Soviets with the humongous Ministry of Foreign Affairs (which I could not stop admiring, given my <a href="http://lisboavladivostok.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fascination with all things Soviet</a>).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Lavra</td></tr>
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One of the places most people visit when in Kiev is the Lavra (there's always queues of people coming off excursion buses). Despite finding our way there, we decided the long queues were not worth it. In any case, the main objective was the nearby Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Despite having seen quite a few WWII museums during my trips across Russia, this one was by far the best, and even had some explanations in English. It mostly describes the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Ukraine, and includes some gruelling objects, such as a concentration camp guillotine, and a bone crushing machine.</div>
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The museum has an area of Soviet realist sculptures around it, trying to depict both the heroism of the troops that fought the Nazis, and the suffering of the civilians. And sitting on top of the museum, is the absolutely stunning Родина Мать (Nation's Mother) sculpture; standing at 62m tall, and made out of titanium, it is a sight to behold.</div>
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The walk back towards the Lavra, albeit long, is worth it, passing by the touching monument to the victims of the Holodomor (the great famine, ordered by Stalin during the collectivisation campaign), and offering great views long the Dnipro river.</div>
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The Andriyivsky Uzviz, a winding descent street in the centre, is a typical spot to visit, with stalls of crafts and souvenirs, although really it felt like a massive tourist trap. It was also under renovation, to be ready for the hordes of tourists coming for the 2012 European Football Cup, so we didn't linger. Instead, we went for a wonderful Borsch, complete with bread topped with a big layer of fat, and loads of сметана (sour cream)!</div>
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Visiting Kiev with an Ukrainian-speaking friend means it's a bit easier to get around! So we could find and take a long marshutka (collective mini-bus) towards the "Pyrohovo Museum of Folk Architecture", a large outdoor park located well outside the city, with houses and buildings brought from every province in Ukraine.</div>
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We spent quite a few hours there, peeking into farmer's houses, windmills, and even a beautiful wooden church. The dinner we had there was probably the best Ukrainian borsch I ever had (and I had many!), complete with home-baked bread, garlic, and a plate of pelmeni.</div>
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For our last day in Kiev, we went to see the Babi Yar park. This was the site where the Nazis executed most of Ukraine's jews. On the 29th September 1941, hordes of jews were ferried to this spot, and 34,000 were executed within 48h. It is now a beautiful park, especially dressed in Autumn's colours, and it's hard to imagine such atrocities, but a few monuments here and there are a sober reminder.</div>
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We still tried to go to the Water Museum, but were also greeted with a closed door (renovations for the World Cup...); still, the park where it is located offers great views of the Dnipro.</div>
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Kiev is a city full of history. In between old monasteries, reminders of the horrors of Nazi occupation, the good and bad consequences of Soviet influence, and an undeniably Ukrainian feel, it is a city of contrasts, and one that I quite enjoyed exploring. Especially with a wonderful friend!</div>
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Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-85463878749078500212011-09-30T23:59:00.000+02:002016-02-08T22:13:02.652+01:00Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After my trip to <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.ie/2011/09/south-korea_30.html" target="_blank">South Korea</a>, I had some free time from work, and this being my first time in Asia, I kept going East, all the way to Japan. It had been on my dream travel destinations list for so long! I had to take this opportunity.</div>
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<b>Oksaka</b></h2>
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It all started with the ferry crossing between Busan (in South Korea) and Osaka, my first destination. It's always fun to travel by ferry, feels like a mini cruise. Passing under the Akashi Kaikyo bridge was one of the highlights (the longest suspension bridge in the world - it is massive).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese delicacy 1</td></tr>
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I met Xue Fang in the ferry (a Chinese living in Osaka), so after clearing customs, she helped me find my capsule hotel (more on that later). I was glad for her help, as it was in the middle of a massive shopping arcade, I would had never found it. We shared a lunch, and then she helped me find an ATM that would actually work with VISA (we tried at least ten!). For such an advanced country, it's mad how few things actually work with cards. Shops, restaurants, metro: only cash!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese delicacy 2</td></tr>
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I decided to go spend the afternoon in the Tempozan area, by the bay. The weather was great, so I bought a combined ticket for the aquarium (one of the largest in the world) and the Ferris wheel (supposedly also the tallest in the world - welcome to Japan!). I've visited many aquariums, but this one was impressive, with a great white shark, giant manta rays, and a gorgeous finless porpoise. But by the time I made it to the Ferris wheel the weather had turned (a typhoon was passing by), so all I saw was rain.</div>
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Back downtown, I went for dinner in a ramen place, where the only way I could make the staff understand what I wanted was to take a photo of the photo showing the food outside. But I did get exactly what was shown!</div>
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I spent the evening in the Dotonbori area in Namba, filled with flashy people, bright neon ads, karaoke bars, restaurants, and sleazy versions of all those in the back alleys - I was even offered services there, after using the ATM ("-Let's go? Maybe?" "-No thank you." "-Sex massage." "-Emmm... no thanks!").</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleazy alleyways in Osaka</td></tr>
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After a while, I was finally able to find a cafe with free wifi (strangely hard to find, in the most advanced country in the world), and had my fix of internet. In fact, even the metro doesn't have data connection, so unlike Seoul, where everyone was watching TV shows in their mobiles, or Moscow, where everyone reads e-books, in Osaka they just sit silently.</div>
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Speaking of which, when I decided to go back at 11pm, the metro was already closed. Drama ensued - I only knew where the hotel was in reference to a specific metro exit! Equipped with a tiny scale, Japanese only city map, I began walking "north", hoping to eventually find it.</div>
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I didn't dare to flag a taxi and try to explain in English that I didn't know exactly where the hotel was. So who rescued me? Two Indian guys in bicycles! They googled the hotel phone number, found the address, and then proceeded to cycle there (a good 30 minutes), with me sitting on the rack of one of the bicycles, iPhone with maps in hand, trying to avoid the cops. We eventually found the hotel (it would probably have taken me the whole night). Unbelievably nice guys, pity I never got their names.</div>
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So, the capsule hotel! Insane concept. To get to the reception, I had to take off my shoes, put them in a shoe locker, and give the key to the receptionist. I couldn't book 2 nights in a row - at 8am the hotel closes, is cleaned, and then opens for costumers who worked the whole night!</div>
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After giving away the shoe locker key, I was handed a clothes locker key, a white robe, and matching white sleepers. All your belongings are left in the next set of lockers, and you must go to your capsule wearing your "night gown" already (so ridiculously short on me). The place was mad, full with tiny Japanese men (it is a men only hotel), wearing white robes and chain smoking, while watching TV (felt like a place for mad men). I climbed into my capsule (number 3006), closed the curtain (there's no door), and explored the place - basically all 70s style, with a CRT TV, radio, digital clock, and so tiny I couldn't even sit inside it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqK7Tr5FxUAncdPo0o3JQj4_q7zQf8z5nhuHXxywytlp8NZGjrn9Lx8n1jpd1HtdTE1tpHs1qydPUtl_JBtU-TrFBqOwTGZ7cwkLWDXcwqo2PDO-8UN0_qb0XyXyIAWhsQJd3AyMv19U/s1600/20110919-05-22-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqK7Tr5FxUAncdPo0o3JQj4_q7zQf8z5nhuHXxywytlp8NZGjrn9Lx8n1jpd1HtdTE1tpHs1qydPUtl_JBtU-TrFBqOwTGZ7cwkLWDXcwqo2PDO-8UN0_qb0XyXyIAWhsQJd3AyMv19U/s400/20110919-05-22-24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I set an alarm for 7:30am, but that was pointless - at that exact time, the whole hotel was woken up with a recording of a cheap instrumental version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acxnmaVTlZA" target="_blank">Auld Lang Syne</a>, and a message with a sweet female voice: "Konnichiwa, ...". That was enough to wake me up with a smile, but the English version that followed up made me burst out laughing in my capsule:</div>
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<i>Thank you for using our store today. We will be closing shortly. Please do not forget to take all of your belongings with you. We hope you enjoyed your shopping, and look forward to seeing you again. Thank you.</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOI5IDQGohAw5A4moHSZ2QIbP3JxpQZEQ6tWzrbJvldCR6rAo8dgMLJzEozyzFEjIHVczUyYrhoTsPLajBkjqJHEmDxBE428otDhvpL36zEUHKJ9c45hHAwipNxVYkn0Xv7_iJ40G1D4/s1600/20110919-23-55-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOI5IDQGohAw5A4moHSZ2QIbP3JxpQZEQ6tWzrbJvldCR6rAo8dgMLJzEozyzFEjIHVczUyYrhoTsPLajBkjqJHEmDxBE428otDhvpL36zEUHKJ9c45hHAwipNxVYkn0Xv7_iJ40G1D4/s200/20110919-23-55-30.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ticket machine</td></tr>
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On the way to the train station, I entered a coffee shop and asked for a <i>kō hī</i>, but was immediately pointed back to the door. Strange. Not matter how much I told her I just wanted a cup of coffee, I kept being sent to the door. I was about to leave, frustrated, when someone came in. They proceeded to put money in a vending machine by the door, press a button, take a piece of paper, give it to the lady, and hey presto!: there's coffee. So all I had to do was guess which button was coffee!<br />
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Japan is mad.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY-1PNG_zpQLecDuMtXcvGTo2wvpWntvT4BomnbpxZwiHCPJoxGVcVOuxFtg4eqIptGLf_UGr4g-nPU2l75Z22BF-5gf6CB6y8NS0hf6V3KFOwM6MyQmszsOGI6-4NBzwCetodDFUhA8/s1600/20110920-02-00-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY-1PNG_zpQLecDuMtXcvGTo2wvpWntvT4BomnbpxZwiHCPJoxGVcVOuxFtg4eqIptGLf_UGr4g-nPU2l75Z22BF-5gf6CB6y8NS0hf6V3KFOwM6MyQmszsOGI6-4NBzwCetodDFUhA8/s320/20110920-02-00-40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women-only train carriages in Osaka</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Kyoto (and Nara)</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgagsRiK3KENn3F697CIyUFfMhJJtwpmx_WHJrGkOsuPdubObSPuDr1qWAW77I1k78IUxV5C3Ha7WK9h9xDI5RAj_SZwkPGLecI515WA6W2CHuo0LOqrFiFbheGQoxJxFRBHXw7eyLcWc/s1600/20110920-03-23-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgagsRiK3KENn3F697CIyUFfMhJJtwpmx_WHJrGkOsuPdubObSPuDr1qWAW77I1k78IUxV5C3Ha7WK9h9xDI5RAj_SZwkPGLecI515WA6W2CHuo0LOqrFiFbheGQoxJxFRBHXw7eyLcWc/s200/20110920-03-23-30.jpg" width="200" /></a>After the madness that was Osaka, Kyoto was a welcome piece of heaven. I took an early train from Osaka, and after a bit of search (thank you, <a href="http://lonelyplanet.com/" target="_blank">LP</a>), found and booked a Ryokan for two nights (traditional Japanese accommodation, with straw floors, sliding doors, very thin mattresses on the floor, and communal Japanese bath) - for which I had to pay cash, of course. I then set out to find food, which is not an easy thing in Japan, when you're travelling on a budget (contrary to <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.ie/2011/09/south-korea_30.html" target="_blank">South Korea</a>), after which I took a local train to Nara. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTviUKNBrQ8pajhQcl7VNiiqNj4TGCJd_MXyjaPJC41qvHELUkDWFfQBbxu3ucMWUsyaUInNsmm8p4oX0quLmb2lL_PZ6nvjoRm5uy_JBxwVIvAZhWFAblA8S2cJqzI1wWTyX6WzB5g/s1600/20110920-07-29-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTviUKNBrQ8pajhQcl7VNiiqNj4TGCJd_MXyjaPJC41qvHELUkDWFfQBbxu3ucMWUsyaUInNsmm8p4oX0quLmb2lL_PZ6nvjoRm5uy_JBxwVIvAZhWFAblA8S2cJqzI1wWTyX6WzB5g/s320/20110920-07-29-23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vyWXzpVc601W2qazebxuX_aMwHgpAz8g4s2x1WKt7ZrsOyykfFuLlgc29bDZodix3KG1vI-qC4lDtTTxBlitriQqbwKFUhlfLDAvGLS6TTCW-3xXSvFKlj4NLgheuD1gPlGHSKDPgg4/s1600/20110920-07-17-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vyWXzpVc601W2qazebxuX_aMwHgpAz8g4s2x1WKt7ZrsOyykfFuLlgc29bDZodix3KG1vI-qC4lDtTTxBlitriQqbwKFUhlfLDAvGLS6TTCW-3xXSvFKlj4NLgheuD1gPlGHSKDPgg4/s200/20110920-07-17-13.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mingling with the locals</td></tr>
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Nara is a lovely small place, with most of the attractions around Nara-Koen, a massive park on the slope of a hill. After visiting the Kofuku-Ji temple, I spent my time exploring the Todai-ji temple complex, which houses the biggest bronze Buddha statue, along with its massive wooden guardians by the gates. It also has wild deer roaming the temple grounds; you can buy food to feed them - but after I did, they just wouldn't leave me alone, biting at my backpack! I used the endless lines of Japanese school kids to dodge them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqxRnwdc1gwm6rochsrg9Gjdqz-fIQVOnGlEUhdtVDuI1cibyN84tGRqM5Z6r8hVGV1IjZfdwRi6Gt7L1UKche48gsvyC_EDsG3FXhesZLrE9vqLRrs54pAgQaKV1soYyMhOZVVnmDiM/s1600/20110920-07-36-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqxRnwdc1gwm6rochsrg9Gjdqz-fIQVOnGlEUhdtVDuI1cibyN84tGRqM5Z6r8hVGV1IjZfdwRi6Gt7L1UKche48gsvyC_EDsG3FXhesZLrE9vqLRrs54pAgQaKV1soYyMhOZVVnmDiM/s400/20110920-07-36-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nara Daibutsu (giant Buddha)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i8W91kvh-0fav46yDrXYnFGS3X2N_duHTyAp_4-OIy7MfMdVZOTHhY-4L9Nz1yoxfozvl3Vhu51D6e3vJSt-qkzBUbOxzbI-UXZovZEPw5XoRh-yIF1J6EopwDvXJp-t9o0631hWLPY/s1600/20110920-09-40-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i8W91kvh-0fav46yDrXYnFGS3X2N_duHTyAp_4-OIy7MfMdVZOTHhY-4L9Nz1yoxfozvl3Vhu51D6e3vJSt-qkzBUbOxzbI-UXZovZEPw5XoRh-yIF1J6EopwDvXJp-t9o0631hWLPY/s400/20110920-09-40-10.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="mw-mmv-title">Agyo, one of two great Nio gate guardians</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4E4HDhzEbKVppzs67uvrKCCqfsgd7xo6QAi8caeAzg5pQKTqlnlkRfJVCcVxGW5MpexOf8auxYVXc9oRYhyLu_nTdVstqtQpctzOhwmd-wUNfl9_JxiGo-g6C0hjMDw_n_LquAIzRFhg/s1600/20110920-08-44-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4E4HDhzEbKVppzs67uvrKCCqfsgd7xo6QAi8caeAzg5pQKTqlnlkRfJVCcVxGW5MpexOf8auxYVXc9oRYhyLu_nTdVstqtQpctzOhwmd-wUNfl9_JxiGo-g6C0hjMDw_n_LquAIzRFhg/s200/20110920-08-44-20.jpg" width="150" /></a>As the day drew to a close, and the temples closed, I decided to follow a random path up the hill. And all of a sudden, no more crowds and noisy children: all I could hear was the sound of my footsteps, raindrops in the trees, and the occasional crows. I found some amazing little paths, decorated all around with beautiful shrines, and would have stayed there for much longer, but at night time it was hard to see where I was going, and I had to make it to the last train back to Kyoto. I had a relaxing late Japanese bath, and slept like a baby.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4bkDfhkwn6VDsVR_cWfY1OvFGFU3RxO_ENAI6_qTYRmBaxba0xXjTt_nQYpLKS8wYdlrvUlsZfD3G96m606zfvDE6T2ZA46jpMDMoFYCOs4B6pXjpiuwyPzO4KkV_7GjPoZSev8GcNY/s1600/20110920-11-11-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4bkDfhkwn6VDsVR_cWfY1OvFGFU3RxO_ENAI6_qTYRmBaxba0xXjTt_nQYpLKS8wYdlrvUlsZfD3G96m606zfvDE6T2ZA46jpMDMoFYCOs4B6pXjpiuwyPzO4KkV_7GjPoZSev8GcNY/s200/20110920-11-11-06.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For relaxing times...</td></tr>
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I spoke with a lot of people that day, and indeed throughout my trip. But most conversations were invariably of the type: "- Hello! American?" "- No, Portuguese." "Oh, Cristiano Ronaldo!" (one would have thought that Portuguese people would be more more known in Japan for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_Japanese_words_of_Portuguese_origin" target="_blank">Japanese words of Portuguese origin</a>). I obviously stood out as a tourist, but a lot less than in Korea: not only are there a lot more foreigners in Japan (both residents and tourists), but unlike Koreans, who look practically all the same, Japanese come in all shapes and sizes: small, tall, thin, thick, black/brown/blonde/red/shaved hair, and even the occasional showing of facial hair.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG9NV8qoSDoR5kKG3-JczyRlFRM-txSv5YULxVqSV9CCDlKWH4w584GMi3HFlJsaiYSQqW6JTsOxoxxyx9LfobvYiXDfnW-eepnO90FL0447k6hQPRLHUZp8n1wZBUo788qMkoAZ6A1Y/s1600/20110921-02-59-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG9NV8qoSDoR5kKG3-JczyRlFRM-txSv5YULxVqSV9CCDlKWH4w584GMi3HFlJsaiYSQqW6JTsOxoxxyx9LfobvYiXDfnW-eepnO90FL0447k6hQPRLHUZp8n1wZBUo788qMkoAZ6A1Y/s200/20110921-02-59-30.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erm... return ticket?</td></tr>
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The next day I explored many of the temples in the East side of Kyoto, after finally figuring out how to buy tickets for the Kyoto metro. The typhoon rain throughout the day was actually a godsend - there were almost no tourists, and there is something very soothing in visiting Japanese gardens with the constant sound of trickling rain. I visited the Shoren-in and Chion-in temples; the Maruyama-Koen park; the Yasaka shrine; and the Kodai-ji temple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KosZGWhziQAZypATowOR2OX3-bdgn40V4TgjERrSQHm_JZgmi5y0qqr4Xs0s0-7-12CxQPbFym2uzIcOELANameduoSwSQIpK8RejGZkb2rY5rU1nt27MV-Nlxlm8k25bwORf2Hwai0/s1600/20110921-05-06-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KosZGWhziQAZypATowOR2OX3-bdgn40V4TgjERrSQHm_JZgmi5y0qqr4Xs0s0-7-12CxQPbFym2uzIcOELANameduoSwSQIpK8RejGZkb2rY5rU1nt27MV-Nlxlm8k25bwORf2Hwai0/s400/20110921-05-06-43.jpg" width="347" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FIT-lTwI7m7XtCCRrGORe5eL44vIw6iHP5-L4kILTXmq7d8J7ReO56swkgrOS1XtJ8WXGeiAYRdrG1XQXyAvosppPmmYA2GPpPyulMhJrsbbDadRT6Snbl0ZRhPepeYEjP7Gwr-z6TI/s1600/20110921-05-24-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FIT-lTwI7m7XtCCRrGORe5eL44vIw6iHP5-L4kILTXmq7d8J7ReO56swkgrOS1XtJ8WXGeiAYRdrG1XQXyAvosppPmmYA2GPpPyulMhJrsbbDadRT6Snbl0ZRhPepeYEjP7Gwr-z6TI/s400/20110921-05-24-10.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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At the impressive Ryozen Kannon, with its massive Bodhisattva statue, I was given an incense stick to lit up and add to many others: it's a war memorial, commemorating the dead of the Pacific War. The statue is surrounded by thousands of tiny statues, representing those killed, which are adorned with everything, from flowers to toys.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJEPaONCajWbC2hDCnk82YpXT2EnV9zga1Ufc3X5HZwLH5GkcpnJWREGVmdpSXVLsTp2RRbYuGxVRY8DosPGVS52X-esoKY3vklRgfbraypY-P0pEh1r3aKECAYtyJF7WGTW3qFem9hs/s1600/20110921-06-35-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJEPaONCajWbC2hDCnk82YpXT2EnV9zga1Ufc3X5HZwLH5GkcpnJWREGVmdpSXVLsTp2RRbYuGxVRY8DosPGVS52X-esoKY3vklRgfbraypY-P0pEh1r3aKECAYtyJF7WGTW3qFem9hs/s320/20110921-06-35-06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxeZGxgGZv4UpCcB0hwT-Khbl9xuO9O7E2T_9sXPRY6rj1GksM-WpZ2U_5vvFtKvhzBIKW6tjdO-ey13x2AKzEkFIUpq4vmwYb_xRCETNOFn4DjYOPoj-I0ua267ZlSYqbndIlN_oRgw/s1600/20110921-08-13-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxeZGxgGZv4UpCcB0hwT-Khbl9xuO9O7E2T_9sXPRY6rj1GksM-WpZ2U_5vvFtKvhzBIKW6tjdO-ey13x2AKzEkFIUpq4vmwYb_xRCETNOFn4DjYOPoj-I0ua267ZlSYqbndIlN_oRgw/s200/20110921-08-13-00.jpg" width="200" /></a>I finished my temple tour with Kiyomizu-dera. Being one of the most famous, and with the typhoon finally gone, it was full of snappy cameras and cheesy tourist shops - a bit of an anti-climax, but still an interesting place. I walked all around the temple, and finally made my way back to the city centre on foot, completely exhausted.<br />
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Japan is beautiful.<br />
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<h2>
Tokyo</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduk25vNs1HMCSKfA0bJrunU-dEeR7NXYNzMxzZxCOXhsNEdjuY8k7QCZVQ_OWgvfgCWE8GQ6KRaN0RQDLq0OD3H5ashyn1wlf96huoBnpo6r-MsBVzfs81igmTkkCm3hj60pFVQHCs2Y/s1600/20110922-03-48-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduk25vNs1HMCSKfA0bJrunU-dEeR7NXYNzMxzZxCOXhsNEdjuY8k7QCZVQ_OWgvfgCWE8GQ6KRaN0RQDLq0OD3H5ashyn1wlf96huoBnpo6r-MsBVzfs81igmTkkCm3hj60pFVQHCs2Y/s200/20110922-03-48-19.jpg" width="200" /></a>The next day I took the ridiculously fast Shinkansen to my last destination, Tokyo. It took me a while to get my head around the metro, with Japanese only ticket machines, and where you need to know your final station (in Japanese), with different types of lines (metro and JR), involving paying tranfer fees.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LGjiVQXGT4NRPSnED6Tzd1sdxH6zvDPtl3FVHCpTUnPHhAX5b5nE1qzJe4hYxTfZ8W5ohfp-qLzsnP7VQIc8Lx9k7BQIC00tmrfDQTp7hcHkZKkD8VnZmrs-XPsS7bmYKOMtkKEXJt4/s1600/20110923-03-24-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LGjiVQXGT4NRPSnED6Tzd1sdxH6zvDPtl3FVHCpTUnPHhAX5b5nE1qzJe4hYxTfZ8W5ohfp-qLzsnP7VQIc8Lx9k7BQIC00tmrfDQTp7hcHkZKkD8VnZmrs-XPsS7bmYKOMtkKEXJt4/s200/20110923-03-24-18.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But in restaurants you can!</td></tr>
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I began Tokyo with a night walk around Akihabara, also known as Electric City. A mad place, with big and small electronics shops, known to be a geek hangout spot, usually after office work. There certainly were a lot of them, with their white shirts, black trousers, and computer bags. Plenty of places there cater for this specific clientèle: soft-porn collectors shops, with manga-style heroine statues in very sensual poses, and rows after rows of collector cards (it's funny how these were never openly sexual in nature). There's also hostess bars, where manga-sounding real girls wearing school girl uniforms tease their clients, without any touching or explicit sexual interaction. A mad place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUdjLNlPiB_uccKIWn55KyMDg_t4maSyOHh35olaXsf0P_7Pjl8Bbj7Q78fkkm5hyzpeZN5tkJc6PsJIT7LJRyA5JChUI9D4eElpnJGi7P1Uv1DYSeIUslaR22PnPPTvaFb2WLqCwT24/s1600/20110922-09-47-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUdjLNlPiB_uccKIWn55KyMDg_t4maSyOHh35olaXsf0P_7Pjl8Bbj7Q78fkkm5hyzpeZN5tkJc6PsJIT7LJRyA5JChUI9D4eElpnJGi7P1Uv1DYSeIUslaR22PnPPTvaFb2WLqCwT24/s400/20110922-09-47-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk1npivqcIRl0-RwiO6b7Dws4H0DH-RsECv0-9rrxG46r7J3dO8DdnYyf07MC1VPjsSHe6Acom_EnC-L6Kw_dlV__vPGaBMqZqRyGj1ZwKhNbuStAz7EvXO97sbjC33JgtYGhnxAhlyw/s1600/20110923-05-27-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk1npivqcIRl0-RwiO6b7Dws4H0DH-RsECv0-9rrxG46r7J3dO8DdnYyf07MC1VPjsSHe6Acom_EnC-L6Kw_dlV__vPGaBMqZqRyGj1ZwKhNbuStAz7EvXO97sbjC33JgtYGhnxAhlyw/s200/20110923-05-27-18.jpg" width="200" /></a>The next day I went for a very long walk around the city. I started by the electronics shops in Akihabara, and then moved on to the Ochanomizu area, famous for its music shops. I carried on to Kanda, with its second-hand book stores, and finally to Marunouchi, where I spent a few hours walking along the gardens of the Imperial Palace.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRqu4vh8pasPEcou2mxGm5tHRRD6IPzxMkYg-k7-w0f-WEUvxXzHJCv18RS34ETS4ns-KtA4UEFMxaMwIvEu_p-N3BrVrXvy5RWcQuGFVBIAZFyapuOnoG0FVdBtykeNGEAoIyq8aZTM/s1600/20110923-06-17-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRqu4vh8pasPEcou2mxGm5tHRRD6IPzxMkYg-k7-w0f-WEUvxXzHJCv18RS34ETS4ns-KtA4UEFMxaMwIvEu_p-N3BrVrXvy5RWcQuGFVBIAZFyapuOnoG0FVdBtykeNGEAoIyq8aZTM/s400/20110923-06-17-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8dUk82YJ3ISZAj13krkyvU9NvyZqbCilfSDlJakihr6Ur0YgSi_h12ZSsfCN___8s6vUkPVrdQv11WHW6-75-xh8jzb2eIONZz6fkU7x-gPof67U0ityVFxE9IamXSQhHdFAkXZLX6s/s1600/20110923-07-42-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8dUk82YJ3ISZAj13krkyvU9NvyZqbCilfSDlJakihr6Ur0YgSi_h12ZSsfCN___8s6vUkPVrdQv11WHW6-75-xh8jzb2eIONZz6fkU7x-gPof67U0ityVFxE9IamXSQhHdFAkXZLX6s/s200/20110923-07-42-24.jpg" width="200" /></a>I had a very late and adventurous lunch, at a tiny ramen spot under a bridge. Impossible to understand what I had ordered from the Japanese-only ticket machine at the entrance. I ate standing up, amongst Japanese business men slurping their noodles in two minutes and rushing back to work, but it was surprisingly tasty, and finally something affordable. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8PGGqfWWgL7DJvw7U9Cn1EIr_eg1pxTmBHYSJL6s__mxuV1iG7C-L5UApEZqi1fHTa3hCrBbPIwrsR_mtnBKOuX6LLm8LfMeJ26vTOAh9Y-m83zus-Q1TapuDQht_E6bA6pGIcjWK4s/s1600/20110923-08-47-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8PGGqfWWgL7DJvw7U9Cn1EIr_eg1pxTmBHYSJL6s__mxuV1iG7C-L5UApEZqi1fHTa3hCrBbPIwrsR_mtnBKOuX6LLm8LfMeJ26vTOAh9Y-m83zus-Q1TapuDQht_E6bA6pGIcjWK4s/s200/20110923-08-47-56.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the evening I arranged to meet up with Kaori, my good Japanese friend from previous trips to <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.ie/2010/07/barcelona.html" target="_blank">Barcelona</a> and <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.ie/2011/05/italia.html" target="_blank">Italy</a> - the world can really be a small place! She took me to Odaiba, where we sat on the beach, watching the sun set over the city, drinking a bottle of red wine. The Rainbow Bridge never lit up (probably due to electricity savings, after the Fukushima accident), and that probably made the bay even prettier.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOx_M4vHjKohFJ-QA_zb9xRYDRZQhyphenhyphenz-h1erHcece4tyu2W3Zelv02aQICzpEHIBDrKKtyk3K6QdkWtvuvCrY6FN229Cb7sybsirctOkIIzsjeCPv3Jxyxj9C2nuSAqZJl3ssZziZkhyE/s1600/20110923-09-20-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOx_M4vHjKohFJ-QA_zb9xRYDRZQhyphenhyphenz-h1erHcece4tyu2W3Zelv02aQICzpEHIBDrKKtyk3K6QdkWtvuvCrY6FN229Cb7sybsirctOkIIzsjeCPv3Jxyxj9C2nuSAqZJl3ssZziZkhyE/s400/20110923-09-20-39.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlblejGlCUzKG3Z4RXENpTQCSWpR3hG6D4b5bpCZmsjKisRHZruCjkHS9TcslSRuuQEceM3DF-mthK1eZHSS-2-APtaBuR2mH1koSn2ECGfSDu2jxHRuXKoaty9t59wYwO6cp6WYzM25M/s1600/20110923-12-48-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlblejGlCUzKG3Z4RXENpTQCSWpR3hG6D4b5bpCZmsjKisRHZruCjkHS9TcslSRuuQEceM3DF-mthK1eZHSS-2-APtaBuR2mH1koSn2ECGfSDu2jxHRuXKoaty9t59wYwO6cp6WYzM25M/s200/20110923-12-48-04.jpg" width="181" /></a>In the evening we went to Shinjuku, very lively at night time, especially the Kabukicho area, with its restaurants and arcades; we had some good street food, and explored the area. It is full of men's (and women's) clubs, where very sexy hostesses (or hosts) draw clients from the streets. Quite different from Akihabara! The back streets are littered with "love hotels", where rooms are booked for a night or by the hour.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbF_nPnfqdZIAGBrBfzLifCwfdQ04tusKayu9OS4qYTWG8OPopBy3O_p0KtfZi1gNPEslLs-QL0s3G6lHA4I4Vy17Rx6i3EHH3dSM5JUw8E5TPJczwsorKuJjZDbHGbGtJY9P4rS1_xY/s1600/20110923-12-54-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbF_nPnfqdZIAGBrBfzLifCwfdQ04tusKayu9OS4qYTWG8OPopBy3O_p0KtfZi1gNPEslLs-QL0s3G6lHA4I4Vy17Rx6i3EHH3dSM5JUw8E5TPJczwsorKuJjZDbHGbGtJY9P4rS1_xY/s320/20110923-12-54-20.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies' club, with a very peculiar client</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2vrW3zvjP5hCVYcfBaMCgRCVEFv5i-uOPblwTiVObUfkFIm6QhWTKhu2S4x9bCGo57JmmUhVooKsMjH83u4rZGiHyx1AkGVy9P4u7O9gmhMl5I5U005AH6YH1_FTKRsoJ_MSk6OLcVQ/s1600/20110923-12-56-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2vrW3zvjP5hCVYcfBaMCgRCVEFv5i-uOPblwTiVObUfkFIm6QhWTKhu2S4x9bCGo57JmmUhVooKsMjH83u4rZGiHyx1AkGVy9P4u7O9gmhMl5I5U005AH6YH1_FTKRsoJ_MSk6OLcVQ/s320/20110923-12-56-16.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lo-o-ove hotels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqeUko6V4otLBsaVnlzuOZxoEbQmaXUETSs61gWKxd1Dwz546wR6QdBxqeAQS0IGgnfhVscYj4AcSgbC4uYWUUGm3iUGp8tvFdnsmgrBd0t8V4_NR2AvoDJJdVbBomtZiVj-W28VO2jU/s1600/20110923-14-45-54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqeUko6V4otLBsaVnlzuOZxoEbQmaXUETSs61gWKxd1Dwz546wR6QdBxqeAQS0IGgnfhVscYj4AcSgbC4uYWUUGm3iUGp8tvFdnsmgrBd0t8V4_NR2AvoDJJdVbBomtZiVj-W28VO2jU/s200/20110923-14-45-54.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
I stayed at Kaori's apartment for the remainder of my trip, a lovely place with so many typical Japanese touches - small, bed on the floor, electronic toilet with integrated handwash basin! Unfortunately, she had to work the whole of next day (even though it was Saturday - this is Japan after all), so we left her place at 8am, and I had the whole day to keep exploring the city.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHwujBalxm0ktAerT4XOe0Nc3WnHSMl0REllpSJwAWod4PrXK5lvYOAYzAPyKrOEPGJSjXVLvjH6TJvaUBW8BS5pfRUIGehcGXqSsFh_b-yF4s9mRz_zunvDS_4CqNvMYH7yblbKktfI/s1600/20110924-03-32-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHwujBalxm0ktAerT4XOe0Nc3WnHSMl0REllpSJwAWod4PrXK5lvYOAYzAPyKrOEPGJSjXVLvjH6TJvaUBW8BS5pfRUIGehcGXqSsFh_b-yF4s9mRz_zunvDS_4CqNvMYH7yblbKktfI/s200/20110924-03-32-39.jpg" width="150" /></a>I began with a morning visit to the busy Tsukiji fish market (of course it's the biggest in the world). After wandering around the stalls for a while, I noticed large queues of (Japanese) people at specific doors, so as a smart tourist I decided to queue as well. I queued for half-hour, until I realised that this was for the sushi restaurants, with the freshest fish you could ever hope for. Never have I eaten tastier fish (pretty expensive too, but well worth it).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqNDnrWi4tJtZgfxgG7RviDny3Wa9J8FbPIXlBKBf2RZJaiwjbdB56F_S63lercKrqx3kb30cCpPikk2_7RGPk6WcVxbOszBM6ArwCCMsfX2FsxLn65n26Y8w7dVR4WL0ED4uVF4c_kI/s1600/20110924-04-41-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqNDnrWi4tJtZgfxgG7RviDny3Wa9J8FbPIXlBKBf2RZJaiwjbdB56F_S63lercKrqx3kb30cCpPikk2_7RGPk6WcVxbOszBM6ArwCCMsfX2FsxLn65n26Y8w7dVR4WL0ED4uVF4c_kI/s200/20110924-04-41-43.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the afternoon I had a wonderful relaxing stroll along the Hamarikyu Gardens. a piece of heaven in the middle of crazy Tokyo. There's a tea house in the middle of a pond, where I enjoyed a cup of Japanese tea along with a rice cake, after someone carefully explained me how to consume it in the purest Japanese tradition.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3uCtjUvSspcePIKhEOAorVhVjbMJIi_6DuyZkzfmy7E1ge6_gqaP8h-meP7wPdYoCPUlPjWucQI7HJDO6TkdLFEDrqLzivJRWlwmltH04ugg_KScAhQByZ10399SzK5kLoNH5RLRX0Q/s1600/20110924-04-24-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3uCtjUvSspcePIKhEOAorVhVjbMJIi_6DuyZkzfmy7E1ge6_gqaP8h-meP7wPdYoCPUlPjWucQI7HJDO6TkdLFEDrqLzivJRWlwmltH04ugg_KScAhQByZ10399SzK5kLoNH5RLRX0Q/s400/20110924-04-24-51.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF80RlX4RK9bzedji51_8mvxhW2vCZkU5Ze8RW_zKclp_yuO3X630sN-kS89Mk2_l7H0jwPeUvOxhFTWsTDsRHvaag7HJu2xyZlIGeWXB8nX1FgI8ANpuut3KPnYVrY_erOYzBgWr2ydo/s1600/20110924-04-30-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF80RlX4RK9bzedji51_8mvxhW2vCZkU5Ze8RW_zKclp_yuO3X630sN-kS89Mk2_l7H0jwPeUvOxhFTWsTDsRHvaag7HJu2xyZlIGeWXB8nX1FgI8ANpuut3KPnYVrY_erOYzBgWr2ydo/s400/20110924-04-30-43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOhyphenhyphenNhPpYIUoNESEdK4_3m8507Z2frnpddkoVgDzVF3Oel3QZnkNHmwzDtDaeyXXjpgURAM3FArnDPEop5Hd_T3i-8TQi1SCF0D2r0EATc7ELiZgYaekrQ-D3raBhuVEV6TZoLseO8Wo/s1600/20110924-07-43-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOhyphenhyphenNhPpYIUoNESEdK4_3m8507Z2frnpddkoVgDzVF3Oel3QZnkNHmwzDtDaeyXXjpgURAM3FArnDPEop5Hd_T3i-8TQi1SCF0D2r0EATc7ELiZgYaekrQ-D3raBhuVEV6TZoLseO8Wo/s200/20110924-07-43-40.jpg" width="200" /></a>Afterwards I went to Asakusa, where I spent four hours walking along the enormous Nakamise pedestrian street, leading to the Senso-ji temple. The street is full of crafts and food stalls, and this being my last day in Japan, I made the most of it. With the arrival of sunset, the lit street and temple were beautiful to watch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZoW2rB8pyxA4gIRgA6dduvOtwgKfEEhetmiBFoDy9QmM2a037yTOpALWoU0q4P30G6VdjB7u8_-hrkyw4w0IiymnBQOMqWe8K3TjAQQFxwzFQexWLMJmy9Ez2lKK4sDIdCq4czqTef8/s1600/20110924-09-00-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZoW2rB8pyxA4gIRgA6dduvOtwgKfEEhetmiBFoDy9QmM2a037yTOpALWoU0q4P30G6VdjB7u8_-hrkyw4w0IiymnBQOMqWe8K3TjAQQFxwzFQexWLMJmy9Ez2lKK4sDIdCq4czqTef8/s320/20110924-09-00-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the evening I went for a stroll along the streets of the Shibuya area, full of shops, restaurants and clubs. The energy in the streets was amazing, with people enjoying their Saturday evening. I spent one hour trying to capture the madness of its most famous place, the Shibuya pedestrian crossing; this is the best I could do, hanging from the metro walkway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNFZ8pktQAJ5qf_hoc7y-mZ7gN26RT8sZsq8RfzSw0q6jCHkVkDd7yKz9gQFOJiR119l6vEqsVX0TT4tDYl1RTIqIZy13WOWBYIGt7a1_yKc-i2wSAWRL5K1A6HAZFsu2S1ejRdVEhrA/s1600/20110924-12-47-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNFZ8pktQAJ5qf_hoc7y-mZ7gN26RT8sZsq8RfzSw0q6jCHkVkDd7yKz9gQFOJiR119l6vEqsVX0TT4tDYl1RTIqIZy13WOWBYIGt7a1_yKc-i2wSAWRL5K1A6HAZFsu2S1ejRdVEhrA/s320/20110924-12-47-17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweZyaFYaQmZwc5RGSyJp0T3PdzfYWm2HmPGzgwcZLCJuZlIx9J2LeL3l9jqu1Eo7aMFVcyyA2GcLfCHayAJgEAW1qPC80bEiWaaxhwhj-Jk850MJs_6dQNKBOV-lkvSZzdwU5kyP57sY/s1600/20110924-13-43-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweZyaFYaQmZwc5RGSyJp0T3PdzfYWm2HmPGzgwcZLCJuZlIx9J2LeL3l9jqu1Eo7aMFVcyyA2GcLfCHayAJgEAW1qPC80bEiWaaxhwhj-Jk850MJs_6dQNKBOV-lkvSZzdwU5kyP57sY/s200/20110924-13-43-27.jpg" width="150" /></a>I then joined Kaori at her work place (she finished working at 2230, on a Saturday - never complain about your Western schedule!). She took me to a restaurant very famous with foreigners (the walls were filled with photos of clients such as Stevie Wonder, Sting, etc). I soon understood why - the food was just amazing. I remember eating delicious tempura, and many other other amazing dishes, all well washed down with a bottle of sake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKNLA07ruCyljNkbrIDK_sxWuUEXHnfbK_SEl-acsmUQKEoTdSiayoTzBxBcbHym5s69A4IODXOx7w8Pu8NI-FmtXQ_dPkrDc_1Ww2nAW2Ka8pwIQQ_ao0SzSecFsVthK6dKzs10v6Jw/s1600/20110925-06-54-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKNLA07ruCyljNkbrIDK_sxWuUEXHnfbK_SEl-acsmUQKEoTdSiayoTzBxBcbHym5s69A4IODXOx7w8Pu8NI-FmtXQ_dPkrDc_1Ww2nAW2Ka8pwIQQ_ao0SzSecFsVthK6dKzs10v6Jw/s200/20110925-06-54-49.jpg" width="200" /></a>And that was it. We went back home, and the following day woke up at 7am to go to the airport, where we enjoyed a last Japanese meal together. I boarded my A380, and returned to Ireland. Thank you so much, Kaori! - funny how the most unlikely of friendships are some of the best ones.<br />
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I'm really glad that after South Korea I took the extra week to go to Japan, what an amazing experience it was. Of the two countries, I was pretty sure Korea would be the most exotic. After all, Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world, the land of Sony, Toyota, Nikon, Panasonic. Nothing prepared me for the cultural shock. I am counting the days to return.</div>
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Japan is amazing.<br />
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Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2Japan35.707422843710013 139.7323608398437535.501171343710013 139.40963733984375 35.913674343710014 140.05508433984375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-39451140820496687742011-09-30T20:51:00.000+02:002014-09-03T01:10:01.616+02:00South Korea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In September 2011, I was very lucky to go to a conference in Seoul, South Korea. With the majority of my trips happening around Europe and/or Western countries, this was one I was really looking forward.</div>
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I spent over three weeks in Korea: a first week at the CIG conference, presenting my work, followed by a two week stay in Seoul National University, working as an invited researcher. Finally, I got a few days off at the end of my stay, and went to Busan (and then onwards to Japan - which I will report in a separate post).</div>
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It was a long way to get there; a Dublin-Amsterdam flight, followed by a 10h Amsterdam-Seoul. I finally got to fly in a 747, and it was a cool experience - what a massive plane!</div>
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The conference and then the stay at the University kept me pretty busy, and I didn't do half the travelling and exploring as I'd usually do. But I still got to explore quite a few interesting areas.</div>
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One of the top tourist spots in Seoul is the Insadong area, and it is well worth a visit. A pedestrian street, with many tiny side streets, stuffed with art galleries, vintage and souvenir shops, and traditional tea and coffee shops. I returned there quite a few times, just to wander around, buying a few souvenirs. Right next to it is Tapgol park, a lovely quiet place, with a 500 year old pagoda in a glass protective case. </div>
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While attending the conference, I stayed in a hotel, and got the chance to try the famous washlets, a combination of a toilet and a bidet, originally from Japan. These things are unreal: heated seat, automatic behind washing, water massage and drying, alternate positions for women's anatomy, and a thorough washing of the whole apparatus once you're finished. There's a whole range of programs and customisations to choose from. Sounds weird? Feels even weirder - but nice!</div>
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The final day of the conference offered us a chance to go to The Korea House, for the typical conference banquet (a wonderful dinner of traditional Korean food); that was followed by a traditional performance of light, music, and dance. It was a really enjoyable show.</div>
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Speaking of food, that was probably my biggest discovery in Korea. I wasn't quite fond of it at the start; practically every dish is spicy, and always comes accompanied with gimchi (fermented cabagge) and a whole range of other unidentifiable side dishes. But being five times cheaper than western food, I had little choice but to get used to it.</div>
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After a week with an upset stomach, I began enjoying it more and more. In fact, sometimes I had little choice but to adventure into unknown dishes; arriving into restaurants with no English menus nor pictures, I simply pointed at something someone else was eating. Interesting facts about Korean table sets: cuttlery is almost always metal (chopsticks and a long spoon), water is free and served in a reusable plastic bottle, and the glasses are always sterilised. Almost every restaurant has buzzers in the tables; ring it, and immediately 3/4 waiters acknowledge it and will come to you in less than a minute.<br />
Towards the end of my stay, I had become really used to the majority of dishes; my favourite was the Korean bbq.</div>
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Most evenings I would take the metro downtown, to go discover yet another mysterious dish in an unknown restaurant. The metro is clean and quiet, hardly anyone speaks with each other (mostly people just watch TV in their mobile phones); in every station, there's gas masks, a reminder of the tensions with their Northern neighbours! After eating, I usually would wander around on foot, to enjoy the neon spectacle that most streets offer.</div>
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Considering the northern neighbours, no trip to South Korea is complete without an excursion to the DMZ (Korean Demilitarised Zone). It's a very touristy thing to do, and you can only go there with an excursion, complete with a guide, who tries (and fails) to make jokes. But it's still a site full of interesting spots, such as the Bell of Peace, the secret invasion tunnels, the bullet-riddled train, and the closed roads leading to the North.<br />
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You get to actually look into the North, courtesy of an observation deck, from which it is forbidden to take photos; behind the "no-photo" zone, people pile up trying to snap a shot. Far more interesting (if spooky) was the visit to Dorasan station. Located on the South-North train line, it has a whole area reserved for passenger trains to Pyeongyang, which is kept immaculately clean - yet was never used.<br />
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Back in the city, the Dongdaemun gate is one of only three original city gates still standing:<br />
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Next to it, is the equally famous Dongdaemun market. It is massive, with stalls in small and large streets sprawling in a huge city area. It is also open until 5am. Crazy motorcycle riders pile up merchandise on the back of their bikes, and speed through stalls and pedestrians at insane speeds.<br />
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Equally interesting is the Cheonggyecheon area. Once occupied by an elevated motorway which crossed the city, it was renovated into a pedestrian area, and it is a real pleasure to just walk along the small stream, hidden from the craziness of the world around it.<br />
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The University had great facilities, and I spent a good deal of time there, working with my wonderful host, Bob McKay. The location is impressive, in a hill on the south of the city.<br />
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Bob was fantastic. He took me for meals quite often, including an excursion to the fish market, where we ate some great fresh sushimi. On one of the days, I went with him and his wife to Ganghwa Island, on the Northwestern part of the country. We visited old temples, ate grilled octopus, and explored the beaches nearby.<br />
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That about sums it up for Seoul. Of less interest was the famous Yongsan electronics market (half the shops were closed, and the quality was far from great). Equally uninteresting was the Itaewon area: also known as "Western Town", I almost felt like I was back in a Western city, given the amount of western shops and restaurants, and foreigners on the street (it is particularly popular with U.S. Military personnel). It is apparently one of the few places where you can buy "U.S. sized" clothes:<br />
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I did save one of the best spots for last, however: on the last day, I visited the Gyeongbok Palace. It is a massive complex of several palaces, museums and pavilions, and you can easily spend a whole day exploring it. Be prepared to elbow your way through hordes of tourists (both national and foreign).<br />
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Busan.</h2>
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My last 2 days in Korea were spent in Busan, on the Southeast part of the country. The second largest city of Korea, it is quite touristy as well, especially being on the sea shore, but it is in no way as massive as Seoul, and does feel a lot more welcoming. I took a high-speed train (French TGVs!) to get there.<br />
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I stayed in a wonderful little peace of heaven: a small hostel named after the owner, "Chan's House". Chan is obsessed with India, having travelled and lived there several times, and the home décor reflects that - all the way to a sitar in the living room, and mantras in the toilet sound system! (yes I brought some copies)<br />
I went out that night, to explore the nightlife by the waterfront.<br />
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The next day was mostly spent in markets. I started with the Jagalchi Fish Market, wandering amongst the hundreds of stalls selling live, dead and cooked fish, from easily recognisable varieties such as sole, sea bass, shark, octopus, to strange, unknown creatures of the sea, including spoon worms. These are meant to be a real delicacy, served still wriggling on your plate. They are sometimes known as the <i>penis fish</i>. Go figure why.<br />
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I wasn't that brave, but I did have a baby tiger shark in sashimi for lunch, after finding a fisherman that could speak English, and having a lovely chat with him. The way it was killed, two hard blows to the head, followed by chopping and straight to my plate, felt somewhat cruel. Not nearly as cruel as the fate of eels: skinned alive, they are left twitching in agony and pain, before being chopped alive. Not for the faint of heart.<br />
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I spent the whole afternoon lost in the tiny shopping streets of the Gukje and surrounding markets. I found it even more interesting than the Seoul markets; tiny little streets where you just get lost (I did, several times), exploring all the merchandise, from cheap clothing to unknown dishes.<br />
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My last evening in Korea was spent on Yongdusan Park, one of the highest points of the city. I didn't bother climbing the Busan Tower, and instead just wandered around the park, and sat admiring a group of ukulele players, trying as hard as possible to play together and sing Western songs.<br />
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That was it. The next day I took the ferry to Osaka, Japan, which I will tell about in a different post. Sometimes surprising, sometimes a bit hard, my glimpse at life in Korea was very pleasant.<br />
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Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com0South Korea37.56199695314352 126.9744893046874937.158686953143523 126.32904230468749 37.965306953143518 127.6199363046875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-73171486453430814342011-08-03T07:36:00.000+02:002013-05-29T20:10:54.767+02:00Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Golden Ring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When, in 2010, I <a href="http://lisboavladivostok.blogspot.com/">finally went to Russia</a>, some choices had to be made - it being the largest country in the world, and me crossing the whole of it. I decided to spend most of my time in Siberia and further east, as that was probably the only time I made it that far. That meant I spent only two days in Moscow - and skipped St. Petersburg altogether. So in the summer of 2011, I was <strike>back in the USSR</strike> back in Russia!</div>
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The trip can easily be divided into two parts: Moscow (and a tiny part of the Golden Ring) and St. Petersburg. I flew to St. Petersburg, spent a quick day there, and then went to Moscow.</div>
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Chapter 1: Moscow</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTLNDssmdQNRkueHKhErB3SsiT4UKtLH2pRBEU8fi50Q5aO-9zRqYeYccV-ahfKzI-dDxlaS76Oi3nxy3eVA61G-TwW7hjSWZKA-TJpEr2XLCHD7ZP75MSqo2rrNG6sviCeIS6uap83Y/s1600/russia2011-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTLNDssmdQNRkueHKhErB3SsiT4UKtLH2pRBEU8fi50Q5aO-9zRqYeYccV-ahfKzI-dDxlaS76Oi3nxy3eVA61G-TwW7hjSWZKA-TJpEr2XLCHD7ZP75MSqo2rrNG6sviCeIS6uap83Y/s320/russia2011-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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To get to Moscow, I took the night train connecting Russia's two largest cities. It felt strangely familiar, being back in a Russian train, in a coupé compartment. A sort of a home coming!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtM5-Z-alQghBFW1A6uJZ_RQu5gKhz-aatVVH19VW7V6_TwZaWYwi6JLb7a9HSouYC2VFfRwNa7YjzPS6LjE7c44ox0RH_swq1rYhhnj9vKj_o-s0265d6XYCig_pMx4W1zSCSRNHeX2A/s1600/russia2011-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtM5-Z-alQghBFW1A6uJZ_RQu5gKhz-aatVVH19VW7V6_TwZaWYwi6JLb7a9HSouYC2VFfRwNa7YjzPS6LjE7c44ox0RH_swq1rYhhnj9vKj_o-s0265d6XYCig_pMx4W1zSCSRNHeX2A/s200/russia2011-0.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the places that definitely deserved a return to was the famous Red Square, right in the centre of Moscow. This time I was better organised, and visited most of the places I wanted, taking 2 days to see it all. Be warned - it's a ridiculously touristy place, and it will take some queueing and pushing around to see the things you want (especially in summer).<br />
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The Lenin Mausoleum was certainly the case. Even though Communism is long gone, Lenin still gets to sleep in the middle of the square, in a specially built mausoleum. You have to queue for ages, to leave your bag, camera, phone, etc in a cloakroom. Do leave it there - if you go through the metal detector and something is found, you're back queueing for ages. The amount of people jumping the queue was appalling. The mausoleum itself is sort of interesting - it's not everyday you get to see a petrified body with almost 100 years. Be a fast observer, however - you get less than a minute to have a look.<br />
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Another place I visited was St. Basil's Cathedral. It's a beauty to perceive, both at day and (especially) at night. Legend has it that Ivan the Terrible, after having it built, blinded the architect that designed it, so that he could not design a more beautiful building.<br />
After being mesmerised by its majestic exterior, the inside is somewhat disappointing - very crammed, with 10 small chapels connected by narrow corridors and galleries. Still, it was quite interesting to see.<br />
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Then there's of course the actual Kremlin:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Assumption Cathedral</td></tr>
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An even harder place to visit, with very specific visiting days and hours. Worse still - individual foreign tourists are not allowed to visit (this might have changed in the meantime): you need to buy a ticket with a tour. Russian individuals are, however; thankfully, one of my Muscovite pen-pals came to the rescue, and bought me a ticket! So this time round I did make it there, but with only a few hours to spare, I limited my visit to the main cathedrals and churches, and the outside courtyards, and had to skip the Armoury.<br />
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The interiors were really lavish and extremely rich, but as with many places around Russia, you can't take photos (certainly not inside). The outside of most buildings is also quite impressive as well, however.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cathedral of the Archangel</td></tr>
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Amongst all the cathedrals and churches, the massive inside courtyards have two curious objects. One is the Emperor Cannon, built to protect the Saviour's Gate on the Red Square - it weights over 40 tons, and is the largest in the world still in existence. Each cannonball weights one ton. And it was never fired.<br />
Its weight is nothing, compared to the 210 tons of the Emperor's Bell.
During the fire of 1737, water was thrown to it, and an 11.5 ton
fragment (really!) fell off it. It's the biggest bell in the world. And
it was also never played.<br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hIDOF5WCSHB7BaveRD-do_FoAA0O4GrTNflcSeEOK0DdsGuyzBlrYoKxYKBaOg4HHXm-aWFSh0T1xxMHp_nDyUKtXIGZuP0_OR_dTFBiVUqSwaBNVA5LVF5z0uLMT-AVKXgNJCxtrGQ/s1600/russia2011-80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hIDOF5WCSHB7BaveRD-do_FoAA0O4GrTNflcSeEOK0DdsGuyzBlrYoKxYKBaOg4HHXm-aWFSh0T1xxMHp_nDyUKtXIGZuP0_OR_dTFBiVUqSwaBNVA5LVF5z0uLMT-AVKXgNJCxtrGQ/s200/russia2011-80.jpg" width="267" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S4Gf-5-GuKRQflipQMCv5KsRnmK654P_tChpuYCY-db8oRZfJSuXqe7srdlUDxZ_3ZKKQGXUswhTsiwVmwBpc9Z7-E8OOuN7HLHMbcnb94bD41cE3_bhzUkIUX1DWAMbw8TshLHeF2A/s1600/russia2011-81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S4Gf-5-GuKRQflipQMCv5KsRnmK654P_tChpuYCY-db8oRZfJSuXqe7srdlUDxZ_3ZKKQGXUswhTsiwVmwBpc9Z7-E8OOuN7HLHMbcnb94bD41cE3_bhzUkIUX1DWAMbw8TshLHeF2A/s200/russia2011-81.jpg" width="150" /></a></td>
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Right next to the Kremlin, expect to see dozens of Muscovites bathing in the fountains (it gets very hot during the summer in Moscow!):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monastery of the Sign</td></tr>
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Separated from the Kremlin by the Red Square, is the Kitay-Gorod region -
a mix of beautiful old churches, massive Soviet buildings, and modern
capitalist variants. The churches around here are beautiful, and well
worth a good walk around. Some are easy to find, standing proud amongst
other smaller buildings, convents, old houses; others however are fairly
hard to find, surrounded by big blocks of concrete.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of the Holy Trinity in Nikitniki</td></tr>
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Moving further North, along a massive 9 lane, one way avenue (even its name hints at its size - it's called a square: Новая Площадь), I reached one of my favourite museums in Moscow, the Polytechnical Museum. It's a massive complex of halls and expositions, and in typical Russian fashion, it is a huge mix of just about everything. I spent the best part of a day exploring it, including halls with cinema, musical instruments, weapons (including a replica of the first Soviet atomic bomb), the first Russian computers, space exploration, and massive tools expositions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An 18th century automata</td></tr>
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Next to the museum is the enormous Lubyanka Building, the old KGB headquarters. A really imposing building, which even nowadays still houses the Border Guard Services of Russia.<br />
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If you have the opportunity, don't miss out on a night drive along the Moskva river. The lit banks are really nice, and you'll get to see some of the "Seven Sisters" (seven gothic-Stalinist style skyscrapers built between 1947 and 1953) in all their glory, along with other beautiful buildings.<br />
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Apart from the very centre (Kremlin, Red Square and Kitay-Gorod), Moscow is not a good city to explore on foot. Yet I'm stubborn and that's exactly what I set to do a few days, despite the excellent metro (which I urge you to take, even if just to be mesmerised by the luxurious stations). My walks took me along the Moskva river, to see the infamous Peter the Great statue, built in 1997: at 98m, it's the tallest statue in Russia (and one of the tallest in the world), and by many deemed to be one of the ugliest. Taste aside, it is monumental, and served as a good beacon to locate myself.<br />
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Another recently built monument is the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Destroyed in 1931 to give way for the Palace of the Soviets (never built), its foundation became the largest open air swimming pool in the world, until it was finally rebuilt in the 1990s.<br />
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Another interesting place for a (long) stroll is Gorky Park, a huge leisure park, perfect for a nice long walk. It achieved world fame with the Scorpions lyrics:<br />
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<i>I followed the Moskva,</i><br />
<i>down to Gorky Park,</i><br />
<i>listening to the wind of change...</i><br />
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One of the best walks I had was in the Moscow State University. It's a lovely campus, dotted with impressive statues and buildings, including yet another member of the seven sisters (arguably the prettiest sister).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old Telegraph building</td></tr>
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It's a wonderfully peaceful place (at least during summer, almost deserted). Back in the centre, it's a totally different story: mad traffic, roads so large you can't cross on foot (have to pace up and down several blocks to find the underground passageways), etc. Don't expect to see many old Ladas or Volgas here; this is the place where Hummers, BMWs and Mercedes congregate. Still, a very colourful and interesting place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pushkin dwarfed by visual (and air) pollution</td></tr>
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And of course, no visit to Moscow city centre is complete without going to the Arbat district. Famous for its pedestrian street, full of charming old buildings in between cheesy tourist shops and street performers (and babushkas begging), I found it mildly entertaining, and was far more impressed by the Lenin library nearby. Still, it was impressive to see how quickly the street was emptied under a massive summer storm!</div>
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My favourite day in Moscow however was in the VDNKh area. This huge area comprises a park commemorating the Soviet Space achievements, and the actual VDNKh (the All-Russia Exhibition Centre). The former is nothing short of spectacular; the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, located in the middle, is a 110m tall representation of a rocket and its plume as it leaves Earth, and is coated in titanium. In front of it, the Cosmonauts Alley has statues and stone memorials remembering the important figures of the Soviet Space Program. A truly impressive sight.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cosmos Hotel</td></tr>
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Most of the streets and parks nearby bear space-themed names. The massive Cosmos hotel in particular is famous for the statue of Charles de Gaulle standing by its entrance. And underneath the monument, is the (recently restored) Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics. Originally only focused in the Soviet Space Program, it now has sections for all major space programs worldwide. I spent many hours there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tram and monorail by the VDNKh</td></tr>
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There's much more to this area, however. Around the entrance of the VDNKh, stands the iconic statue Worker and the Kolkhoz Woman, holding together a hammer and sickle, thus forming the Communist symbol. It was first unveiled at the 1937 World Fair in Paris, where it was <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/La_Tour_Eiffel_en_1937_contrast.png" target="_blank">pitted against the Nazi pavilion</a>, with the Eiffel tower watching.<br />
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The actual VDNKh is a huge park crammed with 82 pavilions, representing Soviet Republics, and particular industries. The gate features the iconic male and female farmers statue, which appears at the beginning of many Soviet movies. It also features an amusement park, and many food stalls, which you should really avoid (instead go for the kvass stalls, delicious in a late summer afternoon).<br />
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Many of the pavilions are very degraded, and either closed or transformed into shopping malls crammed with cheap electronics and tourist souvenirs (in stark contrast with the grandiose interiors). They're still very interesting, and make a strong statement of the Soviet legacy. The walk also takes you along fountains, with the amazing Friendship of Nations of the Soviet Union standing proudly in the centre.<br />
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<h3>
1.1 The Golden Ring </h3>
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This is where my plan failed. The objective was to visit most of the main cities of the famous Golden Ring - a ring of ancient cities around Moscow, with Kremlins, Churches and Monasteries, amongst the prettiest in Russia. But with all there is to see and do in Moscow, and given the distance to these cities (not possible to do on a day trip from Moscow), I had to drop that plan. With one exception: Sergiyev Posad. A couple of Muscovite friends offered to drive me there, and we spent the day visiting the place.<br />
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It's a lovely little town, with the big Trinity Lavra (monastery) being the main attraction. After a tasty lunch, we spent most of the day there, enjoying the sights and people watching, and browsing the craft and souvernir fairs. Finally, we also had a quick look to the nearby Toy Museum, and returned to Moscow.<br />
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<h2>
Chapter 2. Saint Petersburg</h2>
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To get back to St. Petersburg, I took a night train again. This time I had great company in my kupe: Nastya, Olga and Tanya, three very chatty and nice young women. We stay up late, chatting away, and it really reminded me of all the nice people I met <a href="http://lisboavladivostok.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">while travelling across Russia</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moskovskij train station, in St. Petersburg</td></tr>
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Moscow and St. Petersburg are so different, one wonders if they're part of the same country. In fact, Piter (as it is know by the locals) resembles beautiful central European cities such as Viena, which served as inspiration when Peter the Great built the city. Unlike Moscow, it is slightly more pedestrian friendly; the main thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospect, takes one along the main cathedrals, crossing the lovely canals, before reaching the Hermitage and opening up to the Neva.<br />
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One of the main activities in St. Petersburg is thus to wander around; one of my favourite walks took me along the canals, and led me to three large gardens (Mikhaylovsky Sad, Summer Garden, and the Field of Mars). And if Moscow is famous for St. Basil's Cathedral, the largely unknown (in the West) Church of the Saviour on Blood is equally beautiful.<br />
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Across the Neva river, is another famous attraction, the Peter and Paul Fortress. It's a place full of history - Peter's own son was tortured and killed here (after plotting against his father), and so were some of the Decembrists. Even Gorky was imprisoned here. Apart from prisons and barracks, the main attraction is St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral, with its 122m spire; Peter the Great is buried here (along with more than 30 czars and princes).<br />
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Nearby, at the tip of Vasilyevsky Island, is a collection of imposing 18th century buildings. I visited the Central Naval Museum, another "mix-a-bit-of-everything" museum, including hundreds of replicas of boats and submarines (including many K-class replicas, but funnily enough not the K-19). The views across the Neva towards the Eastern bank are very enjoyable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace Square</td></tr>
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When going to Piter, visiting the Hermitage is a must. Located in the monumental Palace Square, it is one of the biggest museums in the world, and one of the best as well. Be ready to queue for a long time, in order to get a ticket: foreigners queue at a different place, and pay inflated prices to get in.<br />
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Inside there's halls after halls of all sorts of art pieces; it reminded me of the Louvre, for the inability of see it all in one go. And each room is in itself a work of art. A reminder of the luxury of nobility during the Czar times, and what (some of the) Bolsheviks fought against. Thankfully, and unlike many places in Russia, one can actually take photographs. I spent a whole day there.<br />
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The city is equally beautiful at night, when most of the monuments are lit. In fact, with so many restaurants, cafes and bars open 24/7, the city never really goes to sleep. And another must-do is to head over to the Neva, when all the bridges open up during the night, stranding unaware drivers in the wrong side of the river. <br />
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Thanks to couchsurfing, I was able to interact with some of the locals. The lovely Olga and Masha showed me the city at night, and in the following day took me with many of their friends for a picnic by the Gulf of Finland, where some of us even went for a swim. Finally, the remainder of my time was spent visiting beautiful churches and cathedrals.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smolny Monastery</td></tr>
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That's all. On the final day, I still had time to go check the impressive House of the Soviets, and then took the bus back to the airport, and flew back home. A thoroughly enjoyable experience once again; Russia is a really interesting country, and I'll be back there for sure!<br />
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Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-86348947231756241472011-05-08T23:59:00.005+02:002011-06-15T20:05:36.002+02:00Italia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6tbGCPjU812ITbx3S9OeYzAIdkGT2OzjdC-n6_zobXZPDqFwYP7fRleKc1eS43YzlioB2QXliU1gM5JM8WNNXdN0KJtevfjU5NvG0s7mfQtYEChkPvjIFpKrkoXD0SEqp-y-JWNTx5o/s1600/italia-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6tbGCPjU812ITbx3S9OeYzAIdkGT2OzjdC-n6_zobXZPDqFwYP7fRleKc1eS43YzlioB2QXliU1gM5JM8WNNXdN0KJtevfjU5NvG0s7mfQtYEChkPvjIFpKrkoXD0SEqp-y-JWNTx5o/s200/italia-11.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a few busy months, mostly with work. But it all pays off. In the end of April I went to Torino, in Italy, to present some of the work I've been busy with (two best paper nominations, luck me). And as usual, I took a few days off after the conference to go travel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Italy has been the exception of my Western Europe travels. I've visited extensively most Western European countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic...), but Italy kept eluding me. I did go to Torino before, as well as a nice motorcycle trip to Verona and Venezia, but that's about it.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDexkzBuIgy_qvYgu4S-GrJjHHwMR48CeWxXEAIJvBlHilj3gxLUt98K6uuVhYSxDyGAisM7EJ6H5R5j3Jdg3C8mfQknD1yihYaZdwudQmTPU3lgM0SIQZzHcy6DgpqLHINcKhqEPXds/s1600/italia-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDexkzBuIgy_qvYgu4S-GrJjHHwMR48CeWxXEAIJvBlHilj3gxLUt98K6uuVhYSxDyGAisM7EJ6H5R5j3Jdg3C8mfQknD1yihYaZdwudQmTPU3lgM0SIQZzHcy6DgpqLHINcKhqEPXds/s200/italia-3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vertiginous lift climb inside the Mole.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Being back in Torino felt familiar (my third time there). This time I managed to do a bit of visiting; with a few good friends, we spent the little free time we had walking around, visiting many of the piazzas (San Carlo, Castello...), and also took the lift up to the Mole Antonelliana, which gave us great views across the city. Also, the conference banquet was in the Basilica di Superga, which we got to visit.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHDGD5DVao3_7Mwjy4_jr8tGWBZPUswmGBjNrH7vtzOY8lSGnMOdLf-Zg_TFGAxpjy_PeXQNC-D5_s2HjnBSIbOWQYfyH9MQ1ncNR4LnFPjp1mEw-VV4NhiUl1zgU4AlCnjRv2zFbd-U/s1600/italia-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHDGD5DVao3_7Mwjy4_jr8tGWBZPUswmGBjNrH7vtzOY8lSGnMOdLf-Zg_TFGAxpjy_PeXQNC-D5_s2HjnBSIbOWQYfyH9MQ1ncNR4LnFPjp1mEw-VV4NhiUl1zgU4AlCnjRv2zFbd-U/s320/italia-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPv5yvRO99rJBM7Dpec1mZ6Rm-22W-eMrvXPEWLYiLLs8mglIlHnLd3r05gop_7e24Ysbhr0adbyJiOwW5Ci1B8X_Rc4MLpiPDUUeskbZaXytmEElPEBXQpiAPVjR88dPMhO9ZByBORs/s1600/italia-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPv5yvRO99rJBM7Dpec1mZ6Rm-22W-eMrvXPEWLYiLLs8mglIlHnLd3r05gop_7e24Ysbhr0adbyJiOwW5Ci1B8X_Rc4MLpiPDUUeskbZaXytmEElPEBXQpiAPVjR88dPMhO9ZByBORs/s200/italia-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last day in Torino was spent wandering around, eating wonderful pasta and topping it off with ice-cream. We got to see Mark Webber touring the streets of the city: how often do you get to see that!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, in the middle of the afternoon it was time to catch my train down to Firenze.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Part I. Toscana</b></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I arrived there in the evening, dropped my bags in the hostel, and off I went in search of dinner and for a quick tour of the city. And at the turn of a corner, I saw this:</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkYYESiLoGFVnh2lH_ZKfR4hh2_kj9Cn8ehRLYH2i-aP2RwYCNC0K2110kt9eGGDQF0Z7FbT_C-cOIYbIOeEblE8Ug6slROCPYgsOemIO7IxKDn5zSJeGYYkfuGX1vI0QwtsPFChJY0c/s1600/italia-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkYYESiLoGFVnh2lH_ZKfR4hh2_kj9Cn8ehRLYH2i-aP2RwYCNC0K2110kt9eGGDQF0Z7FbT_C-cOIYbIOeEblE8Ug6slROCPYgsOemIO7IxKDn5zSJeGYYkfuGX1vI0QwtsPFChJY0c/s200/italia-6.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Duomo. Right there, unexpectedly. I had been told by many people that I would love Firenze, but I was still pleasantly surprised. It's one of those small cities that bring you back in time (others include Luzern and Annecy). I spent most of the night wandering aimlessly around the small cobbled stone streets, soaking in the atmosphere of the place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Late in the night, I finally returned to the hostel (Archi Rossi). Quite an interesting place, with its heavily graffiti laden walls and a lovely and quiet back garden. Completely exhausted, I slept 11h.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next (short) day was spend in terraces around Firenze, finishing some work with a tight deadline. I could think of worse places to work! In the evening I went for another long walk around the city, crossing the Arno and exploring the South side. Ponte Vecchio is so charming in the evening time:</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following day I started doing what was my plan for this trip: base myself in Firenze, and do day trips all around Toscana. First destination, Pisa! I caught the train in the early morning, and spent a few hours in lovely Pisa. And yes, Pisa is famous mainly for the Piazza Dei Miracoli, and me being a tourist, that's exactly where I spent most of my time. I visited the Battistero, where I listened to a custodian demonstrating the remarkable acoustics of the double dome; wandered around the Camposanto; and visited the impressive Duomo, with its golden roof.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TXuTbdovBqv-iF2jJwAfALZ0G0zw80W-WFXKzme4nGqDQl8sRpRw18v2K2SkJYZu8czpxx0zrxiYBtM15bejYWfclRDav4adMjNdjKKYjENlNY2ObTzZ1Hd5sqVCmgbJQuw9PvGIPSA/s1600/italia-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TXuTbdovBqv-iF2jJwAfALZ0G0zw80W-WFXKzme4nGqDQl8sRpRw18v2K2SkJYZu8czpxx0zrxiYBtM15bejYWfclRDav4adMjNdjKKYjENlNY2ObTzZ1Hd5sqVCmgbJQuw9PvGIPSA/s400/italia-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Duomo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWQoLMFM4ynW6SICbwbrPYusrJLutE965CeOU7E5oLh3H8duWsQkJBqMMwcWUM1Rvb2ePRoTwAtDdphs0YFUKqY12sfeuTbEwJrYzRrX47MqxnFpK_h-nmnFX-cYrGSrpdvuv9GBJkWg/s1600/italia-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWQoLMFM4ynW6SICbwbrPYusrJLutE965CeOU7E5oLh3H8duWsQkJBqMMwcWUM1Rvb2ePRoTwAtDdphs0YFUKqY12sfeuTbEwJrYzRrX47MqxnFpK_h-nmnFX-cYrGSrpdvuv9GBJkWg/s200/italia-15.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tower's worn steps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">After a seafood lunch, it was time to go up the tower (tickets are bought hours in advance, for a specific time). I'm known for avoiding over-touristic activities (I did live for 3 years in Paris without ever climbing the Eiffel Tower), but this time I couldn't resist it. Going up and down the tower I got an unexpected surprise: I felt sea-sick. It does make sense: going around the tower with no external reference, all you feel is that some steps are harder to take, whereas others are much easier, much like in a rocking boat. It was a funny experience, and the views from the top were great.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it does lean.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsON8qzduar7wFVJgiKThey82rgrmTrMkFUxLumRRRi5P6b4Giqxf_dtqnXhkFC9wK4DdBK4n8YfymSnSmvZrWbjLXcK6J0PDBlYool70fMbMKVUoB0hCilPv1ebLeiG8X7wafV1cwfmw/s1600/italia-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsON8qzduar7wFVJgiKThey82rgrmTrMkFUxLumRRRi5P6b4Giqxf_dtqnXhkFC9wK4DdBK4n8YfymSnSmvZrWbjLXcK6J0PDBlYool70fMbMKVUoB0hCilPv1ebLeiG8X7wafV1cwfmw/s400/italia-14.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piaza Dei Miracoli from the tower.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Walking back to the train station, I still managed to explore a bit the city, with far fewer tourists around. I walked along the Arno, enjoying the gorgeous mountain views.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wecJO7TSaCae57MJDGji93lHkceliW_d3HeYpY2Pca2bhK1ETBG2pxIqA6fSNjaBT_GaSbg5xG1fh_nUB78jZY21iZGAd_wkqLhFA421WI0yyu-EzJrEz7ONn36OnF13Ot39CpEURnE/s1600/italia-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wecJO7TSaCae57MJDGji93lHkceliW_d3HeYpY2Pca2bhK1ETBG2pxIqA6fSNjaBT_GaSbg5xG1fh_nUB78jZY21iZGAd_wkqLhFA421WI0yyu-EzJrEz7ONn36OnF13Ot39CpEURnE/s400/italia-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, the Arno, and the mountains.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rfMgZeBAW9S6ksvtT5SfGrOy_D_PWNPZiWUNwqv9_3zMz_G5kMKkjc90Dikxz3qySw2aLcFd_QemuMifYwIVOWs0xXBwyg17A17scz5kPzSabV0Is3aeE_07WgCH1qUO1VVQJfILMdA/s1600/italia-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rfMgZeBAW9S6ksvtT5SfGrOy_D_PWNPZiWUNwqv9_3zMz_G5kMKkjc90Dikxz3qySw2aLcFd_QemuMifYwIVOWs0xXBwyg17A17scz5kPzSabV0Is3aeE_07WgCH1qUO1VVQJfILMdA/s200/italia-17.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then it was back in the train, destination: Lucca. I got there in the early evening, and went for a lovely walk along the imposing, grassy city walls. That was followed by a random exploration of the tiny Lucchesi streets, and a visit to the curious looking Cattedrale di San Martino, with the exquisite collection of columns on its facade (all different).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I still had time to visit the archaeological site beneath the Chiesa e Battistero dei SS Giovanni e Reparata, where later on in the evening I saw an opera recital of Mozart and Puccini songs, staged by the <i>Puccini e la sua Lucca</i> organisation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, it was back in the train to Firenze, where I had a late dinner and the costumary night walk along the city.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3axvekpvElswkKLhVK8dokyfIs-yRbnhk-u1jjltK8gJwjlcnPI-SxRAqLcSy7t_FZSNxbKmdzAM3jlbw56D1tEnaLQF7H662m545xcrI1uIddFXVsNM-bP53nlIl5Y13kMETi86vOE/s1600/italia-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3axvekpvElswkKLhVK8dokyfIs-yRbnhk-u1jjltK8gJwjlcnPI-SxRAqLcSy7t_FZSNxbKmdzAM3jlbw56D1tEnaLQF7H662m545xcrI1uIddFXVsNM-bP53nlIl5Y13kMETi86vOE/s320/italia-16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQT7i2TmTuM7f3NBdD4e7W3N0BGE0NnEU3j6mPGOVTbeGMsE1muqQt0N9onivCi2-F3iFRLmvrbaseaxk_ThEhrWMiWIWU55AQm3cS4FIrEwt0PNblKPN80YcbWgnR4AVOQj-KjLGstJc/s1600/italia-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQT7i2TmTuM7f3NBdD4e7W3N0BGE0NnEU3j6mPGOVTbeGMsE1muqQt0N9onivCi2-F3iFRLmvrbaseaxk_ThEhrWMiWIWU55AQm3cS4FIrEwt0PNblKPN80YcbWgnR4AVOQj-KjLGstJc/s320/italia-18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The next day I met up with Kaori, my good Japanese friend whom I had met <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.com/2010/07/barcelona.html">last year in Barcelona</a>; by coincidence we were both travelling at the same time in Italy, and decided to meet for a few days in Firenze. So we took a morning train to Siena (followed by a local bus). We were greeted with torrential rain; but luck favours the brave, and the weather finally opened up. Siena was yet another lovely city; crooked, steep streets, a lively central square (Piazza del Campo), and the fantastic Duomo, with its rich interior, decorated with alternating white and black marble and colourful flags.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qCaEB-eN4VxU28PBkoYDBxjWy3WgvaaHVILSt73fffmBMbkGtx4INMpkwBtHDLtJz4STZ23le_R5HtHf8RZ8NXypXyz-zoLSOjqS8ZUveJpIHLjvYCyXCI-BcOLwwsdnfMWEj4_a5zU/s1600/italia-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qCaEB-eN4VxU28PBkoYDBxjWy3WgvaaHVILSt73fffmBMbkGtx4INMpkwBtHDLtJz4STZ23le_R5HtHf8RZ8NXypXyz-zoLSOjqS8ZUveJpIHLjvYCyXCI-BcOLwwsdnfMWEj4_a5zU/s400/italia-19.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46_hsvn5rSGUMxO3Tw8-y4KUlz4SlmnMVCnnBmRbozWOq3S68MoObwefU0Lpofs_nJtZQkOYTS_yXY3EBhIJZ2pZi_4JvsGcx9ngF8UZsUT1TdFp5PVA2fJW5qq5SbyWCKGxoQ9hKOac/s1600/italia-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46_hsvn5rSGUMxO3Tw8-y4KUlz4SlmnMVCnnBmRbozWOq3S68MoObwefU0Lpofs_nJtZQkOYTS_yXY3EBhIJZ2pZi_4JvsGcx9ngF8UZsUT1TdFp5PVA2fJW5qq5SbyWCKGxoQ9hKOac/s200/italia-22.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kaori insisted we try to squeeze San Gimignano in the same day, and I'm glad she did. Another bus trip took us there through the rolling Tuscan hills, and we arrived in the late evening, just in time to witness the golden light of the setting sun bathing the old stone town. This being quite late, the town was almost deserted. It was magical, probably one of the highlights of the whole trip. We just wandered around, went for a walk outside the city walls to see the sunset, and finally took the very last buses back to Firenze. Late dinner, night walk around the city, you guessed it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA95v51mv-fbC-np1dqdEVN2pvjPufDd6MalvJOkIrIduQFc9vRTW7EhzAZlM_62im9wRQidNVz-HXA3W0jdrol2JGy7pPJwF5yQNUZyNaxqukeY295bHiICw5T2KrIW2h5UDa57fVmk8/s1600/italia-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA95v51mv-fbC-np1dqdEVN2pvjPufDd6MalvJOkIrIduQFc9vRTW7EhzAZlM_62im9wRQidNVz-HXA3W0jdrol2JGy7pPJwF5yQNUZyNaxqukeY295bHiICw5T2KrIW2h5UDa57fVmk8/s400/italia-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day we set off to Assisi, recommended by a respected fellow traveller. In the 2h30 train trip, we met Daniele, an Italian pizza cook going to Perugia for the first time for a new job. We shared our bottle of Chianti, and had a great time chatting about anything and everything.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We reached Assisi in the early afternoon, and took the bus up to the town. The weather was glorious. We spent a long time exploring the Basilica di San Francesco, with its lovely frescoes, the tomb of S. Francis, some of his old memorabilia, and the impressive 28-part fresco in the upper church.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfEDunVfcSjad1TMaAutcyhCQsNcPelidTsTRlyWwMj9aZBlYRT7xEaWMvc8IoXWaXNAlChR21SczTMDvyvRj0VCIhyphenhyphenNnNMdOHcabHmuVvBfKz1xoYxEBnJ8mpHqOPXuZ0kigb__eyvk/s1600/italia-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfEDunVfcSjad1TMaAutcyhCQsNcPelidTsTRlyWwMj9aZBlYRT7xEaWMvc8IoXWaXNAlChR21SczTMDvyvRj0VCIhyphenhyphenNnNMdOHcabHmuVvBfKz1xoYxEBnJ8mpHqOPXuZ0kigb__eyvk/s400/italia-26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-pypDu0FFFlbz6cvOzkuGlehK-D61jOop87nkzob0xlL7eYioIJs2MTSCT2U4HrJGUu9pSIX7lX3px2CLkj3RIDb2pZkacpW4ahsbKXeuaZwpoKLl7UYZbm391piH7u2zUZVgm_OyR0/s1600/italia-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-pypDu0FFFlbz6cvOzkuGlehK-D61jOop87nkzob0xlL7eYioIJs2MTSCT2U4HrJGUu9pSIX7lX3px2CLkj3RIDb2pZkacpW4ahsbKXeuaZwpoKLl7UYZbm391piH7u2zUZVgm_OyR0/s400/italia-27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeEUpzyFkaSgzVxnkCJk9LWbq6dk011qmTBvIRf8WBl6gWupafUMjRdWNEq9PDnSNBkTjr59Y76-VgIJb-MV1vVYEf1xs7nlCCF7uzeSHFihdmNeWi0L_UvTiI201nT_El_ioLCmwjz8/s1600/italia-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeEUpzyFkaSgzVxnkCJk9LWbq6dk011qmTBvIRf8WBl6gWupafUMjRdWNEq9PDnSNBkTjr59Y76-VgIJb-MV1vVYEf1xs7nlCCF7uzeSHFihdmNeWi0L_UvTiI201nT_El_ioLCmwjz8/s200/italia-29.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assisi from Rocca Maggiore</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">We carried on exploring the city, and then made the long steep way up to the Rocca Maggiore. The views were great, and we had a lot of fun exploring the cramped defensive walls. Back down in the town. we had a massive ice-cream, and then it was back in the train, for a fast trip to Arezzo. We reached it really late, and had basically one hour to wander around, before the last train back to Firenze. Arezzo was the set of Benigni's La Vitta è Bella, and some of it definitely reminded me of the film, such as the the lovely Piazza Grande.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRP0GnJomb7J6nKp1QCGl6U8liNdJ7j22a9HJrU7Dz6yiABa6CuCpk7FqgfWppDY1uYnkxIJdW2J74FN1vbFyqHy_uRF_TG63sAaaSbNvVVMyFdDrhfzppzK9r5uOoxhuV0YVQWPLpwI/s1600/italia-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRP0GnJomb7J6nKp1QCGl6U8liNdJ7j22a9HJrU7Dz6yiABa6CuCpk7FqgfWppDY1uYnkxIJdW2J74FN1vbFyqHy_uRF_TG63sAaaSbNvVVMyFdDrhfzppzK9r5uOoxhuV0YVQWPLpwI/s400/italia-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arezzo's Piazza Grande</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day was the last in Firenze, and we finally decided to visit the city, with daylight for a change. We decided to join a group tour going around (and up) the Duomo. After so many nights gasping at its beautiful exterior, the inside was a bit of a disappointment (especially when compared to the richness of the Pisa and Siena cathedrals); but the dome was beautiful, and the walk along the upper walls was really cool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiHQk6HXke0exJjkfBT6eD6iQ2lmAw-Mckn0yC1hyphenhyphenMsviflBnYIKecjD38pgsR0pMENlPUAkoOwhqbEv7cL6uvPeYe3YuN7NwzdKeCucpTvJBYmQgRYabaHCwKUOBMqeDCZpDeq6FXuU/s1600/italia-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiHQk6HXke0exJjkfBT6eD6iQ2lmAw-Mckn0yC1hyphenhyphenMsviflBnYIKecjD38pgsR0pMENlPUAkoOwhqbEv7cL6uvPeYe3YuN7NwzdKeCucpTvJBYmQgRYabaHCwKUOBMqeDCZpDeq6FXuU/s320/italia-32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00I2ATt0aD0VQ2eSg4s9hXsnKAJqmxa9CM-zBJjdEitBMMc0eOGWfnT0dAIHIMh36TYUkBXbXkDn-SbJio5SlU_NcleQThwjDvIwYeD9aL17G7D5lVhCRKWi-n1b9EhL3MFxS1a5KCE4/s1600/italia-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00I2ATt0aD0VQ2eSg4s9hXsnKAJqmxa9CM-zBJjdEitBMMc0eOGWfnT0dAIHIMh36TYUkBXbXkDn-SbJio5SlU_NcleQThwjDvIwYeD9aL17G7D5lVhCRKWi-n1b9EhL3MFxS1a5KCE4/s400/italia-33.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertigo from the top of the Duomo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We spent the afternoon around the south side, trying to visit the (unfortunately closed) Giardino Torrigianni and Giardino di Bardini. We ended up going for a great picnic by the Arno, followed by a last night walk around Firenze. What a great city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhH2TpsYd6oS5O97r95r_rTmfL9xAbmfLu4SXOktTv-QSPGccv0tA4QYtZfxFIALG9x6-KlQ-EHMsU34M1nKiZENdt3yqlA_3Cvqfo6IgbO_fFlcIKfIBLqZuS5ODHl-b_XD41TmOl8Y8/s1600/italia-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhH2TpsYd6oS5O97r95r_rTmfL9xAbmfLu4SXOktTv-QSPGccv0tA4QYtZfxFIALG9x6-KlQ-EHMsU34M1nKiZENdt3yqlA_3Cvqfo6IgbO_fFlcIKfIBLqZuS5ODHl-b_XD41TmOl8Y8/s320/italia-35.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basking in Ponte Vecchio</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Part II. Roma</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having spent most of the holiday in Tuscany, meant that I only had a full day and two half days in Rome, and hence had to make the most of it. I left Firenze in the morning, sharing a train until Rome with Kaori (who kept going down to Napoli). I dropped my bags in the M&J Hostel (not nearly as good as the one in Firenze), and headed out to the Ancient Rome area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luck didn't want anything to do with me, and both the Colosseum and the Palatine were closed because of a strike... I had to content myself with external views. I followed that with a visit to the massive Vittoriano:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTXEQ1PGjTrWSZ9rW9PnTy8eafn1bQF3fUwbZt2c3LdVzOjYqxjdWinrjU7a6cG32OumVlBcydoiNmdLekWs_JN92ySCRwLAObgMKy2SA2euP4ZqNXOhwDGXg-rMP392sP9Xwf5rue9o/s1600/italia-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTXEQ1PGjTrWSZ9rW9PnTy8eafn1bQF3fUwbZt2c3LdVzOjYqxjdWinrjU7a6cG32OumVlBcydoiNmdLekWs_JN92ySCRwLAObgMKy2SA2euP4ZqNXOhwDGXg-rMP392sP9Xwf5rue9o/s400/italia-36.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTTaYEtnbDXVQy_pPr9Njel891egx95wwNvdy4huSZIpm-CCeW6JoJb9mLbXq5yrjkiNgF8rwIIBJDuAOgfqzJtf1_glegb0owjfNyYJ7mjVOU0VDHP4qTAvhz9VlPu1x72o6qmjO1RU/s1600/italia-38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTTaYEtnbDXVQy_pPr9Njel891egx95wwNvdy4huSZIpm-CCeW6JoJb9mLbXq5yrjkiNgF8rwIIBJDuAOgfqzJtf1_glegb0owjfNyYJ7mjVOU0VDHP4qTAvhz9VlPu1x72o6qmjO1RU/s200/italia-38.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At this stage, the combination of long walks, Friday evening rush traffic, and endless tourists were having the best of me. I thankfully found refuge by the Tiber, walking along the river on my own. A great break from the bustle of Rome!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I walked around the old Campo de'Fiori, and had a look at the art exhibition in Palazzo Spada, mainly to have a look at Borromini's corridor illusion: a strech of columns, each slightly smaller than the previous, giving the impression of a long corridor leading to a life-size statue, whereas in fact it's merely 10m long, and the statue is hip high. No photos allowed, however... I spent the remainder of the day enjoying the streets of Rome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyuj2Dj6ZH3WozO6N_VwX6svam1SbJJbsBKIs9-Z4Bjv86ulq0VQ-Jx-wzVsw5SklD2gwbHxTarztxPGcRyUygPC5QD5XlP40ODFe0vqUJEu6gRO0O38miNcH_ACVQ10kzGzK_fSmsqU/s1600/italia-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyuj2Dj6ZH3WozO6N_VwX6svam1SbJJbsBKIs9-Z4Bjv86ulq0VQ-Jx-wzVsw5SklD2gwbHxTarztxPGcRyUygPC5QD5XlP40ODFe0vqUJEu6gRO0O38miNcH_ACVQ10kzGzK_fSmsqU/s400/italia-39.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYxDS-YAZN0nopGHkpkpyIEAR7ZOL_sRGgp0lDzkgMX_3XvHNH-qhT9RNRrFaoSwh2qOKvle_tGh_7CwIn5hS9Jow7ocYeK87oLjYhyphenhyphend2ogOYNhlmadwiOiaJ_ZxN0AszwdTlhqJv3cQ/s1600/italia-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYxDS-YAZN0nopGHkpkpyIEAR7ZOL_sRGgp0lDzkgMX_3XvHNH-qhT9RNRrFaoSwh2qOKvle_tGh_7CwIn5hS9Jow7ocYeK87oLjYhyphenhyphend2ogOYNhlmadwiOiaJ_ZxN0AszwdTlhqJv3cQ/s200/italia-40.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saturday was fully dedicated to the Vatican. This being a Easter holiday weekend, it was bound to be insane... I was not disappointed: the queue to enter St. Peter's Basilica alone made a half tour of Piazza San Pietro. I persisted though, and it was well worth the wait. Its sheer size is unbelievable, and so is the richness of the interior. I finally got to see Michelangelo's Pietà, and also visited the impressive Museo Storico Artistico. The richness of it all was borderline between amazing and opulent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY43rcFB4JFrdcaYm0F6h8zOmrGSFJxyyY72Bj64IksPEUKsJs4Nlvd_judvx1f0Bczi48V_AKDZc98hfVwLQMU1RDUjcFyysohTVSQYJN8VrQsRe_SA3MeEw9K_K7shBR-SE19ci9is/s1600/italia-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY43rcFB4JFrdcaYm0F6h8zOmrGSFJxyyY72Bj64IksPEUKsJs4Nlvd_judvx1f0Bczi48V_AKDZc98hfVwLQMU1RDUjcFyysohTVSQYJN8VrQsRe_SA3MeEw9K_K7shBR-SE19ci9is/s400/italia-44.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2Og2fq-CGb3hmB0z5GMM3Pl-ckn4wLAcWvQf1qTZPc_PTH3yA9mzPrH2pJuuNsn6Qq09f_cpLiBECB6EWG0YvgtzDWPhj1RXgeTChK1HoZKKCbQPFyMTjoSFSRy2l96iwtSkJXjXa4c/s1600/italia-45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2Og2fq-CGb3hmB0z5GMM3Pl-ckn4wLAcWvQf1qTZPc_PTH3yA9mzPrH2pJuuNsn6Qq09f_cpLiBECB6EWG0YvgtzDWPhj1RXgeTChK1HoZKKCbQPFyMTjoSFSRy2l96iwtSkJXjXa4c/s400/italia-45.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyQFKF6ryaVLnSsHyhhbfBIbN8RxxLIRIAMXLhZi18x1XqoDznULdfYG2pqq6eAo_x95uAQJA9T0BKPzagKjTNhKurH0HViqStkXivM3TQVUbWUs5DAig61BUVnyZJ5SVUllr2lld2G0/s1600/italia-47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyQFKF6ryaVLnSsHyhhbfBIbN8RxxLIRIAMXLhZi18x1XqoDznULdfYG2pqq6eAo_x95uAQJA9T0BKPzagKjTNhKurH0HViqStkXivM3TQVUbWUs5DAig61BUVnyZJ5SVUllr2lld2G0/s400/italia-47.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSryYqXZwna9K1JYvXrrZivuYauyd2EYAPrp_qMyxed8ipdoZHrZEmIQE4zaSmA2ITFRk-9eEu9PCDckbt-MgwcCNOlvUyegF9gBbUfsvZCmiBu3GIMJnC8Zg2LaXvUKWv1iSqSogAmhw/s1600/italia-42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSryYqXZwna9K1JYvXrrZivuYauyd2EYAPrp_qMyxed8ipdoZHrZEmIQE4zaSmA2ITFRk-9eEu9PCDckbt-MgwcCNOlvUyegF9gBbUfsvZCmiBu3GIMJnC8Zg2LaXvUKWv1iSqSogAmhw/s200/italia-42.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also went up the dome (another one). It was some climb, very narrow and even slightly dangerous at times; quite often everybody had to stop because some old person needed to recover their breath... if one stops, everybody stops. Not recommended for the faint of heart (and there were a lot going up anyway). But it was nonetheless a great experience, and the views from the top more than made up for it (for that and for the endless hours queueing).</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2RRUgzK2lkjrzkTRX8IFu2pfC7xOM3iJLCn7nOLEcENQyHDTq5WaZ9tDnJQlM3sjv0zgJxkIQJyfhwG5nU_zw5KxifsM35ibnIU_B77fOPz326dZyPK4jldI9cZ59vZ2bbPLEZJZapo/s1600/italia-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2RRUgzK2lkjrzkTRX8IFu2pfC7xOM3iJLCn7nOLEcENQyHDTq5WaZ9tDnJQlM3sjv0zgJxkIQJyfhwG5nU_zw5KxifsM35ibnIU_B77fOPz326dZyPK4jldI9cZ59vZ2bbPLEZJZapo/s400/italia-41.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodFx6gcquZDe6omZjFL3nizWidNrlBrw0-8v39Kf9UeRQ0Rc7uNgakwE7b4GN4y-57zjgzv7YLS9Jc6wa0REldv5W7fyuMGm7NQ_y8UoiDrhG0D2qad0QPSSEb9FN8WRvxnQI_XBXjfA/s1600/italia-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodFx6gcquZDe6omZjFL3nizWidNrlBrw0-8v39Kf9UeRQ0Rc7uNgakwE7b4GN4y-57zjgzv7YLS9Jc6wa0REldv5W7fyuMGm7NQ_y8UoiDrhG0D2qad0QPSSEb9FN8WRvxnQI_XBXjfA/s400/italia-43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1bX6qoPjC-ygorMGuB0v59QqZ5a6cj2w_nW8Rmp8W0giDGKX9-aN7vo6lED8HeZfEUsTmc5u_ibq7y7J7SZKNZ_LizA0xtjAOuzPrj7BTHB0dl8cmu5M12UOMEIVSyRwXG-ojhrDPRE/s1600/italia-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1bX6qoPjC-ygorMGuB0v59QqZ5a6cj2w_nW8Rmp8W0giDGKX9-aN7vo6lED8HeZfEUsTmc5u_ibq7y7J7SZKNZ_LizA0xtjAOuzPrj7BTHB0dl8cmu5M12UOMEIVSyRwXG-ojhrDPRE/s200/italia-48.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a brief lunch break, it was time for the Vatican museums. Talk about crowds (and opulence)! I tried to soak in as much as I could, but after a while just had to follow the endless crowds all the way to the Capella Sistina. It was a long, long walk, but it had to be done. Along the way, one of my favourite places was the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche. But the Sistine Chapel really is the real deal. Unbelievable, despite the huge (and loud) crowds of tourists, taking sneaky snapshots, despite the desperate cries of "no photo!" by the curators. I resisted the temptation.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23M8VDYhmunqw96wRmo0NtrTUVYSr1_bNLu2nQkZSUzOzi_CMKFFGdlIqeKEZvaPaILJXkhQnBqr5yqvIMzjSNUqKcOGxn2WDGJKsuTTbKv0oYTiYdFZko4n3nTmQJHa0MJWUDYTl1SU/s1600/italia-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23M8VDYhmunqw96wRmo0NtrTUVYSr1_bNLu2nQkZSUzOzi_CMKFFGdlIqeKEZvaPaILJXkhQnBqr5yqvIMzjSNUqKcOGxn2WDGJKsuTTbKv0oYTiYdFZko4n3nTmQJHa0MJWUDYTl1SU/s400/italia-49.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I still had time to visit the Castel Sant'Angelo, with its secret passage along the walls, and then just wandered the streets of Rome back to the hostel. In the evening, I went for yet another long walk, with a group of Argentinian travellers from the hostel, we had a great time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Drp-xEs-tbNNZs4Sd-KfhEcACGEf43Y0JdzAyFFW6nBWopYy5hQjOHJS-fZ_sqla60KNbIzX1SuxhSIXykw3mqyYjqnuK4ZT0cpY4Jt17SPzHe12_T5NPUQXWSkxtmD2nsrj1ZzPyng/s1600/italia-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Drp-xEs-tbNNZs4Sd-KfhEcACGEf43Y0JdzAyFFW6nBWopYy5hQjOHJS-fZ_sqla60KNbIzX1SuxhSIXykw3mqyYjqnuK4ZT0cpY4Jt17SPzHe12_T5NPUQXWSkxtmD2nsrj1ZzPyng/s320/italia-50.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponte Sant'Angelo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7Xr2Ui9s-BzWnCqZNK9tq93C-5otdaSwwDO_UR8FIwJRvEug4QnOF61xX6mmsy0QNattXtQo68mM1XJ9k5pndIAQsMDKk5GAxTqpwQd8HBFdD75fmxrVoAMnz82sHUM1bHWBe_Him5Q/s1600/italia-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7Xr2Ui9s-BzWnCqZNK9tq93C-5otdaSwwDO_UR8FIwJRvEug4QnOF61xX6mmsy0QNattXtQo68mM1XJ9k5pndIAQsMDKk5GAxTqpwQd8HBFdD75fmxrVoAMnz82sHUM1bHWBe_Him5Q/s320/italia-51.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spanish Steps</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And all of a sudden, it was my last day in Italy. I started with what instantly became the highlight of my trip: the Pantheon. Despite all the richness of churches and cathedrals, it really impressed me the most. Looking up above the crowds, it almost felt as if I was back in ancient Rome. Truly spectacular.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyxF1lw5QC5_oku9l8VMan5pv48MZRDMqqET6vslCaPoqbMnPCaWbsXaBiKeoZOmiwpGoekW3OXHgEwCs0OMbC0UaDa_XyLw5k_7j0mg1K05BT_cGMwEFjMRXFMsKJh7cec97zMUEAGY/s1600/italia-52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyxF1lw5QC5_oku9l8VMan5pv48MZRDMqqET6vslCaPoqbMnPCaWbsXaBiKeoZOmiwpGoekW3OXHgEwCs0OMbC0UaDa_XyLw5k_7j0mg1K05BT_cGMwEFjMRXFMsKJh7cec97zMUEAGY/s400/italia-52.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlfgC1rdSseXGadtbLAAl8QuWHsZmBOVA_rSQBWHthwgbaxcH-JmPfsiintqv9c1hwh5NCmM3euGGYJ8KEKx3hDpCQiIGlvyWUyn-q5hbOBIdnBMfgpQJ9cz1N5FDRG_LTWT33qqt9eE/s1600/italia-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlfgC1rdSseXGadtbLAAl8QuWHsZmBOVA_rSQBWHthwgbaxcH-JmPfsiintqv9c1hwh5NCmM3euGGYJ8KEKx3hDpCQiIGlvyWUyn-q5hbOBIdnBMfgpQJ9cz1N5FDRG_LTWT33qqt9eE/s200/italia-55.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The death of Gaul</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I got a lot done on my last day. Managed to visit three of the four sites of the Museo Nazionale Romano, where I saw hundreds of statues, beautiful and colourful Roman mosaics, and got a great impression (in Crypta Balbi) of the layers upon layers upon which Rome is built.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also visited quite a lot of churches. One of the most impressive was the Chiesa del Gesù, quite rightfully considered to be one of the most beautiful in Rome. But also the Chiesa di Sant'Agostino and Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi, with their Caravaggios and other stunning paintings. I also got to hang out around Piazza Navona, with its three fountains and hordes of peoples.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAAxgj_euxD7U9jc9yPaJIak-jyhoDnQRl2sQcpJb4eQ81B8VZow94oKeKwWaq2VdiDdnP74D0vd1JwnzAPW8DTOWmHKTnNYX56Vq4U-NpaR1ruB5nDVZGiz3iXp8RYIA_vGFmuQ_aiY/s1600/italia-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAAxgj_euxD7U9jc9yPaJIak-jyhoDnQRl2sQcpJb4eQ81B8VZow94oKeKwWaq2VdiDdnP74D0vd1JwnzAPW8DTOWmHKTnNYX56Vq4U-NpaR1ruB5nDVZGiz3iXp8RYIA_vGFmuQ_aiY/s400/italia-53.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stunning Chiesa del Gesù</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78snRAE_19BznMdB0ejIqOS4CwZOkMJo9r0PJZuVmP4APFqvQp65H02Dnc3efPtHoiqp3KCya__nxvHw6x8X1r3p5sFo9nOcYzV3-eQpKNLuY6270fEVQBKhwQY_3nL-rPghoiFYfABU/s1600/italia-54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78snRAE_19BznMdB0ejIqOS4CwZOkMJo9r0PJZuVmP4APFqvQp65H02Dnc3efPtHoiqp3KCya__nxvHw6x8X1r3p5sFo9nOcYzV3-eQpKNLuY6270fEVQBKhwQY_3nL-rPghoiFYfABU/s400/italia-54.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza Navona</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And that was it. A last dash led me to another of Rome's illusions, the Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola and it's fake dome, and then it was time for train, plane, bus and back home in Dublin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhzNRufW6BeDedre7HsS0DPtV-nqJbRSe6p79CuQXSsFZfICOBrxgc_cvcSwKju_dnz0umuyIuoI-jEZV6J7x0blVAUIpl8lPTTH9qe7DFRQFoTB2_cIjD-VsHcggxwJeQyvM0Zr1T9o/s1600/italia-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhzNRufW6BeDedre7HsS0DPtV-nqJbRSe6p79CuQXSsFZfICOBrxgc_cvcSwKju_dnz0umuyIuoI-jEZV6J7x0blVAUIpl8lPTTH9qe7DFRQFoTB2_cIjD-VsHcggxwJeQyvM0Zr1T9o/s400/italia-56.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola. Look closer - it's a fake dome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-66610199583644116372010-12-17T02:39:00.001+01:002010-12-17T13:51:08.758+01:00A Charitable WeekendWith the cold that's been around this part of the world, the last thing you'd plan on doing in a weekend would be to swim in the Irish Sea. And yet that's exactly what I set out to do with a few friends from work, in support of the Special Olympics organisation. Nothing too hard: get there, undress, dive in, get out, get dressed. Easy, right? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDuQ0ympZyslDvNbqGfIC60ZcYdMZYOyV6MYvhBFYWkwsEltxVc65BTVTcp_dZbT6N6JS8xuKIvfanbHz7brNYzwV-h91iC71lpONV1mJ_dD5bS7zXuspz17yv7R59HPmEmKJt0AquXQ/s1600/polar-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDuQ0ympZyslDvNbqGfIC60ZcYdMZYOyV6MYvhBFYWkwsEltxVc65BTVTcp_dZbT6N6JS8xuKIvfanbHz7brNYzwV-h91iC71lpONV1mJ_dD5bS7zXuspz17yv7R59HPmEmKJt0AquXQ/s400/polar-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Eoin once again showed the way, diving in without thinking about it. Erik cautiously followed, leaving me to whimper a bit, before finally taking the plunge:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6o3SpqPzjJoaUBWcgt_WlHXbHW1Rfup2ei6_roF1rilQoe4c5O4HoRvYVB8DBw7Vwk8ylCgUjb2M-MO-ujmn4OUGriu3rEOFJuqK0FU3bFx8NrJcF4DggJkEnpqjjp3BVbv8M0wq7GRw/s1600/polar-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6o3SpqPzjJoaUBWcgt_WlHXbHW1Rfup2ei6_roF1rilQoe4c5O4HoRvYVB8DBw7Vwk8ylCgUjb2M-MO-ujmn4OUGriu3rEOFJuqK0FU3bFx8NrJcF4DggJkEnpqjjp3BVbv8M0wq7GRw/s320/polar-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGIXGMgXifcVyd7LIM_fd-UKaiwu2E2bDV1oXpSnD5B6YxfmCTAK8q2pd5gr4VeZdXoOuzfqWbpBj3ZgpHkfo_j0jD0vW99HrGRjZevMBpstuko_XTPChzByVmPTOAZbgaVOREzGFgS8/s1600/polar-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGIXGMgXifcVyd7LIM_fd-UKaiwu2E2bDV1oXpSnD5B6YxfmCTAK8q2pd5gr4VeZdXoOuzfqWbpBj3ZgpHkfo_j0jD0vW99HrGRjZevMBpstuko_XTPChzByVmPTOAZbgaVOREzGFgS8/s320/polar-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Looking back, it really wasn't that hard, and was quite refreshing. But the water really was freezing, so much so that once outside, we barely felt cold.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3axuFVJDtS8r0FRU_jHclugKTJIzQLWbZeeDPIeBAE7pw8iMbNS-6fB9qxdVHJO2wc1dKDs_jelGEWV_Wu1TJ4A-P5NfzmgOAmPZjGyyo9u2FH2q8yhBRiqtZwJ1tEby-mpUUyCAZNhI/s1600/polar-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3axuFVJDtS8r0FRU_jHclugKTJIzQLWbZeeDPIeBAE7pw8iMbNS-6fB9qxdVHJO2wc1dKDs_jelGEWV_Wu1TJ4A-P5NfzmgOAmPZjGyyo9u2FH2q8yhBRiqtZwJ1tEby-mpUUyCAZNhI/s320/polar-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1hzpnmj189ontEBk1l2SHGNgeZN8Br7BinjDN5rk__DxkmAy_4nqHfrw7CiND62m-cVvcezipwNwHVTCqnrhZ6wYo38REv1ZsXcdC-3eZZw0uLpmpZ4xf8yXunp0JUrzOZI3_v4-a5s/s1600/polar-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1hzpnmj189ontEBk1l2SHGNgeZN8Br7BinjDN5rk__DxkmAy_4nqHfrw7CiND62m-cVvcezipwNwHVTCqnrhZ6wYo38REv1ZsXcdC-3eZZw0uLpmpZ4xf8yXunp0JUrzOZI3_v4-a5s/s320/polar-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__E3q4Bwu5R_6XR8Cyar7PB_ZmybKzs1ZQjOy2zui5idNf1wkAbY3A9eXz01Vc4zIQignMGZg4UPJ03Wpjn0BLiogcEkAbEp4qZkylOZ3JBT3coBOH9sulcBcc68rkdRL0F9uEmmli8c/s1600/polar-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__E3q4Bwu5R_6XR8Cyar7PB_ZmybKzs1ZQjOy2zui5idNf1wkAbY3A9eXz01Vc4zIQignMGZg4UPJ03Wpjn0BLiogcEkAbEp4qZkylOZ3JBT3coBOH9sulcBcc68rkdRL0F9uEmmli8c/s320/polar-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55QRMQGPZRCToBK6CdfNEJruFhPOQ_zef9PM8Z1AKkhF30K9rytKxC8lAHNrZMnwrfnwgtrMfKK50-imHpS4k0qxeVxOc-C8xsYL1dFG_0Lk1owPc3vsvH98q1LBth99ZY0JiT9DLMEc/s1600/polar-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55QRMQGPZRCToBK6CdfNEJruFhPOQ_zef9PM8Z1AKkhF30K9rytKxC8lAHNrZMnwrfnwgtrMfKK50-imHpS4k0qxeVxOc-C8xsYL1dFG_0Lk1owPc3vsvH98q1LBth99ZY0JiT9DLMEc/s320/polar-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sunday was the second charity event, this time in support of the Irish Heart Foundation. Up early Sunday morning (way too early for my taste), we put on Santa Suits, and went to North Bull Island, where we ran a 10k race, dressed as Santa. A crowd of Santa running along the beach, had to be seen to be believed:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapoDK-tibSvNYazS88-zk2RZFBkM31xMHC8VcSR8473bTddCPyhSVi3UNxsnIJ9fvaz-Z6NcbvTTqRWg-rLUvWlAGQj6jIhlunvoGctgQ2gi8a0k8HdTxMiQ9F_uNumbG3Ytr1C4a5oQ/s1600/dash-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapoDK-tibSvNYazS88-zk2RZFBkM31xMHC8VcSR8473bTddCPyhSVi3UNxsnIJ9fvaz-Z6NcbvTTqRWg-rLUvWlAGQj6jIhlunvoGctgQ2gi8a0k8HdTxMiQ9F_uNumbG3Ytr1C4a5oQ/s320/dash-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan, Eoin, Erik and me</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqcPUKoWe62NaeNGWK6ilYCrcjir7S66kSe8v7ycTerpsOEqClu_PLnCozNiIr2N2LYd2Rx7JX6IuFUtewfCZMpQguxOIjSiDSRnvXA3ZdRAs-QR74OTveCvxjlO3NOghmHFSgebhP4/s1600/dash-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqcPUKoWe62NaeNGWK6ilYCrcjir7S66kSe8v7ycTerpsOEqClu_PLnCozNiIr2N2LYd2Rx7JX6IuFUtewfCZMpQguxOIjSiDSRnvXA3ZdRAs-QR74OTveCvxjlO3NOghmHFSgebhP4/s320/dash-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
All this combined with heavy Christmas partying in between, did leave me with a nasty cold. But it was real fun, and definitely worth it! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0sAHlUJg7dGBJ8N64ys_3udC_5akrZsX752OwrMo8zzCrEAmroGOmhpczcwdlxIht12gm9sf2n5-hMAPIPbg3ZHcSSHQX06vVcduaGNyeAKKWk8arYjRJIYYGu7o4NT12mr8w8BZA3c/s1600/dash-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0sAHlUJg7dGBJ8N64ys_3udC_5akrZsX752OwrMo8zzCrEAmroGOmhpczcwdlxIht12gm9sf2n5-hMAPIPbg3ZHcSSHQX06vVcduaGNyeAKKWk8arYjRJIYYGu7o4NT12mr8w8BZA3c/s400/dash-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-21112198374658175502010-11-28T22:49:00.000+01:002010-11-28T22:49:03.847+01:00Phoenix Park in Christmas moodWhen I decided to move back to Dublin, and while searching for a place to live, one of my biggest wishes was to live close to Phoenix Park. This massive park, one of the biggest urban parks in Europe, is a fantastic place to go for a run, which I usually try to do every week.<br />
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It is also home to a herd of wild Fallow Deer since the XVII century, and I've had previous encounters, especially since I tend to go for a run late in the evening, when the park is almost deserted and the deer venture forward to gaze on fresh grass. Quite a few times I have come upon herds without noticing until I'm right on top of them.<br />
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Today I went for the usual run, and since it had been snowing all weekend, I decided to bring my camera with me. I was not disappointed! The photos are dark and a bit far, as I didn't want to disturb them by getting close and using a flash. Another beautiful encounter, and a great motivation to go for a run in such cold weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuL6NRkRoFq8neq8RM3x78Wzd9pm-pHXjrDoEoTPjoDW1Yb4-jy1j4RbgkQNPpfnIjozXa2b7y-BYcYeDJkB4t7kkHfjSuiyLF1o4D-JkN21LVkHNZb243TgvHHUXorvDAjw7xKs2KS8/s1600/phoenixPark-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuL6NRkRoFq8neq8RM3x78Wzd9pm-pHXjrDoEoTPjoDW1Yb4-jy1j4RbgkQNPpfnIjozXa2b7y-BYcYeDJkB4t7kkHfjSuiyLF1o4D-JkN21LVkHNZb243TgvHHUXorvDAjw7xKs2KS8/s400/phoenixPark-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wellington Monument</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZgDyEDEE0gRXkWi4RdxIsnW0vUFX6vEQprQSBkr_GpBm1eFA5D7Jqrp-LsStSmDnRPDVWe_S51fA4oGIqM97WT-kZ4aQD5N4KEtRx787YfA18jHJwWt9TI_6ItCi0rOUiEid-VBzDXs/s1600/phoenixPark-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZgDyEDEE0gRXkWi4RdxIsnW0vUFX6vEQprQSBkr_GpBm1eFA5D7Jqrp-LsStSmDnRPDVWe_S51fA4oGIqM97WT-kZ4aQD5N4KEtRx787YfA18jHJwWt9TI_6ItCi0rOUiEid-VBzDXs/s400/phoenixPark-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5tk5Y64Jm3YLsq8JSExB0PZ2Xd4fSdwB71zCGRWZJPLCB4ftHLASHie-VgplT9DgpTOYHfxsh5S4S6sKC5eynqTRDIXMdw5HOjobUyvhJ9XxXOCVPG830GNYPZFlVTpUvh-cFc9Kn_A/s1600/phoenixPark-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5tk5Y64Jm3YLsq8JSExB0PZ2Xd4fSdwB71zCGRWZJPLCB4ftHLASHie-VgplT9DgpTOYHfxsh5S4S6sKC5eynqTRDIXMdw5HOjobUyvhJ9XxXOCVPG830GNYPZFlVTpUvh-cFc9Kn_A/s400/phoenixPark-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVpqGcGMZmUcZCfO8RGb_uhitn7zD3XMojWP-NeF42oFEy0imqdFhK2gqfTC_H_VLBQ8oCJjMq54UrtwskRCa26x7rMp_qXGbh1U2YN_CYvR_9x2wH-mYPvCetP3re8a_O1MmxtLPFpQ/s1600/phoenixPark-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVpqGcGMZmUcZCfO8RGb_uhitn7zD3XMojWP-NeF42oFEy0imqdFhK2gqfTC_H_VLBQ8oCJjMq54UrtwskRCa26x7rMp_qXGbh1U2YN_CYvR_9x2wH-mYPvCetP3re8a_O1MmxtLPFpQ/s400/phoenixPark-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-85566476842895023402010-08-20T23:14:00.134+02:002010-08-23T00:27:57.878+02:00Copenhagen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNbTwCxljYarAny6ajwntBFXE1dsgVJ0ntdpVJ64DDD6WQjVsiJeXw9bkBzQtnIyQx1Pl7hbcRysnUVAzCdLqynVgsMLs42GfftPTWwjUIX7tB7BOD-tjV88XZQHWTOsfNIZjy2tcZt0/s1600/copenhagen-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNbTwCxljYarAny6ajwntBFXE1dsgVJ0ntdpVJ64DDD6WQjVsiJeXw9bkBzQtnIyQx1Pl7hbcRysnUVAzCdLqynVgsMLs42GfftPTWwjUIX7tB7BOD-tjV88XZQHWTOsfNIZjy2tcZt0/s200/copenhagen-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This one was a bit of a surprise. Having worked on an AI application to the Super Mario Bros game for the last month, Diego and me managed to secure funding to go to the conference where the competition was being held (CIG'2010), which this year was in Copenhagen. And so I finally visited a Scandinavian country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sMuRcpwWErD35PgQNOyDJQGHInxomDdOl5yqaP9ufUAi1GwNyY9_cUTBwgozRRLarte7RQ_VBq4-9ICUM62JlDIrMLSudq0Pc96wZmZ1LSiNhUJf_Ivy_qT_fJ0j_c9fZQk4Vb02TEM/s1600/copenhagen-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sMuRcpwWErD35PgQNOyDJQGHInxomDdOl5yqaP9ufUAi1GwNyY9_cUTBwgozRRLarte7RQ_VBq4-9ICUM62JlDIrMLSudq0Pc96wZmZ1LSiNhUJf_Ivy_qT_fJ0j_c9fZQk4Vb02TEM/s200/copenhagen-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> We arrived Tuesday afternoon, and after settling down, we went to see Christiania, a self-ruled community in the Christianshaven area. Despite the constant smell of cannabis in the air and the groups of people huddled around old burning petrol bins, one still feels quite safe in there, as long as the (few) rules are respected (namely no photography, unfortunately). After a stroll around the rest of the area, we found a nice Danish-French restaurant for dinner, before going back to the hotel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNfNUb0XDbuyjaXfNSgoNl89ldpAII0DlMNoArfXPKE1WjXrQw1jThLuenWNaTnV21dEo4Pk-VENAn7XnRVu1fjDgJHZfosr6ScS3Tn5_jWagymDUc-O5oDA2Xv3YhE3rmtmO9lOHDWg/s1600/copenhagen-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNfNUb0XDbuyjaXfNSgoNl89ldpAII0DlMNoArfXPKE1WjXrQw1jThLuenWNaTnV21dEo4Pk-VENAn7XnRVu1fjDgJHZfosr6ScS3Tn5_jWagymDUc-O5oDA2Xv3YhE3rmtmO9lOHDWg/s200/copenhagen-3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wednesday we were at the conference the whole morning. In the afternoon we sneaked out for a couple of hours, and decided to go check out the harbour. We had however an unwelcome friend - rain! (the cold and intense type). We resisted for a while, but finally gave up and took refuge at the Danish Resistance Museum (<a href="http://www.natmus.dk/sw23424.asp">Frihedsmuseet</a>), where after a coffee to warm up we ended up staying for a visit. Sometimes the unexpected plans are the best; the museum was very pleasant and well organised, not too small or large, and it was really interesting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back to the conference (after an insanely expensive taxi ride, to make it back in time, which we didn't), we watched the final presentations and poster session, and then enjoyed some food and beer at the University's bar, while watching psychedelic VJ-ing mixing computer games and 60s films!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6Ek1nBFjKz4QS_12m5lKrKKZrXYGoGOK8YD-nJ9Gr-S_1BBhWIJC2fEVZd-4BCVXf77ot4cpYKh8hzDIJTEtrfQLvcW-8UQIhHil_8wDIsL-yOa05cQjr3L-81_g6wc1vMKcIWn2p8g/s1600/copenhagen-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6Ek1nBFjKz4QS_12m5lKrKKZrXYGoGOK8YD-nJ9Gr-S_1BBhWIJC2fEVZd-4BCVXf77ot4cpYKh8hzDIJTEtrfQLvcW-8UQIhHil_8wDIsL-yOa05cQjr3L-81_g6wc1vMKcIWn2p8g/s200/copenhagen-4.jpg" width="200" /></a>Thursday, after watching another morning full of presentations, we took the afternoon off and went back downtown, to enjoy the wonderful sunny weather that had finally decided to turn up. That, and the lovely neighbourhood that we went to visit completely changed my view of the city. We started by visiting the lovely botanical gardens, although we couldn't visit the "living museum", already closed when we got there (ridiculously early, like most sites in the city).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDvdqMvlZFULWu3xyoXp4Eu12b7_gxhX4_peRYq7ws6ONWRCclzwo3A9CT2Fa8UwvhXZJv8B9A5aaQbNiZJC5Ll7mcb2bSNXFQZ8u4szk9Y4NOCjDGMTJ39CooDDJPXj-cLvUJqvwYl8/s1600/copenhagen-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDvdqMvlZFULWu3xyoXp4Eu12b7_gxhX4_peRYq7ws6ONWRCclzwo3A9CT2Fa8UwvhXZJv8B9A5aaQbNiZJC5Ll7mcb2bSNXFQZ8u4szk9Y4NOCjDGMTJ39CooDDJPXj-cLvUJqvwYl8/s400/copenhagen-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We then moved on to Rosenborg Castle, obviously already closed, and chilled out for a while in Kogens Have (the King's Gardens).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7UdyOww_eQwdMO5PLxH8bfz-M0v41-MCL7-p-U49XseiaR2ugr8Cx26rtEo8fEl83bdTobEFOPb1IlktMOWZtkQC9edMFyc6LOUlXn9DBLVvHJs9NpkeC7huDX50AhN11iZbG6m2Bcc/s1600/copenhagen-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7UdyOww_eQwdMO5PLxH8bfz-M0v41-MCL7-p-U49XseiaR2ugr8Cx26rtEo8fEl83bdTobEFOPb1IlktMOWZtkQC9edMFyc6LOUlXn9DBLVvHJs9NpkeC7huDX50AhN11iZbG6m2Bcc/s400/copenhagen-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz96gKA67Q66FbIO37qEPrCXkR50Ro59hoLn3AUh2n21HiKGJUztuWK_t0ZXbsGlHSNQ9UY-w1Fr_o9hS0_62i0lBG_WTZCa2PwyAKfpNJSTGZkf-Ptc0fVdGim38J3VvdKi_TeB8O5c/s1600/copenhagen-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz96gKA67Q66FbIO37qEPrCXkR50Ro59hoLn3AUh2n21HiKGJUztuWK_t0ZXbsGlHSNQ9UY-w1Fr_o9hS0_62i0lBG_WTZCa2PwyAKfpNJSTGZkf-Ptc0fVdGim38J3VvdKi_TeB8O5c/s200/copenhagen-8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copenhagen is a nice and compact city, so we then carried on by foot to the Latin Quarter around the (old) University. There we enjoyed a nice beer, sitting in a terrace somewhere along the old cobblestoned streets, and finally we made our way to the Tivoli Gardens. These are the main attraction of the city, and for good measure: a nice, old, tacky amusement park in the middle of the city, complete with arcades, restaurants and beer gardens. We had a look around, and then found an Italian restaurant, where we had some great pizza (lovely Calzone for me, obviously, filled to the brim!). We lingered for a while, and ended up being almost kicked out, as the park closed at 11pm! So we walked all the way back to the very useful 24h driverless metro (why doesn't every city have one of these!...).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekDzL45N2z_TlU65nQsHTK29hc9Jshi66Ktg7eis-oDRNZJbJ9DHuqQcWqnHGs20tVkJOlKiGQLfgNeOiJ06HGHO_Sw5sZtHXc77bmJBTUlbsd2odvRe8P7F2_uhPDm6nOuMHnG0OY38/s1600/copenhagen-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekDzL45N2z_TlU65nQsHTK29hc9Jshi66Ktg7eis-oDRNZJbJ9DHuqQcWqnHGs20tVkJOlKiGQLfgNeOiJ06HGHO_Sw5sZtHXc77bmJBTUlbsd2odvRe8P7F2_uhPDm6nOuMHnG0OY38/s400/copenhagen-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That's pretty much it. Friday we took the morning off, and went for a second go at walking along the harbour, this time with great weather. The lovely Nyhavn canal, albeit being overcrowded with tourists, was a much nicer site with sunshine!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK8130P3kQKPAQwTJCrLuQgo0oebpPMRN0a1AKeVciBrM1R6QuWoa7LvBDs2MDep9z-8H-cPs037p_IGUEpDguuy6QVgaEDql3tWw97_bYDNVgTPih06_MY7RoGXTB9a4GUc2vDrcbXs/s1600/copenhagen-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK8130P3kQKPAQwTJCrLuQgo0oebpPMRN0a1AKeVciBrM1R6QuWoa7LvBDs2MDep9z-8H-cPs037p_IGUEpDguuy6QVgaEDql3tWw97_bYDNVgTPih06_MY7RoGXTB9a4GUc2vDrcbXs/s400/copenhagen-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new opera house was also quite impressive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2HxRmyS_yBb1VYncm66yxHGwaBByxHd4isqsWm1mD0YbREIDJcVwJAWKqAwl0dbCqDJCWdyfQ2VDiuFFeCZrHvf-llTXxu0cnbrVAEPaatY7XW53A5kxyHEPuSjIKKnNYl8T9imTPn4/s1600/copenhagen-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2HxRmyS_yBb1VYncm66yxHGwaBByxHd4isqsWm1mD0YbREIDJcVwJAWKqAwl0dbCqDJCWdyfQ2VDiuFFeCZrHvf-llTXxu0cnbrVAEPaatY7XW53A5kxyHEPuSjIKKnNYl8T9imTPn4/s400/copenhagen-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGBVsJa6VMB9W9P-6g1RMpBBGEm0XZiQRkHUPoJa7GksidwJChxCkAMD9tnCP3str3UTJGbTGppu-VcSheVyrE8U0qOQkar-lhT05lQfmlGaFwjUBEZoHNpf4f7VL16yGxz3wnDXrJ-k/s1600/copenhagen-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGBVsJa6VMB9W9P-6g1RMpBBGEm0XZiQRkHUPoJa7GksidwJChxCkAMD9tnCP3str3UTJGbTGppu-VcSheVyrE8U0qOQkar-lhT05lQfmlGaFwjUBEZoHNpf4f7VL16yGxz3wnDXrJ-k/s200/copenhagen-14.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We then walked all the way to the the site of the little Mermaid, which this year took a holiday and went to the Shanghai Expo for the whole year; it had to happen when I came here! It was quite funny though, there was a videoscreen installed, with a live view of the statue in China. I couldn't resist taking a snap! We visited the pleasant Kastelet, and finally went back to the University, where we had lunch discussing AI techniques with a friend from France. I then went back to the airport and then to Dublin, leaving Diego to represent us at the competition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All in all, a nice quick break, and a great introduction to Scandinavian cities!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIbcOsdSRrMBcJVNAgD27kCMwaxybjHHBI4MQMlVF9l3AaTgsd88Fkq-FPYjepvekYgBD8217S3CPBttOchHiVMibrU_deMEyBVmwzlXEeYUE7SYEiYCzBmmosrcjUrsmqk38ZpOcfbI/s1600/copenhagen-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIbcOsdSRrMBcJVNAgD27kCMwaxybjHHBI4MQMlVF9l3AaTgsd88Fkq-FPYjepvekYgBD8217S3CPBttOchHiVMibrU_deMEyBVmwzlXEeYUE7SYEiYCzBmmosrcjUrsmqk38ZpOcfbI/s400/copenhagen-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-65619608919780357842010-08-10T20:53:00.001+02:002010-08-13T21:17:54.284+02:00Um traseiro muito traiçoeiro<div style="text-align: justify;">Há já uns anos, numa viagem a Dublin, tinha ficado muito interessado por este belo anúncio no aeroporto:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ai1BH146UBJS94ECxvn0zQ4Sju_oRDQUU8lv4VtLdyVOaA2af2SfLS0y2vG8GaR2anvptuQTkh4sWvjSAW1pTxyhr7YzLV91CNKZMp-RGveKAe6f52JzZWbhu-qjXQDhAgbYqvtp05M/s1600/cubar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ai1BH146UBJS94ECxvn0zQ4Sju_oRDQUU8lv4VtLdyVOaA2af2SfLS0y2vG8GaR2anvptuQTkh4sWvjSAW1pTxyhr7YzLV91CNKZMp-RGveKAe6f52JzZWbhu-qjXQDhAgbYqvtp05M/s320/cubar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Cú</i> é a palavra Irlandesa para um Galgo (raça canina). É caso para dizer: "<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>ontem vi um </b></span></i></span><b>Cú </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>Irlandês</b></span></i>".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">É uma delícia encontrar este tipo de palavra, com um significado completamente diferente noutra língua; as portas 66 e 68 devem ser as nádegas esquerda e direita, respetivamente. Nem o acento lhe falta, que se chama <i>fada</i> em Irlandês, outro belo exemplo, permitindo frases como "<i><b>Cú </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>escreve-se com <i>u</i> e com uma <i>fada</i>" </b></span></i>ou "<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b>o <i>u</i> de </b></span><b>Cú</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b> leva <i>fada</i>"</b>.</span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"></span></i>Na minha última viagem, vi que o <i>Cú</i> já abriu:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CGeldZ8fB5H5YnKV17c1-LfzDJaYmpOBU0l9QewoSC8QmwnO6G5ftN0rikSL1KZ1PLJ2aZm9B7y6wF_K-7NQlcNrUVSu5ezX8ID_4jLnwtzh3uU-pvZIfFatn5ajgOfwQuCCmZmrj6s/s1600/cubar-new-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CGeldZ8fB5H5YnKV17c1-LfzDJaYmpOBU0l9QewoSC8QmwnO6G5ftN0rikSL1KZ1PLJ2aZm9B7y6wF_K-7NQlcNrUVSu5ezX8ID_4jLnwtzh3uU-pvZIfFatn5ajgOfwQuCCmZmrj6s/s320/cubar-new-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">O bar em si é bastante agradável, com o senão de, desculpem a expressão, ficar no <i>cú</i> de Judas:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-ufSHwIDppxYI2VsgGpY-DtI73FIp1c61eQXHVIp7YqbkkKPBH1MsSWjLsFCb8-ycD1HwQ6rpPWVobFnO-0otOEKq_4zkntst-xGxp0XaBUJ9FPAPNW3Ar-e5JNUiVYP4c82ZWTUk7w/s1600/cubar-new-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-ufSHwIDppxYI2VsgGpY-DtI73FIp1c61eQXHVIp7YqbkkKPBH1MsSWjLsFCb8-ycD1HwQ6rpPWVobFnO-0otOEKq_4zkntst-xGxp0XaBUJ9FPAPNW3Ar-e5JNUiVYP4c82ZWTUk7w/s320/cubar-new-2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">E assim se escreve <i>cú</i> sete vezes num blog de viagens<i>.</i> Mas não fiquem assustados, há quem tenha cuidado com a língua neste país; os bancos, por exemplo, chamam-lhe <i>Rabo</i>.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-Ydvjr2NxjivNby87oKmgnVQE_Od38hj671XKvtvZSDOv1-vWxMQ0hGUl3jYQcAdj7pSSBqMwHkz4Ilnn8dBntn8jTEsYPYYKms4MMS6LdlhG04HMm9w5lbZVYMgg7az-PxFPxsgVf4/s1600/rabo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-Ydvjr2NxjivNby87oKmgnVQE_Od38hj671XKvtvZSDOv1-vWxMQ0hGUl3jYQcAdj7pSSBqMwHkz4Ilnn8dBntn8jTEsYPYYKms4MMS6LdlhG04HMm9w5lbZVYMgg7az-PxFPxsgVf4/s320/rabo.jpg" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-29442887863922262972010-07-26T23:59:00.262+02:002010-08-05T13:24:56.833+02:00Barcelona!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t0rkNbbinVpKgz3NT7ryho4qZRRRNBV8I2eq9W5h79nyOcA5KFlB9cO3QLoONjwfi28uVZTtyJL7J8neAVniZCrqjt_mWCYr3pLauXmPMg9GAJG2ZOfl5Svf8HX_eYFBybZ6yBnVRf8/s1600/Barcelona-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t0rkNbbinVpKgz3NT7ryho4qZRRRNBV8I2eq9W5h79nyOcA5KFlB9cO3QLoONjwfi28uVZTtyJL7J8neAVniZCrqjt_mWCYr3pLauXmPMg9GAJG2ZOfl5Svf8HX_eYFBybZ6yBnVRf8/s200/Barcelona-7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Ah, Barcelona. Definitely one of my favourite cities in the whole world (and I've visited a few by now). WCCI took place there this year (yes, another conference!), and as usual, I got a couple of extra days before and after the conference, to be able to do some visiting and relaxing.<br />
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I'm not a big fan of hotels, and given the usual price of conference hotels, I decided to stay in a hostel instead. It was a great choice; the hostel had a great atmosphere, and I made some cool friends while staying there, especially Kaori, my new Japanese friend, and Flic, the cool Australian traveller.<br />
The first day was very hard; given that my flight was at 0640, I ended up not sleeping the night before, so by the time I got to Barcelona I was so tired, I had my first Spanish siesta! (thankfully the only one)<br />
I still had time in the evening to go for a nice walk in the Gothic quarter, all the way down to Barceloneta and Roy Lichenstein's Barcelona Head sculpture.<br />
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I also went to L'Aquàrium, famous for its tunnel underwater, from which you can look up at all the sharks. Wasn't terribly impressed. In the end, I just sat by La Rambla de Mar, watching the reflections of the setting sun in the surrounding buildings; even the World Trade Center became interesting when painted by the golden sunlight.<br />
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In the evening I found a small restaurant in the Port Vell area, ate a tourist trap ready-made paella, and then walked all the way back to the hostel. It was really central, being just besides Casa Battló, which I couldn't resist shooting with the night illumination.<br />
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Saturday was a busy day. I began by visiting Casa Battló; 17.50€ might seem a hefty price to pay, but I think it was well worth it; I spent over two hours exploring all the rooms, apartments, garden, roof terrace, and all the amazing details coming out of the genius of Gaudí. Definitely my favourite of his conceptions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkOdoCdT-W3OuK066e6oj-Yn-s7nGEOr6byJ1OVjVmpPE-vvYIh6u1T-I9qwx7s800M6kj0ghfb8H7rtCESEaeTAeblgESEeZfRjiIsZKsoQs3VWtNP2B7bRkomEp5532YYqoTnjNahk/s1600/Barcelona-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkOdoCdT-W3OuK066e6oj-Yn-s7nGEOr6byJ1OVjVmpPE-vvYIh6u1T-I9qwx7s800M6kj0ghfb8H7rtCESEaeTAeblgESEeZfRjiIsZKsoQs3VWtNP2B7bRkomEp5532YYqoTnjNahk/s400/Barcelona-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPedfR1JFQw4RXRcHa6MuyAfa7bp9JrTh_QtC0rVa_SZ33E8zOpqS4KsoqljG21ZHLENF39ImtLrZ3xodsvciakzCK6ryBOBgg5KURNtkMz-Z7DLdpAKvkiOd3_rmxD6AA2kJgz9a9GAo/s1600/Barcelona-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPedfR1JFQw4RXRcHa6MuyAfa7bp9JrTh_QtC0rVa_SZ33E8zOpqS4KsoqljG21ZHLENF39ImtLrZ3xodsvciakzCK6ryBOBgg5KURNtkMz-Z7DLdpAKvkiOd3_rmxD6AA2kJgz9a9GAo/s200/Barcelona-5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I wanted to carry on the Gaudí theme for the day, and having previously seen Park Güell, I made my way to La Pedrera, his famous apartment block. No luck, the queue was immense, under the beating sun; instead I had some cheap pasta in the lovely Rambla de Catalunya, and made my way to Palau del Baró Quadras, where Casa Asia is also located. The building itself was really nice, with all the marble and other noble materials keeping it quite cool. It regularly hosts temporary expositions, this time it was a rather eye-opening one about North Korea, which I really enjoyed exploring. The view from the rooftop is also quite nice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZXWK-jtDdCBdZcSTS1ARrH-IqMggRB41M-3sNvQACMD0W_-J1bWajwxShXmE7wAwm0iL9QU24ccJdjQB0brUjzTa05zVPwHxmgd2louLFXpzJs1wM8olymO2vAPJgkKUz-opiDwXgSw/s1600/Barcelona-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZXWK-jtDdCBdZcSTS1ARrH-IqMggRB41M-3sNvQACMD0W_-J1bWajwxShXmE7wAwm0iL9QU24ccJdjQB0brUjzTa05zVPwHxmgd2louLFXpzJs1wM8olymO2vAPJgkKUz-opiDwXgSw/s400/Barcelona-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREnEVe1fmQFuOfMSA6GfGx9C_zzy3yGi0KGxg6zlmDez-JNbypOcFHe7u4HVt80s3eu8eydB1pWrvMuvpvGeWv0dOXZ_B39pFuzi-PADCdxgtrzuXVS1oS-wHLODWBzaunDCAT3bOvu4/s1600/Barcelona-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREnEVe1fmQFuOfMSA6GfGx9C_zzy3yGi0KGxg6zlmDez-JNbypOcFHe7u4HVt80s3eu8eydB1pWrvMuvpvGeWv0dOXZ_B39pFuzi-PADCdxgtrzuXVS1oS-wHLODWBzaunDCAT3bOvu4/s200/Barcelona-9.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I also tried to go to La Sagrada Familia, but the queue there was just unbelievable, so instead I took the metro to the last station of a line, then the tram all the way up a steep hill, and finally the funicular. Destination? Tibidabo, the tallest hill overlooking Barcelona (512m). Up there there's a really cool (and old) amusement park, and the whole area feels like a travel back in time. I really enjoyed sitting down, ordering some nachos and a caña, and just enjoy the buzz and the view over Barcelona, while reading a book.<br />
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I also went up the Temple Del Sagrat Cor, which is basically two churches, one on top of the other. I took the lift to the top and then climbed the tower; the views from the top were stunning.<br />
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Back in the hostel, there was a night out organised, like every single day, they were tireless to make us have some fun. My rubber arm got twisted, and on I went, with a big bunch of foreign travellers. And to my surprise and deception, the first stop was... an Irish Pub!! It's a curse; every time I go abroad, I end up in one, against my own will (nothing against Irish pubs, but I have plenty of those at home!). Anyway, that was followed by a disco, and then a long after party at the hostel, up to 0730! Sunday was therefore spent just recovering sleep, eating in a terrace, reading a book, and in the evening I went for the conference reception.<br />
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Not many occasions to do some visiting once the conference began, but some excellent dinners with great food, and great nights out (Barcelona really is a great party place!). One of those was epic. We started with a few tapas, and then went on the hunt for a nice restaurant in the Gothic quarter; after a few glasses of wine in a tiny tavern (owned by a Scottish lady!), we found the Cafè de l'Acadèmia, whose owner setup a private table just for us down in the cellar. We had a fantastic meal, and great fun, surrounded by thousands of expensive bottles! We followed that with a few bars in the centre, such as the Sugar bar, with its pillows and red lights everywhere, and the Club Rosa, with its Gothic clientele. We ended up at the Pipa Club, a sneaky bar in a pipe smokers club, opened until late; ring the bell, go up to the first floor, and enter a whole new world! Brilliant night out with great company.<br />
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Wednesday evening the conference banquet took place, so I went there by tram and metro, to be able to go appreciate the cucumber-shaped Torre Agbar (which is actually pretty funky looking, well worth the detour).<br />
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The banquet took place at the Plaça de les Cascades, and after it was over, we were able to appreciate the light and music show of La Font Màgica. Although currently under repair, it was still quite magical.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAyHeWSReVA4YlUjh9YW3MRdnNoxLVolYQ80x61v1AwZR_0Q1vR_JcC3VL0VrXZkDJ-GHegERl5TKXU7v0ZtTGzHz_VbO1ovanJsrxYuI2asUPQN747vnou054IPSY4k0ebklKfDlRK4/s1600/Barcelona-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAyHeWSReVA4YlUjh9YW3MRdnNoxLVolYQ80x61v1AwZR_0Q1vR_JcC3VL0VrXZkDJ-GHegERl5TKXU7v0ZtTGzHz_VbO1ovanJsrxYuI2asUPQN747vnou054IPSY4k0ebklKfDlRK4/s200/Barcelona-14.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Friday I took the morning off, and finally (after quite a few visits to Barcelona) went to see La Sagrada Famìlia with Niamh. Even though we were there at 1000, we still had to queue for about an hour. It is a really impressive site, though, no wonder it's Spain's most visited monument. All the details on the outside are impressive (and there's far too many to show here), and the inside is also breathtaking, despite the many years still left for it to be finished. We gave up on going up the (only) elevator to the top though, after realising we'd be waiting for over 45min!... Sometimes it's painful to be a tourist.<br />
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After a light meal by the Arc de Triomf, we went for a walk in the Parc de la Ciutadella, where we could appreciate some of the buildings, the curious mammoth sculpture, and above all the impressive Cascada built 130 years ago by Josep Fontsère.<br />
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Saturday was my last full day in Barcelona, so I went tourist mad. I started by going to see the lovely Esglèsia de Santa Maria del Mar, prime example of Catalan Gothic, which has an impressive sense of space inside.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesX3JB4nkiCiZWn7fbxMd5YhO4CBn2y6609zgCjqingyBtWTjdgH95jnGCgXygMkeBs5nj5t0b8XPT8bxnQ4bBdbQF8WdSJI-a6C57DJt43pcEi0IQwyYxkeYpsAWR4rhF9BuIfNCXbw/s1600/Barcelona-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesX3JB4nkiCiZWn7fbxMd5YhO4CBn2y6609zgCjqingyBtWTjdgH95jnGCgXygMkeBs5nj5t0b8XPT8bxnQ4bBdbQF8WdSJI-a6C57DJt43pcEi0IQwyYxkeYpsAWR4rhF9BuIfNCXbw/s400/Barcelona-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjg-Tyweelps6yP0ASZMfiSK4iopZIcO2-vTXg_yO9Ur6x_W09Gk4aueHZpo3JjOBgo31JdLqZnBbVn-Ij9Krj02ufNaNYeOZM7Gi4NLduS1tpQJZM6qRAwaIYWqEE6aNTAS9G4Udrwc/s1600/Barcelona-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjg-Tyweelps6yP0ASZMfiSK4iopZIcO2-vTXg_yO9Ur6x_W09Gk4aueHZpo3JjOBgo31JdLqZnBbVn-Ij9Krj02ufNaNYeOZM7Gi4NLduS1tpQJZM6qRAwaIYWqEE6aNTAS9G4Udrwc/s200/Barcelona-17.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I then went for a walk along the beach, before taking the Transbordador Aeri from the beach all the way up to Montjuic, followed by a ride on the telefèric, to the Castell de Montjuïc. The views of the beach front down below were really nice. I leisurely walked down the hill, enjoying the lovely gardens that populate the area, and the really nice views of the city from those gardens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR-XOdC2wGwPu7QTPMfKZp3qTCyIe5hkRPQs4BXNWueWjji9SxWx6v2QoNeqv0f5pqPEwwRAj3j-cI_q0CDxvzITBxsp9wEhdeo2AmiWhFvfmwnN4ELnNePlcv2Y9pbdl8ffsXCr0nlA/s1600/Barcelona-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR-XOdC2wGwPu7QTPMfKZp3qTCyIe5hkRPQs4BXNWueWjji9SxWx6v2QoNeqv0f5pqPEwwRAj3j-cI_q0CDxvzITBxsp9wEhdeo2AmiWhFvfmwnN4ELnNePlcv2Y9pbdl8ffsXCr0nlA/s400/Barcelona-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_0CQHCWbS1NGrzBdOrP0vtJIotaW_JM4QocaPgWToea3jVUXDBbVFJyPuBbLaQOzh5aMfBLuNn7HDX-Q5f1K1QsIU9sw-RC6xpvQmgd9wdK_nx6663lhZkvW95j7xP5oeWVEL0h-40/s1600/Barcelona-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_0CQHCWbS1NGrzBdOrP0vtJIotaW_JM4QocaPgWToea3jVUXDBbVFJyPuBbLaQOzh5aMfBLuNn7HDX-Q5f1K1QsIU9sw-RC6xpvQmgd9wdK_nx6663lhZkvW95j7xP5oeWVEL0h-40/s400/Barcelona-20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After lunch I went to see the Fundació Joan Miró, just to double check that I really don't like his art at all (it's confirmed!! I really don't get it), and then went for a walk around L'Anella Olímpica & Estadi Olímpic; the first time I was there was just before the Olympic games (all the way back to 1991 with my sister), it was nice to see the site again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitENb-cS-KEbxSMG24wYpEe1apDnv7OVoIgViyiCBToFR9Q4HvvAQsmVpZCLSGKppAQswnd7ou34Fe2mNzFTHvv6kHJiYIJTp6WRivoki-3ClfqpePHcz6PK0049ig40A89L_jUVYnwlc/s1600/Barcelona-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitENb-cS-KEbxSMG24wYpEe1apDnv7OVoIgViyiCBToFR9Q4HvvAQsmVpZCLSGKppAQswnd7ou34Fe2mNzFTHvv6kHJiYIJTp6WRivoki-3ClfqpePHcz6PK0049ig40A89L_jUVYnwlc/s400/Barcelona-21.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I finished a heavily loaded day with a flash visit to the Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya, which deserved much more than the single hour I spent there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5JB1BIppEs6GsOU8yN-pFEBzWGS_IazF57YZyYknhQm1ypEiDckc0FiVnFcTpS0HHNSzTD1jPBmbwkrGUcxpiBSQwR5BHiif1-_vPpfqzFMvSx0s_YPCFEcqglo1g8q3LX_HRv9TB7A/s1600/Barcelona-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5JB1BIppEs6GsOU8yN-pFEBzWGS_IazF57YZyYknhQm1ypEiDckc0FiVnFcTpS0HHNSzTD1jPBmbwkrGUcxpiBSQwR5BHiif1-_vPpfqzFMvSx0s_YPCFEcqglo1g8q3LX_HRv9TB7A/s320/Barcelona-22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That was it, really. That night we had another great night out in town with James and Niamh, and the next day I just got lost one last time wandering the Gothic quarter, and finished the day on the beach, before getting my late flight back to Dublin. I am definitely going to go back to Barcelona again and again.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBEfGp-KEJOcCYxi1cLOPEddyP4QpbI3YbjjftkjT5v0nZir6K-6wJ_aa_oBaXsYCz1DNNiXLtoSpuAkjQX-_hxmqSyLiEkBFtewapbhXMHK18R9FnLe9ezCWirZyVUpGwx5jq3qS-pk/s1600/Barcelona-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBEfGp-KEJOcCYxi1cLOPEddyP4QpbI3YbjjftkjT5v0nZir6K-6wJ_aa_oBaXsYCz1DNNiXLtoSpuAkjQX-_hxmqSyLiEkBFtewapbhXMHK18R9FnLe9ezCWirZyVUpGwx5jq3qS-pk/s400/Barcelona-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Rambla de Mar from high above)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-28406450611690371032010-06-27T23:59:00.089+02:002010-07-16T04:56:04.965+02:00Sea Sessions 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFDmC4z7Mpm3PGbhtLXpJITE61-Z0UdNHmx648NEOnws5lijkwab5DA6b28KvFc1qgcqQkSSKkeuUtvFB81lrZiYtr50kKcRuc4n2s9I1wAA_Gr_qP-LmGgujgvC-GTG7s1JyvUGFUoE/s1600/SeaSessions-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFDmC4z7Mpm3PGbhtLXpJITE61-Z0UdNHmx648NEOnws5lijkwab5DA6b28KvFc1qgcqQkSSKkeuUtvFB81lrZiYtr50kKcRuc4n2s9I1wAA_Gr_qP-LmGgujgvC-GTG7s1JyvUGFUoE/s200/SeaSessions-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Another nice trip across Ireland to the West coast, this time to attend the Sea Sessions rock festival, in Bundoran (Donegal). I left Friday morning (I really love flexible timetables), and my first stop was in Longford, to have lunch and tea with a good friend of mine; after that, I followed some really cool small roads, far more adequate for Sputnik than the motorways, where I was basically the only vehicle on the road, give or take a few local tractors. Arriving to Donegal at dusk was magical!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xE4b1PHr09aFOCkwW7Qnf9NdleSY-HVzSrXGQP1IuFVZxlAQ5sHb4oNPTs8obtA1ojbW7uHVz_b7qiFfJ2Rl79oUr_Ik_LC6QXWHaTaGeEuFnRZvdVPjAngLMqSHUahfIlyOknMXmaE/s1600/SeaSessions-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xE4b1PHr09aFOCkwW7Qnf9NdleSY-HVzSrXGQP1IuFVZxlAQ5sHb4oNPTs8obtA1ojbW7uHVz_b7qiFfJ2Rl79oUr_Ik_LC6QXWHaTaGeEuFnRZvdVPjAngLMqSHUahfIlyOknMXmaE/s400/SeaSessions-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xvySz64TT-IXiM1Y-cMcIhBUPFWJBEqwLy0TuyLQ6M_L69b__FFDwwrWRd11tN_Iw4dSYxSLn9dQrU4iqUP8KK63mVc0thZlqkaLkOWnc8MxEHnTUn15qsa8dUNWvLViXHc5qsBJxq4/s1600/SeaSessions-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xvySz64TT-IXiM1Y-cMcIhBUPFWJBEqwLy0TuyLQ6M_L69b__FFDwwrWRd11tN_Iw4dSYxSLn9dQrU4iqUP8KK63mVc0thZlqkaLkOWnc8MxEHnTUn15qsa8dUNWvLViXHc5qsBJxq4/s200/SeaSessions-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Once arrived, I pitched my tent in the local GAA pitch, which was reserved for festival-goers: thousands of tents piled up on top of each other! I got myself set up, and then rushed for the festival location, which was right on the beach, really cool! I saw the Fun Lovin' Criminals, who were surprisingly good; although I didn't know most of their songs, I had a good time listening and even singing along, as they kept interacting with the crowd. Really good stuff.<br />
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Back in the campsite, I went to bed around 2am, fully equipped with ear-buds and and eye band (wouldn't want to be woken up by the sun rising before 5am!). Woken up? I hardly slept at all, with the never-ending party in the campsite, and all the people drinking and shouting and constantly tripping on my tent. Gotta love the festival feeling!<br />
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Saturday I went surfing! It was great once again, although with the fat waves of that day, the beginner longboard (9ft) I had was totally inadequate, and kept being lifted from behind, making me constantly dive nose first. Still, it was a lot of fun.<br />
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The afternoon was a typical "rock festival" day, playing drinking games, and chatting with loads of people at the campsite, including some kids from the North that kept telling me I had a really strong "free-stater accent"!... In the evening I went to the concerts again, this time to see Paul Weller, who was great musically, but not so good at interacting with the crowd. Still, this time I knew I could bring my camera and not be denied entry, so he got the pretty pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZf6pLFrhAotk8bogCQjUtuiUbCu7CIL7rNtIxhRjwYVYAEfIVh4kx418SSuyVL3SDUMGBbp7sGXuOU7T9XNJp4E8GIEHbF7qzHmxHAKBn8la8zyEvLE5fi9bwiNplEdJBoXmWaXX_LXM/s1600/SeaSessions-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZf6pLFrhAotk8bogCQjUtuiUbCu7CIL7rNtIxhRjwYVYAEfIVh4kx418SSuyVL3SDUMGBbp7sGXuOU7T9XNJp4E8GIEHbF7qzHmxHAKBn8la8zyEvLE5fi9bwiNplEdJBoXmWaXX_LXM/s400/SeaSessions-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sunday morning, after another rough and short night, I went surfing again. It far better: I grabbed an 8ft board (still foam, though), and was surfing for 3 hours, including a good 20 minutes under torrential rain, which was absolutely magical!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRLmWKgmetulcwUDzr0DjtFQ81r5OyWmLXk0Z9BiLG4PnDhtqV_3sGNoKV5c1GMOTV7Deg4RAxvQXs07Fmobr9LjAz3LP_fD8Qpqz6virEMPyDvCJ4-kGws713lhYXyvGrjtvd2N7-1A/s1600/SeaSessions7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRLmWKgmetulcwUDzr0DjtFQ81r5OyWmLXk0Z9BiLG4PnDhtqV_3sGNoKV5c1GMOTV7Deg4RAxvQXs07Fmobr9LjAz3LP_fD8Qpqz6virEMPyDvCJ4-kGws713lhYXyvGrjtvd2N7-1A/s400/SeaSessions7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuCEzIBgSB-KAKH5OrzgvVDk12U01iPBikSHoR3z6TyNTp07QkC-uR73eiHVUSYDNdkhyphenhyphenMUxqt5_HfcU1U3TFjszUIXBmTaQGthVaSwE9zPyPQF-l16Y_vgLKZzpdyuy17aDv7UzB-B8/s1600/SeaSessions-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuCEzIBgSB-KAKH5OrzgvVDk12U01iPBikSHoR3z6TyNTp07QkC-uR73eiHVUSYDNdkhyphenhyphenMUxqt5_HfcU1U3TFjszUIXBmTaQGthVaSwE9zPyPQF-l16Y_vgLKZzpdyuy17aDv7UzB-B8/s200/SeaSessions-6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After a hearty lunch and a big cup of coffee to keep me awake!, I finally grabbed Sputnik and made my way back to Dublin. Again I used the small regional roads as much as possible, first along the coast and then towards Dublin; the traffic was minimal, and the scenery splendid.<br />
It was another great weekend away, and I'm more and more glad I brought Sputnik with me to Ireland!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16Y6iDQuPINzzXR_geCkzmXwt9bJ2Vk7L5u9m6aAAcO3iD6yfZdlJwKLyZ_W4Pc8uNwn5vctxxDWH7RCuQMH00BzPATdoc6MGBgNft6sY36EsZbrTE0ElBxohzWvka0PdIVPAG_TXKd8/s1600/SeaSessions-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16Y6iDQuPINzzXR_geCkzmXwt9bJ2Vk7L5u9m6aAAcO3iD6yfZdlJwKLyZ_W4Pc8uNwn5vctxxDWH7RCuQMH00BzPATdoc6MGBgNft6sY36EsZbrTE0ElBxohzWvka0PdIVPAG_TXKd8/s400/SeaSessions-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-51069350618727021802010-06-08T16:26:00.001+02:002010-06-08T21:04:48.986+02:00Biking'n'surfing Lahinch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8EyOT9K7vSVj6Rc_v-Qu4Kq5OcvsL5mjmYTsGTJXgyOjhyguSPaK6f5xRFEjN9MbHRD_Pb8UpW8ONDfQRD0M9357hO7-0RqwpFbXCKwgtY3iuQ7AtqHQiucS-7Oni4_JQPzVHXi7Ht8/s1600/lahinch-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8EyOT9K7vSVj6Rc_v-Qu4Kq5OcvsL5mjmYTsGTJXgyOjhyguSPaK6f5xRFEjN9MbHRD_Pb8UpW8ONDfQRD0M9357hO7-0RqwpFbXCKwgtY3iuQ7AtqHQiucS-7Oni4_JQPzVHXi7Ht8/s200/lahinch-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
When preparing my move to Dublin, I had to decide on whether to sell my motorbike there, or bring it over to Dublin. Since I've yet to find a way to sort out my bike license, and Ireland is not one of the "ride your 125 with a B license" countries, it's not 100% legal to ride it here, I guess, even though I'm fully insured and registered. But I couldn't separate myself from Sputnik, for all the good and bad that bound us together! And I'm quite glad I brought it along.<br />
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</div><div>So this last weekend I went on my first bike tour around Ireland. I decided to finally pick up surfing again, so I went to Lahinch, in the West coast, for a couple of days of surfing, and cruising around.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The outwards trip was a bit boring. The roads in Ireland have definitely improved a lot in the last few years, which is great news for car drivers, but not so much for small bikes! Poor Sputnik does 100Km/h top speed, screaming in pain. And the road from Dublin to Ennis is practically all motorway now... But once I got to the narrow roads of the Burren, Sputnik really showed all its glory!</div><div><br />
</div><div>As I messed up my way out of Dublin at the start, it took me nearly 5h to get there. No time to rest, as the surf lesson was just about to start, so straight to the sea it was, for an extra 2h. I was wrecked after that!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5cX4fCFcOj-R61P8lbVHoiLAFm_wNSj2fOTR1ftgqAwtSaih4tZuwEAmpFsYkpdh2XWIV6mRNjCB56URm3KAMeBDkZ5BnWk9QhfaxiCQarHXTTPGWnpKT6yC-x9UjnfbzJ3ZRH9SAKo/s1600/lahinch-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5cX4fCFcOj-R61P8lbVHoiLAFm_wNSj2fOTR1ftgqAwtSaih4tZuwEAmpFsYkpdh2XWIV6mRNjCB56URm3KAMeBDkZ5BnWk9QhfaxiCQarHXTTPGWnpKT6yC-x9UjnfbzJ3ZRH9SAKo/s400/lahinch-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>I had some homemade food in the hostel kitchen (all the way from Dublin, am I getting organised or what!), and then went for a couple of pints, and watch some live music. Coming back to the hostel at nearly 1h30am, I was still the first person returning to the room, which was full (13 beds)! I knew there was no way I could sleep until everyone was back, so I waited for a while, and when people starting coming back, I got to know quite a few of them - a great bunch!: Riona, Shauna, Eugene, Brian, Kevin, Christina and Alan.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The next day, I went surfing with them. Another great session, I love this stuff, and really need to keep it up, to see some progress. After surfing in the morning, the lads were really nice, and let me hang around for the day with them. We went up to the Cliffs of Moher (it's been a loooong time since I was last there), crossed a farmer's field, and had a picnic in the fields (with a gorgeous view point).</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04u0ZBWB9XM-eoo76GoJvsHmg332Tx6LrpNBycRofPyjqdcfVBSUWJ5PflbATgsxUYV0KGvh1l6fJI7wh8fBeoVHq-67z_RZXFOKcqWQ-d9R3yh983PZKv28wN0iieeG_m4pwDSnAjiI/s1600/lahinch-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04u0ZBWB9XM-eoo76GoJvsHmg332Tx6LrpNBycRofPyjqdcfVBSUWJ5PflbATgsxUYV0KGvh1l6fJI7wh8fBeoVHq-67z_RZXFOKcqWQ-d9R3yh983PZKv28wN0iieeG_m4pwDSnAjiI/s400/lahinch-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>After that, we wandered around for a bit, looking for a viewpoint Kevin knew. It was well worth it: we found it in the end, and had a great vantage point all for ourselves!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo-huxCQxR2uFPx-u9ftbu4f760dCH54bMbIxrCXxGmChTtOOshAhfQSTBd8xBi-2IDrtN9S2TREzZkpgNZXN4sTmMDrMHvCEYt5ffgv8Wxxdy4UKcal7xIH242_8Rt9hPml7CNXcNwI/s1600/lahinch-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo-huxCQxR2uFPx-u9ftbu4f760dCH54bMbIxrCXxGmChTtOOshAhfQSTBd8xBi-2IDrtN9S2TREzZkpgNZXN4sTmMDrMHvCEYt5ffgv8Wxxdy4UKcal7xIH242_8Rt9hPml7CNXcNwI/s400/lahinch-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuTPXO9ydnYBE2RGoQDwr69BZifgvqbb3skrdchV-AR1yN7HROpRY_Zb0OjHmX72Ck5i0i2KOdEYN4H85x25xrAR0bxqpcudn_QbsXOUHzs9lSYaYANoBYw1N8xL8Dvej77Fl7uU3zAM/s1600/lahinch-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuTPXO9ydnYBE2RGoQDwr69BZifgvqbb3skrdchV-AR1yN7HROpRY_Zb0OjHmX72Ck5i0i2KOdEYN4H85x25xrAR0bxqpcudn_QbsXOUHzs9lSYaYANoBYw1N8xL8Dvej77Fl7uU3zAM/s400/lahinch-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNXiHGEbDWudP7U99sEgr5Sgfur7_2-aLwcVCuESZJRYYXjmoxXlZHznXweCg_pEI2J7vVn7t9mV7AhBXEYK2e1Ecr3cVVTO8XMAZw_8hKmWdge8l6N7iWGR8luwo7fnNhXcO2MJI9og/s1600/lahinch-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNXiHGEbDWudP7U99sEgr5Sgfur7_2-aLwcVCuESZJRYYXjmoxXlZHznXweCg_pEI2J7vVn7t9mV7AhBXEYK2e1Ecr3cVVTO8XMAZw_8hKmWdge8l6N7iWGR8luwo7fnNhXcO2MJI9og/s400/lahinch-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOnnonykF1AdDwnQfhD2dxRQgl7rANkXfIb1k7HzQKnzj9XB09RgTzO-UTtL5fBKOmsycLKWrHcKqSkIw_4Eo7eisjU6_m6IjO0qTf00BFiZceBah4SEtVSBBtrqJeq3QsiveFiLnka8/s1600/lahinch-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOnnonykF1AdDwnQfhD2dxRQgl7rANkXfIb1k7HzQKnzj9XB09RgTzO-UTtL5fBKOmsycLKWrHcKqSkIw_4Eo7eisjU6_m6IjO0qTf00BFiZceBah4SEtVSBBtrqJeq3QsiveFiLnka8/s200/lahinch-8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div>We all hit the road after that, and I decided to avoid some of the motorway, by cutting across to Killaloe (thanks for the hint, Shauna and Riona!). The roads were just fabulous for Sputnik, and literally empty of cars, I had a wonderful time riding around. It was great to see Killaloe once again as well (it must have been 8 years or more, since I was last there).</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJaXi9LGKVugsLylwLufoqzpnmO9xmIjyMxW6sZEtpocanME9GH6ZDbCqYDxTGtAaFoqdzgYvjhLMDOit1jhjbOe4qtK_qHuPxDysWpuhpiKM4PX9JC1hTqetsur2U9EO9mHIjiw_cvA/s1600/lahinch-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJaXi9LGKVugsLylwLufoqzpnmO9xmIjyMxW6sZEtpocanME9GH6ZDbCqYDxTGtAaFoqdzgYvjhLMDOit1jhjbOe4qtK_qHuPxDysWpuhpiKM4PX9JC1hTqetsur2U9EO9mHIjiw_cvA/s400/lahinch-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>That's it, I joined the Limerick-Dublin road after that, still had time to chat a bit with a biker from Belfast in the petrol station in Roscrea (who was astonished to see Sputnik, the tiny bike from Paris!), and then it was a boring motorway all the way home. I had a wonderful weekend, made some cool new friends, and can't wait to go back for more!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3I29YNeweNHTyvqzuaONrY8sjxLx5q-RQFQwKhilqqCvxAUArWeLDtVf0xdTkYr4Ko3Am2CdB60KmpkGCDi_Uv3HBiBTLHdByOG6D2KtZfvR5GJd34M3HkRQG1u1LpKxHA01pjHk0qgM/s1600/lahinch-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3I29YNeweNHTyvqzuaONrY8sjxLx5q-RQFQwKhilqqCvxAUArWeLDtVf0xdTkYr4Ko3Am2CdB60KmpkGCDi_Uv3HBiBTLHdByOG6D2KtZfvR5GJd34M3HkRQG1u1LpKxHA01pjHk0qgM/s400/lahinch-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-80463022538530890532010-05-31T23:59:00.004+02:002010-06-02T03:30:23.364+02:00Istambul ou Lisboa?Uma das coisas que mais me fez impressão em Istambul foi como me lembrou de Lisboa. Duas cidades, nas pontas mais distantes da Europa, que se parecem uma com a outra? Exatamente. Senão vejamos:<br />
<ul><li>Ambas são à beira rio, com o mar ali tão perto;</li>
<li>Ambas foram construídas sobre 7 colinas;</li>
<li>Ambas foram palco de violentas batalhas entre forças católicas e forças muçulmanas.</li>
</ul>Mesmo as pessoas são parecidas - tanto ao nível físico, como ao nível da enorme hospitalidade que exibem. Os passeios de barco, as belas pontes que atravessam o rio (neste caso um estreito), as ruas inclinadas...<br />
Mas não se fiem unicamente nos meus relatos; aqui ficam algumas fotos de confirmação; digam lá se não lembram Lisboa:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCwP0RhOUTrqZelOSY9cnQz2RBgf3UYOtQCze8KTnASVHCSdvjGRUeVtev2_dBhDuaB-37wKUASo0HPKFOzL9OZWTNRgOddDJu7w2xhNrYf4dn2FhGNFyQzTgoyMESRy5K6RIuBVNGC8/s1600/LisbonOrIstanbul-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCwP0RhOUTrqZelOSY9cnQz2RBgf3UYOtQCze8KTnASVHCSdvjGRUeVtev2_dBhDuaB-37wKUASo0HPKFOzL9OZWTNRgOddDJu7w2xhNrYf4dn2FhGNFyQzTgoyMESRy5K6RIuBVNGC8/s400/LisbonOrIstanbul-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(os barcos que atravessam o rio)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7E4oT_GRta6CzwGpFXopou1uKGOPo8XfpPYuQokyD6DEOtlg788Hn7KbadRg9PraIcU7AIv8kSXOlSD1M9KicE8YZgu7hOlUtU-10VzY0DHX223LXYmxsuWTwWADDfMA06PHTTNd5z8/s1600/LisbonOrIstanbul-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7E4oT_GRta6CzwGpFXopou1uKGOPo8XfpPYuQokyD6DEOtlg788Hn7KbadRg9PraIcU7AIv8kSXOlSD1M9KicE8YZgu7hOlUtU-10VzY0DHX223LXYmxsuWTwWADDfMA06PHTTNd5z8/s400/LisbonOrIstanbul-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (os elétricos)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0ieEePn0aNPVJ0LfVb_RQFzIP7a1hlcKpATYAintrJvMGU2rgC8xf7lm6GFx_CmhwMHjXTlB3FM-5a8NymHEygYbP2M5uKLXEg4Th_BNUt73aCZEQICD4N1cvZKTg2Ylij7Sg0Q-h2k/s1600/LisbonOrIstanbul-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0ieEePn0aNPVJ0LfVb_RQFzIP7a1hlcKpATYAintrJvMGU2rgC8xf7lm6GFx_CmhwMHjXTlB3FM-5a8NymHEygYbP2M5uKLXEg4Th_BNUt73aCZEQICD4N1cvZKTg2Ylij7Sg0Q-h2k/s400/LisbonOrIstanbul-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(os vendedores de castanhas)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWFjZtN6h4teG9ekx_Y8hQdUZoOMPNURclHE_nrzciTb33cYTU1lUWlT5thvJIVPsC8_7-WJCnaIKzADTNwpcvamUhOS3Q8Nz04t74uE55gKOn_5iWC94Lbkudugs4N-Dx4llWuTqLBA/s1600/LisbonOrIstanbul-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWFjZtN6h4teG9ekx_Y8hQdUZoOMPNURclHE_nrzciTb33cYTU1lUWlT5thvJIVPsC8_7-WJCnaIKzADTNwpcvamUhOS3Q8Nz04t74uE55gKOn_5iWC94Lbkudugs4N-Dx4llWuTqLBA/s400/LisbonOrIstanbul-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(o metro grande, limpo e com bonitas e modernas estações)</span></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-42708834003083880012010-04-11T23:00:00.416+02:002010-04-25T20:13:29.742+02:00Istanbul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjz4oJLzi1Df7lWzjml-ILQTGWOgvuvwhDyld_NCQPZQC70K1lzRl4yGPl2wf76f9vKP4hSx3ExXA6dEgpX7zQYWNSqzCUHsf0Ak2ZP5al1MONUcGJOxibKiWruKWEuqcJhKkJVBycK4/s1600/istanbul-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjz4oJLzi1Df7lWzjml-ILQTGWOgvuvwhDyld_NCQPZQC70K1lzRl4yGPl2wf76f9vKP4hSx3ExXA6dEgpX7zQYWNSqzCUHsf0Ak2ZP5al1MONUcGJOxibKiWruKWEuqcJhKkJVBycK4/s400/istanbul-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Another conference, another great city to visit. That has got to be one of the best aspects of my job! This year the EvoStar conference took place in Istanbul, and I obviously booked a few extra days before and after the conference, so in total I stayed there for 9 days, and to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1wJeShf-ellu1yim4MRtHsb_MuJQVSI-zpojSUUs4PLX2fAgB1L2y11B_2h-5lGZZ0H1VYHsMCvSENlKMLNQJlO_2xlg-CXAbPqKkW_aV0UMckRqEatkla7ahPbDEXM5QjRHjEIeSHE/s1600/istanbul-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1wJeShf-ellu1yim4MRtHsb_MuJQVSI-zpojSUUs4PLX2fAgB1L2y11B_2h-5lGZZ0H1VYHsMCvSENlKMLNQJlO_2xlg-CXAbPqKkW_aV0UMckRqEatkla7ahPbDEXM5QjRHjEIeSHE/s200/istanbul-17.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After arriving to Istanbul in the evening, and enjoying a wonderful red sunset across the hundreds of minarets that punctuate its skyline, I checked in to my hotel (with 3 extra days before the conference and 1 afterwards, I didn't bother to look for a cheaper hostel). One thing I noticed straight away - a sign in the hotel table, pointing to Mecca. Like the merzuzah in my hotel room in Jerusalem, it was a nice non-intrusive sign of the local religious belief.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first main visiting day was spent in the Sultanahmet area, one of the main turist areas, and for good reason. I started by going to the famous "Blue Mosque", so called because of its beautiful blue tiles.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoo3i78WrFDS6dBkdlheqDNcU4D9ZZgtBaOE8v3E64KvtOsKRU7IiUhfbq6mi5jDjFg6ctWdmgCdgQLr36mB-4vOsoymwAvfQHMBb9eg_CZ09OATDcPqwBH037CajRo3vCGViqrKLXOQ/s1600/istanbul-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoo3i78WrFDS6dBkdlheqDNcU4D9ZZgtBaOE8v3E64KvtOsKRU7IiUhfbq6mi5jDjFg6ctWdmgCdgQLr36mB-4vOsoymwAvfQHMBb9eg_CZ09OATDcPqwBH037CajRo3vCGViqrKLXOQ/s400/istanbul-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Being an ignorant tourist, I wasn't sure of the current prayer times, and just as I was about to enter the mosque, the call for prayer was heard - I had to wait for about 1/2 hour in an ever growing queue (I wasn't the only one!) before tourists could access the inside of the mosque. The inside really is beautiful; I just sat on the floor for another 1/2 hour, resting from the beating sun and enjoying the tranquil atmosphere.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKR2oCtO1gM14QFdQPYfFenRLF9wKztxYskCCKnP0OhGd9n1G8QkTxU37dP9busdDN0Yfeq8npRRwuUPmeKRMiS-9H9Uodftp8JzwQ4oUA-mzniMrYeTHp-VfNLNMJcIRyoe5-pGR3L8/s1600/istanbul-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKR2oCtO1gM14QFdQPYfFenRLF9wKztxYskCCKnP0OhGd9n1G8QkTxU37dP9busdDN0Yfeq8npRRwuUPmeKRMiS-9H9Uodftp8JzwQ4oUA-mzniMrYeTHp-VfNLNMJcIRyoe5-pGR3L8/s400/istanbul-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Just across from the Blue Mosque is the even more famous Aya Sofya. This is a centuries old church originally built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, which was converted to Islam when Istanbul finally fell to the conquering Sultans.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUmXOu3Iwv3ShKDWB8uZU0oMSMPYayUbGKmZo_rmNrcbwah-upMahIn3-IBpfMRUuGl-CeFGVRXcBkjVcELdnD7QkD8uzPfmkwzOF6_ujo9JoJyJXPcuSz2CZbIYn55sdQoK-cKgNmxA/s1600/istanbul-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUmXOu3Iwv3ShKDWB8uZU0oMSMPYayUbGKmZo_rmNrcbwah-upMahIn3-IBpfMRUuGl-CeFGVRXcBkjVcELdnD7QkD8uzPfmkwzOF6_ujo9JoJyJXPcuSz2CZbIYn55sdQoK-cKgNmxA/s400/istanbul-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">It may not be as imposing from the outside as the blue mosque, but once inside, it's simply breathtaking. Its massive ceilings, the amazing dome, the wonderful Arab calligraphy ornaments, the impressive stained-glass windows, huge bronze doors... I could write many more adjectives and still not describe it properly - you really have to go there and see it for yourself. Not even photos do it justice.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2yi9SHKcpl0eT22SumSt3vMQsycJ8bVjl3iUgfVD3tMByCs97xAg3jAo0iIf16qs56b98iX7fjR2t5Zwkc6g8gm7JgAbq9Y11NCmG95sxsoVJtDHJZZK4fEmTBcz3QD0yilCX0p7ORQ/s1600/istanbul-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2yi9SHKcpl0eT22SumSt3vMQsycJ8bVjl3iUgfVD3tMByCs97xAg3jAo0iIf16qs56b98iX7fjR2t5Zwkc6g8gm7JgAbq9Y11NCmG95sxsoVJtDHJZZK4fEmTBcz3QD0yilCX0p7ORQ/s400/istanbul-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">If you looked carefully at the previous image, you might have spotted an image of the Virgin Mary. That's right - after centuries of being plastered over, restoration of the original tile ornaments dating back to Justinian times began, and is still ongoing to this day. The massive image of Christ in the top galleries was also impressive. To even dare imagine all the history that took place within those walls is mesmerising.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXo-a2ZYgICxxz5ogpjLF2Tb_4Uq5gxuyXXxgswMrgEaPyffISlu4DU0HHVc4hQK9ZyizrU-_zXMI70pOdXL6tYWIiuRJWVKl5dQqtdmIydyIINNwimX5ha76qVmqnsnPXFSzvHFo0iI/s1600/istanbul-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXo-a2ZYgICxxz5ogpjLF2Tb_4Uq5gxuyXXxgswMrgEaPyffISlu4DU0HHVc4hQK9ZyizrU-_zXMI70pOdXL6tYWIiuRJWVKl5dQqtdmIydyIINNwimX5ha76qVmqnsnPXFSzvHFo0iI/s400/istanbul-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">It was getting fairly late at this stage, but I wasn't going to let go of my visiting - still some time left to go check out the Basilica Cistern. This is a massive underground gallery originally built to store water for the Great Palace of Byzantium, and was only rediscovered in the 16th century, because people were catching fish through holes in their floors! At 140m long and 70m wide, it covers an area of 9800m2, and is supported by 336 marble columns, each 9m high. Pretty impressive numbers? So is this place.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOebZ-WydRqueKCGt2zUyKrox24sVSQsB4B9YN28UdIz1hvwBawfFGpsgJZ9VMwkqaFBaiLaG0phwb5_JOcmhY7m8Jwvx4oHGTuNqKYpJJX_bkSq06MRfmb2Fd1hTVv0e9rMHJOzgKFI/s1600/istanbul-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOebZ-WydRqueKCGt2zUyKrox24sVSQsB4B9YN28UdIz1hvwBawfFGpsgJZ9VMwkqaFBaiLaG0phwb5_JOcmhY7m8Jwvx4oHGTuNqKYpJJX_bkSq06MRfmb2Fd1hTVv0e9rMHJOzgKFI/s400/istanbul-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPJ4ZxhNN0az1d23utEaSEsVWQ75Fxha1zB3pnkwlb8MB_ulzK2POKm9pt5T52ZOyWDhS5e2YCuMZ1PI11nkZya3d47OgMPbgJdMAEXAMqMervohEud3JzyJZ9yv7lc19oYX9EAnPEG8/s1600/istanbul-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPJ4ZxhNN0az1d23utEaSEsVWQ75Fxha1zB3pnkwlb8MB_ulzK2POKm9pt5T52ZOyWDhS5e2YCuMZ1PI11nkZya3d47OgMPbgJdMAEXAMqMervohEud3JzyJZ9yv7lc19oYX9EAnPEG8/s200/istanbul-8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My stomach finally got the best of me, and I went to a cheap restaurant to have the first of many kebaps. This was followed by a Turkish coffee, which as time went by I became really accustomed to. I also kept checking my Lonely Planet for possible last plans for the day, and already planning the next day's trips. Although excellent as ever in guiding me around the place, I was very disappointed by its lack of cheap food and drink options (recommending cafes where tea costs 5 turkish lira as "affordable" places, whereas you can have it for as cheap as 50 cents!), and am seriously considering ending my 10 year-long reliance and go for another publisher.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The day was fast ending, so I decided to go for a boat ride, crossing the Bosphorus and landing on the Asian side of the city. Cheap tip: buy your token (1.5 lira), and stay on the boat once it reaches the other side; so you basically get a 60min boat tour for 50 euro cents. The weather was still gorgeous, and I thoroughly enjoyed the crossing.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6brSj6Ab6Q5h_-drEvY3piFhaNVb0-Y2uYFmBURyTJmkRVBst7IW-82_qHVhapecRDXR023rtUCCZQM4Q3vbiNAvGlcf_OYyg8_7XJ2JGEBSBeflMqBVRYOpcJHiS46yKzBurC9CtXw/s1600/istanbul-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6brSj6Ab6Q5h_-drEvY3piFhaNVb0-Y2uYFmBURyTJmkRVBst7IW-82_qHVhapecRDXR023rtUCCZQM4Q3vbiNAvGlcf_OYyg8_7XJ2JGEBSBeflMqBVRYOpcJHiS46yKzBurC9CtXw/s400/istanbul-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgireNQTxid0_7H7AbH_NZWwAKZipkaRae_y7cZOBbOsbJ193aLwk3LT6Cf-U1_EZwcsR1MWKArlnghDWA1XNtVu9TkBbOS-iX40JH_rZLOQau5Bt17B1Wxt9pWu1IU7yMMLW3lYuL8wJ4/s1600/istanbul-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgireNQTxid0_7H7AbH_NZWwAKZipkaRae_y7cZOBbOsbJ193aLwk3LT6Cf-U1_EZwcsR1MWKArlnghDWA1XNtVu9TkBbOS-iX40JH_rZLOQau5Bt17B1Wxt9pWu1IU7yMMLW3lYuL8wJ4/s200/istanbul-11.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back in the European side, I walked along the fish sellers (ended up not trying a fish sandwich, damn...), and crossed the famous Galata bridge, where literally hundreds of fishermen spend the day angling. It's a funny bridge - traffic and fishermen on the top shelf, restaurants and nargile cafes on the bottom. I enjoyed the last rays of sunlight and slowly walked back towards my hotel; I ended up having dinner at a street vendor, selling delicious spicy minced beef sandwiches.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_Fcd4Iz1_KOmpX-fOTZ1wFS7PmKSwNSq_QcnBem0EainU6SRuBAR-DSB1ztpNRH6JSXu5amP50fnlQaG3xHbwGIhklIsnPWqY5rwy6OeInzYdFHMTM7zXFEF52wwtwno7Wsqp4CpKkI/s1600/istanbul-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_Fcd4Iz1_KOmpX-fOTZ1wFS7PmKSwNSq_QcnBem0EainU6SRuBAR-DSB1ztpNRH6JSXu5amP50fnlQaG3xHbwGIhklIsnPWqY5rwy6OeInzYdFHMTM7zXFEF52wwtwno7Wsqp4CpKkI/s320/istanbul-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJKszPjwLstbMjhZK1ljX-BnQ1ENvDeS1beEIzc5cRVyTTLGHpaTwv0FCeSnrH29C1R18nfsQsiCwsdqs7iGmMGWQ1phxi6fVReZ4kMWmqIwsFo9YhckiISEkOZzkCsTwcdnFuwDIaB0/s1600/istanbul-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJKszPjwLstbMjhZK1ljX-BnQ1ENvDeS1beEIzc5cRVyTTLGHpaTwv0FCeSnrH29C1R18nfsQsiCwsdqs7iGmMGWQ1phxi6fVReZ4kMWmqIwsFo9YhckiISEkOZzkCsTwcdnFuwDIaB0/s200/istanbul-28.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Monday I woke up late (again!). I decided to spend the day in the Bazaar district, and after a nice cup of cheap Turkish tea (which they adore and have all day long, in lovely tulip-shaped glasses), I took the metro and the funicular and the tram to get there (transportation in Istanbul is interesting, to say the least; you can get anywhere by public transportation, but have to constantly change (sometimes even in the middle of the same metro line), and although everything works with tokens, I counted at least 3 different kinds of tokens!).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">First stop, the New Mosque. "New" is a bit of an exaggeration, as it is a few centuries old, but considering the age of all the monuments around it... I just sat down in the inner courtyard, watching the flow of people coming in, doing their washing ritual, and then entering to do their prayers. It was a cool, sunny day, and it was really relaxing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0tmCwu8KgdUs104ARvn6E0cZZgxyHWqflDreS3FkRkQ6taHLDdS6ZcXY5SimfFwHy5npAsyV1YGW5UFthI_x3CfVn40Ml1RtWOJBEWhKzUPSq5JC6ygMgq9rpwt-sMqclDDjV4h4sjo/s1600/istanbul-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0tmCwu8KgdUs104ARvn6E0cZZgxyHWqflDreS3FkRkQ6taHLDdS6ZcXY5SimfFwHy5npAsyV1YGW5UFthI_x3CfVn40Ml1RtWOJBEWhKzUPSq5JC6ygMgq9rpwt-sMqclDDjV4h4sjo/s400/istanbul-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wasn't the only one enjoying the cool and calm of the inner courtyard; Istanbul, like no doubt many other Middle-East cities (I only know Jerusalem, though), is full of stray cats, and I had company in just chilling out and relaxing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC1bpkoVTt7mlCF_tht4jKZQE_sIwPcEXiT_k9yMAhrlNdwKTa1fkMRZ9lSgKGkuDw9oHr5_vh0oYm86e0P6oyJ2waU37hMsqMtsw_aWF161ryGoO4Tkpf7MHIGN5AVDkIjaf_UXrMu8/s1600/istanbul-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC1bpkoVTt7mlCF_tht4jKZQE_sIwPcEXiT_k9yMAhrlNdwKTa1fkMRZ9lSgKGkuDw9oHr5_vh0oYm86e0P6oyJ2waU37hMsqMtsw_aWF161ryGoO4Tkpf7MHIGN5AVDkIjaf_UXrMu8/s400/istanbul-14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then it was on to the bazaars. First off, the Spice Bazaar. Its outside area was crazy: people selling absolutely everything, from cabbage to hens, from dog food to cheap Chinese plastic toys. The covered part was slightly more organised, with stalls selling mostly spices, and, of course, delicious lokum (Turkish Delight).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXn4NZhZVDOEaMDD2Ab_QTk-QsS7IDUko-fhVVi4rP-HQ9XjQDEi-ycpGcPC-gBzh8n-8n0mdiDoy7Hy5jpo6RmOu5E1d5PQhWS0R_re2mbehtSR1ZJ1LuTCoujYqtxc2_u-4Nx5QHFA/s1600/istanbul-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXn4NZhZVDOEaMDD2Ab_QTk-QsS7IDUko-fhVVi4rP-HQ9XjQDEi-ycpGcPC-gBzh8n-8n0mdiDoy7Hy5jpo6RmOu5E1d5PQhWS0R_re2mbehtSR1ZJ1LuTCoujYqtxc2_u-4Nx5QHFA/s320/istanbul-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Grand Bazaar was next. Slightly less interesting for me, as the main selling items were textile and jewels, which don't really tickle my fancy. Still, the lamps were lovely, and after having lunch there (at the "affordable" Lonely Planet recommended cafe...), I wondered the halls for a while.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrxcCcLCjB9Hu78-vlwHiJ0EJ5hk4dNIt8fv-DDwqfy1pVcqRaSBx0u1dzzAr9KOMGLobAJxe0PPOKhH0rTEZT_6N0ekoXYALC0uHcqbdg7E8f2Y6UidSn7KQaFpK6HFieRqyBV_SfR8/s1600/istanbul-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrxcCcLCjB9Hu78-vlwHiJ0EJ5hk4dNIt8fv-DDwqfy1pVcqRaSBx0u1dzzAr9KOMGLobAJxe0PPOKhH0rTEZT_6N0ekoXYALC0uHcqbdg7E8f2Y6UidSn7KQaFpK6HFieRqyBV_SfR8/s400/istanbul-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgn1LEhtzKIOyCoJbP7Miiy3D80WJW3FzNG6TGIm1wJl32hcNnrVopIOas9cDPYvU6EEtQ0pH7ODhKoHInoEDVfqH7sjVa7MB0MholpqyNZN4teGtV7RNcWH5r936ULTuhP0Unoz85ww/s1600/istanbul-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgn1LEhtzKIOyCoJbP7Miiy3D80WJW3FzNG6TGIm1wJl32hcNnrVopIOas9cDPYvU6EEtQ0pH7ODhKoHInoEDVfqH7sjVa7MB0MholpqyNZN4teGtV7RNcWH5r936ULTuhP0Unoz85ww/s200/istanbul-31.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I then wandered through the streets around the bazaar; I found Turkish people really friendly and welcoming, and not once did I feel I was in any kind of danger. In the end, I decided to go to a Hamam (Turkish bath) - complete with a soap scrub by a very vigorously massaging attendant! I finished the evening in a cheap pasta restaurant, where I met a cool world traveller, who like me was writing a travel journal (spotted by the Lonely Planet guide - I guess it was useful after all!).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So Tuesday we decided to go visit the Istanbul Archaeology Museums together. We couldn't really find the entrance at the beginning, which made us get somewhat lost inside the Palace gardens - the perfect opportunity to appreciate the thousands of beautiful tulips all around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrv0J1JCoJQ47xFyki4orFjM1IgLRVWmntlclvWJ_486NISeGbN_Xs8cYXEp0UUo_Z3O6vMXXjJqjfCgi18PbWi0ZMCIT7z-x7zk95aO7ingtCBwZzeOX8vcOFfLctutTPdCGyi4mZIE/s1600/istanbul-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrv0J1JCoJQ47xFyki4orFjM1IgLRVWmntlclvWJ_486NISeGbN_Xs8cYXEp0UUo_Z3O6vMXXjJqjfCgi18PbWi0ZMCIT7z-x7zk95aO7ingtCBwZzeOX8vcOFfLctutTPdCGyi4mZIE/s320/istanbul-18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The museums are full of interesting items, but it somewhat feels like a mixed bag of items found a bit everywhere, from mummies to a bronze statue of Justinius, and even a really impressive and massive marble grave from the time of Alexander the Great.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcydKuvbAi5mYjvrJBu2l-DIglaa5Irb9Q0A7gwLOQoUekh45u__w5Yl3FrCO0tsg4VhcIjKFV3EcP40Oy0jrELocqg64p5r_QcilwN3BJMkqlqlo2HzLkXSQiScN58TAcDi5JnoZBg1c/s1600/istanbul-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcydKuvbAi5mYjvrJBu2l-DIglaa5Irb9Q0A7gwLOQoUekh45u__w5Yl3FrCO0tsg4VhcIjKFV3EcP40Oy0jrELocqg64p5r_QcilwN3BJMkqlqlo2HzLkXSQiScN58TAcDi5JnoZBg1c/s320/istanbul-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(who's the man? you're the man!)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwynFRBtjf9K08wQCSlj-tzfqOAAVUgvbT7Q5mewixO9TBtjdc7zshRX9b140fqmTKxVlPxJEUDQLcptARuCMPAE54WEhJ4-ziTS3yNWkODVbA4aZzgD54-8ZJA_LbAKz85e_drgFpphI/s1600/istanbul-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwynFRBtjf9K08wQCSlj-tzfqOAAVUgvbT7Q5mewixO9TBtjdc7zshRX9b140fqmTKxVlPxJEUDQLcptARuCMPAE54WEhJ4-ziTS3yNWkODVbA4aZzgD54-8ZJA_LbAKz85e_drgFpphI/s200/istanbul-20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There's hall after hall after hall of pots, bronze tools, statues, ceramic stamps (I love those), etc. Quite interesting, but a bit tiring in the end. The last museum was actually the most impressive, which was a pity, as after hours of archaeology, we were a bit fed up. Still, the tile expositions were really beautiful, and the massive panels that once adorned the Byzantine entry to the city were really amazing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhZlLYNrXCXDVIm8JlXGg78jCTHtRXOvKspIAxpApCzQ4t5DOnFEKhl_5uY-mJbo0smR8TtgDwL91GCVQgtX31x5x1X8fgpSFV-LNlg0FYNYcW2qu3umpHfSMbzMcNkxuExFvthuaOkM/s1600/istanbul-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhZlLYNrXCXDVIm8JlXGg78jCTHtRXOvKspIAxpApCzQ4t5DOnFEKhl_5uY-mJbo0smR8TtgDwL91GCVQgtX31x5x1X8fgpSFV-LNlg0FYNYcW2qu3umpHfSMbzMcNkxuExFvthuaOkM/s400/istanbul-21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After finding a cheap place for food, we wandered on foot around the smaller back streets, where we found tea for 50 Turkish cents (take that, LP!). After that we went up to the northern part of the city, where after taking the Tünnel funicular, we ended up strolling along the busy Istiklal Caddesi, before the rain forced us into yet another cafe, where we had a milkshake and finally went our ways. Hoşçakal! Let's keep in touch. (-:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wednesday was the first day of the conference, it was great to meet loads of friends from all over the world again. I spent the whole day there, so no visiting. In the evening there was an organised Bosphorus cruise though, which offered great views of the illuminated city and its two massive bridges crossing the Bosphorus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHtdXY50La-iS9SuwQMhfBJKP6c4rzaAUFIUrykpBg4CbcJtBwg8oOtTspZdcW1h0A0rr1p-E8CysJyaLmCt564_hreeEuYESI6213Deh2JVbQ7ax8FE8p-4DXgMHjVNpXZfR_IPSDuU/s1600/istanbul-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHtdXY50La-iS9SuwQMhfBJKP6c4rzaAUFIUrykpBg4CbcJtBwg8oOtTspZdcW1h0A0rr1p-E8CysJyaLmCt564_hreeEuYESI6213Deh2JVbQ7ax8FE8p-4DXgMHjVNpXZfR_IPSDuU/s400/istanbul-22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thursday was again spent at the conference. In the evening there was another social event programmed, the usual conference banquet, which took place on top of the Galata Tower.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_K-NjTOQDDauFJ1dDE-HILQYEh2cyD2VnRwC5KijQMWCBJlaror3l3BaNaWwz7fqtDxrvnhjxsaOpgJyqU7IwZ4fN-PgRZFnMORE-VZaRYdDGlQQG3vHUb82SCy3Zp3XKIl0a6CQHkYU/s1600/istanbul-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_K-NjTOQDDauFJ1dDE-HILQYEh2cyD2VnRwC5KijQMWCBJlaror3l3BaNaWwz7fqtDxrvnhjxsaOpgJyqU7IwZ4fN-PgRZFnMORE-VZaRYdDGlQQG3vHUb82SCy3Zp3XKIl0a6CQHkYU/s320/istanbul-23.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The food was great, and so were the views, but there was a great entertainment programme as well. Dervish dancers, knife throwing, and an incredible belly dancer that stunned everyone in the restaurant. The local organisers really did a lot for us, thank you so much!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fKKDeWXkNiuw5qzH57vI-TrpYOJs6ecoJyX0BpAkJgq2-vzwZtYbNlakAh-bynr7j3_rmo22dJ1UNAO8phbDf_iUkOzQ4Fu4WRw-9SdodHmPv09hG4zCRk9foIRGANdWCE6AYAjuC6c/s1600/istanbul-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fKKDeWXkNiuw5qzH57vI-TrpYOJs6ecoJyX0BpAkJgq2-vzwZtYbNlakAh-bynr7j3_rmo22dJ1UNAO8phbDf_iUkOzQ4Fu4WRw-9SdodHmPv09hG4zCRk9foIRGANdWCE6AYAjuC6c/s320/istanbul-24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhv_fmN9SyOrX19rMP15l5GY08OQwOx9LL6DmPNAYBxW33Tx8W_8_TQ9n6AQ1GgDAXrUgy2Xw3LqvNRQA1ZejrNMxq3f6sDgQS_310BnNoPAz98VabVJ-Y_pYd3EoMZ-0Pm8fcQxyneg/s1600/istanbul-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhv_fmN9SyOrX19rMP15l5GY08OQwOx9LL6DmPNAYBxW33Tx8W_8_TQ9n6AQ1GgDAXrUgy2Xw3LqvNRQA1ZejrNMxq3f6sDgQS_310BnNoPAz98VabVJ-Y_pYd3EoMZ-0Pm8fcQxyneg/s320/istanbul-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The view from the top of the tower was really nice, and I couldn't resist having a go at a long exposure shot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCrN1nhhq2qA1g9JlA9qq6BcjTldy5_4s2PFu92t9iT-a8UmpSyzVcPgreD_xcxHr-2eu4seYx-2_Qs4df453KZGXvwW_pXa49mibL12m1xT0ib-NIXfeL3y24sOe2On4pxbPw51fGYw/s1600/istanbul-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCrN1nhhq2qA1g9JlA9qq6BcjTldy5_4s2PFu92t9iT-a8UmpSyzVcPgreD_xcxHr-2eu4seYx-2_Qs4df453KZGXvwW_pXa49mibL12m1xT0ib-NIXfeL3y24sOe2On4pxbPw51fGYw/s400/istanbul-26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then I went out with the Irish lads, "just for the one", as usual. Of all places, we ended up in an Irish Pub!... I can't begin to explain you just how annoyed I was, after crossing the whole of Europe, ending up in an Irish Pub... Although, to be honest, it turned out to be a great choice. The owner (a Turk) was really pleased to have us around, and kept the bar open until 5:30am. There was a lot of beer and raki consumed in that bar... We ended up at 6am in a nargile bar, in the middle of Istanbul, smoking a sisha, the sun already dawning. What an experience - how often do you get to do that!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sleeping two hours before going for the last session of the conference is also quite an experience, although one I hope not to repeat many times! (-: That afternoon I still had time to go visit the Museum of Islamic Art; far from being impressive, it had nonetheless quite a collection of carpets, Koran boxes, and a magnificent bronze gate from an ancient mosque. I also got to wander around the old Byzantine Hippodrome area, with the beautiful Obelisk of Theodosius in the middle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8qnp7ZKixp-Bhhi6dhlyVgjxbopQT3UaKWJEO24WvZ5qfN5oiEkjLeaj9zgSoPX-2TS7m-xNMb3NZVHStm3y4YEbXQlLP4j4BYmO6EOM2usFp1Lzn4O084jZNdFYNl9PCmthXv8R2hY/s1600/istanbul-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8qnp7ZKixp-Bhhi6dhlyVgjxbopQT3UaKWJEO24WvZ5qfN5oiEkjLeaj9zgSoPX-2TS7m-xNMb3NZVHStm3y4YEbXQlLP4j4BYmO6EOM2usFp1Lzn4O084jZNdFYNl9PCmthXv8R2hY/s400/istanbul-27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That evening we had dinner in the Asian side, and a short night out, to try and recover some sleep!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last day was spent visiting Istanbul's top visitor attraction, the Topkapi Palace. Amazing and immense as it is (and it really was), I was far more impressed by Aya Sofya. Still, it's quite a palace; the succession of courtyards immaculately kept is amazing, and the items stored there are of amazing value, and well worth the endless queueing and "keep moving!" shouts. The treasury had some of the biggest gems I have ever seen, items of outstanding beauty; and perhaps even more impressive were the remains of St. John the Baptist hand and forearm, kept in a golden covering, and remains of the beard of the prophet Mohammed. The Harem, which requires an extra ticket, is also well worth the visit, having far less tourists around, and immaculately kept tiled rooms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxK-g9gSjyMBw4mF1ONQSgK6QfgIdL_jOtRtxPaz0N7qvowdJ1ukqvCLLZEzcJDxfPIJ5dPnbcXIubF7PzZWVtIwXqC8GLAUKdnVwXW-L_UkdzLqfQQ6HdrZTshsovWpR-vstVs5q-Nw/s1600/istanbul-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxK-g9gSjyMBw4mF1ONQSgK6QfgIdL_jOtRtxPaz0N7qvowdJ1ukqvCLLZEzcJDxfPIJ5dPnbcXIubF7PzZWVtIwXqC8GLAUKdnVwXW-L_UkdzLqfQQ6HdrZTshsovWpR-vstVs5q-Nw/s400/istanbul-29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That's it. That night we had dinner on a lovely restaurant, had a couple of drinks, and said our farewells. I was really pleased with this trip, far more than I expected at the start - it was hard to choose just a sample of photos to place here! Just a pity that I only got to see Istanbul, and only during 1 week. I'll have to come back one day!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLSFOD3y4jNw_iV-RxhWxkcZZwCbCjAc4zv5-bulb3ZygZ110Mq4MKJMQOgBlm8DWWMnf4B8Ok44Xfcb3Ionm3fcFtcpIm_cIVyqV6H6AkOqO8bHxkltdogd1REK-Z68q_Po1ZIR-tV4/s1600/istanbul-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLSFOD3y4jNw_iV-RxhWxkcZZwCbCjAc4zv5-bulb3ZygZ110Mq4MKJMQOgBlm8DWWMnf4B8Ok44Xfcb3Ionm3fcFtcpIm_cIVyqV6H6AkOqO8bHxkltdogd1REK-Z68q_Po1ZIR-tV4/s400/istanbul-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(busy Istiklal Caddesi at the end of the day)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-13413783836540186942010-03-17T23:59:00.000+01:002010-04-14T00:25:34.417+02:00Paddy's 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsLzadwPPcwpd2GNzBq1G2m_vK1bn92k_GeAbI_z1KQNTQuRkewKk9txZc1FMUMWToGPDY4hyphenhyphenG_BO644KYgXm14zIIrk7uO_R7Gu5J33K1ywW4qopzpUwz8zdEVu9r5JiaCAZQOKUXQc/s1600/paddys-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsLzadwPPcwpd2GNzBq1G2m_vK1bn92k_GeAbI_z1KQNTQuRkewKk9txZc1FMUMWToGPDY4hyphenhyphenG_BO644KYgXm14zIIrk7uO_R7Gu5J33K1ywW4qopzpUwz8zdEVu9r5JiaCAZQOKUXQc/s200/paddys-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> Estando de volta à Irlanda, e desta vez a morar em Dublin, não pude deixar de ir festejar o St. Patricks nas ruas da capital. Apesar de já ter visto o desfile bastantes vezes, é sempre uma boa ocasião para sair de casa, e aproveitar o bom ambiente que se instala na cidade.<br />
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Armado com boa companhia, fui ver o desfile, desta vez mais longe da O'Connell street, o que tornou bastante mais fácil ver alguma coisa! O desfile (como habitualmente) é engraçado sem ser necessariamente espetacular; o mais interessante é a alegria e a dedicação com que os participantes contribuem. Aqui ficam alguns dos que gostei mais.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rrAtDniied8Ls9z4pGJiB939Sk3V572g-Ug1ctoy-PtVIswTkiqz5p60o2sKhyphenhyphenPzT1zeCifoKnFcDaSnygkMZKSjvBedG_i_J_3yDmOmK5g4mM4RbBSV80XUzHB3dVYWA9q9JXhZT2w/s1600/paddys-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rrAtDniied8Ls9z4pGJiB939Sk3V572g-Ug1ctoy-PtVIswTkiqz5p60o2sKhyphenhyphenPzT1zeCifoKnFcDaSnygkMZKSjvBedG_i_J_3yDmOmK5g4mM4RbBSV80XUzHB3dVYWA9q9JXhZT2w/s320/paddys-2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14BRGjtU1UL7_4Tw5_NGiNTi0BRiDCE4jnV0lnvCqGWy4CfG_tgPRN0K86H_iiQrmOJK7qk_R3c7ZFARoismP72SUfZ1EKpW60I8_MdyTi1E3OBuVTCoxAI2v1e6VQGQbts6Iv_44HGg/s1600/paddys-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14BRGjtU1UL7_4Tw5_NGiNTi0BRiDCE4jnV0lnvCqGWy4CfG_tgPRN0K86H_iiQrmOJK7qk_R3c7ZFARoismP72SUfZ1EKpW60I8_MdyTi1E3OBuVTCoxAI2v1e6VQGQbts6Iv_44HGg/s320/paddys-3.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErzDQb3x6YXudM75Nv5h97mWKaItlwxJU7N1aBmVA1iKiYygJnlb4RQnpo7XKgt-PLkNCXyExfL51UWfAHEYlB6mhvu3ela-V04NYMAYN5Gz7C8g1cKgp8tLgV3f6pMQ4fLieWb4gEFw/s1600/paddys-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErzDQb3x6YXudM75Nv5h97mWKaItlwxJU7N1aBmVA1iKiYygJnlb4RQnpo7XKgt-PLkNCXyExfL51UWfAHEYlB6mhvu3ela-V04NYMAYN5Gz7C8g1cKgp8tLgV3f6pMQ4fLieWb4gEFw/s320/paddys-4.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_brWjSq0tiISxFwzcHWojxOhqXEDW2W3FgUV5Mp2byVNZqM4hOifMgKzPw7L6KZHj0jRmWt8vTa0ElcqDSRFqEkXgbGGzjpMo7m6A-W1GSGtAEuuTyVFJhqAqJLk3SJuhOI_3XkLSLio/s1600/paddys-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_brWjSq0tiISxFwzcHWojxOhqXEDW2W3FgUV5Mp2byVNZqM4hOifMgKzPw7L6KZHj0jRmWt8vTa0ElcqDSRFqEkXgbGGzjpMo7m6A-W1GSGtAEuuTyVFJhqAqJLk3SJuhOI_3XkLSLio/s320/paddys-5.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6BI89-LPmnwzUafAhUwzKZzZ6ue41TMz8ecgJsfy9jgXUkufMKu8KYTfSrXijSrNd0PUUQovJC1QxUDSs84Fo_F2RNTIdND1zGX2ohCCJqZFhkg9bXPF9NOwJQ0Jo7I6vAr_HlD6YuE/s1600/paddys-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6BI89-LPmnwzUafAhUwzKZzZ6ue41TMz8ecgJsfy9jgXUkufMKu8KYTfSrXijSrNd0PUUQovJC1QxUDSs84Fo_F2RNTIdND1zGX2ohCCJqZFhkg9bXPF9NOwJQ0Jo7I6vAr_HlD6YuE/s320/paddys-6.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUpfoDrE-ENOarEWqNV3FMgHv0ZfPDxTd-aYooCotefcIJd5K4OG0lKW3UJfnYrlN0mBrNA3v5ODTW_WLKWVJwGflg9P5qiZiJq6DdOSLBHE26EMNeXhiweTb_siKNmGCTdcTPnE3-jE/s1600/paddys-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUpfoDrE-ENOarEWqNV3FMgHv0ZfPDxTd-aYooCotefcIJd5K4OG0lKW3UJfnYrlN0mBrNA3v5ODTW_WLKWVJwGflg9P5qiZiJq6DdOSLBHE26EMNeXhiweTb_siKNmGCTdcTPnE3-jE/s320/paddys-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq5Mn14vBxUm0ID_jLn0nY4xnuUyTSZ2a03SNlfEMNclXZ0pMXGsrRTMKo2jBOIwNw8s7SJ0wb-FarpsZNxFPl5Ww_A5t01KRd5OD1vyGP40LFy8At0Rp7X5hz8QqLY557EDCdnFX4qI/s1600/paddys-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq5Mn14vBxUm0ID_jLn0nY4xnuUyTSZ2a03SNlfEMNclXZ0pMXGsrRTMKo2jBOIwNw8s7SJ0wb-FarpsZNxFPl5Ww_A5t01KRd5OD1vyGP40LFy8At0Rp7X5hz8QqLY557EDCdnFX4qI/s320/paddys-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Toda a gente se veste de verde, nem que seja um shamrock na bochecha. Claro que se bebe com fartura, e quanto mais o tempo vai passando, mais gente se vai vendo a andar aos ziguezagues. Nós depois do desfile conseguimos arranjar um restaurante para almoçar, depois fomos beber umas quantas com o meu amigo Dan, e à noite voltámos para Temple Bar, zona que estava completamente engarrafada de gente (literalmente). Para evitar encontrões e possíveis desacatos, jantámos num restaurante um pouco mais longe. Para o ano há mais!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILkQjjvXRGnNf1a-z8Lv-2mtG4Z9M3gExoBF3wd4wgvnsZtew3kp2Ha94Q5omoFyvIBY3A6Y6j9L1Y6SsH2AKbpNobJFJUsA_JH3OVhm_xud9-LLMMr-74hKvfeBmPqlS05zk4js3zHc/s1600/paddys-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILkQjjvXRGnNf1a-z8Lv-2mtG4Z9M3gExoBF3wd4wgvnsZtew3kp2Ha94Q5omoFyvIBY3A6Y6j9L1Y6SsH2AKbpNobJFJUsA_JH3OVhm_xud9-LLMMr-74hKvfeBmPqlS05zk4js3zHc/s400/paddys-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-88671022032325721412010-03-15T22:00:00.024+01:002010-04-03T02:27:29.625+02:00Chronicle of a Paris-Dublin move<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLf96cZc0DgsCaAsjDsed3KE7F4PosCgLKo6-BB1siRMflmLEwjUrQ9ssAnNvgNEUBQDQc8ZnzP-BctpDEuqIyZQJi0_u0bXiOuFAvUPoW7G4S_auRL2-iHWF3PKvoPvDWvwq7fg993c/s1600/moving-1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLf96cZc0DgsCaAsjDsed3KE7F4PosCgLKo6-BB1siRMflmLEwjUrQ9ssAnNvgNEUBQDQc8ZnzP-BctpDEuqIyZQJi0_u0bXiOuFAvUPoW7G4S_auRL2-iHWF3PKvoPvDWvwq7fg993c/s200/moving-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454579554296976482" border="0" /></a>I move a lot. I first left my home country to go live in a foreign country almost 16 years ago, so that's practically half of my life living in different countries across Western Europe.<div>This is not the far more typical 2 or 3 month living abroad scenario; I never lived less than 3 years in any one country. So each place where I land, becomes my real home for a few years. And amongst the practicalities that come with it (learn the language, meet new people, deal with the (sometimes insane) bureaucracy, etc), the one that always seems the hardest job is moving.</div><div><br /></div><div>I carry pretty much all the stuff I own with me. So that's all my clothing, shoes, bedding, pillows, towels, blankets, books, dishes, cutlery, glasses, pots, plants, rug, computer, speakers, printer, CDs, gadgets, tools, coffee table, shelves, lamps, guitars, amplifier, electric piano, motorbike(!)... The list goes on. Sure, a lot of these are not essential, but if you're going to live in a place anywhere between 3 and 7 years, you really want to make it a home; that means carrying a lot of personal items. So that leaves you two choices - pay a fortune every time you move (my kind of job doesn't pay that well, and certainly doesn't pay for relocation expenses), or rent a big van and do it all yourself. I like to think that I'm self-sufficient, and therefore always choose the latter option.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moving the contents of a small flat on your own is always a daunting task, but when moving overseas (from Paris to Dublin, in this case) the planning must be spot on. For example, you can't rent a van in France and drop it in Ireland - you need to drive it back. So my plan was the following:</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Wednesday</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Rent a van in Dublin; with 55 volumes to carry (some big, like the motorbike!, some small, like a toolbox), I needed some space, so I rented a van with 10 cubic mt. cargo space, from "Irish Van Rentals".</span></b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lT5LgYoS9Qj_086VTE8ZCfNwm3iGhbI4-HWiRZQPBaSY74vAb4pAFTk4ypjIbyEVNpF0xYc0i4O2zX2syPo6qwTM1FEj1HKz1FMbcrCSBS33aCViCz8jE1-uXQphSppjT2XzQY2KC4o/s1600/moving-2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lT5LgYoS9Qj_086VTE8ZCfNwm3iGhbI4-HWiRZQPBaSY74vAb4pAFTk4ypjIbyEVNpF0xYc0i4O2zX2syPo6qwTM1FEj1HKz1FMbcrCSBS33aCViCz8jE1-uXQphSppjT2XzQY2KC4o/s320/moving-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455692222306089234" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_SMDzTW1Rg2S6OX3EJNaToDm_Qzc-NnmuwdWQWsIAk2JYTXR-hbaenK1nqqz-l3HTxy9KHpP-VHtYdG8p9koAeywe9oeADn38LG2FYzcOZtQ2R250e89j-J_gHda6GWWNeUSfoEGKlM/s200/moving-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454578582759176242" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" /></span><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Drive it to Rosslare (170Km), to get the evening ferry. I made sure that I left Dublin with plenty of time to spare - if I were to miss the ferry departure, the whole plan would fail! Being a fairly short distance, though, and having an empty van, I gave myself 1 extra hour for the trip. I did get a bit of late rush traffic leaving Dublin, but thankfully it wasn't too bad, so I still got to Rosslare with 1/2 hour to spare.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">With nearly 19 hours of sailing ahead, it was time to just chill and enjoy the crossing!</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-BTsxHzR7J9PAxOuVVJZi0DC1xC6r33sE6681GDP0iX8lrPlIP-not-CnerxE7K54xS_wGPMbzoytd6BgASWibnuAnZGg9E5_a-YODvMIIwx72XjZomWfg4pnyDTqhF9Sxvpbyi9RbY/s1600/moving-3.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-BTsxHzR7J9PAxOuVVJZi0DC1xC6r33sE6681GDP0iX8lrPlIP-not-CnerxE7K54xS_wGPMbzoytd6BgASWibnuAnZGg9E5_a-YODvMIIwx72XjZomWfg4pnyDTqhF9Sxvpbyi9RbY/s320/moving-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454579339803494594" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a></div></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thursday</b></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdrkKNIt2MBezA-t8OGqZXfUUwztA_Mx-UbY1L-osSppDvAX1IUvIrJ6k3SNSggLQUeNcKpDgFWauVw2XA8Rcp-zE74_jmUEq9xrphv9MwX3Vjkk_XDWLVHa8aY2pKWSJPXpnMl61JLQ/s200/moving-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454578916370966674" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" /></span><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Drive from Cherbourg in Normandy to Paris (360Km). The ferry arrives pretty late to Cherbourg, so I arrived to Paris at 2230. Driving a big van to Paris is always an adventure, and this being a right hand drive, the thrill was there for the taking! Thankfully, the road is pretty much one long motorway between Cherbourg and Paris, and I chose to arrive late in Paris, to avoid the maddening rush-hour traffic.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Friday</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Free day to deal with all remaining bureaucratic annoyances, and to spend some time with most of my friends in Paris. Having to deal with banks, I had to make sure they'd be open! So that meant making sure that my free day in Paris wouldn't be a Saturday, Sunday, or MONDAY; I nearly fell for that last one. All in all, I did 100Km on the bike all over Paris... it felt great though, one last go at zigzagging around Paris traffic, I'll definitely miss that!</span></b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Saturday</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Load up the van in the morning. I was a bit unsure as to how much space would my stuff really need, and whether I would be able to get the motorbike in the van with all the boxes. Thankfully, my calculations were correct, and with the help of two great friends, we loaded it all in no time.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZmFb5UsNCmnWGosbWmIg_2uF4ChU3sPglLXN0CA252w3G0u5qCyHPoE-W_p-DuDOIzTZmNd9cDnKqJc3B5rA-f0Qm2ru5Fn1cG2PUYa5esY4ue3DgEGiyxs0sOwwXcvt4OIbMZ1Wg78/s1600/moving-7.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZmFb5UsNCmnWGosbWmIg_2uF4ChU3sPglLXN0CA252w3G0u5qCyHPoE-W_p-DuDOIzTZmNd9cDnKqJc3B5rA-f0Qm2ru5Fn1cG2PUYa5esY4ue3DgEGiyxs0sOwwXcvt4OIbMZ1Wg78/s200/moving-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454578792939898226" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Z6RVQ9Qyuayw4bBn4_tCe9tCSsBON2WVesm7EsRQ2g_uXL_mdRX6Z43IC-_NasJFORhUO69slXIm2bLzxLkJ9AMfNhkiSjXXGZXBGdjbA5DG_moz4SwuTdnjMFi930kwW1CSmCScHw/s1600/moving-8.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Z6RVQ9Qyuayw4bBn4_tCe9tCSsBON2WVesm7EsRQ2g_uXL_mdRX6Z43IC-_NasJFORhUO69slXIm2bLzxLkJ9AMfNhkiSjXXGZXBGdjbA5DG_moz4SwuTdnjMFi930kwW1CSmCScHw/s200/moving-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454578712660929218" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I left Paris around midday. I had to make sure I left plenty of time for the return trip - if anything goes wrong, that's a late arrival to Cherbourg, and a missed ferry; that in turn means waiting 3 days for the next sailing, IF there's a place, and buying a new ticket, and paying for an extra 3 days of van rental; not to mention rushing with a van filled with everything I own! That's a lot of domino effect costs that I wanted to avoid. So - leave Paris much earlier than needed, and no stops until Cherbourg, where I arrived with 2h to spend. I could get some petrol, a lovely dinner by the sea side (cheaper and far better than the boat food), and even a late dash to Monoprix to stock up on French goodies.<br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyh0FsaorgrA1UCwy_vAxfmfdB7VEiO-rgcUKgqNgyvenSdxMJjutzIir_ct85NMcVhElkzRV3eB3bohYIflTF_5Igg2WJvq00it2hRIcPxkN-aZVFcUkuiLwVtIYup6rlrWgnH5lFPE/s320/moving-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454579036914914322" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>As this was winter, there are no big summer sales and promotions for the ferry tickets, and you're forced to pay extra for a cabin. Cost aside, that turned out to be a great idea; I was able to have some rest between the two big drives.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLrpW-kuoVrhfajKroBmgC-3aWIiqIqXI_QPrKLWG1Rtq1857bKd9QE30mK8OX6GSPxFoUkNzS2-x9pPQToUz0Qr0qBiahgNlUPNDxLx0TLb3T9JRjkDvLQrDETtfxXkN8xaAud3l7Cs/s320/moving-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454579154434532418" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Sunday</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Drive back to Dublin, where I arrived in the evening. I managed to get a few good friends to help carry all boxes up to the apartment - I wouldn't want to do 55 travels up and down the stairs to the second floor, not to mention unloading the motorbike on my own!</div><div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sgaQuKpWifCkPX2t77xxyuFWGrBLprTpRWch9vyDrmyXDTrmRo-wbFCW5nB0j-v-ou36jZVI-iE2AMpXxflm7kG9WgsD6aaVjH1VhbFcVuLnY7KGVL32HkAqr_MA_RdnDKD_2PbGq1A/s320/moving-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454578002322936466" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><b>Monday</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Return the van in the morning. Total distance was 1082Km, and the costs were as follows:</div><div><ul><li>Van rental: 32€/day, plus 35% extra for taking it abroad (56€), plus insurance at 42€/day, plus VAT (45€), plus compulsory AA insurance for continental Europe (80€);<br /></li><li>Ferry ticket: 284€ return (including cabins);<br /></li><li>Petrol: 132€</li><li>Motorway toll (in France): 42€ (21€*2)<br /></li></ul></div><div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMVLwqCS826FF5hPvEBrknoUuv5VspU93EkD2njg_IQJ3PYKxIGPU79hszJf70QyUgtUxNLgfvMa-Ns_oUPOHLc9BtzQ68g_OGZsziP_NSilgVj5IfSDiXjYHpQlPjmeeqQJ9EvoJLhk/s1600/moving-13.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMVLwqCS826FF5hPvEBrknoUuv5VspU93EkD2njg_IQJ3PYKxIGPU79hszJf70QyUgtUxNLgfvMa-Ns_oUPOHLc9BtzQ68g_OGZsziP_NSilgVj5IfSDiXjYHpQlPjmeeqQJ9EvoJLhk/s200/moving-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454577241622463314" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" /></a><div>So the grand total was 1009 euros. That's a lot of money... but basically half of the cheapest quote I got from moving agencies! Plus it was a great trip, and a nice opportunity to go back to Paris, and see my old friends there. And finally, although I feel I still own far too much stuff (got rid of quite a bit after the move, out of "post-move radical sorting"!), I still feel self-sufficient. I'll probably do it all over again in 1 or 2 years!</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTuriXGyPWF_FXq79HacWu1QyoiaxscDqcZsnPmnGfTy8sZE-xnU8YcX-Y6lNYImzGAayIoEwp5P_ojefhU1wMZKdDdzaKNDILqyWCwPkrXKD0JMZ8NDZexRsPcg3h3DXzTt0lqo_k10/s1600/moving-10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTuriXGyPWF_FXq79HacWu1QyoiaxscDqcZsnPmnGfTy8sZE-xnU8YcX-Y6lNYImzGAayIoEwp5P_ojefhU1wMZKdDdzaKNDILqyWCwPkrXKD0JMZ8NDZexRsPcg3h3DXzTt0lqo_k10/s400/moving-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455692346810772914" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_82ZT79i5K8A/S7KN-caotoI/AAAAAAAABGQ/7lt0AjML_D4/s1600/moving-10.jpg"><br /></a></div></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-53151731737344599312010-02-13T00:03:00.003+01:002010-02-13T00:14:05.500+01:00Lisbon is disgustingPois é, foi uma excelente ideia associar o nome de Lisboa a um tratado com o qual quase meia Europa não concorda.<div>Aqui em Dublin existe uma campanha contra o lixo, com cartazes que dizem "Litter is disgusting, so are those responsible". Não faltou muito para alguém ter a brilhante ideia de substituir o lixo por "Lisbon" na maior parte dos cartazes. De longe até parece que é o original, e nacionalismos à parte, é um bocado chato.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxSIbeGlfhn71oBN6OkpI2vjhlAC69AyxTnGNHUVJQm4sEUiZmJ3ZCN6eyMaNB9qStfOoo2Q-qP1f-hjzmxrfmWOMh4mlNxBEIhg7oS2S4QVbnayC8WiVAEkDWhXDw-ZYD9iCb2rlxeA/s1600-h/Lisbon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxSIbeGlfhn71oBN6OkpI2vjhlAC69AyxTnGNHUVJQm4sEUiZmJ3ZCN6eyMaNB9qStfOoo2Q-qP1f-hjzmxrfmWOMh4mlNxBEIhg7oS2S4QVbnayC8WiVAEkDWhXDw-ZYD9iCb2rlxeA/s400/Lisbon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437498161165134338" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-56320788285263765432009-12-18T23:26:00.001+01:002010-01-24T21:01:12.351+01:00La forêt d'OrsayPendant mes années à Paris, j'ai fait tous les jours le trajet avec le RER jusqu'à Orsay, pour aller travailler. Le campus est vraiment beau, et la neige de cet hiver m'a permis de prendre les belles photos, en comparaison avec celles prises en automne (toujours la plus belle des saisons). Mon but était de faire les 4 saisons, mais c'est bien trop tard pour ça! Voici donc une photo de l'entrée du campus, en hiver et en automne, et de même pour l'escalier qui mène au LRI.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtitXxupID-Bkwj0OPWpvx3TXLVgG1ITuWErjNDokEDhkpwnjaXdQCc61nfShBX1W1KtTzO-BQLSZHGlh2n3ux8AwrMzGlYXsBAbRVvvmhXDgOzRzThaE0zzexiereuQTACowzBZ_oM38/s1600-h/frontWinter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtitXxupID-Bkwj0OPWpvx3TXLVgG1ITuWErjNDokEDhkpwnjaXdQCc61nfShBX1W1KtTzO-BQLSZHGlh2n3ux8AwrMzGlYXsBAbRVvvmhXDgOzRzThaE0zzexiereuQTACowzBZ_oM38/s400/frontWinter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417464296770540642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxzj_jel3SM9O7WjxsTOIGEnoeCWMe-zaLZgKZ5seZwHYfoCdjSFf-f2fl0P244je-gADw4laBuGwLahXethK5z9j8DlDspDP29Tna86P1RpKTTnaPQNURgURA77afDcEM4rWXTGVFuU/s1600-h/frontAutumn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxzj_jel3SM9O7WjxsTOIGEnoeCWMe-zaLZgKZ5seZwHYfoCdjSFf-f2fl0P244je-gADw4laBuGwLahXethK5z9j8DlDspDP29Tna86P1RpKTTnaPQNURgURA77afDcEM4rWXTGVFuU/s400/frontAutumn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417464290117809874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIu4oSLdwvkit-doF1G3CUo9CtfOF-B8ngcgE6eQhTMd8UWO3-OhOMa4e6sqn0MN3nIpPsssoxIf24Ucth8M2-M_4F221ypnBXWo9Yw3zqpD4Jzr2SfzucIlbmYr1NwDCB7J8tOtx3sI/s1600-h/stairsWinter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIu4oSLdwvkit-doF1G3CUo9CtfOF-B8ngcgE6eQhTMd8UWO3-OhOMa4e6sqn0MN3nIpPsssoxIf24Ucth8M2-M_4F221ypnBXWo9Yw3zqpD4Jzr2SfzucIlbmYr1NwDCB7J8tOtx3sI/s400/stairsWinter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417464284177233682" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaX8h_IC4BDwG5eb014NnXFqchQD9IS5TLkiBCwtsz3zM2LDlJ3-AIAI_MDZlI3i08qAh-oT9bMg8tjd_kGj4RuBgBp7Y2wyGiIidMW-eeycsVqt8RAw5ld9v9jBUr9ESpKD3QftYxpk/s1600-h/stairsAutumn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaX8h_IC4BDwG5eb014NnXFqchQD9IS5TLkiBCwtsz3zM2LDlJ3-AIAI_MDZlI3i08qAh-oT9bMg8tjd_kGj4RuBgBp7Y2wyGiIidMW-eeycsVqt8RAw5ld9v9jBUr9ESpKD3QftYxpk/s400/stairsAutumn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417464281438190642" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-56948902273227735322009-12-17T23:00:00.000+01:002009-12-20T02:11:04.702+01:00Спутник сегодня днёмМного снега в Париже! (-:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv3coqRKOL9mywlPcHiymJnvnHFGaUyRA4ZON2UKBDsthpzrilAQMHRwrChbUfEZeJuXIwydlxsmqOaSP67ExJX5n6xk7NwxMlZGMOXqf5n6JkxqoVg8BAukveLJ5VpNT7fI4QrwZ3ko/s1600-h/sputnikSnow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv3coqRKOL9mywlPcHiymJnvnHFGaUyRA4ZON2UKBDsthpzrilAQMHRwrChbUfEZeJuXIwydlxsmqOaSP67ExJX5n6xk7NwxMlZGMOXqf5n6JkxqoVg8BAukveLJ5VpNT7fI4QrwZ3ko/s400/sputnikSnow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417119323186032994" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-4768487142551217602009-12-13T20:00:00.005+01:002010-01-10T19:08:05.245+01:00Rollers & coquillages<div style="text-align: justify;">No final de Agosto, depois da segunda operação à perna (para retirar a placa lá metida por causa do acidente na Córsega), decidi comprar um par de skates, para fortalecer as pernas. Além disso, era um sonho de miúdo, e com a minha sobrinha a aprender a patinar agora, quero ser capaz de lhe fazer companhia. (-:<br /><br />Após 3 meses de treino em frente a casa e mais tarde em parques de estacionamento, senti-me pronto para fazer um dos famosos passeios semanais organizados em Paris. Os chamados "Rollers & coquillages" são dois passeios por semana, um aos Domingos para os iniciantes, e outro nas Sextas à noite para os "profissionais".<br /><br />Claro que escolhi o passeio do Domingo. Lá me encontrei então com a minha amiga Anne, em frente à opera da Bastille, com uma temperatura exterior de 1 grau! Normalmente costuma haver muita gente a fazer estes passeios, especialmente durante o verão. O record é de 29000 pessoas! Mas com um frio destes, éramos muitos menos. Mesmo assim, pareceu-me bastante gente:<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Dmjnh1DDbRGDdDhoDA2NfHuJhgRF3YgrbQZ6GNN6UAWO8F2FLxV-72vL8aYDciJKmbDK5P1e55k5lsMvsgcRZ37kFzBPrQxADF5dKr7WVkW8NVE06sF6-33MMDgH4V509SLF4FiMkKg/s1600-h/roller01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Dmjnh1DDbRGDdDhoDA2NfHuJhgRF3YgrbQZ6GNN6UAWO8F2FLxV-72vL8aYDciJKmbDK5P1e55k5lsMvsgcRZ37kFzBPrQxADF5dKr7WVkW8NVE06sF6-33MMDgH4V509SLF4FiMkKg/s320/roller01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417462694433974594" border="0" /></a><br />O passeio foi bem agradável. Não é todos os dias que se pode andar de patins pelas ruas de Paris! A circulação é parada para podermos passar, e temos escolta de polícias em patins, e de ambulâncias à retaguarda (nunca se sabe). Passámos pelo Quartier Latin, pela Ilha de St. Louis, pelo Marais (incluindo ruas em calçada que são MUITO difíceis de patins!), até chegarmos à place de l'Opéra, onde tivemos direito a uma pausa, com chocolate quente e um croissant gratuitos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47Tx77v4y8BZqZ2Jd8dkaa6oKXHrGVFC5Urf1G_BSBRtT5O2MUun1NrvG6yuoXQ8F7B6Oj9ddO2uXOf7yH8jAhkzzXSoBnOi9vykfhbfSLDyzaJg8bQj8HnBILJBlYIvrLAD1VyGpZVo/s1600-h/roller02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47Tx77v4y8BZqZ2Jd8dkaa6oKXHrGVFC5Urf1G_BSBRtT5O2MUun1NrvG6yuoXQ8F7B6Oj9ddO2uXOf7yH8jAhkzzXSoBnOi9vykfhbfSLDyzaJg8bQj8HnBILJBlYIvrLAD1VyGpZVo/s320/roller02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417462693124817922" border="0" /></a><br />A segunda parte foi tão boa como a primeira, mas com um percurso de 22km, as pernas já começavam a queixar-se, especialmente depois da subida até ao cemitério do Père Lachaise. Normalmente costumam haver bastantes crianças também a fazer o percurso, pelo que o ritmo é lento. Mas com o frio, só lá estava gente que sabe andar bem de patins, pelo que não tive escolha, foi sempre à pressa! Mas uma coisa é certa, não tivemos frio nenhum.<br /><br />Lá cheguei de volta à Bastille passadas 3 horas, bastante contente de ter feito mais uma das muitas coisas que quero fazer em Paris antes de voltar para a Irlanda.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjektqa4ets886c6pdFOJGlIi5Rkyg5qFHlzfpfhFUan_-CXg7RFxded_X2TGTo4w-CubYsbgTtUJRXk4vtbYwQgCShwtDrJ8CfenhsB54-RiJLhvRQhLAQW0G9snp9xuWA1_CjTqq8KBM/s1600-h/roller03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjektqa4ets886c6pdFOJGlIi5Rkyg5qFHlzfpfhFUan_-CXg7RFxded_X2TGTo4w-CubYsbgTtUJRXk4vtbYwQgCShwtDrJ8CfenhsB54-RiJLhvRQhLAQW0G9snp9xuWA1_CjTqq8KBM/s320/roller03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417462682663590674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBPw39pl4OxjGHXaU5OfE8pbk0JLPBgSNf_iP92N9XTe-sExg-G5uCO0SVNn_BAAc9ls4OwGdOyC-z5feNASnpRnUdhLxKf01U_G-hEkJxjVSxgV1ypaLIcG3gDqHxqH8LxVAKBolj64/s1600-h/roller04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBPw39pl4OxjGHXaU5OfE8pbk0JLPBgSNf_iP92N9XTe-sExg-G5uCO0SVNn_BAAc9ls4OwGdOyC-z5feNASnpRnUdhLxKf01U_G-hEkJxjVSxgV1ypaLIcG3gDqHxqH8LxVAKBolj64/s320/roller04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417462680670788034" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-75701039693996595072009-12-05T22:40:00.002+01:002009-12-20T23:35:03.957+01:00The new Eiffel tower showThe Eiffel tower is 120 years old. To commemorate this fact, there's a new light show going on, at the usual hourly times (between 8pm and 11pm), until the end of December 2009.<br /><br />It all starts rather familiarly, with the traditional golden light being sprinkled with scintillating white lights on the hour.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0llvsNJACVNivhGezeB4mLgqaN55WLOmRwo55GIq3Ukipnv0iHaIEAUUgGLmAC2mZxKtjhk_LmdKpblraSkW9EBRPZXhlwvVqn10uqt3SzXoAApY3B32d6ZpBV5_oprcfoUiX-WfHAY/s1600-h/eiffel-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0llvsNJACVNivhGezeB4mLgqaN55WLOmRwo55GIq3Ukipnv0iHaIEAUUgGLmAC2mZxKtjhk_LmdKpblraSkW9EBRPZXhlwvVqn10uqt3SzXoAApY3B32d6ZpBV5_oprcfoUiX-WfHAY/s400/eiffel-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449821096462130" border="0" /></a><br />Soon the new show starts, however. First the golden light goes off, leaving the tower scintillating in the dark.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_KHqhwedLvf1c085_o9gP-o0WYZSHILKUHn774Z4_VpgG0E7emb3gd6_fpckDTdyVIc28ClIuukPVbHcXgSK-ttPZSDd8NnPlF7a3LOj1AvEAhtxm9oVtRdbAnE3BOlgtxA6f57rdmM/s1600-h/eiffel-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_KHqhwedLvf1c085_o9gP-o0WYZSHILKUHn774Z4_VpgG0E7emb3gd6_fpckDTdyVIc28ClIuukPVbHcXgSK-ttPZSDd8NnPlF7a3LOj1AvEAhtxm9oVtRdbAnE3BOlgtxA6f57rdmM/s400/eiffel-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449812215125986" border="0" /></a><br />That is followed by a fantastic show of ever changing colours, gradients, strobing rainbows... The photos don't really do the show any justice, you have to see it while you still can.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V6O4ufEGA34LpK6dqeDs2PaNZvNP5Nnx3Drw0D9gY9tf83Pc7K42cZ1r4h090cRbM5B9QY7WEOURhiuPz1z96d3e20VosaR6B0Dug5nVDp4jZ_K2eNSz7HZJXc94XcZU3DXOGEfUr0Y/s1600-h/eiffel-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V6O4ufEGA34LpK6dqeDs2PaNZvNP5Nnx3Drw0D9gY9tf83Pc7K42cZ1r4h090cRbM5B9QY7WEOURhiuPz1z96d3e20VosaR6B0Dug5nVDp4jZ_K2eNSz7HZJXc94XcZU3DXOGEfUr0Y/s400/eiffel-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449808825765570" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLHzFPczj64s65lBGwEGgdsQy-knBS0-ljpp0N3cpoiga0MRD36fVvL-irdxht1b6hHRu9be57sguHRDgV0kryIfEOVnD2HZLGiPYr4DStNXO-t0jwdjT-5zSzSd0JDjHJI2_v7874ao/s1600-h/eiffel-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLHzFPczj64s65lBGwEGgdsQy-knBS0-ljpp0N3cpoiga0MRD36fVvL-irdxht1b6hHRu9be57sguHRDgV0kryIfEOVnD2HZLGiPYr4DStNXO-t0jwdjT-5zSzSd0JDjHJI2_v7874ao/s400/eiffel-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449801509338594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVXvso94kIrgAi1y9NuwaAt5JD1IfqaL9ne8kL99iDx5aPed7XmDK5KF6U48z7sFl8VSEKhuT-IovzqSqaO2CNtY9ja-zwC7EQnTJ8nvjF0docLyAmqw9dvyWuVo8Qh7ITL31Ha2sTrU/s1600-h/eiffel-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVXvso94kIrgAi1y9NuwaAt5JD1IfqaL9ne8kL99iDx5aPed7XmDK5KF6U48z7sFl8VSEKhuT-IovzqSqaO2CNtY9ja-zwC7EQnTJ8nvjF0docLyAmqw9dvyWuVo8Qh7ITL31Ha2sTrU/s400/eiffel-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417447142345710450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k-1stvp56wh9MyNSTR74yXHVbuzsx0uwv_xUX3iKsnwoEkKVgfnuQqHc0DW2p-p4YfR1380gKcbLn7ZFkYJXow56acuOpRGuXzSzbgzbQ_b_9XHWAlUjfCLSobBSJiVF6H7msJppSfg/s1600-h/eiffel-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k-1stvp56wh9MyNSTR74yXHVbuzsx0uwv_xUX3iKsnwoEkKVgfnuQqHc0DW2p-p4YfR1380gKcbLn7ZFkYJXow56acuOpRGuXzSzbgzbQ_b_9XHWAlUjfCLSobBSJiVF6H7msJppSfg/s400/eiffel-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417447138354428050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YfMKJowJ7xsJ4XJqpaAMOT_1-Nx29QDUj8M5BmfzcFhzknTTicybhYJzVYDmIDHTw1TtpLDHR_YSsKgwf2dxVqo9Kx4wju4qGhz7qE0f5DmJdV7uUJz0PK7aOZ3bjMhxWG6rqSaACGo/s1600-h/eiffel-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YfMKJowJ7xsJ4XJqpaAMOT_1-Nx29QDUj8M5BmfzcFhzknTTicybhYJzVYDmIDHTw1TtpLDHR_YSsKgwf2dxVqo9Kx4wju4qGhz7qE0f5DmJdV7uUJz0PK7aOZ3bjMhxWG6rqSaACGo/s400/eiffel-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417447134853746818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGtdjG-D4oLytzOYl0uQ7Zbsd4pjzhnuFX9qit8Gv2q2V00RSzvNQYBfAlS8tYdWCi3W9ZAuT5XEPiiMn1xJA5UVyd8SgfHipS14HvjEI-XKNICM9egCgrsJX3S3laQ8AVGaW9M18_Uw/s1600-h/eiffel-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGtdjG-D4oLytzOYl0uQ7Zbsd4pjzhnuFX9qit8Gv2q2V00RSzvNQYBfAlS8tYdWCi3W9ZAuT5XEPiiMn1xJA5UVyd8SgfHipS14HvjEI-XKNICM9egCgrsJX3S3laQ8AVGaW9M18_Uw/s400/eiffel-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417447132930429090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHO6vSRMg07kBwjyW5ti9g2jAZcDmBC3ELTFxizAsxyjlxW27Zl6eh1LsEa0lEPP_5OveEbzF4kNvabrBh2G-jbPCmWsG7cYl48xBXDhQFrcOMkIGT2MPNhvqMn55Gn0LDFcVaVsBK5w/s1600-h/eiffel-9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHO6vSRMg07kBwjyW5ti9g2jAZcDmBC3ELTFxizAsxyjlxW27Zl6eh1LsEa0lEPP_5OveEbzF4kNvabrBh2G-jbPCmWsG7cYl48xBXDhQFrcOMkIGT2MPNhvqMn55Gn0LDFcVaVsBK5w/s400/eiffel-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417447128466781538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JgxYgA6yfMBO5oMX87eex5L3S42lv1jSfrKS83wEA5f65pQS9Y6t37TXsQOffph4M8KLMRNp3VBVirv2Pjymgvo8mvrYOvy2Qt8TBMHyK2_bn7xolxufVdVS6qMsqVmTiKmiTwMpjbY/s1600-h/eiffel-10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JgxYgA6yfMBO5oMX87eex5L3S42lv1jSfrKS83wEA5f65pQS9Y6t37TXsQOffph4M8KLMRNp3VBVirv2Pjymgvo8mvrYOvy2Qt8TBMHyK2_bn7xolxufVdVS6qMsqVmTiKmiTwMpjbY/s400/eiffel-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417446392001550450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlCBK_NjKzrSPkCXbpfoVdN1Me_7mIPHEdasJZlx6qeMoAss-HQpljsZ0pMFQh-7Hy2UG69AwFYAAaFsTNR7FWL3wfcfiwsobaPxYulVw137cUFmtjiXEhhPtOU4gD8roW4hAA_NdG04/s1600-h/eiffel-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlCBK_NjKzrSPkCXbpfoVdN1Me_7mIPHEdasJZlx6qeMoAss-HQpljsZ0pMFQh-7Hy2UG69AwFYAAaFsTNR7FWL3wfcfiwsobaPxYulVw137cUFmtjiXEhhPtOU4gD8roW4hAA_NdG04/s400/eiffel-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417446387363061314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCp6TbrG5BsjuD1OrS05lW4ZbreIL_pMGv6zivxMg_PVgwtjUz2jmqEh0bdY6uQimciWIcm5oQzRFuBpYSe3hfR-CMIprWmxf83T44hyphenhyphen2Cv4M9G3nbwxHw9KHbICeVQgYzG6NbwuV8gc/s1600-h/eiffel-12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCp6TbrG5BsjuD1OrS05lW4ZbreIL_pMGv6zivxMg_PVgwtjUz2jmqEh0bdY6uQimciWIcm5oQzRFuBpYSe3hfR-CMIprWmxf83T44hyphenhyphen2Cv4M9G3nbwxHw9KHbICeVQgYzG6NbwuV8gc/s400/eiffel-12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417446380093606978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIyJu4yWzm1lcZsKXBS1smPOmVHIWuYBtOjScyJ-0QnNSKSraSSoA7YZVkEOwo6cIuyQWeRRTjnUDd9vbslxzCpQAkhl4ePCKKWGNw4J4a99ydYOPmrtmJcDrqBH8mTyqpAvbMjNRQvE/s1600-h/eiffel-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIyJu4yWzm1lcZsKXBS1smPOmVHIWuYBtOjScyJ-0QnNSKSraSSoA7YZVkEOwo6cIuyQWeRRTjnUDd9vbslxzCpQAkhl4ePCKKWGNw4J4a99ydYOPmrtmJcDrqBH8mTyqpAvbMjNRQvE/s400/eiffel-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417446375054625954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5sIBuhzpOpHV9u8GRXkIKBd7Mfe-9kUHkLODbjhoaaxkDf1nm6ASpME3-Jyy0KTd0KbrEgxBrMmKqtqbYCg1p8K-ZUGjQXx3YOLMrBFcuB-K0PHNjN3SlJXygAgb1dNuh3SXT97CXXA/s1600-h/eiffel-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5sIBuhzpOpHV9u8GRXkIKBd7Mfe-9kUHkLODbjhoaaxkDf1nm6ASpME3-Jyy0KTd0KbrEgxBrMmKqtqbYCg1p8K-ZUGjQXx3YOLMrBFcuB-K0PHNjN3SlJXygAgb1dNuh3SXT97CXXA/s400/eiffel-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417446369128828274" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-81455091644262576082009-10-30T23:00:00.003+01:002009-12-20T21:07:33.409+01:00La Rose RosalieTrouvée sur un siège du RER B un soir, en rentrant du boulot. Je l'ai ramenée à la maison, où elle a eu droit à l'eau et au soleil, et m'a tenu compagnie pendant une semaine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjxrFBPySgioNcpOi53m3DmiBnuDh9lb7cBks7hCEoQ_GK19IVG-VQUq97udln9QRvnPh1vS8ue3OdIOQrOZquYaxAp0SW2bcWfo87rhBwgLKZAWmsL28hvrLZKW_JFawTo7T7sJ-RaA/s1600-h/roseRosalie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjxrFBPySgioNcpOi53m3DmiBnuDh9lb7cBks7hCEoQ_GK19IVG-VQUq97udln9QRvnPh1vS8ue3OdIOQrOZquYaxAp0SW2bcWfo87rhBwgLKZAWmsL28hvrLZKW_JFawTo7T7sJ-RaA/s400/roseRosalie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415989081736229282" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-17476135374220009632009-08-18T21:25:00.028+02:002009-11-10T18:01:14.838+01:00As (verdadeiras) catacumbas de Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrefsRxq2KNpgIPM-lbhDgnM9iH9StscKAc2ePBP20sjzY3TvyZP-ULWc-_Xiw8dJyYwWNECgTMmzu7VlXwomQG0_yIHSHk3AWfN03wVfZQK9SHZgP-xttKPIo1Hemtl1WBg3Oaf3zDaw/s1600-h/catacombes-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrefsRxq2KNpgIPM-lbhDgnM9iH9StscKAc2ePBP20sjzY3TvyZP-ULWc-_Xiw8dJyYwWNECgTMmzu7VlXwomQG0_yIHSHk3AWfN03wVfZQK9SHZgP-xttKPIo1Hemtl1WBg3Oaf3zDaw/s200/catacombes-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401834273075528914" border="0" /></a><br />Após quase 3 anos de espera, e um ano depois de ter visitado as <a href="http://mvladivostok.blogspot.com/2008/07/catacumbas-de-paris.html">catacumbas para turistas</a>, o meu amigo Nicolas levou-me a visitar as verdadeiras catacumbas de Paris. Com dezenas de kilómetros subterrâneos, não são de nada aconselháveis a pessoas claustrofóbicas, ou com medo do escuro!<br />Equipados com 3 lanternas cada (o seguro morreu de velho), e com roupa para sujar, saímos de casa à volta do meio-dia.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMugK45nnNfHnOGBYr8bij4WPTv_UxkHOwb5DV5VpDdHWGEDQrAMqxuimxS-_O0qub2QWnuuGti57Q2R3ttbbWOfp8Bj0CrZcSe-LKsAbiGXizTZsazgWJAnXoa3mwdPgcQrc8gT9o3t0/s1600-h/catacombes-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMugK45nnNfHnOGBYr8bij4WPTv_UxkHOwb5DV5VpDdHWGEDQrAMqxuimxS-_O0qub2QWnuuGti57Q2R3ttbbWOfp8Bj0CrZcSe-LKsAbiGXizTZsazgWJAnXoa3mwdPgcQrc8gT9o3t0/s200/catacombes-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401835293027910610" border="0" /></a>Visitar as catacumbas é, infelizmente, ilegal. Para se chegar a uma das poucas entradas, tem que se seguir as antigas linhas de comboio da <span style="font-style: italic;">petite ceinture de Paris</span>, a antiga linha-de-ferro que dava a volta a Paris, antes de ter sido construido o <span style="font-style: italic;">périphérique</span> e as linhas de metro que hoje cortam a cidade de alto a baixo e de lado a lado.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvsIAPUYlSow7c8PurjSQP9uFLr3Ze20h9JJSFiBNVNJfYZDLyZl0xvZZIiI5bLQM4F0FQDUBv46NxfoVilGjBzyWxyh1v2ueM_dZUsnjYyTK-KrvJLt6mbue07L1YVwoMFIaKU2upUM/s1600-h/catacombes-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvsIAPUYlSow7c8PurjSQP9uFLr3Ze20h9JJSFiBNVNJfYZDLyZl0xvZZIiI5bLQM4F0FQDUBv46NxfoVilGjBzyWxyh1v2ueM_dZUsnjYyTK-KrvJLt6mbue07L1YVwoMFIaKU2upUM/s200/catacombes-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401836782292260050" border="0" /></a>Escolhemos um dia de semana, ao meio-dia, exatamente para evitar contacto com outros <span style="font-style: italic;">cataphiles</span>, o termo dado a exploradores ilegais das <span style="font-style: italic;">catas</span>. Após uns bons 20 minutos a fazer de comboio, e atravessando alguns antigos túneis, chegámos finalmente à entrada. Entrada lhe chamaremos: um buraco na parede, junto ao chão, no meio de um túnel escuro; quem não saiba o que está a procurar, nunca poderia encontrar!:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUufsDkZGpvNfQnQAGqiGqrszf0rCPgyWr8Msc5-Wn_af0vIi3XDy89YU5REQQXAEqjkdLXPRgPyGhWEZOSebI4sZ1xY9CfwnhUKOJom_vMkty-ssDpeytHBGcT4yh5psP6lkqeWSCl0/s1600-h/catacombes-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUufsDkZGpvNfQnQAGqiGqrszf0rCPgyWr8Msc5-Wn_af0vIi3XDy89YU5REQQXAEqjkdLXPRgPyGhWEZOSebI4sZ1xY9CfwnhUKOJom_vMkty-ssDpeytHBGcT4yh5psP6lkqeWSCl0/s320/catacombes-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401837116664980242" border="0" /></a><br />Os primeiros túneis deixam logo antever o resto da visita: não existe luz nenhuma, é preciso andar curvado a maior parte do tempo, alguns túneis têm água até à cintura... (isto apesar de termos escolhido um dia de Agosto, depois de dias sem fim de sol - muitas vezes os túneis ficam demasiado inundados para se poderem atravessar).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNS0lPjt7Zer1Qdk3SL2zXn1QhtdofnzuC8YT1C8nSuyRtqogK19ifOt1AjklGitoUVN3VrVxI_d9lDppQeYogE4y90SpFVwgU8aa_F6PaSGvg5Ozftyt1QPVLpC5f0mzj8Zpf81QMe8/s1600-h/catacombes-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNS0lPjt7Zer1Qdk3SL2zXn1QhtdofnzuC8YT1C8nSuyRtqogK19ifOt1AjklGitoUVN3VrVxI_d9lDppQeYogE4y90SpFVwgU8aa_F6PaSGvg5Ozftyt1QPVLpC5f0mzj8Zpf81QMe8/s320/catacombes-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401839490811328066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhESUoDEgjO-CcnIAa6dfCQE2Yr4GU2z5laVxnBBWZ-nV3wX0hJt_ZqWV9O7Pzb_eegGxLqmZsZLYFb_xb3jbBxsCvWYUaHe_9005-VJ-8zKn65mrPufkVnAqjaK4-2HmgwU40-yPWj8s/s1600-h/catacombes-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhESUoDEgjO-CcnIAa6dfCQE2Yr4GU2z5laVxnBBWZ-nV3wX0hJt_ZqWV9O7Pzb_eegGxLqmZsZLYFb_xb3jbBxsCvWYUaHe_9005-VJ-8zKn65mrPufkVnAqjaK4-2HmgwU40-yPWj8s/s320/catacombes-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401839486212140674" border="0" /></a><br />Os corredores serviram vários fins ao longo dos séculos. Em algumas partes, por exemplo, ainda se podem ver os acumuladores antigos da <span style="font-style: italic;">EDF</span>, quando a distribução de eletricidade se fazia através de grossos cabos em cobre (reza a lenda que, quando estes foram substituídos, máfias da Europa de Leste vieram roubar o cobre, até que a direção da IGC (<span style="font-style: italic;">Inspection Générale des Carrières</span>) se decidiu a retirá-lo completamente).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_6yuYRjTPfZX1vlwPIrgQCchlY49d3q26lKKGsLDFopjoGgXi32_Pci9XWA0Ue_EQNzNA2ZWvQKz_P4Svmi3Mg-ImU9egytOb4xnAAKwIoCYLjdbaP6s1J7VFetbiQIJpeFxPByAV-4/s1600-h/catacombes-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_6yuYRjTPfZX1vlwPIrgQCchlY49d3q26lKKGsLDFopjoGgXi32_Pci9XWA0Ue_EQNzNA2ZWvQKz_P4Svmi3Mg-ImU9egytOb4xnAAKwIoCYLjdbaP6s1J7VFetbiQIJpeFxPByAV-4/s320/catacombes-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401849225368664802" border="0" /></a><br />Tendo muitos deste túneis vários séculos de existência, poder-se-ia pensar que a navigação com um mapa decente, apesar do escuro, seria relativamente fácil. Muito pelo contrário - a IGC corta frequentemente acesso a várias zonas (por diversas razões - segurança, vandalismo, obras), e os cataphiles em resposta abrem as chamadas <span style="font-style: italic;">chatières</span> (portas de gato) para passar de um túnel a outro. Resultado, várias vezes por ano novas versões dos mapas dos cataphiles aparecem pela internet (nós estávamos equipados com uma versão com 12 meses, e apanhámos algumas surpresas).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO-gGGIvfRJ5ANxkZVgw0fu4OjytN5G33bDnc51v4f5bchLMQy-YJGzJ5Ecmog5TCb3XveMyNHoHIjeXaW3zNBHRUJ3M24nJ3tbfFRw6RGDtzwWPchDMSQO1icGPtfuR50TaWK9KE-08/s1600-h/catacombes-18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO-gGGIvfRJ5ANxkZVgw0fu4OjytN5G33bDnc51v4f5bchLMQy-YJGzJ5Ecmog5TCb3XveMyNHoHIjeXaW3zNBHRUJ3M24nJ3tbfFRw6RGDtzwWPchDMSQO1icGPtfuR50TaWK9KE-08/s400/catacombes-18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401850261418460994" border="0" /></a><br />De vez em quando, alguns dos túneis dão acesso a salas (grandes ou pequenas), que os cataphiles aproveitaram para decorar. Por exemplo, <span style="font-style: italic;">Le Chateau</span>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4_trM_Z5FdGH7Wm6oRh7PSIRg2GfONG2EUTgtZyRKBHzLlUUAsdxl6L57jjhxhjIjrog73dPDezGGHcK3PiHNtt9I8mlZU0oIZ8IUP2VLhgu_ydCi3vGHLeSRboQgfFV6tr0BKkZmag/s1600-h/catacombes-21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4_trM_Z5FdGH7Wm6oRh7PSIRg2GfONG2EUTgtZyRKBHzLlUUAsdxl6L57jjhxhjIjrog73dPDezGGHcK3PiHNtt9I8mlZU0oIZ8IUP2VLhgu_ydCi3vGHLeSRboQgfFV6tr0BKkZmag/s400/catacombes-21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401851623396171490" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">La plage</span>, uma enorme sala (aliás, várias salas ligadas entre si), onde são feitas muitas das festas noturnas:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidimcLymWqiVKbdxHM-1KS__V0EIusYQ1BNYuMoQsvDCr20Br5VRiz7Q6JLgpHVEmaJ3Rx-NQ5Fj-nkGDJ5Y3kJYxeuQ_F0dyz2CUtUmahdO9EPHPVt44y1rCctzaYNoLz4x4cLjGsSXo/s1600-h/catacombes-10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidimcLymWqiVKbdxHM-1KS__V0EIusYQ1BNYuMoQsvDCr20Br5VRiz7Q6JLgpHVEmaJ3Rx-NQ5Fj-nkGDJ5Y3kJYxeuQ_F0dyz2CUtUmahdO9EPHPVt44y1rCctzaYNoLz4x4cLjGsSXo/s320/catacombes-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852324400481490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwkUkMgc7LLr98Untt1N0qZP27OmkzEQS6Am4yc1C-Stbq2LBhpQWtx21EXOYimcQVQcVoAqfnp8ea2ZIuqU9Md7MGN3rkNGrveAkxGF-r4qsnSO47o7ZQZja4Pf6DptjLD-ZlfjDJ9Q/s1600-h/catacombes-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwkUkMgc7LLr98Untt1N0qZP27OmkzEQS6Am4yc1C-Stbq2LBhpQWtx21EXOYimcQVQcVoAqfnp8ea2ZIuqU9Md7MGN3rkNGrveAkxGF-r4qsnSO47o7ZQZja4Pf6DptjLD-ZlfjDJ9Q/s320/catacombes-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852320648742386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmIxT7KaHbxXH0fkUp7XWW9OGau8JM6IEFH0p8O7dBEtEqWqve1WxQT7sJ43GX2QieVkwZlAW7uetWJwpA3leUBZjL9VujojurEXeQatS7WbYd05PhRfiwF0XwnAEtadhmCZjyOu-1FE/s1600-h/catacombes-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmIxT7KaHbxXH0fkUp7XWW9OGau8JM6IEFH0p8O7dBEtEqWqve1WxQT7sJ43GX2QieVkwZlAW7uetWJwpA3leUBZjL9VujojurEXeQatS7WbYd05PhRfiwF0XwnAEtadhmCZjyOu-1FE/s320/catacombes-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852313418813538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUV7fZjmFSHMuUneOQTdcocChx7K4XZX6fYjUX7dGidJdGw-9xOaTyCUac9ti25CXyyTU8nUVL6b57GC9g_ym4BFkHl95vddmINrrgONtLJgLS5ZxWZAhHtua1Cm3zkFDznyN-5Mimww0/s1600-h/catacombes-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUV7fZjmFSHMuUneOQTdcocChx7K4XZX6fYjUX7dGidJdGw-9xOaTyCUac9ti25CXyyTU8nUVL6b57GC9g_ym4BFkHl95vddmINrrgONtLJgLS5ZxWZAhHtua1Cm3zkFDznyN-5Mimww0/s320/catacombes-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852310944225890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9yV5XSCNGPY8AiSOSGQxOYkCuK4l-d5_qJESNrTW3k8lQoprwd1B3n1aEswm5LegxbCgvW2YPnjnEjUr4r7n0Qm5XlVmMj3pl6eiO0-Kz4-ezPjsTdc7IiMQlNs6AuBD5GQeYfXiL7Y/s1600-h/catacombes-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9yV5XSCNGPY8AiSOSGQxOYkCuK4l-d5_qJESNrTW3k8lQoprwd1B3n1aEswm5LegxbCgvW2YPnjnEjUr4r7n0Qm5XlVmMj3pl6eiO0-Kz4-ezPjsTdc7IiMQlNs6AuBD5GQeYfXiL7Y/s320/catacombes-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852311091528226" border="0" /></a><br />Alguns dos graffitis são espantosos, verdadeiras obras de arte:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtqeE4IAGnwNAFtTn312ouKzfz7JvoV8njEIBKbdu6BqKTjkzBqOAzB4PpTioVq7EGXpsUQaqTum0yJivTt7Qqs2wba7zNJ1FMk11HGQ8mXR3NNh-LTK1mzteOTVhyphenhyphenkKHxaZ_SMOA-6k/s1600-h/catacombes-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtqeE4IAGnwNAFtTn312ouKzfz7JvoV8njEIBKbdu6BqKTjkzBqOAzB4PpTioVq7EGXpsUQaqTum0yJivTt7Qqs2wba7zNJ1FMk11HGQ8mXR3NNh-LTK1mzteOTVhyphenhyphenkKHxaZ_SMOA-6k/s400/catacombes-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852976807392546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70fQ-tjF5NdJidapoDVeVSTKBwhh466mfuJ-S9668FQYe136mneE9SNtnjDakydE6nMyDAvzpAtWNykYU3KtxW4GlZ9691sCzTWPWy_ngr3oeSC0QPu1nrS0966c0L5KdcE0Y33wqtlU/s1600-h/catacombes-17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70fQ-tjF5NdJidapoDVeVSTKBwhh466mfuJ-S9668FQYe136mneE9SNtnjDakydE6nMyDAvzpAtWNykYU3KtxW4GlZ9691sCzTWPWy_ngr3oeSC0QPu1nrS0966c0L5KdcE0Y33wqtlU/s400/catacombes-17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401852970561135394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEerH93V2zgapG4uNBbt5_bUfwWt3544cP-7goS7pcN4lj4pyvESihC4vPU44NOvNUP7UJS7vLBUaJW3dhlR8GlDCw2TAR0Vjumh-NLxll3mO9KOvOtVY2OtC9FGE14ugMy6OPkR6D4A/s1600-h/catacombes-25.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEerH93V2zgapG4uNBbt5_bUfwWt3544cP-7goS7pcN4lj4pyvESihC4vPU44NOvNUP7UJS7vLBUaJW3dhlR8GlDCw2TAR0Vjumh-NLxll3mO9KOvOtVY2OtC9FGE14ugMy6OPkR6D4A/s400/catacombes-25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401853891002282130" border="0" /></a><br />Algumas históricas <span style="font-style: italic;">Haute Écoles<span style="font-style: italic;"> de Paris</span></span> têm uma relação priveligiada com as catacumbas. Por exemplo, existem entradas diretas dessas escolas! Todos os anos, os alunos do primeiro ano de uma delas fazem uma excursão, para virem pintar um mural. Existem dezenas de murais, um por ano; gostei muito do de 1995:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92_roV6pgTUA7kiZqheCEbBv-AMuZv49OUNR1JhaTDfwMNJnDJccl49I1NrRugtBgaFMRTb03eCKLE-GySYDzFl7pntCDFSa5JprLVK-1td3kPWZfPTAOhYrSlZkqb_Zji413IZarICk/s1600-h/catacombes-46.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92_roV6pgTUA7kiZqheCEbBv-AMuZv49OUNR1JhaTDfwMNJnDJccl49I1NrRugtBgaFMRTb03eCKLE-GySYDzFl7pntCDFSa5JprLVK-1td3kPWZfPTAOhYrSlZkqb_Zji413IZarICk/s400/catacombes-46.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401854924550550370" border="0" /></a><br />A sala <span style="font-style: italic;">Zlard</span> tem uma pintura espantosa, uma das minhas favoritas!:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfsJz7pDAkC7N8rLwd44aafGyKOexhEKakLQgoBy6sytu8LZRQv7ti7NIlxcgK1XWghw3f4S3WszvlWrukvY2siqvrDz3YTnAOVOfe56Gp7Mv3jjdS13OmeZYQIOZFmqGEcszrf0YpeA/s1600-h/catacombes-48.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfsJz7pDAkC7N8rLwd44aafGyKOexhEKakLQgoBy6sytu8LZRQv7ti7NIlxcgK1XWghw3f4S3WszvlWrukvY2siqvrDz3YTnAOVOfe56Gp7Mv3jjdS13OmeZYQIOZFmqGEcszrf0YpeA/s400/catacombes-48.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401855380364721810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPDkyeoiRxMlEhDKg9J5WQH6Q9WCEREUrtIM2P9dRxr-8CCCv48Kt-5yPX4PdP3nN4Fiak_KzW_eyF4cTxFLteaHt3GdbclAdUsQI2KH30juniz3RWEWALwPvAY0BwfBKvUNJTEaUHBU/s1600-h/catacombes-49.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPDkyeoiRxMlEhDKg9J5WQH6Q9WCEREUrtIM2P9dRxr-8CCCv48Kt-5yPX4PdP3nN4Fiak_KzW_eyF4cTxFLteaHt3GdbclAdUsQI2KH30juniz3RWEWALwPvAY0BwfBKvUNJTEaUHBU/s400/catacombes-49.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401855380188847858" border="0" /></a><br />Tudo isto 20m por baixo de Paris. Aliás, muitas das passagens eram autênticamente claustrofóbicas - muitas delas só davam para passar com a cabeça e os pés de lado, a arrastar, empurrando a (pequena!) mochila - principalmente para atravessar as famosas chatières:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm3CYlmxoULg7V14nuTfpw_AVema_V1ujSArR5oWq0v2WIHyNyvkGC5aeTXnJamnY0Lx3MoPmPVlnprqFwR39f1pILAijzRuQ8CQI_dlRV3UJQovMCcVlfEt8HVG2WAVrUZ4W3QixAC8/s1600-h/catacombes-22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm3CYlmxoULg7V14nuTfpw_AVema_V1ujSArR5oWq0v2WIHyNyvkGC5aeTXnJamnY0Lx3MoPmPVlnprqFwR39f1pILAijzRuQ8CQI_dlRV3UJQovMCcVlfEt8HVG2WAVrUZ4W3QixAC8/s320/catacombes-22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401856561676008706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOGm8xd9OeZAoCTs3p627y_lMt_DlbpxCmaEEm9sXwA8PbeewGPIvfVA29gblHqjbn8xyU4Y3lFKpqBgKNid2lNUKGHEUm5HLqnF9zagHveICeW-Mae5Kj2ZmDVmwguCpUBnoXHhNRCE/s1600-h/catacombes-23.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOGm8xd9OeZAoCTs3p627y_lMt_DlbpxCmaEEm9sXwA8PbeewGPIvfVA29gblHqjbn8xyU4Y3lFKpqBgKNid2lNUKGHEUm5HLqnF9zagHveICeW-Mae5Kj2ZmDVmwguCpUBnoXHhNRCE/s320/catacombes-23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401856562894623746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NvRcT8StOMziNCi0eCCFoSnM320ZdNsodn9_dW4TQGDrmHC0eLRsJWQZKmHXjUPFiEafsAn1yNJCmERHoeA7O6eeDL5yKbdGdPCKSs86C10DTqi6cjty7NK1Jpas407AUODfPCn_EQo/s1600-h/catacombes-24.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NvRcT8StOMziNCi0eCCFoSnM320ZdNsodn9_dW4TQGDrmHC0eLRsJWQZKmHXjUPFiEafsAn1yNJCmERHoeA7O6eeDL5yKbdGdPCKSs86C10DTqi6cjty7NK1Jpas407AUODfPCn_EQo/s320/catacombes-24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401856560867227506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMncpQt93sOv56a8VwfnV0GSXx48KlEOV-lDD-3rpnk_vdSTVkA7wYEwgA0PGJCgyTl5Fbz_tmND_q6xVwaTrUfiGqZlpSMZIezV7R1uXVwObj_zuWDAX4WWR1UxpdAi5a1cIbRuchyphenhyphenk/s1600-h/catacombes-35.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMncpQt93sOv56a8VwfnV0GSXx48KlEOV-lDD-3rpnk_vdSTVkA7wYEwgA0PGJCgyTl5Fbz_tmND_q6xVwaTrUfiGqZlpSMZIezV7R1uXVwObj_zuWDAX4WWR1UxpdAi5a1cIbRuchyphenhyphenk/s320/catacombes-35.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401856555835321458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVQUrSJUDpOPlSuU0f831az7VVYtJuoQ4WNWPndTXmoPhbAiJOq7hrTLJWrSJskCNF444KghSoOjmybD3PfX1R9vn7u52q7IkXSvvEC0ScvEpRwSXzM_W20uRG3xuMEhlvNXI3YVA5B4/s1600-h/catacombes-37.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVQUrSJUDpOPlSuU0f831az7VVYtJuoQ4WNWPndTXmoPhbAiJOq7hrTLJWrSJskCNF444KghSoOjmybD3PfX1R9vn7u52q7IkXSvvEC0ScvEpRwSXzM_W20uRG3xuMEhlvNXI3YVA5B4/s320/catacombes-37.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401856554559692450" border="0" /></a><br />Mais ou menos a meio da nossa excursão, encontrámos um<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span>cataphile. Encontros na escuridão das catacumbas, sem rede telefónica, sem polícia para chamar... nunca se sabe. Mas este era muito porreiro, e como conhecia as catacumbas como a palma da mão, levou-nos a visitar alguns sítios que nem o meu amigo conhecia. A sala mais incrível que fomos ver está extremamente bem conservada, por uma boa razão: têm-se que atravessar 7 chatières enormes, com Paris literalmente às costas, com bifurcações onde se pode muito facilmente perder... Mas valeu a pena:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4G3kwfQhYACJbqwoIt-RBHcVL9iB-L_b7dHSaegRLYcAezbR7dHA28JRgTzbVFESFZaAGBWMy-k9oswZKk4CyXL6vqlgXSKhxtUjsWKQV9i7nzj4aHX2OAvj5It-U5OMHbR77OVNmI4/s1600-h/catacombes-38.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4G3kwfQhYACJbqwoIt-RBHcVL9iB-L_b7dHSaegRLYcAezbR7dHA28JRgTzbVFESFZaAGBWMy-k9oswZKk4CyXL6vqlgXSKhxtUjsWKQV9i7nzj4aHX2OAvj5It-U5OMHbR77OVNmI4/s400/catacombes-38.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401858311077958482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXmRlDouYG0Cnt_GjPNnbwlxp12mjx8xou5aPUo9cfuYnmEZH4GhVgR-6o6Cq7pP9AtYqZOt5qXNCQAbzyLmA_sw9hPSQXxFHE3S1Y4guwRFwp3c-fKH4EVkeduFVQNasVtKreRUMfjU/s1600-h/catacombes-39.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXmRlDouYG0Cnt_GjPNnbwlxp12mjx8xou5aPUo9cfuYnmEZH4GhVgR-6o6Cq7pP9AtYqZOt5qXNCQAbzyLmA_sw9hPSQXxFHE3S1Y4guwRFwp3c-fKH4EVkeduFVQNasVtKreRUMfjU/s400/catacombes-39.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401858304828339538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSuc8FgrtRlR75P3cTRRnP0DhuSTJ_ppLo1PhKgjq3wdGnpDPcIxpB_AukFUe00on4_AHrQ5NLehWjZ3K3HvdOYCMUIPaPhS9ob9-H8s-FZo_DUiqYzwekAiIMbnFH5NOVO1j684vkME/s1600-h/catacombes-44.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSuc8FgrtRlR75P3cTRRnP0DhuSTJ_ppLo1PhKgjq3wdGnpDPcIxpB_AukFUe00on4_AHrQ5NLehWjZ3K3HvdOYCMUIPaPhS9ob9-H8s-FZo_DUiqYzwekAiIMbnFH5NOVO1j684vkME/s400/catacombes-44.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401858302884826274" border="0" /></a><br />Mas o meu lugar preferido, de longe, foi o bunker Alemão - sim, durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, as catacumbas foram usadas pelos Alemães, que lá construiram um bunker, pela resistência, que aproveitou partes dos túneis para se deslocar, e pela população, que usou algumas salas para refúgios contra ataques aéreos.<br />O bunker está muito mal conservado, mas ainda é possível observar alguns vestígios da passagem Alemã, como as portas blindadas, as setas de indicação das três saídas, a sanita metálica da casa-de-banho, ou mesmo alguns restos de instalações elétricas:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mMy-By16f3KWRnTkn71VwUa1YAPkpTz_F_8vRkBi2dmhGUYJF7gvI-wKqO9RVk1_BEdJGGXWOFFEfWkqt37qx0bQ4X0k3k0n7VN4XmYMFe7tcwP0yK-AqK_ATQ0JPRrMsdf7yvHeoCw/s1600-h/catacombes-26.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mMy-By16f3KWRnTkn71VwUa1YAPkpTz_F_8vRkBi2dmhGUYJF7gvI-wKqO9RVk1_BEdJGGXWOFFEfWkqt37qx0bQ4X0k3k0n7VN4XmYMFe7tcwP0yK-AqK_ATQ0JPRrMsdf7yvHeoCw/s400/catacombes-26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860183741491506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_85yNNd2W_c64aRObgwR6X0AQiYvyBnd3Gh7XkG5PnHfXA000KuT3hwtuvWXKt4ryNfz5ut9Xofs_cUwx0yuaZM9vhP82nS3mOonyuvu8xWToN9ku5ThKEeZZAzaJrDJ7gCsLdrHXiDc/s1600-h/catacombes-29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_85yNNd2W_c64aRObgwR6X0AQiYvyBnd3Gh7XkG5PnHfXA000KuT3hwtuvWXKt4ryNfz5ut9Xofs_cUwx0yuaZM9vhP82nS3mOonyuvu8xWToN9ku5ThKEeZZAzaJrDJ7gCsLdrHXiDc/s400/catacombes-29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860180086453810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tBmhJdjO8LVwct_fwK__O8pyNp9cdYWA7RPOb-RZTIYWHRa1HLVLEGt3Ays0JTP6EVBYnWPLC8gDlnfTbq4xtKcCxelrabqxgOcgRRfnnXeWkYSQyvyFP_2Ouj0iW2t11f3NiYqFmjo/s1600-h/catacombes-27.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tBmhJdjO8LVwct_fwK__O8pyNp9cdYWA7RPOb-RZTIYWHRa1HLVLEGt3Ays0JTP6EVBYnWPLC8gDlnfTbq4xtKcCxelrabqxgOcgRRfnnXeWkYSQyvyFP_2Ouj0iW2t11f3NiYqFmjo/s400/catacombes-27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860175399267474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWycsV1x2fa-CZPbfJ_hvxs5bX-NvsPGjtjqkMdleq3SpljZ1vN1oBaewei5TKmP3uMl_fIh8qGa6Knak6nkJdZX4_63MqnNhjGTxEjccWtjUl0CdnRpVeyVIR5W9mV3DGt0_ZyFtFET8/s1600-h/catacombes-28.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWycsV1x2fa-CZPbfJ_hvxs5bX-NvsPGjtjqkMdleq3SpljZ1vN1oBaewei5TKmP3uMl_fIh8qGa6Knak6nkJdZX4_63MqnNhjGTxEjccWtjUl0CdnRpVeyVIR5W9mV3DGt0_ZyFtFET8/s400/catacombes-28.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860175062185042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-SdWtTRRtXOr4wv6-MXm15SZP_ml3UZUIp3ZKNH5i6MV0jvT55jeQf3U8ePQfhfTot_jBc5oroAxYEfBL7qotOy56gITtXVAAZnee8mA8r9eTg_UccqvjIYnIC19IMUUn5liUafSjUU/s1600-h/catacombes-30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-SdWtTRRtXOr4wv6-MXm15SZP_ml3UZUIp3ZKNH5i6MV0jvT55jeQf3U8ePQfhfTot_jBc5oroAxYEfBL7qotOy56gITtXVAAZnee8mA8r9eTg_UccqvjIYnIC19IMUUn5liUafSjUU/s400/catacombes-30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860171755479778" border="0" /></a><br />Tal como a entrada não é fácil, a saída também não. Como tinhamos avançado bastante, tentámos encontrar algumas bocas de esgoto que estivessem abertas, mas não encontrámos nenhuma (e tivémos que fazer o caminho todo de volta para a entrada inicial). Mas subir pelas bocas de esgoto acima e ver as pessoas a passear em Paris foi uma experiência bastante interessante!:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7lhll3ZIl8-kXvJoYVPiEKcfhlcWHQsphJvWjBewnvpxy4jHfSCcvwaIvByKF7U89n1n9t2sOb2HdBZQvwQXlVFqFrRVU8o0UTeLNHR5Hboe2tNDrRdii4LaT_EiUi9lpExgF2outYs/s1600-h/catacombes-45.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7lhll3ZIl8-kXvJoYVPiEKcfhlcWHQsphJvWjBewnvpxy4jHfSCcvwaIvByKF7U89n1n9t2sOb2HdBZQvwQXlVFqFrRVU8o0UTeLNHR5Hboe2tNDrRdii4LaT_EiUi9lpExgF2outYs/s320/catacombes-45.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401860872721818738" border="0" /></a><br />E pronto, conseguimos finalmente sair, completamente cobertos de sujidade, 9h30 depois de termos entrado! Uma experiência muito interessante, que adorei. Mais uma das (muitas) coisas que se podem fazer em Paris, e que tive o privilégio de poder experimentar. Muitas saudades vou ter desta cidade...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPsWmx-lwSH0zd491Qub6EeDrVGDN2gRfl5KT44dpxrf_PEc9cIIDhGEM2Dv7RSQo3Mo_IfTLQBLfHWoixUH2k6_ngcwwoJC6mLYkWbWsI8lKGRK8zuBgh6CW9-F2KYU3W10YgeTJQsg/s1600-h/catacombes-47.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPsWmx-lwSH0zd491Qub6EeDrVGDN2gRfl5KT44dpxrf_PEc9cIIDhGEM2Dv7RSQo3Mo_IfTLQBLfHWoixUH2k6_ngcwwoJC6mLYkWbWsI8lKGRK8zuBgh6CW9-F2KYU3W10YgeTJQsg/s400/catacombes-47.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401861649580394322" border="0" /></a>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1599934102998568321.post-37091400016124544002009-07-28T20:48:00.037+02:002009-08-28T01:53:05.590+02:00Québec 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8H7FpaBTiYW86GnbK3NJFLqnhulUCdJXsEAXkvdpE3lNu_FEkgl9R6nbHKF0qZDrz8lSsWHvS1yswYrgbqk75d4ysk7bMfbNeouf5CoDxso9QxJH-5DRPxP-ayBvO6vA0Pbsj3-wCvE/s1600-h/quebec-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8H7FpaBTiYW86GnbK3NJFLqnhulUCdJXsEAXkvdpE3lNu_FEkgl9R6nbHKF0qZDrz8lSsWHvS1yswYrgbqk75d4ysk7bMfbNeouf5CoDxso9QxJH-5DRPxP-ayBvO6vA0Pbsj3-wCvE/s200/quebec-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374784212585044434" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I love Canada, I really do. I've been there 7 times, and visited aready many regions - British Coumbia, Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland. This year the GECCO conference took place in Montréal, Québec - and that meant my second trip to Canada in 6 months.<br /><br />As usual, during the first week there was little time for visiting; the conference took up most of the time. I had a lot of fun riding around with the Bixi's, however, the new city bike system, based on the Vélib from Paris. I was lucky that the conference took place during the famous Montréal Jazz Festival, so every night I got to enjoy a lot of music for free, just within a few meters from the place where I was staying.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtZtadbJIeI41Et3i_J77f333E5sR9XGqvqMPoSkj-wjCLQwIH-4X1YU_QxypQbUsOANC1H20fNz0X73QFQjF42Ed_3y7pGlpA5RUPIPbBABoZVrYMR_5nQtLGDSGlNQyc6MGR1dmzdQ/s1600-h/quebec-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtZtadbJIeI41Et3i_J77f333E5sR9XGqvqMPoSkj-wjCLQwIH-4X1YU_QxypQbUsOANC1H20fNz0X73QFQjF42Ed_3y7pGlpA5RUPIPbBABoZVrYMR_5nQtLGDSGlNQyc6MGR1dmzdQ/s320/quebec-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374784651190114834" border="0" /></a><br />Being at a conference also meant meeting up with old friends, such as the Ireland gang. As is tradition, everywhere they go, they'll always find a good Irish pub to have just a pint. Or maybe two.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7eMzSflAEcVNNzg34GHZeFyjYghG8qu0iRwI2iLFH_1hOt0PNViCDRDB364MUkayWoT1yYHtaBAARgy4QBjw56Sej_I3KRtCLuqJRhSdZLzIhGOw31jlj-kU1c0BuDiY6VqFnHbjvu4/s1600-h/quebec-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7eMzSflAEcVNNzg34GHZeFyjYghG8qu0iRwI2iLFH_1hOt0PNViCDRDB364MUkayWoT1yYHtaBAARgy4QBjw56Sej_I3KRtCLuqJRhSdZLzIhGOw31jlj-kU1c0BuDiY6VqFnHbjvu4/s320/quebec-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374784657577851618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiVRgqnXm9m8zn-eLhJ0MMzphyphenhyphenFahtJq2wT7cpWvvN3C41v1GjfeznDmbwVcpeDOopqrhnmJoDHuaiDj7faGIEmNED8jlfVfBwdRL_bAcHZYHnn9HlHASSp5QDUC0OxwKpECAR-T4HZg/s1600-h/quebec-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiVRgqnXm9m8zn-eLhJ0MMzphyphenhyphenFahtJq2wT7cpWvvN3C41v1GjfeznDmbwVcpeDOopqrhnmJoDHuaiDj7faGIEmNED8jlfVfBwdRL_bAcHZYHnn9HlHASSp5QDUC0OxwKpECAR-T4HZg/s200/quebec-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374784935432173282" border="0" /></a>After the conference, a series of events got me stranded in Montréal: a friend in hospital, a skype interview for a job I didn't get... So in the end, I stayed for 2 full weeks in Montréal, leaving me little time to explore the rest of Québec. And the weather wasn't exactly cooperating either...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo-FH0sl-U8WR2coFO1AZ8jl29xynXqErPs6615cdpMsiCxItDRHS1TbMrhcU8FpOsB2QJ45gIjt1MMZImwVSOQEqm9v-qye1XowI1zgBfPIoNr59HojJDFPpd7Wbni0rSzVab7gvInI/s1600-h/quebec-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo-FH0sl-U8WR2coFO1AZ8jl29xynXqErPs6615cdpMsiCxItDRHS1TbMrhcU8FpOsB2QJ45gIjt1MMZImwVSOQEqm9v-qye1XowI1zgBfPIoNr59HojJDFPpd7Wbni0rSzVab7gvInI/s200/quebec-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374785272547451698" border="0" /></a>I did get a good bit of visiting done in Montréal however, it's a great city. The Vieux Montréal area definitely has an European feel to it, with the cobbled streets, small shops, old cathedral, magnificent Hôtel de Ville... The port just besides it provides a great stoll, with a good view of the city across the harbour.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1eYyM4x8SFg_Cl0E4zOeYl6BAJQ8X01GYNGUlpo_D32qEC5JtNOHXTD-Q8WbG5vuP9e6T6QNFi1TASf7sjTnSnMECivHRnbo4kuHh1k66UttViaeGu1fVDtWcwZCOMCiXs8gIK3H5qQ/s1600-h/quebec-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1eYyM4x8SFg_Cl0E4zOeYl6BAJQ8X01GYNGUlpo_D32qEC5JtNOHXTD-Q8WbG5vuP9e6T6QNFi1TASf7sjTnSnMECivHRnbo4kuHh1k66UttViaeGu1fVDtWcwZCOMCiXs8gIK3H5qQ/s400/quebec-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374785533242209666" border="0" /></a><br />One of the days was spent exploring the Biodôme, the old Olympic Stadium built for the 1976 Olympics, converted into a massive replica of four ecosystems: a Tropical Forest, a Laurentian Forest, the Saint Laurence Marine ecosystem, and a Polar area. It is well worth a visit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUsMI7DzUoc5iJb1k2h2RdJLC6P69g2VNCxx2KEgEHof2Y22GlBF7CH55ImFekmJmQkPlZOZcaFb4ifTsHz_I36oyGSKwrol1HrqoS-873OR1eAJXn6_ULUS0oIlEixwZXOgZ02tN8f4/s1600-h/quebec-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUsMI7DzUoc5iJb1k2h2RdJLC6P69g2VNCxx2KEgEHof2Y22GlBF7CH55ImFekmJmQkPlZOZcaFb4ifTsHz_I36oyGSKwrol1HrqoS-873OR1eAJXn6_ULUS0oIlEixwZXOgZ02tN8f4/s400/quebec-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374785972694021442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfFpw9lSaJMge6O4Rb1C8K9xt4CEx19jbrxlax7CluURjgqTZQWuzwBuiYEq8htci42K6vzBEhqObMpmpc7G_5ncmbBGfJaNA78kUT7lJs-hy1eFzib8fxD1zugpArtdAiaMBkJLGatM/s1600-h/quebec-14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfFpw9lSaJMge6O4Rb1C8K9xt4CEx19jbrxlax7CluURjgqTZQWuzwBuiYEq8htci42K6vzBEhqObMpmpc7G_5ncmbBGfJaNA78kUT7lJs-hy1eFzib8fxD1zugpArtdAiaMBkJLGatM/s400/quebec-14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374786332640907122" border="0" /></a><br />Afterwards I went to the Insectarium and the Botanical Garden, which are just close by. Getting lost for hours in the botanical garden was a great experience, despite the weather!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7-mIPrVpCUwwz08jjct-7gIk2PH-MOnC_OjQViKIz6khapcLKBCJG1f5TbF54XoXxp3oPlCX_AxON910EaU-SMoRxGQ_dRIk7vrJKRuskaWAj_NpAb98YFdLuMQbdae0Ioq4qCszzO0/s1600-h/quebec-13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7-mIPrVpCUwwz08jjct-7gIk2PH-MOnC_OjQViKIz6khapcLKBCJG1f5TbF54XoXxp3oPlCX_AxON910EaU-SMoRxGQ_dRIk7vrJKRuskaWAj_NpAb98YFdLuMQbdae0Ioq4qCszzO0/s400/quebec-13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374786152782330098" border="0" /></a><br />Another day was spent exploring the two artificial islands. The first one contains the Parc Jean Drapeau (the name of the famous and beloved old mayor), with the Biosphere (which I didn't fully visit), a conversion of the US house of the 1967 World Fair.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIdd4aFg66H_4bBl2xL4ozzasvw5DS9IL-8hzn2tIeu5SolMJ-UwnrpIdx96ATlVCTz8kL8qjD_2R-WY4NvXz1Rzbxr7ZYH83nQDBqJfGGUJ9R6WljeSaySB2fE21W3a0k22lJ6QhybQ/s1600-h/quebec-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIdd4aFg66H_4bBl2xL4ozzasvw5DS9IL-8hzn2tIeu5SolMJ-UwnrpIdx96ATlVCTz8kL8qjD_2R-WY4NvXz1Rzbxr7ZYH83nQDBqJfGGUJ9R6WljeSaySB2fE21W3a0k22lJ6QhybQ/s400/quebec-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374786478943605410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bpgBRI85VFdY-B2PCd4htYJ9iOQ_NTwihGYj2oPt58C1cjxuDNFXRYTNDmeXmAkfbr1UKAuj760y4kHdgKNY73gGH3EQ65TiraYJ7IBKK-DgWGjGdA5gyJizw-CYYZKQGN8AKYS3eGA/s1600-h/quebec-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bpgBRI85VFdY-B2PCd4htYJ9iOQ_NTwihGYj2oPt58C1cjxuDNFXRYTNDmeXmAkfbr1UKAuj760y4kHdgKNY73gGH3EQ65TiraYJ7IBKK-DgWGjGdA5gyJizw-CYYZKQGN8AKYS3eGA/s200/quebec-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374786671956665890" border="0" /></a>The second island is where the Formula 1 GranPrix used to take place. It was funny seeing all the cyclists going around the hairpin! After a long walk around the circuit, I reached the Casino de Montréal, build inside the old French house from the World Fair. I tried my luck at the slot machines and horse races, and came back out with a gain of $10. Not bad!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDdORblzEyKuCzChWgK6MpyM46rQnbca244PHvjws_YPvlYc2UoXbe_QlcGdb6IJ8Eaal2FcjfXCEj6ATVf3DhCbNaY6TOhWFvejR1jzwuVxAaNyJ6T_Ox05hgqwcuizusFbXZDP5D5s/s1600-h/quebec-17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDdORblzEyKuCzChWgK6MpyM46rQnbca244PHvjws_YPvlYc2UoXbe_QlcGdb6IJ8Eaal2FcjfXCEj6ATVf3DhCbNaY6TOhWFvejR1jzwuVxAaNyJ6T_Ox05hgqwcuizusFbXZDP5D5s/s320/quebec-17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374786878855616578" border="0" /></a><br />Coming back to Montréal, I didn't feel like walking around the whole circuit again, and decided to take the Concorde bridge, which provided me with a great view of the biosphere at dusk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCqwHKmajx201wvE3ew6fh0mASvBGCfoAFDhB_8KHfUar0JW1cG1TkSFrYKlwt19z1Cy7j_J8aQeNHZnnD9AVj0TMcMuGV_uXJ72vvzEJdeXgCIz4oAh4-SwgvJs9-5tLk_V-hjz9Wdc/s1600-h/quebec-18.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCqwHKmajx201wvE3ew6fh0mASvBGCfoAFDhB_8KHfUar0JW1cG1TkSFrYKlwt19z1Cy7j_J8aQeNHZnnD9AVj0TMcMuGV_uXJ72vvzEJdeXgCIz4oAh4-SwgvJs9-5tLk_V-hjz9Wdc/s400/quebec-18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374787082971371026" border="0" /></a><br />The thing is, I thought there would be a way down from the bridge to the parc Jean Drapeau. Think again! The bridge just went on and on. In a way it was cool, as the road passed right in front of Habitat'67, the wicked housing complex built during the world expo. But as it kept steering away from the city centre, I seriously began wondering where I would end up!...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWUu9-uP-QQwlX3uZrsQ5uOk6rpx6q8l0f8UwbfrCDpUgleKZxWSOi8YewuLYLfoijTIReIfcFXB2Otro8IeBrYC1rI5K197Psg0EIQ6iYAC6SBdDLOv8CO_n66Xz6NhaSsemDwv7hJ0/s1600-h/quebec-19.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWUu9-uP-QQwlX3uZrsQ5uOk6rpx6q8l0f8UwbfrCDpUgleKZxWSOi8YewuLYLfoijTIReIfcFXB2Otro8IeBrYC1rI5K197Psg0EIQ6iYAC6SBdDLOv8CO_n66Xz6NhaSsemDwv7hJ0/s320/quebec-19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374787384835963714" border="0" /></a><br />After a few hours walking, I go to the Peel Basin (I honestly have no idea how); the silhouettes of the downtown buildings on the basin were impressive. But it took me 3h30 with a fast pace to get back downtown.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicsT6qLY2UpQ23LLE3qoLwGr3lKo0eHFjWK5qxQgCOT9Ce8j09w8LkL2QrJyfMEts3Bvn7k1GpxdK9zes062nFP72SO9thzROXk_qvfmxbjjlSx8ZGdonYyjvUw2efIwrYiP8NV7elhE/s1600-h/quebec-20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicsT6qLY2UpQ23LLE3qoLwGr3lKo0eHFjWK5qxQgCOT9Ce8j09w8LkL2QrJyfMEts3Bvn7k1GpxdK9zes062nFP72SO9thzROXk_qvfmxbjjlSx8ZGdonYyjvUw2efIwrYiP8NV7elhE/s400/quebec-20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374787617658991106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzoJiHnoRoe5YuCrwPkarHylqYXO1UWUepa2ADA7eqODNcN7jkBYia_Or3V_IUOJyiKt9l7aydZXEOogBZCPXH8Bi77p_gC10wpArsQ9oIcpNXSEC_5qU2UGEj7l-2PFaVouCEhYerCQ/s1600-h/quebec-21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzoJiHnoRoe5YuCrwPkarHylqYXO1UWUepa2ADA7eqODNcN7jkBYia_Or3V_IUOJyiKt9l7aydZXEOogBZCPXH8Bi77p_gC10wpArsQ9oIcpNXSEC_5qU2UGEj7l-2PFaVouCEhYerCQ/s200/quebec-21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374787811102882146" border="0" /></a>The food in Montréal is also really good. Apart from a great choice of European style cafes, restaurants and bars, there's also some unique places. Schwartz's, for example, a Jewish smoked meat place worth waiting in line outside for a long time (in summer and winter!); the Banquise, where you can have a delicious poutine (none of the fast food version, this is the real sh*t!); or Juliette & Chocolat, a chocolate house where you can have, well, anything made with chocolate: the hot chocolate cocktails are as tasty as they are expensive.<br /><br />From Montréal, it's possible to go on a day trip to Ottawa, which is what I did. It's a completely different city, with a definite British feeling to it - it reminded me of Victoria, BC. The Houses of the Parliament are quite impressive, with their copper ceilings. But a 2h line up to visit inside? No, thank you. I went to the Byward market instead, recently famous for receiving a visit from Barack Obama (you can even buy "Obama cookies" now).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN_3NlxpzjMqq1X3oSkFcEg2J3UlXaPjbCF1F74ygPrBoVTDC5qzeVIdmxaUOyHtAE3t8XS8Ox2XtGf_oXY6qFsJNMbOqpV_9dGEPiSGjKhz5shzONAquLxHcH9aKSAd0oyFfDxV3A6Y/s1600-h/quebec-22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN_3NlxpzjMqq1X3oSkFcEg2J3UlXaPjbCF1F74ygPrBoVTDC5qzeVIdmxaUOyHtAE3t8XS8Ox2XtGf_oXY6qFsJNMbOqpV_9dGEPiSGjKhz5shzONAquLxHcH9aKSAd0oyFfDxV3A6Y/s320/quebec-22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374788172860906114" border="0" /></a><br />The view from the Alexandra Bridge (leading to Hull/Gatineau) is impressive: the houses of the parliament to one side, the Museum of Civilization to the other. I spent hours inside the museum, soaking in the wonderful First Nations culture, which I discovered on my first trip to Canada, and have been fascinated with ever since.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FWgVi5BsRfB3-8pZvhfR5ODde3HP06nSEus1IfEw5s22Q4TXl7r19WgWzhH7Iyy7rZg0ISrcKoeadGTptV12hZoL_21qcsToCnpKoW-vB0zcMIlwqVqj2XZPnJvfCrGew1bewyIVB3s/s1600-h/quebec-24.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FWgVi5BsRfB3-8pZvhfR5ODde3HP06nSEus1IfEw5s22Q4TXl7r19WgWzhH7Iyy7rZg0ISrcKoeadGTptV12hZoL_21qcsToCnpKoW-vB0zcMIlwqVqj2XZPnJvfCrGew1bewyIVB3s/s320/quebec-24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374788493893418322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ89UTD7Jf2Kiyjf_I5gGzAflyn81KUJuIk-PSeN6i_Qq8Ns8WNB3EyukMDu-ZBIhLtCYubyufR9ZPvWkwJYTW-6wFJKJEI_n6K4-TaHMtyH16pJL-ar4XDg_oQvGd8_bXKZCj0l5soAM/s1600-h/quebec-25.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ89UTD7Jf2Kiyjf_I5gGzAflyn81KUJuIk-PSeN6i_Qq8Ns8WNB3EyukMDu-ZBIhLtCYubyufR9ZPvWkwJYTW-6wFJKJEI_n6K4-TaHMtyH16pJL-ar4XDg_oQvGd8_bXKZCj0l5soAM/s320/quebec-25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374788486730636578" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchsuxmsRTUG3UnOJ2IVcpf3VmlIg4pVqwrSr95bXOXDlAn3h9TLGNbyhzMW_Zu_uc1syM0Lei8wXrEFSQFyUkkMTTJ83_pUpWsbLA9uSX84LRkSohBjrFLcNa6eRSJp__s4TFzoI31R4/s1600-h/quebec-26.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchsuxmsRTUG3UnOJ2IVcpf3VmlIg4pVqwrSr95bXOXDlAn3h9TLGNbyhzMW_Zu_uc1syM0Lei8wXrEFSQFyUkkMTTJ83_pUpWsbLA9uSX84LRkSohBjrFLcNa6eRSJp__s4TFzoI31R4/s320/quebec-26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374788933942530834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTYOf93aodHeBG_vAHYMc0r74JIfdXJ8XvQkT-746ujcan_-_Q9tH8n-ulR_U-OhD6GHHhtTWQRDb7TbPUZNqgD8qwPxm-K5LKuP6mHi0dxBRjkgiip249S48NNlbQFvaFLGbUpAqCsg/s1600-h/quebec-27.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTYOf93aodHeBG_vAHYMc0r74JIfdXJ8XvQkT-746ujcan_-_Q9tH8n-ulR_U-OhD6GHHhtTWQRDb7TbPUZNqgD8qwPxm-K5LKuP6mHi0dxBRjkgiip249S48NNlbQFvaFLGbUpAqCsg/s320/quebec-27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374788922279041138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFA5GlR0icPEkEOlotqZzlIE5ME40p1HN3GXVMEMhrjS3NQLfsymtwbV2zsCo8e5RT2oK1eYXsYWfVfnSkc7SW8papRmC7wy3XHqPvSTbHn-Up6MUlaE9WgEGhdt1FdsuZXCKGLYhbtk/s1600-h/quebec-28.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFA5GlR0icPEkEOlotqZzlIE5ME40p1HN3GXVMEMhrjS3NQLfsymtwbV2zsCo8e5RT2oK1eYXsYWfVfnSkc7SW8papRmC7wy3XHqPvSTbHn-Up6MUlaE9WgEGhdt1FdsuZXCKGLYhbtk/s200/quebec-28.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374789268204580354" border="0" /></a>And it was thus on my last week in Québec that I finally left Montréal for good, taking a bus to Québec City. A completely different kind of city! I also went back to my habit of staying at Youth Hostels, which paid off immediately: within 1h of arriving, someone had already offered me a spare ticket to go see the last night of the Summer Music Festival!<br /><br />Québec is a beautiful small city, a bit too touristic at times, but even the walls smell of history in that place! The Fresque des Québécois is a good example; the Chateau de Frontenac a lot less (although it remains quite impressive).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdHKSlDesvOB6NhGXv5wFFQIy1o4sIYaY3vcrW8vFt1dhcCa57sSxfOaHRLh9eTxACdSV1VjXqP37ZOQh-HWbAbawjStM0YlVh3818kJNzCz-wOQsL_SdZHOgG9-KP7FwHprzqkf3y2c/s1600-h/quebec-29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdHKSlDesvOB6NhGXv5wFFQIy1o4sIYaY3vcrW8vFt1dhcCa57sSxfOaHRLh9eTxACdSV1VjXqP37ZOQh-HWbAbawjStM0YlVh3818kJNzCz-wOQsL_SdZHOgG9-KP7FwHprzqkf3y2c/s320/quebec-29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374789550562216130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCErZQ7-1PQeNXSMgUoDo31d_q2md_pqSzEVQbucsbmNEDNu98xJpe0AXEpx9aB4ocze4-SwWWOZCrtb2OtkIWSwuneEs1FfIPH_6BZ3LyJGRyL7b4Zp0tih4a2Nu9oDEAbj0toTCPgmE/s1600-h/quebec-30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCErZQ7-1PQeNXSMgUoDo31d_q2md_pqSzEVQbucsbmNEDNu98xJpe0AXEpx9aB4ocze4-SwWWOZCrtb2OtkIWSwuneEs1FfIPH_6BZ3LyJGRyL7b4Zp0tih4a2Nu9oDEAbj0toTCPgmE/s320/quebec-30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374789545568451074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHEMNgE-GGeFR3_XOr_ToyiWl-HFgpauGnTFAPHCMrC5OlFcHKSC6aN6Bvz_oJHV95bBcXBJyhF_UQp1jLBTgaCWAvRy2s2BEV0amLQfJPh2fnV7ddJp0zTFn7UbXZAknsRUji7CYOU0/s1600-h/quebec-33.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHEMNgE-GGeFR3_XOr_ToyiWl-HFgpauGnTFAPHCMrC5OlFcHKSC6aN6Bvz_oJHV95bBcXBJyhF_UQp1jLBTgaCWAvRy2s2BEV0amLQfJPh2fnV7ddJp0zTFn7UbXZAknsRUji7CYOU0/s200/quebec-33.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374789871855801858" border="0" /></a>A morning visit of the Marché du Vieux Port, organised by the Hostel, was really nice - rows of local producers, proud of their goods, and making sure you taste the strawberries, drink a bit of wine, try the honey... An afternoon 15Km bicycle tour, also organised by the hostel (which I did with an English couple, 20 and 19 years old!), was also really nice.<br /><br />I was lucky enough to be able to go to two amazing night events while I was there. The first was the Moulin d'Images, quite simply the biggest cinema display in the world! An amazing 2h of animations projected onto an old series of silos and warehouses, describing the history of Québec.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTb4H6j0qATDlJ6eCCOjP8JSRjBKYSa3zPvoVXcCWB_bYFahhbbQgbcPU0tx2xhohgZPi1NYKVIfeb0-miu_q0FhyphenhypheneDcNKmmSzX7xeBdjCoZwZSOxPtrJ1WB07zRn108Y2nbtY6DUURQ/s1600-h/quebec-31.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTb4H6j0qATDlJ6eCCOjP8JSRjBKYSa3zPvoVXcCWB_bYFahhbbQgbcPU0tx2xhohgZPi1NYKVIfeb0-miu_q0FhyphenhypheneDcNKmmSzX7xeBdjCoZwZSOxPtrJ1WB07zRn108Y2nbtY6DUURQ/s400/quebec-31.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790039903271714" border="0" /></a><br />The second was the night show of the Cirque du Soleil. It takes place under a tall motorway bridge, in between the spectators, an amazing show.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUNRBepkSE1wuezQ9uoHGPRZRRwyxV2YvYNUoo_M0SfE25iE-7EddOhGhE5osbICpDDn8FIgIsHKQUMRLIEJNdMsrbolkVqmHspQt3jNIWDnQnwOU072anx6Cr1oaPJK5k3SRvqqLMa8/s1600-h/quebec-37.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUNRBepkSE1wuezQ9uoHGPRZRRwyxV2YvYNUoo_M0SfE25iE-7EddOhGhE5osbICpDDn8FIgIsHKQUMRLIEJNdMsrbolkVqmHspQt3jNIWDnQnwOU072anx6Cr1oaPJK5k3SRvqqLMa8/s400/quebec-37.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790267708395122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PW-Dqp8PUTBVlphnqB1iIoJu8X3q1QgTDOJVlcO9zR4bUjLRqA7g4BfX5w6bmm1Aidbg6dY_VvQmUBjgEGRjvMmRKMciRRZ6s2GD6Jl4kNoP_UskQP16lyH8tf4y9VVGSigYAXUgkgE/s1600-h/quebec-38.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PW-Dqp8PUTBVlphnqB1iIoJu8X3q1QgTDOJVlcO9zR4bUjLRqA7g4BfX5w6bmm1Aidbg6dY_VvQmUBjgEGRjvMmRKMciRRZ6s2GD6Jl4kNoP_UskQP16lyH8tf4y9VVGSigYAXUgkgE/s400/quebec-38.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790263155760530" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROrnZkIBQLuOhxtnq0h8nhO3CDjpijjcw-0nPgE7P53JhhcEqdQcEMiflIwp26Cuuy84Ta1yySLAtldkHvOrB9Fc_BiwU-tawlgtS9Urjwtz5MRsFaXURf8_186ywRcXN3f5HWNXUm_k/s1600-h/quebec-39.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROrnZkIBQLuOhxtnq0h8nhO3CDjpijjcw-0nPgE7P53JhhcEqdQcEMiflIwp26Cuuy84Ta1yySLAtldkHvOrB9Fc_BiwU-tawlgtS9Urjwtz5MRsFaXURf8_186ywRcXN3f5HWNXUm_k/s400/quebec-39.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790439942961154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFXzb7528EG6oHyX_LO-ez4Lpsg3gFESV0I6v06f-IPX9eXDbm6JSmewXk66stA2Fr2GFOiUSijMdYT6sYujslJvRkSLq6qLu4LoDZhcmAvlCMNZf7sTf3p7UxFr8ZYpvUUmFWdUpDfs/s1600-h/quebec-40.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFXzb7528EG6oHyX_LO-ez4Lpsg3gFESV0I6v06f-IPX9eXDbm6JSmewXk66stA2Fr2GFOiUSijMdYT6sYujslJvRkSLq6qLu4LoDZhcmAvlCMNZf7sTf3p7UxFr8ZYpvUUmFWdUpDfs/s200/quebec-40.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790647916331042" border="0" /></a>My last day in Québec city was spent in public transportation, to get to Wendake, the sole remaining Wendat tribe village left in the world. The trip definitely reminded me that in North America you're not meant to go around in public transportation! Terrible service, bad connections... The visit was ok, it was interesting to see that despite all that they have gone through, the first nations still actively try to maintain and evolve their culture and traditions.<br /><br /><br />At the end of the day, it was time to get the bus to Tadoussac, from the beautiful station in Québec.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKQkpW6yQK-LMVgnbPj2zSCDTTQ5V5_YNeSgjyp0Dv4D2myKi9Ayv6vqfsoQJZkAOLXOj9oL77mKkhPKpZ4P7MIEeK3zIQlPhf9jbZQO2T-NhM9GcmryzmKI2RgzSmO2BO5xTNmH5qmc/s1600-h/quebec-36.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKQkpW6yQK-LMVgnbPj2zSCDTTQ5V5_YNeSgjyp0Dv4D2myKi9Ayv6vqfsoQJZkAOLXOj9oL77mKkhPKpZ4P7MIEeK3zIQlPhf9jbZQO2T-NhM9GcmryzmKI2RgzSmO2BO5xTNmH5qmc/s400/quebec-36.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374790856005382018" border="0" /></a><br />Tadoussac... is a party village. With a population of only 5000, it is well known for its whale watching opportunities, hence the flood of tourists during summer. The hostel is at the centre of the party: every night there's live music, and a bar by the patio until midnight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhap_Vl6hcMzENaa98jaPEeDeAPA2tyH93_pu1WoGcup3jSM8vSBmQwmzZjx6YJbh5mPPrQuicNjuseumK2nlIHphtzJVB-kx60_b4oRN77t0WM6AYCsCX8oxfUQ4E3K7Uk2lPQx9Adw/s1600-h/quebec-43.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhap_Vl6hcMzENaa98jaPEeDeAPA2tyH93_pu1WoGcup3jSM8vSBmQwmzZjx6YJbh5mPPrQuicNjuseumK2nlIHphtzJVB-kx60_b4oRN77t0WM6AYCsCX8oxfUQ4E3K7Uk2lPQx9Adw/s320/quebec-43.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791076044154290" border="0" /></a><br />After that, a big bonfire is lit (even with light rain!), and all the hippies gather around, singing songs and drinking beer until exhaustion. It seriously reminded me of the juggling conventions I used to go to in Ireland.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSnNdTUamE5Uqvv3riPHTpsD4j69U6icf8A-FBtjGP7_tBrxZ9gNtulN3fiwux2w47MLEJI3LKsq5F6lvl2mR0dq8DuUoNP5PVbfh-4n3A-eM6vHyFpSw5F-sDOUeDXNevWw_IPp9K7A/s1600-h/quebec-44.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSnNdTUamE5Uqvv3riPHTpsD4j69U6icf8A-FBtjGP7_tBrxZ9gNtulN3fiwux2w47MLEJI3LKsq5F6lvl2mR0dq8DuUoNP5PVbfh-4n3A-eM6vHyFpSw5F-sDOUeDXNevWw_IPp9K7A/s320/quebec-44.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791219830052770" border="0" /></a><br />I quickly made a lot of acquaintances, especially with a group of 4 French and 2 Québecois. The next day, we all decided to go for a swim in a nearby lake (thankfully, a lot warmer than the ice cold water coming from the fjord!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1lQeqILpLUUqToLGJGgtxjCNOHZcETWUebowNVhtkUlMJjlX2_DZc9G6pXvWuqyW-jD7eO4p27Ic_8X0zgYqWtbyKJXNwBBypN5mabWiOSeGOMl8NnBllU0I6dYL44kBX2Ju0FV6Ayk/s1600-h/quebec-45.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1lQeqILpLUUqToLGJGgtxjCNOHZcETWUebowNVhtkUlMJjlX2_DZc9G6pXvWuqyW-jD7eO4p27Ic_8X0zgYqWtbyKJXNwBBypN5mabWiOSeGOMl8NnBllU0I6dYL44kBX2Ju0FV6Ayk/s320/quebec-45.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791393512011682" border="0" /></a><br />Having gone on a whale watching trip in the West Coast a few years ago, I didn't feel it was necessary to feed more petrol to the poor whales just to get a glimpse of them, so when my newfound friends left, I went on a lone long walk along the bay, up through the Pointe Rouge, and spent a few hours on a deserted beach, reading a good book, and keeping an eye out for a possible whale sighting (although they never came).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLcycxhcCKV3GurMm7W4aO6u55G7EBSQUbo3r8FAKetVXhVnh4QUjwCjWllhwDQZL8gXBqJRrm6Zx_8LHnZQ-XCzQIs6n-n4za_oiiqXEW-deyj-_EFU3jmyDOuSY7ggZtneH6XaSDw4/s1600-h/quebec-46.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLcycxhcCKV3GurMm7W4aO6u55G7EBSQUbo3r8FAKetVXhVnh4QUjwCjWllhwDQZL8gXBqJRrm6Zx_8LHnZQ-XCzQIs6n-n4za_oiiqXEW-deyj-_EFU3jmyDOuSY7ggZtneH6XaSDw4/s320/quebec-46.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791718141849378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyP1PGySlH5QNb5jikDsrCfXdbGGQIXYpIGo5uqfxkxkqZTaENLkYwo134LicK11sYQf4J3IIHXP5iueIz0K5igwSlwkami52GGXOaUakM5-JhwYbEj_mq0XjM6pnbDteh0PSl941yVRE/s1600-h/quebec-47.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyP1PGySlH5QNb5jikDsrCfXdbGGQIXYpIGo5uqfxkxkqZTaENLkYwo134LicK11sYQf4J3IIHXP5iueIz0K5igwSlwkami52GGXOaUakM5-JhwYbEj_mq0XjM6pnbDteh0PSl941yVRE/s320/quebec-47.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791711880156786" border="0" /></a><br />After another night of debauchery around the bonfire, the rain decided to stop me from going for the last nice walk I had planned, so I stayed inside the hostel while waiting for my bus, playing the piano and partying with everyone else there. The friendly feeling of the place is hard to describe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBI1RGGK5-BaVtVSrnMgbJ2XLDkKOC6qc_5ukwjdD0zPK6DIR09yO3CnIx0btt6sJcPr4DsF29IPGZvtrVL9M3YDbTIb0D1FcTIRoyKctGIG6e9L_SC2ebLzcB5XjmSZCyxQe7yfs3Gw/s1600-h/quebec-49.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBI1RGGK5-BaVtVSrnMgbJ2XLDkKOC6qc_5ukwjdD0zPK6DIR09yO3CnIx0btt6sJcPr4DsF29IPGZvtrVL9M3YDbTIb0D1FcTIRoyKctGIG6e9L_SC2ebLzcB5XjmSZCyxQe7yfs3Gw/s320/quebec-49.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374791950601498594" border="0" /></a><br />And that was it, I took the ferry and the bus back to Québec City for one last night, and then flew back from Montréal to Paris. Another wonderful trip in Canada, one of these days I'll finally decide to buy a one-way ticket!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEZD4MRmTbe_vT63NCU_tg4HxT07Ane2jDi-hF3RWDMSNKyDomsb0LrRZOxQR87gy8j1LgqzdiR4YiZBL0KV4EJiUUnP1i5uRuv3Fsw5CpNKVdINMNI3_YX3TbUq0lrBsjpM-E8WZPTU/s1600-h/quebec-50.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEZD4MRmTbe_vT63NCU_tg4HxT07Ane2jDi-hF3RWDMSNKyDomsb0LrRZOxQR87gy8j1LgqzdiR4YiZBL0KV4EJiUUnP1i5uRuv3Fsw5CpNKVdINMNI3_YX3TbUq0lrBsjpM-E8WZPTU/s400/quebec-50.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374792084037016562" border="0" /></a></div>Мишаhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241846328769563583noreply@blogger.com2