February 19, 2011

pics #484 - #536

 

Friday February 11th - Red Planetary Moon
This day starts as usual for Vienna, with Primary Series and breakfast. But this time it is time to say goodbye to Matthias and Fabian, two cool hosts I will remember and marking hoping to meet again. The bicycle lets me know he liked it there as well because the front wheel is flat, like when I left Al Ma Wa, delay for repairing. Cycling the long alley of Prater parc, passing the stupa, and following the Donau river in direction of Bratislava.

           Prater parc: straight and long alley

There is such a strong wind that it is hard to keep the stove flame heating the left-over of couscous. A cyclist indicates me that the cycling path is on the other side of the river, which will be crossed in two steps, first to the middle artificial island and then to the left bank. The ride goes easy with tail wind, on a straight road on a dam. A hill in the horizon indicates the junction of the river Morava with the Donau, and the border between Austria and Slovakia

           Donau radweg: long and winding road

When leaving Hainburg appear the twinkling lights of Bratislava. I follow the bike path which is turning a bit too often, ... focusing on the castle on its rock, ... wind is against me now... And I arrive in ... Hainburg! The compass confirms that I have turned back, I do not understand how. Tired and slightly disappointed I take again the way east, following the railway close and ignoring the bike road signs. Finally I enter Bratislava from a long bridge over the Donau. But I am not yet finished with efforts because my hosts address is not on the map of the city I have.

           Bratislava's light seen from Hainburg

So I follow the indications in bus stops, while climbing the city up and down: Bratislava is built on hills. Then i noticed I have been following a trolley bus line the wrong way, my brain is definitely not properly working. Finally I reach the correct bus-stop, and end the day with a looong climb, pushing the bike up to the highest point of Bratislava, where my hosts live. I am wasted when I meet Peter and his brother Braňo. Today I established a longest daily distance which is totally useless, 40km more than the actual Wien-Bratislava distance.

 

Saturday February 12th - White Spectral Dog
Peter and Braňo have their own tourism company and after lunch at their family, we go to test a new circuit. We are joined in their minibus by a slovak couple, one austrian, one italian and one ukrainian. With this happy group we discover the rural countryside by the Malé Karpaty - the small Carpatians-, visiting organic farms and local pubs. The state of roads and buildings testify that the country is not so rich compared to what I know in western Europe. Local pubs look quite the same, same table with same four chairs, two beers and kofola -slovak cola- on tap.

           Organic farm: this funny goat is the guard

          Organic farm: with French president Sarko(na)zy

          Organic Farm: Doesn't she resembles former French minister of foreign affairs Ms. Alliot-Marie?

We end up with a diner in a pub-restaurant of the capital where I am advised to taste the Haluški Brynza, a traditional dish made of potato and cheese. Slovak are curious to see the face that tourists make at the sight of the dish. My hosts discover soon how much I can eat. It is good, filling and cheap 23€ for 6! And Slovakia is part of the euro zone since January 2010, did you know?

 

Sunday February 13th - Blue Crystal Monkey
Braňo asked me to teach him yoga, so that is one more class teached! Before leaving I contact hosts in order to get more North in Slovakia. My aim is to go to Kraków in Poland if weather allows it, and to see more of Slovakia. I cycle relaxed between the Malé Karpaty and the plain that goes to the Donau and Morava river. In each village it looks like partly neglected, certainly priorities are somewhere else. In the west, we, I, got so used by square, neat, clean, shiny and new stuff. Here nature reminds us we are her guests. this is always the case, no matter how much we try to forget that. During a uphill, I stop to camp near a pass, it is nearly 0°C, a fresh night. I am so happy to camp again, first camp of the year, first one since Praha.

           Camp11: back to the wild!

 

Monday February 14th - Yellow Cosmic Human 
The ground was not very flat, it did not give me an ideal sleep. Besides I lost my camping organization and I am late on the road. A few hectometers of ascension and I enjoy a descent toward the plain going to Trnava. I learn from a funny man in Modra that good white wine is made here. Indeed vines are ideally planted on hills directed south. Unfortunately for the reputation of this wine, I can't tell you more because I decided to stop alcohol, and I stick on it since already some weeks. I had the best red wines -French- some good whites -Austrian- and the best beers - Czech-, thus no good reasons left to disturb my evening meditation session.

          Modra

          On the way to Trnava

A road in the middle of meadows gets me to Trnava, the Slovak Rome, nickname given because of its many churches. My first impression is not so romantic -rome-antique!!-, rather depressive, even opressive. Lanes of appartments buildings, everywhere, without any style. I roam for a while between identical cosntructions before finding the train station and my hosts house. His house-mates open me and soon I meet Vladimir, tall fridnely guy, full of travelling anecdotes and fun stories. After diner we meet his students friend in apub. I taste another Slovak cocktail, vinea, while they got students prices on their beer. Back at his place I get to know the difference between room-mate and house mate, he not only lives in a shared house but also a shared room!

 

Tuesday February 15th - Red Magnetic Skywalker 
Vlado -short for Vladimir- guides me in the morning in the historical center and I get to see some of the monumental churches, and one synagogue. While he attends a class, I go on my own in the city center of Trnava. The ugly communist-style concrete is present there too, but it is possible to see a nice authentic looking street, with a ruined house in the middle. I meet Vlado and friends in a pub for lunch.

           Trnava: inside a church

          Trnava: through a passage

          Trnava: the synagogue -and a church in the background-

In the afternoon we take the train to Bratislava, to the concert of Buena Vista Social Club. This famous Cuban group is still touring, with some of its historical members. Despite their age, the singers play with the audience, warming the atmosphere, with the help of entertaining Caribbean rhythms that makes hips swing. The Slovak audience is enthusiastic, reacting to each reappearing of the singers, who relay on stage, demanding call backs. I am happy to be in that good mood party.

 

Wednesday February 16th - White Lunar Wizard 
I am leaving towards the North and the city of Żilina where I have a host in the week-end. Gray sky, going through a plain, monotonous villages, dogs barking as I pass, a cold tail wind that freezes my fingers during lunch break. A church on a rock, a stone mine, small houses covering a hill. In Nové Mesto nad Váhom I hurry to do groceries in order to have time enough to find a good camping spot. The sunset is much later than at the beginning of the trip, it gives me nearly two extra hours. Between the two arms of the Váh river, i found a quiet spot, near a beach of gravel. No risk to be awaken by beach's fanatics.

 

Thursday February 17th - Blue Electric Eagle 
I ride on the eastern side of the Váh, left bank. It is still an farming plain, but the mountains ridges are getting more narrow. Castles on a rock, often in ruins. Small villages with similar pub near similar 'coop' shop. A soft rain starts in the late afternoon as I am thinking to camp. I find my spot in the back of a village, hidden, not to muddy, not too damp. After mounting the tent, I am directly cooking. Then resting. This procedure gets me earlier to bed compared to the previous routine where I would rest between setting up camp and cooking, and lose time by falling asleep and hesitating to go out cooking in the cold.

           Beckov: castle

          Trenčín

          after Zamarovce, another castle

 

Friday February 18th - Yellow Self-Existing Warrior 
The improvement in yesterday evening's organization has a direct effect: I am ready earlier this morning. The wind is still in the back, the weather is still gray. The river is flowing between two chains of mountains, Biele Karpaty and Malá Fatra, and still ruined forts overlooking it. I am cycling around the partially frozen lake of an hydroelectric power plant. Then it is Bytča, which central place catches my attention. Nearby an old castle, a palace and a big synagogue, its says tells that Jews were tolerated in the area. In the beginning of the evening, I arrive in Žilina, meeting my host Vlado. I have already decided to cross the mountains towards Poland, even at seeing a drop in temperatures: I feel strong, my knees are good, and this year I plan to stay in Europe, so let's take detours.

           Lake on the Váh, with the Biele Karpaty in the background

          Bytča: synagogue in ruins

          Small river directed to the Váh 

 

Saturday February 19th - Red Overtone Moon 
Since a few days, a girl named Lucy tries to contact me to interview me about my trip while in Žilina. Today I finally meet her in a cafe, with a friend doing the interpretor. When she asks me the reason I took India and Rishikesh as a destination, there is a nice coincidence from the TV: it is broadcasting a clip of George Harrison! The day ends with groceries for Sunday and dining of a Haluški with Brynza before I return to Vlado's flat.

           Žilina