dinsdag 22 december 2009

Welcome to Nepal, goodbye beautiful Tibet

Hidiho,

Finally in Nepal. But already stuck in the border town, because of a strike which paralyzes the whole country. No one can use any transport. If they do, their vehicle gets wrecked. So no one wants to bring us to Kathmandu. But its oke. Its relaxing here in the beautiful valley of the Himalayas from which one side is Chinese, and the other is Nepalese.

So only the day after tomorrow we can leave. Tomorrow we'll visit a hot spring, the only thing to see here besides the dirty streets and the dirty hillsides littered with all the rubbish the people can't use.

But before we arrived here, we crossed Tibet, a really magical country. We were so lucky with the weather, which was blue blue and sunny. It was awesome. The people in Tibet are totally different from the Chinese. They laugh much more, are very friendly and are very spiritual. It's like there life is all about there believe, Buddhism.
They are really beautiful, but also very dirty. In the way they seem not to wash them very often. The children are often really black of the dirt. But on the same moment shining from the inside.

It is the kind of people which I had expected to find in Mongolia. But probably communism has killed all this people, or certainly, this kind of spirits.

Also the countryside is very similar to Mongolia. Huge place , few people an enormous beautiful.

Together with the Dutch couple, Gerald and Anette, we had a great time. We had little problems with altitude sickness, but it is really not something to underestimate. Without the medication, we would have had problems. Around the mount Everest we walked for 8 km, but it felt like 20. The icy wind blowing in our face all the time, luckily still sunny, but on the end, Gerald and I where exhausted, with a huge headache. But the woman were oke. So they could take care for us. In the night all the bottles of water were frozen, inside our sleeping room!! Luckily we could use all the blankets we could find.

Also the monasteries are tho most beautiful and authentic I have ever seen. But,....

The Chinese really control everything. There are everywhere spy's disguised as tourists, or monks, or whatever. Our Tibetan guides where really scared to talk in public about there thoughts about politics. All the pictures of the living Dalai Lama are illegal and also the Tibetan flag.
There 'peaceful liberation' is really a cultural genocide. The Tibetans have less rights as Chinese. If they are very kind and sheepish and very rich they can get a passport to leave the country, but it costs a full year wage!! Our guides husband was imprisoned one year for entering the country illegal after going to Nepal, he was only 25 now.
They have a hard time.

On the other hand, our driver and guide weren't the nicest guide and driver we could have. Really not motivated in the contrary with the guides husband who guided us for one day. He was really relaxing, motivated, nice and helpful. It's a pity, but besides that, we had a great time. you'll see on the pics, its unbelievable.

greets,

Simon and Saar

donderdag 10 december 2009

To Lhasa!!!

So, finally we write from Chengdu, one hour before leaving for Lhasa!!


As we said, Yangzhuo was really a nice time. Riding on our rented tandem (duo bike) between the sugerbread-shaped hills and along the beautiful Li river.
Finally after a lot of snow we could relax in this nice and warm surrounding. Well I slept for two days to get rid of my fever. But after four days I was back the old one, except my lips were still full of herpes vesicles.

One day we visited the local market. Saartje left after entering five meter when she saw a truncated fish head stil moving vividly.
I went on but came out really shocked. We heard the people there sell skinned dogs, so I was curious, but it was much worse then I had expected. The dogs where just treated like actually all animals are treated. They were stacked with so many in such a small cage, but much worse, there fellows got slaughtered just in front of there nose, just like 10 cm!! The prepared ones where hanging on hooks in the front. Just like rabbits, but it felt so much worse. ...

So after This beautiful place we left back to Guilin where we visited some more little beautiful villages after which we took the train for 25 hours direction Chengdu.

Here, in this big and vivid city with 4,4 million people we really slowed down. We were little sick of sight seeing. So in two weeks we only visited the panda 'zoo', the main square, the peoples park, some hours further, the biggest Buddha of the world and many hours further(12) the most beautiful natural reserve we saw up till now.The panda's where so cute, but stil bears and dangerous!
The Buddha was an 'o waw' experience, after we went back. We didn't really visit it, we just took the pont to an island opposite of the Buddha, from which we had a very good view. We saved 9 euro's each!

The natural reserve was just so beautiful, it was a pity we couldn't walk on the walking pads because of fire danger.
Just admire it on there site: www.jiuzhai.com
The way to there was very interesting to see how the earthquake of 2008 did so much damage. It must have been horrifying to have been in that valley. Half mountains just came down! Damaged houses, collapsed bridges, broken roads,...crazy


Normally our plan was to take the bus from the park to another city where we could take the train to Xinnig, but there was no bus going anymore. So we had to go back to Chengdu.

Apparently a good plan of God, because the day after we arrived, we got mail from a Dutch couple who wanted join us!!! www.geraldanette.reismee.nl
Which they do!!!

So tonight we leave with the train to Lhasa for 48 hours.

This is our Itinerary for Tibet:


Day 01 : Arrival in Lhasa by train, will be received and transfer to hotel in Lhasa,
Day 02 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
Day 03 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa

======================================


Day 04 : Day trip option 01

Drive Lhasa to Ganden monastery, touring the monastery, option to do a 3 to 4 hrs trek crossing Ganden ridge to Trup Shi village where we can visit a local Tibetan family for some local drinks and snacks, then meet our driver and drive back to Lhasa, over night stay in Lhasa



=============================================


Day 05 : Lhasa - Yamdrok lake - Gyangtse 260kms / 7hrs

Leaving Lhasa and the Kyi Chu valley towards the Khampa la pass ( 4730metres ), at the pass we have a short break for stunning views of some major white peaks in the eastern regions of Himalaya to the south and the young Norjing Gang Sang spiritual snow mountain range to the west across the turquise colored waving waters of Yamdrok lake, descending from the pass down close to the lake and driving passing the local nomadic and farming villages as far as to the western edge of Yamdrok lake where we have our lunch break at Nagar Tse, after lunch continue our scenic driving to Karo la pass ( 5050metres ) where we have our first high altitude adventure experience of Norjing Gang Sang glacier peak and visiting the local nomads with the Yaks, we have our arrival in Gyangtse late afternoon , check in hotel in Gyangtse, Jian Zang or similar ( 3850metres )



Day 06 : Gyangtse sightseeing - Shigatse 90kms / 2hrs

After breafkast, we visit the local historical and the cultural centers, The Palkhor Chode monastery including the Kumbum stupa ( the only survival with such distinctive structure and the thousands of art works ) and a climb to the ancient local Gyangtse fort is worthy choice by being in Gyangtse, at noon we drive through Nying Chu valley, passing local farming Tibetan villages with stops at their farm-lands and as well as stops at a few local villages with visits to a few of the local families, arriving in Shigatse afternoon, check in the hotel, same day afternoon touring the Tashi Lunpo monastery and the local tradtional market, hotel stay at Gang Gyen or similar



Day 07 : Shigatse - Sakya monastery - Shekar - Tashi Zong Village 320kms / 6hrs

Leaving Shigatse town, Drive continue west on the friendship high way to Sakya, visit Sakya monastery ( The main seat of Sakya pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism ) a monastery which was once became the political center of majority parts of Tibetan territory and its history dates back to the11th century contemporary to the second diffusion of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet ), It has now still the largest library for ancient Buddhist scriptures although thousands of precious scriptures were destroyed during cultural revolution, after the visit we take our lunch there and late after noon drive to Shekar and then on to Tashi Zong village, over night at a local farmer`s guest house



Day 08 : Tashi Zong village - Rombuk - Everest base camp 60kms / 1 1/2hrs

We have a basic breakfast at the guest served by the family and then we drive to Rombuk, where we make a short stop and then you could start your hike from Rombuk up to Za Rumbuk where we have the locals running camp guest houses, check in the guest house



Day 09 : Everest / Nyalam 220kms / 7hrs

Spend a beautiful morning in Rombuk and Everest base camp, enjoying the sun-rising, late morning driving to Old Tingri where we have our lunch break, taking a walk around the village after lunch is interesting, late afternoon drive to Nyalam. ( 3700m )



Day 10 : Nyalam / Zhangmu Border / cross border

Driving down to border town ( Zhangmu ), clearing the immigration formalities and then cross border ;



End of the trip ;





Love


Simon and Saartje

vrijdag 20 november 2009

Trip to the south

Our first experience with Chinese trains. You can choose hard/soft seat of hard/soft sleeper. We took the train around midnight and would arrive at 6o'clock in the morning so we wouldn't have to pay for a night in a hotel. We tought we would be smart and safe money but eventually the first thing we did when we arrived in the morning was searching a hotel and sleep for another 4 hours :) . We took the hard sleepers, like we would do the rest of our journey. You can see it in the pictures, we sleep in an open dorm with six beds in one litlle place. For those six hours it was okay, we slept 5 hours because they woke us up at 5 o'clock, tapping our but the whole time to wake up. The trains are less comfortable and less clean then in Russia but they can be filled with much more people.

So after a good nap at a descend hotel, weird but true there are no hostels in Datong, we met Catrina and Daniel again. We met them in Beijing and they were gonna do almost the same trip like us so why not spend some time together?
So we waited for a bus who would bring us to the ancient Yunan Caves. It was suppose to leave in 5 minutes but left after 45 minutes when it was fully crowded and it dropped us off in the middle of the road. We were surprised, where were we? Surrounded by ten screaming motorcycling riders, we eventually gave in and payed them 5 yuan to bring us to the caves. And it was amazing. Even if all the touristic things around it irritated me so much, it was still worth it going there.

The next morning we met a taxidriver who wanted to bring us to the hanging monastery and a big ancient Pagoda. I can say that the Hanging monastery was nice to see but really disappointing if you pay for it to go up. You can see the monastery outside the gates and so it's really stupid to pay to go up and see nothing but the ticket office :/ But we don't have to moan because we could sneak in with the studentcards from Daniel and Catrina (many thanks by the way!). The same for the Pagoda, you can see it from the outside not worth to pay for it.
So we managed to get back before 4 O'clock and we hurried to change our trainticket so that we could arrive in Taiyuan before midnight. There was nothing more to see in the industrial city of Datong.

We arranged a sleeping place with Nancy, a couchsurfer from Taiyuan. So it was really relaxed to know that we already had a sleepingplace. Nancy was very nice but it was a bit a strange meeting an things didn't quit worked out. And the only thing we wanted to see was a museum, that was nice but not that we had to stop only for that. If you know what I mean. So we wanted to leave after 1 day but it started to snow, all lovely in the beginning. But after a couple of hours it was a lot. More then 0,5 m fell and it was total chaos in the city. We wanted to take the train but after 2,5hours waiting we knew he wasn't coming. So we booked a hotel, slept a good night and had a new idea the next morning: a bus! But stupid as we are, if there is a snowstorm, busses don't leave either :) So the only option : go back to the trainstation and wait. We were lucky, only 30 minutes later a train took us to our next stop : Pingyao.

The train we took was less comfortable :) We had hard seats that we had to share with 3 women and their babies. I'm so fond of little creatures, but these little ones in China don't have diapers on and it is so grose when they pee everywhere :/ Simon had his rainpants on, so he could sit in the peearea :) The wagon was filthy with spit and trash so we were happy it only lasted an hour.
Pingyao is a really old little village. Nice to wander arround for a couple of days. It was snowing here too, a lot of it. So when we wanted to take the train to Xi'an in the middle of the night, a couple of trains were canceled and delayed. The people we met in the hostel had to take a train with standingtickets for 10 hours (because there were so many people)! We were lucky, our train was delayed for only 30 minutes and we still had our sleepingplaces. But it was scary because some people said that there was another snowstorm coming and if we didn't leave on the next train we would be stuck for at least 4days!

When we arrived in Xi'an we went to an hostel, went for food and jumped on a bus to see the great terracotta warriors. I didn't had high expectations, about none of the touristic places, but it was great. We took a guide for the first time during our trip and it was worth it. She gave a lot of info, sometimes a bit like a robot, but Simon asked so many questions that we had the feeling that it is better to take a guide because otherwise you see some statues without the meaning. It was also good we went very late and the troops of tourists were already gone.
In the evening we met Sam and Amy again, our companions through Mongolia. It felt good to see them again. It was like seeing friends again after a while.

Next day we spent wondering around in the city, swabbing some books and try to stay warm. We met with Catrina and Daniel again and took the train to the south, to Guilin. 27 hours on the train, I can assure you, it's a lot! it was enough, espessially for Simon who became sicker by the hour.

Guilin is beautiful, I mean the nature. The city is one touristic place, but the suroundings are nice. Simon spent 3 days in bed while I arranged our visa-extension. Luckily he was better after a few days and we good go to the 'countryside'. Especially Yangshuo were we spent our time hiking and biking. A really relaxing time.

One week later we took the train to Chengdu, we stayed here one week relaxing, searching people to join us to Tibet ( who we almost found :) and tomorrow we leave for a nature park in the north for hiking.

Time for bed, good night,
big kiss

Saartje

haircuts in Beijing!

New haircut

Pics China(Datong, Taiyuan, Pinyao, Xi'An,Guilin)

Pics China(Datong, Taiyuan, Pinyao, Xi'An,Guilin)

donderdag 12 november 2009

zaterdag 7 november 2009

Beijing (30/11 - 7/11)

Good evening everybody,

Just back from the big Chinese wall. Very nice, very smoggy, not a great view, but nevertheless worthwhile. Actually we would have gone yesterday but three couchsurfers let us down by not showing up at the meeting point. So we couldn't pay the driver. But yesterday evening I asked spontanious some Belgians in the street if the would like to join us for today and Hannes from Deinze has done so. Nice guy.... So we had a smooth ride in a small car to the wall where we did a walk for ten kilometers, after which the driver brought us back in the very smoggy Beijing center.

Suddenly I loose all my inspiration to write so I'll keep it short.

We were hosted by Rob, Dutch guy who lives here to study Chinese. We were lucky to sleep in his beautifull Hutong in a private room in a king size bed. We could use two of his bikes which made our Beijing experience much more nice. We felt free and home.

So the first thing we did was fix our camera which worked out very well. We payed 28 euro and got back a working camera!!!

On halloween I went to the big Yen halloween party in the art district. Very expensive, but very nice. I just wanted to dance so badly, so I left Saartje who was very tired at the hostel and took a taxi to the party. 80 percent of the people was dressed in the weirdest figures, which made the party very funny. I could experience some of the 'best' techno dj's of Beijing, who pleased me very much.
That night it started snowing for a full day. 16 million ton of snow covered Beijing and made it freezing cold.

This week we visited the park with the remains of the old Ming city wall, the temple of heaven, the Tian'anmen square, the forbidden city, the forest parc, the art district 798, the Jingshan park, the Olympic district and the museum of technology.

Many more to see....

Our impression of the Chinese people is that they are very disiplinated, often very kind and helpfull and less filthy as we expected. But still when they ruckle we can't get use to it.

Oke, we have to go catch our train to Datong.

cheers

woensdag 4 november 2009

China!!!

We are safely arrived in China after taking the train to the border, a taxi over the border and a mini bus which took us to Beijing.
The driver promissed us to leave from Erlian, the border town, at twelve, and we would arrive at seven in the evening. But as he has mongolian blood, and five other Mongols joined us, the bus left at one thirty and arrived at one in the morning. Luckely he brought us to a nice hotel.
This morning I went surching money in a cashmachine and realised we are in Azia! The smell, the air, the collors and the people! Different and appealing. Bicycles everywhere in every shape, with all kinds of shops on it, old, new, with or without electric motor. Hairdressers cutting peoples hair on the street, selling roasted castanjes, chicken, breads, dumplings, and many more special things which made me very curious. I love it here. Ginkgo trees all around,
I met two English speaking Chinese persons when I was asking around to find the bank, who helped me a lot.


After paying we had to find out where we were between the 15 miljon people living here. We called our CS host, Catrina, who said we had to take the metro. We first had to take the bus for 1 yuan each, instructed by a helpfull men, afterwhich we found a metro station. Uneleavable fancy, and very clear. The stopes are spoken in English and so are the signes too.


We are now sleeping for one night in the house, ancient monastery with foundations dating from 900 AC, of two kind Swiss girls who are studying Chinese. Tomorrow we will sleep in a youth hostel. But probably we wount sleep a lot as an other couch surfer will take us to a comedy show, afterwhich we go to a preparty, than a halloween party and finally an afterparty. Sunday we wil be sleeping very good, hopefully.


Sleep tight


kiss


simon

p.s : are blogspot is blocked here in china, so we will not be able to write so much.

zondag 25 oktober 2009

30 day tour

Hello,

where to start? First we met Amy and Sam, a couple from London, on our last day of Ulaan Bator. We waited for 7days and I explained Simon that we had to make a decision, if we didn't find people to join our tour we had to do it on our own and take the bus to the north. Almost ready to call our friend Ugna to cancel our trip when I saw two people looking at our message, which we hang everywhere in the city. It was like God send them, they were interested to do a tour with us,hallelujah!

So the next day we left Ulaan Bator with Ugna, our guide, Amy, Sam and Tsaja, our driver, in a russian van.

After a couple of hours driving the tarmac ended and our trip on the piste begins. Only from Ulaan Bator to some other city there is tarmac, but most roads in Mongolia are very bumpy sandroads. You definitely need a good jeep or van to defy these roads, where 50-60km/h is the maximum. So the trip of 5000km we did, took a long time because of the bumps and the holes.

During the sovjet time Boudhism was forbidden and a lot of monks where killed. A lot of monasteries were destroyed and rebuild after 1990. Also the monastery in the north: Amarbayasgalant monastery. We arrived and it looked like a big playground for the young monks. Everywhere kids running around these big ruinous buildings. Most of these parts are the only monasteries which were not destroyed and look very old and need a restoration. The inside is always impressive but if you've seen one, you saw all. Only the last monastery, in the old capital during Chingis Khaan-time, Erdene Dzuu monastery was more impressive. The city around the old building is ugly and besides this attraction there is nothing to see in the area what was used to be the biggest city of Mongolia.

Our trip leaded us from Ulaan Batar to the north, the west and eventually the south.
In the north we went to the big Kovsgollake, an huge pure lake that is blue like we never seen. Our guide bought a piece of land in the touristic little village near the lake and arranged a cheap horse riding tour for 3 days. It was a nice experience but Simon and Amy didn't like it so much. I really find it sad that that's the only horse riding we did. For me(saartje), coming to Mongolia was all about riding on a horse with the wind in the back over these beautiful landscapes. But like a lot of people, it is an utopia and we changed horses for a van.

The roads brought us through amazing valleys with rivers who curls like snakes over this dry sandy land, the mountains which come and go and give us the feeling to jump out of the car and admire this nature for forever. The animals, still free in their huge habitat, are equally surprised to see us as we them. Everytime we see a bird or a fox, everyone is shouting and pointing. One time we even chased a fox, poor animal. Amazing, never saw so many foxes, gazelles, eagles, marmots, hamsters, falcons, deers, camels, horses, wild camels,... It stays exciting even if it is the 10th gazelle you see. Just to see them running or to see the eagles flying next to our van, fantastic! One day, a man came to us and asked if we were interested to see wild camels ans bears. Amazed at his proposal we nodded and he took us on a day driving to the dessert in search of wild camels and the Gobibear. These animals are almost extincted and live now in a strictly protected area in the south. Organizations are now trying to set up breeding programs so the animals return back, like it used to be. We felt so privileged to see the wild camels and the shepherd let us riding one of his 'normal' camels, a funny experience but another cameltour was not necessary because we found that the stick through the nose of the animals are a bit cruel. The bears we eventually didn't see but it was nice to see how their breeding programs work. It was really nice to see that they care about the animals instead of shooting them all. In 15 years time all the animals reduced with 50% because the mongolians have a big culture of hunting, no matter what animal. So these programs show us the other side, luckily.

The west of Mongolia was for me the most beautiful. We went to our guide's house and he showed us around in the area for a couple of days. Man man man, never seen nature as beautiful as here, so intact, can't even describe maybe pictures tell more. We saw rockcarvings, open field, golden mountains, the delivery room in a little hospital, traditional instruments, traditional dresses, ...

Most of the time we camped ( mongolia is one big camping area), stayed in shepherds houses or payed for a little room in small villages. We liked staying in the traditional gers, so we had contact with local people who let you see another mongolia. Languagebarriers are tough, even with a guide, and that makes that we didn't learn as much as we could have. They teached us Mongolian cardgames,the customs in a ger, play games with goats anklebones, break apart a ger, .... we really got to see their traditional life and that was what we wanted.

I have to say it: Mongolia has the worst food in the world. We met an American who told us and we didn't believe him, but after almost 2 months now I can say it. In the countryside they don't have a lot of vegetables and they really have a meatculture here. So I give you an impression what we'd eaten here:

- fried little bread
- milk tea > goat milk with water, a little bit of herbs and salt
- mutton with tons of fat on it (mutton with rice or mutton with noodles)
- buuz (big raviolli with only mutton and fat)
- kuushuur (fried buuz)
- airag (fermented horse milk that becomes a sort of beer) you can also make vodka from it. We drank also camelairag.
- aron ( different kinds of really old hard cheese, like rocks)

If you eat in a ger or cantine, these are the options, but we also had our own food and tried to make some variations. But I have to say we ate a lot of candy, chocolate and other sugary things. Eventually we get used to the different tastes but we were dreaming the hole time of good food: western food. So the first thing we did when we came back to Ulaan Bator was: pizza! :)

The south ( the Gobidessert) was amazing to see. A small part of it are sanddunes, big mountains of gold sand where you can climb on (if you have good physics) and slide off. The view was stunning and we are all glad we did 5000km to eventually see these mountains.

We had a bitter pill to swallow in the end. The relationship with our guide was not as easy as we thought in the beginning. We had some discussions during our trip and then eventually the bomb exploded and we had a big fight. Luckily it was in the end and he dropped us in a little city 400km from the capital. So we got out of the van and just went our own way and we were all relieved. We are so lucky we met Sam and Amy, we had the same ideas and it clicked. We saw 70% of Mongolia, its beautiful landscapes, the local people and their old traditions. I'm glad I did it, but I would not do it again :) Mongolia is really hard to travel in, even for local people. Transport is really bad, not even mentioning the roads, the weather changes really fast and the distance between villages is like crossing the size of Belgium over and over again. So next time I would do one part and explore that rather then try to see hole Mongolia. That is also what I recommend other travelers.

So today we bought our train tickets to the border with China, we leave tomorrow. So, another adventure is waiting for us...

write you in china,
big kiss

NB The version of our companions you can read on http://samamy.travellerspoint.com/

zaterdag 10 oktober 2009

Mongolia: Day 12 of our tour

Hidiho,

We are now in Khovsk in the west.
We had already a lot of time on the bumpy roads, three days horseriding, visit to a monastery, two vulcano's, great lakes, beautiful mountains, foxes, birds, gers...horses, goats, sheeps, camels,...

Wel, a lot to tell but now we go to a mongolian circus....

In UB we will write our full story,

love

simon and Saartje

zondag 27 september 2009

30 day trip

haidie,

just to let you know that we are leaving for a 30day trip around mongolia! yeah, we found some good people, a couple from London.

so you'll here from us in 30 days.

ciao!

dinsdag 22 september 2009

7 days living with Mongolian family

Goooood afternoon,

We just had our extension of our visa until 1 November and managed to apply for our Chinese visum. With a fake plane ticket and a reservation on hostelworld.com is it very easy.

Yesterday we came back from our first real encounter with the real Mongolian life.
In the hostel where we stayed over I asked where we could learn horse riding for 10 days and he sended us to his parents in law. They live somewhere in between Ulan Bataar and the ancient city Kara Korim, 4 hours by bus from UB.

Our hostelowner Gan told the busdriver to stop somewhere specific and over there we had to walk straight to the south. Once arrived there was standing a tourist in the middle of nowhere called Lucas. A nice guy who could tell us Mongolians are also very eager to get dollars and dare even to leave you in the freezing cold if you don't pay some imaginary price to get a ride. Anyway, he was hitch-hiking through Mongolia.

We were heavy lauded with vegetables, vodka, chocolate, bread,... walking six kilometer on a field with scattered bones, earth and grass, with burning sun is not really a pleasure. Gan told us there was a jeep looking for us, but we didn't see one. Finally we arrived at two gers with a family who were busy with making a filth cover for one ger. I called Gan with my Mongolian number and let him talk to them. He arranged they would bring us to our hosts. So they put our luggage and the two of us, plus driver on one motorcycle for a ride of ten minutes for the price of 5000 T.

Once arrived we were welcomed by the family and the parents in law greeted us with on sniff(like a horse kiss) on each cheek. We gave a bottle of vodka, as prescribed and some chocolate.
We installed our tent next to the ger and wandered around.
It was a amazing place! Beautiful hills, dessert, big fields, a river, horses(auto), cheeps(hun)and goats(yama).
We got to know the Mongolian food, and it is really bad. The horse milk they manage to screw up totally by letting it fermenting and the goat milk they dilute with boiled water and some salt and herbs. It is drinkable, but the old couple was very unhygienic and as a consequence we were very soon a bit upset in the stomach. They ate only rice with a potatoes mixed with cheep, or self made noodles with potatoes/carrots with cheep. They just boil all the stuff with some salt and that's it. Very greasy and very salty. If its not finished, they serve it the next day as breakfast with sand(because the sand flies in the ger) and loads off flyshit. After four days we didn't accept anything but boiled water from them because I had diarrhea and Saartje was all the time nauseous. We could use our vegetables and all the other stuff we luckily brought.

Next to that we had also great experiences off course. We learned horse riding a bit(not as much as we had hoped, but anyway). We crossed the fields with it, we herded cheeps, goats and horses and even climbed a rocky mountain with it(super irresponsible0, but we survived, although with fright.
We learned how they milk horses and helped, we learned how they milk goats and helped, we learned with what they make fire and helped, we learned were they got water and helped, we learned how they slaughter goats and cheeps and helped and we learned how they manage to live with all the stuff the animals and nature gives them. It is amazing, I have the greatest respect for it and I must admit I can't do it, nor stand the simplicity of there life, which is on the other hand very complex of course. Off course maybe if I could speak there language it would be more easy and I could have some intellectual pleasure to understand more and learn more and have some chit chat.

On the mountain we had the pleasure to see the game between the sparrows, the crows, the falcon, the eagles and the many vultures. It was fascinating and downhill there was a dead cow which they were eating.

We witnessed and perished the strength of the Mongolian wind which can change the climate so fast and bring a sandstorm, followed with snow and freezing temperatures coming from 30 degrees Celsius by day. So it took us by surprise at night our tent collapsed and we had to rush out holding everything we could hold, throwing it into the ger. Everything covered with sand: teeth, eyes, nose,....we were frightened and our hosts were laughing. I only lost my sunglasses and one leg protector for horse riding.

The beautiful sky colors you can see a bit on the pictures, the night sky is incredible and above all we saw some miracle. The sun had set, many stars were at the sky and suddenly there was a bright white cloud. But soon we saw it was concentric moving and widening, more direction the west until it covered half of the sky and became so transparent it was not more visible. It was astonishing. I wrote a mail to the KMI in the hope they can explain what we saw.

It's a pity it had to end with a bad feeling off being looked at as a dollar sign, as they tried to sell a dress to Saartje in a way it was not proper and they were asking for money on a way like we had bothered them a whole week, while we had the feeling we had helped them a lot and were willing them to pay them anyway. So we were quiet angry when we left, but it ceased the further we drove from them.

For putting us back into balance we went eating vegetarian in Ulan Bataar after we visited the cinema for enjoying 'District 9' in English.

So far our adventure,

now we are arranging our tour for about 30 days through Mongolia.

Keep in touch

love

Simon and Saartje

Oh yeah, Buddhist monks play here shoot-them-ups. ;)

zondag 13 september 2009

our hike at lake baikal on Map


Klik Here

Mogolia - Ulan Bataar

Hideliho

First I would like to finish Russia.
Looking back it was a great country, which has a lot to offer. Beautifull nature, architecture, culture, etnic groups, every kind of surrounding,...everything...exept a general feeling to be welcome. If I compare my experience of Russia with the first 30min of Mongolia, then I note that I have seen more smiles then in a whole month of Russia. People say spontanious 'hallo', they make you relax.....big difference.
Anyway, Russia is a country of fansy cars, drunken people, vodka, very good trains, big diference between people(etnic, social, ...), ....well I should stop because If think generally, I can only think of bad things. My experience with the peope we met was different. Once the people know you, or you you find a way in, to communicate with them, then they can be very generous and friendly. The last days we took the train from Irkutsk to Ulan Ude (cost 450R), a trip with a very nice vieuw on lake Baikal. We stayed one day in a clean, hospitable, cousy hostel (Etnic Baikal Hostel), visited the center of buddhism in Siberia, a monastery(nothing compared with the first monastery we saw in Ulan Bataar) and we visited also the etnografic museum, walked little bit around and had funny evenings in the hostel.
Finaly we said goodbuy to Russia although we could stay there some more years to see and experience...but we changed it for better I think. So we took the bus for 9 houres, included 1,5 houres borders cheques, to Ulan Bataar (cost 950R).

It is not the the most beautiflull city at all, but as I said, more smiles, many shopes and ho(s)tels, and very much cheaper, exept gasoline!!!!
Now we stay over at Ayuno's Hostel, six dollar a night, a very nice host who helpes us a great deal, but not very clean, nor confortable.
We visited many shopes to find a new jacket for Saartje, who lost here's. So we walked a lot, even on the huges black market, to finaly buy it in the first shop we actually entered.
We visited a beautifull monastery with a huge statue of a buddha inside and we visited the national museum of history, which was very good, even better than Hermitage in Russia, in terms of presentation and tourist orientation.

Oke, sorry to be so very dry, I am not ver inspired, but I write to say, we probably leave tomorrow, or the day after(after we arrange our visum for China), to a family on the countryside, direction the anscient capital 'Kara Koram', to learn horse riding for ten days. then we come back and arrange our visa extension for Mongolia before we leave to north west to do a horse trekking around the biggest lake of Mongolia, in the area where the rendeer tribes live.

So, love you all

kisses

simon,
yeah, we bought sunglasses ;)

maandag 31 augustus 2009

Arived in Irkutsk

Hidelihow!

Here we are again in Irkutsk. So, we have a lot to tell. Lets start!


We arrived last week in the morning at 3.30 Am at Irkutsk after 80 houres train! It was a nice period to read, to sleep and to enjoy the view. The weather wasn't that great because it was rainy al the time, except the last day. So it wasn't pictureweather :) The 4 days on the train were chilled. We slept in the less expensive dorm were 54 people sleep in the same wagon. We thought it would be a lot of noise, but it was so quiet. We were lucky because next to us there was a russian young couple who could speak a little bit of english. We talked, laught, played card games and she taught Simon about the food in Russia that is not always trustworthy. A lot of food is expired so we have to look at the date all the time when we buy something. The couple was so worried about us and they gave us like tablets for not getting sick when we eat bad food and she gave us also a little bottle of arnika for the throat. They are fantastic!

The trainride was a good experience but just the arrivaltime was crappy. We got out of the train in the midle of the night and we didn't slept anything that day. We searched a place to sleep, our host of couchsurfing didn't had time for us, and took of the next day to go to the famous Baikallake. In the hostel we met a couple from Israel and Bosnie who were amazing and give us a lot of information about good places around the baikallake. Thanks Vanja and Nir!

Thuesday we had a bit of a trouble to find the right bus that did go to the baikal. We had like 20 minutes left to find the bus when someone told us that we were in the wrong place :( So a girl just pushed us in a taxi, payed for us and the taxidriver found the right bus just 2 minutes before it left. the most exciting 20 minutes in a hole time :)

So we stopped in Petrova, a litlle town near the lake. We started walking but the map whe got was so bad that we didn't knew where to go. We were so releaved when a car stopped and took us like in the good direction. Eventually he took us to a 'farm' ( there wasn't anything yet) and there we met Jora. He is a guy from Oezbekistan that saved some money and just bought a piece of land in the midle of pluto :) So he lives now in a container that once was a 24 hour shop :) untill his wooden house is finished, that takes normally 1 month. That night was just amazing, Jora let us ride his horse ( so great! for simont the first time without a saddle :)we could sleep at his place, but we slept like a couple of hours because of the noise of mice and because of to many tea ;)

The next day we walked like 15km I think, with beautiful sights and a dangerous tiring descent of a big hill. And it was so freezing cold! We are so lucky that we have good sleepingbags, a really freezing northwind never experienced. Eventually we arrived in a bay where some people were making a fire. We stopped by just to ask where we were but ended with glasses of vodka in our hands and a bunch of people who were trying to explain things in russian :) In the morning they were still or maybe again drunk. So they 'married' us at the baikal and they said we had to do a lot of wishes :)

Again we started walking, a bit stiffer then the previous days, and we were just stunned about the beauty of the lake. In the evening we walked to a bay where there were two houses and in one of them there was a fisher living and simon asked if he could buy 2 Umulfish, special from the baikal. He cooked them and simon said it was just an amazing tast. A sweet waterlake, but a really salty fish.

The 4th day we searched for the main road where we tried to hitch hike to the big island Olhkon. We stopped a litlle bus, we paid some 300 roebels and in the bus we met Jurek from Tjech Republic. He is so funny and we stayed with him the hole evening when we were trying to find a sleeping place and eat some sibberian stuff in a little cafe where they were not used to have a lot of tourists I think because the service was crap :) On the boat to the island we also met friends from Rita, our host in St-Petersburg. They were just in the last day of their 6 months travelling through Asia. But I think they were to tired to tell a lot about their journey.

the next morning we got up with beautiful weather, a blue sky. So we hitch hiked to the north of the island, cape Hoboi. The first 2 rides were great but then we met a guy who was searching tourists to drive them to the north for money. The first time we met him we explained we didn't want to pay and that we wanted to walk and hitch hike. So we walked and then he stopped again and was like saying "sit, sit, all oke" and simon said that we didn't had money. He drove us, and 2 other tourists, to some places and I felt the hole time that it wasn't right. So then he stopped at the northen point and he shouted ' money money'. It really pissed me off, he was a rude guy and eventually we gave him like 120 roebels ( like 3 euro) witch isn't much, but he was just a mean guy that tricked tourists. But the cape was beautiful, very nice and very very windy.
the rest of the day we just walked back and we got a ride back to town from a russian and his mother. They asked like 1000 roebels to drive us to Irkutsk, what is way to much we thought, so we got of at Kuzhir and thanked them for the bumpy ride :)
That evening we searched also Jurek again to say goodbye and then we saw the french couple who we met in Moscou. What a coincidence!
We put our tent near the town and got up very early to hitch hike back to Irkutsk with a stop in Petrova because a left my pocket knife in Jura's place. The last ride we got from Eugene who worked as a placeman for windows ( I don't know how you call them) and he drove us to the centre of Irkutsk. We found the same place where we could sleep in a good appartement, again our contact in Irkutsk didn't had time what frustrated us.

So we still live and we are now in a appartement from someone we don't know :) We were just on our way to another hostel, because its cheaper, and on the tram a american came to us and asked if we were frenchman ( he had a bet with his friend) and he had a telephonenumber of a friend that maybe could host us. So here we are, skyping and emailing in someones house we just met for 2 minutes. How crazy the world can be.

The next plan : tomorrow we'll take the train to Ulan ude and there we will take a bus to Ulaan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. Because it seems that taking the bus is less expensive and takes less time than the train. We will see :)

see you in Mongolia!

donderdag 27 augustus 2009

Pics St-Petersburg

St-petersburg

Hermitage


Rita one of our hosts in St-Petersburg

Moscow

Hidelyhow,

Goodnight everyone, in eleven houres we will take the train to Irkutsk near the beautifull Baikal lake, but first I sleep some houres before visiting the Kremlin.

First I tell somethings about our experience in Moscow.
We took the night train from St-Petersburg to Moscow, but we had only sittingplaces. So we were little broken after 8 houres sitting. Little irritaded and tired we entered one big trainstation of Moscow. Many people, big hall with a big statue of Lenin. We searched the day before the adress of the tourist information center, so we could get some information. We first left our luggage in the luggage room and tried to find the tourist info center. But we had bad luck, Moscow has not so many pulic street maps as St-Peterburg and certainly not in English, so we start asking the people without succes. Finally we found a girl in a certain travel agency who could speak english, but se asked us 40 R to tell us where the street was we searched! We laughed friendly and went away. Finaly after toiletvisit we were a little more relaxed and found a good streetmap were Saartje found the street. We entered the metrostation and bought a card of twenty rides. We learned the Cyrillic letters so we could read the some words to find our way.
Once arrived in the street there was no sign of tourist inforation center so we asked and nobody knew were it was. But we persisted and finaly found it in the huge buildig. It was worth the energy because they gave us very good and a lot of information. after the visit we had to fill our day because we could only meet our host after his work around six o'clock. So we walked ten minutes before it started to rain and we fled into a coffee bar where we spend the afternoon reading al the information we got. It was for me an eye opener because it suddenly appeared to me that Russia is incredible beautiful and there are so many places to go, it is just a big world on its own. Now I understan few Russians(in our experience) speak English, it is just not nesessery.
That day we saw already the red square and some other crazy buildings. But as usual, we were not to impressed.
At six we met Youry, our Host, at the Metro station, Mira Prospect. We felt immediatly very confortable with him, and he is just a great and kind guy.
He made a beetrood soup for us, a traditional Russian cold soup, which tasted very good. We had a good chat. The naxe morning a couple of France arrived(Jean et Climence) also and together we visited the city. We found that they were so funny because they fell everywhere asleep.

Oke, It is getting to long, ...
We visited many places in the city together with nice Friends of Youry, like Macha and Jaana. They gave us a great time but tiring. It is a pitty taht we couldn't stay over until saturday to have a good party in Moscow to enjoy the nightlive. We had it actually, the second night but in his kichen wit champagne, bear, Letvian herb liqueur, home made vodka, it was fun, but as a result I didn't feel good at al the next morning.

After a week the bulding wich impressed me the most was the university. We realise we start to realy like Russia and like, based on our litle experience, Moscow more then St-petersburg.

Moscow is a city of the most beautifull metrostations, fancy cars, jeeps, cray drivers, alcoholics, little shops, big, huge buildings, rain, Lenin, Kremlin, many power, police, maby 15 miljon inhabitants, big roads, underground crosswalks, beatyfull parcs, gold and glory of the soviet time, and many beggars, .... I liked it, I felt home already the second day!

So we leave at 1.11 P.M. to Irkutsk for a ride of 80 houres. We bought noodles, don't worry, we won't starve. Good news is, we only payed like 10 000 R for oure tickets from St-Petersburg to Moscow plus Moscow-Irkuts( four tickets)

Love you mamie, papie, Lyssa
Love you mamie, papie, Jeroen

dikke kussen, met ons gaat het reuze goed!

Thanks to the nice people of Moscow to give us such a nice stay over

zondag 23 augustus 2009

Last day St-Petersburg

Hi,

We are now leaving our host Dmitry. We had yesterday a nice dinner together in his appartment.
Today we are going to the museum of political history and afterwards we'll visit the St-Isaak Cathedral. In the evening we'll eat the goodbuy dinner with Rita in a Indian restorant. At 1.30 A.M we have to take the train to Moscow. And we'll arrive there around 10 A.M. .

St-petersburg is a way to big city for us, and now we go to a much bigger city Moscow. We'll loose oure way certainly. but we have a host for the whole week, wich is very confortable.

St-petersburg, a city of 5 miljon official people and maybe 9 unofficial, a city of many beautiful houses and many ugly, buildings, of limosines and cars with flat tires, of many tourists, of beggers and alcohol, of of of

woensdag 19 augustus 2009

Pics Of Berlin street art an street art museum

Some more pics of Berlin

Berlin street art

Berlin Street art Prison

Berlin East side Gallery

Berlin Street Art Museum

St-Petersburg

Hello Hello,

With Nirvana on my head I write to you.
Sunday we arrived,from Letvia, in St-Petersburg. Two passport controls on the train made the night really short. In the morning we were surprised everyone was already awake, without knowing that we were arriving because it was already one hour later! (the time changes) But it was no probem, we managed to get off. But when we packed our stuff we found a little caterpillar . So the first thing we did after leaving our bags in the train station, was finding a nice flower for this little creature.
Sunday, the tourist office was closed so we bought a map and searched cheap hostels on the internet and tried to find them in reality wich is very difficult in this city where we can't read nothing, and where often shops and hostels are hidden behind iron doors.
We met also a nice young girl who helped us to find some cheap places. Finally we found a room for 2200 R or 50 euro. It was a pitty we haddn't found a couch that night, but we received some sms's and mails the next day! So now we slept two nights with Elena and Oleg with whom we had a little gathering in the botanic garden by night with some poth, jambes and fireshow.
Yesterday we did the bustour in St-Petersburg, but we had to force us to stay awake because we were tired of al the walking, the late night and al the impressions.
Afterwards we had a birthday of Stassy a friend af Rita two People from Hospitality club who invited us. A lot af food, nice chats and cousy. Surprisingly, they sleep on the ground, just like if we would go camping, very hard, but good for the back.
Now we go to Rita, we'll sleep tonight in here place.

Our impression is still little dark and very often very unfriendly people, who don't like to do anything for foreigners, but on the other hand ofcourse very nice and hospitable friend and a city like no other, big, impressive, full of castels, cathedrals, Churches, palaces, museums, it doesn't stop. You can spend all the money you have and even more...

Love

S&S

zaterdag 15 augustus 2009

pics Krakow, Zakopane, Gizycko, road to Letvia

Krakow


Krakow 2


Zakopane



gizycko


from lithuania to russia

Latvia

Oke, lets start with saying that the last 3 days were amazing!

We started our trip in Gizycko, Poland, by hitch hiking to Kaunas. We had a really good long ride but unfortunately he stopped on the high way just next to the big city. So there we stood, wandering if we could hitch hike on the highway or on a little drive to the big high way. We tarted our patience on the little road but after an hour we searched a bus to the station and after a while we found some other tourist who told us ther was a camping at the place where we came from. It was the most strange and uncozy camping I ever saw but I was happy to be there and finally found a place to sleep. I didn't felt at my ease in the city, a lot of drunken people and I think it was not a nice trip we did through the city: a lot of buildings were dammaged and so grey. That night we had a while without clouds so we watched the falling stars and did a lot of wishes ( simon the most because I didn't see too much)

The day after we tried to hitch hike again but the son of the campingman made us depressed when he said that we had no chanche to hitch hike, no one would take us and the gasstation was 10 to 20 km further. Well, we prooved him wrong when we had a ride out of Kaunas. We took a bus and climbed our way to a gasstation and after 5 min we were out of there.
That day was uncredible. I have to say this first: when we started hitch hiking I did a wish: I wanted a ride with a nice car and I hoped that he paid us food. 10min later, a man took us more then 100km in his fancy car and he bought us some food in a rich restaurant from his friend. Blogstein or something we ate, so good! The resto was famous for it huge tree cake witch contained 1300 eggs and was 64 kg and 2m 30 or something, he must be somewhere between the pics. Saartje fell immideatly asleep in his car and together we cruised some houres through the beautiful Lithuania. I felt very lucky. It were nice views, we saw a fox, lightning, rain and many beautifull landscapes. Everywhere there are storks and also some cranes. Nice is there are few fences on the lands, the cows are mostly hanging on a long rope, sad, but it makes the view very beautifull.
So he dropped us at Zarasai and then with another ride we ended in Daugvapils. I said to simon: «and now it would be nice to meet someone who offered us a place to sleep’. And then we met Vitalijs. He didn't really spoke english but his wife studied on the university. He was really kind and offered to come to his place. He said something like 'badja' or black Russian sauna... We nodded. Once arrived it looked very remote and poor. Inside the house we found ten children fromwitch one baby. He introduced Masha, his wife, and her mother. Her mother cared for five fosterchildren an Masha too plus her two own daughters. It was really overwelming, but very cute. She talked properly english witch comforted us. She asked if she would like to join the weekly black Russian sauna. It was great. Good sauna and a good opportunity to wash us propperly. It was funny with Vitalijs, he was really crazy. Full of energy. I had to wipe him with herbs, so hard!
Afterwards, warm inside and outside we got very nice food, and they made our bed. Pink, with a beautifull view.

The next morning I changed the diaper of the baby, we made a walk and had a very strong breakfast together with some children. It contained ground mais and wheat boiled in water and salt, afterwards they added fresh milk and berry jam, delicious.... but little too much for Saartje ;)

They brought us afterwards back to the road leaving Malta. But before we made some pics of the big family. May god bless them!

After a while we were taken by a pick up truck and brought us to the lake of Luza. There we met some very drunk Russians (50% of Letvia is Russian) witch wanted us to drink too, but we could refuse and got some pork with bread and fresh tomatoes. We could camp on there land but we were very soon bored of there shittalking, so we left for a more quiet place on the other shore of the lake. After putting up the tent, we fell asleep immediatly. We felt tired and I felt like a little bit down. Hich hiking asks a lot of people. It brings really the grills of people to you. Some very beautifull, others less. But I thank al those who were rude and all those who were kind. I thank all those who didn't stop, they made it possible the others could stop.

After a long night but a bumpy night(not very good for the back) we left and hich hiked with two Jony's in a bumping car (the trunck was one big woofer) to Rezekne. They left us at the train station. At 22.50u we'll take the train to St-Petersburg.
so see you in Russia!

woensdag 12 augustus 2009

the last moments of Polen

Friends,

I know we email a lot now, but we have to go on internet because we have to know where we are going and I think our family won't mind if we emailed too much :)

Our trainride to the north of Polen was one without a lot of sleep but its again a beautiful experience :) Oh, I have to tell this ( I know ou mothers would approve so sorry mammie :) We took the train from Krakow to Gyzicko but had to switch trains in Torun. So, like I said, we didn't had a lot of sleep so I was still trying to close my eyes when the train stopped for like the 50th time and I looked out of the window and saw we were in Torun! So I shook Simon and screamed we had to get off. Everything went so slowly, we had to wake up, grap our bag, put our shoes on, make sure we had everything and while we strumbeld in the corridor, I heard the whisle of the controlman. I pulled at the door but it was locked and the controlman stood next to me, I felt the train moving, and I screamed 'wij moeten er hier af!' ('we have to get off' in dutch) I knew he didn't understand me but I'm pretty sure he'd understood our movements and signs. Eventually an other man opened the door and we both jumped off the train, relieved and eventually we had a really big laugh with the two bewilderd and surely suprised faces of the men. After that shock we took a litlle train, not so adventurous but with amazing beautiful views, to Gizycko.

So we are our last moments in Gizycko, the north of Polen. It wasn't really what we expected, we thought it would be a nice lake what plenty of walking pads. Instead it is one camping after the other, so it is all protected by fences and no pad around the lake. So yesterday was a really lazy day. We were so tired and did a little walk but then reallized that it wasn't going to work and we really needed a good meal to weak up. So I spent most of the day reading my book in our tent while simon searched an internetcafe. And then we met Julien on our camping, he's a frenchman who is travelling in Europe for a couple of months, all by himself. So we exchanged our experience ( the little we have untill now), I found it a really nice evening. The one thing that frustrates me is that I can't express myself in another language as I want it to be, you understand? My french is so bad that I'm more quiet then I want to be and so it frustrates me that I want to join the conversation but the words just keep stuck in my head because I can't translate them in there language. It's not only with french, here in Polen they don't speak a lot of english or other languages so most of the time we can't explain what we are thinking. But yeah, I know that that is not going to be better if we head to Russia ;)

So, I think we are going to leave Polen and try to hitch hike trough Latvia and Lithuania in the next 3 to 4 days :) It is a long way up. You see, our plans are changing rapidly, we are not going to visit these countries because we want to spend a whole month in Russia. I'm a litlle scared for that, the big Russia, just because I don't know what to expect. But I'm really eager to go. A bit of nervousness is always good, isn't it?

Oke, I wrote way too much, so I have to stop :) We go know, write you soon!

kisses

zondag 9 augustus 2009

Zakopane

Haidie,

the second day in this really crowdy place. So friday we went to Auswitch, not a nice experience but it was a very good guide. We were a bit suprised that you had to take a guide and walk around in group ( especcialy me, saartje, was frustrated because I don't like groups) but it was so overwhelming that is was good to walk in group. We are happy we've done it. Normally it was also with a visit to Birkenau but it was so late and already emotional that we called it a day and went back to Krakow where we took the bus to Zakopane.

Simon wrote before that it wasn't always gloomy, well, the arrive in Zakopane wasn't either. It was 22 O'clock when we arrived and we searched for 1,5 hours and seen the hole city with our backpack when we were really tired. Eventually we found a camping in the south of the city. Yesterday we did the mountain Gubalowka and there were so many people! Simon played at the high rope parcour (see the pics if you don't understnd me :)> Today we walked all across Czarny staw Gasienicowy, it is a lake in the mountains. I think we walked more then 20 km so we are exhausted. Tonight we will take the train to Godzine, we will arrive tomorrow because it is really far. We underestimated the size of Poland so we're gonna take the train instead of hitch hiking.

Hope everything in Belgium is nice too, don't worry too much about us, we have a really great time!

Ohja, Lyssa, we hebben 23 zoenen over de bergen gestuurd, een ongelofelijk gelukkige verjaardag! We vinden het erg dat we hem moeten missen, anders hadden we je wel doodgeknuffeld :)

kisses!

vrijdag 7 augustus 2009

Day 12

We had a really great time here in Krakow.
We'll tell everything later, but now we are waiting on Ania to wake up so I can pack my sleeping matrass and she can help us with the time table of the trains and busses.
We will go today to Auswitch and later on to the beautifull Zakopane, to walk a bit in the mountains.
After that we'll take the train to the north of Poland, and cross then lithuania and latvia.

She woke up,

see you later

dinsdag 4 augustus 2009

Krakow + Pics 50 Faces project Berlin and Tachelles Berlin

Hy,

we are in Krakow, and we just have so much luck! We left Wroclaw by train. It wasn't easy buying a ticket, the people kept talking in Polish while we kept on asking for English while there was a long cue behind us. So I Send Saartje to Find someone young who could help us, and so it worked out. Luckily we just ate good Chinese food for 5 euro together with cola, because the train ride was almost five hours!! The ride was ok, except for the door which kept on falling open and closing with big slams. Poland seems to be very poor. The condition of the houses is very bad, bud the feelds are very beautiful, full of flowers. Also the rivers are impressive, not walled, but just as they are, with lot of flood area.
But generally the human side gives a sad impression.

Before we left Wroclaw, we mailed a lot of people in Krakow to as if we could stay over. Only one answered in time, but he lived 30 min from the city, so we had to take another train. Once in the station we had to hurry to catch it, but we had to buy another ticket, but didn't found it, so we asked it at some English speaking young fellows. At that point I was suddenly so frank to ask if they hadn't a place where we could sleep, and they said 'yes'!!!!

So now I am writing on Ania's and Krystians laptop to you! They showed us around in the city, treated us on food and vodka in a nice bar.
They are so nice, and very good English speaking. And unbelievable hospitable!

This trip was untill now great, off course not always gloomy. Like in the Deserted hospital at night before we found oure sleeping place, we were a bit scared. And the grey atmosphere in Poland gives me an empty feeling and a disconsolate feeling.
But Ania and Krystian changed this now.

Good night

more pics

50faces project in Berlin

Tachelles in Berlin

Pics Ode to RAF, Desserted hospital, Woodstock

Woodstock


Deserted Hospital Beeitz near to Berlin


ode to RAF

poland day 3

Haidie,

here we are again. We are just 8 days away from home but it feels so much more.
Last time we mailed we were still in Berlin. Friday we visited Tachales, an anarchistric building with some nice art stuff ( look at the pictures).
Anna told us about deserted places and buildings nearby Berlin, so we tried to find the hospital. It was so great and really magnificent but it was almost dark and so it became very very spooky. I was really not at my ease so we searched a place to sleep and found one behind the firefighters :) apparently there are a lot of young people in the weekends who come to this place so they screamed and threw little noisy bombs. The next morning we looked at another building the gymnasium, what was very big! Nice place, we are glad we've seen it.
so we started to hitch hike to Woodstock. After a while hitch hiking in Germany I can say that they are not so willing to take us, it is rather dificult and I don't know why. It looks like they are scared of us and don't trust us. But evently we managed to reach Woodstock and it was so overhelming! So many people, it was like crazy. Cars and tents everywhere, we couldn't make a difference between the campingspace and the music arrea.
But it was a good experience, seen that, done that.
yesterday we tried to hitch hike to Krakau, picked up by Wojciech. People here drive like crazy! We visited his grandmother and tried the talk a bit in English but it was really hard. Eventually arrived in Wroclaw and slept in a little hostel. It was so nice to take a shower after all the dust from Woodstock! :)
So we met Alex, a really nice guy from Austria, he took us to the centre of the city and explained us how to get around. Now, we are planning to hitch hike to Krakau and find a place to sleep. Good luck to us and see you next time :)

vrijdag 31 juli 2009

Dag 5 Berlijn

We hebben geluk gehad, we hebben tot nu toe kunnen overnachten bij Anna, een vriendin van Lukas.
Gisteren een heel leuke gratis tour gekregen door Berlijn, vooral toegespitst op de alternatieve scene. Heel veel street art gezien, net wat ik zocht!
Vandaag gaan we nog even rondwandelen, inkopen doen en dan vertrekken Saartje en ik naar een dorp, Beelitz, naast Berlijn om daar een verlaten ziekenhuis op te zoeken ergens in de bossen.
Daarna gaan we naar woodstock in Polen, aan de grens met Duitsland in het, dorpje Kostrzyn.

Nu ontbijten...

woensdag 29 juli 2009

Dag 1 tot 3 We zijn in Berlijn!

kort en krachtige omschrijving van onze liftdagen: moeizaam, of toch niet wat we anders gewoon zijn.

Maandag naar antwerpen met Wim, na een uurtje staan koekeloeren weer enkele 20 km verder gebracht. Als we tot de volgende dag konden wachten konden we wel meerijden naar Azerbijdjan met enkele trucks die een mobiele studio moesten vervoeren. maar aangezien dat niet echt op onze weg lag, hebben we toch maar besloten om verder te liften. Florine, een Roemeen, heeft ons verwelkomt in zijn truck waardoor we weer 100km verderop in Venlo aankwamen.
Het was alsof iedereen die dag in Venlo moest zijn. We hebben daar 2 uur gestaan terwijl we echt iedereen aanspraken maar geen 1 die onze kant uitmoest of ons wou meenemen. Uiteindelijk is er ook nog een hollands koppel toegekomen, die gelukkig naar het Noorden moest, maar die dus ook wel ons een lift hebben bezorgd. Een Anwerpenaar die een liefje heeft in Duitseland, heel lieve gast met een ruig uiterlijk, dat moet ook als je als portier werkt in de befaamde Lierse club de Illusionist. Super gecruist tegen 196km/u op de duitse snelweg en ons dan gedropt in een klein stadje niet ver van Dortmund. Ons tentje opgeslagen in een klein bosje, laatste boterhammen gegeten en dan wachten op de nacht.
We hebben voor de reis een belofte gemaakt aan elkaar: we gaan proberen gezond te eten. Dus de volgende dag in een klein winkeltje binnengelopen, beetje fruit en groenten gekocht en toen we net alles in onze rugzak aan het proppen waren vertelde de winkelvrouw tegen haar man wat onze reisplannen waren. Promt riep hij ons terug binnen en riep: " wat wil je nog hebben?" Kheb nog nooit in mijn leven zoveel fruit in èèn keer uit een winkel meegenomen. Wij supersupergelukkig en hij met een megaglimlach op zijn gelaat, wat kan het toch fijn zijn.
Het lachen verging ons snel als we probeerden te liften. 3 uur op hetzelfde plekje gestaan, ik kan je verzekeren dat je daar echt seniel van wordt, en dik gefrustreerd!
Toch een liftje gekregen, 20km verderop. Daar nog een 45min gestaan tot ik denk de 200ste voorbijganger riep dat we aan de verkeerde oprit stonden. grom grom grom.
Naar de juiste plek gewandeld en toen reed er net een fietser van de autosnelweg! Mark is iemand van Equador die nu enkele 100km aan het fietsen is in Duitsland en blijkbaar de de snelle wegen beetje opzoekt.
niet veel later stopt er een busje met een vriendelijke goedlachse motorrijder die helemaal niet onze kant opmoest maar ons toch wou droppen aan een tankstation. superbe! Beetje gegeten, onszelf beetje moed in gepompt en terug beginnen liften. Iemand aanspreken voor een lift lijkt toch nog altijd de beste optie. Bij Heinz heeft het toch gewerkt. Hij had gezworen nooit meer iemand mee te nemen, maar voor ons wou hij een uitzondering maken. Meer dan 200km meegezoefd in een Lexus en met zalige muziek op de achtergrond.
Voorbij Hannover op een tankstation een koppel tegengekomen en Lukas, allemaal uit Nederland. Lukas moest ook onze kant uit, efjes beetje rondgevraagd en weg waren we met zijn 3. Op een tankstation net voor Berlijn ontmoette Lukas 2 vrienden: Rianne en Erik, die ook op weg zijn al liftend naar India maar dus nog effe in Berlijn hebben gehangen. Geen zin meer om door te liften naar berlijn dus kamping opgeslaan in de bossen, gezellig vuurtje gemaakt en super lekkere soep gegeten. gezellig gezellig.
Nu uiteindelijk in Berlijn verzeilt geraakt samen met Lukas en op zoek naar een slaapplek. Hier blijven we waarschijnlijk nog wel een paar dagen en anders zoef, naar Polen. Tot de volgende!

zondag 26 juli 2009

Dankbaarheid

Met oprechte dankbaarheid naar onze ouders toe, die zoveel betekenen voor ons, die zoveel gedaan hebben voor ons, onmeetbaar.
Met oprecht liefde voor onze familie, ouders, broer en zus, grootouders, tantes en nonkels, nichtjes en neven...
Met oprechte dankbaarheid en liefde voor alle mensen en wezens die we kennen.
We dragen jullie mee in ons hart,

Tot binnenkort lieve mensen

Wij vertrekken!

Afscheid

Voor alle mensen die er bij waren, super bedankt, het was echt een zalige dag!
Voor alle mensen die er niet bij konden zijn, veel dikke kussen!
We houden jullie op de hoogte!

Afschiedsfeest

dinsdag 21 juli 2009

De laatste week


Zondag was het mijn laatste werkdag. het was een aangename ronde van drukte waardoor ik tijd had om deftig afscheid te nemen. Maandag is Saartje ons visum voor Mongolië gaan halen, dus dat is dan ook weer in orde.
Onze zak pakken, vanalles in orde maken, afscheid nemen, dat is zowat wat onze tijd vult.
Gisteren heeft er mij wel een wesp me in het oog gestekt, wat het volgende als gevolg heeft.

Vandaag zijn we naar Jan gegaan in St-Katelijne Waver of zo iets, wat niet echt vlot verliep. bij het vertrek was het ongelofelijk hart aan het onweren, vervolgens is de eerste trein niet afgekomen, de volgende mochten we niet op omdat die vol zat en dan nog tien minuten moeten wachten om dan uiteindelijk de goede richting op te gaan. Uiteindelijk goed aangekomen en lekker ge BBQ'ed. Bij het teruggaan hebben we onze laatste trein gemist, waardoor we vast zaten in Antwerpen Berchem.
Maar daar heeft het geluk ons getroffen en heeft nen super sympathieke gast, Antonio die eigenlijk bijna thuis was, ons gewoon va Antwerpen naar Gent gevoerd en ziels alleen teruggereden. De goed en zotte zielen zijn de wereld gelukkig nog niet uit!!!
Nu dodo...

vrijdag 17 juli 2009

Street art

StreetArt


Nice Art on the streets of Ghent, Antwerp and Barcelona

woensdag 15 juli 2009

donderdag 9 juli 2009

nog 18 dagen

Deze middag afscheid genomen van Papa en Hilde. Voelde wel een beetje raar, maar het was een goed afscheid.
Vandaar naar de tandarts geweest om nog een gevonde gaatje te vullen en een beetje tandsteen te verwijderen. Zonder verdoving, maar het bleek cariës te zijn tot aan de zenuw! Ik had het net gemerkt, ik schoot even de lucht in. Dan toch voor verdoving gegaan, waardoor ik nu met een scheve bakkes voor het scherm zit. Maar het is nen goede tandarts, wat mij betreft. Ben blij dat het nu gebeurd is en niet hoeft te gebeuren ergens in Azië.

Reeds afscheid genomen van Bram, Anna, Papa, Hilde en Stijn.

maandag 6 juli 2009

Regen

Eindelijk regen zuchten de planten....bwaaa regen zucht mijn moeder die moet vertrekken met de fiets...Eindelijk afkoeling zuchten de oudjes...ooo de zon is weg zuchten de studenten in vakantie

Saartje en ik zijn mooi afgestudeerd in de tropische geneeskunde (postgraduaat)en we hebben dat fantastisch goed gevierd met een spetterend couleur café festival. Zalige optredens gehad, goed geamuseerd met de klasgenoten en met onze squeeze beee. Ik had het wel een beetje in mijn rug van de vermoeidheid. Maar na goede rust is dat overgegaan.
nu ben ik weer aan het werk bij het wit gele kruis, en het is alsof ik niet gestopt ben, werken leer je blijkbaar niet snel af. Ik geniet er wel van, neem men tijd en voel me veel meer ontspannen dan voordien bij het werken, wat dus wel heel positief is.

Net een warm en leuk weekend achter de rug met Stijn en Nico en Vera en met Saartje natuurlijk. Sité feestje, blaarmeersen, oma en opa, en een gezellig etentje met de ouders en broer zussen.

Nu naar AS adventure voor enkel snufjes te kopen.

hupla

maandag 22 juni 2009

Goedendag mooie zomer!


Laatste examen

Vandaag, ons grootste vak, we waren goed zenuwachtig, maar het is reuze meegevallen!
Nog eentje te gaan. Ik heb geen zin meer, maar ja, nog even doorzetten.
En tis maar om te zeggen, Bert Claes is jarig vandaag!

vrijdag 19 juni 2009

Mijn verjaardag

Ha, het was veel te vroeg om op te staan. Eens uit mijn bed, een beetje fruit gegeten en wat herhaald. Labo examen gemaakt, wat toch leuk was en goed verlopen is.
Paar kusjes en sms'jes en dan met Saartje naar da Russische ambassade om ons visum te halen. Niet lang moeten wachten en we hebben ons visum!! Dat is dan al in orde.
Nu net gegeten, beetje opruimen en rusten, studeren voor maandag, het einde is in zicht.
Vanavond pizza eten met papa, Hilde, Carlos en Carine. Slapen.
MMMM, een dag zoals een ander.

maandag 15 juni 2009

Volksgezondheid en urgenties

Net twee examens gehad. Ik zag er sterk tegen op, maar ze zijn goed meegevallen.
Woensdag de volgende drie.

zaterdag 13 juni 2009

Guus!

Proficiat Guus, welcome to the world!!
Dikke kussen aan Winne en Bert!! Mama en Papa, niet te geloven.
Ik kom je zeker nog groeten.

Net thuis gekomen en vernomen dat je geboren bent. Leuk he. T is trouwens een mooi kaartje!

Ben net terug van een gezellig tuinfeest van Marie Jeanne, de lieve gepensioneerde secretaresse van het wit gele kruis van Sint-Amandsberg. dank je. Leuk om de collega's nog eens te zien. Ze dachten dat ik al lang weg was. Grappig!

Wel ja, ik ga nog 19 dagen werken op de dienst. Dus ik zie jullie dan.

nu slapen.

blokken

Vandaag een slechte blokdag. Frustrerend. Het is ons niet duidelijk wat we moeten kennen en kunnen voor de volgende examens van maandag.
Maar ja, nu is er geen tijd meer, ik ga naar bbq van ons gepensioneerde Marie Jeanne, de voormalige secretaresse van het Wit-Gele-Kruis.

Morgen nog eens doorzetten tem dinsdag de 23ste.

donderdag 11 juni 2009

Pediatrie

Vandaag ons eerste examen van de marathon. Het was niet bepaald gemakkelijk, om niet te zeggen dat het moeilijk was. We, de hele klas, had het iets gemakkelijker verwacht. Toch was het wel uitdagend. Het zette aan tot denken, zonder dat er veel moest geschreven worden. Al bij al zal het voor mij en Saartje meevallen.

Na het examen ben ik nog om enkele prikjes gaan vragen. Zo heeft er mij een kung-fu arts op een super snelle manier mij gevaccineerd voor buiktyffus en Hip A. We gingen eigenlijk ook voor Japanse encefalitis gaan, maar hebben toch afgehaakt op de prijs. Bijna 200 euro!!! voor een vaccin dat 3 jaar goed blijft! We gaan het proberen te krijgen in China of Nepal, daar is het een standaard vaccin, waardoor het veel goedkoper is. De kans is ook 1/100000 per jaar dat we zouden besmet geraken. En nog veel kleiner als we goed ons muskietennet gebruiken en repellents.