Recovered

A Krasnoyarsk vaig haver d'esperar 9 hores fins que va sortir l'avio. A mes es va retrassar 3 hores. No se que hauria passat si l'haguessin cancel.lat. Portava 2 dies sense menjar ni dormir, no podia parlar, no coneixia ningu i a ciutat estava a 45 km de distancia del petit aeroport. Finalment el vell Tupolev de KrasAir es va enlairar i em va dur a Moscou en 4 hores. Arina m'esperava, jo no podia parlar, ens comunicavem amb paper i llapis. Quan va arribar el metge i em va veure de seguida em va enviar cap a l'hospital a l'area d'infeccions. Alla em van tractar i analitzar durant 4 dies, al final, per sort, nomes va ser unes angines fortes. Ara estic a Moscou, totalment recuperat. Tot plegat ha estat una experiencia inoblidable. Durant 3 mesos he descobert una gran quantitat de llocs i conegut moltissima gent interessant. Si existis una Universitat de la Vida, aquest viatge en seria un curs complet.

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In Krasnoyarsk I had to wait 9h at the airport until the plane left. It was delayed 3h, I was afraid of cancellation. I don't know what would happen to me in the middle of the night at the airport, I couldn't speak, I knew nobody, I was 45km away from the city. 2 days without eating or neither sleeping. Finally KrasAir clunky Tupolev took off and brought me to Moscow where Arina was waiting for me at the airport. My throat was heavily inflamated, my face deformed, I felt terribly bad and weak. Doctor came to Arina's home and sent me directly to hospital where they treated me for 4 days. Finally, luckily, was only strong anginas. Now I am in Moscow fully recovered. All together has been a unique experience in my life, I enjoyed every single moment of these 3 months. I discovered many new places and met lots of interesting people. A trip like this is like a full course at the University of Life.

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D87 - Game Over

SEP05 - Day 87 - Krasnoyarsk - Km9248

 

No tinc cap contacte a Krasnoyarsk. Gairebe no puc parlar perque tinc el coll ben inflamat i infectat. Porto 36 hores sense menjar ni dormir. Em trobo fatal. Aqui es on prenc la decisio d'agafar el proper avio i tornar a Moscou. Aixo significa el final del viatge. Han estat 87 dies i 9248 km. Nomes quedaven 13 dies per arribar a Beijing, aquesta vegada no sera possible. El Llac Baikal, Mongolia i Xina hauran d'esperar.

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I don't know anybody in Krasnoyarsk, I cannot speak and I haven't eaten/slept for more than 36 hours. I feel terrible. It's hard but here I decide to take the next plane back to Moscow. This means the end of the trip. 87 days and 9248km. Only 13 days to arrive to Beijing. This time will not be possible. Lake Baikal, Mongolia and China must wait.

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D87 - Krasnoyarsk

SEP05 - Day 87 - Krasnoyarsk - Km9248

Ahir, mentre dinava, vaig notar que tenia el coll malament, em costava empassar el menjar. Sembla que he agafat mal de coll. Abans d'agafar el tren a Irkutsk passo per la farmacia i compro medicaments. Me'ls prenc regularment cada sis hores. Al tren em costa dormir, nomes puc beure aigua, m'es impossible menjar. Quan m'aixeco pel mati noto que gairebe no puc parlar i que la medicacio no ha fet cap efecte, estic molt pitjor que ahir a la nit. En aquestes condicions no vull estar-me 20 hores mes al tren i decideixo baixar a Krasnoyarsk al migdia.
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Yesterday having lunch in the irish pub I realised that something was wrong with my throat. It was difficult to swallow the bread. I am afraid I will get a soar throat. Later in the afternoon, before taking the train I go to the pharmacy to buy some medecines. At night I feel worst, I cannot eat. I take the medecines every 6h. I cannot sleep in the train during the night. In the morning I feel really bad, I cannot even speak properly, the medication didn't get me better. I don't feel like staying 20 more hours in the train. I get off in Krasnoyarsk at midday.
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D86 - Train to Irkutsk

SEP04 - Day 86 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

M'he passat les ultimes 36 hores al llit amb febre. Aquest mati em trobo millor i decideixo que es hora de marxar de Novosibirsk i anar al llac Baikal, per aixo he comprat el bitllet de tren a Irkutsk que surt aquesta nit i arriba dos dies mes tard pel mati, 30 hores en el tren, un dia i dues nits. Esperem que el temps millori perque durant tota la setmana ha estat plovent i amb temperatures baixes.
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The last 36 hours I was in bed with high temperature. Today I feel better and I bought a ticket to Irkutsk for tonight. The train takes 30 hours, this means 2 nights and a full day in the train. This will be the longest journey by train since I started 3 month ago. The weather is still bad, rainy almost every day but the forecast for the weekend is better. Hopefully in Irkutsk and Lake Baikal there will be sunshine.
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D84 - Small World

SEP02 - Day 84 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

Avui a l'Internet cafe coincideixo amb una parella de catalans que son a Novosibirsk en proces d'adopcio d'un nen. Estava assegut davant l'ordinador quan em sembla sentir veus parlant en espanyol, miro, m'aixeco i pregunto d'on son. Son de Barcelona. Parlant resulta que estiuegen a Palamos... Increible! mes de 7000km de distancia de casa i em trobo una parella de catalans que cada cap setmana passen per davant de casa meva amb el cotxe. Vagi on vagi sempre em trobare catalans viatjant pel mon. Aquest mon certament petit.
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Today I was sitting in internet cafe when a spanish-speaking couple entered and sat down in a computer next to me. I ask them what are they doing in Novosibirsk, that is very strange to find spanish tourists in this city, I also explain them my situation. They came here to adopt a baby. The funny think is that they are not only from Spain but they have a holiday home 7km from my hometown! 7000km from home, in the middle of Siberia I meet a couple that are almost my neighbours! Small world.
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D83 - Lida and Marina

SEP01 - Day 83 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

Diuen que potser dema nevara, som a principis de Setembre i ja es parla de nevades, aixo es "l'estiu" a Siberia. Ahir estavem a +4C a la nit i avui durant el dia no hem passat de +8C. Aquesta tarda ens hem trobat de nou amb Lida (17) i Marina (16) que m'han ensenyat l'altra part de la ciutat, a l'altre costat del riu Ob, que es on elles viuen. Mes tard, al vespre hem anat a sopar en un restaurant mexica amb les seves amigues. Avui era el seu primer dia a la Universitat i estan animades per les noves experiencies.
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It's very cold in Novosibirsk, weather forecats is already talking about possible snow... at the end of August!! Yesterday there was a snowfall in Krasnoyarsk, the next stop in the Transiberian Railway. Here there are only cold showers and +4C at night, +8C during the day. This is truly siberian summer. Today I met with Lida (17) and Marina (16). They showed me around the other side of Novosibrisk, on the left bank of the Ob River and later we went together to eat in a mexican restaurant. They started University today.
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D81 - Stone House

AUG30 - Day81 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

Tania em recomana un lloc anomenat "Stone House" on hi ha un bar irlandes a la planta baixa, 2 restaurants al primer pis i una discoteca al segon pis. Avui a la discoteca hi deu haver festa perque esta ple de gent fent cua al carrer, basicament gent jove. Mentre jo tambe faig cua per pagar l'entrada pregunto a les dues noies de darrera meu que perque hi ha tanta gent. Em diuen que hi ha una festa R'n'B i em regalen un flyer amb descompte per l'entrada. Un cop a dins les convido a un cocktail per agrair que m'han donat el flyer i elles em proposen quedar per dema que m'ensenyaran la ciutat durant el dia. Evidentment jo accepto.
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Tania said that the best place to go out is in the Stone House. Here there is an irish pub in the first floor, 2 restaurants in second floor and a disco in 3rd floor. Today at 10pm is full of young people. I follow the crowd and ask 2 young girls why is so crowded. They are surprised that somebody speaks english but explained to me that tonight there is a very good R'n'B party. They give me flyer to get discount. The place is very crowded with teenagers. I first go to eat in the restaurant downstairs and later I go back up to the night club. I invite Lida and Marina for a drink to thank them for the flyer + discount. They seem happy and propose me to meet next day to show me the city. I accept.
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D80 - Tania

AUG29 - Day 80 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

Una altra sorpresa agradable. Fins ahir mateix no coneixia ningu a Novosibirsk, pero avui Tania (Moscou) m'ha escrit un sms explicant-me que la seva cosina viu aqui i que podem quedar aquesta tarda i m'ensenyara la ciutat. Quedem a les 7 de la tarda, quan ella surt de la feina i anem passejant fins el riu Ob. Tornem al centre amb metro i entrem en un bar per refugiar-nos de la pluja tenue pero incessant. Tania parla be l'angles tot i que no te oportunitat de practicar-lo amb ningu. A les 10 marxa cap a casa i m'explica on puc anar aquesta nit.
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Since yesterday I had no contacts in Novosibirsk. Tania from Moscow send me SMS telling that she has relatives here, so we tried to arrange meeting with her cousine Tania. We meet after her work, she works and studies at the same time. She speaks good enough english to communicate. Its raining outside and quite cold as well. Anyway, we walked along Krasny Prospekt, the main street, until the river Ob and back by metro to have a drink and talk in a warmer place.
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80 days

D79 - Novosibirsk

Aug28 - Day79 - Novosibirsk - Km8493

Ara si que puc dir que soc a Siberia. Novosibirsk n'es la ciutat mes gran i la capital. Fundada l'any 1893 durant la construccio de la linea de tren del Transiberia i despres consolidada com a nus ferroviari amb la nova construccio de la linea que uneix Russia i Kazakhstan al sud. Avui te gairebe 2 milions d'habitants i una gran oferta d'oci que sorpren agradablement. La ciutat esta dividida en dos pel riu Ob, un dels mes grans de Russia amb 3650km de longitud, neix a les muntanyes Altai i recorre Siberia de sud a nord fins l'Ocea Artic. Arribo a l'estacio a mitja tarda, el meu contacte no hi es, truco Olessia i al cap de 20 minuts arriba Maxim. Pel cami m'explica amnb poques paraules que ha estat a la Costa Brava 2 vegades, ja no em sorpren, es una destinacio popular entre els rusos. Maxim es callat i serios, quan arribem al pis em demana mes diners dels acordats, em queixo i es posa de mal humor i crida, finalment insisteixo i arribem a un acord. No es un bon comencament a Novosibirsk.
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Novosibirsk, now the biggest city in Siberia and considered its capital, was founded in 1893 due to the construction of the Transiberian Railway. It is a crucial transport link between Asia and Europe. Today is surprisingly bright and stylish city with 1.9 million inhabitants. Situated on boths sides of the Ob river, the country fourth largest with its 3650km length. I arrive in the afternoon, is cold today: +8C. Maxim is not at the train station, I call Olessia to tell her that I arrived already. Maxim will be there in 20 minutes. He brings me to the appartment but asked for 300 rubles (9EUR) extra per night. Is not a good beginning, I try to bargain and we get an agreement somewhere in between both of us. The flat is in the very center, a bit expensive but well located.
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D78 - Train

AUG27 - Day78 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Julia i Vika venen a recollir les claus a les 7 de la tarda, el meu tren a Novosibirsk surt a les 9 del vespre i arriba a la capital de Siberia 20 hores mes tard. Aquesta vegada m'he decidit pel tren 026 que va de Moscow a Novosibirsk i que es diu SIBIRYAK. Els trens de gran recorregut a Russia tenen nom propi, el numero indica la qualitat del tren (numeros baixos major qualitat) i tambe indica la direccio, parells pels que van direccio est i senars pels que tornen cap a l'oest, direccio Moscou. Aqui sota n'hi ha uns quants exemples:
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Julia and Vika will come to the flat to pick up the keys at 7pm, my train leaves to Novossibirsk at 9pm and arrives to the capital of Siberia 20h later. It's raining today, I say bye to Julia and Vika and go to Uralskaya Train Station. This time I will take Sibiryak, train 026 from Moscow to Novosibirsk. Long distance trains have names in Russia. Even numbers are from Moscow eastwards, odd numbers go west. Let's see some examples below:
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001/002 - Rossiya - Moscow/Vladivostok (the longest train journey in the world, 9218km in 8 days, the famous Transiberian train)
003/004 - TransMongolian - Moscow/Beijing through Mongolia (this is my route)
005/006 - Okean - Khabarovsk/Vladivostok
007/008 - Sibir - Novosibirsk/Vladivostok
009/010 - Baikal - Moscow/Irkutsk
015/016 - Ural - Moscow/Yekaterinburg
019/020 - TransManchurian - Moscow/Beijing (without crossing Mongolia)
025/026 - Sibiryak - Moscow/Novosibirsk
055/056 - Yenisey - Moscow/Krasnoyarsk

D77 - Sneg

AUG26 - Day77 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Dissabte nit i darrera nit a la ciutat, avui es el dia perfecte per anar de festa. Truco a Oleg i quedem tambe amb Igor i la seva xicota Alla en un bar del centre de la ciutat. El lloc s'omple de gent pero cap al tard decidim anar a Sneg (neu en rus), la discoteca de moda de la ciutat. Una mica lluny del centre, enmig d'una zona industrial. Em paren a la porta amb contundencia, jo intento parlar en rus i dir que vull entrar, quan noten que soc extranger els dos porters somriuen i m'obren la porta amicalment. Sembla que el fet de parlar angles obre mes portes de les que tanca en aquest pais. A dins conec Larissa, que em parla d'un amic seu danes, parlem en alemany que ella parla forca be, almenys millor que jo i m'explica que a Ekaterinburg encara es dificil trobar-hi extrangers.
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Today is Saturday, tomorrow I will leave the city, so it's time to meet Igor, Oleg and go party tonight. The most popular night club these days in Ekaterinburg is Sneg (snow in russian). It's not in a walking distance from the city centre, we take taxi and go there, industrial area. The place is big, full of people and nice. I meet Larissa that speaks only russian and german, is good opportunity for me to try to remind my german language skills. She explains about his friend (boyfriend?) from Denmark and how strange is still to find foreigners in Ekaterinburg.
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D76 - Golden Metro

AUG25 - Day76 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Durant la construccio del metro d'Ekaterinburg es va trobar un filo d'or que va ajudar a pagar la construccio de la unica linea amb 6 estacions de la ciutat. Aixo demostra, com haviem dit, que els Urals son unes muntanyes intesament riques en minerals. Segons Oleg encara avui es possible trobar petites quantitats d'or que l'aigua del riu Iset arrossega.
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As I said in an older post, the Ural Mountains are extremely rich in minerals, downstream the city river (Iset) is still easy to find small quantities of gold. During the city's metro building works they found gold which helped to pay for the construction itself. Also, the halls inside the metro are decorated by the best marble, taking pictures is forbidden and air conditioning is working at full speed. There is only one line with six stops but the metro of Ekaterinburg is a luxurious one.
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D75 - The Last Tsar

AUG24 - Day75 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

L'ultim tsar rus de la familia dels Romanov, Nicolas II i la seva familia van ser assassinats pels bolxevics durant la revolucio el Juliol del 1918. L'esglesia de la fotografia va ser construida recentment al costat del lloc on van passar els fets. Avui visitem aquest i d'altres monuments d'interes aristico-historic de la ciutat amb Igor i a la nit anem a sopar amb la seva xicota i la seva germana (Alla i Lillia), que son d'origen tatar. Acabem la nit per error en una discoteca plena de gent jove (~16 anys)
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Ekaterinburg was the place where the last russian Tsar, Nicholas II with all his family was murdered by the bosheviks in July 1918. Today there is a memorial and a church built near the place where they were supposedly killed. Today we visit the church and other historical sites of the city with Igor. Later at night we meet with 2 friends for dinner plus night out. We go to "Park Inn", one the fashionable night clubs of the city, tonight is packed with teenagers (~16yo). We don't stay too long.
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D74 - Igor

AUG23 - Day74 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Casualitats de la vida. Fa uns mesos, quan vaig anar de visita a Dublin, vaig retrobar-me amb Igor. Igor i jo vam comencar a treballar a Xilinx Ireland junts el Maig del 2000. Ell encara viu i treballa a Dublin. Parlant durant una festa a casa d'un amic li vaig explicar els meus plans de viatjar per Russia, quan em va dir que ell es d'Ekaterinburg i que hi va de vacances a l'estiu durant una setmana, que potser podriem arreglar les dates i coincidir. Doncs aqui estem ara, a milers de quilometres de la capital irlandesa, asseguts en una terrassa i bevent cervesa rusa junts.
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Today I meet with Igor. Igor and I started our work at Xilinx Ireland in Dublin at the same time in May 2000. Last April, during my short visit to Dublin, we met in a friend's barbeque party. I explained him my plans to visit Russia and we agreed to meet in his native town Ekaterinburg. Now we are here, thousands of kilometers away from Ireland, drinking russian beer together.
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D72 - Stomach Sick

AUG21 - Day72 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Alguna cosa estranya vaig menjar el dia de la festa de la ciutat perque m'he passat 2 dies al llit amb mal de panxa, una mica de febre i malestar general. Com que durant dos dies no he fet res, aprofitem per parlar de Baltika, la cervesa mes venuda a Russia. Baltika te diferents graduacions segons el numero com es presenta. Baltika 0 es cervesa sense alcohol i Baltika 9 en te un 8.0%. La meva preferida es Baltika 3 amb un 4.8% d'alcohol i la que ells anomenen "classica". Per mes informacio, en angles: http://eng.baltika.ru/products/21.03.06/.
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Something went wrong in my body, I spent Sunday and Monday in bed with unsettled stomach, with a bit of temperature and very weak body. I couldn't eat for 24h, I could barely drink. Since I was sick, nothing interesting happened, so let's take the opportunity to talk about Baltika beer, the most popular beer in the country of vodka . Baltika has different numbers from 0 to 9 depending of the strength, being Baltika 0 alcohol-free and Baltika 9 the strongest of all them with 8.0% alcohol. Baltika beers with 25% market share in Russia is the indisputed leader. Its strong brand is getting more and more market in western Europe as well. My favourite is Baltika 3. For more information: http://eng.baltika.ru/products/21.03.06/ If you want to try Baltika 9 with your friends, be aware of what russians say: "nothing good comes out of baltika 9", you have my advice.
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D70 - City Day

AUG19 - Day70 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Avui es celebra el 283 aniversari de la ciutat. Hi ha multitud d'espectacles musicals i esportius, focs artificials a la nit, etc... Tothom es al carrer avui. A la tarda quedo amb Oleg, enginyer. Ell havia treballat en el passat amb Igor, que a la vegada havia treballat amb mi a Dublin i, casualitats de la vida, es d'Ekaterinburg. Tal com haviem acordat, Igor arribara la setmana que ve de vacances i ens tornarem a veure. Descobrim que la policia ha prohibit vendre alcohol al centre de la ciutat per evitar disturbis. La unica cervesa que trobem es Baltika 0 (sense alcohol). Agafem un bus, com la majoria de gent, i anem una mica lluny del centre a comprar cerveses "normals", tornem al centre i mengem shashlik mentre escoltem muscia en viu en un parc.
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Today is the 283th anniversary of Ekaterinburg. The city is packed with people going to all the multiple events around the pond, the main square and along the river sidewalks. In the afternoon I meet Oleg, he used to work with Igor. Igor is my other contact in Ekaterinburg, we worked together in Ireland during 3 years. Igor is from Ekaterinburg but lives and works in Ireland nowadays, he will come for holidays next week. Meanwhile I meet only with Oleg, engineer too, he speaks good english and is happy to practice it with me. Alcohol is banned in the city center, the only beer in the kiosks is Baltika 0 (alcohol free). We, like most of the people, take bus to go a little bit away from the centre to buy "real" beer and then back to the "alcohol-free" zone to eat shashlik.
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70 days

D69 - Julia

AUG18 - Day69 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

No ha estat senzill trobar contactes a Ekaterinburg, pero finalment n'he aconseguit dos. El primer, Tanya no es a la ciutat fins diumenge pero Julia i a seva filla Vika venen a l'estacio de tren a buscar-me. Llogare el pis on viu Vika i ella passara aquests dies amb al seva mare. El pis no es centric pero esta forca ben comunicat, el preu es assequible, no em puc queixar, a mes, semblen bona gent i Julia parla angles perfecte.
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Before arriving to the city I had 2 contacts. One of them is Tanya, a girl that I met online. She is not in town until the weekend, so she gave me the email of her friend Julia (in the picture with her daughter Vika) who can rent me a flat. Julia and Vika come to pick me up at the train station (Uralskaya) and go with me to the flat in Uralmash district, not very central but decently communicated by trolleybus + metro. I leave my luggage and we all 3 go for dinner.
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D68 - Ural Mountains

AUG17 - Day68 - Ekaterinburg - Km6964

Urals: la divisio fisica entre dos continents, Europa i Asia. Avui passare a Asia sense haver de canviar de pais, curios. Les muntanyes dels Urals son les mes antigues del planeta, amb 2500km de longitud i una alcada maxima inferior als 2000m. Son riques en minerals com l'or i la plata entre d' altres.Ekaterinburg, amb els seus 1.4 milions d'habitants es la ciutat mes gran i l'autoproclamada "capital dels Urals"
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Train 026 goes from Moscow to Ekaterinburg through Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. Initially I planned to stopped in Kazan, which is supposed to be a beautiful city full of history. Due to the late schedule I continue towards the self-proclaimed "capital of the Ural Mountains": Ekaterinburg. The Urals are, if not the most, one of the oldest mountains in our planet. Extremely rich in minerals, more than 2500km long, they lay from the Artic Circle un the north until Kazakhstan in the south. Due to their age they are not tall, the tallest mountain is around 1800m tall. Urals are also considered the border between two continents, Europe and Asia. So, today I will change continent without changing country, the only place in the world that one can do that by land.
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D67 - Bye Arina

AUG16 - Day67 - Moskva - Km5150

Dia de dir adeu, no es la primera vegada pero aixo no vol dir que sigui mes facil dir adeu de nou. Han estat 3 setmanes junts i avui es el moment d'acomiadar-nos. No coneixia Arina de res, era un contacte alternatiu a Moscou i hem acabat construint una relacio intensa d'amistad. Avui ha agafat festa a la feina per poder estar junts. L'adeu a l'estacio s'omple de llagrimes pero tots dos sabem que un dia altre ens tornarem a veure.
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My train leaves today in the afternoon. Arina took a sick day to spend the last hours together. Once again, the hardest time of this trip is to say goodbye to somebody whom you have built a strong friendship. It has been more than 3 weeks together, in the lakes first and in Moscow later. My trip has to proceed towards the Urals in the east and the summer is ending quickly. I need to go. Is sad but deeply inside ourselves we know this is not our last meeting.
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D65 - Pushkin

AUG14 - Day65 - Moskva - Km5150

 

El Museu Pushkin seria l'equivalent a l'Hermitage de San Petersburg, salvant les diferencies arquitectoniques. Ara l'han dividit en dues parts, amb la qual cosa, veure'l tot requereix pagar dues entrades De totes maneres aixo no em molesta perque tot plegat es massa gran per disfrutar-lo tot en un sol dia. El primer edifici conte les obres des de la civilitzacio egipcia fins a pintures i escultures del segle XVII. El segon edifici conte els darrers 3 segles i una bona seleccio de pintures impressionistes. Encara avui en dia, en els museus russos hi ha dos preus, un per extrangers i un per ciutadans russos, 5 vegades mes barat. Increible que encara l'any 2006 funcioni aquest tracte desigual. Tots dos museus son interessants i recomanables.

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Time for the cultured soul, let's go to Pushking Museum, now divided into 2 buildings, so to see everything you must pay 2 times. First building (for today) is up to the XVIIIth century, second building (for tomorrow) has the rest, including a great (and very recommendable) collection of impressionists. Double pricing is still used in russian museums today. This means that non-russians pay x5 times what a russian citizen would pay to enter the same place. Yes, this is true. The first day I pay the 10EUR entrance but the second day I remove the smile of my face to look more russian and say with my best language skills "adin biliet". Bingo! This time I only pay 2EUR to get in, they believed I am russian!

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D63 - Biking

AUG12 - Day63 - Moskva - Km5150

Ens aixequem tard, despres de la festa d'ahir a la nit. Fa bon dia i despres d'esmorzar decidim agafar les bicicletes i anar al parc. Son 30 minuts creuant carrers i avingudes sense carril bici, una mica perillos en aquesta ciutat, pero finalment arribem al parc, gran, amb llacs i zones recreatives plenes de gent. Continuem pel bosc fins l'academia de policia que vigila el Kremlin. Aqui s'entrenen els cossos d'elit de la policia russa. Els vigilants no semblen gaire contents de veure dues persones en bicicleta al voltant de l'edifici pero no diuen res, nosaltres marxem rapid i ja esta.
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After last night party we wake up late but ready to do sports. Weather is great, so we take the 2 mountain-bike and ride them thorugh the Moscow roads until the big park with lakes, 30min away from Arina's district. Hidden in the park there is the academy of the special police that guards the Kremlin. You don't see this building in maps, neither signs on the road to get there. Is, let's say, a half-secret place. The 2 guards don't seem very happy to see 2 persons by bike appearing from the forest... Just in case, I don't take any picture and we disappear quickly back to the forest.
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D62 - Propaganda

AUG11 - Day62 - Moskva - Km5150

 

Aquesta nit toca sortir de festa per Moscu, despres de molts dies de vida sana envoltats de natura, arriba el cap de setmana i el cos demana festa. Sopem tranquilament a casa i comencem la nit al pis 22 de l'Academia de Ciencies, Cosmos: un bar-restaurant dins la Universitat decorat com si fos un viatge espacial . Les vistes de la ciutat i del riu son expectaculars... tambe ho son els preus... A mitjanit agafem un taxi per anar a Propaganda una de les discoteques moscovites mes conegudes a Europa occidental. El lloc es popular entre la gent local i els extrangers pero encara mante una mica l'estil alternatiu. La musica esta be, no s'ha de pagar entrada i la gent te ganes de passar-s'ho be. Nosaltres tambe.

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Tonight is party night for us in Moscow. To start the evening no better place than the 22nd floor of the Academy of Sciences, with great views to Moscow River and most parts of the city. After midnight we go to Propaganda, one of the most popular, but still alternative, night clubs in Moscow. Entrance is free tonight and drinks are not expensive, music is great and crowd is perfect, what else can you ask? http://www.waytorussia.net/Moscow/ClubsDance.html

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D60 - Uzbek Dinner

Aug09 - Day60 - Moskva - Km5150

Un cop feta la promesa s'ha de complir. Avui convido a Arina, la seva mare i la seva tia a un restaurant Uzbekistanes del centre de Moscou. No es gens barat, pero despres de la gran hospitalitat que he rebut per part d'elles i de l'oportunitat de poder anar de camping al Llac Seliger amb totes tres, crec que ho tenen ben merescut. No acostumen a frequentar aquests tipus de llocs i s'ho passen be. Al final del sopar demanem un "kalian", una mena de catximba tipica de les republiques del sud. Fumem tabac de maduixa durant mes d'una hora i, enmig de l'animacio, Alla, la tia d'Arina, decideix convidar-nos el dissabte a casa seva a sopar i ella ballara belly-dancing per nosaltres
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As I promised them during the camp, today I am going to invite Arina, her mother and her aunt to a special dinner in a Moscow restaurant. I have chosen an Uzbekistani restaurant near he Kremlin, is not cheap but I want to thank all of them for their hospitality here in Moscow and for inviting me to the Seliger Lake. We are lucky enough to get the last table. Food is excellent, music too. We also ask for "kalyan" (water pipe) which we keep for more than one hour after the dinner. Alla, Arina's aunt, decides to invite us to her flat to eat more typical Uzbek food next saturday night. She can dance belly-dancing and cook good uzbek food thanks to lots of friends that she has from the former soviet republic
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60 days

D59 - Home Sweet Home

AUG08 - Day59 - Moskva - Km5150

Primer dia de vida de ciutat. Dormir de nou en un matalas, prendre una dutxa d'aigua calenta i veure com el sol s'amaga darrera dels edificis al capvespre. Temps per mirar els emails, despres de 13 dies, dir a tothom que encara soc viu i que el viatge nomes esta a la meitat, que la segona part esta a punt de comencar. Aquesta nit tornem a quedar amb Masha i el seu professor de pintura. Vida social de nou, metro, gent...
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After 2 weeks, it was nice to sleep in a matress, be able to seat in a toilet, take warm shower and look at the sunshine from the window from the 12th floor. It's time to check my emails after 13 days and tell my friends that I am still alive. Wash almost all the dirty clothes and go for a walk to the big city. We will meet Masha again, this evening, with his (and Arina's) professor of painting. Life is back to normality, no more mosquitoes, no more songs near the fire, no more cold and wet mornings.
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D58 - Back to Moscow

AUG07 - Day58 - Seliger Lake - Km4770

Darrer dia al camp. Ahir va haver-hi gran festa amb musica i begudes. Avui hem d'acabar de desmuntar-ho tot i portar totes les coses a l'altre a terra ferma, on dos autobusos en esperen. Un per la gent i les maletes i l'altre per posar-hi la resta del material del camp. Fa sol i transportar els paquets es cansat. Tot i tenir programada la sortida a les 12:00 no marxem fins les 16:30, aixo vol dir que arribarem a Moscow passada la mitjanit.

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Today is the last day in the camp. There was a big long party last night with open air disco and lots of food and drinks. In the morning we finish to dismantle everything and carry all to the mainland. Many trips by Baidarka and Catamaran. We fill 1 mini bus with bags and tools and the other bus with people and their luggage. The departure time is scheduled by12:00 but finally we leave at 16:30. It has been a very hard day carrying everything from the island to the buses but we are now on the road, back to Moscow, where we arrive after midnight.

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D55 - Volga Trip

AUG06 - Day57 - Seliger Lake - Km4770

El nostre camp esta quedant mes buit cada dia que passa, els nens han marxat i ara nomes queden els entrenadors i els turistes com nosaltres. A l'hora de sopar Sergey em ve a buscar i m'explica que uns quants estan pensant anar en Baidarka seguint el Volga fins prop de Moscu. Segurament es la unica oportunitat a la vida de fer una travessia d'una setmana i 120km seguint un dels rius mes emblematics de Russia, amb gent local, dormint a la vora del riu, pescant i cantant cancons a la vora del foc. La temptacio es gran, pero ja havia promes a Arina que passaria una setmana a Moscu amb ella i la seva mare i, a mes, ja porto uns dies de retras en el meu viatge, es hora de seguir endavant i dir que no a Sergey, no es facil, pero un viatge esta ple de decisions complicades i aquesta n'es una. Llastima.

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The camp is getting emptier and emptier, there are no kids anymore, only the trainers and the tourists, about 30 people left in total. Today Sergey comes to me with a tempting proposal. Some people will go by Baidarka along the Volga river, he asks if I want to join. The Volga starts at Seliger and travels all the way down to the Caspian Sea, it flows near Moscow. Their plan is to take baidarka and go downstream the river for 6 days along 120km, fishing and sleeping on the shore of the river. This is one of the points in the trip when making a choice is difficult. This is most probably the only time in my life when I get this kind of offer with local people and for free. On the other hand, I promised Arina to go back to Moscow together and stay 1 week visiting the city. Temptation is temptation, but my trip has to go forward and I decide to refuse the offer. Pity.

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D55 - Hudochnik

AUG04 - Day55 - Seliger Lake - Km4770

Un dels personatges curiosos del camp es Victor, el pintor. Sempre explica histories extranyes de la seva vida, solter i una mica extravagant. Un dia li preguntem si te o ha tingut familia i ens diu que no esta segur pero que podria ser que tingues una filla de 6 mesos a Moscou. Es passa el dia buscant joves models per pintar. Com cada any, tambe dibuixa a Arina a la vora del foc, tot i que ella, amb 21 anys, no es prou jove pel gust de Victor. Avui a la tarda li pregunto que si mai dibuixa nois perque sempre el veig amb noies jovenetes. Em respon que no vol perdre el temps pintant nois quan te suficients models femenines. Tot i aixi, s'ofereix a dibuixar-me a mi, com a excepcio. Anem prop de la seva tenda i durant 2h em fa 3 dibuixos i me'n regala un.

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One of the interesting persons in the camp is The Painter (Hudochnik in russian). Victor lives in Moscow and comes to the camp every summer. He likes the nature and landscapes of the lake and uses all his free time painting around the camp, specially young ladies. He draws Arina every year even if she is (21) already too old for his taste, he prefers younger models. When I ask him if he ever draw men he replies: "why to waste time with men, if you have beautiful girls everywhere!". Well, the last day I asked if, as an honor guest, he can draw me. He agrees and there we are, near his tent in the afternoon, drawing me for more than 2h!!!

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D54 - Ostashkov

AUG03 - Day54 - Seliger Lake - Km4770

Plou durant dos dies seguits, vivint en una illa semi-deshabitada i dormint en una tenda de campanya no es la millor situacio quan plou i esta tot xop. No hi ha res a fer, nomes dormir i llegir o jugar a cartes a la vora del foc. Per matar l'avorriment, a Arina se li ocurreix posar-se malalta. Li fa mal la panxa i es pensa que podria ser apendicitis. No hi ha cap metge en el camp pero alguns entesos la toquen i li diuen que no, que prengui pastilles i esperi a que li passi, que es una intoxicacio normal. Es fa fosc i decidim que el millor es anar ara a l'hospital d'Ostashkov perque a la nit, si la cosa empitjora, no hi podrem anar. Aconseguim convencer una parella perque ens porti en barca a terra ferma sota la pluja. Truquem un taxi i en menys d'una hora som a l'hospital que sembla una escola abandonada. El metge esta en el primer pis, nomes un metge i una infermera en tot l'hospital, que ara ja no em sembla una escola sino un magatzem secret d'armes i sense calefaccio. Per sort, Arina no te apendicitis, el metge li diu que prengui unes pastilles que comprem a la farmacia i que tot se solucionara. Tornem al camp.

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One of the worst situations when being in the nature is the rain. It has been raining for 2 days without stop. There is nothing to do other than sleep, read inside the tent or play cards near the fire. All clothes are getting dirty but no way to wash them with this weather. If this wasn't enough, Arina got stomach-sick, she believes is something serious, so we decide to go to Ostashkov hospital, the nearest town from here. To get there we must ask some good soul to take us to the mainland by boat under the rain, call a taxi and hope there is one available at this time. We get a van that looks like a war-van, with home-chairs instead of car-seats in the back. Is not very comfortable but does the job and we get to the "hospital" in less than 30min. After waiting in one cold building for 20min we are redirected to another cold building that looks more like a warehouse than a hospital. The only doctor and the only nurse take Arina. We are lucky, is nothing serious, she must take some tablets and wait. We go, all happy, back to our camp.

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D53 - Nilov Monastery

AUG02 - Day53 - Seliger Lake - Km4770

Anar de compres no es cosa facil aqui. El poble a l'altre costat de la nostra illa te una botiga petita i s'ha de caminar mes d'1 hora per arribar-hi. L'altre lloc es l'illa del davant, on hi ha el monestir de Nil i que esta connectada per un pont a la carretera principal. Sant Nil (1594) va arribar aqui en busca de tranquilitat i va fundar aquest monestir que avui en dia es lloc de peregrinacio. No obstant, durant la segona guerra mundial es va convertir en en camp de presoners de guerra que va arribar a acollir fins a 7000 soldats polonesos. Per nosaltres la unica manera d'arribar-hi es per aigua i remant perque no tenim cap barca amb motor, nomes son 500 metres pero si fa vent pot ser una tasca bastant dura. Jo nomes hi vaig estar 2 vegades en 12 dies, la primera vegada per visitar el monestir i la segona per comprar begudes per una festa.
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The other main place to go shopping (mainly beer and vodka because the food is provided for free in the camp) is Stolbnyi Island, the home of the beautiful Nilov Monastery, founded by Saint Nilus in 1594 when he was looking for a quiet place. It is now a pilgrimage place but was used a camp for war prisoners during the WWII. It's an island connected to the mainland by one bridge. For us, to go there from our little island, we need to take a boat and cross about 500m, which can be really tough on a windy day, we do not have any motor boat. I was there only 2 times in 12 days, first time to visit the monastery and the second time shopping with the young guys.
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