tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37111492295230137092024-03-18T14:58:37.707+01:00Alëna's travel blog"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." – Henry MillerAlёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-46610965171878328332020-06-05T18:33:00.000+02:002020-06-06T16:01:29.820+02:00From Palermo to Taormina in 8 days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Day 1-2 Palermo ("Architectural masterpieces & amazing food")</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_AZN8kl_ffxp_0Bt4knx3HwIXrcj3syKyP2wMkRa6t_EhRxDSaHkcOhDziPWBt1H3BjMzcbRkYMTRQqBEW6HDH7OyvcrZhkZdgJ6uM6_u-9rcYW-bTywpgJYe05vNreO-ZSsE2lZE2mk/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_AZN8kl_ffxp_0Bt4knx3HwIXrcj3syKyP2wMkRa6t_EhRxDSaHkcOhDziPWBt1H3BjMzcbRkYMTRQqBEW6HDH7OyvcrZhkZdgJ6uM6_u-9rcYW-bTywpgJYe05vNreO-ZSsE2lZE2mk/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_049.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first day was relatively short: upon arrival, we’ve rented a car and got to our Airbnb accommodation <b>Le Cupole Decò </b>(<i>28 Via Napoli - 5 piano, 90133 Palermo</i>). Below is the view from our window - breathtakingly beautiful!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgHpWka68qUIlrkeWQ8_QtbG5-BQet1z9xYMIrrH9DQQUhvYQCVhuc8lUi_oKTGojJSY2Mq54nk-lj70hL24DL99kzp0WEfbbDblKmiJTK3faZtD1zmmhEjDk762IefDauT4hT_qzqJAu/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgHpWka68qUIlrkeWQ8_QtbG5-BQet1z9xYMIrrH9DQQUhvYQCVhuc8lUi_oKTGojJSY2Mq54nk-lj70hL24DL99kzp0WEfbbDblKmiJTK3faZtD1zmmhEjDk762IefDauT4hT_qzqJAu/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was liberating not to have plans other than grabbing dinner - and for that, we spontaneously chose a random lovely rustic place with a live female singer - her and the really friendly host ensured a magical welcome to a town that we didn’t yet know, but have instantly fallen in love with.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAwgItpdE3g5zJOk2ODtfjcz-9nQ987MPeiNS6oDGWccBRp0VrS_IpmLqdPGPLfGTIQMBD6128vEkpvVh-cJCkzWny6pPfAhpFXC3Wsk4uaq4Z-TDyCnos1iayeWmXwFrngQ4a1MLVNe6/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAwgItpdE3g5zJOk2ODtfjcz-9nQ987MPeiNS6oDGWccBRp0VrS_IpmLqdPGPLfGTIQMBD6128vEkpvVh-cJCkzWny6pPfAhpFXC3Wsk4uaq4Z-TDyCnos1iayeWmXwFrngQ4a1MLVNe6/s320/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We finished the night by grabbing a drink at <b>Nautoscopio </b>(<i>Piazzetta Capitaneria di Porto, 90133</i>), listening to the waves crash and laying on the cool comfy couches on the beach, gazing at the stars.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzKl4c9_xodHsQ1RdJF-gg14r2-8UN6LQkOyP8QTgeEQp9DweZF2SJMb7eOm1o4SchQwW1ijCGQtPzgl2pQ37v_hLP_gKahwEWMTW0OEHP7v5yHkdKWcbpKt-9IZ6NaaaY9eTDuEdgOaL/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzKl4c9_xodHsQ1RdJF-gg14r2-8UN6LQkOyP8QTgeEQp9DweZF2SJMb7eOm1o4SchQwW1ijCGQtPzgl2pQ37v_hLP_gKahwEWMTW0OEHP7v5yHkdKWcbpKt-9IZ6NaaaY9eTDuEdgOaL/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next morning, we were ready for some sightseeing action and started our day with breakfast on the marvellous ‘<b>Piazza di San Domenico</b>’.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G-wDa1_UchiFpXdkndF85QJswHdOYusHbiLvH8bp4c8jiLx-UyaqXx2runc-EN7zuTwnLkxDLECBxEnA6rJZ4ZZWJEVmccKCNxBwJA8YQx1ZxHbWesoDS5U7ilexajJLKGUPQ9ZDIxzN/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G-wDa1_UchiFpXdkndF85QJswHdOYusHbiLvH8bp4c8jiLx-UyaqXx2runc-EN7zuTwnLkxDLECBxEnA6rJZ4ZZWJEVmccKCNxBwJA8YQx1ZxHbWesoDS5U7ilexajJLKGUPQ9ZDIxzN/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_083.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first stop of the day was ‘<b>Oratorio di Santa Cita</b>’ – it’s a cute little church which is mainly known for Giacomo Serpotta’s intricate stucco-work, but being a crime geek, I was there to see the reproduction of “<b>Nativity with St. Francis & St. Lawrence</b>’ by Caravaggio, the original of which was stolen from the oratory in 1969 (& until today tops FBI’s unsolved crimes of the past century!!!).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcDliZG9KD08n4yyGRRzhHn_zUHDgolIRTraKOEAmNyyqSb604Twrj2mpwjmW3CIryXnz566Vm9k-VtmjzK4N-dFwOSMpotFUfq_llFHoYzQuZy4_nipG96g-LftpoT2VN-SUw43iK_8R/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1600" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcDliZG9KD08n4yyGRRzhHn_zUHDgolIRTraKOEAmNyyqSb604Twrj2mpwjmW3CIryXnz566Vm9k-VtmjzK4N-dFwOSMpotFUfq_llFHoYzQuZy4_nipG96g-LftpoT2VN-SUw43iK_8R/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our ‘church tour’ continued by climbing to the roof of ‘<b>Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria</b>’) and checking out the splendid 12th-century mosaics in the nearby church of <b>Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio (aka ‘La Martorana’)</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp-znKVvT626vfFhPJ-_j2Is5cMG_YUiMQ8zXvD7jAe24shMTB1s3QTOkJzg1Q6LBJqf3u8JMvLyg8TLMMFouziyJE4IApy0jaMJoWlhqifWEwSJ2tIb8fHvFYO6ZAL8M8blmc2Y7o19x/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp-znKVvT626vfFhPJ-_j2Is5cMG_YUiMQ8zXvD7jAe24shMTB1s3QTOkJzg1Q6LBJqf3u8JMvLyg8TLMMFouziyJE4IApy0jaMJoWlhqifWEwSJ2tIb8fHvFYO6ZAL8M8blmc2Y7o19x/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjANlfUu-QBfZUrJF6zL-RgWX4ENSZ7Y8yi0F5h1WAEnJEguVq2h0zAVh78sEIf5dk1wW9P1gR_CAYVyjlZUBHccLmv6clrl645EmQn8fH-IgF8FNVL2tgHngIEidJ-Pylk97RW-GKHHF/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjANlfUu-QBfZUrJF6zL-RgWX4ENSZ7Y8yi0F5h1WAEnJEguVq2h0zAVh78sEIf5dk1wW9P1gR_CAYVyjlZUBHccLmv6clrl645EmQn8fH-IgF8FNVL2tgHngIEidJ-Pylk97RW-GKHHF/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OTEAsd_EJiONDanaIznhSgazWsKuzmKFWIBB2ayLvpPs_ym1QMrRGrIWaElOdEVpCnUiuxHimnOVlKy2ERrjNxyDHxDN-gaReJTj1pRMnApFRU5gisEzyZS-hCwqPgcaM_gYs1GpmySL/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OTEAsd_EJiONDanaIznhSgazWsKuzmKFWIBB2ayLvpPs_ym1QMrRGrIWaElOdEVpCnUiuxHimnOVlKy2ERrjNxyDHxDN-gaReJTj1pRMnApFRU5gisEzyZS-hCwqPgcaM_gYs1GpmySL/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRmptIVeuu8ONcaoiHxw7uDxMItzfo5s0PvQ1yi-Lr6dK0aPDBHOxzt0lSA5eFhKuPwM2h6roQOIswuchaZO_yFuQD9pa5AyRcM4uO37o3kU3LzB_SZzyqcNwojnmGhveLlDid5YoLaAD/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRmptIVeuu8ONcaoiHxw7uDxMItzfo5s0PvQ1yi-Lr6dK0aPDBHOxzt0lSA5eFhKuPwM2h6roQOIswuchaZO_yFuQD9pa5AyRcM4uO37o3kU3LzB_SZzyqcNwojnmGhveLlDid5YoLaAD/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QpijpNnXG0v0kWLBhqDtTWcIWGJYRwXt_BX8955_rfOpdpw1jWMKgjfEkoX_vBO-59Bvf9rTNqPvkFJWg5kODHwAiuXKDziu51CZSbLiCNdDRQUB8m87D6x45rCqG2HYw2AXUah2Ihps/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QpijpNnXG0v0kWLBhqDtTWcIWGJYRwXt_BX8955_rfOpdpw1jWMKgjfEkoX_vBO-59Bvf9rTNqPvkFJWg5kODHwAiuXKDziu51CZSbLiCNdDRQUB8m87D6x45rCqG2HYw2AXUah2Ihps/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_059.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After that, we continued to one of the highlights of the day: <b>Piazza Pretoria</b> - undoubtedly Palermo’s cheekiest (pardon the pun but SEE PICTURES below) landmarks. Nymphs, tritons and leaping river gods - such flagrant nudity proved a bit much for Sicilian churchgoers, who prudishly dubbed it the <b>Fontana della Vergogna (‘Fountain of Shame’)</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fGvhthHl_GX1CCegvA-1kngnglDetGqSviDEfzaTg6xhINN-lv5aAIPElrEOiUpY9Qeux15_ulg5ArcDCeIgK_2bWxLeAW-qqBlViN-CRE4Afl7vaUJ7vGYSa1MoiBu5d6iJoAOT95g_/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fGvhthHl_GX1CCegvA-1kngnglDetGqSviDEfzaTg6xhINN-lv5aAIPElrEOiUpY9Qeux15_ulg5ArcDCeIgK_2bWxLeAW-qqBlViN-CRE4Afl7vaUJ7vGYSa1MoiBu5d6iJoAOT95g_/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEJzKp17z0Z3VxQq2oUtJeKkGkAV-CGFFn0Ntg9O3Iq64fJDGEZ-rmCou7Wy93K74XcSGeCIxEBB8lSuFBSs8iB7nJjWuyiOGuACRO6-yZpv5A1tx3aB9ksQvug-MqusoKNNcdWcpvxyC/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEJzKp17z0Z3VxQq2oUtJeKkGkAV-CGFFn0Ntg9O3Iq64fJDGEZ-rmCou7Wy93K74XcSGeCIxEBB8lSuFBSs8iB7nJjWuyiOGuACRO6-yZpv5A1tx3aB9ksQvug-MqusoKNNcdWcpvxyC/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_012.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6plkD4uoioykctaX6S0lzIgHbLL-v9oiZkBBQEKZnT8aEKqBLBssyjNgIkgE51YkxXl2YbZwRZ313vAyPjXv8_x7vWcmvT_DKVTXitPqKkewvSewxG6QZTtVa7vvuZZrcsYd9hPZUiGtN/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6plkD4uoioykctaX6S0lzIgHbLL-v9oiZkBBQEKZnT8aEKqBLBssyjNgIkgE51YkxXl2YbZwRZ313vAyPjXv8_x7vWcmvT_DKVTXitPqKkewvSewxG6QZTtVa7vvuZZrcsYd9hPZUiGtN/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We passed by the elegant intersection of the most ancient street in Palermo, <b>Corso Vittorio Emanuele </b>(aka <b>Cassaro </b>([Càssaru]) & <b>Via Maqueda / Piazza Vigliena</b> (aka Quattro Canti aka Piazza Vigliena). It's quite a remarkable place as each facade lights up in turn throughout the course of the day, landing it the nickname <b>Il Teatro del Sole (Theatre of the Sun)</b>. Cassaro is a great place for street food, so we stopped by to experience some gastronomic delights (swordfish 🐠 & aubergine arancini (typical Sicilian food: deep-fried stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs) in the simple rustic setting of “<b>Bisso Bistrot</b>” (<i>Via Maqueda, 172A, 90134 Palermo</i>).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOuvajtGXgzxNVDz6taJAo04sCVHSbkauJI1rl53TlEa9wqjrnVb2OgKzTD38Wo9e1NfcUb1r4cDasi6iHYDPGa4w_AA6OIP-JnmOX68XSeOJKzmuePlr8C6oWv-9ObSi7bmjkWhiV-4a/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="1600" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOuvajtGXgzxNVDz6taJAo04sCVHSbkauJI1rl53TlEa9wqjrnVb2OgKzTD38Wo9e1NfcUb1r4cDasi6iHYDPGa4w_AA6OIP-JnmOX68XSeOJKzmuePlr8C6oWv-9ObSi7bmjkWhiV-4a/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_yrY1B3dojXyXBoBoIuuq2Ep6ptD3V3bhkTOEZ80yOnDdm5Bvdrm5l0bf18FqLQPaUXNAm-LmPI9NJhjzksnKygBtcxpV0rrTMT8zQ_9Y0DjuYMfP1M7yPq0Kui6f6kHbVxNnAETp4MW/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_yrY1B3dojXyXBoBoIuuq2Ep6ptD3V3bhkTOEZ80yOnDdm5Bvdrm5l0bf18FqLQPaUXNAm-LmPI9NJhjzksnKygBtcxpV0rrTMT8zQ_9Y0DjuYMfP1M7yPq0Kui6f6kHbVxNnAETp4MW/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_014.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Having replenished our dwindling energy supplies, we were ready to marvel at the mesmerising Arabic-influenced muqarnas (honeycomb-style vaulted ceiling) at the Cattedrale di Palermo. After seeing the dazzling gilded wall mosaics, we mastered the 110 steps leading up to the roof and were rewarded by breath-taking views of the city.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoiJw1WROj7lfDOswI-_-EKXMLv9mNrlAhR50zZsqYsGw3eySBXq_gK4vquhqXxJIKl29FQ75L7DcUed8AOJOOK-RQGddqDOZnS-FAsMCkdq6glS9yn0npF2SMisl9H9AywfkQBw0HHjO/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoiJw1WROj7lfDOswI-_-EKXMLv9mNrlAhR50zZsqYsGw3eySBXq_gK4vquhqXxJIKl29FQ75L7DcUed8AOJOOK-RQGddqDOZnS-FAsMCkdq6glS9yn0npF2SMisl9H9AywfkQBw0HHjO/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoLM2Rbk3oSFecTtaH9XJHwuHbeinLspCgmtvaBllkq6AcvvOaEjf36qJCjLfErpSzkwiw6K5X7JroT2HsLxeFlOnIfIrdWZUM7IMn814RcdeJANaFurJYA9mTUVrLXMTLnVKn-0iep1m/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoLM2Rbk3oSFecTtaH9XJHwuHbeinLspCgmtvaBllkq6AcvvOaEjf36qJCjLfErpSzkwiw6K5X7JroT2HsLxeFlOnIfIrdWZUM7IMn814RcdeJANaFurJYA9mTUVrLXMTLnVKn-0iep1m/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHS_rwLH8B-CctZWeZc46S7Cm9LgunnAOLAKWuDH2CDOxJx-NnHbUW3vWAh0R8I4u-J1zUcmbAFyL1JLBGSVUXWmsZ_yDp4UPTftV6WLmpjVTOnsNtoWbg8fYV6tu9JUxI6JS6dse-a18L/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHS_rwLH8B-CctZWeZc46S7Cm9LgunnAOLAKWuDH2CDOxJx-NnHbUW3vWAh0R8I4u-J1zUcmbAFyL1JLBGSVUXWmsZ_yDp4UPTftV6WLmpjVTOnsNtoWbg8fYV6tu9JUxI6JS6dse-a18L/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t know how after this we still had the enthusiasm for <b>Palazzo Reale & Cappella Palatina</b>, both of which were full of Byzantine mosaics & Arabic marble-work.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDU3Qb_qokcC_9MqOnaHqB3As2FvRLIZqZVa2q29m5UTyCenkIA2Pi5mQxiZPJn6RBucaaILtXV__RvDGNAU1QHbrogM_7_NCRiM7wX8hfCljWbkPq5rJyj34soJY37sKgeYJP60Zv7nr/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDU3Qb_qokcC_9MqOnaHqB3As2FvRLIZqZVa2q29m5UTyCenkIA2Pi5mQxiZPJn6RBucaaILtXV__RvDGNAU1QHbrogM_7_NCRiM7wX8hfCljWbkPq5rJyj34soJY37sKgeYJP60Zv7nr/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_082.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next stop was the neo-classical <b>Teatro Massimo</b> - with its neo-classical exteriors and art-nouveau interiors. Renowned for its excellent acoustics, it’s one of the largest opera houses in Europe with over 1,300 seats and hosts more than 130 music, opera and dance events every year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi9710lqysw8pOrwvetWWRW9WTENYlcTne0zcP4bIfn49wu6-0WTs7-nXLlIutIxhpnxG53Kkg6w-cqDCbvGZuYcP2rnMJ6v1327JKioPouGjZ91SL3IEQq9QGoZeDK7kXkIgip67u1xN/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi9710lqysw8pOrwvetWWRW9WTENYlcTne0zcP4bIfn49wu6-0WTs7-nXLlIutIxhpnxG53Kkg6w-cqDCbvGZuYcP2rnMJ6v1327JKioPouGjZ91SL3IEQq9QGoZeDK7kXkIgip67u1xN/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Apparently, a cool thing to do there in <b>Teatro Massimo</b> is a 30-minute guided tour, but as Julia and I were on a whistle-stop tour that day, we had to console ourselves with taking a selfie at the grand staircase before heading to Market Ballaro to grab a beer. If you are feeling peckish, Mercato Ballaro is a great place to get chickpea fritters.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JM3Uku7NClpSe4ZZ0VYrltzVN6OAoRft1zXSD4xilEBSSY-A0DyN21douOG_KoqAVLzfNhyphenhyphenStwSHa-MiZJkUS3T8w6kbFk_f2-brtSXXuvDyYnsoYZpop6ZaQmcpk1aMfAjAot0Z-5mr/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JM3Uku7NClpSe4ZZ0VYrltzVN6OAoRft1zXSD4xilEBSSY-A0DyN21douOG_KoqAVLzfNhyphenhyphenStwSHa-MiZJkUS3T8w6kbFk_f2-brtSXXuvDyYnsoYZpop6ZaQmcpk1aMfAjAot0Z-5mr/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_071.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
After a refreshing beer among (not-so-slightly) tipsy locals, it was time to wind down for the day, so we dropped by <b>Francu U Vastiddaru</b> (<i>Via Vittorio Emanuele, 102, 90133 Palermo</i>) on the way to our hotel to have a street food extravaganza dinner of "pane e panelle” (chickpea fritter with crocchè & aubergine - popular street food in Palermo) combined with a selection of Sicilian salads (who knew that oranges and sardines go well together?!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfa9x-kAp4YUD4uYSUAlpal6zqETvwfvJ-baUr5tLX8zfZsgMGxK3apiMj5yaodT0JEVlLZSoxlbm1jKQOB4VbXLkm4m0XxktHkoPaXSps2ET_vloZ5765cSC4sBpUltP640xR1o_kbQD/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfa9x-kAp4YUD4uYSUAlpal6zqETvwfvJ-baUr5tLX8zfZsgMGxK3apiMj5yaodT0JEVlLZSoxlbm1jKQOB4VbXLkm4m0XxktHkoPaXSps2ET_vloZ5765cSC4sBpUltP640xR1o_kbQD/s320/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While in Palermo, it’s important to make sure you eat street food, so another alternative place for that is <b>KePalle </b>(Via Maqueda, 270, 90133) or <b>KePalle - Arancine d’Autore</b> (Via E. Amari, 154, 90139).</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3: Erice + Saline di Trapani</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For a perfect day around those parts, make sure you:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Wander around <b>Castello di Venere </b>in <b>Erice</b> (“Western Sicily’s prettiest hilltop village”) and take in the fairy-tale coastal views.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkAab_1RdXRJvcgbn_9faDSbgWxZ6aNyUfH5QvAs3JI0Cmf0MW_xdu7Q2Knp7_SbWYdU2uWVYCR_b283880VJOI_LUnSJJjEGU-btWGBEMCvWiP-M80Yj80Raz6dJSbpnIrANnzZMmMbu/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkAab_1RdXRJvcgbn_9faDSbgWxZ6aNyUfH5QvAs3JI0Cmf0MW_xdu7Q2Knp7_SbWYdU2uWVYCR_b283880VJOI_LUnSJJjEGU-btWGBEMCvWiP-M80Yj80Raz6dJSbpnIrANnzZMmMbu/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_066.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfpXY-kkECqvurCp4NleXIVRjvxQFQUHQ4Gl-Ek1Khgz2gbnG36Wll6mPI3hqTvu6zKGA813zqRy7sJ3InFh4I1cCgD7hVeJiW9S8OODmvjjwuy4hM-jwzmtzjIMBvC-yw8_p5wR5aijD/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfpXY-kkECqvurCp4NleXIVRjvxQFQUHQ4Gl-Ek1Khgz2gbnG36Wll6mPI3hqTvu6zKGA813zqRy7sJ3InFh4I1cCgD7hVeJiW9S8OODmvjjwuy4hM-jwzmtzjIMBvC-yw8_p5wR5aijD/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-PYwtcElW6f6O-0c_dKNER3mchOnwgjJK7QBsPl2Tf89M2k4qhqyGuFsQT45XC9NAj9JLri7GivZllDQiIgKV0BVc8iP4YlxMks5lMk38kJm16hU-l0H7dOrIkEj_ayUqW-SOQRSqJHO/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-PYwtcElW6f6O-0c_dKNER3mchOnwgjJK7QBsPl2Tf89M2k4qhqyGuFsQT45XC9NAj9JLri7GivZllDQiIgKV0BVc8iP4YlxMks5lMk38kJm16hU-l0H7dOrIkEj_ayUqW-SOQRSqJHO/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_058.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7iz8cvQf9nJQ6G9bq6NldMy51PWaVEe0iFtxXZWP5jpe8zBNtpRaMPmJOCSXmd653agAc6j4ci9Yk4cZK4YVoXRr9hM9nXW1ibsqJ-nXkmF4HC4xQYQogpeA5XRFMPEdV_iWXI0gtSTN/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7iz8cvQf9nJQ6G9bq6NldMy51PWaVEe0iFtxXZWP5jpe8zBNtpRaMPmJOCSXmd653agAc6j4ci9Yk4cZK4YVoXRr9hM9nXW1ibsqJ-nXkmF4HC4xQYQogpeA5XRFMPEdV_iWXI0gtSTN/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRogdUKx8NWACc3fumPEZJOjAC5UQOlM78m7iA-RpLnjFtPLNbn0lPrIgGxdYiPxiYI-m0yFUDqqovyW_YcdZxs1gbja6yGcBneZbzlozc_zyORzJIXWE2lm-N7smNtjZLev0mDOmY6d6f/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRogdUKx8NWACc3fumPEZJOjAC5UQOlM78m7iA-RpLnjFtPLNbn0lPrIgGxdYiPxiYI-m0yFUDqqovyW_YcdZxs1gbja6yGcBneZbzlozc_zyORzJIXWE2lm-N7smNtjZLev0mDOmY6d6f/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_020.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
Fill up on the traditional green cassata cake & <i>frutta martorana (marzipan fruit) </i>from Sicily’s most famous pastry shop: Maria Grammatico at the panoramic terrace of <b>Càffe Maria</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1cpRJgUBMeulIU_X38wNmDR_M8BwRJsGMzhNuq296uynjK8x7GGxczoSu5fyZ_-EdC62LxabmHLTjtJIeTEe_GbQ4-CayM4rOwyFP9nHEFO20DppCk8uH52sEqQr82gkiVS51-2_du30/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1cpRJgUBMeulIU_X38wNmDR_M8BwRJsGMzhNuq296uynjK8x7GGxczoSu5fyZ_-EdC62LxabmHLTjtJIeTEe_GbQ4-CayM4rOwyFP9nHEFO20DppCk8uH52sEqQr82gkiVS51-2_du30/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
Stay hydrated with granita (traditionally with lemon 🍋, but if you have a sweet tooth - try pomegranate, too!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ6pRh0tsGVgqZadlAZPRSe1F42pINRl3ED7NT6RhCbDqiyICFvcRByu0AkmQXBJtnua_uSVrTCTCr7NBQZjxtoaQYd9lnTuThyTxwCyfl-7vtaF6rWpu7F-M9TQGgMsfar6Z74yO8skk/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ6pRh0tsGVgqZadlAZPRSe1F42pINRl3ED7NT6RhCbDqiyICFvcRByu0AkmQXBJtnua_uSVrTCTCr7NBQZjxtoaQYd9lnTuThyTxwCyfl-7vtaF6rWpu7F-M9TQGgMsfar6Z74yO8skk/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_068.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
Make sure to take in the marvellous changing landscapes of <b>Saline di Trapani</b> (salt ponds & planes, dotted with windmills & Phoenician ruins).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrGATz4hPtk4LyJvSqrH5DaA2zp1YBQx8-pztfK7pM7qMJG8rPqhx82anFTS9sxnWt7DSQJNWPYyI8RFH74T4WtNGo_EGO4pp1ajVophAbMT4i0LyIsvHzZ57pVfzCMwYuvP1G2xAL0sP/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrGATz4hPtk4LyJvSqrH5DaA2zp1YBQx8-pztfK7pM7qMJG8rPqhx82anFTS9sxnWt7DSQJNWPYyI8RFH74T4WtNGo_EGO4pp1ajVophAbMT4i0LyIsvHzZ57pVfzCMwYuvP1G2xAL0sP/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_072.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy8p_yNa2nhYZsWes7CjUuNC-6L3F5g2kMnqlF7lrkFLGgtIMrZZ6MLcPkJuksuUAYKlvj4KVolRkoPHiabTecASXgYnsABcL11zXukHgMjM8oCp6b9QQagFU4dT690hXFz02Ff7r38w5/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1063" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy8p_yNa2nhYZsWes7CjUuNC-6L3F5g2kMnqlF7lrkFLGgtIMrZZ6MLcPkJuksuUAYKlvj4KVolRkoPHiabTecASXgYnsABcL11zXukHgMjM8oCp6b9QQagFU4dT690hXFz02Ff7r38w5/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_069.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfMCK3lPXu2ARSY79eee_UFLT85xuwl4kSMoC814TugP38OoDmdrYFry6yp1sUjz_nfwfG446_gc5D2qmlgJEmXaMQOzcYUsOq_BQYQI5_RLslN5XNaD32ukuXbXOHVHnL07ATEFVjl9D/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfMCK3lPXu2ARSY79eee_UFLT85xuwl4kSMoC814TugP38OoDmdrYFry6yp1sUjz_nfwfG446_gc5D2qmlgJEmXaMQOzcYUsOq_BQYQI5_RLslN5XNaD32ukuXbXOHVHnL07ATEFVjl9D/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_026.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPZ8n0_W45h5vEndw4B0jeIfRHjuG5K6vnOaeDxFB_pSRZ-8aBUw2VWBwVKOddFmz99rR2A5BKfOZsjn_P-KYzCxqdYNqf_ZEBij25QBZAfnj3JLp0uEaO3IWtRoqtEOeqwTw1eZjb6Gu/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPZ8n0_W45h5vEndw4B0jeIfRHjuG5K6vnOaeDxFB_pSRZ-8aBUw2VWBwVKOddFmz99rR2A5BKfOZsjn_P-KYzCxqdYNqf_ZEBij25QBZAfnj3JLp0uEaO3IWtRoqtEOeqwTw1eZjb6Gu/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAv2upsv5jT7lvL4tNGU0SrY1CwfFfQ_r8o05lWIeiRfXh6cPTRpkugTb8V5OUZYoYIGEg-9MIXQypSe6L_omIG5ujaTuqfQDQS948CsWzM_0cm4N2VtcinIwmKoYe_PTkRanYuJ6HeWq/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAv2upsv5jT7lvL4tNGU0SrY1CwfFfQ_r8o05lWIeiRfXh6cPTRpkugTb8V5OUZYoYIGEg-9MIXQypSe6L_omIG5ujaTuqfQDQS948CsWzM_0cm4N2VtcinIwmKoYe_PTkRanYuJ6HeWq/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 4 - Agriturismo Duca di San Martino à Temples in Agrigento</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8uyNFjL8kkhW-jvbsTOvy3UEYC5D4Scg3gKMylI2aT46inw0mfEa301ShMhEnyL362g4DnvfxKZj08mB3aFFbGFDFUBzdKkQCBTA2E8Zw90sMKzawkHwIMytLaSx_jXgFbYi_5QjmLr4/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8uyNFjL8kkhW-jvbsTOvy3UEYC5D4Scg3gKMylI2aT46inw0mfEa301ShMhEnyL362g4DnvfxKZj08mB3aFFbGFDFUBzdKkQCBTA2E8Zw90sMKzawkHwIMytLaSx_jXgFbYi_5QjmLr4/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Explore Sicily’s finest collection of temples at <b>“Valle dei Templi” in Agrigento</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCyQyx_uX5phxZu0pZC0Jn_cd_YpUina7oBKbARGIQ4akMEsZ0Wnux5CbWTFjkgWDjy6j_qlQ_NKIelmcci8KBEc3stVgLHOjskNc0PSNc1gxZ8eFo1IkGw9vSNXlJ4wzHB-kXVpoKXhe/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCyQyx_uX5phxZu0pZC0Jn_cd_YpUina7oBKbARGIQ4akMEsZ0Wnux5CbWTFjkgWDjy6j_qlQ_NKIelmcci8KBEc3stVgLHOjskNc0PSNc1gxZ8eFo1IkGw9vSNXlJ4wzHB-kXVpoKXhe/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_055.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIf7ktLOBn7BdHqmDyPXA5KPFsahtcUZ9ullmMXVXADAQVDaHucgsK1kZmiM5uz43mWNer4OvMTxTrYY6I1w2J9w7N9URtesjLet7VlHepmedK3LyLqDjC4Z0fQByj6WVDmJlQ45k7NrHU/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIf7ktLOBn7BdHqmDyPXA5KPFsahtcUZ9ullmMXVXADAQVDaHucgsK1kZmiM5uz43mWNer4OvMTxTrYY6I1w2J9w7N9URtesjLet7VlHepmedK3LyLqDjC4Z0fQByj6WVDmJlQ45k7NrHU/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_080.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjs4uAuIpzfU2mlOiIV4733Oo6E6ntt8iK-vaZsIK5t_Ev2kBMntiksIYyR8_AGC0WPEyJNMR-etcPpBVa18x4furrFjqh3qHRQU8Sss32RjuZHBNtKUBMI9PySRXebRS_DVFvu36GA6J/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjs4uAuIpzfU2mlOiIV4733Oo6E6ntt8iK-vaZsIK5t_Ev2kBMntiksIYyR8_AGC0WPEyJNMR-etcPpBVa18x4furrFjqh3qHRQU8Sss32RjuZHBNtKUBMI9PySRXebRS_DVFvu36GA6J/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_081.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Watch sunset @ the <b>Scala dei Turchi </b>(‘Stair of the Turks’)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IpwBMwymrkaWA4H9-24emd7WUm9olkCJ3E3HSmxw9TCQuu83YJm6u9D8HIxCMG9CJ1SUZkProiO_jzimIED1mjIgMVcpvvbEZ2yESAzjzfjFMwJu-NJOUmDXQwO7-mdjKbg_gyis5zEz/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IpwBMwymrkaWA4H9-24emd7WUm9olkCJ3E3HSmxw9TCQuu83YJm6u9D8HIxCMG9CJ1SUZkProiO_jzimIED1mjIgMVcpvvbEZ2yESAzjzfjFMwJu-NJOUmDXQwO7-mdjKbg_gyis5zEz/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwW4WUK1JXE98KffUtgiqdsjvojZTuGZX14R75ZZ3N8q8ZomSiNJ5QN_ujoVio5AnItojU5aC9k05YicPmPACrvSDSCP6b4F9Tg2q7psJIUBx72KOj9Ekqn6TcBCW2jQq-WFC_UZ0OPa-/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwW4WUK1JXE98KffUtgiqdsjvojZTuGZX14R75ZZ3N8q8ZomSiNJ5QN_ujoVio5AnItojU5aC9k05YicPmPACrvSDSCP6b4F9Tg2q7psJIUBx72KOj9Ekqn6TcBCW2jQq-WFC_UZ0OPa-/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLNDPv5i6ffYifmdKA7onL8tEUwLZkae3FDLZfKwLefZ2cjHWb0NEegt-3o2WzHPyO4Psq909_ae2aXkeKtr3Xs-CuRX97rzWB8lH_DYohNqShgSaAiqOKxTlY4HyxpZ4ejR-MbPZh1Eq/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLNDPv5i6ffYifmdKA7onL8tEUwLZkae3FDLZfKwLefZ2cjHWb0NEegt-3o2WzHPyO4Psq909_ae2aXkeKtr3Xs-CuRX97rzWB8lH_DYohNqShgSaAiqOKxTlY4HyxpZ4ejR-MbPZh1Eq/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_053.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FSZmpBEE41N8WyymsLCESezxxJyTqWpF8tO_E8F5gON3lJO9b7JGyhuWrV4T1lr4vxGYfS2QLL56Nu2IhCi8ZDEJtKdCJzCS55cNg6ikTFGEY5ZdBItd0QZow72sjbmk5qHN8ChA8zA7/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="1600" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FSZmpBEE41N8WyymsLCESezxxJyTqWpF8tO_E8F5gON3lJO9b7JGyhuWrV4T1lr4vxGYfS2QLL56Nu2IhCi8ZDEJtKdCJzCS55cNg6ikTFGEY5ZdBItd0QZow72sjbmk5qHN8ChA8zA7/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_067.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId0Acv6pt0Qm-y-tF0IKcxt_0Ol3VAdJI2bzw4sVunrsXJ3DDvpbsVFA1ixRI-Nmk-U_btw4aeEkGh5gAj0wFXMwRnLjD5u9mENn7JrkapZRdxL8ODpYlbTYk0aPGSaXmiuez_ZyYHGeR/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="707" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId0Acv6pt0Qm-y-tF0IKcxt_0Ol3VAdJI2bzw4sVunrsXJ3DDvpbsVFA1ixRI-Nmk-U_btw4aeEkGh5gAj0wFXMwRnLjD5u9mENn7JrkapZRdxL8ODpYlbTYk0aPGSaXmiuez_ZyYHGeR/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_077.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
<b>Accommodation</b>: B&B "5 Elementi" (Via deglie abeti, 7, 92014 Porto Empedocle) - really nice modern B&B, with an excellent outdoor pool.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6kV9noDYHCBayebEzzZavObVm8CqQ0I3iMBoqVfE4_5sC52wWSi2buLPp2sCih9j7YvzzkuBe_UnPVc6tDvByXZ3JgHcXggYsIDZPovkmmoe3fjUYgCV4d5UzUhUjfUxVKaf0IQyOE0Q/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6kV9noDYHCBayebEzzZavObVm8CqQ0I3iMBoqVfE4_5sC52wWSi2buLPp2sCih9j7YvzzkuBe_UnPVc6tDvByXZ3JgHcXggYsIDZPovkmmoe3fjUYgCV4d5UzUhUjfUxVKaf0IQyOE0Q/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_034.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKj4x0iLOHvKORb83vTenbfZYW2dfjq9ZGoQv9Y78-RUxEBSScb6mC_QXVyj0mxzg59zlFRJq7KG_IUw6dWWPCSxSzj1J9LPtwfzPI-xQBxd0kkFHdB7t7vhBtpwYHz_sNPoPiNvaeebk/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKj4x0iLOHvKORb83vTenbfZYW2dfjq9ZGoQv9Y78-RUxEBSScb6mC_QXVyj0mxzg59zlFRJq7KG_IUw6dWWPCSxSzj1J9LPtwfzPI-xQBxd0kkFHdB7t7vhBtpwYHz_sNPoPiNvaeebk/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_033.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An excellent simple & rustic seafood restaurant in the neighbourhood - <b>L'Albero </b>(SS115ter, 115, 92014 Porto Empedocle)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eDVollBO1BeL_zw3uT54W0QClUClv6fgJ_DTP1SrIWrmqDE2_DHh8wUKcHbeCk0dFVX-TvENfnXKtvIN-v4Lfw6GiuZdGvNrfHf0HJsC6qy_28R9wKWQvXVnvYzCZw8nF-AWU4nNkCQ4/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eDVollBO1BeL_zw3uT54W0QClUClv6fgJ_DTP1SrIWrmqDE2_DHh8wUKcHbeCk0dFVX-TvENfnXKtvIN-v4Lfw6GiuZdGvNrfHf0HJsC6qy_28R9wKWQvXVnvYzCZw8nF-AWU4nNkCQ4/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_032.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 5 – Ragusa, Modica & Noto</h2>
<div>
<b style="text-align: justify;">Ragusa</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiy6KoipWtRsZ9d5gwE0CHF0ARnB9HfHyH0l2nYlm3lOHSzSC5LAiCEw6umvy_W43h4QoP-A5xaDf-ic2yP3OptYfdhpzRDjSvnx7gfUhV5qL8eBr3DJZ226TkPyAWJ5WLGui5JXoRrPM/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiy6KoipWtRsZ9d5gwE0CHF0ARnB9HfHyH0l2nYlm3lOHSzSC5LAiCEw6umvy_W43h4QoP-A5xaDf-ic2yP3OptYfdhpzRDjSvnx7gfUhV5qL8eBr3DJZ226TkPyAWJ5WLGui5JXoRrPM/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
See stunning views of Ragusa’s lower town from <b>Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Scale (Church of St Mary of the Stairs)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44haXPi7SNxdT6qCAfUHNupKa_stoYeAJogQkAtz71UU3J89e7Rcx_MD6a7uH2E-ZqTf5KSg3kUvR_GlqFEWRtALa4DLUHnKDi65OXeOCD7nI9_RavAUYZ2D4Wk98k3xOIWQPG5dontl_/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44haXPi7SNxdT6qCAfUHNupKa_stoYeAJogQkAtz71UU3J89e7Rcx_MD6a7uH2E-ZqTf5KSg3kUvR_GlqFEWRtALa4DLUHnKDi65OXeOCD7nI9_RavAUYZ2D4Wk98k3xOIWQPG5dontl_/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_037.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Snack on arancini with artichoke and white wine flavoured ice cream (someone must have heard my prayers!) in the old town of Ragusa<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuaLVVXVOag4xYJX2W3VHd5zUySdVQQXiBVJD5Ru_JqOKQownqwfn9_PaTbG2ORZQBq_HplXN5EaGTxaRrM26aIyhyqU7MqkjFziISMRx13fWBQ9SNga87wNooj881cy8KjpUhpzJrKND/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuaLVVXVOag4xYJX2W3VHd5zUySdVQQXiBVJD5Ru_JqOKQownqwfn9_PaTbG2ORZQBq_HplXN5EaGTxaRrM26aIyhyqU7MqkjFziISMRx13fWBQ9SNga87wNooj881cy8KjpUhpzJrKND/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_064.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Modica </b>- marvel at the terracotta rooftops in the chocolate graceful hill town of this baroque town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7llFZyQZggzAYwsPDfrlgd3-tScp2vXqZ7Meq9DdA35P_q1w2FclOlVeUZPWUf0JK-mw4g9dCozbr0Nk3kg7ojABmeLmR_Z2BTt6BHeUkIHmrcP1LEbELZnlYOWxpj0G0DFsINluFvYs/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7llFZyQZggzAYwsPDfrlgd3-tScp2vXqZ7Meq9DdA35P_q1w2FclOlVeUZPWUf0JK-mw4g9dCozbr0Nk3kg7ojABmeLmR_Z2BTt6BHeUkIHmrcP1LEbELZnlYOWxpj0G0DFsINluFvYs/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_039.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>Duomo di San Giorgio</b> (Cathedral of San Giorgio) – Gagliardi’s three-tiered 18th-century beauty of a façade is well worth the 250-step climb from lower Modica</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz1vcUnPt1cGMMdUgrP_7MzZAJtqt5JhpMvDbl7y76L9qrqnIfQDY4cDaRhofDxU9yJNvsTkvq2OeQVXeIPIT4i_7CIU4m5JCDHfap1aNX2iXhJR07smculsYFIqyF-jtSqrPDElDdPup/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz1vcUnPt1cGMMdUgrP_7MzZAJtqt5JhpMvDbl7y76L9qrqnIfQDY4cDaRhofDxU9yJNvsTkvq2OeQVXeIPIT4i_7CIU4m5JCDHfap1aNX2iXhJR07smculsYFIqyF-jtSqrPDElDdPup/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LyFbpMdOSBujd2_-9xuiOx0_Z35vdglPt-jgX0DtCKFQBXXmCQUh-2eavfEaFtJVTeTQvwhb9AlevX9ASqvD6psjB-5bwSWvVPI6xxTH64X1X6gLPSFccSj6e_Y8DyH1E07uepE4YRUd/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LyFbpMdOSBujd2_-9xuiOx0_Z35vdglPt-jgX0DtCKFQBXXmCQUh-2eavfEaFtJVTeTQvwhb9AlevX9ASqvD6psjB-5bwSWvVPI6xxTH64X1X6gLPSFccSj6e_Y8DyH1E07uepE4YRUd/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_041.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Try delizia al pistachio (possibly the world’s tastiest pistachio dessert, with an exquisite mix of the creaminess and granular crunch) @ Pasticceria Cappello</li>
<li><b>Caffè Adamo</b> – eat gelato made by maestro Antonion Adamo from freshest seasonal ingredient</li>
<li><b>Xocoatl chocolate</b> @ Antica Dolceria Bonajuto.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 6 - Noto à Villagonia à Taormina</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Noto </b>- sleep in a real baroque palazzo in this graceful hill town (Accommodation: Alexander Art Noveau Suites - Via Napoli, 2, 96017 Noto).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuEDEVESt0Bz_tcQq_aQDjlSlBcVnlO3OnujNhoIiLvEb2w8kz3Zr90BKj8yFRQeH6dnE60YsE7xhcUGLj-m4XKJ-jf0E-ZmHJk5e1DCQ9m7Ho_v4r1cvuVo6V5ZDkwVV79xBf4SsMoXH/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuEDEVESt0Bz_tcQq_aQDjlSlBcVnlO3OnujNhoIiLvEb2w8kz3Zr90BKj8yFRQeH6dnE60YsE7xhcUGLj-m4XKJ-jf0E-ZmHJk5e1DCQ9m7Ho_v4r1cvuVo6V5ZDkwVV79xBf4SsMoXH/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_057.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Enjoy an unforgettable dinner at the outdoor sitting of <b>Trattoria al buco </b>(Via Zanardelli, 1, 96017 Noto) - if you have to wait for the table, they'll give you a glass of wine and you can sit & wait on the steps of the beautiful <b>Church of St. Francis of Assisi 'all'Immacolata'</b> (Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0ddu7qKA-xq_nkNwmnzrEac_jDNgWEzYtFxt0qRWz4qVexIa-cjYl91y0fJDhr7siIwV0dX03etcH3iwqSbhsWDSVr9WxFrYPJ8amAg8hvQvFhHxDkBE5PX9fHPgJIOT6y0GsMKUcLkr/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1063" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0ddu7qKA-xq_nkNwmnzrEac_jDNgWEzYtFxt0qRWz4qVexIa-cjYl91y0fJDhr7siIwV0dX03etcH3iwqSbhsWDSVr9WxFrYPJ8amAg8hvQvFhHxDkBE5PX9fHPgJIOT6y0GsMKUcLkr/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_073.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zJOYLte2Ur1irAzsUPA-NgSab1kZMpjkHM8vr4QbmlmwPgCgeK-q35v9lNklwqM1O5ZFl8pTaKPOIr1G2fbuxkCVu6teMZsjhcXUR6IyUTcKDvGkqzYjkyfLjKs52TCLsjKJL_vUhGes/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zJOYLte2Ur1irAzsUPA-NgSab1kZMpjkHM8vr4QbmlmwPgCgeK-q35v9lNklwqM1O5ZFl8pTaKPOIr1G2fbuxkCVu6teMZsjhcXUR6IyUTcKDvGkqzYjkyfLjKs52TCLsjKJL_vUhGes/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_048.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Check out <b>Cattedrale di Noto (Noto Cathedral)</b> – one of Sicily’s baroque masterpieces<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfUaa55VVSv_4XM35ZzH7NiWk7nQDZohLqLGp-eLbSbKxn4etNkFXkaQIuqNVJo2ICrCMow3UcGI01aYo1T_5defhdxVVz5A0scFW9s_HxrLjX7qBXuDMr8bXEmMpTdwy5ttVZ-LpFllk/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfUaa55VVSv_4XM35ZzH7NiWk7nQDZohLqLGp-eLbSbKxn4etNkFXkaQIuqNVJo2ICrCMow3UcGI01aYo1T_5defhdxVVz5A0scFW9s_HxrLjX7qBXuDMr8bXEmMpTdwy5ttVZ-LpFllk/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_052.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>MUST EAT:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Brioscia Siciliana & Almond Granita – Sicilian breakfast – eat in Catania</li>
<li>Granita, a semi-frozen, flavoured mixture similar to sorbet. It’s a Sicilian creation that pre-dates the Romans and can be traced back to the Arab rule of Sicily. Originally it was made by mixing the snow from Mt. Etna with fruit juice or sometimes rosewater. Eventually, it was discovered that mixing sea salt with the snow created a refrigerant with which the granita could be frozen; this allowed the snow to be removed as an actual ingredient and the recipe changed to its current one.</li>
<li><b>Brescia </b>is a yeasty sweet bread made with eggs and milk and is somewhat similar to a croissant.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Pasta alla Norma </b>- one of the most well-known Italian pasta dishes. It is typical of the Sicilian cuisine created originally in Catania. The original recipe is made with macaroni, tomatoes, fried aubergines, grated ricotta salata cheese, and basil.</li>
<li>Cannoli - a staple of Sicilian cuisine, it consists of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta. Note: They are meant to be eaten with fingers, not a knife and fork!</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 7 – The wedding in Taormina</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Accommodation: <b>AirBnB ‘Casa Blu’</b> (<i>via Madonna Delle Grazie, 16, 98039 Villagonia</i>) - my favourite feature of the place was the beach just across the street - perfect for a morning HIIT session 👍<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMudBiJHIt8JeZPj977efxdAuRQJ4MYSGT6ZGobHJsx4C-KRM-VygtZYGKL43CNLqXoTEFU_iyjK_Ojh-ZSbUiOAiUJuXbJGy9jsM-xKMEl9p8-8TEo5ZnguCbpZlFkKDG2jyYRrsYQF2/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMudBiJHIt8JeZPj977efxdAuRQJ4MYSGT6ZGobHJsx4C-KRM-VygtZYGKL43CNLqXoTEFU_iyjK_Ojh-ZSbUiOAiUJuXbJGy9jsM-xKMEl9p8-8TEo5ZnguCbpZlFkKDG2jyYRrsYQF2/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_070.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Teatro Greco Taormina</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv4MsSQXDMpWwbYehBDRph55xs-MsyPGrs2b3uHZAtPm2UxXuRdKt1ohyphenhyphen5hA8sI965tGYUUlQEsxJOvl1CULZ1XMmyBGRryp-4SqU-U-YL6uKipoSOZNcDeA43jfw8aQcb0DZvvHoyDKS/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv4MsSQXDMpWwbYehBDRph55xs-MsyPGrs2b3uHZAtPm2UxXuRdKt1ohyphenhyphen5hA8sI965tGYUUlQEsxJOvl1CULZ1XMmyBGRryp-4SqU-U-YL6uKipoSOZNcDeA43jfw8aQcb0DZvvHoyDKS/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR0Xm9JphiRMJy-NLBIG6_MsqI5tj_nfslv3dfp7sopJ9r7tp_iMI2Egf2pvKGMDU6nD_aPP9cwbq5Uo2KA5D-FvNKc6X96qqbj6gugPDt4YZg8p4GftQD99-LajOW0tK8gXKIMi-Bv8u/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR0Xm9JphiRMJy-NLBIG6_MsqI5tj_nfslv3dfp7sopJ9r7tp_iMI2Egf2pvKGMDU6nD_aPP9cwbq5Uo2KA5D-FvNKc6X96qqbj6gugPDt4YZg8p4GftQD99-LajOW0tK8gXKIMi-Bv8u/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_065.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iD5f3SiP8JC1ui_qOnzFuo4Eqt3F0DLlFpuJ2DtFLIwVrBUGJ4SWtVNxja9NC2gv2hCE2UXdKWyW85IBpr3wHlmpvHB8z0PDygW0QFNR9-_WExQFwwMES0GUTpCC0vP6WRydmuVOYPaZ/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iD5f3SiP8JC1ui_qOnzFuo4Eqt3F0DLlFpuJ2DtFLIwVrBUGJ4SWtVNxja9NC2gv2hCE2UXdKWyW85IBpr3wHlmpvHB8z0PDygW0QFNR9-_WExQFwwMES0GUTpCC0vP6WRydmuVOYPaZ/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_076.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don't forget to feast on seafood at <b>Osteria Santa Domenica </b>(Via di Giovanni 47-49, 98039 Taormina)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX-e5QQVQGJghBn1q4wUjZtxwMcL7_pf963ZY5T0FB2y67-5j6zfHImluBm4KqjxQL5f8zxPM2-EwtChkY_xNN1KGHD6jvQzmjRo_s34fmluJACgwguMAhhOhO4huhkUb4OYOGSoFVJtC/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX-e5QQVQGJghBn1q4wUjZtxwMcL7_pf963ZY5T0FB2y67-5j6zfHImluBm4KqjxQL5f8zxPM2-EwtChkY_xNN1KGHD6jvQzmjRo_s34fmluJACgwguMAhhOhO4huhkUb4OYOGSoFVJtC/s320/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Cocktail party @ UNAHOTELS Capotaormina </b>(Via Nazionale, 105, 98039 Taormina) - the fairytale-like locations for Olga & Patrick’s wedding<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG5lgyYbjQ4lAgCNs6iQqY8hB-7xBMjkf8-iSUr8AYAdqtLAtPcFsVIzJv3DVIrAFzJmOalZ8bWEo2GsVm34IZFIJen_rrULRhrj86hT4dEzAIAdfdlRICM3P4Wa5rwXNuID-Ehpl1aMk/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG5lgyYbjQ4lAgCNs6iQqY8hB-7xBMjkf8-iSUr8AYAdqtLAtPcFsVIzJv3DVIrAFzJmOalZ8bWEo2GsVm34IZFIJen_rrULRhrj86hT4dEzAIAdfdlRICM3P4Wa5rwXNuID-Ehpl1aMk/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_074.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LLzndYi-DoC192Cs3T1bVgJiP3wx7MRXJ6OARs5VShl-C1ci6VV5-FiR86T5G8eK8sIak6KQSl5JWfkUP_mNV2_CUOcNe5-3oq2AqXBBxIQYBhDFXdGHqZiBL-c-RAcfps1L_4yq-df/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LLzndYi-DoC192Cs3T1bVgJiP3wx7MRXJ6OARs5VShl-C1ci6VV5-FiR86T5G8eK8sIak6KQSl5JWfkUP_mNV2_CUOcNe5-3oq2AqXBBxIQYBhDFXdGHqZiBL-c-RAcfps1L_4yq-df/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_062.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Wedding Ceremony @ Villa Mon Repos</b> (Via Luigi Pirandello 72, 98139 Taormina)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1V6S7-zInJGpldq_x3oGzKpTYXLpRaHI7pVrCG4w4Cqr-xmjo2ITqSFowojOdwMM0WDuBWi6JEPKgpZ7WooKUY0IWoFmm03fF0xg2jl76hfddhssJ9NScUACepjj8AQn2LMHLNYQdEhR/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1V6S7-zInJGpldq_x3oGzKpTYXLpRaHI7pVrCG4w4Cqr-xmjo2ITqSFowojOdwMM0WDuBWi6JEPKgpZ7WooKUY0IWoFmm03fF0xg2jl76hfddhssJ9NScUACepjj8AQn2LMHLNYQdEhR/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_060.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6R0Tafd5Xzv1FJjn8nG_k6Dd2fbSFdGHLdJkP8UA1eY8NXvF0Be2BCc8y-iU7OlTKNAN8WMzsRdqA1ugfFIkTJX-0duz7xcHHD2Po-8yCFJR-CNQYY7VvOIC116ZTjXCAX-cV0SVtETr/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6R0Tafd5Xzv1FJjn8nG_k6Dd2fbSFdGHLdJkP8UA1eY8NXvF0Be2BCc8y-iU7OlTKNAN8WMzsRdqA1ugfFIkTJX-0duz7xcHHD2Po-8yCFJR-CNQYY7VvOIC116ZTjXCAX-cV0SVtETr/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_075.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 8 - Gambino Winery</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wine tasting & brunch @ <b>Gambino Winery</b> (<i>Contrada Petto Dragone, 95015 Linguaglossa</i>) – beautiful winery located on the slopes of the Mount Etna<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB04sP_tJUWPbdwgcg6Gsz62v_cq8cBeQ8XUkyLXWvenucvK1R88lXLmfFdf2E1K3ykIEJ005fD6mtK4cVAJpbAEkh47IZlfAx72vqnokznokUabV5_lVd8HUFEynEwMxPp8LoUt_cAVf/s1600/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB04sP_tJUWPbdwgcg6Gsz62v_cq8cBeQ8XUkyLXWvenucvK1R88lXLmfFdf2E1K3ykIEJ005fD6mtK4cVAJpbAEkh47IZlfAx72vqnokznokUabV5_lVd8HUFEynEwMxPp8LoUt_cAVf/s400/Alena+Romanenko_Sicily_054.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-44509797055267348862019-04-14T14:03:00.000+02:002019-04-14T14:11:15.516+02:00Imperial Cities of Morocco<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Morocco</h2>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdWXXFX39YL6bKysnH8X8t7kTkIiAfnIiBhO9jQKHuk9dv9eJ9aPfLyKd8ooQJzOyCodUhmuO5UPZOnj2SJ8IL2br6QH-mHFgEucpWX3pBNM6z8AqLFtGVl5qwJE_JBnpnRYsiNehGSJc/s1600/00_Morocco_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdWXXFX39YL6bKysnH8X8t7kTkIiAfnIiBhO9jQKHuk9dv9eJ9aPfLyKd8ooQJzOyCodUhmuO5UPZOnj2SJ8IL2br6QH-mHFgEucpWX3pBNM6z8AqLFtGVl5qwJE_JBnpnRYsiNehGSJc/s400/00_Morocco_01a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
I've had an amazing time in Morocco, but it's worth mentioning that it's not the safest country in the world and one needs to be more vigilant than you might be used to in Europe. A couple of recommendations I'd make in that connection:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Don't travel alone - go with your partner / friends or join one of the guided group tours</b> (an unfortunate reminder of how horrifyingly unsafe Morocco can be, was the news of "<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/scandinavian-tourists-found-killed-in-morocco/">two Scandinavian tourists murdered in the High Atlas Mountains</a>" in Dec'18)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P4eXdn88B1REoyeqjMZwiuqozm7bjzofDHHVfcwHvccYgv4rAzbAXpznB0zOGlZ-fCYlLcI49cRys86VVS5qB3ZRiS9VtcVv2-p_JQPyAEtQFKXYHEtrNCOnmfrWL_0skM_Jg1M_l7ls/s1600/00_Morocco_safety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P4eXdn88B1REoyeqjMZwiuqozm7bjzofDHHVfcwHvccYgv4rAzbAXpznB0zOGlZ-fCYlLcI49cRys86VVS5qB3ZRiS9VtcVv2-p_JQPyAEtQFKXYHEtrNCOnmfrWL_0skM_Jg1M_l7ls/s400/00_Morocco_safety.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Tell people you are travelling with (or your hotel reception if you decided to travel alone) where you are going if you're breaking away from the group, make sure your itinerary is known to family & friends back at home</li>
<li><b>Reconcile yourself with the fact that taking pictures might not always be possible</b>. Moroccans don't like their pictures taken (see below) and if they let you, be prepared to pay (esp. if it's in a touristy place like <b>Jemaa el-Fnaa</b>). People might get outright aggressive if you try to skip paying. Have a couple of coins of a small denomination in your pocket to 'buy them off' without flashing all your cash in frong of strangers. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESgpCfF8qSvwgCiwFs19hifgkHdUG4tGzuwKd0liOmfcoNPUlmkF4zG1gHdHfIn8cAsZfxnyrtvORjBxwUJxLsr9M0sqNTsUvPdSg3e_F2kfHe0pdwk24slIFLK32kRhpFzS7sjQUQT7_/s1600/00_Morocco_01_no+photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="763" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESgpCfF8qSvwgCiwFs19hifgkHdUG4tGzuwKd0liOmfcoNPUlmkF4zG1gHdHfIn8cAsZfxnyrtvORjBxwUJxLsr9M0sqNTsUvPdSg3e_F2kfHe0pdwk24slIFLK32kRhpFzS7sjQUQT7_/s640/00_Morocco_01_no+photos.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 1-2 : Casablanca to Rabat</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnAoV4zxCIajgf0GIkVCm7rjeo8H1wqsNOQKv5FLyJ6fJpRmeAh29Bko8ARyZTpTp0AVd8S8zW94C-Z_baM96KmtYmMl4CfEWWW91JxGjTx7-SzfRNDTFErErMu0wUNDSNQBQcUkwUxYW/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnAoV4zxCIajgf0GIkVCm7rjeo8H1wqsNOQKv5FLyJ6fJpRmeAh29Bko8ARyZTpTp0AVd8S8zW94C-Z_baM96KmtYmMl4CfEWWW91JxGjTx7-SzfRNDTFErErMu0wUNDSNQBQcUkwUxYW/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Casablanca</b></h3>
<div>
<b style="text-align: justify;">Casablanca </b><span style="text-align: justify;">- an old pirate lair and Morocco's economic capital today.</span><br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Mohamed V Square</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Enjoy the wonderful art-deco architecture of the city centre and around <b>Mohamed V Square</b> (aka “pigeon square” 🐦)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhwecFEbCJTzGDb7KGamm1c8tRrVNGdJTSdd89fI-0rf5XBWxK71qOzRyaTL5LBwipII2tNZcGBWcCMJGE5fYfvgvshKbVkQEGRwOQjgIpBtwA-nSjLDgcqGu4C2Ex8ksVqSLD2IEcsk8/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhwecFEbCJTzGDb7KGamm1c8tRrVNGdJTSdd89fI-0rf5XBWxK71qOzRyaTL5LBwipII2tNZcGBWcCMJGE5fYfvgvshKbVkQEGRwOQjgIpBtwA-nSjLDgcqGu4C2Ex8ksVqSLD2IEcsk8/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UTpXV42Suerd3l85VHcC_wcSj8w2YOiIVIy03bCD49iBdmJkgJd89DH4s27a2yDs9veuOq0guPvMcYn-E1yNXsJm_tSAZcQxTWZGeQZk5H2oimaZGkJSezHdmJL9dJTVz-qn6zhR2pba/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UTpXV42Suerd3l85VHcC_wcSj8w2YOiIVIy03bCD49iBdmJkgJd89DH4s27a2yDs9veuOq0guPvMcYn-E1yNXsJm_tSAZcQxTWZGeQZk5H2oimaZGkJSezHdmJL9dJTVz-qn6zhR2pba/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<b>Central Market </b></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIriDnqahzZGMbLF9GUGerC5EH_dqYahLftetq8G3VUObdSORMbFQZHrwMX57ujvU0SX8sNH7QKDK_OiEgGMJHCYoJ2RnDUN_fdOXjaahsXehDySbbc84nTqFQHKxQ-Q83vCXQxoZrhMtu/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIriDnqahzZGMbLF9GUGerC5EH_dqYahLftetq8G3VUObdSORMbFQZHrwMX57ujvU0SX8sNH7QKDK_OiEgGMJHCYoJ2RnDUN_fdOXjaahsXehDySbbc84nTqFQHKxQ-Q83vCXQxoZrhMtu/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5em84mXQbXqacQf16q1NeKS8Al2g7RXiScx5yV5DJBR8Tmga1cQe109zoGV9aYlv_-KPdyiyg6lajRPC5G9skbWr9gseKHEDB0mvv7f-bddraLfZrfDeRhFtCRc3GyjJrChF5vfdqGZOY/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5em84mXQbXqacQf16q1NeKS8Al2g7RXiScx5yV5DJBR8Tmga1cQe109zoGV9aYlv_-KPdyiyg6lajRPC5G9skbWr9gseKHEDB0mvv7f-bddraLfZrfDeRhFtCRc3GyjJrChF5vfdqGZOY/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRaPXVSd4d5TwJH61TPaVBR2U3ctKvcfJUAwPOnjchkGaq38-d9cg-B_51GRPQ61Mj-DrxkeezAcPKVV-LayznE3wYMyOO0d7voRXTIzwlOl0XkvYsoBDSf8f85iAbFmFbJx29Dzmx-nJ/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRaPXVSd4d5TwJH61TPaVBR2U3ctKvcfJUAwPOnjchkGaq38-d9cg-B_51GRPQ61Mj-DrxkeezAcPKVV-LayznE3wYMyOO0d7voRXTIzwlOl0XkvYsoBDSf8f85iAbFmFbJx29Dzmx-nJ/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
The grand <b>Hassan II </b><b>Mosque</b> 🕌</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4nCzMxzy_57K9Ndm0URSBg8UPxiLGpVnke4-cvElfCtRsvGeWFKR7PYRTquXa5U8MgzREXI_tZnztxJ5vOShURVAUyFRweOlDLhfUpR3wmPYurZJ0ZYb7hXsIGVwUI4smAJvhqZvVcU/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X4nCzMxzy_57K9Ndm0URSBg8UPxiLGpVnke4-cvElfCtRsvGeWFKR7PYRTquXa5U8MgzREXI_tZnztxJ5vOShURVAUyFRweOlDLhfUpR3wmPYurZJ0ZYb7hXsIGVwUI4smAJvhqZvVcU/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY-C5mzZV-qjXCjTJxs0PEvPGvIoAiTZPdB0yvqcWfX9Z3SMXp8W8NAZktk9zhINc98-I9hzN2OcwHlK-Yi-Hi6mDt-40AwQbrw9yVm9tsq2-a2sGXR0HhyphenhyphenTcQ9NAjGXP1I6DcFAB-1Ob/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY-C5mzZV-qjXCjTJxs0PEvPGvIoAiTZPdB0yvqcWfX9Z3SMXp8W8NAZktk9zhINc98-I9hzN2OcwHlK-Yi-Hi6mDt-40AwQbrw9yVm9tsq2-a2sGXR0HhyphenhyphenTcQ9NAjGXP1I6DcFAB-1Ob/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ6LnsNkrJpUeWuyuI5QIyXfdaVD0F-gooGMs_Bw7T3Nj2pLHLNivMhaOJVEb-4QBInlhHFupP3MqIdnSjUJ526u-iMDScyByF-2pd1SHDoD0WqFb-xcOOnMrgDWXTPDJzoF2poVX91Eq/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ6LnsNkrJpUeWuyuI5QIyXfdaVD0F-gooGMs_Bw7T3Nj2pLHLNivMhaOJVEb-4QBInlhHFupP3MqIdnSjUJ526u-iMDScyByF-2pd1SHDoD0WqFb-xcOOnMrgDWXTPDJzoF2poVX91Eq/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uWI3YQ-3a0rhmtueXt8qI6_CCaI9k8tpmYkLQw1ss2_GO9vSiI-lCyT9vK06Xg03ttt-WSrlF7fy5WNz4PrELXIkMpb8e5F4cUCdBJBpsrPKmop8QzxngIo9NHru11fyAcL-XbrvNgWb/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uWI3YQ-3a0rhmtueXt8qI6_CCaI9k8tpmYkLQw1ss2_GO9vSiI-lCyT9vK06Xg03ttt-WSrlF7fy5WNz4PrELXIkMpb8e5F4cUCdBJBpsrPKmop8QzxngIo9NHru11fyAcL-XbrvNgWb/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4LiUzkvbsYo1-WjPhxaUWJOmnDLnsbLSyFIMnEnV2qf0M2zdPohVnhFodvf8fUtMW75jQTX-1NkfT7yPK8V-6J4fmlVSjYaFU_4doCJMZeB-EbO1kgOmhdVhhGIq8USp4XRh-49i5NRp/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4LiUzkvbsYo1-WjPhxaUWJOmnDLnsbLSyFIMnEnV2qf0M2zdPohVnhFodvf8fUtMW75jQTX-1NkfT7yPK8V-6J4fmlVSjYaFU_4doCJMZeB-EbO1kgOmhdVhhGIq8USp4XRh-49i5NRp/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b>Rabat</b></h3>
<div>
<b>Rabat - </b>Morocco's administrative capital, is definitely more than just that. </div>
<h4>
<b>Hassan Tower & </b><b>Mohamed V Mausoleum</b></h4>
Visit Rabat’s most famous landmark, 44m <b>Le Tour Hassan (Hassan Tower) </b>and the nearby <b>Mohamed V Mausoleum</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn98s48Pun1JCDTvHFpPmKso5ksklcm1zn-lPt0DGpozoNchZP3Twn7fyCFs3XYhK56u6lEZqd28W6p0S9V9RMPdgw23m7Id56g9zYRPFqKgENpEJW1ze5bB9snBZBs5uCgMwaP9knoKd5/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn98s48Pun1JCDTvHFpPmKso5ksklcm1zn-lPt0DGpozoNchZP3Twn7fyCFs3XYhK56u6lEZqd28W6p0S9V9RMPdgw23m7Id56g9zYRPFqKgENpEJW1ze5bB9snBZBs5uCgMwaP9knoKd5/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpj_Q7QPEbZfL0ScPh4UEbBnapga0fk1moZfTnhuICsIlmZCvyarHfXA8-R7sNJtmRRfVtQIb512a6qBUcQWyZP1EzRkN5C38zzaoPnoq2XvzZ3vZh3d92NsC5slIRRPY1REFPC8LzqQXi/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpj_Q7QPEbZfL0ScPh4UEbBnapga0fk1moZfTnhuICsIlmZCvyarHfXA8-R7sNJtmRRfVtQIb512a6qBUcQWyZP1EzRkN5C38zzaoPnoq2XvzZ3vZh3d92NsC5slIRRPY1REFPC8LzqQXi/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJ7E6pJhp1xTcivstn7PCo83zPnD-dCUXiW0fmcCJCqA9EOiLwAk4_nXgW6BF6PW9GEage5Vz5lgMlePRkhlNI4nb1ZdzP1zLGnlW5jtynLqpL0z2jGpvjQiI16KRZ8FSJfJgxkaIQLzk/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJ7E6pJhp1xTcivstn7PCo83zPnD-dCUXiW0fmcCJCqA9EOiLwAk4_nXgW6BF6PW9GEage5Vz5lgMlePRkhlNI4nb1ZdzP1zLGnlW5jtynLqpL0z2jGpvjQiI16KRZ8FSJfJgxkaIQLzk/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9fyfBAHDyQ0wVXCWOBUSNU3M2NvqVq0VSnnbI1q70ciYg6Lbieqf6dl48ZRtBchKQCqjTyt8ZzxDSIaFBDCE0pMyCXd-BhekWvCkAFWwo2TH3VFDhUkpruQz4gmemq2FAUlOZXVi1r0t/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9fyfBAHDyQ0wVXCWOBUSNU3M2NvqVq0VSnnbI1q70ciYg6Lbieqf6dl48ZRtBchKQCqjTyt8ZzxDSIaFBDCE0pMyCXd-BhekWvCkAFWwo2TH3VFDhUkpruQz4gmemq2FAUlOZXVi1r0t/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0fPZK7Md20MpfLn1FvmX9WOtifsefkAZX5LgDonAlAs6jMSXUruPidrRlE67IwaF9x8qaWnItXE2Pv56AeG2Z3aEO1HFzf7TQt2xn8i0jdaR2-eV0tgCKPOFyjvjK4bvKd3a6GEY0TVP/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0fPZK7Md20MpfLn1FvmX9WOtifsefkAZX5LgDonAlAs6jMSXUruPidrRlE67IwaF9x8qaWnItXE2Pv56AeG2Z3aEO1HFzf7TQt2xn8i0jdaR2-eV0tgCKPOFyjvjK4bvKd3a6GEY0TVP/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vlu0G9yfOt2tuw0AkpaB_jVCCfzXJR1sl3PvJCZvAgsnMqT3JVX6G9URp7OLtiW80iVW3Ev6aOsHkSVHAdvD8eqGZ_ftQ5MicMe2nrFXPvh2ZUd3Aj5Xhx-zoCyLDiFBXH3y9m-AKWi9/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vlu0G9yfOt2tuw0AkpaB_jVCCfzXJR1sl3PvJCZvAgsnMqT3JVX6G9URp7OLtiW80iVW3Ev6aOsHkSVHAdvD8eqGZ_ftQ5MicMe2nrFXPvh2ZUd3Aj5Xhx-zoCyLDiFBXH3y9m-AKWi9/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Oudaya Kasbah</b></h3>
Don't miss one of the biggest highlights of the trip to Casablanca - a walk through the picturesque narrow alleys between whitewashed houses of the <b>Oudaya Kasbah</b>!<br />
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJPIhgF_GnFRvxCg6RwaSK8vCHn_wMTMoeUX8ofhPctZ0zfvJ2bDhLcUi8d-yNYVWbXl4yZRuBewunRCFttPhM2EFu7hlgEJb_vURKl-3zFYnxv2_m-D1dPqMxV8UKoOKzCLW0mGrdPfH/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJPIhgF_GnFRvxCg6RwaSK8vCHn_wMTMoeUX8ofhPctZ0zfvJ2bDhLcUi8d-yNYVWbXl4yZRuBewunRCFttPhM2EFu7hlgEJb_vURKl-3zFYnxv2_m-D1dPqMxV8UKoOKzCLW0mGrdPfH/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq_2gFNhS07ncBSOVOk102tYXH2lxBjV9onG56ydM7nQ9EIkmry6auT5NcjkfPWikjlIO1nV6G0EjliVkFCUIVAxwTZDZOJZSBgsDbmuuGLA3An_vTRf_vEKbKITAbzwV-bknQ0GKqR6O/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcq_2gFNhS07ncBSOVOk102tYXH2lxBjV9onG56ydM7nQ9EIkmry6auT5NcjkfPWikjlIO1nV6G0EjliVkFCUIVAxwTZDZOJZSBgsDbmuuGLA3An_vTRf_vEKbKITAbzwV-bknQ0GKqR6O/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUneG7L0UbhowJcn9P8bseM2RKDzCOyItkKbBxGfxA0GcDD01bsudfOnX0UrnUBvsHzitEtlgorqAQ4AkA6qre3XKJKAi1Bq5GKqPwl2Nv_EB443F6v6c25ow69LnYKzN1sK3QwsaXSAog/s1600/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUneG7L0UbhowJcn9P8bseM2RKDzCOyItkKbBxGfxA0GcDD01bsudfOnX0UrnUBvsHzitEtlgorqAQ4AkA6qre3XKJKAi1Bq5GKqPwl2Nv_EB443F6v6c25ow69LnYKzN1sK3QwsaXSAog/s400/01_Morocco_Casablanca_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleP5VLWsSt2VtIByfO0D80og45L_0AZnUxEi9Q86Vryq3BvpgFxgBNkK5iAhMOc4HvtQjMU2lBeAYL2OQzvr8qIFSBm13lUECK8SiQT2HISfLVm0PwODajF0PmNPdYN3REcKrKEWULacr/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleP5VLWsSt2VtIByfO0D80og45L_0AZnUxEi9Q86Vryq3BvpgFxgBNkK5iAhMOc4HvtQjMU2lBeAYL2OQzvr8qIFSBm13lUECK8SiQT2HISfLVm0PwODajF0PmNPdYN3REcKrKEWULacr/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KlzF4YI8ZwAG5XMLk6Qgpu0NsPkhYnjqBO2Fs1mUeaSW4zCJLT4JGbX2JaB71NcsZHvPqnkC1X1AI9tNGJ4EiKVAtEimtPyj2hGxrdbsxn4m9qkrsRv4CaG7HmyktHEVm0TWDxW1PXLE/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KlzF4YI8ZwAG5XMLk6Qgpu0NsPkhYnjqBO2Fs1mUeaSW4zCJLT4JGbX2JaB71NcsZHvPqnkC1X1AI9tNGJ4EiKVAtEimtPyj2hGxrdbsxn4m9qkrsRv4CaG7HmyktHEVm0TWDxW1PXLE/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZffbpzbDmLRIKdr5131KnZkkSjSfCAy0yD0JZOvvyEVbr8CJlVyAMDKcXokTbKSoXXKQZtMeEd4AqSp5SxsxnNdRuDFeIfBhtHlbyW56Cq1klWctLjPkt2NQlvBCiBetZgXh71BXQe-C/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZffbpzbDmLRIKdr5131KnZkkSjSfCAy0yD0JZOvvyEVbr8CJlVyAMDKcXokTbKSoXXKQZtMeEd4AqSp5SxsxnNdRuDFeIfBhtHlbyW56Cq1klWctLjPkt2NQlvBCiBetZgXh71BXQe-C/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaX3tu6gTd1ZnxtnCD9jWFwvq4LbS9yhQL67m_1bcU4EWlE7WNHCw1BiV2ufqljkyMrYnQVxO_sSOUJqyP1UHCf_Ch4HFAUWqbztngu3qv0JnBoxKP_X-1olbFd9oq8YOyMA3Uh3sKemY/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaX3tu6gTd1ZnxtnCD9jWFwvq4LbS9yhQL67m_1bcU4EWlE7WNHCw1BiV2ufqljkyMrYnQVxO_sSOUJqyP1UHCf_Ch4HFAUWqbztngu3qv0JnBoxKP_X-1olbFd9oq8YOyMA3Uh3sKemY/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJHQhNT_9VzMLfP3OV6vhv8EXDYFKORyIfmjIw9t_OGnub4Nn-LLZRwbYkmSEryNLdBe4i2VL0wlVNcz67szoJEcQ6BVY9kt8BQjUC7BrnxQSq_OkE-y0r4plMXK1999mU7Fuaonla065/s1600/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJHQhNT_9VzMLfP3OV6vhv8EXDYFKORyIfmjIw9t_OGnub4Nn-LLZRwbYkmSEryNLdBe4i2VL0wlVNcz67szoJEcQ6BVY9kt8BQjUC7BrnxQSq_OkE-y0r4plMXK1999mU7Fuaonla065/s400/02_Morocco_Rabat_Alena+Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3 : Meknès & Volubilis</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs8sA1iv1g7PjD4awVuwvTijuJIAFhMGaHRk5dXHWsdCyxjnDzHlPnHxecahPAj3ZxmBTByPbEvZWqB3hOYnAAASqjCgdbTjnZWBj7K-FIR_rSN8XpJP2wayd_KDQondSevh1xNXFww28/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs8sA1iv1g7PjD4awVuwvTijuJIAFhMGaHRk5dXHWsdCyxjnDzHlPnHxecahPAj3ZxmBTByPbEvZWqB3hOYnAAASqjCgdbTjnZWBj7K-FIR_rSN8XpJP2wayd_KDQondSevh1xNXFww28/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: justify;">Volubilis </b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Started the day in the ancient Roman city & UNESCO world heritage site, <b>Volubilis </b>(AD40) - home to some of the most impressive (& best preserved) Roman ruins in North Africa. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aBe8C3xempYF7qHBpDi8BjTcTEUY1iCdE7DssBCg-ScydO9blozazsV19UKxv_OYSp1Y5UO7rppwC3jZtsT9vVZTRCFtMfVBZXPA_1PI_9ZVz7wfhquqDukJdY8ED7VFowC2sJ3AS71C/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aBe8C3xempYF7qHBpDi8BjTcTEUY1iCdE7DssBCg-ScydO9blozazsV19UKxv_OYSp1Y5UO7rppwC3jZtsT9vVZTRCFtMfVBZXPA_1PI_9ZVz7wfhquqDukJdY8ED7VFowC2sJ3AS71C/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6bmgFlZo3mgZ-gEqoFsgX3r69GO2g8NI1qrsao_yH_RCZh4aybdpY5K3UpIcW3iOjMTR8sG-ikqn_9jyLYVaB_jOTKikduqm7Ul_kYeCX_92ubbnCwmtv5lQnRJTEGry2Pd1DgXIi_wl/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6bmgFlZo3mgZ-gEqoFsgX3r69GO2g8NI1qrsao_yH_RCZh4aybdpY5K3UpIcW3iOjMTR8sG-ikqn_9jyLYVaB_jOTKikduqm7Ul_kYeCX_92ubbnCwmtv5lQnRJTEGry2Pd1DgXIi_wl/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8FCS7_bG3ruWCk1kf9KKVIRnRmi37oKXA8BjFNFnx3GjPaRA4yNmLzt4mtcS1ua5Iv4ZEJU2vrm6Kyy_UMXg0MoWBlwQuzvaGX0IhGeaiO9UjIGB66ieiK5Q7u7PSDSp96MaNyJvd4XH/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8FCS7_bG3ruWCk1kf9KKVIRnRmi37oKXA8BjFNFnx3GjPaRA4yNmLzt4mtcS1ua5Iv4ZEJU2vrm6Kyy_UMXg0MoWBlwQuzvaGX0IhGeaiO9UjIGB66ieiK5Q7u7PSDSp96MaNyJvd4XH/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMk5Fa5J4RYCoDrUxho6XktNiWfSO8H8xXWUO11S7fUC4YpylReBkDQpk2u8UZ2x0m7oVBxD7zUamLI2pkaNM5lsuNaU2O7LTMOls642uxplmqsa1w1zQScQ_PYnJpEJWEnVGBNGQ43r3/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMk5Fa5J4RYCoDrUxho6XktNiWfSO8H8xXWUO11S7fUC4YpylReBkDQpk2u8UZ2x0m7oVBxD7zUamLI2pkaNM5lsuNaU2O7LTMOls642uxplmqsa1w1zQScQ_PYnJpEJWEnVGBNGQ43r3/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ltCfOsw4EkDKVy0vUx3YmNZLtp0EZ1QWOpCfNemDMs2Sfap5pziZs04n8sjf-jcXlJAAMWtWnXOA4h_4T4v1fI-fpfmXLamQ6olRVPDJb8MJzvQ6t8IlEbO6pIhT6ya7SRjSPuef9L9x/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ltCfOsw4EkDKVy0vUx3YmNZLtp0EZ1QWOpCfNemDMs2Sfap5pziZs04n8sjf-jcXlJAAMWtWnXOA4h_4T4v1fI-fpfmXLamQ6olRVPDJb8MJzvQ6t8IlEbO6pIhT6ya7SRjSPuef9L9x/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW_BM_L-SdKmedxyQrT8joxOQEmOa1uzMPWISUlxyci7ONjVZLukFY2vuObz3EuIZd7LvN3L3vtizGICWbPJ3vAK1UF6eMjZM-qu8HT6DbNmrtB6T3KowDXOZ5a1QHVQGAHDFhPoUPO2z/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW_BM_L-SdKmedxyQrT8joxOQEmOa1uzMPWISUlxyci7ONjVZLukFY2vuObz3EuIZd7LvN3L3vtizGICWbPJ3vAK1UF6eMjZM-qu8HT6DbNmrtB6T3KowDXOZ5a1QHVQGAHDFhPoUPO2z/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_oqxiG9o0_mBzLsZAFezPnWXZlRHC4G2cp2YUaeNmx9qP9BcL_-92LI494Pq-ugHYkMwbZIAuLUR6sNwCqBC95Syorph0dL6nk9hqC3wMWwZMqcSAPZGFzaYaSc50lUTCR5mdMCN0agQ/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1198" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_oqxiG9o0_mBzLsZAFezPnWXZlRHC4G2cp2YUaeNmx9qP9BcL_-92LI494Pq-ugHYkMwbZIAuLUR6sNwCqBC95Syorph0dL6nk9hqC3wMWwZMqcSAPZGFzaYaSc50lUTCR5mdMCN0agQ/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
</ul>
<h3>
<b>Meknès</b></h3>
Continue the journey to <b>Meknès </b>- a Berber town, formerly the capital of Morocco during the reign of Moulay Ismail. Today the town is known for its <b>Place el-Hedim</b>, the heart of the <b>Meknès medina</b>, and home to the huge gate of <b>Bab el-Mansour</b>, the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_KUoDCSMCn47rIqBrU-J2j5G4D1T5LFVzIL0J85tci_akL5GV1MPLNpCFD8Y9FqM0nPwuDqZCjN0fMZ_hW3wO0llFHGlqMt4YMekV2TCubdQhXDOrC0T0FxJ9XgH3Q_UJFN7zNZZ5REU/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_KUoDCSMCn47rIqBrU-J2j5G4D1T5LFVzIL0J85tci_akL5GV1MPLNpCFD8Y9FqM0nPwuDqZCjN0fMZ_hW3wO0llFHGlqMt4YMekV2TCubdQhXDOrC0T0FxJ9XgH3Q_UJFN7zNZZ5REU/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9tU-RBl3XZ1eM_tCU2j9gEtvkXH-1IKHd5d3Tcb3AXWllaKJHR2k23c5HZWUhp4b4pqoolbWsmyS1S-au-DQIvsCPJa33Er8qKe75ua2ZV8qQSAQMX_zC2oGgqZe9imUB7f8ZDJYaQom/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9tU-RBl3XZ1eM_tCU2j9gEtvkXH-1IKHd5d3Tcb3AXWllaKJHR2k23c5HZWUhp4b4pqoolbWsmyS1S-au-DQIvsCPJa33Er8qKe75ua2ZV8qQSAQMX_zC2oGgqZe9imUB7f8ZDJYaQom/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJJ1OxntZKPjyMe6Pr9pAVlV2d2xNcxEI-5M6Yhhzf2dWsmJZVfPc6JR-59IAoEHCm9O3kayD69aAdOL9c6Bzc2Ic0qPIKupNjM6tYSsgdsH97gYhZnQStrhvH5I4R4y2hP8EUrduyfdi/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJJ1OxntZKPjyMe6Pr9pAVlV2d2xNcxEI-5M6Yhhzf2dWsmJZVfPc6JR-59IAoEHCm9O3kayD69aAdOL9c6Bzc2Ic0qPIKupNjM6tYSsgdsH97gYhZnQStrhvH5I4R4y2hP8EUrduyfdi/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiclZzZA_xocv1IIzifaaCYsNLX1iHAD-HHrG2logFoqGGPvnS-uAPINohWmqdVm8mC2y8yH_xFITfmJm6okFufC3JtkT7tLOBMoGai5yCZmaksf3qlnmZcsEdt5id9u_RqvS7x1unFyOP/s1600/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiclZzZA_xocv1IIzifaaCYsNLX1iHAD-HHrG2logFoqGGPvnS-uAPINohWmqdVm8mC2y8yH_xFITfmJm6okFufC3JtkT7tLOBMoGai5yCZmaksf3qlnmZcsEdt5id9u_RqvS7x1unFyOP/s400/03_Morocco_Meknes+%2526+Volubilis_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 4-5: Fez </h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnIhfuefv_NG9RGP1peMKbptS-sPPiwCnGQi9iDjsu0QFEgP6Oijnk2GOSzgnIz0Sg5xhpKSqhu8G2-sLDYbRRGE5ApBjZZQhlXYS1GT2xpD0pr0_r6risartHC1CLooFBrPgRLjkAo4P/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnIhfuefv_NG9RGP1peMKbptS-sPPiwCnGQi9iDjsu0QFEgP6Oijnk2GOSzgnIz0Sg5xhpKSqhu8G2-sLDYbRRGE5ApBjZZQhlXYS1GT2xpD0pr0_r6risartHC1CLooFBrPgRLjkAo4P/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNlb7qK9CbUDxMlAd7MqiJOQUvNeBuyvjghAanD6Kc2knZPg3eYevp_asr0WOmSGt8HSDZV0L__7Z1yGAp4sR39ttOJLhIRqkCYnuI0u5aU_4J0-k6IvL80L4rYj0LiUvJTtvnpC1c1XT/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNlb7qK9CbUDxMlAd7MqiJOQUvNeBuyvjghAanD6Kc2knZPg3eYevp_asr0WOmSGt8HSDZV0L__7Z1yGAp4sR39ttOJLhIRqkCYnuI0u5aU_4J0-k6IvL80L4rYj0LiUvJTtvnpC1c1XT/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRFG1kkT9WrU2rp9kqr7v1CQ6SS2kJkLimwUauV88e6CBP1u4Z6r44QgWhcZThFr10wLchu8MN5rVqNW2Nn9KROerrf5YXKzTGydmPfW0P6OSajN5AqlDQEcirk24gmNj-vhOxZXL6zqf/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRFG1kkT9WrU2rp9kqr7v1CQ6SS2kJkLimwUauV88e6CBP1u4Z6r44QgWhcZThFr10wLchu8MN5rVqNW2Nn9KROerrf5YXKzTGydmPfW0P6OSajN5AqlDQEcirk24gmNj-vhOxZXL6zqf/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: justify;">University of Karueein</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Delve into the fascinating history of mediaeval <b>Fèz</b>, which is home to the world’s first university (<b>University of Karueein</b>, 859 AD).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dqpy01LPbqq9Tcpd_bnM3amiPoGRikEZo7DjLfA7V5VGRV8yTj0QXL_kgIaZxNbKKrHFNETH3JpQ8sqC1diSow4ZGycvamCWlcMkGCr6kkrG1h3pd5egvg7LWcyjzXZO-_ZZ7iIe79tO/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dqpy01LPbqq9Tcpd_bnM3amiPoGRikEZo7DjLfA7V5VGRV8yTj0QXL_kgIaZxNbKKrHFNETH3JpQ8sqC1diSow4ZGycvamCWlcMkGCr6kkrG1h3pd5egvg7LWcyjzXZO-_ZZ7iIe79tO/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f-RPUyLT8njFd0A2r59pSdvD65B8EiUuYzW_qNtY099BJPtVG4RncT6HO2ZYmxpWuaMhtqthzMOW5unk9v9gq6bo21QpflUYL_dfUEcCXsvVwZ4y8gqyQuY5OI1GHLNsE7zX7V1z5odH/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f-RPUyLT8njFd0A2r59pSdvD65B8EiUuYzW_qNtY099BJPtVG4RncT6HO2ZYmxpWuaMhtqthzMOW5unk9v9gq6bo21QpflUYL_dfUEcCXsvVwZ4y8gqyQuY5OI1GHLNsE7zX7V1z5odH/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b style="font-size: medium;">Fès el-Bali (Old Fez)</b><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: 400;"> </span></h3>
</div>
<b>Fès el-Bali (Old Fez)</b> is the world’s largest living Islamic medieval city and the biggest car-free urban environment on the planet. Confuse your senses in the cacophony of noise surrounding the heady alleyways of Medieval <b>Medina,</b> home to tanneries, carpet shops and local restaurants.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeQ4t1GNjp3BMBWTdEIAJ28mRwPJRvnGOi5SP_ZsVBLpEhoB6D1OML5gNM3cuO3DW3YFI2HSdM4d_i1UjQ6kfqexX4OwpBaDI4-H47_0U9oyuybB1_skYYKf77AACEUEkxTxUJHobeu65/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeQ4t1GNjp3BMBWTdEIAJ28mRwPJRvnGOi5SP_ZsVBLpEhoB6D1OML5gNM3cuO3DW3YFI2HSdM4d_i1UjQ6kfqexX4OwpBaDI4-H47_0U9oyuybB1_skYYKf77AACEUEkxTxUJHobeu65/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55wjvvZcwj4K4lmfnFW8JvrE2I9fsMrRbn15qTvnx8vAmpvVJA8wEpj8kNGx5xVGHtykhSkIoqNQNE6aoAPg_HfiiRUjBWzUuANB1SAaQRif21XK8W_ct2lj8BeHzCLUL4rSYrRFQ7-c3/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55wjvvZcwj4K4lmfnFW8JvrE2I9fsMrRbn15qTvnx8vAmpvVJA8wEpj8kNGx5xVGHtykhSkIoqNQNE6aoAPg_HfiiRUjBWzUuANB1SAaQRif21XK8W_ct2lj8BeHzCLUL4rSYrRFQ7-c3/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOPgxp-bYowBQOd4t8mYyEltMembkbP87nJj6xpKa6gvvHxGUmRvrQ0K0TB2zkYehZLfltkwoifVxlxaGDLo2_m66ebyngXNVPuc0p1bk65dAiFo6NisQldy2GvY95tkhmaVKgOkLzNQq/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOPgxp-bYowBQOd4t8mYyEltMembkbP87nJj6xpKa6gvvHxGUmRvrQ0K0TB2zkYehZLfltkwoifVxlxaGDLo2_m66ebyngXNVPuc0p1bk65dAiFo6NisQldy2GvY95tkhmaVKgOkLzNQq/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 18.72px;">Blue Ceramics</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOsX7y7yEhH924QIdJaxForXgM-fL7Ckm-a52igVwilt-8ZkiJBYAEQkLps2zQafV4lJlru0zuvGKTRe_VUqVJ-0Wsgq7Cnqtvv-2Ry9I2p6sif3JHjnfE59HqQeQo4d34SRWXdmAomwe/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOsX7y7yEhH924QIdJaxForXgM-fL7Ckm-a52igVwilt-8ZkiJBYAEQkLps2zQafV4lJlru0zuvGKTRe_VUqVJ-0Wsgq7Cnqtvv-2Ry9I2p6sif3JHjnfE59HqQeQo4d34SRWXdmAomwe/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIPeutANedwmtOSrDrBHKJdNYvbCaQJZed6QaG79hg936KwSkS7Hg-QwctbPScT2nXDiR1l2y3FbsnF4Sf0_EqAYpDcTt0pcKct2h_QZGWMM1T7Umx2sALgNVEzSB6ZCzRzpsPDigQgEs/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIPeutANedwmtOSrDrBHKJdNYvbCaQJZed6QaG79hg936KwSkS7Hg-QwctbPScT2nXDiR1l2y3FbsnF4Sf0_EqAYpDcTt0pcKct2h_QZGWMM1T7Umx2sALgNVEzSB6ZCzRzpsPDigQgEs/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
Souks</h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wander of a labyrinth of souks, mosques and spice filled streets.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxnJCCj_CCzvuFV3Z4dmJKl4UU2CItS-envsmYaNPkPSEj7fgGpRwzngIUbf_jR4sFBNk2mErrKGFZdlhTWYL1bgR2LrdHXdCN0jG0Q7VDRyuo5XeE9wVs34uhh4KRvKm_1FSM7uAf_v2/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxnJCCj_CCzvuFV3Z4dmJKl4UU2CItS-envsmYaNPkPSEj7fgGpRwzngIUbf_jR4sFBNk2mErrKGFZdlhTWYL1bgR2LrdHXdCN0jG0Q7VDRyuo5XeE9wVs34uhh4KRvKm_1FSM7uAf_v2/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVTBCQox1_IOhXjjMavumKiJowbQ83t_8OUObPqzetn9HsNrgGcGjV1XWMG5Ha7ky8sj72Kq2Pd1IDDGkyUSM-s3ziWxlGsHmYzaEb2RgUDji3QyrweBA75gd0eb4naVia_b8OETjLsj_/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVTBCQox1_IOhXjjMavumKiJowbQ83t_8OUObPqzetn9HsNrgGcGjV1XWMG5Ha7ky8sj72Kq2Pd1IDDGkyUSM-s3ziWxlGsHmYzaEb2RgUDji3QyrweBA75gd0eb4naVia_b8OETjLsj_/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-Z-iUYzS-TyTSbWRRRJ66ktxR5-8et0vC-snA6Q3v6FHwYr03uTjNOtbBaNtFM-kTHLO40oBEroxGyo9bh5au5Dy473IY0NA1dvQRjRZknOzv79Lfy8hP27E3BtsgLSy4v-cre3mafCl/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-Z-iUYzS-TyTSbWRRRJ66ktxR5-8et0vC-snA6Q3v6FHwYr03uTjNOtbBaNtFM-kTHLO40oBEroxGyo9bh5au5Dy473IY0NA1dvQRjRZknOzv79Lfy8hP27E3BtsgLSy4v-cre3mafCl/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-A6dtH0f_87gzE313r8Vd_R9FJJLlHAr40DMPJyGmms47Wd2F5jm6tFqRyrqLZAuPD-ZA7nrAJmt7fsK6b4CpyeAkHyYlbrisPvhjX5wFIMPvMttZ3CBukUchJ08WbQDqdchsYgGrSvrW/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-A6dtH0f_87gzE313r8Vd_R9FJJLlHAr40DMPJyGmms47Wd2F5jm6tFqRyrqLZAuPD-ZA7nrAJmt7fsK6b4CpyeAkHyYlbrisPvhjX5wFIMPvMttZ3CBukUchJ08WbQDqdchsYgGrSvrW/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dB1D_Qkic6V2BrsvIkGo1JG-7Ad8dH0rMO0iJ_iIGyLbcdyWMolC54IKSv0rSj226VNjMqWQ31qnmLviFkWTQtxeykEQaQL4vGorQ95UPiupjX3Up1L63R2C3-tkFo3TNMHpqwJDKYe_/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dB1D_Qkic6V2BrsvIkGo1JG-7Ad8dH0rMO0iJ_iIGyLbcdyWMolC54IKSv0rSj226VNjMqWQ31qnmLviFkWTQtxeykEQaQL4vGorQ95UPiupjX3Up1L63R2C3-tkFo3TNMHpqwJDKYe_/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sL4R5FzxdS75DTLmuHEqAHXHk1xDLJ9KC_TXgB4AvtsAJiuTbjoIcxjimFtFwvfCQJSUlbX_WgPKTehlImOCzk2CBbYRLI3P-2V27O7SkRy71f-4Ob58mI_X1zVthk_rPca6WysIH7sD/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sL4R5FzxdS75DTLmuHEqAHXHk1xDLJ9KC_TXgB4AvtsAJiuTbjoIcxjimFtFwvfCQJSUlbX_WgPKTehlImOCzk2CBbYRLI3P-2V27O7SkRy71f-4Ob58mI_X1zVthk_rPca6WysIH7sD/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
Tanneries </h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0deImPHdnfHa4B2vSlCb_QTxOfj-3dc32zHxKTNyFppdR15SXc6cHZ4dJDStG04j8LThXGVttTVPt2Lq7-hPq0tYIA-NMOIoiba4xAMhGEBFjKUT1CBng4QkgSuZZlNtSu9MygCg_wqT/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0deImPHdnfHa4B2vSlCb_QTxOfj-3dc32zHxKTNyFppdR15SXc6cHZ4dJDStG04j8LThXGVttTVPt2Lq7-hPq0tYIA-NMOIoiba4xAMhGEBFjKUT1CBng4QkgSuZZlNtSu9MygCg_wqT/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b>😲DID YOU KNOW? 😲 </b>how leather is coloured in Moroccan tanneries?<br />
The rawhides are first put into pits filled with cow urine (!) water & salt. This helps remove flesh & fur and breaks down the tougher leather. After 3 days of soaking, excess fat and fur are scraped away. The hides are then moved into other vats filled with pigeon poo 🐦💩 (!) and water. Blew my mind! 🤯😳<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRsd_z886lXuklIoIsDtHWOMA_9GLzkZVrIv16tmUKjqqSmhk1O0yTtjwvAhyphenhyphenUfRKWRXMpNEQc9e0ra3M_2T_TSSN_XFxMBfrXcZS3tDYst40t5waOUxlSKH-MSUFzPHcqQ-T93QoJ9Cb/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRsd_z886lXuklIoIsDtHWOMA_9GLzkZVrIv16tmUKjqqSmhk1O0yTtjwvAhyphenhyphenUfRKWRXMpNEQc9e0ra3M_2T_TSSN_XFxMBfrXcZS3tDYst40t5waOUxlSKH-MSUFzPHcqQ-T93QoJ9Cb/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bGQZKsbD7HAR4mzZf_HEeldgUFrb15bZviYRttIndD4cASO8BcA0twlt8j818XLETEzpWbdDemSsCfiq2A6GYizjlBWVdko-o3uHEpXm4AHOhKeOvDGm7HzKRZtPUQ1L-EvnoXS_5pOK/s1600/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bGQZKsbD7HAR4mzZf_HEeldgUFrb15bZviYRttIndD4cASO8BcA0twlt8j818XLETEzpWbdDemSsCfiq2A6GYizjlBWVdko-o3uHEpXm4AHOhKeOvDGm7HzKRZtPUQ1L-EvnoXS_5pOK/s400/04_Morocco_Fez_Alena+Romanenko+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 6: Marrakech</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ12YmW6K2NnAP4CSJGzUT0BjmUhkxFu8ml3U2YxiL3LuTjeRuXagH6erfgf3fv_AwnVfVsMfGNn_JPz9yftYNVjMTiLcWqgJdP85cdOx2Yh3-vq27W2C1rbVPeVffYbgwkiBYpVKQoMA/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ12YmW6K2NnAP4CSJGzUT0BjmUhkxFu8ml3U2YxiL3LuTjeRuXagH6erfgf3fv_AwnVfVsMfGNn_JPz9yftYNVjMTiLcWqgJdP85cdOx2Yh3-vq27W2C1rbVPeVffYbgwkiBYpVKQoMA/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Koutoubia Mosque</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Admire <b>Koutoubia Mosque’s</b> iconic minaret</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bahia Palace</b></h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Wondered at the intricate Arabic craftsmanship at the <b>Bahia Palace</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97tSoJfGcpqaZcKY2i_2-f0XjelfLN62x3YVUm3LfiZihX_lO-gpu5b6AHHMooqyMezmMT9cF5JUUOqgfvF6mDY9o_Y-zRQE_VGYNi1D4S1DeiFeBgcTLgUjK_F5TSn9HwfZqxpo1_Rel/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252827%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97tSoJfGcpqaZcKY2i_2-f0XjelfLN62x3YVUm3LfiZihX_lO-gpu5b6AHHMooqyMezmMT9cF5JUUOqgfvF6mDY9o_Y-zRQE_VGYNi1D4S1DeiFeBgcTLgUjK_F5TSn9HwfZqxpo1_Rel/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252827%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59DGVG8uOcNeetG7KKlXj5zz2aaopiQEfgh4o06Jlj8DdZjMPF5c4RmVEPnu3658_1q1sPQRj_XHtx5jgSV1wPwmUq0R4flnTjrMEU5YPOuhhy7hO2yCkU6MgcCBiyI-URW4qM1zyFvsv/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252828%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59DGVG8uOcNeetG7KKlXj5zz2aaopiQEfgh4o06Jlj8DdZjMPF5c4RmVEPnu3658_1q1sPQRj_XHtx5jgSV1wPwmUq0R4flnTjrMEU5YPOuhhy7hO2yCkU6MgcCBiyI-URW4qM1zyFvsv/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252828%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZCIptDIYF4faVbOIJ26O8rQcqXDDbTg6SU5V1NYZnlL1Vs95U0AkP9SC1pSSZ2KQhJN915rvGqL57MC6ddMyn5yXRbx_xbICyHatF-OlkN9_qRzw1pFcXqsI0fRoYGehpQir8pe0G1qt/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252829%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZCIptDIYF4faVbOIJ26O8rQcqXDDbTg6SU5V1NYZnlL1Vs95U0AkP9SC1pSSZ2KQhJN915rvGqL57MC6ddMyn5yXRbx_xbICyHatF-OlkN9_qRzw1pFcXqsI0fRoYGehpQir8pe0G1qt/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252829%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6j1OdnM0PvvAkJUeJ6PhDI1MLaiCAnx3RTspzmqL-uEyrMKAPxKJlLo1wipe0eO-ho_yjPuVOGah2-wXHAaK_6ZLIjZ227u8IXfwoF1jksCQRrM3hbmDKkcvh-1IsLP9OoapQKz_thzn/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252826%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6j1OdnM0PvvAkJUeJ6PhDI1MLaiCAnx3RTspzmqL-uEyrMKAPxKJlLo1wipe0eO-ho_yjPuVOGah2-wXHAaK_6ZLIjZ227u8IXfwoF1jksCQRrM3hbmDKkcvh-1IsLP9OoapQKz_thzn/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252826%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNKWzSI2VUEfAfDyu2I2KWrVpTdS7usYAPl2iSLCPXuDm70xOv-NHMIPa4k_2JzUnEFpF5GwRkQib7NyMlripfxX-vOhp_CfsflBsV_JpNyli4p_cu9Ffriepkn0TWpXSaRHx4bXiEEj5/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252830%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNKWzSI2VUEfAfDyu2I2KWrVpTdS7usYAPl2iSLCPXuDm70xOv-NHMIPa4k_2JzUnEFpF5GwRkQib7NyMlripfxX-vOhp_CfsflBsV_JpNyli4p_cu9Ffriepkn0TWpXSaRHx4bXiEEj5/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252830%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Jardin Majorelle</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Explore the ‘haute couture’ garden of <b>Jardin Majorelle</b> and the stylish <b>Musée Yves Saint Laurent</b> </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6a_pyUA4A-plH1hHNo2oUjvgm3ITh-Utv67calh2nrescYTYc_1mJWmfbvjsSVH0cHjh1McezteD3Gx7Esfw-ugiN1Iwj17XXEWGpfOxKcBWsNWBeDDtmu532H8KNP72PkXF3lFy7Au_/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6a_pyUA4A-plH1hHNo2oUjvgm3ITh-Utv67calh2nrescYTYc_1mJWmfbvjsSVH0cHjh1McezteD3Gx7Esfw-ugiN1Iwj17XXEWGpfOxKcBWsNWBeDDtmu532H8KNP72PkXF3lFy7Au_/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-VxoouXy9jtUyj2aVkdB0mgxZk7bM8BWlrIcmVK-AWjzu663K82-uakrkQmFIdTtL47o2yXaCMWSVG6bf8Po5pFMZ3dIetdAG8EqycnJKRhsokhZj8ACAHPJyUURuInaQnZl-lddl8iF/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-VxoouXy9jtUyj2aVkdB0mgxZk7bM8BWlrIcmVK-AWjzu663K82-uakrkQmFIdTtL47o2yXaCMWSVG6bf8Po5pFMZ3dIetdAG8EqycnJKRhsokhZj8ACAHPJyUURuInaQnZl-lddl8iF/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZsSvZRIhd8SuIwV2nzgDDNlO-CmU9MQesMyEs1V5JLCOfFyDLUKUg8FQrIr_AbOuXVcZcHPTl7-gk1ELaNfv4dd_a8GO5G19GyIt57dJNQkNWanqMdhFij04Oxnyur8JN5TEL640Y9gD/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252836%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZsSvZRIhd8SuIwV2nzgDDNlO-CmU9MQesMyEs1V5JLCOfFyDLUKUg8FQrIr_AbOuXVcZcHPTl7-gk1ELaNfv4dd_a8GO5G19GyIt57dJNQkNWanqMdhFij04Oxnyur8JN5TEL640Y9gD/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252836%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Musée Yves Saint Laurent</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzplXjqdG008ZraewzaxBFVNdMPWfMEY10hPUtT42_g-OROly_zwITlagv-WLTRTaNlCyKxFPWCoFdOukamw0szhEimUqJ7peLJ9HUVdUlYgmHOEvpIdDtRvBoSUnQHCOl5zEdiKqEOnh/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252834%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzplXjqdG008ZraewzaxBFVNdMPWfMEY10hPUtT42_g-OROly_zwITlagv-WLTRTaNlCyKxFPWCoFdOukamw0szhEimUqJ7peLJ9HUVdUlYgmHOEvpIdDtRvBoSUnQHCOl5zEdiKqEOnh/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252834%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPt_KYEGVavdWRcmg32veXZjEtTywGSiF52T4vjI1-5izkvciI4WDsl5eMla6cXeU_8qNTTgGO_KWmpPUeXk-BsuNzplAQOhArv20K6REska-qv7cHX-QplTqBihyKSPk5rvcUMxL_qK0/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252835%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPt_KYEGVavdWRcmg32veXZjEtTywGSiF52T4vjI1-5izkvciI4WDsl5eMla6cXeU_8qNTTgGO_KWmpPUeXk-BsuNzplAQOhArv20K6REska-qv7cHX-QplTqBihyKSPk5rvcUMxL_qK0/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252835%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Souks</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNAyH8pZFrvpDapZQmY14O-ibIBnqLuAoGYeJuVio61fJTdgAI8z4UUCxrdcL26JQymjQnodTCHISGs3S7EE57o8WEx5CqDMlwbEFMN6prKhiktXtZDFNuWSkyTqrT9qHRVeFTRZvfTZ4/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNAyH8pZFrvpDapZQmY14O-ibIBnqLuAoGYeJuVio61fJTdgAI8z4UUCxrdcL26JQymjQnodTCHISGs3S7EE57o8WEx5CqDMlwbEFMN6prKhiktXtZDFNuWSkyTqrT9qHRVeFTRZvfTZ4/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssPxqYhhQ3LX5Ns5xAV5-DI4oAhKqeDH8biEXbbjza2JcP54LyTWU0SlOdG1tso06JIqwPvZfJDmmALEMy2SEpyw7fLhyphenhyphenJ6L4U-z9Yc1HAGqDkmitK2IA2jpvqK_qo79B317qXzwzDFi3/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssPxqYhhQ3LX5Ns5xAV5-DI4oAhKqeDH8biEXbbjza2JcP54LyTWU0SlOdG1tso06JIqwPvZfJDmmALEMy2SEpyw7fLhyphenhyphenJ6L4U-z9Yc1HAGqDkmitK2IA2jpvqK_qo79B317qXzwzDFi3/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt20buetgzeQwyRZCLrvUX-SsmhZ4jeHpbzOhvaRGnacJVTBnJB43INRcyGVTWXkpUfQxtPPWIU1vqrX6Eae4BdyUiFbfmmG_qYGs550emtMrnmBj9i9cDo-nXdv4c45fTCp8KL2N-aXEY/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt20buetgzeQwyRZCLrvUX-SsmhZ4jeHpbzOhvaRGnacJVTBnJB43INRcyGVTWXkpUfQxtPPWIU1vqrX6Eae4BdyUiFbfmmG_qYGs550emtMrnmBj9i9cDo-nXdv4c45fTCp8KL2N-aXEY/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwoaJ42BKf4z2iSQT8O0WYyx2c0WuQibDZ51wCm0HEZnwbTF8xprxRbqulBIxke1f8tAN_RU5NnA0VoIbcyvYB6nLTTkSTmMix9qAqzDcQB6CbQrzVgOa8dBYQ8nQyoH44EceyQJGxz2Y/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwoaJ42BKf4z2iSQT8O0WYyx2c0WuQibDZ51wCm0HEZnwbTF8xprxRbqulBIxke1f8tAN_RU5NnA0VoIbcyvYB6nLTTkSTmMix9qAqzDcQB6CbQrzVgOa8dBYQ8nQyoH44EceyQJGxz2Y/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74LuLKarm7pMOCz3F8O05_M9wS1VqnYiyK3-fG2HDJP1BHY4cXFT4nAyLF7FmnIimOYHWjS6vt3anAHmohptZ7AZYKYJvfnR62B2qN-T1RXhRTUKD0yZ37mPzgjTDMFZ8NVxL0hAkLGLv/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74LuLKarm7pMOCz3F8O05_M9wS1VqnYiyK3-fG2HDJP1BHY4cXFT4nAyLF7FmnIimOYHWjS6vt3anAHmohptZ7AZYKYJvfnR62B2qN-T1RXhRTUKD0yZ37mPzgjTDMFZ8NVxL0hAkLGLv/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw04Qf9OFrCJy-FnYUKS24KTAQ-cJKvhvzWEtZKRty6KExjyOt-CIwFv-3U8KlEu8T-1-RqoKiOpXB3yOi8Fa3__Ubmd2jOztNSGRBc9C3jlZnvTrcrL7z5dEJNwI76q_nqylXTwV_m3Z/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw04Qf9OFrCJy-FnYUKS24KTAQ-cJKvhvzWEtZKRty6KExjyOt-CIwFv-3U8KlEu8T-1-RqoKiOpXB3yOi8Fa3__Ubmd2jOztNSGRBc9C3jlZnvTrcrL7z5dEJNwI76q_nqylXTwV_m3Z/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatEcpPJ0ZidTpqUCvnpLiXkRURrdzGW11vmRA1WZ0ycQCkM4Gu6lnfs-aM_rpW2_-f3j3306KUAGfZoliZWBXsgNJBTxS2RoQtx-UofSwttnsX1pPhqDSrMRLQfzg5iAfH4Kt37lBsAAE/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252841%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatEcpPJ0ZidTpqUCvnpLiXkRURrdzGW11vmRA1WZ0ycQCkM4Gu6lnfs-aM_rpW2_-f3j3306KUAGfZoliZWBXsgNJBTxS2RoQtx-UofSwttnsX1pPhqDSrMRLQfzg5iAfH4Kt37lBsAAE/s320/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252841%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89032GwKkZJRvTVEuCL4rL-KjcsaZB-OFtrh9UpeCROCRWY2B45zeCKMXL8SFq0P5snVPOnEnujjvbzZNMF5SJOu9HPiDjLhB2Hl3OnUuM-HhYIZIE2dZ-e-MZlqo-qmwI7dDUvqWqRP5/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252833%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89032GwKkZJRvTVEuCL4rL-KjcsaZB-OFtrh9UpeCROCRWY2B45zeCKMXL8SFq0P5snVPOnEnujjvbzZNMF5SJOu9HPiDjLhB2Hl3OnUuM-HhYIZIE2dZ-e-MZlqo-qmwI7dDUvqWqRP5/s320/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252833%2529.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Jemaa El-Fna</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Taste the 'real Morocco' at the lively souks around the <b>Jemaa El-Fna </b>square and bargain over a Berber rug that you have no intention of buying.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UuVwEoQwHTI6JDFhDDpErPh3hwGd8Xp98SjXmfGWLQoEoyJiIPt3-ig64u0RrKg2jOyn1d9xsaQRBipIkQOINCt1o30TDYV8neg2TqwsWyCRJvZGcSYojzx0SqzdraPjOPeUvyYExVl6/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UuVwEoQwHTI6JDFhDDpErPh3hwGd8Xp98SjXmfGWLQoEoyJiIPt3-ig64u0RrKg2jOyn1d9xsaQRBipIkQOINCt1o30TDYV8neg2TqwsWyCRJvZGcSYojzx0SqzdraPjOPeUvyYExVl6/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX3tl0p09nHnK_99J6rwwPoL9uCV59Xrq1PaQzamxAGZm3Hcrrt_Wff9Ql3Yx3ZiJKhQ6OGrb39Ps8nzfAYYA1hV_3mm-sv812T1jDJ9JmSj1N836MoxxzkXcnWHNtyyCJEAAaOBUICQ-/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX3tl0p09nHnK_99J6rwwPoL9uCV59Xrq1PaQzamxAGZm3Hcrrt_Wff9Ql3Yx3ZiJKhQ6OGrb39Ps8nzfAYYA1hV_3mm-sv812T1jDJ9JmSj1N836MoxxzkXcnWHNtyyCJEAAaOBUICQ-/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92x9m5juXM__f6FolNPM8LGbZ_CHF9U_aS_Pufov0iEiEHSzpTYNGkpwsT9NN2ueMu6S4rRA728A1-CUtwPNARj6PHGPBb9L-IrUgxlYrNluz93SkwRvLN2FrYA80AXLv7qC2z4oY6_xM/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92x9m5juXM__f6FolNPM8LGbZ_CHF9U_aS_Pufov0iEiEHSzpTYNGkpwsT9NN2ueMu6S4rRA728A1-CUtwPNARj6PHGPBb9L-IrUgxlYrNluz93SkwRvLN2FrYA80AXLv7qC2z4oY6_xM/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Mdt5AMezRxyocA7RrKsYqeiZ794qeH3SP8awzORjIid5Yd-Z7j8uqXqr3XtmdVmspQOWercKzoyoWgByh1CzOabW3Yh_kop6oN0cGupBmgs4__Bvtt0nXy2qEbZnf5chM2iUX6HD3zjy/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252818%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Mdt5AMezRxyocA7RrKsYqeiZ794qeH3SP8awzORjIid5Yd-Z7j8uqXqr3XtmdVmspQOWercKzoyoWgByh1CzOabW3Yh_kop6oN0cGupBmgs4__Bvtt0nXy2qEbZnf5chM2iUX6HD3zjy/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252818%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrnIRXjBD3_9EwosTi_-Qd4LA_iUZc7l9vnWoAUS1oZXVqPGI9uauFo-EUZ0eFQkhqa9FKeXLgVhcY9QdRjJNFjYKWpjDncWy51BrNRo_m_VElu2CQbBFTV_Px17b0BNyEU_B6QQq-wba/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252819%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrnIRXjBD3_9EwosTi_-Qd4LA_iUZc7l9vnWoAUS1oZXVqPGI9uauFo-EUZ0eFQkhqa9FKeXLgVhcY9QdRjJNFjYKWpjDncWy51BrNRo_m_VElu2CQbBFTV_Px17b0BNyEU_B6QQq-wba/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252819%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qq_Y8n_L0-O6I7wzH9VxmH1dtsqS_aQ164tImS6zGxtUeRXd67kzZuptfPTwVwyKpfE8SUh6dGM-zuEW32AOrjp4YxGX7huLx2_keMt7WaIydpt6xcBr72RD0mQaXlTKRI6_eqbxnnLQ/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qq_Y8n_L0-O6I7wzH9VxmH1dtsqS_aQ164tImS6zGxtUeRXd67kzZuptfPTwVwyKpfE8SUh6dGM-zuEW32AOrjp4YxGX7huLx2_keMt7WaIydpt6xcBr72RD0mQaXlTKRI6_eqbxnnLQ/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLgY13CtFjpU3NHdVD4t1HThxwXyVEmpbtX-2cCt1QVrbST8_8dYuceAI9xZtSwCWxGQ9QFDMkfSHU8q6FsSF4TmLsw3vNxzUhHIus_0dQIhF7yHDV22wyJxtPLAe5fVS8jxSfVWy8YlZ/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLgY13CtFjpU3NHdVD4t1HThxwXyVEmpbtX-2cCt1QVrbST8_8dYuceAI9xZtSwCWxGQ9QFDMkfSHU8q6FsSF4TmLsw3vNxzUhHIus_0dQIhF7yHDV22wyJxtPLAe5fVS8jxSfVWy8YlZ/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<u>“<b>Comptoir Darna</b>”</u></h3>
<ul>
<li>Grab a traditional Moroccan dinner & show at “<b><a href="http://uk.comptoirmarrakech.com/">Comptoir Darna</a></b>”</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi557qCE_Mz6BDRFoEV7_fcmj-mLBGhfm9PCc-eaXCoXQqp3OsiNO7e8udc3tPb9LEVTASm0lvJ4O6_LokGkqQV7YIdV0_J-TmgFlX0Pg9hJ9wLzwg5ViFAivcDZd2_r2emjH7-bxyNrZXK/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252823%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi557qCE_Mz6BDRFoEV7_fcmj-mLBGhfm9PCc-eaXCoXQqp3OsiNO7e8udc3tPb9LEVTASm0lvJ4O6_LokGkqQV7YIdV0_J-TmgFlX0Pg9hJ9wLzwg5ViFAivcDZd2_r2emjH7-bxyNrZXK/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252823%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBLcV2mJ5gx2-Jx5AewPN-ED4CZRcHtEoadYqOgTy_jWd2lx_fPbTNGv3TKF8Q-r9BO8TK9AXMS8xERggjz2KCFjYCCJZwthtHDRnxzb9fMG_cxUPIbk-UBGB3lf4qBlJoOZD3G7er22b/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252824%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBLcV2mJ5gx2-Jx5AewPN-ED4CZRcHtEoadYqOgTy_jWd2lx_fPbTNGv3TKF8Q-r9BO8TK9AXMS8xERggjz2KCFjYCCJZwthtHDRnxzb9fMG_cxUPIbk-UBGB3lf4qBlJoOZD3G7er22b/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252824%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 7: Marrakech</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugXeiVyU1vKn556NlrkWA9shh9UsNNVWy75z63uy1TjDcZyKqY1w1dbhkvvr5PJoG2JhHfEZwNlrwgcCGmRta48qaTuHoUnoCvq8wHs3ZZfUZQ1t86FRz35ZtqZxZqmoqdFhJR_ToAr06/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugXeiVyU1vKn556NlrkWA9shh9UsNNVWy75z63uy1TjDcZyKqY1w1dbhkvvr5PJoG2JhHfEZwNlrwgcCGmRta48qaTuHoUnoCvq8wHs3ZZfUZQ1t86FRz35ZtqZxZqmoqdFhJR_ToAr06/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Dromedary ride</span></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Started the day with a dromedary 🐪 ride (they'll be offended if you call them 'camels') </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDule1NnqYXDXdpBfW_ovJRDY2X6iUlhSOx8XUT8TLX_ymH0T-fReTBMDuzhhw_Qvok12zJh4bNjxUbxSFAwvSnA0cfaH1sJA6IbLPf0pHzQonmgJjsXbs7wvnFNKBUaIJAjASkdn65Sbx/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDule1NnqYXDXdpBfW_ovJRDY2X6iUlhSOx8XUT8TLX_ymH0T-fReTBMDuzhhw_Qvok12zJh4bNjxUbxSFAwvSnA0cfaH1sJA6IbLPf0pHzQonmgJjsXbs7wvnFNKBUaIJAjASkdn65Sbx/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFj4VMh25NKvYD6tLOeNAEIRGcOLy6enZO0y86y98CuS7Tu9440BZYAmrn0mL9ghNqJkVtA5R1-1EX99lJS7K52AHWONknXiWoYzbWsgKT39DGyCyMwdN-F6PP-Iy6FTJMNQGlB9w8KtB/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFj4VMh25NKvYD6tLOeNAEIRGcOLy6enZO0y86y98CuS7Tu9440BZYAmrn0mL9ghNqJkVtA5R1-1EX99lJS7K52AHWONknXiWoYzbWsgKT39DGyCyMwdN-F6PP-Iy6FTJMNQGlB9w8KtB/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b>“Le Jardin Secret”</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>Feel like you've been ‘let in on a secret’ @ <b>“Le Jardin Secret”</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJxq8tKYjHyZSC9DKCGuk5iioqKJVlZgispBxkRUiyTwgyAiwdWwkxIbru5JnQpxsePngpWgwDIEbd0mOHpBuu3dOmbYyjZLrjmG9CFQhXjU371G0btI7kmlH97RDeHV6VW14FYjVJvUp/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252840%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJxq8tKYjHyZSC9DKCGuk5iioqKJVlZgispBxkRUiyTwgyAiwdWwkxIbru5JnQpxsePngpWgwDIEbd0mOHpBuu3dOmbYyjZLrjmG9CFQhXjU371G0btI7kmlH97RDeHV6VW14FYjVJvUp/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252840%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjx6v1BHVB5g9Hjdl6azg7tpjFgu19VxL9X6a3WVBZ1uDasiyYP6u4FytCsT-wxw9YYl705sLEE7a2Xi2DfelPfiJ7i2-p5p_lInohiF5ik9GTH7uUG6OvcGNc7hGQS_Mh44hYpgguT2g/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252839%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjx6v1BHVB5g9Hjdl6azg7tpjFgu19VxL9X6a3WVBZ1uDasiyYP6u4FytCsT-wxw9YYl705sLEE7a2Xi2DfelPfiJ7i2-p5p_lInohiF5ik9GTH7uUG6OvcGNc7hGQS_Mh44hYpgguT2g/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252839%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg__Y1lWFrClzGfW8aW8enLElOshyphenhyphenX8VzWHddcypkgaB6nydOE5s7qYiFD4YvLR8ycInBAibctC4XZlQG3tNROSiTN9dKn_9D4RJwVjLIRYnxQfw2_4Hp9aFTracvwUF1eaaSqebGnaP1/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252838%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg__Y1lWFrClzGfW8aW8enLElOshyphenhyphenX8VzWHddcypkgaB6nydOE5s7qYiFD4YvLR8ycInBAibctC4XZlQG3tNROSiTN9dKn_9D4RJwVjLIRYnxQfw2_4Hp9aFTracvwUF1eaaSqebGnaP1/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252838%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
Hammam</h3>
<ul>
<li>Be ‘reborn’ after a Hammam & scrub with black olive soap at the “<b><a href="https://farnatchispa.com/">Fatnatchi Spa</a></b>”</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtih5it8qdAnz5d6So1x2_TlU3lzG-p1RvLiixxjhyphenhyphenSRrFEeucKYHP6sS2X2-mIYJafHeqvEEHbjnVNGp-o4cfGmfCmp9PjmEYf1ETgnmkdgyTcszxD0tMVn-2xzK__bf2AbmSSi7qNTRf/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252844%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtih5it8qdAnz5d6So1x2_TlU3lzG-p1RvLiixxjhyphenhyphenSRrFEeucKYHP6sS2X2-mIYJafHeqvEEHbjnVNGp-o4cfGmfCmp9PjmEYf1ETgnmkdgyTcszxD0tMVn-2xzK__bf2AbmSSi7qNTRf/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252844%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
“<b>Le Maison Fotografie</b>”</h3>
<ul>
<li>Listen to “adhan” (‘call to worship’) & watch the sunset from the rooftop of “<b>Le Maison Fotografie</b>”</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoO2Cafj_GTvhD44tlRXTclZzWBCmr8fuj7WDErU9oJES0y26T_kAyAnksISKyfoL0oa1q9iQE8RNlFq9UC4CiIHJhgPZXn49QfO5g5LJ5HwoYGZiBwZ0wK7oc3sopjGEgvJI79utBpRC/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252842%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoO2Cafj_GTvhD44tlRXTclZzWBCmr8fuj7WDErU9oJES0y26T_kAyAnksISKyfoL0oa1q9iQE8RNlFq9UC4CiIHJhgPZXn49QfO5g5LJ5HwoYGZiBwZ0wK7oc3sopjGEgvJI79utBpRC/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252842%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
“<b><a href="https://letrouaumur.com/">Le Trou Au Mur</a></b>”</h3>
<ul>
<li>Have dinner at a hole-in-the-wall” restaurant (well, I took it a tad too literally this time around and went to a place called “<b><a href="https://letrouaumur.com/">Le Trou Au Mur</a></b>”)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKILWelg5BhwthVq6bR-vX8AwCTBqP9-dzoWHP2PAqrjncef0-B5yHRkG02ly2RJFbxIOh_9zoCjzOtgBy8gRDlntkx-0lwDTSMSoTglTDpFUBzxxY5zV4Rzdj55vwjVKrdXjUfowBUXT/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252843%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKILWelg5BhwthVq6bR-vX8AwCTBqP9-dzoWHP2PAqrjncef0-B5yHRkG02ly2RJFbxIOh_9zoCjzOtgBy8gRDlntkx-0lwDTSMSoTglTDpFUBzxxY5zV4Rzdj55vwjVKrdXjUfowBUXT/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252843%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b>Djemaa el-Fna</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>Spend the rest of the night amid the storytellers at <b>Djemaa el-Fna</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBl_vDwTES0ma7YUkg3x7B-nBiXl_WpMPjEnXBcxx42Tha0E04gvKNZ5O1ZNjbo64F1nmLtZLvyHeq4hVAbfKM73vQNtfwiWdRTAkCbO8lTtUqPH512tq7tuPYXB4SP2LKOAZ-18-9YWr/s1600/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252845%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBl_vDwTES0ma7YUkg3x7B-nBiXl_WpMPjEnXBcxx42Tha0E04gvKNZ5O1ZNjbo64F1nmLtZLvyHeq4hVAbfKM73vQNtfwiWdRTAkCbO8lTtUqPH512tq7tuPYXB4SP2LKOAZ-18-9YWr/s400/05_Morocco_Marrakesh_Alena+Romanenko+%252845%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ol>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Marrakesh, Morocco31.6294723 -7.981084499999951731.4131643 -8.3038079999999521 31.8457803 -7.6583609999999513tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-29882020058349800552019-01-13T15:14:00.001+01:002019-03-19T08:41:04.884+01:00In the Land of the Rising Sun <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
Introduction</h2>
Japan was undoubtedly one of the most exciting trips I’ve ever done. Even today, writing this after having come back from Morocco, I am still processing all the experiences and how amazing it was! So, here's a quick overview of the 2 weeks in the Land of the Rising Sun.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd4KeZVi_ZeCaMdHbOLEUcNPiN-xBsiyp_0HKQEMpwbTnLPAoKdXYTs7hWwVDKfckijdmedF0ZQ_7u3sPjvd0OePjlUTJbGK6-XMKqPK8EsIp3pGVsnHtLwJ_A_62_JYc3sl9RBxJj1TJ/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd4KeZVi_ZeCaMdHbOLEUcNPiN-xBsiyp_0HKQEMpwbTnLPAoKdXYTs7hWwVDKfckijdmedF0ZQ_7u3sPjvd0OePjlUTJbGK6-XMKqPK8EsIp3pGVsnHtLwJ_A_62_JYc3sl9RBxJj1TJ/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A sneak-peak of the itinerary: after two days in <b>Tokyo</b>, I went to <b>Kyoto</b>, spent time with cute deer in <b>Nara </b>and ate some amazing food in <b>Osaka</b> (I'm coming back there one day, even if it's just to eat that takoyaki!). On the way to <b>Hiroshima</b>, I made a brief stop in <b>Himeji </b>for a guided tour of the '<b><i>White Heron</i></b>' castle and then spent a day on <b>Miyajima </b>after paying respects to the A-bomb victims at the <b><i>Peace Memorial Park and Museum </i></b>in <b>Hiroshima</b>. After that: a day and a half of museum-hopping on the artsy island of <b>Naoshima</b>, after which I headed to the <b>Koya-san </b>monastery to stay at a <i>shikubō </i>and do a <i>Jyukai </i>ceremony before coming back to the capital for one more day in <i><b>Shinjuku </b></i>(and yes, the <i>Robot Restaurant </i>is as bizarre as all the reviews say!). After a stroll around <b><i>Kabukicho</i></b>, the Tokyo nightscape from the <i><b>NYC bar </b></i>with live jazz accompaniment was just the perfect ending I needed for the incredible 2 weeks in Japan.<br />
I got a quick fright when the flight was delayed because of typhoon Trami, but the plane departed just 4 hours later, as soon as the storm was over...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To relieve the impressions - and (possibly) provide some travel tips to friends and travel enthusiasts - below is the account of the 2 weeks in The Land of the Rising Sun...<br />
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 1: Tokyo</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=13pS-H3YHEC8HmFSAgUgPKEH9EEzZ7pMh&usp=sharing">Tokyo Google Map</a></li>
</ul>
After a 13 hour flight and a couple of hours of sleep (interrupted by aeroplane food), I arrived in the largest metropolitan area in the world, Tokyo... Having been pleasantly surprised with how efficient everything was (even though I arrived at 4:50am, all the transportation was already up and running and despite the fact that the JR office was still closed and I couldn’t exchange my JR pass voucher for the actual pass, it was very easy to get to my hotel with the PASMO transportation card that I ordered together with my JR pass per post.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgjSKWM6hEGvn2UImZDg6JaIbeTZt6lvYu4JWMGBqAqWkaaswvtyyhg2CVN_rcgtDgNEWAGeCOh-IJy-RoBZfuw_oUNVpDg-QNXonjXDfl2gG8vC8zv2Onnehd65RHDExnhL4ucCK3hQ_/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgjSKWM6hEGvn2UImZDg6JaIbeTZt6lvYu4JWMGBqAqWkaaswvtyyhg2CVN_rcgtDgNEWAGeCOh-IJy-RoBZfuw_oUNVpDg-QNXonjXDfl2gG8vC8zv2Onnehd65RHDExnhL4ucCK3hQ_/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A funny anecdote from the flight: although I’ve been warned by friends and colleagues about the fact that Japan isn’t particularly vegetarian-friendly, I still had to smile, when the flight attendant asked me if I wanted “beef 🐄 or chicken 🐣?” (kind of like the <a href="https://youtu.be/CYOIbXJTVIc">“beef or cow” comedy skit</a>). You might have guessed that my pescatarian diet was not accommodated, so I took the chicken option and just ate the vegetarian-friendly part of it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWEzETCPBR_06Eou2hBZgifqRDe8rpZDgJIIWTsTbc-CHgybAMe5H0T_M_oFnzCMaR8k7nQurjOT3vejLOJ8L4DY0qJ-Y_ka9Ju4h1KzombqKoZ8xi_CEIEW9aW7BjE_w3wDytyj7p6e0/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWEzETCPBR_06Eou2hBZgifqRDe8rpZDgJIIWTsTbc-CHgybAMe5H0T_M_oFnzCMaR8k7nQurjOT3vejLOJ8L4DY0qJ-Y_ka9Ju4h1KzombqKoZ8xi_CEIEW9aW7BjE_w3wDytyj7p6e0/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
For my first days in Tokyo, I chose to stay in <b><i>Shibuya-Ku</i></b>, just a minute’s walk from the infamous <b><i>Shibuya Crossing</i></b>, which is considered to be the busiest crossroads in the world. Because of that, I was so primed that this was the case that I was completely shocked when upon my arrival it was ... completely empty. I even took a video of one lonely car driving through VERY leisurely. To be fair: it was 6am and after I came to the Shibuya Crossing later that day, closer to the evening, I understood what all the fuss was about.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhNiPrngskMg5vXGVHGXzfFmld-fNxO5vQxVs66akJH_eyjssHuYs0r0-df0CEIgscRwoyI1qi1T0UDYO0aO82dLcbIFoxAK8H8gVkjzPF6-ObJOYtPfTFePFwyOilQwaEoqtBzUrPWc_/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhNiPrngskMg5vXGVHGXzfFmld-fNxO5vQxVs66akJH_eyjssHuYs0r0-df0CEIgscRwoyI1qi1T0UDYO0aO82dLcbIFoxAK8H8gVkjzPF6-ObJOYtPfTFePFwyOilQwaEoqtBzUrPWc_/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 1-2, Tokyo)</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I wanted an authentic Tokyo experience in terms of accommodation, so I booked a capsule hotel “<i><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/the-millennials-shibuya-shibuya-ku.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86" style="font-weight: bold;">The Millennials Shibuya </a>(150-0041 Tokyo Prefecture, Shibuya-ku Jinnan 1-20-13</i>), which I highly recommend to everyone! It was tiny and awesome and so convenient. It might not be perfectly suited for older people or if travellers with kids, but as a solo traveller - it was a dream accommodation I never knew already existed.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L9h9dTkk062926TIsqnbBy28FXMv92HlGRm_oGvGsHqhjTC1LhVuvQP0YOfZzIL9gHssVs6SZ8oCuivl2YenSwTVQBkYmb6UGMmtl70gXJeiyZrVryPzXn-oi0UqTQxe9FdOl6edmOZZ/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L9h9dTkk062926TIsqnbBy28FXMv92HlGRm_oGvGsHqhjTC1LhVuvQP0YOfZzIL9gHssVs6SZ8oCuivl2YenSwTVQBkYmb6UGMmtl70gXJeiyZrVryPzXn-oi0UqTQxe9FdOl6edmOZZ/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hz_Tvkf0whVkAdmxlj3hnqIXxhE8aY0YATdYRYEdO_oRuMptSoroCl_19gByM_S4frjwuf2LK27NRXkE3zW5YievLP1JDmwRPzkzlMEdO1inQzOk3IAekYo05A3GmXpOo8u3U-rYReDn/s1600/IMG_1552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hz_Tvkf0whVkAdmxlj3hnqIXxhE8aY0YATdYRYEdO_oRuMptSoroCl_19gByM_S4frjwuf2LK27NRXkE3zW5YievLP1JDmwRPzkzlMEdO1inQzOk3IAekYo05A3GmXpOo8u3U-rYReDn/s400/IMG_1552.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My location was perfect to start the day at the <b>Meiji Shrine</b>, but on the way there, a natural route lay through <b><i>Harajuku </i></b>(Tokyo’s fashion district), so I started in <b><i>Cat Street </i></b>and made my way to <b><i>Takeshita Dori</i></b>, which is the centre of Tokyo’s “<i>kawaii</i>” / “cute” culture. Walking along all the animal cafes (cat and hedgehog being the most common ones), I had to - as I was starving - make a stop-over at <i><b>Santa Monica’s Crepes </b></i>to get my “breakfast”, which consisted of matcha ice-cream with LOTS of whipped cream wrapped in a soft pancake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYsM11bXSSa5aYgBAas7AMnlc0_a_9_oMd9ou6HW6R2gYRQfJ8p2ITzRspcKIcBtZ9xmB1oC8eX2xZ5AxCofCvRaePHbClZdTsePNNo07M1f4l4QfBDMy-_p6VT9-oaJmwCaN6SkrNhx3/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYsM11bXSSa5aYgBAas7AMnlc0_a_9_oMd9ou6HW6R2gYRQfJ8p2ITzRspcKIcBtZ9xmB1oC8eX2xZ5AxCofCvRaePHbClZdTsePNNo07M1f4l4QfBDMy-_p6VT9-oaJmwCaN6SkrNhx3/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252822%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In Japan, it's considered extremely impolite to walk and eat, so I found myself a quiet place (behind some transformer vault, which, nonetheless, was actually a pretty good spot as from there I could watch the cats in one of the cat cafes through its glass window (haha, saved myself paying ¥300 for 10 minutes of interaction with those furry bastards).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At this point, my friend Yuya, with whom I did a volunteer camp 16 years ago in Switzerland, messaged me that he was ready to join me, we agreed to meet at the Meiji Shrine and so, I started walking to our rendezvous point through the <b style="font-style: italic;">Yoyogi P</b><b style="font-style: italic;">ark.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguZL9muuPIiqgWZQQh4PxyyraCC-_AT4DympuGxgsMB6wslzCX-tDkiI0LUVsZC4v-UACYcWHPcjYWEmRg-a4_g85y0lhpqn1PGIeXJXAJL4Dysqy1cAYTyHPNTH70xNCGOz03WgwPdXS/s1600/IMG_1436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguZL9muuPIiqgWZQQh4PxyyraCC-_AT4DympuGxgsMB6wslzCX-tDkiI0LUVsZC4v-UACYcWHPcjYWEmRg-a4_g85y0lhpqn1PGIeXJXAJL4Dysqy1cAYTyHPNTH70xNCGOz03WgwPdXS/s400/IMG_1436.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotz5jtevcepvdmJHjDlltAR7xadOkdtwo4IF_oNmcaEy_0WAdfYui0jHEJwUHBfXaxXkaJJyIHC8qWWzVLerkajMMlV0nzfr6QiXUIEAI_JUEdcC7DH0heqASck0rrZNBgdm_Zpa-GbSO/s1600/IMG_1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotz5jtevcepvdmJHjDlltAR7xadOkdtwo4IF_oNmcaEy_0WAdfYui0jHEJwUHBfXaxXkaJJyIHC8qWWzVLerkajMMlV0nzfr6QiXUIEAI_JUEdcC7DH0heqASck0rrZNBgdm_Zpa-GbSO/s400/IMG_1441.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxC93FvYNHPgWu-cueautvG6vZgfEfJUjRILhyphenhyphenOHzduAt5a-pr3OZRwFZGwrvnc4ksuVysF4mR4VAS15FTrMUhigU8sLliRr0SOw7F0ZVgHa9vsIMIA67TbDo38PLCE4GMFtqJI5972y8/s1600/IMG_1454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxC93FvYNHPgWu-cueautvG6vZgfEfJUjRILhyphenhyphenOHzduAt5a-pr3OZRwFZGwrvnc4ksuVysF4mR4VAS15FTrMUhigU8sLliRr0SOw7F0ZVgHa9vsIMIA67TbDo38PLCE4GMFtqJI5972y8/s400/IMG_1454.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-Ooy1TALVs6yIpWhhy5g0a7A5XeOC5TMPjLXXix-xBaDDn6qOB2lVMRSM9ngQ-AfnPxhljksOL15bWxVg09F9yiq3aTJ4J2qPWLG21lnWNr-zlh0T8Da2bOIU32enUBQg6BY2IgJRmfU/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-Ooy1TALVs6yIpWhhy5g0a7A5XeOC5TMPjLXXix-xBaDDn6qOB2lVMRSM9ngQ-AfnPxhljksOL15bWxVg09F9yiq3aTJ4J2qPWLG21lnWNr-zlh0T8Da2bOIU32enUBQg6BY2IgJRmfU/s400/IMG_1457.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2SJwDOBgcH3y3-77gNuWlVQvqVIIrA6kZlDI0Y5QGISUAratXHAhfw7uEawEuyuVMVEHmGbe9lofC6glz571u1R6y1ScfKct3xAO6PfKN24gZe8hfs83KMB7MgayHQDQ5HPGVSTITigC/s1600/IMG_1463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2SJwDOBgcH3y3-77gNuWlVQvqVIIrA6kZlDI0Y5QGISUAratXHAhfw7uEawEuyuVMVEHmGbe9lofC6glz571u1R6y1ScfKct3xAO6PfKN24gZe8hfs83KMB7MgayHQDQ5HPGVSTITigC/s400/IMG_1463.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GMWWMQGmEL2OlKWIuqwMUursSVpORKsvfKClLr0o8L4ExydPkcIDncaMiJGP374Gd07ghVlwOxvsJnbSw68_GZW33wDMY5wPrzvke9hUe9gFdU1eCJb6i4rTgF-TecSsZFcbr145YdES/s1600/IMG_1467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GMWWMQGmEL2OlKWIuqwMUursSVpORKsvfKClLr0o8L4ExydPkcIDncaMiJGP374Gd07ghVlwOxvsJnbSw68_GZW33wDMY5wPrzvke9hUe9gFdU1eCJb6i4rTgF-TecSsZFcbr145YdES/s400/IMG_1467.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNcUjgf52U6S1tCMGRnteeeJx5VzCSVxyOH58qm5yMCU_CKknRbsag8PHqpulLqG3IivFj4F2fETAvei9FBnYf4aZPZMf8M6BVxztetbbwHVZ2ctSbn7kKTJTWoI-PONLOGfehcSyv0lT/s1600/IMG_1472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNcUjgf52U6S1tCMGRnteeeJx5VzCSVxyOH58qm5yMCU_CKknRbsag8PHqpulLqG3IivFj4F2fETAvei9FBnYf4aZPZMf8M6BVxztetbbwHVZ2ctSbn7kKTJTWoI-PONLOGfehcSyv0lT/s400/IMG_1472.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A little bit about the Meiji Shrine: it’s the final resting place of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. To get to the shrine, you’ll stroll through a forest of hundreds of Gingko trees: it’s pretty magical and puts you in the right mood for “encountering divinity”. Speaking of another kind of divinity: as sake is considered a spiritual (pardon the pun) offering, it is intrinsically connected to the gods. So, when I was researching cool spots for photography at the shrine, I came across a sight, which consists of rows of <i>kazaridaru</i> (decorative sake barrels), with intricate and varied designs. While the barrels are empty, they represent decades of donations of sake brewers from all over Japan, made as a homage to Buddhist deities.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rtOh6dY_iaIGYyHe7MsRuxvH-2-z6bqyjyQHHhb-ZP-WhoL4tOb1RNjg5QrDtzHY7xtPDqqUql91zB5rGJcT70ivDgVDOcmBiRvXS99MldOB0h8pKEdQneDrpl4Hj-tsbon1453Be5Kk/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rtOh6dY_iaIGYyHe7MsRuxvH-2-z6bqyjyQHHhb-ZP-WhoL4tOb1RNjg5QrDtzHY7xtPDqqUql91zB5rGJcT70ivDgVDOcmBiRvXS99MldOB0h8pKEdQneDrpl4Hj-tsbon1453Be5Kk/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252820%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWWsNGaXb9W936ipldYFthaT6Le2fVcpPcNpkcU-JCB0aMy6U3NhE0fLqbTuXzx_nW04ukYbPYvT_bu9NcPvcJ_tYVkTvqGExXwVHS9JQObs83D0Pzm5xb93vRtY0-KW41HsjbzFj65lf/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWWsNGaXb9W936ipldYFthaT6Le2fVcpPcNpkcU-JCB0aMy6U3NhE0fLqbTuXzx_nW04ukYbPYvT_bu9NcPvcJ_tYVkTvqGExXwVHS9JQObs83D0Pzm5xb93vRtY0-KW41HsjbzFj65lf/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252821%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At this point, my friend Yuya caught up with me and we started exploring the shrine together. We were lucky to witness a Shinto wedding ceremony that took place on the premises (see pics) and then went to have a look at the multiple stalls to understand what activity was drawing more crowds than the shrine itself. As it turns out, there was a large shop set up for ... "spiritual protection". I realized that Shintoism was a surprisingly entrepreneurial religion. Not sure why, but I somehow thought that Buddhism and Shintoism will be less materialistic than Western religions. However, as it turns out they both readily guarantee some “divine support” in exchange for some very real cash. Haha, so, if you ever wondered how much the <i>safety of your family </i>might cost... We found a pretty exact “quota”: it’s exactly ¥1,000! (ca. £6,79).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81H6oxn4uO1l01nIaObQOZrEt3ZIKbRh0aee9MO7WGgMYFnk5NOTaJjcUiLOG8qLdJlbgFzXPW9NYC0jvg8xTqIH3jSr295PpEaxnMMY9Jc41vKfQkGRDBumfeyOT6CpuH_-7Ekvk0MQp/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81H6oxn4uO1l01nIaObQOZrEt3ZIKbRh0aee9MO7WGgMYFnk5NOTaJjcUiLOG8qLdJlbgFzXPW9NYC0jvg8xTqIH3jSr295PpEaxnMMY9Jc41vKfQkGRDBumfeyOT6CpuH_-7Ekvk0MQp/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, so while visiting the shrine I didn’t quite reach Nirvana (haha, maybe tomorrow at the Senso-ji Buddhist temple?), but I was definitely feeling much more blissful, even despite sleep deprivation (of about 40 hours at that point) 😳.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To distract myself from that tiring thought, I suggested checking out the <b><i>Kawaii Monster Café</i></b>, a curious place that is full of elements drawn from all things ‘<i>kawaii</i>’. Once inside, you could visit one of the four different areas: Mushroom Disco, Milk Stand, Bar Experiment and Mel-Tea Room. Check out the photos and the videos, because I don’t think words can describe well what it actually is...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEC2C6k9Y_d6wtEcQSv2Cdjg4GcDM0nNRx4mx9ARzH3R6n6Lu7T87TXxgOVcW1Q85DVsOwVMhgVigaBO7Wda1K2MkwKVdi3t16RE_UVIMO1jSBbZ27AW7L2Cb0fAQtv4qQ7L-Fzc-spo5/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEC2C6k9Y_d6wtEcQSv2Cdjg4GcDM0nNRx4mx9ARzH3R6n6Lu7T87TXxgOVcW1Q85DVsOwVMhgVigaBO7Wda1K2MkwKVdi3t16RE_UVIMO1jSBbZ27AW7L2Cb0fAQtv4qQ7L-Fzc-spo5/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6v3Mz4CSmq2iv6NEnBHXCkZBby_oxJi2u-fTz13RJQFUW43v5Cu7QxXXKzYeJRNR2lf2aCec4srY3uRkJJKTIlBa-KqQ1ED9bk9mBtUfiJb1W6dmvWStWIQ_X6TTmaYwL0r90Dck6N9c/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252825%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6v3Mz4CSmq2iv6NEnBHXCkZBby_oxJi2u-fTz13RJQFUW43v5Cu7QxXXKzYeJRNR2lf2aCec4srY3uRkJJKTIlBa-KqQ1ED9bk9mBtUfiJb1W6dmvWStWIQ_X6TTmaYwL0r90Dck6N9c/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252825%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After that over-the-top-sugary experience and before leaving Harajuku we quickly dropped by the iconic <b><i>Kiddy Land</i></b> - a five-floor toy emporium, full of memorabilia of everything from Hello Kitty to RoboCats (yep, you heard it right: RoboCats! And - nope - I do NOT know WHY).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn9P_2kD1c2cBvC9Q4_fIvPcuFJgNGQwJk9lqr8KdaewEu6yVnCz7eeS9VQodHoJxccWbgaHOeDj77rFu2WW8JNvZKu8p-kAox8lSdphLwieJugBIKbsm18f-vf8KvSGu6O3AE3ZyzveN/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252823%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn9P_2kD1c2cBvC9Q4_fIvPcuFJgNGQwJk9lqr8KdaewEu6yVnCz7eeS9VQodHoJxccWbgaHOeDj77rFu2WW8JNvZKu8p-kAox8lSdphLwieJugBIKbsm18f-vf8KvSGu6O3AE3ZyzveN/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252823%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then we headed to the waterside for the digital art museum, hoping to see the <b>EPSON teamLab Borderless</b> <b>MORI Building Digital Art Museum</b>. However, as it was hopelessly sold-out (like not just for that evening, but for a month in advance😆), we still tried to make the most of the location (<b><i>Odaiba </i></b>is the setting for many famous animes, manga, and Japanese dramas), so we first hopped on Odaiba’s Ferris wheel to see the panoramic view of the city, and then checked out the coolest building around: the <b><i>Fuji TV’s HQ</i></b>. And, being totally geeky, also visited the <b><i>Gundam statue </i></b>outside of the DiverCity mall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qzxQ4UpQg_0zLpe9Zg2mLfmfIXE-jQzW8ggs4NWjCncm_Nz71QAF_LE0UzAIuU-xSqD11eadmaq3-idEX8Mr3-NSyzP-wIOlPWD5YswCRtS-oJ8vrju8tqE67dPdSRIOz61tW6BI3JkP/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qzxQ4UpQg_0zLpe9Zg2mLfmfIXE-jQzW8ggs4NWjCncm_Nz71QAF_LE0UzAIuU-xSqD11eadmaq3-idEX8Mr3-NSyzP-wIOlPWD5YswCRtS-oJ8vrju8tqE67dPdSRIOz61tW6BI3JkP/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4xW3549l5gby4nZ3wCiOlWlEwFsGpXQGVxG1rLRDpFezBcneWkD9SC0YZ2e9J6wFXecntEqaPFVHCvIsJckeWjORKHdvt8lntKq3P0FLoeaGX64x4n40sae-2oqHRVMwyM1qj1uhyRpX/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252824%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4xW3549l5gby4nZ3wCiOlWlEwFsGpXQGVxG1rLRDpFezBcneWkD9SC0YZ2e9J6wFXecntEqaPFVHCvIsJckeWjORKHdvt8lntKq3P0FLoeaGX64x4n40sae-2oqHRVMwyM1qj1uhyRpX/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%252824%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As we were doing that, the weather changed dramatically and we were caught up in the worst rain I’ve experienced in a while. The only two indoor activities that were still possible that day were: <b><i>Ichiran ramen </i></b>and <b><i>Roppongi Hills Observation Deck</i></b>. As Roppongi is a neighbourhood known for its bars and restaurants, it was perfect: we chose the Roppongi branch of Ichiran Ramen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2swZZ7kzQ2q8PA2SKH_6yuQyKnh2O7QcA71BIu9wSYpNx4bGCHKhTJbSAx_KhFKltlvu3fdiy7Rv_kpHZ9DGVzBInUEiFToAw_nr8ApR5M024r94IAoVqir9czKihWoNI2aEqrlLz2ao/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2swZZ7kzQ2q8PA2SKH_6yuQyKnh2O7QcA71BIu9wSYpNx4bGCHKhTJbSAx_KhFKltlvu3fdiy7Rv_kpHZ9DGVzBInUEiFToAw_nr8ApR5M024r94IAoVqir9czKihWoNI2aEqrlLz2ao/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I wanted to do Ichiran ramen since I’ve heard of the concept: it’s a quintessential solo ramen dining experience (sometimes also called ‘anti-social ramen’). You buy your tickets from a machine (see video) and then repeat your order by filling out a form, which you pass through a window to the chef. Then you eat your “personalized” <i>tonkotsu</i> ramen in a semi-private booth. For tonkotsu, pork bones are simmered for hours until they break down into a creamy, fatty broth. As you can imagine (spoiler alert!), it was anything but vegetarian... The basic tonkotsu ramen with red pepper can be personalized in numerous ways. I did: seaweed and pickled mushrooms, asking for ramen to be ‘<i>bari katai</i>’ (Hakata slang for ‘extra firm’ or ‘al dente’).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOcyzdPd6UHdkA4FxywPzBY-WI1IBg7-r-9_Vptt_ysdv8j3IyVx4iKTd_DQ330s3G8adpev0pKJHmvaFTqyuobkfnIzpphB9XV5-Rzf1alc-Ysp_AiprJbZfBqriqp2PEvzh05TfH8EM/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOcyzdPd6UHdkA4FxywPzBY-WI1IBg7-r-9_Vptt_ysdv8j3IyVx4iKTd_DQ330s3G8adpev0pKJHmvaFTqyuobkfnIzpphB9XV5-Rzf1alc-Ysp_AiprJbZfBqriqp2PEvzh05TfH8EM/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After that delicious (and slightly odd) experience, we went to the nearby <b><i>Roppongi Hills and the Mori Tower</i></b>. Mori Tower is actually an office building, but the top floors house the <b><i>Mori Arts Center </i></b>and the 52nd floor is <b><i>Tokyo City View Observation Deck </i></b>(238m).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As we feared (but hoped we’d be wrong): because of the weather the Mori Tower was closed, so I am postponing further acquaintance with Tokyo’s panoramas until the next time, when I’m in Tokyo again on the way back to London...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSE2Kls3h4GpiP5y4FIB2-utrfJxgDKdOzCh6XyAvcjC8UVFFB_ay3TSfB4ho1ImzetlBJUUz0PM6K7w0VqTTs_dVHiQ_mVAyD5gE155BoY0f-qPMcSxPusdz7eXsz-19fLuEEqHmGLyTR/s1600/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSE2Kls3h4GpiP5y4FIB2-utrfJxgDKdOzCh6XyAvcjC8UVFFB_ay3TSfB4ho1ImzetlBJUUz0PM6K7w0VqTTs_dVHiQ_mVAyD5gE155BoY0f-qPMcSxPusdz7eXsz-19fLuEEqHmGLyTR/s400/Day+01_Tokyo_Kawaii+Cafe%252C+Odaiba_%255B2018-09-17%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 2: Tokyo (Tsukiji, Nakagin Capsule Tower, Ginza, Sensō-ji, Asakusa, Omoide Yokocho)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After having slept through the night like a baby (well, being awake for 48 hours prior to that 'helps'), I headed to the Tsukiji market for my long-awaited sushi breakfast. Navigating the little streets of Tsukiji in search of an egg omelette on a stick or an octopus yakitori 🐙🍡 is an amazing and highly recommendable experience. Although I was really happy with my sushi breakfast, looking back, my TIP for Tsukiji would be to go for different “courses” at different stands and have enough tasting sessions to fill you up Vs. actually having a sit-down breakfast.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4bEO1RNzlS4ljnxDGF45vryyNK4pN5bjSPoxp-0j20dXdRuf-lVbE0A0AfAqhG5KYekB9r6plnX7NGbbVRZI4u9cFzBG3QpEYEKv3Fu4UUCFkeRXR58B0ipwqoRdxJXVcIH2epJb1zNr/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4bEO1RNzlS4ljnxDGF45vryyNK4pN5bjSPoxp-0j20dXdRuf-lVbE0A0AfAqhG5KYekB9r6plnX7NGbbVRZI4u9cFzBG3QpEYEKv3Fu4UUCFkeRXR58B0ipwqoRdxJXVcIH2epJb1zNr/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRaZVg6YmlNRm0j2rcKFmJaTIUYXGgGGMI5nfMyCTcL23xZItZ8O9NqlYlIkGvRiuyc4raZ1lIu4QEkNs__MHU-YfMzQYhkxsLlC0KzknjZobDwIFsbzTKgOoTtIPxssKBE75f1hq-eVG/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRaZVg6YmlNRm0j2rcKFmJaTIUYXGgGGMI5nfMyCTcL23xZItZ8O9NqlYlIkGvRiuyc4raZ1lIu4QEkNs__MHU-YfMzQYhkxsLlC0KzknjZobDwIFsbzTKgOoTtIPxssKBE75f1hq-eVG/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this, I did a little detour to see the <b><i>Nakagin Capsule Tower</i></b>, which is a bit of an architectural wonder. Today it’s a mixed-use residential and office tower in <b><i>Shimbashi</i></b>. Designed by architect <i>Kisho Kurokawa</i>, it’s situated in <b><i>Ginza</i></b>, which is actually a posh and expensive shopping district (slightly reminiscent of Las Vegas). Ironically, the capsule tower looks like something out of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/">Blade Runner</a> and (thankfully) doesn’t have the 'fake slickness' of the neighbourhood surrounding it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdNfFnzXr5DU9mG3iESytZLbgArDlKMfMSZgPViwtddlACuRfX0Dvq2uv-QzsKCrG-issrxZQkH6IgdyjbjpfCpM0Ftk3IHgDoNIpNq-i2KkXML7A5RCx5cb7ra45aMB_bcMnPuC55XOZ/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdNfFnzXr5DU9mG3iESytZLbgArDlKMfMSZgPViwtddlACuRfX0Dvq2uv-QzsKCrG-issrxZQkH6IgdyjbjpfCpM0Ftk3IHgDoNIpNq-i2KkXML7A5RCx5cb7ra45aMB_bcMnPuC55XOZ/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When it was built in 1979, it was the world's first example of capsule architecture built for permanent and practical use. Today some of the capsules have fallen into disrepair, but some are still used as apartments and rumour has it: <a href="https://inhabitat.com/now-you-can-rent-a-room-in-japans-nakagin-capsule-tower-via-airbnb/">a couple of capsules are rented on Airbnb</a>, but you can imagine that one needs to “book WELL in advance” 😉😋.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7pNNfo9_EE2Qz3Ws-TpYJOccdMfKuC4e8lOE7WE_S5Gz1AIRjdyDTkCMB3JjquwGiP1bNiMP7JaVfrPlQ-NaGnpe1G-na5JxbyNrAbXlWQkuC_Mcru8v7wvAAE4WfFODc3hrdFSy5hfP/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7pNNfo9_EE2Qz3Ws-TpYJOccdMfKuC4e8lOE7WE_S5Gz1AIRjdyDTkCMB3JjquwGiP1bNiMP7JaVfrPlQ-NaGnpe1G-na5JxbyNrAbXlWQkuC_Mcru8v7wvAAE4WfFODc3hrdFSy5hfP/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just because it was one stop away, I’ve also really quickly dropped by the Tokyo Station (disappointingly, it doesn’t look Japanese at all, but rather resembles Amsterdam Centraal).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJswrYheGhAsmsetXbugZNIUo_huolOyrRUvCIatr2hPmDvBSSwfsiikW2l-ZqJoFSAfNReNgG0W87Qh7dreJKF84G8raTYxia7gSxWW2Jny5yTUhF-VxfTfswHOaP4qqSiEvO3yaBQhze/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJswrYheGhAsmsetXbugZNIUo_huolOyrRUvCIatr2hPmDvBSSwfsiikW2l-ZqJoFSAfNReNgG0W87Qh7dreJKF84G8raTYxia7gSxWW2Jny5yTUhF-VxfTfswHOaP4qqSiEvO3yaBQhze/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I quickly walked to the <b>Kikyo-mon Gate of the Imperial Palace</b> and back as you can’t visit the palace itself (unless it’s the emperors' birthday!). TIP: Bear in mind that even although the East Gardens of the palace are open to the public, you will need to check before you’re going as there’re one or two days a week when they’re closed. Based on the schedule I’ve seen, there’s not the rhythm of rhyme as to when, so just check.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYM-auiFdY-vxMA3fyu3ifU7o5Khgdi0o6OO9HW8bhypxxcf6pAqS3AKxGn2iGgBT3AugfjX19NE8b68dSHhDeiyLbZ7MPndFv4Anh7Y7yAvsF3zLK5ITtnLcre3nAfqTLf88b9lJhRKw8/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYM-auiFdY-vxMA3fyu3ifU7o5Khgdi0o6OO9HW8bhypxxcf6pAqS3AKxGn2iGgBT3AugfjX19NE8b68dSHhDeiyLbZ7MPndFv4Anh7Y7yAvsF3zLK5ITtnLcre3nAfqTLf88b9lJhRKw8/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next of the “must do” list for the second day was <b>Sensō-ji </b>- Tokyo's oldest and most famous Buddhist temple, situated in Asakusa. The same grounds also house a five-story pagoda / Shinto shrine, which is somewhat unusual, because Buddhist and Shinto shrines don’t necessarily “mingle” often.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME1-QD-KtzVR9_GBXBx9nlb6bMMrPhgUvrt1j1lyY_KXhZN-24TmJ7eAkQIXUloF_8uNh4ZLHAer9wQr7jWjUOQsqJ_fJ3c6Hb2Ew5UVZDvMgPhBQ1sYUTH3OYu16AoeXYwISYvKkbx_3/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME1-QD-KtzVR9_GBXBx9nlb6bMMrPhgUvrt1j1lyY_KXhZN-24TmJ7eAkQIXUloF_8uNh4ZLHAer9wQr7jWjUOQsqJ_fJ3c6Hb2Ew5UVZDvMgPhBQ1sYUTH3OYu16AoeXYwISYvKkbx_3/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another sight not to miss around there is a long and pretty street leading from the metro to the main temple, Nakamise Dori. It’s a good place in case you are looking for souvenirs or a snack (I got myself a <i>taiyaki</i> - fish-shaped pancake-like treat filled with azuki (sweet red bean paste)). You typically buy a taiyaki from street vendors. And my “hot” TIP about that is .... to ask for a HOT one 😋.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70uIWhVPQ2lLIvspz62dA864P4x3fvb0HLBYE2zuoykHFAk8lvb8mYfVmi16w8BAgKBw6ygTpaG1Ub69beZEHJs90A8WqlHQxnXK69Ihi9FMRlwMSht0WjbYop_uASqG60Ox0Os2mEmq3/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70uIWhVPQ2lLIvspz62dA864P4x3fvb0HLBYE2zuoykHFAk8lvb8mYfVmi16w8BAgKBw6ygTpaG1Ub69beZEHJs90A8WqlHQxnXK69Ihi9FMRlwMSht0WjbYop_uASqG60Ox0Os2mEmq3/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HbijsaLNhZQ5uM4Za1XLvJOL1qoWdg7lrGn0XhoU288Qot0InSE7s2oUe3Scveoq5fzWRoTGwAAbWoY0jKTwMkYf3bF4FpALc-Ac-K_N_RA195vkEv4a6ZTw9VQ77MkfJIaKfboAAE7V/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HbijsaLNhZQ5uM4Za1XLvJOL1qoWdg7lrGn0XhoU288Qot0InSE7s2oUe3Scveoq5fzWRoTGwAAbWoY0jKTwMkYf3bF4FpALc-Ac-K_N_RA195vkEv4a6ZTw9VQ77MkfJIaKfboAAE7V/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETg4t5-cdx7qe0N7XUsoVf4yhgBeuxJJgL2auYVmzOxCsglaEqNamNP1JPF6MhJbgzSdeiHX_jfgAu6BPiWJ_89nPyKLbxNhjUtSlfwQH5zrJif_9hBaUdFOs3_jc6_LBehVzPcuAsfqq/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETg4t5-cdx7qe0N7XUsoVf4yhgBeuxJJgL2auYVmzOxCsglaEqNamNP1JPF6MhJbgzSdeiHX_jfgAu6BPiWJ_89nPyKLbxNhjUtSlfwQH5zrJif_9hBaUdFOs3_jc6_LBehVzPcuAsfqq/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I lingered for a bit in the very photogenic neighborhood of <b>Asakusa </b>(the contrast of the traditional streets with stalls and shops with Tokyo’s modern SkyTree in the background is quite stunning) and also around the outer of two large entrance gates: Kaminarimon (aka “Thunder Gate"), which might also be worth one’s attention at least from the photographic (if not historic) point of view.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggErnQVAv5ZXMef09NRJvM22MIlfOTMlNcWDC-87mjFso0AfcAoRTxBYCLu0dW-Os5s-bSRVbWDBFgo6q4jc7nuIdVwPuggo7mt73dv4jI2QcWiRjM42kyf4fKAOCsdyG8BzBODYX7a7tL/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggErnQVAv5ZXMef09NRJvM22MIlfOTMlNcWDC-87mjFso0AfcAoRTxBYCLu0dW-Os5s-bSRVbWDBFgo6q4jc7nuIdVwPuggo7mt73dv4jI2QcWiRjM42kyf4fKAOCsdyG8BzBODYX7a7tL/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After all that I needed a break (and honestly also to do my laundry 😆😊 as everything I was wearing yesterday in the rain was still soaking wet 😱☔️).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I arrived at the hotel, there was a pleasant surprise awaiting me: my hostel turned out to be even more awesome than I initially thought as between 17:30 and 18:30 they had a FREE BEER 🍺 hour, so I enjoyed a glass before doing my chores and heading to Omoide Yokocho to meet Yuya for dinner. My secret TIP about Tokyo so far is this area by itself. Interestingly, my friend Yuya who has lived in Tokyo his whole life has never been there until that day, but even he pointed out that it was pretty amazing! So, Omoide Yokocho is a tiny neighbourhood in Shinjuku, and is known for its yakitori restaurants housed in post-war Japanese architecture style buildings. It is culinary heaven, but to preserve your appetite, it’s better to not translate its name. Okay, in case you as curious as I am: it means as the “Piss Alley” 😆. The restaurants are all crowded in impossibly narrow walkways, which combined with a mixed crowd and the smell of yakitori wafting through the streets, made it not only an unforgettable authentic dining experience but also provided me with my perfect, “quintessentially Tokyo” night city photo. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also learned a couple of interesting titbits over dinner from Yuya who was graciously providing welcome cultural commentary on what was going on around us.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, at the beginning of the meal, we were served a kabocha (marinated pumpkin), which would have confused me as I didn’t order it. Technically, you don’t have to eat it and then you also don’t pay, but it’s considered polite and also allows the restaurant to include a service charge (haha, which they do in the UK anyway only without providing anything in return). Then I enjoyed some pickled <i>tako</i> (octopus), but as yakitori is the food of choice in Omoide Yokocho, we went for that and tried different ones.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Naturally, I ordered sake and learned that unlike in the West, traditionally sake is supposed to be served in a “masu”, which is a box in which the sake glass stands emerged into an additional “shot” of sake. The idea is that once you’ve finished your glass, you take it out and then still have a “bonus serving” of sake at the bottom of masu. This is meant to make a person drinking it feel even more welcome.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CO7DqWFzc5rqUHooNDDFG8FSYI36ly-8hxtoNvutsBSPB8WWRjt-qQ2nADgzYtoIfYuyPveKaVelR5BikJe3-eTDA3axTkzkvQYBXiyZrKzAXwT8jv29iGsPZB8wcWu2czrApIFtwC4S/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CO7DqWFzc5rqUHooNDDFG8FSYI36ly-8hxtoNvutsBSPB8WWRjt-qQ2nADgzYtoIfYuyPveKaVelR5BikJe3-eTDA3axTkzkvQYBXiyZrKzAXwT8jv29iGsPZB8wcWu2czrApIFtwC4S/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I drank a “Hakkai-san“ sake, which led to a comment that “san” is not only a polite way to address = someone (that much we’ve learned about Japan even from watching not necessarily historically correct movies like “You only live twice” 😆😋hehe, Bond-san), but also (“ a mountain ⛰). Makes sense if you think about it, right? So, I was pleased both culinarily, but also intellectually/culturally, and walked away from that dinner definitely with an enriched understanding of the Japanese drinking and eating culture, but also some helpful vocabulary to make the next sake party a success 😉😋🍶<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTPHdB6ibFFfFz4zBm-NyLiUWc5FiDGyAOnx6A2NQz8BQpPLaXGRqDYTNbsPcmiv5PGA_4phdjdL41WYq1qjYPyYU_gvyAIuZtgFOsV-hsqSkVbSUfYn1AEcZSd9bu1yRHBoVDJoUjYVC/s1600/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTPHdB6ibFFfFz4zBm-NyLiUWc5FiDGyAOnx6A2NQz8BQpPLaXGRqDYTNbsPcmiv5PGA_4phdjdL41WYq1qjYPyYU_gvyAIuZtgFOsV-hsqSkVbSUfYn1AEcZSd9bu1yRHBoVDJoUjYVC/s400/Day+02-Tokyo_Tsukiji+market%252C+Sensoji%252C+Asakusa+%2526+Omoide+Yokocho-%255B2018-09-18%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3: Kyoto</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<b>Fushimi Inari Taisha </b>– a seemingly unending path of over 5000 orange torii gates (donated by sponsoring companies from all over Japan) spread out all the way up to the top of the mountain.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc9evriE6L3BFJP6rDy_jCzEp5AphcSTIYbYf7dAVcA0cHWBlvmcmT6YSP9Q1MSRTi76Z1zu8_go5McZh6AbN_QGyffTexZlqbWFfpSfRVJM9DL2OLoDcwKQhC6GWf6gkOuq5ib1XiOwK/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc9evriE6L3BFJP6rDy_jCzEp5AphcSTIYbYf7dAVcA0cHWBlvmcmT6YSP9Q1MSRTi76Z1zu8_go5McZh6AbN_QGyffTexZlqbWFfpSfRVJM9DL2OLoDcwKQhC6GWf6gkOuq5ib1XiOwK/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNiq286EVDnZpWG99zC_om13ymLtCes4xTJqwfBuz-HRiFVdBTuc4j49zGGdONnGDJuo1zl7us8qeJaUbdUIxm9sUPp8fbwzTQvwGtHkh8fqkigWh2tlrzO7pjCdfQLWGQtUOAPSZEF5D/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNiq286EVDnZpWG99zC_om13ymLtCes4xTJqwfBuz-HRiFVdBTuc4j49zGGdONnGDJuo1zl7us8qeJaUbdUIxm9sUPp8fbwzTQvwGtHkh8fqkigWh2tlrzO7pjCdfQLWGQtUOAPSZEF5D/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI3aofumCppDLIBPOLIwzS3EuhmwPs5y9ZNrliXdFSbPku1dJfvC4RoxUUtP_MRdE683f5E05nLQWVG775qYR-pMc-Yw8ValNQmHUTgExeAxjRzT4kJCuT4Hk6fq4I_xElb2vPfGBEOG-/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI3aofumCppDLIBPOLIwzS3EuhmwPs5y9ZNrliXdFSbPku1dJfvC4RoxUUtP_MRdE683f5E05nLQWVG775qYR-pMc-Yw8ValNQmHUTgExeAxjRzT4kJCuT4Hk6fq4I_xElb2vPfGBEOG-/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQq3_-iVs6-QPGrpSD4qBkPkmNTIcDu_eP5zL0VJt33j_YyBWmH32je6setlB6rS7NAUpl8ut_LNqHkoW1h3Tn3QM2vedq6VSDWDKLvnNXza-R74KfRtMKe7bs_eevG6J694_WNfeqVHU/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQq3_-iVs6-QPGrpSD4qBkPkmNTIcDu_eP5zL0VJt33j_YyBWmH32je6setlB6rS7NAUpl8ut_LNqHkoW1h3Tn3QM2vedq6VSDWDKLvnNXza-R74KfRtMKe7bs_eevG6J694_WNfeqVHU/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>TIP 1: Because of where it is situated, try to combine it with either your arrival or departure to/from Kyoto. It's easy to leave the luggage in the locker and explore the shrine before going to your hotel. </li>
<li>TIP 2: arrive toward the end of the day to set different lighting as well as the music hour: the shrine truly changes character with light.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CUKV4uLpbnXvsLvzhCEu6smaT4ggTPsRqYijIOa3GOLVQnNP0tYukDxtlKysNW-t101bCNF1REME7-gJPcfNaPTdSQrJaP3ODEXWNQnVNOziXv_TRx6aIHl3ewLDM010npW6brXy7s3c/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CUKV4uLpbnXvsLvzhCEu6smaT4ggTPsRqYijIOa3GOLVQnNP0tYukDxtlKysNW-t101bCNF1REME7-gJPcfNaPTdSQrJaP3ODEXWNQnVNOziXv_TRx6aIHl3ewLDM010npW6brXy7s3c/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgeNWkiBvT8vUDGlD3ZKPS_VIKU988Ja_UU6L_GzXVpJ-cC92L0dhnZkjPBQCnzqAUgK2rySgeNdMDmMw3bwRYOLoWRPeFfIZLFPdnH5KBqt2CeZqnlxUyuf1JsxeyZQmwyTvbz8V1Fm6/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgeNWkiBvT8vUDGlD3ZKPS_VIKU988Ja_UU6L_GzXVpJ-cC92L0dhnZkjPBQCnzqAUgK2rySgeNdMDmMw3bwRYOLoWRPeFfIZLFPdnH5KBqt2CeZqnlxUyuf1JsxeyZQmwyTvbz8V1Fm6/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoPqWwZkzdMnZ_jsP5PcpC0cUBKVY3Lb_uzPgtROTLePvqB1lXRca1JOR6PmrQt0ra0JtzqWZGJmFJ1WckcJovafXitRgzmoM5kRjDS3uJtJJxZE06idIQ1h-Xsz5XSgXobzXSBPbZNK7/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoPqWwZkzdMnZ_jsP5PcpC0cUBKVY3Lb_uzPgtROTLePvqB1lXRca1JOR6PmrQt0ra0JtzqWZGJmFJ1WckcJovafXitRgzmoM5kRjDS3uJtJJxZE06idIQ1h-Xsz5XSgXobzXSBPbZNK7/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfEMjEc3kkHCIgtVSWoa_gkJgN12KalxBPvmtIZqudIOjQP0yElzo8EpjaEtyrLzolE1VA0aKFG4qghETljyW0aaFNmLmRYbx6BGpO-E-yZdo1TzQ8GmI_vbrs-OPG3YusP1MtWsbvg7F/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfEMjEc3kkHCIgtVSWoa_gkJgN12KalxBPvmtIZqudIOjQP0yElzo8EpjaEtyrLzolE1VA0aKFG4qghETljyW0aaFNmLmRYbx6BGpO-E-yZdo1TzQ8GmI_vbrs-OPG3YusP1MtWsbvg7F/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
</ul>
In Kyoto, I was staying in <b style="text-align: left;">Gion </b><span style="text-align: left;">(the town’s famous Geisha district with narrow lanes and hidden alleys). As I arrived quite late, I decided to not overcomplicate things and simply asked the receptionist what he’d recommend. It turned out to be an authentic traditional place called Gion Manzara, which specializes in </span><i style="text-align: left;">obanzai </i><span style="text-align: left;">(Kyoto home cooking). I took an 'assorted obanzai', which included simmered chicken liver with ginger, omelette with white fish, cod roe with konjac (potato) noodles and simmered versions of eggplant, pumpkin, octopus and tofu skin and taro (Japanese potato). On the side, I also had <i>Lotus root with minced squid and cod roe </i>as well as the long-awaited <i>unagi </i>(grilled eel, served with Japanese pepper). </span>The dinner was so delicious that's I've learned my first food-related Japanese phrase: “<b style="text-align: left;"><i>gochiso-sama deshita</i></b><span style="text-align: left;">” (= “that was delicious”).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-jjSwgCJkz2h27eUQLqiucXt9MToP68DGbD4BMsuxmAVaOgsMP0UQv3Q-WeNLQdc8VzIpUsoM6pB03sVcZ84O1knTftabgTUbYGMpeQsB-VVYeqetTMhlsKSIUrXRbyr-FQtAloOTrpM/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-jjSwgCJkz2h27eUQLqiucXt9MToP68DGbD4BMsuxmAVaOgsMP0UQv3Q-WeNLQdc8VzIpUsoM6pB03sVcZ84O1knTftabgTUbYGMpeQsB-VVYeqetTMhlsKSIUrXRbyr-FQtAloOTrpM/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Accommodation (Day 3-5, Kyoto)</h4>
</div>
<ul>
<li><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/kyoto-inn-gion-the-second.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86">Kyoto Inn Gion The Second</a> (605-0812 Kyoto, Kyoto, Higashiyama-ku Bishamoncho 46-7)</i></li>
</ul>
<i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gonuC1DhAT1mwGh0F-sJCgpdf-y83Jdmg9PC0NDYHGRVut0PBAIzgWVbT9DWiIHLkn_d1ZyZeEI72Clv2EEbGfAarJbaEVtKa7mqZSixeiCCT6kFfLAdvS-837FicoA8mKZkBSuKI11s/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gonuC1DhAT1mwGh0F-sJCgpdf-y83Jdmg9PC0NDYHGRVut0PBAIzgWVbT9DWiIHLkn_d1ZyZeEI72Clv2EEbGfAarJbaEVtKa7mqZSixeiCCT6kFfLAdvS-837FicoA8mKZkBSuKI11s/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div>
<i> </i><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 4: Kyoto (Kiyomizu-dera)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, the ancient city of Kyoto is what I imagined traditional Japan to be: sacred shrines tucked in among shopping arcades, time-honoured teahouses nestling among modern businesses and mysterious geisha scuttling down backstreets among the tourists and souvenirs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscVT04HqTXhDPaJkfrcAWbRZqT8Lrs5BhDf97-Bu5lACoQmlWbzpzNkmvCWit70pngdoJSIR3F8RAVytQuvi7oL88yLx3oetWtkoT3144K_ZxgUVC9vVBL8Xomr9sPRdIAxxa31Fnp4Kk/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscVT04HqTXhDPaJkfrcAWbRZqT8Lrs5BhDf97-Bu5lACoQmlWbzpzNkmvCWit70pngdoJSIR3F8RAVytQuvi7oL88yLx3oetWtkoT3144K_ZxgUVC9vVBL8Xomr9sPRdIAxxa31Fnp4Kk/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stroll up <b><i>Sannen-zaka </i></b>and <b><i>Ninen-zaka - </i></b>historic and well-preserved streets, full of shops with traditional gifts and produce.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfnXaRRjCpDKiL7GvI5HGN2UsSvQhy97NxAcj9g3GkgqxbosJIP95-ULPVP9NK-nfe3diDlGLI4O0yUv13IgiIQuBvbjANoJuk2F_DRCK6tCvbQ9Lff3bRiQO5LMZ8qMopZsPes1F-tNO/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfnXaRRjCpDKiL7GvI5HGN2UsSvQhy97NxAcj9g3GkgqxbosJIP95-ULPVP9NK-nfe3diDlGLI4O0yUv13IgiIQuBvbjANoJuk2F_DRCK6tCvbQ9Lff3bRiQO5LMZ8qMopZsPes1F-tNO/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Kiyomizu-dera Temple. </b>Situated on Mt. Otowa, this 113-meter tall veranda (built without any nails!) is a pretty impressive sight! Following my guidebook's advice, I tried to be there “bright and early” to “beat the crowds”. But what guidebooks don’t tell you is that it’s impossible to beat the crowds in Kyoto. Even before all the shops were open, the crowds were already there. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA_PPjR7p8TTRJRoy77afiSaEYhJ-DRKAT5xnsGvyH1aIG3qDCQ-NEjiG-0cK0GJwC7QnE7qP3Utk8PcvUjJae5BGuOYp5aR6QZGPQmBVwa2eLgK7imXMX4AbZvSPB6qE-rtd1Gohojca/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA_PPjR7p8TTRJRoy77afiSaEYhJ-DRKAT5xnsGvyH1aIG3qDCQ-NEjiG-0cK0GJwC7QnE7qP3Utk8PcvUjJae5BGuOYp5aR6QZGPQmBVwa2eLgK7imXMX4AbZvSPB6qE-rtd1Gohojca/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYjypO_Lh1-lYZQB15Y8DMk0hnx2mps8YE8fWxWqzHB87XaZRD69hvUV56W5xfTqNiGykpHM7urJC2HWugHZsM_kT6lRnUp06hGgfbcCzZTO_6mi4ec1Xh_39-vdpKfsaQNx77Ysep7c6/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYjypO_Lh1-lYZQB15Y8DMk0hnx2mps8YE8fWxWqzHB87XaZRD69hvUV56W5xfTqNiGykpHM7urJC2HWugHZsM_kT6lRnUp06hGgfbcCzZTO_6mi4ec1Xh_39-vdpKfsaQNx77Ysep7c6/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For lunch, I enjoyed soba noodles with <i>shrimp tempura </i>(served in a cute little tofu bag floating in broth, garnished with spring onions).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8cTrajBg-jO3JI4T3IVtDg6LoCfs376kR0hEyqR0zeiMOjuBUjdyNdZl0xXTWXmWRkQD1zujk0xFB9Q_jqwbEQwm4tXexVHzSPuUIZKdppGXxcWCBx-LyqoxbEatJbfaJ1BLmrXkuBtk/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8cTrajBg-jO3JI4T3IVtDg6LoCfs376kR0hEyqR0zeiMOjuBUjdyNdZl0xXTWXmWRkQD1zujk0xFB9Q_jqwbEQwm4tXexVHzSPuUIZKdppGXxcWCBx-LyqoxbEatJbfaJ1BLmrXkuBtk/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Sanjūsangen-dō</b> (aka <b>Rengeō-in</b>)- it’s hard to stand out among hundred’s of temples in Kyoto, but you’ll easily remember Sanjūsangen-dō by the 1001 golden statues of Kannon in a 120 meter-long hall: a sight you don’t see every day. Also, this temple probably rivals the title for the most oddly specific descriptive title: as there’re 33 spaces between the columns, the temple came to be called “Sanjūsangen-dō”, which literally translates as <i>“a hall with 33 spaces between columns”</i>).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Attend a <b><i>Traditional Tea Ceremony </i></b>(e.g. at <b>Camellia FLOWER</b>, <i>349 Masuyacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto</i>): an informative and humbling teaching about harmony, purity, tranquillity and respect. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
LEARNING: Respect in the Japanese culture is ingrained into the national psyche: for example, when taking a <i>wagashi </i>sweet during a tea ceremony, you always ask the person after you to “<i>forgive you for taking the sweet before them</i>”, which you do by saying “<i>Osakini</i>” (= “<i>excuse me for going before you</i>”).<br />
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrpyGHkIfcWdV6f9PNtEsu4mFjjZdhXpHJ3PJbvFxqUqaRSoq43QIhE6IOulSCABOjg0HPcf_4NguI0wfFbpychcJzzwE7oUGaiTLQyza-UOaBVP_TW2MiEI_IfxaHDLFy2bGx6p0Cw94/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrpyGHkIfcWdV6f9PNtEsu4mFjjZdhXpHJ3PJbvFxqUqaRSoq43QIhE6IOulSCABOjg0HPcf_4NguI0wfFbpychcJzzwE7oUGaiTLQyza-UOaBVP_TW2MiEI_IfxaHDLFy2bGx6p0Cw94/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 5 Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji, Ryoanji, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Kinkakuji </i></b>(AKA the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Golden Pavilion;</i> sometimes also <b><i>Rokuon-ji</i></b>): After the owner, <i>Ashikaga Yoshimitsu</i>, died, according to his will, the villa was converted to a Zen temple. A World Cultural Heritage Site since 1994, it’s a Buddhist hall that contains relics of Buddha. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguw5SSTJ-3ZMhZ3r_yaDZ91-BP5lTEsv0J7HgVJ16HyecYMoIycvSYhjEfeL28AGxtO2VCOdHX3oBoYtnQJpTE6BWCn_RWjZ0L_LmChwy5NNE89rVcBvZjwVY1nPV3tzLFrEt2Jz9SmR3g/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguw5SSTJ-3ZMhZ3r_yaDZ91-BP5lTEsv0J7HgVJ16HyecYMoIycvSYhjEfeL28AGxtO2VCOdHX3oBoYtnQJpTE6BWCn_RWjZ0L_LmChwy5NNE89rVcBvZjwVY1nPV3tzLFrEt2Jz9SmR3g/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ9gdnfUZGOk8vp0EqYbu3FiSqGk9vCop-e5JQUs-_Nwqg8oqX7rl76VII2jrVLk2MjTuNr__HQfknmuHHAlyOXKc0kjJfEGSamT0RPwtE3M6VGcF9tZINZjiH3VHWMHYlVab1AwC-1vE/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ9gdnfUZGOk8vp0EqYbu3FiSqGk9vCop-e5JQUs-_Nwqg8oqX7rl76VII2jrVLk2MjTuNr__HQfknmuHHAlyOXKc0kjJfEGSamT0RPwtE3M6VGcF9tZINZjiH3VHWMHYlVab1AwC-1vE/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_cfSQTxJ3CTmhAYotL9bLHNrIb3QuKB7k7QyyXp7J4WXmK-kKTbk779V_MpSYYmt1dXgIkKekfx5qBGf_T_Vc5cTe2A_q7izuY7ok3JqyCrtD30-IcGM0plb2AUroEnjzkWX8amnSTO7/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_cfSQTxJ3CTmhAYotL9bLHNrIb3QuKB7k7QyyXp7J4WXmK-kKTbk779V_MpSYYmt1dXgIkKekfx5qBGf_T_Vc5cTe2A_q7izuY7ok3JqyCrtD30-IcGM0plb2AUroEnjzkWX8amnSTO7/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25281%2529b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2giJgBAZz8bpk_Di4f1c01R_C0TCw_UEETeGQNoqMWJcMErzK0Y1j4cDEpo1A00NcfwrPPKjyTPSYAX7_xLsHzqMcKyj7iG4cetV8kRhFbLjoHSnY45B_U8CxJs3rFyFKKo4Mhv0MWuF/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2giJgBAZz8bpk_Di4f1c01R_C0TCw_UEETeGQNoqMWJcMErzK0Y1j4cDEpo1A00NcfwrPPKjyTPSYAX7_xLsHzqMcKyj7iG4cetV8kRhFbLjoHSnY45B_U8CxJs3rFyFKKo4Mhv0MWuF/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiq0NDChlTZiju6NUxBN5GwxXWvz-w6iUt2WT-Dsr9XJVTtgN6zFxIrlBmEzcL2rV293b0TLgYe5xj0fdy0D83Q1COjTtbn_epBTOqQgBET2eWL96FPBf4YudWIzWw5GcF-P2HHCDkWY8b/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiq0NDChlTZiju6NUxBN5GwxXWvz-w6iUt2WT-Dsr9XJVTtgN6zFxIrlBmEzcL2rV293b0TLgYe5xj0fdy0D83Q1COjTtbn_epBTOqQgBET2eWL96FPBf4YudWIzWw5GcF-P2HHCDkWY8b/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Ryoanji Temple and Rock (Zen) Garden </b>from the Muromachi period (ca.1500) was created by a respected Zen monk <i>Tokuho Zenketsu. </i>It measures 35 by 10 meters and contains no trees, just 15 rocks and gravel (this type of garden is called "<i>karesansui</i>", which translates as the "<i>dry landscape</i>"). The gardener places rocks in a bed of gravel in strategic locations to symbolize islands and mountains, and rakes on the gravel suggest flowing water.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3vR220NMBuHv58BYZr9qjXMVUGWWXGh57ab9rqkCLPv61nC0oljoAYmIHtaBo3GYJu9ZW8Vik2crFYjmGkZKCqVQRgNxYkQEv37W2oVqY_wyJj9CDpZJRTIG1mqhaYYgpeF2EcxcVaea/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3vR220NMBuHv58BYZr9qjXMVUGWWXGh57ab9rqkCLPv61nC0oljoAYmIHtaBo3GYJu9ZW8Vik2crFYjmGkZKCqVQRgNxYkQEv37W2oVqY_wyJj9CDpZJRTIG1mqhaYYgpeF2EcxcVaea/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Arashiyama Bamboo Forest</i> </b>- get lost in the maze of bamboo paths and shrines during a morning hike. Btw, did you know that bamboo is grass (not a tree?!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y5eOC2QAXVVaI-_E__hSixk-Ae4ZcRiyWzcBcQ7T-1UFx6khfNcWT2mKPzhTUP8m5Ac7vVG79W7K9ofHmkYRbIIu0_QlGKobiZfOybjANb6e7P1mpW07nEdJMl4e5dZzgPWP17bJ0aSZ/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y5eOC2QAXVVaI-_E__hSixk-Ae4ZcRiyWzcBcQ7T-1UFx6khfNcWT2mKPzhTUP8m5Ac7vVG79W7K9ofHmkYRbIIu0_QlGKobiZfOybjANb6e7P1mpW07nEdJMl4e5dZzgPWP17bJ0aSZ/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC0QUEGREsrC_RDlmeYPS0A0C9BJ1pXrc_3b0da53cJhPt0b3t0Oi7srScxQ5pLWl45Uao_Y5tWBKdANwOxoAlF1x8N6jtMIxhlyuNbnwmN8HgFUYQ2LYbXtqHyaFJl2n7NhlKmiepjao/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC0QUEGREsrC_RDlmeYPS0A0C9BJ1pXrc_3b0da53cJhPt0b3t0Oi7srScxQ5pLWl45Uao_Y5tWBKdANwOxoAlF1x8N6jtMIxhlyuNbnwmN8HgFUYQ2LYbXtqHyaFJl2n7NhlKmiepjao/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaqZvnhJQJfcNK7mFWK9GHXN-OUWBYdVMQBDDym7ISfydE_14H-2_wpBHowRTxEwoRkgfE_5cKg5VsPp1sYCG-VJ64cgeGno6ka_xWVXBRcc16kL1GLGDnt6FLqDUrOAPA1gsUXMyHu6T/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaqZvnhJQJfcNK7mFWK9GHXN-OUWBYdVMQBDDym7ISfydE_14H-2_wpBHowRTxEwoRkgfE_5cKg5VsPp1sYCG-VJ64cgeGno6ka_xWVXBRcc16kL1GLGDnt6FLqDUrOAPA1gsUXMyHu6T/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b>Tenryu-ji temple</b> </i>(“<b><i>Temple of the Heavenly Dragon</i></b>”, est. 1339) - the most important of the area’s five great Zen temples (“Five Zen mountains of Kyoto” AKA <b><i>Kyoto gozan</i></b>). Arrive at <b>Tenryū-ji Temple </b>through the North Gate from the <b><i>Arashiyama Bamboo Grove</i></b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCNyOPT3IoSDGVs-KcphtvcC2MJcK8IrMzcmnuFcc3ZBSzmYw6qJxI9qkb4obD5x1gcl3FtyvoddBcRWmbJeFJghX9EXNt6gSQcRNf5AXj50zpwYNLMgvw_8p2OOk1aDNPpHxkMBsZBGR/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCNyOPT3IoSDGVs-KcphtvcC2MJcK8IrMzcmnuFcc3ZBSzmYw6qJxI9qkb4obD5x1gcl3FtyvoddBcRWmbJeFJghX9EXNt6gSQcRNf5AXj50zpwYNLMgvw_8p2OOk1aDNPpHxkMBsZBGR/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don’t miss the 14th-century temple’s gardens - they have survived the fires and wars that damaged the buildings, and have remained in pristine condition for centuries.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjsQwnoDI9HaDfML-rTKyqFFKIeSubF2k4lDeX4ahfAnkdiWhPJ5U4Bgadc1zTTy5fBioQn6is2tvOZmOa1XSZeQtHwssdLM3QO9tj0Pd2c2dPfyrkFBzGqC3XoGhpb9DFwVCac2P6NpZ/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjsQwnoDI9HaDfML-rTKyqFFKIeSubF2k4lDeX4ahfAnkdiWhPJ5U4Bgadc1zTTy5fBioQn6is2tvOZmOa1XSZeQtHwssdLM3QO9tj0Pd2c2dPfyrkFBzGqC3XoGhpb9DFwVCac2P6NpZ/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7p7fqNDPJ9PXHPj3bHtI5WyR7YG8GNcgKHNprwF-gqwlOkVqG9NVyIDuPqSgjEb60og_iU-IF43k1-CYvXMXGgLA5ho4G4O7QEBaSoTzaYc91BjB7fUH8l1ZNDdYc5qhmZAqlBfhr_yf/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7p7fqNDPJ9PXHPj3bHtI5WyR7YG8GNcgKHNprwF-gqwlOkVqG9NVyIDuPqSgjEb60og_iU-IF43k1-CYvXMXGgLA5ho4G4O7QEBaSoTzaYc91BjB7fUH8l1ZNDdYc5qhmZAqlBfhr_yf/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwISsyM0lr69okjP3jJByoKIHJp9gXHblPe-DVDpJQHNVwbJ6nfb7-YAiMrLQCWM_TPEnUsqoRSspkmgVa3PwHSSD-woYOtl09HX62_a76RxhIJOfMxC0N18F8FuxoPwY5Y4mAwJ1xs02/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwISsyM0lr69okjP3jJByoKIHJp9gXHblPe-DVDpJQHNVwbJ6nfb7-YAiMrLQCWM_TPEnUsqoRSspkmgVa3PwHSSD-woYOtl09HX62_a76RxhIJOfMxC0N18F8FuxoPwY5Y4mAwJ1xs02/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHYiyhrCDbATAmi8makVcgrqhtqcBM-y8VhwkvYtrwDErfNawmIlipT5DjFUyk2yJ7EspWYijpSWVxg1Y3WWOGG8EfGp5L9kE9h8KeTp4ZKQ_cUQ66NeztlPypI81pb5PMGZE17tHB6i5/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHYiyhrCDbATAmi8makVcgrqhtqcBM-y8VhwkvYtrwDErfNawmIlipT5DjFUyk2yJ7EspWYijpSWVxg1Y3WWOGG8EfGp5L9kE9h8KeTp4ZKQ_cUQ66NeztlPypI81pb5PMGZE17tHB6i5/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<i>Possible extension: <a href="https://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/index.php">Sagano Romantic Train</a></i><br />
Nighttime: <b><i>Shimbashi, </i></b>wander through <b><i>Pontocho Alley</i></b>, full of lanterns and intimate wood-panelled restaurants – a quintessentially Kyoto experience.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfxHSAhvrWRrGLQOTucP9ZLbNf_G6n_r8da4_2r7LUInyqctQDnhk0QPL6R6y2XocLk30amHs1RjcWe55pkfOuEmOj5C2q6TpMsN9Ss2AX2rNtArqDImKXJuG-6LbKQpPGT7VA71p3oVv/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfxHSAhvrWRrGLQOTucP9ZLbNf_G6n_r8da4_2r7LUInyqctQDnhk0QPL6R6y2XocLk30amHs1RjcWe55pkfOuEmOj5C2q6TpMsN9Ss2AX2rNtArqDImKXJuG-6LbKQpPGT7VA71p3oVv/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnPqlMq5Yz59hfxG89FTQ6O6bLzbJRU5sXeqayjPGtMgBYjUU2QqI9qSiWkaHqxpkg90lf4Z8QDq4CFMtCfmXG6Madm6AjukAHoKkbQkeoFdvyZipur9OPBbJVRh_rv7J7mso8MQ6eC6X/s1600/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnPqlMq5Yz59hfxG89FTQ6O6bLzbJRU5sXeqayjPGtMgBYjUU2QqI9qSiWkaHqxpkg90lf4Z8QDq4CFMtCfmXG6Madm6AjukAHoKkbQkeoFdvyZipur9OPBbJVRh_rv7J7mso8MQ6eC6X/s400/Day+05_Kyoto_Arashiyama+Bamboo+Forest_%255B2018-09-21%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Finish the day with a drink at a wonderfully crazy bar <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g14124519-d8293322-Reviews-L_Escamoteur_Bar-Nakagyo_Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html">L’EscaMoteur</a>.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2r7DpxdiDC2p-wFMY15qdTsdbL-mwPlXYJqmPAXuPCP-wEJL8GNJ37dOFw2iElqP8FoqmChfC1p9aypFlPeiODUj91jkaoHownT7X8U2b7ob1-v6FPctp-EfRYuBPIJb1mguQ3qrH5m2/s1600/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2r7DpxdiDC2p-wFMY15qdTsdbL-mwPlXYJqmPAXuPCP-wEJL8GNJ37dOFw2iElqP8FoqmChfC1p9aypFlPeiODUj91jkaoHownT7X8U2b7ob1-v6FPctp-EfRYuBPIJb1mguQ3qrH5m2/s400/Day+04_Kyoto_Kiyomizu%252C+Sanjusangendo%252C+Tea+Ceremony_%255B2018-09-20%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day 6: Nara Deer Park</div>
</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before leaving Kyoto, get a breakfast/lunch box at the <a href="https://isetan.mistore.jp/kyoto/foods/obento/index.html"><i><b>JR Isetan department store</b></i></a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_qtz98wCcEjq-Z70rKERW9JzLrR-qm-dmkzHCGlr20uIAxlvptWiazMmzigI5N2SgM1r2T9I93pe-xKI9U8lhH4RC_98120taBZkQy5d7w91CW1Xq_Z72Qh795wbyqI2Qio12W8LvrFA/s1600/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_qtz98wCcEjq-Z70rKERW9JzLrR-qm-dmkzHCGlr20uIAxlvptWiazMmzigI5N2SgM1r2T9I93pe-xKI9U8lhH4RC_98120taBZkQy5d7w91CW1Xq_Z72Qh795wbyqI2Qio12W8LvrFA/s400/Day+03_Tokyo+to+Kyoto+%2528Fushimi+Inari-taisha%2529_%255B2018-09-19%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Take <i>Limited Express</i> train from Kyoto to Nara, it'll save you 30 minutes (1 hour Vs. 1,5 hours)<br />
<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Qh9aaihWe8w">Google Map of the main sigts in Nara</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Jcnq2qzVOYbUvvlcVQ8vNJJk0wK1aHm5qF7AR4gPjF6_gSeifrMRSSKdJCm8E2xGwM8tj6ZxVO2S-tVTbJv-_j3L0yMoxFCSXZLvEWehtYJifKiWmfPU6XvyIxev7btWrG02a-KQ4E4i/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Jcnq2qzVOYbUvvlcVQ8vNJJk0wK1aHm5qF7AR4gPjF6_gSeifrMRSSKdJCm8E2xGwM8tj6ZxVO2S-tVTbJv-_j3L0yMoxFCSXZLvEWehtYJifKiWmfPU6XvyIxev7btWrG02a-KQ4E4i/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Japan’s capital before Kyoto (794 AD), <b>Nara </b>was called <b>Heijō </b>back then. Today the town is most famous for its tens hundreds of deer roaming the parkland of <b><i>Nara-kōen</i></b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOlucDtJKpEHgKMzM0J7MvW4qmsXRNOBF400RraZuhH-BC2ZNohYdnWYTGjih6ErsudQgxLv_qOJYzSE-HT7BPMMIJUh47G_DfRuiTtiUMphXRfze3WUkFxMcw-IXycp1nDaj34JdlfCR/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOlucDtJKpEHgKMzM0J7MvW4qmsXRNOBF400RraZuhH-BC2ZNohYdnWYTGjih6ErsudQgxLv_qOJYzSE-HT7BPMMIJUh47G_DfRuiTtiUMphXRfze3WUkFxMcw-IXycp1nDaj34JdlfCR/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Go down <b><i>Sanjō-dōri</i></b> when exiting the station through the <i>East exit </i>& watch how mochi is traditionally made @ <b><i>Natatanidou.</i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s-ycjFrQTk5_Aor5BixolIiiznLmvhmLENcbJ0fnhZl_z5HyHfnjyju-u04sLsF4BmtDWOVb03yvIsOLw6O9qlnoE0g6O-GapCy8b6xUoXSfdTjIZ8bdzd2dQJgdm5hZnfzTN507OtXR/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4s-ycjFrQTk5_Aor5BixolIiiznLmvhmLENcbJ0fnhZl_z5HyHfnjyju-u04sLsF4BmtDWOVb03yvIsOLw6O9qlnoE0g6O-GapCy8b6xUoXSfdTjIZ8bdzd2dQJgdm5hZnfzTN507OtXR/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Five-storied Pagoda</i></b>- constructed by the empress Komyoh in 730, the second highest pagoda in Japan (50.1 m). It burned down many times, the current version was erected in 1426 but mimics the archaic architectural style of the medieval period around the original building date.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq5SuxpScOASIWE7OPZO9yOjB1QC32apKCmSSJ3CUvjq-pvpsHAidwIMXBpOZdnqKAxG5oCI6xbTcDnsH1483gmEOfLpknxSminSFCpkZ71_ER8bB_FT4An12Py2ylYeTJYozLEDVxJ8D/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq5SuxpScOASIWE7OPZO9yOjB1QC32apKCmSSJ3CUvjq-pvpsHAidwIMXBpOZdnqKAxG5oCI6xbTcDnsH1483gmEOfLpknxSminSFCpkZ71_ER8bB_FT4An12Py2ylYeTJYozLEDVxJ8D/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>The Southern Round Hall </i></b>- 9th Station on the pilgrimage route of the “33 Kannon Temples it Westen Japan”, constructed in 813 by <i>Fujiwara no Fujutsugu </i>in memory of his father.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie99v4qD0Se-pORDWQQRQnISwO4c8k8ADCehGRIxYcwSaxnU9w9egAslt1SijIgs1YZOUwF8rvYXh7XLwI5tvJJvsyyJoB_Cz6f0H_M4cesePHndkTyiI60MMPW_tHV0g4yBTsWPPkk8iq/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie99v4qD0Se-pORDWQQRQnISwO4c8k8ADCehGRIxYcwSaxnU9w9egAslt1SijIgs1YZOUwF8rvYXh7XLwI5tvJJvsyyJoB_Cz6f0H_M4cesePHndkTyiI60MMPW_tHV0g4yBTsWPPkk8iq/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Eastern Golden Hall </i></b>- houses the <i>Medicine Buddha</i> (<i>Yakishi Nyori</i>), the 12 Heavenly Generals are considered masterpieces of Japanese wooden relief carving (<i>itabori</i>). Fun fact: differently from European tradition, the iconography of the 12 generals was never fixed, so every artist interpreted their look “as they pleased”.<br />
<b><i>Kofuku-ji </i></b>- 1989 registered as UNESCO World Heritage.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClVbMYEm2K1QiwHzg7Gmqela_1qaCWBLeo_QiXJJBlx-_tw2DfIYej2eDJB_CoDWzrDfnKCJKsGZBsMvGBDzTyYIhF-joXQbhejNKATofwppTLn0SAurlG4Ju-1hpl8uRd0fFXOroM-Dh/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClVbMYEm2K1QiwHzg7Gmqela_1qaCWBLeo_QiXJJBlx-_tw2DfIYej2eDJB_CoDWzrDfnKCJKsGZBsMvGBDzTyYIhF-joXQbhejNKATofwppTLn0SAurlG4Ju-1hpl8uRd0fFXOroM-Dh/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Isui-en garden </i></b>– a really nice zen garden, FREE for foreigners.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZVSEWM6_YCINJixV9SRKT5pGjqivByU_9iNMWrd1d3lF0ARWycLQQAomDh4_Z3R3UcgoQvbARIF7O9V8Ix2n5bEYSlbYart6YuEPMDCsHASKAhi9gVGq23fxMxqPPbDFE3a0kfGXWoRC/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZVSEWM6_YCINJixV9SRKT5pGjqivByU_9iNMWrd1d3lF0ARWycLQQAomDh4_Z3R3UcgoQvbARIF7O9V8Ix2n5bEYSlbYart6YuEPMDCsHASKAhi9gVGq23fxMxqPPbDFE3a0kfGXWoRC/s320/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>The Great Buddha </i></b>is the largest (15m) bronze statue of Buddha in the world and Todai-ji Temple itself - the largest wooden building in the world, which is even more impressive when you know that the current structure (rebuilt in 1709) is only two-thirds the size of the original.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqRbbI-A6sk87speoh-1_yOOChTssdyCz4JFG-FgpfvNTVSU6pcg5U62yaO16v2NACLUaFh1PFUYlfJ5-K9T68nOcQyYy7yKseg5Z9M1OLhCKVLecwNb9uPovujuEUD_i9sS9p09_rKmL/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqRbbI-A6sk87speoh-1_yOOChTssdyCz4JFG-FgpfvNTVSU6pcg5U62yaO16v2NACLUaFh1PFUYlfJ5-K9T68nOcQyYy7yKseg5Z9M1OLhCKVLecwNb9uPovujuEUD_i9sS9p09_rKmL/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So what’s the ‘big’ deal with the <i>Great Buddha</i> (<i>Daibutsu</i>)? It depicts <i>Rushana</i>, the Cosmic Buddha who presided over all levels of the Buddhist Universe. In 752 this Buddha’s eyes were symbolically opened, whereby an Indian priest stood on a huge platform and painted the eyes with a huge brush. Life’s been rough for the Buddha since then: 9th-century earthquake toppled his head, his right hand was melted in a fire in 1189 and later also in 1567, so only some parts of the statue are still original, the rest is a patchwork of “prosthetics”.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ2MrW4Jq0C0_BJiI4caJCT6mbuny-DmFsfojwwOwXQwbJR6ecm9FFso-lKlippYSO606YBW7TR1CdThj1Q6AkbX2qAG2fy4WVGk8zoRn55rCWOQUPEe25cM-r5_36_aPuWAjU02hJxgl/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ2MrW4Jq0C0_BJiI4caJCT6mbuny-DmFsfojwwOwXQwbJR6ecm9FFso-lKlippYSO606YBW7TR1CdThj1Q6AkbX2qAG2fy4WVGk8zoRn55rCWOQUPEe25cM-r5_36_aPuWAjU02hJxgl/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-6uA12t0DcdhE5nOkJBUEGX-uuirYbAGCqV1u6yGslOHADqFcp7huWWnx1m2YOQEvoo9y3yuSIERhMQ3B2rzCRpwD027T47g8Vj-trqA7MgsRjQ0QheMMpVOg2ql4jUgnMIOH2jtlhXi/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-6uA12t0DcdhE5nOkJBUEGX-uuirYbAGCqV1u6yGslOHADqFcp7huWWnx1m2YOQEvoo9y3yuSIERhMQ3B2rzCRpwD027T47g8Vj-trqA7MgsRjQ0QheMMpVOg2ql4jUgnMIOH2jtlhXi/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqLMrW6qeLTuqMLgv8v-kMxj_AyzVi2KaYuA_L9kz0OLl_duW44I2uu8lA_921MNEVVNvi082dhfcyALItruaexv0tCSRgPqZmHtTnyskeTp4JZQnnF2w850L4QZU5Q309zCy-3m8H-h3/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqLMrW6qeLTuqMLgv8v-kMxj_AyzVi2KaYuA_L9kz0OLl_duW44I2uu8lA_921MNEVVNvi082dhfcyALItruaexv0tCSRgPqZmHtTnyskeTp4JZQnnF2w850L4QZU5Q309zCy-3m8H-h3/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
<div>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Curious observation: while being a very reserved culture, the Japanese like being overly dramatic about the vision of what might happen. </span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkeMJ3sVpxGhziQa_yTAd8Bb3GQl8G8LUlGrybDCi5F4DcEPTx7Qw-bvOoQzmNqVyIuTGQCzq_f3tMuhbsOfBRVKPl6EX2Jm9wrq2dZ3JQMeVWneD3Dn1JV6MvnV9RC-32EadNukBMab1/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkeMJ3sVpxGhziQa_yTAd8Bb3GQl8G8LUlGrybDCi5F4DcEPTx7Qw-bvOoQzmNqVyIuTGQCzq_f3tMuhbsOfBRVKPl6EX2Jm9wrq2dZ3JQMeVWneD3Dn1JV6MvnV9RC-32EadNukBMab1/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't miss Nara's local delicacy <i>persimmon leaf sushi </i>(</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><i>Kakinoha-Sushi</i>) </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">in </span>Tanaka <span style="font-weight: 400;"><i>(5 Higashimuki Nakamachi, Nara, Nara Prefecture 630-8215, Japan)</i>.</span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfy9Enb6h7Rr8E6bxySK1LfT_VGrkBzZX_kLqVIVN6IM-0-INfg3XNRKQHEVvK-DhbYPkGGrEjM8UcB7pkwZmhjojFAYCvkEU2ej0gp-BIX37_npWBPbDw7WR5Obl-8lTlOqC1auk8YgB/s1600/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfy9Enb6h7Rr8E6bxySK1LfT_VGrkBzZX_kLqVIVN6IM-0-INfg3XNRKQHEVvK-DhbYPkGGrEjM8UcB7pkwZmhjojFAYCvkEU2ej0gp-BIX37_npWBPbDw7WR5Obl-8lTlOqC1auk8YgB/s400/Day+06_Nara_%255B2018-09-22%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 6-7, Osaka)</h4>
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/welina-honmachi.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86">Welina Hotel Honmachi </a>(541-0056 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chuo-ku Kyutaromachi 3-3-6)</i></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 7: Osaka</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Japan’s capital of street food”, Osaka is known for its weirdness and craziness...<br />
If you're as hungry for impressions as I am and want to see EVERYTHING, get an <b><i>Osaka Welcome card</i></b> (¥700), which includes museums, temples, theatres, transport (or just a day transport card: ¥800 weekdays, ¥600 - weekend)<br />
<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/s1nf6SZWQgF2">Osaka Google map</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxtVXdXe0oIeEuT6-xd-XFnz66wT-YDbUtpnvvikKCdIUw7aBCok7gLRUWFNTZmsQREG3_UaFcVivdE5dttue5LbS1bqSgEBUZPPqvC24T5eC-C9E881VqJvkor5wN7pGRTWeaItIUcui/s1600/Day+07+-+Osaka+%255B2018-09-23%255D-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxtVXdXe0oIeEuT6-xd-XFnz66wT-YDbUtpnvvikKCdIUw7aBCok7gLRUWFNTZmsQREG3_UaFcVivdE5dttue5LbS1bqSgEBUZPPqvC24T5eC-C9E881VqJvkor5wN7pGRTWeaItIUcui/s400/Day+07+-+Osaka+%255B2018-09-23%255D-collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Start the day at the <i><b>Osaka Castle</b> </i>(1583) - stunning and historic, 16th century Osaka Castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, and Osaka’s most recognisable site.<br />
Take the <b><u>shorter line</u></b> (oh yes, there'll always be a line!) <b><u>on the right</u></b>: you’ll walk up to the 5th floor using stairs), but it’s much quicker than queuing with everyone for the elevator.<br />
TIP: Don’t miss the <b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">FREE audio guide</b> (left of the entrance).<br />
Learn about <i>Hideyoshi Toyotomi</i> & how he unified Japan after winning the important battles like the <i>Summer War of Osaka</i> (1615) and <i>Ishiyama War </i>(1576).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYn0JFTcTkqx_Yr8c3qHGQyYUCv0EUh4PZH0MGYVq89UmGptXbMPVZavDfKYhiEPzyUhUmmpdjUlU_dzOtfFdY0ECGnO_838sXojRV_XtFzCKQsay0sV7SNlKdtno15PcfOuD0tt9kEtW/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYn0JFTcTkqx_Yr8c3qHGQyYUCv0EUh4PZH0MGYVq89UmGptXbMPVZavDfKYhiEPzyUhUmmpdjUlU_dzOtfFdY0ECGnO_838sXojRV_XtFzCKQsay0sV7SNlKdtno15PcfOuD0tt9kEtW/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Continue on to the <b><i>Hep Five Ferris Wheel </i></b>(on the 7th floor of a mall): great panoramic views of the city and a funny little bonus: you can listen to your mobile playlist through an amplifier during the ride!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8r-4kIb9rCR9w9DmVqzxPqIp1Sn8MIBeC_wyj0vyxBXtSC4OTb4GdFJPf7OQb-oggeMfVRRE_ENq5gbbOGkfb-tuOHbNHfXdDB0tdZwTf1T-L-cfpZQ6G6oK6HqQeLNAXpumKyxwKe756/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1600" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8r-4kIb9rCR9w9DmVqzxPqIp1Sn8MIBeC_wyj0vyxBXtSC4OTb4GdFJPf7OQb-oggeMfVRRE_ENq5gbbOGkfb-tuOHbNHfXdDB0tdZwTf1T-L-cfpZQ6G6oK6HqQeLNAXpumKyxwKe756/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6JILr1j9s3RPHjZexbhkuN2PCas5kcz6Igd3q7-1FXv_au8-jFHwuhVOwzTqPprKCWvsZLd1NTW5tsKpyWWiGOVNURnDwLB3xgyrGf7x51GtyS4uiUOkyeivWDTdh8LTlKIWdHb4CkPL/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6JILr1j9s3RPHjZexbhkuN2PCas5kcz6Igd3q7-1FXv_au8-jFHwuhVOwzTqPprKCWvsZLd1NTW5tsKpyWWiGOVNURnDwLB3xgyrGf7x51GtyS4uiUOkyeivWDTdh8LTlKIWdHb4CkPL/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recharge with a <i>kushikatsu </i>lunch (kushikatsu are skewers of meat, seafood, or vegetables, breaded & deep fried to a crispy golden finish, served up with a variety of dipping sauces or flavoured salt). Believed to have originated at the <i><b>Kushikatsu Daruma restaurant </b></i>in the <i>Shinsekai district </i>of Osaka in 1929.<br />
Drop by the <b><i>Umeda Sky Building</i></b> (173 m), it’s quite pretty from the outside, no need to go up to the observatory (¥700 / ¥1,500). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKNd5rJPGf53AYSPnrnpvjNYiH0jHbXAsbO055AUtyxIIa4l27fSSRlBLKIeXP30pxFzu1J_YJpXEzLcus9LWE-LotMmT8qO9Oi13cuJSN_gyZs7FRs8FtD9tohCPNqJhXfOc8O7A-pdN/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKNd5rJPGf53AYSPnrnpvjNYiH0jHbXAsbO055AUtyxIIa4l27fSSRlBLKIeXP30pxFzu1J_YJpXEzLcus9LWE-LotMmT8qO9Oi13cuJSN_gyZs7FRs8FtD9tohCPNqJhXfOc8O7A-pdN/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Extension, if there’s time, could be <b>Abeno Harukas</b> - viewing platform, before <b>SkyTree</b> in Tokyo was built, it used to be the tallest building in Japan.</i><br />
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Nearby you’ll also find the <b><i>Gate Tower Building</i> </b>- one of the weirdest photo ops you’ll ever encounter: a land dispute-meets-architectural-quirk: the government planned a highway, the landowners planned a building – the compromise was a highway that runs through floors five to seven, and an elevator that skips from the fourth to the eighth floor. Awesome, right?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx6gSRMS0pCSGBcfmYqFI3SbsJfei_HcJJe7fgbsi8iK4mM83Nr31466CVh3rAbzPaMqRHu_aTcjwf5hDTKW-9ezCA2C-jO8jKK9kSzA6jNRC0jvs_A-N-x0-TwjmV_l9m9wEgFtU0J1R/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx6gSRMS0pCSGBcfmYqFI3SbsJfei_HcJJe7fgbsi8iK4mM83Nr31466CVh3rAbzPaMqRHu_aTcjwf5hDTKW-9ezCA2C-jO8jKK9kSzA6jNRC0jvs_A-N-x0-TwjmV_l9m9wEgFtU0J1R/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Head to the <b><i>Shiteno-ji temple</i></b> before switching gears and heading into the culinary heaven of <b><i>Shinsekai</i></b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKONXJ-FHo_0HxwFhH2W84SywPR8wSPDNORGFg9cpl-LOAjiQYSmav-rd1OaRkshvhzKYcYBdI6IBxHCz3ehRY1GLp3Ya9uI5693PawZTx6VKNECpXvmmCsOJVyAI8urV8-OIX8VaWMtA/s1600/Day+07+-+Osaka+%255B2018-09-23%255D-collage02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKONXJ-FHo_0HxwFhH2W84SywPR8wSPDNORGFg9cpl-LOAjiQYSmav-rd1OaRkshvhzKYcYBdI6IBxHCz3ehRY1GLp3Ya9uI5693PawZTx6VKNECpXvmmCsOJVyAI8urV8-OIX8VaWMtA/s400/Day+07+-+Osaka+%255B2018-09-23%255D-collage02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don’t forget to try poisonous <b><i>fugu </i></b>(blowfish) in <b>Shinsekai (</b>or <b style="font-style: italic;">Dotonbori)</b>, <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298566-d1175575-Reviews-Zuboraya_Dotombori-Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html"><i><b>Zubo</b></i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298566-d1175575-Reviews-Zuboraya_Dotombori-Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html"><i><b>raya </b></i></a>is a good place to do so (look out for a large inflated blowfish hanging outside its branches). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCrSG6h8hul-_MEwYJyf8TOlDiQXk4GEndOvQMQEqgSl9ywfZ6a1p6JjKN9tBV6XaFZrm5g7_jZyiocO09HqKMsoaO14eRsRe6uAzdJ_6ukL4a2PAgl-6Uli8kWVWd4IvLT6xlHvxgQ8-/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCrSG6h8hul-_MEwYJyf8TOlDiQXk4GEndOvQMQEqgSl9ywfZ6a1p6JjKN9tBV6XaFZrm5g7_jZyiocO09HqKMsoaO14eRsRe6uAzdJ_6ukL4a2PAgl-6Uli8kWVWd4IvLT6xlHvxgQ8-/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Blowfish is deadly poisonous, its preparation is strictly regulated in Japan and requires a certified chef (training take a minimum of 3 years). Go for fugu <i>sashimi - </i>a standard way to serve fugu: for a first-time experience, you’ll feel its subtle flavour better. But it can also be served in a <i>shabu-shabu </i>style hotpot, as <i>tempura</i>, vegetable stew, or deep fried as fugu <i>kara-age</i>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO91kWlPcaGWHeSNHUp9QfH1oOxgUn6XAA48bIEzq6CKfnuWNsGYzBh8RVFEs4KLyf4kxtqMXLiP4okogggnCGT8DZOWFODjYpCxdQIqAbzhOXCMs9KWyQ1tb-VNx6731i7qNihaBtIiC4/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO91kWlPcaGWHeSNHUp9QfH1oOxgUn6XAA48bIEzq6CKfnuWNsGYzBh8RVFEs4KLyf4kxtqMXLiP4okogggnCGT8DZOWFODjYpCxdQIqAbzhOXCMs9KWyQ1tb-VNx6731i7qNihaBtIiC4/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZlcCt3Ofvh6EgGYujvC3-vKj_BaexdQGvXRveZnFyPPX1CtraLjEKi-HtuYKQHAoeoeMTr5VeM9P3D4kYLdXYBKNVguHjSxb3NdAjlCmN-Gt6iYZ4sZHrcvydlt2xnynaH9od7EnhMbr/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZlcCt3Ofvh6EgGYujvC3-vKj_BaexdQGvXRveZnFyPPX1CtraLjEKi-HtuYKQHAoeoeMTr5VeM9P3D4kYLdXYBKNVguHjSxb3NdAjlCmN-Gt6iYZ4sZHrcvydlt2xnynaH9od7EnhMbr/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Have drinks in Dotonbori and eat a <i>takoyaki </i>at <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298566-d1663430-Reviews-Wanaka_Sennichimae_Honten-Osaka_Osaka_Prefecture_Kinki.html">Wanaka Honten</a></b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HkvNFlD8OzIVTZJMyPtCHo3Nqcc_pfdthkE6GiYx043Br2Agd0cjgJZD98J9l16TPawGn3_pnyjGX8J6He9lMHJq8ahM0FpajaLNYI6xfeAJsihO5Q0kQEU0C_P8QdmbGIhq2NGdZiMP/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HkvNFlD8OzIVTZJMyPtCHo3Nqcc_pfdthkE6GiYx043Br2Agd0cjgJZD98J9l16TPawGn3_pnyjGX8J6He9lMHJq8ahM0FpajaLNYI6xfeAJsihO5Q0kQEU0C_P8QdmbGIhq2NGdZiMP/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9C7fAptupMn6Uzv3XkABm0RNqcPASBvH_ONb7uNuqrK72ExQSZ0KsO9fM1L3iX9LziB4d6Lxd2cAh6If0OmpesdNx2C6qMCoXtMhbCGYJgt_Tfefl0EgbYhQepKHptnTrkH0NV9WZcIU/s1600/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9C7fAptupMn6Uzv3XkABm0RNqcPASBvH_ONb7uNuqrK72ExQSZ0KsO9fM1L3iX9LziB4d6Lxd2cAh6If0OmpesdNx2C6qMCoXtMhbCGYJgt_Tfefl0EgbYhQepKHptnTrkH0NV9WZcIU/s400/Day+07_Osaka_%255B2018-09-23%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h2>
Day 8: Himeji<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Himeji Castle </b>(aka “<i>White Heron</i>”), built between 1601-1609, 72m tall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03l9yImAWTbOvMiZF0QQDI_xBvOQUSGKMIArn3-Ruhbm2v1fvXjH3R3rVnkzRUngwQU3bjXRcbCJeyMx2ZWJbEE9GDGNCIW1fAqw-_HmbuolZWNZwx1J-6NFIIWyM4KOirXmNvS2_4SOB/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03l9yImAWTbOvMiZF0QQDI_xBvOQUSGKMIArn3-Ruhbm2v1fvXjH3R3rVnkzRUngwQU3bjXRcbCJeyMx2ZWJbEE9GDGNCIW1fAqw-_HmbuolZWNZwx1J-6NFIIWyM4KOirXmNvS2_4SOB/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A secret spot for the best photo opportunity (Himeji castle with the garden in the foreground) is when you turn from the main gate to the left and go up in the direction of the Long Hall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJSeCnxSZxTMz8lyDmE27iEp9juMiUbSJz-vW7khB2AvyqDDhH1BDyPzmLhZU6Sd0T7R4iAQegHqZjL4_2fUegTDZums5DwuN8qZOEyhJD806Xurjb6SJtLX3fTb6Dbd-3_yoeCkrvBDM/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJSeCnxSZxTMz8lyDmE27iEp9juMiUbSJz-vW7khB2AvyqDDhH1BDyPzmLhZU6Sd0T7R4iAQegHqZjL4_2fUegTDZums5DwuN8qZOEyhJD806Xurjb6SJtLX3fTb6Dbd-3_yoeCkrvBDM/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
CURIOUS RANDOM FACT: The outer gates in Himeji are called <i>the first gate </i>(<i>ichi-no-mon</i>) and the inner gate - <i>the second gate </i>(<i>ni-no-mon</i>: 二の門). As reading kanji sometimes feels like trying to 'decipher' a rebus, this one is actually a good example to practice on as <i>the first gate reads: </i>一の門 and <i>the second gate</i>: 二の門 - kind of makes sense, right?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRviRAMwSAO6dmGp7l5Srspb-G0CL9G_V7eDdXW6nfKMVzXRQFuBPD4cZ7Bsd4rSFyMLZ2N-2PfR_TU4iiF8XWibJmHSaPSC2yDPLDrfnGemi0cIGBteAgSth-BsO8d32l1hF8yH2veyTR/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRviRAMwSAO6dmGp7l5Srspb-G0CL9G_V7eDdXW6nfKMVzXRQFuBPD4cZ7Bsd4rSFyMLZ2N-2PfR_TU4iiF8XWibJmHSaPSC2yDPLDrfnGemi0cIGBteAgSth-BsO8d32l1hF8yH2veyTR/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxnpiwQl_BRjUEazeKgVHMQlto4rAxV-BBrSWkV5o2D3UazrAzXKEMlm2_aLK2qI54ZHNGoWHVNfvg3MP1OKJnnVXyaC-HChyVg2vEOorXSJtsT4yalF-waoE0NaegcMoGaBAouKePbnv/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxnpiwQl_BRjUEazeKgVHMQlto4rAxV-BBrSWkV5o2D3UazrAzXKEMlm2_aLK2qI54ZHNGoWHVNfvg3MP1OKJnnVXyaC-HChyVg2vEOorXSJtsT4yalF-waoE0NaegcMoGaBAouKePbnv/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Before going to the station, grab a local culinary speciality in Himeji is <i>anago </i>(unagi (eel), usually served with a bowl of rice and some seaweed. A recommended restaurant: <b><i>Yamayoshi Anago</i></b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyG11EqcKNVSMpoHH5vny5DlD8KNdTeS2kaK76fOWyYsT_RnwSvQQygGy_KyPnNmy5nKpFFl3BegKo3k27SszbTPeC_IrRMg8gqQGeWRv8sEXrVZZiFsehNcADoYeZ0T9T53Devzo6z49/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyG11EqcKNVSMpoHH5vny5DlD8KNdTeS2kaK76fOWyYsT_RnwSvQQygGy_KyPnNmy5nKpFFl3BegKo3k27SszbTPeC_IrRMg8gqQGeWRv8sEXrVZZiFsehNcADoYeZ0T9T53Devzo6z49/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NG-L5LupMicuuSVsnOO18kTiw71PS3OUj57OmvLriRixh6ViQZUKvmqQ4n8CFMz3ZlKUgP68up40lXt4ZwpFBeIa-vsSmNqSw4riUOCXlYFu-XasMCBSZrZBE13Ffdupyk5OoRS-UEZ5/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NG-L5LupMicuuSVsnOO18kTiw71PS3OUj57OmvLriRixh6ViQZUKvmqQ4n8CFMz3ZlKUgP68up40lXt4ZwpFBeIa-vsSmNqSw4riUOCXlYFu-XasMCBSZrZBE13Ffdupyk5OoRS-UEZ5/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 89, Hiroshima)</h4>
<i><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/rihga-royal-hiroshima.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86">Rihga Royal Hotel</a> (730-0011, Naka-ku Motomachi 6-78, Hiroshima)</i><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_SylWZOSvJtRgGyj8RqUDiLja68EUb-wxGYDvs7UTFGiMNBI9pVRfMKbnLwd3ne6zgz-VEyxmnank-uCuIhfBmvabUFikwKt-kRSR6EM8A4CANSmhiLz9OUd2AEg6VJQ3rjpcxybtEG4/s1600/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_SylWZOSvJtRgGyj8RqUDiLja68EUb-wxGYDvs7UTFGiMNBI9pVRfMKbnLwd3ne6zgz-VEyxmnank-uCuIhfBmvabUFikwKt-kRSR6EM8A4CANSmhiLz9OUd2AEg6VJQ3rjpcxybtEG4/s400/Day+08_Himeji+Castle_%255B2018-09-24%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiA2FoCpUDMF6aKMxRAzIqTS6aZxUAkOPkuM6_9Ov-viL490U5gwP_E6Cq6q0jTNb1qBcaR9oOH5E0XAm8wk_YB8lciEp4mifNBhuTdK2LxJSczF0ApHn8LNb972wWCDjWoSfoE5B4QSv/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiA2FoCpUDMF6aKMxRAzIqTS6aZxUAkOPkuM6_9Ov-viL490U5gwP_E6Cq6q0jTNb1qBcaR9oOH5E0XAm8wk_YB8lciEp4mifNBhuTdK2LxJSczF0ApHn8LNb972wWCDjWoSfoE5B4QSv/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8EhvNyjc3WqL653MHlRMS35zqty-3iK98G0RAhAf8PGU5RxGbAze2a6Qh_R4OzvuxsdZ1pRSQAo8AMxSHNqZi8qX3TtgJnwERwGgVPJUze2svqHM3-rEEht9mZ1E-qoJ8nraOOw3gkWm/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8EhvNyjc3WqL653MHlRMS35zqty-3iK98G0RAhAf8PGU5RxGbAze2a6Qh_R4OzvuxsdZ1pRSQAo8AMxSHNqZi8qX3TtgJnwERwGgVPJUze2svqHM3-rEEht9mZ1E-qoJ8nraOOw3gkWm/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_breakfast.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 9 (Hiroshima and Miyajima)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
Hiroshima</h3>
Pay respects to the victims of the World War II atomic bomb in <b style="font-style: italic;">Peace Memorial Park</b>, an area dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima. The park contains a number of memorials to the atomic bomb – a very moving place to visit...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b><i>Hiroshima Peace Museum </i></b>shares the horrific details of the dropping of the bomb and the aftermath of the devastating event.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDish6k8CLok5SuxG_AbNB6fIXthVROL_kU4ZYdYju0G0MhUIW1i3oSQyyJnjOEwLQ4VcjF29G7VoU3LcGexnr2bW0p1TNg7vHK2LigmZzoviic0glma9Jq3T9agU4OH5LXsrnVzdzfMXk/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDish6k8CLok5SuxG_AbNB6fIXthVROL_kU4ZYdYju0G0MhUIW1i3oSQyyJnjOEwLQ4VcjF29G7VoU3LcGexnr2bW0p1TNg7vHK2LigmZzoviic0glma9Jq3T9agU4OH5LXsrnVzdzfMXk/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Atomic Bomb Dome </i></b>- was only 160 metres from the centre of the bomb and the metal framework of the building remained intact as the bomb exploded almost directly overhead. The building is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and stands almost exactly as it did after the bomb dropped.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNUZmLfKFCv1Z2eeDPkUCs0DxUBzrInZ7R0pCnegL72bTKNX06CnmA0ZCLTO5oG0VfbeX3waLFryudUeHUdjaqZGx4fkhE0NZ81EBNUXLVlZmc2-KRRYh2qPvCDcUxrJ4GX6GhxnCix1o/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNUZmLfKFCv1Z2eeDPkUCs0DxUBzrInZ7R0pCnegL72bTKNX06CnmA0ZCLTO5oG0VfbeX3waLFryudUeHUdjaqZGx4fkhE0NZ81EBNUXLVlZmc2-KRRYh2qPvCDcUxrJ4GX6GhxnCix1o/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Also do pass by the <b><i>Cenotaph</i></b>, <b><i>The Flame of Peace </i></b>and the <b><i>Children’s Peace Monument</i></b></li>
<ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><i></i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5SoJy5YBi6-xLWnnEwkCee5ERnfjDQPbstRY2DS_rfMtyegKdZ92CPjr_Ltift13sVn3b6LP5r1PIca_lCLBaQAoTdVebYLpQIYAsq4ocm2eC_2uMByskNJM3Uux26KEQN16_jtbdhKY/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5SoJy5YBi6-xLWnnEwkCee5ERnfjDQPbstRY2DS_rfMtyegKdZ92CPjr_Ltift13sVn3b6LP5r1PIca_lCLBaQAoTdVebYLpQIYAsq4ocm2eC_2uMByskNJM3Uux26KEQN16_jtbdhKY/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></b></div>
<b><i> </i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8NhJziMCsDRNzYFUPhJGUBLnahyphenhyphenN0znGBfusuVWtOcfmiYoEKaTAXxG69XZuHWA9nhclAGT1Cn8Yf8AtxkwsAcN5MFMPXgxDJv_ADZEQPpcp86FOM9sktLhbgimyr7bTJV8aoD4IoFxR/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8NhJziMCsDRNzYFUPhJGUBLnahyphenhyphenN0znGBfusuVWtOcfmiYoEKaTAXxG69XZuHWA9nhclAGT1Cn8Yf8AtxkwsAcN5MFMPXgxDJv_ADZEQPpcp86FOM9sktLhbgimyr7bTJV8aoD4IoFxR/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></b></div>
<b><i> </i></b><br />
<ul>
</ul>
In the evening (after visiting <b><i>Miyajima</i></b>)<br />
<ul>
<li>Visit the <b><i>Peace Memorial Park </i></b>at night</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGhIjuXIbZPAfhS-L9rOo7bEGoHKOhTJa_wR5X83zj0QD-uGTrt3Dzrsj_esEuMZ47nJjBEm-7DoGXsstF3yVNGD3-h5YrH8bfzt3KVSjZKoyZ1gGU39meuM9y2xml-3p90QvOws43k4z/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252818%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGhIjuXIbZPAfhS-L9rOo7bEGoHKOhTJa_wR5X83zj0QD-uGTrt3Dzrsj_esEuMZ47nJjBEm-7DoGXsstF3yVNGD3-h5YrH8bfzt3KVSjZKoyZ1gGU39meuM9y2xml-3p90QvOws43k4z/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252818%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><i>Oyster okonomiyaki </i>dinner with Sunni at <a href="http://www.okonomimura.jp/foreign/english.html"><b><i>Okonomimura </i></b></a>(<i>〒730-0034 Hiroshima-ken, Hiroshima-shi, Naka-ku, Shintenchi, 5, 新天地5−</i>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIE0L2IZr60VI3UMxDWKf0jbUaLoYUz-Wd0lzHIN_H0F141n-LEn8Ps1iT7UK1TBwTVbPayrNtQ5dxhpvxABcfrqDAc5rn9uxOLgzj26334TQiW2q0SyuPb84OiJabkdqyTEWw5x82FIM/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIE0L2IZr60VI3UMxDWKf0jbUaLoYUz-Wd0lzHIN_H0F141n-LEn8Ps1iT7UK1TBwTVbPayrNtQ5dxhpvxABcfrqDAc5rn9uxOLgzj26334TQiW2q0SyuPb84OiJabkdqyTEWw5x82FIM/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgka09SVwPYq0noUkT_i0KrB-R9YGvURIYgXfAdj7r9XvdiI5qYgMo6kIA3t9ZOb4m758dI76BK0QWWGubuIV_veeYSaAMHX1VNc9OlsE7k0Ien__1lB5Fyjazm0ZXSPkF-Ed6GmMbjZmct/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgka09SVwPYq0noUkT_i0KrB-R9YGvURIYgXfAdj7r9XvdiI5qYgMo6kIA3t9ZOb4m758dI76BK0QWWGubuIV_veeYSaAMHX1VNc9OlsE7k0Ien__1lB5Fyjazm0ZXSPkF-Ed6GmMbjZmct/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
Miyajima</h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><i>Get to Miyajima from Hiroshima with JR Pass</i>: from <b>Hiroshima Station </b>(or anywhere in the local JR Sanyo Line) to <b>Miyajima-Guchi Station</b>, it’s a 5-minute stroll to the port/terminal, take the ferry for Miyajima Island (15mins trip, every 15mins). </li>
<ul>
<li>Curious fact: Miyajima's deers hang out at the station when it gets quieter, esp. in the evening. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJA-72qBtkw1f7dVYMFCKmKhE2WlJgGHkrMV2P0naz3VnJr-hh9GDvS_iLdVzgnHAPzvGer9N7krivgpbUmhKqEQqEbtUn4_Q8mjDmTqJzAF8vYDsgE58vLO_EFIzvvDXjhm8HSH2gFIYW/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJA-72qBtkw1f7dVYMFCKmKhE2WlJgGHkrMV2P0naz3VnJr-hh9GDvS_iLdVzgnHAPzvGer9N7krivgpbUmhKqEQqEbtUn4_Q8mjDmTqJzAF8vYDsgE58vLO_EFIzvvDXjhm8HSH2gFIYW/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Try <i>Momiji Manju </i>- shaped like a Japanese maple leaf, is a steamed bun filled with a bean-jam filling.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5xbloLTENspCf6DXPTnL2r-8kpi4b0zp1wmVW5G74LGrWg3Nt0YmBGf0Qo_tkyBbIYBWul75goahZYgGwBHeKwffF1JH3ylkB0UlFPcQHofNsJuG-624Gy1h63HQ0HLg-V_MF16XUyid/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5xbloLTENspCf6DXPTnL2r-8kpi4b0zp1wmVW5G74LGrWg3Nt0YmBGf0Qo_tkyBbIYBWul75goahZYgGwBHeKwffF1JH3ylkB0UlFPcQHofNsJuG-624Gy1h63HQ0HLg-V_MF16XUyid/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Ō-Torii </i></b>(<b><i>Grand Gate</i></b>) of the <b><i>Itsukushima-jinja Shrine </i></b>(6th century) OR commonly known as the ‘<b><i>Red 'floating' torii gate</i></b>’. It’s floating as, in order to avoid angering the gods on the island, the main temple buildings were built on stilts on the shores of the island. The Ō-Torii is one of the most photographed sights in Japan.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvx0NGW3UWvRe4r33RxH2XFnQt8LWhSAoZWwRzVxxT9k1e5olulwQNCP8odC1BZ6JhzrHgAkVO0yTI-CTtmMflweMCe6nB8ZOpB4wPSCwCL9Y8jd3bNQOrcpHoQOolY-Fc1NalnEyL1r-Y/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvx0NGW3UWvRe4r33RxH2XFnQt8LWhSAoZWwRzVxxT9k1e5olulwQNCP8odC1BZ6JhzrHgAkVO0yTI-CTtmMflweMCe6nB8ZOpB4wPSCwCL9Y8jd3bNQOrcpHoQOolY-Fc1NalnEyL1r-Y/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Try to stay till dusk: the gate & the shrine behind it (as well as other traditional buildings) are floodlit & the atmosphere is magical. </li>
<li>At low tide, you can walk across, the sand to take a closer look. The water starts coming back at around 18:00 (high tide), you can take amazing pictures and videos of water rising slowly!</li>
<ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_EWTLvCvml7UcLEYyw5dvUSNSht_jkH3S9ugHlyME_t81ER5pXSI4T9u1QUE7U7zoet8eE0jCM74Eb6ycsQ-U0MtMk7ix9lNkJNLvOgaKID0vsaNuAidj2tDo7q3KXiAdkWCPoC_wy-l/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_EWTLvCvml7UcLEYyw5dvUSNSht_jkH3S9ugHlyME_t81ER5pXSI4T9u1QUE7U7zoet8eE0jCM74Eb6ycsQ-U0MtMk7ix9lNkJNLvOgaKID0vsaNuAidj2tDo7q3KXiAdkWCPoC_wy-l/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SMN6CwEtNbxHbEq151be8MEhRURKe4yzDPCoDWqXgO9SjPNPOtk2k6HA1oZ_vva-hUYcL1DOfYPgGPoEAJwanI5jvjNYBvW0aqRo5YeJoUKvTeNxNL5dvZtWWRLYU5ZDSs8r7CZ6xgOE/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SMN6CwEtNbxHbEq151be8MEhRURKe4yzDPCoDWqXgO9SjPNPOtk2k6HA1oZ_vva-hUYcL1DOfYPgGPoEAJwanI5jvjNYBvW0aqRo5YeJoUKvTeNxNL5dvZtWWRLYU5ZDSs8r7CZ6xgOE/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Take a cable car for fantastic views across the <b><i>Inland Sea </i></b>from <b><i>Mount Misen</i></b>, the highest point of the island.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidK9c5zts6ufvpB_4MD33jh6x4V9QXoNnKi_90WFOOuc5gB5p90IDCCozXtlsx1Bx1EwQ30h_FLZUK-G6kDMFce_6HEZXxcRigG6-WOPzOHoBSNAYpWajTySZIvwtYdBsObyy3jmGUbuQT/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidK9c5zts6ufvpB_4MD33jh6x4V9QXoNnKi_90WFOOuc5gB5p90IDCCozXtlsx1Bx1EwQ30h_FLZUK-G6kDMFce_6HEZXxcRigG6-WOPzOHoBSNAYpWajTySZIvwtYdBsObyy3jmGUbuQT/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT2G-AvyLHc697jdIuRgRFYS2CTHI1gleHZnumBJgYwEHjvoHzTzfZScfxd_X2gWzPnFkD9ffDx8P9WW1jjRcL56xUPUM3cFbXeGhFyiaidMD86lixyMzfHLJBty6QEi1bSxmrPchArDA/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT2G-AvyLHc697jdIuRgRFYS2CTHI1gleHZnumBJgYwEHjvoHzTzfZScfxd_X2gWzPnFkD9ffDx8P9WW1jjRcL56xUPUM3cFbXeGhFyiaidMD86lixyMzfHLJBty6QEi1bSxmrPchArDA/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Hike up from the cable car station to the peak of <b><i>Mt Misen</i></b> to see spectacular views of the surrounding islands.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VOCzFp-UjN3MEBm4rCpd07DNXav76w2-iG4qC-v_bi2t4t6dQNCLx0Zm_rNnNbbc2d91HoLcPVyrrHFVTNSmHOOk7f1t4JAQ3_JR0L4yAntn4A4r_paIPCLcU6h3lUSFn38Uico5CG-l/s1600/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VOCzFp-UjN3MEBm4rCpd07DNXav76w2-iG4qC-v_bi2t4t6dQNCLx0Zm_rNnNbbc2d91HoLcPVyrrHFVTNSmHOOk7f1t4JAQ3_JR0L4yAntn4A4r_paIPCLcU6h3lUSFn38Uico5CG-l/s400/Day+09_Hiroshima+%2526+Miyajima_%25C5%258C-Torii%252C+Itsukushima-jinja+Shrine_%255B2018-09-25%255D+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul><ul></ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
Day 10 and 11 (Naoshima)</h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Located in the <b><i>Seto Island Sea</i></b>, south of <b><i>Okayama</i></b>, Naoshima is popularly known as “a contemporary art island” with 20+ art exhibits including several museums designed by Japanese architect <i>Tadao Ando</i>.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Getting to Naoshima</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Take a Sakura train from <b>Hiroshima</b> to <b>Okayama</b>. </li>
<ul>
<li>From <b>Okayama Station</b>, take the JR Uno Line to <b>Uno Station</b>. You may be required to transfer trains at Chayamachi Station. From Uno Station, walk across the street to the <b>ferry terminal</b>.</li>
<li>The ferry passage (20 mins) is NOT included in the JR Pass and costs ¥290 one way. Boats arrive at one of two ports on Naoshima, either <b>Miyanoura Port </b>on the West side of the island or <b>Honmura Port </b>to the East.</li>
</ul>
<li>Most ferries arrive at <b>Miyanoura Port</b>. The ferry terminal provides <i>coin lockers</i> (¥300-500) for your luggage as well as <b>bicycle rentals </b>(standard bicycles (with gears) can be rented for ¥500 per day and ¥300 (no gears) / electric bike - ¥1,500-2,000 per day. Although there're buses (see below), my advice is to <u>explore Naoshima by bike</u>!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtRU6qsVGtGwHDOOmFY0EKUmIT_yFXCMGDaeSXuW5mbXxil-s10ZGsblhm_25ENVbX3GTVftCEgE-CSsTVYgZ15zNQLfvomyOyRgSlUP55WihcdtwtE4on2ZUjmqDXXppCcU2e7mdCGyk/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtRU6qsVGtGwHDOOmFY0EKUmIT_yFXCMGDaeSXuW5mbXxil-s10ZGsblhm_25ENVbX3GTVftCEgE-CSsTVYgZ15zNQLfvomyOyRgSlUP55WihcdtwtE4on2ZUjmqDXXppCcU2e7mdCGyk/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Most of Naoshima’s attractions are located on the <i>Southern half of the island </i>(the north is occupied by a Mitsubishi industrial site). One or two buses run each hour (each ride = ¥100). The ride from Miyanoura to Honmura takes ca. 10 mins, and the Art House Project and Ando Museum are within walking distance of the Honmura terminal. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpzFvc7xE5KTMVujGSH__O3qwkbiGQTubTHV9OMt65qr1F_BLCHKkrMGMixbo78HsxLR2VZVmz3lufUdCAdoeXwUacdRos06eH3MgSNj3Pin7vwVYc4vp8onQQyXSh-dQbQPzsnbVTQS5/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpzFvc7xE5KTMVujGSH__O3qwkbiGQTubTHV9OMt65qr1F_BLCHKkrMGMixbo78HsxLR2VZVmz3lufUdCAdoeXwUacdRos06eH3MgSNj3Pin7vwVYc4vp8onQQyXSh-dQbQPzsnbVTQS5/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
The ride south to the Tsutsujiso bus stop lasts around 15 mins. This stop is located at the east gate of the Benesse House complex, and from there you can take a free shuttle bus to the Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, or Benesse House. Each of these attractions is located five to 10 mins from the bus stop.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIa-O3LvnS4u4iVom93pYJiXwjIVtpc9XBt6psQ0ymtziwAXWyxNzJS21uuHX5hrF1k6KzfTPSyK14HyTpFSyK2W1KYZfPR1jK8TTZ4XIfXkiJtRZ5kP48alh4OOjDiyr85biVVxBPbug6/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIa-O3LvnS4u4iVom93pYJiXwjIVtpc9XBt6psQ0ymtziwAXWyxNzJS21uuHX5hrF1k6KzfTPSyK14HyTpFSyK2W1KYZfPR1jK8TTZ4XIfXkiJtRZ5kP48alh4OOjDiyr85biVVxBPbug6/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 10, Naoshima)</h4>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/oyajinoumi.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86">Oyajino Umi<b> </b></a>(761-3110 Kagawa, Naoshima, cho 774, Japan). NOTE: check-in from 17:00 until 19:00</i></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Things to do in Naoshima:</h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>Chichu Art Museum</b> - the museum was built underground to avoided affecting the beautiful natural scenery of the Set Inland sea. Artworks by Claud Money, James Turrell, and Walter de Maria are on permanent display in this building designed by Tadao Ando. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1TcMi5U7lR-JRnwcjjzp7wIg28AgtcV9E_h1z4Es0gCVySe6cmk59pZOAg4OL5yEVMdztIbcqLN2LIAXQ2nK3mndRDXXr6tUnvGFXKfGD1NjqxMjPsE2QurO3A6TpvffaY00smwkcyIf/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1TcMi5U7lR-JRnwcjjzp7wIg28AgtcV9E_h1z4Es0gCVySe6cmk59pZOAg4OL5yEVMdztIbcqLN2LIAXQ2nK3mndRDXXr6tUnvGFXKfGD1NjqxMjPsE2QurO3A6TpvffaY00smwkcyIf/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Benesse House Museum </b>- with several site-specific artworks, it’s a facility integrating a museum with a hotel, based on a concept of “coexistence of nature, art and architecture”.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2mQB7VgVvrqn-iyhG5isN1auOeQrBHjujvQtEioIMi4qurW34Nb4qq-KIlxt-NlRwzechm9WH084wAI2OKE29Ak_bzyFPiXY0DtoXvZn-r4j4r4-xAaMYNi4v0yDFeIdK2dRXSnUHwWV/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2mQB7VgVvrqn-iyhG5isN1auOeQrBHjujvQtEioIMi4qurW34Nb4qq-KIlxt-NlRwzechm9WH084wAI2OKE29Ak_bzyFPiXY0DtoXvZn-r4j4r4-xAaMYNi4v0yDFeIdK2dRXSnUHwWV/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Lee Ufan Museum </b>- a museum resuming from the collaboration between internationally acclaimed artist Lee Aydan and architect Tadao Ando. A tranquil space where art, architecture and nature come in resonance with each other, inciting to quiet contemplation. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSQiweAQK_LQeCt5xA7lvKkOWxppU91QnD3OiNVzbX0hvhe1y21p3xlqBkPwaZtFa2D7s5FyFGqvDj_j5g_xTkKT9eIrUxoqHPB3YKNyFei0h4KGIMsj7DFo6NXUR4kxbzunIvFV25gww/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSQiweAQK_LQeCt5xA7lvKkOWxppU91QnD3OiNVzbX0hvhe1y21p3xlqBkPwaZtFa2D7s5FyFGqvDj_j5g_xTkKT9eIrUxoqHPB3YKNyFei0h4KGIMsj7DFo6NXUR4kxbzunIvFV25gww/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Art House Project </b>- artists took 5 old wooden houses, a temple and a shrine and turned them into works of art, weaving in the history and memories of the period when the buildings were lived in and used. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KrEcNIzCaNYrB5m7d7ElbXjd_vrsqX2PoVlooiW9-L8WCH9Vy1KbGXNxYsHbJC6pIzYV6UKgqk-F8SifNKFUaxsRdtjY7GE_DTIHXd6bq98YZhqH9CkVgnQJ7fQIGUmnjHSgwigP7GLK/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KrEcNIzCaNYrB5m7d7ElbXjd_vrsqX2PoVlooiW9-L8WCH9Vy1KbGXNxYsHbJC6pIzYV6UKgqk-F8SifNKFUaxsRdtjY7GE_DTIHXd6bq98YZhqH9CkVgnQJ7fQIGUmnjHSgwigP7GLK/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Tadao Ando Museum </b>- for approximately 25 years, Tadao Ando has been involved in creating facilities in the natural surroundings of Naoshima. From the Benesse House Museum, Oval, Minamidra, Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House Park and Beach, Lee Ufan Museum, and now the ANDO MUSEUM, all of Ando’s buildings are designed with an emphasis on activating and inheriting the beautiful landscape of the Seto Inland Sea. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeHr8Wof6MgwIG_5YoPm1Oe3DAHYlAg3zPjwu_d-bkKGEO-Z9vcO_4LT-OsZpA4SUETVJ6l-Nv4g9alm4iqY-cLoqVxAux1c-jch3hb_vjXLe7q7iIK4Drhha0oA5wKHX7lQe__FMRUlO/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1600" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeHr8Wof6MgwIG_5YoPm1Oe3DAHYlAg3zPjwu_d-bkKGEO-Z9vcO_4LT-OsZpA4SUETVJ6l-Nv4g9alm4iqY-cLoqVxAux1c-jch3hb_vjXLe7q7iIK4Drhha0oA5wKHX7lQe__FMRUlO/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin”</b> - they're two of these: the <i>red </i>and the <i>yellow </i>ones, on opposite sides of the island.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OOW_rt8KYXVQ_9GXyhP-ytZ5EKi8EZn7mcGrE2H7a30uiKyct0Uq4zD2M7fjzkJ9a87WZUk4pVYUU0hzB5Fce0x7n7uHu9Kz22Mt6mJRxQ5gSjzdSZuWVuV-ftr26DkCWPsspLEKmRpQ/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OOW_rt8KYXVQ_9GXyhP-ytZ5EKi8EZn7mcGrE2H7a30uiKyct0Uq4zD2M7fjzkJ9a87WZUk4pVYUU0hzB5Fce0x7n7uHu9Kz22Mt6mJRxQ5gSjzdSZuWVuV-ftr26DkCWPsspLEKmRpQ/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSC7Cd9tYrMBK7uWiH_CptTWYMvEWfqDANi5v9D1h7d4ydgFZMFJIzbAmSfGDRUEsFNAhD9Zd2OV6sBT2_fOnvmWWZinG1mtK7uCVJ0AYnqtjExH-SPzRnPGvXc57Zk2X8cN871Q9rKfG/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSC7Cd9tYrMBK7uWiH_CptTWYMvEWfqDANi5v9D1h7d4ydgFZMFJIzbAmSfGDRUEsFNAhD9Zd2OV6sBT2_fOnvmWWZinG1mtK7uCVJ0AYnqtjExH-SPzRnPGvXc57Zk2X8cN871Q9rKfG/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Naoshima Bath "I♥︎湯"</b> ( translates as “<i>I love Yu</i>”, which is a pun on the Japanese word Yu meaning (‘hot water’- this is an art facility created by artist Shinro Ohtake where visitors are actually able to take a bath. "I♥︎湯" was created to provide both a place for Naoshima residents to rejuvenate and as a venue for exchanges between Japanese and international visitors and locals to take place. The exterior and fittings of the bathhouse, from the bath itself to the pictures decorating the walls, the mosaics, and even the toilet fittings, all reflect the universe of the artist. (open 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.)</li>
<ul>
<li>The best time to visit I♥︎湯 is in the evening after you've finished your sightseeing and just before dinner.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-suQW7i7outwYzTqI3j59PfgNRQ5pjBSRTHr3pZJbGa_IA3PuLb2b3gRGqNSBzhnDdWJKOffcin6MCd_kaIXfsiXjrjBpdIR3Pxh-N6k0xMfQPf701r7O9P1nXzmdxZ9VAtHx7bMIhzZ/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-suQW7i7outwYzTqI3j59PfgNRQ5pjBSRTHr3pZJbGa_IA3PuLb2b3gRGqNSBzhnDdWJKOffcin6MCd_kaIXfsiXjrjBpdIR3Pxh-N6k0xMfQPf701r7O9P1nXzmdxZ9VAtHx7bMIhzZ/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 11, Osaka)</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/sarasa-shinosaka.en-gb.html?aid=811995;label=affnetcj-12180789_pub-2941623_site-7969760_pname-Everyclick%20Ltd_clkid-ec311643dfe049cfd111e8b311a74ddc667712_cjevent-46e0919acfd111e8836503a80a18050c;sid=3db4fe648e998a5b5143a2308125dc86">Sarasa Hotel Shin </a>(532-0011 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Yodogawa-ku Nishinakajima 7-1-17)</i></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 12 and 13 (Koyasan)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Buy <i><a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html">Koyasan Heritage Pass</a> </i>at Shin-Osaka.</li>
<li>Get a ‘<a href="https://matcha-jp.com/en/4800?page=2">Common Ticket for Visiting Temples</a>’ (works for all temples) @ <b><i>Kōya-san Shukubo Association information centre</i></b> (<i>600 Koyasan, Koyacho, Itogun, Wakayamaken, 648-0211</i>). Otherwise, you’ll need to pay separately for <b><i>Kongobuji Temple</i></b> (the HQ of Shingon sect of Buddhism), <b><i>Reihokan Treasure Museum</i></b>, <b><i>Daishi Kyokai</i></b>, <b><i>Daito</i></b>, <b><i>Kondo</i></b>, <b><i>Tokugawa Family Mausoleum</i></b>. </li>
<li>Get an audio guide (¥500 rental) from the tourist centre - it’s all you need to know about Koyasan in one. You can return it the next day by noon. </li>
<li><b><i>Kōya-san </i></b>was founded in the early 9th century by the monk Kūkai (known as Kōbō Daishi) who studied <i>Esoteric Buddhism </i>in China for two years before achieving enlightenment and coming back home to found a temple in Kōya-san. Since then, it has been one of Japan’s holiest mountains and became UNESCO World Heritage in 2004.</li>
<li>800m above sea level, there’re 117 temples (the main area is called <b><i>Kongōbu-ji</i></b>) clustered around the <i>Shingon school of Buddhism</i>. The main postulate of the <i>Shingon school</i> that is different from the mainstream teachings is that enlightenment can be achieved in one lifetime. </li>
<li>You don’t need to be a Buddhist monk to feel the highly charged, slightly surreal atmosphere about this group of temples suspended among the clouds. A dramatic climb with a cable car and a bus taking a winding road up the mountain to get you into the mood for some real magic.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECvn3fMDVMkEtK6fXz63jpXLDc7mvzeJOjgHhNJl6pLeUrGagHSzYJFQm6Yng2FJ7-ah9Hn7-G953COI6Rl8OYI2jmG286fll3CX94W97ivb1BIfcVhgXLn0XOwjBPFqQ_F6OmpTKuJQh/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECvn3fMDVMkEtK6fXz63jpXLDc7mvzeJOjgHhNJl6pLeUrGagHSzYJFQm6Yng2FJ7-ah9Hn7-G953COI6Rl8OYI2jmG286fll3CX94W97ivb1BIfcVhgXLn0XOwjBPFqQ_F6OmpTKuJQh/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
Things to DO in <b><i>Kōya-san</i></b></h3>
<ul>
<li>Stay in a <i>shikubō</i> (temple lodging). There used to be 1,812 temples in Koyasan in 1832, however today 117 temples survive and are active, 52 of them provide lodgings. </li>
<li>Attend <i>otsutome</i> (Buddhist ceremony/dawn prayer service at the temple) (around 6am or 6:30am) & observe the priest and the monks chant Buddhist sutras in the main temple. </li>
<ul>
<li>Don’t show up in your pyjamas 😴 🤣</li>
</ul>
<li>Attend a <i>Jukai </i>ceremony at <b><i>Daishi’s Kyokai </i></b>(centre for religious outreach activities) in the <b><i>Jukai-do </i></b>(precept hall) [FREE with Koyasan World Heritage Pass, otherwise ¥500]. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>Jukai</i> is a formal traditional ancient Buddhist ceremony conducted by a fully ordained Buddhist master. Usually, the idea is to take refuge in the Buddha and receiving the Ten Wholesome Buddhist lay precepts. Anyone (regardless of religious beliefs) can receive these, and it's believed to guide you to living a wholesome and virtuous life. </li>
<li> to the <i>Ike of the Buddha</i>, and has been preserved in Japan for 1,200 years. A moving and fascinating experience.</li>
</ul>
<li>Try <i>Shojin-Ryori </i>(Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) dinner in your shukubo and sleep with futon-beddings Japanese style room. Adapted by Japanese monks from China, shojin ryori is entirely vegan and is based on the concepts of five flavours, five cooking methods and five colours. A meal should include a grilled fish, a deep-fried dish, a pickled dish, a tofu dish and a soup dish. </li>
<li>Try <i>Kōya-Dofu </i>(freeze-dried tofu) and Goma-Dofu (Sesame Tofu) - made of toasted and ground white sesame seeds boiled together with starch from the powdered arrowroot. - [x] Do a night walk / guided tour of the Okynoin cemetery.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3PW-OPPBw1t3BV9lhqmBxI56pGafCckbixsNH7J_gjZ1pqWaO4xoDb3_QiciH-xv1ka1k7TWUalfgKBuWeJN5IKWIg7RuuGlTfbD7MiwudjcUYsquQ0VKg1rCbEUJyp9fNt1BNdF1U9q/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3PW-OPPBw1t3BV9lhqmBxI56pGafCckbixsNH7J_gjZ1pqWaO4xoDb3_QiciH-xv1ka1k7TWUalfgKBuWeJN5IKWIg7RuuGlTfbD7MiwudjcUYsquQ0VKg1rCbEUJyp9fNt1BNdF1U9q/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Things to VISIT in <b><i>Kōya-san</i></b></h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Kongobu-ji </i></b>- Koyasan’s principal temple, constructed initially by monk Kakuban upon permission of Emperor Toba. The entire area of Koyasan actually used to be called Kongobu-ji.</li>
<li><b><i>Banryutei</i></b> - the largest stone garden in Japan (2349m2)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0UqbZxY1VfM82_Lidzhmf8JSDBuXs7PW5ap5nkPca6g2indUy1BcqfdjiYX-BIeTCKGqHeC1SOu0b3Pc7Z5NUtsXVB0XzCihqf58erg0Z5tfMqVs2cEzjK_xmQgvmg14MEV2zncCqvpn/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0UqbZxY1VfM82_Lidzhmf8JSDBuXs7PW5ap5nkPca6g2indUy1BcqfdjiYX-BIeTCKGqHeC1SOu0b3Pc7Z5NUtsXVB0XzCihqf58erg0Z5tfMqVs2cEzjK_xmQgvmg14MEV2zncCqvpn/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Shinbetsuden </i></b>- a large annexe constructed in 1984 to accommodate visitors gathering for the 1150th anniversary of Kōbō Daishi’s entrance into eternal meditation. </li>
<li>Watch the sunset 🌅 at <b><i>Daimon</i></b> (1795) - it’s rated among the top spots in the world to watch the sunset).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-V1MZV7Q-Nyr84CV7foFvFCDqfqy8_CJKNSlzhiV8QNk2G6uIF-ZA0Rk5axsmdoVHCl-AXwmQZeWgCKNMaPaXC1bK4ZnATAsLWV02C4gOJaNH_Gba2vjllLqA8AE6IJL9SX_w-GEKVr2/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-V1MZV7Q-Nyr84CV7foFvFCDqfqy8_CJKNSlzhiV8QNk2G6uIF-ZA0Rk5axsmdoVHCl-AXwmQZeWgCKNMaPaXC1bK4ZnATAsLWV02C4gOJaNH_Gba2vjllLqA8AE6IJL9SX_w-GEKVr2/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>See <i style="font-weight: bold;">Okynoin cemetery </i>in the morning and at night. The cemetery has 200,000+ gravestones, ranging from historical figures to commoners. The path is lined by hundreds of centuries-old towering cedar trees.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpepm2djti8GCpVBItFF3jQnaxVs1Dzm8YUonAvHeJJlK5d2LgknO_sStG48CFIAkswxN7PnSRQRpLsPDiwppL9LC1i9MdI414SLqO0EBLVOS51MvaPujp3c130kkNMhVXmHSpZm-Zgegv/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpepm2djti8GCpVBItFF3jQnaxVs1Dzm8YUonAvHeJJlK5d2LgknO_sStG48CFIAkswxN7PnSRQRpLsPDiwppL9LC1i9MdI414SLqO0EBLVOS51MvaPujp3c130kkNMhVXmHSpZm-Zgegv/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul><ul>
<li>See <b><i>Kobo Daishi’s Mausoleum </i></b>is honoured with a blaze of 10,000+ lanterns, donated by rich and poor over the centuries. </li>
<li>Notice <b><i>Gorinto </i></b>(Five-tiered stupa) - along the path to Okunoin, you can see many five-tiered stone stupas: these are gravestones it memorials. The five tiers and the Sanskrit letters inscribed on them represent the five elements taught in Buddhism, from the bottom up: earth, water, fire, wind, and space. The (elements from the body of the cosmic Buddha Mahavairochana, and also our own bodies and the physical world, and are not destroyed at death. In death, therefore, and integration with Mahavairochana is possible. </li>
<li>Notice <b><i>Ojizo-san </i></b>- Buddhist statues wearing bibs. The name of this bodhisattva is <i>Jizo Bosatsu</i>. Jiso is believed to watch over and protect children in the afterlife. The bibs are placed on the statues by those who have lost children, with the prayer that Ojizo-San will watch over them as a surrogate parent, and also for the long life of living children.</li>
</ul>
<li><b><i>Reihokan Museum </i></b>- built in 1921, displays many of the artworks held by the temples in Koyasan.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvoDdRe4q3i-f_lbEtu1vhP_4DL6B5_XXLX61-4UzdPfZ2VrsSPHTHDEO80mwZshvum7GEbhvTohZ3oypzIfDtZShzvBUtRUXXraanv4m2f4laG55SpjqHOZ9ULmtv5T-60bnd4vXldIY/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvoDdRe4q3i-f_lbEtu1vhP_4DL6B5_XXLX61-4UzdPfZ2VrsSPHTHDEO80mwZshvum7GEbhvTohZ3oypzIfDtZShzvBUtRUXXraanv4m2f4laG55SpjqHOZ9ULmtv5T-60bnd4vXldIY/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Danjo Garan</i> complex</b> - the town’s spiritual centre, includes:</li>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Konpon Daito </i></b>(The Great Pagoda) - construction began in 816, present building from 1937).</li>
<li><b><i>Kondo</i></b> (constructed in 819, current building from 1932)</li>
</ul>
<li><i><b>Tokugawake Reidai </b></i>(Tokugawa family Mausoleum) - built in 1643.</li>
<li><b><i>Nyonindo</i></b> - because Koya-san was a monastery for men, women were forbidden to enter Koya-san until 1872. For this reason, Temples, especially for women, were built in the periphery if Koya-san. Of the original seven such temples, only one now exists.</li>
<li>Shop for souvenirs (only cash) at <b><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/rXajC3Ty9J72">Juzuya Shirobe</a></b> (<i>771 Kōyasan, Kōya-chō, Ito-gun, Wakayama-ken 648-0211</i>) - use Koyasan Heritage Pass to get a discount.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
Accommodation (Day 12, Koyasan)</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><i><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1121341-d1169415-Reviews-Jimyo_in-Koya_cho_Ito_gun_Wakayama_Prefecture_Kinki.html">Jimyo-in Temple</a></i></b> (<i>455 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun 648-0211, Wakayama Prefecture</i>) - dinner & Breakfast included, room with a garden view: simply amazing!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioz2IZEIDsQhBYIgm0-eUFB5PZSpPl1-kLfXJ_s1k13FbLCdsqqCrdlieX5UmsRmCjl3HFjQIWjzRHNKu1xOOc_msLpIikKomvBvIwWggPXvEzdJZ6TeFXdKVB_zdBbIoVskxE4_bveJg/s1600/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioz2IZEIDsQhBYIgm0-eUFB5PZSpPl1-kLfXJ_s1k13FbLCdsqqCrdlieX5UmsRmCjl3HFjQIWjzRHNKu1xOOc_msLpIikKomvBvIwWggPXvEzdJZ6TeFXdKVB_zdBbIoVskxE4_bveJg/s400/Day+12+%2526+13_Koya-san+monastery_%255B2018-09-28+%2526+29%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Grab a <i>makunouchi </i>bento box to eat on the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo. <i>Makunouchi </i>is a popular type of Japanese bento which consists of mostly rice along with fish, meat, pickles, eggs and vegetables and an <i>umeboshi</i> (a salt pickled plum).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBG83HfWOUcBOwZDns7oplJEk32zo7-yP3FXpi2K01XUQg0I6bKKcffoSHWF3XdNNOw0upzJ68zurMY7Xc2vKnCIsn0r1hiyk6M942-F73W3dsOsFDBPc3PSmwrfSPh71IoCH1UlrvUDDV/s1600/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBG83HfWOUcBOwZDns7oplJEk32zo7-yP3FXpi2K01XUQg0I6bKKcffoSHWF3XdNNOw0upzJ68zurMY7Xc2vKnCIsn0r1hiyk6M942-F73W3dsOsFDBPc3PSmwrfSPh71IoCH1UlrvUDDV/s400/Day+10+%2526+11_Naoshima_%255B2018-09-26+%2526+27%255D+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Accommodation (Day 13, Tokyo)</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b><i><a href="https://ninehours.co.jp/shinjuku-north/">9h - Nine Hours Shinjuku North </a></i></b>- (<i>169-0073 Tokyo Prefecture, Shinjuku-ku, Hyakunin Cho 1-4-15</i>), breakfast 7:00 - 10:30 at ‘GUSTO’ (choose your favourite one in the morning sets).</li>
<ul>
<li>They replace these actions with the time spent: one hour + seven hours + one hour.</li>
<li>It's officially the weirdest place to sleep ever: I was feeling like I’m part of some illegal scientific experiment 👽</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoKxxAo4RnfBqceWm0owDeR1EnKOX3N3L67MrQIDiXddv42eKv5OOVqvpd8gMHfcCsmzyh305KMFozjVDZPfNyGNdEXNT_MleAcE8SRLGFVsyBVxGpt-3HiIpFeFrBK2ROODHWHnb_XVY/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="1600" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoKxxAo4RnfBqceWm0owDeR1EnKOX3N3L67MrQIDiXddv42eKv5OOVqvpd8gMHfcCsmzyh305KMFozjVDZPfNyGNdEXNT_MleAcE8SRLGFVsyBVxGpt-3HiIpFeFrBK2ROODHWHnb_XVY/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D0L0iLQG6VDwT_QADXNzXwZceLmkj_IRBUE0tR_nmQKN9oNgI8a77k09dx5jWqIwUtgKYf7BT0sf5UMIO85oYfU61EVbaWj19BNb0LA2csTHTYTjAJmcl5makhhQZbK8JqGCU0tfse9s/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25283%2529a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D0L0iLQG6VDwT_QADXNzXwZceLmkj_IRBUE0tR_nmQKN9oNgI8a77k09dx5jWqIwUtgKYf7BT0sf5UMIO85oYfU61EVbaWj19BNb0LA2csTHTYTjAJmcl5makhhQZbK8JqGCU0tfse9s/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25283%2529a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgVTuaka9NKdypVLOA0jiw7V96XeijPkO-f0HhnOJo43f6az_3EyMuB7i7yKhN2K2B_J5WaxbA-hZdVxQp2VO9al6gd9GFdAsgdpVmTj2IHZQrRlohfgUV-YDLkOp0PHbGq7Oi-qQGVdJ/s1600/2018-09-29+22.12.19-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgVTuaka9NKdypVLOA0jiw7V96XeijPkO-f0HhnOJo43f6az_3EyMuB7i7yKhN2K2B_J5WaxbA-hZdVxQp2VO9al6gd9GFdAsgdpVmTj2IHZQrRlohfgUV-YDLkOp0PHbGq7Oi-qQGVdJ/s400/2018-09-29+22.12.19-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 14: Tokyo</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Caught a show @ <b>Robot Restaurant</b> 🤖 in <b><i>Shinjuku</i></b>: an awesome over-the-top program that is inspired by the various traditional influences and festivals (e.g. Matsuri). It’s filled with floats, robots, bright lights, taiko drums, bikini-clad women, and techno music. Apparently, all the decorations and interior cost approximately 10 billion yen to make!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOn6-2GrmAutlLYoA7nQXBO_RHliYWvyr7kXb7TIwmYVilb-xetzFRCnjhK8KbMM4W_QIyOMEaBVf3a5DRdO_7lEXd8b2vQ78G9NQ6Z9QVXyG53HXUDxNzEqAAcmkOrPQ3iixTrzjnJdB/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOn6-2GrmAutlLYoA7nQXBO_RHliYWvyr7kXb7TIwmYVilb-xetzFRCnjhK8KbMM4W_QIyOMEaBVf3a5DRdO_7lEXd8b2vQ78G9NQ6Z9QVXyG53HXUDxNzEqAAcmkOrPQ3iixTrzjnJdB/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb4DCky93A8fH-xaYEGwmHrk7XnEOWo_Z6FnmiMnPeH2PUSGJRh55JkkvZLsaLHKLllz1P7UHgedSh3X0x-aZthHzdgk1UUD0lDFWLlVbdpkSTq9d1npg8FsaFYbkCegnZGpTqEga4DDO/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb4DCky93A8fH-xaYEGwmHrk7XnEOWo_Z6FnmiMnPeH2PUSGJRh55JkkvZLsaLHKLllz1P7UHgedSh3X0x-aZthHzdgk1UUD0lDFWLlVbdpkSTq9d1npg8FsaFYbkCegnZGpTqEga4DDO/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiicXNzJDClxthZG4GKT0puB33BLEm3vWY1D9mbS97BCExWnzZCY2xaA10DtUCq8AoGGfFk566Koo5RJDm1WU0JO1EGl02NiKN1SNVUhu3Vew-44yjuMuVnqyxjW_QaLXWqVjgFxGG-PUD/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiicXNzJDClxthZG4GKT0puB33BLEm3vWY1D9mbS97BCExWnzZCY2xaA10DtUCq8AoGGfFk566Koo5RJDm1WU0JO1EGl02NiKN1SNVUhu3Vew-44yjuMuVnqyxjW_QaLXWqVjgFxGG-PUD/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexZq4f_ABEYHs1gGdwgbHsgcm_aMKfuGAHMeWJdR5b8f2E62mWYo4EEtcbOWRqDslm3dl5_rJUBnDXdoICP8s9DSAXqAcTWK0ulVuvyx188yLWHqZlWxwTnkku6fumWBnu08NxyVQfON_/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexZq4f_ABEYHs1gGdwgbHsgcm_aMKfuGAHMeWJdR5b8f2E62mWYo4EEtcbOWRqDslm3dl5_rJUBnDXdoICP8s9DSAXqAcTWK0ulVuvyx188yLWHqZlWxwTnkku6fumWBnu08NxyVQfON_/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Walked around <b><i>Kabukicho District</i></b>, briefly checked out <b><i>Golden Gai</i></b>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd0K2jrQ-y1yJwSkgXr3jPOoIqo4rGQqyFULxdJJN3T0IfMNM1NmZqyeLd_EQ5IoaL-v2MrgkzBqtPYj-sn-4KAkP8P8PU0U65Jtw2pUTUYmntHPndBVnpbKyMn3tYAHHOJa3RqkMckkT/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd0K2jrQ-y1yJwSkgXr3jPOoIqo4rGQqyFULxdJJN3T0IfMNM1NmZqyeLd_EQ5IoaL-v2MrgkzBqtPYj-sn-4KAkP8P8PU0U65Jtw2pUTUYmntHPndBVnpbKyMn3tYAHHOJa3RqkMckkT/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Grab a cocktail, enjoy some quality live jazz and an amazing nighttime view of Tokyo at the iconic <b><i>New York Bar </i></b>at <b><i>Park Hyatt Tokyo </i></b>(<i>3-7-1-2 Nishishinjuku; 52F, Shinjuku 163-1055, Tokyo</i>). In case you are not a Sofia Coppola’s fan, it’s the bar from her "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/?ref_=nm_knf_i2">Lost in Translation</a>" (2003). Vita took an L.I.T. (“Lost in Translation”), I drank <i>chilli coriander cosmopolitan </i>and Yuya enjoyed a beer.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRxNugLEQla5W7CU3EaNyiWlThyphenhyphen5GnZ2ECACZPWxzCBARAQIknfr2lfmy1iEEjrTLr2r-wMtI_wubsm5EGzJTriZVLudlIOBH6ohpvD4_jvxU8eIRaVrkTE3R6AvAxt7-0HVZA8ynXkLY/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRxNugLEQla5W7CU3EaNyiWlThyphenhyphen5GnZ2ECACZPWxzCBARAQIknfr2lfmy1iEEjrTLr2r-wMtI_wubsm5EGzJTriZVLudlIOBH6ohpvD4_jvxU8eIRaVrkTE3R6AvAxt7-0HVZA8ynXkLY/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDaR5duSNHO5MFX70nAv5PShQkEvwMu2htgM5uv8i4_opMA4q3SUSq40YTgDuwN5nK2Dq20VMILKKLIGitCj1m59tzUI7siQPcDCBdq7aogrECgnBwjYNK3QCdAccW5PW9JZ0JKIH_Rzm/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDaR5duSNHO5MFX70nAv5PShQkEvwMu2htgM5uv8i4_opMA4q3SUSq40YTgDuwN5nK2Dq20VMILKKLIGitCj1m59tzUI7siQPcDCBdq7aogrECgnBwjYNK3QCdAccW5PW9JZ0JKIH_Rzm/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVUMYi02HP7ookrTklbHTHegy2vW1YjFlfVPkxK4fKCHomBshPCVEwxP_i4vhBcJtUekxiIMmUycHLMI4gaA0vw1a0Ec05UluF4hyphenhyphenA_9MsuXQGuImEk-udFrZ5n-3NsrWF48sL4_l07go/s1600/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVUMYi02HP7ookrTklbHTHegy2vW1YjFlfVPkxK4fKCHomBshPCVEwxP_i4vhBcJtUekxiIMmUycHLMI4gaA0vw1a0Ec05UluF4hyphenhyphenA_9MsuXQGuImEk-udFrZ5n-3NsrWF48sL4_l07go/s400/Day+14_Tokyo_%255B2018-09-30%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 15 - The Way Home</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>Peaceful Tokyo sunrise after Typhoon Trami: Mount Fuji in the background and the fleets of cargo ships sailing off to distant shores... <i>Sayonara</i>, Japan! I hope to see you again soon.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXQD_OtF29tSfqSVWPncwcGo-Kafjab1zJ55X2IZSkIyCfdSSt6yUiIrPQc8AbwpN6Q7Lt1YLBog0fzG5q5uSDY6uD5CDt3BB_-2hbdKOSuNPnl7JUPPT0TAjNvrG_c_8d4Gso9PEd0xe/s1600/2018-10-01+07.06.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXQD_OtF29tSfqSVWPncwcGo-Kafjab1zJ55X2IZSkIyCfdSSt6yUiIrPQc8AbwpN6Q7Lt1YLBog0fzG5q5uSDY6uD5CDt3BB_-2hbdKOSuNPnl7JUPPT0TAjNvrG_c_8d4Gso9PEd0xe/s400/2018-10-01+07.06.39.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Tokyo, Japan35.6894875 139.6917063999999321.7112835 119.03740939999993 49.6676915 160.34600339999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-6297468491161305382018-01-28T20:37:00.001+01:002018-01-28T20:37:54.531+01:00Montenegro.me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2>
Arrival and where to stay. </h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk3RsOqgtHG3x0k8JmXie1_EA4e7OkhzqBg0cLEDc93cX14s_1nIqFDxS04_SH_89HVsLT7VUgZhz971kS-1Ewy6i57JOcOmoz2aKJwYCzAEHwImH2k7SiVD6L7BKTn3_Rqbo1MCKmiG-/s1600/2015-09-27+-+Montenegro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk3RsOqgtHG3x0k8JmXie1_EA4e7OkhzqBg0cLEDc93cX14s_1nIqFDxS04_SH_89HVsLT7VUgZhz971kS-1Ewy6i57JOcOmoz2aKJwYCzAEHwImH2k7SiVD6L7BKTn3_Rqbo1MCKmiG-/s400/2015-09-27+-+Montenegro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
You'll most likely fly into <b>Podgorica </b>most likely stay somewhere around <b>Budva </b>:) My tip would be to not stay directly in the city of Budva: there's not much to do and there're much more charming places to be - rent a car and you'll be free to explore the beauties of Montenegro, but will at the same time be able to have some peace and quiet if you find a cosy little village, close to the beach, without having to fight the hoards of tourists at the public beach or flocking under your windows at night.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiL2Xp4_B1LcLoM5kFeKCnpSihIHIepFkwGqA5MdlABnGbb9t0SOW_ClgesXupBpaSG2g8ZcKBrjVym8xTmDNQzWSPGEjp1Qu_5RzKJyipU7nVUjsdfNSZwik8d15bG8SGxzP6ZnE9xU2/s1600/MONTENEGRO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiL2Xp4_B1LcLoM5kFeKCnpSihIHIepFkwGqA5MdlABnGbb9t0SOW_ClgesXupBpaSG2g8ZcKBrjVym8xTmDNQzWSPGEjp1Qu_5RzKJyipU7nVUjsdfNSZwik8d15bG8SGxzP6ZnE9xU2/s400/MONTENEGRO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2>
Dangers and annoyances. </h2>
People in Montenegro are in general extremely nice and welcoming, but do beware of the local drivers, the police and parking in areas that seem to be used only by the locals. Unfortunately, I actually had to waste the whole day because some idiot messed up my windscreen wipers and I had to register with the local police (who are NOT efficient by even the lowest standards) only for the rental car dude to ignore my police report once he saw that I ACTUALLY have it :-)<br />
<h3>
Drobni Pijesak, Petrovac & Sveti Stefan</h3>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Given we stayed in the tiny village of <b>Rafailovići </b>(a 30-minute drive to Budva), an easy excursion to a new beach was to go to <b>Petrovac </b>and to <b>Drobni Pijesak</b>. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWhvBHmEUUOKZFC8_wGB2AMkzmOY_htLRN4Y0noJDkRmWHFAZbuOEqKZ1Cvmqfmir7d-ffWGWV4IHF4d6HmKN_-fBl4dUWBVmf8tnD2nUVS5JF1p_moojkKKjsK8m_N6TYvbOS7FaZKFK/s1600/2015-10-02+-+Kotor%252C+Petrovac%252C+Dobrota.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWhvBHmEUUOKZFC8_wGB2AMkzmOY_htLRN4Y0noJDkRmWHFAZbuOEqKZ1Cvmqfmir7d-ffWGWV4IHF4d6HmKN_-fBl4dUWBVmf8tnD2nUVS5JF1p_moojkKKjsK8m_N6TYvbOS7FaZKFK/s400/2015-10-02+-+Kotor%252C+Petrovac%252C+Dobrota.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Visit <b>Sveti Stefan </b>- a wonderfully beautiful hotel island on the shores of the <b>Adriatic Sea</b> next to Budva</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVS93NSIqVtrUNew6mIZoCZGZRe8la-351MT3BxVe-Og6fP6Kb1-QNlOn2uusucto9aZayEjQAM5_q5F-75Kk2kgQGMsC2Sfyzxznp-EQ4ehE13CtZ66xcXJURzKpwCOyOd-3uncIL3_mq/s1600/2015-09-27+-+Sveti+Stefan-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVS93NSIqVtrUNew6mIZoCZGZRe8la-351MT3BxVe-Og6fP6Kb1-QNlOn2uusucto9aZayEjQAM5_q5F-75Kk2kgQGMsC2Sfyzxznp-EQ4ehE13CtZ66xcXJURzKpwCOyOd-3uncIL3_mq/s400/2015-09-27+-+Sveti+Stefan-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5XOz0og0zv42_nPkDHtEQ9yQlzpCPqIfMqaNEpT9_ppRLXkzkQszUj1fD7heAbEs4xoWGmTjRSksGzpG51tr-IvmF8stkuieHfAbIvXBoAcL50UG-ZZ4HPRP_yI2qI4NO4cQU7LjEx6D/s1600/2015-09-27+-+Sveti+Stefan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5XOz0og0zv42_nPkDHtEQ9yQlzpCPqIfMqaNEpT9_ppRLXkzkQszUj1fD7heAbEs4xoWGmTjRSksGzpG51tr-IvmF8stkuieHfAbIvXBoAcL50UG-ZZ4HPRP_yI2qI4NO4cQU7LjEx6D/s400/2015-09-27+-+Sveti+Stefan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Budva (things to do in and around):</h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Roam around the <b><i>Stary Grad </i></b>(Old Town) of Budva, check out <b><i>Crkva Ivana Krstitelja</i></b> (St. Ivan Church), visit the harbour and the market.</li>
<li>Enjoy beautiful sunsets by the sea with a bottle of wine. </li>
<li>If you're driving pretty much anywhere from Budva, you'll most likely have to pass by the biggest lake in Europe, <b>Lake Skadar</b> - a pretty scenic largest stop even if you're not planning to make a one-day trip of visiting it. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh9RpxvLQCjtwNKX14-6FyOnpOumnHM3RDigIQbPMgfml-CS5X6nIKN8HJ1x7tfB6DAoG8uN-3lCBf6PE18JIbD8W7ZqEvQtMA9w0tkd4skaFEcYC9vR-UEa57Uca6rQEixP35bS0adUo/s1600/2015-09-27+-+Budva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh9RpxvLQCjtwNKX14-6FyOnpOumnHM3RDigIQbPMgfml-CS5X6nIKN8HJ1x7tfB6DAoG8uN-3lCBf6PE18JIbD8W7ZqEvQtMA9w0tkd4skaFEcYC9vR-UEa57Uca6rQEixP35bS0adUo/s400/2015-09-27+-+Budva.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ostrog Monastery</b> & Skadar Lake </h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Ostrog Monastery</b> - Ostrog monastery is also informally called "St.Basil's wonder" as no one knows how the hell you can build a monastery in a cave on a vertical cliff.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgosPBRxL7dimMefBOxXfbU2o_XAu4ILok3UaC-XaKCnwUTjFKuESwXPdHZJ2CZWHlr0SlcKhrmWpZQXv_66mUcr24SiJjvuCpYHDwDy7ck9mMJ-1YbVIAvxmr5rNdPrkCEEsHfg3nx3t/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgosPBRxL7dimMefBOxXfbU2o_XAu4ILok3UaC-XaKCnwUTjFKuESwXPdHZJ2CZWHlr0SlcKhrmWpZQXv_66mUcr24SiJjvuCpYHDwDy7ck9mMJ-1YbVIAvxmr5rNdPrkCEEsHfg3nx3t/s400/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2Pcxb5Q2sd-xA2NEVkBiM5hz1I-5yXuqKmFCnP7zI9Jajsj-mZfk35v9VMi9UojsXgOhudX1qvW-SlOW-ZtEImB6Ut9S4_lrZo3AmK_KHu1HW9GEH6zeP62usrmeyOGmxsHfvb-3swMC/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2Pcxb5Q2sd-xA2NEVkBiM5hz1I-5yXuqKmFCnP7zI9Jajsj-mZfk35v9VMi9UojsXgOhudX1qvW-SlOW-ZtEImB6Ut9S4_lrZo3AmK_KHu1HW9GEH6zeP62usrmeyOGmxsHfvb-3swMC/s400/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2JJPm5UC-he8GPkw1mRsukgMjObgDtj5McEiwLWgAOAVIcfmWuoXBngyl7Os5dvxPBs3roizRXtBLadwYzW5eMhakGGS78eblNKI3JuXSIZhi1SOyhbGt2U2e7wS2azz_wQuwoy5zSZh/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2JJPm5UC-he8GPkw1mRsukgMjObgDtj5McEiwLWgAOAVIcfmWuoXBngyl7Os5dvxPBs3roizRXtBLadwYzW5eMhakGGS78eblNKI3JuXSIZhi1SOyhbGt2U2e7wS2azz_wQuwoy5zSZh/s400/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiu6EKYJ-0Crjhjex0gki74oQ7re_6lt-QE9syqjnTtDiKRaoFBAtQmUt59Wb8WxsNF8y8K_mQH4BB4tebcaCkdHLxYFOmfZH0phWf5SQ8JZNI6G5wrN374iRUkdvqM9_WLPa7R8egHh0D/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiu6EKYJ-0Crjhjex0gki74oQ7re_6lt-QE9syqjnTtDiKRaoFBAtQmUt59Wb8WxsNF8y8K_mQH4BB4tebcaCkdHLxYFOmfZH0phWf5SQ8JZNI6G5wrN374iRUkdvqM9_WLPa7R8egHh0D/s400/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD9HhvMmdJq4y42w0yyUVJda_YnlnWiY5y4WnxghO7C0zphgVDoP6CSoNS93OwrXAE8jyL8VIrN4hGXqLu_emxPgfEy7No16Rsi7fv3bDfD1UVzzTsk9wDQ7GIPQmKL8w3HoW9LgWkrYn/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD9HhvMmdJq4y42w0yyUVJda_YnlnWiY5y4WnxghO7C0zphgVDoP6CSoNS93OwrXAE8jyL8VIrN4hGXqLu_emxPgfEy7No16Rsi7fv3bDfD1UVzzTsk9wDQ7GIPQmKL8w3HoW9LgWkrYn/s400/2015-09-28+-+Ostrog+Monastery-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bar (things to do): </b></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Watch the sunset at one of the beach bars in <b>Bar</b> (no pun intended) and eat seafood (squid and octopus I've tasted there are a reason to live per se!!!)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHUiHQ_kPOEWEq4eDPEJ8bVjtDR3FmhJSEVGOo0GYfUBMFEA29MB8Bt1rY_IlA8vHT135soSAAd9qAj2ariS4qg4VTYqcQ8xok4ByjfgboaUdF09zgfewokWOgJMywtP_I0p6jMTD8Hm7/s1600/2015-09-28+-+Skadar+Lake+%2526+Bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHUiHQ_kPOEWEq4eDPEJ8bVjtDR3FmhJSEVGOo0GYfUBMFEA29MB8Bt1rY_IlA8vHT135soSAAd9qAj2ariS4qg4VTYqcQ8xok4ByjfgboaUdF09zgfewokWOgJMywtP_I0p6jMTD8Hm7/s400/2015-09-28+-+Skadar+Lake+%2526+Bar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b>Lovćen National Park (things to do):</b></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Drive the serpentine road to <b>Lovćen National Park</b> and c<b><div style="display: inline !important; font-weight: 400;">
heck out the views of the Kotor Bay from the scenic <b>Cetinje-to-Kotor </b>road.</div>
</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP7q7DHWru5S7pS84GLL44MJ_12P-tFielj87oIAZ9pz2h3W2Go2PASJvqSD0QBowivxoV2VgHY6gFgjzXelJlGkWMAy75LYaMFPHx7cp_YqjRmJJsv4DsGkEvCpoTP3v47PcOYK3uOBb/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1280" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP7q7DHWru5S7pS84GLL44MJ_12P-tFielj87oIAZ9pz2h3W2Go2PASJvqSD0QBowivxoV2VgHY6gFgjzXelJlGkWMAy75LYaMFPHx7cp_YqjRmJJsv4DsGkEvCpoTP3v47PcOYK3uOBb/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252817%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>View the <b>Bay of Kotor </b>from away from the <b>Njegoš Mausoleum</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5ErTBCRd6LzcFytdhDmBsKH7UB_ZEs1QwrHtZlBfrAkjaXppt_0m8UvlZEHOgSIGmVr0FgD8QvTyOSl5j1iOli3pPX63JHpd8S9E8UlneYLgJ5gLfwbVT1nuKFqB-d1JQdmprQbQ65N0/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5ErTBCRd6LzcFytdhDmBsKH7UB_ZEs1QwrHtZlBfrAkjaXppt_0m8UvlZEHOgSIGmVr0FgD8QvTyOSl5j1iOli3pPX63JHpd8S9E8UlneYLgJ5gLfwbVT1nuKFqB-d1JQdmprQbQ65N0/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YRQTyNHskx2_YOgrEwZdStMXPFC3OL3Ea6vMari9uqY0Kp3eEvR-3SiZYrYepgipBKPZm6hhQwuGVwBWFTEJ2zWK3kOmEPvriqnpg1FWX_yKvbp7SaSd8l6tvgFcXHgTzdz5kJU_aEjY/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YRQTyNHskx2_YOgrEwZdStMXPFC3OL3Ea6vMari9uqY0Kp3eEvR-3SiZYrYepgipBKPZm6hhQwuGVwBWFTEJ2zWK3kOmEPvriqnpg1FWX_yKvbp7SaSd8l6tvgFcXHgTzdz5kJU_aEjY/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVLKCn9vbRtQe9LZkTqZLiHEnULXL3dXRLgBXPbg2Decsl-12YJdfNqJuNF57eH3oZpU2geuaBc-mzAfiIlkBb2UhudJnqXGjaOt8u5nGd43P9fhDeI4p3UpkFG0qA65nUjnhnwWJkbiT/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVLKCn9vbRtQe9LZkTqZLiHEnULXL3dXRLgBXPbg2Decsl-12YJdfNqJuNF57eH3oZpU2geuaBc-mzAfiIlkBb2UhudJnqXGjaOt8u5nGd43P9fhDeI4p3UpkFG0qA65nUjnhnwWJkbiT/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Descend the 462 steps of <b>Njegoš Mausoleum</b>, the final resting place of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, Montenegro's most beloved son.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztVeaUIhKttdOoiOeXABZuJ9Y8kkCzIxHrxbzpLXOX8yneSOgUS893R1Nh79lOgw_cswanP51Acz1xMK-WT_7gre1AFQ3K3_uuLEUPmVGJxTbmS758ZF9dDC2VDE9I_K610N0KK3D49ia/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztVeaUIhKttdOoiOeXABZuJ9Y8kkCzIxHrxbzpLXOX8yneSOgUS893R1Nh79lOgw_cswanP51Acz1xMK-WT_7gre1AFQ3K3_uuLEUPmVGJxTbmS758ZF9dDC2VDE9I_K610N0KK3D49ia/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsn5jhafB9YzijZSqguiQDLMTrd85RYXQUdtTwtgg5EXwxDXvAy-UxcyyJHi3193lxw5A63bDn1quyyfnH0_lnaUlxH9N0SSSTlXJaQKc8fVjjXj30IwqFH5HYsHId8yIB7UojnEDpcreG/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsn5jhafB9YzijZSqguiQDLMTrd85RYXQUdtTwtgg5EXwxDXvAy-UxcyyJHi3193lxw5A63bDn1quyyfnH0_lnaUlxH9N0SSSTlXJaQKc8fVjjXj30IwqFH5HYsHId8yIB7UojnEDpcreG/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAKyFzgs-HFHVTex5ZXdEMCCQU9BROdIf85BmJ2gSNrMAwh83_CFbN8p7ytOaN2iF_mw7t34JjinW5373ZyORwI73xvBxfcaIL0l0D3s0Wt6bduW8kPkBGMzGgbTI1HvnpDrqf4Bu3obo/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAKyFzgs-HFHVTex5ZXdEMCCQU9BROdIf85BmJ2gSNrMAwh83_CFbN8p7ytOaN2iF_mw7t34JjinW5373ZyORwI73xvBxfcaIL0l0D3s0Wt6bduW8kPkBGMzGgbTI1HvnpDrqf4Bu3obo/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4Q_v6Ex8oOrcQ7iSxq2Sniy97qcL75YV4s9s9ViWjMf-exjGTxfKlDol9dPHFJpajg4x5-36Qb7CVjZk_VRJFq4cHOmsd0cFCLFOOpYlmAjcplwN-dmdq_Ud0nK040rbnt5ynVH7Q2ee/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4Q_v6Ex8oOrcQ7iSxq2Sniy97qcL75YV4s9s9ViWjMf-exjGTxfKlDol9dPHFJpajg4x5-36Qb7CVjZk_VRJFq4cHOmsd0cFCLFOOpYlmAjcplwN-dmdq_Ud0nK040rbnt5ynVH7Q2ee/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjggJP1tN-EpoyZCV0CebZuV2-LbyhGR2j2PL6Pkb5Ae6VZZWK4slDbgZbpEHWzdlSOa50aFwGQhNNuhaisaC7lHjmrxWPBdKSvc3La6JPQWc2WYWERLWWKTEx1kkvmia41_Zb0kDVnvy/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjggJP1tN-EpoyZCV0CebZuV2-LbyhGR2j2PL6Pkb5Ae6VZZWK4slDbgZbpEHWzdlSOa50aFwGQhNNuhaisaC7lHjmrxWPBdKSvc3La6JPQWc2WYWERLWWKTEx1kkvmia41_Zb0kDVnvy/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Taste the original ham (<b style="font-style: italic;"><i style="font-weight: 400;"><b>Njeguški </b></i>pršut</b>) and cheese (<i><b>Njeguški sir</b></i>) in the village of <b>Njeguši</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcohJXTwH7FZ15vNMIMQqIxUDEH-58-GQN3jdMPjYAvtdpPZgToNZMqci1YpzyNBmwa7bUYIvzNBfga_Up5ZNGEnDG-PZR7s043-8cktxcqv1YohCzQ7HHN9z_H2Y_vUZfNu5GdygLqIo/s1600/2015-09-30+Njegu%25C5%25A1i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcohJXTwH7FZ15vNMIMQqIxUDEH-58-GQN3jdMPjYAvtdpPZgToNZMqci1YpzyNBmwa7bUYIvzNBfga_Up5ZNGEnDG-PZR7s043-8cktxcqv1YohCzQ7HHN9z_H2Y_vUZfNu5GdygLqIo/s400/2015-09-30+Njegu%25C5%25A1i.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccchajg7gFS6qcn6aDs0JsUPJA2LeLPO5I_8_KreWBKWxTkotkESaGsBVt1wf1ISeAl8IwwolTGHKCwyk4LH65bgrE9ldUCOPHtY8roQCir0aLz1LO2JmBldcH6wqjHK3C6z1DX8rf66T/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1280" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccchajg7gFS6qcn6aDs0JsUPJA2LeLPO5I_8_KreWBKWxTkotkESaGsBVt1wf1ISeAl8IwwolTGHKCwyk4LH65bgrE9ldUCOPHtY8roQCir0aLz1LO2JmBldcH6wqjHK3C6z1DX8rf66T/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRic65OAhUG5zDFkBXQFNLJrKInKkNUrYMhsGHiZiyvrIqyHSKDxgavcl-IZ1BdQPeHs0Cj95rnYtu8HyVVSKF7cJ_KQoWmdUm9UrYAaTMNI8X-LrmoHFs79MfQJVYIk3k_7CiW1PkoB4A/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1280" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRic65OAhUG5zDFkBXQFNLJrKInKkNUrYMhsGHiZiyvrIqyHSKDxgavcl-IZ1BdQPeHs0Cj95rnYtu8HyVVSKF7cJ_KQoWmdUm9UrYAaTMNI8X-LrmoHFs79MfQJVYIk3k_7CiW1PkoB4A/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCBCVr2mW9k4JOxV51EG0MWmotYxci8WbtnS7N3TJH8FFZfGM25ru4ObFvQq_p8P1Vn00nbAY_SHsydQ6WaneRASAvwadflfJuHk9fdxiZOxZQZZS_9sbs0jmmEKT6qXETVop3qFl38Fx/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1280" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCBCVr2mW9k4JOxV51EG0MWmotYxci8WbtnS7N3TJH8FFZfGM25ru4ObFvQq_p8P1Vn00nbAY_SHsydQ6WaneRASAvwadflfJuHk9fdxiZOxZQZZS_9sbs0jmmEKT6qXETVop3qFl38Fx/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveRL1FUW50tu5y9PbrnBSS2XlEs0QvhdU9Di1N5zQR1u9_QJIwDR-yz3H1KdEa9jucXjBOL-MFpH6Z0GD1fYelbrSwEZNVVhHmV9NZ15cPTvFFWQGpG47BwLMkLZJFzsUheaHFpoLHeWc/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1280" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveRL1FUW50tu5y9PbrnBSS2XlEs0QvhdU9Di1N5zQR1u9_QJIwDR-yz3H1KdEa9jucXjBOL-MFpH6Z0GD1fYelbrSwEZNVVhHmV9NZ15cPTvFFWQGpG47BwLMkLZJFzsUheaHFpoLHeWc/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqm4bUiX8aFOnmwYVn5FFM5C4YEB7-qpq5CSKD-FVhS1MThZxtCfPLc8o_T3_iDuJ-0QGDE2scxh002VXR3s_CsDx5dDe8mGHCBpZXjy6SOWLJ5c6i6JYNiFH1ykxAS7kqBaVVhG6jRG9/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqm4bUiX8aFOnmwYVn5FFM5C4YEB7-qpq5CSKD-FVhS1MThZxtCfPLc8o_T3_iDuJ-0QGDE2scxh002VXR3s_CsDx5dDe8mGHCBpZXjy6SOWLJ5c6i6JYNiFH1ykxAS7kqBaVVhG6jRG9/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor%252C+Njegu%25C5%25A1i+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bay of Kotor </b></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>The Bay of Kotor </b>can be found on a number of Most Beautiful Places To Visit Before You Die (and for a reason!). It's worth coming to Montenegro even if the Bay is the only thing you'll do there. One could rent a boat or a canoe, visit the artificially created <b>Island of St.Mary</b> </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU2dPO5R5WAR_t_VRzHBLyNVuiCHrMcqZJVgcyvqhIwc6QOCbC2k32vBECp1cLx_QMsSQE78NWWT_Mq3DjVHpj7xfQfiH_UxNJW02df1HtknbHH81BWg5UEblpE8j46O7LZRsPKd0o80k/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU2dPO5R5WAR_t_VRzHBLyNVuiCHrMcqZJVgcyvqhIwc6QOCbC2k32vBECp1cLx_QMsSQE78NWWT_Mq3DjVHpj7xfQfiH_UxNJW02df1HtknbHH81BWg5UEblpE8j46O7LZRsPKd0o80k/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The city of <b>Kotor</b> is worth spending the whole day in: walking the city walls and visiting the little shops... There's also an inside-the-mountain corridor leading to Njegoš Mausoleum up to <b>Jezerski Vrh</b>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY46sv-VXeWusmNAehukCHExzAsqUQLGtrEaQyM3LeaR9cXouueGAXL-G1W7pP2kjL9ufxCdUm8rz-MyBg7WmjfY0jh9jI9rQh4Xb90K1wz_9670rHhK1DaNNvzuylkrvSyOVYQSOzZ7Y/s1600/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY46sv-VXeWusmNAehukCHExzAsqUQLGtrEaQyM3LeaR9cXouueGAXL-G1W7pP2kjL9ufxCdUm8rz-MyBg7WmjfY0jh9jI9rQh4Xb90K1wz_9670rHhK1DaNNvzuylkrvSyOVYQSOzZ7Y/s400/2015-09-30+Lovcen+%2526+Bay+of+Kotor-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Risan & the Roman Mosaics </h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Get some muscles from the muscles farm next to <b>Ljuta</b></li>
<li>Have a look at the Roman mosaics in <b>Risan</b></li>
<li><b>Ostrvo Sveti Đorđe</b> (Island of Saint George) - an islet just off the coast of <b>Perast</b> in Bay of Kotor.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpspekVr3jHdu44Cnd74UdiajlCkoYsv6e6H5zZpmmVzWIMq8N0AmM_XYYUnCl16mYWLE8n5mlAS1oaVyiKth-tB9lqNlsOjfFtjPHyW7ingt9pqPhG-ddKa2ghhfVlzJZUMWDVyiRIzC/s1600/2015-10-03+-+Risan+%2526+the+Roman+Mosaics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpspekVr3jHdu44Cnd74UdiajlCkoYsv6e6H5zZpmmVzWIMq8N0AmM_XYYUnCl16mYWLE8n5mlAS1oaVyiKth-tB9lqNlsOjfFtjPHyW7ingt9pqPhG-ddKa2ghhfVlzJZUMWDVyiRIzC/s400/2015-10-03+-+Risan+%2526+the+Roman+Mosaics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Montenegro42.708678 19.37438999999994839.7217085 14.210815999999948 45.6956475 24.537963999999949tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-89707421930840501062018-01-16T01:36:00.001+01:002018-01-16T01:39:51.418+01:00Wiener Melange (The Cultural & Culinary Delights of the Austrian capital)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Getting Around Vienna</span></h2>
<div style="display: inline;">
<div>
You'll arrive at the <b>International Vienna Airport</b> in Schwechat, don't take the <a href="https://www.cityairporttrain.com/en/home">CAT (City Airport Train) </a>train unless you are not counting your money and really need to get to the city center in 30 minutes. If you're staying in town for a couple of days, get yourself a <b>24/48/72 hour tickets </b>(e.g. 72 hours is 16.5 euros) + (to get to & from the airport) you'll need to purchase a supplement to get to </div>
<div>
& from the city border.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIVOdr8AL-0jQU60VpzWx4T-Ua7t8L46_GS9AKvw2YRWwrEXS9PxyJ_8cSll71qy_z3IC3b9DR4dZZn1t7BPZDsy6su8g2Wm7W4cuSyx4HE-_tmGhfqQxoxKFSbB2yANsLwvc9f0escdG/s1600/Vienna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIVOdr8AL-0jQU60VpzWx4T-Ua7t8L46_GS9AKvw2YRWwrEXS9PxyJ_8cSll71qy_z3IC3b9DR4dZZn1t7BPZDsy6su8g2Wm7W4cuSyx4HE-_tmGhfqQxoxKFSbB2yANsLwvc9f0escdG/s200/Vienna.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<h2>
Walking tours </h2>
<div>
<b>FREE guided tours</b> (all tours start on H<b>elmut Zilk-Platz</b> (on the square next to the tourist office) metro: „Karlsplatz“ - U1, U2, U4) </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.goodviennatours.eu/free-walking-tour/#curated_tours_list_name=7_deadly_sins_of_krakow_tour_in_english">Good Vienna Tours </a>(10:00, 2.5 hours) </li>
<li><a href="https://www.welcometourvienna.at/">Welcome Tour Vienna</a> (10:30, 2.5 hours) </li>
<li><a href="https://www.primetours.at/tours/free-walking-tour/">Prime Tours</a> (11:00, 2 hours)</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<h3>
<b>Walk route suggestion: </b></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">A nice combo would be to walk from Maria-Theresien-Platz to the <b>Parliament </b>- <b>Rathaus </b>- <b>Burgtheater </b>– <b>Uni Wien</b> - <b>Votivkirche</b>. It's particularly amazing during wintertime, especially before Christmas, when "<b>Weihnachtsmärkte </b>(locally known as "Christkindlmärkte" (i.e. Christmas Markets). </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnCFWoUR9-jUnSbQszVHoslsY39GWOZJBbfgDVyfhIN-29zSkU_-vATxZdcma_SyKj4w3KIf8fHSpRTkICaTqrkSbatJSBaEwd3yXDw1NAkz5BYHB3LupDGJSBMMfi_eF-d6zUZssWFjR/s1600/Parliament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnCFWoUR9-jUnSbQszVHoslsY39GWOZJBbfgDVyfhIN-29zSkU_-vATxZdcma_SyKj4w3KIf8fHSpRTkICaTqrkSbatJSBaEwd3yXDw1NAkz5BYHB3LupDGJSBMMfi_eF-d6zUZssWFjR/s400/Parliament.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_pqbFPRMMwzZlx_R2k1p39cBhplUbGzi6q2Xe4wca1WIib3tK2SnGeR1jqIxnLeH-MbCVzoiGHKwHDIQpZ56fgHJB7qbwF1fpfEW0J7-ssQq2jOgMfvrsYninv1dJt40jHzBQFK0Gyj2/s1600/Weihnachtsmarkt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_pqbFPRMMwzZlx_R2k1p39cBhplUbGzi6q2Xe4wca1WIib3tK2SnGeR1jqIxnLeH-MbCVzoiGHKwHDIQpZ56fgHJB7qbwF1fpfEW0J7-ssQq2jOgMfvrsYninv1dJt40jHzBQFK0Gyj2/s320/Weihnachtsmarkt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg733Qs4Bacifst8pikDAJtvIvAd0UIdQO0WJWDRXG5zpfO-wmZrtITzrVV1fUIQkhbNQBx5DEhIfql7xFtkOijQ0fet3PbrWc_ANeK0qNBfBs3CQfCvEIa-yS1M96cYWR_8u8mwiTkSa44/s1600/Uni+Wien-Bibliothek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg733Qs4Bacifst8pikDAJtvIvAd0UIdQO0WJWDRXG5zpfO-wmZrtITzrVV1fUIQkhbNQBx5DEhIfql7xFtkOijQ0fet3PbrWc_ANeK0qNBfBs3CQfCvEIa-yS1M96cYWR_8u8mwiTkSa44/s320/Uni+Wien-Bibliothek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4wR9xRIP6QbEmLVYKj9x0nCRSQ065agJ85f02S44h9CtWOHZJqUpSFk6gEEWyJSsC9Ye47loj6p8JUfKEJNTlMsts6paThfiAPChNJhAl9v0V1MruTw0baSAEuKDI-38b8_KwTGPzcOQ/s1600/Votivkirche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4wR9xRIP6QbEmLVYKj9x0nCRSQ065agJ85f02S44h9CtWOHZJqUpSFk6gEEWyJSsC9Ye47loj6p8JUfKEJNTlMsts6paThfiAPChNJhAl9v0V1MruTw0baSAEuKDI-38b8_KwTGPzcOQ/s320/Votivkirche.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4IMV7i1PCiTXzLq4SZqkhWZRCY09b2wC0p9rzOkp03q3xnu0PLbloBbxu1DoUd5FnFOdnusAbHDaMxBjQ-0kYE4svKeiXjkcqIsMgy5frVw90oxY67hDjhoGE3EAcoNx8Q42vqU5NWkQ/s1600/Votivkirche-side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4IMV7i1PCiTXzLq4SZqkhWZRCY09b2wC0p9rzOkp03q3xnu0PLbloBbxu1DoUd5FnFOdnusAbHDaMxBjQ-0kYE4svKeiXjkcqIsMgy5frVw90oxY67hDjhoGE3EAcoNx8Q42vqU5NWkQ/s320/Votivkirche-side.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">A charming evening walk could start at <b>Stephansplatz</b>, along <b>Pestsäule </b>am <b>Graben </b>(“Graben” is a street between <b>Kohlmarkt </b>& Stephansplatz/Kärtnerstrasse), looking at the cute <b>Peterskirche and </b>going in direction of <b>Maria-Theresien-Platz</b>, past <b>Hofburg </b>(Kaiserappartements & "Sissi" Museum + Silberkammer + Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) to <b>MQ </b>(MuseumsQuartier).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimanzxCR9qtw-u72jGMnCr_8nB2IKWmnS6Xd6EfURU5XZC4c0il_nAyhT8MvAkKmG0fn845igfEhUKeGEuy3yfVubGTurdjz9_PJG5R2KHkjHc1K4MB6kiNHf7iAOBMMW5c3W_ZMN4TNHW/s1600/Stephansdom%252BHaasHaus01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimanzxCR9qtw-u72jGMnCr_8nB2IKWmnS6Xd6EfURU5XZC4c0il_nAyhT8MvAkKmG0fn845igfEhUKeGEuy3yfVubGTurdjz9_PJG5R2KHkjHc1K4MB6kiNHf7iAOBMMW5c3W_ZMN4TNHW/s320/Stephansdom%252BHaasHaus01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Rnt6W3MUKg0a0wGgqcPvi0_DXUq8UmTl9xMDcm_dnyNeqLy4XHuF-d7jbvJppOW2-YZ1kvnFZV5hknEFnsJOwEH9_Hp2tefzwnneOpv7s7IWvle9HoTk8hW1xVSkvee_vWGzRyDcghx/s1600/Stephansdom-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Rnt6W3MUKg0a0wGgqcPvi0_DXUq8UmTl9xMDcm_dnyNeqLy4XHuF-d7jbvJppOW2-YZ1kvnFZV5hknEFnsJOwEH9_Hp2tefzwnneOpv7s7IWvle9HoTk8hW1xVSkvee_vWGzRyDcghx/s320/Stephansdom-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1MYfb802-5v4nlSMcPuXhBBndiqfw2PoMRGOon-4dKX2jI7Ag0DHABVEjUqbMXWkITZQ6AFduaXVNeTQf8IaMAW2tSORwU9_chrt723k1E22cSfp9qcZ2TUAbqUAjKdZYdrgQPH3n5W/s1600/Stephansdom-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1MYfb802-5v4nlSMcPuXhBBndiqfw2PoMRGOon-4dKX2jI7Ag0DHABVEjUqbMXWkITZQ6AFduaXVNeTQf8IaMAW2tSORwU9_chrt723k1E22cSfp9qcZ2TUAbqUAjKdZYdrgQPH3n5W/s320/Stephansdom-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsNEpYJvIwc66GjK2e2jGZ9yoak5aD-2m9i1zXgrk_2xMQTRjFCOHOPhG6g_Lv2pUiWzHzGfMXHi5v1aqw-isTVSBON89e0Yr39P8esdP2mWOd9wGB_MFee1HwKJC8WDt8IYhLzjjq6h/s1600/Stephansdom-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsNEpYJvIwc66GjK2e2jGZ9yoak5aD-2m9i1zXgrk_2xMQTRjFCOHOPhG6g_Lv2pUiWzHzGfMXHi5v1aqw-isTVSBON89e0Yr39P8esdP2mWOd9wGB_MFee1HwKJC8WDt8IYhLzjjq6h/s320/Stephansdom-03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCscF3LsxhRadz_4jEt4K6TNRpixO_plSXI6OExuAfcBDatO21WpTt2mpg-44BzDWmGRNN8z1GVJzqW-g165Jzz2qJqKH9j6pGdg6VRaQYwRRYixm_Lc9zpPempljcs8HQ9-MIP0MWOtrr/s1600/Peterskirche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCscF3LsxhRadz_4jEt4K6TNRpixO_plSXI6OExuAfcBDatO21WpTt2mpg-44BzDWmGRNN8z1GVJzqW-g165Jzz2qJqKH9j6pGdg6VRaQYwRRYixm_Lc9zpPempljcs8HQ9-MIP0MWOtrr/s320/Peterskirche.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2001xVMBE9rKJtUFQQkD5ch6glkfBTzuCZFDtb4HbZOyHvNx658IH9oSuBKaR61am189vlfL4hALSBaoZloVOMShMff5y7JMYiy8-bitqbgatxeeu4SfguMfnCSkpZKaHjTrh047rnNuV/s1600/Nationalbibliothek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2001xVMBE9rKJtUFQQkD5ch6glkfBTzuCZFDtb4HbZOyHvNx658IH9oSuBKaR61am189vlfL4hALSBaoZloVOMShMff5y7JMYiy8-bitqbgatxeeu4SfguMfnCSkpZKaHjTrh047rnNuV/s320/Nationalbibliothek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.mqw.at/"><b>Museums Quartier</b> </a>– is a base for several museums (<b>MuMoK</b>, <b>Leopold Museum</b>), cafes + a location for many parties + a cool place to hang out outside when the weather is nice. All the students, but also an older hip crowd hang out here. In winter they build igloos where one can get punsch, glühwein & other delicious alcoholic & non-alcoholic delicacies. After having visited MQ one could continue on to <b>Karlskirche </b>past <b>Naschmarkt</b>-a & <b>Secession</b>, through an underground passage with some mirror art. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGDujbYM0151fxRoyCCgvEj4_TDRlb3807J2XvZ_qoglTMol_nusKI1fbmMH9CueNad_lTjbP68nXM8mvitbnwTKWAO7bcju6qXNiLV-tLjSPILOq05hhNBihy-ZVa7NZof2qJnbSOpbM/s1600/MQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGDujbYM0151fxRoyCCgvEj4_TDRlb3807J2XvZ_qoglTMol_nusKI1fbmMH9CueNad_lTjbP68nXM8mvitbnwTKWAO7bcju6qXNiLV-tLjSPILOq05hhNBihy-ZVa7NZof2qJnbSOpbM/s320/MQ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakqb2oa8qmidUofmKaoKgfJl80uAeOcn74jIF4PgYkq_J2rcD0Uew0lQfRyUpSw-RlhfCrUUu4HayU3kbB-OL6ISog_ZwPntDeCco45JbHjPHwcuAEERn3Qh0bHzdoC_H1E-Xw7CwvBNq/s1600/Karlsplatz-Secession.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakqb2oa8qmidUofmKaoKgfJl80uAeOcn74jIF4PgYkq_J2rcD0Uew0lQfRyUpSw-RlhfCrUUu4HayU3kbB-OL6ISog_ZwPntDeCco45JbHjPHwcuAEERn3Qh0bHzdoC_H1E-Xw7CwvBNq/s320/Karlsplatz-Secession.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">If it's Saturday, do have brunch at <b>Naschmarkt </b>(Neni, Deli, TeWa or The Breakfast Club).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMJW1KJmQO-RX-LbK2OM-xKaJes2vIXY6ED48K3DlfEI4S2Z2UdhMUPiMZOFS4AuvSXGOBrIJVMAkrG60hr2uI73t42cXnDQt95kQEtKjho-xTnT0otq1WYkcLoQpt9kGQwg_65sfwayy/s1600/Naschmarkt-Neni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMJW1KJmQO-RX-LbK2OM-xKaJes2vIXY6ED48K3DlfEI4S2Z2UdhMUPiMZOFS4AuvSXGOBrIJVMAkrG60hr2uI73t42cXnDQt95kQEtKjho-xTnT0otq1WYkcLoQpt9kGQwg_65sfwayy/s200/Naschmarkt-Neni.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLfj6LpyulMrb9Y6JbEE3qU67GEubYU4La8N5ZRXWEfx187D_lrM7KG7Uu_o8RjzV9mx2XVrLuLGtHcV-3czFO37BpBSyt-VR83dQveKfcRa2ca5OtlC37OqYNuRNIhzIUJlAbfA0Uj1Q/s1600/Naschmarkt-TEWA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLfj6LpyulMrb9Y6JbEE3qU67GEubYU4La8N5ZRXWEfx187D_lrM7KG7Uu_o8RjzV9mx2XVrLuLGtHcV-3czFO37BpBSyt-VR83dQveKfcRa2ca5OtlC37OqYNuRNIhzIUJlAbfA0Uj1Q/s200/Naschmarkt-TEWA.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.belvedere.at/">Schloss Belvedere</a></b> – a park & palace/museum complex, used to be a winter city residence of the Habsburg family. I prefer to visit it in summer, but it’s totally possible to visit it in winter as well, especially if you have a particular interest in royal palaces. It is not far away from the centre (close to Schwarzenbergerplatz – the monument to Soviet soldiers, who dies freeing Austria from the fascist invaders)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeK7EgmfgL2Lj7xGYZuQrfO8tqHAGCjcui8rh_4QL4WU6WzxIs0riAl9EViraV3vrd1U830ZqMuED023V4mnUEtx3kp-EaaUmmfjbDbLlC1NzALkglUPinJTOgcmCM5dUcilr2pFdy7fs/s1600/Schloss+Belvedere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="604" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeK7EgmfgL2Lj7xGYZuQrfO8tqHAGCjcui8rh_4QL4WU6WzxIs0riAl9EViraV3vrd1U830ZqMuED023V4mnUEtx3kp-EaaUmmfjbDbLlC1NzALkglUPinJTOgcmCM5dUcilr2pFdy7fs/s320/Schloss+Belvedere.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.schoenbrunn.at/"><b>Schloss Schönbrunn</b> </a>– a former summer residence of the Habsburgs; same story as with Belvedere – best seen in winter, but open to royal-crazy visitors during the whole year ;-) It is situated @ green line U4 Schönbrunn (a bit further away from the center – however, if you’re anyway already at Karlsplatz or Naschmarkt – that would be your chance to go there; bear in mind – it’ll take you at least 3-4 hours to go there/ back + have a look around the palace & the gardens/zoo).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI_u-qPGQ5CrSCHp8jCrOyD98AZLkBhfhGsapIHVfZLLlzhMg3zQeWRA9A7yeBxpwEa3s8HPE4Inn27UwXV0K2wJV4U5n9nFvkhI9bj9ETbmk13qMWs7fSBwN_QWH8fHhEBmGyQi7uQri/s1600/Schloss+Sch%25C3%25B6nbrunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI_u-qPGQ5CrSCHp8jCrOyD98AZLkBhfhGsapIHVfZLLlzhMg3zQeWRA9A7yeBxpwEa3s8HPE4Inn27UwXV0K2wJV4U5n9nFvkhI9bj9ETbmk13qMWs7fSBwN_QWH8fHhEBmGyQi7uQri/s320/Schloss+Sch%25C3%25B6nbrunn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
MUSEUMS:</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.albertina.at/">Albertina </a></b>– another cultural ‘must’ (Albertina is situated right behind the <b>Viennese Opera House </b>– definitely worth having a look at the building + eventually even queuing for the cheap tickets on the day of the performance in case you didn’t make a reservation in advance ;-)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8tKWfAhDYhe6dmUQhMmDOv8NdThYAceKaoS8W_t5YwwF7IEc9m15cWOIAR7P_nlod-n0xWkE6cr1AQ2Mq6DLodmKPbLbgPPYM_u7UZYctGB1zN-V68u4xVDjkWDFYY0iHs6UQOQmGdXZ/s1600/Albertina-outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8tKWfAhDYhe6dmUQhMmDOv8NdThYAceKaoS8W_t5YwwF7IEc9m15cWOIAR7P_nlod-n0xWkE6cr1AQ2Mq6DLodmKPbLbgPPYM_u7UZYctGB1zN-V68u4xVDjkWDFYY0iHs6UQOQmGdXZ/s320/Albertina-outside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_tiYEpkypAbjdxwggKckj5tJwaLrqeYO8g6aVBrZEaHObmen0YDe30864Zay0vgeBf_lG4oWc-lML4eBdK6kTZPeXhluMchXQ_4MgxFw205z79h4YLeNhq0-e4f9nBcYxPhgY6cWDeiK/s1600/Albertina-art-main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_tiYEpkypAbjdxwggKckj5tJwaLrqeYO8g6aVBrZEaHObmen0YDe30864Zay0vgeBf_lG4oWc-lML4eBdK6kTZPeXhluMchXQ_4MgxFw205z79h4YLeNhq0-e4f9nBcYxPhgY6cWDeiK/s320/Albertina-art-main.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.gerstner-konditorei.at/en/index.html">Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker </a></b>- if you're about to visit Albertina, consider grabbing a proper <i>Wiener Frühstück </i>(Vienna Breakfast). Yes, it'll be a pricier than at Naschmarket, but it's an experience.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoBG9NQlW8eKdWBMCVMQmfTaQQ00POXCeyetZH38iOLMudkOt_sWFqxiZRL2aEWYfv4Uuo-Rg7-wp5cqQ7ngg8xQSC7mVO9yUR1olUEK7Bub7c1-UESEsK8iJK30LRtKpXwP8WbecJCbO/s1600/Gerstner+K.+u.+K.+Hofzuckerb%25C3%25A4cker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoBG9NQlW8eKdWBMCVMQmfTaQQ00POXCeyetZH38iOLMudkOt_sWFqxiZRL2aEWYfv4Uuo-Rg7-wp5cqQ7ngg8xQSC7mVO9yUR1olUEK7Bub7c1-UESEsK8iJK30LRtKpXwP8WbecJCbO/s200/Gerstner+K.+u.+K.+Hofzuckerb%25C3%25A4cker.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.kunsthauswien.com/">KunstHaus Wien</a></b> - exhibition place designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser; mainly used for photography shows. If you’re going there don’t miss the nearby Huntertwasserhaus. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.hundertwasserhaus.at/">Hundertwasserhaus </a></b>(Kegelgasse 36-38, 1030 Wien) – another masterpiece by Hundertwasser + a museum about the artist (however, I’d recommend the museum only if you’re particularly interested in Hundertwasser as a person – after all he was an architect, so his work is best admired from the outside.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlnkqCulJ1kzUFdicf5SPAg-c_qOVlIZ7PX3xemd3agRgRVGOls-VxbHo2fcO43PQCK0uIrpAMcEYs27gTtiu2hH9lhaWpyTGCHDZa766LTpHcMaJnWE4_vX1xDK3G1f-uodKex5M2RUi/s1600/Vienna+%252868%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlnkqCulJ1kzUFdicf5SPAg-c_qOVlIZ7PX3xemd3agRgRVGOls-VxbHo2fcO43PQCK0uIrpAMcEYs27gTtiu2hH9lhaWpyTGCHDZa766LTpHcMaJnWE4_vX1xDK3G1f-uodKex5M2RUi/s320/Vienna+%252868%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">If you are already in that corner of Vienna it would be logical to also visit the nearby <b><a href="http://www.prater.at/GeneralInformation.php?LI=1">Prater </a></b>–& admire the antique <b>Wiener Riesenrad</b> (seen “The Third Man”?) and check out the attraction part <b>Würstel Prater</b>. Metro: U1 Praterstern.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuu7Ob8ms4Rif_XbIyt6UlDEL5pAhVBxbnJ5d6A1cRZX9egXreFuatSQtVo9Ni2jkysIKxEYATTQt5thHQG16ZNCNShrziMk56BHK-LqNC6ZEpN7Vu72lNQji6nRMLoiV_Jea7yOg49wy/s1600/Wiener+Riesenrad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuu7Ob8ms4Rif_XbIyt6UlDEL5pAhVBxbnJ5d6A1cRZX9egXreFuatSQtVo9Ni2jkysIKxEYATTQt5thHQG16ZNCNShrziMk56BHK-LqNC6ZEpN7Vu72lNQji6nRMLoiV_Jea7yOg49wy/s320/Wiener+Riesenrad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
SHOPPING:</h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Kärtnerstrasse </b>(a shopping street with lots of boutiques & mainstream shops; goes down to <b>Stephansdom </b>from the <b>Wiener Staatsoper)</b>;</li>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Stephansdom </b>/ <b>Stephansplatz </b>– symbol of Vienna & a very impressive Gothic/Romanesque cathedral</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsNEpYJvIwc66GjK2e2jGZ9yoak5aD-2m9i1zXgrk_2xMQTRjFCOHOPhG6g_Lv2pUiWzHzGfMXHi5v1aqw-isTVSBON89e0Yr39P8esdP2mWOd9wGB_MFee1HwKJC8WDt8IYhLzjjq6h/s1600/Stephansdom-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsNEpYJvIwc66GjK2e2jGZ9yoak5aD-2m9i1zXgrk_2xMQTRjFCOHOPhG6g_Lv2pUiWzHzGfMXHi5v1aqw-isTVSBON89e0Yr39P8esdP2mWOd9wGB_MFee1HwKJC8WDt8IYhLzjjq6h/s320/Stephansdom-03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimanzxCR9qtw-u72jGMnCr_8nB2IKWmnS6Xd6EfURU5XZC4c0il_nAyhT8MvAkKmG0fn845igfEhUKeGEuy3yfVubGTurdjz9_PJG5R2KHkjHc1K4MB6kiNHf7iAOBMMW5c3W_ZMN4TNHW/s1600/Stephansdom%252BHaasHaus01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimanzxCR9qtw-u72jGMnCr_8nB2IKWmnS6Xd6EfURU5XZC4c0il_nAyhT8MvAkKmG0fn845igfEhUKeGEuy3yfVubGTurdjz9_PJG5R2KHkjHc1K4MB6kiNHf7iAOBMMW5c3W_ZMN4TNHW/s320/Stephansdom%252BHaasHaus01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Rnt6W3MUKg0a0wGgqcPvi0_DXUq8UmTl9xMDcm_dnyNeqLy4XHuF-d7jbvJppOW2-YZ1kvnFZV5hknEFnsJOwEH9_Hp2tefzwnneOpv7s7IWvle9HoTk8hW1xVSkvee_vWGzRyDcghx/s1600/Stephansdom-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0Rnt6W3MUKg0a0wGgqcPvi0_DXUq8UmTl9xMDcm_dnyNeqLy4XHuF-d7jbvJppOW2-YZ1kvnFZV5hknEFnsJOwEH9_Hp2tefzwnneOpv7s7IWvle9HoTk8hW1xVSkvee_vWGzRyDcghx/s320/Stephansdom-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1MYfb802-5v4nlSMcPuXhBBndiqfw2PoMRGOon-4dKX2jI7Ag0DHABVEjUqbMXWkITZQ6AFduaXVNeTQf8IaMAW2tSORwU9_chrt723k1E22cSfp9qcZ2TUAbqUAjKdZYdrgQPH3n5W/s1600/Stephansdom-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1MYfb802-5v4nlSMcPuXhBBndiqfw2PoMRGOon-4dKX2jI7Ag0DHABVEjUqbMXWkITZQ6AFduaXVNeTQf8IaMAW2tSORwU9_chrt723k1E22cSfp9qcZ2TUAbqUAjKdZYdrgQPH3n5W/s320/Stephansdom-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><b style="text-align: justify;">Wiener Staatsoper - </b><span style="text-align: justify;">don't forget that you can get your 3 Euro standing tickets to see any performance at the Vienna Opera House (start queuing 2 hours before the performance) at the back of the Opera House. </span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCK2SFo1qwwVwllXFQx8Ws-SMz1T9gs1BluKApCmHaH9jpgaC_5tKwdMAUMER1Kta9LK3Jy_DhZFypSWDpaQqgENX_CYTM4YHqt49N8thOJQN4L8W_nfJ-0e5aEsGoN2ABzdYdgJGnSrwO/s1600/Wiener+Oper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCK2SFo1qwwVwllXFQx8Ws-SMz1T9gs1BluKApCmHaH9jpgaC_5tKwdMAUMER1Kta9LK3Jy_DhZFypSWDpaQqgENX_CYTM4YHqt49N8thOJQN4L8W_nfJ-0e5aEsGoN2ABzdYdgJGnSrwO/s320/Wiener+Oper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19KnqlnjY2Rn_LUtm5eELAj9-V-SiZL7OuKVKzeR3T8h6UcQheSrXsvheubQ0dJZYnVGmomiVBXC4i42J-V0ilWtmJ7viTfB1FcJppJXlTPuMPjwlgr0sC6ktXR2GXKAaTC21TdnM5qxD/s1600/Wiener+Oper-inside-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19KnqlnjY2Rn_LUtm5eELAj9-V-SiZL7OuKVKzeR3T8h6UcQheSrXsvheubQ0dJZYnVGmomiVBXC4i42J-V0ilWtmJ7viTfB1FcJppJXlTPuMPjwlgr0sC6ktXR2GXKAaTC21TdnM5qxD/s320/Wiener+Oper-inside-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiki-0iMBRS5X5Fcgc3eqHbcsh20xdKfnUTmL8zl-zx7UTm1pyGomjgFvgsbiiPyKUSoF58zkSiGVrCSv9IbHH6eXIzhB7usZXHPOpqx6VE3rSv0R6zPaGbysDWtCzK9PdUep5hhTBvhDSH/s1600/Wiener+Oper-inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiki-0iMBRS5X5Fcgc3eqHbcsh20xdKfnUTmL8zl-zx7UTm1pyGomjgFvgsbiiPyKUSoF58zkSiGVrCSv9IbHH6eXIzhB7usZXHPOpqx6VE3rSv0R6zPaGbysDWtCzK9PdUep5hhTBvhDSH/s320/Wiener+Oper-inside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Kohlmarkt </b>(expensive brand/ boutique shopping à la Tiffany’s, Channel, etc.)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Mariahilfestrasse </b>(mainly chain stores, the main shopping street in Vienna; the street starts at MuseumsQuartier & goes up to Westbahnhof).</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
NIGHTLIFE </h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
NIGHTLIFE in Vienna is centred around "Bermudadreieck" (U4 Schwedenplatz) & along Gürtel (follows U6). Have a look at http://lokaltipp.at/lokale/homepages_9 if you're looking for some PARTY time.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
GOING OUT / DANCING / LISTENING TO MUSIC:</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Babenberger Passage </b>(Burgring 3) – futuristic design, usually dance/house music. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Albertina Passage </b>(Opernring 4/1/12) http://www.albertinapassage.at – quite a “safe bet”: quality is usually live music, mostly (no guarantee, of course) relaxed atmosphere.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pratersauna</b> (Waldsteingartenstraße 135): alternative music scene, usually cool DJs are playing there, however, the place itself is not extremely “representative”. check out the program to see if maybe someone you know is performing there: http://www.pratersauna.tv</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Jazzland</b> (Franz Josefs-Kai 29) - http://www.jazzland.at – in case you like jazz J open from 19:00 live music from 21:00. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.manolos.at/">Manolos </a></b>(Volksgartenstraße 1) – they specialize in cocktail specials & salsa dancing ;-) open from 18:00 – 02:00am.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
My "insider tips" for cafés/restaurants:</h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.cafeneko.at/"><b>Café Neko</b> </a>(Blumenstockgasse 5) – first & only cat café in Vienna – you enjoy your desert & mélange while adorable cats are simply walking around (& sometimes asking for snacks)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGnV1HfY7Z6Ya9yMknOfQaDRsCqu8Zr0rAb-v0k09-8XKp5sKElaAnkL-HC5WmRcXT11wGjafGK2L38udutaO2f9PM60pZN8AihI4P6iyFGE-x-3ghNTE5isrwewrrwMQ_yebanHK-iPQ/s1600/Cafe+Neko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGnV1HfY7Z6Ya9yMknOfQaDRsCqu8Zr0rAb-v0k09-8XKp5sKElaAnkL-HC5WmRcXT11wGjafGK2L38udutaO2f9PM60pZN8AihI4P6iyFGE-x-3ghNTE5isrwewrrwMQ_yebanHK-iPQ/s320/Cafe+Neko.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://palatschinkenkuchl.wien/">Palatschinkenpfandl </a>(Grashofgasse 4) ideal for a hearty delicious Austrian meal (budget-friendly); the restaurant is known for their „Pfandl“ (pan), my all-time fave is „Wiener Pfandl“)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.demel.com/en/">DEMEL </a></b>(Kohlmarkt 14) – perfect for an astounding desert in Kaiser’s interiors (check out the 2nd floor & the glass door to the kitchen along the way). That’s the one I’ve mentioned to you over lunch.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>"<a href="http://www.plantersclub.com/">Planters</a>"</b> bar (Zelinkagasse 4) – some of the best cocktails in town in colonial –style interior – a perfect place to finish the evening; often have live music after 22:00.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wEoFoCNy3Kqizgts0tc669LVfBjQleYNYv_Zzv9s-pLS5mlpdibw3ZCwIqinR9fQRf-PGNtEEdV6cQmUlNxAN9VoOxYPVMkfaiqJgEh-2HPwBxPVaamM4jmKrmSl3M3QN_Gm5XR_pj1X/s1600/Planters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wEoFoCNy3Kqizgts0tc669LVfBjQleYNYv_Zzv9s-pLS5mlpdibw3ZCwIqinR9fQRf-PGNtEEdV6cQmUlNxAN9VoOxYPVMkfaiqJgEh-2HPwBxPVaamM4jmKrmSl3M3QN_Gm5XR_pj1X/s320/Planters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-6599-sofitel-vienna-stephansdom/index.shtml">Sofitel </a></b>(Praterstraße 1, 1020 Wien) - have a drink with a view. They totally charmed me with a <i>Liquid Apfelstrudel </i>mocktail.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDCJUCgyndPgZRaIbt401CAA3qwU_1xi0rib_QCqzVyQ8iV8RaUj1GR7VkCSqaw9k-GresmCLsuraBYBHTEeck1CU0ndzP5s0Do7ysQtEomgITJ953_l27oW4vP_gZWpSyGLETs3cHCCQ/s1600/Sofitel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDCJUCgyndPgZRaIbt401CAA3qwU_1xi0rib_QCqzVyQ8iV8RaUj1GR7VkCSqaw9k-GresmCLsuraBYBHTEeck1CU0ndzP5s0Do7ysQtEomgITJ953_l27oW4vP_gZWpSyGLETs3cHCCQ/s320/Sofitel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g190454-d1076649-Reviews-Kleines_Cafe-Vienna.html">Kleines Cafe</a></b> (Franziskanerplatz 3) – wonderful for a cosy glass of wine of Glühwein; this is the café from the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/">Before Sunrise (1995)</a> with Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke - h – watch it before going to Vienna - it’s a classic romantic movie, which however nicely showcases Viennese sights.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://lebol.at/">Le Bol</a> </b>(Neuer Markt 14) – a great French pâtisserie/café – a reservation might be required, so either try calling +43 5322 587 or drop by there 1 day before your ‘night out’ to make sure they have a nice window table ready for you (sometimes if one is lucky & it’s not peak time you can also get a table without reservation); it’s situated on a square close to Kärtnerstrasse, would make to go there if you have the Opera/Albertina/Stephansdom on your schedule.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.diglas.at/">Café Diglas</a> </b>(Wollzeile 10) – one of the typical „wiener kaffehäuser“ (Viennese coffeehouses), famous for its cakes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Qlmcr_9lFUVLHPVEBrTBWU3rfy5KTRatwkAS1Q84iQNgn6q_Kebk_0IkTBO6x-hVIo1wJD3zYroxuCggSCCfBFZulrJqExsn5Aty381cPBvA7Ly7vnELqykHGMohhrv8-SYB9f61Qok/s1600/Cafe+Digals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="719" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Qlmcr_9lFUVLHPVEBrTBWU3rfy5KTRatwkAS1Q84iQNgn6q_Kebk_0IkTBO6x-hVIo1wJD3zYroxuCggSCCfBFZulrJqExsn5Aty381cPBvA7Ly7vnELqykHGMohhrv8-SYB9f61Qok/s320/Cafe+Digals.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fischviertel am Naschmarkt </b>(<i>Naschmarkt 177-178 | 1060</i>) – delicious seafood; small, but quite impressive.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.gelato.at/" style="font-weight: bold;">Eissalon am Schwedenplatz</a> (<i>Franz-Josefs-Kai 17</i>)<b> </b>- a place I used to grab an ice-cream, but you have also sit down and rest your legs from all the walking around in the city center. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCtWeEwQdvGX6ie5Sl-ikDHbVrxosY4bwJCacNWLCc3xwsxO7rgJEXFbmwOcvBLiip6kk2ZNc9_US-tLwaveU_nSfpTaBv-Ed9pYtUaT37ONECPHZ-CZuH0KvXyeFiDcQ9fFkCaY9-0-M/s1600/Eissalon+am+Schwedenplatz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCtWeEwQdvGX6ie5Sl-ikDHbVrxosY4bwJCacNWLCc3xwsxO7rgJEXFbmwOcvBLiip6kk2ZNc9_US-tLwaveU_nSfpTaBv-Ed9pYtUaT37ONECPHZ-CZuH0KvXyeFiDcQ9fFkCaY9-0-M/s320/Eissalon+am+Schwedenplatz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.trzesniewski.at/">Trzesniewski </a></b>- their slogan is "Die unaussprechlich guten Brötchen" (unpronounceably amazing sandwiches") </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDazuGTiN5V7u7Qs3QaSX7RWBw27MfLMJuKlz3aB0MUb_k-lRiFBM2EP1QfQvDrlbgqtF3Adhng3UXFHE3-Kt7HEkcxxPF0zZrF6VEeRuGITuROB2GBAmvVWoL0-vSCo7XzfkQ0xLA5qz/s1600/Trzesniewski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDazuGTiN5V7u7Qs3QaSX7RWBw27MfLMJuKlz3aB0MUb_k-lRiFBM2EP1QfQvDrlbgqtF3Adhng3UXFHE3-Kt7HEkcxxPF0zZrF6VEeRuGITuROB2GBAmvVWoL0-vSCo7XzfkQ0xLA5qz/s320/Trzesniewski.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio11HqF9WUOj2lLaWwU4M-anCQpd91o7TBpNT8nthyO_FTIST4dbhrfarlc-YYeAu2UraC_69d6MVzsxPC1t_2hq31Scc5FnHxO5hSJ1Uddc6dgoSZyyVlky9Ixgd0Jilgt5IIPAt2sSrg/s1600/Trzesniewski-broetchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio11HqF9WUOj2lLaWwU4M-anCQpd91o7TBpNT8nthyO_FTIST4dbhrfarlc-YYeAu2UraC_69d6MVzsxPC1t_2hq31Scc5FnHxO5hSJ1Uddc6dgoSZyyVlky9Ixgd0Jilgt5IIPAt2sSrg/s320/Trzesniewski-broetchen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.hawelka.at/cafe/de/">Café Hawelka</a> </b>(<i>Dorotheergasse 6</i>)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIsVKgh2fbwRM-lk1EMdnKVnDP_W1e3F3mgnlcjEKm5FoXjnAcoGe0GNoA5KSRhPi1EnR-f4UNTIp2o5XDcz4pKJJ7grEiloDqOI8jPbWlkzNZKTKuRYJZnCVnQ_C2wVR66gZnhI3CkpE/s1600/Hawelka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIsVKgh2fbwRM-lk1EMdnKVnDP_W1e3F3mgnlcjEKm5FoXjnAcoGe0GNoA5KSRhPi1EnR-f4UNTIp2o5XDcz4pKJJ7grEiloDqOI8jPbWlkzNZKTKuRYJZnCVnQ_C2wVR66gZnhI3CkpE/s320/Hawelka.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.sacher.com/en/original-sacher-cake/sacher-cafe-en/cafe-sacher-wien-3/"><b>Café Sacher</b></a> (<i>Philharmonikerstrasse 4</i>) - home for the infamous decadent Sacher cake...</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBblVggwNLaJPI60uhekDgzqqBkAdKHv8mJnKSaDnVy19VuiRecScKn3aOifnfhw8NxhEXZ3wFey6S8bn80SUJ44tTApm2OLefl4zWzVZfdzbM4I4vlOB27eBq8OTfLnj-qiCsEKggSfz/s1600/Cafe+Sacher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBblVggwNLaJPI60uhekDgzqqBkAdKHv8mJnKSaDnVy19VuiRecScKn3aOifnfhw8NxhEXZ3wFey6S8bn80SUJ44tTApm2OLefl4zWzVZfdzbM4I4vlOB27eBq8OTfLnj-qiCsEKggSfz/s320/Cafe+Sacher.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Restaurants</b></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Austrian cuisine:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://bluemustard.at/">Blue Mustard </a>(Dorotheergasse 6-8, 1010 Wien)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB0Pcf17d9XVEgS6xyBOZTZRnJQ_yI29tPjl3pf_urnaM1-BscXSNUsHOWpG1BSj8H8yBEcNKTbAZD6VDwr2os_GPB8T6gh9LDz-z0jYuhU1scG9vdwIgfWPUCJFxPA5DJ6FrQEA4YevP/s1600/Blue+Mustard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB0Pcf17d9XVEgS6xyBOZTZRnJQ_yI29tPjl3pf_urnaM1-BscXSNUsHOWpG1BSj8H8yBEcNKTbAZD6VDwr2os_GPB8T6gh9LDz-z0jYuhU1scG9vdwIgfWPUCJFxPA5DJ6FrQEA4YevP/s320/Blue+Mustard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.silberwirt.at/" style="font-weight: bold;">Silberwirt</a><b> </b><i>(Schloßgasse 21)</i></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.griechenbeisl.at/page.asp/lang%3Den/24.htm"><b>Griechenbeisl</b> </a>(Fleischmarkt 11)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.w-einkehr.at/">Vinothek W-Einkehr</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.sektcomptoir.at/">Sekt Comptoir</a> (<i>Schleifmühlgasse 19</i>)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://restaurant-hofmeister.at/en/">Beim Hofmeister </a></b>(<i>Bräunerstrasse 7</i>) – great food</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.zwoelf-apostelkeller.at/"><b>Zwölf </b><b>Apostelkeller</b></a><b> </b>(<i>Sonnenfelsgasse 3, 1010</i>)– a bit more touristy, but still delicious</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.plachutta.at/">Plachutta </a></b>(<i>Wollzeile 38, 1010</i>) – the best place to try the famous “Tafelspitz”!!!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdHLsMIbro_jd58MdLUyf9x9YufCzJ01xGyMCV_mKQfhJalSFOQAargSLtFfLgIs6_1HP3HNafFaaUd2CHu56Y4VLAv-vU_kxw1viNZ6EYTtrAhS5u6qRtV1XN1TNACd6fAcnpeicc6iE/s1600/Tafelspitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdHLsMIbro_jd58MdLUyf9x9YufCzJ01xGyMCV_mKQfhJalSFOQAargSLtFfLgIs6_1HP3HNafFaaUd2CHu56Y4VLAv-vU_kxw1viNZ6EYTtrAhS5u6qRtV1XN1TNACd6fAcnpeicc6iE/s320/Tafelspitz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.steirereck.at/">Steirereck </a></b>(<i>Am Heumarkt 2A, 1030 Wien</i>, +43 1 7133168)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.marchfelderhof.at/">Restaurant Marchfelderhof </a>(<i>Bockfließerstraße 31, 2232 Deutsch-Wagram</i>) - a bit outside of Vienna, but totally worth the trip if you have a car. </li>
</ul>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>International cuisine:</b></h4>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Strandcafe Wien </b>(<i>Florian-Berndl-Gasse 20, 1220 Wien</i>) in the в 22nd district (@ Donau) – very casual, kind of like a beer bar – best ribs in town; ribs are served on huge meter-long wooden trays.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Santrapezo </b>(Marxergasse 5, 1030 Wien) – great Georgian restaurant.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
P.S.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
Movies to Watch before (or after) going to Vienna: </h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/">Before Sunrise (1995)</a> - A young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093428/">The Living Daylights (1987)</a> - James Bond is living on the edge to stop an evil arms dealer from starting another world war. Bond crosses all seven continents in order to stop the evil Whitaker and General Koskov.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/">The Third Man (1949)</a> - Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-52776801887247992002017-11-12T14:23:00.001+01:002017-11-12T15:14:59.926+01:00"Euthopia" or Abyssinian Adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
INTRO</h2>
It's been a while since the trip itself, so only now, having moved to London from Amsterdam and having explored some of the local attractions (see posts about <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/british-countryside.html">Bath and Bristol</a>, <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/Brighton-Sussex.html">Brighton</a><b>, </b><a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/london-baby.html">London</a> + the infamous <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/UK-road-trip.html">road trip around the UK</a>) and having been to <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/arctic-adventures-in-lapland.html">Lapland to case (but not catch) Aurora Borealis</a>, did I finally get a chance to review last year's Easter holiday in Ethiopia... So, here comes the long-awaited (haha, mostly by ME :-) ) "<b>Euthopia</b>" post.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The name <i>Euthopia </i>comes from Utopia + Ethiopia which is a tribute to - on the one side - the multiple typos that one can find EVERYWHERE in Ethiopia (ads, billboards, doormats and menus,<br />
in the Red Terror Museum:) ), and - on the other - to the surreal and bizarre (from a European's perspective) and absolutely mind-blowing life that people lead there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKMBiN4NhNLXMCk4DcIjyFw9AscDdTjK-NxWXQSQpfdq_lt7LNCxWTJr5GpJ2f6X_rCpvwW3SW5ZFHnbQTxQd3xJKjRSh64iAyNXU650Kz9M4ElG033lsf3V_dzmJWoIvxTG6m7OZDHSG/s1600/01_Intro-Ethiopia-Typo-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKMBiN4NhNLXMCk4DcIjyFw9AscDdTjK-NxWXQSQpfdq_lt7LNCxWTJr5GpJ2f6X_rCpvwW3SW5ZFHnbQTxQd3xJKjRSh64iAyNXU650Kz9M4ElG033lsf3V_dzmJWoIvxTG6m7OZDHSG/s400/01_Intro-Ethiopia-Typo-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, let's start at the beginning: my first encounter with the "local" culture started at the airport when I met a US-based Canadian Ethiopian called Semeri. Curiously enough, his cousin, Saba, runs a restaurant in Amsterdam called "<b>Ras dashen</b>", so I right away promised to check it out once I'm back home. I wished him a "<i>melkem ken</i>" ("have a good day!") and went to talk to the customs officer feeling a little nervous, but even with my Belarusian passport, a hand-written (to be fair: by Ethiopian consul) Ethiopian visa and 6 kg of dog food in my luggage (during the "fasting" season before Easter meat is particularly scarce in Ethiopia, hence my friends' 60kg "puppy" Zorzan was forced on a diet of dried dry dog food, which, as it turns out, is not easy to come in Ethiopia, you can't just drop by a pet store & buy it :-) But even with all that, I was not under suspicion and was allowed to enter Ethiopia. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
THE CONCEPT OF SPACE and TIME</h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The topic of time is quite special in Ethiopia. To start with, Ethiopians have a very different calendar from the rest of humanity. To give you an example, <i>the 5th of April 2016 </i>(a date when we checked into a hotel in <b>Gondar</b>)<i> was actually the 24th of July 2008</i><b> </b>- naturally, that's also how it was recorded in our hotel registry). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Also, a "normal" time of day is different, i.e. when it's <i>noon "international time", it's actually 6 a.m. Ethiopian time</i>, which can be VERY confusing when talking with the locals about schedules and exact times of departures, etc. That is definitely something to keep in mind: talking about specific departure times (e.g. of public buses) can be quite a challenge because of the combination of a very poor command of English that most Ethiopians have and this factual cultural difference.<br />
Ah yeah, the background: Ethiopia follows a <b>Julian calendar</b> (30 days each and the 13th month of five or six days (in a leap year).<br />
Another interesting thing is: <b>places in Ethiopia don't really have addresses</b>. People just kind of know where everything is situated and will describe to you pretty well where things are, but you won't be able to get an exact address. Even when you look things up on Google Maps (e.g. <b><i>Boston Day Spa</i></b>, you'll notice that there is a spot on the map and the address will be "Africa Ave, Addis Ababa" but it won't have a house number or - God forbid! - zip code :-)<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
BUSINESS MENTALITY and CONTEXT. </h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Unfortunately, the general "business model" is not to work hard and earn more money by eventually giving a discount, consequently having more clients and turnover, but to have crazy high prices and wait till someone not familiar with the actual prices is ready to pay it. They do give in sometimes, so it's definitely worth trying to walk away and wait for the vendor/taxi driver, etc. to offer a lower alternative price, but don't be surprised if that doesn't work as well as it might in India or in Turkey (it's Euthopia, baby!).<br />
Consequently, taxi prices in Addis are simply astronomical. For reference: 7 km (t get from the house of my friends to the <b>Ethnological museum</b>) costs 150 Birr (one way!). After 5 minutes of hard negotiation, we agreed for 300 Birr return fee with an hour of waiting while I'm at the museum. Taxi drivers in Ethiopia don't value their time too much, so often it's easier and cheaper to bargain for a return fee with waiting partially than get a taxi one way and then catch another one. Well, you can imagine, that it's also safer. Partially, I think the reason for this is that they know that in the same amount of time driving the locals around they'll never earn even half of what a "stupid foreigner" can pay for an hour of waiting.<br />
It's very likely related to the fact that the official unemployment rate in Ethiopia is 95%, which is absolutely unbelievable, but definitely confirmed by lots of people "standing around" whenever anything is happening (one person filling the gas, four people observing)... Well, with this you can imagine that a lot of unofficial unmonitored transactions are happening, e.g. street vendors selling all kinds of weird things (from socks to skipping strings (not exactly a first-necessity item on my list) and books (not helpfully: all in Amharic) at a gas station. As a foreigner in Ethiopia, pretty much everywhere you'll be confronted with <i>faranji </i>prices (prices which are much higher for foreigners than they are for the locals. Well, because of that, one must ALWAYS bargain: in some cases, tuk-tuk drivers, hotel marketing "specialists", etc. will go down with the price half the price 50% or even 100%.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8aC3-ZkpxvLzGrPfKCCitXQqDMktxWOV9NJVIN5Qp0W3bYUuzOIky1JH_StfEz29PxxBMvRos2e25wLYiGFcL0_YhtxACoaIozhv54lPlyg9hwHK0vh28IAi44uDHjmWG0h5HHGJV_a6/s1600/Ethiopia-Taxi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="1600" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8aC3-ZkpxvLzGrPfKCCitXQqDMktxWOV9NJVIN5Qp0W3bYUuzOIky1JH_StfEz29PxxBMvRos2e25wLYiGFcL0_YhtxACoaIozhv54lPlyg9hwHK0vh28IAi44uDHjmWG0h5HHGJV_a6/s400/Ethiopia-Taxi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
FOOD, DRINK and ... HYGIENE</h2>
<div>
One important thing to be prepared for in Ethiopia is: be prepared that "You can order whatever you want, the waiter will bring whatever he wants" :-) So, it's important to know the main dishes and what they mean, however, you can never be too sure you'll get exactly what you ordered. All in all, the food is cheap in Ethiopia, hotels are not. You can eat at local Ethiopian places for around a dollar and have a nice vegetarian meal (with meat it would be 2 dollars but you never know if the meat is good while the vegetarian options usually are). A "faranji" (white people/foreigner) restaurant would be between $5-50 per meal ($50 being the nicest Italian in town with a glass of wine and a starter). On the food-related topic of hygiene: I do strongly encourage you (even if you're doing a faranji holiday eating in fanciest places!) to bring alcohol-based cleanser with you as there's almost never any soap (or water) in the washrooms. On the same note, have a generous supply of paper towels/napkins - as you can imagine, toilet paper (esp. in public bathrooms) is either non-existent or strictly rationed :-) We were there during the fasting (lent) season, so as you can imagine (remember my friend's puppy-on-a-diet as the meat wasn't readily available?) it's advisable to eat vegan unless completely sure about the restaurant. When in doubt: order an injera/beyenatu (spongy pancake with lots of stewed sides - like lentils and veggies on it. Another curious dish is tagamino is another dish, which combines injera with shiro (powdered chickpeas or broad bean meal). An interesting meal experience could be ordering a "special fata": the waiter/waitress will bring you a basket of bread and you'll break it with your own hands, then the waiter will take the basket back to the kitchen and will make your dish with the bread that you broke.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wqD8g5emFxH_sdNL6CZV_A9IPoeiyyofpRkHavk2ZBlSYejDV2mv8c21ijR8RHbVIgcVuS4pvnw5DAbt989qFZDmcCPExQ9kJTFLO3hOscNEwnmm7WJ2kboNsRYtc-5V_9JHiqFeyelC/s1600/Ethiopia-Food-Beyenatu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wqD8g5emFxH_sdNL6CZV_A9IPoeiyyofpRkHavk2ZBlSYejDV2mv8c21ijR8RHbVIgcVuS4pvnw5DAbt989qFZDmcCPExQ9kJTFLO3hOscNEwnmm7WJ2kboNsRYtc-5V_9JHiqFeyelC/s320/Ethiopia-Food-Beyenatu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">On a healthier, more fruity note: you'll be pleasantly surprised with the prices for fresh juices and smoothies (less than $1!), if you're looking for a reason to move to Ethiopia, well, in my opinion, that would be it! Oh, haha, and don't forget to try tej (honey wine) - going to one of the local tej houses and drinking with the locals will be an experience you'll never forget!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eY8ixOnzRv2xlVhcF80iud2zQoOl4MVp1BX6uLhogu0m9h_5qpBaobCQwHLhl34dplpm0mMSbX__Pn1SWCVtM3_JYm5C9KfLBTRkQl2WaMnelt0PPRieZtB2b1CEIUWJc8jdajivPPyG/s1600/Ethiopia-Food-Smoothies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eY8ixOnzRv2xlVhcF80iud2zQoOl4MVp1BX6uLhogu0m9h_5qpBaobCQwHLhl34dplpm0mMSbX__Pn1SWCVtM3_JYm5C9KfLBTRkQl2WaMnelt0PPRieZtB2b1CEIUWJc8jdajivPPyG/s400/Ethiopia-Food-Smoothies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaEzD4zS8AZUbh9rylkoA5BqQuq8Z-SVp0r6ph3hDy7AEri7ghxrjLK6bbgtfdANIqCqRMo-yLrSV7-ylfouAOmQTfkVOeW_UINUtlPh0EdTLqV6zSaH2JBcY-I53owvukKFi5BR_cvp6/s1600/Ethiopia-Tej.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaEzD4zS8AZUbh9rylkoA5BqQuq8Z-SVp0r6ph3hDy7AEri7ghxrjLK6bbgtfdANIqCqRMo-yLrSV7-ylfouAOmQTfkVOeW_UINUtlPh0EdTLqV6zSaH2JBcY-I53owvukKFi5BR_cvp6/s400/Ethiopia-Tej.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<b>ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Thank you! = Amesgnalehu</div>
</li>
<li>Excuse me = Yikrta</li>
<li>Bill, please! = Hisab</li>
<li>Cheers could be said in different ways, for example, "<i>letenachin</i>" (as in "<i>to our health</i>") "<i>ledestachin</i>"<i> </i>(as in "<i>to our happiness</i>").</li>
<li><i>Shirit </i>- a traditional Ethiopian 'blanket' that a lot of people. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>
ETHIOPIAN DESTINATIONS</h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b>ADDIS ABABA</b></h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Addis is well-known to be a great training ground for professional long-distance runners (seen jogging all around Addis, particularly in the morning): situated at the altitude of 2'500m, Ethiopian capital offers a unique natural setting for training resilience. This, combined with all the bizarre and unusual things happening all around us, made me constantly ask myself a question: <i>"Are we high?!</i>" :-)<br />
It's different, sometimes scary, and many things are simply contradictory and ironic. There's religious dogmatism defining the lives of the population, but there's a weird degree of naivety reining the nation. Homosexuality is a criminal offence, but all men are holding hands in public, they're quite puritan about sex, but there're billboards of lubricant called "Smooth Move" are all over the capital. So, all the time that I was there, I kept on wondering: are they taking a piss or are they just THAT naive? And I think... it's both :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pfEq3E7TyWBaG6p6O6rvAm-bU7wGh-1U_X8ZJbgC7xzJ7dGIr9FwcBQ-ngr2qkifpHPb_iVw4GuOWoallltdO73d9oRIc5LaAcIzzaSo4Dcvh91fhyphenhyphenot3JqZFMVPChtiYzeVJXFFR7wq/s1600/Ethiopia-Hand-Holding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="772" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pfEq3E7TyWBaG6p6O6rvAm-bU7wGh-1U_X8ZJbgC7xzJ7dGIr9FwcBQ-ngr2qkifpHPb_iVw4GuOWoallltdO73d9oRIc5LaAcIzzaSo4Dcvh91fhyphenhyphenot3JqZFMVPChtiYzeVJXFFR7wq/s640/Ethiopia-Hand-Holding.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h4>
Addis sights and restaurants</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_5lOjsZiWS0d-Yn8g7xTStDyLZ6DuLISDTFVW4cRPCyLc3cde5pB2mwD57ChrjbhlIOoQ_VosZ_ryeYUo4b0beAdwNkYXJeBtsEWZBQSufijOSYTxeCcBUE6dSRQVP1MK1FaEMD9aKSD/s1600/Ethiopia-The+Ethnological+Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_5lOjsZiWS0d-Yn8g7xTStDyLZ6DuLISDTFVW4cRPCyLc3cde5pB2mwD57ChrjbhlIOoQ_VosZ_ryeYUo4b0beAdwNkYXJeBtsEWZBQSufijOSYTxeCcBUE6dSRQVP1MK1FaEMD9aKSD/s400/Ethiopia-The+Ethnological+Museum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>"Red Terror" Martyrs' Memorial Museum</b> - considered one of the best museums in Addis, it tells the story of Red Terror (Qey Shibir), which was a violent political campaign against competing Marxist-Leninist groups in Ethiopia and Eritrea in the 70s.</li>
<li><b>The Ethnological Museum - </b>I'd say if you have time to see one museum, then do chose that one: it's definitely the most logical museum that I've seen in Ethiopia: it had a red line and a logical approach (that's not a given in Ethiopia!) towards history, detailing reasons for war and backing up theories with specific documents, historical facts and events that led up to it.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>St.George's Cathedral</b> - distinctively octagonal, there's a pretty park around it. </li>
<li><b><i><a href="http://kurifturesortspa.com/boston">Boston Day Spa</a> </i></b>- best massage I've ever had in my life and + the pedicure was pretty great, too.</li>
<li><b><i>Le Grand Reve </i></b>- (apparently), the best Belgian restaurant in town. </li>
<li><b><i>Yod Abyssinia</i> </b>- absolutely lovely cultural restaurant, you can try all traditional dishes there, dinner will be accompanied by live music and dance performances (albeit slightly modernized/adapted for tourists).</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b>LALIBELA</b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3iQExs5y3zDl8kl9FZKtUF87zEafuEhOfEWkwappWE79KIUrn5BHjdKjPlkqaXQWa-Kf_SpcSIwCNeZNY82_JIMkAyl5Mc_62i1cUYj7BwT-c8-QgFUMsm8lRD7bVZAkm3W827GrWWUd/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-Visitors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1597" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3iQExs5y3zDl8kl9FZKtUF87zEafuEhOfEWkwappWE79KIUrn5BHjdKjPlkqaXQWa-Kf_SpcSIwCNeZNY82_JIMkAyl5Mc_62i1cUYj7BwT-c8-QgFUMsm8lRD7bVZAkm3W827GrWWUd/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-Visitors.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, after being welcomed and toured around by our friends in Addis, we took our first self-organized excursion and flew to <b>Lalibela</b>, the mysterious beautiful UNESCO world heritage home of rock-hewn churches dating back at least to the 12th century.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoJdAsp46lXY6VF9B-dxtHpP2QSBgPtf792ISYcXryV5MROWNunjUF4AheQIjfk8nScvovIy9ahQg3d1pbN8FHcm3_JGxRP3M5DjxcmyudaVxX-8I09PoxACy9Nl8J-MOemZ2na3OzW6a/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoJdAsp46lXY6VF9B-dxtHpP2QSBgPtf792ISYcXryV5MROWNunjUF4AheQIjfk8nScvovIy9ahQg3d1pbN8FHcm3_JGxRP3M5DjxcmyudaVxX-8I09PoxACy9Nl8J-MOemZ2na3OzW6a/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Portrait.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Ao1xy7mjBDKG6YjxR7OlNqrWONBjjGXnKxj3B4bUNvr9PMkrel6t_71gXCpluzTcRdiMD8dPRrlosru8zKvOzf-kLOLh1h8zl0BIQow9oMfaAHHtap3yuRWpGNdgZnLT8mW9rJs3Ny8/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Churches-trio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Ao1xy7mjBDKG6YjxR7OlNqrWONBjjGXnKxj3B4bUNvr9PMkrel6t_71gXCpluzTcRdiMD8dPRrlosru8zKvOzf-kLOLh1h8zl0BIQow9oMfaAHHtap3yuRWpGNdgZnLT8mW9rJs3Ny8/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Churches-trio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Lalibela is situated in a pretty remote area, far away from any major water source, so, on the way there, it was fascinating to learn about the free door-to-door distribution of water by the government (daily dose it 5 litres per person): it's being brought in a car with a big tank and people are queueing up with various vessel to get it... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our friends helped us organize a hotel as well as a guide (ca. 350 Birr/15$ per for half a day of service) in Lalibela and we spent 2 days exploring 2 groups of churches scattered around that area (bring a torch for the <i>Gabriel-Rufael </i>and <i>Bet Merkorios </i>tunnel). All churches are done in a very different style (mainly with Aksumite characteristics) and with different artisanship. The churches are believed to have been ordered by the King Lalibela (who, in his turn, was ordered by God) in order to build the New Jerusalem so that pilgrims didn't have to do a dangerous and long journey to the real Jerusalem in Israel.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BIhyQkoD99-2UNoz89ttF4FeDvICOtDsRvFyv-ifFaXo32D2rbXWX2KpzS9D3GnmQw_81s5Hg2EWhPwGEbXmNuUtCHL44lmoN4eBuCMfx7y_3zJyPBPpGWJ_lq3XCAutS1tbb9gND1qE/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Tourists.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BIhyQkoD99-2UNoz89ttF4FeDvICOtDsRvFyv-ifFaXo32D2rbXWX2KpzS9D3GnmQw_81s5Hg2EWhPwGEbXmNuUtCHL44lmoN4eBuCMfx7y_3zJyPBPpGWJ_lq3XCAutS1tbb9gND1qE/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Tourists.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Be prepared (coming back to the topic of faranji prices) that admission to the <b>Lalibela Church Area</b> is quite pricey (1000 Birr = 50$). Sure, it's a unique experience, but it did feel like a bit of a rip-off, given that most people in Ethiopia don't earn that amount of money in a month, especially not in that rural area of the country. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The town of Lalibela is pretty nondescript: there's one street that leads to the churches from a couple of hotels (<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g480193-d2353470-Reviews-Ben_Abeba-Lalibela_Amhara_Region.html"><b>Ben Abeba </b>- "good view, great food"</a> Vs. <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g480193-d3583016-Reviews-Mountain_View_Hotel_Bar_Restaurant-Lalibela_Amhara_Region.html">Mountain View Hotel</a> </b>- "great view, OK food").<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfwCeOO8_Jy8GXOd6_oRVOfdv6XMrGxYljb6192M8USl32G2_-4K1iyc-1QQkS0Z9IVL3_dYL7G-TPcitcS0IK6mzZLhsaJnfa9hmc4q0lts6eQACZ2sJx8DXZytW8I6-jzIHVepeASnN/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1562" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfwCeOO8_Jy8GXOd6_oRVOfdv6XMrGxYljb6192M8USl32G2_-4K1iyc-1QQkS0Z9IVL3_dYL7G-TPcitcS0IK6mzZLhsaJnfa9hmc4q0lts6eQACZ2sJx8DXZytW8I6-jzIHVepeASnN/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-View.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
Along the way (if you chose to walk and not take tuk-tuks), which are absolutely ubiquitous around tourist places like that), you'll have to pass by a street where local kids are playing table hockey and all the other kids are running around screaming <i>"hello, welcome!" </i>at you (haha, both me and Anton agreed that we've "never felt so welcome in our lives" :-) Sometimes such hospitality is innocent and is driven by genuine curiosity, but don't be fooled, one of the most common schemes is that a kid tries to touch your hand, they chat you up, tell you their name and ask about yours (to build an emotional connection with you). Then they'll tell you about how they need to do their homework and ask you afterwards to either give them money or to get them a book at a local shop, after which they'll exchange the book for cash :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-SjWlqjJzaClj5Ctmr42JuxppNRLWyAK9V2NJ4nfYpBOoE9ARdt0HNVJflJd9dfScvYW4IrYZjL0T9wCkkCRB0pA_UmMlqjZDIyJEOu-DvdvYfTDfEQ7SlGN9hxUdSQnMi8lqiyijVXB/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="1600" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-SjWlqjJzaClj5Ctmr42JuxppNRLWyAK9V2NJ4nfYpBOoE9ARdt0HNVJflJd9dfScvYW4IrYZjL0T9wCkkCRB0pA_UmMlqjZDIyJEOu-DvdvYfTDfEQ7SlGN9hxUdSQnMi8lqiyijVXB/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-Kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksGWpz0MwJZxMJr8yi5a4zGX5b9I6FtGf0ZiKC40VCL0syK18rrL686U9_LYo4XXZRZb5G7a0H3i2zuumjH6TmMg_L5BPNuVraRRFd3uM87jI5RqvoHL2i6nuWFVYxNx7F5-YLrbpK97f/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksGWpz0MwJZxMJr8yi5a4zGX5b9I6FtGf0ZiKC40VCL0syK18rrL686U9_LYo4XXZRZb5G7a0H3i2zuumjH6TmMg_L5BPNuVraRRFd3uM87jI5RqvoHL2i6nuWFVYxNx7F5-YLrbpK97f/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhFJtrV_h3SSIYMTEb7fI2wa7WjfGNINN1Ubqcoue2nmUGLuT3Xp029m_koG1h_7Im_z72Mq_aET2Qdg5C89qx0Jf5mqeveDm6ELcBRuVnnxGoB04FVnY5vzlgagobVQLQd9Ar13lAhc7/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Streets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhFJtrV_h3SSIYMTEb7fI2wa7WjfGNINN1Ubqcoue2nmUGLuT3Xp029m_koG1h_7Im_z72Mq_aET2Qdg5C89qx0Jf5mqeveDm6ELcBRuVnnxGoB04FVnY5vzlgagobVQLQd9Ar13lAhc7/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Streets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26yjj3D4cqgj5SOECZjPjQB4IllMGOk8DoWJ78ROsCJTJgA-1KI6sBHRcb6BG7RFcjId5dYH_EzrFlJ4PnSSwERouiPWcD_D7Q3VWbaUa-9jilT9riRSkG4r8MtUsTyg4nph-YflMUExL/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Chilli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="1600" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26yjj3D4cqgj5SOECZjPjQB4IllMGOk8DoWJ78ROsCJTJgA-1KI6sBHRcb6BG7RFcjId5dYH_EzrFlJ4PnSSwERouiPWcD_D7Q3VWbaUa-9jilT9riRSkG4r8MtUsTyg4nph-YflMUExL/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Chilli.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our guide was quite knowledgeable and we did learn a couple of interesting tidbits about the history of the churches and the area and local life. For example, it was curious that to build a<u> little hut like the one on the picture below</u>, one needed approximately 5000 bricks and with a price of one brick being approximately $1, it wasn't hard to calculate that housing is ... pretty expensive! :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBIDDCoZmSuEPuF8JYkW4Ujol-_krZ1MjD8dL6oCGDkSRrcaNAwcwQP1vJ5924Q3cl7wvr-N5Gc-gUvkTkX4JPKRzIiwVg0rixJV8pMk9foBN8xxILc4fyIMjSMSRFqGymDoniioBlj71/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Houses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBIDDCoZmSuEPuF8JYkW4Ujol-_krZ1MjD8dL6oCGDkSRrcaNAwcwQP1vJ5924Q3cl7wvr-N5Gc-gUvkTkX4JPKRzIiwVg0rixJV8pMk9foBN8xxILc4fyIMjSMSRFqGymDoniioBlj71/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Houses.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One of the things that I found particularly humorous was that <u>in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition people are shown from the side, they're bad and evil </u>- you can imagine that upon learning that we spent most of the take taking profile pictures of ourselves in front of the churches :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeCFNcBSdac8wDzDmHOKcSOeMlWCcMNwoCeQX8HiSZDS1F49eF3RO6UGF9sFYFDRN6HiphL9vG_G-lEV_Ea3raTfFTZv8EdVMzd5FJoxrHwfMxOX9102olcWslHTx2PUjlYTmDasB6tqQ/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-People.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeCFNcBSdac8wDzDmHOKcSOeMlWCcMNwoCeQX8HiSZDS1F49eF3RO6UGF9sFYFDRN6HiphL9vG_G-lEV_Ea3raTfFTZv8EdVMzd5FJoxrHwfMxOX9102olcWslHTx2PUjlYTmDasB6tqQ/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Church-People.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO4dhA-lvvVR8Qw0LFlbkHdSaQ2SYM_vOCX9qPbfqUj1TzvxyNck9K6i5EXVGA4oTeKkP8OC3U_boK1StmetZgsrLy26bc2XzfRFTdrA2BXftiZwzdd8pLfhe7Ljk_CjTn4DHgiRlC47g/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Churches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO4dhA-lvvVR8Qw0LFlbkHdSaQ2SYM_vOCX9qPbfqUj1TzvxyNck9K6i5EXVGA4oTeKkP8OC3U_boK1StmetZgsrLy26bc2XzfRFTdrA2BXftiZwzdd8pLfhe7Ljk_CjTn4DHgiRlC47g/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Churches.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As roads are pretty terrible in Ethiopia, the easiest way to get around the country is by plane, and there're airports close to all major cities, however air travel is quite expensive by local standards, so airports are pretty small, which was illustrated for me in a quick exchange with an airport clerk at the tiny Lalibela airport. When I asked: "<i>Which gate does the plane to Gonder depart to</i>?", the airport official smiled and politely answered: "<i>There's only ONE gate, ma'am!</i>" :-D<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6kIBlF9Xu5Fx9hHDwuW_IIDEc6FwdJXsJNm2uDwOuCsdKyxE9e_nqTXwDZ-vK4eFcuY6PaCTYY-RPI4uZQzn_Tb_XH9w4A-5ZZkzZTkl97mc15sRcQUDrV8eqvp0c1xctfhoqvKp57d0/s1600/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1598" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6kIBlF9Xu5Fx9hHDwuW_IIDEc6FwdJXsJNm2uDwOuCsdKyxE9e_nqTXwDZ-vK4eFcuY6PaCTYY-RPI4uZQzn_Tb_XH9w4A-5ZZkzZTkl97mc15sRcQUDrV8eqvp0c1xctfhoqvKp57d0/s400/Ethiopia-Lalibela-Airport.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
<h3>
GONDAR and SIMIEN MOUNTAINS</h3>
We started off by having a traditional coffee ceremony in Gondar, organized a one-day trip to the <b>Simien Mountains </b>with a local travel agency and then went to see the <b>Gondar Castle </b>(<b>Fasil Ghebbi</b>).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdv6FFbv8IMaZXBHVUnJiP0Qkl0E-jwguRCMZPK3S3WCJksnN7HgGoVRIsp9nWAWUzvB_Sc23dcxc4aVfDRnqpK7EWBCHdVgQrjcgFaWDnnBsd29yf5vUu0oXAvvxAbQHxNwoc3L5AMvu8/s1600/Ethiopia-Gondar-Coffee-Ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdv6FFbv8IMaZXBHVUnJiP0Qkl0E-jwguRCMZPK3S3WCJksnN7HgGoVRIsp9nWAWUzvB_Sc23dcxc4aVfDRnqpK7EWBCHdVgQrjcgFaWDnnBsd29yf5vUu0oXAvvxAbQHxNwoc3L5AMvu8/s400/Ethiopia-Gondar-Coffee-Ceremony.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Despite being a bit overpriced, the walled ruins of a 17th-century residence of Emperor Fasilides are a pretty cool sight to visit. However, this is where I also learned that as a white woman in Ethiopia, it's really better to stick to your group, friends or whoever is in your party), as while I was waiting for Anton (literally, for 5 minutes) outside of the Castle's walls, I was attacked by a local crazy person who gave me a slap on the head, attacking me from behind. Thankfully, he didn't hit me that hard, and his intention was most likely just to "touch" as bystanders explained to me later, but it was nonetheless a very scary moment, well, I seem to learn my lessons the hard way... :-S<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAkUSoNLE3Kxf2THtB0PMU2nWnDBIyou0-axlW-ldLCXxvVi7_hCVqA36NTdh-a4LRkz0cIhcn7L7o_eC3c8opgTBXIhOr6cdtd1zoDu0l98Q3xSTzfG5WR9lTvlg3IchyphenhyphenZct8B5CaLm2/s1600/Ethiopia-Gondar-Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAkUSoNLE3Kxf2THtB0PMU2nWnDBIyou0-axlW-ldLCXxvVi7_hCVqA36NTdh-a4LRkz0cIhcn7L7o_eC3c8opgTBXIhOr6cdtd1zoDu0l98Q3xSTzfG5WR9lTvlg3IchyphenhyphenZct8B5CaLm2/s400/Ethiopia-Gondar-Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Next day was reserved for the <b>Simien Mountains</b>, which is a very beautiful trip and often travellers prefer to stay there for several days, but we were on a schedule, so had to make compromises. It's full of dramatic mountain and bush-scapes and, naturally, a presence of an armed one-eyed guard makes any trip much more exciting and than it actually is :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4s1LXuaSd6LtbWCKvhoebPvGtv8lHzZ8Ari2rQ7U9Mk3UJ3e62OVS4Uf8fzjvSO2nZajcF7isrDQZLe18w9ASgvvz0dhhIZbjhaoy5c5GdpdTfjfM75ew-zuy1oA_Xv297iGicfzj31Rv/s1600/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4s1LXuaSd6LtbWCKvhoebPvGtv8lHzZ8Ari2rQ7U9Mk3UJ3e62OVS4Uf8fzjvSO2nZajcF7isrDQZLe18w9ASgvvz0dhhIZbjhaoy5c5GdpdTfjfM75ew-zuy1oA_Xv297iGicfzj31Rv/s400/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nhn3fpsurcDEZ2iG28Li4RuFON1K5PhoBzW8mmmrXkspGHcfa5yz5DVEG38o_hkVJWrLmPHq2jkWArsOTON1BiYtXiUC_UDQlX_x-sbfNxdvd2y9eaPlgirhvbo05S8k8ovOjYWH_jn3/s1600/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nhn3fpsurcDEZ2iG28Li4RuFON1K5PhoBzW8mmmrXkspGHcfa5yz5DVEG38o_hkVJWrLmPHq2jkWArsOTON1BiYtXiUC_UDQlX_x-sbfNxdvd2y9eaPlgirhvbo05S8k8ovOjYWH_jn3/s400/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0z2WV0fIo1qPfMgw-ZuQ1rZXfbru9GCBJc8YdIt0wgWQBo9YidSd8ofF7BPsjJgn9DcwIhQRTxtw7hQrGDmruwxhLsFhR0yailRl27hCm8okiztQpuWdArFVJvyIVcpvmyfs2u1h4vH1/s1600/Ethiopia-Gondar-Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0z2WV0fIo1qPfMgw-ZuQ1rZXfbru9GCBJc8YdIt0wgWQBo9YidSd8ofF7BPsjJgn9DcwIhQRTxtw7hQrGDmruwxhLsFhR0yailRl27hCm8okiztQpuWdArFVJvyIVcpvmyfs2u1h4vH1/s400/Ethiopia-Gondar-Collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4nrtHsduoRMSPb7mUa_Pyl1gj3NBrE3VFb9-cRgjfi2nIh1Sc4IUrvu5phTH2XcPYB72wLLQzivt2SR8tXVbbm81zM9WNQToco6taqI8rNfuwADXdcN5OSb-ottKcto_G7oa-d7zJXi4/s1600/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4nrtHsduoRMSPb7mUa_Pyl1gj3NBrE3VFb9-cRgjfi2nIh1Sc4IUrvu5phTH2XcPYB72wLLQzivt2SR8tXVbbm81zM9WNQToco6taqI8rNfuwADXdcN5OSb-ottKcto_G7oa-d7zJXi4/s400/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-03.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSISSYwq0p4U6DVIki-e5JWmmXqd81uZLSFm-ZLtyTt5Vt7pk4EB8_iwSvJkePz6-s7_FA-vpq1pXCP4FJt5C3fEG3YIY2HCfravNhCOmTpIev-J-mxh3ziiCFcLs4R-b1EkVVpRHtHg_B/s1600/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSISSYwq0p4U6DVIki-e5JWmmXqd81uZLSFm-ZLtyTt5Vt7pk4EB8_iwSvJkePz6-s7_FA-vpq1pXCP4FJt5C3fEG3YIY2HCfravNhCOmTpIev-J-mxh3ziiCFcLs4R-b1EkVVpRHtHg_B/s400/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi346eerc8ckicJMfokoS4I7qY_wykd2iM6zpFSwti2PFWmhyphenhyphenMzYqvbUgt8uhRzROXcSr2HCElVzadG7Tt8HPSpaAVG5uJkuGJ_EV57Oq-6Cg9A-E4xpA58WXci4ub-abh-AP50qtS3g46m/s1600/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi346eerc8ckicJMfokoS4I7qY_wykd2iM6zpFSwti2PFWmhyphenhyphenMzYqvbUgt8uhRzROXcSr2HCElVzadG7Tt8HPSpaAVG5uJkuGJ_EV57Oq-6Cg9A-E4xpA58WXci4ub-abh-AP50qtS3g46m/s400/Ethiopia-Simien+Mountains-05.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
From Gondar, I took a flight to Aksum (Anton took a bus, well, what can I say: he really likes cheap, dangerous and uncomfortable rides), so we met up already in Aksum.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4-iHFWqw3qsH2yer0eE3KenW6S87lC3lX-OYYOt1PEIjqBi1smMPiMVi7YuKH_KPPB0FmScS_h1LCoJvHr1E_Iv0ErNgzZNx0Xt598nru-LF4XE2f6YOJlK2GfE5jME15kAYZhL27hiq/s1600/Ethiopia-Gondar-Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4-iHFWqw3qsH2yer0eE3KenW6S87lC3lX-OYYOt1PEIjqBi1smMPiMVi7YuKH_KPPB0FmScS_h1LCoJvHr1E_Iv0ErNgzZNx0Xt598nru-LF4XE2f6YOJlK2GfE5jME15kAYZhL27hiq/s400/Ethiopia-Gondar-Airport.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
AKSUM (TIGRAY PROVINCE)</h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The capital of the ancient <b>Kingdom of Axum </b>(present-day Eritrea and Ethiopia), Aksum is quite famous for its <b>Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion </b>(which is considered to be the most important church in Ethiopia as it claims to have the <b>Ark of the Covenant</b>) and the King Ezana's stelae and obelisks. As I had time to kill, I hired a local guide by the name of Tilahun (who went by "Tome") and he gave me a private guided tour of the Obelisk Field, which was pretty cool.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVBllpJZLbYR2Uec2FqwA3DvUMm3pzcsLVqBO5UGeO9_qUN8CY8YQ9DqhQzjX9RTOku8W-xjeg9rD7h77InxL9fKRRrlNv2ZGhMCes-NeDGsBRWW0w6NYcFPz_VQrmBG4TUmxrgkqHbLK/s1600/Ethiopia-Aksum-Camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVBllpJZLbYR2Uec2FqwA3DvUMm3pzcsLVqBO5UGeO9_qUN8CY8YQ9DqhQzjX9RTOku8W-xjeg9rD7h77InxL9fKRRrlNv2ZGhMCes-NeDGsBRWW0w6NYcFPz_VQrmBG4TUmxrgkqHbLK/s400/Ethiopia-Aksum-Camera.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPqkd_I7KFKrQiaPvkSIROJl9YBEKlydOrRLXu7i3Az6kJp61QFJk8VeMAlmd9qALEZKI11s9p5RIqSrB0nlSOKD3_s3BsVTIidpuAA3gZtuaRhOzjUChINTSWJH87Frr9NEfoSnvPBSM/s1600/Ethiopia-Aksum-iPhone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPqkd_I7KFKrQiaPvkSIROJl9YBEKlydOrRLXu7i3Az6kJp61QFJk8VeMAlmd9qALEZKI11s9p5RIqSrB0nlSOKD3_s3BsVTIidpuAA3gZtuaRhOzjUChINTSWJH87Frr9NEfoSnvPBSM/s400/Ethiopia-Aksum-iPhone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
From Aksum took a bus, as it wasn't too far, we took a ride to <b>Gheralta </b>for the "fancy" part of our journey: <b>Gheralta Lodge</b>, where we met up with our friends for some chilled out time.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
TIGRAY and GHERALTA</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoHRzR4g9FfgQcyuTYP_gFfK-aRGlvR5RdqFGec-5N0cN0KNhGM0MIkpanBFEdcdNu0jSXQmO93O0RUJx58ublVPIW24ViK40yI9G3wsrgosxhpKEwd9-V2c5xUWpVRa3_yBbpX-grQ1j/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoHRzR4g9FfgQcyuTYP_gFfK-aRGlvR5RdqFGec-5N0cN0KNhGM0MIkpanBFEdcdNu0jSXQmO93O0RUJx58ublVPIW24ViK40yI9G3wsrgosxhpKEwd9-V2c5xUWpVRa3_yBbpX-grQ1j/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3DyXoLHJtpqu4BUTum8jUU-9xL98QehXuvCDO_eV-wmUx4IXVU2_9wk_Mu2BAd_bk4jRC-5nWgpnVp30HDFMwxg92WNpnVzuXgFNlA1Zpab7VFsW5hn9HQwBSidC-qTdJJO07dJ9PFuy/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3DyXoLHJtpqu4BUTum8jUU-9xL98QehXuvCDO_eV-wmUx4IXVU2_9wk_Mu2BAd_bk4jRC-5nWgpnVp30HDFMwxg92WNpnVzuXgFNlA1Zpab7VFsW5hn9HQwBSidC-qTdJJO07dJ9PFuy/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N2dHYgAdhSUaL40ud96oJCEhSoK_rQiCFqOagI4v436H1DSZkj5ryvR0sPv-jA43T2HwYYcxAQsmgdg9Ejh9_2yqMoQusTwrmwITQLPX5r1jaygIHDLHjZLdJwyJPZcuWXdCZU1rG44j/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N2dHYgAdhSUaL40ud96oJCEhSoK_rQiCFqOagI4v436H1DSZkj5ryvR0sPv-jA43T2HwYYcxAQsmgdg9Ejh9_2yqMoQusTwrmwITQLPX5r1jaygIHDLHjZLdJwyJPZcuWXdCZU1rG44j/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Lodge-View-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: justify;">The Tigray region </b><span style="text-align: justify;">is full of </span><span style="text-align: justify;">wonderful landscapes and churches in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. This is the #1 thing to do in Ethiopia according to a lot of people. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">If you're doing the "official sightseeing" with an organized tour, be ready to pay around 275 Birr for a guide from a town of </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Megab </b><span style="text-align: justify;">(near </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Hawzen</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) or you can also ask the </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Gheralta lodge </b><span style="text-align: justify;">to arrange a tour for you. As we weren't in the mood to spend a fortune, we walked to Hawzen and hired a guy to show us around for a price 15 times below that. The main churches in the area are </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Abuna Gebremichiel</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> (nice long hike)</span><b style="text-align: justify;">, </b><b style="text-align: justify;">Maryam Korkor </b><span style="text-align: justify;">and </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Abuna Yemata </b><span style="text-align: justify;">(extremely (!) steep. Well, actually, it's a </span><b style="text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: underline;">vertical</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> climb (see some snaps below) of about 10m and there isn't any equipment to help you climb. But there're a couple of dudes who hand around the path and can help you climb up for s couple of Birr... Do bear in mind, it's not a hike for the faint-hearted and, in case you slip and fall... well, I don't think it's going to be anyone's concern or responsibility to get you to a hospital. Thankfully, we did survive that adventurous trip and made it safely back to Gheralta Lodge. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnWV7i0VqvDDEhrZeGVeWmahPEYQ5NkdrilsDw76gd_Qd27EgneyNwmaq3RhoFPbyjHTQXwbvYAKxt0wz4BlCiLu1FXonGrVP4E_9fSeWnC_Wc-bEPd2uwCVzaMewu0vwJIbxAA4-A5Ew/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnWV7i0VqvDDEhrZeGVeWmahPEYQ5NkdrilsDw76gd_Qd27EgneyNwmaq3RhoFPbyjHTQXwbvYAKxt0wz4BlCiLu1FXonGrVP4E_9fSeWnC_Wc-bEPd2uwCVzaMewu0vwJIbxAA4-A5Ew/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7ePRyjU_kkNZhSqufRPbPMzz746mabNe66a0Vrrd2ZohCxOvduXlK9XiLUojMBDvuADXPK54cAcESXBIP1ZiUTkLCtn8gcR7Y0DiRGzmSEBsw4id1xKSnA6gJDElDSFH2dakn_CGDisP/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7ePRyjU_kkNZhSqufRPbPMzz746mabNe66a0Vrrd2ZohCxOvduXlK9XiLUojMBDvuADXPK54cAcESXBIP1ZiUTkLCtn8gcR7Y0DiRGzmSEBsw4id1xKSnA6gJDElDSFH2dakn_CGDisP/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zN7jNr_wG6Fi0XfCFR0A5lo_tcDwpKxq8x-ofQmEF1oPURmtjVo3MZLV7vurlXPc-iynoUP2y7hyadasLuAjNmDZd9TJwArBGsPb1ojyxZGpuiuZHkAmIwX71Ojop9HHA815JgWXRj1V/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zN7jNr_wG6Fi0XfCFR0A5lo_tcDwpKxq8x-ofQmEF1oPURmtjVo3MZLV7vurlXPc-iynoUP2y7hyadasLuAjNmDZd9TJwArBGsPb1ojyxZGpuiuZHkAmIwX71Ojop9HHA815JgWXRj1V/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike0-04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVH6cOXowp1Dhopq8UU-FwxVgTkuZRQl7ccmx-YX51FIl2LOAGdwPNqnKVbM4cpZVwexC5o4e-MF37bkGURWwWQb3_npTvc5AmsE5AugecJLGpUgOkOIrmx5tkAm0-nvXbexJ48Lmu9qPA/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-Climb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVH6cOXowp1Dhopq8UU-FwxVgTkuZRQl7ccmx-YX51FIl2LOAGdwPNqnKVbM4cpZVwexC5o4e-MF37bkGURWwWQb3_npTvc5AmsE5AugecJLGpUgOkOIrmx5tkAm0-nvXbexJ48Lmu9qPA/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-Climb.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSHviPLxCsU74hkb5UEx6aEo2TMPEuzE9nXIuVHMqBxCN2wQ003tHeXNpD1WOLXSZXLaMn6_yKx5pH-Mkg5-tSyXgNz-sqO2T6udJ1h2xad1nMlP4RKSYBbci2iV_DcPQADC-3KSwHf9p/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1194" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSHviPLxCsU74hkb5UEx6aEo2TMPEuzE9nXIuVHMqBxCN2wQ003tHeXNpD1WOLXSZXLaMn6_yKx5pH-Mkg5-tSyXgNz-sqO2T6udJ1h2xad1nMlP4RKSYBbci2iV_DcPQADC-3KSwHf9p/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata-hike.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At dinner, we were reunited with our friends to boast about our bad-ass adventures and, interestingly enough (even despite a very remote nature of that place), met an Israeli photographer, <a href="http://www.svidensky.com/">Asher Svidensky</a>, who was at a time doing a <a href="http://www.svidensky.com/projects/up-the-mountain-churches">photo reportage on the Gheralta Churches</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnws2MQyRfW5HjhyphenhyphenxbghtSLzP18sWvJZ5OIgoC9jLUas8r13tfNDH5_Pd0lnPaXRqi-emDGRVcAqgc0tbYWeHdu72QoJegW0_u8DWipYKvuykJikQkcYebCqljnEz9siw4mjLNS2U3y-5n/s1600/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnws2MQyRfW5HjhyphenhyphenxbghtSLzP18sWvJZ5OIgoC9jLUas8r13tfNDH5_Pd0lnPaXRqi-emDGRVcAqgc0tbYWeHdu72QoJegW0_u8DWipYKvuykJikQkcYebCqljnEz9siw4mjLNS2U3y-5n/s400/Ethiopia-Gheralta-Abuna+Yemata.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After <b>Gheralta </b>we headed to <b>Mekele </b>where - through Couchsurfing - we stayed with a great guy called Amanuel who showed us around, took us clubbing and kept us out of trouble while we were in town.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
MEKELE and the DANAKIL and DALLOL DEPRESSION</h2>
<div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">In terms of sightseeing, Mekele isn't exactly a treasure trove, but it was quite cool to visit the T</span><b style="text-align: justify;">igray Martyrs' Memorial Monument Center </b><span style="text-align: justify;">(expect to find a lot of books by Engels and Lenin :-). </span></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">While in the region, also don't miss tasting the </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Tigranian honey. If you're taking it as a souvenir, though, beware, it's quite expensive (around 200-250 Birr per jar), the white honey is tastier, but red is also good and is much cheaper (around 100 Birr per jar).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysp6m8zIxAo6mSaugZAt3u0JenpgMmDJOt-KxxngMVf19qfjUt4cpCvybEXLxFbG8gsO60S4KTB9nJsA01CLmnh-oPwy5ucceHc-XW_YS-0uhmg4xizbEINqjwBVCy9E6i_pcSfa1-uGC/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Mekele.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysp6m8zIxAo6mSaugZAt3u0JenpgMmDJOt-KxxngMVf19qfjUt4cpCvybEXLxFbG8gsO60S4KTB9nJsA01CLmnh-oPwy5ucceHc-XW_YS-0uhmg4xizbEINqjwBVCy9E6i_pcSfa1-uGC/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Mekele.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhr1DHhfqIsLs9XIycIZj0VgbtZ5mObt68ii9cC56bbD_a9pBNX45HuWnYhVXndhNi63zOODn52NTZhubJJrdyKvDD5MSH-0Hd1M9mHyygBRL7DBJpJBx012DW7afzMhkWUbJDMo6xGVE/s1600/Ethiopia-MEKELE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhr1DHhfqIsLs9XIycIZj0VgbtZ5mObt68ii9cC56bbD_a9pBNX45HuWnYhVXndhNi63zOODn52NTZhubJJrdyKvDD5MSH-0Hd1M9mHyygBRL7DBJpJBx012DW7afzMhkWUbJDMo6xGVE/s400/Ethiopia-MEKELE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But the main reason why we went to that part of Ethiopia in the first place was to see the Dallol and Danakil depression. It's an expensive trip (be prepared to potentially pay $400 per person, but we managed to get it for around $250 per person with some SERIOUS haggling), however even although I got a serious food poisoning during the journey and had to climb a volcano after having fainted and not being able to eat anything for the whole day, it was still worth all the trouble. At the end of it, I could tick one more item off my the bucket list: climbing the <b>Erta Ale volcano</b> at night and starring into the bubbling lava lake in its crater at midnight!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcOBniBeHWEVdLdd90fBtRsyKpTGNTpaNgOdOVSTVGO3nQKSkO-AKt_fGyA_7pZK2EP90uNi5LNvCI_Di1x-X4dSJPFi2LZrcLDcbCzHrXVqp1uASOZ-FT5FAph7VYbAPqmvXMR-J_Bfv/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcOBniBeHWEVdLdd90fBtRsyKpTGNTpaNgOdOVSTVGO3nQKSkO-AKt_fGyA_7pZK2EP90uNi5LNvCI_Di1x-X4dSJPFi2LZrcLDcbCzHrXVqp1uASOZ-FT5FAph7VYbAPqmvXMR-J_Bfv/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLpRoMC4EYO3KrolYv7fhf-7utrRmJtH7cCej6aEZmFpfHDfRyQm-uSQQeuN-jIW_P72kK_i4sqIWUT1_BMcSSGIyZTd67H1m5x6izfqBXRtgeyrvK2pAbKBA2OQXyGpTSu-8sVAexfi3/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale-Lava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLpRoMC4EYO3KrolYv7fhf-7utrRmJtH7cCej6aEZmFpfHDfRyQm-uSQQeuN-jIW_P72kK_i4sqIWUT1_BMcSSGIyZTd67H1m5x6izfqBXRtgeyrvK2pAbKBA2OQXyGpTSu-8sVAexfi3/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale-Lava.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPqSMeK8GS7ikZW6TQxYgNc9YrtOJ-I8rXHL1Q6gacBQCkSqd1GzZMfzva7Y6K01NjcLZdH1GE3a-9Ct-qh_rTY22X4OIS-X77ndEF-HEXtcCWSG9azzV__fjF4MH1kHdfuUmyNm0Rt2n/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale-morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPqSMeK8GS7ikZW6TQxYgNc9YrtOJ-I8rXHL1Q6gacBQCkSqd1GzZMfzva7Y6K01NjcLZdH1GE3a-9Ct-qh_rTY22X4OIS-X77ndEF-HEXtcCWSG9azzV__fjF4MH1kHdfuUmyNm0Rt2n/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Erta-Ale-morning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNut9h73E55B2eaajg7Bd0rZ8P9mAXgOzF_2IOCSx1M993DHeeBGBw4YT9mnEFxI8oE2FoVCCx7zcvIlSYuFndnYkDUPuuDHD0gqU1I5iLW-u3AAXthQgIdFt88D7W5moP0assS12V1iEA/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNut9h73E55B2eaajg7Bd0rZ8P9mAXgOzF_2IOCSx1M993DHeeBGBw4YT9mnEFxI8oE2FoVCCx7zcvIlSYuFndnYkDUPuuDHD0gqU1I5iLW-u3AAXthQgIdFt88D7W5moP0assS12V1iEA/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bear in mind that the <b>Danakil depression </b>is one of the (if not THE MOST) inhospitable regions in the world, average temperatures here are above +40C, it can rain while it's +42C* outside, there is no fresh water (lakes are full of salt) and the land is literally full of volcanoes! But that's exactly the 'romance' we wanted.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_w-38AvuA6_g2YEhKVotENMIZY9i1rH7TuU4MyH7nVPXakZPNt94gTd5GZUSzRaKC-UGubU58YFjfV9S8vp4aBdpN-XV35sZYiV-vN430W28-WtVHTqky4H5VdPXMDd1_9MOuEVfdwAW/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-roads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1280" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_w-38AvuA6_g2YEhKVotENMIZY9i1rH7TuU4MyH7nVPXakZPNt94gTd5GZUSzRaKC-UGubU58YFjfV9S8vp4aBdpN-XV35sZYiV-vN430W28-WtVHTqky4H5VdPXMDd1_9MOuEVfdwAW/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-roads.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The sequence of the destinations might vary, but most probably on a Dallol-Danakil trip you'll visit: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>Ragad </b>(<b class="">Asebo</b>) - the place where the salt is mined. You can watch the workers break off the salt from the ground, but them into rectangular pieces and load them on to camels. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CVuajxSnQxBhd5UBBGQI_1SXWa0UqoTAXrUBV-rTjxS9kaV6ihpnfJfIyx2FXdiYrVVI7gayvCfJSv26shpvjNVeCQpZfvjzzy2tFrgYkZn9SNuiG8ZtFVhEhOymZITALQzZIwiWgxVO/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Caravan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CVuajxSnQxBhd5UBBGQI_1SXWa0UqoTAXrUBV-rTjxS9kaV6ihpnfJfIyx2FXdiYrVVI7gayvCfJSv26shpvjNVeCQpZfvjzzy2tFrgYkZn9SNuiG8ZtFVhEhOymZITALQzZIwiWgxVO/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Caravan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's usually the locals, i.e. the <i>Afar people</i> who work here. It's a tradition for them and they consider this type of work a "gift of Allah". In case you're wondering, cutting and selling salt is probably one of the hardest and worst paid jobs in the world. The camels can walk up to 40 km per day, a block of salt costs 4 Birr, a camel can carry 15-20 blocks (or 130kg). For comparison, a donkey can carry approx. 8-10 blocks and a mule - ca. 10-12 blocks. The price for a block of salt (which can be from 3,5 to 8,0 kg is the same) and so per camel with his salty cargo, an owner usually earns around 100 Birr.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeRDiZxtQ9FOBR6FutHgRMcfMUK3da65ttLQsllj6n4h1ZZyrj0W-sH6ZNGvheAylfgKD3vGTCSd0ctoGgtOFpOMBR-GbFxprsLTTY2cVXIM5XwU1XC3sEu2pv9U0_P6p4rRFB0AIKb9c/s1600/08_MEKELE+and+the+DANAKIL+and+DALLOL+DEPRESSION-camels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1600" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeRDiZxtQ9FOBR6FutHgRMcfMUK3da65ttLQsllj6n4h1ZZyrj0W-sH6ZNGvheAylfgKD3vGTCSd0ctoGgtOFpOMBR-GbFxprsLTTY2cVXIM5XwU1XC3sEu2pv9U0_P6p4rRFB0AIKb9c/s400/08_MEKELE+and+the+DANAKIL+and+DALLOL+DEPRESSION-camels.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j1eh1De6xcWfzO71FzPuZCyvY9h6zwtq6xtHAb-6v-uyn_Gq6zbfBsST4osEu7uK4TBWkcZylJGo2YPslwt8Qvfz1-lE7fmoI6G_L06wKTs24P4twV0fV8jpqrROseEIwAjS7BKxkohO/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Camels-Ragad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j1eh1De6xcWfzO71FzPuZCyvY9h6zwtq6xtHAb-6v-uyn_Gq6zbfBsST4osEu7uK4TBWkcZylJGo2YPslwt8Qvfz1-lE7fmoI6G_L06wKTs24P4twV0fV8jpqrROseEIwAjS7BKxkohO/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Camels-Ragad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
Our guide told us a story that the guy we saw with an axe on a cliff claims that only he can get salt in these mountains. Naturally, he has no papers to prove the land belongs to him, but because he's not exactly sane and has an axe, no one really argues with him - plenty of other places to get salt ... competition isn't too vicious around these parts :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndyh-Qoapor_HhYZTA0qATo-Zd1Qi4oCmLN1QZFAvdT4G1_WXNuGAIUKKdCZUUkalW3TDstNQbmWCJxHkJVeX9EsYpFUma6qQjzWdcB6OZ74LmEnu8Yew8cRp94c2N_vkKq3ReKBoakhv/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Camels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1425" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndyh-Qoapor_HhYZTA0qATo-Zd1Qi4oCmLN1QZFAvdT4G1_WXNuGAIUKKdCZUUkalW3TDstNQbmWCJxHkJVeX9EsYpFUma6qQjzWdcB6OZ74LmEnu8Yew8cRp94c2N_vkKq3ReKBoakhv/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Camels.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li><b>Dallol</b> - 116 meters below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world, home to the colourful spectacular sulphur springs. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhiOhMxTPQbG2aQVQ5JEzAlvTtkBON3nvC0pw0ZRbhL4MlxN_UM4p4YccomTM2_I7jXWb6Tc5mCBp-w63vopEIrQeboBWbdAlcS8MOKXBmHUmHzVACn0E71XJFzqFFzZgfT9UpaNCEeVt/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1597" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhiOhMxTPQbG2aQVQ5JEzAlvTtkBON3nvC0pw0ZRbhL4MlxN_UM4p4YccomTM2_I7jXWb6Tc5mCBp-w63vopEIrQeboBWbdAlcS8MOKXBmHUmHzVACn0E71XJFzqFFzZgfT9UpaNCEeVt/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6Pm-SwhYObaoqUD6HhnhLaXvCtfeBcW7RaFfeNul4MedSP8umpVZ3rYMekBLlelpcyYzfK9bIpXKViDjf9zTj-ULko75GG-WFu57QHv00F916C5SB2kn9pfFQhzHZEdztA4VIjizS4Y1/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6Pm-SwhYObaoqUD6HhnhLaXvCtfeBcW7RaFfeNul4MedSP8umpVZ3rYMekBLlelpcyYzfK9bIpXKViDjf9zTj-ULko75GG-WFu57QHv00F916C5SB2kn9pfFQhzHZEdztA4VIjizS4Y1/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIBZ-jKu36YxbJzlTR1JQ_ZTxUneLOME-N69e14GGs1bdNCbH1iBIS69RkqVRvDhaz3MI0Y5HHZDxWoC_wGq60Mvs8odsL7vY9SXyYREEq8WoTCor-ebjwBi6e6Ykb2JvET1uim0Dgygu/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIBZ-jKu36YxbJzlTR1JQ_ZTxUneLOME-N69e14GGs1bdNCbH1iBIS69RkqVRvDhaz3MI0Y5HHZDxWoC_wGq60Mvs8odsL7vY9SXyYREEq8WoTCor-ebjwBi6e6Ykb2JvET1uim0Dgygu/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Scenic sunset picnic stop at the Salt Lake (<b>Lake Karum</b>): that's the place where even without being divine, you can do some authentic "walking "on water" :)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDVewfNGslBZzIqM3QFUGaQTCoX5tjI7ZkIuzs0RMFNKEFLMcxJ82HF1189WYu7yWzILy2aoq55pIBrKeH-lvcu8tgLCRkqZpkB4nRrSEiV1vcrITEz8QTVVY_cPBf_DWSbvsndW2ajw7/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDVewfNGslBZzIqM3QFUGaQTCoX5tjI7ZkIuzs0RMFNKEFLMcxJ82HF1189WYu7yWzILy2aoq55pIBrKeH-lvcu8tgLCRkqZpkB4nRrSEiV1vcrITEz8QTVVY_cPBf_DWSbvsndW2ajw7/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Landscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBi0Vspt93Dz1eMsVF3q3e0FB_yyWrfe9V-qKq3vncr5hLKCAqvWDIJcKyZNPELHeZCA1me36aRW5kTthGc9B-hUfEGHL2VaKLB6mU4PBQCoN8KgWrhnUqbm1kscoMnL_6fAit6Jzq8gX/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBi0Vspt93Dz1eMsVF3q3e0FB_yyWrfe9V-qKq3vncr5hLKCAqvWDIJcKyZNPELHeZCA1me36aRW5kTthGc9B-hUfEGHL2VaKLB6mU4PBQCoN8KgWrhnUqbm1kscoMnL_6fAit6Jzq8gX/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Landscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aA5heaoFkWr_F0rcthvD0zmyLbN-AFEEnpHo5RtSrFXYqu5RNXPQxK1EGfoSjlYfnNq02wo2HkFeI1w8hJFGD9Cn_HvkzW6f8rxEz2ALYWZcgkBK-41dxE4G8wPEVpQy878STl3KlUoO/s1600/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Views.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aA5heaoFkWr_F0rcthvD0zmyLbN-AFEEnpHo5RtSrFXYqu5RNXPQxK1EGfoSjlYfnNq02wo2HkFeI1w8hJFGD9Cn_HvkzW6f8rxEz2ALYWZcgkBK-41dxE4G8wPEVpQy878STl3KlUoO/s400/MEKELE-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Views.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpjV0RO_aIkdSDwPCfbNwN_XUmUKI7Cyi_SU17YtTntVahLFdARRVIbjDE7DEf7KFSeBn0Xo5ESFm4SwovuKW9usDKYdclDhhzM_2oFAT-EFB6al1EVRusteyp0IlOeHvebuYeEaYm-79/s1600/MEKELe-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-soldiers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpjV0RO_aIkdSDwPCfbNwN_XUmUKI7Cyi_SU17YtTntVahLFdARRVIbjDE7DEf7KFSeBn0Xo5ESFm4SwovuKW9usDKYdclDhhzM_2oFAT-EFB6al1EVRusteyp0IlOeHvebuYeEaYm-79/s400/MEKELe-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-soldiers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuYLT19d9lEuFtmDrGcUvYlJL76KVpsW25IvhB7iyMJTNAmFu-PKoqGN4cmLRkJ08UVbDu87U0yBzyrMxn54INFK5YAbsHPWaHDws2pg7asemLjSM7D54nZT6cufg3E-iVuKi3vNEq0z8/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Salt-Lake-Views-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuYLT19d9lEuFtmDrGcUvYlJL76KVpsW25IvhB7iyMJTNAmFu-PKoqGN4cmLRkJ08UVbDu87U0yBzyrMxn54INFK5YAbsHPWaHDws2pg7asemLjSM7D54nZT6cufg3E-iVuKi3vNEq0z8/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Salt-Lake-Views-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Night in the desert at camp at <b>Hamedela</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCICaUN-oxps7PmcT86ptBG5EK6N_wlbE2kNfWhE6ejkQ42K8mAhqc81T0YDw15ftwcLSNpAT0ccd1K3viNwfC1HlpUY6nhLnQzXeCA3ySwIN3v8ZodWEOgDHmBhmRtJ9jFMZNGRSpIYr/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Camp-Hamedela.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCICaUN-oxps7PmcT86ptBG5EK6N_wlbE2kNfWhE6ejkQ42K8mAhqc81T0YDw15ftwcLSNpAT0ccd1K3viNwfC1HlpUY6nhLnQzXeCA3ySwIN3v8ZodWEOgDHmBhmRtJ9jFMZNGRSpIYr/s320/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Camp-Hamedela.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
To add to the overall drama of the area, it's still inhabited by a very curious (and VERY traditional) Muslim tribe of people known as the Afar people. They still marry girls when they're 13 years old, selling them for a couple of camels, families still have an AVERAGE of 9 children, but there's one guy in the area with 48 children from 4+ wives... </div>
<div>
Well, you can imagine that the very traditional atmosphere of the region also has a downside to it. The locals don't want to "commercialize" the area and in their definition it means no toilets (even in the most general definition as in "a wooden shack with a hole in the ground"), which means - yep - in case you need to go to the toilet while you're in the Afar region ... well, you can't :-) </div>
<ul>
<li>The other night will be in a little town of <b>Dodom</b> or the village of <b>Abaala</b> - nothing to do there, but it's a place where you'll likely sleep indoors on floor matrasses and where you can potentially take a quick shower and have a traditional meal with the family that owns the place. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaW50xnxi9dRqDz1T4FHEgPKXJsNJ8COKLC5ID7PMn5diGhN4iAERN92LOP61f6hebnZmW-v51lpEef4lw2g9Q8A2_qKBqBKo_Wn-k7ut52XNnne611BJ6CYNi6i_9vr39VVPMlZbK1Uw/s1600/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Washing-Up-in-Abaala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaW50xnxi9dRqDz1T4FHEgPKXJsNJ8COKLC5ID7PMn5diGhN4iAERN92LOP61f6hebnZmW-v51lpEef4lw2g9Q8A2_qKBqBKo_Wn-k7ut52XNnne611BJ6CYNi6i_9vr39VVPMlZbK1Uw/s400/Ethiopia-DANAKIL-DALLOL-DEPRESSION-Dallol-Washing-Up-in-Abaala.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
EPILOGUE</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, as you can imagine by the fact that I survived to tell the story, we safely made it home... Coming back to Europe after almost 3 weeks in Ethiopia really changed my worldview. Although it's widely known that Ethiopia is "Africa light", but this trip had a profound impact on me and my understanding of the world. When I landed in Frankfurt to change planes to go to Amsterdam, I walked into the bathroom and stopped in my tracks at the sight of a fresh flower in a little vase, liquid soap in a dispenser on the wall, free candy/mints and running hot & cold water... I had to take a picture of this scene because it epitomized so many things at once that were different in these two worlds, but I guess I never noticed before, simply wasn't aware and, hence, took these things for granted.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzMszsvRrMquuGH17Y3gsvfloh7P1J9ADsT2b1fTVzOPUx18liFnYrU2acauW1uZPkAKF1R4OoFQdE9uEfhH6GfcmhYb5U5jnwRp2P7cSVH7dxChqjYAhaP0Q7sEk9zBPjpincHQ9C9KS/s1600/Ethiopia-Frankfurt-Airport-Destinations-Martin-Liebscher-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzMszsvRrMquuGH17Y3gsvfloh7P1J9ADsT2b1fTVzOPUx18liFnYrU2acauW1uZPkAKF1R4OoFQdE9uEfhH6GfcmhYb5U5jnwRp2P7cSVH7dxChqjYAhaP0Q7sEk9zBPjpincHQ9C9KS/s400/Ethiopia-Frankfurt-Airport-Destinations-Martin-Liebscher-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had some time to kill before my flight and went on to explore the airport. Apparently, the Universe wasn't yet done making sure that the trip and the juxtaposition of the two worlds and their striking contrast makes a lasting impression on me and teaches me a valuable lesson. So, interestingly, the passenger transfer tunnel in Frankfurt Airport's Terminal 1 at the time was "hosting" the artwork called "<i>Destinations</i>" by Martin Liebscher. The tunnel is 288 m long and features moving walkways, which enabled the artist to "speed up space" and equally enabled the observer to "move forward while standing still". The walls of the tunnel had 1000 square meters of Martin's photographic work from cities around the world (all destinations served by flights from Frankfurt airport) and took the viewer on an atmospheric journey, poetically depicting "the thrill of modern life" and "the world that never stops moving". I had to think to myself: what an interesting stop-over on the way back home from my African adventures :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Ethiopia9.1450000000000014 40.489673000000039-6.7069934999999994 19.835376000000039 24.996993500000002 61.143970000000039tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-47051734608673936832017-10-15T16:52:00.005+02:002017-10-15T19:33:25.669+02:00Road-tripping in the lands of Cymru, Alba & England<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Road-tripping in the lands of Cymru, Alba and England... A total of 14 days, 1 camper van, 13 camping sites, 3'000+ km covered, 46 coffees, 36 polaroids, 2 Cornish pastries, 3 scones and a whole load of fun :-)<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/2xGTqn6">The photobook version of the trip can be found by clicking here</a>, but if you're viewing on your mobile or just prefer the blog format, keep on scrolling down for snaps, maps, itineraries and comments!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqATq0YobniS4YA4H_T3o93pN3_IAVjL5ZwbRy-3NlWBuMz9fHo2pbE0nBp-jZUegWR2VE411a5GF2jVkHvV1HYD0usV-5KrGehsbC8JD-xpZmM3K8Kw7fUFqHwJa5w_EMcE-6Qh89pE5t/s1600/Day-00-Alena-Romanenko-Roadtrip-UK-2017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="542" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqATq0YobniS4YA4H_T3o93pN3_IAVjL5ZwbRy-3NlWBuMz9fHo2pbE0nBp-jZUegWR2VE411a5GF2jVkHvV1HYD0usV-5KrGehsbC8JD-xpZmM3K8Kw7fUFqHwJa5w_EMcE-6Qh89pE5t/s400/Day-00-Alena-Romanenko-Roadtrip-UK-2017.png" width="307" /></a></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 1: </span></b>Wiltshire (England)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEtIhQW3CdfuoAOVdOiVR5q-rTKWVV1r7DeSeG2l50lk_ViWhY3Dy_6pm415GXAnwU6-eI7p7rhYROlrUKQXMh7KODtz-5JihZnYNvCESoI55wW-JRQ4fDCxhyphenhyphenWEC3ljhlutI32No5d8v/s1600/DAY-01-Stonehenge-Salisbury-Alena-Romanenko.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="907" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEtIhQW3CdfuoAOVdOiVR5q-rTKWVV1r7DeSeG2l50lk_ViWhY3Dy_6pm415GXAnwU6-eI7p7rhYROlrUKQXMh7KODtz-5JihZnYNvCESoI55wW-JRQ4fDCxhyphenhyphenWEC3ljhlutI32No5d8v/s400/DAY-01-Stonehenge-Salisbury-Alena-Romanenko.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stonehenge</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqhHH5_ZZ7lJf0nFvDgapkzhJbonQVaz1st1jAT_pp0FYIP4eehGSYbp93j_VNxP_oXL5ihTf9e4SAIz3YEqGsPkvvETH60ATg5NnQsdgrft8VPyKsHrGLnKwyjO53ldiLky1teZe5B9j/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqhHH5_ZZ7lJf0nFvDgapkzhJbonQVaz1st1jAT_pp0FYIP4eehGSYbp93j_VNxP_oXL5ihTf9e4SAIz3YEqGsPkvvETH60ATg5NnQsdgrft8VPyKsHrGLnKwyjO53ldiLky1teZe5B9j/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiFq_nk8pE0">"<i>They built Stonehenge, one of the biggest henges in the world. No one's built a henge like that ever since. No one knows what the heck a henge is</i>" (Eddie Izzard)</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1Bis2gfW_lgxt7xJdHbK2PpkIKzo-_stXK_C5TF_bpQfok2mVDtVrOiRIMsi853XbOOykdKrnNBgayrBuFt3X99x1ueIpS2DFSvBWy9YSixXGR2_5Vhr6HMH9CsPSVstRAFfPZNyALna/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1Bis2gfW_lgxt7xJdHbK2PpkIKzo-_stXK_C5TF_bpQfok2mVDtVrOiRIMsi853XbOOykdKrnNBgayrBuFt3X99x1ueIpS2DFSvBWy9YSixXGR2_5Vhr6HMH9CsPSVstRAFfPZNyALna/s320/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zQqD4Coq0JepMncEE0WRL89L-t8BJgcswhjttC-5hzILiofjJCWU1kor581kfHud5JkAWIExGtTlJhhiLWoMsePdOmPprKjpnE63EHHsdIPKe85awxLx4VlBtLUNxDF7xCj6Rhv926O6/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zQqD4Coq0JepMncEE0WRL89L-t8BJgcswhjttC-5hzILiofjJCWU1kor581kfHud5JkAWIExGtTlJhhiLWoMsePdOmPprKjpnE63EHHsdIPKe85awxLx4VlBtLUNxDF7xCj6Rhv926O6/s320/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1+-+Stonehenge+%2526+Salisbury+Cathedral+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stonehenge is an ancient temple aligned with the movements of the sun. The stones were raised 4500 years ago by sophisticated prehistoric people (and no, it wasn't druids!)</span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: inherit;">Salisbury Cathedral</b></h3>
<div>
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">Britain's tallest spire, home of Magna Carta & the oldest working mechanical clock in the world (1396).</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGvIldBrTvvjh1hfRIpDhl08Snap2VBD8Yj3AmHrFU7HWAalTBfYK-VpI2-o7HYXAhxs-R9Qb7lXMdZpkEtBXEO4a1j9tW4Qcm1xvwAsnRRnnhBbVC1pu14tWLRCF3Ul6nk0ApfYDSUI0/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1-Salisbury+Cathedral-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGvIldBrTvvjh1hfRIpDhl08Snap2VBD8Yj3AmHrFU7HWAalTBfYK-VpI2-o7HYXAhxs-R9Qb7lXMdZpkEtBXEO4a1j9tW4Qcm1xvwAsnRRnnhBbVC1pu14tWLRCF3Ul6nk0ApfYDSUI0/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1-Salisbury+Cathedral-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy3d7Erguc39T3gIxJN7gXoM25sjp1NmSrCkoFJdk3s5UZdIQYJjsn7bpd8bg3UhE_k03EL9KnxDpXwzMjIJIDpdYT3DvPH6v_f-kwX8nqeh6ZydhGHq07fHWlJBMFUjd6W5zM8DjSBkC/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1-Salisbury+Cathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy3d7Erguc39T3gIxJN7gXoM25sjp1NmSrCkoFJdk3s5UZdIQYJjsn7bpd8bg3UhE_k03EL9KnxDpXwzMjIJIDpdYT3DvPH6v_f-kwX8nqeh6ZydhGHq07fHWlJBMFUjd6W5zM8DjSBkC/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+1-Salisbury+Cathedral.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<b>Day 2: </b>Cornwall (England)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VXpLfRuA3xe3HIeZEsJgHVPYcQTvjdEExnLDtufvDAebvKxe3sTQ1mC3Q2Lem3L5aK1PS7bEia-36Fi6k3b5v8U-yMg84YncWeBwAAzkiGCjxUpuNW-nKwc2QmE2JWm8CIUp-InQwFEO/s1600/DAY-02-Eden+Project-Port+Isaac-Tintagel-Alena-Romanenko.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="841" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VXpLfRuA3xe3HIeZEsJgHVPYcQTvjdEExnLDtufvDAebvKxe3sTQ1mC3Q2Lem3L5aK1PS7bEia-36Fi6k3b5v8U-yMg84YncWeBwAAzkiGCjxUpuNW-nKwc2QmE2JWm8CIUp-InQwFEO/s400/DAY-02-Eden+Project-Port+Isaac-Tintagel-Alena-Romanenko.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eden Project, Port Isaac, Tintagel Castle</span></b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) Marveling<span style="font-family: inherit;"> at space-age biomes of the l</span>argest indoor rain-forest in the world in <b>Project Eden</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkL12cCmstz9LouqJssDY5MuTEBF2oGClQPekRTRkmDxU4PcFEXKT72POUbe0B4NnkC1jnc8KRz45j4usN9aW8mbti7MWOcX_fAmzGrzj7_WmkQqDRm553YPPCqtpVROJctEipdPFqJL5/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden-Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkL12cCmstz9LouqJssDY5MuTEBF2oGClQPekRTRkmDxU4PcFEXKT72POUbe0B4NnkC1jnc8KRz45j4usN9aW8mbti7MWOcX_fAmzGrzj7_WmkQqDRm553YPPCqtpVROJctEipdPFqJL5/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden-Map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVCYjTYV4Q6uqDYJDchmEIhRvMxPCHLHiMIyRemUYJQq8458Xff0ROq9YNDYOw2Gh1WFlFFLEwU7VmXTzXhhYhV8nXVy1IOqKtF5puZjPI4n0ejxLBF5LkMa-uhhzLCi0UAIQKqQirmPT/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVCYjTYV4Q6uqDYJDchmEIhRvMxPCHLHiMIyRemUYJQq8458Xff0ROq9YNDYOw2Gh1WFlFFLEwU7VmXTzXhhYhV8nXVy1IOqKtF5puZjPI4n0ejxLBF5LkMa-uhhzLCi0UAIQKqQirmPT/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) </span>Cornish<span style="font-family: inherit;"> pastry lunch at <b>Port Isaac</b> (after having missed our Michelin-star lunch at <a href="https://nathan-outlaw.com/outlaws-fish-kitchen/">Nathan Outlaw Fish Kitchen</a> (haha, who knew they have two restaurants with the same name in this one little town - lol, we went to the other one and by the time we've figured out the mixup, it was already too late :-)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgxKgfOCafQhyphenhyphendMguB9fElAtwJy8lyaAfv6CIP1YT0LyDM2qv9N5qmS5eHW-RDArtnG5o37cQGtkoFQZqQhkeFSKO-RJA-HchFHO3cF7DfVKsyRk_ZBL_NoRbIY8TrArQveokHzMHAlVt/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden-Port-Isaac.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgxKgfOCafQhyphenhyphendMguB9fElAtwJy8lyaAfv6CIP1YT0LyDM2qv9N5qmS5eHW-RDArtnG5o37cQGtkoFQZqQhkeFSKO-RJA-HchFHO3cF7DfVKsyRk_ZBL_NoRbIY8TrArQveokHzMHAlVt/s320/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Project-Eden-Port-Isaac.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Heading northeast to King Arthur's birthplace, 12th century <b>Tintagel Castle </b>(or whatever was left of it).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsYj-SOucBcoXXw0Nwp5dSRsLJsFyYFhLGiRXu3vVrzbUHi-wGVrtaG9_RY8t6APaY3STNQ2m1ktVX-v2rMTkXxbfd-O-KBFPvX7ocVzDVL3QV4bQiRUgYR8fN4lsz-fqQYH6UfLvqK72/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Tintagel-Castle.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsYj-SOucBcoXXw0Nwp5dSRsLJsFyYFhLGiRXu3vVrzbUHi-wGVrtaG9_RY8t6APaY3STNQ2m1ktVX-v2rMTkXxbfd-O-KBFPvX7ocVzDVL3QV4bQiRUgYR8fN4lsz-fqQYH6UfLvqK72/s320/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+02-Tintagel-Castle.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<b>Day 3: </b>Monmouthshire (Wales)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQETqnhZ1kwcFTZZ4egf6vsF9zI9TZYbtiv2mbYJlU2S15MCd76u23myuvgdYibutvvVTGcxw4Hg82qcs2W7s_3P2S61OQgPP8KixvoXDlnvsldvwdNL49MnJ0HyMMh2skn3y2iSNRAEE2/s1600/DAY-03-Tintagel-Tintern+Abbey-Hardwick-Alena-Romanenko.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="771" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQETqnhZ1kwcFTZZ4egf6vsF9zI9TZYbtiv2mbYJlU2S15MCd76u23myuvgdYibutvvVTGcxw4Hg82qcs2W7s_3P2S61OQgPP8KixvoXDlnvsldvwdNL49MnJ0HyMMh2skn3y2iSNRAEE2/s400/DAY-03-Tintagel-Tintern+Abbey-Hardwick-Alena-Romanenko.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tintern Abbey and </span></b><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Abergavenny</span></b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Spent a good portion of the day stuck in traffic because of an accident on M5... however, made it on time for the picture-perfect riverside ruins of </span><b>Tintern Abbey</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, Wale's best-preserved 12th-century abbey. Finished the day off with a lovely impromptu dinner at <b>"The Hardwick" </b>(an absolute must stop for a foodie on a gastro pub-hopping spree around Wales!).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR18A7UbGfnoIH5bdCsdXvCkJbRJmVZ_OkHkNdKfZsZIE3CVnFCr06mitsJQGKB8BCEMx4kgQ1RoTGrz8KU-4oUbYmgWPBnb5NPO9xoRfmIKkXulrm0ROHeu6q_2wSQGMYWNKXRFOOepwO/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR18A7UbGfnoIH5bdCsdXvCkJbRJmVZ_OkHkNdKfZsZIE3CVnFCr06mitsJQGKB8BCEMx4kgQ1RoTGrz8KU-4oUbYmgWPBnb5NPO9xoRfmIKkXulrm0ROHeu6q_2wSQGMYWNKXRFOOepwO/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHuG8Nke-yFZtYfzcDDwJOqiC3zaNKNU4WY3lmExBsexZbXQ-eXIhFNDVcimYoeqMKj-X5WJyQZjYRS7-LrHSwrBV0VD8N_ViblRrtqeDPirkAxDxvB_PCAZtcCyNVN9IDIrjdMastXdD/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHuG8Nke-yFZtYfzcDDwJOqiC3zaNKNU4WY3lmExBsexZbXQ-eXIhFNDVcimYoeqMKj-X5WJyQZjYRS7-LrHSwrBV0VD8N_ViblRrtqeDPirkAxDxvB_PCAZtcCyNVN9IDIrjdMastXdD/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBxVlJEEKP8qyUbZ8CfPXvkw0SkL34mssaW47Rv-RlQ-HfF-rLM8QLeV1cC6BlsEr3f2zJIUqQXMa1duHw_1487MKt8srJhBcBywvpNt0YmFEioSm4Ob7m6WgRn_ZZTra_K8daKYRHMfq/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1600" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBxVlJEEKP8qyUbZ8CfPXvkw0SkL34mssaW47Rv-RlQ-HfF-rLM8QLeV1cC6BlsEr3f2zJIUqQXMa1duHw_1487MKt8srJhBcBywvpNt0YmFEioSm4Ob7m6WgRn_ZZTra_K8daKYRHMfq/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc-ORu-ITIc9S3G04ZzIv24a3jt3FiPaoTpJ3NkDJGftzat_z4L-n_EmEuQBWGb3whHRgx6nORBkrVt0yHZvTQN8-gZsvZ2YnNOUKX41piFg1pdX3dDNfNMzmuiOn_B1jd4ZlCvT7jJ0z/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-The-Hardwick-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc-ORu-ITIc9S3G04ZzIv24a3jt3FiPaoTpJ3NkDJGftzat_z4L-n_EmEuQBWGb3whHRgx6nORBkrVt0yHZvTQN8-gZsvZ2YnNOUKX41piFg1pdX3dDNfNMzmuiOn_B1jd4ZlCvT7jJ0z/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+03-Tintern-Abbey-The-Hardwick-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 4: </b>Brecknockshire, Gwynedd and Conwy (Wales)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4YpZ7yMMeywRHRJTFNAenDTkDy31po3FGXG_-H9FjrY54_p0GwWxcKpXNPkoxxlAHlbpiElqMnq_bMXfs1AgqVLnTcQZT2eHLPAxVoeP0w71YjAakTZwhZO22WdRU9d0a5JQg8oJb_bg/s1600/Day-04+-+Hay+on+wye-Snowdonia-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4YpZ7yMMeywRHRJTFNAenDTkDy31po3FGXG_-H9FjrY54_p0GwWxcKpXNPkoxxlAHlbpiElqMnq_bMXfs1AgqVLnTcQZT2eHLPAxVoeP0w71YjAakTZwhZO22WdRU9d0a5JQg8oJb_bg/s400/Day-04+-+Hay+on+wye-Snowdonia-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="368" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hay-on-Wye</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4Dl0SJCZbkvz61pIEiQLqmRM5tZtmW9i8e8dog0oy3qgo9vKm7grPyy3Y_O2NOsTfVuF8CSKgv99hL0vNxDo8Z-YX4jDnSUW1sr8U2CL0Ga1c9D9hAZU6wPC6Ac9HTHus_D91JaCT_Jr/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4Dl0SJCZbkvz61pIEiQLqmRM5tZtmW9i8e8dog0oy3qgo9vKm7grPyy3Y_O2NOsTfVuF8CSKgv99hL0vNxDo8Z-YX4jDnSUW1sr8U2CL0Ga1c9D9hAZU6wPC6Ac9HTHus_D91JaCT_Jr/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-Map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Solving murder mysteries at <i>"Murder and Mayhem"</i> in <b>Hay-on-Wye</b>, a perfect little Welsh town that is pretty much one huge bookstore. And did you know they had kitten memes back in the 40s?! See pictures below!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcuUZbP7xaxc4I-sL-Qbenpetd0cQHQrdxcd3AevQXpvf79l71FXukGqb08o2LAuXShuZqXTu2SbKjSWK0tGz4OgaAzXpYdii0c9XwijPXh6x-iOwodoGQU07C6atHUrsTsQhFFEgPuQX/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcuUZbP7xaxc4I-sL-Qbenpetd0cQHQrdxcd3AevQXpvf79l71FXukGqb08o2LAuXShuZqXTu2SbKjSWK0tGz4OgaAzXpYdii0c9XwijPXh6x-iOwodoGQU07C6atHUrsTsQhFFEgPuQX/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp-3HKPEVTS7e91k7wLg8g_UY3ZFBtqxw6clj8CG2Nrsqq58Jj4Q07bJgKPdWIm295uTp0-MIwc9BW83jpr6YhS3CaIf44q4l8fiYlLuGC8nfAE-t6xlhsF4Y9q9U22aKFclcebUqreuy/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp-3HKPEVTS7e91k7wLg8g_UY3ZFBtqxw6clj8CG2Nrsqq58Jj4Q07bJgKPdWIm295uTp0-MIwc9BW83jpr6YhS3CaIf44q4l8fiYlLuGC8nfAE-t6xlhsF4Y9q9U22aKFclcebUqreuy/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Hay-on-Wye-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Snowdonia</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbJa7nXJA24_Rr7y-nINYUcQeTM8mcfYDteCmLarQhrZszOz_qQX0WpDQMEdcz8nRpIGXZJD0mgpHnb8G3X8xSbsSZndzAYzQnYCdUrbSdUgoFC0V2HP4WP5MwVAwJK61S_Gk0R7EL-e5/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Snowdonia.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbJa7nXJA24_Rr7y-nINYUcQeTM8mcfYDteCmLarQhrZszOz_qQX0WpDQMEdcz8nRpIGXZJD0mgpHnb8G3X8xSbsSZndzAYzQnYCdUrbSdUgoFC0V2HP4WP5MwVAwJK61S_Gk0R7EL-e5/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Snowdonia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuOf5xdaGXgU04KknUwurF_ZZzXwUhcQ3PL231jJbFKT1FxlAX4CoCUAxLdUu5bJeEyECVkJx-Xw45Y6VKcAYe2Hd_tfyi6Efi1TZZwdBC6t0AQh4d5ZVHSfBp892tjzWoB2vjLMRvDag/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuOf5xdaGXgU04KknUwurF_ZZzXwUhcQ3PL231jJbFKT1FxlAX4CoCUAxLdUu5bJeEyECVkJx-Xw45Y6VKcAYe2Hd_tfyi6Efi1TZZwdBC6t0AQh4d5ZVHSfBp892tjzWoB2vjLMRvDag/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Cwh2imjXgAhU0YUjC_asofgiB3aWyVY_yP85BbBCdzSK6DcchNrkZrnABM7fIH5GdD5pYPTo-frxYch9K3dIpzqmPQB75qaoznZDwrkHlEvVAS1oZ41nyM_38wCOBevHtbtCsnW1D6Zg/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Snowdonia-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Cwh2imjXgAhU0YUjC_asofgiB3aWyVY_yP85BbBCdzSK6DcchNrkZrnABM7fIH5GdD5pYPTo-frxYch9K3dIpzqmPQB75qaoznZDwrkHlEvVAS1oZ41nyM_38wCOBevHtbtCsnW1D6Zg/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-04-Snowdonia-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">Curious fact: apparently, 2/3 of <b>Snowdonia National Park </b>land is privately owned, and 2/3 of it is used for sheep farming! :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br /></span> <i><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">For next visit: </span></i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.go-below.co.uk/" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">Go Below Challenge</a><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"> (5 hours, 49 pounds pp) - ticket office at <b>Conwy Falls</b>.</span></i><br />
<i style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.zipworld.co.uk/location/detail/fforest">Zip safari </a>and underground adventures at Zip World.</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 5: </b>Snowdonia National Park (North Wales)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxktSKOi1JmlAWaIu55jakuGeWlJCIVk3PMzp23-ral6ppQe7rOTM_hEOnkRBRljfQv2lXCIUamcKD7z-i5yyBPRD6Vr9CfuCiXdQjchgS_3m5ko5IVCBXVzQ6dxBCDpChKsh4SOtgwsII/s1600/Day-05-Conwy+Castle+%2526+Betws+y+Coed-Liverpool-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxktSKOi1JmlAWaIu55jakuGeWlJCIVk3PMzp23-ral6ppQe7rOTM_hEOnkRBRljfQv2lXCIUamcKD7z-i5yyBPRD6Vr9CfuCiXdQjchgS_3m5ko5IVCBXVzQ6dxBCDpChKsh4SOtgwsII/s400/Day-05-Conwy+Castle+%2526+Betws+y+Coed-Liverpool-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Betws-y-Cod, Llyn Elsi</b></h3>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Started the day at Snowdonia's <b>Convy waterfall</b>, did a 13 km mountain bike track to <b>Llyn Elsi </b>& around the village of <b>Betws-y-Cod </b>to work up an appetite for some Welsh cakes before heading off to <b>Convy Castle</b>.<br />
It was a pity leaving Wales with its adorable <i>'Y Ddraig Goch' </i>(Red Dragon) "mascot", but a traditional English pub dinner: pumpkin pie with Yorkshire pudding and gravy at <a href="https://www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/north-west/theredliondodleston">The Red Lion in Dodleston </a>- quite quickly mended my broken heart.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWsUaPRP4WuIIZfyP7TtEtC5lVkBPtW7kL3tZPlcz29m75FKkJEIKPxErxqrSZFZmZ7Qtyddf0vGniIoiUPYJUje6EzHs90BfbRVfnQBf8JeFH3uT2N-9xF2sBI0TcEnxzMtiyeE2yHF/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Conwy-Castle-Scotland+%25288%2529.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWsUaPRP4WuIIZfyP7TtEtC5lVkBPtW7kL3tZPlcz29m75FKkJEIKPxErxqrSZFZmZ7Qtyddf0vGniIoiUPYJUje6EzHs90BfbRVfnQBf8JeFH3uT2N-9xF2sBI0TcEnxzMtiyeE2yHF/s320/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Conwy-Castle-Scotland+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcXobouevrnFo-fAx6Km-rBQX2_XNVUud4BrgUXFNTJQ8umgQ0SJGtLksjCUamf1R7q7nJ-whQgnWf6KhOhIaWR9cGl_HOqUM97vEux0z4_GyXKHKBJQmFGuCry6nJQ72PyPUNTMcZjpB/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-Conwy-Castle-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcXobouevrnFo-fAx6Km-rBQX2_XNVUud4BrgUXFNTJQ8umgQ0SJGtLksjCUamf1R7q7nJ-whQgnWf6KhOhIaWR9cGl_HOqUM97vEux0z4_GyXKHKBJQmFGuCry6nJQ72PyPUNTMcZjpB/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-Conwy-Castle-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugzIK16W8VQ3A9gpixl3aBk0STTvCev2dB-L9JKC1gmkwrFUjd3EumBepEug5WV96BBOfQsT77JojLu5BV1dWtd9-GN_mzfjabdlMiuHf2Ny_wEigpb-Go7G5qDOxGLYUgY1cuetQ3Fv6/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-Conwy-Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugzIK16W8VQ3A9gpixl3aBk0STTvCev2dB-L9JKC1gmkwrFUjd3EumBepEug5WV96BBOfQsT77JojLu5BV1dWtd9-GN_mzfjabdlMiuHf2Ny_wEigpb-Go7G5qDOxGLYUgY1cuetQ3Fv6/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Snowdonia-Wales-Conwy-Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWsUaPRP4WuIIZfyP7TtEtC5lVkBPtW7kL3tZPlcz29m75FKkJEIKPxErxqrSZFZmZ7Qtyddf0vGniIoiUPYJUje6EzHs90BfbRVfnQBf8JeFH3uT2N-9xF2sBI0TcEnxzMtiyeE2yHF/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Conwy-Castle-Scotland+%25288%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWsUaPRP4WuIIZfyP7TtEtC5lVkBPtW7kL3tZPlcz29m75FKkJEIKPxErxqrSZFZmZ7Qtyddf0vGniIoiUPYJUje6EzHs90BfbRVfnQBf8JeFH3uT2N-9xF2sBI0TcEnxzMtiyeE2yHF/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-05-Conwy-Castle-Scotland+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 6: </b>Lancashire (North West England)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfoBpjvK_ayWzFYIjg6XmcS1OqXXZepvRBb06l7RgdZWFAoh68nIefUtM_QtcJK4pIwaZAmaVM20QKQ9I_6itPcGKhwY9OX4Fnrihe7sO9LxRkfW1RQaBxTjirfU2IkFMjIxHMbeQPR30/s1600/DAY-06-Liverpool-Kendal-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfoBpjvK_ayWzFYIjg6XmcS1OqXXZepvRBb06l7RgdZWFAoh68nIefUtM_QtcJK4pIwaZAmaVM20QKQ9I_6itPcGKhwY9OX4Fnrihe7sO9LxRkfW1RQaBxTjirfU2IkFMjIxHMbeQPR30/s400/DAY-06-Liverpool-Kendal-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="183" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Liverpool</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlEyC1ULJm4IZnIrgDVroKbrwFJIGU8eddWToT4bygCgxuobDdRHeGPI4AkM9byQ4pe5v-zrwboURDllXgbOEH0CasGKec_hlmEIH5exCGYxTytNcRwl0QWmYznplrAc3uYaDNBDzYNkl/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlEyC1ULJm4IZnIrgDVroKbrwFJIGU8eddWToT4bygCgxuobDdRHeGPI4AkM9byQ4pe5v-zrwboURDllXgbOEH0CasGKec_hlmEIH5exCGYxTytNcRwl0QWmYznplrAc3uYaDNBDzYNkl/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Created as the first ever tax evasion scheme by King John in 1207, Liverpool has had a very interesting history ever since: both musically and politically. An absolute highlight of the visit was the <b>Albert Dock</b>: cutting edge of engineering when built (it had the first-ever fireproof warehouse!), today it's a home to an array of museums including <b>the Beatles Story</b>: an awesome museum telling the story of the "Fab 4" in a very immersive and compelling way through informative commentary (by John Lennon's sister Julia) about the "four lads who changed the world" and life-sized replicas of the legendary club '<b>Cavern</b>' (where the Beatles performed 292 times!) and the <b>Abbey Road </b>studios. Scattered around the dock one can also find Liverpool's mythical creatures including a '<i class="">lambanana</i>' (a very cute-looking crossover between a lamb and banana, which - in the spirit of the city's 'Liver bird' (crossover between an eagle and a duck) - was designed as a protest against cloning and genetic modification :-)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK44biuBT7Xu1EHgp_P-KwhsiRfjNBQw03t-V4TTHm1P_DfgxAcY9_5M8mG7mCPKc_R7VX4Yco_6KiPnnKzzQ1rPNmpQHJEJ57aJM5Z4FQLF1ctQX01ss1sp8LJA3Ones38sGAclrQdZJX/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK44biuBT7Xu1EHgp_P-KwhsiRfjNBQw03t-V4TTHm1P_DfgxAcY9_5M8mG7mCPKc_R7VX4Yco_6KiPnnKzzQ1rPNmpQHJEJ57aJM5Z4FQLF1ctQX01ss1sp8LJA3Ones38sGAclrQdZJX/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YyrLXFa84yW_VgUOprmfu0cW7Zz33jZAnwpHCd8fbIcS6hFyrt5ap_lInxDX5xXWBOawWip6ipHWMEBrzIvWjJeme6-IskIUP-RHOXtQpZ4WwwUc5_rE0jowRL7TPJ4SD_Ktv1NatQu5/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YyrLXFa84yW_VgUOprmfu0cW7Zz33jZAnwpHCd8fbIcS6hFyrt5ap_lInxDX5xXWBOawWip6ipHWMEBrzIvWjJeme6-IskIUP-RHOXtQpZ4WwwUc5_rE0jowRL7TPJ4SD_Ktv1NatQu5/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTMrCP3QpIaTooyW-r9FR03ar1ibCxgAR_8429ra6BuzZGBU9MJi5c3vHGjz0KYXpbxbQNdwzfGOJRRTI-9apMYhd4oJCXl6bssrmI9U7g_4ZyzlUp8T7eJ66h8pjtb60JbxBXm7vXX3V/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTMrCP3QpIaTooyW-r9FR03ar1ibCxgAR_8429ra6BuzZGBU9MJi5c3vHGjz0KYXpbxbQNdwzfGOJRRTI-9apMYhd4oJCXl6bssrmI9U7g_4ZyzlUp8T7eJ66h8pjtb60JbxBXm7vXX3V/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-06-Liverpool-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 7: </b>Cumbria (England)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAzzlIn1rfylfGs_WKm-hMF4Kj-r0lFQOcj33oVWHtuAullr8OfiWzii41b8ZGNHNDUIRJ3uGyKbxgG8zJnaUYv41oPHvaSD3GRyJNrrqgXv8xuaY88qWkjZQ-hPb1Za1plHSEF574MVx/s1600/DAY-07-The+Lakes+District-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="799" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAzzlIn1rfylfGs_WKm-hMF4Kj-r0lFQOcj33oVWHtuAullr8OfiWzii41b8ZGNHNDUIRJ3uGyKbxgG8zJnaUYv41oPHvaSD3GRyJNrrqgXv8xuaY88qWkjZQ-hPb1Za1plHSEF574MVx/s400/DAY-07-The+Lakes+District-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lakes District</span></b></h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Touring the Lakes district, enjoying cute </span>sheep portraits by lovely local animal illustration artists (<a href="http://www.beccafielding.com/">Becca Fielding</a> rules!), <span style="font-family: inherit;">eating mint cake, avoiding red squirrels & admiring UNESCO World Heritage & National Trust-protected properties before delving into the depths of the Lake District's last </span><b>Honister Pass </b>slate mine :-)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLIDjlkvh3Rmuw1HqwuBsZccggjJsyScTXnUfFUrcq4HqOeff6JxBHD3B-p3OBZsup3tSaWEBKPfjGZrOx1mxC1maEVa6sTzq3EI_TiGDjzRtLrgEYolx1CLf5V2GMLpK02w5QoGZFoQ6/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="1600" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLIDjlkvh3Rmuw1HqwuBsZccggjJsyScTXnUfFUrcq4HqOeff6JxBHD3B-p3OBZsup3tSaWEBKPfjGZrOx1mxC1maEVa6sTzq3EI_TiGDjzRtLrgEYolx1CLf5V2GMLpK02w5QoGZFoQ6/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DDre0E7VtiwxiH90dBuuoYweKJXqRUeWcOFFKDEwpPLoVOzYo7ECi4UpYZyuxEs2ifwxtMGdUV6lyIHgaSiCmFv5IxuQf2h3XwLsHrWR7wXuM4U3OQ_ofCIG0I4KskyQmjjn21YsOBHv/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DDre0E7VtiwxiH90dBuuoYweKJXqRUeWcOFFKDEwpPLoVOzYo7ECi4UpYZyuxEs2ifwxtMGdUV6lyIHgaSiCmFv5IxuQf2h3XwLsHrWR7wXuM4U3OQ_ofCIG0I4KskyQmjjn21YsOBHv/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoZ5scP1ZN5YHcdtobt2218m6U0tpv8FPzL3yFGxD_jq1KTOCjIQj_96Hsp6GJLngRPFdZrIur_eViJIajBSQxrDPdnHg5y2LK960pIWnXn74i6zRYejjoYjLj5IPYt-sE5eYCMTLGojI/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoZ5scP1ZN5YHcdtobt2218m6U0tpv8FPzL3yFGxD_jq1KTOCjIQj_96Hsp6GJLngRPFdZrIur_eViJIajBSQxrDPdnHg5y2LK960pIWnXn74i6zRYejjoYjLj5IPYt-sE5eYCMTLGojI/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jh0OnzvHZkDSxH8VAf-AUwSkfhnmVdf-plbUXpbSHnBWG7LueVQUeuobQ1G42rx-wOUNlZ5wn5yWI0oSYL-1hJltjxJf_eRewAJXwFFyYAZg8honYpw2cF1HcxzVyINl_Nlo2n_w9u10/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jh0OnzvHZkDSxH8VAf-AUwSkfhnmVdf-plbUXpbSHnBWG7LueVQUeuobQ1G42rx-wOUNlZ5wn5yWI0oSYL-1hJltjxJf_eRewAJXwFFyYAZg8honYpw2cF1HcxzVyINl_Nlo2n_w9u10/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-07-Lake+District-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 8: </b>Northumberland (England) and <b>W</b>estern Lowlands (Scotland)</h2>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbynyupWAT7bvegiaB-xXX73IrUmqpNx4TdqhxaNpwPb5IDq2j6LsmK4C67YnrB43xJn9o_N3OIg_EA498oAcwvttkpKViXo6ZJm8QOpAsG-RBVCEYyMfD2EN92OKGsBTncWNnapm7PASv/s1600/DAY-08-Hadrian%2527s+Wall-Glasgow-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbynyupWAT7bvegiaB-xXX73IrUmqpNx4TdqhxaNpwPb5IDq2j6LsmK4C67YnrB43xJn9o_N3OIg_EA498oAcwvttkpKViXo6ZJm8QOpAsG-RBVCEYyMfD2EN92OKGsBTncWNnapm7PASv/s400/DAY-08-Hadrian%2527s+Wall-Glasgow-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hadrian's Wall</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaa0uIL8mwZc0F8ksVsgOLzVcyrLyWVQ7HwxnL8qBpEFmfwaBxBuX60D2aLBnKO7Sod8Z5ZgD7rwZ_5IahG-quIuJ4niaoo9Xb6IO_qu2zdZoSwN6if67DQb2r6Z3Wiub_I5azg4BSLTO/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08+-Hadrian%2527s+Wall-Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaa0uIL8mwZc0F8ksVsgOLzVcyrLyWVQ7HwxnL8qBpEFmfwaBxBuX60D2aLBnKO7Sod8Z5ZgD7rwZ_5IahG-quIuJ4niaoo9Xb6IO_qu2zdZoSwN6if67DQb2r6Z3Wiub_I5azg4BSLTO/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08+-Hadrian%2527s+Wall-Map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Walking the <b>Hadrian's Wall</b>, </span>2000-year-old fortified <span style="font-family: inherit;">dramatic Roman ruins snaking coast-to-coast across lonely hills. The wall </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">once marked the northern limit of Roman Empire. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12IG-6SrTSGLisHXbBG1RlRtxzU1UaVlzGukmA4dpr3sMRahx76SSsTvMVYQG59Yj-UaAA29fgk-QK61tias8rzuf88dhmPDxDa5nerlFouKF1CPCT7sGuGLHyX5AzxuYwWrBYnyIgTKE/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Hadrian%2527s-Wall-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12IG-6SrTSGLisHXbBG1RlRtxzU1UaVlzGukmA4dpr3sMRahx76SSsTvMVYQG59Yj-UaAA29fgk-QK61tias8rzuf88dhmPDxDa5nerlFouKF1CPCT7sGuGLHyX5AzxuYwWrBYnyIgTKE/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Hadrian%2527s-Wall-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Glasgow</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoying surprisingly sunny Glasgow (it totally did not live up to its gloomy image, even <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Necropolis">The Necropolis</a>) and its really cool </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/kelvingrove/pages/default.aspx">Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum</a>.</span><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRdQBCKC3p0zGEFhyBgTtgz8x8AadYyBaif4WhxmmmBmS6NDARRMIgaUfY-OuZnSkUGkpvCeqyhijcPHQ80eFjgPbP3wYA9NlcvH0wYaTdy4JsXIkYohAMm8Nh-hezNLm2k_KhknCGcyi/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Glagsow-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRdQBCKC3p0zGEFhyBgTtgz8x8AadYyBaif4WhxmmmBmS6NDARRMIgaUfY-OuZnSkUGkpvCeqyhijcPHQ80eFjgPbP3wYA9NlcvH0wYaTdy4JsXIkYohAMm8Nh-hezNLm2k_KhknCGcyi/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Glagsow-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn36q6t4r7f2k-_Q8d5UM-pD8DQqQKXvRe_6myN7rPdSzZMS9FTRIe8SA40rZVdTbK_w_PlmLODeJY8XbsMq39DgdyjoXSSG9G9zFdFvomj9pYvnNyxH2dDy2bazi-ujDXZp-HQdACkoh7/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Glagsow-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn36q6t4r7f2k-_Q8d5UM-pD8DQqQKXvRe_6myN7rPdSzZMS9FTRIe8SA40rZVdTbK_w_PlmLODeJY8XbsMq39DgdyjoXSSG9G9zFdFvomj9pYvnNyxH2dDy2bazi-ujDXZp-HQdACkoh7/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+08-Glagsow-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: justify;">Day 9 and 10: West Dunbartonshire and Highland (Scotland)</b></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGXPS0U1vPVFSx9lrQ9OZyy9b-_P3VUGPx4nw-2k4w0-2oeO3m7e6460Snt4PnCfOmY4jqmto1i1K4Xgb0S0By7PgMk_FmNXDhI1ramLgTjcFpo1NnIklJFsfI22zFve33l0xC9Uic0St/s1600/DAY-09-Loch+Lomond-Isle+of+Skye-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="589" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGXPS0U1vPVFSx9lrQ9OZyy9b-_P3VUGPx4nw-2k4w0-2oeO3m7e6460Snt4PnCfOmY4jqmto1i1K4Xgb0S0By7PgMk_FmNXDhI1ramLgTjcFpo1NnIklJFsfI22zFve33l0xC9Uic0St/s400/DAY-09-Loch+Lomond-Isle+of+Skye-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="361" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loch Lomond</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEUorh_-4xWs-hexDGykrqlQyyI6cDQaeGdyOwVaw2D17S-Af9-2fE7_19vF8dHJyMoEcbuq4_PFajZEZsidqYeB6yA-14YGacCBf6Jrb2H6k_BTxzWWA0LOCQT_9pcYtlbl3O9O8-bPN/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08-Lake+Bala.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEUorh_-4xWs-hexDGykrqlQyyI6cDQaeGdyOwVaw2D17S-Af9-2fE7_19vF8dHJyMoEcbuq4_PFajZEZsidqYeB6yA-14YGacCBf6Jrb2H6k_BTxzWWA0LOCQT_9pcYtlbl3O9O8-bPN/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08-Lake+Bala.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIalJ37I35BQpcL6gMQQCTS84j6Q3ELmx3pfEFeepvrU0HsZA0hDTFfi9DRCCqGU7qP6f7xGCIAD8IFEAFLIQOS7g8XhZpnD4ZcYwoCpzIUAKsTYTjytegpKGlhzkk19XtL4WsSXIXE2V/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08-Lake+Bala-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIalJ37I35BQpcL6gMQQCTS84j6Q3ELmx3pfEFeepvrU0HsZA0hDTFfi9DRCCqGU7qP6f7xGCIAD8IFEAFLIQOS7g8XhZpnD4ZcYwoCpzIUAKsTYTjytegpKGlhzkk19XtL4WsSXIXE2V/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-08-Lake+Bala-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Picnic-style scenic breakfast at <b>Loch Lomond</b>, passing through <b>Glencoe </b>- classical dramatic Highland scenery towards the wilderness of the Isle is Skye: bullet holes in sheep signs and the weather that changes every 5 minutes and dramatic landscapes: it was worth every mile of the way there! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveJ7DlDe7caymOa_4uo6FiYvvOWKxeUNoAJEUVf6jcWZQE5kaB2Srxv_yCcSCHyUETOpOyuUpxayfb8vGY4a9Dmosr4M6p0FKAyEeqXvzZ0VqDS2x6CO5lxxV1v-1prmV1ABoW2PWvPAO/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-09-Glecoe-Fort-William-Isle+of+Skye-Old-Man-of-Storr-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveJ7DlDe7caymOa_4uo6FiYvvOWKxeUNoAJEUVf6jcWZQE5kaB2Srxv_yCcSCHyUETOpOyuUpxayfb8vGY4a9Dmosr4M6p0FKAyEeqXvzZ0VqDS2x6CO5lxxV1v-1prmV1ABoW2PWvPAO/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-09-Glecoe-Fort-William-Isle+of+Skye-Old-Man-of-Storr-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After taking a peek at the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Black Cuillin </b>mountains, we headed towards t</span>he <b>Fairy Pools</b>, <b>Old Man of Storr </b>and <b>Staffin Museum </b>(to see the dinosaur footprint and the <b>Kilt Rock </b>for the perfect waterfall viewpoint...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2zxp8wCoJkAbAG9j3WB5ZZFCvmV04xbML9YNXOF_yVA3A5ZhVvi5cepmguFOpYOIHpg4-NWOH1zt6ytZ9ZV0UxYn2uGAnlZLG0sGyS8SPJ6PF4nAvdVMwWFPy8bsOMysst-5Ugk7QgxR/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-09-Glecoe-Fort-William-Isle+of+Skye-Old-Man-of-Storr-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2zxp8wCoJkAbAG9j3WB5ZZFCvmV04xbML9YNXOF_yVA3A5ZhVvi5cepmguFOpYOIHpg4-NWOH1zt6ytZ9ZV0UxYn2uGAnlZLG0sGyS8SPJ6PF4nAvdVMwWFPy8bsOMysst-5Ugk7QgxR/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-09-Glecoe-Fort-William-Isle+of+Skye-Old-Man-of-Storr-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Isle of Skye and Loch Ness</span></b></h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The highlights of the next day included <b>Talisker Distillery</b>, <b>Fairy Glen</b>, some furry Scottish cows and the amazing culinary delights of "<b>The Three Chimneys</b>" in a very remote part of the Isle of Skye before delving into </span>the depths of the most mysterious Loch ever only to find... Nessy! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdVyJhunoj5o0-yk6j_KXwqeLOgu5FqLDD_1GIE4n6mq7dAneI_u_kXPtW0hGoOH5O0lp2poP1G8eQINJYYzphyphenhyphen9IRyhx0fnlZfFxFIL6Hzbg0Ba1-0L3WSLk4SnBEL3J6a4m7wSRJw45/s1600/Day-10-Isle-of-Skye-Loch+Ness-Alena-Romanenko.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="758" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdVyJhunoj5o0-yk6j_KXwqeLOgu5FqLDD_1GIE4n6mq7dAneI_u_kXPtW0hGoOH5O0lp2poP1G8eQINJYYzphyphenhyphen9IRyhx0fnlZfFxFIL6Hzbg0Ba1-0L3WSLk4SnBEL3J6a4m7wSRJw45/s400/Day-10-Isle-of-Skye-Loch+Ness-Alena-Romanenko.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2ioaUUuXoRWwJ954i_GMaKXiXA5ySbyAMoC6m86Ky7gzHoF_PkmD4XscpEHxVNnWHZvCvoOpBNWlYBzjcGhKpvkvA1AUBDrI5FAD60GN7ZZ6FY-Zsd9ck-KtIw3kv13eaESiHZnk031M/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-10-Isle+of+Skye-Fairy+Glen-Fairy-Pools-Dunvegan-Staffin-Loch-Ness.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2ioaUUuXoRWwJ954i_GMaKXiXA5ySbyAMoC6m86Ky7gzHoF_PkmD4XscpEHxVNnWHZvCvoOpBNWlYBzjcGhKpvkvA1AUBDrI5FAD60GN7ZZ6FY-Zsd9ck-KtIw3kv13eaESiHZnk031M/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-10-Isle+of+Skye-Fairy+Glen-Fairy-Pools-Dunvegan-Staffin-Loch-Ness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 11: Stirling and the Ciry of Edinburgh (Scotland)</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NsP7OhOGe3jkXcymiHOd95ujPQ9DkKgKKRMJBAam9inuMLQGkIChkRp4O29BEx-OG-vOxs1ofYOE6G7TGXvLjesCY5yhGcZRr2XjIAZc5MB8a6gHihbStM-mgZMCudJhSWA45aOnTbVn/s1600/DAY-11-Loch-Ness-Edinburgh-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="511" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NsP7OhOGe3jkXcymiHOd95ujPQ9DkKgKKRMJBAam9inuMLQGkIChkRp4O29BEx-OG-vOxs1ofYOE6G7TGXvLjesCY5yhGcZRr2XjIAZc5MB8a6gHihbStM-mgZMCudJhSWA45aOnTbVn/s400/DAY-11-Loch-Ness-Edinburgh-Alena-Romanenko.PNG" width="345" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Stirling Castle's necropolis:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmd5zq0vzZNXIOYaKLhxgsEn4uZHN7t_M0vtiQ6IV1IXUJng04qb-AcDB0DQ3m3cCgnZa3wAhVIjBOECZCZeS7pOen6NxNReUjHt0UAzErv3QQtdz66ElWpF-3dxbARGzLF6oLwvZX9Kz/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1600" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmd5zq0vzZNXIOYaKLhxgsEn4uZHN7t_M0vtiQ6IV1IXUJng04qb-AcDB0DQ3m3cCgnZa3wAhVIjBOECZCZeS7pOen6NxNReUjHt0UAzErv3QQtdz66ElWpF-3dxbARGzLF6oLwvZX9Kz/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Edinburgh</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fxmFKEagRTmTNiqqX395Ptg3ppP93CnRy6SxgUMBy-hLJc6-XzkKWtbKOWwBw8UzHSZ_RyB-G_1HHi5LW5kFGBKyFUM0PIbUh32VrZ9_kVaxTrUma622BDtLwmur-e_xxGl6e5yGydyv/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+13+-Edinburgh+Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fxmFKEagRTmTNiqqX395Ptg3ppP93CnRy6SxgUMBy-hLJc6-XzkKWtbKOWwBw8UzHSZ_RyB-G_1HHi5LW5kFGBKyFUM0PIbUh32VrZ9_kVaxTrUma622BDtLwmur-e_xxGl6e5yGydyv/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+13+-Edinburgh+Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Edinburgh Castle </b>is built on a volcanic crag, everyone drinks whisky instead of water and their national animal is a unicorn! How much more awesome can it get?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a1hwEGZKQK163gczmGqSIOzRQGoR7xIvdenJcjJvE3H_Fu_D4g7jz5vd2oIcYGaQC4NbWFqhqhBz6yTYzhnu4_UIi37PIFnusdpHBlvN_we-XcI1Fmlw17LAe2pVu7ab40vZ3vdDQ0Ft/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle-Edinburgh-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a1hwEGZKQK163gczmGqSIOzRQGoR7xIvdenJcjJvE3H_Fu_D4g7jz5vd2oIcYGaQC4NbWFqhqhBz6yTYzhnu4_UIi37PIFnusdpHBlvN_we-XcI1Fmlw17LAe2pVu7ab40vZ3vdDQ0Ft/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle-Edinburgh-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnOCCNhGpPDrwFu3C9QIu1fNZg5hIF989_lHeDuUkHNb4rWrX9Nm7xWyHV16a9DNDTp5Wgnl4VxkzofzyNs1dg64mcT2ubnG3HT4NGtnp26L8zmOtmSpA8ivE9XqPLiXtE25NHhusp2qo/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle-Edinburgh-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnOCCNhGpPDrwFu3C9QIu1fNZg5hIF989_lHeDuUkHNb4rWrX9Nm7xWyHV16a9DNDTp5Wgnl4VxkzofzyNs1dg64mcT2ubnG3HT4NGtnp26L8zmOtmSpA8ivE9XqPLiXtE25NHhusp2qo/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-11-Stirling-Castle-Edinburgh-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 12: North Yorkshire (England)</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMFexvsB4QdcqXGEBhhU1CWzH83F9LbqlTLs5Ff1DjM2CMYKmZp5dQA5UDaYeqpYA5cM7yDgUFDQ2wka0tcVP-Cxz9Hh7ZeqO7uo1X65HOPJDmAJvps8vFg95fW_4kWiBBX7rrwf3RTyw/s1600/DAY-12-Edinburgh-Melrose-Dryburgh-Whitby.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="742" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMFexvsB4QdcqXGEBhhU1CWzH83F9LbqlTLs5Ff1DjM2CMYKmZp5dQA5UDaYeqpYA5cM7yDgUFDQ2wka0tcVP-Cxz9Hh7ZeqO7uo1X65HOPJDmAJvps8vFg95fW_4kWiBBX7rrwf3RTyw/s400/DAY-12-Edinburgh-Melrose-Dryburgh-Whitby.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">York </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoying the "most medieval city in England": </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) visiting the <b>York Minster </b>- (arguably) the largest medieval cathedral in all of Northern Europe</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) being amazed at British recycling habits: Roman sarcophagi as flower pots!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) having a proper cream tea and cake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) roaming the <b>Diagon Alley's</b> (Harry Potter fans rejoice!) prototype: the Shambles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) checking out York's sanctuary: the place where all your sins used to be pardoned of you can just get hold of that very special door handle </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI98OWkP4t03BjzHUJoL8F6I-FLlsEyL8mtzxb_PNqCLwJQeJTxAPa5wmYo1Q23gadkYYjctq2lNmKEehU21kaIXFaTa1UzpyOwXUIruaRd8Nu_DWGFU-_uYmgRXgq75bZcLx8CiCUVUHx/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-13-York-The-Cotswolds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI98OWkP4t03BjzHUJoL8F6I-FLlsEyL8mtzxb_PNqCLwJQeJTxAPa5wmYo1Q23gadkYYjctq2lNmKEehU21kaIXFaTa1UzpyOwXUIruaRd8Nu_DWGFU-_uYmgRXgq75bZcLx8CiCUVUHx/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-13-York-The-Cotswolds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 13: The Scottish Borders (Scotland), Berwickshire and North Yorkshire (England)</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28jlYLiY_b0vcxxU20oxBvMxI-Alo8Yac30XEuxqqlvw24ZJmo-mKMdYuDAKvC1p7piqLqU_rj-oxNEpGbOvGM42r2pcaveNW84VUEdJtt1twl984lV3euGUpWH-JlS6ojggQNrCEAjwh/s1600/DAY13-Whitby-Cotswolds.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="367" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28jlYLiY_b0vcxxU20oxBvMxI-Alo8Yac30XEuxqqlvw24ZJmo-mKMdYuDAKvC1p7piqLqU_rj-oxNEpGbOvGM42r2pcaveNW84VUEdJtt1twl984lV3euGUpWH-JlS6ojggQNrCEAjwh/s400/DAY13-Whitby-Cotswolds.png" width="218" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Border Abbeys: </span>Melrose, Dryburgh and Whitby Abbey</h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A day in the Scottish Borders: visiting the picturesque Cistercian <b>Melrose Abbey</b> (where the Heart of William the Bruce is buried) and the romantic ruins of the early 12th century's <b>Dryburgh Abbey</b> (the final resting place of Sir Walter Scott)... <b>Whitby Abbey</b>: Gothic inspiration behind Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' - Whitby Abbey.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk43isYQnkAH9rWYsBwmQ2m5HDrKz3gGVhOSsRo6PZZBLWVz7y_tHoY8-akZRnxOkmnwJvQsoC8RNTOCcLILCtP-jJ5hLLRsHZurKAYBgipcx6myE2qmJYM2AidetfzZjvPgTqJeZgwD4S/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-12+-Melrose-Dryburgh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk43isYQnkAH9rWYsBwmQ2m5HDrKz3gGVhOSsRo6PZZBLWVz7y_tHoY8-akZRnxOkmnwJvQsoC8RNTOCcLILCtP-jJ5hLLRsHZurKAYBgipcx6myE2qmJYM2AidetfzZjvPgTqJeZgwD4S/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-12+-Melrose-Dryburgh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqihMBxms1gdANgeRLwp3EDJKLp3Z_dso9RFUmOLB079x5e_33lI7NOyrOXYcxAnhqjpnIywqrxYDHeTVuWQDaBnRrU6NPp6yZwKcGp5OxI-1JL9ZZDbxh9QAQs9uAT9WIRuJ_t7vM0chT/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+12+-Melrose-Dryburgh-Whitby-Abbey+%252834%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqihMBxms1gdANgeRLwp3EDJKLp3Z_dso9RFUmOLB079x5e_33lI7NOyrOXYcxAnhqjpnIywqrxYDHeTVuWQDaBnRrU6NPp6yZwKcGp5OxI-1JL9ZZDbxh9QAQs9uAT9WIRuJ_t7vM0chT/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+12+-Melrose-Dryburgh-Whitby-Abbey+%252834%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPa4lWYjinX1g2BUTH7hxiosmZlleyMMU4Ps-lvp_OvOPH3OCSztnavu_9iruWgeq_9D5M9GLoogLZp40xpu3ZhgZue1krlCFm0fYj-bdotKxXgSfquksj-lqpN5fMhVCpTixyLZQjE6W/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-12+-Whitby-Abbey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPa4lWYjinX1g2BUTH7hxiosmZlleyMMU4Ps-lvp_OvOPH3OCSztnavu_9iruWgeq_9D5M9GLoogLZp40xpu3ZhgZue1krlCFm0fYj-bdotKxXgSfquksj-lqpN5fMhVCpTixyLZQjE6W/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-12+-Whitby-Abbey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 14: Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire (England)</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhCybA8JkqqYAFyA6cOFWjl3NZIS0IQg5KN0xjQk9WJHYUcMwlw-XdDjU6rEgOr_iMzCWoALCOEGbW4jCgLzkVFR41SvCGlKTRHmOEpag80WtKWMqav7JZTDtq8KrhPUMN5Qkz-S7jijE/s1600/DAY14-Cotswolds-Blenheim-Oxford-London.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="951" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhCybA8JkqqYAFyA6cOFWjl3NZIS0IQg5KN0xjQk9WJHYUcMwlw-XdDjU6rEgOr_iMzCWoALCOEGbW4jCgLzkVFR41SvCGlKTRHmOEpag80WtKWMqav7JZTDtq8KrhPUMN5Qkz-S7jijE/s400/DAY14-Cotswolds-Blenheim-Oxford-London.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
The Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace, Oxford </h3>
<div>
1) Enjoying the 'chocolate box' towns of <b>The Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)</b>. Famous mainly for horse trade (hence the wooden pony), <b>Stow-on-the-Wold</b>.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
2) Roaming around the manicured lawns of one of Britain's greatest baroque stately homes, <b>Blenheim Palace</b>, the birthplace of the most bad-ass politician in the world (Winston Churchill) </div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND84EgzU4kGjPpefSszJtDiO4aUi2sC6l3RmmK_JzDeWbQKurxTMbCgtoC7Wxt5KwMaL4BRunoNMbgw2hX9gWAjH9YL4qTZPAsVGK14bl7OaJJ0kP0JjDL1MsSfuPL1mWsfLu7iL1U11M/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-14-Blenheim+Palace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND84EgzU4kGjPpefSszJtDiO4aUi2sC6l3RmmK_JzDeWbQKurxTMbCgtoC7Wxt5KwMaL4BRunoNMbgw2hX9gWAjH9YL4qTZPAsVGK14bl7OaJJ0kP0JjDL1MsSfuPL1mWsfLu7iL1U11M/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day-14-Blenheim+Palace.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
3) Following the footsteps of JRR Tolkien and Oscar Wilde in <b>Oxford</b>...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTk1hFvFxnFTjaLQe0-SyVqFFV6QIrNeEZDeuEeqUofHy439LpP_CKFbT4wDFR8J-i3k9jklQh3CuZGkfyE3o-b6Tz1EwfSRgQKlW40Q_qvF3BUE6yNnQqKuTP8G6lWI8RBtOfqZrzPAv/s1600/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+14-Cotswolds-Chipping-Camden-Bourton-on-the-Water-Stow-on-the-Wold-Blenheim-Oxford.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTk1hFvFxnFTjaLQe0-SyVqFFV6QIrNeEZDeuEeqUofHy439LpP_CKFbT4wDFR8J-i3k9jklQh3CuZGkfyE3o-b6Tz1EwfSRgQKlW40Q_qvF3BUE6yNnQqKuTP8G6lWI8RBtOfqZrzPAv/s400/UK-Roadtrip-Alena-Romanenko-Day+14-Cotswolds-Chipping-Camden-Bourton-on-the-Water-Stow-on-the-Wold-Blenheim-Oxford.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Skye, United Kingdom57.5359261 -6.2262725000000556.4396876 -8.80805950000005 58.632164599999996 -3.6444855000000502tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-3856493613185025282017-06-24T16:27:00.003+02:002017-06-24T16:27:48.792+02:003 weeks in the land of Maori<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK9Ta2w4ebHTCuZCa-beUYjpSZkE63K3qGkuU1xPV80Ru_XqyPHHb0H2SnPeGjloOZQUgrdxHXKRoXxZM4IY1v5zfRUksi-Qstlqy1RbrGM5haPTx__8XRnstS4UTR4fFzH_IVzVcgnsu/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK9Ta2w4ebHTCuZCa-beUYjpSZkE63K3qGkuU1xPV80Ru_XqyPHHb0H2SnPeGjloOZQUgrdxHXKRoXxZM4IY1v5zfRUksi-Qstlqy1RbrGM5haPTx__8XRnstS4UTR4fFzH_IVzVcgnsu/s320/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-overview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
The trip to the other side of the world...</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Traveling to New Zealand from Europe, it's really worth researching your options... having paid €1'250 for the return flight from Amsterdam, I know that it was the cheapest ticket compared to a couple of other friends who have done this journey his year, however the reason for this "bargain" is that I had 2 transfers (within China: Beijing & Guangzhou), one of which with only 1,5 hours between the flights, which was a pretty stressful experience, given that luggage isn't automatically transferred to your final destination & you have to pick it up manually, go into the airport in Beijing, go through all the Chinese security as if you were travelling from China, check in your luggage again & only then hop on your plane...<br />
It's not helping that service people's level of English in China is so poor that even getting the simplest answers to questions like: "Guangzhou - check-in/help?) isn't possible... <br />
If you have hopes of making it to a close connection, make a fuss, tell everyone you're missing your flight, be persistent & don't give up at first 3 wrong (or completely nonsensical) answers :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another thing is that China apparently has no referable laws (what is allowed to take with you in carry on & check in luggage): I got into an argument with the security official because he wanted to confiscate my power bank (mind you: it IS ALLOWED to take power banks with you in carry on, but his reasoning for wanting to confiscate my brand new shiny power bank was: "there's NO INDICATION OF THE CAPACITY of the battery, so you can't take it with you") funny fact: ironically & non-surprisingly, the power bank was manufactured in China...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Of course, the official could not (in any form) produce the "very recent directive" that he was referring to and which supposedly "forbid this specific type of power bank" (my suspicion was that he just like how it looked & wanted it for himself). So, only after having involved several other security officers, supervisors of the airline staff, writing down everyone's identification number in order to be able to file a formal complaint, had the "authorities" finally become more "compliant" & suddenly agreed to actually do what I've been asking for from beginning on: run a check by serial number (or cross-reference the purchase receipt) & see in the specifications what the capacity of the power bank was. "Official's compliance" reached its apogees when I was suddenly allowed to just go through security & catch my flight AND just take the power bank with me (really?!) <b><u>on the condition that I would delete the data about their IDs.</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After all that adventure, even having been abundantly sprayed with insecticide upon arrival by biosecurity <i>"to prevent insect infestation"</i> (fair enough after 30 hours of plane-hopping), I felt very welcome & happy to stand on the land of kiwis & have the dodginess & corruption of Chinese authorities behind me...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJOeRH4aAWbUz-q7PHVaqGRydMTYT78KMo2PWRCveUnjy2qNdu4uLoL8P3X0n9_3onyiUIKXAxZ67TyAxVERq_CwzpSHp7usnVe601x0TJCginIyXTg_Zc3EkzN_jlhcv_ZMul2rDp67/s1600/New+Zealand-Maps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJOeRH4aAWbUz-q7PHVaqGRydMTYT78KMo2PWRCveUnjy2qNdu4uLoL8P3X0n9_3onyiUIKXAxZ67TyAxVERq_CwzpSHp7usnVe601x0TJCginIyXTg_Zc3EkzN_jlhcv_ZMul2rDp67/s400/New+Zealand-Maps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 1: Auckland & Muriwai Beach</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10rieFp_D9FIsMZhxDEFSJBaaLiWms46Aw5BO92A6yElKEakYMaoYQrfTl4P-Nmbaa89I-wY68X5clteY1goxGQUsQ8haaK_Ctdq0wJgt0W-4e1aB5f_K62dZWldS7558LFRGM0MPMgQv/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-01+-Auckland-%2526+Muriwai-23.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10rieFp_D9FIsMZhxDEFSJBaaLiWms46Aw5BO92A6yElKEakYMaoYQrfTl4P-Nmbaa89I-wY68X5clteY1goxGQUsQ8haaK_Ctdq0wJgt0W-4e1aB5f_K62dZWldS7558LFRGM0MPMgQv/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-01+-Auckland-%2526+Muriwai-23.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Landing in <b>Auckland, </b>we right away headed off to <b>Piha </b>in order to climb <b>Lion Rock</b>, explore the nearby beaches & visit gannets colonies before heading off to the <b>Muriwai beach </b>to watch kite surfers & finishing the day off by snatching a glimpse of the <b>Sky Tower</b> in Auckland from <b>Stokes Point Reserve</b>. Before leaving Auckland we admired some sheep grazing grass in the shade of the <b>One Tree Hill </b>monument and watched sunset at <b>Cornwell Park</b>...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDlowqjFNEINf7pyhgjacnI7tt6GeD1yRBvJFLzeN0guZX6VzQGFdyTWGAwCTmhlkYifTZQ2l3x3I5xojXdhElcnk2G0akNFSpTE3Vg0KshegHaK3scXIh7gQWEja9fG3UUOlxJAEPgmk/s1600/01+-+Muriwai+Beach-Takapu+gannet+colony-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDlowqjFNEINf7pyhgjacnI7tt6GeD1yRBvJFLzeN0guZX6VzQGFdyTWGAwCTmhlkYifTZQ2l3x3I5xojXdhElcnk2G0akNFSpTE3Vg0KshegHaK3scXIh7gQWEja9fG3UUOlxJAEPgmk/s400/01+-+Muriwai+Beach-Takapu+gannet+colony-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8A9eO1Hkb8mMDM-f2mVPcsjXa_DkzDxzni8D-Pi5TtLkaAKHbwrzEQiIbHmNm6IzvBflHG4wYzC1ZIqo-tJWsKYiolwQKMYZHHyZhM2eDSpSYFGpBz8mj_Rqo5YCOAsh5sc_zAU6Zc-h/s1600/01+-+Muriwai+Beach-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8A9eO1Hkb8mMDM-f2mVPcsjXa_DkzDxzni8D-Pi5TtLkaAKHbwrzEQiIbHmNm6IzvBflHG4wYzC1ZIqo-tJWsKYiolwQKMYZHHyZhM2eDSpSYFGpBz8mj_Rqo5YCOAsh5sc_zAU6Zc-h/s400/01+-+Muriwai+Beach-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidziP9dwOf5u4mnzHNDsKXrf-qFMw9URmEy41vYMxNmzxG6kFlwMKYSW02ooDVrKAjjYbbne1rVHWMc886MmSdcOdYnIbI_CnEX_vHyiXGrJmXCHmDrsoVJlLxvtzXmP9wIkJZa0A1H6p9/s1600/01+-+Auckland-citscape-from-Stokes-Point-Reserve-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidziP9dwOf5u4mnzHNDsKXrf-qFMw9URmEy41vYMxNmzxG6kFlwMKYSW02ooDVrKAjjYbbne1rVHWMc886MmSdcOdYnIbI_CnEX_vHyiXGrJmXCHmDrsoVJlLxvtzXmP9wIkJZa0A1H6p9/s400/01+-+Auckland-citscape-from-Stokes-Point-Reserve-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EkqgK6lZgBMZmc8d5Psgsx-K5p19Hrb6Q52UUMECtXG02g4md9zOxcHHJ0SNj7atJ5_PEuJxx2HJMrvg58eFigHNGvCLbRQ0GjDnd2OydHhrNjhzbvbcoTITjLJhM5-p8Z60LRdGzHxg/s1600/01+-+Auckland-sunset-in-Cornwall-Park-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EkqgK6lZgBMZmc8d5Psgsx-K5p19Hrb6Q52UUMECtXG02g4md9zOxcHHJ0SNj7atJ5_PEuJxx2HJMrvg58eFigHNGvCLbRQ0GjDnd2OydHhrNjhzbvbcoTITjLJhM5-p8Z60LRdGzHxg/s400/01+-+Auckland-sunset-in-Cornwall-Park-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqjkrZTV787uBspoyGyoFctXv4FfPYfntei0ZSEQrlkFzMQGbMaq4gDjVfnjIu5N4yITEqlLeUJbOH1bDPSIkvqnTbYm69C-doEpHSNRqQ6QKR7mPtrypLRpGHWZy6qd4eUXPWlc4J7yl/s1600/01+-+Auckland-One-Tree-Hill-sheep-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqjkrZTV787uBspoyGyoFctXv4FfPYfntei0ZSEQrlkFzMQGbMaq4gDjVfnjIu5N4yITEqlLeUJbOH1bDPSIkvqnTbYm69C-doEpHSNRqQ6QKR7mPtrypLRpGHWZy6qd4eUXPWlc4J7yl/s400/01+-+Auckland-One-Tree-Hill-sheep-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 2: Coromandel, Waikato, Hahei & Cathedral Cove</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpdU1r-smGyBByq2PooLlJybCB9JvY_toqqY8fYLqYrgrB_CMf-WEuLpfh-LcDwtaXfS23MRgNFbIBVaU4CN3x-HYGly3Vy_9S9pHOhSBz3r4SvF68h22BM0aedKQxz0CqHsc7_6istBo/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-02+-+Waikato-Hahei%252C-Cathedral+Cove-24.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpdU1r-smGyBByq2PooLlJybCB9JvY_toqqY8fYLqYrgrB_CMf-WEuLpfh-LcDwtaXfS23MRgNFbIBVaU4CN3x-HYGly3Vy_9S9pHOhSBz3r4SvF68h22BM0aedKQxz0CqHsc7_6istBo/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-02+-+Waikato-Hahei%252C-Cathedral+Cove-24.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Woke up in the mining town of <b>Coromandel</b>, then - traveling through a <i>Pahutukawa </i>tree forest in <b>Waiau</b>, at the PIG CROSSING, was fortunate to meet a friendly Kiwi farmer who let me pet one (evidence below)! Later on headed off to <b>Waikato </b>& <b>Hahei beaches</b> to hike to <b>Cathedral Cove</b>, "polished" the afternoon with a beer tasting at <a href="http://www.thepourhouse.nz/"><b>The Pour House</b></a> (<i>7 Grange Road, Hahei Coromandel 3591</i>) & finished the day at the remote <b>Dickey's Flat campsite </b>on the bank of the <b>Ohinemuri river </b>eating a home-made (lol, technically speaking: "a tent-made") Pavlova desert (apparently, a traditional Christmas sweet treat in New Zealand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Q1KvQJ614uE6jieo-4weWyecJ4InND38zlsuZ32h0ZHLdjYuIrTEGtLTYc9HuE0kCk3Azn7F7hWSevq04S0_xVaGBcCwbblqLUo8ugB5t4qouV9v0e_qp4XQhH3gKIOtTYyVGHlWJ9j/s1600/02+-+Cathedral+Cove-Drive-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Q1KvQJ614uE6jieo-4weWyecJ4InND38zlsuZ32h0ZHLdjYuIrTEGtLTYc9HuE0kCk3Azn7F7hWSevq04S0_xVaGBcCwbblqLUo8ugB5t4qouV9v0e_qp4XQhH3gKIOtTYyVGHlWJ9j/s400/02+-+Cathedral+Cove-Drive-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeeigomtZ-VMZs-vT5H0JqRW89GAcE_wOQPPRkaxiL8-Jr95Dcq-QR9_sQoF5KjYEFJKHwYUhttijlYSJlu3zNoMRPAhNe24XtnJiXTdVvv6OdSKiES3C-QMK4cLaVUrCJKwmzWQzWMWQ/s1600/02+-+Cathedral+Cove-jump-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeeigomtZ-VMZs-vT5H0JqRW89GAcE_wOQPPRkaxiL8-Jr95Dcq-QR9_sQoF5KjYEFJKHwYUhttijlYSJlu3zNoMRPAhNe24XtnJiXTdVvv6OdSKiES3C-QMK4cLaVUrCJKwmzWQzWMWQ/s400/02+-+Cathedral+Cove-jump-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXozeO3xdB_EAwZx2Tz6yDl4c-r-6noxCO1dHh6_bTnHFm-kqIYZuhE1CPAYhlYK7zvjskoXl_ohpdK8uxvKW02RDZT7eG3qe_DMo1b8TB3c8Qzo4wQMyvhWEpkAiQxtDxQrr7trx1jIxC/s1600/02+-+Waikato+to+Hahei-Waiau+Falls-Pigs+Crossing-piglet-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXozeO3xdB_EAwZx2Tz6yDl4c-r-6noxCO1dHh6_bTnHFm-kqIYZuhE1CPAYhlYK7zvjskoXl_ohpdK8uxvKW02RDZT7eG3qe_DMo1b8TB3c8Qzo4wQMyvhWEpkAiQxtDxQrr7trx1jIxC/s400/02+-+Waikato+to+Hahei-Waiau+Falls-Pigs+Crossing-piglet-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3: Karangahake & Wai-O-Tapu</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ5SL2xsCQGv1Mnm6NYJ8svWG34mJuuct01dMEYQxILiwH-1x-yZiEw1JXW-gMOQIUoJQUUCVc3PPVGvcWrg1XCM984Cvyw2PNMJfgI-ADUcKXrn2RHoZ1fHdaAGe3Un4S9_OrPNjtRiJ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-03+-Waiotapu-Windows-Walk-25.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ5SL2xsCQGv1Mnm6NYJ8svWG34mJuuct01dMEYQxILiwH-1x-yZiEw1JXW-gMOQIUoJQUUCVc3PPVGvcWrg1XCM984Cvyw2PNMJfgI-ADUcKXrn2RHoZ1fHdaAGe3Un4S9_OrPNjtRiJ/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-03+-Waiotapu-Windows-Walk-25.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We woke up in <b>Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park</b>, did the <i>"Window Walk" </i>in the <b>Karangahake gorge</b>, following a trail to (& through) an old mine along the former horse-driven tram tracks. After this, we drove south to <b>Wai-O-Tapu</b>, which is a huge (ca. 18 km2) thermal area, made up of a volcanic dome of <b>Maungakakamea </b>(<b>Rainbow Mountain</b>) & covered with collapsed craters (5 - 50 meters in diameter), water & steaming fumaroles as well as cold & hot boiling pools of mud & water.<br />
<b>The Taupo Volcanic Zone </b>is generally recognized as one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. The water there can be so hot (up to 300*C) that it absorbs minerals out of the rocks through which it passes and transports them to the surface as steam where they are ultimately absorbed into the ground. You'll notice that it's also a remarkably colorful area: the colors are introduced into the area by various oxides: purple = manganese oxide, red/brown = iron oxide, yellow = sulphur ... It's pretty, but smells like hell (or rather: rotten eggs) because of <i>hydrogen sulphide </i>(H2S).<br />
Before heading off to <b>Rotorua </b>for the night, we took a little dip in one of those pot pools next to the park.</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7amNZNTlDblwYup_KFoqY-Req9sjRQD9hAUZNmi4a75irTNer6HJMKBL-_gpRjL1KUZ0mf7hRJjWGU1dSt3f2oqPqvWbYWHoDlIJo0LMlOraQBj0l91GqV7MTe8Bj59nhG0pfEg9LVcS/s1600/03+-+Waiotapu-Champagne-Pool-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7amNZNTlDblwYup_KFoqY-Req9sjRQD9hAUZNmi4a75irTNer6HJMKBL-_gpRjL1KUZ0mf7hRJjWGU1dSt3f2oqPqvWbYWHoDlIJo0LMlOraQBj0l91GqV7MTe8Bj59nhG0pfEg9LVcS/s400/03+-+Waiotapu-Champagne-Pool-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwvA7yBJWViT2ASLN4EfV1-eP24QMAGYYyD7NNWUrZrxuQB7qLJmS5Hdzx7tRGLfVTG_xGPRX3h2ZUEhqMZfzCgqbmnt5a5asBQtAxuBj4_CaygoVIBqXdXBXvrDY0utVdaJs2bLXhVLa/s1600/03+-+Waiotapu-Geysir-posing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwvA7yBJWViT2ASLN4EfV1-eP24QMAGYYyD7NNWUrZrxuQB7qLJmS5Hdzx7tRGLfVTG_xGPRX3h2ZUEhqMZfzCgqbmnt5a5asBQtAxuBj4_CaygoVIBqXdXBXvrDY0utVdaJs2bLXhVLa/s400/03+-+Waiotapu-Geysir-posing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 4: Rotorua, Whakarewarewa & Redwood National Park</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXIvYGdDU4qXbUs0Erniajf8COeZPCuLEU6WkYBYACLMLEj1jHu5Dtbvxr7nWTVipbKduEjkxrvGSCjMSsBdN5D2ymvKno1ZFZOHhNfJBOg4tq3C7f1fkzQ1WecXPj1TlWAICeIUcnaq0/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-04-Rotorua-26.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXIvYGdDU4qXbUs0Erniajf8COeZPCuLEU6WkYBYACLMLEj1jHu5Dtbvxr7nWTVipbKduEjkxrvGSCjMSsBdN5D2ymvKno1ZFZOHhNfJBOg4tq3C7f1fkzQ1WecXPj1TlWAICeIUcnaq0/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-04-Rotorua-26.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We started our morning at <b>Whakarewarewa living Maori village</b>, which is situated on the thinnest crust on the Rotorua caldera (&, hence, is a huffing & puffing geothermally active area with akaline blue hot lakes & multiple hot air vents & geysers).<br />
This geological peculiarity defines the life of the village, for example: due to the on-going geothermal activity underground, the bodies of people who died would be placed in tombs above the ground...<br />
There's not much to do for the modern Maori in villages like Whakarewarewa, so they got creative: tourism guiding has been professionalized here since the end of the 19th century (our guide's family has been in the guiding business since 1874. Whakarewarewa village is basically comprised of 50 people of her extended family. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After the guided tour, we saw a Maori Cultural Performance Show & ate a <i>hangi </i>sweet-corn on the cob cooked in the bubbling geothermal waters of <b>Parekohuru </b>geyser and served with butter, salt and pepper.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3z2p1z20j2HuSqFwquJ0NNjuWiiEr8LTFnxxrFEwHoYx08v2tXRlSn9b3hONg-f-eFw_kCDol1IlzGMOdy62cjkhUmyKYEUdIbiPw9HuKgj66_DkqpHLMp2eBhPUMyAmBUdYmzsn7HIvw/s1600/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Corn-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3z2p1z20j2HuSqFwquJ0NNjuWiiEr8LTFnxxrFEwHoYx08v2tXRlSn9b3hONg-f-eFw_kCDol1IlzGMOdy62cjkhUmyKYEUdIbiPw9HuKgj66_DkqpHLMp2eBhPUMyAmBUdYmzsn7HIvw/s400/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Corn-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbSu3O5eQVfhQHs1SOB_atrETEEZFrg22ipPobrKxLW0GNZFEsjAIbqq7oEb3tn5afP7_9hJjbKEX6LeXZ6-qGAKdpUAlT70h5xYAJogc5ERt3_xCXGGc18Nshzx-e5EEQPKZlEDlomob/s1600/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Maori-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbSu3O5eQVfhQHs1SOB_atrETEEZFrg22ipPobrKxLW0GNZFEsjAIbqq7oEb3tn5afP7_9hJjbKEX6LeXZ6-qGAKdpUAlT70h5xYAJogc5ERt3_xCXGGc18Nshzx-e5EEQPKZlEDlomob/s400/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Maori-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDujQLZxhr3XUFqT4D8q9S3Zi2AGatp1yjYY1voRrLS9qoPwYF9ZucI708uNft7t1GeIkknXsC-bX07rVX-3jn9rN4CxwPefbzO8fql1AGdBSjKk-SS_uDlKf-w3HkjkKvmJYAcp2Ui0V/s1600/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Maori-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDujQLZxhr3XUFqT4D8q9S3Zi2AGatp1yjYY1voRrLS9qoPwYF9ZucI708uNft7t1GeIkknXsC-bX07rVX-3jn9rN4CxwPefbzO8fql1AGdBSjKk-SS_uDlKf-w3HkjkKvmJYAcp2Ui0V/s400/04+-+Rotorua-Whakarewarewa-Maori-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After "dipping" into the lives of Maori, we swung the <b>Redwood national park/Whakarewarewa Forest </b>to do a "Tree Walk", which is a walk on wooden bridges along the <i>California Redwood Sequioia Sempervirens, </i>the tallest living trees on Earth (with some reaching over 115 meters in height and 9 meters in diameter). The trees have been deemed Sempervirens ("everlasting" / "Evergreen") because of their seemingly timeless lifespans & youthful (I.e. Green) color despite the fact that they can get as old as 1'000 years old! The Whakarewarewa Forest grove, however has "baby sequoias", which were planted in 1901, tallest trees here are 72 meters high & 2 meters in diameter.<br />
The walk has info plates about certain the forest and the vegetation that you see around you as you walk. Most notably: ferns. New Zealand is home it almost 200 species of ferns of which more than 70 species have been found in the Rotorua district. Ferns belong to ancient groups of plants with long fossil records, extending back some 380 millions years. New Zealanders love ferns: ferns are work with a sense of pride in sports jerseys (all blacks), in the names of other national teams (Silver Ferns), as the insignia of Air New Zealand, and - more somberly - as a symbol of remembrance for New Zealand soldiers who served & died in the First and the Second World Wars.<br />
We we there during the day, but one can also do the walk at night as it's equipped with lights (see pictures) that were specially commissioned from an internationally recognized designer <i>David Trunridge. M</i>anufactured from a revolutionary material, they are made from the wood waste of New Zealand grown <i>Tatiana pine</i>, bonded together with non-toxic adhesives and suitable for 59 years above-ground outdoor use. The patterns created between the radiating panels suggest the mottling of a bird's wing. They're named after three birds: <i>miromiro-tomtit</i>, <i>Ruth-morepork</i> & the <i>katearea</i>, the New Zealand Falcon.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbcSs3grg7D0blIRs3WNu27gzRccjkTSHkuxgsA5YSJM5rn6t1mqJTmB05-3DZ3uXedsfCNRH_5f0CuDMjzrOlKcS3hJg9z_wUCBWDCaY9_WHy0Ih9pCPKnom588FNYZjsF9cp2-mwHxn/s1600/04+-+Rotorua+-+Redwoods+Treewalk-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbcSs3grg7D0blIRs3WNu27gzRccjkTSHkuxgsA5YSJM5rn6t1mqJTmB05-3DZ3uXedsfCNRH_5f0CuDMjzrOlKcS3hJg9z_wUCBWDCaY9_WHy0Ih9pCPKnom588FNYZjsF9cp2-mwHxn/s400/04+-+Rotorua+-+Redwoods+Treewalk-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 5: Tongariro Alpine Crossing</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTfxeGb7fdZmUUFxoitHE0SN40Q5GcLRJ5DKJzsCgmWDLf0F_FsWakFyqXAsrNqOQEP8-CqwoXul4Cziol4XtEwSozV7-5BQ7gZnvt5ZZHAnFqCSxI6gnJdxJVnSFl5UxfL8TiSagtOtQ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-05-Tongariro-27.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTfxeGb7fdZmUUFxoitHE0SN40Q5GcLRJ5DKJzsCgmWDLf0F_FsWakFyqXAsrNqOQEP8-CqwoXul4Cziol4XtEwSozV7-5BQ7gZnvt5ZZHAnFqCSxI6gnJdxJVnSFl5UxfL8TiSagtOtQ/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-05-Tongariro-27.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Day 5 we did the <b>Tongariro Alpine Crossing: </b>a pretty awesome hike (mind you: I'm not a big hiker!) across volcanic terrain, full of steaming vents, hot springs/waterfalls (Soda springs) old lava flows, water-filled explosion craters and stunning views of <b>Mount Taranaki, Ngauruhoe, the Kaimanawa Ranges & Lake Taupo</b>. The hike is ca. 18km long & takes about half of the day. We've seen various ages & levels of fitness on the path, but be prepared: your feet are going to hurt and no matter what season, you need to be prepared for all 4 of them: when you're doing the crossing, it might get extremely cold and windy, but if you're lower, it can be very hot and you'll need plenty of water (and don't forget your lunch!). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQu3uo17C5yzkwl4Kp1xY7sPHIp3f2fTpR9pEx9zxP05Q7GqBJ60EUmMQ_K1zWeHrmkbjGOhyphenhyphenVFOVoD8Ujpycw6x5kZCe8sBbxGanGrm92Vr2qkM2wk1bsp5qFEMLq3AnxzgGe4Ufyj0U/s1600/05+-+Tongariro-Alpine+Crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1236" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQu3uo17C5yzkwl4Kp1xY7sPHIp3f2fTpR9pEx9zxP05Q7GqBJ60EUmMQ_K1zWeHrmkbjGOhyphenhyphenVFOVoD8Ujpycw6x5kZCe8sBbxGanGrm92Vr2qkM2wk1bsp5qFEMLq3AnxzgGe4Ufyj0U/s400/05+-+Tongariro-Alpine+Crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYxC2dx8nYykWJyy5B__KNhA4maRRRnqKExPBDrAMeYSzv9p2iTFRqY_O9-DkmgLS-sEm-lsia5l4hAClidCg0NWWZjJ6lshSjk18Uk-dx0QFRxrARb6KtxfcV3MkH9uHtuz0Jhk73CkQ/s1600/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYxC2dx8nYykWJyy5B__KNhA4maRRRnqKExPBDrAMeYSzv9p2iTFRqY_O9-DkmgLS-sEm-lsia5l4hAClidCg0NWWZjJ6lshSjk18Uk-dx0QFRxrARb6KtxfcV3MkH9uHtuz0Jhk73CkQ/s400/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tkfUmU4Y5FVp-oTPwTVJ3B4u7aU1JEsCww1n58GrtMa4ovdqKkzRQRAFs2szx8e2jw5756P_YK-fEFbJ9OklqWcgrabwaee7NqnYM-Kn9TQfafCimprBaGUUnl2DzBR5fJlKByUX_0um/s1600/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tkfUmU4Y5FVp-oTPwTVJ3B4u7aU1JEsCww1n58GrtMa4ovdqKkzRQRAFs2szx8e2jw5756P_YK-fEFbJ9OklqWcgrabwaee7NqnYM-Kn9TQfafCimprBaGUUnl2DzBR5fJlKByUX_0um/s400/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWFPBzEa108I6Hc5cBpmIn737cen3Ll7khLwpIwo3hLDNjXVCV85t4iBTMdQUPypfwgREnPGf8mMHWTyyfyKm7mLqhBlJ5A3_CMPtZJlHc0dVktAdv41NX9sZCeRufsukRd2dwu_Nczb9/s1600/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWFPBzEa108I6Hc5cBpmIn737cen3Ll7khLwpIwo3hLDNjXVCV85t4iBTMdQUPypfwgREnPGf8mMHWTyyfyKm7mLqhBlJ5A3_CMPtZJlHc0dVktAdv41NX9sZCeRufsukRd2dwu_Nczb9/s400/05+-+Tongariro+-Aline+Crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFMdHPWBRXH38DJfFHk5f0Bj67V8EC4H-wCOSqv5HGvKu1HBmu7lai7uetwESHzlWLsWTY9upEHoNC8aVzF5m9wu9JOr4i-tQFE1POzf89MgnNsKyRSL25wxN1siKRIEXiFg7aZs_LeXj/s1600/05+-+Tongariro-Alpine+Crossing-view-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFMdHPWBRXH38DJfFHk5f0Bj67V8EC4H-wCOSqv5HGvKu1HBmu7lai7uetwESHzlWLsWTY9upEHoNC8aVzF5m9wu9JOr4i-tQFE1POzf89MgnNsKyRSL25wxN1siKRIEXiFg7aZs_LeXj/s400/05+-+Tongariro-Alpine+Crossing-view-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 6: Otorohanga (Kiwi House) & Waitomo Caves </h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj2F9ZxCBXPAarJuXVXmJ0Dh9lsBWeL_HvPefSMrt3GhkZ9T4FERuR4VNXJNHPc4IklG23LH35yRutVrlehQKpsD1SDus-Iva6_i7MXtzSGl5NcRUKuH45ylvkRULvqBNpJbxu-4moQrG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-06-Waitomo-Kiwi-House-28.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj2F9ZxCBXPAarJuXVXmJ0Dh9lsBWeL_HvPefSMrt3GhkZ9T4FERuR4VNXJNHPc4IklG23LH35yRutVrlehQKpsD1SDus-Iva6_i7MXtzSGl5NcRUKuH45ylvkRULvqBNpJbxu-4moQrG/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-North-Island-06-Waitomo-Kiwi-House-28.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Started the day at the <b>Kiwi House </b>to see a <i>Kiwi, Kea</i> (Alpine parrots) & <i>Kaka/Weka </i>(a.k.a. "bush hen") feedings. Then had some cereal for breakfast together with green <i>kakarikas </i>(indigenous parakeets) & learned to distinguish between a ferret, stoat & a weasel (okay, maybe just in theory:-).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXhgEAN_G9ejiTpTgrO5qxFH7YOB8kGbenLe_HuG3TqE5EPUdPECLOZ5WmyuYlOL8CjaFj0MdTO-Lzyt66UugKrmNzt50PIYYDfZlAHGi161plZ1Et6QLu6wV_Wd2cVqw9haiJWxAk2oc/s1600/06+-+Otorohanga+Kiwi+House-birds-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="1600" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXhgEAN_G9ejiTpTgrO5qxFH7YOB8kGbenLe_HuG3TqE5EPUdPECLOZ5WmyuYlOL8CjaFj0MdTO-Lzyt66UugKrmNzt50PIYYDfZlAHGi161plZ1Et6QLu6wV_Wd2cVqw9haiJWxAk2oc/s320/06+-+Otorohanga+Kiwi+House-birds-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfTLwn4Jh5-SPMiGHwr6NbRIchUwnCkjLNMb67Z0FzwYH3FlPRhOX2x1d0lJGUllNdym8faqBF8rBjN3N48IOChb-BsJIHv5bdDUI7BlYBXJhnarTgJMXn4d4rcn0cbMMO8JJPZxJ0k5H/s1600/06+-+Otorohanga+Kiwi+House-bird%252Blizard-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1419" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfTLwn4Jh5-SPMiGHwr6NbRIchUwnCkjLNMb67Z0FzwYH3FlPRhOX2x1d0lJGUllNdym8faqBF8rBjN3N48IOChb-BsJIHv5bdDUI7BlYBXJhnarTgJMXn4d4rcn0cbMMO8JJPZxJ0k5H/s400/06+-+Otorohanga+Kiwi+House-bird%252Blizard-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this, we continued on to the <b>Waitomo </b>("wai" = water, "tomo" = hole/shaft) <b>Glowworm Caves </b>for a tubing adventure with a backdrop of some bio-luminescent glow worms. LoL, did you know that the beautiful "glowy bits" is technically worm's poo?! :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Going into the caves in one spot & resurfacing at a different exit into a beautiful grove of <i>Kahikatea </i>trees (they have surface roots to pick up limited oxygen in waterlogged soils).<br />
Later on, we spontaneously took advice from a tourism site lady & stayed overnight at a camping site next to the <b>Aranui cave</b>, doing (allegedly) the most spectacular short hike in New Zealand: a 30 minute bush walk along the river. It's pretty unique as cliffs on both ends of it are covered in glowworms, and when you walk there at night (you'll need to switch off your torch, of course), it's almost like a copy of the Milky Way in the starry sky... Isn't that the perfect activity just before nighttime? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzEX9Kd18K1Sw79DrZb0p90wwGfJV1TdSRWt0XcADiytgL2uky2h40wXOSPKjTkBibq0T1hQqnJ1pqf65b3wmzBNlminpnQWOdUSXxSqFKnlsZkG415hXZq4SQ0GhIH4dQt21nr-EP5N8/s1600/06+-+Waitomo+Glowworm+Caves-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzEX9Kd18K1Sw79DrZb0p90wwGfJV1TdSRWt0XcADiytgL2uky2h40wXOSPKjTkBibq0T1hQqnJ1pqf65b3wmzBNlminpnQWOdUSXxSqFKnlsZkG415hXZq4SQ0GhIH4dQt21nr-EP5N8/s400/06+-+Waitomo+Glowworm+Caves-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 7: Road to Wellington, & the Picton ferry crossing.</h2>
<div>
That day wasn't extremely eventful as we had to drive for 500km from Waitomo to Wellington, drop off Nazar, my friend's nephew & change our rental car to hop on the Wellington-Picton ferry on time. Next day: Southern Island!</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI44I3531hYo58TkpshfY25Hd2tmMS0iJZKt5-_5D6jDgNuzD9BwjHZk5HM3Kuj5LtvnLsBNJhAEk1dspct63FCfLNEPMwNs9ufUX4dBl7UsMgW3Dzx_E6k_0ff0ECGNOauSaH7sMNhZGK/s1600/07+-+Wellington-Picton-crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI44I3531hYo58TkpshfY25Hd2tmMS0iJZKt5-_5D6jDgNuzD9BwjHZk5HM3Kuj5LtvnLsBNJhAEk1dspct63FCfLNEPMwNs9ufUX4dBl7UsMgW3Dzx_E6k_0ff0ECGNOauSaH7sMNhZGK/s400/07+-+Wellington-Picton-crossing-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 8: Marlborough Wine Train (Blenheim) & Nelson.</h2>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Yy45u0bmahGS6vpk9SMrmmU1zToYfam9uZqzItYN0ZG34iUolMQ-co_9KmpR_HQgcUdEJyYd9F5hMoy6DpX7VSWxYgVzGqBL55qDhAEV8k68dhfokkooCYYJVnDNhU6qNBA9Z23kPY4O/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-08+-+Marlborough-Nelson-30.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Yy45u0bmahGS6vpk9SMrmmU1zToYfam9uZqzItYN0ZG34iUolMQ-co_9KmpR_HQgcUdEJyYd9F5hMoy6DpX7VSWxYgVzGqBL55qDhAEV8k68dhfokkooCYYJVnDNhU6qNBA9Z23kPY4O/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-08+-+Marlborough-Nelson-30.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Waking up in <b>Picton </b>(finally 7 hours of sleep!), we picked up a <b>Marlborough Wine Trail </b>map & headed out to <b>Blenheim</b> (kind of the "Porto" of the Marlborough country) for a wine tasting (now I know where those heavenly <i>Pino Gris </i>are made!), grabbing a couple of divine chocolates from the <b><a href="https://www.makana.co.nz/">Makana boutique chocolate factory</a> </b>(<i>Corner Rapaura Road & Odwyers Road, Renwick, Blenheim 7273</i>) on the way.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From there, we headed out to <b>Nelson </b>(apparently, "the most livable city in New Zealand") to sample some beer & the local "church of ales". <b><a href="https://www.thefreehouse.co.nz/">The Free House</a> </b>attracted our attention by having a sign at the entrance: "TAKE IT AS A SIGN" ... & so we did (& were rewarded by a <i>"Wheat Wacker" </i>beer & some very "citrus-y" beer that only I could handle). After this we visited the actual Christ Church Cathedral & watched the sunset at <b>Tahuna Beach & Marina </b>before driving to <b>Abel Tasman National park </b>for some kayaking adventures!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYeiY5n_SjXHt_cgGne6HEF7ymd2eaCwhNo4VZlWb8hyKjTa63ck9DZzk45lDo6_5MVBfY1_1SwznU0MEGIYY97jQhuuj7zbDkSkF2-WM7U6ODBEa-TsbgU9aw5YAUMHdkciWFizCVTWy/s1600/08+-+Marlborough+%2526+Nelson-Sunset-boat-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYeiY5n_SjXHt_cgGne6HEF7ymd2eaCwhNo4VZlWb8hyKjTa63ck9DZzk45lDo6_5MVBfY1_1SwznU0MEGIYY97jQhuuj7zbDkSkF2-WM7U6ODBEa-TsbgU9aw5YAUMHdkciWFizCVTWy/s400/08+-+Marlborough+%2526+Nelson-Sunset-boat-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbUwmuTPSSbmlgEhVziANJJf8V3ULbROZIyF6gkdkgOFyLiJ3zcAoBF9PwmrtJV4ogxNPKhBI_zxC7FlWo_nytJnAqN0bjPMQlPY4dAMJPaljY3zPTs2M3O4vtrB04aDbfsHzbjAL0cv7/s1600/08+-+Nelson-Tahunanui-Beach-Sunset-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbUwmuTPSSbmlgEhVziANJJf8V3ULbROZIyF6gkdkgOFyLiJ3zcAoBF9PwmrtJV4ogxNPKhBI_zxC7FlWo_nytJnAqN0bjPMQlPY4dAMJPaljY3zPTs2M3O4vtrB04aDbfsHzbjAL0cv7/s400/08+-+Nelson-Tahunanui-Beach-Sunset-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 9-10: Abel Tasman National Park: Kayaking into 2017 (& paddle boarding afterwards).</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMo04gucRJ3i5JjJsAQTDbhugEQIunDwV6JZBsTvf1Zhf_gFdcYGkxR2B8v7RiDBDuX_dJTo3mF1pUf_NE6XvCvphQwJ162zy3bB-qjakx7AnHT4rNYp3z18-cXylHiXH7cBdXe-grwLY/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-09+-Abel-Tasman-National-Park-31.12.2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMo04gucRJ3i5JjJsAQTDbhugEQIunDwV6JZBsTvf1Zhf_gFdcYGkxR2B8v7RiDBDuX_dJTo3mF1pUf_NE6XvCvphQwJ162zy3bB-qjakx7AnHT4rNYp3z18-cXylHiXH7cBdXe-grwLY/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-09+-Abel-Tasman-National-Park-31.12.2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Being in New Zealand for New Year's Eve gave us an opportunity to celebrate it a couple of hours ahead of "European schedule" :-) So, we "kayaked into 2017" & celebrated by taking it easy, sleeping in till 8:30 & eating delicious leftovers from New Year's Eve (avocado sandwiches rule!). Afterwards Anton went off on a hike & I decided to finally learn paddle boarding, so I explored all the nukes & cranes of the <b>Sandy Bay </b>in <b>Marahau</b>, almost got carried into the sea by the extremely strong tide & was forced to "hijack" someone's yacht (that was conveniently parked in the middle of the bay) to take a rest. When the bay completely dried out at low tide, I drove up to the neighboring beach to have a look at the <b>Split Apple Rock </b>(a local natural "site") & then finished the day reading Lonely Planet, taking pictures of extremely pretty Kiwi banknotes & drinking amazingly delicious berry cider before heading in the direction of West Coast before dusk.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEwASzxzlrMTvrUL8iYEtpd_dGZV8MrhRcTPLCKmB8vluPPtVp21A1fYFlCPvsaatv6MIVtEKz706pOeYkMyAQRpk33pGQCJJz0P3Qb1GrbguTiFEXKHhLRMidjuo3D0KsRSPvkxVETve/s1600/09+-+Abel+Tasman+National+Park-kayaking-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEwASzxzlrMTvrUL8iYEtpd_dGZV8MrhRcTPLCKmB8vluPPtVp21A1fYFlCPvsaatv6MIVtEKz706pOeYkMyAQRpk33pGQCJJz0P3Qb1GrbguTiFEXKHhLRMidjuo3D0KsRSPvkxVETve/s400/09+-+Abel+Tasman+National+Park-kayaking-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_RIm80N8j243LUwFgjqNRx7i5d524DkQ1F1eeFEvfQ0-574dt-LvsgCj1QRHKycYQN69qVvG8wqjWvUgiwWjlGsu_lMWGoUMuv_9OB6TcqBO45_-XH3fVyGgx1PCV1Mec2IJST_am6wi/s1600/09+-+Abel+Tasman+National+Park-Seascape-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_RIm80N8j243LUwFgjqNRx7i5d524DkQ1F1eeFEvfQ0-574dt-LvsgCj1QRHKycYQN69qVvG8wqjWvUgiwWjlGsu_lMWGoUMuv_9OB6TcqBO45_-XH3fVyGgx1PCV1Mec2IJST_am6wi/s400/09+-+Abel+Tasman+National+Park-Seascape-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndSTokvzdGwXV5CzAR7OJoB1fbQg-gtdycKX_x83ZwBvPTAdEFFC1V71zOCc1EXu-7jCyXpGD7Pgw-FCyv42v6GqcKTDVKV8RdK2oG5gE27getYlm-Qw55J7b8pmYwox_xgniW6uENZUc/s1600/10+-+Abel+Tasman+NP+-+Split-Apple-Rock-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndSTokvzdGwXV5CzAR7OJoB1fbQg-gtdycKX_x83ZwBvPTAdEFFC1V71zOCc1EXu-7jCyXpGD7Pgw-FCyv42v6GqcKTDVKV8RdK2oG5gE27getYlm-Qw55J7b8pmYwox_xgniW6uENZUc/s400/10+-+Abel+Tasman+NP+-+Split-Apple-Rock-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 11: West Coast: Pancake Rocks, Greymouth & Hokitika</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_KK0LNyUiFyGcTS-I76sBpIjJDq67JlpTAoyc4DFNtVvUPPo38D4DNFVnxocRseDFZwuQ_MHgkPp02gw_Db0i_tFdBqj0zNg19mQYRNYDBAF88EALCGPgEGI47AIGILcnOkce8nNGWRL/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-11+-West-Coast-Pancake-Rocks-Greymouh-Hokitika-2.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_KK0LNyUiFyGcTS-I76sBpIjJDq67JlpTAoyc4DFNtVvUPPo38D4DNFVnxocRseDFZwuQ_MHgkPp02gw_Db0i_tFdBqj0zNg19mQYRNYDBAF88EALCGPgEGI47AIGILcnOkce8nNGWRL/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-11+-West-Coast-Pancake-Rocks-Greymouh-Hokitika-2.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The West Coast of New Zealand is hemmed in by the Tasman Sea & the Southern Alps, which creates a very unique & beautiful environment. We started our exploration of that area from the <b>Pancake Rocks </b>- it's a <b>Dolomite Point </b>area around <b>Punakaiki</b>, where over the last 100'000 years layering-weathering processes (called 'stylobedding') carved the limestone into what looks like piles of thick pancakes. Pancake Rocks are ideally viewed at high tide (when the sea surges into caverns & booms menacingly through blowholes), but it's pretty at any time of day.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this, we headed out to <b>Greymouth</b>, which is West coast's largest town ("<i>Mawhera</i>" in Maori) and also home of the infamous (marketed as rebellious / badass with a slogan "FOLLOW NO ONE") MONTEITH's beer. One understands where the rebellious nature of the brand comes from when one hear the story of the original founder of the company, who was jailed for illegal brewing & fined for £3, but being a badass & a rebell he was, he simply declared that he was unable to pay and spent 6 weeks in the slammer.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By lucky coincidence, we arrived just in time for the guided tour of the brewery (with lots & lots of COMPLIMENTARY beers included), so it wasn't an option to miss it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The tour was pretty informative & comprehensive: going through beer's ingredients (water, hops, malt [barley] & yeast) & all the steps of the actual brewing process (mash tun, lautering, wart boiler, whirlpool, heat exchange, fermentation, heat exchange, conditioning, filter, bright beer)... At the end I also learned how to properly pour beer from the tap (you hold your glass at exactly 45 degrees to the tap, fill it up 3/4, aiming to have about 10-20mm of foam "covering" your glass (to keep the taste, which is especially important in larger glasses).<br />
If you've got time, you could get yourself acquainted with the multiple stories about the region & factoids scattered around the walls of the brewery. Apparently, in 1773 Captain James Cook brewed New Zealand's first beer from molasses, Rinus & manuka. The beer cured scurvy, but failed to ignite interest in pub franchise. International success came just ... 138 years later.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We ended the day at a camping in <b>Hokitika</b>, a town which is the setting for numerous New Zealand novels, probably because around 150 years ago it used to be the largest town in all of New Zealand (today only a humble 2'967 people live here according to the last census). The town was founded on gold, but today the biggest excitement is around indigenous '<i>pounamu</i>' (greenstone), which is something to definitely check out when you're there. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNQrGFjaHLya5t5tZEhHLQkg95Fw3MWVsVeMvl5yx9-WKCm2ijelE6CbgQr0mU2xUfQq4Ku8OpA79q7CiOIJqEPhENnNZrFjXCtVm49nGgspTBqqnCr-yaXmfa4mWkO1UmwqWad4X5qMI/s1600/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNQrGFjaHLya5t5tZEhHLQkg95Fw3MWVsVeMvl5yx9-WKCm2ijelE6CbgQr0mU2xUfQq4Ku8OpA79q7CiOIJqEPhENnNZrFjXCtVm49nGgspTBqqnCr-yaXmfa4mWkO1UmwqWad4X5qMI/s400/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aMDGehF34pC8IHuqu1hC2oSGNTPKJgaX4OGT93j8lQcZej3NIb44Np7WZzkCAGpVcg_2dnWAuqQDIrjYWzxFqSGY434RVleqUQ9UceZqNBos9x6z7VSt0KbPBsaLukspc8V905yYM0Cg/s1600/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-01-plate-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aMDGehF34pC8IHuqu1hC2oSGNTPKJgaX4OGT93j8lQcZej3NIb44Np7WZzkCAGpVcg_2dnWAuqQDIrjYWzxFqSGY434RVleqUQ9UceZqNBos9x6z7VSt0KbPBsaLukspc8V905yYM0Cg/s400/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-01-plate-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6caC6hbLrV3Gw3t-jMBAjeX6KLVaEcRUZ53fPTl_cldR9z80JGJxFdSvB04HyxM87UiGuoUcWWRq8nMcbD9ztDtocl2OrtP4KIihUQ9iHkgiOM4w-XSnrnYJeyIpb9ilDqew_5Iyx0ZX/s1600/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-collage-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6caC6hbLrV3Gw3t-jMBAjeX6KLVaEcRUZ53fPTl_cldR9z80JGJxFdSvB04HyxM87UiGuoUcWWRq8nMcbD9ztDtocl2OrtP4KIihUQ9iHkgiOM4w-XSnrnYJeyIpb9ilDqew_5Iyx0ZX/s400/11+-+West+Coast+-+Pancake+Rocks+-+Punakaiki-collage-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 12: Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers & Lake Matheson</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PPPbONv9Ky7JekJbbSjO-_jeRDZ1Qa39ccl4-YsPkAgIngvpASuCxWvtUYp28uxbk-RIRSER2M78bg9CNz8h0Cs_rrMqyeyJbksoNpTpC4ygV1gR-jsauIa-4r6T2mnZMVIbYOCmeSkI/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-12-Franz-Josef-Fox-Glaciers-Lake-Matheson-3.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PPPbONv9Ky7JekJbbSjO-_jeRDZ1Qa39ccl4-YsPkAgIngvpASuCxWvtUYp28uxbk-RIRSER2M78bg9CNz8h0Cs_rrMqyeyJbksoNpTpC4ygV1gR-jsauIa-4r6T2mnZMVIbYOCmeSkI/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-12-Franz-Josef-Fox-Glaciers-Lake-Matheson-3.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We woke up to typical kiwi 'delicacy' of pie & a flat white ️ (I'm not sure these two were destined to be paired, but each was delicious in its own right). Upon consuming this unlikely food pairing, we started our day with a visit to a stone painting workshop & a '<i>pounamu</i>' (green stone/jade in Maori) exhibition/shop (Mountain Jade) in <b>Hokitika</b>. Curiously, indigenous pounamu jewelry was priced almost twice higher than comparable "imported" types of jade, which made no sense economically at the first glance, however the shop curator explained: that, apparently, Maori own the rights to all pounamu in New Zealand, so - like in any monopoly - the prices aren't exactly competitive... In addition, jade in New Zealand is found only in rivers & Maori haven't yet figured out an efficient way to collect it, so it's basically manually collected by people who own exclusive rights to it... Based on the rules of behavioral economics you can imagine that the price tags on those semi-precious stones are more than "precious" to the ones who put so much effort into them ...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The goddess of rain decided to favor New Zealand's West Coast that day & so we had to explore <b>Franz-Josef Glacier </b>&<b> Lake Matheson</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9snuua1uwM">"Hedgehog-in-the-Fog"-style</a> (Soviet classic cartoon reference for my fellow comrades).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Franz-Josef Glacier </b>(yep, the glacier carries the name of the Austrian emperor, Franz-Josef, as it was first explored by a very patriotic Austrian traveler, <i>Julius Haast </i>who named it after his "boss" at a time". We took the trail with a dramatically romantic name "<b>Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere</b>" (<b>'Tears of the Avalanche Girl'</b>): the legend has it that the tears of a girl - who lost her lover - froze into the glacier (if that was ever true, they definitely all unfroze today as it was raining cats & dogs ). It's an 1,5 hour return walk from the glacier car park to the best permissible view of the glacier's terminal face. After having met a couple of hundred drenched-to-the-bone tourists in matching raincoats, we finally made it pretty close to the glacier's face (according to the local info-board: we were precisely 750m away). On this rainy day, the Franz-Josef glacier looked anything but royal & didn't live up to its "kaiserlich" name.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And so we understood why all commercial tours on both the glaciers involve a helicopter ride onto the glacier (& hence cost between $300 and $500 per person): unlike Icelandic glaciers, Franz-Josef & Fox just aren't easily accessible (or even anyhow presentable) via foot-access....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8FStXVWZTs8RaOBLHWgDqXsUJ_J_xF3k9jT4Spp03pIJQ45_gkIRrMHBRzISzoROp4fJE277T9AMVegTPUcHG14jRGk03HdhWgozs-W0O8TNUOpmBS32nFuOrH-pHe_9ZVTL3Plt_ZH6/s1600/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8FStXVWZTs8RaOBLHWgDqXsUJ_J_xF3k9jT4Spp03pIJQ45_gkIRrMHBRzISzoROp4fJE277T9AMVegTPUcHG14jRGk03HdhWgozs-W0O8TNUOpmBS32nFuOrH-pHe_9ZVTL3Plt_ZH6/s400/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQQmg4gZPNGARHP-ZD_G9cD6Ius6rBjJe2U85nBRFv3IH5N3HBIBjxroJc0EpxYJ_QIMke8gXL_7EFAHu_V8_9zMf0wlsCD40ogjL4LP8KEg_yvIS0uTaA1StDqpXjZqSUH_Q0-I3ixce/s1600/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQQmg4gZPNGARHP-ZD_G9cD6Ius6rBjJe2U85nBRFv3IH5N3HBIBjxroJc0EpxYJ_QIMke8gXL_7EFAHu_V8_9zMf0wlsCD40ogjL4LP8KEg_yvIS0uTaA1StDqpXjZqSUH_Q0-I3ixce/s400/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VMFPsV6bXSawEJ8pqFM5kf9tVqwFOm0U7geLhYVe1YONmdDfsgqQg-Clzq3MydTIP_tTeCOkErURvX7ZcPTdGWh392DjzmyOcj2nP0d-6XTaNL7u5U-h2m_Tuz0Z-kwoLGADTNXdZbWN/s1600/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-03-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VMFPsV6bXSawEJ8pqFM5kf9tVqwFOm0U7geLhYVe1YONmdDfsgqQg-Clzq3MydTIP_tTeCOkErURvX7ZcPTdGWh392DjzmyOcj2nP0d-6XTaNL7u5U-h2m_Tuz0Z-kwoLGADTNXdZbWN/s400/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-03-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznrHZZ9j_xvhpsveILFTZampaX4T4saQ7gTSL5OW-Dm6uruvlICL5FbTKEXfZcyMQl7rovhjShKzKW388HA1oHLhr9mcVvthCIuBIyuHWkPENiSF8hoq2tvTDsCvFC0cmKx1EiR1SA_3A/s1600/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznrHZZ9j_xvhpsveILFTZampaX4T4saQ7gTSL5OW-Dm6uruvlICL5FbTKEXfZcyMQl7rovhjShKzKW388HA1oHLhr9mcVvthCIuBIyuHWkPENiSF8hoq2tvTDsCvFC0cmKx1EiR1SA_3A/s400/12+-+Franz+Josef+%2526+Fox+Glaciers-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this rather damp & cloudy experience, we knew that on this rainy day the only possible semi-success in the Fox glacier area could await us on a walk (ca. 1,5 h) around the waters of <b>Lake Matheson</b> ... However we only saw the reflection of the beautiful <b>Mount Aoraki/Mount Cook </b>on the numerous postcards & through creative interpretations by local artists at the nearby souvenir shop... <i>Helas,</i> it was too foggy & all of the mountains were enclosed in a cozy fluffy cloud, which, however, didn't aid our in vain photographic efforts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ah well... today "the kiwi showed us its very shiny bum" (see illustration of that - again, by a local artist - on the collage at the beginning of Day 12 chapter).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But as we started driving in the direction of <b>Wanaka</b>, it did brighten up - as it always does after the rain ️-> ️so we didn't let our spirits be dampened by the silly rain & stayed optimistic about the beauties awaiting us during the rest of the trip!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrT6qi7-IiuAtUi5X-1_HXRQbCtxshsnFFVuG8bDeC3VSYQlNlp5_n7lsI4_QMAYyLLdqn2aEGoP5ZowEaTg_UyoENlbsJwtsgC_c32Jv7OsZu_KtNsVIoSBlbk9zmvFt9f5rW2ZrZEV4/s1600/12+-+Lake+Matheson-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrT6qi7-IiuAtUi5X-1_HXRQbCtxshsnFFVuG8bDeC3VSYQlNlp5_n7lsI4_QMAYyLLdqn2aEGoP5ZowEaTg_UyoENlbsJwtsgC_c32Jv7OsZu_KtNsVIoSBlbk9zmvFt9f5rW2ZrZEV4/s400/12+-+Lake+Matheson-02-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcJ3BTfASes7EE77OyPxJELuF0VPdGihyGXG-cVVgxq1M1I9Wz5HAlg9DCdjr2EnIS4lAHQ3DYoaoXOrp3rMidsZaCI3C60Zdz9afbXfSMM-K9Rw5cScapwiQNJNU298AauzQLo6FhbHA/s1600/12+-+Lake+Matheson-Drive-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcJ3BTfASes7EE77OyPxJELuF0VPdGihyGXG-cVVgxq1M1I9Wz5HAlg9DCdjr2EnIS4lAHQ3DYoaoXOrp3rMidsZaCI3C60Zdz9afbXfSMM-K9Rw5cScapwiQNJNU298AauzQLo6FhbHA/s400/12+-+Lake+Matheson-Drive-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt0TYyIa32PzhNe457NsXBsQU5LpZ_uADzP1irmRxJH-Eeg8s7FuwDDvRofACx_NuD61g_HCGUqzSLhoJ4DIB4Jr2TKFqbdGVq-7ZTCFH2eG7VHEPXcb5dp-ftgaem-asmFgPGpud0BdJ/s1600/12+-+Lake+Matheson-03-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt0TYyIa32PzhNe457NsXBsQU5LpZ_uADzP1irmRxJH-Eeg8s7FuwDDvRofACx_NuD61g_HCGUqzSLhoJ4DIB4Jr2TKFqbdGVq-7ZTCFH2eG7VHEPXcb5dp-ftgaem-asmFgPGpud0BdJ/s400/12+-+Lake+Matheson-03-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-00L35MmMNFDnZ7PiFivRKwTdcQBKPzsBFGZ1YCffwiIGYoV6qr6LupROI8VRIu9P77HjXBoUHM_8H4XF44ItyGo_zFnE8XEleAc3aQz052_ckibtDgcLNJFLQ2niEKoq-H2tii9KCh5/s1600/13+-+Wanaka+%2528South+Island%2529+-+Lake+Hawea-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-00L35MmMNFDnZ7PiFivRKwTdcQBKPzsBFGZ1YCffwiIGYoV6qr6LupROI8VRIu9P77HjXBoUHM_8H4XF44ItyGo_zFnE8XEleAc3aQz052_ckibtDgcLNJFLQ2niEKoq-H2tii9KCh5/s400/13+-+Wanaka+%2528South+Island%2529+-+Lake+Hawea-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 13: Lake Wanaka</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd7wUVI2RHhtHqGGe-be5vSPzMWzbfxw-iHoLHzY7a7TUw4BjMzgv9jBU35FDOZgaS9iBFkwmvx1jf9CSx0SYmHKz1e6tO6SurXudIFySVZqcLSI-aD67qzLR4pP9SWgFmGxMNbTeBzRw/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-13-Wanaka-4.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd7wUVI2RHhtHqGGe-be5vSPzMWzbfxw-iHoLHzY7a7TUw4BjMzgv9jBU35FDOZgaS9iBFkwmvx1jf9CSx0SYmHKz1e6tO6SurXudIFySVZqcLSI-aD67qzLR4pP9SWgFmGxMNbTeBzRw/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-13-Wanaka-4.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Spent it mountain-biking around <b>Lake Wanaka</b> along <b>Clutha river </b>that begins at Lake Wanaka & flows south-southeast reaching the Pacific Ocean. The turquoise color of the river derives from glaciers in mount <b>Aspiring National Park</b>. With 570 cubic meters per second, Clutha is the largest river in New Zealand. It's also ranked as one of the world's swiftest rivers, traveling at about 15 km per hour (up to 25 km per hour during floods). I finished an amazing day by drinking a glass of amazing <i>Pinot Noir </i>from the <i>Otago </i>region (worth coming back for just for that reason!). As it was a chilled day, I won't make too long if a story out of it (especially because one of my <i>"friends"</i> commented regarding my previous post: "<i>Are you aware how many words your updates have?! It took me 3 cups of coffee to get though it!</i>" I didn't inquire further whether it was my terribly boring writing style or her very slow reading pace or maybe even her remarkable love for the caffeinated beverage itself that were the actual reason for the process taking so long, but made a decision to avoid further escalation of the discussion & leave this post short & sweet :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28r9iPlITqhZ9IP_Ag6EOaEAjvu87EUrfDrYWTFmKpPjjKBe4yR7wJ8a3e4SDDi5skillW98q-tLXglv9BY3n_jBr5tNz37lBL1M2NunSDqs-9QN0ksyBAodAF3lxMtQejEGkihthy7Xl/s1600/13+-+Wanaka-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28r9iPlITqhZ9IP_Ag6EOaEAjvu87EUrfDrYWTFmKpPjjKBe4yR7wJ8a3e4SDDi5skillW98q-tLXglv9BY3n_jBr5tNz37lBL1M2NunSDqs-9QN0ksyBAodAF3lxMtQejEGkihthy7Xl/s400/13+-+Wanaka-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 14: 'Puzzling World' (Wanaka), Arrowtown & Glenorchy</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUiHFLPv5Yz7tF2ECRbx2nvxtBFp1andac7rpw0cqMe5xPC95GZYgv1L9QgErVAu7nQ6qtRBxBkuFNFfwW-a_yOrCSN9BNbi5xBkO-kdYIsNnwg3CvOYpWcWW04ki-pqitQdX-i_F4Our/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-14-Puzzling-world-Arrowtown-Glenorchy-5.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUiHFLPv5Yz7tF2ECRbx2nvxtBFp1andac7rpw0cqMe5xPC95GZYgv1L9QgErVAu7nQ6qtRBxBkuFNFfwW-a_yOrCSN9BNbi5xBkO-kdYIsNnwg3CvOYpWcWW04ki-pqitQdX-i_F4Our/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-14-Puzzling-world-Arrowtown-Glenorchy-5.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Started the day at <i>Stuart Landsborough's </i><b>"Puzzling world"</b>, which is a nicely weird collection of curious stuff: starting with simple 3D holograms all the way to complex "engineered" illusions of water flowing uphill & objects seemingly moving against forces of gravity. M.C. Escher's quote summarizes the spirit of the place: <i>"Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it's in my basement... let me go upstairs & check"</i>. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the way from <b>Wanaka</b>, we took the scenic <b>Crown Ranger Road </b>to <b>Queenstown</b>, dropping by <b>Arrowtown</b>, a settlement that sprang up in the 1860, following the discovery of gold in the Arrow river. Town is fun for a quick stopover to explore the 60 original gold-rush buildings & check out the <i>'Chinese Village' </i>telling quite a sad (racist & discriminatory) story of Chinese gold diggers that arrived into <b>Arrowtown </b>in search of a better fortune (the attraction was simply irresistible from the financial point of view: 12-14£ per year (annual wage of a laborer in China in 1871) vs. 77£ per year (salary of a gold digger).<br />
If most of <b>Arrowtown </b>is sleepy &, honestly, if you don't have time, you might as well consider skipping it, a sweet highlight of the trip could be <a href="http://www.arrowtown.com/things-to-do/shop/shop-business-listings/view/the-remarkable-sweet-shop">The Remarkable Sweet Shop</a><b> </b>(<span style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">27 Buckingham Street</span>) - notorious for its delicious fudge. But don't worry, if you're flying out of Queenstown airport, you might as well stock up on fudge there :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From <b>Arrowtown </b>we continued on to sleepy <b>Glenorchy </b>via Queenstown. Queenstown, btw, totally charmed my socks off. Framed by lake <b>Wakatipu</b>, this "improbably scenic town" would be, imho, "the best-town-to-live-in" in New Zealand" if I were to take a pick of all the places we've visited! And Lake Wakatipu is definitely one of the top most beautiful lakes I've ever seen... it's shaped as a cartoon thunderbolt, has 212km shoreline & reaches the depth of 379m (average is over 320m (!) ). It's pretty remarkable how clear it's turquoise waters are (& not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from water purity perspective: scientific tests show that the water here is 99,9% pure (it's the clearest lake in the world, second only to <b>Blue Lake</b> (aka <i>Rotomairewhenua</i>) in <b>Nelson Lakes National Park</b>, non-coincidentally, also in New Zealand). It basically means that you're better off dipping your glass into the lake than buying bottled water!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite the fact that average annual temperature is around 10°C, by the time we reached Glenorchy, Anton was ready to take a dip, so I took a couple of (no pun intended) "freeze-frame" shots of him being joined by a couple of red-faced kids, whose parents were either training them for some kind of "Arctic swim" or just wanted to get rid of the little "rug rats".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We finished the day chilling with a glass of a local Otago Pinot Noir & reading Lonely Planet to make plans for the rest couple of days that we have left in New Zealand.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDoB7K9B9Nr-1BNNTLeo-ozE3z7KwZA8DmREcMKZWjp1yTPqC8VsxOHbex5hJXpkpZ4fL4wMqrfjEbdmOhPX0jUq7qp8j5HNGMty9r4GOtcWESbkD_9HZwKRdqAp0in712rEtCi3_DIz9/s1600/14+-+Glenorchy-Lake-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDoB7K9B9Nr-1BNNTLeo-ozE3z7KwZA8DmREcMKZWjp1yTPqC8VsxOHbex5hJXpkpZ4fL4wMqrfjEbdmOhPX0jUq7qp8j5HNGMty9r4GOtcWESbkD_9HZwKRdqAp0in712rEtCi3_DIz9/s400/14+-+Glenorchy-Lake-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubWGoOZvdTmyZMQ-NzypavjLflax2DXMoFHjzjYFJvgYkGUGRraXFHY-cl9I0k8WHp3EF0jArNyV0FQhServJ0Lqdifo4CFlgnpYEc21BCpmV-MhixaEAlS-eQ05KdhK5kuZm6d0G7COb/s1600/14+-+Glenorchy+-+mountains-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubWGoOZvdTmyZMQ-NzypavjLflax2DXMoFHjzjYFJvgYkGUGRraXFHY-cl9I0k8WHp3EF0jArNyV0FQhServJ0Lqdifo4CFlgnpYEc21BCpmV-MhixaEAlS-eQ05KdhK5kuZm6d0G7COb/s400/14+-+Glenorchy+-+mountains-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXcYZYsuMve6w-keZsZWCqSUDxDw3Z1bPQnxGWlhCoa_RUZz2wWDt8VPvCEdmCZxaTcZfWguT3YGlbieqA2_uG30tz28D1LgV_TJPYZQPjcmqFFkN3HvXSmotqUg174gy-Qed-V2N-p-7/s1600/14+-+Glenorchy-Pier-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXcYZYsuMve6w-keZsZWCqSUDxDw3Z1bPQnxGWlhCoa_RUZz2wWDt8VPvCEdmCZxaTcZfWguT3YGlbieqA2_uG30tz28D1LgV_TJPYZQPjcmqFFkN3HvXSmotqUg174gy-Qed-V2N-p-7/s400/14+-+Glenorchy-Pier-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 15-16: Queenstown to Milford Sound & the Te Anau Road</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHs3JFedU8Ihyphenhyphenb_uwq2mMWcJdYm7Rg7BRKGaA9kBEUtC3bC2sQBJJ7g76-vgXq3vvL-m3nbxOV74wi9a2dEfTi01-7YQgrxDXUDkjShe-mCQZpqjtJA5iNNyisVw-GiaxRVa0TiPHBWl_/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-15-16-Milford-Sound-Te-Anau-Road-6-7.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHs3JFedU8Ihyphenhyphenb_uwq2mMWcJdYm7Rg7BRKGaA9kBEUtC3bC2sQBJJ7g76-vgXq3vvL-m3nbxOV74wi9a2dEfTi01-7YQgrxDXUDkjShe-mCQZpqjtJA5iNNyisVw-GiaxRVa0TiPHBWl_/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-15-16-Milford-Sound-Te-Anau-Road-6-7.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Coupled these two days together as we spent a them in Fjordland, getting to (or being in) <b>Milford Sound</b>, driving from <b>Queenstown </b>to <b>Te Anau</b> (gateway to the <b>Fjordland National Park</b>) & then SLOWLY taking on the Scenic Road from there to Milford Sound, stopping at pretty places on the way. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That area belongs to the <b>Te Wāhipounamu</b> National Park, a 2.6 mln hectares wilderness area & one of New Zeland's three World heritage areas (the other two being New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands & Tongariro National Park. <i>"Te Wāhipounamu"</i> in Māori means "<i>the place of greenstone</i>".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the <b>scenic road from Te Anau to Milford Sound</b>, every stop had its own different charm, but I'd particularly highlight:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) <b>"The Chasm"</b> (definitely the highest "time necessary Vs. awesomeness of landscape" ratio: stone, beautifully carved by rain water rushing down the <b>Darran Mountains </b>into the <b>Cleddau River Valley).</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2) <b>"Mirror Lakes"</b> (nice reflections of Earl Mountains in tarns [= mountain lakes] ) - very easy 10 minute return boardwalk walk with a view of pretty forest.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Having done most of the Scenic Road, we stopped at the camping closest to Milford Sound in order to be able to be on time for our morning Cruise of the fjord that we booked in advance. That stop was <b>Gunn's Camp</b>, waking up there at 6 am to a calm flowing of a river next to snow-peaked mountains covered is rain-forest was quite a special feeling. We drove in the fog, surrounded by mighty 400 million years old 'fjord' mountains of Milford Sound...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>A note for the blog</u><b>: </b>definitely book cruises in advance (at least a couple of days if you want to have a spot, there're few opportunities to "spontaneously" join anything directly in Milford Sound (not unless you're staying there for a couple of days), be it a cruise or a kayaking tour. The drive was pretty spectacular & much more to my liking than the previous part of the journey (taller, more dramatic mountains, thicker rain forest, snow ️"caps" on dramatic vertical mountains...).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The promised 'stop-you-in-your-tracks' <b>Mitre Peak </b>(<i>Rahotu</i>) rising from the dark waters of <b>Milford Sound </b>(<i>Piopiotahi</i>) totally lived up to the high expectations set by tourist information sites & all kinds of information brochures: it was truly one of the most photogenic & impressive places I've ever seen. The cruise we took was 2 hours long & was a very good choice as it was with a small boat, which meant we could come very close to the fjord, a tiny colony of seals waving to us with their flippers, as well as to several waterfalls (like Milford Sound's highest permanent waterfall <b>Bowen Falls</b>, 161 m), splashing everyone on board to the delight of kids & adults alike, reminding everyone that Milford Sound is one of the wettest spots in New Zealand (between 6'000-7'000 mm per year), where inevitably almost every rock face here becomes a torrent...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzRhnJQD9ZVBhyphenhyphenHnGGgWxBF5b92YDlASrd1kRCu86asM4f4zWOLOodGjWHNirlN6WoS__VKtlPh5r0R4Vl43zDeDbyzPXdIpTUMoWtarvnHmaPXEJlKthcRFJBOqoLdue8Nak15vCI3tU/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Ro-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzRhnJQD9ZVBhyphenhyphenHnGGgWxBF5b92YDlASrd1kRCu86asM4f4zWOLOodGjWHNirlN6WoS__VKtlPh5r0R4Vl43zDeDbyzPXdIpTUMoWtarvnHmaPXEJlKthcRFJBOqoLdue8Nak15vCI3tU/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Ro-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8UStKXFQOV3y8d3v-Ngonmo-FrEpGi_UIdCG2xicvmORxDpPkroivd7F7fRgidBavIjalYZzfFuaInrZcfgLjGRYGqQAzu_SszWnfPdOO0yjKTt1XqRDHAxu64U7cwZY4TdJl4-1twuX/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-08-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8UStKXFQOV3y8d3v-Ngonmo-FrEpGi_UIdCG2xicvmORxDpPkroivd7F7fRgidBavIjalYZzfFuaInrZcfgLjGRYGqQAzu_SszWnfPdOO0yjKTt1XqRDHAxu64U7cwZY4TdJl4-1twuX/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-08-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExKQGYD9jiZKhJxWIDaRiw8aKtIkc3G3zMq9azIJJWHGncs7b19Qg7ZM0w4sTtm6SWQeBfl_UXG_I1kTr7oMPRbHgHzjw8d_bU45fwlqzFJp952wdPzc-bnnt-7BxoZcMU_KqAI1AnT4c/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExKQGYD9jiZKhJxWIDaRiw8aKtIkc3G3zMq9azIJJWHGncs7b19Qg7ZM0w4sTtm6SWQeBfl_UXG_I1kTr7oMPRbHgHzjw8d_bU45fwlqzFJp952wdPzc-bnnt-7BxoZcMU_KqAI1AnT4c/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10Q0AZ9ZwIT8xqrDRXPLiqAc6xJ4_v5WHnEVRv788fCg2lAtKgSco_sAvwZxyDxcxy4WnF_QGr9n3JuojXFK27nvmC5Gk3DuE3SHvPOZ182OxTEOT6aM7pC-awfNEDFzKuc_g1aFUtbfy/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10Q0AZ9ZwIT8xqrDRXPLiqAc6xJ4_v5WHnEVRv788fCg2lAtKgSco_sAvwZxyDxcxy4WnF_QGr9n3JuojXFK27nvmC5Gk3DuE3SHvPOZ182OxTEOT6aM7pC-awfNEDFzKuc_g1aFUtbfy/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te+Anau+Road-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR2eePIIyNVq9Qi0NVUW-0GBO0C7lC9vO_I1_j93rjc-HNh4u61pdBcnW9AZ-EF4vu_Uc3ryK2oJnlwmqamic2HC6yrf7n2Q2l5mrKSM7rF3a6XF7Do_XXy3lbd39evY8tYeGbB-0zmCV/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound-Town-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR2eePIIyNVq9Qi0NVUW-0GBO0C7lC9vO_I1_j93rjc-HNh4u61pdBcnW9AZ-EF4vu_Uc3ryK2oJnlwmqamic2HC6yrf7n2Q2l5mrKSM7rF3a6XF7Do_XXy3lbd39evY8tYeGbB-0zmCV/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound-Town-01-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9Ml1RonFAreuFIOIhXB2a0wsD4PN__8tMOkHUe7zxB0TojDjY5hQzpei93WvBPmLvWqjoowiu5zitUJgMGPppxOiEHDqWwL2cY95ojTZQhNlm2eI32So_u9URnZjz0s9IgekYwVj4F1W/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9Ml1RonFAreuFIOIhXB2a0wsD4PN__8tMOkHUe7zxB0TojDjY5hQzpei93WvBPmLvWqjoowiu5zitUJgMGPppxOiEHDqWwL2cY95ojTZQhNlm2eI32So_u9URnZjz0s9IgekYwVj4F1W/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound+%2526+Te-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKw5eJGW4ZZqGf9B4MGymJHnms33IjYZ7jm9hCihyUwWliRez7We2nTx6KLmWnwjFZRZrJij6P5S8prW5SJAKjSKoFmhrXhkLvW8FMFksnUrV01Bj-4HgfrTtIjk4O1hysNV08oPz0kymy/s1600/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKw5eJGW4ZZqGf9B4MGymJHnms33IjYZ7jm9hCihyUwWliRez7We2nTx6KLmWnwjFZRZrJij6P5S8prW5SJAKjSKoFmhrXhkLvW8FMFksnUrV01Bj-4HgfrTtIjk4O1hysNV08oPz0kymy/s400/15+%2526+16+-+Milford+Sound-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 17: Queenstown & the Chard Farm</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXTTz10ndmp1UUpRPtEIOekg5wnB00T1MI73JayYUZg685Y49PQ1urQ11x5_TfAZqiHy_fLlGc4CI9t1zGWjIOWD2TYrnSCcybtjrnJZ9OgCmshJHeYeXz2_W3naQ7Wl0ZqyBXFdiDFN-/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-17-Queenstown-8.01.2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXTTz10ndmp1UUpRPtEIOekg5wnB00T1MI73JayYUZg685Y49PQ1urQ11x5_TfAZqiHy_fLlGc4CI9t1zGWjIOWD2TYrnSCcybtjrnJZ9OgCmshJHeYeXz2_W3naQ7Wl0ZqyBXFdiDFN-/s400/Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand-South-Island-17-Queenstown-8.01.2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last day of our trip we spent in Queenstown. Things to do there: definitely do the <b>skyline gondola</b>,which takes you 790m above sea level and 456m above Queenstown for just 33$NZ. The observation deck has fantastic views of the city & the surrounding the <b>Remarkables mountains</b> (highest Peak: <b>Double Cone</b>, 2343 m) & <b>Lake Wakatipu </b>as well as - like in so many other places in and around Queenstown - yet another bungy jumping company with a provocative slogan "<i>throwing people of ledges since 1988</i>".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this we headed toward the<b> Underwater Observatory</b> (a bit of a rip off, to be honest as for 10$ you only see what is immediately beneath the surface of the pier): 6 windows showcase life under the lake in a <i>"reverse aquarium"</i> (people are behind glass, so ducks & fish look at you & judge you harshly), one can see long-finned eel, rainbow & brown trout, salmon as well as very cute black & silver scaup ducks, which can dive up to 8 meters & stay under water for 45 seconds. <br />
After that little underwater escapade we went on to the legendary <b>Kawarau Bridge</b> to look at some crazy bungy jumpers. Having established for myself once again that bungy jumping isn't something I'd ever want to do in my life, we drove to the picturesque <b>Chard Farm </b>(the most charming one of <b>Gibbston wineries</b>) to do a wine tasting. The concept of the tasting is absolutely lovely as it is FREE as long as you buy a bottle of wine afterwards. If you haven't been exactly "charmed" by the wines you tasted, they invite you to make a donation to a local charity, so it's a win-win for everyone in any case.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKOxLB9o4pgaIZekusAelbfbxPHOtSi7XZhtIShX0L0KTvOowTZltbv5jr-tBjkWbCZ3grk76EtUMsq_PJKPHr6rGob08h8oYbLLtOIaStZ9jFKMpZAA-ql0V4tMivwEPGCVJjZFfWIWN/s1600/17+-+Queenstown-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKOxLB9o4pgaIZekusAelbfbxPHOtSi7XZhtIShX0L0KTvOowTZltbv5jr-tBjkWbCZ3grk76EtUMsq_PJKPHr6rGob08h8oYbLLtOIaStZ9jFKMpZAA-ql0V4tMivwEPGCVJjZFfWIWN/s400/17+-+Queenstown-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbjkITsU6c4u_S-Sd6LnQ0Yvowjn6SgDWuzSqPM6WoFcfLQB4ODYQxks_yNWbJQA4-Qkg9JHMPsMuEYM8Tz44kjJxxnfjjAaM-aaqU5IEtrHM3Lz_tn6wv3Obq02yh18qGxSBYRlHSU9H/s1600/17+-+Queenstown-aquarium-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbjkITsU6c4u_S-Sd6LnQ0Yvowjn6SgDWuzSqPM6WoFcfLQB4ODYQxks_yNWbJQA4-Qkg9JHMPsMuEYM8Tz44kjJxxnfjjAaM-aaqU5IEtrHM3Lz_tn6wv3Obq02yh18qGxSBYRlHSU9H/s400/17+-+Queenstown-aquarium-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje49QyPK2nyKN038QxyPWY8YgDIChuinAmMpFgI3aOwC_QkjknfT8DLLqGBSeIt6uP9WnFEdozOgnA9amnUHymxXNSq2xwXcNt2zCBsZsRttL72c69oAp1nqkwCexY-dFscw34jiu2LSf3/s1600/17+-+Queenstown-view-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje49QyPK2nyKN038QxyPWY8YgDIChuinAmMpFgI3aOwC_QkjknfT8DLLqGBSeIt6uP9WnFEdozOgnA9amnUHymxXNSq2xwXcNt2zCBsZsRttL72c69oAp1nqkwCexY-dFscw34jiu2LSf3/s400/17+-+Queenstown-view-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6NYkPgY1UBnuz5Ndy7iuOsO4nA7wvGoHBF1cleyislz4tqdTEODdEFWbjufE9EFK6IeZh-v9C_YmHby-kZSQKWcizGcVXDb1j-82aL8zwYgsehrGxeeNHwzwE_zTeJ2o2XjIdNZuJV52/s1600/17+-+Queenstown-overview-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6NYkPgY1UBnuz5Ndy7iuOsO4nA7wvGoHBF1cleyislz4tqdTEODdEFWbjufE9EFK6IeZh-v9C_YmHby-kZSQKWcizGcVXDb1j-82aL8zwYgsehrGxeeNHwzwE_zTeJ2o2XjIdNZuJV52/s400/17+-+Queenstown-overview-Alena-Romanenko-New-Zealand.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Auckland, New Zealand-36.8484597 174.76333150000005-37.2549887 174.11788450000006 -36.4419307 175.40877850000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-39508100681771135602017-06-18T14:31:00.000+02:002017-06-18T14:31:53.365+02:00Exploring British Countryside...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Continuation of the <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/british-countryside.html">Exploring British Countryside...</a> series. Summer is finally officially here, in the UK.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Brighton, East Sussex (17.June 2017)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Lonely Plant: <i>"Brighton is where England's seaside experience goes from cold to cool" </i>and I can't agree more. The town is fun, hip & colorful. My socks were totally charmed & if it wasn't over 1,5 away from central London, I'd totally move there! With a town slogan <i>"BrightOn your day!"</i>, that's totally a place to be!</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Must-Dos:</h3>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Walk the gardens of the Royal Pavilion </b>- an impressive Eastern-looking palace, which is the finest example of early-19th-century chinoiserie in Europe (although it was unaffectionately called <i>"a strange, odd Chinese place" </i>by Queen Victoria). Initially a palace of Price George (& later King George IV), it's a symbol of Brighton's decadence & fun-loving attitude. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV2v5g64ZZa8K5buIRl6yLKnBo708T5Pbs4MH7RHMYnVUPNo9O9Ww7PfCaPEi63LVNG15rGPlFRKSU2qywsyWIhhE2Y41Sz7A6nlskgwXEYLyWmdwB1FMTgQzkCS54YQj4GQAIU3n91Fw/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV2v5g64ZZa8K5buIRl6yLKnBo708T5Pbs4MH7RHMYnVUPNo9O9Ww7PfCaPEi63LVNG15rGPlFRKSU2qywsyWIhhE2Y41Sz7A6nlskgwXEYLyWmdwB1FMTgQzkCS54YQj4GQAIU3n91Fw/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ2MKJINpVGS72lcvo5fPW_igQv1R9kX1zAdCi7wVBxydCet8S5WvdUDD1scX3zI3xqyLBF-ZpU0vyt4Eg7ANYotPkrljAtC3y_GS9r_o6hI1zzileUKDqqsnJRYVYNhyphenhyphen9ymGAsD_K2nn/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ2MKJINpVGS72lcvo5fPW_igQv1R9kX1zAdCi7wVBxydCet8S5WvdUDD1scX3zI3xqyLBF-ZpU0vyt4Eg7ANYotPkrljAtC3y_GS9r_o6hI1zzileUKDqqsnJRYVYNhyphenhyphen9ymGAsD_K2nn/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Visit the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery</b> - situated just next to the Royal Pavilion, it has a good collection of 20th century art & design, notably hosting Salvador Dali's sofa modeled on Mae West's lips.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdZQailHBaeO3Ut5d4mJiUrUqTFQ8hxj3lwpkFgSrrvsCQI_RFxXt0fa53GH0i_y7wPDGokNoMlEABFbvqw4j3dfSR7xSUyN6VWPYermjO_5Ryjl5Degs-XFV3j_QKibUA5w_-0TDRdd8/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Brighton-Museum-Art-Gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdZQailHBaeO3Ut5d4mJiUrUqTFQ8hxj3lwpkFgSrrvsCQI_RFxXt0fa53GH0i_y7wPDGokNoMlEABFbvqw4j3dfSR7xSUyN6VWPYermjO_5Ryjl5Degs-XFV3j_QKibUA5w_-0TDRdd8/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Brighton-Museum-Art-Gallery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Have lunch in one of the award-winning vegetarian restaurants</b>, for example in the <b>North Laine </b>(we landed at <a href="http://iydea.co.uk/Iydea_Vegetarian_Restaurant/Menu.html"><b>Iydea</b></a> (<i>17 Kensinston Gardens</i>), which had an affordable, delicious & generous lunch menu). </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1T9B7H57LaCn161GmayzNFk0C323y-muQG572ceR4IymaFfqdOKr__s_cT_MOWo-q0Ag84mKLycqDR3kKmF2N-1ulD3aKsry8ZqgiA0K2oyl5KHXdHg_Au63tXfcDO28C-Gwy1mPk9RKc/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-North-Laine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1T9B7H57LaCn161GmayzNFk0C323y-muQG572ceR4IymaFfqdOKr__s_cT_MOWo-q0Ag84mKLycqDR3kKmF2N-1ulD3aKsry8ZqgiA0K2oyl5KHXdHg_Au63tXfcDO28C-Gwy1mPk9RKc/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-North-Laine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Get lost in the Lanes </b>- full of vintage boutiques & charming little shops & cafes. Worth a stop: <b><a href="https://www.choccywoccydoodah.com/locations/secret-spaces.html?___store=default">Choccywoccydoodah</a></b> (<i>3 Meeting House Ln, Brighton BN1 1HB</i>), a dangerously chocolaty emporium. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVtW5rfPZJ75BAHeMhEDvwyHkmk8CxXSGGtTJ74L1coayc5B-sKBOcxeal48BHnbaF9Pmc5hJtZrQt8uOftLMRlG5hUiwc2xBJjkmn19kxw56HZNJpOj73nzRRJv1UoySvyPYMPufwzBi/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Lanes-Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVtW5rfPZJ75BAHeMhEDvwyHkmk8CxXSGGtTJ74L1coayc5B-sKBOcxeal48BHnbaF9Pmc5hJtZrQt8uOftLMRlG5hUiwc2xBJjkmn19kxw56HZNJpOj73nzRRJv1UoySvyPYMPufwzBi/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Lanes-Art.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU4oifvWC0m1W90fsP-A-9Zd9sh0GcRRLuamtCkXyZqO0RsFM6nNd1CuDb_hy10Y5eWn2tNIdvFXL_2kAY6DXTg4NWtvpdOWIL86mOZ9uXd4WQiGS0-DgVPREFhd0GgRRGqaPIAKeptr6/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-The-Lanes-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU4oifvWC0m1W90fsP-A-9Zd9sh0GcRRLuamtCkXyZqO0RsFM6nNd1CuDb_hy10Y5eWn2tNIdvFXL_2kAY6DXTg4NWtvpdOWIL86mOZ9uXd4WQiGS0-DgVPREFhd0GgRRGqaPIAKeptr6/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-The-Lanes-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c5HiPevR6IxLdJKn64dmx_qeRiJzxXcj131DZe-9yjrXT11X3PVvy3n6zS1d0PQn9nIGLkUGBo200BH4KiF0RotKRqNf7vdYa6knGOkQpTYNEqP_zO-jTzpwbV2Nh8W1fk6GLpq6mSAX/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-The-Lanes-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c5HiPevR6IxLdJKn64dmx_qeRiJzxXcj131DZe-9yjrXT11X3PVvy3n6zS1d0PQn9nIGLkUGBo200BH4KiF0RotKRqNf7vdYa6knGOkQpTYNEqP_zO-jTzpwbV2Nh8W1fk6GLpq6mSAX/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-The-Lanes-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyTST_E-H8tFt-nHtJioZbT13ihpdfe4tGooGAx2JJUQEtBOtD6BL9ZQslUJqLJm-QsiqK8Ah5NIl1dV50idYqnUde521-Dr1bm7Zd-huuekR_9VRh2hK5qDcsFzgGKzyavsWMTojJEyR/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Choccywoccydoodah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyTST_E-H8tFt-nHtJioZbT13ihpdfe4tGooGAx2JJUQEtBOtD6BL9ZQslUJqLJm-QsiqK8Ah5NIl1dV50idYqnUde521-Dr1bm7Zd-huuekR_9VRh2hK5qDcsFzgGKzyavsWMTojJEyR/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Choccywoccydoodah.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>"Gamble" in Brighton Pier -</b> tacky & fun, the amusement arcade is full of extremely addictive nonsensical games & fairground rides that can keep one entertained for a good part of the day. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBtevt_y_YLa3tLK1_xa21LGv_mBgL-zecrWLbPPWqJaEQGM2KpbprqBdat_yBsugT0c5pjqoIlZmOlGSuRlxfxezLnj7LNXCJQfIsCa_dvu9E6nebV-5av3p1iGYIXmdQzz5V2ONX80D/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Brighton-Pier-Arcade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBtevt_y_YLa3tLK1_xa21LGv_mBgL-zecrWLbPPWqJaEQGM2KpbprqBdat_yBsugT0c5pjqoIlZmOlGSuRlxfxezLnj7LNXCJQfIsCa_dvu9E6nebV-5av3p1iGYIXmdQzz5V2ONX80D/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Brighton-Pier-Arcade.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Take pictures of the West Pier during the golden hour or at sunset</b> - its skeletal iron hulk is very photogenic!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9z-DjmQv8PZ83sZW1ZUqsB5oOOzXfDSOoSpeJ4u1aqxKZI5vd9d464MvgG1bP7oJfbMflSHhEstSMWqJumThfwWJCmZNgQOfzFBimGeFHmKpAD6a0DSLvkYvPVfxnsZQazkEdq3bzWpR/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-West-Pier-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9z-DjmQv8PZ83sZW1ZUqsB5oOOzXfDSOoSpeJ4u1aqxKZI5vd9d464MvgG1bP7oJfbMflSHhEstSMWqJumThfwWJCmZNgQOfzFBimGeFHmKpAD6a0DSLvkYvPVfxnsZQazkEdq3bzWpR/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-West-Pier-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuAwxRkEfdmjYAnT_lCj5dVVEVUgwoWS1mhXp9zKPvovBjbMkNx_svByM1XFqT-RhCYrZbcJdyoTxQjc-tm2uhVLjF7_jSoEdd7Q_VvDTyJ8nKyO7WwTKRDXxg-eyCG7YatHdPQUdIBEw/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-West-Pier-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuAwxRkEfdmjYAnT_lCj5dVVEVUgwoWS1mhXp9zKPvovBjbMkNx_svByM1XFqT-RhCYrZbcJdyoTxQjc-tm2uhVLjF7_jSoEdd7Q_VvDTyJ8nKyO7WwTKRDXxg-eyCG7YatHdPQUdIBEw/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-West-Pier-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Check out i360 Tower </b>- Brightonian cousin of the London Eye.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s0d8nw9Vr8DdHcS6ntDniP2TpkxTJYt7icQZs9mrnlGUwTeZIdYBxwbRMc-jKQ9MwFAuo3OTRE_3KoOsiOgj4z2YhekM3Wp47V1IiBZ_mndMaBaaoi74r15ZLFohATDkJhHolVtYamho/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-i360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s0d8nw9Vr8DdHcS6ntDniP2TpkxTJYt7icQZs9mrnlGUwTeZIdYBxwbRMc-jKQ9MwFAuo3OTRE_3KoOsiOgj4z2YhekM3Wp47V1IiBZ_mndMaBaaoi74r15ZLFohATDkJhHolVtYamho/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-i360.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Have a craft ale </b>either on the peer or in one of the quirky pubs hidden in a maze of little streets.</li>
</ul>
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0Azc7u8PrS16bHXQUCuFZKOO5EPU0zA5cig5iDP0pCi5o-SPA5SGFSBCC2_3zcDHMVjAx8l23aP3RBFX32wCHAiXM44FSMU2236BOFuSBJfTA-Rd4vflObMUrFSWAY2h2ey2ZrXb0XZX/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-Cider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0Azc7u8PrS16bHXQUCuFZKOO5EPU0zA5cig5iDP0pCi5o-SPA5SGFSBCC2_3zcDHMVjAx8l23aP3RBFX32wCHAiXM44FSMU2236BOFuSBJfTA-Rd4vflObMUrFSWAY2h2ey2ZrXb0XZX/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Royal-Pavilion-Cider.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">
</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">Continue along the Beach in direction of <b>Hove</b> for a nice stroll & in order to see some <b>colorful beach houses</b>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-Hv3U7jdmgqLvTsfmaAbSU8smiZ-lj1pWBCqZDDn8xs99Q1X4BRYMCPkJ_8fUSAHcIvoqHyNLZS2C4d9AUVQqLFwuAxR_yhGRWB23XMP2nMYiUR8Ab3Z7gVRHMb5jGVXnJ072uwZCFJJ/s1600/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Brighton-Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-Hv3U7jdmgqLvTsfmaAbSU8smiZ-lj1pWBCqZDDn8xs99Q1X4BRYMCPkJ_8fUSAHcIvoqHyNLZS2C4d9AUVQqLFwuAxR_yhGRWB23XMP2nMYiUR8Ab3Z7gVRHMb5jGVXnJ072uwZCFJJ/s400/UK-Brighton-Alena-Romanenko-Brighton-Beach.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Queens Rd, Brighton BN1 3XP, UK50.829 -0.1412500000000136430.4035985 -41.449844000000013 71.2544015 41.167343999999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-68546105616690016492017-05-01T03:41:00.001+02:002017-05-01T23:52:03.046+02:00Arctic Adventures in Lapland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1s49qLD318Vozn-x3nfjlZUHuPyyp6NxAI23qYydMUZ2w_j6IBGs9E8CMTQGkRAfjV56MDi0erOT-XvZ0__8wOeTVOgSoYnlkIyNhOi4jwmflO80DStLpyIvmfr884kswY5EiHKzLE0B/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1s49qLD318Vozn-x3nfjlZUHuPyyp6NxAI23qYydMUZ2w_j6IBGs9E8CMTQGkRAfjV56MDi0erOT-XvZ0__8wOeTVOgSoYnlkIyNhOi4jwmflO80DStLpyIvmfr884kswY5EiHKzLE0B/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Helsinki</span></h2>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Helsinki is probably the weirdest European capital I've ever visited. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first day we did Lonely Planet self-guided walking tour & ended up didn't really liking the city... However, having spent two more days on our way back from Lapland, we've gradually warmed up towards the city & learned to appreciate its rough Nordic charm & sometimes not-so-picturesque appearance. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVvDoAFrUy6X_-DenrfutMiA79r1pqpbHwMux9ZfniNKUbjVgkXx_0VV5K_Har8HWXCevEPpsWzvX6z1BlPu12Ai9hsdEs3HCIcufbIIYJBkuePQ5DfumnGSTChmJIsAZkPRWhbTSHwhy/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVvDoAFrUy6X_-DenrfutMiA79r1pqpbHwMux9ZfniNKUbjVgkXx_0VV5K_Har8HWXCevEPpsWzvX6z1BlPu12Ai9hsdEs3HCIcufbIIYJBkuePQ5DfumnGSTChmJIsAZkPRWhbTSHwhy/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
General tips & ticks:</h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you plan to be doing a lot of intensive sightseeing, it might be worth getting a <a href="http://www.helsinkicard.com/how-it-works/">Helsinki Card (€</a></span><a href="http://www.helsinkicard.com/how-it-works/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">46 for 48 hours - you'll save </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">€</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 if you buy it online).</span></a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GETTING TO & FROM THE AIRORT: </span></li>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Shuttle bus 615/620 </b>- €5.30 - 45 min - from platform 21 to <b>Rautatientori</b> (next to Helsinki's train station) </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Finnair Bus </b>(€6.60 - 30 min, every 20 min, trip is around 30 mins), they've got WiFi onboard</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Train </b>(probably the fastest & cheapest option - only €2.9 way to get to the airport) - arrives at the central train station.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Budget alternative to paying 30€ for the official hop-on hop-off bus tour is grabbing a <b>FREE Sightseeing on Tram 2/3 Brochure</b> & jumping on <b>Tram 2 </b>or <b>Tram 3</b>.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Things TO DO in Helsinki:</span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tempoeliaukion Kirkko</b> - last entrance at 16:45, 3€</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXHSJ8iNf2PQGYjwCK6n6GAd2eveqe4YcnCvrubTyIUmNuo5XAtAfOh8q8vPGlNWi5vNFD5CFhGeOe7C5giV_YNWkfz7DaY3B2yi9n2PZugGxu6fqSCii4AYFnBSkkZSoVcXXys0PF_eA/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXHSJ8iNf2PQGYjwCK6n6GAd2eveqe4YcnCvrubTyIUmNuo5XAtAfOh8q8vPGlNWi5vNFD5CFhGeOe7C5giV_YNWkfz7DaY3B2yi9n2PZugGxu6fqSCii4AYFnBSkkZSoVcXXys0PF_eA/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fortress island of <b>Suomenlinna </b>& <b>Seurasaari </b>(traditional wooden buildings), the Helsinki Harbor, take a ferry there. If you have a <b>Helsinki card </b>or just a <b>day card for public transport </b>(which, btw, also takes you TO or FROM airport), ferry will be included & you don't need to pay extra.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTmd8ZSuXVf5kibe-fAtzG1jAz8D-bQHVn8A3-8lU-cEh9l0XI_doLjdJHSTrRHg_7ghaVjZ-W3VicCi2ev5tbP-EUpY3DScpTxzU9-8ExHqwiRAEQT_o5pgABOvjWuOFEUgL3b4HqG0Z/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTmd8ZSuXVf5kibe-fAtzG1jAz8D-bQHVn8A3-8lU-cEh9l0XI_doLjdJHSTrRHg_7ghaVjZ-W3VicCi2ev5tbP-EUpY3DScpTxzU9-8ExHqwiRAEQT_o5pgABOvjWuOFEUgL3b4HqG0Z/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOVwUPm7Iq-MpDqAtAuJAnHXaHfItwzhoyQgvwvbmH5KiH7cSm5UdjOmcJwL_2rcSXOgR9vLpqt0zOJWsWZe_Q37sOugWo7rjE0H4aer4fsE1z3gcB3YM-NVi3XDLklmH41xoCOtQUiJT/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOVwUPm7Iq-MpDqAtAuJAnHXaHfItwzhoyQgvwvbmH5KiH7cSm5UdjOmcJwL_2rcSXOgR9vLpqt0zOJWsWZe_Q37sOugWo7rjE0H4aer4fsE1z3gcB3YM-NVi3XDLklmH41xoCOtQUiJT/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGXOeLRalh1anVZoH_bSox6eF1PrRhioMCfCJ_1YamQmJmsCcwbugqp5UWSBPh7YIW5QVAhpZRWgzP09ACquh8_fyYBtwZ4Kj_YPZktC6snbR4t8kXMa8ZNsVtJSXaFwpPSNc7VF9PUjK/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGXOeLRalh1anVZoH_bSox6eF1PrRhioMCfCJ_1YamQmJmsCcwbugqp5UWSBPh7YIW5QVAhpZRWgzP09ACquh8_fyYBtwZ4Kj_YPZktC6snbR4t8kXMa8ZNsVtJSXaFwpPSNc7VF9PUjK/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Brunssi </b>(Finnish brunch) - usually timed between <i><u>10:30-15:30</u></i>, brunssi is an extremely popular tradition in Helsinki, hence there's a variety of options to choose from: from classical dacades-old cafes (e.g. <b>Cafe Ekberg </b><i>(Bulevardi 9, 00120 Helsinki)</i><b> </b>or <b>Karl Fazer Cafe</b>) to all kinds of hipster places in districts like </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kallio</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> or </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Punavuori. </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check out </span><a href="https://brunssipartio.wordpress.com/helsingin-brunssipaikat/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">brunssipartio.fi</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> for details on locations & types of brunches. We chose </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ekberg.fi/">Cafe Ekberg </a></b><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ekberg.fi/">(Bulevardi 9, 00120 Helsinki)</a> </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">just because it was so close to our AirBnB and on the way to the ferry that we were planning to take later. That cheesecake (see picture below) has been "haunting" me ever since, it's definitely in the TOP 3 of finest, most delicious cakes I've ever eaten in my life :-)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRcgNuK6pIKortdOUNQ9HCdwCOI3oJlm4HFpuP1-9kkyhvEawGbTXCardQfqIARfxCAAcAk_9i_PLZzdN4LSDPVHmE4wfBnI1vyRY7riVmSborGT18YbmMfQn_Dv3qHI6e-OBodLvkns4/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRcgNuK6pIKortdOUNQ9HCdwCOI3oJlm4HFpuP1-9kkyhvEawGbTXCardQfqIARfxCAAcAk_9i_PLZzdN4LSDPVHmE4wfBnI1vyRY7riVmSborGT18YbmMfQn_Dv3qHI6e-OBodLvkns4/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Have a cuppa coffee! </b>It turns out that - weirdly enough - the Finns are the people with the highest consumption of coffee in the world (12kg per person per year)! Non-surprisingly, an array of places to have a cuppa (& it's at least good everywhere), but <a href="https://goodlifecoffee.fi/">GOOD LIFE COFFEE</a> ☕️ has been appraised in tourist magazines (during the time of our visit).</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eat a <b>local pastry</b>! On cold winter days a sugary <b><i>kardamompulla </i></b>(cardamom bun) or savoury rice-filled <i><b>karjalanpiirakka</b> </i>(Karelian pirog pastry) are more of a necessity than a treat 😋☕️</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx7MerC-47efQ9a9W_ckUu0JPENGPbRpmoubsqIBl7QrCWwgNNg-raqUr6bTI9ceqooX6tQ5o181H_n-waa-KASDvgPH6BCcLwaoh7F8uT1mCp1_-l6SGmXnQToOxDiAGo8cRDmS7Q2C6/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx7MerC-47efQ9a9W_ckUu0JPENGPbRpmoubsqIBl7QrCWwgNNg-raqUr6bTI9ceqooX6tQ5o181H_n-waa-KASDvgPH6BCcLwaoh7F8uT1mCp1_-l6SGmXnQToOxDiAGo8cRDmS7Q2C6/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if the above wasn't nutritious enough, have a freshly baked grandma-style cinnamon bun at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g189934-d1596888-Reviews-Cafe_Regatta-Helsinki_Uusimaa.html"><b>Cafe Regatta </b>(<i>Merikannontie 8</i>) </a>- very cute cafe not too far away from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibelius_Monument_(Helsinki)">Sibelius monument</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNAteLS-qD7IwMPkcNpR1u5kWfKWnOfVsVpbiPOY_phgjReRXZTi2XW3fOUJe9pOiZuE_xk8RuB69a0T_GU023nhYxVg4Gim5ZDADKROll-v1On5vT1RVmrwfzYzpC0p3TegFgvkfIWb6/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNAteLS-qD7IwMPkcNpR1u5kWfKWnOfVsVpbiPOY_phgjReRXZTi2XW3fOUJe9pOiZuE_xk8RuB69a0T_GU023nhYxVg4Gim5ZDADKROll-v1On5vT1RVmrwfzYzpC0p3TegFgvkfIWb6/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT_TK_3kSDgPkzCTFrCf_GFb5mYn_x0Icj2o42FeRMW3Cr11LBIOiFRaMOyVp1yLvXscICF12FI4aHkHumymvjxfOYqiG4Psm9wctJaWpDMn_gLAPJztW2oxfrHX-L-B-anQX2grsDdUz/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT_TK_3kSDgPkzCTFrCf_GFb5mYn_x0Icj2o42FeRMW3Cr11LBIOiFRaMOyVp1yLvXscICF12FI4aHkHumymvjxfOYqiG4Psm9wctJaWpDMn_gLAPJztW2oxfrHX-L-B-anQX2grsDdUz/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if all of the above isn't enough calories... try wonderful Fazer's chocolate - it's milk chocolate is pretty remarkable. You can do so at the originl <b>Karl Fazer Café </b>(<i>Kluuvikatu 3, 00100 Helsinki</i>) or pretty much in any supermarket in Helsinki ;-)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEBL-mIPWMelAy_18iGzHHbpfGa2X1u9F9WEIH7J1hMpfufuywZq0v8sQmBRSLtoGz6bTy1-tAn2u0M0UnrQ1hotXCyJKr2Kz0DRg9RiqJob_F2wyVWCISAVVZeeUDiEfFb7qYSE62rSC/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Fazer-Chocolate-Helsinki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEBL-mIPWMelAy_18iGzHHbpfGa2X1u9F9WEIH7J1hMpfufuywZq0v8sQmBRSLtoGz6bTy1-tAn2u0M0UnrQ1hotXCyJKr2Kz0DRg9RiqJob_F2wyVWCISAVVZeeUDiEfFb7qYSE62rSC/s320/Alena-Romanenko-Fazer-Chocolate-Helsinki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Design Museum </b>- professional, high quality design fun. When we were there, an exhibition "<b><i>100 objects from Finland</i></b>" showcased a 100 items (one from each year of national Finland's independence), each touching upon country's important topics like climate, light, children, work, perseverance & happiness ... objects ranged from stereotypical reindeer collars to harnesses for toddlers & Alko shopping inspector's hats (1947) to post-war "Dive morning game" (1948), vacuum-cleaner-look-alike berry picker Marjuri (1994), Vuokko outfit for female pastor (1988), 14 Soviet super hits vinyl record (1984) to Sami skateboards (2012) all the way through to Nokia's Mikro Mikko (1981). Other floors of the museum gave a glimpse into the importance of providing mental well-being with the means of design & gave everyone some fun interactive examples of design, like, e.g. immersive patterns (colourful below).</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLZ-KSszXwromx-XA_JCUyjwsNQJ1ma49-9K4BEcesnbFbyj7aUni2fZ45B7M002xtAKEwfCjiDOl0KKoDxwt-wejmWEQY24Cb_jiaCvEvWxX8B9xUhvHfMw8ccm4mEsRR-VGoa3tN5lY/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLZ-KSszXwromx-XA_JCUyjwsNQJ1ma49-9K4BEcesnbFbyj7aUni2fZ45B7M002xtAKEwfCjiDOl0KKoDxwt-wejmWEQY24Cb_jiaCvEvWxX8B9xUhvHfMw8ccm4mEsRR-VGoa3tN5lY/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIPHa-fDI2fXjRJKHH770Ws-E6B3sNizLwiuXB-LVi6KvnwntWmZJc0IxZzeVNYVP8lYvMoOJ60iuySOLW7Sfg2JvhFkjXM1gGhrjZc5AAA4qMFIjxY_mVpKoXtF2DW_r6vGyNy7ww6BJ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIPHa-fDI2fXjRJKHH770Ws-E6B3sNizLwiuXB-LVi6KvnwntWmZJc0IxZzeVNYVP8lYvMoOJ60iuySOLW7Sfg2JvhFkjXM1gGhrjZc5AAA4qMFIjxY_mVpKoXtF2DW_r6vGyNy7ww6BJ/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Get yourself a souvenir at the </b><a href="https://shop.moomin.com/?gclid=CN-bx_OrzdMCFccp0wod7VMK9g"><b>moomin shop</b> </a>(or at the airport): I hate to say it, but it's cheaper & there's more choice at the airport than at the flagship store (where's fairness in this world!).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do a <b>photoshoot on the steps on the Helsinki cathedral</b>.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJqczeUNpBpwzBsVMgPT63hJiUaFxmhbzuH3csubg1dEg9kHmuSEYxIIAj6tNrEq-uIO2fublUt6heAJ4A-BEfG9ZNhXRQo854g2jHDzkA7Mt8OaOSv5VpGIJwrwwHdpvmtWoIeW88nGf/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJqczeUNpBpwzBsVMgPT63hJiUaFxmhbzuH3csubg1dEg9kHmuSEYxIIAj6tNrEq-uIO2fublUt6heAJ4A-BEfG9ZNhXRQo854g2jHDzkA7Mt8OaOSv5VpGIJwrwwHdpvmtWoIeW88nGf/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmOJNYvIhrTZqlQRNd21fcE3_RjGQ_CzLK7ct83R0sG87sqaLOORcmJnSBVEymNcg5I8SEc3aNjftgSl24k8__97z_R9d_Muvo77vS-tiZg8hs98O4PFkx8z4btr21LNEX9Z_EQcIMmP0/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Helsinki-Finland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmOJNYvIhrTZqlQRNd21fcE3_RjGQ_CzLK7ct83R0sG87sqaLOORcmJnSBVEymNcg5I8SEc3aNjftgSl24k8__97z_R9d_Muvo77vS-tiZg8hs98O4PFkx8z4btr21LNEX9Z_EQcIMmP0/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Helsinki-Finland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finnish character:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the newly released <b>2017 World 🌎 Happiness Report,</b> the Finnish are ranked the <i>5th happiest country in the world</i>, which is particularly remarkable when one thinks about how VERY cold it is here most of the year or browses through some of Finnish hilariously miserable traditional idioms, most of which belong to the "life sucks" category: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) <i>pessimisti ei koskaan pety </i>("<b>the pessimist will never be disappointed</b>") </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) <i>itku pitsästa ilosta </i>("<b>happiness will always end in tears</b>") </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) <i>ei niin pahaa ettei jotain hyvääkin </i>("<b>not so bad that there's nothing good in it</b>")</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe the secret to staying happy is having low expectations? :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No matter how pessimistic, Finns are still surprisingly creative & weird, which manifests itself in all kinds of cute & weird ways like unicorn-street-plaques, butt-shaped seats on stairs for homeless people, giraffes waving with hoofs from balconies, Moomin's adventures & monuments to naked workers wielding iron, all of that - is a wonderfully weird part of Finnish history & art heritage that can be found on the streets & provides an unforgettable experience, no matter how discordant. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY7zg6JuxyoU66Z_yaq61ObrHpnM0TcowobN0yU6h3j7ZE_YP7f4NPwc1hXtPXyB3RPfXFV_AdOCTW8nl-YOnwnQ3IIKoyhYtcZGVdml7n7m8wZC3i66g4WHni-ZCrOKVDOPPh93Qsnw7/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY7zg6JuxyoU66Z_yaq61ObrHpnM0TcowobN0yU6h3j7ZE_YP7f4NPwc1hXtPXyB3RPfXFV_AdOCTW8nl-YOnwnQ3IIKoyhYtcZGVdml7n7m8wZC3i66g4WHni-ZCrOKVDOPPh93Qsnw7/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Lapland</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAymjWtJnAEMSA_UOkev1mAv36Ufei3gHWaCB3zJPceCdRquTNoYePLGvs-86Cq49PtVyycnqtNElJmb_a7MKCyBtQmu0O2gP4TY-sgSbr1Gu61i0PxonU19KpKbxiMTXLSNx26iQ-csob/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAymjWtJnAEMSA_UOkev1mAv36Ufei3gHWaCB3zJPceCdRquTNoYePLGvs-86Cq49PtVyycnqtNElJmb_a7MKCyBtQmu0O2gP4TY-sgSbr1Gu61i0PxonU19KpKbxiMTXLSNx26iQ-csob/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">LAPLAND Lapland's vast spaces, pure air & big skies are enigmatic & lonely... This region occupies 30% of Finland's land area, but houses only 3% of its population. It's snowy wilderness attracted me to this region in the first place: it's been a dream of mine to experience a husky ride and feel like a rascal driving a snowmobile :-) To make the most of such a trip, it's important to pick the right time: there're periods in the year when there's no sun for 50 days or no night for 70... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We chose April as it usually provides decent amount of snow, less extreme temperatures and even a (theoretical) chance of seeing Aurora Borealis. The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is often seen above the Arctic Circle (which includes a lot of Lapland), auroral storm appears in curtains of greenish-white (&/or shades of crimson-red glow towards the lower edge) light stretching East to West across the sky when charged particles (protons & electrons) from the Sun bombard the Earth and are deflected toward the North and South Poles. When particles hit the outer atmosphere (100-1000km above ground), charged electrons collide with molecules of nitrogen and oxygen, the excess energy from these collisions creates the colorful lights. The ancient inhabitants of Lapland had a much more mystical explanation: apparently, the breathtaking phenomenon is a consequence of a giant fox 🐺 swishing its tail above the Arctic tundra :-) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Optimal conditions for viewing Aurora Borealis are during dark clear night with high auroral activity... and you're definitely better off during winter (April - or maybe even March - if one is being really strict - aren't exactly a "guaranteed hit" ...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpR8qCWmveH9sqdrenKVgT9tPVETVolQ_HH0_fijPkoPIY9qAvvxMiAwpFSh6NmLCnwN39qfx7vcYvUk04a3N8xEnDwGoBYzAWwlSgDZiqWaR7dNcCoLSRQrRq_MIuxPOe5NX-jsQ4qdzE/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpR8qCWmveH9sqdrenKVgT9tPVETVolQ_HH0_fijPkoPIY9qAvvxMiAwpFSh6NmLCnwN39qfx7vcYvUk04a3N8xEnDwGoBYzAWwlSgDZiqWaR7dNcCoLSRQrRq_MIuxPOe5NX-jsQ4qdzE/s320/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Helsinki-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Kakslauttanen</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22KmaUGoXByd_TvoLiXy4fwA9H7yhdAdCsqvo1OyaoeN49ezcL8PvxslfdelzZx3GCluDe_P11Tyil7J9VxfBZ7w9PsWHpPXCyfcr3mSpbWAHRIGkd6eRugvkQ8nqBmTtF6ma8p4oAmgo/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22KmaUGoXByd_TvoLiXy4fwA9H7yhdAdCsqvo1OyaoeN49ezcL8PvxslfdelzZx3GCluDe_P11Tyil7J9VxfBZ7w9PsWHpPXCyfcr3mSpbWAHRIGkd6eRugvkQ8nqBmTtF6ma8p4oAmgo/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prior to arrival, we read a lot of pretty terrible reviews & now, after after our stay, I'd like to be the first one to admit that a lot of it was very unfair (see pros & cons below). </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzmZCpfscPp4HqHDDNudNkMpwHhypL-NuU-WskRZe4SCv7d9MOQQl2TyMmwJTNBpQMGGCcy-xGgvZ6e_HBGMXuIjLi5wudmNwV4oyiGpQwb8lK2mb_69COezjdCtg5MtrPXoaeKe8hAy5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzmZCpfscPp4HqHDDNudNkMpwHhypL-NuU-WskRZe4SCv7d9MOQQl2TyMmwJTNBpQMGGCcy-xGgvZ6e_HBGMXuIjLi5wudmNwV4oyiGpQwb8lK2mb_69COezjdCtg5MtrPXoaeKe8hAy5/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BZ6ZO6aA2uvltBDHbUQAqWyyoi_dbqZxvFyvuN0HGrIAfT2jmJmyp8XbV7NRaS11B9KSzpaBhjgC3_TJSdltRWwOXlngxlreZpcNvyhHjSDwEfF2sy1FB_HNuiAusZIrP2SlIxw-lAlQ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BZ6ZO6aA2uvltBDHbUQAqWyyoi_dbqZxvFyvuN0HGrIAfT2jmJmyp8XbV7NRaS11B9KSzpaBhjgC3_TJSdltRWwOXlngxlreZpcNvyhHjSDwEfF2sy1FB_HNuiAusZIrP2SlIxw-lAlQ/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tip to choosing the best room: </b>even if you're two people, get the 4-person igloo (those come with a with shower). The price difference is minimal, but you'll thank yourself for the comfort of being able to take a shower without having to go outside into the cold.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">West village is more modern & all the main attractions are situated there, but bear in mind that the skiing tracks are in the <i><b>East Village</b></i> (but no worries: transfers are really easy & free, see notes below).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rW0x9P13rB3baPzxeoQ6f7FNd4q4rPCB34H8lWBpQoFpwMmKIMvIBuOoxMTI4uE7O9fZLtZfAyNCmQNuU0d29GNKuy2TpQXWhFwYXQbUHTvxobxzbOIeIz4UK_Uh20kM1m_LcJexrmrt/s1600/Kakslauttanen+-West+Village.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rW0x9P13rB3baPzxeoQ6f7FNd4q4rPCB34H8lWBpQoFpwMmKIMvIBuOoxMTI4uE7O9fZLtZfAyNCmQNuU0d29GNKuy2TpQXWhFwYXQbUHTvxobxzbOIeIz4UK_Uh20kM1m_LcJexrmrt/s400/Kakslauttanen+-West+Village.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKIBoeQgeFsprkUvvwkZi7wbxpe90wejFaH4I9T6JsWM5blxtLH7UXce1kiD7Bxyt-SCu5kl9nxXWUmJd-5wzcvvwB2u1OZtkyC3yMsueQ9MMZ9Zqv8qZAn1RDm25CADqF2hJOUmPlGGg/s1600/Kakslauttanen+-East+Village.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKIBoeQgeFsprkUvvwkZi7wbxpe90wejFaH4I9T6JsWM5blxtLH7UXce1kiD7Bxyt-SCu5kl9nxXWUmJd-5wzcvvwB2u1OZtkyC3yMsueQ9MMZ9Zqv8qZAn1RDm25CADqF2hJOUmPlGGg/s400/Kakslauttanen+-East+Village.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>POSITIVES</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Very friendly & helpful staff (all our requests were accommodated quickly & efficiently & with a nice smile)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) Convenient logistics:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">* generous breakfast is between 8:00-11:00, check-out is at 10:00 sharp, one can leave bags at the reception till transfer bus to the airport.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">* Dinner can be scheduled for either at 18:00 or 20:00, depending on your preference & activities you're doing that night.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaXPb1MykaJ6wpVWO3G_9b51-ZwkebDyb9k-5AZQMyWchKBmPoNwVzY0iwkXSiWMePZXYPeoLl2ntSe1aVZTv4wRARqmB_8YjZmpjTE8ivf4JLb_sG7ksjq2w7OztxRxPHARNmrMAHGg9/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaXPb1MykaJ6wpVWO3G_9b51-ZwkebDyb9k-5AZQMyWchKBmPoNwVzY0iwkXSiWMePZXYPeoLl2ntSe1aVZTv4wRARqmB_8YjZmpjTE8ivf4JLb_sG7ksjq2w7OztxRxPHARNmrMAHGg9/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) Not only breakfast, but also <b>dinner is INCLUDED </b>in the price of accommodation.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2dRok2Kkqxlxm_yL1W_i2ZXB-EIo62HlMz26dzw7WA4BRldU-78cBZFuxKrNEE8XJBd9d_bMVkqPAG4ByBxVXwjiTWM_bSd5RVSAZd-OjiJtbwRhWAA5V7XtHfwUFvc_qBaYCBe3swMP/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2dRok2Kkqxlxm_yL1W_i2ZXB-EIo62HlMz26dzw7WA4BRldU-78cBZFuxKrNEE8XJBd9d_bMVkqPAG4ByBxVXwjiTWM_bSd5RVSAZd-OjiJtbwRhWAA5V7XtHfwUFvc_qBaYCBe3swMP/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4) Wine, cocktails & other extras are priced very reasonably (e.g. abundant lunch is €22 pp, 12:00-15:00), wines per glass are between €5-6.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5) Pleasant surprise was that dry sauna was included in the price. Of course, if you'd like a private smoke sauna to be booked only for your party, then it would cost you around €480 :-) But one can enjoy the sauna experience for free if you're not too hung up on smoke :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6) Transfer between West & East villages is FREE - just tell the reception when you want to go & you'll have your own private driver drop you off.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7) You can use a sled to take your luggage (& your friends/family) to your igloo - it's quite fun, we used it as means of transportation around the resort also on other days, not just for the luggage.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGWt3Xs8EZZIbHxXTSnWWpMwi06zFC75W5Jvx_LnZzmBeb-pBf-FIf_Gvy7uyQbNFT673nW3nRoHYcrDBYC2XlIlYxiZsuChElMqozzqYKboOeebM8i4MyUNK6kJ95XCZC8GPZE-3Inm1/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGWt3Xs8EZZIbHxXTSnWWpMwi06zFC75W5Jvx_LnZzmBeb-pBf-FIf_Gvy7uyQbNFT673nW3nRoHYcrDBYC2XlIlYxiZsuChElMqozzqYKboOeebM8i4MyUNK6kJ95XCZC8GPZE-3Inm1/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGKfTj-jnnaSEjNKeKVgV9xSWbVib6Dty9mAWIMWX_ultkwKfTjr33Ly0lHLR83k9-ipK_stCooHdx28ICovZjIF7V7XSSVaToh3blm2hnV0U-NRForVrDpW-UjdtZafPT4pmjdXpzSPb/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGKfTj-jnnaSEjNKeKVgV9xSWbVib6Dty9mAWIMWX_ultkwKfTjr33Ly0lHLR83k9-ipK_stCooHdx28ICovZjIF7V7XSSVaToh3blm2hnV0U-NRForVrDpW-UjdtZafPT4pmjdXpzSPb/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8) There's a reindeer & husky farm on the premises - you can visit the animals during the day free of charge.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gsHQKjSccPlw7UkqsuNgxjL_NQFkQWSL6ZmWu26ZJ7SGcMp1e52ZndIwaSd-pr_-E-Ok-Bb-DlCu_zXob6aB8MJ5V3N2H79rlu8psWUOIEz5Dl4JLax4DDa-AzNOYUBHwawStVx14NB_/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gsHQKjSccPlw7UkqsuNgxjL_NQFkQWSL6ZmWu26ZJ7SGcMp1e52ZndIwaSd-pr_-E-Ok-Bb-DlCu_zXob6aB8MJ5V3N2H79rlu8psWUOIEz5Dl4JLax4DDa-AzNOYUBHwawStVx14NB_/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDHp9dvfIFObAJc8liAk6QRLdhzViTKkhqfh4qKjE1NVmbXvsKepyOU3FBtAtou7HpT3jQ8dsjle3-bWX61lmmd2oOG8mmvb_2hAnzabw_evLIXaE5M6GM1SvXNHkXwYCTjXBr7k5jRnH/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDHp9dvfIFObAJc8liAk6QRLdhzViTKkhqfh4qKjE1NVmbXvsKepyOU3FBtAtou7HpT3jQ8dsjle3-bWX61lmmd2oOG8mmvb_2hAnzabw_evLIXaE5M6GM1SvXNHkXwYCTjXBr7k5jRnH/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9) WiFi - another point that was criticized a lot in numerous reviews was limited WiFi coverage (only in the reception/restaurant area), but I'd like to offer a point of view that maybe it's a good thing. The point of an Arctic holiday is being close to nature & share some unique quality time with whomever you're travelling with, so even the fact that there IS WiFi in the wilderness feels like a huge bonus to me. Btw, mobile coverage is excellent in all the places we've been around the resort, so if you really think you want to waste your precious holiday time on sending work e-mails, you can do that :P</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>NEGATIVES</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Keep in mind that seeing Aurora Borealis is (unfortunately) not guaranteed - if you come with this attitude, the whole experience will be fun even if that doesn't happen.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) Airport transfer (€54 return per person!) isn't included in the price of accommodation, so </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it'd be a good idea to book it in advance. It also seems a bit unfair as in this remote area there're not so many options to get to your accommodation (it's not like you can hop a regular public transport bus), so the fact that the resort is making it your problem how to get there or giving you a quite expensive transfer that you HAVE to take, seem to be a bit "extortionist"...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) <b>Activities are quite pricey,</b> e.g. </span><b>Huski Safari </b>(Aurora hunting with Husky (for 2 people), 2 hour shared sled was €344 & Snowmobile Safari (3 hour shared snowmobile Aurora hunting for 2 people) was €298)...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4) Restaurant food wouldn't get a Michelin-star, but it's very decent. Some of the bad reviews concerned food in specific, but I'd like to point out that it's good quality ingredients & - taking into account that you are in the middle of nowhere - it's definitely more than fine.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5) The heating temperature in the igloo isn't adjustable, so during the day, when the sun is out, it gets above 40+ C* in the igloo (so beware if you have any food or drinks: your cheese is going to melt & your beer/wine - "boil").</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeqFPgMg5Z32aW4Bc3TfHGA71mpK4IvgDChPLCDm2yRRULN1D6edDL-R7qXsy2T4iwsJZIb7x-sjkavMPWI8gdR3RphTVB6mD1XP9buwO3tVe67EeIzx8reJLrv7JlD5_LmB_za8dXAGk/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeqFPgMg5Z32aW4Bc3TfHGA71mpK4IvgDChPLCDm2yRRULN1D6edDL-R7qXsy2T4iwsJZIb7x-sjkavMPWI8gdR3RphTVB6mD1XP9buwO3tVe67EeIzx8reJLrv7JlD5_LmB_za8dXAGk/s320/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6) There's no fridge in the room (which would have been very convenient - <i>see point 5 above</i>).</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">MUST-DOs:</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioidURp7ya85yAke5Z8_vOv0yL4dSeGITWRlPFN9DmPNq0NtyxQ_ECCvbIDy3EX_hIoxXwsAUTlad5_nqpE6jn_yIIztqBjkuiDMDmrRsbgaq3NhXt28XwVC5DU9yvypv4dxFUQe0Tkfhv/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioidURp7ya85yAke5Z8_vOv0yL4dSeGITWRlPFN9DmPNq0NtyxQ_ECCvbIDy3EX_hIoxXwsAUTlad5_nqpE6jn_yIIztqBjkuiDMDmrRsbgaq3NhXt28XwVC5DU9yvypv4dxFUQe0Tkfhv/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sauna </b>- with a population of 5.5mln, Finland has 3mln saunas. Make sure you experience the wonder of running into the snow after a hot sauna session.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Huski Safari - </b>we didn't "catch" Aurora, but steering a husky-driven sled though a forest at midnight under a full moon is probably one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snowmobile Safari </b>- again, had we "caught" Aurora, it would have probably been different, but be prepared that snowmobiling is pretty cold, windy & driving through the woods for hours can seem a little bit repetitive... So, surprisingly to myself, that experience was a bit of a disappointment (again, keeping expectations lower would have probably resulted in more happiness :-) ), but still quite remarkable all-in-all.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkiZkF6ZM66gAsX0dZAF3CkXO-foPiQkvQjIrwD9eALWfIV96hA7CI3mX4aPNsJDRjqkUX56MLCNRdsnskwKWntSNXvD91ouyEHQ4-UggbQppbaDhLx4wg-ZVIdOf0i1LKQjqKzwO0tp7/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkiZkF6ZM66gAsX0dZAF3CkXO-foPiQkvQjIrwD9eALWfIV96hA7CI3mX4aPNsJDRjqkUX56MLCNRdsnskwKWntSNXvD91ouyEHQ4-UggbQppbaDhLx4wg-ZVIdOf0i1LKQjqKzwO0tp7/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Do nordic skiing </b>- All ski tracks are in the <i><b>East Village</b></i> - see map above for more information. "Public" trails are free if you bring your own equipment or cost 20 euros per day if you rent equipment (skies, sticks, overalls, gloves, etc.). </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQxetjgJwzn6NjuDm3Q2CnGbpIzFtg5vRfR_VUdT3q4zyzVhPd-qL_kzVFki1wgDox5BZZ6k143PfVwiKGibTFEo7jD1FpPKlS198TpBv1AZHcNhtuTlfZJHk3hb0HqKrPbP7_BkRJVqf/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQxetjgJwzn6NjuDm3Q2CnGbpIzFtg5vRfR_VUdT3q4zyzVhPd-qL_kzVFki1wgDox5BZZ6k143PfVwiKGibTFEo7jD1FpPKlS198TpBv1AZHcNhtuTlfZJHk3hb0HqKrPbP7_BkRJVqf/s320/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%25288%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Visit Santa's house </b>- it's cheesy & not too spectacular, but you can crash an elf's party there for free pretty much any day of the year, so... don't be shy to do so ;-)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTT_zh5XyUKpCcVAcJHQXNkCL3fGLAmCPdVfsZcIQ6yTZe5Cv8OA2HGGhpQD2imNE4_iJz-WdVPfPpwrIVTjY55O82JM_QgQhaIzce494L_wOm47qTmVOhfojYU74qC2VmbnaQlTpa0cYa/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTT_zh5XyUKpCcVAcJHQXNkCL3fGLAmCPdVfsZcIQ6yTZe5Cv8OA2HGGhpQD2imNE4_iJz-WdVPfPpwrIVTjY55O82JM_QgQhaIzce494L_wOm47qTmVOhfojYU74qC2VmbnaQlTpa0cYa/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-K5LzvoQQLbcEwmfeQtNCQ9wYw2MipdBY3Q3FCz-NC6RHQ2UPLvlxYNWYplW9GIoy6LpAtKMZB-MSIti_3WXQwNhnDlSvJXcgKg2XY5OPyQFqFUeTxgmVg_Jps41TKd4QXMWRtpMFoIr/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-K5LzvoQQLbcEwmfeQtNCQ9wYw2MipdBY3Q3FCz-NC6RHQ2UPLvlxYNWYplW9GIoy6LpAtKMZB-MSIti_3WXQwNhnDlSvJXcgKg2XY5OPyQFqFUeTxgmVg_Jps41TKd4QXMWRtpMFoIr/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017-iPhone+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Watch raindrops on the glass of your igloo </b>after the rain just before sunset.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKJHdFOm4hj2XTjTcFpTEg7aaGygcUHW1LPzPBdvn5k984Lyaz9MKmbQIV2ebnNgNeFQaZ5taDvlriOZVNSAAiEptVDUF-WvQJ-wW58272iBtJDAdumjYferGFGRF-bFlSb8_fbHf8dVo/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKJHdFOm4hj2XTjTcFpTEg7aaGygcUHW1LPzPBdvn5k984Lyaz9MKmbQIV2ebnNgNeFQaZ5taDvlriOZVNSAAiEptVDUF-WvQJ-wW58272iBtJDAdumjYferGFGRF-bFlSb8_fbHf8dVo/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Finland-Lapland-2017+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
All in all, going to Finland & Lapland, in specific, is a really holiday that provides you with a chance to do so many unique things that are "endemic" to the region, which makes it very special, no matter if you are lucky enough to see Aurora Borealis. A highly recommendable trip (just make sure to bring thermo-clothing & have multiple layers as well as a very good travel companion - there's not so much entertainment in the Arctic wilderness, it's just the real you, the elements & quite wild (& sometimes unforgiving) nature ;-)</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Kiilopääntie 9, 99830 Saariselkä, Finland68.333507 27.33670400000005447.9150845 -13.971889999999945 88.751929499999989 68.645298000000054tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-54786017501884844682017-02-08T01:51:00.000+01:002017-02-16T01:06:20.932+01:00Exploring British Countryside...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Since I've started spending quite a lot of time in London because of work, I decided to venture a little bit further outside of "The Big Smoke" and explore the British countryside. Here's an illustrated account of how it happened...</span><br />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Bath, Sommerset (21.Jan 2017)</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I cannot imagine a better way to get to know Bath than the one we took: by joining the <a href="https://visitbath.co.uk/travel-and-maps/explore-the-area/mayor-of-bath-honorary-guides-p43001">2-hour Free Walking Tour</a> (guided absolutely voluntarily by '<a href="http://www.bathguides.org.uk/when-where.html">Mayor of Bath Honorary Guides</a>', it starts in the <b>Abbey Church Yard </b>on Sun - Fri @ 10.30 & 14.00 and Sat at 10.30.) & is 2 hours of high-caliber intellectual and historic entertainment that one cannot help, but enjoy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N2IUCt5qHFWq94apVpQ9_oPQhkTaeaCdOsy52hO7Rw1FCqC783QYo42bntWH2Z2ogFhWnh8A1EIsP1af2IyaMe9sEp0t89ZfOcGKoK0_Yu-MBaxGlvXq_t7-4jmzrmVyvoSmKMhaUrVf/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252835%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N2IUCt5qHFWq94apVpQ9_oPQhkTaeaCdOsy52hO7Rw1FCqC783QYo42bntWH2Z2ogFhWnh8A1EIsP1af2IyaMe9sEp0t89ZfOcGKoK0_Yu-MBaxGlvXq_t7-4jmzrmVyvoSmKMhaUrVf/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252835%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here're some things I've learned during the tour:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>3 Rules of Palladian architecture: Proportion, Balance & Harmony in Bath. Well, check it out for yourself... <b>Pulteney Bridge, The Royal Crescent</b>... I kinda understand why the whole city has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site...</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe9rh14sx-OODEnadFy8amRRSR9Zvj8dUhtM5pFbpL6be387u6KABB1TUK25yAkS9JywCdrb_duAEOCBrxIoEwsLC_T6D4Ds4uXUAym_Lqn3n4wSaqaXyJ9Ltd9R1OxNIm9Rb0RktbNzM/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252828%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOe9rh14sx-OODEnadFy8amRRSR9Zvj8dUhtM5pFbpL6be387u6KABB1TUK25yAkS9JywCdrb_duAEOCBrxIoEwsLC_T6D4Ds4uXUAym_Lqn3n4wSaqaXyJ9Ltd9R1OxNIm9Rb0RktbNzM/s400/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252828%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyacBkrTAOGNct_M38WJbrMFrpOlHE0kib-m63vVTGhDoRhTWbNWmauWEe09IXxdkT9sR3PEaen6ZI6SkcVTedcj-iDz1nP6NZDpmRHsrDlAmaTras9uAnXyfR-63egs3mFYOix6Fev_8k/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252836%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyacBkrTAOGNct_M38WJbrMFrpOlHE0kib-m63vVTGhDoRhTWbNWmauWEe09IXxdkT9sR3PEaen6ZI6SkcVTedcj-iDz1nP6NZDpmRHsrDlAmaTras9uAnXyfR-63egs3mFYOix6Fev_8k/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252836%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GDjzkLOfGY5XIOfSWYVpnpszGSTJBp-B7lGbtJk7NXr4MYywbrjf-FcqmQOkEhe9US51kFIzxGCGN_-wGFxuNQqOEyBGOjp1-wT0JHlSKqoeZOqOXem10HTiArRQMWUS7I35czt32HwZ/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252838%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GDjzkLOfGY5XIOfSWYVpnpszGSTJBp-B7lGbtJk7NXr4MYywbrjf-FcqmQOkEhe9US51kFIzxGCGN_-wGFxuNQqOEyBGOjp1-wT0JHlSKqoeZOqOXem10HTiArRQMWUS7I35czt32HwZ/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252838%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Georgian & Victorian periods were all about walks in Parks (hence the abundance thereof: Royal Victoria Park, Alexandra Park, Park of the Royal Crescent...): <i>"You put finest silks, finest tights, finest wigs - and that's just men!</i> :-)"</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeyaCWtl5HqoOb_tevtHnByIXrKq2pHvfLlPiTLuoZ5l0-DWFkzK80V-V8lC_ZCRXxSW4MZ0Ofeirv4Grm3qPMAkBoTNDiO0l3M-NY_3TalDGg68q96YuS9fJAnPmw9YwuTZnJw2VHQ0I/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252829%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeyaCWtl5HqoOb_tevtHnByIXrKq2pHvfLlPiTLuoZ5l0-DWFkzK80V-V8lC_ZCRXxSW4MZ0Ofeirv4Grm3qPMAkBoTNDiO0l3M-NY_3TalDGg68q96YuS9fJAnPmw9YwuTZnJw2VHQ0I/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252829%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSaqfU12nWGxjE4wp0B8KwnAc19oQyzO7Y_5R4td77_0YzKJ9u_tnbqli59CukeoR9s1HtEJjhGRym52_65GxpzjWXn3Y0sCWbeOgKSBM4DsUlLPzXwaS-4CGl1_zFUvr70US5XdVaj-8/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252841%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSaqfU12nWGxjE4wp0B8KwnAc19oQyzO7Y_5R4td77_0YzKJ9u_tnbqli59CukeoR9s1HtEJjhGRym52_65GxpzjWXn3Y0sCWbeOgKSBM4DsUlLPzXwaS-4CGl1_zFUvr70US5XdVaj-8/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252841%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbs-7USD-JnKVDz1fq4s3J8j7JSbJfWB25Ulfdfbvbkh7E_u0vQKqb8eg7GwqVYi-uaopGdDkwQ5hbj7k6-eTA7JnEytjWddGecE3KJ-lycPm5Usle535n4aBmWPdw4yxg65Mp_WusV0l_/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252843%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbs-7USD-JnKVDz1fq4s3J8j7JSbJfWB25Ulfdfbvbkh7E_u0vQKqb8eg7GwqVYi-uaopGdDkwQ5hbj7k6-eTA7JnEytjWddGecE3KJ-lycPm5Usle535n4aBmWPdw4yxg65Mp_WusV0l_/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252843%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Back in the day, if you were poor & didn't have money to be properly buried, the parish to which you would belonged, would make the arrangements for you. Therefore, it was very important to establish the boundaries of these parishes, so these were engraved onto the building structures situated in those parishes. For example, on the picture below you see letters <b>S M P</b> = St. Michael's Parish; and <b>S P P P</b> = St. Peter's & St. Paul's Parish. I wonder, though, who'd take care of those who died in that corner apartment of the house in the picture? :-)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cxpdf6kFVt5ukmzqbBUSBcJLvJv2Np8-kcgV-okQlQKiySlJVKm2wKqsogUDZTrZaxjOl4Nwu85SrgkIidQBwXcvuDc8ijd6R0UfA7yiQhWRtZTSYKQ5oEOfi2WDapR2MD0XITigfec0/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252840%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cxpdf6kFVt5ukmzqbBUSBcJLvJv2Np8-kcgV-okQlQKiySlJVKm2wKqsogUDZTrZaxjOl4Nwu85SrgkIidQBwXcvuDc8ijd6R0UfA7yiQhWRtZTSYKQ5oEOfi2WDapR2MD0XITigfec0/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252840%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>It seems that the Stuart & Georgian periods were pretty stinky times in the history of England: as our guide told us <i>"Queen Anne (1665–1714) bathed once a year 'whether she need it or not' </i>". Because even the royals couldn't afford to be bathing much, rich people used make up to whiten faces (as opposed to the working folk who couldn't afford it and would become brown working in the fields) and then draw blue lines on the whitened chest to stress their "blue blood" origin.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Acorns on top of the Circus refer back to the myth of how Bath was founded, where the son (Bladud) of the king, who was sick with leprosy & was, therefore, exiled from within the city walls as a swine herder, accidentally discovered the healing powers of the local mud when his pigs (poor things who have previously contracted leprosy from him), wallowed around in the mud & were miraculously cured. Naturally, he happily returned to the city & became king after his father's death; consequently, he moved the "headquarters" to Bath (which is where the "bubbling mud" was).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC4C66I3HGEBZVcxHvDDGYqSEmkXYnOSOgpKy0xiug1SfOIlWJ-Z5tdwqOkwgDbKEy3ZZYFbqgwwO5f16YVoS5eSuiyHN9NuiYac8S7C-EtrZz0dTxceZZ1finn48V1hQu5Wc32nJI-do/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252830%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC4C66I3HGEBZVcxHvDDGYqSEmkXYnOSOgpKy0xiug1SfOIlWJ-Z5tdwqOkwgDbKEy3ZZYFbqgwwO5f16YVoS5eSuiyHN9NuiYac8S7C-EtrZz0dTxceZZ1finn48V1hQu5Wc32nJI-do/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252830%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmYWZKH9BwhJqJTjbl_FasNG_FE1ipgpZhXbZ4QRftIUAfjLBAsmdaQJAA1OSBrFj5BgpM7CtV2x9N0heV5zKRVJhx53Dubm7LTFzXkw6VrIKhBTzLQoh-qcMKYvo6b-aqcywR2EKDFil/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252831%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmYWZKH9BwhJqJTjbl_FasNG_FE1ipgpZhXbZ4QRftIUAfjLBAsmdaQJAA1OSBrFj5BgpM7CtV2x9N0heV5zKRVJhx53Dubm7LTFzXkw6VrIKhBTzLQoh-qcMKYvo6b-aqcywR2EKDFil/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252831%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>The frieze of the King's Circus contains multiple alternating triglyphs & 525 pictorial emblems representing all kind of symbols (from masonic to nautical...). Apparently, each emblem is unique, but I suspect that no one had the time to actually check, so we'll just take their word for it :-)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifX339NUMUvXIKeZGp6l8skiWIiK-4k-Pb4-bI_0B8GMM5-xVNBfMh6cynxygRmHdrNeiXTW5WGBRr4YhyphenhyphenedmDJhW7_bs6na3NY_6ap2AdBYu604VhJXS2a_z37ZvIaL-DXKTIkFELJWK/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252842%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifX339NUMUvXIKeZGp6l8skiWIiK-4k-Pb4-bI_0B8GMM5-xVNBfMh6cynxygRmHdrNeiXTW5WGBRr4YhyphenhyphenedmDJhW7_bs6na3NY_6ap2AdBYu604VhJXS2a_z37ZvIaL-DXKTIkFELJWK/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252842%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>It was also interesting to learn about a possible origin of a <i>top dog/underdog expression</i>: as it turns out, it comes from saw-pits where wooden planks were sawn by hand. In this process, two men did the job using a two-handed saw. The senior man took the <i>top</i> handle, standing on the wood above metal pegs that were holding the wood (these pegs were called "dogs"), and the junior man took the a much the more uncomfortable position <i>under</i>neath, in the saw-pit below (voila!).</li>
</ul>
Alo, we were advised to - when in Bath - try (at least) 4 things:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<b>Sally Lunn's Buns </b>- have dinner with a <span style="text-align: justify;">"Bath Bun" </span>at the famous <b style="text-align: justify;">Sally Lynn's House</b><span style="text-align: justify;">. Sally was a Hugenotte refugee, who arrived to Bath in 1680 & since then became known for inventing a special kind of soft-dough brioche that consequently became part of the Bath tradition of having Public Breakfasts & Afternoon Teas. Fun to try, but don't expect anything otherworldly: it's just a tasty bread :-)</span><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXVPHq47iIm-7ZW6quN95g2O4zqQARdONUZTSpYgQZoi3CyyvaytHkoNE5AnL2766Z2SvGf5k1J9-guBR-F9k3tqGWfOWMRRbqZUMJRz2ceLtkLv5d1IpCfpSiBzrXnKqqj400qKklV4L/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252825%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXVPHq47iIm-7ZW6quN95g2O4zqQARdONUZTSpYgQZoi3CyyvaytHkoNE5AnL2766Z2SvGf5k1J9-guBR-F9k3tqGWfOWMRRbqZUMJRz2ceLtkLv5d1IpCfpSiBzrXnKqqj400qKklV4L/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252825%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Bath Water</b> (at the Pumphouse or the Roman Baths)<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYctVtsVI1qpF78pazGlOM1mwv06oXv92ZIElL6E1rA_BKPIGdO0VwZ8xB9DvDLMlC1EioZoh9wG9wXM0EqWkkq0sRYJNQJB3W4_zXrDP6agSOBx3IsLnuhEPKog12bwKjvxqFf53baPwD/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252833%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYctVtsVI1qpF78pazGlOM1mwv06oXv92ZIElL6E1rA_BKPIGdO0VwZ8xB9DvDLMlC1EioZoh9wG9wXM0EqWkkq0sRYJNQJB3W4_zXrDP6agSOBx3IsLnuhEPKog12bwKjvxqFf53baPwD/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252833%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<b>"Bath Oliver"</b> - a dietary cracker (albeit often eaten with cheese), which was invented by a British physician Dr. William Oliver - hence the name.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd2RVTih_2sB6Buclyc4HmWZZCWJK78NFSWguSYY_kcpxdwZuFkb4Sc1fO2ghYQPzg5Ky8k-ylRf2P6TlliFjAHpZM2PiZQQvBV5_1nOhBP3Oset6kaMqOP_oCnp8jvQ8LjfToYPUyCUl/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252839%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd2RVTih_2sB6Buclyc4HmWZZCWJK78NFSWguSYY_kcpxdwZuFkb4Sc1fO2ghYQPzg5Ky8k-ylRf2P6TlliFjAHpZM2PiZQQvBV5_1nOhBP3Oset6kaMqOP_oCnp8jvQ8LjfToYPUyCUl/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252839%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ol>
</ol>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">[vegetarians, skip this one] </span><b style="text-align: left;">Bath chaps </b><span style="text-align: left;">- usually made of the meat of a pig's cheek salt cured or pickled in brine, smoked, then boiled, and coated with golden-tan colored breadcrumbs & formed into a cone-like shape.</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Upon finishing the tour & not being a vegetarian, I enjoyed a delicious pork & apple scotch egg (egg stuffed with pork sausage meat with apple onion & sage) inside the <b>Bath's Indoor Guildhall Market </b>(oldest shopping venue in the city) ON (quite literally) the famous 18th century's pillar "<b>The Nail</b>" (which gave origin to the phrase "Pay on the Nail" as this is where transaction of business and prompt payment in bargaining happened).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHSuIdztdYUsko60k-LNDhQ43m03FltZxl5KwnY0uu9IaWxV8NWnpNuN4o-cq-wISqHyTTHpHeuvI7hhVwWsR0c7cZuJuC5Jhyphenhyphenh7_zw5UCDJwxIa3JwKN1-jlbyL7jE37fmd9IdoR36DY/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252832%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHSuIdztdYUsko60k-LNDhQ43m03FltZxl5KwnY0uu9IaWxV8NWnpNuN4o-cq-wISqHyTTHpHeuvI7hhVwWsR0c7cZuJuC5Jhyphenhyphenh7_zw5UCDJwxIa3JwKN1-jlbyL7jE37fmd9IdoR36DY/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252832%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After this typically British historic/culinary feast, we went to THE must-see attraction of Bath: <b>The Roman Baths</b>. Calculate to spend at least 3 hours there - the FREE audio guide is excellent & will keep you entertained along the way throughout this wonder of Roman engineering skills.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc6uunrYlWkHThINI9x3gynYfznweElcAtCG1IlKEY5F2jEHX-FgJGKPjILL2DrzcumJqTcDEKRZszeK4fpEHtr1lwjmUsSu1MaZ2ILRwU0ZVGJKV6ugZ_bFsv2jcWfBUAHrnur5bc3c4/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252826%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc6uunrYlWkHThINI9x3gynYfznweElcAtCG1IlKEY5F2jEHX-FgJGKPjILL2DrzcumJqTcDEKRZszeK4fpEHtr1lwjmUsSu1MaZ2ILRwU0ZVGJKV6ugZ_bFsv2jcWfBUAHrnur5bc3c4/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252826%2529.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the weirdest exhibits in the Roman Baths are the The "<b>Roman Curse Tables</b>". Curiously enough, it seems to have been a tradition in the Roman times - in case something was stolen from you - to write a message to the goddess <b>Sulis Minerva</b> personally, asking her to punish the wrongdoers. Sometimes people even paid professional scribblers, so that they'd put the complains <i>"in the words that the goddess would understand"</i>. Complaints ranged from stolen caps, cloaks & Bath tunics, gloves, 6 silver coins & often contained elaborate lists of suspects (in order to help the goddess to identify the actual wrongdoer). All curses refer to small & not very valuable objects. Curiously enough, it's the "little people" who spent money to curse the thieves, not the rich ones...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvydWJEUQs9ZjMJshFt2R3zq7ipaS0kyqGG8AIvxnfYUkyt9tUA1ZJFpURyWgvVmzhhzhYQgWJmnstZ_kPnmpDtFW4d4kVTsIMM5o11zSCBgpeZ4qPe9NB6n_iDmiUWh1pPhJH48BdXKSr/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252844%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvydWJEUQs9ZjMJshFt2R3zq7ipaS0kyqGG8AIvxnfYUkyt9tUA1ZJFpURyWgvVmzhhzhYQgWJmnstZ_kPnmpDtFW4d4kVTsIMM5o11zSCBgpeZ4qPe9NB6n_iDmiUWh1pPhJH48BdXKSr/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%252844%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Bristol (22.Jan 2017)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZSeCYSKjt3o2c8VXdToXNckwZjcD158oeYN1tt6s1hZogdFiedqT7RpbwiokhetQ1dQK81hpj9G6_hsFkrQ-wdQYeGqVZNHInwl0EWAX10cot7nY2lxdqwaBJslvsuU9M4wl77aJz6k4/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZSeCYSKjt3o2c8VXdToXNckwZjcD158oeYN1tt6s1hZogdFiedqT7RpbwiokhetQ1dQK81hpj9G6_hsFkrQ-wdQYeGqVZNHInwl0EWAX10cot7nY2lxdqwaBJslvsuU9M4wl77aJz6k4/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Spent the day strolling up & down the <b>Wapping Wharf Harbourside</b> in Bristol, visiting the<b> SS Great Britain</b>, tasting a bunch of whiskeys from tiny little bottles & eating amazing vegetarian pies from <a href="http://www.lovettpies.com/the-pies/"><b>Lovett Pies</b></a>. The Squash pie with plum chutney & truffled mushroom with Swiss chard pies were so good, I'm considering coming back to Bristol just for them!!!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkJOaxr7Y3-T0bIT-BeEB64U1jksW4H1hJpL8od9gjTBZL20Ptz2VkFI3kXuAFIsFq5JC4-3PehCUu2T__0KOjPMtNDZU6g8CUc-1bXmhYBYC8scSkFw7ez5SAr6d7Wyhr6fxUj8IDdqR/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkJOaxr7Y3-T0bIT-BeEB64U1jksW4H1hJpL8od9gjTBZL20Ptz2VkFI3kXuAFIsFq5JC4-3PehCUu2T__0KOjPMtNDZU6g8CUc-1bXmhYBYC8scSkFw7ez5SAr6d7Wyhr6fxUj8IDdqR/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The shipyard & the <b>SS Great Britain </b>are very entertaining & it's definitely worth spending at least one or two hours. When she was launched in 1843, it was the biggest ship in the world. During her construction she was known as the Mammoth 🐘 ). This 170 year old ship has voyaged 32 times around the world via Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, and covered almost one million ocean miles. It has called at more than 15 ports around the world, and been to some of the ocean's most turbulent seas.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnYthUTzk_rqZiA2F9oQnCFhNLtfCUpx-kU1Enem2NTKXCVIpOr7doOSTzKoIrKgvjipDL_ay945FrAq797A3GA6CUMvL7MQLju9862DmPBO5O43GmqIM2QWHq6nB6Kd4zNPW29uw3W-e/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnYthUTzk_rqZiA2F9oQnCFhNLtfCUpx-kU1Enem2NTKXCVIpOr7doOSTzKoIrKgvjipDL_ay945FrAq797A3GA6CUMvL7MQLju9862DmPBO5O43GmqIM2QWHq6nB6Kd4zNPW29uw3W-e/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBwR8D3l_oTznEVQYR1hOhn93DmR-p4jLqnjFXoBdFWdiGq3MLtzlC0v7nB6OTyvilHe7RbTQ85f7Vwhi-W072NzkSLZGEjh0T4N7-0C91AOYLZxG9ekHGF2JTIwc5BhZ9eDOTt7Fhnu7/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBwR8D3l_oTznEVQYR1hOhn93DmR-p4jLqnjFXoBdFWdiGq3MLtzlC0v7nB6OTyvilHe7RbTQ85f7Vwhi-W072NzkSLZGEjh0T4N7-0C91AOYLZxG9ekHGF2JTIwc5BhZ9eDOTt7Fhnu7/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WXNGfBA99SllJo9_3ApsOFGFQd29i7RgauyQ_fv0773J2S9ujP48nC_UMw-FJQNBH2ZwkoF8k2BMiIdU9moeSK1mX_ShXEskdfUvdnVu2HRQuyZFHL-fMs-ljxm3kA5ixtV3IhITaYZr/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WXNGfBA99SllJo9_3ApsOFGFQd29i7RgauyQ_fv0773J2S9ujP48nC_UMw-FJQNBH2ZwkoF8k2BMiIdU9moeSK1mX_ShXEskdfUvdnVu2HRQuyZFHL-fMs-ljxm3kA5ixtV3IhITaYZr/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRepAuo-7PecFl7wRmW2eHzl00XB66q4XA_APH2YpQl_9JitjYE2nLni2mKEkDoMFGXtk4rWtK66McwR2kAc3vfZX2GFVehDpeGHngxJV195BqJLJSxrDUYTwOiWVSN1p8VpGj90kKwJJs/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRepAuo-7PecFl7wRmW2eHzl00XB66q4XA_APH2YpQl_9JitjYE2nLni2mKEkDoMFGXtk4rWtK66McwR2kAc3vfZX2GFVehDpeGHngxJV195BqJLJSxrDUYTwOiWVSN1p8VpGj90kKwJJs/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Starting it's career with one of the most powerful engines in the world (1'000 horse powers), it seems to unfair to compare it to any engine of today <i>(just for reference, A Rolls-Royce engine is 70'000 horse powers)</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA-OGGechBzObPGbNVmuMc3Rvu0d2ChU4HvSLq7g9v-VL6YOoGkDuWKUmBeNrKlAl7zF5YcWKl5L3YJ9SiUUdLEBPDIH_jFnQK0gd3REeVJfCQSmbFfdw_zmFyIktIFBdYB_aUAjeov9n/s1600/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA-OGGechBzObPGbNVmuMc3Rvu0d2ChU4HvSLq7g9v-VL6YOoGkDuWKUmBeNrKlAl7zF5YcWKl5L3YJ9SiUUdLEBPDIH_jFnQK0gd3REeVJfCQSmbFfdw_zmFyIktIFBdYB_aUAjeov9n/s320/Bristol-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko++%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dropping by a pretty church or <b>St Mary Radcliffe</b> on the way to the <b>Temple Meads Train Station</b>, finished the day in Bath having an Old-Fashioned & a Drunken Monkey 🐒 (Monkey Shoulder, Ancho Reyes, Lemon, Goldberg Ginger Ale with chocolate & grapefruit bitters, atomized with citric water) at <a href="http://www.hideoutbath.co.uk/">THE HIDEOUT bar</a> which slogan is very close to my life's motto: <i>"ask questions, try new things & make friends"</i> 😊 Coincidence?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqHoLdefuVc-JWxe0KegcW9f4NwLl9CZh6KlS_W2POFwfXpkD88fkOJPzwIIFxQXeJ9p0zT9nfyk2OppLq3uZ_vaWzFge0FeeGaJ5jbTwVQE06FqNj7iXL__wf4mQUifgHWZZ7ii7wJFX/s1600/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqHoLdefuVc-JWxe0KegcW9f4NwLl9CZh6KlS_W2POFwfXpkD88fkOJPzwIIFxQXeJ9p0zT9nfyk2OppLq3uZ_vaWzFge0FeeGaJ5jbTwVQE06FqNj7iXL__wf4mQUifgHWZZ7ii7wJFX/s320/Bath-United-Kingdom-Alena-Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Bath, UK51.375801 -2.35990390000006351.296515500000005 -2.5212654000000629 51.4550865 -2.1985424000000631tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-45325803169939144102016-06-26T17:42:00.000+02:002020-04-12T12:26:15.736+02:00London, Baby!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>MOST RECENTLY updated on 16.09.2019</b></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
ORIGINAL POST (26.06.2017)</h3>
It is, of course, a somewhat weird timing because of BREXIT for this particular post to be ready, but here's my illustrated (work-in-progress) list of cool places to visit in the capital of Great Britain (or how it sometimes is addressed to now: "Little Britain" now?)<br />
It's not so much a blog post, but rather a bullet list of stuff I liked personally or that was recommended to me by the locals. Any further additions are very welcome! In comments, SVP!<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Restaurants (by AREA):</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Shoreditch & Hackney:</u></b></h4>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://meatmission.com/">Meat Mission</a> (15 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HG) - very sinful burgers...My vegetarian friends, look away :-P<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqAu_ruhrGADfUh0CnhnOXAEKljyNBLqlHuMp3BZ66sQJDZoWxmG_bcOkZOz3gh-uIdDxDph893DkeMnC_wWSeDoINmbV9zEPjmpuaK-4cLD4R5-PgwtoYMoaByjM8dSw_aKXnhWv0URg/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Meat-Mission.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqAu_ruhrGADfUh0CnhnOXAEKljyNBLqlHuMp3BZ66sQJDZoWxmG_bcOkZOz3gh-uIdDxDph893DkeMnC_wWSeDoINmbV9zEPjmpuaK-4cLD4R5-PgwtoYMoaByjM8dSw_aKXnhWv0URg/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Meat-Mission.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.darksugars.co.uk/">Dark Sugars</a> </b>(<i>41 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB</i>) - a dangerously great chocolatier, if you order a hot chocolate, they'll actually <u>shave chocolate chips off huge bricks of white, dark & milk chocolate into it </u>- it's divine!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW0bRHUs5MJhfGT7bC9G164RNj-lbqzQPtZWkUwlgdDzKQePJqBzt1srfIsJqiSC_psEH2nXFaAgMPpSDc2HlKU2MRFcSB3f2QeXwyUzLh3ivISyCLVxL6wMmBJWgNJOpc_TWh7qbzNIB/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Brown-Sugars-London-UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW0bRHUs5MJhfGT7bC9G164RNj-lbqzQPtZWkUwlgdDzKQePJqBzt1srfIsJqiSC_psEH2nXFaAgMPpSDc2HlKU2MRFcSB3f2QeXwyUzLh3ivISyCLVxL6wMmBJWgNJOpc_TWh7qbzNIB/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Brown-Sugars-London-UK.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://boundary.london/rooftop/">The Boundary Project</a> <span style="font-weight: normal;">(2-4 Redchurch St, London E2 7DD) - cool rooftop, as usual: book ahead!</span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/templeofseitan/">Temple of Seitan</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/templeofseitan/"> </a>(<i>10 Morning Ln, London E9 6NA</i></span>) - <span style="font-weight: normal;">London's entirely <u>vegan </u>fried chicken shop - deliciously fast-foody :-) And don't be alarmed </span><i>seitan</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is not what it sounds like, it's a meat substitute made from wheat gluten.</span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-2bAXJsmAN-F3Nf0M5B54uiQocCt1yvAB40INDmcTsmHP12JaXqgwSjf0A4a4rZ1faYsJkoRRqBGts68W3iNElmxcQK29zAH6FKxfpMw4RAIFk-D90FzqBSqllj1gd0kCFHVFCIg2s_/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Hackney-Temple-of-Seitan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-2bAXJsmAN-F3Nf0M5B54uiQocCt1yvAB40INDmcTsmHP12JaXqgwSjf0A4a4rZ1faYsJkoRRqBGts68W3iNElmxcQK29zAH6FKxfpMw4RAIFk-D90FzqBSqllj1gd0kCFHVFCIg2s_/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Hackney-Temple-of-Seitan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum-curiosities/">The Last Tuesday Society & The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities<b> </b></a>(<i>11 Mare St, Dalston, London E8 4RP</i>)- if you want to have a drink surrounded by all kinds of natural history curious (unicorn skulls, snake skeletons & toads :) Beware, as it's more of a museum than a bar, it closes a bit early (22:3-23:00, depending on the day).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlz1q0rIQAooTTFfw-1pTRxv3uo8HTi0T4aHvhvtpZHf7XYRORVdgv2SGspAEHC9iubsIUFlhQcfZWA3NC2VOFoty6nzMACApzMqaZJ1wEmO5ymFzS_B6dbDVNIc1Ots3fnfcqa6v-IUm/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Last-Tuesday-Society.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlz1q0rIQAooTTFfw-1pTRxv3uo8HTi0T4aHvhvtpZHf7XYRORVdgv2SGspAEHC9iubsIUFlhQcfZWA3NC2VOFoty6nzMACApzMqaZJ1wEmO5ymFzS_B6dbDVNIc1Ots3fnfcqa6v-IUm/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Last-Tuesday-Society.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<u>Covent Garden</u></h4>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.circus-london.co.uk/"><b>The Circus</b> </a><i>(27-29 Endell St, London WC2H 9BA) </i>- an opulent cabaret-meets-restaurant-meets-bar, a great choice if you want more than just dinner: high-quality circus-like performances are keeping the crowd entertained. Reservation required and you MUST take either starter+main or main+dessert per person, so be prepared to leave at least £50 per person (with drinks). In a "typical" dinner sitting you'll see about 4-5 performances. Food is quite decent, but don't expect Michelin-star decent :-) Good value-for-money tip: take sharer cocktails: served in an oversized martini glass with a sparkler, they're fun & will not leave anyone thirsty. <b>Tube: Holborn / Leicester Square</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq5nG1wvq2_SbtG3As9fbjwfnCKa22mdY1qHX8iL9foSBuDlzYhsCobzBpa8Tw-XEYKXFgRf_fYONpZ5FQPqdZhVoHXsChZDW3OPUOWB8_WIIq28j1V7CFr_VHs8oAGUOybpQKUIdzZjo/s1600/2017-08-26+12.43.00.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq5nG1wvq2_SbtG3As9fbjwfnCKa22mdY1qHX8iL9foSBuDlzYhsCobzBpa8Tw-XEYKXFgRf_fYONpZ5FQPqdZhVoHXsChZDW3OPUOWB8_WIIq28j1V7CFr_VHs8oAGUOybpQKUIdzZjo/s400/2017-08-26+12.43.00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.sticksnsushi.co.uk/restaurants/covent_garden.html"><b>Sticks N Sushi </b></a><i>(11 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8PY) </i>- Japanese restaurant based on a renowned Danish concept, offering sushi and grilled yakitori skewers; <b>tube: Leicester Square / Covent Garden</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://dirtymartini.uk.com/bars/hanover-square/"><b>Dirty Martini bar </b></a><i>(10C Hanover Square, 4:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. tube: Oxford Circus) </i>– chain, but quirky & contemporary<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7uEy_iPD-sJcTZWI-sbHkVlog0d1pSv6COdIYOem6hno4KdiMMwcFbDN7MXNsoJW-_fCvwpWv5vZNN5MkrgLRLsUYHRqS2znEs8Ee66Wpby9C5LWjLNIghF4IeuARlf3LQSUec5LJLeU/s1600/Dirty+Martini.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7uEy_iPD-sJcTZWI-sbHkVlog0d1pSv6COdIYOem6hno4KdiMMwcFbDN7MXNsoJW-_fCvwpWv5vZNN5MkrgLRLsUYHRqS2znEs8Ee66Wpby9C5LWjLNIghF4IeuARlf3LQSUec5LJLeU/s400/Dirty+Martini.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.abeno.co.uk/">Abeno Too</a></b> <i>(17-18 Great Newport St, London WC2H 7JE)</i> - if you like to watch your food being prepared in front of your eyes, try okonomiyaki at Abeno. If you're more peckish than just a pancake (but bear in mind that there're two sizes & even the smaller one is quite enough for two people to share if you're not starving), order spectacular <b><i>gyoza with avocado & tofu</i></b> - worth coming back to London just for another serving!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK9LO_bWn5bUsykpOKgrmerlAKDCH4B9s8UQQd7PxYhgFChNR4WSWHHrrL6JaDmYwBernIE3qhneMvkTsQtMEa1by54bNxCleet0TxKi-Fpfua15G-iEr2mednc_ZtfUFa79hRBeXZGuj/s1600/Abeno+Too.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK9LO_bWn5bUsykpOKgrmerlAKDCH4B9s8UQQd7PxYhgFChNR4WSWHHrrL6JaDmYwBernIE3qhneMvkTsQtMEa1by54bNxCleet0TxKi-Fpfua15G-iEr2mednc_ZtfUFa79hRBeXZGuj/s400/Abeno+Too.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://thehawksmoor.com/"><b>Hawksmoor </b></a><i>(Hawksmoor, 11 Langley St, London WC2H 9JG)</i> - great steak place, <b>tube: Covent Garden</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.cafe-pacifico.com/"><b>Cafe Pacifico </b></a><i>(5 Langley St, London WC2H 9JA) </i>- Mexican restaurant, open 12:00-23:45, <b>tube: Covent Garden</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://thebarbary.co.uk/">The Barbary</a> </b>(<i>16 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP) - </i>24-seat counter bar restaurant in Neal’s Yard, serving small plates with Berber-style flavours (try octopus slow-braised with oranges & bay leaves and <i>knafeh</i>, a sandwich of finely-shredded filo pastry filled with white mozzarella and goats’ cheese). The little sister of <b><a href="https://thepalomar.co.uk/">Palomar </a></b>(<i>34 Rupert St, London W1D 6DN</i>). <b>Online bookings for 12:00pm Mon-Sun and @ 17:00 Mon-Fri, for parties of up to 4 guests. At all other times: walk-in only.</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.henriettahotel.com/">Henrietta Hotel </a></b><i>(14-15 Henrietta St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8QG) </i>- a quaint bar/bistro - exposed brick and cute plush sofas.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b> <b><u>SOHO</u></b><br />
<div>
<b>Wine Bars:</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://antidotewinebar.com/">Antidote </a></b><i>(12A Newburgh St, Soho, London W1F 7RR) </i>- you'll find a lot of French wines you've never heard of on the wine list :) Tiny (reserve ahead!) and quirky. The only drawback (pardon the pun): stools with no back support, so if you or your date have back problems ... maybe look for an alternative ;-)<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.pianobarsoho.com/"><b>The Piano Bar</b></a> (<i>16 Carlisle St, Soho, London W1D 3BT</i>) - <b>members only </b>cocktail lounge with excellent live music.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.barrafina.co.uk/"><b>Barrafina</b> </a><i>(54 Frith St, London W1D 4SL, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m., 5:00 – 11:00 p.m.) </i>- modern, Spanish tapas bar.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.copita.co.uk/">Copita </a></b><i>(27 D'Arblay St, London W1F 8EP) </i>and <b><a href="http://www.polpo.co.uk/">Polpo</a> </b><i>(41 Beak St, London W1F 9SB)</i> – both amazing for tapas & small plates. Polpo also has a little sister: <a href="https://www.polpo.co.uk/locations/polpetto/"><b>Polpetto</b> </a>(<i>1 Berwick St, Soho, London W1F 0PL</i>) - Venetian-inspired, small & atmospheric.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/nopi"><b>Nopi</b></a> <i>(21-22 Warwick St, Soho, W1B 5NE)</i> - Ottolenghi's joint, good price-quality ratio, Middle Eastern / Mediterranean.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.darjeeling-express.com/about-us"><b>Darjeeling Express</b></a> <i>(Kingly Court, Carnaby St, W1B 5PW) </i>- award-winning Indian food<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://aquaspirit.co.uk/experience"><b>Aqua Spirit</b></a> (240 Regent St, Soho, London W1B 3BR) - lovely terrace with a view of London rooftops<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.thecorkandbottle.co.uk/"><b>Cork & Bottle</b> </a><i>(44-46 Cranbourn Alley, London WC2H 7AN)</i> – casual, cosy and rustic wine bar by Leicester Square.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://winerooms.london/kensington/">The Kensington Wine Rooms</a></b> <i>(127-129 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LP) </i>– great food and wine, unpretentious.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.firmdalehotels.com/a/restaurants-bars/london/refuel/">Refuel </a></b><i>(The Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews London W1D 3DH) / </i>Tottenham Court Road tube<br />
<br />
<b>Club:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.theartstheatreclub.com/"><b>The Arts Theatre Club</b></a> <i>(50 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 4SQ) </i>- Prohibition era-style club, plush sofas and </span><span style="white-space: pre;">retro classics soundtrack.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Pubs:</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.lyricsoho.co.uk/">The Lyric </a></b><i>(37 Great Windmill St) </i>- wooden features, open fires, painted tiles, known for its selection of beers and ales on tap.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.frenchhousesoho.com/">The French House</a> </b><i>(49 Dean Street)</i> - a Grade II listed pub and dining room, mobile phones are banned there, used to be frequented by a bohemian crowd a la Francis Bacon & Lucian Freud, etc.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://coachsoho.co.uk/">The Coach & Horses </a></b><i>(29 Greek St)</i> - London's first (and only?) vegetarian/vegan pub, cosy traditional, a haunt for journalists & intellectuals<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b> <b><u>Dinner:</u></b></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://sketch.london/#gsc.tab=0">Sketch</a> </b><i>(9 conduit street, London W1S 2XG)</i> – pretty cool outlandish interior, toilets are a must-see :-)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDebVXj5S4dOlIT1iotZptaou2c5-Z2LG9zWEZgVqoH5wmbF-5Cnvp7LNMIrw2fCu9Mkkm62wr06NVzQoXFsD4k23IUJxlHmE1JhNp3xYf2QRsTN51e3OxON0gAcnpI6S0NaK4X2mIE_l/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Quirky-Sketch.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDebVXj5S4dOlIT1iotZptaou2c5-Z2LG9zWEZgVqoH5wmbF-5Cnvp7LNMIrw2fCu9Mkkm62wr06NVzQoXFsD4k23IUJxlHmE1JhNp3xYf2QRsTN51e3OxON0gAcnpI6S0NaK4X2mIE_l/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Quirky-Sketch.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.randallandaubin.com/">Randall & Aubin</a> </b><i>(14- 16 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SG)</i> - a quaint little tiled dining room known for seafood, oysters, with some creative Modern British dishes. It's pretty small and you can't make reservations, so be prepared to queue outside during peak hours. But the staff make the wait pleasurable by taking your drinks order already while you wait and bringing it to you outside :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4gvBMkPGjYZ57pH7JnewXy7QSHwH4XKByAYXxE_VUlQOPTAqd02joGFgpq6WXa8mHMRmsKHtwFaiqnW7uo-a6oRlarwLH51W41gr2uDkIuOiU_KAswtlG53MHlkCiYNP6M_uLyqF3-Gk/s1600/Randall-and-aubin-Oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4gvBMkPGjYZ57pH7JnewXy7QSHwH4XKByAYXxE_VUlQOPTAqd02joGFgpq6WXa8mHMRmsKHtwFaiqnW7uo-a6oRlarwLH51W41gr2uDkIuOiU_KAswtlG53MHlkCiYNP6M_uLyqF3-Gk/s320/Randall-and-aubin-Oysters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.100wardourst.com/"><b>100 Wardour St</b> </a><i>(Soho, London W1F 0TL)</i> - great deals for fixed three-course dinner + free flowing wine!<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/london/">The Langham Hotel</a> </b>- <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2503944/">Burnt (2015) </a>with Bradley Cooper was filmed there; upscale, great bar & restaurant<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/">Ottolenghi</a></b> <i>(13 Motcomb St, London SW1X 8LB) </i>- expensive, but amazing meat – in Knightsbridge<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.brasseriezedel.com/"><b>Brasserie Zédel </b></a>(<i>20 Sherwood St, Soho, London W1F 7ED</i>) - spectacular high-ceilinged Art Deco dining hall, European-style cooking at (surprisingly) reasonable prices.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/features/info/restaurants/london-restaurant-guide">alto by San Carlo</a></b> (<i>Selfridges, Oxford St, London W1A 1AB</i>) - rooftop restaurant, Italian tapas.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>MAYFAIR</u></b></h4>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.tibits.ch/en/home.html"><b>Tibits</b> </a><i>(12-14 Heddon St, Mayfair, London W1B 4DA) </i>- just like its Swiss counterpart, Tibit London in <b>Mayfair</b> follows the same concept: it's a (99% vegetarian) self-service buffet, where you pay per amount of food on your plate. According to the restaurant's own estimate, an average plate costs 10 pounds. I can confirm that it's a pretty full plate, definitely enough to satisfy an even pretty hungry belly.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.rokarestaurant.com/restaurant/roka-mayfair/">ROKA Mayfair </a></b><i>(30 N Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZF) </i>- Premium Japanese charcoal-grilled dining in a setting of concrete, wood and stainless steel.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.thewolseley.com/">The Wolseley</a> </b>(<i>160 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9EB</i>) - opulent Viennese brasserie & another Art Deco gem in Mayfair. Widely known for their amazing breakfast and Afternoon Tea.<br />
<br />
• <a href="https://www.galvinatwindows.com/">Galvin at Windows </a>- expensive Modern French haute cuisine with 28th-floor views over Hyde Park, for a special occasion, have Saturday brunch.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>FITZROVIA / FARRINGDON</u></b></h4>
<div>
<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.pied-a-terre.co.uk/">Pied a Terre</a></b><b> </b><i>(34 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2NH) </i>- French culinary art with a Michelin star. Tasting menu to die for - lovely for a special occasion!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4uB6gtq26w64aXToduXqHl4xzswHeVLa9ahxBcf6Oow0poCzSNDsIg3rKbQDPKTWARt1zxlwwenKVVUslyRNhv4WUjGubbBX3GlkldLtVcRROAlJr5ESBxKP7Z2V6NA_Suo2JJh4kW6E/s1600/Pied+a+Terre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4uB6gtq26w64aXToduXqHl4xzswHeVLa9ahxBcf6Oow0poCzSNDsIg3rKbQDPKTWARt1zxlwwenKVVUslyRNhv4WUjGubbBX3GlkldLtVcRROAlJr5ESBxKP7Z2V6NA_Suo2JJh4kW6E/s400/Pied+a+Terre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><a href="https://www.lapetitefermelondon.com/">La Petite Ferme</a></b> (<i>102 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA</i>) - cosy unpretentious, good French food<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.oriolebar.com/"><b>Oriole Bar</b></a> (<i>E Poultry Ave, Farringdon, Smithfield Markets, London EC1A 9LH</i>) - cool jazz club with experimental cocktails<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.kincafe.co.uk/lunch">Kin </a></b><i>(22 Foley St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 6DT) </i>- a lovely tiny cafe with a seasonal approach to breakfasts and lunches: their full vegan/vegetarian breakfast will leave you healthily satisfied, but if you're feeling naughty, their cakes menu will provide ample opportunity for some dessert sin.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWSORnP6ITQDZPWA_8WHOWx7YD8tCZqYbWFsHTaZvxg4YSUAxSqjjgql9eCi-9BovtJb6g-AICVDAgp1-4ppth2mGTJNoecP86wXhiiv5iVSCLArztgiNpR3n5CsFAdTauRZ_qRm9BiJI/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Kin-Vegan-Breakfast.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWSORnP6ITQDZPWA_8WHOWx7YD8tCZqYbWFsHTaZvxg4YSUAxSqjjgql9eCi-9BovtJb6g-AICVDAgp1-4ppth2mGTJNoecP86wXhiiv5iVSCLArztgiNpR3n5CsFAdTauRZ_qRm9BiJI/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Kin-Vegan-Breakfast.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://theluckypig.co.uk/venues/fitzrovia/about/">The Lucky Pig</a> </span><i>(5 Clipstone St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 6BB) </i><span style="font-weight: 400;">- retro decor and classic cocktails with a wicked twist. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Live music Tue - Thu (free entry), DJs on Fr (£5 on the door after 10pm) and Sat (£10 on the door after 10pm); closed on Mon & Sun.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><a href="https://www.polpo.co.uk/locations/polpetto/">Pollock's Toy Museum</a></b> <i>(1 Scala St, Bloomsbury, London W1T 2HL) - </i></span><i>a quirky small museum that started in 1956 in above Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwhnPkwJ408f6ShhzuE_26nn4zOE6vW9K5CnMEaY9FG5-qBk_dGnOXCn1m0hcvxnfXMxzSsEwkU1x4gB23fEx5kNA5MfQXajP3l0dk9lXUpQCo4bXN5nro0sH_89DN0CnMkk1rPVOMi06/s1600/2019-02-02+13.44.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwhnPkwJ408f6ShhzuE_26nn4zOE6vW9K5CnMEaY9FG5-qBk_dGnOXCn1m0hcvxnfXMxzSsEwkU1x4gB23fEx5kNA5MfQXajP3l0dk9lXUpQCo4bXN5nro0sH_89DN0CnMkk1rPVOMi06/s400/2019-02-02+13.44.30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">• </span><a href="http://www.bernerstavern.com/" style="font-weight: 400;">Berners Tavern</a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><i style="font-weight: 400;">10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP</i><span style="font-weight: 400;">) - expensive, rather special occasion for someone with a classical taste, Jason Atherton's upmarket Modern British restaurant in Ian Schrager's London Edition Hotel. </span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Islington</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.cevicheuk.com/">Seviche</a> </b>(<i>2 Baldwin St, EC1V 9NU</i>) - the best Peruvian restaurant in town according to Evening Standard & I would definitely echo that sentiment! Their creative interpretation o seviche (including a delicate vegetarian option). You WILL need a reservation (unless sitting at the bar is your thing) and note that kitchen at Seviche Old street is closed between 4-5pm. There's also a Seviche Soho (<i>17 Frith St. W1D 4RG</i>).</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RbvIcvR2wkweu3xqyBUCd7-59h_cyls_1LL0Ms_2R1afnbD7H4feoHNPh-bNRCho8xzUSpmsO_eRpJQnJzCYRcyi9XARQu1Hf8bmCx5RxGOq_FMLc23-LAIuPTasjIjAT3C3sQbBnROL/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Seviche-London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RbvIcvR2wkweu3xqyBUCd7-59h_cyls_1LL0Ms_2R1afnbD7H4feoHNPh-bNRCho8xzUSpmsO_eRpJQnJzCYRcyi9XARQu1Hf8bmCx5RxGOq_FMLc23-LAIuPTasjIjAT3C3sQbBnROL/s320/Alena-Romanenko-Seviche-London.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.crownislington.co.uk/">The Crown </a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(<i>116 Cloudesley Rd, Islington, London N1 0EB</i>) - charming Victorian pub with great home-made food (squid rings are and smoked salmon on sourdough bread are both a must!), Between an extremely attentive service, delicious home-cooked food & a lovely selection of wines, I am torn which would be the main reason to come back again!</span></h4>
<div>
<b><a href="https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/">The Old Red Lion</a> </b><i>(418 St John St, Islington, EC1V 4NJ) </i>- pub AND theatre - quirky plays, cosy ambience & cute decor, dog-friendly. </div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Marylebone</h4>
<div>
<div>
<b><a href="http://www.2850.co.uk/">28-50 Wine Workshop & Kitchen</a> </b><i>(15-17 Marylebone Ln, Marylebone, W1U 2NE) </i>- an industrial-style wine bar with stacks of empty crates, a bistro menu, decent seafood & charcuterie.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><a href="http://www.opso.co.uk/">Opso</a> </b><i>(10 Paddington St, Marylebone, W1U 5QL)</i> – Warmly decorated bar/diner over 2 floors, serving Greek-inspired dishes until late.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><a href="https://www.pachamamalondon.com/">Pachamama </a></b><i>(18 Thayer St, Marylebone, W1U 3JY) </i>- Peruvian dishes, made with British ingredients, served with cocktails in colonial-style surrounds.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://dinings.co.uk/">Dinings </a></b><i>(22 Harcourt Street, W1H 4HH) </i>- probably as close as it'll ever get in London to authentic Japanese cuisine. Simple surroundings: sushi bar upstairs, low key dining room downstairs. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/ohisama"><b>Ohisama Sushi </b></a>(<i>39 Paddington St, W1U 4HH</i>) - quite impressively delicious sushi, but hugely overpriced & staff aren't very well trained (but to be fair: they do their best in their own awkward way :-) ).<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XitXCcILoWXE_-9zgt6w1gT-_635i3IgBr_bIezZ39Oqp29JgyuRPZreEINZTPLlSf6K5QitexdtGg5IvWjjzMJ3xXqU2bdBsO3RL9GkaZqlGVN_gvD7e9Zi0D_i4dguWwdDsjLZr7NS/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Ohisama-Sushi-London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XitXCcILoWXE_-9zgt6w1gT-_635i3IgBr_bIezZ39Oqp29JgyuRPZreEINZTPLlSf6K5QitexdtGg5IvWjjzMJ3xXqU2bdBsO3RL9GkaZqlGVN_gvD7e9Zi0D_i4dguWwdDsjLZr7NS/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Ohisama-Sushi-London.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://ladylovescake.com/2014/04/21/daisy-green-of-portman-village/"><b>Daisy Green of Portman Village</b> </a><i>(20 Seymour Street, W1H 7HX)</i> - a cool place to get breakfast</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwu9zeA7XUM_KDWQsXcNowp1ZrHds7LU3kctdjn1meqm5VIUSV4IXzX5dwFO5_zDxjBYVS3H26SuFlXuuubGyUeIAAeVbjnb2jEzBLQXgpZ10vyPOMOEq1JR4NxgmSyi425K3ZuVKeocs/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Marble-Arch.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwu9zeA7XUM_KDWQsXcNowp1ZrHds7LU3kctdjn1meqm5VIUSV4IXzX5dwFO5_zDxjBYVS3H26SuFlXuuubGyUeIAAeVbjnb2jEzBLQXgpZ10vyPOMOEq1JR4NxgmSyi425K3ZuVKeocs/s320/Alena-Romanenko-London-Marble-Arch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Camden/Chalk Farm (& beyond)</h4>
<div>
<b><a href="https://thejazzcafelondon.com/">Jazz Cafe </a></b>(<i>5 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7PG</i>)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nEzIu7p75Yu0S2yPnjVXbr3cStOVrlma2T4eJm444fdxYuoW2l1zTIHJkKF3ko6k8MysrwMdxjw0CEhyphenhyphenlKKnw334Vd-eWPbCog7HyiBFCOR1poCSDnz5hNkwoNZC2HGwA33Vlb1_mBKV/s1600/jazz+cafe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nEzIu7p75Yu0S2yPnjVXbr3cStOVrlma2T4eJm444fdxYuoW2l1zTIHJkKF3ko6k8MysrwMdxjw0CEhyphenhyphenlKKnw334Vd-eWPbCog7HyiBFCOR1poCSDnz5hNkwoNZC2HGwA33Vlb1_mBKV/s320/jazz+cafe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><a href="https://purezza.co.uk/">Purezza</a> </b><i>(43 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7PN)</i> - an amazing vegan cheese pizza place </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://mannav.com/our-restaurant/our-restaurant-home-page/"><b>Manna</b></a> (<i>4 Erskine Rd, Primrose Hill, NW3 3AJ</i>) - mid-range vegan/vegetarian restaurant close to Chalk Farm. Among the 6 of us we tried most of the menu sharing & there was not a single dish that was anyhow not delicious. I want to come back. Like usually in London, reservation advisable (can be done on the website).<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Du-u3fQzylkZnlEAaZ4hqx799wu6V_j0bdA7vIs6KjYoKyrPrqif_14sS0Itu3Sv7YVBpTOVTyPrYXxYt5KMX6a4rLgS5r9Ty4bsA4jyUN1jqgjlxPJxKKggxN48_DqJL1kG2c9AOYdO/s1600/2017-05-06+19.16.24-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Du-u3fQzylkZnlEAaZ4hqx799wu6V_j0bdA7vIs6KjYoKyrPrqif_14sS0Itu3Sv7YVBpTOVTyPrYXxYt5KMX6a4rLgS5r9Ty4bsA4jyUN1jqgjlxPJxKKggxN48_DqJL1kG2c9AOYdO/s320/2017-05-06+19.16.24-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<div>
<a href="http://greenberrycafe.co.uk/"><span style="font-weight: normal;">G</span>reenberry Cafe</a> <span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><i>101 Regent's Park Rd, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8UR</i></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">) - weekend brunch until 15:00, but the cafe turns into a restaurant at dinnertime & the dishes are surprisingly creative & delicious! </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Combine your visit with a quick stroll up the Primrose Hill for a view of London and check out the blue plaque for Friedrich Engels on the way :-)</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="http://www.lemonia.co.uk/">Lemonia </a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>(89 Regent's Park Rd, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8UY)</i> - awesome Greek restaurant, try to sit on the Ground floor (it's a bit brighter & the decor is cooler), but because they also have </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">If it's summer, the weather is nice & you happen to find yourself open to venture a little bit further away from the centre, you'll be wise to come prepared & bring a picnic to </span>Parliament Hill/Hampstead Heath <span style="font-weight: normal;">(whichever name you prefer, the views of London skyline are pretty and the chilled out atmosphere (especially toward the end of the day) is a guaranteed hit!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY1eOvXPio_rAH19HZBx42x-v7hnSwlB-O7zvY28EteyTV4CzYaQtdWcKdpS_Wq5DocAPCNbov3-GkTPpLNakGtzUiAk8VjnV-7fg_OMVDUKHikOFaF-qlsGrIqi6TK-QJviSd3YaTnQM/s1600/UK-London-Hampstead-Heath-Parliament-Hill-Alena-Romanenko-picnic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY1eOvXPio_rAH19HZBx42x-v7hnSwlB-O7zvY28EteyTV4CzYaQtdWcKdpS_Wq5DocAPCNbov3-GkTPpLNakGtzUiAk8VjnV-7fg_OMVDUKHikOFaF-qlsGrIqi6TK-QJviSd3YaTnQM/s400/UK-London-Hampstead-Heath-Parliament-Hill-Alena-Romanenko-picnic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://highgatecemetery.org/">Highgate Cemetery </a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>(Swain's Ln, Highgate, London N6 6PJ) </i>- I do encourage anyone who's staying in London for a decent amount of time to spend a Gothic afternoon at the amazing Victorian Highgate Cemetery. Do take a guided tour of the Western Cemetery (the only way to see it), you'll visit the Circle of Lebanon & Egyptian Avenue alongside with other amazing sights. The East Cemetery you can roam around freely (as long as you buy the ticket, you can buy it separately, but it'll be included in your West Cemetery guided tour ticket) to pay respect to the communist comrade Karl Marx & lots of artists, poets & intellectuals of the 19-20th centuries.</span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0rFOBvjiAQ2XqPyMQ3lShd2u900syaDVx7vn-9q_Et4SpYUSv7WRMnQeLfckwq31pA1De9NuNg43pTQda6C1MrsHsAQ1W5sWxTQ1T5i7sfo7p_2UYqxZAB7TiSIHEmIblFCZhVW4eGmC/s1600/Highgate-Cemetery-Alena-Romanenko-collage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0rFOBvjiAQ2XqPyMQ3lShd2u900syaDVx7vn-9q_Et4SpYUSv7WRMnQeLfckwq31pA1De9NuNg43pTQda6C1MrsHsAQ1W5sWxTQ1T5i7sfo7p_2UYqxZAB7TiSIHEmIblFCZhVW4eGmC/s400/Highgate-Cemetery-Alena-Romanenko-collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Cooking classes at the </span><a href="https://www.londoncookeryschool.co.uk/">London School of Cookery </a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>(296 Holloway Rd, London N7 6NJ)</i> - a fun way to learn new culinary skills and get the satisfaction of making your own food. When we did it, there was quite a good deal on Groupon, which allowed to save over 50% on the initial price. </span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKzrVuKdJIW6D2nNGNcN7Y1t6WJ1FXi5gtqCzsQ40zgZOalfeoLt8I8fgge1W8NVolfvtMD9qGfiE2q84HVXQNs1wzDJ2L9EkjMl5puGsDhFBByp_0tx6Fc-RJLgnjhfH8YZnpffStVYx/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Cookery-School-Dim-Sum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKzrVuKdJIW6D2nNGNcN7Y1t6WJ1FXi5gtqCzsQ40zgZOalfeoLt8I8fgge1W8NVolfvtMD9qGfiE2q84HVXQNs1wzDJ2L9EkjMl5puGsDhFBByp_0tx6Fc-RJLgnjhfH8YZnpffStVYx/s320/Alena-Romanenko-London-Cookery-School-Dim-Sum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Little Venice, Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP_mQM-KftfO7mMqusquG7guEBqvdoshej3MTdb94A2EGc928eNvCUAWLdywDyWH37Qp1F1ySaMTSJalQ_v4KyBsf-Wowokr9xLgL_0IwLSuaxYC4_CBqppJFLPsKqnL4ubjO6dq0N4al/s1600/UK-London-Alena-Romanenko-Warwick-Avenue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP_mQM-KftfO7mMqusquG7guEBqvdoshej3MTdb94A2EGc928eNvCUAWLdywDyWH37Qp1F1ySaMTSJalQ_v4KyBsf-Wowokr9xLgL_0IwLSuaxYC4_CBqppJFLPsKqnL4ubjO6dq0N4al/s320/UK-London-Alena-Romanenko-Warwick-Avenue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><a href="https://www.clifton.co.uk/">Clifton Nurseries </a></b>(<i>5A Clifton Villas, London W9 2PH) </i>- a place where you can get a new pet in form of a plant, cactus or succulent, or a spot where you can shop for stylish outdoor stuff or simply get yourself a solar powered light-bulb. Its <b><a href="https://www.clifton.co.uk/the-quince-tree-cafe-london">QUINCE TREE CAFE </a></b>is extremely well-visited (especially on the weekend), but that doesn't prevent me from thinking that it's my secret spot in the middle of Little Venice.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkJ6MMvtvxqYIuPG1uFJTji3_rqIhHyAs9hpRC31YdNLs1V7ibFHVEbAFWvsCqlhkBjh8v5OQBd03EUWwYInnOuOusmw3Yf6wcT_MJRYf-BVIhrxBMGrBJpRYABK0y6jQcnI0MLbdnURM/s1600/UK-London-Warwick-Avenue-Maida-Vale-Little-Venice-Clifton-Nurseries-Alena-Romanenko-2017-06-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkJ6MMvtvxqYIuPG1uFJTji3_rqIhHyAs9hpRC31YdNLs1V7ibFHVEbAFWvsCqlhkBjh8v5OQBd03EUWwYInnOuOusmw3Yf6wcT_MJRYf-BVIhrxBMGrBJpRYABK0y6jQcnI0MLbdnURM/s320/UK-London-Warwick-Avenue-Maida-Vale-Little-Venice-Clifton-Nurseries-Alena-Romanenko-2017-06-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<li><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: small;"><u>Maguro </u></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">5 Lanark Place London W9 1BT) </span></span></i><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: 400;">- great sushi, but do call to book ahead, it's London, even weeknights are quite busy :S </span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+44 20 7289 4353</span></span></span></i></li>
<li><b style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://lespetitsgourmetslondon.co.uk/">Les Petits Gourmets </a></b><span style="font-size: small;">(18 Formosa St, Little Venice, London W9 1EE) - a cool French restaurant with a creative twist (rather for dinner) </span></li>
<li><div>
<a href="https://www.thesummerhouse.co/">The Summerhouse </a>(60 Blomfield Rd, Little Venice, London W9 2PA) - nice seafood restaurant on the canal, both lunch and dinner </div>
</li>
<li><div>
<b>The Waterway </b>(54 Formosa St, London W9 2JU) - gastropub with a terrace overlooking the canal/focus on the European menu</div>
</li>
<li><div>
<b>Boca Cha Cha</b> (14 Formosa St, Little Venice, London W9 1EE) - cosy colonial interior design, great for a drink in the evening </div>
</li>
<li><div>
<b>Prince Alfred</b> - a bright Victorian pub with an unusual design (the main bar is surrounded by multiple small rooms separated by wooden partitions & connected through a series of little doors). It has a dining room, too, serving modern British cuisine.</div>
</li>
</span></ul>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>King's Cross</b></h3>
</div>
<div>
<b style="color: #0000ee;"><u><a href="https://www.plumandspiltmilk.com/">Plum + Spilt Milk </a></u></b><span style="font-size: small;"><i>(St Pancras Station, Pancras Road, London N1C 4TB) </i>- great value weekend brunch, all-day British cuisine. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01T1-WZXShxBBYa6Gl5-XsJfj0984tCykGjQd6C6LoQ-JPW1hyphenhyphenvJoGsyUxUXWTAp0H66__DFB3Zf9rRLSGrjcQq1WMmSFSvy7auO12ZJUGAQjF2KoTC9Db7ykPo3PJ-oQiPYlBjcK9DHz/s1600/Plum+%252B+Split+Milk_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01T1-WZXShxBBYa6Gl5-XsJfj0984tCykGjQd6C6LoQ-JPW1hyphenhyphenvJoGsyUxUXWTAp0H66__DFB3Zf9rRLSGrjcQq1WMmSFSvy7auO12ZJUGAQjF2KoTC9Db7ykPo3PJ-oQiPYlBjcK9DHz/s400/Plum+%252B+Split+Milk_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_TppK1A4vYD1lZeS3GmHsJSXG0IfZe0WELOImVHbAyY64K_vp8Q8XgOvR7jU-4fU2yZG6gGzH-UAAXv7JoFkzfL2Kn0cEHTz2-v1nxZ_aTsmacnTFDCQioiQ7klPXqb3rqvr7XVa0Ghyphenhyphen/s1600/Plum+%252B+Split+Milk_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_TppK1A4vYD1lZeS3GmHsJSXG0IfZe0WELOImVHbAyY64K_vp8Q8XgOvR7jU-4fU2yZG6gGzH-UAAXv7JoFkzfL2Kn0cEHTz2-v1nxZ_aTsmacnTFDCQioiQ7klPXqb3rqvr7XVa0Ghyphenhyphen/s400/Plum+%252B+Split+Milk_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Paddington</b></h3>
<div>
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><b><u><a href="http://kupp.co/locations/paddington/">KuPP</a> </u></b></span>(<i>53, 5 Merchant Square, London W2 1AS) </i>- Scandinavian-style brunch place (bottomless on the weekend from 12:00.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA9dqzg60tOTUbtNQgMbvwIm2FJA5IUZcWuClrphHt0HaD2WVnohliFPe3vKTwDIuQnP6GW6bP0CT5tKRrGXkniGmUgG-vcYu9Di-fJxAG8rH1QcFrnrPHW4MnaWOKTqxSc5cV63lkVav/s1600/KuPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTA9dqzg60tOTUbtNQgMbvwIm2FJA5IUZcWuClrphHt0HaD2WVnohliFPe3vKTwDIuQnP6GW6bP0CT5tKRrGXkniGmUgG-vcYu9Di-fJxAG8rH1QcFrnrPHW4MnaWOKTqxSc5cV63lkVav/s320/KuPP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Museums: </b></h3>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/">National Portrait Gallery</a> </b>– café with views over the city <b>(tube: Westminster, Embankment, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Charing Cross)</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrne4Ysg9FMEx8yFLHs-gPYQrrX97iAn2bifKzh8WYWN0o-H6YAIz3cqezKRXc0nlf4fdwaGr1lbpulWyTpcShWcjEcmfpprigjLxy_vu2MUgKbMgsythRyLoLn8DlwUcN_MbLN6bKp00D/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Trafalgar-Square.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrne4Ysg9FMEx8yFLHs-gPYQrrX97iAn2bifKzh8WYWN0o-H6YAIz3cqezKRXc0nlf4fdwaGr1lbpulWyTpcShWcjEcmfpprigjLxy_vu2MUgKbMgsythRyLoLn8DlwUcN_MbLN6bKp00D/s320/Alena-Romanenko-London-Trafalgar-Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Occupying the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, this slender beauty is a skeleton of a horse by a German artist <i>Hans Haacke </i>with a London Stock Exchange ticker fixed to its leg. For those of you wondering: yes, it is a "contemporary comment on history, power & money" ;-)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://gordonswinebar.com/"><b>Gordon's Wine Bar</b> </a>(<i>47 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NE</i>) - quaint little wine bar just next to the <b>Embankment</b> station. London's oldest (est. 1890) it has a charming atmosphere (reminded me strongly of the cool <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/road-tripping-in-portugal.html">cellars of Porto</a>). Rich wine selection, cheese/snack platters & one can conveniently get 1/2 bottles! They've got charming outdoor sitting as well as an indoor "cave" - see what floats your boat!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.saatchigallery.com/">Saatchi gallery</a></b> <i>(Duke Of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY;</i> <b>tube: Sloane Square</b>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShqIdcgW0TJdF73A9V1Enad7wyBfACAwSoqxm04njd5VPUkq32gClM8uh7wTqa6pUO3sEQVheV39eFZsOw2AGt8Yx5U-pXs9P5Xgoie1Z7SWwuENA0iDoBi7HFCChikW-WYw0MsK9yFK0/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Saatchi-Gallery-Selfie-To-Self-Expression.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShqIdcgW0TJdF73A9V1Enad7wyBfACAwSoqxm04njd5VPUkq32gClM8uh7wTqa6pUO3sEQVheV39eFZsOw2AGt8Yx5U-pXs9P5Xgoie1Z7SWwuENA0iDoBi7HFCChikW-WYw0MsK9yFK0/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Saatchi-Gallery-Selfie-To-Self-Expression.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">•</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-align: justify; white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.tanyascafe.com/" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Tanya’s cafe</b> </a><i style="text-align: justify;">(35 Ixworth Pl, London SW3 3QX) </i><span style="text-align: justify;">- tasty raw food restaurant, </span><b style="text-align: justify;">tube: Sloane Square</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> - nicely combinable </span><span style="background-color: #f6d5d9; text-align: justify;">with the </span><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Saatchi Gallery </b>or the <b>V&A</b>.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">•</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-align: justify; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://wulfandlamb.com/"><b>Wulf & Lamb </b></a>(<i>243 Pavilion Rd, Chelsea, London SW1X 0BP</i>) - fiercely kind food - trendy vegetarian place, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://farmacylondon.com/"><b>Farmacy</b> </a>(<i>74 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5SH)</i> - that was - without any doubt - best vegan brunch of my life. Interior is exactly what you'd expect from a place that has such a name. You'll get your healthy shots in a surgical syringe (we got a "firestarter" with ginger, turmeric, cayenne You & lemon & "Melt Away" with ginko, turmeric, gotu kola, gardenia, milk thistle & cucumber juice - both were delicious!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPJLeQKXUtxymxJ0JEeKJ0w_PhvwV8AwZuCtTHhnV5wgVJxJgzgkm-gi-wNueZvZc95inPPqHLvo1ALACCjT0TS_kbqqCTKUvnQa9WBe8eI8y16CU0oiRpppbD5_ah9ddCQtlNQpRIXuQ/s1600/Farmacy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPJLeQKXUtxymxJ0JEeKJ0w_PhvwV8AwZuCtTHhnV5wgVJxJgzgkm-gi-wNueZvZc95inPPqHLvo1ALACCjT0TS_kbqqCTKUvnQa9WBe8eI8y16CU0oiRpppbD5_ah9ddCQtlNQpRIXuQ/s400/Farmacy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj0vpYluX2_fhgZMND6IwcvgBwaXZDw4Lod4rL_bZhauDu9ZDxG77L4bNffPiZzjJ7t8OIyJLzDsbvMO9eFL3v7TVSFlWX4l1CrjWXDWsjU6qe3dJEDkF9GPUtOK9MRrNRcUh2rhUvMbn/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Pharmacy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj0vpYluX2_fhgZMND6IwcvgBwaXZDw4Lod4rL_bZhauDu9ZDxG77L4bNffPiZzjJ7t8OIyJLzDsbvMO9eFL3v7TVSFlWX4l1CrjWXDWsjU6qe3dJEDkF9GPUtOK9MRrNRcUh2rhUvMbn/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Pharmacy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/">V&A- Victoria & Albert Museum</a> </b><i>(Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL tube: South Kensington).</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/">Science Museum</a> </b><i>(South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD) </i><br />
• <b><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit.html">Natural History Museums</a> [NHM] </b><i>(Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD; </i><b>tube: South Kensington).</b><br />
<i>NHM </i>is just a very cool museum per se, but once a month its coolness factor increases by 100 when it hosts the amazing <b><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/crime-scene-live.html">Crime Scene Live </a></b>event. Together with a team of forensic experts, you'll gather the evidence, analyse the facts and carry out experiments to bring the criminal to justice and solve a mystery of 2 murders and the disappearance of the priceless stone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxrVxeRDTusAG6GK3IECIqbMLIux_6zaMkBcbRCfljmOsC-ohkKBA4N31TsA1X_siYgx7HI2GS2IKfp3X9EvMBlQT_uIFDDJLaUBZ6htbCQMS7M1LRXgE9NuwD7Seu_9IlyQknGv27UWH/s1600/2018-01-06+Crime+Scene+Live.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxrVxeRDTusAG6GK3IECIqbMLIux_6zaMkBcbRCfljmOsC-ohkKBA4N31TsA1X_siYgx7HI2GS2IKfp3X9EvMBlQT_uIFDDJLaUBZ6htbCQMS7M1LRXgE9NuwD7Seu_9IlyQknGv27UWH/s400/2018-01-06+Crime+Scene+Live.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5QPt7eG_Hx1oR8SnZZ4V9-Nu9x1Kt1onv4TgJmpNqyjHPsur4qsx5nbshph_0OIbhIhdnh3qlGUULZ2oE0b05SMMq8GsIbyxmjDqSfvswdRZsPguQQPFkWeAHAVDDfBcMyW1l2bnPK_o/s1600/2018-01-06+Crime+Scene+Live+Storyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5QPt7eG_Hx1oR8SnZZ4V9-Nu9x1Kt1onv4TgJmpNqyjHPsur4qsx5nbshph_0OIbhIhdnh3qlGUULZ2oE0b05SMMq8GsIbyxmjDqSfvswdRZsPguQQPFkWeAHAVDDfBcMyW1l2bnPK_o/s400/2018-01-06+Crime+Scene+Live+Storyboard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://designmuseum.org/">Design Museum</a></b> (<i>224-238 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 6AG</i>) - a cool museum that despite its small size can keep you exploring for half a day. The permanent exhibition is FREE and small, but it's temporary exhibitions that are really awesome.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4dQkzgLxiqJNf44JxLNw0HFuwZDCNhQm2D6aAkPBD6uItQo3HZjZ_37Dk4zDe-nWA88AgJJtxPWSwRIzdSctpiKaQ7kYAlq-WoAlrcj1hv5ofjyepDaFemmaFKdIQccOcFi8LsCY-4rD/s1600/The+Design+Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4dQkzgLxiqJNf44JxLNw0HFuwZDCNhQm2D6aAkPBD6uItQo3HZjZ_37Dk4zDe-nWA88AgJJtxPWSwRIzdSctpiKaQ7kYAlq-WoAlrcj1hv5ofjyepDaFemmaFKdIQccOcFi8LsCY-4rD/s320/The+Design+Museum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Qfl3qp1WD0Jtu85nc7leaGg3r8Yg3XgDnWAhEBObH4T0ayXegiI_MBBU6Tio-zbqeWVIB6iuNtxG7HiWkj_8TQguK7MgeNk4Ugzr4PVW59XVCSTOMETDjMi46zp-RdBE0nLheJbnBatB/s1600/The+Design+Museum-Beazley+Designs+of+the+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Qfl3qp1WD0Jtu85nc7leaGg3r8Yg3XgDnWAhEBObH4T0ayXegiI_MBBU6Tio-zbqeWVIB6iuNtxG7HiWkj_8TQguK7MgeNk4Ugzr4PVW59XVCSTOMETDjMi46zp-RdBE0nLheJbnBatB/s320/The+Design+Museum-Beazley+Designs+of+the+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/">Transport Museum </a></b><i>(Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB)</i>, Covent Garden area.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://wellcomecollection.org/">Wellcome Collection</a> </b>- <i>(183 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2BE)</i> - Henry Wellcome's museum full of cool, weird & sometimes even morbid curios (Euston Square), usually hosts a permanent exhibition on Medicine & a temporary one on some unusual topic (when I was there, the spotlight was on "Bedlam" (from British Royal Hospital of Bethlehem) - an infamous asylum that was founded in the 13th century & has later on passed on its name to all mental institutions.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07zj1nKYS8LESNQoX6QF7YrL12wKJ1oU2fBum2AT47sjuzLMryjTxmlDsrBHlWRnv0py9DQ8T-l5wHtobtkH7GoUgxhlGbmviCJ53uKCy9c8qT5tCd3PgOYFkuI3yqx5DqQhSiYz4sxHi/s1600/2016-11-13+12.48.12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07zj1nKYS8LESNQoX6QF7YrL12wKJ1oU2fBum2AT47sjuzLMryjTxmlDsrBHlWRnv0py9DQ8T-l5wHtobtkH7GoUgxhlGbmviCJ53uKCy9c8qT5tCd3PgOYFkuI3yqx5DqQhSiYz4sxHi/s320/2016-11-13+12.48.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/"><b>Sherlock Holmes Museum</b></a> <i>(221b Baker Street, London) </i>- a must for any detective buff</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXH-fJ66I3VRpiJGDIf8n3NDhNHO7hdf5y9yGrB3NNEHde0dtCH0Yk8roValt-ws1FHewDuL7SQsZq3_YPzjGOSgB8dYiIRhzIqzyDqDwthAxC7j0AeCDUOuPbUVIbVvmxdwsT_1PNq_c/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Sherlock+Holmes+Museum-01.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXH-fJ66I3VRpiJGDIf8n3NDhNHO7hdf5y9yGrB3NNEHde0dtCH0Yk8roValt-ws1FHewDuL7SQsZq3_YPzjGOSgB8dYiIRhzIqzyDqDwthAxC7j0AeCDUOuPbUVIbVvmxdwsT_1PNq_c/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Sherlock+Holmes+Museum-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmbXDhSY7OvYjWxkGZ3lv7PwcTRxlUdNJFDp-n0wsrT2XTg1zUnENJalzCDaNQZ_pXvKD30xMCuxjkid2GnVjuuAwO5xnoD9RigCy-JpfCXKJNxDko8tzl7JPrVp320XZ77SQuFwbPlV5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Sherlock+Holmes+Museum-02.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmbXDhSY7OvYjWxkGZ3lv7PwcTRxlUdNJFDp-n0wsrT2XTg1zUnENJalzCDaNQZ_pXvKD30xMCuxjkid2GnVjuuAwO5xnoD9RigCy-JpfCXKJNxDko8tzl7JPrVp320XZ77SQuFwbPlV5/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Sherlock+Holmes+Museum-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">• </span><a href="http://oldoperatingtheatre.com/">Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></a><i style="font-weight: normal;">(9a St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY)</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> - </span><span style="font-weight: normal; white-space: pre;"> - one of the oldest surviving operating theatres, it'll be a treat if you're anyhow interested in medicine or just like weird stuff.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTqyzUADO26zmdXSlS_AXEGx7hbqCqKNXBiwANHRvmZRzdhkQRtklaWwP93cmLnuJg-SLIHkICKQGRdCLvPX3clZiVBLRwbCvtQE7ejcnfZmhMOxGqZ5ZVINdPbz8Ejc9d722VlojPpVR/s1600/Old-Operating-Theatre-Alena-Romanenko-London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTqyzUADO26zmdXSlS_AXEGx7hbqCqKNXBiwANHRvmZRzdhkQRtklaWwP93cmLnuJg-SLIHkICKQGRdCLvPX3clZiVBLRwbCvtQE7ejcnfZmhMOxGqZ5ZVINdPbz8Ejc9d722VlojPpVR/s400/Old-Operating-Theatre-Alena-Romanenko-London.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Places to go / activities:</b></h3>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Southbank </b>– (tube: Westminster, Embankment or Waterloo) - get to Southbank, or St.Paul’s and walk along the Themes to <b><a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern">Tate Modern</a>. </b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAVte46xxVy9urxOZ8sYIBQGNAb5S73f3mV9u7KKTJnjWOKk6_lm0svwAC8_9S_3zVMn1senDlzabju5BVrITbeBHPSqHrGTKzM9Lgl2XsygYb_coRorOempaN7E1n4BpTjLRbmbp84ct/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-St-Pauls.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAVte46xxVy9urxOZ8sYIBQGNAb5S73f3mV9u7KKTJnjWOKk6_lm0svwAC8_9S_3zVMn1senDlzabju5BVrITbeBHPSqHrGTKzM9Lgl2XsygYb_coRorOempaN7E1n4BpTjLRbmbp84ct/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-St-Pauls.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbnNc-K3hYvXYD7Vr_jIVxQwcfS-JTfb-Ps4vSjc9fPFpfAXU3MxXHY8n8sxf870yyslPzZkY2prQdmXb62zsQCLN0AiNBKBi-FJkEYO9PGRAHuyAiA9Q5GIfLDTQTJVC3zGlPye2DKzc/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Tate-Modern.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbnNc-K3hYvXYD7Vr_jIVxQwcfS-JTfb-Ps4vSjc9fPFpfAXU3MxXHY8n8sxf870yyslPzZkY2prQdmXb62zsQCLN0AiNBKBi-FJkEYO9PGRAHuyAiA9Q5GIfLDTQTJVC3zGlPye2DKzc/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Tate-Modern.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A quick dialogue I had with my friend in front of "<i>Swinging</i>" by Kandinsky in Tate Modern:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Me: "<i>Wassily Kandinsky is known for his unique ability to convey music through his paintings...</i>"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My friend: "<i>Nah, I'm not hearing anything</i>" :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.oxotower.co.uk/"><b>OXO Tower</b> </a>(<i>Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH</i>; <b>tube: Blackfriars</b>) - for a drink, food is also great, but very expensive.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh-vXUAN_yIiYVvUYOd10wUg5-SwdRBV-K59_9xrJexBHP9yq6MT1YghREpYi8NNJo2xPhaMAK30ZUcCfNdL2S9BZBhtPGo71J0HUOIlcRIb_RPmfMvrJ6qNMHR8pGCFPEX9OPJvMvboW/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-01.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh-vXUAN_yIiYVvUYOd10wUg5-SwdRBV-K59_9xrJexBHP9yq6MT1YghREpYi8NNJo2xPhaMAK30ZUcCfNdL2S9BZBhtPGo71J0HUOIlcRIb_RPmfMvrJ6qNMHR8pGCFPEX9OPJvMvboW/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbVkCvUeP_jGTeEn3CCGQs28Ytj7dPp3TGjr5LFxEqfVtpdDRA57P7SV5c5H-7XeWxAOgXsC-e_bdPd0l53LDoHjrw4rD4OorZ6d4DNSUDDqapRz77mARsIs4VoRP89h_oxRMjnxpkvWG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-04.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbVkCvUeP_jGTeEn3CCGQs28Ytj7dPp3TGjr5LFxEqfVtpdDRA57P7SV5c5H-7XeWxAOgXsC-e_bdPd0l53LDoHjrw4rD4OorZ6d4DNSUDDqapRz77mARsIs4VoRP89h_oxRMjnxpkvWG/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://tickets.aegeurope.com/upattheo2/climbs/twilight-climb.html#"><b>“Climb the O2 arena”</b></a> (<b>tube: North Greenwich)</b> - a fun experience that will leave you feeling accomplished (it's not a workout, but you've actually climbed something and seen the city from quite a unique perspective!). Be mindful of the weather (non-surprisingly, wind & rain can ruin this magical outdoor experience). The views are great and we were lucky with the timing and got to see the 'daylight', but it was also perfect timing for the 'dusk version' as the city has just turned on its lights as we were at the top. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3YwAMmpGgQVMkssE87uXj72b727aWLyHPktplMJci13GLtPCgT2QenS_DVZ-HYGOMScZiSOQGuM2BL0cjAamrURYaG4gaFis88FwaBmBBOjuRUTsAwGW-Ld9VqRG5ZBZswYVBWmuRFVH/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-o2-arena.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3YwAMmpGgQVMkssE87uXj72b727aWLyHPktplMJci13GLtPCgT2QenS_DVZ-HYGOMScZiSOQGuM2BL0cjAamrURYaG4gaFis88FwaBmBBOjuRUTsAwGW-Ld9VqRG5ZBZswYVBWmuRFVH/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-o2-arena.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GckVOTi-ClU33bJ_HguQ70Vw0HGLEjGNAkGHAe1xOKOtSL6wjC_oyrGlCMFniKwPT9v8rs7InHbnR95LbkH2ach1E1Hs8szoc0ibhbswJ2penfse4jePovFcADlYmJymdalDGmdQhv3s/s1600/o2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GckVOTi-ClU33bJ_HguQ70Vw0HGLEjGNAkGHAe1xOKOtSL6wjC_oyrGlCMFniKwPT9v8rs7InHbnR95LbkH2ach1E1Hs8szoc0ibhbswJ2penfse4jePovFcADlYmJymdalDGmdQhv3s/s400/o2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> Walk </span>from <b>St.Catherine's docks or Westminster to Greenwich -> Greenwich meridian.</b> <i>Optional extension: Canary Wharf</i>.<br />
• <span style="white-space: pre;">Visit the <b>Greenwich Royal Observatory</b> - but it's not just a perfect place to make sure your Swiss watch is working properly, it's also a great place for foodies - check out the </span><b style="white-space: pre;">Greenwich Market </b><span style="white-space: pre;">(est. 1737) not just food, but also arts & crafts sta</span>Enjoy Emirates Air Line (UK’s first urban cable car) - great views of the Thames and a cool way to cross from the O2 Arena to ExCeL at Royal Victoria Dock.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/cable-car/route/emirates-air-line/">Cable Road Greenwich</a> </b>- a cool way to get to Greenwich<br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">•</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-align: center; white-space: pre;"> </span><b style="text-align: center;">Shoreditch</b><span style="text-align: center;"> – graffiti, restaurants, clubs & bars</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBw_sdCjdGK6dp7xRUyqP0Mq3AOboPcJImLJyk5STt7Yp_zPKydcx5x5l1A0nUbNvmPx4tg2x2faGN2Tau507QR7s_EBgWwI1p80Nk7sYQw-k8O-gnsLbpH_bDdQPw7-fpaIPVLx7UDdX/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-04.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBw_sdCjdGK6dp7xRUyqP0Mq3AOboPcJImLJyk5STt7Yp_zPKydcx5x5l1A0nUbNvmPx4tg2x2faGN2Tau507QR7s_EBgWwI1p80Nk7sYQw-k8O-gnsLbpH_bDdQPw7-fpaIPVLx7UDdX/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-04.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1tPh5uZbn5AjyNAju59cc442Pwk-_DPXNOjanVfZhz3UCKO1xntSqRCN4rKqrsVYoOGB8ZNm-sJpGBCSWNU1htVfxt1ifZ2qEdGdLEScCN5Bfdt0byr4hM579dLwCJWZvYciPshQ1CSH/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-03.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1tPh5uZbn5AjyNAju59cc442Pwk-_DPXNOjanVfZhz3UCKO1xntSqRCN4rKqrsVYoOGB8ZNm-sJpGBCSWNU1htVfxt1ifZ2qEdGdLEScCN5Bfdt0byr4hM579dLwCJWZvYciPshQ1CSH/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-03.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2XKOxH7v1HsRmm4_opmaCWUVCWEtKLoYgsmbH8HsPl2lyJOx53LnJBIFPlihcKrRUngvjD9p_0H1OMk0UeybERCvsrugqWNFMAUGuVSSBp7XTGRW_ieZdSfYQpct-jpXcjlbePeyBPSt/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-02.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2XKOxH7v1HsRmm4_opmaCWUVCWEtKLoYgsmbH8HsPl2lyJOx53LnJBIFPlihcKrRUngvjD9p_0H1OMk0UeybERCvsrugqWNFMAUGuVSSBp7XTGRW_ieZdSfYQpct-jpXcjlbePeyBPSt/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kB7-2iUT7wsXOV-C8eKZoaxGZPZ-URKSh3OihFcQdOm9EMniASQAHQTTdH-b-Su6ePzPkwt1GMxlMCpXpD2T99k6_RA9hAZ7jKfrNWzK7dZa4b6T057jlfdXyUuOfhqgXbYK9JQzBrh2/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-05.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kB7-2iUT7wsXOV-C8eKZoaxGZPZ-URKSh3OihFcQdOm9EMniASQAHQTTdH-b-Su6ePzPkwt1GMxlMCpXpD2T99k6_RA9hAZ7jKfrNWzK7dZa4b6T057jlfdXyUuOfhqgXbYK9JQzBrh2/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-05.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl_Q8pBM4mEDr6yBN2QOz1G6m1S8aVKUdXcopdniX8NAf28_hlCPRo6OmLS0IDuwlSs5bTaUSDFFuw3hugdMMH75mzxN8xKCjTvjsGR6TX6UMyiC9K8ALCLueCRKKb1ZbH3LEShXW3cHj/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-01.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl_Q8pBM4mEDr6yBN2QOz1G6m1S8aVKUdXcopdniX8NAf28_hlCPRo6OmLS0IDuwlSs5bTaUSDFFuw3hugdMMH75mzxN8xKCjTvjsGR6TX6UMyiC9K8ALCLueCRKKb1ZbH3LEShXW3cHj/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Shoreditch-Graffiti-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A really cool way to see it is by joining one of the countless guided tours that'll give you a bit more context & insight into the stories behind some pieces and their meaning. I did <a href="https://strawberrytours.com/london/tours/free-street-art-graffiti-tour">Strawberry Tours' Free Street Art & Graffiti Tour </a>(with Jon, 29.04.2017) & absolutely loved it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8ElV1pDovhFkbJimnV1aOk1tU0zzAj6j9hRvq3TH4seXEiRpyBgMM1w7BRugzDtHeDnPKDbVD276q0xlAqjd3DryaBOY5Be3dhTNDMRAZenpKMLAgZQQBldnIY2H2nZvNOZ-gwo4T0Tl/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Graffiti-Tour-London-UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8ElV1pDovhFkbJimnV1aOk1tU0zzAj6j9hRvq3TH4seXEiRpyBgMM1w7BRugzDtHeDnPKDbVD276q0xlAqjd3DryaBOY5Be3dhTNDMRAZenpKMLAgZQQBldnIY2H2nZvNOZ-gwo4T0Tl/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Graffiti-Tour-London-UK.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Another way to discover the city through more specialized and thematical walks is with <b><a href="https://discovermedicallondon.com/our-walks-tours-and-events/">Discover Medical London</a> </b>- but don't be alarmed by the name: one really doesn't need to be a doctor or a medical student to enjoy these are still offering a view of London, just through a medicine-related prism (dealing with topics like plague, medicine in the movies, alcohol, red lights districts, etc.). The walking tour I did was coordinated by the <b>Royal College of Physicians (RCP) </b>and connected to a special event <a href="https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/events/women-medicine-celebration"><b>Women in medicine: a celebration</b></a>, which is a free exhibition of specially commissioned photographic portraits honoring contemporary and historical women in medicine. It showcases a number of today’s leading female clinicians, pictured with the women from the history of medicine who have inspired them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABavtt-3fh67G56o3sYfkE5CEkUkJCLIo1vdQp6xiiDNlenpiMQuFBCJbveHbXx31DTkNucV0hp1sU_OQuhlMWKLkRuiFls5X35aS8GhZPzNtsHS5YQ58cMerONk5xjE7Ll3xAATOZiUL/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Women-in-Medicine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABavtt-3fh67G56o3sYfkE5CEkUkJCLIo1vdQp6xiiDNlenpiMQuFBCJbveHbXx31DTkNucV0hp1sU_OQuhlMWKLkRuiFls5X35aS8GhZPzNtsHS5YQ58cMerONk5xjE7Ll3xAATOZiUL/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Women-in-Medicine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.the-shard.com/"><b>The Shard</b> </a>– tallest building in EU, cocktails for ca. 17-20 pounds.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrSGTvftHTNaextiFX1-HUaYH3hyphenhyphenKTtgWSTmwjhmSdT0CPLuRNwwg97rnpOpLukaKIXH6YPIqIskL1OUadkGjmWJgOwvgUmMD9xbIVSYxbsunyD1x6sBfndeCku1LgdUadBfLG-dM1IkS/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-The-Shard+.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrSGTvftHTNaextiFX1-HUaYH3hyphenhyphenKTtgWSTmwjhmSdT0CPLuRNwwg97rnpOpLukaKIXH6YPIqIskL1OUadkGjmWJgOwvgUmMD9xbIVSYxbsunyD1x6sBfndeCku1LgdUadBfLG-dM1IkS/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-The-Shard+.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
• <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-roof-gardens-london"><b>Roof Gardens London</b> </a>– alternative to Shard, by invite only (register for the guest list well in advance).<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://skygarden.london/"><b>Sky Garden</b></a> <i>(1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF)</i> - if you want to dine in a tropical jungle on the rooftop in London with a breathtaking view of London's cityscape, consider making a reservation at one of the Sky Garden's restaurants. If you just want a sneak peak of the view, there's also an option of just buying a ticket (which gives you access to the garden) & having a drink at one of the "open" bars at the top or bottom decks of the garden. We chose "<a href="https://skygarden.london/darwin">Darwin Brasserie</a>" & had an amazing dining experience. Do consider mentioning, though that you'd like a window table while making a reservation & upon arrival. You might happen to "accidentally" get it anyway if they have a table available, but if it matters to you, try prepping in advance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwSNeo5vH74xM1ViefcDxCZlMLDeW9xvs-ZIcRc5Q7rw-8fy7U2Zx0zTqpOq_TKVZ1NMD1QgXr3vsDvtKxXK5qKQzwkE17omHzLRJUBB1aQI6KyNj_hwNcCLRGcb0bbe2qB_DpA5a8Jev/s1600/Sky+Garden-Darwin+Brasserie-AR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwSNeo5vH74xM1ViefcDxCZlMLDeW9xvs-ZIcRc5Q7rw-8fy7U2Zx0zTqpOq_TKVZ1NMD1QgXr3vsDvtKxXK5qKQzwkE17omHzLRJUBB1aQI6KyNj_hwNcCLRGcb0bbe2qB_DpA5a8Jev/s400/Sky+Garden-Darwin+Brasserie-AR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.rosasthaicafe.com/locations/carnaby">Rosa's Thai Cafe Carnaby</a></b> (23 Ganton St, Soho, London W1F 9BW)<br />
<br />
<b>Bars, Pubs / Cocktails:</b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://barnightjar.com/"><b>Nightjar</b> </a>(129 City Rd, London EC1V 1JB) - one of the most awesome (but also the most bizarre) cocktail experiences I've ever had! My drink of the night was The "Inca Cocktail": Jose Cuervo 1800 Silver, tomatillo, hazelnut oil, lime, chili wine, epazote, Fine Cherry & Agave, served with Buffalo worms on the side (yep, Buffalo worms are exactly what you think they are: huge worms!). <a href="https://barnightjar.com/drinks">Check out the menu online in advance </a>in order to decide what bizarre work of alcoholic are you want to order!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q07ekkdfAWDj_kdEYgSeW7WxrY4YKqft2VXUjQohVbwUxrWyPg4fLDuMwRt_pdQIqyAjCvz13faZXMDhyphenhyphen9jXIq9xDepa5sZgGVGnhYBeNTdnhSpbEuOQlIkNEDOAFuUwXbD7bvunND3H/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Nightjar.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q07ekkdfAWDj_kdEYgSeW7WxrY4YKqft2VXUjQohVbwUxrWyPg4fLDuMwRt_pdQIqyAjCvz13faZXMDhyphenhyphen9jXIq9xDepa5sZgGVGnhYBeNTdnhSpbEuOQlIkNEDOAFuUwXbD7bvunND3H/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Nightjar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://experimentalcocktailclublondon.com/"><b>Experimental Cocktail Club Chinatown</b> </a>(<i>3a Gerrard St, Chinatown, London W1D 5PS</i>; 6pm-3am) - speakeasy-style cocktail bar, often with live music<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8NwvM5Llso0han1XNhtaUuFP5iZNuo43nxvWX187P9yt633DAhyphenhyphenBMHUQZTkywVfv6_eGo4605nw1ew6GzyNl3oDruBHMyPe9-X5dKK1l_WAMEJwxr9E4A7WTt7_g7_4-leNUh9IMxAtN/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Experimental-Cocktail-Club-Chinatown.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8NwvM5Llso0han1XNhtaUuFP5iZNuo43nxvWX187P9yt633DAhyphenhyphenBMHUQZTkywVfv6_eGo4605nw1ew6GzyNl3oDruBHMyPe9-X5dKK1l_WAMEJwxr9E4A7WTt7_g7_4-leNUh9IMxAtN/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Experimental-Cocktail-Club-Chinatown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.churchillarmskensington.co.uk/">The Churchill Arms</a></b> <i>(119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN) - </i>very nice gastropub.<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.timeout.com/london/bars-pubs/bradleys-spanish-bar">Bradley's Spanish Bar</a> </b><i>(42-44 Hanway St, London W1T 1UT)</i> - Snug, upbeat, late-night spot with worn banquette, picture-laden walls and vinyl jukebox soundtrack<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Walk around <b>Dean & <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186338-d215635-Reviews-Wardour_Street-London_England.html">Wardour Street </a></b>– lots of cool places.<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Markets: </b></h3>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.portobelloroad.co.uk/"><b>Portobello Road</b> </a>– antiquities –<b> tube: Notting Hill Gate</b>, walk up to<b> Portobello Rd</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://boroughmarket.org.uk/">Borough market</a></b> (by London Bridge tube) – famous market, end of <b>Southbank</b> – probably a good idea for Saturday morning (get a glimpse of the Tower Bridge). Pop into the <b>Southwark Cathedral </b>(The Oldest Cathedral in London).<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkepGyJNgPHQrEMaY-TnPCLpSpv6Ccu9UQzssJ_FRKk16YOp-wBN_lYwFKsQlGawbwlIN3_QTAtugFT9nBlpdGX4_3cYwLl_0eajzvyIdeGP4pnUN1-_TrFOBz0XeCz8CuJ3eoDsKSJP4g/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southwark-Cathedral-Borough-Market.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkepGyJNgPHQrEMaY-TnPCLpSpv6Ccu9UQzssJ_FRKk16YOp-wBN_lYwFKsQlGawbwlIN3_QTAtugFT9nBlpdGX4_3cYwLl_0eajzvyIdeGP4pnUN1-_TrFOBz0XeCz8CuJ3eoDsKSJP4g/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southwark-Cathedral-Borough-Market.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWVA4SmvlUErnH3hQcMwuaoIxgkzVvCuGLtVKHglbdVf9Vn224JGRpbRvOw6x9XFCli2M-qGcr1KItAdQgYHjGHtUyzXsG2JwH6bamaTFZFPF4k0JdUsl4R5AR59qCklJf5UxMRIOYvj2/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-05.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWVA4SmvlUErnH3hQcMwuaoIxgkzVvCuGLtVKHglbdVf9Vn224JGRpbRvOw6x9XFCli2M-qGcr1KItAdQgYHjGHtUyzXsG2JwH6bamaTFZFPF4k0JdUsl4R5AR59qCklJf5UxMRIOYvj2/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-eop2YlcAW34hTdfY-GKQcjAnDxr4jFOtz8SavExpWSwGvUi8cZ_ph1AB1qYeAHKkOhue70Xs5fBSCjzeUozQyBV0CYD92VcDSACqpkweUeq0P7ypn61d1s9LSkHfM7K926FyIO8uNm-/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-03.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-eop2YlcAW34hTdfY-GKQcjAnDxr4jFOtz8SavExpWSwGvUi8cZ_ph1AB1qYeAHKkOhue70Xs5fBSCjzeUozQyBV0CYD92VcDSACqpkweUeq0P7ypn61d1s9LSkHfM7K926FyIO8uNm-/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Southbank-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.camdenmarket.com/">Camden Market </a></b>– cool hip designer stuff (depending on where you are, a great way to get there is by the “Little Venice” canal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv99WImMK8CnWcSeaca5V5aTMFpRtJ4TBktSRzuicQYykl7vA2L5zN1DhpjZN5pcOJro4TYcmDrbQbTU7bQ2WQ9z3xY4UqnpnIRx8Gc-CtD_h9mx1n5BJTQMLNmVAp_A11tPJSD-ijEjCM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Camden-London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv99WImMK8CnWcSeaca5V5aTMFpRtJ4TBktSRzuicQYykl7vA2L5zN1DhpjZN5pcOJro4TYcmDrbQbTU7bQ2WQ9z3xY4UqnpnIRx8Gc-CtD_h9mx1n5BJTQMLNmVAp_A11tPJSD-ijEjCM/s400/Alena-Romanenko-Camden-London.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn4G_ZaQq9dP8c4MN7qZaGovY13cYTQL_QyrwwbwKbUMyesCW-sghfj0nM2J9iB18ObupaRFnHpRUJd3xPWSjR-5hXY0sDXoGMXMEKfwjjIE42RmuXlSUT0RZpzuzxrFq_mXDj9hvib2v/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Camden-Lock.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn4G_ZaQq9dP8c4MN7qZaGovY13cYTQL_QyrwwbwKbUMyesCW-sghfj0nM2J9iB18ObupaRFnHpRUJd3xPWSjR-5hXY0sDXoGMXMEKfwjjIE42RmuXlSUT0RZpzuzxrFq_mXDj9hvib2v/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Camden-Lock.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV5FFuvmgxKCEXiSrLiO3LBXZnBZIsXfZKATUbJ7gB7oRBpUiN-gqi82scqAXsRS-qGSeFsw2Nk-51j-5lW9sV-GbOoTcqCy1cdcGZALjjnZ-mb1i49F6o-2v4Bo9ae-1UZ2eOVRXkkLG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Camden-Little-Venice.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV5FFuvmgxKCEXiSrLiO3LBXZnBZIsXfZKATUbJ7gB7oRBpUiN-gqi82scqAXsRS-qGSeFsw2Nk-51j-5lW9sV-GbOoTcqCy1cdcGZALjjnZ-mb1i49F6o-2v4Bo9ae-1UZ2eOVRXkkLG/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Camden-Little-Venice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Btw, if you're already in Camden, check out the <a href="http://www.cyberdog.net/"><b>Cyberdog</b> </a>store <i>(Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8AH)</i> for futuristic fashion & bizzare souvenirs.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mX7MUqgdalyuznyKCb-UGT1_2Ib7SCaCAZ8hHScZUUdSduCpmJ__6crf5FWF3bAXSPwT34dtnnSsPfziJIpncpjx5BGuVeEeXmyzBFTT0cQdeR4PorNQL_Qxm9N4EeaLALaCm-GKhsq5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Cyberdog.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mX7MUqgdalyuznyKCb-UGT1_2Ib7SCaCAZ8hHScZUUdSduCpmJ__6crf5FWF3bAXSPwT34dtnnSsPfziJIpncpjx5BGuVeEeXmyzBFTT0cQdeR4PorNQL_Qxm9N4EeaLALaCm-GKhsq5/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Cyberdog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Mildred's Camden </b>(<i>9 Jamestown Rd, Camden Town, London NW1 7BW</i>) - great for lunch</li>
</ul>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hammersmith / Shepherd's Bush</b></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://esarnkheaw.com/"><b>Esarn Kheaw </b></a>(<i>314 Uxbridge Rd, Shepherd's Bush, London W12 7LJ</i>) - family-run authentic North-Eastern Thai cuisine, unusual flavours (spicy is SPICY here!) </li>
<li><b><a href="http://thegaterestaurants.com/hammersmith/">The Gate</a> </b>(<i>51A, Queen Caroline St, Hammersmith, London W6 9QL</i>) - have you heard of it? it's one of London's few fine-dining vegetarian places :) mix of Mediterranean and Asian.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.shilparestaurant.co.uk/"><b>Shilpa </b></a>(<i>206 King St, Hammersmith, London W6 0RA</i>) - Family-run Indian, freshly cooked authentic Keralan food. Great value food & deliciously healthy simple deserts</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvJutzbuQ_WK4C5jBYw4Go7lRtQ8i4fMG_HXRF6GzQM0ri8BsuyLUm_1OAyWodUMdvu01YXvGDofRKIzpVMcM1onyKUrOxxN3xupiQBW_D5jY49GAXUQAOxwkcXND1xjdHbW7XjXYqwy1/s1600/Shilpa-deserts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvJutzbuQ_WK4C5jBYw4Go7lRtQ8i4fMG_HXRF6GzQM0ri8BsuyLUm_1OAyWodUMdvu01YXvGDofRKIzpVMcM1onyKUrOxxN3xupiQBW_D5jY49GAXUQAOxwkcXND1xjdHbW7XjXYqwy1/s320/Shilpa-deserts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
</div>
<b>Comedy:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><a href="http://thecomedystore.co.uk/london/">The Comedy Store </a></b>(1a Oxendon St, London SW1Y 4EE) - a guaranteed night of fun & great improv. they usually have a couple of shorter newbie comedy acts, all pretty high quality. Students and NHS professionals get a discount. If you want to eat, it would make sense to get the meal & drinks packages.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://canalcafetheatre.com/"><b>Canal Theatre Cafe</b></a> <i>(2 Delamere Terrace, London W2 6ND) </i>- adorable quaint cafe, which hosts intimate comedy shows (improv, NewsRevue, etc.) throughout the week. With the <a href="https://www.thebridgehouselittlevenice.co.uk/">Bridge House </a>restaurant downstairs - Canal Theatre Cafe is the setting for my fave chilled comedy evenings when I didn't feel like venturing into the city centre & just want to stay in Little Venice.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOpG34raOq81aI3Q4_gtIO-C0JrLzyIvIRLCmdh7HilM41Ejz6SzxY1tKhsa4EbrugEKfGK71cU0B7FeA_B7uuIXlXBHyGMmhhcyKp56DmZ1ItG3v-jDQGnrRquOAjJciyodboEFXjI1W/s1600/2018-01-06+Canal+Theatre+Cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOpG34raOq81aI3Q4_gtIO-C0JrLzyIvIRLCmdh7HilM41Ejz6SzxY1tKhsa4EbrugEKfGK71cU0B7FeA_B7uuIXlXBHyGMmhhcyKp56DmZ1ItG3v-jDQGnrRquOAjJciyodboEFXjI1W/s320/2018-01-06+Canal+Theatre+Cafe.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<b>Souvenirs:</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.webuilt-thiscity.com/"><b>We Built This City</b></a> (56 Carnaby St, London W1F 9QF) – creative approach towards British souvenirs<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p83KrOOsFoOHD6pT5NPVilKjwCxUciZvw3Uc1Bef8VeArkRTGj3Aw4amDjdUbcg0ouzbMO003431390oQPrtwH3ncUq6BhIZsu7Hu3M-S5OK_e-eNPeySVgfBog48CQ_bp_sT9rgUy94/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Carnaby-Street.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p83KrOOsFoOHD6pT5NPVilKjwCxUciZvw3Uc1Bef8VeArkRTGj3Aw4amDjdUbcg0ouzbMO003431390oQPrtwH3ncUq6BhIZsu7Hu3M-S5OK_e-eNPeySVgfBog48CQ_bp_sT9rgUy94/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Carnaby-Street.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0MosWc_tQV7AbO7PDS2TjqOaUkCdGiuB91QU9hHAvt0ao6j3FqX35py3LxGL0LJloloXY13BASwGjiNmy4ed3CQw8GlRgsNo-N9ECL_QRE0nPXduf281DGsH0AdvQpGWxsGqwFk4hrha/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Carnaby-Street-We-Built-This-City.jpg"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0MosWc_tQV7AbO7PDS2TjqOaUkCdGiuB91QU9hHAvt0ao6j3FqX35py3LxGL0LJloloXY13BASwGjiNmy4ed3CQw8GlRgsNo-N9ECL_QRE0nPXduf281DGsH0AdvQpGWxsGqwFk4hrha/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Carnaby-Street-We-Built-This-City.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tours:</b></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Free London walking tours</b> with <a href="https://strawberrytours.com/london">Strawberry Tours</a> (street art, fleet street, white chapel, graffiti), I did several tour with that company: the graffiti tour (see above) & the <b style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://strawberrytours.com/london/tours/free-ghost-tour">Ghost Tour</a> </b><span style="white-space: pre;">(</span><span style="white-space: pre;">runs on Tue, Thu & Sat at 20.00 from </span><i>M&M's World in Leicester Square</i>). The ghost tour is pretty fun & informative, it provides a new perspective on the well-known spots in the city & leaves an eerie feeling that maybe (just maybe) ghosts </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoXg7GnV6csMbu7e4ucAHp4Eps2MM1HYWp5N1_xnMVD1kfHMykrcvzKEz-P-iI4n-XPDneDdILXefEnVjGH7o5ojq0eexmcVxQR8Nct5MgQt1wDJGiv0zp88KKODme_VNQAY3oKlRovGG/s1600/London-UK-Alena-Romanenko-Strawberry-Tours-2017-06-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoXg7GnV6csMbu7e4ucAHp4Eps2MM1HYWp5N1_xnMVD1kfHMykrcvzKEz-P-iI4n-XPDneDdILXefEnVjGH7o5ojq0eexmcVxQR8Nct5MgQt1wDJGiv0zp88KKODme_VNQAY3oKlRovGG/s400/London-UK-Alena-Romanenko-Strawberry-Tours-2017-06-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Multiple companies organize thematical seasonal tours (e.g. <a href="https://uk.funzing.com/funz/the-secret-london-christmas-tour-13250">The Secret London Christmas Tour</a>), organized in cooperation with <a href="https://uk.funzing.com/">Funzing</a>, because it's pretty cold around that time of year, they'd combine the walking tour with 3-4 stops in historical pubs like <a href="https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/london/yeoldewatlingwatlingstreetlondon">Ye Olde Watling</a> (<i>29 Watling St, London EC4M 9BR</i>) or <b><a href="https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/london/theblackfriarblackfriarslondon">The Blackfriar </a></b>(<i>174 Queen Victoria St, London EC4V 4EG</i>)<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;">
Taking Ghost Tours as such to the next level, <a href="https://www.theghostbustours.com/london/tickets/" style="font-weight: bold;">The Ghost Bus</a> is definitely worth a mention (<i>departure: just off Trafalgar Square on on Northumberland Avenue, in front of The Grand Hotel opposite to The Sherlock Holm Pub</i>; tube: <b>Charing Cross </b>or <b>Embankment</b>) - another great way to see London if you're a fan of all things "beyond the grave" :) It's an informative (mostly fact-based, but - naturally - with some fictional elements thrown in) comedy tour, which takes you around the city and bombards you with all kinds of geeky and humorous facts about ghosts, violent deaths, murders, executions, and other tragic events like The Great Fire of London.</div>
It's not just "lecture", there's also an interactive part of the performance and I can tell you that the kids sitting next to us were squeaking with delight :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULVl75UFYXE4Wr5ksaxg7qiaJd9RBpivlLeVKLy1nY3xzrr-jskXveQo-4M9_WoLf_d8ldDm6riFnQILG4Nddnj19y7UhRWOJlE6Gj98bw7HeuFhbLVUVVmCLIgGbsiZoV7wZaWDUNptX/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Ghost-Bus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULVl75UFYXE4Wr5ksaxg7qiaJd9RBpivlLeVKLy1nY3xzrr-jskXveQo-4M9_WoLf_d8ldDm6riFnQILG4Nddnj19y7UhRWOJlE6Gj98bw7HeuFhbLVUVVmCLIgGbsiZoV7wZaWDUNptX/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Ghost-Bus.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
Skip the tourist bus & get on “normal” city bus: # 9, 14 & 15 – they take you around central London & those are the best ways to see the city!<br />
<br />
<b>Plays:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>"The Mousetrap"</b> by Agatha Christie</li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbHIIvWifLhDGogONCO1iawkd9EiJ6cMdGp_NHxOwIejfp3uCfWyeEl17u749MS8c0erblR_ngEsDuGQXlvUPlCHWDo1whFkeh_VqSYwdLwSVEpEiEhXr6BZDMmBGvSB_qByCkw5LPawk/s1600/The+Mousetrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbHIIvWifLhDGogONCO1iawkd9EiJ6cMdGp_NHxOwIejfp3uCfWyeEl17u749MS8c0erblR_ngEsDuGQXlvUPlCHWDo1whFkeh_VqSYwdLwSVEpEiEhXr6BZDMmBGvSB_qByCkw5LPawk/s320/The+Mousetrap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<b>Musicals:</b><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.bookofmormonlondon.com/">Book of Mormon</a> @ <a href="http://www.princeofwalestheatrelondon.info/">Prince of Wales Theatre </a></b><i>(31 Coventry Street, London W1D 6AS) </i>- an extremely entertaining musical evening guaranteed<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4L0pqef1kkSd1m8WMwRoE3giLBNJCOr6njkiX8SeGmjQ8fqla0t1f9ORqRfvcZcOwX8Ob0sXCvUMw6VIXs4ZsoWPN24_JCFVobsuEoIP7ak4hl9BWBmVj4hFArEn3XyB1pACOIiU-VAb/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-London-Book-of-Mormon.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4L0pqef1kkSd1m8WMwRoE3giLBNJCOr6njkiX8SeGmjQ8fqla0t1f9ORqRfvcZcOwX8Ob0sXCvUMw6VIXs4ZsoWPN24_JCFVobsuEoIP7ak4hl9BWBmVj4hFArEn3XyB1pACOIiU-VAb/s400/Alena-Romanenko-London-Book-of-Mormon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/london">Phantom of the Opera </a>@ Her Majesty’s Theatre, <b>Haymarket</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3AEcPsbnS_E3Kt1o7zJCUEJ8pbXFBjgMQh3bORi3RMPUtVYoNoUDw7p6zvk-YJZTefM58OA_hGNFNzMI5kY4822xURtX49hYJ8Dri3fk5KUJ_GJClkmZZl1aMWFyjr67kL3AUmAqGKb/s1600/2016-11-11+23.58.13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3AEcPsbnS_E3Kt1o7zJCUEJ8pbXFBjgMQh3bORi3RMPUtVYoNoUDw7p6zvk-YJZTefM58OA_hGNFNzMI5kY4822xURtX49hYJ8Dri3fk5KUJ_GJClkmZZl1aMWFyjr67kL3AUmAqGKb/s400/2016-11-11+23.58.13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.thelionking.co.uk/">Lion King</a> @ Lyceum Theatre <i>(21 Wellington St, London WC2E 7RQ)</i><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Whenever I'm in doubt about specific seats, I check <a href="https://seatplan.com/london/lyceum-theatre/">SeatPlan</a> - they've got reviews of seats (criteria: comfort/legroom/view) in various theatres, usually also with pictures - so that you can get an informed idea of which tickets are worth the money.</li>
</ul>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/london">Wicked</a> @ Apollo Victoria Theatre <i>(17 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1LG)</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDTLk3BYRTRpuOR49HWqhvuIa6jdMf3Y1OXtl8tdKLWSMZELOYTwyjYmCy7Dxt65NTrpcJ62EmdH9N6dCACfn3MkZAQhRz0s_N2OTQYPdjDCbQDLjeu-DuN712ZdOhM2eY2r00n1DfDol/s1600/2017-05-05+19.23.18-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDTLk3BYRTRpuOR49HWqhvuIa6jdMf3Y1OXtl8tdKLWSMZELOYTwyjYmCy7Dxt65NTrpcJ62EmdH9N6dCACfn3MkZAQhRz0s_N2OTQYPdjDCbQDLjeu-DuN712ZdOhM2eY2r00n1DfDol/s400/2017-05-05+19.23.18-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i></div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-65164835115108261362015-08-09T00:06:00.000+02:002015-08-10T11:50:08.014+02:00Road-tripping in Portugal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dear all, it's been a while since I've written something on my blog, but it doesn't mean I haven't been travelling. This time I'd like to share with you some tips & tricks from my Road-Trip around Northern Portugal & 4 days in Sintra & Lisbon. Just like it always is with my posts in English - it's more about the facts than the literary merit of the story, so it's more of a bullet-point-style list of "nice things to do" rather than a novel ;)<br />
<div>
<h2>
Accomodation along the route: </h2>
</div>
<div>
Here's the list of hotels we stayed at along our route, with links to my TripAdvisor reviews:</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Santarem: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g659913-d4598092-r296591735-Santarem_Hostel-Santarem_Santarem_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Santarem Hostel </a><i>(Hostel R.Eng.António Antunes Júnior, 26)</i>, price: €40 per double<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUMlVVI50yA01NqadifQVn6BhZVuWMrsenKes2R3jS80bCZvkUdpvABKWUWK4-7KZnU_yZznH0IzgyHQtMa149mfHFDefusshYRgYVkmd8Ue0HrhotAn1Q5KcRpoa65NZ8iwxKyK_9fSJ/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Santarem-Hostel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUMlVVI50yA01NqadifQVn6BhZVuWMrsenKes2R3jS80bCZvkUdpvABKWUWK4-7KZnU_yZznH0IzgyHQtMa149mfHFDefusshYRgYVkmd8Ue0HrhotAn1Q5KcRpoa65NZ8iwxKyK_9fSJ/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Santarem-Hostel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Belmonte: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g616222-d272931-r295314022-Pousada_Convento_de_Belmonte-Belmonte_Castelo_Branco_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Pousada de Belmonte</a> <i>(Serrada Esperança, 6250-000 Belmonte)</i>, price: around €139 per double</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trancoso: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g2137525-d7676377-r295315229-Residencial_Sao_Bartolomeu-Trancoso_Guarda_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Residencial Sao Bartolomeu</a> <i>(Rua Infante D. Henrique Br Sr Aflitos, 6420-007 Trancoso)</i>, price: €35 per double</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Vila Real: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1019574-d590387-r295317250-Casa_Agricola_Da_Levada-Vila_Real_Vila_Real_District_Northern_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Casa Agricola da Levada</a> <i>(Ruada Capela à Rua Fundadores de Vila Real, 5000-419 Vila Real), </i>price:<i> </i>€62 per double<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Porto: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189180-d557183-r295318782-Sao_Gabriel-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Hotel S.Gabriel</a> <i>(Rua de Alegria 98)</i>, price: €50 per double</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Obidos: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189160-d6387674-r295319388-Casa_Dos_Frutos_Divinos-Obidos_Leiria_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Casa dos Frutos Divinos</a> <span id="goog_1066710493"></span><span id="goog_1066710494"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><i>(Rua Coronel Pacheco 6, 2510-086 Óbidos)</i>, price: €48 per double</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lisbon: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189158-d3151585-r295320029-Downtown_Design_Bed_Breakfast-Lisbon_Lisbon_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Design Bed & Breakfast </a><i>(Rua dos Sapateiros 231)</i>, price: €50 per double room</div>
<h2>
Santarem</h2>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Check out the view of the Tagus River from <b>Portas do Sol</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHw9ZveomSAC5QuPmA_C1DxUgWfUgB-cDOFXWmtmT4jSJcOKLRtkIc6MJ56QU2A8qPdBKgt5sYdeKfV8EwpkxKPyJFOqZ35lObZwQUUXVt3Z3yYSNNFHvGuKIC2x4TFaQiurAJ-i0j5uo/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Santarem-view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHw9ZveomSAC5QuPmA_C1DxUgWfUgB-cDOFXWmtmT4jSJcOKLRtkIc6MJ56QU2A8qPdBKgt5sYdeKfV8EwpkxKPyJFOqZ35lObZwQUUXVt3Z3yYSNNFHvGuKIC2x4TFaQiurAJ-i0j5uo/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Santarem-view.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
Tomar</h2>
<div>
<ul>
<li> Break the house rules of the Tomar castle by coming in with an apple, flash & a dog on a leash :-)</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO0jURJdfVO5dSJsY5zULT-RnUizZOYD8TJeXWp84To_b2l2RWwEosZGnuHBW1KoXf5teuM0RKX-2PqI3icOnDTd5cp58QA8ZU0ur4vYnQA8fmBGeNRtxyDAHCy-H14w5VpTBobT4E625/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO0jURJdfVO5dSJsY5zULT-RnUizZOYD8TJeXWp84To_b2l2RWwEosZGnuHBW1KoXf5teuM0RKX-2PqI3icOnDTd5cp58QA8ZU0ur4vYnQA8fmBGeNRtxyDAHCy-H14w5VpTBobT4E625/s320/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-03.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Enjoy the impressive architecture of the castle modern art exhibits scattered around the monk's cells around the convent</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkQmsydVq20koYr7K0AwFlDTrKMCr6K6Dz6PoZk0tSpKhd98XDisJ_xU-o-UEMuce_DrtR7ffWZfAMlxT2xK4n_3A9Goihfn3ZKKF3EBN7i2lim-Z7zcQPNqAZMTRQ_ju_2mDcZ7WCW1m/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkQmsydVq20koYr7K0AwFlDTrKMCr6K6Dz6PoZk0tSpKhd98XDisJ_xU-o-UEMuce_DrtR7ffWZfAMlxT2xK4n_3A9Goihfn3ZKKF3EBN7i2lim-Z7zcQPNqAZMTRQ_ju_2mDcZ7WCW1m/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIl_hobsD67AwYAtBpKI1cSA4VIA09gRY57g8AjqR5klN4vcoSsKgqFit-rPW6rw7amkHNVC9GCKeLg6desT36gzRGwRXcVf5Eggt4xMieSDkmZJwzsahvlnd38m3bGjS4rQIPep4xd7Em/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIl_hobsD67AwYAtBpKI1cSA4VIA09gRY57g8AjqR5klN4vcoSsKgqFit-rPW6rw7amkHNVC9GCKeLg6desT36gzRGwRXcVf5Eggt4xMieSDkmZJwzsahvlnd38m3bGjS4rQIPep4xd7Em/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI54Yjs5oJeEAFxKGO29XliSeXV-ztpUGbrPqg1tcKDfacRJsVsq9jfv32TBMPD-y0_76OwBeFWs2WRGCjNPvBmySRHX5KPzna-P_Rn0awyI6aTqqibPRylcVF0ik5i8itdaDVWfYc_cus/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI54Yjs5oJeEAFxKGO29XliSeXV-ztpUGbrPqg1tcKDfacRJsVsq9jfv32TBMPD-y0_76OwBeFWs2WRGCjNPvBmySRHX5KPzna-P_Rn0awyI6aTqqibPRylcVF0ik5i8itdaDVWfYc_cus/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve4G3z1auW2xgxJM3R6PNjGvaCjA242sx5wDeT8sEk9N7inOwPjy9eyYz8ANTTh_uF0Kwnb85X3mjdw56V1Y3iiLrDpexnpW9sWzhuMV4k1hEL3ylvopGvaOQ_9PH8SEvEHUrnO8FCpYC/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve4G3z1auW2xgxJM3R6PNjGvaCjA242sx5wDeT8sEk9N7inOwPjy9eyYz8ANTTh_uF0Kwnb85X3mjdw56V1Y3iiLrDpexnpW9sWzhuMV4k1hEL3ylvopGvaOQ_9PH8SEvEHUrnO8FCpYC/s320/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Tomar-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Monsanto</h2>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Roam the cosy little streets, climb the hilltop to the Monsanto Castle's ruins, have a drink & watch sunset at the local bar, overlooking the surrounding area.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYFfooLBBz4mcU9zRfNmTrsuEtxEV_ybBzAkOrBK8UfBde0xGGPZFwjVQz8OjPVWjGlNkLM9Gxu-tkcXLU81WEDDj5CI1Dy5tWEr5pkU3JiY973iGvqv5EHbjW0gF3bd6A7iEXy1wtJ9X/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Monsanto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYFfooLBBz4mcU9zRfNmTrsuEtxEV_ybBzAkOrBK8UfBde0xGGPZFwjVQz8OjPVWjGlNkLM9Gxu-tkcXLU81WEDDj5CI1Dy5tWEr5pkU3JiY973iGvqv5EHbjW0gF3bd6A7iEXy1wtJ9X/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Monsanto.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqbHhPpZmCjCnSwyVfrg5HCueDVQvtzLqug4W3MzDtIbqpOSfkrW949sO1GwrTfgXNdCUwGus2VQVq3QtmlHEwumskaL8GJC8Vps41j_UrVug38eor52y79-Nyvt8tDPs50CXq_SSe7db/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqbHhPpZmCjCnSwyVfrg5HCueDVQvtzLqug4W3MzDtIbqpOSfkrW949sO1GwrTfgXNdCUwGus2VQVq3QtmlHEwumskaL8GJC8Vps41j_UrVug38eor52y79-Nyvt8tDPs50CXq_SSe7db/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho096xO1Rnd9BE_E5bl6yFPe1fBMbq64B-7gKbKP4PCWynR2a83DQfGjcGUw_XjGgWZx8g2MU_CweK3RH9AO0WUBMmvhXvMFVSBs45CpVJXzncQQ2Z8ycFGAvz2vMYlZK7ub-uT1qv6X4w/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho096xO1Rnd9BE_E5bl6yFPe1fBMbq64B-7gKbKP4PCWynR2a83DQfGjcGUw_XjGgWZx8g2MU_CweK3RH9AO0WUBMmvhXvMFVSBs45CpVJXzncQQ2Z8ycFGAvz2vMYlZK7ub-uT1qv6X4w/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Belmonte</h2>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Stay at the medieval convent/<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g616222-d272931-r295314022-Pousada_Convento_de_Belmonte-Belmonte_Castelo_Branco_District_Central_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT" style="text-align: justify;">Pousada de Belmonte</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PdXrfKlzWbrMEGWNF4T7oTARqnILOrV1d3eOyrTTgLvkOVpOFOx4c0TeBWfRE0WLZBPScgehLSo_71cMLd9fzpy93v6WxY9wrE8bDoLVddWsVVtNPsOsFl_PSk49OSmARSbWSqkgffEC/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Belmonte-Pousada-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PdXrfKlzWbrMEGWNF4T7oTARqnILOrV1d3eOyrTTgLvkOVpOFOx4c0TeBWfRE0WLZBPScgehLSo_71cMLd9fzpy93v6WxY9wrE8bDoLVddWsVVtNPsOsFl_PSk49OSmARSbWSqkgffEC/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Belmonte-Pousada-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Visit <b>Castelo de Belmonte</b>, check out Marc Chagall-style-graffiti next to the <b>Synagogue of Belmonte</b> & check out <b>Torre de Centum Cellas</b> (bottom right)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrLM5vhGFNNZ90TrcPJnCNXdBN61XqQKeVoDQiBm5JcA20G10AUGAQiLGvq0fZyL-jfBuHKXZllUSenVglo1tZDVb72n-w9BYrejixVc4-y2tgVX6fCfiXl_bvDvQOPUaDnHdguah8DK6/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Belmonte-%252BGuarda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrLM5vhGFNNZ90TrcPJnCNXdBN61XqQKeVoDQiBm5JcA20G10AUGAQiLGvq0fZyL-jfBuHKXZllUSenVglo1tZDVb72n-w9BYrejixVc4-y2tgVX6fCfiXl_bvDvQOPUaDnHdguah8DK6/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Belmonte-%252BGuarda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
Transcoso, Vila Nova de Foz Coa & Casa de Mateus</h2>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One has to be aware that <b>Trancoso </b>has a somewhat limited selection of dining options & I'm pretty sure that we've found one of the best one's in town when we sat down for a snail starter & a salad of pig's ears at the very local & family-run <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g2137525-d5937791-r275365826-Cantinho_dos_Arcos-Trancoso_Guarda_District_Central_Portugal.html#REVIEWS">Cantinho do Arcos</a> <i>(Largo Do Pelourinho, 2A, Trancoso)</i> :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjEb6usJMtFXtWJE3PG64kZUgLfaF5AhtVwiBcUELio1gOTICvxYNxeiEFfvtrF__NsFM8dss4D-00CtYJZzWc9RR00zwkmG4HlTCDGF7onhxuVWyWXujvZyb27NQnFYYx-ntOBrKOzZr/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Trancoso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjEb6usJMtFXtWJE3PG64kZUgLfaF5AhtVwiBcUELio1gOTICvxYNxeiEFfvtrF__NsFM8dss4D-00CtYJZzWc9RR00zwkmG4HlTCDGF7onhxuVWyWXujvZyb27NQnFYYx-ntOBrKOzZr/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Trancoso.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Vila Nova de Foz Coa</b> – amazing archaeological museum with modern art exhibition about Paleolithic art<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWZIZe8B2vWWQcsfVt5kn6PhE1pzjDey5dShfBCe4-kwLRj0ilpCs1JZ5ccBSuJlkAKKC4OPE3gZG6eEVkN8uaivwUQGytIjKTWBTZ0kr9l_1bKyQt5u_9uzIyl20shBLH0sozhPOWtrq/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Nova+de+Foz+Coa-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWZIZe8B2vWWQcsfVt5kn6PhE1pzjDey5dShfBCe4-kwLRj0ilpCs1JZ5ccBSuJlkAKKC4OPE3gZG6eEVkN8uaivwUQGytIjKTWBTZ0kr9l_1bKyQt5u_9uzIyl20shBLH0sozhPOWtrq/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Nova+de+Foz+Coa-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0WM6VACkye23OxBa2H5XSlaD33X1Yo7LaPQTlabpSwUPu1_nugHARH1ELfoJtSdvtpRAZmiy7vskUg19S8E9sHa6QIJ75ZBjKZN2tWbHZb8ug1R0qDQas6DMOD1098HSrif9Ikro56pN/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Nova+de+Foz+Coa-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0WM6VACkye23OxBa2H5XSlaD33X1Yo7LaPQTlabpSwUPu1_nugHARH1ELfoJtSdvtpRAZmiy7vskUg19S8E9sHa6QIJ75ZBjKZN2tWbHZb8ug1R0qDQas6DMOD1098HSrif9Ikro56pN/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Nova+de+Foz+Coa-02.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w9zy69q2PcEMsXyl91AYR1J9u4OYtgHLOEgMI4IgtFaNRwW17zRJSOVsyf27Lu5Z0pmIN8ydf-_2OMX_2A4njSKWJDppW8kgjOSMYiLGhd-KXVrlYKctNFiY73E44UIXSL0o8iKzt0sB/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila-Nova-de-Foz-Coa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w9zy69q2PcEMsXyl91AYR1J9u4OYtgHLOEgMI4IgtFaNRwW17zRJSOVsyf27Lu5Z0pmIN8ydf-_2OMX_2A4njSKWJDppW8kgjOSMYiLGhd-KXVrlYKctNFiY73E44UIXSL0o8iKzt0sB/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila-Nova-de-Foz-Coa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloHWuUmIjTjHKcnk7Dmc6SZKCXAIC8W8Zr8Kb2wPxFV2OyEgUHzL7FpEM6IeuXbFKiHyXCAJoU1dAw_8IwHPm01euMg4jKbGZKe8VQ8xne1ikaJljVYYulhW0VOMnflA_3EqmcLATOhK4/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloHWuUmIjTjHKcnk7Dmc6SZKCXAIC8W8Zr8Kb2wPxFV2OyEgUHzL7FpEM6IeuXbFKiHyXCAJoU1dAw_8IwHPm01euMg4jKbGZKe8VQ8xne1ikaJljVYYulhW0VOMnflA_3EqmcLATOhK4/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Go for a scenic drive along the hills of the River Douro & make a stop-over for a wine-tasting at the<b> </b><b>Quinta das Carvalhas in Pinhão </b><i>(Ervedosa do Douro | São João da Pesqueira, 5085-034 Pinhão)</i></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oeSE0xyf98sd8E9vCkJYlHEhqxCSKRdt6HmSWJOiI6txdBPh_LSsOLNkYo0tUIEMbpk-DivD6rYHUuL-yJc5cwXRQrm17xYLaAhfotmPpxRVWxEJME_Y8sDZMjsi6uICrST2K9zwNkoy/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Pinhao-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oeSE0xyf98sd8E9vCkJYlHEhqxCSKRdt6HmSWJOiI6txdBPh_LSsOLNkYo0tUIEMbpk-DivD6rYHUuL-yJc5cwXRQrm17xYLaAhfotmPpxRVWxEJME_Y8sDZMjsi6uICrST2K9zwNkoy/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Pinhao-03.jpg" width="400" /></a><i><br /></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BFcMTgmttHj5eK6K9BN_RT_7WbvRES_8hycqJtMXMgGIrjzaHTuXxqF12ZnS_jkNytSHShD2eHhsoAlHOKjl3us6QzcUjzJw1yU-L_CoCy8K4p3ePfpAcGcy2fd2bQrEWos5C0NIRSNP/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Pinhao-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BFcMTgmttHj5eK6K9BN_RT_7WbvRES_8hycqJtMXMgGIrjzaHTuXxqF12ZnS_jkNytSHShD2eHhsoAlHOKjl3us6QzcUjzJw1yU-L_CoCy8K4p3ePfpAcGcy2fd2bQrEWos5C0NIRSNP/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Pinhao-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5bZvCS3PdLmKtqSzoSy0YUkBB0cfOvj6rbNhyjvUnk9V2wW3wDy9zL5yC2oK5q2duqkzLYEFyM73DRUhbmoMXe7EyPJy_6Jk3UvOtMi5sHL9ogbN4PeRlRqywFdtf20vKcTr-NkqgC88/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Pinhao-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5bZvCS3PdLmKtqSzoSy0YUkBB0cfOvj6rbNhyjvUnk9V2wW3wDy9zL5yC2oK5q2duqkzLYEFyM73DRUhbmoMXe7EyPJy_6Jk3UvOtMi5sHL9ogbN4PeRlRqywFdtf20vKcTr-NkqgC88/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Pinhao-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Stay at the amazing </b><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1019574-d590387-r295317250-Casa_Agricola_Da_Levada-Vila_Real_Vila_Real_District_Northern_Portugal.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Casa Agricola da Levada</a>, order dinner from a nearby pizzeria & get local wine from the "honesty shop" by the reception</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs7iGO-yyWyaJcfOlERUlLLHp6Wz_QaFIQzb38LuUOM3sTw5PXe5ylKpTVLyD1FFHG6UzDdryhsVvgC7bllkDiqi5UcGf6Vzj7gelgg0s2VvS2YfLHYfFogsHd2tocHsYBhA2GKTAf7_S/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Real-Casa+Agricola+da+Levada-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs7iGO-yyWyaJcfOlERUlLLHp6Wz_QaFIQzb38LuUOM3sTw5PXe5ylKpTVLyD1FFHG6UzDdryhsVvgC7bllkDiqi5UcGf6Vzj7gelgg0s2VvS2YfLHYfFogsHd2tocHsYBhA2GKTAf7_S/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Real-Casa+Agricola+da+Levada-01.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J8JLO6ZWjxXFxuZbt0qgB5CvaedI76kJmCzhWlbIDGZBArSonphq04sLcwxVQ0x8TLdMZqu4eMMQ-ZnsEf97sXFRsXwHgz6GH2YAZYLFN8hxwPHE4lI8hn0lCyk2xTG_InAHLWveMEX4/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Real-Casa+Agricola+da+Levada-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J8JLO6ZWjxXFxuZbt0qgB5CvaedI76kJmCzhWlbIDGZBArSonphq04sLcwxVQ0x8TLdMZqu4eMMQ-ZnsEf97sXFRsXwHgz6GH2YAZYLFN8hxwPHE4lI8hn0lCyk2xTG_InAHLWveMEX4/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Vila+Real-Casa+Agricola+da+Levada-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Visit <b>Palacio de Mateus</b> - a very pretty villa, with amazingly well-looked-after adjacent gardens</li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiE2sgIY_FqRQkM2XwMPteXyVV8uO1MFiVlR10JP5B3beHOOULWrVPjBoZvFp37GAjpFBKfo9Np9JovRgJFpsAu8I4LnKnq_Eb_mHEhAZIFi8bPKku5L9P6_QmublElkEY9oD6C444ggWA/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiE2sgIY_FqRQkM2XwMPteXyVV8uO1MFiVlR10JP5B3beHOOULWrVPjBoZvFp37GAjpFBKfo9Np9JovRgJFpsAu8I4LnKnq_Eb_mHEhAZIFi8bPKku5L9P6_QmublElkEY9oD6C444ggWA/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8bNcCkSa9Iik87BE-CrFLYNWpTsGgWgfqvRtxshJdFJ-5E2UjGOhBcHvOPWavQuhQ9D80uuZYGVTkocgc9nmFK1j7SS22JyNGA6p5wQ0031qtl_9qV2DYixhB3VfYLt_hTdI0wL9ftgu/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Casa+Mateus-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8bNcCkSa9Iik87BE-CrFLYNWpTsGgWgfqvRtxshJdFJ-5E2UjGOhBcHvOPWavQuhQ9D80uuZYGVTkocgc9nmFK1j7SS22JyNGA6p5wQ0031qtl_9qV2DYixhB3VfYLt_hTdI0wL9ftgu/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Casa+Mateus-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Porto</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGiecN6S_tTGCccNP3vU87eWdq3Eox-UExwObLAR1BUVzw2nPliNgEErzLFOmz5Fv-V-VZzm7MntK57ZRcQf39tuPV5BdrmGAX9VCkskX2JCo-rRrrA3FLxol4A646s8K3CKC7W2UYdrj/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGiecN6S_tTGCccNP3vU87eWdq3Eox-UExwObLAR1BUVzw2nPliNgEErzLFOmz5Fv-V-VZzm7MntK57ZRcQf39tuPV5BdrmGAX9VCkskX2JCo-rRrrA3FLxol4A646s8K3CKC7W2UYdrj/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ojrJftWqnNVOmlRFelOsImeSyCdox8N9YRYGGmNkg6yczg9-X_r5z073euDVaxJfPdFlMYbTpY-kX2sWIqbOixgdlqZipwUJi0HG-PEwRr-Zydcebf6ul9xv4YkO-krS3yeGzh_zy4h/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ojrJftWqnNVOmlRFelOsImeSyCdox8N9YRYGGmNkg6yczg9-X_r5z073euDVaxJfPdFlMYbTpY-kX2sWIqbOixgdlqZipwUJi0HG-PEwRr-Zydcebf6ul9xv4YkO-krS3yeGzh_zy4h/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxil1ZmDtWxsRo_A6d_uUwBhLSnGOioOC2uT2Uut_zkhqh6hEkWP5jnLZnsq-12aJUCubrF6G5L4X_ycIMFkVEsGXBwppKo1269cxMx5zGOU8zU7EEQyUh8gED4pqH_ursOjSg1Dmlfxe/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxil1ZmDtWxsRo_A6d_uUwBhLSnGOioOC2uT2Uut_zkhqh6hEkWP5jnLZnsq-12aJUCubrF6G5L4X_ycIMFkVEsGXBwppKo1269cxMx5zGOU8zU7EEQyUh8gED4pqH_ursOjSg1Dmlfxe/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-city.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">Self-guided overview city tour of Porto (e.g. Lonely Planet)</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GOnX-V2DXAsKrfC2fT0SIR4Uc8Ur_jqOGJT7Y6dLly6kBnv6RYhLnxCTosnXXfHaEdbm4CJroG4D2vy5xisFOFrAOKP1nH6nuFKKN38F1Uk1H2_8wEuZAgcKtGbVQghRMk7qaSiyK0uJ/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GOnX-V2DXAsKrfC2fT0SIR4Uc8Ur_jqOGJT7Y6dLly6kBnv6RYhLnxCTosnXXfHaEdbm4CJroG4D2vy5xisFOFrAOKP1nH6nuFKKN38F1Uk1H2_8wEuZAgcKtGbVQghRMk7qaSiyK0uJ/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-01.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Azulejos</b> at the train station</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOllbAhKzDdDs0IuqE5LcpD8sBGyIktY_UYjDgZ2EVwyWzc_ru7PI3rBSqtKWnXXSSfyVjVitx4ZQ5ZLgH9I7HoAGX0OP_h0GyOSSht4noJzaJY1BaLQ5L4H_Ou72wcD3iu6Ks1F6coydJ/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko--Porto-train-station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOllbAhKzDdDs0IuqE5LcpD8sBGyIktY_UYjDgZ2EVwyWzc_ru7PI3rBSqtKWnXXSSfyVjVitx4ZQ5ZLgH9I7HoAGX0OP_h0GyOSSht4noJzaJY1BaLQ5L4H_Ou72wcD3iu6Ks1F6coydJ/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko--Porto-train-station.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Palácio da Bolsa </b>- book a guided tour - those are fun & informative</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfSBTuixwZVgIA_BgUM7hZZ1JGEGlQqWYjdzd9Ht1Sl2-n9hjt3qmihioq_FFdy4EC3fKsrrnGmwBBujbRpUGbRGLrxepdtYG8JGo8OzfRz5syRTABowfDRRuKXNio9ts50CdWsMpRURr/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Pal%25C3%25A1cio-da-Bolsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfSBTuixwZVgIA_BgUM7hZZ1JGEGlQqWYjdzd9Ht1Sl2-n9hjt3qmihioq_FFdy4EC3fKsrrnGmwBBujbRpUGbRGLrxepdtYG8JGo8OzfRz5syRTABowfDRRuKXNio9ts50CdWsMpRURr/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Pal%25C3%25A1cio-da-Bolsa.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b style="text-align: justify;">Ribeira district</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> - Unesco World Heritage site, lots of riverside restaurants & art galleries</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxppqezcYQpqLT4BU95Vf602JlxR2f77GfvhQYauMgjWk_gj679jckZijcCYxMXxOTHBc07m81jw-NdyOcLUgQ0woahz35ZUTNtD9AoAwo-CLRPISmH3-_zBMs5rzYiaWys2Si5CtwDX7H/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxppqezcYQpqLT4BU95Vf602JlxR2f77GfvhQYauMgjWk_gj679jckZijcCYxMXxOTHBc07m81jw-NdyOcLUgQ0woahz35ZUTNtD9AoAwo-CLRPISmH3-_zBMs5rzYiaWys2Si5CtwDX7H/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfPgqn4I264eObFTXGzvM_RFQKZ6KuIZIiRBn8lLi8DwYh-RkwZwrtadbfSqBBr3oDptQONSfvZYfXyQMJXyGjWfsxeC7hj1GgO-pAq7PivghHX07nwCD-GhUNWQzAqZlwaP9TzXWsztu/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfPgqn4I264eObFTXGzvM_RFQKZ6KuIZIiRBn8lLi8DwYh-RkwZwrtadbfSqBBr3oDptQONSfvZYfXyQMJXyGjWfsxeC7hj1GgO-pAq7PivghHX07nwCD-GhUNWQzAqZlwaP9TzXWsztu/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252814%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zfRuokWOgg7wZz7Ms6ANebUD0Q-eh7ryXo4wxZP1WgVEn_1OwjhS7nLyQET2cCzq_hQ6CcNevqW1vVFevOxu2n-FVFCWiGFh12DAoJC0YRbhMK1T1UAZmOMaPVASMPaThQ1IJdthSfRC/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zfRuokWOgg7wZz7Ms6ANebUD0Q-eh7ryXo4wxZP1WgVEn_1OwjhS7nLyQET2cCzq_hQ6CcNevqW1vVFevOxu2n-FVFCWiGFh12DAoJC0YRbhMK1T1UAZmOMaPVASMPaThQ1IJdthSfRC/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Porto tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia </b>- best port winery in the world; book with the local tourist office for a value deal</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36V_FZluRQSsAwPnoNT86MOO-B6txhf83WWqBzyIDSQotlbm0kDPcfSEXVKe4uUrGMIlsYHVNNueQo6m470yNO3TPlYsCnKNv5qJtjGvyzFJ_2J_KuzUBKX9gSMF3k8M1d6_q-OCwnOjl/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Vila-Nova-de-Gaia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36V_FZluRQSsAwPnoNT86MOO-B6txhf83WWqBzyIDSQotlbm0kDPcfSEXVKe4uUrGMIlsYHVNNueQo6m470yNO3TPlYsCnKNv5qJtjGvyzFJ_2J_KuzUBKX9gSMF3k8M1d6_q-OCwnOjl/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Vila-Nova-de-Gaia.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;"><b>Vinologia </b><i>(30, R. de São João 28) </i>& <b>The Wine Box</b> <i>(Rua dos Mercadores 74) </i>– are two amazing wine bars, situated literally in front of each other. </span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGt48KF_Xp3pic1PUr20jE3cmKaKXBks9REwv3ha2PA8ov-RB7dJqeNuLxCcvSfkcaMj6s7qvA6dzBpE1c8WvMpOpfFS7ZABHlLLNSq9wWVr-yrlK3LiyykozlnE-C2hFWTdSd04Pnf4M/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Wine-Box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGt48KF_Xp3pic1PUr20jE3cmKaKXBks9REwv3ha2PA8ov-RB7dJqeNuLxCcvSfkcaMj6s7qvA6dzBpE1c8WvMpOpfFS7ZABHlLLNSq9wWVr-yrlK3LiyykozlnE-C2hFWTdSd04Pnf4M/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Wine-Box.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">Curiously, there're many library-themed shops, bars & cafes. Don't miss the Harry-Potter-esque <b>Livraria Lello & Irmão</b> <i>(Rua das Carmelitas 144) </i>and <b>Livravia da Baixa</b> <i>(Rua das Carmelitas 15) </i>– quirky </span><span style="text-align: justify;">cocktail bar with library/bookshop décor & delicious cocktails.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH8XOwUz_1gR8_QF6je92tFwSBBdqjrMBNd5hKAgAcgpTqxGBvD1ckw4azSMOMjTlemsDXENGh1siPUmGei1ll2YTiA-Ehbe1Q9ulY3HNL1LTE76iSvC6PiNWKe_fFQjo7JqNPF7ofeLf/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Libraria-Lello-Irm%25C3%25A3o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH8XOwUz_1gR8_QF6je92tFwSBBdqjrMBNd5hKAgAcgpTqxGBvD1ckw4azSMOMjTlemsDXENGh1siPUmGei1ll2YTiA-Ehbe1Q9ulY3HNL1LTE76iSvC6PiNWKe_fFQjo7JqNPF7ofeLf/s200/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Porto-Libraria-Lello-Irm%25C3%25A3o.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<b>From Porto to Lisbon along the coast</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><b>Obidos </b>- characteristic little town within the old castle walls, but can be skipped if in a rush.</li>
<li><b>Coimbra </b>- old university city, medieval churches, convent, nice nightlife. Famous for its 12th century Sé Velha de Coimbra & the pretty rooftops of the medieval city (best view from the university's clock tower).</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zQGFrvr_Mc7TelY_-sVqPYn0qm59Ap9EtK_-SLDjgRbMxG-qiFYcrGmCSqWD-Vf_QSbIa5WMXjYlXVWlXdgAt0mauB71_E0SK-FR8uou7dou9P9wRmn0NhseU0D264mnzK8twaUp773W/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Coimbra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zQGFrvr_Mc7TelY_-sVqPYn0qm59Ap9EtK_-SLDjgRbMxG-qiFYcrGmCSqWD-Vf_QSbIa5WMXjYlXVWlXdgAt0mauB71_E0SK-FR8uou7dou9P9wRmn0NhseU0D264mnzK8twaUp773W/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Coimbra.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Biblioteca Joanina</b> – pretty amazing – keep in mind that you have to get the ticket at the university’s tourist center just outside the <b>Porta Ferrea</b>. that’s the usual way to enter the university from the city, but because we sneaked into the university campus through Minerva stars (1725) next to Biblioteca Joanina, it took us some time to figure out the system</li>
<li><b>St.Michael’s Chapel</b> (ticket necessary) - worth seeing, but not mind-blowing; we got lucky & there was someone playing an organ when we came in, so that made it totally worth it.</li>
<li>Peak into the windows of the private examination room in the Northern corridor of the university – on a “normal” day it most probably will be someone’s thesis defense or something as equally exciting.</li>
<li>Go up the 18th century <b>University Tower (</b>bear in mind: there are a LOT of steps), but the view is magnificent.</li>
<li>Have the 50 cent espresso at the café on the main square, in the shade of the <b>Coimbra Cathedral</b>.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>Alcobaça Monastery </b>- marvel at 13th century monastery (UNESCO World Heritage)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UF34VkrfMCLm4sZ3UZIbR9T8DSGpLrFJCI7-s6xXh_4HOIDU9e5aq8G05_8CPCJ3IQ6vfuPJNIYv4vBboAqYhEcgvBbUwnJhovXIDgX_Bd_qFBoP7yvdkzYWyf9vpcVZbcBUDhvICzMh/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Alcobaca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UF34VkrfMCLm4sZ3UZIbR9T8DSGpLrFJCI7-s6xXh_4HOIDU9e5aq8G05_8CPCJ3IQ6vfuPJNIYv4vBboAqYhEcgvBbUwnJhovXIDgX_Bd_qFBoP7yvdkzYWyf9vpcVZbcBUDhvICzMh/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Alcobaca.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZaYZLqCXy-sjUsVNUI2lpKP6Bhyphenhyphen3cPC-bmfpRPvPB_sywTzsVcVwsXMuyKd7BzawIL-Lnj8IFVdzV9xZcJfvWAZ8LXmNUCItkg_qRJ9UjLNADyoiHhxtRwaAm7zZVX9xRpujJjhjIKyF/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZaYZLqCXy-sjUsVNUI2lpKP6Bhyphenhyphen3cPC-bmfpRPvPB_sywTzsVcVwsXMuyKd7BzawIL-Lnj8IFVdzV9xZcJfvWAZ8LXmNUCItkg_qRJ9UjLNADyoiHhxtRwaAm7zZVX9xRpujJjhjIKyF/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Nazaré </b>- make a was stop-over for a seafood dinner at one of the cosy family-run restaurants in the town famous for largest waves in the world. We dined at <b>"A Tasquinha"</b> <i>(Rua Adrião Batalha 54, 2450 Nazaré) </i>& were absolutely blown away by the quality. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Cascais</h2>
<div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">•</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-align: justify; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Stroll along <b>Marina de Cascais </b>& look at the pretty boats</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>have a seafood lunch at <b>Baía do Peixe </b><i>(Av. Dom Carlos I 6) </i>or one of the countless amazing restaurants<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH_J7YhK1Unc0Cb1adW-kaVhJOa3rmH-qMxkSPV9J_iIeTbWEetE8xZYCVBwff_6pfnD3czzQdqYW6hyphenhyphenaPCTNnvaVuCK3RwjhGTIqc8g6SIhNzKsXqRT_Je7A39Dv4uNWUV4Fc1g3nbK1/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Caiscias-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH_J7YhK1Unc0Cb1adW-kaVhJOa3rmH-qMxkSPV9J_iIeTbWEetE8xZYCVBwff_6pfnD3czzQdqYW6hyphenhyphenaPCTNnvaVuCK3RwjhGTIqc8g6SIhNzKsXqRT_Je7A39Dv4uNWUV4Fc1g3nbK1/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Caiscias-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONUADu6KEXy6YfYJSBL_5HcO3OIdCL7Z0joWmQQX2FdWK9-dxSDSBHMLQt6zlaik3MDW4kJKbNkptv2csqOPfCH93xLmD_tIT1fDqQXjL8I9QInI9U2GFXU9ONHLmksluBSdaTTXU-L8N/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Caiscias-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONUADu6KEXy6YfYJSBL_5HcO3OIdCL7Z0joWmQQX2FdWK9-dxSDSBHMLQt6zlaik3MDW4kJKbNkptv2csqOPfCH93xLmD_tIT1fDqQXjL8I9QInI9U2GFXU9ONHLmksluBSdaTTXU-L8N/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Caiscias-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Lisbon</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>San Jorge Castle</b> in the evening - on the way back (or there), have a glass of wine at <b>Wine Bar do Castelo </b><i>(R. Bartolomeu de Gusmão 11/13, 1100-000 Lisboa)</i> – according my multiple sources (including me!) – that’s one of the best wine bar in Lisbon, we were totally blown away by how knowledgeable the owner was & how personal his approach was in selecting wines & letting you try things before you actually commit to getting a full glass.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyazd2vGWsFVfu114BBo7eVoJEuw-Aa0T_Jn5I1BqwS-p62OpObYsBpXe21jdit1PQLUrZUVMbv2jA5Ffs_zW3MLz02p8Oqp01K89UfiaCC6cN3nnvCsF_YnYDi-iNrKMREq1BENl9qSL/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyazd2vGWsFVfu114BBo7eVoJEuw-Aa0T_Jn5I1BqwS-p62OpObYsBpXe21jdit1PQLUrZUVMbv2jA5Ffs_zW3MLz02p8Oqp01K89UfiaCC6cN3nnvCsF_YnYDi-iNrKMREq1BENl9qSL/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-uXdKD7VUHz9YHTezKtRn-2360Hm-xjPAo0csSp8NufIz3k3KFVLmKbKHgjVQ2kruLavgGyM7Q2gQZ8esuvCh6hnMlP8vXJdaaArnVxHa5TQZWcSCihXurkHFebQ7k5ZcW-u44WtZwPR/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-uXdKD7VUHz9YHTezKtRn-2360Hm-xjPAo0csSp8NufIz3k3KFVLmKbKHgjVQ2kruLavgGyM7Q2gQZ8esuvCh6hnMlP8vXJdaaArnVxHa5TQZWcSCihXurkHFebQ7k5ZcW-u44WtZwPR/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252821%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwKCuPCukbticX8R4mTLxLDaXGjiT06Hfgn9PgtLAsq6-4_LRPNyqEQPyBAtR5rFg-NpgMTdaAySHtBHsQ9t1OFvPQB-2MZwnFRn9q0HzFKDJuDMCUp1VlTbZjRNNwLca3ppRGi8mVDKr/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252819%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwKCuPCukbticX8R4mTLxLDaXGjiT06Hfgn9PgtLAsq6-4_LRPNyqEQPyBAtR5rFg-NpgMTdaAySHtBHsQ9t1OFvPQB-2MZwnFRn9q0HzFKDJuDMCUp1VlTbZjRNNwLca3ppRGi8mVDKr/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252819%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">For a different perspective on a castle, have a </span>drink with a view @ <b>Rooftop Bar of Hotel Mundial </b><i>(1100-341 Lisbon, +351 21 884 2000)</i>, which also has live Jazz on Thursdays</li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFUQKo1nRs_kgCSalk8gI5UynbfBU8Y3mY6WCP1mFyj4bWLYSesxiEC9SXY5jX1gfZ7KvdUqCSC-hi3gLyP2-JToBRCGJvOwqGBToUmsKypnqZoYW2eE0fCK28MI2jlICfdWUo2Zyg_vB/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-San-Jorge-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFUQKo1nRs_kgCSalk8gI5UynbfBU8Y3mY6WCP1mFyj4bWLYSesxiEC9SXY5jX1gfZ7KvdUqCSC-hi3gLyP2-JToBRCGJvOwqGBToUmsKypnqZoYW2eE0fCK28MI2jlICfdWUo2Zyg_vB/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-San-Jorge-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Convento do Carmo</b> - the ruins of a mediaeval Gothic convent that was ruined in the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfnZ29L-7ZFwO7JWB0p8o5dOBb6IqdNdQVfrZQ3EqtTvHctypfo-ZGbSKhTpB3p_pfkyzXaS75AOSTTOF9M664mYWurJPWvOUu1NtFitZDXACoDiIRrro9-oUNJpPiKZ0nE0_yXNfoQ86/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-+Lisbon-Convento-do-Carmo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfnZ29L-7ZFwO7JWB0p8o5dOBb6IqdNdQVfrZQ3EqtTvHctypfo-ZGbSKhTpB3p_pfkyzXaS75AOSTTOF9M664mYWurJPWvOUu1NtFitZDXACoDiIRrro9-oUNJpPiKZ0nE0_yXNfoQ86/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-+Lisbon-Convento-do-Carmo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Alfama district walk </b>great for pictures, go to <b>Mirador Santa Luzia </b>– best view of the hidden courtyards, labyrinth alleyways – you can take a tram there from the center. </li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMR2GZgFtFFJ88xfmECceW2WGv508_bmcTzGsw-UFVM3-KVthg4j8v3p5Ca8SiHuC8nV3Rtuc0wVtU6vuFHniLcu1tvftDxpgTkkQnym0cadj1-jFTVPauwLrxgHvd_1aMk90l11l9Az9/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Alfama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMR2GZgFtFFJ88xfmECceW2WGv508_bmcTzGsw-UFVM3-KVthg4j8v3p5Ca8SiHuC8nV3Rtuc0wVtU6vuFHniLcu1tvftDxpgTkkQnym0cadj1-jFTVPauwLrxgHvd_1aMk90l11l9Az9/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Alfama.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Fetch a ride with tram 28 or with <b>Elevador da Bica</b>, which climbs Calçada do Combro & Rua do Loreto.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOPUtdpvfMqAJIRBC3Rs21ABZXzJQyniZQn21fz9Xtd9qY9kcndI5XoY5UCLTtJc0skS1dWvPOzsGYNVK14oj9yZD5lgcKkW5gc8xVhXaezJH2dfkxZs6TvNxf8-Yes25MUlX11rzdSvC/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Tram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOPUtdpvfMqAJIRBC3Rs21ABZXzJQyniZQn21fz9Xtd9qY9kcndI5XoY5UCLTtJc0skS1dWvPOzsGYNVK14oj9yZD5lgcKkW5gc8xVhXaezJH2dfkxZs6TvNxf8-Yes25MUlX11rzdSvC/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Tram.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Visit the Belém district</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><b>Palace of Discovery </b>- celebrate the Portuguese Age of Discovery and remember Henry the Navigator at the 52 metre-high Padrão dos Descobrimentos.</li>
<li>Visit the Lisbon'd iconic <b>Tower of Belém</b> on the bank of the Tagus River</li>
<li>East pastel de nata (custard tart, served warm & dusted with cinnamon & powder sugar) – @ <b>Pastéis de Belém</b> <i>(R. Belém 84-92)</i>.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-KblWz2_UfS62JsmC6V4gCxKhA8E3tpIvjXJE78avNGSJZKD5UqBwcJQcJsg4GQfEdjH6pD5zKysnxWJng5ECnTMSBn2Dn7IBVVKdlLxAnwG3TgAUumWsELBAlEbBmdZuBRzM8xjz_sY/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Belem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-KblWz2_UfS62JsmC6V4gCxKhA8E3tpIvjXJE78avNGSJZKD5UqBwcJQcJsg4GQfEdjH6pD5zKysnxWJng5ECnTMSBn2Dn7IBVVKdlLxAnwG3TgAUumWsELBAlEbBmdZuBRzM8xjz_sY/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Belem.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Oceanario </b>& <b>Vasco da Gama bridge</b> + <b>Parque of Nations</b> – if you have like half a day (it’s a bit further away from the center) & would like to escape the crowds a bit. To get there, you'll need to catch the red metro line (directrion "Aeroporto") till <b>Oriente </b>(don't forget to stop & appreciate Gustavo Calabtrava's masterpiece: <b>Gare do Oriente</b>). </li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw95ZPmpMMh0AU7jxwgbaIQQ0JwkMhKx5vdcOVag5fzlph8W7w4gBeH4e7lp1jJEKVnF0SVksBT6XxUYZ9-cjwDaSmuVLiVoqJ0AmCekix7TQyvVtmuBNkhRdX-MpnwWxOKC7xen6TRc07/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Parque-of-Nations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw95ZPmpMMh0AU7jxwgbaIQQ0JwkMhKx5vdcOVag5fzlph8W7w4gBeH4e7lp1jJEKVnF0SVksBT6XxUYZ9-cjwDaSmuVLiVoqJ0AmCekix7TQyvVtmuBNkhRdX-MpnwWxOKC7xen6TRc07/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Parque-of-Nations.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WY6qQn8e1UAsl3FfBj2PeAeos6Sok1-vGTDxb6AlXLdebL1cz8S5RRpfO8kvl1jmAy8VK6JSg7kFa5rIBYJMGhUz9HvjI_z6w8Smq1ergnHHqwrJIZH2VR5WILs1xzLx5C76m8XlZs0z/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WY6qQn8e1UAsl3FfBj2PeAeos6Sok1-vGTDxb6AlXLdebL1cz8S5RRpfO8kvl1jmAy8VK6JSg7kFa5rIBYJMGhUz9HvjI_z6w8Smq1ergnHHqwrJIZH2VR5WILs1xzLx5C76m8XlZs0z/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252822%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li>One can simply stroll down the <b>Parque of Nations </b>to the <b>Vasco da Gama bridge,</b> but I felt our experience was enriched when after the walk we took along the shore, next to the sail-shaped <b>Myriad hotel</b>, up to teleferic, which took us to <b>Oceanario</b>, where we, without rushing, chilled out after a hot day in the city & watched all kinds of fish, penguins & the cute little otters. By the way, there're lots of restaurants on the promenade on the way from the train station to the Parque of Nations - I tried the tastiest Estrela mountain cheese there!</li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlll8_iKvw0NPF0Z2ra509j_JKPTXZUuxgiaWweIsqONNZ_Np3qnxtafvTmUYey-SGv9ZgxERylHK6xkAJwuk8-4nSsJQ0rrf6YucgxbsGGWMwu31GtWbO_1JiOhkoRIBB2WTuHxk3snhY/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Park-of-Nations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlll8_iKvw0NPF0Z2ra509j_JKPTXZUuxgiaWweIsqONNZ_Np3qnxtafvTmUYey-SGv9ZgxERylHK6xkAJwuk8-4nSsJQ0rrf6YucgxbsGGWMwu31GtWbO_1JiOhkoRIBB2WTuHxk3snhY/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Park-of-Nations.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxum8BW3kVVAjxng8C2kfyG5IcIt4zpYl9p8ryN6wW8BBtbZ_j03M3NP6ww2ucNgjZ0zyMTow-dbjZxy-Lg6sRzhqc4N8poOtgAH6G5qGdvmY6TzcYq7Zh0zfvIjd8eFQUhEWGNlFxsZz6/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxum8BW3kVVAjxng8C2kfyG5IcIt4zpYl9p8ryN6wW8BBtbZ_j03M3NP6ww2ucNgjZ0zyMTow-dbjZxy-Lg6sRzhqc4N8poOtgAH6G5qGdvmY6TzcYq7Zh0zfvIjd8eFQUhEWGNlFxsZz6/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252820%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Jf8T9J21EiwLnQrSSr_TeJW38Pjui3jCDnhTw1y1026Jg2_rFiD19wxe39SpAxxGU9pSq51Qa5twBEHoU4JUx_O1ZIb4qiZSHHEAqwyA88yPTv2o_LF-h8q04ETKezSXJfbqYQXx5Bzk/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-+Lisbon-Park-of-Nations-Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Jf8T9J21EiwLnQrSSr_TeJW38Pjui3jCDnhTw1y1026Jg2_rFiD19wxe39SpAxxGU9pSq51Qa5twBEHoU4JUx_O1ZIb4qiZSHHEAqwyA88yPTv2o_LF-h8q04ETKezSXJfbqYQXx5Bzk/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-+Lisbon-Park-of-Nations-Beach.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Go to a <b>ginjinha bar</b> around Rossio station</li>
<li><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">Have dinner somewhere in </span><b>Chiado </b>- the best place to eat in Lissabon. The best dining tip I have about Lisbon is <b>Restaurante 100 Maneiras</b> <i>(Rua do Teixeira, 35, everyday, 19h30-02h; only with reservation) </i>- an amazing culinary experience with creatively playful presentation, palette-cleansers & great Portuguese wines. A "100" is also approximately the amount in euros that you're gonna leave there for all that awesomeness, but it's totally worth it! Definitely TOP 3 restaurant I’ve been to in my life. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9vfIaRgqPorMtJW4sCf7CvNKPvqE_9sl1_omXWToFNhohYLyxd72WQbYkv0OIBjWNIMze5DC0vkVH7n6pOlES5wQEsJ94HNQGgFmSS8tGG6_mTJ8EXKbHlTZOXrJ4MOxQxRYtQ-vClJB/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-100-Maneiras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9vfIaRgqPorMtJW4sCf7CvNKPvqE_9sl1_omXWToFNhohYLyxd72WQbYkv0OIBjWNIMze5DC0vkVH7n6pOlES5wQEsJ94HNQGgFmSS8tGG6_mTJ8EXKbHlTZOXrJ4MOxQxRYtQ-vClJB/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-100-Maneiras.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Marvel at the <b>Se cathedral</b>. And, if you’re hungry around the time you’re there - there’s a great restaurant <b>Cruzes Credo</b> <i>(Rua Cruzes da Se 29) </i>– great unassuming restaurant with local food, I ordered Arroz de Tamboriz & was totally blown away.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqOPVuuCT3eBeErkPliGXoGaltB2eadGM4n3XwfPS5tjDtHTj5EBAqa2Nd_9tsBKzRTN_0k1T3yc54d7Rs2mIgzrUjYtmhjX9bdEZRmRVKzzqoQgkpg4DY4vfNRCMMLK15BrfjObJwHJo/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqOPVuuCT3eBeErkPliGXoGaltB2eadGM4n3XwfPS5tjDtHTj5EBAqa2Nd_9tsBKzRTN_0k1T3yc54d7Rs2mIgzrUjYtmhjX9bdEZRmRVKzzqoQgkpg4DY4vfNRCMMLK15BrfjObJwHJo/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Eat tapas & drink at <b>Bairro Alto </b>or <b>Bica </b>- nice bar scene. They have something kind of weird to me in Lisbon: “take-away cocktails”. What is even more surprising: they are actually GOOD, sometimes even great. Just out of curiosity I stopped over at <b>Bar Clandestino</b> (Rua da Barroca 99) & was amazed at the quality, fresh ingredients, hearty portions & the overall - I can honestly say that you might get something like that only at the top cocktail bars in Amsterdam, needless to say, you'll pay a fortune for it. </li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmrWwRtLjsJkspXcaLzxgHr7jMNIdhJJXWOeoD-7vV-EnJoKkWmK6aHap7JNBt3oGqtqXzCVf20XgUdwd63Ul0H2ggSAbSI1qyWvwPqns0Id944wosJtTVBN5zelXzUxtAtrmDhtZ4YRB/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Bairro-Alto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmrWwRtLjsJkspXcaLzxgHr7jMNIdhJJXWOeoD-7vV-EnJoKkWmK6aHap7JNBt3oGqtqXzCVf20XgUdwd63Ul0H2ggSAbSI1qyWvwPqns0Id944wosJtTVBN5zelXzUxtAtrmDhtZ4YRB/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Lisbon-Bairro-Alto.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Sintra</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you have one day outside of Lisbon, go to Sintra (45mins by train, direct connection from Rossio): trains leave from Rossio Train Station - every 30 min, takes about 45 mins to get to Sintra.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ul>
<li><b>Palacio de Pena</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4ApHLWEYCMU-2OwK2MTnlZu5fEY4eQQ7uF5UUMo4Pk-Z1QzeTxrVDadJlVz3QGI3_K_8D5Ya1pseVo3Y-WB_trSToQZZU2wlwDJDgvYsHc4jzx4auB4pASalYhxUJc71cQb2NJAeJjHe/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4ApHLWEYCMU-2OwK2MTnlZu5fEY4eQQ7uF5UUMo4Pk-Z1QzeTxrVDadJlVz3QGI3_K_8D5Ya1pseVo3Y-WB_trSToQZZU2wlwDJDgvYsHc4jzx4auB4pASalYhxUJc71cQb2NJAeJjHe/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0kXZP73ForBNuoFLoeGAkVCnjJlTawJ0bahtSXSzI5XwdC4qt9Qw-UFeNMfG31-JI6vZFOvihfL4iDAA7VFQXOkBRAbr6dZBsQ2qjN6vr-6qIbLSJLVHU_JJcbs_slL4JisANdsTRFsb/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra-Palacio-de-Pena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0kXZP73ForBNuoFLoeGAkVCnjJlTawJ0bahtSXSzI5XwdC4qt9Qw-UFeNMfG31-JI6vZFOvihfL4iDAA7VFQXOkBRAbr6dZBsQ2qjN6vr-6qIbLSJLVHU_JJcbs_slL4JisANdsTRFsb/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra-Palacio-de-Pena.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Moorish Castle</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLjj6abQb9WYAbrMycU5jE3ysFtMSY7THkQGtRrrj5nfQyW3IRAQuMvmU0X6CzcXOpIEFKXhRRb751yIuyGql4DJdvJq4Rbp7ddpCzAE16i07f20Wi1WNVgBtYpWaFti7iFC_zED0ySr8/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252823%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLjj6abQb9WYAbrMycU5jE3ysFtMSY7THkQGtRrrj5nfQyW3IRAQuMvmU0X6CzcXOpIEFKXhRRb751yIuyGql4DJdvJq4Rbp7ddpCzAE16i07f20Wi1WNVgBtYpWaFti7iFC_zED0ySr8/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%252823%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RTFwlu1cd2V2NMZCO4W2Uk6WmH6qN9n3-Jhz_lkUwGFgWxmLjk5DJjq1cLtllfkfl248xCdfx6lwZcQpBv_Y1L-dJPXyrYt_pAS5fM6TNoGd_r-iaj3Qx0tvvv5nj86v5pmQAxweUDZn/s1600/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RTFwlu1cd2V2NMZCO4W2Uk6WmH6qN9n3-Jhz_lkUwGFgWxmLjk5DJjq1cLtllfkfl248xCdfx6lwZcQpBv_Y1L-dJPXyrYt_pAS5fM6TNoGd_r-iaj3Qx0tvvv5nj86v5pmQAxweUDZn/s400/Portugal-Road-Trip-Alena-Romanenko+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Quinta da Rigaleira</b> - walk though Luigi Manini's fantasy in the labyrinth parks & get lost in the dungeons secret passages & initiation wells. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbWw3vpqG7wxb6z8BS2WivwhDmVDNf9kJPJdPtAX5D-wSHQqCMFqFZDCc2zNUbuKcNitNjon0jOD4bUUrPK4sjWi5qV0dysWbYnygJR5YX0w8-9AW8Qc11MS4x4RRkZAGWl2zWiQNX7qA/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra-Quinta+da+Regaleira-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbWw3vpqG7wxb6z8BS2WivwhDmVDNf9kJPJdPtAX5D-wSHQqCMFqFZDCc2zNUbuKcNitNjon0jOD4bUUrPK4sjWi5qV0dysWbYnygJR5YX0w8-9AW8Qc11MS4x4RRkZAGWl2zWiQNX7qA/s400/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-Sintra-Quinta+da+Regaleira-01.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And, of course, don't forget to bring some delicious goodies home for friends & family:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3mVLB1NkBtPwsbQ24BW06EHaAIwxNU7-AyYb5YRkX6SD8Qdf22ah5MounRvGlrl22Qpfj9ULF-YZEGM-vtr6KCjSU-sMEQt1kjs8HKXdOqcr5FAXyc48vRhj0lua3u8mKsO5JwozKFeb/s1600/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-souvenirs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3mVLB1NkBtPwsbQ24BW06EHaAIwxNU7-AyYb5YRkX6SD8Qdf22ah5MounRvGlrl22Qpfj9ULF-YZEGM-vtr6KCjSU-sMEQt1kjs8HKXdOqcr5FAXyc48vRhj0lua3u8mKsO5JwozKFeb/s320/Portugal-Alena-Romanenko-souvenirs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Portugal39.399871999999988 -8.22445400000003726.509658499999986 -28.878751000000037 52.290085499999989 12.429842999999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-82970436389623053412015-04-13T22:59:00.000+02:002015-05-07T22:53:44.373+02:00Saga #5: The West (Vesturland) & Westfjords (Vestfirðir)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RKJyApISoq76UlIWm2cQG1zcNhe1_d3VeP8pEfwt2YCM6d_NH-diTvmQqJ6Zte8R_Lz3VT1WsVd2KmAuhyphenhyphen1ImafBpSVH27kkDishsTypDqMeqx-GqjXF3din8svNjX8__2gTpDBIeAuY/s1600/Iceland_WEST_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RKJyApISoq76UlIWm2cQG1zcNhe1_d3VeP8pEfwt2YCM6d_NH-diTvmQqJ6Zte8R_Lz3VT1WsVd2KmAuhyphenhyphen1ImafBpSVH27kkDishsTypDqMeqx-GqjXF3din8svNjX8__2gTpDBIeAuY/s1600/Iceland_WEST_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Westfjords</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGi5sgOun5xvENDfruVyO6xXD9H33EWThdmAYNNuIQh7bJkctRMauEPmVK_RkterqhhDPU51H17oSJ5tqgpvjN3cEzX3GYmgxXvXKaFZkrVQHPVgLiBgikkIUHm_uoeJOXACx4pclP8iO/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGi5sgOun5xvENDfruVyO6xXD9H33EWThdmAYNNuIQh7bJkctRMauEPmVK_RkterqhhDPU51H17oSJ5tqgpvjN3cEzX3GYmgxXvXKaFZkrVQHPVgLiBgikkIUHm_uoeJOXACx4pclP8iO/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5l7nC-FLgSFdSWkwKJ_P_QB4DI9QvTmVB_H7FgUqSe7LZCjI__ycfdp51d9dvzFBXNx-dX8EimSG52E1Ke3oHrip32eGCAfhJm5_pzGahjUABkleD-VjgQI3Dd77m5UaLpJHbwjHlZu1/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5l7nC-FLgSFdSWkwKJ_P_QB4DI9QvTmVB_H7FgUqSe7LZCjI__ycfdp51d9dvzFBXNx-dX8EimSG52E1Ke3oHrip32eGCAfhJm5_pzGahjUABkleD-VjgQI3Dd77m5UaLpJHbwjHlZu1/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Westfjords </b>- это отдаленный и довольно дикий район Исландии. Высокие горы и умопомрачительно глубокие фьорды простираются тут на сотни километров береговой линии. Население всего полуострова в целом не насчитывает даже 8000 человек. Северная часть Западных фьордов - полуостров <b>Hornstandir</b>, был заброшен еще в 50-е годы прошлого века. С тех пор люди там появляются не часто (только туристы-любители «ну уж ОЧЕНЬ дикой природы»). И как ни заманчиво мне вспомнились <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2010/04/post-12-life-in-death-valley.html">колоритные города-призраки с Калифорнийских просторов</a>, мы решили сконцентрироваться на мене дикой части полуострова (поскольку дорога там была всего одна: неасфальтированная и заглядывающая в каждый фьорд), и отправились в незабываемое двухдневное путешествие по Westfjord-ам (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/4oMNX">приблизительный Google-maps маршрут - тут</a>). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0_tEaE5vdPL7eFFgFBqj8Z7kl6U9BIqsPdJV4n8-G9LCiqU2hH88OVUU1Mq1RyFK9_2g5GG_oEgUFquGZNA7t2mWttwzxWTu4wvK-6b5wPsT4ExSk0YXEd5rP63coDMebBGfVoa2YLS6/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0_tEaE5vdPL7eFFgFBqj8Z7kl6U9BIqsPdJV4n8-G9LCiqU2hH88OVUU1Mq1RyFK9_2g5GG_oEgUFquGZNA7t2mWttwzxWTu4wvK-6b5wPsT4ExSk0YXEd5rP63coDMebBGfVoa2YLS6/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV-UD7WFG_ACpelpV8ouKvLAU7C1SEfyVYzOab_f8opO6w4DpaqEkNTPviRLTu63BAEbE1I0-mVh1OJ3rhvCYThqaZYO1AFcYu1UVggmUh9Rmqh0Cl7h5EhADVIO099GmKnXhsMAFWjEB/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV-UD7WFG_ACpelpV8ouKvLAU7C1SEfyVYzOab_f8opO6w4DpaqEkNTPviRLTu63BAEbE1I0-mVh1OJ3rhvCYThqaZYO1AFcYu1UVggmUh9Rmqh0Cl7h5EhADVIO099GmKnXhsMAFWjEB/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-08.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Немногочисленные и негустонаселенные города в этом районе: <b>Borðeyri </b>(население: 25 человек), <b>Þingeyri </b>(260 жителей)<b> </b>и "мегаполис" по местным масштабам <b>Hólmavík </b>с населением в 375 душ. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Поездка по этой части Исландии очень приятная: вы увидите многочисленные фьорды <b>Ísafjarðardjúp</b>, полные диковинных мхов, морских котиков и различных птиц. В этих местах множество цветочных полей, а также рек, живописно вьющихся мимо зеленых лугов, например, в районе <b>Arngerðareyri </b>и <b>Þingeyri</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKXtDcYLN2JvBS9-fyFMvxgero4lsQa6LJuGgSvsnPqm5gSh-MMr6qPx5rZCgsXsIHiSzOgQEqSAhM_I9KzlW7xG16k37k8tQgOI0MJv5lLME6d1wt8Apt2ia1oXbiqsw4bEsv0MiXeWp/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKXtDcYLN2JvBS9-fyFMvxgero4lsQa6LJuGgSvsnPqm5gSh-MMr6qPx5rZCgsXsIHiSzOgQEqSAhM_I9KzlW7xG16k37k8tQgOI0MJv5lLME6d1wt8Apt2ia1oXbiqsw4bEsv0MiXeWp/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77RVR1sCityqhT7Uw0BgvYmFms4AMof02EfVpmDKEro7h-DiNfNdqX1SnP_pp6572d02K3_NdwrsPn0EZboQaTy_8WcMJ38-acjkeiG8O0CBIETlt_OHIYC6IxTLrvn2MgtRVNR2j8CXN/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77RVR1sCityqhT7Uw0BgvYmFms4AMof02EfVpmDKEro7h-DiNfNdqX1SnP_pp6572d02K3_NdwrsPn0EZboQaTy_8WcMJ38-acjkeiG8O0CBIETlt_OHIYC6IxTLrvn2MgtRVNR2j8CXN/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60Z17CQZyQrBC15carxZBFXO7F1uOt4KhseJeQt9f5KLW6LfV9Nj2iYKiqT2hUMX8zm9rMDgmZZRZhCZZlYPBHaiFm30f8-4zODu4pSWdZJDkqsjf3EzLErDeCUbqTdhzpc2LQRvpTkJj/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60Z17CQZyQrBC15carxZBFXO7F1uOt4KhseJeQt9f5KLW6LfV9Nj2iYKiqT2hUMX8zm9rMDgmZZRZhCZZlYPBHaiFm30f8-4zODu4pSWdZJDkqsjf3EzLErDeCUbqTdhzpc2LQRvpTkJj/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3U5zBI2iE3X9aIfkSvGDdTX0o4eOxkF0vGf0icNODPK8Pe69oA8Nnp_op_8OK9Zy0Dn4DhTDlOR0VJsY51O-YuTPwacBu-5Jhy4-u7VtH1GRnmIirf5HTNChtpJL_8nFUaqczFsL3eZm/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3U5zBI2iE3X9aIfkSvGDdTX0o4eOxkF0vGf0icNODPK8Pe69oA8Nnp_op_8OK9Zy0Dn4DhTDlOR0VJsY51O-YuTPwacBu-5Jhy4-u7VtH1GRnmIirf5HTNChtpJL_8nFUaqczFsL3eZm/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Среди массы непримечательных кратких описаний городов и местных достопримечательностей, мое внимание поймал музей с необычным названием «Музей Волшебства и Ведьмарства» (<i>Sorcery & Witchcraft Museum</i>) в <b>Hólmavík</b>-е. Экспромтом, мы остановились в вышеупомянутом "мегаполисе", чтобы на часок-другой погрузиться в оккультное Исландское средневековье. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Оказывается, что во времена Инквизиции до Исландии дошли лишь легкие отголоски европейских жестокостей. Пока в Европе неугасая горели костры выдуманной войны с ведьмами, в Исландии за весь период с 1600 по 1800 годы к сжиганию на костре было приговорены лишь 21 человек (большинство из них: в Западных Фьордах). Необычным также явлеятся тот факт, что все (за исключением одного) приговоренные были (в отличие от Европы) мужчинами. Музей «Волшебства и Ведьмарства» занимательно и детально расследует буквально каждый из случаев, и даже неискушенному наблюдателю открывается определенная система в выборе "жертв"… Поскольку по исландским законам любой обвиненный в колдовстве мог быть оправдан, если 12 человек поручатся, что он невиновен, то дело доходило до суда лишь в случаях либо очень непопулярных людей, либо когда «чужак» случайно забредал в глухие деревеньки в этом районе и попадал в какой-то переплет. В тех случаях, когда обвиненные не были чужаками или «паршивыми овцами» села, большинство приговоренных были членами семьи, которая не ладила с кем-то из местных властьимущих. Ну, а начавшуюся вражду уже было не остановить. Один экстремальный случай представлял собой невообразимую, но, тем не менее, правдивую историю, когда истеричная жена влиятельного гражданина Холмовика, обвинила в наслании порчи сначала одного неприглянувшегося ей молодого человека, а затем и его отца, мать (эта дама и была единственной женщиной, сожженной в Исландии за "волшебство") и еще пару неосторожно "проходивших мимо" их родственников. Поскольку популярностью попавшая в немилость семья пользовалась недостаточной (12 поручителей на каждого не набралось), а денег на подкуп у мужа истеричной дамы было хоть отбавляй, всех обвиненных казнили.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В тех редких случаях, когда ведьмаков казнили по другим колдовским обвинениям, обычно оказывалось, что эти бедные исландцы наивно верили, что при помощи рунических надписей и старинных заклятий они могут защитить своих овечек от арктических лис или вызвать ветер на море. Конечно, умереть за такую «шалось» кажется некоторым перегибом, однако, что ж поделать, все-таки Средние Века!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Неудивительно, что с таким «послужным списком», символом этой области (а позже и символом самого музея Волшестбства) стал <i>Ægishjálmur</i>. <i>Ægishjálmur </i>- магический символ силы “подчинять себе врагов”. Дословно эгисхьялмур обозначает «шлем благоговения» (<i>"The Helm of Awe"</i>) и призван вселять страх в души врагов, но, в первую очередь, должен защищать владельца от всех тех, кто злоупотребляет властью.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x3BRKogXNPckFLu7M5pISV2yI_RJfBnq7EpvDwj4zAve8wb3L-OFkIDmvvEwHX6ibs2k4J9GWcmfMuiknHCNMxGoqXOb11HCFomJmXWwBYv7MgEIfz2vCGoj3gGg8dPQQMVHBQHJOmBT/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Holmavik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x3BRKogXNPckFLu7M5pISV2yI_RJfBnq7EpvDwj4zAve8wb3L-OFkIDmvvEwHX6ibs2k4J9GWcmfMuiknHCNMxGoqXOb11HCFomJmXWwBYv7MgEIfz2vCGoj3gGg8dPQQMVHBQHJOmBT/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Holmavik.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Ísafjördur</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Большая часть населения (около 2600 человек) Восточных фьордов проживает в этом районе. Несмотря на то, что сегодня весь полуостров, да и сам <b>Изафьордур</b>, прямо скажем, не бурлят жизнью, этот регион и город имеют долгую и богатую историю.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8136rn41nZe130RfWptXXIPX5pud2yPKTRTQ0EDHOkupFSz6I5iQGgVYfY_-lmXU7FaCpC9w8BJTCTmitjRo_8yskhMn4qywcqDTuZGyumFlemBcuudzgGQgZNMj8U6GyqY3I279bZruw/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6rdur-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8136rn41nZe130RfWptXXIPX5pud2yPKTRTQ0EDHOkupFSz6I5iQGgVYfY_-lmXU7FaCpC9w8BJTCTmitjRo_8yskhMn4qywcqDTuZGyumFlemBcuudzgGQgZNMj8U6GyqY3I279bZruw/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6rdur-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Первыми поселенцами тут были норвежские и исландские купцы, в 1569 году тут уже был торговый пост Hansa; следующая глава истории этого города сконцентрирована вокруг китобойного промысла: сначала тут был логистический центр Норвежских китобоев, в 50-е годы к ним присоединились и сами Исландцы, пока старания активистов не привели к тому, что в 1989 году промышленное китобойство запретили. Хотя, как известно, в недавнее время запрет был снят, и <b>Ísafjördur </b>снова время от времени появляется в тематических заголовках в связи со стараниями Greenpeace-a и других защитников природы.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZy_-jX4vC7tWI5QuOLRwrpFlO3GWAxw4Z8C-u8WTsG4BpGhGw5XFZ_L4X84CNMQHJsqL233LwgHRzymbpVPud5PknooAiz0WuT_VaB0r3CDAYaKDaSP-tKquY6cw0x7ljNhaaVnvzMFa/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Isafjordur-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZy_-jX4vC7tWI5QuOLRwrpFlO3GWAxw4Z8C-u8WTsG4BpGhGw5XFZ_L4X84CNMQHJsqL233LwgHRzymbpVPud5PknooAiz0WuT_VaB0r3CDAYaKDaSP-tKquY6cw0x7ljNhaaVnvzMFa/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Isafjordur-collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В число местных достопримечательностей Изафьордура входят арка из челюсти большого синего кита, а также памятник морякам, тянущим невод. За неимением более "примечательных достопримечательностей", мы отправились в местную библиотеку и удачно попали на тур, который проводила заведующая для американских студентов, приехавших по обмену в летнюю школу. Оказалось, что до 60-х годов здание это было больницей. С тех же времен на стенке висит картина, нарисованная одним из бывших пациентов. Вдохновение он черпал из своего пребывания в больнице будучи ребенком. Лечил его тогда местная знаменитость медицинского мира, доктор <i>Úlfur </i>(чье имя в переводе означает "Волк"). Наблюдать, что же получилось, можно ниже на картинке. Тут же, кстати, отражен национальный исландский напиток, который исландцы особенно охотно пьют под Рождество: <i>Maltöl appelsín</i>. Похоже, что это исландская версия Radler-a, т.к. <i>appelsín </i>- это апельсиновый газированный напиток, а <i>maltöl </i>– что-то среднее между пивом и эйлем.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXPC11t5maMjWXIN37_LeOv64ruLyGgK0ulNOp2E5OvNkRC6UHf8YWmXfuhdW0T7rGKzkxDcvA_sFn7EsCuHMqmbC2hBCyq0YU_ffu6GWMCu7yekbL0FR1RaVKX2oLu4xeb8zQ99GqnnQ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6rdur-hospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXPC11t5maMjWXIN37_LeOv64ruLyGgK0ulNOp2E5OvNkRC6UHf8YWmXfuhdW0T7rGKzkxDcvA_sFn7EsCuHMqmbC2hBCyq0YU_ffu6GWMCu7yekbL0FR1RaVKX2oLu4xeb8zQ99GqnnQ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-%C3%8Dsafj%C3%B6rdur-hospital.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Как раз, когда заведующая коммуницировала эту информацию смиренно внимающим студентам, я выглянула в окошко и заценила экзистенциальный исландский юмор: вид из окна библиотеки-госпиталя был прямо на … кладбище :-)</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Dynjandi & Tálkafjörður</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Сфоткавшись напоследок с вышеупомянутой аркой из китовой челюсти, мы двинулись к следующему пункту: водопаду <b>Dynjandi</b>. Из-за своей «модельной внешности» водопад этот явлется природным эквивалентом «девушки с обложки» в Восточных Фьордах. Необычным в этом водопаде является то, что вам придется подниматься в гору около километра, чтобы добраться до самой фотогеничной части водопада. Нарезвившись на камнях рядом с водопадом, мы нагуляли аппетит: благо, что у автопарковки удобно располагались столики, где мы и отужинали перед тем, как успеть на еще одно приключение, которое ждало нас этим вечером.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickcvYja1h1lFNkDwoxfsThlP2Rz2jmqdVgjLe0Jx7_E3VnkrXKZtEb9v198KeL_j_RGnDY9omcWbqgECQ_SjKaxFEO_42Jof5ypD2IqADSZfpIHyUemVHEL-K3a-q4GlJBzfwlh6JLRx1/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dynjandi-duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickcvYja1h1lFNkDwoxfsThlP2Rz2jmqdVgjLe0Jx7_E3VnkrXKZtEb9v198KeL_j_RGnDY9omcWbqgECQ_SjKaxFEO_42Jof5ypD2IqADSZfpIHyUemVHEL-K3a-q4GlJBzfwlh6JLRx1/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dynjandi-duo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC0uNTRjXMq6R8vyIkkqDbjxkzwKMOzLP76l7EYbsx4EjH96JS33y-s37PszMldNzeTCVY5dE4rxkz0ZaMFcB5UyAbb3EYZGiY60o8luWySvqmY2SYhits1Ks46qqwiZaAcr0RzWq-UgS/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dynjandi-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC0uNTRjXMq6R8vyIkkqDbjxkzwKMOzLP76l7EYbsx4EjH96JS33y-s37PszMldNzeTCVY5dE4rxkz0ZaMFcB5UyAbb3EYZGiY60o8luWySvqmY2SYhits1Ks46qqwiZaAcr0RzWq-UgS/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dynjandi-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В районе <b>Gamli Vestfjardarvegur</b> вдоль пляжа мы приостановились, чтобы понаблюдать "остатки" вчерашнего суперлуния. Хотя остановка была больше для прогулки по пляжу, ведь огромная луна, как будто приближенная зумом, и так была постоянным спутником в вечерней поездке. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFatadR8f2G7AsYIKlRkZItApBC7K6pJc2EMCjoYOYXT-JHrndCZYV0y17a_C7vc_GaUi_vT2pDK0ZLKW0odWAK_-yUVmQ5DFXm3VuXhunsbpU4vN26qVWHj7Cg1KsLcT4SkN3TY6DINpE/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFatadR8f2G7AsYIKlRkZItApBC7K6pJc2EMCjoYOYXT-JHrndCZYV0y17a_C7vc_GaUi_vT2pDK0ZLKW0odWAK_-yUVmQ5DFXm3VuXhunsbpU4vN26qVWHj7Cg1KsLcT4SkN3TY6DINpE/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb4HdU2WfrXykQ0GuO2E82dEGszKHS9Yg0ZTVgF-AkQCYU35tw3vNtdDUdl4XgQr5JOpbwJaVAXK5f-lW8e7ucNah9uEO48aI7eO5CfHhvIHkco06A9L_lUqM7n3TjUccHBTNwT_AopS4/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb4HdU2WfrXykQ0GuO2E82dEGszKHS9Yg0ZTVgF-AkQCYU35tw3vNtdDUdl4XgQr5JOpbwJaVAXK5f-lW8e7ucNah9uEO48aI7eO5CfHhvIHkco06A9L_lUqM7n3TjUccHBTNwT_AopS4/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-00.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj9XIkrDcg0I4_cKKgFP13JeO3CycmoVWioIUpnGGfzUXQl5lqak3237rdrwX9d7s_eeLEwY9j0UfazwT83ab-uyH3MjRV78qr0v1kgaytQWeW2mRMvov5xlEZwewKP6mAnAzwTjiJeNM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj9XIkrDcg0I4_cKKgFP13JeO3CycmoVWioIUpnGGfzUXQl5lqak3237rdrwX9d7s_eeLEwY9j0UfazwT83ab-uyH3MjRV78qr0v1kgaytQWeW2mRMvov5xlEZwewKP6mAnAzwTjiJeNM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-02.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpeX2Q-oFTDM5TNp0pV9tBvoGnk9x9EC1EkMZbq3cVcG3W-3ARXLHd3H7cj1sFfxbrUWX0n9csNI0S50qUCqtPtw7OCqGajdSqAmsF0dhactSx6YZj4ql3MIN9zmd1I6_IVL9t9KFqaM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpeX2Q-oFTDM5TNp0pV9tBvoGnk9x9EC1EkMZbq3cVcG3W-3ARXLHd3H7cj1sFfxbrUWX0n9csNI0S50qUCqtPtw7OCqGajdSqAmsF0dhactSx6YZj4ql3MIN9zmd1I6_IVL9t9KFqaM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-supermoon-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
И тут на одном из мостов дорогу нам перебежал зверек, очень похожий на черную кошку. Однако, я тут же прикинула, что встреча с кошкой в исландской глуши очень маловероятна… и меня осенило: это же арктический лисенок! Антон тут же нажал по тормозам - как раз вовремя: мы рассмотрели милую мордочку зверька, однако сфотографировать этого исландского хищника, к сожалению, не удалось. Тем не менее, счастливые, что нам удалось вычеркнуть и этот пункт из нашего списка вещей, который обзательно нужно сделать в Исландии, мы отправились на поиски ночлега :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNV4L7f8yIW9EaIu58g6GMxeEDOAsRANb68rBlOzoOHqjQ0RGHTSEuOcsgWpL9kuhd-kFsImpfEDiAxVE5LYCDoUj9SZNWet5Jn1BroJ4Aymg8iKvcg1-omwuVraYCKhE-M079LEjy_eCG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNV4L7f8yIW9EaIu58g6GMxeEDOAsRANb68rBlOzoOHqjQ0RGHTSEuOcsgWpL9kuhd-kFsImpfEDiAxVE5LYCDoUj9SZNWet5Jn1BroJ4Aymg8iKvcg1-omwuVraYCKhE-M079LEjy_eCG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6BHuj5PhVtcYDQMXrz_Gi4Rl_ABl082-6uJ6usaLvoV9QVT6qCeTh4LxXvXQX5WdQ5dGaTKhYH6gm7OwQ0VV_dAXUiSRomrnE8gIkSiGNbXicECDaeJ24dUG8xFRwnG1fvc9lMkZuy4i/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Road-Trip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6BHuj5PhVtcYDQMXrz_Gi4Rl_ABl082-6uJ6usaLvoV9QVT6qCeTh4LxXvXQX5WdQ5dGaTKhYH6gm7OwQ0VV_dAXUiSRomrnE8gIkSiGNbXicECDaeJ24dUG8xFRwnG1fvc9lMkZuy4i/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Road-Trip.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Snæfellsnes: Stykkishólmur-Kirkjufell-Dritvík-Búðir</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Следующим утром проснулись мы «ни свет, ни заря», поскольку, чтобы выехать из Восточных Фьордов, нужно было отмахать еще приличную дистанцию до города <b>Stykkishólmur </b>на полуострове <b>Snæfellsnes</b>.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Viking Sushi @ Stykkishólmur</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Snæfellsnes </b>иногда называют "Исландией в миниатюре", поскольку там можно на маленькой площади найти все, чем только знаменита Исландия.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNKeTUO5EEPqYpeBQUind2iLcB9NmSlluvGvXXsCW62i29gh41Qroo55dSgS-GTq-efS_rGd5nd-1XBhcyiXMODZnCLvdlpAR_ZbvUkxa2LBHsbpZuWJEaCJAQtEGxv37GnT3c1cS42Ri/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNKeTUO5EEPqYpeBQUind2iLcB9NmSlluvGvXXsCW62i29gh41Qroo55dSgS-GTq-efS_rGd5nd-1XBhcyiXMODZnCLvdlpAR_ZbvUkxa2LBHsbpZuWJEaCJAQtEGxv37GnT3c1cS42Ri/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Как вы уже догадались, в <b>Stykkishólmur </b>мы ехали не просто так, а для того, чтобы отведать <i>Viking sushi (Smidjustigur 3 - 340 Stykkishólmur).</i> "Суши по-викингски" – это очень прикольное мероприятие длительностю приблизительно 2 часа 15 минут и ценой на тот момент 7’090 ISK (около 46 EUR). Наше викингское путешествие началось в гавани Stykkishólmur-а, когда мы загрузились на наш кораблик с гордым нордическим именем «<i>Серун</i>» (Særún), которое обозначает …. нет, совсем не то, что вы подумали, а "секрет моря", от древнеисландского <i>sær </i>(море) и <i>rún </i>(секрет) :) Кораблик правил курс на <b>Breiðafjörður</b>, который знаменит многочисленными птицами (включая белохвостых орлов, а также тупиков, сезон которых с апреля по август), которые гнездятся практически на всех 2700-та маленьких островах залива.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpEtenYOcyqGDkPK0Y6yTfZ0LEL1p5jGrYsCRG_pkmJWIGUiZIKShEYXE5bwJnQrXaCczimHlUWlYyk5E1va-sEeG7WBG1EXwwkyfnTuMCMrXd9I9Fyl2UpAk1kl3BoCQ_ybCcNbGRLvC/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpEtenYOcyqGDkPK0Y6yTfZ0LEL1p5jGrYsCRG_pkmJWIGUiZIKShEYXE5bwJnQrXaCczimHlUWlYyk5E1va-sEeG7WBG1EXwwkyfnTuMCMrXd9I9Fyl2UpAk1kl3BoCQ_ybCcNbGRLvC/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Однако, конечно же, кульминацией путешествия явился момент, когда, после обозревания окрестностей, корабль остановился на якорь посреди залива и закинул «невод» в глубины Атлантического океана. Все, что было выловлено - тут же на месте - было подготовлено к употреблению специально обученными людьми, которые специальными ножами раскрыли свежайшие морские гребешки и, по просьбе трудящихся, разрезали улиточек и морских ежей на удобоваримые порции. В улове можно было видеть и другие дары моря (к моему великому сожалению, несъедобные в сыром виде): морские звезды, морские огурцы, крабов, и много всякой другой морской живности. Подавались эти морские деликатессы либо в естественном виде, либо с подготовленным заранее соевым соусом, вассаби и маринованным имбирем – в общем, как суши :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bfC0bkXffcCNzgSkj0FJimg0xefwGZQYZjCLaCOR9ktuYIswmta7LWf0010nzmUnc-Q167GRbuLc8r4GHNcO7eIx1sWebITe-zMCYg2ODreX1qaHum2fZZjPVfFzbkqZOCkNipErbP7s/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bfC0bkXffcCNzgSkj0FJimg0xefwGZQYZjCLaCOR9ktuYIswmta7LWf0010nzmUnc-Q167GRbuLc8r4GHNcO7eIx1sWebITe-zMCYg2ODreX1qaHum2fZZjPVfFzbkqZOCkNipErbP7s/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwayUDCu8DPG9X4FDlpIEuV993yVlq2SrOPTWRU8U-g-2FDDysylFg0RhgcNr4mSRFoBfNZd72rpPx8Jz39pgcTPBDnieIw4KxjjC0lVD6hIW8hyphenhyphenKb7r6_QkQKk1bsLjNTdLMhN0oQDURN/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwayUDCu8DPG9X4FDlpIEuV993yVlq2SrOPTWRU8U-g-2FDDysylFg0RhgcNr4mSRFoBfNZd72rpPx8Jz39pgcTPBDnieIw4KxjjC0lVD6hIW8hyphenhyphenKb7r6_QkQKk1bsLjNTdLMhN0oQDURN/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-01.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8omCEx1ZnyRKw3JtzG6l5DgZQj29dG_xW3Dyo_hqD55F9W4rUOqEPBBzLorCEH5-ThKBM9lYzCU0c8bQ6sb6_vNR_1xUmUClqB61RYFv21YK1q1AckDB_1bGyjYz3ELN0bA8Wr1ErHqpC/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8omCEx1ZnyRKw3JtzG6l5DgZQj29dG_xW3Dyo_hqD55F9W4rUOqEPBBzLorCEH5-ThKBM9lYzCU0c8bQ6sb6_vNR_1xUmUClqB61RYFv21YK1q1AckDB_1bGyjYz3ELN0bA8Wr1ErHqpC/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Stykkish%C3%B3lmur-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В завершение путешествия капитан корабля пощекотал всем нервы, играя с волнами от стремительно прибывающеего в залив прилива. Обычно время отправления и прибытия лодок рассчитаны таким образом, чтобы вы посмотрели это довольно необычное для городского глаза зрелище: разница между приливом и отливом в этом заливе – 15 метров.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Подкрепившись дарами моря и накачавшись на приливных волнах, мы отправились в город <b>Grundarfjörður</b>, оттуда было рукой подать до самой фотографируемой горы Исландии – <b>Kirkjufell</b>. Не долго думаючи, я тоже внесла свой вклад в поддержание этого гордого статистического титула горы.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8bSv_KIN8EjOaJjd6XeTq11LTGmuu1GLh349kyndO2P_EH3DQLqpYMx-aDykm3bTSfASKWdpJgavw5hSNfsKSmG7lsnQYC5gK43GAgTjphuAdooaI2LupP4HMdwXHSKGWODaao1e-ek9/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Kirkjufell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8bSv_KIN8EjOaJjd6XeTq11LTGmuu1GLh349kyndO2P_EH3DQLqpYMx-aDykm3bTSfASKWdpJgavw5hSNfsKSmG7lsnQYC5gK43GAgTjphuAdooaI2LupP4HMdwXHSKGWODaao1e-ek9/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Kirkjufell.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ug_314_UvV0Z2qr8rhhalowJ_m9rQAjjiPDk35DJmJ2xC-sby8ibzkiX3FEejxsKJr7zlIuFqbLDFygafifZbnlh8JUCXr-er29UM0pIdgHZpHIH2_y1Q_yRZEYsPZ_pP8_BINX1sShc/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ug_314_UvV0Z2qr8rhhalowJ_m9rQAjjiPDk35DJmJ2xC-sby8ibzkiX3FEejxsKJr7zlIuFqbLDFygafifZbnlh8JUCXr-er29UM0pIdgHZpHIH2_y1Q_yRZEYsPZ_pP8_BINX1sShc/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Vatnshellir</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Из Киркьюфетля мы направились в лавовую пещеру <b>Vatnshellir</b>. Образовалось такое чудо природы во время одного из извержений близлежащего вулкана <b>Snæfellsjökull</b>-я. Однако, как именно происходит процесс образования таких «лавовых труб», науке не известно. Пещерам Ватнесхедлира около 8000 лет, они полны сталактитов и сталагмитов, и находятся они на глубине 35 метров. Пещеры располагаются в национальном парке <b>Snaefellsjokull National Park & Glacier</b>, и спускаться в них можно только в сопровождении гида (тур длится прблизительно 45 минут). Ранее пещеры были открыты для публики, однако слишком много туристов хотели отломать и захватить с собой в качестве сувенира кусочек сталиктита или сталагмита. Внутри пещеры нет абсолютно никакого света, поэтому в выдаваемую вам экипировку входит фонарь. Также, чтобы на голову не упал сталактит, всем выдают каски веселого оранжевого цвета. Если вам повезет, и в вашей группе не будет плаксивых детей и вопящих младенцев, то на самом дне пещеры, в самой дальней «комнате» гид обычно делает остановку, предлагая всем выключить фонари, замолчать ненадолго и вслушаться в тишину пещеры в условиях полной темноты. Пусть всего на мгновение, но все-таки нам удалось насладиться полной "сенсорной депривацией" и медитативным качеством такого воздействия … перед тем, как скандальный ребенок завопил, что он боиться темноты, и всем пришлось невольно подчиниться глупому трехлетнему спиногрызу.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCWpqf6iK76oKWIpJtsjYNyU3aMXqY9PaB2fZuj-pRnqjwJejHAC8yCpfMt7A3IbNie88hL2vMTurwwPNHF8SibGlTXxaKrvGvPUwDmYMde0kw6msDxBjp07wPW_Jde0RcOR1_gWkxZGc/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Vatnshellir-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCWpqf6iK76oKWIpJtsjYNyU3aMXqY9PaB2fZuj-pRnqjwJejHAC8yCpfMt7A3IbNie88hL2vMTurwwPNHF8SibGlTXxaKrvGvPUwDmYMde0kw6msDxBjp07wPW_Jde0RcOR1_gWkxZGc/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Vatnshellir-00.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Dritvík</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Буквально в нескольких минутах езды от сталактитов со сталагмитами, находился пляж <b>Dritvík </b>с останками британского траулера-a <i>Epine</i>, потерпевшего кораблекрушение в 1948 году. Удалось спасти лишь 5 из 19 членов экипажа. Еще с этого пляжа замечательно видна заснеженная вершина знаменитого <b>Snæfellsjökull</b>-я из Жюль Верновского <i>«Путешествия к центру Земли»</i> (любители фантастики помнят, что именно этот вулкан был входом в тоннель, ведущий к центру земли).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS0aCVFLvzXcZOcAdCY7pl20XFXlBOI8Pd4QAd3Ho8ROwpjQQG-YIWp5Klc-bPrSr7XMC_KnMVs9LjbjBMbSjPm4DKqRuQUbihfLXRA_WlCb7fJpgNKeLas99BPQrAW4Y-PUUXCdPLAlp/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS0aCVFLvzXcZOcAdCY7pl20XFXlBOI8Pd4QAd3Ho8ROwpjQQG-YIWp5Klc-bPrSr7XMC_KnMVs9LjbjBMbSjPm4DKqRuQUbihfLXRA_WlCb7fJpgNKeLas99BPQrAW4Y-PUUXCdPLAlp/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NWnY6mT9mybj5GT6mLsjrnW1G11rud-Kz5jQl_zsTMQDbxjODMiBJhwsztGzhElhbJA7VMrTRF9HrahO6Fax8kDiR47nAucnujCWlTbUgvnJ-xZt9GemmniH1TRmJrVbuHBQRX5kjM4I/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NWnY6mT9mybj5GT6mLsjrnW1G11rud-Kz5jQl_zsTMQDbxjODMiBJhwsztGzhElhbJA7VMrTRF9HrahO6Fax8kDiR47nAucnujCWlTbUgvnJ-xZt9GemmniH1TRmJrVbuHBQRX5kjM4I/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1mVugldxV-VYi365LSAE1VomrvkcKKQTc5KtBo5sGAaIysEBOaisVCdwjJHk2Uc7rO59HMm9z-ieSU2DWNf1e8QSuuxvnA1EpMt11ajtsRBK0NcZVa1TELFQQ5ww0c0AC1Nl_7Ek7rys/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1mVugldxV-VYi365LSAE1VomrvkcKKQTc5KtBo5sGAaIysEBOaisVCdwjJHk2Uc7rO59HMm9z-ieSU2DWNf1e8QSuuxvnA1EpMt11ajtsRBK0NcZVa1TELFQQ5ww0c0AC1Nl_7Ek7rys/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Dritvik-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В этот же насыщенный день удалось втиснуть еще одно, особенно милое для меня впечатление. Надо отметить, что может быть на кого-то, может быть, это местечко и не произведет особого впечатления, но для меня оно имело личное эмоциональное значение…</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Búðir</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Речь идет о <b>Búðakirkja (Búðir church)</b> - эта «маленькая, но удаленькая» церквушка в <b>Búðir</b>-е была на первой фотографии Исландии, которую я когда-либо видела. Именно с нее началась моя «любовная история» с Исландией и ее необычной природой, суровой историей и мистической культурой …</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzVtb_nrtXSjk1D3LZlvtbpWcGVzq5x4FrrsGjhsiCj7oUDEDeGPoVi3-iEEeHvTsNRSopCjKZytN8N1gOH6okSblgxLyfrViQ8IgX0ZFa22JIZwkcQ6BYKBygrsAOfHhp5xNBvzt0Omw/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Budir-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzVtb_nrtXSjk1D3LZlvtbpWcGVzq5x4FrrsGjhsiCj7oUDEDeGPoVi3-iEEeHvTsNRSopCjKZytN8N1gOH6okSblgxLyfrViQ8IgX0ZFa22JIZwkcQ6BYKBygrsAOfHhp5xNBvzt0Omw/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Budir-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqegG-uc1hbkoE0x6k5gHMRJnjV7mKLlZ5yv6DWutO_mPtuwIX5PES3Q7dTwculw6IVgM9avyipdxMysgLgidRvqO4colFX3qmgidJR2vB4g0XRsXbnL99Z_GzRKyoNMvlg6TUmi3G4mal/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Budir-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqegG-uc1hbkoE0x6k5gHMRJnjV7mKLlZ5yv6DWutO_mPtuwIX5PES3Q7dTwculw6IVgM9avyipdxMysgLgidRvqO4colFX3qmgidJR2vB4g0XRsXbnL99Z_GzRKyoNMvlg6TUmi3G4mal/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Budir-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Заночевали мы на ферме <b>Snorrastaðir 1</b>, недалеко от Будира. Эта ферма-кемпинг часто служит ночлегом для тех, кто приезжает сюда заниматься конным спортом, а потому, несмотря на ее несколько уединенное расположение, практически никогда не пустует. Могу рекомендовать эту ферму, т.к. там отличные удоства: обогреваемые души, а также полностью оборудованая кухня с посудой и электрическими горелками. Желающие могут даже спать на комфортабельном диване внутри большого ангара, в кортом раполагается кухня (мы об этом, к сожалению, узнали только с утра).</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
«Галлопом до Рейкьявика»: Glanni – Grábrók - Deildartunguhver - Hraunfossar - Glymur</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Следующий день мы, по сути, досматривали «остаточные» туристические достопримечательности по пути в Рейкьявик. Сногсшибательных сюрпризов или особенно поразительных туристических диковинок мы на этом участке не увидели, однако, однозначно провели приятный денек на природе.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XH2xQ3AeyJOwGqUo08m83GniizaZeEqI9r6YM_XdvEIKfZkccYcaa2uggWkrBhdlqQ4NNwGkqo4CUWZeFH-ausUgHlcab0lmAbJLC2UtTnRIWkFHp4BU_nogHf_CxLNxHNWaLrS712yr/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XH2xQ3AeyJOwGqUo08m83GniizaZeEqI9r6YM_XdvEIKfZkccYcaa2uggWkrBhdlqQ4NNwGkqo4CUWZeFH-ausUgHlcab0lmAbJLC2UtTnRIWkFHp4BU_nogHf_CxLNxHNWaLrS712yr/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Начали мы с <b>Glanni </b>– это маленький водопадик на речке <b>Nordura</b>. Посещать его я советовала бы лишь, если вы ищите место для пикника или хотите передохнуть и прогуляться, отыграв партию в гольф на соседствующем гольфовом поле. Отдельного путешествия к его подножию Гланни не заслуживает.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После Гланни мы заглнули в кратер <b>Grábrók </b>(самый большой из 3 кратеров вулканического отрезка <b>Borgarfjördur</b>). Наверх ведет деревянная туристическая тропа, откуда открывается приятный вид на окрестностое лавовое поле 3000-летней давности.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCae-9EF6rNvZSa8tm8nEuIWZAnp_bcDCKxf9mOCgIs10vlL4uBTwltF4KmVhL5l0z3nUVNEciV8A-_wYAZkLbBEMOZX6VbuJbeSyQe7dlulabxGw4uCo-pQbRnzDD-XQojgiW72g5mF3/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Gr%C3%A1br%C3%B3k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCae-9EF6rNvZSa8tm8nEuIWZAnp_bcDCKxf9mOCgIs10vlL4uBTwltF4KmVhL5l0z3nUVNEciV8A-_wYAZkLbBEMOZX6VbuJbeSyQe7dlulabxGw4uCo-pQbRnzDD-XQojgiW72g5mF3/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Gr%C3%A1br%C3%B3k.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Далее последовал <b>Deildartunguhver </b>- самый мощный гейзер в мире по продукции горячей воды: 180 литров 100°C кипятка в секунду. В 1925 году воду из Deildartunguhver-а стали использовать для центрального отопления региона. Из-за того, что источник находится всего лишь 19 метров над уровнем моря, горячую воду необходимо распределять через дистрибуционные трубы. Современную 74-километровую сиситему труб, соединяющую <b>Deildartunguhver </b>с <b>Аkranes</b>, <b>Borgarnes </b>и <b>Hvanneyri </b>построили в 1979-1981 годах (на сегодняшний день она является самой длинной системой такого типа в мире). Путь от Akranes до Deildartunga занимает около 4 часов, и вода остывает до 76°C пока дотечет до Borgarnes-а, до 72°C - до Akranes-а и до 65°C в сельской местности.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В Borgarnes-e мы сделали лишь краткую остановку, чтобы внести свой вклад в туристическую индустрию города, заправившись и закупившись в местном супермаркете. Городок примечателен, пожалуй, лишь тем, что основной промысел местных жителей тут не рыболовство, как в большинстве аналогичных сел, а сага-маркетинг: очень многие обитатели день-деньской думают над тем, как бы наиболее красиво презентовать туристам местные саги. Достопримечательностей там не наблюдалось вообще, поэтому мы сразу направились дальше, к <b>Hraunfossar</b>-у – каскадному водопаду, состоящему из многочисленных ручьев от талых ледниковых вод, которые, проходя под лавовыми слоями, возникают как бы „из ниоткуда“ на краю лавового поля и формируют несколько меньших по размеру водопадов под названием <b>Barnafoss </b>(«детский водопад»).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Последней остановкой перед ночевкой был <b>Glymur </b>("glymur" дословно переводится как "грохот") – самый высокий водопад в Исландии (196 м). Рядом с водопадом находится автостоянка, откуда к водопаду ведет туристическая тропа. Для пожилых и не очень подготовленных ходоков преупреждение: прогулка туда-назад может занять около двух часов, причем надо будет переходить реку по канатному мостику и карабкаться по крутым склонам, так что: будьте морально готовы ;-) Мы браво управились с дорогой где-то за час двадцать и были как штык готовы к последнему участку нашего пути: полуострову Рейкьянесу и, собственно, Рейкьвику.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj487ni_yUk2ARoKWSFVkADy9R6V3ga-4j354F-_MMD3__lM_9UUIKbXM2iVeHaXjRy8jCKAWFEZxfNrpMC9Gwa6WltlZZlapklkPxpX4s9TPPEelQBuV6dtlTStA0Efzx6EyrQy9Ebv6me/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Glymur-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj487ni_yUk2ARoKWSFVkADy9R6V3ga-4j354F-_MMD3__lM_9UUIKbXM2iVeHaXjRy8jCKAWFEZxfNrpMC9Gwa6WltlZZlapklkPxpX4s9TPPEelQBuV6dtlTStA0Efzx6EyrQy9Ebv6me/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Glymur-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD5TnMCQbAbtWDsfbOtdjQ-UXuEAfFQ59KWPm8EQbghzFM2-wafokcFfc-AzIErVJ5trSc65e6RbkG0OuMM2t2zQLfaw9W1EDTxih90-bvF-uzKLt4Go-RXz9AXydbGnK6-yXDXDEKnoo/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Glymur-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD5TnMCQbAbtWDsfbOtdjQ-UXuEAfFQ59KWPm8EQbghzFM2-wafokcFfc-AzIErVJ5trSc65e6RbkG0OuMM2t2zQLfaw9W1EDTxih90-bvF-uzKLt4Go-RXz9AXydbGnK6-yXDXDEKnoo/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-Westfjords-Glymur-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Ísafjörður, Iceland66.075833 -23.12666699999999866.075833 -23.126666999999998 66.075833 -23.126666999999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-61592255771163450832015-03-26T00:33:00.000+01:002015-03-29T22:22:50.935+02:00Saga #4: The North (Norðurland)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBdzOOjiP2U5nui_ez33S3oPs2DcGB3OG8K9a1Ib4E21HG8XbLpLKilFgQwCmTvD12FmPVAy2lGMkZEwivvuxNqPm9TXOCbSFHWwtFQufFc9qjy4usHizPd2wsyha7a3iQs7D7_4pk5la/s1600/Iceland_NORTH_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBdzOOjiP2U5nui_ez33S3oPs2DcGB3OG8K9a1Ib4E21HG8XbLpLKilFgQwCmTvD12FmPVAy2lGMkZEwivvuxNqPm9TXOCbSFHWwtFQufFc9qjy4usHizPd2wsyha7a3iQs7D7_4pk5la/s1600/Iceland_NORTH_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" height="276" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2015/03/saga-3-east-austurland.html">Отмокнув в горячих источниках Myvatn</a>, мы стали править путь к стратегически важному пункту назначения, к городу Хусавику… Как обычно, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/wK5UC">приблизительный маршрут поездки по северу Исландии можно найти тут</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQyaL2ulnA6t8zz-oxzuSM_AjjZMMhzpKikDeezInL7GISSPRxZTop-AC2Vx_yEzXHfBchBgUB6zrc29-CIHfr0Uvt1F9NfowmzkicOmTIkLs67zLasaM8zMKLuDAsXetAnogQl1bCkXq/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQyaL2ulnA6t8zz-oxzuSM_AjjZMMhzpKikDeezInL7GISSPRxZTop-AC2Vx_yEzXHfBchBgUB6zrc29-CIHfr0Uvt1F9NfowmzkicOmTIkLs67zLasaM8zMKLuDAsXetAnogQl1bCkXq/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-collage.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
“A whale of a time” in Húsavik.</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0u38KjwCggjvtPCQ4Hyc6g9ROXSGI9GIHUbxYRjs5if8eJvwfFQcUqA1mId4-x7Ytvcv6XInAzukqxmBYrc7AWWZZhEcXKNj5dClYVzlukQa6GMX8JdXAvXjiSMqpfDoSjO8DwKCsggD/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-curious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0u38KjwCggjvtPCQ4Hyc6g9ROXSGI9GIHUbxYRjs5if8eJvwfFQcUqA1mId4-x7Ytvcv6XInAzukqxmBYrc7AWWZZhEcXKNj5dClYVzlukQa6GMX8JdXAvXjiSMqpfDoSjO8DwKCsggD/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-curious.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Husavik </b>– милый городок на берегу залива <b>Skjálfandi </b>("shaky bay"). Название такое залив получил из-за своего расположения между двумя тектоническими плитами, что соответственно приводит к многочисленным землетрясениям. Хусавик известен (даже за пределами Исландии!) как <i>“the Northernmost whale watching capital of the world”</i>. Думаю, не стоит объяснять, какая туристическая активность является тут основым развлечением :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrR6R7byJZagOGto5cjUtiNDuIIZqCLjY1znPww8eKp_h4RKa8yGxfq6FrksLsstMHcDRQZLcJJ2PI1F6kpnSlRT4el_n_WjEMcUu4E2TrjwrQ865yYyduwIbJQpiEgXVbiAftcHspJxD/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-whales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrR6R7byJZagOGto5cjUtiNDuIIZqCLjY1znPww8eKp_h4RKa8yGxfq6FrksLsstMHcDRQZLcJJ2PI1F6kpnSlRT4el_n_WjEMcUu4E2TrjwrQ865yYyduwIbJQpiEgXVbiAftcHspJxD/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-whales.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMC18Wi8C3Qyd8S73L9YneVAfqKMHfENPSTc7OD3luHwO_i1q4Qh1A91fRjue0Mw-gRhiBwppoWEcM70ZkTrXj_byejo1telWjEgNzgqEIqDtJ_9Xp20W_WtTaZwDKTie7428OmP2KIdcE/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-whale-museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMC18Wi8C3Qyd8S73L9YneVAfqKMHfENPSTc7OD3luHwO_i1q4Qh1A91fRjue0Mw-gRhiBwppoWEcM70ZkTrXj_byejo1telWjEgNzgqEIqDtJ_9Xp20W_WtTaZwDKTie7428OmP2KIdcE/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-whale-museum.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На пристани Хусавика перед вами сразу же разворачивается классическая дихотомия выбора: с кем же вы поплывете смотреть на этих гигантских млекопитающих: с <a href="http://www.gentlegiants.is/home/">Gentle Giants</a> или с <a href="http://www.northsailing.is/">North Sailing</a> <i>(+354 464 7272)</i>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43SSGsWKXFVokZuf5mGIlBpVM2SzcVKcLW0nxEb59o6xtt6EWsBsKGr5Q0TYT-y9R2eD6sOEsnqfvy4tNfX5EYdUa3nhpao_xnP-eIo2TsAmkflrmkXOV0UCShxX9W7-oM1VjacFR3XSS/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-North+Sailing-Gentle+Giants-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43SSGsWKXFVokZuf5mGIlBpVM2SzcVKcLW0nxEb59o6xtt6EWsBsKGr5Q0TYT-y9R2eD6sOEsnqfvy4tNfX5EYdUa3nhpao_xnP-eIo2TsAmkflrmkXOV0UCShxX9W7-oM1VjacFR3XSS/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-North+Sailing-Gentle+Giants-01.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Для усиления драматичности выбора, офисы компаний в буквальном смысле находятся бок о бок. Цены на трехчасовые туры приблизительно одинаковые (разница в несколько крон), содержание и маршрут тоже аналогичные, а потому наш выбор остановился на North Sailing попросту из-за более удобного нам времени отправления, а также наличия нужного количества мест.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunemT3LyCdkLWw0LM3gdEYLQB8uE6WeW_HqmLuxqg69FmhdIF9nr1fUkAaNomyC5GrRVUCBDDLpRxYFB3XHtA7Cs_uTavcuknI08tS_w23MPxbeul-YI8sQe2rD6QtyRAaSw1GAOCPrOz/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunemT3LyCdkLWw0LM3gdEYLQB8uE6WeW_HqmLuxqg69FmhdIF9nr1fUkAaNomyC5GrRVUCBDDLpRxYFB3XHtA7Cs_uTavcuknI08tS_w23MPxbeul-YI8sQe2rD6QtyRAaSw1GAOCPrOz/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-04.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2hyphenhyphen74xIfCaPC_EZ9l-6BcgkJyBTyDfnDFLbY9K5wMMIJo8nqupP1xV9wXeAkBBl4Hzx7UVRjD8RZ62tmresGdJBE9enSg59a1AQniUHFqZZ75vqcQvZ7vtagn_FPy77gxt7uubuUwIdX/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2hyphenhyphen74xIfCaPC_EZ9l-6BcgkJyBTyDfnDFLbY9K5wMMIJo8nqupP1xV9wXeAkBBl4Hzx7UVRjD8RZ62tmresGdJBE9enSg59a1AQniUHFqZZ75vqcQvZ7vtagn_FPy77gxt7uubuUwIdX/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-06.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluTLptnuKzFF56I03-igbBAF07yugr78dwRBtNCmJUMWuUzO5atsAVB85Wwb0WWeOUTfoLArQYhx2PE6bX6ZVin0CyKfAZyT1lzuDhgF6N7IpIRmb-qMHaWphXWacobNyL6fRjlLul9OG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluTLptnuKzFF56I03-igbBAF07yugr78dwRBtNCmJUMWuUzO5atsAVB85Wwb0WWeOUTfoLArQYhx2PE6bX6ZVin0CyKfAZyT1lzuDhgF6N7IpIRmb-qMHaWphXWacobNyL6fRjlLul9OG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-01.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Стоит предупредить, что перед тем, как вы увидите кита, можно довольно долго быть окруженным пейзажами <u>пустынного</u> моря (см. картинки выше). Где-то после часа колыханий на море меня даже посетила тревожная мысль, что мы, проделав весь этот путь, так и не увидим ни одного кита! Однако, после длительного похрустывания рации и монотонных переговоров с соседними кораблями на исландском, одна из шлюпок в заливе все-таки заметила кита, который как раз приплыл покормиться. Эта добрая весть заставила все все суда, лодки, шлюпки и прочие плавательные средства устремится в сторону ничего не подозревающего китенка, который всего-навсего хотел спокойно перекусить...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_GeZvnpjN6TEfKq6conTMsiwkGxtOlfzhskM8aPbYwOxFEHSUqNfDgxfED1H90fq-uaMgydOJvwovZJpJjAVLSJ7fiNgLhH7F51mOtO0WEnGs_Wdsca0LIws-Sm0ft_sTMzoNRGO8mas/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_GeZvnpjN6TEfKq6conTMsiwkGxtOlfzhskM8aPbYwOxFEHSUqNfDgxfED1H90fq-uaMgydOJvwovZJpJjAVLSJ7fiNgLhH7F51mOtO0WEnGs_Wdsca0LIws-Sm0ft_sTMzoNRGO8mas/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-05.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Нам удалось увидеть кита, которого называют "малый полосатик", по-английски: Minke whale (/ˈmɪnki/). Эту разновидность в шутку часто называют "minke-stinky" („вонючка минке“) поскольку эти киты знамениты ужасным запахом изо рта из-за их гастрономических предпочтений. Наш гид сказал нам: пытаясь увидеть кита, используйте не только слух и зрение, но и обоняние: очень часто минке можно в прямом смысле унюхать.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKrx_SKJJDaJ5TTRbDFxABOmFCjop1DAIZJuETf7OZB-ZvtxlA-jA1QoRvMAlCEL8XNk5G2ha8F3g7nMr49ffp3mqv2cgFIy_yVt0lv7cFxABRExuJpW_fW3-9zCGVXJjGjQohODlIEn/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKrx_SKJJDaJ5TTRbDFxABOmFCjop1DAIZJuETf7OZB-ZvtxlA-jA1QoRvMAlCEL8XNk5G2ha8F3g7nMr49ffp3mqv2cgFIy_yVt0lv7cFxABRExuJpW_fW3-9zCGVXJjGjQohODlIEn/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-02.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Гид наш оказался немногословным, однако (как некоторым из вас не по-наслышке известно), я и немого разговорю :) Поэтому стратегически составив вопросы, я все-таки вытянула немного информации про китов. Оказывается, они приходят в залив Skjálfandi нагулять жир "на дорожку" перед тем, как отправиться в теплые края на размножение (обычно: в Южную Африку). Киты питаются путем фильтрации, т.е. когда они ныряют, они „засасывают“ буквально все, что попадается им на пути. А поскольку млекопитающие они довольно большие и прожорливые, то в день они могут "отфильтровать" около тонны планктона, krill-я и рыбы.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30oAX8JnL2cZM-4Knckp_QAFapnb8P3sXzmMzQQ3y9WQaPGqw3HyOO8C1viVwbIvrInu1EFajSpZVQ6L_Q8pyJvSFzzNy4I00uA1gWy24rI4xnMWCsgu1SMlMXcPgNMggHJgp2VQKWSa5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30oAX8JnL2cZM-4Knckp_QAFapnb8P3sXzmMzQQ3y9WQaPGqw3HyOO8C1viVwbIvrInu1EFajSpZVQ6L_Q8pyJvSFzzNy4I00uA1gWy24rI4xnMWCsgu1SMlMXcPgNMggHJgp2VQKWSa5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-03.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Наглядевшись на этих симпатичных гигантов и напившись какао с коричными бубликами (приятный сюрприз от организаторов под конец экскурсии), сытые и счастливые мы вернулись на берег.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCePVS2Mq_q0JNwXmHHM9AUDVtYxomJD_bEDkM9S16AUUj0SEAZfkBV2Z7mafPSiBKWDGY1dogoARjjO2Y2rfvOznWy3rvq5JjGdwZTJgE-lJY9nYZCdsgzgy44U5YIkmECEf7cRV6Z4i/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCePVS2Mq_q0JNwXmHHM9AUDVtYxomJD_bEDkM9S16AUUj0SEAZfkBV2Z7mafPSiBKWDGY1dogoARjjO2Y2rfvOznWy3rvq5JjGdwZTJgE-lJY9nYZCdsgzgy44U5YIkmECEf7cRV6Z4i/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-08.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxhCaWXtkpC3vOlNH-wSs0p-8sBqSoPqG2MusDjN9euZiODvhsBOmWyU05XQBP9w2andhwZvt7nmKhY1aXYrwnPzZ6Y6T0nWpMhSIv8sbBio02YjIavVWE0-hjVM2edCL_17_RBzmPCi7/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxhCaWXtkpC3vOlNH-wSs0p-8sBqSoPqG2MusDjN9euZiODvhsBOmWyU05XQBP9w2andhwZvt7nmKhY1aXYrwnPzZ6Y6T0nWpMhSIv8sbBio02YjIavVWE0-hjVM2edCL_17_RBzmPCi7/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-07.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Покидая пристань, я обратилась к девушке на информации North Sailing за объяснением удивившего меня лозунга на их визитной карточке: "we don't sell whale meat". А неужели кто-то продает китовое мясо? Оказалось, что да! Местные жители практически перестали лакомиться этими gentle giants, однако в некоторых ресторанах и даже супермаркетах до сих пор можно купить этот деликатес. Основными потребителями его являются туристы, которые, несмотря на возражения местных жителей, все-таки считают, что китовое мясо - "национальное исландское блюдо". Как выяснилось, необычные для континентально-европейского вкуса типы мяса совсем не редкость в местных ресторанах. Например, очаровательные тупики (<a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2015/01/saga-2-south-golden-circle.html">колонию которых мы уже фоткали на Южном участке нашего пути</a>), оказались довольно ходовым блюдом. Отведать их мясо можно по довольно скромной (по исландским меркам) цене: за 2250 ISK (около 15 евро). Подают тупиков/паффинов с редькой, квашеной капустой и хрустящим пивным хлебом.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-oUviGZGEw-q3PypiBRnvAWP6rtU6uvi4lI1PE7HQE8RbVf2JNExk-gmtG_hpv7Z7l-JIE5lQ08Lhyphenhyphensf0XCj3SkTptKRzti4FVyI-2JMzyYTsB-eQ2j4xgtabH0C1I68mN9VhNbxvEvh/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-Puffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-oUviGZGEw-q3PypiBRnvAWP6rtU6uvi4lI1PE7HQE8RbVf2JNExk-gmtG_hpv7Z7l-JIE5lQ08Lhyphenhyphensf0XCj3SkTptKRzti4FVyI-2JMzyYTsB-eQ2j4xgtabH0C1I68mN9VhNbxvEvh/s1600/Iceland-North-Husavik-Puffins.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsWjoAStk7nY1K1hA2b88nxrVArZG1ehSMDyKTcTA-xNBIufSp42hEOs6ueXtnGuTABiUyYwLfhhrzqGq1SjKTCp-lpTUp5QfkPhDDf3-NTmgx6jjCajNik1uWndmv3bF9XbfHpiAsB0s/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsWjoAStk7nY1K1hA2b88nxrVArZG1ehSMDyKTcTA-xNBIufSp42hEOs6ueXtnGuTABiUyYwLfhhrzqGq1SjKTCp-lpTUp5QfkPhDDf3-NTmgx6jjCajNik1uWndmv3bF9XbfHpiAsB0s/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-10.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NiH04Y9xeI3GYNFpBwEnMeRepeGYptc7Jq9aOhxxQ9ZjmHix0D_sp8lOg9JGW1nFiM1dtTOJIb8-rgMzZ5_x9bgmsb44kuCCh0i4FsgmVmnNktvLexLIS8GMIthveEXez3cEBpga8-wG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NiH04Y9xeI3GYNFpBwEnMeRepeGYptc7Jq9aOhxxQ9ZjmHix0D_sp8lOg9JGW1nFiM1dtTOJIb8-rgMzZ5_x9bgmsb44kuCCh0i4FsgmVmnNktvLexLIS8GMIthveEXez3cEBpga8-wG/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Husavik-12.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Подивившись особенностям национальной исландской кухни, мы прикинули, что у нас еще хватит времени, чтобы доехать в этот же день до <b>Goðafoss</b>-а (Godafoss-а) - водопада богов. Получил водопад свое название после того, как Исландия перешла в Христианство, и люди посбрасывали в него статуи языческих богов.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7mlTGurwNtvfjcewE_orXho9ijEDnFQOXSB5H4lH6_EHdpBYKDH4kZ6CYUz5XgIPM1cJ6Vv6Uz3swuP9rCeNDUq-YhNM8Bbjv5RqDcYIbrdW4FWw8MOGoAupO8D1YA52Ntb_CGqPQFMJ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Godafoss-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7mlTGurwNtvfjcewE_orXho9ijEDnFQOXSB5H4lH6_EHdpBYKDH4kZ6CYUz5XgIPM1cJ6Vv6Uz3swuP9rCeNDUq-YhNM8Bbjv5RqDcYIbrdW4FWw8MOGoAupO8D1YA52Ntb_CGqPQFMJ/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Godafoss-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR5qK3St4PhthlSFaRShcMIesaDdniiYW_k87pj3IcTbbEs4RiYnLceUcyYpqu6XjLcLHJBtFAzp5mD-M013Txm6S7-2u3tRhiBGA2xckmJGh6-eWXIGZoJ6qIp7pmKf-bhCVg_jvu-g5/s1600/Iceland-North-Godafoss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR5qK3St4PhthlSFaRShcMIesaDdniiYW_k87pj3IcTbbEs4RiYnLceUcyYpqu6XjLcLHJBtFAzp5mD-M013Txm6S7-2u3tRhiBGA2xckmJGh6-eWXIGZoJ6qIp7pmKf-bhCVg_jvu-g5/s1600/Iceland-North-Godafoss.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGf-yLQr8VQHfUxYVr0tpzjhMceeJ6K9ctKJ4fNOlxxKPZHDw5VKCEujRKjLDfcJGyeO65OeObk21PAZGAUTRPS_UnmgfQTXP3Q_zywDo0622wbpg0fOFyoP9CgpAxWdL6l-P6QY1HwgmU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Godafoss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGf-yLQr8VQHfUxYVr0tpzjhMceeJ6K9ctKJ4fNOlxxKPZHDw5VKCEujRKjLDfcJGyeO65OeObk21PAZGAUTRPS_UnmgfQTXP3Q_zywDo0622wbpg0fOFyoP9CgpAxWdL6l-P6QY1HwgmU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Godafoss.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Akureyri</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiBXRNJoA0TcWxzUooCqMj48pgQGgMkSYNB2vuO6lb-9CQKAkRKtmHe4wov-eyYBOQ0Y2tZ36eDZ4ege3fRJFSZCraw4BCejy49WPk7Y3g5Pfnu5KAIpJ9E9Cnl355zgvpu9sCQQE9CH0/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiBXRNJoA0TcWxzUooCqMj48pgQGgMkSYNB2vuO6lb-9CQKAkRKtmHe4wov-eyYBOQ0Y2tZ36eDZ4ege3fRJFSZCraw4BCejy49WPk7Y3g5Pfnu5KAIpJ9E9Cnl355zgvpu9sCQQE9CH0/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-00.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvSM7oQ5VFjYNuX5ikvhIYf1ESfgA8VumYFIkQQG4DPp3E3Pxc3cbI8UJfL0xvxl7bAqhNazfnCI-m94nJDep8a7VwS1eV7gTwUqpYTBrIUJmGB4hAL27IH7xzsPV8Bf-FBV4TEGWK6F5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvSM7oQ5VFjYNuX5ikvhIYf1ESfgA8VumYFIkQQG4DPp3E3Pxc3cbI8UJfL0xvxl7bAqhNazfnCI-m94nJDep8a7VwS1eV7gTwUqpYTBrIUJmGB4hAL27IH7xzsPV8Bf-FBV4TEGWK6F5/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-01.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Вот так, потиху-помалу мы и добрались до „второй столицы“ Исландии. <b>Akureyri </b>- коммерческий и культурный центр Северной Исландии. Этот живописный городок находится всего в 60 милях к Югу от Арктического круга, однако, несмотря на это, тут самая лучшая погода во всей Исландии. Акурейри также является образовательным, культурным и художественным центром Исландии. Буквально на каждом шагу тут можно найти выставки и арт-объекты, граффити, музеи и оригинальные архитектурные решения. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RL9ZvnLb25aLjkvfAhpyUFoPoSQCgI2ksCU62LLBDvXJlMhiif2J1UyUVpNrfxDq7d6CU9de3h8LOPa6RgpUjTRTzXcosny8cK2_f47MX0c5nH1IaMqfdDIUGOtNIMx89DEzoc_xD8j4/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-museums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RL9ZvnLb25aLjkvfAhpyUFoPoSQCgI2ksCU62LLBDvXJlMhiif2J1UyUVpNrfxDq7d6CU9de3h8LOPa6RgpUjTRTzXcosny8cK2_f47MX0c5nH1IaMqfdDIUGOtNIMx89DEzoc_xD8j4/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-museums.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAqLVFpRfgu-DMlfX66YEn4YFWm0wVqqvYZiAmIcRc20XsxBQk9NivKsmYFXiEPAnFP4WsRhwikV92KDfBchIXXfq8qfeqy-Z1oLSbL3sBatVeTBuitWKgEomFoPw5Btt5tBEa_L2oHFO/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-street-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAqLVFpRfgu-DMlfX66YEn4YFWm0wVqqvYZiAmIcRc20XsxBQk9NivKsmYFXiEPAnFP4WsRhwikV92KDfBchIXXfq8qfeqy-Z1oLSbL3sBatVeTBuitWKgEomFoPw5Btt5tBEa_L2oHFO/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-street-art.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReU8djkWcLAUoQ1JIQA1LA0EYCPu_fs1E78Lhfp9PDpwEBjVtHJxiCAx3km6nAw94ohR1Fb5DUnGEM_0wd9x2hCnM7MpB2E6g3sC4GVKoEeF9Nov3ZQBEVDMl1ZFq3KTm7q59nJwCEkxp/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReU8djkWcLAUoQ1JIQA1LA0EYCPu_fs1E78Lhfp9PDpwEBjVtHJxiCAx3km6nAw94ohR1Fb5DUnGEM_0wd9x2hCnM7MpB2E6g3sC4GVKoEeF9Nov3ZQBEVDMl1ZFq3KTm7q59nJwCEkxp/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-cars.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Зачастую даже сложно было определить, где заканчивается искусство и начинается обычная (или необычная?) исландская жизнь. Например, я так до сих пор и не разобралась, являлась ли стиральная машина с надписью «бесплатная промывка мозгов» частью выставки в близлежащем <b>Akureyri Art Museum</b> или кто-то просто выставил ее на улицу, чтобы избавиться от ненужного домашнего агрегата. В любом случае, Антон, недолго думая, засунул в нее голову и потребовал запротоколировать тщательную «промывку мозгов» :-) </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbREg9AUvgmecqQlcLSGgBxY8Vy6rI8L_9lDM38KybtQI8WIFCa14ggbzrBeX6JUCsyYJjTyLW8dVWD2nD9zVHoMgw7Ti5AmN7kDIkxgWkz3l5YE3SjUCTCA3XFdDgCQT_A4hkbQmayrn/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-brainwash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbREg9AUvgmecqQlcLSGgBxY8Vy6rI8L_9lDM38KybtQI8WIFCa14ggbzrBeX6JUCsyYJjTyLW8dVWD2nD9zVHoMgw7Ti5AmN7kDIkxgWkz3l5YE3SjUCTCA3XFdDgCQT_A4hkbQmayrn/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-brainwash.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Как уже упоминалось, Акурейри полон музеев, и мы решили ознакомиться с местным искусством в «чайном домике» <b>Ketilhús </b>в <b>Akureyri Art Museum</b> (<b>Listasafnið </b>á Akureyri): там как раз была выставка Исландской портретной живописи. Я не художественный критик, так что вот вам парочка экспонатов: судите сами…</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM1YDnoDfYc8tt6C9iR_1GflFfN1qFVFy-NUVCv9e2FIwJOQIbwRzi_g0aztxfcwT9lLIj9SmD1kasHB0SuB-5hX7XtVNdw7Ls9EzqIs6_y3HgG1-9qKJWD01o735ERwv2dhNfsYPJhvl/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM1YDnoDfYc8tt6C9iR_1GflFfN1qFVFy-NUVCv9e2FIwJOQIbwRzi_g0aztxfcwT9lLIj9SmD1kasHB0SuB-5hX7XtVNdw7Ls9EzqIs6_y3HgG1-9qKJWD01o735ERwv2dhNfsYPJhvl/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-02.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y2xasclc0yhFmqijlXgDIwKloZEGxk95cbQXTLEvollWQQSAlSogqOulCcKFGHGZbfJB5BSy_3AOUPHp3rU4EGJzq4xkCy1mpRtKwteFXKNVPXFGQrfIfcdyJ3k1I9dxK9IoBDj6Xg9K/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y2xasclc0yhFmqijlXgDIwKloZEGxk95cbQXTLEvollWQQSAlSogqOulCcKFGHGZbfJB5BSy_3AOUPHp3rU4EGJzq4xkCy1mpRtKwteFXKNVPXFGQrfIfcdyJ3k1I9dxK9IoBDj6Xg9K/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Akureyri-03.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvlUbvCPpXZfpe68h7D9JY7tgojCjtI4RBO1AMVxpAzI6MGQNgAdbEAPRvM19LGQXbS7xjIfK3lXBkxqREULQGqjOJm0bqGLjKKeeDJMmo-m2bgXwvqcBfPm040AXuwrJi7AVFceFDlFv/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvlUbvCPpXZfpe68h7D9JY7tgojCjtI4RBO1AMVxpAzI6MGQNgAdbEAPRvM19LGQXbS7xjIfK3lXBkxqREULQGqjOJm0bqGLjKKeeDJMmo-m2bgXwvqcBfPm040AXuwrJi7AVFceFDlFv/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Признаюсь честно: Исландская архитектура пришлась мне больше по душе, чем живопись. Например, впечатлила <b>Akureyrarkirkja</b>: создана эта церковь была Gudjón Samúelson-оном, тем же архитектором, кто „придумал“ <b>Hallgrímskirkja </b>в Рейкьявике. Примечательна церковь Акурейри еще и своими витражами, изображающими знаменитые сцены из истории Исландии. Например, на одном из витражей можно видеть Þorgeir-а (одного из председателей Исландского парламента), который несет языческого идола, чтобы бросить его в водопад <b>Goðafoss</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh850nt3V-rb49WThX26kgjxCNrq83VZgCv2mFviHbHa5s6l37JIiNVJnM-uXjqu3jGMYBAkUx8WXwlTRJJxaTTJKyJnAni6x26VF_efvjz2fv1sVxNyB6Qwg-x_BolncyicKAWqD3lTEDa/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh850nt3V-rb49WThX26kgjxCNrq83VZgCv2mFviHbHa5s6l37JIiNVJnM-uXjqu3jGMYBAkUx8WXwlTRJJxaTTJKyJnAni6x26VF_efvjz2fv1sVxNyB6Qwg-x_BolncyicKAWqD3lTEDa/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Знакомясь с культурной жизнью Akureyri, мы нагуляли нешуточный аппетит, который по запаху привел нас в местную пекарню к исландскому хлебу <b>Rúgbrauð</b>. Необычен он тем, что выпекают его в течение 24 часов при температуре 80 C° в специальных деревянных формочках, которые закапывают в землю рядом с горячими источниками. Некоторые рестораны в геотермальных районах даже делают из этого целое туристическое меропрятие, позволяя посетителям самим сначала закопать, а потом и выкопать свой хлеб. Подают Rúgbrauð традиционно с маслом, телячим pâté, копченым ягненком hangikjöt или маринованой селедкой. Прелесть этого хлеба в том, что, если вдруг он засохнет, то его размачивают и делают из него brauðsúpa (хлебный суп). Иногда в суп добавляют изюм, лимон, и подают со взбитыми сливками в качестве десерта. Дифирамбы хлебу в путеводителях и туристических буклетах оказались абсолютно заслуженными: вкус этого сладковатого "коржика" граничит с хлебным идеалом :-) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ1SwiESWXAJqh5UcLEfZ3NiDBue7ZPFk4QRghMsisaIbVdTKUWoMzfmIb2WxAdbo88GzldygRYIdNBRyM_tpPYBdvQiATNxgFP0Ya21Qa542Tno4WNCTf6weo1HpJZRb6qQeNsKHc8ec/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-Brynja.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ1SwiESWXAJqh5UcLEfZ3NiDBue7ZPFk4QRghMsisaIbVdTKUWoMzfmIb2WxAdbo88GzldygRYIdNBRyM_tpPYBdvQiATNxgFP0Ya21Qa542Tno4WNCTf6weo1HpJZRb6qQeNsKHc8ec/s1600/Iceland-North-Akureyri-art-Brynja.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Обежав весь центр города, в завершение импровизированной экскурсии мы решили взглянуть на самый старый дом Akureyri - <b>Laxdalshús</b>. Построен он был в 1795 году, в 1943 году муниципалитет города выкупил его для того, чтобы сделать там приют для бездомных: жест был исключительно формальным, т.к. к тому времени 22 бомжа уже без спроса захватили приглянувшуюся им хату. Выселить их удалось только к 1978 году, вслед за чем дом стал чем-то вроде местного «сельского клуба».<br />
<i>Insider tip:</i> если вы уже дошли или доехали до этого несколько отдаленного уголка Akureyri, буквально через дорогу находится знаменитое в этих местах мороженное с подозрительно славянским названием «Брынья» (BRYNJA, <i>Aðalstræti 3</i>). За 440 ISK (2,85 EUR) вы получите здоровую миску мороженного, которую можно наполнить по принципу "сколько влезет" различными классическими добавками вроде шоколада и орешков, а также более «экзотическими» сиропами вроде жидких ликоричных конфет.<br />
Подкрепившись, мы двинулись в путь в сторону полуострова <b>Vatnsnes</b>. Участок по дороге туда лежал через сонные деревушки и удаленные от цивилизации места вроде <b>Olafsfjordur, Eyjafjörður, Glaumbær</b>… </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_mqkhisqkcXNdsvr8b73HRIP5-92QGfZlenlmvSzr9Y98dQjndloXMphRyGJ8HhizX2IyPknEks1vqlVgSm25OTmlHvXTjKEclDLL9TeGyzoisvY5r8RRoXwepAooUflAPBJwPwrDtme/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_mqkhisqkcXNdsvr8b73HRIP5-92QGfZlenlmvSzr9Y98dQjndloXMphRyGJ8HhizX2IyPknEks1vqlVgSm25OTmlHvXTjKEclDLL9TeGyzoisvY5r8RRoXwepAooUflAPBJwPwrDtme/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Sheep.jpg" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUMLoh1wtF0Wo6R85Ya0OCV47VHKzT1p-N1zS2aToI3vrewvmEI391WEpcu8UXSdZAtJl_4IBeXvcwCkUBmIfcnToILa57g3iY4300WDp3EUH7jVxyaQLTTAH6LBdR-N026QJmkTNyxHU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUMLoh1wtF0Wo6R85Ya0OCV47VHKzT1p-N1zS2aToI3vrewvmEI391WEpcu8UXSdZAtJl_4IBeXvcwCkUBmIfcnToILa57g3iY4300WDp3EUH7jVxyaQLTTAH6LBdR-N026QJmkTNyxHU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-24.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPuV7Rg9saRl2s-IQZ2Hwt-_V_a5bMk4LC91OUK8S78ohAE1QitNoiIsbPW6SzLYZW18u8_p6CyPrWd9lGcnHBjE3hhmlZJw-b3Qj0O_OnMnQ-eyS1smrs9Lc1zDPLRE8XUWUgbgrjsRU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPuV7Rg9saRl2s-IQZ2Hwt-_V_a5bMk4LC91OUK8S78ohAE1QitNoiIsbPW6SzLYZW18u8_p6CyPrWd9lGcnHBjE3hhmlZJw-b3Qj0O_OnMnQ-eyS1smrs9Lc1zDPLRE8XUWUgbgrjsRU/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-32.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Иногда попадались такие местные достопримечательности как <b>Grafarkirkja </b>в <b>Skagafjörður</b>-е – самая маленькая часовня в Исландии (6,25 х 3 м). Построена она была во второй половине 17-ого века, а реконструирована национальным музеем Исландии в 1950-е годы из-за ценной резьбы Guðmundur Guðmundsson-а. Интересный факт: кладбище вокруг церкви, по старинному Нордическому обычаю, имеет округлую форму. Опять-таки, христианство в Исландии имеет «языческий привкус».<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfqE-dx1Fs-A1pZgn89X4CTPI9gzZskO-_hsZpXBdtgHOG0HvpEuzr8EIcJNuJIS9WAf7LRiUI2m49tFEpjqnyI7xUzsW7R6NFE-5dWEnAhrnp85FH28_8pVXGwTDbgD_-Kq7jWGSKCR2/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Grafarkirkja-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfqE-dx1Fs-A1pZgn89X4CTPI9gzZskO-_hsZpXBdtgHOG0HvpEuzr8EIcJNuJIS9WAf7LRiUI2m49tFEpjqnyI7xUzsW7R6NFE-5dWEnAhrnp85FH28_8pVXGwTDbgD_-Kq7jWGSKCR2/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Grafarkirkja-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Тех, кто планирует заехать в этот удаленный уголок Исландии предупреждаю сразу: тут нет сногсшибательных достопримечательностей. Природа тут красивая, однако, после мест вроде Dettifoss-a, Jökulsárlón-a и Hverir-а дух не очень захватывает. Например, район <b>Ólafsfjarðarvatn </b>- знаменит прекрасными видами заснеженных вершин, <b>Skagafjörður Fjord</b> – коневодством, городок <b>Hofsós </b>- бассейном с видом на <b>Drangey Island</b>...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_DhIeI-N7_plVu_c0LSyLpUQededU85tq_GRiVNlW8CutEA9GLC0twWwaQarxQQr12BOfxm0PxaSp0mQyZ4pWTaJU4lIP31mRgi9kNjfsAPCpQ59PyXVPz-znOMo548xnM-Lc05lAAdb/s1600/Iceland-North-horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_DhIeI-N7_plVu_c0LSyLpUQededU85tq_GRiVNlW8CutEA9GLC0twWwaQarxQQr12BOfxm0PxaSp0mQyZ4pWTaJU4lIP31mRgi9kNjfsAPCpQ59PyXVPz-znOMo548xnM-Lc05lAAdb/s1600/Iceland-North-horses.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nIYE9soRpJjbDvGQalp0cLCxsIEtcs_KgGoV_mQRjyk5oEePZGR42sewDzzm8y6IUsf17HKgsSVjQHmuJL2NzU4B-gE5lNpn5QaxL1c5tii2lWmi8k0XoGevJb5JJEFgIduJYswK68ra/s1600/Iceland-North-horses-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nIYE9soRpJjbDvGQalp0cLCxsIEtcs_KgGoV_mQRjyk5oEePZGR42sewDzzm8y6IUsf17HKgsSVjQHmuJL2NzU4B-gE5lNpn5QaxL1c5tii2lWmi8k0XoGevJb5JJEFgIduJYswK68ra/s1600/Iceland-North-horses-02.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Из культурных достопримечательностей, пожалуй, стоит остановиться в <b>Glaumbær Folk Museum</b>. Музей открылся в 1952 году на базе старой дерновой фермы, принадлежавшей местному пастору. Тут можно увидеть, как жили люди в Исландии в 18-19-х веках: на стенах из дерна развешаны коньки из костей животных и всякие другие интересные артефакты. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5s5eSLUPjxbnkDtgKiDRcecC6f7Dsrtm0t0CKA6Ea7Kh22NNrgOmTpT5ahBdxxa0njt0CKYE3D6SDyQtIhoOzE_2LeqXmL77mtoLLHrSOQp3P_WKneqoDYX5NQKSWVYOVkYl0umSKiYK/s1600/Iceland-North-Glaumbaer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5s5eSLUPjxbnkDtgKiDRcecC6f7Dsrtm0t0CKA6Ea7Kh22NNrgOmTpT5ahBdxxa0njt0CKYE3D6SDyQtIhoOzE_2LeqXmL77mtoLLHrSOQp3P_WKneqoDYX5NQKSWVYOVkYl0umSKiYK/s1600/Iceland-North-Glaumbaer.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXWUzs2wo3CTgnpuhuwSHY6k6Xb5_AHt9mpcyWAjm09TEQC65Wc-INrQQgW52GBGjMZg-tCBeT4W6fDMi8UablNJVGy07usEm6Xd8UhzIS5FOsGmaBtj4EYoelK5DGElHaZ7yfCTvYaj4/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Glaumbaer-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXWUzs2wo3CTgnpuhuwSHY6k6Xb5_AHt9mpcyWAjm09TEQC65Wc-INrQQgW52GBGjMZg-tCBeT4W6fDMi8UablNJVGy07usEm6Xd8UhzIS5FOsGmaBtj4EYoelK5DGElHaZ7yfCTvYaj4/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Glaumbaer-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Завершился наш день в полудиких горячих источниках <b>Grettislaug </b>и <b>Reykir</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqe64JAQsMG76FqzMQDzqv_jT1-9XSHQMbWuk5WfAp6drg1h36CJ-50XQVxnvUG9WfJ009Qt9Iy3XsM5fwlxrBl5DOXqKb2nSdDs2jbNzGH7Si4h1NTrW51jQFKZH3JIxIsZRx0wF1iwy/s1600/Iceland-North-Grettislaug-Reykir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqe64JAQsMG76FqzMQDzqv_jT1-9XSHQMbWuk5WfAp6drg1h36CJ-50XQVxnvUG9WfJ009Qt9Iy3XsM5fwlxrBl5DOXqKb2nSdDs2jbNzGH7Si4h1NTrW51jQFKZH3JIxIsZRx0wF1iwy/s1600/Iceland-North-Grettislaug-Reykir.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Незапланированно, наше полуночное купание приобрело особенно пикантный колорит, когда наши единственные соседи на всем кемпинге (группа швейцарских парней), решили искупаться нагишом. Как можно судить по фото ниже, свое желание быть во всех смыслах ближе к природе они решили не скрывать и не стеснять лишними одежами.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkueru-qQihac1J3jPLpC8xeodple128A_DJYi8rzoWrdsDpu7a9uRySTDMc6knW0aKPQc3eOq2AzgY-dPSDfiZoqAX_-BHfZC6jIfFQHJsHvbjrX4zeYrdvlfn8U1QYTJVHwEWmlOpNep/s1600/Iceland-North-Grettislaug-Reykir-swiss-guys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkueru-qQihac1J3jPLpC8xeodple128A_DJYi8rzoWrdsDpu7a9uRySTDMc6knW0aKPQc3eOq2AzgY-dPSDfiZoqAX_-BHfZC6jIfFQHJsHvbjrX4zeYrdvlfn8U1QYTJVHwEWmlOpNep/s1600/Iceland-North-Grettislaug-Reykir-swiss-guys.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Seal watching on Vatnsnes peninsula / Hvítserkur</h3>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Hvammstanga</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На полуострове <b>Vatnsnes </b>находится самая большая в Исландии колония морских котиков. Отличное местечко для налюдения за этими занимательными зверушками – <b>Hvammstanga</b>. Там даже отмечают «национальный день подсчета морских котиков» :-) Там же можно взять тюленевый тур (1,5-2 часа, 50 EUR). Отправляются туры из гавани 3 раза в день (в 10.00, 13.00 и 16.00). Однако, следует иметь в виду, что при плохой погоде тур могут отменить. Так произошло и с нами… В этом случае: довольно вероятно увидеть морских котиков на пляжах <b>Svalbarð </b>и <b>Illugastaðir</b>. Во время нашего визита на полуостров Vastness, наибольшее количество котиков было на Illugastaðir-е. Прогулка к пляжу тут немного дольше, чем в Svalbarð, но она того стоит! В конце тропы можно найти домик с двумя общественными биноклями, чтобы получше рассмотреть котиков, которые возлегают на нескольких пляжах, играют и охотятся совсем близко к берегу, а иногда и любопытно выглядывают из воды на людей, которые отчаянно пытаются фотографиески запечатлеть их милые морды на различную хитроумную технику.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFbxbhA2b9oyJ2xI8lnpeHt4IpMEX1vjXyrq9TOYAPO8xy61jR-ePbx25Vtt9OqV22T81qcO9C3EqNR7aXGMKSIFi6kfB6dRyv0U9n0WGZKKhqH-4AnyauYgBd-Kf9OwTLCBgAR4HVuCM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFbxbhA2b9oyJ2xI8lnpeHt4IpMEX1vjXyrq9TOYAPO8xy61jR-ePbx25Vtt9OqV22T81qcO9C3EqNR7aXGMKSIFi6kfB6dRyv0U9n0WGZKKhqH-4AnyauYgBd-Kf9OwTLCBgAR4HVuCM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga-03.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5Se8qEsVpiqKVEgwfldJRAUK_5DXCJ5M758zACNBxwAwWwDJiQnfYYPeRowOO0LHsxDHlCHWa18jD1ba44BSjacvA6hA-B3J4y5bVQSxYt2qhZkw9CYH44F10jO5ivaqE9RFD_K8eInP/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5Se8qEsVpiqKVEgwfldJRAUK_5DXCJ5M758zACNBxwAwWwDJiQnfYYPeRowOO0LHsxDHlCHWa18jD1ba44BSjacvA6hA-B3J4y5bVQSxYt2qhZkw9CYH44F10jO5ivaqE9RFD_K8eInP/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20onU1qUCtB2Kxjsoaa8ZA5XQpgWIGYQbfGjsbJMVZGYjqrwhao83Hy8Y9ABJDq6Ehdne3-Iiz969INy3tJtWBrkQ0nmj530uRo3p7NyMsQkD1zcxkB-kVZwDGVeQ-Mk-k91dz4RWRIEi/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20onU1qUCtB2Kxjsoaa8ZA5XQpgWIGYQbfGjsbJMVZGYjqrwhao83Hy8Y9ABJDq6Ehdne3-Iiz969INy3tJtWBrkQ0nmj530uRo3p7NyMsQkD1zcxkB-kVZwDGVeQ-Mk-k91dz4RWRIEi/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-Hvammstanga-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Borgarvirki </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt_PIFfF5ofJ6jhyphenhyphennDEBwkyJUckYph0BufWfBFjan0zzj14GycUbi2gQ_63rdiN_0O9Njx-C-km0UK_s60c8BXswKU8Vq8MWiqOnBxwXZQCsVQu3As7P63dW94Lz02f2TqvDPwRc-EHGQ/s1600/Iceland-North-Borgarvirki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt_PIFfF5ofJ6jhyphenhyphennDEBwkyJUckYph0BufWfBFjan0zzj14GycUbi2gQ_63rdiN_0O9Njx-C-km0UK_s60c8BXswKU8Vq8MWiqOnBxwXZQCsVQu3As7P63dW94Lz02f2TqvDPwRc-EHGQ/s1600/Iceland-North-Borgarvirki.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Borgarvirki </b>– это базальтовая вулканическая «пробка» (gosstapi), которая находится между Vesturhóp-ом и Víðidalur-ом, на высоте 177 метров над уровнем моря. Пробка и без того напоминала военную крепость, но местные жители помогли ей в этом деле, стратегически раскидав камни таким образом, чтобы создать стены, а затем использовать этот природный феномен в военных целях. Сохранились рассказы о том, как бандюганы из Borgafjordur-a долго осаждали местного вождя Bardi и его соратников, и планировали заморить их голодом. Однако, хитрый Bardi выкинул последнюю имеющуюся в наличии сосиску за стену крепости, заставив осаждающих думать, что запасов у пленников – хоть отбавляй. Обманутые бандюганы оставили показавшуюся им невыполнимой затею и сняли осаду.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Hvítserkur </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq-61BcRJJru5gDsvytt9FrXoWMYiMp7RCsIFC9CiXRcZrLLrKy1SdDEfpn6YWrBK1tOGAxrZRjdKqpp0UBl9oh4AKMKMArpxd4v8XSy8VhbZJhD1FcSuhdXPs95Fe5c95nGeUJD3OYTF/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivq-61BcRJJru5gDsvytt9FrXoWMYiMp7RCsIFC9CiXRcZrLLrKy1SdDEfpn6YWrBK1tOGAxrZRjdKqpp0UBl9oh4AKMKMArpxd4v8XSy8VhbZJhD1FcSuhdXPs95Fe5c95nGeUJD3OYTF/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-30.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapm-lwatnahgNYA0i2J6U_Zpxv6ySArd-XLTQp48IREs_4H_ZBaWKMK3VnUO2ILAqJ8IG0r79XCg84jRVBTeM0kbFG9gF2wsWs9dj7bKP7hjNvA_ce8je9Uzb_KveSlXSfpQMOGLBiFZM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapm-lwatnahgNYA0i2J6U_Zpxv6ySArd-XLTQp48IREs_4H_ZBaWKMK3VnUO2ILAqJ8IG0r79XCg84jRVBTeM0kbFG9gF2wsWs9dj7bKP7hjNvA_ce8je9Uzb_KveSlXSfpQMOGLBiFZM/s1600/Alena-Romanenko-Iceland-North-31.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: justify;">Hvítserkur</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> – 15-метровая базальтовая скала на восточном берегу полуострова Vatnsnes. Название это переводится с Исландского как «белая ночнушка». Что ж, отрицать некоторое сходство скалы с развевающейся на ветру ночнушкой отрицать я не стану. Ну, вы, видимо, уже и без меня догадались, что белая она - от помета птиц, гнездящихся в защищенных от ветра укромных уголках скалы. Как полагается у любого уважающего себя в Исландии места, есть в народных анналах и сага о возникновении Хвитсеркура. Оказывается, когда-то давно жил-был троль, который планировал разрушить монастырь <b>Þingeyrar</b>, находящийся неподалеку. Однако, буквально в тот момент, когда троль был уже готов привести в исполнение свой коварный план, Солнце поднялось над горизонтом и превратило злобного троля в огромную глыбу. С точки зрения моего западно-европейского мировоззрения: что-то в этой истории не складывается и, возможно, часть смысла потерялась в переводе, однако исландцы передают такие истории из поколения в поколение, не заморачиваются на тонкостях логики и не занимаются излишней детализацией причинно-следственных связей. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
P.S. На заметку путешественника, попавшего в эти края: обращаю ваше внимание на кемпинг <b>Laugarbakki. </b>Ночевка там была одной из самых удачных за всю поездку (в том числе и по соотношению «цена-качество»). Кемпинг находится на «цивилизованных» горячих источниках, доступ к которым входит в стомость ночевки. Души чистые, с горячей водой, стиралка и сушилка стоят 500 ISK (около 3,25 Евро), а кухня оборудована всеми необходимыми аппаратами и полна остатков припасов от прерыдущих путешественников…</div>
</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Akureyri, Iceland65.688492099999991 -18.12616930000001565.583889599999992 -18.448892800000014 65.793094599999989 -17.803445800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-36526799465511773282015-03-13T00:27:00.001+01:002015-03-22T14:45:31.472+01:00Saga #3: The East (Austurland)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NWemfd0Nji80JynguDjmrXBhhjqyBBEpAGK_BXcjpr1BuNebAFcp1WELUiA93MsS61ILVwEcXbzLYfxxlpwdpyWH1Bhq_IRuiVFxhs8Dl5S85OfCkyFmbd1rTaTEM5-SmbP9tlbyHmfq/s1600/Iceland_EAST_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NWemfd0Nji80JynguDjmrXBhhjqyBBEpAGK_BXcjpr1BuNebAFcp1WELUiA93MsS61ILVwEcXbzLYfxxlpwdpyWH1Bhq_IRuiVFxhs8Dl5S85OfCkyFmbd1rTaTEM5-SmbP9tlbyHmfq/s1600/Iceland_EAST_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" height="276" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Итак, после длительного перерыва я поставила себе задачу закончить исландские саги до моего следующего road-trip-a (по Португалии) и все-таки вернулась к своим нордическим запискам.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRClKOGIXDi8tUy86UVZib-7qeIuprDbGkhSAIbAJCVlJur3GqgAUa7HClo0Gif4B9Ku8oNJvO-9mFKRt833-liB9pj3yBti9gPyiBvLDYXJUQxesnyAcFFBiIyFHcxcU79v_QUnFhXN-/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Sheep-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRClKOGIXDi8tUy86UVZib-7qeIuprDbGkhSAIbAJCVlJur3GqgAUa7HClo0Gif4B9Ku8oNJvO-9mFKRt833-liB9pj3yBti9gPyiBvLDYXJUQxesnyAcFFBiIyFHcxcU79v_QUnFhXN-/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Sheep-00.jpg" height="176" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Кстати, приблизительный Google Maps маршрут восточного участка пути <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/84Kj7">можно найти тут</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-b10ceM-Y94BG021XOErArOLziqIfe9fDdRWb5XDmEv4m0SoftPI3c1m0VWRL7KPDD9V0SxyTzDjGAEcJvtj-NaMZhv7wqbmP-CmFWy88TbFSB-QBv4p64D6K7asztX9oiyiRTzvC3NF/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-b10ceM-Y94BG021XOErArOLziqIfe9fDdRWb5XDmEv4m0SoftPI3c1m0VWRL7KPDD9V0SxyTzDjGAEcJvtj-NaMZhv7wqbmP-CmFWy88TbFSB-QBv4p64D6K7asztX9oiyiRTzvC3NF/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2015/01/saga-2-south-golden-circle.html">всех впечатлений Южной Исландии (см. пост)</a>, в Восточную Исландию мы въезжали уже как матёрые, видавшие виды путешественники. Зачастую у нас появлялись «попутчики»: иногда велосипедисты, иногда мотоциклисты, которые в течение дня следовали приблизительно по тому же маршруту, что и мы. Иногда они радостно узнавали нас и махали рукой, как старым знакомым.<br />
Природные мотивы тоже стали иногда повторяться: белыми шариками живописно лежало заготовленное на зиму сено, овечки колоритно стояли вдоль дорожкек на фоне гор, фьердов и полей, коровки мерно жевали сено, а коники, с развевающейся гривой, гордо и смело смотрели в светлое будущее… А в каждом поселении можно было найти маяк, церковь, кладбище, а также памяник первым поселенцам или рыбакам…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9tJp7g8_4-lgS1WL9tMkj0rZCaVN501JZSK3FOjjLvXt49Y83vrr-YmE0N8jm2bVFcBHFelbThTkM8EhcAMOO0cDfvvg9v06BfUIwR_VN8yp4htHSNRrqFVMvUbXswRlt1QCizPRyEkV/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9tJp7g8_4-lgS1WL9tMkj0rZCaVN501JZSK3FOjjLvXt49Y83vrr-YmE0N8jm2bVFcBHFelbThTkM8EhcAMOO0cDfvvg9v06BfUIwR_VN8yp4htHSNRrqFVMvUbXswRlt1QCizPRyEkV/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Horses.jpg" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORN6L25fLJ6mefScIwXy8c8p3TF3C1WC5ZQLux4kcwLTO_VbxvNdtGErsPcuj8GIqhaWikbdRgPW8eTtteFCk0lhyxqVJK-Mwx5VchvQtr1Mbzd0r4rYLEyaEbdf40coW3rh1Nfwt23XT/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Hay-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORN6L25fLJ6mefScIwXy8c8p3TF3C1WC5ZQLux4kcwLTO_VbxvNdtGErsPcuj8GIqhaWikbdRgPW8eTtteFCk0lhyxqVJK-Mwx5VchvQtr1Mbzd0r4rYLEyaEbdf40coW3rh1Nfwt23XT/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Hay-01.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSFZNpWvTLEXjH3b6e-gb6WLMfIfBk9xreTgT8Ea86vc7D9cDGGBMebHTi95RQ5lDB6_yzk5hYITeKQk5lLTIy2QNnYDeXtf3dsDr689v89ZbTdSPgbPFdF4DSTlF-defChyphenhyphenuzc8D-JSj/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Sheep-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSFZNpWvTLEXjH3b6e-gb6WLMfIfBk9xreTgT8Ea86vc7D9cDGGBMebHTi95RQ5lDB6_yzk5hYITeKQk5lLTIy2QNnYDeXtf3dsDr689v89ZbTdSPgbPFdF4DSTlF-defChyphenhyphenuzc8D-JSj/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Sheep-01.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Höfn / Djúplvogur / Egilsstaðir (Southeast / Eastern Fjords)</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Знакомство с Востоком началось в городке <b>Höfn</b>. Кстати, на заметку любителям морепродуктов: все путеводители указывают на то, что тут лучше всего пробовать лобстера (по возможности: с черным соусом). Если вы не очень настроены на кулинарные приключения, то делать в городке особенно нечего, разве только прогуляться по местному музею морского дела.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-kmA8QlwjksHXyUaqoiuJXENYyFlmhvI1b-Ghcfc4yoCf2dV2ohSqMJPhCCnEi9bTalDg7jLvSdFHrW3VsQMxWmu45i008uogx8E6DRj9d18d6XUfRRjbLa2ivx32ScDp8sXMTv_Gdqj/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-H%C3%B6fn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-kmA8QlwjksHXyUaqoiuJXENYyFlmhvI1b-Ghcfc4yoCf2dV2ohSqMJPhCCnEi9bTalDg7jLvSdFHrW3VsQMxWmu45i008uogx8E6DRj9d18d6XUfRRjbLa2ivx32ScDp8sXMTv_Gdqj/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-H%C3%B6fn.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Поскольку дорога предстояла довольно долгая, задерживаться мы не стали, и двинулись в сторону самого мощного водопада Европы: <b>Dettifoss</b>-a.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV10HSdRYyEfou5chX4Lewh44-vV9i-YLraw20TKt9seEypYJAETu3WQw1KKhQxCj-x6VI-gZoEUejibm5WWELZkld9OA49DrPsvdvAwMY-UsGtySNInAphqh3GKptQmfyksSbXvGMGgr/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV10HSdRYyEfou5chX4Lewh44-vV9i-YLraw20TKt9seEypYJAETu3WQw1KKhQxCj-x6VI-gZoEUejibm5WWELZkld9OA49DrPsvdvAwMY-UsGtySNInAphqh3GKptQmfyksSbXvGMGgr/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-04.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
По пути попадались маленькие сонные рыбацкие деревушки со смешными и странными названиями вроде <b>Djupavogshreppur.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26MwigsZZ5tF8a1YlbzXzA9TlXz4HqXzoaFpY4uEkfjUYkXAHjiRWVtbWcCxswNP9eurW54InzK7mr0H3JKA6m0bXZ4wz8UY9Rs2Kfy56ACDh31FFFGPfRCFacBrF6B7y1TATHem9-kbY/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupavogshreppur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26MwigsZZ5tF8a1YlbzXzA9TlXz4HqXzoaFpY4uEkfjUYkXAHjiRWVtbWcCxswNP9eurW54InzK7mr0H3JKA6m0bXZ4wz8UY9Rs2Kfy56ACDh31FFFGPfRCFacBrF6B7y1TATHem9-kbY/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupavogshreppur.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
Вскоре мы добрались до самого большого города в восточных фьёрдах: <b>Egilsstaðir</b>-а. Располагается он на берегах озера <b>Lagarfljót</b>, где живет <b>Lagarfljótsormur </b>(исландский эквивалент Лохнесской Несси). Однако, кроме как читать истории о том, как рыбаки, пожимая плечами, вынуждены констатировать, что монстра «и тут не видать, и там не видать», делать в городке было решительно нечего, а потому мы поехали «искать счастья» в <b>Djúplvogur</b>. Надо отметить, что только в Исландской глуши может прийти в голову мысль искать развлечений в городке с населением в 386 человек... Чтобы дать читателю некоторое представление о степени абсурдности данного намерения, вот фотография главного здания города, <b>Langabúð</b>-а и прилегающей к нему площади.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IwjhVXGbNHbjY9ZDbIlAuh9H9A3iGB9fTai52sN-z9gNN3metmnYLnEW3B92PuEcZ4e1tpZw24eezRPTWXMH-PnMQfzLw9dE2BY3hHIJUKEwHlWA8fJuOTYTXmfQJl18B0VtDeSPINdH/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-Buttons-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IwjhVXGbNHbjY9ZDbIlAuh9H9A3iGB9fTai52sN-z9gNN3metmnYLnEW3B92PuEcZ4e1tpZw24eezRPTWXMH-PnMQfzLw9dE2BY3hHIJUKEwHlWA8fJuOTYTXmfQJl18B0VtDeSPINdH/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-Buttons-house.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Вообще, городок находится в районе <b>Berufjördur</b>, который в свое время (лет эдак 400 назад), был центром самого старинного торгового центра в восточных фьердах. Однако сегодня городок может похвастаться лишь колоритной церквушкой и местным мастером-ломастером, который зарабатывает себе на жизнь различными поделками из «подножного мусора» (мы случайно забрели к нему в мастерскую в поисках той самой церквушки). Справеливости ради надо отметить, что, когда я через пару дней увидела, сколько стоят такие вот поделки (на фото пуговицы из отпавших рогов оленей), мнение мое по поводу странности его занятия несколько подкорректировалось... Для задания системы координат: обменный курс на тот момент был приблизительно 154 кроны за 1 евро. Получается, что каждая пуговка стоит 4,2 евро, 4 пуговки стоят 19,8 евро ... ну, в общем, оленьи рога прямо-таки бесценными получаются.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqXN5L88D74ZHhHHZ0DlkXvbtTZtj7KBETrJnacd02Vd3BfpgeXXRHsTjA1JKSUJVl5IIyNs9yxMxbut1tHNL6JZRLebrqCF0k8t-DKQQcB0Lo3gJvcIRHb_r35jCXiJuwn8rAGlWuwyS/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-Buttons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqXN5L88D74ZHhHHZ0DlkXvbtTZtj7KBETrJnacd02Vd3BfpgeXXRHsTjA1JKSUJVl5IIyNs9yxMxbut1tHNL6JZRLebrqCF0k8t-DKQQcB0Lo3gJvcIRHb_r35jCXiJuwn8rAGlWuwyS/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-Buttons.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После небольшого лирического отступления в мастерской и созерцания симпатичных цветных домиков, стоящих на улицах со сказочными названиями вроде <b>Eyjaland</b>, мы все-таки набрели на церквушку <b>Gamla Djúpavogskirkja</b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDDM3utfSWPsi0pP3t_WuktTvHt8P-bNEWZr9AtOPpSnOWyUQs4s4oA5dfsDTT7T-9A7onWDS3fnazD4V3yFJZGF3aAJ6zwutTLvGxlN7EfkiLuosTSat6G9GKqpmlEnVYslP_WVEnzhi/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dj%C3%BApivogur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDDM3utfSWPsi0pP3t_WuktTvHt8P-bNEWZr9AtOPpSnOWyUQs4s4oA5dfsDTT7T-9A7onWDS3fnazD4V3yFJZGF3aAJ6zwutTLvGxlN7EfkiLuosTSat6G9GKqpmlEnVYslP_WVEnzhi/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dj%C3%BApivogur.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Пора было познакомиться с тем, как же исландцы практикуют свою очень видимую (церквуши тут буквально на каждом шагу) религиозность. Уже на входе стало понятно: либо у исландцев очень хорошее чувство юмора, либо они совершенно несерьезно воспринимают свою приверженность Богу (или богам?): на входе нас встретил вот такой вот "karaoke Jesus".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fsennU6wX6of3l_f_FL_SreH_iPMCAqQGAyZgEXQfrsqwKTMPICeOzuuBM8ooZ4b3q1UseHKUq58adhoX2eEIxUGWZ7yJxHPQ43gTIgKB_gJ8qL2M2welVyyAqsNFhod8WJrEzokkXqr/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-karaoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fsennU6wX6of3l_f_FL_SreH_iPMCAqQGAyZgEXQfrsqwKTMPICeOzuuBM8ooZ4b3q1UseHKUq58adhoX2eEIxUGWZ7yJxHPQ43gTIgKB_gJ8qL2M2welVyyAqsNFhod8WJrEzokkXqr/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-karaoke.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Мы приостановились у дверей, пытаясь проникнуться сутью символики, и тут Антон прервал почтительное молчание коментарием: "ну, что-что, а ноги у него классные!" :-) Я одобрительно кивнула, и мы шагнули внутрь… "Церковь" была наполнена чем угодно, только не церковной атрибутикой. Ну, и поскольку "хоругвей и креста" не нашлось", то мы сфоткались с Гарфилдом, шваброй и бумажной оранжевой улиткой (видимо, отголоски языческого прошлого Исландии), которую Антон нашел, покопавшись где-то в церковном предбаннике.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiF87KnMoOg8JTac57cVdf1LZBZpNENhG2pGlOa7Yx4UCyNkWNqjdoPbf8gx06hZDN_-e4msUOu6lbxKq43Yd_TCIq-Z3FDTnU4ynkBHwok6C4Pg74xN5yNszDowDgThRS9-0T0at9cobe/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiF87KnMoOg8JTac57cVdf1LZBZpNENhG2pGlOa7Yx4UCyNkWNqjdoPbf8gx06hZDN_-e4msUOu6lbxKq43Yd_TCIq-Z3FDTnU4ynkBHwok6C4Pg74xN5yNszDowDgThRS9-0T0at9cobe/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Djupivogur-snail.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzEiEA_RI2xZip6Ovu_294IPieOwKrvwac0noBHrfawiX5Kx7nsrRfpbjq0Pgj3C4RW2jYnJgucjqB2Nr7fmT1qlSKGya9qeU5yztScMwzJtsGJcIPuc_AvaqVNnpGIER3Xs4GGrl8oVR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Gamla-Dj%C3%BApavogskirkja-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzEiEA_RI2xZip6Ovu_294IPieOwKrvwac0noBHrfawiX5Kx7nsrRfpbjq0Pgj3C4RW2jYnJgucjqB2Nr7fmT1qlSKGya9qeU5yztScMwzJtsGJcIPuc_AvaqVNnpGIER3Xs4GGrl8oVR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Gamla-Dj%C3%BApavogskirkja-03.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbup5EMcYmOI-3u9mvsgXJimBB0UgddgOQbWN-TLOdciqPvf8VxIeiNDXujVOYKJX3EuOVlsNG6saCcvRZlVfYHKYy3UkE9jJV-tpycG7K0OzSSOMB3afyvrJV2byk9pG6YefV4clE4QXP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Gamla-Dj%C3%BApavogskirkja-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbup5EMcYmOI-3u9mvsgXJimBB0UgddgOQbWN-TLOdciqPvf8VxIeiNDXujVOYKJX3EuOVlsNG6saCcvRZlVfYHKYy3UkE9jJV-tpycG7K0OzSSOMB3afyvrJV2byk9pG6YefV4clE4QXP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Gamla-Dj%C3%BApavogskirkja-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Заночевали мы в «кемпинге» (на самом деле это было просто чистое поле, за остановку в котором все-таки надо было платить, т.к. владельцы поставили там вагончик с водой и туалетом, и разрешали путникам подсоединиться к WiFi).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj1Bc_hVMUecCgNnsJLSOIZmCemSCcaIhlvXp9iV3eveB0OHoS6Xc_1XipGRkhFh6nRj35XO_yL3RAnzOJXlkIhUH1EoMWRpDAtNc5Cx-p1oVB0wk_gcQgoZwWpeix-nb4r9085Ok37FG/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Grimstunga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj1Bc_hVMUecCgNnsJLSOIZmCemSCcaIhlvXp9iV3eveB0OHoS6Xc_1XipGRkhFh6nRj35XO_yL3RAnzOJXlkIhUH1EoMWRpDAtNc5Cx-p1oVB0wk_gcQgoZwWpeix-nb4r9085Ok37FG/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Grimstunga.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Dettifoss / Hverir & Námafjall / Leirhnjúkur / geothermals baths in Mývatn</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSL4Q9Dxzocsf2Nx_BIE2A-Pu8HQNnioyuQ7MCA9FzJ_4A9v_cXN0Pz-PRI5f4FjPMp8VLU1xvPElbXr01G9TbW0kUGcArliQcn7Tn5UjGtQ6FEiHCSdyfhk94g78uL0_dDssTM-dx0qLL/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSL4Q9Dxzocsf2Nx_BIE2A-Pu8HQNnioyuQ7MCA9FzJ_4A9v_cXN0Pz-PRI5f4FjPMp8VLU1xvPElbXr01G9TbW0kUGcArliQcn7Tn5UjGtQ6FEiHCSdyfhk94g78uL0_dDssTM-dx0qLL/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-05.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Dettifoss</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8DPRTAO5fVyUQMBQcBLNK1ooLI077fGwPCDfZ8nIPz-GVjTmDPAosKGnqrVmfVFAfmnZTS-oWWklYN4tGxby8lcuuus7lIH9dET3C_wsw-v_ldE0onTW6bq1GM2MO5SS1B9LiXpIu3tk/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8DPRTAO5fVyUQMBQcBLNK1ooLI077fGwPCDfZ8nIPz-GVjTmDPAosKGnqrVmfVFAfmnZTS-oWWklYN4tGxby8lcuuus7lIH9dET3C_wsw-v_ldE0onTW6bq1GM2MO5SS1B9LiXpIu3tk/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Следующим утром мы наконец-то добрались до уже упомянутого <b>Dettifoss</b>-а. Да, именно этот титанический водопад был выбран Ridley Scott-ом, чтобы изобразить первобытную Землю и рассказать об истоках человечества в одной из первых сцен фильма Prometheus. Нафоткавшись вдоволь и почувствовав себя маленькой песчинкой во Вселенной рядом с этой примечательной демонстрацией силы Земли, мы двинули в место, которое из-за своей «инопланетности» произвело на нас всех, пожалуй, одно из самых сильных впечатлений за все путешествие… </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWEpnq_oVaQiROCBskiubnwZrEj4AcFqSsgNaHesFzeB5aqRADsPO78U8-MJjwE1TcU83mysoNW9KlyJLmgWf7oqyN1aqkapyYmBjiHkOr0X186j6r10jzsfHH2rinCK48-ByajQF9l-a/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWEpnq_oVaQiROCBskiubnwZrEj4AcFqSsgNaHesFzeB5aqRADsPO78U8-MJjwE1TcU83mysoNW9KlyJLmgWf7oqyN1aqkapyYmBjiHkOr0X186j6r10jzsfHH2rinCK48-ByajQF9l-a/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-00.jpg" height="132" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9CW1X-ggXsGjPBpmt-st_i6QxCvFHQ36fu5pLtamhMlF5-N3JGACDz1MucrWioxyYcgBP7MtgQBuGjRh-cmP8atFALcXwpVC1dsIlrzu41KvTZdA9r_Ma3pv0-Q-aSX5BxUEQnEGOn8y/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9CW1X-ggXsGjPBpmt-st_i6QxCvFHQ36fu5pLtamhMlF5-N3JGACDz1MucrWioxyYcgBP7MtgQBuGjRh-cmP8atFALcXwpVC1dsIlrzu41KvTZdA9r_Ma3pv0-Q-aSX5BxUEQnEGOn8y/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-01.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ6vtNrpxfjH2L0K_POLlYO6WJloqU7WFFihEIIq1NHAj69XY9Q9Z2WoWanVXSSYGrFV2cGSU2shgCQ_i-QkA6deE_Ye6x6w5ndVcyBD8hMkG1THZtkERWtxRwa7LBUhsGL8ttglrGmGG/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ6vtNrpxfjH2L0K_POLlYO6WJloqU7WFFihEIIq1NHAj69XY9Q9Z2WoWanVXSSYGrFV2cGSU2shgCQ_i-QkA6deE_Ye6x6w5ndVcyBD8hMkG1THZtkERWtxRwa7LBUhsGL8ttglrGmGG/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TadGOrvBLMP4DN836AB6TBtbJJEavfOxRP6SiBxUgmU-oEV9rWt4ojHlS-cjUroY0FP6HBO31e49hC68cL5qSosLBd3q8-D1z8V4rjze6XU3r_hyny-csW4PWq-XxV-U-FFuVs1aDB-S/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TadGOrvBLMP4DN836AB6TBtbJJEavfOxRP6SiBxUgmU-oEV9rWt4ojHlS-cjUroY0FP6HBO31e49hC68cL5qSosLBd3q8-D1z8V4rjze6XU3r_hyny-csW4PWq-XxV-U-FFuVs1aDB-S/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Dettifoss-03.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Námafjall / Hverir / Leirhnjúkur / Námaskard</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTdZh_yUibI-7GOfsoSCgC1B7LRk9x60oZsgEa7pyHZNrXWjWOX9cj7EDeBu-JQu2ztbSmpaNCB9RO7VFbEX-pSkYKLnHvCuz6IKACUmB5MN0wuLkH9aMMSB8RcB5jrnOcCZMeCfitLrw/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTdZh_yUibI-7GOfsoSCgC1B7LRk9x60oZsgEa7pyHZNrXWjWOX9cj7EDeBu-JQu2ztbSmpaNCB9RO7VFbEX-pSkYKLnHvCuz6IKACUmB5MN0wuLkH9aMMSB8RcB5jrnOcCZMeCfitLrw/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-04.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Námaskard </b>или <b>Hveraröndor Hverir </b>– геотермальная область рядом с горой <b>Námafjall</b>. Все тут буквально пышет вулканической энергией, что совсем неудивительно, ведь Исландия является самой молодой геологической массой на планете Земля: этот остров поднялся над поверхностью океана всего 8 миллионов лет назад.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f9E8F2xha1ghIr1E2pajvLAwNAlot0_Frc_7AR_JzBcICcqB7jd51x1tilaI4B2LpfHncZzj7_FhKs28PAqARJ_xbJWb6kJd1FZUkUMaHjpTdaZUXB4EysD41YqbDlT2pCR23x0-bDtd/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f9E8F2xha1ghIr1E2pajvLAwNAlot0_Frc_7AR_JzBcICcqB7jd51x1tilaI4B2LpfHncZzj7_FhKs28PAqARJ_xbJWb6kJd1FZUkUMaHjpTdaZUXB4EysD41YqbDlT2pCR23x0-bDtd/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-01.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8kb-TMIQ54BL-EOpfesHGJvuUGUgJPqCigFeOazx_e8sYFpjB8tOMQBIvLBfWblQJJjeU0BFELs1uIr7n6h97V8vGqvu5tgsMxM51E-EMQFUJNMeyvfc_sJIg5WIIo-MBJG6EmAcpAs8/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8kb-TMIQ54BL-EOpfesHGJvuUGUgJPqCigFeOazx_e8sYFpjB8tOMQBIvLBfWblQJJjeU0BFELs1uIr7n6h97V8vGqvu5tgsMxM51E-EMQFUJNMeyvfc_sJIg5WIIo-MBJG6EmAcpAs8/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy311hvtoJGp9F4qJRXe9mjWzdKI7qt2i9Iy6RpK2lK26l5kZOMqoiwwDzwTUHrq89K52KYQvbS8uB2V2Vf9rJwO1gwbYjjKfzPJGeo9Khwm-MZs6O0BvZvP-7se8tgJ_zRYsV1XvBDj2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy311hvtoJGp9F4qJRXe9mjWzdKI7qt2i9Iy6RpK2lK26l5kZOMqoiwwDzwTUHrq89K52KYQvbS8uB2V2Vf9rJwO1gwbYjjKfzPJGeo9Khwm-MZs6O0BvZvP-7se8tgJ_zRYsV1XvBDj2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-00.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSEwwtsMFRle8G8CEdPWGjJogjmu1oqmrLuVsI-4h4EPO0vrCBMkJ_pBWHeaFeQD3cQ9fRzs6k10NbH-wMMW2rYnTDga5z0taqHZWQMCLQyHIDnGLd6ErS4l7QU_-rJhy0e3vVNLMwR3A/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSEwwtsMFRle8G8CEdPWGjJogjmu1oqmrLuVsI-4h4EPO0vrCBMkJ_pBWHeaFeQD3cQ9fRzs6k10NbH-wMMW2rYnTDga5z0taqHZWQMCLQyHIDnGLd6ErS4l7QU_-rJhy0e3vVNLMwR3A/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-05.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABEaZwRyT6nm4NHTAF9vT2XMfa_tTaii7s_k1dKOYI8PvPWqbbg_sjmA6e441nBgVSN6B-G2xUy1mA28w1AHgFppQZUS8H7_6e9Sju3_zEZYknVAYvRMWFy4PTlaeR5mq1Ar938EeBBxb/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABEaZwRyT6nm4NHTAF9vT2XMfa_tTaii7s_k1dKOYI8PvPWqbbg_sjmA6e441nBgVSN6B-G2xUy1mA28w1AHgFppQZUS8H7_6e9Sju3_zEZYknVAYvRMWFy4PTlaeR5mq1Ar938EeBBxb/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-collage.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNz8IM3w13olbPTjCRuYyPZyto5rGUecTkmuqVf1w5gY_mLwgULWnPbtCpx2FwpVPtfbKgIHscxu_uZHwbt3-b63evxWiLFN9rpak2sOFQBKSlaZYdRlWeU7_weARgdgezsjRaxeJ-T3-/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNz8IM3w13olbPTjCRuYyPZyto5rGUecTkmuqVf1w5gY_mLwgULWnPbtCpx2FwpVPtfbKgIHscxu_uZHwbt3-b63evxWiLFN9rpak2sOFQBKSlaZYdRlWeU7_weARgdgezsjRaxeJ-T3-/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-07.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r1gJsCae_XQh2rIsgNSENy1kU9zBeiVRY6CAA74l0_2eGAvz81sWW2FboNtaaqNxhMDufZvF_O0CJi9jsemjttRh_xE3hdHt-Q0Hq4KTPPTAf4ePovyvjodOMGxt_xjnisKoSmzNQo-m/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r1gJsCae_XQh2rIsgNSENy1kU9zBeiVRY6CAA74l0_2eGAvz81sWW2FboNtaaqNxhMDufZvF_O0CJi9jsemjttRh_xE3hdHt-Q0Hq4KTPPTAf4ePovyvjodOMGxt_xjnisKoSmzNQo-m/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-08.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBOvNA6-Vt4P2gETOHW9sxr_ZRf1Xejs4OzcbaGKT-sT-IcUyCHeEUtXDCBTLlvwUe0iKYvM1E92ggph8wcmBZpcfEMrQmPrXNF0mIXNeIt8NSPDntPupiGp8sr9qlNE8uWF3kM0Dcc_d/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBOvNA6-Vt4P2gETOHW9sxr_ZRf1Xejs4OzcbaGKT-sT-IcUyCHeEUtXDCBTLlvwUe0iKYvM1E92ggph8wcmBZpcfEMrQmPrXNF0mIXNeIt8NSPDntPupiGp8sr9qlNE8uWF3kM0Dcc_d/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-09.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb_MFFA9RZms9AeSt9q4CZkzSOwRdIYFHiz6VuhgIxpYEo_ba5mbVfsQv-m_ruEY1FZt8pttlK5-IcgnQYF8fK4QG2UkHlfY6J3KgI1uSdYSu5yKJZoADiVKNY44yHgV_lge-NBCMSwLy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb_MFFA9RZms9AeSt9q4CZkzSOwRdIYFHiz6VuhgIxpYEo_ba5mbVfsQv-m_ruEY1FZt8pttlK5-IcgnQYF8fK4QG2UkHlfY6J3KgI1uSdYSu5yKJZoADiVKNY44yHgV_lge-NBCMSwLy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-10.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ4bZke1_qojwByj1k7kQAgREjl_7wKmYN-d27k_fp2YNsy6UZmPGBtbCOnlzCLBuxvkYdv_g0h7rzD9lhFhVvk4r4jiUuk_eGU-Zy-gRL1VUtM5BSRMZsY0eSTYFik-dvbOhMzN04jzR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ4bZke1_qojwByj1k7kQAgREjl_7wKmYN-d27k_fp2YNsy6UZmPGBtbCOnlzCLBuxvkYdv_g0h7rzD9lhFhVvk4r4jiUuk_eGU-Zy-gRL1VUtM5BSRMZsY0eSTYFik-dvbOhMzN04jzR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-11.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij64853rFusHenmLgyUKEsKhIO7C8aX69RY2w7pGGSD_vfZmkN2E02MayR6dypvjQCqOm46saUh0tsZoxpZOkorIh0pepECXAvVR2oEKBq7n4P9f_s8OmpcWQab_KY0rn9gjxfZOJ3sR5U/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij64853rFusHenmLgyUKEsKhIO7C8aX69RY2w7pGGSD_vfZmkN2E02MayR6dypvjQCqOm46saUh0tsZoxpZOkorIh0pepECXAvVR2oEKBq7n4P9f_s8OmpcWQab_KY0rn9gjxfZOJ3sR5U/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Hverir-Namaskard-12.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Геотермальная энергия, кстати, это - процесс, когда тепло, исходящее от подземной магмы, нагревает воду, находящуюся над ними. Регион <b>Krafla </b>(сюда же входят гора <b>Námafjall</b>, а также <b>Gjastykki</b>) – одина из самых больших геотермальных территорий на северовостоке Исландии. Вулканическую активность тут можно наблюдать прямо по горячей грязи, выходящей наружу, а также по дымовым вентилям <b>Krafla Power Station</b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4TwGsU0xREuPpcpyCf38lukRVZR2z4_FLY_5mcnqndYxlu8pq1WaXWcjI8KRRVaaM8W-8zd_moUUq8BIdQ1b_fHOxjnnaAZiW3-qwSskxrVK3DSZnsdZrCL2EZqe3Nd43NHBj4SnxG5v/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Krafla-Power-Station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4TwGsU0xREuPpcpyCf38lukRVZR2z4_FLY_5mcnqndYxlu8pq1WaXWcjI8KRRVaaM8W-8zd_moUUq8BIdQ1b_fHOxjnnaAZiW3-qwSskxrVK3DSZnsdZrCL2EZqe3Nd43NHBj4SnxG5v/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Krafla-Power-Station.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Вблизи от станции находится очень живописная область <b>Leirhnjúkur </b>– по сути, тут можно прогулятся по дышащему жаром вулкану, а также заглянуть в кратер <b>Kerið </b>глубиной 55 метров и диаметром около 270 м.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-RYRne1ubGEvhgrH5oFvTOgTCbaJBFfzTSBvUK34CG10-CiDamGz7gMxIEAmlnf7IuTXdEMg1FOSLBof9BmrVkLlMPRG3tJqLNl92JVWguyruNqF27034EanXkPVNUBkhI809S9yZ_VI/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Krafla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-RYRne1ubGEvhgrH5oFvTOgTCbaJBFfzTSBvUK34CG10-CiDamGz7gMxIEAmlnf7IuTXdEMg1FOSLBof9BmrVkLlMPRG3tJqLNl92JVWguyruNqF27034EanXkPVNUBkhI809S9yZ_VI/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Krafla.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIg9pDFLatTYRPgwkkDBHQbrbhR9v-kKBQuNeGYAt4ABzEe6U-Fvf_Eh2TVBbhkuY8M7duXkQ60uHlx-wimFVxCf3hiqKBiYZ0rL4w3xBCXDQZK80AS2rQNQrMlrh2JObiG8UHdTyoNTO/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIg9pDFLatTYRPgwkkDBHQbrbhR9v-kKBQuNeGYAt4ABzEe6U-Fvf_Eh2TVBbhkuY8M7duXkQ60uHlx-wimFVxCf3hiqKBiYZ0rL4w3xBCXDQZK80AS2rQNQrMlrh2JObiG8UHdTyoNTO/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-collage.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfx8F1TuVIoVWy6JOXH_pzzNSlpNVpWkkM6YuCs0sb03DOh2YKpMPa1UmlyawI_qMHjAExYE5Mu-tNe1DbFNgup66Qfp5Q3PfzrWpUZtfuDy9diaY7w4YBm2kPk-hqWOw3EvMfH9hjzS7/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfx8F1TuVIoVWy6JOXH_pzzNSlpNVpWkkM6YuCs0sb03DOh2YKpMPa1UmlyawI_qMHjAExYE5Mu-tNe1DbFNgup66Qfp5Q3PfzrWpUZtfuDy9diaY7w4YBm2kPk-hqWOw3EvMfH9hjzS7/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-00.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyY5E8GnSdKPv2l4n7Gm4VsUmesO3xYkdb6GOq6_edhAaMxEPAEsS_slNLrY96mgybUsnH-cK_wbGUHNxqdZke-l8cIHVJz-BEyllbcxvSbJJc_MEV4Ka69OII6Migvozrnq9sG0JFagPn/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyY5E8GnSdKPv2l4n7Gm4VsUmesO3xYkdb6GOq6_edhAaMxEPAEsS_slNLrY96mgybUsnH-cK_wbGUHNxqdZke-l8cIHVJz-BEyllbcxvSbJJc_MEV4Ka69OII6Migvozrnq9sG0JFagPn/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-01.jpg" height="132" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgcSN7GXdoLKWKhnLctNWhVOPRcs6Sc7Xdwi_9KXqXDSS2_TLDaE8DeX_rgoaslxLBNqqOlLxaRGUD97QTmiXezz57fhmxV7eR3I_UaBu5dEp8mJpmDzccAyfRa_42eEJGERR2Blz9eun/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgcSN7GXdoLKWKhnLctNWhVOPRcs6Sc7Xdwi_9KXqXDSS2_TLDaE8DeX_rgoaslxLBNqqOlLxaRGUD97QTmiXezz57fhmxV7eR3I_UaBu5dEp8mJpmDzccAyfRa_42eEJGERR2Blz9eun/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Leirhnjukur-02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Mývat</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJHQHUveqAeYaeRaNT55jTP-2NpHjkcDmb7N5ajJMlTdFjb5X2pr7MNwaz9QZ1qMvDKrFEaSZ4GYNyEfDNc5XwULskA6LdowDjwVopUc9I4vozJhRscUgbhypwveYTda9EQL3QyAwt-D2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Myvatn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJHQHUveqAeYaeRaNT55jTP-2NpHjkcDmb7N5ajJMlTdFjb5X2pr7MNwaz9QZ1qMvDKrFEaSZ4GYNyEfDNc5XwULskA6LdowDjwVopUc9I4vozJhRscUgbhypwveYTda9EQL3QyAwt-D2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Myvatn.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После «ароматных» приключений в геотермальных областях и прогулок по вулкану было здорово окунуться в голубые воды горячих источников рядом с озером <b>Mývatn</b>. Этот визит в <b>Mývatn Nature Baths</b>, пожалуй, так и остался самым необычным за всю поездку. Поскольку этот термальный курорт построен на возвышенности, то, подплыв к краю бассейна, с высоты, вы видите незабываемую панораму озера Миватн. Это довольно популярный курорт, однако, из-за того, что он все-таки отдален от Рейкьявика и попсовых туристических троп, здесь нет толп туристов, билет не стоит бешенных денег, и там можно насладиться тем, зачем люди обычно приезжают на спа-курорты: лечебным и расслабляющим действием минеральных вод и грязей в тишине и спокойствии.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxlHezqRlODKP482opJ6gFJPhYWCGtDyeCJVvQGuScpqUrFherr_aIHvZiAcz_POi_qIDoUHWGYLWlP9XArGyEjpGKt2JUCqkSzIpnDp9JCBVllCbTbntRuhttoA2nxDgs7BwkxhHOKav/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Myvatn-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxlHezqRlODKP482opJ6gFJPhYWCGtDyeCJVvQGuScpqUrFherr_aIHvZiAcz_POi_qIDoUHWGYLWlP9XArGyEjpGKt2JUCqkSzIpnDp9JCBVllCbTbntRuhttoA2nxDgs7BwkxhHOKav/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-East-Myvatn-01.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После приятного вечера в спа заночевали мы в городе <b>Reykjahlid</b>. Прямо на берегу озера Мyvatn, на въезде в город располагается классный кемпинг с теплой водой и кухней-палаткой. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Казалось, путешествие только начинается, но, взглянув на карту, к своему удивлению мы должны были констатировать, что уже находились практически ровно на середине Исландии, и Антон по-философски перефразировал Гоголя из "Вечеров на хуторе близ Диканьки": "Редкая птица долетит до середины Исландии" :-)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Höfn, Iceland64.25 -15.21666700000002964.25 -15.216667000000029 64.25 -15.216667000000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-86202400954893850862015-03-01T02:43:00.000+01:002015-03-16T21:10:36.826+01:00"Arabian adventures" in Dubai & Abu Dhabi (UAE)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A quick break between the Iceland posts: a super-hot welcome from the United Arab Emirates! This blog-post is in English as most of the travel tips I got from friends & colleagues were in English, so I decided to "not reinvent the wheel" & just "go with the flow". And, here's my summary of tips & tricks for a curious visitor in Dubai...<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
CULTURE, RELIGION & CLOTHING:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Emirati weekend starts on Thursday evening</b> <b>and ends on Saturday</b> (Sunday is the first working day of the week)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Black arrow on the ceiling in your hotel room shows direction of Kahba in Mekka (direction Muslims face while praying)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1L3QE0QuYsFpRQlpX5jykW3eYtF39DzuO4U16fBU8g1USpUWxzqwg8eIdumPqFQ80kVBHJFs-AQYxwjV8NIhrFrN_NEjjJ64q5UBsDBq7gZ3DGM0hA0P5sYMn5GuMEH4ROjq7ZAwyEfp/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Kahba-Direction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1L3QE0QuYsFpRQlpX5jykW3eYtF39DzuO4U16fBU8g1USpUWxzqwg8eIdumPqFQ80kVBHJFs-AQYxwjV8NIhrFrN_NEjjJ64q5UBsDBq7gZ3DGM0hA0P5sYMn5GuMEH4ROjq7ZAwyEfp/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Kahba-Direction.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
* Muslims don't always pray in mosques, so don't be surprised to find prayer rooms pretty much everywhere (airport, mall, etc.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF33K4AUazzKXCO-5oY9jMf9rOpxNPn5s6YpsZs9Ir7vQAyLCujg1YL7Uv8D7KlvXTYU33kwaPHYBFQPPp2hWurljH7zT4CKYe86VccX8350NVDHMbzQWyThZZVKKzPNO2pa8vDo5u5rQ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Prayer-Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF33K4AUazzKXCO-5oY9jMf9rOpxNPn5s6YpsZs9Ir7vQAyLCujg1YL7Uv8D7KlvXTYU33kwaPHYBFQPPp2hWurljH7zT4CKYe86VccX8350NVDHMbzQWyThZZVKKzPNO2pa8vDo5u5rQ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Prayer-Room.jpg" height="131" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
* You can’t enter a mosque as a non-Muslim; the only exceptions are:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>The Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi </b>(not only can you enter, but you can also take pictures).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYToarXdm4YfkOM-SpUjiFp3ZxGTXKOoh1s4mCjeWKrCzhjpapcDZP7VLO0Qkp4FEQgPoVteMYY64miU-nD8du7lLT9zTDknu58tx9Hzhz3Vouadizq_zfCYyzV7I9ABuLg9vj97D39dA2/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYToarXdm4YfkOM-SpUjiFp3ZxGTXKOoh1s4mCjeWKrCzhjpapcDZP7VLO0Qkp4FEQgPoVteMYY64miU-nD8du7lLT9zTDknu58tx9Hzhz3Vouadizq_zfCYyzV7I9ABuLg9vj97D39dA2/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque-01.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>The Jumeirah Mosque </b>(the only mosque in Dubai open to visitors 6 days a week apart from Friday). Don’t forget to dress respectfully if you’re going in and, God forbid, (well, Allah in that case;-) you touched Koran: the Muslims won't be able to use the book an "infidel", so be respectful to local beliefs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnstCYMcZ-4K3HTX3QvvVgcwyPo4e_eaVl0A2f4rPGFABdKMRUA4W11rJ7epJbJcXEkA8HlImOVU6ADKSytC0iUY4_cmdg2QH4xjLtootlnhBSqyyWqXcf2dd-gAmjxdCMw5AGp_R5pkH/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Jumeirah-Mosque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnstCYMcZ-4K3HTX3QvvVgcwyPo4e_eaVl0A2f4rPGFABdKMRUA4W11rJ7epJbJcXEkA8HlImOVU6ADKSytC0iUY4_cmdg2QH4xjLtootlnhBSqyyWqXcf2dd-gAmjxdCMw5AGp_R5pkH/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Jumeirah-Mosque.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span">* </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">If you plan on </span>taking pictures of the locals: ask for their permission first & don't take pictures during prayer.<br />
* Local currency is called "<b>dirham</b>" & is the prettiest currency I've ever seen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL00fLyd3fKlA9acaapUHQbe6mlJQjPLC-GKsLs2nHcJMUGdg9ZW05fLspYQv7KqSfSDllRRjNj0E5Y8ctr7z2BkPRDXZ0tck7Lpk_wVuomdXe1zKxuoZTxZX56m0MGiCu4vVd0yoTTW-/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dirham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL00fLyd3fKlA9acaapUHQbe6mlJQjPLC-GKsLs2nHcJMUGdg9ZW05fLspYQv7KqSfSDllRRjNj0E5Y8ctr7z2BkPRDXZ0tck7Lpk_wVuomdXe1zKxuoZTxZX56m0MGiCu4vVd0yoTTW-/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dirham.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
* <b>Clothing</b>: Traditional black women's dress is called “<b>abaya</b>”, headwear is called "shayla" & face-cover showing eyes is called "nakab"; traditional white robe that men wear is called “<b>dish-dasha</b>” (or toub).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1EV6r3HlgYUgGsBSJtVN8f3jybB5-Ei6RzVpRd1VfbZQVZQssHcFwu2tiiMKdzwTW0y0Ua8NQMYeuu-rzsIoLM6L5xSNW5i0WoISs5b-yx3NKNwqAfEsMJsakUcOTpX8SSOgw3Mza442/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-dish-dasha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1EV6r3HlgYUgGsBSJtVN8f3jybB5-Ei6RzVpRd1VfbZQVZQssHcFwu2tiiMKdzwTW0y0Ua8NQMYeuu-rzsIoLM6L5xSNW5i0WoISs5b-yx3NKNwqAfEsMJsakUcOTpX8SSOgw3Mza442/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-dish-dasha.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Despite globalization, some things remain conservative: although one can occasionally see the Emirati people wearing a baseball cap with their dish-dasha; or Arab couples holding hands in public, Courtesy Policy of the Mall of the Emirates clearly asks visitors to "please wear conservative clothing" and refrain from "Kissing or overt displays of affection".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Apart from restrictions on how to dress & to behave, Emirate state insistently "suggests" to be aware of other things: some restrictions are connected to religion, others to general public order, but a European eye involuntarily stops (& smiles :-P) at forbidding signs like "No Chewing Gum on the Train".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32w2izz1OkrOpZMxUk-ft4zz5SgCA3MDoetQLoMph0JofZjxamYq7k7HpxEB_rNbLAGVbHMnbX_GtO0GMmn6u35gfvmsL6GLYRSNG5FQduH2TGZtfSIvzfCr-4em0ec9PGMYsrRvfyOCG/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Signs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32w2izz1OkrOpZMxUk-ft4zz5SgCA3MDoetQLoMph0JofZjxamYq7k7HpxEB_rNbLAGVbHMnbX_GtO0GMmn6u35gfvmsL6GLYRSNG5FQduH2TGZtfSIvzfCr-4em0ec9PGMYsrRvfyOCG/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Signs.jpg" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
Now & then even the Emirati people themselves admit that some of the signs they produce are strange... very strange... :-D<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgituD9jkm9YBVd-SJNuLNC_NkvKAt7F8UGvF4jr6urMVtC5btnsl_7xfpX_UL-ccpjulmh7nZ3sxTk7xfgzRJ57hc_cNPX4u44UIDuvKBXdVqIKRnfVTYZbT7SyLewcXeTmpcM4j1tyIL3/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Strange-General-Trading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgituD9jkm9YBVd-SJNuLNC_NkvKAt7F8UGvF4jr6urMVtC5btnsl_7xfpX_UL-ccpjulmh7nZ3sxTk7xfgzRJ57hc_cNPX4u44UIDuvKBXdVqIKRnfVTYZbT7SyLewcXeTmpcM4j1tyIL3/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Strange-General-Trading.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
SIGHTS:</div>
<div>
Because distances in Dubai are quite substantial & no matter which means of transportation you use, plan in enough time to get where you want to be. Therefore, it's a good idea to book a hotel somewhere in the center & plan your days in advance, blocking them by geographic area.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
BARGAINING;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. <b>Souks</b>: bargain there without any reservations! Vendors shamelessly over-exaggerate prices (I'd say 200-400% is a "norm"), so make a round around the souk to gage the real prices & then make a second round to bargain & actually buy what you need & like.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. <b>Malls</b>: less flexibility for bargaining; although bargaining is definitely OK in the gold & diamond section. General advice: always ask for "special offers" and/or act as if the price is a bit too high: you'll notice that the shop assistants are quite creative with coming up with "special" discounts on the spot.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
SOUVENIRS:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Great souvenirs from the Emirates are:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>dates </b>(chocolate, fresh, dried, with fillings of nuts, etc.) – you can find them pretty much at any mall & also at the airport. I'd say that unless it's some unique local hand-made product you'd be better off getting your date souvenirs at the airport as prices are cheaper than everywhere else, especially for “standard” products: the prices are regulated & standardized)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> <b>c</b></span><b>offee pots & beautiful colorful plates </b>– at malls & souks, e.g. at <b>Souk Madinat</b> (inside the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel - a bit fancy & quite expensive, but one doesn’t get hassled much by the shop keepers) or at spice souk (this is where I bought my plates: after having bargained the price down from an astronomical sum).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DIAMONDS & GOLD:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. <b>Gold souk</b> (the best place to actually buy something); it's also kind of a "museum" of outrageous gold creations</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. <b>Gold & Diamond Park </b>(metro: FGB)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. <b>Shopping malls</b> (Cara, "The Souk" at the Dubai Mall, etc.)<br />
<br />
FOODS TO TRY:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Kabab Kashkash</li>
<li>Kebab Halabi (kebab with spicy tomato sauce)</li>
<li>Arayees (crispy grilled pita sandwiches)</li>
<li>Hummous (it's a hundred times tastier than in Europe!)</li>
<li>Baba Ganoush (eggplant mixed with onions & tomatoes)</li>
<li>Mixed grill</li>
<li>chicken liver</li>
<li>Mouhalabieh (milky desert with rose & orange water)</li>
<li>Halawet Jibneh (sweet cheese rolls)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
TRANSPORTATION:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Metro is closed on Fridays until 14:00; last metro on Saturday runs around 23:30 (beware: that could leave you "stranded" somewhere in the city as malls close at 00:00).<br />
* Once in the metro, don't be freaked out: there're no streetcar drivers :-) So if you're lucky & it's not too crowded, try getting into the first car to get a rather unusual "driver's seat" view (especially cool at night between stops in the center): see top left photo on the collage below.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7Q6FJ6s1uff4GHABUnp2rvj4_W2Vzzq3aR7GaeE0EP6u7tR4zd4fBNiXI7XUDPkxkQtzmaUaoWjID_Q98rx2uROS468NVBI_4KHb0_s_QvhTxARn2dbDu8oAqRlMQ32IVtCg-J8vDQm7/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-at-night-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7Q6FJ6s1uff4GHABUnp2rvj4_W2Vzzq3aR7GaeE0EP6u7tR4zd4fBNiXI7XUDPkxkQtzmaUaoWjID_Q98rx2uROS468NVBI_4KHb0_s_QvhTxARn2dbDu8oAqRlMQ32IVtCg-J8vDQm7/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-at-night-02.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Taxi is considered part of public transport system & is relatively cheap, but BEWARE: if you're making a very "touristy" impression they'll "take you for a ride" in order to charge you more, So, try to inconspicuously demonstrate that you know where you're going (maybe even check the best route with a navigator & ask the driver if they're going to take that route or another & why). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Take into account that everything in Dubai is designed for driving; in some places it's hard to find a pedestrian walkway to get you inside of your final destination.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFZtfS-AJlItc39moi_Rrfh7DJ0yX8GruaOd1ygoQ1eshnHWesSlQmnDRU-LEeaZSV-6aRGgvjtnLUflWDXB9kDRd5itihAaZG1rb9yvVPJRVbRxCVqVe7T_YERTaLdL63PtXmFjJENuX/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Driving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFZtfS-AJlItc39moi_Rrfh7DJ0yX8GruaOd1ygoQ1eshnHWesSlQmnDRU-LEeaZSV-6aRGgvjtnLUflWDXB9kDRd5itihAaZG1rb9yvVPJRVbRxCVqVe7T_YERTaLdL63PtXmFjJENuX/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Driving.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Even if you're lucky & there is an air-conditioned pedestrian walkway (e.g. at major malls like the Dubai Mall), it might take you good 15-30 minutes to actually get into the mall from the metro station, so bear that in mind when planning.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
FOOD & DRINKS:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* It's not advisable to drink water from the tap. Usually, your hotel with supply drinking water "with compliments".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* Alcohol can be found only in special licensed restaurants & price/quality ratio is quite outrageous, so turning your time in Dubai into an “alcohol detox” could be not such a bad idea ;-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, below you can find a couple of suggestions of how one could plan a stay of several days:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DAY 1</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A great way to see the city & understand “what is where” is to take a Bus tour (Big Bus Tour & Hop-On/Hop-Off). Big Bus Tour has two lines (red & blue), each one of them takes ca. 2 hours, so, if you’re planning to make stops & actually see the sights, you’re definitely going to need the whole day. Noteworthy is that Big Bus have two types of tickets: the day & night tour, the night tour costs extra, however in winter (November), it gets dark rather quickly, so if you time your tour in a way that you take the last (or the one before last) departure (check schedule), you’ll have a wonderful night tour of the city without paying extra.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rfpv5Sunp_u-1IKkscqwwFmZxJ4u-t9q5kKr5yCdoB1cPHYohA7uozecmsIRG2tVgyjGCNCLhL7fvHG2kZGJ2gQ1kO2Vz5xVYpVX6PUR2p7tZqXsCkyCByBl_sYOwWgHQvlOiUAIk-vl/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-at-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rfpv5Sunp_u-1IKkscqwwFmZxJ4u-t9q5kKr5yCdoB1cPHYohA7uozecmsIRG2tVgyjGCNCLhL7fvHG2kZGJ2gQ1kO2Vz5xVYpVX6PUR2p7tZqXsCkyCByBl_sYOwWgHQvlOiUAIk-vl/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-at-night.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Absolute must: <b>Arabian Dhow Cruise</b> (hop off at stop 7 of Big Bus Tour - the cruise price is included in the bus ticket) - the cruise departs 4 times a day at 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm & 5:30pm; it takes about an hour. My advice is to time it in a way that you catch the golden hour (when sun is starting to set, but it’s still bright).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBXWUqaZbdvBzL1wHcBO6_xwL46ADmNgToRTM-efaLpQo349vNx4XPbRATjir13ELMuCyxx46sBaWI3Waz6fqGnm51Q9NQ8YS51FC6uoVGX2Q5WwzN3UAxMvW6Z_1q3jEj74GTtWgtqVZ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBXWUqaZbdvBzL1wHcBO6_xwL46ADmNgToRTM-efaLpQo349vNx4XPbRATjir13ELMuCyxx46sBaWI3Waz6fqGnm51Q9NQ8YS51FC6uoVGX2Q5WwzN3UAxMvW6Z_1q3jEj74GTtWgtqVZ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-day.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_StZ0eZMz86HUIiSCRfE2Q5Rg6AHIKQyIftuhg_Jh6XQC0EOLMIcoSwn96jnR-Zjh8ACoRkIgU-K-Z_Ia2AedZlClVpALAhEMaM_XnliixHYzgVatjyw1Bo5ya2kOTnye93NxqUY0wKRD/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_StZ0eZMz86HUIiSCRfE2Q5Rg6AHIKQyIftuhg_Jh6XQC0EOLMIcoSwn96jnR-Zjh8ACoRkIgU-K-Z_Ia2AedZlClVpALAhEMaM_XnliixHYzgVatjyw1Bo5ya2kOTnye93NxqUY0wKRD/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqTXNWDsFDMyMPRnwhokkBvTtpSbP7MTewCSx3aFNHXxbB6vRsHbcFYRe6Bhbq4SdaEBnPqpw1CsSFbKTqxcX7PWr1g1oaB3_LdY3vpGh_UYo7bh6lHMHYkBIDx4Ysm3FdvRwK4uXUaQ6/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-evening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqTXNWDsFDMyMPRnwhokkBvTtpSbP7MTewCSx3aFNHXxbB6vRsHbcFYRe6Bhbq4SdaEBnPqpw1CsSFbKTqxcX7PWr1g1oaB3_LdY3vpGh_UYo7bh6lHMHYkBIDx4Ysm3FdvRwK4uXUaQ6/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-evening.jpg" height="132" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DAY 2</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Dubai Museum</b> is situated at the Al Fahidi fort & is basically free (3 DHS) (metro: Al Fahidi)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIAGEHpfVnj04dco1biLZ6PtriEkangjtX65AnMXoew6h0Bpsq9rqaW9jSFdFWIFNe2IoXtlfsX4YlX_gPDTokXmsgwXJaRoV_8gNwz6HDH0c1WX1wwJaBcpXHNyVX-HYqRfdNUYYVJWV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIAGEHpfVnj04dco1biLZ6PtriEkangjtX65AnMXoew6h0Bpsq9rqaW9jSFdFWIFNe2IoXtlfsX4YlX_gPDTokXmsgwXJaRoV_8gNwz6HDH0c1WX1wwJaBcpXHNyVX-HYqRfdNUYYVJWV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Museum.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
*Abra station - cross the Creek on an <b>Abra boat</b> (1 DHS per person)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTpUcqiuGsfbwhtVJH78iMxKK7DGF24TpbgNbQvna14_WABs5p2JljS2NITz6jQpwfHyVLX04hA1dMkRC2Gz75Mm7VH3aDjyTGJvWpp8H5Le-QOl7rykwmlyikPUshDgsIeT6UXShQreN/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-evening-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTpUcqiuGsfbwhtVJH78iMxKK7DGF24TpbgNbQvna14_WABs5p2JljS2NITz6jQpwfHyVLX04hA1dMkRC2Gz75Mm7VH3aDjyTGJvWpp8H5Le-QOl7rykwmlyikPUshDgsIeT6UXShQreN/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Dhouw-Cruise-evening-02.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Baniyas Road</b>, where you can see the freight boats on Dubai Creek, it’s pretty cool to see the workers and the unloading of the ships. The best way to get there is to take the abovementioned abra boat to the other side (so, from the Dubai Museum side to "souk side") & walk to the Gold & Spice Souks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pGWF1hSfQwjvnebagd9n8WKAysRix83L0hKJUttW-9C49mtHznoSeJd1tD1xFg2QI0vj7my1Cs-Inkey6wNcnwnQ9u5bShFsIqXeTHjRzuXDbWBKjP5YP3XMMRifR8Ixz543m6z5ICM-/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Souk-People.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pGWF1hSfQwjvnebagd9n8WKAysRix83L0hKJUttW-9C49mtHznoSeJd1tD1xFg2QI0vj7my1Cs-Inkey6wNcnwnQ9u5bShFsIqXeTHjRzuXDbWBKjP5YP3XMMRifR8Ixz543m6z5ICM-/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Souk-People.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
* <b>Al Dhiyafah Road</b>, Dubai's cheap-eats street</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Deira </b>& the old city: Gold and Spice Souk - the spice souk is only a few streets north of Baniyas Road<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkOULCMkgjv48Z-Yt9TVgA2HPs6xeBrkncibVjZarlUnHHyeYSSbbtVxj93dITuBdJFg4MsL7N54PB-ivl4cbeNhP-xzvLzgoeLNEKEwxGz3QaZLygC2L2P8hu9BGh4m4DLYBMEPA8wOO/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Souk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkOULCMkgjv48Z-Yt9TVgA2HPs6xeBrkncibVjZarlUnHHyeYSSbbtVxj93dITuBdJFg4MsL7N54PB-ivl4cbeNhP-xzvLzgoeLNEKEwxGz3QaZLygC2L2P8hu9BGh4m4DLYBMEPA8wOO/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Souk.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DAY 3</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>* The Dubai Aquarium at the Dubai Mall</b> – you can see it on your way to Burj Khalifa as you’ll need to go to the counter inside the Dubai mall in order to collect the tickets that you have to book well in advance online. A huge part of it you can see without buying the ticket, however if you want to walk through the underwater tunnel & see the underwater zoo – then you need to get a ticket (we did it & had lots of fun). If you have time, it's very recommendable: they've got giant crocodiles, play penguins, hungry piranhas & funky fish.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYQ4vOIfbd0ue2_CZbkHeDuAbdDb-otXQgDR5_9Z6MmdL4ZaidbtRkwAksHiI8NuHLm_Av_14xxRe8eaxHYGV_BtKxpUE-5_1puGVZBHTfbDh7U1SgXAmkO4lA6bobMzEQmTltfZUd0k4/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall-Aquarium-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYQ4vOIfbd0ue2_CZbkHeDuAbdDb-otXQgDR5_9Z6MmdL4ZaidbtRkwAksHiI8NuHLm_Av_14xxRe8eaxHYGV_BtKxpUE-5_1puGVZBHTfbDh7U1SgXAmkO4lA6bobMzEQmTltfZUd0k4/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall-Aquarium-02.jpg" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Malls have been created as not only places to shop, but also so socialize & be entertained: in summer it gets so hot that being outside is not an option at all, so to meet, people have to stay inside, with air-conditioning. So, don't be surprised to see over-the-top entertainment experiences like escape rooms, the world's largest acrylic panel viewing glass (32.88 m wide × 8.3 m high × 750 mm thick) or a real dinosaur fossil next to countless luxury shops.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAV6eVTr1RHdlSBUDQkyuxik1LMbdJKT2a7reoxdu7MBoFD1U4SeF7T5DEfnlDwGeeWJrxneL-cbAKSNc6bE4LFWzwGGj4AJkPCsxwIpwAjTsoJ07bAQ7OU4lko4c8QLhN_7_8mSKgVYn/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAV6eVTr1RHdlSBUDQkyuxik1LMbdJKT2a7reoxdu7MBoFD1U4SeF7T5DEfnlDwGeeWJrxneL-cbAKSNc6bE4LFWzwGGj4AJkPCsxwIpwAjTsoJ07bAQ7OU4lko4c8QLhN_7_8mSKgVYn/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Burj Khalifa </b>- there're multiple ways to see the view from the tallest building in the world:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3w0xS1wbkLbhWAeiq2LsJ0IXooUdj687Jfst6F4sRxsNJ5XWfs9fG0pJqhAVsJ2hVGo1KltY_7ENF5telOouVdFjG6vgoICUlFBe0oY86jzgEE7ZgNTO66S18c7TMYX4mqhLgVd9vH87/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3w0xS1wbkLbhWAeiq2LsJ0IXooUdj687Jfst6F4sRxsNJ5XWfs9fG0pJqhAVsJ2hVGo1KltY_7ENF5telOouVdFjG6vgoICUlFBe0oY86jzgEE7ZgNTO66S18c7TMYX4mqhLgVd9vH87/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-02.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) <b>AT THE TOP ticket (150 DHS p.p.)</b> - book online and well in advance (peak hours won't be available already a week in advance);</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2) <b>ATMOSPHERE high tea (around 360 DHS)</b> - apparently you can simply take a juice or a coffee, not necessarily a whole meal.<br />
We did AT THE TOP as I was very keen on taking lots of pictures & waking around to see the city from different angles, but some people say that high tea is a better investment if you simply want to check out how the city looks from “up there”.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LQqPegKn4BnCe_R8TwqwAJffmCob_44uNRWVMHTh2o9oYNDn28mvb6K5zbWqycQzgozPdzxha7AdmirYlslhWoxISAU1IuoFsRXfRvsHd2BmIvJP49rr2h50XxJwIscpKHDbWV0fXZHV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LQqPegKn4BnCe_R8TwqwAJffmCob_44uNRWVMHTh2o9oYNDn28mvb6K5zbWqycQzgozPdzxha7AdmirYlslhWoxISAU1IuoFsRXfRvsHd2BmIvJP49rr2h50XxJwIscpKHDbWV0fXZHV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l9GDf8orL04ZMf8jKmUeFmuNWqNiKhFjZSHhuWHp8BaWzKXjPMPUOlDxv4mGKHuiTiRKiuhN8cB49PQXH3HQ2TvrqJdeGtJrAWBzEFtPQFnsNzbmEGWdzF22EYpc5ezlxXuWIYu5l9KB/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l9GDf8orL04ZMf8jKmUeFmuNWqNiKhFjZSHhuWHp8BaWzKXjPMPUOlDxv4mGKHuiTiRKiuhN8cB49PQXH3HQ2TvrqJdeGtJrAWBzEFtPQFnsNzbmEGWdzF22EYpc5ezlxXuWIYu5l9KB/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-sunset.jpg" height="177" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Dancing fountains</b>: there's a show every half hour - a very enjoyable way to see it is to dine at one of the nearby restaurants. My favorite was <b>Baker & Spice</b> (on the side of Souk al Bahar) because you get a "lengthway view" of all the fountains. One evening we also ate at an Italian restaurant Carluccio's, however, this one wasn't as characteristic & nice as Baker & Spice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JEB-Qu50Veh9mQRrrk9k7adBaUZwq_HB6Bt9ch3LkdCyyv2ebChJyTe7CDOJ5wX7SEciMOnJGazQgz2fISiu4_eBqhqQSUCxWcjj3NZ1-VeSW8QZZ_FL0HQyW-9BayxyzYojISPmG4gy/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall-Fountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JEB-Qu50Veh9mQRrrk9k7adBaUZwq_HB6Bt9ch3LkdCyyv2ebChJyTe7CDOJ5wX7SEciMOnJGazQgz2fISiu4_eBqhqQSUCxWcjj3NZ1-VeSW8QZZ_FL0HQyW-9BayxyzYojISPmG4gy/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Mall-Fountains.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* If you've still got energy at the end of the day: have a look at the indoor ski/snowboard slope at the <b>Mall of the Emirates</b> (MOE).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DAY 4</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Take a one-day trip to <b>Abu Dhabi</b> to see the <b>Sheikh Zayed Mosque</b> & the chic <b>Emirates Palace</b>. Don't forget to take your ID with you: at the entrance to the inner courtyard of the Mosque one can get a free audio-guide (very informative!) provided you leave your ID as a deposit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5RBCBWdxci2PtRv8UqIYPHjX88yjkB8KyGOPqwdmfvBofBkX-4zdmz0d68fa8NXlyikjMxhHFbTE-edJWQNeq4tTGY9MyBlM9bJUbZ2bpwPZhFKGHV4XTZcJ8sz_M3nVZnH9xw9UHqax/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5RBCBWdxci2PtRv8UqIYPHjX88yjkB8KyGOPqwdmfvBofBkX-4zdmz0d68fa8NXlyikjMxhHFbTE-edJWQNeq4tTGY9MyBlM9bJUbZ2bpwPZhFKGHV4XTZcJ8sz_M3nVZnH9xw9UHqax/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque+(6).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbtstjZq7vrCWE3KQQgUEi8i5-GFeOYRJSEQlnQ6NOG8GiTGfo96TcWknP4z1PzJ72rUn0_grNIdIHl7bGfk4ClCzHLCR1ILjX6vvB4ujIe4XDJNd5yqrGETgVDTz8djoKfu_Y_aifleZ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbtstjZq7vrCWE3KQQgUEi8i5-GFeOYRJSEQlnQ6NOG8GiTGfo96TcWknP4z1PzJ72rUn0_grNIdIHl7bGfk4ClCzHLCR1ILjX6vvB4ujIe4XDJNd5yqrGETgVDTz8djoKfu_Y_aifleZ/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque-02.jpg" height="148" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZe87id0mPkDxz0Zu7XZMTi7a4oAF-kKlEBoRKb-5JlRo9fvZmz22tMaQpvvccqhUCqRhvbf7Sxh4QMCJ0rcWE6cee26wJwFvIE0eX8hJVqViOZrcFpNj0Vk5u6OklS-gyTdQFAa8Tp6k/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZe87id0mPkDxz0Zu7XZMTi7a4oAF-kKlEBoRKb-5JlRo9fvZmz22tMaQpvvccqhUCqRhvbf7Sxh4QMCJ0rcWE6cee26wJwFvIE0eX8hJVqViOZrcFpNj0Vk5u6OklS-gyTdQFAa8Tp6k/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Sheikh-Zayed-Grand-Mosque+(1).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
At the <b>Emirates Palace</b> don't miss the unbelievable interior design (surprisingly, one can park just downstairs, at a free public parking. The only tiny parking "inconvenience": certain spots are reserved for the Emirates Palace limousine :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOGt7klxYUULFYeT2pYWizPTVDvwdOYdoXWOtUijmv2WPiWR6BuBAdB9m5DzxdRwJAMAUZR6SmzGSEo-4Vd9OV4SIf3smLRAWXTH0dmMhHlpjd5g4rXHFK6GDh9HS6-rG9vhqjYqrv5fI/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace-limo-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOGt7klxYUULFYeT2pYWizPTVDvwdOYdoXWOtUijmv2WPiWR6BuBAdB9m5DzxdRwJAMAUZR6SmzGSEo-4Vd9OV4SIf3smLRAWXTH0dmMhHlpjd5g4rXHFK6GDh9HS6-rG9vhqjYqrv5fI/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace-limo-sign.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Also don't miss chocolate cakes decorated with edible 24 carat gold & cappuccino with gold leaf sprinkles. Pay attention at the world's first (& so far the only) gold bars ATM in the lobby of the Palace.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxaQcivIBWioma3naC9LGzvvpNYep46342Q38tnnh5GEdJR9eBlaFNwSS1OMRAx_6LgupK_k8ngtq0tpEHyJv4299CiGTG2PcX8nOMyha2WXgEDGrAltR62WPzvhhryoI-pCoaiaoKFPd/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxaQcivIBWioma3naC9LGzvvpNYep46342Q38tnnh5GEdJR9eBlaFNwSS1OMRAx_6LgupK_k8ngtq0tpEHyJv4299CiGTG2PcX8nOMyha2WXgEDGrAltR62WPzvhhryoI-pCoaiaoKFPd/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace-01.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinli6cUWTHhuHmEmTr3u2BWXnm2qH3NVNg0b4i8iKNZ0I7dx-i62lm_qCW81V-g2uYrGmSGXyB_6wEichp6hxVcngjAD7hoZOosCVtk7Ac09jiBuxCDBWTPoW2oEypky2EBhoqvxOMUlnV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Etihad-Towers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinli6cUWTHhuHmEmTr3u2BWXnm2qH3NVNg0b4i8iKNZ0I7dx-i62lm_qCW81V-g2uYrGmSGXyB_6wEichp6hxVcngjAD7hoZOosCVtk7Ac09jiBuxCDBWTPoW2oEypky2EBhoqvxOMUlnV/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Etihad-Towers.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-zU705mZSPypfmyx8GnEDgAZHZbWQL8480VgePYhNWficXRAgaZeM5jCNX1awrEkPYoguoODa2Tla1Kh4OnOpaJ7E9FB66AhombTBRebfT-rh2Y3NINbb8jfPc41FK7Ru-7a9e-ic_BU/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-zU705mZSPypfmyx8GnEDgAZHZbWQL8480VgePYhNWficXRAgaZeM5jCNX1awrEkPYoguoODa2Tla1Kh4OnOpaJ7E9FB66AhombTBRebfT-rh2Y3NINbb8jfPc41FK7Ru-7a9e-ic_BU/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Abu-Dhabi-Emirates-Palace.jpg" height="177" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DAY 5</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
DESERT TOURS</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>Desert Rangers: Evening Safari</b> (with dune bashing) (270 DHS)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
* <b>“Sundowner” from Arabian Adventures </b>(360 DHS): unfortunately, at the time when I was trying to book, the website didn't properly work with all browsers, so I had to book with Desert Rangers (which unexpectedly turned out to be a great choice, btw!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicREPaJVWYdW5palCe9YFGQilicSGdVBMR10ut5aIb90135RnGFUzUwSt9nK4boJxZhEp20I7mvZzM4UFiJbCR_VNIxNRk2c2OzXQ6kn0_710Gj-aHeFxnNpRbTBJ4BEKEoTNclrmWjfi2/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicREPaJVWYdW5palCe9YFGQilicSGdVBMR10ut5aIb90135RnGFUzUwSt9nK4boJxZhEp20I7mvZzM4UFiJbCR_VNIxNRk2c2OzXQ6kn0_710Gj-aHeFxnNpRbTBJ4BEKEoTNclrmWjfi2/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari.jpg" height="355" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the desert tour starts at around 15:00 (depending on the company), you could do some sightseeing before being picked up by your tour car (pick-ups are possible from all major hotels, so I arranged to be collected from <b>Byblos Hotel. </b>So, in the morning we went for a nice promenade at the <b>Dubai Marina</b> & later had dinner at Amadeus Lounge Bar of Byblos Hotel while waiting for the car.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7R3ovAvq71gmnFvePAOHD7NjuorNvLe3249c0_yWF0Vgf1LH_UF3oFd0pl66XvE5G-vK9JdK2Sjj8kOOmphPqHY7b0cfG5_wMjcMSkQT8iLFqFd9D8BpBznbXzvOOBsTrhgvOBomsqXhU/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Marina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7R3ovAvq71gmnFvePAOHD7NjuorNvLe3249c0_yWF0Vgf1LH_UF3oFd0pl66XvE5G-vK9JdK2Sjj8kOOmphPqHY7b0cfG5_wMjcMSkQT8iLFqFd9D8BpBznbXzvOOBsTrhgvOBomsqXhU/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Marina.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4NeNizfej9oY9B2hH4D6eVrSwpMQL2GjUDv-_gT4U0u7Ys3XLbbJEFBnRkfLK0Bt2CYO9NCqcFg5zdDutcEaDitoPbiOvZisrmScl7mY6RL9ufjNuyVMraehD0CaZwRLBC7PQaO_POjA/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Marina-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4NeNizfej9oY9B2hH4D6eVrSwpMQL2GjUDv-_gT4U0u7Ys3XLbbJEFBnRkfLK0Bt2CYO9NCqcFg5zdDutcEaDitoPbiOvZisrmScl7mY6RL9ufjNuyVMraehD0CaZwRLBC7PQaO_POjA/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Marina-02.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The <b>desert tour </b>itself includes a drive to the desert, dune bashing, photo-stop in the dunes, arrival at the camp where you can enjoy (all included) Arabic coffee, dates, shisha pipe smoking, a camel ride, henna tattoo & a 3-course dinner while watching a belly-dancing performance & Arabic music).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIjOBiIZ6kSl3V7IoN4MygQW75r53KaHm3TNyKgmIEUH-_WSBkETcIi_4C_zA4EsA90jFVFx8Tpl1dAGTD4fFlMNGMlxGrMQs92KbqPLN-cZ7lvN_9HCqCu95MZJoNk7AHTxQj7yRBwMy/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIjOBiIZ6kSl3V7IoN4MygQW75r53KaHm3TNyKgmIEUH-_WSBkETcIi_4C_zA4EsA90jFVFx8Tpl1dAGTD4fFlMNGMlxGrMQs92KbqPLN-cZ7lvN_9HCqCu95MZJoNk7AHTxQj7yRBwMy/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Action.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkZDiQ2FKRNKXUAMKaHgDD7lTotk8DUhouoSrLfd9rlLfCUMYbKDJHK3EktX7sBuJaln9KYI91hSnZU6lHUAih9Te9eZqlQquZVHMgBK7gnFrlo19lDYaoSIU0mo905v38vsQi91OZrTR/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkZDiQ2FKRNKXUAMKaHgDD7lTotk8DUhouoSrLfd9rlLfCUMYbKDJHK3EktX7sBuJaln9KYI91hSnZU6lHUAih9Te9eZqlQquZVHMgBK7gnFrlo19lDYaoSIU0mo905v38vsQi91OZrTR/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Dancing.jpg" height="120" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEMDNSy00k1-ZZ85kBGYifTtAYBpKdr1zT1Z0IAU_jrNgjS0DtW6oZk1lweu5dpsA7jOhUwYD5exl5vT3Gt9mEqOkQLKB-5hXfJ5eZFu4YMlA6yB_FAzU0uWhTFJp9ARLCBK4bLurL_J0/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Falcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEMDNSy00k1-ZZ85kBGYifTtAYBpKdr1zT1Z0IAU_jrNgjS0DtW6oZk1lweu5dpsA7jOhUwYD5exl5vT3Gt9mEqOkQLKB-5hXfJ5eZFu4YMlA6yB_FAzU0uWhTFJp9ARLCBK4bLurL_J0/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Falcon.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwzYbretv-caEoziVYKqahJNs_sGyn2LvUIcEKtMzoPL3io7ZuYuByBKPsm_y-SHKF64R1dJZhTxgvHdkyFqAAhVasmoKqdr-nlAmJoUvLP5GTRUIYF7j3gqDh20oLH5D1kCMkuekhEmL/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Belly-Dancer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwzYbretv-caEoziVYKqahJNs_sGyn2LvUIcEKtMzoPL3io7ZuYuByBKPsm_y-SHKF64R1dJZhTxgvHdkyFqAAhVasmoKqdr-nlAmJoUvLP5GTRUIYF7j3gqDh20oLH5D1kCMkuekhEmL/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Desert-Safari-Belly-Dancer.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Of course, there’re countless other sights in Dubai, some of them have the potential of occupying the whole day (e.g. Atlantis Water Park or Global Village), others can be just a pleasant start of the day (brunch at the 360 bar with a view of <b>Burj al Arab</b> or you can actually book a table at the famous 7* hotel itself), but I am not going to go into all the details & will leave you some space for your creativity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCQs-yz_D6pErSC5waMn8ZszV8DAdhKQkHmg65eNILAI03oQ4n7_wEC_E8QSsDGW0sflWhYvdXeszYozDY1dVgZpqaChTeNlnM5Cp_tjvEO1B8H_jy_YaTXs2LGLZMwVsKflZFtoKhP-h/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Al-Arab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCQs-yz_D6pErSC5waMn8ZszV8DAdhKQkHmg65eNILAI03oQ4n7_wEC_E8QSsDGW0sflWhYvdXeszYozDY1dVgZpqaChTeNlnM5Cp_tjvEO1B8H_jy_YaTXs2LGLZMwVsKflZFtoKhP-h/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Al-Arab.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, to wrap up my little travel notes, I’ll tell you that going to United Arab Emirates was an intensely insightful experience: it’s so different from what we’re used to in Europe that simply being exposed to its culture, lifestyle & history made me revisit some cultural notions & views I had & made me more open & susceptible to other cultures. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Travelling is awesome!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnXJXpegINj-UgOS2QuDpKsKwVv_GXECgV4UUINrFwNEkIgj6wrjcrHKDBnKAAQm-lf-1COrE-YfeDWA3pJhqdulpH397IDj4gPd4BFiRtmATALSCtj7PuoGoykHZ_UJ0S-nhpkQw2jZo/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-from-airplane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnXJXpegINj-UgOS2QuDpKsKwVv_GXECgV4UUINrFwNEkIgj6wrjcrHKDBnKAAQm-lf-1COrE-YfeDWA3pJhqdulpH397IDj4gPd4BFiRtmATALSCtj7PuoGoykHZ_UJ0S-nhpkQw2jZo/s1600/United-Arab-Emirates-Alena-Romanenko-Dubai-Burj-Khalifa-from-airplane.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com18Dubai - Dubai - United Arab Emirates25.2048493 55.27078280000000624.2844128 53.9798893 26.1252858 56.561676300000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-26641024585795458932015-01-01T16:05:00.001+01:002017-11-12T18:18:08.696+01:00Saga #2: The South (Suðurland) & the Golden Circle (Gullni hringurinn)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgH-ogo8S8DpyMuo5KjxsNdLEtp0LXkaCeRn-qWw3abu79GSr-F4Isb8deZSdXo-rbUuhxR6cUbEmTbOrC7RwVKxcF62GBBVahTTxm-t6gh6FI756kv827uDPBRZTgSym4DWpov6Hen2o/s1600/Iceland_SOUTH_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgH-ogo8S8DpyMuo5KjxsNdLEtp0LXkaCeRn-qWw3abu79GSr-F4Isb8deZSdXo-rbUuhxR6cUbEmTbOrC7RwVKxcF62GBBVahTTxm-t6gh6FI756kv827uDPBRZTgSym4DWpov6Hen2o/s1600/Iceland_SOUTH_Alena+Romanenko_trip.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
https://goo.gl/maps/K8N9n</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsa4HBBhhgUxP6tvNiH6gvXwwPVbGhoL-MCyQrjSpZ2IMwl3dVJGW0PuQoXoSeiIOQKndGkTT9LLZYAQPW2vVJhFE4re91WQjI3NbergvHfAM-ph7dWyJ6Ahw6qcJxIuqx9dZTs08fQHkR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Cows-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsa4HBBhhgUxP6tvNiH6gvXwwPVbGhoL-MCyQrjSpZ2IMwl3dVJGW0PuQoXoSeiIOQKndGkTT9LLZYAQPW2vVJhFE4re91WQjI3NbergvHfAM-ph7dWyJ6Ahw6qcJxIuqx9dZTs08fQHkR/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Cows-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Итак, по просьбам трудящихся, выкладываю подробное описание наших Исландских приключений и маршрута. Для удобства и географически систематического ознакомления с местными достопримечательностями хронология истории соблюдаться будет в сводобном порядке, однако, как помниться мне, учили нас в начальной школе: от перемены мест слагаемых сумма не меняется. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Как и пошутила первопроходчица Исландии Лена: «не прошло и пол-года» со времени нордического путешествия, как фотки и истории уже готовы… Однако, как гласит народная мудрость: лучше поздно, чем никогда, а вотому: enjoy!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdwQz2ARUhrEc5ZQ1Y0ow0qd47seI4_DIB9jzetw5pnamx26fkd9xdhIH0FvB8rEpb5krqnavpjqhWPCNe8gJBjKszCYFsbBXrlrD1iFVT7TP_hypcj__kGbc7Y6ndpt2DPbf6axBkauE/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Cows-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdwQz2ARUhrEc5ZQ1Y0ow0qd47seI4_DIB9jzetw5pnamx26fkd9xdhIH0FvB8rEpb5krqnavpjqhWPCNe8gJBjKszCYFsbBXrlrD1iFVT7TP_hypcj__kGbc7Y6ndpt2DPbf6axBkauE/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Cows-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Первая часть маршрута включает в себя два дня с обилием «водных достопримечательностей»: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
День №1: водопады <b>Seljalandsfoss </b>и <b>Skogafoss</b>, природную резервацию <b>Dyrhólaey </b>и скалы <b>Reynisdrangar</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
День №2: экскурсия на ледник <b>Vatnajökull</b>, вылазка к водопаду <b>Svartifoss</b> из города <b>Skaftafell</b> и ледниковую лагуну <b>Jökulsárlón</b>. </div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b>Seljalandsfoss</b>, <b>Skogafoss</b>, Dyrhólaey & Reynisdrangar</h3>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Seljalandsfoss</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvKx-jXwr7bK9LHQdK_-Edrtxui1JHH1uLeqs26nN0gu0zoKG5T0eJyToQIRFhWYdxJqXpl84x2nzqxFtZvKc-eCsoAn1Dc4PuxZtFgLlMrgFMnbRcWOv4DTJy7ZdyVBxDs4HeEfpwEJZ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvKx-jXwr7bK9LHQdK_-Edrtxui1JHH1uLeqs26nN0gu0zoKG5T0eJyToQIRFhWYdxJqXpl84x2nzqxFtZvKc-eCsoAn1Dc4PuxZtFgLlMrgFMnbRcWOv4DTJy7ZdyVBxDs4HeEfpwEJZ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b>Seljalandsfoss</b> – был первой из красот Исландии, с которой мы познакомились поближе. Необычен этот водопад тем, что за него можно зайти – вид оттуда довольно величественный. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB33XSi-wIpg1hXpVu6QTdunS6Cb6kjL5q6QoYcNZkaLtS4yOj2WtC170mta5Qsi6UtPjUJ3VUBPahjm2GNHJSuk0whVT4z7gLiZ1dMdpxXRawyZe9V2SN7ogQgnEJ-pM4D55fMM8iIDh/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB33XSi-wIpg1hXpVu6QTdunS6Cb6kjL5q6QoYcNZkaLtS4yOj2WtC170mta5Qsi6UtPjUJ3VUBPahjm2GNHJSuk0whVT4z7gLiZ1dMdpxXRawyZe9V2SN7ogQgnEJ-pM4D55fMM8iIDh/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-01.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDC8NvHqppQzeQq-LfuL4vEbEihBUCVzrhVR8LWGBhrV73Nx7xsDTfK_K6lRfZ_zGHnEkD0ucCNmT4bkcOeUcLknvAGy8F2uXxTQvT7r7Paw2ISXVq3S76dFcriTQDK7oszvWSZnQWse9r/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDC8NvHqppQzeQq-LfuL4vEbEihBUCVzrhVR8LWGBhrV73Nx7xsDTfK_K6lRfZ_zGHnEkD0ucCNmT4bkcOeUcLknvAGy8F2uXxTQvT7r7Paw2ISXVq3S76dFcriTQDK7oszvWSZnQWse9r/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Seljalandsfoss-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b>Skógafoss</b> имеет высоту 60 метров и, таким образом, не является ни самым высоким, ни самым мощным. Однако, из-за своей фотогеничности и легкодоступности он является одной из самых повещаемых достопримечательностей в Исландии: около 300 000 посетителей каждый год. Наша высадка там закончилась парочкой колоритных снимков, а также парочкой «философских» откровений (см.фото ниже).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj1PESXNLAhcUQnU7Nd9u9JSzcs6s2hM-v5wGzxD-IFaYXfo8LHc16QYuUdumcDbf0Ukv67OnpH1JuESp2MP9-jVud06qs8EkmI002OkMJ_oH-sJqi8logdyO7x7Lwly6TV23_yabpgtL/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj1PESXNLAhcUQnU7Nd9u9JSzcs6s2hM-v5wGzxD-IFaYXfo8LHc16QYuUdumcDbf0Ukv67OnpH1JuESp2MP9-jVud06qs8EkmI002OkMJ_oH-sJqi8logdyO7x7Lwly6TV23_yabpgtL/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyx1LSDq8UrLhUHN3Hj5Q2bsR8n5DnkAg1rxz2wUN-IN8SopN4VaSRBuV0MhyphenhyphenDa1vT3w4xuOOswZ-2OhjaXSd9NftSSErhxsYF3R_zsUUnZPQnctC2wSXx0E1Y-Va5LGOUSvk7yHFKyyp/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyx1LSDq8UrLhUHN3Hj5Q2bsR8n5DnkAg1rxz2wUN-IN8SopN4VaSRBuV0MhyphenhyphenDa1vT3w4xuOOswZ-2OhjaXSd9NftSSErhxsYF3R_zsUUnZPQnctC2wSXx0E1Y-Va5LGOUSvk7yHFKyyp/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-01.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pixmMqj72iNeSB6ALIfHlGGeqAKaFEY_rIKCjpY6h_xrFBQuSu48jM9zRqMPW4BLmqPdCEchagXgLyP6XG4RLQNsHkEJuVIhJPXEg6rAGunWIc8Ng-M_Ij6uIsHT5HETZfbCVZvl9V7C/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pixmMqj72iNeSB6ALIfHlGGeqAKaFEY_rIKCjpY6h_xrFBQuSu48jM9zRqMPW4BLmqPdCEchagXgLyP6XG4RLQNsHkEJuVIhJPXEg6rAGunWIc8Ng-M_Ij6uIsHT5HETZfbCVZvl9V7C/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Skogafoss-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Следующей нашей остановой был пляж с черным песком <b>Reynisfjara</b> с видом на базальтовые скалы <b>Reynisdrangar</b>, в сени горы <b>Reynisfjall</b>. Живописные виды Reynisdrangar-а и окрестности <b>Vík í Mýrdal</b> привлекают многочисленные Голливудские съемочные группы (в этом районе снимали и <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Игры Престолов</a> и блокбастер <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1959490/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Noah (2014)</a>). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6wHWFdpHBCZZQ2ENIYCVjEfT8ndmzGe3Ss8incGMYZnMgWFEjvpz9OKjC9Xuk1D6n-zX98zlO9YxX691lMBV0Fb8EpSBxkAGv2ZROh6gcVtjYa5ErHEF1_v3vqMKADjdWP_oZxDKzjKy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6wHWFdpHBCZZQ2ENIYCVjEfT8ndmzGe3Ss8incGMYZnMgWFEjvpz9OKjC9Xuk1D6n-zX98zlO9YxX691lMBV0Fb8EpSBxkAGv2ZROh6gcVtjYa5ErHEF1_v3vqMKADjdWP_oZxDKzjKy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OAlFqCesC40FEBHiW3I-RawUrG1RmSy6nZQm2X265cVUsdGl9U0Gp6IPFXqZQvUSmiUYZsfQMH_OTAQ0qaT2-7-JglBe2KfSKBTpCtcwSf6VAnpqe9fSzzmioP2OJNwEixGOSYB6d95u/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OAlFqCesC40FEBHiW3I-RawUrG1RmSy6nZQm2X265cVUsdGl9U0Gp6IPFXqZQvUSmiUYZsfQMH_OTAQ0qaT2-7-JglBe2KfSKBTpCtcwSf6VAnpqe9fSzzmioP2OJNwEixGOSYB6d95u/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibshtCIdpscUJuk8rue78TmN5fc5jSDYZDst5uMWFOhrYVp5CcUA4T_ucxx2X_kkz-SMEbWIvNY9bB5Zet1GHTJPlts5ZPkUDyuQNq69MOd0hyphenhyphenmbSK_DR9AL7Z-5hJxqrrruKBEHJabMtf/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibshtCIdpscUJuk8rue78TmN5fc5jSDYZDst5uMWFOhrYVp5CcUA4T_ucxx2X_kkz-SMEbWIvNY9bB5Zet1GHTJPlts5ZPkUDyuQNq69MOd0hyphenhyphenmbSK_DR9AL7Z-5hJxqrrruKBEHJabMtf/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ujDsfzjSqx0qvKUjuvJ1ZxDCT3bvr5J0MvYrfRQmhhNzOVhe7D4nCNDrNa5DuGBWlJKl0q4P5gZ7Vm7zJt_AgKlW3YepTDQgG71B7qyyUkO2arfsPzWanDO3uAclGdsasGsnhykvXvfv/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ujDsfzjSqx0qvKUjuvJ1ZxDCT3bvr5J0MvYrfRQmhhNzOVhe7D4nCNDrNa5DuGBWlJKl0q4P5gZ7Vm7zJt_AgKlW3YepTDQgG71B7qyyUkO2arfsPzWanDO3uAclGdsasGsnhykvXvfv/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0lMTOizw8P0pCkc4Sd-DdggQmT3chArdCDUA9legO44vhclbOG-IHWv-1D8pWRLJn8b_5iLxK0mw3aXHHGXOxC2mYToPhfAsrHz2ak_hojrIs8jwjTYNHdf_t7RCOUEKCjZQsmsu4uZs/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0lMTOizw8P0pCkc4Sd-DdggQmT3chArdCDUA9legO44vhclbOG-IHWv-1D8pWRLJn8b_5iLxK0mw3aXHHGXOxC2mYToPhfAsrHz2ak_hojrIs8jwjTYNHdf_t7RCOUEKCjZQsmsu4uZs/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
По другую сторону горы <b>Reynisfjall</b>, по соседней дорожке можно проехать к <b>Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve</b> – именно так мы и поступили и не пожалели. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnXHcaEWludVrtpU5pBK3hN2eqb1h12_RtUgPi1aAxyfd06E9XCU-Mu4nHXBBg54GpFeBr_JSX8j-130mkgxGhAFLomH-hYiUkEV8rj14Erug6lnYTVEWhJLRLvxVxMUECSo5NeltW-hz/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnXHcaEWludVrtpU5pBK3hN2eqb1h12_RtUgPi1aAxyfd06E9XCU-Mu4nHXBBg54GpFeBr_JSX8j-130mkgxGhAFLomH-hYiUkEV8rj14Erug6lnYTVEWhJLRLvxVxMUECSo5NeltW-hz/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-04.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Несмотря н невзрачное название (<b>Dyrhólaey</b> означает „дыра в двери “), местечко это довольно живописное. От парковки очень здорово прогуляться к маяку: по пути на скалах можно наблюдать (в сезон) колонию тупиков, а со скалы у маяка открывается замечательный вид на "дырявую скалу".</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ceDwTmv9kZImwyqpV97KsA7FHX52YJ3rVoGEpcGmeT9xdPBVa62IwwrzGUtaXuwkC344vGzO0sCXeb8lsOlFsjXY45DD1tidtdb3nO3GzBmkyiRJB-cjqIqUDo0xL8dbzXQWQ8qhW_f8/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-Dyrh%C3%B3laey-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ceDwTmv9kZImwyqpV97KsA7FHX52YJ3rVoGEpcGmeT9xdPBVa62IwwrzGUtaXuwkC344vGzO0sCXeb8lsOlFsjXY45DD1tidtdb3nO3GzBmkyiRJB-cjqIqUDo0xL8dbzXQWQ8qhW_f8/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Reynisdrangar-Dyrh%C3%B3laey-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<i>P.S. Ксати, для любителей горячих источников: в этом районе находится <b>Hveragerði </b>[kvergerthi]: там можно совершить прогулку вдоль реки (около часа) и искупаться прямо в источнике, "по дикому"</i><i>.</i></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Skaftafell + Glacier Tour in Vatnajökull National Park + Svartifoss + Jökulsárlón</h3>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Skeiðarársandur</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn0kgF7-LwedO22i3jATCnj0KW1tyWT-x-0je9vpNgseDsIojVEI9Bs2ktdUelCMVEa72nw3xjtIVzi_P78v91GIFCBCy6-ilAruyXJhg37tCOjAQM0b3sCV08RtxEDt7zBGPOXpC8KNn/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Hvannadalshnukur00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcn0kgF7-LwedO22i3jATCnj0KW1tyWT-x-0je9vpNgseDsIojVEI9Bs2ktdUelCMVEa72nw3xjtIVzi_P78v91GIFCBCy6-ilAruyXJhg37tCOjAQM0b3sCV08RtxEDt7zBGPOXpC8KNn/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Hvannadalshnukur00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
На подъезде к <b>Skaftafell, </b>в области <b>Skeiðarársandur </b>мы остановились у причудливых металлических обломков. К моему удивлению оказалось, что связанные в узел искареженные сваи - не очередной пример исландского современного искусства, а основание моста <b>Gigjukvisi</b>. Меня заинтересовало, как это стальной мост мог так элегантно завязаться бантиком - ответ я узнала, прочитав объяснение до конца. Оказалось, что область Skeiðarársandur является зандом (в переводе это буквально означает "песочник"). Такие области обычно находятся на краю ледников на Аляске или в Исландии. Плюсом таких равнин является то, что они покрыты суглинками, а потому очень плодородны. К минусам можно отнести тот факт, что, если ледник тает быстрее положенного (такое, например, может произойти в следствие извержения вулкана ), тогда потоком воды с занда смывает все! Так, в 1996 году, во время извержения <b>Grimsvötn</b>-а поток воды мощностью 20’000-50’000 м3 в секунду подчистил все, что находилось на пещаном Skeiðarársandur-е, включая дорогу и мост, которые какой-то беспечный архитектор построил прямо у подножия ледника, окруженного вулканами. Представить себе масштабы происходящего можно по тому, что принесенные водой за 40 км глыбы льда достигали 200 тонн и имели размеры около 10 х 10 х 20 м.</div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Vatnajökull National Park: Skaftafell & Svartifoss waterfall.</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA7n7TqkdAnwUfd9xewUmf7eEMSftZNgUp8ojJOylpdCvnbUjEF3pMXNK5NqQjP9Fkn5GEofAACw2hg-6yzZjC3Sgnm48tPxm761T1JTJk47geph2_BArAxRaXFhRfZJ3S88q5JFKa_yP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-Svartifos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA7n7TqkdAnwUfd9xewUmf7eEMSftZNgUp8ojJOylpdCvnbUjEF3pMXNK5NqQjP9Fkn5GEofAACw2hg-6yzZjC3Sgnm48tPxm761T1JTJk47geph2_BArAxRaXFhRfZJ3S88q5JFKa_yP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-Svartifos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Вокруг приютившегося у подножия могучего ледника <b>Vatnajökull</b> (500 km2 или 12% площади всей Исландии) <b>Skaftafell</b>-а можно найти множество прироных достопримечательностей вроде элегантного базальтового водопада <b>Svartifoss</b> (дословно: „черный водопад“). Добраться до него можно по прогулочной тропе (около получаса в одну сторону от тур-центра Skaftafell). В упомянутом центре располагается единственная фирма, огранизующая туры в этом районе - <a href="http://www.mountainguides.is/">mountainguides.is</a>. Они предлагают экскурсии различного уровня сложности: начиная от часовых прогулок по леднику и заканчивая многодневным переходом через весь Vatnajökull. Тут же в зимний сезон можно покататься на сноумобилях (<a href="http://www.arcanum.is/">Arcanum.is</a>) или квадрациклах по черным пескам, с пересечением небольших рек (<a href="http://www.quad.is/">quad.is</a>).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06sFLVp1elCe-tYyBGMHcQpXxGjiuHAPnzgJzIkASeUI3OYse3JJ7gzNvbdRGfyJK9uDZb98IGd3yLWpCxFcS68kPvBlwNhZzZ0XgGQ-MVQDZOvA8NjrG3GdugmtEdXXa7ui6zmUzucal/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06sFLVp1elCe-tYyBGMHcQpXxGjiuHAPnzgJzIkASeUI3OYse3JJ7gzNvbdRGfyJK9uDZb98IGd3yLWpCxFcS68kPvBlwNhZzZ0XgGQ-MVQDZOvA8NjrG3GdugmtEdXXa7ui6zmUzucal/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFBtMrFNFMX-S25kymwE97_di4W07ZOLbpaQ2QK1kv8xks9o5VhJWXNxZrLNlVlm8IKwFHolIrw-vzGfF0dvRfru-x8N6tUKrBz9xkOa2FL380bgd4wRESy2ld1wiLSC4LNUVGoKb5Xom/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFBtMrFNFMX-S25kymwE97_di4W07ZOLbpaQ2QK1kv8xks9o5VhJWXNxZrLNlVlm8IKwFHolIrw-vzGfF0dvRfru-x8N6tUKrBz9xkOa2FL380bgd4wRESy2ld1wiLSC4LNUVGoKb5Xom/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOX59Kgf-7KTOehtufBjtdfI0Ba956LY7u7ucKjeylvOiMCkldtvU5PwLtdlnXnAoxMWBBjCAfml40m7IupMU96lcc1-DXdQxgxZAcDTgI822_pg0K9McV5meR3WPHeTa3yeO9nR-jdAl/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOX59Kgf-7KTOehtufBjtdfI0Ba956LY7u7ucKjeylvOiMCkldtvU5PwLtdlnXnAoxMWBBjCAfml40m7IupMU96lcc1-DXdQxgxZAcDTgI822_pg0K9McV5meR3WPHeTa3yeO9nR-jdAl/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Vatnaj%C3%B6kull-Skaftafell-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Недалеко от <b>Skaftafell</b>-я<b> </b>для туристов, особенно очарованных извержениями вулкана, есть музей-ферма <b>Skaftarstofa</b>, который рассказывает историю фермерской семьи: что произошло во время извержения EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL и как семья боролась с его последствиями. </div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the Ice Beach</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuCB8lFSrem6dQYH1kJf2wCd6_7Hemn-VFy7HXNYmcCRbnD2rxNxLUHRP_xQS1uVdrCKeBKwgMGB_Mp8PO7TtgNYjzmo44TZLYlXwZzEQoWAKjanPZyhDhzesSTwiZ5cJTQLxhDFQ-zh2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuCB8lFSrem6dQYH1kJf2wCd6_7Hemn-VFy7HXNYmcCRbnD2rxNxLUHRP_xQS1uVdrCKeBKwgMGB_Mp8PO7TtgNYjzmo44TZLYlXwZzEQoWAKjanPZyhDhzesSTwiZ5cJTQLxhDFQ-zh2/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis62SgDeNwTyl0bKQlkpUSQlR8081VFSk90y75fAHMwTasLA1BYfXcZmzP1w1HRt9sWBx5T6Wvrun4tbP7IrszposJqG4KiiA6xKmhANf62F_Fb3YxQ6Jhhn5aDSeMp7SaZWeOeiZawfRM/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis62SgDeNwTyl0bKQlkpUSQlR8081VFSk90y75fAHMwTasLA1BYfXcZmzP1w1HRt9sWBx5T6Wvrun4tbP7IrszposJqG4KiiA6xKmhANf62F_Fb3YxQ6Jhhn5aDSeMp7SaZWeOeiZawfRM/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b>Jökulsárlón </b>- визитная карточка Исландии: тут высаживалась из амфибии <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTpDABXFv3E">Лара Крофт в Tomb Raider</a>, тут ожидала Роджера Мура в подводной лодке очередная bond girl в фильме <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090264/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">A View to a Kill (1985)</a>. Ксатати, после премьеры этого фильма по озеру стали организовывать коммерческие туры на лодках.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq16MjEocBXB20zzhAzk5Vf46qHFDgnCOQ4gSMOr3BSRMgw9akV6imb8OkgZpwX6I7vfDHeFa8WyPCnj3mGPmQzyLGI9vTvFkXDtGVqj_L2GoTzGqKijyLB61GbpyIs-vAFqWFCYtfpDBP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq16MjEocBXB20zzhAzk5Vf46qHFDgnCOQ4gSMOr3BSRMgw9akV6imb8OkgZpwX6I7vfDHeFa8WyPCnj3mGPmQzyLGI9vTvFkXDtGVqj_L2GoTzGqKijyLB61GbpyIs-vAFqWFCYtfpDBP/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5OhmeQaHjzNxIxPsupFOPEUBQk1HV0zJ3fPYSi8tZ-7G4HY6uH5mPp3uXYyUGD6oXazjiy4jR3Fc4V00mICFRW1e8F49hDRo-qw3WeObOSUFQYtx4QuAZbfaR3jr4bGyF0uJe8OKXHpO/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5OhmeQaHjzNxIxPsupFOPEUBQk1HV0zJ3fPYSi8tZ-7G4HY6uH5mPp3uXYyUGD6oXazjiy4jR3Fc4V00mICFRW1e8F49hDRo-qw3WeObOSUFQYtx4QuAZbfaR3jr4bGyF0uJe8OKXHpO/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Лагуна впадает в море, поэтому вода здесь соленая и сама по себе никогда не замерзает. Однако, у всякого правила есть исключение, особенно когда замешан Голливуд: во время сьемок очередного фильма про Джеймса Бонда, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246460/">Die Another Day (2002)</a> с Пирсом Броснаном, для сцены погони по замержшему озеру было необходимо … замержшее озеро. Поэтому съемочной команде пришлось забарикадировать небольшой перешеек, который соединяет лагуну с соленой водой, и уже через пару дней мороз сковал берега Jökulsárlón до такой степени, что можно было безопасно ездить на автомобилях.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BHdejOhFVLmo3dLLtYOMxOC2yJbnf8mhK7eIFi8XD5Mag5l__x6JXM4hC5dxtTK4w7m0qzydi0UefWfKFNxbpxhHDWMuI7GPWSD_rffYVFsSZZtVFZkZMhbmI9WUFZqqJf0KNd9vHGak/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BHdejOhFVLmo3dLLtYOMxOC2yJbnf8mhK7eIFi8XD5Mag5l__x6JXM4hC5dxtTK4w7m0qzydi0UefWfKFNxbpxhHDWMuI7GPWSD_rffYVFsSZZtVFZkZMhbmI9WUFZqqJf0KNd9vHGak/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtqM9_4QUiEPek01gnuFjTlb1WpUkVnrUgPuldkFbsRiJcPu8YAnjXpKNqgDmuJswo1oGAcE0QJkIuiG3CMQPSHkJLULua1MtxMdSbbOVOcGKAnI47ZP5meMibs55x-DyR4RNRdZRgvPT/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtqM9_4QUiEPek01gnuFjTlb1WpUkVnrUgPuldkFbsRiJcPu8YAnjXpKNqgDmuJswo1oGAcE0QJkIuiG3CMQPSHkJLULua1MtxMdSbbOVOcGKAnI47ZP5meMibs55x-DyR4RNRdZRgvPT/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Для экскурсии по озеру можно взять либо билет на амфибию, либо прокатиться с ветерком на более шустрой лодке Zodiac. Наш гид с ледника <b>Vatnajökull</b> посоветовал нам Зодиака, т.к. за одно и то же время на нем можно увидеть намного больше, чем на медлительной амфибии. Скоростная поездочка по лагуне полной айсбергов, отломавшихся от могучего ледника <b>Breiðamerkurjökull</b>, обеспечит вам солидный выброс адреналина. До или после экскурсии обязательно надо прогуляться к пляжу, который соединяет Jökulsárlón с океаном - пляж буквально усыпан подтаявшими льдинками красивой формы. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhH8FnknhQ4WvD9HDdFrfKTjmJpnkhB3wUK1MhtWDrYUQcc5h9YgK6phWfuVGeDUN6qCAHPbUJihidI7bZ64qLShnvmtjoFfxiU9adVrzo7hnSd6s7_PMf6HDGMM5ezR7B3N9ifJ0woZA/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhH8FnknhQ4WvD9HDdFrfKTjmJpnkhB3wUK1MhtWDrYUQcc5h9YgK6phWfuVGeDUN6qCAHPbUJihidI7bZ64qLShnvmtjoFfxiU9adVrzo7hnSd6s7_PMf6HDGMM5ezR7B3N9ifJ0woZA/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-J%C3%B6kuls%C3%A1rl%C3%B3n-Glacier-Lagoon-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Закончив со всеми этими красотами, мы отправились в Восточную часть Исландии и по пути подружились с парочкой свободно-гуляющих парнокопытных жителей Исландии. Позже мы узнали, что все парнокопытные в Исландии большую часть года предоставлены сами себе: весной, когда они рождаются, их сразу же выпускают на выпас (по сути они бредут куда захотят, обширные фермеские угодья обычно разделены заборчиками, но внутри них барашки полностью свободны). Так до осени они резвяться на свободе, а осенью происходит так называемый roundup: фермеры на конях и/или джипах, сгоняют их в специальные загончики и решают, как дальше поступить с ними (наиболее "мясных" продают в рестораны и супермаркеты, наиболее красивых и породистых отправляют на размножение). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8Xb3g5ORdRAm_28e2aFuo3AQ98qvmHr8a1xedFWJDNeCDl_mAshLUXF42WjDzYttCGsSSeCcea3uWDsDmy0Tb89BGcfSckXB_dPBKl_WqWoo9QEWzpZbbRUe39z5eRsF31SwcvgURf9X/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Sheep-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8Xb3g5ORdRAm_28e2aFuo3AQ98qvmHr8a1xedFWJDNeCDl_mAshLUXF42WjDzYttCGsSSeCcea3uWDsDmy0Tb89BGcfSckXB_dPBKl_WqWoo9QEWzpZbbRUe39z5eRsF31SwcvgURf9X/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Sheep-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The Golden Circle: Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, Geysir & Gullfoss</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Вторая часть посящена однодневному "кругу почета" по самым туристическим достопримечательностям Исландии, носящим название Золотое кольцо. Это - как раз и есть уже упомянутое хронологческое ответвление, т.к. <b>The Golden Circle </b>мы смотрели уже в самом конце нашего путешествия, после того, как объехали всю Исландию. Географически же, с него вполне можно было начать осмотр, однако, я очень рада, что мы, как настоящие герои «пошли в обход», т.к. было очень забавно смотреть (особенно после диких безлюдных просторов отдаленных частей Исландии) на супер-цивилизованные „паркетного“ вида туристические тропы, мусорки и платные общественные туалеты на каждом шагу, а также на толпы туристов, стоящих в очереди, чтобы хоть одним глазком глянуть на то место, где по предположительным данным заседал парламент Альфинги.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Золотое кольцо — популярный туристический маршрут в Южной Исландии, начинающийся в Рейкьявике и охватывающий около 300 км. В маршрут входят национальный парк <b>Þingvellir</b>, водопад <b>Gullfoss</b> и геотермальная область <b>Haukadalur</b> (<b>Geysir</b> и <b>Strokkur</b>). </div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Þingvellir</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZAYz_oUPa9kalcMCb-mRzQLGchqmmTLjTPYkvmiGQQPVfTK_ksguKsXdB0Z91T6ll5AIhQ6QYxvKdm0oJfBhStUaMmqQ3e-khNlLjmD6umqBV92XwBqM6XoYYoiGU4lbqmqRAtnAj8y6/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZAYz_oUPa9kalcMCb-mRzQLGchqmmTLjTPYkvmiGQQPVfTK_ksguKsXdB0Z91T6ll5AIhQ6QYxvKdm0oJfBhStUaMmqQ3e-khNlLjmD6umqBV92XwBqM6XoYYoiGU4lbqmqRAtnAj8y6/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Национальный парк <b>Þingvellir </b>– исторически самое значимое место в Исландии. Все важные события, начиная с первой ассамблеи парламента (Þingvellir дословно так и переводиться: равнина ассамблеи) и заканчивая провозглашением независимости Исландии от Датской короны, происходили тут. Тут же Исландия стала демократической страной. На <b>Lögberg</b> (Law Rock или Горе Закона) свершались ежегодные встречи исландского парламента Alþing-а. Однако, поскольку роль Lögberg играл значительную лишь в самом начале Альфинга, где именно находится этот холмик - никто не знает, лучшая догадка: на склоне Hallurinn-a, где сегодня развевается флаг Исландской Республики. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiREbwB5m9vYH6UjNhujT8CpvYzIfB2K9s-PNSmVPgj5g9JFfVszHFJ8FSRnw9jYmDQzRP-pkWf2KOnQg5vlWAje7TzOz8bQ-ZptRtgQ8FT_l6IwP8UIrZ092WocIgymOghoup-1j2Das/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiREbwB5m9vYH6UjNhujT8CpvYzIfB2K9s-PNSmVPgj5g9JFfVszHFJ8FSRnw9jYmDQzRP-pkWf2KOnQg5vlWAje7TzOz8bQ-ZptRtgQ8FT_l6IwP8UIrZ092WocIgymOghoup-1j2Das/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Это место было выбрано по многим причинам: сюда было удобно путешествовать практически из любой части Исландии (пусть это и занимало иногда 2 недели пути), тут было много питьевой воды, хвороста, а также пастбищ для скота. Исторические летописи гласят, что Исландцы придавали такое большое значение ежегодным встречам в Þingvellir-е, что специально для них (методы прямо как в Советском Союзе!) даже развернули вспять реку <b>Öxará</b>, чтобы обеспечить всех "жаждущих" участников ассамблеи питьевой водой. Кстати, после всех разворотов реча Ёксара живописно образует водопад <b>Öxarárfoss</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAOzOLtuVxciM1T_0oTUBkSYi-Ze8sHn1EVzzzHgPNrsIzP91Zy2MFMGdUL3DnBtgjawY5EL5adD3MFkIb6im6FrqYlzTZgjL-tRUbtniP7qjKWlFHtBSs61wa9mhk0exGsk3l0DixXyg/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-Oxararfoss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAOzOLtuVxciM1T_0oTUBkSYi-Ze8sHn1EVzzzHgPNrsIzP91Zy2MFMGdUL3DnBtgjawY5EL5adD3MFkIb6im6FrqYlzTZgjL-tRUbtniP7qjKWlFHtBSs61wa9mhk0exGsk3l0DixXyg/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-Oxararfoss.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Во время встреч Alþing-и Þingvellir превращался в фестивальную площадку: тут проходили турниры, молодые люди знакомились друг с другом и договаривались пожениться. Тут же, собственно, творили и не такие уж веселые действа: например, топили женщин, совершивших тяжкое преступления (например, детоубийство), вешали воров и жгли ведьмарей (см. пост про <u><i>Museum of Sorcery</i></u>). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Несмотря на то, что такие наказания звучат для современного уха довольно по-варварски, правосудие со времена Old Commonwealth в Исландии осуществлялось следующим образом: всего было 5 судов, 4 - на каждую «четверть» страны по суду, плюс пятый суд <b>fimmtardómur</b> – там рассматривались дела, которые не могли быть разрешены на локальном уровне (например, в одном из quarter courts, состоящих из 36 фермеров, выбранных главарями племен). fimmtardómur состол из 48 фермеров, выбранных из тех же самых 36x4 фермеров из четвертных судов.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
После того как письменность пришла в Исландию вместе с Христианством в начале 12-го века, законы Old Commonwealth были записаны в своде законов, известном как Grágás (Grágás, кстати, является самым полным сводом законов из нордического мира, дошедшим до наших дней). Grágás носил также и символическое значение, когда в 1262-64 годах Исландия подчинилась власти Норвежского короля после длительного периода народных восстаний. Новый свод законов Gamli sáttmáli (Old Covenant) был своего рода важным шагом на пути подчинения Норвежской монархии. Law Council стал главным юридическим органом, и 2 королевских чиновника заменили собой Quarter Courts и Fifth Court), и вместо Grágás основой Исландского права стала Jónsbók (John's Book). Приход королевсокого правления знаменовал собой также введение штрафов за убийство – новинка в правовой системе: месть перестала быть легальным оправданием перед судом :-) . Как и во всех европейских странах, король мог вмешиваться в правосудие по своему усмотрению (особенно после того, как Исландия приняла абсолютную власть Датского Короля в 1662 году. Alpingi еще попытался собираться в Thingvellir-e до 1798-ого года, когда его распустили. После 1845-го года Alpingi собирался уже в Рейкьявике.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6DLynHS88sGuoshKVgPCj1AGOShdk0yugH2OQJMixmD_f0PgqfdWnuoO-DAsWmrCUiT3CJuxeLHtkmThYYjO_ClZ6sn1xMzwF0_C9sJLeSixMjp6FuNKAFnl1fEFPb-Io6iKsGRugwPZ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6DLynHS88sGuoshKVgPCj1AGOShdk0yugH2OQJMixmD_f0PgqfdWnuoO-DAsWmrCUiT3CJuxeLHtkmThYYjO_ClZ6sn1xMzwF0_C9sJLeSixMjp6FuNKAFnl1fEFPb-Io6iKsGRugwPZ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Thingvellir-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Конечно же, значение Фингве́длира с годами изменилось, однако, до сих пор тут празднуются знаменательные события страны: например, в 1930-ом году праздновалось тысячеление основания Alþing-а.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Однако, значение Фингфедлира не только историческое и правовое, но и геологическое: в этом же месте встречаются два континента, поэтому в этой области довольно активно движуться тектонические плиты: вот, например, 5 лет назад земля под мостом на пути к Фингфедлиру разверзлась, и там образовалась пещера. А буквально за день до того, как мы посетили национальный парк – с огромной каменной стены (см.картинку выше) свалилась огромная глыба. Порадовавшись, что она не свалилась на нас, мы отправились подальше от этих неожиданно опасных мест в сторону … еще более опасной геотермально активной области Haukadalur.</div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Geysir </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Geysir находится в вышеупомянутой области <b>Хаукадалур</b>. <b>Geysir</b> – прародитель всех гейзеров мира, отсюда и называются все они так: в честь первого описанного в литературе „горячего фонтанирующего источника“ (так определяется слово geyser в английском языке). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4X78agTI7MO8_TAttytuwYg49PYFlx0Qv13Jm_j1G_sJk3QmXU9LTUK_dLC0gynBlrUBk-fg1WJnSEdnuPiCSMVDovIKWiaUAZMkjvGRBtUEczwbTuYwBFcCGTAOV1nhfiHFflNpAw0M/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Geysir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4X78agTI7MO8_TAttytuwYg49PYFlx0Qv13Jm_j1G_sJk3QmXU9LTUK_dLC0gynBlrUBk-fg1WJnSEdnuPiCSMVDovIKWiaUAZMkjvGRBtUEczwbTuYwBFcCGTAOV1nhfiHFflNpAw0M/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Geysir.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Сегодня Geysir уже не стреляет систематически. Если такое событие происходит, то обычно оно совпадает с сильной вулканической активностью (например, последнее извержение Geysir-a совпало с извержением печально известного во всей Европе вулкана с непроизносимым названием Eyjafjallajökull. Этот факт, кстати, шикарно обыграли местные туристические магазины, сочинив остроумные магнитики на холодильник: <i>„What part of EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL don't you understand?"</i> Кстати, произносится это самое слово: [эйя-фьятла-йокутль] – между прочим, очень полезное название: им можно удивлять исландских гидов и блистать осведомленностью среди окружающх вас туристов.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
К слову говоря, сувенирный магазин в Geysir-e, один из самых классных во всей Исландии! Там можно найти оригинальные и смешные игрушки и прочие туристические забавы, включающие в себя все, начиная со свежего исландского горного воздуха в консервных банках и заканчивая колониями плюшевых тупиков.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgaUBhgbH3aMpxM4Nm9sSeh0xvG-1LFG_l3Y1oYpr9appbjpsJfmrAOlNZHhT8QBXelEBQ2IVmJIZ6SBd_0WPEEWV7s6rlXJ5XCts-d4bsapy-3wVNqusY7xi_oJ8HTXb2xIKTNJnFNlt/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Eijafjallajokull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgaUBhgbH3aMpxM4Nm9sSeh0xvG-1LFG_l3Y1oYpr9appbjpsJfmrAOlNZHhT8QBXelEBQ2IVmJIZ6SBd_0WPEEWV7s6rlXJ5XCts-d4bsapy-3wVNqusY7xi_oJ8HTXb2xIKTNJnFNlt/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Eijafjallajokull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Древний Geysir ушел на покой, и сегодня самым "надежным" гейзером в мире является его «младший брат» - Strokkur. Стреляет Строккур приблизительно каждые 4–8 минут на высоту от 15 до 40 метров. Как вы сами понимаете, чтобы обеспечить такую частоту и силу водных извержений, под землей должны непрестанно происходить очень интенсивные геологические процессы. Весь этот район дико дымит, бурлит и неистово пахнет прохушхими яйцами. Хотя, как показала практика, не всех такая дикая мощь природы удивляет одинаково: на высадке у гейзера Антон несколько разочаровано заявил: <i>"I шо? Цэ то ёнтый гейзiр? Та у нас такое кожную зиму каля кожнай котэльнi, калi трубу прарве!"</i> :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbhkq4QSMh0LcBk8R_azmG3W0oOIOcIvpZlJXk4RF8fnkiSR2Mgjq5m8VAIkWAReT79eh0eHkJcyFX9GsI4MuAemF1_oNqv9jsfCYdt5lp5vn_uEER9FXDfmJ1hHpEVN-aAlht7iiLMgQ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Geysir-Strokkur-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbhkq4QSMh0LcBk8R_azmG3W0oOIOcIvpZlJXk4RF8fnkiSR2Mgjq5m8VAIkWAReT79eh0eHkJcyFX9GsI4MuAemF1_oNqv9jsfCYdt5lp5vn_uEER9FXDfmJ1hHpEVN-aAlht7iiLMgQ/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Geysir-Strokkur-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Gullfoss </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Закончив наши "приключения украинцев в Хаукадалуре", мы решили завершить и без того насыщенный день лицезрением шедеврального водопада Gullfoss. Гюдльфосс (или, дословно, «золотой водопад»), как упоминалось ранее, - завершающая часть Золотого Кольца. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Интересно, что все согласны называть водопад золотым. Вот только почему именно: тут народ несколько расходиться во мнениях … То ли он золотой из-за того, что часто окутан золотистым отсветом солнца, то ли из-за того, что брызги водопада часто создают „золотистую“ радугу. А может быть и потому, что когда-то давно, в селении Gýgjarhóll жил-да-был фермер по имени Gýgur… и так его беспокоил тот факт, что после его смерти кто-то сможет воспользоваться его “нажитым непосильным трудом” богатством, что он заблаговременно до своей кончины запаковал все свое золото и кинул его в водопад. Народ прознал про это и, не долго думая, переназвал водопад в «золотой». Какая бы версия ни пришлась вам по душе, видок на Gullfoss – отменный.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Водопад состоит из твердой базальтовой породы по краям и из более мягких осадочных горных пород посредине. Они образуют подобие "лестницы" высотой в 11 м и 21 метров, а затем вся эта красота впадает в провал глубиной 32 м. Мощь водопада составляет 140-2000 м³/с , длина - около 2,5 км, а глубина - около 70 метров. Вода следует течению реки, которая была сформирована ледниковыми потоками в Ледниковый Период. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Примечательно, что до 1875 года к водопаду туристам нельзя было даже подступиться, онако, как гласит житейская премудрость: „не было бы счастья, да несчастье помогло“. В 1871 году предприимчивые корпорации решили взять в аренду землю вокруг водопада и построить там гидроэлектростанцию. Земля принадежала семье фермеров Tómas Tómasson и Margret Thordardottir. Однако, несмотря на их отказ продать землю, правительство присудило предоставить доступ для постройки станции. Когда дочь семейства, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, узнала об этом, она начала широкомасштабную акцию протестов и, таким образом, в 1871 году стала первой офицалной эко-активисткой Исландии. Храбрая Сигридур стала повсеместно знаменитой этой серией протестов (она даже грозилась броситься в водопад, если государство продаст права алчным корпорациям). Несмотря на дрматическое начало, история имеет счастливый конец: то ли по причине „звездной силы“ Sigríður, то ли по причине собственного банскротства, корпорации не смогли полностью выплатить договор об аренде и вынуждены были отступить со своими претензиями на землю. Ну, а вследствие шумихи вокруг водопада, народ стал подтягиваться стройными колоннами посмотреть на это Исландское чудо природы, Sigríður со своими сестрами стали водить тур-экскурсии вокруг водопада, ну, а поскольку „спрос рождает предложение“, скоро и цивилизованную дорогу подвели куда надо. Сегодня у водопада можно видеть памятник Sigríður – его возвели в 1979-ом году по проекту скульптора Ríkarður-a Jónsson-a в память о храброй местной активистке, которая умерла в 1957-ом году в почтенном возрасте 87-ми лет. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0pFvscfGGUUGnNNV1RpgUt3BDv9RVmzAczfTwmnQPy1fT-FkYiBPUrECyu4WwoJq67emg3RNXFzsFLjOae7zGjiGKbNf_-EwNsMCoGfA11bI0Sql66YX7ZVaVBjnfJnbRJOfmh5NzvTy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Gullfoss-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0pFvscfGGUUGnNNV1RpgUt3BDv9RVmzAczfTwmnQPy1fT-FkYiBPUrECyu4WwoJq67emg3RNXFzsFLjOae7zGjiGKbNf_-EwNsMCoGfA11bI0Sql66YX7ZVaVBjnfJnbRJOfmh5NzvTy/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-Golden-Circle-Gullfoss-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Вот такой рассказ получился у меня о Южной Исландии. Следуюя моим „new year’s resolutions“, я планирую в ближайшее время закончить серию постов об Исландии, а также начать подготовку к путешествиям, которые (надеюсь) ждут меня в 2015-ом году.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUjByV3StXCVj0VwwwsxE25Gb5Sau7avRbnF2_HTuK-9sD6GCzqHasOEOofIFJlqEhSWYyhNJbTkdElv3zRFi0w5lHxVF4J3Jlva6mhztE86mzrU0a3PUZy2thNRCE3acqjMhNMcpRoXV/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Sheep-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUjByV3StXCVj0VwwwsxE25Gb5Sau7avRbnF2_HTuK-9sD6GCzqHasOEOofIFJlqEhSWYyhNJbTkdElv3zRFi0w5lHxVF4J3Jlva6mhztE86mzrU0a3PUZy2thNRCE3acqjMhNMcpRoXV/s1600/Iceland-Alena-Romanenko-South-Sheep-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Jökulsárlón, Iceland64.070278 -16.21166700000003464.070278 -16.211667000000034 64.070278 -16.211667000000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-72254618155058665922014-10-05T12:53:00.000+02:002014-10-10T21:21:37.917+02:00Saga #1: ICELAND ВВЕДЕНИЕ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCbxWWrbCFn9levF3SSHdsPaQm0VK8q_TpHuVeCoH5n1_4hi1pkeOC0utAfBabr5YNzLFfMpAET_Nxvuc4m7tbfT8VkQspQ3THyNNTrZkj9yFgQFTXScVOj3Nsv_gP9dEcmurh3u12vCk/s1600/Iceland-MapsWithMe-Map_Alena.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCbxWWrbCFn9levF3SSHdsPaQm0VK8q_TpHuVeCoH5n1_4hi1pkeOC0utAfBabr5YNzLFfMpAET_Nxvuc4m7tbfT8VkQspQ3THyNNTrZkj9yFgQFTXScVOj3Nsv_gP9dEcmurh3u12vCk/s1600/Iceland-MapsWithMe-Map_Alena.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>С миру по нитке… или importance of appropriate gear in Iceland</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Путешествие в Исландию было моей давней мечтой, а потому подготовилась я основательно и заранее. Те, кто меня знают, в курсе, что я не самый большой фанат кемпингов. А потому, когда я решила ехать в Исландию, у меня ровным счетом не было ни одного элемента оборудования, необходимого для того, чтобы выжить на исландских просторах... Спальник и палатку я отдоложила у моих белорусских друзей и "первопроходцев Исландии" Лены и Вани, рюкзак и каремат мне дала моя южноафриканская подруга, а венгерский друг Peter предоставил GARMIN навигатор... Вот так вот, в буквальном смысле "с миру по нитке", я и собралась в Исландию :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDX59huJawhCQ0XDxX9S5NVBUFwlqvHFq1tsJ1IwhzryN5BEkqNqyHK_LGoqIIp2A6W4CyGZi3zeK9HFlTsX1C1tO3NcbtUStiaFH3bVCr3nfkf0N6PqcqUu1zAsCZNfUshfMnovC7Blx/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-hanwag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDX59huJawhCQ0XDxX9S5NVBUFwlqvHFq1tsJ1IwhzryN5BEkqNqyHK_LGoqIIp2A6W4CyGZi3zeK9HFlTsX1C1tO3NcbtUStiaFH3bVCr3nfkf0N6PqcqUu1zAsCZNfUshfMnovC7Blx/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-hanwag.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Для тех, кто планирует аналогичное путешeствие, хотелось бы отдельно подчеркнуть важность правильного оборудования и адекватной одежды. Обязательно нужны водонепроницаемые ботинки, непромокаемая (или хотя бы ветронепродуваемая) куртка, перчатки (я влюбилась в модель North Face, в которой можно пользоваться iPhone-ом), носки (желательно из merino wool) и термобелье. Идеально также иметь пару свитеров и хотя бы одну флисовку, чтобы одевать все слоями, т.к. погода тут меняется очень быстро (буквально в течение часа вы можете стать свидетелем проливного дождя, порывистого ветра, а затем вдруг - откуда ни возьмись - "жаркого" солнца), но в целом местные природные условия следуют народной шутке-прибаутке: <i>"Не нравится погода? Подождите 5 минут – станет еще хуже"</i>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHUtEgW4dDExGE0KhyphenhyphenlsSXJFsLCRXsn-ZEhocQeShwEc3CxI_thg6XKDwKyJiM517RypHQmgZblunyqMdPJRe33N9jaMycxhKiLts2ceuOteAg5HqXN7o_eWucjrnQaqYYyEFHHot77sg/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-weather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHUtEgW4dDExGE0KhyphenhyphenlsSXJFsLCRXsn-ZEhocQeShwEc3CxI_thg6XKDwKyJiM517RypHQmgZblunyqMdPJRe33N9jaMycxhKiLts2ceuOteAg5HqXN7o_eWucjrnQaqYYyEFHHot77sg/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-weather.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Поскольку я не признаю путешествий в организованных туристических группах, то форматом был избран road-trip. Случайно списавшись с моим другом Антоном, я была в восторге, поскольку он также давно мечтал о том, чтобы поехать в Исландию, но, как и я, несколько раз стопорился на том, что не мог найти попутчиков. На этой почве мы и стусили :-) Антон взял с собой своего младшего племянника – Назара. Так что мой первый опыт путешествя с детьми был очень даже занимательным. Назар оказался совсем не «горьким дитём», как можно было бы ожидать от 10-летнего малыша, а вполне находчивым бойскаутом, который мог самостотельно поставить палатку, сложить спальник или просто развеселить нас приятными нелепостями вроде: <i>"На лето нам задали прочитать много книг, например "Приключения Жюль Верна в стране лилипутов"</i> или своими категорическими утверждениями в ответ на наши попытки расширить его словарный запас: <i>"Что значит слово кризис я не знаю и знать не хочу"</i>!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Автопрокат</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Неизбежным аксессуаром road-trip-a является машина, а потому мой совет на случай, если вы собираетесь в аналогичное путешествие: берите самую дорогую машину, какую только можете себе позволить (идеально, конечно же, 4x4 WD). Также, не забудьте полную страховку, т.к. разбитые гравием стекла и выбоины на краске, к сожалению - нередкое явление. На "обычных машинах" вы не сможете заезжать на F-дороги, но речь еще и о том, что на 4x4 вы сэкономите много часов времени (например, по пути на Dettifoss), т.к. сможете шустренько ездить по гравийке.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Apps, maps & mobile Internet</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Еще один логистический совет: облегчите жизнь всем и купите исландский pre-paid SIM card. Я сделала это прямо в <a href="http://www.dutyfree.is/en" target="_blank">duty free store</a> в аэропорту и не знала горя (в форме отсутствия мобильного интернета) на протяжении всего путешествия. За 2000 крон можно получить уже заряженную (около 1600 крон) SIM-ку, т.е. за саму карточку платишь буквально 4 Евро, а все остальное – активный баланс (1 Euro = 152.920 Крон).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Для навигации мы чаще всего пользовались моей любимой offline программкой <a href="http://maps.me/en/home" target="_blank">Maps With Me</a><b> </b>(см. screen shot вверху). И, кстати, если вы едете в Исландию: не стасняйтесь прислать мне по почте <i>(alena.romanenko (at) gmail.com) </i>запрос: я вышлю вам электронную версию всех bookmarks с картинки вверху. Maps with Me оказались особенно полезными ввиду отсутствия на клавитаре навигатора букв, специфичных для исландского алфавита (á, ó, í, ý, ð, þ, é, æ, ú и ö), поэтому чаще всего я навигировала просто по iPhone-у. Вот еще парочка адресов, которые могут быть полезными для тех, кто планирует ехать в Исландию «дикарем»: <a href="http://safetravel.is/">Safetravel.is</a> – тут можно оставить ваш план путешествия на экстренный случай (если вы собираетесь в походы на насколько дней), <a href="http://road.is/">Road.is</a> – состояния исландских дорог и <a href="http://vedur.is/">Vedur.is</a> – прогноз погоды. Также неплохая, но уже довольно специализированная и комерционализированная программка: <a href="http://www.handpickediceland.is/" target="_blank">HandPicked App</a> – вручную отобранные советы по Исландии. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Еще одна сложность с исландскими автомобильным путешетвиями: исландцы считают, что дорожные знаки - лишняя трата бюджетных денег, а потому зачастую не следуют европейскому правилу, что на каждом участке, где происхоит изменение курса, должен стоять знак: поэтому очень полезно иметь с собой iPhone, чтобы знать, где ты находишься и куда тебе дальше сворачивать.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>In-flight entertainment & the weird ways of Icelandic people</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfb6Nte3kd6OivoVUrknzBO1eLaHtOLDvH8BsUs9ng8LM05cTdCy8GGUEzEgT7iJ7hVypo_TIpf2dJR2FseMSb6HTz03hI50OaVBW90skwQG0slDPFqLQQZCB-nzuOWXY_r4IZbDVCtqu/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-schiphol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfb6Nte3kd6OivoVUrknzBO1eLaHtOLDvH8BsUs9ng8LM05cTdCy8GGUEzEgT7iJ7hVypo_TIpf2dJR2FseMSb6HTz03hI50OaVBW90skwQG0slDPFqLQQZCB-nzuOWXY_r4IZbDVCtqu/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-schiphol.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Итак, началась моя исландская сага, как многие хорошие путешествия, в Амстердамском аэропорту Schiphol :-) Лишь ступив на борт самолета Icelandair, я уже перенеслать в другое, "исландское" измерение. Каждый предмет на самолете (например, подушечка под голову, одеяло, сэндвич или салффетка были подписаны на исландском и сопровождались объяснением. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_B3JBFlkr6edUpKDawP3KdWm1jwLXhyphenhyphenXgGlxocoTmepsm6RBjtDMbhsagHUxEJ2mvXRCzlT0wI1Pxi0vLdUWWC4SsvWP1352tK08HPjPh9OwBqGP6d3jZwIjp3s0mUaKDUYzwceUl62d/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-munnpurrka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_B3JBFlkr6edUpKDawP3KdWm1jwLXhyphenhyphenXgGlxocoTmepsm6RBjtDMbhsagHUxEJ2mvXRCzlT0wI1Pxi0vLdUWWC4SsvWP1352tK08HPjPh9OwBqGP6d3jZwIjp3s0mUaKDUYzwceUl62d/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-munnpurrka.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANBNu_XCUYdOXrlOyWxCu8hwD8mp93WeRqVZoJr7jEYBqTte1wo7gadDAyz9P66GQZ4uBq9tj73uZl5p8t8CvwEtJYv0jQ6efJWhp1RaUjy2m2T8PmgXt-Jazas6Z7wTLOmetwq2Mteo-/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-icelandair-blanket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANBNu_XCUYdOXrlOyWxCu8hwD8mp93WeRqVZoJr7jEYBqTte1wo7gadDAyz9P66GQZ4uBq9tj73uZl5p8t8CvwEtJYv0jQ6efJWhp1RaUjy2m2T8PmgXt-Jazas6Z7wTLOmetwq2Mteo-/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-icelandair-blanket.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Icelandair сразу же раздали всем желающим iPad, на котором была куча как полезной, так и не очень полезной информации. К разряду полезной информации можно отнести снятый специально Icelandair туристический фильм про Исландию: оттуда я почерпнула множество интересной информации о стране, где я планировала провести следующие 18 дней моей жизни. Зимой исландцы плавают в проруби в шерстяных плавках, почти пол-населения страны (46%) "не отрицают" существования эльфов и имеют странное отношение к феерверкам и хлопушкам: продажа взрыв-веществ в течение всего года запрещена, запрет снимают лишь за 4 дня до Нового года. В этот краткий период по Исландии продают около 500 тонн феерверков - вслед за чем лавочку в срочном порядке прикрывают, и исландцы, как ни в чем ни бывало, продолжают свое невзрывоопасное бытие. Еще один интересный факт почерпнутый из инфо-материлов Icelandair: в Исландии совсем нет комаров, что, конечно же, заставило меня улыбнуться, т.к. в аптечеке у меня лежал свежекупленный mosquitoe-спрей.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxZrdZ4BuPDo4qU8kq9e_UVHoTziVWyjLemZ3TN_BaZ6ZiiTt_Zrv2v6G2z3AGx5B5rH7yqL3MJexhKJyTd6yV1pieq5I7Cay4rFVTmmiLLQhNfCPAFo0CrlaYf1CTUj7-z0lZjN8vY2H/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-midnightsun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxZrdZ4BuPDo4qU8kq9e_UVHoTziVWyjLemZ3TN_BaZ6ZiiTt_Zrv2v6G2z3AGx5B5rH7yqL3MJexhKJyTd6yV1pieq5I7Cay4rFVTmmiLLQhNfCPAFo0CrlaYf1CTUj7-z0lZjN8vY2H/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-midnightsun.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Midnight sun и aurora borealis.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
С головой полной вот таких вот странных фактов, я приземлилась в <b>Кеблавике </b>в полночь, и тут же пришла в поросячий восторг от полуночного солнца, более знакомого русскоговорящему уху и глазу под названием "белых ночей". Поскольку многие знакомые и коллеги спрашивали меня по позвращении, видела ли я Северное сияние, то упомяну, что aurora borealis в Исландии можно ВИДЕТЬ лишь зимой, во время зимнего солнцестояния, когда день длится 4 часа, а все остальное время – темно. Во время же летнего солнцестояния Исландцы наслаждаются феноменом «полуночного солнца»: день длится почти 21 час и даже глубокой ночью не бывает абсолютно темно. Логично, что в это время Северное сияние УВИДЕТЬ нельзя. Ну, что ж… придеться еще раз сьездить ;-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Hostel, taxi, gas & supermarkets</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Поскольку time difference с Амстердамом была трехчасовая, то время было позднее, и я незамедлительно отправилась в направлении хостела. Забегая чуть вперед следует отметить, что сам <a href="http://www.booking.com/hotel/is/start-hostel.de.html?aid=311092;label=start-hostel-qtqQ_lPnwwEr74g7hVdnyQS34334210244%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg;sid=7271b1c37afe8d559895e17ea2f5528a;dcid=1;ucfs=1;srfid=1955b691dc5ea02677b14e9ca39776af32ce97f3X1;highlight_room=" target="_blank">Start Hostel Keflavík Airport</a> и комната оказались приятным сюрпризом. Койку я заказала буквально за сутки до вылета, и поскольку не секрет, что цены в Исландии "кусаются", то выбрала я самую дешевую категорию: кровать в комнате для 10-и людей. По прибытии оказалось, что комната полностью пустует, поэтому мне достался «номер люкс» из двух смежных комнат, с личными ванной и туалетом, кучей свободного места, уютной кроватью со свежими простынями и вкусным завтраком по скромной даже по европейским меркам цене (около 6 евро). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApqPIWoDP9Zp6QgRO7EY0dAQqvzgqSw4mWLajJGSlW8E6Xk-kkkAdbVNfXys0cv_D8J2475P6kf2L18n_Ix8LHqeVpfjtgYipJkAmi1Hw-poepkIkUVKn9ZfVYkJl7C39cRlcZ_ec80vM/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-hostel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApqPIWoDP9Zp6QgRO7EY0dAQqvzgqSw4mWLajJGSlW8E6Xk-kkkAdbVNfXys0cv_D8J2475P6kf2L18n_Ix8LHqeVpfjtgYipJkAmi1Hw-poepkIkUVKn9ZfVYkJl7C39cRlcZ_ec80vM/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-hostel.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Единственным минусом хостела было его не самое козырное расположение на отшибе Кеблавика. Узнав, что дорога до хостела обойдеться не меньше 4000 крон (около 26 евро), я схватила подвернувшуюся мне итало-немецкую парочку, которая неуверенно мялась у остановки, видимо получив ту же что и я шокирующую информацию о ценах. По счастливому стечению обстоятельств, оказалось что нам всем в одну и ту же часть Кеблавика, а потому мы скоренько загрузились в такси и двинулись в сторону душа и чистой постели. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На почве моего замечания, что все постройки выглядят, как военная база, таксист разговорился и заметил, что это и есть бывшая американская военная база. Оказалось, что таксист раньше служил в армии, женат на литовской девушке и даже несколько раз бывал в Минске и Могилеве (я, как всегда, села в "удачное" такси!). По пути он поделился know how о том, где дешевле всего закупаться (супермаркеты <b>Krónan </b>и <b>Bónus </b>– <u><i>см.фото ниже, этот бюджетный супермаркет один из исландских художников даже увековечил в своих работах</i></u>) и заправляться (заправки <b>Orka </b>or <b>Olia</b>, "станция с самообслуживанием" всегда дешевле, чем станции с персоналом; заправки в городе - дешевле, чем "в сельской местности"), а потому выгрузившись, чтобы идти в хостел, я чувствовала себя очень даже прошаренной и готовой встретиться с суровой исландской природной и финансовой реальностью.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJUwX7uSdv0HT_0c5RAB4DRliY0PKUZk9HojaQz0v0cIt3zQRFsQ92jTxvbbeWi5cgZivO6-yQW_X2-gmLQLArlYdDqkq9ETq-vcLuIPdbI4ebQT_zOeGuTwVAhQ3W7ZbkvvnX2-RPjAR/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-bonus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJUwX7uSdv0HT_0c5RAB4DRliY0PKUZk9HojaQz0v0cIt3zQRFsQ92jTxvbbeWi5cgZivO6-yQW_X2-gmLQLArlYdDqkq9ETq-vcLuIPdbI4ebQT_zOeGuTwVAhQ3W7ZbkvvnX2-RPjAR/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro-bonus.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>«Миру мир» и алкоголь в Исландии (Keflavik’s duty free & how to get there)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Для туриста Исландия может показаться немного "кусачей", когда речь идет о ценах. Однако, у местных жителей на это совсем другая перспектива: низкие налоги, бесплатное медицинское обслуживание и бесплатное университетское образование – не удивительно, что Исландия практический каждый год входит в TOP 10 (ну или в „худшем“ случае TOP 20) самых счастливых стран мира. Исландцы также очень миролюбивая нация. У них нет национальной армии и защиту как морских, так и воздушных границ осуществляет немногочисленный Coast Guard, что не удивительно для страны, которая многократно возглявляла <a href="http://economicsandpeace.org/research/iep-indices-data/global-peace-index" target="_blank">Global Peace Index</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Миролюбивость, возможно, косвенно связана с потреблеием алкоголя, т.к. к нему в Исландии тоже особое отношение: покупать алкогольные напитки можно только начиная с 20 лет. Причем, алкоголь в Исландии надо покупать в специальных магазинах (11:00 -18:00, воскресенье – закрыто) или же прямо в аэропорту. Судя по всему, такой ход развития событий довольно популярен т.к. <a href="http://www.dutyfree.is/en" target="_blank">DutyFree Iceland</a> даже сделали специальное веселое видео, подробно рассказывающиее, <a href="http://vimeo.com/68851811" target="_blank">в каких комбинациях можно покупать алкоголь в duty free</a>. Так что, любители пива, будьте бдительны: из-за специальных правил, касающихся алкоголя, супермаркетное пиво - просто лимонад (не больше 2,5%). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ну, и раз уж речь зашла про аэропорт, то сразу посоветую следующее. <b>Keflavik </b>– один из немногих аэропортов в мире, которые продают как tax free, так и duty free, поэтому, если вы хотите везти с собой некоторые "стандартные" продукты и сувениры вроде конфет или исландского картофельного шнапса "<b>Brennivín </b>в уютном свитерке лопапейса", то очень выгодно покупать их прямо там и не тащить их с собой из города.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyUzYk33VAM37FTmhTsnPNuaPsIpUkKzOAbiDI6hsrWp5I2_KEMAo0BsSRnEpGv29quPJNUQ8eQloEe7a5WjfABH6aiVnF616sEdjOrex6c_PR06yyBvgGGRxwG6P37HsgwU46O982sNg/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro+(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyUzYk33VAM37FTmhTsnPNuaPsIpUkKzOAbiDI6hsrWp5I2_KEMAo0BsSRnEpGv29quPJNUQ8eQloEe7a5WjfABH6aiVnF616sEdjOrex6c_PR06yyBvgGGRxwG6P37HsgwU46O982sNg/s1600/Iceland-trip-Alena-Romanenko-intro+(1).png" height="400" width="397" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Если вы не сразу берете машину, то добраться до и из аэропорта лучше всего автобусным сервисом <a href="https://www.re.is/flybus" target="_blank">Flybus</a> от <a href="https://www.re.is/" target="_blank">Reykjavik excursions</a> (билеты лучше покупать онлайн). По пути в аэропорт они, кстати, предлагают замечательный сервис: всего за пару дополнительных сотен крон <a href="https://www.re.is/flybus/flybusplus" target="_blank">вас заберут прямо из хостела или отеля</a>. Однако, для желающих сэкономить: все автобусы перед отправлением в сторону аэропорта останавливаются на <b>BSI bus terminal </b><i>(Vatnsmýrarvegur 10, 101 Reykjavík)</i>. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Rotten-egg showers или питьевая вода Vs. энергонезависимости Исландии.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Воду в Исландии можно пить из-под крана без фильтрации, т.к. поступает она, в основном, прямо с гор. Теплая вода из естественных источников содержит много серы и, практически по всей Исландии, она имеет характерный запах сероводороода. Трюк: если вы хотите попить воды без этого неэлегантного аромата, включите холодный кран и подождите несколько секунд: "остаточные явления" смешения теплой воды, богатой сероводородом, с холодной - быстро улетучатся. Однако, аромат тухлых яиц в воде – небольшая плата за энергонезависимость Исландии: более 80% всей потребляемой в стране энергии Исландия производит сама на гидро- и геотермальных источниках (и является, таким образом, самой энергетически чистой страной в мире). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Let’s get down to business ;-)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Итак, дань традиции introduction post отдана, и в следующих 5 сагах я буду рассказывать в картинках о 5-ти регионах Исландии, которые нам удалось посмотреть, отмахав 3740 км на машине (и еще пару сотен на автобусах):</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saga #2: The South (Suðurland) & the Golden Circle (Gullni hringurinn)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saga #3: The East (Austurland)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saga #4: The North (Norðurland)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saga #5: The West (Vesturland) & Westfjords (Vestfirðir)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saga #6: Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið).</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Reykjanesbær, Iceland64.001111 -22.55194400000004964.001111 -22.551944000000049 64.001111 -22.551944000000049tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-86502860537224178862014-09-21T14:10:00.001+02:002014-09-21T14:10:31.670+02:00Hyggelig København<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryHcF22n_z8cJtswYEC6qK_lMdbkp7xlAMLnAHgrT8gvIutr2HyOMLZrWvmhPehN7ONawwAlFmQzSiTx7Ht7tD6dj6HWtox-R0qM1tkdebgSzidUy4lRHJx1zsWXiIt9g4liZ7UjIQoGh/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryHcF22n_z8cJtswYEC6qK_lMdbkp7xlAMLnAHgrT8gvIutr2HyOMLZrWvmhPehN7ONawwAlFmQzSiTx7Ht7tD6dj6HWtox-R0qM1tkdebgSzidUy4lRHJx1zsWXiIt9g4liZ7UjIQoGh/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_07.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Привет! Перед тем как начать серию из 6-ти исландских саг, я очень быстренько хотела поделиться парочкой комментариев по Копенгагену. Это не столько полноценный blogpost, сколько мои заметки о том, что очень понравилось и что еще нужно посмотреть, если я, вдруг, надумаю еще разок туда наведаться.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9Ch7t-kNAU33Pyw0KOHuFxgNGXHEcnjtejSFjGEl_iuRTcsj9rgzDaTS_-L5kNx4bKUP9MVPsSDGy8FBB5gj_CAgG-1Ih3lt4hNo_dBTb-2P9dhxCV1Uco0OzEz6SnTIT3Vfrosof7kA/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9Ch7t-kNAU33Pyw0KOHuFxgNGXHEcnjtejSFjGEl_iuRTcsj9rgzDaTS_-L5kNx4bKUP9MVPsSDGy8FBB5gj_CAgG-1Ih3lt4hNo_dBTb-2P9dhxCV1Uco0OzEz6SnTIT3Vfrosof7kA/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_05.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCFkVtWfAN8y4ns_8tGWIU6my7XrjBMBk5I6bVhLaagbtEeFpRAZFyAkTEiTjyHBUydES93wrgo7z4iVIZF8ngosEUbXGJ7Qd0QTR2-IgBm1cYyc6UnzM0nF4wb0rmc4599iBer2V1D5w/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Rosenborg+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCFkVtWfAN8y4ns_8tGWIU6my7XrjBMBk5I6bVhLaagbtEeFpRAZFyAkTEiTjyHBUydES93wrgo7z4iVIZF8ngosEUbXGJ7Qd0QTR2-IgBm1cYyc6UnzM0nF4wb0rmc4599iBer2V1D5w/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Rosenborg+Castle.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В целом Копенгаген произвел впечатление, которое лучше всего описывается фразой „charmed my socks off“ :-) Уютные (huggelige) кафешки, вкусная еда, замечательные музеи и прогрессивный скандинавский attitude towards life… Чего еще можно ожидать от travel destination? В Копенгагене прямо на улице можно встретить дрессированного попугая, курьи ножки (без избушки), а также глупых британских подростков, которые фотографируются голыми (ниже пояса) около героини детских сказок - маленькой русалочки.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr3Pdg8obAlZVGmwAnCdMCY4idR8C2lOKZWmfRj0y34tlmMihxIX9aJOrS_8YBa9GNWpEuYyjgRdKLESTDx72M-JP4mhbGhNRbkJlL0RccIL8XBwRTpPrETatZ9Um28jMEseyEtlMzHkX/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Streets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr3Pdg8obAlZVGmwAnCdMCY4idR8C2lOKZWmfRj0y34tlmMihxIX9aJOrS_8YBa9GNWpEuYyjgRdKLESTDx72M-JP4mhbGhNRbkJlL0RccIL8XBwRTpPrETatZ9Um28jMEseyEtlMzHkX/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Streets.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
А если зайти в какое-нибудь кафе, то вас захлестнет волна кулинарных произведений искусства, многие из которых имеют характерный ликоричный привкус: licorice я попробовала в довольно неожиданных комбинациях, например, в ликоричном чае или в салатных сухариках, зажаренных в ликоричном сиропе; ну, и, конечно, в более традиционном варианте: в ликоричной карамели.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
ОК, не буду вас мучать долгими лирическими отступленими и перейду непосредственно к фактам. Поскольку пара англоговорящих знакомых также спросила у меня советы по Копенгагену, то и советы с комментариями - на английском.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>MUST-DOs:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Nyhavn </b>– take a boat tour from there, a really cool way to experience the city & see the architectural & cultural highlights (e.g. <b>Copenhagen Opera House</b>, <b>Vor Frelsers Kirke</b>). Tip: visit the <b>Happy Wall </b>& <b>Shoe Wall </b>on the way there from the center (you can’t really miss them).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lG6HWgwsZawX_OzbrxV1XQu__Zfhm88CE6ob4ER4YM32grCp3LSQ7TRtohoO6-uEfaR-GZQ374cYs3HZdSSvP44JeFFSNyfFc1ZepuFTxvR2lHMUiQbynncdXzXfLSpQh-v82rYN8msM/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Boat+Tour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lG6HWgwsZawX_OzbrxV1XQu__Zfhm88CE6ob4ER4YM32grCp3LSQ7TRtohoO6-uEfaR-GZQ374cYs3HZdSSvP44JeFFSNyfFc1ZepuFTxvR2lHMUiQbynncdXzXfLSpQh-v82rYN8msM/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Boat+Tour.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaY-ATdT0UnwUZqz6GAiahgF17rf_Gy60cy3ZxkgYghjjeusK1bmanz6GlNKPRB8n9HMXZpQLoQsLMnKN0ctFml1vyb_tchK1Hc3wsOItxbdmBqbbuScKIIruNPSyboJ6dh3WzccoetxnR/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaY-ATdT0UnwUZqz6GAiahgF17rf_Gy60cy3ZxkgYghjjeusK1bmanz6GlNKPRB8n9HMXZpQLoQsLMnKN0ctFml1vyb_tchK1Hc3wsOItxbdmBqbbuScKIIruNPSyboJ6dh3WzccoetxnR/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_08.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywWBJp35cdmPOP56S3KZhOE9uE0BsHQwwkKW_f4crGY16fATwIoN4OmbN9kbF9YT3CI4g1AkrAulgZ3-sJh9LaVdAKl_WEfVmzlgz36lk0l0AVqDxtJQ43wX3Snaj9UQ7QY73XwznS8wJ/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywWBJp35cdmPOP56S3KZhOE9uE0BsHQwwkKW_f4crGY16fATwIoN4OmbN9kbF9YT3CI4g1AkrAulgZ3-sJh9LaVdAKl_WEfVmzlgz36lk0l0AVqDxtJQ43wX3Snaj9UQ7QY73XwznS8wJ/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_20.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Jægersborgsgade </b>& <b>Elmegade </b>cosy/artsy streets in <b>Nørrebro</b>, full of cafes, chocolatiers</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://karamelleriet.com/" target="_blank">Karamelleriet </a></b>(<i>Jægersborggade 36</i>) – best caramel shop ever! production of caramel & fudge is right inside the shop, so during the week (but, unfortunately, not on the weekend) the whole neighbourhood smells of caramel :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Christiania </b>– a creative place in Christianshavn…</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Strøget </b>– main shopping street, not as special as the creative shops in Nørrebro, but needs to be "mapped" for the sake of completeness ;-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Tivoli </b>– attraction park, they have fireworks every Saturday night @ 23:30</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Assistens Kirkegård</b> (Assistens Cemetery) - Hans Christian Andersen & Søren Kjergiergard are buried there & it’s pretty cool to walk around or just bike through its parky leafy alleys.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW9zdMyVelqVbMZTEkVqZQx5PwhRwrlJ8XcSDdT0oM_gPUMR9530hrT0yHKC5iIHMHnkvfadszbeDAEC0VNaiGoKZ2mANSs-zEAXjxyM6jBIRbCP4fXABQuG1LUhRqB-lELpUyJ0VVHaE/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Assistens+Cemetery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW9zdMyVelqVbMZTEkVqZQx5PwhRwrlJ8XcSDdT0oM_gPUMR9530hrT0yHKC5iIHMHnkvfadszbeDAEC0VNaiGoKZ2mANSs-zEAXjxyM6jBIRbCP4fXABQuG1LUhRqB-lELpUyJ0VVHaE/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Assistens+Cemetery.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Kødbyen </b>(Meatpacking district)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you’re into statues of famous men, visit Søren Kierkegaard’s Statue in the <b>Library Garden </b>& Hans Christian Andresen’s statue in the <b>Rosenborg Castle Gardens</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_7yNHHCNKdXTjD4Ryc3E22Ry_xrz421tm0Ek79FdUJ88soJKF8htCbKxpVzh-sbIvqQn1XAY2FhKky6Q0jtfWygv9A1l10nNTjCs8Poh6XeFtyVnRKwnUnAtW_aZcd9TJiOvYf9tlhyo/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_7yNHHCNKdXTjD4Ryc3E22Ry_xrz421tm0Ek79FdUJ88soJKF8htCbKxpVzh-sbIvqQn1XAY2FhKky6Q0jtfWygv9A1l10nNTjCs8Poh6XeFtyVnRKwnUnAtW_aZcd9TJiOvYf9tlhyo/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_29.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINFNmSrcevj_vTdAaRB1Yem1lWljtNrO1-nyDfjEQYwOvp2ylOvFj42UPQxQSLus84zYic4BrLxcsVhKpyjZXKPVPoaxFRUQGW0Lc2hHsQsXDhyi79V8yQ_SBlZIdnOVj8ZoY1F4jv3Co/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINFNmSrcevj_vTdAaRB1Yem1lWljtNrO1-nyDfjEQYwOvp2ylOvFj42UPQxQSLus84zYic4BrLxcsVhKpyjZXKPVPoaxFRUQGW0Lc2hHsQsXDhyi79V8yQ_SBlZIdnOVj8ZoY1F4jv3Co/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_31.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;"><b>Tårnet</b> - go up the tower - it's free & the view is pretty cool</span><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rent a bike @ <a href="http://bycyklen.dk/en/" target="_blank">bycyklen</a> or anywhere else ;-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuji6UPPeOPf8_ixPVsrrccif3_-edtIyVLdBnKLLOqiIqkIWlUI3Jtx8aj2yC7TnGbWfhVIw5mmGVXp3s7LGJCMYG-BTk71dEawlPaAXfWn-CguCQrA1bZTF2yab907O68gTxotlFoRA/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuji6UPPeOPf8_ixPVsrrccif3_-edtIyVLdBnKLLOqiIqkIWlUI3Jtx8aj2yC7TnGbWfhVIw5mmGVXp3s7LGJCMYG-BTk71dEawlPaAXfWn-CguCQrA1bZTF2yab907O68gTxotlFoRA/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_26.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHGrLyo09EOtPXaotlZ43Blr_fr98rx4m9PukJHyRa8idPU8XloFJcvIHg8KaXvb4t3mzDUXOh_3tEEfRpObGnrnN_N9hERx07bPbAHutLIzKFhhE3hly9HBcaiFY-1WtyAJsInm6qMVT/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHGrLyo09EOtPXaotlZ43Blr_fr98rx4m9PukJHyRa8idPU8XloFJcvIHg8KaXvb4t3mzDUXOh_3tEEfRpObGnrnN_N9hERx07bPbAHutLIzKFhhE3hly9HBcaiFY-1WtyAJsInm6qMVT/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_00.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>MUSEUMS:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.glyptoteket.com/" target="_blank">Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek</a> </b>(<i>Dantes Plads 7</i>) – museum with a pretty impressive art collection</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/" target="_blank">Thorvaldsens Museum</a></b> (<i>Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2</i>) – paradise for sculpture lovers<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvXz4rKbPpT9N0N5xnFr2tWM0N8gaETtL_gdzomhS06wqNMKCdqprKODnb5rGho_AAFa01qtdmOeo_lppEJu-QvyofcSAthdkmatg4IgN_bHotO_avgCfQ2S6md3IkHoPWhbZhqlc3Beo/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvXz4rKbPpT9N0N5xnFr2tWM0N8gaETtL_gdzomhS06wqNMKCdqprKODnb5rGho_AAFa01qtdmOeo_lppEJu-QvyofcSAthdkmatg4IgN_bHotO_avgCfQ2S6md3IkHoPWhbZhqlc3Beo/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_19.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpi-OOyeIih2XsmPw1ni5ryMfvCY0sDM_px4VNTjn2jssMz_B5aedJscESkoWe5fh4kSHqUE1rvlHtRGscXr56Pmwyy1snK6ddVx8owayTtEB73T4Rg1_1n9NOuD0BK1dtGLaWHfuzdc7/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpi-OOyeIih2XsmPw1ni5ryMfvCY0sDM_px4VNTjn2jssMz_B5aedJscESkoWe5fh4kSHqUE1rvlHtRGscXr56Pmwyy1snK6ddVx8owayTtEB73T4Rg1_1n9NOuD0BK1dtGLaWHfuzdc7/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_18.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.smk.dk/" target="_blank"><b>Statens Museum for Kunst</b> </a>(<i>Sølvgade 48-50</i>)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>RESTAURANTS:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.guide-to-copenhagen.com/restaurant/a-different-restaurant-grod" target="_blank">GRØD </a></b>(<i>Jægersborggade 50</i>) – a healthy way to start a day, that restaurant has a very scientific approach towards porridge & serves only … porridge ;-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMY3saY2zyhNROwmqwP5QRfFd2C5zpsffkOantZIJyOKlrrJ-EI4u93DGjwC01YDHLULy1R6zE9veXbi4DSsmrIvckp-XCbNBhf5unamdCic1TmtkXm43uOawVEmr3nDvvIX1QJcvVW-cI/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMY3saY2zyhNROwmqwP5QRfFd2C5zpsffkOantZIJyOKlrrJ-EI4u93DGjwC01YDHLULy1R6zE9veXbi4DSsmrIvckp-XCbNBhf5unamdCic1TmtkXm43uOawVEmr3nDvvIX1QJcvVW-cI/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_12.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.cafe-n-2200.dk/" target="_blank">Cafe N</a> </b>(<i>Blågårdsgade 17</i>) – another great way to start a Sunday in Nørrebro; vegetarian brunch is delicious!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kalaset/219486014786661" target="_blank">Kalaset </a></b>(<i>Vendersgade 16</i>) – cool chillaxed atmosphere, nice for both breakfast & dinner, creative approach towards the menu; retro radios on the walls.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q4F2bz0lDQSYAK2hr3UHBQhTkdZVjd7aJ9QAfMWgSN-zle8H9NikxQK8TkpkPnQJjUweT2r-rPaNTrDOfbP4GkB2zX4iO-7nrapY8la1X1tDJZoM0erGUzTb40KIUfgDV-uKyyvVHJVk/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q4F2bz0lDQSYAK2hr3UHBQhTkdZVjd7aJ9QAfMWgSN-zle8H9NikxQK8TkpkPnQJjUweT2r-rPaNTrDOfbP4GkB2zX4iO-7nrapY8la1X1tDJZoM0erGUzTb40KIUfgDV-uKyyvVHJVk/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_01.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://llamarestaurant.dk/" target="_blank">Llama </a></b>(<i>Lille Kongensgade 14</i>) - part of the <a href="http://cofoco.dk/">cofoco</a> chain, Llama has the best cocktails: Mescalita <i>[Mescal, lime & basil] </i>will excite your taste buds in a very unexpected way, trust me; a very creative fusion approach towards blending South American & Nordic cuisine<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-1T6ZMT_fEbecm0EP6kkZziPQkc2v1BgOkg3smpHMsJ67KXU3V2-qDWvqUWJ_PVdjo3uesrEQp9mzFjQBYBT5mK05p4dHoAO8d6WxFxTrDeL-C-sXbCPbWU-y481IrMs9KuF2dCJosNe/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-1T6ZMT_fEbecm0EP6kkZziPQkc2v1BgOkg3smpHMsJ67KXU3V2-qDWvqUWJ_PVdjo3uesrEQp9mzFjQBYBT5mK05p4dHoAO8d6WxFxTrDeL-C-sXbCPbWU-y481IrMs9KuF2dCJosNe/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_27.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.thelaundromatcafe.com/da" target="_blank">Laundromat </a></b>(<i>Elmegade 15</i>) – Iceland connection :) An Icelandic coffee chain: delicious coffee, friendly/creative atmosphere and very helpful staff<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtZbrpuy8cdYTJ1o70BjGi1CFMm6D2BmbZszcxXUMu60aZCLA-XLVWjbjArIeCPUKQnJcbS1iEhkDiexSmam1OUb7qEVtyTKi-HY8mCZ7GpiDir3TXY4mp3tWd4Y3lfxeqlZncGdfowOV/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Laundromat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtZbrpuy8cdYTJ1o70BjGi1CFMm6D2BmbZszcxXUMu60aZCLA-XLVWjbjArIeCPUKQnJcbS1iEhkDiexSmam1OUb7qEVtyTKi-HY8mCZ7GpiDir3TXY4mp3tWd4Y3lfxeqlZncGdfowOV/s1600/Copenhagen_Denmark_Alena+Romanenko_Laundromat.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.sushi.dk/" target="_blank">Sticks & Sushi</a></b> – a nice sea-food chain, good value for money & quite a lot of choices</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And here’re a couple of restaurants that were recommended to me by colleagues, but where I didn’t (yet) get a chance to go:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://cofoco.dk/da/restauranter/hoest/" target="_blank">Höst </a></b>(<i>Nørre Farimagsgade 41</i>) – part of the cofoco chain that place got recommended to me 2 times: by collagues & by our local Airbnb hosts</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.madklubben.dk/" target="_blank">Madklubben </a></b>– a cool food “club”, similar concept to cofoco</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://brasserie.nimb.dk/en/" target="_blank">Brasserie Nimb</a> </b>(<i>Bernstorffsgade 5</i>)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.sushi.dk/restauranter/tivoli_hotel.html" target="_blank">TIVOLI HOTEL - Sticks & Sushi </a></b>@ 12th floor (<i>Arni Magnussons Gade 2</i>)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.kadeau.dk/" target="_blank"><b>Kadeau</b> </a>(<i>Wildersgade 10A</i>) - Nordic & pricey :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b><a href="http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/gastronomy/top-10-value-money-restaurants" target="_blank">Top 10 value for money restaurants in Copenhagen</a> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Вот такой вот списочек :-) Non-stop fun на длинный weekend в Копенгагене обеспечен ;-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Travel safely и, конечно, на пути домой не забудьте захватит датский marcipanbrød для родственников, друзей, коллег и домашних животных ;-)<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Copenhagen, Denmark55.6760968 12.56833710000000855.532822800000005 12.245613600000008 55.8193708 12.891060600000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-58065135249537813862013-12-28T00:15:00.001+01:002013-12-29T23:00:10.102+01:00Greece (Day 8): Heraklion, Knossos, Archanes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Перед отъездом из Панормо, мы сердечно попрощались с хозяйкой <b><a href="http://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/castello-apartments.de.html" target="_blank">Castello Apartments </a></b>Тиной. Напоследок она подсказала пару отелей, где бы она рекомендовала остановиться в Гераклионе: <b>Iraklion Hotel</b>, <b>Castello City Hotel</b>. Однако, комнат по доступной цене уже не было, поэтому самой приемлемой альтернативой оказался <b>Hotel Athinaikon</b> (<i>Ethnikis Antistaseos 89, Heraklion, Tel.: 2810228526</i>). Они предложили приятную цену и стратегически удобное расположение - как относительно Кноссоса (чтобы добраться до дворца нам не пришлось даже сворачивать с авеню Ethnikis Antistaseos, на которой располагался отель), так и относительно аэропорта (что было важно, т.к. рейс домой на следующий день был очень ранним).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CRsg4ne7JMN4X1sIO_xgqfR-XoHej15MddBZLSF9i1XmQmGXKUMYEM-PvzqbEMKHJ3VGPiiSGwqCv53AgAdV2pZ1Xo5kQLUs0j4C6n9SQ7SkKYy9AMCZgLrZnFXbqdaFTfeXppgreHTt/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CRsg4ne7JMN4X1sIO_xgqfR-XoHej15MddBZLSF9i1XmQmGXKUMYEM-PvzqbEMKHJ3VGPiiSGwqCv53AgAdV2pZ1Xo5kQLUs0j4C6n9SQ7SkKYy9AMCZgLrZnFXbqdaFTfeXppgreHTt/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Heraklion </h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5-й по величине город в Греции, Ираклио - "мегаполис Крита", где самолеты садятся каждые 10 минут, и куда прибывают практически все приезжающие на Крит туристы.<br />
Ираклио стал столицей Крита в 824 н.э., когда арабы превратили его в важный перевалочный пункт работорговли, и с тех пор, из-за своего стратегического местоположения, город уже не сдавал своих "столичных" позиций. У столицы Крита много имен: при арабах он назывался "El Khandak", при Византии - "Khandakos", а при Венецианцах: "Candia". Каждый из "владельцев" оставил не только разные имена города в анналах истории, но и новое архитектурное и культурное наследие, превращая город в лабиринт зданий тех эпох, многие из которых сохранились по сей день даже несмотря на то, что Ираклион сильно пострадал во время второй мировой. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Несмотря на то, что на венецианские стены я уже насмотрелась вдоволь и в Frangokastello, и в Chania, и в Rhethymno, сердце немножко защемило от того, что так и не удалось глянуть на крепость в Ираклио или пробежаться по району <b>Agia triada</b>, отведать местные доннаты loukoumades, выпить еще одну чашечку ароматного греческого кофе у фонтана <b>Bebo </b>на <b>Kornarou Square</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Но мы не стали долго сокрушаться по этому поводу и отправились к цели, которую я предвкушала с самого приезда на Крит - <b>Кносский дворец</b>. В археологическом музее в Ираклионе можно найти множество находок из дворца, в том числе и оригиналы фресок: <b>procession fresco</b>, <b>griffin fresco </b>(Грифон – мифическое животное с туловищем льва и головой орла, которое символизирует царскую власть (лев) над небом (орел) и землей (хвост в виде змеи), <b>dolphin fresco </b>(из мегарона/холла царицы, <i>см.ниже</i>) и фреска, которая многократно показана в BBC фильме <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1744825/" target="_blank">Atlantis: End of a World, Birth of a Legend (2011)</a></b>, <b>bull-leaping fresco</b>. Кстати, интересный факт, связанный с фресками и подтвержденный многочисленными археологическими находками, выставленными в музее Ираклиона: на всех фресках заметно, что изображенные на них люди всегда имеют браслеты на руках. Оказывается, что эти "древние фенечки" использовались минойцами как своеобразные ID – по ним можно было узнать всю персональную историю владельца. Богатые граждане носили браслеты из lapis lazuris, бедные – из глины, а символы на браслетах предоставляли более подробную информацию о роде и происхождении владельца.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Knossos</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlQ0Y7FzLdqQt2iOcNHLbHMggGRu5dg3bcaG4xtIjpJ73912i9ZxyUdYSIqcd77lEkdVNSxman3pFgs35RauOKf8vPnmqGVOVGq6xslVyLRVR7u-9-VxSOfK_K6XtXRndE6WSd6lzMppF/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlQ0Y7FzLdqQt2iOcNHLbHMggGRu5dg3bcaG4xtIjpJ73912i9ZxyUdYSIqcd77lEkdVNSxman3pFgs35RauOKf8vPnmqGVOVGq6xslVyLRVR7u-9-VxSOfK_K6XtXRndE6WSd6lzMppF/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Кноссос ( Κνωσσός) </b>– столица минойской цивилизации, получившей это название в честь царя Миноса, мифического правителя Крита. Она была самой первой развитой европейской цивилизацией, беря свои истоки и вдохновение от Месопотамской и Египетской. Грандиозность минойской культуры можно почувствовать, посетив самый хорошо сохранившийся дворец того периода: КНОССОС. Однако, хотелось бы предупредить путешественников, что если Вы хотите, чтобы экскурсия осталась в памяти красочным приключением, где фрески и камни оживают, чтобы поведать Вам впечатляющую и трагичную историю Минойской цивилизации, то стоит обязательно взять гида. Иначе, если вы, конечно, не археолог по профессии, Вы окажетесь перед грудой камней и обломков безликих построек. Следует помнить, что как и везде в Греции, цены на гидов – скорее рекомендация, чем данность. При первом "подходе" милое собрание пожилых дам-гидов сообщило нам, что если мы готовы заплатить по 30 евро с носа, то наш индивидуальный тур начнется сию же секунду. Я четко поняла, что ключевое слово тут "сию же секунду", вежливо объяснила, что никуда не спешу, и поинтересовалась, а сколько же придеться ждать, если мы заплатим по 10 евро? Оказалось, что где-то минут 20, пока почтенные дамы наберут группу людей, чтобы часовой тариф составил для них в сумме не менее 60 евро :-) Пока ловкие гиды "вербовали" немецко- или хотя бы англоговорящих зевак, мы присели освежиться греческим кофе в забегаловке <b>Knossos Bar</b>, владельцы которого были верны доминирующей теме Кноссоса даже в пароле на Интернет: <i>minoas123</i>. Мы пеекинулись парой слов с официантом: он сразу же решил, что мы явно из "северных стран", поскольку в отличие от других, ищущих тень посетителей заведения, мы выбрали самый солнечный столик. После приятной беседы мы направились к почтенным дамам-гидам, которые ко времени нашего возвращения уже навербовали еще 4 человека, и экскурсия началась.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqG-C9f4TFj75guF2X0vJ2pOG6cKkUypJPkAXVqf1SRfOk9W_8Bdu7GVJMR4mGUYM1itelDbJPCb7ZEvcByYntjNQvJlukrf9RZqmt7tLxIfhta2UDC_wUFpXrqOU6ELF5pc8p2h485Sd/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqG-C9f4TFj75guF2X0vJ2pOG6cKkUypJPkAXVqf1SRfOk9W_8Bdu7GVJMR4mGUYM1itelDbJPCb7ZEvcByYntjNQvJlukrf9RZqmt7tLxIfhta2UDC_wUFpXrqOU6ELF5pc8p2h485Sd/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В начале 20-го века британский исследователь <b><a href="http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%AD%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81,_%D0%90%D1%80%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80" target="_blank">Сэр Артур Эванс (Sir Arthur Evans)</a></b> откопал Кносский дворец, и найденные им детали быта поведали историю расцвета минойской культуры. Многие археологи критикуют Эванса за его "креативную интерпретацию" древних архитектурных ансамблей, которые он добавил в избранных местах на раскопках. Он это сделал, чтобы дать представление о том, как, возможно, выглядел дворцовый комплекс в те времена. Однако, остается загадкой, насколько то, что мы видим сегодня, было похоже на тогдашнюю реальность. Тем не менее, при помощи такой визуализации, мы хоть немножко можем представить себе, как тогда выглядели основные элементы постройки того времени.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYQi6a1ZZ1Q97gG51t16VZaSpPUjg_PFrKof6309y0SCOBrwiWg58ppsG1rTWeBC0-C_LeqTw4YJhYURUewIiPML5cUouHYQEzNYgyYHUDLHznbn2g7QtDGeLuhiejkziKUybYN8dR0nq/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYQi6a1ZZ1Q97gG51t16VZaSpPUjg_PFrKof6309y0SCOBrwiWg58ppsG1rTWeBC0-C_LeqTw4YJhYURUewIiPML5cUouHYQEzNYgyYHUDLHznbn2g7QtDGeLuhiejkziKUybYN8dR0nq/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Расцвет минойской культуры и период значимости Кносского дворца имел место с 3400-2100 до н.э. пока в 1700 BC не нахлынуло первое цунами, которое разрушило дворец. Однако минойцы не сдались и отстроили на его месте еще более сложный архитектурный ансамбль, который простоял там до 1400 года до н.э. пока кто-то по неосторожности не "спалил всю хату". Несмотря на всю свою креативность в архитектурных <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.com/2013/11/greece-introduction.html" target="_blank">и канализационных делах</a>, Минойцы оказались не сильны в противопожарной безопасности: разгоревшийся пожар стало невозможно остановить после того, как несколько <i>ритонов </i>(сосудов конической формы содержащих оливковое масло, <i>см. ниже</i>) разбились и, в буквальном смысле, "подлили масла в огонь". Гигантские сосуды для продуктов (гигантские сосуды использовались не только для хранения масла, но и, например, меда - эти имели еще болший размер) вообще, имели довольно мрачную историю... Наша гид не преминула рассказать нам "трагичную байку" о царском ребенке, который утонул в одном из таких медовых сосудов. Кстати, необычнй факт из истории минойцев: средняя продолжительность их жизни составляла 35 лет!? Причем действительно необычным его делают археологические находки, которые не выявляют никакой очевидной объективной причины (например, присутствие хронических болезней или следов систематической насильственной смерти, наступавшей после определенного возраста), которые могли бы объяснить столь молодой средний возраст ухода из жизни.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxeBq_38qv09I0m2APZk-nOjeK2cpJEE869Qv2Lu-dTpa1sGMeTQhZHT7RSVybVWeqcmtB6jFYKPaVmA8BSs8b7n3Z3CEGEZfbmlUWaXRmZ4L5vU5af2P9qAj0OgRLPcLgJAm9JutQEQR/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxeBq_38qv09I0m2APZk-nOjeK2cpJEE869Qv2Lu-dTpa1sGMeTQhZHT7RSVybVWeqcmtB6jFYKPaVmA8BSs8b7n3Z3CEGEZfbmlUWaXRmZ4L5vU5af2P9qAj0OgRLPcLgJAm9JutQEQR/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Судя по всему, Минойцы были не очень воинственным народом: вместо высоких стен с бойницами они предпочитали почти юморной способ защиты – лабиринт. Интересно, что, как оказывается, знаки обоюдоострой секиры (double sided axe или по-гречески: λάβρυς), а также некоторые другие (на первый взгляд: загадочные астрологическими символы), использовались как указатели для выхода из лабиринта, так сказать древние альтернативы современным обозначениями вроде «ВЫХОД», «ТОЛЬКО ДЛЯ ПЕРСОНАЛА» или «ВХОДА НЕТ». Да и обоюдоострая секира – символ скорее религиозный, чем военный.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuImvlaSaTk4zQT6ZkuXK-H9LiYOnk3-AGUlk-h3XerGDI8VY4HoKMrR4utcFhMjiT23k2Y5QCQXfsXpmPBH-tP_IpOk4U7ODqUTldKfJF7HvzH8DTd4Fhx2zA5q6Aa5Fo2FAbM8VOwIP/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuImvlaSaTk4zQT6ZkuXK-H9LiYOnk3-AGUlk-h3XerGDI8VY4HoKMrR4utcFhMjiT23k2Y5QCQXfsXpmPBH-tP_IpOk4U7ODqUTldKfJF7HvzH8DTd4Fhx2zA5q6Aa5Fo2FAbM8VOwIP/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix3HinEe65ZeG2yFDyMGksdAl46kmapk9AkJEylifN2aki9njcbtljKr6hHzmEHP97siF7mHqZjTo9CZIB404SYbH2OIDpOuPS8a0ZWO6Hxcg1UV6WNwHHu8sX5xBxSNQBzXu0D9ohJkY/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix3HinEe65ZeG2yFDyMGksdAl46kmapk9AkJEylifN2aki9njcbtljKr6hHzmEHP97siF7mHqZjTo9CZIB404SYbH2OIDpOuPS8a0ZWO6Hxcg1UV6WNwHHu8sX5xBxSNQBzXu0D9ohJkY/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Отсутствие воинственности по отношению к себе подобным минойцы компенсировали необычным хобби, граничащим с легкой одержимостью: прыжки через быков. Быки вообще играли центральную роль в символике: бычьи рога являлись символом религиозной и политической силы короля, о чем свидетельствуют многочисленные стены, увешанные фресками, изображающими <b>bull games. </b>Кстати, фрески - как идея рисовать на мокрых известняковых табличках - были придуманы именно на Крите.<br />
На многчисленных фресках, изображающих традиционный спорт прыжки через быка, мы видим как мужчин, так и женщин, участвующих в действах - интересный факт, свидетельсвующий о социальном равноправии женщин и мужчин в Минойском обществе. Кстати, традиционно юношей отображали красным, а девушек – белым цветом.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Именно это необычное увлечение минойцев быками послужило основой для легенды о Минотавре, мифическом полубыке-получеловеке, в жертву которому ежегодно отдавали 15 девушек и парней. Известно, что когда в играх с быками проигрывал спортсмен, то говорили <i>"bull ate the acrobate" - </i>метафора понятна даже непосвещенным.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT-mHOve9uwYM5roGpiEh3MveRPuga2hXBRCMDLYUKs98k2KrjPNI7dGp-ZmuPBsRU8Ym_NQsDN_f_888Q1Q1TJ95sv5_ccfTaPVv1s7NlYjXrfwZiwL6es_g3BTW1uKQghszwmynSDsc/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT-mHOve9uwYM5roGpiEh3MveRPuga2hXBRCMDLYUKs98k2KrjPNI7dGp-ZmuPBsRU8Ym_NQsDN_f_888Q1Q1TJ95sv5_ccfTaPVv1s7NlYjXrfwZiwL6es_g3BTW1uKQghszwmynSDsc/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Прыжки через быков и сопутствующие им ритуалы окружены мистикой и являются камнем преткновения для многих археологов. Официальная версия, которую рассказывают на экскурсии по Кноссосу, заключается в том, что игры с быками происходили во внутреннем дворе, а зрители находились по четыре стороны по периметру. Однако, в такой теории есть некоторе нестыковочки вроде того, что как быкам, так и спортсменам было бы практически невозможно нормально передвигаться по скользкому каменному покрытию двора, не говоря уже о том, что там просто нету достаточно места ни для того, чтобы животные могли разогнаться, ни для того, чтобы спортсмены могли выполнить какие-то сложные акробатические элементы. Альтернативное (и более вероятное) место арены для игр с быками находится вне дворца, на дне долины за рекой. Река, конечно, сегодня пересохла, но во время расцвета минойской цивилизации она была судоходной: корабли с товарами поднимались по ней прямо до специального мини-порта, находящегося, по сути, во дворце. Оттуда товары после прохождения "таможни" заносили внутрь.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU1wO-vUDE7qk3_WcsQ0O5aGnKYXpnHg4Dn_4qWRn1dZj8LhgDrOfVd-0l3ClDDn2PWl-719BgiCu26iyA70cjugilD6ebG0vWVr-jhiw7lC4xEwFFVUx2IeSgkKLR2XrCdeaAu0UZ5fJ/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU1wO-vUDE7qk3_WcsQ0O5aGnKYXpnHg4Dn_4qWRn1dZj8LhgDrOfVd-0l3ClDDn2PWl-719BgiCu26iyA70cjugilD6ebG0vWVr-jhiw7lC4xEwFFVUx2IeSgkKLR2XrCdeaAu0UZ5fJ/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-08.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Кстати, такие интересные логистические и архитекрурные решения, как речная таможня прямо во дворце, не были единственным примером креативности минойской цивилизации. Минойцы были не только выдающимися спортсменами, но и оригинальными строителями. Например, чтобы поддерживать тяжелый потолок во дворце, минойцы использовали колонны из гигантских кипарсов. Недостатка в этих деревьях (обычно встречающихся в (суб-)тропическом климате) в те времена не наблюдалось. Хоть сегодня в это и тяжело поверить, обозревая полупустынный пейзаж, окружающий Кносский дворец сегодня, но во время расцвета минойской культуры кипарисы "колосились" густым лесом, а весь Крит был покрыт практически джунглями (на Крите даже нашли скелеты древних слонов и львов). Чтобы срубленные кипарисы вновь не пустили корни, минойцы переворачивали стволы вверх корнями. Еще один примечательный факт: в современном архитектурном мире ступеньки Кносского дворца являются мерилом эргономичности. Если верить историям, их высота так идеально расчитана под человеческую анатомию, что, несмотря на то, как долго ты будешь подниматься по ним, ноги уставать не будут из-за идеально рассчитанной высоты.<br />
Ну, и конечно, как уже было вкратце упомянуто <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.com/2013/11/greece-introduction.html" target="_blank">в предшествующем посте</a>, минойцы изобрели первый туалет с системой гидравлического смыва. Они же создали "прототип кондиционера": Кноссос знаменит своей революционной системой skylights, а также световых колодцев и специальных окон/дверей, которые были закрыты звериными шкурами и обеспечивали движение свежего воздуха и приятный климат внутри помещений в любое время года.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmD9ZbAPHUnKe88EmJj4Y-f5IldqLIzbbx8Z6wGAtQNHheGUDL5DFGIPhcfRb956Ii7tZXcZN6ifSH_JzE7s79Wd8Uw0g-hwAyPT2tNn0K0NNQleN-hUGbfjWLxanXVM4Oz_h9Q0AJev9F/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmD9ZbAPHUnKe88EmJj4Y-f5IldqLIzbbx8Z6wGAtQNHheGUDL5DFGIPhcfRb956Ii7tZXcZN6ifSH_JzE7s79Wd8Uw0g-hwAyPT2tNn0K0NNQleN-hUGbfjWLxanXVM4Oz_h9Q0AJev9F/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-22-Knossos-05.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Набродившись по руинам и запечатлев былую роскошь минойкой цивилизации, мы направились к выходу мимо мерно прогуливавшихся по территории павлинов. Интересно, они так же гордо прогуливались тут и 4000 лет тому назад, при правлении царя Миноса?</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Archanes </h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Свежий воздух и обилие впечатлений идеально подготовили нас к следующей остановке: (по рекомендации Тины) Archanes.<b> </b><b>Archanes (Αρχάνες)</b> - уютная деревушка чуть дальше Кноссоса (в 14 км от Ираклио), которая знаменита своими тавернами а также винами, т.к. лучшие Критские вина производят именно в этом регионе. Даже Ираклиты зачастую предпочитают обедать там, а не в столице.<br />
Как раз в этот день на главной площади проходил детский праздник, а потому, устроившись поудобнее в одном из ресторанчиков площади, мы с интересом налюдали за конкурсами, песнями, плясками и другими колоритными проявленями сельской жизни Критской деревушки. От всей души могу посоветовать приглинувшийся нам ресторанчик: <b>Lykastos </b>(<i>Epano Archanes, P.C. 70100, Tel.: 2810752433</i>) - сервис там оказался очень внимательным, повар - очень умелым, а меню с "козой тушеной" наконец-о позволило реализовать мою давнюю мечту отведать той самой знаменитой греческой козлятины :-)<br />
Вот на такой приятной кулнарной ноте и заканчивается мое повествование о путешествии по Греции. Благодаря удачному расположению отеля по отношению к аэропорту утренняя дорога была скорой и не утомительной, и Грецию я покидала с явно выраженным желанием вернуться туда еще раз как можно скорее и, по возможности, надолго!</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Knossos 714 09, Greece35.2984804 25.1595555000000135.292000900000005 25.14947050000001 35.3049599 25.169640500000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-80196467899851803642013-12-05T21:18:00.001+01:002013-12-07T19:42:44.708+01:00Greece (Day 7): Santorini<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg7PHGKbM-Fn2JIePIxezQmWoFjgHZUpfoL4RR6DAQrnw4IZioh67vOhuqlRwe0ATY0fLklgP0ANCdGdwOy7bFPMyjoKDv3-cJzRIRGmO6rNGADcR4XKl3FSDixrMO4mdMIxtbQBux5f5/s1600/04-Greece-Crete-Map-Santorini.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg7PHGKbM-Fn2JIePIxezQmWoFjgHZUpfoL4RR6DAQrnw4IZioh67vOhuqlRwe0ATY0fLklgP0ANCdGdwOy7bFPMyjoKDv3-cJzRIRGmO6rNGADcR4XKl3FSDixrMO4mdMIxtbQBux5f5/s400/04-Greece-Crete-Map-Santorini.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
День 5-й (2013-09-21) был для меня самым долгожданным: я наконец-то попаду на <b>Санторини </b>(<b>Santorini </b>или <b>Σαντορίνη</b>), на остров, который в 2011 году получил титул «самого лучшего острова в мире» сразу от <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/" target="_blank">Travel+Leisure Magazine</a> и <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/" target="_blank">BBC</a>. Об этом острове я мечтала уже почти 10 лет, с того времени, когда впервые увидела невероятную <b>Фиру </b>в opening sequence <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325703/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPzg-PqhNg7FNoWt5fIpnFTIb5F4lePw8p7_9Ikx4355Mq1UzAHrC8ytnDsqEu0iSNhC9VKbaKnxApWWJk5X_ajeV5muXOrfCyqUzzaRUPOfye0eE_JdExDfbb6sqfOeMJLCGq7iWTrZZ/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPzg-PqhNg7FNoWt5fIpnFTIb5F4lePw8p7_9Ikx4355Mq1UzAHrC8ytnDsqEu0iSNhC9VKbaKnxApWWJk5X_ajeV5muXOrfCyqUzzaRUPOfye0eE_JdExDfbb6sqfOeMJLCGq7iWTrZZ/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Разузнав об особенностях острова (крутые серпантины и опасные дороги), и реалистично взглянув на отдаленность <b>Санторини </b>от <b>Крита </b>(около 200 км), я смирилась с тем, что познакомлюсь с Санторини в рамках однодневной эксукурсии, организованной тур-бюро. Такая поездка на Санторини оказалась очень правильным решением как в финансовом, так и в логистическом плане. Во-первых, оказалось, что только билеты на паром стоили бы практически ту же самую сумму, что и вся поездка с тур-гидом, замечательной организацией и лихим водителем, которого не пугали даже самые крутые повороты серпантина. Будучи сама не из робкого десятка, я все-таки с благоговением ужаснулась, когда, мерно покачиваясь на удобных сиденьях нашего автобуса Mercedes, мы наклонялись над пропастью серпантина ведущего от порта <b>Athinios </b>до столицы Санторини <b>Fira (Thira </b>или <b>Φηρά)</b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ntW2CTzHB_m6F-qSzBU4CXOt106zZChsEaiarwb1tVzMlU_LI0375WoM76BoatrL6G16gUEIzFlmKWVmd-tdVgyKapT3RIlsYhZBZTvty1qr0pTVTPiPj2171Z9Wi50s6bMszpR3Mv_l/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ntW2CTzHB_m6F-qSzBU4CXOt106zZChsEaiarwb1tVzMlU_LI0375WoM76BoatrL6G16gUEIzFlmKWVmd-tdVgyKapT3RIlsYhZBZTvty1qr0pTVTPiPj2171Z9Wi50s6bMszpR3Mv_l/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uIBwan6B2982-dyaE_MUqpPMZJ12vmjyma3aVEG9M46qUuln8GwJiVTff6k8LVp6sattcnFzK3eMHCYl37nPwI1NxCIPCORJy1uZqPYTTuh7A4pC7_Ip4GFpvsI-MGmvZqwBh9AmulVv/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uIBwan6B2982-dyaE_MUqpPMZJ12vmjyma3aVEG9M46qUuln8GwJiVTff6k8LVp6sattcnFzK3eMHCYl37nPwI1NxCIPCORJy1uZqPYTTuh7A4pC7_Ip4GFpvsI-MGmvZqwBh9AmulVv/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На некоторых повоторах было такое чувство, что между нами и встречными автобусами буквально 5 сантиметров расстояния, когда мы встречались на поворотах серпантина, по одну сторону отвесная скала вниз, по другую – объемное тело тур-автобуса, управляемое таким же лихим греческим «джигитом» как и наш. Даже не могу себе представить, как бы я себя чувствовала, вися над пропостью, на какой-нибудь прокатной машине. В этой связи мой совет: если вы по какой-то причине не заказали полный экскурсионный package, пользоваться либо общественным транспортом (автобусы из порта в основные поселения Санторини отправляются каждые пол-часа), либо канатной дорогой или, может быть, даже осликом (да, такая опция тоже существует). Но, вообще, однодневные экскурсии на Санторини являются своего рода «классикой жанра» Крита, и поэтому сложности найти подходящий вариант у вас не будет, где бы ни находилась ваша база на крите. Мы выбрали турбюро <b>Aitidis Travel</b> <i>(+30-2834052040 – офис, +30-6937284918 – Лена, директор, +30-69-36-180518 - Артур)</i>, поскольку они говорили по-русски, были дружественными, и их автобус до парома в Ретимно отходил практически с нашего крыльца. Aitidis Travel работает с компанией пассажирских перевозок <a href="http://www.seajets.gr/" target="_blank">SeaJets</a>, которая владеет флотом скоростных паромов, переправляющих клиентов всех турагенств Крита на Санторини и обратно. Из Панормо мы отправились в 6:40, сели на паром в Ретимно в 7:45, а уже в 11:00 загрузились на автобусы с экскурсоводом в главном порту Санторини, <b>Athinios</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvul3yCcUqxDK_fTfsiJJ11Qzzas9cdowYrcWg3C0TI4jxwm5i6uAnm3l5jgdQaySoTfJ7k4yaNR_b2Tj1_P2F3l1p94I6YIC9n3xEtKU09s3hob_RnbkOOC3XL3wKZcgfe-PyUX9dLcQo/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvul3yCcUqxDK_fTfsiJJ11Qzzas9cdowYrcWg3C0TI4jxwm5i6uAnm3l5jgdQaySoTfJ7k4yaNR_b2Tj1_P2F3l1p94I6YIC9n3xEtKU09s3hob_RnbkOOC3XL3wKZcgfe-PyUX9dLcQo/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwrhlPxCzOuq5PnWz1yVtZWb0bRf2oEq_nwfJiPhPxsh3-1wsEUxRuhLihO38zy1HTJnNnePaeYR9OUTCjs4imrk5l9BkYmhi0PzczUJLRwkAKMoYnWx4jDTt7KSDFF2qRlAcVOA0ypEk/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwrhlPxCzOuq5PnWz1yVtZWb0bRf2oEq_nwfJiPhPxsh3-1wsEUxRuhLihO38zy1HTJnNnePaeYR9OUTCjs4imrk5l9BkYmhi0PzczUJLRwkAKMoYnWx4jDTt7KSDFF2qRlAcVOA0ypEk/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-31.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2b71wBQ4oPTnjrxzO0fnmSkFlskVbfRG6BUiESwpCyxy9SyoBeYXljboZG-OFijpNYU1gV5MmQzHWGGkhcd-hUGh-cEKem2VBUMi3HLszAjS3h51w8gXnTbK5bGYk2V8rBeXHZPn_x5Q/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2b71wBQ4oPTnjrxzO0fnmSkFlskVbfRG6BUiESwpCyxy9SyoBeYXljboZG-OFijpNYU1gV5MmQzHWGGkhcd-hUGh-cEKem2VBUMi3HLszAjS3h51w8gXnTbK5bGYk2V8rBeXHZPn_x5Q/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Итак, с чего же все началось? Подъезд (вернее подплыв) к Санторини - один из highlights путешествия: ни на что не похожие виды <b>Fira </b>с моря как бы дают preview того, что ожидает вас наверху. Однако, как оказалось, даже «предпросмотр» не помогает полностью подготовиться к тому великолепию, которое открывается сверху. Санторини превзошел даже подогретые многими часами чтения Lonely Planet и просмотра <a href="http://500px.com/search?exclude_nude=false&page=3&q=santorini&type=photos" target="_blank">фотографий Santorini на 500px</a> ожидания.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKfwHZLmyJ9P0aiSzrZ82UeiW65fj0s-3w-vcsa-lVqY7F_1-HjYXEA630eS1uoYB4BbUDAQlUXe6ya-g4vzUILaOXcRWo2oGsqG-PtawMA9qNWy2vTcoTE_K9QMde2Eke3oX2XqA-UXV/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKfwHZLmyJ9P0aiSzrZ82UeiW65fj0s-3w-vcsa-lVqY7F_1-HjYXEA630eS1uoYB4BbUDAQlUXe6ya-g4vzUILaOXcRWo2oGsqG-PtawMA9qNWy2vTcoTE_K9QMde2Eke3oX2XqA-UXV/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На удивление для меня самой, присутствие орд туристов меня ни сколько не смущало, а даже добавляло колорита к и без того сюрреалистичному виду: драматически обломанная калдера с белокаменными постройками в Кикладском стиле, нависающими, казалось бы против законов гравитации, над обрывом, и голубые купола многочисленных церквей - поистине захватывающее дух зрелище! По прибытии в главный порт Санторини, <b>Athinios</b>, у меня было такое чвуство, что разгружается Ноев ковчег: как только пешеходный мостик был перекинут и двери открыты, все 900 пассажиров Jet-а хлынули на берег и разбежались по нескольким десяткам автобусов от разных туристических компаний, водители и гиды которых уже ожидали их с соотвествующими табличками, чтобы «рассортировать» всех по языкам и тур-операторам. Создавшийся хаос (когда все выплеснулись с корабля) в считаные минуты превратился в организованную змейку автобусов, которые тут же целенаправленно начали корабкаться вверх по головокружительному серпантину по направлению к столице Санторине – Фире.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1DKiQ0oRdU-xZvYspeWAc9ftaQso0g06CqLkfJZ0O0JyZ4BIIlel4ClwdTnCtu8Xi0jMfee5Vquook0nvjZZB_89jinAsPh870JeIsdILK4U1MFrGF8LHKy6N1i8EUXB7xVwGxoez23-/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1DKiQ0oRdU-xZvYspeWAc9ftaQso0g06CqLkfJZ0O0JyZ4BIIlel4ClwdTnCtu8Xi0jMfee5Vquook0nvjZZB_89jinAsPh870JeIsdILK4U1MFrGF8LHKy6N1i8EUXB7xVwGxoez23-/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Необычная геологическая структура окружающих горных пород сама собой подняла вопрос: что же происходило в этих местах, что сделало местный ландшафт таким привлекательным с эститической точки зрения, но и одновременно пугающе необычным? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ответ на мой мысленный вопрос не заставил себя ждать и раздался из динамиков автобуса голосом нашего гида Бруно: «каждый день на Санторини происходит около сотни мини-извержений, которые (слава Богу) незаметны невооруженном глазом…». За время существования острова очертания его много раз менялись под силой подземных толчков. Когда-то остров имел круглую форму (<b>Strongili </b>или <b>Strongyle </b>– «круглый»), однако самое сильное из всех извержений (приблизительно в 1613 году до н.э.) заставило середину острова обрушиться, оставив лишь обломки драматической калдеры, которую можно наблюдать сегодня, подплывая к главному порту Санторини, Athinios. Даже страшно себе представить, но во время этого катастрофического извержения 30 кубических километров магмы были «выплюнуты» вулканом наружу, сопровождаемые столбом пепла высотой в 36 километров. Как и можно себе представить, извержение такой силы сформировало волны цунами, которые разрушительной волной прошли по Криту (послужив причиной упадка Минойской цивилизации) и всему Средиземному морю аж до Израиля.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz364pe96pbllODQ5v4v-fzmSLOylepRenS_NmxVpnmPbs1gcEaBTTukReZj1nmNnqsDoHNgbosYjeittiWspLXbQZbadcnFsXGBfvqKphqM_i67fqKkqtDQeyKKm19oCWb_MzNj6agjKY/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz364pe96pbllODQ5v4v-fzmSLOylepRenS_NmxVpnmPbs1gcEaBTTukReZj1nmNnqsDoHNgbosYjeittiWspLXbQZbadcnFsXGBfvqKphqM_i67fqKkqtDQeyKKm19oCWb_MzNj6agjKY/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В ходе последующих извержений образовались также ближние «соседи» Санторини: <b>Palea Kameni (Παλαιά Καμένι) </b>где-то между 197 до н.э. и 46 годами н. э. и <b>Nea Kameni (Νέα Καμένη)</b> - в 1570 году (или, по другим оценкам, в 1707). Последнее землетрясение было в 1956 году, силой в 7,8 баллов по шкале Рихтера, оно практически полностью разрушило <b>Oia (Οία) </b>и Fira, однако поселения в буквальном смысле «восстали из пепла» и уже в 70-х стали туристическими центрами, какими мы их знаем сегодня. Оба поселения знамениты своими закатами, и единственным моим сожалением за всю поездку было то, что однодневная экскурсия не позволяла посмотреть закат в очаровательной деревушке <b>Oia</b>, которая из-за своего расположения на северном краю острова является самым популярным местом для наблюдения заката, поскольку никакие преграды на горизонте не мешают наблюдать за солнцем, медленно опускающимся в воду за горизонтом. Именно с <b>Oia </b>и началась наша экскурсия, где, только ступив одной ногой из автобуса, наш всезнающий гид предупредил нас о том, что, мол, все кафе, рестораны и ювелирные лавки с видом на море «набивают» цену как минимум на 30%, и потому он советуем нам кушать «вглубине», на главной площади Фиры. Хмм, подумала я, а не за этими ли самыми незабываемыми видами мы приехали на Санторини? Так зачем же мне обедать уткнувшись носом в какую-нибудь ободранную стенку (их по всей Греции большое множество), если можно заплатить дополнительный Евро и пообедать с видом на невообразимую красоту Эгейского моря с вулканическими островами, окружающими Санторини?!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_q_4DdxUxpdoVCON2aIwZjgyGaL-LeAad7z4LnPL96JDNQ6oVtz2P2_md1XYujxDn_biSqW-9TKvwP4TdQJHMsQPeN6pjvUbl2D6URU5OcLid3G2d5VIWaRyn6WYcvYmExNAdmPfOt5Y/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_q_4DdxUxpdoVCON2aIwZjgyGaL-LeAad7z4LnPL96JDNQ6oVtz2P2_md1XYujxDn_biSqW-9TKvwP4TdQJHMsQPeN6pjvUbl2D6URU5OcLid3G2d5VIWaRyn6WYcvYmExNAdmPfOt5Y/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAEoplG83JOPfXncHFP85_HST4E23GbL0DTrZVuB26Wbc3vKKd1VRmuMxjFuqxfIa1VdQBmJ1eZ1aw1r-mTN5LZeBeh0_s6lTSJbY-JZoSbhU7B6db-golt7E2GYomEKtOX4f1fa4ii1X/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAEoplG83JOPfXncHFP85_HST4E23GbL0DTrZVuB26Wbc3vKKd1VRmuMxjFuqxfIa1VdQBmJ1eZ1aw1r-mTN5LZeBeh0_s6lTSJbY-JZoSbhU7B6db-golt7E2GYomEKtOX4f1fa4ii1X/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Бруно был настоящей кладезью интересных фактов про остров, а также был неплохо подвязан со всеми более или менее значимыми ресторанчиками и магазинчиками, поэтому пока мы дошли от стоянки до поселения, мы уже были встречены с заранее подготовленными shot-ами дессертного вина <b>vinsanto </b>– Санторинского традиционного, вина сделанного из винограда специальных сортов <i>Assyrtiko</i>, <i>Athiri </i>и <i>Aidani</i>, предварительно высушенного на солнце в течение двух недель. Мы также получили подробные инструкции, где можно попробовать уникальное блюдо с помидорами, выращенными в трудных сельскохозяйственных условиях вулканического острова. Почему трудных? При виде в общем-то полностью функцинального благополучия острова в голове не сразу укладывается необычный факт: на Санторини нет естественных источников воды. Каждая капля воды на острове привезена в гигантских канистрах и доставлена жителям специально оснащенными грузовиками. Эта информация заставила меня вкушать бесценные капли <i>vinsanto </i>с особым удовлетворением.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_9hyDbYH9Ny4OwbemI-xtBpHFMxSuuWVK-1lnb0kdsro89vOJjg0I4x6PfB-78gDqJZTlJaxxFWW7BmIKJclG7okCxTAer_Ob9uPsSKC7KLUijfHPP5utyOyJPiexNNB_Goo45QqwKTk/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_9hyDbYH9Ny4OwbemI-xtBpHFMxSuuWVK-1lnb0kdsro89vOJjg0I4x6PfB-78gDqJZTlJaxxFWW7BmIKJclG7okCxTAer_Ob9uPsSKC7KLUijfHPP5utyOyJPiexNNB_Goo45QqwKTk/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-37.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Нагуляв аппетит при помощи изысканного <i>aperitivo</i>, мы с удовольствием оттрапезничали в самом центральном ресторанчике на главном променаде Oia и сделали «круг почета» во все стороны от главной площади (ввиду географического положения Ойи на краю скалы сторон было всего две). Было запротоколировано все, что только можно было успеть за выделенный час в этой деревушке. Запаковавшись в автобус последними (что Бруно не приминул многократно напомнить нам в течение дня), мы отправились к следующему destination в нашем плане, к столице Санторини, Фире (называние этого города, кстати, является также альтернативным названием всего острова). Остановившись на парковке в <b>Firostefani</b>, мы всей группой медлено прогулялись до Фиры, по пути Bruno дорассказал еще кое-какие интересные факты, которые не успел сообщить нам во время основной экскурсии, ответил на вопросы особенно любопытных, вроде меня, и закончил официальную часть экскурсии тем, что предоставил желающим возможность либо остаться в <b>Thira</b>, либо отправиться на «пиратском корабле» <i>(см.фото вверху)</i> купаться в теплых вулканических водах между двумя островами <b>Palea Kameni </b>и <b>Nea Kameni</b>, либо погреть косточки на темных песках в <b>Perissa</b>. Поскольку на кораблике я уже <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2013/11/Greece-Chania-Hora-Sfakion-Frangokastello.html" target="_blank">вдоволь наплавалась в <b>Chania</b></a>, <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2012/06/tenerife-day-1-2-costa-adeje-playa-de.html" target="_blank">на черный песок я насмотрелась вдоволь на Тенерифе</a>, а вот такого вида, который открывался с крыш и террас столицы Санторини <b>Fira </b>- еще никогда не видывала, то я, даже не раздумывая, выбрала Фиру. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN33GtCvksJyhkb5oy5d3oZW1cYwsGkAtiA4R2FPdJYBVWg6ssUcdextsdxBqNCILcc9BKJXoo6D5GB58Swts5fME0IeTqj-GOmXpyX6_ywbkTVvycI72HahcB8ly29Icrg1fgPCDg90j/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN33GtCvksJyhkb5oy5d3oZW1cYwsGkAtiA4R2FPdJYBVWg6ssUcdextsdxBqNCILcc9BKJXoo6D5GB58Swts5fME0IeTqj-GOmXpyX6_ywbkTVvycI72HahcB8ly29Icrg1fgPCDg90j/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOICw40ob1-9jQ_aGhWHfrrCThPUDrD7j0kCvKNsX2MBZtKMwTbGRPTeDcXeL-pA-x3eXn5rnDc9ADic3mMJxvWZNpVdwU5rVdCrL5wr0JCss6JVdNCJMkVyGixM5ECPLuBwZUM3-IMyn/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOICw40ob1-9jQ_aGhWHfrrCThPUDrD7j0kCvKNsX2MBZtKMwTbGRPTeDcXeL-pA-x3eXn5rnDc9ADic3mMJxvWZNpVdwU5rVdCrL5wr0JCss6JVdNCJMkVyGixM5ECPLuBwZUM3-IMyn/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT69vIdbw_gawHF_uaht0eMbJMJns_wYgjNYqEIvtYj0N75OIW9lfB02UL3CKv7WZW8jmyn0KxEeR4UKWoH_gGwgHBK4LikOv5Ta_W1wD3WM99XbWajUDHaxi24Ge3pA2uIFamkuo6DtK/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT69vIdbw_gawHF_uaht0eMbJMJns_wYgjNYqEIvtYj0N75OIW9lfB02UL3CKv7WZW8jmyn0KxEeR4UKWoH_gGwgHBK4LikOv5Ta_W1wD3WM99XbWajUDHaxi24Ge3pA2uIFamkuo6DtK/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-43.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOqEf29Nv4etI9jNiAk948yj7eMrLR89inCvkjhgdZDSQCBdfRAPf5ZMPyIuw8A7W3fN4m77Yi2XGvuZ7X6AHxjb_oiti3KMUuv2SwClMDbu5B2jKcD2ag0ZyQXyQg44khdxOCxtudal9/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOqEf29Nv4etI9jNiAk948yj7eMrLR89inCvkjhgdZDSQCBdfRAPf5ZMPyIuw8A7W3fN4m77Yi2XGvuZ7X6AHxjb_oiti3KMUuv2SwClMDbu5B2jKcD2ag0ZyQXyQg44khdxOCxtudal9/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Фира </b>– замечательный пример <b>Кикладической архитекруры (Cycladic architecture)</b> – особенностью которой (кроме характерных бело-синих цветов) является использование округлых очертания домов и крыш для того, чтобы из-за отсутствия острых углов (соответственно - меньше теней) снизить теплопотери в холодное время, а также создать прохладу в жаркие летние дни. Как уже вкратце упомянуто, Фира была поностью разрушена в ходе последнего значительного вулканического извержения, а затем была отстроена с нуля. Однако, когда бродишь по маленьким улочкам этого удивительного города, существующего, казалось бы, вопреки всем сложностям (постоянно грозящий новым извержением вулкан, полное отсутствие естественных источников воды и т.п.), чувствуешь приятную жизненную энергию местных жителей. Эта энергия, конечно же, предпринимательская, т.к. практически каждый метр города имеет туристическое предназначение: будь то ювелирная лавка, ресторан, отель, тур-бюро или бар. Поражает игривый подход жителей Санторини ко многим вещам: даже философия happy hour на Санторини более расслабленная, чем в любом другом месте <i>- см. картинку ниже</i>. Книжные лавки предлагают "арендовать кота", а магазины призывают "экономить воду - пить вино". Каждый поворот улицы таил за собой либо удивительный вид вулканических Palea и Nea Kameni, либо секретный проход к сувенирной лавке, картинной галарее, либо какой-нибудь еще более невероятный сюрприз (из-за одного такого поворота на меня даже выскачило стадо ослов! - см.ниже). Ну как тут не влюбиться?!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u-RIeFr_l2oM3u_FEKAWX7uREqoJNuEJwyYdLbPYNPoTNmrwJCwcI6mVDv3CGuiBfLqHO0wj8zPjDTi9Mc43aqBWRCji0ygrohLrt7WCOuIY0DNIE8SaQhRI8BjczpLAQ3XeYtkZgycK/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u-RIeFr_l2oM3u_FEKAWX7uREqoJNuEJwyYdLbPYNPoTNmrwJCwcI6mVDv3CGuiBfLqHO0wj8zPjDTi9Mc43aqBWRCji0ygrohLrt7WCOuIY0DNIE8SaQhRI8BjczpLAQ3XeYtkZgycK/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fJ6hTxjy7MmGZICBMaz1lDDCsf4iMWMDczTmQxGEOBehZhUmMlYvm_JhCZtMehYsyUMuSV2qiuiC2BGI9JcCNrrBjZ2XpGfo1N2MboK7RYqH4aWSwGT8hR_ZVSIc63nSMzfC3OPzCgUN/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fJ6hTxjy7MmGZICBMaz1lDDCsf4iMWMDczTmQxGEOBehZhUmMlYvm_JhCZtMehYsyUMuSV2qiuiC2BGI9JcCNrrBjZ2XpGfo1N2MboK7RYqH4aWSwGT8hR_ZVSIc63nSMzfC3OPzCgUN/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9n8JHRjwZwXE15VViboBLNiHHCxpgXwVPY8KJDUzOTTIAoZk-IpquRXkIqUyTDV61ei0xEdEi-_fEQyYfkb53mv-ofTOTxBz0q524FG6xO1TCeyWILSmezzIDDyaNPYys9RMHi4z6Lap/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9n8JHRjwZwXE15VViboBLNiHHCxpgXwVPY8KJDUzOTTIAoZk-IpquRXkIqUyTDV61ei0xEdEi-_fEQyYfkb53mv-ofTOTxBz0q524FG6xO1TCeyWILSmezzIDDyaNPYys9RMHi4z6Lap/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitKfwa7DhxU0xBkbfIWJTa00GaHMITA2NkVkJOD6zBkNQBkO76XqmnGVu6gDOTjVFyrA5elfUWeR8mKy8noxswC0qZ-orhUwkygobc4gLCuk5nW4TPNdYECGbw0h00NHhjMFPHz_1q2fI/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitKfwa7DhxU0xBkbfIWJTa00GaHMITA2NkVkJOD6zBkNQBkO76XqmnGVu6gDOTjVFyrA5elfUWeR8mKy8noxswC0qZ-orhUwkygobc4gLCuk5nW4TPNdYECGbw0h00NHhjMFPHz_1q2fI/s320/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-25.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf7FxEJm5mTBAmsPn2jLnffxAW6gJ6_CZmOC4hAJil38AJjDGnxyGVuHMPmOHinfIB3SPxUF3TJfAzgIu9ty2HJzvuVFxFjdqqSRhHpfLykICpYf29B6rBP5_8qmf76jqgBiim10jUkJO/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf7FxEJm5mTBAmsPn2jLnffxAW6gJ6_CZmOC4hAJil38AJjDGnxyGVuHMPmOHinfIB3SPxUF3TJfAzgIu9ty2HJzvuVFxFjdqqSRhHpfLykICpYf29B6rBP5_8qmf76jqgBiim10jUkJO/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBl7outltmg-2Dq_3cBupTfdDL1uMEvJl9e47EaGO-tRACcnfzSE1Yecb5EIH8Kynni646slRg3fj2bIYkr5QYi5Zm0c9XDb-7hyphenhyphenYBr3rFcWQBNltq41PWT8i2IgFfh-_mEQjHOJBuP21/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBl7outltmg-2Dq_3cBupTfdDL1uMEvJl9e47EaGO-tRACcnfzSE1Yecb5EIH8Kynni646slRg3fj2bIYkr5QYi5Zm0c9XDb-7hyphenhyphenYBr3rFcWQBNltq41PWT8i2IgFfh-_mEQjHOJBuP21/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-34.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
С другой стороны, эта энергия креативная и созидательная: иногда просто благоговение охватывало от всех тех творческих усилий, которые были вложены в создание всех тех многочисленных произведений искусства и удивительных примеров ремесленничества, которые можно найти в лавочках Фиры.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfGArVYQ6w7Gomx-Kwdl24rbieMyJAidhr_n_qs6KctvWCd84-ONjtvj6Z6iXN5pb_3ZgmsAq_6_75njD8erOWtEnbq7fogxwSs2Jk8EXUUIb7lszdY2AaXh4Ry0fzhCGkHNwiTpnJ0p8/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfGArVYQ6w7Gomx-Kwdl24rbieMyJAidhr_n_qs6KctvWCd84-ONjtvj6Z6iXN5pb_3ZgmsAq_6_75njD8erOWtEnbq7fogxwSs2Jk8EXUUIb7lszdY2AaXh4Ry0fzhCGkHNwiTpnJ0p8/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd9ggSMuAIME1thYYhQklN-u5Ebsp72JUQMgKQJ21ubEiSTaSDDF91qd4GWzK5GDRJ_KfVUC0bHEd66Z2qmy6I5_AvrgPvh651Bh66y_NYEI5sn1WIpqw4pG_LGjv8-hMkTJP2tVUE_hX/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd9ggSMuAIME1thYYhQklN-u5Ebsp72JUQMgKQJ21ubEiSTaSDDF91qd4GWzK5GDRJ_KfVUC0bHEd66Z2qmy6I5_AvrgPvh651Bh66y_NYEI5sn1WIpqw4pG_LGjv8-hMkTJP2tVUE_hX/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWd6jCNZXi8yMjk98dRASQtvBGVHTm3yiZ3ZmRnDTnjQ7ZeWF0QIDdNBW6bugBSjJNYF_McRKyZ62A9XnOBtb1yIpnd7cAifSx4PhyphenhyphenQMfMPrcod-M_WYlbxIy65zPGeKWU-4kbXL4bScXM/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWd6jCNZXi8yMjk98dRASQtvBGVHTm3yiZ3ZmRnDTnjQ7ZeWF0QIDdNBW6bugBSjJNYF_McRKyZ62A9XnOBtb1yIpnd7cAifSx4PhyphenhyphenQMfMPrcod-M_WYlbxIy65zPGeKWU-4kbXL4bScXM/s200/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-32.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Я в первый раз в жизни с искренним азартом выбирала мелочи в ювелирной лавке, действительно охотно примеряла различные модели и поражалась мастерству авторов. Когда пришло условленное время встретиться с нашей группой, чтобы идти к автобусу (пора было спускаться назад в порт), я с большим сожалением покидала столицу Санторини… Я представляла себя, как бы выглядела Фира на закате, на рассвете, как бы менялось настроение города в разном освещении, и с сожалением думала, что я не увижу этих перемен воочию. Однако, то впечатление, которое Фира оставила, та бурная игра воображения, которую этот город породил, стоила той легкой ностальгии, с которой я уезжала из Фиры и Санторини …</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU8xgBfk6fxYoQTRtZad2i1ZESqCysEMvssOOa8hQimJlWdg_hXHA7xpxfz-t_2RjpiFNvhY03EAUTBOJqgQUQ93u8HiDpiiOzmaxUJ1c-i6fM9Bx8qTfiyDba70Kq0swqfXWQcRPLNl-/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU8xgBfk6fxYoQTRtZad2i1ZESqCysEMvssOOa8hQimJlWdg_hXHA7xpxfz-t_2RjpiFNvhY03EAUTBOJqgQUQ93u8HiDpiiOzmaxUJ1c-i6fM9Bx8qTfiyDba70Kq0swqfXWQcRPLNl-/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-21-Santorini-46.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Thira 847 00, Greece36.4166485 25.43244700000002536.391094 25.392106500000025 36.442203 25.472787500000024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-17588074673809242872013-12-03T21:37:00.000+01:002013-12-03T23:23:17.162+01:00Greece (Day 5-6): Panormos, Paleochora & Elafonisi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Day 5: Panormos & Bali (Day 5)</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJfyYSlOeeJRoxcbPYbZzaVeCKSVyg8ExJHqDcKvYKA1jWf2wRi0D3KeordTQvKD2N-v4cSSaDmx0vYP2XMKgKVZoqKLXQtamByyOeATwSj0LAuB6n5Bppyh6iIFWO-aDCy9i2cZtvmA1/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJfyYSlOeeJRoxcbPYbZzaVeCKSVyg8ExJHqDcKvYKA1jWf2wRi0D3KeordTQvKD2N-v4cSSaDmx0vYP2XMKgKVZoqKLXQtamByyOeATwSj0LAuB6n5Bppyh6iIFWO-aDCy9i2cZtvmA1/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_NR87u1AvltiAjgx7jxHBnR3k4eX4aLOLo4OK8S16XkKQg3CYzFEpaYxk-q2ig1dcHybbFMnOgl3aLiP-9k6Vvp69AgkGolgoUOj4Cse8Z6giUgyRfC9pb_qBJmOKeHoj1EKSh110GxD/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Panormos-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_NR87u1AvltiAjgx7jxHBnR3k4eX4aLOLo4OK8S16XkKQg3CYzFEpaYxk-q2ig1dcHybbFMnOgl3aLiP-9k6Vvp69AgkGolgoUOj4Cse8Z6giUgyRfC9pb_qBJmOKeHoj1EKSh110GxD/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Panormos-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Утром следующего дня я проснулась до восхода солнца, чувствуя себя на удивление отдохнувшей и полной сил. Я вышла на восточную веранду, и передо мной открылся чарующий вид драматично окрашенного неба в предвкушении восхода ... Я, как завороженная, простояла там около получаса (а может быть и дольше), наблюдая за тем, как краски и настроение над Панормо постепенно менялись по мере того, как солнце медленно выкатывалось сначала из-за горизонта, а потом из-за гор. Вдохновленная таким захватывающим зрелищем, я была готова к началу нового дня, и тотчас, захватив камеру, отправилась за завтраком в местную булочную, где я уже давно приметила для портрета колоритную пожилую хозяйку. Будучи предупрежденной Lonely Planet о том, что, в основном, жители Крита не возражают, если их фотографируют, я особенно не стеснялась в своих фотографических эскападах (разумеется, спрашивая разрешения каждый раз), за что и была вознаграждена не только многочисленными фотографиями уличных котов <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2013/11/Greece-Chania-Hora-Sfakion-Frangokastello.html" target="_blank">(см. пост про ХАНИЮ</a>), но и парочкой портретов голоритных греков и гречек в их натуральном хабитате <i>(см.ниже, а также <a href="http://alena-romanenko.blogspot.nl/2013/11/greece-introduction.html" target="_blank">1-й пост про Грецию</a>)</i>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYdbZduuNZ4BAx2_nyAivKlKZbhBUJfrSBRnr2ajMiej3FOynofFfDqxCpXkv-cxVx3F9HEBQomKuN5HyVUH-CKPDegek-mWpDdr3alUPcSqcMltdvvGoD5WBC9GZczaB8Yof3ThJ6HTY/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYdbZduuNZ4BAx2_nyAivKlKZbhBUJfrSBRnr2ajMiej3FOynofFfDqxCpXkv-cxVx3F9HEBQomKuN5HyVUH-CKPDegek-mWpDdr3alUPcSqcMltdvvGoD5WBC9GZczaB8Yof3ThJ6HTY/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcf9xOGcPOytl4K4fXdonkrjmgS9wOcuWWoMPA2QnjQLDZKlgMkKcRa6TFi96BWFX2DAsECUxo20NckZlIfD_jMkbVy91KH8Kzb0t0ewaLnANAiyPITzi3b1fLPDsUixXwz4uAu6by6wg/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16-Spili.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcf9xOGcPOytl4K4fXdonkrjmgS9wOcuWWoMPA2QnjQLDZKlgMkKcRa6TFi96BWFX2DAsECUxo20NckZlIfD_jMkbVy91KH8Kzb0t0ewaLnANAiyPITzi3b1fLPDsUixXwz4uAu6by6wg/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16-Spili.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExf_0B0mrFA7cTlCytTrwGyXXSRwVvT_j0IunsY5xFnvaFpo2CKJRZds7igBDYtQ6mzPbgSM-G5yPYNqwu5sW7lDt4CbaG1FVLI7PoeZhBrIRWO_2q7Zs_Y-UdwnuRYM-o3KRJQtY2gGv/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExf_0B0mrFA7cTlCytTrwGyXXSRwVvT_j0IunsY5xFnvaFpo2CKJRZds7igBDYtQ6mzPbgSM-G5yPYNqwu5sW7lDt4CbaG1FVLI7PoeZhBrIRWO_2q7Zs_Y-UdwnuRYM-o3KRJQtY2gGv/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-02.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaMvJYSaY1sw1FHd5Jt5fVeryWIuavpReshx7TGvx7NqgXZbeXW7LW1alP7Go89eCB45geWBfpH0_C5WImB9Akp1FSVQsFZghHDBFiyEm8XiB5gFB877DE4xff5NpRVIV5m6GL86mqTY0/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaMvJYSaY1sw1FHd5Jt5fVeryWIuavpReshx7TGvx7NqgXZbeXW7LW1alP7Go89eCB45geWBfpH0_C5WImB9Akp1FSVQsFZghHDBFiyEm8XiB5gFB877DE4xff5NpRVIV5m6GL86mqTY0/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-19-Panormos-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Немного подустав от многочисленных дальних вылазок, я решила провести этот день валяясь на пляже. Для этого я последовала совету одного повстречавшегося нам по пути немца (он подвез нас в соседнюю деревушку во время приключения с банкоматом, когда единственный ATM в Панормо отказался выдавать наличность, чем привел в замешательство все немногочисленное туристическое население деревушки). Этот новый знакомый провел отпуск в <b>Bali (Μπαλι)</b> и сказал, что тамошний пляж – самый лучший в окресностях. Ну что ж … иногда надо оставить немного времени и на полное безделье в отпуске, не правда ли?<br />
Название рыбацкого поселения <b>Bali </b>не имеет ничего общего с его индонезийским тезкой и происходит от турецкого слова «мёд» (его когда-то тут собирали и собирают по сей день). Пользуясь отсутствием существенных событий в этот день (ну если только не считать драму, разворачивающуюся в книге Dan-a Brown-a „Inferno“, которую я читала в тот день на пляже), в этой части рассказа я, пожалуй, просто упомяну пару местных ресторанчиков в Панормо, поскольку таверны и места для релаксации были единственным, что интересовало меня в этот день.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-yS4KpDfoqc_NxfCmTxPa9Tie7doxYk-pjnL_lmxtthrurwbykogml5iQGi-lnHeq-K79ZTFa079N_O9PMGOfTvsxp85snT9vE8N7Q1YH-cbhRW3ZiyT-PLO3orM9PGFkk-r-2zR1uWT/s1600/Greece-Crete-Panormos00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-yS4KpDfoqc_NxfCmTxPa9Tie7doxYk-pjnL_lmxtthrurwbykogml5iQGi-lnHeq-K79ZTFa079N_O9PMGOfTvsxp85snT9vE8N7Q1YH-cbhRW3ZiyT-PLO3orM9PGFkk-r-2zR1uWT/s400/Greece-Crete-Panormos00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Касательно ресторанчиков в Панормо – их там целый сонм. Особенно примечательными мне показались следующие… <b>Agkira </b><i>(Milopotamos 740 52, Tel. 2834051022) </i>– находится прямо в порту Панормо – идеальное место, если вы настроены на морское меню). <b>O Maki's</b> <i>(Milopotamos 740 52)</i> – семейный ресторанчик, который специализируется на заранее приготовленных традиционных «блюдах дня», владелец – пожилой грек, сам обслуживает клиентов и не упускает ни одной возможности поучить клиентов уму-разуму, отпустить какую-нибудь остроту или комплимент (последнее применимо особенно к женской части посетителей). <b>Georges et Georgia</b> находится на маленькой улочке, отходящей наверх от главной, меню меняется каждый день, и атмосфера особенно приятна в те вечера, когда много народу. <b>Taverne Geronymos</b> – традиционная таверна, обвитая виноградной лозой со стороны главной улицы. Трацидионные блюда приготовленны «с изюминкой», цены очень приятны, а порция бесплатных ouzo и дессерта (виноград и домашний торт) по окончании трапезы - особенно щедра.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf4X_RKJxz0lASINa60QaBqUD68_z_KUMCIyOAKd1Py0XGOcuLd_X9CcfKrnoFgbKYjvY-RpXLHWxV-u5Hr4gqm0QlzVjyRDuDcWlM5bCZ2o5-BpEf38sjALqJ_PgZ3dU56iZW32aY00w/s1600/Greece-Crete-Panormos-06-aykura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf4X_RKJxz0lASINa60QaBqUD68_z_KUMCIyOAKd1Py0XGOcuLd_X9CcfKrnoFgbKYjvY-RpXLHWxV-u5Hr4gqm0QlzVjyRDuDcWlM5bCZ2o5-BpEf38sjALqJ_PgZ3dU56iZW32aY00w/s200/Greece-Crete-Panormos-06-aykura.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Day 6: Paleochora & Elafonisi</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpyWz-PxZ7cMTP2aOgaxbyHHOgxyBD7akuoqfuwGWAqV1HePr0agbpxujp7fqSbf2YM9poZfC5gmswDpzCh4jwIyGEkg-Q0HLIPrlECT5IxvmPpkuWzt-qbMQxakev4OGxzGDiP-jHYzC/s1600/03-Greece-Crete-Map-Panormos-Paleochora-Elafonisi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpyWz-PxZ7cMTP2aOgaxbyHHOgxyBD7akuoqfuwGWAqV1HePr0agbpxujp7fqSbf2YM9poZfC5gmswDpzCh4jwIyGEkg-Q0HLIPrlECT5IxvmPpkuWzt-qbMQxakev4OGxzGDiP-jHYzC/s400/03-Greece-Crete-Map-Panormos-Paleochora-Elafonisi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h4>
Греческие дороги, козлы и другие приключения.</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После одного дня перерыва в вылазках, на этот раз мы отправились по самому длинному (в этот отпуск) маршруту по Криту: 340 км за один день. Для полной корректности стоит упомянуть, что экскурсия на Санторини была длиннее по киллометражу из-за путешествия на пароме, но это - совсем другая история.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После спокойствия пляжа и мирной размеренности Панормо особенно бросилось в глаза, что дороги и водители в Греции - не для слабонервных. Обгоны на поворотах, через двойную сплошную и ярое бибикание на замешкавшихся водителей, которые обычно скромненько прибиваются к самому правому краю – не редкое явление. Особенно меня поразили знаки и обозначения населенных пунктов на них: греки не очень-то заботятся о приезжих, и очень часто нужный тебе населенный пункт (особенно, если это не «мегаполис» вроде Ираклиона, Ретимно или Хании), может быть написан только на греческом. Некоторые знаки имеют дублирование на латинице, но какой-то системы тут нет: записывали, видимо, как нас учили на белорусском: «как слышится, так и пишется», ну, а понятно, что слышалось кажодму по-своему. Ситуация дополнительно осложняется диглоссией, т.е. «расщеплением языка» на более искусственную, «пуристскую» версию <b>Katharevousa </b>и «народную» - <b>Dimotiki</b>. Из-за этой "лингвистической шизофрении" и получается, что современному интеллектуалу положено знать, что <b>Santorini </b>и <b>Thira </b>- синонимичны, а <b>Kerkyra </b>– это то же самое, что и <b>Corfu</b>. Ну, а уж догадаться, что <b>Mycenae </b>– это не что иное как <b>Mykines </b>– это вообще в обязательном порядке. Так что, даже когда тебе повезло и твой город нанасен на знак на латинице, то, реализация может существенно отличаться от ожидаемого написания. Поэтому пришлось в срочном порядке изучать греческий алфавит (благо он в общих чертах похож на русский). Ну, а в тех редких случаях, когда нужный тебе населенный пункт все-таки нанесен на знаки в удобоваримом виде - нет гарантии, что вы сможете его прочитать: деревья, растущие прямо перед дорожными указателями (частое явление на Крите), вызывали у меня смешанные чувства раздражения, удивления и одновременно умиления.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Еще одним умиляющим (однако и несколько опасным) фактом на греческим дорогах являются … козлы. Конечно, когда я читала про то, что мизитра и фета занимают важное место в Греческой кухне, я подозревала, что откуда-то же должно поступать все это козье молоко, но встреча с этими рогатыми животными лицом к … рогам все-таки неоднократно пощекотала мои нервы. Особенно, когда этот мелкий скот элегантно выскакивал во всей своей рогатой красе на крутую серпантинную дорогу. Конечно, не на всех дорогах такие «выскоки» одинаково опасны, но вот, например, по дороге в <b>Chora Sfakion</b>, где серпантины наиболее узкие, а козлы – наиболее наглые, было довольно стремно. Хотя, признаюсь честно, виной моему повышенному беспокойству в районе Сфакии были, скорее дорожные знаки, усеянные, как на диком западе, следами от … оружейных пуль. То ли это турбюро Сфакии решило придать колорита местным дорогам и умышленно выставило стратегически продырявленные знаки на всеобщее обозрение, то ли правда какой-то местный джигит гнался за своим врагом по этим опасным серпантинам, посылая ему пули вдогонку … Как все было на самом деле - "науке неизвестно". Ну, ведь не даром же Крит, и в частности его отдаленные горные районы вроде Сфакии, знамениты своим вспыльчивым нравом и кровными вендеттами.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5Sgb_g4rQsehKmnQjWei-YHmuW0r7mxnOjLEa7a3qFSVVloS6U19uwY0G4Id_mkaUT-0ZRrA5cVOrJgxCAhjYNuP58Cf4Luj5xjt6AQqaBO1SKN9dnfmJp6Nt9H3Ziqbp-Ag4Q2c8l-0/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5Sgb_g4rQsehKmnQjWei-YHmuW0r7mxnOjLEa7a3qFSVVloS6U19uwY0G4Id_mkaUT-0ZRrA5cVOrJgxCAhjYNuP58Cf4Luj5xjt6AQqaBO1SKN9dnfmJp6Nt9H3Ziqbp-Ag4Q2c8l-0/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1ciGMAiIxcFC_RahBGPtuILnnHGR_PS8UC476RaT7VmPuRxg8jubfd-4K7_fXBm2RIgtOWWBa_Hxz3tYtBKm-qIu_LKVr_CL7KWpxJvAGbCSTZPutXxyOpWpCGoAeYrfM5WNs9WBUQPG/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1ciGMAiIxcFC_RahBGPtuILnnHGR_PS8UC476RaT7VmPuRxg8jubfd-4K7_fXBm2RIgtOWWBa_Hxz3tYtBKm-qIu_LKVr_CL7KWpxJvAGbCSTZPutXxyOpWpCGoAeYrfM5WNs9WBUQPG/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jOhR_Q9KNX-wvlpJskamdkoFdJYK3yGSnKzmD0RiQokVD2swjMcwIo5aywHTtArLDA1GmHFkM8kJIh0H9TQSFsbXUUuxtfNRNdvtv1R89xXd36-BWEqeikI1InTk8Do9FLD7HMJ_-_6O/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jOhR_Q9KNX-wvlpJskamdkoFdJYK3yGSnKzmD0RiQokVD2swjMcwIo5aywHTtArLDA1GmHFkM8kJIh0H9TQSFsbXUUuxtfNRNdvtv1R89xXd36-BWEqeikI1InTk8Do9FLD7HMJ_-_6O/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19_BD3FstkTxytircr0RWeQ7lKmu_hfCXkEIi98ROpKFWGnuySwcBZ4nwXS2KJ8E3OUQmwyYkhGlZ317MtYe85oI_Y5vaod4ukSbMFFgQPTLecrJRlJEjtK0599B7fz4e1Ry4lAvG0nJz/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19_BD3FstkTxytircr0RWeQ7lKmu_hfCXkEIi98ROpKFWGnuySwcBZ4nwXS2KJ8E3OUQmwyYkhGlZ317MtYe85oI_Y5vaod4ukSbMFFgQPTLecrJRlJEjtK0599B7fz4e1Ry4lAvG0nJz/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Goats-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Возвращаясь к "культурной программе" этого дня, нужно отметить, что в историческом плане этот день был опять-таки …. не очень-то иненсивен :-) Цели этого дня: <b>Paleochora (Παλαιόχωρα)</b> и <b>Elafonisi (Ελαφονήσι) </b>скорее примечательны своими географическими особенностями, чем архитектурной или исторической значимостью.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Paleochora (Παλαιόχωρα) </h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraM1Pr8FrhAwz92J7f4LajKNNT7-YZV_6U2yOt-mRLI2cLGQbVY_WZIu9hsYc08i4VAS5C-eGietGBVlxfWDNVSgHtJpGs8mKIZQEMVRJoNlf0gVnsA0fV3AxSPt_wK1wv5VLqF9Dg04z/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraM1Pr8FrhAwz92J7f4LajKNNT7-YZV_6U2yOt-mRLI2cLGQbVY_WZIu9hsYc08i4VAS5C-eGietGBVlxfWDNVSgHtJpGs8mKIZQEMVRJoNlf0gVnsA0fV3AxSPt_wK1wv5VLqF9Dg04z/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRlvQpHUjj2S_82HP6Uuwdif0z9MDHBmyUFCnEkgI7KcG4y7tOHiAbrffKCupv-X5bSAtwnjzUiVWwSfZsLfFeMmhfd0QoYY5AJ5a72Qhl82YZh3UEIG9NNllbSqfDn5OOIwRaXvWSlJv/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRlvQpHUjj2S_82HP6Uuwdif0z9MDHBmyUFCnEkgI7KcG4y7tOHiAbrffKCupv-X5bSAtwnjzUiVWwSfZsLfFeMmhfd0QoYY5AJ5a72Qhl82YZh3UEIG9NNllbSqfDn5OOIwRaXvWSlJv/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Особенность Палеохоры заключается в том, что город располагается на полуострове, а потому с обеих сторон окружен <b>Ливийским морем </b>(часть <b>Средиземного моря</b>): западная сторона -ьочень ветренная, а восточная – защищена горами, а потом очень уютная и более тихая. Из архитектурных «достопримечательностей»в городе располагаются развалины Венецианского порта, который на протяжении веков то разрушали (турки, сами критяне), то восстанавливали (венецианцы или, например, знаменитый пират Барбаросса), но сегодня то место, где когда-то располагался форт представляет собой довольно печальное зрелище. Однако, открывающийся оттуда вид (крепость находится на вершине холма) стоит небольшой прогулки наверх.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvITsuchDyDz_cAV_XIdXqc6WRzNJ-fe8Q0ngDAfJVdnGsCz4rcLrGe0ADO7uX-dHs_Xl0QnlJTqw8E77XxBRWwPEqqr0aOXR-KQZ19UhHnxpUamJI0re4GwxraOjaXQ6FD_OK9lqIiY1/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvITsuchDyDz_cAV_XIdXqc6WRzNJ-fe8Q0ngDAfJVdnGsCz4rcLrGe0ADO7uX-dHs_Xl0QnlJTqw8E77XxBRWwPEqqr0aOXR-KQZ19UhHnxpUamJI0re4GwxraOjaXQ6FD_OK9lqIiY1/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Paleochora-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Elafonisi (Ελαφονήσι)</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQuewKPpjhUuUls76gz2lGti_9JhqQ3OVY78j7mASWcB5Q1oJTBHHLMLpYPMjBxI2wXdNWDEkVTLNB93ABaCry-XfC0fTfsxMxkrOamYXXAcEzFDp98ZYfvDaP41vTBhH1eYToEBUA4s5/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQuewKPpjhUuUls76gz2lGti_9JhqQ3OVY78j7mASWcB5Q1oJTBHHLMLpYPMjBxI2wXdNWDEkVTLNB93ABaCry-XfC0fTfsxMxkrOamYXXAcEzFDp98ZYfvDaP41vTBhH1eYToEBUA4s5/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Согласно Lonely Planet население <b>Elafonisi </b>составляет 11 человек, так что можно легко догадаться, что это - не мегаполис, знаменитый своей клубной жизнью. Вообще, <b>Элафониси </b>– это остров у югозападного Средиземного моря. Пляж <b>Elafonisi </b>– самый красивый, который я видела в Греции! Вода на протяжении многих десятков метров очень мелкая, а потому можно даже пешком пройти на сам остров. Кстати, так когда-то (а именно: в 1824 году) во время обострения отношений с Оттоманскими захватчиками, лошадь одного из турецких солдат забрела на этот остров, где в то время скрывалось <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>около 700 критских беженцев, ждущих корабля для эвакуации. К сожалению, история закончилась тем, что своим беспокойным поведением лошадь привлекла внимание солдат, и те перерезали или продали в рабство всех присутвующих. По злосчастному стечению обстоятельств, прекрасный Элафониси стал местом еще одной массовой трагедии – в 1907-ом году австрийский пароход <b>Imperatrix </b>затонул, попав на мелководье. Из-за сильных ветров, попытка спастить на шлюпке закончилась неудачно для 38 потерпевших крушение – все они были захоронены на острове. После этого происшествия на побережье построили маяк (классичекий случай «пока гром не грянет - мужик не перекрестится»). Несмотря на мрачное прошлое, сегодня Элафониси представляет собой умопомрачительно красивый пляж, который ежедневно посещают тысячи туристов.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzRFL3oEiAPm_lMhdnWKjI54DV6mMH23Y-JJlKBjXomIztsWdTHwk56lWRyQumQr6YSdHZpslNntlSlwLsFsvntvumdpeFoNVvhK8Za3RZQeHJHXqw_BdQSW4ASAGA2zcpbN9vrVZBu4O/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-02+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzRFL3oEiAPm_lMhdnWKjI54DV6mMH23Y-JJlKBjXomIztsWdTHwk56lWRyQumQr6YSdHZpslNntlSlwLsFsvntvumdpeFoNVvhK8Za3RZQeHJHXqw_BdQSW4ASAGA2zcpbN9vrVZBu4O/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-02+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAKfOSukiYy85ACfbn8mPY8uo1SHysDckQz6U7XIbeAnUXqpyc70v7-Zs9LrmGNXVMspfox2ZGba_vbg86AM2477rHThNDFx-0bcjXLYbu9l7xDnH9KoKpkNkgHGLsVEq2ov-NTuJ-O9X/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAKfOSukiYy85ACfbn8mPY8uo1SHysDckQz6U7XIbeAnUXqpyc70v7-Zs9LrmGNXVMspfox2ZGba_vbg86AM2477rHThNDFx-0bcjXLYbu9l7xDnH9KoKpkNkgHGLsVEq2ov-NTuJ-O9X/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-20-Elafonisi-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Elafonisi, Inachori 730 01, Greece35.2691667 23.53250000000002735.2691667 23.532500000000027 35.2691667 23.532500000000027tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-86535295504331755052013-11-30T17:58:00.001+01:002013-12-08T13:58:23.261+01:00Greece (Day 3-4): Chania and the trip to Hora Sfakion, Samaria Gorge and Frangokastello<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Day 3: Chania</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9PbHwJefgs0bq1zRN1ZATsaJgnDCwt3_o4h6fwb4XOvPply5o5u5_VCaKNLog2VUBDuxO40rnLXYukcfJIRhfsj8QBAwmwX_bzWcWooD8QPHZMZDaymLGJm4IcI27CXhxS5fVl42fp14/s1600/02-Greece-Crete-Day-3-Map-Chania.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9PbHwJefgs0bq1zRN1ZATsaJgnDCwt3_o4h6fwb4XOvPply5o5u5_VCaKNLog2VUBDuxO40rnLXYukcfJIRhfsj8QBAwmwX_bzWcWooD8QPHZMZDaymLGJm4IcI27CXhxS5fVl42fp14/s400/02-Greece-Crete-Day-3-Map-Chania.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Я постепенно осмела на греческих дорогах, и следующая вылазка (до Хании и обратно) составила уже около 167 км. Хания - второй по размеру город на Крите и, как и Ретимно, она примечательна своей архитектурой эпохи Ренессанса с отдельными «вставками» из Оттоманской эпохи и Венецианским портом. В целом город имеет атмосферу „in-between“: между Западом и Востоком как в архитектурном, так и в культурном плане.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Поблудив немного по микроскопическим улочкам с односторонним движением и лихими греческими водителями (вне автобана лихость только усиливается!), мы освежились умопомрачительно вкусным <b>Greek frappé (φραπές)</b> и оттдали свой туристический долг, «взойдя» на <b>Siavo Bastion</b>, чтобы осмотреть окрестности. Не могу сказать, что открывшаяся панорама захватила мой дух, а потому уже 5 минут спустя я была внизу у кафедрального собора и начала медленно, но верно, пробираться к гавани, сделав остановку, чтобы приобрести очаровательные Havaianas® - <i>см.фото из Agia Roumeli ниже</i>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_a_afO1unDBc3rsVFkh2brEMUAerErv20yyQP4Mm9w7B_H4b8XU9arnZsif3MGMzAElQ5Fq2r8yi7Tl5_yDoAT2JC3Ng9yTldN5yWuWUr59aMsyFLlINpWwqhoEY92OHwansFQTXpdsTU/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_a_afO1unDBc3rsVFkh2brEMUAerErv20yyQP4Mm9w7B_H4b8XU9arnZsif3MGMzAElQ5Fq2r8yi7Tl5_yDoAT2JC3Ng9yTldN5yWuWUr59aMsyFLlINpWwqhoEY92OHwansFQTXpdsTU/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-02.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA9Fc9KBVqMEoVS-XlDq39LeN4NCp0ELD7znWORjV7ZPfuGoYYvzLh9S8fEeKzdXMyKuBI1NiV_MkWu2XhOsIKjDnf5VjSad8Ag_BhDw79PE252rpL2PLhPRUP2JoDzacxyaZzW-OE0Zg/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-00a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA9Fc9KBVqMEoVS-XlDq39LeN4NCp0ELD7znWORjV7ZPfuGoYYvzLh9S8fEeKzdXMyKuBI1NiV_MkWu2XhOsIKjDnf5VjSad8Ag_BhDw79PE252rpL2PLhPRUP2JoDzacxyaZzW-OE0Zg/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-00a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnm6anJVMWEtLOeLoQoIBfLUjvc11AEFxQ4yzHPKwO0G8YRVxTAr38Obz4Bb1v2za51uigKNBCvaYXE244TCs9jGEXRt8h3_r1zmZ37DbyBlCYVAEMFHPXne-NCUP8CwzmuH5Q29bh31w/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnm6anJVMWEtLOeLoQoIBfLUjvc11AEFxQ4yzHPKwO0G8YRVxTAr38Obz4Bb1v2za51uigKNBCvaYXE244TCs9jGEXRt8h3_r1zmZ37DbyBlCYVAEMFHPXne-NCUP8CwzmuH5Q29bh31w/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Порт Хании примечателен Венецианской крепостью. На выходе из гавани по правую руку - маяк, а по левую видна <b>Firkas Fortress,</b> в которой сегодня находится <b>Naval & Maritime Museum</b>, а когда-то была турецкая тюрьма. Название Firkas пошло от турецкого firka = барак, поскольку крепость была построена для защиты гавани и состояла из склада боеприпасов и казарм/бараков для солдат.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOSf_hMrW2pBCjoZUJdB7_44bpn9h2H6GG-hs2I6UehOP4AtOuu0xhODcWu4r_Mnk-XpwMitBbkYC_dqcWq3-pK-Tcwq9XwDulbhxPkXGkJCsfOn-SEnhcDp5cUn8fJgnKofNymtr6xAL/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOSf_hMrW2pBCjoZUJdB7_44bpn9h2H6GG-hs2I6UehOP4AtOuu0xhODcWu4r_Mnk-XpwMitBbkYC_dqcWq3-pK-Tcwq9XwDulbhxPkXGkJCsfOn-SEnhcDp5cUn8fJgnKofNymtr6xAL/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMRjnFQGGc7xaAm4zmz0Fx9jjQEMBIeHYOHBQJTfTM-ClXbp3kt4gagHr4QTV5AT3jF26p94B3g2Vr5w6oK4sTzvEp2nbqwgp5S6u2W62_dDg3qY9DREqvIVbU7JPqRZY2nSYcPVgON7R/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMRjnFQGGc7xaAm4zmz0Fx9jjQEMBIeHYOHBQJTfTM-ClXbp3kt4gagHr4QTV5AT3jF26p94B3g2Vr5w6oK4sTzvEp2nbqwgp5S6u2W62_dDg3qY9DREqvIVbU7JPqRZY2nSYcPVgON7R/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Как только нога моя ступила на <b>Akti Koundorotori </b>(площадь, прилегающую к гавани), ко мне тотчас же подошел очаровательный молодой грек и предложил покататься на кораблике: тур должен был длиться 1 час и включал в себя фруктовый салатик, стопочку ouzo и купание у небольшого острова, находящегося недалеко от выхода из гавани. Увидев мои сомнения, он тут же скинул цену с 15-ти евро наполовину и я, недолго думая, согласилась ;-) Несмотря на то, что с собой у меня был только верх купальника, я решила не упускать возможность осуществить свое первое плавание в море в таких экзотических условиях, и мой underware от Bjorn Born прошел «боевое крещение» в водах Средиземного моря. Я поплавала с маской у живописного острова, у которого мы приякорились. Как ни странно, кроме меня и нашего гида желающих плавать больше не было. После того, как обещанные refreshments были щедро розданы, было пора возвращаться в гавань. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGn1cVmH1A3Mr8yCVZQJ_cr7iraOFjQLyB-Djjjt_arcyhZ5H4v0rt1zDsoD02-GDqK8ROWAQTp-k7yEqZkJabbYGZsNNXjf6XY1gsvcbf-CpUI6Cj_KTAx1AaJNrx85D6mQNseIJqILY/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-04a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGn1cVmH1A3Mr8yCVZQJ_cr7iraOFjQLyB-Djjjt_arcyhZ5H4v0rt1zDsoD02-GDqK8ROWAQTp-k7yEqZkJabbYGZsNNXjf6XY1gsvcbf-CpUI6Cj_KTAx1AaJNrx85D6mQNseIJqILY/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-04a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYYkunR9cAvu-Fdm2fGie83q5SKAb9A8nAf1UBdlbTMNE8z8MTfoMyKJCuX7E136hk0OKsNMWrbXTVSm8yc5N_JXqSz4gkwLus-zmR3Klp1V4q0R4ABgyb4quci-2cY_X8IeZqBugT5pf/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYYkunR9cAvu-Fdm2fGie83q5SKAb9A8nAf1UBdlbTMNE8z8MTfoMyKJCuX7E136hk0OKsNMWrbXTVSm8yc5N_JXqSz4gkwLus-zmR3Klp1V4q0R4ABgyb4quci-2cY_X8IeZqBugT5pf/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58X-1-vrVQwzxjxC7lbiuGFYGgWiGV-bL-X0mGlBxW7eCotYB6QkHiiMI7P1Kfob1Zdp6hQ9-_s7MRq7wxaPvus0w1IyNAMtTU11tDDbricK5LUW9BI2Vplt63dzxxsk92FgoU1t5nhPJ/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58X-1-vrVQwzxjxC7lbiuGFYGgWiGV-bL-X0mGlBxW7eCotYB6QkHiiMI7P1Kfob1Zdp6hQ9-_s7MRq7wxaPvus0w1IyNAMtTU11tDDbricK5LUW9BI2Vplt63dzxxsk92FgoU1t5nhPJ/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEoaRy9rx2qppYRZbSQtKzwEEmvDDVRWN2__IsfIpDc-5mEPZeqP4YWT4d9LS6puIEq7dUxwfmO477khh3zUAxZz4pnbK2EHInixSJao9bAuUxtMwOTSLP40Tv8AG4k12D7JI5A92EMa5/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEoaRy9rx2qppYRZbSQtKzwEEmvDDVRWN2__IsfIpDc-5mEPZeqP4YWT4d9LS6puIEq7dUxwfmO477khh3zUAxZz4pnbK2EHInixSJao9bAuUxtMwOTSLP40Tv8AG4k12D7JI5A92EMa5/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Мы прогулялись мимо одной из главных достопримечательностей города, <b>Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan</b> (или янычарской мечети, <b>Κιουτσούκ Χασάν</b>), в которой как раз начиналась выставка работ какого-то современного художника. Как раз в это время автор вместе со своим куратором сам расставлял работы, а потому вход был свободный. За мечетью мы глянули на <b>Great Arsenal</b> и начали потихоньку искать место, где можно будет насладиться местными кулинарными изысками.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFywdu-br1ayBhqWWtlnKHqiHHSCTJ1PxgIsbJhq_4CKiJ5Bku7qZD4nzOn7ZxU0BTMN0taA0wYamlFVgGE8j83u-NZDnmL6o3UAuqRRnZN-I6UX3fsSGEPHLagkHGnbjFCUOiw2pRO_T/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFywdu-br1ayBhqWWtlnKHqiHHSCTJ1PxgIsbJhq_4CKiJ5Bku7qZD4nzOn7ZxU0BTMN0taA0wYamlFVgGE8j83u-NZDnmL6o3UAuqRRnZN-I6UX3fsSGEPHLagkHGnbjFCUOiw2pRO_T/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTAL34IhWwS6zX4H399NmIL48uzj2xcB6kFs7VdtVMcoliu_k9U1kpRLs7c9Ik9v7BSdMA_iRu2lFt9rWWeh6G82zVTd-4in4QW0Px0iwBzmzW8e5vlB_4mBy7nawUwLEqDNl586Huvi3/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTAL34IhWwS6zX4H399NmIL48uzj2xcB6kFs7VdtVMcoliu_k9U1kpRLs7c9Ik9v7BSdMA_iRu2lFt9rWWeh6G82zVTd-4in4QW0Px0iwBzmzW8e5vlB_4mBy7nawUwLEqDNl586Huvi3/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
По ходу поиска мы свернули с основных улиц на несколько более уединенные и встретились «лицом к лицу» с еще одним культурным греческим феноменом: Greek street cats. Греческих уличных котов можно встретить не только на улицах любого Греческого города, но также и на обложках туристических календарей (их оявление феномента на календаре - это обычно довольно точный индикатор уровня знаменитости). Коты также появляются в довольно странных местах, например, прямо посреди зала прилетов аэпорота Ираклиона. Поохотившись (разумеется, исключительно фотографичкими сопособами) на этих пушистых зверьков, мы – изрядно проголодавшись - продолжили поиски местечка, где можно подкрепить силы и понаблюдать за жизнью города «со стороны».</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIwG1DBVjKoCeY7FEAx2mdlwJfbk2BIxcgdfCMzmBdTeAg7tW0IfAFvg-vw6obNqP8xjXLor3PghkOdygh66EHbpjphwNWurFOU2gJhyphenhyphennlb0EVdUbMnG46unFdS2pi-O_6t5WkMXEnywH/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIwG1DBVjKoCeY7FEAx2mdlwJfbk2BIxcgdfCMzmBdTeAg7tW0IfAFvg-vw6obNqP8xjXLor3PghkOdygh66EHbpjphwNWurFOU2gJhyphenhyphennlb0EVdUbMnG46unFdS2pi-O_6t5WkMXEnywH/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3PxV1b1YIIgDKAxjeKk_h32tdfg4Oqnn94t-6w6AGrnGXKvo47oURdCf_5DlMVp6Gd6_MzB648b7mO4J1vyLT9hAtTFXJA6bygzEEa9wVD_c4O5Hy9meG4qOkjXyK0KMHLVkU_gkDFbu/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3PxV1b1YIIgDKAxjeKk_h32tdfg4Oqnn94t-6w6AGrnGXKvo47oURdCf_5DlMVp6Gd6_MzB648b7mO4J1vyLT9hAtTFXJA6bygzEEa9wVD_c4O5Hy9meG4qOkjXyK0KMHLVkU_gkDFbu/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwLFnIQPS66Pa0JKrbFlxrX_fpF-R2PEH9SyD7KgG-Ii87R_Ituuv8Z966DfmzKtnlzidNCb1zOldqttfkwYNImOLdJDYbdeFBu5pA7u82r7xouLeakkQmfofmaxPxJzsuQV3vgCDBi4C/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwLFnIQPS66Pa0JKrbFlxrX_fpF-R2PEH9SyD7KgG-Ii87R_Ituuv8Z966DfmzKtnlzidNCb1zOldqttfkwYNImOLdJDYbdeFBu5pA7u82r7xouLeakkQmfofmaxPxJzsuQV3vgCDBi4C/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhL5lgSEeVfdQ7yApQdH4NXSvP3Sep9iSN5bIn-LDt91LGKQgwLN9xwil2QULXzjq7H54V_NwQKCGL0_VqH4xSq28qlsTEEEkpkcuu2KpALG9lAY0jCsgStye534_ibIbwEkov1UPHCI4/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhL5lgSEeVfdQ7yApQdH4NXSvP3Sep9iSN5bIn-LDt91LGKQgwLN9xwil2QULXzjq7H54V_NwQKCGL0_VqH4xSq28qlsTEEEkpkcuu2KpALG9lAY0jCsgStye534_ibIbwEkov1UPHCI4/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XJtO6qD4Ej7-FjJW7yi5RmIikb1Ta5zWYLRgcFxW2pC5Y7JR_zdPgzHTTo_HzLxm-lWk6TBBcIdPhZDKyz35B1-HPkXHghXOBBzFILjqFiFphZi8sdrh3S5PZ7gYQvMJI-fcJlfVv_H9/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XJtO6qD4Ej7-FjJW7yi5RmIikb1Ta5zWYLRgcFxW2pC5Y7JR_zdPgzHTTo_HzLxm-lWk6TBBcIdPhZDKyz35B1-HPkXHghXOBBzFILjqFiFphZi8sdrh3S5PZ7gYQvMJI-fcJlfVv_H9/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-04.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1ZJlM8os-OlEqjAgX1_Kt2QAID2DgIM18_ZvCtzuKMDhq646MhpqwK8MfIp0jPFiRfd1EPWhdQ1rr4Fz6DsRdgnooqUEK3cAob2tkXQuQYygegvh2OlnvkrVwX1ZeNsNZpkNTJ1lD4Cl/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1ZJlM8os-OlEqjAgX1_Kt2QAID2DgIM18_ZvCtzuKMDhq646MhpqwK8MfIp0jPFiRfd1EPWhdQ1rr4Fz6DsRdgnooqUEK3cAob2tkXQuQYygegvh2OlnvkrVwX1ZeNsNZpkNTJ1lD4Cl/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-airport.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb2PHrx4hDmTWfXZ_F46HyuaVpXlfuA0-yE8o8jLm192c5a8cSO6VzuTIA4oF2CINO70EGpq099GAP6_7rz7yYTf-Dgxpra_1jhnT5ygzXaLOdy7BJJsAbCuEAggeJiF2sOWe5bhayPX0/s1600/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb2PHrx4hDmTWfXZ_F46HyuaVpXlfuA0-yE8o8jLm192c5a8cSO6VzuTIA4oF2CINO70EGpq099GAP6_7rz7yYTf-Dgxpra_1jhnT5ygzXaLOdy7BJJsAbCuEAggeJiF2sOWe5bhayPX0/s400/Greece-Crete-Streets-Cats-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Несмотря на обильные похвалы нескольких путеводителей близлежащей кафешки <b>Mikro Arsenali</b> (в основном из-за омлетов и замечательного вида Fortalezza), мы выбрали более уютный и приватный ресторанчик <b>To Karnagio</b> <i>(Plateia Katehaki 8, Chania)</i>, находящийся в густой и прохладной тени деревьев. Интерьер в этом местечке полностью соответствует моим эстетическим идеалам: что-то среднее между Amélie и steampunk-ом :-) Ну, а поскольку готовят они так же отменно, как умеют выбирать аксессуары интервьера, то хороший отзыв на trip-sdvisor-e им был автоматически обеспечен. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx56oTCijN_pKT2Rr_YqCNekMHqGbLDAdJZe8f9sfY5ecWb62LhWz0pYJezLO6YjDfxWRBC25ngHpQNzg5aaTA3vQMztt1jKOm-qd-uRvo5NmXFjRA7PiI9EfYM6xG_C4Vqa6OE4SDnTaP/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx56oTCijN_pKT2Rr_YqCNekMHqGbLDAdJZe8f9sfY5ecWb62LhWz0pYJezLO6YjDfxWRBC25ngHpQNzg5aaTA3vQMztt1jKOm-qd-uRvo5NmXFjRA7PiI9EfYM6xG_C4Vqa6OE4SDnTaP/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-17-Chania-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
После приятного обеда мы еще прогулялись до главного рынка Хании <b>Dimotikí Agorá Chánion</b>, но решили не перегружать этот день событиями, ведь завтра предстояла довольно дальняя вылазка в Самарийское ущелье…</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Day 4: Hora Sfakion, Samaria Gorge and Frangokastello</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPM4Gq-CbP9LE9MDGPLrJg_wUNNGjwvS3B-2VWpsu3UqK3pq-I5ClakKMwYT8CWTgv-gySIH59Kfv_2XK5fk3rrWyhsqbUVaYqL_BfoQepv3Brq0hdmi0KZ8Dm76QBM2apAzajyyutgZK4/s1600/02-Greece-Crete-Day-4-Map-Hora+Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge-Frangokastello_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPM4Gq-CbP9LE9MDGPLrJg_wUNNGjwvS3B-2VWpsu3UqK3pq-I5ClakKMwYT8CWTgv-gySIH59Kfv_2XK5fk3rrWyhsqbUVaYqL_BfoQepv3Brq0hdmi0KZ8Dm76QBM2apAzajyyutgZK4/s320/02-Greece-Crete-Day-4-Map-Hora+Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge-Frangokastello_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Путь дня 4-го составил приблизительно 200 км из Панормо до <b>Hora Sfakion (Χώρα Σφακίων) </b>и обратно. Хора Сфакион римечателен тем, что оттуда идет паром до <b>Agia Roumeli (Айя Румели или Αγιά Ρουμέλη)</b>, где начинается Самарийское ущелье.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFbYFzzNfQVs2CRMBr0wScbKXa0PvmdR2cybN4r4HXgVRvPBj2_AhFMpAYh_7CEUiTEjKs9VntrhkFicHoU5gOV06G1_vyzawRSlb17eCllG6J3ndkD-KPCuSq-hlmOGm6OTbLkfawR73/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFbYFzzNfQVs2CRMBr0wScbKXa0PvmdR2cybN4r4HXgVRvPBj2_AhFMpAYh_7CEUiTEjKs9VntrhkFicHoU5gOV06G1_vyzawRSlb17eCllG6J3ndkD-KPCuSq-hlmOGm6OTbLkfawR73/s320/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Кстати, хоть Крит и не очень знаменит своими винами, есть все-таки пару местечек и даже районов, где можно отведать местного винного бренда. Например, одним из таких destinations является <b>Dourakis winery</b> – эта винодельня находится на единственной дороге до <b>Chora Sfakion, </b>после поворота с магистральной E75: поэтому пропустить ее практически невозможно. Местечко знаменито своими дегустациями и специальными обучающими курсами по вину. 7 евро на дегустацию вина мне было жалко, поэтому прикинув все «за и против», я в экспресс-порядке опросила приглянувшуюся мне немецкоговорящую парочку, которая только что с довольным видом «опрокинула парочку стаканчиков», и выведала у них, какое вино больше всего импонировало им. Как ни странно, если ты знаешь, какое вино ты хочешь попробовать (а их не больше 2-3), то это – бессплатно. Поэтому, «точечно» продегустировав разрекламированные вина, я закупилась местными «дарами Диониса» и с еще большим энтузиазмом проследовала далее в сторону <b>Chora Sfakion</b>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP1ldDJDvko6n45MRxRddtbdLXznSgOHv0u5sUDq5loMDpF28t75hyphenhyphen45Z-Jfrb2yvYE1dqefWlaQs1IukBg77F5s7_dae4lf9lWyI1tm0IqhezRf3SJwchbSR_4ose81_TgH9d1Cs2uKs/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Durakis+winery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP1ldDJDvko6n45MRxRddtbdLXznSgOHv0u5sUDq5loMDpF28t75hyphenhyphen45Z-Jfrb2yvYE1dqefWlaQs1IukBg77F5s7_dae4lf9lWyI1tm0IqhezRf3SJwchbSR_4ose81_TgH9d1Cs2uKs/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Durakis+winery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Chora Sfakion </b>примечательна в первую очередь тем, что оттуда отправляется кораблик до <b>Agia Roumeli (Αγιά Ρουμέλη)</b>, поселения, которое располагается у выхода из Samaria Gorge. Путь до Айя Румели составляет приблизительно 18 км на пароме и стоит 20€ туда-обратно. Кораблик «туда», как по заказу, отправлялся через полчаса после нашего прибытия в Hora Sfakion. Получаса идеально хватило для того, чтобы запарковаться с услужливым "parking guide на мотороллере" (который, конечно же, сразу же потребовал 3€ за бдительное сопровождения на свободное парковочное место) и ухватить "take-away" gyros (греческую версю шаурмы или кебаба).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MQJ2sd_dxxOIp5fKdyH9lfN2JvUxzX4Be3pAHiwQTW9QosWNt5-Nzyx7TzRWpZwNb6aRzdqEBU1kbgIBnCkTCSrJsMkgsbf32GunmT6Fq3oAO2P3XBkA-k9Lvrtdv_FJnWGFMr4vCjQD/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MQJ2sd_dxxOIp5fKdyH9lfN2JvUxzX4Be3pAHiwQTW9QosWNt5-Nzyx7TzRWpZwNb6aRzdqEBU1kbgIBnCkTCSrJsMkgsbf32GunmT6Fq3oAO2P3XBkA-k9Lvrtdv_FJnWGFMr4vCjQD/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKVrCtG04634Dsh0l9tCueh0liyg8Wx8qxgpUKHVTpSqE9_CmOZ73NeHCLKFZelPFPF_5RHqr85BMbESdcfXqp6Tef66PNnjaYnJUQMy0DvEhx8O50_xJTBP5qPbrYqElDU-HTlzjdHn/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKVrCtG04634Dsh0l9tCueh0liyg8Wx8qxgpUKHVTpSqE9_CmOZ73NeHCLKFZelPFPF_5RHqr85BMbESdcfXqp6Tef66PNnjaYnJUQMy0DvEhx8O50_xJTBP5qPbrYqElDU-HTlzjdHn/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv-auVsOLa_KgMEw2ZzBoBx9d03Z1gbWcQD6fgpUcAAu209FBHFdv4_jelimyg1y49OeHusxhOZTdQGvk_dXSInBffFzkoiWoUAQb6V4UzqIdaHEYzY9dTdCLMa_Ca_f9aZlgPWd4VhnB/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv-auVsOLa_KgMEw2ZzBoBx9d03Z1gbWcQD6fgpUcAAu209FBHFdv4_jelimyg1y49OeHusxhOZTdQGvk_dXSInBffFzkoiWoUAQb6V4UzqIdaHEYzY9dTdCLMa_Ca_f9aZlgPWd4VhnB/s320/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Кораблик до <b>Agia Roumeli</b> идет из <b>Hora Sfakion</b> через <b>Loutro (Λουτρό)</b> - абсолютно очаровательное, изолированное от внешнего мира поселение. Доступ к Loutro возможен через море и еще через одну-одинешенькую дорогу. Однако многие туристы, которые заказали себе там отель, предпочитают добираться до своего final destination более колоритным водным путем, а потому палуба нашего транспортного средства несколько опустела после захода в эту приятно защищенную от ветров бухту.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-njVOcdRR2CHvtIL3x6x67HxYEAKqdRIo6fimihjKG4I1LTFYRiIputT9nr7TQCtNUTXOa0SYHegDwm06hE1DKq9y00roaKHUP_Ye41ZoCpw3e3kHduKdMK9-am174AjDpZAfZgSW_DB/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-njVOcdRR2CHvtIL3x6x67HxYEAKqdRIo6fimihjKG4I1LTFYRiIputT9nr7TQCtNUTXOa0SYHegDwm06hE1DKq9y00roaKHUP_Ye41ZoCpw3e3kHduKdMK9-am174AjDpZAfZgSW_DB/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
А вот наш final destination был <b>Agia Roumeli</b> - устье <b>Самарийского ущелья</b>. <b>Samaria Gorge (Φαράγγι Σαμαριάς)</b> – самая известная природная достопримечательность Крита и одновременно: оин крупнейших европейских каньонов. Глубина его - 800 метров, длина «от начала до конца» (в Айя Румели) - 18 киломметров, т.е. приблизительно 5-6 часов пути, который ежедневно проходят от 1000 до 2000 человек. Поскольку времени до последнего парома было не так уж много, пришлось ограничиться легкой прогулкой лишь до начала тропы через ущелье. Большая часть пространства вокруг тропы была отгорожена заборчиком (международный и всем понятный знак: частная собственность!), за которым паслись раличные мелкорогатые животные, добавляя колорита прогулке до ущелья как своим видом, так и характерным ароматом.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTRtx_9PupL_Y63N2BjF6INb41Xk5y_zDYsORUzroDYruwnv2WcEJPOBx0MfXvXi7HtZunlQ0K1Vfg6yUczC8Cq3gSyjVy1KZGvwTTHRYtHrIux6YacM3YT4aw39i-ZMp2vMHH1ESnORd/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTRtx_9PupL_Y63N2BjF6INb41Xk5y_zDYsORUzroDYruwnv2WcEJPOBx0MfXvXi7HtZunlQ0K1Vfg6yUczC8Cq3gSyjVy1KZGvwTTHRYtHrIux6YacM3YT4aw39i-ZMp2vMHH1ESnORd/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge06.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
По пути туда нам встретилось довольно много путников, практически все шли в сторону Айя Румели, а некоторые проносились на маленьком автобусе: оказалось, что предприимчивые местные жители организовали маленькую маршрутку, которая за 1,5 евро довозит "страждущих" от ущелья до причала<b> Agia Roumeli</b>,<b> </b>откуда отправляется корабль. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
У выхода из ущелья также стратегически располагаются кафе, ресторан, стенд со свежевыжатым соком и билетная касса того самого автобусика, который мог ускорить ваше прибытие в гавань, либо для того, чтобы отужинать в одном из отменных местных ресторанчиков, либо для того, чтобы успеть на последний паром в том случае, если вы сбились с графика, задержавшись дольше положенного где-то в ущелье.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcVOBEe-8OQe-xdM6RJyCvLfWLjwJYjZAb8WMXk6c7OcINOTsCLXtAYkTWuZODm4CfyC3zwGHegbedXyO62fL2p8HqffV_vULQrmSx4mY_DOQvz1wDJ-RlCPHkdOyM82Pkunm9SSIqYht/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcVOBEe-8OQe-xdM6RJyCvLfWLjwJYjZAb8WMXk6c7OcINOTsCLXtAYkTWuZODm4CfyC3zwGHegbedXyO62fL2p8HqffV_vULQrmSx4mY_DOQvz1wDJ-RlCPHkdOyM82Pkunm9SSIqYht/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ожидая прибытия последнего парома с кучами тинейджеров, хипстеров, пенсионеров со всего мира, а потом наблюдая, как весь этот народ загружается в прибывший “Ноев ковчег”, я подумала: "какой же странный мы народ…" Под влиянием рассказов друзей и знакомых, путеводителей, а зачастую и просто случайных факторов, мы стекаемся в определенные места на нашей Планете, в места, которые были объявлены интересными, модными, хиповыми (в зависимости от наиболее значимой категории для вашего класса/рассы/пола и т.д.). И каждый из нас уносит из этого места свою историю, которую мы затем распространяем - каждый доступными ему средствами: хипстеры запостят свои фото, демонстрирующие их Ray Ban-ы и приспущенные штаны, на instagram, пенсионеры проявят свои аналоговые пленки и аккуратненько сложат распечатанные фотографии в семейные альбомы, которые они покажут на Рождество своим детям и внукам, ну, а туристы вроде меня, сделают и то, и другое, и может быть даже запостят историю об этом небольшом Греческом путешествии на своем travel blog-е :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTv3RqtmZT3nT0ueudVp3hOkWPKM8qs8UKPIkHQE5K-0AWinI0p4M4KKLIu3-DHer7h6fmqlE8iVUoGqTaUxL_jtiwk1-wUuyNNtWr0eu4fSjFhPun2U1tzQzgNgmwqW3LC8kvJpmCYDF6/s1600/Photo+18-09-13+16+50+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTv3RqtmZT3nT0ueudVp3hOkWPKM8qs8UKPIkHQE5K-0AWinI0p4M4KKLIu3-DHer7h6fmqlE8iVUoGqTaUxL_jtiwk1-wUuyNNtWr0eu4fSjFhPun2U1tzQzgNgmwqW3LC8kvJpmCYDF6/s400/Photo+18-09-13+16+50+07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
На обратном пути мы еще успели заскочить в замок <b>Frangokastello (Φραγκοκάστελλο)</b>, чтобы посмотреть там закат. Frangokastello (ранее “The castle of Agios Nikitas”) - венецианская крепость, построенная в 1371-1374 годах для защиты от пиратов и для наведения порядка в районе Сфакия. Вечером замок был закрыт для посетителей, поэтому мы лишь сфоткались на фоне красочного неба, поглазели на памятник <b>Даскалояннису </b>(предводителю народного восстания против Османской империи в 1770-ом году) и, неприминув захватить с собой ужин из придорожной закусочной (разумеется, сбив 30% от изначальной цены), двинулись по ночному серпантину назад в Панормо, слушая попсовые греческие мотивы на радио и понихоньку переваривая впечатления дня. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1ASUrl1aRAUoXUHo-j3GcoLJ_jH6lg9xWHBbNCCcg4kSr4S5QLGzb7PnhY-fJz5cFA3tYGDuO951x9vgq6FFeCrw1ifjS4lDWH_ZhjbWa4Rnu6V0zEF_Bi3J0vt0xF-lS7SHYghDLjeh/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1ASUrl1aRAUoXUHo-j3GcoLJ_jH6lg9xWHBbNCCcg4kSr4S5QLGzb7PnhY-fJz5cFA3tYGDuO951x9vgq6FFeCrw1ifjS4lDWH_ZhjbWa4Rnu6V0zEF_Bi3J0vt0xF-lS7SHYghDLjeh/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Hora-Sfakion-Samaria-Gorge07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxy22zarDKEtQMRWS2y4YnrSSZrAhaSK-tBSczBaBc8gjZ4yh8HpaxVMg-YYYErY0dIWJ0-QizMCJpm-SAp3frFEjMCFnxJvTW5sKaEUiw8lu77yddD74_5vc_XP5BxUZ-gfFpCACZyKqL/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxy22zarDKEtQMRWS2y4YnrSSZrAhaSK-tBSczBaBc8gjZ4yh8HpaxVMg-YYYErY0dIWJ0-QizMCJpm-SAp3frFEjMCFnxJvTW5sKaEUiw8lu77yddD74_5vc_XP5BxUZ-gfFpCACZyKqL/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfhJMORP-vusH_RKHBahsvNhQ5RVPlvlzXNn7tncYlbN3JoyvrrFCU8Qrpv9ZibsFK7Hh4EKy2cPaClU29uEzJH1WLRBYo6owhhH9hTE3scPvTcRCW8GnhUAk9PMQeBpDeZ2N_RlI1PHc/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+00_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfhJMORP-vusH_RKHBahsvNhQ5RVPlvlzXNn7tncYlbN3JoyvrrFCU8Qrpv9ZibsFK7Hh4EKy2cPaClU29uEzJH1WLRBYo6owhhH9hTE3scPvTcRCW8GnhUAk9PMQeBpDeZ2N_RlI1PHc/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+00_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTULhcLqGlhYmFksJy9ad_ItHnMa-dLzKF71wukOsxUZgOmOpZYrsTHaZCVwl6ylBia7SPVR1izD5h0B8ZuhDmuAF3uLlhKc4hcZHWR1YH8NVjAmbzPZrhPxV57E10hoUvFw0QntWYUkOg/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTULhcLqGlhYmFksJy9ad_ItHnMa-dLzKF71wukOsxUZgOmOpZYrsTHaZCVwl6ylBia7SPVR1izD5h0B8ZuhDmuAF3uLlhKc4hcZHWR1YH8NVjAmbzPZrhPxV57E10hoUvFw0QntWYUkOg/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-18-Frangokastello+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com3Agia Roumeli, Greece35.230268 23.96065780000003535.2270255 23.955615300000037 35.2335105 23.965700300000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3711149229523013709.post-41720367740278386472013-11-24T22:13:00.002+01:002013-12-27T23:48:59.550+01:00Greece (Day 1-2): Introduction + Spili, Armeni, Rhetymnon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Вот уже и пришли зимние холода... Наступает время, когда хочется забраться под теплый плед с чашкой чая (желательно с ромом) и вспомнить о теплых деньках в Греции. Поэтому сразу же по возвращении с моего последнего "длинного уикэнда" в Вене, где я забирала приз за <a href="http://www.fotomarathon.at/Wien/2013/Bildergalerie/Marathon/Ergebnis/384/Alena+R" target="_blank">5-е место в Wiener Fotomarathon 2013</a> (нашу серию, кстати, <a href="http://yourmedia.at/blog/2013/09/wiener-fotomarathon-2013/" target="_blank">можно увидеть тут</a>, а <a href="http://yourmedia.at/blog/2013/09/unser-making-of-wiener-fotomarathon-2013/" target="_blank">„behind the scenes footage” - тут</a>), я сразу же направилась к laptop-у, чтобы упорядочить свою путешественнические заметки из Греции в более или менее связный рассказ. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Итак, что же я знаю об этой стране? Из школьной программы греческой мифологии мне тут же вспомнилось, что меня всегда забавлял тот факт, что Грецию окружают моря, названные в честь людей, по той или иной причине бросившихся в них (в основном со смертельным исходом). Например, <b>Эгейское море</b> называется так в память об афинском царе Эгее, который бросился со скалы в море, узнав, что его сын Тесей погиб на Крите, убитый Минотавром (на самом деле Тесей напился с друзьями по поводу своей победы над этим самым минотавром и просто забыл поменять парус с черного на белый - как было договорено с отцом в случае победы Тесея). Ну а с другой стороны Грецию окружает <b>Ионическое море </b>– которое, в свою очередь, называется так из-за того, что богиня Ио «бросилась» в него после того, как была превращена в белую корову Зевсом. Кстати, более скучная, менее романтичная, но более реалистичная версия гласит, что Ионическое море было названо так из-за ионийцев - племени, которые в XI—IX веках до н. э. колонизировали Ионию. Ну что я могу сказать? Если бы меня интересовали «реалистичные» версии происхождения географических названий, то я бы и по сей день не знала, как называеются моря окружающие Грецию :-)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j8xPmanu4pvaO7ZTkxF1rO1l7597GR8IYIBYU32PsSScdxBXLXB4YBknv0KX0JGuH_T45p4kL-T1PcW6aXwPt6HxXrC_O6RemdGRGjoEbpcWL5elVGvS2_46OxqdcEbStsZ_Ud12PlxD/s1600/Greece-Crete-oldfashioned-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j8xPmanu4pvaO7ZTkxF1rO1l7597GR8IYIBYU32PsSScdxBXLXB4YBknv0KX0JGuH_T45p4kL-T1PcW6aXwPt6HxXrC_O6RemdGRGjoEbpcWL5elVGvS2_46OxqdcEbStsZ_Ud12PlxD/s400/Greece-Crete-oldfashioned-map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
15-го сентября мы призмемлились в аэропорту Ираклиона, носящем имя гордости Греческой литературы Nikos-а Kazantzakis. <b>Никос Казантзакис</b> знаменит своим романом "<b>Zorba the Greek</b>", а также эксцентричным надгробием-цитатой: «<i>Ни на что не надеюсь. Ничего не страшусь. Я свободен</i>». Дав себе слово, что до конца 2013-го года я прочитаю этот литературный шедевр и посмотрю его экранизацию, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057831/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Zorba the Greek (1964)</a>, я отправилась знакомиться с менее возвышенной, но очень важной для путешественника темой: греческими WC.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Греческие WC.</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Крит - мифическое место рождения Зевса и родина великой Минойской цивилизации, которая своим развитием опередила все другие и вдохновила рождение мифов о том, что Крит (как впрочем и Санторини) – это затерянная Атлантида. Довольно парадоксально, что культура, которая уже за 3000 лет до н.э. создала туалет с автоматическим смывом, сегодня повально страдает от почти комичной проблемы ("это было бы смешно, если б не было так грустно"): греческая канализация не способна справляться с туалетной бумагой. То ли трубы слишком узкие, то ли у Греков просто туалетная фобия (что бы об этом сказал Фрейд?), но по всей Греции висят схематичные (зачастую довольно креативные) таблички (см.ниже), призывающие народ не кидать бумагу в унитаз. Причем иногда греки довольно дискриминативны, например, на пароме с Крита до Санторини администрация ограничилась запиской ТОЛЬКО на русском языке :-) Видимо все остальные национальности более уважительно относятся к соблюдению правил.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eMYBQAKW9pb2xLqFImc6HnkZ7LiY443ObDasKcoJKCifHfWK0C89rWtB8EhtAeS5YI60e47UZcx8WjSt5n_bE2uLuYDDmsh86VW7PiSTQ1BBLB0EnJXJjKZ58Av4O3ifnUcvkW0STZZd/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eMYBQAKW9pb2xLqFImc6HnkZ7LiY443ObDasKcoJKCifHfWK0C89rWtB8EhtAeS5YI60e47UZcx8WjSt5n_bE2uLuYDDmsh86VW7PiSTQ1BBLB0EnJXJjKZ58Av4O3ifnUcvkW0STZZd/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ознакомившись с местной канализацией, я оформила pick-up заранее зарезервированного резвого Volkswagen-чика и по пути в Panormo порадовалась стратегически удачному выбору нашей базы. Сегодня большинство туристов останавливаются на северной части острова, но у "отшельников" есть возможность скрыться от толп туристов во множестве секретных (и не очень) заводей и пляжей на юге (<b>Agios Pavlos</b>, <b>Ammoudi </b>рядом с <b>Lefkogia </b>и др.). Хотя, как замечают многие туристы (включая меня), которые повидали как южные, так и северные пляжи: в общем-то, большинство beaches Крита очень похожи друг на друга, и если вы уже выбрали одно из мест, метание с побережья на побережье не принесет существенной разницы в видах или качестве пляжа. Исключением, пожалуй, является лишь <b>Elafonisi </b><span style="text-align: left;"><b><i><u>(см.пост Greece (Day 5-6): Panormos, Paleochora & Elafonisi)</u></i></b></span>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Заселившись в уютненькую студию на верхнем этаже <b><a href="http://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/castello-apartments.de.html" target="_blank">Castello Apartments</a> </b>и прогулявшись по узеньким улочкам Панормо я сразу поняла, что Греция – это рай… рай в котором супермаркеты открыты до 23:00, тур-агенства – как минимум до 22:00 (при необходимости и позже), а рестораны – до тех пор пока вы не покушаете :-) Кстати, Греческая кухня – отличная тема для первого поста.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Греческая еда.</b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmJV0GrbsKXQVFuOXIpJTajxMMNOhYX5Qla2abI83ppoFih1ZNVseunyGtIXKW5nxm1ClcDhPXMnl3yjnwsXsmcenFOlv3Q-ln6wq9eKfXw0Yt7VdqaEnwn7D5kVli544a9L2KFfY7R9z/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmJV0GrbsKXQVFuOXIpJTajxMMNOhYX5Qla2abI83ppoFih1ZNVseunyGtIXKW5nxm1ClcDhPXMnl3yjnwsXsmcenFOlv3Q-ln6wq9eKfXw0Yt7VdqaEnwn7D5kVli544a9L2KFfY7R9z/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Эта тема заслуживала бы стать темой отдельного рассказа, однако, чтобы не утомлять читателей длинными списками вкусностей, я постараюсь в сжатой форме передать свои кулинарные восхищения замачательной Греческой кухней. Греческая кухня – это стиль жизни: здоровый (ну может только за исключением "колорийных бомб" вроде пироженных <b>kadaithi</b>), вдохновляющий, и лично у меня вызывающий слюноотделение, как у собаки Павлова, только при одном упоминании любого из <b>mezedes </b>(легких закусок), будь то <b>keftedes </b>(мясные шарики), <b>saganaki </b>(жареный сыр), <b>taramosalata </b>(бутербрдная паста из рыбьей икры), <b>tsatziki </b>(йогурт с чесноком и огурцом) или <b>loukoumades </b>(пышки с медом).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FT4jNXHzC9aVYKKSNgE4jXQYzEojbQTEij0h7KuGWPdBWwmYMpB0m6ZBiZgU8e2OvVu5Q3UrExSUMKhorqOlTVt4KxFNNIaKJ0QKbOtCzJl3QUPQsNcgmFizIxIsoM0huUZtpfFXSV2g/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FT4jNXHzC9aVYKKSNgE4jXQYzEojbQTEij0h7KuGWPdBWwmYMpB0m6ZBiZgU8e2OvVu5Q3UrExSUMKhorqOlTVt4KxFNNIaKJ0QKbOtCzJl3QUPQsNcgmFizIxIsoM0huUZtpfFXSV2g/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Греческая ресторанная кафе-культура со всеми своми <b>kafeneio </b>(кафе-ресторан), <b>mezedopoleio </b>(кафе, специализирующееся на mezedes) и <b>psarotaverna </b>(рыбные ресторанчики) заботятся о том, чтобы и местные жители (которые зачастую, особенно в маленьких местечках, целыми днями тусят в kafeneio за греческим кофе), и туристы не скучали от недостатка кулинарного разнообразия. Для себя я выяснила: если вы не знаете, выбрать вам <b>gamopilafo </b>(козленка с рисом), <b>tsigariasto </b>(ягненка с йогуртом) или кролика тушеного с розмарином и уксусом <b>rizmarato</b>, то лучше всего спросить у владельца или официанта (что в маленьких местечках в общем-то синонимично) о деликатессах из региона – это беспроигрышно: где бы вы ни были на Крите, в каждой из четырех провинций: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion, Lassithi, вы найдете чем порадовать таящегося в каждом из нас гурмана (в некоторых, правда, он запрятан глубже, чем у других). Хотя, конечно, надо быть готовым, что в каждой из эскапад в Греческий ресторан вас будет ожидать тяжелая дилемма вроде: "<i>Выбрать мне сегодня местных улиток или козу тушеную?!</i>"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyc_2_Cnv3CDZXcbwjyaUS1JdQJ7mJWlOqKkq81U3XFsdGWDI1vWaA6Lgd8aI9Isawgjw2RldLFRWW0flaKUUZMKdWT4s_u_F_TK0YBJArllGBKfEYGkgBVB3FN1PCg1QLWm9pB_Pl44g6/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyc_2_Cnv3CDZXcbwjyaUS1JdQJ7mJWlOqKkq81U3XFsdGWDI1vWaA6Lgd8aI9Isawgjw2RldLFRWW0flaKUUZMKdWT4s_u_F_TK0YBJArllGBKfEYGkgBVB3FN1PCg1QLWm9pB_Pl44g6/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Однако, могу вас заверить, какой бы выбор вы ни сделали, кулинарные способности Греков не заставят вас сожалеть о нем. Про классические блюда <b>mousaka</b>, <b>souvlaki</b>, <b>gyros </b>и <b>bougatsa </b>(слоеное тесто с сыром и фаршем) я рассказывать не буду, но попробовать их - долг каждого туриста! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Касательно приятных ритуалов "вокруг" еды, можно назвать как минимум два: распивание греческого кофе и, опять-таки: распивание Ouzo. Греческий кофе – отдельная история, его пьют в трех вариациях: <b>glyko </b>(очень сладкий), <b>metrio </b>(«просто» сладкий) и <b>sketo </b>(без сахара). Как я наблюдала каждой день в местных кофейнях Панормо (будь то по пути в булочную утром или вечером, направляясь в ресторан): не бывает «неправильного» времени для принятия этого изысканного напитка: утром, днем, вечером: греки и кофе – две неразделимые сущности. Еще одна замечательная пищевая традиция: в завершение трапезы тебе обычно приносят графинчик с <b>Ouzo (Ούζο)</b> – местного напитка, одновременно похожего на водку, абсент и пастис. Хотя (видимо, отдавая должное культуре Оттоманской империи, которая так долго оказывала влияние на уклад жизни Критян), традиционно греческий узо зачастую заменяют его турецким собратом – <b>raki</b>. Лично я абсолютно не возражаю против этого культурного меланжа, и в любой момент бы с радостью вызвалась участвовать в blind test-е с целью отличить, какой же из напитков наиболее "эффективен".</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
ATM.</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Еще одна тема для введения - банкоматы. Из-за того, что на Крите очень развит туризм, то и банкоматы можно найти в общем-то даже в Богом забытых местечках. Иногда они даже не встроены в банк или стену, а выглядят приблизительно как автомат с газировкой: стоит себе такой небольшой ящичек на какой-нибудь из малюсеньких улочек Panormo. Казалось бы: подкати грузовичок и можно увезти с собой как игрушку :-) Деньги, однако, в них - вполне реальные. Единственное: из-за обилия туристов в АТМ не всегда есть наличность. Или – еще лучше – деньги есть, но не в тех купюрах, которые тебе нужны. Вот и получается, например, что ты просишь 50 евро – автомат говорит, что не может их выдать, а, допустим, 40 – может. Однако, в отличие от своих западноевропейских продвинутых обратьев, Греческие банкоматы еще не научились рассказывать пользователю об ассортименте купюр в наличии: вот и превращается поход за наличкой в решение математических задачек a-la GMAT: сколько же понадобится попыток, чтобы «подобрать» нужную сумму хоть в каких-либо купюрах? :-)</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Spili & Armeni</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hJ03HruLJBJdV7Vo91a3a7fLSqBX8xsX-NCNhDWPRX0-Rgi-q8c2vlNm2QPYTtP9ojN6ZiA7_yk-_MCM9v1LdMxoN_GttHvQCR8Yy5ZjOl7SOIRTLYYqzXxt08qacCfAgItUzsrO4iYD/s1600/01-Greece-Crete-Map-Panormos-Rhetymnon-Aremini-Spilli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hJ03HruLJBJdV7Vo91a3a7fLSqBX8xsX-NCNhDWPRX0-Rgi-q8c2vlNm2QPYTtP9ojN6ZiA7_yk-_MCM9v1LdMxoN_GttHvQCR8Yy5ZjOl7SOIRTLYYqzXxt08qacCfAgItUzsrO4iYD/s400/01-Greece-Crete-Map-Panormos-Rhetymnon-Aremini-Spilli.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Первая авто-вылазка была довольно скромной по киллометражу, если не считать, конечно, что на обратном пути мы заблудились и вместо автобана очутились на старой дороге вдоль берега от Ретимно до Панормо). Составила она в общей мере где-то 100 км туда и обратно.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Основным пунктом назначения в первый день был городок <b>Spili (Σπήλι)</b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11r4IT2yLWXAfzHs_2sQLuMgmgts387Pwe1vx8h5CDPE5Osnl2nvp2OveP_DzC2q89Bs_dGa9PRe9HgnOj55_lolO7mGTGxTvt1e2D0Brh4hzplzsEArhIs_EyBvcdxA-_cSgv-z27nzJ/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11r4IT2yLWXAfzHs_2sQLuMgmgts387Pwe1vx8h5CDPE5Osnl2nvp2OveP_DzC2q89Bs_dGa9PRe9HgnOj55_lolO7mGTGxTvt1e2D0Brh4hzplzsEArhIs_EyBvcdxA-_cSgv-z27nzJ/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Спили – горная деревушка, которая находится километрах в двадцати к югу от Ретимно и знаменита, в первую, очередь своим Львиным фонтаном Венецианского периода. В городке есть парочка приятных ресторанчиков и кафешек, пара церквушек и приятная центральная площадь. Кроме этого, вдоль главной улицы можно найти множество магазинчиков ремесленников, продающих все: начиная с тминного мёда, традиционных Критских ножей и заканчивая туристическими безделицами вроде крышек от пивных бутылок с изображением достопричательностей Крита. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvY9LqpyCeVHBBusA_zW0UCr8BwiT1xBtY9x0x56_nnbcopbeevS9XhpfRivq3XpElKUEymp0K9S0tBOjT21pjGPQ5KqhwIctbItN161-mPBE6r50pqWrlUT9RX8Sl6hA8wtypBhlFH7r/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvY9LqpyCeVHBBusA_zW0UCr8BwiT1xBtY9x0x56_nnbcopbeevS9XhpfRivq3XpElKUEymp0K9S0tBOjT21pjGPQ5KqhwIctbItN161-mPBE6r50pqWrlUT9RX8Sl6hA8wtypBhlFH7r/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Отобедав на тенистой площади под журчание Львиного фонтана, мы сделали «круг почета» по ремесленным лавкам и, в общем-то, собрались в обратную дорогу. Однако (как это часто бывает), главное приключение этого дня ждало не у Львиного фонтана в Спили, а в более укромном местечке, а именно: в Armeni. Насладившись очаровательным закатом с одного из холмов под Спили, мы направились далее...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQKF1nogy2rCkA0WRfeWu_82nELmqiBMEDLeOfTTvWmpQFwVoJe2gmQHdrc6rWmxXSYPFH6wr4Df4lFQRjX6Zt7n0vdh51fCs9L2PYh_AdzDs0nCRmjRygfuF3MRGe26s6XXX4D_ZVcCx/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-05a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQKF1nogy2rCkA0WRfeWu_82nELmqiBMEDLeOfTTvWmpQFwVoJe2gmQHdrc6rWmxXSYPFH6wr4Df4lFQRjX6Zt7n0vdh51fCs9L2PYh_AdzDs0nCRmjRygfuF3MRGe26s6XXX4D_ZVcCx/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-05a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQom14yPWyDa37_nQ6TQMdCm7PAGIjiTNhDR8pzMeKP44XeNpq1898XAbSQH2skuY2e75tJ3CUqrl66rQq5RVXGRTHpzayf8CY1xg2crTbnF7eD1zzOqjaQyaZ7H-uK6U73pzYuCanYrjW/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQom14yPWyDa37_nQ6TQMdCm7PAGIjiTNhDR8pzMeKP44XeNpq1898XAbSQH2skuY2e75tJ3CUqrl66rQq5RVXGRTHpzayf8CY1xg2crTbnF7eD1zzOqjaQyaZ7H-uK6U73pzYuCanYrjW/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2FGSdwSRcsOH98JFwFHbGrNUegygNpAcyYSe7_14JNZ0-DjL6_MZs93kEw7O5YdPhbGez6rYx3GeSWTkwLXqLTlfRLSQspj35bB8YIohMukUnNzJBeFqQ5Lyjr94C6zVPkakaUp62YWu/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2FGSdwSRcsOH98JFwFHbGrNUegygNpAcyYSe7_14JNZ0-DjL6_MZs93kEw7O5YdPhbGez6rYx3GeSWTkwLXqLTlfRLSQspj35bB8YIohMukUnNzJBeFqQ5Lyjr94C6zVPkakaUp62YWu/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Armeni (Armenoi </b>или <b>Αρμένοι)</b> – маленькая деревушка по пути из Spili в Rethimno даже не была изначально запланирована как destination для этого дня, однако, когда за обедом я вычилала, что где-то под Армени есть загадочное кладбище позднего минойского периода, я знала: пропускать такую возможность для приключения просто нельзя! Особенность этого кладбища заключалась в том, что более чем 200 захоронений были высечены в скальной породе посреди дубового леса (интересно, а что делала скальная порода посреди леса?). По крайней мере этот вопрос я задала себе сразу же, как только прочитала это описание в Lonely Planet. Дело в том, что в те временя в этих краях не было никаких поселений, которые могли бы объяснить такое существенное количество могил в одном месте. Такая необъяснимость, конечно, предполагает либо какое-то мрачное массовое убийство, либо какую-то непонятную ритуальную значимость этого места, в любом случае: интересно! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
В поисках заброшеннго кладбища, я оставила машину у полуразвалившегося каменного забора и пошла по давно неиспользуемой дороге (судя по ее виду) в ту сторону, куда указывал мой навигатор. После нескольких поворотов я вышла, как в последствии оказалось, прямо к недавно отреставрированному «традиционному дому» <b>Roukouneli Traditional House </b>(ARMENOI Armenoi, P.C. 74100) – вариация "экотуризма" в Греции. Пока я глазела на вывеску <b>Roukouneli</b>, я приметила колоритную старушку, которая поднималась по выложенной камнем улице, одной рукой опираясь на палку для ходьбы, а второй – держась за стенку, ей явно было тяжело.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-BavpkWJT0InGzs-oKG9_gUl3oRRrS7DxIjyYXOr7o-eqAb7mHonhCzM3RKsNtZM-unwjJVH4eDHUaT87sLHkwY1DcywAwfB0JIniuzfPF4XWDUItKw_f5gp5XNsmo77gr4bqz_Ozrqc/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-BavpkWJT0InGzs-oKG9_gUl3oRRrS7DxIjyYXOr7o-eqAb7mHonhCzM3RKsNtZM-unwjJVH4eDHUaT87sLHkwY1DcywAwfB0JIniuzfPF4XWDUItKw_f5gp5XNsmo77gr4bqz_Ozrqc/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOVmSv5J6eQdvNuGWYBq-N56rJapQ0zZlJAJUwhOENbn1tcD18pJUvcFb2TefmwGkEx0d405ERGyIuur_nR8SJCT_a9oqNiifEJA_h4W1eNJ_fGoABChLCs5MEsECnqpx7exxsNb5uULS/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOVmSv5J6eQdvNuGWYBq-N56rJapQ0zZlJAJUwhOENbn1tcD18pJUvcFb2TefmwGkEx0d405ERGyIuur_nR8SJCT_a9oqNiifEJA_h4W1eNJ_fGoABChLCs5MEsECnqpx7exxsNb5uULS/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Чтобы быть вежливой, я поприветствовала ее международным „Hello!“, вспоминая, что путеводитель предупреждал о том, что в отдаленных от тур-центров деревушках не стоит ожидать многоязычности от местного населения. К моему удивлению бабулька вопросительно кивнула мне: „Deutsch?“, я побежденно-смиренно кивнула: оказывается, мне уже даже на надо открывать рот, чтобы народ догадался о моем немецкоговорящем прошлом и настоящем... К моему удивлению Мария шпрехала на очень неплохом немецком. Она сразу же поинтересовалась, что я тут делаю (видимо не так уж много туристов заглядывают в этот отдаленный уголок Крита). Я было начала объяснять, что ищу Friedhof, но, видимо, слово «кладбище» не было в активном вокабуляре Марии, и я, постеснявшись жестами и «в лицах» демонстрировать пожилой даме гробы и покойников, перевела стрелки на Марию: а что она тут делает? Ответ меня не удивил: оказывается Мария тут живет, прямо рядом с Roukouneli Traditional House – мы как раз стояли напротив ее дома. Гостеприимная дама пригласила меня зайти на чашечку чая и я, недолго думая, согласилась. Мария передвигалась медленно и пока он прошла 10 метров до входной двери, я успела узнать, что ей уже 81 год, и она живет с 26-ю котами вот в этом самом доме. Стоп, 26 котов?! Немецкий Марии был не идеален и я решила, что, скорее всего, истинное количество котов „got lost in translation“. Ан нет, в этот момент калитка распахнулась и из внутреннего двора раздалось голодное мяуканье, из легкого полумразка на нас засверкали глаза …. как минимум 26 котов :-) </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod1aRFtuuPbrrlSbaUj_lTw5dAftLk1tsQSYFB76gxeWT8LJtCTmP2FbwFw-GpRoSu3Qt_j449MOHF-HKHxxNHfmgMHuYJ5jViFIb2vnHli2Ik53MRillyOxJ45c3TKjsYFEVxnLv7YvA/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod1aRFtuuPbrrlSbaUj_lTw5dAftLk1tsQSYFB76gxeWT8LJtCTmP2FbwFw-GpRoSu3Qt_j449MOHF-HKHxxNHfmgMHuYJ5jViFIb2vnHli2Ik53MRillyOxJ45c3TKjsYFEVxnLv7YvA/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4O2_Wdg77JmGRjcwGVwvxB9xdKxZunLAAn46xESgGz-XFrsaJC6wlUYsk6OwfJz8i_8c86XfY2zXO64ykkX0sSX21We4VUs4zOt27yvItKNy2DbbS9Uj4k5DLlrZqRodwpznfZyTrYYp/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4O2_Wdg77JmGRjcwGVwvxB9xdKxZunLAAn46xESgGz-XFrsaJC6wlUYsk6OwfJz8i_8c86XfY2zXO64ykkX0sSX21We4VUs4zOt27yvItKNy2DbbS9Uj4k5DLlrZqRodwpznfZyTrYYp/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSp2m8_-fkaeRWESupwnqmLJMvSU61aRgH4bFQwiT4f3DIQRmw-J0zA5x202KKQJH2NINrFFP9yntZzc7w9eGNdnoSncsDmACo6X21fhu5xA7vPlot4d-09lIuSTmmvefbFIHyqmrkZyV/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSp2m8_-fkaeRWESupwnqmLJMvSU61aRgH4bFQwiT4f3DIQRmw-J0zA5x202KKQJH2NINrFFP9yntZzc7w9eGNdnoSncsDmACo6X21fhu5xA7vPlot4d-09lIuSTmmvefbFIHyqmrkZyV/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ну надо же, единственный человек, которого я встретила в этом пустынном поселке, и такая колоритная история! Я еще никогда в жизни не видела настоящей cat lady! Быстрой молнией в моей голове промелькнули сюжеты нескольких молодежных ужастиков, в одноим из которых пожилая дама отравила ничего не подозревающих заблужившися путников домашним пирогом… Мария прервала мои мысли: «Может быть, хочешь круасан или виноградику?» Улыбнувшись тому, как я собственноручно напугала себя своей же выдуманной историей, я продолжила беседу и вскоре убедилась, что Maria Vistaci ну уж точно не серийный убийца! Мария пригласила меня на веранду, по пути проведя меня по своему скромному жилищу, расспросила меня, где я остановилась, и пока мы болтали, срезала мне выращенного на собственной веранде белого и синего винограда. Я была очень рада, что не отказалась: последующие дни я брала на пляж и на экскурсии ссобойку из ее винограда: он оказался ну просто необыкновенно вкусным!<br />
Я поблагодарила Марию и поспешила к машине: уже темнело. Загадку кладбища я решила оставить следующему любознательному туристу. А меня меня ждал Ретимно!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL0dhuaVf3oxyxy2oHYhRUkDRIUojQwS2j-eAGNvDn6bS3IvMSKCKWtfJVym8zaGOBkcm2YgYEbyd5LTgPuYwF49NtCzdUuqgmhvkfjtBaO2Qzyx6y5DsRIiA9x-Hm3T32ycjHLXm7LWh/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL0dhuaVf3oxyxy2oHYhRUkDRIUojQwS2j-eAGNvDn6bS3IvMSKCKWtfJVym8zaGOBkcm2YgYEbyd5LTgPuYwF49NtCzdUuqgmhvkfjtBaO2Qzyx6y5DsRIiA9x-Hm3T32ycjHLXm7LWh/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQadoTENHCWzaydwqZGBH86i_d0-G31QAEOGG7Wr1_CBmjytTNjZMLdpZcmTqFQwVcWxEs0uqeeoMpn3FF0wqCQjih7sG-ifYb1Iy3p08f36P7fsCjfVXAIt54yg-sq2v-KgQKMmBRPqF7/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQadoTENHCWzaydwqZGBH86i_d0-G31QAEOGG7Wr1_CBmjytTNjZMLdpZcmTqFQwVcWxEs0uqeeoMpn3FF0wqCQjih7sG-ifYb1Iy3p08f36P7fsCjfVXAIt54yg-sq2v-KgQKMmBRPqF7/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApmiYihdBlnt9uEh-CQ0M4DGckAJunvCvdACOlf7pEOYXYmc9YxL01g0cg_EvZhJlkRR4eWZ-URbZJ0jxxAB51YJXW4XQnPhAzKBNDeWtjmt2NJRifzJRBCZxaX4GnbB5yB3HAcmRguqy/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApmiYihdBlnt9uEh-CQ0M4DGckAJunvCvdACOlf7pEOYXYmc9YxL01g0cg_EvZhJlkRR4eWZ-URbZJ0jxxAB51YJXW4XQnPhAzKBNDeWtjmt2NJRifzJRBCZxaX4GnbB5yB3HAcmRguqy/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08Bv_NWKuowAZuiY_6P-_o40QSpDrfo8onlfL10U_sfVk3PtaYvhCUDQnv7tpISnrD-0LO1W3gB51gur9SQLWfVP5IsIRBsPJ4WIVjasSHEJ83gYm4YZ_baxWrJYyWklNqlWycdbzlXQ7/s1600/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08Bv_NWKuowAZuiY_6P-_o40QSpDrfo8onlfL10U_sfVk3PtaYvhCUDQnv7tpISnrD-0LO1W3gB51gur9SQLWfVP5IsIRBsPJ4WIVjasSHEJ83gYm4YZ_baxWrJYyWklNqlWycdbzlXQ7/s400/Greece-Crete-2013-09-16_Spili-Armeni-Rhetymnon-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Rethimnon</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Ретимно (aka Rethymnon)</b> - третий по величине город на Крите. Название <b>Ρέθυμνο </b>дословно переводится как «струя воды» - это не случайно: город был центром морской торговли вином и оливковым маслом. Сейчас город является культурной столицей острова, богатой, однако, не только историческими зданиями и музеями, но и «простыми» развлечениями: променад буквально усеян ресторанами, kafeineio, клубами и lounge-ами: для любителей «потусить» тут есть чем заняться. Оценив неоспоримое очарование Ретимно, я все-таки с радостью отправилась домой в Панормо и поблагодарила свою интуицию сделать базу именно там (а не в Ретимно, как планировалось изначально). Все-таки, очарование Греции - в маленьких деревушках, где просыпаясь с утра и взглянув с одного из твоих двух балконов, ты чувствуешь, что и пляж, и горы, и местная пекарня со сварливой хозяйкой - только для тебя!</div>
</div>
Alёnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08121065745857011462noreply@blogger.com0Spili 740 53, Greece35.2188059 24.5357817000000335.205762899999996 24.51552570000003 35.2318489 24.556037700000029